Omega Complex Novel (Completed) - Chapter 23

“How did you get my number?”

I didn’t remember giving him my number. At the freshman welcoming party, and at the drinking party, I hadn’t given my number to anyone. No, it was more accurate to say that no one had asked in the first place. Park Sungjae was the only one who had even talked to me, so how could I have exchanged contact information with anyone there?

—Sungjae hyung gave it to me.

Kim Dohyun replied in a calm voice. Since when was he close enough to Park Sungjae to call him ‘Sungjae hyung’ so familiarly? This bastard Park Sungjae, I muttered, and Choi Taegyeom approached, fiddling with his wet bangs.

“Park Sungjae, you mean… the big guy with kind eyes?”

“Pfft.”

I burst out laughing involuntarily. Choi Taegyeom’s description was too accurate. Park Sungjae, who was big but had endlessly sparkling eyes. No phrase described him better than ‘kind eyes’.

“Park Sungjae does have kind eyes…”

As I chuckled, Choi Taegyeom sat next to me and leaned his head on me. The way he rubbed his head was utterly adorable. I glanced down and saw Choi Taegyeom’s round forehead.

—Sunbae?

“Ah, I wasn’t talking to you.”

Should I push his hair back? Or just leave it? It would have been nice if I had reached out my hand thoughtlessly as usual, but the dream from last night kept coming to mind, making me self-conscious. In the end, I had no choice but to clench and unclench my fist, turning my gaze elsewhere.

“So why did you call?”

—Just, I was wondering if you got home safely yesterday.

“I got home fine.”

Choi Taegyeom straightened up. Then he stared at me intently, as if he was very curious about who I was talking to. Instead of telling him who it was, I avoided his gaze and asked an awkward question.

“Did you get home safely?”

—Yes, after the seniors left yesterday…

Kim Dohyun said he had drunk for longer than expected. The numerous empty bottles that were there when I was around eventually became so many that they were tripping hazards, and Park Sungjae had passed out and was taken away by a junior. I sighed at the mention of Park Sungjae looking for me when he was drunk, but I chuckled at the news that Minjeong was the only one who remained sober.

“You had a tough time.”

It was at that moment that Choi Taegyeom flopped down. He lay with his head on my thigh, eyes closed, burying his face in my lower abdomen. Choi Taegyeom’s breath was distinctly felt through my thin t-shirt.

—It was nothing. I was drunk too…

I couldn’t hear what Kim Dohyun was saying. Choi Taegyeom’s skin grew warm with each exhale, and my lower back tensed. To make matters worse, Choi Taegyeom mumbled with his face still buried.

“I’m hungry.”

It was close enough that I could feel his lips if he got any closer. No, more than that, my lower body, hidden by my pajama bottoms, was in danger. I held my phone away and whispered to Choi Taegyeom.

“That tickles, you idiot.”

He grumbled but obediently rolled over to face upwards. The problem was that the moment he turned, he opened his eyes and looked at me. Slowly, he lifted his eyelids and raised a hand to tidy my bangs.

“Your hair has grown a lot.”

The hair brushing against my eyes was ticklish. His hand, caressing my hair without hesitation, made me want to act childishly. Whenever he reached out so casually, an unbearable flutter filled my throat.

—Sunbae, are you listening?

“Huh…? Uh-huh. I’m listening.”

In truth, I hadn’t heard a thing. My gaze was stolen by his faintly smiling face, and my mind went blank. I wanted to lean down right then and there, and fully take his red lips. I also wanted to smooth his fine hair and meticulously caress his well-formed face. His eyes, nose, and mouth, each one was so beautiful that even the time my eyelids closed felt precious.

Choi Taegyeom slowly blinked and withdrew his hand. Our gazes met in the air, intertwining with a subtle sensation. Perhaps he was still half-asleep from the morning, but I felt a similar kind of desire in his gaze.

The tension was broken by low voices from both sides.

“But you.”

—Sunbae, by any chance,

Kim Dohyun began with a slightly hesitant tone. It seemed my clumsy reply had made something click for him. Choi Taegyeom seemed to feel the same, as he frowned and spoke in a sharp voice.

“Is that Kim Dohyun?”

—Is Choi Taegyeom sunbae next to you?

For a moment, I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t figure out which one to answer first. First, I met Choi Taegyeom’s gaze and replied to Kim Dohyun.

“Yeah, he’s next to me.”

—Ah…

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. The thought that Choi Taegyeom wouldn’t care whether it was Kim Dohyun or not. Even if he knew it was a call from Kim Dohyun, Choi Taegyeom wouldn’t react. And that, for me, would again leave a wound.

“It’s Kim Dohyun, alright.”

“…”

As expected, Choi Taegyeom showed no reaction. He simply raised an eyebrow and let out a light snort. The surging pheromones also seemed to be because the other person was ‘Kim Dohyun’.

—I think I interrupted.

“No, it’s not that…”

My uplifted mood sank. The tickling desire that had been building up subsided as if cold water had been thrown on it. Choi Taegyeom stared at me intently, but I didn’t feel like meeting his gaze.

—Actually… I called because I was worried about you going with Choi Taegyeom sunbae.

“Worried about what?”

I asked nonchalantly, patting Choi Taegyeom’s shoulder. Get up. I mouthed, and he frowned and got up.

—Just, you were very drunk. Nothing happened, right?

Aren’t you going to hang up? Choi Taegyeom tilted his head. As he said, it was about time to hang up the phone. Choi Taegyeom said he was hungry, and there was nothing more to say.

“You worry too much.”

But contrary to my thoughts, the words to hang up didn’t come out. It was just simple stubbornness. Choi Taegyeom didn’t care, so why should I be considerate of him?

—Of course I’m worried.

Kim Dohyun replied calmly. Choi Taegyeom’s gaze poked at my cheek. From the other end of the phone, a gentle tone still continued.

—You took a drunk alpha home, how could I not be worried?

Choi Taegyeom said he wouldn’t care, but Kim Dohyun said he was worried. I knew it was a wrong comparison, but I couldn’t help but feel bitter. What if their feelings were swapped, that meaningless assumption was sweet.

—I told you I’m interested in you, sunbae.

My head throbbed. A slight sense of guilt and self-loathing washed over me.

It was yesterday that I heard Kim Dohyun ask to meet casually. But overnight, I was talking to him without any burden. This was combined with a childish desire to provoke Choi Taegyeom.

“Nothing happened.”

The words “it’s burdensome” were at the tip of my tongue. The reason I couldn’t utter them was a slight apology to Kim Dohyun. Because he was stubbornly trying to get something when the person giving it wasn’t even thinking about it.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’m hanging up.”

—Sun…

I had no intention of listening further. I hung up the phone abruptly before Kim Dohyun could say anything more. I knew it was rude, but asking for someone else’s number from a third party wasn’t polite either.

“Why did he call?”

“He asked if I got home safely yesterday.”

I just felt like having a cigarette. I was in a bad mood, and Choi Taegyeom’s pheromones filled the air. I felt like I needed to go to a convenience store or something to clear my head and get some fresh air.

“Do you want anything to eat? I’ll go buy it.”

“Is that all?”

“What?”

Only now did I notice that Choi Taegyeom had a somewhat displeased expression. He grabbed me as I was about to get out of bed and made me sit back down. The moment my bottom hit the bed, he spoke accusingly.

“Is that all he said on the phone?”

“Then what else should he say?”

The conversation from last night came to mind. Choi Taegyeom’s lukewarm reaction when I told him I confessed. And the feeling of emptiness I felt.

“He said he was worried because you were very drunk.”

My lips moved on their own. I hadn’t intended to say this, but out of pique, the words tumbled out.

“He asked if nothing happened, and how could he not be worried when he took a drunk alpha home?”