Correction Chapter 57

Jungmin passed the meat he had cut to Soohan and spoke as if to comfort him. Soohan quietly watched him.

“Meeting you was truly good fortune.”

“If you know, then hurry up and eat.”

When Jungmin chided him, Soohan said, “Okay,” and put the meat Jungmin offered into his mouth. Their short dinner date was coming to an end. Since Soohan had snuck out of his house without even bringing his car, Jungmin decided to drive him home. Thanks to that, their date was extended just a little bit.

“I’ll prepare everything well. So you, hyung… just think about Ms. Sooeun. Got it?”

“Thank you.”

Soohan tightly squeezed Jungmin’s hand, which was holding the steering wheel. And when they arrived near his house, the two shared a kiss filled with love.

“They say New Zealand is nice. Let’s go surfing there… and take our time finding work while we rest.”

“Let’s do that. And… Jungmin.”

“Yeah?”

“Once we’re settled, can you… allow me to hold you?”

Jungmin instantly understood what he meant and squeezed Soohan’s hand tightly.

“I don’t know, I’m not that dependable yet. In this situation, shouldn’t I be the one holding you, hyung?”

“Ah. Is that so? Still, I want to be the first one to hold you.”

“Then the future is what’s important. Why don’t you try hard to make me feel like I want to be held.”

Jungmin ‘tapped’ Soohan on the bridge of his nose.

They continued to chat amiably in the car for a long while, and Soohan got out of the car with a much brighter face than before. Watching his back as he returned home, Jungmin grinned. That night, he was able to sleep comfortably, thinking only of a future full of light.

If only everything had stopped then, it would have been better….

✽✽✽

─Sunbae, I’ve set up the account for the money to go in as you requested.

“You did?”

The departure was tomorrow. Just in time, Kim Joohwan called to tell him that he had opened an account at a New Zealand bank.

─First, let’s deposit the money after the bet is over.

“That bet. When is it happening?”

─Soon?

“Soon? When is that? I’m leaving the country tomorrow.”

─I know. That’s why I’m rushing too.

“When will we know the result? No, in the first place, I don’t even know what the bet is, so how will I know if I won or you won?”

─You’ll know. So just wait a little. Hmm… in about three hours? I’ll call you.

“It won’t be past tonight, right?”

─Sunbae. You don’t seem to trust me, so let’s do this. If it goes past today, this bet is automatically your win, Sunbae.

“Good.”

─Okay. Well then. I’ll contact you later.

After the call ended, Jungmin looked at the clock. In three hours, it would be 10 PM. He had no idea what kind of bet he intended to make, or what he planned to show him, with only three hours left.

One way or another, the later Joohwan was, the less he had to lose, so Jungmin thought, Since it’s come to this, just be definitively late! and started organizing his luggage again.

✽✽✽

After ending his call with Jungmin, Kim Joohwan was silently staring at the name ‘Shin Jungmin’ displayed on the screen. Just then, sensing the door open and a man approaching, he quietly put his phone down.

“You’ve arrived?”

“……”

Ji Soohan looked at Kim Joohwan, openly showing his displeasure.

“It’s been a while.”

“Please sit. I don’t think we’re on terms to shake hands.”

When Joohwan nodded, an attendant pulled out Soohan’s chair, and Soohan sat down opposite Kim Joohwan. The attendant left and the door closed.

A very faint blue light suffused the dark space. The soft sound of music and water blocked out the minimal noise.

“Are you all set to leave tomorrow?”

Kim Joohwan asked with a smile. But Ji Soohan couldn’t smile. Kim Joohwan’s pheromones were unpleasantly quiet. No, he couldn’t feel them at all. They were perfectly controlled. A fellow Alpha knows just how terrifying that is. The things he says, his purpose, his emotions. He couldn’t discern any of it.

“Yes. Ah, I heard from Jungmin. That you are helping us, Mr. Kim Joohwan.”

“Jungmin. Jungmin, you say…”

Kim Joohwan slowly tapped his fingers on the table, repeating Jungmin’s name.

“Ah~ right. Sunbae’s name was Shin Jungmin. You said it so familiarly, I wondered who you were talking about.”

“Shouldn’t you at least know your Sunbae’s name?”

“You’re right. Still, there’s no reason for me to hear that from you.”

Kim Joohwan crossed his legs and looked at Ji Soohan. Even though there wasn’t much of a difference in their lines of sight, it strangely felt like he was being looked down upon.

“You must know that Jungmin Sunbae came to me to ask for help.”

“…I know.”

“Just how unreliable must Mr. Ji Soohan be, for Sunbae to come to me for help.”

“I admit that. It’s true that I’m not dependable at the moment.”

“Sunbae has never once asked for my help or bowed his head to me.”

Even ‘that day’ when he came saying he didn’t want to become an Alpha, he hadn’t bowed his head. If anything, he had acted haughty.

“But for the first time, he bowed his head and asked me for a favor. It was refreshing, but…”

Kim Joohwan stroked his chin, recalling that day.

“It wasn’t fun. On the other hand, it made me curious. What on earth is this person, Ji Soohan, that he would even bow his head like this. So I wanted to meet you once.”

Ji Soohan was uncomfortable in this place. He had been puzzled when Kim Joohwan contacted him. He had debated whether to refuse or not, but came out to express his gratitude since it was true they were receiving help. It seemed he had made the wrong choice. He didn’t know what it was, but the Alpha before him wanted to get rid of him. He could feel it blatantly.

“Then is it settled now that you’ve seen my face? I’m grateful for your help, but I don’t think you need to help us any further. Jungmin and I will do fine, so please, Mr. Kim Joohwan, wash your hands of this. I will be sure to compensate you for the help you’ve provided so far.”

“Who do you think you are?”

Kim Joohwan said with a laugh, as if finding it absurd.

“Compensation? How will you do that. With money? Ah, I understand your financial lines are all cut off right now, so I’m curious how you’ll manage. Are you planning to borrow Jungmin Sunbae’s money? How would you know how much I’ll ask for.”

“Mr. Kim Joohwan. Don’t you think you’re being very rude right now?”

“You’re the rude one.”

“What?”

“Suddenly appearing out of nowhere and butting in. He’s the only person who’s fun to watch, and now he’s on the verge of being ruined.”

“What are you talking ab-.”

Not understanding the meaning of Kim Joohwan’s words, Ji Soohan furrowed his brow, then stared blankly at Kim Joohwan as if he’d had a sudden realization. His eyes glinted coldly in the moonlight behind him.

The emotion that Ji Soohan felt from Kim Joohwan in that moment was one he knew well. It was an Alpha’s possessiveness. He hadn’t been mistaken back then. Kim Joohwan had a possessive streak towards Jungmin. A tenacious one, at that, to the point of being vicious and cruel. It wasn’t ‘love’. It was merely the gaze of an owner towards a ‘toy’.

Ji Soohan felt he had to get Jungmin away from him. He had to quickly take him and leave this country.

“I’ll do anything. If there’s something you want, I’ll give you everything. But… I will be the one to take Jungmin.”

“Haha.”

Kim Joohwan laughed heartily. Then he stood up, took the champagne from the ice bucket, and poured it into the glass in front of Ji Soohan. Ji Soohan quietly watched the bubbles fizz up.

“Fine. Take him. I’m not interested in something that’s been ruined, anyway.”

“……”

“But since he’s a Sunbae I was very fond of, it pains my heart to see him suffer, so I will help as Sunbae requested. I don’t need any kind of reward. I’m just doing this to put my own mind at ease.”

After pouring champagne into his own glass, he raised it.

“Let’s have a toast.”

Ji Soohan felt reluctant for some reason. His sudden polite behavior, his soft way of speaking—it all felt like he had some ulterior motive, but he couldn’t fathom what he was thinking. This man was more difficult than anyone he had ever met. So much so that he never wanted to meet him again.

They didn’t clink their champagne glasses. They simply raised their glasses to each other, nodded, and drank. The biting carbonation went down his throat smoothly. And then, a sweet scent from somewhere.

‘A sweet scent…?’

Ji Soohan dropped the glass he was holding. It fell on the table and didn’t break, but the champagne inside spilled onto the table and dripped to the floor.

Ji Soohan quickly covered his nose and mouth and stood up. In contrast, Kim Joohwan smiled leisurely, turned his face-down phone upright, and sent a text message to Shin Jungmin.