Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 85

Even though it was my own hand that typed the message, I couldn’t understand what I was thinking. Why am I explaining myself to him? Do I really need to be this desperate? It’s not like I showed some great display of affection; Jimin just unilaterally showed off our friendship. However, regardless of whether I could understand it myself or not, my hands were moving first. Taehyun confirmed that the read receipt had appeared and stared at the screen with blurry eyes. He read it right away this time too. But just like a moment ago, the reply did not come back immediately.

‘This bastard…’

Do I really have to call him. As Taehyun was glaring at his phone during his break, the coach, who was passing by, said casually, thump.

“What are you looking at on your phone so intently since a while ago? Did you get a girlfriend?”

The coach did not know anything about the mating partner situation. He did not even know that Taehyun was an omega, even though they had been working together for years. As if a thief feels a prick of conscience, the startled Taehyun was shocked and laughed to maintain a poker face, pretending not to be surprised.

“Do I look like it? Unfortunately, it’s not like that. I asked the friend I filmed with earlier if he was okay, but there’s no reply.”

At Taehyun’s easygoing answer, the coach did not pry any further and just nodded. It was because he had known for a long time that Taehyun was the type of person who liked to meddle here and there and take good care of the people around him.

“You should also find a good person and settle down after this competition is over. It’s hard to run a gym without the support of a wife.”

A wife. Taehyun almost screamed reflexively at the word that made his skin crawl just by hearing it.

“No thanks. Why would I make someone’s precious daughter suffer because of in-laws? It’s not like you die if you don’t get married. It’s more comfortable to live alone.”

When Taehyun answered jokingly, the coach clicked his tongue, tsk tsk, tut-tut.

“It’s because it’s a waste. Your looks are decent, no, handsome. If it weren’t for your father, you’re the kind of guy who would have married a Miss Korea and had two kids by now, so to see you living alone miserably is a waste for everyone watching. You like kids, don’t you. If other people’s kids are like that, how much cuter would your own kid be.”

“Haha…”

In reality, most people with careers similar to Taehyun’s tended to rush into marriage. Even if they did not retire, it was true that having a spouse act as a one-on-one supporter was helpful for an athlete’s career. So, it was not that he could not understand wanting to give advice from an observer’s perspective, but. That was also a story for someone whose situation allowed for it. Taehyun smiled and shook his head.

“I appreciate your concern, but… after thinking about it in various ways, it’s just more comfortable to be alone. If I change my mind later, I’ll look for a good person then.”

And just like that, the break time had passed in an instant. In the end, a reply from Sejin came back around the time he was heading down to the cafeteria for dinner.

I don’t have any after the night training.

7:10 PM

The official night training schedule ended at 10 PM. Taehyun quickly sent a reply, as if Sejin might run away somewhere.

7:11 PM

Then I’ll go to your room after eleven. Tell me the room number.

After the simultaneous lights-out and roll call that took place around 10:40 PM, it was a time that was written as guaranteed sleep time but read as free time. Since it was not a training camp with only kids, they could not control every single moment after that, so there were no specific regulations, but after 11 PM, the lights would not turn on, and the power to the public receivers was also cut off. It meant that they should just sleep instead of doing other things at that time. However, there was no way the athletes, in the prime of their vigorous youth, would listen to those words obediently.

‘Everyone probably has unlimited data anyway, so what’s the point of turning off the router…’

In any case, as long as it was proven that you were in your own room during roll call, there were no particular restrictions on what you did afterwards, as long as you did not leave the dormitory building. Things like drinking were, of course, out of the question. Sexual acts between athletes… well, according to the regulations, that was not something to be restricted either. As long as it was not a coercive act. So, there was no problem with Taehyun secretly sneaking into Sejin’s room on that dark night.

‘If what we did in the room gets out, that would be quite a blow to my reputation, though.’

The thought that he had to do something that was morally wrong made Taehyun’s heart pound without him realizing it.

“……”

No, am I crazy. Is this something to be excited about now? Taehyun was about to torment his innocent hair again but decided against it because he could not become a crazy person suffering while eating, and calmly chewed and swallowed the salad in his mouth. Which bag did I put the pheromone deodorant spray I brought when I entered the village in. He had to be back in his room by morning, so he could not go strutting around the hallway reeking of pheromones. It’s okay. Calmly, as long as I don’t make a fuss and cause a scene. As he tried to engrave that in his heart, his heart kept pounding.

‘Really, I’m the biggest problem…….’

What on earth do you want to do, really. Amidst his troubled mind, he became curious about what Sejin was thinking. Why are you curious about that. Another self in his head asked chidingly, but only a rebellious spirit like a green frog popped up. I can be a little curious! As he snapped back, someone chided him again. Do you really like him or something?

‘…….’

I don’t know! Taehyun postponed the answer and put the last piece of lettuce in his mouth, chewing it munch-munch. He was no different from a nine-year-old child.

Room 613

7:21 PM

613, 613… At Sejin’s message that arrived a moment later, Taehyun muttered the three-digit number to himself as if it were some kind of spell. Hmph. The sound of a light snort fell onto the empty food tray.

🤺

A short while later, after the night training ended, Taehyun quickly returned to his room and took a shower first. He washed his body meticulously, lest any smell of sweat remained, and by the time he had even dried his hair, more than 30 minutes had passed. Soon, the broadcast announcing the roll call blared from the speaker above his head. Taehyun took out a clean set of pajamas, changed into them, and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for the roll call to end. The roll call was just a matter of the person in charge walking around, knocking on doors—knock knock—and confirming that someone was inside by their answer, so it was quickly finished in less than 10 minutes.

“Athlete Sung Taehyun?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, confirmed.”

Clomp clomp, only after hearing the sound of the person in charge’s footsteps leaving did Taehyun feel at ease. After the roll call, the external doors of the dormitory building are completely locked. This was to prevent unauthorized entry of outsiders as well as to prevent athletes from going out without permission. It seemed that the troublemakers still caused trouble anyway (Taehyun himself had a record of secretly sneaking out with close athletes to eat a late-night snack and returning years ago), but in any case, as long as you did not go outside, the management’s surveillance(?) was relatively lax. It was even more so considering that they turned a blind eye until an incident occurred, even though they could clearly see who had wandered where if they just checked the overnight CCTV.

‘I should leave in about 10 minutes.’

Taehyun waited for the 10 minutes that felt like an hour with a heart that was a little anxious and, for some reason, also fluttering. Finally, 10:55 PM. After hearing the announcement that the roll call was over and the entrances were locked, he got up from his seat. In one pocket, he had the deodorant spray stuck in at an angle.

Sejin’s room was two floors above Taehyun’s room. Well, at this point, it would not be a big problem even if he was discovered, so he could take the elevator, but just in case, he headed for the stairs. The hallway and stairs, with all the lights turned off except for the emergency lights, were eerie enough that it would not be strange for a ghost to appear.

‘It’s scarier to run into someone here.’

Taehyun took a deep breath inwardly—hoo—and went up the stairs, muffling his footsteps. Finally, the 6th floor. He reached the floor where Sejin’s room was without a sound and opened the iron door leading to the hallway, and creeeak, the scream of the hinges echoed in the complete silence. Gasp. He flinched for a moment in surprise. When it became quiet again as if nothing had happened, he was able to walk again with relief. 601, 602… 603… As bad luck would have it, he had come up from the opposite entrance, and as he checked the room numbers while tiptoeing and hiding his presence, he was soon able to find the nameplate with Sejin’s name on it.

‘Here… it is. 613.’

The room was a single room, but the entrance to the room and the bathroom were shared with the room next door, so above the doorknob, there was a dedicated door lock that could only be unlocked with a card key used by only those two people. Taehyun was momentarily lost in thought. Should I send a message that I’ve arrived? Or… there was one more method he had already checked with the door lock attached to his own room.