A Morning After, a Fright, and a Fierce Misconception

A faint chill in the air made him involuntarily sneeze.

Only then did An Ran realize he was still clad in yesterday’s attire, though, thankfully, the coat permeated with the scent of barbecue had been shed.

How had he returned?

Had he come back on his own?

A faint, lingering scent of peach and mint permeated the room, causing An Ran to furrow his brows. He couldn’t shake the persistent peach aroma; peaches were rarely sold this season, and he himself seldom purchased them.

Could Gong He have been the one eating them?

That would explain the accompanying hint of mint.

An Ran rotated his neck, a persistent ache and stiffness in his nape making it feel as if he had slept in an awkward position.

A profound weariness permeated his entire being.

Could such exhaustion simply be the consequence of oversleeping?

With his phone completely drained and powered off, An Ran first plugged it in to charge, then made his way to the balcony to freshen up.

Ever since he had woken that morning, a subtle, persistent stinging had plagued his lips, but it wasn’t until he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror that he was utterly taken aback.

Had yesterday’s barbecue been excessively spicy?

His lips were visibly swollen from the heat, and their color appeared several shades deeper than their usual hue.

While brushing his teeth, An Ran simultaneously checked for messages from H.

As he tapped open the chat window, An Ran’s fingertips froze, and a sudden flush crept up his earlobes.

[H: Miss you.]

An Ran distinctly felt his face ignite with heat.

He lifted his gaze to his reflection, his face a canvas of crimson.

In all the time he and H had known each other, such overtly affectionate words had never passed between them.

Was this a consequence of their evolving relationship?

For a moment, he found himself at a loss for a response. Sweet nothings weren’t his forte, and the words felt incredibly difficult to utter. Not replying, however, would surely make him seem aloof, yet if he *were* to reply, what could he possibly say?

After much agonizing, An Ran typed and deleted within the chat window; the four simple words – “I miss you too” – were hammered out and erased multiple times before he finally, with great difficulty, managed to send them.

Only after dispatching his reply did An Ran notice that H’s message had been sent at three o’clock in the morning.

[AR: ???]

[AR: What time did you sleep last night?]

[AR: Couldn’t you sleep? Insomnia? Something on your mind?]

[H: I was too happy, so I couldn’t sleep all night.]

An Ran’s heart hammered wildly, and he forced himself to quell his flustered emotions before typing out a reply: “Nonsense.”

[H: I had something to deal with, so I slept a bit late.]

[AR: Have you slept well since then?]

[H: Mm.]

[H: Have you eaten?]

[AR: Not yet. I’ll head out to grab a bite soon.]

[AR: Perhaps I overslept; I still feel rather tired.]

[H: It’s cold out. Make sure to bundle up when you go.]

[AR: Got it.]

Just as An Ran was preparing to leave, he happened to encounter Gong He, who was on his way back to the dorm.

They found themselves blocking the doorway, both momentarily stunned as their gazes met.

Spotting the injuries on Gong He’s face, An Ran’s pupils dilated, and he stared blankly, uttering, “Your wounds on your face…”

Gong He’s gaze swept over An Ran, taking in his thick sweater and jacket, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered in his downcast eyes.

An Ran furrowed his brows deeply, asking, “I have some medicine; would you like me to apply it for you?”

Gong He had initially intended to decline, knowing he had his own medicine, but upon hearing An Ran’s earnest offer to help, the “no need” he was about to utter caught in his throat. A faint smile touched his lips as he replied, “Alright, thank you for the trouble.”

An Ran hurried back to his room to retrieve the first-aid kit, a surge of unexpected delight filling him at the thought that he could finally repay the favor he owed Gong He!

As they settled onto the living room sofa, Gong He’s eyes remained intently fixed on An Ran’s face.

This marked the first time they had been in such close proximity without some external incident bringing them together. An Ran felt an overwhelming panic as Gong He leaned closer, his hand, clutching the cotton swab, trembling visibly.

While he couldn’t detect Alpha pheromones, Gong He’s imposing aura nevertheless instilled a sense of apprehension within him.

He instinctively recoiled a step, only to find Gong He mirroring his movement, leaning further into his space.

An Ran pressed his lips together, holding his breath. He was already beginning to regret his offer to apply medicine for Gong He.

Sensing Gong He’s intense gaze, An Ran didn’t even dare to lift his eyes to meet it. His hand gave a slight tremor, and the force of his wipe increased.

Gong He hissed, drawing a sharp intake of breath.

An Ran looked at him in a fluster, his eyes tinged with red. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to! Perhaps you should just do it yourself?”

Gong He’s eyelids twitched, and he subtly furrowed his brow, though his voice remained calm as he said, “It’s nothing.”

An Ran, still filled with trepidation, finished applying the medicine for him, not daring to inquire about any other potential injuries before fleeing faster than a rabbit.

Gong He seemed rather odd; An Ran couldn’t fathom what had transpired. Hadn’t Fu Zao mentioned that Gong He never got into fights?

Given all his injuries, could he possibly have lost a fight?

A distinct feeling told him that this was not the place to linger.

[AR: My roommate got into a fight!!]

[AR: He might have lost; his face is all bruised.]

[AR: No wonder he looks so grumpy.]

Gong He had merely stepped into the restroom, only to emerge and discover that An Ran had already departed.

Reading the messages An Ran had sent him, he was so exasperated he couldn’t help but chuckle.

[H: He’s not an elementary schooler anymore; why would he get into a fight?]

[AR: But his injuries don’t look like he fell; they seem more like he was punched.]

[AR: They look so painful.]

[H: Didn’t you say your roommate is an Alpha?]

[AR: I did.]

[H: Alphas are brimming with energy, and those nearing their rut (TL Note: A period of heightened aggression and hormonal activity in Alphas) become particularly irritable. Unmated Alphas, in particular, lacking comfort, often seek out taekwondo gyms to vent their surplus energy.]

[AR: So that’s how it is.]

[AR: That would explain why my roommate is bruised.]

[AR: I don’t think he’d ever lose to anyone.]

[AR: I can barely imagine how badly the person sparring with him must have been beaten.]

[AR: No wonder I’ve felt my roommate has been acting strange lately; it turns out his rut is approaching.]

[AR: He seems to be in a perpetually bad mood these days.]

Gong He recalled An Ran’s flustered demeanor while applying his medicine just moments ago, and his lips thinned into a straight line, betraying a hint of displeasure.

[H: Do you really dislike your roommate?]

[H: Every time you mention him, it always sounds like you dislike him.]

‘Dislike him?’

An Ran instinctively rejected the notion, earnestly conveying to H: ‘I don’t dislike him.’

[AR: It’s more like a bit of fear, perhaps.]

[AR: Aside from my father, I’ve never had such close contact with an Alpha before.]

[AR: I’m quite timid and don’t particularly enjoy interacting with Alphas.]

[AR: The day I found out I was assigned to the A-zone dorm at the start of the semester, I honestly felt like my world was collapsing.]

[AR: Unfortunately, the school wouldn’t permit me to swap dorms with anyone else, stating that the dorms were currently at full capacity. However, they said they would notify me if another student became willing to exchange later on.]

[H: Why be afraid?]

[H: Has he bullied you?]

[AR: .]

[AR: Not that, no.]

[AR: He just looks so fierce QAQ]

[AR: I always get the impression he has a bad temper.]

[AR: Plus, his fierce reputation precedes him; everyone knows it.]

An Ran pondered this carefully, realizing that Gong He had never, in fact, displayed any malice towards him.

Both of them preferred to remain in their respective rooms, maintaining such a quiet atmosphere that they often couldn’t even sense the other’s presence.

It was simply that he held a preconceived notion about Gong He, always perceiving him as fierce.

****

Gong He stood before the mirror, holding his breath, scrutinizing his reflection for a long moment.

What was he to do? Was he actually contemplating plastic surgery?

Gong He sent a message to Lu Ye: [Are there any reliable plastic surgeons? Recommend one.]

[Lu Ye: ???]

[Lu Ye: Who is this?]

[Lu Ye: Account hacked?]

[Gong He: [Voice message]]

[Lu Ye: No, wait. Why have you suddenly decided to get plastic surgery?]

[Lu Ye: Do you have some fundamental misunderstanding about your ‘model-esque’ face?]

[Lu Ye: Plastic surgery clinics would use your face as a template, and you’re telling me *you* want plastic surgery?]

[Lu Ye: Are you messing with me?]

[Gong He: Someone said I look too fierce.]

[Lu Ye: Who was it? Someone who loves stating the obvious, clearly.]

[Gong He: ?]

[Lu Ye: Wait, wait, wait!]

[Lu Ye: Are you really so bothered by what he said?]

[Lu Ye: You’re actually developing appearance anxiety just because of a few casual remarks from someone else?]

[Lu Ye: Have you been PUA’d? (TL Note: A Chinese slang term meaning to be emotionally manipulated or gaslighted.)]

[Lu Ye: Are you seeing someone new behind my back? (TL Note: ‘有狗了’ is Chinese slang, literally ‘have a dog,’ implying having a new romantic partner.)]

[Gong He: Too lazy to retort.]

Gong He experienced, for the first time, a profound dissatisfaction with his own appearance.

[Are there any reliable plastic surgery clinics?]

[Waiting online, it’s urgent.]