The Onion Secret

Several nights passed, and morning came again.

It was Jaeyoung’s first day of classes as a college student.

He went into the dressing room and put on a neat, casual outfit.

As soon as he headed to the kitchen and sat at the table, Saheon set down a plate piled high with rice in front of him.

“There’s no onion in the omurice?”

Jaeyoung poked at the fried rice with his spoon.

Now that he thought about it, none of the food Saheon had made contained onions.

Even if most of it had been Western-style dishes, it was strange for fried rice to have none.

He felt like he was getting closer to the truth.

Jaeyoung scanned Saheon with suspicious eyes.

“If you don’t like it, throw it out.”

Saheon replied curtly, reacting to Jaeyoung’s smiling gaze.

“No, it’s just… unexpected.”

The sharpness in Saheon’s response was unusual.

Looking closer, he didn’t seem angry either.

Jaeyoung felt his guess might be right.

There was no proof, but the circumstantial evidence was piling up.

He set his suspicions aside for now and scooped up a big spoonful of omurice.

Chew, chew.

The more he chewed, the brighter Jaeyoung’s eyes became.

“Wow, this is really good!”

He stared blankly at the rice, smacking his lips.

It felt like such a waste that only he got to eat food this good.

He’d already said it several times, but his friends—especially Haewoon—refused to believe Saheon even cooked at all.

‘Either way, I get to eat this every day.’

Cheered up again, Jaeyoung grinned and took another big bite.

“How is it so fluffy?”

He kept praising the food between bites.

Saheon occasionally lifted his gaze, looking at Jaeyoung instead of side dishes as he finished eating.

No matter how outgoing you are, a completely new environment is always awkward.

“Hello! Oh—hyung, did you change your hairstyle?”

“I just switched my part…”

“You look way better. Seriously handsome.”

Jaeyoung gave a thumbs-up to the upperclassman, who touched his hair shyly.

“Sehee, are those new clothes? They suit you.”

Even his classmates couldn’t escape Jaeyoung’s sharp eye.

His compliments weren’t overdone—they felt sincere.

“Noona! Hi! Your lipstick looks amazing today.”

On his way to his first lecture, Jaeyoung greeted nearly everyone he passed.

Even though they’d only met once at orientation, there were hardly any names he didn’t know.

But once he reached the lecture hall, there was no one to greet.

Everyone was gathered at the front like a flock of sheep.

“What’s going on over there?”

Jaeyoung asked Mintae, who had arrived early and saved him a seat.

“Seohoon actually showed up.”

Mintae moved his bag off the chair as Jaeyoung set his down.

“Seohoon?”

Who was this Seohoon that people were freaking out just because he attended class?

Jaeyoung tilted his head, puzzled.

“Is he a celebrity?”

He didn’t really watch TV.

All he ever watched were game streams and dungeon raid broadcasts.

“Seohoon from Harang.”

Mintae looked at him like he was hopeless.

Only then did Jaeyoung nod.

Living in South Korea, it was impossible not to know Harang, the top-ranked guild.

According to Mintae, Seohoon was an A-class Esper and Harang’s poster boy.

Handsome, and the heir of Harang Group’s parent company.

Jaeyoung had heard there was an Esper among the freshmen.

He just hadn’t known it was Seohoon.

“He’s got insane walls up.”

Plenty of people were crowding around, but no one seemed to be actually talking to Seohoon.

Was he like Saheon?

“He answers politely, but it feels like there’s distance.”

Mintae muttered sadly.

It seemed he’d already tried talking to him.

Jaeyoung laughed and shook his head.

Then Mintae, who’d been pretending to cry with his head on the desk, suddenly sat up.

After checking their surroundings, he whispered into Jaeyoung’s ear.

“Even if it’s Seohoon, if he finds out you’re ‘that,’ wouldn’t he be licking your feet?”

Mintae’s eyes sparkled too brightly.

It looked like he was hoping to ride Jaeyoung’s coattails into attention.

“That just sounds exhausting.”

Jaeyoung shut it down in one sentence.

His memory of dealing with Espers through Saheon’s company was still vivid.

He didn’t want to get tangled with any Esper who wasn’t Saheon.

Maybe that was why he’d unconsciously never even memorized Seohoon’s name.

“Don’t tell anyone.”

Jaeyoung grabbed Mintae’s arm, worried.

“Got it.”

Mintae nodded at Jaeyoung’s serious expression.

Even so, he couldn’t stop sneaking glances toward Seohoon.

‘Avoid him at all costs.’

Jaeyoung steeled his resolve.

When he heard the elevator chime, Jaeyoung—who’d been lingering by the door—perked up.

“You’re back?”

Saheon stopped briefly when he saw Jaeyoung opening the door.

Jaeyoung, who’d been watching a raid stream until moments ago, immediately stepped toward him to guide.

“Shower first.”

Saheon waved him off.

Then, starting right at the entrance, he stripped his clothes off without hesitation and walked to the bathroom.

Saheon walked confidently to the shower, completely naked.

Jaeyoung fixed his gaze on the floor.

Very deliberately.

“Should I throw these out?”

Jaeyoung asked, holding the clothes Saheon had shed like a shell.

They’d looked brand new earlier, but now they were torn and dirtied in places.

“Leave them.”

He meant until the cleaner came in the morning.

But since there weren’t many clothes and they bothered him, Jaeyoung cleaned them up anyway.

When Saheon came out of the shower and saw the neatly folded clothes, he frowned.

“You don’t listen very well.”

Jaeyoung was sitting on the floor by the bathroom door, waiting.

Despite the scolding, he smiled brightly.

“I couldn’t leave them there all night. I might trip going to the bathroom.”

“…Do whatever you want.”

Saheon sighed and started to walk past.

“W-why are you naked again?”

Jaeyoung froze when he looked down.

Saheon wasn’t wearing anything at all.

He rushed to draw the curtains over the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Lights were clearly on in the building across from them.

“It’s mirrored glass. They can’t see in.”

Saheon said casually.

Jaeyoung let out a relieved breath.

“You should be careful. What if paparazzi catch you and the whole country sees you naked?”

Jaeyoung scolded him, genuinely worried.

Saheon tilted his head, looking at him like a small animal daring a predator.

“Is it really a body I need to hide?”

Not a shred of embarrassment.

Without realizing it, Jaeyoung’s eyes traced Saheon’s bare body.

Not pale, but lightly tanned.

Healthy.

Defined chest, compact muscles, sculpted abs.

A body worth paying to see.

“Hyung.”

Jaeyoung asked quietly, eyes full of defeat.

Saheon looked at him with a faint glint of interest.

“Can you dry off inside first?”

Saheon’s brow twitched upward, but Jaeyoung was too distracted by the water dripping down his body.

A puddle had already formed at Saheon’s feet.

Muttering, Jaeyoung wiped the floor.

Now he understood why Saheon insisted on daily cleaning.

“You’re not in a rush.”

“I thought you’d be waiting impatiently.”

Annoyed, Jaeyoung snatched the towel off Saheon’s head and spread it neatly on the floor.

“Sit here.”

He patted the towel.

Curious, Saheon obeyed.

Jaeyoung sat on the sofa with his legs apart, positioning Saheon between his knees.

Taking a dry towel, he roughly dried Saheon’s hair.

“It’ll dry on its own.”

Saheon reached back, fingers brushing the sensitive spot behind Jaeyoung’s knee.

Jaeyoung shuddered.

“That tickles.”

“You said you’d guide me right away.”

He couldn’t argue.

And honestly, letting things happen felt easier.

Jaeyoung spoke while letting Saheon’s hand roam.

“The housekeeper got into an accident. So I think we’ll have to order food tonight. Is that okay?”

Jaeyoung couldn’t cook, and Saheon came home late.

There were no side dishes prepared.

“Can we order braised chicken?”

After hesitating, Saheon nodded reluctantly.

Only then did Jaeyoung remember Saheon didn’t like food made by others.

‘Still… he eats the housekeeper’s cooking.’

Jaeyoung checked reviews far more carefully than usual before placing the order.

Even with his favorite dish in front of him, Jaeyoung couldn’t take his eyes off Saheon.

Saheon was picking something out of his food.

“Hyung. You’re not eating that?”

Saheon froze.

Then he looked up sharply.

On his plate was a neat pile of onions.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

Jaeyoung smirked.

Now it all made sense.

Almost everything in Korean food had onions.

No wonder Saheon cooked for himself.

“Give those to me. I’ll eat them.”

Before Saheon could refuse, Jaeyoung transferred the onions onto his own plate.

“They’re good.”

Chewing deliberately, Jaeyoung shot him teasing glances.

Saheon’s eyebrow twitched upward.

But somehow, it wasn’t scary.

Saheon resumed eating.

Then, using his chopsticks, he picked up more onions and dropped them onto Jaeyoung’s plate.

Jaeyoung burst out laughing at the growing pile.