Just a Backup Plan

“Hyung….”

Seonwoo approached quietly from behind Jaeyeol, who was silently preparing for work while choosing a tie, and casually wrapped his arms around his waist in a coquettish tone.

“What is it.”

Startled by the sudden contact, Jaeyeol reflexively pulled Seonwoo’s arms off and turned around.
Seonwoo looked up at him with a bright, beaming smile.
It was a perfectly cute expression on its own, but Jaeyeol furrowed his brow.
He couldn’t figure out his intention.

Ever since their fight over Seonwoo visiting Haeyoon, the two had been in a cold war.
They hadn’t used separate rooms because of a promise made before the wedding, but that was it.
Jaeyeol used late nights and company dinners as excuses to come home only in the early hours, slipping into bed beside the already-sleeping Seonwoo, so it was hardly accurate to say they slept together.
When they did cross paths, neither spoke first, and they didn’t eat together.
It was as if they treated each other as nonexistent.
So for Seonwoo to suddenly act affectionate, as if there had never been any coldness between them, it was no wonder Jaeyeol was flustered.
“What else? I’m your husband, hyung.”

But ignoring Jaeyeol’s reaction, Seonwoo now linked their arms affectionately.
Jaeyeol barely suppressed the urge to shake him off.
After all, Seonwoo had swallowed his pride and reached out first; he didn’t want to make things worse here.
Pressing closer, Seonwoo continued.
“We’re newlyweds, but what’s with this atmosphere for days… I don’t want to fight with you for this long, hyung. Hm? About that day, I was a bit… out of line. With the wedding and our fight… I think I got too worked up thinking Seo Haeyoon intentionally ruined my important day.”

The name Seo Haeyoon coming from Ahn Seonwoo’s lips made Jaeyeol uncomfortable, but he held back again.
Not being able to relax at home was truly exhausting.
Having a strained relationship with someone you’re forced to share space with, whether you like it or not, was just as uncomfortable.
Especially when that person wasn’t just a friend or lover, but your spouse, whom you’d promised a lifetime to.
Jaeyeol wanted to escape this fatigue.
Finally, Jaeyeol pulled Seonwoo tightly into his arms and spoke.
“I was too sensitive that day too. As you said… I didn’t want us to keep fighting over something that’s already over.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll do better, hyung. So let’s let go of this now and have fun together, okay?”

Seonwoo nuzzled against Jaeyeol’s chest, gently releasing pheromones.
He felt the tension in Jaeyeol’s body begin to ease.
Seonwoo rejoiced inwardly.
It felt much better to confirm that Jaeyeol was still weak to him, to his pheromones.

Truth be told, Seonwoo hadn’t genuinely reconciled with Jaeyeol either.
Jaeyeol had made a mistake, yet instead of apologizing first, he’d acted arrogantly and ignored him.
Normally, Seonwoo would never have been the one to bow down and come forward like this.
But Seonwoo had a new plan.
This was merely a step back for two steps forward.

Seonwoo wanted to win Baek Jeongha back.
To do that, he needed to find out Jeongha’s true feelings.
He needed to see if he truly had a chance, if Baek Jeongha really had feelings for him.
Things were different now.
Seonwoo was no longer alone.
He wasn’t the same Ahn Seonwoo who had staked everything and desperately clung to Baek Jeongha.
He couldn’t discard Jaeyeol without any certainty.

At least until Baek Jeongha was in his grasp, he needed Oh Jaeyeol.
He needed a place to return to even in the worst-case scenario, an Alpha who would love and cherish him.
That was why he had swallowed his pride to win Jaeyeol back.
“You’ll come home early today, right?”

Seonwoo asked, giving a blatant signal.
“…Yeah. I will. Let’s have dinner together for the first time in a while.”

The scent of Oh Jaeyeol that wafted to his nose wasn’t very satisfying, but it was serviceable enough.
Seonwoo intended to keep this man as insurance until the end.
The one I love and the one who loves me.
Lost in this romantic balancing act, Seonwoo had no idea who the man holding him was thinking of.

* * * *

“It’s hard to see your face these days, Seo Haeyoon?”

Sua poured cola into Haeyoon’s glass and playfully scolded him.
It was a rare drinking session between Sua, Sumin, Woojin, and Haeyoon.
Haeyoon answered with an embarrassed face.
“Sorry. I’ve started working again recently.”
“Really? That’s great, Haeyoon. You’ve been struggling without being able to work for a while.”

Woojin, sitting across from him and pushing Haeyoon’s favorite side dishes toward him, lit up.
As if they had never been upset, Sua and Sumin’s faces also broke into wide smiles.
After the incident with Oh Jaeyeol and Ahn Seonwoo, Haeyoon hadn’t been able to pick up a brush at all.
If Haeyoon had been struggling just to maintain his daily life with his broken heart, his work had been even more impossible.
Even after recovering somewhat physically and mentally, Haeyoon still couldn’t resume his work.
Afraid of putting more pressure on Haeyoon, who was already clearly stressed, his friends hadn’t even told him to cheer up.
But they, who loved Haeyoon’s work more than anyone, always hoped he could paint again.
“I was going to scold you for not seeing us, but I guess I should praise you instead. It’s your first work in a while, so your fans will love it too!”
“Hmm, I hope so.”

Haeyoon nodded calmly, but inwardly he couldn’t fully agree.
Because he had a feeling his fans wouldn’t like this new piece very much.
Haeyoon’s fans loved the bright, hopeful atmosphere of his paintings.
This new work, which used darker colors more heavily, seemed unlikely to meet their expectations and might even disappoint them.
“Let’s toast first. To Seo Haeyoon’s new work.”

The unexpected good news lifted everyone’s spirits.
Hoping that Haeyoon would fully recover his daily life, the drinking party that night quickly became lively.

* * * *

“Haeyoon.”
“Yeah?”

After sending Sua and Sumin off in a taxi first, Haeyoon was waiting with Woojin for his designated driver to arrive.
He turned at Woojin’s sudden call.
Their eyes met, and Woojin’s gaze was quite heavy.
Haeyoon turned fully to face him.
“This might not be my place to ask….”
“What are you talking about, Woojin? What is there that you can’t ask me?”

At Haeyoon’s immediate response, Woojin smiled warmly.
He knew too well it wasn’t just empty words.
Encouraged, Woojin cautiously continued.
“Are you still… seeing Baek Jeongha?”

Truthfully, Woojin had wanted to ask this question from earlier.
But knowing Sua and Sumin’s personalities, he’d waited until he was alone with Haeyoon.
It wasn’t a problem if those two knew, and Haeyoon probably wouldn’t mind either, but he hadn’t wanted to suddenly ask such a question in the middle of a fun dinner and embarrass Haeyoon.
If he’d mentioned Baek Jeongha’s name in front of the two who doted on Haeyoon, he would have faced an interrogation himself.
“Uh, well, that is….”

As expected, a flustered Haeyoon stammered, blinking his large eyes.
Woojin added soothingly.
“I’m not trying to interrogate you. It’s just… I’m curious. I haven’t heard anything since the wedding.”

Sumin and Sua had quickly forgotten about Baek Jeongha.
Partly because they were both easygoing, but Woojin had played a big role in them losing interest so quickly.
Not wanting to bother Haeyoon, who had even been sick after the wedding, they’d asked Woojin about Baek Jeongha instead, prying to see if he’d heard anything since his friend knew Jeongha.
Woojin had told them he thought Haeyoon and Jeongha weren’t seeing each other anymore.
It wasn’t because he’d actually heard anything from his friend.
He just wanted to give Haeyoon time.
Once Haeyoon had recovered his daily life a bit more, it wouldn’t be too late to hear about it then.

And today, when he heard Haeyoon had started painting again, Woojin finally gathered a little courage.
The courage to worry a little more about Haeyoon.
After a brief silence, Haeyoon answered.
“Yeah. He’s a better person than I thought, Jeongha. So… we decided to be friends. I’ve also received a lot of help from him.”
“I see.”
“Sorry. I should have mentioned it sooner.”
“What are you sorry for? If you decided to get along well, that’s that. Haeyoon, I’m not asking because I’m hurt or anything.”
“I know. I know, but just….”
“You know what, Haeyoon?”
“Yeah?”
“Lately… you look good.”

Haeyoon, who had been trailing off, feeling guilty for no reason, widened his eyes at Woojin’s next words.
Woojin was still wearing a kind smile.
“I don’t know the reason, but lately, you… you don’t look sick or struggling. Sometimes you even look a little happy, and I really like that.”

People who didn’t know him said Haeyoon didn’t show emotion.
But Woojin was someone who knew very well what Haeyoon’s face looked like when he was sick, struggling, in pain.
Seeing the traces of hurt slowly fade from his friend’s face made Woojin incredibly happy.
“So whatever it is… I hope you keep doing what makes you happy.”
“…….”
“Whether it’s a hobby, a person, don’t overthink it. Don’t think too much about others, don’t take things too seriously, just… just follow your heart.”

Haeyoon was a sensitive person.
He was someone who, before making a choice, silently considered a thousand things.
Woojin thought that side of him made Haeyoon a strong person, but at the same time, it also made things very difficult for him.
“Sometimes, that’s okay too.”

That’s why Woojin brought this up today.
Because he wanted Haeyoon to be a little lighter.
Because he wanted Haeyoon to do anything for himself.
“…Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Woojin.”

After mulling over Woojin’s words for a while, Haeyoon nodded with a bright smile.
That alone told Woojin that his friend had fully understood his heart.
The wind of the season, now turning to midwinter, was cold, but that night, with each other by their sides, Woojin and Haeyoon weren’t cold at all.