Then… Shall We Sleep Together?

“……Pardon?”

When Haejin cautiously spoke, Beomwoo momentarily looked flustered and made a strange expression.

It was the face of someone who had heard something completely unexpected.

No wonder, as Haejin in this life had always rejected him.

Even though he had grabbed Beomwoo for help before, it had never been like this.

Moreover, at such a late hour, an Omega asking an Alpha not to leave was open to misinterpretation.

But since that wasn’t the cheap reason he had held him back, Haejin hurriedly explained.

“I-it’s just… being alone is a bit… I’m scared……”

“……”

While Haejin was inherently somewhat timid, he had nearly been violated just hours ago.

Although Beomwoo had dramatically rescued him, he had felt those hands crawling over his body like insects, forcibly dragging his powerless body.

How terrifying it was to be so helpless, unable to resist at all while that disgusting feeling crept over him.

Even now, the thought made him tremble.

Although he was out of the club and Jeong-yeon was no longer around, Haejin inexplicably felt like Jeong-yeon might come looking for him to harm him again at any moment.

He thought, ‘Surely not,’ but since the troublemaker had attempted such an act, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t.

That’s why he had impulsively grabbed Beomwoo, but now that the words were out, he wondered if it was right to hold back such a busy person like this.

Tomorrow was a workday, and Beomwoo was someone who valued time like gold.

Moreover, he had saved Haejin and, beyond that, had nursed him for hours while he was unconscious.

Even without that, Haejin had already received so much from him; asking for this too felt shameless.

Belatedly realizing this might be too much, Haejin hastily tried to retract his words.

“A-ah, no! What am I saying… It seems like an unreasonable request. You saved me, stayed until late…”

“……”

“So you can forget what I just said and go back…”

“I’ll stay.”

Haejin, unsure if he was making sense, tried to cancel his earlier rambling, but Beomwoo cut him off with a single phrase before he could finish.

I’ll stay. That he would stay with him.

Haejin had held onto Beomwoo, but he hadn’t expected him to agree so readily.

As he had just thought, Beomwoo had already done so much, and considering tomorrow, it would be difficult.

It could have been taken in a vulgar sense of showing a good side to gain favor and demand marriage, but at this moment, it was hard to think that way.

After all, Haejin was the one who asked him to stay, and seeing Beomwoo’s worried face earlier, anyone would find it difficult to consider it a vulgar motive.

“Then I should change clothes. They’re uncomfortable. It’s a bit awkward to say this after coming to return them. Can I borrow these clothes again?”

“Ah… Yes…”

While Haejin was still slightly surprised by his choice, Beomwoo spoke somewhat awkwardly.

It seemed a bit embarrassing to say he needed to wear them again after coming specifically to return them.

But they were clothes Haejin had lent without expecting them back, and they weren’t expensive.

As Haejin nodded dazedly, indicating it wasn’t a problem, Beomwoo said he would wash up and took the clothes, leaving the room.

Click.
Watching the door close behind Beomwoo, Haejin pulled the blanket over his head.

“I think… I’ve done something crazy right now.”

Haejin muttered to himself under the blanket.

He had firmly resolved not to give any hope, that he had only held hands briefly to escape that hellish house, and that he wouldn’t repeat falling for Beomwoo and marrying him like in his past life.

Yet here he was, grabbing him on such a late night.

He didn’t know why he had done such a bold thing.

It was an action he couldn’t rationally understand at all.

However, Haejin couldn’t bring himself to retract his words.

Maybe it’s okay just this once…?

His body was so heavy and exhausted, his mind still foggy as if drunk on a dream.

And because he was scared to be alone after such a terrifying experience.

Haejin tried to rationalize, telling himself anyone in his situation would act this way.

Perhaps because he had covered himself head to toe with the blanket, he felt heat rising to the tips of his ears.

****

“I’ll sleep on the floor.”

After washing up and changing, Beomwoo returned, taking a pillow from the bed as he spoke.

There were two pillows on the bed, so taking one wasn’t an issue.

But the problem was him saying he’d sleep on the floor.

There wasn’t a proper blanket to lay down, and Beomwoo was someone who had likely slept in the finest beds since birth.

Even setting that aside, he was a guest—and Haejin had even held him back.

Having him sleep on the floor was absurd.

Haejin snapped back to his senses and shook his head.

“Ah, no! I’ll sleep on the floor. You take the bed, Beomwoo.”

“But you’re not feeling well. It’s right for me to sleep on the floor.”

“It’s just from drinking, I’m not sick…”

“It’s not the alcohol. That.”

“…Pardon?”

Haejin thought he was just a bit heavy-headed and sluggish from drinking, not sick.

So, since he wasn’t a patient, he tried to let Beomwoo have the bed and go down himself, but Beomwoo suddenly said something strange.

That his condition wasn’t due to alcohol.

Hearing that, Haejin froze for a moment, his body stiffening.

While drinking the alcohol Jeong-yeon gave him, he had noticed it didn’t taste much like alcohol and thought it might be low-proof.

Even if it were actually strong liquor, he hadn’t drunk much, so it was strange to be so drunk he couldn’t control his body.

He had vaguely suspected something might have been mixed into the drink but wasn’t sure… Could it really have been drugged?

He remembered seeing news or something about crimes prevalent in clubs where strange drugs were secretly slipped into drinks to commit sexual offenses.

They always said not to accept drinks from strangers, but he never thought such a thing would happen to him.

Being with Jeong-yeon might have made him let his guard down, but largely, because he never went to clubs, he hadn’t been vigilant about it happening to him.

So there really was something in it.

If that was the reason, it made sense why he had passed out like that, he thought, nodding slightly.

But at that moment, he remembered the second brother was a drug addict.

Could it be…?

“I-Is it drugs then…? D-did I take drugs?”

If it were someone else, he might not have thought of drugs, but because the other person was someone who enjoyed drugs, he couldn’t help but think that way.

It wasn’t just a guess; once the thought occurred, he became convinced.

Someone who would go as far as to attempt r*pe seemed capable of anything.

In a brief moment, everything he had seen on the internet about how addictive and destructive drugs are flooded his mind.

As Haejin’s face instantly paled and his hands trembled, Beomwoo shook his head lightly.

“No. It’s not drugs. It’s a muscle relaxant mixed with something, but it doesn’t show immediate results. Just in case, I had your blood drawn while you were asleep. I should have mentioned this earlier.”

“Ah…”

He firmly answered that it wasn’t drugs, as if he had already tested it, and apologized for testing without permission.

Did a doctor come and do a drug test while I was unconscious?

He had no idea how much had happened.

Beomwoo apologized for acting on his own, but Haejin was just relieved it wasn’t drugs.

As Haejin let out a sigh of relief, Beomwoo looked at him and spoke again.

“Even if it were drugs, you didn’t knowingly take them. There are people who can testify, and I can help with treatment too, so don’t worry.”

“Okay…”

Beomwoo, perhaps thinking Haejin was still anxious not knowing what was mixed with the muscle relaxant, tried to reassure him that even if it were the case, there was nothing to worry about.

Mentioning the possibility only made him more anxious, and thinking about how no one had stopped him from being dragged away powerless, he wondered if there would really be anyone to testify…

But if Beomwoo said he would help, it seemed possible.

Feeling inwardly relieved, he caught his breath.

Anyway, the topic had shifted to drugs, but that wasn’t the original discussion.

While Haejin was distracted, Beomwoo was naturally about to lie down on the floor without even a blanket.

Snapping back to attention, Haejin tried to persuade him again.

“Well, if it’s not drugs, that’s even better. So you take the bed, Beomwoo.”

“I’m not heartless enough to make someone who’s been through a hard time sleep on the floor.”

“And I’m not heartless enough to make someone who helped me sleep on the floor either…!”

“That was only natural. And the way I helped you wasn’t exactly normal either, so you don’t need to consider me that much.”

Haejin stared at Beomwoo with determined eyes, not backing down, but he shook his head.

Beomwoo felt that while he helped Haejin, having someone follow him secretly was wrong in itself.

Therefore, he didn’t need to worry about him and tried to give Haejin the bed.

Even though that was something Haejin had initially been concerned about, he was now trying not to mind it.

Haejin shook his head, unyielding.

“I know the method of finding out was a bit… unconventional, and saying it doesn’t bother me would be a lie. But I’m saying it’s okay now.”

“……”

“To me right now, you’re someone who helped me a lot… And besides, since I’m the one who held you back, I’d feel more uncomfortable making you sleep on the floor…”

If it’s about guilt, he doesn’t need to feel that way.

Haejin said since he was okay, shouldn’t that be enough?

But Beomwoo still didn’t agree, even to that.

He seemed slightly swayed, but he still seemed reluctant to make Haejin sleep on the floor while he took the bed.

Just as much as Beomwoo, Haejin was on pins and needles, but he could understand his feelings.

Even if he wasn’t a patient, he had been through a tough time, so Beomwoo probably didn’t want to make him sleep on the floor.

Someone had to compromise for them to get any sleep, and it didn’t seem like this would end otherwise.

Time was getting later and later.

Haejin didn’t have anything specific to do tomorrow, but Beomwoo did, and he felt sorry for keeping him with this when he must be tired.

Haejin wondered if there was a good compromise for both.

An idea came to mind, and he cautiously opened his mouth.

“Then… shall we sleep in the bed… together?”