I Let Him Hit Me… Just to Reach You

Jaeyeol had come to Haeyoon’s studio with that thought in mind, rushing in without a plan. He could have punched in the studio door code with his eyes closed. If Haeyoon wasn’t there, he planned to go inside and wait for him. Determined to have a conversation with him today, no matter what.

But the door wouldn’t open. He carefully re-entered the code he knew, trying again, but the locked door remained shut.

So he’d changed the studio code too, he realized. A strange sense of betrayal washed over him. He was the one who had ended things, so what right did Haeyoon have to change the code just because he’d come looking for him? What reason was there to even open the door?

Yet Oh Jaeyeol didn’t seem to realize the contradiction in his thoughts: that he was standing at Haeyoon’s studio, entering the code to open the door.

Eventually, as he was about to give up and ring the bell, he sensed someone behind him.

“You two really are a pair of stalkers, aren’t you?”

At the sharp voice, Jaeyeol frowned and turned around. His uneasy premonition had been right, as always. Approaching him with a smirk of disbelief was Baek Jeongha.

“What are you doing here?”

Jaeyeol asked. Jeongha, incredulous, almost burst out laughing.

“You’re the last person who should be here, and you’re asking me that?”

“What, you bastard? Bastard?”
“Why, did you expect me to call you ‘sunbaenim’?”
“…….”
“You’re seriously out of your mind.”

Jeongha spat out the words sharply, stepping threateningly right up to Jaeyeol.

The moment he saw Oh Jaeyeol loitering in front of Haeyoon’s studio, Jeongha felt an overwhelming urge to stomp on the bastard, who was worse than trash. He had never felt such rage toward another person in his life.

Because of what had happened a few days ago at Haeyoon’s house, there was still a subtle awkwardness between Jeongha and Haeyoon. They weren’t openly avoiding each other, but every time he contacted Haeyoon, Jeongha could sense he was still unsettled.

Not wanting to rush Haeyoon again like that day, Jeongha had been approaching more carefully. Uncharacteristically, he had been taking it slow, sending gentle messages, having careful phone calls, and had only now finally come to the studio to see Haeyoon in person.

And yet Oh Jaeyeol dared to come looking for Haeyoon so easily, so arrogantly. He couldn’t allow it.

Jeongha clenched his fists. He wanted to make sure Jaeyeol couldn’t carry his face around anymore, but he couldn’t cause a scene here. He had to prevent Haeyoon from running into Jaeyeol in this situation, at all costs.

“What business do you have coming here?”
“None of your business, so butt out.”

Jaeyeol retorted without backing down. So what if Baek Jeongha claimed to be Seo Haeyoon’s boyfriend? He had been Haeyoon’s lover for a dozen times longer than that. He, not someone who’d only been around for a few months, would remain a far greater presence in Haeyoon’s life.
“I came because I have something to say to Haeyoon, so you just stay out of it.”
“And if I don’t want to?”

The angrier he got, the more his insides boiled, the more Jeongha smiled instead. The one who should be getting worked up here was Oh Jaeyeol, not him. Since things had come to this, he needed to steer the situation to his advantage.

Jeongha took another step closer to Jaeyeol, his voice dripping with mockery.
“You couldn’t get the door open, could you? The code changed. I told him to change it. I figured you’d come crawling back like this.”
“…What?”
“I knew it wouldn’t be long before you came groveling on your knees, begging Haeyoon to forgive you.”
“You, you bastard…!”

Unlike Jeongha, who at least appeared outwardly composed, Jaeyeol grew agitated easily. Because Jeongha’s words felt like he was airing his dirty laundry.

Jaeyeol couldn’t admit it. He had married the Omega he so desperately wanted. He was the one who had discarded the boring, suffocating Seo Haeyoon. Regretting that choice now was impossible.

Even today, Jaeyeol had been muttering excuses to himself. Since Seonwoo had been treating Haeyoon too harshly, he just wanted to apologize on his behalf. Worrying about Haeyoon was only natural, since they had been not only lovers but also long-time friends. He convinced himself, over and over, that this was why he was seeking Haeyoon out.

He was absolutely not regretting choosing Ahn Seonwoo over Seo Haeyoon. Things were a little rocky now, but they’d get back on track soon. This marriage would not end in failure. He soothed himself with these thoughts.

But when Baek Jeongha started spewing such blunt words, as if he knew exactly what he was thinking, shame washed over him. He felt exposed. Unable to contain himself, Jaeyeol grabbed Jeongha by the collar.
“Watch your mouth, you and your loose lips.”

Jaeyeol growled threateningly, but Jeongha just scoffed.
“What? Angry? Want to hit me? But you can’t, can you?”
“What?”
“I know your type, sunbaenim. Weak against the strong, but endlessly strong against the weak. So you’ll never hit me.”

Jeongha’s words were essentially a declaration that he was incomparably stronger than Jaeyeol. It struck a nerve with Jaeyeol, who had always felt inferior to Baek Jeongha.
“You little…!”

Unable to contain himself, Jaeyeol threw a punch at Jeongha’s face with a short curse.
With a thud, Jeongha’s body swayed slightly. Seeing blood immediately seep from his split lip, Jaeyeol readied himself. Baek Jeongha wasn’t the type to just stand there and take a hit; he’d need to counter.

“Pfft.”

But Jeongha didn’t fight back. He even laughed. Instead of reacting with anger, he brushed off his coat with a light, unaffected gesture, as if the punch hadn’t done anything, and spoke.
“You know, don’t you? That I’m letting this slide.”

His voice was laced with amusement, but Jaeyeol felt a weight in it he couldn’t ignore. He had lashed out impulsively, but his instincts already knew. Oh Jaeyeol couldn’t beat Baek Jeongha.

Jeongha lowered his head slightly to meet Jaeyeol’s eyes squarely and continued.
“Unless you want Ahn Seonwoo to know exactly what you’re doing here….”
“…….”
“Get lost. Our Haeyoon doesn’t have time for the likes of you.”

Surprisingly, it was a very effective blow. What if Ahn Seonwoo found out he’d come to Haeyoon’s studio? He didn’t even want to imagine his reaction.
If he had resolved to deal with the consequences, it might not have been impossible, but Jaeyeol immediately backed down.
Jeongha found that side of Oh Jaeyeol utterly pathetic.

After shooting Jaeyeol a look of undisguised contempt, Jeongha turned and punched in the code, unlocking the door. Jaeyeol could only watch blankly as Baek Jeongha, looking so natural by Seo Haeyoon’s side, entered.
“Oh, and.”

Right before closing the door behind him, Jeongha slipped his body back through the gap, gave a sly smile, and pointed to his split lip.
“Thanks for the gift.”

Before he could even process the words, the door shut. Standing there dazed for a long time, Jaeyeol had no idea what Jeongha meant by thanking him.

* * * *

“Oh, it’s Jeongha… huh?”

Haeyoon, who had greeted the long-unseen Jeongha with a slightly awkward tone, was startled.
Baek Jeongha was coming in, wiping blood from his split lip.

Having had trouble sleeping for days, Haeyoon had dozed off on the sofa, unable to fight off the exhaustion. He had woken because of a commotion he heard outside the door.
Wondering what was going on, he was about to go out when Jeongha entered, so he thought it had been him making the noise. But then he saw the fresh wound on his face, and his heart dropped.
“Oh, what happened…! How did this happen? Huh? Did you get into a fight?”

Forgetting the awkwardness, Haeyoon approached Jeongha quickly, frowning, rapid questions spilling out. Then, without waiting for an answer, he grabbed Jeongha’s hand and pulled him onto the sofa.
“First, let’s put some, some medicine on it. There should be some ointment.”

Then he went off somewhere, saying “Wait, take this off first!” as he took off his work apron. Then suddenly, flustered, he said his hands were dirty and he needed to wash them first.

Sitting obediently on the sofa, watching this, Jeongha let out a small laugh.
Mission accomplished.
The subtle distance he’d felt during their recent phone calls had vanished.

Jeongha had been thinking about how to break down the wall Haeyoon had rebuilt because of what happened that day. Waiting a few days without visiting was partly for Haeyoon’s sake, but also because he needed time to find a way.
He didn’t want Seo Haeyoon to be guarded around him. He wanted him not to keep his distance. Whether physically or emotionally, he wanted Seo Haeyoon to be comfortable by his side.

And the moment he faced Oh Jaeyeol, Baek Jeongha remembered Haeyoon’s personality, the opposite of Jaeyeol’s. Seo Haeyoon’s kindness: strong against the strong, but even weaker against the weak.

So Jeongha had provoked Jaeyeol, deliberately offering his face. Jaeyeol’s punch was weaker than he’d expected, but it had landed in a good spot, creating a suitably dramatic-looking wound.
“Let me see.”

In the meantime, Haeyoon had taken off his apron and washed his hands, returning with the first-aid kit from the studio.
As if he hadn’t just been smiling in satisfaction, Jeongha’s eyes drooped.
He looked like a wet puppy. A very large puppy, but still.
“I’ll disinfect it first. It might sting a little.”

Haeyoon spoke with a very serious expression, bringing a cotton swab soaked in antiseptic to the wound.
Jeongha immediately winced with a short groan.
It was an act, of course. It didn’t hurt at all.