He Came Back to Me… Like Nothing Else Mattered

Only after the inexplicable anxiety had subsided a little did Haeyoon calmly reflect on the situation.
Why had Ahn Seonwoo come to see Baek Jeongha now?
No matter how much he thought, he couldn’t come up with any reason other than lingering feelings.

Haeyoon knew better than anyone how much Ahn Seonwoo had liked Baek Jeongha, how obsessed he had been.
He had thought Seonwoo married Jaeyeol because he had found new love after finally getting over his painful unrequited crush.

But what if that wasn’t the case?
What if Oh Jaeyeol was simply a substitute for Baek Jeongha?
What if Ahn Seonwoo had only wanted to destroy Haeyoon’s stable life, and the person didn’t matter, even if it wasn’t Jaeyeol?

A strange mix of emptiness and subtlety washed over him.
If that was the case, would Seonwoo cling to Jeongha today like he used to?
Would he ask him to look at him?
Did Jaeyeol even know that Seonwoo had met with Jeongha?

Countless questions rose and fell repeatedly.
But Haeyoon no longer sought answers to those questions.
What mattered to him now was only one thing: the words Baek Jeongha would come and tell him.

Haeyoon, who had been silently staring at the ceiling, soon closed his eyes.
Because Jeongha had called him, had said he would explain everything later, Haeyoon could wait for him without anxiety.

* * * *

“So… why did you come looking for me, Ahn Seonwoo.”

As the meal was nearly finished, Jeongha, no longer able to endure the circling conversation, asked directly.
Jeongha intended to end his conversation with Ahn Seonwoo here.
He didn’t want to spend any more time on him.

Seonwoo, who had been barely eating, nervously pushing his food around, widened his eyes at the question, then put down his fork.
Having come this far, Seonwoo also didn’t want to leave without a proper answer.
Whatever the outcome, he needed a conclusion.
“Yeah. No point hesitating any longer here. I’ll ask you straight, Jeongha.”
“Yeah. Go ahead.”
“You… do you have feelings for me?”

As soon as the question was out, silence fell between them.
Seonwoo swallowed dryly.
His hands were shaking so much he had to quickly hide them under the table.

It felt like Baek Jeongha might burst out laughing any moment.
Just like those days long ago when he had been cruel, he seemed ready to mock him mercilessly, to spew venom, and Seonwoo could barely breathe.
It’s okay. It’s okay, Ahn Seonwoo. I’m not the same person I was back then.

He chanted to himself like a mantra.
It was different from when he had only ever looked at Baek Jeongha.
Seonwoo had a place to return to now.
He had an Alpha who loved him so much he had abandoned his long-time lover to be with him.
So there was no need to be afraid, no reason to cower.
Seonwoo soothed himself.

Finally, Baek Jeongha, who had always been cruel to Ahn Seonwoo, spoke.
“If I did… what would change?”
“…What?”
“I’m asking if our relationship would change if I had feelings for you.”

Seonwoo stared into Jeongha’s eyes, as if mesmerized.
Those deep green eyes glowed strangely, as if ensnaring his heart.
“What… what do you mean by that, Baek Jeongha.”
“Things like my feelings… they don’t mean anything to you anymore, do they? You’re the one who left me and married Oh Jaeyeol.”
“If you had just said one word telling me not to go, I wouldn’t have married him!”

At Jeongha’s words, which sounded like reproach, Seonwoo snapped, shouting, then quickly covered his mouth with his hands.
It was a mistake.
With that one outburst, Ahn Seonwoo had essentially proven that the power still lay in Baek Jeongha’s hands.

In that moment, Baek Jeongha smiled.
His face looked as if he was pleased by Seonwoo’s words.
Seonwoo stared blankly at that face again, then clenched his fists.
He had promised himself countless times on the way here not to get needlessly emotional, but it was all useless.

Jeongha leaned his arms on the table, drawing closer as if to share a secret, and spoke.
“I know. That I have no right. That’s why I can’t do anything to you now.”
“…Don’t be ridiculous. If you… if you had even a little feeling for me… a little, how could you be with someone like Seo Haeyoon? Knowing that he’s… he’s my friend!”

Jeongha felt like vomiting at Seonwoo’s pitiful act, as if he were the victim, but he held back.
The hunt always required patience, and now was not the time to mock him.
Keeping his expression neutral, not showing a single crack, Jeongha spoke.
“Isn’t that why you came back to me?”
“…Huh?”
“If I were dating someone other than Seo Haeyoon, would you have cared this much? Honestly, you would have passed by without even knowing who I was seeing.”
“What are you, Baek Jeongha… So you… what you mean is… you’re not saying….”

Are you saying you’re using Seo Haeyoon to get me?

Seonwoo couldn’t voice the words aloud and bit his lip.
Not because of guilt.
Quite the opposite.
The mere speculation filled him with indescribable joy, leaving him unable to continue speaking.

Having uttered such an enormous suggestion, Baek Jeongha calmly leaned back and shrugged.
“Well, it’s unavoidable now. I’m too late, and you ended up marrying Oh Jaeyeol.”

Lies. Lies.
Ahn Seonwoo silently rejected his words.
Seonwoo knew Baek Jeongha well.
He hated wasting his time on meaningless things.
If he was going to give up because it was too late anyway, he would never have shown up at his wedding with Seo Haeyoon that day.
“Baek Jeongha. Stop beating around the bush and tell me straight. Are you saying… if I weren’t Oh Jaeyeol’s husband now, you… you would have taken me?”

Ironically, in this moment, Seonwoo thought of Seo Haeyoon.
Not of Oh Jaeyeol, with whom he had sworn a hundred years of happiness, nor of Baek Jeongha, who was toying with him effortlessly right before his eyes.
He thought of Seo Haeyoon, deluding himself into thinking he was Baek Jeongha’s lover, dreaming a futile dream.

What if Baek Jeongha came to him?
What expression would Seo Haeyoon make when he realized that after Oh Jaeyeol, even Baek Jeongha had come to love Ahn Seonwoo?
How far could this break Seo Haeyoon?

A light of undeniable exhilaration lit up Seonwoo’s face.
Jeongha recognized that this was the moment to drive in the wedge.
“Seonwoo. Sorry, but… I don’t have a hobby of seducing married men. What’s certain is that as long as you’re Oh Jaeyeol’s husband, you can’t be my lover.”

Baek Jeongha was certain that Ahn Seonwoo would latch onto the phrase “my lover” in that long sentence.
The trap was perfectly set.

* * * *

Unable to focus at the studio, Haeyoon was working from home for the first time in a while when his phone rang. He answered the moment it did.

“Hello?!”

– Surprise. Why did you answer so fast? Were you waiting for my call?

A light laugh came through the phone. It was Baek Jeongha’s voice, now so familiar to Haeyoon. Come to think of it, he had answered without even checking who it was.

He couldn’t help it. Just as Jeongha said, he had been waiting for this call all day. Afraid he might miss it, he had turned on the ringer, something he normally kept off, in addition to the vibration. He couldn’t very well admit that, so he tried to change the subject.

“Hmm, where are you?”

He barely managed to stop himself from asking if he’d met Seonwoo okay. He didn’t want to sound so obvious.

Then, he heard a small sigh from the other end. Haeyoon’s expression grew serious. Though it was so faint it might not have been intentional, the fatigue in that sound was palpable, and it worried him.

He had said he would come by today, but if he was this tired, maybe it would be better for him to rest and meet another time. Haeyoon was eager to hear what Jeongha and Seonwoo had talked about, but he didn’t want to push him.

Just as he resolved to tell him to go home and rest, Jeongha spoke.

– If you’re okay with it… could you come out for a bit? I’m in front of your place.

Haeyoon stood up immediately. The truth was, he had been wanting to see Baek Jeongha more than anything.

* * * *

When he came down to the apartment entrance, he saw Jeongha leaning against the doorway. Even at a glance, he looked tired. Yet he had still made the effort to come all the way here. Grateful and also feeling sorry for him, Haeyoon hurried over.

“If you’re tired, you should go home and rest. You didn’t have to come all the…!”

But Haeyoon’s worried words trailed off. Jeongha wrapped an arm around Haeyoon’s waist as he approached and simply rested his forehead on his shoulder. Startled, Haeyoon’s body tensed, and a warm breath touched his neck.

“Sorry. Just a little… tired today….”

Even now, Jeongha was apologizing, and Haeyoon’s eyes softened. He was clearly being more careful because of how Haeyoon had reacted last time.

“Yeah. It’s okay.”

Haeyoon relaxed his body and gently patted Jeongha’s back. The gesture was awkward, but the concern behind it was genuine.

Then, taking a deep breath, Jeongha spoke, still leaning against Haeyoon.

“Were you painting?”
“Yeah.”
“I smell paint….”
“Ah…….”
“I like this smell.”

I like it.

At those words, Haeyoon’s body, which had finally begun to relax, tensed again.

There were people who found the distinct smell of oil paint particularly hard to bear. But Jeongha said he liked it. He breathed it in as if it comforted him. Haeyoon was glad for that. Glad for Jeongha’s words.