May I Kiss You?

“Now that I think about it…… aren’t you going to drink that?”

As the meal was nearly finished, the bottle of wine placed on one side of Haejin’s table caught his eye.

When they ordered room service, wine had come with it.

Initially, Haejin thought Beomwoo had ordered it and didn’t think much of it.

Since Beomwoo often had a drink during dinner occasionally, he assumed today was the same.

However, Beomwoo hadn’t even touched the wine by the time they were almost done eating.

Did he forget? Or was it a mistake?

As Haejin looked at the untouched wine curiously and asked, Beomwoo answered.

“I originally ordered it to drink together, but you didn’t seem interested, so I left it.”

“With, with me……?”

“Even if it’s a business trip and unavoidable, we came all the way here, and it felt like we weren’t getting any travel vibe at all.”

“Ah…….”

When Haejin asked in surprise if he had suddenly planned to drink with him, Beomwoo answered nonchalantly.

He didn’t seem to have ordered it with any special intention.

It just seemed he felt bad about bringing Haejin all the way to distant Busan, having him cooped up alone in the hotel without any travel atmosphere, so he ordered wine to at least set a mood.

He had said they came for a change of pace and that he would set aside a day for him, but until now, far from a change of pace, it was almost like being confined.

In that sense, Beomwoo had ordered the wine, but seeing that Haejin seemed uninterested, he said it was fine, speaking indifferently as if discussing someone else’s business.

His tone didn’t particularly sound hurt or disappointed.

However, after hearing his words, Haejin couldn’t help but feel bothered.

It wasn’t just anyone; it was because Beomwoo said he ordered it for him, considering him……

It was unexpected, making the thoughtful consideration feel even more affectionate.

Having a glass of wine together wasn’t a particularly burdensome suggestion.

And…… setting a travel-like atmosphere wasn’t bad either.

They had to stay in the same hotel, the same room, and the man before him was only wearing a robe, creating a somewhat risqué atmosphere……

But that was just him; Beomwoo seemed to have no such awareness.

In his past life, their physical compatibility had been good, and his stamina…… Ahem, it usually didn’t end in just one or two rounds but only when Haejin was completely worn out.

However, that too was with the ‘purpose’ of trying to get him pregnant, to sow his seed, with no other intention.

Since he was usually like a stone, if it wasn’t for that purpose, he probably wouldn’t feel sexual desire toward Haejin or do anything else.

It just…… seemed like a problem only he needed to be careful about.

“Th-then, shall we have just one glass……?”

“No. I didn’t say that to pressure you. I have work tomorrow too, so I wasn’t planning on drinking much anyway.”

“Ah, no! I didn’t mean to force you either. It’s just…… I was wondering if you weren’t going to drink since earlier. I don’t plan to drink much either……. It’s a waste, so just one glass…….”

“…….”

“If, if you don’t want to, it’s fine…….”

Clearly, Beomwoo was the one who first suggested drinking and ordered and brought the wine.

But unconsciously, Haejin began cautiously gauging his reaction, his voice becoming as soft as an ant crawling.

He didn’t know why his voice sounded as if he was the one feeling regretful……

As Haejin spoke while watching him, Beomwoo stared at him intently for a moment as if trying to discern whether he was forcing himself to drink, then belatedly nodded.

“Then let’s have just one glass.”

Speaking as if granting permission, Beomwoo poured wine into the empty wine glass that had been sitting alone on the table.

The dark red wine filled the glass, and Haejin and Beomwoo clinked glasses plausibly and took a sip.

The food ordered through room service paired well with the wine, and the characteristic bitter taste of alcohol wasn’t very noticeable.

Thanks to that, Haejin drank and ate so well that he thought, ‘If it was going to be like this, you should have said so from the start.’

He had intended to have just one glass, but it was enough to make him want more.

By the time they were nearing the third glass, his insides felt warm and his mood relaxed.

Thinking back, this body had rarely drunk alcohol, so he seemed to have a low tolerance.

He hadn’t been someone with a strong alcohol capacity originally, but in this life, he felt he got drunk especially easily.

Or perhaps this wine was stronger than expected.

His body, which had been sitting stiffly with tension, loosened.

As Haejin sat slouched informally, Beomwoo looked at him and spoke as if it wouldn’t do.

“You seem drunk already. It’s better to stop drinking.”

“I’m not drunk……. Hmm, I’ll just finish this…….”

“…….”

As if he shouldn’t let him drink more, Beomwoo reached out to take the wine glass, but Haejin shook his head and gripped the stem tighter.

As Haejin acted stubbornly, Beomwoo reached out his hand, then unable to do anything, clenched it tightly.

He seemed unable to forcibly take it away, looking both troubled and slightly incredulous.

Looking at Beomwoo watching him like that, Haejin suddenly recalled his face from around lunchtime today.

The image of Beomwoo on a call with someone presumed to be his mother.

And then, when he turned to leave, saw the empty seat, and looked as if he was about to rush out immediately.

At that time, he avoided the topic, thinking it would seem like he had eavesdropped if he spoke, and also because Beomwoo was startled thinking something had happened to him……

But perhaps because he was drunk and his tension had eased…… he suddenly wanted to ask.

“But…… earlier at the restaurant, you had a call…….”

“A call? Ah, yes.”

“That…… was a call from your parents, right?”

When Haejin asked directly, Beomwoo stiffened his expression, looking taken aback as if he hadn’t expected him to have heard.

Still, recalling the call seemed to put him in a bad mood, and he averted his gaze as he spoke seriously.

“You must have heard. You don’t need to worry about it. It’s nothing.”

“…….”

Don’t need to worry? It’s nothing?

How can being pressured to marry be nothing?

He had suffered because of it too, and he could see Beomwoo was bothered by it.

And since it was related to him, it was hard to just let it go.

But that aside, Haejin hadn’t brought it up just out of curiosity about who the other party was.

After looking at Beomwoo for a moment, Haejin cautiously opened his mouth again.

“Beomwoo…… you said you liked me, right?”

“Yes.”

“You said it wasn’t with that intention, but still, marrying me would be good for you, and we’re still seeing each other……. So why did you tell your parents as if marrying me wasn’t even a thought?”

He had been curious about it the whole time, though he hadn’t said anything.

Even though Beomwoo said he wasn’t helping with that intention and that he didn’t need to repay him, ultimately, he was lingering by his side hoping he would look his way.

The cohabitation, coming on this business trip together now—it was all in the same vein.

Of course, part of it was concern as a person, but Haejin was convinced no one would go this far out of concern alone.

Whether he wanted the inheritance or genuinely liked him, for whatever reason, he seemed to want to marry him.

So why did he so firmly tell her, as if telling her not to even dream of him marrying Haejin?

He probably didn’t know Haejin had heard the call; it was accidental.

But since it was his mother speaking, couldn’t he have at least said something pleasant, even if just in words?

Of course, he knew their mother-son relationship wasn’t that great……

When Haejin asked curiously, Beomwoo answered seriously as if that was what he had wondered.

“I told you before. I wish you would look at me in a situation where you don’t have to worry about anything.”

“…….”

“This is in the same vein. I also want to see you without any pressure from my surroundings, even if there were no inheritance tied to you.”

Just as he had said to Haejin, Beomwoo also said he wanted to see him in a situation where there was nothing to consider.

Haejin felt he could understand his words, yet he couldn’t.

Love was something so unfitting for him……

That he too wanted to break free from oppression and see him purely with his heart……

Was there a reason he had to be like this?

Was it truly possible for him to look at him without any ulterior motives?

As Haejin looked at Beomwoo with confused eyes, Beomwoo met his gaze, then let out a dry chuckle and averted his eyes.

“When an adult Alpha and Omega meet, why are there so many obstacles……”

“…….”

“I want to meet without caring about anything, but that’s difficult.”

As if there were things that wouldn’t change no matter how hard he tried, Beomwoo muttered in a voice tinged with self-reproach and helplessness.

His voice now even revealed a sense of weariness.

Come to think of it, it had already been several months since he returned to the past and met Beomwoo.

It was a time that could be considered short or long.

Haejin vividly remembered his past life, withering away in loneliness, and thought that if Beomwoo approached him because of the inheritance, he would be abandoned again if they married.

He had resolved never to have a loveless marriage.

Even in moments of judging whether the devotedly helpful Beomwoo’s feelings were false or genuine, that resolve remained.

Even when his heart leaned in other directions, he pushed him away forcefully when possible.

There were times he couldn’t, but he tried.

But looking back on the Beomwoo of this life, he didn’t know the reason Haejin pushed him away, and no matter how well he treated him, he would have only been pushed away.

It was difficult to completely separate the him of his past life and the person before him now as different people.

But their actions and experiences were different, so he felt sorry toward him.

Now he had to admit it.

He hadn’t been able to give up his feelings for him, and in a different meaning from his past life, he was growing to like him.

And that it was hard to just watch Beomwoo suffer.

Without even properly looking at his face, Haejin fidgeted with his hands under the table and spoke quietly.

“Right now…… we, we are doing it.”

“…….”

“What we’re doing right now…… I don’t think it’s meaningless…….”

After speaking softly, Haejin bowed his head even lower in embarrassment.

He had spoken as if holding on, but wouldn’t he seem like someone who kept changing his mind?

If only he were completely drunk, he wouldn’t even feel ashamed, but he wasn’t that drunk.

The more-than-half-sober mind made him ashamed.

He thought about pretending it wasn’t awkward and pouring the remaining wine down his throat, but there was no wine left in the glass.

Because of that, he couldn’t do anything and just sat still when a low voice broke the long silence.

“Haejin.”

“Y-yes?”

“May I kiss you?”

“……Huh?”

What did he just say……?

Haejin stupidly repeated the same words, raised his head, and looked at Beomwoo with startled eyes.

Was he joking?

But the man before him looked far too serious for that.

“No, wh-what kind of question is that?”

“I guess I was being too clueless.”

No matter how much he had said he disliked coercion, no one asks such a question, and they weren’t in that kind of relationship yet……

It was both sudden and an absurd question, and he was so flustered he felt the world spinning.

As Haejin’s face flushed red and he stumbled over his words, Beomwoo agreed, pushed his chair back, and stood up.

As Haejin flusteredly looked up at him rising unconsciously, Beomwoo bent down and brought his face close.

In an instant, Beomwoo was right before his eyes.

“B-Beomwoo, hup……!”

With Beomwoo so close right in front of his nose, Haejin opened his eyes wide like a startled rabbit and called his name.

In that moment, Beomwoo took Haejin’s chin in his hand, tilted his head, and met his lips.

Immediately, the two lips softly overlapped without any chance to push him away.