OMLM | Chapter 1

“Yebon-ah, hyung is sorry. But hyung has been busy lately and there’s also social status to consider…”

He had to be careful. Yebon had his face all scrunched up, his head bowed low.

Jung Woochan gently caressed Yebon’s cheek as if soothing a child.

Yebon didn’t push Woochan’s hand away, but his furrowed brows didn’t relax either.

The alley was muddy and narrow from the rain that had fallen until this morning. Because of that, Yebon bowed his head even lower under the tickling breath of Woochan on his forehead, as if he were a criminal.

Woochan’s figure was reflected hazily on the wet asphalt. Yebon stared hard at that black silhouette.

“I believe Yebon will understand everything.”

The reward for overcoming months of intense anxiety was just this.

Ever since Woochan started working at a big company, his contact had become noticeably less frequent, and even when they met, it was just for meals; sex or even physical contact like before was long gone.

Still, Yebon trusted Woochan. He thought it was because Woochan was busy adapting to his new job.

But this was where that trust led. During a rare contact, he ran out in the middle of an orientation meeting, only to be harshly rejected in a bar alley.

‘He should have just said he fell out of love.’

With Woochan’s roundabout way of saying he couldn’t help it, Yebon looked up at him with a frown.

Woochan was wearing the kind, gentle smile that Yebon always liked.

“Our Yebon, you’re much more mature and understanding than your peers, I know that. I believe you’ll understand soon. It’s not because I hate you. You’re still precious to me.”

Bullshit, fuck. That vulgar remark only echoed inside Yebon’s mouth.

If he was precious, he should have held on to him somehow. Overwhelmed by the rising sense of betrayal and Woochan’s dishonesty even in the moment of separation, Yebon finally shed tears.

Woochan looked pained at those tears, turning his head slightly before flinching.

Following his gaze, Yebon turned to see a large man standing at the alley entrance like a lion. The sharp scent of cigarettes brushed past his nose.

Woochan immediately pulled his hand away from Yebon’s cheek. It seemed this stranger, who Woochan had never seen before, was more important to him than Yebon, who had been his neighbor’s little brother for five years and his lover for two.

“Then I’ll go now. Thanks for everything.”

Woochan seemed eager to leave, his toes already pointing outside the alley.

At least for this moment, couldn’t he prioritize me a little more? Was our relationship so superficial that a stranger on the street was more important to him?

“Feel free to contact me later if you want…”

Woochan’s eyes widened as he had already taken a step. Yebon’s lips were suddenly on his, in the blink of an eye.

It was an impulsive act. Neither of them closed their eyes during this moment, and Yebon saw Woochan’s face twist menacingly in his eyes.

Thud, as a massive shock hit his left cheek, Yebon fell limply to the ground.

Woochan, looking at Yebon slumped on the muddy ground, wore an expression he had never shown before.

Woochan, who had been a deep and gentle lover to Yebon, now looked at him with eyes as if he had tasted filth.

“Fuck, I said you were cute, cute, and this gay bastard…”

Even while yelling in anger, Woochan glanced back at the alley entrance. His subtly trembling eyes narrowed as if trying to see the person there more clearly.

Yebon clenched his jaw, his fists trembling, but he couldn’t say a word.

“Crazy bastard. If I see you again, you’re dead.”

With that threat, Woochan quickly left the alley, leaving it quiet.

Yebon was still sitting on the ground. His pants were soaked, now even his buttocks were wet. His hands, holding onto the dirty, wet ground, were already a mess.

“…Fuck, what a bastard.”

Only after Woochan had left did Yebon finally curse.

That bastard, fuck, who had comforted and supported him through all his troubles.

‘How much effort did I put into not asking questions when he went silent for days, waiting, not showing any sign of hurt even when we met without speaking…’

The few drops of tears now streamed down without pause.

The words he wanted to shout turned into water flowing down instead. Wiping his eyes roughly, Yebon finally let out a sharp, “Fuck!” His cheeks ached from moving his mouth.

As he sat there for a while, he realized the gaze on him hadn’t moved at all.

Jerking his head around irritably, he saw the big man still looking at him.

Normally, one would look away when eyes meet like this, but the man didn’t seem to care, standing still. Only pale smoke was rising around his dark silhouette.

Already in a foul mood, being stared at by some unknown person made Yebon’s insides twist even more.

“What are you staring at? Got something to see?”

The man didn’t respond to the question. It was as if there was a curtain between Yebon and him; he didn’t move an inch.

The neon lights cast him in silhouette, making his expression unreadable, but it was clear.

Yebon knew about the social stigma Woochan mentioned, how gays are viewed.

Though the man’s face was darkly shadowed, Yebon automatically imagined it filled with disgust.

Having already vented his curses, Yebon had no patience left for someone’s hateful gaze.

“What, am I dirty? If I’m so dirty, then look away, you fucking asshole.”

Fuck, should I slap your lips too?

At the sharp shout, the man, who had been silently smoking, finally moved.

He ground his cigarette against the building wall and dropped the butt into a can below. Yebon thought he would leave, but instead, he walked toward him.

One step, another. As the bright billboard light dimmed, the man’s features became clearer.

His silhouette alone was large, but as he approached, he was not just big; he was massive.

Yebon’s gaze naturally lowered. His black shoes were shiny, perhaps from the water.

Such a large figure, a black shirt that seemed ready to burst, suit pants, black shoes. Yebon’s mind cleared suddenly.

The man before him seemed to morph into a very dangerous character in Yebon’s mind.

Squish, the sound of his wet shoes stepping on the ground was like it was right next to his ear. The black shoes came to rest right in front of Yebon.

His scalp tingled. Yebon swallowed the saliva pooled in his dry mouth and stiffened his shoulders.

“Kid.”

His voice seemed to carry the scent of cigarettes, rough and deeply low, crawling across the wet floor.

His heart felt like it had sunk to his stomach, pounding. Thinking that ignoring him might provoke him further, Yebon slowly lifted his face.

The man was so tall that Yebon had to tilt his head back until it hurt to meet his eyes.

“Don’t talk about slapping people around.”

Maybe because he was shadowed, his eyes were like dark voids. His open mouth revealed sharp, white teeth.

The man tilted his head to the right, pulling up one corner of his mouth. A chill ran down Yebon’s spine.

The man bent down, reaching toward the stiff Yebon. His wrists under the shirt were thick, his hands rough and large. A bitter smell lingered as his hand passed by Yebon’s face.

Yebon, unable to take his eyes off the man’s face, was on high alert. The air around seemed to move in slow motion.

Yebon slightly opened his tightly closed mouth.

“…Why?”

Instead of answering, the man grabbed Yebon’s forearm. His bare skin was exposed due to the short sleeves, and the touch of the man’s palm was rough.

He lifted Yebon to his feet, and Yebon still only looked at the man’s face with wide eyes.

It was like a herbivore not daring to look away from a predator, fearing it might attack the moment he averted his gaze.

The man, eyeing Yebon who was full of caution, placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned close.

A heavy musk mixed with a sharp scent seemed to envelop Yebon’s neck.

“Why? Because it would be a waste to just let this go.”

Expectantly.

The man’s black eyes passed through Yebon’s gaze. The long scar newly etched on his thick eyebrow twitched slightly.

Straightening up, the man said, “See you again?” tapping Yebon’s shoulder twice before leaving the alley.

The ambiguity in his tone left Yebon unsure if it was a threat or an invitation. Only then did he slump against the wall.

Taking a deep breath, the air felt damp and sweet.