NB | Chapter 5

Suddenly, a wave of nausea surged from the pit of his stomach.

Ugh…

Woohyun bent over, instinctively covering his mouth with his hand. There was no actual vomit, but the unpleasant sensation wouldn’t go away.

It was because Kim Sungmoon’s alpha pheromones were strongly emanating. This was one of the many reasons Seo Woohyun despised him. His pheromone scent had a fishy, watery smell.

Saliva pooled thickly in his mouth as he tried to suppress the nausea. Woohyun struggled to move his lips.

“…Please, your pheromones…”

“What did you say?”

Kim Sungmoon leaned in, as if he hadn’t heard the mumbling. The fishy smell hit Woohyun’s nose, making the veins in his neck stand out.

This bastard…

“Put away your pheromones!”

“You little shit, who do you think you’re talking to!”

A gold chain-wearing guy, who had been standing silently, raised his hand. But Woohyun, feeling the urge to vomit, clutched his stomach and curled his upper body, so the hand only grazed his head. Busy swallowing the bile, Woohyun didn’t even realize he had dodged the hand.

“Ugh!”

Instead, Kim Sungmoon grabbed his hair and yanked his head up. The glossy eyes and alpha pheromones felt violently piercing. Woohyun glared at him even more fiercely.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Feeling wronged? Blame your parents if you want to blame someone. Your dad was a scammer and a gambler, but you begged me on your knees for your mom’s hospital bills.”

Every time the man spoke, his hot, dirty breath hit Woohyun’s face. He wanted to turn his head, but the grip on his hair was so tight it felt like it would rip his scalp off. The dull pain surged, but Woohyun held back tears, glaring defiantly.

“If you don’t want to be in front of the camera, why not sell your body? Maybe someone with a peculiar taste will pick up an alpha like you and pamper you.”

With a mocking tone, Kim Sungmoon touched Woohyun’s hair. Realizing he was trying to see his face, Woohyun grabbed his wrist in a spasm.

“Ouch! Damn, that hurts. You’ve got quite the temper…”

Woohyun dug his nails into the back of his hand, scratching it, and only then did Kim Sungmoon let go of his hair with a grimace. A worn-out wallet fell at Woohyun’s feet as he staggered.

“I’ll overlook the 30,000 won you’re short.”

Kim Sungmoon and the gold chain guy laughed as they walked away. Even after they disappeared, Woohyun had to stand there for a while, catching his breath.

Only then did he notice the fallen wallet. He picked it up, dusted it off, and opened it. Inside, 5,000 won in cash and a business card were neatly untouched.

˚˚˚

Inside the plastic liquor box, various bottles were neatly lined up. Seo Woohyun lifted it effortlessly.

He rolled up the sleeves of his uniform shirt to his elbows, making the muscles and veins in his forearms stand out. His hands gripping the handle were quite sturdy and large. The back of his hand was flawless and smooth, but the calloused palms seemed to tell the story of his life.

With each step, the glass bottles clinked, making a clear sound. Half of them were new, with only the caps removed and untouched. The alcohol had evaporated, leaving them tasteless. They couldn’t be reused and had to be discarded, worth over 300,000 won. It was hard to believe they were collected from just one room.

Some people work hard to earn a few hundred a month, while others blow 300 on drinks in a day. Why order whiskey at a wine bar if you’re not going to drink it?

Instead of lamenting his situation, it was more productive to think about earning more money, but as a human, such thoughts couldn’t be completely avoided. This was why he couldn’t work long in entertainment venues or bars. It was frustrating to see people waste hard-earned money for a night’s entertainment.

“Sigh, damn.”

Even if he tried to suppress his inner thoughts, they occasionally slipped out.

After organizing the bottles, Woohyun entered the store. The hallway lined with rooms was carpeted, muffling the sound of his shoe heels. Just as he was about to turn a corner, he sensed someone beyond it.

Before the person appeared, the scent of fougère reached his nose. His brain ordered him to stop, but his legs were already moving forward out of habit.

The person on the other side hadn’t noticed Woohyun either. As a result, they collided at the corner.

“Ugh…!”

Instinctively, he closed his eyes tightly, and when he opened them, his vision was filled with white and dark blue. Woohyun was about to bury his face in it. He quickly assessed the situation. The white was a shirt, and the dark blue was a tie. He knew who the person he almost collided with was before he turned the corner.

Unlike Woohyun, who took a half-step back, Kang Jiwon stood casually. It was as if Woohyun had suddenly jumped into his arms.

Woohyun bowed his head first. After all, he was an employee here, and Kang Jiwon was likely visiting as a guest.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

Kang Jiwon replied calmly, his gaze shifting to Woohyun’s left chest.

“Seo Deokbae.”

Suddenly, to whom… Woohyun, making a sour face at the old-fashioned name, quickly covered his left chest. He felt the cold, hard name tag under his palm.

In the establishment, you could choose between your real name and a nickname for your name tag. Even though most people chose normal names, Woohyun was using a silly name tag left by a previous employee. It would take some time to get a new one, and he didn’t plan to stay long enough to get attached.

Kang Jiwon let out a breathy laugh. Judging by his playful expression, he seemed to recognize him. Well, it had only been three days since that day, and men who grew their hair long enough to tie it back weren’t common. Especially if it wasn’t for style but for some other reason.

“You tied your hair back.” Kang Jiwon murmured and spoke.

“Aren’t the bangs uncomfortable?”

It was a question, but it sounded like he found it uncomfortable to look at.

“No, I’m used to it.”

Woohyun brushed his bangs aside, revealing his face. They had grown too long, and he was planning to cut them soon.

The man in front of him crossed his arms and let out a low hum. He seemed to be pondering something, tapping his forearm rhythmically. Woohyun vaguely thought that maybe this man was resisting the urge to tuck his hair behind his ear again.

Then Kang Jiwon’s gaze returned to the name tag on his left chest.

“Which one is your real name?”

“Seo Woohyun. It’s Woohyun. This is obviously a fake name.”

“What’s wrong with Deokbae?”

“If you like it, I’ll give you this name tag.”

“No, thanks. I didn’t mean to take Deokbae’s stuff.”

Woohyun’s brows furrowed. Regardless, Jiwon continued to look at the name tag with a smile.

“The only common letter is the surname. So here, I should call you Seo Deokbae.”

Customers knew the name on the tag was fake, so he never felt embarrassed by any name, but for some reason, today, the name Seo Deokbae felt particularly shameful. It might be because he felt guilty making a man who could have succeeded as an actor recite a name that sounded like it belonged to someone living in the countryside, planting sesame seeds and hunting wild boars.

Woohyun tried to remain calm. He reminded himself to step aside, but Kang Jiwon spoke first.

“Do you work here?”

“Only on weekend nights. I have a lot of expenses, and the wine bar pays better than other places…”

He trailed off, realizing he was answering more than asked.

“Are you a college student?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t have a clear job, so he could be considered a day laborer, but Woohyun always lied, saying he was a student or job seeker when introducing himself. It was less bothersome that way.

“You must have a lot of expenses as a college student.”

Kang Jiwon nodded, but it didn’t seem sincere. He would have reacted the same if Woohyun had said he was unemployed.

A subtle silence followed. The quietness of a conversation with a stranger was just awkward. He must have had business here, and Woohyun couldn’t slack off any longer. Just as he was wondering if he could leave first, Kang Jiwon spoke again.

“I heard you didn’t get a call.”

“Sorry?”

“Director Lee Byungho. He said he was disappointed he couldn’t reach you.”