DS Ch4

At the edge of his vision, Joo Taehyun’s fingertips could be seen moving busily. The face of the kid, observed with just a glance of the eyes, was ridiculously identical to when they had met on that New Year’s Eve night long ago.acfb9c48842874db

Though it would 3b35eed9dd be hard to ee1ad1bfe9 find a child 254e765b8a raised with as c8460adf78 much love in 2eb0cf9b4e a similar environment, 9de5189c43 Joo Taehyun looks 6c8f38a8bf at him with b772c2a292 eyes like those 2511e2cf87 of an abandoned 00a011d4f3 dog that seems f089360ef1 to have spent 89da98046a its whole life 822b285b86 on the streets. Eyes that add67321be are so f145d9efcd poignant they fd6ddbcc3c momentarily capture 7b3fecda7d even the f41f2fca2b gaze of 78e635b88f someone uninterested.b1ecbbb3e6a3c923

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Thanks to that gaze of Joo Taehyun’s, unchanged from the old days, Seo Baekhan sensed that whatever he intended to say today, his feelings of affection would remain the same as ever.2ccb9b0c22a72d36

This wasn’t some unlucky misunderstanding. He had belatedly realized that Joo Taehyun only showed that face in front of him, or more precisely, that he made an effort to produce such an expression. He also learned that Joo Taehyun had pushed himself quite hard the day before his departure – for a study abroad trip he wouldn’t return from until he turned twenty – just to make an appearance at Hatch’s year-end party, in other words, to confess to him.33c66a85f2245904

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‘Isn’t the royal family being fucking extra? What’s so special about a scholarship foundation ceremony that they need to summon this many people?’81855e66f9c48177

‘The crown prince insisted on it, said there absolutely had to be more people than at Hatch’s launch event. I saw even the Yoonra Foundation’s grandson come by earlier to make an appearance.’686687a3feb4dcaa

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‘Are they crazy, calling in someone all the way from Washington? What kind of grudge does that guy have against the second prince to pull this shit?’79ab1c61f0cb26ce

‘It’s because the second prince is an alpha, you know. Come to think of it, Joo Taehyun didn’t come in? Doesn’t he go to the same school as that Yoonra kid?’8749b82891685542

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‘Yeah, right? You’d think they’d have insisted Joo Taehyun show his face too, since he’s an alpha.’bcdf31aa53e28b44

Seo Baekhan, who had 247d96c4f5 been half-listening to the 34d58d957d gossip of these nobodies, 169dfba660 paused for a moment 562786a59a with his glass at ef1c990e3f his lips.Ah, was Joo Taehyun’s study abroad in Washington, not London?1ad526bf25a79f6a

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‘Joo Taehyun once collapsed at the airport after taking the wrong suppressants. Since then, DH absolutely won’t let him attend external events.’ab750205a5c43808

‘Huh? Wasn’t that when he overdid it trying to attend some Christmas party or year-end gathering and collapsed from overwork?’be2474219e77fa28

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Ah. Looks like he pushed himself to attend the year-end party before departing. Well… I feel bad, but what can I do about it now?32813b07f150dcba

Seo Baekhan took another drink. He intended to use the excuse of intoxication to escape this uncomfortable situation. If the crown prince himself hadn’t personally contacted him asking him to make an appearance, he wouldn’t have set foot in a place where even these idiots were showing their faces.adb5b5fc4c64c04b

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‘Bullshit. I heard it directly from His Highness the Crown Prince. A chaebol’s son who developed health issues from taking suppressants? There’s no separate owner risk, that itself is the disaster. Since they can’t let the stock price plummet, of course DH’s PR department made up a different excuse.’248ff213db91553d

‘Whoa? Guys, this conversation is taking a weird turn?’2b89ced808826f31

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Choi Yeonjun, known as Seo Baekhan’s only friend due to sticking together since childhood, tactfully interjected.a5fbbd781b117e5f

‘There are a lot of people coming and going, let’s stop talking about a young friend who isn’t even here-‘c7ec4d2f4d817f2d

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‘Anyway, it’s that damn trait that’s the problem. All the Yeonhwa Palace budget goes under the second prince consort because he became a half-baked omega by taking drugs. Fuck. Why should my tax money go towards making drugs to control those bastards’ heats!’d963791aeb4e1ae3

‘Hey, hey! Kim Seungjun!’85be8b228056b9bc

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The atmosphere suddenly became 64c43d67da awkward. Seo Baekhan, who was 0167cdecb4 still at the table, 199b462940 was also a trait-bearer 6a5588b060 who had to take 04e4e3474a suppressants, and an alpha. Therefore, what Kim 3ba7651c7f Seungjun had spouted af6918d0d5 was not only c31518b8fa aimed at people 38039f0da8 like Joo Taehyun 2f2b6c44ea and the second c64526c481 prince consort, but 09ebbf5048 at Seo Baekhan 478504f0f2 as well.06c62777484641f5

Of course, Seo b5d60e871d Baekhan showed no 3ab6478ecd reaction. Whether it cab88c5afd was said bdaa15c1e5 intentionally or 085a2ccd26 sincerely, it 06890f4e76 was none a3c631a3ab of his 11e1795646 business. While it was f56886f17e unpleasant to bring 7c28d29ccd up traits to 78c61325e5 insult others, feelings 3f2cc0037a like irritation or 8f064d89fd disappointment were emotions 6b9451a39f that could only 9b75d72cba be felt when e940c78e9a there was a e9723d49f8 minimum level of aef829f42b respect for the af8f0a828e other party. From the moment bfc3dd4127 he reacted, he c22c970b3f would be lowering b21c8257a7 himself to the 366aa758ac same level as 59cc1afc73 that idiot, so 7a5fcdc48e why bother?119b8d53b5d021fb

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‘Ah, no, I wasn’t trying to talk about Baekhan… It’s just that Joo, Joo Taehyun is weird! Of course there’s no problem with Baekhan! But Joo Taehyun, that bastard, he’s supposedly an alpha but he’s always following Baekhan around… Unless there’s something wrong with him, it’s impossible-‘965c932a874ce9b1

Hmm. Come to think of it, if even guys like this knew about it, Joo Taehyun must have really only had eyes for me…73a503695f4dbc27

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Seo Baekhan rolled a 924018fea4 grape in his mouth, 90dc9b0f41 recalling the kid after 8c815a8fb5 a long time.84abc0d61f083d0e

A seventeen-year-old child with a shadowed face who, despite seeing him being called away by others for obvious reasons multiple times, couldn’t say anything until the very end when he finally gathered his courage.b0e45fbcbc3f8fcb

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What was Joo Taehyun’s expression like when he turned away that day, Seo Baekhan wondered briefly before suddenly tilting his head in confusion. While he didn’t believe that bastard Kim Seungjun had directly heard from the crown prince, judging by the atmosphere, it seemed Joo Taehyun had been a frequent topic of conversation for some time… Had he just not been paying attention until now? What was there to gossip about that boring guy?5e3f09800e948dc4

‘Ah, you bastards. You’re ruining the taste of the alcohol. Let’s stop, okay?’081d1a8699cecfe9

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Choi Yeonjun tapped the table lightly with the glass he was holding. It was the quick action of someone who knew well that if things wrapped up here, Seo Baekhan wouldn’t act on his temper.8a30dfb4df08b97a

‘Since we’re on the topic, let me say something too. That bastard Joo Taehyun!’03fb9ed95f814a0f

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Kim Seungjun, his eyes half-unfocused as if drunk, slammed his glass down hard. It seemed he was trying to imitate Choi Yeonjun’s action, but being drunk, he couldn’t properly control his strength.9aa44c01ddbef667

Seo Baekhan turned his gaze slightly askew as he chewed and swallowed the fruit pulp that remained half in his mouth. Normally, he would have stood up and left at this point. But perhaps because Joo Taehyun’s confession was the most unexpected memory among those who had confessed to him. He wanted to know what nonsense these bastards, or more precisely Kim Seungjun, were spreading about Joo Taehyun.75de4d2beb4b1ab2

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‘Have you heard the rumor that Joo Taehyun isn’t actually an alpha?’575dc2800fc0e83c

‘Hey, Kim Seungjun… Stop watching those broadcasts where wreckers stir up drama. What half-baked conspiracy theory are you bringing up now?’efcd33896ce4a9c8

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‘Why, it’s interesting. I’m curious, so tell me. So why about Joo Taehyun?’85fcd034e9264977

‘Please watch what you say! Don’t you know there are people from DH here too?’814752f2554d61d5

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‘Oh, look who’s being all righteous. So what? They’re just chaebols at best, in the end we’re all businessmen, aren’t we? Why should we be mindful of them?’a804f93b9a7b1641

‘What’s with this guy’s way of talking? Is this the Joseon era or something?’ba4118f4ce10ef5e

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‘Did I say anything wrong? And since it came up, the reason Joo Taehyun is going after Baekhan is exactly that. Because Baekhan’s family has been producing the three high ministers consistently since the Joseon era.’909b0d44ac520205

Kim Seungjun clicked 63bc338546 his tongue as acaac28a14 he smoothed down f32e876af7 the side of 9c5d8a8572 his hair, heavily bc2da74d4f slicked with pomade. He awkwardly turned f906b9d24e his wrist to 8525b9c4eb show off the 03fcd37abf logo on his 0340c9b712 gold watch, but 299fd05867 it only made 63a7e5150d his hairstyle messier. As a result, cfd9cf1a2d the face of 505c433c5c the guy who 9ab14990c7 was already unpleasant 3e9582d8d4 to look at fc037c054e became even more 7157af6dc6 vulgar.ce05f82e5c32ff20

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Choi Yeonjun, who had been trying to somehow contain Kim Seungjun’s loose lips, also stepped back with his hands lowered slightly as if he couldn’t bear to listen anymore, and whispered softly.b104a6a3eaab9d03

‘Seo Baekhan, I’m pulling out of here. I don’t have the skill to rein in a boor like that.’ef59c210f5a4b367

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‘Who asked you to step in?’9162ab9019406ece

‘Forget it, let’s just get up. People are starting to look this way.’e6ce1bb4ed78a363

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Seo Baekhan a13189dad2 lightly ignored d61b4fb495 Choi Yeonjun 967baaeefb who was cf9a354aef nudging him 5902274108 with his a9aa9e5772 elbow.6167410a1dbdb422

‘What are you doing? Aren’t you going?’ee16ca7d1f7c4f1a

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‘I’m curious to see what other nonsense that bastard is going to spout, so I’ll stay a bit longer.’7e8e51d0432780f0

It wasn’t a lie that his curiosity was piqued. As far as he knew, Kim Seungjun’s father was the CEO of a small startup. He didn’t want to judge a person’s character by the size of the company they ran. But wouldn’t there be a reason why the crown prince, the most materialistic of materialists, invited a guy like that to the scholarship foundation launch he had been working on for so long?d1362ee65ed1045c

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‘But is Kim Seungjun really connected to the crown prince’s side?’4b733ec8f0450c79

‘Who knows. Judging by how he keeps bringing up traits and spouting nonsense, he does seem to have been influenced by that side.’f228162f5ab3f5ac

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Seo Baekhan cc6fd0421c closed his 2eb8b901c9 eyes tightly 17e078edd8 as he f0cea97d6b saw the e1595bb416 layers of ef8cd3c06f gold bracelets 8ddef53205 revealed under fa5dc541d2 the watch df8fdafe53 Kim Seungjun 48edd1808b was wearing. He wanted 1c0c9b6eab to observe 0e555b2cd2 a bit 3f7e8ebee3 more, but 6832013b5e just looking 012ae4f24d at something bd8c630901 like that 9aec3d54e8 made him 4e5566a2f0 feel like 567950677a his eyes 6edcb802df were rotting.359b13d6e81040aa

‘Sigh. What to do with these bastards who don’t have a single connection. I have a close cousin who knows quite a few people in the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. And according to him, at last year’s Hatch year-end party, Joo Taehyun-‘3541dde25e437845

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‘Kim Seungjun.’d6bf17fca9356df1

The timing was good, if that’s the right way to put it. Thanks to Kim Seungjun mentioning Hatch, there was no longer any need to keep watching that trash-like appearance that threatened his mental stability.13a0633da6e5a93e

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Seeing him bring up something that actually happened inside Hatch’s private space, it seems the crown prince’s side did feed that bastard some information.5092a0a6bfaa63f5

What could be the reason the crown prince recruited even such a low-class person? Guys like Kim Seungjun are pawns to be used and discarded behind the scenes. Even the crown prince, lacking as he may be, wouldn’t be unaware of this. Yet he even invited such a bastard to the scholarship foundation launch where all sorts of distinguished guests were gathered?302d2ecec15c5ba7

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‘Huh? Uh… Baekhan.’721459819446f183

Scholarship foundation, startup, rejection of traits…5f3d9a5b3dbb5368

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Seo Baekhan stood up from his seat, considering the direction indicated by the connection between the crown prince and Kim Seungjun. It seems he’ll need to investigate the financial situation first.c05271f790bfdb9b

‘Watch what you say. Is badmouthing a kid who isn’t even here with made-up stories because you’re jealous he’s an alpha worth it?’cb3fdcf866be0662

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Some of those who had been carelessly snickering at Kim Seungjun’s vulgar commentary looked at Seo Baekhan with somewhat bewildered expressions.b270ffda41b277de

In the end, they’re all the same bastards. Pretending to try to stop Kim Seungjun on the surface, while enjoying the vulgar commentary through someone else’s mouth – despicable guys. Even now, their curious eyes gleaming amidst their bewilderment was utterly disgusting.6add417952153470

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