CR | Chapter 1.4

If only he had a nicer mouth, Wi Woori thought, just as Kim Donghwa started speaking.

“You.”

“What.”

“What’s your ideal type? I know it’s a guy.”

“I don’t know, since I’ve manifested as an omega… But I absolutely hate alphas.”

Since Kim Donghwa was still an unmanifested, after all.

To emphasize that he had no intention of meeting an alpha, Wi Woori spoke, but Kim Donghwa, with a “really,” picked a fight again.

“Like appearance or personality. What does manifestation matter?”

“I’d like him to be good-looking, I guess? And taller than me would be nice.”

“Why? You don’t like guys shorter than you?”

“Yeah, there are too many guys shorter than me. Since I’m tall, I’d like my partner to be taller.”

He tried to gloss over it, but more sincerity came out than expected. This is why he should stay away from alcohol. Clicking his tongue late, Wi Woori couldn’t control his mouth once it started.

“And someone who’s a bit cheeky would be good. Fighting is fun.”

“Why would you want to fight in a relationship?”

“What, isn’t that list you just rattled off Kim Donghwa?”

While Kim Donghwa frowned, saying he couldn’t deal with him, Kim Chanyoung hit the nail on the head. Wi Woori flinched for a moment, then glared at him, putting the words ‘really?’ in his gaze. It seemed Kim Donghwa felt it too because he didn’t say anything after that.

Feeling restless, Wi Woori poured more alcohol down his throat. Occasionally, Kim Donghwa tried to take his glass away, telling him to stop drinking, but each time, Wi Woori defiantly grabbed a new cup and poured more. Before long, everything started spinning, and his body felt light.

“Kim Chanyoung, quickly take Wi Woori’s phone.”

Why my phone?

Not understanding the reason, Wi Woori glared at Kim Donghwa, but the gaze looking back was even more resolute.

What’s that look for?

“Ah, right, right.”

Kim Chanyoung slowly approached him. Wi Woori dodged swiftly, then shook his phone in front of the two guys, saying, “Try and take it!”

After boldly saying that in a slurred voice, he unlocked his phone.

With blurry eyes, Wi Woori pushed and pulled his phone away. Let’s see, he said, then touched the first name he saw and called.

The signal rang long, but the other party didn’t pick up.

Wi Woori drooped his mouth and slumped down. He seemed fine just three minutes ago, but now he was suddenly completely drunk.

“Here we go again.”

Kim Chanyoung, looking exasperated, frowned, and Kim Donghwa closed his eyes tightly. Internally, he was grinding his teeth, thinking, “I’ll never drink with this guy again,” but his phone in his pocket kept vibrating, which was quite annoying.

“Ah, who are you calling?”

Kim Chanyoung, checking his phone out of curiosity, asked. He knew that once Wi Woori got drunk, he would call someone. Of course, he also knew that the person was always the same.

Kim Chanyoung glanced at Kim Donghwa. Arms crossed and lips tightly shut, Kim Donghwa was letting out heavy breaths, clearly irritated.

Deciding he couldn’t take it anymore, Kim Donghwa pulled out his phone from his pocket. Seeing the name ‘Wi Wi’ saved on it, Kim Chanyoung burst into laughter.

“Is it because his name is ‘Woori’ that you saved it as ‘Wi’?”

“Yeah.”

After a brief answer, he answered the call. He knew if he didn’t, Wi Woori would keep calling until he did.

“Hello.”

“Kim Donghwa!”

“…Ha. Go, now.”

Having answered the call, Kim Donghwa signaled to Kim Chanyoung with his eyes. What are you going to do? was the look he got back, but it was always his job to deal with Wi Woori’s drunken antics and clean up after him. Naturally, today was no different.

“Good luck.”

“Yeah, be careful on your way.”

Answering while on the call, Wi Woori immediately burst out in anger.

“What’s that! Who are you with!”

“Wi Woori, Kim Chanyoung is leaving. Say goodbye.”

“Uh, Chanyoung, goodbye.”

Then, he properly said goodbye this time.

Kim Donghwa shook his head and looked at Wi Woori. It was a drunken habit he’d seen many times, but he couldn’t deny that it never got easier to get used to.

“Hey, stop calling and let’s go inside and sleep.”

“Uh, Kim Donghwa. Kim Donghwa didn’t answer the call.”

“I did answer, here. We’re on the call.”

“Oh, right. Hey, Kim Donghwa, I’m at your place now, want to come?”

“You’re crazy, really.”

Oh, what a headache.

He couldn’t even think of stopping his giggling. Kim Donghwa just sighed and went along with Wi Woori’s drunken talk for a while.

If it were anyone else…

Kim Donghwa’s face contorted deeply. Just thinking about it made his blood boil and his head hot. He could compromise on anything else, but not that. He would never let that happen. His eyes shone with determination.

⛧⛧⛧

The next day, Wi Woori woke up clutching his head, which felt like it might split open, and stretched out with a loud “Uaaah” as he saw the sun half-over his bed.

He had drunk enough to black out again. Even though he wasn’t good with alcohol, he had stubbornly kept drinking, so he knew Kim Donghwa’s nagging would follow. Just thinking about him made Wi Woori sigh unconsciously, and at the same time, he felt nauseous.

Ah, the smell of alcohol.

As he stepped outside with a sigh, the first thing that caught his eye was the list of house rules stuck on the fridge.

House Rules

Recycling: Wi Woori
Food Waste: Kim Donghwa

0. The person who eats last does the dishes.
0-1. Take turns cooking meals.

Only order delivery once every two days.
Dine out only once a week.
It’s best if we don’t do either, though.
Don’t bring anyone else home.
No phone calls while drunk.

The rules were written in Kim Donghwa’s handwriting, which clearly showed his irritation.

“Really, not even this?” Wi Woori muttered, scratching the back of his head, when Kim Donghwa, who seemed to have just woken up, walked out of his room, shirtless, and frowned.

“Wi Jin-sang.”

Giving him the kind of nickname one might expect from someone living in a Chinese-speaking region.

⛧⛧⛧

It was the first time in a while that he had gone back to school, but the atmosphere there wasn’t particularly new. Wi Woori entered the lecture room with an indifferent expression. The first person he saw was Kim Donghwa, who had taken a seat that was both inconspicuous and visible enough. As if it was the most natural thing, Wi Woori plopped down beside him, staring straight ahead with a sulky look.

They had made their schedules together and registered for classes together, so their timetables were identical. Yet, this damn Kim Donghwa had gone to school early, leaving him behind while he was asleep.

Wi Woori, who had almost been late on the first day of the new semester, grumbled even more, stretching out his legs with a loud “thump.” His sharp glare was directed at Kim Donghwa, but even though he must have felt it, Kim Donghwa showed no reaction, as if it was just another routine.

Ah, why doesn’t he talk to me first?

It was no use waiting for Kim Donghwa to respond. Thanks to Kim Donghwa, who knew all too well that giving in would lead to nothing good, Wi Woori eventually turned to him first with a swift motion.

“Why did you leave me behind?”

His words were full of irritation, but Kim Donghwa only lightly raised an eyebrow.

“Is it the first time?”

Of course, it wasn’t.

But even so, after begging him so many times to go together, waking him up once in a while wouldn’t hurt.

Wi Woori slumped in his chair, lips pouting. Kim Donghwa’s gaze was clear as he glanced at him. Instead of correcting his posture, Wi Woori, like an elementary school kid seeking attention, slouched even more, as if to say, “Look at me, I’m being naughty because I’m not getting attention.”

Then, a clicking sound of tongue disapproval was heard.

“Your back will be ruined.”

“I don’t care.”

“True, why would I care if your back gets ruined?”

With those words, the indifferent Kim Donghwa turned his attention back to the front, focusing on the lecture. If he had just spoken once more, Wi Woori would have straightened up and listened to the class. But he spent the entire two hours of the lecture maintaining the same posture, whether his back was ruined or not. Every now and then, he would try to adjust his posture due to the pain, but he was too embarrassed to do so in front of Kim Donghwa.

Why was he being so stubborn when there was nothing good to come out of it? By the time he was thinking about this, the class had ended.

The lights in the lecture room turned on with the sound of switches flipping, and only then did Kim Donghwa look at him again. His eyes said, “You can’t go on like this,” and he raised his eyebrows.

“Are you a kid? If your back hurts, you should fix your posture, why are you holding out?”

“Ah, what does it matter to you? You made the schedule to match my grades and then just ran off on your own. You know I’d fix my posture if you showed a little interest, but you were just looking straight ahead on purpose. It’s really annoying.”

Kim Donghwa tilted his head as if to say, “What kind of nonsense is this?” Wi Woori stared at him sullenly, his eyes demanding, “Hurry up and soothe me when I’m in a bad mood.” Did he get the message? Reluctantly, Kim Donghwa turned to face him directly.

“Going to keep being stubborn?”

“Yeah.”

“Fine, let’s go out and eat. I’m hungry.”

“What are we going to eat?”

The topic of ‘food’ was quite interesting. Wi Woori, who was also hungry, straightened up immediately, and Kim Donghwa gave a victorious smile.

Ah, he won. This wasn’t supposed to resolve so easily.

As Wi Woori grimaced, Kim Donghwa’s mischievous laugh could be heard right in front of him. He had thought it was time to loosen up, but he didn’t plan on giving in so quickly.

“Aww,” Wi Woori expressed his disappointment, while Kim Donghwa poked his nose.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Hmm… Tonkatsu?”

When he tilted his head, Kim Donghwa surprisingly agreed with a nod. While packing up their bags, Wi Woori chattered away, revealing his straightforward nature without any filter.

Just as they were about to leave the lecture room feeling lighter, Kim Donghwa called him with a serious tone, “But Wi Woori.”

“Hmm?”

Wi Woori turned his head stiffly to look at him, feeling like a student caught doing something wrong.

“You can’t act like a brat, complaining about why I didn’t wake you up when you oversleep, like today. Are you in elementary school?”

Thinking he had given in enough, a barrage of sharp nagging followed. Yeah, he expected this. If Wi Woori was the type to throw a fit with stubbornness, Kim Donghwa was the one who would pacify and then suddenly unload a lecture.

Wi Woori just nodded in acknowledgment. As Kim Donghwa had said, even though he was an adult, not being able to wake up by himself was his own fault, and he didn’t have the right to act like Kim Donghwa was responsible for everything.

“But wake me up at least five times.”

“Am I your alarm? If you’re going to be like this, go live on your own.”

“Please do it! You know I can’t hear alarms.”