LM Chapter 7

XX Cinema. The theater in the city was almost empty on a weekend morning. Although it was still morning, outside was starting to bustle with people, but the theater was eerily quiet. The reason became immediately apparent when I saw the poster of the screening I was going to watch.

‘The movie you’ve been thirsting for in art cinema.’

The poster was lined with five-star ratings from various critics. Sorry to the film, but it already seemed boring. I looked back and forth between the complimentary ticket and the movie  poster with mixed feelings. But no matter how many times I checked, this was indeed the title written on my complimentary ticket. I felt like I shouldn’t have come, but it was already too late.

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‘Ryeok-ah, what are you doing on your day off? Wanna watch a movie?’

That’s what the manager said when he handed me the complimentary ticket with a sly smile.

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‘Ah, you’re into art, so you should definitely watch this. Watch it with all your might.’

Now I understood why he had brought up art. I should have checked the movie information beforehand. I considered just turning back, but I hesitated in front of the poster. Then, as I casually turned my gaze, I caught sight of someone.

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A tall man with broad shoulders. He was standing in front of the elevator, leaning on one leg. Just from his back, I thought, ‘Huh? Cheolsoo hyung?’ As soon as the name came to mind, I noticed his clothes. Sure enough, he was wearing his usual old jeans and that deep blue T-shirt.

Soon the elevator doors opened and as he got in, I instinctively hid behind a pillar. I don’t even know why I did that. If I had to give a reason, I’d say it was because it felt awkward seeing him somewhere other than the convenience store.

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After riding in Cheolsoo hyung’s car, an invisible distance had formed between us. Of course, we weren’t close before either. But if we were about 20 meters apart before, barely able to hear each other’s voices, now it felt like 100 meters, barely able to see each other’s faces.

It wasn’t just me who found it awkward to see him again; he too had put up an invisible wall against me. He was already rather cold to begin with, but now he was even colder. So for a while, during the handover, we didn’t exchange a single word beyond what was necessary.

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In that state, I couldn’t chase after him and act all familiar. I couldn’t even imagine having a casual conversation with him, even just for courtesy’s sake. But why is he here? Could it be… he came to watch the movie…? It was obvious. The manager wouldn’t have given the ticket just to me.

I was about to turn back but hesitated for a moment. Then, after watching the elevator where Cheolsoo hyung had disappeared, I got on much later. I had to at least show the manager I’d watched the movie. Making such an excuse to myself, I slowly entered the darkened theater.

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When I exchanged the complimentary ticket, the staff member mechanically announced: You can sit anywhere. This was truly artistic freedom befitting an art film. However, this freedom led to an internal conflict within me as I walked down the short corridor. If I run into him as soon as I enter, I should at least greet him, right? Should I sit with him too?

Questions swirled in my head, but as soon as I entered the small theater, I realized all my worries were unnecessary. Cheolsoo hyung was sitting in the front corner seat, right by the entrance. He had his arms crossed and his head bowed. Anyone could see he had come to sleep.

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Feeling embarrassed about my worrying, I quickly went up the stairs and took a seat in the very back row. While advertisements played on the large screen, a few more seats filled up sporadically. Two people also took seats in the row in front of me. As quiet scenes were playing on screen at that moment, I unintentionally overheard their conversation.

“He’s an Alpha, isn’t he?”

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“I guess? If he wasn’t an Alpha, there’s no way his body could be that perfect.”

“Yeah, his legs are so damn long.”

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Two friends who appeared to be in their early to mid-twenties whispered while looking in one direction. At the end of their gaze sat one person. I looked at Cheolsoo hyung and silently agreed with their words. Yeah, he must be an Alpha. I had suspected it before. The weekend part-timer was unusually afraid of Cheolsoo hyung, and his exceptional memory.

But if he were an Alpha, there’s no way he’d be working at a convenience store. After all, even an Alpha without much ability could choose high-paying jobs just for being called an ‘Alpha.’ While thinking about Cheolsoo hyung’s second gender briefly, the theater lights dimmed. Soon the film company’s title logo appeared on screen, signaling the start of the movie.

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Alright, let’s see just how artistic this is, coming from someone who does art.

Though I took a combative stance, I surrendered within 10 minutes. I watched the most boring two hour movie in the world in a half-asleep state. Sorry to the director, but I was too sleepy. When I analyzed why it was so boring, I realized this movie had almost no background music.

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It was like a documentary – quiet except for actual sounds and people’s dialogue. But the director should be aware that one of the conditions for people to fall into deep sleep is no noise and darkness. Still, I forced myself to open my eyes occasionally to catch the plot in case the manager asked about it.

The movie was about two friends learning to play the violin. The protagonist was born into a family of musicians and thought he naturally had to do music too, but became discouraged after meeting a friend who was a genius. The friend was not only naturally talented but also hardworking, practicing while cutting back on sleep. No, that’s what I thought at first.

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While the natural talent was real, the effort was forced. Behind it was the violent coercion of a father who wanted to raise his friend to be a great performer. The father’s twisted desire to fulfill his own dreams through his child slowly drained the friend’s vitality.

The protagonist eventually gives up the violin despite his family’s disappointment, but the friend says with an emotionless face,

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‘I’m going to keep going until the end.’

The protagonist, feeling uneasy, momentarily advises him to run away, but the friend stubbornly clings to the violin and disappears. The news the protagonist later heard about the friend was devastating. The friend fails to place in every competition he enters, making mistakes and being ridiculed.

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Yet he doesn’t give up and keeps entering competitions again and again. The protagonist thinks the friend can’t run away because of his father, but this thought changes when the movie approaches its latter half. While attending a family event, he sees the friend and his father at a concert.

The father, ignoring the people around him, is screaming insults at the friend like a madman. Trash, useless bastard, worthless parasite. Along with other unspeakable insults, he vents his frustration, panting heavily.

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Everyone pitied the friend, but the protagonist was different. Because the friend, who always had dead eyes, showed living eyes for the first time in front of their angry father. Only then does the protagonist begin to doubt. What if the friend hadn’t been unable to run away, but had chosen not to?

But the protagonist finds no evidence to confirm his suspicion. Instead, the director gives the audience the answer. The prodigy’s name fades, and all that’s left is a family drowning in debt. The drunken father curses at the friend, lamenting that his life was ruined because of him.

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And much later, when the father sobers up, he coaxes his child as if nothing happened. Let’s practice. It’s not too late yet.

‘If you just succeed, we can pay off all our debt in one go. Everyone will contact us wanting to sponsor you!’

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In front of the father, who is burning his last hope, the friend brings the violin. But in his other hand is a hammer.

‘This is getting quite tiresome.’

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The friend mutters and swings the hammer at his own hand. As all hope completely vanishes, the father screams. And an inexplicable smile spreads across the friend’s face.

When the movie ended, I could only think of one thing. What was that? I wasn’t sure what it was trying to say. Something like a person would ruin their own life to torment another? If the goal was to make the other person suffer, then the revenge was successful. But I’m not sure if it was necessary to destroy oneself in the process.

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On the other hand, if the message was that such revenge isn’t necessary, then it should’ve shown that in a way that was clearer. Like the friend regretting his ruined life afterward. Or showing another situation where his revenge wasn’t needed.

Carrying that unsettling feeling, I got up and started going down, when I suddenly remembered Cheolsoo hyung was in this theater. Surely he’s not still sleeping, right? Thinking I might need to wake him up, I looked toward where he was while going down the stairs. Surprisingly, he had his head up and was watching the rolling end credits.

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Being in the front row, he had to tilt his head back slightly to see the screen, so his face was clearly visible. The twisted corners of his mouth, the strangely gleaming eyes. His face was filled with a smile I had never seen before. It was weird and eerie. I stopped without realizing it. Then quickly fled the theater, because I thought I knew why it was eerie.

Somehow his smile resembled the friend’s final smile in the movie. That madness of willingly destroying oneself just to torment another. Cheolsoo hyung’s silent, twisted smile contained exactly that.

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***

“Im Minha, do you have some grudge against the world these days?”

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Another battle with assignments had begun, and I was rubbing my sleepy eyes while drawing in the studio. Then, a serious question made me turn around. Euiyun was standing there, looking at my drawing. I greeted him with a brush in hand.

“Got anything to eat?”

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Euiyun rummaged through his pocket and handed over a small cookie. I received it with both hands like a soldier getting rations during wartime. As I was hastily unwrapping it and stuffing it into my mouth, I heard another voice. It was Sehyung, a classmate standing next to Euiyun.

“No, this isn’t a grudge against the world. It’s a different kind, this is…”

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What are you talking about? I looked at my drawing again. This look like a grudge against the world? While I was puzzled, Sehyung seriously dropped only two words.

“Sexual frustration.”

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What kind of bulls…

“Hey, don’t talk nonsense.”

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Before I could voice my objection, Euiyun cut off Sehyung’s nonsense. Then, he pointed at me with unusual irritation.

“This one’s asexual. He’s literally a castrated amoeba without even 1g of sexual desire! How could someone like that have sexual frustration? Right, Minha?”

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What do you mean ‘right,’ you bastard. I wanted to say something after being suddenly treated like a castrated amoeba, but unfortunately, I had nothing to refute. As he said, I don’t really feel sexual desire. But accepting it straightforwardly hurt my pride even more.

“Hey, I have sexual desires too.”

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“Don’t be ridiculous. How could someone who doesn’t even masturbate…”

Euiyun snorted. I blinked in confusion.

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“I do masturbate.”

I casually mentioned it like it was no big deal, but Euiyun’s reaction was unexpected. He froze with widened eyes and his mouth half-open, as if shocked. I wondered what I had said wrong and looked at Sehyung. He was also looking at Euiyun as if to say ‘what’s wrong with him?’

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“Hey, did you really think Minha was some pure amoeba who doesn’t even masturbate?”

“I’m not an amoeba, damn it.”

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I snapped, but the two paid no attention to me. Euiyun pointed at me with both hands in disbelief.

“This is Im Minha. Im Minha who doesn’t have even a hair’s worth of interest in dating, regardless of gender. How could a castrated amoeba masturbate?”

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“Seems like the amoeba isn’t castrated after all.”

“Hey, fuck you both of you, you crazy bastards.”

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Only when a curse escaped my mouth did the two turn to look at me. But their gazes were nothing but impure. Especially Euiyun, who looked at me suspiciously.

“Are you lying because you’re embarrassed? It’s okay, we understand.”

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“Ha. I’m telling you it’s true! Want me to show you right here?”

When I started to lift my art apron to take off my pants, Euiyun exploded in anger.

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“You crazy bastard, where do you think you are, taking off your clothes!”

Hey, I’m the one who should be angry, why are you getting mad? While I was frozen in disbelief, Sehyung had a strange smile and egged me on.

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“Well, if you can really do it, I’ll at least watch. I mean, I wouldn’t mind seeing you specifically.”

Fortunately, I didn’t have to deal with Sehyung myself. For some reason, Euiyun was even angrier than me and started beating up Sehyung. While watching them fool around, I turned back to my drawing, which was the cause of all this.

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Blue water, as if looking down at the surface from above, filled the entire canvas. And beneath it, submerged, were various objects. From everyday items like furniture, electronic devices, and kitchen utensils, to what appeared to be the corner of a bicycle and a car.

While the surface of the blue water gleamed white from reflecting light, the objects inside were all tinged blue, as if dyed by the unfathomably deep blue. Like everyday life drowned in blue.

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Deep blue, yes, I admit it. This painting was inspired by Cheolsoo hyung. His smile that I last saw at the theater burned my mind like hot flames. I wanted to somehow express that intensity by getting it out. But no matter how much blue I used, strangely, the suffocation only grew.

“What’s the title of that painting?”

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Euiyun’s question came after they had apparently stopped their childish fight. When I didn’t immediately answer, Sehyung advised that if I hadn’t decided, I should just go with the basic ‘Untitled.’ I continued looking at my drawing without answering.

The title had been decided from the moment I first touched the brush with blue paint. I don’t know why I thought of such a title, but it was the only one it could be. A while later, when submitting the assignment, I wrote the title with my own hand.

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‘Suffocation’

***

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As humans are learning creatures, I was well aware of the lesson I had learned. I shouldn’t owe Kim Cheolsoo hyung any more favors. I couldn’t afford to offer him that expensive ice cream again. But life doesn’t always go as planned.

When it was time for my part-time shift, I handed him the ice cream I had preemptively bought. I hadn’t expected this day to come, so he must not have either. Kim Cheolsoo hyung asked back in a voice colder than the ice cream.

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“What’s this?”

Cheolsoo hyung’s attitude toward the ice cream couldn’t have been more frigid. Of course, I’m not one to be intimidated, but my voice had no strength when I responded. After all, this Häagen-Dazs was expensive enough to drain my energy.

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“Please have it.”

When I mumbled, after a pause, the cold voice asked again.

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“Why should I?”

Because thanks to you, I got an A on my assignment? But I couldn’t explain this situation. Then I’d have to explain seeing him at the theater. I swallowed my frustration and looked up at him.

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“Just because I’m grateful.”

“For what?”

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“Well, various things…”

Thud. He pushed the ice cream away without hesitation. It almost fell off the counter, but I barely managed to catch it.

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“Ah, why?”

“Don’t need it.”

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“Then what do you need?”

Only then did he properly look at me.

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“Did you cause trouble?”

“I didn’t. I told you, I’m just grateful.”

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He turned away as if there was nothing more to say. I was forced to make up a reason.

“You helped me during summer break. You know, letting me dry my hair at the convenience store, giving me a ride…”

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“You’re thanking me now for something that happened two months ago?”

“Well…”

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I felt like I was falling deeper into a trap while trying to make excuses. With no escape route, I confessed about that time.

“I felt awkward about pretending to be asleep in the car back then.”

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“Why would that be awkward?”

Seems like Cheolsoo hyung isn’t good at avoiding things either. After meeting his steady gaze, I answered honestly.

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“I could hear a bit of the phone call you received. The other person’s voice was so loud. I couldn’t hear the details, but I could tell it wasn’t appropriate to pretend I knew about it. That’s why it took me some time to thank you.”

“…”

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“Sorry for eavesdropping.”

“You said you just happened to hear it though?”

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“Yes.”

Then what are you sorry for? He mumbled while turning his gaze to the POS machine. Wondering if there was something to check, I also looked at the POS, but his fingers didn’t touch it. Taking advantage of the broken eye contact, I asked the question I’d been hesitating to ask.

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“If you’re not mad, can I ask who you were talking to?”

“No.”

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“Okay.”

An awkward silence passed for a moment. I looked down, then slightly raised my hand to offer the ice cream again.

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“Please have it anyway.”

When there was no response, I looked up to find him just staring at me. As my face started to tingle and I was about to take a step back, he suddenly grabbed the ice cream, scanned the barcode, and ordered me,

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“The card you paid with.”

“Why?”

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“I’m not going to eat it. If you’re going to eat it, I won’t give you a refund.”

“You won’t eat it? Then this situation where I haven’t repaid your kindness will continue…”

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“Pay me back another way.”

Another way?

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“Should I not do the refund?”

I hurriedly took out my card to hand it over but stopped. Wait, what if he asks for something more expensive? Isn’t there that expensive wine that the manager brought in with great determination but hasn’t sold a single bottle? Surely it’s not that?! As I turned my head to look for the wine, his gruff voice came.

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“If you really want to repay me, do it with your body.”

“I’m practically asexual though?”

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I replied without thinking. He looked up while holding my card for the refund. Seeing his incredulous gaze, I quickly added,

“But I do masturbate.”

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“…So what?”

“Ah, was that not the kind of payment you meant by body?”

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“You jerking off alone only makes you feel good, doesn’t it?”

“True.”

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I had to agree, and suddenly remembered what Sehyung said.

“But since there’s someone who wants to watch, I thought it might be a way to repay the favor.”

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“Who?”

“Huh?”

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His questioning voice was as sharp as a blade, making me unconsciously ask back. Cheolsoo hyung tilted his head to the side and frowned.

“Who said such bullshit?”

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“Uhm, a classmate. But it was just a joke…”

“You take sexual harassment as a joke? Are you a brainless amoeba or just not in your right mind?”

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“It wasn’t sexual harassment. Really. And why an amoeba?! How many cells do you think are in my body?!”

When I got particularly excited about the word amoeba, he looked at me like I was a single-celled organism. So I wanted to prove again how excellent of a mammal I was, but our conversation was interrupted by a customer. I awkwardly pretended to look at the counter display, and as soon as the customer left, I got straight to the point.

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“Then how should I repay you with my body?”

“Work for me for an hour.”

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“Ah.”

“Will you do it?”

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I nodded without a second though. Working for an hour is cheaper than a Häagen-Dazs after all. While praising myself for being so economical, he threw his vest at me. As I put on the vest, I asked him as he was about to leave,

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

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“Car. I’ll sleep for an hour and come back.”

With the ding of the door bell, he disappeared, and I couldn’t hide my surprise as my mouth fell open. Ah, so Kim Cheolsoo hyung is human after all. The manager had mentioned it in passing once. Cheolsoo hyung does manual labor during the day. That made his identity even more puzzling.

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Is he not an Alpha? But whether he’s an Alpha or not, doing manual labor during the day and working at a convenience store at night without sleeping… It seemed impossible for a human to endure. And this became certain an hour later. An hour had passed, but Cheolsoo hyung hadn’t returned.

I waited another 30 minutes before going outside to look for Cheolsoo hyung’s car. I could find that old car not far away. I approached quickly but was confused when I couldn’t see anyone in the car. Soon I realized my mistake.

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The reason I couldn’t see him was because Cheolsoo hyung was lying down with his seat reclined. Although it wasn’t bright enough to see clearly, it was certain that he had fallen asleep with his eyes closed. After standing and watching him for a moment, I quietly returned to the convenience store.

1:30 AM.

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I was used to pulling all-nighters doing artwork, so it wasn’t difficult. However, fighting sleepiness while waiting for customers was really boring compared to focusing on painting. How does Cheolsoo hyung do this every day? I alternated between admiration, dozing off, and chewing gum, and later even regretted why I was doing this.

But as dawn approached, with a jingle, the door opened and when I saw Cheolsoo hyung running in with a frowning face, my regret immediately disappeared. His face showed confusion. Seeing that expression on Kim Cheolsoo’s face for the first time made me feel like all this trouble was worth it.

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***

“Minha-ya, are you really not going to class?”

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It’s not that I’m not going, I just can’t. However, I didn’t even have the energy to properly answer my classmate’s question, so I just waved my hand dismissively. I barely made it to school after pulling an all-nighter, but it was obviously too much. I couldn’t keep my eyes open at all. The old, worn out two-seater sofa in the studio couldn’t have been more comfortable.

That’s how I ended up skipping all my classes and falling into a deep sleep. My consciousness, which had been completely cut off, briefly awakened due to a tickling sensation on my face. Something was touching my bangs and forehead. Ah, what’s this? I frowned in annoyance and turned my head.

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The tickling touch disappeared, but only for a moment. That tickling sensation returned, lightly brushing my face again. Fingers? I wanted to avoid it again, but I couldn’t even move my head slightly. My body was that deeply immersed in sleep. I wanted to return to the depths. The touch that seemed to stroke my face felt like something I could ignore. But it wasn’t just that.

“Minha-ya… Minha-ya…”

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A familiar voice murmured my name. It didn’t seem like they were trying to wake me up. It sounded more like a yearning. Why is Euiyun calling me like that? Ah, is this a dream? But I didn’t have the luxury to dwell on it further.

Sleep was pulling me down from below. My consciousness, wanting to return to comfort, plunged into darkness. But reality wouldn’t easily let me sleep. Bang! The door opened forcefully as someone rushed in.

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“Huh, ah! Euiyun, so you were here!!”

“Huh? Ms. Park, what’s…”

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“Do you have any heat suppressants for Omegas?”

“What? No. My heat cycle is still far off. Why?”

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“Ah, this is bad.” She muttered in dismay, and her footsteps followed as if she was about to leave again.

“There’s an Omega in heat in a nearby classroom right now.”

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“Doesn’t the school have pills for emergencies?”

“They went to get it, but it’s in the administration office in the central building, so even running there and back will take time. That’s why I’m asking Omegas right now. That student’s condition is really bad.”

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After hearing this much, I had to get up despite not being fully awake. As I raised my heavy body, TA Park was about to leave, and Euiyun was following her, presumably to help.

“What about Saebyeok?”

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“Saebyeok’s classes ended today so he’s not at school. Do you know any other Omegas?”

“I do.”

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I raised my hand high with my answer. The two turned around at the door, and I immediately added.

“I have suppressants.”

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“What?!”

The one who exclaimed in surprise was Euiyun. While it made sense for TA Park to be surprised since she didn’t know I was an Omega, why was this guy more shocked?

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“I have suppressants because I’m an Omega. Just a moment.”

I quickly got up and handed over the medicine I carried in my bag in case of an emergency. She left with words of thanks, disappearing like the wind. Silence fell as if a storm had passed. Meanwhile, I tried to regain my senses by washing my face dry with my hands when I felt a gaze on me.

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“What?”

“Nothing… just thinking that you’re really an Omega.”

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“You thought I was faking it?”

“You might as well be a fake one.”

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Well, fair enough. I nodded coolly in agreement. But Euiyun’s eyes turned somewhat serious.

“Do you carry suppressants just in case? Because you might present someday?”

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“Yeah. The doctor said I’m like a time bomb that could go off at any time.”

“…”

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“It hasn’t gone off yet.”

“I know. I’m not the Alpha who will set you off.”

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As he said this, Euiyun bit his lower lip hard. Looking at him suddenly reminded me of what I thought was a dream earlier. The voice calling my name while stroking my hair. It made me feel strange. I wasn’t sure how to describe this feeling. Whatever it was, it was clearly a truth I didn’t want to know.

Usually, by this point, I would have thrown out some nonsense to break the awkwardness, but nothing came to mind now. All I could do was change the subject.

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“Is that Omega okay? Why did they suddenly go into heat?”

“Probably because of some fucking Alpha.”

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Euiyun’s tone turned harsh.

“I’m sure some crazy Alpha was testing if they could subdue an Omega with their pheromones.”

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“They could get expelled for that.”

“Ha, an Alpha getting expelled? They have their pheromone as a shield, as a perfect excuse. They just say they couldn’t control themselves because the Omega’s scent was too good, and that’s the end of it. That’s why they do things even animals wouldn’t do, without any shame. If they can’t control it, they should cut off their dicks, those bastards.”

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I could understand his anger in a way. Since the beginning of the semester, Euiyun had become so famous he earned the nickname ‘idol,’ and because of that, many Alphas approached him. Since most of these approaches were attempts to seduce him with their pheromones, he had suffered a lot, both knowingly and unknowingly.

Although such attempts decreased soon after he got a dominant Alpha boyfriend, I heard there were still occasionally some fearless ones who would release their pheromones. But it seems he hated it more than I thought. Perhaps conscious of my gaze, Euiyun took a deep breath as if to calm his anger.

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“It’s just that Alphas see Omegas as toys they can easily control.”

“But Taehoon treasures you, doesn’t he?”

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I hadn’t seen them together often, but the way Bae Taehoon looked at and acted around Euiyun was filled with affection. And normally, being told that your lover treasures you would be taken as a compliment, but Euiyun’s expression was a bit strange. He clenched his jaw as if holding back a frown and averted his gaze.

“I know, I do.”

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Strangely, to my ears, that part sounded like a complaint. What’s wrong with being treasured by someone who loves you?

“Did Bae Taehoon cheat?”

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“No.”

Euiyun shook his head and muttered softly. I wish he would. Of course, I assumed I had misheard. Who would want their lover to cheat?

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“If he cheats, I’ll punish him for you.”

“What if I cheat?”

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I looked at my friend, unable to hide my surprise.

“Are you sexually frustrated? Look, if you can’t control your desires, just exercise. Or do part-time work like me. You earn money, and you get so tired that all your desires disappear – isn’t that great?”

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I naturally changed the subject while scolding him.

“And not all Alphas are bad, so let go of that anger too.”

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Euiyun snickered at my words.

“Who? Female dominant Alphas? Hey, that’s all fiction. It’s a fake illusion created by those in power to make people admire them. Among female dominant Alphas, there are some who are more promiscuous and cruel than anyone else. I know one of them well.”

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The last words came out bitterly. I didn’t ask, but I could guess who he was referring to. The female dominant Alpha Euiyun knows well must be the chairwoman of Mirae Group.

“Anyway, that’s why I hope you don’t awaken, Minha. I hope you stay just as you are now, like an amoeba who doesn’t know anything, no matter what pheromones are thrown at you.”

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Among his serious words, there was an irritating term.

“Can I escape from being an amoeba if I awaken?”

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“Well, you’ll just be an awakened amoeba.”

“…Have you heard of violent amoebas?”

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As I was lightly dealing with Euiyun who was saying trash again, loud chatter from people passing by in the corridor came through the open door.

“My god, I saw an Omega in heat for the first time in real life, and it was no joke.”

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“Hey, weren’t you totally turned on? It was insane. I can see why Alphas go crazy for Omegas.”

Euiyun and I remained silent until their voices disappeared. After a long while, I spoke to the expressionless Euiyun.

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“I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

***

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I grew up watching my grandfather, who was like a human retriever, so I get along well with most people, except for one person. Ah, of course, Cheolsoo hyung is an exception. That guy doesn’t get along with anyone, so I think I’m doing pretty well with him.

Other than that, there’s only one type of person I can’t get close to, based on experience. When the other person dislikes me. That day was probably a Thursday. With a five-day workweek, Fridays were the most exhausting, but Thursdays were always the hardest.

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So, when a customer came in around 11 PM on the most exhausting Thursday night, I was half out of it. Well, it wasn’t a problem. My body automatically handled the calculations like a machine. But then, I heard a name that shouldn’t have been heard in the convenience store.

“Im Minha?”

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Huh? When I raised my eyes in confusion, there stood that person I couldn’t get close to. None other than Euiyun’s boyfriend.

Why does Bae Taehoon frown as soon as he sees me?

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“Why are you here?”

He asked confrontationally. Though not as much as Cheolsoo hyung, his tall, well-built frame that I had to look up at was not to my liking. Instead, I tilted my head askew.

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“Why else? I’m working.”

“Work? Ah, right. I heard you do part-time in the evening. It’s here?”

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He looked around the convenience store in surprise. There was nothing special, but his face hardened seriously. What, is the chaebol son amazed by a convenience store? But then, an unexpected question came from him.

“Who are the part-timers working with you here?”

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“You think there’s only one or two part-timers?”

“I mean the ones working weekday evenings.”

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“That’s me.”

“…Who else besides you? Aren’t there others?”

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“There is. Kim Cheolsoo-ssi.”

“…What?”

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Bae Taehoon’s eyes widened. Being a dominant Alpha from a good family, he had an underlying arrogance. But I had already heard everything about him from Euiyun. This rich young master was actually quite naive in basic common sense because he grew up having everything done for him. I didn’t tell him that Kim Cheolsoo was an alias because I wanted to tease this fool a bit. Perhaps because of this, Bae Taehoon looked around the convenience store again with confused eyes.

“Is there another GG25 convenience store around here?”

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“There is.”

Of course there would be in this busy area.

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“Where?”

Just look it up on a map app, idiot. True to being a rich young master, he completely lacked the thought of looking something up himself.

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“Want me to tell you for free?”

Bae Taehoon’s eyes turned fierce at the question I casually asked.

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“You need something in return just for telling me that?”

“No, that’s not what I…”

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“Are you trying to leech off Euiyun by sticking close to him?”

What the hell is he talking about? Caught off guard, I quickly waved my hand.

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“I was just joking…”

“Hah, did you gaslight Euiyun? Is that why Euiyun is so desperate to help you?”

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There’s a perfect phrase for this situation. Bolt from the blue. What the hell is this psycho saying? Euiyun said his boyfriend was a bit naive because he’s silly, but to my eyes, he was just an idiot wrapped in misunderstandings. Still, thinking of Euiyun, I responded as politely as possible.

“Hey, if you’re going to talk nonsense, get lost.”

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My tone was too gentle. Or maybe he thought I was an easy target, so Bae Taehoon scoffed and ignored me.

“Wow, you were all smiles in front of Euiyun, but now you’re showing your true colors in front of me. Shit.”

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“No. I haven’t shown everything yet. I only cursed this much at someone who suddenly came to pick a fight with someone working peacefully. What true colors? If you really want to see my true nature, keep talking nonsense, you bastard.”

My grandfather, who was like a human retriever, fought like a dog. He always said this about fights. If you look weak, you’ll get hit more. Never let them think you’re a joke. He probably said this because he was worried I’d be intimidated by Alphas.

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Although the person before me was my friend’s boyfriend, he was also an Alpha, and I found myself getting riled up without realizing it. The funny thing is, he cursed first, but when he got cursed at in return, he got angry and frowned.

“True nature? Your true nature is that you’re an Omega who hasn’t even awakened. You’re practically a normal person, yet you’re getting close to Euiyun because you’re both Omegas and planting the idea that all Alphas are trash.”

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The fuck? If anything, Euiyun is the one planting that idea in me. While I was frozen in disbelief, Bae Taehoon suddenly stepped forward threateningly. That’s when I felt something strange. The air around suddenly got hotter. What the-? As I tilted my head wondering, Bae Taehoon, who had been glaring at me, suddenly let out a hollow laugh and stepped back.

“Wow, it really doesn’t work.”

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“What doesn’t?”

I asked, irritated, but Bae Taehoon muttered something incomprehensible.

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“If you were a normal Omega, you’d be on your knees right now, fuck.”

“You’re trash.”

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What? He whipped his head around. I looked straight up at him and repeated what I’d said.

“I said you’re trash. Now I understand why Euiyun says Alphas are trash after seeing you.”

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“That’s because of you. You’re the one who’s been spouting nonsense…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Like you said, I’m practically a normal person so I have zero interest in Alphas. So I have no reason to say such things to Euiyun. Alphas, onions, whatever, I don’t give a fuck. Instead of falsely accusing me, if you’re curious, ask Euiyun directly. Or are you scared? Scared that Euiyun thinks Alphas are trash because of you?”

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The last part was just meant to be sarcastic. I thought he’d curse again, but surprisingly, Bae Taehoon stopped his nonsense. Though he still glared at me, I also took a step back and softened my voice.

“I don’t know what triggered you, but I’ve never talked to Euiyun about Alphas, and I certainly haven’t gotten anything from him. If I wanted to leech, I wouldn’t be running here after school to work my ass off.

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“…”

“Got anything else to say?”

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He grimaced and his lips twitched, but then he just turned and stormed out. But even after he left, I couldn’t calm down and spent a while fuming alone, so I didn’t notice right away when Cheolsoo hyung arrived. But when he came in, he stopped after just a few steps. Then he swept the convenience store with sharp eyes. His face was quite scary, so I asked without thinking.

“What’s wrong?”

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He asked back in a low voice. It was a chilling voice that made the back of my neck tingle.

“Was there an Alpha here?”

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An Alpha? At Cheolsoo hyung’s question, I suddenly realized. Ah, right, Bae Taehoon is an Alpha.

“Yes, an Alpha was here.”

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“And?”

“Eh?”

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When I asked what he meant, he just examined me with serious eyes. He looked at me so thoroughly it was embarrassing, making me nervously run my hand over my face.

“What’s wrong?”

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“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

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However, as if he didn’t believe me, he looked me over again and asked.

“The Alpha didn’t do anything strange?”

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Well, he did do strange things to me, but it was embarrassing to explain that I’d suddenly gotten into an argument with my friend’s boyfriend.

“We just had a bit of an argument. He’s a student from my school. Ah, right. He seemed to be looking for a part-timer working here. Do you know Bae Taehoon?”

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“…He’s the Mirae chairwoman’s son. He’s famous at school.”

Ah, right. That guy is kind of famous.

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“Yeah, him.”

“But why would that bastard…”

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He started speaking but swallowed his words as if chewing them. Then he turned his gaze away, but his jaw twitched as if gritting his teeth. It felt like he was getting angry on my behalf, and I was slightly touched. Kim Cheolsoo-ssi actually considered me a colleague!

“He’s my friend’s boyfriend. But he seemed to have some misunderstanding about me and just… said some ridiculous things, so we argued. Well, I didn’t just take it, so nothing serious happened.”

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“You really didn’t feel anything?”

“What do you mean I didn’t feel anything? I’m human too, so of course I felt anger.”

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At my words, he let out a short sigh and ran his hand through his bangs.

“So Bae Taehoon picked a fight with you?”

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“Yes.”

“I see.”

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I’m not sure what he understood, but he ended the conversation and turned away. I also prepared to go home. My condition hadn’t recovered yet from working all night until the morning before yesterday, and getting into an argument on top of that seemed to double my fatigue.

“I’m going. Take care.”

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I mumbled as I was about to leave, when he suddenly called out to me.

“Hey, wait.”

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Then he went to where the lunch boxes were, rang up an expensive new item, and held it out to me. I looked back and forth between the lunch box and him and asked.

“Is this for me to eat?”

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“Yeah.”

What? Kim Cheolsoo, why? I unconsciously stepped back, wary. My reaction must have displeased him, as he bluntly explained.

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“To make you feel better.”

Ah… like the jelly mister. I just stared at the lunch box, surprised by the unexpected words. I never expected to receive comfort from Kim Cheolsoo of all people. After being lost in emotion for a while, I finally spoke.

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“Then how about Häagen-…”

“What ice cream in the middle of the night?”

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“It was fine at 7 AM?”

“The sun was up.”

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“Then I’ll eat it after the sun’s up, Häagen-Dazs pint strawberry flavor…”

Unfortunately, my argument was stopped by another part of me.

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Growl

My stomach growled loudly, betraying me. My brain and limbs weren’t in sync, so only my mouth felt awkward¹.

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“Just eat the meal.”

Cheolsoo hyung put the lunch box in a bag and held it out.

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“No arguments. Go home, eat this, shower, and go straight to bed.”

His stern tone made me automatically reach out and take it. But unable to give up until the end, I tried one more time.

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“Then how about just a mini cup…”

“Want me to take you home?”

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What is he saying? What about the convenience store? The manager will cry if we just close and leave, right? When I looked surprised, he gestured toward the door with his chin as if he’d expected this.

“If you don’t want that, then go. The buses will stop running soon.”

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I left the convenience store speechless, but later felt dumbfounded. Who threatens someone like this? Using my conscience against me by saying he’ll close the store. But even as I ate the lunchbox at home, I couldn’t stop chuckling. As he intended, this one lunch box had improved my mood. Whether it was because of the lunchbox or the person who gave it, I wasn’t sure.