OMLM | Chapter 16

Cha Hyuk didn’t seem threatening—if anything, he looked amused.

Was he expecting Yebon to cry out, “No, I don’t want to! Help me!” or something dramatic like that?

Yebon glanced up at him. Even in a shady building, tucked away with a man who exuded danger, his light brown eyes showed no trace of fear.

“You’re someone I know. Besides, you’re always calling yourself my hyung anyway, ahjusshi.”

“…”

Cha Hyuk clicked his tongue lightly, withdrawing the hand he had braced against the wall. He looked somewhat deflated. If this were before, Yebon would’ve been trembling and nervously reading the room by now.

“So, ahjusshi, how old are you really? You’re younger than 35, right?”

Yebon trailed closely beside Cha Hyuk as they started descending the stairs. Whatever space they were walking into didn’t seem to concern him anymore.

“And if I say I am younger, you’ll start calling me hyung?”

“Maybe. How old are you?”

“Thirty-three.”

“What? That’s only two years shy of thirty-five! Practically the same thing!”

Cha Hyuk suddenly halted mid-step.

Only two years? His expression turned sour as he looked sideways at Yebon but couldn’t muster a response.

There was no point trying to reason with a wide-eyed 21-year-old whose smooth cheeks and shining eyes seemed incapable of understanding the implications of age.

“…Just stick to calling me ahjusshi.”

“Sure thing, ahjusshi.”

“…Feeling better now, huh?”

As Cha Hyuk parted the long, dark green curtain hanging by the door, he glanced back at Yebon. The kid looked surprisingly composed, considering he had been bawling his eyes out like a newborn just moments ago.

Though his face was still slightly swollen, it was undeniably an improvement.

“Welcome, oh! H-hyungnim!”

The space beyond the curtain was dimly lit, with expensive-looking liquor displayed on wooden shelves and a few scattered chairs. A narrow hallway stretched further in.

As Yebon looked around, he confirmed what he had guessed from the bar’s exterior and name: this was a drinking establishment.

But why had Cha Hyuk brought him here?

Before Yebon could think further, a man emerged from behind the bar and rushed toward them. His head gleamed under the dim lights—so shiny that Yebon couldn’t tell where his forehead ended.

“You’ve arrived, hyungnim!”

After bowing deeply, the man straightened and noticed Yebon. His small pupils and intense stare made Yebon instinctively shrink behind Cha Hyuk.

The man kept staring, his gaze so unsettling that Yebon’s skin crawled.

“Who’s this? A new part-timer?”

“He’s not a part-timer. He’s my guest. You prepped the room, right?”

“Of course, hyungnim!”

Judging by their interaction, it seemed this man was one of Cha Hyuk’s subordinates, and this establishment was under Cha Hyuk’s management.

Realizing this, Yebon’s eyes lit up slightly. This was the kind of place he’d only seen in movies or dramas.

If not for Cha Hyuk, he never would’ve stepped foot here, making the experience feel as surreal as visiting a film set.

The interior matched the name Blue Moon—common and a bit tacky. The mismatch gave it a staged feel.

“Let’s go.”

Cha Hyuk gently patted Yebon’s back, making him realize he had been clinging tightly to Cha Hyuk’s side. Yebon relaxed and followed the bald man further inside.

The hallway was narrow but surprisingly long, and they were led to the innermost room.

“Holy crap.”

When the door opened, Yebon’s jaw dropped.

Inside, a massive table was covered with an extravagant spread of food, drinks, and alcohol. It was far too much for just two people.

“Are we expecting more people…?”

“Of course not.”

Already seated, Cha Hyuk gestured for Yebon to come in. His hand movement was casual, like he was telling a child to hurry up.

Still in disbelief, Yebon stepped inside. Behind him, the bald man bellowed, “Call if you need anything!”

Startled by the loud voice, Yebon flinched and glanced back, only to see the man staring intently at him again.

This time, Yebon quickly averted his gaze and scurried over to Cha Hyuk’s side. The door closed with a solid thud.

“That guy… He doesn’t seem too happy that I’m here.”

Cha Hyuk poured water into a glass and placed it in front of Yebon, who nodded gratefully. Then, as if reconsidering, Cha Hyuk abandoned the whiskey and poured barley tea for himself.

“Why do you think that?”

“Well, he kept staring at me with that sour expression. Maybe he thinks it’s strange for me to be your guest?”

Even Yebon felt he didn’t quite fit in here. If he thought so, how out-of-place must he seem to the others?

Cha Hyuk served Yebon a plate of meat and soup without saying a word.

“That guy… likes cute things.”

“…What?”

“That’s why he was staring.”

Caught off guard, Yebon looked up at Cha Hyuk, wide-eyed, but he was sipping his drink nonchalantly.

No matter how Yebon interpreted it, the statement seemed to imply he was the “cute thing.” Was Cha Hyuk talking about his looks? Or something more…?

No way.

Yebon dismissed the thought. He didn’t even know if Cha Hyuk was into men.

Still, he couldn’t deny that Cha Hyuk seemed unusually considerate toward him.

“People say he doesn’t talk much, but if you start a conversation, he’s surprisingly polite. Some even greet him regularly.”

Cha Hyuk was likely just naturally like this—calm and attentive.

Then again, their first meeting had been anything but calm, and it was Yebon who’d picked a fight.

Yebon frowned slightly and shook his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, really. Oh, by the way, you skipped class today. Did I bother you when you were busy?”

“Not really.”

Yebon sighed in relief. Since Cha Hyuk seemed like the type to rarely miss school, Yebon would’ve felt guilty if he had interrupted something important.

Feeling reassured, he started eating the pile of meat Cha Hyuk had served him. The seasoning was a bit strong, but it was delicious.

“Hey, ahjusshi.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you have any close friends at school?”

Cha Hyuk glanced at Yebon, but didn’t answer immediately. The short silence made Yebon nervous. He unconsciously bit the tip of his fork as he waited.

After serving him a full bowl of meat and soup, Cha Hyuk finally spoke.

“No. Just you.”

Yebon looked down at the bowl. He wasn’t sure why, but a smile crept onto his lips.

To be Cha Hyuk’s only close friend… It made him feel a little special. In a good way.

“Then I’ll call you hyung.”

Cha Hyuk’s head snapped toward him.

Yebon, now blowing on a steaming piece of meat, spoke nonchalantly.

“…I guess you do seem like a hyung after all.”

“It’s not because of my age?”

“No, it just feels… closer, you know?”

Meeting Cha Hyuk’s eyes, Yebon smiled warmly.

Cha Hyuk clenched his fist under the table, his hand trembling slightly.

What’s with today?

After eating so much he thought he might burst, Yebon finally returned home.

Cha Hyuk asked him to input his address, which Yebon found oddly relieving.

When the car stopped near his apartment complex, Yebon turned to Cha Hyuk.

“Thanks for everything today. Be careful going home, and make sure you show up for the exam next week!”

“Got it.”

“Alright, see you next week, hyung.”

Yebon bowed slightly before stepping out. Cha Hyuk waved lightly through the window before driving off.

Watching the car disappear, Yebon patted his full stomach.

What started as a terrible day, one he thought would go down as his worst, had turned around completely thanks to Cha Hyuk.

If Cha Hyuk hadn’t been there, Yebon couldn’t imagine how things would’ve turned out.

As he walked, he tried to picture the scenario, but it was nothing good. Most likely, he’d have gone home, shut himself in his room, and cried alone over Jung Woochan’s news.

Even now, the thought of Woochan twisted his insides.

Frowning, Yebon shook his head and forced himself to think of Cha Hyuk instead.

Unfortunately, that brought back all the embarrassing things he’d done in front of him today.

Overwhelmed by secondhand embarrassment, Yebon found himself walking faster, eventually breaking into a run.

Though he’d been a burden

to Cha Hyuk and acted foolishly, Yebon knew that if he were to relive the day, he’d still end up calling Cha Hyuk for help.

As he reached the entrance of his apartment building, Yebon stood still, panting from his sudden sprint. His chest heaved as he caught his breath, but a small, involuntary smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Somehow, despite everything, he felt like he could breathe again.