FR | Chapter 1.5

The heavy expression fell indifferently on him. One corner of his mouth, belatedly raised, shone sharply.

As Won hurriedly tried to part his lips, Woojae pulled his hair with force. Thrown to the ground, Won raised his head sharply.

“Ugh!”

“Sunbae.”

While he was flustered by the sudden situation, Woojae approached leisurely. He lowered himself to meet Won’s eye level. Won’s chin, raised high, slowly found its place.

“I told you to be careful.”

“Are you crazy?”

“I wasn’t joking.”

His voice was monotonous. It was too flat to be a threat. The pain in his scraped palms was no longer felt.

“You were the one who reached out for help first.”

“……”

“Did you forget?”

His voice, devoid of any emotion, stirred his mind.

“……So just sleep with me, you crazy bastard.”

Even though fear had reached his chin, Won sharpened his voice. Woojae chuckled at Won, who was desperately trying not to yield.

“How can I sleep with you when I’m not even turned on?”

“Kwon Woojae.”

“Who would get hard looking at this mess? You should be acting to my taste.”

He had clenched his teeth so hard it felt like they were grinding.

“You asked what my plan was.”

“……”

“I don’t have one. You just got unlucky.”

He felt his body temperature drop rapidly. Woojae, laughing innocently as if mocking the frozen Won, tapped his cheek with his index finger.

“So try to meet my expectations.”

With that, Woojae stood up. His steps, leaving the pale-faced Won behind, were surprisingly light.

Won clenched the hand resting on the ground. He was frustrated. His tightly clenched fist trembled uncontrollably, unable to suppress his frustration.

His nails dug deep into his palm. Unable to quell his excitement, his breath came in short gasps. Won ground his teeth and roughly swept back his long bangs.

His pride was hurt, and he was annoyed. He was on the verge of going crazy with anger.

Even though hunting among beastmen was prohibited, Woojae had a clear hierarchy. His every action supported that. So he should have just stepped back and played along as usual, but… Won repeatedly reacted differently than intended. He easily showed his sensitive temper and responded hot-headedly to Woojae’s provocations.

As a minor, he had been under surveillance disguised as management and had encountered many beastmen in the center.

Though the center’s control, which had continued for quite some time, didn’t particularly threaten him, he knew that the higher the hierarchy, the more sensitive they were to rank.

For those who inherited half of the beast’s primal traits, survival of the fittest was a natural law. Even if the center imposed restrictions, their instincts didn’t completely fade.

Even then, he lived by nodding appropriately and suppressing his temper, even if his pride was hurt. Hiding his emotions was always a tough task, but he had to endure it.

It was no different now, so why couldn’t he easily suppress his temper in front of Woojae?

He guessed it was because the eight years he had lived away from the center had become more familiar than the twenty years he had lived before.

It was only belatedly that he realized it was a headache. Won, pressing his thumb against his index finger’s knuckle, suddenly stood up. Though he was sick of the space that never had a moment of silence, he couldn’t just leave.

His hair, roughly grabbed, stuck out in all directions, and his outerwear was marked with dirt. Regardless of his condition, Won entered the bar without a care.

He climbed the stairs. Even though his legs, still reeling from the earlier shock, trembled, he couldn’t stop now. It was better than waiting anxiously for days, not knowing when that day would come.

He returned to the bar on the second floor, where people had left, leaving it sparse. The only difference was that he headed for Woojae’s seat instead of his original one.

Won snatched Woojae’s drink and downed it in one go. Woojae, who had been talking to a girl across from him, narrowed his eyes.

Thud. Won slammed the empty glass onto the table. As the alcohol entered his system, he finally felt calm. Won raised the corners of his mouth without hesitation.

“What, want to drink more?”

“Oh, sunbae, did you fall somewhere? Are you okay?”

Woojae said nothing, and only the slurred voice of the drunken girl followed.

“Sorry, can you move?”

“Huh? Oh… okay. Sunbae, you’re not hurt, right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Won finally smoothed down his unruly hair. Though he didn’t know her name or face, he smiled kindly as if he had known her all along.

The girl got up and moved to another seat. Won, occupying the empty seat, picked up a bottle of soju that was about two-thirds full.

He found a highball glass on the table. He poured the remaining soju into two glasses. It was too much for a single sip.

He placed one glass in front of Woojae and picked up the other.

“Then let’s drink this and go out. If it’s not enough…”

He glanced at the remaining soju bottles on the table.

“Well, it’s a bar, so we won’t run out of alcohol.”

Won emptied the glass in one go, as if to show off. Woojae, who had been watching him, let out a dry laugh.

“You’re something else.”

Watching Won fill the empty glass with soju, Woojae emptied his glass. Seeing the glass refilled as soon as it was emptied seemed absurd, and Woojae rubbed the inside of his cheek with his tongue.

The flesh that popped out near the corner of his mouth didn’t hide the trace of his tongue. The deep pink tongue was visible between his slightly parted lips.

Won, who had refilled Woojae’s glass, downed another drink. No one interrupted the tense standoff between the two.

Neither backed down, continuously filling and emptying their glasses, causing the number of empty bottles on the table to increase exponentially.

“……Tough bastard.”

Won wasn’t one to fall behind in drinking, but it was his first time drinking so much at once.

Counting the empty bottles, they had already gone through over seven bottles together. Won, his eyes gradually unfocusing, forced himself to finish his drink.

He was drunk. He had exceeded his limit, and the amount of alcohol he had been sipping since earlier wasn’t small. Won was barely managing to hold his head up, but Kwon Woojae, sitting across from him, showed no signs of wavering.

As if mocking him for acting up with just this, Woojae sneered. Confirming the empty soju bottle, Woojae stood up. Won’s eyes followed Woojae upward.

“Let’s go.”

Woojae took a step between the tables, through the narrow gap.

His voice was somewhat hoarse. Is this guy drunk too? Won nodded and stood up.

His body swayed slightly, perhaps due to the rising intoxication. Woojae grabbed Won’s forearm, but reflexively, Won swung his arm to shake off Woojae’s hand.

“Let go. I’m not drunk.”

His steps past Woojae were unsteady. Won, barely maintaining his balance, gripped the railing and descended the stairs. Woojae, watching him silently, let out a sigh and followed him.

Whether he was in his right mind or aware that Woojae was following, Won walked as if crushing the pavement blocks. Suddenly, he slipped into a building with a neon sign.

Woojae lifted his gaze to check the building. It was a motel in a secluded alley near the college.

“Room, please.”

Won mumbled, pulling out his voice. The man at the front desk replied in a bored voice.

“Rooms are full. Only overnight stays…”

“Not here.”

Woojae, who had followed him in, grabbed Won’s shoulder. The motel employee looked at Won and Woojae with a puzzled expression.

Before Won could turn his head, Woojae pulled his wrist.

“What are you up to now? Let’s just get it over with.”

Won tugged his arm irritably. Woojae, undeterred, stepped out to the roadside and hailed a taxi.

He opened the backseat door and pushed Won inside.

“Hey!”

As he raised his voice while being pushed, Woojae climbed in next to him.

“Let’s do it.”

“What?”

“Let’s do it.”

Then he told the driver their destination. It was a hotel a little further from the college road.

Won, pouting, threw his gaze out the window.

“……Why go all the way to a hotel for something like this?”

Even as he grumbled, there was no response from Woojae.

The taxi soon came to a stop. Won hurriedly got out.

Knowing full well that Woojae was following, he strode forward.

From there, everything proceeded smoothly. They received the room number, took the card key, and waited for the elevator.

As they rode the elevator, a murky silence hung between Woojae and Won. Leaning against the elevator wall, Woojae spoke.

“Are you always this reckless?”

“……Look who’s talking.”

Ding. As soon as he snorted, the elevator chimed. Won slipped out through the opening doors.

“Sunbae.”

As Won approached the room and held the card key, Woojae’s voice followed.

“Gu Won.”

Click. Without a moment’s hesitation, Won opened the door and stepped inside. The sound of the door closing followed Woojae as he turned Won around.

The room was excessively bright. Under the light, Won’s cheeks were flushed with alcohol.

His eyes, struggling to stay open, looked quite seductive. As Woojae, who had been staring into his dark pupils, let out a short laugh.

“Kwon Woojae.”

Won lightly pushed Woojae’s shoulder.

“You said no one would get hard looking at this mess.”

Won laughed confidently, as if fully aware of how provocative his smiling face was.

“……I did.”

Even Woojae had to admit that. He had to deeply regret the remark he made earlier about Won.

“You only know if you’re turned on after you try, you crazy bastard.”

Crude words spilled from his lips without hesitation. Woojae raised his hand to cover his eyes. The cold touch of the wall was felt against his back. His lips, twisted in a smirk, muttered, “……Shit.”

Won lowered his gaze to Woojae’s lower body. Soon, a short snort escaped him.

“This guy seems to have a different opinion than you.”

He hadn’t noticed before, but something bulged on Woojae’s left thigh. Won lowered himself.

He traced the silhouette protruding from the inside of the thigh with his fingertips. With a serene smile on his lips, Won unbuckled his belt and pulled down his pants.

Woojae removed the hand that had been humorously covering half his face. Hot breath lingered around Woojae’s underwear.

Won gently lifted his chin and brought his lips to the prominent outline.

“Ah……”

Woojae let out a breathy moan. When he caught the scent of a golden eagle’s pheromones seeping through the fabric, Won was startled and froze.

……This guy’s a bird of prey? His alcohol-clouded mind cleared instantly. The moment he caught the scent, his hair stood on end. It was an instinctive reaction to recognizing a natural enemy.

Suddenly, the hand gripping the back of Won’s head tightened.

“I admit you were right about knowing only after trying. I also admit you have a knack for turning people on.”

His face was buried against the underwear, clearly revealing his lower body. Even though the words falling over his head were annoying, Won couldn’t resist.

The heavy pheromones made his mind hazy. In his blurred vision, Woojae, looking down at him with a vulgar smile, was captured.