Chapter 16: Unexpected Club Night

“Why? Why aren’t you going!”

Jae-hyun cried out in disbelief. Yet, it was only natural. Even when he was Yoo Joon-hee, he had never once been to a club, and becoming Yoo Seo-jin certainly wouldn’t change that.

While there was a time he felt curious about what clubs were like, that curiosity had ended in his youth. He was, after all, closer to thirty than twenty.

“I can’t believe it. Yoo Seo-jin, turning down a club.”

Jae-hyun’s face was etched with shock. The Yoo Seo-jin he knew would undoubtedly be eager to frequent a club, a place for free encounters, but he, the narrator, detested such establishments.

Why would anyone willingly go to such a loud, dark, and chaotic place?

“Can’t you just come with me?”

“No. I want to rest.”

“I don’t want to go alone.”

He suspected Jae-hyun would simply abandon him to find an Omega once inside the club, but Jae-hyun persisted, badgering him to accompany him, insisting he didn’t want to go by himself.

‘This spoiled brat.’

The words nearly escaped his lips. However, in this body, Yoo Seo-jin was no different from Jae-hyun—both pampered young masters. What an easy life these guys led.

After enduring a prolonged ordeal, he eventually agreed to accompany Jae-hyun as far as the club entrance. That was his absolute limit. Though Jae-hyun was clearly displeased, his unwavering resolve seemed to make the other man concede.

“Alright, just come to the entrance with me.”

“I’ll watch you go in, then I’m coming straight back.”

“Fine.”

With that agreement finalized, a night outing was unexpectedly set. Despite only agreeing to go to the entrance, a sigh escaped him at the thought of having to leave the dorm so late.

“Then, I’ll be back tonight. I need to see what clothes I have.”

With a greasy wink, Jae-hyun departed, claiming he needed to prepare for the night. Just a brief interaction with him had completely drained his energy, leaving him unable to even lift a finger.

He lay on the sofa, gazing beyond the wide-open window. The distant rush of waves echoed in his ears. As he blinked languidly, another sigh escaped him.

‘This doesn’t feel like me.’

Perhaps it was because his original body had been an idol, possessing a different kind of energy. Or perhaps it had nothing to do with his original body at all. If it did, Han Jung-woo wouldn’t have been such an ill-mannered fellow from the start.

‘Senior.’

Seon Woo-jung’s voice echoed from beyond his memories. He had tried to suppress it, but the memory flowed naturally, bringing Seon Woo-jung vividly back into focus.

He sprang up and rushed to the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, he found it predictably empty. He should have bought alcohol from the village before going out with Jae-hyun, but he lacked even the strength to leave.

‘How depressing.’

The empty refrigerator felt like a reflection of his own heart.

****

“Hey, let’s go!”

As if he had been merely waiting for nightfall, Jae-hyun sought him out the moment the sun set.

Unlike his relaxed morning appearance, Jae-hyun was now impeccably dressed from head to toe, radiating the undeniable aura of an idol. It only made him feel more burdened.

Having no intention of following Jae-hyun into the club, he simply pulled on a cardigan and casually donned a hat. Seeing his unsuitable attire, Jae-hyun pouted.

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

The club Jae-hyun wanted to visit was in the next town, necessitating a car ride. Public transportation would take too long, so they hailed a taxi. After he told the driver their destination, the taxi slowly set off.

“It would be great if you came with me.”

“I’m going to the entrance, aren’t I?”

“But you won’t stay and play.”

“I’m tired, I don’t want to.”

When he retorted without yielding an inch, Jae-hyun finally fell silent. He cast his gaze out the window, watching the rapidly changing scenery. Tiny stars were scattered across the pitch-black sky.

He planned to buy alcohol on the way back after dropping Jae-hyun off. Since it was a tourist area, there would surely be a mart open late at night. If he bought enough to fill both hands, it should last him a few days.

‘A light drink, then a good night’s sleep.’

As he contemplated his perfect plan, the taxi crossed into the next village and arrived at their destination.

He stepped out first while Jae-hyun paid the taxi fare, and immediately, loud music assaulted his ears.

“Ugh…”

His own village was tranquil and quiet. Being exposed to such an immense noise, incomparable to even Jamie’s pub—the loudest spot in his village—left him feeling disoriented.

“We’re finally here!”

Standing before the dazzlingly illuminated sign, Jae-hyun threw his arms wide and shouted. Unlike Jae-hyun, who was bouncing around like a child at an amusement park, he felt utterly dazed and yearned to return to the dorm as quickly as possible.

“I’m leaving.”

As promised, he had escorted Jae-hyun to the club entrance, and now it was his turn to depart. However, just as he was about to turn away without a second thought, Jae-hyun blocked his path, a sly smile curving his lips.

“Hey, surely…

“It would be a shame to come all this way and just leave.”

“No, it wouldn’t be a shame at all.”

“Not for you, but for me, it would.”

Sensing an ominous turn, he tried to escape quickly, but Jae-hyun, moving faster, gripped him firmly and turned towards the club.

“Hey! Yeon Jae-hyun!”

“We’ve come all this way, let’s just go in once. Your mind might change.”

“It won’t, so let go! Hey!”

His exasperated shout was swallowed by the blaring music. Dragging him, still struggling, Jae-hyun reached the entrance, showed his ticket to the guard, and entered.

Passing through a corridor bathed in blue light, they emerged into a vast space filled with people. Surprised by the club scene, something he had only seen in movies and dramas, he briefly ceased his resistance.

‘So this is what it really looks like.’

The thought that dramas and movies accurately depicted reality made him unconsciously look around. Jae-hyun, releasing his now docile arm, surveyed the surroundings with satisfaction.

“The ‘water’ isn’t bad tonight, is it?”

Jae-hyun leaned close, his voice barely audible over the music. He had no idea what ‘water’ wasn’t bad, but an excited Jae-hyun was already beginning to sway.

Perhaps because his original body was an idol, Jae-hyun exuded a certain flair even with casual movements, but he certainly did not. Even when promoting dramas or movies on variety shows, his most dreaded segment was the dance initiation.

Even attempting to dance to match the atmosphere, moving muscles he rarely used, he only managed to creak like a wooden puppet.

“It’s not bad, right?”

He wasn’t sure what was ‘not bad,’ but as time passed, even with his clumsy swaying, he felt his mood improving slightly.

“You can entertain yourself, right?”

Jae-hyun, who had been exchanging glances with an Omega across the room, spoke. His intentions were so transparent, it was almost comical.

“Find a decent Alpha and have fun, alright? Big bro’s going to be back.”

“Hey! Yeon Jae-hyun!”

He called out to Jae-hyun loudly, but he was already gone. After all the talk about loyalty and such, Jae-hyun’s actions, abandoning him so readily, made an incredulous laugh burst from him.

‘Good. Now I can leave.’

He navigated through the dancing crowd, searching for the exit, but seemed to have taken a wrong turn, ending up in an unexpected area. As he wandered, unsure where the exit was, something caught his eye.

‘Alcohol.’

Perhaps it was the discovery of something familiar in an otherwise alien environment, but his steps naturally led him there. He sat on a stool at the bar and opened the menu.

[May I take your order?]

[Uh,]

The dim lighting made it impossible to read the drink names, so he showed the menu to the bartender and pointed at pictures with his fingertip. The bartender quickly prepared his cocktail.

[More.]

[Thank you.]

After deliberating over what to try first, he selected a yellow cocktail. It was a tangy pineapple-flavored drink, just as its color suggested.

‘It feels a bit strong.’

The sweet taste led him to take a long sip, and his head immediately felt light. He set down the half-finished pineapple cocktail and then sampled a purple-hued one.

“Ugh, it’s too sweet.”

The artificially sweet cocktail was not to his liking. He took only a short sip before pushing it aside, leaving it untouched.

As he was rinsing his mouth with the more familiar pineapple cocktail, someone sat beside him. Sensing the presence, he turned and couldn’t help but grimace.

The man, clearly dressed to the nines for the club, had a similar vibe to Jae-hyun. The unrestrained scent emanating from him indicated he was an Alpha. His stomach churned at the artificial strawberry-like pheromones.

[Alone?]