Chapter 12: The First Encounter and a Sweaty Reunion

Reflecting on it now, our initial encounter was far from pleasant, even by the most polite standards. For Yoon Tae-yeol, it was likely even worse.

With a snap, the traffic light turned green, and Jung-hyun bolted across the crosswalk. His destination was the convenience store, clearly visible on the opposite side of the street.

Though he could have strolled casually, he sprinted through the sweltering heat, driven by the desire to reach the cool haven a few seconds sooner.

The moment he pulled the door open, the anticipated rush of cool air, a veritable paradise, enveloped him.

“I’m here, Noona.”

“Welcome.”

He greeted the afternoon shift worker and headed straight for the back storage room. Shedding his surprisingly light backpack for a high school student, he donned the now-familiar uniform vest.

After a quick glance in the mirror to check his appearance, he began his shift, taking over the convenience store.

Jung-hyun had started his evening shift at the convenience store approximately three months prior. Despite being a high school student, and thus still a minor, there was a specific reason for his employment.

The convenience store owner was Chae Song-hwa’s mother, and their families had known each other well, having lived next door since before Jung-hyun was born.

His grandmother being his sole guardian also contributed to Jung-hyun’s somewhat freewheeling lifestyle. After his parents passed away prematurely in a car accident, his grandmother raised the twin grandchildren.

Her philosophy was less about intense academic pressure and more about ensuring they grew up upright and healthy.

Despite growing up in the same environment and under their grandmother’s care, the twins displayed numerous differences from an early age. Jung-hyun was a playful and lively boy, constantly roaming the neighborhood, while Seung-hyun was a comparatively quiet and reserved child.

Indeed, even though the twins were identical in appearance, villagers could distinguish them just by looking at the children’s band-aids on their arms or the scars on their knees.

Just as their personalities differed, so too did their interests. Seung-hyun loved reading and studied diligently, but Jung-hyun quickly realized that academics were not his path and instead pursued other activities.

His fields of learning were quite diverse. He learned Go and Janggi from the neighborhood grandfathers, picked up musical instruments during after-school lessons, and was so obsessed with soccer in elementary school that he even played as a school representative.

Now, as a high school student, he was deeply engrossed in the thrill of basketball.

He had joined the school’s basketball club after a friend’s urging, but that friend quit in their second year, citing academics, leaving Jung-hyun as the sole diligent member.

While it was merely a sports club, not a professional basketball team, his passion was second to none.

Thanks to the groundwork laid by his seniors, they even had a professional coach and assistant coach, often achieving excellent results in matches.

Consequently, it was no exaggeration to say that these days, he went to school more for basketball practice than for studying.

Ding-dong— Ding-dong—

As he crouched before the display shelves, tidying up the disarranged merchandise, the chime bell announced a customer’s arrival. Jung-hyun quickly stood up, greeting the customer with his usual cheerful demeanor.

“Welcome… home.”

The moment his gaze fell inadvertently on the door, his words trailed off, and a bewildered expression settled on his face. Seeing the customer who had just entered the convenience store, a thought spontaneously arose.

‘Damn, he’s huge.’

Encountering a tall person was not uncommon for Jung-hyun.

In fact, it was an everyday occurrence. He was, after all, a member of the basketball club, and eighty percent—no, to be honest, over ninety percent of the members—were taller than him.

Yet, the man before his eyes was different. Unlike the simple, lanky individuals, this man exuded an aura that was immediately overwhelming. Moreover, Jung-hyun instinctively knew, ‘…That’s a true dominant Alpha.’

Jung-hyun was the only one struck by such an unfamiliar shock. The man who caused his surprise walked away without seeming to care about anyone’s gaze.

Jung-hyun finally snapped out of it and returned to the counter. A moment later, he found himself standing face-to-face with the man.

Up close, he wasn’t just tall. He had a handsome face, even to another man, broad shoulders, and the hand that placed a green bottle on the counter seemed remarkably large. Even his voice was a deep baritone, perfectly suiting his appearance.

“Check me out, please.”

“Huh? Oh, yes.”

Jung-hyun hastily moved to scan the barcode, but then, recalling something, he looked up at the man again.

“Could I see your ID, please?”

A wide smile adorned his face. When asked for ID, nine out of ten customers would be annoyed, and some even cursed. But usually, a bright, soul-crushing smile like his would make them grumble but still comply.

The man before him did not act rudely. Instead, his expression seemed to stiffen slightly.

“…Pardon?”

“Your ID. You must show identification for alcoholic beverages or tobacco, you see.”

This time, Jung-hyun clearly saw confusion spread across the man’s face. Though he maintained his smile, Jung-hyun felt equally awkward inside.

He didn’t look underage in the slightest, but procedures were procedures, so there was nothing he could do…

“It’s apple juice.”

“What?”

This time, it was Jung-hyun who questioned him. The man’s hand, which Jung-hyun had moments ago envied for its size, pointed to the green bottle sitting idly on the counter.

“It’s not alcohol; it’s apple juice.”

The words, spoken with undisguised annoyance, registered in Jung-hyun’s mind a beat too late.

At the same moment, Jung-hyun abruptly picked up the bottle and checked the label. The letters he saw made his eyes tremble as if an earthquake had struck.

[APPLE JUICE]

The words written in an elegant script just below a wing-like emblem were, as the man had said, apple juice. Even staring intently again, the visible letters remained unchanged.

Jung-hyun finally realized his mistake and hastily tried to rectify it.

“I’m so sorry. It just looks like alcohol. My apologies.”

“…Just check it out.”

“Right away.”

Only then did he swiftly scan the barcode and take the card the man offered. Even amidst his fluster, the learned phrases flowed from his lips.

“Do you have any discount or loyalty cards?”

“No.”

“Would you like a bag?”

“No.”

Somehow, the more he spoke, the more he broke into a cold sweat. “Here you go.” He extended the processed card with utmost politeness, holding it with both hands.

The man, showing no lingering attachment, picked up the liquor bottle—no, rather, the juice bottle that happened to look like a liquor bottle and had played a trick on them both—and exited the convenience store.

Jung-hyun leaned on the counter with both hands and let out a long sigh.

“Hoo…”

He felt as though he had aged ten years in that short span. However, as always, his frustration and disappointment were fleeting, and he belatedly questioned the man’s very presence.

‘I’ve never seen that face before. Did he move in?’

As the convenience store was located in a quiet residential area, most customers were regulars. Yet, he had no memory of the man who had just visited the store.

Normally, he would have struck up a friendly conversation while checking out, but his foolish mistake had completely ruined the opportunity.

Though it was only a fleeting encounter, the man’s presence was so striking that Jung-hyun felt an unwarranted sense of regret. And then, the very next day, Jung-hyun encountered him again in an unexpected place.

****

Beep—

With the sound of the whistle, the first half of the practice match concluded. Jung-hyun, who had been darting across the court like a nimble squirrel, halted his movements at the sound.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm, he exited the court and plopped down onto the gymnasium floor.

“Here, Senior, have some water.”

“Thanks.”

He took the bottle of water from the quick-witted freshman and immediately gulped it down. While it quenched his thirst, the lukewarm water was insufficient to cool him down.

He fanned himself with his uniform top, a groan of “It’s hot” escaping him naturally.

“Ha, it’s ridiculously hot.”

“Are you that hot?”

“Completely. I feel like I’m going to die.”

While running incessantly throughout the first half had certainly heated his body, that wasn’t the sole reason. Since his earliest memories, Jung-hyun had been extremely sensitive to heat.

His grandmother used to say that even a slight stuffiness would make him kick off his blankets and whine or cry. Inevitably, in the middle of summer, he would melt into a listless mess, like a softened rice cake.

“It’s only May, and if you’re already like this…”

“…Don’t say it. It’ll kill my morale.”

“They say this summer will be the hottest on record…”

“Hey, you spy.”

He put the cheeky junior in a headlock, then, disgusted by the body heat, promptly kicked him in the backside. The short, almost non-existent break ended, and the practice match resumed.

Jung-hyun secretly hoped to play the second half, but a freshman in the same position was substituted in.

Still, his disappointment was brief, and Jung-hyun quickly focused on watching the match. Of course, playing himself was the best, but spectating also had its own charm and many lessons to offer.

“No, not that way, you have to drive right! Turn and then shoot!”

As Jung-hyun shouted “Shoot!”, the ball launched by his junior traced a fantastic arc and was sucked into the hoop.

“That’s it! Bravo!”

“You’re noisy, get back a bit, kid.”

The coach, who had been watching the match with his arms crossed, bellowed, but as always, Jung-hyun just grinned unyieldingly. After pretending to be quiet for a moment, he quickly raised his voice again, serving as both coach and cheerleader.

Ultimately, his A-team won, concluding the practice match on a high note.