Chapter 15: First Drink

The masculine Adam’s apple at the center of his long neck bobbed. Min-hyeon watched, mesmerized, as Jun-ho drained the beer with a series of gulps that looked refreshing even to the observer.

In the blink of an eye, he’d emptied the entire can and casually crushed it. Watching the crumpled beer can in his large hand, Min-hyeon swallowed dryly.

“Watching hyung drink makes it look so delicious.”

“Try it.”

Taking a deep breath as if making a big resolve, Min-hyeon imitated Jun-ho and began drinking the beer quickly.

The sharp, cold liquid traveled down his esophagus. The thrilling pleasure of drinking an adult beverage—something that hadn’t been permitted even after entering university—swept away all the frustrations pent up inside him, rushing forward without restraint. It was a completely different sensation from the bitter, prickly feeling when he’d held it in his mouth. Experiencing a refreshing sense of liberation for the first time in his life, Min-hyeon took the can from his lips and unconsciously let out a “Kkeuh.”

“Are you sure this is really your first time drinking?”

Jun-ho’s tone was laced with laughter and teasing, but Min-hyeon didn’t notice at all. His excited voice rose.

“Wow! It’s so refreshing! It’s delicious! So this is it! This is why people drink beer! I feel like my whole chest is opening up! I want another can!”

“Are you sure? Beer may have low alcohol content, but if you drink it too fast, you’ll get drunk.”

“Come on, I’ve only had one can so far.”

Letting out a wry laugh as if he’d underestimated a natural-born drinker, Jun-ho obediently brought out more beer. Min-hyeon, happily opening his second can, reached it out toward Jun-ho.

“Hyung, let’s cheers! Cheers!”

He’d meant to lightly tap them, but perhaps he’d used too much force—the beer sloshed and splattered a few drops. Jun-ho lowered his head and licked the beer off Min-hyeon’s hand. Unable to form words, Min-hyeon just opened and closed his mouth, then squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. With his ears bright red, as if all the blood in his body had rushed there, he boldly declared.

“Dr-drink up!”

This time too, Min-hyeon poured the entire can down his throat in one go. The icy cold beer once again rushed through his body at high speed. He was drinking something undeniably cold, yet for some reason, wherever the beer passed, he felt a wave of heat. Min-hyeon exhaled hot breath.

“Kkeuuuh!”

Watching Min-hyeon savor the taste of beer with an even louder exclamation than before, Jun-ho smiled in amusement. He hadn’t even touched his second can—just held it in his hand—but Min-hyeon didn’t notice.

The beer was so cold that the hand holding the can grew chilly, the fingertips stiffening, but it didn’t cool the heat inside his body. Min-hyeon fanned his still-warm ear.

“But it’s a bit warm in here. Haha.”

“Another can?”

“Can I?”

Min-hyeon’s eyes sparkled.

“Why not? When is your brother coming to pick you up?”

“There’s at least two more hours. Actually, I didn’t tell him about the canceled class. Hehe.”

As long as he showed up at the school gate at the usual time, Min-woo wouldn’t suspect a thing. A perfect crime, Min-hyeon giggled.

“Plenty of time then. Here, drink this.”

Jun-ho held out his own can. Min-hyeon took it and immediately took a large gulp.

“I think I’m starting to understand the taste of beer now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There’s a taste you only get once you’re used to it.”

Taking another sip, Min-hyeon continued.

“You know, Americano tastes bitter and bad the first time you try it too. When I first had Americano, I ordered it without sugar and syrup and almost spat it out—I got tricked by a song. But then I listened to that song almost every day while studying it. Actually, I was trying to find a song from a game I liked and ended up finding the wrong one? I played that game with Heon-jae for the first time and it was really fun.”

At the stream-of-consciousness story, Jun-ho made a peculiar expression. It looked like he was holding back laughter.

‘Is Americano funny?’

Min-hyeon tilted his head. Even that motion was much larger than he realized, but it didn’t feel that way to him.

Thanks to continuously sipping beer even while talking, Min-hyeon had already finished his third can. He smacked his lips regretfully.

“Here.”

“Wow!”

Seeing a new beer can appear before his eyes like magic, Min-hyeon gasped.

“Thank you!”

He felt good. A strange euphoria was overtaking his mind. Min-hyeon kept grinning endlessly. The beer that had been bitter and unpleasant at first now tasted sweet.

“Min-hyeon.”

“Really handsome…”

Looking at Jun-ho’s serious gaze fixed on him, Min-hyeon marveled. His thoughts were now flowing straight out of his mouth without any filter, but he didn’t realize it.

“Choi Min-hyeon.”

Jun-ho’s blue-glowing eyes met Min-hyeon’s without wavering.

“You know, hyung… your eyes are completely black, right? They’re so dark that sometimes they look blue to me. Even right now…”

Jun-ho’s face slowly drew closer. Min-hyeon watched, mesmerized, as those blue eyes holding only his reflection approached him.

Just as the remaining distance shrank to nearly nose-touching range, Jun-ho’s eyes disappeared between slowly closing eyelids.

“Hyung… I’m confused.”

Only at the very moment before their lips touched did Min-hyeon manage to regain some composure and murmur. When Jun-ho opened his eyes again, his face had hardened—but Min-hyeon, whose gaze had already dropped, didn’t see it.

“…About what.”

“Everything. You looking at me like this, everything you do for me—all of it.”

Min-hyeon’s fingers, gripping the now-empty beer can, tensed.

“Hyung is so strange. You’re cold and indifferent, but at the same time, you take such good care of people. Making me misunderstand and hope for no reason.”

Hyung, is it okay for me to hope?

Did he actually say that last part out loud? Min-hyeon couldn’t tell.

Jun-ho remained silent. He quietly tapped his knee. Watching those long, straight fingers move in a steady rhythm, Min-hyeon was belatedly overcome by the surging alcohol and the drowsiness that crept in like a thief.

The empty can slipped from Min-hyeon’s hand as he fell asleep leaning against the sofa, rolling away into the distance. With his neck completely bent and head drooping, Min-hyeon was fast asleep and didn’t wake from the sound.

Jun-ho carried Min-hyeon to the bed. From Min-hyeon’s defenseless face, sleeping soundly and oblivious to the world, a faint smell of alcohol wafted. And within that alcohol scent, Jun-ho could sense Min-hyeon’s blood scent, slightly stronger than before.

“So it’s certain—my powers don’t work on him.”

He’d already confirmed that his powers worked properly on ordinary humans who weren’t pure-blooded, but he couldn’t be sure with Min-hyeon. That’s why he’d arranged today’s drinking session.

Using beer to lower Min-hyeon’s defenses to their minimum, he’d unlocked the barriers of his mind—but still, his powers didn’t work on him. His hypothesis that vampire abilities didn’t work on Min-hyeon, a pure-blooded human, seemed to be true.

But it didn’t matter. Even without using his powers, Min-hyeon’s feelings were steadily growing. If things continued like this, it wouldn’t be long before he could take Min-hyeon’s blood.

Standing silently by the bed, looking down at the sleeping Min-hyeon, Jun-ho turned and left the temporary building. He needed to vomit out the beer that was sitting uncomfortably in his stomach—a stomach that had long since ceased to function—before it began to spoil.

Ziiing, ziiing.

A faint sound echoed from beyond his consciousness. His closed eyelids trembled. After a brief pause, the sound came again a few seconds later. A pained groan escaped through his slightly parted lips.

After the persistent vibration kept ringing—stopping and starting again—Min-hyeon finally managed to open his eyes and sit up. Intense dizziness washed over him, making the world seem to sway. A dull headache throbbed in his skull, and the alcohol scent on his breath mixed with his inhalation, making his stomach churn.

His mind wouldn’t function properly. Pressing his throbbing temples firmly, Min-hyeon looked around. The surroundings were already dark, making it hard to distinguish objects and remember where he was.

Ziiing, ziiing.

The endless vibration interrupted his thoughts. Frowning deeply, Min-hyeon dragged his heavy body toward the sound. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness.

On the table, where empty beer cans lay scattered, his phone was vibrating intensely. Only then did he remember where he was.

‘What time is it?’

Looking pale, Min-hyeon picked up his phone. But before he could even check the time, another call came in. He answered urgently.

— Choi Min-hyeon!

Min-woo’s shout came through the phone. His head, already throbbing from the headache, rang sharply. Ugh. A groan escaped Min-hyeon’s lips. Hearing that, Min-woo screamed even louder, almost shrieking.

— Choi Min-hyeon! Where are you right now!

“Hyung, I’m at school. I’ll go to the main gate right now, just wait a little.”

Min-hyeon said what he needed to say and hung up. His head hurt too much to just sit and listen. Min-woo called back immediately, but Min-hyeon didn’t answer.

“Jun-ho hyung is…”

Jun-ho was nowhere to be seen—he’d left Min-hyeon behind and gone somewhere. He was already going to get an earful from his brother, and he couldn’t afford to delay any longer.

Grabbing only his phone and bag, Min-hyeon left Jun-ho’s space, his steps unsteady and swaying.