Chapter 18: An Unexpected Houseguest

“Yes.”

“…”

“…”

The conversation ended there. After a few moments, Jung-hyun broke the silence.

“Aren’t you curious how it went? Don’t you care about me at all? I’m about to get really upset.”

Despite his words, Jung-hyun’s demeanor was far from upset; it was clearly playful. Yoon Tae-yeol chuckled in response.

“It must have been terrible. Quite awful, in fact.”

At Yoon Tae-yeol’s confident tone, Jung-hyun’s eyes widened, as if he’d never been upset.

‘The odds were one in three. It could have been good, mediocre, or utterly bad. But how did he pinpoint it so perfectly?’

“How did you know?”

“If you’d liked it, you would have been excitedly chattering away already.”

The look in his eyes seemed to ask, ‘Isn’t that right?’ Jung-hyun found himself unable to argue. Still, Yoon Tae-yeol wasn’t completely oblivious, and even if it felt like pulling teeth, he did ask a question.

“Was it really that bad? I thought only somewhat decent people showed up to those kinds of meetings.”

“His resume seemed fine, but we just couldn’t connect in conversation.”

While appearance was a consideration, it wasn’t his top priority. Aside from a rather broad forehead, the man wasn’t actually unattractive. However, as he had mentioned, the more they spoke, the stronger the feeling that they were fundamentally incompatible.

‘Of course, you can’t know everything from just one meeting…’

There was a reason for the saying ‘gut feeling.’ If this person was to be his spouse for the rest of his life, he naturally wanted someone comfortable and compatible. A preachy, old-fashioned type was absolutely out of the question.

Jung-hyun banished the matchmaker’s face from his memory and took another sip of coffee. He, too, felt a similar sense of ease.

“This coffee is good. Where did you get it?”

“From the supermarket we went to before, Senior.”

“Oh, this is that one? Good choice.”

Praising his own selection, Jung-hyun checked his phone. Quite a bit of time had passed.

“Is the building manager not coming back?”

He stood up, intending to check again, but no sooner had he lifted his rear than the doorbell rang. Though it wasn’t a tiger, the manager appeared right on cue, standing at the entrance to deliver bad news.

“I’ve contacted the upstairs resident, and after having someone check it out, it seems there’s a problem with the water pipes.”

He then thoughtfully addressed Jung-hyun’s unspoken concerns.

“However, it’s not just this unit; other residents have also reported leaks. They say it will take some time for a full inspection and repairs.

The landlord will compensate for daily damages during this period, whether you stay here or find a room elsewhere, so we ask for your understanding for a few days despite the inconvenience.”

Handing over a business card from his wallet, the manager quickly disappeared elsewhere. Jung-hyun, standing beside him, looked up at Yoon Tae-yeol with a grim expression and asked,

“What are you going to do?”

“…I’ll have to look for a hotel, I suppose.”

Jung-hyun nodded in agreement at his resolute tone. The damaged area was, unfortunately, the bedroom, and the house would surely be a mess during repairs, making it inconvenient in many ways.

But then, Yoon Tae-yeol made an unexpected suggestion.

“Or, should I just come to your place, Senior?”

“Huh?”

“You said it before, didn’t you? To tell you anytime if I needed help. It seems like now is exactly that time.”

Jung-hyun wore a stunned expression for a moment, but then, as if struck by a brilliant idea, he accepted the suggestion with admiration.

“That’s a great idea. It’ll be convenient for commuting, and I won’t have to waste money.”

It was an excellent idea, even upon reconsideration. Jung-hyun sent a look that clearly conveyed, ‘You’re smart!’ before promptly continuing.

“Since we’re already at it, let’s pack your bags now and leave together.”

Jung-hyun, slightly excited about having a temporary roommate after so long, was a stark contrast to Yoon Tae-yeol, who couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

He had meant it as a joke, never imagining Jung-hyun would bite the bait so readily—or rather, that he would trip over his own feet.

“I was just kidding. I can find a hotel close to the office.”

“Why bother? Even if they give compensation, it won’t cover the hotel costs, and you’re only going to sleep there, so it’s a waste of money. Don’t do that; just come to my place. There’s a separate guest room, and you probably won’t be too uncomfortable.”

Every point Jung-hyun made was valid, leaving no room for rebuttal. Yoon Tae-yeol wasn’t lacking in eloquence, just sparing with words, but feeling like a mute for the first time in a while, he managed to speak.

“Even so, wouldn’t it be inconvenient for you if I just suddenly showed up, Senior?”

The excuse he finally conjured was perfectly blocked. Hearing his concern about inconvenience, Jung-hyun scoffed and said,

“Have you forgotten how well we lived together in that tiny studio apartment? Compared to that, my current place is a palace.”

“Still…”

“Enough with the chatter. Hurry up and pack your bags. Let’s grab dinner on the way home.”

Jung-hyun’s relentless prodding gave Yoon Tae-yeol no quarter, and he ultimately surrendered. Seeing Jung-hyun’s face, which, despite becoming much more boisterous, still held the same smile, somehow made it harder to refuse.

‘…It’s only for a few days at most.’

“Alright, then.”

Yoon Tae-yeol replied curtly and turned away. A moment later, he reappeared, carrying a large suitcase that he had thought he wouldn’t need for a while.

***

Jung-hyun opened the front door, kicked off his shoes, and stepped into the living room first.

“Come in.”

He fumbled along the wall for the light switch, then scanned the room with a hawk-like gaze. Fortunately, it wasn’t quite a dump, but things were scattered about, making it appear somewhat disheveled.

“I was getting ready to go out… Haha. Make yourself comfortable.”

He quickly picked up a fallen T-shirt from the floor, invited Yoon Tae-yeol to sit, and then hurried off to check on the guest room.

Meanwhile, Yoon Tae-yeol did as he was told and sat on the sofa. He didn’t feel entirely comfortable, not by a long shot. Although he had followed along willingly, he had been conflicted the entire way, wondering, ‘Is this really okay?’

His worries deepened the moment he stepped into Jung-hyun’s home. The reason was the faint, yet unmistakable, omega pheromones, which were almost as much a part of Jung-hyun’s identity as anything else.

It was true that he had briefly stayed with Jung-hyun a long time ago, but back then, he hadn’t had the luxury of observing his surroundings.

He had been overwhelmed by extreme depression and betrayal, seeing nothing else. He was no different from a living corpse, merely breathing, with no time to care about pheromones that had no effect on him.

However, the situation was completely different now. While he acknowledged their close senior-junior relationship, he was, first and foremost, an Alpha.

No Omega would remain entirely nonchalant with an Alpha, who was neither family nor anything else, casually roaming their home.

Regrettably, Yoon Tae-yeol didn’t get an opportunity to retract his words. Jung-hyun, who had returned from wherever he had gone, quickly reappeared and urged him to make himself at home.

“Change into something comfortable first. Want a beer?”

They had attended the same high school for about a year and a half. While it was a relatively short time, they had seen each other almost every day, so Jung-hyun’s expressions were an open book.

His face was so elated, almost soaring, as if reminiscing about old times… If Yoon Tae-yeol were to turn back now, after coming all the way to his house, he could clearly picture Jung-hyun’s disappointment or dejection.

So, he could only respond in one way.

“Yes.”

It was both an answer to Jung-hyun’s question and a way to put an end to his own internal struggle.

Only then did he lean back comfortably, letting out a short sigh. Internally, he thought: ‘It’s not for a year or ten, just a few days at most. I’ll just treat it like a visit and try to get along as Jung-hyun wishes.’

***

“Oh. I’m always doing well, of course.”

Jung-hyun, for once, stood before the electric stove, stirring a pot with a ladle while holding a phone to his ear.

He was talking to his twin brother, Seung-hyun. They occasionally checked in on each other, but today, his brother had called first.

“Are you still busy?”

–I’m a bit free these days.

“Oh, that’s good.”

Unlike Jung-hyun, who had quickly realized that academics weren’t his path, Seung-hyun boasted a brilliant mind.

Coupled with effort and diligence, he had graduated from a so-called prestigious university and now worked as a developer at a venture company.

His upright and kind brother was Jung-hyun’s pride. Furthermore, after their grandmother passed away a few years ago, he was Jung-hyun’s only remaining family in the world.

“Nothing’s wrong, is it?”

–No. I just called because I was thinking of you, Hyung. Anything new with you?

“Nothing… Oh, wait, there is one thing. You know Tae-yeol, right? He sorted things out abroad and came back to Korea a while ago.”

–Really?

“Yeah. He’s helping out at my company right now. Let’s all meet up sometime.”

–Okay. Then enjoy your dinner.

“Alright. You too.”

Just then, the doenjang-jjigae in the pot began to boil vigorously. He quickly lowered the temperature to prevent it from overflowing, then scooped a little broth with a spoon and brought it to his mouth.

Let’s see, how was his cooking, after a long time…

“Cough!”

The saltiness was so overwhelming it made him shudder; it was enough to make two people die and have no one to blame. Jung-hyun hastily moved to remedy the situation.

He tilted a small bottle of mineral water into the pot when he heard a presence behind him.

“Can I help with anything?”

It was Yoon Tae-yeol. His damp hair, as if advertising he had just showered, and his seemingly gleaming face filled Jung-hyun’s vision.