Chapter 65: The Uninvited Guest

It seemed Yoonwoo wasn’t the only one whose conscience pricked them. Woo-jae and Myeong-tae, who had left Yeon-chae and Yoonwoo in the seminar room to head home early, now appeared with apologetic expressions, clutching Yoonwoo’s sleeve. Yeon-chae had already departed for another class, a lingering look of regret on their face. They clearly weren’t pleased about having to rush off without a moment’s rest, especially after finally completing a major team project.

“Hey, Eun Yoonwoo. Sorry about yesterday. You really went through a lot,” Woo-jae said.

“No, not at all. Truthfully, Yeon-chae did everything,” Yoonwoo corrected him.

Yoonwoo felt compelled to correct Woo-jae, as the real burden had fallen on someone else. Besides, both Woo-jae and Myeong-tae had diligently done their share. If anything, Yoonwoo himself felt a pang of guilt.

With a slightly embarrassed expression, Yoonwoo declared, “Let’s grab some food. It’s on me.” He began to walk, envisioning a celebratory feast at a barbecue restaurant to mark the end of their significant presentation.

“Hey, but… let’s not do barbecue,” Woo-jae interjected. Pushed along by Yoonwoo, he stretched his neck out to catch Myeong-tae’s eye.

Their silent exchange of glances struck Yoonwoo as rather suspicious. He narrowed his eyes, observing them closely. Sensing his gaze, Myeong-tae merely chuckled, feigning ignorance.

“Hyung, hyung,” Myeong-tae began, “Why don’t we go to that new bar? I’ve been wanting to check it out for ages.”

“The one near the back gate? Bucket List, right? Yes, I’m curious about it too. Let’s head there,” Woo-jae readily agreed.

“What? A bar?” Yoonwoo exclaimed. He glanced down at his wristwatch, his eyes wide with surprise.

It was barely past five in the afternoon. The idea of going to a bar in broad daylight, when it was still too early for dinner, struck him as utterly preposterous. Furthermore, Yoonwoo couldn’t even drink alcohol. He was about to voice his hunger and suggest a simple barbecue restaurant, but Woo-jae, ever quick-witted, preempted him.

“Everyone’s tired,” Woo-jae quickly said. “So let’s all go home, catch a nap, and shower. We can meet at Bucket List around eight for a late dinner. Yeon-chae isn’t even here right now, anyway.”

“Ah…”

‘Oh Yeon-chae.’

The name ‘Yeon-chae’ instantly stalled Yoonwoo’s impending protest. It was Yeon-chae, not Woo-jae or Myeong-tae, who had truly borne the brunt of the hard work preparing the presentation. Excluding Yeon-chae from the after-party was simply out of the question. Yoonwoo’s displeased expression slowly, awkwardly, melted away.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Yoonwoo admitted.

“See? Yeon-chae would be so hurt,” Woo-jae pressed on. “They follow you around constantly, and you completely forgot about them?”

Woo-jae, instantly invigorated, teased Yoonwoo with a triumphant air. Yoonwoo, looking flustered, mumbled in response.

“Who forgot? It wasn’t like that at all, okay? I was planning to treat them to something delicious separately.”

He had, after all, already granted Yeon-chae a ‘wish’ coupon. It seemed unlikely that Yeon-chae would particularly cling to an after-party gathering with Woo-jae and Myeong-tae. Yoonwoo could vividly imagine their neat, composed face waving a dismissive hand, saying, ‘No, I’m quite alright,’ with a hint of annoyance.

“Even so, that’s not right,” Myeong-tae cut in, adding a remark that felt like a final nail in the coffin. “We should all meet together.”

“…You’re right,” Yoonwoo conceded.

‘Indeed, that’s true.’ Acknowledging his own shortsightedness, Yoonwoo nodded slowly.

Even though he had offered Yeon-chae a wish, Yoonwoo doubted they would make any grand demands. Yet, the presentation, for which Yeon-chae had even crafted the script, was of such exceptionally high quality that it couldn’t be repaid with a mere trivial favor.

The newly opened bar that Woo-jae and Myeong-tae had mentioned was, coincidentally, a place rumored to be unusually clean and atmospheric for a spot near campus. It seemed like the perfect venue to treat his hardworking friends and Yeon-chae, for once.

“Alright, let’s do it then,” Yoonwoo agreed.

“Oh, perfect, perfect!” Woo-jae cheered.

“See you guys later! I’m out!” Myeong-tae added, already heading off.

Thus, the evening’s gathering for drinks was decided. Though Yoonwoo wouldn’t be able to partake in alcohol, he had vaguely heard that the appetizers were exceptional, which stirred a sense of anticipation within him.

[Let’s head to Bucket List, the new bar by the back gate, later. I hear it has a great atmosphere. How does eight o’clock sound?]

After arriving home, Yoonwoo sent Yeon-chae a message. About ten minutes later, a reply chimed in.

[Really? That’s absolutely wonderful!]

[I’ll be a little late. I’ll go home after my lecture, shower, and then head over.]

[I’ll change my clothes, too.]

[What are you wearing, Hyung? Are you putting on something nice?]

[What style are you planning to wear?]

[I’ll try to match my outfit to yours.]

Yoonwoo couldn’t help but smile to himself, sensing the sheer excitement radiating from the flurry of messages that followed. He realized, belatedly, that suggesting the outing had been an excellent idea. He had no inkling Yeon-chae would be so thrilled.

[Are you going on a blind date? Why are you matching outfits, lolllll]

[I’ll just go casually.]

After sending his reply, Yoonwoo tossed his phone aside and promptly fell asleep. Lately, an unyielding fatigue seemed to cling to him, making it a daily occurrence to drift into slumber the moment his head touched a pillow.

“…Hey, Jung Woo-jae. Kim Myeong-tae,” Yoonwoo growled.

The female students seated across from them looked utterly bewildered, likely due to the rough edge in Yoonwoo’s voice, which starkly contrasted with his refined appearance. Feeling a pang of guilt for the innocent bystanders, Yoonwoo forced a smile, relaxing his expression. Instead, he clenched his molars so hard that a faint grinding sound echoed in his mouth.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Not feeling it?” Woo-jae whispered, poking Yoonwoo’s side with his finger. Myeong-tae, who had been chatting with the young woman opposite him, also turned, sensing the shift in atmosphere. It seemed they had only just realized Yoonwoo’s foul mood.

When Yoonwoo arrived at the bar, he discovered that what awaited him was a blind date, meticulously orchestrated by Woo-jae and Myeong-tae. Their insistent urging to grab drinks instead of dinner now revealed its true, insidious purpose. Attending a blind date while pregnant—the realization hit him like a splash of icy water, leaving him feeling utterly cold. To remain seated there, feeling as he did, would be profoundly disrespectful to his unwitting companions.

‘You guys, just you wait,’ he fumed inwardly.

Ultimately, all Yoonwoo could manage was to glare at his friends, mouthing silent threats. Myeong-tae flinched, nervously rolling his eyes, while Woo-jae offered an awkward laugh, averting his gaze. They mumbled excuses, claiming their intention had simply been to surprise him. Yoonwoo tried his best to quell his rising irritation, but once his mood had soured, it refused to easily lift.

It was precisely when this uncomfortable atmosphere reached its peak, and the expressions of the people seated across from them began to visibly stiffen, that Yeon-chae made their entrance.

“Yoonwoo Hyung.”

Yoonwoo, who had kept his gaze cast downwards, now lifted his head. There, where his eyes landed, stood Yeon-chae. Their face was as radiant and handsome as ever, and they were dressed even more brightly and impeccably than usual.

Whenever Yeon-chae’s expression was neutral, they always seemed aloof and distant. Yet, Yoonwoo knew the gentle smile that would inevitably soften that icy countenance when he called their name. Thus, with a heavy heart, Yoonwoo extended a hand towards them.

‘Please, get me out of here,’ he silently pleaded, hoping the unspoken request would somehow reach Yeon-chae.

“What kind of gathering is this?” Yeon-chae inquired.

However, Yoonwoo’s silent, melancholic plea dissolved into the air, unacknowledged. Yeon-chae continued to sweep their cool gaze across the individuals seated on either side of the table. Taken aback by this unexpected reaction, Yoonwoo’s mouth hung slightly open, a look of confusion on his face. Yoonwoo’s empty hand, which Yeon-chae had not met, dropped limply through the air.

“Oh, uh-oh. Yeon-chae, you’re here! It’s been a while since a blind date, hasn’t it? Haha,” Woo-jae stammered.

“Come over here,” Myeong-tae urged, patting the seat next to him. “Sit here, right here.”

Myeong-tae and Woo-jae fussed about, practically dragging Yeon-chae to sit between them. Consequently, Yoonwoo found himself isolated, perched at the very edge of the table. He caught a glimpse of Yeon-chae’s profile, silently mouthing “Blind date?” to Woo-jae.

Woo-jae and Myeong-tae, apparently believing Yeon-chae was a godsend to thaw the frigid atmosphere, brightened considerably, nodding enthusiastically.

“Isn’t he handsome? Truly,” Woo-jae gushed. “With his looks and his grades, he’s the ace of our department, I tell you.”

“He’s two years our junior, but every time I take a class with him, I feel completely outmatched,” Myeong-tae chimed in. “Oh, and he’s an Alpha. We’re all Betas, but he’s the only Alpha among us.”

The faces of the people opposite them brightened in turn, and Yoonwoo could hear their chattering voices responding to Woo-jae’s enthusiastic pronouncements. It seemed one of the four was an Omega.

“You two look so good together,” one of the girls commented. “Like a quintessential Alpha-Omega couple.”

“Wow, you’re right,” another agreed.

The pale-faced Omega student, with long, straight black hair, blushed and smiled coyly as those around her murmured in agreement. In an instant, the atmosphere shifted, subtly pairing Yeon-chae with her. It was, perhaps, an inevitable outcome, given that among the eight attendees, there was precisely one Alpha and one Omega.

Yoonwoo silently took a long sip of the lemonade placed before him, trying to quench the sudden dryness in his throat. His lips kept parching, no matter how much he drank. ‘I’m an Omega too, you know?’ he muttered inwardly, though to whom he directed the thought, he couldn’t say.

Just then, Yoonwoo distinctly felt a gaze alight upon his cheek.

He turned his head, and his eyes instantly locked with Yeon-chae’s. Their usually clear gaze seemed to have darkened, sinking heavily as it glowed with a deep, intense color. With an utterly expressionless face, Yeon-chae then addressed Woo-jae and Myeong-tae.

“So, is this a blind date?”

“Yes?”

“Huh? Y-Yeon-chae. Why are you acting like you don’t know, haha…,” Woo-jae stammered.

“I don’t know.”

“Uh-oh?”

The consternation on Woo-jae’s and Myeong-tae’s faces swiftly spread to the other side of the table. The female students murmured among themselves, glancing uneasily at Yeon-chae’s hardened expression. “Hey, cut us some slack,” Woo-jae whispered, nudging Yeon-chae’s side.

However, Yeon-chae brushed Woo-jae’s hand away and rose from their seat, standing tall and looking down at them. Their towering height forced everyone to crane their necks significantly to look up.

“I wasn’t aware this was a blind date. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come.”

“What? Really?” the Omega student exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. Yoonwoo’s eyes were just as wide.

He could only blink, speechless, staring at Yeon-chae, who then turned their body towards him.

“Did you know, Hyung?”

Yeon-chae’s expression was absolutely terrifying. Yoonwoo nearly leaped out of his skin in alarm.