Chapter 91: Ever the Observant One

Hyunwoo clicked his tongue as he looked at Seunghyuk, who seemed to have caught on to something.

He remembered when Seunghyuk had asked him to simply join Hyunjin for his birthday meal.

He agreed because, as family, he too wanted to celebrate Hyunjin’s birthday.

But he also knew very well that inserting himself between the two of them only made him a hindrance.

So this was the right thing to do.

Hyunwoo turned his head to look at Dokyung.

“Mr. Hwang, what brings you here today?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

At Hyunwoo’s question, Dokyung’s smile deepened.

He answered with a bright expression.

“Haha, I’m glad you’re showing interest in me.”

“……”

“I’m joking, don’t look at me like that.”

Feeling slightly awkward under Hyunwoo’s serious stare, Dokyung scratched his cheek.

Then he continued speaking with a smile.

“I also have a plan today.”

“A plan?”

“Yes, I do have at least one friend, you know.”

“Haha….”

The word friend coming from Dokyung sounded so strange that Hyunwoo could only give a weak smile.

But if he had plans, then normally he wouldn’t have been able to attend Hyunjin’s dinner in the first place.

With a small flicker of concern, Hyunwoo asked:

“Is your plan in the evening?”

“Yes, I still have some time left, but… I came early because I had nothing else to do.”

“Ah….”

“I guess I must have wanted to meet you, Hyunwoo. Haha.”

“……”

Hyunwoo wanted to tell him to stop with the awkward flirting.

His head was beginning to spin from how effortlessly and constantly this well-mannered man slid in strange lines.

“Mm, I hope you have a good time with your friend.”

“Yes, you too. Please tell Hyunjin I said happy birthday.”

“…Sure.”

Dokyung gave a calm farewell and walked away.

The faint cologne scent he always carried seemed even stronger today.

Was he really just meeting a friend?

His outfit and mood felt like he had put extra effort into his appearance.

Well… it’s a hotel. Anyone can dress up to come here.

Hyunwoo shook his head firmly.

He absolutely did not want to imagine the second male lead having some secret tryst with someone other than the protagonist.

But this was unexpected.

He thought for sure, following the original plot, Dokyung would try to attend Hyunjin’s birthday.

Was it because the current Dokyung had no interest in Hyunjin anymore?

“Hyung.”

“……!”

A low, chilling voice came from behind him.

Hyunwoo flinched and turned around.

Seunghyuk was staring at him with a dark expression.

Hyunwoo swallowed hard without realizing it.

“Since when were you so close with Professor Hwang Dokyung?”

“Well, just…”

“……”

There was something sharp in Seunghyuk’s eyes.

Like someone interrogating a cheating lover.

Unable to withstand the subtle pressure, Hyunwoo sighed and spoke again.

“No, uh… He kept complimenting the coffee at the café where Hyunjin works. So we just ran into each other there. That’s all.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Seunghyuk pressed the point again.

Even after repeating it, his narrowed eyes said he didn’t believe it.

“But close enough to call each other by name?”

“That’s…”

Hyunwoo was at a loss for words.

Come to think of it, Seunghyuk had a point.

It was weird to be on first-name basis with his younger brother’s professor.

And before the regression, Hyunjin had actually dated Dokyung.

Now Dokyung seemed interested in Hyunwoo instead.

The whole development was a ridiculous mess.

He should have refused the name-basis from the start.

He felt the regret too late now.

“Yeah… that was my mistake.”

“……”

Hearing Hyunwoo admit it, Seunghyuk’s expression softened just a little.

He said steadily:

“I don’t like that guy.”

“You don’t?”

“Yeah. I just… don’t like the feeling he gives off.”

“Well… he is kind of like that.”

Maybe it was because Hyunwoo had never met him before the regression.

Or maybe it was simply because Hyunwoo hadn’t read the original novel.

But Dokyung certainly had an unusual presence.

Still, it was odd that even the protagonist, Seunghyuk, felt something was off.

Or maybe… because he’s the protagonist, he sensed a threat.

After all, Hyunjin seemed more interested in Dokyung than Seunghyuk at the moment.

So perhaps quick-witted Seunghyuk was picking up on that and acting on instinct.

Hyunwoo nodded quietly.

His sister had always said:

“A BL story truly shines when the love interests start to compete.”

“And… have you heard about Kim Minjae?”

“Kim Minjae?”

“That bastard who stalked Hyunjin.”

“Ah…!”

That scumbag.

Hyunwoo clenched his teeth as he remembered.

Because of him, he had injured his arm and suffered for weeks afterwards.

He still felt anger flare when he thought of it.

“What about him?”

“There’s a rumor going around school that he was selling drugs.”

“Drugs? You mean illegal drugs?”

“Yes.”

“…Wow.”

He was selling drugs?

Hyunwoo recalled what Sungyoon had told him back when Kim Minjae was taken in by the police.

Yes.

They had found drugs in his system.

So the police had first suspected his classmates and people around him.

Even if the investigation was discreet, rumors would have leaked.

That must have been how the story spread that Kim Minjae had been selling drugs at school.

“But I don’t think he’s the type who could pull something that big off.”

“You think so too?”

“Yeah.”

“Mm…”

Hyunwoo agreed.

Kim Minjae did not have the brains for that.

He was the type to get caught instantly.

If he had been distributing drugs, he would have been arrested long before he ever stalked Hyunjin.

“Is there any other rumor going around school?”

“……”

“What?”

Seunghyuk pressed his lips together and stared at him.

There was a faint sense of disapproval in his eyes.

“Hyung already knew Kim Minjae was doing drugs, didn’t you?”

“…What?”

“You wouldn’t have missed something like the police investigation.”

“……”

“And you didn’t look surprised when I told you.”

Seriously, this kid notices everything.

Hyunwoo sighed inwardly.

It was pointless to try hiding anything from him.

“Yeah. I heard from Director Kang.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well…”

Honestly, he had forgotten half the reason.

And the other half was that he didn’t think it concerned Seunghyuk or Hyunjin.

But he obviously couldn’t say that.

If he tried explaining that this wasn’t in the original novel, Seunghyuk would think he was insane.

“I didn’t want you two worrying. I didn’t think it’d have anything to do with you.”

“You should have told me anyway.”

“And what would have changed if I did?”

“Do you really think nothing would change?”

It was verbal sparring.

Hyunwoo frowned.

“I’m more helpful than you think, hyung.”

“……”

He wasn’t wrong.

Hyunwoo knew better than anyone how capable Seunghyuk was.

And that confidence… was irritating.

No matter how he tried to think of something to retort with, he couldn’t.

This was the protagonist who had taken on a megacorporation and won.

No normal argument worked on him.

“Stop biting your lip.”

“Don’t nag me.”

“Your lip.”

“……”

Damn it.

At his persistent scolding, Hyunwoo finally stopped biting his lip.

There were too many people around anyway.

Two tall alphas in suits radiating tension while one held a giant bouquet — of course they were drawing attention.

“Come here for a second.”

Hyunwoo grabbed Seunghyuk’s arm and led him away.

Once they moved out of the lobby, he spotted an emergency exit.

He opened the door and stepped inside the stairwell.

The space was much quieter now.

Hyunwoo exhaled and looked at Seunghyuk.

“So what is it you’re really trying to say?”

“……”

Seunghyuk slowly lowered his gaze.

Then, in a quiet voice, he murmured:

“That Hwang Dokyung guy… something is seriously off about him.”

“…What?”

“You think so too, don’t you?”

“……”

Hyunwoo fell silent.

He thought back on every moment with Dokyung so far.

And slowly, a realization began to settle.