Chapter 1.7

Even while bringing the glass of alcohol to his lips, their gazes remained locked without any deviation.

The eye contact between them was not particularly gentle.

The scorching sun raised the temperature during the day, but the world after the sun disappeared was still chilly.

While others complained about the unpredictable weather, Won found it more comfortable.

Won went outside to get some fresh air and lit a cigarette in search of a deserted alley.

There was not a single corner that didn't annoy him from one to ten.

The noisy bar, where there was never a moment of silence, was needless to say, and I didn't like the fact that Kwon Woo-jae, who had been sulking, quickly regained his composure.

It was disgraceful to laugh and chat as if nothing had happened.

The circle, which had deeply inhaled the filter, emitted smoke.

I looked at the smoke that appeared faintly between my index and middle fingers.

The discomfort of the drinking party remained unchanged over time.

It was unfamiliar.

I had lived without mingling with others for quite a long time.

Kwon Woo-jae, who called me out and didn't give any signals, was despicable.

I was foolish to come out running like an obedient dog at the sound of his voice.

Most of the people who filled the seats were as drunk as the rowdy drinking party, so it seemed that no one would notice if I slipped away at this point.

Won brought the cigarette back to his lips.

His slightly parted lips should have touched the filter, but there was not a single thing stuck to his lips.

"Ugh..."

It was because of the sudden hand that grabbed his wrist.

The violent force twisted Won's wrist as he made a groaning sound, but the owner of the hand did not yield and took a puff of his cigarette.

It was bewildering.

Reflexively turning my head, the center of my body became disoriented.

I felt a solid chest behind me.

The person who brought his face close enough for me to feel his breath even if I swayed a little was Woo-jae.

Due to his nature, Won was quite sensitive to the vibrations on the ground.

Was it because he had drunk the alcohol that Song-hak had brought in a hurry, or was it because Woo-jae had been too unnoticeable?

I didn't notice at all that someone was approaching me.

Come to think of it, even on the day I first saw Woo-jae, I didn't feel any signs.

At that time, he had already undergone external changes, so my senses must have become more sensitive.

Woo-jae chewed on the cigarette filter and looked up.

Shadows were cast over his face, filled with emptiness.

The grip that held Won's wrist let go.

The large hand eventually trapped the cigarette that had been stuck to his lips between his index and middle fingers.

"Not fun?"

Woo-jae smiled softly at Won.

Although it was the same smile, each one was different.

If the laugh I saw in the bar was ridiculous, now it was full of arrogance.

"Is it fun to mess with me like this?"

"I thought it would be, but it didn't live up to my expectations."

The smoke that heavyly escaped from his lips made him even more eerie.

"What are you?"

"Something like that."

"I knew it from the beginning. What's the trick?"

Won recalled the moment when Woojae looked back at him in the classroom.

When I couldn't even open my mouth in surprise, Kwon Woo-jae even laughed casually.

It was a gaze that seemed to know him inside out.

Perhaps that's why he had to make himself more noticeable to Kwon Woo-jae.

Acting as if he had known about his existence from the beginning.

I couldn't be sure, but I couldn't just let my guard down either.

"The trick..."

The muttered words were very faint.

As Woo-jae swallowed his breath, the tip of the cigarette that was hanging on his lips burned out.

Woo-jae kicked the discarded cigarette butt on the floor with his shoe.

Even as he put his hands in his pockets, his gaze, which had been fixed on the cigarette butt, slowly rose.

Their eyes met.

The smoke that had been sucked in for a moment swirled inside Woo-jae's lungs.

As the smoke spread out through his slightly parted lips, his rapidly expanding chest slowly sank.

Although his cold gaze lingered on Won for a while, Woo-jae remained silent.

"Do you have any thoughts about me?"

Won nervously opened his mouth.

Woo-jae's head tilted slowly.

Won couldn't help but poke at the gun that was poking at his throat.

He roughly brushed his bangs aside.

"If you don't, then step aside. I'm not someone who has time to play with your childish tricks."

Won moved aside from Woo-jae, who stood still like a statue. It was a moment when Won was about to leave the dimly lit alleyway.

His face twisted as his hair was suddenly grabbed tightly.

"Ugh...!" A groan escaped his lips.

"Is this how reptiles repay favors in such a fucking way?"

Won's hand instinctively grabbed Woo-jae's wrist.

His wet head quickly turned to the back.

The heavy expression fell on me without any reaction.

The belatedly raised corner of his mouth shimmered with a sharp light.

While Won desperately tried to pull his lips away, Woo-jae forcefully pulled his hair.

Won, who fell to the ground as if thrown away, clenched his head tightly.

"Ugh!"

"Senior."

When I was in a bewildering situation, Woo-jae approached calmly.

He lowered his body to the level of my eyes.

The chin of the pushed-up circle slowly returned to its place.

"I told you to be careful."

"Are you crazy?"

"That wasn't an empty word."

It was a monotonous voice.

It was too flat to be considered a threat.

The pain in the palm that would have been felt when rolling on the floor was no longer there.

"It was the senior who reached out for help first."

"....."

"Did you forget?"

A voice that didn't have any inspiration at all disturbed my mind

"...So go to sleep quickly, you crazy bastard."

Despite the rising sense of fear, Won stood tall against the voice.

Woo-jae chuckled as he watched Won, who was determined not to bend no matter what.

"How can I sleep when it's not even dawn yet?"

"Kwon Woo-jae."

"Who would give a damn about this place. I wouldn't mind if you groveled to my taste."

It felt like my teeth were grinding against each other.

"Didn't I tell you not to act like a tough guy?"

"....."

"There's nothing like that. It's just that the senior got caught in an unlucky situation."

It felt like my body temperature was dropping rapidly.

Woo-jae, who laughed this time with a childlike innocence, lightly poked Won's cheek with his index finger.

"So try to live up to my expectations."

Woo-jae finished speaking and stood up from his seat.

He left Won with a pale face behind and walked away with light steps.

Won clenched his hand, which had touched the floor. He was angry.

He couldn't easily suppress his anger to the point where his tightly clenched fist trembled uncontrollably.

His nails dug deep into his palm.

His breathing became short as he couldn't calm down his excitement.

Won brushed his long bangs aside, grinding his teeth.

His pride was hurt, and he was annoyed.

He was on the verge of going crazy with anger.