Episode 4

 

Twelve hours ago, Seung-hyun boldly entered the gay bar and looked around. Perhaps because it was inside a novel, it felt like there were a lot of handsome men and beautiful women in this world overall.

 

‘Especially since it’s a BL novel, there are a lot of handsome men…’

 

Looking around, he awkwardly ordered a drink. Since his original body had a pretty high alcohol tolerance, he downed the drink straight away without checking the alcohol content.

 

Thinking it would be better to at least warm up his body a little, as he would just squirm awkwardly and leave the seat lonely  if he stayed sober. While drinking one glass after another, a sweet scent began to spread from somewhere.

 

Turning his head to where the scent was coming from, a pretty-looking man was smiling and sending a gaze to Seung-hyun.

 

“Can I sit with you?”

 

“Yes, well… do as you wish.”

 

The man who approached Seung-hyun, swirling a glass of alcohol, naturally sat next to him. The man, who smiled prettily, said to Seung-hyun.

 

“This is your first time in a place like this, right?”

 

“How did you…”

 

“People who come for the first time give off a vibe. First of all, your outfit seems oddly carefully chosen.”

 

Even though he had deliberately dressed a bit casually because a suit seemed too much, it still showed. Seung-hyun flinched slightly.

 

“And you’re just drinking awkwardly. You’re an alpha, right?”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

Seung-hyun awkwardly nodded and downed another drink. The man sitting next to him looked Seung-hyun up and down.

 

‘Judging by his reaction to pheromones, he’s at least an alpha, and his clothes and watch are all expensive. They’re all new this season…’

 

Although Seung-hyun didn’t know, this bar was famous for being quite selective of its customers. As it was a place where many people who had been filtered in came, a considerable number of people in here were judging others this way and that.

 

“How old are you?”

 

“Twenty-f… no, twenty-nine.”

 

“I thought we’d be only a year or two apart at most. I’m twenty-five.”

 

The man said with a grin. The man, who naturally ordered the next round while sitting next to Seung-hyun, introduced himself.

 

“I’m Ahn Youngha. You can call me hyung, right?”

 

“Yes, well… do as you’re comfortable.”

 

“It’s a bit surprising that this is your first time in a place like this at twenty-nine. It’s not that there aren’t people your age or that they’re rare, but it’s rare for a first-timer.”

 

Youngha said, making a pretty eye smile. Seung-hyun, who was insensitive to this kind of thing, awkwardly smiled without even realizing that he was being hit on.

 

“It just happened to turn out this way while living.”

 

“What made you interested in coming here?”

 

I came to find someone to spend the night with. Seung-hyun, who was a bit hesitant to say he came with the purpose of a one-night stand, pondered for a moment and said.

 

“Until now, I lived worrying about what others thought, so I wondered  if I could come to a place like this… But now, I decided to just act as my heart desires.”

 

“Eh, don’t call it a place like this. It’s not that big of a deal, does it need such a resolution?” 

 

When I tried to package it nicely, Youngha laughed and lightly tapped Seung-hyun’s shoulder. Seung-hyun, who didn’t even notice that he was a bit tipsy due to being nervous, downed another drink.

 

“What others think… now it doesn’t matter what happens…”

 

“Hey, hyung. Aren’t you drinking too fast?”

 

“It’s fine. I’m not a lightweight…”

 

Seung-hyun ignored Youngha’s dissuasion, saying that. But there was one thing Seung-hyun overlooked.

 

The only thing he had in common with the Seung-hyun in the novel was the two letters of his name, his body was completely different. Therefore, his alcohol tolerance that he knew and his current alcohol tolerance were not the same.

 

“Hic.”

 

“Hyung. You said you’re good at drinking. It’s not a small amount, but… you’re completely wasted.”

 

“It’s strange… I usually don’t get drunk with this much…”

 

Seung-hyun grabbed his spinning head and mumbled. He was sure he could drink several times this amount and still be fine. Seung-hyun nodded, as  if he would slam his head on the table.

 

“Ha.”

 

At that moment, an unpleasant sensation was felt behind Seung-hyun’s back. It wasn’t a sensation only Seung-hyun felt.

 

“Excuse me, do you have some business…”

 

“It really is Director Han Seung-hyun. I didn’t expect to see you in a place like this.”

 

A voice he heard for the first time. But a somewhat familiar face. Seung-hyun lifted his hazy head and carefully examined the man’s face. 

 

“Mm… you…”

 

“The person who said he’d bring in the construction project and ran around everywhere except when sleeping. What brings you to a place like this?”

 

“Who was it again?”

 

“…What?”

 

The man laughed in disbelief at Seung-hyun’s words. The atmosphere was so chilly that Youngha, who was sitting next to him, slipped away, but the danger wasn’t felt at all by the heavily drunk Seung-hyun.

 

“You’re asking who I am?”

 

“I’m sure I saw you, it’s a face I saw somewhere… mm, where did I see you…”

 

Seung-hyun tilted his head constantly with a flushed red face.

 

‘There’s no way I wouldn’t remember such a handsome man  if I saw him somewhere. Why does he seem familiar but I can’t remember who he is.’

 

“Ha, haha. Well… I  guess that’s possible. I wouldn’t be that important of a person to you, Director. But this is quite shocking. Or are you purposely doing this to upset me?”

 

The man laughed as  if he was a bit angry, running his hand through his hair. A strong pheromone that made the skin tingle was blasted at Seung-hyun, but Seung-hyun, who wasn’t used to pheromones yet, just looked up at the man quietly, not knowing it was a threat.

 

“If I saw… such a handsome man somewhere… there’s no way I’d forget.”

 

“……?”

 

“It’s strange… such a handsome man.”

 

Seung-hyun, who spit out what he was thinking due to being drunk, slowly blinked and looked at the man as  if appraising him. The man finally realized Seung-hyun’s attitude wasn’t a joke and laughed.

 

“Why on earth did you come here?”

 

“Is there… any special reason to come to a gay bar?”

 

“That’s true, but it’s not a place that suits you, Director Han. Well. It would be the same whether it was a gay bar or any club or pub.”

 

“Why?”

 

Seung-hyun asked, tilting his head. His eyes, which had risen due to the alcohol that made his mind hazy, were now slightly drooping.

 

“Because you’re a person who’s obsessed with work to a chilling degree, aren’t you? The type to die with work in hand. Plus, you seem like the type who would never do anything that could be criticized even  if it killed you.” 

 

“Haha.”

 

Well, that was accurate. The actual Han Seung-hyun in the novel didn’t step down from his director position until the moment he died, and tried to interfere with the protagonists.

 

‘But I have no intention of living and dying like that.  If I’m going to die anyway, I should live for myself.’

 

“I decided to… quit all that now. What does work even matter… I’ll just do what I want to my heart’s content. First of all…”

 

Seung-hyun said that while staring intently at the man. What would it feel like to sleep with a man like that? A faint pheromone leaked out from Seung-hyun as he vacantly looked at him.

 

“…Aha.”

 

The man made a face as  if he realized something from that faint pheromone. He seemed flustered for a moment, then soon grinned at Seung-hyun and took a step closer.

 

“So that was your taste?”

 

What taste does that taste refer to? Seung-hyun just nodded, slightly mesmerized by the man’s handsome face and soft smile.

 

“I don’t have that taste, but well,  if it’s you, Director…”

 

The man looked Seung-hyun up and down for a moment, then held out his hand to him. What does this mean? After pondering for a bit, Seung-hyun grabbed that hand, thinking whatever.

 

“Let’s go together.”

 

‘Going together from a place like this would mean that, right? Mm. It should be fine since he’s handsome… When would I get a chance to do it with someone like this again.’

 

He couldn’t think properly with a mind heavily drunk on alcohol. Seung-hyun vacantly looked down at their joined hands and left the bar with him.

 

***

 

The morning he woke up with a splitting headache. Seung-hyun was pulling at his hair, remembering who that familiar-faced man was. How could he have forgotten this when he tried so hard to memorize it so he wouldn’t make a mistake?

 

“Ju Jae-young… It’s Ju Jae-young.”

 

While the housekeeper was organizing clothes yesterday, he searched and looked up photos of the main characters in the novel. He checked over and over so he absolutely wouldn’t get involved. He must have been considerably drunk and the bar was dark, so he couldn’t properly recognize him.

 

‘Still, how could I not recognize Ju Jae-young? Not some other character, but the childhood friend of the main lead and the sub-male lead of the novel…!’

 

Even so, how could he get involved with Ju Jae-young of all people? Seung-hyun tapped his head, which wasn’t fully sober and checked his body.

 

An aching waist, bruises here and there on his body. And above all, the pain felt in a place that was difficult to mention.

 

‘…Let’s run away for now.’

 

Thinking he needed to  get out of here first, he carefully lifted the blanket and put one foot out. However, before he could fully take out his other leg, a large hand grabbed Seung-hyun’s wrist tightly.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“Ahhh!”

 

Ju Jae-young, who had woken up at some point, was slowly blinking and looking up at Seung-hyun.