Chapter 65 Part 1

Chapter 64.

After Chaeheon started associating with Lee Jun, there had been a subtle distance. Because Chaeheon prevented others from approaching Lee Jun due to Lee Jun’s discomfort, they always watched from afar. So, even when they saw their affectionate moments, they never properly heard what conversations they were having…

Lee Jeong-yun covered her mouth as if to stifle a scream and poked Kim Gyeong-hun in the side with her elbow.

“Ugh.”

“Did you hear that? Did you hear that?”

“I heard it, but you poked me so hard I almost forgot.”

Kim Gyeong-hun rubbed his aching side and nodded. If she was talking about the short conversation Chaeheon and Lee Jun just had, he had heard it clearly. Did only he hear it? Everyone here must have heard it.

“They really are dating. Oh, no.”

“Why are you acting like that?”

Kim Gyeong-hun, still wincing from the dull pain, looked at Lee Jeong-yun and let out a chuckle. The two of them were dating, but she was the one getting excited. Well, he had been a little excited himself just now.

“But Chaeheon is an Alpha. Lee Jun Senior… wasn’t he a Beta?”

At Kim Gyeong-hun’s question, Lee Jeong-yun poked his side again, clucking her tongue as if he didn’t understand.

“That’s why it’s even more thrilling.”

Kim Gyeong-hun gently touched his side, which was throbbing again, and subtly glanced at Lee Jun. Given this atmosphere, could he perhaps try something?

“Lee Jun Senior.”

Having assessed the situation, Kim Gyeong-hun cautiously called out to Lee Jun.

“Can we sit near you today too?”

Kim Gyeong-hun intentionally chose Lee Jun, not Chaeheon. It was obvious Chaeheon would say no, and he had calculated that, given the current mood, he might be able to get a “yes” from Lee Jun.

Kim Gyeong-hun offered a subtle smile as Lee Jun looked back at him, trying to appeal to him. He was tacitly promising not to disturb their class, just to let them be behind him. Lee Jun looked forward again.

Was the appeal a failure?

“Do as you please.”

Just as he was about to be disappointed, Lee Jun’s answer came. It was as good as permission, so Kim Gyeong-hun quickly went to his seat and grabbed his bag. As others also started bringing their belongings one by one, Chaeheon leaned his upper body towards Lee Jun.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Chaeheon acted as if he would intervene if Lee Jun couldn’t refuse out of politeness, even though he didn’t have to give permission. Lee Jun shook his head.

“It really doesn’t matter.”

“Really?”

When Lee Jun repeatedly indicated he was fine, Chaeheon looked at him with surprise. He had been so uncomfortable and disliked it when Chaeheon approached him, so why was he so open-minded now?

Then, Lee Jun looked forward and mumbled in a very small voice.

“They’re worried about you and want to help you.”

“…Me?”

“Accept their help up close.”

Lee Jun turned his head towards Chaeheon and replied. His face was emotionless, without any particular expression, but what he had just said was quite unexpected. It seemed that while he had been watching Lee Jun, Lee Jun had also been watching him.

He truly had a way of playing with people’s hearts with the most unexpected thoughts.

Chaeheon leaned against Lee Jun in the same posture he had been in, leaning his upper body. For the first time, Lee Jun, who had been indifferent until now, frowned.

“You’re heavy.”

“I like you too, Hyung.”

“I said you’re heavy…”

“Shall we stop by a cafe later?”

Their conversation was completely out of sync. Lee Jun briefly considered simply pushing Chaeheon away with force but decided to leave him be. Reading the joyful tone in Chaeheon’s voice, perhaps it was okay to just let him be.

“You pay.”

“I’ll even buy dessert.”

With Chaeheon’s promise to buy as much as he wanted, the conversation was settled, and Lee Jun straightened his head.

Around them, the group that had been worried about Chaeheon took their seats, and the person leaning on him was someone he had thought just yesterday he wouldn’t be able to get close to again.

An incident had led to him reconnecting with Chaeheon, and as he lowered the guard that had kept others from approaching, changes began to appear in his daily life. While holding Hae Sol and sleeping, he felt stability in his usual routine, but now, these small changes brought a thrill.

Unbeknownst to him, Lee Jun’s firm expression softened little by little, forming a subtle smile. Chaeheon, feeling the tension leave Lee Jun’s body, smiled quietly. It was as if he could read Lee Jun’s thoughts.

“Our group project, you know. It would have been better if we had done it a little later.”

Kim Gyeong-hun changed the subject while looking at his phone, and Lee Jun remained silent. He knew Kim Gyeong-hun would answer even if he didn’t.

Sure enough, Kim Gyeong-hun shook the hand holding his phone, sounding regretful.

“Just with what’s happening at NK right now, the presentation material would be amazing.”

Lee Jun’s brow furrowed. NK?

He wouldn’t have known before, but now Chaeheon was on his mind too much. Had something happened at NK?

Lee Jun picked up his phone and went to the internet browser, but Chaeheon covered the phone with his large hand. Having demonstrated the magic of covering Lee Jun’s hand and the screen at once, Chaeheon spoke in a calm voice.

“Going to read the news? You can just ask me.”

Meaning, “Why go to all that trouble?”, Lee Jun couldn’t look at Chaeheon and only stared at an empty spot. Part of it was still being unused to him being a member of the NK family, and he also worried if it was okay to talk about it here.

He had kept it a secret until now, and he wondered if he should continue with this topic, but then Chaeheon’s laughter was heard.

“You’re really pure. How can your thoughts be so transparent?”

“I want to look inside your mind. Why do you say such things?”

“It’s obvious you want to protect my secret, so what am I supposed to do? Why are you so innocent?”

Lee Jun frowned and irritably pulled his hand out of Chaeheon’s grip. The peaceful atmosphere from just a moment ago was shattered by Chaeheon’s single remark.

Chaeheon looked adorably at Lee Jun’s ungracious attitude as he pushed his hand away, then slightly raised his voice.

“This is just a preview for now.”

He was speaking to Kim Gyeong-hun.

“A preview?”

“Nothing has really happened yet, has it? Other than Jang Hyeon-seong of NK appearing at the prosecutor’s office, what else is there?”

“That’s true, but…”

News about why he went to the prosecutor’s office and the potential repercussions were all pouring out at once, yet Chaeheon called it all just a preview.

“But how do you know that, Hyung?”