CHO EUNTAK looked back and forth between Baek Jeho and Kim Heedo, who kept sneering.

As far as he remembered, Baek Jeho hated calling Kim Heedo ’hyung.’

The two of them used to be neighbors. From what I’ve heard, Baek Jeho even used to follow Kim Heedo around. But, for some reason, they drifted apart. And when Baek Jeho and Kim Heedo reunited again, their relationship had already turned sour.

Well, for Cho Euntak, it just looked like Baek Jeho having a one-sided beef with Kim Heedo.

So, he was very curious to know what changed between the two.

"Euntak-ah, don’t look at Heedo Hyung too much," Baek Jeho complained lightly. "Just look at me. Please."

Aigoo.

That plea made Cho Euntak blush a little.

But their companions had different reactions.

"Baek Jeho is all grown up," Yang Jaewon commented as if he were a proud uncle. "I remember him following Kim Heedo around and saying, "hyung, hyung." He was only three apples tall at the time. But look at him now."

Kwon Gaon nodded in agreement. "Baek Jeho is all grown up and very much in love."

"Ew, disgusting," Kim Heedo complained, obviously just teasing Baek Jeho. "Alphas in love are so freaking disgusting."

Cho Euntak knew that Kim Heedo was only joking, but he still had to ask. "Is it because we’re both Alphas?"

Okay, his "innocent" question changed the vibes.

Yang Jaewon and Kwon Gaon almost choked on their food, while Baek Jeho glared fiercely at Kim Heedo.

Now Cho Euntak felt a bit guilty.

Oops, I didn’t mean to create a commotion.

"No, of course it’s not because you’re both Alphas," Kim Heedo answered in a serious tone, all the teasing on his face and voice gone already. "I’m just messing with Baek Jeho because it was the first time that I’ve seen him that desperate. As you already know, that brat has gone cold to me over the years. So, when he came to me for help, I couldn’t help but tease him."

"If Heedo Hyung is biased against Alphas getting together, then I wouldn’t have asked for his help," Baek Jeho assured Cho Euntak. "That hyung is a bit tactless, but we can trust him."

"Okay. Thanks for explaining," Cho Euntak said. He wasn’t really upset, and he knew that Kim Heedo wasn’t that much of a jerk. But he appreciated the explanation. "So, what exactly did you ask Heedo Sunbae-nim for a favor, Baek Jeho? And how did it go?"

Baek Jeho let out a sigh, and then he finally spilled the beans...

***

"WHY DIDN’T you tell me that Cho Euntak was enlisting?" Baek Jeho complained to Kim Heedo. Clearly, this stupid hyung knew from the start that Cho Euntak was enlisting and didn’t tell him. "You’re so useless, Heedo Sunbae-nim."

Okay, he knew he was being rude.

So, he was grateful that he was a little drunk. Hence, he could use that as an excuse for his poor attitude.

Thankfully, Kim Heedo just laughed it off.

This hyung has been chill ever since he got married.

Park Sohee had really turned Kim Heedo into a decent human being.

Love can really change a person, huh?

Look at Baek Jeho.

He was having sentimental thoughts while getting drunk in a nightclub.

Fortunately, there was no loud music to distract his thoughts.

After all, he was drinking with Kim Heedo, Kwon Gaon, and Yang Jaewon in a private room reserved by the chaebol.

Heedo Sunbae-nim doesn’t party hard anymore. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Hey, it’s not my secret to share. And, clearly, Cho Euntak doesn’t want you to know about his enlistment. So, why would I tell you?" Kim Heedo clicked his tongue while shaking his head. "It’s only been three days since Cho Euntak enlisted and you’ve already lost your mind. Baek Jeho, are you sure you only see Cho Euntak as a friend?"

"Of course," Baek Jeho answered without missing a beat. But he didn’t answer that fast because he was being honest. He was simply responding the way he had practiced all this time. After all, he kept reminding himself that Cho Euntak was just a friend. "I’m just sad and upset because he didn’t tell me about his enlistment, and we’re supposed to be best friends."

"Stop hiding behind that label, you coward," Kim Heedo scolded Baek Jeho quite harshly. "Cho Euntak will be serving in the army for a year."

Alphas were only required to enlist for a year, in exchange for their pheromones.

"You have one year to think about whether Cho Euntak is just a friend to you or not," Kim Heedo said. "If you can’t survive a year without him, then you better stop using the best friend card to hide your true feelings for him."

"Don’t jinx me, Sunbae-nim," Baek Jeho complained. "Yes, I’m sad— but I can survive a year without seeing my friend."

***

IT WAS a lie.

Just after a week, Baek Jeho had completely surrendered.

Hence, he ended up in the same bar with Kim Heedo, Yang Jaewon, and Kwon Gaon again.

Who knew he’d lose his mind just because he hadn’t seen Cho Euntak for a week?

"Heedo Sunbae-nim, please help me," Baek Jeho begged in a polite voice that he rarely used towards people outside his family. "You can pull strings to have me drafted fast, right? My family doesn’t have that kind of power— only chaebols like you do."

"You’re weird," Kim Heedo said, laughing. "Chaebol kids pull strings to avoid enlisting, but you’re doing the opposite."

"So, can you help me?"

"Of course, I can. But why do I have to help you?"

"I’m not asking you to do that for free, Sunbae-nim. You can ask for anything. I know you don’t need money since you’re not greedy for that. So, maybe I can do you a favor or something."

Kim Heedo fell silent for a moment. "Oh, I have one thing I want to know. If you answer me honestly, I’ll help you."

"What is it?"

"Why did you avoid me after we reunited?" Kim Heedo asked curiously. "And why have you been acting grumpy towards me all this time? Did I do or say something bad to you? We used to get along well, so I don’t understand why you suddenly started treating me coldly."

Oh.

The time has come.

Baek Jeho took a deep breath...

***

"HEY, you’re seriously going to tell Cho Euntak about that part?"

Oh?

Cho Euntak was surprised when Kim Heedo suddenly interrupted Baek Jeho’s story, right when the said story was just starting to get interesting.

But he wanted to know, so he didn’t let the chaebol Alpha interrupt.

"I want to know. I’ve always been curious as to why you’re so cold and grumpy towards Heedo Sunbae-nim," Cho Euntak said. "Baek Jeho, tell me why."

Kim Heedo could only sigh and shake his head.

On the other hand, Kwon Gaon and Yang Jaewon pretended to be busy with their food (the two had almost cleared all the desserts on the table).

Anyway, everyone’s reactions only made Cho Euntak more curious.

"This is something that I’ve only realized recently since I kept denying it to myself," Baek Jeho said, his face, ears, and neck all red. "But I actually used to have a crush on Heedo Hyung, and I hated myself for feeling that way."

What?

Excuse me?

Cho Euntak was in disbelief!

"Baek Jeho, I thought you only liked girls?!"

***

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