FINALLY, Cho Euntak and Baek Jeho were alone.

He kicked out Kim Heedo, Yang Jaewon, and Kwon Gaon.

The "witnesses" had already done their job, so it was time for the trio to leave.

"So, everyone was right— you really have feelings for me all this time," Cho Euntak said, leaning against the backrest of the seat while crossing his arms over his chest. "And, yet, you kept dating other people. How cruel."

Baek Jeho’s face turned red as if he were embarrassed. "Yah. It’s not like that. Can I be honest? Even if it means hurting your feelings?"

"You’ve been doing that all this time, jerk."

"Ouch."

"Go ahead," Cho Euntak said, nodding. "Let’s see how you’re planning to hurt me this time."

Baek Jeho frowned, but that didn’t stop him from bearing his honest thoughts and feelings. "I know from the beginning that I don’t see you as a mere friend. Yes, I’m aware that I have a crush on you. But that’s what scared me. My feelings, at that time, weren’t strong enough that I’d risk our friendship just to date you. Back then, I was scared I would fall out of love with you and ruin our friendship forever."

To be honest, Cho Euntak didn’t know what to feel while listening to Baek Jeho’s explanation.

He could see where his friend was coming from.

Even so, he couldn’t help but feel a little hurt.

"My father married my mother strictly for business. But my mother has always been in love with my father. She thought she could make him fall in love with her. But 20+ years later, and my father never fell for my mother. In fact, my father even cheated on her," Baek Jeho said softly, sipping his coffee from time to time. "When I saw how miserable my mother was, I got scared of my growing feelings for you. Yes, I know I like you. But I don’t know if my feelings are strong enough to last forever. I don’t want to fall out of love with you and leave you miserable, just like how my father hurt my mother. That’s why I kept denying my feelings for you, Cho Euntak."

"Then what changed?"

"When you got involved with another Alpha, I lost my mind."

Ah, right.

Cho Euntak remembered that he almost got into a physical relationship with another Alpha...

... who turned out to be in love with his Omega friend.

I wonder if those two are together now.

"And then you suddenly ran to the army," Baek Jeho added, pausing for a moment. "By that time, I realized that my feelings for you are strong enough for me to risk it all. Only when I lost you did I realize that I can no longer live without you, Euntak-ah."

Cho Euntak raised an eyebrow. "But you seemed to live well while we’re apart for a year. You didn’t even ask to be in the same base as me. What would you have done had I met someone else while in the army? In fact, what if I already have a lover?"

He was just bluffing, of course.

I only got close to one hyung while I was serving in the army.

"No, you don’t have a lover. You didn’t get close enough to anyone in the army," Baek Jeho said bluntly. "You actually kept everyone at arm’s length."

"You sound confident."

"Am I wrong?"

"No, and that’s what I actually found strange. You talk as if you were there..." Cho Euntak trailed off, and then he knitted his eyebrows. "Yah. Baek Jeho, did you plant a spy near me? A spy who kept an eye on me all the time? A spy that reported my every move to you?"

Baek Jeho avoided Cho Euntak’s gaze, obviously guilty.

Oh.

I was right?

"Are you crazy?" Cho Euntak asked through gritted teeth while clenching his hands tight. "Why would you do that?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were safe," Baek Jeho explained, still avoiding his gaze. "As you know, there are some bases that bully low-ranked soldiers. Since you’re a Recessive Alpha, I was worried that you might become a target. That’s why I planted a bodyguard next to you."

A bodyguard?

That was when Cho Euntak remembered that he had only gotten close to one person in the army. "Are you talking about Minseok Hyung?"

Choi Minseok, the 29-year-old hyung that he had gotten close to.

Cho Euntak felt at ease with Choi Minseok because the older man was quiet. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Minseok Hyung is the younger brother of one of my bodyguards," Baek Jeho admitted. "Just to be clear, I didn’t force him to enlist. He really got drafted at the same time you did. The only thing I did was ask Heedo Hyung to put him in the same base as you."

Haaah.

Cho Euntak couldn’t believe it.

Actually, he got goosebumps.

He knew that Alphas who were obsessed with their partners could act so possessively and territorially.

Like how Heedo Sunbae-nim acts as if everyone is out to steal Sohee Hyung from him.

But Cho Euntak didn’t expect Baek Jeho to be capable of doing such things.

Are all Alphas crazy when it comes to their partners?

Not that he was claiming he was already Baek Jeho’s partner, okay?

"I’m sorry, but that was the only way I knew I could protect you while we were serving in different bases," Baek Jeho said. At least, he looked pretty guilty. "I promise that would be the last time I’d do something like that behind your back."

Honestly?

Cho Euntak doubted that.

All Alphas do is lie.

As a fellow Alpha, he would still say that all Alphas were jerks.

Including me, yes.

"Euntak-ah, I know you won’t easily believe me just because I tell you that I like you," Baek Jeho said determinedly, his eyes sparkling fiercely. "And that’s why I’m going to pursue you properly. Will you allow me to prove my feelings to you?"

"No," Cho Euntak said bluntly. "Let’s just stay friends, Baek Jeho."

***

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