TATMFL - 28

While Ra-on sat there with her mouth agape, Hye-sung awkwardly smiled and took his seat. 

Do-kyung naturally plopped down beside him as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. 

A heavy silence settled over the table where the three of them now sat. 

Ra-on stared at Do-kyung, her expression blank with shock. Hye-sung, on the other hand, looked like he had nothing to say even if he had ten mouths. And Do-kyung? He was thoroughly entertained, watching Ra-on’s stunned face with great amusement. 

“Huh.” 

After what felt like an unspoken standoff, Ra-on finally exhaled a short breath and turned to Hye-sung, silently demanding an explanation. 

Hye-sung sighed deeply and glanced sideways at Do-kyung. 

“I’ve been assigned a mentor, Ra-on-ah.” 

He didn’t need to specify whose mentor he had become. The presence of the smugly grinning man sitting next to him was answer enough. 

Ra-on couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by how confidently she had assured them that such a coincidence would be impossible in a department with so many students. But here they were. 

And this outcome was inevitable. 

“The mentoring selection process changed a bit,” Hye-sung explained. “Now, mentees get to choose their mentors directly.” 

At those words, Ra-on’s gaze whipped toward Do-kyung. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as if to ask, Surely not... Do-kyung responded with a playful wink before casually draping his arm over Hye-sung’s shoulder, as if to flaunt the situation. 

Ra-on’s eyes hardened with tension. 

“It’s better to have someone you’re familiar with rather than being stuck with a complete stranger, right?” Do-kyung added smoothly, making no effort to hide his involvement in the selection process—or the fact that he had specifically chosen Hye-sung. On the contrary, he seemed pleased, almost gloating, as he sought Hye-sung’s agreement. 

“Right?” 

As he spoke, Do-kyung leaned closer to Hye-sung, bringing his nose near the area just below Hye-sung’s earlobe—close to his pheromone gland. Watching this, Ra-on clenched her fists tightly under the table. 

To make matters worse, Do-kyung wrinkled his nose deliberately, as if savoring the moment. It was clear he wasn’t interested in Hye-sung’s pheromones; his piercing gaze remained fixed on Ra-on, studying her reaction. 

She had already realized from their previous kiss that his target wasn’t Hye-sung—it was her. Biting down hard on her tongue, Ra-on suppressed her rising frustration. 

In the midst of the suffocating silence, Hye-sung stood up, attempting to break the tension. 

“I’ll go place an order.” 

Just as Ra-on’s gaze began to shift toward Hye-sung— 

“I’ll have an iced Americano.” 

Do-kyung’s voice cut in abruptly, smooth and intrusive. 

He winked cheekily at Ra-on, as if seeking her approval. 

“Is that okay?” 

“…I don’t understand why you’re asking me,” Ra-on snapped, glaring at Do-kyung with barely concealed irritation. She knew full well about Hye-sung’s financial struggles, yet here Do-kyung was, shamelessly attaching himself to him. With a sharp thud, she slammed the pencil she’d been gripping tightly onto the table. 

Do-kyung’s eyes flickered to the pencil and sketchbook she had set down. 

“Looks like you were drawing something.” 

“Hye-sung-ah, I have a coupon here. Want it?” 

Completely ignoring Do-kyung’s question, Ra-on rummaged through her pocket. She pulled out a coffee shop coupon that she had just filled by ordering an Americano earlier. 

“You can get any drink in the basic size. I only ever order Americanos, so I figured it’d be a waste to use the coupon myself.” 

Hye-sung stared at the coupon Ra-on held out, then let out a soft laugh, shaking his head as if giving up on trying to stop her.

“Are you giving it to me again?” 

Ra-on had transferred coupons she’d accumulated to Hye-sung multiple times before. And every time, she said the same thing: “It’d be a waste to use the coupon just for an Americano, so why don’t you get something you like, like a latte instead?” 

Her words were laced with consideration, clearly intending not to burden him. Hye-sung couldn’t bring himself to refuse, even though accepting her generosity often left him feeling conflicted. 

Especially now, when he could barely afford a proper meal, his gratitude toward Ra-on outweighed any sense of humiliation or shame. 

“…Thank you, Ra-on-ah. I’ll enjoy it.” 

His simple thanks seemed to be enough for Ra-on. She gave a bright smile and shrugged casually. 

As Hye-sung took the coupon and left to place their orders, Do-kyung watched Ra-on with an intrigued expression. 

By the time Hye-sung was gone, Ra-on had already reverted to her usual indifferent demeanor, as if her earlier warmth had never existed. 

“Trade places with me.” 

“No.” 

Though his request lacked both subject and object, Do-kyung shook his head dismissively, acting as if her refusal meant nothing. He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand. 

“Why? Do you want me to distance myself from Ji Hye-sung, underclassman?” 

He deliberately emphasized the term “underclassman,” his teasing tone dripping with mockery. Do-kyung feigned a pitiful expression, letting his brows droop and pouting slightly. 

“I’m hurt. I haven’t done anything yet, but you’re already pushing me away. What if I end up taking out my frustration on poor Hye-sung?” 

“Hah.” 

At Ra-on’s derisive snort, Do-kyung grinned as if nothing had happened, his eyes crinkling playfully. 

In a low, insinuating voice, he murmured: 

“But before that happens... If I were to lose interest in Hye-sung, just as you seem to want...” 

Do-kyung smacked his lips together, as if savoring the thought. 

Ra-on’s face hardened; she already knew where this was going. 

In contrast, Do-kyung’s smile only deepened. His gentle tone belied the predatory gleam in his eyes, sharp and calculating like a beast seizing its chance. 

“Would our dear underclassman spread her legs for him instead? Hmm?” 

──────────── 

After that day, Do-kyung began appearing before Ra-on at every opportunity, without fail. 

Most of the time, he was seen sticking close to Hye-sung. Within the business department, their relationship had sparked endless rumors—far too intimate to be dismissed as a mere mentor-mentee dynamic. 

Ra-on pressed firmly between her furrowed brows, recalling the message she’d received from Ji-an the night before. 

[―Is Hye-sung dating that extreme alpha?!] 

[……What kind of bizarre nonsense is this after such a long time without contact?] 

[―The group chat’s blowing up over it right now!] 

[Haa.] 

There was no need to investigate how such rumors had started. 

How could they not spread when the two were always glued to each other? 

Setting aside Do-kyung’s notorious reputation as an extreme alpha, the fact that both men were exceptionally striking only fueled the fire. 

Every university had its own anonymous social media platform—”Bamboo Forest.” 

It wasn’t some celebrity gossip tabloid like Dispatch, yet photos of the two were constantly being uploaded in real-time. Their every move outside of class hours was captured, shared, and dissected by curious onlookers.

Their interactions were even intimate. It was common to see Do-kyung, who stood at least 190 centimeters tall, half-leaning on Hye-sung, who was a full head shorter, with an arm casually slung over his shoulder. 

…It wasn’t surprising that rumors had spread. 

[―So, it’s not true, right?] 

[……No. It’s not.] 

[―Well, if you say so, then I guess it’s fine. Honestly, I was shocked when my friends messaged me about it. I thought our sweet little Hye-sung had finally started dating someone.] 

Through the receiver came Ji-an’s now-lightened laughter. 

After a brief hesitation, Ra-on asked: 

[Are you really okay with it?] 

[―Huh? What do you mean?] 

[Hye-sung dating. Didn’t it bother you when you heard about it?] 

There was a short pause. 

But soon, Ji-an’s teasing voice bubbled over with amusement. 

[―Hmm, I guess it felt a bit like losing a well-raised kid to some random guy. But even so, I can’t exactly stop him from dating if he’s happy, right?] 

[……] 

[―I was pretty conflicted for a while, but since you’re saying it’s not true, I feel a bit relieved now.] 

With that, Ji-an ended the call, saying she had to get to class. Ra-on, who hadn’t opened the app in ages, scrolled down aimlessly. 

The screen was flooded with posts about Hye-sung and Do-kyung. She didn’t know when the school’s anonymous social media platform had turned into a personal love diary, but somehow these two had become campus celebrities. 

And… 

“Haa.” 

One of those “celebrities” was sitting right here. 

Ra-on stirred her stick irritably, her face clearly exasperated. After mixing chocolate syrup and espresso, she poured in milk, added ice, and slammed the finished drink onto the tray with a loud clack. 

“Your order is ready.” 

Do-kyung approached lazily without waiting for the vibrating call bell, blinking innocently at Ra-on, whose lips were curled up in a sarcastic smirk. 

“What’s this? Feels ominous.” 

As he eyed the deep brown beverage suspiciously, Ra-on deadpanned: 

“It’s an iced café mocha, sir.” 

Do-kyung’s eyes widened as he alternated his gaze between the café mocha and Ra-on. 

“Wow, how did you know I hate sweet things? I’m touched.” 

Ra-on snorted derisively, having unintentionally memorized his drink preferences after days of dealing with him. Without another word, she turned abruptly to greet a new customer who had just arrived. 

While she took another order and prepared drinks, Changwoo, the café owner, approached with a satisfied smile. 

“Thanks to that customer, our shop’s revenue has skyrocketed lately.” 

Changwoo nodded toward Do-kyung, but Ra-on ignored him and pressed the call button for the next order. 

“And it’s all thanks to you, Ra-on-ah. That customer comes every day because of you. Our sales are breaking records daily. These days, I’m having so much fun!” 

“I’m so busy I could die, and you’re talking about fun?” 

“Tsk, tsk. Your salary increased because of that customer. Don’t be ungrateful.”

Ra-on’s mouth clamped shut as she thought about the numbers printed on her recent bank statement. Her gaze swept across the café, laced with dissatisfaction. 

After the last customer left with their drink, the shop was, as usual these days, completely packed. The faint jingle of the doorbell signaled the arrival of three new female customers, who looked around in dismay at the lack of available seats. Only then did Ra-on let out a deep sigh. 

People said that Do-kyung stuck to Hye-sung like glue, but that wasn’t entirely true. 

It was true that Do-kyung and Hye-sung spent time together—but at the center of it all was Ra-on, albeit extremely reluctantly. 

And while it was also true that Do-kyung spent time at the café alone while Hye-sung attended his classes, Ra-on was still there in the same space. 

Social media had cleverly obscured all of this. 

…In other words. 

That man wasn’t chasing after Hye-sung. He was chasing her. 

“…” 

Her stomach churned painfully.