#19
[Club Outing Announcement]
Hello, everyone!
Hope you’re all having a great week!
This Thursday at 6:30 p.m.,
we’re having a club dinner gathering! ^^
This time, the professor will be dropping by briefly,
and some of our alumni will also be joining us.
It’ll be a great chance to connect with seniors and juniors and make some good memories,
so we’d really appreciate it if everyone could attend!
Location: (——-)
Fee: 20,000 won
Contact: (——-)
Please let us know whether you’ll be attending by Wednesday at 6 p.m. so we can prepare!
Looking forward to a fun time together!
Hope to see you all there~
—
As I read the ridiculously long message from Senior Junghoo, I almost dropped the Americano in my hand. Right—the club dinner! I had completely forgotten.
I’d never skipped a club activity, but I’d been absent from every dinner this year, so skipping again felt awkward. Besides… Junghoo’s voice, saying “I’ll wait, so please come,” kept echoing in my head.
Would Wei Chen even allow it?
He didn’t even like me attending school, let alone heading out to a social event. Plus, if I went to the dinner, I’d miss training that day—meaning for him, the whole day would be a loss.
“Sigh… what should I do?”
For now, I went ahead and transferred the 20,000 won to my senior’s account.
Dad kept threatening to cancel my credit card every day, but honestly, I hadn’t used his card once since I turned nineteen. I’d been living off the pocket money I’d saved since middle school and the New Year’s cash from relatives. I’d also worked part-time jobs and tutoring gigs during breaks to save up.
I quickly messaged Wei Chen.
[I’m done now.]
I saw that he’d read it immediately, but no reply came.
“Dabi!”
Just as I stepped through the front gate, a familiar voice called out.
“Han Dabi!”
It was Senior Junghoo. He was waving brightly, and behind him stood a group of unfamiliar faces. It seemed like every time I saw him, he was with a different crowd. Our eyes met, and I gave him an awkward nod.
Then, his friends started glancing my way and whispering among themselves.
“Is that Han Dabi?”
“No way, is she the one dating that chaebol model guy?”
“Whoa… really? She looks so normal, though.”
Um, hello? I can hear everything. If you’re gonna gossip, at least do it where no one’s around or keep it quiet. What do they think I am, an NPC? But I didn’t react—I just smiled.
Pretending not to have heard, I greeted Senior Junghoo, who smiled back warmly and called out in his usual friendly voice.
“Dabi, I got your payment for the dinner! So you’re really coming!”
“Ah… you saw it.”
“I was worried you might not come. If you don’t want to drink, just let me know—I’ll cover for you.”
He smiled kindly, clearly trying to make sure I’d feel comfortable. His usual easygoing and cheerful manner made me smile without thinking.
Truthfully, I hadn’t yet decided if I’d go to the dinner. Part of me was thinking I might not be able to. But faced with Junghoo’s hopeful tone and warm eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.
“Got it.”
I answered briefly with an awkward smile. Inside, though, a mix of guilt and complicated feelings tangled together. I didn’t want to let down his kindness and expectations—but thinking about my current situation, all I could do was let out a heavy sigh.
* * *
The cold air of the lab no longer felt unfamiliar. I hated that my body was getting used to it. I rolled my shoulders lightly and let out a long breath.
Once again, today began with the Patrasche experience—no, I mean, scent training. As always, Wei Chen handed me his tie.
“Blindfold yourself.”
“You’ve got money, right? Can’t you just buy a proper blindfold? Why is it always your tie? You look like a pervert.”
“Good observation.”
Wei Chen shamelessly replied and motioned with his chin. I sighed and took the tie.
After wrapping it around my eyes a few times, he came up behind me and tied it firmly. Darkness instantly consumed my vision.
“Ready? Let’s begin.”
With that, silence fell over the lab. Now all I could rely on was tracking his scent somewhere in the air.
Back when we first started this, I barely even knew what he smelled like. But all that time spent training wasn’t for nothing. Strangely enough, his scent had become clearer. A deep woody amber, warm yet intense with a smoky tone, and an underlying musk… today, the trail felt even more distinct.
Focusing on the tips of my toes, I cautiously stepped forward. I reached out, following the faint trace lingering in the air. Only one thing filled my mind.
Wei Chen, Wei Chen.
Then suddenly, my fingertips brushed against something soft but firm. My heart jumped.
“Huh? What the…?”
Startled, I yanked off the blindfold and flung it aside. As my vision cleared, I was met with Wei Chen’s familiar figure. He stood there, arms crossed, wearing that signature relaxed smile.
“Happy to see me?”
I gasped for breath, and realization slowly hit me.
“Wow, I actually did it?”
I blinked a few times in disbelief, and a rush of joy washed over me as all the effort and struggle flashed through my mind.
“I really found you—just by scent? In this huge lab?”
I raised my arms and bounced excitedly. Wei Chen chuckled softly, but his next words were still cold.
“This isn’t the end. The scent’s just a medium.”
His sobering words brought my excitement down a notch. Can’t he just let me enjoy this for once?
Wei Chen slowly approached and looked me straight in the eyes.
“Remember this. This scent will be your only anchor when you lose control. Even after you mutate, keep recalling it and hold on.”
His voice was firm, as if carving the words into my brain. I took a breath and turned his words over in my mind.
“Got it.”
He watched my face for a moment, then tied the blindfold around my wrist. What now? He even tied it in a ridiculously cute ribbon. Without a second thought, he walked past me.
“Alright, that’s enough for today. Let’s eat.”
As I watched him walk away, I looked down at my fingertips. The trace of his scent still lingered faintly in my nose.
* * *
When I stepped out of the shower and opened the door, Wei Chen was already asleep. It was the first time I’d seen him sleeping, and I was honestly a little surprised.
Beep.
I turned off the main lights in the bedroom, leaving only the soft indirect lighting by the bed.
In the darkness, the warm orange glow gently settled over his face. As I carefully approached the bed, I could hear his steady breathing.
“So he really is asleep.”
I quietly lay down beside him. Watching his peacefully closed eyes felt strangely awkward. When we first met, I thought, what kind of psycho is this guy? Everything felt uncomfortable and tense. But after spending the past few days like this… it all started to feel oddly familiar. This space, his scent.
My gaze moved slowly across his face as if tracing it. His personality didn’t match, but—damn—he really was handsome. Now I could understand why my friends had practically worshipped his looks.
I stared at him for a moment, then raised my hand and waved it gently over his face. Shadows flickered across him, but Wei Chen didn’t stir at all.
Carefully, I reached toward his face. But instead of his annoyingly perfect features, my eyes were drawn to his earlobe. I reached for it and lightly touched his piercing. The hard feel of the accessory met my fingers, and I gently loosened the clasp behind his ear.
“What are you doing?”
“……!”
My heart dropped. Wei Chen’s eyes snapped open, and his hand gripped my wrist tightly. Even in the dark, his eyes gleamed sharply. Caught red-handed, I froze, completely at a loss for any excuse.
“Normally, isn’t this the part where you stroke the handsome guy’s face?”
“……”
“Not, you know, steal his piercing.”
His voice was low and playful.
“…Why would I stroke the face of a grown man?”
