When you think about it, Minjun was just a junior who wanted to buy Dohwa a meal. Dohwa, currently a third-year student majoring in Business Administration at Korea University, had been active in a club since his freshman year. The club, abbreviated as '영원한 희망' (Eternal Hope), was involved in volunteer activities, often referred to as '영희' (Yeonghee). They engaged in volunteering at various places such as facilities for the disabled, daycare centers, and community centers.
Yeonghee was not a club that attracted many people due to its lack of exciting activities. However, the club gained attention when a certain figure joined.
In his second year, Cha Minjun transferred to Korea University. Despite being a beta, he caused a stir on campus, standing out even among the alpha and omega students.
In this world, people were divided into the first gender, alpha and omega, and the second gender, male and female. Alphas and omegas lived prioritized lives in the first gender. Alphas could impregnate, and omegas could get pregnant. They constituted about 30% of the society, and alphas and omegas were further divided into dominant and submissive, with alphas being dominant. Despite their division, alphas and omegas held high social status due to their superior appearance and abilities. On the other hand, betas, making up the remaining 70%, lived centered around the second gender and were considered ordinary compared to alphas and omegas.
However, Minjun was far from an ordinary beta. With a height exceeding 190cm, broad shoulders, and a well-proportioned, muscular body, he was exceptionally balanced. His Western features were sculpted like artwork, and his speech was gentle. He didn't use vulgar language.
Although Korea University had a fair number of alpha students compared to other universities, being with Minjun made it feel like being with an octopus or something completely different.
Minjun always excelled academically, consistently ranking at the top, and due to his popularity, he was even nominated for student council president. However, Minjun declined, expressing his desire to focus on academics. Moreover, he rarely participated in gatherings, barely drank at the first round, or sometimes even refused to attend. Some students were dissatisfied with his reserved attitude.
Above all, Minjun rarely talked about himself. Everything about his family, residence, and personal life was a secret. While his demeanor was not significantly different from other students, there was a unique elegance about him. His mysterious aura, combined with his outstanding appearance, made him the center of attention, whether liked or disliked.
As a result, when Minjun enrolled in classes, many female betas, including omegas, applied for them, and the classroom became so crowded that there was a shortage of desks.
When Minjun joined the volunteer club Yeonghee, it created a huge wave. Students who followed Minjun submitted applications to join the club. Initially, they accepted everyone, but later, overwhelmed by the influx, they had to reject some.
Yeonghee, which originally had around twenty members, swelled to a hundred members due to Minjun's influence. The overwhelmed club president had to appoint additional executives. Dohwa, who had been active in the club since his freshman year, was also nominated as an executive candidate, but due to his lack of ambition and reluctance to stand out in front of others, he declined.
With the increased membership, the club became more active, engaging in various volunteer activities in teams every week. Whenever Minjun went out to the field, he always attracted a crowd, whether it was club members, employees of the volunteering location, or anyone else.
Dohwa, being a beta, felt like a different person amidst all this.
One day, Dohwa found himself volunteering at an orphanage with Minjun.
In truth, when they visited the orphanage, Dohwa took care of everything. The kids followed Dohwa well, and he was skilled at taking care of them. However, on that day, thanks to Minjun, Dohwa didn't have to do everything alone. Minjun was gentle with the kids just like he was with everyone else. Coupled with his handsome appearance, the kids became infatuated with Minjun.
Witnessing this, the club members admired Minjun, speculating that if he ever got married, he would be good at taking care of children, and that there was nothing he couldn't do.
After finishing their work, they planned to have a get-together with everyone, but the kids held onto Minjun and Dohwa persistently, so the two decided to join later.
However, things didn't go as planned. It took longer than expected, and the get-together ended quickly. Dohwa and Minjun were left alone.
But even more surprisingly, they both ordered more drinks, and when Dohwa had consumed about three bottles, he lost consciousness.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in an unfamiliar room. Perplexed, he looked around and realized he was lying on a large bed, wearing loose-fitting clothes. Most surprisingly, Minjun was lying next to him.
"Heuk."
And a groan escaped him. He was in a state of undress, muscles exposed prominently. Despite expecting to feel comfortable seeing Minjun even with clothes on, the atmosphere was strange and awkward. Dohwa, feeling embarrassed about being exposed, tried to sit up urgently, but Minjun woke up.
"Sunbae, are you awake?"
Even in his waking state, Minjun's beauty was extraordinary. Despite the sun shining outside, it felt like all the light was concentrated here.
"Yeah. Minjun, where is this?"
"This is my place."
It was an extravagant space, far from what could be considered a typical place for a university student living alone. The harmonious combination of black and white furniture and electronic devices created a modern and sophisticated atmosphere.
"Yesterday, I tried to take you home, but I couldn't find your place. So, I brought you here. You were sweating a lot, so I even washed your clothes."
That meant Minjun had bathed him. Dohwa felt a sense of embarrassment about being exposed, and his shoulders tensed.
"Ah... Thanks... Huh?"
While speaking, Dohwa touched his lips, feeling an unusual swelling. It seemed strange. He didn't have any allergies, but why was this happening? Dohwa cautiously touched his lips again, and they felt puffy. It was as if he had turned into a fish. Feeling awkward, he turned his head. Minjun's gaze was also something he had to deal with. But asking if his lips looked strange seemed awkward. First, Dohwa thought he needed to check his condition.
"Uh, I'll go to the bathroom."
"Yes, you can go through that glass door there."
"Umm..."
Dohwa got up from the bed. The floor was covered with a soft white carpet, and walking felt comfortable. In the meantime, he noticed the decorations that he hadn't seen while on the bed. Instead of feeling well-off, it felt excessive, not like a typical university student's place. The rumors about Minjun being the son of a conglomerate seemed true.
Entering the bathroom, Dohwa was shocked when he looked in the mirror. His lips were even more swollen than he thought, and his neck was dotted with red marks, as if flowers had bloomed. Feeling self-conscious, he touched his neck with his hand. Despite not having any allergies, why was this happening? Dohwa washed his face, trying to figure out if it was a reaction to something he ate in the stew he had last night.