Tae gently touched Yun’s cheek, his thumb slowly brushing against the faint wound left behind by his mother.

“…What happened?” he asked quietly.

Yun immediately looked away.

“Nothing happened,” he replied softly. “It’s just—”

“What happened?”

Tae asked again.

His voice wasn’t loud.

But this time, it sounded more serious.

Yun stayed silent.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Cold morning wind passed between them while students continued walking around the campus without noticing the strange tension surrounding the two.

Tae kept looking directly into Yun’s eyes.

Then quietly—

“If something like this happens again,” he said slowly, “call me.”

Yun slightly froze.

Tae’s thumb gently brushed against the bruise once more before pulling away.

“I’ll come whenever you call.”

His calm voice sounded strangely sincere.

“Even if I’m not in the same city… I’ll still come for you.”

Yun’s breathing became uneven for a moment.

“…Why?” he asked quietly.

For the first time, Tae hesitated slightly.

Then he answered honestly.

“Because I’m interested in you.”

The moment those words left his mouth—

Yun completely froze.

Heat slowly spread across his face while his fingers trembled slightly beside him.

He quickly lowered his eyes, unable to look at Tae properly anymore.

Meanwhile, Tae silently stared at him for a few more seconds before suddenly realizing something.

“…I don’t have your number.”

Yun blinked in surprise before awkwardly taking out his phone.

A few moments later, the two quietly exchanged numbers.

Neither of them spoke afterward.

But somehow—

The atmosphere between them had already changed.

Together, they slowly walked toward their classroom side by side.

The moment the two entered the classroom together—

The entire class fell silent.

Several students stared at them in shock.

Whispers immediately spread across the room.

“Isn’t that Lee Yun?”

“Why are they together?”

“When did they even get close?”

Yun instantly lowered his gaze, uncomfortable under everyone’s attention.

Meanwhile, Tae looked completely unaffected.

One of Tae’s friends suddenly waved his hand.

“Tae! Over here!”

Tae glanced toward his group before quietly walking toward them.

Yun unconsciously slowed his steps for a moment while watching Tae leave.

Then silently, he walked toward an empty seat near the window and sat down alone.

For some reason—

A strange heaviness settled inside his chest.

But Yun quickly ignored the feeling and lowered his head quietly.

Meanwhile, Tae casually sat beside his friends.

One of them immediately leaned closer.

“Since when did you get close with that guy?”

Tae rested one arm against the chair before replying calmly,

“Since the day he collapsed.”

The group instantly became awkwardly silent.

Because everyone remembered the incident clearly.

Then one of the girls suddenly smiled while looking toward Yun.

“Then introduce him to us sometime,” she said teasingly. “He’s actually really cute.”

The moment those words left her mouth—

Tae’s expression subtly stiffened.

For some reason, hearing someone else call Yun cute irritated him unexpectedly.

A strange feeling twisted uncomfortably inside his chest.

But Tae didn’t reply.

Instead, his eyes drifted toward Yun again.

At the far corner of the classroom, Yun quietly stared outside the window while absentmindedly holding his pen.

Soon, the professor entered the classroom, causing everyone to become silent.

The lecture started normally.

The sound of pages turning and pens moving quietly filled the room.

But instead of listening to the lecture—

Tae kept looking at Yun.

Again.

And again.

Without even realizing it himself.

As soon as the morning classes ended, Tae immediately stood up from his seat.

Ignoring his friends calling him, he walked directly toward Yun.

“Let’s eat together,” Tae said calmly.

Yun blinked in surprise before quietly nodding.

The two walked toward the cafeteria together while countless eyes followed them.

Meanwhile, Tae’s friends stared in complete disbelief.

“What the hell is wrong with him lately?”

“Since when does Han Tae eat with other people?”

“Didn’t he say he hated crowded cafeterias?”

But Tae ignored all of them completely.

The cafeteria was noisy and crowded.

Even while eating, Tae’s eyes unconsciously drifted toward Yun repeatedly.

Yun noticed it several times and became increasingly awkward under Tae’s gaze.

Meanwhile, Tae’s friends sat a few tables away watching them like they were witnessing something unbelievable.

One of them suddenly laughed quietly.

“Why are you staring at him like that?” he asked Tae teasingly later during afternoon class. “Do you want to eat him or something?”

But Tae didn’t reply.

He simply continued doing whatever he wanted.

And once again—

Instead of listening to the lecture—

His eyes wandered back toward Yun.

By the time classes finally ended, the sky outside had already started turning orange.

Tae’s friends immediately approached him.

“Come drink with us tonight.”

But before they could continue talking, Tae grabbed his car keys and walked away without listening.

His friends stared at his back in disbelief.

“What the fuck is seriously happening to him?”

Meanwhile, Tae walked beside Yun toward the parking area quietly.

After driving for some time, Tae stopped near Yun’s convenience store.

Before Yun could open the car door, Tae suddenly spoke.

“I won’t be able to come to college for a few days,” he said calmly. “I have work to do.”

Yun slowly turned toward him.

“So take care of yourself.”

Tae’s eyes softened slightly.

“And if anything happens, call me or message me.”

He paused briefly before adding quietly,

“Don’t hesitate.”

For some reason—

Yun’s expression instantly fell slightly.

Like a disappointed puppy.

The moment Tae saw that expression—

Something inside him moved unexpectedly.

Without even thinking properly—

Tae leaned closer.

And gently kissed Yun’s forehead.

Everything instantly became silent.

Yun’s fingers trembled slightly.

His mind went completely blank.

He could only sit there frozen, unable to process what had just happened.

Meanwhile, Tae himself looked equally shocked by his own actions.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Tae suddenly pulled away and started the car again without saying another word.

Yun remained standing silently outside the convenience store long after the car disappeared from sight.

A few streets away, Tae suddenly stopped the car near the roadside.

His heartbeat pounded violently inside his chest.

Badum.

Badum.

Badum.

Tae gripped the steering wheel tightly before lowering his head against it with a frustrated sigh.

“…What the hell am I doing?”

He didn’t understand why he kissed Yun.

Or why being near him kept making his chest feel strangely restless.

Just then—

His phone suddenly started ringing.

Tae slowly lifted his head and looked at the screen.

The moment he saw the caller ID, he rubbed his forehead tiredly.

“…He started already.”

Then finally, Tae answered the call.

“…Hello, Father.”

A playful voice immediately echoed from the other side.

“Aww… my baby, where are you right now?”

Tae closed his eyes briefly in annoyance.

“I’m about to come home.”

His father laughed softly through the phone.

“Come quickly. I’m missing you already.”

The moment he heard that—

Tae instantly ended the call without hesitation.

Not long after, Tae arrived home.

The mansion lights were still bright even though it was already late evening.

As soon as Tae stepped inside, he immediately saw his father sitting calmly on the sofa while reading a newspaper.

The atmosphere was quiet.

A little too quiet.

Tae instantly understood that something wasn’t right.

The moment his father noticed him, his cold expression disappeared instantly.

“Tae-ah!”

He immediately stood up and walked toward Tae before tightly pulling him into a hug.

“My baby, I missed you so much.”

Before Tae could even react, his father kissed his cheek dramatically.

Tae’s face instantly filled with embarrassment and irritation.

“…You’re embarrassing.”

His father only laughed happily.

Even though he was the leader everyone feared—

Around Tae, he often acted overly affectionate and dramatic without caring what anyone thought.

Meanwhile, Tae quietly observed him.

The smile looked normal.

But something about it still felt slightly forced.

Like he was hiding something underneath.

Tae slowly pulled away from the hug.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” he asked calmly.

For a brief moment—

His father’s smile disappeared.

The warmth inside his eyes instantly turned cold.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

But just as quickly, the smile returned again like nothing had happened.

“What are you talking about?” his father asked casually before sitting back down. “Come sit.”

Tae silently sat across from him.

His father leaned back comfortably against the sofa.

“So,” he asked lightly, “how’s college life going?”

Tae leaned against the couch quietly.

“It’s hard managing both things,” he replied calmly. “College and gang work.”

Then unexpectedly—

A small smile appeared on his lips.

“But it’s okay.”

His father raised an eyebrow curiously.

“Oh?”

Tae looked down briefly before quietly adding,

“I found something cute.”

“…Cute?”

“Like a puppy.”

For the first time that evening, Tae’s smile looked genuine.

His father stared at him silently for a few seconds before slowly smiling as well.

“Aha…”

The atmosphere suddenly became strangely calm.

But only for a moment.

Tae’s father slowly lifted his eyes toward him.

The smile on his face slowly faded.

Then quietly—

“There’s a rat inside Tiger Gang.”

The atmosphere instantly became colder.

Tae’s expression didn’t change.

His father leaned back against the sofa before continuing calmly,

“And tomorrow… you’ll be going to Busan to meet the people from White Wolf.”

A temporary alliance.

To take down Black Dog.

For a few seconds, silence filled the room again.

Then Tae’s father slowly smiled faintly.

“The spy still thinks I’m the leader.”

His eyes darkened slightly.

“So tomorrow…”

He looked directly at Tae.

“Make sure everyone understands who Tiger Gang truly belongs to now.”