Jaewon slowed his steps, glancing sideways at Taesan.
"Sunbae," he said quietly, almost casual. "Do you have time today?"
Taesan looked up from his phone. "Right now? Yeah. Why?"
Jaewon slipped his hands into his pockets, pretending to think. "I was planning to hang out with some friends."
"Oh." Taesan nodded, already preparing to step back. "Then you should go. Don't worry about me."
"That's not what I meant," Jaewon cut in softly.
Taesan blinked. "Hm?"
Jaewon watched his reaction for a second, then lowered his voice. "I want you to come with me."
"Me?" Taesan pointed to himself, clearly surprised. "Why?"
A small smile formed on Jaewon's lips, slow and unreadable. "I'd like you to meet them."
Taesan's eyes widened. "Your friends?"
"Yeah."
"Seriously?" The excitement was impossible to hide. "You've never introduced me before."
"I know," Jaewon said with a light laugh. "Feels kind of overdue, right?"
Taesan rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly shy. "Won't it be awkward? They're all your age. I'm just your senior."
"So what?" Jaewon replied. "You act younger than me half the time anyway."
"Hey," Taesan protested, nudging him lightly. "That's rude."
Jaewon chuckled, then leaned a little closer. "They've heard about you a lot."
Taesan froze. "Wait. What did you tell them?"
"Nothing bad," Jaewon said. "Just that there's someone who keeps taking care of me. Someone reliable."
Taesan's ears turned faintly red. "You make it sound weird."
"It's true though."
For a moment, Taesan simply smiled to himself, the kind of soft, happy smile that came too easily. "Then… yeah. I want to meet them too."
Jaewon studied that expression. Trusting. Open. Completely defenseless.
His own smile curved a little deeper, quieter.
"Yes," he murmured. "I think it's time they finally meet my Sunbae."
The word lingered on his tongue, sweet and convenient.
Taesan didn't notice the way Jaewon's gaze sharpened, or how calculating the warmth in his voice really was. He just walked beside him, steps light, already imagining friendly introductions and silly conversations.
Only one of them was smiling for the right reasons.
***
Later that evening, Jaewon guided Taesan down a narrow street washed in neon light and the smell of grilled meat. The soju stall came into view, loud and crowded, plastic tables packed close together beneath a striped tent. Warm air carried the sharp scent of alcohol and smoke, mixed with bursts of laughter that spilled out onto the sidewalk.
His friends were already there, sprawled around a cluttered table. Half-empty bottles stood between greasy plates and crumpled napkins. Glasses knocked together as someone poured another round, voices overlapping in careless excitement.
Jaewon lifted a hand in greeting and led Taesan over.
Compared to the easy chaos around them, Taesan looked stiff, almost hesitant. His uniform jacket was still neatly buttoned, backpack straps clutched in one hand like he had not decided whether to stay or leave. The noise, the drinking, the rough jokes. None of it suited him. He gave a small, polite smile anyway, trying his best not to look out of place, but surely he seemed like someone who had stepped into the wrong story.
"Guys, this is Taesan," Jaewon said as they reached the table.
He slipped an arm around Taesan's shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world. The touch looked friendly, but his grip was firm, almost possessive.
"My mentor," he added lightly. The word came out crooked with sarcasm.
A few of his friends exchanged looks. Someone snorted. Laughter followed, low and knowing.
Taesan did not catch it. He simply bowed his head politely. "Hello. I'm Taesan. Please take care of me."
Too formal. Too sincere.
He already didn't belong.
"Wow, he's polite too?" Hyun said, grinning. "Jaewon, where did you find this guy?"
"Library, probably," someone muttered.
More laughter.
Taesan smiled shyly and took the empty seat Jaewon pulled out for him, hands resting neatly on his knees like he was still in class.
The night moved quickly. Bottles stacked up. Glasses clinked. Voices grew louder and sloppier.
Jaewon poured another shot, then leaned back in his chair, eyeing Taesan with a lazy grin.
"You guys know what's funny?" he said. "Sunbae here takes everything way too seriously. Like, scary serious. Every test season, he acts like the world's ending."
He glanced at Taesan. "Right?"
Taesan let out a small laugh. "I just… like to be prepared."
"Prepared?" Hyun barked out a laugh. "Bro, do you sleep hugging your textbooks or something?"
The table erupted.
Taesan laughed too, but it came out thin. His fingers tightened around his glass.
"He has this whole timetable," Jaewon continued. "Hour by hour. Study, eat, study, sleep. I swear he probably schedules bathroom breaks too."
"That's insane," Maya said, raising her brows. "I could never live like that."
"Yeah," Jaewon said, smirking. "It's kind of pathetic, honestly. No life except grades."
The word hung there longer than it should have.
Taesan's smile faltered for a second.
Jaewon noticed. He kept going anyway.
"Seriously, if I wasn't around, he'd panic over every little thing," he said. "Half those scores? That's me tutoring him. He'd be screwed without me."
He clapped Taesan's back harder than necessary.
"Right, Sunbae? You practically owe me."
Taesan stared down at the table. "I… didn't know you thought like that."
"Aw, don't start," Hyun said. "He's just being honest."
"Yeah," Maya added sweetly. "We're just joking. Don't take it to heart."
But nobody sounded like they were joking.
Jaewon swirled the soju in his glass, watching Taesan from the corner of his eye.
"You're smart," he said flatly. "But don't act like you're better than us just because you study all day. It's annoying."
"I never thought that," Taesan said quickly.
"Then don't look like you're judging," Jaewon replied.
The words came out colder than before.
The table went quiet for a moment.
Maya leaned closer to Jaewon and whispered loudly enough to be heard. "Careful. Your 'mentor' might start thinking he's the one helping you."
A few chuckles followed.
Taesan forced a laugh, but it broke halfway. He looked at Jaewon, eyes uncertain.
"I… I thought we were friends."
It wasn't an accusation. It sounded like a question.
Jaewon held his gaze for a second, then shrugged.
"We are," he said casually. "But don't be so sensitive. Not everything revolves around you."
The words were light. The damage wasn't.
Taesan nodded slowly and lifted his glass, pretending nothing hurt.
Across the table, Jaewon watched him quietly.
For a moment, guilt flickered.
Then he looked away and poured another drink.
But as the night went on, Jaewon noticed Taesan growing quieter, retreating into himself as Jaewon and his friends continued to laugh and joke at his expense. And Jaewon felt a rush of satisfaction, knowing he'd chipped away at Taesan's pride, watching the loyalty they once shared unravel bit by bit.
In his twisted mind, Taesan wasn't just a friend anymore. He was a target, a pawn—and Jaewon was in control, enjoying every moment of it.
As the group dispersed, Taesan lingered behind, waiting for Jaewon, his quiet sadness shadowing his gaze. Thoughts swirled in his mind, heavy and unanswered. "Why was Jae suddenly like this? He was always by my side, always kind. What happened?"
Jaewon approached, his face lit with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, a facade Taesan couldn't quite ignore. Together, they began walking, the silence between them stretched tight.
"Jae..." Taesan began hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper, "I... I felt a bit uncomfortable with your friends tonight."
Jaewon shrugged, waving a dismissive hand. "Sunbae, calm down. It was just fun and games. I know you'll be fine."
Taesan bit his lip, feeling a knot form in his stomach. Jaewon's dismissiveness only made the discomfort deepen. He had always trusted Jaewon, believed in their bond, but now… now it felt like something had shifted, something intangible and cold.
"I just…" Taesan trailed off, struggling to find the right words. "I didn't expect you to make fun of me like that. It didn't feel like… fun."
Jaewon's smirk flickered for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if considering Taesan's words. But then, just as quickly, the familiar grin returned. "You're overthinking it, Sunbae. It's just how we joke around, you know? Don't take it so seriously."
But the way Jaewon said it, with that smooth, calculated tone, made Taesan's heart sink even further. There was no warmth in his voice, no trace of the Jaewon Taesan once knew. This felt like a stranger wearing his face.
"I don't know, Jae," Taesan murmured, still unsure of how to express what he was feeling. "It just felt like you were... pushing me away. Like I wasn't really part of the group, just some joke to laugh at."
Jaewon stopped walking and turned to face Taesan, his expression unreadable for a long moment. "It's not about that," he said quietly, almost too softly. "You just have to loosen up, Taesan. Let go a little. You're too serious all the time. People want to have fun, and if you can't keep up with that, then maybe you're not really part of the fun."
The words stung, but Taesan couldn't bring himself to argue. Jaewon was so certain, so indifferent to Taesan's feelings. And in that moment, the distance between them seemed insurmountable, a chasm that hadn't been there before.
Jaewon clapped him on the shoulder in a manner that seemed too firm, too final. "Come on, let's just head back. Don't dwell on it, okay? You'll get used to it."
Taesan nodded silently, the weight of Jaewon's words lingering in the air. As they walked, the distance between them felt more pronounced with each step. Inside, Taesan couldn't shake the sense of loss. "Alright, I suppose..." He shrugged, convincing himself it was just a joke. Though Jaewon's mockery stung, his affection for him clouded his judgment, masking the pain.
——————— TO BE CONTINUED