To Byul (Omegaverse)-Chapter 135: The more the merrier

As they chatted and laughed together, Beom-Chim arrived with his girlfriend in tow. She was a petite Beta with lush blonde hair and blue eyes, and she looked a bit shy as she greeted everyone.

"Ah, you finally decided to introduce her to us." Dong-cha said and grinned. "What? Not scared that I’ll steal her from you anymore?"

"Ahem," Beom cleared his throat and perked his glasses up.

"But I see why you were so conscious. Her picture didn’t do her much justice. She’s a little angel in real life, this one." Seoung-bo added. "Are you sure she’s a Beta? She looks so cute."

"Just look at that hair and those eyes," Yun-tae added. "She’s really pretty. At least if you two end up together, Beom’s lineage is saved."

"What’s that supposed to mean?!" Beom flared and they laughed.

"Exactly what it means." Yun-tae said.

"But she’s indeed pretty." Chin-hwa said, gazing softly at the girl who was quite shy but blushing at their compliments. "What’s your name?"

"I-it’s... Seol-Jin." She said.

"Awn," they all stared cutely at her.

"Her voice is so adorable as well." Seoung-bo said. "Beom, you better treat her well. If he ever bullies you, come to us and we’ll knock some sense into him."

Seol-Jin blushed.

"Th-thank you," she said, sliding her hair behind her ear shyly.

"Gosh, whose friends are you?" Beom asked but sighed. "Alright, I’ve shown her to you. We need to get going."

"To where?"

"Away from you lots." Beom said, and they all laughed, including shy Seol-Jin, who was being pulled away.

"They make a cute pair," Chin-hwa said and the rest echoed.

"Yeah,"

Just then, Kang-woo arrived, his eyes scanning the group until they landed on Yun-tae. Yun-tae instinctively looked away, his expression guilty.

Chin-hwa’s eyes narrowed slightly, his mind wandering towards Yun-tae’s attitude from the previous night. What had happened between Yun-tae and Myung-woo last night?

But he pushed the thought aside, greeting Kang-woo with a warm smile. "Hey, Kang-woo!"

Kang-woo looked at Chin-hwa and then smiled. His eyes sparkled with warmth.

"Hey, Hwa."

"Wow, it’s as if we’re invisible or something." Dong-cha exclaimed sarcastically and Kang-woo laughed.

"Annyeong," he greeted, slightly bowing his head in respect of the other person. "How have you guys been?"

"Well, we’ve just been here and there, nothing grand." Seoung-bo answered. "We were going to check out the classes that they’re using to set up their backstage booth."

Usually, when there was a school festival, students would come up with different creative ideas for their booth to show off and possibly even make money with it.

Popular themes like maid cafe, chest cafe, or even picture cafe booths were mostly seen, but since everyone wanted to be creative, they’d think of something new and reduce comparisons.

The music club also had their own booth but it was nothing spectacular since they were mostly preparing for their general performance at the beginning of the festival.

"Well, I’ll go with you." Kang-woo said. "I don’t really have anything doing anyway and there are no classes because of the festival."

"Cool, the more the merrier," Seoung-bo stood up and so did the rest of them. "Let’s go take a look."

She looked so enthusiastic.

It was probably because her club was so boring and so was what they were doing.

As they spent the day walking around campus together, taking a look at all the booths and actually running from a mob that wanted to take pictures with Kang-woo, whatever that was about, Chin-hwa couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy and contentment. He was surrounded by his friends, and everything felt right with the world.

Eventually, the day came to an end and they all had to part ways, each of them heading off to their own separate Destinations.

Chin-hwa ended up going to Kang-woo’s house, where he was greeted by the surprise of a new white piano sitting in the living room.

His eyes widened in excitement as he rushed over

"You got the piano already? Kang-woo, when did you get it?" Chin-hwa exclaimed, his eyes scanning the piano in excitement.

Kang-woo chuckled, smiling at Chin-hwa’s enthusiasm.

"I ordered it yesterday and had it delivered today. I was thinking we could continue from where we stopped yesterday as soon as possible."

Chin-hwa’s face lit up and he nodded.

"Sure, sure. Let me take off my coat first." He said but Kang-woo suddenly got behind him and said,

"Allow me."

Chin-hwa watched with his corner eyes as Kang-woo helped him take off his coat and his face lightly blushed.

"T-thanks," he said, brushing the back of his neck. "Ahem, I’ll start. Did you also get yourself a violin?" He asked and Kang-woo walked to the side, picking up the violin that was resting on the leg of the Piano. "Ah, isn’t that the one from your house?" He laughed. "You’re so prepared."

"Only by being prepared can I actually..." He paused and his lips curled up in amusement at what he was about to say.

"What?" Chin-hwa asked, wondering what he was about to say but he shook his head.

"It’s nothing." He said. ’Only by being completely prepared can I actually stand a chance to win your heart is what I was about to say but I can’t let my intentions slip out yet.’

"Then," Chin-hwa raised his hands and then dropped them on the key, letting out a loud single key as he pressed for long before raising his hands again. "Shall we begin?"

It was like an opening signal, and Kang-woo nodded, taking a position with his piano resting on his shoulder and his face slightly tilted as if trying to hold the piano down with his chin.

Chin-hwa smiled and then began to play.

Like before, his fingers danced across the keys, playing a beautiful melody that filled the room and then he began to sing.

Kang-woo listened just as much as he was immersed in his own part, but he was deeply mesmerized. Chin-hwa’s music seemed to transport him to another world completely, with the keys swarming around him and lifting his feet off the ground.

Of course, he couldn’t lose out either. He played to perfection, aiding Chin-hwa’s music with all he had.

And then it ended. Though they tried to play to perfection, there were still a few parts that weren’t in line, and Chin-hwa seemed to forget a part of the lyrics, so he hummed the part that he had forgotten to not destroy the flow of their instruments.

"Then, shall we go again?" Chin-hwa asked, smiling through the sweat that was glistening on his face.

Kang-woo saw this and smiled. He approached Chin-hwa and then wiped the sweat from his face.

"Yeah, but let me get you a glass of water first." He said and was about to take his hands away when Chin-hwa saw the callouses in his hand.

It was as a result of practicing the piano so meticulously.

They weren’t that bad yesterday. Then, did he practice even more all night?

His precious fingers... He hated the sight of the callouses.

Kang-woo noticed Chin-hwa’s gaze and asked,

"What’s wrong?"

"Your palms and fingertips are all roughed up with callouses. I... I don’t like it."

"Oh, don’t be like that." Kang-woo said, stroking his hair. "It’s just for now. I’ll get them treated once the presentation is done. It’s not like I plan to be a violinist."

He took it lightly but Chin-hwa was not happy either way.

"Hah," he sighed. "Alright."

After drinking water, they began to practice again, focusing on the parts in which they were making mistakes.

Kang-woo ordered take-out in between because they wouldn’t have time to cook once they were done practicing.

"You’ll sleep over tonight, right?" Kang-woo asked and Chin-hwa’s eyes bulged out.

"What?"

Ah, since it was so late and the dorm was already closed, it was the only optimal thing to do.

Once again, they were alone in Kang-woo’s huge house and lying in bed... Together.

’Oh my, I can’t get used to this.’ Chin-hwa thought, covering his flushed face with his fingers while peeping through them.

Kang-woo seemed to have prepared more after the last time Chin-hwa slept over. He got new nightwear for both of them. Matching nightwear.

It was as if they were an actual couple.

The thought of it made Chin-hwa’s heart beat rapidly and uncomfortably.

Just what was Kang-woo thinking when he got them matching pajamas?

"Hwa, are you okay?" Kang-woo asked and Chin-hwa nodded.

"Yeah, I’m just exhausted so I’ll sleep first." Kang-woo nodded and lay on the bed.

They were so close to each other and Chin-hwa pressed his eyes tight. But before he knew it, Kang-woo had wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer till their bodies met.

"Hyup!" Chin-hwa made a funny sound out of surprise and covered his mouth right away.

"Hwa, what was that?" Kang-woo asked but Chin-hwa trembled. What was wrong with him?

"Ah, I was... It was nothing. I was just surprised, that’s all." He said and his eyes trailed down to Kang-woo’s hand on his stomach.

That place felt tingly for some reason. Even if the fabric was separating Kang-woo’s touch from his bare skin, it still felt hot and uncomfortable.

He subconsciously wiggled his body, trying to get comfortable when Kang-woo’s grip on him hardened and he said,

"Hwa," he whispered in his ear. "...if you keep moving like that, my body is going to react... ’psychologically’, so please stop moving."

Chin-hwa gulped, sweat dripping down his forehead.

What did he mean by ’react psychologically’?