I’m Too Lazy To Run away - Side Chapter 23

Kim Do-Yoon’s daily routine was simple.

If he wasn’t in the lecture hall, he’d be in the studio. If he wasn’t in either, he’d be sitting absentmindedly on a bench, holding a small lunchbox in his hand, as if he had stopped mid-meal. Then when the time came, he’d head off to his part-time job—running around diligently like a squirrel.

Kim Do-Yoon was far more shy than expected.

He was uncomfortable in crowded places and wasn’t the type to hold long conversations. He seemed to do his best when preparing assignments, but aside from that, there was absolutely no contact. Normally, Tae-Yang wouldn’t have cared—but for Do-Yoon, he couldn’t help it.

Even now, he was uncharacteristically trying to come up with an excuse to meet him.

“Hmm… should we go eat together first?”

“Oh, I’m down. Let’s get spicy pork!”

Hearing Tae-Yang’s muttering, his friend answered. Tae-Yang looked at him and asked,

“What do people our age like these days?”

“? We are people our age.”

“Maybe a restaurant….”

“So we can cut steaks? I like pork cutlets too!”

“Would he like pasta…?”

“Ugh, pasta’s too greasy. How about gamjatang instead?”

“Hmm, maybe just a home-style meal would be better.”

“That works!! Let’s go somewhere that makes good braised hairtail!”

Having decided on the menu, Tae-Yang stood up. He took out his phone and called Do-Yoon.

“Huh? Hey, wait! Let’s go togeth—! What the—where’d you go?!”

His friend hurriedly packed his things and chased after him, but Tae-Yang had already disappeared from sight.

.

.

.

Beep—The number you have dialed is unavailable. Please leave a message.

No matter how many times he called, Do-Yoon didn’t answer. The same message kept repeating. Even texts went unanswered.

There had been times he couldn’t find him at lunch before, but this was the first time he hadn’t seen him all day.

‘Did he fall asleep somewhere again?’

He remembered how Do-Yoon would often nod off absentmindedly, not waking even when someone approached. That defenseless thing. Thinking of that, Tae-Yang quickened his pace.

But even at the places Do-Yoon usually appeared, he couldn’t find him.

‘Did he even come to school today?’

What if he was sick and skipped class…

Tae-Yang hurriedly tried to call again, but paused when he saw he had already called 19 times. He couldn’t press the call button again and instead pressed a hand to his forehead.

Even he thought this was too much. He was acting like someone with obsessive paranoia.

“What’s wrong with me, seriously…”

To clear his head, Tae-Yang headed to a café. He needed an iced drink to snap out of it.

‘But if there are 19 missed calls and still no response… something’s definitely wrong—’

He entered the café, his gaze still fixed on Do-Yoon’s contact.

“May I take your order?”

At the staff’s voice, Tae-Yang finally lowered his phone and looked up.

“I’ll have an iced Ame—! Huh?!”

“…?”

“Wha—?!”

“??”

It was Kim Do-Yoon.

“Y-you’re working part-time?”

“Yes. What would you like?”

“O-one iced Americano….”

“For here or to go?”

“F-for here.”

“That’ll be 2,000 won.”

Tae-Yang handed over his card. After processing the payment, Do-Yoon returned it.

“Please wait a moment.”

Do-Yoon prepared the drink smoothly, as if used to it. Tae-Yang found this side of him unfamiliar. Sure, most college students worked part-time—but somehow, Do-Yoon felt unexpected. And surprisingly capable, too.

“Your drink is ready.”

“Thanks… uh, how long have you worked here?”

“About a month.”

“When do you finish? It’s not like I mean anything by it, but… about our assignment… I kept calling… I just thought it’d be better to meet in person.”

Tae-Yang felt embarrassed by his rambling explanation, even watching Do-Yoon’s reaction carefully.

“I finish in an hour.”

“I only have time today… so do you want to work on the assignment together? I can organize materials while I wait.”

“……”

Do-Yoon silently looked at him for a moment, making Tae-Yang anxious.

Then he nodded.

“Yes.”

Yes!

Tae-Yang clenched his fist internally in celebration.

Even after sitting down, Tae-Yang’s gaze stayed on Do-Yoon instead of his laptop. Watching him work hard felt admirable, pitiful, nice—and somehow worrying.

‘Was he always out of it because of his part-time job?’

No.

Kim Do-Yoon had always been like that.

***

An hour later.

Tae-Yang packed up his things. Do-Yoon came out after changing out of his uniform.

“We could’ve just done it here….”

“This is your workplace. You should separate work and personal things.”

“…Okay.”

Do-Yoon nodded easily.

As they walked, Tae-Yang glanced at him.

He was smaller and thinner than expected.

‘Pretty small for a Middle….’

His build almost leaned toward a secondary type—but if that were the case, Tae-Yang would’ve known. So Do-Yoon was definitely a Middle.

Then why did his gaze keep drifting back to him?

‘If he were a secondary—…!!’

(Secondary Gender: Alpha or Omega)

Tae-Yang quickly covered his mouth.

‘Idiot. If he were a secondary, what would you even do?’

It was rude to comment on someone’s constitution. Even thinking it felt wrong.

“??”

Do-Yoon looked up at him, puzzled.

“Are you sick?”

“…Huh?!”

“Hold on.”

Do-Yoon suddenly placed his hand on Tae-Yang’s forehead.

Caught off guard, Tae-Yang froze.

Do-Yoon tilted his head.

“Are you okay? Your face is….”

He almost said “like a tomato about to burst,” but stopped. Instead, he thought it might be better to postpone the assignment.

“Maybe we should do the assignment later—”

“No!”

Tae-Yang grabbed his hand urgently.

“Huh?”

“I-it’s not that I’m sick! It’s just… blushing! Yeah, blushing!”

“Blushing?”

“Y-yeah! So we can still do the assignment!”

“……”

Sometimes, Do-Yoon would stare at people like this. Yet oddly, people rarely held eye contact with him—because they would look away first.

‘My heart feels like it’s going to explode.’

Now Tae-Yang understood why.

He dropped his gaze to Do-Yoon’s lips—slightly dry, slightly parted, revealing white teeth and a faint pink tongue.

He swallowed unconsciously.

“Hmm… then should we go?”

“Huh?”

Do-Yoon pointed somewhere.

Tae-Yang followed his finger—

…and saw a motel sign.

“!!”

His legs nearly gave out.

Why was he reacting like this? It wasn’t like he had no experience.

But more importantly—Do-Yoon just casually suggested going to a motel.

Tae-Yang was mortified… but couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

‘Did I mishear?’

There was no way someone as gentle as Do-Yoon would suggest that.

“Not coming?”

“Huh?! I-I’m coming!!”

He followed with trembling legs, face, ears, and neck burning red.

‘…Is he used to this?’

That thought made him strangely sulky.

‘From now on, he’ll only go with me.’

He was already getting ahead of himself.

But instead of entering the motel, Do-Yoon turned into a side alley.

“W-where are we going?”

“Just a bit further.”

Do-Yoon grabbed his hand and led him.

‘His hand…!!’

They passed the motel, going down into a narrow alley. At the bottom of some stairs, an old door appeared.

The smell of damp cement filled the air.

Creak.

The door opened.

“It’s small… but come in.”

“W-where is this?”

“My place. It’ll be better to work here.”

Only then did Tae-Yang realize—

‘This is worse than a motel!’

Do-Yoon had invited him to his home.