Eighteen's Bed-Chapter 25.4

Kang Suhyeon pulled her body closer to mine. That moment of her movements and the content of the presentation made me realize. The eighteen women listed in the documents were a figment of Kang Suhyeon’s imagination. That realization allowed me to present my topic more confidently. It was straightforward.

Report on Upper-Class Men and Sexual Attraction

More precisely, it was the Go Yohan Report.

****

GoOO Report

GoOO tends to ignore others’ opinions and acts on his own.

1-1. Alpha XY flaunts his power, thereby enhancing his sex appeal_

I left the cursor blinking above the sentence. My fingers hesitated on the keyboard, pressing backspace, then typing again, repeating this several times. After pausing for a while, my fingers moved again. Screw it. It was a feeling of resignation.

This report was prepared for a class assignment on "Gender and Marriage" under the topic "Sex and Gender," written to explain how universally human beings feel sexual attraction and desire to marry. GoOO, an anonymous real-life figure, was observed for the detailed description of this topic.

This team member Kang Jun (Department of Political Science) proposed, and Kang Suhyeon (Department of Mechanical Engineering) agreed, deciding that GoOO was a suitable subject for observation, and conducted the observation secretly to obtain unadulterated factual results. Basic information about GoOO is described below.

Observed Subject: GoOO

Age: Early twenties

Height: Just over 190 cm

Weight: Heavier than average based on direct measurement; presumably muscular.

Athletic Ability: Seems to exercise regularly as a hobby. Naturally good physical ability.

Financial Status: No personal income, but parents are wealthy, and he is expected to inherit in twenty years.

Appearance_

My fingers hesitated again. They tapped lightly on the keyboard a few times. The hesitation was brief. This time, they moved quickly.

Appearance: Very handsome

While appearance is a subjective measure, objectively, GoOO falls into the category of an attractive male. For this reason, the observer has chosen GoOO as the subject of observation.

I finished the introduction and took a sip of the coffee that had been sitting next to the laptop. It seemed I had put it there before starting the report, but due to my hesitation, the once hot coffee had turned lukewarm. After drenching my mouth with the bitter coffee, I was certain. This report was less garbage than Kang Suhyeon’s "First Night Report."

In fact, the 'agreement of Kang Suhyeon' stated in the description was a lie. However, there is a very short history as to why Kang Suhyeon ended up following this topic.

Kang Jun and Kang Suhyeon, after a fierce bout of mind games, decided to seek the professor's help. It was an excellent decision. I could confidently say that this would change my second semester.

Kang Suhyeon had initially refused, saying, "This topic is too cliché and lacks substance. My topic is more global and creative." However, after hearing from the critique that it was "a cliché and uninteresting sexist topic," she had to shut her mouth.

And the professor, after seeing my alternative report, asked,

"Mr. Go is a man, right?"

Kang Jun and Kang Suhyeon simultaneously nodded. Seeing this, the professor asked another question.

"Who chose this topic?"

"It was me."

"Really?"

The professor looked at my face thoughtfully and then smiled leisurely before asking a second question.

"Political Science, right?"

"Yes."

"That’s quite unexpected."

The professor looked back and forth between me and the report. Why? Fortunately, the expression he was giving me was positive. He tossed the documents on the desk and said,

"It’s not exactly innovative, but it’s better than the previous topic. Go ahead with this one."

I felt a bit proud, and Kang Suhyeon scowled. As much as I disliked working with an annoying person like him - the professor had threatened a penalty for changing teams mid-semester - it was better to work on something I liked than to nauseously watch someone else’s fantasized dates.

But as I was leaving the professor's office, the professor suddenly made a significant comment.

"I’m curious to see for myself how attractive Mr. Go is in your eyes."

Strangely, that remark continued to nag at me uncomfortably. Even until now.

****

As the person who chose this topic and because I have been by Go Yohan's side the longest, the responsibility of writing the report fell to me. I was also tasked with creating the presentation. I could no longer be entangled in Kang Suhyeon’s bombardment of STEM preferences.

In the end, Kang Suhyeon was only tasked with one presentation, yet she still managed to complain, though most of what she said could be ignored without missing much in the conversation.

Her complaints ceased abruptly when she received a call from somewhere, and after a bright smile, she bid me goodbye. She was indeed a strange person.

Left alone, I sighed deeply enough to pierce the ground as I looked at the desk littered with used tissues.

"How did I ever get mixed up with that guy?"

The more I thought about it, the further it seemed from the college life I had envisioned.

After pondering for a while, I gingerly picked up a tissue with tweezers. Really, why am I even hanging out with that guy? I felt a sense of disillusionment.

The crumpled tissue plummeted to the blue trash bin below. It felt like germs were crawling over my fingertips. Ugh, I wanted to die. Grimacing, I returned to my seat and pulled out an alcohol spray, then sprayed it twenty times both on the spot where my fingers ended and where Kang Suhyeon had been sitting.

And it was behind the building where economics classes were mostly held that I began contemplating the first proposition.

GoOO stands out wherever he is.

It was a Wednesday when Go Yohan’s classes ended earlier than mine. However, due to the professor's schedule, the lecture ended in just an hour and a half, throwing off my plans. I had no friends anyway, felt awkward in the department lounge, and had nothing to do at the cafe. So, while packing up in an empty classroom, I suddenly made a decision.

“This would be a perfect opportunity to scare him…”

I muttered to myself and then clamped my hand over my mouth. I felt my personality was getting weirder.

“Why am I like this?”

I slapped my cheek lightly. At least, I should stop talking to myself. Anyway, the idea I had was pretty good.

I mustn’t tell him that my class ended early. Then, I'd wait outside the lecture hall where Go Yohan would be, holding a drink. He’d surely be surprised. It wasn’t anything grand, but it seemed like it would be fun. Just thinking of a surprised Go Yohan was amusing.

As I've gotten older, I've become more childish. Why do such trivial things amuse me?

With a notably lighter mood, I set off to find Go Yohan. But when I arrived, the class had already ended. My plan was ruined from the start.

"Ah, what a waste."

Disappointment flooded in. The excitement I had felt evaporated almost instantly.

Still, I had bought an ionic drink and still had a chance to tease him. I’d surprise Go Yohan by splashing the cold drink on the back of his neck.

Imagining his bizarre reaction made me laugh again. I tried hard to suppress my laughter, which hurt my lips. Finding Go Yohan wouldn’t be difficult. I just needed to head where the crowd was. Go Yohan was always at the center of chaos. And my assumption was accurate.

As I approached the back of the building, I could hear whispers mixed with the smell of cigarettes. But amidst that cigarette odor, I recognized a familiar scent. The blue scent of Go Yohan.

“Go Yo...”

“Am I the only one here with a girlfriend? What are you guys doing? Idiots. The school is crying. Crying.”

“Shut up about diseases when you don’t have one yourself. Ah, shit-. I'm so jealous of Go Yohan. She must be pretty.”

I stopped in my tracks at the sound of that conversation. I was on a half-floor up on the stairs, behind a fence. I naturally bent my knees. My lips parched, I moistened them. So, Go Yohan said he had a girlfriend?

Kang Jun could be a bit presumptuous. And I was certain that ‘girlfriend’ referred to me. I scratched my pants absently. Anticipation made my entire body itch.

“They wouldn’t be dating someone ugly. Yohan would puke if he saw an ugly person. That’s why he puked seeing Oh Kyung-cheol.”

“Really?”

“I seriously saw a guy openly vomiting yellow bile while looking at someone’s face for the first time.”

This was a voice I didn’t recognize. At least not one of the guys I knew. I peered slowly down the path where the cigarette smoke was rising. Just below a slightly low fence, Go Yohan was sitting. The dry weather had slightly chapped his lips, which held a stick of candy.

“I couldn’t help it. Just seeing that friend made me feel sick.”

“Look at this guy, see, he’s rotten to the core. Why does your girlfriend even date you? Is she Mother Teresa?”

“What are you talking about? She’s nastier than me.”

What? Go Yohan is discussing my temper? I can't accept that.

The audacious Go Yohan flicked the tiny candy with his fangs. The impact caused the candy to crack and fall to the ground. Looking down at the candy now dirty with soil, Go Yohan nonchalantly spread his fingers and dropped the white stick. His attitude showed no remorse.

“It’s weird. If she’s so bad-tempered, why date her?”

“She’s pretty, that’s why. Guys like him always go for pretty but nasty girls.”

“Really?”

Among the group of five men, Go Yohan, sitting alone on the fence, asked this while slightly smiling. His pointed fangs were exposed. ‘Really?’ That single word drew everyone’s attention to Go Yohan. As usual, he was exceptional at capturing people’s interest. That comment was likely intentional.

Go Yohan was ascending to a new throne from that position. Satisfied with the reactions directed at him, he tilted his chin up slightly and asked the guy who had just defended him another question.

“So, let me ask you. What kind of guys do pretty and nasty girls like?”

“They? They go for nice guys.”

“Am I nice?”

“No? You’re about to be dumped, right?”

The tone was clearly meant to tease Go Yohan. I saw traces of high school in their casual conversation.

Typical of guys, still the same. The act of nitpicking and sorting out minor hierarchies remained the same at twenty and was still rampant in university. But Go Yohan was still Go Yohan. He didn't let that insolence slide.

In an instant, Go Yohan wiped the smile off his face and mouthed a curse quietly.

“Want to die?”

He then kicked the shin of the guy who had answered his question. It looked like a light kick to an observer, but the guy, groaning in pain, bent over and fell. Under normal circumstances, one would have apologized, but Go Yohan shamelessly laughed as if it were a joke.

“Think before you speak, you idiot.”

“Ah... Ah, shit...”

“Don’t jinx someone else’s love life.”

Go Yohan still had a certain arrogance and a sinister edge to him. With just a stretch of his hand, he quickly grabbed the nose of the guy clutching his shin, still not getting up from his spot.

“Ah, that hurts!”

The guy entangled in Go Yohan's sudden grip was truly pitiable. Even if he bent his waist, having his nose pinched between the index and middle fingers would have made it impossible to maintain balance. Today's victim gasped for breath through his mouth and pushed at Go Yohan's wrist.

It was futile, I thought, and my thoughts were correct.

Go Yohan grinned brightly, exposing his fangs. His facial features were so exaggerated that his smile shone like the sunlit surface of a lake, but the underlying poverty and sadness in his expression gave it a chilling undertone. Moreover, when the prankster was Go Yohan, the gloomy and chilly smile was doubly effective.

His left hand, gripping the nose, moved his fingers back and forth like car windshield wipers. The victim, unable to resist the forceful action, comically rolled from left to right. The others gauged the mood, looking for cues on how to react.

But just when it seemed too harsh, Go Yohan released his grip. He then playfully tapped the tip of the friend’s nose he had just released with a V-shaped hand gesture, tapping alternately with his fingers.

“Heh.”

Go Yohan laughed in a somewhat foolish tone, altering the atmosphere from suspicion to a moderate discomfort. His antics were becoming more cunning. Yet, I was the only outsider who could see that this was all part of Go Yohan's intentions.

After ceasing the light tapping, Go Yohan pulled back his hand and added,

"Let’s try to keep manners among friends, unless you want to stop asking after each other's parents."

Was he the one to talk? The least mannerly person here seemed to be Go Yohan himself. I felt that way, but probably those present didn't think like me. It's not that they couldn't, they just wouldn't. From their posture alone, it was clear: as soon as everyone else slightly bent to align their sight with Go Yohan, the matter was considered settled.

As usual, the situation and the people revolved around Go Yohan. Their amused faces made it obvious.

"Yeah, you went too far. He really looks after his girlfriend, doesn't he?"

"No, crap... Ugh. I was just joking. Ah, shit."

"Your jokes hit hard."

Go Yohan's eyebrow twitched again. His expression was mischievous but filled with malice.

"Alright, I got it. I was tactless. Let's stop. Sorry, really sorry."

"Okay."

His expression was flat as he abruptly laughed. Ha! Go Yohan laughed alone amidst the killed mood, suddenly finding humor where none seemed apparent. 'Okay?' As far as I could see, he was still visibly angry.

"But what was with that nose grabbing and shaking? Scared the hell out of me."

"That's not normally something to joke about, right?"

Go Yohan patted the arm of the startled student, trying to smooth over the incident as everyone seemingly took it as just a joke, and the atmosphere eased into meaningless laughter. That definitely wasn’t just a joke.

Thus, Go Yohan's tyranny didn’t stop even at university.

I was no exception. In exchange for being associated with Go Yohan, I missed out on May. Positioned neither in the hierarchy nor in the group, I naturally chose the path of an outsider. Yet, someday, tired of the loneliness of losing the pack as a social animal, I might just join their ranks.

Go Yohan was still there. It would be strange now not to feel jealous. Go Yohan probably would never understand the criminal mind that must struggle to survive from below.

Yet, I couldn’t hate Go Yohan. He had become too transparent for me to deny. Why am I always weak for those I like? Even his actions, which easily earned him a place, seemed endearing.

But what about a girlfriend? Crazy guy. It sure seemed like he was talking about me. But when had Go Yohan and I ever started dating? We hadn’t agreed to date each other. Yet we did everything like living together, so we were dating, right? That must be right for Go Yohan. We had said we liked each other. And why would he talk about that?

Trembling with anxiety, I couldn’t stop the corners of my mouth from twitching. Am I becoming like Go Yohan? I’m going insane. When did I change like this? Dual feelings manifest in actions. Despite blaming Go Yohan internally, I had still been hiding near the fence, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Wait, am I being...creepy?

"I'm sorry I joked about the sister-in-law thing. Honestly, I didn't realize you were that serious."

"Why? Doesn't it look serious?"

"You're stiffening up again. Dude, relax your face. Even if it's a joke, it's kind of scary. This guy is freaked out right now."

"Doesn't it look serious?"

Go Yohan pressed down hard on his thumbnail with his teeth. He stared quietly at the face of the guy whose shin he had grabbed, then laughed again. This time, there was absolutely no trace of laughter in his demeanor.

"Yeah, yeah, I see now. No one's as serious as you are. Your sister-in-law must be thrilled because of you. Happy now?"

Peacekeepers exist everywhere. They are called peacekeepers but they’re closer to cowards who dislike tense atmospheres. This peacekeeper, like any other, turns violent when the situation revolves around them. This peacekeeper calmed Go Yohan down. Finally, Go Yohan smiled brightly, not out of satisfaction from being boosted but as if he appreciated being consoled.

Rather than playing the hierarchy game, Go Yohan prefers to act on his own terms. But a child born in the sky doesn’t know how to come down from it. They only know how to rule. And so, Go Yohan always finds himself in a position to dominate others.

Alongside, the so-called ‘Go Yohan's girlfriend’ was soon referred to as the sister-in-law. It seems that, lower in the hierarchy, one's girlfriend is often called sister-in-law. College holds a wider variety of characters, making it interesting to observe.

While I was fascinatedly watching, Go Yohan declared openly.

"Hey, I'm going to marry her."

Damn. The fascination I felt crashed to the floor.

"What, what are you talking about?" I exclaimed in shock, my eyes widening as I scrutinized Go Yohan. Hehe. Uncharacteristically, Go Yohan twiddled his thumbs, his index fingers intertwined as he blushed. "Why is he like that? I'm really going insane now."

"The first time I locked eyes with him, I knew. I knew I'd date and marry that bastard. It was fate."

"Calling your brother-in-law a bastard, really?"

"Yeah, damn. Speak nicely, will you? And dreaming big at twenty. Did your sister-in-law agree?"

Go Yohan didn't care about the previously mentioned problem at all. He simply ignored it. He lifted his head to look at the four people he was talking to, but it didn’t feel like he was making eye contact. Instead, there was still a sense of oppression, as if Go Yohan was still looming over him. Go Yohan rubbed his jawline with his fingertips and said,

"Well, she did say she'd marry me? But I wonder. Does she really want to marry me? What kind of men do those girls like? At least she likes me, likes me."

Ahem. Go Yohan cleared his throat and continued.

"She said she likes me."

"Are you crazy? Ah, damn. This is so cringy. He's being so childish about love."

"Hey, you wouldn't know. It’s obvious he isn’t in the early stages of a relationship. In the beginning, you have rose-colored glasses and can’t judge properly. Tell us, what type of style does your sister-in-law usually like? I know what you like, but there must be a usual style she prefers."

"…Hmm."

Finally, Go Yohan closed his mouth. He put his thumb into his mouth and pressed it against his canine tooth. His brow furrowed and his slightly locked throat moved.

"She likes tough, spirited guys. She's a bit pretentious."

When did I? I nearly went mad wanting to retort immediately. This guy is looking at people that way. When did I ever say I liked that style?

"Oh, is that you?"

"Ah, is that so?"

"This guy is just bragging now."

"Do you want some beef?"

Go Yohan chuckled, offering an incomprehensible compliment to the peacemaker. Having observed Go Yohan closely for nearly three years, I knew. That wasn't a real offer to buy, just a sudden impulsive compliment. Why make such a compliment? I don’t even get it. It's cute, though.

The guy who received the unexpected compliment seemed pleased. He eagerly continued speaking.

"No, when I first saw Go Yohan, I wondered why such a guy was at our school. I was shocked that there was a guy who looked like he couldn’t possibly be admitted to our school. He looked like the type to bully others around."

"How can you do such bad things? I have a religion. I can’t do such bad things."

Bullshit. I was so flabbergasted that I couldn't even laugh. Of course, I, hiding and watching this conversation, was also stunned. Why am I like this?

"Mad, you had a religion? What religion?"

"Uh? I’m a cultist."

"…"

…

I quietly pressed my forehead. A headache was coming on.

It seemed like half of the people there thought Go Yohan was joking, and the other half just laughed it off pretending they hadn’t heard. Probably the truth behind those words would never be fully revealed. So this is how Go Yohan's lies come to be. I glimpsed the life Go Yohan had lived.

"Girls who like strong and tough men usually like something stimulating and flashy. You know? Like women who date gangster thugs. You can’t be all high and mighty then. Do you smoke?"

"Right. I started smoking because of that guy."

"Damn, why? Anyway, good job. Your sister-in-law loves a man who smokes a cigarette well."

Go Yohan's expression, which had been sour, suddenly turned contemplative. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. The guy giving advice to Go Yohan was pretty good-looking, obviously the kind who’d be light on his feet. What does that jerk know? I couldn’t hold back my anger and clenched my fist.

He’s only spouting the complete opposite of my tastes. What does he know, that bastard. So that's why Go Yohan started smoking. That bastard. Die. The only thing I liked about Go Yohan when I first saw him was his painfully righteous values.

"Right. Definitely."

Right about what? But the nonsense Go Yohan was spouting was absolutely maddening.

"That guy, his breath… smelled of cigarettes."

"Oh-. Yohan-. Was it stolen?"

"What are you talking about, damn. It wasn’t originally his."

Go Yohan licked his fangs with his tongue as he spoke.

"Every break time, watching that damn guy go off to smoke was infuriating. I wanted to kill them both so badly. I hated seeing it so much that I’d just lie down on my desk and pretend to sleep during breaks."

Go Yohan’s words made my head spin white. In an instant. After I first got physically involved with Go Yohan, I picked up the fragments of Go Yohan’s circumstances and what he thought of me. I hadn't really wanted to pick them up. But the conversation didn’t consider me at all and quickly passed by.

"Look at the jealousy. Isn’t he just childishly tormenting your sister-in-law?"

"Torment? I don't do childish things like that."

"See? This guy is a real man."

…Perhaps Go Yohan lacks the ability to see himself objectively.

Go Yohan casually ignored the subtle compliment and flicked his finger at the person next to him. When the summoned guy leaned over in confusion, Go Yohan abruptly grabbed the cigarette butt the person was holding. Then, without saying a word, just looked at it while rolling his tongue in his mouth.

"Here? I’ll give it to you."

Only then did Go Yohan let go of the cigarette.

The person who had been holding the cigarette dug into his chest pocket and pulled out a pack, from which he extracted the cigarette at the very edge and handed it to Go Yohan. Go Yohan didn’t take it with his hand. He simply looked down and tilted his chin. That was the end of it.

The guy, flustered by the task, awkwardly positioned the cigarette in Go Yohan's mouth. Seizing the opportunity, another person swiftly pulled out a lighter from his pocket.

"Here."

Go Yohan, as if it were the most natural thing, half-closed his eyes and remained motionless.

Instead, two or three others gathered around to shield the wind and light the cigarette. It was a frenetic movement. Meanwhile, the gloomy depths of his face flickered with the orange light of the flame, then it vanished. Seeing this, I simply bent my knees and sat down, staring blankly.

As the cigarette finally lit, Go Yohan raised his head. Without even holding the cigarette with his hand, he drew in the smoke deeply and scrunched up his face. His long neck sank deeply. Ultimately, he exhaled the smoke while still staring at the ground and then abruptly spat out the cigarette.

"Still shitty."

The cigarette, lit just once, rolled absurdly on the ground.

Go Yohan shook his left hand roughly in the air as he stood up. Even among tall people, Go Yohan stood out by a head when he got up. Every time I witness such moments, I realize just how large Go Yohan's frame really is.

"Hey, where are you going, Yohan? Weren't we going to have lunch together?"

"Nah, I don't want to end up vomiting by having to look at your faces while eating."

With a light chuckle and a twinkle in his eyes, Go Yohan raised his left middle finger. Then, turning his wrist to show the back of his hand rather than his fingers, he flexed his finger in a waving gesture.

"Kids, live long and prosper!"

With those bizarre words, Go Yohan turned around without a second thought. His hair, already disheveled, fluttered messily in the wind.

My gaze lingered sorrowfully on the group Go Yohan had left behind. They would surely spew endless words about Go Yohan, some of which would definitely be curses. I watched Go Yohan walk away from the group, then pulled myself up.

What's the use of talking anyway? It wouldn't bother Go Yohan in the slightest.

Striding down the street, Go Yohan's gait was brisk, and I hurriedly pulled out my phone. An idea for the report had just sparked in my mind. I busily looked between the screen of my phone and Go Yohan's retreating back, my fingers moving swiftly.

Go Yohan always stands out wherever he is.

2-1. His dismissive personality and natural aura appear to be the cause. His features are more sharp than gentle.

2-2. Smoking would have made him stand out even more.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

It is not that people are sexually attracted to men who smoke, but rather, men who smoke can be sexually appealing when they look cool doing it.

I hastily typed on my phone. After several close calls of losing sight of Go Yohan and catching up with him as if running, I found myself back at the lecture hall where I had just attended class.

"Uh."

I stood in the corridor, watching Go Yohan in an awkward stance. He had reached the front of my lecture hall but, upon seeing it completely empty, he became flustered and dithered. Alternating his gaze between the hallway and the lecture hall, he eventually just stood stupidly in the corridor and made a strange noise.

"Huh?"

He seemed surprised, though it didn't look like it. I had unintentionally succeeded in startling him. Lucky me.