Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 75: TEMPORARY ROOMMATES

HANEUL glanced at the two people in the room. They were both slender and of average height, but the resemblance ended there.

The first had delicate features, with smooth skin, bright eyes, and neatly styled hair that framed his face perfectly, giving him an almost effortless attractiveness. The second had a different kind of appeal—sharp eyes, tousled hair styled into casual spikes, and defined cheekbones that gave him a striking, bold look.

Both of them seemed vaguely familiar, which suggested they were part of Boys Odyssey in his previous world. If he recognized their faces, they must have had a decent amount of screen time. However, since he couldn’t recall their names, it was clear they hadn’t left a lasting impression on him—unlike Robin, who had.

Anyway, they seemed to be in some sort of argument. The former had an expression as if he had been wronged, while the latter had his arms crossed, as if he was ready for a fight.

At a glance, most would assume the second boy was bullying the first. But Haneul knew better than to make snap judgments. So, to diffuse whatever situation this was, he smiled and simply introduced himself.

"Hello. I’m Kang Haneul. Your roommate for the next three days."

The first boy, who looked surprised at seeing him at first, quickly fixed his expression and smiled sweetly. He walked forward and stretched his hand.

"Hi, I’m Park Mirae."

Haneul also smiled back and shook his hand. "Hello."

He glanced at the other boy, who turned and quietly sat down on one of the three beds. "Song Jiwoo," he offered as a brief introduction.

Haneul greeted him with a polite ’hello,’ but Song Jiwoo merely acknowledged it with a curt nod.

"Jiwoo-ssi, why don’t we try to be friendly? We’re going to be sharing the same room for three days, after all," Park Mirae said, his voice smooth and sweet, carrying just the right amount of cheerfulness.

Haneul glanced at Park Mirae. The other’s smile lingered a little too long, and though his tone was light, there was something almost calculated in how he spoke. It was as if the invitation for friendliness wasn’t really about making peace, but about making Jiwoo seem out of place if he didn’t comply. His eyes sparkled with an exaggerated warmth that felt just a touch too practiced.

Haneul raised an eyebrow, catching the subtlety in Park Mirae’s words. It was becoming clear that there was more going on than he had first realized when he walked into the room earlier.

Interesting.

Song Jiwoo scoffed. Instead of responding to what Park Mirae had said, he simply stood up and walked out of the room.

"Did I say something wrong?" Park Mirae’s voice softened, his lips pressing into a thin line as his eyes briefly flickered downward. He glanced up with a faint frown, the kind that seemed almost too subtle, as if he was trying to hide his disappointment but couldn’t quite manage it. "It seems that Jiwoo-ssi still doesn’t like me," he murmured, his tone carefully balanced between hurt and innocence, as if seeking understanding without asking for it outright.

Haneul cast a curious glance at Park Mirae. It’s like the other was doing a one-man show and as the only audience, he was expecting Haneul to react. Well, okay. He would humor him.

"Do you two know each other?"

Park Mirae showed an awkward smile. "Is it obvious?"

"A bit," he said, walking forward.

He glanced at the three beds lined up side by side. The only one that hadn’t been disturbed was the one in the middle, and his suitcase sat neatly beside it. It was clear that this was meant to be his bed.

Noticing where Haneul’s gaze had landed, Park Mirae quickly spoke up. "Oh, I moved your suitcase there," he explained with a smile. "Our luggage was already here when I arrived. Jiwoo-ssi got here before me and had already chosen a bed. I had to pick one too, but I couldn’t just leave your suitcase in the middle of the room, so I placed it by the bed for you. I hope that’s alright."

Haneul smiled at the other. "It’s fine."

And he didn’t really mind. It’s not like they could open his suitcase, especially since it’s locked.

"Ah, right. About Haneul-ssi’s question earlier," Park Mirae said, smoothly steering the conversation back to the previous topic, "Yes, Jiwoo-ssi and I know each other. We actually graduated from the same middle school."

Haneul gave Park Mirae a thoughtful look. The fact that Mirae made a point to steer the conversation back to Song Jiwoo actually spoke volumes. "I see. So, you two aren’t close, then?"

Park Mirae seemed to take that as a signal to say more, and more he did.

"Sadly, yes," Park Mirae replied, his tone laced with what sounded like genuine regret. "We were in the same class for all three years of middle school, but we never got close." He sighed softly. "I did try, though. But he was rarely in class. I guess training kept him busy—he had signed with a pretty big agency back then. That made it hard for anyone in class to get to know him. And it didn’t help that he always seemed to prefer being alone, as you saw earlier."

Haneul nodded. Park Mirae continued.

"I was actually wondering what he’s doing here since I know he’s a trainee at SW," Park Mirae said, his voice dropping slightly. "I asked him about it, and then he just went off on me." He shifted in his place, his eyes flickering to the floor for a moment. "That’s what you saw earlier. I guess I must’ve offended him by asking. I can be a bit thoughtless sometimes, without meaning to."

Haneul watched him closely. If he weren’t so good at reading people, he might’ve already felt the urge to comfort Park Mirae. The guy just had that kind of face—the kind that naturally drew sympathy. Pair that with his gentle tone, and it was almost the perfect recipe.

Almost.

A recipe for gaslighting, to be exact.