IPSTDS Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Maybe that was why.

When Yoon Noah called him today and brought up Seo Dowoong, when he hinted that Kangil should play along, Kangil didn’t hesitate. He had called him darling and played the part of a lover.

Then he had even gone so far as to suggest they pretend to be lovers for a while.

It had been an impulsive proposal, but he didn’t regret it.

It wasn’t because he wanted to anger Seo Dowoong. It was solely because of Yoon Noah.

Since the day Kim Daon had teased him, Lee Kangil found himself paying more and more attention to Yoon Noah.

Looking back on how he’d gone to Noah’s house that day in such disarray, he realized just how strongly he already felt toward him.

He even found himself wishing to be with Noah on his birthday.

He had no close friends to share his heart with, no one to sincerely congratulate him. He wished Noah would be the one to celebrate it with him, just as Noah had celebrated Seo Dowoong’s birthday every year.

To be honest, he had prepared himself for rejection.

Even if Noah no longer liked Seo Dowoong, the two had still been friends for a long time. And Noah had always remembered his birthday. Surely, he thought, Noah would do the same again this year.

But Noah had chosen him. He had said he would spend the whole day with him on his birthday.

Kangil hadn’t shown much on the surface, but in truth, he had been deeply happy. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so good on a birthday before.

That was why, uncharacteristically, Kangil had spilled his heart to Noah.

He told him about how he had been painfully tied to Seo Dowoong since childhood, how that had left him with a strange inferiority complex, how he had once quit swimming—the thing he thought was his entire life.

He had never told anyone else such things. They were stories someone could easily laugh at.

But he had been sure Noah wouldn’t laugh. Rather, he had this odd sense that Noah would pity him, understand him.

And sure enough, Noah had listened seriously and then comforted him.

Noah had even apologized for speaking of his inferiority the day before.

And how had that felt?

It was as though something in his heart, always frozen solid because no one else ever understood, had finally cracked open.

And in the space where the ice had broken, what appeared was that warm summer sea he had gazed at together with Noah.

Kangil had felt a warmth he couldn’t quite name. He couldn’t take his eyes off Noah, who seemed to shine in the sunlight.

‘Let’s admit it. I really do like him.’

The proof was in his actions. Though he normally hated touching another man, he had touched Noah without hesitation. It was something he could never have done if he didn’t like him.

But Kangil decided that whether this was love, he still couldn’t say for sure.

And so, he was curious how this fake relationship would end.

Would it grow into love, leaving him wanting Noah more? Or would Noah end up as nothing more than another fleeting lover from his past?

Reaching out, Kangil gently brushed Noah’s sleeping face.

“For now, I’ll just do my best.”

Whatever the outcome, Kangil wanted to act according to where his heart led him.

That night, he couldn’t sleep for a long while, fidgeting with his phone until he had finished all he wanted to do. Only then did he close his eyes.

Noah’s breathing was like a lullaby, carrying him swiftly into dreams.

* * *

The next day, when Nahyuk opened his eyes, Lee Kangil was nowhere to be seen.

‘Did he go back home?’

Still lying in bed, Nahyuk stretched his body wide. Though his body felt heavy and stiff, he was in better condition than yesterday.

He slowly got out of bed and stepped out of his room. The moment his foot touched the staircase leading down to the first floor, he heard laughter.

It was the laughter of a man and a woman.

Recognizing the sound, Nahyuk descended all the way to the first floor. What he saw gave him a strong sense of déjà vu.

“Darling, did you sleep well?”

There was Kangil, sitting comfortably on the living room sofa as though it were his own house, sipping tea. It was exactly the scene Nahyuk had witnessed last night.

“You didn’t go back?”

“I was worried about your health. Yesterday you even fell asleep before we could finish the main event…”

“Hey!”

Nahyuk rushed forward and clapped a hand over his mouth.

“Please be more careful with what you say in front of other people, okay?”

With a sly smile, Kangil pressed his lips against Nahyuk’s hand that was covering his mouth.

“…!”

Startled by the sudden kiss, Nahyuk jumped.

“My darling is so shy.”

“…”

Would it kill him to stop calling me that?

Nahyuk resolved that he absolutely had to put an end to Kangil’s habit of saying it.

“Kangil, don’t you have to go to work? It’s Friday today.”

“I don’t need to. I told them I’d be resting through the weekend. I hadn’t been resting enough, so they told me to take more time off.”

“…Why are you taking time off?”

Kangil’s lazy gaze fixed directly on him, sharp enough to feel like it pierced through his thoughts.

“Do you really not know?”

“…Is it because of me?”

“Let’s start with breakfast. Our darling needs to eat and take his medicine. The medicine I worked blood and sweat for—you need to take it properly if you want to get better fast.”

At that, Nahyuk leaned close to his ear and muttered.

“Can’t you stop calling me darling? The staff are staring at us funny.”

Kangil just laughed quietly, then took hold of his hand. Intertwining their fingers like yesterday, he whispered softly.

“Alright then, Noah.”

“…”

Even though he had been longing to be called normally, hearing his name spoken so gently still bothered him. Kangil had whispered it in such a sweet voice that Nahyuk’s heart fluttered first thing in the morning.

Was it because of his heart condition that it pounded so often? Embarrassed, Nahyuk coughed twice as if to cover it up.

“Let’s eat now.”

“…Okay.”

They sat together at the dining table. Kangil ate heartily, as if he truly belonged in the house.

When breakfast ended and Nahyuk returned from washing up, Kangil looked different from that morning. Instead of his usual black dress shirt, he wore a more casual outfit—black short sleeves with white pants. He still hadn’t abandoned his monochrome palette.

“Where did you get those clothes?”

“Oh, I often spend nights at the lab, so I always keep spare clothes in my car.”

“I see.”

“You should get changed too. Oh, before that—do you feel any pain?”

“No, I’m fine. As long as I don’t overdo it, I’ll be okay.”

“Good, then just change into something you can go out in.”

“…Where are we going?”

“It’s a secret.”

His face was full of mischief, and Nahyuk had no idea what he was planning.

Still, going out wasn’t a bad idea. The weather was good, and Kangil looked great. So Nahyuk obediently changed into outdoor clothes.

The moment he finished changing, Kangil grabbed his hand again.

Nahyuk liked it, but with the day even hotter than yesterday, he worried Kangil might find it uncomfortable. Thankfully, Nahyuk didn’t sweat easily.

‘Is he only holding my hand this much because of the act?’

But even with Seo Dowoong nowhere around, Kangil was still so diligent about pretending to be his lover. Somehow, that made him seem cute.

The two of them got into Kangil’s car. He immediately set the navigation and started driving.

“So where are we going?”

“Running away together.”

“You don’t even love me.”

At that, Kangil’s car swerved slightly.

Was that too blunt?

“Noah, do you realize how painfully honest you can be sometimes? I was joking.”

“I was joking too.”

“You’re banned from joking.”

Nahyuk just laughed in a mocking way, which only seemed to annoy Kangil further. Still, this lighthearted banter with him was fun.

Talking with Kim Daon had been enjoyable too, but the feeling was different.

With Daon, conversations felt like chatting with a polite gentleman. With Kangil, it was like dealing with a spoiled rich young master with a crooked streak.

“I said no joking.”

Nahyuk laughed at him again, deliberately provoking him.

After driving for quite some time, they arrived at a quiet café.

It was a large three-story building, its outer walls almost entirely glass, letting in plenty of sunlight and offering what would surely be a great view.

Surrounding the café were lush green summer mountains, so abundant it was hard to believe they were still in Seoul. Nahyuk was already excited about the view.

“So this is where you were taking me?”

“Yeah. It’s a weekday morning, so it should be almost empty.”

When he drew in a deep breath, the scent of greenery filled his lungs, making him feel as though he were in the middle of a forest. The vivid green leaves rustled softly, as if greeting him.

“This is nice.”

Even after getting out of the car, Kangil took his hand again. Nahyuk glanced down at their joined hands, then up at Kangil’s face.

As if reading his thoughts, Kangil spoke.

“I don’t care about other people watching.”