IPSTDS Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Instead of cursing, Kim Daon questioned Kangil sharply.

“What do you think you’re doing right now?”

“You told me not to wake Yoon Noah, didn’t you? So I’m going to stay here and sleep until he wakes. How can I trust you to let him sleep here?”

“……”

“You don’t have to offer me the bed. I can tell that’s yours, and the thought of lying on your bed is revolting. But Noah’s sick—you can’t expect me to let him sleep on the floor.”

“Are you insane?”

“And if I am, what are you going to do about it?”

Maybe he shouldn’t have let Kangil into the house after all.

Daon had no idea how to deal with this man who acted as if he were daring him to cut his belly open. Should he throw him out—or leave him be?

But even if he forced him out, Kangil would just come back. In the end, Daon had no choice but to sleep in the same space.

“Then I’ll sleep next to hyung.”

“Absolutely not. Either sleep outside, or next to me.”

At that moment, Noah stirred in his sleep. Maybe their raised voices during the argument had caused it.

Like it was agreed beforehand, Daon and Kangil frowned at each other.

They hadn’t exchanged words, but Kangil’s eyes and expression said clearly, “This is your fault, Daon.” Daon had nothing to say to that.

He realized he couldn’t keep dealing with this lunatic and, with no choice left, began laying out bedding next to Kangil.

So this is what cultivating patience must feel like…

Daon lay down as far from him as possible. Almost immediately, Kangil muttered under his breath.

“I suggested it, but I really hate sleeping together.”

“Well, I hate everything about this situation. And to think it’s my birthday today, and I end up sharing a room with someone I can’t stand.”

“Birthday? Oh right, it was your birthday today.”

“Yes.”

“Happy birthday.”

“…?”

… Is this bastard actually insane?

Daon stared at him in deep suspicion. Maybe this man’s brain really had been infected by a virus.

“A fight is a fight, but a birthday is still a birthday. I think it’s important to congratulate someone properly.”

“……”

Daon was speechless again. If he didn’t hold himself together, he had the uneasy feeling he’d be swept away by Kangil’s rhythm.

A silence hung for a moment before Kangil spoke again.

“Hey, birthday boy Daon, I have a question.”

“Stop talking. You might wake him up.”

“I’ll keep it quiet.”

And indeed, his voice was very low. Daon sighed and gave in.

“Ask quickly, before I change my mind.”

“What are you going to do about Seo Dowoong?”

So that’s it? For all the tension in his tone, the question turned out to be about Seo Dowoong.

Daon didn’t hesitate with his reply. He had no reason to share his thoughts with Kangil, someone he’d barely met and had no personal ties with.

“I don’t owe you an honest answer.”

“So there are cracks between you two. That sharp retort of yours says it all.”

“……”

“And silence means yes.”

“Mr. Lee.”

Why is he so insufferable? Daon wished desperately that he’d just shut up.

But Kangil, like a madman, kept muttering on as if he still had more to say.

“Well, it’s not like you two were dating anyway. It’s nothing more than a fling that ended.”

Daon couldn’t help but think how nice it would be if he had a gag to shove in this man’s mouth. He wasn’t usually one to entertain violent thoughts, but…

He couldn’t just sit there and keep listening, or else Kangil’s nonsense would end up pulling him in.

“When are you going to quit playing the fake boyfriend?”

“I don’t owe you an honest answer either. But I’ll tell you anyway.”

“……”

“When Noah and I are certain about our feelings, that’s when I’ll stop.”

That was strange. It sounded like he might actually be serious about Noah.

Sure enough, Kangil said something that confirmed Daon’s suspicion.

“I’ll admit it. I’m interested in Yoon Noah. I even want to grant the wish of a man who said he wanted to know love before he dies.”

The words, stripped of all his usual mischief, felt sincere—and for some reason, they unsettled Daon. His stomach churned with an unfamiliar feeling.

It was the first time in his life he had felt something like this, and he couldn’t even put it into words.

“And…”

Kangil began again, his face serious, his voice low and heavy.

Daon tensed, not knowing what kind of confession would come next.

But what reached his ear was utterly ridiculous.

“Can you give me a blanket too? The weather’s hot, but you can’t sleep without one.”

With a serious face, all he wanted was… a blanket?

At last, Daon couldn’t hold back the words he had been suppressing.

“You crazy bastard…”

He simply couldn’t stand it without cursing.

* * *

The next day, Kim Daon woke up early at dawn.

He had long kept the habit of waking up early, so he often rose without needing an alarm. Even on nights when he dreamed of nightmares, he never overslept.

Nightmares.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t had one last night. Even though he hadn’t slept right next to Yoon Noah—only hearing his soft, even breaths—it had been enough.

Could hyung’s presence really be driving away the nightmares?

Daon quietly looked down at Noah, who seemed almost like his guardian angel. He hadn’t moved at all in his sleep, lying just as he had when he first drifted off.

So cute. A smile crept onto Daon’s lips without him realizing.

I should get breakfast ready before hyung wakes.

As he left the room, his gaze drifted to Kangil, still sleeping soundly just like Noah.

Out of sheer pettiness, Daon snatched away the blanket covering him before heading out.

He began preparing a dish he was confident in. Since it was something he did often, it wasn’t hard.

Just as the meal was nearly finished, Noah came out of the room, freshly awake.

“… Daon-ah, I suddenly fell asleep yesterday, didn’t I? Sorry.”

“It’s fine. More importantly, did you sleep well?”

His face was smooth and refreshed, but his hair was a bird’s nest. The sight made Daon laugh out loud, unable to suppress his smile.

And that was when he realized it—he was always laughing when he was with Noah.

Even more than when he was with Seo Dowoong. He must really enjoy being around Noah.

“Yeah… I slept well. Isn’t there anything I can help with?”

“No, you don’t need to. I’ve pretty much finished everything.”

But still, Noah walked over and helped set the table.

For someone who looked like he’d never so much as gotten his hands wet, Noah was surprisingly adept at arranging the table.

The way he set down the spoons and placed the side dishes didn’t look like the first time he’d done it.

Does he often help the servants at home?

It was hard to imagine. Even if Noah had become kinder, it didn’t seem like he was the type to help with menial chores.

While Daon was puzzling over it, Noah carefully asked,

“But Daon-ah, why was Lee Kangil sleeping under the bed?”

“He’s still sleeping, right?”

“Yeah. He was sleeping so well, like it was his own house, that I couldn’t bring myself to wake him.”

Noah chuckled at the thought, finding it amusing.

Daon briefly explained what had happened the night before. But Noah’s smile quickly froze.

“… I’ll apologize on his behalf. Sorry. If I hadn’t fallen asleep, none of that would’ve happened.”

“Why are you apologizing? You just celebrated my birthday. The one who should apologize is…”

Daon’s eyes shifted past Noah’s shoulder.

Speak of the devil. From the room, Kangil appeared, looking like he had just woken.

With long strides, he reached Noah in an instant and slung an arm around his shoulders. Then he rubbed his face against Noah’s cheek as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Daon couldn’t tear his eyes away. The same strange churning he’d felt yesterday returned.

“Noah, you’d better explain yourself. Why did you fall asleep even though I told you I was coming to get you?”

Kangil gave a small laugh as he said it. Though his words sounded like reproach, there wasn’t the slightest hint of force behind them.

Instead, they carried that odd tenderness Daon had noticed yesterday.

At some point, Kangil had begun acting gently toward Noah alone. That gentleness felt genuine—and that was what unsettled Daon the most.

“Kangil-ah, I’m sick. I get tired so easily that I just keep dozing off without meaning to.”

Noah’s face as he replied was just as tender.

The two of them looked at each other, teasing and laughing together.

Daon found himself thinking,

…I hate this.

By the time he realized it, he was tugging at Noah’s collar—as if to say, Look at me, not him.