TG Ch 3(2) Part 1

A heavy silence descended upon the room.

This kind of scene would only happen in those erotic novels that Ham Geonwu always brought… That was Sijin’s first thought.

It was hard to think otherwise. He was practically naked, Jeong Taeyul was shirtless and using a blanket to barely cover him, and they were in Ham Geonwu’s bed, no less.

“Explain yourselves,” Ham Geonwu demanded, his voice dangerously low, his expression thunderous. He glanced back and forth between Jeong Taeyul and Sijin, slowly closing the door behind him.

Sijin’s eyes widened in alarm. Ham Geonwu’s gaze was sharp, his aura intimidating. Sijin was reminded that beneath his cheerful exterior, Ham Geonwu possessed an intensity that could rival anyone’s.

“He was hurt. I was treating him,” Jeong Taeyul replied casually, his tone bordering on annoyance, as if even answering was a bother. Sijin gaped at him. That’s all he had to say?

“Treating him?” 

Ham Geonwu let out a humorless laugh, his eyes scanning the room, taking in the absurdity of the situation. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, making him seem even more threatening. Sijin stammered, his voice trembling, “W-Wait, let me… I mean, Geonwu, I-I’ll explain!” 

Ham Geonwu’s gaze turned to Sijin, his eyes narrowing. Sijin, noticing that the blanket had slipped, hurriedly clutched it to his chest. Jeong Taeyul scoffed, “I thought you said it didn’t matter since we’re both guys.” 

Ignoring his comment, Sijin focused on clearing up the misunderstanding with Ham Geonwu. “I-I’m sorry! I… I was using your bathroom and I accidentally cut my toe. So, Guide Jeong Taeyul…”

“Ah… Is that so?”

Ham Geonwu interrupted him, stepping into the room with a lazy gait. His eyes were bloodshot, probably from the alcohol, which only added to his intimidating aura. He tossed a bag he was carrying onto the desk. “So… Jeong Tae stripped you naked on my bed to treat your toe.”

“Yeah.” 

Jeong Taeyul’s nonchalant response made Sijin’s heart sink. How could he be so calm? Jeong Taeyul then proceeded to grab Sijin’s clothes from the floor and place them next to him on the bed. 

Ham Geonwu stepped closer, his shadow looming over them. Sijin had a feeling that no explanation would appease him now. He stared back at Ham Geonwu with wide, frightened eyes. Anyone would be intimidated by that grim expression. 

“Doctor.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Is that really all that happened?”

“Y-Yes! I… I hurt my toe…” 

Sijin hastily pointed at his injured foot. There it was, a neat bandage covering his pinky toe. Ham Geonwu’s eyes lingered on his anxious expression, his gaze traveling down to Sijin’s bare shoulder peeking out from under the blanket. 

“Geonwu…?” 

Sijin’s voice trembled as he looked up at him. Ham Geonwu’s eyes were now fixed on his face, one corner of his mouth twitching, as if he were trying to suppress something.

Is he angry? Sijin fidgeted nervously. He had to admit, being completely naked while getting his toe treated did seem a bit strange. 

“That’s enough.” 

Jeong Taeyul’s sharp warning cut through the tension.

Sijin wanted to tell Jeong Taeyul to back off, but then, to his surprise, Ham Geonwu burst into laughter.

“…Why are you two having all the fun without me?”

“W-What? What are you…”

He’s laughing? Sijin was taken aback by Ham Geonwu’s sudden change in demeanor. His smile seemed almost menacing.

Then, Ham Geonwu’s laughter turned into a mischievous grin, his eyes twinkling with drunken amusement. “I said, why did you two have all the fun without me?”

“H-Hold on, Geonwu! Ah!”

Sijin tried to interject, but Ham Geonwu suddenly buried his face in Sijin’s lap, nuzzling against his thigh, which was barely covered by the blanket. Caught off guard by his weight, Sijin instinctively grabbed onto his broad shoulders.

“He’s totally wasted,” Jeong Taeyul muttered, frowning as he tried to shove Ham Geonwu away with his foot. However, Ham Geonwu sprang back up like a bobblehead doll. Jeong Taeyul simply sighed, as if he had expected this. 

“Ugh… Doctor… My head is killing me,” Ham Geonwu whined, his voice thick with the effects of alcohol. The intimidating aura he’d had just moments ago had vanished without a trace. Sijin was the only one still feeling bewildered. 

“Um, Geonwu, you’re a bit heavy…” 

“You were hurt? Just tell me. Jeong Tae must have hit you, right?” 

“No, he really did treat me. But your hands… You…!”

Sijin gasped, reaching under the blanket. Ham Geonwu’s hand was on his bare waist. He tried to pry it off, but it was no use. Ham Geonwu only sighed contentedly, seemingly enjoying the warmth of Sijin’s skin. The weight of his head resting against Sijin’s thigh was overwhelming. Sijin felt like a prey animal cornered by a large predator.

Suddenly, Ham Geonwu lifted his head, his eyes widening. “Wait, what? Jeong Tae treated you himself?” 

“Huh? Y-Yeah…”

Sijin nodded, still bewildered. Ham Geonwu turned towards Jeong Taeyul with a disbelieving expression. 

“Weren’t you the one who knocked me unconscious when I broke my arm because you couldn’t stand my whining?”

“It’s moments like these that make me grateful to be your Guide.” 

Jeong Taeyul shrugged before rummaging through the bag Ham Geonwu had brought. It contained hangover remedies and a neatly packed container of food. Judging by the round container, it was probably soup. 

“That’s not for you. It’s for the Doctor.” 

Jeong Taeyul seemed unfazed by Ham Geonwu’s comment. He set the bag aside and placed the first-aid kit on the desk, instead of its usual spot.

“Fill this up,” he instructed Ham Geonwu, scribbling a note on a piece of paper: ‘RESTOCK – BY TOMORROW.’ He was clearly an expert at handling the Killer Whale.

“Anyway, Doctor… Ah, what was I going to ask…?” 

“Huh?”

Ham Geonwu asked, ignoring Sijin’s response. In that aspect, he and Jeong Taeyul were quite similar.

“Right, about that accident you mentioned… the one where I supposedly saved you.”

“…Yeah.”

“Could you at least tell me where it happened? I might be able to remember then. There were so many building collapses back then, it’s all a blur.”

Sijin’s heart sank. 

He was right. Ten years ago, a series of building collapses had plagued the country. It was a time when factions opposing Ability User experimentation resorted to terrorism, targeting research facilities and government institutions. It was a dark chapter in the nation’s history—and in Sijin’s personal life.

Sijin was unable to answer, his hand tightening around the blanket. Ham Geonwu’s brow furrowed with concern. “Doctor? …Are you okay?” 

“……”

Sijin’s lips parted, but no words came out. He lowered his head, forcing a dry chuckle. Unable to meet Ham Geonwu’s gaze, he said, “I’m sorry. It’s just… That’s a difficult memory for me.” 

“No, it’s okay. I shouldn’t have asked. You must be feeling overwhelmed.” 

Ham Geonwu’s apologetic expression made Sijin force another smile. Ham Geonwu looked down at him and said, “It’s a shame, really.”

“……”

“It would be nice if I could remember you, too.”

Sijin’s throat tightened. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to utter a single word. It was ironic. Perhaps due to the alcohol, Ham Geonwu’s emotions seemed more transparent than usual. Sijin could see the disappointment in his eyes, and he couldn’t help but feel it too. It would have been nice to reminisce about their shared past. He really did regret it. 

It was Jeong Taeyul who broke the silence.

“Aren’t you going to get dressed? Planning on staying here naked?” 

Sijin jolted back to reality, turning to see Jeong Taeyul scowling at him. 

He then proceeded to kick Ham Geonwu’s shoulder, dislodging him from Sijin’s thigh. “Let’s go. Time to get this one to bed.”

“Don’t leave, Doctor! Just live here with me!” 

It was clear that ‘this one’ referred to Ham Geonwu. Despite Jeong Taeyul’s words, Ham Geonwu continued to cling onto Sijin playfully. Sijin chuckled awkwardly. “Geonwu, you really need to go to bed. I’m going to get dressed now.”

He gently pushed Ham Geonwu away, acutely aware of Jeong Taeyul’s watchful gaze. He wished he hadn’t gotten on Jeong Taeyul’s bad side again, especially after they had seemingly reached a truce.

Sijin carefully folded Ham Geonwu’s robe and placed it on the bed. He then adjusted his towel and stood up, quickly gathering his clothes. Jeong Taeyul, as if to tell him to go to his own room, opened the guiding door and gestured with his chin. Afraid of being reprimanded, Sijin hurried through the door. 

“Ooh…” 

He heard Ham Geonwu’s voice behind him, his tone impressed. He didn’t hear the rest of his comment until he’d stepped into Jeong Taeyul’s room.

“I just saw the Doctor’s butt. It’s so cute.” 

Ham Geonwu’s muffled yelp followed immediately after. Sijin’s face burned with embarrassment as he scrambled to get dressed. He couldn’t believe he had flashed both of them tonight, all because of a few drinks. 

***