TWYW C15

“Planning to run away? Sit properly.”

Yuhyeon pointed out Gyeoul awkwardly perched on the edge of the chair and placed a cup of water next to the bowl. Then, Yuhyeon, sitting opposite Gyeoul, took the first spoonful of the fried rice in front of him. After confirming that Yuhyeon was eating, Gyeoul followed suit, lifting a spoonful of fried rice to his mouth. The fried rice Yuhyeon made suited Gyeoul’s palate quite well. Gyeoul, who very occasionally ate at the school cafeteria but usually made do with convenience store food, hadn’t eaten a meal someone cooked specifically for him in a very long time.

When did he start living alone? A question naturally popped into his head.

“Sunbae.”

When Gyeoul called Yuhyeon, he looked up and met his eyes.

“Sunbae, you don’t go to your family’s main house often?”

“I go if there’s something I need to. Why?”

“No, just because.”

“Is it because you didn’t see me when you came for tutoring last time?”

“No, it’s not.”

As if Yuhyeon had read his mind, Gyeoul lowered his head at the question and continued eating his fried rice.

“Looks like you were disappointed.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

Gyeoul quickly replied while chewing the fried rice in his mouth, denying Yuhyeon’s words.

“Then I shouldn’t go on the days Lee Gyeoul has tutoring from now on.”

“……You’re teasing me again.”

“Yep. I’m teasing you.”

As Yuhyeon let out a laugh as if he found it amusing, Gyeoul shot him a subtle glare and finished the last of the fried rice in his bowl. After confirming that Gyeoul had finished eating, Yuhyeon got up from his seat and placed a packet of medicine next to the water glass.

“Take this medicine.”

“What medicine?”

“You have a fever.”

It seemed the reason his body felt heavy all day wasn’t just because of the injuries. Gyeoul’s face was slightly flushed from a higher-than-usual fever. It seemed that washing with cold water the previous night had taken a toll on him. Gyeoul obediently took the medicine and swallowed it, then watched Yuhyeon’s back as he cleaned up before getting up from his seat. It was still a bit early to go home, but he felt self-conscious about staying in Yuhyeon’s house with nothing to do.

“Um…… I’ll be going now.”

“Going where?”

“Home……”

The expression on Gyeoul’s face as he said the word “home” was clearly one of reluctance for anyone to see.

“Work on your liberal arts assignment before you go. You still haven’t finished your report.”

“……Is that okay?”

“I’m trying to supervise and see if Lee Gyeoul does his assignments well.”

“Then, um, I’ll just write a little and then go.”

As he put down his bag and immediately settled at the living room table, Yuhyeon’s laughter could be heard. Gyeoul tried to ignore him and began to write the report he hadn’t finished yet. Yuhyeon seemed to have gone into his room, as only the sound of Gyeoul’s typing echoed quietly in the living room. However, not long after, perhaps because he had eaten and taken medicine, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Gyeoul, who had been forcing them open, began to nod off at the living room table, his typing speed slowing down until his head started to bob.

₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊

In a small, pitch-black room, lit only by the lights seeping in from outside through a large window, the sound of a child’s cry echoed.

‘I’m sorry. Please save me.’

The young child, not even knowing why he was being hit, cowered in a corner, his body shaking uncontrollably as he failed to endure the torrent of slaps. He tried to back away to escape the man’s hands, but his hair was quickly grabbed, and he was dragged to the middle of the room. A kick to his stomach made him let out a dry cough, as if he were about to vomit blood.

‘Ah, Assemblyman Choi.’

A bell rang from the man’s pocket, and he answered the phone as if nothing had happened and left the room. The child got up from his curled position, closed the door, and locked it with a click. However, not even a few minutes passed before the doorknob began to shake violently, as if someone was trying to open the locked door from the outside.

‘Open the door!’

The child pressed himself into the corner again, covering his ears from the pounding sound that threatened to break the door down, and stared with anxious eyes in the direction of the noise. Unfortunately, the doorknob rattled as if it would break, and the door he had wished would never open swung open, revealing the man. The man strode over, grabbed the child by the hair again, and dragged him somewhere in the house.

‘You lock the door? Fine, let’s see you stay cooped up in here alone.’

With his shout, the child was thrown into a dark space with no windows. The door slammed shut immediately, and he could hear a clattering sound from the outside as the man’s footsteps grew more and more distant. In the pitch-black space, the child fumbled on the floor, made his way to the door, and pulled on the doorknob, but it wouldn’t budge. Realizing he was trapped, the child’s breathing grew ragged, and he started pounding on the door.

‘F-father, I’m sorry. Please open the door. Please, open the door.’

But the tightly shut door seemed as if it would never open again, and only the child’s scream-like cries echoed in the dark space.

“Lee Gyeoul.”

“I-I’m sorr……”

“Lee Gyeoul!”

At the voice calling his name, Gyeoul gasped for breath and opened his eyes.

Where am I?

Gyeoul couldn’t immediately recognize where he was lying and stared blankly at Yuhyeon’s furrowed brow.

“Drink some water.”

Gyeoul sat up from his lying position, gulped down the glass of water Yuhyeon handed him in one go, and wiped the water dripping from his lips with the back of his hand.

“I let you sit down to do your assignment, and here you are sleeping soundly with your head on the table.”

After drinking the water, Gyeoul came to his senses and scanned his surroundings. It seemed to be Yuhyeon’s room; he was lying on a large bed, covered with a blanket.

“……But why am I lying here?”

“Why else would you be lying here? It’s because I moved you.”

The thought that Yuhyeon had lifted him and put him in bed made Gyeoul’s ears burn red. It seemed that with his fever and the effect of the medicine, Gyeoul hadn’t even noticed Yuhyeon carrying him.

“Sleep more. It doesn’t look like you slept well.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll go home now.”

Not knowing what other embarrassing things he might show if he stayed at Yuhyeon’s house, Gyeoul quickly left the room, put his scattered belongings from the living room into his bag, and headed for the entrance as if he were running away. Then, as Gyeoul was putting on his shoes, he saw Yuhyeon follow him with his car keys in hand.

“Sunbae, where are you going?”

“Your house.”

Yuhyeon, who had opened the front door and gone out first, stood holding the door open and looked at Gyeoul.

“You don’t have to take me home.”

“Lee Gyeoul, you’re sick. Let’s just go quietly today.”

Seeing the look on Yuhyeon’s face that suggested he might get angry if he kept refusing, Gyeoul left the house with him without another word and got into his car. It was true that he felt it was a good thing he was getting a ride in Yuhyeon’s car, as every part of his body still ached.

“Take the medicine.”

Arriving in front of Gyeoul’s house, Yuhyeon handed him a packet of medicine. Gyeoul took the medicine, got out of the car, and held onto the passenger door, hesitating for a moment before finally spitting out a word.

“……Thank you.”

At Gyeoul’s greeting, delivered in a small, almost inaudible voice, Yuhyeon let out a small laugh.

“Is that something to say with your face all red?”

“It’s not red……”

“Lee Gyeoul denies everything first, doesn’t he.”

“That’s not……”

Gyeoul was about to say “no” again but caught himself, at a loss for words, and glanced at him.

“Go on in. Don’t forget to reapply the medicine when you get inside.”

“……Okay.”

With a small nod, Gyeoul closed the passenger door of Yuhyeon’s car. After confirming that Yuhyeon’s car had left the neighborhood, Gyeoul opened the large gate, which felt even heavier than usual. With a reluctant heart, he entered the house, went straight to the bathroom, and washed himself with warm water. Only after drying himself with a towel and applying the medicine Yuhyeon had given him did he lie down on his bed.

Yuhyeon’s face, who he had been with all day, kept popping into his mind. He felt grateful to Yuhyeon for not asking any questions in the end, and at the same time, he felt a strange emotion that kept tickling his heart. As if trying to suppress that feeling, Gyeoul rubbed his constantly pounding heart and closed his eyes.