WOEIWHMB – Chapter 6

Chapter 6

‘Ah, fuck. If you’re going to leave, then hurry up and go.’

When I heard another remark laced with ridicule, I started walking again.

That was when Kang Mu-hyeok’s voice reached me. It was lower than usual.

‘Me?’

‘No, not you. That gay bastard.’

‘You’re not supposed to call people bastards.’

‘Why do you care. Are you gay too?’

‘No.’

Kang Mu-hyeok answered casually and took a spoonful of soup.

The girl sitting beside him glanced at me while holding her chopsticks, then slightly lowered her head in greeting.

Was it because of Kang Mu-hyeok?

Or because of the female student who had spoken up for me?

That day, my self-esteem hit rock bottom. At the same time, a surge of injustice and humiliation welled up inside me and wrapped around my entire body.

I looked around the cafeteria, trying to avoid the situation, but there were no empty seats.

Should I just not eat…?

I stood up with my tray and headed for the return counter, when Cha Seok-bin’s sneer rang out again.

‘He always has to sit in front of guys.’

At those words, the hand holding my tray began to tremble violently.

What did I do wrong?

Like that girl said, I didn’t harm that bastard in any way, so why did I have to endure this kind of humiliation?

Something hot surged up my throat as my chest tightened.

I turned back and stood in front of Cha Seok-bin, who had been hurling insults at me. Forcing my voice out past my clogged throat, I raised it as much as I could.

“I, I have my own preferences too. I, I mean, at least I’m good-looking. You, you…”

The thought that I might get punched flashed through my mind, but the words were already spilling out along with my pent-up resentment.

“You need to be reborn. There’s no cure for being ugly! Even the god of medicine can’t save you!!”

“Eek!”

At my shrill scream, the surroundings went quiet, as if someone had dumped cold water over everything. Only then did fear rush in, and I turned around.

“Hey! You gay bas—”

A loud crash sounded behind me along with Cha Seok-bin’s shout, and I turned my head.

Cha Seok-bin was sprawled on the floor, covered in food.

Looking more closely, it turned out to be the tray of the female student who had spoken up for me earlier.

Judging by her shocked expression, it seemed she had stood up with her tray and collided with Cha Seok-bin as he rushed forward.

Cha Seok-bin got up and yelled,

“Which asshole was it?!”

From the 분위기, it looked like someone had tripped him. Cha Seok-bin’s sharp gaze swung toward Kang Mu-hyeok.

“It was you, wasn’t it?!”

“I’m sorry. My legs are long.”

Kang Mu-hyeok gave a faint, mocking smile. Then his low, ominous voice rang out clearly.

“If you’re ugly, you should at least have a decent personality.”

“What?! A first-year punk dares talk back to a senior?!”

“What’s so great about being older?”

Cha Seok-bin threw a punch.

Thud.

Kang Mu-hyeok’s face turned slightly to the side with the sound. Immediately after, his fist shot upward from below.

Taking a solid uppercut, Cha Seok-bin fell flat onto his back.

Kang Mu-hyeok looked down indifferently at Cha Seok-bin, who was crawling on the floor clutching his jaw, and spoke in a calm voice.

“Mutual.”

As I heard that word, Yeon Dong-woo suddenly thought he was hungry.

At the same time, his eyes snapped open.

A hotel bedroom shrouded in darkness by blackout curtains came into view, and warm body heat pressed against his back.

My head was resting on Kang Mu-hyeok’s arm, and his arm was naturally wrapped around my waist.

Did I fall asleep?

Just like that?

I must have dozed off while thinking about our school days together.

I’m not especially sensitive, but I’m not so dull that I wouldn’t notice someone using their arm as a pillow and holding me while sleeping…

That was what reason told me, but his embrace was comfortable and warm, so Yeon Dong-woo stayed still.

I could hear the hum of the air conditioner and his steady breathing.

Blinking for a moment, I slowly turned my head to look at him. The sleeping face beside me felt familiar, yet strangely unfamiliar.

So this is my husband…

It’s not like I live by eating his face or anything.

As I absentmindedly admired his unnecessarily handsome features, my gaze lingered on his lips.

Suddenly, I remembered what he had said at the hospital when asked what he liked about me.

‘From our first meeting, when we were in our first year of high school.’

“……”

Was that true?

Looking at him now, it kind of seemed like it might be.

The name of the girl from our class who had spoken up for me in the cafeteria back then was Choi Ju-yeon.

We weren’t close friends, but she counted as an acquaintance of mine. She said she found Cha Seok-bin unsettling because he reacted so excessively, as if being gay were some huge issue.

So when Cha Seok-bin tried to come after me, she deliberately stood up with her tray to block his path, though she hadn’t expected to actually collide with him.

After thanking Choi Ju-yeon for taking my side, I met Kang Mu-hyeok in the cafeteria the next day and thanked him as well.

He looked at me with calm, unreadable eyes and said nothing.

Feeling awkward at the silence, I was about to turn away when he spoke.

‘You’re good at seeing yourself objectively, hyung.’

At the unexpected comment, Yeon Dong-woo’s eyes widened.

‘You’re pretty handsome, so my girlfriend likes you. Ah, I mean, my female friend.’

He said it so flatly, with such an indifferent expression, that I didn’t even know what to make of it.

I’m gay, so what was I supposed to do about a girl liking me?

Back then, I thought he was just telling me that there were classmates who didn’t care whether I was gay or not.

But in truth, wasn’t he indirectly saying that I was good-looking? By specifically saying ‘female friend,’ wasn’t he also hinting that he was single?

“Ah……”

As my thoughts continued, another memory surfaced.

I don’t know if it was after we kissed or while we were dating, but I had asked him about his student days.

Kang Mu-hyeok’s calm answer came back to me.

‘Back then, I thought you were a pretty guy who drew attention. Like looking at a celebrity.’

Remembering his blunt honesty about my looks, Yeon Dong-woo’s cheeks flushed pink. Feeling awkward for no reason, he carefully slipped out of Kang Mu-hyeok’s arms.

Checking the time, it was already past six in the evening. Touching his hungry stomach and the sore bump on the back of his head, Yeon Dong-woo stared at Kang Mu-hyeok.

“Mu-hyeok… let’s eat dinner.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Kang Mu-hyeok’s eyes opened.

Sitting up, he came closer and gently rubbed the bump on the back of my head.

“Do you feel nauseous or dizzy?”

“No.”

“I’ll order room service.”

“Can’t we go out to eat? There are lots of shops behind the hotel…”

As soon as I said it, it felt strange. How did I know there were a lot of shops behind the hotel?

Ah, right. I said I planned the trip.

“It’s hot outside, so let’s go to the hotel restaurant.”

“There should be a place that does good kalguksu…”

“Pho.”

Kang Mu-hyeok corrected me smoothly, as if out of habit. What little confidence I had left shrank even more.

“…Right. Pho.”

When I nodded, Kang Mu-hyeok stroked the bump on my head again and asked,

“Are you really okay?”

“Yeah. I feel a lot better after sleeping.”

“And your memories?”

“…They’ll come back, right.”

After a brief pause, Yeon Dong-woo answered while slinging what looked like his own slingback over his shoulder.

After hesitating for a moment, Kang Mu-hyeok slung a crossbody bag diagonally across his chest. Interpreting it as a silent offer to go together, Yeon Dong-woo followed him.

As they rode the elevator down, Yeon Dong-woo’s face stiffened.

“I, uh… I need to use the restroom for a moment.”

“Do you feel nauseous?”

“No… it’s leaking again.”

I hadn’t noticed while lying down, but now that I was walking, something inside was slowly seeping out.

As the dampness spread below, Yeon Dong-woo grew restless and practically ran to the lobby restroom.

Kang Mu-hyeok followed him in and held the door as they entered a stall.

Then, without hesitation, he sucked on two of his fingers, coating them with saliva, and spoke calmly.

“Pull your pants down.”

“Huh?”

“It’s better to take it out than to keep walking around uncomfortable like this.”

“……”

I was so flustered that I didn’t even think to confirm whether what he meant was what I thought it was.

“Stick your butt out.”

“…I, I’ll do it myself.”

“That’s how this happened in the first place.”

When Kang Mu-hyeok reached for my pants, Yeon Dong-woo startled and stepped back. There was nowhere to go but the toilet behind him.

“Th-this is a public restroom.”

“There’s no one here right now.”

“……”

“Hurry.”

At Kang Mu-hyeok’s firm command, Yeon Dong-woo clutched his pants instead. When Kang Mu-hyeok pressed close, a wave of heat radiated from him.

My gaze dropped to Kang Mu-hyeok’s long, thick fingers.

I knew how those fingers would move inside my body.

Even though I’d never experienced it, the sensation came back to me vividly. My face, which had gone pale with shock, flushed bright red like a tomato.

Above my head, Kang Mu-hyeok’s low voice came down like an order.

“Press your hips back.”