WYK 45

Despite his shame, he even washed my hair and came out. He had changed into the clothes that Chae-heon had brought for him. He really should have brought a change of clothes, instead of just showing up with a single bottle of wine as a gift.

So utterly unprepared. If he had anticipated things would go this way, he should have at least packed an overnight bag.

Jeong-yoon lay down on the sofa, berating himself.

He looked at the lights on the ceiling and looked at the colorful cabinet furniture. He glanced blankly at the patterns on the marble floor. Despite idling away the tedious time like this, Chae-heon was nowhere to be seen.

‘Where did he go?’

After blinking his eyes restlessly, Jeong-yoon pushed himself upright, intending to wander and call out Chae-heon’s name.

But before he could do that, Chae-heon suddenly appeared. He was dressed in a simple white shirt and gray sweatpants.

The comfortable outfit looked so cool that Jeong-yoon felt like falling in love with him all over again. He was used to seeing him in neat attire, so this relaxed appearance stirred excitement within him. He already knew he was weak to Kang Chae-heon’s appearance, but this was beyond intense. It was almost absurd. He wasn’t even a fan of celebrities or anything.

Chae-heon patted his wet head and immediately sat down next to Jeong-yoon. The fruity scent of body wash wafted through the gentle breeze. Quite a sweet aroma for a full-grown man, yet it suited him uncannily well, eliciting a sigh from Jeong-yoon.

Jeong-yoon licked his lips out of nervousness and then carefully turned his head towards Chae-heon. He could see his wet bangs slightly touching the bridge of his nose.

“Why didn’t you come out sooner? I thought you’d left without me when you took so long.”

“Where would I go without you?”

“Do you usually take long baths? What were you doing?”

“What was I doing? I took care of myself a few times.”

Chae-heon replied nonchalantly with a casual smile. That look seemed to say ‘you know’ so bluntly that Jeong-yoon’s face flushed steadily redder like paper drenched in water. He really shouldn’t have pried so carelessly. Struggling to change the subject with a composed tone, he said:

“Thanks for the clothes. You didn’t buy them for me, did you?”

“No, it’s just one of a few sets I keep around since I dislike wearing the same thing too often.”

Those words reminded Jeong-yoon of his own threadbare white tee used for sleepwear – he’d owned it for maybe 8 years. A small hole formed at the side, yet nothing felt as comfortable, so he kept wearing it. If he were to invite Chae-heon over, he definitely shouldn’t let him see that. Jeong-yoon had some self-respect after all.

“Anyway, I’ll wear it gratefully. Though it’s a bit oversized and embarrassing. Like wearing my dad’s clothes. Well, actually I’m taller than my dad now by about 1cm?”

Jeong-yoon said while smoothing the slightly flowing shoulder seams and the loose neck collar. Chae-heon looked at Jeong-yoon’s bare neck and shook his head.

“It suits you well. Looks stylish. Cute, too.”

“Uh…Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks.”

Stylish and cute. Being called cute felt a bit awkward, but the stylish comment made Jeong-yoon smile. No matter how he thought about it, he really was hopelessly weak for Kang Chae-heon.

Chae-heon slightly lowered his upper body and stared at Jeong-yoon’s face. Bracing himself for a potential kiss, the intimate proposition that came instead caught Jeong-yoon off guard.

“Stay the night.”

“Huh?”

“It’s late.”

“….”

Jeong-yoon pondered seriously. Stay the night? Did this perhaps have the same implication as ‘eat ramen before going’?

Jeong-yoon glanced at Chae-heon’s expression. All he saw was a courteous demeanor, yet Jeong-yoon now knew full well the kinds of things this affable face could do. That tenderness was undoubtedly just surface-level.

Nevertheless, he genuinely felt his body respond. But confirming Kang Chae-heon’s stamina, unnecessary as it was this night, was a bit awkward. Because he still didn’t know much about how men did things with each other. No, he did know, but not exactly.

He recalled the video he had watched yesterday while preparing himself before coming over, under the pretext of ‘studying.’ He had glimpsed about 4 seconds of two entwined men before squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head vigorously. At that moment, he realized for certain that besides Kang Chae-heon, he disliked seeing any other nude male form.

Anyway, for that reason, the relationship between men was still an unknown world for Jeong-yoon. He had to study and research properly. He couldn’t let Kang Chae-heon down again. He had pride- he couldn’t just be flustered and weak like today, especially not with the skilled Chae-heon.

He would study hard and melt Chae-heon the way he had been melted today. A fierce determination welled up inside Jeong-yoon.

He pretended to glance at the wall clock and then shook his head.

“I should get going for today. My mom will scold me if I stay out without letting her know.”

Chae-heon silently observed Jeong-yoon for a moment before cracking a faint smile.

“Seo Jeong-yoon, you really know how to decline decisively, huh?”

“… Oh… do I?”

“Yeah. You’re good at it.”

“Thanks.”

“Welcome.”

“…”

The expression “you know how to refuse decisively” might mean “you really know how to handle things.” Jeong-yoon made a perplexed expression and cursed himself silently.

‘Wow. Am I insane?’

Knowing how to refuse decisively. Yeah. He was sure of that. Who would bring up their mom in such a situation? But the fool who did that was himself.

As Jeong-yoon silently castigated himself, Chae-heon’s voice reached his ear.

“Let’s go then before it gets too late. I’ll drive you back.”

Chae-heon rose from his seat. His tender words sounded like ‘let’s go, mama’s boy,’ filling Jeong-yoon with mortification. After nodding stiffly, he followed Chae-heon off the couch. Walking towards the front door, he glanced back slightly. The spacious living room housed just the lone sofa.

‘That’s where Kang Chae-heon and I…’

As he imagined what had just happened, he quickly turned his head again. The embarrassing scene kept replaying in his mind, and he had to erase the lingering images.

The strange housewarming party was coming to an end.

***

Expecting they’d take a car since Chae-heon offered to drive him, Jeong-yoon was surprised when he suggested walking instead. He claimed the night air was refreshing and that he wanted to take a stroll. Suppressing the giddiness rising within, Jeong-yoon readily nodded. Walking the neighborhood streets with Chae-heon…it felt like an immense, undeserved privilege.

There were few people on the road after midnight. The two walked under the trees with the streetlights flickering without saying anything.

But Jeong-yoon even liked the silence with him. As he was walking with Chae-heon, the familiar roadside trees, the stone walls separating apartments from the pavement – everything seemed novel and wondrous.

“Kang Chae-heon, did you take this road when you go to school?”

“Yeah.”

“Come to think of it, we never walked home together in high school, even though our routes must have overlapped.”

If they had been close back then, they would have gone home together and sometimes even had meals together. Strangely, even when they gathered together and crowded around, there was an inexplicable distance between them, so Jeong-yoon felt a tinge of regret.

Chae-heon, who was quietly looking down at Jeong-yoon’s side profile, answered abruptly.

“We did.”

“Huh?”

“I went home with you twice. In first grade.”

“First grade? When?”

It was too distant a memory for Jeong-yoon to recall easily.

“After finishing up hall monitor duties.”

“Oh!”

With that prompt, the memories came flooding back clear as day. That’s right – the Thursdays and Fridays he had been assigned hall monitor duty with Chae-heon, they had walked home together afterwards. Though it never happened again beyond those two times.

Chae-heon, who had been leisurely walking beside Jeong-yoon, continued speaking.

“You bought the same sandwich for two days straight.”

“I did?”

“Yeah, said you were hungry before heading to academy.”

“…It was so long ago, I forgot.”

“You even bought me one too, said you had some allowance money left.”

Chae-heon’s amused tone brought a flush of embarrassment to Jeong-yoon’s face. At that time, he didn’t know Chae-heon’s princely status, so Jeong-yoon bought him an ordinary sandwich as if he were being generous. And Chae-heon had gratefully accepted it.

Jeong-yoon looked at Chae-heon wistfully as he recalled that day, but when their glances met, Jeong-yoon abruptly averted his eyes. Strangely enough, he felt like he was walking with the high school student Chae-heon, which made his heart flutter. Whether from the full moon hanging overhead or this cool, tranquil atmosphere, he didn’t know – but it resonated deeply all the same.