WYK 7

A gentle breeze brushed over his cheek. The familiar melody of a piano flowed softly. It was Chopin’s “Nocturne.”

Jeong-yoon’s eyelashes trembled slightly. He was slowly waking up from his slumber.

‘I think I listened to this with Kang Chae-heon…’

Jeong-yoon recalled something as if in a dream.

High school field trip. He was alone in the room where his classmates had gone to play in the next room, and the room was dark with no lights on. There, Jeong-yoon was stretched out like a soaked cotton ball, drunk from the alcohol he’d secretly drunk.

The dry air of the day and the old curtains blown by the wind vividly come to mind. The subtle scent of soap spreading from the person next to him.

<Nocturne>

He had listened to this piece of music with Kang Chae-heon. The melody from the shared earphones on that day blended with the distant car noises outside the window. There was a faint smell of liquor as he rested his head on Chae-heon’s shoulder. It was still unclear whether it came from him or Chae-heon. Even though it was the scent of alcohol, it was a tender and luxury scent.

Jeong-yoon slowly opened his eyes. The dim light of a street lamp crept its way inside the car. A refreshing breeze mingled with the smell of grass blew through the open windows.

He slightly raised his tired body. Then he saw him.

‘Kang Chae-heon.’

It was Chae-heon, who was lying on the chair with his arms crossed.

He seemed to be sleeping peacefully with his eyes closed. Strands of hair were lightly scattered on his smooth forehead.

Jeong-yoon blinked his eyes sluggishly for a moment, not understanding the situation. But he soon realized the situation.

Darkness. An unfamiliar rural area. The scent of autumn grass.

It seemed they had arrived at the rural retreat place while he was still asleep. But since he hadn’t woken up, it seemed Chae-heon had simply let him continue sleeping.

But was he so considerate? That was the thought in Jeong-yoon’s head, but that was the way to figure it out first.

‘Looks like this person is also sleeping while waiting for me to wake up.’

After putting the seat back in place, I stared at Cha-heon. He was still lying helpless with his eyes closed. The distant moonlight shimmered on the bridge of his outstretched nose.

Jeong-yoon slowly tilted his upper body.

‘Can I see your face? Is this a crime by any chance?’

I’ve been with him many times, but I’ve never seen his face properly. Thinking this was an opportunity, I tried to observe it, but I felt guilty for some reason, so I secretly turned my head away.

But it was irresistible to keep glancing at it. I felt like a pervert observing a handsome prince.

Why was it so difficult to wake him up when he was sleeping so soundly? Staring at the moon outside the window, Jeong-yoon made up his mind and nodded his head as if confirming something. Then, he approached the sleeping Chae-heon and gently shook his hand in front of his face.

There was no response. After some contemplation, he lightly poked his cheek with his fingertip.

“Should I wake up…”

Jeong-yoon muttered. And then…

“I’m not sleeping.”

Chae-heon slowly opened his eyes.

His neat eyelashes slowly lifted. It was unbelievable that he seemed to be asleep, and his bright eyes were shining brightly in the darkness.

Jeong-yoon’s heart thumped. He even felt like he could hear his own heartbeat. Was it because of the direct, upright gaze from Chae-heon? Or perhaps it was due to the closeness between them? Or was it the piano melody that seemed to seep into his ears? The tension was making it hard to breathe.

Jeong-yoon tried to maintain a composed expression. His skill at managing his expressions around him came in handy even in this situation.

“Did you wait for me because I slept?”

“Yeah.”

Chae-heon slowly rose from his position. His gaze was still heavy with drowsiness. For some reason, Jeong-yoon felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was as if he had seen that gaze somewhere before. In a dream, perhaps, during the school trip.

A dream he had wanted to forcefully forget, yet at the same time, yearned to dream again. Recalling that dream brought a flush to his face.

As Chae-heon straightened up, he lowered his head slightly toward Jeong-yoon. His body cast a shadow. A dim silhouette fell over Jeong-yoon’s face.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah…?”

“Your expression doesn’t look good.”

“No, I’m perfectly fine.”

Apart from the slightly racing heart and the heat rising in his cheeks. Jeong-yoon swallowed the words he couldn’t say and looked away in confusion. Chae-heon soon returned to his original position.

“Let’s go then.”

“Yeah.”

They stepped outside the car.

Standing on the dirt road, Jeong-yoon lightly tapped the ground with his toes. As Chae-heon took out a large box from the trunk and began walking ahead, Jeong-yoon followed behind. The box looked quite large and heavy, yet Chae-heon’s arms carried it with an ease that was almost as if it were a baguette in a paper bag.

“Need help?”

“It’s fine.”

Chae-heon shook his head, a simple refusal.

So, Jeong-yoon just continued to follow along. The sound of passing cars echoed from the distant road. Walking behind the slender figure of Chae-heon, Jeong-yoon took a shallow breath. Suddenly, the dream he had recalled earlier came back to him.

That day. After listening to music with Chae-heon, Jeong-yoon fell asleep alone. Perhaps due to the effects of alcohol, his body felt heavy like damp cotton, and his mind was sluggish and hazy. In the dream, Chae-heon looked down at him from above, his gaze sunk with an unsettling intensity.

And then…

Seo Jeong-yoon rubbed the nape of his neck and chuckled softly.

‘That’s crazy. It’s just the dream of an impulsive high school student, but still…’

The wind that brushed the back of his neck was cold. It was similar to the night air now. The air that wrapped around his body was cool, yet the area around his ears kept feeling heated on that day. The temperature of that day remained vivid even now.

‘Kang Chae-heon. If you have the ability to read my mind. I had a terrible dream about you. If only I could admit that I dreamed about you with feelings I can’t reveal.’

Jeong-yoon’s steps slowed down as he was consumed by his own guilt. Beneath his feet, the grass emitted a distant fragrance, reminiscent of that day.