52
“…What the hell are you talking about… Who is hyung Geon? That hyung sitting on my right?”
“Fuck, everyone knows.”
“Since hyung Jungjae was on the left, that hyung must be on the right, then.”
“…Wow… Hey, you think I brought you here for this?”
“What the hell are you talking about… What did I… It’s not like I was being rude or anything…”
Even as Taein spoke, he retraced what had happened earlier. Had he behaved rudely in front of the hyungs? That would be the only reason Gu Wanjae would suddenly call him aside to scold him. Taein also didn’t want to cause trouble for his friend. After thinking it over, Taein tilted his head to the side.
“…I just sat there quietly.”
“You call that sitting quietly? You’re talking crazy. Hey. Since when do you tell some random guy he’s handsome, that the age difference isn’t a big deal, shit like that? Look at yourself. Acting so loose like that, of course hyung Geon would pull that shit, right?”
“…Ah, seriously what are you talking about…”
“Fuck, you think hyung Geon asked you that for no reason?”
“Asked if I was a beta? Yeah, so I said I was.”
“Is that all? I heard all that shit about whether you’re dating or not too.”
“…Hey, that hyung didn’t mean it that way.”
“Ha, this is driving me crazy. Hey. What do you know? What the fuck do you even know?”
He stopped talking and stomped his foot. Taein suddenly turned around, and because of Gu Wanjae hitting his head with his large hand, he stepped backward. When he took a step back, Gu Wanjae slammed both arms against the wall with a bang. It was loud enough to be heard in the inner room. Though Taein felt bewildered by Gu Wanjae’s sudden excitement, he thought he shouldn’t hit him again. Taein grabbed Gu Wanjae’s arm and pulled.
“Hey, why are you hitting the wall? If the hyungs hear.”
“You’re fucking hilarious, why do you care about that? Did you make some kind of promise for the future with hyung Geon or something?”
“…What… bullshit crazy talk is that. Come on, over here.”
Taein firmly grabbed his arm and pushed Gu Wanjae toward the corner. There were four doors attached to this hallway. Besides Gu Wanjae’s hyungs, other people would be filling the other rooms. Taein went to the very corner and positioned Gu Wanjae there. He pushed him into the corner and put his hands on his own waist.
“You’re losing your mind again and talking nonsense…”
“Nonsense? Hey, even after going through that, you still don’t get it? Is the world still fucking easy for you?”
Making wild interpretations was Gu Wanjae’s specialty. But he didn’t expect him to act this way even with his own hyungs. Taein sighed and patted Gu Wanjae’s shoulder as he spoke.
“That hyung didn’t mean it that way. I was just talking like I was sucking up because that hyung seemed a bit scary and I felt distant from him. And is it so weird for guys to say another guy looks cool? I don’t know about bodies and stuff anyway, and these are people I don’t know.”
“Fuck. Hey. Come on.”
Gu Wanjae’s expression crumbled as he grabbed Taein’s wrist tightly. Then he crossed the hallway at a fast pace. Even when Taein called out “Hey, Gu Wanjae, you bastard” from behind, it seemed like he couldn’t hear. When they came in, they walked slowly so he could see everyone’s faces, but not when leaving. Taein quickly moved away from the gambling area. The door opened and a dark underground space was revealed.
The surroundings had become much darker than before.
Gu Wanjae pulled Taein and pushed him to the opposite corner. He shoved his shoulder, pushing Taein so his back hit the wall.
“Ah shit, that fucking hurts, ugh.”
Before he could even complain about the pain, Gu Wanjae’s mouth covered Taein’s lips.
His tongue entered in an instant. Taein tried to twist his body, but his legs were blocked by Gu Wanjae’s legs, and both his hands were held by Gu Wanjae’s hands. Just shaking his torso wasn’t enough. This was Taein’s first time having someone else’s tongue in his mouth. But he still knew what this was. A kiss. He was kissing Gu Wanjae, who was pressing down on his tongue and wetly bumping their lips together. With that realization, his face turned bright red. Taein couldn’t even close his eyes. Seeing that only Gu Wanjae had his eyes closed, Taein made sounds like “mm, mmm, ugh” at Gu Wanjae’s tongue moving freely in his mouth.
Gu Wanjae stirred around inside Taein’s mouth to his heart’s content before pulling away.
He wiped his mouth with his hand and breathed heavily. Taein was the same, his breathing labored.
“Cra-, huff, crazy, you psycho bas… huff.”
Even while saying “crazy bastard, psycho bastard,” he was out of breath and hot.
What the hell was this? Even while his shoulders rose and fell heavily, Taein glared at Gu Wanjae. No matter how much they were friends who did masculine things together, kissing outside like this was really not okay.
Regardless of Taein’s thoughts, Gu Wanjae seemed refreshed. There was even a subtle smile hanging on his lips.
“Between guys, we kissed, so it’s fine.”
“What?”
“Nothing happens between guys, so why?”
Taein’s head was complicated. In the midst of being hot and flustered, he had to remember what he had said. Something about what he said to the hyung, just guy talk, something like that.
Ha, turning his head to the side and laughing, Taein wiped his still glistening lips with his hand.
“You really… fuck…”
“If hyung Geon had done this, could you have just let it go? Would you have been fine with it? Yeah, you would have been fucking fine with it, right.”
At the sarcastic words, Taein’s patience snapped. These words immediately burst from his mouth.
“Fuck, it would be better than doing it with you.”
“What?”
Without even looking at Gu Wanjae’s reaction, Taein turned around and walked up the stairs without hesitation. The outside that was quickly revealed had also gotten quite dark. Taein went outside and walked aimlessly. Among the cars parked in front, there was the car he had come in, but it seemed like he couldn’t go back with Gu Wanjae. Walking toward the road visible in the distance, Taein took out his phone.
When he searched “Seoul Goseong bus” on the internet, he could confirm that buses departing from Goseong ran until late at night.
If he goes…
If he goes…
Honestly, it was daunting, but it was probably just because he’d never tried it. Taein had several hundred thousand won on him. With that money, if he signed a contract for a goshitel and lived while working part-time, he could manage to make ends meet. He had never planned out his future this concretely before. Taein smiled bitterly at having to do even this because of Gu Wanjae. He could hear “Hey! Hey!” from behind but pretended not to hear.
How much time had passed?
With a screech, a car stopped in front of Taein.
Gu Wanjae was sitting in the driver’s seat with the window rolled all the way down.
“When someone’s calling you, you just leave?”
“Fucking move aside, you bastard. Now you’re blocking me with a car?”
“Fuck what! What am I supposed to do!”
“…Do you seriously have a mental illness? Why are you the one getting angry about this?”
When he asked incredulously, Gu Wanjae shouted loudly, “Well then that’s how it is!”
He was being defiant. Taein sighed “haah” and looked up at the sky. Every time he breathed, white breath flowed like he was smoking a cigarette before disappearing into the darkness.
At the same time, a car was coming this way. Because of the car approaching with its high beams on, Taein turned his head as far away as possible. He was just hoping it would pass by quickly when the driver’s window rolled down.
“Wanjae?”
“Ah…”
Even Gu Wanjae, who had been throwing a tantrum, seemed surprised to encounter an unexpected person, saying “Ah, yes” and bowing his head. Just as the man was saying “Hey, long time no see” and about to open the car door, Gu Wanjae reluctantly opened his door first and greeted the other man, saying “Hyung-nim, have you been well?” Right in front of Taein. The man seemed happy to see Gu Wanjae, saying “Yeah, hey” as he got out of the car and patted Gu Wanjae’s back.
Taein quietly turned around at that timing.
“And who might this person be?”
It seemed like he was asking who Taein was.
“Ah… He’s a friend. A friend.”
“Oh, our Wanjae’s friend.”
Taein grimaced severely but had no choice but to turn around. When facing him, his expression was relaxed.
“Hello.”
“Wow, he’s as good-looking as Wanjae.”
Making a gesture of touching his own face, the man laughed heartily. Even though Taein was in a foul mood, he went “Ah” and put on a smiling face. Gu Wanjae said “Yes, Taein is, he’s good-looking, very” and grabbed the back of his own neck. Taein’s eyes touched that spot and quickly looked away.
“Anyway, it was nice seeing you after so long, kid.”
“Yes, hyung-nim. Me too. You’ve taught me a lot about work and everything.”
“I’ll call you properly next time.”
“Yes, that would be great for me.”
When the man extended one hand, Gu Wanjae wrapped the man’s hand with both of his. It was a handshake filled with respect. The man saying “Go ahead first, yeah” took out a cigarette from his pocket. He seemed to be planning to smoke one before getting in his car. Gu Wanjae said “Yes…” and got in the driver’s seat first.
“Isn’t your friend getting in?”
The man looked at Taein.
“Huh? Ah, yes. I should get in. Goodbye. I mean, take care.”
Even though he repeated his words like an idiot, the man just kept saying “Yeah, yeah.” Taein deliberately ignored Gu Wanjae who was staring at him and went to the passenger seat. He got in thinking he’d get out right away. If they fought here, it would definitely look bad. For now, Taein got in the passenger seat and closed the door gently. It didn’t matter since he’d be getting out soon.
“Hyung-nim, I’ll treat you next time.”
“What treat? Just go for now.”
“Yes.”
Gu Wanjae nodded toward the outside and rolled up the window.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
