Go Hoon continued grooming himself for a while before effortlessly shifting back into his human form. He picked up the clothes scattered on the bedroom floor, got dressed, and checked the time on his phone.
8 a.m.
Considering it was the weekend, it was definitely early to be up—especially for Bae Jung-yoon. What the hell could he be doing awake at this hour?
Still half-asleep, Go Hoon stared blankly at the closed bedroom door. After sitting there in a daze for a while, he finally got up, washed his face, and brushed his teeth.
Feeling refreshed, he stepped into the living room, where a delicious aroma filled the air. As expected, Bae Jung-yoon was in the kitchen.
“You’re up early.”
He greeted him as soon as he saw him. Only me, huh? Instead of responding, Go Hoon asked a different question.
“What are you doing?”
As he approached, Bae Jung-yoon stirred the frying pan with a silicone spatula.
“How about brunch for breakfast?”
Brunch? Like the kind they serve at a hotel buffet? Go Hoon raised an eyebrow.
“I’m good with whatever you make.”
Judging by the ingredients, he was sautéing tomatoes and mushrooms. Go Hoon stepped to the side to avoid getting in the way.
He leaned against the island counter, watching Bae Jung-yoon move around the kitchen with practiced ease. Then, almost unconsciously, his gaze drifted to that polished, almost too-perfect face.
“You sleeping okay these days?”
Bae Jung-yoon’s hands froze mid-motion. Then he turned off the induction cooktop and faced Go Hoon directly, staring at him intently.
His eyes seemed to ask, Are you really worried about me? Go Hoon felt a little self-conscious but didn’t look away.
It wasn’t a weird question. He was being paid under the pretense of treating insomnia, after all. It was only right to check if there was actual progress.
Maybe the good sleep had just been a temporary effect. If it wasn’t working anymore and he was still taking money, that wouldn’t sit well with him. So this was just a routine check—nothing more.
“Yeah.”
Bae Jung-yoon’s answer was firm. Then he added,
“It’s all thanks to you, Hoon. Really—thank you.”
No need to go that far…
The unexpected gratitude caught Go Hoon off guard, and he frowned slightly. Meanwhile, Bae Jung-yoon transferred the finished food onto two plates.
“Let’s eat.”
They sat down to scrambled eggs, sandwiches, and a side of fruit—a full brunch.
Living with him, Go Hoon found himself eating all sorts of dishes he’d never tried before. What was surprising was how every single one seemed to suit his taste perfectly. At this rate, if he ever went back to living alone, he worried his standards would be too high and he’d just end up miserable.
As he let his thoughts wander and kept eating, he suddenly realized something. In the beginning, their eating pace never matched—he’d always be the first to set down his spoon. But at some point, they’d started to sync up.
“I’ve got plans this evening, so I’ll be heading out.”
While they were clearing the table, a voice cut through his scattered thoughts. Go Hoon looked up at Bae Jung-yoon, who was putting away the dishes.
Plans? Who’s he meeting now? Could it be Choi Joo-won again? The suspicion crept in instinctively.
Bae Jung-yoon had said he wasn’t seeing Choi Joo-won anymore, but Go Hoon couldn’t take that at face value. There was no guarantee he’d been telling the truth.
“What kind of plans?”
The question slipped out before he realized it. Bae Jung-yoon replied calmly.
“Family event.”
“Family event?”
“Yeah.”
Go Hoon’s eyes narrowed. He remembered how Bae Jung-yoon had told Jo Seong-il he might have a family event when they were gathering people for the MT. That memory stirred his doubt even more.
Catching the skeptical look in Go Hoon’s eyes, Bae Jung-yoon chuckled.
“This time, it’s real.”
“So the last one was fake?”
He shrugged, a silent admission. That bastard. So he had lied to skip the MT and only changed his mind after hearing Go Hoon was going. Figures.
Looking back, what had he been working so hard to hide all that time? He ended up getting caught anyway. Back then, he’d gone to ridiculous lengths just to keep it under wraps.
But the feeling of futility passed quickly. Wait a second—if Bae Jung-yoon had a family event and wouldn’t be home today… that meant Go Hoon would have the place to himself.
His eyes lit up. This was a golden opportunity. He could finally follow through on something he’d been putting off.
His brain kicked into gear almost immediately.
“What time are you leaving? When will you be back?”
“I’ll head out around six and probably come back late.”
“How late is ‘late,’ exactly?”
“Around ten. Maybe later than that.”
With plenty of time on his hands, today felt like the perfect day to follow through with his plan. Ideally, Bae Jung-yoon wouldn’t come back until well after ten. Maybe even later. Go Hoon nodded vaguely, silently hoping for just that, and caught the faint smirk tugging at Bae Jung-yoon’s lips.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re happy I’m going out?”
Damn, this guy’s psychic. His instincts were razor-sharp. It was nearly impossible to hide anything from him. Still, Go Hoon kept his expression neutral and brushed it off.
“Happy? Don’t flatter yourself. I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
He shrugged with practiced nonchalance. Bae Jung-yoon studied him for a moment, then spoke.
“No drinking.”
So that’s where your mind went. Apparently, he thought Go Hoon was plotting to sneak a drink behind his back.
After what happened a few days ago, they’d come to an agreement: out of respect for sharing a bed with him, Go Hoon would only drink with his permission. It wasn’t exactly a deal he liked, but what choice did he have? He was the one getting paid.
Those deep, dark eyes stayed fixed on him, clearly waiting for an answer. With a sigh, Go Hoon gave in.
“Yeah, yeah. No drinking, you bastard.”
Only then did that relentless stare finally let up.
***
When the time came, Bae Jung-yoon stepped out, dressed sharply as always. Not long after, Go Hoon slipped out too.
Of course, he hadn’t said a word about it. He’d told Bae Jung-yoon he planned to stay in all day. It’s not like the guy would be checking up on him, anyway. As long as he timed it right and got back before Bae Jung-yoon did, he’d be in the clear.
He pulled his cap low over his face and glanced down at his outfit—jeans and a clean T-shirt, both of which he didn’t usually wear.
Honestly, this was the most effort he’d put into dressing in a while. The fact that he’d gone out of his way—for this—was kind of ridiculous. Still, some things required a bit of basic decency.
Pushing the thought aside, he looked up at the sign above the door. The place looked clean, almost too ordinary. From the outside, it could’ve been any regular bar.
But this wasn’t just any bar. Today, Go Hoon had decided to visit a gay bar.
He’d searched online and picked one known for being calm and low-key.
There was something he needed to figure out. Was he just curious about same-sex relationships? Or… was there something deeper going on? Something real—like actual feelings for Bae Jung-yoon?
He wasn’t sure. Maybe everything had just gotten jumbled in his head. Maybe Bae Jung-yoon had thrown him off so much that even his thoughts on sex and relationships had shifted. People get weird about things like that sometimes. One small trigger, and suddenly you start questioning stuff you’d never paid attention to before.
His life was already hard enough as it was. The last thing he wanted to admit was that it had to be Bae Jung-yoon. If he’d genuinely fallen for him, what could be worse? Not only was he reckless and emotionally stunted, now his moral compass was a mess too.
That’s why he’d come. To test himself. To see what this really was. But even as he stood there, he hesitated.
Still, standing outside wouldn’t get him any answers. He hadn’t come all this way just to chicken out. Bracing himself, Go Hoon squared his shoulders and stepped inside.
Warm, low lighting bathed the interior in a soft glow.
Behind the bar stood a wall lined with expensive bottles of whiskey and vodka. Above the bartender, a crystal chandelier glittered.
The place had a sleek, modern vibe. From hidden speakers tucked throughout the space, smooth, sultry R&B music flowed, wrapping the room in a sensual atmosphere.
Go Hoon gave the room a slow once-over, then took a seat at the counter, where tall stools circled the bar. It was still early, so the place wasn’t crowded, though a few customers were already scattered around.
He made brief eye contact with the bartender and ordered the cheapest drink on the menu. He wasn’t going to touch it—he’d promised—but he couldn’t exactly sit there and order nothing.
So he sat alone, sipping nothing, for about twenty minutes. In that time, the bar grew noticeably busier.
Where were all these people hiding before?
There wasn’t a single woman in sight. Every table was filled with men.
The looks they exchanged were intense. No one seemed to care about being watched. Conversations were openly flirtatious, filled with bold gazes and easy touches. It felt strange—like stepping into an entirely different world.
A few others were drinking alone at the bar, just like him. He’d hoped—just maybe—someone might strike up a conversation. But that had been wishful thinking. No one approached him.
So he sat there, drink untouched, watching the minutes tick by.
What the hell am I doing here?
The thought slowly crept in. He didn’t even have the guts to talk to someone—so what had he come for?
It didn’t seem like anything was going to change if he stayed. Maybe it was time to head back. Just as he was about to make up his mind, a voice called out.
“Is this seat taken?”
