Our Youth 35

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#035

“Are you crazy? Why are you acting like this?”

“Ah, even with ventilation it feels stuffy. Want to go out?”

At Jiwoon’s words, Jukyung bolted upright. His face was still full of laughter.

Jiwoon shook his head at Jukyung, who was standing and looking down at him.

Jukyung, who had been giggling, slipped out of his seat. Yechan was clenching and unclenching his fists.

“…Why does hyung do his hair sometimes and sometimes not?”

“It’s my choice.”

Yechan brought his glass and sat where Jukyung had been sitting. Yechan, who put his mouth to Jiwoon’s ear, spoke quietly.

“Hyung, your hair looks pretty today.”

His heart was pounding. Jiwoon, who had been biting his tongue, lifted his glass.

“I’m sleepy. Yechan, I’m fucking sleepy right now. I get it, so just drink more of this.”

“Yes.”

The night gradually deepened. One by one, the number of people who couldn’t overcome drowsiness and collapsed increased.

First was Taehyun. Next was Seungwoo, who had been sniped by Jukyung in a game and thoroughly teased.

After that, Kyungjun, Minho, and Choi Min retreated to rooms one by one. It was originally the main building that the third-years were going to use, but as they played, the rooms were filled regardless of the original assignments.

“Jiwoon, Jiwoon. I’m getting sleepy now too… There’s one room left here. Can I use it?”

“Do whatever you want.”

“I’ll give you the annex password. Jiwoon, Jiwoon, you sleep in the annex with him. I filled up the refrigerator and shelves, so it should be fine to use.”

“Yeah.”

Jukyung, holding his phone, sent Jiwoon the annex password via message.

“Sleep well and see you tomorrow. Jiwoon, Jiwoon. You too, dongsaeng.”

Jukyung waved his hand cheerfully, smiled brightly, and headed to his room.

“Then shall we go too? Hyung, where’s your luggage?”

Yechan, who stood up yawning, gathered his bag. Seeing Yechan rubbing his eyes as if they were closing, Jiwoon brought out his suitcase.

The annex was a cozy building located across the lawn. When they entered the password Jukyung had given them and opened the door, unlike the main building, they could see the interior decorated like a hotel.

“This place is better?”

“It is. But it seems a bit cramped for everyone to hang out together.”

Jiwoon, who looked around the annex consisting of two rooms, two bathrooms, and one storage room, dragged his suitcase into the larger room.

“I’ll sleep here. You sleep in the room next to this one.”

The day had been too long. Fatigue was washing over him. As he opened his suitcase to wash in the bathroom attached to the room, Yechan stood motionless at the doorway.

Jiwoon, who had roughly gathered his clothes, turned his head toward Yechan.

“What.”

Yechan had a pouty face. At his expression like a child who had candy taken away, the corners of Jiwoon’s mouth rose.

As Jiwoon headed to the bathroom, he asked once more.

“Yechan-ah. What.”

“…I’ll wash up quickly and come back.”

“Don’t come, go sleep.”

Yechan stubbornly placed his bag next to Jiwoon’s suitcase, gathered his clothes, and went out.

Jiwoon chuckled and showered. After showering, he felt like he was becoming a little less sleepy.

When Jiwoon came out after washing, Yechan was in the small sofa in the room with his body curled up and eyes closed. Seeing Yechan in his familiar pajamas somewhere other than their homes felt strangely peculiar.

Jiwoon shook the moisture from his hair, roughly applied lotion, and approached Yechan.

“Why are you sleeping here?”

Jiwoon lightly pinched Yechan’s cheek. Yechan slowly opened his eyes, blinked, and smiled.

Soon Yechan spread his arms and leaned against Jiwoon. Jiwoon stroked Yechan’s hair.

“Get up, go sleep in the room.”

“I don’t want to.”

Yechan put his feet on the floor and stood up. Then he instantly became taller than Jiwoon with a whoosh.

Then Yechan hugged Jiwoon as he was and stepped forward. Soon the bed touched Jiwoon’s legs and his body fell with a thud. Yechan’s body overlapping on top of him was heavy.

Yechan smiled and lowered his head, making smacking sounds here and there on Jiwoon’s face. His heart was beating.

Jiwoon stretched his body out on the bed.

Yoon Jukyung must have caught on. Jiwoon, recalling the strange nuance of the words asking if it was hard for him and how he had been unusually clingy and laughing earlier, took in the sight of Yechan’s hair as he made smacking sounds on his lips.

Only then did that pure ignorance become a little resentful. Jiwoon grabbed Yechan’s hair and lifted his head.

The brown eyes looking at him were slightly unfocused. Jiwoon found Yechan’s lips, bit them, and chewed softly.

Yechan’s kisses were rougher and more intense than usual today. Jiwoon tried to shake off thoughts of where and with whom Yechan had been today.

After all, wasn’t Yechan here? He was by his side.

…But even so, it was too miserable.

Fuck. Jiwoon spat out a curse and tried to immerse himself more intensely in the present.

* * *

The next morning, as soon as Yechan woke up, he pressed Jiwoon’s waist firmly and woke him up.

Seeing his severely swollen lips, Jiwoon kicked Yechan’s shin once more. He felt like hugging yesterday’s self who had brought lip balm. Yechan massaged Jiwoon’s shoulders and apologized for a long time.

When the two, who had tidily cleaned up, headed to the main building, a well-prepared breakfast table greeted Jiwoon and Yechan. After finishing their meal with clear soup, the two headed to the beach, leaving behind the kids who said they wanted to sleep more.

The sky, which had been cloudy all night and seemed like it might rain, was clear with only passing cumulus clouds visible. Even though it was morning, the waves breaking under the hot sun like midday were brilliant.

Jiwoon sat cross-legged on a sunbed under a parasol. Yechan put his hands in the rushing waves, swayed them, and picked up several small seashells.

“This one’s the prettiest. Hyung, take it.”

“No.”

Fucking petty. Jiwoon cursed while looking into his heart that still had lingering resentment.

His sunken mood showed no signs of recovering to normal. Recalling the saying that time heals, Jiwoon ruffled Yechan’s bangs as he looked at him with a sour expression.

Yechan’s bangs, swept by the sea breeze, fluttered here and there.

“Then take this. It’s a Suneung 100-day gift.”

Yechan, who had been pouting, soon took out a small box from his pocket. Jiwoon, who received the neatly wrapped box, roughly tore off the wrapping paper.

When he opened the case, a simple white watch revealed itself. It was a familiar-looking watch.

“It’s a Suneung watch. Usually people wear black ones a lot, but I thought white would suit hyung better, so I chose this one.”

The corners of Jiwoon’s mouth rose. At the sight of Jiwoon smiling as he stared at the watch, seeming to like it, Yechan spoke again.

“There’s an engraving too.”

At Yechan’s words, Jiwoon took the watch out of the case and lifted it up.

[LJW SYC]

Seeing the initials placed side by side, Jiwoon’s heart fluttered.

“Yechan really likes me a lot.”

“Haha. Do well on Suneung, hyung, and pass it down to me. I’ll properly pay you back for the watch.”

“You have a watch you wear.”

“You know Suneung watches are different.”

Jiwoon, remembering that there were regulations for Suneung watches, nodded.

“I was thinking of taking Suneung halfheartedly… but I guess I can’t.”

“It’s good that it motivated you.”

At Yechan looking at him intently with trusting eyes, Jiwoon burst into laughter. Yechan took the watch from Jiwoon’s hand and shook it slightly.

“Want to try it on?”

“Yeah.”

Jiwoon readily accepted. Yechan’s white fingers fastened the watch around Jiwoon’s wrist.

“Done. I knew it would suit you. As expected, white suits you, hyung.”

“Thanks.”

At Jiwoon’s words, Yechan smiled brightly as if happy. Yechan slightly raised Jiwoon’s wrist with the watch to eye level, then shook it with force as if telling him to fight.

“Do your best on Suneung. It’ll go well.”

Yechan closed his eyes and kissed the inside of Jiwoon’s wrist with a peck.

Jiwoon thought he wanted to send his burning heart away on the blowing sea breeze. Yechan, who put down Jiwoon’s wrist, showed signs of being in a good mood and bumped his forehead against Jiwoon’s repeatedly.

“Since smart Yechan gave me energy, I should put it away for now. I’ll take it out to use on Suneung day.”

Jiwoon took off the watch and put it back in the case.

“Should I give you more energy?”

Then Yechan looked at Jiwoon with suggestive eyes and asked. They were at a distance where their lips might or might not touch.

“That’s enough, oppa.”

Jiwoon put force into his head and pushed Yechan’s forehead away. Yechan, who fell back, laughed out loud.

“The hyung who says he’ll casually take Suneung to get into Korea University was pretty cool. I know too.” Laughter and the sound of crashing waves filled their ears. The resentment remaining in Jiwoon’s heart had disappeared like salt dissolved in the sea.

And a while later, when their group came running out saying they wanted to play in the water, Jiwoon and Yechan had to run away to avoid getting their clothes wet.

After playing in the water for a long time, the group had a hearty lunch and disbanded with tired faces. Jiwoon fell asleep as soon as he got in Jukyung’s van.

Despite Jukyung’s suggestion to ride together, Yechan and his friends, who stubbornly returned by train saying they didn’t want to be more of a burden, only came to their senses after sleeping the entire time on the KTX.

It was the end of a long yet short trip.

* * *

Seo Yechan: Want to come to the store? I’ll buy you ice cream

Me: ㅇㅇ

Jiwoon, who had been looking at his phone in the classroom after lunch, stood up. Jukyung, who had been playfully joking around with Choi Min, asked.

“Jiwoon, Jiwoon, where are you going?”

“Store.”

“I want to go too.”

Jukyung put his arm around Jiwoon’s neck. Jukyung’s arm touching his skin felt cool. Jukyung, who was over 190cm tall, had a low body temperature.

On the way to the store, Jiwoon said to Jukyung.

“You have something to say to me.”

“What?”