Can Love Be Transferred Too? 66

#66

The dormitory was silent.

Only after looking around a bit did I realize that the others hadn’t returned yet, and only An Lei was resting in his room.

‘It’s strange how quiet it is.’

Looking at it this way, I thought the dormitory was really spacious. It seemed to feel particularly empty since it wasn’t bustling as usual.

“I wonder when Woohyeon will come back…”

His partner was Hwang Yeonwoo. What would those two active guys do together? We’d find out everything when it aired in a few months anyway, but I couldn’t help being curious about such trivial things.

My body felt chilly due to the particularly cold weather. After some thought, I made a light lemon ginger tea and brought it down to the first-floor living room. Sitting on the long sofa, I had a perfect view of the entrance, so I could immediately notice if anyone came in.

As I fidgeted with the warm mug, I burst into laughter. When I went on dates before, Bae Taeseong and Jin Woohyeon must have sat here waiting with exactly this kind of feeling.

It was fascinating. The waiting wasn’t particularly painful or anxious. For someone like me who often let my imagination run wild with bad thoughts when facing uncertain outcomes, this was an incredibly precious moment.

How long had I been there? Unable to overcome fatigue, I dozed off while holding the half-finished drink. My drowsy head kept tilting in all directions, but I stubbornly endured it just for the sole reason that I wanted to see Jin Woohyeon.

How much time had passed?

“…”

I had no memory of opening a window, but a warm breeze flowed in from somewhere. It seemed cool yet warm, and though it felt gentle, it disappeared languidly in a strangely familiar way.

The wind that lightly touched my fingertips, then tickled my cheeks and forehead, and finally tousled my hair resembled someone’s touch. It was like a sunny afternoon, when someone would tap me awake from a nap and whisper that it was time to get up.

When my thoughts reached that point, I realized where this familiarity came from and my eyes snapped open. It felt like cold water had been poured over my drowsy mind.

“Uh…”

A hand that had come close enough to touch the tip of my nose filled my vision completely. Well-trimmed elongated nails, a flashy ring on a knuckle, and even a faint scar on the first joint of the thumb.

“You were sleeping in such an unstable position.”

It was Lee Chan.

When I frowned slightly in disappointment that it wasn’t the person I’d been waiting for, he withdrew his hand with an uncomfortable expression. He seemed unfamiliar with it since I’d rarely looked at him that way.

“It’s not like I was trying to harm you or anything, so don’t look at me like that.”

I’m not sure what kind of expression I was making for him to say that.

But it probably wasn’t like the time we spent together. That long period was almost over now. The me who had been satisfied with just you, who had wanted only you, had also disappeared just like the time when we used to smile at each other.

“Your face is cold. Go upstairs and sleep.”

After saying that, Lee Chan went outside instead of to the third floor where the bedrooms were. Was he going out to smoke a cigarette? Since I had no intention of going with him, I didn’t feel like asking.

Even after he came back, it seemed like he’d nag me again if I stayed here, so I slowly got up. It wasn’t just empty words – my body did feel cold.

It was a bit disappointing that I couldn’t see Jin Woohyeon, but since we were using the same dormitory, there would be many opportunities to run into each other.

For the first time, I thought I was glad to be appearing on this program.

* * *

I had a dream.

In the faded memory from long ago, I was young. Young enough to be sitting next to Lee Chan wearing a school uniform.

During our school days, we often skipped lunch. Lee Chan would lose his appetite when side dishes he disliked were served, and I didn’t want to feel anxious while being pushed around in crowded places.

I felt a bit sorry for Gam Seonghan, who would complain about eating alone again today, but I secretly looked forward to these days because I liked being left alone with Lee Chan in the empty classroom.

After filling our stomachs adequately with snacks bought from the school store, peaceful silence would arrive.

When I sat by the window dozing off, Lee Chan would silently watch me. Even though we weren’t having conversations, sometimes he would rest his chin on his hand and observe me for a long time as if watching something remarkable.

Then, around the end of lunch break, he would wake me up by lightly tapping my cheeks and forehead or gently tousling my hair. I loved that ticklish sensation, that unreserved touch he gave only to me.

No. Actually, I was too sweet on those moments when the gaze of someone who hated boredom more than anything in the world was fixed on me.

So I kept those memories pressed deep inside me and would take them out bit by bit whenever I felt lonely.

Just like back then, the pouring sunlight pricked my eyelids. As I pressed my stinging eyes with the back of my hand, I heard a timid voice from the doorway.

“Sanho hyung. Are you going to sleep more?”

It was Jeon Yudam. He was the type to move around energetically from early morning and always ate breakfast properly. When he wanted something to eat, he would cutely beg me to bring him a recipe so he could make it.

Come to think of it, I had promised to make him blueberry cream cheese toast today.

“Mmm… what time is it now?”

My voice came out so dry and cracked that not only I but even Jeon Yudam was startled.

“Hyung, why does your voice sound like that? Are you sick somewhere?”

“It’s not that I’m sick…”

I just felt sluggish and had no energy. I made a groaning sound and buried my face in the pillow.

“Sorry. The toast I promised to make for you – can I do it at lunch instead?”

Jeon Yudam jumped up and shouted.

“Of course! No, a piece of bread isn’t what’s important right now. Hyung, you’re really okay, right?”

“Mm-hmm.”

There wasn’t really any schedule for today. I think I only heard that the production team would visit the dormitory around evening.

‘Was it for the 4th week event and interviews?’

I didn’t know what time it was, but it didn’t seem like I’d missed lunch. After finishing my vague calculations, I rubbed my forehead against the soft pillow and mumbled.

“I’m going to sleep a little more.”

Thanks to him understanding and leaving the room, I was able to sleep a bit more until the afternoon. It didn’t fulfill my wish of relieving fatigue or making the lukewarm discomfort disappear, but I couldn’t be lazy anymore.

I reluctantly washed up and came down to the first floor, where I ran into Bae Taeseong who had just come in.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

His voice was blunt but strangely bright. After seeing him for over two weeks, I could now tell that this was his way of showing he was glad to see me.

“That blueberry toast thing or whatever that Jeon Yudam was nagging about – he had it for lunch earlier, so don’t worry about it… Yoo Sanho?”

When I didn’t respond immediately, Bae Taeseong approached with a puzzled look. Even though his pheromones were well-controlled and faint, they seemed to sting a bit.

“What’s wrong. Are you sick?”

With one hand firmly gripping my shoulder and the other touching my forehead, his cool palm moved from my forehead to my cheek, then down to the back of my neck.

“Yoo Sanho, you have a fever.”

“…I have a fever?”

“It’s not severe, but you should still take medicine. Why didn’t you say anything when you’re clearly sick?”

So it was body aches. I smiled awkwardly and tried to step back slightly, but Bae Taeseong didn’t seem to have any intention of letting go.

“I didn’t think it was that serious.”

“The kid who ended up in the emergency room not long after moving in… I’ll go buy you medicine. No wait, you haven’t eaten anything since waking up, have you?”

I tried to say there was no need to go to such trouble, but there was no opportunity. It seemed like he was being even more proactive because he didn’t want to hear those words.

“I’ll find something for you to eat and get medicine too, so go upstairs. The living room is cold right now because we’re ventilating.”

When I looked up at him quietly, Bae Taeseong frowned slightly and asked.

“Can’t you walk? Should I take you to the hospital?”

“No…”

He’s rough but reliable. Even though I keep unintentionally showing him my weak side, he doesn’t think of it as a flaw and takes care of me, so I seem to become particularly relaxed in front of him.

“I was thinking it would be really nice if hyung were my real older brother.”

“I don’t have a hobby of feeling attracted to my real younger brother. Seeing you talk nonsense, your fever must be getting worse.”

Before I could say anything more, my body was suddenly lifted. He carried me while striding up the stairs and said.

“If you’re still not feeling well this evening, let’s postpone the schedule or something. I’ll explain to the others.”

“Yes, hyung. Thank you.”

“Is there anything else you need? What’s good for bringing down a fever? Should I buy you some ion drinks too?”

“No, water would be fine…”

After laying me down on the bed, I firmly grabbed the hem of his shirt as he was about to leave. It was an unconscious action.

Under his puzzled gaze, I hesitated for a moment before saying.

“Can’t you stay just a little longer?”

Bae Taeseong, who had been silently looking at me after my words, sat down on the edge of the bed by my pillow.

“I have to go buy medicine, so I can’t stay long.”