Han Jun casually pulled a knife and a plate out of the drawer, then shot a sideways glance at Yi-hyeon, who was standing there blankly with both hands gripping the envelope tightly.
“You said it was a gift. Aren’t you giving it to me?”
Han Jun held out his hand.
After hesitating, Yi-hyeon handed over the envelope with the apple mango inside—and almost immediately, his wrist was caught. The surprise barely had time to register before he found himself being naturally tugged toward the sofa, hurrying after Han Jun in short, quick steps.
“I was already pissed and craving sugar anyway. Perfect timing. Let’s eat it now.”
After sitting Yi-hyeon down on the sofa, Han Jun plopped down beside him. When their hips touched, Yi-hyeon subtly scooted away to the side.
“You came all the way here to visit me and now you’re keeping your distance? Or am I dirty?”
“Huh?”
“You moved away.”
“I didn’t move away. And why would you be dirty? Not at all.”
“The sofa’s small—so why do you keep trying to run away?”
“I-it’s hot.”
“Hot? Want me to turn on the AC?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Then move closer. Don’t drift away.”
Yi-hyeon shifted his hips just a little closer to Han Jun. Then he kept sneaking sideways glances at Han Jun as he cut the apple mango in half and scored it. Every time Han Jun put force into the knife, the veins standing out on his hand caught Yi-hyeon’s attention—and then, without warning, Han Jun’s elbow brushed lightly against Yi-hyeon’s chest as he cut.
Startled by the strange sensation, Yi-hyeon flinched.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
He’d been touched in the chest, so why did his lower abdomen feel all tingly? This time, he really was hot. While Han Jun was focused on cutting the apple mango and not looking at him, Yi-hyeon slid his hand up to his neck.
His palm was much colder than his neck, but even so, the heat didn’t fade easily.
Han Jun speared a neatly cut piece of apple mango with a fork decorated with a cute butterfly and held it out to Yi-hyeon.
“Eat.”
“It’s your gift, so you should go first—ugh.”
As Yi-hyeon opened his mouth to speak, Han Jun pushed the apple mango right into it. Flustered, Yi-hyeon couldn’t even chew the mango and just sat there with his mouth open like an idiot—while Han Jun used the same fork that had gone in and out of Yi-hyeon’s mouth to pick up another piece and eat it himself.
……Guess he really doesn’t mind at all.
Living as Louis, Yi-hyeon remembered how fastidious Han Jun had been, so he hadn’t expected him to use a fork Yi-hyeon had just put in his mouth without hesitation. Han Jun hated even washed dishes that someone else had used and had his own personal cup and tumbler. Feeling a little dazed, Yi-hyeon chewed the fruit in his mouth slowly.
“Huh?”
Yi-hyeon’s eyes widened as the sweet juice slid down his throat.
Was it because he’d bought it with his own money? Even though the apple mangoes at Han Jun’s house must’ve been far more expensive and high-quality, the one in his mouth right now tasted far sweeter and more fragrant.
Yi-hyeon wanted to talk with Han Jun about many things, but he couldn’t. They didn’t really have much of a relationship or shared experiences, so after exchanging a few trivial, everyday remarks, the conversation ran dry in less than ten minutes.
If there was nothing left to say, the right thing to do would’ve been to stand up and go home—but for some reason, Yi-hyeon wanted to linger a little longer. Maybe because the time he’d spent close to Han Jun as Louis had been longer than he’d realized.
Swallowing repeatedly, trying to think of something—anything—to say out of a sense of obligation to keep the conversation going in the quiet silence, Yi-hyeon was caught off guard when Han Jun spoke first.
“Hey. Will you do me a favor?”
“A favor?”
Knowing better than anyone that Han Jun wasn’t the type to ask favors of others, Yi-hyeon looked at him with puzzled eyes. Then, meeting Han Jun’s black gaze staring too intently down at him, he lowered his head again and looked at the empty plate.
He’d been like this when he was Louis too. Han Jun tended to stare straight through people when he spoke, and Yi-hyeon patted his pounding heart to calm it down.
“Yeah. But if you ever get into trouble too, ask me for a favor. I’ll help.”
Yi-hyeon had come because he wanted to get closer to Han Jun, so there’d been no need to set conditions in the first place. He nodded immediately.
“You’re agreeing without even asking what it is?”
Han Jun, the one making the request, looked more surprised.
“You’re asking because it’s something I can do, right?”
…Fair enough. Accepting Yi-hyeon’s words right away, Han Jun stood up from the sofa and walked off somewhere. He returned carrying a heavy-looking box and set it down in front of Yi-hyeon.
“Louis—the one I practically threw my body on the line to save—disappeared.”
Yi-hyeon’s expression froze instantly.
“Don’t look at me like I was some irresponsible owner. It’s not like this happened because I failed to take care of him.”
Han Jun sounded utterly dumbfounded, as if what had happened made no sense at all. Louis had definitely been sleeping right beside him, and with the door closed, the room was practically a sealed space. There were seven CCTV cameras installed, yet Louis hadn’t been caught on a single one—he’d vanished as if he’d evaporated.
Yi-hyeon knew better than anyone that it wasn’t Han Jun’s fault. That was why he couldn’t figure out what kind of reaction he was supposed to show. I know it’s not your fault? It doesn’t seem like it’s your fault? It might not be your fault? None of it felt like something that would comfort Han Jun. So Yi-hyeon just pressed his lips together in silence.
“Can you put these up for me? In my place.”
Han Jun leaned his face right up close to Yi-hyeon, who’d been looking down, and blinked his long, clear eyes.
“You’ll do it, right? Please.”
Unable to bring himself to refuse Han Jun’s earnest plea, Yi-hyeon nodded as if possessed. And before he knew it, he was leaving Han Jun’s hospital room with a box full of flyers in his arms.
Returning straight to the Orphanage, Yi-hyeon stared blankly at the stack of flyers inside the box and let out a sigh.
Ah…… why did I agree to this?
Yi-hyeon knew. No matter how many flyers he posted or how many missing-dog reports he filed, Louis could never return to Han Jun’s side again.
That was exactly why he knew how meaningless putting up the flyers was.
But still… what choice do I have?
Han Jun had looked at him with such desperate eyes and even said please.
Clutching the box, Yi-hyeon left the Orphanage. If it would make Han Jun’s heart feel even a little less anxious, then he’d help—even if it was something useless. With that thought, Yi-hyeon diligently posted flyer after flyer over the course of four hours.
The next day.
Yi-hyeon’s phone—so unresponsive it might as well have been a clock or a dictionary—rang.
Holding the phone tightly in both hands, Yi-hyeon checked the message with a trembling heart.
[Photo of Louis’s paw pads] xxhanjunini
– – –
[Photo of Louis’s paw pads]
—[You really put the flyers up carefully]
[Photo of Louis’s paw pads]
—[When you come to school, I’ll buy you something good to eat]
They’d exchanged messenger IDs at the hospital.
Of course, it wasn’t because of any ulterior motive—at least officially. It was purely to talk about the flyers. Locations, where to post them, things like that……
In truth, there had been an ulterior motive. If Han Jun ended up transferring schools like this, Yi-hyeon would have no way to contact him. Wanting a kind of insurance, Yi-hyeon had casually suggested that he’d send photos after putting up the flyers. Han Jun had readily given him his ID.
Yi-hyeon had sent proof photos showing the flyers were up, just as promised—and this was the reply he’d received. Seeing the DM, a bright smile spread across Yi-hyeon’s lips.
When you come to school… that means he’s planning on coming back to school, right?
Afraid Han Jun might disappear just like this, Yi-hyeon soothed his pounding heart and began typing into the chat window. Carefully, one character at a time, afraid of making even a single typo.
[I’ll be looking forward to it, so please come.]
Worried that please come might sound strange, he hurriedly erased it.
[OK.]
