Lee Ji-gyeong’s jaw visibly jutted out as he clenched his teeth. Yoon Do-yeong looked at him coolly, his voice soft but laced with scorn.
“Your choice.”
Just as he said it, Kang Hyeon came out of the bathroom after hurriedly finishing up brushing his teeth and walked up to Ji-gyeong.
“What’s going on?”
“…The office.”
Ji-gyeong reluctantly replied, and Do-yeong picked up the phone to call the front desk.
“Please call a taxi to Seoul. We’ll be heading down right away.”
After hanging up, Do-yeong grabbed Ji-gyeong’s coat and held it out to him.
“Just tell the front desk your room number. They’ll take care of it. I’ll cover the taxi fare, so don’t worry and ride comfortably.”
“I said I’ll pay for it myself.”
“I called a limo. You came all the way here—it’d be a waste not to travel back in comfort. Get some sleep on the way.”
The kindness in Do-yeong’s tone didn’t hide the clear dismissal. Ji-gyeong’s hand curled into a fist. Hyeon gently patted his shoulder.
“Thanks for coming out for my birthday. Let’s grab a drink sometime—text me when you’re free.”
“…Yeah.”
Ji-gyeong walked out without even acknowledging Do-yeong. He didn’t take the limousine either. When Do-yeong got word of that, he showed no change in expression. He simply apologized to the hotel staff who came to clean the broken glass and then poured a fresh glass of wine, which he offered to Hyeon with a pleasant smile.
Hyeon took the glass and stared at Do-yeong, who now looked full of life—nothing like the drooping figure at the beach earlier.
“You okay?”
“Just needed to rest a bit. Sleep really is the best remedy. Even a short nap makes such a difference.”
“…True.”
Hyeon also felt clearer after resting, having trusted Ji-gyeong enough to get some sleep. Feeling lighter, he took a sip of wine and glanced out the window.
“You can see the sunset from here, too.”
“Right? If I’d known the view was this good, I would’ve booked this place from the start. We can relax, watch the sunset during dinner, sleep well, and catch the sunrise in the morning before heading back.”
“…Do we really have to see the sunrise?”
“Of course! I’m going to make a wish.”
“Just do it while watching the sunset.”
“I’m doing both. Gotta cover all the bases to make sure it comes true.”
“What are you wishing for?”
“I’ll tell you after I make it.”
With a bright smile, Do-yeong offered him some cheese as a snack. Hyeon popped it into his mouth and admired the view. The sea stretched out wide and open, and gulls swooped over the boats docked at the pier. Watching the scene from the warm interior wasn’t as thrilling as experiencing the cold beach firsthand, but it had its own charm.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah. I used to think the ocean looked bleak, but now… it kind of feels pure in a way.”
With that, Do-yeong raised his phone.
“Let’s take a photo with the view in the background.”
Hyeon took a few selfies with him as asked. They were checking how the pictures turned out when Do-yeong, while swiping, suddenly saw a photo of Baek Ga-yeong’s café and quickly pulled the phone away.
“I’ll send them to your phone.”
Before Hyeon could say anything, Do-yeong moved over to the sofa. Watching him, Hyeon quietly asked,
“You didn’t take any photos on your trip?”
“I did, but…”
Scooting to the far end of the couch, Do-yeong added,
“I’ll show you after I sort them out.”
“…Did you even go anywhere on this ‘family trip’?”
“Just the aquarium, and… looked at some snow… that kind of stuff.”
In the past, he would come back from trips with tons of photos and stories, talking non-stop. But this time, his answers were vague and dismissive. It seemed even Do-yeong realized it, because he gave an awkward smile and added,
“Honestly… I was kind of worn out, so I just tagged along. Spent most of the time in the hotel.”
The way he avoided eye contact made it clear he didn’t want to elaborate. Hyeon nodded and downed the rest of his wine in one gulp. He set the glass down and sat on the sofa, picking up the remote. On the opposite wall, the TV reflected Do-yeong’s image—lounging in a bathrobe, one leg propped up on the couch, idly scrolling through his phone.
His bare leg was exposed, his muscular calf clearly visible… and between his spread thighs, something else caught the eye. A beat later, Hyeon’s mind flashed back to Do-yeong’s soaked pants from earlier and remembered that the clothes he handed to the hotel for laundry also included underwear.
Hyeon’s gaze, glued to the TV, subtly trembled. He forced himself to look out the window instead, pretending to be distracted, but his eyes kept drifting back to the screen. Even in the black reflection of the TV, that heavy silhouette seemed obvious.
“Hot?”
Do-yeong’s question made Hyeon’s flushed face snap toward him. He quickly hit the power button on the remote and said in a flat voice while flipping channels,
“Yeah. It’s way too hot in here. Let’s lower the room temperature.”
“I feel like it’s a bit chilly, though.”
The second Do-yeong finished speaking, Hyeon stood up. He headed into the room to get a blanket, but Do-yeong followed behind, flopped onto the opposite bed, and started fiddling with his phone. The living room TV must’ve been off now—no more sound came from that direction.
“Hyeon, there’s a seafood market nearby.”
“…Yeah.”
“Think it’s like that market we went to back in college?”
“Like what?”
“When we bought that king crab and the place cooked it for us for a fee. You think it’s the same here?”
“…I don’t know.”
They had once gone to a seafood market in the city, following an upperclassman from their theater club. It had been Do-yeong’s first time there, and while others were admiring sashimi-grade fish, he said:
“Man, I want to try raising a blue crab.”
“Then buy one.”
He’d only said it offhand, but Do-yeong actually bought three live blue crabs.
“You’re going to raise crabs after eating king crab?”
“Then should I eat the blue crabs and take the king crab home?”
He’d asked the question with such a cheerful grin that Hyeon had replied,
“Raise them well. If I come over, make me crab stew.”
It was a joke. He hadn’t expected the crabs to even survive, but Do-yeong kept sending photos and videos of them—feeding them, cleaning the tank, updating him constantly. Curious, Hyeon went to see for himself, only to be hit by the smell of crab stew.
“How can you eat something you raised yourself?”
“Why not? People raise cows and eat them. Why not crabs?”
“Still… that’s different. You got attached—”
In the living room, a huge tank sat with three crabs inside, all still alive. Hyeon had frowned and said,
“Raising them and turning them into stew—seriously?”
“Bet it tastes great, though.”
“…Yeah.”
Even as he agreed, both of them burst into laughter.
“You did say you wanted crab stew when you visited.”
“You could’ve used some tact.”
“It’s actually rock crab stew~.”
“Unbelievable.”
After that stew, Do-yeong hadn’t eaten crab for a while. And once the last crab died, he never raised another thing again. That memory popped into Hyeon’s head just as Do-yeong was now scrolling through crab stew restaurants.
“Let’s skip the crab stew.”
“Why? Didn’t you say it tastes different from crab soup?”
“You said there’s a seafood buffet in the hotel. Let’s eat there.”
“Hmm… but yellowtail is in season.”
“Don’t you like flounder?”
“I can try yellowtail this time.”
Do-yeong, lying on his stomach, flipped over because he was uncomfortable. As he moved, one side of his robe slipped open, exposing his thigh. Hyeon noticed and pulled the blanket over him, but his hand trembled slightly.
“I’ve never seen yellowtail up close. I want to.”
“You want to see it?”
“Yeah. They say small ones and big ones look really different. Let’s go to the seafood market.”
“…Are you insane?”
“What?”
“Ji-gyeong’s not here. If a crowd forms at the market, how am I supposed to handle it alone?”
“It’s a weekday. There won’t be that many people. You saw the beach earlier.”
“They did gather later on.”
“It’s fine. My rib’s all healed now.”
Looking exasperated, Hyeon pulled out his phone and held it up. A giant yellowtail filled the screen. Do-yeong frowned and grumbled in disappointment.
“I want to see it in person.”
“No.”
“Then… I’ll stay in the car. You go check it out first. If there are too many people, just bring back the sashimi.”
“……”
“I also want grilled clams, but I guess that’s a no?”
“I’ll look up a restaurant.”
“I want to see the yellowtail.”
“Sashimi places have yellowtail.”
“…Hyeon.”
“What?”
“You really have no clue, do you?”
“What do you mean? You just want to check out the seafood market, don’t you?”
“Then can’t you just come with me?”
Do-yeong’s sulky voice prompted a firm reply from Hyeon.
“I’ve been drinking. No.”
“I didn’t drink wine. I’ll drive.”
That shut Hyeon up. He realized then—Do-yeong would go no matter what. His eyes sparkled with stubborn resolve.
Hyeon sighed quietly and straightened his tone.
“I’ll check the seafood market first. If it’s too crowded, I won’t go in.”
“Okay.”
“I mean it.”
“I’ll wait in the car. You can bring the sashimi.”
“Promise.”
“……”
“Answer me.”
“…Yeah.”
Do-yeong answered brightly, tossing off the blanket and standing up in one motion. His robe had come undone, exposing everything below the waist. As he climbed down from the bed, the robe settled over him again—but Hyeon had already seen it. Too clearly. His face flushed red.
Luckily, Do-yeong didn’t notice. He walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and started changing into the freshly laundered clothes.
“…When did those get back?”
“While you were sleeping.”
“And you didn’t put anything on?”
“I usually sleep naked.”
“At least wear underwear!”
“It’s more comfortable without.”
As he said it, a hint of embarrassment colored Do-yeong’s cheeks. He hesitated for a second, then cautiously added in a low voice.
“When you get hard in your sleep, it’s uncomfortable, you know? If I wear anything, it presses down and feels all tight and suffocating. But if I sleep without—”
“Don’t. Say another word.”
