After wrapping up his detailed explanation, Yoon Do-yeong added,
“If there’s a bracelet with a nice design at an affordable price, could you show me? It has to be cheap.”
As he emphasized that point, Kang Hyeon approached, having roughly dried his hair.
“Thanks in advance,” he said politely.
Do-yeong ended the call with a cheerful tone, flashing a smile at Hyeon that said everything was settled. Hyeon, visibly relieved, took the cake from the fridge and sat down at the floor table.
“Do-yeong, let’s have cake.”
“Yay~.”
In a good mood, Do-yeong quickly sat across from him.
“They said they’ll deliver it tomorrow morning.”
“Alright…”
Hyeon, still lacking energy, began sticking candles into the cake. Watching him quietly, Do-yeong hesitated before testing the waters with a cautious tone.
“But… if you keep giving back gifts, I’d feel kind of bad. You didn’t return the watch I gave you, right? Can’t you just accept Ji-gyeong’s, too?”
“I won’t wear it.”
“Forget about wearing it or not—it could be something you keep as a memory.”
“I don’t have the means. Expensive gifts feel like a burden. Like a debt hanging over me.”
“That’s just your inferiority complex.”
Hyeon was momentarily silenced by the blunt truth.
“…I’m just saying I’ll accept the thought behind it.”
“That thought is what’s expressed in the object. If you obsess over the price like that, the person giving it ends up feeling guilty.”
“…”
“Just wear the watch I gave you when you need to look presentable, and wear the bracelet normally.”
When Hyeon still didn’t reply, Do-yeong subtly kept pushing, voice soft and persuasive.
“I worked really hard to find that bracelet, you know. Sure, it was because I messed up that we have to get a new one, but technically, I’m just replacing something that was lost. Wouldn’t it feel wrong to give it back when I bought it for you?”
“I can’t accept it.”
“That’s a firm no, huh…”
“Yeah.”
“Either way, don’t tell Ji-gyeong it’s a new one. He and I aren’t exactly best friends—it’ll just make things worse between us, okay?”
“I won’t.”
Hyeon lit the candles, and Do-yeong closed his eyes to make a wish before blowing them all out in one breath.
“Hyeon-ah, don’t I get a gift?”
“You do.”
Hyeon stood and opened the wardrobe where he’d hung his coat. From the inside pocket, he pulled out a small wrapped box and handed it over. Do-yeong’s eyes widened, sparkling with anticipation.
“What is it? Looks like a ring box.”
“It is a ring.”
The moment the words left Hyeon’s mouth, Do-yeong tore off the wrapping. Inside was a thick, simple silver ring that gleamed beautifully.
“Friendship ring.”
Even before Hyeon finished speaking, Do-yeong extended his hand, palm down, clearly asking him to put it on. Hyeon stared at him in disbelief.
“Just put it on yourself.”
“Put it on for me.”
“Why would I? You’re being weird.”
Do-yeong, looking mildly annoyed, gingerly picked up the ring and slid it onto his ring finger.
“It goes on your left index finger.”
“Oh…”
With a halfhearted sound, he moved it to his index finger. Even though it fit fine, he fiddled with it and grumbled like it was uncomfortable.
“Feels tight on the index finger.”
“Then wear it as a necklace.”
“…It’s a ring, not a pendant. And where’s yours?”
“I only bought one.”
“Why? Isn’t it a friendship ring?”
“I wanted to see the design first, so I just got one.”
The word “first” made Do-yeong’s expression subtly shift. Smiling with only the corners of his lips, he asked,
“Why? So you can buy one for Ji-gyeong too?”
“Do you like the design?”
Hyeon dodged the question. It was a special gift, labeled as a “friendship” ring, but in truth, he’d ordered it on a whim, caught in his own feelings. Compared to the birthday gift he’d received, it was cheap and unimpressive—but it was the most meaningful gift he could give without being misunderstood. As if sensing that sincerity, Do-yeong turned the ring this way and that, sounding slightly dissatisfied.
“The band’s a bit wide—it looks empty. I think we should engrave our initials on it.”
“Don’t. I like it plain.”
“Why not? It’s a friendship ring. Our friendship should last forever. Even when you break up with your lover, friends are forever, right?”
“I’m not engraving it. I like it simple.”
Putting extra emphasis on that, Hyeon drew a firm line. Do-yeong pressed his lips together but eventually spoke again, tentatively.
“Why do you get to decide everything about the friendship ring? It’s my birthday, so shouldn’t I get a say too? It’s not complicated—just two letters in English. What’s the big deal? Look at it—this kind of ring is made for engraving.”
“When you give someone a gift, it should reflect the giver’s intent. I wanted it simple. The shape itself means, ‘Let’s not change. Let’s stay true to ourselves.’”
“Okay then. Let’s never change.”
Suddenly, Do-yeong smiled brightly. Then he sneakily asked,
“Can we just add a tiny diamond? For eternal friendship?”
“Shut up.”
Do-yeong lowered his voice to a soft whisper.
“What if we encrusted the whole thing with diamonds—make it really dazzling?”
“No. Seriously, stop.”
“Hyeon… you really have no aesthetic sense, huh.”
“It’s the beauty of simplicity.”
“…Is that so.”
Seeing Hyeon’s unyielding stance, Do-yeong finally gave up. He stared at the minimalist ring for a while before nodding to himself.
“It’s a design that leaves room for change. I like that.”
“Don’t like it. Just accept that it’s good.”
“I think I like it.”
“You like it.”
Hyeon cut him off cleanly and slid a slice of cake across the table. Do-yeong accepted it without hesitation and took a big bite. Cream smeared around his mouth. Hyeon instinctively flinched. He tried not to pay attention, but his gaze kept drifting. He grabbed a tissue from nearby and offered it to him. Do-yeong leaned forward.
“You wipe it.”
“Where is it?”
“Right here.”
As Hyeon reached out with the tissue, Do-yeong tilted his chin slightly, bringing his mouth close to Hyeon’s fingers. His hand trembled. The cream-smeared mouth was right in front of him, and the tissue only needed the smallest movement to reach. Steeling himself, Hyeon wiped his mouth as calmly as he could.
“Let’s sleep early.”
“Already?”
“I told you, I feel like I’m coming down with something.”
“Ah… I’ll get you some medicine.”
“I think I’ll feel better if I just get a good night’s sleep.”
Hyeon glanced at Do-yeong’s empty plate and cut him a smaller piece of cake.
“You should shower, too.”
“Yeah.”
Do-yeong stared at the cake for a moment, then shoved it into his mouth in one go. Not bothering to wipe the cream off, he got up and headed to the bathroom. Hyeon, taken aback by the abruptness, watched him go. He could tell something was off, that Do-yeong wasn’t in a great mood—but he had no idea why.
Quietly, he cleaned up the cake and laid out the bedding. Though there were multiple rooms, he debated for a second and ended up laying out both their blankets side by side in the same room. Sitting with his back to the wall, he stared at his phone. A little while later, he heard the hairdryer from the bathroom. Then Do-yeong, now in a bathrobe, went to the kitchen and returned with ginger tea.
“It’s bitter.”
“I added honey.”
Hyeon accepted the tea, blew on it gently, and began sipping. Watching him in silence, Do-yeong turned up the room temperature.
“It’s perfect right now.”
“You need to sleep warm when you’re sick. And you said you don’t want medicine.”
“…It’s not that I don’t want it. I’m just not that sick.”
“I know. You’ve been working since early morning, stressing over Ji-gyeong during lunch, and catering to me all afternoon. You must be exhausted. Plus, the bracelet incident probably drained you.”
As he spoke slowly, Do-yeong lay down beside Hyeon and rested his head on his thigh. Hyeon glanced down sideways at him, clearly surprised. There was a pillow nearby—why use his leg? But he remembered the beach hotel and figured, whatever. Pretending not to mind, he continued staring at his phone. Still, the slight weight on his thigh made his muscles tense up.
“You’re heavy.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that. You didn’t say anything even when I rested on someone else’s thigh the size of your calf.”
“…Whose leg?”
“My mom’s.”
“Don’t compare me to your mom.”
“Yours are sturdier.”
“…I’ll go get a pillow.”
“That one’s too flat.”
“You’re just making excuses.”
With a light scolding tone, Hyeon spoke. Do-yeong smiled faintly and closed his eyes.
“Mm… Your leg’s comfy. Just the right height.”
Was he being stubborn, or was he genuinely comfortable? Hyeon couldn’t tell. Honestly, this kind of skinship made him uneasy. Or maybe it was just that his own feelings, the ones that kept stirring, made him uneasy. He clenched his jaw.
But he didn’t say anything else—not about the pillow, not about being uncomfortable. Pretending to stay focused on his phone, he kept glancing at the soft hair that swept gracefully across Do-yeong’s smooth forehead. The screen had long since gone black. Do-yeong, still fiddling with the ring on his finger, let out a sleepy yawn and closed his eyes.
Hyeon found himself watching. His fingers barely brushed the ends of Do-yeong’s hair. When there was no reaction, he grew bolder and gently twirled a lock around his finger like he was stroking it. Then Do-yeong murmured in a dreamy, content voice.
“Even though I dyed it, it’s still soft, right?”
“I’ve never touched it before, so I don’t know.”
“Been taking care of it lately—my curls are nice, but my scalp’s kinda itchy.”
“Even now?”
Automatically, his fingers pressed into his scalp, massaging.
“Mm…”
Letting out a languid sound, Do-yeong shifted and fully relaxed. A faint smile hovered on his face as he basked in Hyeon’s touch.
“Feels good…”
At those murmured words, Hyeon’s eyes softened slightly.
It really did feel good—this moment. The way Do-yeong’s actions hinted he might see him as more than just a friend. The way he looked so happy over something as simple as a cheap friendship ring.
As he gently stroked through his hair, Hyeon replied with quiet sincerity.
“Yeah… it does.”
At that, Do-yeong smiled with the brightness of spring and slowly opened his eyes. His warm brown irises glimmered with something soft—hope, perhaps.
