22.
Who on earth has sex like such a beast? From the middle onward, his memories weren’t even clear. All that remained was the sensation from their intensely prolonged intercourse.
“Ugh.”
Haseo forced open his eyes that wouldn’t properly open and checked the time. The black hands on the wall clock pointed to 6 o’clock. But somehow he had an ominous feeling, so when he looked at the window, it was pitch black outside. Even at dawn, there should be some light at 6 o’clock, but there wasn’t.
‘It’s evening.’
His throat felt dry and scratchy, probably from losing fluids all night long. As he crawled off the bed with his body aching as if beaten, he noticed his body was clean. Seeing that the bedding had been changed to new ones, it seemed Choi Mujin had at least some conscience.
‘No, that’s not right.’
If he had a conscience, he wouldn’t have worked someone this hard. Besides, that monster of his was endlessly excited. Could there be something wrong with his genitals? While having this useless thought, he found himself laughing out loud without realizing it.
“How foolish.”
After giving up on the idea that giving his heart to Choi Mujin would be pointless, when the opportunity came, he eagerly jumped at it. For him, it might have just been simple sex, but Haseo had ulterior motives. The thought that maybe if they mixed bodies like this, he might come to like him a little.
‘Really foolish.’
Haseo placed his feet on the floor and immediately curled up with a groan.
“Urgh.”
Making a strange sound, he barely managed to stand upright and went outside the room, where Choi Mujin was. Leaning comfortably on the sofa, he exuded a sense of leisure. His attire was the same as usual—dress pants and a shirt—and he was wearing gloves that he usually took off at home.
“Did you go out?”
When Haseo asked, the answer came right away.
“For a bit.”
“Should I prepare dinner?”
“No, I bought food. Do you like sushi?”
Choi Mujin pointed to a paper box placed on the table. Haseo scratched his head and sat down next to Choi Mujin. Usually, sofas are placed on both sides to accommodate guests, but in this house, there was only one, which is why he sat beside him. From the sofa, he could see the kitchen.
“Sushi, I’ve tried it before.”
Just once, when his grandmother bought it from the supermarket as a birthday present, but honestly, it wasn’t tasty. The raw fish he tried for the first time was fishy and dry. The vinegar added to cover that taste was too sour, so it wasn’t delicious.
“Eat.”
“I’ll eat with gratitude.”
Still, Haseo decided not to complain. It was kind enough that he bought dinner instead of asking him to prepare it. When he opened the paper box, there was another plastic box inside, with sushi neatly arranged. Unlike what he ate as a child, the fish looked appetizing and glistened temptingly.
How well they packaged it. After preparing to eat by opening the transparent lid, Haseo called out to Choi Mujin.
“You should eat together.”
Choi Mujin nodded, picked up chopsticks, took a piece of sushi topped with red fish flesh, dipped it in soy sauce, then put it in his mouth and chewed it down. It looked so delicious.
Seeing that gave him the courage to eat. Haseo picked up the same sushi that Choi Mujin had eaten and dipped it in soy sauce as he had done. After putting it in his mouth and chewing, he tasted a sweet yet rich meat flavor. There was no fishy feeling at all like what he had eaten before.
“It’s delicious.”
Once he knew how to eat it, the rest was easy. Haseo quickly devoured the sushi that filled the container. The red-fleshed fish, the white-fleshed fish, even the raw shrimp were delicious. While eating mindlessly, Haseo mumbled softly.
“I guess I did like sushi.”
At this unexpected remark, Choi Mujin looked at Haseo. Realizing that he had spoken his thoughts out loud, he belatedly tried to cover it up.
“The first sushi I ate didn’t taste like this. I guess this is expensive, right? Yeah, money is good. Good.”
As he rambled on, he stopped when he saw Choi Mujin opening a second box. It was also filled with sushi, and Choi Mujin pushed it toward Haseo.
“Eat more.”
Although his stomach was nearly full, he didn’t decline. This must be expensive, and who knows when he would get to eat it again. Better eat it while he can. But Haseo had a conscience, so he gently pushed the box toward Choi Mujin.
“You should eat more too, Choi Mujin-ssi.”
“I already ate at the sushi restaurant.”
“Really?”
“Or did you think I was saving my portion for you?”
When Choi Mujin said this with a smirk, Haseo’s face turned red.
“I didn’t think that!”
“Then that’s fine. By the way, didn’t you say you’d call me ‘hyung’ last time?”
“I never did.”
Haseo answered primly and continued to empty the second box of sushi diligently. During the meal, Choi Mujin didn’t say anything, but just having him nearby was fulfilling. After finishing the meal, they cleared the table that had suddenly become a dining table.
“As I said before, your salary should have been deposited today. It’s an advance, so work hard until you pay it all back.”
He really gave it as he said he would. Haseo stopped clearing the table and quietly looked for his phone. The phone was in the pocket of the outer garment he wore yesterday, and fortunately, it hadn’t gone into the washing machine. Well, Choi Mujin might change the sheets, but he wouldn’t do the laundry.
When he opened his phone and checked the banking app, there was an amount he had never seen before. At first, he thought he had seen it wrong, but no matter how many times he counted, the amount didn’t change.
“Choi Mujin-ssi!”
Haseo rushed out of the laundry room and headed toward Choi Mujin.
“I said call me hyung.”
“Then, hyung! The advance amount is strange!”
“I need to give you that much so you won’t think of other things.”
“But who gives a housekeeper an advance of 100 million won!”
With this money, how long would he have to work in this house? Haseo bit the tip of his fingernail, then closed his eyes tightly and opened them again.
“I’ll do well. I’ll cook diligently, clean until not a speck of dust is visible. I’ll do everything you ask me to do!”
Wouldn’t it be good to pledge loyalty to such a person? He had never been in the military, but that thought crossed his mind. Haseo fidgeted with his phone in hand until he noticed the table he hadn’t finished clearing and quickly knelt down. What was he doing, stopping in the middle of cleaning!
After cleaning the table thoroughly, he immediately opened the refrigerator but didn’t see anything suitable for dessert. I should have bought some fruit without hesitating because it’s expensive.
Haseo spun around in place and then ran into the guest room to put on clothes. At that moment, he could even forget that his body was aching.
“Wait a moment. I’ll go to the mart!”
Choi Mujin grabbed Haseo as he was about to run out.
“What are you going to buy?”
“Fruit!”
“Then wait here instead of going out.”
Choi Mujin picked up his phone that he had placed beside him and made a call.
“Dongsu? Bring some fruit now.”
Then he immediately hung up, threw his phone on the sofa, and looked at Haseo with a triumphant expression. Choi Mujin definitely didn’t have a cute appearance, but strangely, as Haseo looked at him, an odd emotion welled up.
‘No, no.’
The emotion he was feeling now was an illusion. It had to be an illusion. Haseo smoothed his face that kept softening and sat down on the sofa again.
“Tomorrow you can go out for a while. It’s a Saturday anyway.”
“Is it a day off?”
“Yes.”
It was the first holiday since he started working at Choi Mujin’s house.
“You can go wherever you want, but take Park Dongsu with you, and tell me where you went when you get back.”
“Yes!”
The only place Haseo would go to was the hospital where his grandmother was. Now that he had money, he planned to take care of the accumulated hospital bills and greet his grandmother.
“Thank you.”
None of this would have been possible without Choi Mujin.
“Thank you so much. I’m sorry for stealing your money and watch at first. I was really bad. I shouldn’t have done that, but I did something bad because I was blinded by money.”
“That’s old news.”
Choi Mujin dismissed Haseo’s words as if they were not a big deal. But at that moment, Haseo thought to himself that he would definitely repay this kindness someday. That had nothing to do with whether Haseo loved Choi Mujin or not. Having received so much, it seemed right to repay at least half of it.
Haseo swallowed the tears that were suddenly welling up and smiled.
Choi Mujin sat beside him and thought as he watched Haseo sniffling silently and then smiling. In the end, it seemed like he had failed to instill a sense of wariness in the stupid puppy. Despite being tormented all night, with skin showing through the old t-shirt all red and bruised, he was still smiling happily, which made him look foolish.
Occasionally, he had seen faces like that before. The faces of those who commit trashy acts at the bottom to earn money yet believe in the illusion of loyalty. Park Dongsu was like that too, and now Haseo was making that face. Choi Mujin reached out and roughly ruffled Haseo’s hair.
For some reason, it bothered him when Haseo made such an expression, unlike with others. After all, what he wanted to get from Haseo by giving him money wasn’t his loyalty.
‘Then what is it?’
He had that thought momentarily, but it didn’t last long because Park Dongsu, who had bought plenty of fruit, rang the doorbell.
“He must be here!”
Haseo got up and went to greet Park Dongsu. He wouldn’t be able to help carry anything anyway. Choi Mujin clicked his tongue and got up to follow Haseo.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
