Chapter 57
Only when it was nearing midnight did the two part ways with the troupe members. Since it was Friday night, if they delayed any longer, they might not be able to find a room at a decent hotel. There were quite a few decent 3-star or 2-star hotels, but such hotels were naturally popular.
The two began walking, each carrying an umbrella. They were umbrellas Jiin had prepared in the trunk.
Since it was an area tourists rarely visited, the streets were dark with most shops closed. Jiin led the way through the stone paths that wound like a maze between old buildings. Before entering the hotel, they needed to stop by a convenience store first to buy items necessary for staying overnight, but there weren’t many convenience stores in this neighborhood either.
After getting some fresh air in the rain outside, he seemed to have sobered up a bit. Following a step or two behind, he muttered in a dejected voice.
“I’m sorry… when I said I’d drive.”
Jiin lifted the umbrella from his shoulder and looked back at him.
The reflection of golden light from fixtures installed on the building’s exterior walls instead of streetlights was hazily breaking apart on his umbrella. With his back to the light, his face wasn’t clearly visible.
“It’s fine. How could you not drink in that situation? Honestly, I knew this would happen from the beginning. As long as you enjoyed it, that’s enough.”
“Because of me, you even have to stay overnight… I should get a better hotel…”
Jiin shook his head.
“What’s there to waste? Two guys roughly sleeping for one night – there’s no need for a good hotel. Or do you have particular requirements for sleeping arrangements?”
A relationship with no reason to insist on good sleeping arrangements. A night where being able to lie down and close one’s eyes for a few hours would be sufficient.
Jiin was deliberately emphasizing such points, but that itself was evidence that he was already conscious of the fact that they would have to spend the night together.
In the darkness, his gaze seemed to fall somewhere around Jiin’s feet.
“No, it’s not that, but…”
“Then let’s go. There’s nothing to worry about. It’s a hotel for locals, so while it’s old and narrow, it’s a clean place. When else would you get to stay in such a place?”
Passing cafes and bars that were still open here and there, they finally arrived at the convenience store closest to the hotel. Though called a convenience store, it wasn’t a proper establishment run by a global chain company. Among Italians who were drunkenly talking loudly while each looking for something, the two selected drinks, razors and toothbrushes, underwear, and such.
He followed Jiin around, navigating the narrow aisles between display shelves. When Jiin took out a drink from the refrigerator, he followed and picked one. When Jiin chose a toothbrush, he picked one from nearby. For underwear… they picked different sizes from the fairly well-stocked range.
“……”
Condoms were displayed next to the underwear. He might not have noticed, but Jiin, who had just finished selecting underwear and was about to leave that area, unconsciously hesitated.
No, it was absolutely unnecessary. He had no idea why he had hesitated here.
“Hey, since we’re here anyway, should we drink a bit more?”
Jiin, who was turning around sharply toward him standing right behind, bumped his face into his chin. He hadn’t expected him to be standing so close.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Sorry. It’s narrow and I was careless.”
It seemed like his lips had brushed the tip of his nose. Slipping away from his hand that had grabbed his arm with a worried expression, Jiin touched his nose tip as if it hurt from the collision.
Younger guys really weren’t his type. A relationship where they could comfortably share each other’s daily lives without digging deep into each other’s private lives – that would be his ideal.
Even knowing the risk of causing an accidental incident, he couldn’t help but look for alcohol. In this half-drunk state, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink.
The hotel, which he had stayed at a couple times on recommendations from theater troupe colleagues, was maintaining its yellow paint cleanly unlike the surrounding buildings full of graffiti and scribbles. The young man at the counter glanced at the two Asian men with curious eyes, but that was all.
Friday nights anywhere in the world overflowed with lovers wanting to spend the night together. Double beds where two people had to share one bed were fully booked, but fortunately twin bed rooms were still available.
“How is it? Not bad, right?”
Entering the narrow room of only about 40㎡, Jiin spoke in a cheerful tone with a raised voice. Following behind, he set his umbrella against the entrance wall while carefully looking into the inner space with cautious eyes. Thinking this was probably his first time in such a place, Jiin felt a slight childish sense of superiority as the older one.
On the desk-cum-table, practically the only furniture besides the beds, Jiin put down the items bought from the convenience store. Then he pulled open the flimsy-looking wooden folding doors on both sides.
“It’s narrow, but there’s also a balcony.”
The view of the alley spread before them along with the sound of rain was quite atmospheric. Even if it was the same daily routine familiar to someone, it became romance and memories through a traveler’s eyes.
“……”
Before he knew it, he had come right up close beside him. Looking out at the night street over Jiin’s arm holding the door, he nodded.
“You’re right. The atmosphere is nice. We can drink here.”
Saying that, he went back to the table, took out wine, and gathered glasses prepared in the modest minibar.
What was he planning to do by making the atmosphere nice? Jiin blamed himself, but it was already a belated realization.
They positioned the table and chairs from the balcony across the boundary between the room and balcony and sat side by side. They could enjoy the rainy night street without being touched by rainwater splashing on the railing. They could also cool down the stuffy heat in the room that had no air conditioning.
“You made someone who has nothing to do with the theater troupe work so hard today, didn’t you? Each day must be precious for a traveler… I’m sorry.”
“Not at all. It was much more enjoyable than spending time alone. I even got to see hyung… acting.”
“……”
Jiin had to go on stage in place of an actor who didn’t show up for practice without notice. Jiin was the only troupe member who had memorized all the lines for all roles, so there was no other alternative.
It was something that happened occasionally. Though it was exciting and thrilling to be on stage even in that way, he had never felt embarrassed before… was it because someone who wasn’t a troupe member was watching? Being conscious of his gaze, that day he had more trouble concentrating on acting than usual. So he hoped that matter wouldn’t come up as a topic.
Jiin cleared his throat unnecessarily while looking for cigarettes. Watching Jiin’s profile as he smoked while silently drinking only wine, he suddenly spoke in a dreamy voice.
“Cigarettes… when did you start smoking?”
“Hmm, probably… around when my parents divorced. It’s not habitual – I smoke one or two when I think of it occasionally.”
Flicking ash into the ashtray, Jiin glanced at him. Though his eyes were slightly bloodshot, he maintained a calm gaze and proper posture. He didn’t look like someone who would easily lose reason and thrust his lower body forward using alcohol as an excuse.
The rain that had been drizzling when they walked to the hotel had now become quite heavy, pattering on the bronze balcony railing.
Escaping from his gaze, Jiin blew smoke long toward the rainy air. Then he began talking as his impulse directed.
“Yesterday, you briefly saw my sister, right?”
“……”
“Unlike me, she’s mixed race.”
“……”
“Actually, I’m an adopted child. The siblings were born after that.”
There was no change in his expression. He showed no sign of surprise at the content of the words, nor did he show the embarrassment or bewilderment of not knowing how to react to hearing sensitive topics. He was just quietly waiting for the story that would follow.
“My adoptive father was American, and when I was about eighteen, the two divorced and he returned to America… since then it’s been the siblings and me, and mother. We’ve continued as a family of four.”
“Ah…”
He who had shown no reaction to the adoption story nodded and let out an exclamation like a groan at the story of his adoptive parents’ divorce.
“The siblings each have clear things they want to do. I… like theater too, but… it’s not more important than being by mother’s side… I’m preparing to inherit the family business.”
Stubbing out the shortened cigarette butt in the ashtray, Jiin swallowed several gulps of wine.
The fact that he was adopted wasn’t particularly a secret. He couldn’t hide it due to his dramatically different appearance from his twin siblings. Some people speculated that the marriage with his American adoptive father was his mother’s remarriage, and Jiin might not be a child born with her ex-husband. However, the family had no intention of disguising facts with lies, and people in Paeli soon all knew that the eldest son of ‘Mio Palazzo’ didn’t share blood with his parents.
Flicking ash that hadn’t burned very long again, Jiin added as lightly as possible with a snort.
“Seeing that I’m satisfied with just hanging around the theater scene like this, it seems I’m not that desperate for it.”
“Someone who isn’t desperate… probably wouldn’t memorize all the lines like that.”
“……”
He stopped flicking ash and looked up at him. He avoided eye contact while nervously fidgeting with the glass in his hand. Then he covered his lower face with his large hand and roughly rubbed his skin as if scratching it.
“I’m sorry. I said something presumptuous.”
“……”
“It’s just… hyung on stage was shining and looked like a protagonist.”
“That’s just your eyes… that…”
Jiin hesitated, cut off his words and closed his lips. Instead, he poured wine into his mouth.
That’s just because right now only I am visible in your eyes.
He had almost spoken forbidden words aloud.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
