42
For about two days, because Gu Wanjae was busy, Taein played the idle vagrant alone. When sleepy he slept, when hungry he ate, when he wanted to feel the cold wind he went out briefly and came back. The ocean was magnificent whenever he looked at it. Rather than feeling splendid and vast, it was an ocean that gave off a humble and clean feeling first. Taein would wander around even while getting hit by the sharp wind on his face. Going into room 204 when his hands got cold was his daily routine.
Gu Wanjae had already given him hints about the initial schedule.
That it would be quite hectic. But after about ten days, there would be a lot of free time. He said they should do lots of fun things then.
Fun things what?
When asked that, Gu Wanjae said there are lots of fun things. Should we go skiing, he voiced vague things but seemed not to know what they would do either. Taein always just chuckled at Gu Wanjae who said anything. Yeah, finish all your work first, then we’ll see.
Taein had no particular complaints about staying without Gu Wanjae.
It was more desolate than when they were together, but that level of quietude was nothing.
There was the ocean in front, and the world was quiet so it was peaceful.
When staying still, it sometimes felt like being in heaven.
Taein always slept when occasional boredom hit him. As if a ghost who died from lack of sleep had possessed him, here he would fall asleep as soon as he closed his eyes. If he put the pillow as far in the corner as possible and rested his head, light would only fall on his feet. Liking how his bare feet became warm, Taein would always put the pillow in the upper corner and fall asleep.
Today he had fallen asleep in a similar spot. Taein, whose crown had been touching the wall, suddenly woke up trembling from sleep at a sound.
“Oh, hey. Were you sleeping?”
It was Gu Wanjae. Taein frowned and looked at the entrance, saying “Oh” while sitting up.
Gu Wanjae somewhat hurriedly kicked off his shoes and headed straight to the bathroom. Something must have been urgently pressing. Taein watched Gu Wanjae heading to the bathroom and turned his gaze away. His head was throbbing from sleeping all morning. Taein pressed his temples with his thumbs and squeezed his eyes shut then opened them.
I shouldn’t nap anymore.
It doesn’t seem good for health either.
While he was touching his head for a while, he could see Gu Wanjae coming out of the bathroom. Gu Wanjae’s body, wearing a shirt on top and dress pants below, looked bigger than usual today. Since he had thrown his jumper toward the kitchen as soon as he entered, his outfit itself had become lighter. Taein looked Gu Wanjae up and down, then averted his eyes at a shape that caught them around the middle.
For some reason, the area around his pants zipper was greatly swollen.
Ah.
They had lived together in the officetel for several years.
He had seen Gu Wanjae pitched a tent in the morning several times, and had also glanced at that thing emanating presence even in stiff casual clothes. Back then, even seeing such things, he had no particular thoughts. Because they were guys living together, a moderately erect penis was also natural. The reason he felt so flustered now was that it wasn’t at a moderate erection level. Anyone could see it was greatly swollen, and it was showing embarrassingly prominently.
Taein tried hard to erase that flickering shape.
Gu Wanjae was only touching his belt since he had just come out of the bathroom.
“Hey, let’s go somewhere nice today.”
“Huh?”
While saying that, Gu Wanjae moved and rummaged through the closet. Taking off his pants was quick. Taein looked at the suddenly exposed back thighs, calves, and boxers, then scratched his forehead. Seeing the muscular lower body in broad daylight brought on embarrassment. It might have been because he had seen the front view just before.
Gu Wanjae put on sweatpants then took them off.
He seemed to know why he was taking them off. How much would the front outline be emphasized? Taein pretended not to know, only roughly noticing what Gu Wanjae was doing while responding to what he had just heard.
“Don’t tell me it’s a ski resort.”
They had nothing for going there. He knew they provided rentals even if you went empty-handed, but he didn’t really want to go. Taein had never even been near a ski resort. He felt like he would just suffer needlessly and come back with no skills.
“Why. Do you want to ski?”
“No. Not at all.”
“Let’s ski next time, today let’s just drink.”
“Your… those, hyung-nims won’t be there, right?”
“No. But are you very uncomfortable with the hyung-nims? They really like you.”
“No, well. It’s not that uncomfortable.”
Gu Wanjae tried on other pants too, but it wouldn’t work, so he picked up the sweatpants again and put them on. Taein had responded coolly to the problem of sleeping under the same blanket, but in situations like this, he broke out in cold sweat. If he forced himself to speak lightly, Gu Wanjae might feel bad. He couldn’t easily open his mouth.
“Hey, I’m done changing clothes.”
“Yeah.”
Taein spoke briefly and got up from his spot.
Gu Wanjae was waiting for him while piling the pants he had spread out in a corner.
Taein roughly dressed and did a cat wash in the bathroom. He just splashed water lightly and wiped his face. In case the situation became unfavorable, he also urinated in advance. After hesitating briefly, he didn’t forget to unfold tissue and put it against his underwear. Because he slept under the same blanket as Gu Wanjae, he suffered quite a bit every morning, but in front of Gu Wanjae whose body was in that state, his own body might have strange reactions too.
Having made such preparations, Taein arranged his hoodie with an indifferent face.
He put on a jumper over the hoodie that half-covered his buttocks and went outside.
* * *
The bar they arrived at was crowded with people. Since it was made by renovating an old building, the interior was full of old traces.
Taein said “Wow” and entered inside. The bar was packed with things you couldn’t usually see. Old electric fans, 1960s movie posters, unfamiliar lighting, and even outdated calendars. The peculiar thing about the bar was that it was full of people who had never experienced that era. Taein looked around curiously and sat down. Gu Wanjae also took a seat in front of him.
“Hey, it’s fucking unique alright.”
It had been unusual from the front. Right in front was a roadway, and people were crowded only in a few buildings including this bar that looked like a temporary building. Most were young people. Taein was also captivated by the antique furniture positioned beside the table. It had an explanation attached: <Antique furniture passed down for 4 generations>.
“4 generations would be… dad’s dad’s dad?”
“I don’t know, hey. What do you want to eat?”
The menu was all over the place. They sold pajeon sets, steamed clams, fusion tomato ramen, and even pork cutlet. Taein looked around at people’s tables. They seemed to mainly put down one kettle and eat pajeon with other side dishes. Taein pointed to the pajeon set and makgeolli in order.
“Everyone’s eating this.”
“You want to eat this?”
“Yeah, let’s try it.”
“Boss.”
Gu Wanjae immediately called the boss and ordered pajeon and makgeolli from the approaching staff. Then he ordered one more menu item. Fusion tomato ramen. Although there was a photo attached, he couldn’t imagine the taste. Only after the staff said “Yes” and took away the menu did Taein express his doubt.
“Tomato with ramen? Did you order it because you’ve tried it before?”
“No, I was curious. Hey. But wait a minute.”
Gu Wanjae suddenly got up and looked around. At the unexpected behavior, Taein couldn’t turn his head immediately. He inadvertently had to make eye contact with Gu Wanjae’s center. Something was bulging and protruding forward, and the shape was explicit because of the sweatpants. Taein looked at that prominently protruding area and blinked a couple times. When he turned his head elsewhere, Gu Wanjae was already showing his back. He wondered what he was looking for, but his destination seemed to be the bathroom.
Earlier, was his urgent search for the bathroom at the guesthouse also because of that?
Something like dealing with that wouldn’t be strange to accept.
But for what he dealt with to still be in that state… seemed somewhat strange.
Wondering if it might be painful, Taein turned on his phone and opened an internet window to attempt a search.
With his finger he composed up to “alpha,” but couldn’t continue the search term.
What would he search for “alpha erection time” or “alpha when erect”? Somehow it seemed like it would damage Gu Wanjae’s dignity, so he couldn’t bring himself to execute it. Taein put his phone on the table and sighed deeply. He had never seen it get that severe at the officetel.
Even when he pitched a tent in the morning, once he went into the bathroom and came out, it would be completely gone.
That was normal.
Was it because they were staying with their bodies too close together here? Taein felt an “oh no” sentiment about his own body becoming sensitive too. Not wanting to become uncomfortable with his friend, he had been sleeping under the same blanket every night, but it seemed to have had a bad influence on both of them. Taein fell into deep thought. Then should he suggest sleeping apart starting tonight?
Ah, but that would be stranger.
While his thoughts went back and forth, he could see the bathroom door opening.
It was Gu Wanjae who came out. Taein’s eyes were compulsively fixed only on Gu Wanjae’s face.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
