“Was the movie fun?”
Seo Inho, after seating Jung Haon on the bed, brushed his lips against Haon’s downy cheek. Haon, in the middle of answering, puffed out his cheek and nibbled at it lightly with his teeth.
“It was super fun. I watched until all the songs were over.”
With one cheek still tucked inside his mouth, Haon finished speaking with a lisp. Haon’s gaze remained fixed on Inho’s face.
“Is there something on my face?”
Inho chuckled and rubbed his own cheek. Haon slowly shook his head.
“You look tired.”
Haon, touching Inho’s smooth cheek, revealed his worried feelings. Outwardly, Inho’s complexion seemed no different from usual. There were no shadows under his eyes, nor were the whites bloodshot. The expression he directed at Haon was as bright as ever.
“Is that so?”
However, for some reason, Inho looked weary in Haon’s eyes.
“Didn’t you sleep well?”
At Haon’s careful question, Inho first responded with a laugh.
“I slept earlier too. Without even knowing Haon-ssi had disappeared.”
“No, I mean at night. Have you not been sleeping well at night lately?”
“I sleep well.”
Inho, muttering softly, placed his bag beside Haon’s feet. When Haon looked at him with a disbelieving expression, Inho smiled more broadly and added briefly.
“I’m not the type to sleep for long anyway. I sleep in short bursts often.”
“Then isn’t that bad for your health?”
“I’m used to it, so it’s okay.”
With that, he ruffled Haon’s hair, implying there was no need to worry. Haon, looking up at him intently, didn’t ask any more about his condition.
“I’ll go wash up for a bit.”
Inho turned on the TV and placed the remote near Haon. Even though he said he was going to wash up, he didn’t immediately head to the bathroom but continued to meet Haon’s gaze.
“Take your time washing up. I’ll watch TV.”
Haon, holding Inho’s hand and shaking it gently, said with a smile. Only then did Inho step away.
Haon picked up the remote and stared at the closed bathroom door for a moment. His expression was thoughtful, just like when he had watched the sleeping Inho.
Then, he put down the remote and took out colored paper from the bag. The one Haon picked was a bright yellow piece.
Sitting facing the direction of the bathroom door, he folded the paper without hesitation. He made it into the shape of a sea otter again, but unlike before, he placed a white flower between its adorable paws instead of a shell. He also added round eyes with a pen.
A sea otter holding a cosmos flower. This time, he put even more luck into the charm. With a prayerful heart, hoping it would become a truly lucky charm.
The bathroom door opened just as he was holding the paper with both hands, as if capturing the breeze.
“Did you already finish washing up?”
Haon’s eyes widened as he watched Inho, who was toweling his wet hair as he came out. Not even ten minutes had passed since he went in. Usually, he showered for over thirty minutes.
“It’s a sea otter again.”
Inho, sitting on the edge of the bed, smiled as he looked at the yellow paper Haon was holding. He recognized it at a glance without any explanation.
“Is this for me?”
“Yes. It’s for Inho-ssi.”
“I like it. It resembles Haon-ssi.”
He seemed genuinely pleased. Inho laughed and said, ‘I’ll carry this around in my wallet.’ Since his hands were still damp, Haon placed it on the bedside table for him. Since it was for Inho, he wouldn’t forget it.
“You should dry your hair.”
Haon gently touched Inho’s hair, which he had only lightly toweled. Inho smiled and said he would do it later.
“Shall we watch another movie? You said the one we watched earlier was fun.”
Haon nodded and leaned against Inho’s cool upper body. His body felt colder than usual, probably because he had showered in cold water.
“You should have washed with warm water…”
Haon murmured with displeasure, stroking Inho’s arm. Inho, placing his hand on Haon’s back, replied lightly that he had been a little hot.
Just then, a sharp dog’s bark came from the TV. Woof! Woof! A small, white Maltese was picking a fight with a large Golden Retriever. It was an observational reality show featuring actors.
Both of them burst into laughter at the sight of the cute Maltese and fixed their gazes on the TV together. The ‘pop, pop’ sound effects added whenever the Maltese walked made it look even more like a doll. It was a scene that naturally brought a smile.
“Wow, it’s so cute. It really looks like a doll.”
“It does.”
The fiercely barking baby Maltese got hit by the Golden Retriever’s tail and flopped down. Haon’s laughter grew louder at this.
“Haon-ssi, do you like dogs?”
Inho, who had been laughing while watching TV together, asked casually. Haon nodded his head emphatically, saying he did. His round eyes were glued to the toddling Maltese.
“Shall we raise one?”
“Pardon?”
“A dog. If Haon-ssi likes them.”
Inho pointed at the TV screen with his fingertip, asking what he thought of a white Maltese like that one. Or a large dog would be fine too.
Inho’s gaze wasn’t directed at Haon as he asked the question. Instead, Haon stared intently at him.
“Inho-ssi.”
After taking his hand that was pointing at the TV and lowering it, Haon opened his mouth.
“You have a fur allergy.”
His clear, distinct voice sounded unusually loud. Inho smiled faintly and said that was right. Haon didn’t ask why he had brought it up then. He simply maintained his gaze on him.
“I’ll go get something to drink.”
Inho, after kissing Haon’s forehead, briefly left the bedroom. His footsteps going down the stairs were quick. The moment he set foot on the lower floor, he roughly ran a hand down his face.
“Ha…”
He regretted asking the question as soon as it left his lips. He had been testing Haon. To see if he remembered the conversation they had. Or if he had forgotten again.
Letting out a suppressed sigh, he headed to the kitchen. He felt like he needed to cool down, so he took out a cold can of beer. He quickly finished the can and stood leaning on the table with both hands, taking slow, deep breaths.
Even though there was nothing to be anxious about right now, his frayed nerves kept making him feel on edge. He felt uneasy when Haon wasn’t by his side, and his heart sank if he wasn’t where he was supposed to be.
“Inho-ssi.”
Haon approached Inho from behind as he stood there with a stiff expression. Inho hadn’t even heard him come down the stairs, lost in his thoughts.
“Do you need anything?”
Inho’s expression softened as soon as he saw Haon. He asked Haon what he wanted to drink and opened the refrigerator. Haon said anything was fine.
“Do you happen to know where my phone is?”
Haon, after receiving a juice box from Inho, asked. A gentle smile, as serene as Inho’s, lingered on his lips after taking a sip of the sweet juice.
“I can’t find my phone.”
He thought he had used it last in bed… He trailed off, waiting for Inho’s reply. Inho looked like he knew the answer.
“Do you need it now?”
Inho, blurting out the words, immediately shook his head. Before Haon could respond, he realized his question had been unnecessary.
“I put it in the bedside table drawer. I’ll go get it quickly.”
After leading Haon to the sofa to watch TV, he went upstairs for a moment. In the meantime, Haon was holding the remote control, but he hadn’t turned on the TV.
“Shall I make you something? Aren’t you hungry?”
Inho, handing over the phone he had brought from upstairs, sat beside Haon. Haon said he was fine.
“I had a soy milk earlier.”
“Good job.”
He curved his eyes, swiping his thumb across Haon’s moistened lower lip. Haon, after putting down his juice, smiled along with him.
“I was going to text Tae-hwi hyung and Hoyoung. I didn’t properly thank them for their help.”
Haon, offering the words before Inho even asked, leaned into his embrace. Then, holding up his phone so Inho could see, he opened the message window.
Just as he had said, he only left a message thanking Tae-hwi and Hoyoung for their help and then closed his phone. Inho remained silent for a moment, just watching Haon.
In the brief silence, Haon called out to him with his eyes, ‘Inho-ssi.’
“You wouldn’t want me to work this weekend, would you?”
It was a sudden question. Inho couldn’t answer.
“Shall I quit?”
Inho, his lips parting silently, rubbed his chin with his fingertips. His calm eyes slowly fell to the floor.
Inho nodded in response.
“Then I’ll only work until next week. I’ll contact them beforehand to say I’m quitting.”
Haon, holding Inho’s hand, interlaced their fingers. He said that if they found someone to work sooner, he wouldn’t go in next week either.
“Then… you’ll be less anxious, right?”
Haon playfully shook their tightly clasped hands. To lighten the weight of the heavy question.
Inho’s lips moved as if to speak, but he simply nodded again. Then, he rested his head on Haon’s shoulder and let out a subdued chuckle. It was a laugh filled with embarrassment.
Haon hugged Inho tightly and whispered.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Each slowly spoken word was filled with sincerity.
“I hope Inho-ssi won’t be too anxious because of me…”
Inho inhaled Haon’s scent-filled breath and hugged his slender body, responding only with another nod. The beating of Inho’s heart, felt through their touching chests, resembled Haon’s own.
