“No, Haengboki. Go down.”
After finishing dinner and trying to relax, Haengboki kept attempting to climb onto the wooden floor.
“I played with you while eating. Now play by yourself.”
Haon was cleaning the dining table while Inho was tidying up the kitchen. Behind Haon, Haengboki looked at him with pleading eyes.
“I said no.”
Haon couldn’t let Haengboki up because he had seen Inho sneeze while doing the dishes, which seemed like an allergic reaction to fur.
“It’s okay to play for a bit.”
Inho, finished with the kitchen, approached the wooden floor, drying his hands. Haengboki quickly turned and tried to cling to Inho. Haon rushed out and shook his head, saying no.
“Haengboki can play alone too.”
“Anyway, we decided to spend the winter with Haengboki.”
Inho planned to take allergy medication gradually, or they would make a special bed for Haengboki on the wooden floor.
“When it gets cold, I’ll play with him more. Just let it go for today.”
Haon firmly led Haengboki out the front gate. Haengboki, feeling ignored, immediately trotted off to another house, likely Jin Seong-gu’s, the closest one.
“Would you like some fruit?”
Inho, with open arms, slipped his hands under Haon’s armpits as he returned from closing the gate.
“I’m good for now. You eat first.”
“No, later.”
Instead, Inho playfully bit Haon’s cheek, making him giggle. He then gently nibbled, tickling Haon.
Inho hugged Haon and walked backward onto the wooden floor, then effortlessly picked him up and carried him into the room. Haon, very comfortable in Inho’s arms, let him nibble on his cheek.
“Are you going to read, Inho?”
Lately, Inho had been reading every day. Since he was often called out during the day, he usually read in the evening after dinner.
“Yeah, for about an hour?”
“I want to read too.”
Inho, who had moved from Haon’s cheek to his lips for a brief kiss, smiled and nodded. Haon picked out the most interesting-looking novel from the stack in the corner of the room. Meanwhile, Inho laid out a futon on the floor and waited for him.
They sat side by side, leaning against the wall. Although there was a TV in the house, it was mostly for decoration. Unlike in Seoul, where the TV was always on like a radio, no one bothered with it anymore.
“What novel is it?”
“I read this when I was little. It’s a book my cousin left behind.”
Haon pointed to a book with a title and cover that suggested a sweet romance novel. Most of the books in the house were gifts; Haon had rarely bought books himself.
“Hurry up and read, Inho. I won’t bother you.”
Haon pretended to focus on the text, trying to cultivate a reading habit to let Inho read comfortably.
Inho whispered that Haon could disturb him if he wanted and placed a cushion on Haon’s lap. Haon rested his hands on the cushion and turned the pages, though the randomly chosen book wasn’t very engaging.
Unlike Haon, who wasn’t much of a reader, Inho immersed himself deeply in books. This was a new side of Inho that Haon discovered in the countryside. Although Haon knew Inho had many books in his study in Seoul, he had never seen Inho read so intently. Now, Haon was sure Inho had read every book in his study at least once.
After reading about five pages, Haon’s attention shifted to Inho. It was hard to concentrate with someone so interesting right next to him. Haon found himself slouching and leaning against Inho’s shoulder.
“Tell me if you want some fruit.”
Inho, holding the book with one hand, wrapped his other arm around Haon’s shoulder. Haon quickly refocused on the text, his eyes wide open. He wasn’t hungry yet.
Seeing Haon pretend to read, Inho returned to his book. All the books Inho was reading were new purchases. After spending about a week in the countryside, Inho had suddenly ordered a whole box of books.
Haon couldn’t help but smile at the titles of the books Inho had ordered—they were all about farming and agriculture. It amused him that people from Seoul read such books, which weren’t even found in the homes of lifelong farmers like the village elders or Jin Seong-gu. The village head had been so impressed that he jokingly offered to make Inho his successor.
If Inho ever became the village head, Jin Seong-gu would not be happy. He was already a bit jealous of the attention Inho received from the village aunties, though he never showed it openly.
After about an hour, Haon lost all interest in the book and stared into space. Inho, however, remained focused on his reading, occasionally tilting his head or gently touching Haon’s hair. He didn’t seem to need a break or change in posture.
Haon marveled at Inho’s concentration and glanced at the sliding door. Through the slight opening, a cricket the size of a finger hopped in without knocking.
Haon’s eyes widened, and he quickly looked at Inho, who was still engrossed in his book and hadn’t noticed the cricket. Thank goodness.
“Inho, I’m going to get a snack.”
“What do you want to eat?”
Inho closed his book and started to get up, but Haon quickly opened the book again and insisted he would go.
“I need to use the bathroom anyway, so I’ll grab something on my way back. You keep reading.”
Haon suddenly stood up and blocked Inho’s view with his body. He pretended to use the book to sweep the floor and naturally caught the cricket with his hand before going outside. He didn’t forget to close the door behind him.
Just like he had done with Haengboki, Haon released the cricket outside the front gate.
“You go to Jin Seong-gu’s house too.”
He jokingly told the cricket to go play with Haengboki before quickly heading to the kitchen. His light steps were filled with pride, and his cheeks were flushed with a satisfied smile.
‘I protected Inho again today,’ he thought to himself.
‘I was only going to read half of it…’
Inho, who had planned to read for just an hour, found himself finishing an entire book. He stretched and checked the time, realizing he had been reading for almost three hours.
Meanwhile, Haon was lying on his stomach, engrossed in his own activity. He was pressed against Inho, focused on something.
Instead of calling out to Haon, Inho quietly leaned over to see what he was doing. Haon was slowly eating corn kernels one by one while folding origami paper. He had started eating the corn two hours ago, but it seemed like he had barely made a dent in it.
Inho watched Haon’s white cheeks moving as he chewed, resting his chin on his hand. He sat there for a long time, observing Haon as if analyzing his every move—the way he bit into each kernel and carefully folded the paper.
It was only when Haon picked up a kernel that had fallen onto the blanket that he noticed Inho’s gaze. Thirty minutes had passed since Inho put down his book. Amazingly, there was still corn left.
“Did you finish your book, Inho?”
“Yes, I did.”
Inho lay down next to Haon, smiling softly. He examined the corn Haon was eating, half-expecting it to be never-ending, but it was just ordinary corn. He couldn’t believe Haon had been eating it for so long.
“Haon.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you so cute?”
Inho suddenly showered Haon with kisses, but Haon just giggled, not surprised at all. Haon’s hobby was origami, and he had created a whole animal kingdom with colorful paper. Each one was a lucky charm.
Their house was filled with Haon’s origami charms, and they seemed to bring a lively energy to the place. Every time Inho saw them, he felt a warm, happy feeling.
“Inho, I think I’ve gained weight.”
“Really?”
This was welcome news to Inho.
“I think I’ve gained 2kg.”
Haon rolled over to face Inho and proudly stuck out his stomach. Inho gently poked Haon’s still-flat belly and exclaimed in admiration, “Oh, really?”
“And I’m good at catching bugs too.”
Haon touched Inho’s cheek and continued his unexpected boast.
“I know that well.”
Inho placed his hand on Haon’s slender waist, smiling as he eagerly awaited the unpredictable flow of their conversation. Haon, looking at Inho, playfully twitched the corners of his mouth.
“Now I can lift heavy things too.”
“Don’t lift anything too heavy.”
“I can do it.”
Haon insisted playfully, and Inho nodded along, though he had no intention of letting Haon lift anything truly heavy.
“And…”
Haon rolled his eyes, trying to suppress a laugh.
“I don’t shed fur.”
Inho burst into laughter and gently stroked Haon’s soft, downy hair to check. Haon laughed too.
“So, keep living with me.”
Haon cleared his throat and continued, taking Inho’s left hand. He slipped a paper ring made of colorful origami onto Inho’s ring finger. Inho’s dark eyes reflected the bright blue and yellow paper ring, along with a deep smile.
Haon then handed Inho another paper ring, silently asking him to put it on his finger too. His playful smile held a sincere warmth.
“Will you keep living with me?”
“Of course.”
Inho carefully picked up the intricately folded ring and took Haon’s left hand. Before slipping the ring on, he set a condition.
“But it has to be forever.”
“Of course.”
Haon nodded enthusiastically, echoing Inho’s response. They kissed and then burst into laughter as they looked at the paper rings on each other’s fingers.
Their bright laughter filled the cozy house, just like yesterday, and just like it would tomorrow.
