Gentle Giant Chapter 39
He picked out a popular movie that was trending lately, made reservations for the best time slot, and even perfectly prepared the most delicious types of popcorn.
Dain entered the movie theater with a proud expression, leading Juho along. And it didn’t even take 5 minutes for that proud expression to turn into a sulky one.
The cause of that expression was Juho, who was now returning after buying popcorn.
In a movie theater that seemed to gather all the young people in Seoul, Juho was undoubtedly a beast-man who stood out. Dain was well aware of that much. But the problem was that there were far more aggressive people here than in Dain’s neighborhood.
Once while going to buy popcorn, and twice while carrying the popcorn back here. Juho had stopped a total of three times when called by people asking for his contact information.
Dain, who had been anxiously watching since this was Juho’s first Korean movie theater experience, found himself unconsciously crossing his arms and glaring with triangular eyes as he watched Juho being stopped for the third time.
“Hyung, I bought the popcorn. Half caramel popcorn and half regular. That’s right, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe because it’s the weekend today, there are really a lot of people at the movie theater.”
“Yeah.”
Juho raised his eyebrows, seeing Dain in a completely different mood from when they entered the movie theater. What could have happened in the brief time he went to buy popcorn?
Juho moved to follow the direction of Dain’s gaze, who wasn’t looking at him. Then Dain turned his head to the opposite side.
“Hyung? What’s wrong? You don’t like caramel popcorn?”
“No.”
Dain couldn’t say that he felt bad after seeing Juho smile sweetly at the people asking for his contact information. However, he also couldn’t understand why he kept smiling at strangers. Because Juho kept smiling, the people around them had no intention of withdrawing their gazes directed at him.
“Hyung’s expression doesn’t look good… Did I do something wrong?”
“……”
“Huh? Really? What did I do wrong?”
When Dain didn’t answer his half-joking question, a flustered expression appeared on Juho’s face. He had bought the popcorn that Dain said he wanted to eat. What could he have done wrong?
“……You gave it.”
“Pardon……?”
“Ju, Juho, you smiled at other people even though it wasn’t even funny!”
Dain blurted out the words in a rush. Then he dragged Juho behind a pillar and blocked in front of him.
He didn’t like other people looking at Juho’s face. But he was so frustrated that with his height being a whole span shorter, he couldn’t hide Juho’s handsome face.
Looking at Juho who wasn’t responding to his complaints, Dain muttered quietly.
“I want to be taller too.”
If he could just tuck Juho’s face snugly into his embrace, no one would be able to see Juho. For the first time, Dain wished he was taller.
Juho, who had been dragged behind the pillar by Dain’s momentum, felt blood rushing to his face at the unexpected reason that came from Dain’s mouth.
Wow, it was worth the effort of trying not to show my temper in front of hyung. Since he knew Dain was watching him, he had simply sent people away with kind words. But apparently that looked unpleasant in Dain’s eyes.
How cute it was to see him openly jealous now that they were dating. Even though Juho knew Dain was being serious right now, he couldn’t hold back the laughter that was bursting out.
“D, don’t laugh, Juho! I’m angry at you right now!”
“I’m sorry, hyung. I really didn’t smile to look good to other people.”
“I know that. But still… Juho, you’re too kind and it’s a problem.”
Dain said this while standing on his tiptoes, trying to hide even a little bit of Juho’s face. Juho quickly lowered his head before Dain’s ankles got strained. Then he buried his face in Dain’s shoulder and looked up at Dain with just his eyes rolling.
“Hyung, this way only you can see my face. How about it?”
“Huk……”
Juho’s face was right in front of his nose. Skin so white and shimmering that not a single pore was visible, eyes shining with golden yellow light, lips that were bright red and luscious. Whether seen separately or together, it was a face that was nothing but perfect.
Dain nodded so quickly that his neck made cracking sounds. He nodded so vigorously that Dain’s gray hair fluttered and tickled Juho’s face.
Juho followed Dain in that exact position until they entered the movie theater. Dain knew Juho would be uncomfortable, but he walked tensely, afraid that Juho’s face might leave his shoulder.
The movie proved its popularity with its grand scale and touching story. Dain concentrated for over 2 hours of screening time without properly blinking once.
And Juho likewise watched Dain without blinking once. It was a meaningful time for both of them respectively.
“Wow, it was really interesting. Right, Juho? It must be Scarlett after all! Every series that comes out is fun!”
Dain talked without hiding his excited expression, still caught up in the movie’s afterglow. Juho answered while brushing off the popcorn crumbs from Dain’s mouth.
“Hyung, do you like the series from Scarlett?”
“Huh? Yeah! I haven’t seen many in theaters, but I’ve watched almost everything that’s come out so far! It’s definitely much cooler seeing it in the theater. Right?”
“Yes. I’ve also made sure to watch everything that’s come out so far.”
Of course, he also knew everything about the series Scarlett would release in the future, but he didn’t bother bringing that up. It seemed much better to watch and discuss each new series with Dain directly as they came out.
Dain walked while holding Juho’s hand and swinging it back and forth energetically, delighted to discover another common interest with Juho.
“So what do we do next now?”
“Huh? Um. This is the end though…? We should go home now!”
“Ah.”
Dain looked at Juho with eyes that seemed to ask, ‘Should we be doing something more?’ At that innocent and clear gaze, Juho forced a smile. Of course there were infinitely many things they could do. But he was afraid Dain might faint if he said that, so he couldn’t bring himself to say it and just raised the corners of his mouth.
At that ambiguous reaction, Dain, who had tilted his head, made an expression as if he realized something.
“Oh! That’s right! We don’t have any food at all. We need to go grocery shopping!”
“Pardon?”
“What should we eat for dinner? Since we ate out for lunch, let’s make something at home for dinner! There’s a big mart that opened on the way, so we can shop there together! Juho, you remembered that there’s no food at home. I thought about it until this morning but then forgot.”
Dain said this while laughing “haha” toward Juho. Dain’s interest had already shifted from the date to mart sales.
Juho agreed with Dain’s words and headed toward the mart. The tingling atmosphere between lovers had already begun to be replaced by Dain’s housewife instincts.
After leaving the movie theater, Dain led Juho and quickly moved his feet to arrive at the mart. Perhaps because the mart was having a big opening sale, there were many people and many products. Dain wandered around the mart putting items in the cart.
“Juho. Do you like wings, drumsticks, or breast meat among chicken?”
“I don’t really have preferences.”
“Really? I like wings the most.”
Dain added an unasked fact to his response to Juho’s answer.
“Juho. What flavor of sweet potato do you like?”
“Sweet potato…? I’ve never eaten it so I’m not sure.”
“Really? I see! I like the ones with dipping sauce here, try it this time! It’s totally delicious!”
Dain smiled while holding two bags of sweet potato.
“Juho. Do you like green grapes or regular grapes?”
“Um, I don’t really eat fruit…”
“What? That won’t do! You need to eat fruit well so you don’t lack vitamins! Then let’s eat green grapes!”
Before Juho could even nod, Dain plopped the green grapes into the cart.
Watching Dain constantly asking about his preferences and responding, Juho recalled when they first met. Back then too, he had asked all sorts of TMI questions and he was still the same. The way he tried so hard to find out what Juho liked was cute. The way he raised his clear voice to avoid being drowned out by other people’s voices was also cute.
Finally, after going around the mart once and thoroughly finding out Juho’s food preferences, Dain kept repeating Juho’s answers in his head. He planned to go home and organize Juho’s preferences in a notebook.
“Hyung, isn’t it heavy? I said I’d carry everything.”
“Heavy? It’s not heavy at all. Usually I carry everything by myself, including what Juho would carry for me.”
“Still.”
Right now, Juho was concerned about Dain’s fingers turning red. He didn’t like how the handles of the bags packed full of groceries were crushing Dain’s tender palms. However, Dain just smiled with a clear face as if he found Juho’s worry amusing.
“Phew, it’s still incredibly hot even though it’s evening!”
Dain, who had entered the studio apartment, sat on the floor and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Juho, who had organized the items from the bags, quickly approached Dain and started fanning him with his hand. At that tickling breeze, Dain let out a small laugh.
“Hyung, are you very hot? Should I go buy some ice cream?”
“No. I’ve cooled down thanks to your hand fanning!”
“Really? But I think there’s still some sweat left on your forehead.”
Juho said this while gently wiping Dain’s forehead. Hearing this, Dain quickly covered his forehead. While Juho’s face remained fluffy and radiant without breaking into a sweat, he was embarrassed to be dripping with sweat.
Then Dain suddenly remembered a scene and quickly scooted backward on his bottom, moving away. When Dain, who had been grinning, suddenly ran away to the corner to avoid him, Juho’s eyebrows slightly furrowed.
“Hyung?”
Juho withdrew his hand that was floating in the air and turned to look at Dain. Dain was making a troubled expression with his hand still covering his forehead, only lowering his eyes downward.
“What’s wrong, hyung?”
“Uh, uh. I should wash up first and come out…”
“…?”
What was he suddenly talking about…? Juho’s eyes slightly widened. At Juho’s attitude of not understanding the meaning of his words, Dain lowered the hand covering his forehead to his nose.
“Juho, you said before that I… sm, smell like sweat…”
“Pardon?”
“Right now it might smell even more than back then…”
He had no desire to become a smelly boyfriend. Dain stealthily moved his bottom toward the bathroom.
Juho stared intently at that movement and unconsciously let out a short laugh “ha.”
Juho, who reached Dain in an instant with his long legs, lightly grabbed Dain’s wrist to stop his movement. Then he pressed his nose to Dain’s forehead and said.
“Hyung, I’m really not lying. You don’t smell like sweat, you smell sweet, a good smell.”
“Oh, geez. You don’t need to say that much…”
Dain quickly turned his face backward to avoid Juho’s nose. At that quick movement, veins bulged on Juho’s forehead.
“No, hyung. I’m serious!”
“Juho, let go of my hand. I’ll wash up quickly and come back. Okay? Just wait a little?”
“Hyuuung, I said you don’t need to wash up now.”
“I don’t want to. I want to wash up and come out now. I, I feel like I smell like sweat!”
Neither of them would give in.
Finally, Dain peeled off Juho’s fingers one by one and scurried into the bathroom to escape.
“Shit. I should just break down that bathroom door or something.”
Juho looked resentfully at the tightly closed bathroom door. Why did I say the word ‘smell’ in the past. Juho grabbed his bright brown hair tightly and cursed once more. He vowed that he would never bring up even the letter ‘ã„´’ of ‘smell’ in front of Dain again.
“Geez, Jung Dain. This idiot.”
Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Dain muttered while turning on the shower water. Juho had told Dain about this before, but he had already forgotten and was laughing saying that hand fanning was good.
While Juho smells cool and refreshing even in this weather, not to mention sweat… Dain, who usually had no interest in perfume, now thought he should ask his noona and find out about it.
Dain thought he wanted Juho to only smell fresh scents from him too. The more he had such thoughts, the more force went into Dain’s hands scrubbing every corner of his body.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
