Side Story 2 – Chapter 13
My eyes snapped open. I stared blankly at the ceiling, blinking several times. It took quite a while to fully grasp my consciousness that hadn’t completely awakened from sleep. The sound of running water from the bathroom revealed Mitchell’s location.
I had been dreaming just before waking up.
It started with a miniature Mitchell, about the size of a fist, appearing and hammering my head repeatedly. It was only ticklish, so I left the miniature Mitchell alone as he hit me.
But then more and more Mitchells started appearing, all rushing to hit my head. The impact from the small Mitchell’s hammering, which had only been ticklish, soon turned into pain. Eventually, it felt like lightning was striking my head.
I woke up after being hit on the head for a long time in the dream. It was truly a miserable dream.
But miraculously, after that dream, all my forgotten memories returned. The effect of the miniature Mitchell hitting my head tens of thousands of times was remarkable.
“Wow…”
I stared at the ceiling for a long time, feeling dazed. As I recalled my returned memories, I reminisced about old times. What I had experienced after coming to America and what emotions I had felt. I even remembered the details of my relationship with Mitchell, which I had been most curious about. Everything, without exception, came back to me.
How hard must it have been for Mitchell alone? Feeling guilty and sorry, I secretly swallowed my tears. Now I could understand the bewildered look in his eyes that he had shown occasionally.
But the sad sentiment didn’t last long.
I recalled the lies that Mitchell had told me.
It wasn’t just one or two. There were too many lies meant to tease me for him to have been struggling alone with all the burden on his shoulders. It was beyond counting on fingers.
In the end, the truth always comes out. After realizing all of Mitchell’s pranks, I also understood the truth behind the “sourceless resentment” I had been feeling all this time.
He had properly played with me when I lost my memory. He must have enjoyed it knowingly or unknowingly, thinking I would be the same even with a screw loose.
For now, I decided not to tell Mitchell that my memory had returned. I wanted him to experience the same thing. Although I was grateful that I could love Mitchell wholly as myself thanks to my returned memory… that was that.
Isn’t it a rule of human relations that pranks received must be returned?
“Ugh.”
As I got up, my whole body ached. After briefly appreciating my body that had been bitten and sucked by him, I got out of bed. Despite doing so much yesterday, there was no stickiness. It seemed Mitchell had wiped me clean thoroughly.
Always kind, our Mitchell. My beloved Mitchell.
But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t take revenge.
I plan to return his teasing in a thoroughly miserable and sorrowful manner. I might not be able to make him cry, but it’s right to show him a situation comparable to that. Look forward to it. I moved my steps with a sinister smile.
I washed up and brushed my teeth in the bathroom in the living room. When I came out, Mitchell was standing in front of the bathroom door. Out of habit, I was about to throw myself into his arms but suddenly stopped in place, pretending to be formal.
I asked without even making eye contact, as if embarrassed.
“You’re up?”
I got goosebumps at my own coyness. My appearance of pretending to be shy was hideous and creepy.
“Yeah. How’s your body?”
“It’s okay. I was a bit surprised since it was my first time, but I think I’ll be fine.”
Let’s forget about yesterday’s me who had tasted pleasure multiple times. Even though I said it myself, my body trembled at such an artificial answer. I walked to the bed, unnecessarily touching around my waist.
Mitchell would soon leave for filming, so I planned to rest well in my room. I didn’t think Mitchell would ask me to leave this house. I was certain as a Mitchell expert.
“You’ll rest here, right? If there’s no reason to go to your place, stay here. I’ll finish around five or six. I might be able to come back earlier if possible.”
His tone seemed somewhat anxious. I wondered if his attitude had changed just because we had slept together once.
“Okay.”
Mitchell prepared to leave, and I lay on the bed waiting for him to come. As he came to my side to say goodbye, bag on his shoulder, I threw out the line I had prepared.
“I understand why a man who’s not even gay would look for another man.”
“……”
It was a statement with many implications. I’m not sure how Mitchell interpreted it, but his expression subtly crumpled. I didn’t stop there.
“It felt good yesterday. Do real gays always play like this? I never imagined it could feel this good. Do you know any guys around?”
The king of bedroom activities has arrived.
My plan was to become a promiscuous person who had opened his eyes to a new world after one night of sex. Of course, I intended to show interest only in other gays, not Mitchell.
Mitchell, you need to go crazy with jealousy to realize how precious the person next to you is.
I danced inwardly while watching Mitchell’s expression crumble in real-time. I didn’t know how cute our impatient Mitchell could be.
“So what if I do? Want me to introduce you?”
“No, sorry. Don’t mind what I just said.”
“You mean you want to sleep with other men, right?”
“It’s not that… just forget it. It’s nothing.”
“How can I forget when I’ve already heard it?”
“I said it’s not. Aren’t you leaving now? Take care. I’ll leave a little later.”
I escaped under the covers, pulling them up to the top of my head. The last thing I saw was Mitchell’s face turning red and blue. I’m sorry for Mitchell who won’t be able to concentrate during today’s filming, but he teased me too, so it’s a fair exchange.
Since Mitchell fell for it as expected, I planned to push it further from here. He might really cry then.
“Don’t go out. I’ll be back soon.”
Mitchell greeted me in a voice that sounded almost dead. I deliberately dragged it out before reluctantly answering.
“We’ll see.”
His sigh was so deep it seemed like it would pierce through the blanket.
***
After that day, Mitchell made me stay at his house. I wasn’t allowed to go downstairs even once.
I was used to living in Mitchell’s house since I had been staying there originally, but Mitchell explained everything about the structure of the house, where to find things I might need, and how to live comfortably here. He even brought all my belongings from my house, including things I hardly ever used.
“Can’t I sleep at home today?”
I would pretend to want to go home from time to time when he least expected it.
“Mitchell, didn’t you say you like sleeping alone, and it’s uncomfortable having someone at home?”
I mentioned the lies Mitchell had told me, grating on his nerves.
Sleeping alone, my ass. Having someone at home might be uncomfortable, but what if it’s me? It can’t possibly be uncomfortable. We’re practically one body.
“I’m going home today. I have plans with a friend.”
“……”
I looked at him as if I knew nothing. Treating him coldly and indifferently made Mitchell flustered instead. It was strange for the obsessive patient who used to follow Mitchell to the filming set, secretly watch him, and freely roam his trailer to suddenly create distance.
“You don’t have to contact me every hour on the dot. It’s inconsiderate during filming. It’s a bit bothersome for me too, not just for you.”
I smiled as gently as possible, as if there was no other meaning. The more I did so, the more Mitchell’s expression distorted. For someone as obsessive and starved for affection as me, the current situation must be the worst of the worst, accompanied by a high level of pain.
I feel a bit sorry, but Mitchell started it first.
“Geon-woo. That doesn’t seem right.”
“I admit that I couldn’t sort out my emotions for a few days and did all sorts of things. Remnants of a past I can’t even remember? I guess something like that remained. That’s why I couldn’t come to my senses and was swayed by you. Of course, I’m not blaming you or criticizing you. At least I’ve come to my senses now, so it’s fine. And I think we shouldn’t be bound by the past. I need to live my own life too.”
Mitchell stared at me without even blinking. I had an illusion that blood vessels were rising in the whites of his eyes.
“You said it then, right? That I would eventually return to how I was before. Maybe that’s true. But not now. I’m going home now.”
I had invaded the trailer. I had become Mitchell’s shadow and followed him around. I acted according to his expectations, returning to the state he had described.
But that was when I had lost my memory.
Now I’m perfectly myself. The me with my memory fully returned is still Mitchell’s shadow, but a few more modifiers needed to be added.
A smart and meticulous shadow.
An experienced person who knows how to play with Mitchell appropriately.
“Geon-woo.”
That anxiously trembling gaze was an indicator of how much he wanted me. I love the always confident Mitchell, but I can’t miss the sight of him yearning for me either. Feeling his heart made my mood tingle too. But I can’t stop here, can I?
“Call me if you have something to say. Oh, I might not be able to contact you promptly today because I’m busy.”
Mitchell’s expression started to crack.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
