The sudden touch made Go Hoon stagger, but deep down, he felt a wave of relief. He’d been worried that Bae Jung-yoon might cluelessly blurt out that they’d decided to live together for a while. Even after he’d asked him not to say anything.
“Ah, I see.”
Kim Yeo-jin nodded without the slightest suspicion. She must have thought that, since Jung-yoon had a car, Go Hoon—who seemed unwell—was just relying on him for support.
Jung-yoon flashed her a gentle smile and offered a warm goodbye.
“Well then, we’ll get going now, Yeo-jin.”
“Okay. Get home safe.”
Yeo-jin smiled faintly as she dipped her head.
It felt oddly surreal, the three of them standing here chatting so casually. Like nothing had happened. Like the whole thing with Park Ki-cheol had never existed. Like there had never been any bad blood at all. Everything was just… peaceful.
That strange feeling lingered as he looked at her. Kim Yeo-jin seemed to sense it and met his gaze.
“You too, sunbae. Get home safe. See you next time.”
“Yeah. See you around.”
Go Hoon nodded and returned her farewell, noticing the soft flush on her cheeks.
“Let’s go, Hoon.”
Bae Jung-yoon tugged gently at his shoulder, prompting Go Hoon to move without thinking. He followed along, almost like he was being herded, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Yeo-jin, now behind them.
As they headed toward the parking lot, Hoon found himself slipping into thought. Had Kim Yeo-jin heard about what happened with Park Ki-cheol? He wanted to ask—but couldn’t. He didn’t want to stir up any painful memories.
Still… it felt like she had something she wanted to say to him. Could it have been about Park Ki-cheol? Should he turn around and ask her now? The question lingered until a soft voice whispered close to his ear.
“What’s got you thinking so hard?”
Go Hoon flinched instinctively, his shoulders twitching. The breath against his ear made him squirm—it tickled like hell. He looked up at Bae Jung-yoon.
Why the hell is this guy walking so close? Can’t he keep some distance? He shot him an annoyed look, but Jung-yoon didn’t seem to notice—or care.
If the other guy wasn’t going to move, then the one feeling uncomfortable should. That was the logical conclusion. Hoon shifted to create space between them, but the hand gripping his shoulder only pulled him in tighter.
“Hmm… want me to guess?”
Jung-yoon tilted his head down, like he was thinking it over, then met Hoon’s eyes.
“You’re thinking about Yeo-jin.”
Bullseye.
Is this guy psychic or something?
Go Hoon narrowed his eyes suspiciously. And that’s when he noticed it—Bae Jung-yoon’s expression was off. There was no trace of his usual smile. His pitch-black eyes stared back in complete stillness.
That’s when it hit him—Jung-yoon’s vibe was completely different today.
…Did something happen? The question hovered on his tongue, but Bae Jung-yoon beat him to it.
“Tell me. Just me. I’ll keep it a secret, Hoon.”
The lowered voice made Go Hoon raise an eyebrow. Tell him what, and what secret?
Jung-yoon hadn’t said anything else, but his gaze made it clear. The message in his eyes was obvious.
‘Do you like Yeo-jin?’
That’s what he was asking. And the moment he realized it, Go Hoon’s face twisted in irritation.
This bastard—it’s not even true, and yet he keeps trying to link me with her. What the hell is his deal?
“It’s not like that,” he snapped, his tone sharp with annoyance.
He jabbed his elbow hard into Jung-yoon’s ribs.
“Ow,” Jung-yoon grunted, stumbling half a step back with exaggerated pain.
But that was all. He clearly didn’t believe the denial. Go Hoon picked up his pace, even with a slight limp, to show just how irritated he was.
“Wait up, Hoon.”
Ignoring that, Jung-yoon softened his voice and caught up easily. When his heavy arm landed over Hoon’s shoulder, Go Hoon shot him a sideways glance.
Their eyes met. Jung-yoon let out a quiet laugh. But something about that laugh didn’t feel lighthearted. Not at all.
***
Bae Jung-yoon didn’t say a single word the entire drive. Normally, he was the one who kept the conversation going, especially since Go Hoon wasn’t much of a talker. But this was different. Off.
Did something happen? Hoon wanted to ask, but the atmosphere made it hard to open his mouth. So he stayed silent, too, caught in the tension.
Even when they arrived at the officetel parking lot, nothing had changed. Inside the elevator, Bae Jung-yoon still looked lost in thought.
What could he be thinking about so deeply? That strange look didn’t suit him, which only made it harder to ignore. Go Hoon’s eyes kept flicking toward him… then away… then back again.
As soon as he got home, Go Hoon changed his clothes. Meanwhile, Bae Jung-yoon had gone into the master bathroom—it sounded like he was already in the shower. From the bedroom, the sound of running water could be heard.
“…I want to shower too.”
Go Hoon muttered absentmindedly, sprawled out on the living room sofa. Then he suddenly sat up straight. He brought his arm to his nose and sniffed. It still just smelled like his own skin, but he felt gross.
He wasn’t the overly tidy type, but it had been nearly a week since his last shower. His skin was starting to itch. The cool air from the AC blew down from above, but it wasn’t enough to make his sweaty, sticky body feel clean again.
Scratching his brow, Go Hoon glanced toward the bedroom. Come to think of it, wouldn’t Bae Jung-yoon be uncomfortable sharing a bed with him? After all, it wasn’t like he’d properly washed in days, and yet they were sleeping side by side.
He briefly considered asking Jung-yoon for help. But he shook his head almost immediately. Just one accidental brush last time had nearly turned into a full-blown crisis. How could he comfortably let someone else wash him? Ridiculous idea.
Still… maybe if I’m careful, I can avoid getting my injury wet?
Soap might be a problem, though. He looked down at his palm, covered in a big bandage. The hesitation crept in again.
But his internal debate didn’t last long.
Whatever. I’ll just try. If it doesn’t work, at least I can rinse the sweat off.
With that thought, Go Hoon got up from the sofa, grabbed a fresh pair of underwear, and headed for the bathroom. Moving slowly, he undressed and reached for the showerhead, staying outside the tub.
Shhhhhh—
The water rushed out as soon as he turned the knob. He carefully reached into the stream with his fingers. The cold temperature sent a wave of goosebumps across his skin. He stood there silently, waiting for the water to warm up.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind him.
“Trying to shower?”
Go Hoon spun around in surprise. There stood Bae Jung-yoon in the doorway, hand still on the knob. His damp, ink-black hair clung to his forehead, proof that he’d just finished his own shower.
“…How did you open the door?”
“It wasn’t locked.”
That couldn’t be—
Actually, no. It could. He didn’t usually lock the bathroom door when he was home alone. Why would he? He was the only one who ever used it. So yeah, it was entirely possible he’d forgotten out of habit.
Still, even so… Jung-yoon must’ve heard the water running. What if he’d walked in on something awkward? Barging in without knocking—things could’ve gotten way more uncomfortable.
Just as that thought passed, he felt a stare crawling up his body. Starting at his feet, gliding over his thighs—Jung-yoon’s gaze slithered upward like a snake. Go Hoon frowned at the blatant ogling.
“You could’ve just asked me to help,” Jung-yoon said.
Just as Go Hoon was beginning to feel self-conscious, Jung-yoon stepped further into the room. Reflexively, Go Hoon backed away.
“Why are you coming in?”
“To help you wash.”
“I was just going to rinse off real quick. I’ll take care of it. Get out.”
“With both your hands like that? What are you even planning to do?”
Jung-yoon rolled up his sleeves and gestured with his chin toward the tub.
“Sit down, Hoon.”
Go Hoon stood frozen, saying nothing as he stared at him. Jung-yoon’s tone softened.
“I’m not gonna eat you. Don’t be so scared.”
Go Hoon immediately snapped back.
“Who said I was scared?”
“The way you looked at me—totally like a cat on high alert.”
Smirking, Jung-yoon rolled up his pant legs next, locking eyes with him.
“Or not. Whatever.”
…That hit a little too close, and it was annoying. After a brief hesitation, Go Hoon eventually sat on the edge of the tub. The whole don’t be scared thing felt like a challenge. He didn’t want to back down.
Besides, it wasn’t like they hadn’t already seen each other naked. Jung-yoon hadn’t acted shy about it, so why should he?
No need to be embarrassed. I’m the patient. He’s the caregiver. That’s all this is. Just wash up and get it over with. The awkwardness will pass.
As Go Hoon psyched himself up, Jung-yoon adjusted the water temperature and came closer with the showerhead.
“Raise your injured arm.”
Go Hoon obeyed and leaned it against the sink. He didn’t want water getting into the wound, so he had no choice but to cooperate.
Warm water flowed over his shoulder. He tensed at first, but Jung-yoon adjusted the angle skillfully so nothing ran down to his bandaged leg. Gradually, his stiff muscles began to relax, and a sense of ease washed over him.
After soaking his hair thoroughly, Jung-yoon turned off the faucet. The stream stopped, and cool air quickly settled on his wet skin.
Go Hoon shivered. Then he tilted his head back as a gentle hand guided it down. His eyes fluttered shut as fingers slipped into his scalp and began massaging in slow, steady motions.
The only sound was the quiet movement of Jung-yoon’s hands. It echoed lightly in the bathroom. The silence was somehow more noticeable, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. So he stayed quiet.
After rinsing out the shampoo, Jung-yoon grabbed a shower puff and worked body wash into a lather. He started at Go Hoon’s back, gently scrubbing in circular motions. The puff slid along his spine, then moved to his shoulders, then down to his chest.
At some point, Jung-yoon stepped into the tub and positioned himself in front of him. Go Hoon quickly looked away. He tried to divert his focus from the sensation of hands touching his body. Even when the puff grazed his stomach and began sliding lower.
“…Hold on.”
The moment a slick touch grazed between his legs, Go Hoon instinctively grabbed Jung-yoon’s arm. Pain flared in his palm from the sudden grip, but that didn’t matter right now.
“What?”
Jung-yoon looked up at him, blinking innocently. But the smirk in his voice had already given him away—like he knew exactly why Go Hoon had stopped him.
