Chapter 15
Jeonghyeok opened his eyes to the chilly air. Judging by the sunlight seeping through the curtains, morning had already broken.
Even though day had broken, wondering why it was still this cold, he looked down to find that the blanket he usually covered himself with was gone. No wonder it was cold – even the blanket that had been covering his completely naked body had disappeared.
Jeonghyeok turned his head to check on the culprit who had stolen the blanket.
Kim Yuwon. The one who had entangled bodies with him exhaustingly through the night was lying on his side, wrapped tightly in the blanket. Looking closely, Yuwon was groaning with his brow deeply furrowed.
What could be so difficult? Don’t tell me he’s having nightmares again. Previously too, when Yuwon had fallen asleep drunk in this room, he had wandered in his dreams and let out moans for quite a while.
But now something seemed off. His voice sounded more tormented than before, and sweat was beading on his forehead.
Jeonghyeok, who had slightly furrowed his brow, placed his palm on Yuwon’s forehead.
“Shit, what the hell.”
Jeonghyeok was startled by the heat vividly transmitted to his palm. There was no need to check further. The reason Yuwon was suffering wasn’t nightmares but fever.
“Kim Yuwon.”
“Hngh… ugh…”
“Hey, Kim Yuwon. Try to wake up.”
Even when he grabbed his shoulders and shook him, Yuwon didn’t budge. Jeonghyeok pulled back the blanket and began feeling Yuwon’s body. Everywhere he touched was burning hot.
Just when had this started? His flustered mind chased away what little sleepiness remained.
“This is really driving me crazy.”
Jeonghyeok hurriedly got up and looked for medicine first. However, there was no way fever reducers would be in the house of someone with his naturally healthy constitution.
He roughly pulled on pants and was rummaging through the kitchen drawers when his phone rang. It was Taeju.
Jeonghyeok answered the phone with it wedged against his shoulder.
“Yeah.”
―Hyung-nim. I’m leaving now. You’re all ready, right?
It must already be time for work. Jeonghyeok glanced sideways at the clock on the wall and thoroughly searched the inside of the drawer again. Not a trace of medicine – not even the common health supplements were visible.
Letting out an irritated sigh, Jeonghyeok readjusted his grip on the phone.
“When you come, bring some fever reducers.”
―What? Fever reducers? Are you sick somewhere?
“It’s not that, but there’s a high fever.”
What did it mean to say he wasn’t sick but had a high fever? Taeju was puzzled but dutifully answered that he understood. His response to Jeonghyeok’s orders always concluded with “yes” as a rule.
Jeonghyeok hung up and immediately headed to the bathroom. Unlike Yuwon who was lying sick from last night’s aftermath, Jeonghyeok’s face had actually become even smoother than yesterday. Like a lion that had feasted after a long time.
However, he didn’t have time to look in the mirror right now. Jeonghyeok soaked a towel with water and went straight to the bed. When he neatly folded the wet towel and placed it on his forehead, Yuwon’s eyelashes fluttered.
Yuwon, who opened his eyes with difficulty, looked at Jeonghyeok sitting in front of him and said:
“Ajeossi… I’m sick. I’m sick…”
“I know.”
Jeonghyeok answered with a tsk, clicking his tongue.
A few hours ago, in the early dawn before the sun had risen, Jeonghyeok had taken Yuwon, who had collapsed from exhaustion after their persistent lovemaking, to the bathroom and cleanly taken care of the aftermath. He had thoroughly washed away the parts wet with sweat and bodily fluids and completely removed all traces of himself that remained inside his body. But seeing him whimpering like this, the act itself must have been too much for Yuwon from the beginning.
I told him to stop, but why did he keep begging…
Jeonghyeok resented Yuwon who had seduced him with his completely naked body. He too was at fault for having his judgment momentarily clouded. No matter how heated his body was, there were lines that should have been maintained.
For now, it seemed he would have to watch over him until the guy’s physical condition improved. Only then could he send him home with peace of mind.
“Just sleep a bit more for now. You said today is your day off.”
“Yes…”
It was a barely audible voice. After confirming that Yuwon’s eyes were slowly closing, Jeonghyeok got up to leave the room.
Then, Yuwon suddenly grabbed his wrist. At the movement from the guy he thought was asleep, Jeonghyeok sat back down on the bed.
“Stay… by my side.”
“…”
“Don’t… go…”
Really, of all things. Jeonghyeok burst out a sigh at the absurdity.
Seeing how he managed to grab his wrist despite not being able to speak properly, this guy wasn’t ordinary either. If he weren’t sick, he would have shaken off his hand without mercy, but perhaps because the guy had become a patient because of him, he couldn’t be that heartless.
Jeonghyeok gritted his teeth and sat in place. Only then did Yuwon close his eyes again. Steady, even breathing sounds repeated. His face, drawn like a smooth watercolor painting, gradually became peaceful.
How much time had passed like that? The doorbell rang from outside.
Contrary to his worry that Yuwon might wake up from the noisy sound, Yuwon was fast asleep, oblivious to the world. After checking Yuwon’s condition, Jeonghyeok carefully placed Yuwon’s hand that was on his wrist down and left the room.
“Are you alright, hyung-nim?”
When he opened the front door, there was Taeju with a worried face. In the long period he had been by Jeonghyeok’s side, he had never seen him look for fever reducers. Even when he had a fever, it was Jeonghyeok’s nature to take a cold shower and just go to sleep.
“The medicine.”
“Ah, here it is.”
Taeju took out the fever reducers he had brought in his pocket and handed them to Jeonghyeok. As expected, it was strange. To look for medicine first upon seeing him – he didn’t know for sure, but he seemed to be quite sick.
However, watching Jeonghyeok gather medicine and water and head to the bedroom, Taeju soon had a puzzled expression. If he was that sick, he could just take the medicine right away – why was he going back into the room?
Taeju stealthily followed behind Jeonghyeok. And the moment the door opened, Taeju’s eyes widened.
Someone was lying on the bed. Though it was hard to see clearly because of the blanket, it was definitely a young man. Moreover, the face he glimpsed seemed somehow familiar. Who was it? Taeju racked his brain trying to recall the face of the man lying on the bed.
Then Jeonghyeok’s sharp voice flew over.
“What are you looking at?”
“What?”
“Close the door and get lost.”
Jeonghyeok was deliberately standing to block the man lying on the bed with his body. His behavior of clearly hiding something stimulated Taeju’s curiosity even more.
“Ah, understood.”
Even while hurriedly closing the door, Taeju couldn’t take his eyes off the face of the man sleeping soundly.
Just who was it that was lying in Jeonghyeok’s bed, and why was Jeonghyeok even taking care of medicine for him? Taeju couldn’t stand the rising curiosity.
Before long, Jeonghyeok came out of the room. Only an empty water glass was in his hands. Jeonghyeok put the cup in the sink and said:
“Go out ahead today.”
“By myself?”
“Yeah.”
At this point, Taeju was going crazy with curiosity about the man on the bed. He earnestly glanced toward the bedroom, but couldn’t see inside because of the tightly closed door.
Not only had hyung-nim personally gotten medicine, but he was even nursing him – it was certain they weren’t in an ordinary relationship, but he couldn’t think of anyone who came to mind.
“Contact me if anything urgent comes up.”
“…Yes, hyung-nim.”
With Jeonghyeok’s tone indicating he wanted to wrap up the conversation, he couldn’t bring himself to ask who the man in the room was. After bowing his head in greeting, Taeju left the house.
Even while pressing the elevator button and waiting, he racked his brain hard.
Just who was it? It was definitely a face he had seen before, but who was it? It felt like he was about to remember but couldn’t quite – frustrating enough to make him sigh deeply.
Then, hearing the ding notification that the elevator had arrived.
“Ah.”
He remembered.
‘I’m specially taking care of just you as a customer.’
‘If you won’t lend me money, then have a meal with me. If you don’t like meals, even coffee is fine, okay?’
Taeju even clapped his hands as he recalled Yuwon’s face.
The part-timer from the meat restaurant. The young man who had eventually come looking for him at the office – it was definitely him.
But why was that guy lying in hyung-nim’s bed? And at this early morning hour?
Don’t tell me…
For a moment an impure imagination crossed his mind, but Taeju shook his head in denial.
That couldn’t be. He was clearly a man who had just passed twenty. He was youthful enough that the word “boy” suited him better than “man.” Unless hyung-nim had gone crazy, there was no way he would bring such a young man into his bed.
But no matter how much he thought about it, Jeonghyeok’s behavior was suspicious. From uncharacteristically getting medicine to trying hard to hide the boy’s appearance – it wasn’t like the usual hyung-nim.
Just why was the part-timer from the pork belly restaurant lying brazenly in hyung-nim’s bed?
Carrying the unresolved question, Taeju got off the elevator. When he passed through the lobby and opened the entrance door, his eyes were dazzled by the pouring sunlight. Though the cold wind was harsh, the sunlight at least was warm on this day.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
