Chapter 65
Minhyeon stared at Jeonghyeok’s hand for a moment, then clasped it. Even though he only shook it lightly up and down, he could feel its heavy weight. He wasn’t usually told he had small hands either, but it was no match for this man’s hand.
Looking down at the prominent veins visible on the back of his hand, Minhyeon slowly raised his gaze. Not just his hands, but his forearms and torso were thick too. Just standing still, he had the build that naturally exuded the scent of an adult man.
He could tell without needing an introduction. That this person was Yuwon’s lover.
He was dating a man. Without even having time to be surprised by this unexpected fact, Minhyeon glared at Jeonghyeok with the fiercest look he could muster. He deliberately bit down hard on his molars, making the muscles in his jaw stand out prominently.
He couldn’t let himself be overwhelmed in presence by a man who was clearly older and more capable than him. He didn’t want to lose from the first impression.
However, his instincts were telling him. That he could never beat the man in front of him. That even challenging him would be too much. The feeling of being miserably crushed by those arrogantly lowered eyes and leisurely smile. Minhyeon already intuited his complete defeat.
“…”
A chilling silence circulated among the three people as if time had stopped. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Yuwon was the first to speak.
“Um, Minhyeon. I don’t think we can go to the cafe today. Let’s go next time, next time.”
“…Yeah. Let’s do that.”
Although he was answering Yuwon, Minhyeon’s gaze was still fixed on Jeonghyeok. Their clasped hands also showed no sign of separating. What had started as a handshake had long since transformed into a battle of wills.
Just how long were they planning to stand like this? Yuwon pulled sharply on Jeonghyeok’s collar to escape this awkward situation as quickly as possible.
Feeling the urging touch, Jeonghyeok finally let go of Minhyeon’s hand. Minhyeon quietly clenched his now-free hand. Even though it hadn’t been gripped that hard, each knuckle was throbbing.
“Kim Minhyeon. I’m leaving now. Get home safely, okay?”
Yuwon hurriedly waved his hand and roughly finished his greeting before getting into the passenger seat like he was fleeing. Minhyeon stared blankly at the passenger seat window where Yuwon had disappeared, then turned his gaze to Jeonghyeok. As if responding to that direct gaze, Jeonghyeok asked:
“Should I give Kim Minhyeon-ssi a ride too?”
“No, it’s fine. My house is close.”
“I see, then.”
It seemed like the corners of his mouth had slightly risen, but it was just for an instant. There was not a trace of regret in Jeonghyeok’s back as he turned sharply and headed to the driver’s seat. It was clear he’d never had any intention of giving him a ride from the start. The empty words without even minimal pretense were so ridiculous that a snicker escaped him.
Before long, the car carrying the two started smoothly. Minhyeon stood dumbly looking in the direction the car was moving away. Until it completely disappeared from his sight, he stood there without moving an inch.
“…”
Yuwon also couldn’t take his eyes off Minhyeon’s figure reflected in the side mirror. As the car picked up speed, Minhyeon, who was clearly looking in their direction, became as small as a dot and then disappeared.
Yuwon lowered his head and swallowed the sigh that had risen to his chin instead of letting it out. He was already starting to worry about tomorrow.
No matter how much he organized it in his head, he couldn’t find the courage to figure out what to say to Minhyeon and how to bring it up. The lover you were so curious about is a man with a fifteen-year age difference from me, and as you know, we’re even living together. He didn’t have the confidence to confess so casually.
If Minhyeon happened to tell the Director out of concern, it was obvious how tiring the situation that would unfold would be.
He’d definitely need to thoroughly seal Minhyeon’s lips. He’d have to beg him not to tell anyone, even if he had to plead. Still, given the affection from when they lived together, wouldn’t he keep that much of a secret? Just as various thoughts were naturally bringing on a headache.
“What’s bothering you so much?”
A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed Yuwon’s left hand.
“Are you upset because you wanted to go to the cafe but couldn’t?”
“…”
“Then go with me.”
“That’s not it.”
Did he really think that was the reason? It was so absurd that his lower lip stuck out.
When he tried to shake off the tightly held hand, Jeonghyeok seemed to let go for a moment, then interlocked their fingers even more firmly. From the way each finger was intertwined without any gaps, the man’s stubbornness could be felt directly.
Yuwon, who had been considering shaking it off once more, just gave up. It would only drain my strength anyway. He simply expressed his dissatisfaction by glaring at Jeonghyeok who was driving.
As always, Jeonghyeok was leisurely turning the steering wheel with an expressionless face. The atmosphere he gave off was excessively calm, making it hard to imagine that with the hand not holding the steering wheel, he was gripping the hand of the person sitting next to him tightly enough to burst.
“Don’t suddenly show up like this from now on.”
After looking at Jeonghyeok’s profile for a while, Yuwon leaned his head against the headrest and spoke.
“Do you know how surprised I get every time you appear without warning? It would be nice if you contacted me in advance.”
“Isn’t surprise fun? I thought you’d like it.”
That grinning face was annoying. Knowing full well what he meant, yet pretending not to know. That hypocritical smile irritated Yuwon.
“It’s not like I’m alone. When I’m with other people, I get flustered too.”
“Why? Is there something you feel guilty about?”
At the deliberately sharp question, Yuwon’s voice also rose.
“Do you only feel satisfied when you speak so sarcastically?”
“It’s strange. What’s wrong with me coming to pick you up?”
“It’s not that it’s wrong, I’m saying to show some restraint when I’m with other people.”
“What reason is there for me not to be seen by other people?”
“That’s…”
He couldn’t easily answer the sudden question. Yuwon just bit his innocent lips.
Despite how he had fallen for him at first sight and followed him around, once their relationship actually started, he was reluctant to reveal Jeonghyeok in front of others. He couldn’t confess his love life to anyone around him. Not only Sohyeon, whom he’d relied on most recently, but he couldn’t even be honest with Jaejoon and Seongcheol, his only friends.
The reason was, cowardly, because he was afraid. He was scared of being pointed at and told his love wasn’t normal, of hearing criticism telling him to get his head straight.
Yuwon, who hadn’t been ordinary from birth, hoped that at least the life ahead of him would be ordinary. It was precisely to live an ordinary life that he had worked non-stop since becoming an adult. Money was absolutely necessary to live a normal life in this world.
But his relationship with Jeonghyeok was far from the ‘ordinary’ or ‘normal’ that Yuwon had so desperately wanted. No matter which aspect you looked at, it didn’t fall within the category of normal relationships that others had defined.
Even the solid fence of family could easily collapse, so how long could we, who were just lovers at best, actually be responsible for each other? If the relationship he thought was a strong rope was actually precarious tightrope walking. If it would end someday…
Thinking that far made his chest hurt as if it was being squeezed tight. Despite doubting the sincerity of this relationship, ironically, the thought of breaking up was only sad. He absolutely didn’t want to be alone again. Just imagining it was terrible.
As he was trying to calm his confused heart and just moving his lips, the car happened to stop at a signal. Through the air that had become even quieter than when they were moving, Jeonghyeok’s voice could be heard.
“I’m telling you again, going to the orphanage is only until this month.”
“…”
“And tone down the hanging around with Kim Minhyeon too.”
Clear suspicion was embedded in his low voice. When the answer was a bit delayed, he was definitely misunderstanding again in his own way.
“Hanging around? How long am I even there? And originally, Minhyeon and I…”
Are like family. Yuwon swallowed the rest of his words. Because he had a feeling that those words might anger Jeonghyeok even more.
After choosing his words for a moment, Yuwon continued with a short sigh.
“It’s not that kind of relationship you’re thinking of. It’ll never become that either.”
“What kind of relationship is ‘that kind’?”
“You’re having strange misunderstandings again like you did with Seongcheol before. Right?”
The meaning of silence was affirmation. Yuwon quietly met Jeonghyeok’s dark eyes. When he received such suspicion without any reason or basis, he felt wronged.
“Why don’t you trust me like this?”
“Because you’re too pretty. I’m afraid another guy will steal you away.”
“Ah, come on…!”
“I’m serious.”
Glaring at Jeonghyeok who was spouting embarrassing words without any sign of shame, Yuwon spoke firmly.
“We may not share blood, but Minhyeon is like a real younger brother to me. Who would have those kinds of feelings for their real younger brother? It’ll never happen. Never.”
Real younger brother. At those words, Jeonghyeok was so dumbfounded he let out a short laugh.
Then why did you avoid your real younger brother’s calls? And what was the reason for deliberately deleting your real younger brother’s missed call records?
No, actually, what bothered him most was Kim Minhyeon’s persistent gaze toward Yuwon. Those weren’t the eyes of someone looking at their hyung. Unless they were the eyes of a man who wanted to devour his target right away.
Sharp suspicions kept raising their heads, but Jeonghyeok just wore a hypocritical smile. Anyway, once this month passed, Yuwon would no longer be able to meet that bastard. Even chance encounters wouldn’t happen.
Counting the remaining days in his mind, Jeonghyeok smoothly drove following the signal that had turned green. The sunlight hitting them head-on was particularly hot.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
