#57
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Is Bunhong not crying anymore?’
‘What are you talking about?’
It was already a day when the mood wasn’t good. Being pulled back to reality while immersed in a book with his head down, irritation surged. Eunhong thought Jaeha was trying to provoke him too.
‘What happened to your hand?’
Eunhong was about to angrily raise his head at the playful nickname but was shocked. As if he had been rolling around on a mountain, Jaeha’s clothes were a mess, and his right hand was covered in blood. Whether he had hit something or was hit by something, there was so much dirty soil that the extent of the wound on the back of his hand wasn’t visible.
As a panicked Eunhong got up to call Professor Choi, Jaeha suddenly pulled him into an embrace. The breath on his neck was too hot, and the body pressing down on him was heavy. Stumbling backward, his legs caught on the bed, and they fell together.
Though he thought they were similar in size, that day Jaeha felt bigger. No matter how much Eunhong pushed, the heavy, solid upper body didn’t budge. A few mumbled words, curses spat out as if chewing, and rough breaths came in succession.
‘Jaeha. Lee Jaeha. Come to your senses. Your fever is severe.’
‘…Don’t go to school tomorrow.’
‘What nonsense. Move so I can call Professor Choi.’
‘If you promise.’
‘…’
‘Stay with me all day tomorrow. Okay?’
Whether it was because of the desperate voice or the trembling arms holding him, Eunhong ended up recklessly promising to be absent.
‘…Okay.’
Even after getting the promise, Jaeha didn’t let go of Eunhong. It was quite a while later when a passing servant discovered them and called Professor Choi. Because Jaeha stubbornly clung to Eunhong’s neck and wouldn’t let go, Professor Choi had to treat Jaeha’s hand in that position.
It was that very scar from when he received treatment while clinging to Eunhong’s neck. Eunhong watched from start to finish as the large, gaping wound, seemingly deeply cut by something like glass, was disinfected and stitched with a small needle.
What was meant to be a single day off from school turned into several consecutive days. During that time, Jaeha seemed to recover only to have his fever worsen again repeatedly. When Eunhong returned to school due to attendance concerns, just before graduation, a few friends had disappeared. It wasn’t hard for Eunhong to know that it was because of Jaeha.
Pressing down on his tingling chest, Eunhong returned home that day to find Jaeha had already left the country without saying goodbye. Jaeha’s departure without a word to Eunhong felt like a mirage. Eunhong cried a lot. Jaeha, who had told him not to cry with his hand torn, doesn’t know that he made Eunhong cry the most. After that, the pain of losing Jaeha left a deep mark on Eunhong.
Though the scar has now faded to the point where it’s hard to find unless looked at closely, the memory of that time remained vivid. Maybe it’s become even clearer now that he’s starting to understand why Jaeha acted that way back then.
Maybe because he’s beginning to vaguely guess why Jaeha left like that.
Eunhong was still recalling Jaeha’s voice from that time as he unfastened his seatbelt and got out of the car. The hot breath that had scattered around his neck felt so vivid that his nape tingled.
Thud, thud. The sound of Jaeha’s shoes walking ahead echoed in the underground parking lot. Eunhong followed closely behind and suddenly asked, suppressing the tingling in his palm that he had been holding onto all this time.
“You said you liked me.”
“…”
“Since when?”
He asked once more to Jaeha’s back, which had stopped abruptly. Although it might not be important, he couldn’t help but ask. Apparently, everyone else knew, but he was the only one who didn’t. That Lee Jaeha had liked him for such a long time.
“Hm? I’m asking since when did you like me.”
When Jaeha didn’t move, Eunhong moved to stand beside him. Jaeha tried to smooth out his frowning face at Eunhong’s upward gaze and looked down with a cool gaze. Only after clearing his throat could he barely respond.
“…Why bring that up here?”
Eunhong raised both eyebrows. Did the place matter for such a conversation? Jaeha left Eunhong behind again and strode forward. Eunhong quickly caught up before the automatic door could close and grabbed Jaeha’s trembling hand, pulling him.
“Jaeha?”
“Let go.”
Jaeha lightly shook off his hand. Eunhong was a bit dumbfounded. What’s wrong with him? Eunhong was taken aback by Jaeha’s anger, his ears turning bright red. As the elevator door opened and they entered the small space together, it felt awkward. Eunhong quietly moved to stand at the back. Jaeha, his neck flushed red, was covering his eyes with his hand.
The white numbers went up. 17… 19… 22… 26… 30… 35…. Eunhong became gloomy, wondering if he had asked something he shouldn’t have. The unfamiliar sensation of being pushed away made him fidget with his hands before clasping them together. He felt unreasonably sad.
He was fine with me touching him in the car, so why push me away when I grabbed his hand? Was he angry because I asked such a thing in the bleak underground parking lot? Am I supposed to be some great romantic or something?
As the elevator arrived, Jaeha let out a deep sigh. Eunhong, who had been pouting, was startled.
He was even more surprised when Jaeha dropped the hand covering his eyes and turned around.
“…From the moment I saw you…”
“What?”
“…I liked you from then.”
His face was flushed bright red. Eunhong had never seen such an expression on Jaeha’s face before. Suddenly, he felt very sorry. It seemed like he had treated those long-held feelings too lightly.
Jaeha rushed out of the elevator as if escaping, and Eunhong barely caught the closing door. Jaeha was already several steps ahead.
“Jaeha, Lee Jaeha. Wait a moment.”
“…”
Eunhong caught up to Jaeha with large, almost running steps.
“Stop, I’m sorry.”
As he swung his hand to turn Jaeha around, he caught his belt. When he pulled urgently, Jaeha’s body came along with it and bumped into Eunhong. Eunhong stumbled backward.
The sound of footsteps echoed erratically on the marble floor. Jaeha grabbed Eunhong’s waist as he flailed, falling backward. He cradled Eunhong’s head to prevent it from hitting the wall. Eunhong’s back roughly scraped against the wall, and Jaeha’s elbow struck it hard.
“Ugh!”
Eunhong opened his eyes, which he had squeezed shut. He realized he had almost cracked his head. He blinked his wide-open eyes slowly.
Jaeha was right in front of him. Even his furrowed brow was handsome. Their bodies were so close that Eunhong could feel Jaeha’s angry heart beating loudly. With each breath, their chests and stomachs touched and separated repeatedly. Eunhong swallowed hard.
He could feel Jaeha’s rapid breaths scattering against his philtrum. His gaze naturally went to Jaeha’s lips. Without prompting, the image of a kiss flashed in his mind. In an instant, his mind was filled with thoughts of kissing. His lips trembled.
It was a frighteningly clear desire. A tart shiver settled from his nape down his spine, and he felt pheromones gushing out of his body. The fine hairs on his ears stood up. Whether pulled by the pheromones or by his own hand, Jaeha was drawn in by some vague force. The moment their wandering gazes met, the sensor lights suddenly turned off, plunging them into darkness.
“Mmph…!”
A tongue pushed through their entangled lips. Jaeha cupped Eunhong’s nape with his warm hand, trapping him between his arms. As Jaeha tilted his head and moved, the lights suddenly came back on, brightening their view. Eunhong opened his eyes wide and turned his head. He was completely dazed.
The flesh inside his mouth explored, stealing his saliva. When it scratched the inside of his cheek and then sucked hard, a moan escaped his throat without him realizing. Hot breaths escaped between their sealed lips. After the initial surprise, Eunhong closed his eyelids and accepted Jaeha. His hands automatically moved to Jaeha’s waist and back. It was cute how Jaeha flinched at Eunhong’s embrace, despite having initiated the kiss himself.
This makes it the second or third kiss… No, maybe the fourth? Eunhong found it strange that he had already become accustomed to this sensation. When he slightly tilted his head in the opposite direction to match Jaeha’s movements as he delved deeper into his mouth, Jaeha seemed displeased about something and withdrew, biting Eunhong’s tongue lightly. There was a wet sound as their lips separated.
The gaze looking down at him seemed somewhat dissatisfied. His eyes moved busily, observing something. The wrinkles between his slightly narrowed brows deepened. Eunhong raised his hand to gently smooth out the space between Jaeha’s eyebrows while mumbling.
“I wasn’t joking. I’m sorry for making it sound like a joke.”
“…”
“You were serious, and it’s not that I was joking… I just…”
“I know, that your pace is different from mine.”
The searching look in his eyes seemed to deepen, and then his lips approached again. This time it was a soft, fluffy kiss. He pressed his soft lips firmly and then lightly detached them. Eunhong closed his eyes. Jaeha traced Eunhong’s lips with the tip of his tongue before pushing into the slightly parted gap. He lightly bit the tender part inside the lip and then gently chewed.
Eunhong’s chest tingled. A strange desire surged. It was an unfamiliar, peculiar sensation that made him lose himself.
