Steam rose gently from the beautiful rose tea in delicate wisps. The hot surface of the teacup felt warm against his palms. Carefully holding the cup, Jaeyoon took a sip while looking around the room. The sweet aroma of rose tea filled his mouth. Delicious. Nodding in appreciation, he took two more sips and then glanced over at Jung Jinhoo, who was rummaging through a drawer. Jinhoo’s snow-white silver hair, reminiscent of sugar candy, swayed gently with each movement.
“Found it.”
Jinhoo murmured quietly as he pulled a home first aid kit from the drawer. After opening it to check if everything he needed was inside, he smiled slightly with satisfaction and stood up.
“How’s the tea? Is it good?”
“Yes, it’s delicious.”
“I’m glad.”
Seeing Jinhoo’s gentle smile, Jaeyoon curled up the corners of his mouth and smiled back.
“The bruise will be bad…”
Jinhoo removed the ice pack he had placed on Jaeyoon’s arm and examined the reddened skin. It was the spot where Im Hangyeol had forcefully grabbed him in his uncontrolled anger.
Seeing a bruise form in such a short time suggested that Lee Jaeyoon had quite delicate skin. Of course, it was also because Im Hangyeol had gripped him so roughly…
The skin, not just pale but almost translucent, had swollen red, creating a stark contrast that made the bruise even more noticeable.
‘Actually, it didn’t hurt that much, but maybe because Jaeyoon’s skin is so white… it looks really painful.’
Jinhoo furrowed his brow with a serious expression. The skinny arm with its forming bruise was enough to provoke concern from others.
“I’m fine.”
Jaeyoon smiled brightly at the worried Jinhoo.
‘This will turn dark blue by tomorrow…’
Jaeyoon made a self-diagnosis based on his past experiences. Jinhoo took out a bruise ointment from the first aid kit. After opening the lid and placing some cream on his hand, he carefully began applying it to Jaeyoon’s wrist.
With every movement Jinhoo made, his bangs swayed gently. This occasionally revealed his eyes, which were usually hidden behind his hair, before concealing them again.
Those golden eyes that had coldly stared down at Im Hangyeol turned gentle like a puppy’s the moment they looked at Jaeyoon. Remembering how Jinhoo had looked at his arm with drooping eyebrows and large concerned eyes, Jaeyoon smiled softly.
‘It was like watching a wolf transform into a puppy.’
“…Sunbae.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you dislike Im Hangyeol?”
“…Im Hangyeol? Who is that?”
“Pardon?”
“Huh?”
“Um?”
“Hmm…?”
Jinhoo looked curiously at Jaeyoon, who was blinking in confusion. Could it be that he didn’t know Im Hangyeol’s name?
“That red-haired guy from earlier…”
“Ah…! So his name is Im Hangyeol.”
After remaining silent for a moment in thought, Jinhoo looked at Jaeyoon and said with a smile.
“Yes, I’ll remember that.”
“Sunbae, is today the first time you’ve seen Im Hangyeol…?”
“Huh?”
Tilting his head at Jaeyoon’s question, Jinhoo soon nodded slightly.
First time seeing him today? In the game scenario I saw, it was written that Jung Jinhoo disliked the protagonist’s group… So at the beginning of the semester, he not only didn’t dislike them but had never even seen them before?
‘…When exactly did he start disliking them? What was the trigger…?’
“Jaeyoon…?”
Jinhoo called out with a concerned voice to Jaeyoon, who was frowning in thought. Snapping back to reality, Jaeyoon smiled as if nothing was wrong.
“…That guy earlier, Im Hangyeol, is he always like that?”
“Like what?”
“Treating you rudely.”
“Ah…”
Jaeyoon’s eyes darted around. Does Im Hangyeol treat me rudely? Since Jaeyoon had only directly met Im Hangyeol twice, he couldn’t easily make a judgment.
Im Hangyeol’s behavior just now was certainly problematic, but the last time at the restaurant, when Jaeyoon couldn’t eat properly, he had brought him soup and hadn’t been unkind.
‘Is it because it’s related to Kim Yeonwoo…?’
“Um… he’s not usually that aggressive. I think he was just excited earlier because it involved someone he likes.”
“Hmm…”
“Sunbae…?”
“Can I keep applying the ointment?”
“Oh, yes.”
I could do it myself… Having missed the timing to say this, Jaeyoon watched Jinhoo as he carefully applied ointment to his arm.
His hands are beautiful. Absently staring at the slender, snow-white hands applying the ointment, Jaeyoon soon raised his head and shifted his gaze to the silver hair. The silver hair, shimmering and sparkling in the bright afternoon sunlight, was so beautiful it was mesmerizing.
‘His hair is in such good condition. Is this kind of hair texture something you’re born with…?’
At that moment, Jinhoo, who had been applying the ointment, raised one hand to brush his vision-obscuring bangs behind his ear. This revealed his golden eyes, which were lowered in concentration.
With his narrow, long eyes and tightly closed lips, the expressionless Jinhoo had a somewhat cold appearance. Recalling his unfamiliar demeanor from earlier, Jaeyoon could no longer deny it.
‘He is… the villain “Jung Jinhoo” after all…’
He still felt dazed. Honestly, the image of Jinhoo looking at Im Hangyeol with that cold stare almost felt like a dream.
‘They say nice people are scarier when they get angry.’
…Then, how did Kim Yeonwoo and the other romance characters make someone so kind this angry? What exactly did they do that made Jung Jinhoo hate them so much?
Squinting his eyes in contemplation, Jaeyoon soon dropped his shoulders.
‘…I don’t know either.’
He had never heard about this from his friend who was a game developer. Faced with a problem he couldn’t even begin to gauge, Jaeyoon let out a small sigh. At this, Jinhoo’s shoulders, who was treating him, flinched slightly. Carefully raising his head to look at Jaeyoon, he asked in a worried voice.
“Does it hurt a lot…?”
“Huh? Oh, no, I’m fine.”
“Really? You’re not just enduring the pain…?”
“Yes, I’m really fine.”
When Jaeyoon answered with a gentle smile, a sigh of relief escaped from Jinhoo’s lips.
“Tell me if it hurts.”
“I will.”
Jinhoo focused again on applying the ointment. Jaeyoon quietly watched him. Feeling Jaeyoon’s gaze on him, Jinhoo rolled his eyes to subtly check Jaeyoon’s expression.
“Your eyes are really pretty.”
“Huh?”
“Um…? Oh, oh…!”
Seeing Jinhoo’s cheeks instantly turn red, Jaeyoon smiled awkwardly. While absently staring at Jinhoo, his inner thoughts had escaped without him realizing.
To break the awkward atmosphere, Jaeyoon blurted out whatever came to mind.
“S-so, um, d-do you grow your bangs… on purpose?”
“Huh? My bangs…? Umm…”
“Can I ask why?”
After closing his mouth for a moment to choose his words, Jinhoo slightly licked his dry lips with his tongue.
“…Just because it’s bothersome.”
“Getting your bangs cut?”
At Jaeyoon’s question, Jinhoo shook his head from side to side.
“Dealing with people…”
“Ah…”
‘Is it because of his striking appearance that he’s been caught up in a lot of troublesome situations? Well, with a face that handsome, people around him probably wouldn’t leave him alone. Plus, with wealth that rivals Han Doyoon’s…’
Somehow finding this understandable, Jaeyoon sighed and laughed awkwardly.
“Then, am I bothersome too?”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
“I just realized that I might have been bothering you by always coming to sit beside you when you’re spending time alone.”
“N-no! You’re not bothersome! In fact…!”
“In fact?”
“…”
“…Yes?”
“Ugh…!”
Watching Jinhoo’s pale face instantly turn red up close, Jaeyoon smiled slightly. I’m joking. At Jaeyoon’s words, Jinhoo’s ears turned red as he lowered his head.
‘A little longer and I think steam will come out of his head.’
As Jaeyoon quietly looked down at Jinhoo, he unconsciously raised his hand and gently stroked the shimmering, sparkling silver hair. He felt the soft texture of the hair against his hand.
Absently watching the silver hair flowing through his fingers, Jaeyoon’s eyes met Jinhoo’s. Seeing the golden eyes opened wide in surprise, Jaeyoon, suddenly coming to his senses, quickly withdrew his hand.
“Ah, s-sorry! For touching without permission… I didn’t mean to… Ouch, hot!”
Stammering excuses, Jaeyoon’s hand knocked over the teacup on the table. Hot rose tea poured over Jaeyoon’s hand. As he rose from his seat in panic, to make matters worse, his feet got tangled.
“Wh-what…?”
His body lost balance and fell backward. As Jaeyoon closed his eyes tightly, anticipating the impending pain, a hand quickly reached out, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him toward itself.
Falling into strong arms, Jaeyoon blinked blankly. He heard a sigh of relief from above his head. Slowly raising his head, Jinhoo’s face came into view. Golden eyes slightly lowered were looking at him. Jinhoo’s red lips curved into a gentle smile.
“Are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh, yes…”
“That’s a relief.”
Staring quietly at the brightly smiling Jinhoo, Jaeyoon realized he was now in his arms. Flustered, he quickly pulled away from Jinhoo’s embrace and loudly apologized.
“I-I’m sorry!”
“I-it’s okay!”
Seeing Jaeyoon shouting in embarrassment, Jinhoo also responded with embarrassment. Looking at Jinhoo, who was blinking his round eyes at him, Jaeyoon quickly lowered his head.
His face felt hot, as if he had a fever. Jaeyoon covered his mouth with the back of his hand. His heart was pounding wildly, as if it had malfunctioned.
‘What’s this? Why am I like this?’
An awkward current flowed between them. Jaeyoon set the overturned teacup upright and began wiping up the spilled tea with tissues from nearby.
“I-I’ll do it!”
“N-no! I’ll do it! I’m the one who spilled it!”
“It’s okay!”
“No! I’m not okay!”
Jinhoo grabbed Jaeyoon’s wrist to stop him as he frantically wiped the table. Surprised, Jaeyoon looked at him with wide eyes.
“Your hand is burned.”
“Ah…”
Having completely forgotten about being scalded by the tea in his panic, Jaeyoon looked at his reddened hand. Only now did he begin to feel the throbbing pain.
Jinhoo took the ice pack from the table and placed it on Jaeyoon’s hand. As Jaeyoon quietly watched Jinhoo examining his hand and cooling it with the ice pack, he bit his lip slightly. More than his hand scalded by the hot tea, the part where he and Jinhoo were holding hands felt even hotter.
‘Why am I like this? Really…’
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
