When he added softly, “Really,” meaning that he wasn’t waiting for him to eat first because he was older, a thin line appeared between Munbeom’s brows and then disappeared. Then, looking at the faint bruise remaining on Yeonwoo’s cheek, he deboned a larger piece of fish and placed it on top of his rice.
“Let’s eat first.”
“…”
Whether his explanation had been accepted or not, the food smell that had been filling his senses awakened Yeonwoo’s hunger. He hadn’t been deliberately starving himself. It’s just that the situation hadn’t been comfortable enough to eat properly.
Yeonwoo scooped rice and fish onto his spoon and put it in his mouth. He wanted to chew thoroughly and for a long time, just in case he might get indigestion…
Ah, it was really too delicious.
The thought of eating slowly to avoid indigestion was soon erased from his mind. Still, consciously trying to chew thoroughly, Yeonwoo quickly put food in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. Seeing Yeonwoo focusing only on the food rather than himself, busily moving his lips, Munbeom had already stopped using his spoon.
Quietly watching Yeonwoo, he pushed forward a glass of water. Then Yeonwoo, who had stuffed his cheeks so full they were rounded, unconsciously took the glass and drank.
Thinking he was only eating rice with the doenjang stew spooned into his bowl, Munbeom occasionally deboned fish for him, added jangjorim (soy-braised beef), and placed some dongchimi radish on his white rice. Despite eating at a fast pace, Yeonwoo didn’t seem messy. Judging solely from how neatly he ate, Yeonwoo clearly enjoyed the food.
He had always eaten enthusiastically whenever they dined together.
Yet this same Yeonwoo was getting slightly thinner each time they met.
“…”
At first, Munbeom had consciously tried to overlook it. Because it was the beginning. Because they hadn’t met many times. Because it was a relationship that would need to be ended quickly if there were any problems or complications.
Suddenly, Munbeom wondered what Yeonwoo had been thinking when he accepted his proposal. On the day of their blind date, why had he nodded when the alpha suggested going up to a hotel room?
At that moment, Yeonwoo, who had been eating diligently, looked up. When their eyes met, he blinked as if flustered, quickly moved his jaw to swallow what was in his mouth, and drank water. Still not satisfied, he wiped his lips with his fingers, checked his nearly empty rice bowl, and moved his lips. Even before he spoke, his embarrassment was almost palpable.
“Um, the rice and side dishes are so delicious…”
“…”
“Really delicious.”
After forcing himself to finish speaking, Yeonwoo didn’t look at Munbeom again. His downcast face looked haggard. On that face, which had been stiff with tension, a deep sense of helplessness and life’s weariness had accumulated at some point.
He already knew that Yeonwoo’s circumstances were unusual. In such a situation, without needing to investigate further, life would inevitably be arduous.
So Munbeom wondered what if Yeonwoo had been just a little more cunning and crafty? If he had been, would Munbeom have become more curious about him, and would his very existence not have caught his eye like this?
Munbeom stared at Yeonwoo’s cheeks, which gradually flushed as if conscious of his gaze.
In that moment, Munbeom suddenly realized just how cunning and crafty he himself was.
This wasn’t Yeonwoo’s fault.
From the beginning, the problem had been with himself.
At this sudden realization, Munbeom’s expression hardened. Cautiously examining his countenance, Yeonwoo saw that hardened face and swallowed a small breath. Suddenly feeling the sharp pheromones on his skin, Yeonwoo dropped the spoon he was holding. At the clatter, Munbeom immediately relaxed his expression.
Only then realizing that he had emitted sharp pheromones, he raised the corner of his lips.
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about something else.”
“…”
“It’s good to see you eating well. Have some more.”
If it had been earlier, he might have picked up his spoon again, pleased to hear that he was eating well. But the pheromones he had just smelled took away all of Yeonwoo’s appetite. Looking at the small amount of white rice left in his bowl, Yeonwoo shook his head.
Sometimes there was a stiff and uncomfortable air between them, but it never lasted long. Topics naturally changed, and conversation, though awkward, continued without interruption.
But as they finished their meal, both Munbeom and Yeonwoo maintained silence.
As someone who had been fed, Yeonwoo couldn’t help but clean up. He moved before Munbeom could stop him. Perhaps because his gesture of standing up with empty bowls seemed hasty? Before Munbeom could perceive his intention and tell him to sit down, the bowl in Yeonwoo’s hand fell. With a sharp sound, the bowl shattered into pieces, and Yeonwoo’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Stay still…!”
Startled by the urgent cry, Yeonwoo hunched his shoulders and stepped back. Then a hand stretched across the table firmly gripped his forearm. Surprised by the strong grip, enough to feel pain, Yeonwoo looked up to see Munbeom with a terrifyingly stern face.
“Don’t move and stay still.”
“…Yes.”
Only then did Yeonwoo realize what he had done, and he nodded, repeating “Yes, yes” several times. Beyond being startled, his somewhat anxious appearance made Munbeom’s expression harden.
“I’ll come over there, so stand still.”
Releasing Yeonwoo’s forearm, Munbeom walked toward him. Seeing Munbeom walking towards where the bowl had broken, Yeonwoo called out “Director” in surprise, but he didn’t stop. Wearing slippers, he carefully avoided the sharp fragments and stood in front of Yeonwoo, then lifted him up.
As arms wrapped around his waist and under his thighs, lifting him high, Yeonwoo was startled and embraced Munbeom’s shoulder with one arm, making a short “Ah” sound. Flustered, Yeonwoo unconsciously struggled, but Munbeom held him even more firmly.
Immediately going outside, Munbeom took off his slippers at the front of the living room and moved barefoot. He put Yeonwoo down on the widest part of the sofa and knelt on one knee. Yeonwoo was also wearing slippers. But the large slippers, not fitting his small feet, were half off. Fragments could have gotten in through this gap.
Munbeom immediately held Yeonwoo’s foot in one hand after removing the slipper. He intended to check by touch, but suddenly Yeonwoo’s toes tensed up. Looking up at the toes curling as if shrinking, he raised his head.
And faced a small face completely flushed red.
“…”
Flustered but unable to show it, Yeonwoo hunched his shoulders and stammered.
“W-why suddenly my foot…?”
“Fragments might have gotten stuck.”
“That’s okay. It’s, really okay.”
If he had been barefoot, maybe, but he was wearing the slippers Munbeom had given him. He wanted to ask if Munbeom was okay. Concerned that earlier, when he approached, Munbeom had been standing where the bowl had broken, Yeonwoo lowered his head and moved his lips, saying, “Director.”
“Are you okay?”
“…”
Munbeom looked at Yeonwoo’s face and eyes as they gazed at him.
Though it had been clearly felt in Yeonwoo’s face since they first met, he had pretended not to know. However, Yeonwoo accepting his proposal and steadily continuing their relationship until now was possible because Munbeom recognized the attraction Yeonwoo had for him.
Knowing that Yeonwoo had liked him from the beginning, he had obtained what he wanted easily, like twisting a child’s wrist.
How cunning and opportunistic he was.
Unable to look directly at Yeonwoo, Munbeom slowly stood up. Avoiding Yeonwoo’s gaze that followed him, he turned his head first.
“I suddenly remembered something I need to do. If it’s alright, I’d like you to go back now. I can accompany you to your home. I’ll get my car keys right away…”
“No, no.”
Yeonwoo hurriedly stood up. As if avoiding Munbeom standing in front of him, Yeonwoo stepped back several steps to the side. He too couldn’t look directly at him and spoke with his gaze on the floor.
“I can go back alone. You don’t need to accompany me.”
“It’s complicated to leave here alone. Wait a moment.”
Yeonwoo was about to say it was fine again, but Munbeom moved first without listening. Then he hesitated, remembering that he had placed the car keys on top of the shoe rack when he came in. After a brief deliberation, he looked back.
Yeonwoo, who had been watching him with his hands clasped together, immediately averted his eyes when their gazes met. He lowered his head and covered the back of his neck with one hand, his cheeks turning pale. Seeing his clearly tense face, Munbeom clenched his lowered hand and slowly opened his mouth.
“…I just remembered that I left the car keys near the entrance.”
At those words, Yeonwoo’s pupils trembled and then turned toward Munbeom.
Only after confirming this did Munbeom head straight to the entrance. The moment he saw the car keys placed on top of the shoe rack, he wondered what he was doing.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
