Jae-young let out a voice tinged with regret. Even as he looked down at Ver, he was conscious of the warmth holding his hand.
Let go already, you’ve understood. Just as his grumpy inner thoughts were about to reach his chin, Sa Gong-hyun released his hand.
“Have you never kept a dog before?”
“There’s nothing. How do I become closer to him?”
His hand dug into his pants pocket again. Meanwhile, Jae-young’s gaze moved busily. He looked at Sa Gong-hyun, then down at Ver as if unable to take his eyes off him.
Ultimately, Sa Gong-hyun was the final destination of his gaze. Jae-young waited for him to speak. Sa Gong-hyun’s eyes were firmly locked with his.
“First, let him smell you. Lower your body and slowly extend your hand below his line of sight, making him feel you have no intention to harm him. Nothing is more important than allowing the dog to recognize that your scent is safe.”
It was uncomfortable to maintain that gaze. Jae-young rolled his eyes to look at Ver, who was lying flat and chewing on a dog treat.
“Ver must be happy.”
“…”
“I can see why Ver follows you so well, Hyun-ssi.”
He was a pampered dog. He had a spacious yard to run around freely and a house made just for him. That doghouse was generous enough in size that even if Jae-young were to stretch out in it, he wouldn’t feel cramped.
Maybe I should be born as a dog in my next life. Jae-young thought absently as he looked down at Ver.
“I’m only doing my job.”
Jae-young’s eyes inadvertently drifted to Sa Gong-hyun.
“Because he’s lived to be loyal to his master and to tear at the throat of any intruder, whoever they might be.”
“…Pardon?”
“He’s a dog trained to never let go once he bites, even if it means taking a bullet.”
It was a cold voice that made Jae-young’s assumption that Sa Gong-hyun cherished Ver seem like a misunderstanding. He was surprised. So surprised that he even hiccupped. Jae-young confirmed that Sa Gong-hyun’s eyes were directed at Ver and covered his mouth with his hand.
His heartbeat intensified in an instant. More than the cruelty in his tone, it was the word “intruder” mixed in that affected him.
Could he have noticed? Jae-young held his breath to suppress his hiccups while closely examining Sa Gong-hyun’s expression.
He lowered the hand covering his mouth, preparing for any possible situation. If there were any strange signs, he planned to grasp the bracelet on his right wrist.
Sa Gong-hyun maintained an indifferent face, but somehow the feeling was off.
“I brought him in after he was being abused during his training as a working dog.”
“…”
His gaze covered Jae-young with a leisurely movement. Hic, even though he held his breath firmly, the hiccups persisted.
“So that’s why. His loyalty is notably higher than other dogs.”
Though it seemed like a casually dropped comment, it carried considerable weight. Not feeling like he’d been discovered, Jae-young clasped his hands together instead of grabbing the bracelet.
Jae-young looked down at Ver while calming his startled heart. He forcibly swallowed the persistent cold feeling. It felt like his heart would burst through his chest.
He had a bad premonition. Although Sa Gong-hyun had said he was safer than Ver, Jae-young felt that he was more dangerous than the dog. It seemed wise to heed Seung-kwon’s warning.
After entering the house with Sa Gong-hyun, Jae-young took off his coat as planned and placed it on the sofa. He had repeatedly rehearsed the position and arrangement of the coat before coming in.
Since it was late, he had filled the table with lighter rather than heavy foods. It was fortunate that he had prepared dessert to eat after the meal.
Watching Sa Gong-hyun assist him, Jae-young realized he was surprisingly domestic. He cut with efficient movements and knew what to do before Jae-young could even remind him of the next steps.
Jae-young, nibbling on a Caprese salad, picked up a bruschetta and put it in his mouth. It suited his taste since he always made it when drinking, but he wondered how it would match Sa Gong-hyun’s palate.
However, rather than paying attention to the food, Sa Gong-hyun observed Jae-young while tilting his glass. When their eyes met, Jae-young smiled innocently. Sa Gong-hyun responded with a slight smile.
“I received your number right away that day.”
Sa Gong-hyun moved his lips further with a leisurely smile.
“Your handwriting was cute.”
“So you did receive it. I thought that person had forgotten since there was no contact.”
“I was planning to contact you once I finished my work.”
“I guess I should have been a bit more patient. Not knowing that, I rudely showed up unannounced.”
The atmosphere had developed smoothly. Jae-young sipped his drink with an embarrassed smile. The smooth swallow and intense aroma were familiar.
Jae-young glanced at the gold-plated label. Royal Salute 38. It was a Scotch whisky that Jae-young also really enjoyed. He had used overseas duty-free shops numerous times to obtain this liquor.
He wished he could savor this drink comfortably, but it was regrettable that he couldn’t.
Whisky goes better with dry snacks. If he had known Sa Gong-hyun would bring out Royal Salute 38, he would have bought more suitable snacks. At least some nuts.
At least the bruschetta wasn’t bad, so he could somewhat ease his disappointment.
“I was just as glad to see Do Jae-young-ssi.”
Drinking good liquor naturally improved his mood. He could casually laugh off Sa Gong-hyun’s cheesy remarks.
“I was always holding my phone. I thought you might be busy, but I also worried you might be avoiding me because I made you uncomfortable. Being alone, all sorts of thoughts came to mind.”
“Seeing that you came all the way here, it doesn’t seem like that’s entirely true.”
“I didn’t want to miss out. I only realized how persistent I could be after meeting you, Hyun-ssi.”
He smiled brightly and sipped his drink again. What thoughts would Sa Gong-hyun have while receiving this relentless affection? Jae-young raised his downcast eyes and glanced at Sa Gong-hyun.
He didn’t seem to find Jae-young’s affectionate advances unpleasant. His softened expression and the gentle smile lingering around his mouth suggested so. Even the fatigue that had been visible at the front gate earlier had now disappeared.
That’s why he could smile with ease. Jae-young bit into a bruschetta topped with cocktail shrimp and plenty of sauce.
“I find that hard to believe. The Do Jae-young-ssi I’ve seen has always been stubbornly persistent.”
Jae-young, who had been eating the bruschetta with an innocent expression, quietly studied Sa Gong-hyun’s face. The jaw that had been chewing food without hesitation gradually slowed its pace.
Sa Gong-hyun had a very affectionate look. When Jae-young blinked once, his hand extended. Sa Gong-hyun’s thumb brushed across Jae-young’s lips.
“I particularly liked that aspect. So stay by my side until I can understand you, Do Jae-young-ssi.”
As if there was sauce on it, Sa Gong-hyun lightly sucked his thumb. Watching that, Jae-young suddenly lost his appetite. He belatedly rubbed his own mouth.
“Does that mean when Hyun-ssi understands me… you won’t see me anymore?”
“By then, Do Jae-young-ssi will probably have lost interest in me too.”
“…”
“I prefer clean endings, and I’d like it if that were the same for Do Jae-young-ssi.”
His gaze wandered. Jae-young’s hand, resting on the table, trembled slightly. Sa Gong-hyun’s affectionate demeanor hadn’t changed at all.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
