Hye-seong blinked blankly. Regardless, Ji-ho casually took a bite of the cake with the same fork Hye-seong had been using, only to grimace and quickly sip his coffee as if to wash it down.
“A damn…”
Hye-seong murmured without thinking as he watched Ji-ho’s peaceful demeanor. Only then did Ji-ho glance over and add nonchalantly,
“You’re just funny to watch.”
“Oh…”
…Was that a compliment?
“Thank you…”
He bowed his head slightly as he replied. Either way, making someone laugh must mean it’s a compliment, he figured.
“No need.”
After even receiving thanks, Ji-ho didn’t seem to find anything odd about the interaction. He simply gave a gentle smile and wiped the whipped cream from the corner of Hye-seong’s lips with a tissue.
Then he tilted the cup and helped Hye-seong drink some water slowly—only to suddenly rise to his feet right after. Sitting in the chair, Hye-seong’s gaze slowly trailed upward as the taller man stood.
A shadow was cast across Ji-ho’s pale face as he leaned over. Lifting Hye-seong’s chin, he spoke.
“So, could you open your mouth for a sec?”
“…Huh?”
Before the words could even register, the blunt tip of his cock pressed against Hye-seong’s soft lips and began to slide into his open mouth.
Before he’d even gotten the chance to carry out his plan to reclaim his underwear, Hye-seong found himself stripped of his pants, too.
***
It was well past lunchtime. While Hye-seong slept like the dead, Ji-ho—enjoying a rare weekend break—had stepped out for a bit.
[I was going to wait for you to wake up, but I headed out first. Eat and rest well.]
“Whoa…”
It was the first message he’d ever received from Ji-ho. Picking up the pager from under the bed and reading the message, Hye-seong scratched his messy hair and smiled bashfully.
Maybe next time… he could ask for Ji-ho’s phone number?
“No, no… that’s still too soon.”
Shaking his head quickly, he rose from the cozy bed.
After washing his face, he sat down to eat the meal that had been left out on the dining table. Since it was well past mealtime, the house was quiet and empty.
His body still ached and felt sluggish, but he’d gotten used to it—enough to manage.
It took some time, but he chewed thoroughly and finished every side dish. He was going to load the dishes into the dishwasher, just like the auntie had taught him, but in the end, Hye-seong decided to wash them by hand.
“You’re back?”
Not long after he finished the dishes, he heard the front door open and quickly ran out to greet Ji-ho at the entrance. Without knowing what was going on, he accepted the shopping bags Ji-ho handed him.
“Yeah, I’m back.”
“Where did you go? You’re on leave… And what’s all this?”
Following him to the living room while bombarding him with questions, Hye-seong got no real answer.
“Open them.”
Ji-ho flopped onto the sofa and gestured with his chin toward the bags in Hye-seong’s hands.
Still clueless, Hye-seong peeked inside. The bags were full of clothes.
He pulled one item out, unfolded it, looked at another, then another—glancing frequently at Ji-ho to gauge his reaction. When Ji-ho just sat there in silence, Hye-seong examined the clothes more closely, sinking deeper into confusion.
“Um… these clothes are really nice…”
He carefully folded the pieces he’d opened and spoke. They were neat, stylish, and clearly picked with a good eye—each one beautiful in its own way.
“You don’t like them?”
“Hmm, that’s not it…”
He hesitated. It wasn’t a matter of taste—they were certainly well made—but they didn’t seem like something Ji-ho would wear. Especially not something like that chick-yellow hoodie…
After seeing Ji-ho’s wardrobe up close so many times, it was hard not to wonder. Had his tastes changed?
When Hye-seong failed to hide his skeptical expression, Ji-ho abruptly stood up from the sofa.
“I’m taking them back.”
“Huh? Why?”
“You clearly don’t like them. Give them back. I’ll burn every last one.”
“Gasp! No, you can’t!”
Startled, Hye-seong hugged the yellow hoodie to his chest and widened his eyes. He couldn’t let perfectly good clothes get tossed into the fire pit!
Even from a passing glance, the price tag on the name label had nearly made his eyes pop out. Sure, he could believe it if Ji-ho was buying it for himself, but still—burning this?
Clutching the hoodie protectively, Hye-seong looked up at Ji-ho from the sofa and said,
“Of course you’d look good in this kind of style, too.”
“…”
“But… isn’t it a little small?”
Tilting his head, he looked over the clothes again. Ji-ho stared at him like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“That’s your outfit, Hye-seong.”
“Huh? For me?”
“Well, since we’re here, why don’t you try it on right now?”
Huh? While he was still dumbfounded, the loose pants he’d been wearing were suddenly pulled off. When Ji-ho said, “Arms up!” with a playful grin, he raised them reluctantly.
Only after he was left standing in just his underwear did Hye-seong snap back to reality. Ji-ho was definitely getting better at stripping him faster with each passing day.
A few moments later, Hye-seong stood in front of Ji-ho wearing a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers—no doubt more expensive than his monthly living expenses combined. Every tiny movement felt so awkward, it was like even the sound of his breathing came out in pieces.
Ji-ho nodded.
“You look like a total baby, but… it’s not bad.”
“Wh-why are you suddenly giving me clothes…?”
“You don’t have any decent ones, Hye-seong.”
“…”
“It’s a gift. Wear it comfortably.”
And it was true. Hye-seong didn’t have any decent clothes at the moment.
The shirt he wore when he first came here—soft and well-loved—was one of his favorites, but it had a stretched-out collar and wasn’t exactly presentable for walking around the Center.
“Think of it as maintaining dignity—as the Guide of Yoo Ji-ho.”
With that, Ji-ho cheerfully collected the shopping bags full of clothes. He seemed ready to send them off to be laundered.
Watching him absentmindedly, Hye-seong hurried back to his room to grab his bag.
What kind of boss was this, even? Letting him stay in his home because he had nowhere else to go, buying him clothes when he didn’t have any…
“Aahh!”
As soon as he opened the door, Ji-ho was standing right there. Shocked, Hye-seong let out a little shriek.
Ji-ho didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. He looked at the strap of the crossbody bag slung over Hye-seong’s chest, then asked with a blank expression,
“Hye-seong, where are you going right now?”
Wearing the yellow hoodie, Hye-seong looked up and replied brightly,
“Ah, I was just going to go home for a bit.”
“…”
After staring into his eyes for a long while, Ji-ho asked again.
“Why?”
“To grab some clothes. I’d been meaning to pick up some stuff anyway. I’ll be right back. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me… but I’ll just wear the outfit I’ve got on now, thank you.”
“…”
“Thank you for always looking after me.”
Staring down at the bright yellow crown of Hye-seong’s bowed head, Ji-ho stood frozen in place as if in shock. After a moment, he laughed to himself bitterly, looking off into the distance.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“If you didn’t like the clothes, you could’ve just said so.”
Hye-seong blinked, confused. He didn’t understand what Ji-ho meant.
“Huh?”
“…Should’ve known better than to trust that guy’s eye.”
“Wha—? Ji-ho! That’s not it, I swear!”
With a scowl, Ji-ho turned away and headed for the laundry room. Hye-seong hurried after him.
“That’s not it! I really, really like these clothes!”
“You don’t have to pretend.”
“No, I mean it! I really want to wear them!”
No matter how desperately he shouted and ran after him, Ji-ho didn’t respond and just kept walking.
Unable to keep up with Ji-ho’s long strides, Hye-seong finally lunged forward and hugged him from behind around the waist. With his eyes squeezed shut, he clung tightly. Only then did Ji-ho stop walking.
“…”
“…”
Silence fell over the hallway, which had just been echoing with their voices.
Did it work? Still hanging on to his waist, Hye-seong glanced around nervously. When he confirmed Ji-ho wasn’t moving anymore, he let out a sigh of relief.
“How could I not like them? It’s just… I feel like it’s too much for someone like me. I don’t have much to offer in return, and that makes me feel uneasy…”
Ji-ho took hold of Hye-seong’s arms and gently pulled him around to face him. Hye-seong stumbled slightly but ended up standing face to face.
“You’re working hard—what’s too much about that?”
“But still…”
“Then what was last night?”
He was struck speechless. There was no arguing when Ji-ho put it that way.
Because last night… he’d done his job.
“Or is being my Guide not worth that much to you?”
“Huh? Of course it is—never!”
Startled, Hye-seong quickly replied. Ji-ho’s expression softened just a bit, and he spoke again in a gentler tone.
“Then you’ll wear what I give you, right? Since you like them so much.”
“…Yes.”
“Good. There’s more coming.”
“Huh?”
Blindsided, Hye-seong blinked rapidly. Ji-ho’s firm gaze left him no room to argue, so he gave a reluctant nod.
He didn’t feel totally at ease, but Ji-ho seemed so unshakable in his intent that there wasn’t much he could do but accept it quietly.
“If you need anything else while you’re staying here, just say so. I’ll make sure you have it.”
“I don’t really, but… I’ll let you know if something comes up.”
“Good.”
He already knew what was lacking, and he wanted to provide all of it—without holding back. But to Hye-seong, it felt like he was the one constantly on the receiving end. He stared at the floor with a complicated expression before speaking in a calmer tone.
“I really appreciate the clothes, but… if I’m going to keep staying here, I do need to go pick up some things. I want to bring some books, too…”
“…”
“If you could just let me go for a bit, I’ll be right back!”
He flashed a cheerful smile, then looked down at Ji-ho’s hand still holding his arm. The message was clear—please let go now.
“…”
“…Huh?”
But Ji-ho’s hand didn’t let go. Puzzled, Hye-seong’s eyes widened.
