Han Jun’s once-steady gaze wavered for a moment.
“So that’s how it is.”
“I-I’ve been busy studying too……”
When Yi-hyeon tried to put some distance between them, Han Jun abruptly pulled him in by the shoulder. Their bodies pressed together, and the heat transferred instantly. Slowly wetting his lips, Han Jun fixed Yi-hyeon in his deep-set eyes.
“Then what about friends?”
“I have friends.”
“Who?”
“You, obviously……”
“Ah. Me.”
Tightening his grip on Yi-hyeon’s shoulder, Han Jun tilted his head slightly.
“Guess there’s no helping it.”
“W-What do you mean?”
“The kind, generous me has no choice but to help the creative pursuits of my one and only friend who doesn’t have a lover, a situationship, or even someone he likes.”
Heat seeped from Han Jun’s palm wrapped around Yi-hyeon’s shoulder. Despite his keen hearing, the only sound Yi-hyeon could perceive was Han Jun’s breathing.
“If you don’t want it, you can move away.”
Han Jun’s face slowly drew closer.
Yi-hyeon himself was trembling too much to notice Han Jun’s faint shiver. Their noses brushed lightly, but Yi-hyeon didn’t turn his head away. He wasn’t kind enough to consider Han Jun’s feelings. There was only one reason he didn’t avoid it. His own selfish desire.
He didn’t think Han Jun would kiss him because he liked him. If anything, it was closer to a momentary curiosity. And Yi-hyeon wanted to grasp that curiosity.
Because it was clearly a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
“I’m really going to do it.”
When Yi-hyeon gave no response, Han Jun’s lips pressed heavily against Yi-hyeon’s upper lip. Not wanting his greedy emotions to show, Yi-hyeon slowly closed his eyes.
Han Jun lifted Yi-hyeon’s slightly lowered chin and, sliding in, took his lower lip into his mouth. When the hot sensation parted his closed lips and entered, Yi-hyeon caught his breath and tensed. As if to tell him not to be nervous, the large hand that had been holding his shoulder slid down his back and settled at his waist.
Hot breaths melted into the heavy humidity pressing down on the living room.
Feeling the weight that had been pinning him down pull away, Yi-hyeon finally opened his eyes. Right in front of him, moist lips curved upward in a smile, tugging at the corners.
Whooosh.
Only then did the sound of rain return to Yi-hyeon’s ears.
The kiss was over, but the fresh scent and warmth Han Jun had left behind on his lips slowly seeped into his memory.
As if commanding him never to forget that sensation.
***
As if by unspoken agreement, neither of them asked nor said anything about the kiss. Instead, they resumed ordinary conversation as though nothing had happened.
Han Jun went upstairs, saying he’d look for a blanket that could be used, then leaned against the railing and looked down at Yi-hyeon sitting on the sofa.
“The bedding on the bed is way too dusty. Is a thin blanket okay? There’s a throw in the closet here.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll lay that down and sleep with the blanket I brought.”
Though he didn’t mention it, Yi-hyeon still felt the lingering aftermath of the kiss. Forcing his racing heart to calm down, he pulled a blanket out of his bag and headed up to the second floor where Han Jun was standing.
Han Jun pointed to a room with its door left open, saying they’d sleep in there. It was a room that had long since lost its owner, but the gentle scent of Actress Joo Mi-yeon clung to the furniture and wallpaper, still not completely gone.
While Yi-hyeon stood there blankly, Han Jun stripped away the dust-laden bedding and spread out the large blanket he said he’d found in the closet. The blanket, too, still carried Actress Joo Mi-yeon’s presence.
“Seems like it was your mother’s blanket.”
“Huh? How could you tell? It’s the one she used to cover herself with when she read or watched movies on the sofa.”
“The scent’s still there. It’s very faint, but.”
Han Jun, who had been choosing a spot for the blanket, widened his eyes and straightened up.
“Seriously? You can still smell it even though it hasn’t been used in ages?”
“It rained today, for one. And it was a blanket trapped in a stagnant space, so I guess the scent didn’t completely dissipate.”
Staring quietly at the blanket, Han Jun tugged the corner of his mouth into a smile.
“I should take it with me when I go home.”
Seeing the strange sense of peace on Han Jun’s face as he rejoiced like he’d found a treasure, Yi-hyeon felt a subtle calm wash over him. If it was something that could help Han Jun, he wanted to do anything he could.
“Come in.”
Already climbing onto the bed, Han Jun motioned for him to hurry up. Sleeping in the same bed again today? Yi-hyeon blinked his big eyes a few times, then scratched the back of his head and stepped into the master bedroom.
When he reached the bed, he couldn’t bring himself to sit right away and instead handed over the blanket he was holding. Han Jun took Yi-hyeon’s blanket, spread it out, and laughed in a clear, refreshing voice.
“Isn’t that a ridiculously cute blanket?”
It was printed with a picture of animal friends holding hands and going on a picnic.
“It’s the one Minseo used when he was a baby. He lent it to me.”
“Minseo’s a good kid. Seeing the animal friends reminds me of our Louis. Louis really loved animal friends. I miss him.”
At Han Jun’s words, a sharp pang of guilt pricked Yi-hyeon’s chest. He felt like it was already too late to tell the truth now—they’d come too far emotionally. And if he said something wrong and Han Jun ended up distancing himself from him even a little…
“Did I bring the mood down too much? Anyway, why aren’t you getting on the bed? Aren’t you tired?”
Yi-hyeon had only grown subdued because he hated the idea of Han Jun harboring negative feelings toward him. But seeing Han Jun misunderstand his expression and apologize made it hard to move his lips at all.
“It’s not a heavy topic. I’m sorry, Han Jun.”
“Huh? What are you sorry for?”
Han Jun tilted his head, eyes wide, unable to understand Yi-hyeon’s apology.
“Just… everything. I’m sorry.”
To keep Han Jun from noticing how his eyes were shaking under that unblinking stare, Yi-hyeon lowered his gaze.
Han Jun extended an arm out from beneath the cute blanket covering him and grabbed Yi-hyeon’s hand. Yi-hyeon’s eyes flew open. Propping himself up at an angle, Han Jun pulled Yi-hyeon closer and smiled.
“I don’t know why you suddenly said that, but I’ve never once been dissatisfied with you or had my feelings hurt by you. So you don’t need to apologize. Got it?”
Yi-hyeon couldn’t reply at all. He perched on the edge of the bed and lowered his head again.
“Yoon Yi-hyeon.”
Releasing his wrist, Han Jun intertwined their fingers again with Yi-hyeon’s hand that had fallen limply, and pulled him closer while his other hand wrapped around Yi-hyeon’s nape.
“I told you, you don’t need to apologize to me.”
“……”
“No matter what you’ve done wrong, I can forgive all of it.”
Slowly lifting his head, Yi-hyeon looked at Han Jun and silently asked, why?
After a brief stretch of silence, Han Jun pulled himself up as if drawing Yi-hyeon in—and pressed his lips down onto Yi-hyeon’s.
Feeling Yi-hyeon’s small, startled tremor, Han Jun slowly parted his lips and swallowed Yi-hyeon’s small mouth whole. Through the slick, delicate skin, he could feel Yi-hyeon’s body temperature, far hotter than before.
Having resolved to hide his feelings yet unable to even think of resisting, the dizzying friction that dragged him in only made Yi-hyeon’s emotions feel heavier.
As if crushing the chaotic thoughts, Han Jun wrapped an arm around Yi-hyeon’s waist and pulled him fully onto the bed. When their lips parted for a moment, Han Jun tightened his solid arms around Yi-hyeon and quickly sealed their mouths together again.
As if to cool the heated warmth for a moment, a large, cool hand slipped beneath Yi-hyeon’s clothes and gently caressed his back.
Han Jun’s full lips slid softly down from Yi-hyeon’s lower lip and brushed against the tip of his chin. After a brief hesitation, they traveled down along his neck, and Yi-hyeon flinched and shuddered.
“J-Jun.”
A sudden fear struck him, and Yi-hyeon quietly grabbed Han Jun’s wrist as it crept up along his spine.
“Don’t shake.”
There’s nothing I’ll do that you don’t want.
Han Jun’s voice, submerged in the sound of rain, wrapped around him languidly. As his eyelids slowly lowered, the eyes that had been watching Yi-hyeon disappeared—only to reveal themselves again.
