21
It was definitely the right thing to say. Jo Junghyun rolled his eyes as he searched for an answer to his question. He felt flustered, wondering if he had asked something unnecessary.
I should have just not asked anything. He was anxious about being considered thoughtless. Junghyun continued speaking.
“W-well, but, um, I can use my phone too. It was comfortable, and you treated me well, and you ate meals with me, and also…”
“Is that so? Comfortable, and treated well? So you liked it?”
Ah, there he goes again.
Ji Seunghyeok rubbed Junghyun’s cheek. It was natural skinship, flowing like water. At some point, Junghyun had started to get used to it.
Junghyun quietly raised his eyes to look at Seunghyeok. The sensation of the warm hand on his cheek felt good.
“What if I run away when we go shopping?”
“Are you going to run away?”
It was almost like a whisper. This was truly self-destruction. Junghyun muttered weakly.
“…No.”
His face was burning hot.
Seunghyeok’s hand gently caressed Junghyun’s cheek once more.
“I’ll heat up the stew you made, so go wash up and come out. I was waiting to eat it with you.”
Junghyun nodded as he watched Seunghyeok gently push his back while speaking.
To think that he had waited for him to wake up so they could have breakfast together. He was incredibly happy.
The corners of his mouth twitched up involuntarily. When Junghyun came out after quickly washing his face, the table was set so he could sit down and eat right away.
“While heating the stew, the smell was so amazing that I tried a bite, and it’s delicious. Tell me, have you learned how to cook before?”
“Uh, no, not really… Did it taste good?”
“Yes, very much.”
At the response that came back with a smile, Junghyun grinned. Talking face-to-face and eating food together was such a joyful thing. After quickly finishing their meal, the two went outside.
Although Junghyun had gone to the mart by himself before, going out with Seunghyeok was the first time since entering this house.
When they got into the elevator, their reflections appeared in the spotlessly shining doors.
Looking at themselves in the mirror like this, the difference in build between him and Seunghyeok was obvious.
Was it that his own shoulders were narrow, or that Seunghyeok’s shoulders were broad? Junghyun needlessly straightened his posture. But no matter what, he couldn’t match Seunghyeok’s broad shoulders.
Maybe it was the clothes.
The clothes Junghyun was wearing now belonged to Seunghyeok. Perhaps he looked even smaller because he was wearing clothes that were too big for his body.
Seunghyeok gently pulled Junghyun’s hand as he looked for the black car they had ridden before.
“This way.”
“It’s not the car I rode before?”
“Because it’s not a working day.”
Junghyun nodded as he watched Seunghyeok casually answer.
He quietly observed Seunghyeok opening the passenger seat door. He said it wasn’t a working day, so did the driver come? Junghyun’s curiosity was soon resolved. Seunghyeok held the open door and said to Junghyun.
“Get in.”
“The passenger seat?”
“Do you want to drive?”
Seunghyeok asked with a gentle curve of his eyes.
“What? No, I don’t even have a driver’s license, um, so you’re driving, hyung?”
“I told you. It’s not a working day.”
Seunghyeok answered as if he found it amusing. Junghyun heard the response and got into the seat. The first thing Junghyun did was fasten his seatbelt. Seunghyeok got in the car and chuckled when he saw Junghyun doing that.
“If you’d forgotten to put on your seatbelt, I was going to do it for you. You’re so diligent, Junghyun.”
“…Yes, thank you.”
Junghyun greeted him while watching Seunghyeok’s expression. When Seunghyeok started the car, the vehicle shook slightly with a rumbling sound.
“Then I’ll depart now.”
The car carrying the two headed to a nearby department store.
Seunghyeok went straight to the fourth floor with Junghyun. Despite it being a weekday morning, there were quite a few people.
“Um, hyung.”
Perhaps because it was mixed with the noise of people, Seunghyeok didn’t respond. Was his voice too soft? Or was it because he just called him “hyung” that he couldn’t hear properly?
“Seunghyeok hyung…!”
Junghyun called him with his name attached.
Seunghyeok immediately turned toward Junghyun. Before the realization that he should have called him like this sooner could fade, Seunghyeok spoke to Junghyun.
“Did you call me?”
“Yes, yes.”
Junghyun answered and stepped aside to avoid a man coming toward him. Fortunately, they didn’t collide, but because the man was swinging his arms widely, Junghyun had practically pressed himself against the wall. Something grabbed Junghyun’s hand as he shrank his shoulders.
It was Seunghyeok.
His generously large hand was lightly holding Junghyun.
It was the first time he had held hands with someone. He might have done it a few times when he was young, but as an adult, it wasn’t something he did even among friends.
“Um…”
Junghyun called out to Seunghyeok.
“Why do you let people bump into you? It’s upsetting.”
“I wasn’t bumped into. I’m fine. I can avoid them well.”
In response to Junghyun’s words, Seunghyeok simply applied a little more pressure to the hand he was holding without answering.
“Are you worried about people looking at us? You don’t have to be so concerned. People aren’t as interested in others as you might think.”
After hearing Seunghyeok’s words, Junghyun looked around. Indeed, no one was looking at Seunghyeok and Junghyun. Had he been needlessly self-conscious, as he said?
“…”
No, it wasn’t simply because he was conscious of the gazes.
The thumping sound of his heartbeat was becoming more clearly felt. Perhaps because of that, his face seemed to be getting a little hot too.
Junghyun fidgeted, worried about what would happen if his palm started sweating, and Seunghyeok gripped his hand even tighter. As if to prevent him from slipping away.
“Um, …oh.”
Junghyun flinched as Seunghyeok suddenly stopped walking. The place where he had stopped was a clean-looking store. The clothes design was also minimally decorated and classic, seeming appropriate to wear anytime.
“Shall we go in for a moment?”
Though he asked Junghyun, he already seemed to have made up his mind.
As soon as they entered, Seunghyeok asked the employee who approached to assist them if they could try on the outfit displayed outside. When the employee asked for the size, Seunghyeok answered a bit faster than Junghyun, who was standing there blankly, was about to reply. Surprisingly, that size matched Junghyun’s size perfectly.
Looking at Seunghyeok with half surprise and half amazement, Junghyun was met with a questioning expression.
“Is the size different?”
“Ah, no. It’s just that you got it exactly right. How did you know?”
“Well, I can tell by looking.”
“…”
The doubt still remained unresolved. How could he match it so perfectly?
Just then, the employee returned with the outfit and handed it to Junghyun.
“This customer will be trying it on, right? There’s a fitting room inside where you can change. I’ll guide you there.”
Junghyun took the clothes and went to the fitting room to change. As expected, the clothes fit him well. But he thought the sweater color might be too bright. He had never worn such a bold color before.
Since Seunghyeok had chosen it for him, he would wear it, but he wasn’t confident at all.
When he hesitantly opened the fitting room door and went out, Seunghyeok, who had been talking to the employee with his back turned, looked back. Satisfaction could be seen spreading in his eyes.
“Oh my, sir. It really suits you well. It’s hard for this color to suit someone so well. Your fair skin makes it look absolutely perfect.”
“R-really?”
He thought the employee might just be saying that to make a sale, but it was impossible not to be swayed by such direct praise. Junghyun glanced toward Seunghyeok.
“It really suits you well.”
“…Really?”
“Look in the mirror, Junghyun.”
At Seunghyeok’s suggestion, Junghyun looked at his reflection in the full-length mirror.
The vibrant, almost pinkish vermilion sweater fit perfectly as if it had been made for him, and its texture was soft and smooth. The charcoal slacks balanced perfectly with the bright top.
Just then, the employee brought a light gray coat and recommended it to Junghyun.
“How about this color? Usually, I would recommend a darker color, but since your skin is on the fair side, I think this color would suit you really well too. This length is very trendy right now, and since you have long legs, you’ll be able to pull it off well. Try it on.”
“Try it on.”
Seunghyeok also encouraged him, so Junghyun received the coat and slipped his arms into it. Junghyun looked in the mirror and awkwardly fidgeted with the nape of his neck.
“We’ll take it as is. Please ring it up.”
Seunghyeok took out his wallet from his chest. The employee politely received the card, but it was Junghyun who was surprised. Because he had seen the price tag while changing. Just the coat that Junghyun was wearing now cost well over a million won.
Of course, Junghyun hadn’t been going around naked all this time, but since he mostly wore school uniforms, he didn’t have many occasions to wear casual clothes.
His parents, who had extremely limited his peer relationships, were another reason why he didn’t get along well with school friends. The casual clothes that Junghyun wore were mostly those sent by his parents through their secretary. He didn’t know well what the price range of the clothes he had worn was.
“What? S-Seunghyeok hyung? This is expensive.”
“You should wear good clothes. We’ll need to remove the price tag inside. Let me see.”
Seunghyeok approached and seemed to pull back the clothes Junghyun was wearing slightly to look inside. Junghyun unconsciously lowered his head.
“Ah, this doesn’t need scissors. Stay still. I’ll remove it for you.”
Seunghyeok’s low voice was heard right next to his ear.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
