《Chief Kim and Assistant manager Choi》 Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Story 1. Chief Kim and Assistant Manager Choi ¨C Chapter 1.

¡°Jihoon Kang! Where did you go? Assistant Manager Kang!¡± It was no exaggeration to say that the day in the policy room started with the search for Jihoon Kang. An intern, who was sitting at the table, turned around and saw that Jihoon¡¯s chair was empty. The intern was certain that Jihoon had gone on a business trip and that was why he was absent. Therefore, the reason why the chief was calling for him angrily was most likely because there was a problem with the Jihoon¡¯s report that was submitted yesterday. The intern asked quietly, ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin, did Assistant Manager Jihoon go somewhere?¡± Woojin, who was staring at his monitor, turned around. He looked so pale, and whenever the intern saw him, his pasty face always worried her. Chief Hyunsoo Lee was a short tempered man and was feared by the others. His office was located on the 9th floor, and he often screamed on the phone or threw documents whenever he got angry. He was the most feared figure by the young interns. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin...¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin sighed and as he slowly undid one of his ash-grey suit jacket buttons, he stood up. He was a very slim man, and although the suit was supposed to be a tight fit, his thin body made it lookx. It waste summer and therefore still quite hot, but inside the office, it was too cold to be just wearing a dress shirt. ¡°I said, where did Assistant Manager Kang go?!¡± Woojin walked up to the chief¡¯s desk, and stood there silently. Chief Hyunsoo Lee nced up at Woojin as he tapped at the metal partition that stood against the side of his desk. It was a habit he had whenever he became frustrated. After a short silence, Woojin replied slowly, ¡°Assistant Manager Kang went on a business trip.¡± ¡°What? He went on a trip without even telling me?¡± ¡°Hepleted the proper paperwork for it yesterday, which was approved. It¡¯s document number 1331.¡± The chief red at Woojin who bowed quietly and turned around to return to his seat. The chief seemed frustrated, and he stopped him. ¡°Assistant Manager Choi?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When Woojin turned around to face him, Chief Lee frowned ufortably. It was obvious that he was angry about Woojin pointing out his mistake, but there was nothing he could do. Chief Lee might have been Woojin¡¯s superior, but he couldn¡¯t reprimand Woojin for no good reason. Woojin was well known for his neat and perfect work. After a short silence, Chief Lee finally gave up and added, ¡°... It¡¯s nothing. Just make sure to get that report on the service corporation done by the end of today. The earlier the better. Thanks.¡± ¡°Of course. I will submit it after lunch today.¡± As Woojin turned around to leave, he heard Chief Lee murmuring quietly, ¡°Cold bastard.¡± Cold... Chief Lee oftenined that Woojin was too cold. Jihoon, Woojin¡¯s colleague, often badmouthed Chief Hyunsoo Lee behind his back for his unreasonable demands, but Woojin always remained quiet about it. He didn¡¯t feel anger. He didn¡¯t feel anything. Woojin thought to himself, ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ He was tired, and that was it. No other emotions. As Woojin slowly walked back to his chair, the intern whispered to him her thanks. Woojin nodded without a word and sat down. Another long day was ahead of him. *** Chief Seulgi Kim from the marketing division approached Woojin and asked, ¡°Are you eating your lunch alone again?¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± Seulgi always asked Woojin to each lunch with her. Woojin was sitting alone in the office. While the others left to get lunch elsewhere, Seulgi stood in front of him and started to y with his nametag as usual. Her ck eyes blinked twice. As she asked him if he wanted to join her for lunch somewhere, Woojin stared at her red lips. Some may have found her act to be cute, but Woojin shook his head. Perhaps it was because he wasn¡¯t a very social person. There were often times when Woojin thought that he must really be a cold, emotionless person. He replied, ¡°No thank you. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He always refused her offer, but Seulgi always took it well with a smile. Woojin wondered if others found her kind and caring. But at the end of the day, what others thought didn¡¯t matter. Woojin didn¡¯t find it cute or caring. He found her to be annoying and suffocating. She asked him every day, forcing him to have to say no every day. On the other hand, Assistant Manager Kang was interested in her. Jihoon was known as the nice guy. He often chatted and joked with the female staff and his boyish look made him popr. They entered thepany at the same time, but Jihoon got promoted first, and he was a good leader. Jihoon was the opposite of Woojin. Whenever Jihoon saw this interaction, he would say to Woojin, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just eat lunch with her just once?¡± ¡°... Whatever.¡± ¡°Come on. It¡¯s just one lunch, right? She is so adorable and nice.¡± It was indeed impressive that she asked every single day despite being rejected every single time. Jihoon thought so anyway, and Woojin wondered if he should care. In fact, he couldn¡¯t really understand why it was considered impressive. He had been always like this ever since he was a child. Any feelings he had were so deep inside of him and they refused to surface. Woojin felt the same way about his own parents. Because he was an only child, he also didn¡¯t know what he was supposed to feel about siblings or anyone his own age. He had always been very quiet and soft-spoken. Woojin was also not very memorable. Most people couldn¡¯t remember him, including his high school ssmates who spent 3 years with him. But Woojin liked it that way. It was easier and simpler for him for people to not recognize him. He didn¡¯t want people to know about him. It was just the way he was. He was born this way. Woojin felt faint. His life felt quiet and faint, and he was satisfied with it. If he could continue to live this quietly, that was all he wanted. And it would¡¯ve been possible to live this way, except for that one incident that happened in the past. His dream of a quiet eventless life was... just a dream. ¡°Hmm...¡± Woojin sighed deeply as he walked towards the convenient store near his office building. His face looked dark with worries. The trees on the street looked unusually green and a cool wind blew pleasantly. That day... was just like today. That one time... That time that made even the cold Woojin be hot for the first and thest time... That time when the emotionless Woojin felt the heat inside of him... Whenever he thought of that day, his heart fell. He clenched and unclenched his hands over and over again to escape this feeling. His life felt colorless except for the memory of that day. It was so clear it felt like it happened yesterday. Whenever he took a deep breath, he could smell the scent of water. ¡°... Why am I remembering it again?¡± He didn¡¯t have this dream very often. Perhaps it was the heat of the day. Woojin shook his head and looked up with narrowed eyes. Slowly, he looked down and let his memory pass. He bought a sandwich from the convenience store and walked out. He peeled off the stic wrap, and as he did, he could feel that day¡¯s emotions and desire on his fingers. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Chapter 2.

Chapter 2. ¡°Assistant Manager Choi?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The human resource department¡¯s general manager called out Woojin¡¯s name. It was lunchtime and Woojin was eating alone and reading ¡°Regarding the Pain of Others.¡± When Woojin needed, the general manager, who was wearing an old fashioned gold-framed sses, continued to stare at Woojin and asked, ¡°Ourpany isn¡¯t very big, so why does it feel like I have never seen you before?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We had an orientation for the new recruits, and I think you, Assistant Manager Choi, are going to help us out.¡± Woojin looked at the general manager quietly. It was a well-known fact that Woojin wasn¡¯t good at saying no. That was why anyplicated paperwork was often given to Woojin. On the other hand, because he did so muchplex work, his work reputation was wless. Woojin worked efficiently and his documents were always very neat. It appeared that the general manager of the human resources department heard the rumor about Woojin¡¯s talent. When Woojin narrowed his eyes, which was his habit whenever he contemted something, the general manager frowned slightly and exined, ¡°Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang was supposed to take care of this, but he had an unexpected business trip...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very easy task. All you have to do is to provide some mentoring on ourpany¡¯s ounting system, groupware guide, and office rules.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are... you very busy?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s ok.¡± Woojin remembered the time when one of the members of the human resources team asked him if he was always annoyed. Woojin always thought his face was unmemorable, but it seemed that he had a resting bitch face. On top of that, he was fairly well-known among his coworkers. In a workce, good quality work alone was not enough to remain unnoticed. One needed to get along well with others and be not too close but not too distant in order to be hidden in the crowd. Woojin clenched his hands slowly. He stared nkly for a while before leaving a note on his desk and walked out of the office. As he walked the hallway, he sighed. It was hard for Woojin to understand people. Having a social life was a mystery to him. Not too close but not too distant either. Making sure not to cross the line. It was very hard for him to figure out where the ¡°line¡± was. An invisible line between people. The concept, which probably came easy to most people, always confused Woojin. When he was a child, Woojin was tentatively diagnosed with mild autism. He was always quiet and his face was always nk. His mother thought he was odd, so naturally she took him to a clinic. In elementary school, Woojin often got in trouble for not answering teachers¡¯ questions. It happened so often that his parents were called to the school, and it was only then Woojin realized that he had to answer when his teacher asked him something. It was simr with his friends. Woojin was very different. Even though they spoke the samenguage, he still couldn¡¯tmunicate with other kids. The main problem was the fact that Woojin simply didn¡¯t want to talk to other people. He didn¡¯t want tough or smile. It was no wonder he became a loner by choice. Thankfully, Woojin was a passive boy and was an overachiever. He was a good student, and his ssmates mostly ignored him. Woojin was an unnoticed kid. Time passed meaninglessly for him, and his life remained colorless and vague. It felt like if his life continued this way, no one would notice even if he died. And his life went on like this for 30 years. No meaning. Nothing. As he waited for the elevator to go to the first-floor auditorium, Woojin bit his lips. One of the things he hated the most was meeting strangers. This was why he applied to the policy department where most of the work was done individually rather than in groups. Whenever he had to do unexpected and unnned tasks, like now, he felt overly exhausted. The elevator finally arrived, and after he got in, he pushed the first floor button. He was starting to get a headache. He closed his eyes and was about to ce his fingers on his temples when suddenly, the elevator door opened. He was going down from the 9th floor, so this couldn¡¯t have been the first floor already. He felt annoyed, and when he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a pair of distinct eyes. ¡°...¡± Blue. Night. Eyes that looked like the night. Woojin became breathless as he stared at the man¡¯s eyes. The night in those eyes wasn¡¯t ck but rather blue. A damp ck night. Woojin bowed lightly and calmly, but the sudden feeling he had was so fierce that he felt like he might be dreaming. Those eyes felt like huge wavesing after him. That night... That night when he was surrounded by the scent of grass and water... That day... That voice was so hot and breathtaking... Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Chapter 3.

Chapter 3. ¡°Hey, why is that assistant manager staring at you like that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you know that guy?¡± ¡°... Just shut up.¡± ¡°Wow, when you just looked at him, he turned totally red...¡± Shin Kim quickly covered his co-worker Minjae¡¯s mouth with his hand. Gosh, he was staring at him again. Shin Kim tried to avoid his eyes and continued to stare down at his work. He pretended to be calm as he flipped through the pages. How long was he going to stare for? Thankfully, after a little while, those intense eyes looked away. Shin Kim, with a frown, slowly turned around to find him. Woojin Choi. He saw the name on the name tag, and it belonged to a man Shin had never met before in his life. Until another recruit exined it to him, Shin thought he was just another neer like him. But someone exined to him that Woojin was an assistant manager at thispany. Woojin Choi¡¯s voice was so quiet that someone had to get him a microphone so he could speak to the group. Holding the microphone, he looked down during the entire speech and Shin noticed that his neck was shockingly slim and pale. When they first met, which was in the elevator, Shin noticed that Woojin¡¯s pale face instantly blushed. It looked like a drop of blood had fallen onto apletely white canvas, making Shin feel strange. He thought to himself, ¡®He looks like a fox.¡¯ Woojin did have a short chin and wide eyes, making him resemble a fox. His eyes and hair were also much lighter than usual, which made him stand out in a group. It seemed like he was starving himself because he was very slim, especially his fingers and arms. Even if Woojin was a woman, he wouldn¡¯t have been Shin¡¯s type. He was someone with a quiet, depressed personality. Woojin was especially thin for a man, but he still looked round and soft. Perhaps it was because of his short face and thick pouty lips. Again! Their eyes met and although he looked awkward, Woojin stared at Shin with obvious interest. The way he looked at him made Shin frown. Shin felt confused. Why was this man, whom he had never met before until now, staring at him? Shin wasn¡¯t a strict heterosexual, but he mostly dated women. There was no way he would ever date someone like Woojin. Could it be that Woojin was a boyfriend of a girl he used to date in the past? Shin tried to remember, but nothing came to mind. Who was he? Where did they meet? Did they ever meet? ¡°Please introduce yourself.¡± Suddenly, Minjae poked his arm. Shin Kim looked up in surprise and realized that everyone in the auditorium was staring at him. It appeared that he was just asked to introduce himself. Minjae grabbed Shin¡¯s arm and pulled him to the front. Everyone pped, and as he walked to the stage, Shin could feel Woojin Choi following him with his eyes. ¡°My name is Shin Kim. I was an athlete up until high school, but due to a health reason, I had to quit. I ended up majoring in economics in university, and here I am. I am 28 years old and this is my first job. I like people and I like to drink. Nice to meet you all.¡± Even as a young boy, Shin Kim learned quickly how to grab people¡¯s attention. He was a natural, and with little effort, he had no problem attracting people. The main advantage he had was his looks. He had a good solid body and a beautiful face. Shin Kim¡¯s earliest memory was of water. As far as he could remember, he has always loved it. He started swimming for his heath because he was a weak sickly boy, and swimming quickly became his passion. Thanks to it, he was also able to get a gorgeous body. Until he was injured, Shin thought swimming would be his life. He was a sessful and talented swimmer, and since middle school, many expected him to make it to the Olympics. Even now, he felt himself diving into the water right after hearing the start gun ringing in his ears. He felt an ache in his chest, making him frown. Shin could hear the female staff murmuring among themselves, ¡°He is hot.¡± ¡°So his name is Shin Kim. Even his name sounds hot.¡± This was a familiar urrence for him. Even as he walked into the interview room, he could feel both men and women staring at him. But no one ever stared at him like the way Woojin Choi did. His pale skin was shocking, especially with his red lips. ¡°Shin. Kim.¡± Woojin¡¯s lips said his name clearly, and Shin saw it. It made Shin feel breathless and he wasn¡¯t sure about the emotions he was feeling. Was he upset? Displeased? The feeling he had was like a slow heat spreading into his heart. It was a strange feeling. Thin brows, round nose, and pouty lips. Even though Woojin seemed like a cold man, he still made Shin feel hot. This.... This feeling... It must¡¯ve been disgust. The way Woojin was staring at him... His quiet voice... Shin felt strange. ¡°... I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°What? What don¡¯t you like?¡± When Shin murmured as they walked out of the auditorium, Minjae asked him about it. He pointed at himself with a grin and added, ¡°Me? You don¡¯t like me?¡± Shin frowned at him. This was what guys felt like to him. Like Minjae. Nothing. He always felt nothing around guys. Calm, indifferent, and boring. But... this one man... Woojin... The way he stared at him was different. Shin felt the heat slowly wrapping his body, starting from his ankles. Soon, it spread and his neck felt like it was burning. It was a feeling he had never had before. It felt strange. It felt sticky, like it was going to be stuck to him and would never let go. Woojin Choi. Even his name sounded sticky. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Chapter 4.

Chapter 4. ¡°There is going to be an office dinner tonight.¡± ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± It was a long 8-hour day. Shin Kim asked Minjae who was packing his bag. Shin stretched, making loud cracking noises. They had been working as interns for a month together, so they had be fairly close, but Shin was still formal with the other interns. Except for Minjae, the other six interns assigned to the headquarters in Seoul were all women. A few of them were his type, but he made sure to keep his distance from all of them. Office romance was a bad idea, especially as an intern. He didn¡¯t want to lose his job, so Shin made sure to behave himself. ¡°Yeonwoo told me, Shin.¡± ¡°Oh, that little one?¡± ¡°She is cute, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Minjae, I thought you said you had a girlfriend.¡± ¡°... I hear we will be assigned to our official departments tomorrow.¡± Minjae purposely didn¡¯t answer Shin¡¯s question. Shin looked at him quietly before putting on his suit jacket. Finally, his life as an intern was going to be over. Shin was hoping to be assigned to the marketing department. Usually, this department consisted mostly of women and Shin worked better with females. He knew he was attractive, and he used it to his advantage. The marketing department also heavily involved meeting people, which Shin enjoyed. Shin added, ¡°An office dinner... I¡¯m so tired though.¡± ¡°Really? You don¡¯t wanna go? I¡¯m excited about it! Free booze!¡± Minjae was a solidly-built man, and it seemed like he loved to drink. For thest month during their internship, Shin often saw Minjae going out with others for drinks. Whenever the female interns and Minjae decided to go for drinks, the girls would always nce at Shin, who made up excuses to not go himself. He was tired of it. These were the people he was going to see every working day for a very long time. He didn¡¯t feel like spending more time with them than he already had to. Shin and Minjae walked the hallway slowly. Minjae asked, ¡°You look like you probably drink a lot, so why is it that we never went out for drinks together?¡± ¡°What do you mean I look like I drink a lot?¡± It was true Shin enjoyed alcohol, but what he liked even more was sex. It was the best way to relieve his stress. He craved it constantly and he nevercked willing sex partners. At least Shin considered them partners while those people probably thought they were dating Shin. After he quit swimming, there was a period of time when he was obsessed with sex. He was an early bloomer and his first time was much earlier than most. Recently, however, it seemed like he was getting bored with having sex. Shin also felt like his stamina had declined, which was why he was hitting the gym more regrly. Unlike in his 20¡¯s, Shin found that he now felt breathless during sex sometimes. Minjae asked suddenly, ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you have a girlfriend? I mean, you are pretty good looking and all.¡± They were in the elevator with other interns, and this question piqued the girls¡¯ interest. Yeonwoo asked, ¡°Shin oppa, do you really not have a girlfriend?¡± That stupid Minjae. Why did he have to ask him a question like that? When Yeonwoo looked at Shin with an adorable smile, Minjae pouted in annoyance. What an idiot. Yeonwoo added, ¡°It must be because you are so gorgeous, oppa.¡± Shin smiled ndly and replied, ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± ¡°Haha, oppa, you are so good at evading questions you don¡¯t want to answer. Very sneaky.¡± Yeonwoo was a smart girl. She got this position immediately after graduating, and there were many times when she seemed to know exactly what Shin was thinking. She scared him a little, but she was the type that he could get along with very well. Even when he was younger, he always was attracted to people who were straightforward. People who were the same inside and out. Shin liked those who were straight shooters and could look at him in the eyes. But ironically, Shin never figured out about himself. His outer demeanor and his true inner self. When he looked in the mirror, he could see in his expressions what he wanted and what he searched for in life, yet inside, he always felt uncertain emptiness. Perhaps that was why he liked people who seemed to be able to guess what he was thinking. Shin preferred those who approached him before he did. Was it because he craved affection? ¡°Oppa, you really are very handsome. I really mean it.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Shin could see Minjae¡¯s face crumpling. Shin smiled secretly. Yeonwoo was definitely Shin¡¯s type. She had a puppy-like face and an amazing body. Shin was certainly interested in her. The elevator stopped on the 9th floor and suddenly, Shin could smell freshly cut grass. When he looked up, Shin saw him. Pale skin, narrow eyes, slim body. ... It was Woojin Choi. Woojin was looking down, revealing his fragile neck covered partly with his light brown hair. Shin wondered what it would feel like to touch him when suddenly, another man¡¯s hand appeared to grab Woojin¡¯s shoulder and push him in. The man walked into the elevator with Woojin and introduced himself. ¡°Hey, you guys are the interns, right? I am Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang from the policy department.¡± The girls greeted him happily. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°We are going to the office dinner right now. You should join us!¡± Jihoon wasn¡¯t as good looking as him, but Shin had to admit that Assistant Manager Kang was still a very handsome man. He seemed to be about the same height as Woojin, but because he was much wider, Jihoon looked much taller. He had a wide chest and broad shoulders, and his hair was dark and curly. Overall, he was a very masculine guy. Jihoon lowered his face to whisper to Woojin, ¡°It¡¯s so strange that you are willingly going to this office dinner. I mean, you never go to these things.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin didn¡¯t even turn around to look at Jihoon. He continued to look straight ahead, and Shin Kim stared at him curiously. ¡°...¡± Woojin looked rxed, even bored. Jihoon was chatting to him familiarly, yet Woojin refused to participate. He stayed motionless, and it almost looked like he was ignoring Jihoon. But oddly enough, Jihoon didn¡¯t seem to care or even notice. It must¡¯ve meant that Jihoon was just used to Woojin being this way. They probably had known each other for a long time. Probably because they were very close. Shin Kim suddenly felt strange for having such thoughts. Jihoon asked Woojin, ¡°Are you going to drink today?¡± ¡°... We are here. We need to get off the elevator now.¡± ¡°Oh, of course, sir. Whatever you say, sir!¡± Jihoon replied teasingly at Woojin¡¯s quiet words. Shin continued to watch Woojin and suddenly, it felt to him like what happened at the auditorium was just a dream. Maybe Shin just imagined it. The way Woojin looked at him.... But the Woojin here right now didn¡¯t even seem like the same person as the one from earlier. Shin was deep in his own confused thoughts. He wasn¡¯t paying attention, and suddenly, he bumped into Woojin who was walking slowly in front of him. Shin apologized, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Woojin wasn¡¯t a short guy, but Shin was over 185 cm. Shin had to look down to see Woojin, who froze. ¡°...¡± Without turning around or saying anything, Woojin began to walk again. Shin frowned and thought in annoyance, ¡®What a cold guy. Does he have no basic social skills?¡¯ Just then... Shin saw Woojin¡¯s pale neck slowly turning pink. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Chapter 5.

Chapter 5. Since childhood, Woojin saw emotions as colors. To him, emotionless meant colorless. And because he rarely ¡°felt¡± the world, to him, looked ck and white. Whether he was asleep or awake, he felt nothing. Just a dull monotonous life. He never felt the heat or iciness of emotions. ¡°Your little boy... doesn¡¯t smile or cry, does he?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And he doesn¡¯t talk much either. He doesn¡¯t even answer when he is called.¡± Woojin remembered his childhood like it was only yesterday. Time seemed meaningless to him, and the memories of his past were stored inside of his head like photographs. Being detached to the world meant that everything and everyone felt the same to him. No one, or no one thing, was more special to him. Jihoon said to Woojin at the office dinner, ¡°If you stare at your ss like that, it is going to shatter.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin had been looking at his ss and he slowly looked up at Jihoon who was sitting next to him. Jihoon was the type of a guy who was interested in others. Woojin had known him for five years. Jihoon seemed to be curious about why Woojin was staring at the ss so quietly, but without answering him, Woojin turned away from him and looked down again. He yed with his round ss with his finger, then suddenly, he quickly nced at the man who was sitting nearby. As soon as Woojin spotted him, he started to feel the heat. It started from his fingertips and spread slowly to the rest of his body. Strange emotions and sensations coursed through his body. It almost felt like pain, and without thinking, Woojin murmured to himself, ¡°... hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°What hasn¡¯t changed?¡± When Jihoon caught the words and asked, Woojin replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± It was the honest truth. He looked exactly the same. Shin Kim, who sometimes appeared in Woojin¡¯s dream, was here in real life, looking the same as in his dream. Well, there were a few minor differences. Shin looked taller and he felt more... real. And unlike in his dreams, Shin had many more expressions. He smiled andughed often, unlike in his dream where his eyebrows were raised in anger. Woojin felt the sharp pain in his left chest again. He became breathless, so he blinked a few times. Woojin wanted to see his eyes again. The eyes that reminded him of night... ¡°Hey, Woojin Choi!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Jihoon grabbed Woojin¡¯s hand and pulled it away. It seemed that Woojin was leaning forward and identally got his finger onto the hot grill on the table. Thankfully, Jihoon caught it in time or else Woojin¡¯s hand would have been burnt badly. Jihoon yelled angrily, ¡°Hey! What were you thinking? You need to pay more attention!¡± Everyone around turned to them in surprise and confusion. Jihoon quickly grabbed his cup of cold water and dunked Woojin¡¯s fingers in it. Woojin sighed calmly and with his other hand, he gestured for one of the waiters. When a server came to him, Woojin quietly asked, ¡°Please get me a dry towel.¡± Jihoon protested, ¡°We need to put some medication on it first!¡± ¡°... It¡¯s fine. Just eat your dinner.¡± Jihoon continued to grumble, but Woojin ignored him. When the server brought him a towel, he wrapped it around his finger and left the table. Woojin didn¡¯t have much appetite and he rarely ate dinner; he only came here to see Shin Kim. When he stood up, he felt dizzy. The room spun around him. He must¡¯ve been very tired. The restaurant was too noisy. People were talking too loudly around him. Slowly, Woojin walked to the washroom. He felt someone following him from behind. He figured it was Jihoon, so he frowned and turned around. ¡°Are you ok?¡± It wasn¡¯t Jihoon. It was Shin Kim. At the unexpectedness of it, Woojin froze and blinked a few times. Was this a dream? Shin must¡¯ve drunk a little, because his ears were pink. Because Shin was taller, Woojin had to look up if he wanted to see Shin¡¯s eyes. But he didn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t. So instead, Woojin looked down. So many thoughts crossed Woojin¡¯s mind. His voice that sounded the same as in his dreams... His shadow that Woojin saw on the floor... His face that must be staring at Woojin... Shin was the opposite of Woojin himself. Shin was so alive and colorful that Woojin wondered if Shin would bring colors to his own world too. Just like that night... Shin asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to run your hand under cold water right now?¡¯ ¡°Oh...¡± Woojin stared at Shin who was gesturing him to go to the washroom. Looking at him, Woojin felt the world around him brighten and be colorful. His heart began to beat faster. Woojin hurriedly walked into the washroom and Shin followed him. When Woojin looked at him again, Shin smiled and replied, ¡°I was going to the washroom too.¡± Seeing his smile made Woojin feel like he just drank a whole bottle of liquor. Woojin breathed out deeply and Shin grinned again knowingly. Shin¡¯s big mono-lid eyes narrowed seductively, making Woojin¡¯s stomach do a flip. When they walked in together, Shin leaned against the sink and offered, ¡°Do you want me to hold the towel for you?¡± Woojin moved very slowly and he was about to shake his head when Shin reached out and grabbed the towel out of his hand. Their arms touched briefly. Woojin couldn¡¯t breathe at all. Shin offered, ¡°I will hold the towel for you so go ahead and wash your hand, Assistant Manager.¡± When Woojin froze, Shin¡¯s eyebrows flinched. He had such thick brows and Woojin stared, mesmerized. Then suddenly, Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist. Without a word, Shin undid Woojin¡¯s sleeve button and pushed it up his arm. The feeling of Shin¡¯s fingers on his skin... It made Woojin shiver. ¡°I can see that you require a lot of care.¡± Woojin had never heard someone say this to him before. He remained frozen while Shin turned on the cold water and ced Woojin¡¯s hand under it. Because he was tall, Shin had to lean forward as he moved Woojin¡¯s hand around under the running water. The water was ice cold, but Woojin¡¯s wrist, which was held by Shin, burned. When Woojin remained quiet, Shin started the conversation again. ¡°Are you usually this quiet? Do you not talk much?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Or are you trying to tell me something with your eyes?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± When Woojin finally replied in surprise, Shin turned off the water and slowly looked at Woojin again. The way Shin looked at him was... seductive. Shin tilted his head side to side before slowly grinning. Woojin couldn¡¯t look away from Shin¡¯s night eyes. His body started to burn again. Shin covered Woojin¡¯s wet hand with the dry towel and added, ¡°I thought you had something to say to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Was I wrong about that?¡± Woojin stopped breathing. Shin slowly and gently wiped Woojin¡¯s hand nonchntly. He then slowly brought Woojin¡¯s fingers to his eye level and examined it. ¡°It looks like you might get a blister...¡± Shin slowly caressed Woojin¡¯s fingers, making Woojin jump. The shocking feeling of it... It wasn¡¯t a bad sensation. It was like... as if his heart was beating right against his own ears. Woojin pulled his hand away roughly. ¡°... I¡¯m fine.¡± His voice trembled, but he didn¡¯t even notice it. Woojin turned around and left the washroom quickly. He ran, his footsteps echoing loudly in the hallway. Their hand touched. Was there a spark? Because it certainly felt like there was one. The unexinable feelings and sensations... When Woojin returned to his seat, Jihoon was drinking with the other interns. ¡°Hey, Woojin, what¡¯s wrong? Why is your face so re...¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jihoon looked surprised, but ignoring him, Woojin grabbed his briefcase and his jacket. When he walked out, Jihoon followed him. ¡°Are you really going home?¡± ¡°,,,¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is the burn really bad? Do you need to go to the hospital?¡± Woojin wanted to go home and think about what had happened. To figure out all these strange emotions. Something felt wrong. He felt nauseous and breathless. Woojin kept blinking fast, and Jihoon refused to let his hand go. ¡°... Jihoon, go back inside.¡± ¡°Woojin!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Just then, Shin wasing out of the washroom and their eyes met. Shin¡¯s eyebrows rose ominously when he saw Jihoon and Woojin together. Shin asked politely, ¡°Are you going home?¡± ¡°Oh, your name is Shin Kim, right? I think Assistant Manager Choi burnt his hand badly...¡± Woojin pulled his hand away and left as he mumbled, ¡°I¡¯ll see youter.¡± He couldn¡¯t breathe and his body felt like it was being suffocated. What was happening to him? That day... when the ck night turned blue... One summer day... just before the autumn began... For the first time, Woojin felt like he could see the world as it really was. With color. His heart was beating as usual, but it felt different today. His blood was turning blue, and yellow, and so on. It was changing into different colors as it ran in his veins. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Chapter 6.

Chapter 6. Jihoon murmured, ¡°Wow, he really just left.¡± ¡°... I see that.¡± Shin turned away from Jihoon and looked at Woojin who was walking away. Surprisingly, Woojin looked calm as he walked slowly away from them. Shin knew by now that Woojin was a very slow-moving creature. He just wanted to tease Woojin a little, but Woojin ended up running away. Shin¡¯s chest felt tight, so he stretched his arms. Jihoon said to him, ¡°I have never seen him act this way. Maybe he ising down with something.¡± Shin thought, ¡®You talk too much.¡¯ Until he returned to his seat, Shin listened to Jihoon talk about Woojin. Shin thought that just now, the one who pulled the trigger was Jihoon, not Woojin. Woojin resembled a fox, but he didn¡¯t seem like a girly type. ¡®Something feels strange here.¡¯ The way Woojin trembled when his hand touched his skin... Woojin¡¯s habit of biting his lips... How Woojin turned red whenever he saw Shin... Woojin piqued Shin¡¯s curiosity, and that was why when Woojin left to go to the washroom, Shin followed him. At first, Shin thought Woojin was a blunt person, but after further observing him, Shin realized that he was wrong. Woojin was very slow to respond no matter who talked to him. Or more likely, it wasn¡¯t that he was responding slowly, but he was ignoring whoever was talking to him. During dinner, the interns were drinking and getting shots, while Woojin sat across from them and never once looked up at them. He kept his head down and didn¡¯t listen to anyone. It was the strangest thing, but it seemed that the people around him were used to it. He was left alone, and despite the oddness of it, Woojin still blended in very well. ¡°Shin oppa, where have you been?¡± Yeonwoo asked when he reached his seat, and instead of answering her, Shin looked at her with a smile. Yeonwoo blushed and smiled back at him. Her smile was adorable. She was sexy in a cute subtle way. She had short hair with a slight wave, which suited her porcin skin and adorable face. Shin wondered, ¡®See? This is how most people react to me...¡¯ But Woojin responded differently. He seemed outright confused. When they touched, Woojin¡¯s whole body reacted so violently. Thinking back, Shin frowned. Woojin acted strangely. When Shin grabbed his wrist, Woojin just froze. His neck kept turning red, and Woojin refused to say a word about anything. He didn¡¯t evenin about his burn. What was the meaning of all this? What did Woojin want? Was he nning something? Shin remembered Woojin¡¯s wrist turning pink when he held it. He couldn¡¯t stop picturing it and for some reason, Shin started to be a little angry. Yeonwoo murmured, ¡°Oppa... you look a little... upset.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not.¡± Shin grinned naturally. He didn¡¯t n on dating anyone at the office, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t flirt. But with who... Shin felt a little confused. Yeonwoo... or... The strange and blushing Woojin Choi. Thinking of Woojin, Shin felt the familiar pressure in his ears. The exact same feeling when he first jumped into water. The moment when he can only hear his own heartbeat as his body bes surrounded by the pool. It was the moment Shin loved. Unfortunately, it was also something he could no longer experience. He remembered the excitement when he used topete. The sound of the start gun, the shock of the cold water against his skin while diving, the exhration of it all... It was the same feeling he had when he first saw Woojin Choi. *** The television in the cafeteria was on the news channel. ¡°The shooting incident in Gangnam in 2005 has finally been solved after over 10 years of persistent investigation by the police. It was found to have been started by the family members fighting over their inheritance. A sessful businessman left over 20 million dors, and his oldest daughter apparently hired a professional assassin to murder her own brother. When the prosecutor gathered all the evidence...¡± Shin was eating lunch, and as he did, he looked at Yeonwoo who was chatting with a colleague. It had been a while since all the interns got together since they were assigned to different departments. This morning, Minjae suggested they all meet together for lunch. Yeonwoo talked excitedly about Woojin, ¡°I saw him reject her like four or five times!¡± ¡°OMG! That¡¯s so crazy!¡± Yeonwoo exined how Chief Seulgi Kim from the marketing team asked Woojin Choi to have lunch with her every day. Minjae listened with obvious interest, but Shin felt annoyed by the story. He was happy about his new position on the marketing team. It was exactly what he had hoped for. Yeonwoo Ji, who was assigned to the policy department, described her impression of Woojin Choi in her team. She said Woojin was very different than Jihoon Kang who was in the same department. Jihoon was her direct superior, which she was thankful for. She mentioned this a few times. Woojin was apparently very hard to talk to. He often ignored others. Shin could believe it. He ate his food, which tasted nd. His throat felt dry. Shin asked, ¡°Maybe he is just very tired. Tired of everything perhaps.¡± ¡°Shin oppa, it¡¯s more like Woojin Choi is... very cold.¡± Shin wasn¡¯t sure if it was ok to gossip about their co-workers in thepany cafeteria, but Yeonwoo didn¡¯t seem to care. She continued eagerly. Shin did notice Chief Seulgi, who was in the same department as himself, leaving for lunch a few times, but until now, he hadn¡¯t realized that it was because she was going after Woojin Choi. So was Woojin Choi popr? That was a surprise to Shin because he knew women very well, and Woojin wasn¡¯t the popr type among girls. Yeonwoo continued, ¡°And I have NEVER seen him talk during work hours. He looks and acts almost like a doll.¡± Shin wondered sarcastically, ¡®Oh, I guess dolls nowadays can blush when you touch them?¡¯ He was afraid that he might say something he would regret, so Shin continued eating quietly. Yeonwoo said something about how she felt sorry for Chief Seulgi. It was then when Shin stopped listening to her because as he turned around, he saw him slowly walking into the cafeteria. Shin¡¯s face crumpled. Woojin Choi. Shin stared at him as Woojin took a seat somewhere far away. He knew Woojin was unusually pale, but in a certain light, he looked even whiter. Today, he could see the blue veins underneath Woojin¡¯s skin. Woojin put down the tray and just stared at it weakly for a long time. This was the third time Shin had seen him do this. Just looking at his food. Why did Woojin act so passively and feebly? The odd thing was that although he was very thin, Woojin still gave off a solid feel to him. Woojin felt... very real, making even his surroundings more three-dimensional. Watching Woojin stare at his food nkly made Shin feel weak himself. Yeonwoo said something that annoyed Shin even more. ¡°It looks like Woojin Choi only talks to Assistant Manager Choi.¡± ¡°Really?¡± How irritating. Shin frowned. His food now tasted like sand. Hearing about the person that was seated nearby was an awful experience. Shin picked up his tray and stood up. Impulsive actions always came unexpectedly. ¡°Oh, Shin oppa, are you done eating already?¡± ¡°...¡± Ignoring Yeonwoo, Shin walked up to Woojin and sat in front of him. Woojin, who was holding his spoon without actually eating looked up. Woojin looked unusually pale today. It looked like he hasn¡¯t slept much recently because his eyes looked a little red. Watching Woojin¡¯s pupils dte, Shin finally admitted that perhaps he was beginning to feel interested in this man. The first day they met, the way Woojin stared at him. How Woojin reddened with his touch. How every time they saw each other in the hallways, Woojin would run away. These things... interested Shin. And most of all, he felt like they had met each other before. It was a very odd feeling. A feeling that he had forgotten something very important. ¡°Assistant Manager Choi.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡± Shin¡¯s colleagues gasped and gaped in shock behind him, but the only thing that interested Shin was the fact that Woojin nodded very subtly. Woojin refused and ignored everyone, yet he was epting Shin. Shin couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated by this man. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Chapter 7.

Chapter 7. Woojin couldn¡¯t remember thest time he ate a full meal. During thest two days, he definitely didn¡¯t eat much. He felt weak, too weak to go to the convenience store outside of the building, so he headed towards thepany cafeteria. It had been a long time since he came here. Most people ate in groups at this ce, and it was also where his co-workers invited to join them for lunch. This was why Woojin rarely came here. It was an ufortable ce for him. It was especially a bad idea today because Chief Seulgi Kim asked him to eat lunch again. If she was in the cafeteria, it was going to be very awkward. Woojin walked even slower, but he had no choice but to eat. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose any more weight. He knew it instinctively that he had to eat to live. But when he looked down at his tray, Woojin sighed in distress. Just then, someone came up to him. ¡°Assistant Manager Choi, let¡¯s eat together.¡± The face he sometimes saw in his dream was looking down at him. The beautiful face amazed him and Woojin stared for a minute before nodding slowly. He knew that even if he shook his head, Shin would¡¯ve still sat in front of him and started eating. But that didn¡¯t matter because Woojin had no intention of rejecting Shin anyway. Lately, Woojin hadn¡¯t been dreaming about Shin, which bothered him. Whenever he saw Shin, he hurriedly ran away, but Woojin still couldn¡¯t help but keep hoping to see Shin again and again. Woojin wondered that the reason why he didn¡¯t dream about Shin anymore was because Shin finally appeared for real in front of him. Shin started the conversation lightly, ¡°I think this is the first time we are talking to each other since that office dinner.¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you miss me?¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin was pushing around his food when he looked up in surprise. Shin smiled brightly at Woojin¡¯s confusion. Whenever Shin smiled, adorable dimples appeared on his cheeks and his eyes narrowed teasingly. Shin looked much younger whenever he smiled. When Woojin couldn¡¯t respond, Shin continued, ¡°We work on the same floor, yet we still don¡¯t bump into each other often.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is your hand ok?¡± The burn happened a week ago, so Woojin forgot about it. He looked down at his finger and wondered if he put on any medication when he returned home that night. More likely, he just went to bed. It didn¡¯t take very long for the electrifying feelings to settle down. Woojin calmly replied, ¡°I¡¯m ok.¡± ¡°Are you a picky eater?¡± Did Shin have a list of questions ready at all times? Woojin frowned at the constant questioning, making Shin smile again. Shin pointed at Woojin¡¯s tray and exined, ¡°I¡¯m only asking because it looks like you aren¡¯t eating much.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will wait patiently until you finish, so you better eat all your food today!¡± With that statement, Shin suddenly held Woojin¡¯s wrist. When Woojin stared at him in surprise, Shin frowned unhappily. ¡°Your wrist is so thin. This won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t skip your meals. You look like you lost even more weight in thest week.¡± After staring silently for a long time, Woojin asked, ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± People around Woojin always asked questions. Even though Woojin was not a very noticeable man, it still happened. There were, and will always be, people who showed interest in other people¡¯s lives. But that didn¡¯t mean Woojin was obligated to answer them all. Woojin couldn¡¯t understand these people, and he didn¡¯t have to. Unlike these people, Woojin never wanted anything from anyone. One needed to be able to feel to want something. But this time... Woojin wanted to be the one asking the question. He looked at Shin, wondering if he was just dreaming or if this was really happening. He couldn¡¯t tell, because even in his dream, Woojin was never able to say a single word to Shin. ¡°Should I not care then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡± This time, it was Shin who was surprised. His eyes widened at Woojin¡¯s response. Was Woojin bing annoyed? Woojin experienced difficulty in figuring out other¡¯s emotions, but even a socially awkward Woojin could tell that Shin was interested in him. A shallow short-lived interest most likely, but an interest nheless. Shin knew how rare it must be to have Woojin react at all, so this was an exciting interaction. Shin¡¯s eyes shined with interest and... a need to get more out of Woojin. When Shin didn¡¯t reply, Woojin looked down at his tray again. He wondered if he was very bad at asking questions. Was he asking things that were too hard to answer? Whenever Woojin asked people something, which was very rare, everyone seemed to find it difficult to respond. Just then, Shin answered, ¡°It¡¯s just that I find it interesting.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You stare at me every chance you get.¡± Woojin looked at Shin, who wasn¡¯t smiling this time. Shin was a guy who always made sure to consciously keep a smile on his face, but at this moment, he was frowning as he looked at Woojin. Shin continued, ¡°You confuse me.¡± ¡°...¡± Shin had an odd expression in his face. It was the exact same one Woojin saw in his dream one night. Shin¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Every time you do that...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It makes me feel bad...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And strange at the same time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Assistant Manager Choi, that you make me keep thinking about you.¡± Woojin continued to watch Shin until the odd expression disappeared from his face. Shin picked up his spoon and started to eat as if their conversation hadn¡¯t happened. He added quietly, ¡°The next time we meet, please tell me what you are thinking whenever you stare at me like that.¡± Shin smiled again. Woojin picked up a spoonful of rice and brought it to his lips. The warmth and the wonderful smell of it overwhelmed him, and for the first time in weeks, Woojin finally felt hungry. And that day, Woojin finished his food for the first time ever. His tray was empty by the time he was done. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Chapter 8.

Chapter 8. In the blue night... Woojin was falling endlessly. His eyes were blurry and he didn¡¯t know why. All Woojin could do was il his arms, hoping to grab onto something. It felt like he was reaching the end of this fall soon, but he couldn¡¯t breathe at all. So Woojin gave up breathing, and when he raised his arm, a ray of violet light beamed out from his wrist. This had to be a dream; it certainly felt like it. As he slowly lost consciousness, he noticed the blue night changing its color to violet. He felt dizzy. Just then... ¡°Assistant manager.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin Choi?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Assistant Man.... Woojin.¡± Shin Kim walked towards him, calling out his name. Woojin was sure the area had turnedpletely violet, but when Shin came towards him, the ce suddenly became blue again. Shin approached him and held Woojin¡¯s wrist. When he noticed that Woojin was panting, out of breath, Shin ced his other hand on Woojin¡¯s heart and whispered with a frown, ¡°Breathe.¡± Shin¡¯s lips touched Woojin¡¯s, and the blue night engulfed Woojin. *** Was he that tired? The screen kept blurring in his eyes over and over again. The beginning of autumn was always a tiring time for Woojin, both physically and mentally. He couldn¡¯t remember when it started, but at some point in his life, Woojin began to have difficulty tolerating the cold weather. His insomnia also got worse around this time. Woojin was working overtime, and he began to see double on his screen. A headache wasing when suddenly, someone tapped his desk. When he looked up, a familiar face appeared. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± It was Jihoon Kang. He added, ¡°You don¡¯t drive, so what are you going to do if you can¡¯t get a cab? It¡¯s getting reallyte.¡± Woojin finally looked at the time on hisputer. It was already after 11 PM. When Woojin looked up at Jihoon again, he noticed that Jihoon¡¯s usually neat hair was messy. His sleeves were also crumpled; Jihoon must¡¯ve been workingte as well. Woojin hadn¡¯t even realized that Jihoon was in the room as well. Woojin stretched his arms and stood up. When he took off his sses and rubbed his eyes, Jihoon shook his head in disapproval. ¡°You look like you lost even more weight.¡± ¡°Stop nagging. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your go-to answer for everything, isn¡¯t it? Hmm...¡± Jihoon was about to pat Woojin¡¯s head, as he sometimes did, when suddenly, they both heard the light switch flicked off nearby. Click. The marketing department room¡¯s light was being turned off. Unlike the policy department, which had less strict work hours, the marketing team was smaller and therefore each member had heavier workloads. Jihoon grinned and added, ¡°The marketing team must¡¯ve workedte too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hey, maybe Chief Seulgi was waiting for you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°I was just joking!¡± Ignoring Jihoon, Woojin grabbed his briefcase and left the room quickly. He heard Jihoon running after him, ¡°Hey! Wait for me!¡± Woojin stood in front of the elevator quietly. Watching the red number reaching his floor, he organized his thoughts. Was he hungry? He vaguely remembered eating some kind of a sandwich at lunch from the convenience store. He was sure he hadn¡¯t eaten dinner yet, but he had no appetite. It was rare for Woojin to feel hunger. Ding. The elevator door opened, and he was about to walk in when Woojin heard someoneing towards him while panting. Woojin was going to the main floor while Jihoon was going to the basement parking lot, so why was Jihoon so adamant about taking the same elevator? They were getting off at different floors anyway. Woojin sighed in annoyance and walked into the elevator. The subtle scent of a man hugged Woojin¡¯s shoulder and the elevator door closed behind them. ¡°Phew. Hello, Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± The man who was panting wasn¡¯t Jihoon. It was Shin Kim. He continued his greeting, ¡°I think it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve seen each other today.¡± As the elevator door closed, Woojin was sure he could hear Jihoon yelling after him. But Shin was pushing on the close button, rather than the open one. Woojin was surprised at Shin¡¯s sudden appearance. Slowly, Woojin pointed at the door. Jihoon was yelling for them to keep the elevator door open... Shin grinned broadly. ¡°Oh, was Assistant Manager Kang behind us? Did he want to get on the elevator too?¡± The way he smiled confirmed the fact that Shin knew Jihoon was behind him. When Woojin stared up at him in awe, Shin scratched his head casually and asked, ¡°You must be going home now?¡± ¡°...¡± When Woojin didn¡¯t answer, Shin just kept smiling quietly. It didn¡¯t seem like he was expecting an answer. Standing together, Woojin continued to stare at his face. Shin wasn¡¯t looking back at him, but he seemed to know that Woojin¡¯s eyes were on him. Shin was so different than himself. Woojin was still staring at him when the elevator door opened at the main floor. Woojin found even Shin¡¯s shadow handsome. Woojin started to walk towards the entrance and Shin followed him from behind. Suddenly, Shin pointed at his chin and turned to Woojin, ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°... Yes?¡± Woojin turned around to find Shin scratching his cheek awkwardly. After a short hesitation, Shin finally said to Woojin, ¡°Well, it¡¯s reallyte right now, but...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡± Shin was blushing slightly, but his words sounded determined. Shin walked towards him and looked at Woojin¡¯s eyes. When Woojin seemed confused, Shin continued nervously, ¡°Let¡¯s go for something to eat. Come with me.¡± Woojin rarely felt thirst or hunger and that was why he was so thin. For a long time, never wanted anything. But now, Woojin felt it. He was realizing, or maybe remembering, what longing felt like. The way Shin was looking at him made Woojin feel warm. In his dreams, Woojin always ended up looking away from Shin¡¯s stare. But this time, Woojin slowly nodded. He felt hungry too. In fact, he was starving. Woojin nodded a few times. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Chapter 9.

Chapter 9. Shin watched Woojin sitting in front of him quietly and ate his meal. During thest few weeks, Shin saw Woojin a few times during lunchtime, but it seemed that Woojin didn¡¯t eat much. He was usually seen watching his food like a sad kitten. But today, at this moment, Woojin was eating his bowl of rice soup without hesitation. It was strange to see him eat this well. Perhaps the warm soup was warming him up because Woojin¡¯s face now had a healthy pinkness to it. For some reason, this made Shin feel strangely happy. How strange. Woojin asked him quietly, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Shin pulled his own bowl closer. The truth was, Shin rarely ate after 6 PM. When he was an athlete, he could eat all he wanted, but now, he had to be careful of his diet to maintain his ideal weight. Other than swimming, Shin hated all sports and exercises. On top of that, he had recently be tired of sex as well. Oh... sex... Woojin asked, ¡°Are you hot?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Your face is turning red.¡± Dammit. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a bit too warm in here.¡± Shin couldn¡¯t figure out why he was thinking about sex in front of Woojin, and why he was turning red thinking about it. He looked away from Woojin ufortably. Shin hadn¡¯t been thinking of Woojin as a potential sex partner, but... Just thinking about this man made him feel strange. A kind of sexual tension... How strange. Woojin continued, ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s still summer.¡± Woojin talked quietly, and Shin was again amazed by how pale he was. Such white skin... Shin couldn¡¯t help but study Woojin whenever they crossed paths. Woojin also looked at Shin differently, and this fact made Shin feel eager for some reason. That was why he pushed the close button in the elevator even though he knew Jihoon Kang was right behind him. Shin was leaving his office to go home when he saw Woojin. It was a pure coincidence. Woojin didn¡¯t want to be bothered by anyone and he was clear about it with his demeanor and behaviour. But it seemed that Shin Kim was an exception to him, and this made Shin feel excited. This made Shin... want more. Shin started, ¡°I think it¡¯s toote to take the subway now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Where do you live?¡± ¡°Shindorim.¡± Shin expected Woojin to give him a smart reply, like ¡°Why do you want to know where I live?¡± but instead, Woojin answered him without hesitation. Shin suddenly became thirsty so when he grabbed his cup, Woojin quietly poured him some water. His fingers were long and pale. Shin felt conscious of everything; his body felt... itchy. His heart began to beat loudly. Shin was a rather cold man when it came to dating. He dated a lot of people in his past and slept with even more. Shin always considered himself more or less heterosexual. But sitting in front of Woojin... Shin felt something raw. It was lust. For this man. Shin replied, ¡°Then Assistant Manager Woojin Choi...¡± ¡°... Yes?¡± Shin was feeling impulsive again. He enjoyed drinking, but his hangovers were also horrible, so Shin tried to avoid it as much as possible. He had been working at thispany for over a month now, and there were times when he couldn¡¯t avoid going drinking with the coworkers. But to drink with this man was... logically speaking, a waste. A waste of energy. Tomorrow was a workday and he even had an important team meeting in the morning. It was very unlike Shin to do what he was about to do, but strangely, he felt upset at the thought of parting with Woojin. He didn¡¯t want to go home right now. When he looked at Woojin¡¯s eyes, the words just tumbled out from Shin. ¡°Do you want to go for a drink with me?¡± It was such a clich¨¦ pickup line that Shin immediately regretted saying it. It was almost midnight already, and Woojin had been very tiredtely. Shin always tried to never ask when he knew had a good chance of being rejected, yet here he was. It was even more stupid of him to ask such a thing because Shin noticed how Woojin refused to drink at thest office dinner. ¡°...¡± Just then... Woojin rubbed his cup nervously before nodding. He replied, ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s do that.¡± Woojin grabbed his menu and looking at him, Shin felt his body bing even hotter. He looked away ufortably. Did Woojin Choi just agree to drink with him? ¡°Are you sure? Are you really going to drink?¡± ¡°I said yes, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We won¡¯t stay too long. Just until 1 AM.¡± Shin was unsure of how much he could expect from Woojin, but when their eyes met again, he knew. There was no doubt Shin was going to ask much more from Woojin. Shin felt fearful of how far he could and would go. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Pale face, long slim neck, and shockingly pink lips. There was that unshakable feeling that they had met before somewhere, sometime in the past. Every time Shin saw Woojin, everything seemed to stop. Only Woojin stood out to him. He seemed like such a pale and feeble being, yet the emotion Woojin projected was the fiercest Shin had ever seen. Shin asked cautiously, ¡°Will you ever refuse anything I ask of you?¡± ¡°...¡± Shin knew for certain then that Woojin felt the same way. The tension they felt towards each other... Shin gave him a small smile. Enjoying how Woojin¡¯s neck began to blush again, Shin was sure there wille a day when he would get to touch that pale skin. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Chapter 10.

Chapter 10. Woojin didn¡¯t consider rules to be very meaningful. Every morning, he woke up at the same time and did a light exercise. He then wore the dress shirt he ironed the night before and grabbed a fruit before leaving the house. Immediately after getting into the subway, he put on his earphones and tried his best not to contact anyone. He listened to simr, if not the same, music every day. Some might tell him that he had OCD. His rm was set at 6 AM, and he woke every 10 minutes beginning at 5 AM. This was his routine, but he was so used to it, sofortable with it, that he couldn¡¯t understand why people would call it apulsion. ¡°...¡± Woojin sighed. The problem was that afterst night, he realized that routines could be broken. His routine could be changed. Yeonwoo saw Woojin in the hallway and greeted him with a bow, ¡°Assistant manager! Did you just get here? Did you eat lunch yet?¡± Woojin nodded without a word and walked into the office. It still wasn¡¯t afternoon work hours yet. Woojin sighed and turned on hisputer as he murmured, ¡°My head hurts.¡± Then he flinched and slowly looked around. He usually kept his thoughts to himself, so when he unintentionally said it out loud, he was shocked. He was relieved to find that the office was empty. Massaging his temples, Woojin looked at hisputer. Beep, beep. His phone rang with text messages. Woojin put his briefcase down and checked his cellphone. There were over 10 messages on it, most of them from Jihoon. -Hey, why aren¡¯t you at work right now? -Are you sick? -Did you get a day off? That doesn¡¯t make sense for the Woojin Choi I know! -When are youing to work? -Are you going toe after lunchtime? -Do you want me to get you something? Food? Medication? Some might have stopped messaging when there were no replies, but Jihoon could be very persistent. Jihoon Kang was the nosiest acquaintance Woojin had. Jihoon sometimes made him feel ufortable. There were many times when Woojin was certain he sent a clear message to Jihoon that he didn¡¯t want to be bothered. But every single time, Jihoon shocked him by continuing to be relentless. Ever since they first got hired together, Jihoon made a point to spend a lot of time with Woojin. It must¡¯ve been because they were the same age. Jihoon was very good at taking care of others. He often could tell if Woojin was having difficulties and Jihoon was always happy to help him. The problem was, Woojin was very ufortable with this unwanted help. Woojin refused his offers many times before, but Jihoon didn¡¯t stop. One thankful thing was that Jihoon at least didn¡¯t contact Woojin after work. Beep, beep. Woojin took out a bottle of water and heard the rm again. There was still 15 minutes left till the end of lunchtime. He hadn¡¯t eaten anything today, so he was going to eat the sandwich he bought from the convenience store on his way here. He assumed it must be Jihoon again, so he ignored it and opened his email first as he unwrapped his sandwich. Just then, a low baritone voice said to him from behind, ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± Woojin was about to turn around but his chair suddenly whirled around. It happened so unexpectedly so Woojin blinked with dizziness. The man who now stood in front of him chuckled and added, ¡°It was me who wanted to take the morning off today.¡± The man who was leaning against Woojin was Shin Kim. The man who Woojin wanted to see the most yet also wanted to avoid at all costs. Shin asked, ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Woojin¡¯s face reddened very fast, making Shin¡¯s smile wider. Shin slowly straightened and when Woojin continued to avoid his eyes by looking down, Shin ced a paper bag on Woojin¡¯s desk. Shin added, ¡°Please check your messages, and have a nice day.¡± Woojin suddenly feared that perhaps Shin was angry, so he looked up quickly. When he did, he saw Shin leaning against a cab and smiling at him. Shin teased him, ¡°Were you worried just now that I might have left?¡± Woojin didn¡¯t particrly like to drink. Whenever he got even just a little drunk, his face became even paler while his neck and down became red. Shin asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to check your messages?¡± Looking at Shin¡¯s mysterious smile, Woojin bit his lips. Shin looked neat with his snow-white dress shirt. His sleeves were pulled up smartly, and he looked like his usual self. Woojin suddenly felt shy so he looked away from him and checked his messages. There were two messages from Shin. -Assistant Manager Choi, you are on your way to work now, right? -I bought you something to eat. I also got you coffee. When Woojin woke up this morning, he realized that his rm had been ringing for a while. It was 10:30 AM. It was over four hours past his usual wakeup time, and it was the first time he had been thiste. He blinked a few times and raised his hand to touch his face. This wasn¡¯t a dream. He was indeed in his own home, in his bed, and under his nket. He slept very well, but he was still in his suit he wore the night before. The suit jacket was on the floor, all crumpled up. His wrist felt heavy, and when he looked down, Woojin realized he was still wearing his watch. He sat up and coughed with a terrible thirst. Thankfully, there was a new bottle of water on the side table with a simple note. -I will submit the paperwork request for your morning off. Good night. The handwriting resembled its writer; extravagant and assertive. Shin exined, ¡°When you got home, you told me that you didn¡¯t think you would be able to make it to work on time today.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I got you a bowl of rice porridge. I chose a pine nut vor because it is the inest and ndest. You don¡¯t have a nut allergy, do you? I saw you eat almond yesterday, so I figured pine nut was a safe choice. You can eat it in here if you want.¡± Shin stood up and Woojin couldn¡¯t help but notice his broad shoulders. Woojin felt like he could smell Shin¡¯s natural scent as well. Woojin recognized it because he remembered it. The scent of Shin surrounding him... His co-workers started to return from lunch, but Woojin still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Shin¡¯s back. The memories ofst night suddenly appeared in Woojin¡¯s head. Did he really... on Shin¡¯s neck... He...st night... on Shin Kim¡¯s neck... ¡°I dream.¡± ¡°... pardon?¡± ¡°You. I dream about you.¡± Woojin remembered pieces of events that happenedst night. He also remembered things he said to Shin. Thest thing he remembered was being in a cab and watching the reflection of Shin¡¯s face on the window. The streetlights ovepped on Shin¡¯s face, and Woojin realized he was leaning against Shin¡¯s shoulder. Shin¡¯s neck gave off a scent of... was it freshly cut grass? Or water? Woojin remembered burrowing his face deeper into Shin¡¯s neck, making the veins on Shin¡¯s neck pop visibly. Shin whispered, ¡°That tickles.¡± But he didn¡¯t push Woojin away. Instead, he caressed Woojin¡¯s hair gently. When Woojin inhaled, he could also smell the scent of sweet fruit. His eyes were closed, but Woojin could feel Shin looking down at him. ¡°Woojin Choi...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tell me the pin code to your front door.¡± And that was as far as Woojin could remember fromst night. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Chapter 11.

Chapter 11. Last night. Shin Kim watched in fascination as Woojin gulped down his drink. When asked what his alcohol limit was, Woojin said he didn¡¯t know. As Shin watched Woojin grab his ss with two of his fingers, he felt his body feeling itchy. Whenever Woojin drank from the cup, his head leaned back, exposing his white neck. His pink lips puckered in a perfect round shape and his light brown eyes blinked three times. He had long eyshes, creating a shadow on his eyes. Shin thought suddenly, ¡®He looks too sexy.¡¯ This was bing too dangerous. Shin said to Woojin, ¡°It looks like you drink well.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The way he answered probably would¡¯ve sounded curt, but it suited Woojin. Whenever he swallowed his drink, Woojin looked at Shin¡¯s eyes. Woojin didn¡¯t have an expressive face yet Shin still could see different emotions. Woojin added, ¡°I haven¡¯t really gone out that many times to drink in the past.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Woojin was on his fifth cup. After the third one, he began to lisp a little. He looked so adorable that Shin had to hide his smile. He didn¡¯t want to offend Woojin. Woojin was wearing a light grey suit and it was a well-fitted outfit, showing off his slim body. After his first drink, Woojin undid his jacket buttons with one hand. It wasn¡¯t a calcted move, but Shin couldn¡¯t help but notice. Woojin had such long fingers. His entire body was made of long slim lines. Woojin rubbed his eyes with his finger, making them turn red. White and red... Shin couldn¡¯t take his eyes off from him. To distract himself, Shin asked, ¡°Do you want some almonds?¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± Woojin reached out and grabbed the bowl of almond closer to him. The way he moved reminded Shin of a cat again. That time at the cafeteria, Woojin acted cat-like when he just stared down at the tray of food in front of him. He was doing the same thing again now; Woojin just stared at the bowl of almonds. Shin reached out and grabbed a few almonds himself, thinking he was going to hand them to Woojin. But instead of taking them with his hand, Woojin lowered his face and took them with his mouth directly from Shin¡¯s fingers. ¡°...¡± Shin could hear Woojin chewing the almonds. ¡°Huh...¡± Woojin¡¯s teeth lightly scraped Shin¡¯s nails as he took the almonds. Woojin¡¯s lips touched his finger as well. Shin couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. While Shin contemted, Woojin was busy pouring another ss for himself. Just how much was he going to drink? Shin took away the bottle, but Woojin didn¡¯t do anything but remain still. After a while, Woojin looked at Shin with sleepy eyes and asked, ¡°Can I get another drink?¡± Shin felt his body burn. It seemed that Woojin¡¯s voice became a little husky when he became drunk. Shin became confused. Was he trying to seduce Woojin, or was Woojin Choi trying to seduce him? Frustrated, Shin emptied his cup when suddenly, Woojin reached out and touched Shin¡¯s eyebrows. Shin flinched, ¡°What are you trying to do now?!¡± When Shin leaned away from him, Woojin tilted his head, again a very cat-like gesture. Shin now felt certain that Woojin was trying to seduce him. It made sense. Why else would Woojin act this way? Ironically, Woojin¡¯s face looked utterly innocent and na?ve. Woojin answered, ¡°There wasn¡¯t a scar here before...¡± What was he saying? ¡°And the scar on your cheek too... it wasn¡¯t there before.¡± What was wrong with Woojin Choi? ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The scar on his eyebrow was from an injury during his military service, and the one on his cheek happened during college. Shin felt strange. Did Woojin really know him from somewhere? Shin asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t we first meet at thepany?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it.¡± Woojin answered firmly for the first time. He continued, ¡°I dream.¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± ¡°You. You appear in my dreams.¡± What? Dreams? Woojin exined, ¡°You were curious about it. You asked me if we met each other before.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We saw each other in the dream.¡± Sleep face. Light brown eyes. Shin had never seen Woojin make such a rxed expression. Shin felt tense just looking at him. Woojin pointed at Shin and added, ¡°You. You appeared in my dreams, right?¡± Woojin was not making any sense at all. Clearly, he was drunk. Just then, Woojinined of being too hot and started to loosen his tie. Shin could see his neck better and noticed that Woojin¡¯s neck and chest were very pink. ¡®He ispletely drunk.¡¯ Shinughed quietly. It seemed that Woojin was very intoxicated, which meant he was just talking nonsense. It made perfect sense now. This guy... was very dangerous. Without even trying, Woojin apparently could be very seductive. Shin sighed in relief and looked at him. He felt more rxed now that he could understand what was happening. Shin asked, ¡°Assistant manager, should we go home now?¡± ¡°... yeah.¡± A dream... How ridiculous. Shin smiled, again noticing how adorable Woojin was acting as he sat obediently and waited for Shin. Shin offered, ¡°I¡¯ll call the cab and take you home, ok?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Woojin Choi nodded and stood up slowly. He seemed to feel dizzy because he was about to fall. Shin quickly went to him and Woojin grabbed Shin¡¯s wrist familiarly. Shin thought to himself, ¡®I guess Woojin bes apletely different person when he drinks. He is normally so sharp and distant, but here he is now...¡¯ Woojin looked up at Shin while holding on to him. When Shin ced his arm around Woojin¡¯s waist, Woojin leaned against him. When their bodies touched, Shin became certain of what he was feeling. When he caressed Woojin¡¯s pink neck, Woojin giggled lightly and whispered, ¡°That tickles.¡± Shin was very sure now. What he was feeling was lust. And when he realized this fact, his entire body began to throb. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Chapter 12.

Chapter 12. In high school, Shin Kim realized for the first time how scary an emotion could be. Since being little boy, swimming was part of his life and he had no doubt that it was going to be with him forever, like the air he breathed. It was just a fact, nothing more nothing less. It would¡¯ve been a lie to say the training was easy, but the satisfaction he got from his achievements was more than enough to keep him going. He felt almost blissful at certain moments. But an unexpected ident caused him to lose over half his lung capacity. It was a hellish time for him during the recovery and a long time after. He developed a sudden hate for water. He even began to fear it. His high school had an indoor swimming pool and smelling the chlorine everyday at school was a torture for him. There were more than a handful times when he had a panic attack and ended up fainting on the ground. After the ident, Shin swore that he would never let anyone or anything be such a huge part of his life. He didn¡¯t want to waste his emotion and energy anymore. This decision made him feel much lighter, like a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. And from then on, his social life reflected the change in his life. He never again became too attached to anyone. He neither liked nor hated someone wholeheartedly. Just a lighthearted acquaintance was perfect for Shin, and it was also a good disguise to hide his intention. He could make friends or date someone without having the responsibility of a real rtionship. He didn¡¯t have to put any effort into it. People liked spending time with Shin Kim. But if someone approached him for a serious and meaningful connection, Shin ran away in disgust and fear. He was afraid. He hated showing his scars and pain to anyone. He also hated seeing other people¡¯s pain. Just a shallow rtionship. That¡¯s all he wanted. No sharing of feelings, no deep connections. Shin sighed as he stared down at his cellphone. It wasn¡¯t a big deal to ask his co-worker Woojin to have lunch together. But strangely, Shin found himself hesitating. It wasn¡¯t that he was worried Woojin might reject him. In truth, Shin was worried about himself and what this could mean for him. The more time they spend together, the more Shin would want. If they ate lunch together, Shin would want to spend time outside of work. If they did that, Shin would want to touch Woojin. And if he did that, Shin would want to have sex with Woojin. Whenever Shin saw Woojin, he got the feeling that Woojin was gay. The fact that Woojin refused to have lunch with Chief Seulgi Kim... How he didn¡¯t socialise with anyone at work... This was simr to how Shin¡¯s gay friends lived their lives as well. But his friends usually had extravagant nightlives. ¡°Hmm... Let¡¯s not think too much of it.¡± Shin was disturbed by himself for contemting so much about having a simple lunch. Perhaps it would¡¯ve been healthier to explore this feeling, but Shin ignored it for now. He just wanted to have lunch with Woojin Choi, and that was all. And there were things he wanted to ask as well. Did he eat the rice porridge? Was it good? Shin didn¡¯t know why he was curious about these mundane things, but he was. Shin finally texted Woojin. -Assistant Manager Woojin Choi Shin immediately went back to work. He had many tasks to finish that day. He also wanted to distract himself. Shin assumed it would take at least a little while till Woojin can check his phone and reply. Shin decided to work on the weekly report and other minor excel files. He also had to finalize the paperwork for press release. But he began to feel anxious immediately. He couldn¡¯t help checking his phone again and again, and every time he did, he saw that his message still hadn¡¯t been read by Woojin. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t he checking my message?¡¯ -Assistant Manager Woojin? Dammit! He sent another message. As soon as he pressed ¡°enter,¡± he realized that this was a bad idea. Why was he acting so impatient? It had only been ONE MINUTE since he sent the first message! What an idiot he was. Just then, like magic, the message he sent became marked ¡°read.¡± It felt like hours, waiting for Woojin¡¯s reply, but in fact, it was only a few seconds. -Yes, Mr. Shin Kim. -Do you have any ns for lunch today? Dammit again! Shin sent a message immediately after Woojin¡¯s message arrived. Now he was going to look desperate to Woojin. Shin closed his eyes in frustration. -No. -Do you want to have lunch with me then? It seemed that Woojin was the type who replied quickly to messages. Shin began to feel nauseous with anxiety. 1 second, 2 seconds... But there was no answer from Woojin. When he didn¡¯t get an immediate reply all of a sudden, Shin became confused. Hisst message was marked ¡®read,¡± so why wasn¡¯t Woojin answering back? 1 minute passed by, followed by 15, and 30 minutes. Finally, Shin closed the messaging app. ¡®Is he ignoring me?¡¯ Woojin was a friendly easy type, but Shin was certain Woojin had been treating him with special interest. Woojin definitely didn¡¯t like getting involved with others. He avoided it at all costs. More than once, Shin witnessed Woojin shrinking when someone offered to shake his hand. Woojin also rarely left his office during work hours and seemed to dislike talking to anyone. But that night they drank together... Things were different. Woojin Choi was different. Woojin may im that he was too drunk to know what he was doing, but that had to be a lie. Woojin kissed Shin¡¯s neck. It really happened. When he did, Shin could smell the mint scent from Woojin¡¯s hair. Shin felt the veins in his neck throbbing; his whole body felt like it was going to explode from the pressure. The way Woojin moaned... Woojin was definitely Shin¡¯s type. The way Woojin felt in his arms... He was so slim and fragile, but not like a woman. Woojin had a cold face, but the way he hung onto Shin... Shin thought to himself, ¡®I did think he resemble a fox even from the beginning, but...¡¯ When Shin caressed his neck, Woojin shivered lightly and Shin found it so irresistible. When Shin helped himy down on his bed, Woojin kept his arms around Shin¡¯s neck and refused to let him go. Shin thought this was extremely adorable. When Shin got closer, Woojin smelled of baby lotion. Shin couldn¡¯t help but caress Woojin¡¯s lips; if Woojin continued to hold on to Shin at that time, he would¡¯ve kissed him. This was a dangerous path. If they kissed, their tongues would¡¯ve met. Their legs would be intertwined, and... Woojin¡¯s legs were so slim. They were only legs, but just thinking about them made Shin¡¯s body burn. ¡®He is driving me crazy.¡¯ Shin wasn¡¯t a horny teenager or an animal in heat, but the excitement he felt in Woojin¡¯s bedroom was overwhelming. Shin left in a hurry; he didn¡¯t n on having sex with a drunk person. If he was going to sleep with anyone, it was going to be with someone who was wide awake. Wait a minute... Was he thinking about having sex with... Woojin Choi? What was he thinking? ¡°I¡¯m going to lose my mind at this rate...¡± It was already 11:40 AM. In 10 minutes, it was going to be lunch time. Shin hated eating alone, so he sent a message on a group chat that included his coworkers. Minjae suggested a ramen restaurant near the office building. It seemed like Yeonwoo was going to go too. Should he go? Shin hesitated, which was very unusual for him. The truth was... This was the first time Shin felt this way about someone. When he first saw Woojin, Shin thought he was a strange and unpleasant person. The way Woojin stared at him was unnerving. But after that office dinner, Shin began to feel differently. And after that night they drank together, a sudden but fierce emotion developed. He should¡¯ve just gone home... Why did he have to ask Woojin to go for a drink? Shin touched his forehead, which seemed hot. ¡®And I need to stop picturing him...¡¯ But it was toote. Ever since he started working, Shin had been too tired and too annoyed to find a sex partner. He thought that perhaps if he just had a good one night with a stranger, this would all go away. Just then... ¡°Mr. Shin Kim.¡± Dammit! Now he was hearing voices... ¡°Mr. Kim?¡± ¡°...¡± Shin slowly turned around, and because he didn¡¯t expect Woojin to be standing there, Shin¡¯s eyes widened. Woojin was right there. It really was Woojin Choi. When the thought finally registered in his mind, Shin stood up. ¡°Oh, Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if it would be a good idea to reply back with a message...¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°I will be ready in 10 minutes. Will you wait for me?¡± When Shin nodded, Woojin thanked him quietly and left the marketing team office to return to his own. One of the marketing department managers came to Shin quickly and in shock. He asked, ¡°W-was that Assistant Manager Woojin Choi?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Oh my god! That was my first time seeing Assistant Manager Choiing into this room. Even when he has to send documents to our department, he always sends it by fax! He is such a shy man.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Shin, are you friends with Assistant Manager Woojin Choi?¡± Shin could neither nod nor shake his head. He felt like he was going to burst intoughter, so he just covered his mouth. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Chapter 13.

Chapter 13. ¡°Did you see the workshop schedule for the first quarter?¡± Jihoon asked Woojin who just returned from a long conference call with the business department team. When Woojin sat down wearily, Jihoon patted his head. Jihoon was smiling widely as if he had good news. One of the things Jihoon never forgot to do everyday was to visit the secretarial and HR teams and gossip with them. Jihoon was always the first one to find out thetest news and rumors in the office. Woojin quietly pushed Jihoon¡¯s hand away and shook his head. It was one of Jihoon¡¯s habits Woojin hated: touching Woojin without warning. Jihoon grinned and asked, ¡°Are you going to skip work again soon? Like thest time?¡± ¡°... It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Woojin always gave him the same answer to any personal questions he asked, but Jihoon seemed unfazed. Persistence had to be his middle name. Jihoon smiled at Woojin like he found him cute, and pulled the chair closer to Woojin. Woojin wished he was alone right now, but Jihoon was right there staring at him. It seemed that Jihoon had been behaving more familiarly now to him than before. When Jihoon continued to look at him curiously, Woojin finally had to ask, ¡°What do you want?¡± His grin getting wider, Jihoon answered with another question, ¡°Is it really true you ate lunch with Shin Kim today?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Apparently the entire marketing team went into a shock after you dropped by before lunch time to see Shin Kim. I heard Chief Seulgi Kim is very upset about the whole thing. I think it¡¯s for a good reason.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So what made you do such a thing? I thought you never made friends at work.¡± Friend. Woojin wondered if Shin Kim and himself were friends. Were they? There were many times when a rtionship couldn¡¯t be easily defined by one word, but the society always wanted a name for all rtionships. Family, friend, co-worker, colleague, boyfriend, girlfriend, or lover. Slowly, Woojin replied, ¡°... he isn¡¯t my friend.¡± ¡°Then what is he to you? You always eat alone and stay alone. Wasn¡¯t today the first time you voluntarily had lunch with someone at work? And it was a person from another department too! So crazy!¡± When Jihoon looked at him suspiciously, Woojin looked down and wondered again. Were they friends? Woojin had lived his 30 years of life a little differently than everyone else. Things that most people experienced were still unfamiliar to him. A hug from a mother, a praise from a father, having a close friend, and... having a lover. Even when he was only a little boy, his mother and father found it difficult and awkward to be his parents. Woojin¡¯s father often reprimanded him for little things. He told Woojin to always be quiet. He even told Woojin to breathe quietly. Woojin¡¯s father was unhappy that Woojin didn¡¯t resemble him one bit. Jihoon asked when Woojin remained quiet, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°... Just go back to work, Jihoon.¡± Jihoon looked at Woojin with an unreadable expression before grinning naughtily. He mussed Woojin¡¯s hair, and Woojin looked away. Somehow, Jihoon had a knowing expression on his face and Woojin couldn¡¯t face him. He felt awkward. Friend... a friend... Was Shin Kim his friend? *** Woojin moved around a lot as a child. His family was fairly well off, but they moved to different provinces many times until Woojin reached junior high school. His father lived abroad at least 6 months every year. He hated being photographed, and Woojin learned to feel the same about it. Woojin never attended his own graduations, and in the yearbooks, only his name was present and not his photos. It was as if he led a life of a ghost. Shin asked quietly, ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± His voice was low and strong. Woojin looked up at him in surprise. No one ever asked Woojin what he wanted. To be fair, however, Woojin never really spent time with many people before. Suddenly, Woojin realized that he thought Shin Kim was pretty. He never used the word ¡°pretty¡± before, but now, the term seemed to fit Shin perfectly. Shin had such an expressive face. He shined like the sun. He had a face Woojin wanted to touch. Woojin vaguely remembered telling Shin that he wanted to eat Korean for lunch. Woojin initially thought it wouldn¡¯t have made much difference what they ate, but he was wrong. Whenever Woojin ate with Shin Kim, he always felt hungry. While they ate, Shin separated the fishbones from the fish meat. He ced a meaty piece on Woojin¡¯s te. Shin also pushed the best dishes, mostly meat, towards Woojin. Shin also looked up at Woojin often, as if to make sure Woojin was eating well. Woojin felt hot again, so he kept his face down. In the end, Woojin was again able to finish his meal. He emptied his tes. Friend. Ever since Woojin met Shin Kim, he began to have slightly different dreams. In his recent dreams, Shin appeared as an adult. He would grab Woojin and breathe into him. Wanting it tost as long as possible, Woojin held onto Shin¡¯s neck and did not let go. ¡®Woojin...¡¯ In his dreams, Shin called him by his first name in a familiar manner. And whenever he did, Woojin would wake up. Woojin knew the truth. Friend... They could never be friends. He was certain of it because what he felt was lust for the first time in his life. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Story 2. Chapter 14.

¡°Chief Seulgi, what do you think you are doing? What is wrong with you?¡± Marketing team¡¯s leader Soojin Yoon was known for her excellent work. Marketing department had wide range of responsibilities, including some in the business and policy divisions, so the members of the marketing team had much higher workloads than most. Despite this, Team Leader Soojin was known toplete her work with perfection and on time. She had a strict policy against unnecessary overtime because she didn¡¯t want her people to be overworked. Soojin Yoon said to Seulgi in frustration, ¡°I told you several times not to forget to include the amended points on the team report, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°Chief Seulgi, aren¡¯t you up for a possible promotion next year? This is a very important time for you, so don¡¯t you think you should avoid such easy mistakes?¡± Shin Kim nced at Seulgi who was being harshly reprimanded by the team leader. After a short hesitation, he grabbed his coat. In the afternoon, there was going to be an advertisement-rted business seminar at Gwanghwamun Gate. He already submitted the paperwork to take the afternoon off for this seminar, but he was nning on telling the team leader in person before leaving. But now he hesitated, wondering what he should do. Soojin seemed to know Shin¡¯s dilemma because without turning towards him, and still looking at Seulgi, Soojin asked Shin, ¡°Mr. Shin Kim, you may go. Don¡¯t you have to attend that seminar?¡± ¡°But Chief Seulgi was also supposed to go...¡± ¡°I know. I will let her go in a minute, so you go ahead first.¡± Soojin rarely became angry, but when she did, it was a frightening sight. Shin bowed lightly and left the office quietly. In the hallway, Yeonwoo was waiting for him. ¡°What are you still doing here? And why did you leave the room so early?¡± ¡°I was waiting for you, Shin oppa, so we can go together.¡± Yeonwoo smiled adorably and stood beside him. This seminar was one of the mandatory courses for many workers in thepany. In fact, the entire policy department was to attend it today. When Shin nced at the policy room, he saw that Woojin¡¯s chair was empty. He must¡¯ve left already. Yeonwoo asked as they walked to the elevator, ¡°Is Chief Seulgi being scolded?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I guess she forgot to include a few details or something.¡± ¡°Wow, so I guess even Chief Seulgi makes mistakes sometimes.¡± ¡°Do you know her very well? Have you worked with her before?¡± ¡°Yeah. She works a lot with Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang, remember? And since Assistant Manager Kang is my direct superior, I get to see her work. She is a total perfectionist. A stickler for sure. She and Assistant Manager Woojin would get along very well, I¡¯m sure.¡± Shin frowned as Yeonwoo continued, ¡°Last time I missed something in my paperwork, Assistant Manager Woojin was so rude to me. So cold and harsh... Sometimes he doesn¡¯t even act like a human. He is more like a robot.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Our chief alwaysins how Assistant Manager Woojin has no warmth.¡± Hmm... It seemed Yeonwoo didn¡¯t like Woojin at all. Based on Shin¡¯s assessment, Chief Seulgi Kim was a quiet yet very hard worker, a type that wasn¡¯t popr with her co-workers. Seulgi Kim was blunt and very detail-oriented, and she enforced her high standards onto everyone, even her superiors. Many hated her, but Soojin appreciated Seulgi¡¯s work ethics. This meant that Soojin also had higher expectations from Seulgi. Shin asked, ¡°Is being a good employee a bad thing? Something to be hated for?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that Chief Seulgi produces high quality of work, but when ites to sociability... She is just as bad as Assistant Manager Woojin. Zero social skills, the both of them.¡± Why did she bring up Woojin Choi again? The way Yeonwoo talked about Woojin was so annoying. Shin stopped paying attention to her words. *** ¡°Today¡¯s seminar will focus on how to quantify the power of marketing in businesses. We will also be discussing how to utilize the statistics and analytical data from other departments for this purpose.¡± The part of the seminar prepared by the policy department wasn¡¯t as boring as Shin expected. The presenter today was Jihoon, who stood in front of everyone. Jihoon Kang was a talented public speaker. His low baritone voice helped, but the most impressive part of him was the very organized and clear way he exined himself. ¡°What a neat presentation. The powerpoint slides look so great.¡± ¡°I know. Very easy to read for the audience and to exin for the presenter.¡± When their coworkers whispered, Yeonwoo exined, ¡°It was made by Assistant Manager Woojin Choi. I think he worked verytest night to finish it for today.¡± Shin nced at Yeonwoo quietly. She mentioned Woojin¡¯s name again and for some reason, it made him feel annoyed again. Minjae asked, ¡°Then why is Assistant Kang doing the presentation?¡± Yeonwoo answered, ¡°This was supposed to be Assistant Manager Kang¡¯s task. He was supposed to make the PPT as well, but he said he wasn¡¯t very good at it. So our chief ordered Assistant Manager Woojin to make it for Assistant manager Kang.¡± ¡°And Assistant Manager Choi was ok with that? Doing the job for another person?¡± ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t say much about it. He just did it.¡± What? Shin frowned as he heard the conversation. Did the policy department run in such a sloppy manner? Did they not have clearly divided duties for everyone? Shin remembered his first day where the intern orientation took ce. On the PPT, the presenter was written as Jihoon Kang, but Woojin Choi ended up being the speaker. He heard Jihoon Kang had to go to an emergency business trip, and at the time, Shin didn¡¯t think much of it. But after a few weeks of working here, he realized that Woojin Choi did a lot of Jihoon Kang¡¯s duties. One of the coworkers said to Yeonwoo, ¡°It sounds like Assistant Manager Woojin Choi must do most of the work in the policy department.¡± Yeonwoo frowned and replied, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Assistant Manager Jihoon does a lot too.¡± Shin asked, ¡°What kind of work does HE do?¡± ¡°Umm... Like contacting the other departments or otherpanies. Going to the meetings with the advisory council, and...¡± Shin interrupted her, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just meeting different people?¡± Yeonwoo frowned even more and exined, ¡°Assistant Manager Jihoon does a lot of work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he is telling people, I¡¯m sure.¡± Suddenly, Minjae said to Shin, ¡°Hey, Shin, stop dissing Assistant Manager Kang. He seems like a nice social person as far as I could tell.¡± Shin frowned. What did being ¡°nice and social¡± have to do with anything? What did that even mean? Shin opened his mouth, about to say something else, but when he noticed people starting to stare at him, he shut his mouth. He turned towards the presentation again, but something about Jihoon¡¯s voice annoyed him. He stared at the PPT and knew that it required a lot of work toplete it, which made him feel even more annoyed. ¡°....¡± Shin sighed angrily. What he felt right now... It was such a new unfamiliar emotion and he couldn¡¯t get used to it. Shin turned a bit to see Woojin, who was standing on the stage near Jihoon Kang. Watching his weary face, Shin felt a sudden and inexplicable thirst. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Chapter 15.

Chapter 15. ¡°There¡¯s apparently an office dinner tonight after the seminar.¡± ¡°What? Again? Why do they have so many office dinners? Thepany must have too much money to spend or something.¡± Shin Kim listened to his coworkersin while he packed his briefcase with the seminar pamphlets. He put on his jacket and was about to leave quietly when Yeonwoo came up to him. ¡°Are you gonna go to the office dinner tonight?¡± Shin was nning on going to the gym after work, but when Yeonwoo asked, Shin looked around to check on the policy team. Woojin was standing with Jihoon and they were chatting. Jihoon was smiling pleasantly while Woojin seemed very tired as he packed up. Woojin was so thin to begin with, but it seemed like he was getting even thinnertely. Shin frowned unhappily. Jihoon was standing too close to Woojin. Too close... ¡°It¡¯s so annoying...¡± ¡°Hmm? What did you say?¡± ¡°Oh, no, nothing. I was just wondering if everyone from the policy team was going to go to the office dinner too. Do you know?¡± ¡°Oh, I heard Assistant Manager Kang is going, and I think Assistant Manager Woojin is probably go back to the office and workte.¡± Shin watched as Jihoon Kang straightened Woojin¡¯s shirt. Woojin was very thin, but he wore his suit very well. He seemed to prefer slim-fitting outfits. But often times, Woojin looked a little messy because he didn¡¯t have his tie knotted right or it was too loose. Shin witnessed many times how Jihoon fixed it for Woojin, but today, it bothered Shin more than usual. Yeonwoo persisted, ¡°You aren¡¯t gonna go to the office dinner, Shin oppa? I heard Minjae oppa is going.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Do you have something else to do?¡± Shin looked down at Yeonwoo who was small and adorable. She was still very much Shin¡¯s type. Yeonwoo was smart and knew not to show too much of her intelligence so that she didn¡¯t make any unnecessary enemies. She kept a clear boundary around her and whatever she did, she seemed to have a purpose for it. Even now, Yeonwoo held onto Shin¡¯s arm naturally and smiled up at him. This was probably to warn the other girls to keep their hands off Shin. Shin did not dislike this. But the problem was that in his mind, all he could think about was Woojin Choi. It wasn¡¯t just purely just heat; things felt frustrating. Shin just felt... annoyed at everything. Just then, Jihoon called Yeonwoo for help. ¡°Miss Yeonwoo, pleasee over here and help us clean up.¡± Woojin turned towards Yeonwoo and Shin as well. Their eyes met briefly, but Woojin turned away quickly towards hisputer as if it meant nothing. Woojin still looked lethargic and indifferent. Woojin didn¡¯t do anything wrong, but even his small meaningless gestures annoyed Shin to no end. ... What the hell. Shin frowned as he felt disappointed suddenly. By now, they ate lunch together a few times already and even had drinks together once. But so far, Woojin never asked Shin out to a meal. In fact, Woojin never once contacted Shin. Shin also was unaware that Woojin workedte often nowadays. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something Shin should worry about or care about, but he couldn¡¯t help bing more and more irritated at the thought. Shin offered Yeonwoo, ¡°I will go with you and help.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shin impulsively followed Yeonwoo and walked towards Jihoon. Yeonwoo brightened, most likely thinking Shin was helping HER. Shin quickly walked ahead of her and started to clean up the table, which was littered with papers. Jihoon came up to Shin and eximed, ¡°Wow, what¡¯s going on here? Is Shin Kim helping Miss Yeonwoo clean up?¡¯ Jihoon clearly was the type who benefited greatly from his very social attitude. Unfortunately, it was true that those who spoke well often did well at work as well, getting promoted fasterpared to people who were more reserved. Jihoon looked like the typical ¡°nice guy¡± with his innocent smile. Jihoon wasn¡¯t doing anything at all right now, not helping to clean up, yet no one made a fuss. Shin ignored Jihoon and cleaned the table quickly. Still unfazed, Jihoon asked Shin again, ¡°Is it because you want to make a good impression to Yeonwoo?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Just then, Woojin looked up and turned to Shin, who didn¡¯t look away and stared at Woojin right back. Shin hoped there would be some kind of sign on Woojin¡¯s face, any kind of change in expression, but there was nothing. Woojin looked exactly the same, indifferent and tired. It was Yeonwoo who reacted with a blush. ¡°Assistant Manager Kang, stop teasing us!¡± ¡°Wow, Miss Yeonwoo must be very popr. I knew it!¡± With that, Jihoon walked towards Woojin and said to him, ¡°You see, Woojin? This is exactly what should happen in workces! You should go and ask Chief Seulgi out to lunch or even dinner ASAP! Just stop spending so much time with stupid guys like me!¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin continued to tidy up quietly, making Shin even more frustrated. Shin felt like he was going to explode with impatience as Jihoon continued, ¡°Woojin! Chief Seulgi is waiting for you right now, hoping you will go to the office dinner tonight!¡± When Jihoon held Woojin¡¯s neck and grinned teasingly, Woojin finally replied in a tired voice, ¡°Just stop.¡± Shin froze as he watched them. Jihoon continued yfully, ¡°Come on, Woojin. We can go together, and you can have a drink with Chief Seulgi, and...¡± Just then, everything on the desk Shin was cleaning up, all the books and documents that were stacked neatly, fell towards Jihoon. Woojin almost got hurt from it, but Shin was close enough to him and he was quick enough to grab Woojin¡¯s wrist and pulled him close to him. Jihoon looked up in shock at Shin, who replied indifferently, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I think I identally knocked it over.¡± ¡°...¡± Shin smiled widely and took out his phone as he continued, ¡°This will need to be cleaned up right now, but I am being called by my team leader right now. I need to go.¡± He then turned to Woojin and added, ¡°Oh, and Assistant Manager Woojin, Chief Hyunsoo asked me to let you know he needs you to call him. I forgot to tell you. I¡¯m sorry. I think you need to go right now and call him.¡± Shin bowed lightly to Jihoon and left with Woojin¡¯s wrist still in his hand. They left the auditorium quickly. Shin didn¡¯t turn around to look back, but he was sure that Yeonwoo and Jihoon must be staring at them in shock. Woojin, whose wrist was still in Shin¡¯s hand, asked, ¡°Mr. Shin Kim, when did the chief ask me to call him?¡± When Woojin took out his cellphone, Shin finally let his wrist go and turned to him. Shin wondered if Woojin was ying dumb, or he really didn¡¯t know what was going on. Chief Hyunsoo Lee wasn¡¯t at work today because he was away on a business trip. Shin replied, ¡°He won¡¯t answer you even if you call.¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± ¡°I think you should rest for a while here and when things quiet down here, you should return home.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home now, so don¡¯t work too hard.¡± Shin smiled, and Woojin stood still with a shocked expression on his face, Shin added, ¡°Oh, and please stop spending so much time with Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang. Also, I hope you stop letting him stand so close to you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For some reason, it makes me feel upset.¡± Shin finally said it out loud, and he could feel his emotions seeping out from his skin. He had to admit it now. The truth. Shin Kim was coveting Woojin Choi. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Chapter 16.

Chapter 16. ¡°Get Yeonwoo Ji here RIGHT NOW!¡± The policy room was a mess. Hyunsoo threw the papers onto the floor angrily. It spread everywhere, creating chaos. One intern who came to work early nervously started to pick them up. Woojin was taking off his jacket without a word. He nced at the desk across from him and noticed that the nametag was on the desk. Yeonwoo Ji. It seemed she still hasn¡¯t arrived yet, and it was on purpose, because Yeonwoo always got to work at 9 AM precisely. She was clearly not here for a reason. Hyunsoo screamed, ¡°Is Miss. Yeonwoo Ji still not here?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t think so.¡± The new intern was a young woman who only recently graduated. She was trembling as she replied to Hyunsoo. It was clear that she was afraid of him. Woojin sighed and turned on hisptop. He logged onto hispany email when the intern came towards him and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°S-should I call Miss. Yeonwoo?¡± ¡°I think you should.¡± Woojin replied as he picked up a few pieces of paper on the floor and handed them to her. The intern thanked him with a pale face and feeling a headacheing on, Woojin left his seat to go to the office kitchen. He needed some coffee. Hyunsoo continued to yell, ¡°And where is Jihoon Kang? Has he not arrived yet either? How could everyone here get to workter than their own superior! What the hell!¡± ¡°Miss Yeonwoo just told me she will be here in five minutes.¡± The intern replied after hanging up the phone, and in a few minutes, Yeonwoo ran into the office. She apologized for beingte, and her face was pale in fear. It was rare for Hyunsoo to ask for anyone in the morning hours. It was because he himself often came inte to work. Hyunsoo enjoyed drinkingte into the night. He would wake upte and onlye to work after going to the gym. So the fact that he was so early to work and yelling meant something very big and bad had happened. He berated Yeonwoo, ¡°You are still a newbie, yet you get to workte? It¡¯s past 9 AM, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You! Were you near the office this whole time and only came to work now? Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Did you go over the paperwork for the press release yesterday?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Have you lost your hearing? The paperwork that was sent to Seulgi Kim yesterday! Did you check it or not?!¡± The policy department was responsible for verifying the information that was to be sent to official outlets, just like the media or public seminars. The documents to be sent to the reporters were especially examined multiple times, at least over 10 times, to make sure of their uracy. Once the information was verified, only then were they sent to the marketing department. Yeonwoo murmured, ¡°Assistant Manager Kang told me that it could be sent the way it was, so...¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Kang? What? Jihoon Kang did?¡± Hyunsoo swore loudly, loud enough for other office people to hear as well. People walking by nced at the policy room secretly. All the workers of other departments whispered amongst themselves. Woojin massaged his throbbing temples and sat down in his chair. He tried to work, but it was impossible to focus at this point. It was normal for Jihoon to arrivete for work. Often times, he arrived an hour after the work hour started. He was warned and reprimanded for this many times before by HR and audit departments, but Jihoon didn¡¯t change his ways. Woojin suspected it was because either it was a bad habit or Jihoon didn¡¯t care about his job that much. Hyunsoo continued to shriek, ¡°Gosh, that bastard! Is this what he teaches to the new recruits? Miss Yeonwoo, do you even know what you did?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The gross sales number was written wrong. A whole extra digit was added!! That idiot! We need to write an official exnation and a retraction for it!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you get it? Do you realize what a disaster this is? Unless you think you can call every single reporter who received this number and ask them to change it on their articles? Huh? Can you do the impossible?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± Hyunsoo grabbed the press release papers and threw them at Yeonwoo¡¯s face. When Yeonwoo started to tear up, Hyunsoo¡¯s frown became bigger. He murmured angrily, ¡°This is why I don¡¯t like female staff.¡± He then turned to the intern and ordered, ¡°You. Call Jihoon Kang immediately and get him toe to the office RIGHT NOW. I am going to kill that asshole today. I¡¯m going to teach him a lesson he will never forget.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°And Woojin Choi!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°From now on, Yeonwoo Ji will be your responsibility.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You will be her new direct supervisor, got it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yeonwoo seemed to be the most shocked by this turn of events. Her eyes widened and she began to cry. Jihoon Kang was mainly responsible for conducting meetings, which meant that Yeonwoo was given most of his paperwork toplete. She often had to workte nights. Ignoring her, Hyunsoo continued to order Woojin, ¡°Make sure you clean up this mess, Assistant Manager Choi. I can¡¯t trust Jihoon Kang to do anything right.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Woojin Choi, did you hear what I said? Answer me!¡± Woojin was staring at hisputer screen. He was the only one who wasn¡¯t standing as Hyunsoo continued to scream. Finally, when Hyunsoo asked him again, Woojin replied, ¡°If you can dy the deadline for my performance report to tomorrow instead of today, then I will do it.¡± ¡°... Fine. But make sure you do a perfect job. If you do a half-assed job, you will be in the same situation as Jihoon Kang!¡± After Hyunsoo left the room angrily, Yeonwoo finally began to sob while hiding her face with both of her hands. The other people in the room approached her and tried to console her. Woojin stood up himself and walked towards her. He said to her, ¡°Miss Yeonwoo Ji.¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± ¡°Please email me everything rted to this incident. The original paperwork, the stats, and the data. And please call Chief Seulgi Kim from the marketing team and ask for the list of media outlets and their managers where she sent the press release to.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please go back to work now.¡± Yeonwoo stopped crying and looked up at Woojin in surprise. But quickly, she nodded and went back to her seat. Woojin returned to his chair as well and opened his email. It seemed that he was going to get double the workload. From the very first day he started working in thispany, he had always been very busy, so Woojin took the situation in a stride. With an indifferent face, he took a deep breath and started to open one file at a time that was sent to him. He created a new folder on his desktop and began downloading the files into it. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Chapter 17.

Chapter 17. Shin Kim kept checking the chatting app over and over again. He ignored the message from Minjae who asked him if he wanted to have lunch together. What Shin cared about was the message he sent to Woojin today. -Assistant Manager Woojin, do you want to have lunch with me today? During thest few days, Woojin and Shin lunched together everyday. Because they were in different departments, they rarely passed by each other. That meant the only time for Shin to get to see Woojin was during lunch time. Jihoon looked at them curiously whenever they were together at lunch time, but Woojin didn¡¯t react to it. Shin continued to wait for Woojin¡¯s reply. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he answering my message?¡¯ Woojin always replied immediately, but today, it seemed that he wasn¡¯t even reading Shin¡¯s message. It was almost lunch time already, so Shin sighed in frustration. When he couldn¡¯t wait anymore, Shin finally replied to Minjae¡¯s message. Minjae sent a message back quickly to Shin. -Let¡¯s meet at the first floor. Shin grabbed his jacket and walked out of the room. As he walked to the elevator, he noticed that Woojin¡¯s seat in the policy room was empty. ¡®Is he out for business again?¡¯ When he arrived on the first floor, Shin spotted Minjae who was waiting for him. Minjae worked in the HR department, which was located on the sixth floor. Shin also saw that Yeonwoo was standing next to Minjae. It seemed that the three of them were going to go to lunch together. Shin asked Minjae, ¡°Did you get home okst night?¡± ¡°Yeah. Hey, why didn¡¯t youe to the office dinner yesterday?¡± When Minjae asked as he tapped Shin¡¯s shoulder, Shin replied, ¡°Well, I was tired.¡± ¡°Yeonwoo had a really bad day today, so I asked her to join us for lunch. She is really upset.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You work on the same floor as she does. Howe you don¡¯t know?¡± Shin turned towards Yeonwoo and noticed that her eyes were a little red. Yeonwoo looked down and groaned a little. When Shin raised his eyebrow, Yeonwoo bit her lips and replied, ¡°I made a mistake.¡± ¡°What mistake?¡± ¡°The press release information I passed on to Chief Seulgi Kim had a huge mistake on it, so I got in trouble with my boss.¡± Chief Hyunsoo Lee was known for his horrible personality and rude manners, so Shin frowned unhappily. When she saw that, Yeonwoo¡¯s eyes teared up again as she continued, ¡°And my supervisor changed too...¡± ¡°Who?¡± Yeonwoo made a whiney noise again before replying, ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin Choi...¡± Minjae eximed, ¡°What?! But he is known to be so cold and mean!¡± Shin looked at Minjae quietly. Now that he remembered, Chief Seulgi seemed unusually hectic this morning, making many calls. Shin thought that it was a continuation of yesterday¡¯s trouble she got into with Chief Soojin, but he must¡¯ve been wrong. It was because of Yeonwoo¡¯s mistake. And what bothered Shin the most was the fact that it seemed like Woojin Choi was now loaded with this problem. His workload must¡¯ve doubled at least. Shin frowned, upset about Woojin¡¯s situation, but Yeonwoo saw Shin¡¯s sigh as caring for herself. She sighed and began toin, ¡°I know, right? Even this morning, I was crying because I was so upset, but all Assistant Manager Woojin did was tell me I needed to get back to work. Noforting words or anything. He told me to send him all the associated documents...¡± ¡°Why would Woojin Choi want that information?¡± ¡°Because Assistant Manager Woojin was ordered to clean up this situation.¡± Shin yelled angrily, ¡°What? Woojin Choi wasn¡¯t the one who created this mess, so why does he have to fix it?¡± Yeonwoo¡¯s eyes widened in shock as Shin¡¯s face crumpled furiously. So again, it was Woojin Choi who had to do all the work, not Yeonwoo Ji or Jihoon Kang. This must¡¯ve been why Woojin worked sote so often. He had to take care of everyone else. It was obvious Woojin was selfless, as he did the other people¡¯s work for them, so Shin just couldn¡¯t understand why everyone called Woojin Choi cold. It didn¡¯t make sense at all. Shin asked intensely, ¡°Who was responsible for this task?¡± Yeonwoo replied, ¡°Well, it was me and Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang...¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you feel thankful that Assistant Manager Woojin Choi is taking it on for you and fixing it?¡± Things were getting tense, so Minjae stepped in as he looked at Shin in confusion, ¡°... Why are you getting angry at Yeonwoo?¡± Realizing that he was making a scene, Shin slowly looked down at Yeonwoo. He always thought she was cute, but her face was now crumpled in an unattractive frown. Shin said to her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I yelled at you, but...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I just thought you were being too harsh and unfair to Assistant Manager Woojin Choi. I mean, he now has to do all the work, yet you areining about his personality. It¡¯s really hard to hear.¡± Shin sighed and pushed back his hair. He felt irritated and exasperated. Everyone called Woojin cold. No one knew the real Woojin Choi who always looked tired and indifferent. No one, not even Shin Kim himself. Perhaps the problem was that no one even tried to get to know him. Maybe with his indifferent face, Woojin was trying to tell the world that he was sick and tired of it all. Whatever the truth was, one thing was certain: Shin Kim wanted to learn more about this man. He couldn¡¯t understand why it took him so long to realize this. Why he was trying to keep his distance from Woojin Choi. Minjae asked, ¡°Hey, Shin, I think you are bing too emotional here. Did something happen to you too? Maybe something simr, like someone dumping their work on you or something?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Shinughed awkwardly as he added, ¡°It must be because I¡¯m so stressed with all the work.¡± Shin patted Yeonwoo¡¯s shoulder and apologized to her. Yeonwoo smiled up at him awkwardly. Normally, he would¡¯ve tried tofort her even more, but Shin didn¡¯t feel like talking to her anymore. He looked away. *** Returning to the dark office, Woojin looked for the light switch but failed. He finally took out his cellphone and noticed that it was already 10:15 PM. He used his phone light to find the switch. As expected, the office was empty. It was a very long and hard day for him. He had to visit many of the reporters in person to fix the mistake. Meeting people, especially for work-rted business, was a very difficult and stressful task for Woojin who was very shy. Woojin sighed deeply. He had to drop off some documents at the office and that was why he came. He turned on thisputer and began to update a few files. He also made some notes on his schedule and stood up. ¡°Ahh...¡± The room suddenly spun around him and he almost fell. Now that he thought about it, he hadn¡¯t eaten anything today. He felt very tired. ¡°...¡± He had to take the subway to return home. Woojin felt daunted at the thought of having to ride the crowded train. He had been considering moving to a ce near his office, but Gangnam was too crowded and busy for him. The faster he got home, the more he was going to able to rest. Woojin quickly grabbed his briefcase and got onto the elevator. As it went down to the main floor, Woojin looked at himself in the mirror. He rarely checked himself in the mirror, so looking at his own face felt a little strange. Thin face, pale skin, the blue veins that were clearly on his forehead, and light brown eyes. His eyes looked so empty and tired that Woojin covered his face with his hands. He remained this way until he heard the ¡°ding¡± as the elevator reached the main floor. He had to walk out before the elevator door closed, but he felt so tired that it was hard to make himself move. Someone please... Help me... Just then! ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± From the dark lobby, he heard the familiar voice. Woojin looked up and their eyes met. ¡°I see that you¡¯re workingte today.¡± The sudden scent of him engulfed Woojin as his wrist was grabbed and pulled by the man. Now there were two of them in the dark lobby. ¡°... Shin Kim?¡± Without letting him go, Shin looked down at Woojin. The darkness feltfortable around them, but the feeling of Shin¡¯s stare was too much. Woojin looked away. But Shin refused to let him go; he grabbed Woojin¡¯s chin and forced Woojin to face him. The ces where their skin touched burned. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Chapter 18.

Chapter 18. Was this a dream? At first, Woojin wondered if he had fallen asleep because of his severe fatigue. This situation was so surreal that it seemed like a dream was the only logical exnation. But as if to prove Woojin wrong, Shin Kim opened his mouth slowly. ¡°Do you often do things people tell you to do without questioning them?¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you just say, ¡®It¡¯s not my job. I already have plenty to do.¡¯ Why can¡¯t you say that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not your responsibility, you should be saying no. Why can¡¯t you? I haven¡¯t been working long, but I already learned that lesson. Why don¡¯t you know that, Assistant Manager?¡± Shin Kim seemed very angry. Woojin thought there was no reason for Shin to be angry, yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel warm inside. Starting from his feet, Woojin began to feel the heat spreading throughout his body. Shin continued, ¡°Or could it be that you know all this, yet you just don¡¯t do it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is it because you like Jihoon Kang? Is that why you are doing his work for him?¡± ¡°What?¡± Woojin looked confused as he looked up at Shin. He couldn¡¯t understand what Shin was talking or thinking about. Woojin frowned and bit his lips. Shin was talking nonsense. Ignoring his confused look, Shin continued, ¡°You made me all riled up, but were you actually interested in another man?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Shin felt impatient; he pulled Woojin towards him. Woojin stumbled onto Shin and he couldn¡¯t breathe. Shin stared at him with such intensity; then slowly, Shin leaned towards him. ¡°... You like me, Assistant Manager Woojin, right?¡± Shin¡¯s arms held Woojin¡¯s body and... and... Their lips met. *** When Woojin saw Shin¡¯s faceing closer to him, he stopped breathing. As Shin¡¯s lips covered his, Woojin could feel the shocking warmth from them. It felt like he was dreaming; in fact, Woojin had a simr dream before. But unlike in his dream, Shin¡¯s lips left his own too quickly. Shin held Woojin¡¯s face and looked at him with a mysterious expression. Woojin felt... ticklish and shy at the same time. Slowly, he leaned against Shin so that his forehead rested on Shin¡¯s shoulder. Shin yed with Woojin¡¯s hair gently. Woojin could smell something like... a musk on him. It was the same scent he smelled on Shin¡¯s neck that night. Shin whispered, ¡°Are you ok?¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin wanted to ask what he was asking about, but instead, he just nodded, still leaning against Shin¡¯s shoulder. He felt tired and a little breathless. It was just a simple kiss. Lips touching lips. But unfamiliar new sensations crawled over Woojin¡¯s body. He thought that it would be nice to just remain like this. Just for a little while at least. Something feltcking. He felt thirsty too. When he looked up, Shin was looking down at him with an aggressive expression. Woojin didn¡¯t know why, but his stomach felt a little itchy. Shin said to him quietly, ¡°My car is in the basement parking lot.¡± Woojin realized that Shin wasn¡¯t wearing a suit. He was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans, looking very casual. Woojin had never seen him like this before, so he stared. Shin and Woojin went downstairs together and when Woojin didn¡¯t pay attention, Shin tapped his cheek with his finger a few times. ¡°Turn around here.¡± When Woojin obeyed, Shinughed quietly. Woojin got into the passenger seat and it was Shin who fastened the seatbelt for him. As they drove, Woojin stared at Shin, wondering where they were going. Shin noticed this, and with his right hand, he reached towards Woojin and gently pushed his hair back. Shin¡¯s hand shook a little; he knew what he was doing was unusually too impulsive for him. Woojin could tell too. He could see that Shin¡¯s gestures were spontaneous. But strangely, it felt right. Woojin didn¡¯t want to run away or push his hand away. In fact, he wanted more. When Woojin lowered his head as a silent gesture asking to be patted more. Shin looked at him with again a mysterious and a little awkward expression. Woojin wondered, ¡®Does he not want to?¡¯ But Shin exined, ¡°I won¡¯t be able to drive if this continues.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t want to, or I don¡¯t like to.¡± In fact, Shin liked it too much... He murmured, ¡°This is... I...¡± Shin looked at Woojin and smiled clumsily. The ce they arrived was a clean Japanese restaurant located near their office building. Shin asked Woojin to wait just a minute, and soon, he came out from the restaurant with a paper bag. ¡°It¡¯s abalone rice porridge. You aren¡¯t allergic to any seafood, are you?¡± ¡°... No.¡± ¡°It would be nice to eat in the restaurant, but you look really tired.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But next time, we shoulde here for sushi. They have a great sushibo special.¡± Shin stared at Woojin for a long time. When Woojin finally nodded, Shin groaned, rubbed his face, then started his car again. Shin typed in Woojin¡¯s address in a familiar manner; when Woojin stared, Shin shyly exined that he remembered it from the other night. ¡°Remember? We got into the cab and you told the driver your address?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It was a little after 11 PM when they arrived at Woojin¡¯s apartment. He should thank Shin and leave the car, but Woojin hesitated. It seemed Shin felt the same way. He remained quiet for a while before finally, Shin grabbed the paper bag. He was about to hand it to Woojin when suddenly, Woojin lowered his head. Shin could smell the fresh green scent from him. Shin said to him, ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s still warm.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Umm, so...¡± Shin ced the paper bag on Woojin¡¯sp and hesitated, as if he wanted to say something more. Woojin looked at him quietly as he opened the bag slightly. A warm delicious scent wafted from inside. Woojin felt a sudden hunger. But what he wanted the most right now was... ¡°Mr. Shin Kim.¡± ¡°Oh, yes...?¡± Woojin reached out and touched Shin¡¯s cheek. Shin¡¯s face was right in front of him. Woojin could feel the warmth of Shin¡¯s skin again and this heat made Woojin¡¯s heart pound harder than when Shin kissed him earlier. Woojin could now understand why he felt thirsty. Why he felt like something wascking. It meant that he... Shin... Woojin whispered, ¡°... Please close your eyes.¡± He then covered Shin¡¯s eyes with his hand and brought his lips to Shin¡¯s. When Woojin pressed, Shin seemed to flinch in shock. He backed away slightly but Woojin continued to kiss him. And within seconds, Shin hungrily kissed Woojin back. When Woojin leaned against him, Shin grabbed his waist and pulled him close. Woojin kept biting Shin¡¯s lower lip, so when Shin opened his lips, Woojin¡¯s hot tongue invaded his mouth. ¡°Ha...¡± It was such a scorching kiss that Shin couldn¡¯t breathe. Soon, Shin pushed Woojin toward the passenger side door. When the veryrge Shin leaned against him, Woojin¡¯s body bumped into the door hard. Shin seemed surprised and he quickly ced hisrge hand on the back of Woojin¡¯s head to protect him. This gesture felt so caring and warm and Woojin¡¯s eyes closed in pleasure. Shin was now almost on top of Woojin. He felt heavy, but Woojin liked his weight on him so he put his arms around Shin¡¯s neck and pulled him closer. Shin kept biting Woojin¡¯s lips as he kissed, making him moan. Woojin felt like his body was being twisted into a knot. Just then, Shin backed away from Woojin. ¡°Haaa.... Ha...¡± Shin shook his head as if he felt dizzy, then quickly leaned towards Woojin¡¯s face again. He caressed Woojin¡¯s hair and licked his ear. Woojin buried his face into Shin¡¯s neck and breathed in deeply, this time making Shin tremble. Shin murmured with a smile, ¡°I... I can¡¯t think... at all...¡± His face was red with excitement. Woojin realized how big, intense, and gentle Shin was. Even now, Shin was nuzzling Woojin¡¯s neck and kissing Woojin¡¯s cheeks and nose. Their breaths synced perfectly. Shin asked as he kissed Woojin¡¯s cheek, ¡°S-should we meet this weekend?¡± When Woojin nodded and closed his eyes, Shin kissed his closed eyes and asked again, ¡°Should we go for a meal?¡± ¡°... Yeah.¡± Their bodies refused to cool down. Woojin wanted to stay like this forever, so he ced his face on Shin¡¯srge hand. Shin groaned and kissed Woojin again on the lips and whispered, ¡°... You need to go home now and rest, ok?¡± When Woojin nodded obediently, Shin seemed disappointed. Woojin kissed Shin¡¯s hand, making him groan even louder with an intense expression. After a long pause in the car, Shin finally helped Woojin out of the car. They reached Woojin¡¯s apartment. Woojin entered the password and opened the door, but Shin refused to let his hand go. Shin made him promise to eat the rice porridge, and text him afterward. Woojin nodded to both requests. Shin finally sighed and turned around to leave. Woojin stared at his broad back, thinking how it was possible for someone to look that beautiful. Woojin called out to him, ¡°Shin Kim.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shin smiled widely, and his smile reminded Woojin of the warmth they shared just now in the car. Woojin trembled again in happiness. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Chapter 19.

Chapter 19. Friday night. Hongdae and its surrounding areas were always busy. Shin Kim hadn¡¯t been here since he graduated, so he felt a little nervous. Looking around, people seemed so much younger and fresher than him. He was here right after work, so he was still wearing his suit. Looking down at himself, Shin realized that he no longer suited Hongdae, which was predominantly inhabited by college students. ¡°Wee.¡± A small bar named RS was near Sangsu Station and it was a ce Shin frequented during his university years. The tables were made from old trees and they lined the long narrow space. A giant cab covered one of the walls and it was filled with bottles of alcohol. It was not a well-known ce; it was a secret heaven for the regrs. It felt very private, and that was why Shin liked this ce so much. RS¡¯s bartender, Robin, was the owner of the bar. The second bartender, a very young man, was named Hidden, and the two made a good team. When they spotted Shin, they greeted him, ¡°Oh, Shin!¡± ¡°Hey, how have you been?¡± Shin greeted them back with a nod. He asked Robin, ¡°Robin, you¡¯re off today, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°And is Siwoo not here yet?¡± ¡°He went to the washroom. Oh, there he is.¡± When Shin turned around, he saw a sweet-looking man walking out of the washroom. He was as tall as Shin but thinner. He also looked pretty, especially for a man. His hair was very curly, giving him a young lovely vibe. When the man saw Shin, he grinned. ¡°Hey, Shin. Long time no see.¡± ¡°What the! Siwoo Jung! You haven¡¯t changed at all!¡± Siwoo Jung was Shin¡¯s only friend in high school. They also went to the same college. They first met in high school and had the same sses all three years. It so happened that they attended the same university as well. They majored in different departments, but they ended up taking the same elective courses, so they remained close throughout their college years as well. Siwoo pointed at Shin and said to Hidden, ¡°Hidden, look at this guy! Isn¡¯t he so handsome? I went to graduation just to see Shin Kim in a suit.¡± Shinughed and replied, ¡°What are you talking about, Siwoo? We graduated the same year, so you obviously went because it was also your own graduation!¡± ¡°Ha! My father didn¡¯t want to see me graduate, so I didn¡¯t n on going.¡± Siwoo pouted, and although he was masculine, he still acted sweetly. He had long eyshes, creating shadows on his eyes. Siwoo and Shin stared at each other before bursting intoughter. They finally sat down at a table. Siwoo asked, ¡°So what¡¯s up? I was surprised you called me, Shin.¡± ¡°Well, it has been so long since we met each other. Thest time was at graduation, right?¡± They became friends easily because they had a lot inmon. They were both very tall and good-looking. Whenever they walked around together on campus, they were the center of attention. Oddly enough, however, only one of them attracted countless girls. Shin knew the reason for this for a very long time. One day, Siwoo calmly confessed to Shin that he was gay, and Shin replied that he already knew. When Siwoo asked when and how Shin found out, Shin exined that he first knew when he saw Siwoo going into the washroom to change into his gym clothes when all the other boys changed in the ssroom together. Siwoo smiled bitterly and replied, ¡°I wish my own father would hurry up and figure it out too.¡± Shin didn¡¯t tell Siwoo that he knew earlier because Shin didn¡¯t want to get closer to Siwoo. Or anyone for that matter. Siwoo knew Shin¡¯s way with people, and although Siwoo didn¡¯t approve of it, he also liked it too. When they were together, they had a lot of fun. Shin added, ¡°I actually called you because I wanted to get some advice.¡± ¡°What? The great Shin Kim needs my advice? What is it? Are you already sick of your work or something?¡± ¡°No, nothing like that.¡± ¡°Then what? Are you dating someone from the office? Is it about workce romance?¡± Siwoo ordered a ss of gin and tonic with double gin and turned to Shin. When Shin remained quiet, Siwoo eximed, ¡°What? Did I get it right? You? A yboy who sleeps with 30 different women every month? YOU need advice on romance?¡± ¡°30 women in a month...? You exaggerate too much, Siwoo.¡± ¡°OMG, I am so excited and nervous about what you are going to tell me. Let me drink first before you say anything.¡± Siwoo grabbed the ss from Hidden. The gin and tonic had a piece of cucumber that was carved into a rose shape. Siwoo gulped his drink down in one gulp and sighed. He then looked up at Shin, who looked at him quietly. Siwoo eximed again, ¡°OMG, I can tell that you are totally serious!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So what¡¯s the girl¡¯s name? What is she like?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a woman.¡± Siwoo dropped his ss, but Shin caught it and put it down on the table calmly. Shin warned him, ¡°Hey, be careful.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Are you making fun of me?¡± When Siwoo frowned, Shin continued to look at him and exined, ¡°Not at all. I am telling you. It¡¯s a man. I¡¯ve fallen for a man.¡± Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Chapter 20.

Chapter 20. Siwoo asked, ¡°So when you started working at thispany, you unexpectedly met your type, and it just turned out to be a man? Sounds like a typical gay story.¡± Shin replied, ¡°Actually, he wasn¡¯t my type. He isn¡¯t pretty or feminine. He just is a... man.¡± Siwoo was on his third cup of gin and tonic. Shin looked down but Siwoo lifted his chin. Shin pulled back from Siwoo¡¯s hand and covered his chin. It was one of Shin¡¯s habit.s Whenever he felt embarrassed or shy, his chin trembled a little, so he tried to hide it with his hand. Siwoo asked, ¡°Just a man? I don¡¯t think so. Definitely not JUST a man, since when you talk about him, you look smitten.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you remember how many gorgeous girls I introduced you to during college? You didn¡¯t show any interest at the time, and now, here you are.¡± Siwooughed, thinking how ironic this situation was. He pushed his hair back and when he saw Shin¡¯s serious eyes, Siwoo realized that this was the real deal. Siwoo asked, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this the first time ever you asked anyone for dating advice?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...hmm...¡± Siwoo sighed and murmured, ¡°Someone like you... it gets crazy when someone like you falls in love.¡± He then turned to Hidden and asked for a cigarette. Hidden nodded and handed Siwoo one. Siwoo smiled seductively and caressed Hidden¡¯s finger. Shin saw this and smacked Siwoo¡¯s hand. ¡°Siwoo, if you keep that up, you are going to get arrested for sexual harassment someday.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I just like him, that¡¯s all. I like touching people.¡± ¡°And are you sure Hidden likes it too?¡± ¡°Hey, I can do whatever I want!¡± Siwoo could be stubborn, but he was also a serious man. After graduation, he got hired by an advertisementpany, but soon, Siwoo nned on quitting because he got an offer from a content-producingpany. Siwoo was involved in creating a cooking advertisement, and while doing this, he became close to many chefs. It seemed that Siwoo wanted to get involved in making culinary content. Or maybe it was because Siwoo was dating a chef. Shin asked him, ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you quit smoking?¡± ¡°It just makes me feel more rxed when I¡¯m holding a cigarette.¡± ¡°And it wasn¡¯t because you wanted an excuse to touch Hidden¡¯s finger?¡± ¡°Shut up. Just tell me what your man is like.¡± Shin became quiet as he looked at Siwoo for a long time. Since high school, Siwoo looked shy and introverted, yet he spoke rather roughly. He swore much more than Shin did. There were times when Siwoo¡¯s eyes filled with darkness. Shin knew he was safe from him, but many men who liked Siwoo often fell for his dark yet sociable and outgoing nature. Women liked Siwoo as well, but they never approached him in a romantic way. Shin¡¯s past partners liked Siwoo, but they also admitted that they felt threatened by him as well. Shin always thought this was strange. Shin replied, ¡°He is thin.¡± ¡°Oh, I like chubby men.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think your taste matters here.¡± ¡°Oh my, are you getting jealous?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Siwoo stared at Shin as he shook his ss that still had an ice cube in it. Shin took a sip of his beer and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t help it since you are popr among men. Also, I wasn¡¯t gay before.¡± ¡°So now, you are?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to put a name to it. I don¡¯t see the purpose of it. But since the person I like is a man, does that mean I¡¯m gay?¡± Siwooughed and shook his head. He replied, ¡°The person you like... I don¡¯t think I have ever heard you say anything like that.¡± ¡°I guess you are right. It¡¯s my first time really liking someone.¡± ¡°This is too good. I should be able to tease you with this stuff for the next 10 years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if you do, but let me ask you a question.¡± Shin patted Siwoo¡¯s hair and asked, ¡°What I am feeling right now... is this a romantic feeling?¡± ¡°What? You still don¡¯t know? Didn¡¯t you say you were ¡®dating¡¯ him?¡± ¡°All we did was kiss so far. Nothing else.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know what we are feeling or thinking. Both him and me.¡± Shin pictured Woojin. Shin kissed him, but as the kiss ended, Shin at the time worried if Woojin would hate him for it. Thankfully, when Shin asked if he was ok, Woojin nodded. In fact, Woojin looked... lustful. He looked like he wanted more. Woojin¡¯s white face looked pink with desire. Looking at him, Shin felt his body burning up as well. Woojin was definitely very sexy. Shin could feel Woojin¡¯s veins pumping with hot blood. They ended up kissing again. When Woojin covered Shin¡¯s eyes, Shin felt like he was going to die. His heart pounded too fast and too hard, and he couldn¡¯t breathe. Right then, he wanted to have sex with Woojin. But at the same time, he didn¡¯t want it to happen just yet. Siwoo murmured in disgust, ¡°I can see you are thinking about something dirty. You are going to make me puke.¡± ¡°...hmm...¡± ¡°Hidden, get this man a cup of ice water. He is acting like a pervert.¡± Siwoo crunched on his eyes and looked at Shin with revulsion. Shin started tough before hesitantly stating, ¡°I... I think he does like me.¡± ¡°Why are you feeling so unsure and insecure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just... it might not end well.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid.¡± ¡°Of what?¡± ¡°... Me.¡± Shin could feel the strong, almost uncontroble, need and desire building up. He wanted to get closer to Woojin, get to know him more, do things to him, be with him... It was a scary feeling. Siwoo exined, ¡°That¡¯s called dating.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There is no difference between dating men and women. Spending time together, talking with each other, and then...¡± ¡°... Then what?¡± ¡°Then you end up being together all the time. Even when the heat cools down, you are still with that person, like breathing air.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And who cares if he runs away from you? You just beg him to stay with you and hold on to him. Who cares about pride?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°And if you are afraid to get hurt, then you will never be able to date anyone for real. So don¡¯t worry about stupid things like that. For now, all you can do is learn how to have sex.¡± Shin just stared at Siwoo. Then, he pictured Woojin. For some reason, Shin felt like he had seen Woojin in the past. The pale lethargic Woojin Choi. Shin suddenly asked, ¡°Oh, so how do men have sex with each other?¡± Siwoo was eating a piece of cheese, but he coughed it out. Watching Siwoo¡¯s face turning bright red, Shin smiled and waited for an answer. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Chapter 21.

Chapter 21. Woojin woke upte on Saturday morning. 11 AM. He usually woke up early even on weekends, so this veryte for him. He did have a lot of work this week with manyte nights. He had no time to rest at all, so it made sense that he overslept. Woojin sighed and looked around to see that bright light was seeping in through the curtains. Woojin buried his face in his pillow for a long time before he finally kicked the nket away. The sudden cold air shocked him. It was almost September. ¡°I¡¯m cold.¡± Nowadays, Woojin often found himself talking even when he was alone. It was one of the many changes that happened to him. Until now, he rarely talked to himself. There were even times when he didn¡¯t say a word during the weekends. But recently, he talked much more. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± Woojin had no idea that he could be this expressive. When he said these words, Woojin felt like he finally understood himself. What he felt, what he wanted, and what he needed. It was a very novel feeling. Woojin slowly walked out to the kitchen. When he opened the fridge, he found that it was empty except for the paper bag. He remembered Shin telling him to eat it before going to bed. Woojin stared at it for a long time. That night, Woojin masturbated for the first time in his life as he showered. He never even went through typical puberty; he never had a dirty dream before. One time during high school, Woojin happened to watch porn by ident, but he didn¡¯t feel anything. He just thought that it had a strange plot. Once in college, his ssmate asked Woojin if he was asexual. Woojin vaguely guessed that he must be. He assumed that he would never feel a desire for anyone. But now, just thinking about Shin¡¯s breath was enough to make his body burn. ¡°...¡± Woojin sighed in frustration. That night, he ended up not eating the rice porridge Shin gave him. After the shower, he fell asleep immediately, and when he woke up, he had to go to work. One thankful thing was that he had an easier day that day. It turned out Yeonwoo Ji called all the involved reporters herself. Woojin initially felt confused as to why Yeonwoo took care of it when no one asked her to do it, but he was so busy that he didn¡¯t think much about it. By the time he made the necessary adjustment for the paperwork, it was already time to go home. Woojin ended up arriving home around 10 PM that day. Woojin looked at his phone. There were several messages from Shin that were sent yesterday. -Did you get to work ok? -You must be busy, right? A lot of work to do? -I hope you have a good lunch. -I¡¯m done for the day. Going home now. Woojin was so busy the day before that he didn¡¯t get to reply. In addition... he also didn¡¯t know what to say. Woojin poured the rice porridge into a ss bowl and put it in the microwave. Waiting for it to heat up, Woojin sent a message to Shin. -Do you want to meet today? Within a few seconds, he got an answer. -Sure. I would like that. When he read the reply, Woojin at first felt anxious because he didn¡¯t know what he would do with Shin. Woojin had never spent much time with anyone outside of work. He was always alone, so now that he had the opportunity to spend time with Shin, Woojin felt perplexed. ¡®What should we do?¡¯ Woojin held the spoon in his mouth and carefully took out the bowl from the microwave. The aroma wasn¡¯t as good as when he first smelled it in the car that night, but it still smelled delicious. Woojin even felt a little hungry. Just then, Woojin¡¯s phone beeped. It was another text from Shin. -Do you want to go watch a movie? Or meetter and go to dinner together? Woojin contemted. He didn¡¯t like movie theatres. Sitting in the dark felt ufortable. Dinner sounded better, but... ¡°I want to see him right now...¡± He didn¡¯t get to see Shin yesterday, which meant it had been a whole day since theyst met. Without thinking, Woojin texted him. -Do you want toe to my ce? Shin didn¡¯t reply for a long time. Woojin thought that perhaps Shin was very busy right now. He didn¡¯t want to bother him, so Woojin didn¡¯t send another text. He sat down quietly and finished the porridge. He cleaned the bowl, and feeling full, Woojin decided to take a shower. Just then, his phone beeped again. Woojin checked it immediately. -When? -In about 2 hours? -Alright. Woojin felt a sudden ache in his chest. It was probably because his heart began to beat too fast. Woojin hoped that the next two hours would go by fast. *** Woojin was watching TV on the sofa when the doorbell rang. It was very rare for anyone to visit Woojin at home, so it had to be Shin Kim. Shin was standing in front of the condo main entrance. Because he was so tall, Woojin could only see his neck through the inte camera. When Woojin buzzed him in, he could hear the footstepsing up the stairs. Woojin lived on the 5th floor, and because the building didn¡¯t have an elevator, it took Shin a little while before he reached Woojin¡¯s home. Shin knocked on the door and Woojin opened it for him. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin, how are you? Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Tall Shin smelled of wind. He was holding tworge paper bags, one in each hand. Woojin looked at them in confusion as Shin put them down on the floor. He took off his shoes and ced them neatly at the entrance. Shin then looked up at Woojin with a smile. Shin¡¯s hair was down, covering his forehead. It made him look much younger than usual. Woojin felt his whole body tingling, so he looked down. Shin asked, ¡°Can Ie in?¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± Woojin moved aside letting Shin finally walk in, and he went straight into the kitchen. When Woojin followed him, Shin smiled at him again. Shin was such a cheery guy. Shin exined, ¡°That night when we drank together and I came here, I opened the fridge to get you some water. Remember that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I noticed that your fridge was empty, so I got some groceries for you.¡± Inside the paper bags Shin brought were items like milk, juice, eggs, sd, and beef. There were also various fruits that were cut up into bite sizes in a stic container. On his knees, Shin opened the fridge door and began to fill it. Woojin just stared at him quietly. This was actually the first time someone visited Woojin¡¯s home. When he got hungry, Woojin went to the convenience store for microwavable food. There were odd times when he would buy a carton of milk. His home was where he slept. No one visited him. Many nights, Woojin had to take a sleeping pill to be able to sleep. An empty ce... It was so barren that it resembled Woojin Choi. Shin said to Woojin, ¡°Go over there and have a seat. I will organize this and be right there.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why are you just standing there? Your legs are going to get tired.¡± Instead of going to the living room, Woojin touched Shin¡¯s hair. Shin looked up at him, and when their eyes met, Woojin lowered his face and kissed him. Woojin whispered, ¡°I missed you.¡± These new emotions Woojin felt in his life... He wanted to learn more. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Chapter 22.

Chapter 22. Shin Kim never dreamt that their first date would take ce in Woojin¡¯s home. When he got the message from Woojin, Shin froze for a few minutes. He was expecting normal dates, like going to the movies, eating out, or having coffee at a pretty caf¨¦. He imagined he would drive Woojin home at the end of their dates, and the most he¡¯d get would be a passionate kiss. At least for a while till they got to know each other better. Even Siwoo told Shin not to expect too much from the dates for a long time. Siwoo exined, ¡°Just go out and have fun. A normal average date. Nowadays, it¡¯s not hard for men to have a good time with other men. Have you been to popr cafestely? They are filled with gay people.¡± Siwooughed at Shin like he was having a grand time. So since Saturday morning, Shin had been researching to find which movies to watch. He also made a reservation at the Japanese restaurant where he got Woojin a bowl of abalone rice porridge. This Japanese restaurant in Chungdam had a very limited number of tables so a reservation was a must. Shin noticed that Woojin liked nd food, so he thought a Japanese restaurant would be the safest choice. They had a few lunches together, and Shin knew what kind of food Woojin liked. Woojin didn¡¯t seem to have a favorite food, but he clearly did not like salty or spicy food. Siwoo offered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring him to Joowan¡¯s restaurant next time?¡± ¡°But Chef Kim hates me.¡± ¡°He would love it if you go with your date. He doesn¡¯t like you because he thinks you have a thing for me. He said he didn¡¯t trust you with me, and you know what? That idiot was right! You do like men!¡± That night when Siwoo and Shin drank together, Siwoo sent a text to Joowan telling him that Shin became gay. Joowan immediately called Siwoo and angrily asked if Shin confessed his feelings for Siwoo. Joowan was yelling so loudly that even Shin, who was sitting across from Siwoo, could hear it. Siwooughed at both of them. It was surprising to Shin that Siwoo had been dating this same guy, Chef Joowan Kim, for over a year. In Korea, people could be very judgemental and nosy. Everyone was expected to be dating, and for someone who was still in the closet like Siwoo, it was very difficult to maintain a steady, long term rtionship. Siwoo was often hounded by his friends and family to introduce them to his nonexistent girlfriend. Siwoo hated this kind of attention. For the longest time, he only had short-term rtionships with different men. After Siwoo¡¯s father found out about him, Shin became worried about Siwoo, who went out with any man that showed even the slightest interest. Shin was worried that Siwoo might get hurt. Shin asked, ¡°I see that you have been dating him for a long time now.¡± ¡°Joowan is a good guy. He is also really good at sex.¡± ¡°... That¡¯s too much information.¡± Shin wondered about a long-term rtionship. One good thing about a shallow rtionship was the fact that you didn¡¯t have to know everything about the person. If there were things you didn¡¯t want to know or didn¡¯t like about that person, you could just ignore them and pretend they didn¡¯t exist. But Shin was curious about Woojin. He WANTED to know everything about Woojin. Shin loved how only he got to see the secret REAL side of Woojin. Only him and no one else. Siwoo said to Shin, ¡°It¡¯s like that for everyone at the beginning.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°At the beginning of anything, like rtionships, studying, or sports, it¡¯s really fun. Learning about it, getting to know more about it, hoping that you will get really good at it... that¡¯s how everyone starts out.¡± Siwoo smiled bitterly and continued, ¡°But after a little while, you lose interest. After you learn a little bit about it, you feel like you know enough. And you realize that you aren¡¯t learning as fast, and you begin to worry that you will never get better. You work hard for it, yet it seems like it¡¯s hopeless.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And so people give up. Studying, work, and even on other people. The funny thing is, however, the more you put effort into it doesn¡¯t necessarily guarantee that you will get better. The result is definitely NOT proportional to the amount of work you do, whether it¡¯s studying, work, or a rtionship. And when this happens, you just need to rx and let things happen as they will. If it doesn¡¯t work, just let it go.¡± ¡°Everyone knows that, but it¡¯s impossible to follow that rule.¡± Shin could understand what Siwoo was trying to say, but he also had difficulty agreeing with it. But as he shopped at the grocery store for Woojin, Shin couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him. And when he saw Woojin standing there looking vulnerable in his own apartment, Shin forgot everything. All Shin could feel was something inside of him crumbling down. It wasn¡¯t lust. It was... something else. Shin continued to stock the fridge as he turned around and asked Woojin, ¡°Is there something you would like to eat?¡± Woojin was sitting quietly on the sofa. He seemed contemtive before he finally answered with another question, ¡°Did you eat breakfast?¡± ¡°Yes, around 9 AM.¡± ¡°Then maybe we can eat what you, S-Shin, would like...¡± Woojin seemed hesitant, and the way he called Shin by his first name sounded awkward. They were outside of work, so Woojin seemed unsure of addressing Shin so formally. Shin finally stood up and walked to Woojin. He sat down next to Woojin and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my texts yesterday?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I knew you were busy, but I was still a bit worried.¡± ¡°... I¡¯m just not used to this.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Shin was texting or calling because he expected an answer, but Shin found himself waiting for Woojin to reply. On the other hand, Shin felt like he could understand Woojin¡¯s side as well. Based on Shin¡¯s observation, Woojincked basic social skills. Woojin seemed to feel awkward being around people in general. Shin stroked Woojin¡¯s hair gently and asked, ¡°Well, next time, maybe you will just call me even for a second so I can hear your voice.¡± Woojin looked down, and the way his long eyebrows shadowed his eyes looked very seductive. This was dangerous. If their eyes met, Shin would have to kiss him again, and that could be a bad idea. Shin asked, ¡°By the way, why do you have all the curtains and blinds down? Isn¡¯t it too dark in here?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Woojin¡¯s home had a double-floor n. The first floor consisted of one room and a living room. In the living room, there was arge television encased by a big bookcase, which was filled with an enormous number of books. It was a four-level shelved bookcase, and the bottom shelf was packed with DVDs. When Shin stood up, Woojin held onto his wrist and followed him. Shin looked down, thinking how adorable Woojin was, holding onto his wrist. He patted Woojin¡¯s hair, and suddenly, Woojin¡¯s expression turned confused. Shin assumed it was because Woojin felt shy. Trying to carry a conversation, Shin asked about the books, ¡°It¡¯s impressive. Last time I was here, I didn¡¯t notice because it was at night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a hobby. I like to collect them.¡± ¡°Oh, so you do have something you like, Woojin?¡± When Shin called him by his first name, Woojin Choi¡¯s face became red. Shin continued, ¡°Why are you blushing? You were the one who first called me Shin, right?¡± ¡°... Oh... well...¡± ¡°By the way, can I ask you how old you are, Assistant Manager?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You just look really young. I assumed that you must be younger than me.¡± Shin caressed Woojin¡¯s cheek. He already knew how old Woojin was; he¡¯d seen Woojin¡¯s birthdate on thepany intr. Woojin was two years older than him, and Shin knew that but Shin still wanted to hear it from Woojin¡¯s lips. When their eyes met, Woojin finally answered, ¡°30.¡± ¡°I¡¯m 28 years old. Did you know that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh, you knew that, didn¡¯t you?¡± Shin smooshed Woojin¡¯s cheeks with his hands and Woojin frowned. Even his serious frown looked cute. When Shin stared at him for a long time, Woojin blushed again and looked away. ¡°Woojin Choi.¡± When Shin called him by his full name, Woojin looked at him with wide eyes. Recently, Shin got to see many different expressions from Woojin, and he loved it. Why did people at work call Woojin, ¡°The Mannequin?¡± Woojin was so expressive, which made this nickname sound ridiculous. Shin asked, ¡°Can I have a look at the books? And after we eat, let¡¯s watch a movie.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± When Shin looked down at Woojin with a smile, Woojin nodded. His neck was turning red, so Shin looked away towards the bookcase. It only took a second for a man to turn into a beast. They were in a small space and because of the thick curtains, it was quite dark. It wasn¡¯t that Shin didn¡¯t want things to happen, but he didn¡¯t want it to happen too fast too quickly. Strangely, Shin wanted things to go slow with Woojin. Siwoo Jungughed at him for it, but Shin couldn¡¯t help how he felt. He wanted to stretch their time out as long as possible. He asked Woojin, ¡°What should we watch? Should we pick the movie before we eat?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What genre do you like?¡± Shin got closer to the bookcase and studied the books. It was filled with various books and DVDs, but Shin noticed that there weren¡¯t any photos or photo albums. In fact, there were no photos anywhere in the house. While Woojin looked at the DVDs to pick, Shin looked around the living room. There was one sofa, which could turn into a bed, a canvas chair, a small table, a television, and a bookcase. That was it. Shin remembered that in Woojin¡¯s bedroom, there was only a bed, a mirror, and a small drawer. Shin asked, ¡°Do you have the rest of your things at your parents¡¯ home? Like the albums and photos?¡± ¡°... My parents¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes. I just noticed that you don¡¯t have any photos or photo albums here. I wanted to see childhood pictures of you.¡± Suddenly, Woojin¡¯s face crumpled into a strange expression. This was the second time. Something seemed off. When Shin looked at him in confusion, Woojin simply handed him a DVD and asked, ¡°Have you watched this before?¡± ¡°...¡± Shin took the DVD and wondered if Woojin had an unhappy rtionship with his parents. Woojin¡¯s face returned to normal quickly, but there was still a tinge of misery to him. It was very simr to the darkness Siwoo had, but slightly different. Shin answered, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen this before. Should we watch this while we eat lunch?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The movie Woojin picked was titled ¡°Branded to Kill.¡± Shin ced the DVD on the table. He was a little worried about Woojin, but he didn¡¯t think too much about it. When Shin walked to the kitchen, Woojin slowly followed him. Shin felt Woojin¡¯s hand, which was cool, gently holding onto his hand. Shin vaguely thought that he liked the cool temperature of Woojin¡¯s skin. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Chapter 23.

Chapter 23. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin?¡± ¡°...¡± Did he really fall sleep? Shin looked down at Woojin who wasying on the sofa, deep in his sleep. Shin murmured, ¡°Hmm... Shouldn¡¯t he feel a little more excited around me? How could he fall asleep on our first date?¡± Shin grinned and touched Woojin¡¯s cheek. He must¡¯ve been a deep sleeper. Woojin always looked so tired, and perhaps it was because he hadn¡¯t slept very welltely. For lunch, Shin made them curry but Woojin seemed to have no appetite. He ate very slowly, and as Shin watched him, he decided that next time, he should try making pasta. Shin murmured again, ¡°He is sleeping so soundly.¡± The movie was pretty good, but Shin didn¡¯t pay attention to the TV. He wanted to study Woojin¡¯s face instead, so Shin turned the TV off. The living room became very quiet, and for some reason, Shin felt a bit tense. Slowly, he stroked Woojin¡¯s forehead. ¡°... So white.¡± Woojin¡¯s skin was unusually pale as if he had never seen the sun before. Shin traced the blue vein that showed through the pale skin on Woojin¡¯s forehead. He also had long eyshes and underneath his eyes, Shin noticed a few brown freckles. It was so adorable that Shin couldn¡¯t help but trace them as well. When he did, Woojin moaned a little as if he felt ticklish. Woojin was wearing a casual outfit, and it was the first time Shin saw him looking like this. Afortable mandarin cor shirt. The 30-year-old Woojin looked like a college student. ¡°... So cute.¡± From a first nce, there was nothing cute about Woojin, but the more he got to Woojin, the more Shin found him to be adorable. Behind his cold and indifferent expression, Woojin had a very soft and gentle side to him. Realizing the fact that only he knew the real Woojin, Shin felt his body burn again. Shin caressed Woojin¡¯s forehead and held his cheeks. Woojin moved a little, revealing his white slim neck to Shin. Shin felt a sudden urge to kiss his neck. The tight cor looked so ufortable around Woojin¡¯s neck that Shin slowly began to undo a few of Woojin¡¯s buttons. Soon, Woojin¡¯s corbones were revealed. ¡°... Huh?¡± Underneath the cor bones, there was a long scar. It was so big that Shin suspected it must¡¯ve taken quite a number of stitches to close. Against Woojin¡¯s porcin skin, the scar looked very red. The shape of it looked like it was arge cut. It must¡¯ve been very painful. Shin touched it gently and just then, the cellphone that was left on the table started to ring loudly. ¡°...!¡± Woojin opened his eyes and when he noticed Shin looking down at him, Woojin¡¯s eyes widened. He pushed Shin away with both of his hands and Shin ended up falling off the sofa. Woojin looked down at his shirt, which was unbuttoned. He then looked at Shin and Woojin¡¯s face crumpled into a frown. Shin stammered, ¡°Umm... I....¡± ¡°...¡± Watching Shin be pale, Woojin shook his head. He stood up from the sofa and grabbed the cellphone. The number that called started with 0049. Woojin took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth, ¡°You should go home now.¡± ¡°... Assistant Manager Woojin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I think you need to go now.¡± Shin suddenly felt cold. There was nothing he could do as Woojin went into his bedroom without looking back. That was the end of their weekend. *** It was past midnight but Woojin was still in his chair at work. Jihoon put on his jacket and asked Woojin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± It was rather hot untilst week, but fall was almost here and it was beginning to feel chilly at night. Woojin took off his round silver-framed sses and turned around to face Jihoon. Woojin looked tired and his eyes looked a bit bigger; it was because Woojin was losing weight. ¡°Later.¡± ¡°Hey, but the way, why don¡¯t you go out for lunch nowadays? You used to until recently, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And stop working sote every day. You look awful.¡± Jihoon peaked into the marketing team office and continued, ¡°Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t seen Shin Kim muchtely. He used toe to you every lunch period.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I heard that Shin Kim is really popr. Yesterday, I went to dinner with the HR and general affairs teams and all the female staff could talk about was him. Apparently, he used to be an athlete, right? I can¡¯t remember what sports he yed...¡± ¡°Swimming.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, swimming... Hmm...¡± When Woojin knew the answer, Jihoon grinned at him. Woojin ignored him and rubbed his eyes tiredly. Jihoon added, ¡°Stop skipping meals. You need to eat more. You are getting thinner and it doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Jihoon slowly turned around and walked away. Within a few minutes, the office lights turned off. The lights were on an automatic schedule. Inside the office, only Woojin¡¯sputer screen lit the room. Against the bright light of hisputer, Woojin looked even paler. ¡°...¡± He covered his forehead with his hand and closed his eyes. He saw that the marketing team¡¯s office had been empty for a while now. Woojin was new to this kind of rtionship, or any kind to be honest. It had already been a week since that weekend. Shin no longer texted Woojin for lunch. He stopped texting Woojinpletely. It was amazing how a rtionship could heat up so fast, then be cold in a second. Woojin thought that perhaps the reason why he avoided developing rtionships with people was because he didn¡¯t want to experience the feelings he suffered right now. He felt like he was suffocating. Woojin couldn¡¯t eat at all. He continued to lose weight and his insomnia grew worse. Whenever he did manage to fall asleep, the dream haunted him. Inside this dream, Shin looked young like a little boy. Woojin felt like he was drowning in boiling water, so he would close his eyes. Inside his dreams, Shin made Woojin¡¯s thirst be much worse. ¡°...¡± During thest week, when Woojin¡¯s didn¡¯t get to see Shin Kim, he often found himself losing focus and just staring hisputer nkly. Strangely, Woojin wanted to see him, yet he also believed that it would be ok not to ever see Shin again. It was a strange, conflicting feeling. But one thing was for certain. Since he met Shin, many things have changed. The passing time seemed to feel awkward to Woojin. He always thought he had all the time in the world, but since he met Shin, time seemed to go by much faster. The time he didn¡¯t get to see Shin. The time he didn¡¯t get to spend with Shin. The uneasiness of it made Woojin feel strange. The heat inside of him continued to burn. Woojin felt like he was falling over and over again. He was thirsty, and he kept remembering Shin¡¯s breath and scent. Another day went by, just like that. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Chapter 24.

Chapter 24. Shin Kim sighed as he leaned against his car in the office basement parking lot. He loosened his tie and breathed deeply. He was finally back in Seoul. When he checked his watch, it was already past 10 PM. Shin Kim continued to breathe roughly while getting into his car. He sat down and leaned his chair back a little. His ribs felt stiff. Fatigue and sleep overwhelmed him, so he massaged his temples, trying to rx. Did it take 6 hours to get here? It was a bad idea to drive from Seoul to Busan, but he had so many offices he had to visit during his 5 days stay in Busan, so it was the most practical choice at the time. Shin opened his eyes and reached for the back seat which was littered with clothes and documents. ¡°I¡¯m so tired.¡± He wondered if he should¡¯ve taken a rest, but this was an unexpected and sudden business trip. He wasn¡¯t prepared at all for it. In addition, Shin wanted to get back to Seoul as quickly as possible. His department team leader felt sorry that Shin was sent alone to a business trip without an assistant from the marketing team, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Shin Kim was also ordered to submit his reports on a rather strict deadline. Shin met various new clients during thest five days. He also delivered the promotional packages to different offices as well aspleting the relevant press release paperwork. Thankfully, Shin did manage to get an assistant from a different department to follow him and help. It was a long and busy 5 days. At night, he also had to attend office dinners for his clients¡¯panies. When he left his hotel just now, he realized his room was a huge mess. Shin couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he left something behind. ¡®I miss him.¡¯ Shin suddenly pictured Woojin. Even during the busiest time, he thought of Woojin often. It was the first time in his life where Shin felt this deeply about a person. The emotions he felt now... They were so new to him. He considered sending texts to Woojin, but whenever he was done for the day, it was past 2 AM in the morning. In the mornings, he was too busy reporting back to headquarters and at lunch time, he had to eat with his clients and customers. He had no time to do anything else other than work during thest few days. Thest time he saw Woojin... Woojin looked so cold. Shin felt an ache in his chest; it felt like his heart was weeping. ¡°I think it was this long...¡± Shin looked at this second finger. Woojin¡¯s scar was very long and red. It was a shock to hear Woojin telling him to go, but it was even more shocking and upsetting to see Woojin¡¯s scar. It looked painful; it must¡¯ve taken Woojin a very long, agonizing time to recover from such a huge cut. Shin knew Woojin was the type who didn¡¯tin about pain, and this made him feel even worse. And... there was more than one scar on Woojin. ¡°...Hmm.¡± Below the corbones, there were several scratch-like scars that reached down to his chest. The truth was... Shin did have time to text Woojin, but whenever he thought of doing it, he remembered the scars. To Shin, Woojin seemed too calm and too indifferent. He appeared to be someone who never got, and would never will get hurt. Shin rubbed his face and grabbed his briefcase. He needed to drop some documents back at the office. Then, he could finally go home and rest. Shin had a healthy stamina, but this was too much. Shin took off his jacket and got out of his car. As he did, he heard footsteps nearby. ¡°... Shin Kim?¡± It was Jihoon Kang who was holding his briefcase in one hand, and his car key in the other. He must¡¯ve workedte today because he looked tired and disheveled. Shin frowned but still greeted him, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m surprised to see you here at this hour since you probably don¡¯t have that much work to do.¡± ¡°Hmm... It sounds like you are upset that I don¡¯t work much. Am I right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Wow, I guess you don¡¯t want to lie, eh?¡± Jihoon smiled broadly, but Shin remained nk. Jihoon continued, ¡°By the way, Mr. Kim, I haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± ¡°I was on a business trip since Monday.¡± ¡°Oh, that makes sense. I was wondering why I didn¡¯t see you at lunch time all week.¡± Jihoon seemed very nosy; he was curious about everyone. Shin wanted to get home as soon as possible, so he bowed lightly and was about to leave when Jihoon coughed. When Shin looked back, Jihoon had an even wider smile now. Shin asked, ¡°Did you need something?¡± ¡°You are much more sensitive than you look, eh?¡± ¡°Assistant Manager, I am really tired right now.¡± Shin tried to leave again, but this time, Jihoon Kang grabbed his shoulder. Jihoon was shorter than Shin, but he was well-built. Shin could feel his strength where Jihoon grabbed him. Jihoon asked, ¡°Woojin Choi doesn¡¯t know you went on a business trip, does he?¡± Shin¡¯s heart fell. So many thoughts crossed his mind. Shin never expected his body to flinch and tremble this badly just at the mention of Woojin¡¯s name. ¡°He seemed to be waiting for you at lunch every day.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You do know that Assistant Manager Choi isn¡¯t the type that eats lunch with others, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But strangely, Woojin seems to show a lot of interest towards you.¡± Jihoon finally let Shin¡¯s shoulder go. Shin stared at Jihoon with a dumb look on his face. Jihoonughed and added, ¡°I don¡¯t think I have seen that expression on you before.¡± ¡°... You talk like you know me very well.¡± ¡°But I do know your type very well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You look like you are angry at me.¡± ¡°YOU seem to be very interested in Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± ¡°Of course, I am.¡± Jihoon replied and pressed his key. A loud beep rang as his car unlocked. Jihoon added, ¡°I have more interest in him than you can imagine.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And I have watched him much longer than what you are guessing.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you know what? I have been watching him longer than what Woojin probably thinks? If he knows, I think he might get creeped out by me.¡± Jihoon walked past Shin who stared at hin in confusion. The Jihoon he knew was not a sharp or calcting man. Shin had never seen Jihoon show any kind of anger or intensity. Shin thought he knew what type of man Jihoon was. A nice butzy guy. But now, Shin saw a very different side of him. Jihoon looked back and added, ¡°Oh and Woojin Choi is still working in the office. I doubt he ate anything today.¡± Jihoon smiled kindly and walked away. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Chapter 25.

Chapter 25. Ding. Woojin heard the elevator door opening in the distance. He was packing his briefcase. Jihoon did help with his heavy workload, but there was so much to do because of the uing holiday. Deadlines were approaching fast. He had to finish all of his reports and finish working on the schedules for the clients. Woojin had been wondering all day if he would have toe to work this weekend, but in the end, he worked past 10 PM and finished the data entry. He sighed deeply. He closed all the files and when he turned off theputer and the monitor, the office was finally filled with silence. He thought slowly that he should get a frozen meal from the convenience store on his way home. Recently, he had been suffering from dizziness whenever he stood up. It must¡¯ve been because he wasn¡¯t eating enough and not sleeping well. Woojin grabbed his forehead and breathed slowly. Just then... ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± At first, Woojin thought he must be hallucinating. He slowly turned around to find Shin, who said to him, ¡°What are you doing here at this hour? I told you not to work so hard. Howe you still haven¡¯t gone home yet?¡± Woojin realized that he was mistaken. He thought that he would be fine with never seeing Shin¡¯s face again, but he was clearly wrong. As soon as their eyes met, Woojin¡¯s heart began to burn and fall at the same time. He was afraid his feelings might show on his face, so Woojin covered his face with his hands. His hands trembled. Woojin didn¡¯t want Shin to see his expression, but he also wanted to see Shin¡¯s face. It was a dilemma. Shin walked towards him and reached out. ¡°Are you ok?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Assistant Manager, are you sick?¡± Woojin always thought he shouldn¡¯t be greedy. He should forget about desires and needs. No emotions. No expressions. He left no traces of himself in the world as time passed. Woojin stayed still as Shin ced his hands on Woojin¡¯s face. Their eyes met again and Woojin opened his mouth. He whispered, ¡°That day...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I told you to just go.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°... I¡¯m sorry.¡± Woojin also wanted to add, ¡®I was afraid I might never get to see you again.¡¯ But he never said it out loud. *** Yoonil, Woojin¡¯s doctor, advised him, ¡°I know it¡¯s hard as autumn approaches...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But please try to slowly wean off the sleeping pills.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget to eat. Your mom calls me every week to check on you.¡± Woojin looked at Yoonil and rubbed his face with his long thin fingers. It was five years ago when Woojin¡¯s mother asked him to go see a psychiatrist. Woojin survived, barely, in his college years, but the things that happened to him haunted him to a point that he began to feel physical pain whenever he had to meet with people for work. Yoonil was a little over 40 and a psychiatrist. He had known Woojin for 10 years now. Yoonil studied in Germany and came back to Korea to open his own clinic. Woojin¡¯s mother and Yoonil first met in Germany. It was almost impossible to find a psychiatrist who spoke Korean in Germany, and Woojin¡¯s mother felt lucky to have found Yoonil. She still found it very hard to speak German. When Woojin stood up from the dark-colored canvas sofa, Yoonil closed his chart and picked up a file. All of Yoonil¡¯s movements were very precise and efficient. With his slim finger, he pressed the button on his recording machine. ¡°We will continue the photovoice treatment, which we startedst month. I will be showing you three photos. All you have to do is tell me anything about them. What the photos reminds you of, any relevant memories, and so on.¡± Yoonil¡¯s voice sounded monotonous and robotic. Woojin nodded quietly. The treatment began three months ago, and it involved a lot of talking on Woojin¡¯s part, which he found very difficult. After the recording started, Yoonil stated the date and ced three photos on the table in front of Woojin. ¡°Now, what does this remind you of?¡± The first photo was a house. A house with arge garden, a thick door, and three puppies. ¡°A house.¡± ¡°...¡± When Yoonil didn¡¯t say anything, it meant that Woojin had to continue to talk. ¡°Puppies.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to give me words. Please say what you are thinking in a sentence.¡± When Yoonil exined patiently, Woojin said to him, ¡°Three puppies are barking at the door.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because there is a stranger and a strange car on the other side.¡± ¡°And where are you in this, Woojin?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Alright. Now, let¡¯s go on to the next photo.¡± The picture was of a woman with round eyebrows and long ck hair that reached her shoulders. Her face was hidden, and she was wearing a ck outfit. Woojin suddenly felt his fingers bing icy cold. He began to pant breathlessly. His lungs felt like they were shrinking, so Woojin grabbed his chest. He felt something breaking inside of him. His head filled with images of blood, vomit, guns, and knives. His heart felt like it was being stabbed; his hands began to tremble. It was the same every time. He closed his eyes, then opened his mouth and stated, ¡°A woman.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A person without a face.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I need to run away. Escape.¡± Woojin¡¯s voice sounded strangled as he continued, ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t breathe...¡± ¡°Should we stop?¡± Yoonil sighed and covered the photo. Quickly, he reced it with another photo. It was of a school. A school made of red bricks. The building seemed to shine against the blue sky. Woojin was nowying down on the sofa with his eyes closed. He kept touching his forehead as if he was having a headache. Yoonil handed him a cup of warm water. Woojin opened his eyes and stared at it. He didn¡¯t want to drink it, and thankfully, his headache subsided. The pain, panic, as well as the memory disappeared also. It always did. Yoonil stated for the machine, ¡°This is the 20th recording.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now, what do you think of this picture?¡± Woojin had the copies of all the recordings of his sessions, but he never listened to them. Whenever he tried to remember, he couldn¡¯t breathe and quickly enough, the memory disappeared. Yoonil told Woojin that it was because Woojin subconsciously didn¡¯t want to remember. His body was reacting this way to forget. But Woojin knew the truth. It wasn¡¯t a matter of consciousness and subconsciousness. ¡°Could you please look at the next picture?¡± Woojin looked down at it. The photo was of a school under the bright sun. Woojin reached down to touch the photo. It was almost like he could feel the rough bricks against his fingers. ¡°... Mr. Woojin Choi?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What would you like to say about this photo?¡± Yoonil seemed to have a slightly different expression now. Woojin touched the corner of the photo and surprisingly, the residual pain left his body. Woojin now could feel... water. He took a deep breath and answered, ¡°Swimming pool.¡± Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Chapter 26.

Chapter 26. ¡°...¡± ¡°There is a swimming pool. In the school.¡± It was the first time Woojin said something like this. Yoonil pulled his chair closer to listen as Woojin continued, ¡°We are having a school ceremony. A daily morning ceremony.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There is always one swimmer who gets awards.¡± ¡°During the ceremony?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Based on Yoonil¡¯s observation, Woojin had minimum to no interest in others and felt no need for social interactions. Yoonil checked a few things quickly as he listened to Woojin. ¡°Some days, he looked tired.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And other days, he even smiled.¡± The boy who was taller than everyone in high school. He was only in his first year of high school, but his uniform already looked a little too tight. It must¡¯ve been because he was so big and muscr. That boy... whenever he walked, you could see his muscles moving lithely. Woojin saw how the girls watched and whispered amongst themselves whenever this boy walked by. Compared to his mature body, the boy had a rather youthful face. His face still retained an innocent look, creating an overall strange appearance. Woojin felt that he himself was odd for noticing this boy and staring at him. He wondered if it was because this boy was so opposite of Woojin. Whenever Woojin saw the boy looking tired, he wanted to go and touch the boy¡¯s face. Woojin didn¡¯t know when it started, but he began to look forward to seeing the boy getting an award during the morning ceremonies, which happened often. The boy seemed indifferent even though everyone¡¯s eyes were on him. This boy¡¯s confidence made Woojin feel warm. Woojin continued, ¡°I can¡¯t help but remember his name. His name was called out at almost every morning ceremony.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Whenever the teacher ced a medal around his neck, he seemed to have a hard time. The boy was so tall, and the teacher had to stand on his toes to do this.¡± It made Woojin smile. It made him feel ticklish for some reason. And when the boy returned to his seat, Woojin would watch him walk. The feelings Woojin felt at the time were new and unfamiliar to him. And slowly, more pieces of Woojin¡¯s memories began toe back. ck sedan, the people that walked out as the door opened, the barking puppy, the hand that grabbed his ankle, and those eyes that looked down at him so coldly. Woojin added, ¡°That¡¯s all. That¡¯s it.¡± No, that¡¯s wasn¡¯t it at all. ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me, Woojin?¡± ¡°No.¡± Woojin replied and held up the ss from the table. He knew it had a sedative mixed into it. Yoonil looked at Woojin warningly, but Woojin drank it anyway. As usual, the liquid inside the cup was warm and notpletely clear. Yoonil asked, ¡°Do you want me to give you a sedative injection?¡± ¡°... Yes please.¡± ¡°When would you like me to wake you, Woojin?¡± ¡°In about an hour please.¡± Woojin¡¯s breathing started to slow down. Yoonil asked, ¡°Have you still not been feeling any sexual need?¡± ¡°...¡± Whenever Woojin met with a psychiatrist or a therapist, he felt like he had to act normal. It was because these medical professionals seemed just like him, indifferent and calm to a point of being robotic. If they were considered normal, why couldn¡¯t Woojin be as well? Yoonil asked, ¡°Noment?¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin felt a sudden stab of pain from the scars on his chest. Woojin hesitated before nodding. He felt sleepy now. Woojin saw Yoonil stand up and call for his nurse. Slowly, Woojin felt his eyes closing. Woojin remembered the morning when he saw that boy walking rhythmically. Woojin could smell... fresh blue water from him. His hands... his smiling face... and... ¡®Please open your eyes! Please!¡¯ *** Jihoon was writing his report when he stretched his arm and groaned. He seemed tired as he massaged his shoulders. He turned to Woojin and kicked his chair a few times lightly. Jihoon had several business trips recently and had many reports to finish. He yawned loudly and stood up next to Woojin. Woojin turned to look at him. He was reviewing his own reports, and he had toplete them as soon as possible. Woojin was assigned to go on a business trip to Germany next week. Woojin was going to skip lunch, but Jihoon wouldn¡¯t let him. Jihoon ended up dragging him to the nearby restaurant and ordered both of them bowls of rice porridge. Woojin didn¡¯t feel hungry at all, so he barely ate. Jihoon made sure the leftover was packed and handed it to Woojin. Their fingers touched briefly, but Woojin didn¡¯t seem to even notice. Jihoon smiled bitterly and Woojin noticed it. It was strange because Woojin had never seen that expression on Jihoon before. ¡°Let¡¯s go for coffee. We can go to the rooftop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°When they decide on the workshop date, we will be responsible for preparing for it. We should talk about that anyway, and we can do that while drinking coffee.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my responsibility.¡± Yeonwoo, who was listening to the conversation quietly, turned around and looked at Woojin in shock. Yeonwoopleted the written statements for the workshop and already gave them to Woojin to review. When Woojin finished checking them, they were going to be sent to their team leader for approval. Jihoon asked, ¡°Is it because of your business trip abroad?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just push your trip back two weeks and let¡¯s work on the workshop material together first. The workshop is going to be next month, and the HR department already sent a request to our team. If you can just dy your trip...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my job, so why should I do it? I never agreed to work on it.¡± Yeonwoo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She had never seen Woojin get angry or raise his voice before. But now, Woojin looked different. His jet-ck eyes looked the same but his eyebrows and facial muscles had different shapes now. Jihoon stared for a long time before grinning. ¡°Woojin, did you just get angry?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe I got to witness Woojin Choi getting angry!¡± Woojin quickly rxed his face and looked down. This was a clear sign that he was upset. Woojin could feel the heat rising up to his face and bing a bit breathless. When Woojin covered his face with his hands, Jihoon gently pulled them down to reveal his face. Jihoon leaned forward and joked, ¡°Your cheeks are turning pink. Very pretty.¡± ¡°... Let me go.¡± Jihoon patted Woojin¡¯s hair. He loosened his tie and sat down on Woojin¡¯s desk. He smiled widely and replied, ¡°Alright. Have a nice trip. I will do the work. Or at least try.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You should try this more often. You know, getting angry or smiling. I would like to see that.¡± Jihoon unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons and stretched his arms again with a loud groan. He walked away from Woojin¡¯s chair. When Jihoon left, Woojin stared at his monitor nkly. He felt very tired, but he also felt a bit lighter. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Story 3. Chapter 27.

Shin Kim was printing out the documents relevant to the meeting he had with Seulgi today. Meetings with other marketingpanies could be tedious and stressful. The creators often talked too much, and their presentations were usually of low quality. Team Leader Soojin grabbed her forehead with a grimace and gestured Seulgi and Shin to prepare a request form. It appeared that they were going to be workingte tonight. Shin looked at the photocopier nkly when suddenly, Seulgi asked him, ¡°Did you have a fight with Assistant Manager Woojin?¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time he was asked this question, so it wasn¡¯t that Shin was surprised. The workce was a funny thing. Everyone seemed uninterested in each other, but they constantly gossiped about one another. Shin felt tired, so when he sighed, Seulgi looked up at him. She wasn¡¯t wearing much makeup, and it made her look younger and more innocent. She mentioned, ¡°My neck hurts because I keep having to look up to talk to you. You are very tall.¡± ¡°I will take that as apliment.¡± ¡°I meant you are unnecessarily tall.¡± Seulgi was one of the rare people who seemed to dislike Shin Kim. Everyone usually liked him, both women and men. He was a popr guy. He knew very well that it was mostly because of his good looks, and also his social skills. But Seulgi was a bit different. Ever since Shin had his first lunch with Woojin, he could feel an obvious dislike from her. The only person Seulgi looked at with warmth was Woojin Choi. Shin thought that her distant and cold nature was both her strength and weakness. Shin replied, ¡°You are very nosy and blunt, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I was just stating the facts.¡± ¡°I meant that I didn¡¯t have a fight with Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± Shin and Woojin never acted familiarly with each other in front of other people in the office. All they did was have lunch a few times, but it seemed that their co-workers were very curious about their rtionship. Seulgi frowned as she grabbed the copies and stapled them together. Shin looked at her and pushed his hair back in annoyance. It was getting hot in the copy room. Seulgi said to him, ¡°I have never seen Assistant Manager Woojin let someone spend time with him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I meant it as apliment.¡± ¡°But he lets Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang hang around him too.¡± Whenever Shin saw Jihoon smile at Woojin, he felt his stomach twisting into an ugly knot. Jihoon was good-looking and had great fashion sense. He was rather popr with everyone as well. Shin hated the fact that Jihoon showed so much care towards Woojin. For example, today at lunch. After that night they met at the lobby, Shin asked Woojin several times to have lunch together, but Woojin rejected him every time. ording to Yeonwoo, Woojin was under a lot of stress because of work. But today at lunch, he was walking with his colleagues outside the office when he spotted Woojin and Jihoon at the rice porridge restaurant. Jihoon Kang was smiling at Woojin happily, and it made Shin very angry. He was jealous. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m feeling this way...¡¯ He wasn¡¯t a child anymore, but he still couldn¡¯t help feeling impatient. Seulgi asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that men can be possessive of each other as well, huh?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you brought up Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang just now.¡± ¡°I was just making a point that I¡¯m not getting special treatment from Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± Shin realized that he made a mistake; he suddenly felt very cold. When he looked hurt, Seulgi said to him, ¡°In Assistant Manager Jihoon¡¯s case, it¡¯s more like a one-sided love.¡± ¡°...¡± Sometimes, people¡¯s unconscious choice of words could be surprisingly and unintentionally urate. Shin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed; he didn¡¯t mean to do that, but he couldn¡¯t help it. It was bing a bad habit to show his emotions so easily. Seulgi exined, ¡°It has been like this since they first started working here. Assistant Manager Woojin isn¡¯t a very noticeable or memorable person.¡± ¡°... Really?¡± Shin thought to himself, ¡®Isn¡¯t he actually someone who stands out a lot?¡¯ At least to Shin¡¯s eyes, Woojin was very conspicuous. Perhaps at first it was because of the way Woojin stared at him, but not anymore. Whenever Woojin was nearby, Shin felt strange. The round shape of Woojin¡¯s head... Slim line of his shoulders... Everything about him grabbed Shin¡¯s attention. Woojin was definitely his type. Woojin often wore dark-colored suits. As if it were custom made, the clothes fit him perfectly. Shin knew these were off the rack, yet they still looked like they were made especially for Woojin¡¯s slender body. Seulgi continued, ¡°And Assistant Manager Kang is the opposite. He is very noticeable, so I think the fact that they seemed to be friends surprised everyone...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ever since the beginning, Assistant Manager Kang took care of Assistant Manager Choi. When Assistant Manager Kang moved to the policy department from another team, there was even a rumor that he did it for Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± ¡°That sounds like an obsession.¡± Seulgiughed at his words. She asked, ¡°You know what there is a business trip that requires someone to travel abroad next week, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You should ask our team leader to send you.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± He did see the notice of looking for a volunteer. It appeared that the policy department asked someone from the marketing team to apany them. When Shin¡¯s eyes widened, Seulgi began to walk back to their room and replied, ¡°I have a feeling there will be a lot of female workers in the meetings that will take ce on this trip.¡± ¡°And what does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Just do a good job. Make sure you get us a lot of new clients.¡± Seulgi smiled at him, but she still looked somewhat bitter. Shin was confused. He didn¡¯t know what to make of this. All he could do was grab the rest of the copies and return to his seat. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Chapter 28.

Chapter 28. Jihoon Kang asked Woojin, ¡°Did you buy the ne ticket?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Jihoon looked at him and said quietly, ¡°Apparently Chief Seulgi won¡¯t be able to go after all.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Shin Kim is going instead.¡± Woojin paused from flipping through the reports. Jihoon continued, ¡°Chief Seulgi suddenly has to attend a business conference.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This will be Shin Kim¡¯s first international business trip, so take good care of him, Woojin.¡± Woojin took off his sses and set them gently on the table. He saw his own reflection on the lens. When he sighed, Jihoon stopped typing and asked, ¡°Do you not want to go? Do you want to go to the workshop instead? Do you want me to take your spot and go to Germany instead?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Hmm, that was a fast answer.¡± Jihoon gave him a small smile. Woojin leaned his head back. He had low blood pressure and suffered from frequent headaches. He was about to cover his eyes with his hands when suddenly, he heard the heavy footsteps. Woojin smelled a deep wood scent that was familiar to him. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± A low baritone voice. Woojin opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was his neck. Every time Shin Kim spoke, his Adam¡¯s apple moved gently. The woody scent was Shin¡¯s cologne that he wore on his neck. Woojin stood up slowly and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I was trying to find the relevant reports on this uing business trip, but I can¡¯t find them. When I looked up the details, I found that you were the one who took care of this case in 2014.¡± Shin was wearing a deep navy dress shirt, which suited him very well. Shin Kim always wore ssic traditional suits. Although he had a rather modern look, these suits looked great on him. Shin leaned forward towards Woojin and looked at theputer monitor as he said, ¡°It¡¯s the policy department document number 935, written in 2014.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin could smell the deep wood smell from Shin¡¯s shirt. Shin¡¯s breath tickled his ear. Whenever Woojin was around this man, he felt like the room was running out of air. A slow wave of heat from Shin¡¯s body traveled towards Woojin. The air felt heavy. ¡°Oh, here it is. 2014 Settlement Prediction Report...¡± Shin stood up straight to make notes on his cellphone. Woojin looked up at him and stood up. He said to Shin, ¡°The 2014 reports are located in the second-floor reference room.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t electronic records?¡± ¡°The sales reports are considered private, so we keep them printed out. They aren¡¯t any electronic versions, so you won¡¯t find them online.¡± ¡°Oh, then I will go and find it.¡± ¡°I will find it for you.¡± Shin seemed surprised at Woojin¡¯s offer. Woojin had been rejecting him whenever Shin asked him out for lunchtely. Woojin secretly thought that Shin will never know how Woojin felt whenever he said no to him. Shin walked ahead and as Woojin followed behind him, he could feel some of his co-workers ncing at Shin. Woojin felt a sudden irritation. It felt annoying. He was afraid to get close to anyone yet seeing how others notice Shin made Woojin feel possessive. It was a scary feeling. Woojin suddenly remembered Yoonil¡¯s question at the clinic, ¡°Do you still not feel any sexual need?¡± Something was wrong with this question. Woojin exined to Shin, ¡°We first need to contact the security office to get the key card for the reference room.¡± ¡°I will get it. You go ahead to the second floor first.¡± Shin replied and pressed for the elevator. With the ¡°ting¡± sound, it arrived at the 9th floor. Shin got in first, followed by Woojin. Quickly, Shin pressed both 5 and 2. Shin¡¯s fingers looked slim and neat, but his face looked confused. ¡°...¡± It wasn¡¯t that Woojin didn¡¯t feel the need. It was just that there weren¡¯t many who brought out that need from him. Woojin stared at Shin¡¯s back. It was broad and strong. It felt like his heart was falling along with the elevator, which was moving down. Impulsively, Woojin reached out to touch Shin¡¯s back. But before his hand touched Shin, they arrived at the 5th floor. With the loud ¡°ting¡± sound, the door opened, making Woojin flinch and take a step back. Shin walked out and turned around. ¡°I will get the key card right now. I will see you in a bit on the second floor.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Pressing the close button, Woojin watched Shin disappear. He turned to look at himself in the elevator mirror. He looked strange. Pink cheeks and slightly arched eyebrows. When Woojin touched his face, he felt the heat. Suddenly, the elevator door opened again as it reached the second floor. Woojin walked out calmly and tapped his ID card on the security pad. The reference room had a double-security feature. The heavy ss door made a mechanical noise as it opened. Woojin walked the long hallway and when he turned around the corner, arge storage was waiting for him. ¡°...¡± Woojin gently stomped on the floor. A dull sound echoed throughout the entire area. The second floor was used only for storing reports, so it was rare for anyone toe down to this room. It was always quiet here. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m in a swimming pool.¡± The high school he attended had an indoor swimming pool. During gym sses, they sometimes received swimming lessons. Woojin always thought the bottom of the pool looked strangely blue. Woojin¡¯s high school was famous for its swim team. The team consisted of talented students that were specially scouted, and these swimmers practiced every afternoon. One day, Woojin was leaving the pool after his gym ss. It was thest ss of the day, so the sun was about to set outside. It was also getting a bit chilly, especially because he was still wet from swimming. He wrapped the towel around his head and was drying himself when someone tapped his shoulder. ¡°You dropped this.¡± Woojin turned around to see a boy. Their eyes met and the eyes Woojin saw were so dark that they looked blue. The long slim fingers tapped Woojin¡¯s shoulder a few more times before suddenly grabbing his wrist. In shock at the unexpected sensation, Woojin pulled away coldly. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± When Woojin flinched and looked up, Shin Kim was there, standing while holding the card key. The memory of that boy in the swimming pool briefly ovepped with Shin Kim standing in front of him. This happened every time he went to the clinic. For a few days after the doctor¡¯s visit, Woojin always suffered from slight confusion. He bit his lips in frustration. Shin walked towards him and touched his forehead with his hand. ¡°Hmm... You don¡¯t have a fever or anything...¡± ¡°...¡± Shin walked ahead and tapped the key card on the second security pad. The heavy door opened loudly. Shin said to Woojin, ¡°I called your name a few times, but you didn¡¯t answer. I got worried there for a second.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t stand like that, looking so nk.¡± Shin smiled a little as he pushed the metal door open. He walked inside and Woojin followed. The reference room was filled with the smell of old papers. Behind them, the metal door closed by itself with a heavy click. ¡°2014a...¡± Woojin walked between the tall metal bookcases as he checked the dates. The binders wererge and heavy. Shin followed him from behind. Woojin finally announced, ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± He reached up to grab the heavy binder but Shin quickly offered. ¡°I can do that for you.¡± Shin easily picked up the binder as Woojin stared. Suddenly, Woojin asked, ¡°Did you stop swimming altogether?¡± Shin dropped the binder on the floor. Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Chapter 29.

Chapter 29. ¡°When did I ever tell you that I used to swim?¡± Woojin breathed heavily as he remembered. Even in high school, Woojin often nked out as if he was dreaming. And every time when he became unresponsive, there was one boy who would wake him up with his voice. A low baritone voice used to knock on Woojin¡¯s sleeping heart. The way the boy held Woojin¡¯s wrist was so strongly that it made him feel breathless. A teasing smile, taller than most, clean white canvas shoes, a well-fitted school uniform, and a neat school nametag... The boy had a rather modern face and Woojin remembered it very well. Shin Kim. The first time Woojin saw Shin Kim was when he was 18 years old, about to turn 19. Until this time, Woojin firmly surrounded himself with a brick wall. He secretly thought that perhaps he would never turn 20. This made him feel indifferent. He didn¡¯t feel upset and angry; Woojin just felt like his life was too dull. The word ¡°happy¡± sounded bitter on Woojin¡¯s lips. *** ¡°Good morning!¡± The boys bowed as they saw their teachers standing at the school entrance. Woojin attended a famous private high school in Seoul. It was one of the few left that was still an only-boys school. The top 20% of the students and those with athletic schrships were allowed to live in the school dormitory while the rest of the boys attended from their own homes. The teacher ordered, ¡°The swim team can go to the pool for morning practice. The rest of you can work on your lessons by yourselves.¡± The dorm consisted of the top academic students, so it was always very quiet. There were odd times when Woojin encountered the athletic schrship students, but it was rare. Those students tended to stay among themselves. There was a clear divide between academics and athletes. Woojin¡¯s parents were firm about him staying in the dormitory, which meant that he had to make sure to keep up his grades. His parents acted awkwardly around him, so Woojin didn¡¯t go home even during the weekends. He remained in the dorm. To be honest, this was how he liked it as well. He felt morefortable at school than in his own home. He resembled his parents in that way. For two years straight, Woojin encountered the swim team every weekend. The swimmers had to train all year round for their nationalpetition. Although they rarely met inside the dorm they shared, because Woojin practiced swimming during weekends, they ended up seeing each other during the weekends in the pool. Time went by fast and soon enough, Woojin was in hisst year of high school. It was the first day of school and there was a ceremony that weed the students back from vacation. Woojin didn¡¯t like the cold weather and because he had low blood pressure, and he often found it hard to wake up in the morning. With an unhappy frown, he got out of his room with a scarf and a heavy coat. The other boys passed by him in simr outfits. ¡°The representative of the new first-year students, Shin Kim, pleasee up to the stage.¡± It was the first time ever for a student with an athletic schrship to be the student representative. The teachers whispered among themselves excitedly, which made Woojin look up at the stage. The thick scarf covered Woojin¡¯s nose and mouth, but white breath still escaped from it and fogged his sses. As he watched, Woojin saw a tall boy walking on to the stage. His uniform looked almost too short and small for this guy. Woojin¡¯s eyes moved up from his shoes, legs, back, and finally to his face. ¡°Ahh...¡± Woojin eximed quietly for the first time in his life. Like magic, the boy¡¯s eyes lowered to the audience and suddenly, their eyes met. Woojin couldn¡¯t breathe because the boy had such mesmerizing stare. ¡°...¡± Woojin couldn¡¯t see clearly because his sses fogged up even more, but he could tell that the boy smiled at him. It was perhaps Woojin looked absurd with his thick scarf, gaping mouth, and foggy sses. The boy read the standard weing speech and came down from the stage. He walked by Woojin, and Woojin felt like his heart skipped a beat. He touched his left chest to make sure he was ok. He felt breathless. When their eyes met, Woojin felt like his heart was falling to the ground. It was rare for Woojin to meet someone¡¯s eyes because he usually kept his face bowed. Thankfully, none of his ssmates tried too hard to talk to him. His teachers barely remembered his name. ¡°Woojin, aren¡¯t you going back to the ssroom?¡± His teacher spoke to him from nearby and Woojin flinched. He turned around to find everyone returning to school, so he began to run towards the building as well. His heart was beating too fast and he could barely breathe. ¡°...¡± Woojin couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him. His strong face and the fierce color of his aura. Woojin felt like there were fireworks going off in his heart. From then on, Woojin saw Shin Kim often on the stage. Ever time he saw Shin, it seemed that Shin was getting taller. Shin would run up the stage and bow so he could receive the medal around his neck. Shin smiled often, and when he did, his eyebrows formed perfectly round arches and made him look like a little boy. Every time Woojin saw his smile, it made him feel odd. In the school hallways, Woojin could recognize Shin just by looking at the back of his head. Sometimes, Woojin looked outside the window during lunch time to see the swim team in the field to train. It was too easy for Woojin to spot Shin Kim immediately even from afar and among simrly dressed boys. To Woojin, Shin Kim was like a clear color. Woojin knew it wasn¡¯t a dream, but Shin always seemed like a mirage to him. Before Woojin graduated high school, he had to move to Germany with his mother. As he got onto the ne, Woojin had already begun to slowly forget Shin Kim. It was a conscious effort to do this because Woojin knew that if he continued to remember Shin, he would not make it. Especially the memory of their encounter at the swimming pool that evening... The first word Shin said to him. ¡°Hello.¡± And when Woojin saw Shin again at work, Woojin felt like his world had stopped. Shin appeared in front of him with an even lower voice. A fully grown man now. 10 years ago, Shin¡¯s hand touched Woojin¡¯s wrist. Just once. After Shin handed him his nametag that fell on the ground, Woojin returned to his dorm room. He ced the nametag on his desk and stared at it for a long time. It looked very different for some reason after Shin touched it. The sun was setting and for the first time that night, Woojin learned that there were many colors in a sunset. Orange, violet, and navy. And despite Woojin¡¯s skepticism, he did turn 20 years old the next year. Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Chapter 30.

Chapter 30. Shin¡¯s face when he was a boy ovepped with his current face. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Assistant Manager, are you ok?¡± Shin Kim held Woojin¡¯s wrist. When Woojin seemed unable to say the words, Shin looked down at him and his wrist worriedly. Woojin¡¯s thin wrist was wrapped with a well-worn leather watch. When Woojin tried to pull back, Shin held his wrist tighter and pulled him in closer to his own chest. Woojin felt a little dizzy and it must¡¯ve showed on his face. When Woojin looked up at him, Shin was staring at him with a cold face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Woojin twisted his arm to pull his wrist back. He announced, ¡°Let¡¯s get that report quickly.¡± He looked away from Shin¡¯s piercing eyes. Woojin no longer wanted Shin to cross the line and enter his world. He suddenly remembered the voice yelling at him. ¡°It¡¯s your fault that he died.¡± Woojin bit his lips as the memories came rushing back. ¡°You need to die too!¡± He never wanted to kill anyone, nor did he ever want to save anyone. Woojin didn¡¯t want anything. Days passed by meaninglessly. Just watching Shin Kim and his colorful aura from time to time was the only pleasure he had. This feeling... Liking something or someone was so new to Woojin. He thought that perhaps he was being punished for it. Because the dark night came for him. ¡°Urgg...¡± Woojin suddenly felt his heart freeze. He began to pant. This was strange. The symptoms that disappeared after he began working wereing back. Woojin couldn¡¯t breathe at all. When he copsed to the floor in pain, Shin held his shoulders in panic. ¡°Assistant Manager!¡± Woojin was hyperventting. When he became pale, Shin screamed, ¡°Woojin Choi! Please breathe! Please!¡± Woojin¡¯s memories slowly disappeared. Shin Kim. I tried saying your name in secret a very long time ago. Shin. Kim. *** The doctor announced, ¡°His breathing is normal now. His pulse too.¡± ¡°... Thank you.¡± Shin sighed in relief and turned to Jihoon Kang who was chewing his lips anxiously. When Shin ran up to the first floor with Woojin in his arms, Jihoon followed him hurriedly. Jihoon seemed used to what was happening to Woojin. While they waited for the ambnce in the lobby, Jihoon covered Woojin¡¯s mouth and nose tightly. It was a crazy scene in the lobby. Thankfully with the emergency crew¡¯s CPR, Woojin began to breathe again. As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Jihoon went out to make a call. Shin looked down at Woojin who was very pale as heid on the bed with an IV attached to his arm. Shin sighed anxiously. Woojin still looked too pale. The doctor asked Woojin, ¡°Do you often have panic attacks?¡± ¡°No, not really... Not recently...¡± ¡°It first happened about 7 years ago. At the time, he had very simr symptoms.¡± Woojin was shaking his head to the doctor when Jihoon quickly came and answered for Woojin. When Shin looked down at Jihoon, Jihoon turned away ufortably. He asked Shin, ¡°Mr. Shin Kim, I think you need to leave this room while we talk.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Shin felt dizzy as he watched Jihoon talking to Woojin¡¯s doctor so familiarly. Shin took Woojin¡¯s hand into his own and shook his head. He couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. He was so confused. Shin replied, ¡°Why should I...¡± ¡°Fine. Doctor, shall we go outside so we can talk a bit in private?¡± In the end, Jihoon took the doctor out to the hallway. Shin couldn¡¯t care less, especially as he looked down at Woojin on the bed. He began to feel nervous, wondering if Woojin was breathing ok. Shin couldn¡¯t hear him breathing. Drip, drip. The IV drip entered Woojin¡¯s body slowly. This was the second time in his life Shin saw someone copse in front of him. Shin whispered, ¡°Why... are you doing this to me...¡± Just in case, just to make sure, Shin got closer to check Woojin¡¯s breathing. His ear touched Woojin¡¯s nose and thankfully, Shin could hear very faint breathing. Woojin¡¯s shallow breath wasn¡¯t too cold or too hot. Then suddenly, Shin noticed Woojin¡¯s wrist. Such a thin wrist... ¡°...¡± To ce an IV, the nurses had to take Woojin¡¯s watch off. Shin was holding onto it tightly in his hands. Shin looked down at Woojin¡¯s wrist. And the unmistakable scars on it. Two lines. It was obvious that something sharp caused these scars. These were... intentional wounds. Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Chapter 31.

Chapter 31. ¡°Mr. Eejun, did you bring warm winter clothes?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s only September... Do you think it will be cold?¡± ¡°Germany can be a chilly ce, especially in the mornings and nights...¡± ¡°Oh, Mr. Shin Kim, have you been to Germany before?¡± ¡°Oh... yes, for training...¡± Eejun Bae from the sales department was going on the business trip to Germany as well. Shin and Eejun were chatting at the airport. Getting checked in took a long time as Shin feared despite it being an international flight. This trip also only included rather low-ranking employees. No CEOs or team leaders. Eejun Bae from the sales department had been working about a year longer than Shin. As expected of a salesperson, Eejun Bae was an extremely social and chatty man. He was of an average height, but he wore bold shirts, like the warm grey knitted shirt on top of the checkered id t-shirt. He seemed very confident. The first moment they met, Eejun introduced himself as a graduate from a university in Ennd. He exined that he often went on business trips to Europe. Shin and Eejun chatted online the night before to talk about the trip schedule. Eejun suggested that they meet 2 hours earlier so they could meet in person and get to know each other. He texted Shin¨C -It¡¯s ok to go to the airport separately, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to meet earlier? I mean, we don¡¯t even know what the other person looks like. When they met, Eejun greeted Shin with a kind smile. He asked Shin, ¡°Training? Did you y sports?¡± ¡°Yes, just until high school.¡± ¡°Oh, now that I think about it, I heard the female workers talking about your body... Haha.¡± Eejun grinned at him and continued, ¡°I hear you are very popr, Mr. Shin Kim.¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± ¡°You know, the four beautiful men of ourpany.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You look shocked. You didn¡¯t know? There are four. It used to be three, but when you got hired, you became the fourth, Mr. Shin Kim.¡± Shin looked at him as if he was being ridiculous. Eejun handed Shin the ticket and continued, ¡°Do you know Assistant Manager Hyunwoo Go from the ad team? He is nicknamed the ¡®traditional beauty.¡¯¡± ¡°No, I work on the 9th floor, so...¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. You work on the 9th floor marketing division, right? That floor has two beautiful men, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang and yourself, Mr. Shin Kim.¡± Shin remained silent as he continued to drink his coffee. ¡°Traditional beauty?¡± The four beautiful men of thepany? People can be so absurd and silly in their own workce. Shin felt embarrassed so he frowned, which made Eejun smile again. ¡°You are acting so ufortable abut this, Mr. Shin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know, like in university? Didn¡¯t your school have the list of top four beauties? I mean, why should there be a list for girls?¡± ¡°Oh, ok...¡± ¡°Oh, look over there. The queen ising.¡± Eejun waved pleasantly. When Shin turned around, wondering who the ¡°queen¡± was, he saw that it was Woojin Choi walking towards them. In a dark cobalt blue turtleneck, Woojin looked at Eejun. He was wearing a casual outfit, but somehow, there was an obvious tension about Woojin. When Shin saw his face, Shin himself became tense. Woojin looked too pale, especially against the blue sweater. Eejun exined, ¡°You know, he is the one and only ¡®queen¡¯ of our office.¡± Smiling at Woojin, Eejun continued, ¡°He can¡¯t be well enough to be going on a business trip. In a way, he is amazing, our queen.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he is being stubborn, or if he just doesn¡¯t care.¡± Shin thought about the nickname, ¡®Hmm... the queen...¡¯ It actually was an amazingly well-suited nickname. Snow-white canvas sneakers and ck cks looked good on him. Had it already been a week? Just watching Woojining closer made Shin feel rigid. ¡°Hello, Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°Hello. How are you?¡± Woojin bowed lightly and looked at both Shin and Eejun. Thankfully, Woojin looked like he gained a little weight. Since that day he copsed, he hadn¡¯t beening to work. Shin was told he took a medical leave. It had been exactly 7 days since Shin saw Woojin on the emergency bed. Going on an abroad business trip only after a week of being in the emergency room... Shin expected everyone to stop Woojin from doing this, but Chief Hyunsoo Lee apparently didn¡¯t object to it. It was very strange. Shin asked carefully, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be going, Assistant Manager. Are you feeling ok?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. Nothing you need to worry about.¡± Shin tried to catch Woojin¡¯s eyes, but Woojin kept his head down. He continued, ¡°I will go get my ticket separately. I know there is a quick 2-houryover in Amsterdam, but we don¡¯t have to try to meet there. We will just see each other in Hamburg.¡± ¡°Oh, ok.¡± ¡°See youter.¡± And with that, Woojin walked away. Their conversation was so cold. After Woojin left, Eejunughed. Shin asked in confusion, ¡°What was Assistant Manager Woojin talking about? Getting the ticket separately?¡± Eejun replied, ¡°He is probably getting first ss. He is a VIP.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Assistant Manager Choi is the grandson of our CEO.¡± Shin froze on the spot. ¡°... What did you say?¡± ¡°He is the future CEO of ourpany since he is the only son of the CEO¡¯s deceased son.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t know since you haven¡¯t worked in thispany for long. I did hear that on the 9th floor, people make a point of not talking about it.¡± Eejun stood up and suggested they go now. Shin followed but kept looking back. The man who seemed so fragile. A man with such a faint presence... The man Shin kept checking to make sure he was breathing in the emergency room. When they were still in the emergency room the next morning, Jihoon Kang came to Shin and told him, ¡°I got a call from the office. You need to go to work as usual today, Mr. Kim.¡± Jihoon looked very unhappy. Shin had no choice but to go to work, but he noticed that neither Jihoon Kang nor Woojin Choi were there even the next day. All Shin heard was that Woojin took a sick leave. He apparently moved to a different hospital and no one knew where he was. People made a point of not talking about what happened to Woojin. Shin did think it was strange at the time, and now, it made sense. Shin Kim suddenly felt cold. Eejun Bae called loudly, ¡°Shin Kim, hurry up!¡± Shin finally looked up. He covered his face with his hands, feeling like all his emotions were scattered on the floor. Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Chapter 32.

Chapter 32. Woojin¡¯s mother asked him on the phone, ¡°Woojin, are you eating well? Did you eat today?¡± ¡°You asked me that a minute ago.¡± ¡°I ask because every time I see you, you look thinner. Dr. Yoon is worried about your weight as well.¡± ¡°Are you doing well, Mother?¡± ¡°No.¡± Woojin remained quiet. He was sitting in the VIP lounge talking to his mother on the phone. He looked outside and watched the nes. He wondered if he was so emotionless because he resembled his mother. He always thought this was a strong possibility because his mother was indifferent about any kind of rtionship. Well, she did have one rtionship she was obsessed about and it was with Woojin¡¯s father, her husband. She was much younger than him and she was deeply in love with him. Her joy in life was her love for her husband. Woojin may have been her son, but she saw him only as a vague extension of her husband. Woojin¡¯s mother didn¡¯t know how to be a mother. She was an easily scared woman. After his father¡¯s death, she never returned to Korea. ¡°It will be the first time we meet in three years, Woojin. I still don¡¯t like the fact that you live in Korea.¡± Woojin listened to her with a nk face. He massaged his temples with his fingers and nodded as he replied, ¡°I think I don¡¯t like living here either.¡± ¡°Then you shoulde back to Germany.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you think that it is safe for you to live in Korea?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t get close to anyone, especially for non-business purposes. You need to always keep your distance from everyone.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Germany was always cloudy. Sunny days were rare. Woojin graduated from a university located near the city of Dusseldorf. When he lived in Germany, his day consisted of taking naps and reading books while drinking coffee. It was not a bad thing to live apart from his mother, but the treatment he received could be very agonizing. Woojin never enjoyed any social interactions, but on some days after treatments, he craved some warmth from another person. Some days were so bad... Suddenly, Shin¡¯s face crossed his mind. Woojin said to his mother on the phone, ¡°I am about to get on the ne.¡± ¡°Did you remember to bring your medication?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Woojin suspected Dr. Yoonil probably gave his mother the recording of theirst session. He felt a bit thirsty. Woojin took a sip of the cold coffee that was sitting on the table in front of him. ¡°Make sure you get here safely, Woojin.¡± Safely. Safely. It was the word Woojin¡¯s father said the most to him. Whenever Woojin saw Shin, the word ¡°safety¡± seemed to disappear from his mind. This made Woojin feel frightened. He knew that during thest month, he had not been staying safe as he should¡¯ve. ¡°Alright.¡± The reason why he looked away from Shin today was because Woojin felt blinded by him. His heart refused to stay safe whenever he saw Shin. After hanging up, Shin grabbed a small square case from his briefcase. He took out two blue pills and swallowed it with the cold coffee. This was going to allow him to sleep for 14 hours straight. He hated flying. *** ¡°Is the PPT ready?¡± ¡°It will be done in about 10 minutes, I think.¡± ¡°The presentation will be in an hour, so please hurry up.¡± Woojin asked politely and finished his cup of coffee. This was the second day in a row of working through the night. The three men didn¡¯t get to see the city of Hamburg at all since they arrived. They went to their hotel immediately afternding and had been working to get ready for the uing meeting. Eejun was responsible for the presentation, Woojin the dataption, and Shin the report. In an hour, their meeting with the next client was going to start. They took turns taking short 1-hour naps early in the morning and took hot showers. It wasn¡¯t a good quality hotel, so the water pressure was terrible. The three men, in their suits, typed like mad men in the hotel room. Eejun said to Shin, ¡°Mr. Shin Kim, this is so much work, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s your first international business trip, and all you get to do is work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just me working here. All of us are doing it, so please don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Woojin nced at Shin who didn¡¯t look tired at all. Shin had such great stamina. But for some reason, Shin looked a bit sharper. After they reunited at the Hamburg airport, Shin never once looked at Woojin. At his sudden change in attitude, Woojin felt hurt. Woojin was afraid that he may have to give up soon. He put on his sses again. He needed to check the data once more. Eejun said to Shin, ¡°Mr. Kim, please take this down to the lobby to get it printed.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°As soon as it gets printed, please read the contents and cross check them.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Shin took the USB from Eejun and left the room. Eejun watched the door close for a while before returning to hisptop. He said to Woojin, ¡°This is too much. Three meetings in one day is unreasonable, Assistant Manager.¡± ¡°It was your own team leader who requested this schedule.¡± ¡°My boss is the worst.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of our poor recent quarter.¡± ¡°And Assistant Manager Woojin is so blunt.¡± Eejun turned to Woojin. They went on European business trips often together. Woojin Choi was known for his quality of work and Eejun was an excellent salesman with good English due to his education in Ennd. They were a good pair. Eejun asked, ¡°Why did you speak in English during yesterday¡¯s meeting, Assistant Manager Woojin?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You speak excellent German, right?¡± ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s good manners to not speak anguage when it is not called for.¡± ¡°By the way, how¡¯s your health? Are you feeling ok?¡± Woojin looked up to find Eejun smiling sweetly at him. Eejun continued easily, ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird that we are talking so formally?¡± ¡°You started it, Mr. Bae.¡± ¡°Of course, my queen.¡± Eejun bowed sarcastically and thenughed. He stretched his arms loudly and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t your puppy follow you this time?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I mean Jihoon Kang, obviously. Where is he?¡± Eejun was the son of Woojin¡¯s grandfather¡¯swyer and best friend. Eejun Bae and Woojin knew each other well since their childhood. Woojin frowned at Eejun¡¯s question. Eejun asked, ¡°Are you angry? Did I upset you just now?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well, I guess recently, Shin Kim reced Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°... There is nothing between him and me.¡± ¡°My grandfather told me that our CEO is very worried about you...¡± ¡°Just shut up!¡± Woojin stood up, grabbed the documents in front of him, and threw it everywhere angrily. Eejun shrugged his shoulders as he looked up at Woojin. He said quietly, ¡°I think I haven¡¯t seen you get angry like this in 20 years... right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Calm down. Oh, and...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I told Shin Kim the truth about you. That you own thispany.¡± ¡°...!¡± Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Chapter 33.

Chapter 33. Eejunmented, ¡°You seem surprised.¡± Woojin stood up and grabbed his chest. He felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe again. Eejun slid the cup of coffee on the table towards Woojin and smiled slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not on anyone¡¯s side. Not yet anyway. And aunty, your mother, most likely won¡¯t go to Korea, so...¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin panted while Eejun continued, ¡°And I have known you for a very long time... We grew up together since we were kids.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, you and Shin Kim went to the same high sch...¡± CRASH! A ss mug cup shattered against the wall next to where Eejun was sitting. Against the white wall, ck coffee dripped down like blood. Woojin¡¯s heart began to beat so fast that it was going to split into two pieces. His shaking hand grabbed his chest. He needed warmth. Woojin needed to feel it to know that he was still alive. Eejun said, ¡°Wow, Woojin Choi. It must¡¯ve been so hard for you to hide your temper this long.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have to go now. Clean up ande down when you are ready.¡± Woojin was still shaking even after Eejun left the hotel room. As he heard Eejun¡¯s footsteps disappearing in the hallway, Woojin hid his face with his hands and rolled up into a fetal position on the floor. Only very few people knew about the truth. The fact that he was the grandson of the current CEO... And one of these few people was Eejun Bae, who started workingst year. Eejun used to work in Ennd but returned to Korea all of a sudden. Most likely it was the CEO¡¯s doing. Eejun contacted Woojin from time to time, even during their university years, and Woojin knew it was per his grandfather¡¯s order. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin?¡± Woojin had no idea how many minutes had passed. He looked up to find Shin Kim looking down at him with a worried face. Shin ced his hand on Woojin¡¯s shoulder gently and asked, ¡°What happened here? The room... And where is Mr. Eejun Bae? Where did he go?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A-are you sick?¡± Woojin felt so cold. He needed warmth. Hastily, Woojin grabbed Shin¡¯s hand and ced it over his mouth. When Woojin continued to wheeze, Shin lowered himself to Woojin¡¯s eye level. But when Shin didn¡¯t get closer, Woojin¡¯s heart ached. Woojin tried to pull him closer, but Shin resisted. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How did you know that I used to be a swimmer?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And what illness are you suffering from?¡± Thest question was asked in a low but trembling voice. Woojin liked how Shin always looked straight in his eyes. No deceit or cunningness. Both little Shin and this grownup Shin had honest and direct eyes. Unlike him who was hiding so much from the world, Shin clearly had an innocent and clean heart. Woojin remembered his face very well. Tears rolled down from his eyes and onto Shin¡¯s hand. For the longest time... So desperately and secretly... Woojin had been in love with Shin. *** The meeting went very well. Woojin and Eejun were a good team. Woojin was calm and tactful, knowing and anticipating Eejun¡¯s need, whether it was a certain document or dataset. Eejun, on his part, was a witty and charming presenter. Eejun was known for his social skills, which was the opposite of Woojin. After the three meetings in a row in the morning, the three men skipped lunch and went to their next one. Introduction of theirpany and business and important data for their content. Shin used to think he had decent English skills, but he found it very hard to understand a lot of the conversation during the meeting. Everyone talked very fast, and Eejun carried on charismatically with pleasant jokes. Thest meeting finally ended well after dinner time. Eejun asked the two men with a frown, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys hungry?¡± Woojin and Shin were still working on their reports. Their business shirts were crumpled, and their jackets were hanging on the chairs carelessly. They returned to their hotel room immediately after thest meeting. At the time both Eejun and Shin sighed tiredly, but when they arrived, Shin quickly began to help Woojin get their reports organized. But Eejun finally had it. He covered Shin¡¯sptop screen with his hand to get their attention. Eejunined loudly, ¡°We came all the way to Germany! Do you think it makes sense that we haven¡¯t even had a sip of local beer?!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t had even a bite of their sausage!¡± Ignoring Eejun, Woojin held up his reports to look them over. Eejun grumbled and Shin quickly nced at Woojin. They had been working together for the past 3 days, and although Woojin and Eejun didn¡¯t talk much to each other, Shin could tell that they were close. It seemed like they knew each other well, but not like Jihoon Kang did with Woojin. Woojin especially often frowned or looked annoyed whenever he saw Eejun talk to him. These were expressions Shin had never seen on Woojin¡¯s face. Shin¡¯s suspicions were confirmed when out of the blue, Eejun began to talk casually to Woojin during their breaks. ¡°Hey, Woojin! Are you listening to me, man?¡± Woojin took off his sses and turned to Eejun Bae who looked back defiantly. Woojin sighed deeply and walked up to pull back the curtains. It was a cold night in Germany. The window looked a bit wet. Was it raining? Shin quietly stared at Woojin¡¯s back. Woojin finally announced, ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the lobby at 7 PM.¡± Eejun hoorayed and closed hisptop. ¡°I will see you guys in a bit!¡± After Eejun left, Shin saw Woojin massaging his temples. Since they arrived in Germany, Shin saw a different and unfamiliar side of Woojin. He had to face Woojin, who pushed him away. The still-uncertain emotions were turning even more fragile. Shin couldn¡¯t imagine what he had to do now. What was the next step? What should he do? He was starting to think that his interest and care for Woojin alone may not be enough. Liking Woojin... that might not be enough. Woojin said to him, ¡°You may go now, Mr. Kim.¡± ¡°Oh, alright. I, I will see youter.¡± Shin¡¯s voice trembled slightly. Before leaving, he nced at Woojin¡¯s wrist again. After the door closed behind him, Shin sighed deeply in the hallway. So many things happened too quickly. His head was filled with confusion. Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Chapter 34.

Chapter 34. Eejun Bae whined loudly, ¡°Gosh, finally! Do you realize that this is the first time we are eating a proper meal in three days? We have barely touched our food budget for this trip! Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s crazy?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This is why I hate going on business trips with Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± Woojin was quietly eating french fries dipped in mayonnaise. Eejun smiled at him. Shin Kim took a sip of his beer and looked around the pub. It was a pub-restaurant located near their Hamburg hotel. The restaurant seemed a bit dark and empty. In Germany, most stores closed by 10 PM, so they were worried they might not get much time to eat. However, when asked, a blonde woman at the bar replied coldly that they closed at 11 PM. Eejun continued to grumble, ¡°I am so sick of eating sandwich bread and cold coffee!¡± Woojin replied, ¡°Just eat your food.¡± Woojin ate quietly as he looked around the bar as well. He showered recently; his hair was still a little wet. It looked very light. With his vani colored sweater, Woojin looked like a college student. His eyes looked puffy all day, but they now seemed a little better. Eejun turned to Shin and asked, ¡°Did you know that Woojin Choi graduated from a university in Germany?¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin seemed indifferent as he drank his wine. This was already his second cup and Shin was getting a bit worried about him. Shin replied, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t know. Woojin and I have been friends since childhood.¡± ¡°...¡± Suddenly, Woojin stated as he cut into his steak, ¡°We aren¡¯t friends.¡± Eejun asked, ¡°What? Then what are we? Brothers?¡± ¡°Just acquaintances from the same neighborhood.¡± Shin wondered if Woojin was a bit intoxicated. He still had a calm nk face, but Woojin seemed a little less tense. Eejun¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Did you hear that. Mr. Shin? He said we are acquaintances from the same neighborhood! Hahaha!¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin mumbled, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Shin studied him and he was now sure that Woojin was a bit drunk. It made sense; Woojin was so thin and lost even more weight during thesest 3 days. And when Woojin ordered wine, Shin heard clearly Eejun mumbling, ¡°You are going to get drunk so fast, Woojin.¡± Eejun ate a piece of his sd and whispered to Shin, ¡°Woojin has always tolerated hard liquor well, but he is very weak against wine. He has been like this ever since we were young.¡± Woojin protested, ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you know me.¡± Eejun grinned, ¡°Look at you acting all grumbly and stubborn.¡± Woojin was looking at Eejun with a pouty annoyed face. Shin had never seen Woojin looking this way, so he stared in amazement. Light brown eyebrow, pink lips, and slim fingers that held the wine ss. Shin couldn¡¯t help staring at Woojin. There was just something about him. Woojin mumbled, ¡°Excuse me.¡± He wiped his lips with the napkin and left to go to the washroom. When Shin followed him with his eyes, Eejun smiled oddly and said to him, ¡°He is so drunk. He is insisting he isn¡¯t, but he totally is.¡± ¡°You guys must be very close.¡± ¡°I think so, but Woojin doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We pretend we don¡¯t even know each other when we are at work.¡± Eejun was smiling, but oddly, his eyes looked said. Shin watched him silently and Eejun took a sip of his beer. ¡°I wanted to tease him a little.¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Choi?¡± ¡°No, you, Mr. Shin.¡± Eejun smiled and continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t seem surprised when I told you Woojin¡¯s family owns thepany.¡± ¡°... I was surprised.¡± ¡°Then I guess you are very good at hiding your emotions? You don¡¯t usually show your feelings?¡± ¡°I¡¯m theplete opposite. My emotions usually show very clearly on my face.¡± Shin replied calmly and drank his golden ale. The bubbles seemed like they reached and knocked on his heart. Eejun asked, ¡°Hmmm... Then you were surprised but you pretended not to be for Woojin¡¯s sake? Because you were afraid he might worry about it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Woojin Choi is astonishing.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°For some reason, he grabs people¡¯s attention. He is the type that makes people worry about him. He... makes people wonder about him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why... I feel bad for him sometimes. His life... must be unhappy.¡± ¡°That might be because...¡± Shin stared at his empty ss and continued, ¡°You like Assistant Manager Woojin Choi, Mr. Eejun Bae.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t think Assistant Manager Woojin is a very noticeable type.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The problem is that he is noticeable to ME.¡± Eejun¡¯s eyes widened just slightly. Thankfully, Eejun didn¡¯t get a chance toment because Woojin wasing back to their table. *** ¡°Gosh, you are so heavy! You are killing me! Assistant Manager Woojin Choi! Wake up! Come on!¡± ¡°... Scheisse...(In English: sh*t)¡± ¡°You need to watch yournguage, Woojin.¡± Eejun yelled in annoyance as Woojin grabbed his shoulder. By the end of the dinner, Woojin ended up drinking a whole bottle of wine. Shin couldn¡¯t understand why, but as soon as Woojin returned to the table, Eejun offered him a fresh ss of wine. He kept getting Woojin to drink as if he was angry at something. When they were ready to leave, Woojin was out. It didn¡¯t seem like Woojin would be able to wake up, so Eejun and Shin helped him to the hotel. That was a few minutes ago. They were able to get him into the elevator, but Woojin kept slipping onto the floor. They finally arrived in front of his hotel room door. While Shin held him up, Eejun searched Woojin¡¯s pockets for his room key card. When the only card he could find was his credit card, Eejun frowned and eximed, ¡°What the hell! This is hispany credit card. Where is his room card?¡± ¡°Maybe he left it at the reception?¡± ¡°I already checked it before we took the elevator and they don¡¯t have it. Dammit! Stupid Woojin.¡± Eejun continued to swear as he searched Woojin once more. Unfortunately, there was nothing. Eejun said to Shin, ¡°What should we do? Should I have him sleep in my room? But I only have a single bed.¡± ¡°We should go down to the lobby and check with the reception again.¡± ¡°I told you, they don¡¯t have it! Woojin probably hid it somewhere! Gosh, he is such a sneaky bastard.¡± Eejun searched all of Woojin¡¯s pockets. Meanwhile, Shin pulled Woojin up because he kept slipping. Just then, Woojin ced both his arms around Shin¡¯s neck. Shin could smell the sweet wine on Woojin¡¯s lips; it made his back stiffen. Eejun announced, ¡°He doesn¡¯t have it. He hid it somewhere.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Didn¡¯t you get a roway bed yesterday? Because we were pulling an all-nighter in your roomst night?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well, then there is our solution. Take him to your room and let him sleep there. Man, he looks so thin but he is still too heavy... Gosh!¡± Eejun dumped Woojin on Shin. ¡°Good luck. Please take care of him. When is our checkout time tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 11 AM.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine with him. Sorry about this. I feel like I¡¯m dumping a burden on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Eejun went into his room. Woojin was about to slip again, so Shin pulled him up closer to him. Woojin was definitely not light. Awkwardly, Shin took out his room card from his jacket pocket and opened the door to his room. As he walked into the dark room, he could feel the weing warmth. Shin sighed heavily as he closed the door. Just then, he could hear Woojin¡¯s voice. ¡°Shin Kim...¡± When Shin didn¡¯t reply, Woojin called him again, ¡°... Shin Kim.¡± It felt like a dream to him. They were still in the dark and Shin looked down at Woojin. Woojin¡¯s face was buried against Shin¡¯s shoulder, so he couldn¡¯t tell what kind of face Woojin had. ¡°... Shin...¡± Woojin¡¯s hot breath burned Shin¡¯s heart. Then... Shin heard Woojin say the words. ¡°Let¡¯s date just for a month.¡± Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Chapter 35.

Chapter 35. Jihoon Kang was walking by the marketing team¡¯s office. When he spotted Shin Kim, he asked, ¡°Mr. Shin, you just came back from an abroad business trip, right? Don¡¯t you have any gifts for me?¡± ¡°Pressuring a co-worker for gifts can be reported to the HR department as harassment.¡± Shin replied calmly without even turning around. Because he was so tall, he stood out in any room even when he was sitting down. Shin was wearing a navy wool turtleneck inside his suit jacket rather than his usual business shirt. The simple outfit suited him very well. Jihoon studied Shin a few seconds before replying, ¡°What the heck. You look disgustingly good.¡± ¡°... That¡¯s apliment, right?¡± Without replying, Jihoon walked away to his own office. Shin looked at him in confusion before returning to his work. He had toplete his report on the recent business trip. There were much fewer reports to do than he expected. It was most likely because they didn¡¯t spend much of the budget at all. They were so busy with work that all they spent their business allowance on was for the hotel, travel, and food. ¡°That was such a tightly-scheduled trip. So tiring.¡± Shin continued to record the receipts from the recent trip when suddenly, he received a message. Shin clicked it and learned that it was from Woojin Choi. -Do you want to have lunch together? ¡°...¡± ¡®Hmmm... So he does know how to ask me out.¡¯ Realizing he was grinning like an idiot, Shin coughed to erase his face of any emotions. He stared at the message for a long time. It had only been one day since they returned from the trip. They didn¡¯t even get a day off. Korea was certainly warmer than Germany, but the weather was still chilly. Tomorrow was thankfully the weekend. Outside, Shin could see the yellow and red leaves falling and dancing in the wind. Suddenly, he remembered Woojin¡¯s words in his hotel room. ¡°Let¡¯s date just for a month.¡± Woojin¡¯s eyes were wet when he whispered these words. Perhaps Woojin was worried Shin didn¡¯t hear him. Woojin¡¯s hands were trembling lightly. Shin could smell the sweetness of the wine on his breath. Just a moment ago, Woojin looked asleep, but his voice was clear. Shin answered without hesitation, ¡°Alright.¡± It was an instinctive answer. Shin knew if he said no, he would never get another chance. Woojin would never ask him again. By now, Shin knew that Woojin only knew how to be distant. Woojin Choi didn¡¯t know how to get close to anyone. There was no other answer Shin could have given other than yes. It didn¡¯t matter if it was going to be a week or a month. If Woojin meant what he said, then Shin had no choice but to ept it and try to figure out the meaning of it all. Shin whispered, ¡°Then...¡± He lifted Woojin¡¯s chin up towards him. The room was still dark, but Shin¡¯s eyes adjusted by then and they could see Woojin¡¯s eyes. Longshes seemed to create arge shadow on Woojin¡¯s face. A round youthful face. Shin was sure they had met each other before, but he also knew that even if they had, Woojin would¡¯ve never made himself known to Shin at the time. So many emotions showed on Woojin¡¯s face. Shin looked straight into his eyes and asked, ¡°What should we start with?¡± Shin kissed Woojin¡¯s wrist. Woojin looked at him with wide eyes as Shin pulled him closer and kissed the inside of Woojin¡¯s wrist. Shin thought to himself, ¡®I want you to be curious about me. I want you to want to learn about me.¡¯ He felt his insides burning and his vessels constricting. Woojin moaned and tried to pull out his hand, but Shin tightened his grip and licked Woojin¡¯s wrist. Woojin tried to step back, but Shin held his shoulders and hugged him tightly. Shin trapped him inside his embrace and asked, ¡°Do you think you can have sex with me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Shin was filled with so many questions for Woojin. What happened to his wrist that caused those distinctive scars? How did Woojin know him? Shin thought that perhaps all these questions were part of his sexual need and fantasy. Shin pulled on Woojin¡¯s neck, which was shaking, and kissed it. Shin could hear the blood pumping through Woojin¡¯s veins. Woojin whispered, ¡°How about you?¡± His voice trembled. Shin continued to travel down Woojin¡¯s neck with deep kisses. He tasted Woojin with his tongue and found his skin was soft. The erotic sensation of it felt almost destructive. Woojin tried to ask again, ¡°Shin, do you think you can have sex with...¡± Shin thought that if he had to pick a color to describe Woojin¡¯s breath, it would be red. A burning red like the sunset. Shin slowly tasted the redness of Woojin¡¯s lips and breath. He bit them lightly and let them go. ¡°Ahh..¡± This was their second kiss. It felt like a kind of a seal that announced the beginning of something... searing. This time Shin kissed Woojin with purpose, rather than impulsively likest time. As soon as their lips met again, their bodies shook. Their tongues mingled, and their different colors mixed together into one. The taste of beer and wine blended as the kiss deepened. Shin saw Woojin¡¯s eyes close and guided him to the bed. Their bodies collided, making them feel... heat, pressure, and ache. When their lips finally parted, their eyes were staring at each other while they panted breathlessly. Suddenly, they realized that they were wearing too many clothes. Shin answered with a question, ¡°Does that answer your question?¡± He wanted to do it right now. Shin could feel his heart beating and he feared that it was going to jump out of his chest. It was too intense. Shin continued to pant as he kissed Woojin¡¯s forehead and ears. Shin¡¯s warm breath made Woojin shutter. Everything... was happening. The night continued to deepen. Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Chapter 36.

Chapter 36. ¡°Assistant Manager Choi, what brings you here?¡± Woojin was waiting in front of the marketing team office. The first person to notice him was Chief Seulgi Kim, who was leaving the room. Woojin, who was standing with one of his sleeves pulled up neatly, bowed lightly to her. Some of his brown hair fell on his forehead as he did. ¡°Oh, I...¡± ¡°Would you like me to let Mr. Shin Kim know you are here?¡± ¡°...¡± Like a drop of red ink in a bowl of cream, Woojin¡¯s pale neck began to blush. Woojin covered it with his hand quietly. Seulgi noticed this gesture. She smiled and opened the door to the office. She announced, ¡°Mr. Shin Kim, you have a guest.¡± A guest? Woojin¡¯s face began to turn red as well, and he tried to hide it by pretending to cough. Seulgi stared at him for a long time before bowing lightly and leaving. Through the open door, Shin Kim soon appeared. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Chief Seulgi... She said there was a guest...¡± Looking at Shin who seemed confused, Woojin felt like his entire body was turning red. When he awkwardly remained in the hallway, Shin Kim closed the door behind him quietly and pulled Woojin towards the marketing team¡¯s kitchen. Shin held Woojin¡¯s wrist gently. As they entered the kitchen, the smell of coffee engulfed them. When Shin was sure the ce was empty, he pulled Woojin into the room and closed the door. Shin leaned against the door and looked down at Woojin who appeared to be puzzled. Woojin also looked a bit wary. When Woojin tried to touch his chin, which was turning pink, Shin used his other hand to stop Woojin. He grabbed Woojin¡¯s hand and pulled it down. When Shin looked stiff, or almost harsh, Woojin looked away. Shin only squeezed Woojin¡¯s wrists tighter. Shin was standing with his legs a bit apart. He slowly pulled Woojin into his arms into a tight hug. Woojin¡¯s face rested on his chest, making his heartbeat go faster and louder. Shin rested his chin on Woojin¡¯s head. After a few minutes of silence, he finally sighed and said to Woojin, ¡°You can¡¯t do this. You can¡¯t be like this.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Are you asking because you really don¡¯t know?¡± Shin buried his nose into Woojin¡¯s neck. He never realized it before, but apparently, Shin liked smelling people. Or at least, Woojin. Cheeks, neck, hands, and everywhere else. Shin took deep breaths of Woojin, making him tremble in shock. Shin kept breathing in Woojin deeply and intensely. Shin murmured, ¡°You always smell so good.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin wanted to reply that Shin smelled good too, but he stopped himself. ¡°Why did youe here, Mr. Woojin Choi.?¡± ¡°... Ahh.¡± Woojin moaned because Shin suddenly bit his neck. Shinughed quietly as Woojin replied, ¡°I messaged you to have lunch with me, but you didn¡¯t answer...¡± Shin saw that Woojin was holding his jacket on his arm. Shin stepped back slightly from him and looked into Woojin¡¯s eyes. Shin feared that perhaps his cheeks were red too. Woojin was feeling Shin¡¯s heat; he was burning inside and out. Shin said quietly, ¡°I will see you in the basement parking lot at 11:50 AM.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s only in 5 minutes.¡± Shin smiled and hugged Woojin again tightly. When Woojin tried to escape, Shin held his face. Their eyes met. They stared at each other unhurriedly yet passionately. Woojin sighed and ced his hands on top of Shin¡¯s, which were still on Woojin¡¯s cheeks. Shin¡¯s hands were so muchrger than his. The heat from their hands mingled together. Shin asked, ¡°What would you like to eat for lunch?¡± Woojin didn¡¯t think any food would be enough to fill his hunger. He needed something... more. Something wascking, but Woojin didn¡¯t know what. All he felt now was that his heart was beating uncontrobly and he felt breathless. Shin whispered, ¡°Your face looks like you are asking me to take you here right now.¡± When Shin hugged him tightly again, Woojin felt Shin¡¯s shoulder on his face and remembered. He remembered how he wished he could feel Shin¡¯s shoulders ever since he first saw him in high school. Woojin closed his eyes and breathed Shin in, fearing that if he didn¡¯t, Shin might disappear like he did in his dreams. Shin smelled like a tree in a deep forest. Woojin knew that Shin¡¯s scent would be with him for a very long time and this fact made him sad. *** Shin found himself waking up early on a weekend, which was very unusual for him. Instead of staying in his bed longer, he got up quickly and went to the gym. After an hour of workout, he showered while constantly checking his watch. His nose felt a bit dry, most likely because of the autumn weather. After the shower, he chose his shirt and wore a pair of ck cks. Shin checked himself in the mirror. He had to stand far back because the body-sized mirror was a bit too short for him. The jean shirt looked fine with the pants. Suddenly, he felt a little tight around his shoulders. He massaged them a bit; there wasn¡¯t any pain but every time he touched the area, he felt odd. Shin wondered why he had a dreamst night. He rarely dreamt, and even when he did, Shin usually forgot about it the next day. But when he woke up this morning, he could almost smell the blood. Strangely, the sensation wouldn¡¯t go away even now. ¡°...¡± In his dream, there was someone who was covered in blood. This person was inside the pool, sinking to the bottom. This person was covered in injuries. When Shin pulled him out, the man was deathly pale. The swimming pool looked pink because of all the blood this person lost. Shin thought he must¡¯ve died. He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed 911. The man who was being carried to the ambnce... Shin no longer remembered his face. In truth, the man¡¯s face was so badly damaged as if he was beaten cruelly. He couldn¡¯t open his eyes; his entire face was bloody and swollen. On top of that, the man¡¯s wrists were covered with cuts. In Shin¡¯s dream, he saw a faint pulse underneath the man¡¯s bloody wrists. The wrists were so thin and the pulse was so weak that Shin wasn¡¯t sure if he was mistaken. Was the man truly still alive? And soon after, he woke up from the dream. Those slim wrists... The thought of them remained in Shin¡¯s head for a very long time, Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Chapter 37.

Chapter 37. As usual, Gangnam Station was crowded. Woojin yed with his watch strap which was made of worn leather. It was a nervous habit of his. Woojin looked up at the sky and saw that it was very blue today. It was the beginning of November and very chilly. One needed to wear multipleyers to keep warm. Woojin checked his cellphone. His hands were very cold. ¡°Is this good weather?¡± It was rare for Woojin to leave his home during the weekends. Most times, he stayed home and sleptte. He would read or watch his DVDs. Woojin liked these repetitive routines. If he didn¡¯t follow them, he felt nervous. Suddenly, a warm tall figure created a shadow over Woojin and whispered, ¡°Yes, it is good weather.¡± Shin stood behind him in his dark jean shirt and a ck sweater on top. It was a simpleyered look and perfect for the weather. With the dark caramel-colored wool coat, Shin looked casual yet well-dressed. He looked so different than his usual business-like appearance, and Woojin stared at him quietly. Shin Kim certainly was a very noticeable man. He had a gorgeous face and he was unusually tall, making some passersby turn around and stare. Woojin suddenly looked away after staring for a long time. Shin¡¯s lean yet muscr body made Woojin feel hot even in this chilly weather. Shin asked, ¡°Were you waiting for a long time?¡± ¡°No, I just got here...¡± When Woojin looked up with a frown, Shin smiled awkwardly and caressed Woojin¡¯s forehead with his thumb. Shin was a very affectionate date. He liked to smell, caress, and touch. Woojin, who wasn¡¯t used to these kinds of physical contacts, always disliked others touching him. But not when Shin was the one. Shin¡¯s touch and warmth felt wonderful to him. When Woojin closed his eyes sleepily, Shin lowered his hand and held Woojin¡¯s wrist. The pulse in it began to jump wildly. Shin watched Woojin for a while before asking, ¡°How long do we have till the movie starts?¡± ¡°About 30 minutes?¡± ¡°Should we get some coffee first then?¡± Yesterday after they had lunch together, Shin asked Woojin out on a movie date. ¡°This weekend. It will be a date.¡± Shin¡¯s voice didn¡¯t tremble at all. Woojin felt thirsty for some reason so he grabbed a cup of water. With a grin, Shin added, ¡°We are dating each other, right? In a rtionship?¡± Woojin ended up coughing, and Shinughed and wiped Woojin¡¯s lips for him. Shin Kim was very careful when it came to romantic rtionships. Woojin, until now, had no interest in others. But now that he did, he studied Shin and wondered, ¡®Is he kind to everyone?¡¯ Woojin tried not to think this way, but it was no use. Woojin was so deep in his thoughts that he didn¡¯t even realize Shin was way ahead of him. Shin stopped and turned around and saw that Woojin wasn¡¯t paying attention. Shin waved to get his attention. He looked naughty as he grinned. Shin asked, ¡°What are you thinking so hard about?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking about someone else even though you are with me, right?¡± That could never happen. When Woojin bit his lips and shook his head, Shin gently pulled him towards him so they were walking together side by side. As they walked into the theater caf¨¦, Shin murmured, ¡°Should we have just stayed home and watched a DVD?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I want to touch you, but I¡¯m afraid people are going to stare.¡± Shin talked so casually as if he was talking about the weather. Woojin¡¯s neck began to turn pink, and when Shin noticed it, he straightened Woojin¡¯s cor to hide it for him. Shin¡¯s finger touched Woojin¡¯s neck lightly. He felt ticklish so he bit his lips, making Shin smile again. ¡°Your orders are ready. Two cappinos.¡± Shin grabbed the cups and handed one to Woojin. The movie they were going to watch was part of a famous spy movie series that came out every year. Shin smiled and exined that it was going to be fun and easy to understand even if Woojin didn¡¯t watch thest one. The problem was, Woojin couldn¡¯t concentrate on the movie at all. First of all, this movie theater was a bit different than the other ones. It was very big and there were only 40 seats. Each seat was rather spacious and there were a lot of spaces between the seats. Woojin asked, ¡°Our seats... Where...?¡± ¡°Oh, I reserved the premium seats. Most of the regr seats are so ufortable for me...¡± The premium seats were located in the veryst row. Woojin could understand what he meant. Shin was so much taller than an average man. Shin exined, ¡°If I take a regr chair, I have to crumple myself into it.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Woojinughed and Shin¡¯s expression turned strange. For some reason, Woojin¡¯s face turned odd as well. Woojin seemed like someone who had never used his facial muscles before until now. His smile disappeared quickly. But Shin continued to stare at Woojin as he whispered, ¡°I have never seen youugh and smile like that.¡± Then suddenly, the theatre dimmed. The movie was about to start. The screen announced that the film was going to begin right away without any ads. And when the movie began... All Woojin could feel was Shin¡¯s breath in his ear. His heart began to beat fast. Shin whispered, ¡°... Now no one can see us.¡± Woojin moaned and put his arms around Shin¡¯s neck to pull him towards him. Luckily, the seats next to them were empty. Shin lifted the armrest up and pulled Woojin towards him. Shin¡¯srge hand caressed Woojin¡¯s cheeks. His lips covered Woojin¡¯s passionately. When Woojin seemed to have a hard time breathing, Shin pulled back slightly. He seemed tense. His heart was jumping uncontrobly like it was going to burst out of his chest. Shin smiled and continued to caress Woojin¡¯s cheeks over and over again. He then turned to the bright screen. ... But neither of them could concentrate. After they left the theatre, neither of them could remember the movie. Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Chapter 38.

Chapter 38. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Woojin was watching Shin cing edamame onto a dish for him when Shin asked. Woojin turned his eyes to the menu. Shin Kim¡¯s cheeks looked a little pink and Woojin wondered if it was because of him or because it was a bit warm in the restaurant. Before they walked into the Japanese restaurant, right after Shin parked his car, Shin kissed Woojin. It happened as Shin undid Woojin¡¯s seat belt. Shin kissed him like it was nothing, but Woojin noticed that Shin¡¯s chin turned pink slowly. Shin asked, ¡°What is your favorite food?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I ask you this often, but you never answer me.¡± Shin mussed Woojin¡¯s hair. These unexpected casual touches... Woojin didn¡¯t dislike them. When he closed his eyes and lowered his face, Shin smiled and caressed Woojin¡¯s cheek. Shin whispered, ¡°Sometimes, you act like a puppy...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You need to make sure I am the only one who gets to touch you like this.¡± Shin gently pushed aside the menu. When Woojin looked up into his eyes, Shin said to him in a warm low voice, ¡°Then I will tell you what my favorite foods are.¡± Woojin nodded, making Shin chuckle. He continued, ¡°I like all seafood. I also like meat.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I also like fruits, but as for vegetables... I like certain ones, but not all of them. I had to eat so much of them when I was young that I kind of got sick of them. Well, I also ate a lot of meat too, but I guess I never got sick of it. There is a certain type of food you need to eat when you are an athlete.¡± As Shin exined, Woojin listened quietly. Slowly, he realized that he actually didn¡¯t know what he liked or disliked. There was food Woojin ate more of, but he also avoided certain foods as well. But all this time, Woojin didn¡¯t think about it at all. He just ate because he had to live. Most of the time, Woojin ate without really tasting the food, or even because he felt hunger. Shin suddenly asked, ¡°You don¡¯t know what you like or dislike, do you, Woojin?¡± Woojin stared quietly. After thinking for a long time, Woojin finally answered, ¡°... I do know one thing I like.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Woojin continued to look at him. Shin¡¯s eyebrows arched in curiosity, and Woojin followed their movements. They looked like two thick lines drawn by ck ink. Shin¡¯s face was very expressive, yet he always looked quiet and calm. The lines of his face were thick and beautiful. Woojin raised his hand to touch Shin¡¯s eyebrows. Shin looked at him in surprise as Woojin answered, ¡°... You.¡± Woojin thought as Shin¡¯s face and neck began to turn red, ¡®I guess my heart fell out of my mouth.¡¯ Shin asked, ¡°Where did you learn to flirt like that? Quite a skill.¡± He smiled widely. There was no sadness or uncertainty in his smile. Watching such an expressive face was so satisfactory for Woojin. When Woojin picked out a few things from the menu, Shin nodded and ordered. They shared a bottle of beer together. The main dishes, tes of sashimi and sushi, filled the table along with a few of the side dishes. Shin poured himself warm oolong tea when a man with a white apron came up to the table. The man had a chubby face and looked very friendly. Woojin looked up at him and the man smiled at him. He also tapped Shin¡¯s shoulder a few times and asked, ¡°Hey, Shin, is the food ok?¡± ¡°... Umm yeah.¡± Shin bowed to the man politely. When Woojin looked at them quietly, Shin finally introduced them, ¡°This is a friend of mine. He is also the owner of this Japanese restaurant. This is an assistant manager from my office.¡± Shin looked a little tense as he introduced Woojin as an office co-worker. Woojin looked away from Shin and greeted the man, ¡°Hello, my name is Woojin Choi.¡± He felt like his face was turning rigid. The man replied, ¡°Nice to meet you. When I heard you were here, I thought you came with your girlfriend! How is the food? Do you like it?¡± Shin suddenly looked upset. Woojin looked at Shin curiously before nodding to the man. Woojin replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t tried anything yet.¡± ¡°Oh, please try some. I am certain you will like the food here.¡± Shin interrupted the man, ¡°You should go back to the kitchen. You shouldn¡¯t leave it for too long, right?¡± The chef bowed and looked at Shin with a teasing grin. He replied, ¡°Why do you look so ufortable, Shin? You know something, Mr. Choi? Shin here brings a different girl every time, so I thought it would be like that again today.¡± Shin growled, ¡°... Leave now.¡± ¡°But, you are a very good-looking person too, Mr. Choi. I was curious because the server told me that Shin came with someone very pretty. I assumed he came in with a girl.¡± Shin asked rigidly, ¡°What are you talking about? Pretty?¡± ¡°Well, look at him. He is obviously a beauty.¡± The chefughed and after a few more jokes, he left the table. Woojin ced a small dish in front of Shin who became very quiet. Shin seemed to feel awkward, almost apologetic. When their eyes met, Shin hurriedly tried to exin, ¡°Gosh... that man is awful...¡± ¡°Eat up.¡± Woojin ced fresh dab of wasabi on Shin¡¯s te. Shin turned serious and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset? Aren¡¯t you angry?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°That chef told you I brought a lot of women here.¡± ¡°But not a man.¡± Woojin smiled. Now, he felt like he finally learned how to smile. He reached out and mussed Shin¡¯s hair and added, ¡°You need to make sure I am the only MAN who gets to touch you like this.¡± *** ¡°Now where should we go?¡± After dinner, Shin and Woojin got into Shin¡¯s car. Woojin sat in the passenger seat leisurely. Shin thought he smelled so wonderful. Recently, Shin Kim was beginning to lose control over himself. Perhaps it was because this was the first time he felt this possessive about someone. Perhaps his body was just reacting to this emotion. It wasn¡¯t like he was greedy about having a rtionship. He just felt... sensitive and aware whenever he was in the same space as Woojin Choi. Shin asked, ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°... No.¡± To Shin, Woojin felt... sticky. If he reached out and touched him, Shin felt like his hand would stick to Woojin¡¯s skin. Slowly. Shin leaned forward and kissed him. Woojin¡¯s eyes widened for a second before closing. Every time he breathed, his neck and ears shivered. Sometimes, Woojin smelled like water under the sun. He was so pale that he sometimes almost looked bluish. Woojin also looked very fragile, and to Shin, that vulnerability reminded him of a young nt with new stems and leaves. Shin lifted Woojin¡¯s chin with his finger when suddenly, he remembered something. He asked, ¡°I have something I want to know.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin had a habit of looking down often, and when his chin was lifted like Shin was doing right now, Woojin stared into his eyes deeply. Shin continued, ¡°What is your rtionship with Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Jihoon seemed to be very curious about Shin Kim. It wasn¡¯t that he was interested in Shin; the curiosity was definitely rted to Woojin. When they met in the basement parking lot, Jihoon had an odd expression. Shin remembered it very well, and he knew that what Jihoon felt wasn¡¯t jealousy. It was more like sadness, and Shin had been worried about what he saw. Shin wanted to ask about Jihoon for a long time, and finally he got the courage to do so. But when Woojin looked indifferent, Shin began to regret asking. But it was toote, so he continued, ¡°I know this is a ridiculous thing to ask...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But... did you use to go out with Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang?¡± Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Chapter 39.

Chapter 39. It was always a good idea to think before asking such questions. Shin knew it was a mistake immediately after he asked. Woojin seemed to be confused for a second, not even understanding what the question meant. Shin looked away, his body burning with embarrassment. ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never dated a man before.¡± Woojin scratched his head a bit, looking confused. Shin had never seen this expression on him before, so he stared dumbfoundedly. Today was his lucky day. He got to see so many different sides of Woojin and got to spend a lot of time with him. Woojin looked at Shin and continued, ¡°Or it¡¯s more like I¡¯ve never dated ANYONE before.¡± When Shin sighed, Woojin added, ¡°It¡¯s... a bit difficult to exin.¡± Woojin had many dark days. Or had it all been dark days till now? The side he never wanted anyone to see... Those days he prayed would pass quickly... Everyone had those days, and most would think they were alone in them. And as one became older, it became easier to keep a safe distance with everyone. At least that¡¯s how it was for Shin. All of his rtionships, whether it was with a friend, co-workers, or lovers, were like that. No meaningful conversations. No significant feelings. It felt like a circle, going around and around and never getting close to anyone. Always keeping the exact same distance. Woojin continued, ¡°I don¡¯t really get the meaning of a ¡®rtionship.¡¯¡± It was the same for Shin Kim. He was constantly surrounded by people, yet he always felt lonely. To escape this seclusion, Shin knew he either had to get closer to someone. Or give it altogether. Shin asked after a long silence, ¡°Do you want toe to my house?¡± Woojin looked into his eyes. It was Shin who brought out the heat in Woojin¡¯s eyes. Or perhaps it was Woojin himself who found it deep inside of him. Falling for someone.... It wasn¡¯t a matter of time. If it was with the right person, you just knew immediately. You would know when it was time. To get closer. Mind, heart, and body. Woojin¡¯s body began to burn. When he nodded, Shin rubbed Woojin¡¯s neck with his thumb and inhaled deeply. *** Shin said to Woojin, ¡°Please have a seat. Would you like some coffee?¡± Woojin took off his jacket awkwardly and ced it on the sofa. He looked around the condo. It was a studio style and very spacious. However, there wasn¡¯t that much furniture. A stand mirror, desk, and a table. In the middle was a king-sized bed. All the furniture looked simple and modern, almost cold. They were made of either wood or ck. In front of the mirror, there were a few exercise equipment. Woojin asked, ¡°Do you live alone?¡± ¡°Why? Are you worried that I¡¯m living with somebody?¡± Shin asked with a smile as he made coffee. He was obviously joking, but Woojin still felt a little tense. He sat down quietly and kept his hands on his knees. Shin exined it might take a while till the room warmed up. He turned on the stove and continued, ¡°I started to live alone when I turned... I think I was 21.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I tried to save up as much as possible ever since. Oh, I don¡¯t own this ce. I¡¯m just renting it.¡± Shin walked across the room to Woojin. The sofa wasn¡¯t very big, so when they sat down together, their shoulders touched. When Woojin took a deep breath, Shin looked down at him and asked, ¡°Anything else you want to know about me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because I have so much I want to know about Woojin Choi.¡± Shin touched Woojin¡¯s hands. The heat of Shin¡¯s skin seared into Woojin¡¯s hand, making him look away shyly. Shin continued, ¡°After I gave up swimming, my family was so worried. Too worried. I felt so ufortable around them that I left. My parents¡¯ home is nearby.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I also don¡¯t like noise. My sister was so loud and noisy that it felt good to move out and live alone.¡± ¡°Oh, you have a sister.¡± When Woojin murmured, Shin looked down at him and asked, ¡°Are you interested in my sister?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Hmm... that was a very quick answer.¡± Shin patted Woojin¡¯s hair and added, ¡°Very good.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And very quiet.¡± ¡°...¡± What was he talking about? Woojin felt confused, so he looked up. Shin slowly leaned forward and touched Woojin¡¯s cheek with his own. It tickled, so when Woojin cringed a little, Shin pulled his head closer with his hand and rubbed his cheek against his. Shin whispered, ¡°... And you are so sexy.¡± Woojin¡¯s hands shook. He pulled back a little, wanting to see Shin¡¯s face, but Shin wouldn¡¯t let him. Shin pulled him even closer, making Woojin breathless. Shin whispered, ¡°Do you know what it means when a man asks you toe to his home?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you to be wary in these situations?¡± Shin¡¯s hand moved underneath Woojin¡¯s shirt. When he touched Woojin¡¯s bare skin, Woojin trembled while Shin groaned. Shin mumbled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so calm and obedient like this...¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin tried to pull Shin towards him for a kiss, but instead, Shin bit Woojin¡¯s neck. Woojin moaned, and Shin licked the bitemark It felt so... wet and hot that Woojin leaned back against the sofa. Shin quickly went on top of Woojin. Their legs became entangled, making Woojin¡¯s heart go wild. His doctor and his friends, and even Woojin himself thought he was asexual, but that was obviously not the case. His body felt so excited that Woojin didn¡¯t know what to do. Desperately, he squeezed Shin¡¯s arms. Shin murmured, ¡°Don¡¯t be so impatient.¡± ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t...¡± Woojin tried to deny it, but their eyes met and Woojin froze. Shin panted as he bit Woojin¡¯s lower lip and rubbed his chest. He asked, ¡°Have you ever imagined having sex with me?¡± Shin sounded breathless, but his voice still sounded so low and calm, making Woojin feel even hotter. Shin had such a wonderfully deep voice, so different than Woojin¡¯s. It sounded heavy and from time to time, even a bit husky. When Woojin shook his head, Shin replied, ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± It indeed was a lie. For thest few days, Woojin couldn¡¯t stop thinking about thest night of their business trip in the hotel room. Woojin always thought he was indifferent about sex, but he was mistaken. His body burned and it didn¡¯t feel like his own anymore. Shin asked, ¡°You are lying, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± In the end, Woojin nodded. When he inhaled deeply, his face turning even redder, Shin slowly stood up. Woojin felt embarrassed, thinking he was the only one feeling this way. He remained on the sofa and looked down. Shin caressed Woojin¡¯s face and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on the coffee.¡± Woojin nodded nkly and Shin walked to the kitchen. Watching Shin pouring two cups of coffee, Woojin suddenly stood up. Shin looked at him curiously but ignoring him, Woojin walked across the living room and stood in front of Shin. Woojin seemed still very much excited as he panted. Woojin grabbed Shin¡¯s shirt and pulled. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you need something?¡± Woojin began to feel upset. Was it just him who felt this way? How could Shin look so calm? Woojin murmured, ¡°Y-you seem... too used to this...¡± He couldn¡¯t help his voice trembling. When Shin put down the coffee pot and looked at him, Woojin stuttered, ¡°M-me... I¡¯m the only one f...feeling like t-this...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°J-just me...¡± Was he being jealous? Woojin wondered in confusion. It was true that he hated how Shin Kim was kind to everyone. Woojin wanted Shin to be just his. Realizing, and admitting this feeling was a shock to him. His legs quivered uncontrobly. Walking from the sofa to the kitchen, he almost fell a few times. Shin asked, ¡°Just you?¡± ¡°...¡± When Woojin looked down, Shin sighed. He grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist and kissed his hand. ¡°...¡± Then slowly, Shin brought Woojin¡¯s hand down to his hard erection. Still holding Woojin¡¯s hand, Shin asked, ¡°Who said it¡¯s just you?¡± Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Story 4- Chapter 40.

When he opened his eyes, Woojin felt his dreams and reality ovepping. He looked up at the bedroom ceiling for a long time nkly. It was a strange, unfamiliar feeling. Woojin rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. He turned around and then suddenly confused, he sat up quickly. He was about to fall off the bed, but Shin grabbed his wrist. Shin had his shirt off, and every time he moved, the muscles in his back moved like a wave. With a frown, Shin pulled Woojin closer. Shin said to him firmly, ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to say something silly like you don¡¯t rememberst night.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I may look strong, but I get hurt easily.¡± Shin tucked Woojin under his chin and added, ¡°Go back to sleep. It¡¯s Sunday.¡± ¡°Why am I here...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me that. You just are.¡± Slowly, the memory ofst night began toe back to Woojin. When he moaned in realization, Shinughed and said to him, ¡°You sounded really sexy just now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you are wearing anything right now.¡± Shin began to kiss Woojin¡¯s neck. When Woojin tried to cover himself with the nket, Shin grabbed him harder towards him. Shinughed, and Woojin could feel every bit of the vibration. Woojin finally realized Shin was teasing him. Woojin wasn¡¯t naked. He was wearing a shirt and a pair offortable pants, both slightly too big because they were Shin¡¯s. Woojin slowly pictured what happenedst night. Woojin remembered Shin ordering him, ¡°Take your clothes off.¡± Shin¡¯s lips on his neck felt scorching hot. They were drowning together in passion and lust. Every time Woojin struggled, Shinughed and squeezed Woojin¡¯s wrist. ¡°You don¡¯t think you can do it?¡± The way Shin looked at him was shameless. Woojin felt cold and hot at the same time, making him tense. Shin seemed shockinglyfortable in this situation. He seemed too familiar with what was happening. Shin¡¯s skin felt so hot that Woojin was afraid he was going to burn himself. Shin blew hot breath onto Woojin¡¯s wrist and asked, ¡°Would you like to stop now?¡± Woojin wanted this too badly to let his embarrassment and confusion get in his way. He shook his head slowly and with trembling hands, he began to undo his shirt. It was the first time he ever showed his naked body to someone. In fact, except for medical exams, Woojin never revealed himself to anyone like this. Before he took his shirt off, Woojin undid his watch first. Shin¡¯s eyes darted to Woojin¡¯s scarred wrist. The skin was rough and bumpy because of being injured in the same area over and over again. Just what kind of pain did Woojin experience in his life? Slowly, Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist and pulled him back to his arms. He whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take your clothes off, so you can stop.¡± Shin sighed deeply. Something felt a bit different now, so Woojin looked up at him. Shin¡¯s eyes looked a bit wet. The way he was breathing sounded sad. His voice was still low and deep, but it sounded emotional. Shin said to him, ¡°You need to learn to say no if you don¡¯t want something. You know that, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me anything.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Where you got those scars... Since when you have known about me...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why you only want to date me for a month...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Who you are...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok not to tell me. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Shin bit his lips and Woojin stared. Woojin seemed surprised. Shin rubbed Woojin¡¯s forehead and took another deep breath. He continued, ¡°It¡¯s just...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I was a bit angry... about some things... Like the fact that you asked me to date you for only a month...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And it seemed like there are many people who know about you so well.¡± Shin seemed entirely confident so far, but now, he had a confused and awkward look on his face. Suddenly, the face of young Shin from Woojin¡¯s high school years ovepped with this grown-up man. The boy who smiled so brightly. The boy who wore a loose hoodie and often ran to the gym. The locker room key. The distinct smell of the swimming pool. Those long fingers that held his wrist. Bit and pieces of the old memories spread across Woojin¡¯s head like blood spilling onto a carpet. He wondered, ¡®Would you be able to remember me?¡¯ Woojin began to feel breathless again. He whispered like he was sighing, ¡°Shin Kim.¡± When Shin looked at him, Woojin continued, ¡°I am very sick... and I know it is not good to date someone who is so ill...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I still can¡¯t give you up.¡± This was the best Woojin could give. This was the most he could admit, both to Shin and to himself. The fact that he couldn¡¯t give Shin Kim up. Before Woojin could take another deep breath, Shin held him tightly. His ck eyes looked like they were zing, and he kissed Woojin. It was a different kiss than the ones before. It was fast, impatient, and suffocating. Shin lifted Woojin up and sat him on the table. Looking down at him, he kissed Woojin again. They grabbed each other¡¯s shirts clumsily. Neither of them could think at all anymore. It was beyond not wanting to give up. Woojin coveted Shin. He was greedy for him. He wanted everything from Shin. Wanting to keep this beautiful man closer, Woojin wrapped his legs around Shin¡¯s waist. On Woojin¡¯s bare shoulder, Shin left a wet trail of kisses. Woojin moaned and hugged Shin¡¯s face, wanting him even closer. ¡°S-Shin... Shin Kim...¡± Woojin moaned his name and Shin looked up. Their eyes met and the time stopped. Shin¡¯s fingers explored Woojin¡¯s bare skin underneath his clothes. Woojin felt too hot and so he finally took everything off. Woojin wanted to see Shin¡¯s scars. When he was still in Germany, he heard about Shin¡¯s ident. Without hesitation, Woojin purchased a ticket back to Korea immediately. His mother tried to stop him. She begged him, ¡°If you go back... You might die.¡± Woojin wanted to die yet also wanted to live. His life was a gift from Shin. Shin asked, ¡°Do you still see me in your dreams?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Woojin continued to pant as he caressed Shin¡¯s ribs. The ugly scars, now healed but still rough, looked so beautiful to Woojin. Woojin ordered Shin, ¡°Breathe.¡± He himself was gasping, yet Woojin demanded Shin to breathe. When Shin obeyed, Woojin closed his eyes. Shin was breathing. He was alive. This wasn¡¯t a dream. This was real. The first time they did it, Woojin thought his body was being torn apart. Whether it was pain or pleasure... It didn¡¯t matter because it was real. Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Chapter 41.

Chapter 41. ¡°What¡¯s up with the workshop schedule?¡± As soon as Jihoon Kang arrived at work, he asked Yeonwoo Ji impatiently. Yeonwoo looked up and smiled with a quiet bow, but Jihoon still seemed annoyed. Yeonwoo replied, ¡°No hello or good morning, Assistant Manager Kang? I¡¯m hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling irritated all weekend.¡± It was an odd answer so when Yeonwoo looked up at him in confusion, Jihoon Kang put on an awkward smile. Woojin wasn¡¯t paying any attention to them, so Jihoon walked up to him and tapped him a few times. When Woojin looked up, Jihoon asked, ¡°You won¡¯t even say hi to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we say hello every single morning.¡± ¡°When will I get the workshop schedule?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Miss Yeonwoo will let you know.¡± Yeonwoo watched them curiously. Jihoon, for some reason, seemed very annoyed today. When Yeonwoo looked at him in confusion, Jihoon turned towards her as well. Jihoon was very chatty and friendly, almost to the point of being silly, but he was one gorgeous man. He had a luxurious face and with his pleasant manner, Jihoon was very popr. Jihoon asked her again, ¡°Please tell me, Miss Yeonwoo. I don¡¯t think Assistant Manager Woojin will ever give me the answer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s this Thursday and Friday.¡± ¡°And who prepared the whole workshop?¡± ¡°You mean the office education program?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°... You did, Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang.¡± Today, Jihoon seemed to stare at Woojin much more than usual. It was normal to see Jihoon constantly trying to start a conversation with Woojin, but today, it seemed... different. Jihoon asked, ¡°And why did I have to be the one who take care of the WHOLE thing? Because of who?¡± He sounded like he was teasing, but his voice was shockingly low and serious. Woojin sighed deeply, took his sses off, and stood up. He offered Jihoon, ¡°Do you want me to buy you a coffee or something?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough?¡± ¡°Nope, not at all.¡± Woojin wondered why Jihoon was being unusually difficult today. He slowly walked to the printer and Jihoon followed him as he put his arms around Woojin¡¯s shoulder. Woojin frowned, ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Eat lunch with me today.¡± ¡°It was you who told me to go on that business trip. That is why you ended up preparing for the workshop by yourself. It wasn¡¯t my doing.¡± ¡°How about dinner then?¡± It was Monday morning. Last night, Woojin returned home from Shin¡¯s condo. Shin drove him home and throughout the ride, Woojin couldn¡¯t help feeling hot and excited again. Just being in the same space with Shin... When they arrived at Woojin¡¯s apartment, Woojin seriously considered packing his things and going back to Shin¡¯s home. Woojin wanted to, but it was Shin who told him to rest. ¡°Get some sleep.¡± But even as he said that to Woojin, Shin¡¯s neck was turning red. Did his disappointment show on his face? Shin touched his face awkwardly and sighed. Shin said to Woojin, ¡°It¡¯s so strange.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°No, me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home alone...¡± Shin patted Woojin¡¯s neck before adding, ¡°Let me hug you one more time.¡± Shin pulled Woojin closer and kissed his neck. He smiled and whispered, ¡°You smell like me now... Because you used my shampoo.¡± Shin smiled teasingly and kissed Woojin on the lips. He asked, ¡°... Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°... Not really.¡± Shin hugged him again and mumbled, ¡°You are too good to me.¡± Woojin thought it was Shin who was being too good to him, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He loved how Shin was stroking his back; Woojin buried his face into Shin¡¯s neck and breathed in deeply. Shin sighed finally and told Woojin to go up to his apartment. Even after he was gone, Shin remained in the parking lot of a while. That night, before going to sleep, they texted each other as well. Jihoon insisted, ¡°We need to eat dinner together!¡± ¡°I already have ns tonight.¡± ¡°With who?¡± ¡°Why are you being so difficult?¡± ¡°Is it with Shin Kim?¡± Woojin frowned and asked in annoyance, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask you, Woojin.¡± ¡°Just stop.¡± Jihoon looked at him with a nk face. Woojin knew him very well. Jihoon may look social and pleasant, but when you looked closely at him, Jihoon actually didn¡¯t have much facial expression. He did always look like he was smiling, but it was impossible to figure out what he was really thinking. Jihoon replied, ¡°Think very carefully, Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even I can¡¯t fix it twice.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Woojin looked pale as he faced Jihoon, who replied, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat dinner together tonight.¡± Jihoon¡¯s hand pulled Woojin¡¯s wrist. *** Woojin texted Shin. -I don¡¯t think I can have dinner with you tonight. It was almost time to go home, and Shin kept looking at the text Woojin sent him earlier. His team had a lunch meeting that day, so Shin couldn¡¯t eat with Woojin. Woojin ended up eating by himself and when Shin heard about it from Seulgi, he was determined to have dinner with Woojin that night. Shin actually didn¡¯t care about dinner. It didn¡¯t matter what they did; Shin just wanted to spend as much time with Woojin as possible. Shin had never felt this way in any of his romantic rtionships. He felt unsure of himself. When he read Woojin¡¯s message, he felt relieved and anxious at the same time. They actually never made ns for tonight, but it was so cute of Woojin to think that they were going to eat together without a doubt. The only thing was... Shin wanted to know why they couldn¡¯t have dinner together. ¡®Will he hate it if I ask him why not? Will I look needy if I ask about every little thing?¡¯ Until now, all Shin¡¯s rtionships were very casual. Shin always made sure he had plenty of his personal time and space. He saw his girlfriends as more of his partners. Chemistry in bed was more important to him than the girls¡¯ personalities. He had many girlfriends in his life but none of them made him feel sad when they broke up. He never felt lonely or disappointed when the girls left him. ¡®I don¡¯t know what to do.¡¯ But Woojin was different. It was going to be Shin who would get left behind. Shin couldn¡¯t help thinking about Woojin constantly. He kept wondering what Woojin was doing. Shin felt thankful that they worked on the same floor. After sleeping with Woojin, Shin began to feel even greedier. When he woke up yesterday, Woojin was sleeping soundly. Shin got the chance to study him for a long time. It was still dark, but he could still tell where Woojin¡¯s eyes and lips were. Woojin¡¯s body had many scars, but he showed Shin everything. Woojin, in fact, even made bold eye contact with him. ¡®It feels like I¡¯m a teenager all over again.¡¯ To be honest, Shin HAD been trying to figure out how to take Woojin to his home tonight as well. He felt a bit embarrassed; his chin began to turn pink and Shin covered it with his hand. Just then, another message arrived on his phone. -Shin Kim, any ns after work today? It was from Siwoo. Shin replied immediately. -Nothing. -I am near your office right now. I had a business meeting nearby. Buy me dinner. -Hmm... -I will wait for you at the lobby. Meet me by 6:30. Shin smiled and began to pack up. When he looked up, he saw that Woojin was standing at the door to his office. Woojin was holding his briefcase, which meant he was on his way out as well. ¡°Oh, Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± ¡°Did you get my message?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving work right now.¡± Shin and Woojin left together. Woojin was wearing a dark grey padded jacket, making him look like a college kid. Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s jacket impulsively. He still had 20 minutes until Siwoo arrived. When Woojin looked at him in confusion, Shin offered, ¡°I will walk you to the elevator.¡± Thankfully, the hallway was quiet. Pretending to straighten Woojin¡¯s cors, Shin leaned against him and whispered, ¡°You were walking away too fast from me.¡± When Woojin frowned, Shin asked, ¡°Oh, are you upset?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shin wondered, ¡®Did... did hee by because he wanted to see me?¡¯ It seemed like this was the case. Woojin looked embarrassed, and Shin found him adorable. He said to Woojin, ¡°Please contact me when you are done.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°And call me before you get home.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°Have a nice dinner. Make sure you eat something yummy. I wish you would gain some weight.¡± Shin caressed Woojin¡¯s shoulders and waist. He was looking right at him, but for some reason, Shin already missed Woojin. The elevator door opened and Woojin got in. Both of them sighed and Shin waved goodbye. Shin returned to his seat. His heart ached and his blood boiled. Was... this what dating felt like? Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Chapter 42.

Chapter 42. Siwoo was waiting for Shin Kim in the lobby. He was shivering in the cold and when he saw Shin get off the elevator, he smiled and yelled, ¡°Gosh! It¡¯s so cold, you idiot! Why are you sote?¡± Everyone in the lobby stared at Siwoo, including Yeonwoo, who was in the elevator with Shin. She asked Shin, ¡°Shin oppa, who is that?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°He is so hot! Is he an idol or something?¡± Siwoo was street casted several times when he was in high school because of his looks. He was famous for it in school. Indeed, Siwoo was tall, slim, and gorgeous, but he wasn¡¯t interested in bing a celebrity, so he never took up the offers from the agencies. Siwoo enjoyed dressing well and loved attention from others, so it would¡¯ve been a perfect job for him. When Shin asked why he didn¡¯t go for it, Siwoo replied, ¡°You know I like men. I want to be able to date freely.¡± Shin replied to Yeonwoo, ¡°I think he is too old to be an idol.¡± ¡°Is he your friend?¡± ¡°Yeah. He is the same age as me.¡± ¡°OMG, he looks so young.¡± ¡°You just insulted me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Shin grinned and waved at Yeonwoo. He then walked to Siwoo quickly, wanting to leave the lobby as soon as possible. Siwoo was making a scene and Shin didn¡¯t want to get any unnecessary attention from his co-workers. He was also afraid his female colleagues might ask him to introduce them to Siwoo. Shin quickly grabbed Siwoo¡¯s wrist and pulled him towards the main entrance. He thought he heard some people whispering behind him, but Shin ignored them. He had to leave right now.... Then suddenly, Siwoo smiled and put his arm around Shin¡¯s shoulder. Siwoo eximed, ¡°Oh my! Look at you, Shin Kim, in your suit! Are you wearing a white business shirt and a tie?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here right now.¡± ¡°Look at that coat too! Your shoulders are so broad, I¡¯m going to get a nosebleed.¡± Shin was holding his coat, and suddenly, Siwoo grabbed it from his hand and opened it. He waited. Shin asked in confusion, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I will help you into the coat. Turn around.¡± ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t bother.¡± But Siwoo was a very stubborn man. Shin knew they wouldn¡¯t leave until Siwoo got his way, so Shin turned around. Siwoo carefully helped him with each sleeve. To others, it looked like Siwoo could be Shin¡¯s boyfriend. Shin said to him, ¡°If you act like that here, people are going to talk. They are going to think we are together.¡± ¡°Well, maybe they aren¡¯t wrong!¡± ¡°... You are a crazy bastard.¡± ¡°Exactly. That is why Chef Kim is totally in love with me.¡± Siwoo smiled quizzically, making Shinugh. Heughed out loud and asked, ¡°Whatever. What do you want to eat for dinner?¡± ¡°I am so sick of Chef Kim¡¯s food. He cooks too healthy.¡± ¡°So what do you want?¡± ¡°Bad food and alcohol. Let¡¯s go get some Chinese food!¡± Siwoo was very honest about his needs and desires. Shin suddenly thought of Woojin, which was strange because Siwoo and Woojin werepletely different. It seemed that Shin couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Woojin. Siwoo was very quick. He asked, ¡°You are thinking about someone, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Such a sneak.¡± ¡°Haha, are you thinking about HIM?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Man, you are too honest, Shin Kim.¡± Shin and Siwoo were very simr, and one of these simrities was their honesty. Perhaps this was why they became close. They left through the main entrance. They just walked out of the lobby when suddenly, Shin felt two people staring at him. ¡°Huh?¡± It was Jihoon Kang. And beside him was Woojin Choi. Siwoo seemed to notice the tension. He whispered, ¡°Oh?¡± Jihoon nced at Shin and asked, ¡°You must be going home?¡± Shin wondered, ¡®I wasn¡¯t sure, but I guess I was right. Woojin is really having dinner with Jihoon Kang.¡¯ Shin thought Jihoon parked his car in the basement parking lot, but today, he must¡¯ve parked it on the main level. Woojin must¡¯ve been outside for a while because his cheeks were red. Shin began to feel angry. Just how long did Jihoon make Woojin stand outside? Siwoo came up and asked adorably, ¡°What¡¯s happening here? Are these your co-workers, Shin?¡± Siwoo and Shin were about the same height, but Siwoo was much slimmer. Siwoo stood close to Shin and looked at both Jihoon and Woojin. Jihoon continued, ¡°I see that you have ns for dinner tonight, Mr. Kim.¡± ¡°Umm, yes. I hope you two have a good dinner as well.¡± Shin smiled awkwardly. As he bowed, Siwoo held onto Shin¡¯s hand and whispered to him prettily, ¡°You are gonna buy me Chinese food, right?¡± ¡°Alright. I will.¡± ¡°Yay! Then I¡¯m going to drink expensive booze too!¡± Shin pulled Siwoo into a quick walk. He hated the feeling of Jihoon and Woojin¡¯s stares on his back. Siwoo asked Shin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you friends with those guys back there?¡± ¡°They are just colleagues. Co-workers.¡± ¡°Hmm... I feel like I¡¯ve seen him before somewhere...¡± They were now out of sight. Siwoo murmured and looked up at Shin who asked quickly, ¡°Who? Which one?¡± Did Siwoo know Woojin? Shin wanted to know. But Siwoo turned around and pointed at the other man. ¡°That guy.¡± Siwoo was pointing at Jihoon Kang. *** Jihoon said to Woojin, ¡°What are you waiting for? Get in. It¡¯s freezing out here.¡± Jihoon opened the passenger door for Woojin and waited, but Woojin just looked where Shin was walking away. Woojin was very upset. He didn¡¯t know why, but he wasn¡¯t hungry at all. A bad headache wasing on. He desperately wanted to know who that man was that was with Shin Kim. Woojin must¡¯ve been chewing his lips. Jihoon finally pulled Woojin¡¯s face towards him and asked, ¡°Does it bother you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Woojin finally got into the car. Jihoon did the same as he asked, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°Whatever. I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m taking you to a steak ce.¡± Woojin remembered that man asking Shin to buy him Chinese food. Woojin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He fingered his watch for a little while before he took out his cellphone. Perhaps Shin was going to text him? Woojin remembered being thankful just to be near Shin, yet here he was now, feeling jealous even when they already spent the night together. Jihoon asked, ¡°How was your business trip? Shin apparently didn¡¯t get me any gifts.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please answer me, Assistant Manager Choi.¡± ¡°He looked good.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That guy who was next to Shin.¡± In fact, it was a very pretty man. Woojin never really thought much about appearances, but even to him, Siwoo looked beautiful. He was tall, but still looked very fragile because he was also very slender. The truth was, Woojin saw the whole interaction between Shin and Siwoo in the lobby. They looked so close, especially when Siwoo helped Shin into his coat. Jihoon mentioned, ¡°You are frowning really badly right now.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You are better looking, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Woojin turned to Jihoon with a nk face. Jihoon was driving, but he knew Woojin was staring at him. Jihoon asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± ¡°Why did you just say that?¡± ¡°Come on, everyone knows you are pretty.¡± The car was quickly warming up. Jihoon always drove nice cars. Nice clothes, nice food, nice person. To Woojin, it seemed like Jihoon felt pressured to have these nice things, even though he didn¡¯t even like them. Jihoon said to him, ¡°Fasten your seat belt.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you want me to do it for you?¡± Woojin quickly did it himself. He felt a little strange so he looked away, but through the side mirror, he could see Jihoon Kang. ¡°...¡± Jihoon Kang was looking at Woojin Choi with an odd expression. Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Chapter 43.

Shin asked Siwoo at the restaurant, ¡°Is it good?¡±¡® ¡°Yup! Yummy!¡± Siwoo winked as he pointed at the bottle of alcohol. Shinughed and poured him a ss, which Siwoo drank in one gulp. Siwoo looked up sweetly and Shin patted his curly hair. Siwoo loved to be touched, and he especially liked Shin¡¯s hands, which wererge and warm. Siwooined, ¡°I like everything about Joowan but one thing. His hands are always so cold.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. He¡¯s a chef.¡± ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t help feeling disappointed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one thing over all the other great things you like about him, so just shut up.¡± Shin dipped a piece of fried chicken in soy sauce on Siwoo¡¯s te for him. Siwoo was one of those people who always remained slim no matter how much he ate. It was actually a source of stress for him because Siwoo was so thin at one point in high school. It wasn¡¯t that Siwoo was a picky eater, but he was picky when it came to people. Shin guessed that Siwoo used up a lot energy, and therefore burned a lot of calories, in his social life. Siwoo also hated exercising. He waszy even when it came to food. He used to skip meals frequently, but then he ended up with a chef as his boyfriend. Shin smiled, thinking it was meant to be. Shin whispered, ¡°During winter, I want to date Shin Kim instead.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± Siwoo grinned and Shin couldn¡¯t dislike this man. Siwoo was an easily loveable person. Maybe it was because Siwoo grew up being loved by all. Watching Siwoo, Shin thought of Woojin Choi. Jihoon Kang and Woojin Choi. Shin still frowned at how Jihoon made Woojin stand in the cold for so long. Woojin left much earlier than Shin, so haD he been waiting outside all that time? Shin set down his chopsticks in frustration. Siwoo looked up while still holding a piece of pickled cabbage with his chopsticks. Siwoo asked, ¡°Are you on a diet or something, Shin? You aren¡¯t eating much at all.¡± ¡°I just feel upset for some reason.¡± ¡°Oh, are you going to drink too?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to drive so I should be ok.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Siwoo smiled excitedly. Shin patted his cheek before asking, ¡°By the way, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Siwoo had a mouthful of food, making him look like a chipmunk. He looked so cute that Shin smiled and continued, ¡°That guy¡­ Where did you see him?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The one in the parking lot in front of my office.¡± ¡°Oh, that sexy guy with an amazing body?¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t you think he looks like a jerk?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shin, you are hotter.¡± Siwoo nodded firmly. He drank a sip of his drink and pursed his lips together in contemtion. After a short silence, he asked Shin, ¡°Does he work in your office?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am not sure if I should be telling you this¡­ The thing is, I do remember who that guy is.¡± ¡°¡­ Why shouldn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ for lots of reasons. The repercussion of me telling you about that man¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You might not want to hear about this, Shin.¡± Siwoo looked serious for once. Siwoo had thin and long eyebrows, and Shin wondered if that was why Siwoo looked young. Shin yed with his piece of chicken as he listened to Siwoo. ¡°Let¡¯s say someone saw the person you are dating and started the rumor that he might be gay. How would you feel?¡± ¡°You mean if he was ousted?¡± ¡°You get what I¡¯m telling you?¡± Siwoo emptied his ss. His fingers trembled a little as he continued. ¡°This is something you need to think about now that you are dating a man.¡± ¡°How does Joowan feel about it?¡± ¡°Joowan said he knew since he was in kindergarten that he was gay. He believes in doing his best to protect his partner¡¯s privacy, which means he prefers to not be seen with his date by anyone. He wants to take his dates to very private ces.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the opposite of you, right?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ yes, but you don¡¯t have to point it out like that¡­ so bluntly¡­ Anyway, what I¡¯m about to tell you¡­ Listen with a grain of salt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his real name. If you go to Club P in Itaewon, everyone probably knows him. Well, in the clubs, he was called ¡®R.¡¯ I don¡¯t know why, he just was. This was about 6 years ago. He apparently went out every night and every Friday night, he would rent a whole room and throw the biggest party. He spent so much money and everyone loved it since they could get free booze. He was super social and the kind of parties he threw¡­ Well, let¡¯s just say they were crazy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I am telling you that he is gay. That man we saw in the parking lot. A huge yboy gay at that. He used to have a different partner every night.¡± Shin remained silent. He set down his chopsticks and picked up his ss. He felt like his heart was skipping a beat. Siwoo continued, ¡°And ¡®R¡¯ certainly had a very specific type. All the guys he slept with looked very simr.¡± ¡°A type?¡± ¡°Yup. He wouldn¡¯t just sleep with any man. He had a very specific type. Men that were slender¡­ pale¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Men who resemble¡­ a fox.¡± Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Chapter 44.

Chapter 44. Jihoon Kang asked Woojin, ¡°You don¡¯t feel like eating? No appetite?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Choi...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Woojin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eating, aren¡¯t I?¡± Woojin took a spoonful of egg custard and replied coldly. The restaurant was well heated to a point of being hot. Woojin took off his cardigan and folded it neatly on the chair next to his. On the grill in front of him, bite-sized pork belly pieces were cooking deliciously. Jihoon picked out the ones that were cooked well and ced them on Woojin¡¯s te. He said to Woojin, ¡°You need to eat more meat.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is your mother doing well? Healthy I hope?¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin looked up at Jihoon before putting a piece of meat in his mouth. He was taught to eat and chew food if he was asked a question he didn¡¯t want to answer during a meal. He was told to chew slowly and for a long time to escape answering. Woojin remembered these tips very well. Jihoon continued with his questions, ¡°How was Germany? Good I hope?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It has been like 3 years since west ate dinner together, right, Woojin?¡± ¡°It was you who said we shouldn¡¯t look too close at work.¡± ¡°Is that why you are mad at me?¡± Jihoon was acting strangely today, making Woojin feel ufortable. Woojin kept chewing his food without swallowing. If Jihoon wasn¡¯t so insistent, he could have had dinner with Shin Kim. And if he did, Woojin wouldn¡¯t have been forced to meet that pretty man. Woojin felt like he was suffering indigestion, even though he had barely eaten. He rubbed the right side of his chest and rang for a server. Jihoon looked up and asked, ¡°Is there another dish you want?¡± Ignoring Jihoon, Woojin said to the server, ¡°Please get me a bottle of Solsongju (Traditional Korean rice wine).¡± Jihoon asked him, ¡°You are going to drink today?¡± ¡°...¡± Immediately, a white porcin bottle was brought to them. Along with it, a te of honeyed yams came for Woojin. The yams were sliced very thin, and looking down at it, Woojin smiled. Next time he saw Shin, Woojin thought he should tell him that he liked honeyed yam. Jihoon looked confused, ¡°Did you just smile?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You... seem differenttely.¡± Without replying, Woojin took a piece of yam and ced it on his te. It looked clear and sticky. The sweet yet nd taste... What Woojin liked the most about it was its texture. This was the first time Woojin realized this. He remembered Shin asking him what kind of food he liked. My Shin Kim. Thinking about him made Woojin¡¯s heart ache. Jihoon asked, ¡°Do you want me to pour you a ss?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can do it myself.¡± Woojin took the bottle away from Jihoon¡¯s hand and poured himself a ss. Woojin made sure not to make any slurping noise as he drank it. Woojin learned to drink not from his mother, but from Jihoon Kang. Woojin could smell the pine tree from the drink. Simr to Shin¡¯s scent. His neck... His fingers... And his chest. A strong neat scent. Jihoon asked, ¡°What did you do during the weekend?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you watch a movie?¡± ¡°I know you dropped by my ce.¡± ¡°...¡± It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that Jihoon and Woojin worked in the same office. Woojin said to him, ¡°You have some too.¡± He ced a ss in front of Jihoon, who asked, ¡°How will we get home?¡± ¡°I will find a way, and you will find your way yourself as well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± Ever since they were children, Jihoon treated Woojin like a little brother. They were about the same age, but Jihoon always seemed to feel the need to take care of him. He had to make sure he ate, dressed warmly, and remained alive. Jihoon eximed, ¡°Wow, Woojin Choi has changed a lot.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be strange if I didn¡¯t?¡± When he asked Shin to date just for a month, Woojin was certain he would be rejected. Woojin was just being greedy. For the first time in his life, Woojin decided to be selfish and do what he wanted. Whether he got it or not didn¡¯t matter. Just saying it out loud was going to be enough. The feelings he had for so long... That night was the first time Woojin let it out. There was actually much more he wanted to let out. To let Shin know that... When Woojin saw Shin looking at him for the first time. How long Woojin wanted to see him. How long... So long... Woojin thought that if they saw each other secretly, it would be ok. If only Shin and he knew about it... For the longest time, he wanted to show Shin how he felt. ¡°Jihoon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Please pretend you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just for a month. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just turn a blind eye for a month.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Keep your ears shut for a month too.¡± ¡°Woojin...¡± ¡°I am making a deal with you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know, it¡¯s what your mother and my grandfather are good at, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s also what my family is terrible at.¡± Woojin formed his lips into a smile. It wasn¡¯t the same smile like the one he showed to Shin, but Woojin suspected Jihoon wouldn¡¯t know the difference. Jihoon had never seen Woojin smile before, so he wouldn¡¯t know at all. Woojin continued, ¡°Just for a month, Jihoon. And after that, I won¡¯t even talk about him. I will never mention him again.¡± *** Shin murmured, ¡°It¡¯s so freezing out.¡± He parted with Siwoo and was on his way back home. He got off the subway and walked up the stairs. He must¡¯ve murmured louder than he intended because two girls passing by giggled at him. The wind blew angrily. Winter wasing. ¡°...¡± Shin thought of Woojin Choi again. It was bing an obsession now. Woojin seemed to hate the cold as well. Even when he slept, Woojin kept getting closer to Shin, making it impossible for Shin to sleep. But Shin didn¡¯t dislike it. It was strange how he actually enjoyed it. It was such a huge surprise that Woojin could be this adorable. The assistant manager always seemed so cold and unapproachable. When Shin pulled him closer, Woojin seemed to feelfortable. His lips turned up into a faint smile, and Shin thought he looked so lovely. Shin liked everything about Woojin. ¡°...¡± He only ate dinner with Siwoo, but it was already 9 PM. Shin couldn¡¯t wait to get home and take a hot shower. Then, he was going to call Woojin. Shin was about to enter his condo when Shin suddenly noticed him. ¡°...¡± The man who was waiting in front slowly pushed back his hoodie hat. Shin never expected him to see here. He took a step forward toward the man in shock. ¡°Huh...?¡± Red cheeks, beautiful eyes, pale face. Woojin murmured, ¡°I forgot to text you.¡± Slowly, Woojin walked into Shin¡¯s arms. Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Chapter 45.

Chapter 45. Shin Kim could smell a faint pine tree scent on Woojin¡¯s neck. Shin asked, ¡°Assistant Manager Choi, why are you here?¡± Woojin was still in his arms and when Shin touched Woojin¡¯s coat; it felt very cold. Shin quickly pressed the passcode and opened the entrance to his condo. Shin said in frustration, ¡°Just how long have you been waiting here?¡± Angrily, Shin pulled Woojin into the building. He massaged Woojin¡¯s hands, but they seemed to remain cold. Shin blew warm air onto Woojin¡¯s hands. When Woojin giggled because he felt ticklish, Shin replied in annoyance, ¡°How can youugh in this situation? What if you catch a cold?¡± The elevator arrived and Shin pulled Woojin into his arms again as they entered. Thankfully, the elevator and hallway were empty. Woojin looked up at Shin before leaning against him. Shin said quietly, ¡°You are acting a bit differently.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hmm... Strange.¡± Shin smiled and pushed back Woojin¡¯s hair. Woojin leaned onto Shin¡¯s hand like a cat. Woojin seemed to be unusually affectionate today, so Shin looked at him closely with his eyes narrowed. Woojin¡¯s cheeks seemed a bit red. Shin asked, ¡°Did... you drink tonight?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please answer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. A lot. Lots.¡± Woojin smiled adorably, and Shin stared in surprise. The elevator door opened to his floor, but Shin didn¡¯t even notice. They drank together before, but Woojin didn¡¯t act this way thest time. He looked so... cute that Shin couldn¡¯t help but smile as well. When Shin remained bemused, it was Woojin who pulled him out of the elevator. ¡°Let¡¯s get out.¡± Shin¡¯s heart pounded wildly. He hadn¡¯t realized it before, but apparently, Shin was the type that would fall head over heels in love. If he was with the right person, of course. Shin had dated plenty before, but he guessed that this must be what real love felt like. Shin pressed the passcode quickly to his condo and opened the door. The bright orange light from the entrance shone on them. Woojin frowned andined, ¡°That light hurts my eyes.¡± Shin looked down at him again. Until now, it had been very difficult to tell what Woojin was thinking or feeling. But Woojin¡¯s face looked different tonight. It was clear to see his feelings. Right now, he looked annoyed by the bright light. Even his annoyed look was sexy. Shin murmured for Woojin to take his shoes off. Woojin smiled widely and nodded. He was too cute. Shin asked, ¡°Just how much did you drink?¡± ¡°I thought I told you... I drank a lot.¡± Shin took his coat off and turned to look at Woojin again. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin, are youughing again?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°... You are driving me nuts.¡± Shin hung up his coat and handed Woojin, who was taking his jacket off as well, a coat hanger. Shin hung Woojin¡¯s coat as well and pulled him closer into a hug. Shin whispered, ¡°I wonder why you drank so much.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did something upsetting happen?¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin shook his head. He just buried his head on Shin¡¯s chest and breathed in deeply. Woojin¡¯s body was still cold, but his breath was hot as he exhaled onto Shin¡¯s chest. Early on, Shin learned that Woojin had very shallow breaths. When Shin first saw Woojin sleep, he was afraid Woojin wasn¡¯t breathing. He almost thought he should put his finger underneath Woojin¡¯s nose to check if he was breathing. Woojin suddenly left Shin¡¯s arms and walked to the living room. He saw down on the sofa and closed his eyes. He patted the seat next to him expectantly. Without a word, Shin walked to the living room as well and sat next to him. Woojin finally opened his eyes and held Shin¡¯s hand. Woojin¡¯s cold hands and Shin¡¯s warm hands... Woojin finally replied to Shin, ¡°Because I always am upset.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m upset all the time that I don¡¯t think I know what upset means anymore.¡± In a breathy voice, Woojin continued, ¡°Shin...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I was so worried that you wouldn¡¯t date me. But you agreed to it...¡± It looked like there was a small smile on Woojin¡¯s face as he continued, ¡°Thank you for being with me.¡± Shin held Woojin¡¯s chin gently, afraid he might hurt him. Shin replied, ¡°It should be me who should thank you for asking me out.¡± Shin smiled lightly, but then frowned as he added, ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t drink so much with another man.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I get jealous.¡± ¡°YOU get jealous, Shin?¡± ¡°Always.¡± ¡°Me... too...¡± Shin looked at Woojin in surprise. Why would Woojin get jealous? About what? Shin asked, ¡°Why are you jealous?¡± ¡°You are too nice.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You are always with Chief Seulgi Kim...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°With Miss Yeonwoo Ji too...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And also that guy you were with tonight...¡± Suddenly, Shin covered Woojin¡¯s lips with his hand. Woojin¡¯s eyes widened and embarrassedly, Shin looked away and replied, ¡°You need to stop.¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Was I being unreasonable?¡± ¡°No... I just felt like I would die of embarrassment if I continue to hear this.¡± Shin hid his neck, fearing that it had turned red. Just how adorable could Woojin be? Shin remembered Siwoo telling him that being pretty or handsome didn¡¯tst forever, but being cute... That was a different story. At the time, Shin couldn¡¯t understand him, but now he did. Shin continued, ¡°I won¡¯t tell you not to drink again, but you need to promise me you will show this cute side to only me.¡± Shin tucked Woojin¡¯s hair back and asked, ¡°So tell me. Why are you always so upset?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are drunk, so you might as well tell me.¡± Woojin¡¯s eyes deepened. Liking someone could happen quite suddenly, but losing your heart to someone... It happened slowly, like a drop of ink spreading throughout the ocean. For some reason, being with Woojin reminded Shin of when he took his first swim lesson. The water engulfing him, hugging him, slowly... The initial drop followed by the feeling of floating... The excitement of it all... Woojin finally opened his mouth to answer, ¡°I have always been upset.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My father was rarely home, and my mother was too in love with him.¡± ¡°... I see.¡± ¡°She loved him very much, but I don¡¯t think my mother loved me.¡± Woojin¡¯s voice sounded indifferent, but his lips looked rigid. Seeing his dry eyes, Shin felt unhappy. Woojin continued, ¡°But you know what? I was never interested in being loved, but now I know what it feels like, and it¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Maybe it doesn¡¯t mean much to you, but...¡± Woojin looked up at him and blinked a few times, Shin rubbed Woojin¡¯s cheeks and hugged him tightly. Woojin¡¯s hot yet cold breaths touched Shin¡¯s shoulders, chest, and arms. Shin replied, ¡°You canin to me all you want. Tell me anything you want to unload.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You can cry too if you want.¡± Shin patted Woojin¡¯s head as he remembered a conversation with Siwoo from a long time ago. Siwoo asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have people around you that put up emotional barriers, do you?¡± ¡°... Barriers?¡± ¡°You know, those people who don¡¯t like to socialize.¡± ¡°Nope. Of course not. They are very hard to deal with.¡± ¡°Do you know why they are so hard?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When those people lose their walls, it doesn¡¯t happen slowly. It happens very suddenly, all at once, and when that happens, you need to be responsible for them.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they are hard and scary.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you know what, Shin? You are one of those people, you idiot!¡± Remembering the conversation, Shin tightened his embrace around Woojin. Even from the beginning, he had a feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to let Woojin go. And now, he knew for certain that his guess was correct. Shin could no longer let Woojin go. He also couldn¡¯t leave Woojin alone. This sticky achy feeling... It filled Shin¡¯s heart. Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Chapter 46.

Chapter 46. Shin looked himself in the mirror. He was wearing a ck turtleneck sweater. He mumbled, ¡°Does this look awkward?¡± It was 9 AM on a weekday morning. It had been so long since he was able to oversleep on a weekday. He even had the leisure of making and drinking his coffee unhurriedly. It also was very rare for him to wear regr clothes on a weekday, especially not since his college years. Until high school, he had to wear his school uniforms or a training uniform. Once he began to work, he had to wear business suits. It was only in university that Shin learned about fashion. Siwoo was an especially helpful friend who taught him how to dress well. Siwoo always felt Shin didn¡¯t dress well enough, considering what a great physique he had. Now that he thought about it, Shin realized Siwoo hadn¡¯t contacted him since their dinner. As he packed his bag, Shin checked his cellphone. There was one message from Minjae. -Today at 10 AM at Sadang Station Gate 1, right? Today was the first day of the office moral workshop. Everyone was going to meet at the Sadang Station where they would take the shuttle bus to a resort in Muju. It was an overnight camp-style retreat. Its goal was to increase morals and unity among the different divisions. Shin usually didn¡¯t like camps because he had to go on so many of them for sports. But this time, it was different. Everyone was given the list of all attendees, and Shin noticed that Woojin¡¯s name was included. On top of that, Shin learned that Woojin and himself were assigned in the same group. Shin sent a message to Woojin, which he did every morning now. -Are you awake? Shin wondered if it would be better for them to just live together. He picked out a coat to wear and heard his phone beep. It was a reply from Woojin. -Do you want to grab a coffee together before we go to the station? It was a pleasant surprise to see how Woojin now feltfortable with Shin. Shinughed happily. *** In the shuttle bus, the team arrived at the Muju City Hotel, which was located in a resort. Thepany rented the entire hotel for this workshop. An announcement was made when they arrived. -Lunch will be given to everyone in the form of a bento. Starting at 3 PM, the sportspetition will take ce in the internal gymnasium. Please arrive at the lobby by 2:30 PM to check-in. The HR team was working quickly to get everything ready. A total of four shuttle buses were rented and the seats were assigned randomly to mix up everyone from different divisions. Woojin sighed deeply, already feeling ufortable around so many of his co-workers. Jihoon watched him and asked, ¡°You are already regrettinging, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are wishing you nned a business trip today, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Since their dinner a few days ago, Woojin had been feeling the awkwardness with Jihoon. But today, Jihoon talked to him as if nothing happened. In fact, Jihoon smiled at him brightly like he used to before, making Woojin feel relieved. On the list that was sent to him this morning, Woojin saw that he was assigned to the same team as Jihoon. Jihoon offered Woojin, ¡°Do you want me to carry your bento?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Woojin walked ahead and was about to get on the elevator when someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. As expected, it was Shin Kim, who smiled at Woojin brightly. Ignoring Jihoon, who was frowning, Shin sighed and walked into the elevator with Jihoon and Woojin. Minjae followed from behind, looking at Jihoon and Woojin awkwardly. He bowed lightly. Shin asked Woojin, ¡°5th floor?¡± When Woojin nodded, Shin smiled and pressed the button as he grabbed Woojin¡¯s lunch box to hold it for him. Jihoon¡¯s frown became uglier. Shin replied with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m on the 5th floor as well. What a coincidence.¡± Minjae looked at Shin and said to him with a frown, ¡°What are you talking about? A coincidence? Assistant Manager Woojin, you are in the same room as us. When Shin saw you from afar, he handed me his lunch box and ran after you.¡± Minjae lifted the two lunches he was holding to show them to Woojin and Jihoon. Shin continued to smile down at Woojin. When Woojin noticed that Shin¡¯s hair was a bit messy, he reached up to fix it. Jihoon¡¯s face crumpled into a scowl. Thankfully, Minjae was too busy checking his lunch box to notice. Woojin replied quietly, ¡°So I guess we are to share the room together.¡± The truth was, it was Woojin who checked the list first before Shin. Woojin never attended these workshops. The only reason he came this year was all because of Shin. When Shin mentioned how sad he felt about not getting to see Woojin for two days, Woojin impulsively RSVPed ¡°yes¡± to the workshop invitation by email. When Yeonwoo Ji was confirming the list of attendees, she was shocked to see Woojin¡¯s name. She came up to him to ask a few times if he was sure about it. Shin murmured, ¡°We can probably eat dinner together.¡± Their eyes met, but the shy Woojin turned away quickly. His ears felt like they were burning. The elevator finally arrived and Jihoon announced, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He quickly grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist and pulled him closer. Jihoon looked angry. Jihoon had been acting oddlytely. He used to make an excuse to leave the office all the time, but nowadays, he remained in his chair most of the day. He rarely went on business trips anymore. Even the team leader thought it was odd. It seemed that Jihoon was drinking a lottely too. They were walking in the hallway when suddenly, someone eximed, ¡°Wow, who do we have here?!¡± Woojin knew who it was immediately just by his voice. He closed his eyes unhappily. Minjae greeted the man excitedly, ¡°Oh, Chief Eejun Bae!¡± Eejun was wearing a white pr shirt and jeans. It was a simple look and it suited him very well. Beside Eejun were a few female workers hovering around him. Woojin was reminded of how incredibly social Eejun was. Eejun was theplete opposite of him. At first nce, Jihoon and Eejun seemed very simr, but Woojin could tell the difference. Jihoon acted warm and kind, but he still had a subtle but clear emotional wall around him. Eejun, however, acted cold a lot of the time, but he had a big heart and could be very nosy. Eejun walked towards Woojin and joked, ¡°Wow, we are going to be next door neighbors. Should I thank the HR team for that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You look good, Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°You said that already several times when we were in Germany.¡± Woojin replied to him in annoyance, making Eejun grin. Eejun bowed teasingly. Eejun loved to tease Woojin since they were kids. It was rare for Woojin to show any reactions, so when he actually did, Eejun grabbed the chance and teased him mercilessly. There were even times when Eejun was reprimanded by his and Woojin¡¯s parents for going too far. Eejun would pretend to be sorry, but as soon as they were alone again, Eejun would tease Woojin again. Eejun often asked Woojin endless questions. ¡°Why do you always look so nk?¡± ¡°Are you just pretending to be emotionless?¡± ¡°Do you truly have darkness inside of you?¡± ¡°Do you like someone?¡± Now that Woojin thought about it, he wondered if Eejun just wanted to be his friend. Eejun noticed Jihoon and greeted him as well, ¡°Oh, I see that Mr. Kang is here as well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You look very happy to be with Woojin, Assistant Manager Kang.¡± Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Chapter 47.

Chapter 47. Jihoon was having a very frustrating day, and it showed on his face. His eyebrows curved into a tense frown. Minjae pulled on Jihoon¡¯s sleeve discreetly; Jihoon suddenly realized that he must¡¯ve looked very angry. Minjae opened the door to their room and walked in. Shin looked back at Woojin; he wasn¡¯t demanding Woojin to follow. Shin just looked at him assuredly, making Woojin feel rxed andforted. When he felt sure Woojin was ok, Shin followed Minjae into the room and closed the door behind him. As soon as Minjae and Shin were gone, Jihoon grabbed Eejun¡¯s shoulder and murmured, ¡°You need to be careful of what you say, Mr. Eejun Bae.¡± ¡°Huh? Why should I be careful? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m someone¡¯s dog.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who should be careful. I keep hearing about how wild your parties used to be.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Apparently, a very important gentleman is very concerned about it. I, on the other hand, don¡¯t give a shit about who you used to do, but you need to keep it quiet, Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang. I am worried that you might rub off on our Woojin.¡± ¡°... Hey!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping your life clean for a while now, so why did you start again? Like I said though, I don¡¯t care how you spend your nights, but make sure it doesn¡¯t affect Woojin. Anyway, have a nice lunch!¡± Eejun smiled at Woojin and walked away. Woojin turned to Jihoon, who was panting roughly. He had his hand on his forehead in frustration. This was the second time Woojin had seen Jihoon looking this way. Jihoon usually looked rxed and controlled. He was excellent at controlling his emotions, so for him to look this angry meant that Jihoon was furious right now. Woojin could see Jihoon struggling to bring down his emotions. Jihoon said to Woojin, ¡°Everything Eejun Bae just said... They are all lies.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So Woojin...¡± Woojin interrupted him calmly, ¡°Umm... Listen, I don¡¯t care... It¡¯s doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m going in now.¡± Woojin remembered Jihoon from his childhood. Every time they spent time together, Jihoon would make a point of bringing luxurious and expensive books and toys to y with. At the time, even Woojin knew Jihoon wasn¡¯t doing this because he was truly interested in these ¡°things.¡± ¡°Woojin Choi...¡± ¡°...¡± Jihoon grabbed Woojin¡¯s shoulder from behind. His hand wasrge and... forceful. Woojin knew that they could never remain ¡°friends¡± forever. Jihoon asked, ¡°Did you ever wonder?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why I brought you back to Korea...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like Korea.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But back then, I hated being abroad even more.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Maybe I never really liked anything.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But you also never even thought about what I might like. You just acted however you liked, Jihoon Kang.¡± Jihoon was just like ¡°them.¡± ¡®Makes sense... Since he is blood.¡¯ Suddenly, Woojin remembered the cold ck-haired woman whispering to him. Woojin pushed Jihoon away and ran to his room. Woojin needed his warmth right now. Hisrge hand. His warm eyes. Woojin needed Shin Kim. *** Minjae asked Shin, ¡°What are you doing holding your cell phone so desperately like that?¡± Minjae and Shin were in the gymnasium for the sports contest. They greeted their co-workers. Shin chose the sports he nned to participate in. Shin replied, ¡°Oh, I just have something to check.¡± ¡°You are dating, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°... Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°Wow, you won¡¯t even make an effort to deny it? So straightforward!¡± ¡°Why should I deny it?¡± ¡°So this is what you like when you are in a romantic rtionship?¡± ¡°Well, I guess so.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Shin smiled. Handing him a cup of coffee, Minjae asked, ¡°What sports are you going topete in?¡± ¡°Some kind of a ry run I think? That was why I was assigned to it.¡± ¡°What? I didn¡¯t see that on MY list! Gosh, the HR team must like you much more than me. I am in Korean wrestling.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± When Minjae looked disappointed, Shin suggested, ¡°They probably thought you are very strong. Perfect for Korean wrestling.¡± ¡°You know that sounds like sexual harassment.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Man! If you keep annoying me, I¡¯m going to tell everyone that you have a girlfriend!¡± Minjae sighed and looked around. When he made sure no one was around to listen to their conversation, Minjae lowered his voice and asked, ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you think it feels odd between those three guys? Jihoon Kang, Woojin Choi, and Eejun Bae?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The three must be in a fight or something.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Totally. When we were all eating lunch together, I thought I was going to throw up. It felt so tense in the room!¡± ¡°You seemed like you were eating fine to me.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Shin was feigning ignorance, but he was just about to call Woojin. After lunch hour, Woojin said he was going for a quick walk. But by 2:30 PM, he didn¡¯t show up at the lobby, making Shin feel nervous. He went into the gymnasium, hoping to see Woojin somewhere, but he wasn¡¯t there either. Minjae was busy looking around and drinking his coffee, so Shin secretly texted Woojin. When he looked up, he saw Minjae staring at him. Shin asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Did you text your girlfriend just now?¡± ¡°... No.¡± ¡°Liar. Your expression said it all when you were texting just now.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Oh man, I always thought Shin Kim was this charismatic dude! I was so wrong! I should¡¯ve taken a photo of you just now and sent it to every girl in the office!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone act like me to their partner? Aren¡¯t you like that too with your girlfriend?¡± Suddenly, Shin¡¯s cellphone vibrated. Shin stood up quickly. ¡°Sorry, Minjae, I need to take this.¡± ¡°What! Shin!¡± ¡°When my sport starts, please text me to let me know.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stay? I mean, we are still rtively new to thispany...¡± ¡°...¡± Minjae insisted on Shin staying, but Shin ignored him. He quickly ran out, afraid he might miss Woojin¡¯s call. As soon as Shin answered, he asked, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°At a pharmacy.¡± Shin¡¯s heart fell anxiously. He frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you at a pharmacy?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t feel well. I think I have indigestion. I waited for it to get better but it didn¡¯t, so I came here to buy medication.¡± Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Chapter 48.

Chapter 48. ¡°Oh, you are back?¡± When Shin entered their group room 502 with his key card, Woojin was sitting on a sofa, resting. Shin walked up to him quickly and leaned forward. Shin mentioned, ¡°You sound like you¡¯re out of breath.¡± ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± Shin checked Woojin¡¯s forehead. He didn¡¯t have a fever but Woojin looked very cold. When Shin hugged him, Woojin didn¡¯t resist. Shinined, ¡°If you were sick, you should¡¯ve told me.¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just worried about you. You said you didn¡¯t feel well... Let me have a look at you.¡± Shin looked into Woojin¡¯s eyes. When Woojin tried to close them, Shin held Woojin¡¯s cheeks gently, making him purr. When he acted like this, Woojin definitely reminded Shin of a kitten. The problem was that Woojin was very fragile. He seemed to get tired very easily, yet he abused his body by overworking himself. Woojin finally sighed and replied, ¡°It¡¯s just indigestion.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t even eat much for lunch.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you feel ufortable and awkward during lunch?¡± Woojin nodded as Shin patted his back. Shin asked, ¡°Did you go alone? To the pharmacy?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you. Waste your time...¡± Shin looked at Woojin slowly. Woojin¡¯s lips seemed dry. Instead of getting him some water, Shin kissed him gently. Looking at Woojin¡¯s eyes widen, Shin replied, ¡°It¡¯s this stupid sportspetition that is wasting my time away from you.¡± When Shin smiled, Woojin said to him, ¡°Your expression looks strange.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because I was thinking about something dirty. My mind is in the gutter.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Woojin¡¯s neck turned pink again, like a drop of red paint in a bowl of cream. It was so beautiful that Shin couldn¡¯t help but kiss Woojin¡¯s neck and breathe in deeply. Woojin¡¯s scent was like the sunrise. Cool yet warm and sweet. Somewhat a little sad as well. Woojin murmured, ¡°... It tickles.¡± He then grabbed Shin¡¯s face and kissed him. Just a moment ago, Woojin seemed so shy, almost embarrassed at Shin¡¯s touch, but now, Woojin wrapped his arms around Shin¡¯s neck and kissed him deeply. Woojinid down on the sofa, bringing Shin on top of him. Shin was worried that his weight would be too much for Woojin, so Shin supported himself with his arms. Woojin moaned lightly, making Shin feel almost faint. He bit Woojin¡¯s lower lip. ¡°Ahh...¡± ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Woojin giggled a little at Shin¡¯s anxious tone. Woojin whispered, ¡°What if someonees in?¡± ¡°I know...¡± Shin chuckled as well as he pushed back Woojin¡¯s hair gently. Shin felt breathless so he tried to get off the sofa, but Woojin wrapped his arms around Shin¡¯s neck again and made him turn towards him. Shin said to him, ¡°Are you acting childish because you are ill?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmm... I like it.¡± Just then, they heard the door opening. Shin fell off the sofa in surprise. Thankfully, because of the curtains, the room was dim. By the time Minjae walked in, Shin was slowly standing up. Minjae said to him, ¡°Oh, Shin, you were here?¡± Shin looked at him as Minjae noticed Woojin on the sofa. ¡°Oh, Assistant Manager Choi was here too?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh, is he sleeping?¡± Minjae began to whisper, and when Shin turned to look at Woojin, he realized that Woojin indeed had his eyes closed. Was he pretending to be asleep? Yes, he was. Shin turned to Minjae quickly and whispered back, ¡°Yeah, I think so.¡± ¡°Oh, then we better get out right now.¡± Minjae walked quietly into his bedroom to grab something and Shin grinned secretly. He didn¡¯t know Woojin could act this well. Shin looked down at him again and saw that his eyes were still closed. There was no time to waste. As soon as Minjae came out from his bedroom, Shin followed him out of their ce. After locking the door behind them, Minjae sighed and said to Shin, ¡°Phew. I don¡¯t know why I feel so awkward around that guy. He looks so fragile to me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shin knew he had an odd look on his face. He tried to control it, but thankfully, it was unnecessary because Minjae wasn¡¯t paying attention at all. They walked together to the elevator. Minjae continued, ¡°I just found Assistant Manger Woojin very strange. He looks like he will break if I just push him.¡± ¡°You are talking nonsense.¡± ¡°By the way, you went into the room so you could talk to your girlfriend privately, right? Were you super shocked to find him there sleeping?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you go in there to talk to your girlfriend on the phone?¡± ¡°Oh, yes...Umm, we better get going. The director is probably looking for us.¡± Shin quickly changed the subject. They went into the elevator. Inside, Shin found it difficult to breathe as his heart pounded wildly. Just then, his phone beeped. It was a message from Woojin. -Seeing you made me feel much better. Thank you. Shin¡¯s blood turned hot. It felt like all of his blood was rushing to his heart. He couldn¡¯t stop grinning like an idiot. ¡°... Did you hear what I just said, Shin?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You are such a dumbass. Let¡¯s go. Stop making that stupid face by the way, Shin.¡± But it was impossible. Shin continued to grin happily. *** When Woojin opened his eyes, it was very dark inside the living room. He couldn¡¯t tell what time it was. It seemed that Woojin had really fallen asleep. Woojin reached out to check, and as usual, he was alone. It felt cold, but again, that was normal for him as well. He sat up feeling very thirsty. On the side table, there were a few bottles of water. He opened one and drank from it. He felt a little hungry too. When he checked his phone, he saw that there were three messages. -Are you sleeping? -You may have indigestion, but you must also be hungry too... I am about to start thepetition. I will see you as soon as I¡¯m done here. -Woojin Choi, why aren¡¯t you answering your phone? The first two were from Shin Kim, while thest one was from Jihoon Kang. Woojin walked into his bedroom and grabbed a cardigan. He really wanted to see Shin ying sports, so Woojin moved quickly. Thankfully, Shin¡¯sst message was sent only 5 minutes ago. If he went to the gymnasium right now, he could probably catch Shin in action. Woojin held the water bottle and grabbed his key card before leaving the ce. Woojin fixed his hair quickly. As he walked the hallway, Woojin could feel his body feeling much better. ¡®That¡¯s strange.¡¯ Once he got sick, he often suffered for a long time. He always felt tired, so whenever he got ill, it left him feeling heavy and fatigued for a while. When he went to the pharmacy, he purchased indigestion medication. It usually didn¡¯t work on him, but there was no other option. When he took it, he expected his headache to continue and he thought he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep. But apparently, his napsted a whole hour. When he woke up, he felt much better. In fact, he was hungry. He was craving something sweet. ¡®Shin likes sweets.¡¯ Woojin recently learned that Shin was like a big teddy bear. He was ratherrge, but there was a puppyish side to him. Shin wasn¡¯t a picky eater, but he especially liked sweets. One time after dinner, Shin took out two chocte bars from his pocket. He unwrapped one to give it to Woojin, and he took the other one. When Woojin looked at him curiously, Shin smiled and exined, ¡°I like sweet things.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I know I don¡¯t look like the type, but I do.¡± Shin looked so shy. Woojin thought he was too cute. He decided to go to the convenience store and get some choctes to share with him. Just then, someone said to him in the lobby, ¡°You have a strange look on your face.¡± ¡°...¡± It was Eejun Bae. Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Chapter 49.

Chapter 49. Eejun asked Woojin, ¡°Are you skipping the sports contest?¡± ¡°I was about to go to the gym.¡± ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go together. You have a terrible sense of direction anyway, so it¡¯s not like you will be able to find the gym on your own.¡± Woojin had no choice. They began to walk together. Eejun asked, ¡°Jihoon Kang was looking for you. Where have you been?¡± ¡°I was in the room.¡± ¡°Haha. That guy is so ridiculous. Always looking for you in the weirdest ces when you are right here. Anyway, has Jihoon Kang been working outtely? What the hell! He is so buff now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the look? Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just strange.¡± Woojin stopped and looked at Eejun. He felt a little cold, so he buttoned his cardigan. Eejun had his hairbed back neatly. Woojin always thought that Eejun had a nice forehead. His face always looked a little pouty, so warm colors suited him very well. Jihoon, on the other hand, looked better with strong contrasting colors. These two men were both very good looking, but also very different. ¡°What¡¯s so strange?¡± ¡°Whenever you are with me, you always bring up Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But then, you guys never hang out with each other.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?¡± Eejun looked shocked and Woojin continued to stare nkly. Was Eejun the way he was because of the way his family was? Eejun could be so shameless. If he did something wrong, he felt no shame in apologizing for it openly. But he also shamelessly and brazenly did whatever he wanted, whether it was wrong or not. Eejun could be confident to a point of being arrogant, but he pulled it so well that he was still liked by everyone. Strangely, Eejun¡¯s neck was turning red right now. He stammered, ¡°W-what are you looking at?¡± ¡°Why are you here right now? Why aren¡¯t you at the gym either?¡± ¡°... Oh, I was just roaming around.¡± ¡°Were you looking for Jihoon Kang?¡± Eejun¡¯s eyes widened in shock and Woojin watched with interest. Eejun was now openly gaping, and Woojin finally realized why Eejun liked to tease him. Tormenting someone could be very fun. *** They were doing the three-legged race ry. If Shin knew he was going to be partnered with a girl, he would¡¯ve avoided it. Yeonwoo, who happened to be his partner, looked up and asked, ¡°Oppa, why are you so nervous?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Shin was staring at Woojin, who was sitting nearby and watching the game. Shin was nning to return to the room immediately after the race. He expected to find Woojin asleep on the sofa, yet when he saw him in the gymnasium, Shin was surprised. When their eyes met, Shin was in the middle of talking to Yeonwoo with a smile while Woojin was having a conversation with Minjae who was sitting next to him. Yeonwoo said to him, ¡°Oppa, you need to rx your shoulders. You are going to fall at this rate.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Things kept getting worse. Shin realized that their opponent was the team made up of Jihoon Kang and Eejun Bae. Apparently, they were short on female volunteers. Jihoon was binding his ankle to Eejun¡¯s while Eejunined loudly. Eejun seemed like a pleasant man, but to Jihoon, he was very sharp and rude. Shin murmured to Yeonwoo, ¡°I think we can win this.¡± ¡°But the other team has two guys.¡± ¡°They are going to trip. I just know it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shin began to feel thirsty. He turned to where Woojin was sitting again. Was he imagining things, or was Woojin smiling at him? ¡°Teams, get ready!¡± The race was about to start. Before Shin looked away, he could see Woojin mouthing him the words. ¡°Good luck.¡± Bang! The race began. *** Jihoon fell during the race, as Shin predicted. Eejun grumbled loudly at Jihoon, ¡°How could you fall in the middle of the race? Do your legs even work?¡± ¡°Shut up. Just go to your room!¡± Woojin was watching them argue, but when Shin came to the room with beers and snacks, Woojin helped him set up the table. Shin tried to carry everything on his own, but when Woojin grabbed some of it anyway, Shin frowned. Minjae was already at the table. Eejun whined to Woojin, ¡°Hey, Woojin! Assistant Manager Kang is making me leave.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone in my group room. I want to stay here!¡± Jihoon interrupted Eejun, ¡°You aren¡¯t friends with anyone anyway.¡± Eejun red at Jihoon. It was odd to watch Jihoon this way. He was usually friendly with everyone, but Eejun seemed to be an exception. Woojin often heard Jihoon mumbling that Eejun was sneaky and unpleasant like a fox. Minjae suddenly asked a question, ¡°By the way, the three of you must have known each other for a long time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Especially Mr. Bae. You are in a different department, yet you talk to Assistant Manager Jihoon and Woojin so familiarly.¡± ¡°True.¡± Jihoon gave Minjae an ugly grin. Woojin hadn¡¯t seen such an unpleasant expression on Jihoon¡¯s face in a long time. Not since high school. Eejun turned to Minjae and exined, ¡°Our families know each other, Mr. Minjae. That¡¯s why.¡± Eejun put on a nice-guy expression. He did this whenever he wanted to be liked. Minjae turned to Eejun, ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°We grew up together in the same neighborhood.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Jihoon interrupted Eejun again and announced, ¡°We aren¡¯t friends.¡± He stood up to walk to the table so he could help as well. Jihoon and Eejun ended up tripping. They were thest to finish, and Shin and Yeonwoo ended up winning. Shin looked pleased with winning, but for some reason, Yeonwoo seemed unhappy. After watching Jihoon and Eejun argue for a while, Woojin picked up the fruit basket and followed Shin to the kitchen. The basket was the prize Shin and Yeonwoo won. Woojin and Shin leaned against the kitchen cab. Shin felt his heart pounding fast again. Woojin mumbled, ¡°You should¡¯ve invited Miss Yeonwoo as well.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin leaned his head against Shin¡¯s shoulder. Shin bit his lips quietly. Woojin went to the gymnasium to watch Shin run. But when he entered the ce, what he saw was Shin binding his ankle to Yeonwoo¡¯a. It had been so long since Woojin saw Shin in a training uniform. When Shin tied the knot and stood up, the female workers sitting nearby cheered loudly. ¡°It¡¯s crazy, right?¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± Minjae came to sit next to Woojin. He took a big drink from his water bottle. Minjae was panting; it seemed that he just finished his own race. He was sweating as well. ¡°This was all nned by the HR team. They knew the female workers didn¡¯t like to participate in these sports, so they are using Shin to attract them. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°... Haha.¡± ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t know you couldugh, Assistant Manager Woojin!¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Minjae had a chubby face, making him look youthful and adorable. Woojin had seen him hanging around Shin a lot. Woojin also saw Shin getting many messages and calls from Minjae as well. They were mostly about inviting Shin to drink. Shin seemed annoyed by these invitations. Minjae continued, ¡°Those girls should know though...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That Shin Kim has a girlfriend!¡± Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Chapter 50.

Chapter 50. At Minjae¡¯s yful tone, Woojin flinched. Woojin couldn¡¯t say anything; he just turned away and watched the game. It was pure coincidence that Shin looked his way at that time. Their eyes met straight on. Shin seemed surprised yet d to see Woojin. Unlike his usual neat self, Woojin¡¯s hair was messy, making him look much younger. Woojin saw Shin smile, and that was all he needed for the world around him to be vibrant again. Even his heart felt alive just by watching Shin. Afraid his feelings were going to be found out, Woojin talked to Minjae nonchntly. In the kitchen, Woojin and Shin washed the fruits. Shin was washing the grapes when suddenly, he put one into Woojin¡¯s mouth. ¡°Say ¡®Ah!¡¯¡± Looking at Shin¡¯s face, Woojin burst intoughter as he murmured, ¡°You are so strange.¡± Just then, someone from behind them asked rigidly, ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Without turning around, Woojin answered calmly, ¡°Washing the grapes.¡± Lately, Woojin learned that he was very good at reacting calmly in the worst situations. Eejun said in annoyance, ¡°You never eat food touched by others.¡± ¡°Well, right now, my hands are busy, so I have no choice.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Woojin? You are only using one hand right now.¡± ¡°Oh, wait. I forgot. Assistant Manager Kang!¡± Woojin called Jihoon¡¯s name loudly. Jihoon, who was in the living room opening the boxes of chicken wings, turned around and replied, ¡°Why, Woojin?¡± ¡°Mr. Eejun Bae wanted to ask you a question.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°He was wondering if you have been working ou...!¡± Suddenly, Eejun covered Woojin¡¯s mouth with his hand to stop him. Eejun quickly said to Woojin, ¡°Oh, Woojin, there was something I needed to tell you.¡± Eejun looked confused and embarrassed. His neck was turning red. Woojin, who hated being touched, pushed Eejun away. Jihoon, unaware of what was happening in the kitchen, asked, ¡°Finish your question, Woojin. What was that about working out?¡± When Jihoon walked towards the kitchen, Eejun shook his head vigorously and replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Woojin shrugged his shoulders and went to the living room, followed by Shin. Shin ced the tes of fruits on the table and sat across from Woojin, next to Minjae. Shin watched Eejun and Jihoon with interest. Eejun sat down on the sofafortably and took an apple. He said to the group, ¡°Should we be thanking Shin Kim for this bounty?¡± Jihoon frowned as he drank his beer. He replied to Eejun annoyedly, ¡°You are so shameless. Do you think you deserve to eat these fruits?¡± Eejun frowned as well and argued back, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that you shouldn¡¯t be eating any of it either, you idiot! Since Shin got this for winning the ry.¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t grab my waist in the middle of the race, we would¡¯ve been fine! I wouldn¡¯t have fallen like that!¡± ¡°What?! Are you serious! Where else could I hold you other than your waist! And how should I have known that you have a weak waist? Bastard! It¡¯s so ironic because you look like you wouldn¡¯t react to anyone touching you.¡± ¡°What? What did you just way?¡± Woojin watched them quietly and opened a can of beer for himself. Just opening the can made him feel drunk. When they were young, the three of them never had the chance to talkfortably and freely like this. It was always tense, whether it was mealtime or study time. They were just ced together by their parents in a room, then taken away at their parents¡¯ leisure. It was especially hard for Jihoon Kang. He looked so mature, yet it was Jihoon who used to be the cruellest to Woojin. Eejun announced with a smile, ¡°I did bring something back from the recent business trip.¡± He brought out a paper bag from under the table. Jihoon asked ndly, ¡°... What is it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s booze, of course!¡± Minjae, who was sitting next to Eejun, pped. ¡°Wow! Mr. Eejun is the best!¡± Eejun shrugged and took out white bottle. ¡°Maotai?¡± ¡°Yup. Let¡¯s drink!¡± Eejun loved Chinese liquor. He poured himself a cup in a paper cup. When the distinct smell of Chinese drink spread the room, Woojin frowned. When he saw Shin looking at him, Woojin smiled a little. Shin seemed relieved to see his smile. Woojin said to Eejun, ¡°I think I will just drink my beer.¡± ¡°What? But Woojin Choi, you like Maotai!¡± ¡°I think I am a bit indigested.¡± Jihoon replied as he patted Woojin¡¯s head, ¡°Hmm, then don¡¯t even think about drinking. Just eat those fruits. You barely ate anything today, so how could you get indigestion?¡± When Woojin moved away a little to get away from Jihoon, both Eejun and Shinughed. Minjae seemed surprised as he watched the three. He said to them, ¡°You three really look very close. Like good friends.¡± Eejun replied with a smile, ¡°Really? Because we really aren¡¯t.¡± Minjae added, ¡°Assistant Manager Jihoon especially seems to care a great deal about Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± Eejun exined, ¡°Well, it¡¯s more like he is monitoring and spying on Woojin. Like a hired dog.¡± Eejun then turned to Jihoon and asked, ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Without answering, Jihoon emptied his paper cup, which was filled with Maotai. Woojin knew Jihoon wasn¡¯t good with hard liquor, so he looked at Jihoon. Jihoon was looking at Woojin as well. Unlike Shin, Jihoon had light brown eyes. It took Woojin a very long time to be able to look at those eyes straight on. ¡®Only 2 weeks left.¡¯ After Shin left, Woojin fell asleep. He felt at one point a cold hand on his forehead, checking his temperature. It was Jihoon. Jihoon was a strange man. He hated to see Woojin alone, yet Jihoon also detested seeing Woojin with someone. Something seemed to be very wrong with Jihoon¡¯s heart. Jihoon whispered to Woojin, ¡°Don¡¯t be sick.¡± His words were kind and caring, but Jihoon was the type of a person who hurt others. He always had been. And Woojin Choi never would forget it. Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Chapter 51.

Chapter 51. Shin sent a message to Woojin and stretched his arms. -Wanna have lunch with me today? They were busy until Friday because of the workshop and both of them spent the weekend recovering from their hectic schedule. On Monday, Shin checked the policy room as soon as he arrived at work, and he saw that both Woojin and Jihoon¡¯s seats were empty. When he asked Yeonwoo, all she knew was that they had some errands to run. It seemed that Yeonwoo had be colder to Shin. It was probably because of what happened after the race. Yeonwoo asked Shin if he was dating someone, and he answered yes. Yeonwoo looked very upset. She murmured, ¡°I thought you were interested in me...¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± It was true that he was interested in her at one point. When he looked at her awkwardly, she replied, ¡°Fine. Whatever.¡± Yeonwoo nodded coolly and walked away. Unfortunately, they worked on the same floor. The first time they saw each other again at work, Shin asked her to not repeat what he said to her. Yeonwoo nodded with a small smile, but Shin knew she was still unhappy. He sat down on the chair and wondered, ¡®Maybe I should¡¯ve visited Woojin during the weekend.¡¯ Woojin mentioned that he had some things to take care of, but he didn¡¯t exin further to Shin. There wasn¡¯t a single message from Woojin during the weekend, except for the call they hadst night. Woojin seemed very quiet. Shin really hoped that they would be able to have lunch together today. Then suddenly, his phone beeped. A text from Siwoo popped up. -Shin. -Yes? What¡¯s up? -Are you able to talk on the phone right now? Shin could feel that Siwoo had something important to tell him. He quickly grabbed his phone and walked out to the hallway. He called Siwoo immediately. What did Siwoo want to tell him? ¡°Hey Shin.¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I just remembered something right now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Those two guys I saw in front of your office that night...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°At the time, I had a feeling that I saw BOTH of them before...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Then I was looking through some old photos yesterday, and I remembered.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you remember that person? You know, the guy you saved from the swimming pool in your high school?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That guy who was in hisst year of high school... The one who tried to kill himself... What was his name...? I can¡¯t remember...¡± ¡°Jin Yoo.¡± Suddenly, Shin remembered. *** Upperssman Jin Yoo. Shin barely knew him. He barely remembered him. Everything was vague to Shin at this point. The only clear thing he could remember was what happened in the swimming pool. The water that slowly turned red... The smell of blood... Those dark eyes that looked at him so hopelessly... It was such a horrifying scene. ¡®Jin Yoo... I remember... His face...¡¯ Shin could no longer hear Siwoo¡¯s words. He remembered that boy¡¯s hands and feet... Those eyes... Those eyes.... At the time, those dead eyes were staring at Shin and screaming at him. ¡®I want to live.¡¯ *** The teenager Shin was very different from the Shin in his twenties. As a teenager, Shin was so sure of everything and himself. He was the centre of his own universe, and he was certain about how his life was going to be like. Until that traumatic day. Until that fateful day, Shin had a perfect life. He was great at what he loved. He was kind and genuine. Everybody loved and admired him. Shin was very popr. One day, Siwoo handed him a soda can and mentioned about one student. ¡°You know that guy in the final year. The one who has his own private room in the dorm. The one who gets one of the top grades.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are talking about, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that guy your friend?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know who you are talking about!¡± ¡°You know, that guy who looks so... faint.¡± Faint? Shin had no idea what Siwoo meant by that. Siwoo was different than the most. At first, Shin wasn¡¯t sure if they could be friends easily, but he was wrong. They became close very quickly. The way Siwoo moved, talked, and acted were very different than all the other boys. Strangely, the other students seemed to not notice this difference. Shin wondered if it was because Siwoo was so good looking that people didn¡¯t notice anything else about him. Siwoo continued, ¡°He watches you through the window every time you walk into the swimming pool. I assumed you guys knew each other.¡± ¡°... That sounds creepy.¡± That was all Shin knew of that guy before the incident. Siwoo pointed at the window, but at the time, there was no one there. And then... The red swimming pool. That morning, he woke up and went to the swimming pool as usual. The nationalpetition wasing up soon, he went to the pool a little earlier. Strangely, that morning, he woke up very early. It was only 4:30 AM when he opened his eyes. The moon was still visible in the sky when Shin left the dorm. When he entered the pool locker room, he could smell the unpleasant metallic smell. At the time, Shin ignored it and took a hot shower before going to the pool. Winter was just about to arrive, so the weather was chilly. Shin shivered a little as he walked, and then he saw it. The red swimming pool. ¡°...¡± The middle of the pool was almost ck while the rest of the water was red and pink. Blood. ck blood. Shin¡¯s initial reaction was to take a step back. But when he continued to look, he saw that there was a body in the water. Shin didn¡¯t remember what he did next. He only remembered the part after he took the body out of the water. He vaguely remembered to check if the body was breathing. His legs shaking, Shin ran to the locker room and took out his cellphone. He called 911. And then, what happened afterwards were all fragments. Other studentsing in and screaming. The yellow tape. The police and the ambnce. The paramedics. His too-thin wrists. The wrists that were cut up and bleeding so badly. Shin copsed to the floor weakly at the time. He continued to watch the hectic scene and as the body was taken away by the paramedics, Shin thought he saw the boy¡¯s eyes flutter a little. His face seemed so blue, like the early morning sky. At the time, the boy¡¯s face was so swollen that it was unrecognizable. Just then, Shin saw the boy raise his hand. His eyes met Shin¡¯s and Shin swore he could hear the boy screaming, ¡°Save me.¡± There was no doubt that this was a suicide attempt, yet what the boy told Shin with his eyes... It didn¡¯t make sense. Trying to kill himself, yet the way the boy moved... The way his eyes looked... None of it made sense. Someone handed Shin a dry towel. As he wiped himself, Shin walked out of the pool and wondered, ¡®Will he survive?¡¯ That boy wanted to live so badly... So did he? Did he make it? Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Story 5- Chapter 52.

Jihoon asked Woojin as they entered the office basement parking lot, ¡°What about lunch?¡± ¡°I have ns.¡± They had plenty of time to eat lunch together, but Woojin hurried to the office. The policy department involved many out-of-office meetings and they could often run into the lunch hour. Today, Woojin really wanted to eat lunch with Shin. They didn¡¯t get to spend any time together over the weekend and it felt wrong. Thanks to Woojin¡¯s quick and efficient presentation, their meeting ended before lunch was over. It was all to see Shin. Jihoon said to Woojin, ¡°You need to eat better. You know everyone gets worried about your health, right?¡± ¡°You already said that before, so why do you keep repeating yourself?¡± ¡°There is nothing wrong with repetition sometimes.¡± Woojin felt ufortable whenever Jihoon looked at him like this. Like Woojin was going to die of starvation. Woojin sighed as Jihoon parked his car. ¡°Why are you sighing, Woojin?¡± ¡°Jihoon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are suffocating me.¡± It was true. Not always, but when he was with Jihoon, Woojin often felt suffocated. His kind eyes. Caring gestures. Abundant warmth. Pleasant and loving words. All of these things Jihoon offered made Woojin feel stifled. On top of them, Jihoon¡¯s perfect look made things even worse. Today, Jihoon was wearing a luxurious striped shirt and a matching solid tie. His coat was in his arm, folded neatly to make sure it didn¡¯t wrinkle. The way Jihoon smiled with his eyes and joked amusingly... It had to be gics in the works. Woojin put his hand on top of Jihoon¡¯s, which was on the handle, and said to him, ¡°I will see youter.¡± Woojin knew better than anyone how Jihoon wanted Woojin¡¯s happiness. The problem was that the kind of happiness Jihoon wanted for Woojin was very different than what Woojin actually wanted for himself. Woojin remembered Eejun¡¯s words. ¡°A dog. He is a loyal dog.¡± Eejun was very drunk when he added with a smile, ¡°I actually used to like that dog. But the problem was that he only had one owner. Loyal to only one man.¡± It was aplicated situation, and it made Woojin feel ufortable and unhappy. He wanted to get away from this situation. Ignoring Jihoon who looked very unhappy, Woojin was about to get out of the car when he saw someone familiar entering the parking lot. It was Shin Kim. Woojin¡¯s face lightened a little. Shin¡¯s face, on the other hand, seemed very rigid and serious. In front of him, a red car suddenly stopped. Woojin had never seen this car before. Jihoon murmured, ¡°It¡¯s Shin Kim.¡± Just then, a man came out from the red car. It was that man Woojin saw. The beautiful man that was with Shin the other night. The man grabbed Shin¡¯s wrist and guided him into the red car. Then they drove away. Jihoon murmured again, ¡°I think you are going to be eating lunch with me after all, Woojin.¡± Recently, Woojin wondered why liking someone didn¡¯t bring only happiness. Woojin knew he was happy, but there was always an underlying sadness. He thought he might know the answer, but then, maybe he didn¡¯t. *** Siwoo exined to Jihoon, ¡°I dug up these photos because Joowan wanted to see how I looked in high school.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have photos of different school teams and clubs.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Look here.¡± After every swimpetition, the athletes always gathered in the school swimming pool for a photo. On one of them, the photo included a person passing by at the very moment it was taken. Jihoon mumbled, ¡°It was a coincidence that this person was caught here.¡± ¡°... You seem too calm, Shin.¡± Shin didn¡¯t want to talk. He felt like if he opened his mouth, his whole heart would fall out of it. Shin felt like he could taste blood in his mouth. ¡°Shin, after that incident, you never went back to that swimming pool.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then, you had that awful car ident...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop.¡± Siwoo remembered Woojin, at the time, Jin Yoo, before Shin could. In high school, it was Siwoo who told Shin about this upperssman. Siwoo joked at the time that perhaps he was Jihoon¡¯s stalker. When the whole suicide incident happened, it was Siwoo who came to Shin first. Siwoo was obviously worried about Shin, but he also sometimes talked about that student. But Shin forgot about Jin Yoo. He never thought about him. Until now. Jihoon said to Siwoo, ¡°I need to go back to work.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat lunch first.¡± They were in Siwoo¡¯s car drinking coffee and looking through the album Siwoo brought. Shin remained quiet and Siwoo looked at him worriedly. Siwoo asked, ¡°I don¡¯t think I have to ask why you have that expression on your face.¡± After a short hesitation, Siwoo asked, ¡°This person... He is the one you are dating, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°...¡± It never crossed Shin¡¯s mind that they could be the same person. Woojin and Jin Yoo. Even when he saw the scars on Woojin¡¯s wrist... It was because Shin couldn¡¯t remember Jin Yoo¡¯s face. And secondly, their names were different. Siwoo said to him, ¡°When you were sick... because of that ident...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You told me.¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± They had the same face, so why didn¡¯t he know? His memories seemed so vague until now. It was... too clear... It was too much. ¡°Shin...¡± ¡°Their names are different.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Their names...¡± The blood... So much blood... His wrist that was cut up so badly. His fingernails that seemed to tremble... The air was so cold... Shin couldn¡¯t breathe at the time... And now, what he remembered seemed so unreal like a bad movie. Siwoo murmured, ¡°They are the same person. He is that boy. His face... It¡¯s the same. That unhappy face.¡± Shin remembered the face that moved outside of his hospital bed curtain. He remembered asking that face, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± The boy just nodded. Shin asked the boy again, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°...¡± The boy didn¡¯t reply, but Shin noticed the bandaged wrists. Shin whispered, ¡°You... are alive? You lived?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to talk...¡± A dream. It wasn¡¯t Woojin who saw him in his dream. It was Shin who saw him in a dream. Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Chapter 53.

Chapter 53. When he was 17 years old, almost 18, Shin Kim got into a car ident. It was a hit and run. Jogging early in the morning was his habit. That day was especially foggy, but he didn¡¯t think much about it. Shin realized his mistake muchter. He regretted not being more careful. It was a car he had never seen before. He couldn¡¯t remember the license te either. He fell facefirst into a puddle after he was hit and watched nkly as it turned red with his own blood. Shin remembered a single stream of blood rolling down his cheek. It felt so strange. It was warmer than he expected, so Shin closed his eyes. At the time, he didn¡¯t feel pain. He couldn¡¯t breathe, so he scratched the ground with his fingernails. Every time he breathed, he felt his lung being stabbed. When he opened his eyes, he saw his parents looking very pale. Shin entered in and out of consciousness. Some days, he became awake enough to hear others talking around him. Things felt real and dreamlike at the same time. He wondered if this whole situation was just a big nightmare. Where was he? What time was it? What date? Shin tried to open his eyes, but they refused to listen. Then suddenly, he was able to see, even with his eyes closed. So many colors became visible to him. He had never experienced something like this before, so Shin thought that perhaps he was dreaming. ¡°Here he is.¡± Shin heard someone announcing their arrival. He could also hear the curtains dancing nearby. And then... Shin saw the ck hair. And the person with such pale face... As pale as the hospital curtain that was dead-white. That person was looking down at him. After a long stare, the boy grabbed a chair and sat next to Shin¡¯s bed. His face... Shin didn¡¯t recognize him. ¡°...¡± Shin¡¯s breath was shallow. He couldn¡¯t see the boy¡¯s face clearly, so Shin tried to open his eyes wider. But then, the boy covered Shin¡¯s eyes with his hand. His hand was trembling. The boy whispered, ¡°I think I might die.¡± Drop, drop. Something fell onto Shin¡¯s hand drop by drop. Instantly, Shin knew they were tears. The boy looked so cold and indifferent, yet his tears were burning hot. Was he still dreaming? The boy looked so faint and fragile that Shin thought he might disappear. Shin asked, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Shin pushed away his hand to look at the boy with wet eyes. The boy seemed to nod very subtly. Strangely, the boy¡¯s face didn¡¯t look clear to Shin, but he could still feel the boy¡¯s eyes distinctively. Shin asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Well, he tried to ask, but no voice came out of his mouth. His lung was damaged badly and the doctor told him not to talk at all. Shin ended up mouthing the words, and the boy just stared. Did he understand what Shin asked? Shin tried to move his hand, but the boy stopped him by holding it down. ¡°...¡± Shin saw the boy¡¯s eyes welling up with tears again. Soon, they rolled down his cheeks. The boy looked like he rarely cried. The tears continued to roll down, but the boy didn¡¯t wipe them away. He just let them be. The boy looked like he was filled with sadness. A lot of it seemed to be for Shin, but the boy also seemed to have innate sorrow inside of him. Then suddenly, Shin saw his wrists. Shin was still very confused, unable to form the words clearly, but he still was able to ask what he wanted. ¡°You are alive? You lived?¡± The bandaged wrists. The boy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The boy¡¯s eyes changed. He looked happy that Shin recognized him, but also still sad. Happiness surrounded by underlying grief. So many different colors... When Shin tried to reach out to him again, the boy stopped him with his own hand. His hands still seemed to be trembling. ¡°Don¡¯t try to talk.¡± The boy¡¯s fingers were long and pretty. His hand was unusually small, making his fingers look longer than they were. The boy seemed so thin that Shin felt bad about it. Shin tried to hold onto the boy¡¯s hand because he suddenly felt the need tofort the boy. The boy looked down, his hands still shaking. The boy whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be in pain... Don¡¯t be sick...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shin.¡± The boy cried but Shin still couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of his tears. When Shin squeezed the boy¡¯s hand, Shin could hear the boy¡¯s heartbeat. The boy¡¯s eyes widened as if he could also feel Shin¡¯s heartbeat as well. And just like that, they were confirming... life. That they were both alive. When Shin blinked, it was all over. He was again alone. It seemed like time had stopped again around him. He was living in between the strange dreams again. *** Shin was driving with Woojin next to him. Shin smiled and said to him, ¡°Your lip might bleed.¡± They were on their way to go to dinner. After lunch, Woojin texted Shin. -I checked your message toote. Do you want to have dinner together instead? Woojin didn¡¯t ask Shin where he had been during lunch. Woojin didn¡¯t believe he had the right to ask such questions. He was unsure and unconfident of his position in this rtionship. Woojin looked down, and noticing this, Shin lifted Woojin¡¯s chin with his finger. Woojin¡¯s skin seemed cold. Shin said to him, ¡°You have been looking down a lottely.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your lips are bleeding now. Turn towards me.¡± Woojin¡¯s heart sang loudly. Shin carefully dabbed Woojin¡¯s dry lips and smiled like a child. Shin was looking at him with a pleasant smile, yet Woojin felt a strange tension. Shin mumbled, ¡°It must hurt.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You ok, Upperssman... Jin?¡± Suddenly, Woojin pped Shin¡¯s hand away. The light changed from red to green, so Shin began to drive again as if nothing happened. Shin¡¯s heart, however, began to beat violently. ¡°W-what did you say?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Upperssman Woojin? Oh, does it sound awkward? Calling you that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I just tried it. Maybe I should call you Hyung?¡± Shin¡¯s lips were smiling, but his eyes weren¡¯t. Woojin began to panic, wondering if he heard Shin wrong. Woojin couldn¡¯t look at Shin anymore. He looked out the window and bit his lips again. His mouth was filled with the metallic taste again. Shin said to him, ¡°After dinner...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Will you answer me? Tell me what I want to know?¡± Bit and pieces of memories crashed down onto Woojin. His wrists fell like they were burning. He became breathless. Woojin grabbed his left chest and began to pant. Shin frowned and parked the car on a nearby empty spot. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin!¡± ¡°W-wait... Ahh...¡± Shin awkwardly tried to cover Woojin¡¯s mouth, but Woojin refused, ¡°Not... that... Just... give me... a moment...¡± Woojin reached out and hugged Shin¡¯s neck. He buried his face onto Shin¡¯s shoulder as he was shaking. Shin said anxiously, ¡°L-let¡¯s go to the hospital, Woojin.¡± ¡°....¡± Woojin¡¯s face looked panicked. His eyes darkened and welled up. Woojin bit his lips and continued to bury his face into Shin¡¯s shoulder. He panted breathlessly. This was one of the milder panic attacks Woojin experienced, but he held onto Shin desperately. He wanted Shin to worry about him. How selfish and horrible could he be? With shaking hands, Woojin held Shin¡¯s face. Woojin remembered the blood... All the blood... He remembered his bloody hands from the swimming pool. Shin asked, ¡°A-are you in pain?¡± Hearing Shin¡¯s voice helped. Woojin shook his head and took a slow deep breath. He wasn¡¯t having a seizure, which was a good thing. But secretly, Woojin wanted it to turn into a seizure.... Because then... Maybe... Shin would care more about him. ¡°...¡± Woojin didn¡¯t answer. The one who was in pain was not him. It was Shin. Shin mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m so sorry, Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin continued to breathe shakily. Why was he sorry? It was Woojin who ruined Shin, so why? It was Woojin who destroyed Shin¡¯s life... Shin hugged Woojin tightly and murmured, ¡°Please be ok. Don¡¯t get sick.¡± But... It was Woojin who caused Shin so much pain. Chapter 54 Chapter 54. I said to my mother, "There is one way to make sure Woojin Choi never returns to Korea." "What''s that?" She asked for the sake of being polite, not because she was interested. I replied, "Well, we can get rid of the one person he is attached to." I don''t want you toe back, Woojin. You should''ve died that night. Jihoon watched his mother patting Woojin''s face. It was such a sinister scene that Jihoon wondered if this was just a very bad nightmare. Jihoon said to her, "Mom, I don''t hate Woojin." His mother, who looked just like Woojin Choi, pped Jihoon. His cheek began to bleed, but his mother didn''t help him. Her lips were so red. Her long ck hair reached her waist beautifully. She was a beautiful pale porcin-skinned mother. Mother and Woojin Choi. "¡­!" Jihoon suddenly woke up from his nightmare. He was panting anxiously. It had been a long time since hest had this kind of dream. Jihoon looked through his nightstand and brought out three pills. Underneath his nightstand, Jihoon always kept five bottles of water there. It was one of the results of the OCD side of him. He opened one of them and swallowed the pills with the cold water. Even with the water, the pills still tasted bitter. Suddenly, a man walked into his bedroom and asked, "You take medication too?" "You shouldn''t be entering my house like this, especially without my permission." "Oh, how cold." The man sat down on the bed and grinned. When Jihoon frowned, still smiling, he stood up and sat down on the nearby sofa. The man said to Jihoon, "You asked me to tell you anything I find out about Woojin Choi, remember? You said to let you know ASAP, no matter where you are." "¡­ What?" "Woojin Choi left his home very early this morning." "To Shin Kim''s condo?" "No, he just left. He packed a bag and left." Jihoon''s hands began to shake. He just woke up from a nightmare, but another nightmare was starting again. *** Shin parked his car in the basement parking lot and was on his way up to his office. His cellphone beeped, letting him know that a message had arrived. Normally he would''ve checked it immediately, but the elevator was full. He was going to get off soon anyway, so he didn''t take it out to look. Yesterday, Woojin and Shin didn''t end up having dinner together. Woojin returned to his own home. Shin was worried; he wanted to see Woojin as soon as possible this morning and check on him. He walked to Woojin''s office, but he saw that Woojin''s seat was empty. Shin looked down at his watch. Only 10 minutes till work hour was going to start. Shin wondered, ''Is he sick? Maybe he doesn''t feel well.'' He finally took out his cellphone and checked the text. It was from Eejun Bae. -Mr. Shin Kim. Did you get to work yet? Shin had alreadypleted and sent his report on their recent business trip. Was there something wrong with the paperwork? Just then, Jihoon Kang ran into his office. "Mr. Shin Kim," Jihoon''s voice shook. When Shin frowned, Jihoon took a deep breath and asked, "Have you been in contact with Woojin Choi? Did you talk to him this morning?" "Pardon?" "I guess not." Shin''s body was filled with ominous tension. He took out his cellphone and called Woojin Choi. Jihoon was already leaving the room, so Shin followed him, his phone still on his ear. Jihoon asked angrily, "What are you doing?" "Just wait a minute." Shin thought he had seen the rough side of Jihoon already, but the way Jihoon looked right now told him otherwise. Jihoon looked¡­ sharp and almost cruel. Shin asked, "Why did you ask about Woojin Choi? What is happening?" "I just can''t get a hold of him. Let me go." Jihoon definitely looked very different. Dark and harsh. Shin had never seen him like this before. He frowned and Jihoon continued to huff and stare at him. Jihoon said to Shin angrily, "I never liked you. From the very beginning, I knew you were a bad idea." "¡­" "I will talk to youter, after I talk to Woojin. I need to go now¡­" "¡­" "I can''t handle you right now, Mr. Shin. I am furious, and I might end up killing you." Shin felt his heart falling to the floor. He couldn''t reach Woojin''s phone either. *** Woojin hated the game of hide and seek. Even as a child, he would watch the other kids ying the game with an unhappy face. He pretended to ignore them. Woojin''s mother left him alone, but one day, his father asked Woojin, "Why don''t you like hide and seek?" Woojin resembled his father a lot, but Woojin''s father had no interest in his son. He was a very distant man, to his son and to even his own wife. But Woojin''s mother loved her husband nheless, including his distant nature. It was one of the things Woojin couldn''t understand. His mother''s blind love and devotion to his father. It wasn''t just his mother that was strange. Woojin knew his father was also not quite normal. To his father, Woojin replied, "I am concerned that the other kids might not be able to find me." His father nodded immediately. He nodded as if he understood exactly what Woojin felt. Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Chapter 55.

Chapter 55. Eejun asked with an angry face, ¡°Jihoon Kang, are you sure you don¡¯t know where Woojin is?¡± ¡°... My head is pounding, so stop talking to me and go over there. Get away from me.¡± Eejun stared at Jihoon for a long time. After a sigh, he moved to sit on the nearby sofa. Jihoon massaged his temples with his eyes closed and asked finally, ¡°Any chance she moved him?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°... Are you sure?¡± Eejun looked at Jihoon who seemed to be suspicious of him and his mother as well. Jihoon could be rough, but he also was easily scared. Eejun said to him, ¡°You are a sad bastard.¡± ¡°... That was uncalled for.¡± ¡°Stop pretending to be calm and tell me everything you know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything. That¡¯s why I called you, obviously.¡± Jihoon smiled sadly and asked, ¡°Do you have any proof that it wasn¡¯t her?¡± ¡°You know as well as I do that she isn¡¯t in Korea.¡± ¡°That can change anytime, isn¡¯t it? She can do whatever she wants.¡± Jihoon looked at Eejun as he scratched his neck. Eejun frowned and sighed before replying, ¡°Per the Chairman¡¯s order, she is with my father in Sweden.¡± ¡°... He is there to watch her?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Is your father going to be ok? That woman is crazy...¡± Jihoon hated and admired his mother. It was a veryplicated rtionship. He rubbed his eyes angrily before grabbing a bottle of water and throwing it at Eejun, who caught it. Eejun said to him in annoyance, ¡°Stop taking those pills.¡± ¡°If you are going to nag me, you better leave right now.¡± ¡°You need to tell me what you know first.¡± ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t tell that old man, then I will.¡± ¡°... I promise.¡± ¡°Your words mean little, so what¡¯s the point?¡± Jihoon smiled bitterly. Eejun knew Jihoon had many different faces. When Jihoon was little, he used to be a shy boy. As he grew up, however, Jihoon turned angry. He was able to hide it very well, always looking calm, but it was like there was a storm inside of him. The calm before the storm. When Eejun frowned, Jihoon grabbed Eejun¡¯s cheeks. Eejun ordered, ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°Do you like Woojin Choi, or me?¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°You like me more, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The fate of this fateful dog... Eejun looked at Jihoon who believed he knew what was best for Woojin. Jihoon thought he knew how to make Woojin happy. Jihoon was na?ve, stupid, and desperate for affection. When Jihoon swallowed the pills, Eejun asked, ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why did you do that to Shin Kim?¡± ¡°... I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about.¡± Sometimes, Jihoon showed Eejun his true side. The sharp and cruel side of him. Even Woojin¡¯ didn¡¯t know about it. When Eejun flinched, Jihoon smiled slowly and said, ¡°That old man doesn¡¯t n on letting me inherit the family wealth.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Do you think Woojin will get it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I want Shin Kim to be well and remain in Korea.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want him to cross the line.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My guess is that Woojin was thinking about returning to Germany.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eejun¡¯s eyes widened. Jihoon massaged his shoulder. His face paled as he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think he will remain with Shin Kim.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because Woojin likes Shin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am sure Woojin doesn¡¯t want to hurt him anymore. Not again.¡± ¡°You...¡± ¡°Where do you think Woojin went, Eejun?¡± Jihoon covered his face with his hands. Was he crying? Eejun turned around, away from him. Eejun hated it when Jihoon became this emotional. The healthy and shy boy who used to cover his mouth whenever heughed... He was gone. Into the darkness. *** Siwoo walked to Shin quietly, ¡°Why are you sitting alone like this, you idiot?¡± It was empty in the RS, which was rare. Hidden was cleaning the sses when he nodded towards Siwoo, who just walked in. Bartenders were often very good at reading people¡¯s emotions. They also were excellent at keeping secrets. And Hidden was a very good bartender. Siwoo sat down next to Shin, ¡°Hey, did you just order a Bacardi?¡± Siwoo gestured to Hidden to take away the bottle of rum. Hidden quietly grabbed the bottle, making Shin smile. Shin replied to Siwoo, ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± ¡°Then why are you acting like this?¡± Shin¡¯s face could be very expressive. It was often easy to see the storm that was brewing inside of him. But today, Shin looked nk. Siwoo could see or feel nothing from him. Shin looked like he was too weak to show any emotions. This was the first time Siwoo had seen him like this since the horrible car ident. Siwoo took a deep breath and emptied his ss of Bacardi. It was very strong. Shin mumbled, ¡°It has been 2 weeks.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is.¡± ¡°Upperssman Jin Yoo?¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t Jin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°His name is Woojin Choi.¡± After a long silence, Shin whispered, ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter who he is.¡± Shin has lived thest two weeks like everything was ok. It was a shock to even himself how he was able to act so normally. Their rtionship was very young, but their memories of the past were about to be awakened. And when the mystery of their lives was about to be revealed, Woojin Choi disappeared. Jihoon Kang refused to answer Shin¡¯s questions and Eejun Bae avoided him altogether. For the past 2 weeks, Shin had been working during the day and constantly calling Woojin¡¯s phone, which was never answered. But Shin had to keep trying or else he was not going to make it. They didn¡¯t even get to really start their rtionship. Shin said to Siwoo, ¡°Woojin said we should date only for a month.¡± ¡°What?¡± Siwoo was receiving an olive from Hidden when suddenly, he turned to Shin in shock. Siwoo asked, ¡°The Shin I know wouldn¡¯t have agreed to something like that.¡± ¡°But I did. I was desperate.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Love always starts like that, doesn¡¯t it? People basically lose their minds when they fall in love, right?¡± Shin smiled and patted Siwoo¡¯s hair. ¡°Shin, you look calm and rxed.¡± ¡°Do I really?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t the people at work talk about him? I mean, he just disappeared, right?¡± ¡°Everyone at work was told that he went on a business trip. It¡¯s strange how there was no report of it. No n or nothing.¡± The winter came too fast. Last week, it snowed heavily. On his way back home, Shin just stopped and stared the snow falling on the ground. He hated the winter. He was hit by the car in winter. Shin remembered his blood reddening the puddle. Siwoo suddenly grabbed Shin¡¯s hand and squeezed. ¡°My little Shin finally had his very first love.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Do you think you will be able to find him?¡± ¡°I have a feeling that he is going to reappear. But waiting is... very hard. I¡¯m tired.¡± Shin drank some water. ¡°Shin, what are you going to do if he doesn¡¯te back?¡± ¡°Then I will keep waiting.¡± ¡°And if he still doesn¡¯te back?¡± ¡°Then waiting will be part of my life. Like a long-term hobby.¡± Like waking up in the morning and falling asleep at night... Waiting for Woojin Choi will be a normal thing. Shin still had so many things he wanted to ask Woojin. He also wanted to explore his memories and remember what Jin Yoo looked like. But for now, all he could do was wait. Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Chapter 56.

Chapter 56. Siwoo said to Shin, ¡°But Shin...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know that guy who was with Woojin Choi...¡± ¡°You mean Jihoon Kang?¡± ¡°Yeah, that man. I told you I saw him before, right?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to talk about him right now, Siwoo.¡± These days, Jihoon Kang was on edge and it showed. Before this, he looked like a typical ¡°nice guy,¡± so Shin couldn¡¯t tell where this side of him came from. Lately, Yeonwoo had beening to Shin and Minjae often feeling upset because of Jihoon. She told them that he had been out a lot for ¡°work.¡± She also said he sometimes looked like he wasn¡¯t himself. Compared to Jihoon, Shin Kim was extremely calm. This seemed to annoy Jihoon. Whenever he got a chance, Jihoon tried to pick a fight with him. Siwoo asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to talk about him?¡± ¡°He has been very annoying to metely.¡± ¡°That man apparently knows Joowan. Did you know that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That guy has been making reservations at Joowan¡¯s restaurant some times.¡± Shin¡¯s eyes widened as Siwoo continued, ¡°And the strange thing is, he alwayses alone. Then he eats with Joowan.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yesterday, I went to the restaurant without telling him. One of the servers told me that he went to eat dinner. I assumed that he was having a business dinner. You know, with an investor or something. So I waited for him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But then, that man came out.¡± Siwoo¡¯s hands trembled as he continued, ¡°I thought it was strange, so I looked up the reservation history and found a name that seemed to repeat often.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Once a month, at the same time every time. He woulde.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And when I think back, I am pretty sure Joowan told me he had a meeting on those dates and times.¡± *** ¡°Sir, there is a call from a clientpany inquiring about our product.¡± One of the interns in the marketing department informed Shin. It was almost the end of the year, so everyone was very busy. Chief Seulgi was out for a meeting all morning and was busy all afternoon writing up the relevant reports. Sheined about the amount of work dumped on this department. Shin asked, ¡°For me?¡± The intern nodded and replied, ¡°I tried to answer him but I just couldn¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Alright. Transfer him to me.¡± Shin massaged his temples as the intern said yes. There was a quiet beep and Shin¡¯s phone began to ring. Shin leaned back and answered the phone. He nced at the window and saw that it was snowing very hard. It was a very snowy cold winter. Shin hated snow. He was hoping this winter would be milder than thest one, but it wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Thank you for your call. I am Shin Kim from the marketing department.¡± ¡°...¡± There was no answer on the other side of the phone. The silence lengthened, and Shin coughed. He often got a call like this; pretending to inquire about the product but actually trying to solicit his business. Shin sighed and said, ¡°Well then, I¡¯m hanging up. Th...¡± ¡°Mr. Shin Kim?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shin suddenly frowned. The man sounded young and for some reason... creepy. Shin asked, ¡°What were you inquiring about?¡± ¡°Woojin Choi.¡± ... Shin¡¯s ear began to ring as the man continued, ¡°I know where Woojin Choi is.¡± *** Yoonil exined, ¡°... Simply put, it¡¯s a gic disorder.¡± Eejun asked, ¡°You mean mental illness?¡± Eejun chewed on his cigarette and knocked on the wooden table. Yoonil watched Eejun for a while before turning towards Woojin who was on the bed. Eejun¡¯s eyebrows kept going up and down before he also turned to where Woojin was. Woojin looked very pale and weak. He was looking up at the ceiling and his eyes weren¡¯t focused. Eejun slowly stood up and walked to Woojin. When he looked down at Woojin for a long time, Woojin, whose face remained nk, said to Eejun, ¡°Get your face out of my way.¡± ¡°How cruel you are, Woojin. If I didn¡¯t find you, you would be dead by now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You almost STARVED to death, Woojin. Can anything be more ridiculous than that in this situation?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The best you could do was run away to Grandfather¡¯s vi?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°Woojin, you don¡¯t have this mental illness. I keep telling you, but you won¡¯t listen. You didn¡¯t inherit it.¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know where you are yet. I didn¡¯t tell him?¡± ¡°Shin?¡± ¡°... Do you really think I would tell him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wow, did you see that, Dr. Yoonil? How did he know?¡± ¡°... So you did?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Woojin sighed deeply and lifted his wrist. The blue veins were visible underneath his pale skin. Woojin said quietly, ¡°For your information, I wasn¡¯t thinking about dying.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I just gotzy about eating. And I came here because I needed some time to think.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Then you had a seizure. I know that too. When you want to be alone, at least let someone know where you are.¡± ¡°Shin found out.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°That I am Jin Yoo.¡± Eejun realized that Woojin was being unusually talkative. The medication must¡¯ve kicked in. And of course, his blood sugar level rose just now. Eejun inhaled deeply. He raised his hand to push back Woojin¡¯s hair, but then pulled back, remembering how Woojin hated to be touched. Eejun replied, ¡°You need to remember that you almost died in the past.¡± ¡°Do you think that is why I am always so close to death?¡± ¡°... Dr. Yoonil, Woojin is talking nonsense now.¡± Woojin replied, ¡°Whenever I open my eyes, I wish Shin was here with me.¡± Eejun blinked a few times and sighed. Woojin continued, ¡°I think this could be considered an obsession.¡± Eejun replied, ¡°If this is an obsession, how did you manage to stay away from him for this long?¡± ¡°I thought that maybe he was just a dream.¡± The only good dream Woojin ever had in his life. An old dream he thought he could never have... ¡°Woojin.¡± ¡°Yes, Eejun?¡± ¡°You sound too nice right now, so it¡¯s actually creeping me out...¡± ¡°Bastard.¡± ¡°Gosh, you are so amazing! Anyway...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Shin Kim didn¡¯t get hurt because of you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So just... rest now.¡± Eejun covered Woojin¡¯s eyes with his hand. To his surprise, Woojin didn¡¯t push him away. Instead, he ced his own hand on top of Eejun¡¯s. Woojin whispered, ¡°Shin...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Shin.¡± ¡°... Ok.¡± Just then, Shin walked into the room quietly. He motioned Eejun to remain quiet. Shin frowned angrily as he whispered to Eejun, ¡°Let¡¯s go out to talk.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Woojin was asleep. Shin watched him for a long time before nodding to Yoonil. Eejun and Shin left quietly. Before closing the door behind him, Shin saw the curtain dancing around the slightly opened window. It reminded him of the time when Woojin visited him at the hospital after the hit and run. Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Chapter 57.

Chapter 57. Eejun said to Shin, ¡°That was quick. You got here so fast.¡± ¡°I took the rest of the day off to get here.¡± Shin was taking his coat off, and he smelled of the wind. Eejun stared at Shin pushed his hair back with his fingers and sigh. For some reason, Shin reminded Eejun of a wild beast. Eejun said to him, ¡°So you believe a stranger¡¯s words that easily?¡± ¡°I had a feeling that this was real.¡± Suddenly, Eejun realized the truth. Jihoon Kang could never win against Shin Kim. Everything about Shin made him a winner in this case. Shin was hurt before, but rather than hiding it, Shin was honest about it. His warmth, smile, tears, and anger... All of them came from his honesty and sincerity. Woojin and Shin looked so different, but inside, they were very simr. ¡°He is Jin Yoo, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°So you remember.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t... not really...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°At the time, his face was so swollen... He looked very different.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°At one point, I thought he was dead.¡± At the time, everyone at the school thought so. They thought he was dead. He bled so much that the entire swimming pool turned red. Woojin¡¯s heart also stopped for a moment; the paramedics had to perform CPR. Eejun was in the US at the time, but when he heard the news, he returned to Korea immediately. Eejun remembered the first time he saw Woojin after the incident. It was at the hospital and Woojin was in very bad shape. His wrists... were mangled. And as soon as Woojin regained his consciousness, he began to scratch himself. The trauma of it all was too much for Woojin. Shin asked Eejun, ¡°He didn¡¯tmit suicide, did he?¡± ¡°You are very quick.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to die.¡± ¡°Well, you know him very well, I think. Woojin Choi isn¡¯t greedy for life, but he also doesn¡¯t want to die either.¡± Eejun nodded. In front of them, two cups of camomile tea rested. They were from Dr. Yoonil. Shin asked, ¡°Where are we? Whose house is this?¡± ¡°Dr. Yoonil¡¯s home.¡± ¡°... And who is Dr. Yoonil?¡± ¡°He is Woojin Choi¡¯s doctor and Woojin¡¯s mother¡¯s good friend.¡± ¡°I have something I want to ask.¡± ¡°And I think I can guess what it is.¡± ¡°But I think I should be asking Woojin Choi and not you, Mr. Eejun Bae.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Waiting is very hard though.¡± The ominous desperate feeling that things wouldn¡¯t end well... Eejun thought of Jihoon and bit his lips. He said to Shin, ¡°Woojin Choi has been very good at being alone, even as a child.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He is a quiet and careful type. His face always looked very nk and it was very easy to tease him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I liked Woojin since we were just kids. He was quiet, but he always said what needed to be said. He kept his distance from everyone, and I feltfortable around him.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± ¡°Woojin Choi is unwell.¡± ¡°... The gic disorder you mentioned earlier?¡± ¡°No, not that. But he has been so worried about getting that illness that the worry itself is making him sick.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°On top of that, that ident made Woojin weak too.¡± ¡°And who did that to him? At the swimming pool.¡± ¡°Woojin¡¯s aunt.¡± Shin¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°His aunt?¡± ¡°The Chairman¡¯s only daughter. Woojin¡¯s father¡¯s younger sister.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Woojin¡¯s aunt hated him for a very long time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Enough to kill him.¡± *** When Woojin opened his eyes, it was nighttime. Darkness filled the room. Still feeling a bit dizzy because of the medication, Woojin grabbed his head and blinked a few times. He couldn¡¯t tell what time it was, but he knew it had to be veryte. Woojin reached out to grab more of the nket when suddenly, he realized someone wasying beside him. Sturdy shoulders andrge back. A warm familiar body. There was only one person in the world Woojin could feelfortable being this close. Shin Kim. Slowly, Woojin moved so he could face Shin. He stared at his beautiful face. Shim must¡¯ve felt Woojin¡¯s eyes because after a few minutes, hisrge hands reached out to hug Woojin¡¯s shoulders and pulled him closer. This wasn¡¯t the first time their bodies were close, but Woojin¡¯s heart began to pound again. It was as if his body was trying to prove that he was still alive. Shin murmured, ¡°... You awake?¡± His voice sounded husky and deep. Slowly, Shin opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He frowned and caressed Woojin¡¯s face. ¡°I barely slept the whole time you were gone. Maybe an hour or two a day at most.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are such a yer, Woojin. Making me want you so desperately like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Woojin stroked Shin¡¯s forehead. Woojin always thought his forehead was very handsome. Neat and kind, but secretly hiding a fiery temper. After an audible gulp, Woojin replied, ¡°I needed some time to think.¡± ¡°But I told you that night that I wasn¡¯t demanding an answer.¡± Woojin looked away, afraid that he might see regret in Shin¡¯s eyes. But when Shin¡¯srge hands continued to pat him, Woojin felt relieved. He began to believe that perhaps Shin Kim wouldn¡¯t let him go even if they were apart for a long time. Shin seemed like a man who remained calm and waited. Woojin continued, ¡°It was because I wanted to answer your questions.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°... I just wanted to let you know.¡± The beautiful warmth began to enter Woojin. His whole body, including his heart, felt alive, like the flowers blooming in the spring. Shin¡¯srge hands touched Woojin¡¯s neck gently. Woojin could tell Shin was trying to make him feel better. ¡°Jin Yoo... That was the name I used. Yoo is my mother¡¯s maiden name.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think my father wanted to hide the fact that he had a child.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My father had an illness. A gic disorder. I was desperately hoping that I didn¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°People told me that I didn¡¯t have it. Everyone did.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But... I was always worried. Scared.¡± Woojin sighed and continued, ¡°My father... He sometimes thought that he was being chased. He believed that there was someone after him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He often saw hallucinations.¡± ¡°Hallucinations?¡± ¡°Yeah... I think he thought someone wasing to kill him...¡± Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Chapter 58.

Chapter 58. Woojin¡¯s father suffered paranoia, which exined why he moved around and travelled so much. Woojin¡¯s mother loved him nheless. He had periods of time in in life where he was addicted to alcohol and drugs, but Woojin¡¯s mother imed that her husband was a good man. Until his death, Woojin¡¯s mother loved his father. Woojin continued to exin to Shin, ¡°This hereditary disease usually skips every other generation. For example, my grandfather is fine, but my father got it. As for my aunt...¡± ¡°Yes? What about your aunt?¡± ¡°My aunt...¡± Woojin breathed deeply a few times before continuing, ¡°My aunt hated me. I don¡¯t know why.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My best guess would be that she hated me because she hated my father.¡± ¡°... Did your aunt have the illness?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t remember.¡± Woojin meant it. He really couldn¡¯t remember that woman. Woojin continued, ¡°The day I got hurt... That was the day my father died.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember a lot about that day. I think my father copsed... I got scared so I ran away... But sometimes, I feel like what I remember is just a hallucination.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am afraid... Shin... that perhaps I really did try to kill myself.¡± And at the end of Woojin¡¯s memory that day... was Shin. Shin¡¯s voice calling for him. Shin¡¯s hands pulling him out from the water. Shin¡¯s breath... Woojin mumbled, ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± Woojin wrapped his arms around Shin¡¯s neck. He kissed Shin, and Shin, who remained quiet until now, kissed Woojin back passionately. Lips on lips... Tongue on tongue... Woojin still had something on his mind, but he didn¡¯t voice it out loud. They still had 2 weeks together. Woojin wasn¡¯t going to leave for the next 2 weeks. It was Shin who came into the water to find him. Woojin was certain that Shin would find him again. *** ¡°Hello. My name is Siwoo Jung.¡± ¡°How do you do? I¡¯m Woojin Choi.¡± Shin felt a strong urge to caress Woojin¡¯s hair, but he stopped himself. He bit his lips hard. Siwoo, who was sitting across from him, kicked Shin¡¯s leg and mouthed the word, ¡°Idiot.¡± Siwoo said to Woojin, ¡°I heard so much about you from Shin.¡± ¡°...Sure.¡± Siwoo smiled kindly at Woojin, who still looked nk. When the food arrived, however, Woojin quickly ced a te in front of Shin. Siwoo smiled and teased Shin, ¡°It looks like you are about to drool.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really hungry, that¡¯s all.¡± Shin replied, smiling at Woojin. This dinner was first suggested by Woojin. It had been three days since Woojin returned to work, but no one at work seemed to notice. None of their co-workers asked Woojin any questions, and Shin found this very strange. Siwoo asked Woojin, ¡°There are many private rooms in this restaurant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because this is a popr ce for meetings.¡± ¡°Hmm... It feels very traditional and formal.¡± Woojin looked at Siwoo as he drank a sip of his tea. Woojin replied, ¡°I heard from Shin that you like Korean cuisine.¡± ¡°Well, I like everything, buttely, I haven¡¯t had many home cooked meals.¡± Shin suggested to Siwoo that he coulde with Joowan, but Siwoo refused. Shin felt confused. As far as he knew, Joowan cooked often at home so he could feed Siwoo. Now that he studied Siwoo, Shin saw that he had lost a bit of weight. When Shin frowned at him, Siwoo just smiled. Siwoo asked Woojin, ¡°Shin doesn¡¯t look like it, but he can be overly sensitive, can¡¯t he?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hmm... You aren¡¯t answering me.¡± ¡°... I think he is sharp-minded, not overly sensitive.¡± Woojin ced a piece of well-cooked meat on Shin¡¯s te, who blinked in surprise. Woojin acted casually and started eating as well. Woojin always ate very slowly. He often looked down and ate carefully and very quietly, and Shin found this very interesting. Just then, Siwooughed quietly andmented, ¡°... I feel really left out.¡± Woojin turned to him and asked. ¡°Would you like me to serve you as well?¡± ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s ok.¡± Siwoo shook his head vigorously. He could be a very affectionate person, but usually not to another couple. He felt ufortable in situations like this. Until Shin met Woojin, he felt the same way. Woojin seemed to eat well, but Shin was worried. This was the first time Woojin was having¡±real¡± food. He had been on a soft diet until today. Shin ordered a bowl of rice porridge for him and when it arrived, Woojin smiled. Siwoo watched and said to Woojin, ¡°You don¡¯t look like someone who smiles often, but I guess I am mistaken. You are smiling a lot today.¡± Shin mumbled in annoyance, ¡°... Hey.¡± But Woojin looked at Siwoo and replied, ¡°I do hear that often, and it¡¯s true. I usually don¡¯tugh a lot.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It must be because I am with Shin right now.¡± Woojin returned to eating and Shin sighed as he watched Woojin. After a few minutes, Woojin excused himself, ¡°Sorry, I need to go to the washroom.¡± After Woojin left, Siwoo pinched Shin¡¯s cheek hard. ¡°Shin, you look like you are head over heels in love.¡± ¡°... Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s disgustingly obvious.¡± ¡°He is cute, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He is a bit thinner than usual because he hasn¡¯t eaten muchtely.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t falling for him or anything, are you?¡± ¡°You need to stop. He isn¡¯t my type.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°I mean, he is so beautiful. How could anyone not fall in love with him?¡± ¡°Snap out of it, Shin Kim!¡± Siwoo ate another piece of grilled meat. He seemed to really like the dish, just as Woojin did. They must have the same taste in food. Suddenly, still not looking at Shin, Siwoo said to him, ¡°He hasn¡¯t changed a bit. He looks the same as when we were in high school.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The faint face that looks like it might disappear at any moment.¡± Siwoo smiled bitterly and added, ¡°It can be very draining to date someone who isn¡¯t well.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you listening to me, Shin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been sick before, so you know this very well.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Yet... Are you sure about this? Do you feel confident?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shin set down his chopsticks on his te. He knew what Siwoo meant, but... Ever since Woojin came back, Shin never once could make love to him. Shin loved sex, but the emotional satisfaction he felt by just being in Woojin¡¯s presence was much bigger than the pleasure from sex. Shin replied, ¡°For now, I am grateful for just being able to spend time with him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can wait.¡± Shin knew that Woojin watched him sleep at night. Woojin would touch Shin¡¯s scars on his chest and sigh. After a while, Woojin would snuggle into Shin¡¯s embrace and go back to sleep. And sometimes... Woojin stared at his own scarred wrists and bit his lips. Shin pretended to be asleep, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling the deep sadness. He loved being in Woojin¡¯s presence, but the pain that came with it was unavoidable. Shin mumbled to Siwoo, ¡°I have been wondering what loving someone means...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I look at him, and I wonder. I think I fell in love at first sight, but I never imagined that this would be so deep. If I knew back then...¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°Then I would¡¯ve asked him out much sooner.¡± Shin smiled. He regretted not recognizing Woojin earlier. He should¡¯ve taken him into his arms much sooner. Protect him and love him. Shin felt his eyes tearing up. He looked down. Time continued to pass yet they hadn¡¯t even begun their rtionship yet. Not for real. But it was ok, because there was going to be no end to it. Everything felt uncertain, but at least it was something. They had something together. This wasn¡¯t over yet. Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Chapter 59.

Chapter 59. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Shin asked Woojin. Every time they made love, Woojin always fell asleep immediately after. This meant that they never got to talk after sex. But today was strange. After having dinner with Shin¡¯s friend, they had a cocktail. And as they had been doing for the past few days, Woojin went to Shin¡¯s ce. And they made love for the first time since Woojin returned. As usual, sex with Shin was amazing. It felt like his soul was being freed. It felt too good. Scary good. With his eyes still open, Woojin tried to calm his breath down. Shin held Woojin¡¯s arms to kiss his wrists. When Woojin turned towards him, Shin kissed his cheek soundly. Woojin replied, ¡°I was thinking that I liked it.¡± ¡°Hmm... You are a bit of a slut, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I thought you knew.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I like it.¡± Shin smiled, making him look naughty. When Woojin traced his shoulder with his finger, Shin trembled a little. It ticked. Woojin murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t feel sleepy.¡± ¡°Maybe your stamina is getting better.¡± ¡°You think?¡± Looking down at him, Shin¡¯s bangs fell onto his forehead, making him look much younger. Woojin whispered, ¡°Right now, you look like a high school student.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t fair.¡± ¡°What isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t seem to remember you from high school. I don¡¯t remember what you were like.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok. I remember for the both of us.¡± Shin had a habit of closing his right eye when he felt embarrassed or impressed. When he did it this time, Woojin kissed his right eye. Afterward, Shin opened it wide. Woojin caressed Shin¡¯s eyebrows, and when he did, Shin¡¯s eyes half-closed, as if he was sleepy. Woojin whispered, ¡°You can sleep if you are tired.¡± ¡°Do you want to shower together?¡± Woojin could feel the lust on Shin¡¯s face. Woojin¡¯s neck blushed and the rest of his body reacted. Shin grinned, knowing what Woojin was feeling. He reached out to hold Woojin¡¯s shoulders, which still had marks of their lovemaking. Woojin¡¯s body wasn¡¯t given any time to cool down as Shin caressed his body passionately. Woojin stammered, ¡°I-I thought you wanted to s-shower...¡± ¡°Maybeter.¡± This never-ending desire. The need to touch and be touched... Their bodies burned. As Woojin¡¯s head bent backward in ecstasy, Shin kissed his neck and breathed in deeply. That night, Woojin dreamed that his body split into a million pieces and dispersed to different ces. Woojin remembered that before he fell asleep, Shin was washing his body with a warm cloth. Or was that a dream? Woojin couldn¡¯t be sure. But he thought he remembered.... He remembered their bodies touching and eventually bing one. Was it just a dream? A sad dream? *** Shin had a meeting in the morning near where Siwoo worked, so they made ns to have lunch together. He arrived at Siwoo¡¯s office building earlier than usual. Shin texted him. -I am in front of your building. The winter sun shined brightly, and the sky was so blue. But it was freezing outside. A sharp wind blew and Shin tightened his coat when suddenly, he noticed a group of people staring at him nearby. When he looked back curiously, a familiar voice eximed, ¡°Stop staring at him!¡± Arge figure walked out from the group and toward Shin. The man grinned naughtily and yelled, ¡°It¡¯s my friend, and he is already taken! So don¡¯t even think about it!¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s your friend? That¡¯s awesome!¡± It was Siwoo, and the rest must¡¯ve been his coworkers. Shin bowed quietly and turned away, ready to leave. Siwooughed and said to his colleagues, ¡°This guy is very shy.¡± Shin mumbled, ¡°Stop it.¡± Ignoring Shin, Siwoo waved at the group and followed Shin. It had been a long time since they ate lunch together. Out of the blue, Siwoo suddenly announced that he wanted to eat kimchi stew. Shin asked curiously, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Joowan cook for you anymore? Why are you so obsessed with home cooked meals nowadays?¡± ¡°I broke up with Joowan. Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Siwoo said it nonchntly, but Shin froze on the spot. ¡°When? When did this happen?¡± ¡°What does it matter?¡± ¡°It must¡¯ve happened recently, right?¡± ¡°Probably about a week ago? I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Are you ok?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be ok?¡± Siwoo said it casually, but his face became so pale that Shin pulled him close into a tight hug. Siwoo murmured, ¡°People are going to talk. You know my office is just over there, right?¡± ¡°Why did you guys break up?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Joowan... You guys were serious, right? It mustn¡¯t have been an easy decision.¡± ¡°Yeah. Why did I break up with him?¡± Siwoo pretended to contemte, but his eyes began to water. When Shin sighed, Siwoo wiped his eyes quickly. Shin asked in annoyance, ¡°Whenever I am going through a tough time, Ie to you. Why can¡¯t you do that with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Siwoo sighed as well, and they began to walk again. Siwoo mumbled, ¡°Joowan lied to me.¡± ¡°Did... did he cheat on you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can tell you that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How much do you like Mr. Woojin Choi?¡± Siwoo looked away as he asked the question. ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡± ¡°If you found out something... Do you think you will still feel the same way about him?¡± Siwoo turned towards him. His eyes were cold. One thing they shared was their fear of bing close to someone too quickly. Both Siwoo and Shin usually kept themselves distant from most people. Siwoo¡¯s eyes looked cold and suspicious. Shin replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t know him when I first met him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So it doesn¡¯t matter. All I know for certain is that there are more things I don¡¯t know about him than what I know about him.¡± Siwoo¡¯s eyes turned hot as he mumbled, ¡°I wish I knew that too before... That would¡¯ve been better. Easier...¡± ¡°... Are you hungry yet?¡± Shin pulled Siwoo closer and decided it was best not to ask him anymore questions. They breathed together for a little while before Siwoo smiled and asked, ¡°Did I ever tell you that I used to have a crush on you when we were little?¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Haha, you got me.¡± ¡°Whenever you want a drinking body, call me, you idiot.¡± When Shin mussed Siwoo¡¯s curly hair, Siwoo smiled. His friend Siwoo... He always looked so strong and cold, yet inside, he was a fragile and sensitive being. Shin sighed. He knew that Siwoo Jung secretly feared not being loved by those around him. Siwoo looked up at him and suddenly, he spit out a name. ¡°Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°Introduce me to him.¡± At that moment, Shin couldn¡¯t detect any emotion in Siwoo¡¯s eyes. He shivered nervously. Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Chapter 60.

Chapter 60. Jihoon was typing fast on hisptop at his desk. Woojin, who was sitting next to him, gently kicked Jihoon¡¯s desk twice. Jihoon looked up from his excel files and asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s chat on the rooftop.¡± ¡°... That¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve ever asked me to chat.¡± ¡°I will see you there in 10 minutes.¡± Woojin stood up slowly. When he returned to work a few days ago, Jihoon didn¡¯t mention anything about his absence. Woojin didn¡¯t know why, and to be honest, he didn¡¯t want to know. Woojin¡¯s other family members also didn¡¯t know about Woojin¡¯s recent disappearance. Or more likely, they knew about it but didn¡¯t acknowledge it. The team leader of the policy department also didn¡¯t say anything. It seemed that only Shin Kim was happy to see Woojin back. Shin let Woojin know about how Jihoon reacted. ¡°You should know that Jihoon Kang made a huge fuss about you when you were gone.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You do know how obsessed he is about you, right?¡± It was strange how someone Woojin knew for a very long time would be angry at his disappearance, while the man rtively new to him seemed to be worried yet understanding. Perhaps it was due to the difference in their personalities, but Woojin also knew how unhappy Jihoon was about Woojin and Shin¡¯s rtionship. Jihoon was one of the very few people who took an interest in Woojin. Woojin never thought this could be an obsession. He thought that Jihoon was just a very social person. Jihoon asked, ¡°But the rooftop? Isn¡¯t it really cold there?¡± ¡°Fresher air.¡± Closing the door behind them, Woojin suddenly touched Jihoon¡¯s dancing hair. It was very windy up here. Jihoon frowned and moved away. Suddenly, Jihoon¡¯s eyes widened, shocked at himself for rejecting Woojin¡¯s touch, but Woojin remained nk as he continued, ¡°I told you many times before.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°About how strange it is that you hate anything I do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that...¡± ¡°You are so much like your mother.¡± ¡°Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t run away. I wasn¡¯t even considering running away. Especially not from you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am answering you. You didn¡¯t ask me, but I¡¯m answering you anyway. Well, maybe you don¡¯t want to know about it.¡± ¡°Why does it have to be Shin Kim of all people?¡± ¡°I can ask you the same question. Why did it have to be me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°And why did it have to be my father for your mom?¡± ¡°Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°I am not even sure if my father was really ill.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Shin Kim and I... we are in a rtionship.¡± ¡°Woojin Choi!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s none of your business.¡± Woojin was finally learning to say what he was thinking. Even if he wasn¡¯t good at it, and perhaps he was blunter than necessary, it was better to let it all out. If he didn¡¯t, it would remain inside of him and hurt him. Woojin continued, ¡°The reason why I asked you toe here is...¡± He sighed deeply and touched his forehead. Saying what he meant was taking a lot of energy out of him. Jihoon frowned and continued to stare at Woojin. It was clear that he didn¡¯t want to listen to Woojin anymore, but it was Woojin¡¯s turn to get what he wanted. Woojin handed him a business card and said to him, ¡°This man wants to meet you.¡± Jihoon murmured, ¡°... Siwoo Jung?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Shin Kim¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He wants to see you.¡± Jihoon had mixed emotions on his face. It was very hard to read, but Woojin could see obsession, desire, embarrassment, and shame. Then... he also saw friendship and affection mingled together. Jihoon asked, ¡°Is this what you wanted to ask of me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Woojin Choi...¡± Jihoon growled, which was unusual. As far as Woojin could remember, Jihoon rarely became angry. Some family members worried about Jihoon¡¯s temper, but Woojin always believed him to be a patient and calm person. But perhaps... Woojin had been wrong all this time. He suddenly remembered what Eejun told him. ¡°It¡¯s not you who is broken in the head.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°From the very beginning, it wasn¡¯t you.¡± Jihoon still looked strange as he said to Woojin, ¡°I thought that it would be ok as long as you were beside me.¡± Jihoon looked different to Woojin. It was the first time Woojin saw an honest, bare expression on Jihoon¡¯s face. Bitterness. Sadness. Anger. Hatred. Jihoon Kang had a deep hatred inside of him. It was impossible to figure out who was the recipient of this anger. It sometimes turned to love, other times obsession. Woojin¡¯s family members had a mental illness. Suspicion and paranoia. It came from the fear of developing the hereditary illness. Woojin remembered the signs he witnessed in his own father. Jihoon asked in frustration, ¡°Woojin, do you really have to put Shin Kim between the two of us?¡± ¡°.... What has me being with Shin have to do with you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You and I... Jihoon, we are rted by blood, nothing more and nothing less.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t even consider you my family.¡± SLAP! Jihoon pped Woojin¡¯s right cheek hard. It was so forcefully that Woojin¡¯s head spun. He could feel this cheek swelling up immediately. But Woojin turned towards Jihoon calmly as if nothing happened. Jihoon stared at his own hand in confusion. He murmured, ¡°W-Woojin...¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin must¡¯ve bit his cheek when he was pped. He spat out bright red blood. Woojin touched his cheek gently and said to Jihoon, ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to grow to like you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Go see him, Siwoo. He will be waiting for your call.¡± Woojin turned around coldly. Before he left, he saw that Jihoon was standing on the same spot trembling quietly. Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Chapter 61.

Chapter 61. ¡°He is crazy.¡± Woojin was walking down the stairs from the rooftop when he met with Shin Kim. It wasn¡¯tpletely a coincidence. Woojin¡¯s cheek must¡¯ve been puffy. Shin¡¯s eyes widened and he bit his lips. He grabbed Woojin¡¯s hand and took him to the basement parking lot. Shin drove to the nearby pharmacy and purchased medication for swelling and pain. They returned to the office parking lot. Woojin murmured, ¡°We need to be back at work...¡± ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime soon. Besides, everyone is so busy because it¡¯s almost the end of the year. No one will notice.¡± ¡°... Oh.¡± ¡°You should be worrying about yourself, not the office!¡± Shin gently rubbed the ointment on Woojin¡¯s cheek. His finger was so warm that Woojin closed his eyes. With quiet anger, Shin asked, ¡°So Jihoon Kang hits people?¡± ¡°This is the first time.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Shin was clearly furious. When Woojin looked at him, Shin¡¯s frown became even bigger. Woojin reached out and stretched his cheeks, trying to turn the frown into a smile. Shin sighed and asked, ¡°Am I not supposed to say anything about this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid of Jihoon Kang.¡± Jihoon had always been near Woojin. Except for when Woojin left to go to Germany to get away from that woman, Jihoon had always been around him. At first, Jihoon treated Woojin like a fragile porcin doll. He wanted to do everything with Woojin. During their teenage years, they ended up going to different schools, but Jihoon still remained close by like a shadow. Jihoon was very quiet, but he made sure his presence was known. Woojin continued, ¡°And I was ok with being afraid of him, but now...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Having someone to lose makes things so much scarier.¡± Woojin didn¡¯t want Shin to disappear. He added, ¡°So... I...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will tell youter.¡± Woojin¡¯s eyes looked sad. There seemed to be no answer to ¡°love.¡± Was this even really love? Or was it just friendship? Or lust? Shin looked at him, desperately hoping that Woojin wouldn¡¯t feel so much pain and worry. He reached out to touch Woojin¡¯s shoulder as he replied, ¡°Please don¡¯t look so sad. I would love to hit Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang, but I won¡¯t.¡± Woojinughed quietly. Shin rubbed the back of his neck, making Woojin smile. The pain on his cheek felt distant now. Shin added, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why Siwoo wants to meet Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°Did he say he wanted to meet Jihoon before?¡± It seemed that Siwoo knew the side of Jihoon that Woojin didn¡¯t know about. Before Jihoon went to study in US, he visited Germany a few times a year. But he never visited Woojin. Shin replied, ¡°Siwoo did say that... I just have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an easy ormon thing to remember someone. People remember others because they have good memories of them... Or...¡± Shin seemed a bit apologetic that he couldn¡¯t remember Woojin from high school. Woojinid his head on Shin¡¯s shoulder and replied, ¡°It is indeed very difficult to remember someone from the past.¡± After a pause, Woojin added, ¡°I am curious as to how and why Siwoo remembers Jihoon.¡± ¡°Hmm... You have things you are curious about?¡± ¡°Yes. For example, I am always curious about you.¡± ¡°I should be the only one you are curious about.¡± Shin smiled and Woojin watched him quietly. Just seeing Shin smiling made him feel happy. Shin murmured quietly, ¡°You look like you are thinking about running away.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok if you do, but please make sure you wille back to me someday.¡± Shin was going to wait. *** Jihoon¡¯s whole life was all about waiting. Waiting for his mother, who didn¡¯t love him. Waiting for Jin Yoo, whom he loved. Constant waiting made him feel odd things. Sometimes, he experienced hallucinations. Some of them looked so real, while others felt like dreams. Even those that felt dreamy caused asting effect on him. It was then that he began to do drugs. He wanted these dreams tost longer. He lived like a normal man during the day, but at night, he lived in his dream. He disappeared into a quiet and deep sleep. When he first started to take these drugs, it was hard to control the doses. It was especially tricky because it seemed that the worse the condition of his body was in, to a point of breathing unsteadily, the clearer Jihoon could see Jin Yoo. When he was barely breathing and experienced ack of oxygen in his brain, Jihoon felt like Jin was standing right in front of him. Smiling, crying, screaming, and whispering to him that he liked Jihoon. He knew it wasn¡¯t real. It was just fantasies and illusions. He knew it because unlike in his dreams, Jin Yoo was not an expressive person in real life. A faint cold figure... Everyone called Jin a living doll. Jihoon believed Jin Yoo would never feel the heat of life. The heat of love. But recently, Jihoon was proven wrong. ¡°Hello, my name is Siwoo Jung.¡± ¡°I am Jihoon Kang.¡± The moment their eyes met for the first time, Jihoon could see a brief but unmistakable anger in Siwoo¡¯s eyes. But it disappeared quickly, leaving only the very beautiful Siwoo. Siwoo smiled pleasantly and asked, ¡°We actually met in front of your office building a while back. Do you remember?¡± Siwoo had a nice baritone voice. He offered his hand, so Jihoon shook it without hesitation. Siwoo¡¯s fingernails scraped Jihoon¡¯s skin lightly. What a strange person Siwoo was. Jiwoo replied, ¡°Of course. I would never forget such a gorgeous man like yourself.¡± A lie. It was empty ttery. When Jihoon showed him his signature ¡°nice guy¡± smile, Siwoo stared for a second beforeughing. Jihoon thought he had never heard such an emptyugh in his life. Siwoo seemed very strange. He replied, ¡°You are not a good liar I see.¡± Siwoo sat down and looked out the window. Without looking at Jihoon, Siwoo gestured for him to sit. That afternoon, Jihoon texted the number on the business card. Siwoo replied immediately, asking to meet that very night if he didn¡¯t have a previous engagement. When Jihoon said he was free, Siwoo sent him an address of this restaurant and asked to meet at 7 PM. Jihoon was surprised at himself for agreeing to all this. He initially thought to say no, but for some reason, he wanted to. What bothered him the most was how he pped Woojin that morning. Before he left to meet Siwoo, Jihoon texted Woojin that he was going to meet Siwoo that night. Woojin didn¡¯t text him back. It was usual for Woojin to ignore his text, but Jihoon couldn¡¯t help but feel hurt again. Jihoon replied, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lie.¡± ¡°That was also a lie.¡± ¡°... Why did you ask me to meet you?¡± Jihoon didn¡¯t like how Siwoo was responding to him. When Jihoon asked bluntly, Siwoo handed him a menu and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s order something first.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I like traditional homemade style meal, so that is why I asked you to meet at this restaurant. I¡¯m going to order soft tofu stew.¡± Siwoo¡¯s lips looked pouty. He seemed like a stubborn man, but for some reason, Jihoon didn¡¯t dislike it. He began to look down at his menu to choose. Suddenly, Siwoo leaned towards him and using his finger, exined different dishes and made a few suggestions. Jihoon was surprised at such a familiar gesture, so he looked up. Siwoo only smiled mysteriously. Jihoon said to him, ¡°Your smile... seems odd. You have a strange way of smiling.¡± ¡°Really? Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Just a little...¡± ¡°Hmm... You must think I¡¯m strange.¡± Just then, Jihoon realized that Siwoo wasing onto him. Siwoo wasn¡¯t even trying to hide his intention. Jihoon was confused, because not many people knew about his homosexuality. He always thought he did a good job of hiding it. And Siwoo was definitely not one of his past flings. Staring at Siwoo¡¯s sharp ck eyes, Jihoon bit his lips. Siwoo clearly knew who he was. Jihoon asked bluntly, ¡°You know me, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62: Chapter 62. Chapter 62. ¡°... You are being awfully familiar.¡± Jihoon wondered where he had seen Siwoo before, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t remember him. Siwoo wasn¡¯t someone forgettable. The way he acted... His looks... When Jihoon bit his lips, Siwoo reached out and touched them with his finger. He said with a coy smile, ¡°Your lips look like they might hurt.¡± Siwoo then added, ¡°I am starving!¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°What about drinks?¡± ¡°Not a bad idea.¡± Siwoo raised his hand to order a few bottles of soju. Watching him, Jihoon became a bit excited. He wondered what this night might hold for him. No love, just lust. Jihoon Kang liked this kind of rtionship. To use and be used. No expectations. At least tonight, Jihoon thought that he may not need his pills. *** Shin just came out from the shower. Woojin had to workte today, but Shin insisted they leave work together. In the end, he ended up waiting for Woojin and they ended up going to Woojin¡¯s home. Lately, Woojin has been sleeping at Shin¡¯s home almost every night, so Woojin¡¯s apartment seemed empty and cold. As soon as they arrived, they turned on the heat. Perhaps it was because there were two people in the ce. The apartment seemed to get warm very quickly. Woojin was sitting at the sofa when Shin, his hair still a bit wet, approached him with a smile. He hugged Woojin, who asked him, ¡°Did you want something?¡± ¡°Is there something you want for a Christmas gift?¡± ¡°Not really...¡± ¡°But I want to get you something.¡± After staring at Shin¡¯s eyes for a while, Woojin said to him, ¡°Shin Kim.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I think Siwoo and Jihoon Kang met.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Woojin held Shin¡¯s hand tightly for warmth. He didn¡¯t want to let Shin go. There were days when Woojin thought he was prepared for the end, but in truth, he never wanted to leave Shin. Never. Eejun warmed Woojin many times, ¡°There is something you don¡¯t know, Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Beware of Jihoon Kang. Be careful around him, Woojin.¡± Woojin wondered what the difference was between hallucinating and educated guess. Just who in his family inherited this illness? Woojin¡¯s grandfather seemed to be waiting and calcting to see which of his children presented with this family disease. Woojin¡¯s father ended up bing the unlucky target, and during treatments, he passed away. When Woojin¡¯s face darkened, Shin reached out to hold his face. He murmured, ¡°When you feel like sharing your thoughts with me...¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°Please let me know.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± When Eejun warned Woojin about Jihoon, Eejun looked almost scared. Woojin couldn¡¯t understand why, and not knowing caused him the most fear. And now, it was time to figure out the truth. Woojin still remembered the advice his father gave him, ¡°Woojin, you must protect those you love... Even if that means you need to leave them.¡± Woojin never forgot his father¡¯s words. *** Shin found this quiet and quaint hospital very interesting. The ce was very neat with no clutters. Only the absolute necessities filled the space. Shin didn¡¯t feel awkward around Dr. Yoonil, probably because they have met each other before. This doctor reminded Shin of a nk page. No color, no odor. Yoonil provided a calm, almost empty, atmosphere to this ce. Woojin was out of the room for a few minutes to get some tests done. He had to get checked every month, and it was Yoonil and Eejun who rmended Shin to apany Woojin. Eejun, who was also present in the room, took a sip of his jasmine tea after Woojin left. Eejun asked Shin, ¡°It didn¡¯t take much to convince you toe with Woojin, I see. Why is that?¡± ¡°Because we are lovers.¡± Eejun almost spit out his tea. He barely held it together. Eejun frowned and eximed, ¡°Are you crazy?¡± When Shin shrugged his shoulders, Eejun asked, ¡°Are you nning to let EVERYONE know that you guys are dating?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Then why did you say that just now?¡± ¡°I figured you already know about us, Mr. Eejun.¡± Shin liked Eejun much more than Jihoon Kang. Eejun seemed honest. Not sneaky like Jihoon. It was very hard to meet people who were as transparent as Eejun Bae, especially around Woojin. Shinter learned that it was the manager at the vi that found Woojin. If he hadn¡¯t, it was hard to know what might happened to Woojin. Woojin certainly wasn¡¯t going to call anyone for help. He was so used to being alone. He didn¡¯t know how to get close to someone. Shin found Woojin¡¯s awkwardness adorable, but he also felt sad about it. Shin asked, ¡°What kind of treatment is Woojin getting here?¡± ¡°Psychiatric.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He can¡¯t seem to remember.¡± ¡°Remember what?¡± ¡°Who killed his father. The murderer.¡± Eejun¡¯s voice seemed calm, but he sighed deeply, making Shin feel tense. Eejun continued, ¡°You are the first person outside of this family that knows about this now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Well... I guess I can¡¯t call myself part of the ¡®family.¡¯¡± ¡°And is there a reason why Woojin Choi needs to remember this?¡± ¡°It will prove that Woojin isn¡¯t sick.¡± ¡°What?¡± Eejun sighed loudly again and showed Shin three photos. One showed a man, the second one a woman, and the third one Jihoon Kang. The woman in the second photo looked so pale. She looked shockingly like Woojin. ¡°Is this Woojin¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But they look so alike.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Jihoon Kang¡¯s mother.¡± When Shin looked up at Eejun in shock, Eejun replied, ¡°Of course Woojin and that woman look alike.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because she is his aunt.¡± Woojin always tried to avoid mentioning his aunt. He didn¡¯t even call her his aunt, but ¡°that woman.¡± The woman that hated Woojin... The only sister of Woojin¡¯s father... Then... ¡°So Jihoon Kang is Woojin¡¯s cousin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This hereditary illness apparently skipped a generation, and Woojin¡¯s grandfather didn¡¯t have it. So he was certain that one of his children must¡¯ve inherited it.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°None of his children had it. This gic disorder¡± As Woojin¡¯s father and his sister grew up, they had to constantly get tested and suspected. Eejun didn¡¯t see it with his own eyes, but he heard stories from his own grandfather and his father. What he heard was... horrifying. Eejun continued, ¡°Woojin¡¯s father wasn¡¯t nning on getting married.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He was so sick of it all. Having to go to the clinic every month...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There is no way of knowing the truth. Did both of the siblings not have this illness? Did one of them have it and hid it well? Maybe both of them had it. Who knows? Either way, the Chairman, Woojin¡¯s grandfather, never let go of his suspicion that one or both of his children had it. He was desperate to find out because he needed an heir to hispany.¡± ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°Woojin¡¯s father ended up giving up his inheritance.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But even then, Woojin¡¯s aunt remained anxious.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°She was especially worried about Woojin Choi.¡± That was the beginning of this tragedy. Never ending obsession and suspicion. ¡°Woojin¡¯s family illness is a mental disorder. If you have it, the symptoms get worse as you get older, and...¡± ¡°... and?¡± ¡°Eventually, you end up experiencing hallucinations.¡± ¡°And this is a hereditary thing?¡± ¡°Apparently, these people are born with an abnormality in their brains. They end up experiencing constant hallucination.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°The question is, did Woojin¡¯s father see a hallucination, or was someone reallying to kill him?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Woojin Choi was the only one there at the time of his death. This means only Woojin knows what really happened.¡± Shin remembered the blood in the swimming pool. ¡°Woojin doesn¡¯t want to remember that day. He also seems to question himself.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If Woojin¡¯s father didn¡¯t have this illness, it is very possible that Woojin has it¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My bet is on Woojin¡¯s aunt who killed Woojin¡¯s father.¡± Eejun looked at Shin¡¯s eyes and added, ¡°And that is why this family hates me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And Jihoon Kang hates me the most.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Probably because I suspect Jihoon Kang isn¡¯t sane either.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You better protect Woojin. You and I are both surrounded by enemies.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am not even sure about Yoonil. Is he really trying to restore Woojin¡¯s memories, or is he actually erasing them? I can¡¯t be certain.¡± Shin felt like he was falling endlessly into a darkness. Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Story 6- Chapter 63.

¡°I always wanted to know. If you were alive or dead... Thank god you are alive.¡± Woojin watched as Siwoo spoke to him. Woojin felt his face burning; when he lowered his face, Shin touched his neck gently. The warmth of his hand helped. Woojin stammered, ¡°Umm... I...¡± There was something he wanted to say. ¡°... Thank you.¡± Suddenly, Woojin realized that he had been wrong. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want anything. The truth was, he just didn¡¯t know what he wanted. It wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t in pain; he just didn¡¯t know how to tell others if he was hurt. Woojin tightened his grip on Shin¡¯s hand. The physical warmth was enough to warm his heart as well. The one who could make everything alright was right here in front of him. It all depended on him. Woojin knew that he was the one who had to fight for what he wanted. *** Woojin woke up from this thirst. When he reached to the side, he felt Shin sleeping soundly. Woojin shook his head lightly; he couldn¡¯t remember when he fell asleep. He felt a bit dizzy, probably because he drank too much. Woojin got out of bed quietly and grabbed the bottle of water on the nightstand. Shin must¡¯ve put one there for him. When Woojin looked towards the living room, he saw that Siwoo was sleeping on the sofa. The clock on the wall said it was 4 AM in the morning. When Woojin drank just the right amount, he slept very well, but when he drank too much, he ended up waking up in the middle of the night. Woojin slowly drank the water and walked out to the living room which was cleaned up. ¡°...¡± Woojin sighed deeply; his head was aching. He vaguely remembered drinking wine before falling asleep. He also remembered that he was having fun. Woojin didn¡¯t bring any spare clothes; he wondered if he should drop by his ce to grab a new suit for work. Woojin was about to throw away the empty water bottle into a recycling bin when he noticed Siwoo¡¯s cell phone which lit up and was vibrating. Woojin meant to go back to bed, but unconsciously, his eyes looked at the screen of Siwoo¡¯s phone. -Jihoon Kang. *** Woojin arrived at work early as usual. He went straight to the policy department office and sat down on his chair. He put on his nametag and was about to turn on the monitor when suddenly, he felt a bit dizzy. He slowly sat down and took a deep breath. That weekend, they ended up spending most of the weekend at Yoonil¡¯s clinic. After a three-hour session, for the first time since he began to be treated, Woojin didn¡¯t request a prescription for sleeping pills. Shin waited patiently and it was Woojin who became annoyed at Eejun. ¡°Why did you make Shine? It must be so boring for him and it¡¯s taking too long.¡± ¡°His presence will help you get better.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± Woojin didn¡¯t want to show his illness to Shin. Woojin didn¡¯t say a word on the ride back with Shin. When Woojin wouldn¡¯t even look at him, Shin looked tired. Silently, Shin dropped Woojin off at his apartment and returned to his own ce. Woojin thought to himself, ¡®Shin looked very tired.¡¯ He could understand why. He was sick and dating a patient was not an easy thing. That was why Woojin decided they should date for only one month. But a month was much shorter than he expected. And even during this short period of time, Shin seared his presence on Woojin¡¯s body. Woojin could no longer sleep well by himself. He craved Shin¡¯s warmth. Woojin became scared. That day, Sunday, Woojin got several calls but he didn¡¯t answer any of them. His mother from Germany called once, but Woojin ignored it. He shut the blinds, went to the second floor, and looked at the photos. Just as Yoonil taught him, Woojin looked at the pictures one by one slowly. And with every photo, he tried to remember. But all it ended up doing was make him feel breathless; Woojin put the pictures away and went downstairs. He closed his eyes to rest. That was the end of his weekend. On Monday morning, Woojin realized that he didn¡¯t eat anything the day before. He opened the fridge and saw that it was still filled with fruits and sds. Woojin sighed. Another sign of Shin Kim at his ce. Woojin ate a strawberry, which was going getting old and soft. It tasted sour. ¡®I miss him.¡¯ Over the weekend, Shin never called once. He texted a few times, asking how he was, but not a single call. Woojin waited all Sunday with his cellphone in his hand. On the days they didn¡¯t meet, Shin always called Woojin. He worried if Woojin ate and Shin would whisper that he missed Woojin. But this Sunday, Shin didn¡¯t do that and suddenly, Woojin became fearful. He looked at the office window and bit his lips. ¡®Is Shin tired of me now?¡¯ Woojin wasn¡¯t angry; he just hated the fact that Shin saw his weak side by going to the clinic with him. Woojin worried that Shin might abandon him. He felt angry at Eejun for creating this problem. Everything felt annoying to Woojin. He never felt like this before. ¡®It¡¯s as if I am bing too needy.¡¯ To love him. To take him. Woojin touched his forehead and sighed. The furious frustration filled his body. Thest time this happened, Woojin ran away. He didn¡¯t answer anyone¡¯s calls, including Shin¡¯s. At the time, Woojin didn¡¯t consider how it may have made Shin feel. If Shin remembered Woojin from high school and he was disgusted by it... Woojin nned to disappear forever, never to be seen by Shin again. But Woojin never asked him yet how he felt about it all. ¡®Me, Shin, us...¡¯ It seemed so simple yet the most difficult andplicated thing to Woojin. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jihoon Kang asked from behind. When Woojin looked up, Jihoon smiled andmented, ¡°You look cute even when you are annoyed.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you finish the briefing for the monthly report?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°I think I did the research part.¡± ¡°Wow, I don¡¯t think I have ever seen Woojin Choi not being on top of his work.¡± It hadn¡¯t been long since Woojin returned to work. He was also unwell. However, these were not good enough excuses for Woojin. He was never beenzy about his work before. Jihoon half-joked that Woojin should¡¯ve worked over the weekend to finish it. Woojin stared at him for a few more seconds before beginning to work on his briefing. Jihoon asked, ¡°Did you eat well over the weekend?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°From the look on your face, it seems like you skipped a few meals again.¡± ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± Woojin was known for his excellent and quick reports, but today, Woojin couldn¡¯t focus well. So much information to organize... So much paperwork to go through... It took much longer than expected for Woojin toplete the briefing. If he didn¡¯te early today, he might have missed the deadline, which was this afternoon. After emailing the report, Woojin felt Jihoon¡¯s eyes on him. When he turned around, Woojin noticed that Jihoon also looked thinner. He also had dark circles underneath his eyes. Woojin asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± ¡°It has been so long since Ist saw Assistant Manager Choi fumbling to meet the deadline.¡± ¡°...Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°Maybe. Maybe not.¡± Jihoonughed out loud, and he seemed to be genuinely pleased. Woojin felt relieved to see Jihoon. Eejun may have warned Woojin against Jihoon, but it still didn¡¯t change the fact that Jihoon was one of Woojin¡¯s closest acquaintances. It was almost lunch time, but Shin still hadn¡¯t contacted Woojin yet. The morning went by quickly. Yeonwoo asked from behind, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going for lunch?¡± Woojin flinched. He hadn¡¯t realized it was already lunch time. ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°Assistant Kang left for a lunch meeting and the Chief is also out. I am going out with my friends for lunch.¡± ¡°... friends?¡± ¡°Umm... yes. I have a meeting with some friends today...¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Yeonwoo seemed surprised that Woojin showed interest. She bowed lightly and left the office. Woojin¡¯s eyes roamed the office until they rested on the marketing team¡¯s office. Woojin wasn¡¯t hungry, but if he didn¡¯t eat, there was a chance he might faint again. Woojin stood up slowly and as he walked out, he saw that the marketing team¡¯s office was dark. Then suddenly, someone offered from behind, ¡°You look like you are free for lunch. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± When Woojin turned around, he saw Eejun Bae smiling broadly. When Woojin nodded, Eejun grinned and said to him, ¡°What the! I can clearly see the disappointment on your face!¡± ¡°You are imagining things.¡± ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go eat. I already made a reservation at that Japanese restaurant you like.¡± Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Chapter 64.

Chapter 64. ¡°You need to eat more, Woojin.¡± ¡°Stop nagging. I already have Jihoon Kang for that.¡± ¡°I think I can now understand why Jihoon nags you whenever you eat. It makes sense now.¡± Woojin had a bowl of rice porridge in front of him that had barely been touched. Eejun pushed the side dishes closer towards Woojin and asked, ¡°You are too thin. Doesn¡¯t Shin Kim say anything about that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t say anything, so what?¡± ¡°Wow, what a kind lover he is.¡± ¡°...He isn¡¯t my lover.¡± ¡°There is no need for you to lie to me.¡± Woojin checked his cellphone again, but there were still no messages from Shin. He took a sip of his warm green tea. Eejun looked at his face and asked, ¡°Why do you look so annoyed?¡± ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± Woojin looked down at his porridge. Eejun replied, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What did you say to Shin Kim at the hospital?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him anything.¡± ¡°You are lying.¡± ¡°I swear! I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t called me since we left the hospital.¡± Eejun grinned and asked, ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you try texting him yourself?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± Now that he thought about it, Woojin realized that he never texted or called Shin first. He looked at Eejun who frowned. Woojin replied, ¡°I have never contacted him first.¡± ¡°What about when he texts you? Do you make sure you always reply back?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± The problem was... Woojin just didn¡¯t know anything about dating. Everything he did with Shin was his first experience in life. There were many times when Woojin didn¡¯t know what to say to him or what to do with Shin. When they were talking on the phone, there were a few asions when Woojin nodded quietly when Shin asked something. Shin asked him often to say the words rather than shaking or nodding his head when they were talking on the phone. Woojin suddenly wondered if Shin was annoyed with him. Eejun replied, ¡°This is beyond ¡®wrong!¡¯ I knew you were a dummy, but this is too much.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But, I think Shin Kim is also a huge weirdo. He told me he thought you were pretty.¡± ¡°Do YOU think I¡¯m ugly?¡± ¡°No, your face is fine, but you look like you might break easily.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t break.¡± ¡°On top of that, you don¡¯t reply to texts and you don¡¯t call first! You are also terribly awkward!¡± ¡°But... I sometimes visit him.¡± ¡°What? You visit him without telling him? That¡¯s the worst!¡± At Eejun¡¯s terrified look, Woojin felt his heart crumbling into pieces. All his life, the only person who ever entered his heart was Shin Kim. But Woojin knew without a doubt that he wasn¡¯t the only person Shin liked in his lifetime. Shin was also very experienced in dating and sex. Woojin felt bitterness on his tongue. Eejun said softly, ¡°You don¡¯t look too good, Woojin.¡± ¡°Shin Kim¡¯s probably very popr, right?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Do you think he is tired of me?¡± ¡°Hmm... I doubt that.¡± Eejun smirked and continued, ¡°It¡¯s still too fun to tease you, Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m here? Shin Kim called me to take you out for lunch because he can¡¯t. He has a business meeting or something.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Eejunughed, covering his mouth. He seemed amused and Woojin forgot to get angry. He just gaped at Eejun and waited. Eejun exined, ¡°Shin Kim went to another province early this morning on a business trip.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And I did tell him that you get very tired after long sessions. I said you will be exhausted for about two days. That¡¯s probably why he didn¡¯t call you. He didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He might be waiting for you to call him first. Let¡¯s eat up and you can call him... Woojin, what are you doing?¡± Before Eejun could even finish his sentence, Woojin stood up with his cellphone in his hand. Eejun asked again, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to call him right now. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Eejun gawked in confusion as Woojin left the restaurant. He found a quiet alleyway. He needed a quiet ce to think first. What should he say to Shin? ¡°...¡± Finally, he called Shin, who answered after only two rings. ¡°Hello?¡± Shin¡¯s beautiful voice caressed Woojin¡¯s ear. Woojin felt warm and finally.... Finally, he could breathe. ¡°Woojin?¡± When Shin said his name, Woojin knew that everything was going to be alright. He had been waiting to hear Shin¡¯s voice for a long time. For a very long time. Shin asked, ¡°Did you eat lunch yet? Are you feeling ok?¡± Woojin whispered, ¡°I miss you, Shin. I want to see you.¡± *** ¡°I miss you.¡± Shin had dated many people before, but never once did he ever missed any of them during the rtionships. Shin was always the one in control; he led the rtionship. His previous partners always seemed to be happy with him. Shin was always the one who started and ended all of his rtionships. But then, he met Woojin Choi. Woojin wasn¡¯t like any of his previous lovers. Woojin never told him what he was thinking or feeling. Woojin¡¯s face was always nk, and he never seemed to be curious about Shin. Woojin was a mystery to Shin. Shin stammered, ¡°Umm... do you...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you say you miss me? You want to see me? ME?¡± But as he spent more time with Woojin, Shin learned to read him better. Woojin looked nk, but if you looked closely, you could see the hurricane of emotions in his eyes. And today, Woojin called him. Shin¡¯s heart pounded so fast that it hurt. Shin knew what a huge gesture it was on Woojin¡¯s part. To call him first... The Woojin Shin knew was not good at making the first move. Shin asked, ¡°Please answer me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Shin first saw Woojin, he thought Woojin was an empty-minded person. But the truth was, Woojin was a veryplicated man. Shin felt... like he wanted to cry with joy. ¡°I¡¯m getting on the train right now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will see you at dinner.¡± ¡°I hope you have a safe trip.¡± Shin shivered in excitement. Woojin was waiting for him. Shin bit her lips and murmured, ¡°You drive me crazy...¡± Some rtionships burned out quickly. Some disappeared even before they started. But with Woojin... It was different. Woojin was independent. He was perfectly fine standing on his own, but he still reached out to Shin. It seemed that Woojin was now learning to share his loneliness. They understood each other. They trusted each other. Chapter 65 Chapter 65: Chapter 65. Siwoo was on his way to the parking lot when he received a text. -Tonight. Come to my house. He frowned at it. It had only been a week since he met Jihoon, and that night, they went straight to a hotel. Since then, Siwoo learned that Jihoon Kang was a very forceful and demanding guy. It was a surprise and a disappointment, because when he first met Jihoon, Siwoo thought he was gentle and pleasant. He was clearly wrong. ¡°Asshole...¡± Siwoo ignored the text and opened his car door. Just then, arge hand grabbed his waist. ¡°Siwoo...¡± There were times when Siwoo loved his voice. This man was able to make Siwoo forget his first love, Shin Kim. When Siwoo turned to look, his ex-boyfriend with kind eyes was standing there. ¡°...¡± Without answering him, Siwoo tried to get into his car, but Joowan grabbed his wrist and stopped him. Afraid he might hurt Siwoo, Joowan quickly loosened his grip, making Siwoo tear up. As coldly as he could, Siwoo said to Joowan, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this to us, Siwoo?¡± It was veryte, well after Siwoo¡¯s normal work hours. There weren¡¯t many cars left in the office parking lot and Siwoo wondered how long Joowan had been waiting there. Siwoo felt worried Joowan might get a cold, but he quickly shook his head to get rid of this thought. Joowan wasn¡¯t his problem anymore. It was over between them, and worrying about his ex-boyfriend was not healthy. Siwoo frowned and twisted his wrist to pull it out from Joowan¡¯s hand. Siwoo replied, ¡°We broke up.¡± ¡°I never agreed to that.¡± ¡°Well, you should have thought of it before you lied to me. I never imagined you would do this to me.¡± Siwoo feared he might start crying, so he got into his car quickly. Joowan tried to get in as well, but Siwoo stopped him with his hands. Joowan¡¯s cold hand touched Siwoo¡¯s cheek. Joowan was a man of few words. Although he didn¡¯t talk much, he also never lied. Joowan argued, ¡°I didn¡¯t actually lie to you.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell me about him? And why won¡¯t you still tell me about what went on?¡± ¡°Siwoo...¡± ¡°You betrayed me. You made me a fool.¡± ¡°... Siwoo...¡± Joowan¡¯s voice was like a warm summer night. Siwoo used to feel sofortable and safe around him. Joowan added, ¡°I know that you still care about me.¡± ¡°... Joowan.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I really liked you. I really did.¡± Siwoo took a deep breath as Joowan looked down at him. Those deep ck eyes... Siwoo knew he still loved him. Siwoo continued, ¡°It would be a lie if I said I still didn¡¯t love you. I admit that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But why won¡¯t you tell me? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was relevant or necessary.¡± ¡°Did you ever think of me whenever you met with that man? Every month!¡± ¡°Siwoo, he and I aren¡¯t in a romantic rtionship. It¡¯s business rted...¡± ¡°What business?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If it really was a business rtionship, you would be able to tell me.¡± Siwoo bit his lips. It was finally time. Time to let Joowan go forever. Suddenly, Joowan whispered, ¡°Why did you meet with Jihoon Kang?¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Siwoo looked up in shock. He felt goosebumps covering his arms. He asked angrily, ¡°Are you following me or something?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You...¡± ¡°He is a dangerous man, Siwoo...¡± Joowan¡¯s voice was trembling. He looked down at Siwoo with worried eyes, making Siwoo remember the happy days they shared. Siwoo also remembered the first time they met. The first thing Siwoo noticed about Joowan was his long arms and cold hands. There was a small star-shaped tattoo on his palm. Joowan looked so kind and Siwoo fell for him immediately. Siwoo replied, ¡°Let¡¯s be honest here, Joowan. You don¡¯t have to worry about me anymore.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because we are over.¡± Siwoo¡¯s heart broke just then, but closing his eyes tightly, he forced the door shut. He rested his head on the handle and waited. The car door wasn¡¯t locked, but Joowan didn¡¯t try to get in. He just stood there silently. They stayed like that for a while and when Siwoo looked up, Joowan was gone. Siwoo started the car immediately. He needed to be with someone tonight. Anyone. *** It had been a while since Woojin was at the Seoul train station. Woojin liked to take trains and the subway. When he was in Germany, he had to drive, but in Korea, he no longer needed to. The public transportation system was excellent here, and besides, Woojin hated driving, in Seoul especially where the roads were always busy. There were too many cars on the streets. ¡°... 7:30 PM.¡± In 15 minutes, the train was going to arrive. In Korea, trains were rarelyte, unlike in Germany. Woojin stared at the schedule monitor and cringed because of the cold. When he exhaled, he could see his own breath clearly. For some reason, he felt like smiling. He heard the train arriving loudly. The metallic sound was booming. When the train stopped, his heart began to pound fast. How strange. ¡°...¡± Woojin looked around, trying to look at everyoneing out. He looked for a while, but he didn¡¯t see Shin anywhere. He decided that he needed to call Shin. Woojin took out his cellphone when suddenly, a warm hand grabbed his wrist. ¡°...What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± It was Shin Kim, wearing a warm coat and a cozy grey wool scarf. It was nighttime, but Shin looked like a ray of sunshine. Woojin put his cellphone back into his pocket and they walked to the esctor quickly. Shin asked, ¡°It¡¯s so cold outside. Why didn¡¯t you wait at home?¡± ¡°...¡± Without a word, Woojin looked up at Shin. He was still holding his hand, and it felt so warm. Woojin reached up to touch Shin¡¯s eyebrow, but quickly pulled back, worried that his cold hand might feel unpleasant. Shin, biting his lips, took Woojin¡¯s hand and ced it inside his coat. Woojin¡¯s lips were dry. Shin continued, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure at first if it was you. I almost just passed by you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you found me.¡± ¡°Your hands are so cold. Just how long have you been waiting here?¡± Shin leaned against Woojin and inhaled deeply. He desperately wished that they were alone. Making sure no one was looking at them, Shin held Woojin¡¯s face in his hands and whispered, ¡°What are you doing to me...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You drive me crazy...¡± Shin felt almost sick wanting to kiss Woojin. When Woojin kissed Shin¡¯s hand, Shin almost looked beastly. Shin kissed Woojin¡¯s hand as well, making Woojin moan quickly. It was getting too hot. Shin whispered to Woojin, ¡°I want to do it right now...¡± Woojin knew exactly what Shin was talking about, and he felt his body tense up because he felt the same way. With his trembling hands, Woojin reached up to grab Shin¡¯s neck. Shin lowered his face and bit Woojin¡¯s neck. It was not a gentle bite, which made Woojin feel even more excited. Woojin whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Anywhere... right now.¡± Woojin thought he heard Shinugh. Their fingers intertwined. Chapter 66 Chapter 66: Chapter 66. It felt too intense. Except during his puberty, Shin Kim had never felt this kind of lust for someone before. This desperate need... It was new. He thought he knew all about sex by now. As he got older, sex became more of a sport than anything. But right now, the desire he felt made him helpless. As soon as they walked into his home, their eyes met. Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s waist and both of them moaned. It wasn¡¯t like in the movies where the buttons flew as the clothes were ripped, but it was pretty close. Shin took his coat of and by the time Woojin¡¯s shirt was off, they were both panting breathlessly. Shin gently pushed Woojin down onto the sofa and Woojin hugged Shin¡¯s neck. Shin¡¯s hot red tongue explored Woojin¡¯s neck, leaving a trail of red kisses. Wet and hot. Their skin touched and everything felt so alive. Shin whispered, ¡°Lift your waist.¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time Shin had said this to him, but Woojin still blushed. It seemed that Woojin wasfortable taking his clothes off himself, but whenever Shin did it for him, an odd expression appeared on his face. It wasn¡¯t exactly embarrassment. Woojin usually hated anyone touching him, but with Shin, he seemed to ask for it. Shin found it so adorable that he bit Woojin¡¯s ear, making him groan. Shin looked down at Woojin, noticing his porcin skin blushing like a rose. Woojin¡¯s eyes looked so ck that they looked blue. Shin suddenly wanted to confirm Woojin¡¯s affection for him. He asked, ¡°Woojin, how much did you miss me?¡± Woojin looked away in embarrassment. It was Woojin who begged Shin to take him to the closest hotel, which Shin found erotic. And now, Woojin looked away with a blush, and Shin thought he looked adorable. When Shin bit Woojin¡¯s cheek lightly, Woojin moaned and flinched at the same time. Shin whispered, ¡°You said you missed me, right?¡± ¡°...¡± This time, Shin bit Woojin¡¯s shoulder hard. Woojin trembled as if in pain, but he didn¡¯t tell Shin to stop. Suddenly, Shin felt an enormous need to hear the words. He kissed Woojin¡¯s lips a few times before biting his lower lip. Again, harder this time. Woojin looked like he was feeling pain, but he also looked even more excited, making Shin want to tease him even more. Shin asked again, ¡°Who did you miss?¡± ¡°... Stop...¡± Shin licked the inside of Woojin¡¯s ear, making him flinch in shock. With azy smile, Shin insisted, ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°... Shin...¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± They both knew how fast Shin drove to get to his ce. As soon as they got into Shin¡¯s car, which was parked in the Seoul station parking lot, Shin helped Woojin with his seat belt while panting uncontrobly. The scent of Woojin in a small space was driving him crazy. Shin almost lost his control then. He seriously considered just doing it in the car, but he took a deep breath and began to drive. They got to Shin¡¯s home in record time. Woojin held Shin¡¯s cheeks and whispered, ¡°Hurry up...¡± ¡°I will if you tell me.¡± Shin whispered and took a deep breath as he buried his face in Woojin¡¯s neck. Woojin¡¯s eyes widened as Shin bit and licked the sensitive flesh over and over again. Shin knew very well how to make Woojin beg. ¡°Shin...¡± ¡°What did you say? I can¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°I... I said I missed... you.¡± Shin finally smiled. He got what he wanted, and now they could enjoy each other¡¯s bodies. When Shin ced his finger on Woojin¡¯s waist, the doorbell rang. Woojin flinched and asked, ¡°...Who?¡± Shin¡¯s voice seemed hoarse as he ordered, ¡°Just focus on me.¡± But the doorbell continued to ring desperately. Ding dong, ding dong. And suddenly... ¡°Hey! Shin Kim! Open the door RIGHT NOW!¡± It was Siwoo Jung. *** Woojin looked at Siwoo in shock as Siwoo pulled out bottles of hard liquor from a paper bag. Wine, tequ, vodka... Shin asked Siwoo, ¡°You do know that tomorrow is a workday, right?¡± ¡°This is the punishment you get for leaving me in the cold for half an hour. It¡¯s -15 degrees outside!¡± Woojin blushed, remembering what was going on inside Shin¡¯s apartment. When Woojin heard Siwoo¡¯s voice, he pushed Shin away. Woojin wanted to ignore Siwoo, but when he saw the concerned expression on Shin¡¯s face, it was him who first said that they should let Siwoo in. Shin¡¯s eyes narrowed a little bit. His face was still red with excitement, but he also looked appreciative. Woojin was happy just to see Shin happy. It did take a little while for them to get dressed and open the door for Siwoo, and by the time they did, Siwoo¡¯s face was bright red. When Shin smiled, Siwoo walked in, looking apologetic. Shin pulled Siwoo into the living room where Woojin was waiting. Siwoo immediately suggested that they drink. When Woojin tried to leave, Siwoo grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the sofa. Siwoo asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I might do something to Shin? Are you sure you want to leave us alone?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Woojin didn¡¯t expect such ament from Siwoo, but the truth was, he always hated how Siwoo touched Shin so familiarly. He couldn¡¯t control his sudden annoyance, so he asked sharply, ¡°Were you nning to do something?¡± Woojin¡¯s voice sounded so cold that both Shin and Siwoo looked surprised and confused. In the end, the three of them gathered around in the living room. Shin expertly poured the wine in two sses. Siwoo asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to drink, Mr. Woojin?¡± ¡°My Woojin isn¡¯t a strong drinker.¡± ¡°My Woojin? MY WOOJIN??¡± Siwoo looked at Shin in disgust. Woojin watched with interest; Siwoo¡¯s face was very expressive and it was fun to watch him. Noticing Woojin looking at him, Siwoo asked, ¡°This jerk can be so corny, right? To say something like that... I can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± Woojin replied quietly and began to eat a piece of fruit, which were brought by Shin. Ignoring Siwoo, who gaped in confusion, Woojin poured himself a shot of tequ and emptied the cup in one go. Siwoo smiled brightly and said to Shin, ¡°You were so wrong, jerk! He IS a strong drinker!¡± Shin sat down beside Woojin with a sigh. He looked at Siwoo worriedly, but Siwoo continued to look at Woojin. After a short silence, Siwoo pouted and said, ¡°Woojin. I have known Shin for a very long time.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Wow, so Shin told you everything?¡± ¡°He told me before that dinner we had.¡± ¡°Well, I guess you and I have known each other for just as long.¡± Woojin looked at Siwoo in shock. Siwoo smiled, but didn¡¯tugh out loud. Siwoo had such a gorgeous face, but when he just smiled right now, he didn¡¯t look alright. For some reason, Woojin liked it. Siwoo asked, ¡°You are Jin Yoo, right?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Woojin never expected someone to recognize him, especially from high school. Siwoo continued, ¡°I spied on you sometimes.¡± Shin seemed confused, ¡°Really? You never told me that.¡± ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t tell you. I wasn¡¯t ready for you to find out that I was gay at the time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was interested because Jin looked simr.¡± ¡°To who?¡± ¡°Me.¡± ¡°You gotta be kidding!¡± Shin eximed in surprise, but Woojin instantly knew what Siwoo meant. The way Woojin looked at Shin... That was how Siwoo looked at Shin too. Siwoo continued, ¡°You always walked towards the swimming pool from the dorm at the same time every day.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± Siwoo smiled pleasantly, but he looked sad. Woojin slowly nodded, making Siwoo¡¯s smile wider. The fact that Siwoo knew how Woojin walked towards the pool... It meant that Siwoo also did the same. When Woojin sighed deeply, Siwooughed and added, ¡°Of course, things are very different now.¡± ¡°...Yes.¡± ¡°But at the time, you made me feel better, Upperssman Jin Yoo.¡± ¡°...¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67: Chapter 67. It was 4 AM in the morning. Although it was Woojin who gave Jihoon Siwoo¡¯s number, Woojin was still surprised that the two had gotten this close so fast. The phone was ignored, but it continued to vibrate again and again. Suddenly, Siwoo looked at Woojin with a pale face. He asked Woojin, ¡°Please answer it for me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just this once. Please.¡± Siwoo¡¯s voice was trembling. Woojin didn¡¯t understand why Siwoo had an odd expression on his face. He also couldn¡¯t understand why he should answer Siwoo¡¯s phone, but in the end, he picked it up. Woojin pressed the talk button, and when he ced it next to his ear, a rough panting voice answered him, ¡°Siwoo Jung.¡± There was no doubt that it was Jihoon Kang¡¯s voice. He continued, ¡°I told you toe to me tonight. This is the second time you fooled me.¡± ¡°...¡± Jihoon¡¯s voice was angry and cold. This side of him... Woojin had forgotten about it until now. Jihoon swore, ¡°You are the one who seduced me, then you just left me! You bastard.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna fuck you so...¡± When Woojin frowned in shock, Siwoo grabbed the phone and turned it off. They looked at each other, and Siwoo finally whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± After a big sigh, Woojin asked, ¡°...Are you dating Jihoon Kang?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why...¡± ¡°I thought about having sex with him that night when we met, but I got scared so I ran away.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°His obsession is... disturbing. He has been like this all week.¡± Siwoo took a deep breath and stood up. Woojin asked, ¡°But why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°Why do you think?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you know Jihoon Kang very well?¡± Woojin assumed that Siwoo didn¡¯t know that Jihoon was his cousin. Woojin knew that although Shin and Siwoo were good friends, Shin made sure he never crossed the line with Siwoo. Secretly, Woojin felt happy about it, as if he had won an invisible game. And feeling smug about it made Woojin also feel guilty; he began to worry if he was being obsessive over Shin. What if he hurt Shin somehow with his fixation? What if his obsession came from the family illness? Siwoo asked, ¡°Woojin?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Siwoo had been calling his name, but Woojin was too deep in his own thoughts. When he finally looked up, Siwoo¡¯s face looked almost blue against the light. Siwoo was so beautiful and Woojin wondered why Shin chose him instead. Woojin replied, ¡°Jihoon Kang is a co-worker.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I heard from Shin that you were dating someone.¡± Shin told Woojin that Siwoo was in a rtionship with a chef, but it seemed that they had broken up recently. Siwoo¡¯s face turned sad and Woojin realized that Siwoo was about to cry. ¡°We... broke up.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because he lied to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I guess not really a lie, but... he refused to answer my question.¡± Woojin frowned; his heart could feel Siwoo¡¯s pain. Siwoo still seemed drunk. He kept looking up at the ceiling, then down at the floor. Siwoo continued, ¡°Maybe I wanted revenge... Or maybe I wanted the answer somehow...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why did I meet Jihoon Kang?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I regret it.¡± ¡°Then you can just stop meeting him.¡± ¡°I know, and that¡¯s what I want... But...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°My curiosity won¡¯t let me. I need to know what was so important that he couldn¡¯t tell me. It was obviously something that was more important than me.¡± Woojin realized that Siwoo¡¯s ex must¡¯ve had something to do with Jihoon Kang. Woojin reached out to touch Siwoo¡¯s shoulder. Siwoo smiled faintly and added, ¡°Greed is a funny thing.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There were times when just being with him was enough... I was so happy to be with him...¡± Woojin couldpletely rte; he felt like that exactly right now. Siwoo looked down at Woojin¡¯s hand for a long time before touching his forehead as if he had a headache. Siwoo looked flushed as if he had a fever. He no longer looked like he was about to cry, but the sadness refused to leave his face. Woojin remained quiet, just being there for him. After a long silence, Siwoo asked quietly, ¡°Jihoon Kang... He isn¡¯t just your co-worker, is he?¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± Siwoo grabbed Woojin¡¯s hand tightly. Siwoo¡¯s hands were cold and Woojin could feel them shaking. Siwoo continued, ¡°He has your photos.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When you were very young.¡± ¡°... Oh... umm...¡± When Woojin tried to exin, Siwoo stopped him and added, ¡°And when you were in junior high.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He also has many photos that were taken in other countries.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And even very recent ones.¡± ¡°...What did you say?¡± ¡°In some photos, you were with Shin.¡± With Shin? Woojin¡¯s head turned nk. *** Jihoon looked at Woojin at work and asked, ¡°Why are you wearing the same outfit as yesterday?¡± Woojin was already in his seat as Jihoon hung his coat. When Woojin looked up, Jihoon smiled gently. They both had unusually dark eyes. Proof that they were rted. ¡°I forgot to do theundry.¡± ¡°You are wearing the same coat too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And the same tie too. I know that you would never buy two of the same ties.¡± Jihoon grabbed Woojin¡¯s shirt and squeezed. Roughrge fingers... Jihoon resembled his father greatly. Most people could never tell that they were cousins because they didn¡¯t look alike at all. Jihoon looked neat and manly. Woojin replied, ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°There is one thing that IS my business.¡± Jihoon sat down in his seat, which was next to Woojin¡¯s. He immediately began to work, uploading some files and checking the report that was written by Yeonwoo. Then suddenly, he turned to Woojin and asked, ¡°You are eating lunch with me today, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have something we need to talk about.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about what you said to me about a month ago.¡± Woojin took his sses off and turned towards Jihoon. Their ck eyes met with tension. Jihoon said to him, ¡°I have been very patient for the past month. I waited just as you asked.¡± ¡°...So?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the deadline you set ising up very soon.¡± They did n on having lunch together. When Woojin left with Shin this morning to work, Shin sighed and whispered how he wished it was the weekend. Siwoo ended up going back to his own ce very early in the morning, so Woojin and Shin got to spend some time together. They showered and ate breakfast together. The whole time, Shin refused to let Woojin¡¯s hand go. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, strong legs.... Jihoon asked Woojin, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to date him only for a month?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You made a deal with me at the time. If I let you date him for a month....¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Woojin frowned while Jihoon grinned at him. Slowly, Jihoon returned to hisputer. Just then, Woojin saw Shin walking in the hallway. Shin was wearing a dark grey turtleneck, which Woojin had picked out that morning. As he got dressed, Shin whispered to him, ¡°I will see you soon.¡± Woojin remembered their amazing morning, but he was quickly brought back to reality. Turning to Jihoon, Woojin said very quietly, ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s eat lunch together. I have something I need to tell you too.¡± When Shin nodded, Woojin suddenly felt nauseous. He looked down as his heart broke into a million pieces. What he felt right now... It was called despair. Chapter 68 Chapter 68. 20 minutes before lunch time, Shin received a text from Woojin. -I don¡¯t think I can have lunch with you today. He stared at the message for a long time before closing the app. He needed to get ready because he was invited by Yeonwoo to eat with her and their other colleagues. Something didn¡¯t feel right about Woojin¡¯s message. He went to the elevator, but then decided to turn back when suddenly, he saw a familiar face. It was Eejun Bae. Eejun asked, ¡°Lunch time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who are you eating with?¡± ¡°...With some of my colleagues.¡± ¡°How about you eat with me instead?¡± Eejun smiled prettily, a smile Shin was familiar with by now. He texted Yeonwoo that he won¡¯t be able to make it to lunch. Eejun¡¯s smile became wider as he patted Shin¡¯s shoulder. Eejun must¡¯ve known Shin would say yes. They began to walk into the elevator. Eejun put his arm around Shin¡¯s shoulder familiarly and stared at him. After a few seconds, Shin looked away from Eejun, clearly embarrassed. Eejunughed and Shin asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shin, you don¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°I drankst night. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°I will buy you hangover soup then.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating with your own co-workers...?¡± ¡°Woojin asked me to eat with you.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course not. Woojin doesn¡¯t think about things like this... unlike someone.¡± Eejun grinned in amusement, and Shin wondered about the three of them. Jihoon Kang, Eejun Bae, and Woojin Choi. They knew each other since they were kids, but they were so very different. Their appearances, voices, personalities, and behaviours. All of it. Jihoon was a typical social office worker, liked by most people, while Eejun seemed a bit shallower but very stylish. Eejun had a lighter hair color and he enjoyed wearing strong colors. Today, he was wearing avender cardigan, which suited his light skin very well. His outfit somehow made him look softer. Eejun asked, ¡°Why are you staring at me like that, Shinny?¡± ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve noticed that you have been talking very informally to me.¡± ¡°You just noticed that?¡± Eejun chuckled and continued, ¡°You are so slow... Maybe it¡¯s because you are dating a very slow person.¡± ¡°Assistant Choi isn¡¯t slow.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He is just very quiet.¡± ¡°Snap out of it, man!¡± As they walked, Eejun asked, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Shin stared at him for a long time before he rubbed his forehead and asked, ¡°You have something to tell me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh, that is very observant of you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Woojin will be going on a blind date, which will probably turn into an arranged marriage.¡± Shin stared at Eejun, who continued, ¡°I warned you before.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Woojin is the Chairman¡¯s grandson. Did you really think he was going to allow Woojin to keep a boyfriend?¡± *** Shin woke up in the middle of the night. His apartment was small, so from his bed, he could see his entire ce in one nce. It was very dark in the room, especially because of the ckout blind that covered the window. Ever since he was little, Shin hated clutter. He wanted to live in a simple ce with minimal furniture. This studio was his choice for that reason. It had been a while since he woke up this early. He didn¡¯t think he would be able to go back to sleep, so he was about to get out of the bed when suddenly, he saw the hand that was lightly holding onto his shirt sleeve. ¡°...¡± Shin blinked a few times in disbelief. Shin hadn¡¯t been dreaming much recently; in fact, he usually slept through the night without waking up. So when he saw Woojin curled up against him, Shin was confused. Was he dreaming? Woojin was wearing the pajamas that Shin bought for him. Woojin seemed to prefer sleeping at his own ce, where he felt the mostfortable. But today, it seemed that Woojin Choi came to Shin¡¯s home after work by himself and decided to sleep behind Shin. When Shin touched Woojin lightly with his finger, Woojin groaned. Shin whisperedforting words and patted Woojin¡¯s back as if he was a baby. Shin was trying not to wake him, but Woojin slowly opened his eyes. After staring at Shin for a while, Woojin reached out and grabbed Shin¡¯s wrist. Shin noticed that Woojin¡¯s wrist was bare. He must¡¯ve taken off his watch. The scars on his skin looked shocking. Shin leaned forward and kissed Woojin¡¯s forehead. Woojin whispered, ¡°... Are you surprised?¡± ¡°Yeah. You didn¡¯t tell me you were going toe tonight.¡± ¡°... I wanted to see your face.¡± Woojin hugged Shin by the neck and buried his nose on Shin¡¯s neck. His scent made Woojin feel happy andforted. Woojin inhaled deeply, and when Shin did the same, Woojin looked up and said to him, ¡°You are handsome.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°Are you sleep talking?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what are you talking about?¡± Woojin touched Shin¡¯s nose and giggled as Shin looked surprised. Staring at Woojinughing, Shin gaped. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Woojin added, ¡°I wore these pajamas without asking you.¡± ¡°I bought it for you, so it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I did.¡± ¡°I brought some a change of clothes too.¡± Woojin pointed at the shopping bag on the sofa nearby. He looked up at Shin as if he expected a praise. Shin obliged him by patting his head. Woojin closed his eyes slowly and curled up against Shin again. ¡°...¡± Shin found Woojin lovely. It didn¡¯t matter who Woojin was. Even if he wasn¡¯t the boy Shin saved... Even if Woojin wasn¡¯t rich, the grandson of the Chairman... None of these things mattered. Shin admitted that the first time they met in the elevator, he wanted to touch Woojin¡¯s neck. The feeling he felt for Woojin was new. It felt like his heart would burst out of his body. Without realizing what he was saying, Shin blurted out, ¡°I love you.¡± Woojin slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Shin. Shin knew that he would never forget this moment. In the dark and quiet apartment, there were only the two of them. Their heart beating as one... The warmth they shared... A moment like this would never happen again. Even if Woojin didn¡¯t feel the same way about him, Shin knew he would never regret telling him how he felt. ¡°...¡± Woojin didn¡¯t say a word, but he smiled happily. They stared at each other for a long time until they both fell asleep. Listening to each other¡¯s breath, Shin knew there was no need for words. Chapter 69 Chapter 69. Shin was busy all morning nning for the reorganization conference that was going to take ce next year. So many thoughts crossed his mind, and he knew it was because of the lunch he had with Eejun yesterday. Eejun only talked about work-rted topics and Shin avoided bringing up Woojin. When Shin woke up that night and found Woojin next to him, he assumed that everything was ok. Especially when Woojin smiled after Shin confessed his feelings. ¡®One month...¡¯ The said month went by so fast. Too fast. And during this short time, they barely got to go out on dates. They didn¡¯t get to learn much about each other either. There were still so many questions Shin wanted to ask Woojin. When did Woojin first see Shin? Why did he like him? What did Woojin do when he used to live in Germany? Shin also wanted to ask what Woojin thought when they first met at work. And was it really Woojin who came to visit Shin at the hospital after the ident? If so, why was Woojin crying? And most of all... Shin wanted to tell him that all these things didn¡¯t really matter. All Shin wanted was to continue to be with Woojin. Continue their rtionship. Just then, a text arrived from Woojin. -I was thinking about taking a day off this Friday. ¡°Day off?¡± Shin murmured as he texted back. -Why? -Just as a vacation. I was wondering if you could do the same. Shinughed quietly. Could it be that Woojin was asking him to go on a trip? Just then, Woojin sent another message. -I want to go on a trip somewhere... Shin felt his headache disappearing quickly. He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. Loosening his tie, Shin texted him back. -I have to ask my team leader. Shin sent an uncertain message on purpose, even as he quickly sent an email to his team leader asking for Friday off. He then slowly stood up to leave the office. It was time for lunch, and he was wondering what he should eat. Just then, his phone vibrated again. Another message from Woojin. -I already made a reservation... What reservation? Why was Woojin being so vague? Shin couldn¡¯t help smiling broadly. Afraid he mightugh out loud, he covered his mouth. When he saw Yeonwoo walking towards him in the hallway, Shin coughed to cover his smile. Yeonwoo asked, ¡°What are you doing alone in the hallway?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Yeonwoo stared at him for a long time and nced at his phone, which he was holding tightly. When Yeonwoo looked at him suspiciously, Shin quickly put his phone in his pocket and asked, ¡°Did you eat lunch yet?¡± ¡°No. I was about to go out right now.¡± ¡°Do you have someone to eat with?¡± ¡°No, but it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s my first time eating alone.¡± ¡°Then eat with me. I will buy you lunch.¡± They began to walk together. Yeonwoo looked up at him with a faint smile and asked, ¡°Really? Why? I think it¡¯s the first time you are asking me out to lunch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just feeling really happy right now.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you swamped with work? Because of the TF?¡± ¡°Yeah, but whatever.¡± Shin was usually very honest about his feelings. And even if he tried to hide it, it showed on his face. Yeonwoo looked at Shin for a long time before asking, ¡°You are dating someone, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No need to lie. Your face just answered my question.¡± Yeonwoo smiled bitterly. Shin asked, ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°Totally. It¡¯s too obvious, and I am really surprised, Oppa.¡± ¡°About what? Why?¡± ¡°Because you look like a total yboy.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Shin¡¯s eyes widened, Yeonwoo replied, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t y dumb.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Oppa, you know yourself the best. You are so flirty.¡± ¡°Ha! You are being really mean to me, Yeonwoo.¡± ¡°And you smile so easily at everyone.¡± ¡°It just means that I am a nice person.¡± ¡°And you are a master at misleading girls.¡± Unfortunately, Shin couldn¡¯t deny it. It was true that Shin did act very flirty around girls. He liked to call his behaviour ¡°gentlemanly,¡± but he had to admit that it didn¡¯tpletelye from an innocent ce. He enjoyed the attention he got from women, and he loved the flirty easy rtionships. But he would lose interest too quickly. But that was his past. Yeonwoo continued, ¡°Nowadays, you have been acting very differently.¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I can see that you are really into someone.¡± Shin smiled and Yeonwoo added, ¡°But the funny thing is, Assistant Manager Woojin has been acting the same way tootely.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shin flinched and almost yelled in shock, making Yeonwoo frown in confusion. She asked, ¡°Why are you so shocked?¡± ¡°Oh, well...¡± ¡°I guess I can understand your surprise. I mean, I used to think Assistant Manager Woojin was secretly a robot. Remember that?¡± ¡°...Yeah...¡± Shin also remembered getting angry whenever Yeonwoo said something like that. ¡°But recently, I noticed that he has be softer. Almost... too rxed.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I actually saw him just staring at nothing. Just... thinking I guess?¡± ¡°...And that¡¯s strange?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Oppa. I know him better than you do. Assistant Manager Woojin isn¡¯t someone who wastes any time.¡± They entered a caf¨¦ near the office. Shin coughed, trying to hide his grin. Yeonwoo insisted, ¡°I swear! I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve even seen him smile a few times too! I was so shocked.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And when he smiles, he looks a bit different.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I never noticed before, but Assistant Manager Woojin has dimples. Did you know that?¡± He certainly did. Shin also knew Woojin had a tiny mole in the corner of his lips. Sometimes, Shin kissed it and Woojin would look up at him with his dreamy eyes. Yeonwoo continued, ¡°And he has the darkest eyes. So ck!¡± Shin liked Woojin¡¯s eyes for sure. ¡°Oh, and his skin is so clear and beautiful.¡± ¡°Yeonwoo, it sounds like you like Assistant Manager Woojin.¡± ¡°Well, no. That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°He is slimmer than me, so he isn¡¯t my type.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°And there are times when he looks prettier than me. Makes me feel awful.¡± Yeonwoo pouted, making Shinugh. He took out his credit card and asked, ¡°What would you like to get?¡± ¡°You will buy me anything?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Yeonwoo began reading off the menu. Meanwhile, Shin took out his phone and texted Woojin quickly. This wasn¡¯t time to y hard-to-get. -Let¡¯s go on that trip. Together. Chapter 70 Chapter 70: Story 7- Chapter 70. Woojin looked out the window through the blinds from his home. A ck sedan was parked outside. It was 6 AM in the morning. He looked at the luggage that he packed and left in the living room. Taking out a bottle of water from the fridge, he took a sip. He noticed that his refrigerator was well stocked, thanks to Shin Kim. Woojin also took out an apple from the bottom drawer and took a bite. The sweet and sour taste filled his mouth. He mumbled, ¡°I still have an hour left.¡± Shin told him that he would pick him up at 7 AM. The resort Woojin reserved had a check-in time of 11 AM. Woojin considered going abroad, but he knew it wasn¡¯t possible because Jihoon had his passport. Yesterday, Woojin didn¡¯t get to eat lunch with Shin and ended up spending his lunchtime in a caf¨¦. Looking out the window again, Woojin murmured, ¡°Why isn¡¯t the car leaving?¡± He frowned, wondering how long it was going to stay. Woojin had to go to the washroom at 2 AM, and at that time, the car had already been there. That meant it had been waiting there for hours by now. Woojin frowned again and fidgeted with the blinds. He hoped that the car would be gone by the time Shin arrived. This entire week, Woojin didn¡¯t get to spend any time with Shin. No lunches or dinners... Woojin couldn¡¯t wait till he could spend time with him. He touched his cellphone anxiously. ¡®Maybe I should text him to ask when exactly he will arrive.¡¯ Recently, Woojin realized that he could text Shin first if he wanted. But he worried that Shin might be annoyed if he did, so he stopped himself. Instead, he went back to his bedroom andy down on his bed again. It was Woojin who had begged Shin to take a day off from work. It was also him who decided and reserved the resort without even asking what Shin wanted. A week of not being with Shin... Woojin felt frustrated. He set down the apple, which was already turning brown, on the table. ¡®... I miss him. I want to see him.¡¯ Woojin couldn¡¯t wait to see Shin. He wanted to be with Shin all the time. He wanted to touch Shin. He had asked Shin to show him photos of his childhood. And Shin promised that he would bring some today. Woojin nned on asking to keep some of them. He had never asked for something from Shin, so he felt a little excited. He blushed. ¡®Is it weird that I like him so much? Is it wrong?¡¯ Woojin knew there was a difference between love and obsession, but what he felt right now... he couldn¡¯t be sure what it truly was. He didn¡¯t get to sleep much, but his head felt clear. When he closed his eyes, he could see the five women he had already met. There were ten in total, and he had already met five of them. Only five more to go. Woojin was going to reject all of them. Luckily, two of the five he met already rejected him. Woojin couldn¡¯t even remember the names of the women he met so far. During the ¡®dates,¡¯ he barely looked up at the women; Woojin stared down at his phone and texted Shin the entire time. One of the women left angrily, telling him that he was being rude. Woojin thought of Shin. His low voice... his neck that vibrated whenever heughed... ¡®And when I look up at him....¡¯ Woojin remembered the first time Shin slept over at his house. Shin fell asleep nude, and when Woojin woke up the next morning, he saw that Shin was on top of him looking down at him. When Woojin blinked a few times, Shin covered Woojin¡¯s eyes with hisrge hand. Shin whispered that he felt a little shy. The feeling of Shin¡¯s skin felt so hot that Woojin couldn¡¯t breathe. Shin¡¯s broad shoulders felt so smooth that Woojin touched them and buried deeper into Shin¡¯s chest. He could hear Shin¡¯s breath and after a long time, Woojin looked up. Their eyes met and Woojin bit his lip. ¡°...¡± Woojin got out of the bed, realizing that it was a bad idea to think about Shin in bed, his body was getting hot. So hot that he felt almost embarrassed at his own reaction. Just then, his phone vibrated. There was a message from Shin. -When will you be ready? Would the feeling for Shin go away? Or would itst forever? All Woojin knew was that he felt overwhelmed by it. Woojin rubbed his eyes and texted him back. -I¡¯m already done packing. Ready to go. -What the! You¡¯re already awake?¡± -Yes. -What have you been doing in the morning? -I was waiting. -For who? It was such a silly question, but it was obvious that Shin wanted to hear the answer, even though he already knew it. Woojinughed and texted him. -Hmm. I wonder who... There was no answer for a while. There were still 30 minutes left till Shin was to arrive. Just then, another text from Shin arrived. -Please open the door. Woojin stood up quickly. It wasn¡¯t 7 AM yet, but it seemed that Shin was already there. His heart began to beat faster as he ran to the door. He almost tripped and fell, so he slowed his steps. Standing in front of the entrance, Woojin took a deep breath and tried to calm down. It wasn¡¯t his first time seeing Shin, but strangely, he felt nervous. When he unlocked the door and opened it, Woojin saw Shin standing there with a big smile. Shin was wearing an ivory scarf, and he asked, ¡°Were you waiting for a long time?¡± He felt breathless as he enjoyed the view of Shin, who smiled shyly. When Shin¡¯s eyes crinkled, he looked like a young boy. Shin grabbed his hands and continued, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep at all, even though it¡¯s not my first time going on a trip.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Grab your bag and let¡¯s go!¡± Shin mussed Woojin¡¯s hair and smiled happily. He whispered, ¡°You look so pretty today too.¡± He kissed Shin¡¯s neck, which smelled like winter and warmth. Loving this moment, Woojin whispered, his lips still on Shin¡¯s neck, ¡°I have been waiting for you.¡± ¡°... I know.¡± Shin nodded. He knew that Woojin had indeed been waiting for him for a very long time. Chapter 71 Chapter 71: Chapter 71. ¡°For two?¡± Woojin nodded when the woman at the front desk of the resort asked. Shin coughed lightly and looked at Woojin, but Woojin looked nk as he took the key card from the woman. The hotel worker, who was wearing a neat uniform, nced at Shin and looked down quickly to check her list. It seemed that she was looking through the guest list. She seemed a bit thoughtful, but Woojin remained calm. She asked, ¡°Is there any other guest who will be staying with you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Anyone that mighteter...¡± ¡°No.¡± Woojin Choi was a very cold person to those he didn¡¯t consider ¡®his people.¡¯ Shin watched Woojin, whose face was beginning to form a small frustrated frown and secretly smiled. He knew how Woojin firmly believed in personal boundaries and also strongly believed in logic. Woojin found it hard to show or give affection to others. The woman offered, ¡°I can take you to the room...¡± ¡°There is no need.¡± Woojin grabbed his luggage and turned around. Shin, who remained quiet so far, stood up and followed him. Woojin held Shin¡¯s hand without a word. Shin smiled and said to him, ¡°You are so cool.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°When you just said, ¡®There is no need.¡¯ It was so cold that I thought you looked super hot.¡± Shin tickled Woojin¡¯s nose lightly, making him cringe. Woojin¡¯s neck was turning red again, and Shin¡¯s heart tightened. They were able to find the elevator quickly since it was right in the lobby near the front desk. The resort was big and extravagant. It was an exclusive ce, which meant only members could use it. Shin had never been in a ce like this before. In the lobby, there were five elevators. Shin was impressed. ¡°There are individual elevators for different sections of the building.¡± ¡°I guess. I never noticed.¡± Woojin seemed very familiar with this ce, and Shin was again reminded of how Woojin lived in a different world than he did. Today, Woojin was wearing avender knitted sweater and a grey padding with a blue hoodie. His bang was down, making him look like a college student. Woojin had one of those faces that could forever look youthful. They got into the elevator and Woojin pressed the 15th floor. When Shin stared at Woojin, Woojin touched Shin¡¯s cheek and pushed him away. Shin asked, ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°...¡± Ting! The elevator door opened and Woojin left without saying a word. Shin followed him, but Woojin quickly opened the door and tried to close it behind him before Shin could enter as well. Shin asked in surprise, ¡°What are you doing? You aren¡¯t going to let me in?¡± ¡°...no.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°...e inter.¡± ¡°What? Why? Open the door!¡± Shin pushed and ced his luggage in the doorway. Woojin sighed and opened the door a little more. Shin, looking shocked, stared at Woojin and asked, ¡°Where did you learn this kind of prank?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a prank, Mr. Shin Kim.¡± ¡°Why are you being all of a sudden so formal?¡± ¡°I am trying to keep a distance.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shin stared for a long time, wondering if Woojin was teasing him or just joking. Woojin finally sighed and walked into the room quickly with his luggage. Was Woojin trying to avoid him? Shin sighed anxiously and Woojin turned around, biting his lip. Shin asked, ¡°Why are you trying to keep a distance from me?¡± When Shin caught up to him and grabbed Woojin¡¯s shoulder, he shrugged him off. Shin was surprised and when he looked at Woojin, he noticed that Woojin was trembling slightly. Was Woojin sick? When Shin held Woojin¡¯s face with both hands, Woojin touched Shin¡¯s neck. Shin asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why are you trying to stay away from me?¡± ¡°... I think something¡¯s wrong with me.¡± Woojin looked down, revealing his reddened neck. His fingers were trembling and his cheeks were flushed. Shin murmured in disbelief, ¡°Could it be... Are you...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you aroused?¡± Shin bit his lip in surprise. Woojin mumbled, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time and...¡± Woojin had been trying his best to hide his arousal. He didn¡¯t want Shin to think he was a pervert, a dog in heat. He had always prided himself on being a logical and rational person, not controlled by his emotions. Suddenly, Shin leaned towards him and took his lips hard. Woojin dropped his luggage as he felt Shin¡¯s scorching tongue. When Shin held Woojin¡¯s waist, he didn¡¯t have to pull him closer because Woojin stepped towards him. They clumsily moved into the room. Shin saw the sofa and pushed Woojin down on it. Shin licked his ear and neck, and when he ced his hand underneath Woojin¡¯s sweater, Woojin shivered. Woojin couldn¡¯t seem to get close enough to Shin; he continued to grind his lower body against Shin. Shinughed and Woojin looked up at him with his dreamy eyes. Woojin asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you annoyed by me?¡± ¡°You are talking nonsense again.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How could anyone find your behavior annoying?¡± Their room was huge. When Shin bit Woojin¡¯s lips a few times, Woojin twisted his body in excitement. Stepping back a little, Shin enjoyed the view of the aroused Woojin. Woojin¡¯s entire body seemed to be flushed. His eyes and his lips looked too delicious. Shin murmured, ¡°I want you to be like this more often.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You have no idea what a pervert I am, Mr. Woojin.¡± When Shinughed quietly, Woojin frowned. Shin learned a long time ago that Woojin¡¯s frown in this context meant that he liked what Shin had said. It felt like a dream. The wonderful time they spent with each other... perhaps it really was only a dream. *** Shin opened the door to the balcony and looked at Woojin. He smiled broadly and asked, ¡°Are you trying to seduce me again?¡± Woojin, who wasn¡¯t wearing a shirt, was lying down on the sofa on the balcony. He turned towards Shin slowly as the sun shone on his smooth upper body. Shin said to him quietly, ¡°I had no idea there was such a luxurious private pool on the balcony.¡± When Shin got close to him, he grabbed Shin¡¯s wrist. Shin grinned and asked teasingly, ¡°You want to go one more time? Are you serious?¡± Woojin was still a bit breathless when he replied, ¡°I feel weak now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s apliment, right?¡± ¡°Can you really not swim at all anymore? Even now?¡± Woojin remembereding to this resort with his father when he was little. The ce was decorated Japanese style, and the building was located near the ocean. Because it was very well taken care of, the ce looked almost the same as when Woojin came 10 years ago. The building was also surrounded by beautiful parks and the rooms on the upper levels includedrge private pools. Shin replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will try it tonight.¡± Woojin slowly stood up and picked up Shin¡¯s sweater. Their eyes met and Woojin could see the painful old memories in his eyes. However, they were very brief and gone before Woojin could even blink. Woojin guessed that he would neverpletely understand the true depth of Shin¡¯s sadness when he lost what he loved the most. Swimming. Woojin slowly traced the scar on Shin¡¯s chest. Most of it was white, but some parts were still slightly pink. Shin¡¯s eyes crinkled in a small smile. Woojin asked impulsively, ¡°How did it feel when you could no longer swim?¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72: Chapter 72. It was a question Woojin had wanted to ask for a very long time. He had been afraid to ask, but when he finally did, it didn¡¯t feel... wrong. He regretted not asking Shin sooner. This question had been bothering Woojin for a long time. Shin put on his sweater and sat down next to Woojin. The sun was slowly setting, creating a beautiful orange sky. Shin, who looked rxed, rubbed his face and looked out the window as he replied, ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t remember much.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think right after the ident, I must¡¯ve felt angry. You know, the usual. The world is being unfair to me. Why me? I think it felt so bad that there were moments when I couldn¡¯t even breathe.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But the funny thing is, I really don¡¯t remember the details. I just remember feeling bad from time to time.¡± Shin turned towards Woojin and smiled. His smile looked peaceful and genuine. There was no sign that Shin was lying. When Woojin gestured, Shin leaned against Woojin¡¯s shoulder. Shin was a much bigger man, and to have someonerger than you lean against you... it felt incredible. Woojin felt proud, loved, and possessive all at the same time. Woojin patted Shin tenderly. When Shin leaned closer, the weight of him felt heavy yet warm. He kissed Woojin¡¯s neck andughed. He asked in a whisper, ¡°Are you trying to console me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°... I¡¯m... loving you.¡± When Woojin hesitantly replied, Shin remained quiet for a long time. Woojin hugged him tighter because he felt like that was all he could do for Shin. His breath calm, Shin said to him, ¡°Somehow... I feel really sad.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And incredibly happy at the same time.¡± Woojin felt exactly the same way. As the sun continued to set, Woojin closed his eyes. These memories were going tost forever in Woojin¡¯s mind. Happiness, sadness, and love all mingled together in his heart. *** Siwoo left his office building when he saw a man inside a ck sedan parked nearby. He flinched when he realized who it was. The weather was bing icy; many car windows were frosted, and the winter wind was harsh. It was a Friday night. The window of the car slowly rolled down and Jihoon smiled teasingly at Siwoo, who looked surprised. Jihoon was acting politely, but there was something wrong about him. Without any hesitation, Siwoo gave him the finger, making Jihoonugh out loud. Jihoon asked, ¡°What was that? You are so cute!¡± ¡°... what is wrong with you?¡± ¡°What the! I guess we aren¡¯t being formal with each other anymore?¡± ¡°Who cares? Like you¡¯ve been formal with me?¡± Siwoo frowned and turned away from him. He began to walk away, but the ck sedan slowly followed him. Siwoo nned on going to a nearby bar and enjoying a drink. Tomorrow was the weekend, so the road was rather empty. After a short while, Siwoo looked back and red at the car that was following him. Siwoo tried walking faster, but Jihoon wasn¡¯t going to give up easily. With a deep sigh, Siwoo stopped walking. Jihoon¡¯s car stopped as well. Slowly, Siwoo walked up to the car and knocked on the window. Jihoon rolled down the window again. Seeing him grin, Siwoo became angry. ¡°You are smiling? Seriously?¡± Jihoon looked... almost crazy. Siwoo sighed again, tightened his scarf, and asked, ¡°Do you have nothing better to do? You have this much time to spare?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°If you keep this up, you are going to be arrested.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t as long as you don¡¯t report me!¡± ¡°... But I will.¡± ¡°I know you won¡¯t.¡± Siwoo had never seen someone like Jihoon before. He crossed his arms and kicked the car tire a few times. Suddenly, Jihoon came out of the car, making Siwoo flinch and step back. Jihoonughed and asked, ¡°Are you scared of me?¡± ¡°If someone calls you twenty times a day, wouldn¡¯t you be scared of that person too?¡± ¡°But you were the one who first seduced me.¡± ¡°I just wanted to see what happens.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jihoon grabbed Siwoo¡¯s wrist and stood in front of him. The strong smell of cologne tickled Siwoo¡¯s nose. Jihoon smelled... strange and rough. When Siwoo tensed, Jihoon loosened his grip and, ¡°I won¡¯t bite, you know?¡± ¡°Then why are you being so obsessive?¡± Obsession. The word came to Siwoo early on, right after the night he drank with Jihoon. Jihoon looked very attractive and he had a pleasant demeanor most of the time, but Siwoo felt like there was something very wrong with him. When it didn¡¯t seem like Jihoon was going to answer, Siwoo turned around and began to walk away again. Just then, Jihoon grabbed Siwoo¡¯s wrist again. Jihoon mumbled, ¡°... It¡¯s strange how those I am interested in always end up running away from me.¡± When he gave an unexpected truth, Siwoo turned around to face Jihoon, who strangely looked away. It seemed that Jihoon himself was shocked at what he had just revealed. He let go of Siwoo¡¯s wrist. Siwoo looked down at his hand and bit his lip. It was beginning to snow, making the evening sky look oddly bluish. Suddenly, Siwoo asked, ¡°Do you like me or something?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If not, why would you be following me around like this?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like me, then why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°You... I thought you were interested in me...¡± It was such an unexpected answer that Siwoo became speechless. Jihoon seemed upset and sad at the same time, confusing Siwoo even more. He thought Jihoon was a confident psycho, but the way he acted right now seemed to suggest otherwise. Jihoon was looking down, unable to meet Siwoo¡¯s eyes. Siwoo grabbed Jihoon¡¯s chin and forced him to look at him. Jihoon flinched and tried to step back. Siwoo realized that he was the type who craved affection, but when someone offered it, he tried to run away. Jihoon reminded Siwoo of the cat Joowan had. Her name was Moon and she was adopted after being abandoned. At first, she acted very aggressively, remembering her painful past. Siwoo replied, ¡°An interest can disappear at any moment. An interest means nothing until it turns into something more.¡± ¡°So... your interest in me is gone now?¡± ¡°Are you aware that you sound like a baby now?¡± Siwoo smiled and continued, ¡°Did you know that you have a really bad reputation?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just open your car door. I have somewhere I want to go.¡± ¡°... what?¡± Jihoon looked down at Siwoo in confusion. Without a word, Siwoo patted Jihoon¡¯s head and waited. When Jihoon remained rigid, Siwoo couldn¡¯t help but smile. Finally, Jihoon asked, ¡°So did you just change your mind?¡± ¡°Stop asking me questions like that.¡± Siwoo got into the passenger seat and continued, ¡°And stop wasting time. What you should be asking me instead is where I want to go, you idiot.¡± When Jihoon looked down at him with a frown, Siwoo stared at him for a long time. A few strands of hair fell on Jihoon¡¯s forehead, and suddenly, Siwoo thought of Moon again. Impulsively, Siwoo patted Jihoon again. Jihoon looked confused and shocked, just like that cat did from time to time. Even the way Jihoon narrowed his eyes looked cat-like. Siwoo grinned and asked, ¡°You are feeling excited, aren¡¯t you? Your heart is beating faster?¡± ¡°... you are crazy.¡± ¡°Hmm, I think I got it right. Anyway, let¡¯s go for a drink. Why don¡¯t we start being friends first?¡± Siwoo smiled brightly and patted Jihoon¡¯s shoulder. It seemed that Siwoo always found himself with a man who didn¡¯t know how to love. Siwoo looked at Jihoon and smiled bitterly. Chapter 73 Chapter 73: Chapter 73. Shin Kim woke up. He opened his eyes slowly and touched the side of the bed to check. They both must¡¯ve been very tired. That day, Shin and Woojin made pasta vongole together. They ate it with some sd and then watched a movie. In the spacious bedroom, a 70-inch tv hung on the wall. Woojin made coffee and then sat down with Shin on the bed. They went through the list of movies before purchasing one they wanted. They must have fallen asleep while watching the movie. When Shin got up, he noticed that Woojin wasn¡¯t next to him. He stood up, suddenly feeling cold. It was funny how he got used to the warmth of a body next to him. Shin suspected that Woojin probably felt the same way. Maybe even more so. ¡°...¡± When Shin came out of the bedroom, he noticed that the living room was well heated. Woojin must¡¯ve turned on the heat for him; Shin had told him a long time ago that whenever he got a cold, he ended up suffering for a very long time. He didn¡¯t doubt that Woojin remembered his words. The balcony door seemed foggy. Frowning in confusion, Shin walked towards it and opened it. As soon as he did, warm vapor greeted his face. Suddenly scared, Shin walked out and saw that the entire balcony was filled with warm, almost hot, vapor. Shin rubbed his eyes, his heart beginning to beat faster. Early morning, swimming pool, and... Suddenly, and thankfully, Woojin asked, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake?¡± *** ¡°Good morning.¡± Jihoon walked by him and waved. Jihoon¡¯s voice sounded more cheerful than usual, so Woojin looked up from his cellphone. When Woojin nodded solemnly, Jihoon smiled. It was such a beautiful happy smile, unlike the morning sky, which was grey as if it was about to snow. Jihoon sat down on his desk and asked Woojin, ¡°What did you do during your day off?¡± Woojin didn¡¯t see the point of answering him, so he continued to stare at his monitor. He was in the process of organizing all the receipts that needed to be submitted to the ounting department. When Woojin didn¡¯t answer him, Jihoon smiled andmented, ¡°You look like you are happy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How odd, because those women you went on blind dates with were all very upset.¡± It was their grandfather who arranged these blind dates. Jihoon¡¯s mother, Woojin¡¯s aunt, wanted Jihoon to get married as soon as possible, but when her father decided that it was Woojin who should get married first, there was nothing she could do. Woojin knew Jihoon was probably being nagged by his mother to get married as well, so he found it annoying that Jihoon was making fun of his predicament. Woojin adjusted his sses and frowned as he said to Jihoon, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to these blind dates instead of me?¡± ¡°You are the direct grandson, so obviously, you should be the one getting married first. The Chairman is my maternal grandfather, while he is your PATERNAL grandfather, remember?¡± ¡°What does it have to do with anything?¡± Some family members believed that whoever got married first may have a better chance of inheriting thepany, but Woojin didn¡¯t know where this idea came from. What he did know was that his grandfather was bing more and more paranoid that his only daughter could still have the family illness. The chairman was barely sleeping nowadays. Woojin tried to convince Jihoon, ¡°Aunty is divorced so you are a direct grandson as well.¡± ¡°... so?¡± ¡°So since I am not interested in these blind dates, you should go to them instead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested either.¡± ¡°But your mom is very interested.¡± Woojin didn¡¯t like to talk about his aunt. He usually referred to her as ¡®that woman,¡¯ and avoided mentioning her if possible. But now, it was different. Woojin watched as Jihoon looked unsure. Woojin turned back towards hisputer monitor again. Woojin remembered one early morning during the weekend. He woke up in the middle of the night and walked out to the balcony. He just wanted to see the ocean, but when he saw the private swimming pool with bright blue tiles, Woojin walked towards it. He turned on the hot water, and the entire balcony began to quickly fill with vapor. The wet feeling against his face felt good, so Woojin sat at the swimming pool with his feet in the water. By the time the pool filled halfway, the balcony door opened, and Shin appeared. Shin looked anxious and worried, and Woojin guessed that it was probably because Shin remembered that awful day. Their eyes met, and when Woojin gave him a smile, Shin quickly walked towards him and hugged him. Shin whispered, ¡°I thought you disappeared.¡± When Woojin hugged him back, Shin buried his head on Woojin¡¯s shoulder and continued, ¡°Please don¡¯t go too far.¡± ¡°...¡± Anyone could say that he would and could wait, but how many could really keep that promise? Woojin contemted. Telling your lover that you would wait forever for him because you loved him... in most cases, it was just meaningless words. Woojin knew this very well because he knew better than anyone how painful and even boring it was to wait for someone. Being in a rtionship where you needed to wait for your partner... it was much worse than being alone. When Woojin remained quiet for a long time, Jihoon asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°I was thinking that maybe we both can live however we want to. Maybe we are the ones who are trapping ourselves in this life.¡± Woojin replied without looking at Jihoon. With a quiet sigh, Woojin began to type. Jihoon, who nced at Woojin briefly, sighed as well. Perhaps Jihoon knew this as well. Perhaps he knew that both of them had more power over their lives than they allowed themselves. Perhaps they were fooling themselves, or just ignoring the truth. Perhaps... they were afraid of the real possibilities. Chapter 74 Chapter 74: Chapter 74. ¡°How about lunch?¡± It seemed that there were now many people who worried about Woojin¡¯s lunch. Eejun was waiting at the door to the policy room and when Woojin saw him, he looked down at his watch. In the past, he would¡¯ve just bought a sandwich and milk from the nearby convenience store and ate in his office while continuing to work. Woojin touched the books on the shelves. They were dusty and his fingers came out looking a bit grey. Eejun frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you dirtying your hands? We are about to go out to eat.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going out to eat with you.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. I will buy you a bowl of rice porridge.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Unfortunately, Shin Kim was out attending business meetings all morning. Woojin felt a little sad because they didn¡¯t even get to say good morning. Perhaps spending too much time with your lover was a dangerous thing. Because when you get so used to someone, even the briefest separation could be painful. Woojin could feel his loneliness and obsession growing. When Woojin remained quiet and contemtive, Eejun tapped his shoulder a few times and asked, ¡°I hear Shin Kim is out attending meetings again?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me that Shin asked you to ask me out for lunch again?¡± ¡°No, nothing like that. I just want to eat lunch with you, that¡¯s all. You shouldn¡¯t skip meals. It¡¯s not healthy for you.¡± But Woojin felt differently. Skipping a meal wasn¡¯t a big deal, especially because he had actually gained a bit of weight recently. His shirts, which were custom made because he was so slim, now felt too tight. Yesterday when he went to the shop, he was told that he might have to be measured again for future outfits. It was a surprise because he didn¡¯t realize that this was happening to him. He had been eating and sleeping welltely. People around him told him that he looked much better. Healthier. Woojin rubbed his face. Now that he thought about it, he did feel a little hungry. Woojin replied, ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go out to eat, but not rice porridge.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Eejun smiled and helped Woojin with his coat. He liked taking care of others. Woojin always felt more ufortable around Eejun, who was more honest, than with Jihoon, who was more secretive. He wondered if it was because he and Jihoon were rted by blood. Suddenly, Woojin¡¯s phone vibrated loudly. Eejun said the obvious, ¡°I think you are getting a text or a call.¡± For an unknown reason, Woojin suddenly felt a chill. He could hear his phone, but he couldn¡¯t see where it was. Then, he saw that it was on the floor underneath his desk. Eejun pointed at it and the screen disyed the caller ID. -Shin Kim Eejun teased Woojin, ¡°Wow, it must be nice to be so loved like this. Calling to make sure you are having a nice lunch, I¡¯m sure...¡± Woojin hurriedly picked up the phone and answered, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Are you by chance Mr. Woojin Choi?¡± It wasn¡¯t Shin¡¯s voice that answered him. Woojin¡¯s heart began to beat painfully as he replied, ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°This is the S hospital emergency room in Gangnam. Mr. Shin Kim has been in a car ident and he is unconscious...¡± Woojin dropped his cell phone on the floor. ¡°Woojin Choi?¡± Before Eejun could stop Woojin, who looked like he just saw a ghost, Woojin ran out of the room towards the elevator. *** When Shin opened his eyes, he couldn¡¯t remember what day it was. He felt confused and tried his hardest to organize his thoughts. It took a very long time. Was it still the weekend? When he touched the side of the bed, the mattress felt too hard and the smell of a hospital stabbed his nose. Shin slowly sat up, but sudden dizziness stopped him. He carefullyid down again and when he moved his arm, he saw clear tubes attached to it. They were IVs. He frowned in shock and confusion. Just then, a nurse pushed the white curtain aside and appeared in front of him. ¡°Please don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°What is...¡± ¡°Sir, pleasey down and remaine. You shouldn¡¯t be moving like that.¡± Suddenly, Shin realized that it was Monday and he had been out attending meetings. He looked around and began to remember what had happened. He was about to walk across a crosswalk because the light turned green. Suddenly, a ck sedan came at him out of nowhere. Shin remembered exhaling as he saw the car, and then his head turned nk. The doctor came in and began to read Shin¡¯s chart. In a weak, coarse voice, Shin asked the doctor, ¡°What time is it?¡± The doctor looked down at Shin in confusion and asked, ¡°You are Mr. Shin Kim, right?¡± ¡°... what time is it?¡± The doctor turned towards the nurse who was standing next to him. He whispered something to her and came towards Shin. He touched Shin¡¯s shoulder and said his name, ¡°Mr. Shin Kim?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know what day it is today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Monday.¡± ¡°And do you know where you are right now?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a hospital?¡± ¡°And do you remember what happened?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He was going to cross the street to get to the next meeting. He had to park far away from the meeting ce, so he had to walk a bit. Shin was checking his cellphone and waiting for the light to change. When the light turned green, he waited about 10 seconds to check and make sure it was safe to cross. It was an old habit he developed after the hit-and-run many years ago. He always made sure to be careful. Some may have thought he was overreacting, but his life could depend on it. And thanks to this habit, he was able to notice a ck sedan speeding towards him. Shin added, ¡°I remember the license te number.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I was in a car ident, right? A hit and run?¡± The doctor finally sighed in relief and exined, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And you lost consciousness for a few hours. Fortunately, you only suffered minor scratches. No brain injuries and your vitals are all normal. But you need to be monitored, and we need to run a few more tests as well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Oh, and it¡¯s almost 3 PM.¡± Shin remembered he left his car a little after 12 PM, which meant he nked out for almost 3 hours. He checked his pants for his cellphone, but it wasn¡¯t there. When he looked around, the nurse who was standing nearby brought him his belongings and informed him, ¡°We couldn¡¯t get through to any of your family members, so we contacted an acquaintance listed on your phone.¡± ¡°... Pardon?¡± Shin¡¯s eyes widened as he asked the nurse, ¡°Umm, who did you call...?¡± ¡°Oh, there he is.¡± Woojin, who was deathly pale, came in and grabbed Shin¡¯s wrist. Woojin¡¯s hand was so cold that Shin¡¯s eyes widened even more. Woojin bit his lip as his entire body shook uncontrobly. The nurse continued, ¡°He said he was your co-worker, right? I had this gentleman hold on to your belongings...¡± ¡°Oh... I see.¡± Shin could barely understand what the nurse was saying. His eyes were focused on Woojin. Shin bit his lip. When the nurse left, Woojin¡¯s knees gave in. He copsed on the floor, but slowly, he pulled himself up and sat down on the chair next to the bed. Shin whispered, ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The office...¡± Suddenly, Woojin buried his face on Shin¡¯s shoulder. Woojin was trembling so badly that Shin hugged him tightly. ¡°... Assistant manager...¡± ¡°...¡± Shin suddenly felt his shoulder bing wet. Woojin wasn¡¯t making any sounds, but he realized that Woojin was sobbing. Shin couldn¡¯t breathe well. He rubbed Woojin¡¯s neck and finally whispered, ¡°I am not hurt. Just some scratches. I saw the car before it hit me directly... I was able to move away a bit in time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Woojin, are you listening to me?¡± Woojin nodded and exhaled deeply. When he could finally talk, Woojin said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere... Don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I won¡¯t leave you either.¡± Woojin said to him breathlessly. Chapter 75 Chapter 75: Chapter 75. It took a long time for Shin to ask Woojin, but eventually, he did. ¡°You were the one who came to see me, weren¡¯t you?¡± Woojin¡¯s feet were red from the warm water and Shin was kneeling in front of him folding the bottom of his pants. He touched Woojin¡¯s warm feet. His heart began to beat very fast nervously, but Woojin seemed nonchnt as he answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Shin didn¡¯t have to specify when he was referring to, but Woojin knew what he was talking about. Woojin nodded and continued, ¡°Yeah. I did go to see you that time at the hospital.¡± Woojin answered it so easily that Shin regretted not asking this question sooner. ¡°How did you know that I got hurt? That I was in an ident?¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang told me.¡± Suddenly, Woojin¡¯s face turned dark. When Shin held his face, Woojin pulled on his hands and dunked them in the warm water. He whispered, ¡°Your hands are cold... you should keep them warm.¡± Woojin looked so adorable that Shin couldn¡¯t help but hug him. Woojin smiled shyly. Shin asked, ¡°You think that woman was the one who tried to kill me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be certain that she didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because my aunt is a very scary woman.¡± Woojin¡¯s eyes reddened. He caressed Shin¡¯s chest, where the scars were, and asked if they still hurt. ¡°Woojin, these are very old scars. Of course, they don¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°But they... they hurt me, Shin.¡± Tears rolled down from Woojin¡¯s eyes and Shin wiped them away gently. Woojin looked at the swimming pool, noticing how blue the tiles were at the bottom. ¡°Shin... Every time I saw you swim, my heart would beat so fast with joy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And if it made me that way just watching you swim, I can¡¯t imagine how happy swimming made you feel.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you might have lost it because of me. That¡¯s why... there were times I wanted to give you up.¡± Slowly, Shin went into the water. Woojin looked surprised, especially because Shin was still wearing his clothes, but Shin didn¡¯t seem to care. He began to swim and although he couldn¡¯t breathe very well, it wasn¡¯t impossible. Heughed and gestured for Woojin to join him. To his surprise, because he didn¡¯t expect Woojin to actually do it, Woojin did jump into the pool. Woojin slowly waded towards Shin and hugged him as he whispered, ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°... thank you for being alive.¡± *** Siwoo asked Shin quietly, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Shin covered his forehead and looked away. He feared that his cheeks were turning red and that Siwoo might notice it. To his embarrassment, Siwoo narrowed his eyes and grinned. He said to Shin, ¡°You were having a dirty thought, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I thought you came here to take care of me, but it looks like you are here to eat my food.¡± ¡°I like to think I came here for both.¡± ¡°You are such a jerk.¡± ¡°Haha. Now that I think about it, this is the second time I am seeing you in a hospital gown.¡± Siwoo peeled an apple and cut it into rabbit-shaped pieces. He ced them on a te and handed it to Shin. Shin replied, ¡°I guess.¡± ¡°Thest time, you were wrapped in so many bandages that you looked like a mummy.¡± ¡°Hmm... did I look that bad?¡± ¡°I remember you crying all the time like a baby. You were just as big then, but you cried so much. You said that you were going to die.¡± ¡°It was probably because I was going through puberty.¡± Shin blushed and patted Siwoo¡¯s light brown hair. Suddenly, Siwoo pushed away Shin¡¯s hand and pouted. He asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Woojin get upset when you flirt like this?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not flirting.¡± ¡°Shin, you are the flirtiest person I know. You are so touchy with your friends and you are too friendly. It can be too much sometimes.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°If my partner acted like you, I would handcuff your hand to me all the time.¡± Siwoo frowned in disgust as he continued, ¡°Gosh, I would hate it if my boyfriend acted like you. Like a total yboy.¡± ¡°You do know that I am a patient, right? You should be nicer to me.¡± ¡°Poor Woojin... stuck with someone like you.¡± Siwoo grinned and looked at the clock on the wall. Siwoo expected the room to be nice since Shin was ced in a private hospital room, but he didn¡¯t realize it was going to be this luxurious. The room was the size of a small apartment. Siwoo looked at Shin and asked, ¡°By the way, where is Mr. Woojin?¡± ¡°Went to work, of course. Where else?¡± Woojin had stayed with Shin the entire processing time. He took care of everything, including the paperwork and Shin fell asleep while watching him. He was told he would get some rxants, and it must¡¯ve worked because he didn¡¯t wake up once during the night. When he opened his eyes the next morning, Woojin was gone. Siwoo called and offered to drop by at lunch. He ended up taking the afternoon off from work and stayed with Shin. Siwoo asked Shin, ¡°I am only your friend, but I am here to spend time with you. Woojin is your BOYFRIEND, yet he went to work and left you all alone? Isn¡¯t that heartless?¡± ¡°If he misses two days of work, people are going to think it¡¯s strange since I am also off work.¡± ¡°... Oh? I see that you guys are bing expert secret lovers.¡± Siwooughed and added, ¡°Please stop getting injured. You are making everyone worry.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really d you didn¡¯t get seriously hurt, Shin.¡± Siwoo smiled, and Shin did as well, but his smile was bitter. Seeing Woojin shivering in fear for him at the hospital was not a fun experience. Shin also felt anxious every time he thought about what could have happened. A difference of a second could¡¯ve meant his death. The feeling of your body in the air after a car hits you... Shin knew it very well because he experienced it before. Luckily this time, he spotted the car and was able to move quickly. He ended up falling and got a few scratches, but overall, he was fine. If he had gotten hit by that car... he wouldn¡¯t have made it. The ck sedan was going at full speed. There weren¡¯t any CCTVs around the area, so there was no footage of the incident. This happened in broad daylight, so to call it an ident... it didn¡¯t make sense. Shin was sure this was a nned incident, and he suspected that Woojin felt the same way. Siwoo asked, ¡°So you remember the license number?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know I have a strange obsession with these things.¡± ¡°Then all we have to do is wait for the police to catch the culprit!¡± Siwoo seemed almost excited, but Shin sighed. What he worried wasn¡¯t ¡®who¡¯ was behind it. He was concerned about ¡®why¡¯ he was being targeted instead of Woojin. This happened 10 years ago, and it happened again recently. Until they found the answer, Woojin was going to live in fear. Woojin left Shin because of this fear, and Shin couldn¡¯t let it happen again. He murmured, ¡°I wonder why it was me...¡± ¡°... what?¡± ¡°Why me? And not Woojin?¡± That woman¡¯s target always seemed to be Shin, not Woojin. Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Chapter 76

¡°Hey, did you workte? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± Jihoon came up to Woojin, who was sitting quietly at his desk and working. He put on his jacket as Woojin took his sses off and looked up at him. Jihoon was looking at Woojin as if nothing was wrong. He looked good. Eating well, wearing expensive clothes, and doing horrible things to others. Jihoon Kang. Woojin replied, ¡°I took a day off yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Did something happen?¡± There was no trace of guilt on Jihoon¡¯s face, making Woojin feel nauseous. It was just like thest time when Shin was in an ident. All Jihoon did wase up to Woojin with a nk face and tell him about it. It was clear that he knew everything. Who Shin Kim was, how he got hurt, and even how Woojin was going to react. When Woojin made a scene and insisted on returning to Korea to see Shin, Jihoon wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Ever since then, Woojin had been under Jihoon¡¯s watch. Years and years of being spied on by him... Woojin was sick of it. He bit his lip so hard that his teeth hurt. Woojin slowly stood up. The work hour was almost over so everyone was getting ready to go home. Woojin replied, ¡°I would think you know what happened better than I do.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± His fists trembling, Woojin stared at Jihoon. When they were children, Woojin used to be afraid of him for no good reason, but not anymore. Now, his fear of losing Shin was greater than anything. Woojin screamed, ¡°... Why... why did you do it?¡± ¡°...¡± Yeonwoo, who was about to say goodbye, jumped in shock. Thankfully, the team leader and the chief were out on a meeting, so it was just Jihoon, Woojin, and Yeonwoo in the room. Jihoon replied, ¡°What are you talk...!¡± SMACK! Before he could finish his question, Woojin punched him in the cheek. It was an instinctive move; an act of violence. The very first time in his life for Woojin. The room suddenly quieted. Woojin knew he should have done it a very long time ago, but when he was young he didn¡¯t want to do this because he never wanted to be like Jihoon. He also was too young and too weak. But things were different now. Jihoon looked at him in shock, rubbing his cheek. Woojin said to him angrily, ¡°I should have done this a long time ago.¡± Jihoon¡¯s eyes wavered and his cheek quickly turned red and puffy. He asked in a trembling voice, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Woojin clenched and unclenched his fists. Tasting blood on his lip, Woojin replied, ¡°You are just like her. You don¡¯t care about anyone.¡± ¡°... Woojin Choi!¡± ¡°Why do you hurt people around me, instead of me?¡± Suddenly, Jihoon¡¯s eyes turned sharp and cold, but Woojin continued, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier just to kill me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Or did she tell you to make me suffer?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Does she enjoy that? Taking important people away from me?¡± Woojin¡¯s body shook but he did his best to say the words clearly. He had to say this now, both to Jihoon and himself as well. Hiding and running away wasn¡¯t going to work anymore. Waiting and hoping the problems would disappear... he had to stop it now. Shin taught him that. ¡°You are just like that woman.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I am not going to let you do that anymore. I won¡¯t just stand still or run away.¡± His body continued to shake, but he didn¡¯t fall. He turned around and walked away as calmly as he could. His hand hurt and his heart was pounding uncontrobly, but this was necessary. The moment he ran awayst time, he almost lost everything. Now, he had to fight. He had to hold on to what was most important to him. Not Shin Kim, not his memories, but... Himself. *** ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s so cold.¡± Siwoo took off his gloves standing in front of the door to his condo. It was dead winter, and his body shook as he tried to key in the passcode to unlock the door. Just then, someone grabbed his shoulder from behind and said his name, ¡°Siwoo Jung.¡± Was this his unlucky day? It was freezing outside and the voice that said his name belonged to someone he missed so much but could not have. Siwoo opened the door and walked in without looking back. He knew this was the smart thing to do. He had to ignore him or else he would give in and find himself in this man¡¯s arms. Joowan begged him, ¡°Siwoo, turn around. Please look at me.¡± ¡°I want you to leave.¡± Joowan grabbed his shoulder again, but Siwoo resisted turning around. He feared that if he saw Joowan¡¯s face, he would end up crying. When they were dating, Joowan was a perfect partner. He was never forceful and always understanding. Even when Joowan asked Siwoo out, he was very polite. His exact words were, ¡°I would like to see you againter, if that would be okay with you, of course.¡± It made Siwoough at the time. It had been many weeks now since Siwoo broke up with him. He hoped that when this year ended and he faced the new year, the excruciating pain would ease. Hopefully, the memories that were killing him would slowly fade away. ¡°... Siwoo...¡± That was all. All Joowan did, all he ever did after their breakup, was to call out Siwoo¡¯s name. Never reaching out to stop him. Never turning Siwoo around and forcing him to face him. Joowan¡¯s thoughtfulness now worked against him. Siwoo bit his lip, his back still toward Joowan, and closed the door behind him. He stood against the door silently, afraid he might do something he would regret. Tears rolled down from his eyes uncontrobly as he whispered, ¡°Bastard... why do you just keep saying my name and not hold me? Why won¡¯t you make me take you back?¡± Siwoo didn¡¯t wipe away his tears. He remained like this for a long time until his head was pounding. Then suddenly, he made a decision. He turned around and opened the door. Why didn¡¯t he do this a long time ago? But there was no point in regretting the past now. It was snowing outside but Siwoo barely noticed it. He ran out to the alley and frantically looked around. When he didn¡¯t see Joowan, he continued to run with clear desperation. Just then... ¡°Siwoo Jung.¡± He heard his name from behind. This was hisst chance. Yes, the veryst chance. He was going to tell Joowan that they should get back together. He wasn¡¯t going to demand anything. He was going to just say that he was annoyed with him for lying, but everything was okay now. They would just go back to how they were. Without wiping his tears away, Siwoo turned around. But the man that was standing behind him wasn¡¯t Joowan. ¡°... are you ok, Siwoo?¡± Jihoon Kang. Jihoon was standing there. Chapter 77 Chapter 77: Chapter 77. ¡°What... what are you doing here...?¡± Siwoo pushed away Jihoon¡¯s hand. He was expecting to see Joowan so when it was Jihoon was standing there, Siwoo felt weak at the unexpectedness of it. And it was shocking to see that Jihoon¡¯s face was just as crumpled and devastated as his own. He should¡¯ve never gotten involved with Jihoon Kang. Why were things turning out to be soplicated? Suddenly, Jihoon held Siwoo¡¯s cheeks between his hands and asked, ¡°Are you crying?¡± Jihoon¡¯s hands were so hot that Siwoo couldn¡¯t push him away again. He knew he had to look for Joowan, but the feeling of Jihoon¡¯s hands felt so warm and real that Siwoo was speechless. Jihoon continued, ¡°I am the one who is hurting, so why are you the one crying?¡± He wasn¡¯t making any sense. Siwoo was the one hurting, yet Jihoon was talking about himself like the selfish man he was. Even so, Siwoo couldn¡¯t stop staring at him. The cold wind blew and Siwoo wondered if his tears would freeze. Jihoon asked again, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang... what should I do now?¡± Siwoo¡¯s eyes were wavering. It was veryte in the night, yet Jihoon was still wearing his business suit inside the coat. He didn¡¯t look drunk; Jihoon just looked tired. In fact, his entire body looked like it was giving in. Jihoon looked so devastated that Siwoo couldn¡¯t ignore him and walk away. Siwoo sighed deeply. He realized that Jihoon¡¯s image was slowly being seared into his mind. The way he looked so depressed and sad... Jihoon¡¯s serious eyes... Siwoo wondered if Jihoon was somehow hurt by someone, just like he was hurt by Joowan. It seemed that their lives were connected now for some reason. Was it just a coincidence, or fate? ¡°Jihoon, listen to me carefully because I will only say this once.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think you are a selfish crazy bastard, but...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And I know that I should just ignore you and walk away right now, but...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For some reason, I... I just can¡¯t leave you, you bastard.¡± Siwoo began to sob loudly. Jihoon stilled, looking confused, as Siwoo buried his face on Jihoon¡¯s shoulder. His hands trembled as he slowly hugged Siwoo. Was this it? Could it be? Feeling the warmth of Jihoon¡¯s body, Siwoo wondered if it was him who was selfish and crazy. *** Yeonwoo gently touched Shin¡¯s shoulder and asked, ¡°Mr. Shin Kim, you¡¯re already here? You¡¯re at work so early today.¡± The new year had arrived. It was very early in the morning and Shin was walking through the hallway to his office when Yeonwoo spotted him. It had snowed hard that morning; it looked beautiful, but traffic was hectic. Work was never fun but being surrounded by familiar people made him feelfortable. Of course, he would¡¯ve preferred to stay with Woojin all day. If he was rich, Shin would¡¯ve seriously considered quitting his job so he could spend all his time with Woojin. Shin replied to Yeonwoo, ¡°I took a whole week off, so I had enough of resting. And I wasn¡¯t hurt that badly either.¡± ¡°Even though you lost consciousness?¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°You look so big and sturdy, so we were all so shocked when we heard about it. We were worried about you!¡± Woojin insisted that he should take more time off, but Shin couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He used to be an athlete and being trapped in a hospital room was unbearable. When Woojin wasn¡¯t with him, Shin took long walks outside. It was cold, but still very refreshing. Yeonwoo asked, ¡°Was it really a hit and run?¡± ¡°... yeah.¡± ¡°Did they catch the offender?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Gosh, you are so lucky that you didn¡¯t get hurt too seriously. That was dangerous.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin got hurt by a car that was turning right at full speed. Drivers usually were careful when nearing crosswalks, so this was very strange. And after Shin was barely able to escape, he thought he saw the car trying to reverse to try ande at him again. Instinctively, Shin rolled away towards the sidewalk before losing consciousness. Whenever Woojin saw Shin¡¯s bruised wrist, he sighed unhappily. Shin loved how Woojin was bing more and more expressive but seeing him unhappy was never good. Whenever Woojin sighed, Shin kissed his forehead, which seemed to help. Yeonwoo said to him, ¡°It¡¯s funny how you actually look better though.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Your girlfriend must¡¯ve treated you real nice. Am I right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Just then, his eyes met Woojin¡¯s. Yeonwoo bowed slightly to Woojin, and when Shin quietly did the same, Woojin bowed back with a pouty face and walked to his seat. He sat down and turned on hisputer screen. Silently, Yeonwoo looked at Shin and pointed at the office kitchen. After a quick nce at Woojin, he followed Yeonwoo. Today, Woojin was looking pure as usual. His skin was so porcin-like and clear that Shin¡¯s fingers easily left slight redness on it. Shin tried not to leave any marks on him, yet he also found it hard to resist touching him, wanting to see himself on Woojin¡¯s skin. Shin walked to Yeonwoo, who had stopped next to the espresso machine. Yeonwoo whispered, ¡°The mood in our department is awful recently.¡± ¡°Really?¡± When Yeonwoo saw other people walking by, she hushed Shin and closed the kitchen door. She continued to whisper, ¡°It¡¯s because Assistant managers Choi and Kang had a huge fight recently.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There is a rumor that Assistant manager Woojin hit Assistant manager Jihoon.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Shin eximed, Yeonwoo covered his mouth with her hand and ordered him to be quiet. Shin nodded and asked quietly, ¡°Do you know why? Did you hear about what happened between them?¡± Shin suddenly became nervous. Did she know something? Yeonwoo exined excitedly, ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s a woman they both like, and that woman broke up with Woojin for Jihoon.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why Assistant manager Woojin became angry. What kind of a woman would do that?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Remember when I told you that I thought Assistant manager Woojin got a girlfriend? I was right!¡± Shin didn¡¯t know how to react to such an outrageous story. When he looked confused, Yeonwoo asked if he was ok. Shin coughed and nodded as he replied, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s... just such a shocking story...¡± ¡°I am certain it¡¯s someone in ourpany. The one Assistant manager Woojin was dating.¡± ¡°What??¡± Just then, the door burst open and Woojin walked in. Yeonwoo almost dropped her cup of coffee, but Shin grabbed her wrist to help. Thankfully, nothing was spilled but Woojin stared at Shin holding Yeonwoo¡¯s hand. Calmly, he turned to Yeonwoo and said to her, ¡°Ms. Ji, there was a call for you. I wrote down the message and left it on your desk, so please go check it.¡± ¡°Oh, alright. Thank you.¡± ¡°Please stop wasting time.¡± Yeonwoo frowned and left the kitchen. She looked so annoyed that Shin smiled after she left. Woojin pushed the button on the espresso button and looked up at Shin. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Just looking at Woojin made Shin feel happy. He nodded at Woojin¡¯s question and watched as Woojin made his coffee. Quietly, Woojin murmured, ¡°You¡¯re that pleased, are you?¡± ¡°Of course, I am. I¡¯m with Assistant manager Choi, so why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± ¡°No, I meant Miss Ji.¡± Shin¡¯s eyes widened and he remembered what Siwoo said to him at the hospital. ¡°You are too flirty.¡± Was Woojin jealous? But when Shin nced at him, Woojin looked calm. Shin touched his shoulder and closed the kitchen door. He noticed that Woojin¡¯s hands shook very lightly. Shin asked, ¡°Who are you eating lunch with today?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going to tell me?¡± Shin found him so cute that he wanted to tease him. Woojin answered stiffly, ¡°I have a previous engagement.¡± ¡°With who?¡± Woojin hadn¡¯t told him he was going to be busy at lunch today. When Shin frowned at him, Woojin ignored him and tried to open the door. He replied, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°... are you trying to tease me?¡± Shin kept the door closed with his back, making Woojin bite his lip. Shin touched his lips and tried to make him smile, but all Woojin did was take his sses off and sigh. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I am angry. Now, please open the door, Mr. Shin Kim.¡± Woojin forced the door open and left quickly. Shin, feeling confused, left afterward. He continued to stare at Woojin from his office for a while, hoping Woojin would turn towards him. But no matter how long he waited, Woojin refused to turn around. Could it be... that Woojin was really angry? ¡°It couldn¡¯t be...¡± Shin murmured, but he suddenly had a bad feeling. Chapter 78 Chapter 78. ¡°Where is Assistant Manager Woojin?¡± ¡°I thought he went to lunch.¡± When Shin asked while standing in front of the policy room, Yeonwoo replied as she put on her coat. Jihoon, who was sitting next to Yeonwoo, nced at Shin briefly before leaving the room without a word. Jihoon had an odd talent of making people feel unhappy. He had a great reputation, but the more Shin got to know him, the more darkness and shallowness he found. Yeonwoo shrugged her shoulders and patted Shin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why are you looking so down, Shin oppa? Did you have a fight with your girlfriend?¡± ¡°I will buy you lunch, so can I get some dating advice?¡± ¡°Hmm... I feel like I¡¯m being used. But if you promise to help find me a good boyfriend, I will help you.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± They invited their other colleagues, but they were all busy, so just Yeonwoo and Shin ended up going to lunch together. They walked to the office cafeteria as they talked about thepany. ¡°Shin oppa, did you notice that it feels a bit tense around the office?¡± ¡°You feel it too?¡± ¡°Yeah... There are rumors that the directors are going to be reced. Maybe even the managers too.¡± ¡°... I wonder if the chairman is ill?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that an old ongoing rumor? I heard he has been weak for a very long time.¡± ¡°Well, as long as thepany doesn¡¯t go bankrupt and I get to keep my job, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Wow, you are such a sryman, Mr. Shin Kim.¡± ¡°You too, Ms. Yeonwoo.¡± They stood in front of the elevator and waited. Shin asked quietly, ¡°Have you dated a lot in the past, Yeonwoo?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a private question, but go on.¡± ¡°If your boyfriend is too friendly, is that something you would get mad at?¡± ¡°If he is nice to everyone, of course it would annoy me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think I told you this before, Oppa. People who are quiet and unsocial usually have difficulty understanding others who are social and friendly to everyone.¡± ¡°... Oh.¡± ¡°You can be so slow, Oppa.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Imagine your girlfriend being nice to everyone.¡± ¡°My partner isn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°And that is why you can¡¯t understand. Again, imagine your girlfriend being super friendly with other men. You know, touching their shoulders, helping straighten their ties...¡± ¡°What? But that¡¯s too much...¡± ¡°Oppa! YOU are like that all the time! You can be really touchy. You tuck other girls¡¯ hair back or wipe their cheeks if there¡¯s a smudge. I¡¯ve seen it many times.¡± Yeonwoo had a teasing look, so at first, Shin thought she was joking. But when she looked up at him solemnly, Shin realized that she was serious. Indeed, Shin was very friendly with everyone. It was also how he met many of his previous girlfriends in the past. Yeonwoo continued, ¡°You admit it, right? You feel guilty right now. I can tell.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hmm... Your girlfriend got angry at you for it, didn¡¯t she? I knew it.¡± ¡°Do you think she is really angry?¡± The elevator finally arrived, and they walked in. Yeonwooughed as she looked at Shin¡¯s anxious face. ¡°Yeonwoo, are youughing at me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just strange seeing you looking so nervous.¡± ¡°... I really am nervous.¡± ¡°Alright. I will give you some helpful advice.¡± *** Siwoo rested his hands on the handle as he waited in his car, which was parked in the parking lot. He felt thirsty, so he opened a bottle of water he bought from the convenience store. It was past 6:30 PM. When he swallowed a sip, someone knocked on the car window. ¡°Oh, you are here.¡± ¡°Yes. I just got off work.¡± Siwoo always found himself feeling ufortable around Woojin. As he sat down in the passenger seat, Siwoo studied Woojin¡¯s profile carefully. Woojin didn¡¯t have a sharp face, but there was something oddly harsh about him. Perhaps it was because of Woojin¡¯s eyes. His eyes wererge and deep, making him look strangely memorable. Siwoo remembered those eyes from high school. Siwoo said to him, ¡°Thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice.¡± ¡°I assumed you had a good reason for asking me.¡± Woojin was a man of few words. He was very straightforward, saying what he needed to without unnecessary words. Siwoo started his car and said to Woojin, ¡°I will take you to a restaurant where we can eat and talkfortably.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok if you tell me here right now. Shin already left work.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You want to talk about Jihoon Kang, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°By now, you must know how Jihoon and I are rted.¡± ¡°Just a little.¡± Siwoo nodded and tried to read Woojin¡¯s face, but Woojin looked nk. He looked out briefly before exining to Siwoo, ¡°If we move to a different ce, they are going to think something is up. Jihoon left work as well too. I assumed that you came today because you knew all these things.¡± ¡°...They? Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang is always being followed and watched.¡± Woojin replied nonchntly but Siwoo suddenly felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°... I don¡¯t understand. What did you just say?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know all this already?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you spent some time with him, I thought you would¡¯ve felt something by now. Hmm... I guess not.¡± Woojin took off his coat slowly and ced it in the backseat. He then reached out and turned on the radio as he exined, ¡°Just in case someone is listening in.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang is the most likely person to inherit thispany. This means that they will try to eliminate anything and everything that might create a bad reputation for him.¡± Siwoo had never seen Woojin talk this much, so he stared in surprise. Siwoo felt breathless, so he grabbed the bottle of water again and gulped it down. When he was with Jihoon, nothing unusual happened. He never felt anything strange.... Suddenly, Siwoo asked, ¡°Is that why Jihoon always asks me to meet him at home?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about Jihoon¡¯s social habits.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°After that incident, Jihoon was watched even more closely.¡± ¡°...You weren¡¯t in Korea when that happened, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°What did Jihoon do?¡± ¡°I thought you called me here because you had something to tell me.¡± Woojin raised the volume a little. The radio DJ was exining a new song that had been released. Concerned that their conversation was still audible, Siwoo took out a CD from his glovebox. It was an EDM album, something he never thought he would actually listen to. When the music started, Woojin frowned. Siwoo remembered Shin exining how Woojin could be very sensitive. At the time, Siwoo thought it would be hard to date such a difficult man, but Shin seemed too happy to talk about Woojin. Siwoo asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you get followed and watched as well then?¡± ¡°Not as much. My grandfather isn¡¯t as interested in me. Besides, Jihoon...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s partly his mother who is behind everything.¡± Siwoo took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. He needed to remember why he asked Woojin toe here. He needed to calm down. Siwoo asked, ¡°Does Shin know about everything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about ¡®everything,¡¯ but because I act like it doesn¡¯t matter, I think he is ok with it all.¡± ¡°... and is everything really ok?¡± ¡°We like each other, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Woojin seemed certain. Siwoo found him very interesting. Woojin looked so young, like a fragile young boy sometimes, but there were many moments when he looked so strong. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed and fine smile lines appeared, making him look seductive. Siwoo replied, ¡°That¡¯s a very confident answer.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As you expected, I am here to talk about Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°... and what about him?¡± ¡°You are guessing... that Jihoon Kang is trying to harm Shin Kim... Right?¡± Chapter 79

Chapter 79: Chapter 79.

¡°Nope.¡± Woojin answered as he turned up the radio volume. The music was so loud that the whole car seemed to vibrate. Siwoo regretted not having chosen a better song; perhaps a ssic CD would¡¯ve been kinder to their ears. Siwoo asked, raising his voice to be heard, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang doesn¡¯t have the guts to hurt anyone.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have known him since childhood, so I know him very well.¡± ¡°... He told me that I was mistaken, that he didn¡¯t do anything. Jihoon told me it wasn¡¯t him who did this to Shin...¡± ¡°And you believe that, Mr. Siwoo Jung?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Are you seeing Jihoon?¡± Woojin was asking too many difficult questions. Siwoo stared at him in confusion and Woojin, who seemed frustrated, rubbed his forehead in annoyance. Woojin narrowed his eyes and faced Siwoo. Siwoo replied, ¡°Please give me a moment to answer.¡± He knew he was the one who should be talking here. Siwoo hated being in the middle of all this. If Joowan hadn¡¯t met with Jihoon, he wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. But Jihoon was beginning to be part of his life, and there were so many uncertainties about him. Siwoo had only known him for a short while, but he couldn¡¯t abandon Jihoon for some reason. After a deep sigh, Siwoo exined, ¡°Firstly, I am not close to Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am not sure about the beginning, but recently, isn¡¯t it possible that he isn¡¯t being followed? I am no expert, but I am a pretty sensitive person. I can¡¯t imagine me not noticing something odd like that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bet on it.¡± ¡°Alright, I will give you that. But my rtionship with Jihoon... It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Then why did you ask me here?¡± ¡°I like to think that I am good at reading people.¡± Siwoo was rather surprised at Woojin. Thest few times they met, which always included Shin, Woojin seemed very introverted and quiet. He didn¡¯t expect Woojin to talk this much. Woojin was stronger than Siwoo expected. If he let him, Woojin was going to take over this conversation. Siwoo needed to take the lead. He continued, ¡°As you said, Jihoon Kang is indeed a weak man. He isn¡¯t the type that would be able to kill or hurt someone.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Remember what I told you before? That Jihoon Kang has your photos.¡± ¡°... Yes.¡± ¡°I have been feeling guilty about telling you that. I feel... that perhaps you believe Jihoon was behind the car ident partly because of what I told you...¡± Woojin turned to face Siwoo. The way he looked at Siwoo was confusing because it looked so nk. Siwoo found it so interesting that Shin Kim could find different emotions in those empty eyes. Perhaps they were really meant to be. Woojin replied, ¡°There is no need for you to feel that way.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. I know it wasn¡¯t Jihoon Kang. I know it better than anyone.¡± Woojin turned up the volume even louder and added, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to go.¡± ¡°Woojin...¡± ¡°See youter.¡± Suddenly, Woojin handed Siwoo his cellphone. Siwoo couldn¡¯t understand why Woojin was ending their conversation so abruptly, but when he took his cellphone and read what was typed on it, Siwoo took a deep breath. -We shouldn¡¯t be talking about this anymore. And please don¡¯t tell Jihoon about our conversation today. Nodding slowly, Siwoo replied, ¡°Alright. Please take care.¡± When Woojin left and closed the door behind him, Siwoo immediately turned the music off. ¡°Phew...¡± Siwoo suddenly bit his fingernails nervously. He had to get home. Right now. *** Eejun insisted on the phone with Woojin, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat dinner together.¡± ¡°I have ns.¡± Woojin tried to end the conversation, but Eejun continued, ¡°You must be so tired worrying about Shin¡¯s ident, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Eejun¡¯s voice was rxing and sweet as usual. Woojin knew Eejun meant well, but he wanted the call to end. Before seeing Siwoo, Woojin was a bit worried. What if he told Siwoo too much? Siwoo seemed to have better instincts than he expected. He in fact seemed to have a lot inmon with Shin. Thankfully, Siwoo¡¯s nervous eyes were a good reminder for Woojin to not reveal too much. Siwoo was one of Shin¡¯s friends, which meant he was someone that needed to be protected Woojin replied to Eejun, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°And what about Jihoon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about him, so please don¡¯t bring him up.¡± Woojin was walking up the street that led to his condo building. He blinked his eyes tiredly, when suddenly, he noticed a tall man standing beside the streetlight. His silhouette looked distinctly familiar. Without a word, Woojin ended the call and turned the phone off. He knew Eejun was going to get angry, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°How strange.¡± That man standing there waiting for him... He made Woojin remember the past. Woojin began to walk faster towards him. The truth was, he wanted to see Shin earlier, but he had been pretending to be indifferent. Being nice to everyone wasn¡¯t a bad thing. In fact, it meant he was a good person, but Woojin found himself burning with jealousy. The reason why he tried to keep some distance was because of this negative emotion. And the distance wasn¡¯t from Shin; it was from his jealousy. Woojin asked, ¡°What are you doing here, Mr. Shin Kim?¡± When Woojin touched his shoulder, Shin quickly turned around to face him. Shin must¡¯ve been waiting in his car until recently because Woojin could feel definite warmth from him. Shin answered him, ¡°I was waiting for my lover.¡± ¡°I told you I had ns tonight.¡± ¡°Hmm... considering you had ns, you areing home too early.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are avoiding me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you are angry at me, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are irritated by me, right?¡± Shin yfully poked Woojin¡¯s cheek. When Woojin didn¡¯t react, Shin rubbed Woojin¡¯s cheek and smiled. Shin continued, ¡°Strangely, I saw that you start to walk faster when you saw me.¡± ¡°...Whatever.¡± ¡°For someone who is angry, you are acting too cute.¡± Shin squished both of Woojin¡¯s cheeks, making his lips pout. Shin smiled, looking rxed and confident. Woojin couldn¡¯t understand how Shin could be so self-assured like this. And he also couldn¡¯t understand how just seeing Shin made him feel so happy. All his frustration and annoyance disappeared like melting snow. Shin whispered, ¡°I have something to give you...¡± He took out a small flowerbox with a beautiful ribbon on top. ¡°Open it.¡± Carefully, Woojin removed the ribbon and opened it. Inside, he found a leather bracelet. It looked luxurious and inside it, Woojin¡¯s initials were engraved. Shin exined, ¡°Before meeting you, having to buy something for my partner was like a chore. I used to hate it, but not now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it? If and when you get tired of wearing the watch, maybe you can wear this sometimes.¡± Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Chapter 80.

Shin Kim wore avender-colored checkered shirt with a ck-knitted sweater on top. He put on a pair of ck pants and was trying to pick out a matching coat when he heard his phone beep. He picked up the phone from the bed and saw that there was a text from Woojin. -I¡¯m here. They had a date this weekend. Woojin wasn¡¯t the type that got angry often. So when he did get angry, Shin worried that it would be very difficult to appease him. But that night when Shin handed him the gift, the bracelet, Woojin stood still for a very long time. Shin lowered himself to Woojin¡¯s eye level, wondering if Woojin didn¡¯t like the present. Slowly, Woojin put the gift box into his bag and held Shin¡¯s hands. He whispered, ¡°This wasn¡¯t necessary, because... When I am with you, I feel like I am getting a gift every day.¡± Woojin¡¯s voice trembled, and Shin felt relieved. Witnessing someone change was a strange feeling. Seeing Woojin feeling happy because of him made Shin feel overwhelmingly excited. Shin looked at Woojin¡¯s text message for a long time before hurriedly putting on a coat. He left his ce quickly, worrying how cold it was outside and Woojin was waiting for him in this cold. As soon as the elevator arrived at the lobby, Shin opened his umbre. It was snowing hard outside. Woojin, who was standing in the lobby, turned around and said to him, ¡°That was quick.¡± The way Woojin looked right now against the snowy day... Shin thought he would never be able to forget this moment. Woojin was wearing a burgundy wool coat and a ck knitted turtleneck. With his porcin skin and light brown hair, Woojin looked magical. Shin asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Shin quickly grabbed Woojin¡¯s hand and took him to the parking lot. Woojin¡¯s hand felt icy, making Shin upset. He caressed Woojin¡¯s hair and arm, and suddenly, Woojin frowned. Shin asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°... You are very handsy.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Without answering him, Woojin walked to the parking lot and got into Shin¡¯s car first. Shin thought Woojin wasn¡¯t angry anymore, but he wondered if he was wrong about it. Slowly, he got into the driver seat. He felt anxious, but when he nced at Woojin, Shin could tell he wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, Woojin looked... perplexed. Shin asked quietly, ¡°Are you wearing the bracelet I gave you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t angry because I touched you just now, are you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Still frowning, Woojin grabbed Shin¡¯s hand and remained still. When Woojin didn¡¯t exin further, Shin asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Woojin shyly kissed Shin¡¯s cheek and replied, ¡°I just feel strange. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°What do you mean...¡± Now that he looked closely at Woojin, Shin could tell Woojin looked a little flushed. Could it be... Woojin seemed to be... excited, which made Shin¡¯s body burn? When he kissed Woojin¡¯s nose, Woojin frowned but leaned against Shin. Shin whispered, ¡°Why are you trying to avoid me?¡± ¡°I... If you keep touching me, I am going to insist on going up to your ce and not outside on a real date.¡± The way Woojin looked made Shin crazy. Woojin was bing a little breathless, and Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s hair a little roughly. Most of the time, Woojin was meek, and this made Shin want to tease him or be a little rough with him. Like right now. Luckily, it was early in the morning and the parking lot was empty. Woojin murmured, ¡°Get your mind out of the gutter.¡± ¡°Haha. How did you know?¡± When Shin grabbed his hair harder, Woojin moaned. Shin stole his open lips and immediately, Woojin kissed him back. Crazy sexy Woojin Choi. ¡°... ah...¡± When Shin licked his neck wetly, Woojin began to pant. Shin bit his ear, which made Woojin close his eyes and inhale deeply. Unfortunately, this was as far as Shin was willing to go for now. If they didn¡¯t stop, they were never going to make it out of this parking lot. When Shin finally backed away and looked down at Woojin, Woojin finally opened his eyes and looked back at Shin hotly. ¡®Dammit...¡¯ Shin seriously considered going upstairs to his ce with Woojin but stopped himself. He said to Woojin, ¡°I made a reservation, so we need to stop now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°... You drive me crazy.¡± How did Shin get so lucky that someone so honest, pure, and sexy like Woojin came to like him? Shin whispered, ¡°We wille back to this after the date.¡± Woojin nodded, and Shin kissed his cheek a few times. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± *** Every weekend, their date took ce either at a restaurant, movie theatre, or at home. After their trip, because Shin got into a car ident, it had been many weeks since theirst date. Woojin couldn¡¯t understand why Shin wanted to keep the location of today¡¯s date a surprise. When Shin took him to the ce, Woojin still felt confused. They stood in front of a university hospital. When they walked into an office, a woman inside greeted Shin. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°... Hey.¡± The woman... looked like Shin. When Woojin¡¯s eyes widened, Shinughed. The woman was as tall as Shin but much slimmer. The way she smiled looked so much like Shin that Woojin became speechless. The woman gestured for them to sit and introduced herself to Woojin. ¡°Hello. My name is Minji Kim and I am a psychiatrist.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And yes, I am Shin¡¯s older sister. I assume it¡¯s obvious.¡± When Woojin didn¡¯t¡¯ respond, Shin tapped his shoulder. Finally, Woojin nodded, still silent. Minji continued, ¡°Nice to meet you. I heard so much about you, Mr. Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I look like Shin, so maybe it will help you feel morefortable when you talk to me.¡± Woojin wondered how much Shin told his sister about him. When Woojin looked up at him, Shin remained nonchnt and smoothed Woojin¡¯s coat. It seemed that Shin was going to feign ignorance, making Woojin frown. Minji noticed this interaction and smiled. Woojin had to admit that she did remind him of Shin, and it did make him feel more rxed. Minji seemed like a very calm,petent woman. Minji said to him with a smile, ¡°Shin is a bit childish and he still thinks that if he can¡¯t see it with his own eyes, it doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Sis!¡± This finally made Woojin smile. For a long time, Woojin had been feeling guilty towards Shin¡¯s family. A long time ago, Shin mentioned his older sister and how he left his home because she and his parents were suffocating him. Now that Woojin could see Minji, he was certain that whatever she did was out of love for her little brother. ¡°Knowing my brother, I am pretty sure he didn¡¯t tell you about me and where I work.¡± ¡°... Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Shin is the type that always worries about burdening someone and making him or her run away from him. Well, I guess I can¡¯t guarantee that I ampletely right. I would say I have about a 67% chance that I guessed right?¡± The way Minji talked was so adorable that Woojinughed, which made Shin surprised. Woojin rarelyughed and in fact, Shin only saw Woojinugh when they were alone. Minji continued, ¡°Shin told me one of his friends had difficulty remembering traumatic events from his childhood. Shin seemed very worried, and he never asks me for a favor, so I knew he would bring someone very important to him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So you went to the same high school as Shin, Mr. Woojin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you must know what Shin¡¯s most traumatic event was in his life.¡± Shin¡¯s eyes widened, but Minji ignored him and crossed her arms. Her voice was kind, but her words were sharp and straightforward. For some reason, her demeanor made Woojin want to talk. Her face and her eyes looked so familiar that Woojin realized this might work. Woojin replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I assume it has something to do with swimming.¡± ¡°Hmm... If you can say that in front of Shin so casually, you must be very close to him, Mr. Woojin. You see, Shin is a strange little guy...¡± ¡°Sis, please! Stop!¡± Shin looked so desperately embarrassed while Minji looked calm. Woojin smiled again. Minji added, ¡°We will do our sessions without Shin. Well, it will be more like chat rather than sessions.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°To be honest, I wouldn¡¯t even consider it a treatment.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°More like gossiping. Talking like two old friends. And by chance if you remember your past, that would be a bonus. We can talk about Shin when he was little, and how awful he was.¡± Shin seemed resigned. *** Before leaving the room, Shin whispered to Woojin, ¡°You aren¡¯t angry with me, are you?¡± Woojin patted Shin¡¯s nose and replied, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°... I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± ¡°...I really mean it.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t falling in love with my sister, right?¡± ¡°Hmm... maybe.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin smiled and Shin told him he would wait for him at the nearby caf¨¦. Shin whispered, ¡°Good luck. Have a good time.¡± Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Chapter 81.

Chapter 81. Siwoo frowned when he saw Jihoon, who came to his home again without warning. He was annoyed, but suddenly, he felt terrified. If Jihoon no longer showed up like this, Siwoo knew he would feel disappointed. It was just like this when he first began to date Joowan. He was hurt badly when he broke up with Joowan. To love again and risk getting hurt was a terrifying thought. He wondered if he should stop now, but when he looked at Jihoon, who looked great in a deep grey knitted sweater, his face crumpled into an odd smile. ¡°Gosh, only if you weren¡¯t so hot... If you weren¡¯t my style...¡± ¡°What?¡± Jihoon seemed surprised, and he smiled. Unlike Shin, Jihoon¡¯s smile was... neater and more practiced. Shin was strikingly handsome, often grabbing people¡¯s attention, while Jihoon looked more averagepared to him. Jihoon always had a faint smile on his face, looking like a typical ¡°nice guy,¡± but sometimes when you studied him closely, he looked breathtakingly beautiful. Jihoon¡¯s face looked like he was probably an obedient ¡°good boy,¡± but there was something perverted about him. Against his better judgement, Siwoo couldn¡¯t help but be attracted to this side of him. Siwoo rubbed his eyebrows and said to Jihoon coldly, ¡°You need to call me before visiting.¡± ¡°Hmm... You know I am older than you, right? You should treat me with more respect, like you would to an older brother.¡± ¡°... Are you crazy? I¡¯m an only child.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any friends, do you?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°... Why not? You look like a nice guy, so why don¡¯t you have friends? I thought you were popr at work. You are known for being social, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Being social is something you can easily fake.¡± Jihoon smiled, but his smile looked bitter, making Siwoo sigh. This was bad. Very bad. When he first met Jihoon, he was sure Jihoon wasn¡¯t his type. But the more Siwoo got to know him, the more he liked him. Jihoon had a distinct sadness to him. He desperately tried to hide it, and whenever others saw his true self, Jihoon tried to run away. And Siwoo was the type that hung onto guys like this. Joowan was an exception. Siwoo never felt any extreme emotions around Joowan. His heart never beat like it was going to escape his chest. He never felt uncertain or insecure around Joowan. Their rtionship was a slow simmering kind, and that was why Siwoo thought they couldst a very long time. Perhaps forever. Jihoon asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°Well, you are dressed Siwoo, so let¡¯s go. I will buy you something good.¡± ¡°Stop trying to flirt with me.¡± ¡°Is it working?¡± Lately, Jihoon Kang hadn¡¯t used coarse or rude words when he was with Siwoo. He must¡¯ve thought that he could rx around Siwoo. Siwoo felt a sudden urge to caress Jihoon¡¯s hair, but he stopped himself. Siwoo replied, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Despite his words, Siwoo knew he was falling for him. The winter in his heart was slowly winding down. *** Woojin rubbed his forehead as he looked at the text from Eejun. -I heard you skipped Dr. Yoonil¡¯s session today? Is that true? Woojin bit his straw and looked up at Shin, who was sitting across from him and eating his eggs and rice. Shin asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. It just feels like we are practically living together.¡± ¡°But we pretty much are.¡± ¡°Then you should bring more of your stuff here.¡± Shin smiled slowly. His hair was unusually dark and when it was wet, just like now after a shower, it puffed up. When Woojin reached out to tten it a little, Shin stopped drinking his milk andughed. Woojin asked, ¡°Why are youughing?¡± ¡°Because it does feel like we are living together.¡± ¡°And you like it?¡± ¡°Should I really bring more of my stuff here? Maybe my car too?¡± ¡°Ok. I will let the condo manager know and have your car license te registered.¡± Shin looked speechless. In truth, Woojin had been thinking about asking Shin to move in with him for a long time. Suddenly, Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist, which was adorned with the bracelet Shin gave him. Shin asked, ¡°... Are you sure?¡± ¡°You can just bring half of your stuff for now. When we move to a bigger ce...¡± ¡°Do you really want to live with me? Are you serious?¡± Woojin became a little uncertain as he watched Shin¡¯s eyes widen. Ever since they started to date, Woojin had been feeling countless new emotions. Many of them were indescribable and they changed quickly to different emotions. It was hard to describe their rtionship in one word. And it wasn¡¯t that every moment they shared was good. Not being able to read the one you love could be agonizing sometimes. Woojin frowned slightly before asking slowly, ¡°... Have you never thought of us living together?¡± The closer you got to someone, the bigger the risk you gained of getting hurt. It was only natural to want to spend time with the one you love, yet to Woojin, this fact was a brand new discovery. Until he met Shin, he never knew. He always felt morefortable being alone. Watching movies alone. Reading alone. Eating alone. Well, at least when he remembered to eat. The biggest reason he used to prefer being alone was because everyone seemed to feel ufortable around him. Then, Shin Kim came along. Shin was the only exception to this rule. And having only one person in the world he could get close to was the biggest happiness as well as the greatest misfortune to Woojin. When he clenched his fists nervously, Shin smiled and replied, ¡°I am not purposely trying to make you anxious...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t help but want to tease you. Especially nowadays when I can read you so much better.¡± ¡°... What are you trying to say?¡± Woojin wasn¡¯t sure, but he suspected his lips were trembling. Shin, suddenly looking a little rigid, held Woojin¡¯s cheeks gently and kissed him deeply. Shin licked Woojin¡¯s lips and because he leaned too hard against the table, his fork fell on the ground. Woojin¡¯s lips tasted like orange, kiwi, and grapes. Woojin wanted to hear Shin¡¯s answer, but he also didn¡¯t want this kiss to end. Woojin closed his eyes. Finally, after a long kiss, Shin replied, ¡°... I¡¯m trying to say that I am happy.¡± Shin smiled widely. Shin was nice to everyone, but he was especially considerate to those he liked. Feeling treasured, Woojin¡¯s heart began to beat fast again. Shin asked, ¡°I want to move in immediately. Is that ok? Are you sure you will be alright with me being around you so much?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± ¡°People how are used to living alone can sometimes find it hard to live with someone.¡± It was true that Woojin had never lived with anyone before, but all he could feel now was bliss. When he smiled, Shin smiled as well. Shin looked so beautiful that Woojin stared, ignoring his cellphone that continued to vibrate. Chapter 82 Chapter 82. ¡°What? Living together?¡± ¡°Sush! Speak quietly, will you?¡± ¡°OMG! Even I haven¡¯t tried living with anyone, yet Shin Kim is doing it? Before me? I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°You are in your 30¡¯s and you still haven¡¯t lived with anyone before?¡± Shin curiously watched Siwoo, who seemed to look much brighter. Before Joowan, Siwoo suffered from depression after breaking up with another guy. Even when he was dating Joowan, Siwoo was the type that subconsciously waited for the rtionship to end. Siwoo never lived with anyone because he wanted to remain independent, keeping a distance from his lovers. Siwoo seemed secure but still lonely even when he had a boyfriend. Shin asked, ¡°Siwoo, are you seeing someone?¡± ¡°... Your boyfriend asked me the same question. That¡¯s funny.¡± Siwoo frowned and Shin watched him quietly. Generally, people either liked Siwoo a lot, orpletely hated him. Even though he looked sharp, Siwoo was a warm person who got hurt easily. Unfortunately, Siwoo has been dating the ¡°bad guys,¡± until he met Joowan. Joowan was an unusual choice for Siwoo, and Shin thought that Siwoo¡¯s taste in men was finally changing. But when Siwoo and Joowan broke up, Shin became worried for him. Shin asked, ¡°So you are seeing Joowan again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about Joowan Kim.¡± Siwoo replied firmly, but he didn¡¯t seem upset, making Shin even more curious. ¡°But you don¡¯t date anyone right away after breaking up.¡± ¡°I am not dating anyone. I already told your boyfriend too.¡± ¡°But you look like the way you do when you start dating someone.¡± Shin looked at him sharply, but Siwoo remained calm. ¡°Shin, it¡¯s only Monday evening and I am very tired. Could you stop talking nonsense?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± ¡°Just eat your dinner and go home. It¡¯s your first night living together, so you don¡¯t want to bete, right?¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin has a family meeting tonight, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What do you mean? How did you know about it?¡± Siwoo suddenly looked awkward. After a short pause, he replied, ¡°Shin, let¡¯s just eat dinner.¡± ¡°You hate it when I pried, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yet you still keep doing it.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. By the way, it¡¯s so strange that we were both free tonight and get to eat dinner together.¡± Shin studied Siwoo carefully, hoping to see something in him. But Siwoo remained calm. He set down his chopsticks on the table and asked Shin, ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t nning on letting go of the recent car ident, right?¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°And you think it was Jihoon Kang who was behind it?¡± ¡°... What?¡± Shin expected Siwoo to know a little about his situation, but it seemed Siwoo knew much more than he let on. Shin became pale. ¡°Siwoo, how do you know that?¡± ¡°I am seeing Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not dating him or anything.¡± ¡°Then what are you guys? Friends?¡± ¡°Well, something like that.¡± Shin suddenly felt cold. ¡°Do you know what kind of man Jihoon Kang is?¡± ¡°I think I know him better than you do, Shin.¡± ¡°... That man¡¯s mother... she...¡± ¡°She hates Woojin Choi. I know.¡± ¡°... Did Jihoon Kang tell you that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It had been such a long time since Jihoon saw Shin looking this serene. Feeling confused and shocked, Shin stammered, ¡°H-have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°I am telling you that Jihoon Kang told this to me.¡± ¡°Do you know what kind of bastard he is?¡± ¡°Do YOU know what kind of man Jihoon is?¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that you only want to know about Woojin? You aren¡¯t interested in learning about anyone else.¡± ¡°... What are you talking about, Siwoo?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ming you for it. It makes sense that you should only care about Woojin. And Jihoon Kang... ¡± After contemting for a while, Siwoo added, ¡°Jihoon Kang will have to do his best to fix his misunderstanding with Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°What if it isn¡¯t just a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Perhaps, but...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I thought you already knew that Jihoon isn¡¯t the one whomitted the hit-and-run.¡± ¡°Siwoo, how did you get involved in all this?¡± ¡°Just answer me, Shin. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It was just a guess. I find it very suspicious that the police won¡¯t tell me anything.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Like someone high up is making sure the truth doesn¡¯t get out.¡± ¡°You have an animalistic instinct. I will give you that.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°...¡± After studying Siwoo for a long time, Shin finally said again, ¡°But no matter what, Jihoon Kang isn¡¯t the right guy for you.¡± ¡°And I am telling you that we aren¡¯t dating.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so na?ve, Siwoo. You know how these things happen. Just be careful and don¡¯t do anything you might regret.¡± Shin thought of Woojin. There was a time when Shin was happy to go to an empty house, but now, thinking of having someone wait for him made him feel happy. Everything was going to be okay. Shin had to believe this. *** ¡°I will take you home. Let¡¯s take my car.¡± Eejun spoke to Woojin as they walked the path in therge garden. They just finished dinner and Jihoon was walking a little ahead of them. It had been a long time since Eejun attended Woojin and Jihoon¡¯s family meeting. When Eejun offered, Jihoon turned around. It was normally Jihoon who drove Woojin home after dinner. Woojin¡¯s eyes met with Jihoon¡¯s. Jihoon didn¡¯t seem bothered by Eejun¡¯s offer. Jihoon replied, ¡°Go ahead, Woojin. Eejun lives in the same direction, right?¡± Eejun said to Jihoon a little coldly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking for your permission, Jihoon.¡± He was clearly picking a fight, but Jihoon again seemed indifferent. He didn¡¯t say anything. Woojin watched the two for a little while before turning away to look at the stone walls that surrounded the garden. The house was located in the middle of the garden and it was massive. When Woojin was little, this house felt like a prison to him. He remembered the very first family dinner. Afterward, Woojin ended up throwing up everything he ate that night. His mother caressed his head gently while his father went into his room without a word. At the time, Woojin thought his father was ignoring him, but now, he wondered if his father just felt apologetic towards him. Perhaps that was why his father came into his room and watched him sleep for a long time that night. Perhaps... Perhaps Woojin grew up more loved than he believed. Woojin finally said to settle this issue, ¡°Jihoon must be tired, so I will take up on Eejun¡¯s offer. We are going in the same direction anyway, so it makes sense.¡± ¡°... Alright.¡± Woojin watched Jihoon, who had a subtle frown, for a long time. Despite the long time they knew each other, they barely understood each other. Because they were forced into this odd rtionship, countless misunderstandings existed between them. It was impossible to tell how twisted their rtionship was, but now, Woojin felt like the truth was finally beginning to surface. When Jihoon walked far ahead of them, Eejun said to Woojin, ¡°Jihoon Kang was so annoying even during the dinner.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How is Shin Kim? Has he recovered fully?¡± ¡°He is doing okay.¡± ¡°Injuries from car idents take time to heal I guess.¡± When Eejun pouted, Woojin slowly grabbed his wrist and said to him, ¡°Eejun...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I need a favor. I need you to look into something.¡± ¡°What about?¡± ¡°... About Shin¡¯s car ident.¡± Eejun¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°What...?¡± ¡°You know as well as I do that it wasn¡¯t an ident.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It has got to be either Jihoon Kang, or...¡± ¡°Or?¡± ¡°That woman.¡± Woojin trembled a little, but he took a deep breath to control himself. Still holing Eejun¡¯s wrist, Woojin continued, ¡°You are the only one I can trust, so that is why I am asking you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Eejun looked at Woojin confidently and soon, they began to walk again across the garden. It was a moonless night. Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Chapter 83.

Chapter 83. Yeonwoo asked Shin, ¡°Oh, Mr. Shin Kim, you still haven¡¯t left yet?¡± Yeonwoo and Woojin, who workedte, were talking towards the elevator when they spotted Shin. It was a busy day because of the extra work they were given. Shin and Yeonwoo had no breaks at all today. Yeonwoo remembered seeing Shin going home earlier, so she was confused when she saw him again at work. Shin exined, ¡°Oh, I came back after a quick dinner.¡± ¡°Oh, I thought the education session was going to begin tomorrow for the marketing team. Was I wrong?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re correct.¡± Shin nced at Woojin quickly and got into the elevator with them. Yeonwoo asked, ¡°I heard it is a 3-day course. Where is it taking ce?¡± ¡°Chungju.¡± ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s not too far from Seoul.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Woojin had his sses off and was looking straight ahead. This morning, Woojin insisted on being dropped off far away from the office building, and because of it, they were almostte for work. Shin didn¡¯t understand why Woojin didn¡¯t want them to arrive at work together. He asked, ¡°Why do we have to do this? If someone notices, I can just tell them we met by coincidence and I offered to drive you.¡± ¡°People won¡¯t believe that. Everyone thinks we aren¡¯t that close.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Eejun and Jihoon Kang both know how close we are already.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to cause any damage to your reputation.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Woojin looked ufortable. He looked so pale that Shin rubbed his cheek a few times. Woojin finally faced Shin and sighed as he exined, ¡°I just don¡¯t like people staring.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t want people wondering about us. Gossiping...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I want you to always have a spotless reputation.¡± Shin felt a little depressed all day. When he nced at Woojin in the elevator, he noticed that Woojin looked grim as well. This morning, Woojin told Shin to go home without him because he had to workte, but Shin ignored his request. After a quick dinner, he came back to work so they could go home together. Tomorrow was the first day of the seminar, which meant that they wouldn¡¯t be able to see each other for three days. Shin really wanted to spend as much time as possible today. And it was their first time going home together after work. Their home. Suddenly, Yeonwoo asked Shin, ¡°Oh, this is perfect. Shin Oppa, you are going in the same direction as me, right? Please drive me home!¡± ¡°What?¡± Shin looked at Yeonwoo in shock as the elevator reached the lobby. Shin¡¯s car was in the basement parking lot, which was the level below. Woojin must¡¯ve pressed the lobby button on the elevator. It made sense that he would, since he didn¡¯t have a car. Yeonwoo was in the elevator, so Woojin couldn¡¯t get off at the parking lot with Shin. It would look suspicious. Woojin¡¯s lips trembled and Shin didn¡¯t know why. Shin felt nervous as he stammered, ¡°Well... the thing is...¡± Suddenly, Woojin announced, ¡°This is my floor. Have a nice evening.¡± He quickly left the elevator. Yeonwoo stared at his back until the elevator door closed. When it did, she whispered to Shin, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Oh, do you have ns with your girlfriend tonight?¡± ¡°... Yeah...¡± ¡°Gosh, then why didn¡¯t you just say so? You could¡¯ve just told me that you had ns. Why were you looking at Assistant Manager Woojin so nervously?¡± ¡°... I just don¡¯t like to talk about my personal life.¡± ¡°Hmm... I guess, especially in front of Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°Sorry, Yeonwoo.¡± ¡°There is nothing to be sorry about. I thought you were going straight home, that¡¯s all. Anyway, no worries. Have a great evening.¡± As soon as Shin reached the basement parking lot, he took out his cell phone and sent Woojin a message. He wanted to call, but he was worried Yeonwoo was still nearby and might hear him. -Where are you? -In front of the office building. As usual, Woojin texted back immediately. He must¡¯ve been holding and looking down at his cell phone the whole time, waiting for Shin¡¯s call. Shin grinned happily. Woojin asked him by text. -You aren¡¯t driving Yeonwoo home? -Go inside the coffee shop in front of the building. I will be there quickly. Shin continued to grin. He couldn¡¯t wait to go home with Woojin. Shin was leaving the parking lot when he saw someone familiar standing nearby. Eejun Bae. He was wearing a dark navy leather jacket and a colorful shirt. Shin wanted to say hello, so he was about to honk when suddenly, Shin noticed another man standing next to Eejun. ¡°What the...¡± It was Joowan Kim. *** ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Woojin asked Shin, who was ying with the cor of his pajamas. Such long slim fingers... Shin hadrge but slender hands. Woojin knew not to try to read Shin¡¯s thoughts because he was horrible at it, but he couldn¡¯t help keep trying. He wore his pajamas and took off his sses. He put them on his side table and got into the bed, thinking how d he was that he had a queen bed. Shin replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± Shin sat up against the headboard. Because he used to be an athlete, Shin had great posture. Even though he was very tall, taller than most people, he never hunched and this made him look even taller. Woojin reached out to hold Shin¡¯s hand, which was beautiful and warm. Shin added, ¡°It¡¯s just that I saw something strange.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°... Do you want to know what I saw? Are you curious?¡± ¡°A little.¡± ¡°Beg me then.¡± Shin rubbed his forehead. Unlike Woojin, who was expressionless most of the time, Shin was very expressive and animated. Sometimes, watching Shin made Woojin¡¯s body tremble. But sometimes, like right now, Shin also could put on a cold dry face. He looked indifferent and empty, and it made Woojin feel tense and... desirous. Shin didn¡¯t seem to know how he affected Woojin sometimes. Woojin replied, ¡°I¡¯m not good at things like that.¡± ¡°Just try.¡± Shin¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t forceful, but it still made Woojin want to obey. Most of the time, Woojin made the decisions in their rtionship, but odd times, like now, Shin insisted on being obeyed. Woojin wondered if it was wrong that he liked it. That he wanted to be submissive. Frowning, Woojin replied, ¡°... But I don¡¯t know how.¡± His cheeks turned red, and when Shin bit his ear, Woojin gasped. Shin whispered, ¡°You are blushing.¡± Woojin tried to turn away, but Shin stopped him by biting his neck hard. When Woojin cried out in pain, Shin finally smiled. ¡°Now do it.¡± ¡°... I¡¯m telling you... I don¡¯t know how.¡± Effortlessly, Shin lifted Woojin and sat him down on his stomach. When Woojin struggled in shock, Shin chuckled and replied, ¡°You just have to do what I do for you often. You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°... Let me go.¡± Shin was holding him down tightly by his hip, so Woojin couldn¡¯t escape. When Woojin finally gave up and wrapped his arms around Shin¡¯s neck, Shin smiled and asked, ¡°Kiss me.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You say no a lot nowadays!¡± Shin smiled proudly. He loved it when Woojin expressed how he felt and what he wanted and didn¡¯t want. Soft linen pajamas feltfortable around their skin. When Shin squeezed Woojin¡¯s hips tighter, Woojin felt delicious heat enveloping his body. The fire inside of him was for Shin and Shin only. Woojin hesitantly whispered, ¡°... Kiss where?¡± Shin¡¯s face crumpled in vicious excitement. He flipped their positions so that he was on top of Woojin, and Woojin had already forgotten what they were talking about. All he wanted to feel was Shin¡¯s weight on him, so when he moved a little, Shin licked his neck and began to unbutton his shirt. Woojin¡¯s mind turned nk. When he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, Shin asked, ¡°Where do you want to kiss me?¡± Shin¡¯s voice tickled Woojin¡¯s ears. Woojin opened his eyes and sat up slowly. He never saw the point of exercising, but he was slowly changing his mind about it because he felt that his stamina wascking. Woojin replied, ¡°... Guess.¡± Closing his eyes again, Woojin enjoyed the feeling of Shin on top of him. Chapter 84

Chapter 84: Chapter 84.

¡°Good morning,¡± Yeonwoo said to Woojin pleasantly. Woojin felt troubled this morning, and suddenly, he realized why. It was because Shin wasn¡¯t home when he left for work. Woojin vaguely remembered Shin touching his forehead early in the morning and whispering to him, ¡°I gotta go to the session.¡± He still wasn¡¯t used to living with Shin, since it had only been two days. But strangely, not having Shin around in the morning felt empty and lonely. Getting to work seemed much more tedious and upsetting than usual. ¡®Getting used to someone can be a scary thing.¡¯ Woojin took off his coat and sat down in his chair. His work email inbox was full as usual. As he read over the emails and documents, Woojin thought of his conversation with Shinst night in bed. ¡°It just felt a little strange.¡± ¡°What was, Shin?¡± ¡°Yesterday, I spotted Eejun Bae by coincidence.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And he was with someone unexpected.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Siwoo¡¯s ex-boyfriend.¡± Woojin remembered Shin¡¯s eyes looking sharp in the dark. Suddenly, someone asked Woojin from behind, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± It was Jihoon Kang. His familiar scent, which smelled like the wind, tickled Woojin¡¯s nose. It was Jihoon¡¯s favorite cologne. Lately, Jihoon rarely talked to Woojin or smiled at him. It seemed that Jihoon was distracted. Woojin replied, ¡°This and that.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°Do you still do drugs nowadays?¡± Jihoon looked at Woojin in surprise. He sat down his briefcase on his desk loudly. Jihoon indeed had a handsome face. It wasn¡¯t as sharp and beautiful as Shin¡¯s, but Jihoon had a distinct ¡°nice guy¡± face. He looked healthy and vibrant, opposite of Woojin. The only resemnce they shared was their light brown eyes. Jihoon answered him, ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Jihoon sat down in his chair and rubbed his face. ¡°Sounds like you are worried about me. Like you care about me, Woojin.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried about you.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Jihoon had a faint smile on his face. Woojin took out his sses from his drawer and wore them quietly. Staring at hisputer screen, Woojin said to Jihoon, ¡°Hey, Assistant Manager Kang.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you want to grab dinner with me tonight?¡± ¡°You are asking me? That¡¯s a first.¡± ¡°I will text you the ce.¡± Woojin wanted to know the truth. The details. He thought this was the best way to find out. Woojin nced at Jihoon secretly. *** ¡°I can¡¯t believe you asked me out to dinner, Woojin.¡± Jihoon and Woojin got into Jihoon¡¯s car together. When he smiled at him, Woojin flinched because he reminded him of Shin for a second. Woojin replied, ¡°I guess. I just found a great restaurant...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And strangely, I thought of you.¡± It was the truth. Woojin took out his phone and put in the restaurant name in the navigation system. Without changing his gear, Jihoon stared at him until finally, Woojin tapped his shoulder. ¡°Jihoon, why aren¡¯t you driving? Aren¡¯t we going to dinner?¡± ¡°... You are so...¡± Jihoon was going to say the word ¡°insensitive,¡± but decided against it. He covered his eyes with his hands and exhaled deeply. He continued, ¡°Woojin, you... and I are too different.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We don¡¯t work well together... Do you know that?¡± Woojin didn¡¯t answer him, but he did know what Jihoon meant. They always seemed to end up hurting each other. Jihoon Kang wore his ¡°happy¡± mask for the public, but internally, he was in pain. On the other hand, Woojin did the opposite where he was; he was empty both inside and out. Jihoon began to drive and Woojin stared at his profile quietly. Those who were troubled were easily hurt and full of scars while those who were full of love knew how to ovee their pain. Woojin never once thought to consider how Jihoon must¡¯ve really felt. But now, Woojin wanted to know more and it was all thanks to one person. Shin. Woojin murmured to Jihoon, ¡°I want to have a drink with you too.¡± ¡°Alright. I will get a cab home afterward then.¡± Woojin felt a little bitter and sad when Jihoon answered too quickly. Perhaps what they needed was an honest conversation all along. *** Jihoon felt nervous. Woojin was one of the few people who made him feel tense. Woojin was his cousin who was only a few months older than him. Every year, Woojin was invited to his birthday party, but Woojin never came. Jihoon always felt hopeful that someday, Woojin would invite him to his birthday party, but it never happened. Their rtionship was strange. Jihoon¡¯s family moved around a lot, so he never got to spend much time with Woojin. He supposed that the biggest reason why they weren¡¯t close was because his mother hated Woojin. Jihoon also found Woojin¡¯s father, his uncle, scary and intimidating. Jihoon always found his uncle to be empty, like a doll. Woojin resembled his father to some extent, but Jihoon felt like his uncle was much scarier. His uncle¡¯s ck eyes looked too deep and Jihoon could never tell what he was thinking about. Jihoon remembered going to the funeral and seeing Woojin¡¯s empty eyes. Jihoon also remembered that his own mother didn¡¯t attend her brother¡¯s funeral. Jihoon asked Woojin, ¡°What do you want to eat? You like beef, right?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat what you like tonight. And they have a great drink selection here too.¡± Woojin raised his hand to call for a server. The restaurant was quiet. It had an old-fashioned exterior, but the inside was very modern. Large fish-shaped lights came down from the ceiling and there was a bar as well. Arge wine cer decorated an entire wall in the corner. Jihoon replied, ¡°Alright. You order the drinks. I want to eatmb.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The corners of Woojin¡¯s lips curved upward slightly. It was only recently that Jihoon learned this was how Woojin smiled. Jihoon always thought Woojin didn¡¯t know how to smile because he always looked nk. Woojin was also extremely introverted. As a child, Woojin was often criticized for not being able to look at people in the eyes. Jihoonter learned that it was partly because Woojin was fearful. Sometimes, Woojin did manage to look Jihoon in the eyes. Jihoon realized that it began to happen after Shin came into Woojin¡¯s life. Contrary to popr belief, Jihoon didn¡¯t hate Shin Kim. He just felt ufortable around him. ¡°You have changed a lot, Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°I know.¡± After ordering a few dishes, Jihoon turned to Woojin and found him staring at someone. When Jihoon turned around, he saw a man in a white apron. He looked like a chef of this restaurant and he looked very young. When the man saw Jihoon looking at him, the chef returned to the kitchen. Jihoon turned towards Woojin and asked, ¡°Do you know that guy?¡± Woojin shook his head. His face looked nk and empty again, making Jihoon frown. Woojin yed with his ss quietly. Used to Woojin being quiet, Jihoon looked around to study the restaurant. When the bottle of wine finally arrived at their table, it was opened, and a flowery scent made Jihoon smile. Cautiously, Woojin opened his lips and asked, ¡°Jihoon, have you been seeing anyely?¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85. Jihoon asked in surprise, ¡°Me?¡± Woojin had never shown interest in Jihoon¡¯s personal life before, so Jihoon couldn¡¯t hide his shock and confusion. Woojin usually didn¡¯t even remember most people¡¯s names. When Jihoonughed because he found this situation funny and unbelievable, it was Woojin¡¯s turn to be confused. ¡°What? Why are youughing?¡± ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve ever asked me if I was seeing anyone, Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I find it strange that you are curious about me.¡± ¡°... Really?¡± ¡°Well, I guess my answer is... sort of. It kind of feels like I have someone, but I am not sure about it.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Woojin looked genuinely puzzled and Jihoon smiled. Woojin looked so adorable with his confused expression. It was shocking how Woojin, who had a full-time job, had no social skills. But this was why Jihoon liked Woojin so much ever since they were children. Woojin didn¡¯t know how to get along with others, and he was always clear on if he liked something or not. Woojin was honest; he wasn¡¯t sneaky or pretentious like the rest of the world. Jihoon was especially envious because he always felt a huge pressure to be liked by the family elders. Jihoon exined, ¡°The person I like... he isn¡¯t falling for me.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It seems that he broke up with his ex recently. I think he finds me annoying.¡± ¡°... I think he¡¯s already fallen for you.¡± Woojin emptied his ss and sighed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Because you are nice, Jihoon.¡± ¡°... Woojin Choi, are you actually giving me apliment?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Someone who was hurt recently would especially fall for you. Or at least, it will happen very soon.¡± Woojin calmly put a portion of sd on his te. His movements were always neat and precise, even as a child. Once, Jihoon¡¯s mother said out loud that she hated how Woojin didn¡¯t act like a normal child. At the time, all Woojin did was stare at his aunt quietly. Jihoon found it shockingly disturbing how Woojin resembled his aunt, Jihoon¡¯s mother. Jihoon replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the first time you admitted that you liked someone to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You like to talk about all kinds of things, but never about your love life.¡± ¡°... Is that so?¡± It seemed that they never really knew each other. Jihoon, trying to remove the awkward atmosphere, emptied his ss. The wine tasted sweet, exactly how Jihoon liked it. He hated bitter things. Jihoon could understand why Woojin would have thought of him when he drank this wine. Misunderstanding after misunderstanding... Jihoon med his mother for all of it, even now. The never-ending fight with her brother was all because of her greed. The truth was, Woojin¡¯s father never wanted the inheritance, but Jihoon¡¯s mother was still obsessed with discrediting him. Perhaps this fixation came from misced sisterly affection and her hatred towards her useless husband. Jihoon was sick of it, and for a while, he tried to stay away from Woojin. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t. Perhaps blood indeed was thicker than water. In appearance, Jihoon didn¡¯t resemble his mother, but inside, they were more alike than he wanted to admit. A server came by and asked, ¡°Is there anything more you need?¡± He set thest dish on the table, and when he did, Jihoon noticed a distinct tattoo on the server¡¯s hand. When he looked up, he noted that it was that chef who went back to the kitchen earlier. The chef had nted eyes, making him look kind. He looked a little gloomy, and Jihoon wondered if it was because of the dim lighting. Jihoon asked Woojin, ¡°Do you want to order more?¡± ¡°No.¡± The chef stared at both Woojin and Jihoon for a long time. Feeling his eyes, Jihoon looked up at him again and frowned. Jihoon asked, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°... No, sir.¡± Suddenly, Woojin began to chuckle. When Jihoon turned towards him in shock, Jihoon saw an expression he had never seen on Woojin¡¯s face before. Woojin¡¯sugh seemed spontaneous, and it made Jihoon smile as well. Jihoon asked Woojin, ¡°What?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Woojin hastily shook his head and poured Jihoon another drink. It seemed that Woojin himself was surprised by hisugh. Woojin asked, ¡°Do you like the food?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I thought you might.¡± The chef, who has been staring until now, finally left the table. Woojin helped Jihoon to another piece ofmb and said to him, ¡°I hope things work out for you with the person you like.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know... For some reason, I want you to be okay.¡± ¡°... You¡¯re funny.¡± ¡°I do feel a little sorry for the man though... your love interest I mean.¡± It sounded like Woojin just made a joke, and Jihoon¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. As far as he could remember, Woojin had never told a joke before. Woojin continued, ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. I mean it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can be very mean sometimes. Strange too.¡± ¡°You are calling ME strange?¡± ¡°I know you very well. We are rted after all.¡± Woojin¡¯s voice was indifferent, but Jihoon felt a glimmer of hope at Woojin¡¯s words. Until now, Woojin had been silently denying their rtionship, but it seemed that now, Woojin epted the fact that they were family. Woojin said to him, ¡°After dinner, please take me home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Perhaps they could finally find some peace between the two of them. *** After getting out of the shower, Shin felt ufortable. There was an odd number of men who attended the seminar, so he ended up getting a private room in the hotel. It was a spacious room, but Shin frowned because he felt like something was missing. He opened a built-in fridge and took out a bottle of beer. Thankfully, there was a convenient store in the lobby, and he got a few cans after the seminar ended that day. ¡°I hate this.¡± Having to go through mandatory seminars was frustrating. Shin¡¯s day usually consisted of working busily, so listening to a seminar all day was painfully boring. And on thest day, there was going to be a test. Just then, his phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°... Woojin?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s me. Who else could it be?¡± Woojin¡¯s voice sounded so sweet to Shin. Shin asked, ¡°Are you home right now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I just showered and am in bed right now. I was thinking of you.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin was so good at making Shin speechless sometimes. Honest sometimes-shy Woojin Choi. Shin whispered, ¡°How much are you thinking about me?¡± ¡°To the point that my body is burning for you.¡± Chapter 86 Story 9. Chapter 86. ¡°What does it mean when you say your body is burning for me?¡± Shin liked to ask questions he already knew the answers to. He also liked to pretend to Woojin that he didn¡¯t understand what was said, even though he did. During the few months they dated, Woojin learned that Shin was the type that didn¡¯t give details unless asked specifically. Shin also liked to not give answers easily. Some may have not liked this trait in a lover, but strangely, Woojin found it cute. Through the phone, Woojin could hear Shin¡¯s sticky breath. Woojin whispered, ¡°Should we video chat?¡± Woojin wanted to see Shin¡¯s face. Shin Kim was an expressive and vivid man, but when he became excited, Shin¡¯s face often turned cold and indifferent. This little secret always made Woojin feel excited. Oddly, Shin¡¯s cold face looked mean somehow, and it made Woojin tremble with lust. Even now, Woojin felt his heart beating loudly. He tried to breathe as quietly as possible; he didn¡¯t want Shin to find out that he was excited. ¡°Okay.¡± Woojin pressed the facetime button and waited quietly. Within a few seconds, Shin¡¯s face appeared on the screen. He looked pale, so Woojin asked, ¡°Is your room cold?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Your face looks almost blue.¡± Woojin¡¯s frown must¡¯ve looked funny, because Shinughed. Shin was wearing a thick navy hoodie. He replied, ¡°You know what? You look so disappointed right now.¡± Slowly, Woojin touched his phone screen with his finger. Shin tilted his head in confusion and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I thought I might be able to feel you if I touched the screen...¡± Shin¡¯s face turned cold again. Woojin wondered why Shin always tried to hide his excitement or happiness. Sometimes, Shin treated Woojin like he was fragile. Woojin didn¡¯t like this at all. He wasn¡¯t fragile or weak. He grew up in a cold family, and it only made him stronger. Woojin whispered, ¡°Do you want to touch me too?¡± Shin closed his lips firmly and Woojin wondered, ¡®Why does he remain so still?¡¯ Woojin thought of what part of Shin Kim¡¯s body he liked. His neck that bent backward during sex. His Adam¡¯s apple that bobbed. His eyelids that looked like they were vibrating. Shin¡¯s round and kind eyes that sometimes turned sharp like those of a beast. Clear skin and beautiful lips. Whenever Woojin touched Shin¡¯s lips, they were moist and sticky. Shinughed at such an affectionate gesture. Shin liked to touch Woojin¡¯s bare chest and grab his waist hard. Shin loved caressing Woojin¡¯s hip. Shin¡¯s hands were huge, and his fingers were long. They way they touched Woojin made him feel hot. Shin replied, ¡°I want to hang up.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Woojin¡¯s voice split, making Shin look up at him. He stared at Woojin for a long time, and Woojin¡¯s desire exploded. Was it just him who felt this way? Woojin asked, ¡°Do you think something¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Just looking at you like this makes me so happy.¡± It was a contrary statement. Truthfully, Woojin felt desperate to touch Shin. He wanted to possess Shin Kim. He was obsessed with Shin. The weekly therapy he had was like a confession session to Woojin. His doctor listened quietly without making any suggestions or offering any medications. She just listened to him and sometimes, she talked about herself as well. It was surprisinglyfortable and pleasant. Minji even told Woojin that he could even use strongernguage during their sessions. Minji said to him, ¡°You can even swear if you want.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°When I get angry, I sometimes curse very loudly.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know, the f-word.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you serious?¡± Woojin burst into loudughter. Heughed for a long time because he found Minji hrious. Minji and Shin were very alike. Minji told Woojin, ¡°Everyone makes mistakes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even if you make the worst mistake, you can always apologize for it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But if you feel like it can¡¯t be forgiven, then I guess you don¡¯t have to apologize. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Woojin felt consoled by this funny doctor. No one ever talked to him so frankly yet helpfully before. Perhaps Woojin read these simr words before in books in the past, but they felt meaningful only because of the person who said them. Minji¡¯s attitude was what assured Woojin the most. She was very serious, but she still made him feelfortable. Her smiles were genuine, and her eyes told him that she truly understood him because she went through simr things. Her lips looked kind and when she talked, Woojin felt like he could be honest with her. It was a strange and amazing thing. Talking freely about himself... The things he could never bring himself to talk about... When Woojin took a deep breath, Shin finally reacted. He said to Woojin, ¡°The reason why I want to hang up now is...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Because I feel desperate to feel you right now. I want to take you this very moment.¡± Woojin¡¯s heart was about to jump out from his chest. He remembered the feeling of Shin¡¯s rough hands touching him all over his body. Woojin murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t think I am going to be able to get any sleep at all tonight...¡± *** Jihoon said to Siwoo, ¡°This is the first time you asked me out.¡± Siwoo rarely asked anyone out for dinner on a weekday. He was a very social person, but the main source of the stress for him at work was dealing with other people. So after work, he usually needed time for himself to rest. But today was an exception. He wanted to drink tonight, but he didn¡¯t want to drink alone. He wanted someone to be there for him. And tomorrow, he had a meeting in the afternoon. His work hours were flexible, which meant that he could take tomorrow morning off. So after work, Siwoo asked Jihoon out to a pub in Jongro where his acquaintances rarely frequented. Even as he sent Jihoon the text, Siwoo secretly hoped that Jihoon would reject him. But his wish was not granted. Jihoon agreed to meet him for dinner. When they met, Siwoo said to him in annoyance, ¡°I know this ce is too far from your work. You know you didn¡¯t have to say yes.¡± ¡°I wanted to, since you never ask me out.¡± Jihoon¡¯s eyes looked unusually dark as he stared at Siwoo. Siwoo stared back, and after a few minutes, he realized that he was falling for Jihoon. This was very bad. With a sigh, Siwoo looked away. Jihoon muttered, ¡°You were the one who asked me out, and now you are sighing at me. How rude.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my specialty. A hobby perhaps.¡± ¡°Then perhaps the problem here is me since I am the weirdo who finds someone like you attractive.¡± Jihoon¡¯s hands felt hot on the back of Siwoo¡¯s hands. He couldn¡¯t breathe, so Siwoo looked away. The bartender walked towards them, but when he saw Jihoon¡¯s hands covering Siwoo¡¯s, he walked away quietly. ¡°Jihoon, remove your hands from mine.¡± With an odd smile, Jihoon reached to touch Siwoo¡¯s nose affectionately. He was clearly making fun of Siwoo, but all Siwoo could do was blush. Ignoring Jihoon as best as he could, Siwoo called for the bartender. The bartender walked towards them, wiping a ss, and asked Siwoo, ¡°Do you want what you had thest time? Hendrick¡¯s gin & tonic?¡± ¡°Oh, you remember.¡± When Siwoo smiled pleasantly at the bartender, Jihoon frowned. Siwoo noticed it, but he ignored it and poked Jihoon a few times to order quickly. Jihoon shook his head and stretched before answering, ¡°I¡¯m not going to drink.¡± ¡°What? Why not? This is a pub!¡± ¡°Please get us some cheese, crackers, and olives. And some lemonade too.¡± Siwoo studied Jihoon, who was ying with his cigarette pack. Jihoon looked almost unforgettable; he had ssic features and he looked like a typical ¡°nice guy.¡± Shin Kim looked gorgeous but easy-going, while Jihoon looked nice but a little cruel. He had dark eyebrows, eyes that strangely looked sad when he smiled, and a body that Siwoo suspected was lean and muscr. Jihoon was definitely Siwoo¡¯s type. Siwoo¡¯s favorite outfit on Jihoon was the ck turtleneck that hung tightly around his broad shoulders. It made Siwoo salivate with lust. Siwoo asked, ¡°I thought you don¡¯t smoke.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why do you carry around the cigarette pack?¡± ¡°Because you do.¡± Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Chapter 87.

Siwoo covered his face with his hands in frustration. Why? Why did Jihoon have to say something so corny? Siwoo felt ufortable and confused. Suddenly, Jihoon said to him, ¡°You should stop doing that.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Covering your face with your hands.¡± ¡°What? What has it got to do with you?¡± Jihoon dragged his chair towards Siwoo and stared at Siwoo¡¯s face intently. Their faces were so close that their eyshes were almost touching. Siwoo felt ticklish, so he tried to pull back, but Jihoon grabbed Siwoo¡¯s wrist and pulled towards him. Jihoon looked down to study Siwoo¡¯s fingers for a long time. He caressed it, making Siwoo feel strange. When Siwoo remained frozen, Jihoon smiled and said to him, ¡°Your fingers are too long.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So whenever you cover your face with your fingers, it makes me feel strange.¡± Jihoon then pulled back from Siwoo and began to drink his lemonade. Siwoo detested gays who were shallow and uncaring. Men who were full of themselves. Men who were well aware of how good-looking they were. Men who dressed well, were rich, and very experienced. These bad boys were often attracted to Siwoo. Often times, these boys would act all tough and rough, but when they began to show their softer and more vulnerable sides, that was when Siwoo would fall hard for them to a point that he became obsessive. And when the rtionship didn¡¯t work out, which happened a lot in Siwoo¡¯s past, that was when Siwoo was reminded of how giving himself to another man meant he would end up with nothing. This was why he chose to date Joowanst time, and Joowan was the first boyfriend who made Siwoo feel safe andfortable. Well, at least until he found out the truth. Jihoon¡¯s voice brought Siwoo back to reality. ¡°Why are you not paying attention? I can see that you are thinking about something else.¡± Jihoon could be very intuitive and sensitive, which were two of the many qualities that Siwoo didn¡¯t like about him. It seemed that Jihoon could read Siwoo very well, which was a scary thing. When Siwoo was with him, he couldn¡¯t think about anything else. ¡°Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Stop doing that.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Stop talking like you know everything about me.¡± Siwoo¡¯s body felt hot, so he emptied the ss of gin & tonic in ice. He was crunching on the ice when suddenly, Jihoon, who was drinking his lemonade, grabbed Siwoo¡¯s shoulders and pulled him hard. ¡°Huh?¡± Before Siwoo could react, their lips locked. When Siwoo opened his lips, Jihoon¡¯s tongue, which tasted like lemonade, invaded his mouth. By the time the kiss ended, a piece of the ice from Siwoo¡¯s mouth was now in Jihoon¡¯s mouth. ¡°... My lemonade didn¡¯t have any ice, and I wanted one.¡± Jihoon¡¯s face looked so calm that Siwoo gaped in shock. ¡°... Siwoo... aren¡¯t you going to hit me?¡± Jihoon asked with a frown, confused at the fact that Siwoo remained quiet. Siwoo was indeed in disbelief mostly because he knew that he had already fallen for Jihoon. He knew it was a bad idea to ask Jihoon out tonight. What shocked him the most was how quickly and easily he recovered from his breakup with Joowan. This had never happened before. Even now, thinking about Joowan Kim felt painful, but... Siwoo finally opened his lips, ¡°You are a bad person.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°And you are so sneaky.¡± ¡°... Siwoo Jung.¡± ¡°And so selfish and egotistical.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I must admit that you are a good kisser.¡± Siwoo felt his body burning. He had been denying the truth to himself, Shin Kim, and Woojin Choi, but it was no use now. It was toote. Jihoon sat closer to Siwoo again and caressed his arm. This time, Siwoo didn¡¯t run away, but instead, he put his arms around Jihoon¡¯s neck. Jihoon¡¯s lips covered Siwoo¡¯s lips again. Jihoon¡¯s tongue licked Siwoo¡¯s teeth gently. When he bit Siwoo¡¯s tongue lightly, Siwoo¡¯s body vibrated. Casually, Jihoon reached underneath Siwoo¡¯s shirt. Siwoo knew he wasn¡¯t going home alone tonight. *** Woojin couldn¡¯t remember exactly when, but he stopped having his nightmares or any other kinds of dreams. He suspected it was when he began to give his heart to Shin Kim. Woojin remembered the nights when he woke up in the middle of the night sweating and trembling. It was Wednesday today. Chungju was not too far from Seoul. The fact that he missed Shin so much probably meant that his love was at its peak. Perhaps eventually, their love would cool down. He felt expectant and strange on his way home after work. He ran up the stairs in his condo to get to his ce. Woojin wasn¡¯t the type that easily became excited, but it was different today. When he opened the door, the sudden warmth greeted him, making his eyes almost water. Shin was wearing a bright blue shirt. It was one of the first items Shin left at Woojin¡¯s ce early on in their rtionship. It sometimes smelled like Shin, so it was one of Woojin¡¯s favorite shirts. Shin asked Woojin, ¡°Did you eat dinner?¡± Woojin loosened his tie and began to take his shoes off. This whole situation felt so surreal that Woojin remained bent, pretending to stare at his shoes. Shin quickly came to the door and stood in front of Woojin. He asked, ¡°Are you ill?¡± ¡°No.¡± When Woojin stood up, Shin was there. Suddenly, Woojin remembered all the emotions he held inside of him for a long time. Loneliness, sadness, emptiness... All these feelings he didn¡¯t even know he had. He realized how much pain he had in his life as he saw how Shin looked at him warmly. Woojin set down his briefcase on the floor and reached out to hold Shin¡¯s wrist. He murmured, ¡°You don¡¯t look like you are too happy to see me...¡± Woojin looked at Shin for a long time before touching Shin¡¯s face. ¡°Now I can touch you.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin buried his face onto Shin¡¯s chest and they embraced each other. Shin seemed a bit surprised, but his arms automatically hugged Woojin. Their hearts beated together. Love was a funny thing. Enjoying Shin¡¯s warmth on his cheeks, Woojin whispered, ¡°I could smell your warmth.¡± ¡°From where?¡± ¡°As soon as I got off the subway.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Woojin rubbed his face against Shin¡¯s chest while Shin yed with Woojin¡¯s hair. Shin said to him, ¡°I want to see your face. It has been so long since west saw each other. Can you look up?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No.¡± Woojinughed as he replied. Lately, Woojin had beenughing a lot. Even Minji noticed this, but she seemed indifferent. ¡°Woojin, I see that youugh a lot more now. But you know, you don¡¯t have tough.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°But you do look very pretty when youugh. You are a cute man, Woojin.¡± Woojin could see the obvious resemnce between Shin and his older sister. Woojin finally looked up at Shin, but quickly looked away. Shin asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Then kiss me first.¡± ¡°You and your sister... you guys are both yboys, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°... That Minji Kim... did she tell you something about me?¡± When Woojin smiled widely, Shin couldn¡¯t believe how beautiful he looked. It was an amazing feeling to be loved by the one you loved the most in the world. Shin felt truly lucky. He whispered to Woojin, ¡°You have be even lovelier during thest few days.¡± ¡°See? The way you talk sounds like aplete yer.¡± ¡°And my sister? Does she talk like this too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Could it be that you have fallen for her?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Woojin felt happy. He enjoyed Shin¡¯s warmth with his entire body. They had all the time in the world. They had to. If they could live like this forever, it would be a true happy ending. And even if this didn¡¯tst... Just the fact that they spent this time together was enough. It had to, because this was love. True love. Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Chapter 88.

¡°Do you want some coffee?¡± When Jihoon opened his eyes, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was the weekend. His head ached a little, but unlike other times, he felt relieved that he didn¡¯t ckout. It meant that he didn¡¯t take the drugs like he sometimes did automatically before going to bed. Then suddenly, he realized that he wasn¡¯t home. He sat up and studied the room. The window was covered with ck curtains and the bedroom was small; the double bed filled the room. The pillow and the nket were grey. The man sitting in front of him was in his pajamas. His legs were crossed, and his ankles were visible. When Jihoon stared at them, Siwoo blushed. ¡°Stop staring.¡± ¡°You lost your voice.¡± ¡°And you must know better than anyone why.¡± Finally, Siwoo was his. Ruffling Siwoo¡¯s light brown hair, Jihoon sat next to him. This was the first time in his life. The first time ever when someone entered his heart. Jihoon felt a bit strange, so when he turned away, Siwoo pushed his face with his hand and muttered, ¡°You were so crazy.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°... Just crazy.¡± ¡°... I wish you noticed earlier.¡± When Jihoon caressed Siwoo¡¯s ribs, Siwoo moved away a little. His movement reminded Jihoon of a cat. After sleeping together, Jihoon expected Siwoo to act warmer, but it seemed that there still was a long way to go. When Jihoon frowned, Siwoo handed him the cup again and asked, ¡°Are you going to drink it or not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink coffee.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever drank coffee in front of you.¡± Siwoo looked so sharp, yet he was rather slow when it came to noticing his surroundings. He was a detailed and delicate person, but he sometimes acted rough and callous. Siwoo drank from the cup slowly and looked away. He seemed a bit apologetic. Jihoon changed the subject. ¡°What time do you have to get to work?¡± ¡°10 AM.¡± ¡°Hmm... How amazing it must be to have such flexible work hours.¡± ¡°I deserve it since I am a true talent.¡± When Siwoo frowned a little, Jihoon¡¯s heart did a summersault. Siwoo threw him a cold bottle of water, which showed that Siwoo wasn¡¯tpletely uncaring. Last night when Jihoon kissed his neck, Siwoo cringed a little while at the same time, he got closer to Jihoon. It was contrary behaviour and Jihoon loved it. Jihoon offered, ¡°I will drive you to work.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have to get to work too?¡± ¡°I can just take the morning off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised yourpany is doing fine when it has someone like you as their employee...!¡± Suddenly, Jihoon leaned forward and bit Siwoo¡¯s lips. Jihoon stared directly into Siwoo¡¯s eyes as he continued to kiss him. When he ground his lower body against Siwoo¡¯s, Siwoo didn¡¯t resist. Jihoon put his hand inside Siwoo¡¯s pants and found wetness. Jihoon pulled back a little and smiled. ¡°Are you not wearing any underwear?¡± ¡°... Dammit.¡± Siwoo covered his face with his hands again. Long slim fingers... They made Jihoon breathless. He didn¡¯t know when it happened, but Jihoon was infatuated with Siwoo now. Jihoon always thought his type was someone cold, but he recently realized that he was wrong. Siwoo could be cold, but he could also be scorching. Siwoo could be sharp, yet also be oblivious. Jihoon was obsessed with thisplicated yet adorable man. Jihoon murmured, ¡°I want to do it again.¡± ¡°... You have lost your mind.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you go to work a littlete today?¡± Jihoon raised one of his eyebrows. He knew how to seduce a person. All of his tricks didn¡¯t work at the beginning of their rtionship, but Jihoon knew they would now. Jihoon stroked Siwoo¡¯s thigh and lightly scratched his ankle, making Siwoo lean back in pleasure. Siwoo was tall but he was very slim, almost fragile. When Jihoon tried to get on top of him, Siwoo blushed in excitement. Jihoon found him so adorable. He tried to take Siwoo¡¯s top off, but Siwoo stopped him with his hands. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°You are such a sneaky man.¡± Siwoo¡¯s lips looked so pink and pouty, and Jihoon realized that if they did make love, he would probably have to miss work altogether today. Jihoon also felt a bit hungry, and he knew he slept very well even though he didn¡¯t drink or take drugsst night. There was no doubt there was something different about Siwoo that made Jihoon feel normal. He smiled, pleased at himself for finding someone like Siwoo. Suddenly, Siwoo saw the smile and asked, ¡°You...¡± ¡°What?¡± Siwoo sighed and asked, ¡°You think you are so hot, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You are lying.¡± ¡°No, but I can see that YOU think I¡¯m hot.¡± Jihoon raised his eyebrow again and smiled, making Siwoo frown. Secretly, Siwoo wondered what Jihoon looked like when he was a child. Jihoon now looked mischievous yet sad at the same time, and Siwoo thought Jihoon probably had a very different personality when he was younger. Siwoo muttered, ¡°You are so annoying.¡± ¡°Hey, do you like wine?¡± Jihoon finally sat up. If he didn¡¯t get up now, he knew he would end up wasting the whole day. The truth was, Jihoon had many important meetings today, so he couldn¡¯t skip work. But of course, if Siwoo was involved... Siwoo replied, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Woojin Choi introduced me to a restaurant, and the food was pretty good.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go out to dinner tonight.¡± Siwoo looked at Jihoon with an odd expression. Sometimes, Siwoo looked like a little boy. When Jihoon smiled, Siwoo traced Jihoon¡¯s lips with his finger. Jihoon felt a sudden urge to kiss Siwoo again, so when he leaned forward, Siwoo frowned, ¡°You are a total yer.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°Asking someone out to a dinner date after sex is against the rules.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about things like that. These invisible rules and codes.¡± ¡°I do. I need to be calcting because if I don¡¯t, I always end up losing this game.¡± Siwoo was definitely a very defensive, almost skittish type, but inside, he was a warm and loving person. Jihoon loved that about him. Because Siwoo looked a little sad, Jihoon pulled him closer and said to him, ¡°Date me. I want us to be exclusive.¡± ¡°...What?¡± When Siwoo looked at him with wide eyes, Jihoon acted casually. He began to walk towards the bathroom. Siwoo¡¯s house was just like its owner. It was clean and neat, with a little bit of ir. But it did feel like it was left empty a lot of the time. Jihoon suspected Siwoo rarely, if ever, let people into his house. He felt that Siwoo probably liked to have his private space even when he had a long-term partner. Siwoo looked so beautiful and most likely very popr, but for some reason, he made Jihoon feel a little sympathetic. Popr but still lonely... Jihoon thought that Siwoo probably craved warmth because he gave all of himself away to others in his past. Jihoon said to him, ¡°... Maybe I should have asked this earlier?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will feel hurt if you say no right now, so answer meter. Think about it for a while.¡± ¡°... Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me some bullsh*t about ¡®It¡¯s me, not you.¡¯ I don¡¯t n on our rtionship to be just a fling.¡± Jihoon¡¯s voice trembled just a little as he continued, ¡°And for your information, I have never asked anyone to be exclusive before.¡± ¡°And you expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°Then ask Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Or just say yes.¡± When Jihoon looked at him intensely, Siwoo blushed and looked away. Jihoon loved it and thought that maybe he could finally be happy. Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Chapter 89.

It was getting warmer, signalling that winter was almost over. Siwoo was finishing up his work when he realized that he had been waiting for the end of the workday all day. It was strange to feel so expectant and eager, and he grudgingly admitted it was because of his date after work. Just thinking about it made his body feel warm. ¡°Mr. Jung, you seem really happy nowadays. Is something good going on in your life?¡± ¡°... What?¡± One of the designers on his team was joking with Siwoo. She continued, ¡°Your girlfriend must be treating you very well.¡± ¡°I look like I¡¯m dating? In a rtionship?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were in a rtionship? You said that a long time ago. You said you have been in a longstanding rtionship. But... you look a little differenttely for some reason.¡± Siwoo felt strange. He thought he was done with the crazy burning kind of rtionship in his early 20¡¯s. He learned that these kinds of rtionships ended with him left in the ashes. Siwoo now wanted a stable andfortable partner, yet here he was again, starting a new one with someone like Jihoon. Siwoo knew he was being stupid. Then suddenly, he remembered Jihoon kissing each of his fingersst night. Thinking of it made his lower body burn. ¡°Oh, Mr. Jung, your face is turning red. Do you have a cold?¡± ¡°The workday is over, so just go home already!¡± ¡°Why are you acting all shy?¡± Siwoo stared at the designer for a long time before checking his face in a mirror. His cheeks were definitely red. Because he had a round face, people thought he was much younger than he really was. Siwoo rubbed his face. Just then, his cellphone beeped. There was a message. -Are youing down? Siwoo¡¯s heart began to beat fast. This was very bad. Siwoo fell in love easily, so he always made sure to be careful not to move too fast. But now, it seemed like it was toote. He had failed. His mouth felt bitter, but he found himself checking his hair and hurriedly putting on his coat and his scarf. This was bing ridiculous. The designer asked him, ¡°Oh, you are going home already?¡± ¡°Workhour is over, so of course I am. What¡¯s wrong with going home on time?¡± ¡°Wow, you are really sensitive today. Well, if you are going, I will follow you. Let¡¯s take the elevator together.¡± The designer got very close to Siwoo, but he felt nothing. He never felt any kind of interest towards women. They walked towards the elevator together. They worked on the second floor, so Siwoo could¡¯ve taken the stairs, but he rarely did. Siwoo wasn¡¯t very fit and he hated inefficiency. The designer smiled and said to Siwoo, ¡°You would think pink wouldn¡¯t suit many men, but it looks create on you, Mr. Jung.¡± ¡°Hmm, you are being sexist, Designer Park.¡± ¡°By the way, there is a really attractive guy who is staring at you in the lobby, Mr. Jung.¡± Women were so quick at spotting good-looking men. The man she was referring to was standing behind them, yet Designer Park spotted him so easily. Siwoo smirked and turned around to check and saw the man. It was Jihoon Kang. Siwoo muttered, ¡°He is not that hot.¡± ¡°I see that you still have very high standards, Mr. Jung.¡± ¡°Why would you think he is hot?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say he was hot. I said he was attractive.¡± ¡°... What?¡± ¡°It sounds like YOU think he is hot, Mr. Jung.¡± Designer Parkughed in amusement. Siwoo frowned, feeling ufortable, and it seemed like Jihoon noticed it. Jihoon was leaning against a wall in the lobby, and he continued to stare at Siwoo. Jihoon was wearing a ck long coat and the way he looked at Siwoo seemed a little impatient. He was clearly waiting for Siwoo to get to him quickly. Siwoo said goodbye to Designer Park and hurriedly walked towards Jihoon. He almost ran and when he reached Jihoon, he held Siwoo¡¯s shoulders and muttered, ¡°Is it fun to chat andugh with that girl?¡± ¡°Hey, back off. And stop touching me. People are staring.¡± Jihoon grabbed Siwoo¡¯s waist, and Siwoo quickly pped his hands away. Ignoring the gesture, Jihoon pulled Siwoo¡¯s ear yfully. Siwoo eximed, ¡°Hey! Stop!¡± ¡°I¡¯m making sure that woman over there sees this.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to date you yet.¡± Jihoon quickly pulled back, and when Siwoo felt Jihoon¡¯s hands leave his body, he felt sudden disappointment. Siwoo put his hand on his heart, which was beating fast again. Jihoon asked, ¡°Do you work with that woman?¡± ¡°Stop being so rude.¡± ¡°You are so sensitive.¡± ¡°How are we getting to wherever we are going?¡± ¡°I brought my car of course. It¡¯s parked at the parking lot in front of this building.¡± ¡°Are you now going to tell me where we are going?¡± ¡°Oh, haven¡¯t I told you yet? It¡¯s a restaurant near here in Sajick Dong. Have you heard of a ce called Jooban?¡± Siwoo¡¯s heart stopped suddenly. He wondered if he would fall and die right now. What was Jihoon saying to him? Was this really happening? Unaware of Siwoo¡¯s shock, Jihoon continued, ¡°I went there for the first timest week. Woojin Choi introduced the ce to me, and...¡± ¡°W-wait a second.¡± ¡°... What¡¯s wrong?¡± Siwoo frowned and asked, ¡°Did you just say you went there for the first timest week?¡± Did Jihoon really just say he had never been to Jooban beforest week? Jooban, which was Joowan¡¯s restaurant? But then... Joowan Kim and Jihoon Kang... Had they never met before? Was Siwoo mistaken about the whole thing? Chapter 90 Chapter 90. Shin asked one of the interns, ¡°Did Mr. Eejun Bae go home already?¡± He went to the fourth floor into the business department office and asked the person who was sitting next to Eejun¡¯s seat. The intern nodded, ¡°I think he was nning on going straight home after his business meeting outside of the office. Do you want me to leave a memo for him?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s ok.¡± Shin shook his head and turned to Eejun¡¯s desk again. It was bare except for one picture frame. Inside the photo were a child with a nk expression and a white-haired old man standing next to him. Shin remembered seeing the photo of this old man when he passed the chairman¡¯s office. He was the previouspanywyer and Eejun Abe¡¯s grandfather. Myunghoon Bae. Now that Shin studied him closely, he couldn¡¯t see any resemnce between Eejun and his grandfather. But perhaps the way they stared at the camera looked a little simr. Suddenly, Shin remembered the conversation with Woojinst night. Woojin was staring at the ceiling and holding Shin¡¯s hand. Woojin murmured, ¡°Shin.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang doesn¡¯t know Joowan Kim.¡± ¡°...Pardon?¡± When Shin asked in shock, Woojin closed his eyes and murmured, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Jihoon Kang who was meeting with Joowan Kim, but I think it had to look like it. Or something like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Sometimes, when I take the medication Dr. Yoonil...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t think clearly the next day. I also couldn¡¯t remember things.¡± ¡°... Woojin.¡± ¡°Your sister, Dr. Kim, asked me to bring the medication to her so she could have a look at it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t bring myself to do it... I am afraid.¡± Shin bit his lips hard, and Woojin hugged his neck tightly. If Woojin wasn¡¯t holding him, Shin would have left the condo right away to see Dr. Yoonil. Shin remembered Yoonil¡¯s dry, uncaring eyes. Shin continued to stare at the photo of Eejun Bae and his grandfather. ¡®Why me? Why not Woojin Choi?¡¯ This question had been bothering Shin for a long time. It could be that whoever was behind all this hated Woojin so much that he or she knew hurting Shin would hurt Woojin terribly. But... Shin couldn¡¯t help feeling that he himself was the main target, not Woojin. Shin was certain he was being used in an borate scheme. When Shin looked back, Jihoon Kang tried several times to let Shin know how Woojin felt. *** Siwoo canceled the date with Jihoon who looked at him in disappointment and shock. But Siwoo ignored him and left quickly. He hated seeing such an unhappy expression on Jihoon¡¯s face, but Siwoo had to find out the truth immediately. He never got the courage to ever ask Jihoon what his rtionship was with Joowan. Siwoo only asked Joowan over and over again for the truth, and now, Siwoo was going to ask Joowan onest time. Siwoo arrived at Joowan¡¯s restaurant. He sent a text to Joowan. -I¡¯m at the entrance of your restaurant. Siwoo received an immediate reply. -I will be out. It was clear that Joowan still had feelings of Siwoo. It appeared that Joowan had been waiting for Siwoo all this time. This was the type of guy Siwoo wanted to be with, but there was no longer any trust between them. ¡°Siwoo Jung.¡± When he heard the low baritone voice, Siwoo knew what an idiot he was. Just hearing Joowan¡¯s voice was enough to make his eyes water. Siwoo bit his lips and thought of Jihoon Kang. Siwoo didn¡¯t trust Jihoon either, not yet, but at least Jihoon didn¡¯t lie to him. Siwoo walked up to Joowan and pped his beautiful kind ex-lover. On Joowan¡¯s long neck and pale cheek, an angry red mark appeared slowly. Siwoo¡¯s hand hurt, but the pain and coldness in his heart were much worse. ¡°Bastard.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Why did you approach me?!¡± ¡°... Siwoo.¡± Siwoo couldn¡¯t help but scream at Joowan. He tried to remember the first time they met. When he thought back, Siwoo vaguely remembered Joowan asking about Shin early on in their rtionship. At the time, Siwoo thought Joowan was just showing interest in him. He thought Joowan was just being jealous. The way Joowan treated Siwoo was so warm and caring that Siwoo never imagined Joowan could have an ulterior motive. Siwoo remembered the first lunchbox Joowan made up for it. It was filled with all the things Siwoo liked. ¡°Joowan Kim, tell me that I am mistaken about all this.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tell me that you didn¡¯t approach me from the beginning because of Shin Kim. That it has nothing to do with Shin!¡± ¡°... Siwoo...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say my name! Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Joowan grabbed Siwoo¡¯s shoulder, and unlike before, Siwoo no longer felt warmth from him. Instead, his arms became covered with goosebumps. Siwoo continued, ¡°Am I mistaken?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer me! You never met Jihoon Kang before. It was a lie, but you pretended otherwise. Why did you admit you were seeing Jihoon Kang when you have never even seen him before?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know Woojin Choi too, don¡¯t you?¡± Joowan¡¯s eyes widened. Siwoo knew for a fact that Woojin Choi didn¡¯t know Joowan Kim. He was certain of it. Siwoo knew Shin mentioned Joowan as Siwoo¡¯s boyfriend to Woojin many times, and Woojin never showed any kind of recognition or familiarity. But Joowan was different. When Siwoo mentioned Woojin¡¯s name, Joowan couldn¡¯t hide his expression. Siwoo continued, ¡°You asked me to show you Woojin¡¯s photo in my graduation album.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But despite all these damning pieces of evidence, I still want to believe you.¡± ¡°... Siwoo.¡¯ Siwoo used to love Joowan¡¯s voice. It was so low and soothing, but now, Siwoo felt a little fearful. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tell me that you never approached me on purpose! For an ulterior motive!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tell me you never knew Jihoon Kang and Woojin Choi before you met me!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Tell me that I am an idiot and I am mistaken about all this...¡± Suddenly, Siwoo felt someone grab his wrist. He didn¡¯t realize he was crying, but Siwoo felt the tears rolling down his face. He felt like he was dying. The pain was unbearable. He smelled the familiar cologne from the man who grabbed his wrist. The man held Siwoo¡¯s hand firmly but gently. That scent... It was the scent Siwoo smelled this very morning. ¡°What are you doing here, Siwoo Jungun?¡± When Siwoo looked up, Joowan¡¯s face crumpled into an ugly frown. Siwoo knew that behind him, Jihoon Kang was standing. Jihoon said to Joowan, ¡°So I was right. I thought you recognized mest week when I came to your restaurant with Woojin, Chef.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny, because I had never seen you before until then. I don¡¯t know you.¡± Joowan growled, ¡°Let Siwoo go.¡± Siwoo had known him for a long time, but it was his first time seeing Joowan looking this angry. Joowan looked like apletely different person. Jihoon let Siwoo¡¯s wrist go, but he quickly grabbed Siwoo¡¯s waist and pulled towards him. Siwoo took a deep breath and the cold air began to help clear his head. Jihoon said to Joowan, ¡°What gives you the right to order me around?¡± ¡°...¡± Joowan frowned angrily. Siwoo was surprised because he never expected Joowan could be this angry about anything. As Joowan became angrier, Siwoo¡¯s anger began to calm down slowly. This situation felt so surreal. Suddenly, Joowan pushed Jihoon and growled again, ¡°I have all the rights in his situation. It is you who should keep out since you aren¡¯t relevant in this situation.¡± ¡°Why am I not relevant?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer him, Siwoo Jung. I have the right to stand beside you, right?¡± Joowan suddenly turned towards Siwoo and asked in confusion, ¡°... Siwoo?¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91. Siwoo looked at Jihoon quietly. When his eyesnded on Jihoon¡¯s ck eyes, Siwoo felt like he was trapped again. That¡¯s right... Joowan Kim and Jihoon Kang were supposedly meeting each other once a month while Siwoo was dating Joowan. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that Siwoo found Jihoon¡¯s name on the reservation list. Was Siwoo even supposed to see the list? But one thing was clear here; Jihoon Kang didn¡¯t know Joowan Kim. At least, not until Woojin Choi took him to this restaurantst week. Joowan looked like he was about to cry. The skin underneath his eyes were turning red. They dated for a long time, and it was ironic how Siwoo was just finding out how Joowan really was after they broke up. Siwoo bit his lips hard and opened his mouth. ¡°Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡± Even without facing Jihoon, Siwoo could feel Jihoon¡¯s face crumbling into devastation. Jihoon was a proud person, but he also had low self-esteem. He was a very anxious person, and Siwoo knew this very well. Siwoo understood because he was the same. This was why he had been trying to avoid dating Jihoon for a while. Joowan breathed a little easier and turned towards Siwoo. The familiar stare for some reason made Siwoo feel a little afraid. Siwoo realized that Joowan probably had many more faces that he never imagined. It was only now that Siwoo realized he didn¡¯t know his ex very well while they were dating. Siwoo said slowly, ¡°Jihoon, go home.¡± ¡°Siwoo...¡± ¡°I will be there after I¡¯m done here. I will go to your house afterward.¡± Just then, Joowan grabbed Siwoo¡¯s wrist. Unlike when Jihoon held his wrist, Siwoo pushed Joowan away without hesitation and turned to hold Jihoon¡¯s hand instead. Jihoon, who had been frowning so far, slowly began to smile. Seeing Jihoon like this made Siwoo smile as well, though he stopped himself quickly. Siwoo continued, ¡°I will be there soon.¡± The two men surrounding Siwoo had opposite reactions. Siwoo touched Jihoon¡¯s back affectionately. When he caressed the exact spot he grabbedst night during sex, Jihoon¡¯s neck reddened immediately. Siwoo found it so cute that he couldn¡¯t help smiling. Joowan watched this interaction in shock. He asked, ¡°Are you guys together?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jihoon was walking away but he stopped when Siwoo answered without hesitation. Siwoo nned on letting Jihoon know about his decision regarding their rtionship muchter, but because of Joowan, he ended up blurting it out. But even so, Siwoo didn¡¯t dislike his decision. Joowan asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°It is you who has nothing to do with me, Joowan. Not anymore. The only reason I am talking to you right now is to let you know that we will never be together again.¡± ¡°... Siwoo...¡± ¡°Stop saying my name and answer me. Since when have you been lying to me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to answer me, that¡¯s fine.¡± Siwoo knew Jihoon Kang was within reach. All he wanted to do right now was to give plenty of chances to Joowan to tell the truth. But Joowan refused to answer him, and it was a huge disappointment. Siwoo was certain that Joowan would at least show even a little bit of honesty to him. Siwoo felt like an idiot. ¡°What do you mean ¡®fine?¡¯¡± ¡°Do you remember what you told me before?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You once said to me that if we ever split, I am the type that would never see you again. That this made you nervous.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You were right, Joowan. Now that we are over, we will never see each other again.¡± ¡°Siwoo... I...¡± He turned around, away from him. Joowan was a caring partner, but Siwoo now knew that it wasn¡¯t enough. He also knew there was so much of Joowan he didn¡¯t know about. Joowan grabbed his wrist again, but Siwoo quickly pulled back. It was strange how Siwoo no longer felt pain in his heart. Perhaps it was because he knew Jihoon was waiting nearby in his car. Suddenly, Joowan finally admitted, ¡°Siwoo, you are right. At first, I did approach you for a reason. I did have an ulterior motive.¡± ¡°...¡± Siwoo stopped in his tracks as Joowan continued, ¡°But as I got to know you, everything changed. What I felt for you was real. I never knew you would end up seeing that reservation list.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± ¡°... Siwoo!¡± Siwoo continued to walk away. He wanted to cover his ears so he didn¡¯t have to hear Joowan¡¯s voice anymore. His hand covered his forehead as he felt weak when he noticed Jihoon on the street. Siwoo thought he would be waiting in his car, but Jihoon was right there. People walked by and the cars passed by, but all Siwoo could see was Jihoon¡¯s face. Jihoon was looking back with a rxed but slightly nervous look on his face. Jihoon mouthed the words, ¡°Come to me.¡± Without hesitation, without thinking, Siwoo began to run towards him. He quickly became breathless and Siwoo wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he was running or if it was because of Jihoon. When he reached Jihoon, Siwoo muttered, ¡°... I told you to go ahead home without me.¡± ¡°Did you really think I would leave you here alone?¡± ¡°... Jihoon Kang.¡± When Siwoo reached out for him, Jihoon hugged him tightly. Siwoo could hear Jihoon¡¯s breath in his ear, and he realized that Jihoon was panting as well. Had Jihoon been worrying about him? Jihoon seemed nonchnt and indifferent, but Siwoo was learning that he was, in fact, a very caring and sensitive person. Sometimes, his considerate nature caused Jihoon to act in an obsessive way, but somehow, Siwoo felt moved by it. ¡°Siwoo Jung, you have a bad taste in men.¡± ¡°That must be why I chose you.¡± Jihoon smirked and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go home now.¡± His gentle voice was more than enough to soothe Siwoo¡¯s broken heart. Chapter 92 Chapter 92: Chapter 92. Jihoon asked Woojin on the phone, ¡°Are you free right now? Can we talk?¡± ¡°You cane to my house.¡± This was an hour ago. Jihoon had never visited Woojin¡¯s home before. Thinking about it now, it was probably because Jihoon was afraid he might bring bad memories or even bad luck to Woojin¡¯s house. Woojin traced the cup that sat on the table in front of him before turning to watch Shin¡¯s bare feet next to him. Shin was reading a book on the sofa. When Woojin touched Shin¡¯s ankle, Shin seemed surprised. He sat down his book and asked, ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Do you want me to give you a hug?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shin¡¯s hands were huge. Woojin loved the feeling of being inside Shin¡¯s embrace. He buried his face on Shin¡¯s shoulder and breathed in deeply. ¡°Shin, do you think I am a bad person?¡± ¡°... Why would you think that?¡± Shin hugged Woojin even tighter and asked with a deep echoing voice. Woojin looked up a little, wanting to hear Shin¡¯s voice a little better. He kissed Shin¡¯s neck on his way up and answered, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t do anything about it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I just gave up. I assumed it was going to be a sad unfortunate life.¡± Woojin slid his hand underneath Shin¡¯s shirt and caressed Shin¡¯s back. His slim sensitive skin moved up slowly, as if branding Shin as his own. Both Shin and Woojin were very possessive of each other. Shintely realized this, and it became even more obvious every time their bodies were in close proximity. The way Woojin watched him... The way Woojin fixated on Shin¡¯s ankles and wrists... During the weekends, all they did was make love. Shin refused to let Woojin sleep; Shin was obsessed with having sex with him. Shin didn¡¯t think their behaviors were abnormal; they just had a very deep and sticky rtionship. Ding dong. Woojin stood up as soon as he heard the doorbell. It had to be Jihoon. When he slowly opened the front door, Jihoon Kang was standing there. He smelled like the wind. ¡°Hello.¡± The way Jihoon smiled was surprisingly simr to how Woojin smiled. Woojin admitted that they were indeed rted. Sometimes, Jihoon reminded him of himself, and this made Woojin now feel more apathetic towards his cousin. Jihoon seemed very extroverted but he was very vague and secretly built a giant invisible wall around him. Woojin was very introverted but he could be surprisingly direct and straightforward. They were two very different people, but there had to be a point in the middle where they could coexist. And... it seemed they were getting closer to it. ¡°Come in.¡± Shin was stood up from the sofa and bowed lightly. Jihoon took his coat off and smiled at him. Jihoon looked rxed but oddly nervous as well. Jihoon began the conversation, ¡°Chief Kim, I heard that you are living with Woojin now.¡± ¡°Assistant Manager Kang, I am so sorry for the misunderstanding between us. It was my mistake.¡± ¡°Oh well, I think I probably deserved it. I did act shady.¡± ¡°I see that you are as funny as ever.¡± Shinughed as he stood up. He whispered to Woojin, ¡°I will be in the room.¡± Shin then walked into the bedroom and Jihoon watched their interaction quietly. Jihoon no longer looked angry or tired like before. Perhaps it was because he now had someone who made him feel more rxed and loved. Perhaps Jihoon had been lonely all this time. Woojin walked to the kitchen as he said to him, ¡°Shall we chat a bit now?¡± The wonderful smell of coffee filled the condo. Woojin brought two mugs to the table and Jihoon smiled, covered his mouth, and said to him, ¡°I don¡¯t drink coffee.¡± ¡°...Oh, right.¡± ¡°You are just like Siwoo sometimes.¡± It had been a long time since Woojin and Jihoon talkedfortably with each other. The truth was, Woojin found it very ufortable to spend time with him, let alone talk with him. And for the longest time, it was never Woojin who tried to improve their rtionship. It was always Jihoon. Jihoon continued, ¡°I heard a gist of what happened from Siwoo. Just a simple version.¡± ¡°... So Siwoo knows now?¡± ¡°Yeah, because I took him to that restaurant for dinner the other night.¡± Woojin felt a chill throughout his body. Ever since he began to date Shin, Woojin learned that there were so many different emotions in this world. At some point, he began to feel for not only his partner, but for the other people around him. Woojin began to understand how other people felt, and the more he learned to understand, the harder it had been for him to deal with it. Woojin now felt torn at thisplicated situation. When he thought of how Siwoo must¡¯ve felt, the pain he must¡¯ve endured, Woojin found himself feeling sympathetic. ¡°Is Siwoo ok? Was he shocked?¡± ¡°... Woojin, I never thought you could worry about someone other than Shin Kim...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can see that you have changed a lot, Woojin Choi.¡± Jihoon smiled. He rubbed his lips as he leaned against the sofa. When he turned towards Woojin again, Jihoon had a cold expression on his face. ¡°He will be alright since I will be there for him.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin realized Jihoon Kang had changed as well. Jihoon said to him, ¡°I don¡¯t know Joowan Kim.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± ¡°Then why did you take me there without exining? Why did you keep it a secret from me?¡± ¡°Because I felt bad.¡± Woojin meant it. He did suspect briefly that Jihoon could be the one behind Shin¡¯s ident. ¡°But it¡¯s true that that woman hates you.¡± ¡°But I also know that is why you hate her too. Your own mother.¡± ¡°I hate her because I am afraid that she might have killed her own family.¡± Finally, the many pieces of the puzzle wereing together to reveal the truth. ¡°I still don¡¯t trust my mother.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because we still don¡¯t know everything.¡± The only thing left for them to do was piece the puzzle together. Woojin brought out a small box from the coffee table. ¡°This is something that might help us in finding the truth.¡± Inside the box, there were tiny little pills. *** Woojin looked down at the text message on his cell phone. -Yoonil is really worried about you. Even your mom called him yesterday. Woojin, you need to go see him at the clinic. It was from Eejun. Woojin was at the team leaders¡¯ meeting. Usually, Woojin didn¡¯t attend these meetings, but because the policy department team leader was away on a business meeting, he had to be here to take notes for his superior. When he sat down, the general manager nodded at him subtly. The general manager never acknowledged Woojin before, so he was surprised. Woojin guessed that it was probably because his grandfather told him about Woojin. ¡®Just what is his n?¡¯ Woojin¡¯s grandfather was someone that was very distant to Woojin. He was the head of this family and he was interested in Woojin only as a potential heir to thepany, not as his grandson. In his grandfather¡¯s home, which was like a castle, the Chairman was always surrounded by people. Family members,pany people, business acquaintances, and so on. They never left him alone and most of these people didn¡¯t like Woojin. Woojin¡¯s own rtives hated him. ¡®I wonder when this all started.¡¯ During the meeting, all Woojin could think about was when Eejun Bae began to lie to him. Myunghoon Bae, Eejun¡¯s grandfather, and thepany¡¯s previous attorney had been slowly but surely making sure Jihoon and Woojin drifted apart. And to do this, he needed his grandson. To uncover the truth, Woojin had no choice but to contact his grandfather. It was a difficult task, trying to talk to his own grandfather without Attorney Myunghoon Bae knowing about it. Yoonil, Myunghoon Bae, and Eejun Bae... These three men were involved in everything and everyone that concerned his grandfather and thepany. But the general manager sitting across from him... He was one of the few who was independent of these three people. The general manager was an outsider who was promoted to this position by Woojin¡¯s grandfather purely because of his talent. Suddenly, Woojin saw that there was another text message from an unfamiliar number. When he opened it, it showed a simple message. -We need to meet. -From Joowan. Woojin rubbed his eyebrows and began to write a text to Shin that he was going to bete tonight. Chapter 93 Chapter 93. ¡°It has been a while since you came home, Shin. What¡¯s going on?¡± Shin visited his parents¡¯ home for dinner. He was sitting on the sofa and watching the TV when his sister Minji came home from work and asked him. ¡°Minji Kim, what¡¯s with your outfit?¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m your big sister, so show some respect.¡± It was one thing to dress casual, but wearing the same-colored hoodie and jogger pants... Shin looked at her in shock and disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t the people at the hospital say anything to you about your clothes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok because I wear a gown on top.¡± ¡°You do at least wash your clothes, right Sis?¡± ¡°Mom! Where are you? Shin is making fun of me!¡± His older sister was forever a childish person. Ever since they were kids, Shin always found Minji curious and strange. Minji was an overly affectionate yet disapproving older sister. She imed that it was her job to criticize her adorable and handsome younger brother. Their mother came out from the kitchen and smiled at her children. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Mom, Sis is wearing strange outfits again.¡± ¡°Oh, Shin. Comfort is the most important thing when ites to clothes.¡± Shin¡¯s mother was a true free spirit. He believed it was his mother who raised Minji, who used to show unusual social tendencies, into a healthy woman. It fact, it was Minji herself who told Shin this fact. As they grew older, Minji told Shin a lot about herself and her life. Shin was able to do the same, and this helped him greatly when he was going through a tough time after the ident in his teen years. Having a sister he could talk to during his most difficult time was a great blessing. Shin always felt grateful to her. Andtely, he was even more thankful because of her help with Woojin. Shin considered his family his oasis. Minji poured herself a cup of water and said to her mom nonchntly, ¡°Mom, Shin got a new roommate.¡± ¡°I know. He already told me. He got rid of his apartment too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m notpletely done with my apartment yet.¡± Shin walked into the kitchen and began to help his mother make dinner. Minji also quickly washed her hands to help. When they were little, the four of them used to make meals together. Now that he thought about it, Shin remembered his father being in the kitchen often. Minji began to wash the cabbage as she said to her mom, ¡°Apparently, he is Shin¡¯s colleague from work. Mom, this guy is really beautiful.¡± ¡°Really? Beautiful? He must be quite a person for Minji to give such apliment.¡± Their mom smiled brightly as she ced the bulgogi on a te. Shin gently hugged his mom from behind and asked cautiously, ¡°Mom, is it ok if I bring him here?¡± Both his mom and Minji shrugged and answered, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Will you cook him something?¡± ¡°Of course. Bring him anytime you want.¡± Shin bent down and smiled happily. Minji looked up at him curiously and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring him today?¡± ¡°He already had dinner ns.¡± ¡°Oh... so you came here because there was no one to feed you. I see. It makes sense.¡± When Shin red at her jokingly, Minji burst intoughter. When their mother left their side to finish up a dish, Minji stared at Shin. After a short hesitation, he asked, ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± ¡°Because you look so handsome.¡± ¡°Stop lying.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Then I will ask you a question first.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Does Woojin seem like he is having a hard time with your sessions?¡± ¡°Actually, it seems like he enjoys them.¡± When Shin looked at her in confusion, Minji smiled brightly and added, ¡°Seriously. I mean it. And more importantly, I find it fun to talk to Woojin.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I know it sounds odd, but he is so adorable.¡± ¡°Totally! Like when one of his eyebrows go up when he wants to disagree!¡± ¡°Oh, and he purses his lips a little when he agrees with you.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s so obvious that we are rted.¡± Minjiughed and Shin asked, ¡°Sis...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you think it is good for him to remember the past?¡± Shin¡¯s face darkened with worry. His eyebrows were so long that they cast a shadow over his eyes. Minji took a deep breath and patted Shin¡¯s head affectionately. ¡°The decision is up to him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He needs to do what he thinks is necessary, and all you have to do is be there for him. Help him through it.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Shin looked down at his big sister. She was taller than him for a long time until one day, he had to look down at her. She nagged him more than his own mother, and she could be very emotional, but Shin loved Minji. He knew that one of the reasons why she chose psychology was because of him. Shin knew Minji wanted to help him. Minji asked, ¡°By the way, Woojin stopped taking those pills, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Even before you warned him, he rarely took it anyway.¡± ¡°The other pills were even more dangerous.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± She was referring to the pills Jihoon Kang used to take. Woojin asked for them from Jihoon and gave them to Minji to find out what they were. It turned out that they were strong narcotics that could cause brain damage. Minji exined, ¡°Those pills can be very addictive. I heard he used to take it at least twice a week for a long time, which means it is going to take a lot of effort for him to go cold-turkey.¡± ¡°... Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Woojin is a cautious person. That must be why he has survived this long without getting hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that.¡± ¡°I know his life wasn¡¯t perfect, but I can tell you that he still has a good heart.¡± Minji stood up. After staring at Shin for a long time, she tapped his cheek lightly. It was an old habit from their childhood. A disy of affection. She smiled gently, and Shin was reminded again how much they resembled each other. She added, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he is someone you like.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Are you ttered by mypliment?¡± ¡°Maybe a little.¡± ¡°Haha. I hope only the best for you and him.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shin wasn¡¯t sure how much Minji knew and how far she suspected his and Woojin¡¯s rtionship, but she was someone he trustedpletely. This was why he loved his home. Shin felt so rxed and happy here. The warmth... The unconditional love and trust... Shin wanted to show Woojin these wonderful things, and soon, Shin knew he would. Shin smiled happily. Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Story 10- Chapter 94.

¡°How do you do? My name is Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°I am Joowan Kim.¡± Woojin was surprised by the ce Joowan picked for them to meet. It was a quiet caf¨¦ outside the city; inside, there was only one barista. When Woojin first walked in, he was a little confused. The caf¨¦ was huge with arge garden attached to it, but it waspletely empty inside. It was located slightly outside the city center, but not so far that it would be this empty. The caf¨¦ was also surrounded by many famous hotels and restaurants. This could only mean one thing: Joowan must¡¯ve rented the whole ce for this meeting. Joowan asked, ¡°I think I will drink the t white. What would you like?¡± ¡°ck tea please.¡± Before the barista left with the order, he rolled up his sleeves and Woojin noticed an unusual tattoo on his wrist. Enjoying the lovely aroma of ck tea, Woojin studied Joowan¡¯s tattoo carefully. Nonchntly, Joowan rolled up his sleeve even more and showed it to him. Now that Woojin saw it closer, it looked familiar. Joowan asked, ¡°You know this logo, right?¡± ¡°... Hana Pharmaceuticals?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was one of the pharmaceuticalpanies Woojin¡¯spany invested in. It was involved in researching gic disorders and Woojin knew thepany studied his own family¡¯s family illness. He remembered the logo from his father¡¯s pill bottles. Joowan said to him, ¡°Attorney Myunghoon Bae also is an investor of thispany. Did you know that?¡± ¡°... No, I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I have known Eejun Bae since we were children. I am the youngest of my family, so I never attended the majorpany meetings.¡± The CEO of Hana Pharmaceuticals had three sons. Woojin met two of them in the past, and he vaguely remembered being told that the third son lived abroad. ¡°You are the youngest?¡± ¡°Yes. I think you might have seen my older brothers.¡± ¡°I used to attend thosepany meetings once a year when I was younger, so yes. But I can¡¯t remember them.¡± ¡°I will let them know.¡± Joowan had apletely nk face. He acted like he was uninterested and that he was just answering out of politeness. Woojin became curious, ¡°Why did you ask me to meet you?¡± ¡°Why do you think?¡± Joowan gestured to the barista, who brought him arge envelope. The tattoo on the barista¡¯s wrist was also the logo of the Hana Pharmaceuticals. Joowan opened the envelope and took out the photos. He spread them on the table and they were of Woojin at different ages. Each photo had dates and his age written on them. Woojin looked at them indifferently and without interest. ¡°Mr. Woojin, you may or may not know me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But I have been watching you for a long time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Of course, it wasn¡¯t because I wanted to.¡± ¡°Does that matter?¡± ¡°I guess not. I must be my father¡¯s son after all. I have very thick skin just like him.¡± Woojin learned recently that Hana Pharmaceuticals actively sold and purchased information. Woojin slowly looked through the photos until he saw one that looked brown and old. It was a photo of himself walking into the main entrance of his high school. And behind him, Shin Kim was walking into the school too. ¡°I will keep this, Mr. Kim.¡± Woojin picked up the photo and Joowan nodded. ¡°Mr. Choi, Attorney Myunghoon Bae has been involved in this for a very long time.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This situation with Jihoon Kang and yourself.¡± Joowan spat out Jihoon¡¯s name like it was poison, and Woojin didn¡¯t miss it. Joowan continued, ¡°And your father Wootaek Choi and Jihoon Kang¡¯s mother Dayoung Choi... They were both involved too.¡± *** Shin Kim was nning on stayingte at his parents¡¯ home, but after dinner, he suddenly missed Woojin. Thinking of returning to his own home where he lived with Woojin made him feel happy. Shin felt that he now had a new family of his own. When he stood up to leave, Minji looked at him in disappointment. Shin said to her, ¡°Sis, you should find someone you love and form a family of your own too.¡± ¡°Oh, are you saying you found one for yourself?¡± When Shin flinched in shock, Minji smiled. Her smile was wide and genuine. When she smiled, her eyes nted down, making her look much younger, almost like a child. Shin loved her smile. Of course, when she nagged him, she turned into the devil. ¡°Tell Woojin hi.¡± ¡°I will.¡± After saying goodbye to his mother, Shin walked out. He was about to walk to his car when his phone beeped. It was a text message from Woojin. It seemed that his meeting was over. When Shin called him, Woojin answered quickly. ¡°Hello?¡± Slow and rxed voice. Woojin did everything in a calm manner, but there were hidden details to him that only a few people in the world knew. Shin loved these details, and most of all, it was a fact that he was one of these very select people. Shin smiled broadly and asked, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Near your home.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You told me your parents¡¯ address before, remember? I can actually see you right now.¡± When Shin looked around, he saw Woojin leaning against the wall in the faraway corner. Woojin was wearing a coat and a scarf Shin got him to wear this morning. When Woojin spotted Shin, he hung up and waved at him. At the beginning of their rtionship, Shin never expected he would get to see Woojin like this. Shin murmured to himself, ¡°I was afraid he would always remain doll-like...¡± When they first met, and for a long time after, Woojin only had one expression on his face: nk. Before, when Shin woke up in the middle of the night, he secretly watched Woojin sleep. He also sometimes put his finger underneath Woojin¡¯s nose to make sure he was breathing. But nowadays, Shin realized how expressive Woojin became. His lover now knew how to frown, sigh, and pout. It was such a big change. ¡°How long have you been waiting, Woojin?¡± It was cold outside, and Shin could see his own breath. Woojin smiled and looked up at Shin. ¡°I was just passing by. I didn¡¯t mean to wait for you.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Really. I wasn¡¯t waiting here for long. I swear. I was just walking by when you just came out.¡± Another big change in Woojin was that he now spoke what he felt and thought. It seemed that this particr change urred after his session with Minji started. Woojin told Shin a few times that his big sister must be a very talented doctor. Shin covered Woojin¡¯s cold cheeks and said to him, ¡°My sister misses you.¡± ¡°I will see her on Monday.¡± ¡°I am so jealous.¡± ¡°But we see each other every day.¡± When Woojin looked down shyly, Shin couldn¡¯t help but hug him tightly. They walked towards the parking lot and looking down at him, Shin noticed Woojin looked a little tired. ¡°Can I ask you what you talked about with Joowan?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Woojin nodded and grabbed Shin¡¯s wrist rightly. Woojin did seem very tired. Shin asked, ¡°Did you eat dinner yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I will make you something yummy when we get home.¡± Woojin smiled and his cheeks dimpled adorably. He smiled frequently now, and Shin¡¯s heart thumped every time he saw his lover happy. It began to snow a little. The snowkes looked like tiny stars under the streetlight. They walked in calm silence when suddenly, Woojin said to Shin, ¡°It must¡¯ve been a much longer time than I thought.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°What happened in my past. What I experienced...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Because I learned today that I was no longer angry.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°These things happened so long ago that when he was talking about it, I felt like I was listening to a story. Or something that happened to someone else and not me.¡± ¡°...Woojin...¡± ¡°Shin... He told me that neither my father nor Jihoon¡¯s mother were ever sick.¡± Chapter 95

Chapter 95: Chapter 95.

Chapter 95. Woojin¡¯s clear eyes filled with tears, making Shin feel devastated. Unfortunately, all he could do was listen to Woojin and squeeze his hands. Woojin continued, ¡°He said they were perfectly fine.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What... What am I supposed to do?¡± Perhaps Woojin came here because he wanted to see Shin. Maybe... Woojin had been waiting for Shin much longer than Shin guessed. And now that they were together, Shin wanted to feel everything Woojin felt. He wanted to share their lives together. Shin replied, ¡°All you have to do is to say you feel sad if you feel sad.¡± ¡°... Ok.¡± ¡°And say you are in pain if you are.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I will always be by your side.¡± Woojin looked up at him quietly. Standing in the snow, Shin looked so beautiful. What was love? Woojin thought of this question often nowadays. Lately, the world looked so much brighter to him. Was this happiness? Sometimes, he felt so overwhelmed with it that he worried he might burst. Holding Shin¡¯s face, Woojin closed his eyes and whispered, ¡°Thank you...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For seeing me, Shin.¡± Shin embraced Woojin. The world felt much warmer when they were together. *** The cellphone wouldn¡¯t stop vibrating on the table. With an annoyed frown, Jihoon sat up. It was 6 in the morning. It had been a long time since he slept in his own home. Last night, he fell asleep talking to Siwoo on the phone. Siwoo¡¯s voice sounded so sad that it kept him upte into the night. Jihoon reached out to take one of his pills but remembered what Woojin told him. ¡°We both know to expect that we are being spied on... that people are listening to our conversations... but...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The pills... They are unsafe too, Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°...¡± Jihoon hung up and immediately called his mother. He knew his mother was going to the clinic regrly. She became easily anxious when she didn¡¯t take her medication. Thankfully, when Jihoon stopped taking his pills, all he felt was an odd thirst sometimes. Woojin told him about the consequences of taking these pills for a long time. He could lose his memories and hallucinate. Jihoon remembered what happened a few months ago. When he drank and took the pills at the same time, he woke up in the morning and learned that he made calls during the night, but he couldn¡¯t remember any of them. Those pills... Jihoon finally understood what was happening. Jihoon picked up the phone and saw that Woojin was calling him. He answered it, ¡°Oh, Woojin. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°Home. I am going to work soon...¡± ¡°Siwoo got hurt.¡± Jihoon suddenly froze. Afraid he might drop his phone, he squeezed it hard. ¡°Hello? Jihoon? Are you still there?¡± ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m listening. Tell me what happened.¡± ¡°He broke his leg and he is in surgery right now. I am calling you from the hospital.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you in shock?¡± ¡°... So you are saying he didn¡¯t get hurt too badly, right?¡± ¡°Thankfully.¡± Jihoon finally exhaled. He got off the bed and removed the curtains. Those bastards... It was bad enough that they killed two people. Now they were going to three. Four of them were in it, and they were making five people miserable. Jihoon asked, ¡°How did you find out? So early in the morning.¡± ¡°Joowan Kim contacted me.¡± ¡°That bastard...¡± ¡°If he didn¡¯t let me know, it could have been much worse.¡± ¡°... After what he did, how can you forgive him?¡± ¡°Siwoo told me to call you. He said you will get anxious if you can¡¯t get ahold of him.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I just thought Siwoo was our priority in this situation.¡± Yes. Woojin was right. Jihoon had forgotten what was truly important. Siwoo Jung was with him now. This could be the beginning of their future. And Woojin, who had been with Shin for a while now, was the teacher in this new world of happy and healthy rtionships. Jihoon replied, ¡°I will leave right now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Jihoon heard Woojinughing quietly as he hung up. Taking a quick shower, Jihoon thought of Siwoo Jung. He needed to see Siwoo¡¯s face right now. *** Siwoo thought the surgery wouldn¡¯t take a long time because it only involved local anesthetic, but it did take much longer than he expected. As he was wheeled into his room on a wheelchair, Siwoo thought his situation couldn¡¯t get any worse. He couldn¡¯t understand how he fell from the stairs. The worst thing was that he lost consciousness when he hit his head on the ground. When he finally woke up, he had no idea how much time had passed. He was already in the hospital and Woojin Choi was waiting for him. Siwoo was still in confusion when he was wheeled into the surgery room. The doctor told him he broke a few bones in his leg and that Siwoo was very lucky he was found so quickly. During this entire time, Siwoo couldn¡¯t recover from his confusion. He muttered, ¡°Gosh... This is the worst! How unlucky could I be...¡± ¡°Siwoo Jung.¡± Jihoon Kang walked in, and as soon as Siwoo saw him, his head turned nk. Jihoon was wearing a deep navy turtleneck and his hair was still wet. If they broke up in the future, Siwoo knew he would never be able to get over him. He rubbed his face and looked away in annoyance. Siwoo knew he was already too deep in this. This was very bad. He was ruined. Jihoon asked, ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± He walked up to Siwoo and took over pushing the wheelchair from a nurse. Jihoon was standing right behind and Siwoo could smell the fresh watergrass from him. Jihoon¡¯s caring look, gentle voice, and worried sigh all made Siwoo¡¯s heartbeat race. The nurse, who was standing nearby, exined to Jihoon, ¡°If the patient rests and takes his pain medication, he should feel better.¡± Jihoon turned to her and replied, ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± ¡°We need to move the patient to his bed...¡± ¡°Oh, I can do that. I am his family.¡± Family... It was just a word, but Siwoo¡¯s heart dropped. When the nurse left the room and closed the door behind her, Siwoo felt Jihoon grab the wheelchair handles from behind. He rolled the wheelchair slowly towards the bed. Jihoon lowered his face to Siwoo¡¯s level suddenly. ¡°What the! You scared me, Jihoon.¡± ¡°I just want to look at your face. Turn towards me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you in pain? Is it bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Jihoon kneeled in front of Siwoo and gave him his hands. Siwoo muttered, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Jump into my arms, so I can carry you to the bed.¡± ¡°I can do it by myself.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Why are you being so stubborn?¡± When Jihoon gently held his waist, Siwoo couldn¡¯t help feeling a strong urge to hang onto him. Siwoo also feared he might burst into tears, so he quickly wrapped his arms around Jihoon¡¯s neck and buried his face into Jihoon¡¯s shoulder. Jihoon became rigid and murmured in shock, ¡°... Wow... It looks like you are totally in love with me.¡± Siwoo smiled. Even in the worst moment, Jihoon could make him feel happy. Siwoo joked, ¡°Are you asking me for a love confession?¡± When Siwoo caressed the back of Jihoon¡¯s head, Jihoon smiled. Siwoo could tell that Jihoon was clearly smitten with him. And Siwoo felt the same way about him. Jihoon whispered, ¡°I guess even you act like a baby sometimes.¡± ¡°From now on, I will act like a baby all the time.¡± ¡°So... you are saying yes, right? We are officially exclusive?¡± ¡°... Jihoon, you are an idiot.¡± Siwoo knew that once the anesthetic wore off, his leg would feel painful, but he wasn¡¯t worried. Jihoon was going to be by his side. It was obvious that Jihoon came here hurriedly, and Siwoo felt safe. Chapter 96

Chapter 96: Chapter 96.

Chapter 96. It was the first time ever for Woojin to appear in the business department around lunch time, so some of the workers whispered among themselves in surprise. Woojin was well known for keeping to himself. A few of the business team members approached Woojin to greet him in a friendly manner. Woojin ignored them, only nodding slightly, and touched Eejun¡¯s shoulder. Eejun turned around and looked up. His sses shined against the bright light. Woojin asked, ¡°Do you want to have lunch with me?¡± ¡°Oh, my queen! What brings you here? You haven¡¯t even been answering my textstely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°Family stuff.¡± ¡°Hmm... are there any family rted stuff that I don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°Yes, since you aren¡¯t part of my family.¡± Woojin ignored how Eejun¡¯s eyes narrowed for a second. Now that he thought about it, Woojin could see why he felt ufortable around Eejun. Even though Eejun most likely knew everything about Woojin and Jihoon, he always tried to keep his distance from them. Myunghoon Bae was the same way. Myunghoon Bae. Woojin remembered his snake-like eyes. When Woojin was younger, he couldn¡¯t see the resemnce between Myunghoon and Eejun, but now, Woojin saw the same coldness in Eejun¡¯s eyes. Woojin tightened his coat as goosebumps covered his body. Eejun asked, ¡°What are you going to buy me for lunch?¡± ¡°Whatever you want.¡± ¡°I want steak.¡± Looking at Eejun¡¯s face, Woojin remembered Joowan, whom he met recently. Woojin wasn¡¯t surprised when Joowan mentioned Eejun¡¯s name. It was expected. Myunghoon Bae was deeply involved with Hana Pharmaceuticals, and soon, the connection between Joowan Kim and Eejun Bae was going to be clearer. But the problem was the lies Myunghoon Bae had been telling Woojin¡¯s family all this time. Gic illness... Family sickness... Woojin learned from Joowan that there was no such thing in his family. It never existed, which meant that no one was working on a medication to cure this imaginary illness. Everything Woojin was told about it... They were all lies. His aunt was to return to Korea next month. Jihoon talked to his mother on the phone and it was the first time he wasn¡¯t frowning when he was talking to her. It seemed that everything was returning to their rightful ces. Woojin replied, ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go eat steak.¡± ¡°Wait, I change my mind. I want to eat something else.¡± Eejun stood up as he smiled and grabbed his coat from a hanger. It was a handmade coat. Light mustard made from luxurious material. It was beautiful and delicate. It was the kind of clothes that got dirtied and stained easily. Eejun always enjoyed wearing light-colored outfits. Woojin touched Eejun¡¯s coat and said to him, ¡°It looks so warm.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, it looks just like you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Something that can be stained very easily.¡± Woojin stared at Eejun quietly. When he blinked a few times, his long eyshes created a dark shadow on his eyes. Eejun clenched his fists for a second, and Woojin noticed it but pretended ignorance. They began to walk towards the elevator. Eejun said to Woojin, ¡°I want to eat rice porridge for lunch.¡± ¡°Ok. Let¡¯s go to our usual ce.¡± They got into the elevator together. Eejun pushed the basement parking lot button and smiled at Woojin. Eejun¡¯s lips trembled subtly, and Woojin wondered if it was just a coincidence. As the elevator went down slowly, Woojin felt like he was falling. It seemed like it was finally the time to undo this twisted knot. *** Siwoo grumbled as Jihoon walked into his hospital room, ¡°I told you not toe here at lunch time.¡± He grabbed the sses from the side table. Jihoon was holding tworge paper bags. Except for a broken leg, Siwoo was unhurt. The doctor told him he could go home immediately, but for some reason, Jihoon insisted Siwoo stay in the hospital for a few days. Jihoon also insisted that he would sleep in the hospital with Siwoo. Siwoo sighed in frustration. Jihoon asked, ¡°What did you want to eat?¡± ¡°What did you bring me?¡± ¡°Sd, sushi, and oden nabe.¡± ¡°... I am going to get fat because of you.¡± ¡°Those are your favorites, right?¡± Jihoon was a very detailed man. Because Siwoo could be the same way, calcting and clever, there were times when he disliked Jihoon. Based on Siwoo¡¯s observation, Jihoon didn¡¯t want people to know how sensitive he was. This was why he acted overly outgoing sometimes. In truth, Jihoon detested socializing. He felt awkward inside and being with most people felt stressful to him. Jihoon didn¡¯t hesitate to say no when he didn¡¯t want something, but he secretly worried if he hurt the person¡¯s feeling. All these things about Jihoon made Siwoo nervous sometimes, wondering how he should treat Jihoon. It was partly because Jihoon was just like him in some way, but very different in other ways. Jihoon was a difficult person to deal with, but ironically, this was also why Siwoo fell in love with him. Siwoo said to him, ¡°Sometimes, you act like a stalker.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like me obsessing over you?¡± Siwoo became breathless when Jihoon looked straight into his eyes. This was really bad... Siwoo was falling for Jihoon too deeply. At first, he decided to date Jihoon simply because of his looks. A very long time ago, there was a time when Siwoo secretly admired Jihoon. Siwoo wasn¡¯t sure if he would remember the very first time they met. At the time, Jihoon was much rougher and more promiscuous. It was around the time when Siwoo became an adult and was learning about himself. Jihoon saw Siwoo reminiscing, so he asked, ¡°Who are you thinking about? You are making googly eyes.¡± ¡°You are so corny.¡± ¡°Yes. I admit it. It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Even when they first met, Jihoon wasn¡¯t an overtly kind guy. But he had that lonely look in him, and that was why he caught Siwoo¡¯s eyes then. Siwoo sat up carefully as Jihoon brought out the small folding table. Siwoo mentioned, ¡°By the way, you seem so good at this. Taking care of a patient. It¡¯s surprising because you don¡¯t look like someone who would be good at something like this.¡± ¡°My mom was in the hospital for a long time. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°... What?¡± Siwoo¡¯s eyes widened while Jihoon took out a bowl of sd from the paper bag. ¡°Is your mother sick?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you not want me to ask?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you would want to hear about it.¡± Siwoo hated the smile Jihoon gave him. It looked so sad, making Siwoo¡¯s heart ache. He wanted to reach out to touch Jihoon, but Siwoo stopped himself. Jihoon sat down on the side of the table and stroked Siwoo¡¯s hair. He murmured, ¡°You are like a pet.¡± ¡°... You should shut up.¡± ¡°You resemble the dog I used to have.¡± ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°He was white and cute.¡± Jihoon pushed back Siwoo¡¯s hair and kissed his forehead. Today, Jihoon smelled of mint. When Siwoo frowned and rubbed his forehead, Jihoon smiled. Feeling even more annoyed, Siwoo pouted. Suddenly, Jihoon pulled him by his wrist and kissed him hard. Their lips parted at the same time and Jihoon licked Siwoo¡¯s lips. He forced Siwoo to open wider and their tongues dueled each other. It was a short kiss, but it was deep and sticky. Jihoon touched Siwoo¡¯s lips afterward and murmured, ¡°... It¡¯s a good thing we got a private room.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have health insurance, so I am going to be burdened with a huge hospital bill.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This hospital belongs to ourpany.¡± Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Chapter 97.

Chapter 97. ¡°... Are you bragging to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying since I am now your guardian, you don¡¯t have to pay anything.¡± Siwoo hated Jihoon paying for him, but it was still nice to hear that Jihoon considered himself Siwoo¡¯s guardian. When Siwoo looked down, Jihoon handed him a te of tuna sushi. He also ced some soy sauce and pickled ginger next to the te and handed Siwoo a pair of chopsticks. Quietly, Siwoo asked, ¡°Do you know when I first saw you?¡± He began to chew on a piece of sushi and watched Jihoon, who was eating silently. Jihoon looked up and removed a grain of rice from Siwoo¡¯s lips. When Siwoo frowned, Jihoon smiled and answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Siwoo didn¡¯t expect this answer, so he asked again, ¡°Are you thinking about the time when we met at that parking lot in front of your office building?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nonchntly, Jihoon ced a piece of oden nabe on Siwoo¡¯s te. It was covered in small pieces of seaweed and it looked delicious. Siwoo felt a little confused at Jihoon¡¯s answer. He grabbed Jihoon¡¯s wrist, and Jihoon smiled slowly. Siwoo looked curious as he asked, ¡°So when? When do you think we first met?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡± ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°If you want to hear it, then call me Hyung.¡± Jihoon¡¯s voice sounded so low and dark that Siwoo shivered. When Siwoo bit his lips in frustration, Jihoon said to him, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hear about it, then that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°... Come on!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary for you to know anyway.¡± ¡°But I want to! I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because no matter what, we are together now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are here with me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And you are my lover.¡± If he knew their rtionship was going to be like this, Siwoo would have asked Jihoon out much earlier. He closed his eyes, annoyed at the fact that his heart was beating too hard and loudly. Fate was a funny thing. If Siwoo had grabbed Jihoon¡¯s hand and asked him to take him to a hotel that night, would they be still together today? ¡°... Hyung.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°... I said it, so tell me!¡± Siwoo looked away in embarrassment, but suddenly, Jihoon leaned forward to kiss him. Jihoon kissed his eyes, nose, and lips. Siwoo could barely breathe. He moaned, ¡°...Ahh...¡± ¡°... This feels like a d¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡± Siwoo wanted to ask what Jihoon was talking about, but Jihoon stopped him with another kiss. *** Eejun ate his sea urchin rice porridge and Woojin looked at the bowl with interest. Sea urchins were very expensive, and Woojin thought it was too luxurious to make it into rice porridge, but when he saw the light yellow food, it looked delicious. Woojin ate a spoonful of this as Eejun asked him, ¡°How is your porridge?¡± ¡°The same. It¡¯s the same dish I have every time.¡± ¡°Hmm, I asked Chef Lee to make it special for you today.¡± ¡°Really? I can¡¯t tell the difference.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eejun continued to eat his food. Woojin always thought he looked kind, but he realized that he has been wrong. Woojin stared at the tiny mole underneath Eejun¡¯s eye. He felt a little dizzy. Woojin asked, ¡°Do you know Joowan Kim?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Eejun answered without reaction. At times like this, Eejun acted just like his grandfather. He smiled and asked, ¡°If you know already, why did you ask?¡± ¡°Just confirming.¡± ¡°I heard he told you everything.¡± Eejun smiled again. The corners of his eyes trembled a little, just like a snake¡¯s tail. ¡°Is it you who killed my father, Eejun?¡± ¡°... Not me.¡± ¡°... Then...¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing it must¡¯ve been my grandfather.¡± Woojin dropped his spoon, dirtying the tablecloth. He began to pant. In confusion, he wondered why because he took some medication before he left in case he hyperventted. Woojin asked, ¡°Then... what about that woman?¡± ¡°Who? That woman? You mean your aunt?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That woman has nothing to do with anything. She probably just hated you.¡± ¡°... Why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? She was probably worried you might be the next heir to thepany.¡± ¡°Why would she be worried? My father wasn¡¯t interested in inheriting the familypany...¡± ¡°Do you still not get it?¡± Woojin couldn¡¯t breathe. He grabbed his left chest as Eejun stood up slowly. ¡°My grandfather killed your father, but it was made to look like he killed himself.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your aunt isn¡¯t smart or wise enough to know that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your grandfather didn¡¯t know anything either.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He was in fact trying to cover it up because he thought his own daughter, your aunt, killed him.¡± ¡°... Eejun...¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to breathe, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was true. On top of that, Woojin couldn¡¯t open his eyes either. His whole body felt like it was paralyzed. Suddenly, he fell to the ground. ¡°Idiot.¡± Darkness fell. *** It had been a long time since he dreamt. In his dream, Shin Kim saw that he had a much younger face. In it, he was still a high school student. Shin remembered how other kids looked at him at that time. They looked at him with admiration, envy, and certain expectations. He liked being seen as an idol, but it also felt burdensome. After a while, Shin became used to these looks. He even learned to ignore them. In his dream, one of his ssmates grabbed his shoulder from behind and asked, ¡°Hey! Where are you going, Shin?¡± It felt so real. As he zipped up his coat, Shin replied, ¡°To the practice.¡± It was a cold evening. Shin watched his younger self in his dream as if it was a movie. ¡°...¡± Suddenly, Shin noticed that he had stepped on something. When he looked down, he smiled. It was a student ID. He picked it up and stared at the photo for a long time. He rubbed it with his thumb and murmured, ¡°Jin Yoo.¡± Even his voice sounded youthful. It was a strange thing. The young Shin stared at the ID for a long time, as if he knew who it belonged to, and put it in his coat pocket. Shin turned around to face the dorm building behind him. The sun was setting, and the red-orange light shined on his face. He looked... expectant. Knowing. ¡®I didn¡¯t know you then...¡¯ Shin had forgotten his face, but the memories from the past began to surface slowly. And suddenly, he woke up from his dream. Shin shook his head, worried he might forget, and looked at his side. His bed was empty. ¡°...¡± In the dark, he took out his phone and checked the time. It was 8 in the evening. As soon as he returned home from work, he didn¡¯t even change. He just went straight to bed and must¡¯ve fallen asleep. Shin felt dizzy as he sat up. It was dark outside. He rubbed his face a few times when suddenly, he felt his phone vibrating. His eyes widened, Shin quickly answered it, ¡°Hello?¡±¡® ¡°... What¡¯s wrong with your voice, Shin?¡± ¡°... Oh... Hey, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Did you eat anything today?¡± ¡°... No...¡± ¡°You are going to die if you keep this up, Shin.¡± It had been three days since Woojin Choi disappeared. Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Chapter 98.

Chapter 98. It was said that Woojin returned to the office after having lunch with Eejun. Shin also got a text message from Woojin that day about meeting up after work. But when the workhour was over, Woojin was nowhere to be seen. Shin waited in the basement parking lot, and when Woojin didn¡¯t show up, he went back up to Woojin¡¯s department. The office was empty and Shin still couldn¡¯t get ahold of Woojin. That night, Woojin never returned home. Shin didn¡¯t get any sleep at all, waiting in their home. Shin believed Woojin would return, and he kept calling, but there was no answer from Woojin. Shin sent a text every hour, but they all remained unread. It was a living hell for Shin. Woojin had disappeared. He didn¡¯t go to work. He didn¡¯t return home. It was as if he never existed. Shin asked Siwoo, ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you hear from Jihoon Kang yet?¡± That day when Woojin disappeared, Jihoon had business meetings all afternoon outside of the office. The next morning, Shin received a call from Siwoo. Siwoo¡¯s voice was trembling when he said to Shin, ¡°Jihoon Kang hasn¡¯t returned home. He isn¡¯t answering my calls either.¡± Shin inhaled deeply. Both Woojin and Jihoon disappeared suddenly. Something was obviously going on. Siwoo replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did you eat anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Wait for me. I will be there.¡± Siwoo didn¡¯t know much about Jihoon. All he knew were that he was Woojin¡¯s cousin and that his mother had been sick for a long time. So when Jihoon disappeared, Siwoo panicked, and Shin realized something. ¡°Siwoo, are you dating Jihoon Kang?¡± When Siwoo didn¡¯t answer, Shin didn¡¯t prod. Their priority now was to find Woojin and Jihoon. After they were found, Shin knew Siwoo would exin everything to him. Shin told Siwoo a summary of what he knew about Woojin and his situation. How Woojin¡¯s father was murdered. How it was initially suspected that Jihoon¡¯s mother was the one behind this crime. How Joowan Kim was relevant in thisplicated family situation. Siwoo didn¡¯t say much. Shin asked, ¡°Did Jihoon Kang really not tell you anything?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°That idiot never mentioned Joowan Kim¡¯s name in front of me.¡± Siwoo didn¡¯t even know that Joowan was one of the heirs to Hana Pharmaceuticals. His voice trembled as he asked Shin, ¡°If... they were kidnapped...¡± ¡°... Siwoo...¡± ¡°Then what should we do, Shin?¡± Shin didn¡¯t want to think about it. Right now, what he needed to do was focus on finding where Woojin was. Shin hastily picked up his coat on the bed and looked around the room. Except for missing Woojin, it looked the same. It looked normal, but for some reason, everything looked dimmer. He whispered, ¡°Where are you Woojin...¡± Shin thought perhaps his dream was telling him something. Woojin Choi waited for Shin for a long time, and now, it was Shin¡¯s turn to wait. Love appeared in disguise sometimes. At first, it would look like a coincidence, but in time, it often became clear that it was fate. *** Woojin felt like his head was going to explode. He lifted his hand to touch it, then suddenly noticed the old scar on his wrist. It was an ugly injury, and although it was sutured well, the cuts were deep and the scars were ugly. The strange thing was that Woojin didn¡¯t mind the scars as much as he used to. Woojin wondered where his bracelet was. He sat up, trying to look for it when he realized that he was in a strange room. The smell ofvender was overwhelming. ¡°...¡± Woojin sighed and looked around. He was certain he had never been here before. Where did Eejun bring him? Woojin felt weak and when he tried to stand up, his feet hurt. His body felt disconnected from his brain. This was the second time he felt this strange sensation. The first time was when he was found in that swimming pool in high school. He remembered that time like he was watching an old movie. The day he returned home... He remembered Jihoon¡¯s white dog. His aunt was there too. Then suddenly from behind, someone gently touched his neck. It was a cold big hand, and.... a knife? This was the first time Woojin remembered this part of his past. He was deep in his thoughts, trying to remember more when someone said to him from behind, ¡°Are you finally awake?¡± It was Eejun Bae. Unlike his usual light outfits, Eejun was wearing a pair of ck jeans and a pullover. He looked so unfamiliar to Woojin that it gave him goosebumps. The room was warm, but Woojin felt cold. Eejun walked in with a small bottle of water. Woojin asked, ¡°How long was I unconscious?¡± ¡°Two days. I miscalcted the dosage. You almost died.¡± ¡°Well, you n on killing me anyway, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Bingo.¡± Eejun shook the bottle in front of Woojin teasingly. Woojin felt a sudden thirst, but when he tried to swallow, his mouth was so dry that it felt painful. Woojin tasted blood in his mouth. Eejun announced, ¡°Arge well-knownpany¡¯s heir died from overdosing on his prescription pills.¡± ¡°... And when will this headline be released?¡± ¡°About two days from now?¡± Eejun opened the bottle, and as he did it, Woojin noticed the faint pulse on his wrist. Was Eejun nervous? But Woojin had no time to worry about Eejun. He needed to figure out how to get out of this situation. Even though this was the second time he was going through a kidnapping, it still felt devastating and unfamiliar. S... second time? A forgotten memory suddenly popped in his head, making Woojin frown. Ignoring Woojin¡¯s expression, Eejun said to him, ¡°You remember the training we got together, right? The three of us.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If and when we get kidnapped, what is the most important thing we need to remember?¡± ¡°... Do not take any food the kidnapper offers you.¡± Woojin reached out for the bottle that now sat on the side table. His hands felt weak, and it was obvious they didn¡¯t even give him any IVs when he was unconscious. Bastards. Eejun asked, ¡°You must be hungry.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°... You are lying.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get hungry that easily.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thest time when I was kidnapped, I think I was imprisoned for a week.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I had to starve for the whole time.¡± Woojin was remembering slowly and Eejun¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I had to survive on just water.¡± Woojin¡¯s father tried to stop the kidnappers, but he ended up being stabbed. Woojin didn¡¯t remember seeing Jihoon or his aunt in the room at the time. His father was bleeding, and the men dragged Woojin away. Woojin was crying and fighting back, but it was useless. Woojin remembered the tattoos now. On the men¡¯s wrists, there were tattoos that looked the same as the one on Joowan¡¯s wrist. Woojin could finally remember everything. He continued, ¡°At the time, the kidnappers made sure I drank their water three times a day.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And strangely, every time I drank it, it would make me forget what happened. It erased my memories.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And at some point, I couldn¡¯t tell where I was and what was happening.¡± One thing Woojin could remember clearly was how he ran to his school with his wrist cut and bleeding. He remembered the pain as his wrist throbbed. He ended up falling on the ground. He remembered the painful thirst and how hard it was to breathe. And when he managed to jump into the swimming pool... He remembered the boy who jumped after him. That single memory was one of the few things that never left Woojin. Eejun gave him an ugly grin and whispered, ¡°It would¡¯ve been perfect if you had just died that time.¡± Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Chapter 99.

¡°...¡± Eejun said to Woojin indifferently, ¡°Considering how much of the drug we gave you at that time... It¡¯s shocking that you didn¡¯t at least get severe brain damage from it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Who knew you would survive it and live a normal life?!¡± ¡°So it was you who tried to kill Shin Kim too?¡± Woojin took the bottle to his lips and asked calmly. He knew he would have no choice but to drink the contents of the bottle even if he knew the drug inside was going to harm him, most likely damaging his brain irreparably. If he didn¡¯t, Woojin knew he would be killed immediately, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to return to Shin. Never. The liquid went down his throat. Eejun replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then who?¡± ¡°My grandfather.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To make sure you and Jihoon Kang drift apart. So that you guys won¡¯t see each other again.¡± ¡°... And what do you get from it?¡± ¡°Duh, thepany of course.¡± Woojin studied Eejun¡¯s face, which was smooth like porcin. There were times when Woojin thought he looked beautiful, but now that he knew the real Eejun, Woojin felt like he could see the snake scales on Eejun¡¯s face. His eyes began to close slowly, but Woojin continued to try his best to keep them open. He tried to focus on Eejun and opened his dry mouth. His lips tasted like blood. Woojin said to him, ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because you are being used too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet you didn¡¯t want to be a bad person either.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I feel bad for you because it¡¯s clear that you were never loved.¡± Eejun¡¯s face turned cold, but Woojin couldn¡¯t focus. His eyes continued to close as he murmured, ¡°You poor guys...¡± SLAP! Eejun pped him, but because of the drug, Woojin didn¡¯t feel any pain. When he smiled, Eejun¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You areughing? You do realize you will die soon, either tomorrow or maybe the day after, right?¡± ¡°Thanks to you...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I remembered. I remember now that my father died trying to save me.¡± His father loved him. Woojin remembered now. He remembered clearly the face of his father who was trying desperately to hold onto him. Woojin felt sad, but at the same time, he felt an overwhelming lightness. If he didn¡¯t remember what really happened, Woojin would have lived the rest of his life without knowing the truth. With a misunderstanding about his father... Woojin murmured, ¡°I think... I think I was loved, Eejun Bae.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Unlike you.¡± BANG! The sound of gunfire was heard outside. *** At the sound of the gunfire, Woojin closed his eyes. This very moment felt like an ovep of his past and the present. That day when his father copsed to the floor bleeding... Woojin remembered crying out loud for the first time in his life. Eejun turned around in shock at the sound, and Woojin took his chance. With everything he had left in his body, Woojin grabbed a book from the side table and hit Eejun¡¯s head with the sharp corner. ¡°Gyaaa!¡± Woojin must¡¯ve had more strength left than he thought. He hit Eejun so hard that streams of blood began to pour down on Eejun¡¯s head. Woojin knew Eejun had fragile skin, and it worked to his advantage. Panting sleepily, Woojin pushed Eejun away and opened the door, which opened with a beeping sound. A ray of light shed suddenly, and Woojin vaguely realized the door must be connected to a CCTV. The hallway looked dauntingly long. Woojin used his back to close the door behind him and pressed the buttonbeled ¡°lock.¡± ¡°F*ck you, Woojin! Open this door right now!¡± ¡°...¡± Thankfully, it seemed the door couldn¡¯t be opened from the inside. Woojin grabbed his left chest and tried to breathe. He only drank a few drops of the drugged water, so his throat was still dry and burning. His legs felt weak, but he had to keep moving. He had to leave this ce, or else, he was going to die here. Myunghoon Bae was a perfectionist with a talent for details. Kidnapping Woojin was meant to be a warning to Woojin¡¯s grandfather. Woojin didn¡¯t doubt Myunghoon Bae was going to kill him. Woojin tried to walk, but he had nothing else left in him. He bent forward weakly. ¡°...¡± Every step was agonizing. When Woojin opened his eyes a few minutes ago and remembered his past, it was thanks to the scars on his wrist. That fateful day when he almost died... The one who put pressure on his deep cut and closed it wasn¡¯t a doctor or Shin. It was Woojin himself. He did it because he wanted to live. Even though everything felt hopeless at the time, Woojin still subconsciously knew that his life was worth living. And thanks to his determination, Woojin was given another chance. He ended up reuniting with Shin Kim, and the life he led afterward was that of a loved person. To feel so loved was a wondering thing. Woojin¡¯s life felt warmer and more colorful. ¡°Arghhh...¡± Woojin coughed hard. He gagged, but nothing came out of him when he tried to throw up. Woojin looked up, trying to focus on something. Anything. It seemed that this building had long hallways. There were three simrly-sized rooms in this corridor. The rooms were side by side. To figure out what floor he was on, Woojin studied the walls, but he couldn¡¯t find any numbers. There were no numbers on the doors to the rooms either. It appeared that this building wasn¡¯t a regrmercial structure. Somehow, Woojin managed to stand up again and walk as he leaned heavily against the wall. He could find no windows anywhere, only darkness. The banging on the door by Eejun, who was still trapped, became distant and suddenly, Woojin saw the exit sign. Just then... BANG! Another round of gunfire was heard and Woojin froze. He felt the vibration on the wall, and he could smell the smoke from nearby. With a deep breath, Woojin tried to move his legs as fast as he could. He was certain the noise came from either the floor directly above or... on this very floor. When he twisted the doorknob, he was relieved to find out that it wasn¡¯t locked. Long steep stairs greeted him downward, and Woojin looked at it quietly. He felt so weak. ¡°...¡± The steps were round and tall, making it very hard to go down. It was clear the design was meant to prevent anyone from escaping. Woojin felt certain this building didn¡¯t belong to his grandfather¡¯spany. It had to be at least a five-floor, possibly even ten-floor building and the windows were all blocked. Either an abandoned building was remodeled, or it was built for a specific purpose from the beginning. Woojin began to walk down slowly, still leaning against the wall. His legs trembled weakly. Woojin remembered the training he received as a child. In a situation like this where he felt like he was going to lose consciousness, he was taught to sing or remember his parent¡¯s voices. As he walked down, Woojin thought of Shin¡¯s face. He kept telling himself over and over gain not to fall and roll down the stairs. It was very possible that at the end of the stairs, he was going to find another dire situation, but at least at this point, this as all he could do. He wanted to see Shin again. ¡°One... two, three...¡± Woojin clearly remembered the day when Shin picked up and handed him his student ID card. Woojin thought he could still feel Shin¡¯s hand on his. Maybe it was from the drug, but Woojin smiled anyway. He remembered the happy memories. Shin smiling. Shin hugging him. Their first kiss. The day they first met at work. And... Woojin remembered the time he first saw Shin at school. ¡°... It was love at first sight.¡± Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Chapter 100.

Chapter 100. Somehow, Woojin reached the first floor. He touched the exit doorknob, which felt cool. Luckily, or unluckily, the door was unlocked. Woojin had no idea how much time had passed since he escaped that room. Had it been a few minutes or a few hours? He pushed the metal door open and was about to walk out when a hand reached out from behind and covered his mouth. ¡°...!¡± The hand smelled of deepvender. Woojin tried to fight back, but when he attempted to turn around, the voice that whispered into his ear sounded familiar, ¡°Stay quiet.¡± Woojin¡¯s eyes widened in shock when he saw the ck fathomless eyes. Woojin looked down and saw the needle. ¡°You need to be good.¡± The man grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist and injected him with the syringe. Was this the end? Everything began to turn ck again. Woojin and Shin Kim... Shin¡¯s Woojin... Like he did in that blue swimming pool, Woojin started to fall. But this time, he wondered if he would ever surface again. *** Siwoo watched the bowl of rice porridge Shin brought him without eating. Shin was doing the same thing. After Jihoon left, Siwoo didn¡¯t feel the need to remain in the hospital. He had his bags packed and ready to leave. Siwoo nned on getting his aftercare at Minji¡¯s hospital. Shin Kim looked very thin. He obviously lost a lot of weight during thest two days. Siwoo joked weakly, ¡°Shin... The only thing going for you was your fit muscr body, but now...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When Woojin returns, he is going to break up with you because of your body.¡± ¡°My face still looks good, so I should be fine.¡± Shin tried to smile, but it didn¡¯t work. It was snowing outside, which was a surprise. Everyone thought spring was here, but apparently, it was going to be a longer winter than expected. It looked white yet dark outside. Shin yed with his food slowly before looking up at Siwoo. He asked, ¡°Did you hear anything from Jihoon Kang yet?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s probably scared I might beat him up for doing this to me.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s understandable. I can¡¯t believe how brave Jihoon is for dating a jerk like you, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Just where the hell is he? What is he doing? He is such an idiot.¡± ¡°Siwoo, I know Assistant Manager Kang, and I can tell you that he isn¡¯t stupid.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He wille back soon.¡± Suddenly, Siwoo¡¯s phone, which was on the bed, began to vibrate. When Siwoo saw the caller ID, he closed his eyes in annoyance. Shin asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Joowan Kim.¡± ¡°Answer him.¡± ¡°What?¡± Shin quickly pressed the ¡°talk¡± button. Before Siwoo could react, they both heard the panting from the other side. ¡°Huff... huff...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Si... woo...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°... Can you hear me? Are you there?¡± ¡°... Jihoon??¡± Siwoo quickly took the phone to his ear. The voice definitely belonged to Jihoon. ¡°Oh my god, Jihoon!!¡± ¡°Stop screaming, Siwoo. My ears are ringing.¡± ¡°...¡± Siwoo began to cry. Jihoon seemed surprised, but he said quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t cry and listen carefully. Is Shin Kim there too?¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± ¡°Give the phone to him.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Just do as I ask.¡± Shin quickly took the phone and answered, ¡°Assistant Manager Kang.¡± ¡°I am with Woojin right now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This phone¡¯s battery is almost out. I¡¯m going to send you the address, soe and get us right now.¡± ¡°... Assistant Manager...¡± ¡°And I heard you know a doctor...¡± ¡°... Is... he hurt?¡± ¡°Not Woojin. Joowan is actually the one who is injured.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Please hurry.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°Then, I will see youter.¡± ¡°He... he¡¯s ok, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Click. Jihoon hung up. Pushing away Siwoo, Shin quickly stood up. ¡°Shin, I¡¯m going too.¡± ¡°No. You are a patient, so you need to stay here.¡± ¡°I need to see Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°I will bring him here.¡± Shin put on his coat hurriedly and grabbed Siwoo¡¯s phone. The address Jihoon texted was a building in Gyunggido. Shin texted the address to his own phone with determination. He had to hurry up and bring Woojin back. ¡°Shin...¡± ¡°Just stay here. Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°... Shin...¡± ¡°I promise to bring him back to you.¡± Siwoo¡¯s hands were trembling as he looked at Shin. Shin ran out and took out the car key from his pocket. His own hands were trembling too, but he focused on his mission. Woojin¡¯s face popped into his head. ¡°Please wait for me, Woojin.¡± Shin had so many questions he wanted to ask. As he started his car, Shin thought of the time he spent with Woojin. Fall, winter, spring, and summer... Shin felt like he could smell Woojin¡¯s scent already. He had to find Woojin. They were fated to be together. Shin swore that once he got Woojin back, he would never let him go. *** ¡°... Argh....¡± Horrible thirst woke Woojin up. He tried to open his eyes, but it was very difficult. His eyelids refused to move, yet he felt like he could see a bright light. Woojin also could hear a voice, but the voice kept disappearing and reappearing. The vibration of the voice felt warm. Frustrated that he couldn¡¯t open his eyes and see, Woojin slowly reached out. Suddenly a warm hand grabbed Woojin¡¯s hand, and like magic, Woojin¡¯s eyes opened. The sudden brightness made him frown. Woojin still couldn¡¯t see the face of the person standing in front of him, but he made a hopeful guess. ¡°... Shin?¡± At first, Woojin thought he could see Shin¡¯s face when he was a little boy. Shin looked like he was in his teens, or maybe even much younger. Or maybe it was his current older self. Every time Woojin blinked, it seemed like Shin¡¯s face had changed. But finally... Woojin could focus and what he saw was Shin looking very thin. His eyes looked wet as well. Shin was holding Woojin¡¯s face with both of his hands and staring at him desperately. When Woojin blinked a few more times, tears began to fall from Shin¡¯s eyes. Woojin tried to speak, but no words came out. Shin smiled and pointed at the oxygen mask that covered Woojin¡¯s face. ¡°Woojin, please just listen.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Thank you for returning to me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For not dying...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For not giving up... Thank you.¡± Shin¡¯s voice trembled and slowly, Woojin began to remember what happened. The person Woojin faced in that building on the first floor was Joowan Kim. Joowan whispered to him to remain quiet and injected Woojin with something. Joowan whispered, ¡°This will help you fight the sedative inside your body. I¡¯m not hurting you. I am trying to help you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°... We also need to help Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And we will all go home.¡± BANG! Another gunshot was heard and this time, Woojin saw Joowan flinch. Slowly, Joowan gave Woojin a smile, but Woojin saw that Joowan¡¯s whole body was shaking. When Woojin looked down, he saw that they were standing on a pool of blood. Sticky red blood... ¡°Woojin.¡± Shin called his name again, and Woojin turned to face him. ¡°It¡¯s all over now.¡± Shin¡¯s voice sounded hopeful. Chapter 101 Chapter 101. Woojin looked out the window vacantly. It seemed like spring was finallying. All of the snow had melted, and the pale green leaves were beginning to appear on the trees. It was a beautiful sunny morning. Woojin could still feel the warm hands that gently stroked his forehead until just a moment ago. Before he left for work, Shin held Woojin¡¯s neck lightly and kissed his cheek. Time still felt like it was going too slow, and the doctor exined that it was because of the drug that was still in his body. Shin was there when they talked to the doctor. Woojin still hallucinated a little, his past ovepping with the present from time to time. The doctor rmended him to take a month off from major activities, and Woojin nodded. He was okay because Shin Kim was there with him. Click. The door opened and Jihoon appeared. ¡°Did you sleep well, Woojin?¡± Jihoon received the same tests, and it turned out he was perfectly fine. He was never drugged and there was not a scratch on him. Jihoon was dismissed from the hospital immediately. Siwoo insisted Jihoon should get more thorough tests done, but Jihoon shook his head. It was a week ago when Jihoon found Joowan and Woojin and they returned together. Woojin replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmm... You look like you have gained a little weight. Bedrest must be working for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, you look good. It¡¯s nice to see you eat and sleep well.¡± Hesitantly, Jihoon pushed back Woojin¡¯s hair gently away from his forehead. Jihoon looked rxed and after looking up at him for a while, Woojin opened his mouth. His voice was still gritty from recent dehydration, but Woojin didn¡¯t care. Woojin now knew it was important to express his feelings. Keeping things to himself was what caused so many misunderstandings in the past. ¡°Jihoon, when we were young, I thought we resembled each other.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I was so happy when you invited me to your birthday party every year. I didn¡¯t go because I was afraid of your mother.¡± Woojin always thought Jihoon looked lonely, but in a very different way than Woojin did. Jihoon acted outgoing to hide his weakness while Woojin kept to himself and rejected anyone from getting close to him. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Shin Kim was able to break Woojin¡¯s barrier. He was like a ray of sunshine that warmed Woojin¡¯s life. If Jihoon was the one who aplished this, the final result would have been very painful. Jihoon replied, ¡°Well, whatever. It doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to have birthday parties at all.¡± ¡°... My mother... she is returning to Korea tomorrow.¡± ¡°Congrattions.¡± What was Woojin congratting him for? Although the misunderstandings were being corrected, there was no way to go back in time and undo anything. Recently, there was a small news concerning the contract killing incident that took ce a few months ago. Woojin¡¯s grandfather¡¯spany remained quiet, as if they had nothing to do with the incident. Woojin¡¯s grandfather sent him a flower basket. Myunghoon Bae resigned from thepany. He was to be arrested, but it was likely that he would be released on theck of evidence. Woojin and Jihoon would never have to see Eejun again at the office. Like Hana Pharmaceuticals, Eejun and his family were excellent at not leaving any pieces of evidence or traces of themselves. ¡°Apparently, Eejun Bae got a huge cut on his forehead and needed four stiches.¡± Woojin looked at Jihoon as he talked about Eejun. It was true that Jihoon looked simr to Woojin, especially when he had his lips firmly closed. It was no wonder, since they were rted. They were family. Woojin remembered Eejun wanting to be a part of them too when he was young. Studying Jihoon¡¯s profile, Woojin said to him, ¡°I think... Eejun liked you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Jihoon frowned in shock as he sat down on the bed. Jihoon was a very attractive man. He was kind, warm, and sensitive. His mental health was questionable, but Jihoon deserved to be loved. Just because his mother didn¡¯t love him didn¡¯t mean he should give up on love. Woojin added with a bitter smile, ¡°I bet he hated me for many reasons.¡± Eejun was always kind and friendly. He often was generous to both Woojin and Jihoon and made sure to create asions for them to get together. But even then... There was something that prevented them from getting closer to Eejun. Woojin remembered feeling ufortable around Eejun, even though he always acted nicely. Woojin wondered if it was because Eejun secretly was jealous of him. It had to be also partly because of Myunghoon Bae. Jihoon said to Woojin, ¡°Everything will be decided by Grandfather. I won¡¯t be apart of it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Aunt had anything to do with it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s encouraging to see my mother returning. She also stopped taking her pills.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am... unhappy that Uncle won¡¯t be returning like my mother.¡± Jihoon¡¯s eyes trembled a little. Woojin quietly replied, ¡°I am more unhappy about hating Aunt for the past 20 years.¡± ¡°... Yeah, I feel bad about my mother too.¡± Because of one outsider, their entire family became victims. It was a horrible and regrettable thing that ruined their family. But what was more upsetting was the fact that their grandfather still remained quiet. It seemed that he was ignoring the situation, as if nothing bad had happened. Woojin and Jihoon decided not to think about it. Woojin asked, ¡°How is Siwoo?¡± ¡°Crazy as ever.¡± ¡°... and Joowan Kim?¡± ¡°Are you seriously asking me about that guy?¡± It was Woojin¡¯s decision not to tell Siwoo about what happened to Joowan. Jihoon disagreed with Woojin¡¯s decision. Woojin asked, ¡°You still want to tell Siwoo about Joowan¡¯s situation?¡± ¡°Yes. I feel guilty keeping things from Siwoo.¡± ¡°Then tell him when Joowan wakes up.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t even get shot, so why isn¡¯t he waking up? What is wrong with him?¡± Joowan was stabbed. The gunshot Woojin heard was Jihoon, who shot as a warning. Thankfully, no one was shot. Joowan lost a lot of blood from being stabbed and went into shock. It had been a week since he arrived at the hospital, and he still hadn¡¯t woken up from hisa. ¡°Good thing we got GPS chips in our bodies.¡± ¡°Thanks to Joowan, I guess. It was him who suggested it.¡± ¡°Yeah, if we didn¡¯t have them...¡± Taking Joowan¡¯s advice, Woojin and Jihoon got GPS chips inserted in their bodies. Jihoon luckily found Woojin, but it was impossible for Jihoon to escape with him. It was a huge coincidence that Joowan met Jihoon in the building. Joowan instructed Jihoon to shoot a couple of warning shots outside the building as a distraction while he found Woojin. Joowan was able to escape with Woojin, but he was stabbed along the way. Shin was able to drive them away from the building and Minji was the one who performed the necessary emergency treatments. If it wasn¡¯t for her, Joowan might be dead by now. ¡°Joowan will wake up. I am certain.¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, I will p him until he does.¡± Jihoon looked out the window. It was a beautiful day, and he was thankful that he and Woojin got second chances at life. Jihoon touched his left chest and murmured, ¡°I think spring might really be here.¡± It was true. Spring was just around the corner. Chapter 102 Chapter 102. ¡°Wow, two people from ourpany on a long-term leave of absence...¡± When Yeonwoo spotted Shin Kim, her eyes brightened as she pulled him into the office pantry. She began to ask questions about Woojin. Many people now knew Shin and Woojin were close, so Yeonwoo was excited to find out the details. Shin asked, ¡°Yeonwoo, why are you so curious about this whole thing?¡± ¡°Well, because so many things happened in ourpany recently. I mean, did you see that notice about Chief Eejun Bae? He has been fired! How could this be? What happened?¡± ¡°...So what about it?¡± ¡°And on top of that, both Assistant Managers Woojin Choi and Jihoon Kang are on sick leave. Both of them!¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And there is a rumor that ourpany was involved in that famous hitman incident! You know, the one that involved family members killing each other?¡± ¡°Hmm... I can hear thepany stock dropping,¡± Yeonwoo covered her lips and said jokingly. ¡°Oh no! I bought some stocks recently! What shall I do?!¡± Shin replied with a shrug, ¡°I don¡¯t really know much. I probably know less than you, Yeonwoo, by the sounds of it.¡± ¡°You lie, Oppa! I heard you and Assistant Manager Choi went to the same high school. Is that true?¡± Shin was pouring himself a cup of coffee when he turned towards Yeonwoo in shock. ¡°How did you know that? Who told you?¡± ¡°Oh my god! So it¡¯s true! Assistant Manager Choi himself told me at thest office dinner. I was so shocked when I heard it. I couldn¡¯t believe it, but you are telling me it¡¯s true?!¡± ¡°...What? He told you that? When?¡± ¡°You know, we had that office dinner recently. At the time, someone asked Assistant Manager Choi if he was close to anyone in the office. Assistant Manager Choi named you, Oppa, as the one he is closest to.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have never seen Assistant Manager Choi smile like that. He said you were someone he very much admired for a long time since high school.¡± Shin suddenly felt hot. He knew his face was turning red, so he turned away from Yeonwoo. His heart began to beat fast and Shin didn¡¯t know what to do. When he staggered a little, Yeonwoo frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just surprised.¡± ¡°Why? Were you guys not close?¡± ¡°No, we were. We used to live in the same dorm.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Yeonwoo shrugged and begged Shin, ¡°So, tell me everything! Everything you know!¡± ¡°I have nothing.¡± ¡°What? Man, you are useless.¡± ¡°I heard he is just sick. He has always been not very healthy even when he was younger.¡± Shin quickly left the pantry. He wasn¡¯t expecting someone to ask such questions, so he tried to escape the situation, but Yeonwoo was persistent. She followed him and continued, ¡°By the way, I am surprised about Assistant Manager Kang too. I heard he is on leave because of a sick family member, but I¡¯m shocked he would take this much time off.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Shin walked faster and returned to his seat. Quietly, he looked outside the window. Woojin Choi. Shin still remembered the first time he met Woojin at work. At the time, Shin thought the way Woojin stared at him was cold. To him, Woojin was a mystery, but he knew one thing for sure. Woojin Choi was someone he should avoid. Someone he shouldn¡¯t fall in love with. But at some point, the tension between them escted. The coldness turned into heat. They began to burn for each other. ¡°... This is so crazy.¡± If someone asked Shin what love was right now, he would hesitate before offering an answer. Woojin Choi. They hade a long way around to cross paths again, and it was fate. And now that he had Woojin, he swore to never let his love go. Not again. *** Shin went straight to Woojin¡¯s hospital room after work. They ate dinner together and Shin wasying on the sofafortably. Watching him, Woojin asked, ¡°What are you thinking about? Did something good happen?¡± Shin looked calm and peaceful. He had a faint smile on his lips too. Shin turned towards Woojin and replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± But even with that reply, Shin¡¯s smile became even wider. Woojin smiled as well andmented, ¡°You look like you are pleased.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shin stood up and went to Woojin¡¯s bed to sit down next to him. ¡°Can I sleep over tonight?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Would you like me to sleep over every night?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So get better quickly. I want to go home with you as soon as possible too.¡± It was thanks to Shin that Woojin could be more honest about his thoughts and feelings. All because of Shin¡¯s love. Shin kissed Woojin¡¯s forehead, nose, and lips. When he blew lightly on Woojin¡¯s lips, Woojin could smell the lovely fragrance of earl grey. It was thanks to the ck tea they drank after dinner. ¡°You are so cute, Woojin.¡± ¡°You too.¡± ¡°What? But I¡¯m so tall and big!¡± ¡°Even so, I think you are cute.¡± When Woojin caressed the back of Shin¡¯s head, Shin smiled in satisfaction and said to him, ¡°Did I ever tell you I love you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There was a time when I thought I should tell you this. To confess to you, but calmly and naturally.¡± ¡°When were you thinking that?¡± ¡°When I thought I might lose you.¡± Shin pulled Woojin into his embrace and sighed deeply. ¡°Please don¡¯t go anywhere anymore. Please stay with me.¡± ¡°...Alright, I will.¡± ¡°And wherever you go, I will follow you. I will never let you go.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Really? Do you really know?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± That night. That blue knight. Woojin remembered. The very early morning when he saw Shin¡¯s face. It was love at first sight, and after years of loneliness, they were finally here. Together. Woojin whispered, ¡°I love you too, Shin.¡± Being loved by the one you love. This was what life should be. This was how Woojin would live the rest of his life. Chapter 103 Chapter 103. Intro. Siwoo Jung found Shinzing around. He asked, ¡°Hey Shin, what are you doing?¡± Shin Kim, 17 years old, wasying down on a bench that was located behind the swimming pool. It was a beautiful summer day and Shin, after vigorous training, was taking a break. Siwoo asked him, ¡°Are you going to train throughout the entire summer vacation?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot of work... This is why I hate sports or exercising.¡± ¡°Really? Because I find studying much harder.¡± There was an announcement for extra sses during summer break. Siwoo thought this was unfair; keeping the kids inside hot ssrooms? Siwoo sighed deeply and sat down next to Shin who was under a nice shade. Suddenly, Shin pushed Siwoo¡¯s legs away. ¡°Don¡¯t sit there. Move. You are blocking the view.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Siwoo¡¯s eyes widened, Shin scratched his head and stood up. Siwoo asked, ¡°What are you watching?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Shin began to walk back towards the swimming pool. He was wearing a pair of shorts and his long legs looked very tanned. As Shin disappeared, Siwoo muttered, ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± Siwooid down on the bench and opened his book. He felt sleepy. Trying to wake up, he began to look around. He spotted the dorm building and because he wasying down on a bench, he was eye level with the first floor. He watched one window with a white curtain dancing around it. Suddenly, he noticed a brown-haired boy looking out the window. The boy had pale porcin skin and he was very thin. ¡°Hmm... I thought he was a girl.¡± Quickly losing interest, Siwoo covered his face with his book and went to sleep. It was a beautiful green summer day. Short Story. ¡°Mmmhh.... Ahh...¡± Woojin looked down at his hand which was covered with white sticky liquid. He was in the shower, and without a word, he washed his hand with water. Lately, he had been experiencing strange changes to his body. Tonight, he made the mistake of thinking about Shin in the shower. It was all Shin Kim¡¯s fault. The way he looked at Woojin... The way Shin dressed... Sometimes, he wore a vest underneath his coat, and sometimes, he didn¡¯t. Neckties looked very good on Shin whenever they fell on his hard chest. The way his pant legs showed off Shin¡¯s long legs... His sturdy thighs... The muscles on his back... And the way Shin looked at Woojin... ¡°... I must be losing my mind.¡± Woojin was a virgin. When he was in Germany studying, he saw a drunk couple having sex in front of him. At the time, the couple seemed more aroused by having Woojin watch them, but Woojin didn¡¯t feel anything. Ever since he became a teenager, Woojin thought he was an asexual person. He never felt any sexual desire, and he thought that perhaps something was very wrong with his brain. Or maybe he didn¡¯t have as much hormone as other people because of his trauma or memory loss. Unlike others, he rarely thought of sex. ¡°...¡± He dried himself with arge towel. By the time he got out of the shower, an hour passed since he went into the washroom. Woojin was putting on his pajamas when a text popped up on his phone. There were only two people in the world who would send Woojin a text at this time. Jihoon or Eejun. Woojin assumed they were messaging him about the uing family meeting, but when he checked, he realized that it was from Shin Kim. -You didn¡¯t forget about our date, right? Their first date. Woojin felt his entire body burning up suddenly. This had to be lust. Grabbing his phone tightly, he turned to look at himself in the mirror and found that he was blushing. Woojin suddenly envisioned the man who was causing all these feelings to him. Shin¡¯s low baritone voice and hisrge hands... Shin liked to touch Woojin¡¯s corbone with those big hands... ¡®And we kissed...¡¯ Woojin felt the fire and sweetness inside of his mouth as he remembered their kiss. Woojin didn¡¯t know anything about sex since he had no experience, but he had no doubt it would feel good to make love with Shin. In fact, he suspected it would feel amazing. Just thinking about it made Woojin pant a little. Slowly, Woojin undid his gown and found that he was hard again. He already did it once in the shower only a few minutes ago, yet... ¡°... Ahh...¡± When Shin kissed him, Woojin pulled him closer so that he could feel Shin¡¯s hardness against his own. When Woojin twisted his body underneath Shin¡¯s because he wanted to feel more, Shin smiled mysteriously. Shin seemed to know exactly what was going on with Woojin¡¯s body. Shin¡¯s eyes smiling... Shin¡¯s wet voice calling out his name... ¡°...Mmmhh... mmm...¡± It was going to be a long night. *** ¡°Do you want toe home with me?¡± Shin asked Woojin this on their first date and immediately regretted being so forward. The truth was, there were so many things Shin regretted saying to Woojin since the first day they met at the office. This was strange considering the fact that Shin was the type who didn¡¯t care about things like that. Shin asked Woojin so many embarrassing questions. For example, he asked if Woojin was dating Jihoon Kang. Why did he ask such a stupid question? But when Woojin answered that he had never dated anyone before, Shin felt the sudden urge to take Woojin somewhere private. ¡°Yes.¡± Woojin nodded and answered calmly, making Shin almost fall to the ground. Did this man know what Shin wanted to do to him? Feeling out of breath, Shin turned towards Woojin who fastened his seatbelt and began to y with Shin¡¯s hair. He saw Woojin¡¯s neck slowly turning red, and before he could stop himself, Shin touched Woojin¡¯s face. Lips. There was something about Woojin Choi¡¯s lips. They were ripe pink, and as Shin stared, Woojin¡¯s tongue darted out to lick his lips. Instinct took over. ¡°...!¡± Woojin¡¯s lips tasted like green tea. Shin used his tongue to swipe the inside of Woojin¡¯s mouth and lightly bit his lower lip. ¡°Ahh...¡± Woojin moaned as if he was in pain. His eyes were open, and when Shin caressed his nose, Woojin finally closed his eyes. Shin got on top of Woojin, which made him groan. ¡°Mmm....¡± Shin felt torn. On one hand, he wanted to go home with Woojin as quickly as possible, but on the other hand, he wanted to just do it right now. Here, in his car, in this parking lot. When Shin licked Woojin¡¯s neck, Woojin twisted his body in shock. There was no doubt that Woojin¡¯s neck was one of his most sensitive areas. Smiling, Shin bit Woojin¡¯s ear. Woojin shuttered uncontrobly. ¡°...Do you like that?¡± When Shin whispered, Woojin nodded slowly. Woojin looked obedient and lustful at the same time. When Shin bit Woojin¡¯s lips again, Woojin moved closer to him. This was getting out of hand too quickly. ¡°W-wait a minute...¡± ¡°...Mmmhh...¡± It was strange how pink Woojin¡¯s skin was turning. All they did was kiss so far, but it seemed like Woojin was burning. ¡°Woojin... you make me crazy...¡± Shin imagined what he would do to Woojin. He would take all of Woojin¡¯s clothes off and make him as his own. He would do things that he couldn¡¯t even say out loud. Feeling like a horny teenager again, Shin grinned. Looking down at Woojin for a long time, he finally sat back up in his seat. Taking a deep breath, Shin started his car and turned on the radio. Chapter 104

Chapter 104: Chapter 104

¡°You really think you can do this? Can you take your clothes off then?¡± When Shin whispered, Woojin stroked Shin¡¯s cheek gently before nodding. Shin shivered a little, wondering if Woojin knew what he was doing to Shin¡¯s body. Every time Shin looked at Woojin¡¯s lips, his body burned violently. Woojin¡¯s voice trembled when he whispered, ¡°...I want to do it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You... I want you to do it to me.¡± Shin felt like he was being burned alive. Like his brain was being electrified. Like an animal, Shin took Woojin¡¯s lips as he pushed Woojin down on the bed. When Shin took his sweater off, Woojin looked up, his face flushed. Still looking na?ve, Woojin tried to do the same. He tried to take his top off as well, and Shin found this so erotic. Shin helped him take Woojin¡¯s pajama top off. When their bare-skinned bodies met for the first time, the intensity of it caused Shin¡¯s eyes to blur. Shin began to kiss Woojin¡¯s chest, making Woojin moan and shudder. Woojin didn¡¯t know what to do, but his body did. He wrapped his legs around Shin¡¯s waist and reached down to find Shin¡¯s hands. ¡°Ahh...¡± ¡°Woojin...¡± Neither of them could think clearly anymore. Kissing every rib on Woojin¡¯s body, Shin trailed down until he reached where he wanted to be. When Shin took off Woojin¡¯s pants, Woojin didn¡¯t protest. In fact, he was getting even more aroused, trying to get Shin to touch him everywhere. Shin ced his hand inside Woojin¡¯s underwear. At the new sensation, Woojin¡¯s body flexed upward, wanting to get even closer to Shin. Woojin clearly trusted Shin. Woojin was willing to let Shin to anything to him and this realization made Shin feel crazy. Thankfully, Woojin was hard. ¡°Ah... Mmmmhh... S, Shin...¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°I-I feel weird...¡± Shin was half up and trying to take his pants off. Woojin watched for a second before getting up and helping Shin, just as Shin did for him. When Woojin saw Shin¡¯s erect penis, he began to pant. Woojin leaned against the headboard weakly. Shin sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Woojin closer to him. Hugging Woojin from behind, Shin began to kiss his neck. When Woojin turned his head towards him, instead of kissing his lips, Shin gently held Woojin¡¯s penis and began to rub it up and down. The tip of Woojin¡¯s penis was already wet, making it easier and smoother for Shin to pleasure him. Woojin moaned, and Shin kissed his lips finally as he used his thumb to tease the tip. Woojin shuttered. ¡°Mmmm.... Ahhh... Aaaaa!¡± ¡°... Ahhh! AH!...!¡± Shin¡¯s hand moved faster and as he did, Woojin¡¯s body seemed to melt. With his free hand, Shin pinched Woojin¡¯s nipple and continued to use the other hand to rub and squeeze Woojin¡¯s penis. Because he was inexperienced, it didn¡¯t take long before Woojin climaxed. He trembled and his forehead was covered with sweat. When Shin kissed his cheek, Woojin leaned against him and tried to calm his breath. But before long, Woojin looked up to find Shin¡¯s lips again. Shin felt impatient. He wanted to find relief for himself as well, and Woojin kept rubbing his lower half against him, but Shin felt uncertain of what to do next. Just then, Woojin suddenly grabbed Shin¡¯s penis as he pushed Shin down on the bed. Awkwardly, Woojin began to do what Shin did for him. ¡°... Ah... Mmmm... W-Woojin...¡± ¡°...¡± Watching Woojin clumsily trying to mimic what he did, Shin felt his mouth bing dry. Woojin kissed Shin as he continued to caress Shin¡¯s penis. Finally reaching his limit, Shin reached over to his nightstand and took out the lubricant from the drawer. Gently, Shin flipped their positions so Woojin was on the bottom again. When Shin ced his finger on Woojin¡¯s lips, Woojin blushed but quickly began to suck on it. Instinct was an amazing thing. Shin took out his finger and squeezed some lubricant on his palm. Nervously, he whispered to Woojin, ¡°... Woojin... This might hurt... So... If you want me to stop at any time, let me know, okay?¡± Shin was already rubbing his finger between Woojin¡¯s buttcheeks. He wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to stop, but he swore he would try. Woojin shook his head and wrapped his arms around Shin¡¯s neck trustingly. As they kissed together, Shin continued to widen and lubricate Woojin¡¯s sensitive opening. Woojin¡¯s waist seemed to move along Shin¡¯s finger and when rubbed a certain spot, Woojin flinched and hugged Shin tighter. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Oh, ye... oh... n, no...¡± Woojin continued to look up at Shin and tried to find a rhythm. Wanting to make sure Woojin wasn¡¯t in pain, Shin never looked away and continued to make intense eye contact. It must¡¯ve felt ufortable, but Woojin didn¡¯tin, only panting quietly. When Shin felt Woojin was ready, he pulled his finger out, which made Woojin moan with excitement. Taking it as a sign, Shin slowly began to insert his penis. ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Woojin...¡± When Shin called out his name, Woojin opened his eyes to look at Shin¡¯s eyes again. Woojin began to frown, and afraid that he was hurting him, Shin tried to stop. But quickly, Woojin held onto Shin and moved his hips closer to Shin. Shin nodded and lifted Woojin¡¯s legs a little higher and continued to insert himself. Shin thought the opening was wide enough, but it was still very difficult and time-consuming to fully insert himself in Woojin. When Shin was finally all in, they both felt like crying. Woojin was biting his lips as he tried to ept Shin, and feeling apologetic, Shin began to kiss Woojin¡¯s cheeks. Woojin¡¯s eyes were a little wet, but he still moved his waist towards Shin to help. It must¡¯ve been painful, but Woojin whispered, ¡°You... If it¡¯s you, I like it. I like all of you... whatever you do to me... I like it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ahh... F-from now on... You... you can¡¯t go away... D-don¡¯t leave me...¡± Shin began to move as he held onto Woojin¡¯s waist. His entire body felt hot. His head, his body, and the part where they were joined together... Their eyes locked as they found afortable rhythm. The wet sound of sex excited them both and Shin bit Woojin¡¯s lips hard. Excitement and tension. As they moved together, the sad memories disappeared from their minds. ¡°I like you, Shin...¡± Shin felt like crying. He kissed Woojin everywhere, wanting to mark Woojin as his own. He prayed that his kisses would make Woojin¡¯s scars go away. Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Chapter 105

Chapter 105 Being 20 years old wasn¡¯t as fun as Siwoo expected. He sighed as he left the Blue Campus. Somehow, he studied enough to get into university, but he couldn¡¯t find too many advantages in being a university student. Well, perhaps except for being able to legally drink and have sex. (Although he did both in his teens anyway.) ¡°Hey.¡± There was one more thing he could do more freely now. It was being able to see Shin Kim as much as he wanted now that he had left the dorm and had his own ce to live. Shin Kim ran towards him like a puppy. Shin Kim. His first love. In reality, they were very good friends, and although Shin was his first love, Siwoo didn¡¯t have an overt sexual desire for him. Siwoo suspected that Shin was many people¡¯s first love. Since the first time they met in high school, they had a lot inmon. They never were in the same sses and they didn¡¯t have any mutual friends, but for some reason, they became and remained close. It may have been because they were both very social but also private at the same time. They understood each other very well. They found each otherfortable because although they were close, they also knew how to keep a proper distance. Shin would never know he was Siwoo¡¯s first love. To be honest, Siwoo himself only realized it recently after he became a legal adult. One night, Shin fell asleep while drinking and after studying his face, Siwoo realized that he liked men. It felt so natural to admit it. Siwoo asked, ¡°Do you like your elective?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were in the same ss as that girl who is majoring in ballet?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t remember.¡± Shin grinned and Siwoo ced his hand on his left chest. Thankfully, Shin was addicted to both dating and sex. After the serious car ident during high school, Shin stopped swimming but instead developed a weakness for thedies. But Shin could never be faithful to one person. He, in fact, saw sex as some sort of sport. And there was no doubt on earth that Shin was heterosexual. When Siwoo told him he was gay, Shin didn¡¯t say much. All he said was that he wasn¡¯t surprised, and this answer was veryforting to Siwoo. Siwoo asked, ¡°Did you sleep with her?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°And how was it?¡± ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± ¡°Sex is the most interesting topic no matter what you are. Gay or heterosexual.¡± ¡°She liked it when I did her, and she felt sad when I went afterward. The end.¡± Hmm, Siwoo thought maybe Shin was only addicted to sex, not dating. Now that he thought about it, Shin picked up women easily, but once he had his fun, he was a cold dude who refused to keep anyone in his life. This was definitely not dating. Siwoo replied, ¡°That¡¯s so mean and unconscientious.¡± ¡°Why? She asked me to do her, so I did.¡± Shin¡¯s eyebrows arched attractively. He could be a jerk, but no one could deny that Shin was a very good-looking guy. 186 cm, a swimmer¡¯s body, a beautiful smile, and an outgoing personality. Whenever Shin walked by, the girls stared openly. The problem here was that Shin enjoyed being the center of attention. He would smile and look at them with open desire. Some called women flowers, but Siwoo felt Shin was the most beautiful flower of them all with an alluring scent. Shin grinned and asked, ¡°Do you know that you are looking at me like I am a total asshole?¡± ¡°Did you eat yet?¡± ¡°Nope. Wanna grab lunch together?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Whatever you want is fine.¡± ¡°You are too cute, Siwoo.¡± With a smile, Shin patted Siwoo¡¯s nose twice. It was such a familiar gesture and it would have been easy to mistake it for interest. Thankfully, Siwoo knew better. He was also d that Shin didn¡¯t know the fact he used to be Siwoo¡¯s first love. Shin asked, ¡°What are you doing for dinner? Do you want to have a drink with me?¡± They began to walk towards the university cafeteria, which was located at the center of the campus. Shin held Siwoo¡¯s shoulders and the fresh mint scent covered Siwoo¡¯s nose. They were both 20 years old, but Shin seemed very different than Siwoo, or any other person their age. Shin was... apletely different kind. As they walked, the girls stared at Shin again. They all looked like they wanted Shin. ¡®They are all being fooled by this sex addict.¡¯ Suddenly, Shin turned towards Siwoo and asked, ¡°Hey, you know what?¡± ¡°What?¡± Shin smiled knowingly and lowered his face to whisper to Siwoo¡¯s ear, ¡°My partners hate you.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°No matter who I date, every one of my partners hates you. They don¡¯t hate any of my other friends. The girls told me they don¡¯t like you because you are too pretty.¡± Shin wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully. He could be such a jerk. Siwoo replied, ¡°You are a bastard, Shin.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call them partners. Call them your lovers.¡± ¡°What lovers? It¡¯s strictly such sex. All I do is put it in them.¡± ¡°You pull out too, don¡¯t you?¡± At Siwoo¡¯s dirty joke, Shinughed loudly. He grinned, showing off his teeth, looking like a wild animal. Shin used to be such an innocent pure boy when he was in high school, and Siwoo wondered if something went wrong in his brain from the car ident. But Siwoo had to admit that the changes weren¡¯t all that bad. Of all people, Shin still knew to never cross the line. Siwoo replied, ¡°I have ns tonight, so I can¡¯t go with you.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, Shin.¡± When Shin looked at him with mock anger, Siwoo ignored him and looked around campus. They were too young to be thinking and worrying about the future. They were only 20 after all. Siwoo just wanted to live his life doing what he wanted. And one fateful day, still in his early 20¡¯s, Siwoo met R. Chapter 106

Chapter 106: Chapter 106

Chapter 106 The first time Siwoo heard about R was right after his first semester midterm exam. The bartender at his favorite club was always generous towards Siwoo. Siwoo was beginning to think it was because the bartender was interested in him. Siwoo had a lot of sexual experiences considering his young age, but the grownup world was still very different and new to him. Bartender M was a good guy. He was much older, and he took care of Siwoo. Whenever Siwoo got too drunk, he made sure to grab a cab for Siwoo so he could get home safely. Of course, the problem was that such a nice guy was not Siwoo¡¯s type. Bartender M asked Siwoo one night, ¡°Are you interested in going into the private room tonight?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°R is here tonight.¡± R. There were only two things Siwoo knew about this man called R. First, whenever R visited the club, he always rented the most expensive and luxurious private room. He never left the room until he left for the night. Secondly, R invited different guys every night, but no one had ever seen him leave the bar with someone. Siwoo remembered the first time he saw this infamous R. He came to this bar to look for a partner when he noticed arge room with a closed door. He has never seen this room locked in such a way, and Siwoo got a strange vibe around the bar that night. Curious, Siwoo asked M what was happening, and this was when Siwoo heard about R for the first time. ¡°R is here.¡± ¡°R? Who¡¯s that?¡± Just who was this R? Many of the regrs at the bar were staring at the closed door. Siwoo heard that there were many men whose dream was to be allowed to go into R¡¯s room even for just one night. Apparently, those who hoped to make it in the entertainment industry were even desperate to be noticed by R. There was a crowd outside the private room¡¯s door, and feeling curious, Siwoo got closer to it only to be stopped by the security guards. Siwoo frowned unhappily, but blushed when he heard loud moaning and groaninging out from that very room. He walked away quickly in embarrassment. This was a few months ago. Siwoo asked M, ¡°Are you telling me I should go into R¡¯s room?¡± ¡°No, the opposite actually. I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t get noticed by him.¡± The bartender smiled bitterly. M never showed any explicit interest in Siwoo. He never made an overt move on Siwoo, which was very unfortunate. Siwoo liked men who knew what they wanted and went for it without hesitation. M poured him a drink and Siwoo turned towards the security guards that stood in front of the door. ¡°M, is R nning to make his choice out here tonight?¡± ¡°It sounds like it.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Because no one has gone in yet.¡± Siwoo was told that R¡¯s private parties involved only a few people. The average number of men invited was four, but sometimes, it could be up to 10 people. R visited this bar about once a week, sometimes once every two weeks. It seemed that once R had enough people for the party, the door remained closed all night. Those men who¡¯d been to the party mostly remained close-mouthed about what happened inside, but there were still some rumors regarding what went on at R¡¯s party. Threesomes, sex toys, drugs, and hard liquor... Siwoo heard that the drugs and alcohol were items that were illegal in Korea. Siwoo asked M, ¡°And is it true that he is amazing at sex?¡± ¡°I really want you to drop your interest in R, Siwoo.¡± ¡°Why?¡± If M was more aggressive in pursuing Siwoo, Siwoo would have forgotten about R. Siwoo would¡¯ve refused to go into R¡¯s private room, but as he expected, M didn¡¯t say anything. Siwoo continued to drink at the bar silently. A long time passed and Siwoo noticed the bar quieting down a little when suddenly, someone called for him. ¡°...Hey.¡± When Siwoo turned around, he saw that the door to R¡¯s room was slightly open. It looked very quiet inside and a blue hand gestured for one of the guards. By pure coincidence, Siwoo was able to get a glimpse of the inside and what he saw was shocking. He saw a man wearing a white shirt and no pants. His legs were bare and on top of his thighs, Siwoo saw liquid dripping down. Was it alcohol? Sweat? Or... semen? ¡°...¡± Siwoo was notorious for his curiosity. Shin often told him that Siwoo¡¯s curiosity was going to be the death of him. Once Siwoo wanted to find out something, he didn¡¯t rest until his curiosity was satisfied. Siwoo looked up and saw the man¡¯s face. The man had an oddly empty smile on his face. His eyes nted down and had a pointy face, making him look like a fox. The man was very pale, and he looked nk and hollow. ¡°R?¡± ¡°...Come over here.¡± It was another coincidence that M wasn¡¯t at the bar at that moment. Or was this fate perhaps? When the man inside the room gestured for Siwoo toe in, the guard moved aside. Mesmerized, Siwoo stood up and walked towards the man slowly. As Siwoo got closer to the room, he could smell the mix of expensive cologne and hard liquor. Siwoo didn¡¯t dislike it. ¡°You wannae in?¡± The guards, who refused his entry before, took two steps aside to let Siwoo in. With an uncertain frown, Siwoo contemted on what he should do. When Siwoo turned to look at the club, it was almost empty. It seemed that every time R held a party, the club became very sparse. Siwoo tilted his head and hesitated, making the man smile widely. The man¡¯s white teeth looked white and shiny. A tiny mole underneath his left eye crinkled. ¡°I think you are curious about what is going on inside.¡± The man grabbed Siwoo¡¯s wrist and ced it inside his shirt. When Siwoo tried to pull back in shock, the man squeezed his hand and forced Siwoo to touch his nipple, which was pierced. ¡°You can pull on it if you want.¡± As the man whispered, another set of hands reached out to touch Siwoo¡¯s cheek. It was a second man who came out from the room. He stood behind the first man, half-hidden and half-visible to Siwoo. ¡°...!¡± The second guy was much taller than the pale man who resembled a fox. Siwoo guessed that he must be even taller than Shin Kim. The man¡¯s eyes looked very cold as he squeezed and studied Siwoo¡¯s face. The man treated Siwoo like a thing, and feeling angry, Siwoo pushed the hand away. The fox-like man frowned and said to Siwoo, ¡°How dare you...¡± ¡°Stop it, Ray. If R finds out, he won¡¯t like it.¡± It seemed that both men belonged to R. Siwoo thought the room was empty except for R, but he must¡¯ve been wrong about it. Still feeling curious, Siwoo rubbed his cheeks angrily. He didn¡¯t feel like staying, so when he turned around to leave, a cold hand grabbed Siwoo¡¯s wrist again. ¡°You shoulde in. You won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I mean it.¡± Suddenly, before Siwoo could stop him, the man¡¯s sweet lips covered his own. Siwoo felt the bitter taste of an unknown drug slipping into his mouth as he was pulled into the room. m! The door closed behind him. Chapter 107

Chapter 107: Chapter 107

Chapter 107 Siwoo remembered falling on his knees as he was pulled into the room. When he coughed, a ss of drink was offered to him. He gulped it down, but before he finished the cup, someone held his wrist to stop him. ¡°If you drink it that fast and that much, it will kill you.¡± It was that man, Ray, who treated Siwoo like he was a piece of meat. ¡°You look cute like that, surprised and confused. With a face like yours, I think you could probably be an idol or an actor.¡± ¡°Ray, stop teasing the poor boy.¡± Unlike the man who was only wearing a white shirt, this Ray guy was still in his stiff business suit. His dress shirt fit him tightly to show off his narrow waist, and his pants were ironed to perfection. The man had a straight nose and he looked exotic. Was he from somewhere in South America? Siwoo murmured, ¡°Your... eyes...¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Your eyes are... the color of honeybees.¡± Ray grinned, and when his eyes nted in a pretty arc, Siwoo reached out to touch them. The man blew out a thick cigarette smoke, and it smelled like grass. Ray replied, ¡°Everyone just says my eyes look different, but you are telling me the exact color of them.¡± ¡°...Because it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m mixed. Only half Korean.¡± Ray leaned forward and bit Siwoo¡¯s cheek. Siwoo thought he would bite lightly, but he was wrong. Ray bit pretty hard and Siwoo frowned and pushed him away. Siwoo ribbed his red swollen cheek angrily, making Ray chuckle. Suddenly, Siwoo felt like he was floating. ¡°The drug must be working very well for you, little one.¡± ¡°... I¡¯m not... little...¡± Ray wrapped his arms around Siwoo. Ray was big and he boasted of an attractive scent. When Siwoo turned his face away, Ray bit his exposed neck. Ray murmured, ¡°This one is definitely R¡¯s type.¡± The pale man smiled at Siwoo and replied, ¡°...No. Not R.¡± It felt like the room was spinning. Siwoo began to pant a little, and looking at him affectionately, Ray licked Siwoo¡¯s neck and rubbed his back gently. When Ray grabbed and squeezed Siwoo¡¯s butt, Siwoo squirmed in excitement and buried his head in Ray¡¯s chest. ¡°Hmm... You are so cute.¡± ¡°...Ah...¡± Ray pulled Siwoo¡¯s head back and studied his lips. Ray seemed to be enjoying this situation greatly. When Siwoo narrowed his eyes, Ray smiled and licked Siwoo¡¯s lips seductively. To Siwoo¡¯s surprise, Ray¡¯s tongue felt both sweet and rough at the same time. ¡°You like how it feels?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You are very honest. Totally my type.¡± When Siwoo sighed, Ray bit Siwoo¡¯s lips. Ray¡¯s eyes were such a beautiful golden color, and Siwoo wanted to tell him so. But he was unable to because Ray¡¯s tongue invaded his mouth. Ray licked the inside of Siwoo¡¯s mouth and pushed deep into his throat. It was an invasively deep kiss, but Siwoo didn¡¯t feel repulsed. In fact, Ray¡¯s technique was amazing, making Siwoo moan excitedly. When Ray licked the roof of Siwoo¡¯s mouth, Siwoo¡¯s knees felt weak. ¡°Ahh... mmmhh.¡± ¡°Do you want more?¡± Siwoo¡¯s eyes widened when he realized he was hard. Rayughed and touched Siwoo¡¯s lips gently as he hugged him from behind. When Ray rubbed his lower body against Siwoo¡¯s, Siwoo became even more excited. He tried to turn towards Ray, but Ray stopped him and forced Siwoo to look down on the table. ¡°Do you like to be on top or on the bottom?¡± ¡°...Both.¡± ¡°...Wow... I can see I got the real deal here.¡± Pleased, Ray bit Siwoo¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°If you want to be on top, you can ask Chris.¡± ¡°... Chris...¡± Siwoo remembered the nipple piercing that shined like a crystal. The pale man, Chris, who was sitting on a table and smoking, stood up and walked towards a nearby sofa slowly. His thighs were so slim. Chris sat down on the sofa and spread his legs widely. And it was then that Siwoo realized that there was another man already sitting on the sofa who was now underneath Chris. Christ began to move up and down on top of the man. ¡°...R.¡± A beast. The man was like a beast. An animal. Bright sharp eyes, strong facial features and statuesque body. His hair was very short, which entuated his eyes even more. Such deep ck eyes... And they were looking directly at Siwoo. Siwoo felt like he was being electrocuted. Chris whispered to R, ¡°...Put it in me, R.¡± ¡°... I already did a few times today, didn¡¯t I?¡± The rxed way R spoke reminded Siwoo of Shin Kim. Siwoo trembled a little, and taking it as a sign, Ray pulled Siwoo¡¯s waist closer to his. Siwoo could feel Ray¡¯srge erect penis, and this time, Siwoo shook because his body felt like it was burning. Ray whispered quietly, ¡°I can put mine in you, and you can do it to Chris.¡± ¡°... It looks like that other man is going to take Chris.¡± Siwoo pointed at R and murmured and Ray chuckled. He caressed Siwoo¡¯s hair and took out his hard member to rub against Siwoo¡¯s pants. It was hot, thick, and hard. In disbelief, Siwoo turned around towards Ray, whoughed and asked, ¡°What about if I just do you?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Siwoo was not an impulsive man. He firmly believed in being in control of himself, which oftentimes meant that he didn¡¯t allow himself to do or say what he truly wanted or desired. To some extent, Siwoo knew this was because it was his defense mechanism to protect himself from getting hurt. But tonight, it felt very different. Ray whispered to Siwoo, ¡°You look like a fox too.¡± He tenderly rubbed Siwoo¡¯s eyebrows with his thumb, and feeling loved, Siwoo trembled. Then suddenly, R slowly stood up from the sofa. ¡°Ray.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Siwoo saw Ray swallow hard. When Siwoo turned around, he saw the beast¡¯s eyes staring at his face. His eyebrows, nose, and lips. It was as if the beast was eating Siwoo alive just by looking at him. It was strange, but Siwoo realized he was bing aroused just from R¡¯s looks. To his surprise, R was much younger than he expected. Based on the rumors, Siwoo expected R to be a pervert in his 50¡¯s, but in real life, R was very young. And... R was definitely Siwoo¡¯s type. With a frown, Siwoo muttered, ¡°...What are you looking at?¡± Siwoo had a very bad habit of behaving coldly towards the men he liked. At Siwoo¡¯s rude tone, R frowned, making Ray snicker. R raised one of his eyebrows and rubbed Siwoo¡¯s lips. Siwoo could smell the distinct scent of grass on his fingers. It was the same scent from Ray¡¯s cigarette. R continued to frown and moved Siwoo¡¯s face side to side. He asked, ¡°You are really young, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...You don¡¯t look that old either.¡± ¡°Hmm... aren¡¯t you a rude little boy.¡± R smiled and watching him made Siwoo feel all twisted up inside. It was an unpleasant feeling. Siwoo knew it was because he was falling for this beast of a man, and he was bing angry at himself. He could feel his control slipping away from him, and he hated feeling this weak. Siwoo knew how men could hurt him. R asked Siwoo, ¡°You really want to do it with Ray?¡± R looked up at Ray. R was shorter than Ray, but his presence was much greater and heavier. Ray, on the other hand, was watching Chris who was still on the sofa. Did Ray not care who was underneath him as long as it was a warm body? Siwoo bit his lips and tried to calm down. R asked, ¡°Chris, what did you give this guy?¡± ¡°...Why?¡± ¡°He is getting hard very easily.¡± R looked down at Siwoo coldly before walking back towards Chris. When R began to fondle Chris, Siwoo looked away. He felt upset and angry. Siwoo turned around to leave the room, but Ray grabbed his neck and pulled Siwoo back into his embrace. ¡°You said you wanted me to do you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to anymore. I think it¡¯s going to hurt.¡± Siwoo almost told him the truth that he had never done this before, but he stopped himself. Ray smiled attractively, but it for some reason felt creepy to Siwoo. He nced at R who had his eyes closed. Chris was already helping R get his pants off. Suddenly, R grabbed Siwoo¡¯s face and turned him towards himself. ¡°Are you interested in R too?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Liar. I can see it in your eyes.¡± Instinctively, Siwoo knew he had made a mistake. He got the feeling that Ray had feelings for Chris. Feeling a little fearful, Siwoo tried to step back, but Ray pushed him against the wall with ease. He ordered Siwoo, ¡°Turn around.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You think you can just leave?¡± SLAP! Siwoo felt a burning pain on his cheek. His eyes teared up immediately. ¡°...!¡± Chapter 108

Chapter 108: Chapter 108

Chapter 108 Ray said to Siwoo with cold interest, ¡°Your skin is pale... It¡¯s so easy to turn it red... Hmm...¡± Siwoo shivered in fear, because he saw that Ray¡¯s eyes were nk. Siwoo knew that he would have sex with someone someday eventually, but he didn¡¯t want it to happen like this. It wasn¡¯t that he had no experience at all, but he just didn¡¯t want this. He knew that anal sex could be painful and difficult, especially the first time. ¡°It... it hurts. Y-you are hurting me.¡± ¡°Sex is pain. Didn¡¯t you know that, little one?¡± Rayughed as he pushed Siwoo down on the floor. He lifted Siwoo¡¯s knees up and tried to take his pants off. When Siwoo iled to fight back, Ray pped him again. Siwoo began to cry quietly. ¡°Wow, you look even prettier when you cry.¡± ¡°...¡± Siwoo bit his lips to stop crying. He tasted his own blood and his fear escted because it was obvious Ray was bing more excited. Siwoo closed his eyes in resignation, and Ray seemed to have taken this as consent. He ripped Siwoo¡¯s shirt open and bit his neck. Siwoo knew his first time had to happen at some point, but he just couldn¡¯t make himself feel okay. He hated crying, so he turned away in an attempt to hide his tears. Then suddenly, Ray fell to the side. R was standing next to them and he kicked Ray one more time until he hit the wall. R said quietly, ¡°I told you no rape.¡± Ray frowned, but ignoring him, R turned towards Chris and ordered, ¡°Take this idiot out.¡± ¡°R...¡± Chris still looked aroused. He grabbed R¡¯s wrist desperately, and R just stared at Ray with a silent warning. After a few seconds, Ray stood up and took Chris out of the room. Even as they left, Chris called out R¡¯s name, but it was ignored. m! The door closed behind them. Siwoo was still on the floor, his cheeks wet. R touched Siwoo¡¯s hair and asked quietly, ¡°You don¡¯t like being pped around, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Come here.¡± When Siwoo looked hesitant, R smiled oddly. Suddenly, Siwoo felt a strange sensation because R looked so young. R definitely had a cold face, but when he smiled, he looked genuine. Siwoo looked dumbfounded, which made R¡¯s smile only wider. R touched Siwoo¡¯s cheek and Siwoo looked back at him. R said to him, ¡°You look like someone I know, but you are actually very different.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying you shouldn¡¯t cry.¡± R helped Siwoo up and embraced him warmly. Siwoo wasn¡¯t a small guy, but because he was very slim for a man, he fit right inside R¡¯s arms. Feeling safe, Siwoo smelled R¡¯s neck for the familiar scent, making R chuckle. ¡°You are cute.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never had sex before, have you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Have you tried petting before?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It means touching each other.¡± Siwoo¡¯s face turned bright red and R grinned with interest. ¡°You wanna try it with me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t dislike me, right?¡± Softly and confidently, R stroked Siwoo¡¯s neck. Siwoo felt happy and when he closed his eyes, R licked the skin below Siwoo¡¯s eyes andughed. R¡¯s breath smelled like delicious alcohol. R whispered, ¡°I will do it for you. Take it out for me.¡± As soon as R said the words, Siwoo¡¯s penis, which wasid, began to harden again. Siwoo was no doubt a very sexual person. When he put his hand on his pants, Rughed and said to him, ¡°No, not yours. Mine.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Such a na?ve young man.¡± R put his hand inside Siwoo¡¯s pants and Siwoo didn¡¯t fight him. The feeling of R¡¯s cold hand felt wonderful, so when Siwoo tried to get closer to him, R whispered with a chuckle, ¡°Did you know that it feels even better when you lick it with your tongue?¡± ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Then take it out.¡± When Siwoo ced his hand on R¡¯s pants, R pushed it harder against himself. Siwoo whispered, ¡°You are big.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°But you did it already before.¡± ¡°Yeah, I did. But now that I have you here, I got hard again.¡± R bit Siwoo¡¯s ear as he rubbed the tip of Siwoo¡¯s penis. Siwoo gasped and R whispered excitedly, ¡°You are so pretty.¡± Siwoo hated being called pretty, but when R said it, he liked it. When Siwoo panted breathlessly, R took out his hand from Siwoo¡¯s pants and showed him the sticky liquid on his fingers. ¡°Look at this. You are so wet.¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t eat it.¡± R grinned and licked his fingers. This was bad, because Siwoo was bing even more aroused. When Siwoo twisted his body in excitement, R licked his fingers as well. Siwoo murmured, ¡°...Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You always say no when you want and like something.¡± ¡°...Mmmhh...¡± ¡°Say my name. Call me R.¡± ¡°...R...¡± R brought Siwoo¡¯s hand down to their penises, which were touching together now. R began to rub them together slowly and leisurely. It felt so different than when Siwoo did it by himself. R rubbed them together and caressed them expertly. Their eyes met and R said to Siwoo, ¡°Your fingers are so sexy.¡± ¡°Ahh... mmmmh.¡± ¡°I want to put mine in you the next time.¡± ¡°Ahh... Aaaa...¡±¡® R¡¯s hand... Siwoo¡¯s hand... and their most sensitive parts together... The intense and new sensation made Siwoo tear up. R smiled and asked, ¡°Do you want me to kiss you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Siwoo didn¡¯t want to say no this time, because he was afraid this might be thest time he ever saw this man again. When Siwoo wrapped his arms around R¡¯s neck, R pushed his tongue into Siwoo¡¯s mouth. Their tongues danced with each other. Siwoo closed his eyes and began to move his waist hard against R. ¡°...¡± It was a smooth but deep kiss. Lips against lips... Tongue against tongue... The burning heat from the kiss alone was enough for Siwoo to reach his climax. R suddenly ended the kiss and whispered again, ¡°You are so pretty.¡± Siwoo buried his face on R¡¯s shoulder and groaned. Reaching his own orgasm, R bit Siwoo¡¯s shoulder hard. It was a long intense relief for the both of them. They shivered, and recovering quicker than Siwoo, R caressed Siwoo¡¯s back. Siwoo panted wordlessly, and R touched Siwoo¡¯s cheek. They were still in each others¡¯ arms and it felt like time had stopped. Finally, R stood up and whispered to Siwoo, ¡°Don¡¯t evere back here.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And make sure you have sex with someone you love.¡± R gave Siwoo a slow chaste kiss. He waspletely different than what Siwoo imagined. When Siwoo blinked slowly, Rughed and added, ¡°And when you like something, just say so. Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°...¡± That was the first time Siwoo met R. Chapter 109

Chapter 109: Chapter 109

Chapter 109 ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think Shin Kim from the marketing department is totally sexy?¡± When Woojin walked by and heard the female workers talking in the office pantry, he felt a sudden and violently unpleasant sensation deep inside of him. Woojin suffered from selective hearing loss, so he would have missed their conversation except for the fact that Shin¡¯s name was mentioned. It only made sense that when his lover and roommate¡¯s name was said out loud, his normally dense ears would pick it up immediately. Woojin murmured to himself, ¡°... Shin Kim.¡± He stopped to listen in out of curiosity. It was rare for Woojin to be interested in other people¡¯s conversations, but not when it came to that one person most important to him at present. He still didn¡¯t realize it, but what he was feeling was more like jealousy than curiosity. The girls continued to chat. ¡°He is so hot, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s is so shocking that someone so good-looking is just a simple sryman.¡± ¡°I heard he isn¡¯t as young as he looks.¡± ¡°Oh, and he used to be a promising athlete in college.¡± Woojin frowned and murmured to himself, ¡°...That¡¯s not true...¡± But he agreed with the sexy and good-looking part. ¡°And even his voice is so sexy!¡± ¡°Did you notice his Adam¡¯s apple? It¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°Wow!!!¡± Woojin had never noticed Shin¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple before. When he got home tonight, he would have to check it out for sure. Just then, one of the girls asked a question that made him flinch. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like he has a girlfriend, right?¡± ¡°Why? Are you going to ask him out or something?¡± ¡°Hmmm... Have you noticed how he smiles at me? Well, other girls too, but still... I feel like if I try, I might be able to make him fall for me.¡± ¡°Office romance? You are brave just considering it. Well, who knows?¡± Unable to resist, Woojin peaked in through the slightly open door to see who it was. Vaguely, he remembered that it was a woman who was in Eejun Bae¡¯s division. She studied in the US and got hired around the same time as Eejun Bae. Woojin couldn¡¯t remember her name. Biting his lower lip hard, Woojin walked away. He felt his heart dropping. He felt very upset, even angry. It was an annoyingly hot summer day. *** Woojin told Shin he was going to be workingte this morning, so Shin decided to go home alone. But when he returned home after work, Woojin was just leaving. It seemed Woojin was in a hurry. He was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. His hair was still wet, which meant he just took a shower. Confused, Shin asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Woojin looked up and stammered, ¡°I-I was going out...¡± ¡°To where?¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin was a terrible liar, so his cheeks began to blush. Shin turned away, trying to hide his smile. It had been 4 months since they began to live together, and Shin learned a lot about Woojin. Firstly, Woojin always made sure to be fully dressed when he left the washroom after a shower. He was rather shy about his body. Secondly, Woojin spent a lot of time doing nothing. Thirdly, he could be very slow about many things and that was why he didn¡¯t say much. But Woojin also couldn¡¯t lie well. Andstly, it seemed Woojin was ok not having sex for the rest of his life because he never asked for it. It was always Shin who initiated it. Shin asked, ¡°I thought you said you were workingte tonight, right?¡± He gently held Woojin¡¯s waist. They had sex about once a week, and sometimes, Shin felt impatient and uncertain about how Woojin felt about it. Woojin never seemed to feel the need like Shin did. Woojin nced at Shin nervously and when Shin pulled him into their home, Woojin didn¡¯t resist. But... he still looked hesitant and awkward. Shin found Woojin so adorable. Woojin was never going to know how cute he was. Woojin¡¯s ears turned red too, and when Shin let him go, he looked a little disappointed. ¡°Why are you already home, Woojin?¡± ¡°... It turned out I didn¡¯t have to workte today.¡± ¡°Then we could havee home together. You could¡¯ve told me so I can drive you.¡± ¡°In case people see us together...¡± Shin dropped his briefcase and took his shoes off. Quietly, Woojin did the same and followed Shin into the living room. ¡°I thought you were going out.¡± ¡°...¡± Shin hoped Woojin would never find out how fun it was to tease him. Shin began to loosen his tie when he noticed Woojin staring at his hands. The way Woojin looked at him was intense, making Shin a little excited. Tomorrow was a workday, so sex was not a good idea, but... Shin could feel himself beginning to harden. Last week, Siwoo called him a total pervert, and he was probably right. Shin felt a sudden urge to bite Woojin¡¯s pale neck and turn it red and puffy. Maybe even blue. Lately, Shin realized how sex could stem from destructive desire. Shin murmured, ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? You are making me feel weird.¡± ¡°...Do you feel weird?¡± Woojin looked down a little, and Shin found him so sexy. When Shin rubbed his cheek gently, Woojin leaned against him. Shin wanted to do it tonight... And probably tomorrow night too... and the next day... Shin leaned to put his lips on Woojin¡¯s neck as he pulled Woojin closer to him. Woojin didn¡¯t resist and in fact, tilted his neck so Shin could get better ess. It looked like Woojin liked this. Woojin inhaled deeply and shivered a little. The clean smell of his hair felt wonderful to Shin. ¡°You showered too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Where were you nning to go? You didn¡¯t want me to find out, right?¡± Shin finally bit Woojin¡¯s neck. Woojin moaned a little, making an erotic sound. Shin pulled him closer andid him on the bed. Woojin didn¡¯t resist, but he looked away. ¡°Why are you looking away?¡± ¡°...Because I feel shy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± When Shinughed, Woojin reached out and touched Shin¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple. Looking up again, Woojin murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t think I have to go out after all.¡± ¡°And?¡± When Shin smiled knowingly, Woojin¡¯s eyes widened. Woojin liked Shin¡¯s body. He liked Shin¡¯s eyes and lips. Shin knew that Woojin liked to trace his eyes and lips when he thought Shin was asleep. Woojin replied, ¡°We need to eat dinner, right?¡± ¡°Hmm... I am actually hungry for something else.¡± Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Chapter 110

Chapter 110 Shin unbuckled Woojin¡¯s jeans and put his hands inside his underwear. ¡°Mmmhh... No...¡± ¡°...You don¡¯t want to? Are you sure?¡± Woojin has partially hard, which was a surprise to Shin Kim. When stroked Woojin¡¯s penis, Woojin reddened and moaned again. It was always amazing to see Woojin¡¯s pale body turn pink. Shin loved watching Woojin naked, but Woojin was still very shy about it. He always insisted on turning the light off and Shin never pushed him. But today, it felt a little different. Shin thought that tonight, he might be able to convince Woojin to make him take his clothes off in front of him with the light on. Just thinking about the possibility made Shin hard. Licking his lips, Shin whispered to Woojin, ¡°I want to do it now.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Take your clothes off.¡± Woojin¡¯s back was on the bed, and looking deep into his eyes, Shin rubbed the tip of Woojin¡¯s member. Woojin buried his face on one of the pillows and began to pant. His penis hardened quickly, making Woojin shudder. Shin continued to whisper, ¡°You want to do it too, right?¡± ¡°...Y...yeah...¡± This was how it always happened. Shin had to beg Woojin and that was the only way Woojin admitted he wanted to do it too. Shin felt a little bitter about it, but he forgot about it quickly. Who cares how it happened as long as it did? Shin sat up a little and took his shirt off in one motion. He reached out to his own pants when he noticed Woojin looking up with a red face. Shin mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m going to shower first.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin shook his head and when Shin touched his face curiously, Woojin grabbed Shin¡¯s shaft and began to stroke it clumsily. With a surprised gasp, Shin said again, ¡°I¡¯ll be back. I should wash up first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shower.¡± And with that, Woojin put Shin¡¯s member in his mouth. This was the first time he had done something like this. ¡°Mmm...!¡± Shin has been holding back on oral sex because it seemed like Woojin didn¡¯t like it. But here he was, licking the tip of Shin¡¯s penis. Shin lowered his body and touched Woojin¡¯s shoulder. When Woojin looked up, Shin gave him a kiss and studied Woojin¡¯s face. His cheeks were flushed, and Shin trembled with lust. This man... Did Woojin know how he drove Shin crazy? Would he ever know how much Shin loved him? Woojin mumbled, ¡°...You want me to do it for you?¡± Shin stood up. Woojin¡¯s mouth was small, so Shin knew it would feel amazing to be inside Woojin¡¯s mouth. He was again confirmed with the fact that great sex came from violent lust and desire. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°But you need to take all of your clothes off first, Woojin. Right now. Here.¡± This was the chance Shin had been waiting for. He was going to have Woojinpletely naked and eat him up under bright light. When Shin grinned and touched Woojin¡¯s eyebrow, Woojin sighed deeply. ¡°Woojin,e over here. I will help you undress.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin seemed hesitant, so Shin pulled him closer. Woojin was still on his knees, so Shin¡¯s penis touched his face, making him blink. ¡®He is too cute.¡¯ Shin reached down and pulled Woojin¡¯s shirt off. Woojin¡¯s entire body was blushing like blooming flowers. Wanting to mark him, Shin lowered his face and kissed Woojin¡¯s neck. Slowly, Woojin grabbed Shin¡¯s face and whispered, ¡°Do it... o-on my... lips...¡± Shin knew he meant kissing on the lips, but it sounded like Woojin was asking Shin to cum in his mouth. An erotic picture popped in Shin¡¯s head, making him be even more aroused. With an aggressive kiss, Shin pushed Woojin against the bed. Woojin was very flexible, so his waist bent backward easily. But Woojin immediately tried to sit up again. As they rubbed against each other, Woojin¡¯s pants finally fell down. His white and red penis appeared, and Shin whispered, ¡°Look at yourself. It¡¯s dripping.¡± ¡°...Mmm...¡± Shin fondled it, making wet sounds. When Shin rubbed the wetness on Woojin¡¯s chest, it seemed to make Woojin more excited than usual. Sometimes, it seemed that Woojin has a rather twisted sexual taste. There were a few times when Shin felt like Woojin could be an uncontroble sex addict. Breathing harshly, Shin stood up and looked down at Woojin, who seemed like he was burning. Shin worried, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might hurt yourself.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin shook his head and held Shin¡¯s penis gently. At first, he stroked it a few times with his hands before he brought it to rub it against his cheek. ¡°...!¡± It was such an erotic scene that Shin gasped. Taking this as a good sign, Woojin looked up and pped his face several times with Shin¡¯s shaft. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°...You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Where did you learn something like this, Woojin?¡± Shin frowned, unable to control his breathing, and this seemed to make Woojin feel worried. Shin exhaled deeply and tried his best to calm down. His penis was so hard and engorged that he worried it might hurt Woojin¡¯s small mouth. Shin blinked a few times and kneeled in front of Woojin to hug him. Woojin wrapped his arms around Shin¡¯s neck and inhaled deeply. Woojin whispered, ¡°Are you angry at me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. You... you don¡¯t have to do things like this, you know.¡± Even without it, Shin found Woojin incredibly sexy, but it seemed Woojin wasn¡¯t going to make it easy for Shin. Woojin insisted, ¡°I want it in my mouth.¡± ¡°Not now. You might get hurt.¡± ¡°... But... doing it in my mouth...¡± ¡°Please stop talking about it, or you are going to make me burst. I don¡¯t think I can handle any more excitement.¡± Woojin¡¯s naked body was exciting enough. Shin fingered Woojin¡¯s butt, and as if ticklish, Woojin twisted his body. Shin begged, ¡°Let¡¯s loosen you up first before we do anything.¡± ¡°But it looks like you need to... relieve yourself right now... I can just use my mouth.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Come over here.¡± Shin kissed Woojin deeply as he grabbed the tube of lubricant from the side table. When Shin squeezed some and rubbed it on Woojin¡¯s chest and stomach, Woojin looked down and murmured, ¡°The sheets are going to be ruined.¡± ¡°We can wash them.¡± Gently, Shin massaged Woojin¡¯s chest down to his thighs. When Woojinid down on the bedfortably, Shin ordered him, ¡°Spread your legs and hold them with your hands.¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± ¡°Just do it. Just this once. Please...¡± It seemed that Woojin didn¡¯t realize the light was still on. Woojin shook his head shyly, but he did as Shin asked. Shin put more lubricant on Woojin¡¯s belly and from the coldness of it, Woojin frowned. Shin kissed the area a few times and asked, ¡°Is it still cold?¡± ¡°No...¡± Woojin¡¯s body warmed up fast. Shin used his finger to gently loosen Woojin¡¯s body. Anal sex took time and patience. When Shin looked at Woojin, Woojin was still red and staring at Shin. Shin asked, ¡°Did you know we were going to do it tonight?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What if I didn¡¯t ask for it?¡± ¡°Then I was going to ask.¡± Woojin was way too adorable. Shin kissed him again and rubbed himself against Woojin. When Shin positioned himself, Woojin opened his legs even wider. Woojin¡¯s thighs looked snow-white and beautiful, and Woojin was panting with anticipation. As Shin slowly inserted himself, Woojin began to moan and lifted his hip a little. Shin asked, ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°...Ahh...¡± ¡°...Then beg me for more.¡± ¡°M-mo... ahhh...¡± ¡°...Say it louder.¡± ¡°...More... d-deeper.... Put it in d-deeper...¡± ck eyes filled with lust. White porcin skin adorned with pinkness. Wet hair and breathy moans. Shin¡¯s movement became uncontrolled and all he could do was try to breathe as best he could. It felt so intense that Woojin mumbled, ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die... ahhh...¡± ¡°...Mmmhh...¡± ¡°H-hurry up... and i-inside... now...¡± ¡°Inside... what?¡± ¡°... Hurry up...¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± ¡°...Cum... inside me... please...¡± Just then, Shin closed his eyes and climaxed. He copsed on top of Woojin and panted while Woojin followed and shuddered. Their harsh breaths filled the silent room. ¡°W-where... Where did you learn that? W-who are you?¡± If Shin knew Woojin was this erotic and sexy, Shin would¡¯ve begged him to go out when they were still in high school. Shin smiled secretly. Shin knew Woojin needed to wash up and get the stickiness out of him, but it felt too good to hold Woojin like this. To be joined to Woojin... Shin whispered, ¡°You are too sexy, Woojin Choi.¡± ¡°...So I guess I¡¯m getting away with it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± At that time, Shin had no idea what was going on inside Woojin¡¯s head. Chapter 111

Chapter 111: Chapter 111

Chapter 111 Woojin and Siwoo sat down across from each other at a caf¨¦. It was a middle of a day and the caf¨¦ was empty. Siwoo said to him in annoyance, ¡°You were the one who asked to meet mest time onst-minute notice, yet you didn¡¯t even show up, Mr. Woojin Choi. What was that about?¡± ¡°Sorry...¡± All Woojin could do was apologize because Siwoo was right. A few days ago, Woojin asked to meet Siwoo because he wanted to ask a question. But when he was about to leave the house to meet Siwoo, Shin came home. Woojin was a terrible liar, and afraid Shin was going to find out about the secret meeting with Siwoo. So, Woojin decided not to make it to the meeting. In the end, Woojin and Shin ended up having amazing sex and Siwoo never found out. Siwoo asked, ¡°So did Shin find out about us meeting? Does he know?¡± ¡°No. I am horrible at lying so...¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So that was why I didn¡¯t make it to our meetingst time. I was afraid he would find out.¡± ¡°Hmm... So what is so important that you have to meet me like this in secret?¡± Siwoo looked at Woojin with interest and sipped on his iced americano. Woojin studied Siwoo as well carefully. Woojin had never been interested in anyone¡¯s face except for Shin¡¯s, but today, he was curious about Siwoo. Siwoo looked... very sensual somehow. ¡°Siwoo, how did you seduce Jihoon?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Siwoo coughed in shock and Woojin handed him a napkin. Siwoo turned very red and Woojin pushed his cup of warm jasmine tea towards him. Siwoo shook his head and said to Woojin, ¡°Gosh... I almost died from choking on my americano.¡± ¡°Really? Are you ok?¡± ¡°Totally. That was so shocking, what you asked me. I never thought you would ask me something like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Siwoo smiled as if he found Woojin funny and asked, ¡°Well, if we are being honest, I would love to ask you the same question. How the heck did you seduce Shin Kim?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I mean, Jihoon is the type that would go out with anyone, right? So...¡± ¡°What? Jihoon?¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Jihoon¡¯s never had a boyfriend before.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Jihoon¡¯s never dated anyone before.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He has, of course, had sex partners.¡± When Siwoo looked sad, Woojin couldn¡¯t help but smile. But he knew how proud Siwoo was, so Woojin quickly wiped away his smile and continued, ¡°Jihoon was never a type that had an official lover. Siwoo, you are the first one and you have no idea how surprised I was.¡± ¡°Well, in that aspect, Shin and Jihoon are very simr.¡± ¡°...Oh.¡± Woojin felt himself blushing. He touched his cup and asked quietly, ¡°Shin Kim has always been a very popr guy, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°...Are you trying to ask me about your lover¡¯s past?¡± ¡°...A few days ago, I heard something about Shin at the office.¡± Siwoo¡¯s expression changed slightly, and Woojin couldn¡¯t tell what it meant. Woojin continued cautiously, ¡°So...¡± ¡°Were you guys found out?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did the people at your office find out you and Shin are dating?¡± Woojin shook his head. ¡°No, not that. It¡¯s...¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if you were. That Shin acts so obvious around you. Anyone with eyes can tell he is totally into you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that...¡± ¡°...Then what?¡± ¡°I heard the female workers talking about how handsome Shin was...¡± Siwoo stared at Woojin in confusion. ¡°Woojin... Umm... Are you telling me...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That you are jealous?¡± As soon as Siwoo said the word, Woojin felt like he got found out. He felt a little dizzy as he realized the truth. The annoyance and frustration he felt at the office... It was jealousy. ¡°Woojin... It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Wow, that is so surprising. I mean, you have the calmest face in the world, yet...¡± ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± ¡°Not at all. It makes sense. It¡¯s natural that you feel that way. I am jealous of you too, Woojin.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jihoon talks about you all the time. I think it¡¯s abination of affection and mild obsession.¡± ¡°...You do know we are cousins, right?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°Then why would you be jealous of me?¡± ¡°Well... It¡¯splicated. I think it just means that I like Jihoon a lot.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s very simr to what you must¡¯ve felt when you heard the girls talking about Shin. I think... if I see Jihoon looking at other man or woman, I would be annoyed too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I can be very hot-tempered.¡± Siwoo smiled, looking like a young boy. Siwoo looked so beautiful that Woojin stared. Siwoo smiled even wider and said to Woojin, ¡°If Shin saw you stare at me like that, he would be so jealous.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°I know Shin is very much into you. He isn¡¯t the type that would cheat on you. I know because he is such a flirtatious guy, people think he is a yboy, but it is not true. What people don¡¯t know is that he can be very decisive and cold when he needs to be.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You have never seen Shin be cold, have you? Has he ever refused you anything?¡± ¡°... No.¡± ¡°That guy is nice to only those he likes. And he has an odd habit of only noticing people he likes... Like selective sight.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If he walks into a room, he only sees the person or people he likes. He doesn¡¯t notice anyone else. I don¡¯t know how he functions so well in a workce with a condition like that.¡± This was a surprise to Woojin. Shin had always been gentle around Woojin. Every morning, Shin gave him a good morning kiss and got him a cup of water. Shin waited till Woojin showered, then dried his hair for him. Shin almost took care of Woojin like a parent would. Shin also fell asleep after Woojin did and woke up at the same time as him. On weekends, Shin asked what Woojin wanted to do, and he never forgot to let Woojin know his schedule. Shin knew how to love, be kind,promise, and talk. Rather than running away when there was a problem, Shin preferred to talk it out. Suddenly feeling emotional, tears began to roll down from Woojin¡¯s eyes. ¡°...Huh? Woojin, are you crying?¡± ¡°...What?¡± Woojin was surprised by his own tears. He wiped them away and Siwoo quickly handed him a piece of tissue. Woojin had never felt this way before. He felt his heart warm up. Siwoo murmured, ¡°I can see that you have been really worried, Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You can trust Shin Kim. I can guarantee you that.¡± ¡°... I know.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I just... couldn¡¯t believe that I could be this lucky.¡± For such an amazing guy like Shin to choose him... Woojin couldn¡¯t stop crying. Siwoo looked surprised, but he waited patiently. When Woojin could finally speak, he thanked Siwoo. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well, I am sure I will need your advice in the future.¡± ¡°About Jihoon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Jihoon Kang bes rigid and serious when he is with someone he really likes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°And he is very ticklish.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Heughs whenever he gets tickled. If he ever gets angry at you, just tickle him.¡± ¡°Oh my god. Are you serious?¡± ¡°And Jihoon sometimes calls me to talk about you all the time. He tells me how adorable you are, Siwoo. He talks for an hour just about you.¡± ¡°...What?!¡± ¡°Please tell him to stop. He is so annoying. Just tell Jihoon to tell you how he feels.¡± Woojin smiled when he saw Siwoo blush. He felt... happy. Chapter 112

Chapter 112: Chapter 112

Chapter 112 ¡°Knock, knock.¡± The familiar voice made a knocking noise, making Woojin turn around. He took his sses off and saw that Shin was standing at the office entrance. ¡°Assistant Manager Choi, could you spare me some time for a quick meeting?¡± ¡°...What do you need?¡± Yeonwoo watched Shin who looked rigid and serious. Nervously, she left the office. Jihoon Kang was out at a meeting. After they began to date, Shin and Woojin made a point of avoiding each other at work. Shin replied, ¡°I need to ask you a few questions regarding the weekly marketing n.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Woojin put on his sses again and picked up some papers while one of Shin¡¯s eyebrows wiggled strangely. Woojin was nning on visiting the marketing department anyway to discuss the weekly n, so he stood up nonchntly and followed Shin. They were passing by the office pantry when suddenly, Woojin grabbed Shin¡¯s jacket and pulled him closer. Shin¡¯s face turned even stranger as Woojin murmured, ¡°If we are going to have a long meeting, perhaps we should make some coffee here...¡± ¡°...You are driving me nuts, Woojin.¡± Shin kissed Woojin suddenly as he shut the door to the pantry. He pulled Woojin closer to him and locked the door. After a long kiss, Woojin asked breathlessly, ¡°Did something happen? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Of course, there is something!¡± Shin looked angry, and when Woojin looked up at him in surprise, Shin sighed deeply and examined Woojin¡¯s face carefully. When he was satisfied, Shin asked, ¡°You cried today, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I asked you to eat lunch with me today, but you didn¡¯t reply. And when I asked you who you had lunch with, you refused to answer that either.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°When I saw you in the hallway after lunch, I saw that your eyes were red. They are still a little pink even now. Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t notice?¡± Woojin suddenly felt overpowering emotions. He hugged Shin¡¯s shoulders and buried his face in Shin¡¯s chest. When Woojin breathed heavily, Shin pulled Woojin¡¯s face up again to check on him. Woojin buried his face again in Shin¡¯s chest, and patting Woojin¡¯s head gently, Shin asked, ¡°...Did something happen? Is it something you can¡¯t tell me...?¡± ¡°I like you so much, Shin.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I like you so much that I feel like I¡¯m going to go crazy,¡± Woojin hung onto him and whispered. Shin looked confused and shocked, and even then, he still looked so handsome to Woojin. Woojin could now understand what love was. It was love that made Woojin see Shin this way. No matter what Shin did, Woojin found him so attractive. Woojin hoped Shin would be his and only his forever. The possessiveness Woojin felt was overwhelming. ¡°...I love you.¡± When Woojin whispered, Shin¡¯s face turned a little rigid as if he was angry. After checking to make sure the door was still locked, Shin turned to Woojin and kissed him deeply. Woojin felt like his heart was going to burst from the heat and lust. Both his mind and his body felt satisfied as Woojin kissed back ardently. For a moment, they forgot that they were still at work. ¡°Ahh... ahhh...¡± ¡°... Shin... what am I going to do? I¡¯m hard...¡± Slowly and purposely, Shin rubbed Woojin¡¯s bulging pants. Woojin looked like he was in pain, and Shin took Woojin¡¯s sses off and kissed his eyes gently. ¡°Assistant Manager Woojin Choi, if we do it here, we are going to get caught for sure.¡± ¡°...Yeah, I know.¡± Shin¡¯s scent enveloped Woojin, making him feel dizzy. When Woojin panted, Shin licked his neck and whispered, ¡°And we can¡¯t get caught, so...¡± ¡°Mmmhh...¡± Shin began grinding against Woojin, making the bulge even bigger and tighter. It felt so good and erotic for both of them. Shin kissed Woojin¡¯s nose and lifted his knee to push the obvious lump inside Woojin¡¯s pants. ¡°...We will finish the rest of thister when we get home tonight, ok?¡± ¡°...Ahh... o-ok, Shin.¡± ¡°And you will tell me what happened at lunch today, right?¡± ¡°...Y-yeah...¡± Woojin knew his underwear was probably wet and ruined by now. Shin put his hand inside Woojin¡¯s pants and began to knead Woojin¡¯s derriere. Wanting more, Woojin spread his legs wider and Shin chuckled. He licked Woojin¡¯s ear seductively and whispered, ¡°Do you want to do it here in the office?¡± ¡°...No, we can¡¯t...¡± ¡°Then you better calm down so we can leave this pantry. You look really suspicious right now and people will know something¡¯s up.¡± Shin backed away and opened the door slightly. He smiled and when Woojin, blushing prettily, tried to leave, he stopped him and handed Woojin a cup of cold water. ¡°If you leave like that, our co-workers are going to be very surprised.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Should we wait together while you calm down a little?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± They leaned against the wall and rxed. Shin grinned again and mussed Woojin¡¯s hair. He also straightened Woojin¡¯s tie. ¡°This is the first time we lost our cool at work. For a second, I really was about do go ahead and do it with you, Assistant Manager Choi.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I met Siwoo at lunch.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°... I have been having difficulty dealing with my feelings for you. I like you so much...¡± ¡°...Is this a love confession?¡± ¡°I confess my love to you every day.¡± When Woojin smiled, Shin blinked as if blinded. ¡°Woojin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I like you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± There was no need to say the words. Knowing what your loved one was feeling... It was a very happy thing indeed. Woojin smiled as he gave Shin another quick kiss. Chapter 113

Chapter 113: Chapter 113

It was Friday night. As usual, Jihoon asked Siwoo out on a date and told him to dress nice. Siwoo didn¡¯t reply, but when he showed up, it was clear he took special care today. Siwoo had been working on an important project so he hadn¡¯t been eating or sleeping welltely. He looked much thinner and feeling worried, Jihoon went to Siwoo¡¯s work one day only to be told to leave. Siwoo could be moody and particr, but the fact that Jihoon liked this side of Siwoo meant Jihoon was the stranger one of the two. Siwoo frowned and said in annoyance, ¡°Why did you show up so early, Jihoon? You are so frustrating.¡± Jihoon chuckled, knowing Siwoo wasn¡¯t really angry. After dating for a few months now, Jihoon learned that Siwoo was a very caring person. He only said what he said just now because he was sorry for making Jihoon wait. Jihoon loved teasing Siwoo, so he replied, ¡°It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t tell me when you get off work today.¡± Jihoon touched the back of Siwoo¡¯s neck as he opened the car door for him. Siwoo¡¯s ears turned red, and Jihoon thought that whatever romantic rtionships Siwoo had in the past, they probably weren¡¯t normal. Siwoo seemed unused to simple kindness and affectionate gestures. What kind of jerks did Siwoo date in the past? When Jihoon covered Siwoo¡¯s head to make sure he didn¡¯t hit his head on his way into the car, Siwoo lowered his gaze in embarrassment. Jihoon couldn¡¯t help but find him adorable. Jihoon asked, ¡°What do you want for dinner?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. You decide.¡± ¡°Is it true that when you meet with Shin Kim, you tell him exactly what you want to eat?¡± When Jihoon started the car and asked nonchntly, Siwoo¡¯s eyes widened. He looked at Jihoon in annoyance while Jihoon fastened his seat belt for him. Jihoon asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Did Shin Kim tell you that?¡± ¡°Who else would tell me something like that?¡± ¡°What the! Why would he tell you that...¡± Siwoo turned red immediately. When Jihoon smiled and kissed him, Siwoo iled. Siwoo didn¡¯t like affectionate gestures except during sex. At first, Jihoon thought it must be because Siwoo didn¡¯t like to be touched, but during sex, Siwoo seemed to enjoy skin-to-skin contact. Jihoon couldn¡¯t im that he wasn¡¯t hurt by this. Until Siwoo, Jihoon had never been rejected by anyone, women or men. When Siwoo rejected his touch, Jihoon found him adorable because he assumed Siwoo was just being shy, but at the same time, Jihoon also worried that perhaps Siwoo didn¡¯t like him very much. Jihoon was not as self-confident as he looked, partly because of how his mother treated him and also due to his rtionship with Woojin. Jihoon murmured, ¡°Do you have to be so obviously disgusted by my kiss?¡± Jihoon acted like a nice guy to everyone, but he didn¡¯t want to pretend in front of his lover. When Jihoon looked hurt, Siwoo bit his lips. Jihoon was about to start his car, but Siwoo touched his hand and replied, ¡°You know it¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried someone from work might see us.¡± ¡°You know they can¡¯t see us from outside.¡± Some time ago, Siwoo showed up with his hair dyed. When Jihoon told him he looked good, Siwoo turned red. This excited Jihoon, so he drove the car to a deserted ce and attempted to have sex with Siwoo. To his surprise, Siwoo didn¡¯t refuse him. Jihoon guessed that perhaps it was because Siwoo just returned from a week-long business trip and Siwoo missed him. Jihoonid the passenger seat down and got on top of Siwoo, and even though he wasn¡¯t drunk, Siwoo seemed excited and enthusiastic. This made Jihoon feel even more excited. They had amazing sex but cleaning up after was a bit tricky. Jihoon decided never to do car-sex again, but now looking at Siwoo... he looked so sexy. Jihoon gestured, ¡°Come over here.¡± When Siwoo hesitated, Jihoon pulled him closer and licked Siwoo¡¯s neck. ¡°Ahh....¡± Siwoo sighed his moan as Jihoon kissed each of his fingers. Jihoon loved every part of Siwoo. If someone asked him which part of Siwoo he found most attractive, Jihoon knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer. It was strange to feel such a strong possessiveness. He hadn¡¯t felt anything like this for anyone except for Woojin. Jihoon murmured, ¡°Whenever you reject me, I feel hurt, you know.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then why do you keep doing it?¡± ¡°...I want steak.¡± Siwoo rarely asked for anything, so Jihoon¡¯s eyes widened. Siwoo added, ¡°And I want to drink wine too.¡± ¡°Are you going to sleep over?¡± ¡°Whose home?¡± ¡°Mine. Or yours is ok too. What do you think?¡± Siwoo seemed contemtive. There was no doubt he was an incredibly good-looking guy. He was beautiful and there were times when Jihoon felt blinded by him. Jihoon said to him, ¡°I have never been to your home before.¡± ¡°Yes you have. Remember that night when it snowed? You slept over.¡± ¡°I meant we never had sex at your ce before.¡± ¡°...You are a sex-addict.¡± ¡°If you call me Hyung, I am willing to have sex with you five times a day.¡± ¡°Never.¡± Siwoo replied indignantly and Jihoonughed as he started his car. Jihoon decided that he would take Siwoo to his home for a sleepover tonight. He grinned as he began to drive to his favorite French restaurant. ¡°Siwoo.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Siwoo Jung?¡± Siwoo drank quite a bit that night, so as soon as he got into Jihoon¡¯s car, he fell asleep. Jihoon didn¡¯t want to take a cab so he only drank a sip of wine that night. Siwoo ate a lot that night. Steak, sd, a bowl of pasta, and a whole bottle of wine. It was surprising how slim Siwoo could remain despite his huge appetite. Jihoon loved watching him eat. Siwoo looked fine walking to the car, but when they arrived at Jihoon¡¯s ce, Jihoon realized that Siwoo was asleep. He touched Siwoo¡¯s hand, but there was no response. ¡°... I thought we could have a wild night tonight... Dammit.¡± When Jihoon touched Siwoo¡¯s nose, Siwoo moaned. This was how it was whenever Siwoopleted a big project. Jihoon examined him carefully to make sure Siwoo didn¡¯t lose too much weight. Jihoon caressed Siwoo¡¯s hair and to his surprise, Siwoo leaned against him. There were times when Siwoo reminded Jihoon of a cat. ¡°...I need him to wake up so we can go to my ce.¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± Jihoon was talking to himself, but when Siwoo responded, Jihoon jumped in surprise. Siwoo blinked a few times before murmuring, ¡°It¡¯s Jihoon Kwang?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°Oh, right... Haha.¡± ording to Shin Kim, Siwooughed a lot, but Jihoon noticed that Siwoo rarely did in front of him. When Jihoon smiled back, Siwoo suddenly frowned. Jihoon asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you not like my smile?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No? Did you seriously just say no?¡± ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t like your smile.¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± ¡°You look too good when you smile, so I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Jihoon looked surprised, Siwoo closed his eyes and kissed Jihoon¡¯s lips. Jihoon had never seen Siwoo this drunk, so he didn¡¯t know what to expect. Suddenly, Siwoo licked Jihoon¡¯s lips and whispered, ¡°You look too sexy, Jihoon Kang.¡± Chapter 114

Chapter 114: Chapter 114

Chapter 114 Jihoon stammered in surprise, ¡°...W-what?¡± ¡°All the women stare at you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Even back in the restaurant today... I was so angry. That girl sitting in the next table... She was staring at you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand... You are talking nonsense, Siwoo...¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! You have an awesome body, and you look sexy... I don¡¯t like it at all.¡± Siwoo was obviously very drunk. Jihoon loved this moment, and wanting to hear more, he lowered his face to get closer to Siwoo who was pouting. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you mean it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°And what else do you not like about me, Siwoo?¡± ¡°...Lots.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°You bite my neck too much when we have sex.¡± ¡°...And you... don¡¯t like that?¡± The reason why Jihoon bit Siwoo¡¯s neck was because whenever he did, Siwoo¡¯s eyes rolled back in pleasure. Jihoon did feel a little guilty when he saw how Siwoo¡¯s neck was bruised the next day, but there was no doubt that Siwoo¡¯s weaknesses were his neck and ears. When Jihoon looked at Siwoo curiously, Siwoo looked away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer me, Siwoo?¡± ¡°...No.¡¯ ¡°Hmm... Even if I do this?¡± Jihoon unfastened his seatbelt and leaned to lick Siwoo¡¯s neck. Siwoo¡¯s shoulders shivered a little and his cheeks turned red. ¡°Hmmm... why won¡¯t Siwoo answer me?¡± Siwoo was still obviously very drunk. Wanting to do more, Jihoon rubbed Siwoo¡¯s pants, making him moan. Siwoo closed his eyes and when Jihoon bit his cheeks lightly, Siwoo opened his eyes and answered, ¡°...Whenever... you bite my neck...¡± ¡°...¡± When Siwoo hesitated again, Jihoon put his hand inside of Siwoo¡¯s pants and stroked him. Moaning again, Siwoo continued, ¡°...I... I feel like I¡¯m going to cum right away... Ahhh...¡± Jihoon bit his lips to stop himself from smiling. Siwoo was already very hard and Jihoon secretly thought that expensive wine must be at work. When Jihoon continued to caress him, Siwoo hugged Jihoon¡¯s neck and muttered, ¡°Bastard.¡± ¡°Why would you call me bastard? You just said I was sexy.¡± ¡°...Mhh...¡± Jihoon got his other hand to stroke Siwoo¡¯s backside. When Jihoon licked his neck again, Siwoo groaned and tried to get up. Jihoon grinned and asked in his husky voice, ¡°You wanna do it here?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± Siwoo narrowed his eyes and contemted. When Jihoon paused his hands on purpose, Siwoo pulled on Jihoon¡¯s body and tried to get on top of him. They were both pretty tall, so it was a very awkward move. Jihoon thought perhaps he should get arger car soon. ¡°Siwoo, are you trying toe to my side and get on top of me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You are going to get hurt, especially with the handle. Just stay where you are.¡± Jihoon pushed Siwoo¡¯s chair as far back as he could. More of Siwoo¡¯s long neck was revealed, making him look even sexier. ¡°Siwoo, you really wanna do this now? Here?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Were you really about to get on top of me?¡± Jihoon got on top of Siwoo. His weight made Siwoo groan ecstatically and Siwoo nodded. Jihoon helped him unbuckle his pants and pulled down his underwear. Siwoo moved his hip to help, and seeing Siwoo so enthusiastic and eager, Jihoon beamed happily. Siwoo suddenly put his hand inside Jihoon¡¯s pants and murmured, ¡°...You are wet too.¡± ¡°Of course, I am. I get wet whenever I see you. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°Can we rub our penises together?¡± ...What was Siwoo saying? When Jihoon looked confused, Siwoo leaned against himzily and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s rub ours together... I really want to do that...¡± *** ¡°...Like this.¡± Siwoo looked down seriously. Jihoon remained wide-eyed as Siwoo took out Jihoon¡¯s penis with his long fingers and directed it towards his own. When Jihoon shivered, Siwooughed a little. ¡°Jihoon, you touched me too.¡± ¡°... Siwoo Jung...¡± ¡°Hurry up.¡± Siwoo licked his lips with his tiny tongue, and Jihoon, who was slowly losing control, kissed him aggressively. As their most sensitive parts rubbed against each other, their wet kiss continued even as they both moaned. Panting, the two of them thrust against each other. Siwoo said breathlessly, ¡°Ahh.... It feels... so good... Jihoon...¡± ¡°F*ck...¡± Jihoon rarely swore during sex with Siwoo, but tonight, he couldn¡¯t help it. It was the first time he felt this excited without actually having sex. When Jihoon swore again, Siwoo closed his eyes in rapture. It wasn¡¯t hard to hold the two shafts together and rub. They were slippery and making wet noises. When Jihoon began to rub them together even more vigorously, Siwoo moaned, ¡°Ahh.... Jihoon...¡± ¡°L-Let me know... if you are gonna... cum...¡± Jihoon held Siwoo¡¯s head while using the other hand to continue pleasuring both of them. It was bing harder because they were so wet and slippery now. Siwoo helped with his hands as well. Their thighs were turning red as well and their members engorged. Suddenly, Siwoo began to shudder as he orgasmed. Jihoon followed and the car became filled with the distinct smell of semen. Jihoon panted and looked down at his penis, which still remained hard. Slowly, Siwoo wrapped his arms around Jihoon¡¯s neck. Jihoon felt wonderful because normally, Siwoo turned away immediately after sex. Jihoon murmured, ¡°Your shirt is going to get wet... Let me clean up first...¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sleepover at your ce, so it¡¯s fine. We can just wash our clothes.¡± Siwoo continued to rub his body against Jihoon¡¯s. With a coy smile, Siwoo rubbed the tip of Jihoon¡¯s penis with his finger. Jihoon was reminded again of how drunk Siwoo was. When Jihoon tried to get off of Siwoo, Siwoo shook his head. Jihoon smiled and muttered, ¡°You are acting so strangely, Siwoo Jung. What¡¯s up with you?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to your ce and have sex, Jihoon.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done yet. I need more. I want you to take me together, Jihoon. I want to feel you inside of me.¡± No matter how you looked at it, it was clear that Siwoo had lost his mind. Was it a full moon tonight? Jihoon couldn¡¯t believe this situation even as they walked to the elevator in their crumpled clothes. It was pure luck that there was no one in the hallway or the elevator. Siwoo pressed the buttonbeled ¡°5¡± and continued to kiss Jihoon ardently. Even as Jihoon tried to open the front door to his ce, Siwoo clung to him and begged him to take him. Jihoon was so excited that as soon as they entered, he kissed Siwoo deeply and pulled down his pants quickly. Siwoo turned around and Jihoon asked, ¡°You wanna do it here? In the living room?¡± ¡°No...¡± Wishing this would never end, Jihoon pushed Siwoo into the shower. Jihoon took off his jacket as well and the rest of his clothes too. When he turned around, he found Siwoo staring at him, still only with his pants off. ¡°What are you doing, Siwoo? Why aren¡¯t you taking the rest of your clothes?¡± ¡°...You have such a hot body.¡± Siwoo rubbed Jihoon¡¯s chest and murmured. His fingers moved lower and stroked Jihoon¡¯s six-pack. With a beastly look, Jihoon ordered, ¡°I want to do it right now, so take it off.¡± ¡°...Where are we doing it?¡± ¡°In the shower with the water on. You feel hot and sticky, right?¡± ¡°Then do it without a condom.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Put it in me without a condom. I¡¯ve always wanted to try it.¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Nope, I¡¯m not crazy at all.¡± Siwoo smiled prettily. Chapter 115

Chapter 115: Chapter 115

Chapter 115 Jihoon was worried that perhaps Siwoo wasn¡¯t feeling well. He looked over Siwoo and checked his forehead. Siwoo looked perfectly alright. He didn¡¯t have a fever and he looked fine. Jihoon asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t take any drugs or anything, did you?¡± ¡°That was you, silly. You used to do drugs. A long time ago, remember?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are we going to do this or not?¡± Siwoo grabbed Jihoon¡¯s erection and rubbed it against his own, which was also hard. Siwoo smiled seductively, and Jihoon frowned as if in pain. Siwoo had an unusually higher body temperature and after sex, he often became even hotter, requiring a shower immediately. But tonight, Siwoo was acting differently. Panting, Jihoon said to him, ¡°Mmmhh.... You... you are f*cking crazy, Siwoo...¡± ¡°... I get so excited when you swear...¡± Did Siwoo really lose his mind? When Jihoon pushed him hard against the wall, Siwoo jumped on him and kissed him. Jihoon roughly turned Siwoo around and put his penis between Siwoo¡¯s pale buttcheeks. Siwoo groaned, ¡°Mmhhhh.... Ahh... kkk....¡± ¡°... You.... I... I¡¯m going to f*ck you so hard tonight.¡± Jihoon said it violently, but Siwoo knew Jihoon would never hurt him. In fact, Jihoon hated rough sex. He preferred it slow. When Jihoon bit Siwoo¡¯s neck and ear, Siwoo turned his head to kiss Jihoon on the lips. Jihoon put his finger inside of Siwoo to loosen him, but to his surprise, it was already widened and soft. ¡°... Siwoo... did you already loosen yourself up today?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°At the restaurant.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I did it in the washroom. I do this every day. You didn¡¯t know that, did you?¡± Unable to wait any longer, Jihoon positioned himself and slowly inserted his penis into Siwoo. Siwoo bent his waist in pleasure and groaned. It was a smooth pration and angrily, Jihoon pulled Siwoo back by his hair and murmured, ¡°What the hell did you say? You are a wh*re, Siwoo.¡± ¡°... Ahhh.... J-just... put it in... hurry up.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just f*ck me, Jihoon...¡± ¡°...Say it again.¡± ¡°Mmm.... Ahh... put... put it in... all the way... deeper...¡± Siwoo lowered his body further and pushed his derriere against Jihoon. Siwoo may have loosened himself up before, but it still took a long while and patience for Jihoon to bury himself inside of Siwoo. Suddenly, he felt a little worried about not wearing a condom, so when Jihoon tried to pull back, Siwoo grabbed him. Jihoon pushed on a little more and when about half of him was inside, Siwoo groaned. Jihoon pinched Siwoo¡¯s nipples, making Siwoo tremble. ¡°Jihoon... hurry up... all the way... deeper...¡± Finally, Jihoon was fully embedded inside Siwoo. It felt so tight and he could feel every bit of Siwoo around his penis. It was his first time doing it without a condom. The sensation was so intense that Jihoon worried he might cum instantly. ¡°Mmmhh... So... good... Jihoon...¡± ¡°...Don¡¯t move... j-just... give me a second...¡± Jihoon pushed lightly into Siwoo, who nodded. Siwoo reached back to feel where they were joined and smiled in satisfaction. Siwoo was indeed a very sexual being. Jihoon asked, ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Yeah... so... good... I think I¡¯m going to die from it...¡± Siwoo nodded. When Jihoon stroked Siwoo¡¯s neck, Siwoo shivered again in pleasure. Jihoon began to move and Siwoo followed his rhythm frantically. ¡°Jihoon... it¡¯s... so deep...¡± ¡°Do you realize that I am inside of you? Just me... raw... no condom... inside of you... right here...¡± Jihoon rubbed Siwoo¡¯s stomach and added, ¡°Right here... I¡¯m inside of you... Do you get it?¡± ¡°Yeah... yes...!¡± Jihoon licked the inside of Siwoo¡¯s ear, making him shiver. Siwoo turned his head around, wanting a kiss, but Jihoon pushed him down further and began to kiss Siwoo¡¯s back. The wet sound between their bodies rang inside the quiet apartment. ¡°Siwoo... you are so sexy... did you know that?¡± ¡°N, no... Ahh...¡± ¡°Yes, you are... look at your ass... it¡¯s so red now...¡± ¡°...Mmhh...¡± p, p. The erotic sound echoed. Jihoon closed his eyes to focus on the movement of his body when suddenly, he heard Siwoo inhaling sharply. Jihoon reached to touch Siwoo¡¯s penis and felt that it was wet and softer. ¡°I told you not to cum before me...¡± ¡°Mmhh.... Ahh...¡± ¡°You...¡± Siwoo slumped forward weakly. Jihoon continued to grab onto him and moved even faster, making Siwoo scream. ¡°Ahhh... I... Mmmmhh... Ahh...¡± ¡°...Mmh..¡± ¡°Ahh... h-harder... Jihoon... more...¡± Siwoo¡¯s sexy moan was enough to make Jihoon climax. Realizing he was about to cum, Jihoon pulled out from him. Suddenly, Siwoo turned around towards him. ¡°... Siwoo... I¡¯m about to cum... wait...¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat it.¡± That was thest straw. Siwoo quickly kneeled in front of Jihoon and grabbed his waist as he took Jihoon¡¯s penis into his mouth. Jihoon felt himself entering Siwoo¡¯s small mouth and as soon as he did, Jihoon bent backward and ejacted. ¡°AHH.....¡± Siwoo swallowed and looked down at him, Jihoon¡¯s eyes blurred. As soon as he could muster some strength, Jihoon pushed Siwoo¡¯s face away from him, but by that time, Siwoo had swallowed most of it. There were a few drops dripping down at the corner of his lips. ¡°Siwoo, don¡¯t eat it. Just spit everything out.¡± ¡°...¡± But Siwoo refused, licking thest bit off from his lips and swallowing everything. He exhaled deeply and rxed. When Jihoon pulled him up, Siwoo stumbled weakly as he stood up. Jihoon frowned and tried to kiss him, but Siwoo smiled and tried to avoid it. ¡°Siwoo,e here. If you don¡¯t, you are going to get in trouble.¡± Jihoon kissed Siwoo and licked everything off from Siwoo¡¯s lips. He never thought he would ever get to taste his own semen. When Jihoon frowned, Siwooughed. ¡°Why are youughing? It¡¯s not funny.¡± ¡°...It was delicious.¡± ¡°Liar. That¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth. I want all of me to be filled with you... Top to bottom...¡± Jihoon continued to frown, and Siwoo buried his face on Jihoon¡¯s chest. They were both panting and feverish. ¡°Jihoon Kang.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°... I love you.¡± Jihoon was stroking Siwoo¡¯s face but stopped in shock. Siwoo smiled up at him and added, ¡°You told me I should only have sex with someone I love.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°... I really like you. I think I really do love you.¡± ¡°... Siwoo...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be together for a long time. I would really like that.¡± ¡°Siwoo...¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ever say this again, so make sure you remember this moment.¡± They kissed again, and Jihoon realized then that they were really in a serious rtionship. Chapter 116

Chapter 116: Chapter 116

Jihoon Kang asked Shin Kim, ¡°I wanted to ask you which one was your favorite ce here.¡± Shin still couldn¡¯t understand how this situation urred. He stared at his soju ss and contemted. Only a week ago, or even just a few hours ago, he was so excited about spending his summer vacation with Woojin Choi. It was Shin¡¯s first time going abroad on a vacation with a lover, so he very much had been looking forward to quality time. But here he was. They were in Germany and... they were drinking soju. Not beer, not wine, just soju. To his surprise, it seemed that Munich had many Korean restaurants. Jihoon asked again, ¡°Chief Kim? Why aren¡¯t you answering me?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I... I am still surprised to see you here, Assistant Manager Jihoon Kang. I mean, of all ces...¡± Shin looked at Jihoon pointedly. Jihoon knew exactly what Shin was thinking. He grinned knowingly and Shin bit his lips and turned toward Siwoo who was looking down at his kimchi stew. ¡°Siwoo Jung, I don¡¯t remember you telling me you wereing here to Munich for your vacation.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me either. If I knew you wereing here, I wouldn¡¯t havee.¡± They whispered to each other, but they were sitting at a small table. Obviously Woojin and Jihoon could hear them clearly. Woojin and Shin were sitting at a giant fountain eating ice cream that morning after a productive shopping spree. They arrived the night before and they were taking it easy since it was their first day when suddenly, they came across Siwoo Jung and Jihoon Kang. Shin was looking forward to his time with Woojin who had spent his 20¡¯s in Germany. But when he saw Siwoo and Jihoon, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. As soon as Jihoon saw Woojin, he asked where he could find a Korean restaurant. In the end, they ended up having dinner together at a Korean diner. Shin said to Siwoo with an annoyed frown, ¡°Are you a little kid or something? Why did you insist on Korean food? We are in Germany! And it was only been two days since you arrived here.¡± ¡°You try eating German food for two whole days. It sucks.¡± Woojin smiled and agreed with Siwoo, ¡°It¡¯s true. Here in Germany, other than pork and potato, everything else tastes mediocre.¡± ¡°Oh! Woojin, you understand me very well! Very smart.¡± Jihoon said to Siwoo, ¡°He studied in Germany. I told you before.¡± Siwoo turned toward Jihoon and frowned with pouty lips. Shin saw this and frowned in annoyance while Woojin watched the entire interaction curiously. Shin noticed Woojin¡¯s look and exined, ¡°Oh, I was just annoyed that Siwoo was acting all cutesy.¡± Shin pushed Woojin¡¯s hair back and smiled at him, making Jihoon and Siwoo frown this time. Woojin didn¡¯t seem to notice their frowns. He just emptied his soju cup. Woojin drank hard liquor with ease, but not wine. Soju didn¡¯t make him sick, so he drank it down in one gulp. Shin watched, thinking how sexy Woojin was. He held Woojin¡¯s hand gently. ¡°What the hell is this?! What are you guys doing?¡± Jihoon frowned and red at them, while Siwoo added, ¡°Gosh, look at this lovey-dovey couple.¡± They were two very different couples in appearance. Siwoo usually acted very cold with his lovers. It was because he was afraid to get hurt and Shin knew this very well. On the other hand, Woojin was honest when it came to love. He epted affection easily, perhaps because he never felt love before. Shin until now had been an indifferent lover to his previous girlfriends, but he acted very differently around Woojin. Jihoon, however, acted with easy smiles to everyone but not so much to Siwoo. Jihoon almost acted... rough when around Siwoo. Shin couldn¡¯t understand their rtionship at all. Jihoon turned towards Siwoo and asked with a grin, ¡°Why are you upset, Siwoo? Do you want me to hold your hand too? Like Shin?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Jihoon Kang. I hate PDA. It¡¯s gross.¡± Jihoon put a piece of fried egg on Siwoo¡¯s te and asked Woojin, ¡°So Woojin, what was it that attracted you to Shin?¡± ¡°His face.¡± Siwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he asked, ¡°OMG! Are you serious?¡± Siwoo almost screamed his question, and Shin pursed his lips to stop himself fromughing. He also wanted to hide his reaction to Woojin¡¯s answer. He never knew his face was the first reason why Woojin became interested in him. His heart began to thump faster as he continued to listen. Woojin looked away a little as if embarrassed, and continued, ¡°Jihoon, I thought I told you this before... When we were in high school...¡± ¡°... I don¡¯t remember that at all.¡± ¡°You asked me, remember? If there was someone I liked?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah... before you left for Germany.¡± Jihoon pped the table and smiled. He continued, ¡°I assumed you were talking about a girl. I do remember you saying something about how pretty this person was.¡± ¡°I told you that I found someone that looked gorgeous.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think I even said that I was blinded by this person¡¯s beauty.¡± Woojin raised his ss and shook it a little. It was empty and he was asking Shin to fill it, but Shin just stared at him in shock. He had no idea how much Woojin liked his face. Siwoo frowned at his slow friend and poured soju for Woojin himself. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to find that you are so into looks, Woojin.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t you think Shin is gorgeous, Siwoo?¡± ¡°Shin? Well...¡± Siwoo turned to Shin and studied him as he answered, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say he is ugly, but... his features are too strong...¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he is a man. It¡¯s called being manly.¡± ¡°...I guess, Woojin.¡± ¡°He has a nice straight nose and beautiful eyes. He has really nice smile lines too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He is also very tall, and his lips are pretty.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And the way he talks... It¡¯s amazing.¡± Woojin spoke proudly and pressed Shin¡¯s lips. It seemed that Woojin was a little drunk while Shin felt his body burning. Shin grabbed and pulled Woojin¡¯s hand towards him under the table. Siwoo sighed and smirked, ¡°Alright, alright. What a beautiful love story you two have...¡± Jihoon turned to Siwoo and asked, ¡°Hey, why do you have to be so sarcastic?¡± Siwoo frowned and replied, ¡°Because I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°Why should you be? I tell you all the time how beautiful you are. Your hands are pretty and your eyes too. Your lips, and your nipples...¡± Siwoo¡¯s eyes widened and he covered Jihoon¡¯s mouth with his hand. It was such a fun and informative dinner for the four of them. Chapter 117

Chapter 117: Chapter 117

¡°Ahh.... Ahh...¡± Woojin remembered drinking and saying goodbye to Jihoon and Siwoo. He didn¡¯t drink that much, but it had been a long day after a long flight yesterday, so his fatigue made him feel drunker than usual. After leaving that Korean restaurant, Shin kissed him in a dark alley, but other than that, they didn¡¯t do anything else. But as soon as they entered their hotel room, Shin pushed Woojin against a wall and began to kiss him roughly. Shin¡¯s lips tasted of mint. It appeared that he had been sucking on mint candy. They kissed frantically and when Woojin began to slide down from weakness, Shin lifted him up easily with his arms. ¡°Mmhhh... Mhh...¡± The kiss was rougher than usual. Shin carried Woojin to the bed and afterying him down, Shin began to kiss his neck hotly. Woojin could feel Shin stroking his derriere seductively. ¡°Shin... we... we need to shower first...¡± ¡°No need.¡± Click. Woojin heard Shin unbuckling his belt. Shin looked a little vicious, making Woojin¡¯s pulse jump wildly. Woojin felt his eyes blur with lust. Shin ordered, ¡°Take your clothes off.¡± Shin was a considerate lover, but he could also be very authoritative as well. Shin was Woojin¡¯s first, so Woojin couldn¡¯tpare himself to anyone else, but Woojin suspected that his sexual preference was a bit different than normal. The truth was, Woojin loved it when Shin began like this. He experienced longer and more intense orgasms when he felt humiliated. It seemed that Woojin was a bit of a masochist. When Woojin tried to crawl away, Shin took his shirt off and smiled coldly. ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s slim ankles and pulled him back towards himself. When Woojin covered his eyes in embarrassment, Shin pulled them away and began to kiss him again. Darkly, Shin whispered, ¡°Take your clothes off.¡± Woojin asked to let his ankles go and Shin nodded and stepped back. With a dreamy look, Shin stared at Woojin and ordered, ¡°Look at me while you take them off.¡± ¡°...¡± Shin never acted this forceful before. But then, Woojin had never seen Shin this drunk before. Shin pulled up a chair from the nearby table and sat in front of the bed. He was shirtless and his pants were undone. With his hair messy, Shin looked too beautiful to be real. ¡°...¡± Woojin was kneeling on the bed. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Even though Shin wasn¡¯t doing anything, just him staring so intently made Woojin pant. His hands trembled as he finished unbuttoning his shirt. When he stared at Shin quietly, Shin pushed Woojin¡¯s groin with his foot and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking your pants off too?¡± ¡°... mmhh...¡± Woojin¡¯s penis was already hard, and when Shin¡¯s foot touched it, it became evenrger. Woojin bit his lips and hesitated. In a sweet voice, Shin said to him, ¡°Show me. Show me how excited you are.¡± ¡°...Mmhh.¡± Shin pushed his foot underneath to reach Woojin¡¯s butt. Feeling even more excited, Woojin unbuckled his belt and pulled down his pants. His underwear was a mess. It was tight boxers chosen by Shin and it had a wet patch on the front now, making the color look darker. ¡°Woojin Choi, you are so sexy.¡± Shin rubbed his forehead andughed. He asked, ¡°When did you get so hard?¡± Shin walked up to him. His face was only an inch away from Woojin¡¯s, and when Woojin raised his arms to hug him, Shin grinned and stepped back. ¡°Shin... why... I want to touch you...¡± ¡°Because tonight, you are going to be doing it alone. By yourself.¡± Woojin looked at him in confusion. He didn¡¯t understand what Shin was saying, and with a smile, Shin stroked Woojin¡¯s boxers gently. Even through the underwear, they could both see Woojin¡¯s penis flinching excitedly. Woojin covered his face in embarrassment, but Shin onlyughed and exined, ¡°You are going to do it to yourself.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Masturbate in front of me, Woojin.¡± *** ¡°I want to watch you orgasm.¡± Woojin still couldn¡¯t understand. Shin pushed back his hair and got closer to him until Woojin¡¯s hardness touched Shin¡¯s thigh. Shin leaned and whispered to Woojin¡¯s ear, ¡°Show me how you touch yourself, Woojin.¡± ¡°...¡± Woojin reddened. Shin stepped back andid back on the bed and asked again, ¡°Do it. Let me see you cum.¡± ¡°... Shin...¡± ¡°There is no point in calling my name. I¡¯m going to be waiting all night if I have to.¡± The way Shin was looking at him was so hot and intense, then Woojin blinked. Woojin had never masturbated in his life until he met Shin. He always thought he was an asexual being. After meeting Shin, Woojin masturbated a few times, but he felt ashamed every time he did it. And after they began to live together, Woojin never had the need to do it by himself. Shin was a sexual guy and after a few times, Woojin felt less and less ufortable with anal sex. To be honest, Woojin actually enjoyed the pain as well when they first began to have sex. Woojin secretly thought he might be addicted to Shin¡¯s sex. ¡°... Shin... I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± Woojin felt like he was dreaming. Shin smiled at him sexily. The way he raised one of his eyebrows... It was enough for Woojin to be even harder. Shin replied, ¡°What are you talking about? You look like you are about to cum.¡± ¡°... mhh...¡± It was true. His penis was bing wetter as Shin watched him. They have been dating for a while, so it wouldn¡¯t have been strange to get tired of each other, but this wasn¡¯t the case at all. Woojin felt like his brain was melting from the heat. He bit his lips when Shin whispered, ¡°Touch yourself with one hand. Just like when I do it for you, Woojin.¡± Woojin closed his eyes and did as he was ordered. His hand became wet immediately when he touched the tip of his penis. Mimicking the way Shin touched him, Woojin grabbed his shaft and rubbed it forcefully. Within only a few seconds, Woojin felt like he was about to cum, but Shin ordered coldly, ¡°Not yet. We still have a long way to go.¡± ¡°... mhh...¡± ¡°Touch your nipples now. Wet your finger with your mouth and pinch them.¡± Woojin looked away at such detailed and erotic instructions. Shin quickly stood up and grabbed Woojin¡¯s chin to turn towards him. If Woojin orgasmed now, he would end up ejacting on Shin¡¯s body. Shin ordered again, ¡°Hurry up. Do it right now.¡± Chapter 118 (END) Chapter 118 Woojin put his fingers in his mouth and sucked on them. Shin gave him a nod as if he was a teacher praising his student. Woojin stroked his nipple while he continued to rub his penis. Having Shin watch him was enough to make Woojin burn for more. His lower body moved on its own ord and finally, Shin asked, ¡°Do you want me to take you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Woojin answered immediately. It seemed his body was used to having sex now because he felt his butt feeling itchy and strange. Woojin couldn¡¯t wait to feel Shin¡¯s thickness inside him. Still caressing his own nipple and penis, Woojin suddenly felt weak. He almost fell, but Shin, who was kneeling in front of him, supported him and whispered, ¡°If you cum now, it¡¯s going to spray all over my face.¡± ¡°... Mhhh... I don¡¯t want that... no...¡± ¡°Then move faster, so I can make you feel even better.¡± ¡°...Mhhh... o-ok...¡± Shin caressed Woojin¡¯s lower back, making him flinch in intense pleasure. Shin grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist and helped him move his hand faster and harder. Woojin¡¯s eyes closed as he groaned. Faster... Harder... Woojin focused on the extreme sensation and moved his hand frantically. Within a minute, Woojin moaned loudly and tensed. ¡°Ahh.... Mmmhh...¡± Overabundant semen flowed from Woojin and sttered onto Shin¡¯s chest. Their eyes met and unable to stop himself, Woojin copsed onto Shin. Woojin¡¯s whole body shook, including his thighs, and Shin smiled as he caressed Woojin¡¯s hair, ¡°Good job.¡± Feeling sticky, Woojin tried to get up, but Shin pushed him down on the bed. ¡°Shin... I got it on you too... um...¡± Shin smiled and wet his hand with Woojin¡¯s semen. Slowly, he rubbed it on Woojin¡¯s chest. Woojin breathed in the musky smell deeply. Shin took his pants off and began to rub his penis on Woojin¡¯s stomach. ¡°Shin... are you going to cum on me too?¡± ¡°Would you like me to?¡± Sometimes, Woojin wanted to have crazy sex with Shin. Masturbating in front of Shin wasn¡¯t enough for the night. When Woojin spread his legs to amodate Shin, Shin smiled and helped Woojin sit up. Their slippery bodies met and touching Woojin¡¯s cheek, Shin said to him, ¡°I want to be inside of you.¡± ¡°... Me too.¡± ¡°Then I willy down on the bed so you can sit on top of me. Try taking my d*ck inside you by yourself, Woojin.¡± They hadn¡¯t tried this position before because Shin was afraid Woojin might hurt himself. But tonight, it was different. Before they went out to dinner that night, they had already worked on Woojin to get him ready for sex. In fact, Woojin worked to loosen himself in front of Shin before going out. Shin checked Woojin¡¯s back to make sure he was wide enough. He said to Woojin, ¡°I think we can try this. You just have to work very slowly. Take me in nice and easy.¡± ¡°... Shin.¡± ¡°Try it. It will feel really good.¡± Without waiting for Woojin¡¯s answer, Shinid down on the bed on his back. Looking down at Shin¡¯s calm face, Woojin did as he was told. His body trembled as he went on top of Shin and began to slowly take him in. It wasn¡¯t easy to insert Shin¡¯s engorged penis into himself, but Woojin moved carefully. His body continued to shake and Shin ordered him, ¡°Woojin... You need to breathe... Take it slow.¡± ¡°...Mhh... hh...¡± ¡°Give me your hands.¡± Woojin had no lower body strength, so he found it very difficult to control the pration. Shin held Woojin¡¯s hands to help, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Suddenly, Woojin lost his bnce and he sat down all the way. Woojin¡¯s eyes widened as Shin became buried to the hilt. ¡°Ahh...¡± It was a short, quiet scream. Woojin lowered his face and trembled, uncertain of what he felt was pain or pleasure. Shin caressed Woojin¡¯s thigh and back gently as he asked, ¡°...Are you ok?¡± ¡°...¡± Tears rolled down from Woojin¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t because he was in pain, but Shin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Shin tried to sit up, but Woojin looked up at him and asked him, ¡°...Don¡¯t take it out.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re crying right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because it feels so good... so... don¡¯t take it out, Shin...¡± It was partly true. Woojin felt the fullness in his stomach. Shin had never been this deep inside of him before. When Woojin leaned back a little and began to rotate his waist, Shin moaned. When Woojin searched his face, he found Shin biting his lips as he continued to hold Woojin¡¯s hands. Shin groaned, ¡°... D-don¡¯t move, Woojin... or I¡¯m gonna cum right now...¡± ¡°You can if you want to.¡± Woojin always wanted sex so intense that Shin ended up ejacting inside of him. Even though he wanted this, Woojin felt too embarrassed to ask for it. The way Shin¡¯s skin pped against his own as Shin moved feverishly... The feeling of Shin¡¯s member scraping the inside of his body... The sensation of Shin¡¯s pubic hair touching his skin... All of these things excited Woojin. Shin never allowed himself to cum inside of Woojin. He pulled out and his semen usually ended up on Woojin¡¯s back or stomach. Shin usually wiped it clean immediately after with a dry towel, but Woojin secretly felt an urge to lick it clean himself. Woojin had to make sure to control himself not to do this because it seemed like Shin wouldn¡¯t like it. Woojin moaned, ¡°Y-you can cum... inside...¡± ¡°Mmhhh... ahhh....¡± ¡°You are wearing a condom anyway...¡± When Woojin moved his body, Shin inhaled deeply and stared at Woojin. Shin looked almost beastly. Every time Woojin moved up and down on him, Shin moaned through his teeth as if in pain. Woojin loved Shin¡¯s scent, which became stronger during sex. Woojin panted and moaned, ¡°Ahh...¡± ¡°... Woojin...¡± Suddenly, Shin frowned and squeezed Woojin¡¯s back hard. He quickly pulled himself out and took the condom off. Heid Woojin down on the bed and sat up in front of Woojin as he stroked himself. ¡°...kkk...¡± Woojin wanted to see Shin¡¯s face, so he sat up. At that very moment, Shin climaxed, and his semen sttered all over Woojin¡¯s face. ¡°...ahh....¡± Shin wasn¡¯t even given a chance to stop him as Woojin wiped his face with his finger and licked them. The strange taste of Shin¡¯s semen filled Woojin¡¯s mouth. Shin quickly grabbed Woojin¡¯s wrist and said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t eat it...¡± ¡°But it¡¯s delicious.¡± The truth was, Woojin was obsessed with Shin. He wanted all of Shin. He wanted to drink all of Shin. ¡°Woojin...¡± ¡°I wanted to eat all of it.¡± When Woojin looked disappointed, Shin grabbed a clean towel and cleaned up Woojin¡¯s face. After kissing Woojin¡¯s lips, Shin frowned and said to him, ¡°It tastes horrible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s your own.¡± ¡°... Woojin...¡± ¡°You eat mine, so why won¡¯t you let me eat yours?¡± Shin rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath. He grabbed Woojin andid down on the bed. ¡°Shin... We need to wash up.¡± ¡°I know, but let¡¯s just be like this for a little while.¡± They rxed together, their bodies sticky. After a short silence, Shin asked, ¡°Who taught you to masturbate?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°I only did what you do to me.¡± ¡°You are bing too sexy... This is a problem.¡± ¡°I was going to say that exact same thing to you.¡± ¡°... I wanted to do this with you right in the restaurant. Did you know that?¡± Why did Shin get so excited tonight? ¡®I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Woojin didn¡¯t care. Just the fact that Shin craved him like this was more than enough. When Woojin looked up at Shin with a pleased face, Shin smiled and murmured, ¡°So you like my face. Hmm... Is that why you insist on looking at my face when you cum?¡± ¡°I like your body too.¡± ¡°You are too erotic.¡± ¡°...Only to you.¡± Shin kissed Woojin affectionately andughed. Fin. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!