RB 131

Eunho squirmed before slipping out of his embrace. Perhaps he felt embarrassed about crying, for he hurried to rub his eyes. He avoided Yeorok’s gaze and busied himself with the bedding. Even that simple movement appeared clumsy.

“…Go to sleep now.”

The way he patted the plump pillow was excessively unnatural. He was trying his best in his own way. Yeorok could not ignore his efforts, so he readily lay down.

Eunho stood up, turned off the light, and returned. The sound of his bare feet pattering across the floor filled the room. Then, Eunho approached and slid his legs under the covers.

Their legs brushed against each other beneath the blanket. Occasionally, their toes bumped. Each time the rustling blanket was lifted as they settled in, the trapped warmth wafted out. It smelled warm and cozy. It was the scent of Eunho’s skin that Yeorok remembered.

“…….”

Yeorok took a deep breath while staring at the empty ceiling. This single room was shabby, yet the place where he lay at this moment felt comfortable. But he couldn’t rid himself of his anxiety. It was likely because he found it difficult to tell whether this was reality or a dream. If it were a dream, he hoped he would never wake up.

When he stole a glance to his side, Eunho, who was just resting his head, noticed the gaze and looked back at him. Yeorok silently stretched out his right arm. He offered his own arm instead of a pillow. Eunho shook his head.

“Just use the pillow.”

“…It is fine.”

“Then I am not using the pillow either.”

He grumbled like a child. It was a behavior that did not suit Choi Yeorok. Instead of arguing, Eunho sighed. He eventually lifted his head and rested it on Yeorok’s arm.

Could anything feel more awkward than this? They had never shared an arm pillow even when they were on good terms, so there was no reason for it to feel comfortable now. Both lay there with their eyes wide open, staring up at the ceiling.

When the silence enveloping the atmosphere felt too heavy, Yeorok spoke first.

“I heard you quit your job at the convenience store.”

A chuckle escaped Eunho’s lips. It was not particularly surprising that the man knew facts Eunho had never even mentioned.

“Yes. I quit.”

“Will you continue the part-time job at the meat restaurant?”

“I am thinking about it.”

Eunho replied weakly to the probing questions. He had not decided on anything yet. He had only just taken the first step toward moving forward.

Yeorok, on the other hand, appeared anxious. He was originally a person who could not tolerate uncertainty.

“What about this house?”

“…….”

“Do you plan to keep living here?”

He spoke as casually as possible, but he couldn’t hide the subtle urgency in his voice. Eunho did not respond at first, he opened his mouth after a long silence.

“I don’t know.”

“I must look quite pathetic right now.”

“Yes.”

He laughed again. Beside him, he felt Yeorok’s presence rubbing his face along with the sound of a sigh. It was obvious that Yeorok was troubled.

While they lay still, courting a sleep that would not come, Yeorok quietly turned onto his side. Lying sideways, he observed Eunho’s face.

“…….”

Having someone stick close and stare at him so intensely was more than a little distracting. Unable to bear it any longer, Eunho turned his head toward him.

“Are you going to keep looking at me like that?”

“It feels like a waste to sleep.”

“…Do as you wish.”

Eunho answered bluntly and turned his head back. He closed his eyes forced himself to try and sleep. There was no way sleep would come to him, either. The persistent gaze, Choi Yeorok’s scent, and the warmth felt from the firm arm were all factors that disturbed his rest.

Every single nerve cell was conscious of the man, making him wonder why he had suggested they sleep together in the first place. Eunho sighed, he did not want to show any sign of being shaken even if it killed him; so he tried to think about other things.

Heavy footsteps thudded from the unit upstairs. Because the house was so quiet, the living noises from other units were heard even more clearly.

Ahnn!

Suddenly, a woman’s moan rang out. It was barely audible but distinct. The source of the embarrassing sound was the unit next door. Come to think of it, a young couple lived together in the next room.

Hng, honey, ahng, I like it there, hng!

The moaning gradually grew louder. Now, it was so clear it could no longer be ignored. A live broadcast of someone else’s bedroom activities was taking place through the thin plywood wall.

Eunho opened his eyes. He found it awkward to even get up, so he just rolled his eyes back and forth. He started sweating from the embarrassment.

“Is it always like this?”

Eunho flinched as he heard Yeorok asking in a calm voice.

“I am rarely home at night, so I am not sure….”

Ang! Aahang! Huh-ang!

He was cut off by a frantic moan. Silence followed. Since even Yeorok fell silent, the quiet house was filled only with the moans of the couple passionately making love.

There was no reason for him to feel excited by someone else’s sex. However, he was extremely conscious of the person beside him. The way their upper bodies brushed against each other and their toes bumping.

Eunho swallowed the saliva that had pooled in his mouth. The volume was significant, and the sound of his throat moving was quite loud. Did he hear it? When he suddenly turned to his side, Yeorok was still staring at him.

“…….”

Possessiveness filled his dark eyes. Eunho’s limbs were restrained by his eyes. He couldn’t get away.

Instead of looking away, Eunho lifted his head slightly. His tilted face turned toward Yeorok.

The kiss was impulsive. One could say he was pushed by the atmosphere. Their dry skin met and parted without a sound. Then, a long breath that resembled a sigh escaped from Yeorok’s mouth.

“Is Sim Eunho-ssi planning to dry me up until I die?”

“…Did I make a mistake?”

Eunho cautiously moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue. He was already beginning to wonder if he had acted too rashly.

Yeorok kept his eyes open and stared at Eunho’s face. He did not blink. His clear eyes, devoid of any sleepiness, looked as though they wanted to strip Eunho bare right this moment.

The arm that provided the pillow rose slowly to pull the back of Eunho’s head into a hug. Yeorok’s upper body moved as naturally as flowing water. Their lips met in an instant. Yeorok spoke against the plump curve of Eunho’s lips.

“No, I am moved.”

Lying on his side, he held Eunho and overlapped their lips. He nipped at the warm lips and wetted them gently with his tongue. That languid kiss caused a hot sigh to flow from the tips of their noses. It was impossible to tell whose it was.

His tongue entered through Eunho’s parted teeth from time to time. Even as their wet flesh brushed, neither of them acted with haste. They were closer to being cautious. Softly enough to bring out a groan, their tongues and lips mixed as if they were opening each other’s hearts.

The pile of blankets rustled incessantly. Inside, their bodies were entangled, rubbing against one another continuously. The moans from the next house had already been pushed out of their concern. At this moment, the person in front of them was everything.

Eunho, who was mingling his tongue with the other’s, suddenly flinched. He felt a hard, burning heat against his groin where they met. The thin hospital gown was insufficient to hide Yeorok’s excitement. His member, which had become so erect it seemed ready to burst through his pants, poked repeatedly at Eunho’s crotch.

“…….”

Eunho moved his right hand down. Just as he was about to grasp the furious heat, Yeorok snatched Eunho’s wrist first. Looking up, Eunho saw him scrunching the bridge of his nose.

“You do not need to worry about that.”

“…but..”

“I am trying to have a conscience. I feel like if I do that today, I would be an animal rather than a human.”

Yeorok spoke through clenched teeth. His brows were furrowed, as though he were struggling to suppress hid impulses. He then gently drew Eunho’s neck in closer. With their lips still in contact, he prayed fervently.

“Let me just kiss you instead.”

Eunho parted his lips in response to the desperate voice. As soon as permission was granted, a hot tongue crashed into his mouth. Yeorok acted according to his conscience, just as he promised. His lower body was like a beast in heat, but the hands caressing Eunho were respectful, and he bit down on his tongue and lips with earnest longing.

Eunho felt that this alone was enough. Yeorok’s thoughts, which had always been hidden behind layers, were now transparently visible. Now that the man’s sincerity was flowing into him, Eunho no longer wanted to persecute or reject Choi Yeorok.

They shared a single pillow, holding each other and doing nothing but kissing. It was closer to licking each other’s wounds and scars than a sexual act.

He became intoxicated by a pleasant sense of relief, enough to feel it would be fine to fall asleep with their lips still joined. It was finally the moment his hollow chest was filled.

‎

‎

‎

As soon as morning broke, Hong Namyeong came to the house. He was a man who rarely forced or rushed Yeorok. However, today was different from usual.

“You must… see your doctor. The checkup is already scheduled.”

They did not even have to ask to know how tightly Hong Namyeong was clenching his fists behind his back or the intensity of the anger flaring inside him.

“I am going.”

Yeorok replied nonchalantly. He just finished washing and looked refreshed. Because he appeared so calm, Hong Namyeong felt his temper rising.

Yeorok brushed back his damp bangs from washing his face and walked toward the entrance. While he put on his shoes, Eunho hovered in front of him for no particular reason.

“Thank you for letting me stay.”

Yeorok spoke to Eunho before leaving. It was a plain farewell that did not imply any future plans or promises.

Eunho nodded in response. They parted after exchanging a silent look. That was all.

The entrance where Yeorok departed became lonely once more. It was originally a quiet place, but the house felt hollow and empty just because a guest had stayed for a day and left.

Eunho stood still and looked around the house before taking a deep breath and moving. He opened the windows wide to ventilate the room and swept the dust on the floor into a pile with a broom.

It was a daily life that had not changed much. It was the routine he followed every time he woke up. After finishing the cleaning, he had nothing left to do, so he sat alone on the bare floor. His lips felt hot and tingly; when he touched them, he could tell they were swollen.

“…….”

Eunho continued his careful deliberation while fiddling with his still-swollen lips. What he would do from now on depended entirely on his own decision.