#45

“You said let’s eat ice cream, and yet…”

Doritos, Lay’s potato chips, Butterfinger, Baby Ruth, 3 Musketeers. These were all the snacks Amber was holding in one hand.

Considering that the vending machine was the place Amber visited most often these days, it wasn’t particularly surprising. In his other hand, he had Mountain Dew and root beer.

Looking at the pile of snacks, Tennessee looked appalled. Amber’s preference as a devoted Mountain Dew lover seemed to have expanded to root beer and Dr Pepper. Of course, Tennessee didn’t like any of the three.

“Is this why you’re in the hospital?”

Amber burst out laughing, but Tennessee’s question contained about 65% sincerity. It had become clear that as Amber’s size increased, he needed more fuel. Amber devoured those greasy, sweet, and salty things in an instant. He didn’t forget to curl the corner of his mouth with satisfaction while sucking on the tip of his thumb.

“What about school?”

Tennessee brought up the question he’d been curious about for a week. Amber was likely attending university. However, for nearly two weeks, Amber hadn’t left the room except to pick up essentials like books to read or clothes. He had stayed faithfully by Tennessee’s side the entire time.

“I told you, Tennessee. I’m not going to tell you.”

Amber countered, saying Tennessee should also know how frustrating it is when curiosity isn’t satisfied.

Since it was karma, Tennessee didn’t ask further. He had another way anyway. If he just dropped a hint to Elizabeth or David, they would readily gush about what a proud son and upright young man Amber was.

“For your information, Elizabeth and David won’t tell you either.”

Tennessee raised an eyebrow at the unexpected words.

“I gave them strict instructions.”

“Are you being petty?”

“No, I’m not.”

Amber shook his head, saying that was out of the question.

“Let’s exchange questions later.”

Even with a bright face, Amber refused flatly. Separate from the disappointment of rejecting Tennessee, Amber’s heart was simply filled with happiness. Even if he couldn’t promise the future, every day spent with Tennessee made his heart swell.

“I thought the things I was curious about would decrease as time went by…”

“I think I’ve told you a lot.”

“Not enough.”

Amber’s logic was that since Tennessee often kept his mouth shut, he had no choice but to use such a petty method.

“What are you so curious about?”

Amber said there would be no end to the questions if he started.

“So let’s ask one by one. Until then, Tennessee, you should save up a lot of questions too.”

Amber’s large hand approached cautiously. It lightly touched the tip of Tennessee’s left hand. It was a tickle, like a feather landing.

The tingling sensation at the fingertips was unfamiliar, but pulling his hand away felt like he was being too sensitive. Just as Tennessee, who had been moving his fingers, finally pulled his hand away, someone approached them.

Tennessee instinctively tensed up when a man appeared wearing scrubs and shuffling in Crocs, but he soon let out a sigh. Tennessee recognized him by his voice and his habits. He was a nurse who visited just as Tennessee was about to forget him.

“Good morning, Ryker.”

“Good morning.”

Amber naturally stepped aside, saying he would clear away the leftover snack trash. The nurse checked the IV inserted in Tennessee’s arm and asked a few questions.

Tennessee couldn’t answer immediately because he was watching Amber’s retreating figure as he turned the corner. Seeing that Tennessee wasn’t focusing at all, the nurse chuckled. It was a smile that said he understood everything.

“Your boyfriend is as handsome as ever today.”

Tennessee’s mind snapped awake just as he was about to respond reflexively. …Boyfriend?

“All done.”

Before Tennessee could grab him and make an excuse, the nurse set down the medication and a paper cup. He disappeared with a look that suggested, ‘What a lovely couple.’ As if passing a baton, Amber reappeared from the corner of the hallway.

“Amber, how did you introduce me to that man?”

Tennessee’s interrogation began.

“Me? Ryker?”

Ryker, who was quite quick-witted, was also good at pretending to be oblivious.

“He seems to think you’re my boyfriend.”

“Ah.”

Amber swallowed the words that most of the people in the hospital probably thought so too. He avoided eye contact. Though Amber claimed he was innocent and had done nothing wrong, he couldn’t escape the accusation.

“How did you introduce yourself?”

“That thing. The one that starts with P.”

“Patn—”

“Partner.”

“…Plus one, more like.”

A hollow laugh escaped Tennessee’s lips. He wasn’t a business partner; he was staying at the hospital around the clock to nurse him back to health. To introduce himself as a ‘partner’ was practically the same as coming out.

“I didn’t mean it in that sense, but it seems he took it that way,” Amber added regretfully.

Amber insisted that he truly meant ‘partner’ and that people were simply interpreting it strangely, but—

“Shut up.”

“It really wasn’t my fault.”

It didn’t work on Tennessee. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Amber was becoming increasingly bold.

“I’m sorry.”

Just as an irritated Tennessee was about to speak, Amber apologized quickly.

“A few days ago, he asked me what our relationship was. Since we didn’t look like relatives, I couldn’t exactly divulge everything from the past in that situation, and I couldn’t find another word to replace it. But still…”

Amber smiled bitterly. The corners of his mouth, which he had tried to force upward, crumbled slightly.

“I couldn’t say we’re nothing, because that wouldn’t be true. Are we nothing, perhaps?”

When asked like that, Tennessee was speechless again.

“I’m sorry.”

Amber apologized once more. A scolding reached Tennessee’s throat, barely clinging to his tongue, before he finally managed to swallow it back down. What could he do when the other was apologizing?

“I’ll clarify it the next time I see him.”

“And what are you going to say?”

Amber let out a small laugh and hummed.

“I’m not sure. Let me think about it.”

Tennessee rubbed his temples and then shook his head.

“Forget it. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

They were people he would soon forget and never see again; it would be ridiculous to seek them out one by one to explain.

“You’re not angry, right?”

“No.”

Tennessee couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being played by Amber.

With a serious expression, Tennessee naturally began to contemplate Amber’s audacity. He had a gut feeling that Amber was becoming more sly with each passing year.

“Tennessee.”

Something approached the lips of the deep-in-thought Tennessee. It was a pill.

The morphine that Tennessee refused was highly addictive and had side effects, but it was an extremely effective and powerful painkiller. Because Tennessee was in severe pain from both the surgical site and other injuries, he had been steadily taking a painkiller to replace the morphine.

He reached out with his functional left hand, but Amber shook his head. Just as Tennessee was about to urge him, the round, smooth pill touched his lips. The pill carefully pushed through his closed lips and slid inside.

“Open your mouth a bit more.”

Currently, Tennessee’s lips were barely parted enough for breath to escape. When Tennessee gave a lukewarm reaction, Amber’s thumb touched his lower lip. The warm fingertip pressed against the red, swollen lower lip. When Tennessee finally relaxed his lips, Amber gave a satisfied, smiling look.

Tennessee thought the finger would withdraw, but instead, Amber’s finger slid past the lower lip and gently into the moist interior of his mouth. It was a light entry, just enough for the fingertip to touch his teeth. If Amber’s thumb went in just a bit further, it would touch the tender flesh inside.

With Tennessee’s mouth held open like that, Amber pushed the pills in one by one. Once all the pills were in, he provided a cup of water. As Tennessee drank, his eyes looked up. Whenever Tennessee looked at him, their eyes always met. This was because Amber’s gaze was always directed toward Tennessee.

“Good boy.”

Amber instantly noticed the slight furrow in Tennessee’s brow at those words.

“You know, I’m actually quite a good boy, taking care of you like this.”

Good boy, Amber.

Praising himself as if for Tennessee to hear, Amber rested his forehead against Tennessee’s shoulder. Knowing Tennessee’s condition, it was a light touch, weightless as if a flower petal had landed.

He couldn’t win. Tennessee stroked Amber’s black hair. Not realizing that Amber’s shoulders had stiffened from the unexpected gesture, Tennessee nodded.

He wondered why he hadn’t stroked his hair more often. Amber’s hair was so soft it felt like a regret, scattering pleasantly beneath his palm.

“Yeah. You’re a good boy, Amber.”

His strong, masculine, thick eyebrows arched. Every time Amber blinked, his shaded eyelashes seemed to flutter like the wings of a butterfly. When the handsome man, who would draw attention anywhere, gave a soft smile, his beauty shone all the more.

“I like that.”