By Zephyria 
“How are you feeling?”
Fortunately, Min-gyu didn’t seem to have realized that Song Yi-ho had been aroused by the sight of his friend’s naked body.
“The bleeding… seems to have stopped. Just a second….”
“Let me see.”
Min-gyu stepped closer and pressed down more firmly on Yi-ho’s hand, which was holding the bridge of his nose. Then, with a serious expression, he tilted Yi-ho’s pale face this way and that.
Yi-ho’s bewildered gaze landed on the side mirror. He looked a complete mess, wearing a shabby t-shirt used for pajamas that was now smeared with blood. Standing in front of Min-gyu, who had just come out of the shower looking pristine, the contrast was even more stark.
“…Cha Min-gyu, lend me a shirt.”
Instead of an answer to the request, a deep sigh echoed.
“Just come out first.”
His arm was gripped lightly as he was led out and sat down in a small chair. A bottle of mineral water was handed to him. As he drank through the straw, it felt quite burdensome that Min-gyu was staring intently at his nostrils—since both were plugged white with tissues.
“Did you fail to sleep properly yesterday too?”
Yi-ho set the water bottle down and nodded hesitantly.
“The company told me to put something in a session urgently, so I worked a bit more last night.”
“Haa….”
This was already the several-th time Min-gyu had sighed in front of Yi-ho. Every sigh radiated blatant dissatisfaction with the situation.
Standing up, Min-gyu picked up the receiver by the bed and called the front desk. He told them that he would pay for the food, so they didn’t need to bring it.
“Uh, hey….”
The moment Yi-ho started to rise to protest that it wasn’t necessary, Min-gyu’s stern gaze pierced him. Having finished the call, Min-gyu approached him again.
“Just go to sleep. Forget the alcohol and everything; you look like you’re in bad shape today.”
“No, I’m feeling better now….”
“Song Yi-ho, I’m actually going to get angry.”
“…….”
“Why do you work by grinding your body down? If it didn’t seem like it would be resolved before the business trip, you should have adjusted the schedule. Do you think the company will appreciate this? You’re just stressing out the people around you.”
No, well, the misunderstanding was too deep. Of course, overwork had played a part in this disaster. But the core cause was probably you…. No. There was no need to blame others; Song Yi-ho’s perverted inner thoughts were the biggest problem.
Looking at Yi-ho sternly, Min-gyu pulled out a chair and sat in front of him.
“Take out your phone.”
“Why…?”
Even as he asked, he was swept up by the intimidating momentum and did as he was told. Partly because he had a guilty conscience….
“It seems like you don’t need to go to the session, and as for the company visit, postpone it to the day after tomorrow right now, in front of me.”
“That’s not even that difficult. I can just pop in for a bit.”
“That’s why I’m telling you to postpone it. Tomorrow, you’re staying put and resting.”
He wanted to argue, but he felt like a child throwing a tantrum. Eventually, he wrote a message to Kyung-hyun. Sorry to contact you so late, but would it be possible to postpone the company visit tomorrow…. Kyung-hyun’s reply came almost immediately. He said he was actually thinking of taking tomorrow off himself, so he welcomed the change.
“This person takes much better care of his own body. Unlike some people.”
“I get it, so stop being sarcastic….”
Actually, rather than the sarcasm, his true wish was for Min-gyu to remove the lethality from his voice. …This is why Min-jung is scared of her older brother and likes her uncle more. Hearing that mutter, Min-gyu clicked his tongue in a way that was still somewhat scary, but he did soften his tone.
“Song-i.”
“Yeah.”
“Sleep here tonight. I can’t let you go, fearing you’ll work again tonight.”
“No… today really isn’t the day. Thanks to you, I don’t have anything left to do. I’ll get some proper rest.”
“Of course. Rest and look over the things coming from Korea.”
“Oh, since it’s come to this, I should add some code reviews….”
Ah.
What a damn genius. It was a leading question. With a face that said ‘Gotcha,’ Min-gyu patted the pillow on the bed.
“Ah, I won’t. I won’t do anything. You booked two rooms, why stay in a cramped one?”
“This is a double room anyway. Change your clothes first.”
Min-gyu went to his suitcase and pulled out a green t-shirt. It was a piece of clothing Yi-ho had seen a few times in Min-gyu’s casual wear. But why lend a shirt that was slightly oversized even for Cha Min-gyu? Given the atmosphere, it felt awkward to ask for something else, so he just accepted it.
He contemplated for a moment whether he should go back into the bathroom to change, but he simply turned his back and pulled off the blood-stained t-shirt. Since Cha Min-gyu had stripped off his own clothes right in front of him earlier, he probably wouldn’t think much of it, and given his own body, he likely wouldn’t feel much seeing Yi-ho’s thin body exposed. He slid his arms through the sleeves and pulled the shirt over his body. He looked exactly like a folded long umbrella. While he was at it, he looked in the mirror and removed the tissues plugging his nose. The bleeding seemed to have completely stopped.
Then, Min-gyu pointed to the bed again. No, this man really doesn’t know how scary a one-sided crush can be and keeps extending dangerous invitations.
But honestly, since he was intimidated, he figured he should listen for a bit and headed toward the bed. The guilt of causing worry played a part as well. He could just lie down for a while, let him know he was fine, and then leave. As soon as Yi-ho laid his head on the pillow, Min-gyu flopped down and took the spot beside him.
“Just how spoiled was Song-i Mushroom for the discharge to come out? I told you to give up on the trip if it was too much.”
It’s really not because of work…. And even if he had been busier than he was now, he would have come on the trip. Because.
“I wanted to travel with you too.”
“…….”
Min-gyu, who Yi-ho thought would nag more, let out a sigh and turned his body slightly toward Yi-ho. Yi-ho’s field of vision was filled with Min-gyu.
“Don’t lie flat on your back. The blood will flow backward.”
Yi-ho, who tried to avoid the gaze and lie facing the ceiling, was immediately stopped and held back. Whether Min-gyu had been hiding his strength all this time or Yi-ho simply had no strength left in his body, he couldn’t resist. When Yi-ho squirmed his shoulders, Min-gyu’s brow furrowed.
“Song-i.”
“…Fine. I’ll lie facing the other way.”
“Why bother?”
“…….”
Min-gyu’s voice grew closer. He propped himself up on his elbow, resting his chin on the pillow, and stared intently at Yi-ho.
“The back of Song-i’s head is pretty, but not enough to make me want to talk to it.”
In the end, Yi-ho had to give up on turning away. Furthermore, he ended up in a situation where Cha Min-gyu’s chest was right in front of him. It felt as if the naked body he saw earlier was being traced over the pajamas. In fact, the curves of the collarbone and pectoral muscles were slightly visible through the gap in the pajama collar.
Following the semi-nakedness, I’m really indulging in luxury abroad. He felt too guilty to run away with that thought.
Yi-ho desperately shifted his gaze to the area around Min-gyu’s chin, the most wholesome part of his body. But even there, there was the variable of a prominent Adam’s apple.
They had seen each other exhaustively, as long as their stubborn one-sided love had lasted. They had gone on several trips together. So why couldn’t he look at him? The state of being in a one-sided love was the same then as it was now. Back then, whether Cha Min-gyu wore a swimsuit or came out naked after a shower, it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t look. Had this situation become awkward because they grew older, and instead of rubbing shoulders on public transport, they started driving separately, and instead of borrowing each other’s clothes or things, they started buying new ones?
Recalling the memories of trips he had taken with Cha Min-gyu helped his breathing settle a bit. It was thanks to the inertia provided by a long period of time.
Despite Yi-ho’s efforts, Min-gyu brought his hand to Yi-ho’s chin. His fingers brushed up his cheek and touched near his nose.
He could somehow hide the pounding of his heart under the thick duvet, but he felt that the quickened breathing caused by that thumping would soon be discovered.
When Yi-ho attempted to flip to the other side once more, a faster hand wrapped around his back.
“I told you it’ll flow backward. You really don’t listen.”
Min-gyu’s body suddenly drew closer to Yi-ho. Their toes tangled at the ankles. Min-gyu pulled Yi-ho’s shoulder completely into his embrace, making it impossible for him to move.
“Fine, Song Yi-ho. Let’s just sleep like this. Then you won’t be able to move even in your sleep.”
“Hey, you, why, why are you doing this!”
“What? We’re much closer when we spar.”
“Is that the same as this?”
“When we went to Europe, we slept in a bed smaller than this to save on expenses.”
“…Stop it. That was over ten years ago.”
“Song Yi-ho, you and I are friends, then and now. What’s different?”
“…….”
Hah. No matter how poor Yi-ho’s eloquence was, he could find a few words to respond to this absurd situation. It was only that the words wouldn’t come out because his heart was pounding up to his throat.
‘What is this bastard doing? Does he want to register a marriage with me? Does he want to make this hotel room a honeymoon suite?’
Instead of struggling, Yi-ho lowered his head. His face was hidden beneath the sheets.
“…Song-i.”
“…….”
After calling him Song Yi-ho with a firm voice for a while, now it’s Song-i again. Yi-ho didn’t even respond.
“I’m doing this because I’m worried. Please understand my heart. Okay? So you don’t get sick.”
Then, he gently patted the top of the duvet.
“Song-i Song-i Ho.”
“What.”
“Are you pouting?”
“I don’t even have the energy for that.”
“Then why won’t you show me your face? As if you can’t stand the sight of me.”
He didn’t know why Min-gyu had suddenly become so humble, but what could he say to someone who was nursing him and worrying about him? A sigh escaped Yi-ho’s lips. When he lifted his head slightly, Min-gyu’s face relaxed with satisfaction.
“Right, don’t avoid my eyes. It’s not like I’m going to hurt you.”
You beat my heart every single day.
“Lately, when Song-i avoids my eyes, I feel….”
“……?”
“Nothing. Let’s sleep now.”
With that, he pulled up the duvet to cover him.
Cha Min-gyu was originally kind. His delicate nature worked especially strongly toward his friend, Song Yi-ho.
“Song-i, you’re my family.”
Except for that part.
“…Cha Min-gyu, you’re too much.”
“What’s ‘too much’ when it comes to family?”
‘Right, fuck. Well said. Let’s just become family here. Family…, …….’
Thoughts consisting of nonsense had helped him divert his attention from the agitation caused by Cha Min-gyu and calm his heart. But now, instead of being funny, he suddenly felt sad.
It’s an industry-standard reward.
I should be happy….
Yi-ho closed his eyes tightly in the embrace of Min-gyu, who was pressed close to him. It was a very strange night.