By Zephyria When he opened the dormitory door, the living room was already in a small festive mood. He had to adjust to the noisy sounds without any way to soothe his bitter heart.
Kim Ju-won watched Ki Jae-eon, who was at the center of the commotion, with a quiet gaze. He was sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket. The childish cartoon character on it was Jo Eun-ha’s blanket, and the ill-fitting furry slippers were Kim Young-jun’s. Surrounded by the children, he was decorated with things they cherished.
“A cushion too!”
“That’s right, you have to be careful for the time being.”
“Tell me if you get colder, Oppa.”
“Uh, okay.”
“It’s a big deal if your sugar drops, so I’ll put candy here.”
“U-uh, okay.”
“Water? Are you thirsty?”
The traces of the children nagging him not to overdo it were clearly visible.
No, is it still ongoing?
But in fact, Kim Ju-won had the same thought.
‘How long has it been since he got up, and he’s already down here.’
He clicked his tongue, but still turned up the temperature in the living room to be a little warmer than usual. Even though he himself didn’t handle heat well.
As he turned his gaze back to the children, he saw Ki Jae-eon smiling brightly.
Then he remembered his early encounters with Ki Jae-eon.
‘He used to avoid people and bathe alone…….’
Comparing then and now, there was as much difference as heaven and earth. Now he mingled freely, laughed, and even made small jokes.
He thought it was a good thing.
‘His smiling face is also pretty.’
……….
…………Pretty?
Uh, ah? Kim Ju-won flinched and blinked. Wow, is he just going crazy openly now? He rubbed his chest in disbelief. The noisy conversation continued on and on.
“You were really the best!”
“I missed you!”
“You remember all the card games we played, right?”
“Hyung, I’m glad I can borrow your clothes again.”
“Gyeong-hak, please…….”
“Hyung, Hyung! You remember I protected you, right?”
“Gyeong-hak, please, a little…….”
“Jae-eon understands.”
Ki Jae-eon, sitting in the center, scanned the children with affectionate eyes. Uh, uh, really? Even though he only answered briefly to the pouring questions, the children liked it.
As the compliments continued with giggling laughter, Ki Jae-eon fiddled with the edge of the blanket around his shoulders for a moment, and then opened his lips hesitantly, as if he had made up his mind.
“I, I… did a little…….”
Boasting about himself.
Although he still seemed awkward and hesitant, his pride in his skills was clearly felt in his tone.
In an instant, everyone was stunned as if time had stopped.
The children looked at Ki Jae-eon with expressions that seemed to say, ‘What did I just hear?’ Their round eyes blinked incessantly.
“…….”
“…….”
“……Ah, um.”
Was it too much? Just as Ki Jae-eon’s cheeks were turning reddish with shame.
A riotous cheer soon erupted.
“Our Jae-eon is finally-!”
“He’s grown! He’s grown!”
“Keuheueueueueup!”
“Not a little, but a lot!”
“The growth of a child, heup, I’m so happy!”
“I’m older than you, you brat.”
“Did I give birth to him? I think he’s my son.”
“Eun-ha, why are you like that too. …But, actually, I feel the same way! Um, is this what they call fatherhood?”
Heueong heueong! The children shed tears one after another. Of course, half of them were pretending to sob as a joke, but the other half were really wiping away tears like raindrops.
A child sniffling and laughing, a child holding up a banner high while crying, a child comforting a crying friend and then crying together.
It was like parents encountering their child’s first babbling.
“Hey, hey, guys……?”
It was Ki Jae-eon who was confused by the extreme reaction. He seemed awkward with the pouring compliments, waving his hands in the air a few times before fidgeting with his fingertips, at a loss for what to do. Of course. Even when he was a snot-nosed kid, he had never received such a one-sided shower of praise. It felt like Poppie being praised for peeing once on the potty pad.
Eventually, the strength left his shoulders.
‘Is it noisy, or is it lively……? Or is it both.’
Ki Jae-eon looked at the children who couldn’t stay still for a moment, and finally raised the corners of his lips with a smirk. It was a smile with a nuance of being unable to handle them.
‘They always surprise me in unexpected ways…….’
One thing was certain: it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Well, of course? Because it was based on worry and affection.
Yes, feelings for each other.
‘So, thank you so much. Guys.’
Ki Jae-eon watched the children, who were all teary-eyed, with a satisfied look.
“Hey, hey, hey. What are you doing, you guys.”
Hey, he’s still a patient! And it didn’t take long for Kim Ju-won to step in.
“Heueong!”
“Ju-won Oppa, listen to our baby!”
“Who’s our baby, you brats!”
The chaotic time continued for a while longer, and finally came to an end with the kitchen Aunt’s loud shout of, “Let’s eat dinner!”
*
“You don’t want to eat more?”
Kim Ju-won sauntered towards Ki Jae-eon, who was sitting alone on the wooden porch. His slow steps were like a full beast. He sniffed at the rather cold night breeze, and then naturally plopped down.
“Haa-.”
A cold breath escaped through the gaps in his lips. If he waited a few more days, white breath would form in this wind.
“Cold?”
“Well, so-so? What about you? Aren’t you cold.”
“Yeah, I like it.”
Ki Jae-eon patted his lower abdomen slightly, saying he was full. Kim Ju-won glanced at his languid gesture, nodded as if he understood, and silently straightened the blanket on his shoulders. It was an action that he would normally have thought, ‘What’s with these guys being so gross with each other?’ but it felt very natural and unreserved with Ki Jae-eon. Of course, Ki Jae-eon also accepted the touch without much resistance, revealing his deep trust in the other person. That’s how much closer the distance between the two had become.
“There are other blankets, but this one is too thin.”
“Uh, yeah, I like this one.”
Ki Jae-eon showed the blanket that the children had wrapped around him even tighter. It seemed that the blanket, at least to him, had been delivered with a rather large heart.
Kim Ju-won looked at Ki Jae-eon, who didn’t take the kindness of others lightly, with an admirable gaze, and then quietly scanned his surroundings. It was a different look than before. He was wary of his surroundings, carefully checking if there were any other people nearby. Okay, no one’s there. Kim Ju-won, convinced that it was just the two of them, took something out of his arms and handed it over.
“Here.”
“……?”
“Take it.”
What he was subtly shaking was two small cans of beer.
Ki Jae-eon looked at Kim Ju-won with a startled face.
Kim Ju-won, knowing what that gaze meant, raised his eyebrows slightly.
“I know it’s forbidden. Just for today.”
“Ah, no, still…….”
“I said it’s okay?”
What are you doing, not taking it? His finger gestured impatiently.
But even so, when there was no movement, just when he thought he wouldn’t be able to become an accomplice after all.
Suddenly, Ki Jae-eon stretched his neck out like a turtle and began to look around.
He kept his mouth shut and looked around for a long time, and then realized that no one was there and subtly accepted the can of beer.
The two men’s eyes met almost simultaneously.
They both giggled.
No matter how old you get, ‘breaking the rules in secret from the adults’ always brings a plausible excitement.
Ki Jae-eon was no different.
The two of them opened the cans with a light movement. A cool sound rang out, and bubbles rose up. Cheers- they gave each other a light toast.
As the first sip went down their throats, their faces grimaced at the same time. The two of them looked at each other’s expressions again and giggled.
Chirr-irr-irr-.
The moon was round, the crickets were singing, and the wind was cool.
If there was such a thing as peace, this would be it.
Ki Jae-eon raised his head and looked at the sky for a while. May these times continue in the future-. A short prayer naturally followed.
It was at that very moment.
“I’m sorry.”
The water droplets on the can slipped and wet his fingers, and the sound of crickets chirping echoed even louder in his ears.
Without any warning, a self-reproachful confession reached him.
“I prayed that you wouldn’t come back.”
Ki Jae-eon’s gaze slowly turned to the side.