By Zephyria 
Cha Min-ho always says the right thing. Whether the opponent is a dim-witted gangster, a shallow con artist, or a friend he’s as close to as family. He always said the right thing, leaving others with nothing to say. No matter how special Won Gyu-oh was, he didn’t receive different treatment.
What could Won Gyu-oh do for Cha Min-ho in this situation? Unless he could solve the fundamental loneliness, there was nothing he could do. A deep sense of helplessness filled him.
“You should just stop caring about me too. Caring about a guy who rolls around with men will only leave you confused.”
As the words continued, the form of the question that had been floating in his head for a while felt as if it were gradually becoming clear. The more Min-ho denied him, the faster it took shape.
“…”
And it was an emotion that he shouldn’t have had for Cha Min-ho, whom he had treated like an older brother.
Is it okay to feel this way just because of one provocative comment? What about all the time he’d spent with Hyung? He scolded himself harshly, but the emotion only became more certain.
“Anyway, it’s probably just a curiosity that will fade soon. We shouldn’t have things like that between us.”
“…”
He had noticed everything. He always acted like a person who could read his mind, and he had known about his confusion all along.
Min-ho, speaking in a tone as if advising him, gently shook the gripped arm. It was a sign to let go quietly. He wanted to hold on longer, but continuing to cling would only make things harder for Hyung. Once he realized that, he couldn’t bring himself to be stubborn anymore.
Thud, the arm dropped powerlessly. Then, Min-ho patted Gyu-oh’s shoulder a couple of times and turned away. The sound of the car door closing, the sound of tires screeching loudly on the parking lot floor, the engine sound fading away without lingering. And then, darkness found the place where the two had stood.
“…”
Gyu-oh stared blankly in the direction the car had disappeared. Without blinking, he stared intently at the place already stained with darkness. He didn’t need to worry about the expression he had barely managed to compose while Min-ho was there. A cold gaze soon fell to his own feet.
“…Fuck.”
He had made a vow since he moved to Woowon following his older brothers. He shouldn’t become a burden to them, so he decided to live while keeping a proper distance. That way, even if he made a mistake, his brothers could easily let go of him. That was the one thing he had upheld no matter what.
Who would make a male lover, give up billions of won because of it, and start a business that doesn’t even suit them? Who would treat their own body recklessly for a moment of comfort, regardless of whether the other person was a colleague or anyone else?
It was a resolution he had kept quite well, even if he had occasionally intruded lately when he could no longer bear it. He knew he shouldn’t interfere unnecessarily and that he had no right to, so why…
“…It’s a different story if you’re going to meet that bastard again.”
The answer he had so desperately wanted finally seemed to be within his grasp.
Gyu-oh, who had been holding his breath in the darkness, hurriedly stepped forward. Following his movements, the sensor lights woke up one by one. Now that he had the answer, his mind, which had been blurred as if by fog, became crystal clear. There was no hesitation in his determined stride.
‘Listening to some fucking sonata isn’t enough anymore… What can you even do?’
Why did I think I couldn’t do anything? The premise was wrong from the start. I probably know Hyung better than some bum who doesn’t know where he’s been rolling around. Besides, if I volunteer to be the one he uses, maybe Hyung will reduce his reliance on sex a little.
Ah, he should have taken the words Hyung said while drunk as an opportunity and accepted them. Then this situation of letting Hyung go wouldn’t have happened. He even felt a genuine sense of regret.
“I should have done this sooner.”
Why hadn’t he thought of this until now?
Tap, tap. Gyu-oh’s footsteps echoed in the quiet parking lot. Since he already knew where he was heading, there was no need to hesitate. He quickly put on his helmet and started the engine. The motorcycle tore through the silent parking lot with a loud roar.
* * *
It was uncertain whether Son Pro would come. Min-ho had told him the hotel and room number, but it seemed the drinking session that had started in the early evening hadn’t ended yet. Seeing as there was no reply—which usually came promptly—he might be matching bodies with someone he hit it off with there. Knowing that, he hadn’t intended to come all the way here, but things had become complicated after running into Won Gyu-oh.
Tightly wrapping his robe, Min-ho calmly drew back all the curtains. Despite the late hour, the crowded night view blurred before his eyes. As he stared at the mottled scenery, the situation from earlier naturally came to mind.
‘You should just stop caring about me too. Caring about a guy who rolls around with men will only confuse you.’
What kind of expression had Gyu-oh made when he said that? He looked hurt, or perhaps shocked.
“I didn’t mean to go that far…”
As he muttered softly, the breath clinging to the window created a faint trace before disappearing.
Lately, Gyu-oh’s attitude had been strange. Although they had always been close, he was a guy who always maintained a certain distance, but at some point, he started acting as if that distance had vanished. He cared about everything and tried to keep an eye on Min-ho’s every move.
At first, Min-ho didn’t mind and let him be, but gradually, Gyu-oh’s actions and gaze began to bother him. He had even come to rely on him.
It probably started when he made that slip of the tongue. Since it was the first time he’d ever heard such words from another man, it must have come as quite a shock. That’s why he probably kept chewing over it. He might have mistaken that confusion for interest.
In fact, there were people who tried to have impulsive sexual encounters because of that. The problem was that most of them left the bed in disgust even before insertion.
“….”
Since Won Gyu-oh was a cherished colleague and a precious younger brother, he didn’t want to inflict such a shock on him. He wasn’t the kind of person he could just drift away from.
So this time, he built a wall and kept his distance. He ignored the glancing eyes, avoided the touch, and disregarded the contacts that came at all hours. After spending a few days like that, the quick-witted Gyu-oh soon grasped his intention.
While spending more than two weeks being distant, there were moments when he occasionally wanted to contact Gyu-oh. Gyu-oh’s energy, which was transmitted just by being near, and his sly attitude were frighteningly familiar.
Still, he managed his impulses and endured. He believed that if he held out a little longer, they could go back to being comfortable as before.
But that might have been proof that he was actually thinking about Won Gyu-oh.
“Fuck, let’s just live as we were.”
Since he’d gone this far, Won Gyu-oh would get tired and back off. He would retract the foot he had extended to cross the line and stop right there.
Bzzzz. Even though it was thrown on the bed, the vibration continued to beat against Min-ho’s ears. Checking the flashing screen, as expected, it was Viper.
“This is all for the best for both of us, Gyu-oh.”
Min-ho flopped face-down on the bed and caught his breath. He tried to ignore the persistent vibration that kept cutting in and out, simply closing his eyes. His body was languid with fatigue, but he couldn’t sleep because of the endless chain of thoughts and worries. He pushed open his eyes, which felt stiff as if grit had gotten into them, and turned his body. It was while he was blinking stupidly at the brightly lit ceiling.
Bang, bang!
The noise echoing through the silence snapped him awake.
“…What is it.”
Min-ho sat up awkwardly and stared at the door. Bang, bang! It was too rough to be a knock and too urgent to be a punch. He checked his phone, which had gone quiet, and walked over.
“I didn’t get any messages.”
Among the pile of missed calls, Son Pro’s name was not there. Moreover, why would someone knock like that when it was his own room? Tilting his head, he stood before the door.
“Who is it?”
“Open up.”
At the answer that came as if waiting, Min-ho’s mouth fell open. It was a voice too familiar to be dismissed as a misunderstanding.
“Won Gyu-oh?”
“Open up, hurry. Or I’ll break it.”
Despite the loud noise of the door being pounded and the handle being shaken, the agitated voice was clearly audible. No, how did he find out where I was? The tail Gyu-oh had put on him had disappeared around the time he returned to the office. Did he put someone else on him?
Thump, thump. His heart began to race. His complicated mind was filled only with Won Gyu-oh’s voice.
“Cha Min-ho, you’d better open up quietly.”
“….”
“I’m getting the fire extinguisher.”
He had spoken so clearly, so why did he chase him all the way here? It felt like a headache was coming on. With a deep sigh, Min-ho checked his attire one more time and opened the locked door.
As soon as the handle turned, a strong force flung the door open. A cool hallway breeze poured into the room, but he didn’t even feel cold because of the heat emanating from Gyu-oh standing before him.
While he stood there blankly, a large hand suddenly reached out toward him. Gyu-oh roughly grabbed and pulled down the lapel of the shower robe.
“Hey, what are you—!”
“You’re not late.”
A sharp gaze scanned him up and down before he strode inside. Whether it was intended to look threatening or not, he was even holding a motorcycle helmet in his hand. Min-ho, who had dazedly given way, hurriedly locked the door and followed the intruder.
“Hey, Won Gyu-oh. How did you find this place?”
As if he couldn’t even hear him, Gyu-oh headed straight for the bedroom. After checking the bed, which was fine except for being slightly rumpled since he had been lying on it, he strode toward the bathroom.