SMW 22

The sky, which had been maintaining a gloomy expression and sending warnings, seemed to have failed in its pacing. It started with a downpour and was now adding fierce winds to the mix.

Thanks to that, we were instantly turned into drowned rats. There was no telling when this rain would stop. Given the situation, simply seeking temporary shelter wasn’t enough. Deciding it would be better to find a place to wash up and spend the night, we eventually headed toward a business hotel that had recently opened near the stream.

“No rooms?”

Upon arriving at the hotel and hearing the news, I looked at the front desk clerk with a bewildered expression.

“It’s not that there are no rooms at all, but since a conference is being held at our hotel today, all twin-bed type rooms are fully booked. Currently, the only available rooms are double-bed types.”

That’s exactly the same thing.

Two grown men sleeping together in one bed. After turning twenty, the only time I’d shared a bed with a man was when we were doing that. I had slept in the same room as Choi Seol before, but we had never shared a blanket.

“Then please add an extra bed.”

“I’m sorry, but the rooms currently available cannot accommodate an additional bed.”

“Then that means it’s possible in a larger room.”

“Sir, even our largest room types are all fully booked. The bed in the room you are booking [unauthorized copy]stolen contentnow is a size that two adults can sleep in without any problem, so you won’t be uncomfortable. If you wish, we can provide an additional blanket.”

I’m telling you, the blanket isn’t the problem.

Even if people are stuck together, the psychological difference between having separate sleeping spaces and one shared space is enormous. I turned my gaze toward the sofa where Choi Seol was sitting a short distance away. It was a seat provided in the lobby for waiting guests, but since both of us were soaked, it felt awkward to even sit there.

Fortunately, the staff’s customer service was excellent. As soon as we entered the lobby, they brought towels so we could dry ourselves, and while I was checking in, they even made sure Choi Seol had a place to sit. On top of that, a cup of warm tea had been placed in front of him. Seeing as there was no tea in my hand, it seemed like a special service limited to Choi Seol.

“Hold on. I’ll ask my friend and come back.”

When it comes to explaining a relationship with Choi Seol to outsiders, there’s nothing better than calling him a ‘friend.’ Since the other party didn’t seem to care about titles anymore, I had become quite brazen in using the word friend. Besides, I didn’t know what other words could define our relationship.

“Choi Seol.”

Only then did Choi Seol lift his head when I called his name. His hazy eyes looked unstable, as if his mind had wandered off. He had been in that state ever since the rain started. It seemed the words he heard from the landlord had been quite a shock.

“There are rooms, but only one bed. They said they’d give us separate blankets, but if you think it’ll be uncomfortable, I’ll just get another room—”

“I don’t mind.”

It felt like it had been a long time since I’d heard his voice. As I stood there blankly, Choi Seol slowly rose from his seat.

“I don’t mind, so let’s stay together.”

For a moment, it felt as if the surroundings stirred. It was probably an illusion. Even if someone was nearby, it was a distance where he couldn’t be heard, and Choi Seol’s voice was small enough [visit our site]that one would have to listen closely. Still, the reason I felt self-conscious was [Read on Read BL Novels]likely because my own heart wasn’t that innocent in accepting those words.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

I told him to wait a moment and headed back to the front desk. After checking in and requesting other necessities, Choi Seol and I went up to the room number written on the key card. Throughout the process, Choi Seol merely followed behind me, remaining silent. Just as I was starting to feel awkward due to the silence, we fortunately arrived in front of the room.

As expected of a place that had just opened, the room was clean and pleasant. There was no separate foyer; the bathroom and closet were right next to the entrance, and the interior of the room was fully visible without even taking a few steps. Thanks to that, the first thing I saw was the bed, which was my biggest concern.

“Well… is it adequate?”

Adequate, my foot.

I intentionally spoke that way because I was conscious of Choi Seol, but in my heart, I wanted to run back down to the front desk and grab the clerk by the collar.

How on earth was that ‘sufficient’? Saying a size where you’re bound to touch some part of the other person just by tossing and turning once is ‘sufficient’ is something that only applies to couples. There was no way they saw Choi Seol and me as that kind of couple; I could only see it as a sales tactic to somehow cram a customer who desperately wanted a room with two beds into their double room.

Of all days, a conference had to be held, making things difficult for people.

Searching for someone to blame, I gnawed on the inside of my lip while gauging Choi Seol’s reaction. In reality, he seemed to have no interest in the bed size. Seeing him just standing there, no different from how he was outside or in the lobby, made me feel embarrassed for making such a fuss on my own.

“You wash up first.”

Only then did Choi Seol show a reaction. Although he had remained silent from the moment it started raining until now, he responded promptly whenever I spoke to him. It felt like looking at a large dog pricking its ears for its owner.

Of course, his defiance was equally formidable.

“You wash up first.”

Choi Seol mirrored exactly what I had said. Since it was an expected reaction, I countered calmly.

“Just go in first. I tend to take my time washing up anyway, so I get really anxious if someone is waiting for me. And I want to soak in the tub for a while since it’s been a long time.”

Actually, I wanted to wash up quickly too, but considering Choi Seol’s state, yielding was the answer.

“Then, I’ll wash up quickly and come out.”

This time, Choi Seol obediently followed my words.

“You can take your time. Oh, leave your clothes outside. I asked the front desk, and they said laundry service is available. I’ll leave them for you, so take the bathrobe inside instead. There are slippers here too. I’ll leave these outside; put them on when you come out.”

It was just as I opened the closet opposite the bathroom to take out the bathrobe and hand it to Choi Seol, and was just tearing open the plastic packaging of the slippers.

“You take yours off too.”

Because I misjudged my strength, the slippers slid out through the torn plastic. Choi Seol bent down, gathered the slippers neatly, placed them beneath my feet, and added:

“You’ll catch a cold if you stay in wet clothes.”

“Ah, right. I have to send my clothes to the laundry anyway.”

Only after hearing my answer did Choi Seol enter the bathroom. As soon as the bathroom door closed, I dropped the smile I had been wearing. I was already enduring the awkwardness, but the situation was not helping me regain my peace. As I let out an unrestrained sigh, the white slippers placed neatly at the end caught my eye.

Let’s get the clothes sent out first. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by thinking about it right now; first, I had to do what needed to be done. Putting on the slippers, I opened the bottom drawer of the closet as I had been told by the staff. A laundry request form and a cotton bag for the clothes were inside. Looking at the checklist, fortunately, I could even send socks and underwear.

I hadn’t expected to return in a single day, but since I had come as light as possible, planning to just borrow something at Choi Seol’s house, neither of us had brought spare clothes. I regretted it slightly, but since there was a way to solve it, it wasn’t that disappointing. Though it would cost a lot of money.

Recalling the money spent today, including the accommodation fee, the agitation in my heart caused by Choi Seol calmed down to some extent. I should get him home quickly and collect the money he owes me. As expected, reality was the best way to wake up from a dream.

“Ah… there’s no section for shoes.”

No matter how hard I looked, shoes weren’t on the checklist. The most urgent thing right now was the shoes. I could manage with roughly dried clothes, but walking around all day tomorrow in damp shoes would be the perfect way to raise my irritability index. It seemed I would have to ask the staff separately.

I straightened my knees from my crouched position and stood up to find the phone to contact the front desk. At that moment, the bathroom door opened. Turning around instinctively, I saw Choi Seol standing at the door with a towel wrapped around his lower body, holding his neatly folded clothes. My eyes naturally scanned him from top to bottom.

“Where’s the robe?”

“…”

“Ah, you haven’t washed yet.”

I quickly corrected my crazed gaze and took Choi Seol’s clothes.

“Hurry up and wash.”

“You haven’t changed your clothes yet.”

Could you please just stop being interested in my clothes?

“Yeah, I was going to call the front desk and then change. Just go in.”

I pushed Choi Seol back into the bathroom as he tried to add another word and kindly closed the sliding door. Even then, I didn’t immediately step away from the door. Holding my breath and listening carefully, I soon heard the sound of water. Only then did I exhale.

Han Yeo-reum, calm down and think about the money.

I took a deep breath to calm my heart, which had been startled by Choi Seol, while calculating the money I was to receive in my head. Then, a heavy scent tickled the tip of my nose. Dropping my gaze to find the source, I saw Choi Seol’s clothes, which I was now clutching tightly to my chest. Glancing at the bathroom door where the sound of water continued, I pressed my nose to the fabric, and as expected, the scent I had just felt was strong.

A scent that felt even more nostalgic because it was mixed with the smell of rain. Since there was no perfume at the country house, it was likely his natural body scent. Suddenly, my heart throbbed. Startled, I pulled away from the clothes and stuffed them into the laundry bag I had just found.

Nostalgic? Smelling someone else’s clothes and reacting like this made me feel like a pervert. Suddenly, the wet clothes clinging to my skin became bothersome. While walking toward the table by the window to contact the front desk, I stripped off my wet t-shirt. After some struggle, I threw off my pants as well and picked up the phone wearing only my underwear.

“I requested laundry earlier. Yes, that’s right. Please come and pick them up now. Also, is it possible to clean shoes? I’d at least like them to be dried. And…”

But without realizing it, my head turned toward the bed. For some reason, the sound of water from the shower felt too close. That was why I looked.

“…I also need more blankets…”

“Sir?”

The staff member seemed to be saying something over the receiver, but I couldn’t hear it. All I could hear in my ears was the sound of water. And, I saw it.

Beyond the bedroom was a transparent glass wall, and beyond that, the view inside the bathroom, and Choi Seol standing there.

“The wall…”

My thoughts stopped, and everything flowed in slow motion. Although the steam from the hot water had clouded the bathroom, Choi Seol’s naked body, with his eyes closed as he took the water, was clearly etching its curves into my mind.

“Why is the wall… transparent…?”

“The wall? Sir!”

It was then. Choi Seol opened his eyes and slowly turned his head toward the glass wall. Our eyes met.