By Zephyria 
Haon woke up to the sound of cheerful music and hurriedly turned off the alarm. He clearly hadn’t felt sleepy until the moment he lay down, but he had fallen fast asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Had he not set the alarm, he would have slept all day without even knowing the sun had risen.
Haon pressed firmly into the plush pillow and mattress before heading straight to the bathroom. His eyes were slightly red from accumulated fatigue.
Rubbing his stiff eyes, he tore open a new toothbrush. As he put the wet toothbrush in his mouth, deep sighs escaped him. His entire body felt heavy. A weighted exhaustion was pulling Haon’s body down toward the floor.
After finishing his face wash while leaning against the sink, he closed his eyes for a moment. He wanted to sleep for just one more hour. Really, just one more hour.
It was only natural to be exhausted after going through such a turmoil while working from early morning until late at night. In his heart, he wanted to fill the entire day with nothing but sleep.
“Haa…”
He remained slumped for a while, cheek pressed against the cold sink, but eventually forced himself out of the bathroom as he remembered the time he had to leave for work.
Fortunately, the man’s house was not very far from the restaurant where Haon worked. In fact, it was much closer than the goshiwon where he had originally lived.
After checking the map on his phone once more, he tidied the blankets. He carefully smoothed out the wrinkles so there would be no sign that he had been lying there. He also folded the pajamas he had worn neatly and placed them in the corner along with his bag.
Haon intended to live as if he weren’t in the house as much as possible. He planned to leave the house even earlier and return very late on purpose. He would never do anything that might get on the man’s nerves. To achieve that, he should avoid running into him in the first place.
“Ah, the calendar.”
While checking the map, he opened the calendar app and recorded the period of his heat cycle. Though he sometimes forgot, Haon tried his best to write down his heat periods.
This time, he had lost his reason after a month and a half. Waking up alone in a shabby motel room on a sweltering summer day was the last estrus he remembered. And then, there was this bed.
Staring at the queen-sized bed, which was far too wide for one person, he blankly scratched his cheek. It felt strange all over again that he was in this bedroom. As much as it was strange, the question marks toward the man grew larger.
Why is he helping me?
While grateful for the infinite kindness the man showed, he was also puzzled.
The man had come immediately upon a single phone call from someone he had met for the first time only a couple of days ago, and he had given him such a nice bedroom. Moreover, he had even told him he could stay longer.
It seemed like an impossible act for anyone other than an angel. Above all, he asked for nothing in return after doing all those things. He didn’t try to have sex, nor did he try to touch him or ask to be touched.
Then why is he being so nice to me? Lost in doubt, Haon chewed on the tender skin inside his cheek. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find the reason.
‘I like helping people.’
The man’s voice, which popped into his head then, provided the direct answer. The man had said so himself. That he was a very safe person who liked helping others.
“…”
Even after obtaining the answer to his question, Haon’s reaction was lukewarm. It was because he wondered if that was all.
* * *
Haon opened and closed the door as quietly as possible and then crossed the living room. He had to pass through the living room to get to the entrance.
Since he still had some time, he walked slowly without rushing. Perhaps because he walked carefully to stifle the sound, his walking speed was twice as slow as usual.
“Wow…”
Despite his best efforts to muffle his footsteps, an exclamation leaked out. Looking up at the high ceiling of the upper floor, the sound came out naturally.
It felt like he could invite the entire village and throw a party in this house. Narrowing his wide eyes, Haon stared intently up at the transparent glass door of the upper floor. Through the clean glass, he caught a glimpse of dark objects and wondered what they were.
“They have things like that at home.”
Because the distance was too far, Haon failed to recognize the dumbbells in the end, but he recognized the treadmill and the indoor cycle. In truth, even if they had been right in front of him, he wouldn’t have known the name “dumbbell.” Exercise equipment that would be found in a gym were very unfamiliar objects to a country bumpkin like Haon. Out of curiosity, he even stood on his tiptoes to get a closer look at the second floor.
“Watch where you’re going. You’ll trip.”
At the sudden sound of the man’s voice, Haon stopped dead in his tracks and staggered. Perhaps because he stopped so abruptly, his weakened body momentarily lost its balance.
“Are you okay?”
The man, who had been lying on the sofa, sprang up and approached Haon. Thinking he might be dizzy, the man immediately tried to make him sit on the sofa.
“Do you feel sick? Do you want to go to the hospital?”
“No, I’m fine!”
Waving his hands dismissively, Haon answered by intentionally raising his voice. He opened his eyes wide to signal that he was perfectly fine.
“Did you sleep here?”
Haon’s expression stiffened as he looked back and forth between the man in comfortable clothes and the sofa. It seemed the man had woken up after sleeping on the sofa. Without even a blanket.
“…You said there was a separate bedroom.”
Did he give me the bed and sleep on the sofa? Guilt added to his burden, making his heart feel even heavier.
“There is. The upper floor is my room.”
Liar. I saw with my own eyes that there was nothing but chunks of iron upstairs.
“I’m serious.”
Seeing the corners of Haon’s mouth drooping, the man rubbed the back of his neck and told him he could go up and check for himself.
“It’s much bigger than the bed in your room, Haon.”
“Then why did you sleep on the sofa?”
Upon receiving the question, the man rolled his eyes instead of answering. His expression suggested that he didn’t remember well either.
“I wonder… why did I sleep out here?”
This time, he tilted his head slightly and looked back and forth between the sofa and Haon. Then, as if he remembered, a soft smile spread across his slightly parted lips.
“I think I came out because I was worried about you, Haon.”
The drooping corners of Haon’s mouth twitched. Unable to find the words to respond, he just looked at the man with his mouth vaguely open. Then, the man suddenly stepped back a pace and covered his mouth.
“Do I still smell like alcohol?”
Haon quickly shook his head and replied that he didn’t smell like it at all. Even if he really did smell of alcohol, he would have shaken his head the same way. Because he felt it was a pity that the man covered his smiling mouth.
“I’ll wash up quickly and come out. Sit here and have some breakfast.”
The man walked quickly past Haon and asked if there was anything he wanted to eat. Haon’s answer was already decided.
“Nothing. I’m fine without eating. And I have to leave now.”
“Now?”
Because Haon had come out into the living room having only changed clothes without even a small bag, the man seemed to think he had just stepped out. Haon, who frequently lost things, carried only his phone and wallet in his two pockets. He didn’t even bring a common eco-bag.
“You’re not leaving for good, right?”
“No, I’m going to work.”
To the man who asked with concern, Haon replied while shaking his head. Then, the man faced Haon again and remained silent for a moment.
He maintained eye contact with Haon, pausing as if choosing his words. I wonder what he wants to say.
“May I ask what kind of work you do?”
Maintaining a steady gaze, the man finally asked the question after some deliberation. Even though it was a mundane question, his tone was strangely cautious. Haon felt relieved that it was an easy question to answer.
“I work at a restaurant on weekdays. And at a pub on weekends. I’ll leave early and come back late.”
“Ah, is that so?” The man’s expression brightened slightly as he reacted in a small mutter. He wasn’t dark to begin with, but there was a subtle difference. Haon thought it was good that he added the last part and mirrored the smile. As expected, it would be more comfortable for him if I came home late.
“That must be hard. Working without any days off.”
“I’m used to it, so it’s okay.”
Answering brightly, Haon discreetly took out his phone to check the time. Quite a bit of time had passed while talking to the man. He would have to leave now to arrive with time to spare.
“Then, I’ll be going—”
“I’ll drop you off. You don’t know the roads around here well yet.”
Without giving Haon a chance to refuse, the man hurried toward the stairs and asked him to wait just five minutes. Haon waved his hands busily and ran toward the entrance hallway before the man could catch him.
“I can go by myself! It’s not that far!”
“Where is it?”
The man, who was about to go up the stairs, turned around as he saw Haon running away. Feeling a bit awkward because he looked like he was escaping, Haon slowed down and told him the name of the shop where he worked. Since it was a fairly famous high-end restaurant, he thought the man might know it.
“Are you talking about the one inside the hotel?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
As expected. Feeling unexpectedly glad, he nodded vigorously and stopped for a moment. Now, if he just opened the inner door, he would be at the entrance.
“I can just follow the map, so you don’t have to worry about it!”
“Haon.”
Haon tried to slip out quickly, but he was frozen by the man’s low voice. The man, who had approached Haon with quick strides, brushed his hand over his face. For some reason, his expression looked displeased.
“Don’t go there.”
A heavy sigh followed at the end of the man’s words.