By Zephyria 
Meanwhile, Ki Jae-eon, who was flustered by the sudden demand to attend to him, was frozen stiff at the sight of the large, illegal intruder striding towards him. Why, what, how… No, before he could even come to his senses, his body was seized by the illegal intruder!
And he felt thick muscles and warm body temperature.
…?
“……!!”
As soon as Ki Jae-eon stiffened his shoulders, realizing the situation, the arms hugging him tightened even more.
And a husky voice mumbled right next to his ear.
“Don’t move… fuck.”
“……Ah, ah……”
“Hyung, let’s get some sleep.”
Ugh… The person clinging to him even more while whining in his sleep surprisingly smelled of sweet lotion.
He stayed up all night.
Dawn broke outside the window, and the sound of birds chirping could be heard from afar.
Chirp- chirp- chirp!
Ki Jae-eon was still embraced by the unwelcome guest with the thick body.
‘I can’t breathe.’
His already gaunt face looked several times more haggard.
It was because he had been tormented all night.
‘Sleepy…’
But he couldn’t sleep.
Could there be a more terrible torture than this?
‘No…’
Ki Jae-eon couldn’t fall asleep even as he nodded off.
It was because the body temperature touching his back was too unfamiliar and hot.
“Ugh- cough!”
“!!”
To make matters worse, he would startle him like that every time he was about to forget, so how could he fall asleep? No way.
‘How can he make such a sound while sleeping?’
Ki Jae-eon was amazed by Kim Ju-won’s sleep-talking.
‘So, it’s possible to sleep noisily.’
It was knowledge he didn’t really want to know…
“Ugh.”
Just then, Kim Ju-won snuggled closer and buried his face near his shoulder. Before he could even feel uncomfortable with the approaching breath, something heavy pressed down on his butt.
A solid mass with an unpleasant warmth that shouldn’t be touching him…
“!!!”
Goosebumps rose.
His instinctive revulsion made him suddenly burst with strength. Ki Jae-eon gritted his teeth and threw Kim Ju-won off with a thud.
“Huff, huff…!”
Kim Ju-won remained sound asleep even after being thrown to the floor.
“Haa…”
Only Ki Jae-eon suffered.
He swept back his sweat-soaked hair and staggered out of the room.
Since sleep was already out of the question, he thought he’d have a glass of cold water to wake himself up properly.
Creak- Ki Jae-eon’s expression as he stepped on the stairs was quite dark. It wasn’t just because he hadn’t slept. Yes, it was because of Kim Ju-won’s sleep-talking, which he had been groaning painfully all night.
-‘I can’t… let it be… I have to protect…’
Kim Ju-won repeated those words several times while groaning.
In fact, he could vaguely understand what he meant.
It was probably because of a sense of responsibility. The worry about what would happen if his spiritual power never returned.
The anxiety that he wouldn’t be able to protect his loved ones because of it.
It was something he had never experienced before, so the shock he was receiving must be great.
Ki Jae-eon sighed as he poured water.
‘The way to bring back the Guardian Spirit…’
A deep worry was evident in the hand caressing the glass cup. Just before he could finish making some kind of resolution alone, a small voice was heard right next to him.
“Hyung.”
Whisper.
Goosebumps rose again.
“!!”
Ahn Seo-myeong neatly snatched the cup that he was startled and almost dropped.
Fortunately, he didn’t break it, but the overflowing water soaked his hand.
“S, sorry.”
Instead of saying it was okay to Ki Jae-eon’s apology, Ahn Seo-myeong quietly shook off the water from his hand. Then, he refilled the water and handed it to Ki Jae-eon.
“Drink this first.”
He acted as if he didn’t care that he was wet.
Ki Jae-eon, taken aback, hesitated for a moment before slowly quenching his thirst. The cold water flowed down his esophagus and into his intestines as if swimming. His brow furrowed at the clear sensation. Still, it cleared his head. He only intended to drink a little, but he emptied the glass before he knew it.
“Th, haa, thank, thanks…”
He panted as he conveyed his gratitude. He was short of breath because he had drunk a lot of water at once. Ahn Seo-myeong, who was quietly looking at Ki Jae-eon’s wet lips, suddenly reached out his hand. But he paused just before touching his skin.
“……”
“……?”
Ahn Seo-myeong, who had been frozen with his hand outstretched, lowered his hand and said.
“It smells.”
……!!
It was shocking.
Me… smell?
It was the first time he had ever heard such a thing. That’s because he had never made anyone uncomfortable with his body odor even once.
‘That’s strange. I definitely showered…’
Just as Ki Jae-eon’s face was turning gloomy,
“It’s not hyung’s smell.”
“Huh, huh?”
“It doesn’t suit you.”
A voice as indifferent as the head tilting crookedly.
Ahn Seo-myeong rolled his eyes, then suddenly picked up the fabric refresher that was placed nearby.
Then, he sprayed it towards Ki Jae-eon without hesitation. Ki Jae-eon, suddenly hit by the cold refresher, cringed and curled up like a startled octopus, saying, “W, wai…t, ugh.” But Ahn Seo-myeong continued his weak attacks without moving, spraying the refresher with a dull sound.
“C… cold, th… that, ugh, do… don’t…”
No matter how much he waved his hands, Ahn Seo-myeong only sprayed the refresher with his characteristic inscrutable expression.
After spraying it about a dozen times?
Ahn Seo-myeong, who had been quietly looking at Ki Jae-eon, who was covered in fabric refresher, finally lowered his hand as if satisfied.
“Ah.”
“……?”
“Good smell.”
The smiling face looked a little mischievous.
*
Kim Ju-won woke up later than usual.
It had been a long time since he had slept in like this. He even slept well enough to feel refreshed.
“Ugh.”
He scratched his hair, which was disheveled like a bird’s nest, and smacked his lips. He looked around the room with a face that was still half-asleep. Ah, right. This is that bastard’s room, isn’t it?
“The room… must be like its owner. So desolate.”
His gaze turned to the carrier placed in the corner of the room. Why is that still there? That’s strange. Hasn’t it been quite a while since I came here?
Kim Ju-won, who had been wondering for a moment, soon drew a line, saying indifferently, ‘What does it have to do with me?’
Kim Ju-won yawned widely and opened the door.
He thought there was no point in sitting alone, staring blankly, when the owner of the room wasn’t even there.
“Diligent bastard.”
He should have woken me up if he was up.
He grumbled and walked leisurely back to his original room.
He was about to lie down, thinking he’d get a little more sleep… but, what was this? As soon as he changed places, his sleep vanished.
Wow, that’s so absurd?
Kim Ju-won burst into laughter. His crooked lips represented his displeased mood.
‘He slept so well when he was hugging that bastard.’
Is it like this as soon as he’s gone?
Come to think of it, his bare body was also subtly cold. Wasn’t it… very warm at night?
Kim Ju-won pouted his lips and picked up the short-sleeved shirt that was carelessly thrown on the floor. Then, he put on the clothes with difficulty and squinted his eyes.
‘It’s only been a day.’
Is it because the satisfaction was so great? It feels… empty without him.
Actually, it wasn’t the person [Ki Jae-eon] that he missed. It was that body that he missed.
That body that made him sleep well.
That body that looked like it couldn’t even get enough gruel to eat, but was surprisingly warm, and that body that was surprisingly good to hold, despite being so skinny.
…Hmm.
“Was it like this.”
He stopped making Ki Jae-eon’s body shape in the air with his hand, feeling too creepy and disgusting himself. What the fuck am I doing?
Kim Ju-won stared blankly at the door for no reason.
Ah, I’m going to pick up strange habits.
In the end, he lazed around until evening, then grabbed his hungry stomach and headed slowly to the kitchen.
It was just in time for dinner preparation.
“Oh, Ju-won! Are you off today?”
“That’s how it turned out. Oh, Aunt. That looks heavy. Give it to me.”
“Thanks~.”
Aunt smiled brightly, saying that tonight’s dinner was bulgogi, and Kim Ju-won smiled back.
Soon, a lively dinner table was completed.
The kids who had been spending their time separately heard Aunt’s call and ran out at once. It was everyone except those who had left the dormitory for separate requests. Ah, of course, the solo dining master ‘Ki Jae-eon’ was naturally excluded.
“Bulgogi-.”
“Ah, I’m starving.”
“Thank you for the food!”
It was just when they were about to pick up their chopsticks.
Sliding-.
At the sound of a chair being pulled out belatedly, the kids’ heads turned at the same time.
“Late for the sacred meal and making a fuss- huh!”
One of the kids, who was trying to joke around, was horrified and shut his mouth as soon as he checked the latecomer’s face.
It was only natural.
Slightly wavy black hair, a gloomy impression with prominent dark circles, a hunched back, and a gaze cast down as if uneasy.
…It was Ki Jae-eon!
Why was the person who always ate alone at the time when everyone else was sleeping suddenly here?
Could it be that he came out to eat together?
Crazy, really?
The kids exchanged confused glances with each other. No one could believe the current situation.
But there was only one thing.
They instinctively realized only one thing. Right now…
‘We mustn’t overreact!!’
Otherwise, that timid herbivore might get scared and run away!
We can’t miss this precious scene! Opportunity!
Suppressing the urge to scream with great difficulty, they barely tried to continue eating as if nothing had happened.
“……Ah, um, this… ea, eat…”
Ki Jae-eon suddenly picked up a side dish and brought it close to Kim Ju-won’s lips.
At that moment.
Clang-! A loud metallic sound rang out.
Someone dropped their spoon on the floor.
“……?”
A face that was very, very harshly contorted for a personality that didn’t usually express emotions well.
It was Ahn Seo-myeong.
Ahn Seo-myeong, who picked up the dropped spoon, didn’t continue eating, but tilted his head and showed that he was uncomfortable somewhere. He had a strangely unsettling attitude, like someone with a fishbone stuck in their throat. One of the kids sitting next to him noticed his strange appearance and asked, “What’s wrong?” and he replied, “It’s nothing,” as if there was something wrong.
His gaze still looked sullen.
However, those who were making Ahn Seo-myeong uncomfortable didn’t seem to notice his change.
“Get that away, disgusting!”
“Ah, um, I, I have to ea, eat…”
Kim Ju-won stretched his neck like a turtle to avoid the trembling chopsticks. Ah, I really don’t like it! The kids around him desperately tried to hold back their laughter at his horrified appearance. Then, Lee Gyeong-hak, who couldn’t stand it any longer, took Ki Jae-eon’s side, saying, “Eat it quickly. Jae-eon hyung, your arm is going to fall off,”
“That’s right. First of all, the Spirit has to come back for you to work or not.”
“That’s right. Dad, you should start earning money soon. There are so many accumulated requests?”
“Dad, how did you meet Dad?”
“Stop showing off? I’m already envious. Ahem.”
The teasing continued.
It was no use shouting that it wasn’t like that, that he hated it- Kim Ju-won also knew that there was no other way. He couldn’t afford to be picky right now. He had to appease the Guardian Spirit by any means. In the end, after a long resistance, he accepted the side dish that Ki Jae-eon gave him.
‘This is really crazy, fuck.’
Kim Ju-won, who was chewing the food with one arm on the chair while thinking rough thoughts, was a typical delinquent. But no one knew that his earlobe was very faintly red. It was understandable. He had never received such embarrassing behavior… especially from a man.
What should he call this raw feeling?
“……”
Kim Ju-won quietly looked at Ki Jae-eon, who was constantly picking up side dishes for him.
His hands were trembling and his eyes were sunken.
‘Well, it’s not like that bastard is doing it because he likes it.’
Just as he was feeling a little sympathetic, he suddenly realized that Ki Jae-eon wasn’t eating.
“-Um, hey.”
After swallowing the food, he called Ki Jae-eon. Then, he pointed to the rice bowl with his eyes.
“If you’ve done enough, you eat now.”
“……Ah, um, I, I eat separately…”
“Don’t bother Aunt and just eat it. She’ll have to do the dishes twice.”
Isn’t your late departure always because of you? Ki Jae-eon flinched his shoulders at the sharp criticism. He looked like he hadn’t thought that far. It was only natural. He had been eating lunch boxes every day. Ki Jae-eon quietly watched Aunt’s back as she hummed and tidied up. The convenience he had been enjoying was created by someone else’s sacrifice.
As soon as he realized that he was causing trouble, Ki Jae-eon obediently picked up his chopsticks.
The chopsticks, which had been hovering over the side dish-filled table, hesitated over the seasoned spinach and then headed toward it. The chopsticks, as modest as their owner, soon picked up a small amount of spinach. Then, they slowly brought it to his mouth.
Of course, it wasn’t easy.
Currently, Ki Jae-eon’s mind was very complicated.
‘Since there’s no soup, start with the vegetables… Make sure not to make any smacking sounds, and don’t drink water too often during the meal.’
He recalled the precautions and moved his body stiffly.
He didn’t let go of his tension, in case he felt nauseous.
He chewed the food while frozen stiff… but somehow, the children around him seemed even more nervous.
No, that was actually right. Even his passive eating was an issue for the children.
What food he was eating, chewing, and swallowing.
The children forgot about their own meals and observed Ki Jae-eon.
Why? Because it was that amazing.
The star they had only ever watched from afar was now eating his meal next to them, and wouldn’t it be stranger if they weren’t interested? This was the perfect chance to explode with the fan spirit they had been harboring.
‘He’s eating.’Wow.”
‘The age of overwhelming emotion…….We must designate today as a memorial day!’
‘He’s so cute when he eats.’
‘Mom, I want to be spinach from today.’
‘It’s just eating, but why is it so fun?’
‘Ki Jae-eon just eats like me. Amazing.’
The children grinned and smiled.
I don’t know why they smiled. They just smiled.
Every time, with a face like they were about to die… My idol, who had done nothing wrong, used to hide and eat, but now he was chewing on a ‘warm meal’ in front of everyone.
The children made eye contact and twitched their cheekbones.
They just liked seeing this person’s ordinary life. They wanted to support him.
That was all.