On an afternoon when the short early spring sunlight sparkled like sugar cookies, Jaewon lay on the infirmary bed, bundled up like a well-formed rice ball.

“Haah…”

Letting out his seventy-third sigh, he listlessly looked into a hand mirror. The face of the man in the mirror was gaunt, but his melancholy eyes and pale complexion exuded a precarious beauty. His gaze, tranquil yet lonely like a night lake, fell upon his plump, swollen lips.

‘When you make it this red.’

The low, quiet voice came back to life in his ears like an auditory hallucination. In that moment, the fine hairs on his ears stood on end and a tingling sensation clawed down his back. Startled by the sudden stimulation, Jaewon squeezed his eyes shut and curled into himself.

‘Makes me want to suck on it.’

He’d said he’d only suck once, but he’d latched on and sucked for an entire hour. Having his first kiss mercilessly stolen by that bastard’s wicked curiosity, Jaewon had passed through the stages of denial, anger, and bargaining to sink into depression. The soul that had fled when he’d been grinding lips with Kim Dojun still hadn’t returned. Moreover, the sensation of hot, soft flesh still lingered on his lips.

His Adam’s apple moved involuntarily as he swallowed dry saliva. Looking even more haggard than before, Jaewon opened his eyes again. Then he stared into the mirror like a terminal patient gazing at the ivy leaves outside the window.

His lips, having endured hardship and adversity, were still red, though the color had faded slightly. It was only natural after all that biting and sucking. Considering those persistent lip movements that would turn rough one moment and sweet the next, it was miraculous that any color remained at all.

Gazing gloomily at his cherry-red, luscious lips, Jaewon had to give concrete form to the one possibility he’d been desperately putting off.

Kim Dojun might actually be a red herring.

Red herring was a term meaning “false signal,” typically referring to economic indicators or data that highlight less important issues while concealing fundamental problems.

Before the Great Depression, American investment banks called the initial business plans presented by startup companies “red herrings.” The term carried a warning not to be fooled by business plans packaged with plausible content, commonly understood to mean that while they looked good on the surface, closer inspection would reveal many flaws.

Jaewon’s face contorted painfully as he gradually faced reality. Within the Four Heavenly Kings, he’d invested without doubt in Kim Dojun as the leading stock, believing him incomparably superior in looks, specs, and brains… only to crash with a circuit breaker after the stock price plummeted. While he’d felt firsthand that the guy was an unpredictable lunatic, this was beyond imagination.

Of course, red was the most bewitching color on Earth. The first color of the rainbow was red, humanity’s first drug poppy boasted brilliant crimson, and didn’t vivid blood excite even mere beasts like bulls? With such a color adorning his lips, feeling the temptation to suck on them wasn’t unreasonable.

Even so, there was no appropriate precedent for continuing to push someone who deep-kissed other men as the legitimate protagonist. All the novels Jung Sujung had delivered were romance stories based on heterosexual relationships. In that sense, wasn’t Kim Dojun an irregular human? He might look severely plausible but could be as much of a bubble as Namhae Company[1]. Anxiety that he might have chosen a rock wrapped in golden packaging slowly raised its head in his chest.

‘This isn’t the time for this.’

Jaewon sat up in bed. It was time to search for new investments. Until now, he’d been using the pyramiding technique of increasing holdings when profits occurred. Like stacking square stones neatly to build a pyramid, he’d been investing stably in Kim Dojun. Such complacency had brought about this catastrophe. In the capricious investment market that changed like spring winds, he shouldn’t have settled into the comfort provided by the guy’s coolness.

Having made up his mind, Jaewon strode to the door. Just as he was reaching for the sliding door handle—

Screech!

The firmly closed door was flung open at once, and two people tumbled in, entangled like one body.

“Haah, Teacher…”

“S-Sangmin, we can’t do this…”

Rough breathing and coquettish moans heated the air. A white coat and navy uniform tangled together, blocking his path. After repeated attempts ending in escape failure, Jaewon unwillingly confirmed their genders. Both had XY chromosomes. Jaewon turned his head away and closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them again. Looking considerably more haggard, he spoke weakly.

“Thank you for your hard work, Teacher.”

“Uh, umm… What are you doing here?”

The teacher, who had been melting like ice cream in the male student’s arms, showed open displeasure. Seeing his drastic change in expression, Jaewon realized why not even a single bug had been visible in the infirmary, that holy land of truancy.

‘It was already a nest for a pair of cockroaches.’

“I know you’re busy with your rendezvous with a student, but please move aside…”

“See that gray filing cabinet under the desk? If you have eyes, you’ll see it. Open the third drawer from the top and take a pink medicine bottle that’s fourth from the left. Take one Tylenol from there and leave.”

The teacher rattled off words like a machine gun, looking very accustomed to this situation. Jaewon hesitated before speaking again.

“While you’re at it, could you also process my early dismissal…”

“Write your name and class and get lost.”

Given the chance to eat pheasant, he made sure to carefully gather the eggs too. Having obtained a nylon early dismissal pass, he turned around satisfied. To maintain his position as top student, it was good to manage attendance cleanly.

Jaewon approached the teacher’s desk and neatly wrote his name and class in the notebook. The two who had been violently entangled and moaning had somehow made it to the bed.

“Ah, ahh… Don’t look…”

“Let me hear your voice… Don’t hold back. Look at me. Look into my eyes.”

“Unngh…”

“Myung Sejin. You’re beautiful. So beautiful I’m going crazy.”

“…G-Go Sangmin.”

“I love you to death…”

Leaving the infirmary as it was, Jaewon trudged out of the school building. His face, exposed to UV rays, looked a bit worn and tired. He’d thought the situation couldn’t get worse than this, but thinking again, maybe that wasn’t quite true. More unfortunate things existed in the world.

‘Getting all worked up about Kim Dojun being a red herring just because I docked lips with a guy is too hasty a judgment, isn’t it?’

As he headed toward the main gate in turmoil, he saw the dean of students strolling around the field with his hands behind his back. The club in his plump, sturdy hands had “Rod of Love” written in huge black marker as a premium label. Shocked by the outrageous analog nature of it, Jaewon’s eyes trembled before he turned toward the back gate.

After confirming no one was around, he entered the thickly vegetated flower bed. Pushing through the lush leaves, a dog hole soon appeared. After some simple stretching, Jaewon lay flat on the ground and assumed a crawling position. Then he crawled vigorously like a caterpillar that had discovered delicious leaves. His vision, which had darkened while passing through the hole, gradually brightened. Just as he’d gotten his upper body through and was about to push off the ground to stand—

“Oh? It’s hyung.”

A bright, cheerful cry came from somewhere. It was a somehow familiar voice. Looking around, Jaewon suddenly noticed a shadow cast over his head. When he looked up, a face more dazzling than sunlight filled his vision. Jaewon frowned at the radiance emanating from him.

“Hi, hyung.”

Haeyul tilted his head sideways and waved gently. The guy was squatting beside the dog hole, and Jaewon felt like a mole in front of a whack-a-mole hammer. With narrowed brows, he pulled the rest of his body out of the hole and stood up.

“What? Why are you here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Haeyul answered promptly before the words were even fully out. Feeling like he’d run into his boss on the street during a holiday, Jaewon grumbled with a crumpled face.

“Well aren’t you full of things to see in this beautiful three-thousand-li land. How did you even know to come to my school?”

“Why did you think I wouldn’t know?”

Come to think of it, that was true. Most of his personal information, including his resume, had already been passed to Haeyul. Jaewon nodded, accepting this point he hadn’t considered.

“How did you know I’d come out here?”

“Just. I had a feeling you would.”

The voice that had been full of life sank damply. Shadows fell across the face that had been smiling brightly, and his clear eyes darkened gloomily like a swamp.

“If I waited here like this, someday you’d come. That’s what I thought.”

“…”

“You said it makes you feel bad when I wait.”

Muttering incomprehensible words in a barely audible voice, Haeyul smiled with a pained expression. His appearance of forcing a smile while suppressing emotions looked precarious and pitiful. His eyes, resembling white stones, sparkled more quietly than usual with moisture. They were looking at Jaewon while simultaneously gazing somewhere far away, as if dreaming. Looking down at him quietly, Jaewon answered dryly.

“Who’s your hyung? I’m an only child.”

Haeyul’s eyes went round, then he lowered his eyebrows in resignation and let out a small laugh. He bowed his head, scratched the back of his neck, and slowly stood up. Feeling intimidated by the suddenly elevated eye level, Jaewon turned and started walking. Haeyul naturally followed and struck up conversation.

“Then I’ll call you ‘you.'”

“It’s ‘teacher.'”

“It’s not working hours, so why teacher?”

“Did you call me teacher during working hours?”

“What happened to your lips?”

At the sudden ambush, Jaewon stopped in his tracks. There was an edge to the sweet voice that smelled of flowers. But Jaewon didn’t have time to notice such changes. The memories he’d barely managed to stuff into Pandora’s box came pouring out, and his body instantly heated up. He regulated his elevated temperature by exhaling deeply.

“…Got hit.”

Jaewon answered after taking a deep breath. Honestly, it was assault-level violence. He’d been more dazed than when he’d gotten lynched by elementary schoolers while fighting over snacks during the Honey Butter Chip craze.

“Who hit you?”

“A giant hornet.”

Jaewon recalled the black venomous insect he’d once seen in a documentary, mercilessly beating up cute chubby bees. The invincible slaughterer who won 300-to-1 and devastated beehives single-handedly. Dojun, with his iron-like muscles and gleaming black eyes, was a black wasp. His lips, stung by that vicious weapon, were so swollen they could make three servings if sliced.

“So, did you kill it?”

A cool voice fell on the bridge of his nose. Jaewon looked up at Haeyul. Expression had vanished from the face that had been floating with affectionate smiles. His emotionless face, like a bisque doll, seemed ready to shatter at a touch. Jaewon gazed at him for a moment before shaking his head seriously.

“If I did that, I’d be the one dead.”

“I’ll kill it for you next time we meet.”

The tone was playful at first glance but carried weight. When their eyes met, Haeyul smiled, folding his eyes prettily. Despite his sunny spring-like face, his words were quite savage. Jaewon looked him up and down before tossing out words indifferently.

“Do you even know what you’re talking about?”

“I know everything.”

“What could someone as scrawny as you do?”

“Me?”

Haeyul’s eyes went round as if he’d heard something surprising. He pointed at himself and laughed incredulously.

“I’m not scrawny.”

When Jaewon ignored him and walked away, Haeyul blocked his path. His protesting expression was quite serious. Of course, his body that God must have designed with a compass for three days and nights had perfect bone structure and proportions. But overall he had a slender build without much bulk. Compared to Kim Dojun who cast a massive shadow when they stood face to face, he was on the delicate side.

“Want to touch?”

“Don’t put your body on my hands.”

When the response was lukewarm, Haeyul pressed closer. But Jaewon backed away, sharply on guard. Having suffered unspeakable hardships, he was in a sensitive state. Unnecessary physical contact was forbidden.

“Then I’ll put my face on them.”

Haeyul forcibly grabbed Jaewon’s hand and brought it to his face. Just as Jaewon scowled and tried to shake him off, his palm cupped the guy’s cheek. Like a cat being affectionate with its owner, Haeyul contentedly rubbed his face against Jaewon’s hand. Hesitating at the sensation of soft skin, Haeyul’s eyes sparkled open in that moment. Meeting those mysterious, brilliant eyes like cat’s eye stones, Jaewon felt his words catch as if under a spell.

“…Hey.”

“Am I pretty?”

As if reading his mind, he asked with a slight curve to his eyes. With his face resting on Jaewon’s palm while smiling with his eyes, he was like a nine-tailed fox gently swishing its tails.

“Yeah, pretty. So pretty I want to kill you.”

How pretty would it be if he did this foxy act with the female lead? Jaewon answered curtly and pushed his face away. Haeyul went “Ahh” dramatically and staggered back with exaggerated gestures. Sunlight sparkled palely over his happily smiling face. His palm felt hot.

“They say love and murder are separated by a sheet of paper.”

“The Bible looks like one sheet of paper from far away too.”

“Anyway, I’m not scrawny. Look, look.”

Haeyul straightened his back to show off his perfectly square shoulders. Jaewon hurried his steps, letting the words go in one ear and out the other, while Haeyul chattered and chased after him. Looking like a large white fluffy dog, Jaewon thought he was kind of cute.

“What are you talking about, looking like a princess? If you got kidnapped by a dragon, I feel like I’d have to rescue you.”

“Would you rescue me?”

“Of course.”

Jaewon answered heartily. Though his condition was a bit strange, Ban Haeyul was still a blue-chip stock precious as gold and jade, a leading stock comparable to Kim Dojun. Even if Dragon Grandpa came to take him away, he’d chase him to the ends of the earth and make salamander barbecue.

“Since ancient times, when brokers get pissed they jump over other people’s walls and break windows. Don’t underestimate people crazy for commissions…”

Suddenly feeling empty beside him, Jaewon trailed off. Looking back, Haeyul had stopped in place and was staring at him intently. It was a frosty gaze as if looking into his body.

“…You know, hyung.”

Soon he approached. His footsteps sounded heavy. His eyes, devoid of light, rippled gloomily like the sea during monsoon season. Jaewon looked at him questioningly at the suddenly changed atmosphere.

“It hurts here.”

He took Jaewon’s hand and placed it on his chest. Unexpectedly firm muscles could be felt, and warm body temperature and a racing heartbeat transmitted directly through his hand.

“A lot.”

Haeyul buried his head on Jaewon’s shoulder as if collapsing. Jaewon furrowed his brow at the action that stimulated protective instincts. He was impossible to figure out, becoming wistful the moment you looked away. An uncomfortable sensation spread through the left side of his chest.

‘Is he sick?’

Jaewon thought of the three major diseases. Stumble while walking and it’s a brain tumor, hear “stop smoking” three times and it’s lung cancer, cough and it’s acute leukemia. As a bonus, there’s memory loss from traffic accidents. It was a trial any protagonist should rightfully face. Jaewon rarely felt paternal affection welling up.

“See? Looking so weak, who are you going to fight?”

Strictly speaking, with a face that could make even Putin a pacifist, it was questionable whether fighting was even possible. When he gently patted his back, Haeyul slowly raised his head. When their eyes met, vitality seeped back into pupils that had been deeply submerged like a well.

“Fighting isn’t about looks.”

“As if.”

“Watch.”

Snorting at the playful words and turning away, a strong force suddenly yanked his arm. His vision flipped upside down, and when he came to his senses, the arm Haeyul had grabbed was bent at a strange angle. He tried tensing his body but couldn’t budge. For someone who looked so delicate, his strength was extraordinary. Jaewon didn’t hide his irritation and blew his bangs up with a puff.

“Let go.”

“I’m barely holding you but you can’t move.”

“Hey.”

“Cute.”

Though he warned sternly, Haeyul didn’t even pretend to listen. He looked down lovingly as if watching an angry Maltese. His gaze wandered wantonly over Jaewon’s face before stopping at his lips.

“…Your lips look like seasoned pollack roe.”

“Covet them and you die.”

“I like pollack roe… Ah.”

As the leering face drew closer, Jaewon delivered a decisive flick to his head with his free hand. His solid knuckle connected with Haeyul’s head, and perhaps from the heavy impact, he staggered holding his temple. Taking advantage of the opening to escape from his embrace, Jaewon strode away with a disgusted expression.

“Where are you going?”

But the question that immediately flew at him caught his ankle. He had nothing to say. Though he’d boldly left school saying he’d find new investment opportunities, he actually had nowhere to go. There were no suitable fields to scout, and his one information source Ma Chayoon would be dining with the picky eaters by now.

Jaewon rummaged in his pocket and pulled out his phone. Flipping it open and pressing the keypad without hesitation, he called Lee Ga-ryeong. Even if it wasn’t a fateful meeting, it was a chance to naturally introduce her to Haeyul. But the dial tone just continued; the call wouldn’t connect. Though it was a hopeful attempt, the result was as expected.

The damned diligent Lee Ga-ryeong thought she’d die if she left the classroom during lessons, diligently went to cram school in the evenings, and industriously slept at night. No matter how much he tried to coax her out to entertainment districts, nothing worked. With nothing going right, the situation was utterly bleak. Jaewon blurted out carelessly with a sense of abandonment.

“Anywhere.”

“Let’s go together.”

“How would you know where I’m going?”

“I don’t care where we go.”

The conversation cut like a knife through water. The more he tried to shake him off, the more he stuck like ants rushing to a falling market. Jaewon often felt the universe when talking with him. Everything the guy said was like hollow bread, and without logic, he had no confidence in winning. Noticing he was getting increasingly drawn in, Jaewon looked at him and Haeyul shrugged, answering with a smile.

“Don’t you have school?”

“Do I look like I’d go?”

He couldn’t say yes even as empty words. With his shirt unbuttoned two or three buttons, loose tie, and languidly relaxed face, he suited night more than day.

“When you don’t even have anywhere to go.”

“Alright, you little shit.”

The unexpected fact thrown at him provoked violence. Jaewon threw a potato punch at Haeyul and turned around. Since it had come to this, he’d go somewhere and do something.

“Let’s go on a date.”

“No.”

“It’s a nice day for a drive.”

“You have something to ride?”

“We’ll make one.”

Just then Haeyul gestured to a passerby riding by on a bicycle. The passerby, who had already been staring holes through Haeyul, startled and hit the brakes hard, then hurriedly got off the saddle and stood. Judging by the strict attire from helmet to leather suit to knee guards, they seemed to be a proper rider who enjoyed cycling.

Haeyul looked at the sleekly designed bicycle and reached for the handlebars. His jade-white hands slowly wrapped around the handlebars. It was a snake-like touch. The passerby’s eyes couldn’t leave that strange movement.

“Can I borrow your bike?”

“You can have it.”

When Haeyul bent down to look into the passerby’s face and smiled mischievously, the dazed person immediately handed over the handlebars. Then stepped back and politely clasped their hands together.

“Get on.”

Haeyul, mounting the saddle as if familiar with it, gestured to Jaewon. Watching him pat the back seat, Jaewon took time to reflect on his life so far. Having hit sage time hard, he trudged over and planted his bottom on the bicycle’s back seat.

“They say unlucky people meet wild boars on their way to the Han River after losing money in stocks…”

“Hm? I didn’t hear. What?”

“No, I said your face is miraculous.”

He was still in circuit breaker mode. Since he’d decided to pull over and rest, it wasn’t bad to deviate for a day.

Jaewon spread his legs to minimize the remaining space and pressed against Haeyul’s back. He wrapped his arms around his waist and held on tight. Haeyul had broad shoulders but a narrow waist, making him easy to hold. He had a perfectly drawn inverted triangle build.

“Aren’t you going to start?”

Jaewon asked, glancing over his suddenly quiet shoulder. Even though he was all set, Haeyul showed no signs of moving.

“Hyung.”

“What.”

“I think I’m going to get hard.”

“You fucking pervert.”

Jaewon recoiled in horror, pulling his body back. Haeyul caught his hand as he shuddered as if he’d touched a bug. With the momentum, Jaewon buried his face in his back, and a honey-sweet fragrance tickled his nose. Clear laughter transmitted as vibrations.

“Hold on tight.”

Ring ring, the clear bell sound pleasantly rang in his ears. Wall scenery flashed past his eyes. It was a spring day with flower buds forming on sparse branches and cool breeze brushing his cheeks.

***

There’s something called the investment suspension method. When the investment technique itself is sluggish, it’s a method where temporarily suspending the investment technique to prevent losses improves overall investment returns.

No matter how excellent a stock investment technique, market conditions are often so unstable that it’s advantageous to temporarily withdraw from investing and observe. There’s a stock investment saying: “Resting is also investing.” This shows that even with good investment techniques, appropriately suspending investment can bring better results.

To emphasize again, resting is also investing.

“Hyung! Cherry[2] over there!”

At the urgent command, the short-limbed, chubby dinosaur ran toward the cherry. But there happened to be a banana on the way, and unable to resist temptation, the dinosaur jumped and swallowed the banana. Meanwhile the precariously blinking cherry disappeared, and groans erupted from all directions.

“I told you to eat the cherry first, not the banana…”

When Haeyul sighed holding his forehead, the elementary school kids watching from behind clamored.

“Can’t even eat what’s given, really.”

“I could do better with my armpit.”

“Hyung! This mister sucks so bad, why do you keep letting him play?”

As criticism poured out, Jaewon, who had been blowing bubbles to bury enemies alive, roughly put down the joystick and demanded.

“Look at this brat’s cheek. Why is he hyung and I’m mister?”

“He’s pretty.”

“He looks strong.”

“He’s really good at games.”

“If you’re pretty, you’re automatically hyung.”

They were all irrefutable points. Jaewon shut his mouth in agreement. He obediently grabbed the joystick again and massacred monsters by mashing buttons.

“I was trying to eat both.”

Glancing at Haeyul sitting beside him lost in worry, Jaewon muttered defensively. Haeyul’s dinosaur had died repeatedly trying to save Jaewon’s dinosaur, which was in danger from even the slightest breeze, resulting in game over.

“Whether banana or cherry, should I be criticized like this for just eating one?”

“Cherry has higher points.”

“I like bananas better.”

“Dirty.”

“…”

The clumsy, pushy way of speaking met its match and lost its power. With darker circles under his eyes than before, Jaewon busily moved his hands. As the dinosaur defeated all enemies and swallowed the last pudding, a stage clear message decorated the screen.

“Getting cursed out like Emperor Qin Shi Huang just for being bad at games. I’ll achieve immortality.”

“Baseball players get criticized for playing badly too.”

“Can’t you just let me retire?”

“Oh, next round’s starting.”

Despite the earnest plea, Haeyul didn’t listen and pointed at the screen. Jaewon stared at the screen with soulless eyes and mechanically operated the game console.

The place Ban Haeyul had brought him to on a bicycle like a youth drama protagonist was in front of a small stationery store. The shop, festooned with junk food, toys, and stationery supplies, filled him with nostalgia. While taking a trip down memory lane, Jaewon had been seated at the game console and was now unexpectedly engaged in labor that wasn’t in his fortune.

Jaewon was fairly good at games, but his strengths lay in genres requiring high brain power like strategy simulations or AOS. He was particularly weak in areas requiring physical skills like dynamic visual acuity and reflexes.

“Hyung.”

“What.”

Jaewon answered while bursting water-filled bubbles to sweep away enemies. Just as he was feeling the creator’s pleasure of floating an ark and resetting the world with a flood, Haeyul asked casually.

“When will you remember me?”

The voice was bright and light but emotions seeped wetly from beneath. Not understanding the question immediately, Jaewon hesitated before asking back.

“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I remember you?”

“You don’t.”

He was about to say more but Haeyul cut him off with a rather resentful tone. Light wrinkles formed on Jaewon’s forehead at the definitive, confident tone.

“I remember that you like bananas more than cherries, that you like games even though you’re bad at them, that you always stood in front of this little stationery store for ages just looking…”

Haeyul poured out words as if he’d been holding them back for a long time. Jaewon took his hands off the game console and turned to look at him. Reproach dwelt in his rippling eyes.

The dinosaur standing dazed in the center of the screen brushed against a floating ghost monster and fell straight down. Soon a game over screen appeared.

“…You don’t remember anything.”

As tragic music played, Haeyul muttered bitterly and lowered his eyes. The pitiful atmosphere made his beauty stand out even more. Looking at Ban Haeyul, who boasted a poignant beauty like a bowed rose, Jaewon mulled over what he’d said.

It wasn’t his business whether it was bananas or cherries since they weren’t going in his mouth, and he didn’t like games he was bad at. The only time he stopped walking and turned his attention was when news affecting stock prices appeared on screens. None of the presented information matched actual facts. Jaewon’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Haeyul.

“Are you maybe confusing me with someone else?”

Come to think of it, his words and actions had been consistently strange. From the moment they first met, Haeyul had acted intimately as if they’d known each other for a long time, but that attitude felt foreign, like he was treating someone else.

“I do look like quite a few celebrities, so people sometimes get confused…”

“Booo.”

“Boooo. Crazy person.”

When Jaewon touched his face and spoke seriously, the children booed like a parliament of owls on a hillside. Jaewon ignored them and presented his opinion.

“How could I forget someone who looks like you? Even if I got dementia, I’d remember you.”

“Liar.”

“It’s true, man. I’d grab every passerby and ramble. Listen, when I was young I knew this guy who looked like an angel… I’d never seen such a dazzling person in my life. One day he grew wings and flew away to heaven, I’d say.”

“Pfft.”

Jaewon waved his hand in the air with a suddenly aged face and raspy voice. Watching his performance, Haeyul squinted and burst out laughing with an expression that said he was hopeless. The worry disappeared from his beautiful face, replaced by bright laughter spreading out. It was a mysterious sight like light spreading through darkness. Jaewon, who had become dazed, vaguely understood the principle of the world where funny guys get beauties.

“You know what?”

“Probably not.”

“You’re a really fun person.”

“Uh… so I’ve been told.”

Brown eyes narrowed beyond long, lush eyelashes, carrying a deep smile. Jaewon nodded dumbfoundedly with his mouth slightly open. Most of the time it wasn’t meant as a compliment, but he always heard what he wanted to hear.

“Forgetting everything all by yourself.”

“…”

“I want to hate you, but I can’t.”

A cool hand touched his cheek. At the refreshing sensation cupping his cheek, Jaewon unconsciously squeezed his eyes shut then opened them. His face, wistful as if recalling distant memories, was lightly tinged by the afternoon sunlight that had lost its edge. He thought they’d gotten too close, but the way he stimulated protective instincts and sympathy made it impossible to move carelessly.

“…Still, I thought you would today.”

“What, what would I?”

As he flinched and backed away, Haeyul stroked the back of Jaewon’s head. At the gentle touch that flowed from his cheek to tousle his hair, Jaewon awkwardly straightened his posture. Repenting for harboring dirty suspicions even briefly, he blamed it all on the aftereffects of being tormented by that lustful killer whale.

“Guess your head isn’t better yet.”

Haeyul murmured casually while arranging the bangs scattered on his forehead. For a moment Jaewon took time to determine if he’d been cursed at in a highly roundabout way.

“It’s okay. Since I remember everything.”

Before he could make a judgment, his back was patted. A lukewarm sensation slowly spread where the hand had touched.

He thought it was strange. Even though he was spouting incomprehensible words, it felt like he understood. At the sensation of clues brushing his fingertips, Jaewon repeatedly bent and straightened his fingers.

“Want to play more games?”

“Any more here would be animal cruelty.”

“Haha.”

When Jaewon answered Haeyul’s refreshing question with a solemn expression and shook his head, Haeyul laughed with a deflated sound as if he hadn’t expected it, running his hand through his hair. His eyes sparkled in the light as he laughed pleasantly.

“Then we should go do something else.”

“What else is there?”

“Of course. We have lots to do.”

The oppressive, sticky atmosphere had disappeared. Haeyul’s emotions changed quickly. Jaewon thought he was like an endlessly surging sea.

“Let’s go.”

At the gentle tug on his arm, Jaewon stood up awkwardly. Following where the boy bright as pear blossoms led, he completed his thought.

Like a transparent blue sea sparkling with scales in the noon sunlight.

***

There are two tragedies in life. One is when you cannot get what you want, and the other is when you get what you want.

Isn’t the life I’ve lived too short to deeply feel George Bernard Shaw’s maxim? Jaewon thought. He was floundering in the tragedy of obtaining the blue-chip stock he desired while not getting the development he wanted.

Like a youth with many dreams, Ban Haeyul had many things he wanted to do and would do. Coming to his senses after being dragged around by the guy’s hand, he found himself wearing an animal headband, dolls and balloons hanging from his body, and an elephant whistle in his mouth. It drooped weakly then sagged repeatedly like a dejected man each time Jaewon breathed in and out. Deliberately ignoring his clown-like appearance reflected in shop windows, Jaewon opened his mouth with a transcendent expression.

“Beep beep beep? (So did you do everything you wanted?)”

“No. Haven’t even done half yet.”

“Beeep! (Damn it, what do you have so many things you want to do? Is tomorrow the last day of your life?)”

“Time goes by too fast.”

Hope frustrated, Jaewon raged like a monkey but Haeyul didn’t listen as always. Humming and looking for the next destination, he looked extremely happy. Beside him, Jaewon somehow felt like he was helping a terminal patient achieve their bucket list.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Beep beep…? (You think I’d be hungry?)”

Jaewon beeped while waving the various skewers in his left hand and ice cream cone in his right. Like a cuckoo that cries on the hour, Haeyul had asked about his stomach’s well-being every time the minute hand made a full rotation, constantly buying and bringing food. It was like the behavior of a male bringing food to his pregnant mate, which meant Jaewon had to consider new possibilities.

“You might be hungry.”

“Fattening me up to eat me?”

“Ah… You caught me.”

When he asked suspiciously, Haeyul answered with a troubled expression. His spine chilling, Jaewon backed away and Haeyul laughed saying “Just kidding.”

“I won’t eat you.”

Haeyul grabbed the elephant whistle hanging below Jaewon’s chin with a leisurely expression and playfully shook it. His fingers began to slowly wrap around the whistle. Neatly trimmed nails approached fluidly and pressed against his lips.

“Not yet.”

The irises looking into his eyes had clear focus. They soon folded into half-moons. He wondered if a nine-tailed fox that ate livers while still alive would smile like that. His skin rose in goosebumps and nerves stood on end. He’d failed to secure a safe distance while off guard. Jaewon rolled his eyes while sweating profusely. With the mindset that you can survive if you keep your wits even when carried off by a tiger, he squeezed his eyes shut then opened them.

“Ah-choo.”

He sneezed while simultaneously turning his head and spitting out the whistle. The somewhat artificial sneeze echoed with an echo effect. The actor’s performance, sound, angle, and timing were all fantastic. After a brief silence, Jaewon ignored the shame tightening his stomach.

“Cold?”

“Yeah, a bit.”

At the kind question, Jaewon rubbed his nose tip and answered bashfully. To increase the credibility of his words, he tucked his hands under his armpits and hunched his body.

“Here.”

Haeyul readily took off his uniform jacket and gave it to him. The solid upper body wrapped in the shirt caught his eye. Unconsciously watching the flow of muscles delicately revealed through the fabric, Jaewon suddenly came to his senses.

“Ah, it’s fine. You wear it.”

He declined bluntly but the jacket was already wrapping his shoulders. As if his claim of not being scrawny wasn’t false, the jacket was quite large. Jaewon pouted while adjusting the sliding jacket.

“Why go this far?”

“Good-looking rice cakes taste good too.”

Haeyul responded with a smile on his neat face. His sliding lips and crescent moon eyes were incredibly sticky. Though he didn’t understand the meaning, feeling uneasy, Jaewon changed the subject.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“Looking at you makes my body hot so it’s fine.”

Swampy wet words flowed like water. Jaewon closed his eyes with an expression like he’d heard something he shouldn’t have and turned away from Haeyul.

“Night has fallen. Good citizens should lift their heads and go home.”

“Already? There’s still lots left on the course.”

“I have to go home and study.”

“You said you’re a genius who doesn’t need to study.”

Cornered, Jaewon honestly confessed, “I meant a cursedly unlucky bastard.” 

“But I can’t… I haven’t seduced you enough yet.”

When Haeyul clicked his tongue regretfully, the former desperately pretended not to hear.

“Then I’ll walk you home.”

“I really like going home alone.”

“Where do you live?”

“In your heart.”

“Not in my heart, where your body lives.”

When his bullshit was reflected right back, deep frustration colored Jaewon’s face. Not informing employers of one’s residence was a worker’s learned survival skill.

“We’re not that kind of relationship.”

“How do you become that kind of relationship?”

“Bring me a grade 1.”

When Jaewon spoke sternly, Haeyul’s eyes went slightly round. As if remembering something he’d forgotten, he let out a small “Ah.” Haeyul’s eyes took on a reproachful light calling him petty, and Jaewon looked away.

“I’m taking the bus here. If you follow…”

“Got it.”

Without any particular threat to make while stalling for time, Haeyul answered surprisingly readily. Quickly becoming dejected, he lowered his gaze. Seeing what looked like drooping ears and tail, Jaewon dry-washed his face. He’d been feeling weak lately and seemed to be seeing things.

With sunken eyes lost in melancholy, he looked almost pitiful. Like an elementary school boy who didn’t know what to do after bullying and making the girl he liked cry, Jaewon asked frivolously while fidgeting.

“You seem to have become more docile. What’s up?”

“I’m determined.”

“To what?”

“You like this kind of thing.”

Haeyul adjusted his posture demurely and looked at Jaewon. His obedient expression and sacred appearance stimulated what little testosterone Jaewon had left. Knowing it was calculated, Jaewon closed his eyes and turned his head to avoid temptation.

“You know, hyung.”

“I don’t.”

“You know Kim Dojun.”

An unfamiliar voice spoke a familiar name. Opening his eyes again, he was staring with an expression Jaewon had never seen before. The bright energy still hadn’t faded, but his white-stiffened cheeks and unblinking eyes gave off a strange atmosphere like a creature taxidermied alive.

“Yeah, I know. I know him…”

Haeyul’s eyes were particularly pale in color with large pupils, so when meeting them head-on, one would become dazed as if watching a snow globe with glitter swirling. So while he answered inadvertently, he grasped the point of the question belatedly.

“You know that bastard too?”

Color returned to Jaewon’s face. Kim Dojun and Ban Haeyul, who competed for first place in investment value, were like two suns in one civilization. It was good news that they, positioned at opposite ends as fated rivals, knew of each other’s existence. Finding a proper setting for once, Jaewon couldn’t hide his joy.

“Of course I know. Why, curious about something? Like your near future where you’ll fight to the death over one person with that guy…”

“Don’t hang out with that bastard.”

“Huh?”

Jaewon, who had been responding enthusiastically with both fists clenched, frowned at the random comment. He thought it was a silly joke but his expression was utterly serious. Instantly deflated, he looked at Haeyul pathetically.

“What are you suddenly talking about? Are you a kid?”

“Do I look like a kid?”

“Adults don’t tell people not to hang out with someone. They just say don’t hang out…”

“I can show you I’m not a kid.”

No sooner had the words ended than Haeyul wrapped around Jaewon’s waist and pulled. Dragged over in the blink of an eye, Jaewon’s body was perfectly pressed against the guy’s. Ban Haeyul had a considerably solid body unlike what showed on the outside. Horrified by the firm sensation felt against his abdomen and thighs, Jaewon fluttered like a moth and backed away.

“Ah, come on. I’m dying here, really.”

“Why are you so weak? Makes me want to keep teasing you.”

“They say the more beautiful the flower, the more you want to pluck it. I get it, but take it easy.”

“Don’t hang out with Kim Dojun.”

“I don’t want to, man. It’s my choice who I hang out with.”

Precisely, it wasn’t hanging out but being played with, but he didn’t bother to correct it. Jaewon declared his clear opinion and diligently licked the melting ice cream. Haeyul glared at him with an expression of barely holding back as if his mood had twisted, then opened his mouth.

“Don’t kiss that bastard.”

“Cough, huk. Cough cough.”

The ice cream that had been stickily melting on his tongue and flowing down his esophagus went right down his windpipe. Jaewon coughed like a tuberculosis patient, scattering sweet droplets everywhere. Only when he became dizzy could he use human language again.

“Ah, fuck… Even bullshit has manners and etiquette. Turn on your blinker before entering.”

“Don’t hold hands either, don’t do anything.”

Speaking clearly syllable by syllable in a suppressed voice, he was warning rather than pleading. However, he’d already held hands with Kim Dojun, rubbed lips intensely, and mixed tongues. Jaewon’s pupils went blank.

‘Diligently setting up the extra flag of meeting my end by only doing what I’m told not to.’

Becoming depressed, Jaewon lost vitality and became lethargic. Haeyul earnestly warning him when he was already damaged goods was pitiful.

“You can’t like that bastard.”

“Are you going to keep talking rudely?”

It was a statement that made his spine chill and cold sweat break out just from the assumption. But it didn’t sound like empty words but rather like a curse that it would happen. The nature of the rejection rising from his core was closer to anxiety than certainty. Jaewon, whose chest stung for some reason, reacted hysterically like a guilty thief.

“Why do you guys treat the laws of nature like hotpants? Do you think Adam and Eve were born as man and woman for nothing?”

“The snake that tempted Eve was female.”

“Do not lead me into temptation…”

His blood pressure shot up vertically, and Jaewon held his stiffening neck and took time for silent prayer. Though education through love was desperately needed, he couldn’t damage cultural property.

“You’ve got the wrong person. Why would I like Kim Dojun? I’m not the target for that line. You’ve got the completely wrong address. Your match is elsewhere…”

“You’re going to like him.”

“Hey.”

He tried to reason patiently but as always it was like preaching to deaf ears. The unrivaled rhetoric without context never lost the upper hand in conversation. Jaewon felt dizzy and tried to protest, but Haeyul’s fierce glare that seemed to know everything prevented elaboration. It was the realm of instinct without logic or basis. Jaewon’s brow furrowed in puzzlement.

“Don’t like him.”

“Excuse me.”

“Because he’s a bastard who kills people too.”

“What?”

The grain of the conversation changed. Stunned by words that made him doubt his ears, he asked back, but Haeyul just stared directly with those languid eyes. At a loss for words, Jaewon just gaped like a carp out of water. Silence descended for a moment.

The bus stop in the evening was bustling with people heading to their respective destinations. The crowded surroundings were busy and noisy but sounded distant. Twilight at sunset shone on his porcelain face, revealing cool shadows. It was a beautiful and incomplete form like a sketch about to disappear. Just when it felt like time had stopped, cracks appeared on the expressionless face and a gentle smile spread.

“I’ll study hard and make grade 1.”

Haeyul reached out and grabbed his wrist. When the cool touch met his defenseless exposed skin, his body flinched. He slowly stroked up the wrist as if crawling while flowing out a gentle voice. Seeing him become docile as a sheep made the earlier scene feel even more unreal.

“Wait nicely until then.”

At the word “nicely,” he squeezed and released the wrist as if emphasizing. At the persistent touch like some viscous mucous thing falling away, Jaewon unconsciously shuddered slightly.

“…”

“You had ice cream on you.”

Breaking the awkward silence, he changed the atmosphere. The embarrassingly kind tone and adoring gaze were cringey. Jaewon rubbed and wiped his mouth with a sulky expression.

“Not there.”

Watching Jaewon wipe his mouth squeaky clean, Haeyul tapped his own right cheek. Following him, he moved his hand but must have missed again as Haeyul laughed with frustration and reached out.

“This side.”

When he wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb, the corners stretched out long. Haeyul, who had been carefully examining and wiping, gazed steadily at Jaewon who had become like an emoticon. Then his eyes lit up like a cat discovering a toy and he suddenly grabbed his cheek.

“Ah.”

“Really like rice cake.”

Haeyul widened his eyes as if looking at a strange creature and stretched and released Jaewon’s cheek, enjoying himself like a child. Showing his teeth and laughing innocently, his appearance drew surrounding gazes like a splendid painting. Passersby glanced at Haeyul and caused collisions among themselves.

“Let go.”

“Can’t I just take one bite?”

“One bite costs a billion.”

Jaewon spoke sternly with an attitude solid as an iron fortress. But before he even finished speaking, darkness fell before his eyes and firm teeth lightly bit his cheek. Then soft, pliant flesh stuck to his cheek with a smack and fell away.

It happened in an instant. At the uninhibited skinship, Jaewon looked with eyes as big as saucers and Haeyul curved his eyes mischievously and let out a loose laugh.

“This one’s worth a million dollars.”

“You little shit.”

Jaewon was sensitive about billions compared to others. When he didn’t hold back and exploded in anger, Haeyul quickly pressed his lips to the other cheek.

“Really. Mine is very expensive.”

“If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to them the other also” – could Jesus who taught this have salvaged even a single review? Digesting such injustice in a human body was impossible. Reaching a conclusion in a short moment, Jaewon looked up at Haeyul blankly. He couldn’t come to his senses from rage.

“Free only for you.”

Haeyul grinned and delivered a last shot to his forehead. Smack. The lips that stuck more deeply than before slowly rubbed the flesh then reluctantly pulled away.

Stepping back, he looked at Jaewon with an expression full of regret. He seemed to be hoping and waiting for something. That appearance reminded him of a dog wagging its tail with sparkling eyes. The moment the thought that he was kind of cute crossed his mind, Jaewon froze.

“I don’t want to part.”

“…”

“But I don’t think I can let you go if not now.”

Haeyul sighed with a resigned expression, then smiled blandly.

“I’ll go.”

Bidding farewell with a voice tinged with lingering attachment, he waved gently then turned and ran off.

“…Ah.”

Wooden skewers fell one by one at Jaewon’s feet as he stared blankly at that refreshing sight. He didn’t move an inch, as if he’d become a statue.

“I’m going crazy, really…”

Jaewon sighed and threw off his headband, scratching his head roughly. His earlobes were dyed red as the evening glow as he exhaled with puffed cheeks.

***

“Check please.”

Jaewon spoke in a thick voice as he set items down at the convenience store counter. The part-timer, who’d been staring into his phone screen as if sealing his soul in it, finally looked up.

“Ah, yes. Check…”

He froze after habitually picking up the barcode scanner and looking at the counter. The part-timer alternated between looking at the pack of soju and Jaewon’s face before scrunching up his expression.

“Talking about checking out.”

“What?”

“Wow, now they’re coming to buy alcohol in school uniforms. Do I look that easy? Am I a joke to you?”

While it was true that someone asking if they looked easy and like a joke did look easy and like a joke, today’s Jaewon had no energy to spare for kindness in arguing right and wrong. Instead of answering, he pulled out his wallet from his pocket. Though he’d fallen into this book and been reduced to a high school student, Jaewon had already become an adult during high school due to a leave of absence for his grandmother’s care and being born early in the year. Reflecting his real-world circumstances, he was an adult on his ID.

“I’m an adult.”

“Huh?”

When he shoved his ID in front of the part-timer’s eyes, they went wide. After checking Jaewon’s personal information several times, he made a confused expression.

“But why is an adult wearing a school uniform…”

“I’m going senile.”

Jaewon answered simply and put his ID back in his wallet. Then he smoothly completed the transaction with the now cooperative part-timer.

“Have a good day.”

“Yes, take care.”

“Wait.”

The part-timer caught Jaewon as he turned to leave with his card and items. He wore a somewhat uncomfortable expression. Jaewon looked him up and down and asked.

“What? Want to throw in something extra?”

“Look, no matter how much you like uniforms, at least wear regular clothes when buying alcohol and cigarettes. We’re the ones who get screwed if caught. It doesn’t look good aesthetically either.”

“I have such a baby face I’d get carded even in regular clothes. Don’t worry about it. Well then.”

“How did a decent-looking person end up like this…”

As he left the convenience store, colorful lights were turning on in the darkened streets. The surrounding shops were lighting up one by one. A fairly chilly wind crept into his collar. There was still a temperature difference since it was early spring. Jaewon sniffled as he tore open a straw and stuck it in the pack. Taking a sip, soju spread in his mouth. The alcohol tasted particularly bitter.

“Haah…”

As he sighed, his breath scattered hazily in the air. Jaewon looked up at the sky that had turned dark. With only a couple stars visible and unable to see even an inch ahead, it was like his own future.

“I’m going crazy, stars…”

Renowned economics professor Burton Malkiel believed there was little difference between fund managers selecting stocks and monkeys throwing darts to select them. He said that a portfolio of stocks chosen by blindfolding a monkey and having it throw darts at stock listings would have roughly similar investment performance to portfolios carefully crafted by fund managers. His theory was proven when a monkey actually took first place in real investment experiments.

‘How am I any better than a blindfolded monkey?’

While these research results were meant to show that the stock market is unpredictable, forecasting is meaningless, and it’s beyond individual capabilities, Jaewon didn’t spare himself from self-flagellation. With mines exploding on every guy he picked, his portfolio could be considered a model example of learning from others’ mistakes.

‘Even mitochondria would invest better than me.’

He cut off his thoughts at some point while digging himself into a hole. Today he wanted to think about nothing and just drown in alcohol. Jaewon walked aimlessly while gloomily sucking up soju.

The gradually rising alcohol warmed his stomach, relaxed his body, narrowed his vision, and clouded his cognitive abilities. So he didn’t notice until a suspicious group of male students surrounded him.

“Look at the class of drinking soju in uniform. We’re still far from that level.”

A booming voice spoke familiarly as an arm landed heavily on his shoulder. It was heavy enough to make his legs wobble. Wondering who it was, it turned out to be an unfamiliar face. The guy sucked deeply on a cigarette until his cheeks hollowed, then blew out smoke like exhaust fumes.

“No hipster can compare. We should make him our hyung.”

“Our friend is really cool. Swag overflowing from his whole body.”

The male students wearing uniforms like rags looked exactly like delinquents with their slouchy appearance. They surrounded Jaewon, each throwing in comments while cackling. Not grasping why he’d become their target, Jaewon decided to stay still for now.

“Friend. Where’d you get this?”

The guy who’d shaken off cigarette ash flicked his index and middle fingers, tapping the soju pack. Jaewon, who’d been quietly observing until then, finally confirmed their purpose. It was because he’d momentarily forgotten that adults’ mental anesthetic was a hot item among teenagers.

“Where did you break through that they’d sell alcohol to a student in uniform?”

“Our friend’s skills aren’t ordinary.”

“Seems like the owner is admirably crazy, won’t you tell us too?”

Eyes small as black sesame seeds glistened with greed. It would have been simple to show his ID and clear up the misunderstanding, but whether due to the alcohol or because nothing was going right, Jaewon didn’t feel like complying. He hugged the soju pack to his chest like a hobbit with the One Ring.

“I asked where you got it, friend. Hm?”

“Who’s your friend? I don’t make friends with types whose facial features are as free-spirited as yours.”

Jaewon answered coldly and brushed off the arm around his shoulder. Though he had no friends to discuss friend-making criteria… anyway, in this world there was even less reason to look at trash stocks.

“…”

Silence flowed thin as ice. The delinquents stared at Jaewon with disbelieving eyes, then soon clapped and burst into laughter.

“Pu… Hahaha!”

“Wahaha!”

“Amazing, wow!”

Though it wasn’t a joke, they laughed as if they’d heard something very funny. It was jeering meant to seize the initiative and mock, but it couldn’t even scratch the mentality of an investor who’d ruined everything he touched. Jaewon waited for their laughter to die down without batting an eye.

“Look at how he talks. So fucking cute.”

“Provocative.”

“I really like him.”

Despite their affectionate tone and intimate gestures, a cruel energy unique to delinquents lurked in their eyes.

“There’s still someone like this left in this area.”

The thick arm landed on his shoulder again. Staggering under its weight, Jaewon scowled and glared fiercely, then gasped when he saw the guy’s arm. A large tattoo was engraved on the arm adorned with gold bracelets like shackles. Meeting eyes with the sturdy-bodied carp, Jaewon lost his burning fighting spirit and became docile.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen this face before.”

“But he’s wearing our school uniform.”

“Pretty good-looking.”

“Those lips are art. Could sell them sliced.”

“Did you come from somewhere after some intense kissing? Looking all innocent but acting slutty.”

One guy examined Jaewon’s face closely then grabbed his chin and lifted it. At that moment, numerous scenes he’d encountered in text flashed through Jaewon’s mind, causing déjà vu. It was the moment an ominous sensation scraped down his back.

“Ah! Wait!”

Suddenly a male student shouted urgently. His face, white as paper, was stricken with fear.

“What? Why are you suddenly yelling?”

“What’s wrong?”

“That uniform!”

When the others murmured in confusion, he stretched out his arm forcefully to point at Jaewon. Where his fingertip pointed was Haeyul’s uniform jacket draped over Jaewon’s shoulder.

“What about the uniform!”

Jaewon, becoming urgent too, broke into a cold sweat and clenched both fists. From the crumpled soju pack in his grip, a stream of alcohol spurted pitifully.

“It’s the mark of Hwangje High’s leader!”

“What the fuck?”

The male student screamed with an expression reminiscent of Munch’s “The Scream.” Startled out of his wits, Jaewon cursed and shook his shoulders wildly. Haeyul’s clothes left his body and fell to the ground, but it was already too late.

“Th-this guy… He’s Ban Haeyul’s!”

At his cry, everyone turned pale. Among them, Jaewon’s complexion died the darkest.

“Gasp…”

“Ban Haeyul’s…!”

The delinquents began backing away with fearful expressions. It was as if they’d heard the name of he-who-must-not-be-named.

“Ah…”

The one who seemed to be the leader groaned while pressing his temple as if he had a headache, then threw down his cigarette. He grabbed both shoulders of Jaewon, who was dying like a weed doused with herbicide, and sighed deeply.

“Fuck… If you were that guy’s wife, you should have said so.”

“W-wife…”

Greatly shocked, Jaewon choked up and couldn’t continue. He began to tear up.

“No, fuck, guys. What a spectacular misunderstanding. Can’t you see what’s hanging between my legs? You can’t send someone to their grave like this.”

“Ha, no wonder he looked so pretty. Don’t tell that Ban guy we met today. Can’t handle that crazy bastard. If you snitch, your dick falls right off.”

“Why… why is my life like this? Why don’t good things happen?”

“Anyway, sorry about this. Please forget our faces.”

“Even without that request, they’re faces I’d forget as soon as I turn around…”

“Red Sun[3]!”

“Aaah!”

Thwack! A hand huge as a bear’s paw struck his temple. Hit by the surprise attack, Jaewon fell flat on the ground, and the thugs took the opportunity to flee. Watching their backs as they scattered like locusts, Jaewon couldn’t get up for a long time.

“I’m… Ban Haeyul’s…?”

He muttered blankly with trembling lips. The uniform jacket lay sprawled beside his pale hand. The three characters of the name embroidered on the high-quality fabric with its dark sheen gleamed in gold. As he looked at the name tag, focus disappeared from his eyes and water drops fell onto the dark asphalt.

“Sob…”

Jaewon began to cry. Squeezing out tears like wringing juice, a few droplets formed pitifully at his eyes.

“Why… why… do these things only happen to me? What did I do so wrong…”

He lamented his circumstances with renewed bitterness. In his salt-stained vision, colorful lottery balls and tickets clearly marked with winning numbers appeared. Like balloons and confetti decorating a festival stage, they created a splendid scene with fireworks. But soon they were hit by a truck rushing like a runaway train, bursting and tearing into pieces.

“Kugh, sob…”

After crying more with his mouth than eyes and sobbing for a while, Jaewon suddenly gritted his teeth and raised his head. Venom flowed in his pitifully wet eyes. He glared at the pack of soju in his hand, then bit the straw. And sucking with all his might, he downed the soju in one shot. The excessive alcohol pumped into his system plumped up his liver, raced through his blood vessels, and paralyzed his sanity control mechanisms.

Emboldened, Jaewon took out his phone and scrolled through contacts with blazing eyes before calling Lee Ga-ryeong.

• Hello?

“Hey, Lee Ga-ryeong.”

• Ah, oppa! What’s up?

A cheerful voice came through the receiver. Jaewon opened his eyes blearily and exhaled alcohol-laden breath.

“You…”

• For your information, I’m eating dinner so don’t ask what I’m doing. Don’t tell me to come out either. When you have kids later, you could name them Haerang and Nawa (Come Out and Come).

Ga-ryeong recited Jaewon’s history of pestering with a fed-up tone, preemptively blocking small talk. Peaceful, warm household noises came from behind her as she chewed something diligently. Jaewon, sprawled on the cold asphalt like a pancake, got emotional and exploded.

“Is this the time for you to be leisurely eating?”

• What? When else should I eat if not when I’m free?

“Stop eating…”

He muttered pleadingly while holding his head in anguish. When he called Lee Ga-ryeong, she was typically eating three out of five times. The other two times were sleeping or studying when she wouldn’t even answer.

• What are you talking about? What fun is there in this world without food?

“Do you know Kim Dojun’s number?”

• Ah, you called to ask for his number? I’ll text it to you.

“What, how do you know? Did you two exchange numbers? Good job.”

• No? If you don’t know Kim Dojun’s number, you’re a transfer student.

“Then why don’t you contact him?”

• What? We’re not close and in different classes, why would I contact him?

“You only contact people you’re close to?”

• Normal people do.

“People shouldn’t live so closed off. Are you Heungseon Daewongun?”

• Since I haven’t hung up this call, maybe I’m King Gojong?

Though he threw bundles of nonsense, Ga-ryeong retorted to each one sharply. Becoming increasingly disheveled, Jaewon began arguing unreasonably.

“Why don’t you fall in love?”

• Huh? Oppa, are you drunk?

“Why do you only eat and study…”

• My dream is to be a judge so I have to study hard.

“Everyone not in love right now is guilty. Got it? What judge, you should go to jail first…”

• If you drank, go home nicely, wash your feet and sleep.

When he slurred and started properly throwing a drunken fit, Ga-ryeong mercilessly hung up without sympathy. Shortly after, a text arrived.

Kim Dojun 01XXXXXXXXX

Lee Ga-ryeong had an unnecessarily diligent side. Squinting at the screen, Jaewon pounded the keypad. Soon the calling screen appeared, and after monotone dial tones, the call connected.

• Yes.

A neat, no-nonsense voice rang low in his ear. The pleasant voice made the fine hairs on his neck stand up and the saliva pooled in his mouth go down. At that moment, something inexplicably intense welled up in his chest.

“Kim Dojun, you bad bastard…”

Sprawled out after getting jumped in Jongno, he desperately needed a Han River to vent on. Knocked down and lying on the ground in an unrecoverable state, Jaewon poured out the grievances accumulated inside.

• …Bae Jaewon?

Dojun asked back belatedly. His voice carried suspicious doubt. The engine sounds faintly audible over the phone stopped, followed by a sigh mixed with exasperation. It might have been incredulous laughter.

• This is really something.

“You’re really a fucking terrible person…”

• Where are you now?

His voice asking stiffly seemed somehow angry. But Jaewon, drunk on alcohol and self-pity, had no reason left to grasp such details. He picked a fight, revealing his hostility without restraint.

“You fucking… What are you?”

• I asked where you are.

“What gives you the right to make things so hard for me?”

• I’ll come play with you, so tell me where.

“What gives you the right to make my heart so difficult…”

Even as he spoke, injustice flooded in like a tide. Jaewon sniffled and expelled alcohol-laced breath. While he whined and threw a tantrum, it grew quiet on the other end. For a while, slow, regular breathing and tearful, panting breaths crossed back and forth. When the air between frequencies grew taut, words came again.

• Did you drink?

The quietly asking voice had lowered even more. Though it was just a simple question, Jaewon somehow felt interrogated and acted even more defiantly.

“Yeah, I drank. So what. What.”

• With who?

“I drank because you burned me up inside, you bastard…”

Though Dojun asked calmly, communication with a drunk was impossible. Jaewon poured out his resentment toward him without reserve, lying face down and banging his forehead on the ground. Dojun, who had everything perfectly – looks, intelligence, wealth, family – yet wouldn’t bend to his will, was unbearably vexing as the leading stock.

• Jaewon.

After listening to Jaewon wailing and throwing a drunken fit, Dojun finally called quietly.

• Who are you with right now?

This time it wasn’t a simple question. But the street drunkard couldn’t care less.

“You should, ah. Stop calling my name like that. It’s weird.”

• What’s weird about it?

“It makes me feel weird…”

He didn’t understand why a guy would call another guy’s name so tenderly. His ear holes itching, Jaewon threw the soju pack and threw a tantrum.

“Your voice is so fucking cool…”

Why waste it on unnecessary things instead of calling the beloved female lead’s name to your heart’s content with that voice? Jaewon had much to say but his alcohol-dulled tongue wouldn’t move properly. So he just repeated the same words like a parrot while collapsed on the ground. Cool. Cool. How are even your vocal cords handsome?

• Slipping out nicely.

Dojun, who’d been silent, spoke curtly. His tone suggested he’d taken a hit. Letting out something like a snort, he exhaled long as if enduring something.

• I got it, so tell me. Where are you?

“Kim Dojun. Why don’t you fall in love?”

• At this point, I think I am.

“I pity you for not knowing the beauty of love.”

Bae Jaewon was a complex drunk combining the funeral type, too-much-talker type, and broken radio type. When drunk, he’d whine while not listening to others and endlessly repeat whatever he wanted to say.

• You pity me, Jaewon?

“Yeah. Pitiful.”

• This is new. Tell me more.

“You’re someone who could be loved by anyone… Why don’t you love someone but instead make things hard for many people?”

Kim Dojun, who seemed to embody the word sensuality, was a walking pheromone bomb. Anyone would helplessly get wrapped around him with just a flick of his finger, yet he created no romantic entanglements with anyone like an asexual. It was maddening.

“Meet someone good and be happy, please. Then I can… be at ease. Let me live too…”

Jaewon saw a vision of himself sitting on a golden glittering throne, gold adorning every joint, scattering bills with a money gun. The ecstatic moment was brief; the brilliant hallucination scattered like a mirage. Becoming even more miserable, Jaewon rubbed his forehead on the ground while sniffling with his strawberry-red nose.

• Ah, what should I do about this?

Dojun made a small groaning sound then chuckled. That insignificant sound made his insides churn. Because he drank on an empty stomach, Jaewon thought while burying his face in his arm. His eyes felt hot.

Breathing sounds, footsteps, conversation sounds. Wind sounds that scattered attention. Gaps intermittently continued between the vague, minor noises around them.

• You want me to be happy?

“Yeah… please. I’m begging.”

The voice asking somehow sounded teasing, but Jaewon clung as if pleading. For Alice who’d fallen into a strange land while chasing lottery tickets, only a happy ending was the way to survive, and he was that desperate.

• I don’t know. Like someone said, I don’t really know how.

“You have to make an effort, you bastard…”

Jaewon exploded in frustration. It wasn’t something for someone who didn’t even attempt to get involved with women, let alone have some ambiguous relationship, to say so peacefully. He felt like his insides would burst from frustration.

• Then someone who knows well should teach me.

Dojun murmured, lowering his voice. At that secretive voice, Jaewon unconsciously swallowed. Whether he’d brought his lips close to the receiver, his breathing gradually drew nearer. Feeling like it was directly touching his ear, Jaewon squeezed his eyes shut then opened them.

• Where are you, Teacher?

The polite, courteous voice whispered suggestively. The always leisurely, sharp delinquent had vanished completely, replaced by a well-bred young man from a proper family speaking. It was the devil’s whisper wearing a teacher-student mask.

Holding his breath, Jaewon blinked and checked the screen. The recipient was still Kim Dojun. He threw the phone as if he’d touched a bug. The call was still displayed on the glowing screen. Jaewon struck the device repeatedly to close the flip phone.

The sound cut off abruptly and silence descended. Frozen like a plaster statue, he stared down at the phone blankly. His empty pupils shook as if unable to believe it.

“Ah, fuck. Wait a minute…”

Every pore on his body contracted and fine hairs stood on end. Goosebumps spread across his skin. The signal resonating in his lower abdomen was unmistakably that.

Jaewon bent his head down creakily like a rusty machine to look below. His bulging front was reflected in his eyes that had expanded to bursting. His complexion turned blue.

“Fuck, no way…”

An explosion sounded in his head. It was the sound of his mental state blowing up. Brain shaken by the pouring bombardment, dazed by the booming sounds, Jaewon curled up his body. His whole body was hot as heated metal. His limbs trembled at the melting sensation of his mind decomposing at the nano level.

“Excuse me, mister. If you sleep here, your mouth will twist.”

Someone approached and spoke to Jaewon as he wandered between life and death. The voice came from directly above his head, but Jaewon, who believed without doubt that he was a beautiful young man, didn’t think it was directed at him. Only when careful hands shook his shoulder did he raise his head.

“Where’s your home… Huh? What, it’s hyung? Why are you like this?”

The meddler was Park Gyujin. Squatting on the ground looking into Jaewon’s face, his eyes went wide when he confirmed his identity. The goodwill and sympathy toward a drunk disappeared from his face, replaced by surprise.

“I wondered who was sprawled on the street like trash, turns out it’s sister-in-law?”

Kang Yuchan, who’d been standing casually with one leg cocked behind Gyujin, sauntered over. Sucking on a lollipop, he asked with unclear pronunciation.

“What are you doing here?”

Jaewon remained silent. He couldn’t say, even if his mouth were torn apart, that he couldn’t get up because he was turned on from being called “teacher” by his friend.

“…”

“What’s this? He’s completely wasted.”

Yuchan muttered indifferently while examining Jaewon, who couldn’t move like a brooding hen. He waved his hand in front of Jaewon’s face then looked back at Gyujin.

“Looks like he drank?”

“Yeah, yeah. Right. B-because he drank.”

Jaewon quickly agreed with his words. His eyes gleamed as he jerked his head up.

“It’s because I drank. Because I’m drunk. Yeah.”

It wasn’t because he got hard from being called teacher by some delinquent-looking guy, but because he drank. Originally, drinking stimulates the central nervous system and improves blood circulation, naturally increasing libido. Bae Jaewon, who when drunk would ramble endlessly only to be muted by those around him, had never experienced this in his entire life, but at this moment he desperately needed an excuse to cling to. In panic, he ran his self-rationalization circuits at full heat. The hastily played national anthem resonated through his body in surround sound.

“This hyung’s eyes look strange. I can see madness in them.”

“Yeah. He’s lost it.”

“Doesn’t seem like he drank just a little. First of all, he’s barely talking.”

“Right.”

Observing Jaewon with serious expressions, they were startled when they saw his lips.

“Why are your lips like that, hyung? They’ve become a snout.”

“Did he catch and eat a capybara because he was hungry?”

“Really a new person every time I see him.”

Gyujin and Yuchan didn’t spare their mockery in their shock. Jaewon quickly rolled his lips inward and bit them, but only ended up looking like a grandpa with missing dentures.

“Look at that tint clarity. Even my niece doesn’t apply it like that.”

“Full lips, hyung? That’s so outdated. The trend these days is gradation.”

“Why did you paint your lips redder than a monkey’s butt?”

“Monkey butts are red, red is sister-in-law, sister-in-law is pretty.”

Gyujin, who had been enthusiastically imparting makeup trends and tips, suddenly jumped up. Like a shaman possessed by spirits, he wiggled his limbs and danced sexily. Jaewon squeezed his eyes shut to protect his eyeballs, but they were already ruined.

“Kind of like a poppy too.”

“What? Where?”

“In that being around you might cause sparks to fly into my life too?”

“Perfect analogy, bro.”

Gyujin winked and bumped fists with Yuchan with an expression that said “of course.” Watching them go back and forth like Dumb and Dumber, Jaewon felt his head cool down and his libido decrease. Even Junior, who had been standing at attention ready to pierce through his pants, had settled down properly. Having reached sage time, he gathered himself and stood up.

“Oh, where are you going, hyung?”

“Why are you leaving already?”

The two blocked Jaewon as he began walking unsteadily. When Jaewon stared hollowly with soulless eyes at the human barrier blocking him, Yuchan smiled delinquently.

“Actually, today is Arbor Day[4]. So we should be playing excitedly…”

“If it’s Arbor Day, plants should be playing. Why would animals play?”

“Is this guy really drunk?”

He pointed at Jaewon with a suspicious expression and asked Gyujin. Gyujin gave the assessment that he was “a consistent person who can’t be distinguished between drunk and sober.”

“Anyway, that Dojun bastard said he had something to find today and bailed. He’s not the type to skip playing around.”

His heart dropped at the three syllables of that name. The suggestive, low voice mixed with the sound of handcuffs jangling echoed in his ears. Feeling cold sweat run down his spine, Jaewon backed away.

“I have a feeling we’ll get in trouble with Dojun if we let sister-in-law go like this.”

Yuchan grabbed Jaewon’s wrist as he tried to escape. Jaewon resisted but his strength wasn’t enough. Yuchan calmly held the struggling Jaewon and took out his phone to call somewhere. After listening to the receiver for a while, he scrunched his face and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, not answering.”

“Oh, what’s this?”

Gyujin, who had been standing like a decoration watching, suddenly jumped in surprise and did fancy footwork. At his feet, Jaewon’s phone was vibrating loudly.

“It’s a flip phone.”

“It’s moving.”

“Must be alive.”

Gyujin and Yuchan exclaimed in wonder as if seeing a trilobite. When Jaewon picked up the phone with an obviously tense expression, they simultaneously craned their necks and widened their eyes.

“Is it yours, hyung?”

“Using an artifact.”

“Did you come by time machine?”

Jaewon flipped open the phone and looked down at the screen anxiously. As expected, the caller was Kim Dojun. How long had he been calling? Feeling heat around his neck, he covered his nape with his palm. With alcohol still dominating his body, he didn’t know what fit his lower body’s erectile tissue might throw if he answered in this state. After conflicting, Jaewon finally made a decision. Just as he was about to boldly press the reject button—

“Wait. Isn’t this Kim Dojun’s number?”

Yuchan, who had been looking at the phone over Jaewon’s shoulder, frowned when he saw the caller’s number. He snatched the phone and answered without permission.

“Yeah, Dojun.”

“What? Won’t you give it back?”

“Where are you? Really not coming today?”

Yuchan continued the call while easily subduing the attacking Jaewon. With his face crushed by the large palm like an athlete’s, Jaewon was led to a corner with Gyujin’s support.

“He eats so fucking much his strength is no joke. Probably the strongest after Dojun. You can’t beat him with rice power, hyung.”

“Ugh…”

“Don’t mess with the super-strong pig and just eat sweet and sour candy with me here.”

Gyujin took out a purple candy from his pocket and offered it. Jaewon looked down at his palm sullenly before asking.

“Don’t you have peach flavor?”

“Eat what you’re given.”

“I don’t eat grape flavor.”

“You don’t have friends, do you hyung?”

“A person can eat grape flavor. But not my person.”

“A human like selection strawberry flavor… No one will want you.”

Gyujin sent him a contemptuous look and coldly withdrew the candy.

“Why am I answering? Well, that’s…”

Yuchan glanced at Jaewon and paused. He seemed to be choosing his words.

“I think we found what you’re looking for first.”

He said casually while scratching the back of his head. Then he put his hand in his pocket and looked up at the air.

“Yeah. Found him on the street. Passed out drunk. Yeah, alone. Come see for yourself if you’re curious.”

As the conversation lengthened, Yuchan’s expression became increasingly annoyed. He answered half-heartedly while looking away. The shiny sneaker toe lightly kicked the ground.

“Where? The place we were supposed to meet today. Yeah. There… Hello?”

The call seemed to have been cut off as he called out to Dojun, checked the screen, then closed the folder. Looking down at the phone, he tilted his head with an uncomfortable expression. Gyujin, who had been watching Yuchan’s movements, asked curiously.

“Is Dojun coming? He seemed like he wouldn’t come even if his grandfather did.”

“Yeah.”

Yuchan answered while keeping his gaze fixed on the phone. Lost in thought, his expression still wasn’t good.

“It’s strange.”

“What is?”

“Why was this bastard turned on?”

“Huh?”

When Yuchan muttered ominously, Gyujin cried out in shock.

“Dojun was turned on by you? The world is wide and there are many people, why would he?”

“Our gym’s sandbag burst yesterday, need a new one. Support go?”

“The only things that can hit me are a lady’s small, soft fists. Don’t even dream about it. Anyway, why Dojun?”

“His voice was a bit… His body was really heated. Was he with a woman?”

“Didn’t you hear wrong? It’s been a while since his concept became a priest.”

“No.”

When Gyujin asked doubtfully, his eyes sharpened like a detective who’d found a clue to a case.

“I’m sure because I feel dirty.”

“I see.”

Gyujin immediately understood and nodded. As if they’d made a promise, they both turned to look at Jaewon. Jaewon, who had been sitting on the ground dozing, raised his head when he felt their gazes.

“What are you looking at?”

He picked a fight roughly like an unemployed person on the street during the Great Depression. As he glared with unfocused eyes, Gyujin sighed with a pitiful face.

“Sigh… What happened to Dojun’s eyes?”

“It’s not just his eyes. Seems like there’s an overall problem with his head.”

“Isn’t this basically a traffic accident?”

“While it’s right to respect preferences… anyway, seems like he’s gone somewhere we can’t understand.”

“Is God belatedly trying to give him a flaw because Dojun is too perfect?”

Two pairs of eyes sank bitterly and hazily. Gyujin lowered his head and sighed softly.

“There was a time when Dojun and I shared the same taste.”

“That’s why you’re still pure. Because Kim Dojun monopolized everything.”

“What?”

When Yuchan chimed in from the side, he raised his head indignantly. Gyujin glared with fire in his eyes.

“Speak properly. I protected the women. Because I’m a gentleman.”

“Wait, don’t you smell something burning?”

“Ah, over there.”

“Your happiness circuit is burning. Sounding like a eunuch in the inner palace.”

“You bastard, you talk to me however you want when Seungbin’s not around?”

“Why do you think that? I’ve always treated you roughly.”

The atmosphere of the conversation that had been going back and forth like ping-pong turned hostile. Like rappers trying to seize the initiative before entering a diss battle, they pressed their chests together, lifted their chins, and stuck out their lower lips. Just as their lips got close enough to touch, Gyujin tilted his head looking over Yuchan’s shoulder.

“Ah, but no matter how I look at it, he looks similar.”

“That again?”

His gaze was fixed on the nodding Jaewon. Gyujin squatted in front of Jaewon and propped his chin. He tilted his head this way and that, examining the drunk troublemaker’s face. His drooping half-moon eyes gradually narrowed.

“Who was it?”

“What does it matter who he looks like or doesn’t? Stop caring about other people’s faces.”

“Ah, there is someone. Don’t you think of anyone… Oof.”

The moment Gyujin looked up at Yuchan, a large hand covered his entire face. As the sinewy arm pushed forcefully, he fell backward helplessly. Landing on his butt on the ground, Gyujin scrunched his face and got annoyed.

“Ah, why?”

“Covered it because you’re ugly.”

“Did you hang your liver out to dry today?”

“No. I only left my character behind.”

“You always leave that behind.”

Entering round two of their diss battle, they bickered and bonded. As the atmosphere gradually heated up, a car with sharp body lines stopped in front of them.

“Oh, look at that car.”

“No joke. Looks like something Batman would drive.”

“Now if only Christian Bale gets out, it’ll be perfect.”

When the huge, splendid luxury foreign car stopped on the four-lane roadside, passersby’s attention focused on it. The gull-wing doors opening upward and the owner getting out of the driver’s seat increased the attention even more. Praise erupted from all directions.

“Wow… There’s still hope left in this country.”

“Should we clap to make him look this way?”

“I’ll try standing on my hands to get attention.”

Kim Dojun, wearing a black sports jumper and pants with black running shoes, ran his hand through his hair and closed the car door. All black from head to toe, he gave off considerable intimidation.

“Wow. Criminal vibe.”

Yuchan raised both hands and exclaimed in admiration. When Dojun ignored him and stepped onto the sidewalk, he booed and whistled.

“To bring out even Justin… Must have been quite urgent.”

“Don’t name the car.”

Dojun rebuked as if annoyed, but didn’t say more as if it was a familiar nickname. Gyujin, who had been gaping at his beloved car, puffed his cheeks with a sulky face and grumbled.

“Really. Justin who won’t even give us rides because we’ll contaminate it… How desperately were you looking?”

“Why search so fucking hard? Just pick one up on the street.”

“This is why equipment is useless.”

“Where’s the kid?”

Dojun, who had been standing silently touching his nose bridge, simply ended their conversation. They had been chirping like middle-aged men residing at jjimjilbangs but simultaneously stretched out their arms to point at one place. At the end of their pointing fingers was Jaewon, who had become one with the ground. Dojun’s flat forehead wrinkled.

“This?”

At his question, Gyujin and Yuchan nodded. Dojun approached Jaewon and lifted his chin. As the appraiser-like touch turned his face left and right, his drowsily closed eyes opened and hazy pupils slowly gazed at Dojun. After watching quietly, one of Dojun’s cheeks slightly dimpled. He clicked his tongue as if it was useless.

“The condition’s deteriorated a bit.”

“Wasn’t it originally damaged?”

“It wasn’t this bad earlier… Should have put him in the freezer.”

Gyujin spoke worriedly, looking at Jaewon like an anchovy about to spoil. Jaewon, shaking helplessly under Dojun’s touch, struggled to focus his blurry eyes. Lights flickered hazily in his black, dark vision. The light rays leaving trails like meteors etched yellow and blue afterimages on his eyelids. As focus gradually sharpened, ideally shaped lips appeared like a painting. Jaewon remembered the sensation they had left like scars on his own lips.

They were truly wicked lips. They moved attractively and said something, but he couldn’t hear. Jaewon stared intently at the tongue glimpsed between even teeth. That cunning red herring would bewitch his mind and steal everything. Jaewon shouted solemnly with his eyes strained until his double eyelids became triple.

“I don’t have a single organ to give you.”

“What are you saying?”

“Even your organs look pathetic.”

While the spectators were dumbfounded, Dojun, who had been watching Jaewon’s drunken rambling with interest, lowered his body. He bent his waist and sat, matching Jaewon’s eye level.

“Jaewon.”

His back tingled at the quietly calling voice. Like Pavlov’s dog, Jaewon was furious at his body’s reflexive response. He tried to snap not to call him that, but his tongue was loose and wouldn’t cooperate. He tried somehow to move the heavy flesh but it was futile. Jaewon just mumbled his lips pointlessly.

“I didn’t know your number.”

“…”

“Ridiculous, right?”

The voice asking was as cool as the night air. It was natural since he’d never given it or been asked. But strangely, Jaewon felt like he’d done something wrong.

When their eyes met, Dojun smiled with languid eyes. His mouth opening refreshingly was twisted at the edges. The smile spreading on his expressionless face was far from joy.

As twilight disappeared and the day’s lingering heat cooled, cold air rose from the ground. The temperature dropped and the bleak air stuck to his cheeks. The alcohol gradually wore off.

Sharp-lined eyes stared without blinking. The eye corners were cool and sharp. His face, mottled with shop lights and shadows, was hard to read. Saliva slowly went down his throat moving involuntarily.

“I thought you’d disappeared. Without anyone knowing.”

Slowly moving lips formed in his pupils like slow motion. Feeling suffocated, Jaewon squeezed his eyes shut. Approaching fingertips touched his brow bone. Unlike his face that seemed like it would bleed black if cut, warmth came from his hand. Warm and delicate. His body couldn’t move in that gap. His pulse became increasingly irregular and breathing intermittent. When he unconsciously reached back to feel the ground, Dojun, who had been brushing his bangs with the back of his hand, withdrew his arm and stood up.

“Let’s go.”

He inserted his hand between Jaewon’s arms, grabbed his ribcage, and lifted Jaewon up at once. His neck heated and face flushed at the touch like lifting a child. But only hot breath burst from his mouth instead of words. Jaewon barely moved his limbs heavy as wet cotton and struggled, but somehow the more he did, the more entangled he became. Dragged lightly by the pulling touch, Jaewon buried his face deep in the broad chest.

“Hot.”

“Ugh…”

“You’ll cook.”

A mocking voice fell on the bridge of his nose. He brushed Jaewon’s hair then pressed his lips to his forehead. It was natural contact like between old lovers. At that natural attitude, Jaewon opened his mouth and looked up. Dojun raised and lowered his eyebrows with a calm expression. He wanted to say or do something, but his vision kept spinning from the distinctive body scent seeping deeply through his nose.

“Hey, seems like you can’t see us…”

When Gyujin protested, salty as day-old soybean soup, Dojun stared at him expressionlessly as if it was nothing new.

“I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

He shamelessly spouted embarrassing words, but his handsome face granted absolution. When Gyujin and Jaewon looked at him incredulously, he responded leisurely. An easy smile hung on his slightly rising lip corners.

Dojun wrapped his arm around Jaewon’s waist, held him firmly, and headed for the car. Just as he strode along taking out car keys, Yuchan stretched his leg to block the path. When Dojun narrowed his eyebrows with an annoyed expression, he spread his palm wide with a shameless face.

“You should pay a reward for finding lost property.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Dojun took out his wallet from his back pocket and threw it. Yuchan, who quickly caught the wallet, expressed his joy with whistles and cheers.

“Thank you for using our service. Have a nice time!”

Dojun showed his middle finger behind his back and operated the car key to open the passenger door. He threw Jaewon through the gap of the wing-like rising door.

Jaewon, who had been blankly watching the pitch-black figure going around the front of the car, suddenly realized he’d been trapped in an enclosed space in the blink of an eye. His skin bristling with a sense of crisis, he bounced out like a boomerang before the passenger door closed. But his attempt was futile as he was caught by a strong grip.

“Gah.”

Dojun pulled Jaewon’s nape with a calm face, slammed him into the seat, and climbed into the driver’s seat. Jaewon, who had properly hit his head on the headrest, curled up like a shrimp clutching his head in pain.

“Oww…”

“I like interesting things though.”

A huge shadow cast over his head. Opening his squinted eyes at the warning tone, his face was right there. They were close enough to touch lips with the slightest movement. Jaewon gasped and froze. The savagely handsome face held a faint smile but his eyes weren’t smiling. His atmosphere had completely changed from earlier. It felt threatening like a giant jaguar was on top of him rather than a person.

Feeling an extremely ominous intuition, Jaewon backed away hesitantly. But the car was narrow, and the leather seat was so elastic with cushioning it seemed ready to bounce his body. There was nowhere to escape.

“Let’s stop playing tag here.”

The moment their eyes met, the words finished falling. The instant a strange light flashed in the persistently black eyes, he devoured Jaewon’s lips as if biting them off.

“…Ugh.”

A groan came out involuntarily from the pain like flesh would tear off. A tongue slipping between parted lips violently stirred inside his mouth. All nerves concentrated on the flesh numbed by alcohol. The moment soft, wet flesh rubbed against each awakened cell of his tongue, his waist stiffened and toes curled.

“Where did you wander around like that?”

It didn’t seem like he was asking expecting an answer. Otherwise he wouldn’t pour his tongue in without giving time to speak. Whether tongue size was proportional to build, Dojun’s tongue was excessively large and thick. When he pushed it to the root, his mouth filled so full it was hard to breathe. Jaewon barely maintained breathing while feeling his vision go white.

“Looking like this.”

Smack. He pulled away making an embarrassingly loud sound, then pulled at his lips. Then he touched and squashed them this way and that as if the lips were some kind of jelly. His whole body tickled from the mischievous tormenting touch. When Jaewon couldn’t stand it and grabbed his wrist to stop him, he bit his lips again. All actions were so natural like a snake slithering over a wall that he had to helplessly endure. It was a situation of being robbed blind.

“There’s something about provoking people.”

This shouldn’t happen. Though the situation couldn’t get worse, there was always a basement below the ground floor. He had to escape even if it meant breaking his head… but good smells kept coming, breaking his thoughts and making his head hazy. He couldn’t understand why he was doing this himself. This sensation flooding like a flood was far from fear.

“Ngh…”

Jaewon’s brain, unaccustomed to physical pleasure, easily let go of reason. With the pleasure center activated and dominated by stimulation, far from pushing Dojun away, Jaewon only gripped his jumper tight enough to wrinkle it.

Soft, thick kisses continued. Skillfully moving tongue and lips stole his soul. Each time wet flesh deeply interlocked and separated, his insides felt empty and lips naturally parted. He felt like melting wherever they touched. Each time Jaewon let out moans between his teeth, the huge pectoral muscles twitched and breathing roughened. The kisses became increasingly sticky.

“You need to breathe.”

“Hah…”

It was long after when he pulled his lips away again and gave time to catch breath. At the words thrown like a favor, Jaewon, who had been on the verge of fainting, panted with gasping sounds. His thoroughly tortured mouth tingled all over.

“Cough, cough, haah, ngh…”

“Why can’t you use your tongue properly?”

When Jaewon spluttered and coughed, Dojun clicked his tongue as if he couldn’t watch. He chewed Jaewon’s lips thoroughly while shoving fingers into his mouth. Thick fingers spread his teeth and entered, poking his tongue as if blaming it. Saliva dripped down from the corners of his mouth but he had no capacity to care.

“You use it just fine when chattering.”

His face heated at the clearly mocking words. Sticky breath wetly soaked his ear, and firm teeth chewed his earlobe. At that unfamiliar sensation, Jaewon flinched his shoulders and shrank. Low laughter clung persistently to his ear, tormenting him. While he was dying here, the other side looked not just fine but revved up. Feeling even injustice, Jaewon reached for the back of his head and grabbed his hair.

“Ah.”

When he pulled his hair back like that, Dojun furrowed his brow. Though that simple expression change alone was threatening, Jaewon steeled himself and maintained his grip strength. The squinted eyes gradually opened again. He slowly raised his eyebrows with a “well look at this” face, then pulled up his lip corners.

“This is different.”

It wasn’t something to say for someone with their hair grabbed. Breathing roughly with a ridiculous expression, his black pupils like minerals were dangerously dilated like a drug user’s.

“Pull harder.”

He urged while licking his lips with his tongue. Clear desire rippled in the darkly gleaming eyes. It was an obviously turned-on expression by anyone’s standards. Jaewon gaped in shock.

“Y-you perverted bastard… Mmph.”

Though someone who got turned on by being called teacher had no room to talk, that side was on a different dimension. Unable to continue and stammering, the beast didn’t wait for him. The heavy body pounced as if to crush him.

“Mmm, ah.”

The noise of the seatbelt buckle hitting the window grated his ears. Shocked by the rough pushing momentum, Jaewon gasped and grabbed Dojun’s thick shoulders. He could feel the well-built body flinching through his skin. His palms burned from the sensation of hot, firm muscles.

“Ah, hnn…”

The tongue that scraped out scratching the roof of his mouth licked his jaw long. At that obscene sensation, Jaewon unconsciously spread his legs and flinched.

“Hah, stop sucking already, you bastard…”

He barely opened his swollen lips to spit curses. After making such a fuss about wanting to suck and turning them into salted pollack roe, the teenager’s terrible curiosity still seemed unsatisfied. No, now it seemed he’d developed a taste for it.

He was surrounded on all sides. His brain drowning in alcohol was derelict in its duties, the long-lasting tint that boasted crazy durability was still going strong, and his lips were still red. His sweating body was hot and tingling. He felt like a dumpling thoroughly steamed in a steamer.

He didn’t know what to do. The only pleasures Jaewon knew were winning games, stocks going up, and finding money on the street. He had no immunity to this kind of thing and was ignorant. Naturally he didn’t know how to deal with it either. Jaewon, who based all actions and thoughts on experience and knowledge, was no match for Kim Dojun who acted on instinct. Each time he pounced instinctively, he couldn’t keep up and found himself swept along when he came to his senses.

What was maddening was that each time, his only weapon – his mouth – closed as if cursed and his language ability remarkably degenerated. Jaewon, who believed without doubt that the pen was mightier than the sword and the mouth mightier than the pen, felt severe helplessness.

Not only wouldn’t words come out properly, but his body wouldn’t move as he wanted either. It felt like floundering in a dream. He felt like he’d go crazy from frustration.

“Once you’ve sucked, that should be enough, why do you keep…”

“What are you talking about?”

When he made stupid sounds, Dojun widened his eyes and laughed. He looked like he’d heard something absurd. At that moment, Jaewon physically realized the expression that even shamelessness has limits.

“Of course I want more of a taste I know.”

The guy spouted embarrassingly shameful words without batting an eye. At the utterly brazen behavior, Jaewon’s lips trembled.

“Why are you really doing this to me…”

“Unbelievable.”

When Jaewon, cornered to the limit, appealed almost crying, Dojun snorted. He pushed fingers between Jaewon’s lips and pulled his tongue.

“Who seduced who with this?”

He shook the tongue he’d pulled out of his lips. Joy was evident on his face with lip corners twisted up while biting his lower lip.

“Fuck, who’s the kid…”

With logic not working, he had no energy to refute. When Jaewon mumbled weakly, Dojun’s face suddenly came close and lips stuck to his tongue with a smack then pulled away. His eyes automatically closed at that mischievous contact.

“Should we rest a bit?”

Returning to the driver’s seat, he pulled down his neck zipper a little. The sound of briefly resting and swallowing between the lines was stimulating. Sprawled in the seat, he exhaled long and made a satisfied throat sound. His dissolutely relaxed eyes drooped rarely. That appearance reminded him of a carnivore after hunting. Jaewon turned his gaze away as if fleeing.

The car interior was cozy. The console and floor, clean without signs of use, hinted at the owner’s personality. A subtle musk scent wafted from the plaster air freshener attached to the vent. The instrument panel and center fascia with clear differences from regular vehicles created an unfamiliar feeling.

Beyond the windshield, he could see the world sinking into night. The bustling area where curtain-like darkness had settled was tangled chaotically with warm lights and vivid particles of neon signs.

“Smell of alcohol.”

A low voice broke the silence. Turning his head, he saw Dojun with his brow ambiguously furrowed. It wasn’t an entirely displeased expression.

“Delinquent.”

The face lying loosely and laughing relaxedly was what looked like a delinquent. The longer the moment of meeting gazes extended, the denser the air became. Jaewon glanced at the passenger door trying to escape through the gap, but it was hard to find the handle at a glance. Kim Dojun’s car had many strange things. For Jaewon, whose entire experience with vehicles was buses, taxis, and his uncle’s SUV, everything was unfamiliar so he couldn’t act rashly.

“Who did you drink with?”

He asked slowly. Though the tone was normal, Jaewon somehow felt interrogated. He should answer that he’d been sprawled on the street alone downing straight soju, but words wouldn’t come out. His whole body felt hot like being under the scorching sun, and he only wanted to escape this space.

“If you don’t want to say with your mouth, well…”

Dojun slowly sat up. The sound of leather seats pressing with his movement created tension. Anxious, Jaewon pressed himself against the window as much as possible.

“I’ll have to ask elsewhere.”

“D-don’t…”

Jaewon was horrified looking at him smiling with a devilish face. The moment his vision darkened, he shrank and squeezed his eyes shut. Hiss, a sound like a snake hunting in darkness brushed his ears followed by metal clicking together. After clenching his lips and gritting his teeth, when nothing touched his mouth after a long time, Jaewon opened his eyes. Dojun was watching him as if observing, with his elbow on the headrest supporting his head.

“What were you thinking?”

Following his chin gesture, he looked down to see his body wrapped in a seatbelt. When Jaewon glared with weasel-slit eyes, he grinned with an annoying face. Seeing eyes sparkling with mischief, something welled up inside.

“Hey.”

“Yeah.”

“Can’t you just let me hit you once?”

When he asked desperately, Dojun bit his lip and turned his head. After straining his neck and chewing his lips, he finally laughed out loud. The face bursting with refreshing laughter rarely looked his age. Seeing him laugh like a boy when he always gave off a mature atmosphere unsuited to his age made him feel strangely itchy inside. Jaewon, scratching his neck pointlessly, buried his head against the window and closed his eyes, while Dojun, who had been laughing with shaking shoulders, finally started the car after a long while.

***

The car that had sped down the road with a roaring exhaust entered the underground parking lot of a high-rise building. The space spreading wide like an exhibition hall had considerable issues being seen as a regular parking lot. Jaewon, who had been dozing on and off in a drowsy state, felt his sleepiness flee seeing various models of supercars flashing past the car window. Looking outside with confused eyes, he let out an empty breath.

“Where is this… Excuse me. You said you’d take me home.”

Dojun, who had parked the car, turned to look at Jaewon. His expression asked what the problem was. The attitude of questioning with his eyes was arrogant but natural as if ingrained.

“Is this my house?”

“Yeah.”

Dojun turned off the engine and gathered his belongings with a clean answer. His expressionless face was utterly shameless. He’d been tricked. Feeling like he’d go crazy, Jaewon tilted his head back and covered his face with both hands.

“Ah, I’m so fucking tired really…”

Swallowing the rising groan, he lowered his hands and snapped venomously.

“Is it in my name too?”

“Did you think before speaking?”

“Transfer the title to me.”

“You only say crazy things, don’t you ever get tired?”

Dojun looked at Jaewon as if amazed while leaning on the steering wheel.

“Should I make you tired? I’m confident.”

“You said you can’t see the sun.”

East question, west answer came back. Jaewon’s expression became strange for a moment as he had been actively appealing his enthusiasm. The image overlapped on his face – warmly tinted by sunset, saying casually let’s live together.

“I was serious.”

The ordinary expression and calm tone twisted the reins of speech. Black eyes stared as if looking inside. Feeling uncomfortable, when he turned his head, a large hand touched the back of his head. The touch that patted his head and fell away left ripples. Jaewon, who buried his face in his knees like that, only got out of the car after being half-dragged.

The elevator arrived quickly. It seemed like the first time seeing the panel numbers change so fast. Dojun, who had entered inside the smoothly opening doors, stood still watching Jaewon and held the door with his hand. Leaning obliquely against the doorway, he didn’t move until the warning sound rang.

When Jaewon reluctantly entered the elevator interior, he finally let go of the door and turned his eyes to the number pad.

Fingers circling in the air pressed the P button located at the top of the number pad and fell down. The door slid closed, and silence rose like still water in the enclosed space.

“I’m telling you in advance, I’m very sensitive about sleeping arrangements.”

When Jaewon spoke in a warning tone, he turned to look down. A viscous gaze stuck around his cheeks. Dojun traced his molars with his tongue then opened his mouth.

“Don’t whine too much.”

“Even one pea under the bed keeps me up.”

“Unexpected. I thought you could last a week on one bean.”

That was true. But Jaewon became unpleasant when told the right thing when he didn’t want to hear it. His mood soured, he glared at Dojun with cold eyes. Leisurely receiving that gaze, Dojun walked out of the elevator that had already arrived at the top floor.

After recognizing fingerprints and iris in sequence, the lock released with a mechanical sound. Dojun opened the door for Jaewon and stepped aside. As sensor lights turned on, the interior submerged in darkness was revealed. The scale of the entrance glimpsed was overwhelming.

“…Ah.”

A sigh was heard the moment he took a step as if bewitched. Hesitating, Jaewon looked up at the source of the sound. When their eyes met, Dojun smiled as if troubled.

“I don’t have a hobby of eating drunks.”

He slightly squinted as if remembering something he’d forgotten.

“Should be sober by now.”

There was resentment mixed in his voice. A straight finger pushed his forehead. The skin flushed with intoxication had a pink tinge.

“I don’t have a hobby of touching kids either.”

The touch that came down around his neck fingered his shirt collar. Fingers with neatly trimmed nails traced over his collarbone.

“Who’s a kid? I’m twenty… no, twenty-three… no, twenty.”

“Twenty is a kid.”

A calm answer came back even to the rambling from alcohol. Jaewon squinted and looked at Dojun questioningly. He was saying something utterly incomprehensible.

The black gaze moved to Jaewon’s arm. A bundle of clothes stuck out from his side. It was Haeyul’s jacket. Jaewon, who knew well the price of uniforms, never forgot to grab the jacket even while drunk and had been carrying it like a horcrux the whole time.

When Dojun pulled the jacket, the name tag part was revealed. At the same time, cracks appeared in his flat forehead.

“What…”

Fingers swept over the name tag. After looking at the three characters for quite a long time, he slightly nodded his chin then raised his head. His eyes were cool.

“Might not be bad to make a new hobby.”

The inside of the door where sensor lights had gone out was quiet and dark. He was swept into it as if dragged.

Protected translation courtesy of Moonflower Verse.