ASD 28

“What’s that. So tacky.”

“Why, what’s wrong with Munsik. It’s cute.”

Gijun restlessly scratched the back of his head. In the end, a “puhaha” burst of laughter escaped. Munsik? What kind of name was that? Gijun, racking his brain to avoid hurting him in any way, was cute. He liked this gentle side of the kid. He couldn’t help it.

“Okay, I get it. Hi, Munsik.”

Gawon crouched down and held out his hand to the cat. Sunny, who had suddenly acquired the tacky name Munsik, cried “meow—” and stared quietly at Gawon. It was clearly wary of the person in front of it, but thankfully it didn’t run away or hiss.

“He’s a little shy with strangers. I guess it’s because you’re the first person to come into my room.”

Gawon felt a little strange at the fact Gijun had told him so casually.

If you say it like that, I have no choice but to misunderstand. I can’t help but presumptuously think that maybe I’ve become a slightly special person to you…

“…Let’s start with the treatment.”

It’s foolish to misunderstand on your own when the person giving the rice cakes isn’t even thinking about it. He deliberately suggested it in a calm voice to hide his agitation. Gawon followed Gijun to the bathroom. He meticulously washed his hands using a fragrant hand wash.

Just as he’d said he often treated himself at home, the first-aid kit was equipped with pretty much all the necessary supplies. He didn’t have any professional knowledge, but… he had treated his mother’s wounds, and his own wounds, at home a few times, so he figured he could just do it as he had always done.

“Sit comfortably.”

“Okay.”

Gijun nodded his head obediently at Gawon’s command, which sounded like he was the owner of the house. Gijun, who had taken off his school uniform jacket and shirt and was now in a short-sleeved t-shirt, sat on the edge of the bed. Gawon, sitting next to him, poured alcohol into a bowl containing cotton balls.

After squeezing the thoroughly soaked cotton ball, he picked it up with tweezers. Now that he was actually about to do the treatment, he naturally became nervous. Gawon looked at Gijun’s face with a serious expression.

First… the area around his eye.

The moment he placed the cotton on the cut near the bruised eye, Gijun furrowed his brow slightly. Gawon watched the arch of his coolly extended eyebrow crumple, pressing down on his own lips and biting them. He felt like he was the one in more pain. Even though Gijun, who was actually receiving the treatment, showed no further reaction.

He disinfected the wound by patting it gently so it wouldn’t hurt, and carefully applied the ointment he had squeezed out beforehand. His brow furrowed on its own from concentrating so as not to get it in the eye.

Before he knew it, silence had fallen in the room. Only the faint sound of breathing in and out filled the surroundings. Gijun kept his eyes lowered and remained still, letting Gawon do whatever he wanted. Like a dog obediently following its owner’s touch.

This time, it was the corner of his mouth. Looking at the swollen cheek and the split corner of his lip, Gawon scowled openly. The horrible thing that had happened in the classroom earlier kept coming to mind, making his heart pound unpleasantly. Just like a moment ago, Gijun’s brow creased faintly.

“Just bear it a little longer. Your neck area is hurt too.”

“Okay.”

These bastards, they’ve turned this kid into a complete rag. Suppressing the curses that were rising up, Gawon silently continued the treatment.

“Pull your t-shirt down a little more.”

Gawon, who was applying medicine to the neck that was like a solid log, instructed. Gijun grabbed the collar of his t-shirt and pulled it down.

Then, a new wound near his collarbone became visible. He had to treat this too, but if he kept doing it with the shirt on like this, it seemed like the medicine would get on it, and the part he pulled down would get stretched out.

“This won’t do. Just take off your shirt.”

Gijun, who had been blinking and looking at Gawon for a moment, crossed his arms without a word. Then, with a fluid motion, he flung off his t-shirt.

Gawon, who had scooped up a generous amount of medicine with a cotton swab and then raised his head, froze. Below Gijun’s face, which was staring intently at him, he saw, naturally, a bare body. His mind, which had been completely engrossed in the treatment, snapped back to reality.

It’s fine. We’re both guys anyway, so what… Gawon applied the medicine, trying hard to focus his gaze only on the wound.

The wound near the collarbone was longer and deeper than he had thought. It was a good thing he’d had him take off his shirt. Gawon delicately applied medicine on top of the scab and also put on a bandage. During all that, Gijun didn’t let out a single groan. But the slight furrow in his brow could not be hidden.

“…It hurts a lot, doesn’t it.”

“It’s fine.”

“If it hurts, say it hurts. Don’t hide it just to try and look cool.”

It was a joke thrown out to ease the awkwardly tense atmosphere. Since Gijun was always going on and on about wanting to look cool to him.

“What will you do for me if I say it hurts?”

“…Huh?”

“You told me to say it if it hurts. Will Yoon Gawon make it not hurt then?”

Gijun smiled playfully. Hmm. There wasn’t really anything he could do… Gawon, rolling his eyes, looked straight at Gijun and said.

“Um… I can blow on it for you.”

Finding what he himself said funny, a small puff of air escaped him. Joking around like this with another grown boy was something only possible when he was alone with Gijun. Gawon didn’t dislike moments like this.

“Then blow on it for me.”

Gijun said in a languid voice. The content was a request, but for some reason, the feeling was strangely like a command.

As if I can’t do it if you tell me to. A pointless stubbornness surged up. Gawon boldly brought his face close. Even closer than when he had been treating him just a moment ago.

Feeling like he might fall over, he fumbled and placed his palm on the bed for support. Along with the feeling of the soft mattress sinking, Gawon’s upper body tilted closer toward Gijun.

His face was right in front of his eyes. If he got just a little closer, it felt like the tips of their noses would touch. On Gijun’s split lips, the ointment he had just applied with his own hands glistled. Gawon puckered his lips as if to whistle.

Hoo—.

A ticklish breath reached Gijun’s lips. Gawon curved his lips into a satisfied smile. I blew on it for you, didn’t I? Gawon, who was about to ask triumphantly, froze for a moment.

“…”

“…”

His eyes slowly widened. The realization hit him, several beats too late.

His face. His lips. They were too, too… close.

Gawon tried to pull his body back in a flash, as if he had been burned. But it was before his upper body could pull away. A firm grip seized his arm first. Gawon’s body stopped dead in its tracks.

Everything was excessively close. The face he had always thought was handsome. The manly, prominent Adam’s apple and the thick collarbone that ran straight across. The pectoral muscles that were rough and ruggedly bulging, unfitting for his young and boyish face.

And, the trembling breath that Gijun let out.

Their gazes locked. Inside the deep eyes, there was a flame. It was something whose identity and cause Gawon could not fathom.

He only knew that it was hot. It was a flame of a very, very high temperature. So much so that he was suddenly afraid it would spread to his own heart.

Thump, thump, thump… The sound of a drum came from somewhere. Listening to the sound beating against his eardrums, Gawon held the breath he was exhaling. He couldn’t breathe freely, as if caught in a trap. Everything felt like a dream—laughing normally, making eye contact, and joking around until just now.

“It really doesn’t hurt.”

“…”

“I guess it’s because Yoon Gawon blew on it for me.”

Gijun whispered in a low voice. Sweetly, quietly, like a man whispering words of love into his lover’s ear.

They were at a distance where their lips could touch. His gaze, directed solely at Gawon, was straight. In that moment, all the strength drained from his body.

“…Gi, Gijun.”

The end of his voice as he called the kid’s name trembled foolishly. At the same time, Gijun’s hand that was gripping his arm slid away.

As soon as it did, Gawon pulled his body back. The breath he hadn’t been able to exhale while he was touchingly close to Gijun finally burst out desperately.

The nape of his neck was hot. Even without looking in a mirror, he could tell his face was flushed as if it would explode. Gawon kept his gaze lowered and picked at the innocent blanket. He felt as if steam would puff out of his ears.

He couldn’t possibly look at Gijun’s face. Why, why was he being like this. After they had eaten together, walked side by side, and he had even treated his wounds all this time without any problems.

Right, no matter how he thought about it, blowing on it was the problem. No, telling him to take off his clothes was going overboard in the first place… I should have just done it with his clothes on. I shouldn’t have agreed when he asked me to blow on it. Gawon struggled inwardly, blaming his careless self.

“Ha… I got excited for nothing.”

Gijun ran a hand through his hair messily and chuckled. Gawon tried hard to reply nonchalantly.

“Wh-what. What about.”

“I thought Yoon Gawon was going to kiss me.”

The voice that spoke so casually was sweet and soft. Like the chocolate milk Gijun was always drinking.

Thud, his heart dropped. Gawon trembled, as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have.

“Are you crazy? Why would I do… something like that to you!”

“Why, you could.”

“…I’m, I’m a guy.”

“Yeah. I’m a guy too?”

There he goes again, again. Gijun’s unique, nonchalant reply. Gawon was at a loss for words for a moment, just gnawing on his lip, before he shrieked.

“Clothes, hurry up and put on your clothes!”

“Alright. You’re the one who made me take it off, but you’re getting so angry.”

Gijun grinned and picked up the t-shirt he had taken off beside him. While he dawdled, sticking his head through and putting on the shirt, Gawon kept his face turned away the whole time. A flush of red spread from his earlobes to the bridge of his nose.