SWAP 20

…But as they say, it’s the “what ifs” that get you in the end.

Seoul, who had intended to push him away even by force, couldn’t help but be shocked in a different sense by Saheon’s arm, which held firm no matter how much strength he applied. It wasn’t because of the realization that this guy was so strong. He simply couldn’t believe the fact that he was such a weakling.

Come to think of it, it was the same earlier.

Seoul’s expression darkened rapidly as he looked back at the situation where he had been laid down so easily just because his wrist had been grabbed and pulled once.

Since the difference in their physical build was distinct, it was a natural result in a way, but his thoughts didn’t even reach that far. Seoul, who had always considered himself to be around average even if he wasn’t above it, opened his mouth with a serious air.

“…Saheon-ah.”

At the sound of his name being called, Saheon, whose sleepiness hadn’t fully faded, narrowed his eyes. He had expected Seoul to be more irritated and struggle further, so it was just becoming strange how he was lying there still. Through his blurry vision, Seoul’s expression, which had turned entirely earnest, came into view, and Saheon felt like a laugh might leak out. He wondered what kind of eccentric thoughts were going through that head now.

“What.”

“Should I really start working out?”

“…Suddenly?”

When he feigned ignorance and replied a beat late, a slight frown appeared between Seoul’s shapely brows. As Saheon held back the urge to smooth it out and watched quietly, Seoul glared down at the back of Saheon’s hand resting on him as if it were loathsome and spoke.

“There’s this… and I feel like I was laid down too easily earlier, so my pride is hurt.”

That was the problem. He had always thought about it, but right now… he felt almost like a paper doll. Even taking the surprise element into account, wasn’t this a bit much?

Since his thoughts were written plainly on his face, the corners of Saheon’s sleep-laden eyes curved slightly. In a way, it’s a talent to do something cute as naturally as breathing.

Ultimately unable to endure it, he buried his face in the pillow again.

Even so, a laugh that couldn’t be fully hidden split through the cotton and flowed out, making Seoul—who was watching the whole thing—feel nothing but wronged.

“Pfft….”

“Don’t laugh. I’m serious.”

“…….”

“Excuse me. I can see your shoulders shaking….”

What’s the point if he doesn’t make a sound? The movement of those broad shoulders hitching was completely obvious in real-time. He questioned exactly which part was funny. He knew Saheon’s sense of humor was strange, but today it was even harder to keep up.

While Seoul just blinked his eyes steadily, Saheon finally calmed down and peeked his head up. He had a face that seemed to anticipate that Seoul would pout if he laughed any more.

“Shall we do it together?”

“What? Working out?”

“Yeah. First, with me in the morning….”

There was no need to hear more.

“No.”

“Why. Listen more before you answer.”

“I hate it, no way….”

He looked ready to call a police Mister at any moment if Saheon suggested it one more time. Seoul, who had forgotten Saheon’s exercise volume due to the shock of being pinned with one hand, shuddered as he pictured the brutal scenes that came to mind. Part of it was maintaining his body because of his profession, but Seo Saheon had been naturally skilled at using his body since he was young. To the point where he might have chosen a career in sports if it weren’t for his constitution of suffering severely from the heat.

Why else would he have set up a separate training room at home?

Recalling the one time he had been dragged there, Seoul’s complexion turned pale of its own accord. It was a terrible time he never wanted to experience again. Realizing he almost stepped foot back into a place he now wouldn’t even enter by mistake, a terrified Seoul hurriedly decided to change the subject of the conversation.

He didn’t need to look far.

Because he remembered just in time the reason he had entered the room to wake Saheon up.

Having recalled that much, Seoul’s expression was colored with dismay. Because he wasn’t at a filming set where staff were stationed everywhere, he had let his guard down again unconsciously.

Seoul, having once again experienced the meaning of an “observational” variety show, bolted upright, and Saheon, who had been lying leisurely, also slowly raised his body.

The thin blanket slid down, and the sunlight passing through the window—which didn’t have a single curtain drawn—illuminated his bare upper body without filtration.

Stunned repeatedly by the sight of the densely packed muscles forming magnificent curves, Seoul looked around the area.

Fortunately, he spotted the T-shirt dropped on the floor and hurriedly picked it up. He tossed it over with a flick, intending for him to put something on, but the counterpart seemed to have absolutely no intention of doing so. Even though the T-shirt that flew in a parabola landed on his shoulder, far from thinking of wearing it, he just let out a listless yawn.

This guy, seriously.

“Are you an exhibitionist?”

Isn’t that how the world works? In the end, the person who is anxious is the one who reaches out first. Unable to erase his absurd expression, Seoul approached Saheon’s side and snatched the crumpled T-shirt. “Close your eyes.” When he whispered in case Saheon might get hurt by a stray graze, the eyelids that were only halfway open closed obediently.

It was irritating how he was only submissive at times like this, so Seoul briefly considered putting it on him backward but stopped. It was because his face, with his head popping through the neckline yet still keeping his eyes closed, was cute.

Is it because he just woke up?

The hot, disheveled appearance was exactly like a cat under the sun.

He had an expression that looked like he might even purr if his chin were rubbed, so Seoul put strength into his fingertips. Squeezing out a face that looked as if nothing were wrong while repeating ten times in his head that he shouldn’t touch him, Seoul spoke firmly.

“Now, put it on yourself.”

“…….”

“Open your eyes.”

In fact, finishing the job of dressing him wouldn’t have been difficult.

It was just a matter of pulling his arms through twice; what was the big deal?

But that was exactly why he had to be more careful. It was because he was aware to some extent that the distance between him and Saheon was more peculiar than the relationship typically called “friends.” It felt like things were already halfway ruined, but shouldn’t he still try?

Since he seems to have no thoughts about it, I should at least be careful.

With that resolve, he stood up, ignoring a task he would have normally done for him. He felt like his heart would grow weak if he stayed attached to him.

“I’ll be outside, so if you’re too sleepy, sleep more before coming out.”

Yes, they were heading out in the afternoon anyway, so there was no need to wake up right now. He could skip breakfast once, and regarding the packing problem, he would end up helping him anyway.

Seoul, finishing his words hurriedly, turned around briskly.

Then, before he could be caught, he disappeared beyond the bedroom door. Without even looking at Saheon, who was slowly opening his eyes.

“…….”

Left alone unexpectedly, Saheon’s gaze lingered near the door.

After a moment of silence, he pulled on the T-shirt that was dangling awkwardly below his neck in an instant. As if the time he spent dawdling like a lazy beast never existed, the movement of his hand brushing back his disheveled hair was rough. It was obvious what was going on in that head of his—acting all distant now after just digging into his arms and breathing softly.

So you won’t even look at me after I listened to you so well.

The relaxed face turned crooked in an instant.

“…I told you to just sleep more before coming out?”

In the end, he couldn’t hold it in and blurted it out. It was a suggestion in form, but in reality, it was no different from an instruction to go back into the room. One might consider it cold, but for Seoul, he had been quite patient. He had left him alone since Saheon seemed to want more sleep, but he couldn’t understand Saheon, who insisted on following him out to protest in silence.

If he was just being quiet, he would have let it go.

But he followed him everywhere like a puppy, and whenever they made eye contact, he made it extremely obvious that he was dejected; it was incredibly distracting.

He didn’t know exactly where Saheon’s feelings had been hurt earlier. Seoul desperately ignored the truth, telling himself there was no way he was acting like that just because he didn’t dress him. As if he had sensed Seoul’s guess, Saheon, standing right behind his back, protested in a low voice.

“Why, am I annoying?”

…Actually, he was a little annoying.

However, picturing the situation that would unfold the moment he admitted it, Seoul shook his head gently. He racked his brain for a good way to express it and avoided Saheon’s gaze as much as possible, but it was a pointless effort. It was because of Seo Saheon, who kept thrusting his face in the direction Seoul turned, like a patient suffering from a disease where he would die if he didn’t make eye contact.

It wasn’t even child’s play, yet every time he snapped his head away, a handsome face caught his vision, making him feel naturally troubled.

If his mood soured further like this, he would immediately grab Seoul by the chin. In the end, Seoul, being the first to give up, stopped shaking his head and opened his mouth.

“No, it’s not exactly that….”

What should he say? While he hesitated because he couldn’t think of a good answer yet, the atmosphere around Saheon—who was staring intensely at Seoul—subsided at once. When gloom settled into his naturally cold features, it created an illusion where even the background faded.

A flustered Seoul raised his hand in surprise. He wondered if this was really something to feel so hurt about, but it was when he thought that soothing him was the priority.

Seo Saheon dropped a bomb without warning.

“If I’m not annoying, is it because you don’t want to do this? Is it hard now that filming has actually started? So you don’t even want to see me?”

What on earth… is he talking about?

Seoul was speechless because he couldn’t understand the intention behind uttering such words when cameras were installed all over the place. Did he hear that correctly? Saheon, who had moved a span closer to the dazed Seoul, tilted his head. A shadow fell over Seoul’s face before he could escape.

Isn’t this also too close?

Even in the midst of his confusion, he reflexively reached out as a warning light flashed.

He intended to push him away just a little, but Saheon, noticing that like a ghost, instead caught the white palm. Far from stopping there, he even interlaced their fingers, causing question marks to be drawn all over Seoul’s face. He tried to pull his arm away hurriedly, but it was in vain as expected. The firmly entwined fingers showed no sign of loosening.

Seoul, who found himself with one hand bound unexpectedly, took a step back in spite of himself.

He hadn’t even shaken him off and run away. Yet Saheon, as if he couldn’t endure even that one step, opened his mouth while frowning deeply. Of course, what popped out of that mouth was no different from gunpowder, just like moments ago.

“Look. Earlier you just left me and went out alone, and now you won’t even look at me and are just running away. You weren’t like this yesterday, so why are you suddenly acting so cold?”

“Hey, there’s a contradiction in your words….”

“Did your mood sour because I was being stubborn?”

How on earth could he reach such a conclusion?

Seoul’s heart burned at his best friend’s self-deprecation, as he dug a deeper and deeper hole just because a line had been drawn.