GBAS 10

Hyunwoo awkwardly rolled his eyes after meeting Jooin’s gaze. What was he even trying to do? They hadn’t even exchanged a single word yet, but his stomach was already churning and his face was burning.

It seemed like he came to say something, but… Jooin, staring intently at Hyunwoo, who had stopped in an awkward posture, leaned his guitar against a nearby box, patted the spot next to him, and said,

“Want to sit?”

Hyunwoo, picking up his bag, nodded and quickly sat down on the spot where Jooin had brushed off the sand.

“…….”

“…….”

An awkward atmosphere lingered under the beach umbrella, swept by the salty sea breeze.

He had prepared himself by simulating the start of the conversation dozens of times just today, but now that he was face-to-face with the person involved, he couldn’t open his mouth.

What should he do?

The only fortunate thing in this unfortunate situation was that Jooin didn’t seem particularly angry. After what had happened, wasn’t it awkward? It was also strange that Jooin was talking to him so casually, even though Hyunwoo had once run away from him.

‘What is he thinking?’

It was the third time Hyunwoo had glanced sideways to steal a look at Jooin’s profile as he bit his lip.

“Is that for me?”

Jooin, adjusting his posture, asked, pointing at the soda can in Hyunwoo’s hand.

Ah. Only then did Hyunwoo realize he was holding a drink. He fumbled, vigorously wiped the area around his lips with the hem of his t-shirt, and opened the can to hand it to Jooin.

“Thanks.”

Jooin took the soda can from Hyunwoo’s hand and took a few sips of the lukewarm fruit-flavored drink. It must taste bad because it’s lukewarm. As he watched Jooin drink it casually, Hyunwoo opened his own drink just before Jooin’s lips left the can.

Psssh!

Without a moment’s notice, the drink gushed out, overflowing onto Hyunwoo’s hand.

“Ha.”

Nothing was going his way.

Jooin handed a tissue to Hyunwoo, who was staring blankly at the dark purple liquid fizzing and seeping into the sand, and offered him the drink he had been sipping, asking,

“Want this?”

Hyunwoo shook his head. He couldn’t add the sin of an indirect kiss in this situation where he was conscious of what he had done.

“No, it’s okay…”

“Ah, right. Sorry. I’ll give you something else.”

Before Hyunwoo could finish his reply, Jooin retracted his offer, turned to his right, and opened the lid of a large box.

“Here.”

The moment Hyunwoo took what Jooin offered, his brow furrowed.

What Jooin took out of the box was the same grape-flavored soda that Hyunwoo had brought. The difference was that the one Hyunwoo brought was as warm as his body temperature, while this one was ice cold.

Hyunwoo’s gaze turned back to Jooin.

‘…What is he really?’

Jooin, unfazed by Hyunwoo’s gaze fixed on his cheek, took another sip of the lukewarm drink and adjusted his posture.

At that moment, the wide shorts covering Jooin’s lap fluttered in the wind.

“Ah, right.”

Having noticed something in that brief moment, Hyunwoo quickly opened his bag and took out a few items, spreading them on the mat.

“What’s that?”

Jooin, sitting with his knees together, rested his chin on them and asked.

“It’s… a pain relief patch?”

It was an unbelievably curt tone, considering he should have been speaking politely. However, Jooin, seemingly unconcerned with Hyunwoo’s tone, asked in his usual voice,

“Why? Does it hurt somewhere?”

Seriously.

Hyunwoo met Jooin’s gaze directly and shook his head. Then he pointed to Jooin’s thigh and said,

“I saw a bruise. I thought you might need it.”

“Ah.”

Jooin nodded as if he finally understood and glanced at the items placed between him and Hyunwoo.

Spray type, patch type, balm type, and so on. There was no way there would be a pharmacy on the island, but Jooin’s lips curved into a gentle smile, as if amused by the fact that Hyunwoo had brought a full range of products, as if he had raided the villa.

“Then just this.”

Jooin picked up a tube-type pain relief balm.

As he opened the cap of the balm, a pungent smell spread. Jooin squeezed a long line of white lotion onto his hand, dabbed it on the bruise on the inside of his thigh that Hyunwoo had mentioned, and slightly pulled down the shirt on his shoulder to dab it on the red marks all over his upper body.

Seeing it up close made what he had vaguely thought become clear.

‘Jeon Hyunwoo, you really are a son of a bitch.’

Letting out a deep sigh, Hyunwoo forced out an apology.

“I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

“Th, that day… it was a mistake. I don’t really remember why I did that at first, but even so, I shouldn’t have done that to you…”

Once he started talking, the rest was easier.

“Yesterday, I wasn’t trying to ignore you. I was just so shocked. You must have been even more shocked. I don’t know why I did that either, really. I really don’t know. Even now, I don’t understand everything, but anyway, if you’re okay, I, I’ll…”

Should he say this? Hyunwoo hesitated, his lips twitching.

“So, I, I’ll take responsi…”

Just as Hyunwoo, having made up his mind, was about to offer the best apology he could,

“No, I’m okay.”

Hyunwoo, losing his turn because Jooin’s words were finished a bit faster, trailed off with a bewildered expression.

“…Yes?”

Hyunwoo’s eyes, red as if he were about to burst into tears, turned towards Jooin. Jooin, glancing at Hyunwoo staring at him with a devastated expression, mumbled and averted his gaze to the ground.

This wasn’t what he intended. Absolutely not. He was going to take responsibility for what he had done, he definitely was…

Staring intently at Jooin, who was avoiding his gaze as if embarrassed by what he had said, Hyunwoo bit his innocent lip and muttered inwardly.

Why was he so annoyed by the words “I’m okay”? It would have been better if Baek Jooin was angry at him. He knew Jooin had a laid-back personality, but today he was frustratingly unresponsive.

But it wasn’t just Baek Jooin who was frustrating him. His emotions were swinging wildly for some reason today, making him feel like he was going crazy.

“Phew.”

Watching Hyunwoo sigh deeply, Jooin continued in a calm voice as if to soothe him,

“I’m really okay. I’m saying this because I’m really okay.”

“No, you’re not.”

Hyunwoo replied, shaking his head as if he had no intention of listening, and Jooin responded in a slightly cold tone, as if confronting him,

“No. You don’t need to worry about it.”

“I know you’re not. How could you do that to another man…”

“Jeon Hyunwoo.”

Jooin called Hyunwoo in a serious voice. Then, he took a breath as if frustrated and continued,

“How many times do I have to say I’m okay? It’s not like this is the first or second time something like this has happened, so there’s no need to…”

What?

Hyunwoo asked back in shock,

“What did you say?”

That can’t be. It was shocking. Hyunwoo’s mind went blank, and only Jooin’s words remained, echoing over and over.

It’s not like this is the first or second time something like this has happened. It’s not like this is the first or second time something like this has happened. It’s not like this is the first or second time something like this has happened. It’s not like this is the first or second time something like this has happened. It’s not like this is the first or second time something like this has happened…

Jooin, sitting with his elbow on his knee, seemingly relieved after dropping the bombshell, continued without looking at Hyunwoo,

“And don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve been anxious since yesterday, haven’t you?”

Hyunwoo, speechless at the shock of having his inner thoughts read, stared at Jooin with his mouth agape. Jooin glanced at Hyunwoo with an annoyed look and said in a somewhat cynical tone,

“I know you’re not… into this. Just think of it as stepping on a landmine. That’ll be easier. For both of us.”

Aside from Jooin’s shocking attitude, Hyunwoo couldn’t contain his curiosity. So he asked,

“…What do you mean by ‘into this’?”

At Hyunwoo’s question, Jooin made a troubled expression and just shook his head without answering.

“Anyway, if you’re still uncomfortable, tell me. I’ll leave.”

“Leave where?”

“The guild.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because you keep looking uncomfortable and anxious.”

Jooin’s last words left Hyunwoo speechless.

Leave? He’s offering to leave? That was absolutely not what he wanted.

Jooin, glancing at the silent Hyunwoo, carefully picked up the guitar he had set aside for practice. Just as he was about to play a single note from the song he was going to play for the first time at this performance, Jeon Hyunwoo, who had been sitting blankly, opened his mouth.

It started out of pure spite.

“No?”

Hyunwoo’s voice cracked pathetically.

Hyunwoo was truly uncomfortable with Jooin.

“I’m not uncomfortable at all. If anything, it’s you who’s uncomfortable, isn’t it?”

But that didn’t mean he wanted Jooin to disappear before his eyes. Absolutely not.

Hyunwoo shrugged and said,

“It’s not like this is the first or second time something like this has happened to me either.”

At that, Jooin narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Hyunwoo, asking,

“…Really?”

“Yes, of course. I’m saying I’m fine.”

Jooin asked repeatedly as if to confirm, but Hyunwoo nodded confidently and pretended to be perfectly fine with all his might.

He shouldn’t have done that.

It’s all Baek Jooin’s fault. It’s because of Baek Jooin that he told such a ridiculous lie, that he made such an absurd demand. It’s all Baek Jooin’s fault that things got twisted like this.

‘I’m not uncomfortable at all. If anything, it’s you who’s uncomfortable, isn’t it?’

Hyunwoo would regret these words for a long time to come.

<The Frontier> Inven Free Board

202*-02-21 20:33 Views 1,781 Recommendations 3

Author: Hangerchief

[Free Talk] Did Master and Slave get divorced?

Just curious.

List | Comments (39)

BlueSky: Yes

Turtle: Han Ji, this is old news.

TwoLeafClover: What is that, you nerd?

└ TomatoesAreDelicious: Scary…

Burrito: How can they get divorced? Wasn’t it a lifetime contract?

└ YellowK: You must have quit the game. This is so old lol.

└ Burrito: Oh, seriously, what the…

1108: Please, one of you leave the guild and enter the free agent market.

└ UniJjajang: Real. Whether it’s Nㅇ or Jㅇ, please let’s share.

└ Wangang: Praying, day 1.

└ Malang: As if.

Jiwook: I hope the discord ‘rumor’ is true ^^ (please)
└ Chairman: What difference would it make?

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