PAO 42

“Seowon.”

Minsung, who had arrived first, waved his hand. Seowon looked around and approached him.

“Where’s Minhee?”

“He wasn’t waking up, so I just came first. He’s making a fuss, asking why I didn’t wake him up.”

Minsung pointed to his constantly ringing phone. He said it was all Minhee cursing him out, and it seemed unlikely he would make it to class on time. It was unfortunate, but since he could be alone with Minsung, Seowon put his bag on the desk and immediately collapsed onto it.

“Did you not get any sleep?”

“I didn’t sleep.”

After even drinking beer and forcing himself to stay awake, he was tired beyond words.

“Why didn’t you sleep?”

“Hmm… That’s a good question. Why did I do that.”

Was it because he was worried Junghoo would leave? Or was it because he was worried he would struggle again due to the pheromones?

Whatever it was, Junghoo was the cause. All night, he stared at the door to the room he had entered. He even secretly left the door half open, just in case something happened.

“Will you be able to attend class today?”

“I have to. The exams are just around the corner now.”

That was why he had forced his tired body to come out today. He had made Junghoo promise to change the passcode back to the original one and to answer his calls and messages without fail. While still collapsed on the desk, Seowon lifted his phone and sent a message asking where he was.

As soon as he sent the message, the “1” disappeared. Does he have the chat window open? Or did he try to contact me at the same time? In any case, since he had read his message, Seowon waited for a reply, but it was quiet.

“This is a problem.”

Hiss, he took a breath and got up from the desk. Then, intending to send another message to Junghoo, he held his phone with both hands. The moment he positioned both thumbs to type quickly, a reply came.

[Thinking of you.]

“Ha.”

He had sent a message asking where he was, but a nonsensical answer came back.

“He must be running around in my head.”

So that Junghoo could run and play well, Seowon smiled and tapped his phone.

[I was thinking of you too. We must be holding hands nicely in my head. Since that’s the case, come home early this evening.]

Fight nonsense with nonsense.

Seowon placed his phone face down on the desk. Just knowing he could contact Junghoo was enough, so he could check the next reply later.

“Minsung.”

Instead, Seowon turned his body toward Minsung. The person he could confide in the most right now was Minsung. They had been hanging out frequently lately, and he also knew about Junghoo.

“You know, I…”

As Seowon’s voice trailed off, Minsung leaned in, curious. At Minsung’s attentiveness, his lips closed and his eyes quietly meeting his, Seowon let out the words that filled his mind.

“I didn’t believe it until now… but I think it’s a game of push-and-pull.”

“Push-and-pull?”

“Yeah. When the other person was trying to pull me in, I planted my feet firmly and resisted, but when he started pushing, I found myself pulling.”

While Minsung just blinked, trying to interpret his words, Seowon paid him no mind and said what he had to say.

“I was worried about what I would do if I got caught by him and devoured, but now I’ve become the carnivore. I found myself wondering how I could devour him.”

Whatever it was, everything had been reversed.

“So, what I’m saying is…”

This was the main point.

“What should I do to devour him safely and without any trouble?”

He couldn’t think of it alone, so he asked Minsung.

“In that case, there’s only one thing.”

Then, at the voice that came from behind him, Seowon turned around in surprise to see Minhee wiping his forehead.

“That’s how all hunting methods are. You go stealthily so they don’t notice, and then BAM! You snatch them up.”

Minhee acted as if he were a lion, curving his hands and making a gesture of grabbing Seowon.

“You don’t give them a chance to find an escape route.”

“This isn’t about lions.”

“It would be similar with people, right? Make him let his guard down. To do that, hmm… it would be good for the two of you to spend some quality time together.”

Minhee gave the solution with a fresh smile and went over to Minsung. And while he was wrapping his arm around Minsung’s neck and choking him for not being in contact, Seowon was lost in thought.

It was true that besides barging into Junghoo’s house yesterday, he hadn’t made any other progress. When he had suggested they drink beer, Junghoo had obediently set the table and gone into his room, and he didn’t come out even as dawn broke.

Beer was delicious even when drinking alone, but yesterday, he couldn’t taste anything but the carbonation.

He did think that things couldn’t go on like this.

‘He’s telling me to loosen Junghoo’s guard?’

Come to think of it, it seemed they had been busy hiding their true feelings from each other. It was similar now, even after they had learned most of each other’s inner thoughts. Junghoo was still wary of him and didn’t try to get close.

‘Quality time together.’

At a certain scene that formed in his mind, Seowon propped his chin on his hand and smiled.

I’ve got it.

Yoo Taeha, who had lost his place to sit because of Junghoo splayed out on the chair like a squid, shot him a dumbfounded look.

“What are you doing in my room.”

This wasn’t the clinic; it was his home.

And yet, as if bursting in suddenly wasn’t enough, he had staggered over to the chair and was now half-lying on it. Yoo Taeha, who lived alone and only had one chair without a sofa, was overcome with the impulse to kick his cousin out.

“Go lie down in your own house.”

“Seowon is there.”

“Then that’s even better. You were always crying Seowon, Seowon.”

At Yoo Taeha’s words, spoken as he loosened his tie, Junghoo swore under his breath, his gaze still fixed on the ceiling.

“I can’t go because of that Han Seowon.”

“What are you talking about.”

Yoo Taeha approached Junghoo while unbuttoning the cuffs of his sleeves. As he acted like he couldn’t understand, Junghoo grimaced.

“You, of all people, hyung, shouldn’t have the right to ask a question like that.”

“The thing I told Mr. Seowon? Isn’t it better that way? You seemed to be terribly worried.”

On top of that, he had also made himself into a standby person who could come running whenever he was called.

At Yoo Taeha’s nonchalant reaction, Junghoo shot up from his seat.

“He’s clinging to me on purpose now that he knows. He doesn’t think he’ll get hurt by my pheromones.”

Every single one of Junghoo’s movements as he took a two-liter bottle of water from the fridge and twisted off the cap was laced with irritation.

His heart was filled with nothing but worry for Seowon, but the person in question didn’t understand. Even when he was creating distance and saying he didn’t want him to, Seowon would just grin and threaten him.

Normally, he was wary of him, but yesterday he was so slick. It made Seowon even harder to deal with, so he eventually fled to Yoo Taeha’s house.

Junghoo’s Adam’s apple bobbed 크게 as he poured a full cup of water and drank it.

“Weren’t you the one who clung to him on purpose?”

Then, a single phrase dropped by Yoo Taeha made Junghoo choke, and he let out a violent cough. After the coughing had subsided somewhat, Junghoo looked at Yoo Taeha.

“Me?”

Yoo Taeha took a towel from a drawer and threw it to Junghoo, whose raspy voice was still punctuated by lingering coughs.

“You did that to Mr. Seowon.”

At Yoo Taeha’s chiding tone, which implied did you forget already, Junghoo pressed the towel firmly against his lips and thought.

He had to use any means necessary to linger around Seowon, who had been awkward with him when he suddenly appeared. He somehow ended up acting like a lunatic, and after seeing Seowon’s horrified reaction, he realized it was working, so it wasn’t difficult after that.

He didn’t need to imitate anyone. All he had to do was reveal his feelings for Seowon as they were.

But what if it were the other way around?

“I guess this time Mr. Seowon doesn’t want to be away from you.”

Yoo Taeha told him to sort the situation out himself and went into the bathroom.

Yoo Junghoo, left alone, remained standing there to sort out his chaotic thoughts.

If Seowon is really imitating me…

“I was waiting for you. Why are you so late.”

The sound of Seowon’s voice, heard as soon as he entered the house, softly enveloped Junghoo’s ears. It was supposed to be nagging that he should hate hearing, but because it was Seowon, it just sounded pleasant.

“Seowon.”

Junghoo looked down at Seowon, who had half-risen from the sofa. It was a face he liked. And it was a face that, just like him, had a double eyelid on only one side.

“I love you.”

So he confessed. If he’s imitating me, wouldn’t he confess a similar feeling, even if it’s not love?

Thinking of his usual self, he should be the one to accept it with a slick demeanor. Although his purpose was to check if Seowon was really imitating him, he also had a desire to hear something like a confession. Junghoo hoped to hear the answer he wanted.

Seowon’s eyes half-closed upon hearing the sudden confession. He didn’t know what kind of feeling prompted it, but his voice did sound quite mellow.

His fingertips tingled and his heart fluttered, so he admitted to himself that he was shaken. Since he admitted it, he naturally knew how he should react.

He got up from the sofa and approached Junghoo. A smile appeared as he looked at the expectant face.

He had clung to him, saying things that didn’t even fit him, trying to break down his defenses, but why had it turned out like this?

“How much?”

Seowon wrapped his arms around Junghoo’s neck, pressing his body close as he asked.

“…”

“How much do you love me, Yoo Junghoo.”

“I didn’t expect you to ask that.”

“You said you love me, so you have to tell me in more detail.”

Seowon replied simply, saying he was just asking since the topic came up.

“As if saying I love you every day isn’t enough, Seowon, I love you.”

“That sounds nice. Tell me more.”

It was nice hearing it with his name included.