/
It was advantageous to stay close to Noah Jeong. The matching rate with him wasn’t too bad.
“Um, hello?”
It was around the time he approached the entrance of the accommodation. She was the same woman with the bright lipstick he’d seen in his room with Jeong Noah the other day. He bowed his head lightly.
She passed by, flicking her flowing hair behind her ear, her eyes shining with a meaningful smile. Why was she acting like that? Raising an eyebrow, Jae-chan continued walking along the corridor on the first floor.
He soon noticed the doorknob of the room being open. Ah. Is Jeong Noah already here? It seemed like the two of them had a good time again.
‘I wish they could go on dates somewhere other than the room.’
Jae-chan went inside without a second thought.
Above his head, the sensor light flickered on. He took off his sneakers and unbuttoned his jacket as he walked through the short corridor leading to the room.
“Jae-chan.”
A familiar voice suddenly echoed in front of him. When their eyes met, even before he could react, an uncomfortable shiver ran down his spine. It was Seon Eun-soo, standing alone in the dimly lit room without the lights on, his face darkened by the already settled evening sky.
Thunk. At the same time as the lights went out behind him, the corner of his brother’s mouth went up.
It happened in the next moment. Before he could react, he was forcefully pushed against the wall, his collar held tightly. It all happened in an instant, accompanied by incomprehensible mumbling.
“Why are your panties off like this? Are you mentally ill?”
Eugh, as Jae-chan swallowed a brief groan, Seon Eun-soo shook the small white underwear in his hand.
“Or are you trying to show it off to me?”
Seo Eun-soo was holding his younger brother’s neck tightly with the other hand before he knew it. Seon Jae-chan, whose eyes crinkled reflexively, immediately lowered his gaze. Seon Eun-soo relaxed after observing Jae-chan’s submissive acceptance. It was because his younger brother, who had stiffly raised his head in front of him throughout the ceremony, appeared to have regained his senses.
That’s right. This is his younger brother.
As he observed the collapsing figure, his heart became more forgiving. Seon Eun-soo inhaled a languid breath as if inhaling the scent of sweetener, and a dimple appeared on one cheek.
Rather than Jae-chan’s throbbing carotid artery, which Eun-soo wanted to crush in the palm of his hand as a sign of affection, he tightly molded the soft underwear with his other hand. Seon Eun-soo had no idea his younger brother was adjusting the angle of his knee and looking toward his lower abdomen.
Just as Seon Jae-chan with dry eyes beneath his slumped head, was about to lift his knee precisely.
Bang! The door unexpectedly swung open.
“…”
As the sensor light illuminated the room, Seon Eun-soo quickly retreated in astonishment. Even in the midst of his own surprise, Jae-chan couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. Anyway, his older brother was a man who cares about his image in other people’s eyes.
The two brothers’ gazes were drawn to the orange-colored porch. Jeong Noah, who was entering the room while humming a nonsensical tune and swinging a bag with the logo “Our House Dumplings” in one hand, also entered and spotted the two of them at the same time.
Soon Jeong Noah’s mouth fell open.
“What the fuck are you doing, taking someone else’s underwear!”
Jeong Noah threw the bag of dumplings and snatched his underwear from Seon Eun-soo’s hand while shouting curse words.
*
“That perverted bastard!”
Jeong Noah, who had been shouting loudly as if holding a megaphone to his mouth, was throwing his underwear into the trash can. It was the pure cotton underwear that Seon Eun-soo held in his hands five minutes ago. He usually hangs his underwear on the doorknob to dry when he runs out of clotheslines, but he never thought that would be a big mistake.
After being injected with drugs by a perverted stalker in August and having to go to the urology department, he was even more annoyed at the new cotton underwear that he had made up his mind to buy.
Seon Jae-chan vaguely listened to his roommate’s voice and looked out the window. Seon Eun-soo was greeting the dormitory manager, who greeted Jae-chan warmly earlier. Eun-soo appeared to be smiling as usual, but in Jae-chan’s eyes, a distorted impression of unease was clearly visible, which made him smile.
It was because Seon Eun-soo’s right hand, which had fallen after a friendly hug with the manager, had been lifted at an angle, like the appearance of keeping one’s distance from the hand holding a rag.
He could even bet a coin on the fact that Eun-soo was going to find a place to wash his hands immediately. Although he regretted not being able to kick between Seon Eun-soo’s legs as planned, his older brother appeared equally shocked by the fact that he had been toying with someone else’s underwear and that he had experienced a mental shock.
“Crazy bastard. Why take someone else’s underwear…”
Meanwhile, Jeong Noah grumbled as he ripped open the steaming hot dumpling package. It wasn’t like he was some heinous criminal. Why was he fiddling with other people’s underwear like kneading steamed dumplings? It made him feel even more uncomfortable when he remembered the perverted stalker bastard who was now imprisoned.
Not only was that stalker interested in women’s eccentricities, but he was also interested in men’s underwear.
His swearing became more intense when he remembered Esper Seon Eun-soo, who hurriedly left the room with a troubled smile. Why does someone who looks perfectly fine live like that? A strange thought suddenly flashed through Jeong Noah’s mind as he clicked his tongue to dilute his displeasure.
‘…Wait.’
Jeong Noah remembered the scene he had seen upon entering the room. The distance between them and Seon Jae-chan, who was leaning against the wall.
“…”
Jeong Noah rolled his tingly eyes and glanced at the cotton underwear thrown in the trash. Perhaps…
‘Did he think it was Jae-chan’s underwear, and not mine?’
He turned to look at his roommate who was standing by the window. Seon Jae-chan was checking his phone which had just been ringing. Jeong Noah’s eyes widened as he noticed Jae-chan’s tucked his fine hair just past his ears, his delicate facial lines, and his slightly parted lips. His brow frowned sharply the next moment.
“Oh, fuck!”
Perverted bastard! Seon Jae-chan raised his eyebrows and frowned at the sudden shout. Jeong Noah, who had been swearing out of nowhere, was kicking a trash can by himself.
Thump, thump, bang! The trash can then collided with the desk and stopped, causing the man to scream and bend over. Jae-chan put his phone in as he watched the super-giant shrimp run amok and clenched his hands around his toes.
“Hey. Where are you going? – Huh? You’re going out again?!”
Jeong Noah asked as Jae-chan grabbed his coat from the closet. Grabbing his wallet, Jae-chan said, “See you later,” and headed out the door.
[Do you have time?]
That was the message he had received a while ago from Kim Geun-won. Next to him in the selfie he sent, there was Go Woo-jin.
There was no hesitation. Jae-chan realized he couldn’t avoid him forever.
If they had to meet anyway, it would be better to meet with someone talkative like Kim Geun-won in the middle. As if encouraging himself to do something he didn’t want to do, Seon Jae-chan’s steps toward the place where Kim Geun-won sent him were determined.
*
On Friday evening, the only pub in the center was bustling with people.
Go Woo-jin was dropping a couple of ice cubes into the whiskey. He didn’t usually enjoy alcohol, but the reason why he ordered a high-alcohol drink was to match the speed of getting drunk with Kim Geun-won.
Kim Geun-won ordered chicken with his beer according to his taste. Next to it were small bowls filled with puffed rice and peanuts. Kim Geun-won fumbled with the peanut shells, wondering if he should have ordered something for Sun Jae-chan to drink beforehand.
“Since he always drinks beer.”
Kim Geun-won insisted, brushing the crumbs from his fingers. Go Woo-jin’s eyes narrowed.
“He didn’t even reply. What if he doesn’t come?”
“He should be arriving soon.”
Kim Geun-won assured him, but Woo-jin was skeptical. He knew that Geun-won had secretly taken a picture of him and sent it to Jae-chan, but…
He tilted his glass and let out a light sigh. He knew Jae-chan’s attitude of avoiding him lately. Would that guy still come here, knowing that he was here?
At that time, Kim Geun-won said, “Here.” He raised his thick palm to order. Woo-jin grabbed his arm and pulled out his wallet with his other hand.
“I’ll pay.”
“Heh. Are you taking care of your pair guide?”
A sly smile appeared on Kim Geun-won’s lips. Woo-jin sighed, ordered another beer, and handed over his card. In the end, consider it as the beer that would go into Kim Geun-won’s mouth.
The reason why Geun-won was making an effort to invite Jae-chan out was obvious. He wanted to strengthen the friendship between himself and that guy.
As he tilted the whiskey further into the ice-covered glass, Woo-jin suddenly remembered what happened on Mentosa Island.
‘Seon-ssi is an Esper?’
That was what Kim Geun-won had said when he rushed over in response to the call. He raised his eyes as if he had heard that they had found some kind of fairy.
“Did he really request me directly as a guide?”
Woo-jin also knew Kim Geun-won’s personality, which had strong likes and dislikes and placed importance on loyalty. He was someone who preferred being asked rather than asking for help. In a situation where Jae-chan had already been somewhat accommodating, it was surprising that he even revealed that he was an unregistered multi-guide and directly requested guiding from him.
It was a sufficient condition for Kim Geun-won to build a strong bond with Jae-chan.
“Let me look at your wallet… Huh?”
It happened when he was receiving his card back from the cashier after paying. As Kim Geun-won said cheerfully, Woo-jin tightly held onto his arm as he folded his wallet and put it away.