“…I’m not going home. So I can’t sleep at home.”
Putting aside that rather plausible thought, Seo Eunho let out a short sigh and answered obediently.
“Why aren’t you going home?”
“Because my dad’s there.”
It wasn’t something he needed to hide, so he returned the answer right away, but Tae Shinwoo closed his mouth for a moment, as if finding the reason hard to understand.
“Not all fathers are the same. That person is at home, so I’m not going in. That’s all.”
Seo Eunho could generously understand his reaction. Whether Tae Shinwoo would understand his words, which even to his own ears sounded like teenage bravado, was uncertain.
Well, it was too bothersome to go on and on about his father. He didn’t care if it looked like bravado.
“Then where do you sleep?”
Fortunately, Tae Shinwoo didn’t press further about why he avoided his father to that extent. Seo Eunho inhaled and exhaled cigarette smoke before answering as if it was nothing special.
“I don’t sleep.”
He had tried to sleep though. Sleeping rough wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Noisy people, bugs flying around buzzing—they all interfered with his sleep every time. In that case, it was better not to try sleeping at all, so that’s what he’d been doing.
But seriously, was there really no other way? Other than going home?
At the thought rising again, Seo Eunho let out a long sigh.
“What do you do if you don’t sleep? Part-time job?”
Whatever. Tae Shinwoo didn’t care at all about Seo Eunho’s sighs. Seo Eunho noticed that there was a subtle emphasis on the words “part-time job” and clicked his tongue. If he nodded, the guy would be ready to get him fired right away.
Or would he be the one getting fired by Tae Shinwoo? With some inexplicable confidence, he was certain it wouldn’t be that. Seo Eunho twisted the corner of his mouth and shook his head.
“I’m not doing part-time work. I just wander around.”
“Where do you wander?”
“I just walk wherever I can see.”
Until dawn broke, Seo Eunho walked wherever his feet took him. He did it because staying still made him restless. He’d walk leisurely, and when dawn deepened and the house became quiet, he’d creep in like a mouse, wash up, and get his uniform ready.
Still, on the first day he’d spent the night with just his body, but from the next day on, he’d also bring outer clothing to prepare for the temperature drop during the night. His efforts paid off—Seo Eunho hadn’t run into his father during that time. Though he had seen him sprawled out dead drunk.
“You’re really getting a good workout under the moonlight.”
Tae Shinwoo, who had been silent for a moment, muttered in an indifferent tone. At those words, he let out an absurd laugh. Was it because Tae Shinwoo’s words were so ridiculous? He particularly felt like chuckling every time he talked with the guy.
And for good reason. Normally people would feel a bit sorry, wouldn’t they, if you told them this kind of story? At least the people Seo Eunho had met did. But there was no sign of that from Tae Shinwoo.
So did that put him at ease? It wasn’t like Seo Eunho, who had been living off someone’s pity like it was a benefit, had any intention of doing so, but since it was a rather unwelcome emotion, he thought there might be that possibility.
“Until when is your father staying?”
“I don’t know.”
The ember had gotten close to his fingers. Seo Eunho took one last deep drag before putting out the cigarette. It was even more irritating not knowing when he’d leave. He was such a selfish person that there was no way to gauge it. Still, what was certain was that he wouldn’t stay guarding the house forever like that. If unlucky, he might stay at home for a month or two, or he could disappear as soon as today.
Please leave today. Please, when he returned home, he hoped his father wouldn’t be there. Throwing time away on the streets was an impossible thing to do. Before long, Seo Eunho would be unable to endure it and return home. Then he’d inevitably have to face his father.
“Then you just need a place to stay until your father leaves.”
Toward Seo Eunho, whose face had twisted at the suffocating thought, Tae Shinwoo spoke calmly. Seo Eunho’s eyebrows twitched as if asking what he meant, but Tae Shinwoo’s expression remained as carefree as ever.
“Stay at my place.”
“…What?”
“In the end, you’re saying you don’t have a place to sleep at night, right?”
To summarize, his words were correct. However, Seo Eunho couldn’t readily nod his head.
His place. It was uncomfortable even just imagining it. Tae Shinwoo was more comfortable than at first. But not to the extent of being indebted to him.
Honestly, there was a strong possibility that staying at Tae Shinwoo’s place would be more uncomfortable than being with his father. And wasn’t it the same for Tae Shinwoo too? Had his sense of closeness alone increased enough to drag him into his home? If not, why was this bastard smiling so brightly as if he’d reached some great conclusion?
“I don’t want to.”
“Why? It’s an empty house where no one lives?”
To Seo Eunho, who rejected him without hesitation, Tae Shinwoo asked back as if puzzled. At the same time, Seo Eunho shut his mouth tight. Because he was tempted by the words “empty house.”
“At least take a look.”
As if knowing he’d wavered for a moment, Tae Shinwoo added. It wasn’t like he was some real estate agent. He briefly wondered how an empty house could exist, but recalling that Tae Shinwoo was rich enough to pull out a year’s salary in cash, it somehow seemed understandable.
Of course, it still didn’t make sense. At least considering that Tae Shinwoo was the same high school student as him.
“Let’s go. It’s close from here.”
Could it be a lie? Before he could reach the most plausible conclusion, Tae Shinwoo announced it as a matter of course. He didn’t seem to think Seo Eunho would refuse.
There was no reason to refuse. Seo Eunho wiggled his fingers. Whether it was a lie or not, he’d know if he went to see for himself. However, he felt a slight doubt about why Tae Shinwoo was going this far for him. Well, it was quite a tempting offer to refuse just because it felt uncomfortable.
He might be even more bothersome later. Or maybe he wants to give charity out of pity.
As if he’d never thought that he didn’t particularly want to receive pity, Seo Eunho quickly nodded. To make an excuse, Seo Eunho was extremely tired and didn’t have the energy to think long.
“Where is it?”
Seo Eunho asked abruptly, and Tae Shinwoo smiled as if he knew it would be that way.
***
The elevator stopped only after going up to a fairly high floor. Seo Eunho slowly scanned his surroundings while following behind Tae Shinwoo. Tae Shinwoo, who had been walking ahead down the officetel corridor, stood in front of the unit at the very end and pressed the password. With a beeping sound, the front door opened.
“This is the empty house?”
As soon as he confirmed the interior, Seo Eunho immediately asked with a scrunched face. Actually, he’d been somewhat prepared since even the exterior showed signs of being a high-class officetel. However, the interior easily exceeded his imagination. It felt luxurious.
If it was just a nice house, that would be fine. The problem was that this house didn’t look like an empty house no matter how you looked at it.
In the spacious area, there was everything—a leather sofa, TV, air conditioner, bed, and more. The separate kitchen was filled with all kinds of dishes. Who would fill up an empty house like this?
Moreover, there were several books that looked read on the bookshelf positioned next to the TV. It was definitely a space someone was using.
“No one’s living here now, so it’s an empty house.”
“It looks like someone’s living here.”
“They’re not.”
Seo Eunho went to the bookshelf and picked up a book.
“What’s this then?”
It definitely wasn’t a new book. The other furniture could be said to have just been filled in, but there was no need to deliberately bring old books. Tae Shinwoo answered simply with a bemused face.
“It’s mine.”
Conversely, Seo Eunho’s face became subtle. As if that was amusing, a smile formed on Tae Shinwoo’s face.
“A house I come to when I occasionally want to run away from home. But I’m not running away now, so it’s an empty house, right?”
Seo Eunho stood blankly, quietly mulling over Tae Shinwoo’s words. So, it meant he had a separate house where he lived, but this was literally Tae Shinwoo’s house that he came to when he didn’t want to stay at that house.
“As expected of someone fucking rich.”
After maintaining silence for a while, that was all Seo Eunho eventually said. It wasn’t a question, but rather an exclamation expressing his absurd feelings. Tae Shinwoo just laughed.
Either way, since Tae Shinwoo, who provided the house, insisted it was an empty house, there was nothing more to say. Seo Eunho put down the bag containing only the clothes he’d prepared to spend tonight and calmly turned on the air conditioner first.
He was told to live in this house, so the things here could be used too, right? Thinking that way, Seo Eunho flopped down spread-eagle on the bed.
As expected, Tae Shinwoo didn’t stop Seo Eunho’s actions at all. Without saying anything, he settled himself on the sofa.
When they met outside, he sat upright, but perhaps because this house was his own, he looked a bit more relaxed and comfortable. Seo Eunho, who had been sprawled out spread-eagle, rolled his body slightly in Tae Shinwoo’s direction and asked.
“Aren’t you leaving?”
“Are you kicking me out now?”
“I was just asking.”
“I’m not going. I’ll eat and then go.”
“What are you going to eat?”
“Well. What do you want to eat?”
Seo Eunho closed his mouth for a moment and thought. It would be profitable to mooch food when Tae Shinwoo was around, but maybe because he was tired, nothing particularly came to mind. After thinking a bit more, Seo Eunho eventually shook his head.
“I don’t know. I’m not hungry and I’m sleepy. I just want to sleep.”
Tae Shinwoo leaned his arm against the backrest and looked at Seo Eunho. In his half-closed eyes, perhaps thinking of Tae Shinwoo, strength was forcibly put in.
“Then sleep.”
It wasn’t really something that needed permission, but only after Tae Shinwoo’s answer fell did the strength leave Seo Eunho’s eyelids. He felt that Tae Shinwoo’s gaze didn’t leave him, but Seo Eunho just pretended not to know.
The surroundings instantly became quiet. The indoor air gradually became cool. His already drowsy body tried to completely relax.
However, Seo Eunho couldn’t fall asleep as easily as he wanted. He was unbearably tired, but rather, he seemed unable to sleep more because he was too tired. Or maybe he couldn’t easily fall asleep thinking that Tae Shinwoo was watching him.
“…Hey.”
Still, after enduring for quite a while trying to fall asleep but failing, Seo Eunho let out a short sigh and opened his mouth. His heavy eyelids remained lowered. His hoarse voice popped out unfiltered.
“Yeah.”
Tae Shinwoo answered without being surprised by the question that suddenly came.
“Stop staring.”
“Can’t I look a little?”
To the words that followed, he was likewise quite calm. Seo Eunho didn’t give any answer. There was no reason he couldn’t, he’d just said it on a sullen whim. Seo Eunho closed his mouth, then soon spoke again. It was something in a completely different context from before.
“By the way, how much is the monthly rent here?”
“…”
“It’s expensive, right?”
Was it because he was half-asleep? His thoughts were jumping without flow. The person himself didn’t even realize it and was just thinking things like, it must be expensive anyway, how much would it be? It was a place he couldn’t even dream of with his circumstances, so he’d never even looked up what the market price was.
Actually, he didn’t even want to know that much. Because it’s a fruit he can’t eat even if he looks. But the reason he was asking now was because he suddenly wanted to know at what price level of a house he was sleeping in right now. It was a thought he could have because he was half-drunk with sleep.
“I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you know?”
“I’ve never thought about such things.”
The tightly closed eyelids slowly lifted. At the same time, Seo Eunho met Tae Shinwoo’s pitch-black eyes. As expected, the guy was staring straight at him.
He’d anticipated it, but now that their eyes directly met, uncomfortable feelings came first. Seo Eunho belatedly turned his gaze away. The high ceiling came into view.
“Is this house yours?”
“Yeah.”
“In your name?”
“That’s right.”
“No thoughts of renting it out?”
“Why are you curious about that? Will you live here paying rent?”
“I don’t have that kind of money.”
“I’m not thinking about it either.”
Tae Shinwoo’s voice became deliberately playful. Seo Eunho laughed at his firm answer. His spread-eagle limbs wriggled and pulled the blanket closer.
“Must be nice having nothing to regret.”
Strangely, all his strength drained away. Maybe he was envious. Normally he had nothing to envy about how others were, but today he was particularly envious of Tae Shinwoo.
No matter how much time passed, it seemed like he could never live in a house like this, but to Tae Shinwoo it seemed like something that was fine to have or not have—that appeared to be the reason.
Fucking annoying bastard. Even though Tae Shinwoo hadn’t particularly provoked him, Seo Eunho got irritated alone and chewed his lips hard, blaming his own petty heart. Now he was having all sorts of random thoughts.
“Do you want to live here?”
Then, Tae Shinwoo asked. Seo Eunho didn’t answer. If he said yes, would he give him this house? As soon as the ridiculous thought occurred—
“Then live here.”
A calm announcement followed, as if there was nothing to hesitate about.
