“Ah… Yes, Director-nim.”
Mrs. Park handed the porridge bowl and spoon to Dowon with surprised eyes. She looked between the two of them, then smiled secretly and left the room silently.
The door closed and only the two of them remained in the room again.
Dowon pulled his seat close to the bed. When he opened the lid of the bowl, white steam rose along with the savory scent of sesame oil. Dowon scooped up some porridge with the spoon and brought it to Yeohwi’s lips.
“Open your mouth.”
His expression was still stiff, and he was curt like someone doing it against his will. He didn’t even make eye contact.
Still, as if that was fine, Yeohwi readily opened his mouth like a baby bird and ate the porridge.
“Is that enough?”
Dowon asked as he put the spoon back into the porridge container.
“Yes, that’s enough.”
Yeohwi smiled as he chewed. The end of his torn lip felt like it would tear apart painfully, but since it was food Dowon was taking care of, it didn’t hurt at all.
“It seems like the most expensive porridge in the world. To think that Director Do himself is serving me food.”
“Don’t grin and just chew properly.”
“Yesh.”
“Don’t spill.”
Dowon repeatedly fed him porridge silently. It was mechanical hand movements. How should he put it—rather than devoted nursing, it was closer to feeding livestock.
“Dowon-ssi, I’m thirsty too…”
Yeohwi murmured. Dowon put down the spoon and held out a water cup.
The desolate bedroom was filled with clattering sounds and the breathing of the two people. Yeohwi liked that presence more than any comfort. Although his entire body was covered in injuries and completely battered, just the fact that Dowon was willingly extending his hand to him made it feel like the painful memories were being washed away.
Outside the window, the rain was thinning.
***
A few days passed. The wounds healed slowly but surely. But what tormented Yeohwi wasn’t the throbbing pain.
“…Dowon-ssi.”
Dowon, who had been looking at work he’d brought from the study at the table next to the bed, lifted his head. His cool eyes behind the rimless glasses turned indifferently toward Yeohwi.
“What.”
“I want to wash up.”
The tip of the pen stopped dead on the documents.
“No.”
Dowon answered without a second’s hesitation and turned his gaze back to the documents.
“The attending physician warned that you can’t get water on it until the stitches are removed. Your inflammation levels are still high too.”
“No, even if I can’t shower, I can at least wash my hair.”
Yeohwi twisted his body and mumbled. His back was so uncomfortable he felt like he’d die.
“My head is so itchy right now I feel like I’m going crazy. It’s clumped together and smells too. I’m someone who normally washes twice a day.”
He groaned trying to scratch his head with his bandage-wrapped stubby hands, but since his hands couldn’t reach, he just flailed at the air. That sight was quite pitiful and ridiculous.
Dowon sighed and picked up the intercom.
“That’s why I said I’d call a caregiver for you. Professional personnel are on standby. Just ask them to shampoo for you.”
“No!”
Yeohwi shouted as if frustrated.
“Strangers make me uncomfortable. I’m shy around strangers. I also don’t like people touching my body.”
“Yeah, right. Then ask Mrs. Park to do it.”
“Mrs. Park… Mrs. Park has a bad back, so that won’t work.”
“Then just endure it. You won’t die from not washing for a few days.”
Dowon was cold. The scratching sound of the fountain pen was particularly grating.
“Ah, you’re really too much!”
In the end, Yeohwi couldn’t hold out and crumbled, revealing his true feelings.
“Just, I just… I want you to do it, Dowon-ssi.”
“Why should I take care of you when you ran out on your own and came back injured?”
“What’s wrong with taking care of me a little? My fingernails all got ripped out trying to protect you, Dowon-ssi. If I’d just said yes, yes, I understand, I’ll do whatever Do Jingyu orders, then I’d be completely fine right now, wouldn’t I?”
“Then you should have done that.”
“How can you say that!”
Yeohwi got upset.
“You’re my husband, Dowon-ssi, how could I do that?”
“…”
At those words, Dowon’s hand paused in the air for a moment. Because he’s his husband? Does Seong Yeohwi really think that way? Still?
But even so, the thought of personally going into the bathroom and washing Seong Yeohwi’s hair was exhausting just to imagine. Not only that, but there was plenty of room for misunderstanding.
“Don’t be stubborn. Having a professional do it is much faster and more convenient. You’ll be uncomfortable.”
Dowon tried to persuade him rationally. But Yeohwi was obstinate.
“No. Having you do it, Dowon-ssi, is comfortable. That’s better. Please. I’m begging you like this.”
“…”
“If, if you won’t wash my hair, Dowon-ssi, I’ll just rot like this! Even if my head smells and dandruff falls, I’ll just stick right next to you, Dowon-ssi! Look. Like this, I’ll shove my head at you and make you smell the top of my head!”
Yeohwi shook his head vigorously. His disheveled hair swished.
“Seong Yeohwi, when exactly are you going to listen?”
Dowon’s voice lowered. Yeohwi didn’t back down and glared at Dowon.
“No matter what, the only one who can touch my body is you, Dowon-ssi. Stop trying to insert other people between us.”
“Ha…”
“Am I that annoying? Dirty?”
Dowon took off his rimless glasses and put them down on the desk as if throwing them. When he pressed hard on his temples, a throbbing headache surged.
He knew that continuing to argue with Seong Yeohwi like this would only become childish. That when that bastard started being stubborn like this, neither logic nor reason worked and he was obstinately pig-headed. It would be fortunate if he didn’t end up crying today too.
“You are an annoying, dirty brat.”
Dowon stood up from his seat and roughly loosened and threw off his tie.
He unfastened his shirt sleeve buttons and rolled them up to his forearms. The exposed upper arm muscles already looked sufficiently angry.
“Follow me.”
Yeohwi’s clear eyes widened round. His pink lips twitched.
“Really? You’re going to do it?”
“I won’t say it twice.”
Dowon irritably pushed past Yeohwi and left the study, opening the bathroom door. A bright smile spread across Yeohwi’s face, drunk with victory.
“Go sit in there.”
Dowon gestured to the bathtub. Yeohwi quickly followed him into the bathroom and closed the door with his knee. Then he hurriedly scrunched up his body and settled into the smooth marble bathtub.
Dowon knelt on one knee at the edge of the bathtub and turned on the shower to adjust the water temperature. As hot water poured out, steam gradually began to fill the bathroom. The moisture-laden air stuck stickily to their skin.
“Lean your upper body back.”
“Yes.”
“More.”
“Yes…!”
Yeohwi slowly tilted his upper body backward following Dowon’s instructions. His vision flipped upside down and the bathroom ceiling light poured down blindingly. After frowning and blinking his eyelids open, Dowon’s face positioned above him came fully into view.
At Yeohwi’s defenseless exposed nape, his Adam’s apple bobbed.
“Close your eyes. The shampoo will get in.”
Dowon said that, but Yeohwi didn’t close his eyes. He kept his eyes wide open and persistently looked at Dowon. Soon, the sound of rushing water approached his ears and the surrounding noise became muffled.
‘Wow…’
The warm stream of water began to soak his scalp.
Yeohwi unconsciously let out a pleased moan. Each time the stream of water touched him, a tingling thrill flowed from the top of his head to his toes. It was a pleasure as if each pore of his scalp that had been stiff for days was opening one by one.
But more than anything, what made Yeohwi tremble was Dowon’s touch.
Large, rough hands dug into his wet hair. The fingertips he’d expected to be cold were warm, soaked in hot water, and how should he put it—unexpectedly delicate and firm.
After a moment, Dowon squeezed out shampoo and lathered it. As each joint of his fingers meticulously rubbed every corner of his scalp, the soft and abundant sound of foam rustled at his ears.
“Ah… There…”
Yeohwi murmured in a languidly relaxed voice.
“A little more to the left… It feels good.”
Each time the long fingers wrapped around his light brown hair and combed through places here and there, it felt like his head was going blank.
“You’re demanding.”
Dowon scolded Yeohwi but precisely pressed the spot Yeohwi mentioned.
Just the right grip strength, neither too strong nor too weak. Each time the firm finger bones scraped down his scalp, a tingling electricity flowed along his spine.
“Dowon-ssi… You’re really good with your hands.”
