Different Dreams in the Same Bed (8)
After washing Jeongbae, Jaehyuk quietly set the table.
‘He definitely said he ate…’
How did he know it was a lie? On the table, soybean paste soup, fried eggs, dried squid strips, and seaweed were neatly arranged. Simple but delicious side dishes.
“I’ll eat well.”
As he quietly took a spoonful of soybean paste soup, he sensed Jaehyuk sitting down.
“Eat a lot.”
It seemed he was going to stay with him while he ate. He casually opened a book and sat down. Jeongbae quickly scooped up hot rice and put it in his mouth. A bite of the soft-boiled egg cooked just the way he liked it, a bite of dried squid strips. And then… he eventually choked up.
‘What kind of idiot… I already cried earlier, so why…’
With his head bowed deeply, he forcibly swallowed the tears that kept welling up. He couldn’t chew or swallow the food filling his mouth. His eyes grew hot.
That’s when it happened. A water cup was carefully pushed toward Jeongbae.
It was Jaehyuk. His gaze was on the book, but his fingertips were trembling very faintly.
“…Drink water first.”
His voice was low and careful. Jeongbae bowed his head lower. His chin trembled.
‘Don’t look… Please, not now… don’t look…’
Without closing the book, Jaehyuk slowly lowered his hand under the table. That palm touched very lightly on top of Jeongbae’s knee. It wasn’t words or comfort. Just a sign that said, I’m here.
With that one small touch, Jeongbae felt something inside his heart crumble. He couldn’t chew the rice in his mouth anymore.
“……”
Jeongbae bowed his head even deeper and took a breath.
But at that moment.
Plop.
Something hot fell onto the rice. Jeongbae stopped breathing. He tried to wipe it with the back of his hand, but the cast got tangled in his sleeve, slowing his movement. Seeing that, Jaehyuk let out a very small breath.
“Jeongbae.”
Another drop of tears fell. Jeongbae shook his head slightly left and right and barely moved his lips.
“…I’m okay.”
But his voice was completely submerged in tears. Jaehyuk slowly closed the book. And very quietly said.
“You only need to say one thing.”
A face like an expressionless sculpture drew close. Jeongbae burst into tears without realizing it. Even though he didn’t know what he meant, when he shook his head no, saying he absolutely wouldn’t do it, a soft laugh came and a large hand was placed on his head.
“Try saying ‘help me.'”
“What?”
Jeongbae’s eyes widened. Words he had never once said out loud. He had endured, withstood, and persevered through everything alone. Jaehyuk’s eyes rippled greatly.
“If you just say ‘help me’ once, I can do everything.”
Jaehyuk’s hand firmly grasped Jeongbae’s trembling hand. However, Jeongbae’s mouth eventually brought out different words.
“I… can’t say that.”
The voice he barely squeezed out was barely audible.
“I know.”
Jaehyuk didn’t interrupt. His large hand patted Jeongbae’s small, rough hand.
“Then just nod once. You can do that, right?”
Jeongbae’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
“…Jaehyuk.”
The voice that leaked out like a call was already submerged in tears.
“I… that kind of thing… I’m not even used to it…”
Jeongbae couldn’t continue his words and his chin trembled.
“It’s okay.”
It was short but firm.
“You don’t have to say it. You don’t have to do it.”
Jaehyuk’s eyes didn’t waver at all. As if sweetly tempting, as if soothing, he looked at Jeongbae carefully.
“Just once. Nod.”
Jeongbae’s lips trembled violently. Words wouldn’t come out, and he couldn’t breathe properly.
‘No… even this… for me…’
Jeongbae tried to hold out to the end. But Jaehyuk’s hand slowly swept over the back of his hand once more.
With that small warmth, somewhere in his heart collapsed with a thud. Jeongbae’s shoulders heaved very faintly. And… very faintly. So small that no one could see. His head nodded down quietly just once. In an instant, Jaehyuk’s breath stopped.
“……”
Jeongbae bit his lips tightly while covering his face with his hands.
“Good job.”
Jaehyuk said as if whispering. With those words, Jeongbae’s tears began to overflow.
‘Got it.’
Jeongbae’s head moved up and down very slightly, so faintly that one might wonder if he really nodded. But Jaehyuk saw that momentary signal precisely. That alone was enough.
A hot thrill rose from deep in his chest.
Kang Jeongbae’s choice.
Jeongbae had nodded because he wanted to.
Everything he would do from now on.
Even if it became a burden to Jeongbae, or felt a bit excessive.
This single nod would justify all of it.
The sight of Jeongbae sobbing while holding hands in front of the dining table completely consumed Jaehyuk’s vision.
Wet eyelashes, a reddened nose, trembling breaths, weakly shaking shoulders.
‘Pitiful… to the point of madness.’
The corners of Jaehyuk’s mouth slowly rose. The pleasure that ran up his spine spread throughout his body as goosebumps. He was now going to swallow this pitiful and lovely creature whole in one gulp.
‘You’re mine.’
In his head, scenes of readjusting Jeongbae’s entire life within his own hands were already being drawn.
Hospital.
Living expenses.
Part-time jobs.
Studies.
Career path.
People he meets.
Daily movements.
Sleeping time.
Every meal.
He just needed to decide everything, manage it, and take responsibility. That single nod had now opened up all the days to come. Jaehyuk smiled even deeper at the sense of fulfillment boiling up from deep in his chest.
All day today, he had deliberately just watched from beginning to end as injured Jeongbae struggled. Following the small dot on the location tracking app as it went around the labor office, newspaper distribution center, and apartment complexes, Jaehyuk clenched his fists tightly several times. Because he wanted to protect him. And… because he didn’t want to lose him anymore.
‘Even doing this much, he won’t say a word to me.’
He realized during the ‘I like you’ incident. His lover was quite stubborn and would absolutely never say what he wanted to hear. Kang Jeongbae would choose to suffer and die rather than be a burden to someone he liked.
‘I should have told him to nod if he liked me back then too.’
And he quietly came to a conclusion.
‘It starts tomorrow.’
***
A white-toned building with glass walls completely open, marble floors and subtle lighting were luxurious.
[Cheongdam Salon de Layer]
“Is the water temperature okay?”
Dogyeom wore his familiar business smile on his lips as he gently pushed away foam with his fingertips. There was no trace of his immature appearance at home. Dogyeom here was always kind, gentle, and bright. In short, he activated his terrible liar mode.
He had to do that today too, but his expression management wasn’t working well. His mind was a mess.
Jeongbae hyung had cried. The person who always smiled brightly. But at that moment of collapse, the one next to him was… not himself.
Yoon Jaehyuk.
His jaw clenched tightly.
‘Fuck… what does that rattlesnake bastard know.’
He didn’t want to admit it, but he actually knew. Last time when Jeongbae ate something strange and was forced into heat, he couldn’t do anything. Even then, Yoon Jaehyuk solved everything. And yesterday evening. The moment Jeongbae, who had hurt his arm and lost his job, felt despair, the person he ended up leaning on was Yoon Jaehyuk.
‘Why am I… such a nothing.’
Whining that it’s hard in front of Jeongbae hyung, being jealous, clinging.
He had made a fuss about liking him and protecting him, but when hyung was really having a hard time, he couldn’t even help as much as the dirt under a fingernail. The moment he realized that fact, his heart sank.
“Dogyeom-ssi, is something wrong?”
Manager Chaerin quietly approached and asked. Dogyeom was organizing scissors and brushes when he realized.
‘Ah… it showed.’
The mascot of ‘Salon de Layer.’ That was Lee Dogyeom. 177cm with a slender build, a small face, distinct eyes with a beauty mark. Customers said he was like a walking doll, and staff would joke that his mere presence was interior decoration.
He had followed around as an assistant every weekend since middle school, endured three years of high school doing only cleaning and shampooing as an intern, and had just been promoted to junior designer.
Dogyeom’s cuts were always precise, his voice was always soft, and his eye-smile was the brand image itself. Chaerin, who was now in her early thirties, had been in this business long enough, but she hadn’t seen a designer with the perfect trifecta of personality, skill, and looks like Dogyeom. He was a kid with an even more promising future.
But the kid who always smiled blindingly bright had an unusually heavy expression today. Of course, even his gloomy face was pretty.
“Manager is an angel after all. Chaerin manager-nim is the only one who understands Dogyeom’s heart.”
“Ugh, really, how gross…”
At Dogyeom’s cute behavior of hugging her from behind, Chaerin couldn’t help but laugh.
“Tell me if you have anything difficult.”
Chaerin grabbed both of Dogyeom’s cheeks and lightly pulled them up.
“If our mascot dies, the shop is ruined.”
“If you pull that hard, I might die right away.”
At Dogyeom’s adorable cheek, even the surrounding interns and customers burst into laughter.
Just then, a call came from reception.
“Next customer… VIP room, Han Siheon-nim, please prepare!”
Dogyeom’s hand stiffened.
A luxurious private room for one person.
Black leather sofa. Subtle lighting.
And a man sitting in front of the mirror, slowly turning his head.
His features were cool yet masculine. His skin was flawless like porcelain, and the corners of his mouth were slightly curled up as if making a subtle sneer. Main vocalist of the 5-year boy group AETHER. A man who had come close to being banned from broadcasting several times due to scandals. There was no one in South Korea who didn’t know the name ‘Han Siheon.’
“Dogyeom-ssi, you’ve been getting a lot of reservations lately, haven’t you?”
Siheon’s fingers very lightly brushed Dogyeom’s wrist. In an instant, along with the scent of shampoo, a chilling feeling ran up the back of his neck. He was the guy who had been hitting on Dogyeom whenever he saw him since last time.
“Don’t cross the line. Fans are watching everywhere.”
His face was smiling, but inside he swallowed curses.
“The more I look, the more of a waste it is. Someone like you could debut… You’d attract sponsors well too.”
At those words, Dogyeom was about to pull his wrist away but stopped. Strictly speaking, it was basically saying he’d sell his body well, so he should be upset, but actually a strange thought came to Dogyeom’s mind.
‘A sponsor… how much would something like that give.’
Could he earn enough that Jeongbae hyung wouldn’t cry? As if reading Dogyeom’s thoughts, Han Siheon met his eyes through the mirror.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then he slowly licked his lips with his tongue.
“That expression right now, you look angry. Much prettier. Designer Lee Dogyeom.”
Dogyeom’s hand holding the scissors flinched.
“…Thank you. What style do you want?”
“Just a cut today. Instead.”
Siheon crossed his legs. Quietly, but definitely.
“Do you have time Sunday evening?”
Dogyeom’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“After the concert, with your level of visuals… I can make you a decent offer.”
‘Offer.’
From that word alone, he could feel everything.
Sponsor.
Contract.
Body.
Money.
Dogyeom, who had worked in this industry for a long time, couldn’t not know what that meant. It was obviously an offer he should refuse. It was too dangerous. But he hesitated for a moment. At that moment, Han Siheon threw out one more comment.
“If you make it fun that day, I’ll give you a million won each time.”
Sticky eyes licked Dogyeom thoroughly.
“A million won each time. Not one night, but ‘each time.'”
The sculpture-like handsome alpha whispered temptingly. The scent of pheromones lightly brushed his nose.
He should refuse. Obviously. But the face of Jeongbae he saw last night kept coming to mind.
‘What am I going to do to live now…’
A broken voice. Trembling shoulders.
‘A million won.’
‘How much was a month’s salary again? After taxes, two hundred? No, was it a bit less than two hundred? Could it help hyung? Still—’
Dogyeom bit his lip.
“Depending on how you do it, even ten million won is nothing.”
The air grew heavy. Dogyeom couldn’t say anything, as if nailed to the spot. Siheon gave a slight smile and handed over an envelope.
[AETHER Concert VIP Seat — Sunday 18:00]
Dogyeom looked at it for a moment, then quietly put it in his pocket without a word.
