# Chapter 37
They say when you’re sick, you feel more pitiful, and when you feel pitiful, you become more childish than usual…
But sick Jiho seemed to lack even the will to get up from the floor. He was just lying spread-eagled, waiting for him. It was absurdly funny that he was in the same position as when Yeomin had left earlier.
“What are you doing?”
Yeomin, who had returned after finding medicine, laughed in disbelief at the sight.
“Isn’t your back sore?”
“I don’t have the strength to get up.”
“Get up and take your medicine.”
“…I really can’t get up.”
“Stop messing around.”
“It’s true. Help me up, Hyung.”
He’s always so high-maintenance. Yeomin pulled on Jiho’s arm.
But no matter how much strength he used, the person himself had no intention of getting up. Jiho was resisting by going limp all over.
He really makes people sweat over the smallest things. At least a disobedient six-year-old would be lighter to handle.
‘He’s a whole head taller than me…’
“I’m not doing this.”
Annoyed, Yeomin suddenly let go of Jiho’s arm.
Jiho’s head hit the floor with a thud, and he writhed in pain. Yeomin smirked mockingly.
“Serves you right.”
“That’s mean. Do you hate me that much, Hyung?”
“Stop talking nonsense and take your medicine quickly.”
For Yeomin to sleep peacefully tonight, he needed to give this guy medicine and put him to bed first.
“If you spread your cold to me while we sleep in the same room, I’m not sharing a room with you. If you don’t take it, we’re not sleeping in the same room.”
“…Tsk, should I just infect you?”
Lying there with such languid eyes, who do you think would be scared?
“Can you even do that?”
Yeomin grabbed Jiho’s chin forcefully.
“Wait… I… Mmph!”
Holding Jiho’s chin as if about to kiss him, Yeomin squeezed both his cheeks. He forced his mouth open and, before Jiho could resist further, quickly poured the cold medicine into his mouth.
“Gwaah!”
Is there really the soul of a four-year-old inside him? Jiho violently resisted and tried to spit out the medicine, but Yeomin even closed his mouth with his hand.
It seems young masters need everything done for them. It’s quite exhausting.
“Ugh, it’s bitter…”
Jiho made every possible grimace and whined. The sight was truly fitting punishment.
Yeomin handed him a water bottle with a smirk.
“Swallow it with water.”
The medicine must have really dissolved and tasted bitter, as the resistant Jiho immediately opened the water bottle and drank.
Even after that, his mouth must still have been bitter because he gulped down another mouthful.
Is it that bitter? It’s just a pill. As Yeomin watched in amusement, his chin was suddenly grabbed. Just like he had done to Jiho earlier.
“…”
And as soon as his lips overlapped with Jiho’s, something flowed in through the gap.
“…”
Water with a tingling medicinal taste flowed down Yeomin’s throat. Some water that hadn’t been swallowed dripped down the corner of his mouth.
As if trying to drink that water, Jiho sipped at his lips before pulling away slightly.
“What the hell…”
By the time Yeomin came to his senses, his shower robe was already wet with water.
And in front of him, Jiho was grinning.
“Take my cold, Hyung.”
“Oh geez, this is really…”
He couldn’t hit him, and hitting him wouldn’t make him feel better anyway. In fact, he didn’t even feel like hitting him. It would just hurt his own hand.
‘…What number is this?’
Kissing with Jiho, that is.
As Yeomin wiped his wet lips with his sleeve, he finally realized it.
Though he and Jiho weren’t exactly in a proper relationship, their relationship had changed quite significantly from before.
Even though this was a development he had chosen willingly, it was still confusing. Why?
Because what that guy just did to him wasn’t so terribly repulsive.
No, in fact, it made him tremble a little bit. So Yeomin deliberately got more upset.
“I have to go to my part-time job too. What are you doing, giving me your cold?”
“Speaking of that, can’t you quit your PC bang job? And wrap up the tutoring with Seol Jiwoong soon too?”
Jiho brought up a sudden topic. Yeomin asked in confusion.
“Why should I do that?”
“Because you won’t have enough time to date me, Hyung.”
Pretending to wipe Yeomin’s wet lips, Jiho caressed them with his fingertips as he spoke. His suddenly lowered voice was quite seductive yet threatening.
But Yeomin wasn’t one to fall for such shallow tricks. He refused mercilessly.
“No.”
“The PC bang? Or the tutoring?”
“I’m not quitting either.”
Jiho tried to persuade the stubborn Yeomin.
“It’s hard on you, Hyung. Going back and forth to the PC bang, and isn’t teaching Seol Jiwoong a headache? It’ll be hard for you to focus on just me.”
Jiho’s words were right. Neither the PC bang nor the tutoring could be said to be particularly enjoyable work.
Cleaning up ashtrays and desks that others had dirtied was tiresome, and the very fact of teaching someone was subtly burdensome.
And taking care of Jiho on top of that was a major mental drain.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to do it.
The part-time job was Yeomin’s way of doing his part in this world, using his own physical strength and time.
‘If I quit that… it feels like Seol Jiho would be my only lifeline?’
Yeomin grabbed Jiho’s hand firmly and insisted.
“I want to continue working.”
In the past, I would have lashed out asking what business it was of yours, but now that we have a contract, I can’t do that.
Yeomin strongly expressed his will.
“I can do it all. The job, the tutoring, and dating!”
“Hmm. That’s a bit problematic.”
Jiho had an unyielding attitude.
‘He was whining about being sick until just now. Was that all an act too?’
Trying to somehow persuade Jiho, Yeomin called him affectionately.
“Jiho.”
“Hyung, I think you’ve rarely called me by just my name without the surname. It sounds nice. Say it again.”
“…”
Now I suddenly don’t want to call you that. Anyway. He’s such a slippery character.
Though he’s smiling, it’s a face that doesn’t seem to have room for even a needle to enter.
Yeomin suddenly felt it was unfair.
‘Why do I have to go this far?’
The part-time job was his means of livelihood. So why did he need this guy’s permission for it?
‘This feels disgusting.’
Enraged, Yeomin’s hands moved before his words. Somehow, the smooth silk pajamas were wrapped around his hand. He had grabbed him by the collar.
In that position, Yeomin threatened.
“Seol Jiho. Make it clear.”
“…Suddenly back to Seol Jiho? Call me Jiho like before.”
“I made a dating contract with you, not a slave contract. I have the right to choose by my own will.”
“In a world where people work like slaves just by entering a company, it’s not appropriate to make demands while receiving a large sum of money for a short period.”
“This bastard…”
At times like this, he speaks so fluently without hesitation. Yeomin was overwhelmed by his verbal skills.
But the greatest weapons for humans are shamelessness, brazenness, and guts.
Yeomin decided to go all in.
“Really? Then let’s cancel the contract.”
“…”
“Let’s pretend none of this happened.”
Jiho fell silent at those words, and Yeomin realized he had gained the upper hand in this contractual relationship.
It was more than amusing—it gave him a subtle pleasure to see this guy, who had more money, a better background, good looks, and lacked nothing, unable to say a word.
“Let’s end it, all of it.”
“Haah… why are you being like this, really.”
After a tense standoff, Jiho finally gave in.
“Fine. But you’ll take time off from your job when needed. How can we date if you’re always working?”
“I already said I’d cooperate.”
Jiho wrapped his hands around Yeomin’s grip on his collar. Yeomin thought he was going to remove it, but—
“Why won’t you give in to me even once, Hyung?”
He grumbled and pulled him closer instead. Looking up pitifully while having his collar grabbed, his face even seemed somewhat pitiful.
Moreover, he was slightly flushed in the cheeks from being sick.
‘No, Joo Yeomin. Don’t fall for just his appearance.’
The more his heart softened, the more coldly Yeomin spoke.
“Of course. My life isn’t better than yours in any way, so if I lose to you even on something like this, it would be too miserable.”
“…I don’t think that way. How are you not better than me, Hyung?”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion. Objectively, that’s the reality.”
Yeomin had just spoken calmly, but Jiho’s expression wavered. Why? Do you think I’m pathetic for saying this?
“Hyung.”
While Yeomin was off guard, Jiho’s arms wrapped around his waist. Yeomin’s lower body tensed.
Yeomin suddenly realized that he was in contact with Jiho across too much surface area.
Jiho spoke very kindly.
“Okay. From now on, I’ll give in to you a hundred times.”
“…”
“In return, Hyung, just give in to me once. When I want it.”
“Is this also part of the contract?”
“No. This is just… let’s call it a promise.”
Jiho held out his pinky finger as he said this.
‘That’s childish. He should ask to press a seal or something instead.’
But somehow, Yeomin couldn’t refuse. Even knowing that this too might all be part of Seol Jiho’s mask…
It’s just, he does seem a bit pitiful today. Moaning and groaning while sick, not even knowing he’s sick.
“You definitely promised me.”
“Just once.”
…I’ll give in just once. Only once. Not twice, not three times.
Yeomin muttered as if affirming it to himself as he linked pinkies with Jiho.
He was having an existential crisis about why he was making such a promise with this guy, but since he had offered to give in a hundred times first, Yeomin decided to be generous and give in once.
By any calculation, it shouldn’t be a losing deal.
