# Chapter 71
These days, Jiho was learning new things through dating.
One of them was patience.
“What festival at this age?”
“You’re definitely good at one thing. Sehee is overwhelmed, so help her out a bit. Even if the kids don’t like me, they listen to you.”
“What…”
Jiho stared blankly at Yeomin, who was being cornered by Hyungsik.
While he could easily say no, refuse, and reject things to Jiho… Yeomin’s ambiguous response to the president’s request to help with the festival didn’t sit well with Jiho.
Though it was cute how Yeomin kept sneaking glances at him.
Jiho urged him with his eyes.
‘Say no.’
“Sunbae, I’m really busy with my part-time job, I can’t possibly find the time.”
“If you help, I’ll give you Professor Eom’s report archive and PowerPoint materials. You know how strict that professor is, right? I got an A+ for that.”
Yeomin’s previously indifferent expression changed instantly.
“Really? You’ll give me all of that?”
‘Is he falling for this?’
Jiho, who had been watching, was exasperated. Normally he showed little interest in maintaining his grades, but was this because he’d be a senior next year?
With his boyfriend right beside him, wide-eyed and staring, should he be giving in to such temptation?
“I’m feeling generous. I’ll throw in my notes too.”
“No need to say more, Sunbae.”
While Jiho watched with alert eyes, the negotiation between the two was sealed.
“Alright, I get it. So you’ll be the festival preparation committee’s executive director? That bastard Hyunjoong suddenly took a leave of absence, leaving the position vacant, and I was worried.”
“Let me do it too.”
Jiho, who couldn’t stand watching anymore, abruptly cut in.
“If Yeomin hyung is the executive director, I want to be an executive committee member. Errand boy, minion, whatever. It’ll be hard for Yeomin hyung to do it alone, and I have a car, so I can help when needed.”
“If you help us, Jiho, that’s a complete thank you from us!”
“If you need celebrity contacts, let me know. I can connect you with agencies.”
“I thought you had no interest in school events, Jiho.”
That was obviously a lie. He had absolutely no interest in school events and had never participated in them. The only times he’d gone to seminars or after-parties during his freshman year were when Yeomin said he’d be there.
But now that they were dating, how could he not be where Yeomin was?
Yeomin looked displeased at Jiho’s sudden intervention. Jiho deliberately smiled even more brightly as he answered Hyungsik.
“I’m really, really interested.”
In Joo Yeomin, that is.
* * *
“Will you be okay?”
They were on their way home after class. Yeomin suddenly asked.
Jiho found this incredibly cute.
‘And I thought he wasn’t concerned.’
“About what?”
When he pretended not to know, Yeomin let out a deep sigh.
“You’re moving next week, and you’re taking a lot of classes this semester.”
That was because he had registered for classes following Yeomin’s schedule. In truth, Jiho had no interest in credits.
“Will you have time to help with the school event too?”
“No matter how busy I am, would I be busier than you, hyung?”
There was a subtle jab in Jiho’s smiling response. Lately, Jiho had been secretly hurt when Yeomin declined dates several times, saying he was too busy.
Yeomin had temporarily taken on part-time work at a café where he used to work, at the owner’s request, and was busy from the beginning of the semester as the team leader for a new class project.
Besides that, there were countless reasons why Yeomin was busy. Why couldn’t he be one of those reasons? Jiho still felt jealous.
“I was just asking if you were participating reluctantly because of me. But thinking about it, that was an overreaction. It’s your business.”
Yeomin dismissed it, saying it was fine if that wasn’t the case. It was fortunate that Yeomin let it go.
Their steps halted near the villa where Yeomin lived.
Yeomin was still living in that same basement room. Though Jiho had recently suggested moving, Yeomin said he’d stay until the end of the contract period, if only to not waste money.
There probably wasn’t anyone as stubborn as Yeomin.
“Go~”
Not even “Get home safely~” but just “Go~”. That’s really too much.
As Yeomin was about to go in, Jiho grabbed him.
“No, hyung. You’re coming with me somewhere today.”
“Suddenly where? You didn’t say anything.”
“I won’t take much of your time. Actually, I will today.”
“Huh?”
“I gave in yesterday and the day before, so today you have to give in.”
When he pushed Yeomin from behind, holding both arms, Yeomin reluctantly started walking. It seemed he was also secretly disappointed about just going in.
Finding that too lovable, Jiho interlaced his fingers with Yeomin’s. Yeomin looked around nervously, checking if anyone was watching.
The two walked through the boarding house alley for about three minutes. A distance that would only take a few dozen seconds by car. Just a short distance from the densely packed rental houses, a newly built high-rise officetel appeared.
Jiho guided Yeomin into the building, which was still in the process of move-ins and somewhat chaotic. They boarded an elevator that hadn’t even had its protective covering removed, and he pressed the button for the 15th floor.
Yeomin asked with a bewildered face, “What is this?”
“We’re going to our home.”
“Don’t tell me this is where you’re moving to?”
There was dismay in Yeomin’s voice.
“So close that if I fall, my nose would touch it?”
Though he knew Jiho was moving near the school, he hadn’t realized it would be this close.
Of course, there were places with better conditions and environments, but Jiho had excluded any place that was more than five minutes from Yeomin’s house.
As it turned out, this place seemed most appropriate.
“I’m so happy, hyung. You’re happy too, right? Hmm?”
Jiho gently pinched Yeomin’s cheek. Yeomin kept his mouth shut and didn’t answer. He was just so cute.
Meanwhile, the elevator arrived at the 15th floor, the top floor. Jiho led Yeomin to the end of the corridor.
Then he punched in the door lock password. 0406.
“My birthday…”
Yeomin blushed as he watched Jiho enter the password.
“My birthday is the password?”
“It’s easy for you to remember, hyung. So you can come and go comfortably anytime.”
Jiho opened the front door and nodded for Yeomin to go in first. Yeomin entered carefully, as if afraid of marking the new house.
Since the move wasn’t completely finished, the house was empty. Only large furniture and built-in products were sparsely placed.
There were three rooms in total. It was very spacious for a college student living alone.
“Keep your shoes on. It’s probably not cleaned yet.”
“As expected, Ian Group operates on a different scale.”
“It’s not as good as where we stayed together before, but this was the best in this neighborhood. Come here.”
Jiho looked more excited than usual. He pulled Yeomin, who was looking around with a flushed face.
Naturally, the first place Jiho wanted to show was the bedroom.
“I’m going to put the largest size bed here.”
“O-okay. But why are you telling me this?”
“Because it’s a room I’ll share with you.”
“I have my own place, you know. It’s not like we’re setting up a newlywed home…”
“Director Ahn and President Ahn already think so.”
When Jiho first said he wanted to live independently, they strongly objected, but when he said, “I’ll live with Joo Yeomin,” they accepted right away. They said they felt at ease if he was with Yeomin.
That made sense. He’d keep Jiho entertained all day, teach him morality before he could cause trouble, and discipline him warmly when he did cause trouble…
Honestly, Ian Group should give Yeomin some sort of child support. Though Yeomin didn’t seem to think that way.
Even while looking around the house with curiosity, Yeomin acted stiffly, as if he’d come to a place he shouldn’t be.
“It’s, uh, nice. Really.”
“I’m going to use one of the spare rooms as a dressing room, and the other as a study. I thought it would be nice to put two desktop computers and play games together with you.”
“When I can’t even play games.”
“Just watching you play is fun for me.”
Jiho said as he showed the next room.
“What kind of sofa should we get? Would a big one be better? And on this side…”
Whether Yeomin was listening or not, he was glued to the large window, looking down.
“Do you like the view?”
“So this is what it’s like.”
“What is?”
“Looking at my home from up high.”
Due to the height, Yeomin’s villa was also visible from here. In fact, that’s why he chose this house without hesitation.
Yeomin murmured with an unreadable expression, “It’s strange.”
“…”
Jiho was confused. Was Yeomin feeling bad or good? Excited or depressed?
Just as Yeomin couldn’t understand Jiho 100%, Jiho couldn’t fully understand Yeomin either. They had lived such different lives.
But even if he couldn’t fully know him, Jiho now instinctively knew what to do when Yeomin had such a complicated expression.
“Hyuuuung.”
Jiho approached Yeomin from behind, hugging his waist and whining. This method worked best when Yeomin was quiet.
“I can’t sleep alone in such a big house. What if ghosts come out?”
“…If you’re going to talk nonsense, you must be tired of coming up with different things every day.”
“So hyung has to come every day and hold my hand tight to help me sleep. Okay?”
“Why don’t you ask me to sing a lullaby too?”
“That’s a given.”
Yeomin finally smiled at Jiho’s words. Jiho also laughed against the back of Yeomin’s neck, making a deflating sound.
Far from letting go of Yeomin, who was squirming because it tickled, Jiho hugged him even tighter.
“Now I can’t sleep if you’re not here, I’d be too lonely.”
This was another thing Seol Jiho was learning through dating.
Loneliness… Without Yeomin, Jiho became lonely.
“You seemed to sleep just fine in class.”
“The day before yesterday, I had sleep paralysis sleeping without you. Really.”
“Even if a ghost appeared, it would run away, overwhelmed by your energy.”
Though Yeomin was scolding him, he remained nestled in Jiho’s arms. Jiho found that unbearably pleasant. So much so that he never wanted to let go.
“I want to eat, sleep, do it, eat, sleep, do it… with you here every day. That would be nice.”
“Can’t you just think those things to yourself?”
“I’m saying it for you to hear.”
Yeomin’s ears turned bright red at the mischievous words. Grumbling with embarrassment, Yeomin said,
“So this is why you said you wanted to live independently?”
“Of course. I’ll just wait for you to come here every day. I only gave the password to you. Director Ahn, Seol Jiwoong, no one else knows.”
“…”
“I’ll be here crying, waiting only for you. So come every day, okay? Come and give me water, give me love, and other things…”
Jiho’s words trailed off as he pressed his lips against Yeomin’s. He thought Yeomin would push him away immediately, but instead, Yeomin closed his eyes and ran his fingers through Jiho’s hair.
His whole body grew languid at Yeomin’s touch, which tousled his hair. It felt like embracing warm sunshine. Like receiving sunlight with his entire body.
Through dating, Jiho learned a new fact today. The sense of security that comes from loving and being loved.
