Bewitchment
The car stopped at a shopping center of massive scale. Ray Jun got out with Kang Siwon, then sent the car away.
“Let’s go.”
“Do you have something to buy?”
“Yeah. I need to buy you clothes.”
At the unexpected words, Kang Siwon stopped walking.
“It’s fine. I don’t need any.”
“I promised before.”
“When?”
He prided himself on his memory, but truly nothing came to mind. Squeezing his brain, there was at least one thing that brushed past.
‘Sometimes it would be fine to wear colors other than black. Should we go clothes shopping together later?’
It was something he’d said in passing. It was also a suggestion he’d already refused. But pushing it as if they’d made a promise—in a bad way, it was so very Ray Jun.
“Think of it as being on vacation and let’s shop. Hm?”
Ray Jun finally brought Kang Siwon into the shopping center. He went around various brands and even picked out clothes for him to try on. For Kang Siwon it was only tiring, but Ray Jun was clearly more excited than usual, as if something was so fun.
Actually, there were plenty of places to shop within Sovereign Resort too. However, unlike there, perhaps because there was no need to be on guard here, Ray Jun seemed as relieved as a student on break.
“Instead of only wearing black clothes, how about something like this?”
He held out some Hawaiian shirt while asking. The fabric had plumeria blooming vividly against an ocean background. It was a style he would absolutely never buy in his right mind.
“I won’t wear it.”
“It suits you well though.”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course. Can’t you just try it on once? Hm? It’s Ray’s wish.”
Because he kept nagging with smiling eyes, he eventually headed to the fitting room. But the moment he saw himself changed, seeing him burst into loud laughter—as expected, it seemed terribly unsuitable. Kang Siwon immediately returned to the fitting room.
“Sorry, Siwon. I won’t laugh anymore. Come out quickly.”
“Forget it!”
On the way out after changing back into his original clothes, a black t-shirt hanging on the display caught his eye. When he picked it up, Ray Jun grumbled.
“That’s no different from what you’re wearing now. It looks like it would already be hanging in your closet.”
“I’m comfortable in black.”
“Don’t be like that, let’s go over there too.”
Ray Jun took Kang Siwon to another brand and recommended a white t-shirt and jeans. These were clothes he wouldn’t have chosen himself. But because Ray Jun wouldn’t stop persuading him, saying it suited him well, that it wasn’t that flashy, he eventually let him pay for it.
When glancing at the checkout, it was about 1,000 SGD. He didn’t know the exchange rate so couldn’t guess specifically how much it was. But it seemed more comfortable not to know.
“Where should we go now?”
Ray Jun asked with sparkling eyes. The atmosphere was as if they’d come out on a date or something. That bright face was nice to look at, and Kang Siwon felt self-loathing for no reason. He tried to console himself, saying what was the problem with feeling that an objectively handsome face in front of him was ‘nice to look at,’ but ultimately he couldn’t deceive himself. Kang Siwon still hadn’t completely forgotten ‘roommate Ray Jun.’
“……I need to use the restroom first.”
“Let’s go together.”
When he moved following the restroom sign, Ray Jun followed along. It was absurd that he’d try to follow even to a place like this.
“Just wait. Are you a child?”
“I could want to use the restroom too.”
“I know that’s not it.”
Ray Jun stuck out his lips, then crossed his arms as if he had no choice.
“Fine. I’ll wait here so hurry back. Be careful.”
“Careful of what……”
In a city with good public safety like Singapore, nothing could happen from just going to the restroom. Kang Siwon left Ray Jun behind and headed to the restroom.
It was when he finished his business and was washing his hands. Someone stood in front of the sink next to him. Thinking nothing of it, he continued washing his hands when the person suddenly approached closely.
The instant he reflexively tried to step aside, a hard sensation brushed against his thigh. The man had shoved something into Kang Siwon’s pants pocket.
“What the, what is this……!”
Before he could even protest, the man left the restroom. His movements were so swift, he clearly wasn’t an ordinary person.
“……What the hell?”
This was also a first for him, so he was dumbfounded. Maybe this was why Ray Jun warned him to be careful. Kang Siwon clicked his tongue and checked his pocket.
What the man had shoved in was some phone. When he turned on the screen, a message appeared.
[noname] If you need help, contact me
Reading the sentence written in simplified Chinese characters, his spine somehow chilled. This wasn’t a strange person committing bizarre acts on just anyone. It was clear they’d approached targeting him precisely.
“Who would do something like this……”
Kang Siwon muttered while gripping the phone. It was true that he needed help. But in the world, there were far more people who tried to exploit that desperate situation rather than extending a kind hand to those who needed help. He couldn’t rely on someone whose identity he didn’t even know.
Nevertheless, Kang Siwon couldn’t throw away the phone. Currently, the only phone in his possession was the one he’d received from the Baeksa Faction. In effect, he had no means to call or exchange messages with anyone. If he kept even this, a moment of need might come.
“……”
In the end, Kang Siwon put the phone in his pocket with the power off and left the restroom.
* * *
After finishing dinner at the shopping center, they arrived at the hotel.
Kang Siwon entered the hotel room without thinking. The moment Ray Jun followed in and the door closed, he pushed Kang Siwon against the wall.
“……Ngh.”
Ray Jun placed his hand on the wall while grabbing Kang Siwon’s chin with his other hand. It was clear he was trying to kiss him. Kang Siwon swatted away that hand and raised his voice.
“What are you doing, as soon as we come in!”
“I want to do it.”
“A-are you crazy? Without even washing?”
“I don’t mind.”
He grabbed the hem of Kang Siwon’s t-shirt. Worried they might actually do it right at the entrance at this rate, Kang Siwon struggled to pull the hem from his hand. Then they ended up playing tug-of-war with the t-shirt.
“Let go. How long has it been since we bought it, you’ll stretch out the clothes. Did you buy it to do this?”
“I heard the original meaning of gifting clothes is ‘I want to undress you.'”
Ray Jun’s touch brushed the bare skin at his waist and moved downward. Just a bit more and it would reach his lower body. Kang Siwon pushed away that hand and snapped.
“You shouldn’t have bought it then.”
“I don’t want to. I want to see you wear it prettily, why.”
“……”
Did he mean to dress him up like a doll and touch him as he pleased? Anger surged at that arrogant attitude. But it wasn’t easy to refuse firmly.
According to Kang Siwon’s original personality, a bastard who molested him so carelessly—he would have had plenty left after punching him in the stomach. However, it was also true that it was difficult to be strong since he owed Ray Jun a debt. Kang Siwon felt his situation was more pathetic than ever.
“You……”
Did you pay off my debt to have sex?
That question surged up to his throat, but it was too miserable to let out. But no matter how much he thought about it, that seemed to be the answer.
For having confessed he wanted to be with him, Ray Jun’s attitude was unreasonable. If you truly liked someone, shouldn’t you consider their feelings and show consideration instead of controlling them to suit your taste? But Ray Jun, while acting affectionate, seemed to prioritize himself at heart.
It made more sense that Ray Jun only liked his body. Reaching that conclusion made him feel even more miserable.
Until not long ago, he thought they liked each other. The relationship he thought they couldn’t achieve because of cruel reality—it turned out to be his one-sided love.
“Why do you stop talking, Siwon? What did you want to say?”
“……Do you like my body that much?”
“Hm?”
Ray Jun, who burst into laughter for a moment, answered.
“Of course. Our chemistry is quite good. I regretted so much, thinking if I’d known it would be like this, I should have pounced on you as soon as we were assigned to the same dorm.”
“……Fuck off. I have no intention of sleeping with a bastard like you.”
In the end, Kang Siwon pushed Ray Jun away with all his strength. Though he was pushed back one step, he still looked over Kang Siwon with eyes full of desire.
“That’s too much, Siwon.”
“Too much my ass……”
For a moment, tense tension flowed between the two. If Ray Jun was determined, he could forcibly embrace him. But whether even he had no intention of becoming a rapist, or whether his interest cooled at the resistance, he didn’t approach further.
“Well, since we took a plane, you must be tired today. Rest well, Siwon.”
“……”
Kang Siwon left without lowering his guard until the end. Only after entering the bedroom and firmly locking the door could he breathe.
“Whew……”
He slid down with his back against the door. Ray Jun’s gaze looking at him just now wouldn’t leave his mind. It was the eyes of someone looking at fresh, appetizing raw meat. How to cook and devour it……
Kang Siwon roughly tousled his hair. Today passed like this, but he didn’t know how long he could keep pushing Ray Jun away. The side that needed more was inevitably bound to become servile. If Ray Jun brought up the debt of 4.8 billion won, he himself couldn’t just keep standing firm either.
If he were to be raped by someone he once liked…… Just imagining it was unbearably horrifying.
Kang Siwon bit his lower lip hard. His lip seemed to tear as he tasted blood on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t care. Rather, the mysterious offer he’d received that afternoon in the restroom suddenly came to mind.
“……”
He took out the phone and pressed the power button for a long time.
