He tried to push away, but even in his sleep—or perhaps because of it—Seo Jaeha pulled Kyungwoo toward him with brute strength.
“Sleep, sleep.”
While mumbling, he wrapped both arms around Kyungwoo and hugged him tightly. Because of that, he ended up almost embraced by the son of a bitch.
“Let go.”
The culture he couldn’t adapt to most in Korea was the custom of men sticking too close, groping and hugging each other. As soon as alcohol entered, it was like meeting separated brothers, hugging tightly, and bastards with filthy tastes even tried to kiss like gays.
Jung Kyungwoo, who had quite a pretty appearance, had many close calls of being subjected to various sexual harassment by drunk executives. That’s why he detested drinking gatherings, and if he wanted to drink, he drank alone.
The alcohol delivered today was a bottle he kept after drinking alone like that. Not only did Seo Jaeha devour what was worth tens of millions of won, but he even tried to commit filthy sexual harassment.
“Let go. I said let go.”
He tried to hit the son of a bitch, but it was impossible because both arms were tightly wedged. When he struggled, the restraining force of the arms holding his body became stronger.
“Don’t be bothersome. Sleep, sleep.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Seo Jaeha finally wrapped Kyungwoo on top of his body. Before Kyungwoo, who was dragged along by the strong force, could let out a scream of shock, he spun his body around the other way.
Kyungwoo, who was forced to ride over Seo Jaeha’s body as if riding an amusement ride, was helplessly wedged between the sofa and the drunk pervert.
He cursed inwardly. While pouring out curses meticulously asking about the wellbeing of the son of a bitch’s parents and siblings who blocked his view, the bastard overlapped and wrapped his legs. Goosebumps rose all over.
His whole body was restrained so there was no way to escape. Normally he would have done something, but Kyungwoo had also drunk too much and was in a situation where it was difficult to control his body. It was better to wait for Seo Jaeha to fall asleep quickly and lose strength in his body.
‘And I slept until now because of that.’
Kyungwoo, who climbed onto the sofa to avoid the floor, pressed his throbbing temple. It was still dark outside the window. He wasn’t confident whether he could properly go home if he got up now.
Moreover, strangely, his mind and body were comfortable. Even though he was in an enclosed space alone with a man, he could be lazy. The alcohol’s power was indeed tremendous.
Seo Jaeha, who came out of the bathroom, rustled as he entered another room. Perhaps because of his large body, his presence was loud no matter what he did.
After a moment, he came out and placed something on top of Kyungwoo. Opening his eyes slightly, it was a blanket and pillow. He reflexively used and covered himself with them. It became much cozier.
“Should I turn off the light?”
“Uh… mm.”
Too lazy to answer, he made a rough sound, and soon the lights went out. To think darkness could be this welcome.
It was his first time sleeping so soundly at someone else’s house, especially at a Korean man’s house. Kyungwoo fell into deep sleep as if half-unconscious, then woke up feeling the urge to urinate.
After coming back from the bathroom, it was colder than before. The sofa was now uncomfortable too. His head was heavy and he desperately needed a comfortable bed.
Walking half-asleep, Kyungwoo discovered a comfortable bed through the open bedroom door. In his hazy consciousness, his body followed instinct.
He placed both hands on the mattress lower than his knees and slid in. Then the bastard who had already settled in turned his head back and asked, “What?”
Too lazy to answer, he lay down beside him silently. I should have brought the blanket. Regret set in. Rather than going back out, it was faster to steal the blanket from the bastard lying next to him.
“Mmm.”
When he pulled the blanket with force, the massive bulk moved along with it, and soon a large cloth containing warm body heat wrapped around Kyungwoo.
It was nice because it was warm, but the belt was too bothersome. The socks too.
“Uuh… mm.”
Letting out a low moan in his sleep, he kicked off his socks. The vest must be somewhere on the living room sofa. But the belt buckle wouldn’t come off properly. He must have fastened it wrong when coming back from the bathroom.
Irritation surged. No matter how much he fumbled, the damn belt wouldn’t come off—he couldn’t tell what was wrong.
“Fuc… k.”
He muttered, spitting out a familiar curse.
“What is it?”
The bastard who was sleeping with his back turned turned his head back this way.
“What are you moving around for?”
Seo Jaeha also got irritated at having his sleep disturbed. Whether he did or not, Kyungwoo tried once more to remove the belt. He could just stand up and do it. But he couldn’t give up the coziness of the blanket even for a moment.
“The belt won’t come off.”
The mattress rippled from behind. He could feel Seo Jaeha, who had turned his body, being conscious of this side. After a moment, clicking his tongue, he lay his body down behind Kyungwoo. A long arm came in under the blanket.
“I’ll do it for you.”
Along with those words, his hand overlapped Kyungwoo’s hand that had been wrestling with the belt buckle. Seo Jaeha, who was touching the firmly locked buckle, soon pushed his other hand under Kyungwoo’s waist. It was a posture of embracing his waist.
Following that, Seo Jaeha’s lips touched his ear. Breath reached him. It was a pose that absolutely couldn’t be held without ulterior motives even between a man and woman, and it was even more subtle between two men.
Especially if the other’s hand was groping around the waist.
Kyungwoo’s body, which belatedly recognized the awkward situation, tensed. As his nerves focused on his waist, he became even more conscious of it for nothing. His heart pounded.
“Why won’t this come undone? Is this a chastity belt or something?”
Seo Jaeha also grumbled as it didn’t come undone easily. The husky sound wave hit his eardrums directly. He was already conscious of it.
Added to the discomfort of the posture were the awkwardness of being the same sex, the guilt of receiving help because he couldn’t even do this properly, and the awkwardness of it being Seo Jaeha, creating a strange feeling.
Unpleasant yet somewhat ridiculous and a bit thrilling… similar to the emotion felt when light flirtation is exchanged with a complete stranger.
It was difficult to react somehow, so he stayed still as quiet as a dead mouse.
“Ah, got it.”
Seo Jaeha, who had been muttering something, pulled out the belt lengthwise with a slightly proud voice. Following that, it fell to the floor.
“Is it okay now?”
He settled right in that spot. It seemed he had no intention of rolling over to that side.
Same blanket, same pillow. Moreover, his arm was still under the waist lying sideways.
“It’s cramped.”
“There’s only one blanket. I gave you your pillow and blanket earlier.”
“Go get it.”
“You should go. Why should I?”
“I’m the guest.”
“Don’t be bothersome over every little thing, you male bastard.”
To the question of whether it wasn’t uncomfortable, Seo Jaeha stubbornly acted as if to annoy him, saying, “It’s not uncomfortable at all, though?”
It was a habit peculiar to men who act childishly, as if the one who persists to the end wins. Of course, he himself had no intention of pulling away either.
At first it was uncomfortable, but once a strange competitive psychology was added, the discomfort became nothing.
‘Whatever.’
Kyungwoo didn’t care anymore either. The bed was much more comfortable than the sofa. Moreover, the regular deep breathing sounds coming from behind became white noise inducing deep sleep.
‘It’s getting stranger.’
His thoughts continued slowly. Clearly, Seo Jaeha was a disgusting son of a bitch he wanted to kill right now.
Not only did he suddenly butt into the Kim Gilsu matter making things go around in circles, but he also confronted him one-on-one, ultimately making Kyungwoo take back a move. As if that wasn’t enough, he was the son of a bitch who grabbed Kyungwoo’s most fatal weakness and blackmailed him, making him unable to overcome the rising anger and humiliation and apply violence he’d never used in his life.
‘But why is the bed so comfortable?’
The clean bed and bedding with a slight sense of living were full of a warm human smell.
It was quite unexpected since he knew how hard it was to meet a single man who maintained a clean living environment in Korea.
Looking back, he was appropriately materialistic and had decent manners as well. With his handsome appearance and socially recognized profession, he was someone who would be liked wherever he went.
However, the comfort he felt now wasn’t just because of that. No matter how great Seo Jaeha was, to Kyungwoo he was a trivial, bothersome, or disgusting human being socially, work-wise, and personally.
Kyungwoo had fainted naked in front of him and was embarrassingly carried in both arms. Also, Seo Jaeha had glimpsed Kyungwoo’s secrets, even if fragmentarily.
‘The only people who know this much are my family and Joan.’
Joan was a counseling doctor and auxiliary caregiver. Among complete strangers, Seo Jaeha was the first.
Whether he wanted it or not, they could be said to be in a relationship where they’d laid out quite a lot.
Was that why?
Even though Seo Jaeha was pressed against his back, his heartbeat didn’t speed up beyond a certain level. It had sped up slightly earlier because of the sexual pose, but now it had slowed down much more than at first.
Had he ever been this relaxed with someone of the same sex?
This was the first time.
‘Even Father was uncomfortable.’
His father was also greatly uncomfortable in other senses. But he was still blood. Yet sharing a bed with Seo Jaeha was much more comfortable than sitting across from his father having a meal.
‘It’s strange.’
He needed to consult with Joan about this. Of course, he had no intention of revealing the entire history with Seo Jaeha.
‘It might be an opportunity to overcome PTSD.’
The possibility that the medicine he took this time produced excessive effects in harmony with the alcohol couldn’t be ruled out. But he might have accidentally discovered Seo Jaeha’s appropriate usefulness. Even if that were the case, it would be a side effect brought on by the intense first impression at the beginning.
‘I should test it slowly.’
With a long sigh, the speed of his thoughts gradually began to slow down even more. Seo Jaeha, who had already completely fallen asleep, blew deep breaths toward the back of Kyungwoo’s head.
Along with that, Kyungwoo also fell into deep sleep.
Jung Kyungwoo disappeared in a hurry as soon as he woke up. It was difficult to catch him. But before that.
‘Why should I catch him?’
Jaeha had difficulty finding an answer to the question he raised himself. He felt displeased that he disappeared without any particular sign, but thinking about it, there was nothing to be displeased about. They weren’t even close, so what kind of face should they make to each other after getting wasted and waking up in the same bed?
Returning to their places as if nothing happened was the most appropriate response. Jung Kyungwoo did just that. But why didn’t he feel good about it?
He embraced the strangely hurt feelings and only focused on overcoming his hangover. After a while, he exercised moderately and went to the sauna. He told Gu Daeyoung, who had been contacting him frequently lately to drink, that they’d drink next time.
“You’re a bastard who makes me worry about various things.”
It wasn’t directed at Gu Daeyoung. Jaeha buried his languid body in the sofa. As he stared at the ceiling quietly, memories of Friday night vividly came to mind.
