Kyungwoo opened his mouth but only gaped like a goldfish. Jaeha folded the corners of his eyes with a nasty smile.
“When I presented only medical facts excluding personal details to the pharmacist, um…… they gave me hemorrhoid ointment. It wasn’t my intention, though.”
He threw whatever was within reach, and a white container that could have been shampoo or shower gel flew through the air.
Bang!
The container that hit the wall fell to the floor. Jaeha, who quickly closed the door and opened it again, chuckled at the sight of liquid pouring from the shattered container.
“You’re lively. Take your time and come out.”
“You crazy bastard! Stay right there!”
He tried to spring up from the bathtub. But his loosened muscles couldn’t suddenly obey him.
Slip.
Splash.
Because he slipped slightly, Kyungwoo fell back into the bathtub. He wasn’t hurt, but he felt like tears of humiliation might flow from the sheer disgrace.
“Son of a bitch! I’m definitely going to kill you!”
He shouted at the top of his lungs so it could be heard outside. But the damn bastard had already disappeared.
A long while later, after finishing a hot bath long enough for his fingertips to become wrinkled, he discovered a long ointment box as he left the bathroom. He felt murderous intent once again.
He tried to grab it and throw it in the trash can, no, at Seo Jaeha’s face, but couldn’t do so because of the stabbing pain again.
He hadn’t realized it while bathing, but once he finished, he felt even more acutely how battered his body was. Though he’d loosened his muscles, his joints still ached, and damn it, that cursed place stung terribly.
In the end, he opened the box and read the instructions.
“Son of a bitch.”
After that, until he put on loose loungewear and left the bedroom, Kyungwoo pondered how to break Seo Jaeha’s nose bridge.
There was no one on the second floor. Instead, there were sounds of people downstairs.
Even descending the gentle stairs, subtle waves swept through his body. The immediate urgent pain had subsided thanks to the long hot bath and the medicine with calming effects. Still, the aftereffects seemed like they would last for several days.
“You came down? I was just about to go call you.”
The bastard he encountered at the bottom of the stairs held out his hand as if pleased. It might have been a small gesture of gladness, but to Kyungwoo right now, it was particularly suspicious.
Thud.
He pushed away the extended hand and passed by him with dignity. Though he hadn’t specifically intended it, the first thing a person looks for when they get up and move around is probably the refrigerator.
Just as he was about to enter the kitchen where the refrigerator was, hoping there would be bottled water, Kyungwoo was startled to see another person there.
Outside on the terrace connected to the kitchen, someone in a hotel restaurant uniform was diligently setting an outdoor table, and someone in a kitchen uniform who was grilling something over a large barbecue fire noticed them and bowed in greeting.
“They have barbecue service here. It seemed convenient, so I ordered it.”
Jaeha explained while opening the terrace door that had been closed.
Sizzle.
Over the charcoal fire, steaks and various skewers with mushrooms and vegetables, tomatoes, corn, hamburgers, sausages, and more were cooking appetizingly, pleasing the nose and ears. Saliva naturally pooled in his mouth.
“Please have a seat.”
The employee offered a seat. A soft cushion was laid on top of the white rattan chair.
Pop.
With a refreshing sound, the employee who opened the wine bottle filled the glasses and then stuck the bottle in an ice bucket. Then, when the person grilling the barbecue placed fully cooked vegetables, mushrooms, and meat on a plate, they moved it to the table.
Seeing the sight of fragrant meat juices flowing and sauce blending together, belated hunger surged. Since there were watching eyes, instead of clinking glasses affectionately, he immediately quenched his thirst.
The chef who finished grilling all the prepared ingredients covered it with a large lid to keep it from getting cold, delivered some precautions, and left. Immediately after, Jaeha sent the employee away too.
From when only the two remained, serving became purely Jaeha’s responsibility.
“Wine?”
Having filled the wine, he didn’t forget to pile up his own portion like a mountain while refilling the food Kyungwoo had devoured.
“It was hard being starved all day.”
At those words, Kyungwoo ended up dropping the mushroom he’d just picked up. While going between hotel cafes, he’d consumed many beverages and high-calorie bakery products. But starved all day? What about all the things he ate during the day?
“Hard?”
Moreover, could someone who was struggling show off such tremendous stamina? It was a question laden with doubt.
“Now I’m eating something delicious.”
He must have been deliberately pretending not to understand. Jaeha cut and ate the grilled vegetables and meat quite well. Though it wasn’t a top-grade meal, it was decent in its own way.
When they finished eating, all that abundant food had disappeared except for a few vegetable pieces. Along with that, they’d completely emptied the wine bottle.
“Now I feel like I’ll live.”
Jaeha, whose appetite was satisfied, cast his gaze somewhere into the darkness. Kyungwoo, who had put down his napkin, also moved his gaze following him.
The sporadically lit lights of late night illuminated the lawn and other distant villas visible in the distance. The cool breeze spread the fresh scent of grass.
The only things disturbing the quiet night were the sporadically heard sounds of insects crying and the sound of waves gently rolling in and receding.
“Now that we’ve eaten, shall we move around a bit to digest?”
Saying that, Jaeha stood up and approached Kyungwoo. Kyungwoo was startled for a moment.
“Are you crazy?”
“Why are you so surprised? It’s natural to move after eating.”
“I can’t do more. No, I won’t.”
He glared at him, clearly expressing his refusal. Then Jaeha, who had paused, rolled his eyes for a moment before slowly starting to grimace.
“Ahahahaha.”
The man boasting a large stature shook his shoulders and soon bent at the waist, bursting into laughter. Because he laughed so boisterously, Kyungwoo was flustered.
“What were you thinking? You pervert.”
“You’re the pervert. Does it make sense to do it again right after eating? It’s not like we’re animals.”
“Who said let’s do it again? I said let’s take a walk. You don’t know about post-meal walks?”
This time, it was Kyungwoo’s face that grimaced. The heat rising hotly wasn’t only because of the wine.
“I was saying I didn’t want to take a… walk.”
“Perjury is a serious crime.”
His face full of amusement, he blocked Kyungwoo, who was just about to stand up. Pushed back by the momentum and sitting back down in the chair, when Kyungwoo raised his head, Jaeha placed both hands on the armrests of the rattan chair.
“Especially in front of a competent prosecutor.”
What was embarrassing was embarrassing, and what was arrogant was arrogant. Kyungwoo had no intention of yielding to Jaeha at all. Though he was occasionally caught off guard.
“For someone receiving sponsorship from me.”
“Of course.”
Jaeha smiled broadly and straightened his body. Kyungwoo pushed him away and stood up. When he trudged along, Jaeha asked, “Where are you going?”
“Post-meal walk.”
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t go?”
“I said I didn’t want to, not that I wouldn’t go.”
“Really childish, Executive Director Jung.”
Even so, Jaeha followed behind Kyungwoo.
There was a path leading from the villa yard to the beach. It was a resort-exclusive beach deliberately made to include part of the white sandy beach.
It was a place sparse with lights and people, except for the faint lights shining in the distance. All that overflowed was the endlessly continuing sea, the infinitely deep sky, and white moonlight breaking endlessly along the water’s surface.
Crunch, crunch.
They took off their shoes from the entrance. Fine sand seeped between their bare feet.
Swoosh— Swoosh—
Gentle waves rolled in with the wind. The salty wind shook through the gaps in their hair and clothes.
Walking while looking at the distant horizon, Kyungwoo didn’t notice a hollow spot ahead and misstepped.
“Oh.”
The moment he staggered, Jaeha, who was beside him, quickly caught him.
“You’re surprisingly clumsy, contrary to how you look.”
Words that would have sounded like an insult at other times sounded like concern, soaked in sea moisture. Because of that, he didn’t shake off the hand that grabbed his arm and slid down to rest lightly on his wrist.
“How do I look?”
As if considering it an odd question, Jaeha chuckled again.
“Like a damn demon bastard who wouldn’t bleed a single drop even if pricked with a needle, who’s given their conscience to the dogs.”
“That’s too much. In what way?”
“The wrench and steel pipe. Need more evidence?”
Kyungwoo immediately closed his mouth. It was definitely an unfavorable matter.
“You’re not easy either. You’re a pervert who thinks of illegal filming before helping an unconscious person.”
“Right. We really suit each other well.”
Along with the indifferent answer, the hand resting on his wrist slyly rubbed his palm. The somewhat moist skin was, as expected, hot enough to burn.
While persistently pleading to be held, at the decisive moment, he waited for Kyungwoo’s choice. He was an unnecessarily considerate bastard.
Looking at the sea, Kyungwoo grasped the hand hovering around his own. The other’s hand, which had flinched, soon grabbed Kyungwoo’s hand with strong conviction.
“It’s colder than expected.”
“Should we go in then?”
“There’s no need for that.”
“If I had a top on, I would have coolly taken it off for you.”
“If you do something like that to me, just know some bone will break.”
“Vicious.”
They exchanged trivial small talk while walking for quite a while. When they felt they’d walked quite far, the two simultaneously turned around as if by agreement. As they did, their clasped hands naturally fell apart. The warmth disappeared and a cool energy encroached.
He felt somewhat regretful. However, they weren’t in a relationship to express and accept such regret. They merely pursued physical comfort.
Kyungwoo unconsciously let out a small sigh at the thought of retracing the footsteps they’d walked. Then, just as he moved one step, Jaeha stood still without moving.
“Seo Jaeha?”
Kyungwoo, who had turned halfway, looked at him. White moonlight shattered down over the head of him standing with his back to the sea.
“Jung Kyungwoo.”
“Why?”
At the quiet question, his heart sank for no reason. The man covered in blue shadows approached Kyungwoo.
“How was today?”
Kyungwoo instantly realized what the childish question without context meant. Instead of giving the answer that the man constantly hovering around him wanted to hear, Kyungwoo approached him and wrapped his hand around the back of his neck.
“Do you childishly need to hear an answer?”
“Yeah. Then next time……”
On Jaeha’s lips promising a next time, Kyungwoo pressed his own lips. It wasn’t a deep kiss but a light kiss that purely felt only the warmth of their lips.
“Is this enough?”
“Hah. Really, you’re unnecessarily sexy.”
Saying that, Jaeha bent Kyungwoo’s waist as if to break it. Hot kisses continued one after another.
‘Who told you to ask so wistfully with your back to the night sea? Who’s the unnecessarily sexy son of a bitch?’
Kyungwoo’s protest disappeared into Jaeha’s mouth. There was no guarantee it would ever be conveyed in the future.
