He had been curious about why he was so obsessed with wristwatches, but he thought he understood something.
“You know…”
“…?”
When he called out in a voice that had become very low, Seunggeon slowly raised his head. Their eyes met.
“Do you have like, a wrist fetish or something?”
Only after asking the question did Chaehun think “Oh no.” Even if his mind was foggy, it seemed he had said something too random.
“Ah. Sorry. That was too rude.”
Chaehun apologized right away. But Seunggeon didn’t say “what kind of nonsense is that?” He frowned for a moment, then looked at Chaehun’s wrist with a serious face before meeting his gaze again.
“I do like well-shaped hands.”
“…”
Because Seunggeon readily admitted it, Chaehun was bewildered. Not a wrist fetish but he does like hands. Well, that was a normal preference. Chaehun also liked pretty hands.
Still, Chaehun questioned whether his own hands were pretty. Since he’d never thought about it, he couldn’t make an objective judgment.
“But why that?”
“Ah, that. Um. You’re obsessed with wristwatches, and you were touching my hand just now too, so I thought maybe that’s why…”
Chaehun didn’t know he was such a reckless person. Not just alcohol, but a cold also lowered a person’s self-control and made impulses stronger. He wanted to crawl into a mouse hole and hide, but on the other hand, he also felt like whatever happens, happens. Because he could ask curious things while talking nonsense in his fever.
But Seunggeon said nothing. His eyes looking this way were just serious, not knowing what he was thinking. Perhaps he might be dumbfounded.
“Just forget about this. I talked nonsense because of the fever.”
“I think you’re right. That was probably one of the reasons.”
In the midst of saying it was nonsense so forget it, Seunggeon admitted it was right. That there was also that reason. Once again, something surged up.
“You have a bad way of speaking.”
“Me?”
“You could have just said it was a gift. No, before that, who just hands over a credit card first? You said emotions shouldn’t get involved. Bad feelings are emotions too.”
Chaehun said the last sentence almost in a whisper. Having spoken at length, he was out of breath. He felt like he’d said everything he wanted to say, but he wasn’t confident whether he’d spoken coherently. Still, seeing Seunggeon frown, he felt inexplicably proud.
He knew he was acting recklessly using his cold as an excuse. Still, only by doing this could their future relationship improve even a little.
“The watch?”
“…?”
“What did you do with the wristwatch?”
At the out-of-the-blue question, Chaehun was flustered but asked back.
“Why? Are you going to buy another one if I threw it away?”
“Yeah.”
He’d asked thinking “no way,” but when Seunggeon seriously said yes, Chaehun was astounded. He wanted to hit this guy who said he’d readily buy things that weren’t just a few pennies.
“Don’t worry. I’ve kept it well. I can’t just throw away something that expensive.”
“You don’t like it?”
“It’s not a matter of liking it or not… It’s a matter of feelings. After fighting with you like that, I didn’t even want to look at it. Plus it’s too expensive.”
“There are more expensive things.”
As Seunggeon said, there were many expensive things in the world. There were cars and watches worth the price of a house. Chaehun knew that too, but he didn’t want to receive such things as gifts.
“That’s not the point.”
“My way of speaking was bad, just as you said.”
“…?”
“I, um…”
Seunggeon, who was about to say something, closed his mouth. At his posture as if choosing what to say, Chaehun smiled bitterly. Having admitted his way of speaking was bad, it seemed he’d become cautious.
Chaehun blinked his flickering eyes and waited for Seunggeon’s next words.
“It’s too late now to call it a gift, but how can I make it a gift?”
This time too, completely unexpected words came out of Seunggeon’s mouth. Chaehun didn’t understand immediately, thought for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“Why are you asking me that?”
“You said it was a matter of your feelings?”
Chaehun clicked his tongue. So he was saying he’d turn around his feelings and make sure to see him wear the watch. Persistent guy.
“You’re persistent.”
“I know. I hear that a lot.”
Even when cursed at, he admitted it, and Chaehun felt deflated. Seunggeon was the one who’d hurt his feelings. But now he was asking for the answer.
“They say a word can repay a thousand-ryang debt, so speak softly. Better to hear nice things than sharp words that stab the heart. ‘I think it would suit you. Don’t be upset, try wearing it once.’ Would that work?”
Chaehun was surprised at himself for the recklessness and courage brought on by his cold and high fever. Actually, because of the dizziness, he was half-unaware of what he was saying. Still, he was aware that he was saying something quite cringeworthy.
“I think it would suit you. Don’t be upset, try wearing it once.”
“…?!”
But Seunggeon repeated those cringeworthy words exactly. And with a handsome face and an unbothered expression at that.
“Why? Wasn’t I speaking softly?”
When Seunggeon asked back if this wasn’t it, Chaehun couldn’t find words to say. He thought this guy knew everything and was doing this on purpose.
“Don’t just repeat it exactly.”
“You’re picky.”
“It’s a matter of sincerity.”
“Thrusting the watch at you was half out of spite. I was angry. It was a foolish thing to do. But wanting to see it once is really true.”
It was an honesty unlike Seunggeon. Chaehun held back from demanding to know what the credit card was about then. He couldn’t ruin the good atmosphere.
“Okay. I won’t throw away the watch and will keep it. Ugh. I got hot from talking so much.”
Earlier he’d had chills, but this time Chaehun groaned at the feeling of heat bursting from his face. Then Seunggeon’s hand touched Chaehun’s cheek and forehead. The softly touching hand was unexpectedly cool, so Chaehun laughed.
“It’s cool.”
“Yeah?”
“But when hands are cold, they say it means poor blood circulation.”
The cause of cold hands and feet that suddenly came to mind came out as words. Then Seunggeon burst into laughter. Since he was aware he’d said something funny, Chaehun just laughed along.
“Seunggeon-ah. Try it with the back of your hand.”
“You have a high fever.”
“Yeah. I think so.”
The hand that touched his cheek soon became lukewarm. Chaehun sighed, feeling disappointed by that, when this time Seunggeon’s hand touched his lips. While the thumb traced his lips, Chaehun stared blankly at Seunggeon. He wondered what this guy was doing when this time Seunggeon’s face came closer.
He only realized their lips had met when their tongues touched. The kiss was slow. Chaehun blankly sucked on the tongue. He had no energy to do more than that.
The kiss ended briefly rather than lasting long. Chaehun blinked and confirmed Seunggeon’s face moving away.
“Do you want to do it?”
Only one reason for kissing came to mind. But it seemed difficult to do it with this body. He asked with the intention of cursing him out properly this time, so Seunggeon frowned.
“I’d rather be cursed at.”
“……?”
Chaehun didn’t understand what Seunggeon was saying. If he had been in a state where he could think properly, he would have realized that being seen as a person who would have sex with someone sick was as good as being cursed at, but unfortunately he couldn’t.
“I have no intention of doing that.”
“Then why?”
“Because I wanted to kiss you.”
“Uh… You’ll catch my cold.”
Again, words worrying about health came out. He seemed like a guy who wouldn’t bleed even if pricked with a needle, but still, he had to be careful of colds. But this time Seunggeon didn’t laugh.
“Just sleep.”
“Yeah. I’ll sleep. You should go back quickly too when you’re done. You must be tired.”
“Close your eyes first.”
“Always giving orders.”
The glaring look wasn’t scary at all, but because he was sleepy, Chaehun grumbled and closed his eyes. Sleep poured over him. He fell asleep in no time.
* * *
