# Chapter 22
Between the living room and kitchen, there was a wide dining table and a geometric light fixture. And the kitchen also had a very spacious island with bar stools.
Jiho had set up food on the island and was waiting. Yeomin, dressed in a robe, awkwardly approached the bar stool.
“By the way, where are the clothes you brought for me?”
“I put them in the room.”
“Then I should change first—”
“Hyung, you’re hungry. Eat this first, then change. We’re inside the house anyway, so what does it matter?”
Although he had planned to go change first, Yeomin ended up sitting on the bar stool that Jiho had pulled out for him.
Right… let’s eat first. In his current state, he might starve to death while changing clothes.
As soon as he sat down, Yeomin’s attention was immediately drawn to the food.
Jiho said in an apologetic voice, “It’s late, so I just took out and heated what was in the refrigerator. Tomorrow I’ll have someone come in to work, so it will be better than this.”
“What are you talking about? This is already a feast!”
Yeomin was mesmerized. Steak salad. Stir-fried bok choy. Labor-intensive cockle salad, and what looked like hand-made dumplings.
It was a well-prepared table filled with dishes that looked not only delicious but also healthy.
Yeomin picked up his chopsticks while glancing at Jiho. He felt he should wait until the host ate first.
Seeing Yeomin’s hesitation, Jiho smiled and gestured.
“Eat, hyung.”
“Oh, okay, I’ll dig in!”
Yeomin’s eyes rolled back. His stomach was so empty it ached after not eating all day.
The first bite of steamed sweet pumpkin wrapped around his tongue so softly.
Ah… how long has it been since I’ve had a proper meal like this?
“Why aren’t you eating?”
Yeomin asked while hastily stuffing three different dishes into his mouth at once. Jiho was just watching him eat without even picking up his chopsticks.
“I ate earlier. Eat a lot, hyung.”
In that case, I should eat it all. It would be a waste to leave any.
While Yeomin was eating hurriedly, Jiho placed a drink in front of him.
Jiho’s gaze, watching Yeomin eat like a competitive food fighter, drifted to the gap in Yeomin’s robe that had opened while he was eating.
Jiho’s eyes lingered on the pale skin. Feeling that gaze, Yeomin hastily closed the front of his robe.
Then he deliberately changed the subject.
“By the way, if this is your uncle’s house, where does he stay? Will he be coming later?”
The thought that this was Seol Jiho’s uncle’s house made his already uncomfortable feelings even more uncomfortable.
Unlike Yeomin’s concern, Jiho was very cool about it.
“You don’t need to worry about that, hyung.”
It’s not that I’m worried… I’m just asking out of courtesy.
“He’ll go somewhere, I’m sure. Are you worried he might sleep on the streets?”
His mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren’t smiling at all. It was an expression that suggested he wouldn’t bat an eye even if his uncle actually slept on the streets.
“Of course not… why would I worry about your uncle? I have my own problems.”
Jiho smiled again, seemingly pleased with Yeomin’s answer.
That crazy kid. While Yeomin still thought Jiho was impossible, he decided to express his gratitude for this situation.
After all, he had helped him.
“Anyway, thank you. For readily bringing me to your home.”
“You took care of me too, hyung. I was so grateful back then.”
To call it “taking care”… he hadn’t really provided any extraordinary care. He had just made ramen and ordered delivery food every day.
“I’ll stay here tonight, and when morning comes, I’ll go back home. I’ll clean up a bit there… depending on the situation, I’ll only trouble you for a few days, and as soon as I find a place to stay, I’ll leave right away.”
“Is there really a need for that?”
The immediate question after his statement… it seemed more like picking a fight than asking a question.
Yeomin, who was about to pick up some galbi, fumbled in surprise.
“What?”
“Why are you thinking about leaving as soon as you arrive? That makes the person who brought you here feel bad.”
“I need to check the condition of my place again…”
“I’ll tell the helper to properly repair your place. So don’t worry about it.”
“Still…”
“Hyung, you just need to relax here without thinking about anything.”
Yeomin hesitated.
Even though he thought what Jiho was saying was completely absurd, it was as filling and sweet as the meal laid out in front of him.
He had gobbled down the prepared food without even taking a breath, but to swallow and digest Jiho’s goodwill in one go… that was a bit unsettling.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
Like a dog showing its teeth while on guard, Yeomin asked.
With his cheeks stuffed full, yet eyes full of suspicion—a contradictory human. That was exactly who he was.
“Is it strange that I’m being nice to you? You were nice to me too, hyung.”
“I wasn’t particularly nice to you.”
“Yes, you were. Plenty.”
Jiho answered cheerfully. He spoke so firmly that there was absolutely no way to doubt his sincerity.
“I’ve always wanted it.”
Jiho’s additional comment shocked Yeomin. Why would that come up here all of a sudden? Yeomin doubted his own ears.
Seeing Yeomin’s reaction, Jiho scratched his cheek and elaborated.
“I’ve wanted it. A roommate.”
As he said this, he rested his chin on his hand and smiled. Somehow, he looked both joyful and dangerous.
Rather than someone looking for a roommate, he looked more like someone who had brought home a pet that he really liked.
Whether Yeomin was wary or not, Jiho seemed excited.
“I’ve been thinking, we really match well!”
“We… match well?”
With a hand on his chest, he didn’t think there had ever been such a moment, but…
“Yeah.”
Yeomin decided not to think about it further. If that’s what the guy thought, let’s just go with it. That would benefit him in his current situation too.
Yeomin decided to accept the somewhat unsettling goodwill, for now. It’s not like he had any other options, right?
“Anyway, while I’m staying here, I’ll try not to cause any trouble and live as if I’m not even here.”
“If that’s what makes you comfortable, do that.”
And so it began.
The homeowner and the freeloader. A reversed relationship, an unexpected cohabitation.
* * *
“You can use this room.”
Jiho showed him the bedroom. It was a room furnished only with a bed that looked much larger than king-size and lighting, designed solely for the purpose of being a “bedroom.”
‘It’s just like a hotel…’
Yeomin was impressed.
“Thanks. You must be tired too, go rest.”
And he was about to slip under the covers, but…
“I’ll be sleeping here too.”
Jiho sat down on the bed as if claiming his spot first, leaving Yeomin dumbfounded.
“What?”
“This is the only bed here. My uncle lived alone.”
Of course, even just this room was about four times the size of Joo Yeomin’s rented room, but…
In this huge house with countless rooms, does it make sense to sleep in the same room?
Yeomin couldn’t understand. The environment is very different from back then when they fell asleep to each other’s breathing as ASMR!
“Then I’ll sleep in the living room or another room.”
“Why? The bed is so wide, why sleep separately?”
Jiho was right; the bed was plenty wide. It was large enough for Yeomin to lie across it horizontally.
But he felt he shouldn’t sleep in the same bed with this guy. That was something Yeomin absolutely wanted to avoid.
Yeomin made an excuse.
“The sudden change in environment is hard to adjust to. I’ll probably toss and turn late into the night, so you just sleep here. I’ll sleep in the living room!”
“Don’t do that…”
“Sleep well! I can wake up whenever tomorrow, right? If you have something to do, just go out without worrying about me!”
Yeomin grabbed only a pillow and hurriedly left the room. Until just before the door closed, Jiho was watching him with an expression that suggested he wasn’t pleased.
Yeomin came to the living room and sighed in relief.
‘You did well, Joo Yeomin. No matter what, sharing a bed is going too far.’
That would be crossing a line.
Thinking about what had happened when he woke up after sleeping next to Seol Jiho on the mattress before, this was a wise decision.
Yeomin lay down on the sofa with just his pillow. It was so soft, much better than the cheap mattress at his own place.
When he pressed the remote button like Jiho had done earlier, all the living room lights turned off at once.
“The ceiling is really high.”
The high ceiling made him feel like he was lying in a museum.
Was it because of the changed environment? Or because of today’s hard work? Even though his body was tired enough to pass out right away, Yeomin’s mind was wide awake.
“I don’t know… is this right?”
‘Should I contact Lee Taeyang now and ask to stay with him…’
An internal conflict arose.
Tossing and turning, Yeomin rolled over to face the back of the sofa.
Gradually, his eyelids grew heavy. As he slowly fell asleep, Yeomin thought:
‘What’s wrong with enjoying this? It’s not like I’ll be here forever.’
While I’m here, forget about shame or whatever—let’s just brazenly enjoy this luxury.
Having made that decision, his eyes began to close as if by magic.
And as Yeomin’s body sank into the comfortable sofa and fell into sleep, a light blanket was gently placed over him.
“…”
The shadow that covered Yeomin’s body didn’t leave his side for a long time.
