The long period of not being able to contact Lee Jiwoo seemed to have been a bigger stress than he thought. Moreover, the fake commutes to work and killing time without doing anything had quite an impact on his poor condition.
So for the past few days, he’d had trouble sleeping, and even after sleeping and waking up, the exhausting situation kept repeating.
“……”
When was the last time he’d opened his eyes in the morning feeling this refreshed and well-rested? His back hurt, his buttocks hurt, his whole body hurt, but still, mentally he was strangely invigorated.
“This is absurd.”
Literally finding it absurd, he muttered to himself and turned his head. The bed was empty and he was alone in the vacant room. He wanted to push back the blanket and get down from the bed, but he was scared to put his feet on the floor.
With an anxious expression, he wriggled his waist and gradually put strength into his arms and legs. He felt dull pain persistently. He wanted to rest more, but having slept so soundly, he was fully awake the moment he opened his eyes.
It felt like his stamina and energy were completely recharged to the max. As he wriggled, he sneakily lifted the blanket to look at his body. He wasn’t naked—Lee Jiwoo must have dressed him in pajamas while he was asleep.
More than that, where was Lee Jiwoo? What time was it now? How long had he slept? What kind of room doesn’t have a single clock? Where was his phone….
He couldn’t lie down any longer, so he slowly and carefully sat up. Then he pulled his legs out from under the blanket and stood up straight. It only hurt a bit at first, and after walking in place for a while, it became somewhat bearable.
Thinking it was fortunate, he was about to leave the room to find Lee Jiwoo when he hesitated. It had been his first time sleeping with a man—something he’d never even imagined in his life. Before doing it, he’d felt like he’d die from the whirlwind of emotions, but surprisingly, after trying it once, it wasn’t a big deal.
Of course, the process was much more intense in various ways than he’d thought, but how should he put it…. It just wasn’t so desperately miserable or disgusting that he’d die.
He didn’t know whether to think it was fortunate or be surprised. Anyway, it had already happened, and dwelling on it more deeply would only give him a headache, so he decided to think that what’s good is good.
There was no bleeding, and though it hurt, it was also true that he’d felt good during it. Moreover, Lee Jiwoo seemed to have enjoyed it too, which was fortunate. Since they needed to become deeply involved, incompatibility in that area would have been too big a risk.
Thinking various thoughts, he left the room and walked down the familiar hallway. He thought he’d be in the living room or kitchen, but no one was there. How was he supposed to find Lee Jiwoo in this spacious, quiet house that even had an elevator?
“Lee Jiwoo.”
Just in case, he called his name in a completely hoarse voice. But as expected, no answer came.
First, he went to the bathroom where they’d performed the deed yesterday to find his phone. He thought it would be a complete mess, but seeing water everywhere, it seemed Lee Jiwoo had at least roughly cleaned up.
Opening the cabinet inside the bathroom, his phone was in the same place he’d left it last night. Fortunately—what if Lee Jiwoo had seen it?
“It’s already 1 o’clock.”
He tried calling Lee Jiwoo first. But as soon as he heard the voice saying the phone was turned off, he realized. Come to think of it, he’d said his phone broke in Chile.
“Lee Jiwoo.”
Calling Lee Jiwoo in a louder voice, he walked around the entire first floor. Then he took the elevator to the second basement floor, but Lee Jiwoo was nowhere to be seen.
Should I go to the first basement floor or the upper floors? I’ve never been there, so it feels a bit awkward. Just in case, he was walking down the hallway after going back up to the first floor to return to the room when he hesitated. He slightly moved aside the thick curtain on the wall with his finger to look outside.
The sunny outdoors was much more green and spacious than when he’d seen it at night. He could see large trees and shrubs, and grass was laid on the ground. And Lee Jiwoo was sitting on an outdoor sofa under a tree.
He was wrapped in what looked like a thick, fluffy fur blanket all over his body, staring intently at his phone. Did he buy a new one?
What’s he doing out there alone? He was about to knock on the window where not a single fingerprint or stain was visible when he hesitated. Because Lee Jiwoo’s expression visible from afar was strangely serious.
“……”
Why does he have that expression? Perhaps because of his guilty conscience, he suddenly became anxious. Could there really have been CCTV in the study? Having home cameras at home wasn’t particularly unusual these days.
Come to think of it, it was also strange that Lee Jiwoo went out there alone and was doing that. Usually when you spend the first night with someone you’re dating, don’t you wait by their side until they wake up? Not even inside the house, but completely outside like that? Is that normal? We’re lovers now, aren’t we?
Of course, even though it was outdoors, it was also ambiguous to call it completely outside, but…. Maybe because he was too nervous, his head wasn’t working properly.
“……”
Suddenly his body, which had been fine, started aching everywhere. Was it because he was mentally anxious? It hurt between his legs, his back hurt, and he felt dizzy.
He supported his staggering body by pressing his hand against the window. What if he found out? Is it okay to keep staying here? Should I say there’s an urgent matter and just run away?
Right, getting out of here is what’s important. In this prison-like house, no one would know whatever happened. There were no windows, it was located in a remote place, and no one would come until tomorrow.
Since I don’t know what an angry Lee Jiwoo might do to me, first I should get dressed….
“Huk!”
Breaking into a cold sweat and raising his head, he almost had a seizure. Because Lee Jiwoo, who’d been far away, was right in front of him. With a fur blanket draped over his shoulders, he was looking at him from outside the window.
“Y-you scared me. Hello. H-hi….”
Stroking his startled heart, he bent his waist without realizing it and muttered greetings. Suddenly his back muscles tensed, making it tingle as if a disc had ruptured. His expression contorted and his legs trembled, so he pressed his hand against the window again with a low groan.
“Ngh….”
After waiting like that for a moment until the pain subsided, he slyly raised his gaze. Lee Jiwoo was looking down at him in the same posture as before.
With an expressionless face as if indifferent, like a statue that had been there for a long time.
“……”
Seeing that, he was almost certain. That Lee Jiwoo was in a bad mood right now. And the reason he was in such a bad mood was probably because of him.
Otherwise, how could he look at a lover who until yesterday he’d clung to, bitten, and sucked with such eyes?
Fuck, really…. He knew things were going too well.
He looked at Lee Jiwoo with innocent eyes and grinned. Then he lightly tapped the window with his fingertips.
“Can you hear my voice?”
Whether he could hear or not, even though he should know he was speaking to him, Lee Jiwoo didn’t even open his mouth.
See that. Look at that. I’m really fucked right now. Haha, fuck…. Fuck….
“Lee Jiwoo?”
While sobbing inwardly, he didn’t drop his smiling expression. He shouldn’t have taken those photos yesterday. It seemed he’d lost his reason encountering the target so suddenly in an unexpected situation.
I should have moved more carefully.
“……”
“……”
Now he couldn’t even force himself to smile anymore. His facial muscles had reached their limit and were about to spasm. Gradually, his face also became expressionless like Lee Jiwoo’s.
As if he’d been waiting for it, only then did Lee Jiwoo’s legs move. He walked slowly somewhere. Hidden by the curtain, his figure quickly disappeared.
“……”
I’d like to curse him out, but I’m too scared to do that.
What should I say to Lee Jiwoo? Just…. should I apologize and say I’m sorry? Or should I play dumb to the end? If he’d only opened the drawer in the study and just looked at the notebook, there would still be room for excuses, but since he even took photos….
“……”
Then Lee Jiwoo appeared from the living room side. There must be an exit outdoors near there. He couldn’t move and just watched Lee Jiwoo slowly approaching.
Until Lee Jiwoo stood in front of him, he didn’t breathe once or blink once. He could only wait as if receiving a death sentence.
A moment of silence passed as they met each other’s eyes.
“Does it hurt?”
“……”
Lee Jiwoo’s mouth opened.
