One of the servants stroked his firm abs and murmured something. At the blunt words, Do-gyeom’s hands, which had been moving busily, stiffened. The dull atmosphere grew lively the moment Gwok Un became the topic of conversation. The men each chimed in one by one, voicing their longing for their master. In the midst of the noisy chatter, someone tossed out a question.
“Who was the last one to go in before he left for Shanghai?”
“Me.”
The pale-complexioned young man — likely of mixed blood — raised his hand triumphantly. The other servants responded with a mixture of jealousy and jeers.
“How was it?”
“You already know, why even ask? Obviously it was incredible.”
The pretty young man licked his lips and snapped his hips. The vulgar gesture sent a lewd heat rising through the living room. Egged on by their jeers, the young man continued in an excited voice.
“That day was something else, I’m telling you — when he was grinding his hips, I thought my dick was going to get torn clean off.”
“Shouldn’t you all be focused?”
Do-gyeom, who had been quietly working, killed the mood. The young man shot Do-gyeom a contemptuous glare and sauntered over. A shadow fell across Do-gyeom’s line of sight, and he looked up. The young man smirked down at him and struck him across the cheek with the back of his hand.
“Who do you think you are, telling people what to do.”
“…….”
Do-gyeom, who had been silently glaring at the young man, flung his hand away. When the sound of what seemed like a slap rang out from the friction, the onlookers let out whistles.
“Ha.”
The young man shook out his struck hand and looked down at Do-gyeom. Meeting eyes that showed not a trace of being intimidated, he grabbed Do-gyeom by the collar.
“This bastard’s hilarious — who the hell do you think you are, trying to go toe-to-toe with me?”
“What’s wrong with servants standing on equal footing with other servants.”
“……Were you always this insolent?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Gi-hyeon watched the two of them squaring off with interested eyes. Do-gyeom’s combative side felt like an unexpected treat.
“What, are you jealous that you can’t sleep with the Young Master? Sure, cleaning up someone else’s cum every night must be pretty shit.”
“…….”
“But could you even satisfy him? You’re still a virgin, aren’t you.”
“……Shut your mouth.”
“What, shut your mouth? You little shit, watch how you talk. Before I kill you. Oh, and if you’re lonely, why don’t you ask that bastard over there to fuck you.”
The moment the young man pointed at Gi-hyeon sitting at the dining table, Gi-hyeon’s eyes sharpened in an instant. Just as Gi-hyeon rose from his seat, Do-gyeom backhanded the man across the face. The young man’s head snapped to the side and his lip split open on the spot. The onlookers, having found a thrill in their dull routine, let out a cheer.
“Damn……!”
He staggered and lunged at Do-gyeom. By their builds, it seemed obvious Do-gyeom would be overpowered — but surprisingly, it was neck and neck. Gi-hyeon watched with pride as the pretty young man and Do-gyeom exchanged punches on equal terms. But as the innate difference in height began to show and Do-gyeom gradually started to be pushed back, Gi-hyeon stepped forward quickly and pulled Do-gyeom away.
“Let go!”
“Enough, snap out of it.”
Gi-hyeon whispered into the ear of the struggling Do-gyeom. He stroked Do-gyeom’s chest soothingly, as one might calm down a child. When Do-gyeom’s ragged breathing settled, the tension drained from his body. The young man glared at the two of them and twisted his sculpted face into an ugly sneer.
“What’s all this commotion?”
As the Butler, who had been out, walked in, the servants scattered like cockroaches. The Butler pushed his glasses up as he took in the floor that had been turned into a mess of fruit and sugar. He looked over Do-gyeom and the young man’s disheveled states and let out a sigh as if he’d already figured out what had happened. When the Butler finished reading the situation and gave a meaningful look, the young man turned away, suppressing his anger. The Butler watched his retreating back and ground a lemon underfoot with his leather shoe. The juice burst out, soaking the shoe along with it. He raised only his gaze to look at Gi-hyeon.
“There hasn’t been a moment of peace since you moved in, Artist.”
“I’d say the state of this household has more to do with its owner.”
The Butler smiled faintly and pushed the flattened lemon aside with his shoe.
“The Young Master said he’d allow anything as long as the work is going well — but you’ll need to apply yourself. If you don’t want to be called a male prostitute, that is.”
A sharp glance passed between them, but the Butler smiled and patted Gi-hyeon on the shoulder. Gi-hyeon shook off his shoulder without hiding his displeasure. The Butler let out a quiet laugh at that and took his leave.
“What a load of bullshit.”
Gi-hyeon muttered the curse at the Butler’s retreating back. He hurriedly called out to Do-gyeom, who had been quietly trying to slip away.
“Where are you going?”
“……To my quarters.”
“Looking like that?”
“Sleep will fix it.”
Do-gyeom was being stubborn, so Gi-hyeon smiled with a slight frown.
He bent at the waist to meet Do-gyeom’s eye level.
“What makes Do-gyeom-ssi a doctor? Sleep will fix it.”
“…….”
“I’ll put some medicine on it, so come to the studio.”
Gi-hyeon placed his hand on Do-gyeom’s shoulder, then drew it back. Since that day, he had made up his mind not to push things without Do-gyeom’s permission — but sometimes, regardless of his intentions, his hand would reach out on its own. Gi-hyeon hid his hand, dripping with reluctance, behind his back.
“Did it help at all? Getting it out of your system?”
“I’m not sure…….”
“Ha, then shall we have a drink?”
Gi-hyeon whispered like a villain hatching a scheme. At his words, Do-gyeom’s eyes lit up — but he quickly glanced around and lowered his voice.
“Where?”
“We can drink right here.”
“How are we going to get alcohol?”
Gi-hyeon stood up and picked up the bottle leaning against the door, and Do-gyeom’s eyes went wide. He gave the neck of the wine bottle a light swing.
“I grabbed it on the sly earlier.”
“If the Butler catches us……”
“Then we just don’t get caught. That guy doesn’t come anywhere near here anyway.”
“Still…….”
“I saw there was a ton earlier — he won’t notice one missing.”
“……Alright then.”
With permission granted, Gi-hyeon broke into a bright smile. Seeing him busily setting out snacks, Do-gyeom started to get up — and Gi-hyeon promptly sat him back down.
“Patients need to rest. Sit still and wait.”
Gi-hyeon draped a blanket over Do-gyeom’s knees. After tucking one of the sofa’s plush cushions into Do-gyeom’s arms as well, he turned around with a satisfied smile. Watching Gi-hyeon hum a song to himself, apparently delighted for some reason, as he got things ready — Do-gyeom’s lips went slack.
Do-gyeom startled and covered his mouth.
Huh?
It was clearly not a good situation. He couldn’t hold his temper and got caught throwing punches by the Butler, and now here he was about to drink stolen wine as if he’d given up on everything. Even though it was obvious this incident would narrow his already precarious footing even further — a smile was leaking out. Why on earth was he smiling like this? Did something go wrong with his head from getting hit earlier? Deep in thought, Do-gyeom found Gi-hyeon setting out the drinks in front of him.
“Are you a good drinker?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve only ever had a glass or two.”
“Then let’s test it today — find out just how much Do-gyeom-ssi can hold.”
“Are you confident?”
Gi-hyeon laughed heartily and poured the wine. The red wine fell into the glass together with bits of fruit.
“I can at least manage to walk a drunk Do-gyeom-ssi back to his quarters.”
When Gi-hyeon and Do-gyeom’s glasses clinked, the sound rang out bright and clear. The taste of the wine — sweet yet bitter — spread through their mouths. Do-gyeom, who had emptied his glass before Gi-hyeon, set it down and reached for the bottle.
“Is that so? Then I can drink without holding back.”
Do-gyeom curved his eyes into a smile and drank straight from the bottle. Gi-hyeon watched him knocking back drink after drink with a worried eye, then picked up the bottle himself. To keep pace with him, Gi-hyeon’s throat bobbed without rest. Do-gyeom, who had been drinking fast without pacing himself, finally let out a small cough as though he’d choked. Gi-hyeon set the bottle down and handed Do-gyeom a glass of ice water. The fingers that received the glass looked loose.
