“However I want?”
“Yeah.”
‘Should I call this naive.’
Separate from the fact that he liked this situation, while receiving Yumyeong’s patting, Hakyoung became a bit conflicted. Of course, he’d known from the beginning that Yumyeong liked pretty faces. Since he’d been that way from a very young age.
But if he falls for it so completely with just a bit of acting, how is he going to survive in this harsh world? He was also anxious because there was no guarantee he wouldn’t do this again when meeting another beauty.
“Are you okay? Say something.”
Yumyeong, finding it strange that Hakyoung continued to have no answer, bowed his head to try to look at his face. Hakyoung avoided that gaze and acted once more.
Sniffle.
As he did that, he carefully placed both hands on Yumyeong’s slender waist and embraced him. He tried hugging him tighter with a bit more force, but he didn’t shake him off either.
Rather, with a slight laugh,
“Are you a baby?”
He stroked Hakyoung’s hair.
Shin Yumyeong has strong pride but is weak to whining. He absolutely won’t bend to the strong, but when the weak cry and act pitiful, he easily kneels before them if only to comfort them. Sunmin the dormitory fairy, the astronomy club members who had no one to eat with, and the first-year juniors who stepped up to get snacks instead of receiving punishment drills—they were all such cases.
Hakyoung finally realized his position. How he should act in front of Yumyeong. If he acted like Yeong from childhood who couldn’t speak, was shy, and had no friends…….
Then wouldn’t he slowly seep in without even being conscious of it?
Hakyoung muttered as if dejected.
“What I want is just one thing. Whatever I do, I hope you won’t avoid me.”
“Uh…….”
“I understand it’s unfamiliar. But I’m your friend, aren’t I?”
With a final friendship attack, Yumyeong’s face became completely apologetic.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Just as expected. Yumyeong had quite a fair personality, so when he realized he’d unconsciously acted discriminatorily, he immediately felt guilty.
“I didn’t hit you because I disliked it, it was really by accident……. Let me see your face. Let me see if you’re badly hurt.”
“It’s embarrassing……. don’t look.”
At that, Yumyeong burst into light laughter. Because he liked that laughter scattering by his ear, Hakyoung put more strength into his arms.
“Why? Let me see your pretty face. What does it matter?”
“I said don’t look.”
“It’s not like the fact you cried disappears just because I don’t look.”
I didn’t cry though.
Even so, Hakyoung continued his dejected act. Yumyeong, who had been playing along with it, wanted to return to his room as time was getting late.
“Hey…… are you okay now? Have you calmed down? If you’re going to sleep, let’s go sleep in our room.”
“Because of ghosts?”
“Yeah…… isn’t it?”
As if pretending it’s not.
Still, Hakyoung decided to play along for now.
“It’s okay if you’re with me.”
At those words, Yumyeong sent a questioning look as if to say what are you talking about. Hakyoung looked at him with a clear face where the moisture from his eyes had disappeared and added this.
“You know that saying. That ghosts can’t even come near people with strong energy. When I was young, a shaman told me that. That my energy is very strong……. The reason I was okay even while living in Room 10 is probably because of that.”
“Hmm……. You?”
Yumyeong seemed unable to believe in the courage of the crybaby who had been sobbing in his arms. Hakyoung continued speaking without concern.
“Yeah. Even when I slept in our room before, it was okay, right? So try testing it. Sleep next to me tonight and see whether you get sleep paralysis or not.”
Though it was baseless talk, Hakyoung was confident. Even when very young, when Yumyeong fell asleep beside him, he hadn’t gotten sleep paralysis.
Yumyeong, who knew nothing, nodded with a worried face.
“Okay. If you really want to…….”
And a little while later, the two took turns washing up and came out. Yumyeong, whose hair ends were slightly wet, lay down peacefully on Hakyoung’s bed with a face moistened by water. Hakyoung, who had been quietly looking down at him, also got onto the same bed.
Parts of the bodies of the two lying side by side on the narrow single bed unavoidably touched.
Still, Yumyeong, disarmed by Hakyoung’s beauty and tears, didn’t noticeably shrink back. The problem was himself. The touching parts were insanely conscious to him, but Hakyoung tried to act naturally.
Yumyeong, who had been looking at the graffiti on the bedroom ceiling, stretched out his finger and pointed to the upper right.
“It starts from there on the ceiling. Black soot-like stuff ripples and…….”
“Yeah.”
“If I get sleep paralysis, you have to wake me up.”
“Okay.”
“But what’s with the shaman story? Tell me about it.”
“It’s nothing special.”
“Still.”
“I was weak when I was young. So my parents tried every method…….”
At Hakyoung’s low voice, Yumyeong’s eyes drowsily closed. Hakyoung tilted his head while stealthily approaching near Yumyeong’s neck, which he’d wanted to keep touching from the start. Their eyes met at a very close distance.
“Isn’t this too close?”
“You agreed not to avoid whatever I do.”
“That’s true but.”
“Endure it.”
Yumyeong laughed as if dumbfounded. Hakyoung asserted once more.
“My wish got cut off halfway too.”
At that, Yumyeong made a groaning sound like a moan. But perhaps recalling that he’d hit and made Hakyoung cry just moments ago, he stayed quiet.
“You were weak, you?”
“Yeah. I couldn’t even reach average.”
“That’s unexpected…….”
Yumyeong’s pronunciation became unclear and his words trailed off long. Hakyoung went a bit closer. Even though they’d washed with the same soap, a strangely good smell came from Yumyeong’s nape. It was a cozy, soft smell reminiscent of fruit and down feathers.
“No matter what we did, I didn’t get better, so we met a shaman to try even a ritual, and that’s when I heard it. That I don’t need a ritual. That’s the end.”
“……It tickles.”
Perhaps because the part of his neck where Hakyoung’s breath touched tickled, Yumyeong finally giggled and turned his head away. However, he didn’t go very far and just shifted a bit before stopping.
With their bodies entangled like that, Yumyeong fell asleep.
The sound of gentle breathing could be heard. Hakyoung scanned Yumyeong, who was very close, with clearly open eyes. It was close enough to see the down on his cheeks. Soon raising his hand, Hakyoung gently touched the ends of Yumyeong’s eyelashes. And the tender flesh under his eyes and his elastic cheeks, the nose that sat sharply in the middle of his young-looking face to clearly finish off his impression, and even his Adam’s apple that protruded prominently.
The reason he wanted to touch the neck in particular was because it was a part that couldn’t be touched even by coincidence normally.
“Sleep well.”
Because I’ll protect you tonight too.
With such thoughts, Hakyoung also gently closed his eyes.
***
‘A ghost appeared in my dream last night.’
Young Yumyeong, who had been yawning repeatedly, whined. So that’s why the area under his eyes looked hollow. Hakyoung stared at Yumyeong blankly, then led him to the bed.
‘Sleep now?’
Hakyoung nodded and laid Yumyeong down, patting his chest.
‘Hehe, sing me a lullaby.’
‘…….’
At Yumyeong’s request, Hakyoung moved his lips. Soon humming that couldn’t even be recognized as a song flowed out. Yumyeong was very pleased and couldn’t take his eyes off Hakyoung’s face. Even so, he kept yawning with his mouth open like a baby bird.
Soon Yumyeong fell asleep.
Young Hakyoung tried pinching Yumyeong’s chubby cheeks, fiddling with his smooth hair, and secretly kissed his cheek. He also lay side by side, hugged him tightly and rolled around. But no matter what he did, Yumyeong didn’t wake up.
Hakyoung gradually became anxious. He worried what if he slept until it was time for him to leave.
Come to think of it, when he was a bit younger, he would sniffle at this situation feeling upset. But now, he was more worried about Yumyeong’s condition from not being able to sleep.
So Hakyoung endured and watched over Yumyeong as he napped. While keeping watch in all directions to see if the ghost that tormented Yumyeong would come.
In the end, Yumyeong woke up when it was time for Hakyoung to leave. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Yumyeong said.
‘I’m sorry. Why did I sleep so much? I sleep well when I’m with you.’
There were no ghosts?
‘Yeah, it didn’t come! Did you keep watch?’
Right. I kept protecting you the whole time.
‘I’m really sorry. Let’s play a lot next time you come…….’
Yumyeong muttered as if sorry to Hakyoung for not being able to play together because he’d slept all day today. Hakyoung shook his head lightly.
Then he approached closer, grabbed Yumyeong’s cheek and gave him a kiss.
‘Ah!’
At the bold expression, Yumyeong’s cheeks turned red with embarrassment. However, he too didn’t back down and approached Hakyoung to kiss his cheek back with a smack! sound. Hakyoung’s face turned red to his ears.
The two stayed hugging each other like that for a long time until they heard someone calling from downstairs.
‘I wish you would come to my house every single day. No, I wish we could live together.’
Hakyoung answered in his heart.
Me too.
When I grow up, definitely…….
***
‘Let’s live together.’
Hearing bird sounds, Yumyeong slowly opened his eyes.
His vision was unfamiliar. After blinking his eyes several times, he realized he was curled up and held in someone’s arms.
Unlike last night when Hakyoung had clung to him, this time he himself was leaning deeply against him. While wondering when he’d gotten into this position, Yumyeong carefully shifted.
When he raised his head, unexpectedly, Hakyoung was already awake with his eyes blankly open.
“Huh, you were awake?”
Yumyeong was startled and sat up. Hakyoung wordlessly massaged his shoulder.
“The blood isn’t circulating.”
“What? Why?”
“Because of who?”
“Ah, because of me?”
As he said that, Yumyeong laughed “pahaha” by himself. Hakyoung, who had been watching such Yumyeong, asked.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah.”
While stretching, Yumyeong was inwardly surprised. His body really felt refreshed and clear. Far from sleep paralysis, his head was clear as if he’d continued sleeping deeply. Come to think of it, he couldn’t even remember how long it had been since he’d woken up not to the roll call broadcast but to bird sounds.
“I told you, you won’t get sleep paralysis when you’re with me.”
“That’s true, you really must have strong energy.”
To think there was someone the curse of Room 10 really didn’t work on. Yumyeong was just amazed.
And a little while later.
“Shin Yumyeong. Are you in Room 303 or Room 310? Pick just one.”
During morning roll call, seeing Yumyeong coming out of Room 310, Hakyoung’s room, the dormitory supervisor threw out a comment. Yumyeong returned to the front of Room 303 with a slightly awkward face.
To the point where the dormitory supervisor noticed, Yumyeong was now practically living in Hakyoung’s room.
Sleeping in the same bed, of course.
