The light was dazzling. Eunchan frowned and covered his eyes with his palm to block the light. How much time had passed? He’d only slept for a bit, yet why was it so bright?
“Ugh, what time is it?”
Moreover, as if he’d been sleep paralyzed while sleeping, his whole body felt stuffy. Eunchan tried to raise his upper body but ended up flopping back down.
“Miro-ssi.”
“…”
“Wake up, Miro-ssi.”
Does he have some kind of affection deficiency? What kind of person hugs someone this tightly while sleeping? Moreover, his strength was no joke. He called Miro’s name several times to wake him up as he slept with his legs entangled and long arms tightly embracing Eunchan, but whether he was deeply asleep or not, he showed no signs of waking up at all.
“Sigh.”
Day had already broken. From the looks of it, it seemed to be roughly 8 or 9 in the morning. There was no place that would urgently contact him, but the matter with Han Inju still remained.
Eunchan turned his creaking neck to look around the empty living room. We really slept well here instead of in the bedroom. Eunchan tried his best not to be conscious of Miro’s breath touching his nape as he toured the house. The chandelier on the ceiling was also splendid, and looking at it today, the garden scenery was also nice. It had a wild feeling too. What would be on the second floor?
When all topics to think about—house exploration, predicting today’s weather, deciding on meal menus, doing dishes, laundry, cleaning—had run out, Eunchan couldn’t stand it anymore and grabbed and shook Miro’s body.
“Miro-ssi, Jang Miro! I need the bathroom!”
Unable to hold it in any longer due to the strong urge, Eunchan called out Miro’s name in a loud voice. Whether his desperation got through, Miro slowly opened his eyes. Seeing his own face fully reflected in the transparent black pupils, Eunchan unconsciously turned his head away to avoid his eyes.
“Good morninng.”
That languidly sleepy voice… No, fuck. Anyway, the bathroom. Eunchan confessed the current situation to Miro while barely catching his spirit that had almost been captivated.
“I want to go to the bathroom.”
“Let’s go together?”
“No! Let me go!”
After rejecting Miro who smiled brightly and immediately said let’s go together, Eunchan quickly got up. Miro, who also got up following him, followed behind Eunchan who was running to the bathroom with quick steps.
Eunchan made a grimacing expression at Miro who had somehow followed behind him and slammed the bathroom door shut with a bang. What’s with following me even to the bathroom? Eunchan soon pulled down his pants, relieved himself, and trembled. He couldn’t tell if this was because of a physiological phenomenon or because of the strange homeowner.
After washing his hands, he wanted to wash his face, and after washing his face, he ended up brushing his teeth too. After finishing the brief wash, Eunchan opened the bathroom door.
“Did you want to use the bathroom?”
Even though it took at least 5 minutes, Miro was waiting for Eunchan with a smile, as if he’d been standing there waiting the whole time. It’s not like there’s only one bathroom in this huge house.
“Let’s eat.”
He wasn’t hungry thanks to eating right before sleeping yesterday. Nevertheless, he couldn’t give a negative answer to Miro who had rosy cheeks, so Eunchan just nodded. He yawned big, stretched, and walked to the kitchen with Miro. And then faced the dining table they’d eaten at yesterday but hadn’t cleaned up.
“I guess we really were tired yesterday.”
“I’ll clean it up quickly!”
As if worried that Eunchan would clean it, Miro hurriedly stepped forward to organize the dishes. Calling it organizing, to Eunchan it seemed like Miro was just playing house, as if he’d never cleaned up with his own hands even once in his life.
“It’s fine. I’ll just roughly make some ramen. Go wash up and change into my clothes.”
“But I like this…”
As if he really liked the worn t-shirt and shirt and short pants, Miro didn’t want to take them off.
“Please change.”
Even though he’d washed and lived in them, he was embarrassed that they might smell like him. Eunchan grabbed Miro’s shoulders and guided him out of the kitchen. Miro kept turning back to show his reluctance, but Eunchan firmly sent Miro up to the second floor.
Once the nuisance disappeared, cleaning was quick. Eunchan found and took out disposable plastic packs from inside the shelf to dispose of the leftover food. He didn’t have the heart to wash the dishes, so he first put them in the dishwasher. Once he roughly finished organizing the dining table, Eunchan started looking for ramen.
“What kind of house doesn’t have a single pack of ramen?”
Inside the refrigerator, there was only bottled water and neatly organized side dishes. Even those all looked new, as if no one had touched them. There was a convenience store nearby, so should I go there as exercise too? While I’m at it, I can ask about the footage. When Eunchan only found a pot to boil and came out, Miro was lingering at the bottom of the stairs he’d gone up.
“Why didn’t you change clothes?”
“I did change…”
Comfortable linen pants and a white t-shirt. However, he’d only taken off the shirt, and the white tee he wore inside was still Eunchan’s. While he did wear things big, it didn’t fit Miro’s broad shoulders. Eunchan couldn’t hide his lukewarm expression as he looked at the t-shirt stretched tight like a compression shirt.
“Fine… Keep it.”
“Really?”
“Yees, I’ll give it to you, so lend me other clothes besides those pajamas. So I can go to the convenience store and buy ramen. No, just give me my shirt and pants.”
I can just button them up and wear them. Eunchan reached out his hand and said to give the clothes back. However, Miro just mumbled and played with his fingers without answering.
“Miro-ssi?”
“Can’t I wash them and give them back? Next time…”
“Did they smell? I washed them last time.”
“Uh-uh, I’ll give you my clothes!”
Miro, who had been trailing off, soon answered energetically and grabbed Eunchan’s hand. Eunchan was led by Miro’s hand and climbed up the stairs one by one. The second floor had a similar structure to downstairs, but there were many rooms. There was no furniture arranged, but whether he liked paintings or not, incomprehensible paintings in frames hung here and there throughout the corridor.
“Do you do art?”
Come to think of it, he didn’t know what work he did or how old he was—nothing at all. While it was standard practice not to ask or question about a client’s private life or personal information, Eunchan didn’t care and asked Miro. It was because Miro felt more familiar than before, and also because he was such a strange person that curiosity arose.
“No.”
“But there are many paintings on the walls?”
“…I’m going to take them all down.”
Miro stopped walking and glared at the paintings hanging on the wall. Didn’t he like them? After looking at Miro’s face that had turned cold once, Eunchan shook their clasped hands to ventilate the atmosphere.
“You have to lend me clothes. I want to eat ramen quickly.”
“Yeah! Let’s go quickly!”
Eunchan looked up at the side profile of Miro who smiled smoothly as if asking “when did I do that?” at his own words and walked quickly to the room. There’s not just one suspicious point. But it’s not my problem to touch. He just needed to catch the stalker and earn money.
* * *
The room was spacious. To be honest, it was bigger than Eunchan’s small studio apartment. After looking at the white bedding that would be used in hotels, Eunchan looked at the dressing room attached next to the room. There’s another room inside the room.
“Is this really Miro-ssi’s room?”
There’s no sign of anyone living here. It was like the empty living room. It also seemed like a mental hospital, and also like a white prison. In any case, it wasn’t a room that ordinary people would use. There was no desk, no computer, no picture frames or stands.
“Yes.”
Miro’s answer was heard. Without dragging out his words, at the firm tone, Eunchan awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck for no reason.
“Wear this.”
“Wait, it’s similar to mine?”
The clothes Miro took out were similar to what he was wearing now. White t-shirt and linen pants. Are you telling me to wear couple looks now? And why are you coveting mine when you have a white tee too?
There were many things he wanted to ask, but because he was flustered, his mouth wouldn’t open. He was just looking at Miro with absurd eyes, but Miro himself was staring at Eunchan with eyes asking what he was doing not wearing them.
“…I’ll wear them.”
Right, that person is the homeowner. Even if he gave him clothes like rags, it was better than going outside wearing pajamas or patient clothes. Eunchan snatched the clothes from Miro’s hands and headed to a corner of the dressing room.
“Go out.”
“Can’t I? I want to see…”
“Are you crazy?”
This time Eunchan spoke firmly. At the immediate rejection, Miro drooped the corners of his eyes, then soon hesitated and turned around.
“I’ll be like this.”
“Fine.”
He’s quite a stubborn person. Not wanting to bicker for no reason from morning, Eunchan changed clothes while looking at Miro’s back. The t-shirt he received from Miro was big, and the pants were also long, so he had to fold up the hem. He’s really big.
“I’ll go buy ramen and come back. Stay here.”
If he just tells him the way roughly, he can go and come back. Eunchan finished changing and tapped Miro’s shoulder as he spoke.
“I don’t want to.”
“You don’t like ramen?”
“Let’s go together.”
Going alone would be more comfortable mentally and physically and would save time. However, it didn’t seem like he could easily persuade Miro, who was tightly gripping the waist of his t-shirt and pressing his body close.
“Let’s do that. Let’s go together.”
“Yeah.”
A faint rose scent was detected from Miro. For a scent coming from a man, it was a bit creepy, but this person somehow suited it, so the sense of rejection wasn’t severe. He must have bathed while sleeping. Eunchan sniffed inconspicuously and smelled Miro’s scent.
“Do you have money?”
And he also asked about the client’s wallet situation. It was already pitiful that he worked overtime, so he couldn’t even buy food himself.
* * *
It was hot like yesterday and the sunlight was also stinging. As soon as he opened the front door, at the heat that rushed in, Eunchan closed the door again. Then he opened and closed the shoe cabinet looking for an umbrella. Holding a black parasol that looked new in his hand, Eunchan looked at Miro standing behind him.
“Use this.”
Like a Dracula who burns when seeing sunlight, Miro with his pale face also seemed like he’d burn up right away. Miro silently held the umbrella Eunchan handed him. After checking on Miro, Eunchan opened the front door again. His eyes already hurt in the bright morning.
As he went down the entrance stairs, he heard the sound of an umbrella opening with a pop from behind. Soon after, at the shade created above his head, Eunchan turned his head to look at Miro.
“Let’s use it together.”
“…Yes.”
The sight of using a black umbrella under the bright, blazing sunlight without any rain was very strange, but since Miro was doing it, it somehow felt like a pictorial. Eunchan inadvertently nodded to allow him next to him. Miro smiled brightly and walked following Eunchan’s footsteps.
