Seojun rubbed under his nose with his index finger and smiled awkwardly.
“I looked into panic… disorder a bit. Of course! I’m not as knowledgeable as an expert. Just… I was worried about you, Soohyun-ssi. And I really want to help. So, um… anyway.”
“Thank you, Choi Seojun-ssi.”
Soohyun looked at Seojun and smiled faintly. At the smile that slightly touched his lips, Seojun’s face heated up. If he’s this pretty just smiling like that, how dazzling would his face be when he smiles brightly?
“Then let’s go!”
* * *
Calm music flowed inside the car. It was music Seojun had deliberately chosen, said to help settle the mind. Soohyun sat in the passenger seat with a serene face, looking out the window. It had already been about 20 minutes since they departed, but he didn’t feel anything particularly wrong.
“Soohyun-ssi, I’m planning to go toward P City. It takes about an hour.”
“Yes, the weather is nice.”
“Right? The wind is blowing just right too, so it’ll be good for a walk.”
Not unaware that Seojun was curious about his condition, Soohyun turned his head.
“I’m still okay. It’s really different from the bus.”
“Really? That’s a relief. It’s already been 30 minutes since we got in the car. If we go 30 more minutes, we’ll arrive. You’re not pushing yourself, right?”
At the words that he was okay, color returned to Seojun’s face.
“Yes, I’m really okay. I’m glad that your help paid off, Choi Seojun-ssi.”
“Anytime! This really isn’t anything at all. Plus, there’s hardly any filming these days. Let’s go out like this when we have time. I feel good going out with you too, Soohyun-ssi.”
Speaking in a voice filled with joy, Seojun folded his eyes like crescents and laughed refreshingly. He was worried that Soohyun, still guarded against him, might hide his pain. But Soohyun really seemed comfortable. He was on the verge of humming.
“We’re here.”
Seojun’s car arrived in front of a leisurely mountain. Getting out in a place with almost no one coming and going, Soohyun pushed the fresh air, different from the city, deep into his lungs.
“The air is nice, right? Let’s go over there.”
Seojun naturally held Soohyun’s hand. His skinship had felt very awkward at first, but perhaps because they’d lived together for just a few days? Soohyun had become quite accustomed to his behavior of holding hands at any time.
“Where is this?”
“…A place I come to rest sometimes. No one knows about it. It’s private property, so other people can’t come in either.”
After climbing the well-maintained mountain path for several minutes, a small house built of wood appeared.
“Let’s rest for a bit. The terrace here is nice.”
The house—what appeared to be Seojun’s vacation home—was very small compared to his main residence, but it was neatly decorated.
“The house is nice. It’s quiet.”
“Right? It’s too secluded though…. I sometimes like places like this.”
Seojun went into what appeared to be the kitchen and began preparing something with clattering sounds. Soohyun followed behind him.
“Don’t do it alone, let’s do it together, Choi Seojun-ssi.”
“No. Would you like to go out to the terrace?”
Soohyun slowly moved in the direction he pointed. Opening the large glass door, a wide terrace with a swing-like chair appeared. Soohyun swept away the fallen leaves on the chair and sat down. The slowly swaying feeling was good. Everything was good—the refreshing air felt with the wind, the chirping of unknown birds, and the sunlight coming through between the leaves.
“Soohyun-ssi. Take this.”
What Seojun held out was a mug. On the flower tea with a subtle chrysanthemum scent, yellow dried flower buds floated.
“It’s chrysanthemum tea.”
“Besides coffee, this is the only other tea I have. Is it okay?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Seojun sat close beside Soohyun and rested his head on his shoulder. He was just grateful that he, who used to flinch even at a touch at first, no longer felt anxious and accepted it naturally.
“The subtlety… is just like you, Soohyun-ssi.”
Soohyun remained silent. He was distracted savoring the green air mixed with the chrysanthemum scent.
“Thank you, Choi Seojun-ssi.”
Seojun’s face turned bright red. What was contained in the smile on his face was undoubtedly sincerity. A smile like a naturally blooming flower, not manufactured. After realizing that the stiff face and speech Soohyun had shown when they first met were all just shields he’d put up for survival, Seojun felt anguished.
Seojun was still curious about what exactly had happened to him. But he didn’t want to burden him, who had just barely unlatched his heart and was looking at him now.
“Really… this is so good.”
“Yes?”
“Because you’re smiling. I like it so much. You said you know yourself that you’re pretty, right, Soohyun-ssi?”
Seojun covered his face with both hands. Anyone who doesn’t know they’re this pretty would be a fool.
“I think I said something unnecessary.”
“Ah! No. You’re really pretty. I wish you’d only smile in front of me. Ah! What am I saying right now?”
Watching Seojun rambling, Soohyun let out a small laugh. Seeing Soohyun laugh out loud for the first time, Seojun jumped up from his seat.
“Why did you suddenly laugh again?”
“Choi Seojun-ssi is… cu— Never mind.”
Seojun bent down and embraced Soohyun’s body. I should have done this from the start. Instead of rashly demanding things like pheromone care, I should have approached slowly, knocked on and soothed his heart, and waited for the real smile to appear on his beautiful face. The irreversible past was just frustrating.
“I’m originally a bit cute. And I’m confident I’ll be even cuter in front of you, Soohyun-ssi.”
Seojun tightened his arms around Soohyun.
“Soohyun-ssi, may I kiss you?”
Waves rose in the large eyes that met his. Before the moisture-filled pupils could ripple more, Seojun took the lips moistened with tea water.
The fragrant yet subtle scent of chrysanthemum flowers lingered in his mouth. While soothing Soohyun’s hesitant tongue, Seojun gently stroked and sucked his gums, palate, and even tongue. He loved the breaths felt between their kisses.
The kiss that seemed to sweetly whisper love gradually became more intense, and Seojun’s breathing quickened. Feeling Seojun rubbing his thigh between his legs, Soohyun’s heart also beat as if it would burst. During pheromone care, it hadn’t trembled this much, but now his heart was racing wildly as if broken.
“Soohyun-ssi….”
Seojun’s eyes were染色染 with passion. Soohyun’s eyes, drunk on the thickened pheromones, also rippled.
“Ah….”
His legs trembled and his waist felt heavy. From just one kiss, moisture was added to the underwear touching his buttocks. Rough sounds, not knowing whose breathing it was, spread out into the mountain.
“Let’s go inside. It’s cold here in the mountains.”
Seojun, heated up to his earlobes, pulled Soohyun’s hand. Seojun’s hand holding Soohyun’s hand was dampened with moisture. Realizing he was as nervous as his own trembling, heat rushed to his face again. His back, which had seemed only firm, which had shown no clumsy emotions like wavering or hesitation, seemed to be trembling very slightly somehow.
“Choi Seojun-ssi.”
“There’s a drive-in theater nearby. I made a reservation. Let’s go watch a movie.”
Though Seojun wanted to embrace Soohyun right away, it was their first date. He wanted to build more special memories. Worrying about what he could do for him, who couldn’t go to crowded places for a long time, Seojun thought of the drive-in theater. There, both Seojun and Soohyun could spend time comfortably without anyone’s interference.
“…Thank you, Choi Seojun-ssi.”
Knowing Seojun’s consideration, Soohyun expressed his gratitude once more.
* * *
Cars were gathering around the P City drive-in theater to watch the movie showing from 7 PM. Among them was Seojun’s car. Who could imagine that the ten-million-viewer actor Choi Seojun was riding in a heavily tinted domestic sedan? Seojun tried his best not to expose his identity even as he entered the drive-in theater.
“This looks like a parking lot, is this the theater?”
Soohyun asked Seojun with a dumbfounded face, and Seojun nodded pleasantly, saying yes.
“It’s still before the movie starts though. The movie will be projected on that screen over there. If you tune the radio frequency in the car, you can hear the sound.”
“This is my first time at a place like this.”
As it approached 7 o’clock, the theater filled with people and cars, and Seojun took out water and some snacks he’d prepared in advance from the back seat and handed them to Soohyun.
“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I just prepared things moderately.”
Soohyun received the sparkling water and snacks Seojun handed him. At a theater, it would be normal to have cola and popcorn, but for Soohyun who had to avoid caffeine, Seojun deliberately prepared sparkling water.
“You considered that I can’t have caffeine.”
“Huh? Ah….”
Until now, there had been no one who took care of Soohyun this much except Chaeho. Though it didn’t properly show on his face, Seojun felt proud that Soohyun appreciated his consideration.
