# Chapter 99
The number that appeared on the screen was unknown. Still, I had a feeling I knew who it was, and a sigh escaped me.
“Peace my ass. They really don’t give me a moment’s rest.”
I pressed the call button and held it to my ear. Listening to the naturally beautiful voice on the other end, I flopped down on the bed.
—Where are you?
“I’m at Ace right now.”
—Really? In your room?
“Yeah. What about you?”
—I’m heading there too. Which room number?
“Number 6.”
The call ended with an “Alright.” Since they said they were coming, they’d arrive soon. I decided to rest properly until then, pulling the blanket over my body.
Naturally closing my eyes and getting comfortable, my body felt tired. The soft mattress enveloped me snugly. Somehow there seemed to be a pleasant scent too, and I started to drift off. Just like that, I fell asleep.
From somewhere, I could smell wet grass. It was different from the scent I’d noticed before falling asleep, but this was also a pleasant fragrance. My eyelids were too heavy to open, and in my hazy consciousness, I could only think about where this scent was coming from. As I struggled to move even a finger and just sniffed with my nose, I heard a small laugh.
Since it wasn’t me laughing, someone else must have, but that couldn’t be possible, so my brows furrowed. Though I wasn’t fully conscious due to drowsiness, I was aware of where I was lying. Wondering if I’d had a dream, I let out a shallow sigh.
I needed to open my eyes, but not wanting to get up, I shifted my position. My brows were still furrowed. Then, a gentle pressure was applied there. My creased brow smoothed out, and the moist, refreshing smell grew stronger.
Somehow this feels familiar. I put effort into my eyes and slowly raised them. I thought my breath would stop when I saw the handsome face right in front of me.
“……”
I examined the other person while my mouth opened and closed. I don’t know where he’d been or what he’d done, but all his wet hair was combed upward. This guy looks good even with his hair slicked back, exposing his entire face.
After staring at Moon Seoheon’s shiny face for a moment, I was startled and sat up abruptly, shouting.
“W-Why are you here?”
My words trembled terribly. Too shocked, I looked around quickly before even hearing Moon Seoheon’s answer. The bag I’d carelessly placed on the bed was neatly arranged on the sofa in front of the mirror. Other than that, nothing in the room seemed different.
This is definitely the room I unlocked and entered. Maybe I got up in the middle and went to a different room while half-asleep? Thinking all sorts of things, I looked at Moon Seoheon, who pulled his upper body back.
“I called you, but you didn’t answer, so I was worried and came in.”
“Huh?”
I quickly grabbed my phone from beside the pillow. As soon as I turned on the screen, I saw a list of missed calls.
Jung Hyoin’s number that I’d seen before falling asleep showed five calls, an unknown number showed six, and strangely, Kwak Junhee had also called several times. The number of times Moon Seoheon had called was no less.
After checking the missed call list with a shocked expression, I checked the time. More than an hour had passed since I had arrived here and looked at the clock last.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, I rubbed the back of my neck and then suddenly raised my head.
“Wait, how did you get in?”
“Well, I picked the lock and came in.”
“…The key?”
Moon Seoheon paused briefly, then rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a key to show me.
“Master key.”
I glared at him with a deeply furrowed expression. A master key? Is he joking? Why do you even have something like that? Don’t tell me he got a master key because he was worried when he couldn’t reach me, and used it to pick the lock and enter.
As if confirming my thoughts, Moon Seoheon shrugged and grinned. I wondered for a moment if I should praise him for his concern or be angry at him for entering on his own.
“Even if you were worried… my privacy…”
I complained a little, since the fact that he had invaded my personal space for today couldn’t be changed. I ran my hands over my face, which was propped up by both hands. Moon Seoheon then leaned down to look at me intently, as if checking if I was angry.
Our eyes met, and I fell silent as I looked at his face from below. The way he looked at me with his beautifully upturned eyes seemed so natural. I relaxed my furrowed expression and pushed Moon Seoheon’s face away.
Even though I pushed him lightly, his body moved far back, and I glared at Moon Seoheon.
“But why are you here?”
“…I told you, I was worried and came looking for you.”
Moon Seoheon chuckled at my question and tilted his head. Swallowing a sigh, I waved my hand dismissively.
“That’s not what I meant. Why are you at Ace? Are you also staying here tonight?”
“That’s right.”
My head throbbed at his crisp response. I was about to shout and ask why, of all days, he was staying here today, but I stopped myself.
From our conversation yesterday, he would have known well that I was stopping by Ace. He probably wouldn’t make up a ridiculous story about just happening to visit, but I could vaguely guess why he came.
As Moon Seoheon got up from the bed, the mattress rippled slightly. He swept his wet hair, which had fallen down in one strand, neatly upward again, as if it bothered him, and reached out his hand.
“Let’s get ready and go up.”
What is there to get ready? Led by Moon Seoheon into the bathroom, I quickly washed my face and came out, only to be blocked by him.
“You need to take a shower.”
“What? Why a shower?”
“You need to be clean before going around upstairs freely. Clean your body and change your clothes.”
I heard there was a swimming pool on the rooftop, so it seemed he was telling me to wash up before going up. I had no intention of getting in the water, so I was silent for a moment, then asked with displeasure due to an uneasy feeling.
“Do I have to wash up to go upstairs? I don’t plan on swimming.”
“…Do you have extra clothes?”
“Yeah. Just one outfit to sleep in.”
Moon Seoheon closed his mouth as if at a loss for words. After all, I was only staying one night, so what clothes would I need to bring? I had packed toiletries just in case, but after seeing they were provided in the bathroom, I thought I had brought them unnecessarily.
“A swimsuit?”
“I don’t have one.”
Moon Seoheon let out a small breath and then grabbed my shoulder, pulling me in.
“Let’s go up for now.”
Following Moon Seoheon, I climbed the stairs and passed through an entrance without a door to access the rooftop. After passing through the lobby, which had plastic chairs and tables and vending machines placed at intervals, I could see folding doors installed at the front.
The doors seemed to divide the space, and the open structure inside with its expansive view caught my eye. Soon, I found myself staring fixedly at one spot, dumbfounded.
“Oh, you’re here? What took you so long?!”
“Huh? Why didn’t Taeho change clothes? Those will be uncomfortable.”
Why are those bastards all gathered here? The Four were splashing around in a swimming pool by the glass wall, which offered a view of the outside scenery. The pool was long enough for competitions.
The water was so clean that I could see the blue tiles at the bottom and the bodies of the guys wearing swimsuits.
I stood still without saying anything, and Moon Seoheon beside me took my wrist. When I turned to look at him blankly, he led me to the lockers at the end without saying a word.
“Take off your shoes.”
As I stood still, still not having regained my senses, Moon Seoheon bent his upper body. Startled by his touch on my calf, I stepped back.
“What are you doing?”
“I thought you wanted me to take them off for you.”
Instead of cursing at him, I irritably took off my shoes. Moon Seoheon straightened his back with an expression as if holding back laughter, and even provided the helpful answer to put them in the locker.
After staring dully at The Four who were looking at us from a distance, I whispered quietly to Moon Seoheon.
“I understand Jung Hyoin, but why is everyone else here? Did you invite them?”
“No. I’m the one who wants to ask why everyone came.”
Moon Seoheon raised the corner of his lips in response to my question. His mouth was clearly smiling, but the muscles in his jaw stood out, tense. As I quietly followed Moon Seoheon into the pool area, the hard tiles stuck to my bare feet.
Even though I’d only taken a few steps, it felt like I was in a completely different world. The water rippled golden under the clear sunlight pouring in, against the backdrop of the clear sky visible beyond the roof.
Even with tinted windows, it seems they don’t completely block UV rays.
Every time The Four moved in the water, it looked like white waves were rolling across the surface. Was Moon Seoheon’s hair wet because he had been splashing around with them?
Despite the open view, I felt suffocated and took several deep breaths in succession. Kwak Junhee and Jung Hyoin, who emerged from the pool, spoke to me simultaneously.
“Taeho, where’s your swimsuit?”
“Why didn’t you change your clothes before coming out?”
The words were completely different, but the implied meaning was the same. All of The Four were bare-chested, each wearing swimsuits that showed their individuality. They had definitely come with the intention of having a proper good time.
I looked down at my plain t-shirt and shorts, then waved my hand dismissively to indicate I couldn’t be bothered.
“I won’t be getting in the water, so there’s no need to change. Hey, weren’t you planning to draw here?”
When I asked Jung Hyoin, he nodded as if I was right. But for someone who was supposed to be drawing, he looked like he came to play in the water. When I looked at him disapprovingly, Jung Hyoin looked me up and down and said:
“I was planning to watch you all having fun and then draw that. I can’t draw you in these clothes.”
Jung Hyoin frowned and glared at my clothes. He extended his arm and flicked my top with his index finger in a manner that seemed quite displeased. Is he unhappy with my clothes right now? Or is he upset that I didn’t change into a swimsuit?
Feeling repulsed, I slapped his hand away hard. I made up my mind that the moment he started talking nonsense about taking off my clothes again, I would punch him in the mouth.
Sensing my aggression, Jung Hyoin relaxed his expression and smacked his lips as if disappointed.
“I’ll draw you like this. I’ll pose for you.”
* * *
They said no one else could come up, and truly, no one else came up to the rooftop. So I guess there are no other guests staying here.
Of course, all the guys in front of me would be staying overnight. The Four and Moon Seoheon, who were swimming through the water, had left their key bands carelessly, seemingly at ease knowing they were alone, and were enjoying their freedom.
Although Jung Hyoin had said he would pose for me, he first told me to go around as I pleased.
So now I was lying on a sun bed at the edge, watching the guys swimming. It really felt like I was on a hotel vacation.
My dampened mood had more or less improved, but then Kwak Junhee and Maeng Moa, who emerged from the water, approached me with wide grins. Just as I was about to ask what was going on, the two of them grabbed my arms and legs and lifted me up as if pouncing on me.
“Aaah! What are you doing?!”
I shouted in surprise as my body was lifted into the air, and they carried me straight to the swimming pool filled with water. Realizing they were acting to drop me in, I struggled with all my might, but I couldn’t break free. After counting one, two, three, they threw me into the water.
In the blink of an eye, as I fell into the water, it started filling all my orifices—mouth, nose, and so on.
Damn it, I can’t swim! You bastards!
