The destination of his gaze was the lips. Neither thick nor thin, lips of just the right thickness gave a stiff impression with the corners set in a straight line.
The fact that they held the only soft hue on Ganghyuk’s face stirred a person’s heart. Ian swallowed hard as he stared intently at the pale pink-tinged lips.
Thirst surged up. But it seemed like it wouldn’t be quenched even if he gulped down cool water. The influence of alcohol stirred up a person’s impulses. He felt certain that if he kissed those lips, somehow he would feel even better than now.
“…Can I kiss you?”
The ends of his calm lips drew a faint arc. That also threw a stone into a person’s heart, making him feel strange. An unknown force moved his body. He raised his body that had been leaning and tilted his head.
Just before their lips touched, Ganghyuk put strength into his arms. Ian’s lips barely grazed Ganghyuk’s temple. It was because Ganghyuk had lifted Ian’s body upward.
“Why…”
“Don’t drink alcohol from now on. You’re banned from drinking.”
Before he could even ask why Ganghyuk was avoiding him, a drinking ban was declared. Ian’s lips jutted out. Even with a mind hazy from the influence of alcohol, he could tell he had just been rejected by Ganghyuk.
Ganghyuk pressed the passcode for the front door. He knocked off Ian’s shoes in front of the shoe cabinet, then took off his own shoes too. He went straight to Ian’s room and put him down on the bed as if throwing down a piece of luggage.
Ian, whose face was buried in the soft pillow, rubbed his forehead and looked up at Ganghyuk with a slightly resentful face. Ganghyuk was about to leave the room but stopped and leaned against the doorway, only turning his head back.
“Kid, if you go around drinking elsewhere, you’ll be in trouble. Hurry up and sleep.”
He spoke as if threatening, then shut the door with a thud. In the pitch-black room, Ian squirmed and hugged the pillow in his arms.
“Why does he keep calling me a kid…”
Making this kid feel bad. The rest came out almost as a mumble.
“Hwaaam…”
Ian yawned long. Even his disappointed feelings at being rejected for a kiss crumbled helplessly before the wave of sleepiness rushing in. His eyelids became heavy as a thousand tons.
I should wash up…
His drowsy thoughts only went that far. His tightly closed eyelids moved a few times underneath, then soon stopped. After a moment, only breathing sounds echoed quietly in the room full of the influence of alcohol. The strong smell of alcohol wafting through was a bonus.
ლ
“…I really was crazy.”
The next morning at dawn. With his hair disheveled like a magpie’s nest, Ian muttered in a dazed voice. He had gotten drunk for the first time. So he never dreamed in his wildest dreams that his drunk habit would be this bizarre and absurd.
Would it have been better if he had blacked out? His swollen face turned bright red at the vividly remembered memories from last night.
“Ugh…”
Ian bit into the blanket with his teeth and stamped his feet. He felt like screaming, but he only made groaning sounds in case he woke Ganghyuk.
‘Can I kiss you?’
His face heated up as if it would burst at his own voice echoing in his ears. What on earth was I thinking when I spouted such nonsense? How am I supposed to face Ganghyuk from now on…
When even the face that had laughed as if finding his words ridiculous came to mind, he wanted to evaporate and disappear if only he could.
No, but why on earth… He did have favorable feelings toward Ganghyuk, but those were just the kind of emotions you have toward someone who saved you from crisis… Could it be that when I get drunk, I want to kiss everyone?
Beep, beep, beep, beep.
Just then, the alarm rang noisily. 5 AM. The sun hadn’t even risen yet. He pressed down on the clock on the nightstand that was crying out with his whole body with his palm to turn it off.
He was fortunate to have woken up before the alarm rang, but it took quite a bit of courage to open the door and go out. He opened the door slightly and checked the situation through the gap. The door across from him was quiet, as if Ganghyuk was still sleeping.
Like a cat burglar, Ian raised his heels and snuck toward the bathroom. First, he planned to deal with his face with sleep in his eyes, then wash his face with cold water to pull himself together.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Eek!”
At the sound suddenly coming from behind him, Ian jumped in place. Ganghyuk, who had been drinking water in the kitchen, laughed as if dumbfounded.
“Why are you so surprised? Like you saw a ghost.”
Seeing such an intense reaction, it seemed he remembered everything about getting drunk and acting up last night.
“Ah, good morning…”
At the bow with Ian not even making eye contact, Ganghyuk put down the cup he was holding on the dining table. Seeing his shoulders flinch even at the small thud made him only laugh.
“You woke up early. I was going to wake you if you couldn’t get up.”
He had been wondering whether to make some hangover soup since the hangover seemed like it would be severe. Ganghyuk also felt heavier in his stomach than usual, so he had been thinking about hot soup.
“I’ll just go wash up…”
Ian, who only rolled his eyes around and trailed off, disappeared into the bathroom. A faint smile formed in the eyes looking at the closed door. Sunshine was shining into a life that had nothing to laugh about.
ლ
“I’ll eat well…”
Ian bowed his head while gripping his spoon. The heat on his face wouldn’t subside at all, so he took longer than usual to wash up and came out, and there was a delicious smell coming from the kitchen.
He approached with a ‘could it be?’ feeling, and Ganghyuk was making bean sprout soup. Thinking he should do something, he hesitantly heated up instant rice.
Soon a modest meal was completed with just rice, soup, and kimchi. He scooped up the broth with his spoon and carefully tasted it. It looked plausible on the outside, but he resolved inwardly that even if it wasn’t tasty, he absolutely wouldn’t show it.
“Wow…”
But as soon as he ate the broth, an exclamation naturally flowed out. It was appropriately spicy and refreshing, perfect for settling his stomach.
How is he good at cooking too?
At the question that suddenly came to mind, Ian only rolled his eyes upward and glanced at Ganghyuk’s face. Ganghyuk was silently eating rice mixed into his soup.
There was no sound of eating, and even the movements of his utensils were concise while exuding a sense of restraint. He had lots of money, was tall, had a good body, and was handsome.
Even his scary impression felt like charisma after looking at it continuously, and Ian’s cheeks became flushed like when he was drunk. It was a moment when it made sense that he had acted up so absurdly yesterday.
“It’s really delicious. Executive Director, you’re good at cooking too…”
“I only do what I know how to do. I’m glad it’s delicious. How’s your stomach?”
Moreover, his personality was kind too. Even though he seemed blunt on the outside, Ian could feel him carefully caring for him, so Ian put strength into the fingers gripping his spoon. His stomach felt ticklish as if a butterfly had flown in, which was unusual. He was properly wearing rose-colored glasses.
“I felt a bit nauseous but after eating the soup I’m okay. What about you, Executive Director?”
He was still too embarrassed to meet his eyes, so he looked at his hands instead of his face as he asked.
Hands that were about one knuckle bigger than Ian’s had thick, straight joints, giving an impression that was calm and neat like the dawn air rather than feeling rough. His gaze kept going to the back of the hand where thin veins were faintly visible.
“Where are you looking?”
Just then, a long index finger tapped on the dining table. Ian looked up in surprise. Before he could avoid it, their gazes met.
He felt like time had slowed down a beat. Even though it was an ordinary gaze, the area around his chest stung as if poked.
Thump thump, at his heart that began to beat pleasantly, Ian opened his lips blankly. His fingertips tingled, and his body grew hot. Suddenly, a realization struck Ian’s mind like lightning.
What do I do… I think I like the Executive Director.
The moment he became aware of his feelings, his face flushed hotly. There had been a few moments before when he felt fluttering, but he had been busy glossing over them.
