NOVEL NEXT 8
But only for a moment.
“…!”
His body froze stiffly. It was because Yujae had wrapped his hand around Doyun’s hand holding the glass and leaned in as if about to kiss him.
Startled, Doyun froze completely and held his breath. Despite Doyun’s eyes darting around, Yujae seemed to enjoy his reaction and moved even closer.
Tilting his head slightly, he slowly lowered his gaze. Doyun didn’t know what to do as Yujae’s lips approached as if about to bite into his pale, slender neck.
Just as he was about to tightly close his eyes.
“I was trying to whisper in your ear, why are you closing your eyes? Are you drunk?”
“……”
“You’ve become quite the drinker, when didn’t you say your limit was half a bottle of soju?”
Yujae lightly patted his shoulder. Then he joked that he’d never seen someone unable to part with their glass.
When Doyun finally opened his eyes, Yujae was casually swirling his whiskey glass with a composed face.
Doyun was dumbfounded. What did I just do?
He blinked with a stupid expression. Soon realizing that Yujae had been teasing him, he narrowed his eyes in dissatisfaction.
“I’ll have something stronger, please.”
Unable to say anything directly to Yujae, Doyun placed his glass on the bar with pouting lips. Yujae burst into laughter.
“Can you handle it?”
Even casually heard, his tone was full of mischief. Doyun, his temper rising, slightly frowned and opened his mouth.
“This time, not a cocktail but the whiskey that Director Han is drinking, please.”
Perhaps due to the alcohol, he became uncharacteristically brave. Let’s see you deal with a real drinker.
Doyun swirled his glass with a solemn determination.
***
The world was blurry. The dark sky kept wavering.
With moderate intoxication, his body felt light. Though people usually feel good when drunk, strangely, Doyun kept sinking.
Try as he might, his head felt foggy, and he couldn’t understand why he felt this way.
When his gloomy vision wavered, he turned his head to look at Yujae. Unlike himself, Yujae looked as if he hadn’t taken a single sip of alcohol.
Strangely, just looking at him made Doyun’s head feel lighter.
Pffft, letting out a weak laugh, Doyun dropped the corners of his mouth as if the alcohol was becoming too much. This time, Yujae looked at Doyun.
“You’re drunk. We should head back now.”
Yujae said in a gentle voice.
Though Doyun wanted to stay longer, he saw Yujae already tidying up before even hearing his response. With no choice, Doyun nodded and slowly rose, using the table for support.
Soon, he lost his balance due to the alcohol.
“Whoa…”
Making only a foolish sound, he couldn’t control his staggering body. He almost fell down, but thanks to Yujae who caught his waist just in time, he avoided an embarrassing scene.
Doyun dropped his head to look at his waist. Following the hand that was gently wrapped around his waist, he saw Yujae staring at him.
“You need to be careful.”
With a faint smile, he patted Doyun’s waist. Looking into his kind eyes, Doyun felt he could just sit down right there.
“Ah, yes… Thank you.”
Doyun repeatedly bowed his head and then shook it.
He felt embarrassed for making a spectacle of himself, just as Yujae had said he’d become a drinker. Even trying hard to focus his eyes, the world was as turbulent as rolling waves.
In the end, Doyun could barely take a step with Yujae’s support.
Enjoying his guiding touch, Doyun lingered by the door several times. Soon, the two got into a car that had arrived in front of the building and headed toward Doyun’s hotel.
Meanwhile, the raindrops had grown larger and were loudly hitting the car window. Watching the wipers busy wiping away the rainwater, it felt like being under hypnosis.
Staring blankly at the glass that repeatedly cleared and blurred, Doyun rested his head on the seat. Perhaps due to the cool interior, his intoxication seemed to be subsiding a bit.
Doyun exhaled “phew” and closed his drowsy eyelids. He enjoyed his foggy consciousness while listening to the rain for a while.
Suddenly, the subtly smiling image of Yujae appeared in his mind. For some reason, he had the face from ten years ago.
After being lost in memories for a while, Doyun slowly turned his head and opened his eyes slightly.
Only a blurry silhouette was visible, as if viewed through opaque glass. Nevertheless, Doyun let out a soft “pffft” laugh at the still handsome features.
At the unexpected sound, Yujae gave him a curious look. Doyun shook his head, saying it was nothing.
“…Just feeling good.”
Doyun trailed off and blinked slowly.
The endless rain as if a hole had opened in the sky, the calmly settled car interior, the occasional sound of wipers.
Even the slightly cool air and the lavender-scented air freshener felt good. Just everything around him felt good. Of course, if he had to pick just one, Han Yujae would be the best.
He couldn’t believe he’d shared dinner with him.
Despite the ten years that had passed, Yujae treated him like a friend he’d seen just the day before. As if he didn’t care about Doyun’s frozen demeanor at all.
That fact made Doyun smile bitterly.
Perhaps because it was late evening, the car drove smoothly on the road. The quickly passing streetlights fell on his eyelids, repeatedly brightening his vision.
Highly saturated lights scattered here and there decorated the night sky. Had Seoul’s night view always been so colorful?
Although he’d seen this night view countless times while staying at the hotel, this time it felt different. Maybe it was because of Yujae’s reflection in the window.
Before he knew it, while stealing glances at him and losing track of time, they had arrived at his hotel. Feeling reluctant, Doyun had no intention of getting out and just kept checking Yujae’s reaction.
Not knowing what to say, he just fidgeted with his fingertips. Perhaps reading his anxious mind, Yujae spoke first.
“Thank you for your precious time. It was nice seeing you after so long.”
“Haha, I enjoyed it too, thanks to you.”
“I’m glad. Take care going in, then.”
“…Ah, yes.”
Though he had hoped for a promise to meet again, contrary to his expectations, Yujae only told him to take care. He felt needlessly disappointed.
Doyun didn’t prepare to get out but just moved his lips, prolonging the time. For some reason, he felt there wouldn’t be a next time if they parted like this.
With that thought, an impulse arose that he wouldn’t normally act on.
“Would you like… to have some tea?”
He wasn’t sure why he suddenly mentioned tea. Doyun blamed himself for the words that came out unintentionally. Though he pressed his lips together in frustration, he couldn’t take back what he’d said.
“Do you mean going to a nearby café?”
Yujae asked, tilting his head.
“No, that’s not what I… mean…”
“If not that, then?”
“……”
Doyun couldn’t provide any answer. Even though it was something he had said without thinking, the more he thought about it, the more heat rose to the nape of his neck.
Perhaps due to the alcohol, he recalled Yujae’s subtle physical contact at the lounge. The breath that had brushed against his cheek and Yujae’s lips that had rested on his nape still felt unfamiliar.
As he revisited the sensation, his fingertips tingled. Pheromones seemed to be leaking from his flushed nape regardless of his will.
Suddenly, his body grew hot. Even while not knowing what to do with the rising heat, he kept wanting to hold onto him.
Doyun awkwardly moved his lips. Then, tightly closing his eyes, he blurted out words impulsively.
“A friend from America sent me tea… no, I have a tea that I usually drink, and it has a good aroma, so I think you might like it too, Director. So, if you don’t mind…”
Even to himself, the words seemed disorganized.
With his confidence waning, Doyun dropped his head. He felt grateful to Yujae for not rejecting him despite hearing such words.
Doyun ultimately pressed his lips shut. Even with Yujae’s gesture suggesting he could speak slowly, he couldn’t continue his words.
What’s so difficult about asking someone to have a cup of tea? He couldn’t lift his head, feeling pathetic about himself.
“…I’m sorry, please forget what I just said.”
I’ll be going now. His mumbling words fell weakly. Embarrassed, he prepared to get out of the car quickly.
As he was reaching for the door…
“Wait.”