Chapter 4 Part 27

Shinru beamed when Jeong Tae-ui brought up the topic. Jeong Tae-ui inwardly grimaced, clutching his chest. Hearing such words when he had come to cancel their plans, he would normally have been immeasurably happy, but now he felt incredibly awkward.

“Uh…”

As Jeong Tae-ui stammered and his face clouded over, Shinru seemed to immediately notice his mood. He tilted his head, silently watching Jeong Tae-ui.

“Well, I didn’t know this, but they said there’s training even on weekends. And… it seems I can’t miss it.”

“And so…,” he said, unable to continue, and as he hesitated, Shinru, unexpectedly unconcerned, nodded his head, saying, “Ah, I see.” Then he smiled brightly.

“So that’s how it was. I thought it was strange. Both recently and before, during Joint Training, it seemed like we always trained for fifteen days straight without a break, but I wondered if it wouldn’t be like that this time.”

As Shinru spoke, nodding, he suddenly, as if regretful, slightly frowned his smiling lips.

“I was hoping we could take a leisurely stroll with you… It’s a shame.”

“Uh, sorry…”

Jeong Tae-ui bowed his head deeply and apologized.

Still, he felt a little relieved. So that’s it, you already knew. Indeed, if he thought about it, it was natural that Shinru, who had been here longer than him, would already know. He seemed to have worried for nothing by himself beforehand.

But since a broken promise was still a broken promise, Jeong Tae-ui looked at Shinru apologetically. Shinru, who had a disappointed look on his face, then saw Jeong Tae-ui like that, shook his head, and smiled again.

“No, it’s fine. The training schedule is just like that, you know. But still, when training ends, we can rest that week, so we can still take a walk then. The beach isn’t going anywhere, is it?”

“Yes. …Let’s go for a walk when training is over.”

As Jeong Tae-ui said that, Shinru nodded happily. Then he replied with “Hmm.”

“After training ends, we might even be able to leave the island on the weekend, so it would be nice to go to Hong Kong together and have some fun. I also have a few things to buy.”

“Oh, right. Then it would be great to go together. I also owe Tou for cigarettes.”

Jeong Tae-ui chimed in enthusiastically.

Having come to postpone the weekend’s plans, and now making two new ones—a walk and a trip to Hong Kong—he felt perfectly satisfied. It was a shame that his expectations for this weekend had come to nothing, but still, he had made two new promises.

“Still… I am a bit disappointed. I was looking forward to it.”

In front of Jeong Tae-ui, Shinru, who had slightly lowered his head, was heard whispering. The moment he recognized that sound, Jeong Tae-ui’s face immediately turned red.

It was strange. Although Jeong Tae-ui claimed that his reason couldn’t properly function when Shinru was in front of him, he was, in fact, accustomed to romance—or rather, to the steps of romance. He easily learned how to seduce someone with words and take them into his arms, without anyone teaching him, during his few visits to clubs. So, dating people or spending nights with them had become something he considered not difficult.

Yet, somehow, he couldn’t easily extend his hand to this young man. Perhaps this was truly a response exactly as that common saying described: that you can’t treat someone you’re smitten with carelessly.

Although he found himself laughable, he didn’t dislike this feeling, and so Jeong Tae-ui, too, smiled shyly, his face red.

At that moment, Shinru hesitantly extended his hand. And he almost, but not quite, laid his own hand over Jeong Tae-ui’s fingertips. Small fingernails tickled Jeong Tae-ui’s fingertips. Slightly, subtly watching for his reaction, Shinru’s gaze approached him.

Jeong Tae-ui almost burst out laughing. How childish yet lovely this seduction was. He had never experienced such a blatant yet cute seduction. This much, he could just smoothly take his hand with a smile. And lightly kissing his fingertips and smiling, it would be as good as done.

But.

His hand hardly moved. Only his deeply flushed face kept getting hotter.

Jeong Tae-ui looked at Shinru. Those slender fingers lightly touching Jeong Tae-ui’s fingertips.

His mouth went dry. His anxious mind whispered, “Now, now.”

If it’s now, it’s fine.

Jeong Tae-ui clenched his fist tightly. And he impatiently extended his hand. The hand that had hesitated for a moment grabbed Shinru’s shoulder.

He couldn’t look him in the face. If he did look at him, it would probably be very funny. A man whose face was as red as a boiled octopus, looking utterly at a loss. Just for now, he wished Shinru wouldn’t look at him.

Jeong Tae-ui half-rose. And pulling with the hand that held Shinru’s shoulder, he recklessly pressed his lips to Shinru’s face. Originally, having worked up the courage, he had intended to kiss his lips. But being too nervous, he missed. He ambiguously kissed closer to his cheek rather than his lips.

But at this moment, what was important in Jeong Tae-ui’s mind was not where he had kissed. He had kissed for the first time. His own lips had touched Shinru’s soft skin.

On the face that was lightly brushed like a feather, he felt Shinru’s surprised gaze looking back at him. Unable to bring himself to meet that gaze, Jeong Tae-ui, who had recoiled, wiped his lips with the back of his hand, his face bright red.

“……”

“……”

For a while, silence continued. Only his innocent fingers nervously fidgeted and twisted as Jeong Tae-ui kept his head bowed. He furtively raised his gaze, and Shinru was the same. His fair cheeks tinged with red, he kept his head bowed.

Is he okay? He’s not angry, is he? His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst.

Although Jeong Tae-ui didn’t know what to do, it felt like a smile was about to escape his lips, so he tightened his mouth. But his lips kept relaxing.

Jeong Tae-ui subtly raised his hand and covered his mouth. And when he cautiously looked at Shinru, Shinru had already raised his head and was looking at Jeong Tae-ui. As their eyes met—Jeong Tae-ui standing awkwardly covering his mouth—Shinru, with a flushed face, suddenly burst out laughing.

At the quiet but lively, bead-like laughter, Jeong Tae-ui, who had been looking at Shinru with a little bewilderment, eventually ended up laughing along with him.