Chapter 34 Part 1

“Come on, since you’re here, take this.”

Thinking the conversation was more or less finished, Lee Jun handed him a paper bag. He had initially intended to meet to give him this, and there wasn’t much else they needed to discuss at length.

“And Senior, are you going home?”

As if he’d read Lee Jun’s mind, Chaeheon scoffed dismissively.

“I have to come and pick up my clothes. This isn’t right.”

“Who told you to be here?”

“Choose. Are you going to ride in my car and put them at home? Or are you going to come separately and put them at home?”

Chaeheon was demanding one thing: that Lee Jun come to his house.

“Why are you trying to do such a useless thing?”

“Because I want to talk comfortably. I want to focus only on the two of us.”

“If that’s the case, we could just talk on the phone.”

“No.”

Before Lee Jun could say anything more, Chaeheon gently tugged at his clothes and then let go. Lee Jun stared at Chaeheon, who had just done the useless act of stretching his collar slightly, only for it to spring back.

What was that?

“Go quickly and give me my clothes.”

“Ah.”

Lee Jun touched his shirt. What was he doing?

“You really are possessive about your clothes.”

Always talking about his clothes.

Lee Jun didn’t dwell further on Chaeheon’s words. He just thought Chaeheon wanted his clothes back because he’d lent them. It was exactly that simple a thought, but Chaeheon pulled Lee Jun’s shoulder, bringing their upper bodies close.

“That’s right, I’m definitely possessive.”

“Okay.”

Lee Jun hooked the paper bag onto Chaeheon’s finger.

“Here, take what you’re so possessive about.”

“I’ve been telling you all along…”

As Chaeheon mumbled regretfully, Lee Jun pushed him away.

“See you at home.”

When Lee Jun replied curtly and started walking, Chaeheon looked at the paper bag hanging from his finger.

“He knows where my possessiveness comes from after all.”

That it’s not the clothes, but Lee Jun.

Lee Jun, on the bus heading home, leaned against the swaying window. He had refused Chaeheon’s question about riding in his car and turned away because he needed time to think alone.

‘Chaeheon.’

As for how he was earlier, his actions were those of an adult, but his heart was nothing short of a child’s.

Selfish actions were always followed by jealousy. He even said he felt possessive of Lee Jun. How should Lee Jun deal with such a Chaeheon? Just how far did he want to go with Lee Jun?

“Nothing is getting resolved cleanly.”

Even though he acted coldly towards Chaeheon, nothing worked out the way he wanted.

…It was the same when he stood in front of Chaeheon’s house. Until he stepped past the front door, Lee Jun was confused that nothing had happened. He figured Chaeheon, having come by car, would be there first, so he stood awkwardly in the entryway. The door was open, so he came in, but… where could the owner be?

“You’re here?”

Chaeheon emerged from a room, greeting him casually. His demeanor was neat, as if he had forgotten their encounter at the Pasta Restaurant, their conversation in the study room, and the events that had transpired before they came home.

“Go shower.”

Chaeheon handed Lee Jun a change of clothes. Lee Jun, who had accepted them somewhat bewilderedly, looked at the clothes, then raised his head.

“Shower?”

“Of course, you’ve been working all day.”

At Chaeheon’s reply, Lee Jun looked down at his own clothes. He had changed out of his work uniform, but the smell of sweat probably hadn’t gone away. Yet, he couldn’t find a reason why he absolutely had to shower, so Lee Jun shook his head.

“If I smell, just bear with it. More importantly, let’s sort out what we left unfinished earlier.”

“You have a personal friendship with the owner, but you’re not dating, right?”

“You…”

“If he had been the owner of the place you started serving at, you wouldn’t have been so casual about physical contact. I knew it when I saw you comfortably express your dislike.”

“You knew, and you still acted like that?”

Had all that anger earlier just been him toying with Lee Jun? As Lee Jun’s gaze began to sharpen, Chaeheon spoke calmly.

“Because you didn’t seem to mind the owner touching you. Even if you don’t have feelings, the other person might, and you were just accepting it. I didn’t like that.”

Chaeheon took a step closer. When they were close enough to reach out and touch, Lee Jun had an uneasy premonition.

I’m going to shower here today.

“That conversation is over, so we’re good, right? Use that bathroom.”

Chaeheon gave a casual nod and then entered another bathroom, as if to shower himself. Realizing that Chaeheon hadn’t forgotten him but had gone in to get his clothes, Lee Jun sighed. If he were to say he was leaving now…

“That wouldn’t work.”

If he didn’t know who Chaeheon was, he might try that approach, but Chaeheon was the kind of guy who would follow him all the way home and then some.

Lee Jun carefully took off his shoes, making sure not to drop the clothes he held in his arms.

It was when Lee Jun came out after showering, wiping water droplets from his face with a towel. Chaeheon, who had been sitting on the sofa reading a book, sensed his presence and turned around.

“Want to read a book? Or a movie?”

“Movie.”

Lee Jun mumbled as he sat on the sofa. Chaeheon picked up the remote, pressing various buttons, while with his other hand, he pulled Lee Jun’s arm to bring him closer.

“Are you okay not drying your hair more?”

“As long as it’s not dripping water, I’m fine.”

Lee Jun ran his fingers through his damp hair, tangling it. It wasn’t because he was at Chaeheon’s house; his hair usually air-dried if he just left it. Chaeheon glanced at Lee Jun’s hair for a moment, then pressed a button on the remote.

“Shall we watch this?”

An action movie starring two men. It seemed moderately noisy and flashy enough, so Lee Jun nodded.

Chaeheon pressed the play button and placed the remote on the table. Then, as he stood up from the sofa, Lee Jun’s gaze followed him. Lee Jun watched where Chaeheon was going, but then he entered the kitchen and was out of sight.

Why did he get up after starting the movie?

“Did you eat?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Want some coffee?”

Lee Jun swallowed his words, glanced towards Chaeheon, then picked up the remote. As he pressed the pause button, the sound that had filled the living room vanished, and silence descended. Soon, the thick aroma of coffee wafted from the kitchen, and Lee Jun’s body half-turned towards it.

Chaeheon came out holding two coffee cups and placed one in front of Lee Jun.

“You should have kept watching.”

“This doesn’t matter anyway.”