Stranger

“How do you relieve it?”

“You saw it. Throwing a cup.”

He shrugged. I don’t think so… There was something off that I couldn’t pinpoint, but I didn’t ask because I didn’t know exactly what it was. I examined Yeon Woojeong’s expression.

At that moment, a man approaching from the front hit Yeon Woojeong on the shoulder and passed by. The one who bumped into was that man, but the one who staggered was also that man. He suddenly stopped his steps.

“Excuse me!”

Our steps also stopped inevitably. The man with the messy hair groaned, and he looked at Yeon Woojeong from head to toe in an unpleasant way with his legs trembling.

“You hit me on the shoulder and don’t even apologize?”

“I’m sorry.”

Without apologetic expression, Yeon Woojeong said sorry as if he had been waiting. I feel angry if I have to apologize when I don’t feel sorry at all, so I can’t easily say it, but it made him look great. On the contrary, it was the man who got speechless.

“Why are you staring like that? How annoying.”

Isn’t this a crazy fellow? Why is he picking a fight about someone’s normal eyes? Yeon Woojeong’s eyes are special, not annoying.

“Huh?”

The man pushed Yeon Woojeong’s shoulder unpleasantly with his finger as if he suddenly got the courage. An iron skewer leaning against the shop wall behind the man caught my eye. Yeon Woojeong silently looked down at the hand that pushed his shoulder before gazing at me.

I looked away from the skewer as I felt his gaze. When I made eye contact with him, suddenly, I got an idea that there is likely another way.

I grabbed Yeon Woojeong’s wrist. After that, I ran.

It was strange. We were clearly running away, but I didn’t feel angry or wronged at all. It only felt, somehow, refreshing. The sound of my footsteps overlapped with the sound of Yeon Woojeong’s shoes. The sound was more cheerful than the music from the game machine. The air was cold, but the skin felt by my fingertips was warm. Even the breath spreading out from my mouth was good to see.

We left the market, passed the road where people were walking, and got into a quiet road. I stopped running only after entering an alley from a narrow road sparsely lit by streetlights. I let the wrist go and then turned around to Yeon Woojeong. As soon as our eyes met, laughter broke out at the same time as heavy breath.

Yeon Woojeong and I laughed while looking at each other. It was absurd, but I clearly felt good despite experiencing an unpleasant thing. It was strange. Everything becomes strange when I’m with him.

“Ah, Kim Jiho…”

He shook his head while calling my name, then he suddenly extended his hand and pulled my nape. Our lips touched. The day was cold, and the rubbing tongues were hot.

I pulled his waist tightly, and stuck our lips closer. It was as if the really small moments of eating tteokbokki at a snack stand, chattering about a game machine, and running to avoid an unpleasant situation were stretched out to form a single room. This vicinity felt like our room. Where everything will be okay. Where we can do everything.

The tip of our noses touched and rubbed. Yeon Woojeong repeatedly took off his lips, connected them again playfully, and whenever he did that, the tip of our noses bumped. Because it was ticklish, I kept chasing only for his lips. After interlocking our lips again and entangling our tongues intensely, we parted.

Yeon Woojeong breathed out a long breath mixed with laughter, leaning on the wall and rummaging through his pocket.

“Can I smoke?”

What he took out was a pack of cigarettes. Come to think of it, it has been a long since I saw him smoking.

“Do what you want.”

Yeon Woojeong smirked at my answer, then he put the cigarette on his lips and brought up the lighter. After lighting it up with his eyes cast down, he sucked the cigarette softly, then took it off. He blew the smoke in the direction out of my reach.

“I don’t know how long it’s been since I ran outside like this.”

Yeon Woojeong brought the cigarette to his mouth again, and he sucked it deeply this time. I captured the eyes that softly loosened up every time he inhaled it in my eyes.

“It’s a pity to just go back like this, right?”

“Hmm.”

“Alright. Let’s think about it after I finish this.”

The cigarette entered his mouth again. How can he enjoy such a thing more than food? I did get curious, but I didn’t want to try it. I put up with it because it’s Yeon Woojeong, but I hated cigarettes.

The lips, which had the most eye-catching color on his body, opened. The tongue was more vivid. He repeatedly sucked and blew out so skillfully.

The gaze that was on the air for a while returned to me. His eyes narrowed down.

“You’re looking at me like that again.”

I had no idea how I looked at him, but I had no desire to refute him. I grabbed his collar and pulled him. Yeon Woojeong put down his hand holding the cigarette. Our lips clashed again. It wasn’t tasty at all, but it’s not like we drink water because it’s tasty. I sucked his tongue. It felt distant in my head.

.

.

.

I felt tired after taking a shower. I wasn’t tired from walking a bit, but the reason seemed to be that I had a lot of thoughts. Not all my worries were washed away. When I got home and separated from Yeon Woojeong, there were thoughts that popped out.

Yeon Woojeong, sitting on the sofa, stared at me, who came out of the bathroom. When I came closer, he looked up at me and asked.

“Shall we sleep together?”

Sleep? He looks tired though. While I was thinking for a while, Yeon Woojeong laughed briefly.

“I was asking if you want to sleep in the same place.”

“… I know.”

Yeon Woojeong nodded with a face of disbelief and held out his hand. As I grabbed his hand and brought him up, he guided me to his room. What lit up the dark room was only a small lamp next to the bed.

Yeon Woojeong lay down on the bed first and lifted the blanket. I stood for a while because this situation was somehow awkward, but then I lay next to him. His body and I touched. He lay on his side and looked at me, so I also lay on my side facing him.

He reached out his hand and touched my eye. I blinked slowly, staring at him.

Yeon Woojeong, who was scanning my face, looked calm. Looking at him, a small hope that misfortune isn’t the only thing waiting for me permeated in.

“Ah, I definitely get to sleep early because you are here.”

“… What’s the correlation?”

“Dunno.”

Yeon Woojeong gave the irresponsible answer while smiling, then closed and opened his eyes softly. His eyelids looked heavy as though he was really sleepy.

“Sleep.”

I put my hand on top of Yeon Woojeong’s eyes. His lashes tickled my palm. The lips seen under my hand curved.

I took off my hand when the sensation tickled my palm disappeared. Yeon Woojeong’s fingertips, which were still on my face, touched my cheek. I liked the touch. It felt like everywhere touched by his hand was pounding.

“Good night.”

“Yeah.”

His breath was quiet. It was a pity that he slept quickly, but I also liked that I could see him falling asleep.

“You too, Mr. Yeon. Good night.”

I said good night belatedly, but he wouldn’t hear it. It would be good if my voice that lingered in his ears entered his dream. Then, wouldn’t I be able to possess his dream?

After staring at Yeon Woojeong for a while, I extended my hand to turn off the lamp. As it became dark, I could only feel his temperature. I closed my eyes and felt him. It was dark all around, but strangely, I didn’t feel it was dark. Can the dark become the light?

The anxious imagination faded. I remained in the present as I was immersed in the warmth he left behind. That fact seemed to firm the atmosphere.

I was about to fall asleep. When I held Yeon Woojeong’s hand tight, his fingers twitched. I brought my lips to his fingers.