novel
| ← Ch.079 | Ch.081 → |
Shin Kim wore a lavender-colored checkered shirt with a black-knitted sweater on top. He put on a pair of black pants and was trying to pick out a matching coat when he heard his phone beep. He picked up the phone from the bed and saw that there was a text from Woojin.
-I'm here.
They had a date this weekend. Woojin wasn't the type that got angry often. So when he did get angry, Shin worried that it would be very difficult to appease him. But that night when Shin handed him the gift, the bracelet, Woojin stood still for a very long time. Shin lowered himself to Woojin's eye level, wondering if Woojin didn't like the present. Slowly, Woojin put the gift box into his bag and held Shin's hands. He whispered, "This wasn't necessary, because... When I am with you, I feel like I am getting a gift every day."
Woojin's voice trembled, and Shin felt relieved. Witnessing someone change was a strange feeling. Seeing Woojin feeling happy because of him made Shin feel overwhelmingly excited.
Shin looked at Woojin's text message for a long time before hurriedly putting on a coat. He left his place quickly, worrying how cold it was outside and Woojin was waiting for him in this cold. As soon as the elevator arrived at the lobby, Shin opened his umbrella. It was snowing hard outside.
Woojin, who was standing in the lobby, turned around and said to him, "That was quick."
The way Woojin looked right now against the snowy day... Shin thought he would never be able to forget this moment. Woojin was wearing a burgundy wool coat and a black knitted turtleneck. With his porcelain skin and light brown hair, Woojin looked magical.
Shin asked, "Aren't you cold?"
"Not really."
Shin quickly grabbed Woojin's hand and took him to the parking lot. Woojin's hand felt icy, making Shin upset. He caressed Woojin's hair and arm, and suddenly, Woojin frowned.
Shin asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
"... You are very handsy."
"You don't like it?"
Without answering him, Woojin walked to the parking lot and got into Shin's car first. Shin thought Woojin wasn't angry anymore, but he wondered if he was wrong about it. Slowly, he got into the driver seat. He felt anxious, but when he glanced at Woojin, Shin could tell he wasn't angry. Instead, Woojin looked... perplexed.
Shin asked quietly, "Are you wearing the bracelet I gave you?"
"..."
"You aren't angry because I touched you just now, are you?"
"No, that's not it."
Still frowning, Woojin grabbed Shin's hand and remained still. When Woojin didn't explain further, Shin asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"
Woojin shyly kissed Shin's cheek and replied, "I just feel strange. That's all."
"What do you mean..."
Now that he looked closely at Woojin, Shin could tell Woojin looked a little flushed. Could it be... Woojin seemed to be... excited, which made Shin's body burn? When he kissed Woojin's nose, Woojin frowned but leaned against Shin.
Shin whispered, "Why are you trying to avoid me?"
"I... If you keep touching me, I am going to insist on going up to your place and not outside on a real date."
The way Woojin looked made Shin crazy. Woojin was becoming a little breathless, and Shin grabbed Woojin's hair a little roughly. Most of the time, Woojin was meek, and this made Shin want to tease him or be a little rough with him.
Like right now.
Luckily, it was early in the morning and the parking lot was empty.
Woojin murmured, "Get your mind out of the gutter."
"Haha. How did you know?"
When Shin grabbed his hair harder, Woojin moaned. Shin stole his open lips and immediately, Woojin kissed him back.
Crazy sexy Woojin Choi.
"... ah..."
When Shin licked his neck wetly, Woojin began to pant. Shin bit his ear, which made Woojin close his eyes and inhale deeply.
Unfortunately, this was as far as Shin was willing to go for now. If they didn't stop, they were never going to make it out of this parking lot. When Shin finally backed away and looked down at Woojin, Woojin finally opened his eyes and looked back at Shin hotly.
'Dammit... '
Shin seriously considered going upstairs to his place with Woojin but stopped himself. He said to Woojin, "I made a reservation, so we need to stop now."
"..."
"Are you disappointed?"
"Yes."
"... You drive me crazy."
How did Shin get so lucky that someone so honest, pure, and sexy like Woojin came to like him?
Shin whispered, "We will come back to this after the date."
Woojin nodded, and Shin kissed his cheek a few times.
"Alright. Let's go."
***
Every weekend, their date took place either at a restaurant, movie theatre, or at home. After their trip, because Shin got into a car accident, it had been many weeks since their last date. Woojin couldn't understand why Shin wanted to keep the location of today's date a surprise. When Shin took him to the place, Woojin still felt confused.
They stood in front of a university hospital.
When they walked into an office, a woman inside greeted Shin.
"Hey."
"... Hey."
The woman... looked like Shin.
When Woojin's eyes widened, Shin laughed. The woman was as tall as Shin but much slimmer. The way she smiled looked so much like Shin that Woojin became speechless. The woman gestured for them to sit and introduced herself to Woojin.
"Hello. My name is Minji Kim and I am a psychiatrist."
"..."
"And yes, I am Shin's older sister. I assume it's obvious."
When Woojin didn't' respond, Shin tapped his shoulder. Finally, Woojin nodded, still silent. Minji continued, "Nice to meet you. I heard so much about you, Mr. Woojin."
"..."
"I look like Shin, so maybe it will help you feel more comfortable when you talk to me."
Woojin wondered how much Shin told his sister about him. When Woojin looked up at him, Shin remained nonchalant and smoothed Woojin's coat. It seemed that Shin was going to feign ignorance, making Woojin frown.
Minji noticed this interaction and smiled. Woojin had to admit that she did remind him of Shin, and it did make him feel more relaxed. Minji seemed like a very calm, competent woman.
Minji said to him with a smile, "Shin is a bit childish and he still thinks that if he can't see it with his own eyes, it doesn't exist."
"Sis!"
This finally made Woojin smile. For a long time, Woojin had been feeling guilty towards Shin's family. A long time ago, Shin mentioned his older sister and how he left his home because she and his parents were suffocating him. Now that Woojin could see Minji, he was certain that whatever she did was out of love for her little brother.
"Knowing my brother, I am pretty sure he didn't tell you about me and where I work."
"... Why do you say that?"
"Shin is the type that always worries about burdening someone and making him or her run away from him. Well, I guess I can't guarantee that I am completely right. I would say I have about a 67% chance that I guessed right?"
The way Minji talked was so adorable that Woojin laughed, which made Shin surprised. Woojin rarely laughed and in fact, Shin only saw Woojin laugh when they were alone. Minji continued, "Shin told me one of his friends had difficulty remembering traumatic events from his childhood. Shin seemed very worried, and he never asks me for a favor, so I knew he would bring someone very important to him."
"I see."
"So you went to the same high school as Shin, Mr. Woojin?"
"Yes."
"Then you must know what Shin's most traumatic event was in his life."
Shin's eyes widened, but Minji ignored him and crossed her arms. Her voice was kind, but her words were sharp and straightforward. For some reason, her demeanor made Woojin want to talk. Her face and her eyes looked so familiar that Woojin realized this might work.
Woojin replied, "I don't know the details, but I assume it has something to do with swimming."
"Hmm... If you can say that in front of Shin so casually, you must be very close to him, Mr. Woojin. You see, Shin is a strange little guy..."
"Sis, please! Stop!"
Shin looked so desperately embarrassed while Minji looked calm. Woojin smiled again.
Minji added, "We will do our sessions without Shin. Well, it will be more like chat rather than sessions."
"..."
"To be honest, I wouldn't even consider it a treatment."
"..."
"More like gossiping. Talking like two old friends. And by chance if you remember your past, that would be a bonus. We can talk about Shin when he was little, and how awful he was."
Shin seemed resigned.
***
Before leaving the room, Shin whispered to Woojin, "You aren't angry with me, are you?"
Woojin patted Shin's nose and replied, "Thank you."
"... I didn't expect that."
"... I really mean it."
"You aren't falling in love with my sister, right?"
"Hmm... maybe."
"..."
Woojin smiled and Shin told him he would wait for him at the nearby café. Shin whispered, "Good luck. Have a good time."
| ← Ch. 079 | Ch. 081 → |