If the aftermath of the first kiss appeared as a tsunami, the aftermath of the second kiss was the complete opposite.
Although he normally fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, tonight, Jaegyeom tossed and turned, unable to sleep properly. He wished he could be driven into a deep, unconscious sleep like last time, but the second kiss gave him a terrible night of insomnia, and it was only at dawn that he managed to fall into a light sleep.
However, that was short-lived, as Jaegyeom soon found himself waking up in a daze.
With the curtains drawn, the room was dark, making it difficult to tell whether it was dawn or morning. Lying on his side, jaegyeom turned and laid straight, staring blankly at the familiar ceiling. His eyes began to droop again.
What time is it? Should I get up now...?
"You can sleep more, it's still early."
Someone whispered from beside him in a very tender voice.
..Huh?
His senses, buried in sleepiness, snapped into clarity. Jaegyeom's eyes shot open. He quickly turned his head in the direction of the voice. In his room, on his bed, someone was lying beside him, resting their head. It was none other than Yoon Taehee. Jaegyeom's sleepiness vanished.
"Wh- what? You..."
Startled, Jaegyeom tried to sit up, but for some reason, his body wouldn't respond. Lying straight, he could only turn his head to look at Yoon Taehee, unable to move. It felt as if a giant rock was pressing down on him. Yet, the feeling wasn't exactly unpleasant. In fact, it was quite comfortable and relaxing, and soon the desire to move faded away. Jaegyeom let all the strength drain from his body and obediently sank into the bed.
"Why are you here?"
Jaegyeom asked, and Yoon Taehee responded.
"Didn't you bring me here?"
Oh, right. That happened...
Hearing those words brought back memories. There had been a drinking party yesterday, and Yoon Taehee, drunk and asleep, wouldn't wake up no matter what. Unable to just leave him, Jaegyeom had eventually brought him to his room to sleep.
Jaegyeom rolled his eyes smugly.
"I was about to abandon you on the street but ended up bringing you here."
"Really? I wouldn't mind sleeping on the street."
Jaegyeom made a serious face at the carefree words.
"Hey, in this weather, sleeping on the street could give you a stroke."
A stroke? Yoon Taehee, resting his head on his arm, buried his face in his arm and chuckled softly.
"Why are you laughing? Do you think I'm just trying to scare you? It's true."
Jaegyeom tried to awaken Yoon Taehee's sense of caution by sharing an old story about someone he saw in a village long ago who had suffered from a stroke. The conversation veered off into unrelated topics, but Yoon Taehee listened attentively. They lay side by side in the dark, quietly exchanging words.
"Hey. By the way..."
Staring blankly at the ceiling, Jaegyeom suddenly spoke.
"Is this a dream?"
Jaegyeom quickly turned his head to look at Yoon Taehee.
"..."
Yoon Taehee paused for a moment, half-opening his eyes in the darkness to look at jaegyeom, seemingly curious by the boy's face.
"..No, it's not a dream."
Really? Jaegyeom nodded indifferently and closed his eyes. Just when it seemed the room had returned to dead silence, Yoon Taehee broke it.
"Why did you lie to me?"
Jaegyeom's eyes snapped open at his unexpected question. Yoon Taehee was still lying on his side, looking at him. Jaegyeom frowned in confusion.
"What? What lie?"
"You lied to me about not having much to say to Seok Juryeon."
Ah, right...
He had had a private meeting with Department Head Seok and had brushed it off to Yoon Taehee, saying it was nothing significant.
Recalling this, memories flashed back to Jaegyeom, and he felt unjustly accused.
"How is that a lie? It's not a lie, I just didn't say anything. I didn't lie; I created a secret. Is lying the same as hiding? If you were in my place..."
Jaegyeom, who had been forcefully making his point while staring at the ceiling, suddenly stopped talking.
"..."
As he got angry and started speaking out of his temper, he inadvertently confessed to having something to hide. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Jaegyeom glanced at Yoon Taehee. A chuckle mixed with laughter reached him through the air.
Without pressing further, Yoon Taehee simply lay there quietly, laughing.
"I just... didn't want to talk about it earlier."
After a moment of silence, Jaegyeom finally admitted with a grumble.
"Why?"
"It wasn't a good thing to say for you."
Yoon Taehee tilted his head and whispered softly.
"What about now?"
Somehow, it felt like he could talk about it now. Was it because of the dawn? As if a closed door had swung wide open, Jaegyeom felt like he could reveal any secret at this moment.
***
Being left alone in a room with Seok Juryeon was an unexpected challenge.
Jaegyeom had no choice but to enter the conversation with a lot of tension, anxious that Seok Juryeon might have noticed something and could interrogate him. Although it was their first encounter, Jaegyeom could tell that she was not someone to be taken lightly.
Not knowing what to expect made him all the more nervous
'Did you say you were eighteen?'
However, Jaegyeom was surprised when Seok Juryeon finally spoke.
Contrary to expectations, the first words from Seok Juryeon were tepid pleasantries.
I should have arranged a meeting sooner, but l've been so busy that my greetings are late. So, how are you finding the work in the Exorcism Department? I heard you faced an earthbound spirit during the initiation ritual...'
Until just a moment ago, Seok Juryeon seemed like a stern superior with no hint of warmth. If he had to describe it, she was like cold steel that wouldn't bleed a drop even if pricked with a needle.
However, her voice, which had seemed so rigid, had somehow softened, and her deep, interested gaze meticulously examined Jaegyeom. There was a strange warmth to Seok Juryeon when facing her one-on-one.
I heard you saw a deer on the day of the exam. Are there other gwijaes in your family?'
Jaegyeom glanced around before shaking his head slightly, feeling as if this was leading into an investigation of his background. He recalled the details written in the documents Yoon Taehee had fabricated for him.
'So you're an awl.'
But fortunately, Seok Juryeon did not ask any deeper questions than necessary.
You're a rare talent, emerging out of nowhere. That's why you're called a 'awl'.'
He was thinking she had called him because she had important business to sort, like where he learned the Chinese characters or how he knew about Bangsangsi. However, the conversation turned out to be surprisingly mundane.
'How are you getting along with your recommender?'
'Pardon?'
'Chief Yoon, I mean.'
Caught off-guard by the question, Jaegyeom was momentarily speechless. He wanted to confess that each day was a struggle, but he couldn't. After deliberating, he cautiously began to speak.
Yes... He- he's kind and gentle.'
He had borrowed the words from something Kang Yibin once said. It seemed like a plausible answer, but for some reason, Seok Juryeon remained silent. With an expressionless face, she simply stared at him, making Jaegyeom wonder if he had misspoken.
Yes, it's good to hear he's been kind to you...'
After a while, Seok Juryeon turned her gaze towards the wall and spoke.
People who are kind to everyone are, in the end, the most heartless of all.'
Jaegyeom stared back, puzzled by her words. More than anything, he couldn't understand why Seok Juryeon was sharing such trivial matters with him. The feeling of being in the dark was mutual.
Perhaps reading Jaegyeom's inner thoughts, she added, Try to get along.'
It was a lukewarm and indifferent request.
"..."
And then, Jaegyeom finally realized.
Seok Juryeon deeply cared for Yoon Taehee.
The moment he understood this, he felt an indescribable emotion.
The cold Seok Juryeon was more human than he had thought.
With that advice to get along, the meeting ended uneventfully. Seok Juryeon indicated the conversation was over, telling him he could go. Jaegyeom bowed his head and headed towards the door.
Although his mind was somewhat disturbed, there was 'nothing much' to report, like he told Yoon Taehee. Jaegyeom proceeded to open the door and leave the seminar room.
'Ah, one more thing.'
However, before he could leave, Seok Juryeon called him back.
The Commissioner is curious about you. It seems she heard the rumor that you saw a deer on exam day.
Jaegyeom's grip on the doorknob tightened.
You'll be called to meet her soon, so make sure to greet her properly.
It was a casual comment, thrown out as if it were of no great importance.
'...'
And so, Jaegyeom wanted to dismiss it just as casually.
***
"The Commissioner of Naryecheong is interested in me."
Jaegyeom suddenly started talking as he reminisced about the conversation he had with Seok Juryeon in the seminar room. He felt Yoon Taehee's gaze pause and look at him. Jaegyeom closed his eyes and furrowed his brow.
"She said she'd call for me soon."
Yoon Taehee was silent for a while.
"I didn't hide it from you with any ulterior motive."
It sounded like an excuse, but it was the truth. It just happened that way. Maybe he didn't want to see Yoon Taehee unsettled. He didn't want to burden Yoon Taehee with an unpleasant topic.
Unbeknownst to himself, Jaegyeom had started to care about Yoon Taehee's feelings at some point.
"I see."
It was only after a while that Yoon Taehee quietly spoke.
"Thanks for telling me."
His voice was very tender and soft. Jaegyeom, who had been looking at the ceiling, slightly turned his head to look at Yoon Taehee. The darkness had become familiar to his eyes, and he could see him smiling.
Gazing at Yoon Taehee, Jaegyeom spontaneously blurted out.
"You look better with your hair down."
Yoon Taehee paused before staring intently at Jaegyeom.
"..."
He seemed slightly flustered. As if he didn't know how to respond to Jaegyeom's compliment, he awkwardly brushed his face with a look of surprise. After a while, he awkwardly replied, ".
Thanks."
"You can sleep more, sleep well."
Yoon Taehee, who had been lying beside him, pulled the blanket up for Jaegyeom and then released his hand from under his head to lie down properly. Jaegyeom simply stared at the ceiling without responding.
"..."
He rolled his eyes to sneak a glance at the other man who had already closed his eyes. Observing his sculptural facial lines, Jaegyeom quietly propped himself up on his elbows. Unlike before, when his body wouldn't budge, he could now move freely. Jaegyeom leaned on his elbow, peering down at Yoon Taehee from close by.
Sensing the presence and gaze, Yoon Taehee's eyes fluttered open.
"Why?"
When Yoon Taehee asked, Jaegyeom said,
"Let's kiss."