CH 141

The voice that flew out of the birdcage of his red lips was lower than usual. “An environmentally-friendly columbarium.”

Once his expectations were confirmed, Yoonshin tried to sound brighter. “Isn’t that illegal? There are no fish farms nearby, but this is less than five kilometers away from the land.”

“You’re wrong. According to several commercial laws, this act isn’t particularly illegal.”

“I see you’ve enjoyed using loopholes since way back.”

Sehun grinned at his joke, and his nervousness that Yoonshin saw back at their apartment’s parking lot was almost gone. Sehun had no words as he drove, but thankfully, his mood seemed to have alleviated now.

From up close, Sehun seemed unperturbed. To be more exact, he looked like he had given up on many things that he could have obtained in his life. Perhaps that was why Yoonshin felt his heart sinking. The bright face that he had tried to maintain disappeared like candlelight being blown out. Sehun watched the change of expression, and the faint smile that was playing on his lips had all but disappeared.

They merely gazed at each other.

Their surroundings were wide open. However, the two that were quite alike in many ways exchanged intense looks as if they were the only ones holding onto and supporting each other in a tight and small circle. For some reason, Sehun angled his head. Thinking that the older man was leaning into a kiss, Yoonshin closed his eyes.

However, several seconds passed, and Yoonshin never felt the sensation of the other’s skin on his.

“Open your eyes. I want to see them,” Sehun demanded. Although it was ambiguous whether it was a request or a command, Yoonshin slowly opened his eyes. Sehun had kept his eyes on the younger man’s eyes, and when they opened, he kissed Yoonshin’s forehead, making a small noise, and then stared beyond Yoonshin’s head.

Sehun looked up at the red sky before darkness completely fell. The curvature of his face was graceful. Yoonshin indulged himself in the other’s silence and mirrored Sehun’s actions.

Then, Sehun angled his head once more. Determined not to fall for the same thing twice, Yoonshin kept his eyes round and open. This time, the other kissed him on the lips. Surprised, Yoonshin looked up. The other’s deep eyes were filled with him, Yoonshin Do, as if he was the only one that existed in Sehun’s world, which made Yoonshin feel slightly shy.

Sehun’s defenses were low. Yoonshin felt like this was the right time to ask questions. “Whose ashes did you scatter here?”

Sehun answered quite readily. “My younger sibling.”

“You had a sibling? A boy or a girl?”

“A brother. He died when he was young.”

Upon hearing the answer, Yoonshin asked, feeling anxious, “You’re not projecting your younger brother on me, are you? People with trauma tend to do that.”

“Are you filming some French movie?”

“Never mind if I’m wrong.”

Sehun frowned and gave him a cold stare, then he shook his head. Yoonshin felt sheepish and shifted to Sehun’s side. He swayed slightly side to side, lightly bumping into the older man. Perhaps that annoyed him or maybe he wanted to do this from the start, but Sehun’s hand sprung out toward him.

“Come here.” Sehun hugged him from the back. Their gazes overlapped as they stared at the same vanishing point on the horizon. Sehun looked at the darkened river for a while, then he slowly leaned forward. He pecked at Yoonshin’s cheek and earlobe then rubbed the tip of his nose near Yoonshin’s jaw. His affectionate gestures tugged at Yoonshin’s heart.

Yoonshin wanted to know more about Sehun. He had always thought so, but it was the first time that this desire surged in him so strongly.