CH 144

“Where are we having dinner tonight?” Yoonshin asked.

“Every man for himself.”

“The timing is a bit awkward to make dinner after getting home. Let’s just eat on the way back. I saw a kalguksu restaurant while we were on the way here—how does that sound? I’ll forgive the assault you incurred to my forehead if you do.”

“Beg. Then, I’ll consider between kalguksu and sujebi.”

“Buy me dinner, Sehun-sunbae,” Yoonshin pleaded.

Sehun’s shoulders shook, then he bent his head and kissed Yoonshin. It seemed like he was given permission. Yoonshin, who had been chasing after him smiling, stopped in his tracks. He couldn’t move because of all the emotional states that jumped out of his bag of feelings. Sehun started the engine from outside his car and slowly turned to look at Yoonshin, who was frozen to the spot.

“Aren’t you getting in? I’ll leave you,” Sehun stated.

“You’re not getting angry this time,” Yoonshin said.

“What do I need to get angry about? You’ve made more than one mistake.”

“Can I call you by your name now?”

Sehun, who had only been glancing at Yoonshin, now lightly tapped on his vehicle. He wasn’t judging the rights and wrongs in Yoonshin’s remark but was contemplating why Yoonshin said what he did. After combing through their conversations, Sehun merely gestured to the passenger seat.

Yoonshin hurried into the car and fastened his seatbelt. He stared at Sehun, who was still outside. There was something unusual about Sehun’s reaction, so Yoonshin felt slightly perturbed. Sehun, after watching Yoonshin from outside, bent over. He grabbed Yoonshin’s cheeks with both hands and stamped his lips firmly on Yoonshin’s.

Their eyes met, sending sparks flying within their close distance.

After the lengthy, pregnant silence, Yoonshin blurted, “If you say that I’m not allowed to, I won’t. I just felt good when you called me by my name, so…”

“You can.” Sehun’s permission was granted so easily that Yoonshin was rather astonished.

Yoonshin stuttered, “N-no taking back.”

“Okay.”

Yoonshin’s hands fidgeted, his heart leaping wildly. Noticing the younger man’s anxiety, Sehun brought Yoonshin’s right hand to his lips, planting a kiss on the back of his hand. He then whispered, his voice swathing Yoonshin’s eardrums like silk, “I’ll buy you dinner at a nice place, Yoonshin Do.”

Blood rose to Yoonshin’s face. He nodded.

* * *

Perhaps because it was the end of the year, the roads were more congested than expected. By the time they finished dinner and were close to the apartment, the power struggle between night and day had ended with the victory of darkness.

Yoonshin looked up at the dark sky from the window near their apartment, then he lightly grabbed onto Sehun’s wrist as he was driving. Sehun turned his head slightly, questioning what Yoonshin wanted. However, Yoonshin’s eyes were glued to the window.

“Please let me off here,” Yoonshin demanded.

“We’re almost home. Where are you thinking of going?” Sehun asked.

“There’s something that I need to buy. Could you wait here for a moment? I’ll be right back, so don’t leave me stranded.”

After making Sehun stop his car on the side of the road, Yoonshin got off without hesitation—he didn’t turn around once. Sehun considered getting off as well but decided to remain in the car. Instead, he watched Yoonshin.

After persistently chasing Yoonshin with his eyes, he saw the younger man go to a shopping complex that housed mostly clothing stores. His destination seemed to be the flower shop in the innermost corner of the arcade of stores. Sehun had always gotten off work late, so he never saw that shop open, but due to the year-end rush for the holidays, the shop was open until now.