CH 10.1

Chapter 10 Stranger of the World (1)

The atmosphere turned heavy. I looked around the dim surroundings, and it turned out it was Yeon Woojeong’s room. Next to me was Yeon Woojeong lying down.

I was angry. I had no idea why. My anger surged up as soon as I saw his face. What happened? Something must have happened. My mood was mixed up into a mess.

The bare skin under the blanket looked faint as though there was fog. His neck was fair, and the sleeping face was peaceful. That excited me somewhere in my heart.

I spread my hands wide, then I clenched them. I got itchy to do something. I called Yeon Woojeong, but he didn’t wake up. The urge flared up. The dirty mood didn’t seem to be extinguished no matter how. 

My hands suddenly moved and grabbed Yeon Woojeong’s neck. I didn’t want to do this. I tried to take my hands off out of confusion, but my fingers gradually tightened on the firm, yet fragile neck. It felt like something unseen moved my hands. The beat felt in the grip of my hands vividly pierced my skin.

Yeon Woojeong opened his eyes wide. The bloodshot eyes glared at me as fiercely as they could.

Ah. My voice couldn’t come out, strangely. I tried to crumple my face, but the corners of my lips went up like smiling. My body didn’t move as I wanted. But what was more bizarre was that an unknown feeling burst.

Something similar to joy.

Yeon Woojeong struggled. My hands didn’t move despite his movement. Without blinking, I looked at him shaking strongly and gradually weakening. Despair, frustration, anger, and joy all mixed up and gave me chills. Finally, Yeon Woojeong eased off completely, and only then did the power leave my grip.

I could see clearly what I had done when I saw him sprawled on the bed.

“Yeon Woojeong.”

I called his name, but no one answered.

He didn’t move even though I nudged him a few times. The stiff body was unfamiliar. The pale skin quickly rotten up. I felt choked. Something felt like blocking my breath, and I felt like throwing up.

Suddenly, my eyes opened, trembling like a fit. After looking at the dark ceiling, I let out my restrained breath. I immediately raised up my body and looked around. I was alone on the unchanging second floor.

I touched my side, but there was no warmth. It was a dream. Of course, it was. I wouldn’t do it to Yeon Woojeong after all. I left the bed while simultaneously letting out a relieved breath.

I quickly walked down the stairs and headed to Yeon Woojeong’s room. When I opened the door, I saw a rounded-up blanket. I felt like my heart dropped under my feet. It was a relief.

I walked slowly, then I muted myself because I didn’t want to wake him up. I sat on the bed and looked down at Yeon Woojeong.

He looked the usual unlike in my dream. My feelings were also the same. I didn’t feel angry. I will never kill him like that just because I get angry.

I poked the hand outside the blanket, but there was no response. I lifted the blanket on impulse, came inside, and hugged Yeon Woojeong. He shuddered when I put my head on his chest.

“What is it…”

“It’s me.”

“… Did you have a bad dream?”

I shook my head, and a light laughter rang above my head. Yeon Woojeong touched my hair. I liked his touch.

A dream is just a dream. I couldn’t be a dangerous existence to Yeon Woojeong. Even if I killed all the people in this world, I wouldn’t be able to harm him at all.

It has been a week since I saw that man in the convenience store. Nothing happened in the meantime, and nothing will happen. A dream is just a dream. As I engraved it in my head, my wildly running heart slowly calmed down.

There was light in the sky seen through the cracks in the blinds. I could sleep more, but I didn’t do it. Looking at the brightening sky, I held Yeon Woojeong tight. The passage of time slowly reminded me that this was the reality and that nothing like a dream would happen.

I suddenly felt I was stupid. Just because of a dream.

I shouldn’t tell Yeon Woojeong about this. I don’t want to tell him what I dreamed, and if he knows I got into a bad mood because of a dream, he will surely tease me.

The alarm rang. I put it off since I could wake him up instead. It’s been a long time since I woke him up. I recalled when I burst in here because I was annoyed with the alarm. Time sure flies. It was so vivid, but it felt like it was far in the past.

Time flew quickly as I thought of the moments with him when I first came here. I looked at the sky color changing through the small cracks before checking the time. It was the time to wake Yeon Woojeong up.

I looked up to see Yeon Woojeong, who was sleeping. I didn’t want to wake him up. It’d be good if we just spent the day like this.

However, I really couldn’t do that. Yeon Woojeong soon opened his eyes as I shook his arm. He blinked his eyes slowly, then he moved his hand and tapped on my cheek.

“What a nice morning.”

After muttering with a hoarse voice, Yeon Woojeong hugged me. His forehead touched my shoulder. I felt the lightly breathed out breath. He whimpered as if he didn’t want to wake up. Carefully, I raised my hand and touched the round back of his head. He raised his body up while sighing as I did that.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“I didn’t.”

“Hmm.”

He stared at me intently, then he reached out his hand and rubbed my forehead. His touch was like an eraser. Soon, Yeon Woojeong removed his hand and laughed.

“It’s red.”

I put my palm on my forehead. Yeon Woojeong smirked, then he got up and left the room.

I moved to the place where Yeon Woojeong lay down a while ago, used his pillow and pulled the blanket up to my nose. I took a big breath. A feeling of comfort filled me.

I killed the time by blankly staring at the ceiling, and I noticed a presence. Yeon Woojeong in a bathrobe entered the room. It wasn’t tied, and whenever he walked, the bare skin was shown under the fluttering bathrobe. He opened the closet, and dropped the bathrobe.

The wide shoulders and the protruding shoulder blades, the curve in the middle of the back, strong thighs and straight legs.

I captured the slow process of covering his body with underwear, shirts, pants, and a suit jacket. Yeon Woojeong, wearing a tie around his neck, turned and entered the hallway connected to the bathroom in the bedroom. He took out something from the drawer, then he applied it on his hair while looking at the mirror. After giving it a few touches, the hairstyle worn by Yeon Woojeong the prosecutor completed.

He returned to the bedroom and stood before the closet again. He took out a watch, put it over his left wrist, and he fastened the watch skillfully with his right hand.

“I’ll be a bit late today.”

“How late?”

“Erm, 9 o’clock?”

Yeon Woojeong picked a coat and approached me after wearing it. He reached out and stroked my forehead and hair.

“I’m reading that book.”

“What book?”

“The beauty of obsession.”

“…”

“It said that a moderate obsession is an expression of affection, so there is no need to think it’s strange.”

I didn’t think he would really read that book. When did he read it? I never saw him reading recently. I was the one who bought that book, but it wasn’t thin and it didn’t look interesting. 

“Obsession with a certain object can grow into love for life. Well, it says something like that.”

What does it mean? It did sound possible because Yeon Woojeong said it.

“So?”

“It was about such a topic. I never thought about it, so it’s intriguing.”

Yeon Woojeong raised the right corner of his lips, pushed my forehead once, then said.

“Book report.”

He checked the time and then turned around. He turned to look at me before he stepped out of the room.

“I’ll be back.”

“Hmm.”

I could send him out, but the bed, blanket, and pillow were pulling me, so it was hard to get up. I followed Yeon Woojeong’s leaving back, and after he left, I closed my eyes. It felt like I could sleep without dreaming this time.