LM 63

[Once called a drug-free country, that’s now a thing of the past. As calls for stronger measures against increasing drug incidents grow louder, actor Kim (surname withheld) has been arrested on drug use charges and is under police investigation. This is reporter Kim Hyun-sung.]

The report alternated between footage of the reporter and the actor Kim, who had his head bowed low. Though brief, it naturally drew Kwon Siyul’s attention as this had  once been his field.

[…has arrested Kim on charges of drug use. Kim is alleged to have used various drugs including methamphetamine and Herma. Police stated that Kim has confessed to all charges.]

Kwon Siyul’s blood instantly ran cold. Herma was the drug he used to sell. He had personally divided and dealt with those salt-like granules in the past.

[With recent drug-related incidents coming to light, concerns are rising that drugs may have become more accessible to ordinary citizens.

– Herma is a synthetic drug that can be used by both Alpha-Betas and non-Alpha-Betas and is highly addictive, requiring special caution at all times.

In response, the Anti-Drug Movement Headquarters pointed out that the government should abandon its lukewarm attitude and take active steps to eradicate drugs…]

Startled by the sound of the front door opening, Kwon Siyul hurriedly pressed the power button on the remote. He tossed the remote far away as if he hadn’t been watching TV and instantly got up. At the same time, Woo Hyunse walked into the room.

What was there to hide when he’d already been caught at their very first meeting? It wasn’t like he could improve his image now, but watching drug-related news made him feel like the police might show up with handcuffs to arrest him at any moment.

“You’re back?”

Kwon Siyul wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and stretched his neck. Woo Hyunse’s unique scent wafted in from the entrance. It was an alluring scent. Kwon Siyul soon found himself grinning and rushing over on tiptoe.

He buried himself in Woo Hyunse’s wide-open arms, and hands cupped his cheeks. Tilting his head up, they kissed as if on cue. Their lips met, rubbed together, then parted like fish mouths, allowing for a brief exploration inside. It was a kiss that made his fingertips and toes tingle. The scent of wisteria flowers drifted from Kwon Siyul as well.

“What were you doing?”

“I came back early, so I was playing games and watching TV…Did anything happen to you, CEO- I mean, hyung?”

Woo Hyunse’s eyes and lips curved gently at the word “hyung.” Kwon Siyul squinted his eyes. Despite the only light being the reddish glow from the entrance, he somehow spotted a soft halo behind Woo Hyunse’s head. Thinking his eyes must be playing tricks on him, he rubbed them with the back of his hand.

“Nothing special happened.”

Woo Hyunse slipped his arm under Kwon Siyul’s bottom and lifted him easily. At first such actions would have surprised him, but now he was used to such sudden things, wrapping his arms around Woo Hyunse’s neck and leaning his upper body against him. Finding Kwon Siyul’s nuzzling against his neck endearing and cute, Woo Hyunse patted his plump bottom.

“Shall we shower together?”

Come to think of it, he had only washed his hands since coming home and had not showered yet. Kwon Siyul quickly agreed. As he squirmed to get down, Woo Hyunse hoisted him up once more and strode across the living room after taking off his shoes.

“Am I not heavy?”

“Not at all. Why aren’t you gaining weight despite how much I feed you, Mr. Kwon Siyul?”

“That can’t be true. I’ve gained a lot. My weight has increased too. If I gain any more weight, wouldn’t I become obese? That would be terrible.”

Even without exercising, fat had started to accumulate on his once-slender stomach. Though the bar staff took care of him, the primary and absolute cause of his weight gain was Woo Hyunse, the one standing before him. Thanks to this, he had recently started doing push-ups and sit-ups, exercises he hadn’t done since his military service.

Woo Hyunse only put Kwon Siyul down when they reached the bathroom. He kneaded Kwon Siyul’s side with his hand and furrowed his brow.

“Has this gotten plumper?”

“Look at this.”

Kwon Siyul lifted his top with both hands to show the other man his stomach. The fair skin of his belly was still flat, but to Kwon Siyul’s eyes, it seemed more protruding than before. His slim, toned physique had been one of his sole points of pride, but now…Mimicking Woo Hyunse’s expression, he put on a serious face and indicated with his chin.

“I’ve gained weight.”

“I can’t really tell.”

Woo Hyunse’s hand slowly caressed Kwon Siyul’s waist. He covered the stomach with his palm, then traced the ribs with his fingers, moving up to the chest. He lightly touched a nipple hidden under the clothes, but when Kwon Siyul flinched and shrank away instinctively, he removed his hand.

“No, look closely. I’ve gained so much weight that I think I can stop taking the tonics now.”

Kwon Siyul’s true feelings slipped out unintentionally. Feeling a pang of regret after having said that, he quickly tried to gauge Woo Hyunse’s reaction. Woo Hyunse immediately let out a short laugh. As if to say ‘what nonsense,’ he gently pinched Kwon Siyul’s nose between his index and middle fingers, shaking it playfully.

“So Siyul had a grand plan. But no, absolutely not.”

Perhaps Kwon Siyul had hoped that Woo Hyunse, shocked by his slightly expanded waistline, would stop giving him tonics. But that hope was extinguished like a candle in a downpour with Woo Hyunse’s next words.

“I’ll give you one packet later when we go out.”

After hearing that, Kwon Siyul didn’t want to leave the shower. He couldn’t understand why everyone was so desperate to feed him tonics. With an “ugh” as if he had already swallowed a whole packet, Kwon Siyul grimaced as warm water was poured over his head.

Kwon Siyul leaned his back against the bed’s headboard and stretched his legs out long. He was sitting between Woo Hyunse’s legs. The hot air from the hair dryer tousled his hair inside and out.

Woo Hyunse had recently developed a new habit. After showering together, he always dried Kwon Siyul’s hair with his own hands. Kwon Siyul wasn’t used to this either, and at first tried to take the dryer away, saying he could do it himself. But he repeatedly failed to take the hair dryer out of the hands of the other man, who was larger than him. 

After losing every time, Kwon Siyul had given up. Feeding him, putting him to sleep, washing him, and sometimes even dressing him—it was as if Woo Hyunse wanted to completely strip away the words ‘autonomy’ and ‘independence’ from Kwon Siyul. Even though Kwon Siyul wasn’t an invalid and could do things on his own, Woo Hyunse insisted on going all out when it came to taking care of him.

For someone who had lived without relying on others’ help since he was old enough to hold a spoon, every day felt new, strange, and unfamiliar.

His body felt languid. It wasn’t just from showering under hot water. Sitting on the bed earlier, Woo Hyunse had completely undressed Kwon Siyul and indulged himself to his heart’s content. When Kwon Siyul complained, asking if this was why Woo Hyunse had insisted they shower together, Woo Hyunse smugly retorted, asking if Kwon Siyul really had no idea. Whether he was serious or just playing along, either way, semen had splattered on the bathroom walls and been washed away by water several times.

The air from the dryer had turned lukewarm, suggesting Kwon Siyul’s hair was mostly dry. Kwon Siyul’s head began to nod off under the gentle ministrations. He suddenly opened his eyes when the white noise-like sound of the hair dryer motor abruptly came to a stop.

“I want to dry your hair too, hyung.”

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Kwon Siyul looked up at Woo Hyunse. Woo Hyunse’s hair had mostly dried while he was drying Kwon Siyul’s, leaving it only slightly damp. After that, Kwon Siyul crawled onto the bed. As he picked up the hair dryer, Woo Hyunse lowered his head, like a large beast trying to maintain eye level with a shorter person.

The whirring sound of the dryer was peaceful. At the inn, Kwon Siyul used to just roughly towel his hair dry, fearing complaints from the neighboring rooms.

Kwon Siyul ran his fingers through Woo Hyunse’s hair, tousling it. Not only was Woo Hyunse’s appearance top-notch, but even the back of his head was perfectly rounded. Weren’t most Asians supposed to have flatter heads front and back? Even if everyone in the military had the same chestnut-like haircut, he had the feeling Woo Hyunse must have stood out.

“I’ll be coming home later next week. I’ll try to make it, but if I get busy at work, I might not be able to.”

“Is work that demanding?”

The sound of the dryer stopped. Kwon Siyul smoothed down Woo Hyunse’s silky hair and put away the dryer. Even now, Woo Hyunse was coming home at dawn. If he came home even later, they might only see each other briefly in the morning, or if not even then, just before bed. Kwon Siyul’s heart already felt empty thinking about Woo Hyunse’s absence.

“It’s a special crackdown period for drugs. Our side is also subject to scrutiny.”

News about drug-related issues immediately flashed through Kwon Siyul’s mind. He couldn’t help the fact that his face was darkening. Try as he might to shake it off, thoughts of Kwon Yuwon came to the surface, and his worry grew like bamboo shoots in the rain.

Kwon Yuwon had said he wasn’t involved in that kind of work, but how in the world could Kwon Siyul trust that? He worried that Kwon Yuwon might get caught up in their familiar line of work again due to lack of funds and end up in handcuffs.

“Is something wrong?”

Woo Hyunse couldn’t miss the shadow that had fallen over Kwon Siyul’s face. Kwon Siyul’s lips quivered. He didn’t want to dig up and divulge over his past of selling drugs. But at the same time, his heavy heart made him want to confide in someone.

“It’s okay to tell me.”

As if understanding Kwon Siyul’s feelings, Woo Hyunse gently wrapped an arm around his waist and rested his head on Kwon Siyul’s smaller one. Under the gentle caress, Kwon Siyul’s lips loosened. Ignoring his reason’s cry not to speak unnecessarily, his tongue moved of its own accord.

“I’m worried about Yuwon.”

“Kwon Yuwon? Why’s that?”

“He’s been hard to reach lately. He says it’s because of his phone plan, but I’m worried he might have gotten involved with drugs again. He says he hasn’t, but it’s hard to believe him when he says that.”

“You think he’s lying?”

“Yes. We’ve never been out of touch like this before. And what he said last time is bothering me too.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he wouldn’t do anything to be sorry for anymore. But I don’t know what he means by ‘sorry’…”

Woo Hyunse hummed under his breath, briefly glancing at the ceiling. The silence was short. Straightening his head, Woo Hyunse put on a gentler smile than usual and fondled Kwon Siyul’s cheek.