I Became the Lousy Side Top - Chap 52
Jaewoo had been deeply asleep the entire way back, but as they approached the lobby of Mujin’s building, he suddenly came back to his senses. Jaewoo rubbed his half-closed eyes but spoke in a firm voice.
“Not here!”
Then he started staggering about, muttering about how he had to go home, until Mujin finally grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“To my house!”
“Sleep here tonight.”
Mujin pulled the struggling Jaewoo into the elevator. He had to keep him from escaping several times, but Jaewoo finally calmed down once the elevator started moving.
Che.
Jaewoo’s face was flushed as he leaned it against Mujin’s shoulder. He could feel the heat emanating from where their bodies touched. It must have been the alcohol.
“If your tolerance is so bad, you shouldn’t drink anything.”
As Mujin whispered to him, Jaewoo spoke up again, sounding dissatisfied.
“I didn’t know it was liquor!”
In the meantime, the elevator had finally stopped. This time, Jaewoo managed to walk off and into Mujin’s apartment on his own. It was a shock to see Jaewoo unlocking the door right in front of him. Mujin pushed the door open and followed him in, only to find Jaewoo in the midst of throwing his jacket onto the sofa.
“Life~, Liiii~iiii~iiiiife~!”
Jaewoo sang a nonsense song to himself1 and headed straight for Mujin’s room. Then he made himself at home in the only bed in the apartment. It was mindblowing.
“Jaewoo.”
Mujin sat down next to the bed and called his name. Jaewoo smiled and opened his eyes, but his gaze was still hazy and unfocused. He seemed like he was still drunk.
“Yes? Izzat you?”
Jaewoo said something unintelligible and tugged at Mujin’s forearm, then patted the spot next to him in the bed with his hand.
“Now, go to sleep.”
“You impudent asshole.”
He didn’t even know who the person next to him was and he was still tempting him like this. Mujin was amazed.
“Who are you calling an asshole?”
A thin finger approached and tried to pinch Mujin’s nose. If he’d been even a second slower in pulling his head out of reach, he would have ended up looking ridiculous. Jaewoo pouted for a moment after his failed grab, but that was all. It looked like he couldn’t hold on for any longer.
“There there.”
With only those words, Jaewoo fell asleep again.
“Haaaaaaa.”
Mujin sighed and rubbed his hands up and down his face. It looked like this young pup really wasn’t used to drinking. It was cute but dangerous at the same time. If he made a habit of hanging off of people like that, who knew when he might get eaten up.
If Mujin hadn’t stolen him away tonight, that snake, Director Yoon, would have swallowed him whole, tip to tail. That was an unpleasant thought. If Jaewoo was going to end up being devoured, wouldn’t it be better if Mujin was the one doing it, rather than someone else? That sudden thought made Mujin burst into laughter.
What the fuck was he thinking? That hadn’t been the plan. On the other hand, plans could change at any time.
Mujin lay down on the bed next to the slumbering Jaewoo. Instantly, Jaewoo turned and curled up in Mujin’s arms like he’d done it a million times before. That pissed Mujin off again, and he glared at Jaewoo, but Jaewoo was so deeply asleep that it had no effect.
That night, Mujin was able to sleep comfortably for the first time in a long time. The insomnia that had plagued him for so long disappeared. He’d discovered an entirely new use for that little pup. In that moment, Mujin’s cold and unfeeling heart suddenly found something it wanted.
“Oh God…”
Jaewoo felt like he was going to die. He covered his mouth with his hand as he hailed a taxi.
“Please hurry as fast as you can!”
Only after getting in the taxi did he realize that he’d left his cell phone at Mujin’s house, but by that point it was already too late to turn back. He figured he’d just grab it the next time he visited.
The taxi driver did his best. The quick speed meant that Jaewoo’s nausea got worse, but he mustered up all his willpower and endured it. The taxi stopped at the bottom of the hill, and Jaewoo got out and paid. As he turned, the familiar vistas of home caught his eye.
‘How am I going to manage to climb up there again?’
Jaewoo crawled halfway up the slope, desperately trying to soothe his rumbling stomach. He wanted to give up numerous times, but the thought of Hyunjin made him persevere.
“Ugh.”
He stumbled home one step at a time, still feeling like he was about to vomit.
“Urgh.”
As Jaewoo was concentrating hard on just staying upright, something suddenly blocked his path. Jaewoo looked up at the person standing in his way, eyes watering. It was Hyunjin.
“Hyunjin?”
Hyunjin was looking down at Jaewoo, his expression frighteningly stern.
“Let’s get home first.”
Hyunjin turned around and knelt on the ground with his back to Jaewoo.
“Climb on.”
“No, I’m fine!”
Jaewoo hurriedly waved his hands and refused. Then he instantly needed to cover his mouth with his hand again.
“Climb on.”
Hyunjin’s low voice sounded like it was warning him not to say anything more.
“I’m heavy.”
“You’re not heavy.”
Jaewoo hesitated, then leaned forward and clung to Hyunjin’s back. Hyunjin immediately stood up and set off for the house at a brisk pace. Jaewoo was surrounded by the familiar warmth and scent radiating off Hyunjin’s broad, jacket-covered back. Miraculously, it felt like his stomach was even starting to calm down.
“Why…”
After walking quietly for some time, Hyunjin finally spoke.
“Why are you back so late?”
“I’m sorry. I think I fell asleep after drinking with my friend.”
The truth was, there wasn’t a single person last night that Jaewoo would consider a friend, but he felt like he had no choice but to say this.
“Is your friend named Yoon Jiheon?”
“What? Oh. Yes, that’s him.”
It was more accurate to say that he was curious about him. Mujin seemed to care about making sure he had a good time. And since he’d called out a bunch of men, it seemed like gender didn’t matter much to him. He seemed dangerous in a lot of ways, and definitely not someone Jaewoo wanted to be friends with. But he couldn’t tell Hyunjin the truth.
“Are the two of you really friends?”
“Um, yeah, he’s a friend.”
Every time he lied, Jaewoo’s heart started to race. Maybe it just wasn’t in his nature to deceive others. Jaewoo dropped his gaze, thankful that Hyunjin couldn’t see his face.
“A friend…”
Hyunjin recalled yesterday’s events. The person who had answered the phone had spoken in an unctuous tone before he hung up the call. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to think positively about him.
“What does that guy do?”
“Just ordinary company work.”
“Do office workers usually drink that late?”
“I guess? I think he was excited because the weekend was here.”
Jaewoo said that he might have done it because he was excited that it was the weekend. Hyunjin mulled over Jaewoo’s words, hiding the bubbling turmoil inside. Did Jaewoo feel the same way? Was his brother so excited that it was the weekend that he completely forgot about him? Hyunjin wanted to know the answer, but he couldn’t ask Jaewoo that. He didn’t have the right. He knew that. Yet without him realizing it, a ferocious voice burst out of him.
“And you couldn’t even answer your phone?”
He could have at least called him back. It would only have taken a moment to set Hyunjin’s mind at ease. Hyunjin furrowed his brows fiercely. From his spot on Hyunjin’s back, Jaewoo couldn’t see his expression, but he could feel the tense atmosphere. He was so upset that he apologized again.
“Sorry. I’m really sorry.”
Jaewoo had already been drunk by the time Hyunjin had called.
“We’re here.”
Hyunjin lowered Jaewoo to the floor. Then, as they were about to enter the front door, he abruptly turned and yanked on Jaewoo’s suit jacket. Jaewoo placed his hands on Hyunjin’s chest and held on as his body tilted awkwardly.
“What’s that smell?”
“Huh?”
“It’s coming from your clothes.”
Jaewoo’s suit smelled like something Hyunjin had never smelled before. There was a scent reminiscent of a cool sea breeze, along with a dense, settled scent. The two scents didn’t combine well, and were giving off a strong, discordant odor.
“I guess it must be cologne?”
“You don’t wear cologne.”
“It must be my friend’s.”
Jaewoo was claiming it was his friend’s? But usually a person would only wear one cologne, not two.
“Did you only meet one friend last night?”
Stop. Stop asking. Hyunjin knew he should, but he couldn’t seem to stop. For some reason he hated the scents that seemed to cling to Jaewoo’s skin. It made him feel even worse.
“Hyunjin.”
Jaewoo was taken aback by Hyunjin’s overreaction. He knew Hyunjin would be angry, but he seemed to be in an even worse mood than he’d thought. On the other hand, he could understand why he might be. Jaewoo had become a support for Hyunjin, who had been holding the world on his shoulders all by himself. So he could understand why Hyunjin was acting this way now.
“Yes, there were two of my friends there.”
“Are the three of you very close?”
“Kinda?”
‘Kinda’? The smell was practically wafting off Jaewoo’s body. Didn’t that mean they had at least hugged? Hyunjin was so upset he felt like he was going to explode. He’d resolved to hide his feelings because he knew that he couldn’t give Jaewoo the happiness he deserved, but no matter how he tried they kept leaking out. Hyunjin felt like he couldn’t hide them any longer.
“Then what am I?”
“Huh?”
“You said they’re your friends. Then what am I?”
Hyunjin’s lips felt dry as he spoke without meaning to. His heart was pounding like crazy.
“What are you? You’re you.”
Hyunjin couldn’t take his eyes off Jaewoo’s lips.
“You’re like family.”
Jaewoo answered in a kind voice, watching Hyunjin’s reaction. Family. Hyunjin knew Jaewoo meant that in a good way. But there were certain lines that family members couldn’t cross. Knowing that, Hyunjin’s heart broke.
“I don’t want us to be family.”
Maybe that was why he said that to Jaewoo.
“What?”
“You’re my brother, but we’re not family.”
Technically that was true, but hearing Hyunjin say that made Jaewoo upset. He’d thought they’d developed a close relationship over their time together, to the point that he could be considered another family member. But it turns out they’re not family after all.
Jaewoo opened and closed his mouth several times. So, Hyunjin didn’t want him to be a part of his family. His nausea seemed to get worse. He wanted to throw up, and for some reason, his eyes felt hot.
‘Don’t take this to heart.’
Hyunjin was just a character in a novel. Jaewoo tried to convince himself of that, but it seemed like his heart already considered him to be more.
“Then, we’re not family…”
Jaewoo struggled to control his voice. He turned to pass through the gate and go inside, but before he could, Hyunjin reached out and grabbed his wrist. As a result, Jaewoo’s unfastened sleeve rose up, revealing the bruises wrapped around his wrist.
“…Who did this to you?”
“It’s not a big deal.”
Jaewoo pulled his sleeve back down, trying to hide the bruises. However, Hyunjin was stronger. He held Jaewoo’s hand in his and rolled up his sleeve, revealing a bruise in the clear shape of a human handprint.
Footnotes
인생~, 이이인새애앵~! – insaeng~, iiinsaeaeaeng~! – This truly does appear to be a nonsense song, I couldn’t figure out what he was trying to sing.
