Churu for the Angry Guide

60

Geonho’s expression was terrifying as he supported Siwoo’s thin body.

He wrapped one arm around Siwoo’s wet waist while holding the umbrella handle with the other hand. The umbrella handle, which had momentarily left Siwoo’s hand, started to bend slightly. It was because Geonho couldn’t control his strength.

“Can’t you get your act together?! If you fall here, you’ll crack your skull open! Are you crazy, do you want to die?!”

The thunderous scolding continued without pause. Siwoo squeezed his eyes shut, feeling like his waist held by Geonho might break.

“Ah, it hurts…”

“It hurts? Where?!”

Siwoo twisted his waist, letting out a small groan. Only then did Geonho realize he was gripping Siwoo’s waist and the umbrella too tightly. His heart sank for a moment when he saw the bent umbrella handle.

“Does it still hurt?”

Geonho quickly loosened his grip and just rested his hand on Siwoo’s waist. The waist that had been writhing in pain gradually calmed down. Siwoo shook his head while taking small deep breaths. It did hurt, but it was bearable. His bones weren’t bent.

Siwoo, who had regained his balance thanks to Geonho, slightly lifted his head. The closeness to Geonho, with their chests almost touching, felt awkward. He wanted to step back, but the large hand supporting his back prevented him. He could let go now.

“Were you crying?”

An unexpected question came. Siwoo tilted his head, not immediately understanding Geonho’s question mixed with the sound of rain.

“I asked if you were crying.”

Geonho repeated, looking at Siwoo’s wet eyes. His eyes and the tip of his nose were flushed red. Even from a distance, he looked like he had been crying.

“I didn’t cry.”

However, Siwoo said it was just rain splashing. He firmly denied it, shaking his head vigorously.

“Stop shaking! I’m getting dizzy.”

Geonho’s voice was still sharp. The gruff voice masked all the concern contained within.

Perhaps because he knew Geonho’s kind tone, Siwoo’s heart kept getting scratched by Geonho’s cold voice.

“You… damn… Do you have any sense? If you’re going out at night, you should at least wear a coat!”

Geonho sighed, looking at Siwoo who had come out wearing just the thin short-sleeved shirt and shorts he wore in the dormitory. Actually, it was the guide’s uniform provided by the center, so the sleeves and pants weren’t that short. The sleeves covered his forearms, and the pants covered his knees.

However, to Geonho’s eyes, all he saw was exposed bare skin. It stood out even more because Siwoo’s skin was so white.

“Do you want to get bitten by mosquitoes?! Are you underestimating summer mosquitoes?!”

He was getting irritated as if Siwoo was completely naked. Even though Siwoo would understand perfectly well if he just spoke normally, Geonho kept raising his voice, afraid it might be drowned out by the sound of rain.

“I get it, so stop yelling.”

Finally, Siwoo spoke up, unable to take it anymore. If it had been someone else, he would have told them to mind their own business long ago and punched them in the mouth. But because it was Geonho, he endured it.

“…”

Geonho, who had shut his mouth as if it was locked, quietly looked down at Siwoo. Siwoo lowered his head to avoid Geonho’s gaze, but his attention was drawn to Geonho’s slightly heaving chest.

His heart was beating fiercely. His breathing was still rapid.

“Are you… okay?”

Geonho remained silent as he separated their touching chests. Siwoo asked again if he was okay, but Geonho pretended not to hear. He didn’t want to answer that he wasn’t okay.

“I’m asking you something.”

A sigh mixed into Siwoo’s low murmur.

Geonho, who couldn’t see Siwoo’s expression, bent down to pick up the slipper stuck in the mud. While he was shaking off the mud-covered slipper, Siwoo suddenly darted out from under the umbrella.

“Hey!”

Geonho, who was holding the umbrella, shouted and grabbed Siwoo’s shoulder. Seeing Siwoo completely soaked in just a moment made his already heated insides even hotter.

“You’re getting rained on! Use the umbrella!”

He tried to give Siwoo the umbrella, but white fingers clenched into a fist. Siwoo swung his fist in the air, shaking off Geonho’s hand, and ran out from under the umbrella again.

“Do you want to catch a cold again?!”

“So what if I do!”

Siwoo, who had been forcibly dragged by Geonho, flailed his arms and legs as if throwing a tantrum.

“What’s it to you!”

Siwoo was about to push Geonho’s chest but, seeing the bandage on his shoulder, hit the umbrella handle instead. The pain only remained in Siwoo’s hand.

“Mind your own business! It’s not your concern!”

Geonho finally restrained Siwoo with his telekinesis and forcibly put the umbrella over him. Although the umbrella was meaningless since Siwoo was already soaked, he couldn’t let him get rained on.

“Let go of this! Release me right now!”

Siwoo, restrained by telekinesis, strained his neck. He made threats, even though shouting for help wouldn’t bring anyone to listen.

“Let go before I start screaming!”

“You’re already screaming!”

Geonho turned Siwoo around, who had his back turned. Thick veins, twice as thick as Siwoo’s, were bulging on his reddened neck. Moreover, his voice was much louder.

“Why are you running away again! Damn it, I came to help you!”

“Who’s running away! I’m just going my own way!”

“Where are you going at this hour!”

Their voices grew louder due to the heavy rain soaking the ground. Feeling like their voices weren’t reaching each other no matter how loud they shouted, they both yelled until their throats were raw.

“Stop cursing! You think I can’t curse too?!”

“Then do it! You curse too! Who said you couldn’t?!”

“You dog bastard!”

“What?!”

The squabble continued, making even passing elementary school students shake their heads. It was certainly not an argument befitting two grown men.

“You told me to, you mutt! What are you going to do, glare at me? Hit me! Just hit me!”

“Mutt?! You cat bastard!”

“That’s right! I’m a fucking cat!”

Siwoo, who had shouted at the top of his lungs, burst into coughing. A metallic taste rose from his aching throat.

Geonho, startled by the violent coughing sound, tried to take off his top. Siwoo, even while coughing, quickly grabbed Geonho’s clothes and pulled them down. It seemed like he was trying to cover Siwoo with them.

‘I’ll kill you if you take it off.’ Warning him with his eyes, Siwoo swallowed hard. As soon as the coughing subsided, he spat out what he had most wanted to say to Geonho.

“Stop confusing people!”

This was what had been weighing on his chest all along. If you’re not going to forgive me until the end, then just ignore me consistently. Geonho’s actions, giving false hope, were confusing Siwoo.

“It was you who left candy in the hospital room, wasn’t it! Why give something like that to someone you hate so much!”

Geonho didn’t deny it. He didn’t pretend not to know what Siwoo was talking about, he just widened his eyes.

As Siwoo had guessed, it was Geonho who had piled vitamin candies on the bedside table in the hospital room. He had gone to see Siwoo whenever there was no one around in the late night. He would just stand there blankly for an hour or two, just looking at him.

“It was you, right?!”

Siwoo asked, lifting his chin high.

“Answer me! Don’t ignore me!”

Geonho, who had chewed the tender flesh inside his mouth until it might fall off, approached Siwoo closely. He didn’t like hearing Siwoo’s cracked voice. It made his own throat hurt to hear it.

“Yeah, it was me.”

When Geonho admitted it outright, Siwoo, who had been speaking sharply, hesitated. The one who had been shouting much louder than him suddenly lowered his voice, causing Siwoo’s half-gone reason to try to return.

“…Why did you give them to me?”

Siwoo looked up at Geonho, who had come closer, while calmly catching his breath. Now, finally, a chance for proper conversation had arisen.

“If you can’t stand seeing me, why did you come to the hospital room?”

He was going to grab Geonho’s collar if he ignored him again. If he hadn’t been bound by telekinesis, he would have done so already.

“Answer me.”

He had had hope when he saw those candies. Wondering if Geonho might have the heart to forgive him.

Cold raindrops bounced into the umbrella. Only the sound of heavy rain passed between the two, whose distance had narrowed to where their toes almost touched.

Siwoo waited until the end for Geonho’s answer. He was determined to hear the reason, even if he had to force Geonho’s mouth open. He wouldn’t end the conversation vaguely. This resolve was conveyed to Geonho as well.

“I gave them because I wanted to.”

Geonho, gritting his teeth, barely moved his lips. Although he had clearly lowered his voice a lot, it stuck even more clearly in Siwoo’s ears.

“I hate you so much, but I was worried sick about you.”

He lowered his gaze, omitting the part about going to see him. Then Siwoo’s bare feet came into his view. Along with the one remaining slipper.

Damn it. Geonho cursed inwardly. Of all things, the slippers Siwoo had worn out were Seojun’s. Geonho’s heart sank once again.

Feeling like he might get angry again if he kept looking, he raised his gaze back up. At the same time, his eyes met Siwoo’s, who was crying.

“…”

Siwoo was crying silently, tears just falling drop by drop. Because his arms were bound by telekinesis, he couldn’t even cover his face. He looked angry, as if upset about crying.

“I was going to leave.”

However, even while crying, he said what he had to say until the end.

Geonho reflexively reached out and wiped away Siwoo’s tears. Siwoo didn’t avoid his rough touch. Using the excuse of telekinesis only blocking his arms and legs, he entrusted his face to Geonho.

“I was going to… hic… leave after getting the Churu.”

“…”

“That’s… what you promised to give me.”

His pronunciation was slurred due to his intensified crying. He was even more frustrated, thinking the idiot might not understand.

Fortunately, Geonho understood everything. He wiped away all the tears Siwoo was shedding while gasping, and gazed intently into his moist eyes. Then he asked.

“But why didn’t you leave?”

Siwoo’s thin lips trembled as he tried to suppress his crying. As Geonho touched his face with a gentle hand, as if stroking a cat, even more tears burst forth.

Clearly, Geonho’s hand was only touching his face, but strangely, his chest felt warm. It felt like Geonho’s warm hand was wrapping around his heart. It was strange.

“I asked why you didn’t leave.”

Geonho cupped Siwoo’s wet cheeks with his hands and met his gaze. It was something he often did with Shiro.

Siwoo sniffled, wrinkling his nose, and burst into tears again. He knew Geonho had withdrawn his telekinesis, but he pretended not to notice and continued to let Geonho hold him.

He didn’t shake off Geonho’s hands even as he kneaded his cheeks like rice cakes. He had missed the warm body temperature sticking to his cheeks so much that it made him angry.

“You… treated me well.”

This time, it was Geonho’s turn for his eyes to turn red.