I’m Not That Obsessive

Chapter 9

Returning home, I first looked for beer in the refrigerator. As the beer went down my throat, it was thrilling to the pit of my stomach. The cold sensation gave me goosebumps, but I felt good.

I had just been rejected by Mitchell. A rejection to my question about going to his house.

No, rather than a rejection…

“Why to my house?”

“Just because I’m bored.”

“Do I look like someone with nothing to do?”

His irritated voice somehow seemed excited. Of course, that’s just my thought. Now in my mind, the frame ‘Mitchell is starved for affection’ was set, and I judged Mitchell based on that. As a result, I wasn’t afraid of the threatening and aggressive Mitchell at all.

What’s the use of just looking strong when your mind is a mess?

Hehe.

Laughing mischievously, I recalled our conversation again.

“The one with nothing to do is me, not you. I’m really trying to sit in your house because I have nothing to do. I won’t bother you. I’m good at just sitting, you know. You saw last time, right? I’ll just breathe in your house like then.”

“……”

“If you don’t like it, forget it.”

“I’m out right now… And I’m supposed to have a guest at home.”

“Oh really? Then it can’t be helped. See you next time.”

Mitchell was clearly swayed by my words. Even though a guest was coming and he wasn’t home, he clearly hesitated for that brief moment.

“I’m sure of it.”

I muttered, emptying a can of beer.

But who was supposed to come? That man from before? The man who was moaning under Mitchell?

I suddenly became curious about who owned the white Ferrari parked in front of Mitchell’s house.

“Do I want to know?”

The feelings that had been quiet for a while started to surge. Curiosity spread solidly from the center of my chest. I felt excited and elated. I was also nervous and somewhat stifled.

I stood there blankly thinking for quite a while until I drank five cans of beer. When I came to my senses, darkness had already fallen outside.

“I should find out.”

Hehe, a playful laugh burst out. Thanks to finding something to do for once. The overwhelming emotion that I thought had been cut off since leaving Korea swirled inside me.

I know this feeling very well.

This feeling of becoming fulfilled only by thinking about, touching, caring for, and imprisoning ‘something’ within me all day long.

“Mitchell Cronenwirth.”

For the first time since leaving Korea, my heart sang a song. It was a very cheerful and sticky melody.

***

“Mitchell, I need some cash.”

“……”

“Can I take it? Your wallet. Where was your wallet again?”

Jeff easily found Mitchell’s wallet in his coat. There was about a thousand dollars in cash in the wallet.

Mitchell’s wallet was always full of cash because of Jeff, who often took money.

But that doesn’t mean Mitchell was just being a sucker. Jeff also had his own ways of helping Mitchell.

First, he calls Mitchell every morning. He consistently used 30 minutes to an hour for Mitchell.

Also, on days when he had no work, he had to be at Mitchell’s house no matter what. It was closer to being an employee than a couple who couldn’t bear not seeing each other every day. They mixed bodies as a bonus, but that was it.

To Mitchell, Jeff was a friend money passed between, an employee, a partner, and a human who made him not feel alone.

Anyway, Mitchell didn’t care if it wasn’t Jeff. He just needed one human. Just having a breathing human in the house could alleviate the anxiety that poured down like an awl.

Still, the reason for letting Jeff in was because he kept his mouth shut. The certainty that he wouldn’t reveal their abnormal relationship anywhere.

Jeff’s father was the reason for this certainty. If his father knew his son was seeing men, Jeff would no longer be alive.

Jeff, who feared and was most uncomfortable with his father, would never sell Mitchell’s private life to the media. It was absolutely impossible even if the world split in two. If Mitchell’s secret life was revealed, it would be none other than Jeff who would be in more trouble.

“Why don’t you just withdraw money? If you stack up tens of thousands of dollars, I’ll take care of it myself.”

Jeff, who had taken everything including high-denomination bills and even the change kept for tips, flopped down on the sofa while humming. The tip of his head touched Mitchell’s thigh.

Jeff reached up and touched his thigh, then put his hand between his legs. Even as he fondled the intimate area, Mitchell didn’t budge and just looked at his phone.

“What are you doing? Script?”

“Have you seen this movie?”

“What is it?”

“The Death of M”

A Korean movie was displayed on the phone screen.

“Don’t know. I don’t watch movies much, you know. Why? Did you get an offer from Asia?”

“No. Just studying.”

“My Mitchell is always about work, work. Where else in the world is there an actor who loves movies this much? I’m just thinking about money, money, and hitting it big at the casino.”

“That casino is yours, isn’t it?”

“Legally, it’s not mine yet. It’s dad’s. Damn. I’m just waiting for that old man to die.”

“You’re a total bastard.”

Jeff was busy giggling even after being cursed at.

“But Mitchell, why aren’t we doing it today?”

Jeff asked, his laughter now stopped. Mitchell wasn’t a sex-crazed person, but they usually had sex at least two or three times a week, almost like clockwork. Moreover, he should be starved after not seeing each other for a few days, but now he wasn’t paying any attention to Jeff. He should be excited after being touched this much.

“No particular reason.”

“That’s strange.”

“You said you were busy. You can go if you want to. No, just go.”

“…What?”

Jeff sat up, startled. Before he could close his gaping mouth, Mitchell spoke again.

“I’m saying you can go since you don’t have to stay with me.”

“Do you have plans? Having a party?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“Do I need a reason to tell you to go?”

“……”

Mitchell didn’t even look at Jeff. He just stared at his phone, and there was no emotion in his calm tone.

It’s inconsiderate to tell someone to go back right after they’ve just come all the way from Las Vegas, but such things happened quite often between them. They didn’t respect each other.

Besides, it wasn’t like Mitchell was doing anything too extreme.

Although it might be tiring to travel back and forth between Las Vegas, where Jeff’s home and work are, and LA, the round-trip costs were all Mitchell’s money.

Jeff booked flights with Mitchell’s card, fueled the car, ate meals, and bought what he wanted. Instead of withdrawing cash, he emptied Mitchell’s wallet in other ways.

With this level of material support, there shouldn’t be a problem with Mitchell’s attitude.

It just revealed the most crucial part of the various relationships entangled between them.

Employer and employee.

Of course, Jeff, who was packaging it as friends or lovers, would not agree at all.

“Are you really okay? Alone?”

Anyway, Jeff knew many people in LA. He also liked staying in hotels, so it wasn’t that bad.

“Yeah.”

At the simple and clear answer, Jeff awkwardly got up.

“…Alright.”

Mitchell rarely went back on his words and hated situations where he had to repeat the same thing two or three times. In short, he found it unpleasant to deal with someone who didn’t understand.

“I’ll call you in the morning.”

Feeling uneasy but unable to ask the same question again, Jeff hesitated before finally leaving the house. All he had done since coming here today was to pocket some cash and take a wristwatch that was on the table. He got an expensive watch with just a word about borrowing it. It somewhat soothed his skewed mood.

“That bastard always does this once in a while.”

Jeff grumbled as he started the car. Then he quickly called an acquaintance. He thought it was rather fortunate, as he would have had a terribly boring day if he didn’t do anything.

“Hey, where are you? I just came to LA… Huh? Oh! I know that place. I’ll be right there. Are there a lot of guys with pretty butts there? Oh really? Great. About 20 minutes? Wait. It’s on me!”

Jeff planned to pay for the drinks with Mitchell’s card again today.

The sound of the car engine faded away. Silence settled in the house. Mitchell’s expression began to crumple. It felt like someone was choking him. Even opening the windows connected to the front yard wide didn’t help.

With a hardened face, Mitchell fiddled with his phone for a while before finally pressing the call button.

“Hello?”

As the other person’s voice came through, he could finally breathe. The pressure choking his neck subsided a little.

“…I left the door open.”

He said just one sentence and hung up.