Romantic Gangster

#41

“Still, let’s stop by the infirmary. You need to rest.”

“Okay. I understand.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Ji-woo obediently nodded. Even if he had said he could go alone or that he was fine, Hyun-joon had planned to go with him and stick close by. But when Ji-woo docilely allowed him to come along, Hyun-joon’s heart warmed again. Even that was cute.

“Wait a moment.”

Hyun-joon picked up the slipped-off slippers and put them on Ji-woo’s feet one by one. He glanced at Ji-woo’s pants, which were stained white in various places from touching the dusty music room floor. As he lowered his hand to brush off Ji-woo’s knees and calves, he noticed the bulge in Ji-woo’s crotch.

Damn. This is driving me crazy.

In fact, it would have been strange if he hadn’t become aroused; being aroused was only natural. How could he not react after facing Hyun-joon’s pheromones like that? Even though it was natural, actually seeing it with his own eyes made Hyun-joon’s breath catch. While mechanically dusting off Ji-woo’s white-stained knees repeatedly, his gaze remained fixed on the area below Ji-woo’s belt buckle.

“That’s enough now. It’s okay.”

“…Huh? Oh, ah, yeah. It’s done.”

Feeling a strange sense of guilt, Hyun-joon pulled away his hand and quickly stood up, leaving the music room first. The cool air in the corridor touched his face, which had become heated from being in the airless room and constantly facing pheromones. Hyun-joon took a deep breath and turned to look at Ji-woo approaching him, holding out his hand.

“It’s okay. I can go down by myself.”

“You might fall. If you don’t want to hold hands, should I carry you?”

As Hyun-joon bent down as if to lift Ji-woo’s waist and legs, Ji-woo quickly took his hand. Even in that moment, Hyun-joon smiled like a madman, happy that Ji-woo had taken his hand first. Thinking his head had completely lost it, Hyun-joon slowly descended the stairs.

With each step, watching Ji-woo’s feet coming down beside him while holding his hand, feeling their hands intertwine more tightly each time, his heart swelled immensely. It seemed even his heart had turned into castella now.

…Damn, the things I’m thinking are so cringeworthy.

Every time he had these unexpectedly ticklish and soft thoughts, he felt goosebumps and chills down his spine. It felt like watching those idiots who act all lovey-dovey on Instagram, calling each other “honey” and “baby.”

The problem was that he didn’t dislike it. He liked Ji-woo so much that he felt he could even become a couple YouTuber if Ji-woo wanted.

“Hyun-joon.”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For coming to me. I was so scared earlier. I was scared, couldn’t breathe well, and struggling, but I could only think of you.”

“…”

“I desperately needed you.”

As they turned the corner of the stairs, the afternoon light from the window illuminated Ji-woo’s face. His eyes, bathed in light, were smooth and transparent. They were so beautiful that Hyun-joon’s gaze, heart, and mind were helplessly drawn in.

He desperately needed me… Not anything else, but me. It couldn’t be anything but a confession. He could see that Ji-woo’s heart was leaning towards him too. It didn’t sound like he was saying he desperately needed him just for his pheromones. Because Seo Ji-woo was different from others who would use him.

He wanted to ask why Ji-woo had desperately needed him. What those feelings were, if it was true that he liked him. If he wanted to kiss him right now too.

But now wasn’t the time. He didn’t want to force an answer from Ji-woo, who was cornered both mentally and physically. Because his heart was weakened, and he probably had a lot of positive feelings towards Hyun-joon who had appeared when he needed him.

He knew that his feelings and Ji-woo’s feelings weren’t very different. Because it’s difficult to become that desperate just for the reason of helping the body. He could tell just by looking at Ji-woo’s eyes that sought him, looked at him, and trusted him. That he had the same feelings. Although it seemed Ji-woo hadn’t noticed his own feelings yet.

When will you start feeling strange when you look at me? And when will you realize? That your reddened ears and nape aren’t just because of my pheromones.

Dazzling light poured into the quiet corridor leading to the infirmary, illuminating their steps. Although they knew they could walk without stumbling even if they let go of hands, neither of them did.

It was a fact that Hyun-joon knew and Seo Ji-woo didn’t know yet.

* * *

Despite Hyun-joon’s insistence that he should rest, Ji-woo, not wanting to be a burden anymore, finished his convenience store part-time job and was immediately caught by Hyun-joon and brought home as soon as work ended.

Thanks to Hyun-joon’s pheromones, his condition had improved a lot, and after eating a delicious dinner and resting for a couple of hours, it wasn’t something to worry about so much, but Hyun-joon had been overprotective of him throughout his part-time job. Even when customers came, he got up before Ji-woo to handle the transactions, and he made Ji-woo sit while he took care of organizing the items.

Although Ji-woo clearly said that he didn’t need to worry so much and that he was fine, Hyun-joon didn’t listen.

It was the same just now. Even when Ji-woo said he was fine now and asked if he couldn’t stop by Hyun-joon’s house to hang out for a while like they had been doing for days, Hyun-joon cut him off sharply and took him home.

Saying he could read comics all he wanted on the weekend, Hyun-joon insisted that today he absolutely had to shower and go to bed as soon as he got home. Unlike usual, when they would stand in front of the house talking for 10 or 15 minutes, Hyun-joon left telling him to rest even a minute more, and watching his back as he left made Ji-woo feel regretful.

But that wasn’t disappointment. Because he knew all too well why Hyun-joon was doing this for him. So as soon as he entered the house, Ji-woo gathered clothes to change into, placed them in front of the door, and went into the bathroom.

In the small bathroom, there was just a white shower curtain. Opening it and entering, he turned the old faucet that never sparkled no matter how much he cleaned it, and cold water poured out first.

Turning another faucet, Ji-woo waited a bit for hot water to come out and then washed his body with the barely lukewarm water.

As the stream of water brushed his nape, his body felt hot. Ji-woo quickly raised his hand to cover the spot where Hyun-joon’s breath had touched earlier in the music room. Even in the midst of confusion, he could clearly feel that boy’s breath, his hot and soft lips touching him.

“…”

When Hyun-joon held him tightly, protected him, and said it was okay, that everything was fine now that he was here, Ji-woo really calmed down from that moment. He could trust and relax. Even though he knew Hyun-joon was a stronger alpha than usual and had the ability to easily subdue and control an omega like him if he wanted to, Ji-woo wasn’t afraid of him.

It was because of the thought that the Hyun-joon he had seen so far would never do that to him, but Ji-woo honestly knew it was a weak basis. After all, “so far” was only about a month, so it was unreasonable to conclude he wasn’t that kind of person based on just that time.

…Why did he trust Hyun-joon so much? Why did he have this belief that Hyun-joon wouldn’t treat him carelessly at any moment, that he wouldn’t suddenly change just because of pheromones?

“…”

Remembering Hyun-joon’s breath spreading on his skin and the feeling of his lips pressing and moving slightly, Ji-woo’s thighs clenched. It was weak, but clearly excitement. Thinking he was crazy, Ji-woo shook his head. He wished he could clear his thoughts cleanly, but contrary to his wish, they remained firmly fixed in his mind, not disappearing.

He finished washing, came out to dry his hair, and applied unscented white lotion all over. Then he checked what he needed to take to school and packed his bag.

Maybe because Hyun-joon had brought him home early, it was only 10:40 PM even after showering and preparing for school tomorrow. Feeling a bit tired, Ji-woo got into bed and opened his phone.

He wasn’t the type to chat much with friends normally, so he rarely looked at his phone even after coming home. Sometimes Choi Young-jae would call or message to talk, but it was literally just sometimes. They both preferred talking and hanging out face to face.

It had definitely been that way, but today he didn’t want to fall asleep like this. Was it because Hyun-joon, who usually talked with him in front of the house every day before going home, had left early today? He just felt like talking a bit more. Ji-woo entered the messenger and went into his chat with Hyun-joon.

[Did you get home safely?]

[Thank you so much for today]

[You must be tired too, get some good rest]

Although all he had to say were boring greetings, they were words he really wanted to say to Hyun-joon. Ji-woo sent the messages and looked at the screen for a moment. Soon, the number 1 in front of the message disappeared, and Hyun-joon’s reply popped up.

[Hyun-joon: Why aren’t you sleeping yet]

[Hyun-joon: I told you to sleep]

Ji-woo smiled at Hyun-joon’s reply, which was the same as earlier when he kept telling him to sleep as soon as he got home. He nodded once and sent a reply.

[I was about to sleep but thought of you]

[I’m going to sleep now]

[You should go to sleep soon too]

[Good night, see you tomorrow]

Ji-woo watched the screen for a moment as Hyun-joon didn’t read it right away, then put his phone down next to his pillow and closed his eyes.

As he closed his eyes, he remembered Hyun-joon’s breath touching his nape again. And… the sensation that didn’t seem like a hand touching his eyes also formed in his mind. Although he hadn’t seen it directly… it definitely felt different from the touch that had been wiping away his tears.