PASSION Chapter 4 Part 17

Chapter 4 Part 17

Shin Lu's room wasn't far from the stairs. Just go straight down the corridor and turn once. Though he worried about what excuse to make if he ran into someone on the way, that didn't happen.

Tap tap, he knocked on the door with his fingertips. He waited a moment but there was no answer. Wondering if the sound was too soft to hear or if no one was in, he knocked again a bit harder.

"If he's not in the room, getting caught on camera with nothing to show for it, this would be troublesome..."

Tae-ui clicked his tongue while muttering to himself. Even if he was going to tell him in person, maybe he should have called first.

However, dispelling Tae-ui's worries, the door opened after a moment. Shin Lu who poked his head out asking "Who is it?" through the door opened about a foot seemed surprised to see Tae-ui.

"Brother Tae-ui. What brings you here? You shouldn't come here now... Come in first."

Shin Lu glanced around before pulling Tae-ui into the room. Only then did Tae-ui think his visit might be troublesome for Shin Lu too, but it was too late for regrets. Besides, having come this far, there was no point in such thoughts now.

Above all, this was his first time in Shin Lu's room.

Though a person's room wouldn't be that special, Tae-ui looked around curiously after entering. It was a neat and modest room. No unnecessary things, but not too bare either in its decoration.

"If others see you it could be trouble for you, Brother. What brings you here so suddenly?"

Shin Lu asked worriedly while bringing out two cans of beer. Seeing the beer in his hands, Tae-ui was briefly surprised, but thinking about it, though lovely, Shin Lu was already an adult. He was old enough that drinking beer was nothing unusual. Rather, being surprised was stranger.

Tae-ui accepted the beer with thanks, then hesitated briefly. Since it was a single room there was naturally no guest sofa, so Shin Lu pulled over the desk chair to sit in front of Tae-ui who sat on the bed, and quietly waited for him to speak.

"Um, about the weekend..."

"Ah, yes. The weather forecast said it would be clear on the weekend."

Shin Lu smiled brightly when Tae-ui brought it up. Tae-ui internally clutched his chest with an "ugh." Hearing such words when he came to cancel plans, what would normally have made him boundlessly happy now just made him more anxious.

"Uh..."

As Tae-ui hemmed and hawed with a clouded face, Shin Lu seemed to notice his mood right away. He tilted his head and silently watched Tae-ui.

"Well, I didn't know, but they say there's training on weekends too. It seems... I can't skip it."

As he hesitated, unable to continue after saying "So...", Shin Lu unexpectedly nodded saying "Ah, of course" as if it were nothing. Then he smiled brightly.

"So that's how it was. I thought it was strange. Before too, and the time before that, during joint training they always had training continuously for two weeks without holidays, I wondered if this time would be different."

Nodding as he spoke, Shin Lu suddenly frowned slightly with his smiling lips as if regretful.

"I was looking forward to taking a leisurely walk with you... Too bad."

"Ah, sorry..."

Tae-ui apologized while bowing his head.

But he felt somewhat relieved. Ah, he already knew. Come to think of it, it was natural that Shin Lu who had been here longer than him would already know. He had worried needlessly by himself.

But since he had still broken their promise, Tae-ui looked at Shin Lu apologetically. Shin Lu who had been looking regretful saw this and shook his head, smiling again.

"No, it's fine. That's just how the training schedule is. We can still walk after training ends, it's fine. The beach isn't going anywhere."

"Yeah. ...Let's go for a walk after training ends."

When Tae-ui spoke, Shin Lu nodded happily. Then he went "Hmm" and answered.

"Since we can leave the island on weekends after training ends, we could go play in Hong Kong together too. I have some things I need to buy anyway."

"Ah, right. That would be nice to go together. I need to pay back Tou for cigarettes too."

Tae-ui agreed happily.

Coming to postpone the weekend plans and ending up making two new promises - walking and going to Hong Kong - he couldn't be more satisfied. Though disappointing that this weekend's expectations had turned to bubbles, they had made double the promises anew.

"Still... it's a bit disappointing. I was looking forward to it."

Tae-ui heard Shin Lu whisper with his head slightly lowered in front of him. The moment he registered those words, Tae-ui's face flushed red.

It was strange. Though Tae-ui couldn't keep his reason properly when faced with Shin Lu, he was actually used to romance - or rather, the steps of romance. During his times at clubs, he had easily learned without anyone teaching him what words to use to seduce someone and how to embrace them. So he had come to consider it not difficult to date people or spend nights with them.

But somehow, he just couldn't easily reach out to this young man. Perhaps this was exactly that common saying about not being able to act carelessly with someone you've fallen for.

Though he found himself amusing, he didn't dislike this feeling, so Tae-ui smiled shyly with a red face.

That's when Shin Lu hesitantly reached out his hand. And almost overlapped his hand with Tae-ui's fingertips. His small nails tickled Tae-ui's fingertips. His gaze approached slightly, checking Tae-ui's reaction.

Tae-ui almost burst out laughing. What an immature yet lovely seduction. He had never received such an obvious yet cute seduction before. For something like this, he just needed to smile and gently grasp that hand back. Then lightly kiss those fingertips and smile, and things would be practically done.

But.

His hand just wouldn't move. Only his reddened face grew hotter and hotter.

Tae-ui looked at Shin Lu. Those slender fingers lightly touching the tips of his fingers.

His mouth went dry. His anxious mind whispered now, now. It would be fine now.

Tae-ui clenched his fist. Then reached out his urgent hand. After hesitating briefly, his hand grasped Shin Lu's shoulder.

He couldn't face him directly. It would probably be really funny if they faced each other. A man with a face red as a boiled octopus not knowing what to do. Right now he hoped Shin Lu wouldn't look at him.

Tae-ui half raised his body. Then pulling on the hand gripping Shin Lu's shoulder, he recklessly pressed his lips to his face. Originally he had gathered his courage to aim for the lips. But he missed from being too nervous. He kissed ambiguously closer to the cheek than the lips.

But at this moment what mattered in Tae-ui's mind wasn't where he had kissed. He had kissed him for the first time. His lips had touched Shin Lu's soft skin.

He felt Shin Lu's surprised gaze looking at him after the feather-light brush against his face. Unable to meet that gaze, Tae-ui stepped back and wiped his lips with the back of his hand, face bright red.

"..."

"..."

Silence continued for a while. Tae-ui kept his head down while pointlessly fiddling with his fingers. When he glanced up, Shin Lu was the same. Head lowered with his fair cheeks tinged red.

Would it be okay? He isn't angry, is he? His heart felt like it would burst from pounding so hard.

Though at a loss what to do, Tae-ui pressed his lips together feeling a smile about to leak out. But his lips kept relaxing.

Tae-ui slightly raised his hand to cover his mouth. Then when he carefully looked at Shin Lu, he was already looking up at Tae-ui. When their eyes met as Tae-ui stood awkwardly covering his mouth, Shin Lu suddenly burst out laughing with his flushed face.

At that quiet but lively pearl-like laughter, Tae-ui who had been looking at Shin Lu somewhat bewildered eventually ended up laughing too.

His chest felt ticklish. That's why he laughed. Perhaps Shin Lu felt similar.

After laughing for a while, when the laughter died down a shy and awkward atmosphere circled again.

"Well then, I should go now. Let's meet again after training ends. ...Ah, thanks for the message. I saw it well."

"Ah, yes. ...Um, I'll see you out."

When Tae-ui stood up showing signs of leaving, Shin Lu also stood up and followed. Tae-ui felt another smile rising. Following quietly behind like an obedient puppy, he was just so lovely.

Though he told Shin Lu there was no need to come out when they reached the doorway, Shin Lu shook his head and came out into the hallway. They barely spoke while walking the corridor. There was nothing to say, and moreover, his heart was full just from the warmth transmitted through their lightly clasped hands.

Two people walking silently with red faces, holding hands side by side - if uncle saw this he would give that look again. That "having fun" look.

But who cares. Let him look all he wants. We're close enough to hold hands freely anyway.

Tae-ui glanced at the young man about half a span shorter than him. A faint soap smell still wafted from his fluttering hair. Thinking he wanted to bury his face in that hair, Tae-ui's face reddened again as he smiled shyly.

That's when.

It was when the stairs approached in the distance. Though he couldn't ask him to come down to basement level 6 together, it was becoming very regretful that he would have to let go of this hand in front of the stairs.

There was someone coming around the wall in front of the stairs.