PEN Vol 3 Ch. 10

On his way drive home, Cheon Sejoo received a phone call from Doyoon for the first time in a while. He answered the call as he drove out of Gyeonggi-do and entered Seoul. Doyoon’s voice sounded sluggish, as though he were heavily drunk.

-Hyunggg, I’m so… ugh, I’m so annoyed….

Since starting his internship near Jongno in April, it had become difficult to meet up with Doyoon. Despite being just an intern, it seemed really grueling since his recent messages were filled with nothing but cute curses directed at his awful senior coworkers.

Jongno (종로) is a district in central Seoul, South Korea, known for its historical significance and as a major business and commercial area.

Doyoon had been wishing for minor inconveniences to befall his superiors—like hoping that their hot Americano would be served cold or that they’d receive a galbitang (beef short rib soup) with the meat missing, courtesy of a staff mistakenly leaving out the meat.

“You drank a lot.”

-Nooo, it’s just… as an intern, I have to drink whatever they give me….

It seemed that the company where Kang Doyoon was doing his internship was a mess. What kind of place still forced interns to drink excessively in this day and age? Cheon Sejoo chuckled and shook his head.

It was only 7 PM, but Doyoon, who had apparently been participating in a midday company drinking session, was already so drunk that he could barely speak properly. Cheon Sejoo, sensing that this could end badly, kept the conversation going while driving home.

“So, where are you now?”

-Here… here…. Wangsimni…? 2 miles, and I’m already stumbling… hehe.

 

Doyoon had a habit of wandering aimlessly when drunk. Before he graduated from university, there had been a time when he’d walked from Gangbuk, where his school was, all the way to Mapo-gu, forcing Cheon Sejoo to pick him up in the middle of the night

If he was in Wangsimni, that was near Cheon Sejoo’s house. Judging by the time they were talking on the phone, Doyoon must have already walked from Jongno to Wangsimni. Estimating his walking speed, Cheon Sejoo asked him what building he could see nearby. Based on Doyoon’s vague responses, Cheon Sejoo changed course, heading toward Wangsimni instead of going home.

“Kang Doyoon.”

When Cheon Sejoo finally found him, Doyoon had just made it to the path that led from Wangsimni to the Han River. In the dim alley near a fire station, the staggering figure was clearly not in his right mind. It was the most drunk Cheon Sejoo had ever seen Doyoon.

“Doyoon-ah.”

Even when he called out to him from the open passenger-side window, Doyoon didn’t seem to realize someone was talking to him. Cheon Sejoo hung up the phone and turned on his hazard lights before getting out of the car. When he walked around to the front and blocked Doyoon’s path, it was only then that his small head finally looked up.

“Don’t block my way….”

With a sullen expression, Doyoon’s flushed face grumbled, not recognizing Cheon Sejoo at all. Cheon Sejoo, watching him mumble nonsense, let out a chuckle before grabbing his shoulder.

“If you touch me, I’ll call the police…! Let go of me…!”

Doyoon weakly protested, but his resistance was laughable against Cheon Sejoo’s strength. With little effort, Cheon Sejoo guided him into the car, practically pushing him into the passenger seat. After securing him and locking the door, he immediately got into the driver’s seat, unlocking only his side.

“Kidnapper…! I’m being kidnapped…!”

Doyoon grimaced as he knocked on the window. Cheon Sejoo shook his head, amused by the sight, and dialed Doyoon’s phone number again.

When his phone buzzed, Doyoon stared blankly at the screen, squinting at it before finally accepting the call. Holding the phone to his ear, he mumbled, “Hyung….”

He didn’t even seem to realize that the “hyung” was sitting right next to him. Cheon Sejoo let out a laugh in disbelief as he responded, “Yeah, Doyoon-ah.”

And so, the two carried on a strange, nonsensical conversation all the way to Cheon Sejoo’s house. Doyoon, absorbed in the phone call, had entirely forgotten that someone he didn’t know had picked him up and was driving him home. He just babbled the entire way.

Once they arrived at the apartment parking lot, Cheon Sejoo opened the passenger door and helped Doyoon out of the car, still talking to him on the phone. Even though Cheon Sejoo’s phone screen had long gone dark and was tucked into his pocket, Doyoon remained oblivious, continuing to “talk” to Cheon Sejoo beside him as if they were still on the call. It was like watching a stand-up comedy act.

After helping him into the elevator, Cheon Sejoo suddenly realized that there wasn’t really a good place for Doyoon to sleep. The room Doyoon used to stay in now belonged to Sejin, so it seemed like the only option was to let him sleep in his own room.

When the elevator reached the 41st floor, Cheon Sejoo carried the half-asleep Doyoon on his back. Still engaging in their absurd conversation, he opened the front door to his apartment. Once inside, Cheon Sejoo kicked off his shoes and removed Doyoon’s shoes as well, setting them aside.

As they entered the hallway, a delicious aroma greeted him. It was long past dinner, so he hoped Sejin hadn’t waited for him all this time. With that thought, he stepped further in, and it turned out his hope was misplaced. The table was neatly set with two sets of chopsticks and side dishes Sejin had prepared.

Earlier as he headed to Ehwagak, Cheon Sejoo had told Sejin that he’d be coming home late, instructing him to take the subway home. When Sejin had asked how late he would be, Cheon Sejoo had said it wouldn’t be too long. It seemed Sejin had taken that to mean they’d eat dinner together and waited for him.

Sensing a presence behind him, Cheon Sejoo turned around and met Sejin’s gaze. Kwon Sejin, wearing an apron as he stood in the kitchen, narrowed his eyes slightly at the sight of Cheon Sejoo carrying someone. Though his expression was difficult to read, it leaned more toward displeasure than anything else.

With a faint smile, Cheon Sejoo quietly headed toward his room, asking as he went.

“Did you not eat dinner?”

“No.”

Sejin’s eyes were fixed on Doyoon as he answered. Cheon Sejoo, almost whispering, adjusted Doyoon, who was still talking on the phone alone, and carefully opened his bedroom door.

“Wait a moment. I’ll just put him down and be right out.”

“……”

Leaving Sejin staring at him without a response, Cheon Sejoo entered his room. He gently laid Doyoon on the bed, prying the bag that he was clutching like a treasure and setting it aside, then began taking off his clothes. Since they hadn’t met since Doyoon started his internship, this was the first time he’d seen Doyoon in a suit, and he had expected him to look awkward—like a kid playing dress-up—but surprisingly, the suit suited him well.

After taking off Doyoon’s jacket, unbuckling his belt, and undid the buttons of his shirt, Cheon Sejoo noticed that despite the chilly evening, Doyoon wasn’t wearing anything under his shirt. Looking at his bare skin, Cheon Sejoo grabbed one of his own T-shirts, and slipped it over Doyoon’s head. He then removed the rest of his clothes, leaving him in just his underwear before covering him with a blanket, and left the room.

Sejin, who had been leaning against the kitchen sink after finishing dinner preparations, glanced at the floor with a sullen expression. When Cheon Sejoo came out, Sejin briefly looked up at him before turning back to scoop up some rice and put it in a bowl. Cheon Sejoo, as if it were the most natural thing, casually grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and took his seat opposite Sejin. It was the routine they had gotten used to for dinner.

“Who is that?”

However, tonight was different. Instead of their usual meal in near silence or with Cheon Sejoo’s nagging, Sejin immediately asked about the guest. After placing the bowl of rice in front of Cheon Sejoo, Sejin wasted no time with the question. Cheon Sejoo glanced at him, gauging his reaction, and shrugged.

“A younger friend.” 

“Your younger brother?”

“…No, just someone I know.”

Kwon Sejin’s unexpected curiosity about his guest caught Cheon Sejoo off guard. He wondered if he should have informed Sejin beforehand since they lived together.

Would Sejin feel uncomfortable about this?

But after a moment of thought, he dismissed the concern. With a place as spacious as theirs, it wasn’t like they’d be tripping over each other so there wouldn’t be much of an issue. And after all, they were both guys—why should it matter? He decided not to say anything more. However, Sejin asked again.

“Are you going to let him sleep in your bed?”

“You sure are curious about everything. Should I make him sleep on the floor, then?”

“…You’re seriously going to sleep in the same bed at this hour?”

Cheon Sejoo, who had just picked up his chopsticks, paused and raised his head at the strange question. Sejin’s brows were furrowed in a deep frown as he stared back at him. If anyone should be frowning, it should be Cheon Sejoo.

Is that question really implying what I think it is?

Narrowing his eyes as he looked at Sejin, Cheon Sejoo asked in return.

“Do you like men?”

“……Why do you keep saying such ridiculous things?”

As soon as he asked the question, Sejin retorted and shot him a glare. His fair face was tinged with red, showing irritation. Cheon Sejoo shrugged, as if to say it was no big deal, and explained.

“So what’s so strange about two men sharing a bed at this hour? If your mind goes straight to something weird, of course, I’m going to get the wrong idea.”

“I-I just thought it’d be uncomfortable for the guest to sleep with you, that’s all!”

“Well, anyone would think he’s your guest, the way you’re acting.”

Cheon Sejoo scoffed in response.

He wasn’t the type to hide his preferences from other people, but when it came to minors, he kept things to himself. He had no intention of coming out to a kid who hadn’t even reached adulthood yet. Especially not to Kwon Sejin. The thought of how Sejin, living under the same roof, would react if he told him he was gay was exhausting enough.

At Cheon Sejoo’s words, Sejin bit down on his lip, glaring at him. He seemed to be mulling something, thinking it over for a while before finally speaking in a tone that made it seem like he was doing Cheon Sejoo a big favor.

“If it’s uncomfortable for you two to share a bed, you can sleep in my room. I’ll sleep on the floor. I’m fine with it.”

Cheon Sejoo raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised at his words. Who would have thought Kwon Sejin could be this considerate toward someone else? But despite the unexpected offer, Cheon Sejoo wasn’t keen on accepting Sejin’s kindness.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll just sleep in the living room.”

The truth was, Cheon Sejoo couldn’t trust himself when he wasn’t fully awake. He had a habit of hugging the person next to him while sleeping, and while the chances were slim, he couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that he’d wake up in the police station the next day if he shared a room with Kwon Sejin.

Hearing this, Sejin pursed his lips again, clearly dissatisfied with the answer. He watched in silence as Cheon Sejoo ate his meal, then spoke up again as if he was offering a bigger favor.

“Then let the guest sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep in the living room.”

Why’s this kid acting like this?