ABNA Chapter 5

[Do-jae: I ordered braised short ribs, Let’s eat that instead. You can have the other one later. Is it okay if I come over today?] 

‘…….’ 

Nope. Heegyo had gotten it all wrong. That wasn’t admiration — it was condemnation. The message might’ve looked harmless in the sterile world of ones and zeros, but what Do-jae had said out loud was entirely different.
 

Wondering what was going on, he stared at the glittering screen, and then another reply came. 

[Do-jae: It’s your favorite. I’m going there now, okay? Don’t eat that, wait for me instead, okay?] 

“Chief Secretary, have short rib stew packed up at Gyeonghoeru.” 

“Now?” 

“Yes, right now. And tell them I’ll be there soon.” 

Even amidst his wildly off expectations, he was right that Do-jae’s would come running soon. And that doing so would cause the men, led by Do-jae, to leave this place. 

But even then, Heegyo couldn’t stand up. Do-jae’s behavior so inconsistent, so unexpected — hit him harder than a slap. It wasn’t just the revelation that his boyfriend might be some kind of gangster. No, this was a whole different kind of blow.
 

‘Dog, food?’ 

Heegyo checked the photo he had sent to Do-jae again, wondering if he had sent a picture of dog food. But no matter how many times he looked at it, it was food for humans, not dog food… no, it was definitely food. It was the special recipe cup ramen that he had eaten with such admiration just the other day. 

Glossy rice grains, plump noodles, and a spicy-looking broth. 

‘Did he call this dog food?’ 

‘Does he not have eyes?’ 

Heegyo, who was the one without eyes, scrolled back through their past conversations as if possessed, examining them. 

[(Photo)] 

This was a photo sent a week ago, showing rice in mushroom soup topped with kimchi. Carbohydrates and carbohydrates. A meeting of West and East. He had sent it in admiration of the wondrous combination of civilizations. 

[Do-jae: h] 

[Do-jae: hyung] 

[Do-jae: hyung] 

[Do-jae: hyung] 

[Do-jae: hhyung] 

[Do-jae: hyunghyungyeong] 

[Do-jae: Hey] 

[What?] 

[You] 

[Did you say hey?] 

[Do-jae: Are you eating it already?] 

[Do-jae: Are you eating it?] 

[Do-jae: Answer me] 

[Do-jae: Hyung] 

[Do-jae: hey Heegyo] 

[I’m going to eat it now] 

[Why?] 

[But] 

[Did you say hey?] 

[Do-jae: No, hyung] 

[What do you mean, no?] 

[You’re younger than me] 

[Do-jae: I’m buying tteokgalbi.] 

[Do-jae: Don’t eat it, wait for me] 

[Do-jae: Hyung] 

[Okay. Come quickly] 

Coincidentally, Do-jae, who was nearby, brought tteokgalbi, so he couldn’t eat much. 

So, even at this time? 

Heegyo’s pupils began to shake from side to side like a metronome. The problem was that it was a broken metronome, so the shaking speed gradually increased. 

[(Photo)] 

This was mint chocolate ice cream he was going to eat for dessert two weeks ago. 

[Do-jae: Why are you eating toothpaste?] 

[Do-jae: I’m buying mango shaved ice] 

[Do-jae: Wait] 

Ah. This must be a joke, so pass. 

[(Photo)] 

This was a photo sent exactly three weeks ago. He had heard that watermelon tasted good with ssamjang, and since he happened to have the ingredients in the refrigerator, he followed suit. 

(Ssamjang is a thick, spicy paste used with food wrapped in a leaf in Korean cuisine) 

[Do-jae: Don’t eat it] 

[Do-jae: Wait] 

[Do-jae: Shine Muscat] 

[Do-jae: On my way] 

At this time, as soon as he sent it, Do-jae quickly checked it and came with Shine Muscat. But did he come muttering, ‘Damn, where did you get dog food to eat?’ 

There were many others besides this. Come to think of it, all of these were things that he couldn’t eat much of because Do-jae would miraculously say he was on his way to buy something as soon as he sent the photo. 

“Eek, eek…!” 

Heegyo’s fists clenched involuntarily at the trickery he was only now seeing. 

Now he sees it. All of these things were not coincidences. 

“You said it looked delicious, it looked like it would taste good…!” 

Heegyo’s body trembled as his anger began to rise in gradation. 

All of his actions so far were the same as when Dongsu would run to his dog, Sunshine, who was about to eat something strange off the floor, saying.. 

‘Uh-uh! Sunshine! That’s dirty, dirty. You can’t eat that! No! Don’t eat it! Spit it out, you little rascal!’? 

To treat him as the same level as Sunshine, who drools whenever he sees food dropped on the floor, was a serious insult. This was not something to just let go. 

His face turned red with anger. 

“I can’t forgive him. I can’t forgive him. I can’t forgive him.” 

What would he do if he couldn’t forgive him? 

He had eaten the food that Do-jae brought with him more deliciously and happily than anyone else, but he had forgotten all about that and was grinding his teeth. It was utterly hypocritical. 

Heegyo got up from his seat, exhaled roughly, and went downstairs. And before he could go far, he roughly collapsed again… 

“Ugh.” 

Heeeee! Wh-who is it! 

He was greatly startled by the sound of someone else that he shouldn’t have heard. Heegyo clutched his pounding heart. 

‘What… why, why didn’t they leave yet? Why?’ 

He had been relieved, thinking everyone had left, but that wasn’t the case. Looking down slightly, the victim was still at the crime scene. 

‘If you brought him, you should take
Him home. Why didn’t you take t
Him home, why, why did you leave him there like that…’ 

Heegyo, impressed by the gangsters’ service that returning home was self-service, covered his mouth and sobbed. 

He had managed to chase away the other guys somehow, but what should he do with this person? He wanted to call an ambulance and ride away with him. 

But he didn’t want to be a witness. Heegyo simply hid quietly, just like before. 

‘When am I ever going to go home? That person must….’ 

“…….” 

At that moment, Heegyo’s focus gradually disappeared as he realized something. 

He was only now realizing what he had done to avoid this situation. 

Do-jae was waiting at his house… His attempt to avoid Do-jae had created a situation where Do-jae was waiting for him. 

ღ 

Even after the landlord left, Heegyo didn’t get up until a long time had passed. 

“I don’t want to go…” 

It was no longer the home he longed for. Heegyo forced his reluctant steps forward and headed home. 

Perhaps he had been at the construction site for too long. Heegyo sighed at the sight of his house with the lights on. It seemed that Do-jae had arrived earlier than him because he had dawdled. 

There was a foreign car in the alley, which was rare in the studio apartment village. Do-jae had several cars, and he changed cars depending on the purpose. 

The car he was driving now was an SUV from a sports car company, which he usually drove when he went on secluded riverside dates. 

But he would no longer go on dates in secluded places. No, he couldn’t. He would only go to bright places and crowded downtown areas with Do-jae, no matter what. 

Looking back on their dates, he realized that there were some moments that could have been dangerous. Deserted riversides, lakes, and beaches… A rural mountainside with nothing but a villa. He wondered how he could find such deserted places so well, but there was a reason for it. 

‘But can I keep seeing Do-jae? Shouldn’t we break up?’ 

He had seen Do-jae’s hidden side, and it would be difficult to act like nothing happened. 

While such chaotic thoughts were chasing each other’s tails, his cell phone rang. Checking the caller ID, it was Do-jae. He couldn’t not answer, so he counted to 10 in his head and answered. 

-Hyung. 

A pleasant, low voice. It was only gentle, as if it were a lie that he had said roughly, ‘Why are you stealing other people’s things, you bastard.’ 

He couldn’t speak at the gap, but Do-jae asked without waiting for an answer. 

-Where are you? You’re not home? 

As expected, Do-jae had arrived first and turned on the lights. 

“Uh-huh. I’m right in front. I’ll be there soon.” 

Unlike what he said, Heegyo stood in the middle of the alley and fidgeted with his hands. He couldn’t muster the courage to face Do-jae, so he was hesitating. 

-In front? 

With those words, he heard the sound of a window opening with a rattle. 

“Hyung!” 

Do-jae’s voice was heard from over the phone and above. Heegyo raised his head. Do-jae was leaning out of the window, waving his hand. His smiling face was no different from Do-jae’s usual self. 

“Don’t come down…” 

Heegyo stopped Do-jae, who was about to run out right away, and slowly entered the building. 

Despite being told not to come out, Do-jae insisted on coming out to greet him. Do-jae, who met Heegyo on the stairs, smiled brightly and hugged Heegyo tightly. His small body was buried in Do-jae’s large arms. 

‘Ugh!’ 

His body trembled at the strong pressure. Heegyo, who buried his face in Do-jae’s firm chest, sniffed at the woody scent coming from him. 

Smells good…’ 

Come to think of it, he wasn’t wearing the clothes he had seen at the construction site. He had changed from black training clothes to a gray hoodie. 

“Where did you go?” 

“Uh-huh… to hell…” 

“What?” 

Oops.