KTSR | Chapter 50

“Thank goodness I was born with a head full of thick hair.”

Kwon Hyeongdo clicked his tongue as he checked his reflection in the mirror.

When he finally pried Seon Ijin off, his hands were tangled with clumps of hair—a grotesque sight. Yet despite all the hair-pulling, Kwon Hyeongdo still had a thick head of hair, save for a small bald spot.

Ijin shivered, muttering to himself, “No wonder he’s got so much hair down there too, damn bastard.”

Kwon Hyeongdo, who had just finished threatening to strip Ijin naked and toss him outside, told him to cool his head and left the office.

He briefly considered tying him up and locking him in a room—but held back.

“Maybe I should’ve locked him up after all.”

However, when he returned to his room, he found himself bored. It would’ve been entertaining if he had brought Ijin along like when he first brought him in.

“Not that he’d appreciate the consideration anyway.”

Kwon Hyeongdo muttered discontentedly.

He thought about letting Ijin tear up all the blankets since he seemed to like tearing things, but he held back. He had shown a lot of restraint. If he had acted on his temper, Ijin wouldn’t have been able to get up for days.

The thought that Seon Ijin wouldn’t appreciate any of this made Kwon Hyeongdo even more dissatisfied.

As Kwon Hyeongdo left the room, he asked Kim Jaeman, who was waiting in the hallway, with a hearty laugh.

“That’s the first time I’ve met such a bratty kid.”

Kim Jaeman, convinced that Kwon Hyeongdo must have been a bratty kid himself, pretended not to hear. He was holding a coffee he had bought on the spot from a café waitress heading to the room at the end of the hallway.

“Stop bothering Ijin hyung.”

“Me?”

Kwon Hyeongdo, who was thinking of going to the manga room known for its well-maintained water to relax, asked back at Kim Jaeman’s words.

“You’re saying I’m bothering him? Can’t you see my head?”

“That’s because you’re bothering him. Ijin hyung is hot-tempered, reckless, and a bit rude, but he’s a good guy if you don’t provoke him. He’s calm if left alone.”

Kwon Hyeongdo scratched his chin, unsure if that was an insult or a compliment.

“Does he act like that with you too? Hot-tempered, reckless, and rude?”

“No. He doesn’t. I treat him well, don’t I? I’m not a gangster.”

Kwon Hyeongdo clicked his tongue and retorted bluntly.

“That’s because he doesn’t care about you.”

“Oh, so he pulled all your hair because he cares about you?”

Kim Jaeman, who had heard the gist of the incident, shook his head.

“What are you, an elementary school kid? Is bothering someone a sign of interest?”

“You’re talking nonsense. So, do I bother him because I like him?”

“I can’t say no. You’re pretty, after all.”

Kwon Hyeongdo rubbed his face. His jaw was still sore from when Ijin had swung his fists wildly and landed a punch. That little guy had a nasty temper and a strong punch.

“Even if I’m pretty, there’s a limit.”

This kind of conversation would only go in circles. Kim Jaeman, who believed there was nothing more wasteful than a poorly written algorithm, thought this was a formula that would never yield a result.

“Yeah, think whatever you want.”

Kwon Hyeongdo didn’t respond.

“If this is bothering him, then what isn’t?”

Kwon Hyeongdo asked as he stepped into the manga room, casually beginning to undress. Unlike him—who took off his top first—Kim Jaeman started with his pants and nearly lost his balance, almost slamming his forehead into the locker.

Without much thought, Kwon Hyeongdo reached out and stopped him with a firm hand to the forehead.

“Like this.”

“Like this? What do you mean?”

Kim Jaeman rubbed his forehead and patiently explained.

“Being a bit kinder. When you consider someone your person, you take care of them without showing it—but you don’t do that with Ijin hyung. Is it because he’s not your person yet?”

Ijin hyung, Ijin hyung.

Kwon Hyeongdo frowned, tapping his ears repeatedly with his palm. His ears felt itchy.

“You’re so ignorant about everything except computers. That guy treats gangsters like mortal enemies. Do you really think being nice will make him mine?”

Kwon Hyeongdo knew well how much Ijin loathed gangsters. He had seen him glaring at them with murderous intent more than once. Just looking at Ippal’s cheek, you could tell how genuinely he hated them.

“He’s only thinking about paying off his debt and running away, or hoping the gambling den goes bankrupt. He’ll never be my person.”

“Who said anything about making him a subordinate? There are many relationships in the world besides boss and underling, you know?”

“Like what? A relationship where we call each other honey?”

Kwon Hyeongdo ran his hand through his hair in dissatisfaction.

Come to think of it, I call him honey and treat him well, but that bastard has never been affectionate. Even in intimate situations, I have to be prepared to get hit in the jaw. His aloofness is beyond words. At this rate, the power dynamics have completely flipped.

“The homepage is almost done, and you’re not planning to stay long anyway. Just be nice. How hard is that?”

“……”

Kwon Hyeongdo slammed the locker shut instead of answering.

That’s right. He didn’t plan to stay here long. His relationship with Seon Ijin was just up to that point. It was surprising that he even thought about it this long. Initially, he just thought of having a one-time fling.

Even though Kim Jaeman was saying the right thing, Kwon Hyeongdo felt strangely irritated. Thinking about Seon Ijin jumping for joy at the sight of the Colosseum going down as he left made him feel disgusted.

“Even a stray dog you pick up gets affection… Hyung, you’re really heartless, huh?”

“Just shut up.”

Kwon Hyeongdo snapped, annoyed by Kim Jaeman’s random babbling about things other than computers.

Kim Jaeman, who was glancing at Kwon Hyeongdo’s threatening side profile with his hands on his hips, said as he took off his t-shirt.

“Hyung, who can’t stand it for a short period and bothers him, and Ijin hyung, who knows you’ll leave early but still goes for it, you two are really alike. Didn’t I even say you’ve never been with someone for long? Did you forget?”

At that casual remark, Kwon Hyeongdo turned his head sharply.

“Why are you talking about me and him? Did he ask first?”

“Oh. Did he…? I think he did.”

Kim Jaeman really knew nothing but computers and Go-Stop…

Despite Kim Jaeman’s ambiguous tone, Kwon Hyeongdo’s expression sparkled with interest. His face was both sly and handsome.

“Really? Why?”

“I don’t really remember. I just said you seem to like people who sing well… Hey, why are you getting so close?”

“So, what did he say?”

Kwon Hyeongdo pressed on, his curiosity itching like a restless bird.

Trailing behind Kim Jaeman, who was making a quick escape to the bathhouse, he observed him closely—his back was surprisingly clean, unlike his arms and shins. With each step, his thick thighs spread, the heavy, dark red flesh swinging menacingly.

The men lounging on the benches—trimming their toenails or sipping sikhye—instinctively pulled their legs together.

“What did he say, huh?”

“He said he can’t sing.”

“Shit, did he really say something that cheeky without me knowing?”

In Kwon Hyeongdo’s mind, the entire conversation had been flipped inside out, all because of Kim Jaeman’s vague answer. It didn’t even matter what kind of trick Seon Ijin had pulled to ask such a thing.

What mattered was that he had asked about his preferences. And that he’d seemed downcast.

“Ah, damn… I want to see Seon Ijin’s face when he said that.”

Kwon Hyeongdo, who had completely misunderstood, chuckled.

Kim Jaeman was about to say he didn’t remember well, but thought, what’s the harm in a misunderstanding if it makes his hyung so happy?

Come to think of it, he didn’t really know his own preferences either. He had never given it much thought.

Thinking quickly… Hmm.

Rather than someone who gets easily discouraged or sulky, he preferred someone with a strong personality—someone who didn’t back down. Unpredictable. Pretty. Small. And barks like a little dog…

Singing?

Doesn’t matter if they can’t sing.

Having finished his thoughts, Kwon Hyeongdo stiffened his face and said.

“Next time, if he asks again, say I like calm and cute personalities.”

“Huh? Is that your type?”

Then why are you sleeping with Ijin hyung? He’s the complete opposite.

Kwon Hyeongdo said that on purpose, knowing Seon Ijin would act contrary to his preferences.

The only thing he overlooked was that Seon Ijin wasn’t interested in Kwon Hyeongdo’s preferences and wouldn’t ask again.

“But I don’t think Ijin hyung will ask about that anymore. Just looking at him, he seems to shiver with anger and his teeth chatter when he sees you… Ah!”

The shower suddenly turned on. Kim Jaeman moved aside from the water splashing from Kwon Hyeongdo’s side.

“Why would his teeth chatter? Does he have a stroke?”

Kwon Hyeongdo scoffed.

Kim Jaeman grabbed the communal shampoo and squeezed it onto his head, raising his voice to be heard over the water.

“But you don’t know a damn thing about me, so why are you talking about singing and stuff? You bastard, are you gossiping about me?”

“Ah, damn. I don’t know. I’ve never talked about you to anyone else. I mean, do you even have a type? You never seem to lack people, so I wouldn’t know.”

Regardless of age, older, younger, or the same age, anyone he wanted, he could meet. That was Kwon Hyeongdo.