SMS | Chapter 3.3

A wave of thirst washed over Mino as if his throat was burning, an impression that came to him even before he opened his eyes. Struggling to lift his heavy eyelids, he groaned and reached out to grasp the sheets.

“Ah, I’m thirsty…”

“Here, water.”

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“Thank you—Ah!”

Lee Dohoon was handing him a cup of water. Mino almost dropped it. When he opened his eyes, the sight was shocking. Dohoon’s wet, black hair seemed almost within reach, fresh from a shower, and his sculpted features were even closer. Mino’s heart felt like it was about to burst.

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Sunlight streamed through the fluttering chiffon curtains, shattering around them like white, broken glass.

“You’re really surprised.”

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“Me, me, me, how did I, uh, get here…?”

“You threw yourself at me. Don’t you remember?”

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Me? How could I! Did I beg to be hit?

Confusion filled Mino’s eyes as he clutched the blanket.

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“Me? I, I did? How?”

His raw thoughts came out more polished. Even if Dohoon saw him as naive, Mino had his corporate savvy to fall back on…

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“Just kidding. You passed out drunk, and since I didn’t know your address, I brought you here.”

That made more sense. Mino knew his drunken antics were just babbling nonsense, not launching himself at attractive men. He’d seen friends whose drinking habits included pecks and kisses, but he’d never been interested in that himself.

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But why imply otherwise? He peeked under the blanket; his clothes were intact, only his coat and socks had been removed. No wonder his body felt stiff.

“This is my going-out outfit. Should I wash the sheets?”

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“I should have undressed you for bed. You kept curling up into a ball, so I couldn’t manage it.”

“I’ll wash them before I leave.”

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“If I told you to wash them, would you?”

Damn.

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Dohoon’s comments were loaded with innuendo and irritation. Though Mino had spoken without thinking, his frustrated state made Dohoon’s words sound incredibly suggestive.

Corporate acumen or not, Mino stiffened, and Dohoon chuckled.

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“It’s fine, get up. We need to eat.”

It seemed he hadn’t made any inappropriate remarks. Aside from his penchant for jokes, Dohoon was the same as always. Mino slid out of bed and followed him.

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Unlike Mino’s modest attic studio, Dohoon’s house was spacious, enough to make one wonder how many square meters it was.

“Why don’t you shower while I prepare breakfast? You might feel grimy.”

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“Ah, but I don’t have a change of clothes. What’s your address here?”

“It’s a five-minute walk from the hospital. You live near there, right? It’s close.”

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“If you don’t mind, I’ll go home to shower. Sorry for the scruffy look.”

Mino pressed his messy hair down with his hands and sat at the table. Dohoon started frying eggs in the kitchen, moving briskly around.

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When Dohoon took out a dog bowl, Mino fell into a ridiculous daydream.

‘Eat well.’

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He imagined Dohoon placing the dog bowl under the table and himself, hypnotized, kneeling down to stick his head into the bowl. However, the fantasy shattered with the arrival of three dogs.

“Sowol, Yeono, Seo, wait.”

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The well-trained dogs awaited Dohoon’s command, adorable beyond reason, but Mino felt deep embarrassment.

“Eat.”

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Dohoon’s earlier imaginary command echoed for real as the dogs started eating at his signal.

“Ah, it’s time to feed the dogs. Just wait a moment, Mino.”

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“Yes…”

Waiting triggered a vague sense of déjà vu. Dohoon hesitated as if to ask something but then turned back to the kitchen.

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Meanwhile, Mino looked around the house. The living room was expansive with a long hallway and slightly open doors. It was surprising that he had three dogs, but it seemed manageable.

Cat towers, poles, and toys caught his eye, making him wonder if Dohoon also had cats.

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There must be a small kitten he had picked up somewhere in this house, though these items didn’t seem intended for it. They were probably for adult cats he had kept before.

But no cats were in sight. They probably hid when visitors came. Soon, Mino’s gaze drifted outside to the garden visible through a large window.

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Was it a country house? It looked challenging to maintain.

The atmosphere was different from his obsessive-compulsive clinic, more relaxed. This large house was perfectly managed, animals and all, unlike his cluttered attic room.

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“Uh…”

He noticed something odd—a small staircase leading downstairs. Only about six steps. Unlike other doors slightly ajar for the animals, this door was firmly shut, giving off a strange feeling of being out of place.

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“There’s a basement?”

“Yes, it’s storage.”

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Dohoon replied casually as he came over with a tray.

A storage room? What do people usually keep there? His curiosity was not subsiding.

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“What’s in the storage? Seasonal stuff you don’t use?”

“Something like that. It’s where I keep things I only use occasionally.”

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“The house is really spacious.”

“I have animals in temporary care, so living in an apartment or villa is tough. They need space. Sowol is well-behaved, but Yeono and Seo often bark. It’d be a headache if we got complaints about noise.”

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Temporary care, then. Mino just nodded. He didn’t know much about it. He shoveled in the eggs, bacon, and toasted bread laid before him while Dohoon, having made coffee, asked gently, “Do you like the food? You’re eating well.”

“I eat well, generally.”

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“That’s apparent. Want to see the cats after this?”

“Yes, yes.”

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Mino nodded so vigorously it almost made a buzzing sound. Even as they ate, he had to keep himself from staring at the dog bowls at his feet.

Was he crazy? These deviant thoughts made his heart race. But then he gave up. He was a deviant, after all.

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After they finished eating, Dohoon led him to a small room. He didn’t need to ask to know what it was. Among many rooms, this one was meant solely for the kitten he had brought. It was a wise decision, given the big cats already living in the house might harm it.

“Wow…”

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Wouldn’t it be happier living here? As he stepped into the room, Mino lost his confidence. His plan to set up a cat-friendly space in one corner of his attic room and by the window seemed pitiful now.

“Meow.”

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A black cat with white socks peeked out from a plush hideaway shaped like a meringue cookie. Its eyes, which had been closed as if dead when he found it on the street, met his.

The gray eyes tinged with blue stared at him quietly, stirring an indescribable emotion in him. It looked unbelievably healthier than just a few days ago.

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“It’s grown a bit already?”

“They grow fast around this time. People, too.”

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“Ah, it’s really cute… um, what’s the gender?”

“We can be sure after about eight weeks, but it seems to be male.”

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A male, then. Mino crouched down to meet the kitten’s gaze and smiled warmly. Even if this house offered a much better environment for the cat, he couldn’t just leave it here any longer.

Wishing for more would be too much of a burden on Dohoon and the existing animals.

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Plus, confronting its adorable face stirred an inexplicable affection. This small life that he had saved was looking back at him.

“What should I name it…”

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“You think about it, Mino.”

“It’s black with white socks, so… Komsa… is a bit off, um, Heukbaek, Monami? Badukdol? The harmony of yin and yang…?”

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“What sort of stream of consciousness is that?”

“I’m not good at this… You’ve seen many at the hospital, haven’t you? Can you suggest something?”

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Nothing appropriate came to mind. Mino, almost cat-like, brooded over the kitten. The thought of his rear end protruding in front of Dohoon didn’t cross his mind.

“Something common?”

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“Yes. I usually order only the best-sellers at restaurants, and they’re safe bets. I eat well, after all.”

“Some of the more recent names I’ve heard are Kkamang, Kkami, Puma, Leo.”

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Simple and cute names were listed. None particularly resonated, leaving him a bit disappointed until curiosity struck.

“But why Leo?”

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“They said because of the Oreo cookies, black and white.”

“That’s cute, but if it’s black and white, it really should be Badukdol. Or Chessboard… wait, what about Chess? It’s cute, right? In Korean, Chaesu.”

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Mino perked up, feeling suddenly inspired by his own suggestion. It was common because the best ones are common, but being too common was also a bit disappointing. ‘Chaesu, Chaesu,’ he repeated, trying it out, while Dohoon made a subtle face.

“Chaesu… sounds healthy.”

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Isn’t strained juice called ‘chaesu’? That thought crossed his mind. Mino, unfazed, continued to mutter to the kitten, now named Chaesu.

“Chaesu, your brother will come to get you in a month. My place is small, and my salary is modest, but I can at least afford to feed you.”

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He spoke as if proposing, with a grave tone, while Dohoon chuckled softly. The roundness of his jeans-clad behind kept catching his eye, stirring an inexplicable impulse and sense of déjà vu.

He must be really hungry. Naturally, he imagined what lay beneath those jeans.

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“May I kiss you?”

He asked for permission, but who he was asking wasn’t clear for a moment.

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“Be careful,”

“Ouch!”

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Mino ended up with a new wound, somewhat ignominiously inflicted by Chaesu rejecting his advance. For such a young kitten, its claws were surprisingly sharp.

The cut was just a thin trail of blood on his nape, shallow enough not to scar but not an ideal location either.

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“It’s hard to blame you for getting hurt.”

“Sorry.”

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“It’s not your fault, Mino.”

As Dohoon treated his neck, Mino felt a tingling sensation below, caused by the sensitive area being touched. Thinking of checking the wound in the mirror made him eager to go home.

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“I should be going now. Thanks for treating it.”

“No, let’s go together. I need to head out too.”

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But unexpectedly, Dohoon decided to come along.

The suggestively swinging―only in Mino’s eyes―leash nearly made him faint.

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Dohoon could never imagine the lewd thoughts running through Mino’s mind. He simply needed to walk the three dogs. Mino ended up holding Sowol’s leash, as Yeono and Seo, being small dogs, were actually trickier for a beginner to handle.

“I feel so bad you’re helping with the walk.”

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“You let me stay over when I was drunk…”

It was his first time walking a dog. Sowol behaved well, matching Mino’s pace.

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“Wait if he wants to sniff around.”

“Got it. More to look out for than I thought.”

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“Hold on tighter, just to be safe. Sowol is good, but just in case.”

Mino nodded, eager to be of help. As they neared his house, yesterday’s events came back to him.

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“Ah, you spent quite a bit of money yesterday.”

“I asked you out on a date. It’s customary for the person who asks to pay. Don’t act like you’ve never been on a date.”

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“That, then I’ll ask you out. On a date.”

Uh, how did it come to this? He couldn’t believe his own words. No response came.

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Staring down at Sowol by his feet, Mino realized they had reached his neighborhood alley. Should he say he was just talking nonsense because he was still drunk? While he pondered, Dohoon got close.

“When?”

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“Uh, Friday evening…?”

“I’ll wait.”

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His handsome face seemed about to pop out at him.

“If you keep getting in my face,”

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“I thought you liked faces, so I was just showing off my charms. Is that wrong?”

“I’m a man.”

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“You don’t have to tell me. You’re past eight weeks, Mino.”

Dohoon joked playfully. Mino, lacking yesterday’s memories, was now sure. Something was definitely off.

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“I’ll wait for Friday. Call me in advance, come to the clinic, and let’s check that knee.”

“Ah, a promise…”

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He inadvertently hooked his pinky.

In the alley, only the weeds and peeing dogs bore witness, yet he felt overwhelmingly embarrassed.

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Even though he was like an unattainable fruit to him, unable to ever truly satisfy him, he resented the situations that kept unfolding this way.