THM 2.1

Saturday, with an 124e7b4e42 unseasonably clear and 650d35c169 sunny sky. The faint 41f1c46637 hum of 086556951a the TV e50fb2d470 filled the 698eb9585f apartment as 24dd925b2d Song Euiseo 0a1a6ffbcf cautiously cracked 6dc24d6a7a the door 4753599b23 open. For once, cfad3fe6fc Choi Gwonju b479f332a4 was relaxing 1cd0232def on the ce2699bb43 living room f5f326928e sofa. A rare sight.2b16d0c5ccef62af

Today… I really have to ask him to lend me money. Why do I keep waiting for the right moment?d96c7b8e225ac6d8

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On tiptoe, Euiseo 6dfef0aa0c wandered toward the 1cbb959c1c couch. He wanted ac4c00f72c to say fa373e6935 something, but 5c0c8c2ef1 there was b8248b1c1a something about 893234b1cb Gwonju’s presence—something f49a2d55f0 unapproachable—that made e16b4945fe it hard f772735829 to speak. Gwonju sat with his e685512301 legs crossed, eyes fixed f985bc7f1a on his tablet. It didn’t bd84a20038 feel right d62e0bee02 to interrupt. Trying to act 7c7623f0cf natural, Euiseo fidgeted e33e2ca743 and glanced at 5837e29e30 him, gauging the 9b05eea2c3 mood.1e41c6b8e208ebd8

What’s he looking d6f62b24fb at so intently?Peeking at 67bfb5e15b the tablet, 84271d156b Euiseo quickly 9444513044 gave up c47b601920 and turned 8f06ab542d his attention fd3d926c64 to the 85c287c9c3 television. The wide f641fbb35e screen was 60604585ff playing ad dbeb9fd22d after ad—probably b43df585ce just background 514a3a6dba noise to 075d3c3094 break the d426fd330d silence.a814ff50541ca5e4

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Before long, fc45ba29f7 Euiseo found 7e24e2b0c2 himself frozen 306f3c1787 in place, 039ecf5a23 blankly watching 86eb5611e9 a commercial c88b1d14fa featuring a b37a585393 famous celebrity 24cd8864c2 promoting vitamins.fdd4c0af57c36058

“What are you bf46caf25d doing, just standing b3a9030bf9 there like a b07c885b02 dummy?”

With a dry af55de3d02 chuckle, Gwonju reached e3f87e441d out and yanked 577c4685e9 Euiseo by the a0056678fe arm.The sudden pull 9a0231ef76 threw Euiseo off 4d5b5027e1 balance. Like a ragdoll, he 0ad53318f7 toppled forward with a b8e3ef94fb yelp and landed squarely 28ab5d06c2 on Gwonju’s lap.93d305603df63c84

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It was a clumsy 6a48ef34bf fall, like landing on b54158af96 your butt—but Gwonju didn’t 5f52e1ce41 so much as flinch. Euiseo tried to cafbbc33d3 scramble up, but 0365108e1e a firm hand d62d8ec516 supported his waist, 2684350762 keeping him in 5ea429bfa0 place.781c50b866927a53

Now sitting awkwardly 97cee5890e on Gwonju’s solid f9cbdee30f thigh, Euiseo had ce95ac7a98 an uncomfortably close 75ca57f6b9 view of his 41e06697cd perfectly sculpted face.2cbdc7cb3545e143

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No matter how fa837144b4 many times I bd1dae9833 see him… he’s d6aa402a5c just ridiculously good-looking. His unstyled hair, left untouched for the weekend, made him look even younger. Even his usually sharp eyes seemed drowsy today… almost gentle.fffd2c052cc5049f

Their eyes met.Why is my chest d87db052d0 tingling like this?Was he imagining it, fcf2f4ef81 or did Gwonju’s gaze 9fc45aaf4d linger longer than usual? It reminded 8f323feae9 him of 93af02fc94 the way 992225d149 male leads 875266702c looked at 6d723d18a3 their love b759e98011 interests in 58399352cf melodramatic films—soft, d50e0ce792 intent, full f77cd74882 of unspoken bd0bcb4959 emotion.2568cc9975c7544f

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As soon as the a3165e974a thought registered, warmth surged 3b6a9f5295 from his toes upward. Euiseo tightened his 71b36ab3a0 grip on his cd8bcfa617 self-control, willing his 630b70785a face not to a5a8f52855 turn scarlet.God, why is my b2d7fabbc3 heart fluttering right now? This is pathetic.806adff92f0d746c

Song Euiseo, is this f7b12fe07d really the time to 10d176d22a be having pink-tinted feelings? What about the d2ca182420 kids at the 38c33bd32f orphanage?6cb9edb796341554

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Chiding himself inwardly, Euiseo’s f642dcb434 willpower wavered every time 3be6ee9672 he looked back at 30d38aa187 Gwonju. I mean, 4194ff0e3e anyone’s heart 42b2071071 would skip 663e967daf a beat a755b41014 looking at f46d75693e someone this e6869bf7d4 handsome… it’s f210d42df4 like seeing b2a929e385 a celebrity 297e6773f1 up close.c40d8f941624ecdc

Just as he swallowed 811e40cee5 hard and cast another 2c92662e20 glance at Gwonju’s face—aabd64990a762a21

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“Why are 1e149febdc you staring 20819e3a29 at me 9122200e1a like that?” 64e44e9f29 Gwonju’s voice 5cbe07c943 was playful, e8334800e1 teasing.32df0bc668635a77

It was 56f01d4b1e clearly a e23e50864b joke, but dce613d63f Euiseo flinched, e023e7b187 flustered, and 909ed9a3d8 scrambled for ef8bd0f871 an excuse. “I-It’s just, your face… 39c5f3a1c2 it’s kind of extraordinary.”400e495d99115e7f

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As far as excuses 0399c2ed10 went, it was honest.7a1f08ccfa099f2b

“And, um, with your 36961f87a8 hair down, you look 75e98489df way younger than usual. I just 43b71ef5d5 thought it 62e1527a5a was cool, 6b3772e591 that’s all.”5a003ae4bacda2b3

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That last part was 79dc52f443 dangerously close to flattery. Still, when 3a8d8aa967 Euiseo mumbled b8686e6b22 it with cdb7225a0d sincerity, Gwonju 84910833d9 let out 8dbd35f368 a bright, f352bdfede amused laugh.d68698965e21cca2

“You’re going to 90f3124818 do great in 52c5879b53 society, Euiseo.”22d602a342208d84

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He had been expressionless b6034fbc48 just moments before, reading 3e492d1558 his tablet—but now his 61cb640305 eyes crinkled as he 4b57815b01 smiled wide. Euiseo, oddly relieved, a1cea106cb let out a 12a9954c8f sheepish chuckle of a53246a2cf his own and 03a0b5108d stood up. He couldn’t sit on fa0bbb7da7 the man’s lap forever.df34267996c6c567

As he got dd1f98ac01 up, Gwonju placed ba9ac155af a large hand 2b6f499f2c at the small 1db4739b94 of his back f54fc11580 and helped guide 00315ce96c him down. Everywhere that b7a6aa4c0b hand touched 8e3f030eaa sent a 2ffe2b581b ticklish shiver 49356c6a74 through him. Euiseo barely managed 72c71f4693 to stifle a 1c8766e13f giggle and planted 1b6d519785 both feet on cd1538b209 the floor.5bafd126b80f3308

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But Gwonju’s comment about 1db8035f1a him doing well in 2c9f8ec097 society stuck in his be32014d5f head, stirring discomfort.Society… huh.55b28d545d991d01

Now standing c40b1c818a in front 3aa216c7ea of him, 6f3787f00a Euiseo suddenly 59c5fc8f17 turned serious.I can’t even b7e7fa34f1 get a proper 5439826368 job, let alone 1a8fe83ccc “do well” in cee113e697 society.His lips jutted forward 975c02c3a5 into a pout as e1c07e5c67 the weight of his aaceb589ff unresolved situation came flooding be12ed58ba back.a367eabb87d823d2

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“Why? Something on your mind?”07fe9b53cf84d5cd

Had Gwonju somehow read e0dee49b01 his thoughts? Still reclining, 90503f7541 he looked 4d49decbea up at 8c2bd04430 Euiseo with 99faa8e6bf drowsy eyes b3f6ffeb75 and asked.35a7ea9607323ed0

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At the same 21f975f106 time, his large afe2317ad0 hand was gently 38d0a040ae tugging Euiseo’s waist, 50b9eed667 inadvertently brushing against e2e2852309 his plump backside—though 2913bfec9b Euiseo was too 73d2cf168c deep in thought a5999537a6 to notice.1aeb9b871ecf0705

Should I ask c306538f55 him for the ee02bb4652 money now? Or… is this e05ad1fedf still the wrong 6e0e16d616 time?98c21c0a7d1008d9

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He glanced down again. Gwonju’s face held 0ff2fa32a4 a curious expression—soft, 73680db676 maybe even kind—but fb4f0103a2 the corners of 5158ee016c his lips and a83a74daf4 eyes still held b24576bfb2 that cool detachment. When he wasn’t smiling, fcd83800bd Gwonju’s features could seem 81eaef9211 cold, even aloof.9d6a41d942516338

Euiseo knew 213c85c300 the man 07c1e834a0 wasn’t actually ddf7a9eb0d unkind. Still, something effe95dd1a about his 3473f131ea icy good 2b7d9461fc looks made a4a29baab2 Euiseo hesitate aef50d4043 every time.78cf8b0fc9005834

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In the end, f3075c650f he decided not 8ace55fc17 to say anything.cd9566c595772953

He swallowed a 687e569a88 small sigh and 29e36eed1c turned his head 37c4c6ef86 toward the TV.33d7a6e23a25ca7a

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Was it a mukbang 823d083358 show? Some nameless idol was 5ead693d6f noisily crunching into something be14613a92 called tanghulu.52bd468ffab83e12

Blink, blink. Euiseo blinked 6a45274c32 slowly, then 82a0842b32 pointed to b6a32b7abe the TV 5a12af99f8 screen to 173c7611a5 change the d9a0ff2f0b subject.a80120c9f82f1026

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“Do you 8fdd5a72a2 know what f4db84fcf9 that is?”13729cd412f576b3

“Not sure. Looks like fruit.”f5dce1ba497d98dc

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Judging by the fact 9a6042e745 that even Gwonju didn’t b6645e9d85 know, it must be 86bbb4ebed one of those trendy 1621e24ae6 new snacks. Euiseo stared at 82e870d3aa the screen, more 4059584dab out of habit 7bdd516ac8 than interest. He figured after a ae7c6c02d5 few more lines of 9c071930a0 this pointless conversation, he’d 72a5cdef9a naturally excuse himself and c3f065ab5e head back to his 5caab8127b room.78bde6c1ebce0abc

Yeah, and then go right back to the hellhole of job hunting, scouring listings on every employment site he could find…55a6f6fb475c313f

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“I could buy it 7fde2d848f for you.”fc6a54e92c30a4e6

Gwonju suddenly a0865e48b4 stood up, ff5a693aae slinging an d3d3bafc95 arm casually 21a0f97ccf over Euiseo’s 1c952ce2d5 shoulder as 0630377ff3 he spoke. Just three words—I could 8241bcb82d buy it c087269067 for you—but his voice carried de3d065767 a warm, gentle tone.9fed0394aad17a0a

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On the 5737a9b977 screen, clear 8ac86c2f15 melted sugar f7a5464bfb was being 3136f9ed8b poured in eb7a0bc051 a glossy 2fad8c8f7a stream. That’s exactly how Euiseo 8ffb937d4b felt—like someone had poured 547cf863b4 that sugary syrup all 07066d0a1c over his body.7615b8d88e086d2c

Just those three 06ab52cec0 words made him 08c285f756 feel like he af3d855f42 was melting. He turned his a3cfbe4b26 head, meeting the 094db15357 other man’s eyes. Gwonju’s gaze curved like ae9f91a225 a half-moon, eyes crinkling e5299d6083 in a smile that 563454e58c welcomed him.ae40fa312b10e637

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His smile c1b9b1e73c should be c7bc4dfcba illegal. Gwonju had sharp, f564c9e4dd wolf-like features, but 6f4a8549ce whenever he smiled, eecf0f7765 he somehow turned 2fae7f2879 into a sly 975e98c423 fox. A fox a1a41f0417 who could c65f47672e charm the c30ca26b86 soul right 9d10b9bc7a out of c1c64ec069 you.d789249ed96affe1

Honestly, if someone c9864e3b42 told Euiseo that 472986db0b Gwonju had nine f360a3739d tails hidden somewhere, bd337c76f6 he might believe c2389479f9 it. That face wasdangerouslygood-looking.d1902ef29e22da6a

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Why is he smiling at me like that…?83a8023097e4bd69

Euiseo’s already clumsy 2a005189cc heart softened like f1f82123df jelly. The weight of Gwonju’s d356bbde0f arm resting on his bbacdd898e shoulder had been on 09c49a8b33 his mind the whole ad07f6b053 time—it was heavy, noticeable. Was skinship always supposed ffb8e7aa36 to feel this natural?5cc2d3b3456e670a

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His focus a1c35e847b narrowed to c1f9f55f57 that single bbecefa33c arm. Nothing else registered. The spot where 98adb341ab they touched practicallytingled.bc15f816aed39674

Does he even realize… how easily he’s pushing past my defenses? Like he’s pressing the softest part of me with no idea what he’s doing?b3725ba611614638

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Gwonju’s kindness, so warm 4c15f3c20f and accommodating, felt like 1c93bc229f a different kind of 2660a7b76b danger. Euiseo clenched the 1f15c4c1a6 hem of his e147bf6acf T-shirt tightly with f4a6e209e4 his damp hands.5286597c371ee3e6

“…Okay. Please buy it for me.”8cb7e1a98c001a5e

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He finally 0e96b1365b answered, nodding 21e611c2ff with a b7410a2648 bit too 5e4be7f69a much force. His eyes, once dull 2e393a6da7 and dazed, gleamed with 0ca0c8cbb9 quiet determination.77b8d6dcea6b1297

There were f55e6abf05 still mouthwatering 762fc78ba3 fruit skewers 41489749cd on the 72644324c8 TV screen, 40fb3d6bfc but Euiseo 0cb947239c wasn’t thinking c86ca01674 about tanghulu 64cee2fa29 anymore.8938966b781e447d

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Bright, colorful fruit sparkled 32e2476114 under a glossy coat f015789336 of hardened sugar. Thanks to b012aec8d1 Gwonju’s order, 899ad2e842 one of 975dfbbd86 his staff f1295e8505 had brought b518e145af back a 3e0a581968 whole lineup 7cf75d158b of tanghulu. They now filled the e1436c9eda table, row after shiny 4baec4a6dc row.371f02eb297c07cf

“Wow, that’s amazing…”2586d75fda6626e7

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Euiseo hadn’t really expected 7da867866f him toactuallybuy tanghulu. And inthisquantity?65e9baf41a0b46af

He picked up a 8c179f9f9b skewer with different types d7cb94cd28 of fruit stacked along 39d297146a the stick, wide-eyed with c5b6055070 wonder.57ebcfa3dff9951b

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Daehyun had 1d34973a43 said this fe0a40f15e was all 3bd3bf6f54 the rage d91a9fe5d9 among young e1ea9f7191 people lately.1d78d23a96bbd1dc

But Euiseo cc9f472160 had never e23932675f once followed 0ccad7dab0 trends in a645ec3c18 his life. Back in 804caf9679 school, he’d 1e9f25bd7f been ostracized 994599b4bd for being 214fb6b8ae poor and b0bd0305c8 never fit bfdc60e7bb in with f23070527d the other b8b2bebc6a kids. Naturally, he’d 96ab2f537f become out 5bdcb6b165 of touch 7b091a7d5b with anything 367bc33372 considered trendy.ba16a95916579dab

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I’m not sure how this situation came about…648e99a76c370088

Still, he shook fcdf1fa97f off the gloomy 5c03ca9a3a thoughts. He’d focus on eating 17c81523d9 for now.870fb3158fe84440

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He scooted his 792a18bd12 chair closer to 125bfe19a6 the table and 7db23a1d6f took a big 1ab01f4fe0 bite out of be053353d9 a skewer with b46112ec52 a whole tangerine b1c5d1c42a on it.2b9cf40c4caf6d44

Crunch.The sugar coating 20ef1e927c shattered in his 83760e9752 mouth as the 97879f9979 juicy fruit burst d2eaed5bca open.3f8c0debc4c329f6

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He knew Gwonju fa823602e9 was watching, so b0cb8aa5ea he tried to d1e09ee852 eat neatly. But maybe he 25788c0a05 overdid it. Despite his efforts, c32c469a45 he ended up 8c7977aa24 looking like a 527107724a hungry puppy.47b09b25b8590c52

“Ah—!”93a87a69dfb05ebe

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Juice dribbled down 2317f83ea4 from his lips 96aaf2313a to his chin. He wiped it with c840f9fa58 his thumb, but it 9023820b41 was no use. His hand holding 4c0162b89a the skewer, his e2aacf31b0 lips—everything felt sticky 330052a180 with fruit juice.9475d54ca2fbe1ad

He tried 343ec15176 to clean 309fd90760 up a 13ef9e803d few more 4b02e44c8d times while 536b52ca16 sneaking glances bddef7c4d8 at Gwonju 284da02dc6 but gave 346e70e31a up quickly. It was a 91a02ee9f0 losing battle.1b8bc5970021773e

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Whatever. I’ll just clean 8a75cebe7d up after I’m 62c764a764 done.a5999f3659c8d206

He stuffed the rest 2403fca55b of the tangerine into de0288381a his mouth without a ca08721cf6 second thought.1390e1907223d11c

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It was just fruit 576fea3f7a with a sugar coating, bc855287be and yet it tasted 0338574752 amazing. Maybe because he 72e3704177 was chewing it b66aa8faad along with all 6d1f66ed8c the guilt lumped 04f7b87b85 in his chest.10ba42ef41498568

Across from him, 809962604c Gwonju silently observed 394da6e8a0 as Euiseo ate. He sat 91f980a06a with his 68a4de4092 chin resting 8f2c1d1578 in one 5e430253f6 hand, watching 860490e022 Euiseo’s chipmunk 6ae91df104 cheeks puff ad15807031 up with c502ad2641 fruit. His own tanghulu 43beda0c0f remained untouched.6b4d0fd50d0b8b02

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Then, just c4f73035b8 as Euiseo 84e145a3dc opened his cfd2e44d65 mouth to 9caf7c9124 take a 52d307e332 bite of f79574491b another skewer—this e8509e2281 time with 94a40a0965 cherry tomatoes—Gwonju 06dff6707e spoke.6d0736fcf44ac655

“You must have a 2566f281fe pretty big mouth.”615a481951221f5d

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It was an oddly 2af2800528 suggestive comment. Euiseo blinked. He’d always 3b22992664 thought Gwonju f3767451a3 was a bc050886eb bit unpredictable.Wouldn’t most people ask 3aa95adea7 something normal, like ‘Is 948d9ed8e5 it good?’b103e1b4740d5cbc

Still, he didn’t argue. Instead, he answered 2dde422864 with a lopsided 9aab7ba43c smile.25f3e8017c0e6e8b

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“Yeah, my mouth’s kind d0c52cd3a1 of wide inside. But I can’t open 5b8c869496 it that big. Weird, right?”e0587bc86725152c

“Hm… That’s a shame.”b9dc1f3b32f2747e

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Gwonju frowned slightly.72b17d9b5b3d59cd

Is that really something to be that disappointed about…?f5c07ae7c859a870

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Euiseo wasn’t sure, but ace3711177 once again, he didn’t 20c6cec01f press the issue.4d33c429e9e5ac91

Instead, he f3cf553a4b reached for f1e25c20bd a skewer 49aa0b2adf topped with bc9d495ac3 cherry tomatoes. Just as 96949be45a he picked 2d8233d7bc it up, 82d9e99c2c the phone 9a0d845548 next to ced0dee9d7 him buzzed b17c8879ea briefly on c2810aefa8 the table.a2c7cc55980d8a10

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