Double Junk - 145

Ajin woke up late. The sunlight filtering through the sliding paper door was yellowish, indicating that it was well past noon.

I went into Seokju’s room around midnight yesterday, and even if I slept very late, I fell asleep before one. Roughly estimating, it seemed I had slept well over twelve hours.

Ajin tried to stretch but then noticed the arm wrapped around his waist and curled up. He felt Seokju’s breath, which was warm, steady, and languid.

Still asleep?

After a moment of hesitation, Ajin carefully turned his body, being cautious not to wake Seokju. When he turned, he saw Seokju sleeping. His eyebrows, which always seemed to be in a slight incline, were now smoothly relaxed. His eyes were neatly closed, and his lips were gently shut, as if they would open with a slight breeze.

“You’re sleeping…”

Ajin let out a faint smile.

I worried that he wouldn’t be able to sleep with me next to him. It would have been awkward and uncomfortable, but…

But Seokju was sleeping. After sleeping for more than twelve hours, he was still deeply asleep, clinging tightly to my waist as if he could only sleep well if I was there.

Ajin felt quite satisfied that Seokju was sleeping well because of him. There was a sense of pride, like he had cured Seokju, whom neither doctors nor medicine could help.

“……”

Ajin exhaled evenly, watching Seokju sleep. It had been a long time since he had seen Seokju’s face this close, and it felt new. There was also a strange sense of superiority in monopolizing this time while Seokju was deeply asleep.

How long did that quiet time last? Ajin’s shoulder started to ache. Staying in one position for too long felt like a test of endurance. Ajin, pondering what to do, straightened his body. He also moved his leg, which was draped over Seokju, but accidentally bumped into Seokju’s shin while pushing the heavy blanket aside.

“……”

Ajin held his breath, his eyes wide open. He froze for a moment, only his eyes moving to check on Seokju. Don’t wake up, don’t wake up, he chanted inwardly.

Unfortunately, Seokju’s eyes crinkled. Ajin pulled his chin in, trying to minimize his presence, but the black pupils appeared.

“……”

Seokju, still groggy from sleep, stared quietly at Ajin. He seemed to be pondering the situation, wondering why Ajin was in front of him. The confusion was brief. Hesitating between dream and reality, he stepped into reality.

“Are you awake?”

Seokju asked in a husky voice.

“Yes.”

Ajin answered briefly.

“Do you want to get up?”

Seokju asked again. It was a strange question. Ajin blinked a few times and asked back.

“What about you, boss?”

“I don’t want to get up.”

Seokju quickly answered.

“……”

“But if you want to get up, I will.”

Despite saying this, Seokju didn’t let go of Ajin’s waist. His deep eyes seemed to plead, don’t get up. I want to sleep more. Stay with me.

Ajin couldn’t easily answer, seeing Seokju’s face looking like a hungry puppy. After a moment of hesitation, Ajin mumbled.

“I don’t really want to get up… but I’m thirsty…”

At those words, Seokju sprang up. He moved faster than the blanket falling to the floor as he got up.

Seokju crossed the room with long strides and went to the study. He brought back a crystal bottle of water and a glass. Ajin took the glass he offered. Water poured out until it almost overflowed. Still half-asleep, Seokju poured until the water nearly spilled over.

Ajin looked up at Seokju once before drinking. The lukewarm water tasted sweet.

Ajin drank about half the water and put the glass down. Seokju gulped down the remaining water in one go. He then placed the glass and water bottle carelessly by the bedside.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Uh… I just woke up, so I’m okay.”

“Okay. Then I’ll sleep a little more. Just a little…”

Seokju undid the buttons of his shirt, which he had been wearing since last night. In a rush, he undid two buttons and then took off the shirt as if peeling it off. His thick upper arms were exposed. His broad chest and arms were just as they had been before.

A person who even had a nosebleed and collapsed, ending up in the hospital, had such a remarkable body. Truly a natural-born general. Seokju was just like that.

Ajin unintentionally lowered his gaze. Seokju, having thrown his shirt far away, lay down with a thud. He then wriggled his large body into Ajin’s side. Surprised, Ajin tried to push him away.

“Boss-”

“Ajin.”

Seokju, already with his eyes closed, called him simply. Then he suddenly thanked him.

“Thank you…”

“……”

Ajin’s lips pressed shut. Staring intently at the ceiling, he let out a soft sigh and lay down. As if waiting, Seokju buried his face into Ajin’s chest. If before, Seokju had held Ajin, now it felt like he was being held by Ajin.

The feeling was strange.

A good kind of strange.

Ajin, hesitating, placed his arm on Seokju’s back. Seokju, possibly already asleep, was breathing steadily. His broad back rose and fell gently like a calm sea. Watching this, Ajin slowly closed his eyes.

* * *

Seokju and Ajin stayed in the room for three days straight. They didn’t do much, just slept. Well, only Seokju slept.

Seokju slept so much that it was surprising. He had gone to the hospital because he hadn’t slept, and now it seemed like he might need to go to the hospital for sleeping too much.

By this time, one would expect Myungjin or the organization members to look for Seokju. But no one knocked on his door. The house was quiet, as if everyone had gone on a picnic. It felt like everyone in the house was trying not to disturb his sleep.

The only time Seokju’s door opened was when food was brought in. Even then, Seokju carried it in himself. It seemed like Myungjin had instructed them not to wake him, just to leave the food outside his door.

Seokju, after waking up, would ask Ajin if he was hungry. If Ajin, lying on his stomach reading a book, nodded, Seokju would bring in the tray of food that had been left outside.

The food on the tray, covered with a tablecloth, was lukewarm. Since they didn’t eat at mealtime, both the rice and soup were cold, but neither Seokju nor Ajin complained. The leisurely meals were enjoyable, even if the food wasn’t great. It was peaceful.

Seokju took care of Ajin’s meals diligently, while he barely ate himself. He was more interested in something other than food.

When Ajin, slowly moving his spoon, finished eating, Seokju would sway slightly, indicating he wanted to sleep again. Like a dog in need, he kept glancing at Ajin, wishing for it.

When Ajin, giving in, lay down on the blanket, Seokju would wriggle into his side and fall asleep again. In his sleep, he muttered incoherently.

“Ajin, I’m sorry.”

“Ajin, I like you.”

“Ajin, thank you.”

“Ajin…”

Hearing his name repeatedly, Ajin couldn’t help but laugh.

Seokju’s lack of sleep was finally resolved after sleeping for four consecutive days. On the morning of the fifth day, Seokju got dressed in a suit and headed to work for the first time in a while.

Ajin lay on his stomach by the sliding paper door leading to the yard, opened slightly, with a middle school Korean textbook and notebook spread out in front of him. He held a pencil. It was a daily routine.

He wasn’t interested in studying, he just had nothing else to do.

Studying because he was bored seemed amusing to Ajin, and he laughed. But the laugh didn’t last long. As he read the densely written text, his brow furrowed.

The middle school Korean textbook was much harder than the elementary school one.

“Speaker… lyrical… metaphor…”

Each word was unfamiliar. They were more commonly used in writing than in speech, so Ajin had never heard some of them before. Groaning, Ajin reluctantly stood up and took a thick Korean dictionary from Seokju’s bookshelf. Every time he took it out, he had to prepare himself mentally.

As Ajin hurriedly flipped through the pages to find “lyrical,” a bell rang.

It was the sound announcing Seokju’s return. Ajin quickly lifted his head. After a moment of freezing, he glanced at the clock. The short hand was just nearing 2 o’clock.

Seokju came home at this time? Why?

Although it wasn’t entirely unheard of for Seokju to come home early, it was rare. The only reasons Ajin could think of were negative, like something had happened, or someone got hurt.

Ajin got up from his prone position and sat awkwardly. Around that time, he heard someone hurriedly approaching, stomping on the floor. Ajin gripped his pencil tightly and looked at the door with a mix of curiosity and fear.

The door burst open.

Seokju, dressed in a suit with an overcoat, appeared.

Ajin quickly scanned him, worried he might be injured or covered in bl00d.

But Seokju was fine. More than fine, he was smiling brightly.

“Ajin.”

“Why are you home so early…”

“Yeah, I came home early. I couldn’t concentrate on work knowing you were in my room.”

Seokju sat in front of Ajin as if sliding into place. His overcoat flapped, carrying the smell of the outside air.