Double Junk - 34

34

Seokju pulled Ajin into his arms and, with his chin resting on his dry shoulder, said, “There’s no such medicine.”

“But why are you saying that?”

“Because I feel genuinely happy when I’m with you.”

Ajin bit his lip in response. “But we are already living together. In the same house, in the same room. What more living together are you talking about? I don’t understand why pregnancy is necessary for our life together.”

As Ajin was nibbling on a candy bar, Seokju caught it and threw it far into the yard.

“Hey…”

Ajin sighed briefly. What a waste… I could still taste the sweetness if I just savored it a bit longer. Besides, I’d have to clean up the yard tomorrow anyway. He pouted.

Seokju held Ajin’s body and lifted him. Ajin’s slender frame was easily lifted.

“It’s late. Now, you should sleep.”

“Yes…”

Ajin wrapped his arms around Seokju’s neck. Seokju enjoyed hugging, lifting, and touching Ajin. At first, Ajin had been wary of Seokju’s hands wandering everywhere, but now he had gotten used to it. He also liked it when Seokju picked him up. He no longer had to walk with effort.

Seokju gently placed Ajin on the bed. Ajin, having become accustomed to it, wriggled under the covers. Unlike his old tattered bedding, the silk sheets were soft and smooth, and a smile naturally formed on Ajin’s lips.

Seokju extinguished all but one of the big candles and left a small lamp in the corner. Then, he removed his robe and lay down next to Ajin. Ajin turned to look at Seokju. Seokju also looked at Ajin with his arm under his head.

Ajin blinked slowly, and the shadow cast by his long eyelashes danced beneath them. Seokju watched Ajin’s face intently, the fair, white, and delicate features, and the deep, constantly shifting, blue eyes that became darker and brighter with the light. It was truly mysterious how Ajin’s eyes retained a cool temperature even during this sweltering summer. He didn’t seem like someone from this world.

“You look like you’ve grown up in a nobleman’s house. Your appearance and your soft skin.”

Seokju caressed Ajin’s cheek as he spoke. Ajin’s eyes widened, then narrowed, and he peered at Seokju.

“Lies. I’ve never heard you say that before.”

Seokju chuckled. Of course, he hoped that Ajin wouldn’t realize how remarkable his own appearance was. Perhaps, Ajin didn’t even know. From what the servants said, it seemed they viewed Ajin as someone who had difficulty walking or was just a young boy.

However, Seokju didn’t reveal the truth. He hoped that Ajin wouldn’t recognize how extraordinary his appearance was, so that he would stay by his side, even with his unattractive self.

“Are my eyes blind or something?”

Ajin chuckled softly. His big eyes folded gently, and his long eyelashes curved gracefully. His chubby, red lips parted slightly, revealing a hint of his teeth, as though he wanted to say something.

Seokju called to him softly, “Ajin.”

“Yes.”

“You’ll come again tomorrow, right?”

Ajin nodded without any hesitation. Seokju embraced Ajin and stroked his cheek and hair at the same time. Ajin’s hair was so short that it all fit in his hand.

“You have to come the day after tomorrow, too. I’m not confident I’ll sleep well without you anymore.”

With Ajin, the night was enjoyable. He slept well. His body, which used to consider three hours of sleep lucky, would easily collapse into five or six hours of deep slumber when embraced by Ajin. During sleep, the heat and the feverish restlessness that came from gnawing on veins would escape.

He used to eagerly anticipate Ajin’s arrival only in the morning. Now, he didn’t even want to get up when morning came, and he could just have Ajin’s butt in his face.

To him, Seokju, spending the night without Ajin was terrifying and frightening.

Ajin lowered his eyes at Seokju’s somewhat embarrassing words. His hand repeatedly fidgeted with the edge of the blanket.

“Just call your sisters, like you did before.”

Ajin let out a forced response. Seokju raised an eyebrow in response.

“Would you have liked that if I did?”

Ajin rolled his eyes and then a moment later turned his head sideways.

“No.”

Seokju smiled softly and caressed Ajin’s forehead. Unable to contain himself, he pulled Ajin close. It felt as though his body had cooled like holding onto ice. The sweat that had been seeping from his forehead dried up. Seokju sighed with contentment at the cool sensation.

“I like you. I like you the most.”

“…”

“I would have treated a woman the same way, to make her feel good.”

“…”

“Actually, it’s not a problem to treat a man the same way.”

If there were any muttering idiots, he would just kill them. If anyone tried to take Ajin away, he would just kill them. Even if that hidden ‘flower’ of yours is true. Or if those who claim to be your parents show up. For the sake of the nights spent with you, I could massacre them all.

Seokju entertained these dreadful thoughts without hesitation. And such thoughts, unknown to the innocent Ajin, tinted him with a sense of ‘specialness’.

“Well… you don’t need to treat me like a woman… I have no intention of leaving this house…”

Ajin’s hesitant words reached Seokju’s ears as if they were willing to stay by his side without any reward, without any conditions or constraints. Seokju asked with a serious expression.

“Does that mean you’re agreeing to marry me?”

“H-How does that mean I’m agreeing to marry you!”

“But I’m standing, aren’t I?”

Seokju jokingly pressed his lower body against Ajin’s buttocks. The warm, firm flesh made its presence known.

“I’ve been standing since earlier!”

Panicked, Ajin tried to escape from Seokju’s embrace.

“…Do you remember that? You’re quite smart.”

Seokju clicked his tongue as if in admiration. Then, he caught Ajin fleeing and nestled his erection between Ajin’s thighs.

“Ah…”

Ajin shrank his neck at the sensation he couldn’t get used to no matter how many times he experienced it. Seokju pressed his lips firmly against Ajin’s neck and then let go.

“Sleep well, Ajin.”

“…”

“No answer?”

“Yes. Sleep well. Whether you sleep well or not, sir…”

Ajin mumbled vaguely. Seokju burst into laughter.

It was a cool summer night.

* * *

It was still early dawn, the sun had yet to rise. Ajin was dozing off, leaning in a corner of the kitchen. A shadow loomed in front of him.

“Ajin. Hey. Ajin.”

The shadow shook Ajin to wake him. Ajin groggily opened his eyes at the rough touch.

“Huh… Ajumma…”

The owner of the shadow was Flower Lady. Ajin greeted her with a bright smile. Just as he expected, the Flower Lady was the first to notice him.

The Flower Lady was the earliest riser in the house. She decided on the menu, instructed the servants to do the shopping, and took care of other preparations, which meant she always got up early. In return, she often went to bed early.

“Ajumma, did you sleep well?”

Ajin asked, rubbing his sleepy back.

“It was so hot I couldn’t sleep or not sleep. Why are you sleeping here?”

The Flower Lady asked. Before Ajin could answer, she scowled fiercely as if she had remembered something, then suddenly cursed.

“Did those bastards kick you out again? They say you can’t sleep with them because your legs are messed up?”

The Flower Lady breathed heavily, breathing roughly. Before Ajin could answer, it seemed like she would gather everyone in the room and pour a pot of boiling water on him. Ajin quickly raised his head.

“No, they didn’t kick me out. I didn’t sleep in my room.”

“Then?”

“I slept in the boss’s room.”

“…But why are you here?”

“I told the boss and left early. I want to eat this with you, Ajumma.”

Ajin showed what he had been cuddling, a roll cake. It was from a high-end pastry shop in Seoul, and Seokju had bought it for him yesterday. Ajin had endured the desire to eat it, planning to share it with the Flower Lady. She didn’t like sweet things like chocolates and candies, but she was fond of bread.

Seokju looked at Ajin with affectionate eyes, stroking his hair gently, without saying a word.

“…?”

The Flower Lady stared at Ajin without speaking. Ajin quickly got up, brought a plate, a knife, and chopsticks, and then prepared a small leg table. He started to cut the roll cake into large slices.

“We should eat it before the others come.”

Ajin divided the cake into sizable pieces, transferred it to a plate, and picked up chopsticks. Then he turned to the Flower Lady.

“Hurry, Ajumma.”

“…?”

The Flower Lady sat down in front of the low table without a word as Ajin handed her the chopsticks. Ajin watched her with sparkling eyes. In response to his gaze, the Flower Lady couldn’t help but pick up a piece of cake with her chopsticks and took a bite.

Ajin, as if waiting for this moment, also bit into a piece of cake. It was moist and had a nutty flavor. After a few chews, he could taste the sweet strawberry jam spread between the layers of the cake. Ajin’s eyebrows rose in delight.

“It’s so delicious. So delicious. Don’t you think so, Ajumma?”

Ajin sat with his legs crossed, swinging his feet. The Flower Lady chuckled, teasingly poking her tongue out. She wasn’t a wild animal. What’s so great about the food?

The Flower Lady clicked her tongue, but she placed a new piece of cake onto Ajin’s plate.

“You like sweet things so much. Why did you call me to eat it with you?”

“It tastes better when I eat it with you, Ajumma.”

Ajin leaned on the Flower Lady’s forearm, grinning happily.

“You little fox…”

The Flower Lady mumbled, stroking Ajin’s head, messy hair and all.