Swallow Hunting

“How’s the delivery work.”

“It’s good.”

Haejun brightened as he answered the returned question. If it meant breaking the silence, any topic was welcome.

“I’ve gotten used to the bike, and lately there are even shop owners who specifically ask for me. There’s this lady who runs a home-style diner—her food’s incredible. She said she didn’t do delivery before, but business hasn’t been great lately so she started. Her son’s around my age and is in the army right now.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes! Oh, and the other day I ran into a real ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) asshole. He said he’d pay the delivery fee face to face, then refused and tried to stall.”

The memory made his anger surge. Haejun clenched his fist tight and launched into it.

“So what did you do.”

“I said I wasn’t leaving until he paid. I stuck my foot in the door, went inside, and sat down in the entryway. He started screaming about calling the cops, then in the end spat and paid.”

“Hm.”

“He paid in coins, but hey, money’s money. I took it and left. When I told the shop owners, they said that place was already blacklisted. Apparently they keep changing their ID to order again. When shops block them by address, they put in a different location and switch it once the driver calls. All kinds of freaks out there.”

“Sounds rough.”

“But it’s still fun. Meeting people, riding the bike, feeling the wind.”

Once all the debts were paid off, making deliveries his full-time job wouldn’t be a bad idea. It fit him better than he’d expected. No one yelled at him, and as long as he worked hard, the money was decent.

Pretending to rub his face dry, Haejun glanced sideways at Lee Kangjoo.

Once the debt was gone, his relationship with Lee Kangjoo would end too. He’d have to leave this place. There would be no more seeing him, no more meeting him, no more waiting for him.

“.......”

His lips felt dry. His throat burned. Probably because he hadn’t had a sip of water since waking up. Haejun took out two bottles, set one in front of Lee Kangjoo, and twisted his own open to drink right away.

“But aren’t you tired? It’s really late. You could’ve just rested at home today.”

“Yeah. I wonder why I came all the way here.”

Maybe the fatigue was finally catching up to him. Lee Kangjoo rubbed at his eyes. His gaze was steady, but looking closer, there was a faint weariness there.

There was no doubt Haejun’s rambling had bored him. He needed to remember why Lee Kangjoo had given him a place to live, and why he still bothered to come despite the hassle.

“...Do you want me to do it? With my mouth.”

Haejun asked, not forgetting his role as a male prostitute. He almost made a ring with his fingers and mimed licking it, but worried it might look too vulgar, so he only lifted the corner of his mouth. Maybe the bluntness amused him—Lee Kangjoo let out a quiet chuckle.

“No need.”

Still smiling faintly, Lee Kangjoo picked up his jacket. He was leaving. It wasn’t like nights passed without anything happening, but the embarrassment of not having fulfilled his “use” made Haejun reach out.

The moment his fingers caught Lee Kangjoo’s sleeve, lightning struck and thunder shook the building. Haejun jumped straight up. A sharp yelp burst out of him, and cold sweat rushed down his spine.

“Ah—uh, it’s nothing....”

Lee Kangjoo looked at him, puzzled. Haejun’s brain nearly seized up trying to find an excuse.

Just then, lightning flashed through the gap in the curtains and thunder crashed again. Haejun’s shoulders fluttered violently.

“It’s raining really hard!”

“Rain?”

“Yes. They said there’d be torrential rain until tomorrow morning. Why don’t you stay a little longer? Driving now might be dangerous. If you slip on wet roads, that’s serious. I wrapped up deliveries early because I was scared I’d get into an accident.”

Lee Kangjoo walked to the window and pulled the curtain aside. Sure enough, white flashes flickered behind the heavy clouds, thunder rolling loudly. Rain lashed viciously against the glass. The few cars passing below crawled along, unable to speed through the downpour.

Haejun turned his gaze away from the window. Still, he couldn’t avoid the pale lightning washing over the entire room. Nor the thunder that followed.

Gripping the back of the chair, he endured the fear flooding in. His knuckles turned bluish. His face drained pale. The forced smile at his lips trembled.

Lee Kangjoo watched him quietly, then closed the curtain again. Once the lightning disappeared from view, the anxiety eased. A breath slipped out of Haejun without him realizing. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

“Then I’ll rest for a bit. The weather’s awful.”

Lee Kangjoo, who’d seemed ready to leave, changed his mind. Color returned to Haejun’s cheeks. His happiness showed plainly. He turned his head, but the soft swell of his cheeks gave him away.

“Then sleep on the bed. I’ll take the sofa.”

He pointed to the guest bed beneath the window. The bed in the room was large, but more than anything, he wanted to stay in the same space as Lee Kangjoo.

“It’s fine. I won’t stay long.”

“Still. Your back won’t hurt if you lie down properly.”

After seating Lee Kangjoo on the bed, Haejun quickly claimed the sofa. He turned off the lamp and deliberately said good night. Only after a long pause did he hear the rustle of Lee Kangjoo lying down.

Haejun squeezed his eyes shut, then slowly opened them. In the darkness his vision adjusted, and Lee Kangjoo’s profile, lying flat on his back, came faintly into view.

“.......”

Resting his head on his elbow, Haejun stared at him. He trusted the darkness to hide his thieving gaze.

Even with storm clouds covering the sky, dawn light still found a way to seep into the room. Thanks to that, Lee Kangjoo’s sharp nose bridge, philtrum, small hill of lips, and defined jaw were clearly visible.

Haejun wiggled his fingers, tracing those lines in the air. His index finger climbed the slope of Lee Kangjoo’s nose, hit a cliff, crossed a small hill, then slid down along his jaw.

That was when the closed eyelids lifted.

Their eyes met.

Haejun jolted harder than he had at the thunder.

“Can’t sleep?”

Pretending to sleep now would be ridiculous. Haejun rubbed his flushed face and nodded.

“A little.”

“Want me to sing you a lullaby.”

It took him a beat to realize Lee Kangjoo meant it as a joke. A man that serious talking about lullabies—Haejun giggled like a kid. The slightly stiff air loosened.

“I’d appreciate that.”

“I’ll sing one for you next time.”

Now that Lee Kangjoo pulled back, it felt disappointing. With a voice like that, he’d probably sing well.

“That’s a promise.”

He hadn’t been sleepy at all earlier, but after exchanging just a few words, drowsiness washed over him. His head felt like it was about to sink straight into the cushion. He fought desperately to keep his eyes open, but even the strongest man can’t beat heavy eyelids.

“...There was a business overseas.”

He only caught the latter part of Lee Kangjoo’s voice. His eyes wouldn’t open. Only his ears were awake. He nodded faintly, pretending to listen.

“Some people embezzled money there and fled back into the country. I was late dealing with them.”

It was the answer to the question Lee Kangjoo had cut off earlier. Even half-asleep, Haejun grinned. Strangely kind, this man.

“Did you wait long?”

It sounded like he turned toward him. A soft rustling brushed his ears. Even so, Haejun couldn’t open his eyes. He really wanted to see what expression Lee Kangjoo was wearing.

Had he been waiting for Lee Kangjoo?

The answer came easily. Haejun’s lips parted. Only a faint, whistling breath slipped out.

All night long, lightning and thunder kept pounding the window without tiring. But maybe because he wasn’t alone, or maybe because it was Lee Kangjoo, he wasn’t afraid anymore.

The rumbling thunder sounded sweet, like a lullaby. His mind, heavy as if soaked in warm water, slowly sank into the dark.

It was a peaceful sleep.

* * *

He shifted, then naturally opened his eyes. The rain that had been crashing down until he fell asleep was completely gone.

When he opened the curtain, bright sunlight poured into the room from a clear blue sky. Haejun squinted and raised a hand, then slowly lowered it.

Sleeping this well during thunder and lightning—it was the first time in his life. Even when he lived with Yohan, if the sky flashed and roared, he’d toss and turn all night and only fall asleep after the rain stopped.

Maybe the soundproofing was good, he thought—then remembered the thunder that had pierced through the glass and tilted his head.

“Huh?”

Something felt off. Only then did Haejun realize it and lowered his gaze.