Black & Grey

“That won’t happen anymore.”The woman chuckled as if amused by Jungeol’s furrowed brows, which seemed to crumple at the mere thought of it. As her shoulders shook, Jungeol found it difficult to keep the machine steady and momentarily lifted his arm.For the first time, the entire tattoo, previously obscured by Jungeol’s shadow, came into view. Yoochan tilted his head to get a better look at the tattoo.Below the woman’s straight collarbone was a rose slightly smaller than a fist, and a striped snake coiled around the rose’s stem, winding around the woman’s upper chest and down to her sternum.Though incomplete, the final image was already vividly clear in Yoochan’s mind. Feeling embarrassed about staring at the woman’s upper chest, Yoochan shifted his gaze from the tattoo and asked the woman.“Noona, is this your first tattoo?”“No? I have tattoos on my back, forearm, and thigh too. I’ll have my whole body covered by the end of this year.”“Really? Wow, that’s so cool. I’ve never seen a woman with so many tattoos. But doesn’t your boyfriend mind?”“I don’t have a boyfriend right now. And even if I did, what could he do? It’s my decision. Right?”Yoochan laughed along with her mocking smile. He was just about to come up with a more fitting compliment than “so pretty” or “cool.” Yoochan changed the subject and took out his phone.“Noona, do you have Instagram?”“Huh? Why?”“I want to get to know you better. What’s your ID? Can I follow you?”“Don’t hit on people in my workspace, you punk.”The woman laughed, saying it was fine, and gave him her ID. Yoochan found her account and followed her, then asked.“But Noona, what’s your job? You’re not an office worker, right?”“No, I’m not. What do you think?”“A model? An online shopping mall model?”“Not quite.”“Hmm… Then a hair designer? A fashion designer?”“In a way, I’m a designer. It’s a job where having a lot of tattoos doesn’t get you weird looks. Can’t you guess?”With the hint-laden words, something clicked for Yoochan, and he asked with a shudder.“Noona, are you a rapper?”“Haha…!”The unexpected answer made the woman burst into laughter, her stomach shaking. Jungeol, almost making a mistake due to her movement, quickly lifted the machine and frowned. The woman waved her hand at Jungeol, apologizing.“Oh, Oppa. Sorry, sorry. I’ll stay still now.”Jungeol resumed the procedure, fixing his elbow on the woman’s shoulder. The rose seemed almost done. Jungeol, appearing to have a sore neck from working in one direction, moved the machine from the snake’s tail to its head near the sternum.If she’s not a rapper, then what? Yoochan, still curious about the woman’s job, heard a short scream.“Ouch…!”The machine stopped. Jungeol and Yoochan both looked at the woman. She covered her sternum with her arm and widened her eyes.“What? It hurts a lot.”“I told you it would hurt.”Jungeol replied bluntly, telling her to lower her arm as they were short on time. The woman, with a hardened expression, lowered her arm again. Jungeol moved the machine. But within seconds, the woman cried out again.“Ouch…! Ah…! Stop…! Stop…! It hurts too much.”“You endured it well before. Why the sudden fuss?”“It’s not fussing. It really hurts. It feels like being cut with a knife. I want to stop here for today.”The woman, unable to bear the pain, zipped her jacket up to her neck and got off the bed. Jungeol, seemingly giving up, placed the machine on the bed and said.“Unzip and lie down. I’ll clean the ink.”The woman, looking doubtful, lay back and unzipped her jacket. Jungeol cleaned the tattoo area with a clean towel and said.“No swimming pools, saunas, or hot baths for a month.”Taking out some ointment from the shelf below the bed, Jungeol applied it to the tattoo area with a cotton pad and continued.“Avoid alcohol and smoking for a week to prevent inflammation. Apply the ointment I gave you daily, even if it gets tedious. Use body lotion to keep it from drying out. Apply sunscreen if you’re wearing clothes that expose the area.”Yoochan thought Jungeol’s voice sounded gentler than before. His eyes, looking at the tattoo he had drawn, were surprisingly soft under his long eyelashes. Yoochan’s gaze shifted from Jungeol’s delicate hands applying the ointment to the woman.The woman, who had been chatty like Yoochan, was unusually silent. Under the slightly orange-tinted light, her face seemed flushed.“…I know.”She mumbled in a small voice, trying to sound indifferent.Thump, thump, thump.Yoochan realized his heart was beating faster than before.Whether it was Jungeol’s different tone and gaze or the woman’s sudden shyness, Yoochan felt an inexplicable, thrilling sensation.As Yoochan pondered this feeling, the woman spoke.“I’ll smoke a cigarette and then pay.”She quickly left, wearing the guest slippers. Yoochan, suddenly realizing something, turned to Jungeol and said.“Hyung.”“What.”Jungeol responded briefly while tidying up. Yoochan, looking dazed, muttered to himself.“I think I fell for that Noona.”It was a shocking statement, but Jungeol nodded as if it was no big deal.“You’re impulsive as always.”Yoochan, feeling defensive, retorted.“I’m serious! My heart was pounding just now. I even felt a bit nauseous… I’ve never felt this way before.”“Never? What about your high school girlfriend?”Jungeol smirked.“Oh, Eunbit?”Yoochan mumbled, recalling his ex-girlfriend’s face, which he had forgotten after graduation.“I liked Eunbit too. But this feels different. It’s more… mature.”Yoochan swallowed hard, searching for a less blunt word to describe the feeling he had when looking at the tattoo below the woman’s collarbone.“It’s a more mature feeling. You get what I mean, right? I think I’m ready for an adult relationship now, Hyung.”“Sure. Good luck with that.”Yoochan nodded at the nonchalant response, then suddenly narrowed his eyes and stared at Jungeol.He recalled the two people he had seen when he first entered the room. The lack of conversation between them was odd, and Jungeol’s gaze while applying ointment to the woman’s tattoo was unfamiliar.A reasonable suspicion formed in Yoochan’s mind.“Is she your ex-girlfriend?”“What?”“That Noona. Did you date her?”Jungeol, looking incredulous, put down the machine and turned to Yoochan. Yoochan, leaning on the pillow with his elbow, continued as if he knew everything.“I think I’ve found true love for the first time in 20 years, but I believe loyalty is the most important thing in life. I like you, I like this shop, and I want to get an amazing tattoo from you, so I don’t want things to get awkward between us.”“So?”“So just tell me. Is that Noona your ex-girlfriend or not? If she is, I’ll give up on asking for her number. It’s a big decision for me.”Yoochan looked at Jungeol with intense eyes, lifting his chin confidently.“Did you date her?”He sounded like someone confronting his lover’s ex. Jungeol, annoyed by the persistent questioning, raised an eyebrow and looked down at Yoochan.“No.”“Then are you interested in her? I’m not backing down if you liked her first, but let’s play fair. Once I set my mind on something, I go straight for it. So if there’s anything you need to say, say it now.”Jungeol, intrigued by Yoochan’s confident attitude, seemed to shed a layer of boredom from his face and replied with amusement.“Do whatever you want. Ask for her number, confess, it’s up to you.”“So she’s not your ex?”Yoochan, finally deciding, stood up abruptly. Leaning over the bed, he challenged Jungeol.“Then I can go ask for her number without any complaints from you. And no interfering. You can’t change your mind later and make things difficult for me.”Jungeol’s lips curled into a mocking smile.“Fine. But if Jung Dahee rejects you, you have to give up cleanly. If this causes any trouble, you won’t be allowed in the shop again.”Their gazes clashed fiercely over the single bed.“Of course.”Yoochan was the first to break the tense atmosphere, smiling as he sat down.“If Noona says no, I won’t bother her. But her name is Jung Dahee? Even her name is pretty. I need to get to know her quickly. How old is she?”“Ask her yourself.”“That’s mean.”The mature demeanor Yoochan had been trying to maintain vanished, replaced by a childlike expression as he rubbed his nose and stood up. Seeing Jungeol rubbing his left hand, Yoochan clicked his tongue.“You didn’t tape it again, did you? Come here.”Yoochan walked over and grabbed Jungeol’s left hand before he could extend his arm. As Jungeol frowned, Yoochan found the tape under the bed and began taping Jungeol’s wrist.“Finished earlier than planned, Hyung? What now?”Jungeol’s frown eased as Yoochan pulled his arm.“Wait for the next client.”“Shouldn’t you take a nap when you have time?”“Yeah.”“You want to go up and sleep, don’t you?”Jungeol’s eyebrow twitched at the accurate guess. Yoochan grinned.“I’ll be out with my friends for a workout soon, so the room will be empty. I’m not picky, so feel free to use the bathroom and kitchen. There’s not much in the fridge, but you can use it.”“What do you want? Just say it.”Jungeol asked directly, hands on his hips. Yoochan, finishing the taping, let go of Jungeol’s hand and replied.“Well, I need to get a tattoo within six months, but your schedule is fully booked for six months.”“So?”“In that time, someone might cancel or there might be a gap like today, right?”“…”“When that happens, just put me in without asking. I’ll pay, of course.”Jungeol frowned, as if considering it, then said.“I’m not doing faces of girlfriends you’ve just started dating or cheesy quotes. Covering those up later is a hassle.”“You mean you don’t want clients to regret their tattoos, right? Fine. Then you choose the design, Hyung.”“What?”Jungeol asked, looking incredulous as Yoochan stepped back, handing over the reins. Yoochan, looking like he was about to leave, grabbed the doorknob and said brightly.“The best design chosen by the best tattoo artist will be the best. I’ll do whatever you say. Any part of the body is fine. Oh, except the face. I’ll be hoping for a cancellation. I’m off to get Noona’s number.”And with that, Yoochan left confidently, leaving Jungeol looking dumbfounded. He went to find Dahee. She had mentioned going out for a smoke, but only Jaehyuk was in the smoking room.“Yoochan, who are you looking for?”The manager, sipping tea on the sofa, asked Yoochan, who was looking around outside.“Where did that client go?”The manager pointed with her cup towards the other smoking room. Yoochan quickly ran over and quietly opened the door. He saw Dahee’s back.Dahee, wearing Jungeol’s black windbreaker, had her long black hair loosely tied and was leaning her arms on the window frame, enjoying the breeze.As a stronger wind blew, the windbreaker slipped, revealing the tattoo between her black tank top and Jungeol’s jacket. It was different in size and atmosphere from the rose tattoo on her chest.The image of a woman wearing a lion’s skin was partially visible, with only the forehead and left eye showing. Yoochan, thinking the woman’s eyes looked familiar, tilted his head. Dahee turned around with a bright expression.“Oh, do you smoke too?”“No. I came to talk to you, Noona… Oh, Noona…! Are you really smoking?”Yoochan, answering, widened his eyes at the cigarette in Dahee’s hand.“Jungeol Hyung said not to smoke. What if it gets infected?”“It’s fine. I’ve done it a few times, and it didn’t get infected. Oppa knows I don’t listen to him anyway.”Dahee answered casually, stubbing out the cigarette in the ashtray on the window sill. As she moved, the windbreaker slipped off her shoulder, hanging on her elbow.“Wow.”Yoochan exclaimed, seeing Dahee’s arm covered in black and grey tattoos.“Wow, you really have tattoos all over? Did Jungeol Hyung do these too?”“Yes. They’re Jungeol Oppa’s work.”“That must have hurt a lot. How much did it cost to get all these?”“All of them? Let’s see… my back, shoulders, and thighs…”After calculating, Dahee told him the amount, and Yoochan, sitting on a nearby chair, said.“Noona must be rich. What do you do to spend so much on tattoos?”Dahee smiled and answered.“I’m actually learning to tattoo too.”“Oh, that’s why you said you have a job where tattoos are accepted.”Finally understanding Dahee’s hint, Yoochan nodded. Dahee turned to him, holding her phone.“Yes, that’s right. Want to see my work?”The background on Dahee’s phone showed a design of a tentacled creature clinging to a spaceship, like something out of a sci-fi movie. As Yoochan looked at it in awe, Dahee preemptively asked.“It doesn’t suit me, right?”She seemed to have heard that often. Yoochan almost nodded but quickly shook his head.“At first, I thought so, but the more I see it, the more it suits you. Oh, but Noona, here…”Yoochan looked at Dahee’s collarbone and rubbed his own. Dahee looked down at her body. The area around the tattoo Jungeol had just done was red and swollen. As Dahee shrugged, Yoochan asked worriedly.“It looks red and swollen. Are you okay?”“Yes. It looks like this, but it’s fine. It stings if I rub it or if it gets wet.”“But it hurt when you got the tattoo, right? Especially when the machine touched your sternum.”Dahee frowned and shook her head at Yoochan’s question.“No. It didn’t hurt much. Just a little sting.”“Come on, you said it hurt earlier.”Remembering her short scream, Yoochan asked again. Dahee, with a knowing look, couldn’t help but laugh, her round cheeks lifting as she answered.“I said that so I could use it as an excuse to come back. Right?”Yoochan paused, realizing something, as Dahee’s cheeks turned red and she smiled broadly. She zipped up the windbreaker to her neck and grabbed the doorknob.“I have an appointment, so I have to go. See you next time. Oh, right.”Dahee turned back, as if remembering something, and asked.“Didn’t you say you had something to tell me? What is it? Feel free to say it.”Yoochan fidgeted with his phone. Asking to stay in touch or send a DM was easier than a greeting for him. Especially with older Noonas, who initially refused but eventually found him cute and gave him their contact information.But for some reason, Yoochan hesitated to ask for Dahee’s number.“Huh? What is it?”A few seconds passed. Finally, Yoochan put his phone back in his pocket and said.“Oh, it’s nothing.”Yoochan wiped the worried expression off his face and asked casually.“Noona, did you learn tattooing from Jungeol Hyung?”Dahee smiled prettily and replied.“Yes, did Jungeol Oppa tell you?”Yoochan shook his head and grinned. Dahee tilted her head curiously, then opened the door and left.Yoochan followed her out a moment later. Dahee, having finished paying, glanced towards station 1 as if looking for someone, then left with a noticeably disappointed expression.As soon as Dahee left and the door closed, Jungeol came out of the bathroom, wiping his face with a towel as if he had just washed up.Yoochan silently approached the slowly walking Jungeol. As Jungeol lowered the towel, Yoochan grabbed his shoulder and said.“What a sinful man you are.”“…What?”Jungeol glanced at Yoochan’s grip on his shoulder, then looked up. Yoochan’s chin was trembling. He was intentionally gripping Jungeol’s shoulder tightly.As Jungeol looked puzzled, Yoochan gritted his teeth and continued.“It’s okay. You don’t need to feel sorry. I’ll give up. For her happiness.”Then, as if dealing with a younger sibling, Yoochan patted Jungeol’s shoulder, sighed deeply, and turned away.“Taeho Hyung, I’m leaving now.”Yoochan bowed to Taeho, who was at the counter instead of the manager, and left to go exercise.Jungeol watched through the glass door as Yoochan’s usually confident shoulders slumped.* * *“Baek Yoochan, do you want to be introduced to a girl?”Early in the morning, first-year physical education students were gathering in front of the gym, stretching their bodies. Yoochan, sweating, had unzipped his sportswear top down to his chest and was tying his sneakers when Jinhong’s words made him look up.“A girl introduction?”“Yeah, Yeji was going to introduce you to an old schoolmate, but she canceled because you were going to the army. She saw your photo and wondered if she should meet you. Should I give you her number?”“Hmm, I’m not sure.”Yoochan stood up with a troubled expression and tapped the toe of his sneaker against the concrete floor. Jinhong, puzzled by Yoochan’s displeased reaction, tilted his head and asked.“You were always saying you wanted a girlfriend. Did you change your mind?”“It’s not that.”Yoochan replied absentmindedly, stretching his arms.“Well, if you don’t want to, never mind.”Seeing Yoochan’s reluctance, Jinhong shrugged and focused on his own stretching. Yoochan briefly reconsidered but then looked around and asked.“Where’s Kigung? Why isn’t he here?”Just then, the senior and the president of the student association arrived. It was almost time for the run, but Kigung was nowhere to be seen. Worried that the president might scold them if anyone was late, Yoochan glanced at his watch while Jinhong said.“There he is. Still sulking, look at him.”Following Jinhong’s gesture, Yoochan saw Kigung hurrying over from the building. Yoochan waved him over, but Kigung ignored him and went to the other classmates in the front row.“What’s up with Kigung? Did you two fight?”Yoochan asked, unzipping his jacket further. Jinhong, looking uninterested, turned his head and replied.“I teased him about being bad at a game, and now he’s sulking and avoiding me all day. Just leave him alone. He’ll get over it eventually.”“How much did you tease him to make him sulk?”Yoochan frowned at the petty argument between his two close friends. Just then, the president blew the whistle, and the front row began to move slowly. Yoochan started running, thinking about how to appease Kigung.After class, Yoochan went to the judo hall for a light workout and came out in the evening. He stopped by a convenience store to buy three packs of ramen, two hot bars, and three of his favorite drinks.As he was about to take the elevator up, Yoochan remembered the tattoo shop’s Hyung and Noona. He turned around and went up to the second-floor tattoo shop via the stairs. At the counter were Taeho and the manager.“Oh, Yoochan, you’re here?”After greeting Taeho and the manager, Yoochan looked around. Jaehyuk and Jinwoo were chatting on the sofa, but Jungeol was nowhere to be seen. Yoochan put the convenience store bag on the counter and waved at Gaang, who ran towards him, asking.“Is Jungeol Hyung working right now?”“Yeah. But it’s a small job, so he’ll be out soon.”“Why is it so quiet today?”The tattoo shop, usually bustling with customers, was unusually empty except for the staff. Taeho, holding Gaang who was scratching at Yoochan’s legs for attention, answered.“We always finish early on staff birthdays.”“A birthday? Whose birthday is it?”At Yoochan’s question, Taeho pointed to himself with his thumb. “Really? Happy birthday, Hyung!” Yoochan said, turning towards Taeho. Taeho smiled warmly.“If you have nothing else to do, come with us. It’s just us, so it won’t be awkward.”“Oh, I’d like to, but I have a futsal game with friends tonight. But what about Gaang if you go out for drinks?”Thinking the conversation was about him, Gaang whined and tried to get to Yoochan. As Yoochan reached out to hold him, Taeho handed Gaang over and said.“That’s why we’re looking for a pub where we can bring dogs. Noona, how did the call go?”“They said we could use the outdoor seating, but it’s by a busy street, so I’m still looking for other places. If not, we’ll just go here.”“Hyung, should I watch Gaang for a bit?”Taeho and the manager turned and widened their eyes at Yoochan’s offer.“You?”“Yes. Gaang only looks for Jungeol Hyung when he sleeps, right? I can play with him and my friends at school until Jungeol Hyung or Taeho Hyung comes back. My friends will love it if I bring a dog.”“You’ll have a tough time. Gaang has a lot of energy. He runs non-stop on walks, so you won’t have time to sit.”“Right, that’s why Jungeol Hyung hires strong college students for dog walking.”“Oh, Hyung, I’m a physical education major. Playing with a dog is nothing.”Yoochan said, dodging Gaang’s licks as the dog walked on his muscular arm.“So we pick Gaang up around midnight? Yoochan, where will you be? Home?”The manager, relieved that she wouldn’t have to bring Gaang to the pub, asked. Yoochan said he’d be at the school field or home and put Gaang down.“Then I’ll come pick up Gaang later with Jungeol Hyung. The dog food and snacks are in Gaang’s bag, so just take out a bit and feed him as needed. The poop bags are in there too.”Taeho took a leash out of a large bag, put it around Gaang’s neck, and then strapped a tiny backpack for dogs onto him.“Gaang, let’s have fun together today, okay?”Holding Gaang and carrying a plastic bag on his wrist, Yoochan said goodbye to the manager and the hyungs. Gaang happily followed Yoochan, unaware of anything.Friends who had arrived early were gathered in a corner of the campus playground. Some people were kicking a ball in a small futsal field. Gaang, full of energy, seemed eager to join them, hopping excitedly. Yoochan ran around the playground with Gaang until it was his turn to play.While Yoochan kicked the ball, Gaang played with other classmates who had come to watch, sitting in the stands lined with decking. After working up a good sweat, Yoochan finally felt hungry. It was already past nine. Yoochan, dripping with sweat, sat in the stands, and Yeji, who had been chatting with a friend from afar, approached him.“Yoochan, why did you turn down the blind date? Is my friend not your type?”“No, I didn’t even see the photo.”“Huh? I sent you the photo with my friend’s permission, but Jinhong didn’t show it to you? She’s totally your type.”Sounding disappointed, Yeji took out her phone and showed Yoochan a picture of her friend.Yoochan, who was holding Gaang on his lap as the dog kept asking to be picked up, glanced at Yeji’s phone. In the photo was a woman wearing faded jeans and a neckline-revealing T-shirt. As Yoochan looked, Yeji commented.“Isn’t she cute? This is the kind of style you like, right?”It was true. Yoochan liked women who were the opposite of his tall and broad-shouldered build, and Yeji’s friend in the photo was definitely close to his type. But Yoochan shook his head, recalling his thoughts at the tattoo shop.In fact, Yoochan was still lingering in the strange emotions he felt the day before at the tattoo shop while watching Jungeol and Dahee. Jungeol had jokingly called Yoochan reckless, but Yoochan was convinced it wasn’t a reckless feeling.It wasn’t unusual for Yoochan to feel cute and fluttery when seeing women he liked, such as Eunbit or other crush-worthy hyungs’ girlfriends. But the tension that day had been different.Jungeol was simply applying ointment to Dahee’s tattoo, yet it felt like witnessing a secret moment. Although he couldn’t explain it clearly, Yoochan felt as if he were one of the two people in the scene.His mouth and throat went dry, and he grew unnecessarily self-conscious, holding his breath without realizing it. Jungeol and Dahee happened to stay silent at that moment too, making things even more awkward and embarrassing.When Yoochan, recalling Dahee, who was clearly in love with Jungeol, made a wistful expression, Gaang licked his cheek as if understanding something. Yoochan tried to stop him, but it was no use, leaving him wanting to shower. He said goodbye to his friends, grabbed Gaang’s leash, and headed out.After washing Gaang’s dirt-covered paws with water and taking a shower himself, it was already 10:30.Yoochan thought of asking Jungeol what time he would be arriving but realized he didn’t have his number. Instead, he started cooking ramen and reluctantly sent Jungeol a DM on Instagram.“Hyung, what time will you be here? I’ll go to sleep first, so call or come up when you arrive. Here’s my number: 010…”Gaang barked and scratched Yoochan’s lap, seeming hungry. Yoochan took some food and snacks from Gaang’s backpack and poured them into an unused bowl.While Gaang noisily munched away, Yoochan received a notification. It was from Jungeol’s account.“Yoochan, this is the manager Noona. Haven’t you met oppa yet?”With chopsticks in his mouth, Yoochan typed a reply using both hands.“Why? Isn’t Hyung with you?”“No. About thirty minutes ago, he said he was taking a taxi to pick up Gaang. I thought you’d already met.”Just in case, Yoochan opened the front door to check, but Jungeol wasn’t there.“He hasn’t come to my place yet. Isn’t he on his way?”“He should’ve arrived by now. He seemed a little drunk when he left, though. Ugh, he’s not answering his phone either. I’m starting to worry.”“Could he have gone to the shop drunk? Should I go check?”“Yeah, please check and text me. Everyone here except Jinwoo and me is completely drunk, so I need to send them home.”Yoochan agreed readily, picked up Gaang, and took the elevator down.Outside the dark shop, someone was sitting on a chair, leaning their head against the wall.“Hyung?”Gaang recognized him first, whining and struggling to be let down. As soon as Yoochan placed Gaang on the ground, the dog ran to Jungeol and jumped up.Startled awake by Gaang licking his face, Jungeol frowned and lifted his head. Kneeling before Jungeol, Yoochan called out again.“What are you doing here? You said you don’t like alcohol, but you drank a lot, didn’t you?”At Yoochan’s voice, Jungeol raised a hand to cover his eyes, showing no sign of getting up. Seeing Jungeol’s disheveled state for the first time, Yoochan stifled a laugh and called out again.“Hey, Hyung. You can’t just go back to sleep. Ugh, the alcohol smell.”The strong scent of alcohol mixed with Jungeol’s natural scent wafted through the air.“Jungeol Hyung. Get up! The manager Noona is super worried. I need to DM her.”Yoochan grabbed Jungeol’s knee and shook him again.“Should we wait in the shop until she contacts us, or do you want to rest in my room?”Only then did Jungeol slowly open his eyes, though his blurry gaze soon disappeared behind his eyelids again. Of course, he didn’t respond. Unable to find the entry card in Jungeol’s coat pocket, Yoochan decided to take him and Gaang to his room.“Hyung, lift your arm for a sec. Don’t put any strength into it.”Having dealt with drunk friends and seniors often, Yoochan deftly slipped his arm under Jungeol’s shoulder, the leash still on his wrist, and helped him up.Fortunately, Jungeol wasn’t completely unconscious, as he cooperatively rested his forehead in his hand and followed Yoochan’s lead. Yoochan thought he heard a faint “It’s hot.”“Hot? Then shower when we get upstairs.”Gaang barked loudly as if worried about his unusual owner. Yoochan hushed him, turning to check on the burning sensation of warmth coming from Jungeol.Jungeol’s forehead was resting on Yoochan’s neck, his arm draped over Yoochan’s shoulder. Every time Jungeol exhaled, hot breath mixed with the scent of alcohol wafted out.“…Hot.”Jungeol muttered again in a low voice. Yoochan couldn’t help but laugh at the childish complaint coming from Jungeol’s deep, voice-actor-like tone.“Ah, this Hyung is really funny.”Yoochan said with a smile, seemingly not disliking this new side of Jungeol.“If you’re going to sleep, do it upstairs. Don’t pinch me because it hurts. And don’t throw up on me. Got it?”Barely managing to support the sleepy and heavy Jungeol while Gaang jumped around asking to be held, Yoochan finally reached room 1401.“No, no, Hyung! You have to take off your shoes!”Yoochan barely stopped Jungeol, who seemed to be heading straight to the bathroom with his shoes on, feeling unwell. He knelt down and sat Jungeol against the wall.As Yoochan helped him take off his shoes, Jungeol relaxed his legs. Once free, Jungeol headed straight to the bathroom. Yoochan followed with Gaang in his arms and found Jungeol leaning on the sink.“Hyung, do you want to throw up? Not there. Here, here. This way…!”Yoochan opened the toilet lid and pulled Jungeol’s arm, but Jungeol waved him off, seemingly not wanting that. He wasn’t completely out of it, just a bit disoriented.Jungeol grabbed the sink again, took a deep breath, and turned on the water.“What are you doing?”Without answering, Jungeol rolled up his sleeves and started washing his face.“Wow, you’re washing up even now, Hyung?”Yoochan was baffled by Jungeol’s thorough face-washing despite being drunk.“Should I give you some cleansing foam?”Yoochan joked, opening the cleansing foam and offering it to Jungeol. Surprisingly, Jungeol, with his head down, reached out his hand. Yoochan, smiling at Jungeol’s wet bangs, squeezed some foam into his hand.After washing off the foam from his forehead, Jungeol frowned, gripping the sink as if something was missing. Yoochan, tilting his head, handed him a travel toothbrush he had stored on the shelf.Seeing Jungeol finally brushing his teeth, Yoochan couldn’t hold back his laughter.“Ah, Hyung. This is so different from your usual image. How am I supposed to look at you tomorrow?”Ignoring Yoochan’s laughter, Jungeol finished brushing his teeth and stumbled, gripping the entrance. Yoochan barely avoided stepping on Gaang, who was standing behind them, and helped Jungeol to the living room.Jungeol, seemingly at his limit, collapsed onto the sofa on the first floor. Remembering that Jungeol had said he was hot, Yoochan turned on the air conditioner and went to find a blanket.When he returned with a thin summer blanket, Gaang was already on Jungeol’s stomach, pawing at him. Yoochan gently picked up Gaang and placed him on the floor. As he was about to cover Jungeol with the blanket, something caught his eye.Under the slightly slipped black sweatshirt, part of a black tattoo was visible along Jungeol’s protruding hip bone. Yoochan paused, holding the blanket.It was a fairly large lettering tattoo. Only the end was visible, making it hard to guess what it said. The lettering was surrounded by dense tattoos, leaving little of the original skin color.“He really has tattoos all over except his arms.”Yoochan wanted to see the entire tattoo. But he couldn’t just lift a sleeping person’s clothes, so he reluctantly suppressed his curiosity and was about to cover Jungeol with the blanket when Jungeol moved, revealing the underside of his rolled-up sleeve.Yoochan’s eyes sparkled at what he saw just below the elbow.“DOGE’S♡”It was a cute cursive lettering, as if drawn with a pen.“Doge? How do you read this?”Yoochan squinted, examining the lettering closely. It was of a different quality than the side lettering he had seen earlier. It didn’t seem to be done by the same person.The clumsy heart at the end was even more out of place. The word “DOGE” looked like a foreign name or nickname. The heart suggested it might be a girlfriend’s name.But as far as Yoochan knew, Jungeol didn’t have a girlfriend. Concluding it must be an ex-girlfriend’s name, Yoochan spread the blanket over Jungeol and stood up.Not knowing much about cover-ups, Yoochan thought the thin and faint lines wouldn’t be hard to cover. He wondered why Jungeol hadn’t done it yet. Smiling at Gaang, who was curled up like a snake next to Jungeol, Yoochan said.“Yeah, it’s bedtime. Goodnight, Gaang.”Yoochan patted Gaang’s head, yawned, and went to his room.Just as he was about to sleep, Yoochan’s stomach growled. He had planned to eat ramen as a late-night snack but had missed the chance while bringing Jungeol in.Not wanting to wake Jungeol and Gaang by making noise in the kitchen, Yoochan decided to endure for a few hours.Despite being exhausted from exercising all day, Yoochan couldn’t fall asleep easily due to hunger. After tossing and turning for a while, he finally closed his eyes, and Jungeol’s drunken state and cute tattoo came to mind.Thinking about how even the usually stern Jungeol had once tattooed a girlfriend’s name made Yoochan feel a sense of kinship, reminding him of his own high school days.“…Really unexpected.”Yoochan’s amused whisper echoed in the quiet room. Smiling unconsciously, he hugged his pillow and soon fell asleep.Yoochan woke up about two hours later to the sound of Gaang whining outside. He got up sleepily and went to the living room, where he found Gaang scratching at the blanket covering Jungeol. Thinking Gaang wanted to be lifted, Yoochan picked him up, but Gaang jumped down and started scratching Jungeol’s arm.Yoochan crouched next to Gaang, trying to calm him down.“Gaang… Jungeol Hyung is tired… You should sleep too… okay?”But Gaang didn’t listen to Yoochan and kept trying to wake Jungeol. Thinking Gaang might be hungry, Yoochan took some snacks from Gaang’s bag on the island table.Gaang quickly ate the snack from Yoochan’s hand and then ran back to Jungeol, making noise. Finally, Jungeol moved and made a low sound.“…No wonder Hyung is always tired.”Yoochan, debating whether to wake Jungeol, decided to pick up Gaang and sit on the sofa opposite. He placed Gaang comfortably on his lap and petted his short fur. Initially restless, Gaang soon lay down on Yoochan’s lap.After a few minutes of petting Gaang, Yoochan began to nod off. When his hand stopped, Gaang got off his lap and started scratching Jungeol’s arm again.“Gaang… stop…”Jungeol groaned, covering his face with his arm.Yoochan, startled awake by the deep voice, saw Gaang trying to wake Jungeol again and hurriedly picked him up. Holding Gaang tightly and petting his head, Gaang’s fussing subsided once more.Every time Yoochan stopped petting him, Gaang would run back to Jungeol. Since Jungeol seemed deeply asleep and unresponsive, Yoochan had no choice but to doze off while petting Gaang.The unusually long night passed. Yoochan, dozing off, noticed that Gaang’s whining had stopped and opened his eyes slightly.Jungeol was petting Gaang, who had his face buried in Jungeol’s chest. Jungeol’s eyes were closed, so it seemed he wasn’t fully awake.Jungeol’s gentle hand stroked Gaang’s back, who wagged his tail happily. Watching Jungeol’s hand, Yoochan suddenly remembered the dark, narrow room.The man and woman sitting together with a small lamp between them. Thinking of the clear tattoo below Dahee’s collarbone, Yoochan recalled Jungeol’s long fingers gently applying ointment.Blinking, Yoochan saw Jungeol lying on the sofa, his fingers now softly stroking Gaang’s head.Yoochan felt the same indescribable feeling he had in that room. But before he could understand it, he fell asleep in an uncomfortable position, unable to resist the drowsiness.A few hours later, Yoochan woke up to the sound of running water, like a shower.Jungeol was no longer on the opposite sofa. Turning his head, Yoochan saw Gaang lying on the bath mat in front of the bathroom, looking dejected. Jungeol seemed to be showering.Yoochan glanced at the clock. There was still time before the morning run. But too hungry to sleep, Yoochan got up and filled a pot with water.He boiled enough water for two packs of ramen, including Jungeol’s share, and reheated some bean sprout soup from the fridge. As the water boiled, he heard the door open.Yoochan peeked out and called to Jungeol.“Hyung! Want some ramen?”Jungeol, coming out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his wet hair, paused and looked up. Seeing his uncharacteristically flustered expression, Yoochan playfully smiled while taking kimchi from the fridge.“You need to eat something to cure your hangover. I’ll make two packs.”“…Okay.”Nodding, Jungeol sat at the island table with a towel around his neck. Yoochan, noticing Jungeol drinking water after placing Gaang’s bag on the floor, added the soup base to the pot.“Hyung, you were so cute when you were drunk last night. Do you remember?”Jungeol froze, mid-drink. Seeing his furrowed brows, Yoochan burst out laughing.“Ah, just kidding. You weren’t that cute, but you were a bit adorable.”Jungeol, not wanting to recall the previous night, silently put down his cup.“It’s ready, Hyung. I reheated some bean sprout soup, but if you don’t like it, don’t eat it.”Seeing Yoochan bring the pot with both hands, Jungeol took out a trivet and placed it in the middle of the table. Yoochan brought plates, and Jungeol, looking thoughtful, rubbed his forehead.“Embarrassed?”Yoochan said, scooping a large portion of ramen onto his plate. Jungeol’s hand stopped rubbing his forehead. Yoochan, smiling, continued to tease him.“Can’t look me in the eye? It’s okay, Hyung. I won’t tell anyone. Just give me a nice tattoo later.”Yoochan slurped his ramen as if nothing had happened. After Yoochan had eaten three bites, Jungeol finally moved his chopsticks.“Do you have plans tonight?”After eating in silence for a while, Jungeol suddenly asked. Yoochan paused his chopsticks and replied.“Not really? I was planning to jog after visiting the judo hall. Why?”Swallowing his food, Jungeol raised his neatly drawn eyebrows and said.“I’ll buy you dinner. Let’s eat.”“Oh, what time?”“Around six or seven.”“Sounds great to me. What are we eating?”“Pick whatever you want. We’ll also discuss your tattoo design, so tell me if you have any ideas.”“Oh? Really?”Surprised, Yoochan excitedly leaned towards Jungeol.“Does this mean you’re finally going to tattoo me?”Jungeol squinted, seemingly uncomfortable with Yoochan’s closeness. Yoochan, full of anticipation, asked.“When will you do it? Today? Tomorrow?”“No cancellations yet. We’ll just decide on the design for now.”