Light Mr. XX

If it weren’t for Ha Jun-seo, Kim Min-seok would have gone straight down to the parking lot to check out the car. No, he wouldn’t have just checked it out; he would have taken it for a long drive. But because of Ha Jun-seo, Kim Min-seok was stuck at home.

Ha Jun-seo didn’t boss him around. He simply finished tidying up the kitchen and then sat on the sofa, watching TV.

“You’re not going home?”

When Kim Min-seok asked cautiously, Ha Jun-seo shook his head with a smile.

“I can’t leave Ha-yoon alone. Especially after what happened.”

By “what happened,” he was clearly referring to the time Seo Ha-yoon jumped from the third floor.

Kim Min-seok couldn’t, for the life of him, understand what Seo Ha-yoon had been thinking when he did something like that. Rejecting a life of such luxury, throwing away the good looks he’d been lucky enough to be born with—what was the point of trying to die? No, actually, if he was serious about dying, shouldn’t he have jumped from at least the fifth floor instead of the third? The third floor was an awkward height to jump from if you intended to die. If his luck was absolutely shit, maybe he’d break his neck and die, but more often than not, he’d just end up with some broken limbs.

Well, whatever Seo Ha-yoon had been thinking didn’t really matter. Thanks to him, a dirt-poor, bottom-of-the-barrel Kim Min-seok had managed to slip into this incredible body.

“That won’t happen again. Ever.”

Kim Min-seok declared firmly. Ha Jun-seo stared at him for a moment before speaking.

“Even if that weren’t the case, Ha-yoon gets lonely easily. I don’t want to leave him alone.”

As Ha Jun-seo spoke, he gently ran his fingers through Kim Min-seok’s hair. His touch was soft and kind. The gaze he fixed on him was just as warm, and for a brief moment, something deep inside Kim Min-seok’s chest tightened.

Born with nothing, Kim Min-seok had never been used to receiving affection like this. As a child, he grew up getting beaten by the older boys in the orphanage. As he got older, he lived without expecting anything from life. When he became an adult, the orphanage handed him his entire fortune—a mere few million won—and tossed him out into the world. Forget affection from others; he could barely hope for a warm room or a decent home-cooked meal. So, Ha Jun-seo’s kindness felt both comforting and, at the same time, foreign. He wanted to push it away.

“…I’m not lonely. Not even a little.”

Kim Min-seok lied, feeling the dryness of his withered loneliness inside him. Ha Jun-seo smiled faintly, then reached out to toy with the piercing in his earlobe.

“You know something? When you lie, the tip of your ear turns just a little red.”

Kim Min-seok silently touched his own ear. Now that he thought about it, he did feel a slight warmth there.

“You’re terrible at lying, yet you always have a lie on your lips. It’s kind of adorable, at least to me.”

“…You have an unusual taste.”

At Kim Min-seok’s grumpy remark, Ha Jun-seo let out a quiet chuckle.

“That’s exactly what Ha-yoon always used to say. That I have strange taste.”

“And just how unusual is your taste?”

“Hmm… What do you think?”

“How should I know? I don’t remember anything.”

“That sounds nice. Learning everything from scratch, one by one.”

Ha Jun-seo narrowed his eyes slightly as he added, “I like things like that. Teaching someone who knows absolutely nothing, step by step, carefully.”

His narrowed gaze and tone were laced with an unreadable depth.

“Ah… yeah…”

Kim Min-seok instinctively rubbed his arms as a chill ran down his spine. Ha Jun-seo burst into laughter at the sight, looking genuinely amused.

As they continued exchanging words that blurred the line between playful banter and serious conversation, the sun eventually set. With his stomach full and his nerves constantly on edge from dealing with Ha Jun-seo, fatigue quickly crept up on him. He let out a yawn without realizing it, and Ha Jun-seo suddenly appeared with a set of pajamas and underwear, handing them to him.

“You look really tired. Go wash up.”

The phrase “go wash up” could sometimes carry a suggestive meaning between lovers, but there was nothing like that in Ha Jun-seo’s tone. That was a relief. Ever since waking up in the hospital, Kim Min-seok hadn’t had the chance to shower, and the sudden awareness of his unclean state made him feel grimy all over. Grabbing the pajamas and underwear, he headed straight to the bathroom. Just in case, he made sure to lock the door tightly before turning on the shower.

Hot water immediately gushed out in a steady stream. The water pressure was satisfying. Standing in the luxurious, hotel-like bathroom, enjoying the warmth of the water, he couldn’t help but hum a little tune. Even after washing up, he lingered under the steaming water, savoring the comforting heat. By the time he finally turned off the shower, the tips of his fingers had wrinkled from the moisture.

Dressed in fresh underwear and soft pajamas, with a towel draped over his head, he stepped out of the bathroom. The house was no longer illuminated by bright lights; instead, a soft, ambient glow filled the space. With the change in lighting, the modern interior took on an even more refined, intimate atmosphere.

Entering the master bedroom, Kim Min-seok immediately spotted Ha Jun-seo sitting against the headboard. His hair was still damp, likely from showering in the en-suite bathroom, and he was wearing the exact same pajamas as Kim Min-seok.

“Uh…”

Kim Min-seok hesitated in the doorway, his expression awkward. A troubling thought crossed his mind—surely, Ha Jun-seo wasn’t expecting them to sleep in the same bed. No, considering that Ha Jun-seo was already lying down, it was clear that was exactly what he meant.

If it were just any other man, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. The bed was spacious enough for two, so they could easily share without issue. But the problem was that Ha Jun-seo wasn’t just any man—he was Seo Ha-yoon’s boyfriend. And not just in some vague, casual way. They were definitely the kind of lovers who had spread their legs for each other. Sharing a bed under these circumstances felt far too suggestive, even threatening.

“Come on, get in.”

Ha Jun-seo lifted the blanket beside him, motioning Kim Min-seok over. But when he didn’t move, Ha Jun-seo gave a small smile and added,

“I won’t eat you up, I promise. You’re tired, aren’t you?”

That reassurance eased Kim Min-seok’s nerves a little. “I won’t eat you up”—so he meant nothing was going to happen. That was a relief. Besides, after standing under hot water for so long, exhaustion pressed heavily on his shoulders. At this point, all he wanted was to pass out and sleep.

After a moment of hesitation, Kim Min-seok stepped toward the bed and carefully lay down beside Ha Jun-seo. As he had briefly tested earlier, the mattress was unbelievably soft—better than any bed he had ever experienced.

Just in case, he pulled the blanket up to his chin and shifted around, trying to find the most comfortable position while keeping himself guarded.

“Okay, I’m going to sleep now,” he announced, as if making a formal declaration, before closing his eyes.

A moment later, he felt Ha Jun-seo’s fingers running gently through his still-damp hair. The touch was soft, almost tender.

As he let himself sink into the warmth, his eyelids grew heavier. Sleep was about to take him.

But just as he was drifting off, the hand that had been gently stroking his hair slid down, parting the strands as it moved to his ear. Fingertips traced the delicate curve of his helix, then lightly caressed his earlobe. There was no mistaking the sensual undertone in the touch. Kim Min-seok tried to ignore it, willing himself to fall asleep quickly.

Unfortunately, Ha Jun-seo wasn’t about to let that happen.

The hand that had been playing with his ear slid lower, fingers brushing over the nape of his neck before lazily tracing the contour of his collarbone. The light, deliberate touch sent a shiver down his spine. Any trace of sleepiness vanished instantly, replaced by sharp awareness.

“…Ha Jun-seo.”

He opened his eyes and called his name. Ha Jun-seo was lying on his side, propped up on one arm, gazing at him.

“What?”

As he spoke, his fingers continued their slow, deliberate path over Kim Min-seok’s collarbone. He looked so calm, so utterly unbothered, as if he were doing something as casual as flipping through a magazine.

“Stop that.”

Kim Min-seok’s voice was quiet but firm.

Ha Jun-seo’s eyes narrowed slightly. His soft lips parted, and in an infuriatingly slow, deliberate tone, he said,

“No.”

“…What?”

“I said, no.”

Then, without warning, Ha Jun-seo pushed himself up and straddled Kim Min-seok’s body.

Kim Min-seok’s eyes widened in shock. He instinctively pressed his hands against Ha Jun-seo’s chest to shove him away, but despite his deceptively gentle appearance, the man’s body was broad, solid, and unyielding. He didn’t budge an inch.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“What do you think?”

“I said I don’t want this.”

“But I do.”

“What does that have to do with me? Just because you want it doesn’t mean I have to go along with it.”

“We’re lovers.”

Ha Jun-seo spoke softly as he leaned down, his face drawing closer. The scent of his shampoo—the same as the one lingering on Kim Min-seok—filled the space between them.

Up close, his delicate, pale features were even more strikingly beautiful. But that wasn’t the issue right now. The real problem was that Ha Jun-seo was about to kiss him. Kim Min-seok reacted instantly, pushing against his chin to keep him away.

Ha Jun-seo’s eyes curved into a gentle smile, but the next moment, he grabbed both of Kim Min-seok’s wrists and pinned them to the bed.

Kim Min-seok struggled, trying to pull his hands free, but Ha Jun-seo’s grip was frighteningly strong. He didn’t even budge.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

Ha Jun-seo’s speech, which had maintained a polite tone up until now, suddenly shifted. He was still smiling, but his eyes… they weren’t. His gaze was sharp, calculating—watching, studying every reaction.

“Let go of me!”

Kim Min-seok snapped, his voice rising in anger. Ha Jun-seo’s smirk only deepened.

“You know,” he mused, “I can’t get enough of you when you get all worked up like this. Just like this…”

His words trailed off as he shifted one of Kim Min-seok’s hands downward.

The moment his palm pressed against something hard beneath the soft fabric of Ha Jun-seo’s pajamas, realization hit like a lightning bolt.

“Fuck—what the hell, you crazy bastard!”

Kim Min-seok jerked back with a sharp cry, recoiling in disgust. But Ha Jun-seo only tilted his head slightly, still smiling, his gaze taking on an even more intent, scrutinizing quality.

Then he asked, almost lazily, “Are you really sure you don’t remember, Ha-yoon?”

“I don’t! I fucking don’t!”

“Strange… then why do you keep reacting just the way you always did?”

“If you’re acting like a lunatic, then what the hell else am I supposed to call you?!”

“Hmm…”

Ha Jun-seo let out a quiet breath. That was when Kim Min-seok realized—Ha Jun-seo had never truly believed that Seo Ha-yoon had lost his memories. Not entirely. He had been going along with the story, humoring him, but deep down, he had doubts.

The realization sent a fresh wave of unease crawling up his spine.

“Listen, Ha Jun-seo,” Kim Min-seok said, forcing his voice to remain calm. “I really don’t remember anything. And I especially don’t remember you. If I’m telling you no, and you still push forward, then that’s rape. Plain and simple.”

Ha Jun-seo smiled. A soft, almost amused curve of his lips.

“Why are you getting so hung up on details like that, Ha-yoon?”

This man—he was definitely not as sane as he looked.

“I wanted to hold back tonight, I really did…” Ha Jun-seo murmured. “But then I thought about it—if I wait too long, Choi Sang-hyuk will come back. And when that happens, wouldn’t he just steal you away from me again? I can’t let that bastard be the one to take my Ha-yoon’s virginity, not when you’re a blank slate who doesn’t remember a thing. That’s something only I should do. So, I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

His voice was slow, deliberate, as if explaining a simple truth. As he finished speaking, he pressed Kim Min-seok’s hands down on either side of his head. Then, he leaned in for a kiss.

Kim Min-seok turned his face away just in time, making Ha Jun-seo’s lips land on his cheek instead.

Ha Jun-seo’s eyes narrowed.

Then, without warning, his grip on Kim Min-seok’s wrists loosened.

For a brief, fleeting moment, relief flooded Kim Min-seok’s chest. He shoved Ha Jun-seo away—but instead of falling back, Ha Jun-seo grabbed him by the waist and flipped him over.

Before he could react, he was pinned face-down against the mattress.