Netkama Punch!!!

After finishing the Pomeranian drawing, Shin Heejae wrote ‘Seyoung’ next to it. No, he tried to write it. I snatched the pen from him when he had already written ‘Seyou…’ and scribbled a big X over the letters.
Shin Heejae gave up the pen without a fuss, but after I crossed the writing out thoroughly, he took the pen back and started doodling something else in the corner.

At first, I couldn’t tell what it was, but on closer look, it seemed like he was drawing the [Sesam] character in a simplified, cute style. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he quickly sketched his own character—the one he always puts in his YouTube thumbnails—and childishly added a heart between them.
I grabbed the pen back again and was about to write ‘Yuck,’ but then I decided to draw a puking emoji instead. Seeing how easily Heejae was drawing, I figured I might be able to manage it too.
However, what I ended up with looked more like a skull with seaweed in its mouth. Shin Heejae snickered.

“What are you laughing at?”
Annoying bastard.
He changed the subject, as if to placate my irritation.

“Want me to draw you something else?”
I hesitated for a moment, then casually named the first thing that caught my eye.
“…Lettuce?”

“Lettuce?”
“Yeah.”
“You just drew that.”

He said this as he poked the pen tip at my ‘Yuck’ emoji.
“Wanna die?”
I snapped, letting go of his finger that I’d been holding onto a moment ago.

But this time, Shin Heejae immediately grabbed my hand instead. I had only held one of his fingers, but Heejae clasped my entire hand firmly. I wiggled my fingers in discomfort, but I didn’t forcibly pull away.
Noticing this, Heejae hesitated briefly, then gave me a sly grin and offered an insincere apology.
“Just kidding… I’ll draw you an onion too.”

“…”
With one hand, Shin Heejae began to draw random things on the table, round and soft in shape.
It didn’t match his usual behavior, but his drawing style was strangely soft, with no sharp edges. Whether it was people or objects, everything he drew had a kind of round, mellow feel to it. I propped my chin with my free hand and watched him, absorbed, as he wasted a second napkin on his doodles.
“Did you ever learn to draw?”

“Nope.”
He replied while sketching my in-game character getting beaten with a staff. I liked the drawing so much that as soon as he lifted the pen, I pulled the napkin toward me by its corner.
I stared at it intently, then glanced up at Heejae—only to meet his gaze head-on. He was smiling at me with a childish grin, clearly unaware of what kind of face he was making.

“Do you like it that much?”
“…”
“Seyoung, so your type is a guy who’s good at drawing?”

“…What are you even talking about.”
I barely managed to retort, but today, for some reason, it felt like the ground beneath my feet was swaying. It reminded me of the seasickness I’d felt once, on a ferry during a school trip to Jeju Island.
“Hehe.”
Heejae chuckled quietly and lowered his head again. It was obvious he was trying to use this moment to win me over. Normally, I would have left by now, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his profile.

‘…His hands are sweaty.’
I meant Shin Heejae’s hands.
He hadn’t been drinking heavily like I had, and he hadn’t been moving much—just drawing a few pictures. So it had to be because he was nervous.

But… I didn’t dislike it. What made me uncomfortable was the churning in my chest. It felt like his awkwardness was infecting me, making my breath come shorter. He kept sneaking glances at me while pretending to focus on his drawing, as if aware that I was tensing up.
“…”
“…”

Then, from the other side, I felt an odd stare. Following the gaze, I turned my head—and met Sim Woohyun’s eyes.
Sim Woohyun was staring at me with a displeased look. Suddenly, I became hyper-aware of how this situation must look to others. Two guys holding hands, leaning close, whispering and laughing…
Thud!

Like cold water pouring over my head, I came to my senses and jerked my hand out of Heejae’s grasp. Then I quickly stood up. Heejae reached for me, but I moved faster.
“The restroom’s outside, on the right. The key’s at the entrance.”
“Huh? Oh, right…”

As I rushed to the door, a part-timer carrying a grill spoke to me mechanically. I hadn’t been heading to the restroom, but letting it look that way was better. There was no way I could turn back now.
‘What the hell was I doing just now?’
Was I really that drunk?

We’d just been sitting there, holding hands for way too long… And that part-timer probably saw us too.
“Haa, haa…!”
Sliding open the door, I stepped outside and hurried in the opposite direction of the restroom. Only after confirming the alley was empty did I finally exhale the breath I’d been holding.

“Kim Seyoung.”
“…!”
Shin Heejae’s voice startled me, and I turned around immediately. As soon as our eyes met, I snapped hysterically.

“Why are you following me!”
“…What?”
“…”

I had no comeback for that, but just remembering Sim Woohyun’s stare made my heart sink again. That look… like he’d seen something hard to understand.
“If… if we come out together, the others will get the wrong idea…”
“…”

It hit me hard.
Just now, I… did I look like I was gay? Was that what people thought? The thought made me want to run away.
But Shin Heejae just asked casually, like it was no big deal.

“Is there anyone there who doesn’t already know I like you?”
“…”
“And if you don’t want me chasing after you, stop running off without your phone. I told you that before, remember?”

Then he stepped closer and shoved my forgotten phone into my hand.
I clutched it tightly, staring at him with no idea what to do. Heejae stood there motionless, like he was trying to reassure me, before asking abruptly:
“…Does this bother you?”

I felt a strange tension, glancing at his now-neutral face, and answered slowly.
“…What does?”
“The others. Staring. This kind of thing.”

“…”
Honestly, what bothered me most was him, but after what I’d just done, I couldn’t say that.
Seeing my face darken, Heejae spoke more gently.

“Wanna go home?”
“…”
My throat felt tight, like I couldn’t speak.

But somehow, I had the sinking feeling that going home now would be a bad idea. Being alone with Heejae tonight felt dangerous. Like every hair on my body was standing on end…
“Ri… right now? What about the others…”
“We can see them again later.”

“…”
Heejae said this in his usual harmless tone as he tugged at my hand, but I felt like I was being led to a slaughterhouse.
Still, there was one hope: maybe if we tried to leave, Sim Woohyun would do something to stop us. Maybe he’d hassle Heejae enough to delay us. Maybe this weird tension would ease if we stalled…

“Sir, please take us to ××-dong.”
But my hopes were crushed. This crazy bastard just tossed aside his jacket and immediately called a taxi.
Only once we were seated in the backseat, after being dragged along, did I realize we’d left all our belongings—except our ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ phones—at the restaurant.

“Hey! What about your jacket?”
“I’ll have Sim Woohyun grab it.”
“What?”

And then Heejae actually called him.
“Yo. I’m heading home with Seyoung—yeah, he says he’s sick. Don’t call me a liar, yeah it’s a lie. Anyway, my jacket and bag are under the chair, grab them for me, okay? Thanks.”
I couldn’t hear Sim Woohyun clearly, but from the muffled voice, he was definitely cursing. Of course, Heejae ignored him completely.

My jaw dropped as another thought hit me—his car.
“What about your car?”
“It’s a foreign car. Hard to get a driver for it. I’ll grab it tomorrow, don’t worry…”

Then he yawned.
“…and relax.”
Finally, he closed his eyes and leaned his head on my shoulder. My body stiffened when I caught the taxi driver’s glance in the rearview mirror, but Heejae acted like nothing was wrong and stayed leaning against me the whole ride.

Whether he was actually asleep, I didn’t know. But he never moved away from my shoulder once. I didn’t push him off, but I couldn’t calm down either, sitting stiffly the entire way.
The closer we got to my place, the more panic I felt. But of course, because it was so late, the roads were empty, and soon enough, familiar signs and buildings began appearing outside the window.