Irresponsibility Chapter 6.5

It gave me the chills. Baek Geonhyuk, who had spoken so nonchalantly, caressed Joo Yeoun’s arm with his large hand. The rough palm brushing against his skin only made it feel more ticklish.

“It tickles… I said it tickles.”

“This too?”

“Yo-your palm is so rough.”

“Ah.”

Letting out a short sound, Baek Geonhyuk looked down at his own palm. Then, after glancing at the snow-white arm for a moment, he frowned slightly.

“I guess I’ll have to take better care of my hands if I’m going to give you massages.”

The sensation of Baek Geonhyuk’s hands touching him was too ticklish. Sitting side by side on the sofa while he massaged his hand meant their knees were also too close. To avoid touching the man’s thick thighs, he had to sit with his knees primly together and just stretch out his hand, which required no small amount of effort.

Joo Yeoun, rolling his eyes as he tried to think of a way to refuse, finally opened his mouth.

“W-we can just buy a massage machine.”

Hmm? Baek Geonhyuk tilted his head askance and asked.

“Do you have money?”

“……”

He didn’t. Baek Geonhyuk had taken his wallet and his phone, and he never had enough money to buy such a luxury item in the first place.

“Y-you can just buy it for me.”

At those words, he let out a low laugh. I can just buy it for you? The corners of his eyes curved as he asked the question back.

“Sorry. I spent all my money buying those Choco Pies.”

“……”

Yeoun firmly shut his mouth and turned his head away as if to ignore him. At that, he smiled and stroked Yeoun’s head.

“I’ll buy you one later when I make a lot of money.”

“I-is this fun for you.”

“Don’t throw a tantrum.”

He brushed off Yeoun’s words, maintaining the attitude of someone placating a child.

“Let’s make do with my hands until our situation gets better.”

“…Wi-will our situation even get better?”

“No.”

A nonchalant reply came back. It was truly aggravating, but seeing him laugh so happily made that feeling subside.

“You’ll probably be bored during the day if you don’t play games.”

Baek Geonhyuk said as he swept back his long hair.

“C-can’t be helped.”

At those words, he gazed at Joo Yeoun for a moment before muttering a quiet, “Yeah.”

After even applying a hot compress to his hand, Baek Geonhyuk stood up.

“I think I have to go to the office.”

“…Okay.”

Baek Geonhyuk’s usual routine was to leave at dawn, stop by the house in the morning, then head out again and return late in the afternoon. Today, he hadn’t left at dawn because he had been watching over his bedside, so he might have a lot of work to do. He might even come back later. Yeoun’s gaze gradually fell.

“I’ll be back before dinner.”

His gaze, which had been fixed on empty space, turned to him.

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

Bending at the waist, Baek Geonhyuk met his eyes and asked. Joo Yeoun shook his head.

“Or anything you need.”

When he shook his head again, Baek Geonhyuk closed his mouth for a moment. His expression looked so troubled that the words slipped out on their own.

“A massage machine…”

At that, he let out a short laugh.

“I told you we can’t, because our situation is difficult.”

Speaking in a relaxed tone, Baek Geonhyuk stroked Joo Yeoun’s head and said, “I’ll be back.” Joo Yeoun’s lips twitched, and he just nodded.

After Baek Geonhyuk left for work, Joo Yeoun sat in the empty living room and looked down at his own hand. At least the pain wasn’t severe today. It might have been because of the large hand that had massaged it at dawn, and again just a little while ago.

Joo Yeoun tore his gaze from his hand and got up. It wasn’t raining today, so he could open the windows wide and clean.

After opening all the windows, he dusted the walls and shelves and cleaned meticulously. When he was done, dust was stuck to his sticky skin, so he took a shower right away. After that, he ate lunch and sat on the sofa.

He turned on the TV, but his eyes didn’t go to it. His gaze, fixed somewhere in the empty air, sank very low and then rose a little, over and over again.

Around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, the temperature rose quite a bit. It seemed to be because it wasn’t raining.

Sitting on the leather sofa felt hot, so he moved to the floor in front of the window. The floor was cooler than the sofa.

A muggy breeze blowing in from the open window tousled his hair. But Joo Yeoun didn’t bother to fix the hair tickling his cheek and kept his gaze fixed on the distance.

How long had he been looking at the sky, thick with dark clouds? Joo Yeoun, who had suddenly turned his head, widened his eyes. Baek Geonhyuk was standing at a distance, looking at him.

“When d-did you get here?”

He slowly opened his mouth.

“A little while ago.”

“Oh…”

As he nodded, he came over and sat down beside him.

“I told you to turn on the air conditioner if it’s hot.”

“I-it’s not that hot.”

At those words, Baek Geonhyuk glanced at him for a moment before putting a hand in Joo Yeoun’s hair and sweeping it back. His hair, which felt faintly warm, was damp with moisture. Keeping his hand where it was, he stroked the hair suspended in the air and asked softly.

“What did you do today?”

“I cleaned and watched TV… TV.”

Baek Geonhyuk glanced at the screen showing a home shopping channel, then fixed his gaze on the pale face.

“I see.” A hint of hesitation mixed with his short reply.

The next day, it rained again.

He couldn’t leave the windows open, but because of the rain, it wasn’t as hot as yesterday. Sitting on the wooden floor with his gaze on the view outside the window, Joo Yeoun massaged his own hand. He had considered using a hot compress but decided against it. It didn’t make it much better anyway, and it was just a hassle.

“I’m home.”

At the voice from behind him, Joo Yeoun turned around, a little startled. Had so much time already passed? His gaze went to the clock.

“Ah. Y-y-you’re home early.”

Baek Geonhyuk had come home earlier than usual.

Answering with a “Yeah,” Baek Geonhyuk stood in the middle of the living room, gazing at him, and only started walking when Joo Yeoun tilted his head in confusion.

He placed a grocery bag on the dining table and turned on the air conditioner. The air, which had been heavy and limp with moisture, gradually lightened. Joo Yeoun easily got up from the lukewarm floor.

“Let’s grill some meat.”

Baek Geonhyuk, who had lightly stroked the back of his head before moving away, brought a portable burner from the storage room. The burner, a frying pan, and the meat he had taken out of the grocery bag were placed on the dining table.

He felt a little indifferent because of a past experience of getting an upset stomach after eating pork belly, but what was on the table was Korean beef. Pack after pack of beautifully colored Korean beef kept appearing on the table. Even though Baek Geonhyuk was a big eater, it seemed like a large amount for just the two of them.

Suddenly, he thought of the person next door. Being alone with Baek Geonhyuk kept making him waver, so he thought it would be good to invite him.

“C-can’t the teacher e-eat with us too?”

Baek Geonhyuk’s busily moving hands paused.

Lifting his head, Joo Yeoun met Baek Geonhyuk’s peculiar expression. When he asked, “Why?” he gazed at him for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Well… I guess we could.”

He sounded reluctant. Was it because it was good meat and there would be another mouth to feed? Baek Geonhyuk was a big eater but he wasn’t greedy for food, but perhaps expensive food was different.

Come to think of it, it seemed a bit shameless of him to suggest sharing food that had been bought with his money. He was about to take back his words, but Baek Geonhyuk had already gone over to the next door.

“Hello, Mr. Joo Yeoun. We’re having a Korean beef party today.”

Lee Hyeonkyu, who entered shortly after, had a bright face.

“A rather shabby guest has come to the party.”

“That’s harsh, isn’t it?”

The doctor’s hands were full of the same kind of meat that was on the table. It seemed Baek Geonhyuk had also given some meat to the neighbor.

If he had known beforehand, he wouldn’t have suggested they eat together.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

“No… it’s nothing.”

Joo Yeoun flinched and shook his head at what Lee Hyeonkyu said while standing next to him. Then, he hesitantly backed away and moved to Baek Geonhyuk’s side. Joo Yeoun’s body was completely hidden by the large frame.

“But aren’t we having any alcohol with this fine food?”

Lee Hyeonkyu suddenly asked while they were preparing the meal. Baek Geonhyuk, who was about to nod, glanced at Joo Yeoun’s face. Recalling the sight of his white cheeks turning red, he muttered quietly.

“No alcohol.”

“But this is the first time I’m having dinner with Mr. Joo Yeoun.”

At the regret-filled words, Baek Geonhyuk looked askance at Lee Hyeonkyu. Then, he clicked his tongue with a tsk and said.

“You want to drink with a kid that badly? People will say you’re acting your age.”

“…I really hope people see you too, Mr. Team Leader.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Coke is better than alcohol, of course.”

Joo Yeoun, who had been rolling his eyes and watching the two’s conversation, turned away sharply at those words. But a thick arm blocked his way.

“Sit down, Yeoun.”

“Coke…”

“Yeah. I’ll get it for you.”

Baek Geonhyuk turned and headed for the refrigerator. Joo Yeoun hesitantly sat down in a chair. Feeling awkward with the doctor sitting across from him, he just let his eyes dart around the tabletop.

“Ah. We don’t have any tongs.”

At Lee Hyeonkyu’s words as he was about to place meat on the frying pan, Joo Yeoun immediately tried to get up.

This time too, a large hand stopped him. Baek Geonhyuk, who gently pressed his shoulder to make him sit, placed a can of Coke on the table and brought over the tongs.

When it was just the two of them, it wasn’t strange for Baek Geonhyuk to do everything, but with someone else there, it made him feel a little uncomfortable.