Irresponsibility Chapter 6.8

In response to the flustered question, Baek Geonhyuk made a blank face before bursting into laughter. He ruffled Yeoun’s hair rather roughly, then immediately said, “Ah, I was too rough,” and gently tidied his hair.

“Well now. Will you rent me a room?”

He asked with smiling eyes. When he feigned indifference by pretending to look around the house, he spoke again.

“Think about what else you want to receive.”

“No…”

He started to speak, but Baek Geonhyuk picked up the suitcase and strode away.

“I have to unpack, and I have to prepare dinner. I’m busy.”

Ah. I need to change the clock battery too. Baek Geonhyuk clicked his tongue as he looked at the stopped clock.

Anyone could see he was pretending to be busy. Joo Yeoun, his gaze fixed on the large back, wrinkled his nose.

It had been a hectic day. Until the afternoon, time had flowed with the recent gloomy and slow pace, but since Baek Geonhyuk’s arrival, he had been truly out of his mind.

Looking back, he didn’t think he had been scared. Just bewildered.

Joo Yeoun pulled the blanket up to his chest and rolled his eyes. Everywhere his gaze landed was unfamiliar. The single bed he was lying on now, the blanket, the empty room that came into view at a glance, all of it.

This space was a room he had won from Baek Geonhyuk, who had told him to use the master bedroom on the second floor. It had been a truly difficult battle to obtain this room, which was used as a guest room.

Baek Geonhyuk had come up with all sorts of strange reasons. The reason that he might fall to the floor in his sleep if he used a small bed after being used to a large one was absurd, but what was even more absurd were his words about someone else having used this bed before, and that it was unsettling.

It wasn’t like the bedding hadn’t been washed, so what was there to be unsettled about? Besides, he wasn’t the one sleeping here; he was.

‘G-go by body s-size.’

At those words, Baek Geonhyuk had looked down at him. His gaze moving slightly, he had repeated, “by size,” and smiled faintly.

‘A-and I don’t like g-going up to the second floor.’

‘You don’t?’

‘I might… I might roll down the stairs.’

He had thrown out a half-hearted reason, just like Baek Geonhyuk did. But at that, Baek Geonhyuk had finally said, “Ah,” and frowned.

‘Alright. Then I’ll have to buy some furniture.’

‘J-just a bed is fine.’

Those words were ignored, but in any case, Yeoun had obtained the small room in front of the stairs on the first floor.

Now Baek Geonhyuk would be able to sleep comfortably too. His bed, which he had seen while looking around, was incredibly large and seemed like it would feel stable even with him lying on it.

With a lightened heart, Joo Yeoun closed his eyes. He had walked for the first time in a while and had also been in a car, so it seemed he would be able to fall asleep quickly even in an unfamiliar space.

“……”

Was it a little cold? Yeoun, who had pulled the thin blanket up to cover his chin, soon opened his eyes. He thought the breeze from the fan was a little chilly.

From the single bed, he could easily lower his feet to the floor without needing to roll over. Yeoun, who had gotten up sluggishly, turned off the fan and lay back down in bed.

He closed his eyes after that, but the air felt stuffy. After taking a few deep breaths, he eventually opened his eyes again.

Yeoun left the door half open and then lay down on the bed. I really have to sleep now.

But contrary to his resolve, he couldn’t fall asleep even after a long while. This room didn’t have a clock yet, so he just tossed and turned without knowing what time it was.

Joo Yeoun curled up under the covers. Feeling a strange chill, he tucked the edges of the blanket snugly under his body. He was blinking his eyes, his entire body wrapped in the blanket, when he heard a creaking sound.

It was probably nothing, as houses with a lot of wood often made such noises, but goosebumps rose on his arms. As he pulled the blanket up further and moved back a little, his back quickly touched the wall.

From the corner of the bed, Yeoun watched the area beyond the door. The shape of the stairs seemed visible, but it wasn’t clear because it was so dark.

Should I close the door? While he was contemplating, another creak sounded.

Joo Yeoun pressed himself tightly against the wall behind him. He was clutching the blanket and watching the doorway when a dark figure appeared.

“Heuh…!”

“Ah.”

As a terrified breath burst out, the huge shadow stopped dead in its tracks. The tension slowly eased as he saw it hold onto the stair railing and not come any closer. Joo Yeoun let out a deep breath and then spoke, pretending to be unfazed.

“You came to s-spy on me again.”

“I didn’t come to spy… Ah. I did come to spy.”

Baek Geonhyuk nonchalantly corrected himself. When he frowned, he let out a short laugh, as if he had seen that scrunched-up face, and approached.

“I was curious if you were sleeping well.”

He said as he sat down on the floor below the bed. He looked at the body hidden in the corner, wrapped up in the blanket, and then opened his mouth again.

“Looks like you couldn’t sleep.”

“…N-no, I could.”

Baek Geonhyuk rested his elbow on the bed and gazed at Joo Yeoun.

“Should I put you to sleep?”

“N-no.”

Who did he think he was, a child?

“I-I’m going to sleep. Get out.”

Joo Yeoun pointedly squeezed his eyes shut and turned his back to him. But soon after, he felt a hand that broadly covered his shoulder and patted him.

“I don’t want to either.”

The low voice said.

When he didn’t reply, Baek Geonhyuk also said nothing. His surroundings became completely silent, just as it had been before he entered the room.

However, the hand patting his shoulder still remained, and even with his eyes closed, he could feel the warm presence behind his back.

“Sleep well, Yeoun.”

He heard the quiet voice after a long while. And at the same time, it seemed he had drifted off to sleep.

He opened his eyes when he felt like he had slept for a long time. Rubbing his eyes, Yeoun looked out the window. An unfamiliar landscape, all green, was visible.

These days, the weather was gloomy, so he would often oversleep without realizing it was morning. That was why he usually had to be woken up by Baek Geonhyuk.

Baek Geonhyuk hadn’t woken him yet, so it probably wasn’t time for breakfast. Joo Yeoun blinked his wide-awake eyes and then sat up. As he was tidying his bedding and heading out to the bathroom, a clock suddenly caught his eye.

11:25.

Baek Geonhyuk had changed the clock’s battery and reset it last night, so that time should be correct. Joo Yeoun turned his head and looked out the window. Although it was a cloudy sky, it looked different from the early morning sky. It meant he had really overslept.

…Why hadn’t Baek Geonhyuk woken him up?

It was nothing serious, but just the fact that it was different from his familiar routine made him feel anxious.

Did something happen? Did something dangerous happen? Or did he go on another business trip?

Or, maybe it was because he was a nuisance. Making breakfast every time was no easy task. On top of that, hadn’t he been a huge bother to him just last night?

“……”

He stood there for some time looking at the clock, then turned away. He washed up in the bathroom, but his mood wasn’t the least bit refreshed. Yeoun pressed his drooping lips together and headed for the kitchen. The house was unfamiliar, making even his own steps feel awkward.

But, in the unfamiliar kitchen, wasn’t that a familiar back he saw?

“Did you sleep well?”

Seeing Baek Geonhyuk turn around, Joo Yeoun stopped dead in his tracks.

He felt strange. A deep sense of relief enveloped his whole body, making his blood circulate. Adrenaline rushed through him, and he felt a strong impulse to jump into those arms.

It had only been once, but he couldn’t forget it. How firm and warm his embrace was.

“Why d-didn’t you wake me up in the morning?”

The childish thought slipped out before he could catch it. Regretting it belatedly, Joo Yeoun bit the soft flesh inside his mouth.

“You went to bed late last night.”

A cool reply came back. Baek Geonhyuk didn’t seem to have noticed the emotion with which he had asked the question. What a relief.

What a relief that Baek Geonhyuk is here.