Formless Chapter 41

Heewoon raised his head and stared intently at Gangwoo, who was talking on the phone. Gangwoo, who briefly glanced over, stroked his red cheek with his fingertips.

“…Around 30 minutes….”

Seo Gangwoo mouthed something, but Heewoon could not hear what he was saying clearly. So, when Heewoon frowned, Gangwoo lightly flicked his forehead.

“Let’s go out.”

Gangwoo, who had finished the call without Heewoon noticing, grabbed Heewoon’s arm and pulled him up. Gangwoo held Heewoon’s arm firmly—Heewoon’s pace sped up, then slowed down—and occasionally let out a chuckle that sounded like leaking air.

They left the barbecue restaurant, walked a short distance, and turned a corner into an alley. A foreign car was parked there.

“Uh… a car….”

“This wouldn’t be a bicycle, would it?”

Gangwoo replied casually, opened the back door, let Heewoon enter first, and then got in with him. Heewoon stared intently at the driver’s headrest before closing his eyes.

When he opened his eyes, he was leaning against a firm shoulder. The padding jacket, the scarf, and the body heat of the person sitting close to him made Heewoon close his eyes again.

“Wake up. We’ve arrived.”

Heewoon opened his eyes at the light touch shaking his shoulder. Gangwoo held the hands of Heewoon, who was rubbing his eyes groggily. Heewoon followed Gangwoo, still disoriented. He did not even know where they were going.

When he came to his senses, he was inside a hotel room.

Heewoon looked around in confusion. He lifted his hand to rub his eyes, only to realize he was holding Seo Gangwoo’s hand. Heewoon raised his head and looked up at Gangwoo. They just stood there, their eyes locked, when a knock sounded.

As Gangwoo released his hand and went toward the door, Heewoon remained standing still in that spot, only blinking. He stayed right there until the employee placed a tray on the table and left.

Gangwoo smiled a little when he saw Heewoon standing blankly, then took his hand and made Heewoon sit down in front of the table. Heewoon’s eyes widened as he looked at the bowl. It was that extravagant ramen he had seen last time.

While Heewoon was staring blankly, Seo Gangwoo untied his scarf and lowered the zipper of his padding jacket. Then he took off the clothes.

“Uh-uh… that’s mine….”

When Heewoon tightly gripped the sleeve, Gangwoo said, “I know,” in a low voice and easily pulled Heewoon’s hand away.

It was newly bought, and Heewoon was nervous that someone might take it.

As Heewoon kept glancing at the jacket, Gangwoo laughed as if bewildered and turned Heewoon’s head.

“Just eat.”

The ramen came into Heewoon’s sight. It looks delicious, Heewoon muttered and picked up his chopsticks. His chopstick usage continued without a break. It tasted much better than the soybean paste stew from earlier.

“The kids are saying the student council is embezzling money.”

At some point, Heewoon realized he was rambling on and on to Gangwoo. Gangwoo, sitting next to him, was resting his chin on his hand and watching Heewoon.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. They collected fifteen thousand won, but they say that if you book that place as a group, they give a really big discount.”

“They are bad kids.”

As the soft voice chimed in agreement, more useless words flowed out endlessly. Like how the weather is so cold these days, but he doesn’t feel cold at all when wearing the padding jacket, but his butt keeps getting cold, which is frustrating….

He finished all the ramen and gulped down a bottle of mineral water. He was staring at the empty bowl when Seo Gangwoo stroked his head and stood up.

“You smell like cheap food, so go wash up.”

Heewoon pulled at his T-shirt and sniffed. He did not think he smelled anything. So, Heewoon remained sitting quietly in the chair.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

He only jumped up belatedly when Gangwoo, who was standing in front of the bathroom, turned back to look.

It was the first time they had washed together.

Standing side by side and brushing their teeth, Heewoon stared blankly at himself and Gangwoo in the mirror. His own body looked particularly small next to the large, firm body.

Heewoon rinsed his mouth and then asked,

“Gangwoo, do you work out? Oh, right. You jog in the morning. Then should I jog too?”

Heewoon grabbed Gangwoo’s arm with both hands and kneaded it. Gangwoo looked down at Heewoon intently. Sometimes Heewoon would stumble and bury his nose in Gangwoo’s biceps.

“Uh… the TOEIC class is at nine, so if I leave at seven…. It’s cold in the morning, what should I do?”

Gangwoo stared intently at the fingers pressing down on the muscular, thick arm, and then his gaze moved to the drunken face, which was completely relaxed. His cheeks were flushed red, and perhaps because the blood was circulating, his lip color was deeper than usual. Glimpses of panting breaths escaped between his slightly parted lips.

Gangwoo’s brow gradually furrowed.

“Were you like this earlier too?”

Heewoon raised his head and looked up at Gangwoo. He was practically hanging onto the arm now, finding it hard to stand.

“Hmm?”

“Were you chattering and acting cute like this?”

Cute…. Heewoon mulled over the word and shook his head, denying it.

“Ah, no.”

But Gangwoo did not listen.

“So, the bastards sitting across from you were grinning foolishly because of that.”

Seo Gangwoo’s expression as he murmured softly was frightening. It seemed like he would harm someone any minute. And the closest person was Heewoon himself. Heewoon carefully asked, tightening his grip on the arm he was holding.

“Gangwoo. Did I… did I do something wrong?”

“……”

When Gangwoo only stared without speaking, Heewoon’s eyes quickly welled up with tears. Because he had consumed alcohol, his emotions surfaced quickly.

“I listened well. I have been, recently, I’ve been listening to what you say.”

“That’s true. But why do I feel like punishing you?”

His hand affectionately stroked Heewoon’s head, but his words were the opposite. Heewoon heavily hunched his shoulders because the touch felt like it would turn rough soon. The hand that had been holding the arm had slipped off at some point and was now clutching Gangwoo’s hand.

Gangwoo’s gaze lingered briefly on Heewoon’s hand gripping his fingers, then moved to the frightened face.

“I shouldn’t punish the obedient Woo Heewoon. Right?”

“Yes, yes.”

When Heewoon desperately nodded his head, Gangwoo let out a small laugh. The shallow smile quickly vanished. When Gangwoo turned around, Heewoon lost hold of his hand.

Heewoon anxiously watched Gangwoo taking off his clothes. He held onto his fingertips while looking at the broad back where muscles moved smoothly, then Gangwoo turned back.

“Take off your clothes and come in.”

Heewoon swayed, stripped off his clothes, and followed Gangwoo inside. The shower booth was spacious enough for two people.

Silence flowed. Heewoon watched Gangwoo’s mood. Gangwoo stared intently at Heewoon’s face, which was twisted almost into a sob, and slowly reached out his hand.

Swoosh—

Water suddenly poured down from the ceiling. Heewoon, directly underneath, was hit head-on by the water.

“Ugh, cough, cough—.”

Because he was looking up at Gangwoo defenselessly, water entered his nose, mouth, and eyes, making Heewoon cough uncontrollably, unable to regain his composure. Gangwoo calmly watched Heewoon like that and swept back his wet hair.

“Huck, hngg….”

Gangwoo lightly held the hand Heewoon raised to wipe his face, unable to open his eyes. His other hand was also grabbed, leaving him unable to move an inch. He was pushed back, and the cold wall hit his back.

The force holding both his wrists in one hand and pressing them against his chest was so strong that Heewoon felt terrified. Whether he hit the switch with his back, the stream of water pouring from the ceiling stopped, leaving only droplets going drip, drop.

“Sunbae.”

“Hngg.”

Heewoon, who had his eyes tightly closed because water was streaming down from his hair, answered.

“You should open your eyes and look.”

At Gangwoo’s words, Heewoon struggled to open his eyes. Water droplets entered his eyes, making his eyelids tremble. He grew anxious as he felt the gaze fixed upon him.

“I-it stings….”

As Heewoon whimpered, a large hand lightly brushed his face. Only then was he able to open his eyes with difficulty. Gangwoo’s gaze that met his was weighted heavily downward. Something streamed down from the corner of his eye. Whether it was water or tears was unknown, but Gangwoo’s gaze followed it for a long moment.

Gangwoo, who was looking at Heewoon’s face as if engraving it into his memory, finally opened his mouth after a long silence.

“I can’t just kill all those other bastards.”

“G-Gangwoo….”

His face, wet and sticky with hair plastered to his forehead, looked at Gangwoo with intense longing. Gangwoo raised the corner of his mouth chillingly and said,

“Do you just want to stay home?”

That frighteningly low voice and the black eyes shimmering with something unknown. Heewoon was horrified.

“Not go to school, not go outside, not meet anyone……”

“……”

Gangwoo slowly stroked the cheek of Heewoon, who was holding his breath.

“Will you wait obediently at home until I come?”

“Y-your house?”

Yes. Gangwoo answered with a rumble in his throat and pushed back the hair of the terrified Heewoon. His slightly bloodshot eyes sparkled as if they would drop tears any moment.

“Gangwoo….”

Heewoon trembled. It felt like Seo Gangwoo would genuinely lock him up at home. Those heavily sunken eyes were not lying.

Gangwoo’s gaze sharply rose and landed on the white shoulder, which was trembling finely. He covered the shoulder with his large hand and released the wrist. A red handprint remained on the wrist. Since his skin bruises easily, it would turn bluish shortly after.

Gangwoo smiled benignly while looking at Heewoon, who was looking at him fearfully.

“Be careful, sunbae. Otherwise, it feels like something terrible is going to happen to you.”

Although he was smiling, Gangwoo’s eyes shone chillingly, like those of a beast of prey.

“Yes, yes. I will.”

Heewoon nodded, not even knowing what he was supposed to be careful about. A single tear fell from Heewoon’s eye.

Gangwoo tilted his head slightly and asked,

“Why are you crying? Are you feeling wronged?”

“N-no! No, it’s not that.”

Drip, drop. Only the sound of falling water droplets was heard. Heewoon could not endure the pressure of the silence and opened his mouth.

“B-because you suddenly got scary. And you gave me ramen…. The ramen was delicious.”

His chest heaved as he sniffled. Due to the alcohol mixed with fear, Heewoon did not know what he was saying right now.

My wrist hurts too. M-my eyes sting… I’m scared, Gangwoo.

Heewoon spoke ramblingly while touching his wrist. Gangwoo wiped the moisture from Heewoon’s face and asked,

“You ate all the ramen, I let go of your wrist, and your eyes don’t sting anymore.”

“No. It still hurts here.”

Heewoon thrust his wrist toward Gangwoo. He also kept blinking as if his eyes hurt. Gangwoo grabbed the wrist thrust in front of him and lowered his lips.

“Aack!”