Salt Society Chapter 16

“Hey, I paid for this place. You just broke into a guest’s room. I’m going to sue you after the weekend.”

Having been woken from sleep, Kihyun’s voice was deeply husky and cracked at the edges. Cho Yeonoh looked at Kihyun and lay down on his side, wrapping his arms around him and hugging him through the blanket.

“Go ahead and sue. I was already getting sick of watching my lawyers take my money while doing nothing; let’s give those baldies some work to do.”

Better to die than to suffer. Kihyun simply shut his mouth. It was a mistake to start a verbal spat with Cho Yeonoh in the first place. Watching Kihyun, Yeonoh let out a smirk.

“You were having a nightmare. Let’s just sleep today. I won’t get angry either.”

“…”

The one who should be angry was Kihyun. It was a situation where he, who had his long-awaited vacation completely stolen, should be the one getting angry—not the petty criminal who picked a hotel room lock just because his calls weren’t answered. Yet Cho Yeonoh, despite being the one who committed the offense, shamelessly forgave Kihyun.

All while remaining ignorant of what Kihyun was actually thinking. Kihyun exhaled a sigh and closed his eyes. He then spoke in a resigned voice.

“Turn off the light. And since I didn’t bring a change of clothes and I’m naked, if you so much as step inside this blanket, I’ll take it as a sign that you want to try that ‘dating between Betas’ you loathe so much right this instant.”

He didn’t even know what dating between Betas was, but he blurted out the threat anyway. After that, Kihyun was pulled straight back into the depths of sleep. It was partly out of desire, but mostly because he had been so exhausted lately. Furthermore, his lack of sleep was exacerbated by his unsettled dreams.

The sound of Cho Yeonoh mumbling something behind him reached his ears.

“So you left home because you were that worked up over those words, my darling.”

Fuck off. Who’s your darling. The words spoken with a smirk were infuriating. However, Kihyun couldn’t refute them. He had already fallen fast asleep.

⏳

Kihyun furrowed his brow. Cho Yeonoh was grinning as he looked at Kihyun. Having apparently enjoyed a deep sleep beside him, Cho Yeonoh was dressed in workout clothes with a refreshed face.

It seemed he had woken up before Kihyun and visited the hotel gym. His slightly damp bangs were sticking to his forehead. Because his hair was thick and curly, he usually wore it up, but perhaps because it was morning, his bangs were down. His refreshed face made him stand out even more.

The problem was Kihyun. Because he had slept so well and woken up, he was experiencing the morning event that any healthy Beta male undergoes along with the urge to urinate, but Cho Yeonoh was grinning and refusing to move out of the way in the bathroom.

“Get out, seriously.”

“I don’t want to.”

The way he answered was clearly retaliation for yesterday. Even though he was smiling, one could feel that he was in a foul mood. At times like this, Cho Yeonoh made it his hobby to make sure So Kihyun saw the parts of his emotions that had become twisted.

Cho Yeonoh hated it most when So Kihyun vanished without contact. If Kihyun didn’t answer the phone because of work, Yeonoh was the type to try a couple more times and then inevitably call the hospital. Every time that happened, Kihyun had to soothe the displeased fellow.

Even so, they hadn’t known each other for just one or two years; he wondered if Yeonoh really had to retaliate in this manner. Moreover, the fellow was enjoying this situation. The smile floating on his face was proof of that.

“It’s urgent, get out.”

“Just come in.”

Previously, he had left the room saying he couldn’t stand to see Kihyun lower his pants, but today he was saying something else. Knowing full well that if he actually went in and lowered his robe, Cho Yeonoh would be the one embarrassed, there was a reason Kihyun couldn’t do it. It was because of his member, which was erect enough to lift the robe.

This wasn’t because he was excited, but a phenomenon caused by blood rushing to the vessels because it was morning, so there was nothing he could do about it. It would settle down if he waited a bit, but the problem was that the urge to urinate was too severe because of the beer he drank before bed.

“What are you doing, really. Why are you being like this.”

“I was downstairs working out, and when I thought about the trouble I went through because of you yesterday, I suddenly got heated. What if I die early from a stroke caused by repressed anger? You have to take responsibility.”

“Stop talking nonsense and get out.”

Kihyun wore a look of utter weariness. Cho Yeonoh was snickering with his arms crossed. It seemed that among Cho Yeonoh’s luggage sent by Manager Yoo last night, there were also workout clothes for this morning’s exercise.

Just by wearing black training pants and a matching T-shirt with a simple sports brand logo, Cho Yeonoh looked like a professional swimmer. With his solid-looking shoulders, thick upper arms, and pumped pectorals, he looked flawless. Even so, Kihyun had no desire to look at him in such an urgent situation.

Kihyun eventually turned his back. He planned to change clothes and go to the restroom in the lobby. …As for the erection, he would just have to stuff it in somehow so it wouldn’t be noticeable to others. It was better than enduring that bastard making fun of him with that oily smirk.

It was the moment he turned his back with that thought. Cho Yeonoh laughed, “Haha,” and hugged Kihyun from behind.

“Are you sulking? Where are you going with your hair looking like a bird’s nest. You can just say you’re sorry.”

Is there anything I should be sorry to you for? Kihyun didn’t voice those words and instead let out a sigh.

Cho Yeonoh went out of the bathroom while snickering, as if he wouldn’t tease him anymore. Kihyun closed the door with a thud and took off his robe first. It was agonizing to do his business while being firmly erect.

Furthermore, he was quite self-conscious about being in a hotel room rather than at home, in a bathroom blocked by a thin glass wall that wasn’t soundproof. He had no choice but to turn on the water in the sink before standing in front of the toilet. His urethra flickered before finally vomiting out a stream. Kihyun was drained from the start of his morning.

After finishing his business, he washed his hands and turned on the shower. Thanks to sleeping well, his swollen face looked funny, so he felt he should at least take a hot shower. He had planned to spend today leisurely, but his energy had been slashed just by bickering with Cho Yeonoh in the morning.

Since it was the weekend, it was a pity that Cho Yeonoh wasn’t going to work either. A lingering regret remained that if that jerk went to work, he could at least spend the daylight hours in peace.

Kihyun washed his body under the showerhead by necessity. Since he had taken a bath yesterday, a simple shower seemed sufficient. Finally, he turned on the cold water, and as the stream hit him, the blood that had been rushing settled down after a few twitches.

When the fellow had given him a massage and he got an erection, he had been embarrassed and tried to hide it, but he didn’t even think to hide this morning’s natural phenomenon; yet Yeonoh’s gaze never once dropped to Kihyun’s lower body.

He likely avoided looking consciously. It was obvious. Cho Yeonoh often treated Kihyun as if he were a person without genitals. Thinking indifferently, he turned off the shower, wiped the moisture with a towel, and was about to put on his robe when he opened the door halfway and called Cho Yeonoh.

“Cho Yeonoh, did Manager Yoo bring any other clothes?”

But the room was silent.

“Cho Yeonoh.”

It was the same when he called him once more. Kihyun went outside to see what was happening.

“What…”

There was no one in the guest room. Only silence greeted Kihyun. Thinking it was strange, Kihyun shook his hair with a towel while looking around and clicked his tongue.

“Why is that…”

The wall on the shower booth side of the bathroom was made entirely of opaque glass. It seemed like Kihyun’s silhouette while showering would have been clearly visible from the outside. Kihyun furrowed his brow. It was a fact he hadn’t known yesterday because he used the room alone.

“Ha…”

A sigh escaped him involuntarily. Cho Yeonoh had undoubtedly left the room because of that. Falling into a slight sense of self-loathing, Kihyun put on his robe and flopped face-down onto the bed.

…I don’t know. So what if he saw? According to Cho Yeonoh’s words, hadn’t the two of them grown up like brothers? Even if I don’t feel that way, Cho Yeonoh likely still thinks so. He won’t harbor feelings of disgust now just because he saw his brother’s naked body. Yeonoh must also realize it’s strange to feel unpleasant seeing his lover’s body, even if it’s just a front.

I know how Cho Yeonoh feels toward Betas, but since it wasn’t on purpose, it could be considered a mitigating circumstance. Trying to think that way, Kihyun simply closed his eyes. He decided that since Cho Yeonoh had left the room, he should go back to sleep.

How much time had passed? Kihyun opened his eyes, startled by the sensation of something being dropped onto him. It seemed he had dozed off for a moment.

“Put that on and come out.”

Some pieces of fabric had fallen over his head, and because of that, he couldn’t see the face of the person speaking to him. He sat up while still half-asleep. Immediately after, the guest room door closed with a thud.

“…”

Kihyun blinked his eyes, trying to wake his hazy mind, and pulled down the fabric still resting on his head. It was a shirt and pants.

“I have clothes… but he could have bought some underwear…”

He was mumbling slowly while still half-awake when the room bell rang. He went out to see who it was, and it was Manager Yoo.

“Good morning, Doctor So.”

“Ah, yes… Director Cho went out?”

“Yes, he is waiting for you at the Korean restaurant downstairs.”