Hit by a Pitched Ball Chapter 18

The tattered remnants of past trauma had contributed greatly to this madness, so it was only natural.

In fact, Taebeom was a celebrity with much more to lose than Yunjae. Even in the worst-case scenario, his bleeding would be far greater, so there was little to worry about.

Even if he happened to let something slip under the influence of alcohol, it was doubtful anyone would believe him. A safety net where, unless something major happened, there was absolutely no one who would believe him.

And even if all those assumptions broke down and a concerning situation arose, there was an agency and a club that would rush to smooth things over. On top of that, there was the solid financial power to buy silence with expensive lawyers.

Yunjae grew calmer with such a reliable backup. As a sexual partner, Taebeom was a condition lacking nothing. The more he weighed the pros and cons, the more reassured he became.

And then, when either of them found someone to date seriously, the relationship would end. They had promised to end it cleanly.

‘Because I can’t be a very good boyfriend.’

In a recent conversation, Taebeom had said that if the relationship ended for ‘dating’ reasons, the cause would be on his side. But that was only because he didn’t know Yunjae well. On that point, Yunjae could firmly shake his head.

No matter what Taebeom said, the likelihood of Yunjae finding someone serious first was extremely low. If probabilities were to be discussed, he was certain the other side would lose interest in this deviation or find a new partner much sooner. That hadn’t changed.

‘Then isn’t that even better?’

When the argument dragged on, Taebeom, tired of the exhausting debate, had changed his expression at Yunjae’s words that closed off the long-winded quarrel. And once again, he accurately pinpointed the blind spot in their relationship.

Anyway, whether this or that, it was a relationship that would end without either of them getting shabby, so they just had to enjoy it. He just had to handle the waves caused by the jagged stone called Ha Taebeom in the pond called Seo Yunjae, which had only ever been boring and calm.

When the ripples settled, he would cut off the relationship as promised. Ha Taebeom was the stone, and he was the pond. Yunjae simply finished defining the relationship.

As long as the beginning and the end were the same.

The conclusion thus reached felt a little shabby, but it didn’t matter. No matter how the relationship changed afterward, at least he could console himself by saying it wasn’t bad.

For someone who had reached a satisfactory conclusion immersed in reality, a bitter smile touched the corner of his mouth. Yunjae, sighing lowly, turned his gaze to the screen.

[Alright, it’s three balls now.]

[The fourth pitch is a strike. Three balls, one strike. The count currently favors the batter.]

It was the next moment that the commentator’s narration, which had been skimming past his ears, sharply pierced them.

[Alright. The fifth pitch. Oh, it hit him. Heo Won has been hit by the pitch.]

[He gets up right away. Heo Won advances to first base on the hit-by-pitch. Looks like the ball slipped a bit from his hand.]

[Yes. It did seem to slip a bit. I’m glad Heo Won doesn’t seem to be injured.]

The opposing pitcher was a veteran. Committing a mistake he rarely made, he seemed surprised himself, his eyes wide and shoulders stiff as caught on screen. The batter, hit in the thigh, fell backward in the batter’s box but soon brushed off the dirt and stood up composedly.

Cheers encouraging the hit batter spread from the stands to the field. The pitcher, still wearing a look of bewilderment with hardened eyes, slightly tipped his cap and bowed his head toward the player heading to first base.

The player who advanced to first base, waving his hand to say he was fine, showed no sign of displeasure either. At the moment the atmosphere of the field completely shifted, he inexplicably recalled Ha Taebeom’s face, smiling directly at the camera.

In the end, the game went to the Wolves, Taebeom’s team. At the commentator’s closing remarks signaling the end of the broadcast, Yunjae suddenly snapped to attention and stood up. Why, of all times, did that complaining voice grumbling about what if he fell asleep without being told, since it was his first time with a man, come to mind now?

Despite doing just fine without being taught, he was also skilled at egging him on in that way. Picturing his shameless face, Yunjae calculated the distance from the stadium to the house into travel time. It seemed he had plenty of time, but he couldn’t dawdle.

Better wash up in advance, I guess. In these kinds of relationships, do you just meet, say hello, and strip right away? Or do it on the bed? Since he’d never done it, he had absolutely no way of knowing, and he didn’t even have a promiscuous friend to ask. Even if he did, he probably wouldn’t have asked. Currently, his most promiscuous acquaintance was the very person about to visit this house.

He’ll take care of it well. The fact that he trusted him in this regard was amusing, and a shallow laugh escaped. Still, wouldn’t it be better for both of them to loosen up a bit beforehand?

“…I’m crazy.”

His steps toward the bathroom came to an abrupt halt. Covering his mouth with his hand, Yunjae’s face twisted in shock.

Loosen what, loosen up. Shaking his body as if caught in a blizzard, Yunjae headed to the bathroom with the wholesome purpose of showering. At the end of an uncomfortable glance, the gel he’d sealed away without using was sitting there as if to say, “Here I am.”

∞ ∞ ∞

Despite his earlier resolve, when faced with reality, his lips wouldn’t part, as if someone had glued them shut with paste. Compared to the awkward Yunjae, Taebeom maintained his characteristic composure. He didn’t try to force the mood either.

Yet amidst it all, he expressed concern for Yunjae’s lack of sleep. Yunjae found that kindness a bit embarrassing. Even if he hadn’t played in the game, it was Taebeom who had spent the day mixed in with it all. Wasn’t the one asking about it actually far more fatigued?

But he put the thought aside, smiled awkwardly, and just shook his head. The fact that he’d come this far already made that question meaningless.

Actually, more than that, maybe he wanted to say he regretted it a little. But not knowing the clear reason for the anxiety gripping his chest made that equally meaningless.

If Taebeom tried to persuade him, he’d obviously cave in easily anyway. He didn’t want to look like he was playing hard to get. Yunjae chewed over the conclusion he’d reached long ago, again and again.

The car running along the river soon passed the entrance and entered the parking lot. As if it were a familiar spot, Taebeom parked immediately, turned off the engine, and gestured toward Yunjae with his eyes.

“You live in a nice place.”

The parked building was a famous brand apartment that anyone with ties to Seoul would recognize. It was said to be a high-rise apartment with the Han River in front and a forest behind, costing anywhere from several billion to tens of billions of won. Passing by, he’d wondered who lived there—so it was Ha Taebeom.

At the candid, honest reaction, Taebeom laughed meaninglessly and opened the driver’s side door. Similarly getting out of the car, Yunjae followed him into the building. A floor number far exceeding what one would normally imagine appeared above his head.

Yunjae slowly lowered his eyelids, trying not to show his surprise. But at the full-length window revealing the outside, his effort was in vain, and he let out a gasp.

Meeting his wide-open eyes, Taebeom rolled his lips inward. Right on time, the elevator doors that had stopped at an upper floor opened. Avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, Yunjae followed behind Taebeom, who took the lead. A stifled chuckle sounded in sync with their steps.

Once inside, Taebeom took out a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet and handed them to him. You can use these from now on.

At those words, why did his ears burn? Yunjae nodded slowly. He didn’t want to show any sign of agitation. Pretending to be calm, he put on the slippers.

As Taebeom felt along the wall, the living room, which had been lit only by faint moonlight, quickly brightened up.

“What do you want to drink?”

Taebeom, who had gone into the kitchen ahead, came back out and lightly tapped Yunjae, who was standing blankly in the living room. It was a question that gave him a sense of déjà vu. The question Yunjae had thrown at Taebeom, who had suddenly shown up last night, was now coming out of Taebeom’s mouth. Though it probably wasn’t intentional. Yunjae swallowed a troubled moan and opened his mouth.

“Do you have beer?”

Yunjae chose the drink that seemed most appropriate for the time. But however Taebeom took that answer, he frowned slightly. Standing still, lost in thought for a moment, he then carefully asked.

“Do you like drinking and then doing it?”

“Huh? No, that’s not it…”