A Scorching Day Chapter 21

After finishing his workout, Ki Joon would always run all the way home. But today, he decided not to. If he ran, he’d sweat again, and then he’d smell.

He had agreed to meet Gawon at the intersection in front of the school. For him, moving around was always part of his daily routine, but that kid would be coming after studying late, and he thought walking too much might be tiring for him.

Checking the display board at the bus stop in front of the gym, there were still 10 minutes left. Gawon would definitely arrive first. Ki Joon opened an app and called a taxi.

“Mr. Driver, I’m sorry, but could you please go a little faster?”

He made that request as soon as he got into the taxi and checked his watch. Only 4 minutes had passed since he left the gym, but every moment was urgent. When the driver asked if he had some urgent business, Ki Joon answered in a booming voice, “Yes!”

“Oh my, you startled me. Are you going to see your girlfriend? Your smile is practically from ear to ear.”

“…It’s just… I’m just going to see a friend.”

His excited voice shrank a little. Ki Joon fiddled with his bangs and pretended to be busy with something else.

“Come on. Who goes to see a friend with such a thrilled expression? It must be your girlfriend. She must be quite pretty, huh?”

At the driver’s teasing words, Ki Joon let out an awkward chuckle. It didn’t feel bad. At the same time, wondering if he really was smiling that way, he surreptitiously checked his face on his phone screen. Sure enough, he looked like a lovesick fool.

He spotted Gawon waiting in front of the intersection. Ki Joon bowed his head in greeting and got out of the taxi.

“Yoon Gawon!”

Gawon, who had been looking down at his phone, slowly raised his head. The urge to approach him cheerfully lasted only a moment—the moment their eyes met, Ki Joon found himself stopping dead in his tracks.

“…Uh…”

Suddenly, his legs wouldn’t move, as if his ankles had broken down. No, it wasn’t just his ankles. His mouth, which should have casually offered a greeting, and his hands, which should have waved happily, also froze in place. Like a broken robot.

It was because Gawon’s face, as he stood under the streetlamp and slowly raised his head toward him, was so pale and small. His jet-black, glossy hair was so neat and refined that it made one want to reach out and stroke it without thinking, and his thin, slightly aloof lips were far too captivating.

And those eyes of his. Because it was none other than Ki Joon himself that quietly filled those clear, large eyes, and because what followed in them was none other than pure delight at seeing him….

“…Hello.”

The greeting came a beat late. He swallowed dryly, his throat bobbing.

“Hello.”

A small voice answered back. At that moment, the driver’s sly voice briefly came to mind. ‘It must be your girlfriend. She must be quite pretty, huh?’…

Heat rushed to his face. Honestly, why did he have to say such unnecessary things…. His unfair resentment turned toward the blameless driver. To hide his flushed face, Ki Joon scratched the back of his head and bowed it, his hand rubbing over the nape of his neck. For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to look directly at Gawon.

What’s wrong with me? Just a few days ago, I sat across from him and ate normally. He couldn’t understand why he’d been acting so strangely lately. No wonder the guys at the gym, including An Seongjoon-hyung, teased him with all sorts of pointless remarks.

“Are you very hungry?”

A clear, small voice cut through his thoughts. He couldn’t understand how a boy’s voice could be so melodious. Ki Joon nodded frantically.

“Yeah, I’m hungry. Really.”

“Then let’s hurry. You said you wanted a hamburger, right?”

“Yeah. But hey, you can eat whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be a hamburger.”

“I like hamburgers too. Let’s go. We’re going to McDonald’s up ahead, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

They walked side by side. Though what was actually next to his shoulder was a small head. With every breath he took, a faint scent of shampoo wafted over. Did he use some kind of luxury shampoo? Why did it smell so good?

“Did you study hard?”

“Hmm… I did my best. You?”

“I worked hard too. Sweated a ton.”

“Oh, really?”

Gawon tilted his head slightly and suddenly brought his face close to Ki Joon’s. He made a couple of small sniffing sounds near his shoulder and chest, without any hesitation. Caught off guard, Ki Joon even stopped breathing and froze completely.

“You smell nice.”

He was glad he’d scrubbed himself clean. If he’d come running over covered in sweat like usual… he didn’t even want to think about it.

“I showered before coming. I couldn’t smell bad.”

“You were really fast. But next time, just come as you are.”

“…Why? Sweat smells unpleasant.”

“So what? I don’t care.”

At that refreshing reply, Ki Joon was at a loss for words for a moment. The corners of his mouth kept rising like an idiot’s. First, he loved the word “next time” that came so naturally from Gawon’s lips, and he loved the words that said it didn’t matter even if he smelled.

Walking through the dim street and entering the brightly lit fast-food place, his eyes practically hurt. Standing in front of the kiosk, Ki Joon turned to Gawon and asked.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Hmm, I’ll pay. Today’s on me.”

Gawon tried to naturally slip in between Ki Joon and the kiosk, but Ki Joon didn’t budge. Then he firmly shook his head.

“I was the one who asked you to come eat.”

“You always pay. I… I want to treat you today.”

“Then treat me tomorrow.”

“No. I’m paying today. I feel bad mooching off you every day.”

With him saying that much, Ki Joon couldn’t insist any further. He stepped back with a reluctant expression. Watching Gawon ask, “What do you want to eat?” made him feel inexplicably complicated.

He had vaguely suspected it. That Gawon wasn’t in a very comfortable situation financially. Just looking at this kid’s worn-out bag and holey sneakers told him that. The way he’d murmur excuses about leaving his allowance behind every time he went to the snack bar, and the sight of the alley where that kid lived—he couldn’t help but know.

But with him saying that much, stubbornly insisting further felt wrong. Ki Joon didn’t want to hurt Gawon’s pride. He didn’t want to hurt him any more.

Just then, like a savior, he spotted a poster stuck to the wall. Reading the words, ‘Just 3 Days! Thank You Sale, Bulgogi Burger Single 2,000 Won,’ Ki Joon’s eyes lit up. That’s it.

“I’ll have the bulgogi burger!”

“…Bulgogi burger? You should get a bigger one, why that.”

“No. I always only get that when I come here. That’s the tastiest one.”

“Really? Then, how many bulgogi set meals? For you, maybe… about five?”

In truth, he could easily eat ten of those thin, small burgers. But Ki Joon waved his hand as if to say, what are you talking about.

“Ah, no, no. Five, you’ve got to be kidding. Just one. And only the single item.”

Gawon turned his head and silently looked up at Ki Joon. Ki Joon added emphatically, as if to say he was serious.

“I’ve got a competition coming up soon. I have to make weight, so the master told me to lose exactly three kilos. Ah, it’s a shame. In my heart, I’d love to eat like ten. And I want Coke and fries too.”

“Hmm… then I’ll share my Coke and fries with you. Let’s eat together.”

“Really? Then just give me one bite each.”

He spoke with a dissatisfied tone, deliberately stroking his stomach as if to say it was a shame he really wanted to eat. Fortunately, Gawon seemed reasonably convinced and nodded. Gawon got the bulgogi burger set meal, and Ki Joon got the bulgogi burger single.

In the midst of that, Gawon even ordered a corn salad, saying Ki Joon must be really hungry and should eat this too. It was cute that he’d thought to get a salad because of the weight control mention. Looking at the total price, which came to less than 10,000 won, Ki Joon let out a silent sigh of relief inside.

“Aren’t you eating way too little? I know how much you eat.”

Gawon said in a worried tone as he pulled out a chair and sat down. That, too, made him feel good. Ki Joon set the tray with the burgers on the table and grumbled, “Well, you see,” in an exaggerated tone.

“Just wait until the competition’s over. I’ll destroy ten burgers.”

“When’s the competition?”

“Oh, next month.”

“Wow…”

After letting out a short exclamation of admiration, Gawon added, almost to himself, “I’m curious. About you competing.” It didn’t sound like empty flattery. Ki Joon asked in a cautious tone.

“…Wanna come watch?”

The slender, pale fingers that were unwrapping the burger packaging stopped. Gawon looked up and quietly stared at Ki Joon. His lips, which had twitched several times, barely managed to form the next words.

“Can I really go…?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. Anyone can come watch.”

“But… won’t your friends or family be coming?”

“No one’s coming.”

Ki Joon said firmly. Of course, family was out of the question, but as for friends, if he just let them know, there would be plenty who’d say they’d come. Over the years, during countless competitions, he had always enjoyed the heightened excitement of being surrounded by his friends. Quite a few guys had even joined his gym after being inspired by watching him.

But if Yoon Gawon was coming, Ki Joon didn’t plan on calling anyone else. Because Yoon Gawon would feel uncomfortable. No, before that, if anyone else came, Yoon Gawon probably wouldn’t come at all.

The lips that had been chewing the burger stopped. His Adam’s apple, as he swallowed the food, was slender. Gawon rolled his eyes hesitantly and cautiously opened his mouth.

“Then… I’ll go.”

“Yeah!”

Ki Joon clenched his fist and yelped. What was this, he felt like he was flying. A pair of high school students sitting a ways off glanced their way, but Ki Joon didn’t pay them any mind at all.

Yoon Gawon was coming.

A bit of worry preceded the excitement. What if he found the competition scenes too violent and felt uncomfortable.

But those negative thoughts soon faded. Ki Joon made a crisp decision. Since he shouldn’t scare him, he’d finish it as gently and as quickly as possible. And make sure to keep the blood to a minimum.

He’d win, just like always, and if he got a medal, he’d run straight to where Yoon Gawon was sitting. And then Gawon would say he worked hard, just like before…. Then he’d hang the medal around this kid’s neck. Thank him for coming, say he won because he watched. Just imagining that scene made the corners of his mouth keep rising.

“What’s making you so happy?”

“I’m so excited. Because you’re coming. I feel like I’ve already won.”

“…Honestly.”

Gawon gave him a glare that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. And then he let out a chuckle. It was a smile that resembled the slender crescent moon visible outside the window—so fragile it made you want to protect it.