Black & Grey

“Ah, I’m dying.”Yoochan, sitting on a wicker bench next to the gym, muttered as he buried his head on the table. Jinhong and Gikang, who were playing games on their phones, glanced at him as if asking what was wrong. Before they could ask, Yoochan spoke up in frustration.“Is this ‘indifferent yet kind’ thing really effective? I’m supposed to make them fall for me, but it feels like it’s just messing with my head.”Gikang turned off his phone game and asked, seeing Yoochan complain while holding his phone close to his chest.“What are you doing?”“What do you think? I’m doing exactly what Park Jinhong told me to do.”“So, what are you doing?”With a triumphant expression, Yoochan replied to Gikang’s question.“For about ten days, I contacted them kindly every day and had meals together. And now, for the past three days, I’ve been ignoring their texts indifferently.”“…What? You left them on read?”“Yeah.”“You idiot, that’s not how you do it.”Jinhong was so shocked that he let his game character die and scolded Yoochan. Yoochan looked bewildered at his friends’ cold reactions.“Why? You guys told me to do this.”“Ah, you clueless bear. I said ‘indifferent yet kind,’ not to separate ‘indifferent’ and ‘kind.'”At Jinhong’s harsh criticism, Yoochan frowned. Gikang tapped Yoochan’s arm and asked.“So, when was the last time they contacted you?”“The day before yesterday.”“And you still haven’t replied?”“I was planning to reply tomorrow, kindly.”Unlike Yoochan, who was already excited about contacting Jungeol, Jinhong and Gikang’s expressions grew darker.“Just don’t do it, you idiot. If you suddenly contact them, they’ll think you’re a bipolar sociopath.”“Ah, damn. I did exactly what you guys told me to do, so why are you freaking out?”“Because ‘indifferent yet kind’ doesn’t mean being super nice and then super mean, you idiot.”“Damn… Then how do you do it? Give me an example.”“Ah, so for example, if the girl is struggling to open a jam jar with her delicate arms, you take it and open it for her without a word. If she’s carrying something heavy, you casually help her. The key is to act like it’s no big deal and not make a fuss about it. Got it? Do this a few times, and it’s game over. She’ll fall for you.”Yoochan looked at Jinhong with a skeptical gaze, then thought of Jungeol’s arms. Those strong, muscular arms couldn’t open a jam jar, and Yoochan doubted he could either.Feeling a headache coming on, Yoochan held his forehead. He was still unsure how to contact Jungeol.“This is giving me a headache. Who came up with this?”Push and pull. Indifferent yet kind. It was harder for Yoochan than entrance exams.Because of Jinhong’s comment about suddenly contacting them making him seem like a bipolar sociopath, Yoochan ended up not explaining himself to Jungeol, and the morning passed by.After finishing the lecture, Yoochan spent two hours sweating at the judo gym, but his mind was only on Jungeol. After showering and changing clothes in the locker room, Yoochan picked up his phone. Unable to contact Jungeol directly, he reached out to Min Manager instead.Yoochan: Yesul Noona, are you at the shop right now?Yesul Noona: Of course, I’m at the shop. You haven’t been around lately. Tired of checking in every day? LOLYoochan: Oh, no. It’s not like that. Something came up. What’s Jungeol Hyung doing right now?Yesul Noona: He just finished a job and is taking a break.Yoochan: …Has anything happened to Jungeol Hyung lately?Yesul Noona: Why don’t you ask him yourself? Why? Not checking your messages? Should I tell him to check his phone?Yoochan, startled by Yesul’s message, earnestly asked her not to do that. After agreeing to come by the shop to hang out, Yoochan checked his chat with Jungeol.“If I don’t hear from you by seven, I’ll eat first.”It was a message Jungeol had sent two days ago. Because Yoochan hadn’t responded, Jungeol didn’t ask him to eat together yesterday either. It was clear evidence that Jinhong’s advice to be cool yet affectionate had failed miserably.Throwing his judo uniform over his shoulder, Yoochan left the gym. Though his body felt refreshed after sweating, his mind was in chaos.Yoochan: Hyung… Shall we have dinner together tonight…?“Ugh, this isn’t right.”Yoochan scratched his head and deleted the message he was drafting. After struggling with how to ask Jungeol to dinner naturally, Yoochan finally decided to buy food and go to the tattoo shop.Yoochan: Noona, how many people are at the shop right now?Yesul Noona: Six people.Yoochan: I’ll bring lunchboxes, so don’t eat dinner. And make sure Jungeol Hyung doesn’t eat either. I’ll be there before seven.Yesul Noona: Sure, come quickly. We’re hungry LOLPutting his phone in his bag, Yoochan ran to a nearby lunchbox shop. He only hoped that Jungeol wouldn’t think he was a split personality sociopath.By the time Yoochan arrived at the officetel with lunchboxes for the tattoo shop staff, it was exactly 6:50 PM. He lingered in front of the shop’s glass door, observing the scene. Taeho was sitting at the counter, and Jaehyeok and the Manager were relaxing on the sofa with Gaang.Jungeol was nowhere to be seen. As Yoochan stretched his neck to look around, he suddenly sensed someone behind him and turned around, startled.“What are you doing outside?”Jungeol, holding car keys, was looking down at Yoochan.“Oh, it’s just…”Caught off guard without a chance to prepare, Yoochan struggled to come up with an excuse. Jungeol raised an eyebrow and pointed to the plastic bags Yoochan was holding.“Did you buy these?”“Oh, yes! Hyung, you haven’t had dinner yet, right?”“Nope. Let’s go in.”Taking the heavier of the two plastic bags filled with lunchboxes, Jungeol opened the door. Yoochan, setting the lunchboxes on the table, watched Jungeol call the other employees. Yoochan hurriedly followed Jungeol inside as the staff greeted him warmly.“But there’s no room for Jinwoo and his girlfriend.”“I’ll get two more chairs.”Lost in thought, Yoochan suddenly responded quickly.“Oh! I’ll eat separately with Jungeol Hyung. I need a design consultation with him. Is that okay, Jungeol Hyung?”Just as he was about to sit down and receive chopsticks from the Manager, Jungeol looked back at Yoochan. Yoochan bit his lip and gestured subtly towards the number one spot, then moved ahead.Taeho mumbled curiously, “Wow, meeting every day last week, and the design consultation isn’t over yet? Yoochan is surprisingly picky.”Jungeol, puzzled because the design had been finalized days ago, stood up. Yoochan, placing the lunchboxes on the bed in the number one spot, watched as Jungeol entered after pulling back the curtain.“Are you here to modify the design?”Yoochan shook his head.“No. Actually, it’s not about the design. Let’s eat first, Hyung, and then we can talk.”Yoochan handed over chopsticks, and Jungeol obediently sat down and opened his lunchbox. As Jungeol was about to take a bite of his rice, he paused, watching Yoochan pull out a container from the plastic bag.“You eat salted squid, right? I thought it would go well with the lunchbox, so I brought some.”Following the jar of salted squid, Yoochan took out a flat plastic container.“This is an omelet I made. It looks a bit rough, but I didn’t put anything strange in it. If you get bored with the taste, try some. I wanted to make some for the other hyungs too, but it was too much work, so it’s just for you, Hyung.”Yoochan said, opening the lid of the side dishes. The omelet was heavily browned in places and was a misshapen mess tilted to one side. While Jungeol stared at the disheveled omelet, Yoochan mumbled nervously.“I didn’t reply because I was busy thinking over some things for a few days. You don’t think it’s weird that I suddenly contacted you, right?”Jungeol remembered the message he had sent two days ago. He found it odd that he hadn’t heard from Yoochan until dinner time, so he messaged first. Yoochan had read it but didn’t reply. Jungeol had brushed it off, thinking Yoochan was busy training. But he had started to worry yesterday when Yoochan still hadn’t contacted him, and was planning to call him if he didn’t hear from him today.“So, you read my message and decided not to reply?”At Jungeol’s teasing tone, Yoochan’s face flushed.“Well, I did ignore it on purpose, but I had my reasons.”“Reasons?”“Yeah. Anyway, I felt bad for ghosting you, so I made an omelet even though I can’t cook. Please forgive me.”Seeing Yoochan sigh deeply, Jungeol chuckled and picked up his chopsticks. Yoochan glanced at Jungeol before picking up his spoon and asking,“By the way, is it okay if I text you in the evening to have dinner again?”“Sure.”“Really? Can I text you every day like last week?”Jungeol nodded, chewing his rice. Despite his initial worry, having dinner with Yoochan was pleasant. Seeing Jungeol accept his request so easily, Yoochan’s face brightened. He happily offered the omelet to Jungeol.“Try this, Hyung. If you like it, I’ll make it for dinner every day.”Jungeol eyed the omelet’s shocking appearance before picking up a piece. There was no surprise. It tasted burnt, the green onion was undercooked and spicy, and the yolk was still raw in the center, making it taste fishy.After quickly chewing and swallowing the omelet, Jungeol spoke in a subdued voice,“…It’s edible.”“Really? It’s my first try, so it seems I did well. I’ll make it again tomorrow.”Yoochan, now cheerful, responded and began to eat energetically, filling his spoon with rice. Jungeol, resting his chin in his hand, watched Yoochan eat, finding him adorable with a grain of rice stuck to his lower lip. Suddenly, Jungeol spoke up.“Baek Yoochan.”“Yes?”“Do you have something you want to tell me?”Yoochan, engrossed in eating, looked up, puzzled. Meeting Jungeol’s serious gaze, Yoochan tensed and stuck out his tongue, quickly pulling the rice grain off his lip and chewing it thoughtfully.“…Something to tell you?”Yoochan, chewing seriously, then scratched his nose with his knuckles as if it were itchy and replied,“I don’t think I have anything right now.”“Really?”“Oh.”Jungeol looked up at the brief sound. Yoochan added as if he just remembered.“Should I put green onions and peppers in the omelet or not?”“…Don’t.”“Got it. Phew, that’s a relief. It was really tough chopping the green onions too.”Yoochan sighed with relief and focused on eating again. As Jungeol frowned in confusion, Yoochan, who was sipping soup from a disposable plastic container, suddenly spoke.“Actually, I have something I want to consult with you about, Hyung. I’m not sure whether to continue or change my approach. The guys teaching me are not very reliable.”“What is it about?”“Well… it’s something I can’t really talk about. I’m torn between following my usual style or listening to my friends’ advice.”Jungeol smiled leisurely and nodded. Yoochan put down his spoon and looked directly at Jungeol.“What would you do if you were me, Hyung?”“What’s your usual style?”“I just go with my gut. I’m not good at overthinking things. But my friends keep telling me to strategize, and it’s exhausting. I’m not good at using my brain.”Jungeol, surprisingly serious, listened to Yoochan and then nodded.“I like your approach.”“Really?”“Baek Yoochan, you asked what this lettering means, right?”Jungeol asked, touching his left side. Yoochan stared intently at Jungeol’s side, covered by his black t-shirt, as Jungeol explained the meaning of the lettering.With the brief and clear explanation, Yoochan’s face lit up as if he had found the answer.* * *Action is the foundational key to all success – Pablo PicassoAfter taping an A4 paper printed at school to the front door, Yoochan stepped back and stared at it. The phrase was the same as the Chicano lettering on Jungeol’s side and from today, it was Yoochan’s guiding principle.Yoochan, determined, took off his t-shirt and placed it on the floor, then stepped back a few paces. He grabbed the pull-up bar installed on the wall about a meter from the entrance.Soon, Yoochan’s feet left the ground. His well-defined muscles flexed powerfully with each pull-up. After ten consecutive pull-ups, Yoochan hung from the bar, breathing heavily, and glared at the paper.“Alright, let’s just do something.”Yoochan started doing pull-ups again.“If I get rejected, I get rejected… If I get turned down, I get turned down.”Though his pace slowed, Yoochan’s eyes burned with determination.“Baek Yoochan, you… you’re not such a coward, right?”Swallowing the words he couldn’t say out loud, Yoochan pulled himself up for the twentieth and final pull-up.Thud.Yoochan dropped from the pull-up bar, catching his breath with his hands on his knees, then glanced at his side in the hallway mirror. He planned to build up his external obliques, which Jungeol had mentioned were lacking.“There’s a saying that good-looking rice cakes are also good to eat.”Finding his analogy a bit odd, Yoochan tilted his head but then shrugged it off, thinking about his plans after building his body. But his mind was blank.“Damn, what am I, a bodybuilder? I can’t think of anything but building muscles.”After more than a minute of pondering, Yoochan felt a headache and shook his short hair vigorously.“What am I going to do with a built body… Should I just take off my clothes? First, invite him over, set the mood, grab the back of his head, kiss him hard, and push him onto the bed.”Determined to overpower Jungeol, who was taller and looked stronger, Yoochan went straight to the living room to find his phone.Whether setting the mood, kissing, or pushing him down, Yoochan needed to invite Jungeol over first. Grabbing his phone from the table, Yoochan opened his chat with Jungeol.Thinking he should subtly and secretly lure Jungeol to his room, Yoochan typed a message.Yoochan: Hyung, how about homemade dinner today?Yoochan squinted his eyes. The message wasn’t as seductive or subtle as he had hoped, but it was already sent to Jungeol. Anxious while waiting for a reply, Yoochan threw his phone on the sofa and ran back to the pull-up bar to start doing pull-ups again.As Yoochan strained and shouted with effort, he heard a message notification. Jumping off the pull-up bar, he threw himself onto the sofa, ignoring its creaking protest, and grabbed his phone, lying on his back and closing his eyes.“If it’s okay, I’ll confess today. If it’s okay, I’ll definitely confess today.”Muttering like a mantra, Yoochan opened his eyes slightly and looked at the phone screen on his chest. After reading the message, Yoochan leaned back, resting his head on the sofa armrest.Jungeol: Min Yesul made a restaurant reservation. Come down by seven.In his imagination, Yoochan had almost reached the point of confessing. He covered his forehead with his arm. It seemed that seducing Jungeol at home was out of the question for today. After a moment of disappointment, Yoochan sat up abruptly and leaned forward.Yoochan: Should I bring an omelet?Jungeol: Just come.Yoochan: Yes, Hyung.Jungeol: School?Yoochan: It’s Saturday today, LOL.Jungeol: Oh.Yoochan: I’m heading to the judo gym now.Jungeol: Okay. See you in the evening.After putting down his phone, Yoochan clenched his fists.“Good.”Regaining his composure, Yoochan realized it was still too early to confess. If he suddenly stripped and pounced on Jungeol, who saw him as a close younger brother, it would likely make Jungeol uncomfortable.With a determined look, Yoochan rubbed his palms together and pressed his lips tightly. He decided to wait a few more days. He wanted to treat Jungeol better and build his body more before confessing at the right moment. Nodding in satisfaction with his revised plan, Yoochan suddenly questioned his own thoughts.“The right moment?”When exactly is the right moment? Yoochan scratched his chin, picked up a pen rolling under the table, and went to the entrance.He saw Pablo Picasso’s quote. Yoochan scribbled a large ‘D’ in the most noticeable spot above the quote. It was a method he often used to focus more on training by watching the numbers decrease as he adjusted his weight before a judo competition. Yoochan drew a line after the ‘D’ and added the number 21.“Alright. I’ll settle this within three weeks.”After making his resolution, Yoochan put on his discarded t-shirt, grabbed his judo uniform, and left the officetel.After a longer workout than usual, Yoochan showered and came out to the locker room. Since it was the weekend, the locker room was crowded with older college students and working professionals who came to exercise.While joking with his close hyungs and changing clothes, Yoochan noticed a man in the corner spraying cologne on himself and widened his eyes.“Hyung, why the cologne?”“Oh, I’m meeting my girlfriend.”A subtle fragrance filled the locker room. Yoochan, who had never thought of using cologne even when he had a girlfriend, rubbed his nose, thinking of meeting Jungeol soon, and approached the man.“Can I try some too?”“Huh? Don’t you usually go straight home? Got plans?”“Yeah, I’m meeting someone.”“Who? Yoochan, did you get a girlfriend?”Yoochan shook his head and smiled at another hyung’s question.The man, though puzzled, sprayed cologne on Yoochan’s wrists and neck. Yoochan sniffed the spreading fragrance from his wrist with a pleased expression.D-21 wasn’t as long as he thought. Planning to make progress as soon as possible, Yoochan thought about how to sit next to Jungeol at the restaurant.“Hey, Yoochan. Over here. You came early?”“Noona!”Waving to the Manager, Yoochan quickly scanned the seating. It was the end seat against the wall, with three chairs on one side. Jaehyeok, the Manager, and Jinwoo were sitting opposite, while Taeho and another tattooist who rarely came to the shop were on Yoochan’s side.With Taeho in the middle and the other man on the outside, the remaining people had to bring chairs to sit separately between the wall and Jinwoo and the man.Yoochan frowned. He couldn’t sit next to Jungeol no matter which seat he chose. After a moment of hesitation, Yoochan squeezed into the 3cm space next to the man’s hip at the end. Without showing any sign of unfamiliarity, he greeted warmly.“Hyung! Why is it so hard to meet you these days?”“Huh? Oh, I’m in school. Taking it easy with work.”“Are you here for work today?”“No. The hyungs said they were having a gathering near my place, so I joined. It’s been a while, Yoochan. Sit down, sit down. You haven’t eaten yet, right?”The man naturally tapped Taeho’s leg, making room for Yoochan. Yoochan, having secured his desired seat, smiled and took the tongs the man was holding, offering to grill the meat.The man, the youngest after Yoochan, seemed pleased to pass on the chore. After placing three ribs on the grill, Yoochan grabbed scissors and tongs in one hand and pulled a chair from behind, placing it next to him. He was now ready to welcome Jungeol.After setting Jungeol’s plate and utensils beside him, Yoochan glanced at the door.“Isn’t Jungeol Hyung here?”“The parking lot is a bit far, so he’s parking the car. He’ll be here soon. You can start eating. Jungeol Hyung doesn’t mind.”Reassured by Jinwoo’s words, Yoochan took advantage of the noisy conversation among the other staff to quietly ask Jinwoo a few questions he had been hesitant to ask Jungeol.“Jinwoo Hyung.”“Yeah?”“Hyung, you’ve known Jungeol Hyung for a long time, right?”“Well… I’ve known him since high school, so it’s been a few years. Why?”Yoochan looked around and whispered so softly it was barely audible.“Does Jungeol Hyung have someone he’s seeing right now?”“No, he doesn’t. Ever since Hyung quit the gym, it’s been home, shop, home, shop. Since he got famous, he hardly meets his friends. He’s too busy.”That was a relief. Yoochan had made it past the first hurdle. As Jinwoo took a bite of the salad in front of him, Yoochan asked again.“So, did he have a girlfriend before?”Jinwoo laughed as if the question was absurd.“Do you think someone like Jungeol Hyung would have never had a girlfriend? From what I know, there was one Noona he dated in college… and another one who worked at a cafe near our school… I’d say there were two or three.”“Two. Just two.”Manager interjected, unsure as Jinwoo tilted his head.“Since he was twenty, there were exactly two. One was just a brief setup that fizzled out because Jungeol Oppa got busy, so that doesn’t count. If you include brief encounters, you can’t count them all… But why, Yoochan? Are you trying to set Jungeol Oppa up on a blind date?”Yoochan nodded awkwardly at Manager’s intrigued look.“Just curious. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Hyung talk about women.”“Oppa’s like that. He hardly talks about himself.”Manager shook her head as if fed up, grilling meat on the other grill without further suspicion. Yoochan let out a sigh of relief and flipped the meat. He hadn’t expected Jungeol to have dated men, but hearing he only dated women made him anxious.While Yoochan was jittery and expressing his nervousness by shaking his leg, Jungeol finally appeared with a jingle at the entrance. Yoochan quickly forgot his worries and waved his tongs excitedly.“Jungeol Hyung! Over here! Over here!”Jungeol approached with a smile tugging at his lips, seeing Yoochan’s loud greeting. Yoochan immediately started cutting the well-cooked ribs as Jungeol sat in the spot he had saved.“Hyung, you’re hungry, right? Eat a lot.”“Oh, rich kid. Are you treating us today?”At Jaehyeok’s comment, Yoochan put down the tongs and scissors, rummaging through his bag.“It’s finally time to use the emergency credit card.”“Oh, no! Put that away!”Manager waved her hands frantically, and Jaehyeok burst out laughing, realizing it was a joke. Yoochan, puzzled by the laughing staff, scooped a spoonful of rice into his mouth and glanced at Jungeol’s hand beside the side dish bowl.Jungeol was talking to Jinwoo. From what Yoochan overheard, it seemed like Jinwoo was seeking advice on buying a new car. While the two discussed cars, Yoochan focused on Jungeol’s hand.Veins stood out even without exertion under Jungeol’s rolled-up sleeves. Yoochan compared his hand to Jungeol’s, noticing that while his veins were also prominent from working out, they weren’t as defined as Jungeol’s.Those veins seemed to symbolize a fit and active person, and Yoochan envied them. After ensuring no one was watching, Yoochan clenched his fists tightly and quickly compared his hands again.At that moment, Jungeol also clenched and unclenched his fist, as if inviting Yoochan to compare. Surprised by Jungeol’s hand closer to his, Yoochan looked up.Jungeol was watching with amusement, having noticed Yoochan’s strange behavior while talking to Jinwoo.“Oh.”Yoochan stared at Jungeol, momentarily at a loss for words. The intense gaze directed at him made his heart pound. Swallowing hard, Yoochan blinked slowly before snapping back to reality.Turning away from Jungeol, Yoochan quickly resumed cutting the half-cooked meat on the grill.“Hurry up and eat, Jungeol Hyung. Jinwoo Hyung, too. The meat’s going to burn.”Feigning urgency, Yoochan tossed the cut meat onto Jinwoo and Jungeol’s plates and made a meat wrap for himself. Trying to calm his racing heart, Yoochan chewed the wrap vigorously.If he hadn’t snapped out of it quickly, he might have ended up staring at Jungeol for several minutes. Yoochan licked his dry lips nervously.Throughout the meal, Yoochan couldn’t look directly at Jungeol. Even while grilling more meat and placing it on Jungeol’s plate, he avoided eye contact despite the loud conversation. Once he became aware, Jungeol’s expression kept replaying in his mind.Pondering the meaning of Jungeol’s soft gaze and subtle smile, Yoochan suddenly recalled a memory. It was similar to the look Jungeol had when he saw the tattoo under Dahee’s collarbone. Yoochan wondered why Jungeol watched him with that same expression.‘Was it because he found it funny? Or because he didn’t want to lose in terms of veins?’Whatever the reason, the fact that Jungeol had been watching him made Yoochan feel pleasantly excited. As Yoochan slurped his naengmyeon, reflecting on Jungeol’s actions, Jungeol finished his meal, grabbed his car keys, and stood up.“I’ll go get the car.”When the shop staff acknowledged, Jungeol headed outside. Yoochan quickly finished his last bite of naengmyeon, grabbed his bag, and followed Jungeol.“Hyung! Let me come with you.”Jungeol glanced back and gestured towards the shop.“It’s far. Stay with the others.”“It’s boring to go alone.”At Yoochan’s words, Jungeol chuckled and led the way. Yoochan matched his pace, walking slightly behind Jungeol. It had been warm during the day, so Yoochan wore a short-sleeved t-shirt, but it was a bit chilly now that the sun had set. As he walked with his hands in his pockets, Yoochan sensed someone approaching and looked up, only to meet Jungeol’s gaze as he leaned towards him.Yoochan’s eyes widened in surprise. Jungeol, seeing Yoochan’s startled expression, straightened up and asked in a relaxed voice,“What did you put on?”“Pardon?”“What did you put on? I can smell it.”Yoochan suddenly remembered he had put on cologne and quickly replied,“Oh, I put on cologne today. Is it too strong?”Yoochan brought his wrist to his nose. The scent had faded after grilling meat indoors. Trying to find the source, Yoochan awkwardly sniffed his shirt sleeve, making Jungeol laugh.“I could smell it earlier too.”“Did it bother you while eating? I did put on quite a bit.”“It’s fine.”Jungeol’s words made Yoochan’s lips stretch into a smile.“Really? That’s a relief.”As Yoochan sighed in relief, Jungeol asked,“Where did you go?”“Just the judo gym. Why?”“You’re doing something unusual.”“Sometimes you have to mix things up. Just because I’m a PE student doesn’t mean I always have to smell like sweat, right?”Suppressing his pleased expression, Yoochan looked up at Jungeol and asked,“Hyung, don’t you use cologne?”“No, not really.”“Why not?”“I work closely with clients. It might make them uncomfortable.”“Oh, that makes sense.”Enjoying the casual conversation with Jungeol, Yoochan smiled brightly and kicked a bottle cap on the ground like a soccer ball, glancing at Jungeol. Jungeol, who seemed to be watching Yoochan, asked,“What cologne are you using?”“This one is borrowed from a hyung, so I’m not sure. I’ll ask him tomorrow.”“What about yours?”“I don’t usually use cologne. Judo is an indoor sport, and the scent can be overwhelming.”Jungeol nodded in understanding. Yoochan, watching Jungeol’s reaction, suddenly asked,“Do you think I should use cologne?”Only after asking did Yoochan realize how embarrassing the question was. He lowered his head, and Jungeol’s voice reached his ears.“I like your natural scent. It’s clean.”Jungeol’s words made Yoochan freeze in place. Jungeol looked back and said,“Wait here. I’ll get the car.”Before Yoochan could respond, Jungeol walked into the parking lot. Yoochan watched Jungeol’s retreating figure with a longing expression, then pulled his shirt sleeve up to his nose again. Searching for his natural scent beneath the cologne, Yoochan smiled shyly.Since Jaehyeok and two others had no work today and went for a second round, only Jungeol, Yoochan, Taeho, and Yesul returned to the shop. Jungeol, who seemed to have wanted to smoke throughout the meal, immediately took out his cigarette pack and headed to the smoking room upon arriving at the shop. Taeho, noticing Yoochan’s disappointment at not being able to properly greet Jungeol, said,“Yoochan, go inside. See you tomorrow.”Yoochan frowned. He actually wanted to spend more time with Jungeol. It was the historic first day of D-21, and it felt too short to part ways after just having dinner. But he couldn’t plead with the three of them having other plans afterwards.As Taeho went in first, followed by Manager, Yoochan called out to Manager and asked,“Noona, what time does Jungeol Hyung finish his work today?”“Well… around nine? Nine-thirty? I’m not sure. Why?”“It’s nothing. Noona, go on in.”“Okay, Yoochan. See you tomorrow.”Manager tapped Yoochan’s muscular arm affectionately before heading into the shop. Yoochan lingered by the door, trying to catch a glimpse of the smoking room which wasn’t visible from his position, before reluctantly turning away.Back at home, after some digestion, Yoochan checked the time. He considered going downstairs to see Jungeol before he finished work but there was still a lot of time left. Deciding to stick to his usual routine, Yoochan began his home training.These days, Yoochan focused most on his external obliques. His role model was Jungeol. Though he hadn’t observed Jungeol’s side closely, distracted by his tattooed snake and back tattoos, he knew Jungeol’s broad sides couldn’t be hidden even under a loose sweatshirt.Thinking of Jungeol’s body, Yoochan laid on his side in the living room and assumed a hip-up position. With the television on, he focused on his training for a while, then checked the time to find only thirty minutes had passed.Next was the side plank, followed by crunches and finishing the pull-ups he started earlier. Still, the clock showed only eight. Yoochan grabbed the hoodie draped over a chair and ran outside.By the time Yoochan returned from his run, it was nine o’clock. Worried that Jungeol might have left already, Yoochan hurriedly sent him a message.Yoochan: Hyung, are you done with work?Jungeol: It’ll take about twenty more minutes. Why?Yoochan stared at his phone, unsure how to naturally suggest meeting up later. Deciding to delay his reply, Yoochan grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom.After his shower, worried that Jungeol might have finished work, Yoochan ran to the living room, still dripping wet, and grabbed his phone.Yoochan: Are you done with work now?The reply came a bit later this time.Jungeol: Yeah.Yoochan: Did you finish cleaning too? Want help?Taeho did it earlier.As he quickly dried himself with a towel, Yoochan replied.Yoochan: Are you heading home now?Not taking his eyes off the phone, Yoochan quickly put on his clothes.Jungeol: No. I’m out walking Gaang.Yoochan: At this hour?Jungeol: I thought he’d keep me up if I just went home.“Gaang is still like that, huh?”Yoochan: If you slept at my place, I could take care of Gaang for you.Feeling sympathetic, Yoochan clicked his tongue and put on his sneakers before sending another message.Yoochan: Are you walking alone?Jungeol: Yeah.Without Taeho or Manager, it was a perfect chance for a date.Yoochan pondered how to meet Jungeol. Waiting in the parking lot was a surefire way to encounter him, but he might have to wait several minutes until Gaang’s walk ended. Moreover, if Jungeol saw Yoochan, who had no reason to be in the underground parking lot, waiting there, he would surely think it odd.Pretending to run and bumping into them seemed impossible too, as Yoochan didn’t know where Jungeol and Gaang were. After some thought, Yoochan cautiously asked,Yoochan: Where are you walking?Jungeol: Nearby.It seemed they hadn’t gone far. Yoochan figured he could find them if he pretended to run around the area. As he tied his shoelaces, his phone buzzed again.Jungeol: Why.“Ah, don’t just say ‘why’. It feels like we only contact each other when there’s a reason. I just want to see you before you go, Hyung. I miss you. Seeing you earlier wasn’t enough. Can’t you just let it slide?”Yoochan, smiling at the thought of meeting Jungeol, muttered as if he were talking to Jungeol on the phone, then replied with a sigh.Yoochan: Just because. I was bored and wanted to chat. No particular reason. Keep walking, Hyung. Just don’t go too far.With a pout, Yoochan left the room, and his phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it with a disinterested expression, not expecting much.Jungeol: Wanna come out?Yoochan’s face lit up instantly.People in the elevator glanced at Yoochan, who was chuckling to himself in the corner. Yoochan tried to suppress his smile, covering his mouth with his hand, but couldn’t stop grinning. He quickly checked the message again and asked where Jungeol was.Jungeol: In front of the snack shop.Yoochan: Ah, I know where that is. Are you eating something?Jungeol: Gaang is sniffing the food and refusing to move.Lately, Jungeol’s replies had become much quicker. Imagining Jungeol struggling with Gaang, who was stubbornly sniffing the food, made Yoochan smile. As the elevator doors opened and people exited, Yoochan hurried his steps, worried Jungeol might be waiting.Jungeol was in front of the snack shop with Gaang, who couldn’t take his eyes off the sundae.“Hyung!”As Yoochan approached, Jungeol stood up, holding Gaang.“Did you work out?”“Huh? Oh, yeah!”Jungeol put Gaang down a bit away from the snack shop. Realizing he wasn’t getting any sundae, Gaang gave up and started sniffing the roadside weeds, walking slowly. Yoochan, watching Gaang’s black back, cleared his throat and asked,“Hyung.”“Yeah.”“About Gaang keeping you up at night… I was thinking, how about you and Gaang stay at my place on weekends?”Jungeol turned with a puzzled expression. Yoochan, feeling embarrassed, bent down to pet Gaang’s back and explained.“I don’t have any plans on weekends besides the judo gym. I can go to the gym early and nap in the afternoon, so I don’t mind staying up at night. That way, you can sleep comfortably while I take care of Gaang.”His voice trembled slightly towards the end. Worried he was being too obvious, Yoochan added, pretending it was for Gaang’s sake.“It’s just that it’s pitiful if Gaang whines all night.”A blush spread across Yoochan’s cheeks. Even he could see through his own words. Embarrassed, Yoochan touched his hot earlobe.Jungeol didn’t respond. Yoochan, feeling awkward, lifted Gaang onto his thigh and petted him, then glanced up at Jungeol.Under the streetlight, Jungeol stood with his hands on his hips, watching Yoochan with a subtle expression. Yoochan thought he could guess what Jungeol was thinking from his furrowed brows. Swallowing hard, Yoochan looked away, pretending it was no big deal.“Well, if you don’t want to, that’s fine. I just wanted to play with Gaang.”Despite his calm words, his breath caught in his chest. Then, a calm voice reached him.“I’ll think about it.”Curious about Jungeol’s expression, Yoochan looked up while holding Gaang. He met an unexpectedly gentle gaze.Jungeol’s face, not even blinking, looked like a statue. Yoochan, with his lips slightly parted in a foolish expression for a few seconds, quickly put Gaang down and stood up.“Gaang needs to burn off energy before bed, right? Give me the leash. I’ll take Gaang for a run.”Yoochan grabbed the leash from Jungeol and ran with Gaang, trying to hide his red face. He didn’t look back, running far enough to be out of sight before finally stopping to catch his breath.Yoochan glanced at his reflection in a closed shop window. As expected, his face was bright red like a carrot. If not for the orange streetlight, he would have been caught for sure.Slap!Yoochan slapped his cheeks lightly to snap out of it, then noticed something in the still-open neighboring shop. At first, he thought it was baby clothes, but it was for dogs. Yoochan looked at Gaang, panting with his tongue out beside him. With his shiny black fur, only the whites of his eyes were visible.