Love Me More

Chapter 21

“Why did you pay, CEO? You shouldn’t have. It’s embarrassing for me.”

He always received things from this person. From small things like drinks to meals and alcohol. Regardless of the reason, it was also Woo Hyun-se who had given him a good job.

“Is that so? I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“You should have just left it…”

Woo Hyun-se laughed softly at the grumbling Si-yul. As his eyes crinkled and the corners of his mouth turned up, his handsome face looked even more benevolent. As if there was no ulterior motive in everything he was bestowing upon Si-yul.

“If you really want to treat me to something, we could go see a movie together.”

“A movie?”

“Yeah. I’m not keen on going alone. It would be nice if Kwon Si-yul could come with me. Less boring that way.”

Resting his chin on his hand, he spoke casually, seemingly without any deeper meaning. Si-yul felt a slight pang in his heart. He could go with Kwon Yuwon if he wanted, but it seemed Woo Hyun-se didn’t have even one close friend to go to the movies with. He didn’t seem to have poor social skills…

Then suddenly remembering their first meeting, Si-yul nodded in understanding. While his social skills might be fine, his hidden nature might be too unpleasant to associate with.

“As it happens, I got two tickets.”

Si-yul couldn’t even pay for the movie. He barely managed to insist on paying for the popcorn. Even this, Woo Hyun-se didn’t seem to like.

The movie was rated R. When the staff at the entrance checked for IDs, Woo Hyun-se confidently took out Si-yul’s ID from his own wallet. Even as Si-yul stared alternately at the ID and Woo Hyun-se, the other man shamelessly pushed both his own and Si-yul’s IDs back into his wallet.

“Please give that back.”

“I told you to get it reissued.”

He replied nonchalantly and strode ahead on his long legs. Unable to argue in the busy walkway, Si-yul followed behind with his lips pursed like a duck’s bill, looking sulky.

The movie wasn’t bad. It was actually on the entertaining side. However, the content was quite mature. The old movie he had watched at dawn couldn’t even compare.

Si-yul’s face burned red several times during the movie. Even if there weren’t many movies showing this late, choosing such a film suggested that Woo Hyun-se’s taste might not be very good.

Unlike Si-yul, who was as red as a well-ripened apple on an autumn day, Woo Hyun-se looked rather bored. There wasn’t even a smile or hint of embarrassment on his face. Even as the two main characters on screen were in the middle of lovemaking, Woo Hyun-se yawned silently and rested his chin on his hand, looking thoroughly uninterested.

Only Si-yul was fidgeting restlessly. If their fingers happened to brush in the popcorn bucket, Si-yul would flinch with his whole shoulder and quickly withdraw his hand. The touch of the other’s fingers made him more nervous than the characters making a fuss on screen.

“Are you enjoying it?”

Woo Hyun-se suddenly whispered in his ear, nearly making Si-yul jump out of his seat. Fortunately, he remained seated. He did flutter like a bird, though. It was lucky there was no one in front or behind them.

“Why are you whispering in my ear?”

Si-yul covered his ear where the warm breath had touched with his palm and turned his head to the side. Woo Hyun-se chuckled softly.

“We shouldn’t be noisy in the theater.”

“Don’t whisper in my ear like that.”

“What did I do?”

“You blew air on it.”

“Are your ears sensitive?”

He asked with his eyes curved like a fox’s tail. Si-yul pressed his hand against his cheek, which couldn’t get any redder, and turned his head sharply towards the screen. The sex scene had already passed. Si-yul crossed his legs and leaned as far away from Woo Hyun-se as possible.

Suppressing the urge to leave halfway through, he managed to watch the movie until the end. As soon as the lights came on in the theater, Si-yul stood up abruptly, making the seat fold up. He wanted to go home now. But Woo Hyun-se, who stretched lazily as if he had just woken up, grabbed his wrist, making it impossible to leave.

“Shall we get some fresh air before we part? It’s a shame to say goodbye like this.”

“It’s too late. I need to go home. Yuwon will be worried…”

“12 o’clock is late? Didn’t you used to go to clubs late at night before, Kwon Si-yul?”

That was when he was working deliveries. The situation is different now. As he was about to make up an excuse about having to go to work tomorrow, Woo Hyun-se looked up at Si-yul with a seemingly forlorn expression. ‘Forlorn’ was a word that didn’t suit Woo Hyun-se at all, yet there was no more accurate word for that face.

“You might have someone waiting for you at home, but I have no one. If we part like this, I’ll feel lonely and desolate. Very much so.”

Like his claim of being an omega, there was a high possibility that this statement was also a lie. But it felt wrong to let go of this hand. It felt like ignoring a stray cat that had been looking at him pleadingly, like pricking his conscience with a blunt needle.

Si-yul drooped his shoulders and nodded his head slowly. He had lost. Although he felt like he was being deceived, he didn’t want to send Woo Hyun-se back to a dark and gloomy home. Si-yul, if no one else, knew well how depressing silent darkness could be.

Wondering where they were going, Woo Hyun-se parked the car near the riverside. Due to the late hour, there weren’t many people around. Only a few were gathered at the bottom of the embankment, still unraveling their stories. The alcohol in their hands seemed to drive away the cold air of early winter.

Woo Hyun-se got out first, and Si-yul followed. When asked if they should walk, Si-yul followed that broad back like he was on a leash. They also stopped at a convenience store.

Woo Hyun-se chose a few cans of beer for Si-yul to drink, along with a yogurt drink and water. Si-yul added some snacks and rushed to the counter. When the other tried to come to the side, he pushed his ribs and proudly held out his own card. Even though this wouldn’t even come close to the amount he had received at the restaurant, he couldn’t just keep accruing debt.

Woo Hyun-se raised his eyebrows as if dumbfounded, then laughed and stepped back. Si-yul even carried the heavy bag himself. Though it was taken from him by Woo Hyun-se before they even left the convenience store.

“I could carry it.”

“If I let you carry the bags after treating you, what use are you?”

He reached out his arm only to get a flick on the forehead. It wasn’t even that hard, but due to his sensitive skin, the spot where the finger had bounced off turned red. Si-yul rubbed his tingling forehead but still grinned.

They sat down side by side at the bottom of the embankment. It was a place with few people. The river breeze was cool but not too cold. Maybe it was because Woo Hyun-se was close by, less than a hand span away.

He was a person who radiated heat even through his clothes. Despite looking so cold and frosty when expressionless, whenever he touched Si-yul’s skin, he was as hot as freshly melted iron.

Would his hands be that warm too? Would they be warm if he held them? It felt like that heat was transferring to him even without touch. Si-yul curled his trembling fingertips and hunched his body. Suddenly, Woo Hyun-se took off his coat and draped it over Si-yul’s shoulders. Surprised, Si-yul looked up with a strange nasal sound, “Huh?”

“You looked cold.”

Woo Hyun-se’s coat carried that familiar scent. Si-yul inhaled deeply under the pretense of sniffling. The inside of the coat, warmed by the other, was as cozy as a brazier filled with charcoal. But since it wasn’t unbearably chilly, Si-yul returned the oversized coat to the other’s shoulders.

“This level of cold is nothing. I’ve been through cold weather training twice in the military, you know.”

While other lucky fellows never had to go through it even once during their service, Si-yul had endured this grueling training twice. Hammering stakes into frozen ground, setting up tents, shivering in bone-chilling cold – he had done it all twice. Because of that, Si-yul disliked cold more than heat.

“You’ve been in the military?”

As if he didn’t already know Si-yul’s age. Si-yul puffed out his chest like a pigeon. He was a proud army veteran who had completed his full service. Although orphans were exempt, both Kwon Yuwon and he had escaped to the military because they were struggling to make ends meet. At least there, they were guaranteed three meals a day and a warm place to sleep.

He had considered becoming a career soldier, but despite the provision of food, clothing, and shelter, the atmosphere of having to obey every order wasn’t something he wanted to commit to for life, so he left after completing his mandatory service.

Si-yul was about to shout “Yes, sir!” and salute, but not wanting to draw attention from others in the late night, he lowered his half-raised arm.

“Of course. I did so well in the military that I even received a reward vacation.”

“Is that so?”

“Which branch did you serve in, CEO?”

He asked, but naturally assumed the other had been exempted. Rich people don’t usually go through such hardships. Even for reserve forces training, most young masters from prominent families either paid fines or rarely attended the training.

Even if he had enlisted, he must have surely served in a cushy position, whiling away his time. Ready to mock if Woo Hyun-se said he had done public service, Si-yul curved his eyes in advance and watched Woo Hyun-se’s lips.

“Army 2nd Division, Military Police.”

“What?”

“I think they call it Military Police these days?”

Woo Hyun-se scratched near his thick eyebrows. He seemed unsure. Si-yul tilted his head and stared at the other’s face. Then he nodded slowly. The Military Police prioritized appearance and build. No matter how capable someone was, if they were short and unattractive, they wouldn’t be selected. Someone like Woo Hyun-se would have been actively recruited by them even if he had applied for a different position.

“Actually, I thought you would have been exempted from military service.”

“With perfectly healthy limbs, how could I avoid it? I had to go.”

“Or maybe special forces?”

“They didn’t accept me. Because of my status.”

“Even though you’re an omega?”

“Yeah, go figure.”

Woo Hyun-se took a sip of water and laughed dryly at Si-yul’s mischievous remark. When offered, Si-yul also put his lips to the water bottle and took a gulp. He wasn’t actually thirsty. He just wanted to put his mouth where the other’s had been.