Chapter 20 (1/2)

O Shin had a hand on Myohan’s back head so that he wouldn’t be able to get away, but funnily enough, he gave him enough time to refuse.

He stood still with their lips touched, and then he opened Myohan’s lips. His tongue tingled, like tasting sweet candy. It was their first kiss, but it felt so familiar.

The hand on the back crept down Myohan’s neck. O Shin put his other hand on his cheek and their lips pressed even tighter.

Myohan didn’t refuse. He couldn’t. His hands trembled and he had to grab O Shin’s shirt. He slowly tilted his head, soothing Myohan. His soft lips went away for a second and then came again. Myohan could feel tingles in his stomach.

“Meow.”

The kitten had woken up. It jumped down the sofa. It yawned widely and then moved away. O Shin moved back slightly and then looked into Myohan’s eyes. Myohan stayed still, almost enchanted, then frowned to hear a voice in his head.

‘I will never forget you.’

His head buzzed. Scenes he had never seen before started to flood in.

‘Even if you can’t remember me…’

Rain was falling from the dark sky. Someone drenched wet in rain kept talking to him. Myohan couldn’t remember but he couldn’t let it go either. He blinked. His mind was in a mess.

“Don’t think.”

O Shin spoke calmly and kissed him again. He embraced Myohan and softly patted his back. Once, twice, each time his hand caressed Myohan, his memories went away. He kissed him again passionately, and Myohan let him. It didn’t feel real. A softm flooding sensation washed over him. He stayed in O Shin’s arms for a long time.

“So, our class is going to…”

Myohan took a deep breath. Hot wind, humid air, and the smell of sand. He looked away following a whisk of sand dust, and then he stretched his back. His sleepy eyes blinked.

‘So sleepy.’

“Are you listening?”

“No.”

Sinsul, who had been explaining with twinkling eyes, puffed and shook Myohan’s shoulder.

“But the sports competition’s just around the corner!”

Some days past after he got the rabbit. He had been happy to be done with the school festival, but now the sports competition was just around the corner.

Myohan had to be dragged out to the schoolyard by his classmates just because they had been given permission to train during independent study time. Myohan looked around, and there were many other boys out practicing as well. The weather was hot, and it was hard to believe it’d snowed only a while ago. And Sinsul’s passion was as hot as the scorching sun.

“O Myohan, we must play soccer!”

Myohan, who was crouching in O Shin’s shadow to hide from the sunlight, gave him a sulky reply.

“You can’t make me, and I won’t.”

Sinsul put a foot on his soccer ball and posed like a real athlete. He even pointed at Myohan with his index finger. Of course, that meant nothing to Myohan.

“This is a chance for our class to win first place, just like we did at the festival.”

It was way too bothersome. It was too hot and annoying. Myohan looked down. He really wished he could go back inside, turn on the air conditioner, and take a nap. O Shin, who had been his parasol, put a hand on his head.

“It’s hot.”

“The heat’s killing me.”

Bright light was behind O Shin because of the high sun. What an aura. Myohan muttered so and let him stroke his head. O Shin’s head was huge with his thick bones, but his hands were so gentle when they touched Myohan, just like he was doing now.

The day they caught the rabbit, after kissing passionately, none of them said a word even when after it was over. O Shin held Myohan carefully as if he was something precious. They each caught their breath. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Myohan fell asleep momentarily after listening to that steady heartbeat. He was on his bed when he woke up, so he just guessed O Shin must have put him there.

“You’re not playing soccer?”