Chapter 49 (2/2)

“Yes, you are.”

“What about me!”

Yuja scowled at Sinsul, but he frowned again. Something was troubling him, but it seemed like it wasn’t something he could tell Sinsul.

On one side, Jagyeom and Miho were having a conversation. Jagyeom did most of the talking and Miho mostly nodded.

On the day he finally burst into tears, Myohan stayed with him until he transformed back. And then he took him to his home before leaving. He was sad, and O Shin just hugged him without saying anything.

After that, Miho never missed school. The bully no longer messed with him. That didn’t make Miho mingle up with his classmates, of course, but he and Jagyeom were now friends and that was enough.

“Aren’t you excited about this trip?”

“Not really.”

O Shin, who was standing in line with Myohan, asked, “Really?”

He replied half-heartedly, but O Shin’s eyes were still shining. Myohan looked up at him to know what he meant by the question, and he said amusedly, “Well, you never know.”

“Never know what?”

“This is the last July. Maybe something unexpected is about to happen.”

Still, Myohan wasn’t interested.

“It’s October now, you idiot.”

The school trip was going to be in accordance with the itinerary. They would arrive on Jeju Island, eat lunch, visit some sights, unpack their bags at a hostel, and have some free time. A few boys were most likely to drink booze they smuggled in during that free time, but Myohan wasn’t interested in that either.

Plus, none of his roommates would have brought booze. Myohan, O Shin, Sinsul, and Yuja, among them, who would be bold enough to bring booze? Well, Sinsul was, but his physical state would forbid him to do it.

“Every day is just the same.”

O Shin smiled at his whine, thinking he was cute.

“You’ve lived for only 18 years, but you sound like you’ve lived for an eternity?”

“What, do you find every day new and enjoyable?”

“Well…”

Myohan asked back without much thought, but it made O Shin smile. He slowly raised a hand and tapped on Myohan’s cheek. It tingled and he coughed. O Shin whispered sweetly, “Yes, at least for now.”

Myohan could feel his ears turning red. O Shin’s voice was so sweet that he could almost taste it. He looked away, but O Shin wouldn’t put down his hand until he caressed his ear.

The way he treated Myohan was quite strange. Sometimes he looked at him as if he were his pet cat, but sometimes he carefully caressed him as if he were something precious.

He looked at him eagerly as if he was about to disappear any moment, and he kissed him as if they were a couple.

He clearly wanted Myohan and craved for him, but he wasn’t exactly up to getting him. Of course, the queerest thing was Myohan himself, who kept finding him to be closer every day.

He was being drawn to another man, but it just didn’t feel wrong. He hated it when Sajun tried to flirt with him, but when O Shin touched him, it felt even more natural than breathing. And then there were memories with him that surfaced in his mind sometimes, but he didn’t know what they were about. He had been focusing on finding the twelve zodiac animals only.

“….Well, the trip might be fun, if it’s with you.”

Myohan looked up at O Shin and he smiled back. The trip was going to last three days. Maybe I can forget all about those animals and focus only on him during that time. That was what he thought.

***

The weather forecast said it would rain, but the sky above Jeju Island was clear and blue. Myohan looked up at the high sky the moment he came out of the airport. He put his arms up and stretched his back. His entire body now felt sore, after flying in a very uncomfortable seat. O Shin eyed at how long his body stretched and muttered something about cats.

“Ha…”

But then, they heard a deep sigh.