Chapter Text
"Alright, thanks." Soleum patted the shoulder of his friend, who was still holding the camera in his hands. The photographer could only stare in disbelief. Even someone as stoic as Soleum was capable of doing something like that.
He had kissed Saheon right in front of everyone.
Saheon had already lowered his head, fully prepared to smack Soleum's insane head from behind.
Soleum turned to face Saheon, then picked him up again and walked away.
Leaving behind a crowd of stunned onlookers.
"Look at those two lovebirds glued together," Minseong muttered, unable to comprehend what he had just witnessed.
"Just wait until someone reports this to the principal," Haje sighed, watching Soleum disappear around the corridor leading to their dormitory while carrying Saheon, who was muttering who-knew-what under his breath. It looked like Soleum intended to take care of him in their room.
Meanwhile, Saheon was cursing.
"Bastard, bastard, bastard. Have you completely lost your sense of shame?" Saheon scolded him, but the back of his neck had already turned warm, the flush spreading all the way to his cheeks.
"What else was I supposed to do when my boyfriend wanted to monopolize me completely?" Soleum asked, sounding rather pleased with himself. He enjoyed watching Saheon desperately hide how happy he actually was.
"So, how was my pose earlier? Am I qualified to be your personal model now?" Soleum asked again.
"Yeah, next time go kiss a crocodile instead!" Saheon shot back.
The moment he said that, the heat in his body seemed to intensify. Dizziness washed over him, and he lowered his head, clutching Soleum's shirt as he tried to endure it.
Noticing the change immediately, Soleum quickened his pace up the dormitory stairs. As soon as they entered their room, he set Saheon down and pressed their foreheads together to check his temperature.
He's burning up.
The thought sent a wave of panic through Soleum.
"Cold," Saheon shivered, pulling the blanket Soleum had given him tighter around himself.
"How about we go to the hospital?" Soleum coaxed while rummaging through the drawers in search of a cold pack.
"No."
Saheon answered instantly. What if the dorm supervisor called his aunt and uncle over something as simple as a fever?
"Soleum... I'm cold."
Saheon didn't even realize he was beginning to whine.
Soleum immediately lay down beside him and pulled the feverish body into his arms. The only thing he could do right now was let Saheon borrow his body heat.
One hand rested a cold compress against Saheon's forehead, while the other wrapped around his waist and drew him closer until their bodies were pressed together.
Saheon shifted around, his hands trembling badly. It wasn't just because of the fever.
More than anything, he simply wanted to cling to Soleum today.
That bastard had been busy for days.
"Um, Saheon, I'm happy you're clinging to me, but this isn't exactly good for my self-control," Soleum said while gently stroking his hair.
Saheon lifted his head and looked up at Soleum, who was gazing down at him.
"Pervert," Saheon muttered, barely audible.
Soleum looked genuinely offended.
"No. Is it really that strange for me to react when my own boyfriend is clinging to me on my boyfriend's BED?"
Saheon laughed.
"Think about it," Soleum huffed, secretly relieved to hear that Saheon still had enough energy to laugh.
Saheon buried his face in the crook of Soleum's neck, a place warmer than anywhere else.
Damn it.
He was truly weak right now.
"Saheon, I'm sorry for making you feel something so awful yesterday. I really am," Soleum said softly.
"Yeah, regret it for the rest of your life," Saheon replied sharply, though there was no real malice behind it.
A smile tugged at Soleum's lips.
"My goodness. I'll spend the rest of my life regretting that my boyfriend got jealous over a complete stranger I don't even know~"
"Shut up, Soleum."
Soleum laughed loudly, the vibration of his chest becoming a lullaby for Saheon.
It was incredibly comforting.
"Go to sleep, Saheon. I'll wake you up later for dinner and your medicine, alright?" Soleum said, bringing their conversation to an end.
Saheon nodded.
This was the most comfortable sleep he had ever experienced.
[#—#]
"Announcement! Kim Soleum. Once again, student Kim Soleum, please report to the principal's office immediately."
The announcement echoed throughout the entire school during break time.
Naturally, it caused quite a commotion among the students.
"Good luck, Soleum," Minseong said with his hands on his hips. "Seriously... you two are complete idiots."
Soleum responded with little interest.
What else could he do?
Getting scolded by the principal was far better than watching Saheon cry.
That was a nightmare he never wanted to witness again.
Saheon waited outside the principal's office. He had been too late to stop Soleum and had only managed to exchange a few words with him before Soleum marched straight into that room of death without a hint of hesitation.
He was nervous.
After making sure no one was looking, Saheon pressed his ear against the door.
"Soleum, you're the top-ranked student. How can you possibly be doing something you're not supposed to do at school?"
The old man in the suit rubbed his forehead, utterly baffled.
"Focus on your studies. Don't throw all of this away."
Again.
He sighed.
"Do you understand what I'm talking about, Soleum?"
Soleum nodded.
"Yes."
"No dating and no kissing at school. If I catch you behaving like this again, I'll be calling your parents."
Soleum nodded quickly.
"And what exactly does that nod mean?" the principal asked irritably.
"Feel free to call my parents," Soleum answered innocently.
Outside the office, Saheon silently screamed, You idiot.
Bang.
"Soleum, I'm serious," the principal responded.
"I won't kiss at school again. But I'll keep dating. I'm serious too, sir."
At this point, even the principal seemed to feel ridiculous for being involved in Soleum's love life.
"You're only a second-year high school student, Soleum. The love you believe in so strongly right now will disappear when you're older. You'll find someone more suitable for you."
The principal was genuinely trying to give advice.
"Yes, sir. That's why I'm taking care of the suitable one until I get older," Soleum replied calmly.
Saheon couldn't take it anymore.
He immediately stepped away from the door and fled.
The longer he listened, the crazier it got.
Soleum was an idiot.
A complete idiot.
Saheon wasn't that stupid.
...Right?
The bell rang, signaling the start of the next class.
Saheon returned to his seat, ignoring the glances from his classmates.
He didn't actually feel any better. After all, he'd had a high fever just yesterday and had forced himself to come to school today.
Of course Soleum had been angry.
Unfortunately for him, Saheon had pulled out his trump card.
Flirting.
He had learned how to flirt with that bastard.
He had simply sat on Soleum and refused to move until Soleum became frustrated enough to give in.
He had learned that strategy from Yeongeun.
Saheon knew there was a good chance Soleum would be called into the principal's office today.
That was why, even though his head still hurt a little, he had to make sure Soleum was okay.
[#—#]
Saheon sat on the bed reading a book, his back resting against Soleum's chest while Soleum absentmindedly played with his wavy hair inside their dorm room.
It seemed Soleum had resolved things with the principal.
At least, Saheon couldn't see any signs of trouble on Soleum's face.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Hearing someone knock on their dorm room door, Saheon and Soleum exchanged a glance.
Peck.
Soleum briefly kissed Saheon's lips.
"What was that for?!"
Saheon smacked Soleum's shoulder.
Ignoring Saheon, who was chirping like an angry baby bird, Soleum gently moved him aside so he could stand up.
He walked over and unlocked the dorm room door.
Standing outside was their dorm supervisor.
The supervisor awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
"Hello..."
Recognizing the familiar voice, Saheon peeked out from behind Soleum.
The supervisor looked between the two of them.
There was a piece of paper in his hand.
"Honestly, I don't really care about this... but the principal asked me to change your roommate assignment."
What?
Saheon narrowed his eyes.
"Oh."
That was all Soleum said.
Then he added,
"Okay. Good luck with that."
The dorm supervisor stared in disbelief as Soleum calmly shut the door in his face.
"Why did you close it?" Saheon asked.
"Because he's obviously at the wrong room," Soleum answered with a shrug.
"We're roommates who are dating. Not just roommates."
"Soleum, are you stupid?" Saheon echoed.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
This time the dorm supervisor knocked much harder.
And much louder.
[#—#]
"Soleum, please open the door and accept this room transfer notice, okay? I'll die if you don't go through with it." The dorm supervisor tried to persuade him.
"You'll be kicked out of the dorm if you don't comply!" the supervisor threatened. "Your parents will be called. I'm saying this as your dorm supervisor!"
Meanwhile, inside the room...
Soleum held Saheon's hand. "Saheon, tell me. Do you want me to move out or not?"
"Why are you asking me?" Saheon felt as if Soleum had been drinking something strange every day.
"Be honest."
"I don't want you to." Saheon shook his head.
LOOK HOW ADORABLE HONEST SAHEON IS! Soleum's internal scream could not be contained as he stared into those fresh green eyes.
"Me too," Soleum replied. "There's no way I'd let some random fly stay in the same room as you."
"But they're going to throw you out of here." Saheon tried to be rational.
Soleum knew that.
Then Saheon suddenly shook his head. "No, if you move out... will you end up liking your new roommate?"
Wait, where had that statement come from?
"Impossible." Soleum raised his voice slightly. "I only like you."
Good grief, what kind of conversation even was this?
"Anyway, if I can't stay here, you have to make sure you don't share a room with anyone else either," Soleum continued. "Can you hold out until the end of our second year?"
"Why second year?" Saheon asked in confusion. What exactly was Soleum planning?
"Because in our third year, I'm going to try to propose to you, okay? I'll talk to your aunt and uncle," Soleum said firmly.
Silence fell.
"You want that too, right, Saheon?" Soleum softened his voice.
So he was serious? Saheon felt like strangling himself because he had no idea how he was supposed to react.
"Uh... whatever." Saheon wasn't sure his aunt and uncle would accept their nephew being proposed to by another man.
That would definitely be more difficult compared to Soleum's incredibly understanding parents.
Soleum smiled. "Don't worry. I already told you I'd guarantee it."
Seriously, could Soleum stop talking about proposing for once? Saheon wanted to throw himself away from sheer embarrassment every time the subject came up.
"HEY! I'M STILL OUT HERE! ARE YOU TWO EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!" the dorm supervisor shouted in frustration.
The dorm room door finally opened again. Soleum took the transfer document from the supervisor's hand and said shortly, "I'll leave."
The supervisor nodded in relief.
Then Soleum continued,
"Let Saheon keep this room to himself because I'm prepared to be kicked out of the dorm for this."
The supervisor froze.
"What?"
"Let Saheon stay in this room by himself."
The supervisor stared at him blankly. "What did you just say?"
So the rumors were true.
Soleum really was half-crazy when it came to Saheon.
To be continued...