Chapter Text
He had tried everything—kept his smile intact and resolved to be kind to that idiot. So… could someone please explain why he was still at 0/5?
Why hadn’t any of it registered as an act of affection?
That bastard seemed completely devoid of any sense of emotional connection. Maybe that’s why all his relationships with female idols had continuously failed. Joo Woosung, sitting on his couch with his cat lounging next to him, pretended it didn’t bother him in the slightest.
“You’re a terrible host,” muttered Seo Hoyun, taking a seat beside him. Joo Woosung’s cat stretched lazily, then climbed over its owner to settle in Hoyun’s lap for some petting.
“Looks like you’ve dropped the attacks. Is your head all healed now?”
If Seo Hoyun were a kinder person, he might have changed his approach. But spending so many days with this guy was giving him a literal headache.
Hoyun’s stomach growled loudly, prompting Joo Woosung to raise an eyebrow, silently questioning if he wanted something to eat.
Ignoring Woosung’s inquisitive gaze, Hoyun focused on petting the cat, which seemed far more receptive than its owner. The cat purred softly, as if mocking how easily it gave its affection compared to the human beside her.
The sound of Hoyun’s stomach growling echoed again.
“Is that a yes to food?” Woosung asked with a faint, mocking smile, already standing up.
“I don’t need your charity,” Hoyun shot back quickly, though his eyes followed the other man as he headed toward the kitchen.
“Perfect, then I’ll just cook something for myself,” Woosung said with a shrug.
At that moment, the cat leapt off Hoyun’s lap, as if deciding to follow its owner. Hoyun, unwilling to be left behind, stood up quickly—only to slam his knee against the coffee table.
“Ow! Damn it…” He muttered curses under his breath, bending down to rub his leg just as Woosung returned to the living room.
“What are you doing? Are you okay?”
“Perfectly fine,” Hoyun replied with a sour tone. But when he tried to stand, he wobbled slightly and grabbed the first thing he could for support—Woosung’s hand.
The contact was enough to make them both freeze for a moment. Hoyun cursed himself internally, but for some inexplicable reason, his face began to burn as their gazes locked. It felt… dangerous.
“Ah… sorry,” Hoyun said, quickly letting go of Woosung’s hand.
“What are you doing? If you wanted to touch me, you could’ve just asked,” Woosung said, trying to sound arrogant, though his cheeks were visibly flushed.
“As if anyone would want to touch you on purpose!”
“Then why are you blushing?”
“Who’s blushing? You’re the one who’s red!”
“Sure, if you say so,” Woosung replied, walking toward the kitchen faster than usual, while the cat climbed back into Hoyun’s lap as if nothing had happened.
As Hoyun stroked the cat with movements a bit rougher than necessary, he couldn’t help but think that brief contact, fleeting as it was, felt far more significant than it should have.
[Affection attempts are counted.]
[Number of affection attempts: 1/5]