Chapter Text
Keria woke up to the buzzing of the phone. Spotting Jihoon sprawled out on the sofa with his arm dangling over the edge, Keria rose from his bed and trotted over.
He climbed onto Jihoon's chest and let out a sharp yip until Jihoon's eyes began to open. Once he saw a hint of awareness returning to his pet-human's face, Keria hopped down and crawled under the couch to pull out the still vibrating phone with his mouth. Recognizing his maltese's behaviour, Jihoon grabbed the phone and answered the call.
[ Hey! Why aren't you coming down?! You're gonna be late! ]
"Oh god, sorry! I overslept, I'll be down in a minute!"
Jihoon scrubbed a hand over his face groaning, and rushed into the bathroom. Hearing the water start, Keria yawned and padded into the kitchen for sip of water and breakfast. It seemed his stupid human had played games all night and was late for the work again.
Jihoon bolted out of the bathroom just a few minutes later, threw on a hoodie and sweatpants, grabbed his backpack from the floor and shoved his feet into his sneakers. Keria tiptoed to the door and looked up at him. Jihoon gave his head a quick stroke before hurrying out of the flat.
"See you later, buddy!"
After the door closed behind Jihoon, the apartment fell quiet.
Keria ran toward the window to look down at the street. A familiar car was parked in front of the gate, and soon Jihoon ran out from the building and jumped inside the car.
The sunlight was warm and bright. Keria rested his chin on the windowsill and watched the car shrink down the street.
Well, it had been a rather chaotic morning.
Turning away from the window, Keria padded over to the large framed photo leaning against the living room wall. Jihoon in the photo looked charismatic and polished, with his wet styled hair, sharp black suit and confident, composed pose. Keria sat down in front of the photo and stared up at it. His eyes softened.
Jihoon is a rather handsome animal in his way, Keria thought, lowering himself onto the floor and meeting the intense gaze of his human in the picture. Even though Jihoon had rushed out this morning in a baseball cap and baggy clothes, he might come home later looking like this again. That was his job. Humans call it... 'model', right?
It's a pity he doesn't have a mate yet.
Life with Jihoon in this modest apartment was pleasant enough. It was safe and predictable. Keria was fed on time, walked almost every day, brushed when he allowed it. But sometimes, Keria worried.
What if he wasn't there to wake Jihoon up in the morning?
What if his human was alone and lonely?
Jihoon had other humans around him, of course. Fellow humans, called friends. But most of the time, it was just the two of them. His days followed the same pattern over and over again. Sleep. Work. Games. Walks. Repeat. Jihoon had no complaint about his steady and quiet life, that was just his trait, so he rarely dealt with something loud and dramatic. There even were days when he doesn't have to say a single word all day.
Keria remembered when Jihoon used to bring other humans home. Men and Women. Some Keria approved of and some he absolutely did not. Jihoon laughed a lot more and looked livelier when he's with those 'more than friends' humans. Like he was being properly stimulated. But that was a long, long time ago. Keria couldn't even remember the last time another human had stayed over in Jihoon's bedroom.
He sighed and rested his chin on his paws.
This would not do.
A handsome animal like Jihoon should not be left unattended.
Keria wanted his pet to be happy. But he knows humans are less capable of finding suitable mates on their own.
Keria stared up at the photo again with quiet determination in his eyes.
He would take matters into his own paws.
The maltese scampered back to the window and pressed his nose against the glass. Outside, humans and dogs drifted past. Keria watched them with a critical eye.
He's too young... She's too old...
That hound looks grumpy, his human probably is too...
Many passed by, but none of them felt right. None of them were attractive enough for his pretty human. Or himself, for that matter.
Then, something caught his eyes.
A Samoyed, huge and white as a cloud, walking down the street.
Keria's eyes glowed.
That dog was big, with sleek, soft-looking fur that caught the light as he moved. What a handsome dog! Keria's tail gave an unconscious twitch as curiosity sparked. The samoyed looked full of energy and perfectly healthy. His steps were steady and well-paced, matching his human's stride without pulling or lagging behind. He clearly had a good temperament and intelligence.
Keria watched as the samoyed paused mid-walk and trotted toward a stray cat lounging near the curb. He lowered his body politely, tail wagging in hopeful arcs, then leaned forward to sniff the cat's rear end.
Whap!
The cat recoiled sharply and swatted the dog right on the nose.
The samoyed yelped softly and retreated at once, ducking behind his human's legs and sticking close, clearly wounded in both pride and nose.
His human laughed under his breath, murmured something to the cat(probably an apology on behalf of his too-friendly buddy) and bent down to caress the dog. The samoyed immediately relaxed, rubbing his face against the human's leg before they continued on their way.
Okay, maybe he can be a bit too frivolous, Keria thought, but he's cute, anyway.
And then Keria really noticed the human. The one petting the samoyed. He was beautiful! His hand looked gentle and pale, almost as light as the samoyed's fur. He walked with his back straight, movements calm and unhurried. A book rested in one hand, while the other held the leash loosely, fingers relaxed but secure. Behind his glasses, his eyes glowed wise and kind.
Keria leaned closer to the window as the pair turned the corner, heading toward the park. His sharp gaze followed them until they disappeared from the sight.
Tail swayed excitingly.
He might have found 'the one'.
-
Chance did not come easily.
For days, Jihoon had been painfully busy. He left before dawn and came back late at night, only to collapse for a few hours before heading out agian. Other times, he worked through the night and returned home in the middle of the day, sleeping like the dead. Keria spent those long hours glued to the window, watching the street below. Every time he spotted that samoyed and his human(the book guy, Keria just decided to call him that) walking past, his heart ached with impatience. Each missed opportunity made him grumble silently at his never-at-home pet human.
To Jihoon's credit, even in his exhausted state, he never skipped Keria's walks for more than a day or two. But no matter how eagerly Keria tugged him toward the park, hoping to find that samoyed, no luck ever came. They were never there.
One afternoon, the weather was fair and breezy, and Jihoon actually had time to rest at home.
A Netflix show played softly on the TV as Jihoon dozed off on the couch, half-slumped. Keria lay stretched out on the windowsill, enjoying the lazy warmth of the daylight, drifting in and out of sleep. Just as his eyes were about to close completely, something large and white moved into the view.
A huge fluff of white fur.
The samoyed!
He shot upright. After cheking the big dog walk around the corner of the street and toward the park as always, Keria leapt down, grabbed the leash hanging by the door in his mouth, and sprinted toward Jihoon. His barking shattered the quiet.
Jihoon stirred, blinking sleepily, only to find Keria sitting in front of him on the floor, tail wagging at full speed, eyes wide and pleading. The little maltese pounded his paws, jumping lightly, and stared up imploringly, with his doey-eyes glistening.
"...What's up, Keria...?" Jihoon mumbled.
Keria flopped dramatically onto his back and wriggled across the floor, front paws moved together in the air as if begging, and whimpered desperately.
Please. Pleeeeease. Let's go for a walk!
"Oh" Jihoon said, chuckling softly when he saw the lead in his puppy's mouth. "You wanna go walk?"
Surprised expression settled on his face as Keria answered loudly with a bark.
"Since when did you get this excited about walking?"
Still, kind as ever, Jihoon stretched and pushed himself up from the couch. The moment he reached for the door, Keria went wild. Jihoon clipped on the leash, barely stood up from the bent-down position, and as soon as the front door opened, Keria bolted out like a rocket.
Finally!
If not today, he might never get another chance.
Keria practically dragged Jihoon down the sidewalk, tugging him insistently toward the park, tiny paws moving with fierce determination as his long-awaited plan finally began to start.
They searched the park for quite a while.
Keria tugged Jihoon this way and that, nose twitching, ears flinching, scanning every passing dog. He peered behind trees, fences, and brick walls, but couldn't catch a glimpse of that fluffy white fur.
Just when his hope was starting to fade, he froze.
There. Near the pond, sat a familiar furball.
Keria's ears snapped upright.
The dog was lounged beside the bench, massive and unmistakable, his fur glowing softly under the afternoon sun. A light breeze rippled through his coat, and the samoyed blinked lazily, lying low in the grass with a content expression.
"Hello? Yes, did you get the updated schedule?"
Jihoon checked the buzzing phone and sat down on the nearest bench to take the call. His attention was immediately pulled away as he spoke in serious tone, his grip on the lead loosening.
Keria didn't wait. He bolted forward.
The buckle of the leash was miraculously loose, and the maltese successfully escaped Jihoon's notice.
Panting slightly as he approached, Keria caught the samoyed's attention. The larger dog noticed him at once and sat up. His fluffy tail swayed back and forth like an invitation.
Up close, the samoyed was even more impressive. His coat was thick and clean, carrying a fresh, comforting scent. His eyes were large and round, while his snout and mouth were sharp and strong, giving his gentle face a masculine, loyal edge.
A young, powerful, healthy dog.
Keria stood close, nose to nose with the samoyed, tongue flicking, eyes shining with admiration.
He is perfect.
Skipping the usual polite circling, Keria eagerly plopped himself down against the samoyed's side, pressing his small body in close, and buried his nose into that beautiful fur. It smelled wonderful, and it felt even better. The maltese's heart melted at how naturally his smaller frame fit against the samoyed's like puzzle pieces.
He looked up into those round, bright eyes. Somehow, Keria knew they were feeling the same thing in that momet. That they had found each other, that they hadn't known what they were missing until now, and that strangely, it all felt so right.
Keria purred softly and tapped the samoyed's side with his petite tail. The larger dog answered with a low, pleased growl, leaning down to give Keria an affectionate lick across the face.
Keria felt like he was floating on cloud nine. How was this possible? This dog is perfect match for me, and his human is the perfect mate for Jihoon—
Wait.
His human.
The book guy!
Keria realized that this handsome samoyed had completely distracted him from his original mission. He was supposed to make Jihoon meet the book guy.
The small dog lifted his head and looked up. The human sat on the bench with one leg crossed over the other, a book open in his hands. He hadn't noticed the dogs at his feet at all. His eyes moved swiftly across the page, fully absorbed.
Keria trotted over and sniffed at his shoes and legs. The human carried a clean, calm presence. His fingers were beautiful, turning the pages gracefully. His posture was straight but relaxed, and his expression was soft with focus. Concentration glowed in his eyes, and his lips, naturally curved upward at the corners, gave him a gentle, slightly mysterious aura.
Keria decided that he liked this human. This one would match Jihoon well. He didn't know how or why, but it felt certain. We dogs have good intuition anyway.
He was just about to rub his face against the man's legs when the book guy lowered his gaze and finally noticed the unfamiliar white dog staring up at him.
"Hey, little one. Where did you come from?"
Sanghyeok smiled as he spoke, warm and easy, and reached out a hand for Keria to sniff. Keria immediately licked his fingers and rubbed his face against the palm, wagging his tails.
"You're very friendly, huh."
Encouraged, Keria pawed at the human's leg, whining softly as he tried to climb up onto his knee. Sanghyeok laughed under his breath and stroked the maltese's back gently. When his hand brushed against the collar, he paused.
"Oh, your leash came off." He glanced around. "Come on, let's find your family."
Closing his book, Sanghyeok stood and looked around him. It didn't take long. A few benches away, a man sat with his back turned. There was a pink leash lying empty by his feet. Sanghyeok gathered the dogs and headed over.
Jihoon was just finishing his call when he noticed the leash in his hand was far too light. His face shifted in confusion as he stoop up to scanned the area.
"Hello." Sanghyeok said as he approached him. "I think he's your dog."
Jihoon stared for a second too long before following Sanghyeok's gesture. His eyes landed on the familiar white fluff, and he bent down to scoop the maltese in his arms.
"Keria!"
The puppy immediately wriggled, trying to get back down, twisting toward Sanghyeok with renewed determination. Seeing that, Sanghyeok let out a soft chuckle.
"Looks like his leash came loose." He said. "Luckily, he didn't go far."
At the sound of Sanghyeok's voice, Jihoon looked up. The man's lips curved gently as he watched Keria, the corners lifting in a way that felt soft and natural. His warm eyes shifted upward and met Jihoon's.
Jihoon startled and ducked his head.
"Thank you so much." He said politely.
"You're welcome." Sanghyeok returned a simple smile.
The exchange between them was brief, but Keria caught the dazed look on Jihoon's face. He kept stealing quick glances at Sanghyeok while fumbling to clip the leash back on Keria's collar. Warmth and embarrassment crept up his cheeks, tinting them faintly pink.
Keria was certain that his pet human already felt some kind of pull toward the book guy. My instincts are never wrong! Thrilled that everything seemed to be unfolding in his favour, Keria turned his body back toward Sanghyeok.
But the spot was empty.
The samoyed and his human were already heading toward the park exit, their backs growing smaller by second.
No! They can't leave yet!
Panic surged through Keria. Without hesitation, he jumped down from Jihoon's embrace and started to run after them. Jihoon, who had only just managed to clip the leash back on properly, was yanked forward so abruptly that his feet nearly left the ground for a split second. How does he even have this much power?!
"Whoa, Keria-!" Jihoon grabbed the leash with both hands, stumbling as he tried to slow his puppy down. But Keria had zero intention of stopping. With unwavering determination, he dragged his human straight toward the samoyed and the book guy.
Once there, Keria circled around Sanghyeok enthusiastically, tail whipping the air like a helicopter.
Wait! Did you see my human?! How do you like him? He's tall and handsome, right? Will you be his mate? He's fun and responsible! He treats me very well! Look at me, I'm so clean and healthy, right?!
"Keria, no- stop! You're gonna—!"
Jihoon's desperate shout snapped Keria out of it. He stopped short.
But it was too late.
The leash had already twisted around both men's legs, pulled tight. Jihoon and Sanghyeok lurched forward at the same time, their bodies colliding as they flailed their arms in a desperate attempt to regain balance, but failed.
Keria was yanked by the leash and dragged toward the pond as the humans staggered and toppled into the water. The samoyed reacted on instinct. With a sharp bark, he lunged forward and grabbed his human's jacket in his mouth, trying to hold him steady. But he couldn't defy gravity.
Water splashed as two humans and their dogs crashed into the pond, limbs and leashes tangling in every direction.
A beat of stunned silence followed.
Ripples spread across the pond, green with moss clinging to the edges. The water wasn't very deep, but they had fallen completely in, leaving all four of them got wet enough. Jihoon was the first to push himself up, scrambling in panic as he tried to free Sanghyeok, who was trapped beneath him. He stumbled slightly, his foot slipping on the slick moss and the still tangled leash.
Sanghyeok sat frozen on the pond floor, eyes wide with shock. Slowly he braced a hand against the bottom and lifted it from the water, adjusting his askew glasses with trembling fingers.
Jihoon looked like he might pass out on the spot. His face had gone pale, panic spilling from every frantic movements as he struggled to his feet.
"I'm terribly sorry, oh god... I'm so, so sorry!"
He bent down and reached for Sanghyeok, gripping his arm firmly to help him up. Sanghyeok let himself be pulled upright, moving slowly as if he hadn't fully registered what had just happened. Mud clung messily to the back of his clothes where he'd hit the bottom of the pond.
"Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I swear he's usually-"
Jihoon cut himself off and started brushing at Sanghyeok's clothes, fingers hovering awkwardly as he tried to peel away clumps of wet moss and mud. He looked like he's about to cry because of the guilt.
Sanghyeok was still standing quiet, glancing down his wet, messy clothes. He seemed he's too surprised to speak. His teeth faintly chattered because of the cold, and his expression was stiff and unreadable. Without a word, he carefully stepped out of the pond, water dripping from his sleeves and hems. The samoyed followed with a small whine, shaking himself vigorously and spraying water everywhere. Keria climbed out as well and immediately did the same. He only looked more pitiful as dirty, soaked fur clung to his small body.
Breaking the heavy silence, Jihoon spoke carefully.
"Um... my place is just around the corner. If you want to wash up and get changed—"
He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze drifting over Sanghyeok's trembling figure. Sanghyeok had fallen backward into the pond and was far more soaked than he was. His already pale skin only made him look more fragile.
Jihoon lowered his voice, eyes full of quiet concern.
"...Please. You'll catch a cold."
"...It's fine." Sanghyeok replied in polite but strained tone.
"You can't walk home like this. Where do you live?"
Sanghyeok hesitated.
"...The building by the intersection," He said quietly. "next to the flower shop. With the bookstore."
Jihoon's eyes widened. "That's really far. You're definitely going to get sick." His voice dropped. "I... see, this is my fault. Please, at least let me do this. Come over and get changed."
Sanghyeok glanced down at himself, then at the dogs. When he looked back up, Jihoon was still watching him, concern written on his face, as if he genuinely meant every word. After brief internal struggle, he let out a small sigh and nodded reluctantly.
"Then... I'll impose, just for a bit."
Relief softened Jihoon's expression. Keria's ears perked up as he watched the two men start walking side by side.
A little messy.... but it still works.
Something slimy slid from Keria's cheek down toward his neck. He shook his head sharply, trying to fling it off, but it clung stubbornly to his soaked fur and settled there. Before he could try again, the Samoyed quietly walked over and lowered his head, giving Keria's neck a gentle lick. Despite his massive size, his movements were tender and cautious.
After removing the moss, the larger dog wagged his tail softly and looked at Keria with bright, hopeful eyes, as if waiting for praise. Keria wagged back just as happily and bumped their noses together in a shy little kiss.
This is definitely working out.
Once they got inside, Jihoon moved on pure instinct, barely stopping to breathe.
"The bathroon is here. You can use as many towels as you want." He said, words tumbling out as he moved back and forth between the bedroom, living room and bathroom. "I'll leave some clean clothes in front of the door. You can just... pick them up and change when you're done."
As soon as the warmth of the apartment settled around him, the tension in Sanghyeok's stiff shoulders eased. He followed Jihoon into the bathroom and nodded quietly.
"There's a shampoo for dogs too." Jihoon added, gesturing toward the cabinet. "You can use it."
Sanghyeok blinked. "For... dogs?"
"Yes, I mean..." Jihoon awkwardly pointed at the samoyed. "for him, of course."
Sanghyeok smiled faintly. "His name is Guma."
At the sound of his name, Guma perked up, ears twitching.
Once the bathroom door closed, Jihoon neatly folded the clean clothes and placed them on the mat outside the bathroom. When the sound of running water followed, he finally let out a long breath, staring up at the ceiling as if releasing everything he'd been holding in. He grabbed a towel from nearby and roughly dried his face and hair.
"Okay," Jihoon muttered, glancing down. "Come here, you little menace."
He shot Keria a look, scooped him up, and carried him into the kitchen. Moments later, the maltese was placed in the sink, water running as Jihoon began washing him thoroughly.
"Buddy..." Jihoon sighed as he scrubbed shampoo into his fur. "Why were you such trouble today? You're never like this. Keria, seriously... This is so humiliating. He must think I'm a complete weirdo with a stupid dog or something."
Keria squinted as water ran over his head.
You have no idea. This was all part of my grand plan. I'm helping you, you stupid human!
"AWK!"
"Don't bark at me, young man!" Jihoon hissed, half laughing. "Look at this mess you made! I'm soaked, I stink, my clothes are ruined... I probably gave him the worst first impression."
Jihoon finished washing his dog with a pout. When he tried to wrap Keria in a towel, Keria let out a small snort and shook himself violently, spraying water everywhere. Jihoon yelped and lunged for him, but Keria slipped free, jumped out of the sink, and bolted toward the living room.
At that exact moment, the bathroom door opened.
Sanghyeok stepped out, still carrying the warmth and steam of the shower with him. The samoyed followed close behind, looking noticeably cleaner and much happier.
Jihoon froze, mouth slightly open.
Fresh from the shower, Sanghyeok looked softer. His pale skin stood out against the dark fabric, cheeks lightly flushed from the warmth. Oversized sweatshirt made him seem smaller and gentler.
The apartment was painfully familiar to Jihoon, every corner shaped by habit and routine. And seeing Sanghyeok, technically a total stranger, standing there in the middle of his apartment... It was, strange. Almost unreal. It felt out of place, and yet... not wrong at all. In fact, the sight of him stirred something quiet and tender in Jihoon's chest. He liked the way Sanghyeok looked in his place. He liked the idea of him being here.
Sanghyeok pawed at the long sleeves that covered his hands, then nudged his glasses up with his knuckle. His eyes flicked toward Jihoon, cautious, almost like he was waiting for some permission.
"Um... the clothes are... a bit big." He said quietly, tugging at the fabric.
Jihoon swallowed and snapped back to reality.
"Ah- yeah. I, uh... I usually wear things loose."
He hurriedly grabbed the hair dryer and handed it to the smaller man. "Here. Use this."
"Thank you." Sanghyeok carefully took it it. Then he hesitated, glancing down at Keria who was sniffing him and his samoyed. "I'll dry him too. What's his name?"
"Oh, this is Keria."
"Got it." Sanghyeok nodded. "I'll take care of Keria too. You should take a shower now."
Jihoon paused, then shyly asked. "Uh... Can I have your name? Now I'm asking... I'm Jeong Jihoon, by the way."
"Oh, yeah, hi. I'm Lee Sanghyeok."
"...Okay, then... I'll be quick." Before the awkwardness grow too much, Jihoon hurried toward the bathroom.
"Please make yourself comfortable, ...Sanghyeok-ssi."
Sanghyeok stared at the back of Jihoon disappear behind the bathroom door, then moved to plug the dryer.
He sat down cross-legged with a dryer and a towel in hands. He began to rub gently and thoroughly, moving easily between Guma and Keria. Warm air fluffed through Keria's fur as Sanghyeok worked with steady hands. The small dog relaxed instantly.
Keria liked this human. A lot.
He leaned into the touch without thinking, his tail sweeping lazily against the floor. Sanghyeok's hands were patient and gentle, and when their eyes met, the look he gave Keria was soft and fond. He smelled clean and oddly familiar. Like home.
Whenever the dryer shifted away even briefly, Keria nudged closer, as if to remind the human not to forget him. A soft, pleased huff slipped from his nose. His eyes drooped half closed as trust settled in.
Jihoon better not mess this up.
Keria wanted to keep this human. Jihoon was a decent pet human, but surely having two would be better.... And his samoyed too...
Ah, the samoyed.
The large dog was even more gorgeous after the shower. His coat was shiny and full, looking extremely cozy. His nose was properly moist, indicating his healthy state. Even in an unfamiliar place, he stayed calm and relaxed, tail moving easily as he looked at Keria with excitement and affection in his kind eyes.
And best of all, Keria thought, we smelled the same!
That made his little heart swell. It felf like they belonged together. Guma seemed to agree. He pressed his snout into Keria's back and huffed happily. When Keria returned it with a soft lick to his cheek, Guma wiggled with delight. He rolled onto his side, nearly bearing his belly. Keria leaned fully against him. Their tails moving together, brushing in the air.
While the dogs settled together near his legs, Sanghyeok lifted his gaze and took in the apartment. It was pleasantly spacious and clean for a flat where a young man lives alone. His eyes wandered from corner to corner before settling on the framed photos scattered throughout the space. Jihoon was in every single one of them, in different hairstyles and outfits.
Sanghyeok stared at them a little longer than necessary. The man in the photos looked confident and striking, all sharp angles and effortless presence.
He glanced back down at the dogs, and continued to dry their fur with a soft stroke.
"Guess your hyung is a model, huh?" He quietly murmured to Keria.
The maltese lifted his head just enough to bark in response, tail thumping happily against Guma's side. Yeah! Isn't he cute?!
Sanghyeok's gaze drifted again, this time stopping on a photo near the window.
Jihoon was sitting on the grass, Keria tucked in his arms, both of them smiling wide at the camera. There was nothing sharp or artificial about it. Just sunlight, green grass, and a man laughing like he'd forgotten to be careful for once.
Sanghyeok couldn't take his eyes off from it easily. Without quite realizing it, the corners of his lips curved upward.
Jihoon came out from the bathroom with a towel over his head and went straight into the kitchen. Soon, he reappeared holding two mugs of warm tea. He set them down on the coffee table and slid one toward Sanghyeok.
"Here. Try to warm up a bit."
"Ah, thank you." Sanghyeok said, smiling as he wrapped both hands around the mug.
Only then did Jihoon remember something. He strided back to the kitchen counter and returned with a book. Its one corner was damp. He pressed a towel gently against the cover and blotted it with quiet concentration.
Sanghyeok stared, startled. "Oh. I completely forgot about my book. You picked it up."
"Yeah" Jihoon said, a little shy. "It didn't get too wet, luckily."
Sanghyeok let out a small breath. "That's a relief. Thank you."
A brief silence settled between them.
"Um..." Jihoon cleared his throat. He tried to meet Sanghyeok's eyes but they stayed lowered with awkwardness. "I really am sorry. Again. Keria's not usually like this. I don't know why he went so wild today."
He glanced at his dog. On the floor, Keria was fully absorbed in another world. He was rolling around with Guma, nipping at each other playfully.
"It's okay." Sanghyeok followed Jihoon's gaze and smiled. "I'm glad Guma made a friend."
Jihoon sighed and looked down at the book.
"Pride and Prejudice," he read. "Isn't this a romance? I remember my sister loving the movie."
Sanghyeok's cheek flushed slightly. "Ah... yes."
"Do you like romance novels?"
"Oh, no." The answer came a little too quickly. "I mean... not particularly. It's just a classic, so I thought I should read it at least once."
Jihoon nodded understandingly. "How was it so far? I keep telling myself I should read more."
Sanghyeok began to talk, a little hesistant at first. But as he went on, his posture relaxed and his tone grew animated. The guarded tension he had earlier faded as he spoke with growing enthusiasm about how fluid the writing was. Behind his glasses, his eyes shone with genuine joy.
Without realizing it, Jihoon was staring at him with a faint smile. There was a quiet pleasure in watching this version of Sanghyeok, how someone who looked so quiet and restrained can become excited when talking about something he loved.
Sanghyeok laughed shyly as he admitted that this modest classic gave him more butterflies than most movies or dramas. Jihoon leaned forward against the coffee table, resting his arm on it, enjoying his speech. He wondered what else could draw that kind of spark out of Sanghyeok. What else can make him smile, or blush like that.
That was when Jihoon noticed a small tuft of white fur caught in Sanghyeok's hair. Without thinking, he reached out and brushed it away.
Sanghyeok stopped mid-sentence, suddenly aware of Jihoon's gaze.
"Oh, sorry." Jihoon said quickly, pulling his hand back. "There was fur in your hair."
"...Ah," Sanghyeok's face coloured in deep pink. "Sorry, I got a little carried away."
Jihoon shook his head and said he liked listening. Sanghyeok nervously smiled and took a sip of tea to steady himself. The chamomile did not help much.
The silence returned.
Then Sanghyeok stood abruptly.
"Oh, it's gotten really late. I'm sorry, I've imposed on you for too long."
"No, not at all." Jihoon answered quickly, standing up as well. "Please feel free to stay."
Sanghyeok smiled apologetically. He put the collar back on Guma's neck, but the samoyed let out a small, unhappy whine and refused to move. He lay stubbornly on the floor beside Keria.
Jihoon smiled helplessly. "I'll drive you home, then."
"No, it's really not that far." Sanghyeok protested. "I can just walk-"
"It's late." Jihoon cut in gently. "And your jacket's still wet. You're carrying soaked clothes too. Let me take you. Please."
Sanghyeok looked down at the damp pile of clothes, then pressed his lips together. After a moment, he nodded.
"...Alright." He hesitated, then added, gesturing at the sweatshirt he was wearing. "I'll wash these and return them. Thank you again."
"Oh," Jihoon waved it off with a smile. "You can keep them if you want. My friend runs the brand, I get gifted plenty."
Before Sanghyeok could argue, Jihoon packed the wet clothes into the tote bag and handed it to him.
"Shall we?" The taller man asked, grabbing his keys and heading toward the door.
Sanghyeok followed, gently tugging Guma along. The samoyed resisted with all his fluffy strength, casting Keria a wounded eyes before leaning in for one last time to rub his face against him. Keria stood still, sending the larger dog a wistful look.
This isn't the end. Keria watched how Jihoon smiled at Sanghyeok, holding the door for him as they stepped outside with Guma.
I'm sure we'll meet soon enough.