Swallow Hunting - Chapter 42.1
Lee Kang-ju’s house was not very far from where Hae-jun lived. It was a complex he had delivered to once before. At that time, he had simply handed over the food in the lobby and left, so he hadn’t known what the interior structure looked like.
Hae-jun stood in the living room and looked around the house. It was quite spacious for someone living alone and had several rooms. It felt as if someone could live there in secret without anyone ever knowing.
The picturesque interior and the cleanliness of the house, which was devoid of even a single speck of dust, drew natural admiration. However, there was one thing: it did not smell like a place where people lived. There were no items that prioritized practicality over design, such as laundry drying racks or exercise equipment. The sofas, tables, and dining set all looked as if they had been moved directly from a model home.
“Choose any room you like.”
“Thank you. I’ll bring the rest of my belongings tomorrow.”
“Do as you wish. I’ll leave the key on the dining table, so keep that in mind.”
It didn’t feel real that he was actually allowed to stay here. Hae-jun secretly pinched the back of his hand and asked casually.
“Then, how long should I stay?”
“Until the place next door is taken care of.”
The word “taken care of” was somewhat bothersome, but Hae-jun set his mind at ease, assuming Lee Kang-ju would handle it. In any case, it was a better place than Yohan’s house. Wouldn’t his heart naturally grow more comfortable as time passed?
Hae-jun gave a cheerful “Yes” and chose a small room near the entrance. It was a simple room with a desk, a bed, and a built-in wardrobe. While it was narrower than the other rooms, it had a small bathroom attached to it. There was no better place for a short stay.
After unpacking, Hae-jun came out to the living room. Lee Kang-ju was nowhere to be seen, perhaps having gone into his own room. At Yohan’s place or his own home, there was always some level of noise that made him feel at ease, but this place was so silent that even the sound of breathing seemed muffled.
If it were Yohan’s house, he would have turned on the radio or TV without asking, but since this was Lee Kang-ju’s home, he felt hesitant to do even that. After some deliberation, Hae-jun turned on the TV and lowered the volume as much as possible. That alone made his stifling chest feel a bit clearer.
Hae-jun did not like silence. It was because he had endured it for too long as a child.
He didn’t need the sound of whistling wind, rattling doors, bugs crawling on the floor, or rats scurrying across the ceiling; he needed the sound of people talking. Music was fine too. He had to feel the presence of someone else near him to escape that bone-chilling sensation.
That was why even the sound of footsteps brought a sense of welcome first. Hae-jun turned around with a wide grin. Having likely just washed up, he was patting his wet hair with a towel.
Lee Kang-ju was dressed simply. Having always seen him in a suit, seeing him in comfortable clothes drew Hae-jun’s gaze naturally.
“You’re going to burn a hole through me.”
Had he been staring too blankly? His earlobes grew hot, and he quickly turned his head back toward the TV.
“Did you wash up?”
“I washed up at my place before coming… Should I wash up again?”
“As you wish.”
“I’ll go wash up quickly.”
Hae-jun stood up as if fleeing. He entered the bathroom attached to the room and scrubbed every corner of his body. Since Lee Kang-ju would be waiting, he had to get out quickly, but standing under the stream of hot water made his mind feel hazy; he just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep soundly.
He was standing dazed under the water even though there was nowhere left to scrub when the doorknob turned and the door opened. Beyond the shower booth where the water was streaming down and through the thick steam, the silhouette of Lee Kang-ju appeared.
Before Hae-jun could step out, Lee Kang-ju opened the shower booth and entered first. Because the water hadn’t been turned off, Lee Kang-ju’s entire body became soaked. As he swept back his hair which was obstructing his vision, Lee Kang-ju’s face was revealed without reservation. His eyebrows were furrowed in discontent.
“Do you always take this long to shower?”
“No. I usually finish quickly… but the water was so warm that…”
Hae-jun stammered an excuse. Every time he spoke, water trailed along his lips and entered his mouth. He reached back, fumbling to push the faucet handle down. However, his hand slipped on the wet surface. The water temperature, which had been melting his flesh and muscle, turned slightly more lukewarm.
“Doing it out here is—ah.”
Lee Kang-ju turned Hae-jun around. He grabbed the fleshy cheeks of his buttocks and kneaded them before striking them hard, like a water paddle. Hae-jun’s exaggerated scream of pain rang through the narrow booth.
“I’ve waited long enough.”
A thick middle finger tickled the tightly closed opening before digging inside. The stream of water running between his buttocks soaked Lee Kang-ju’s back of the hand and fingers. Hae-jun bit his lower lip and leaned his head against the wall. As the inner flesh narrowed around the finger, his buttock muscles twitched.
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