Swallow Hunting - vanish into fiction

“…….”

Hae-jun wore a peculiar expression after checking the deposited amount. The tip was significantly higher than what he usually received.

He knew what this compensation was for. Even if he were the one who wanted it, the man had almost ended his life, so this must be the price paid for that.

Since he had come into some extra money, he ought to be happy, but he didn’t feel entirely good. He felt somewhat uneasy. Hae-jun could not understand himself—why he was becoming so dejected. Instead of welcoming it with open arms, a bitter taste filled his mouth. He must be so full from the money, the house, and the food Lee Kang-ju provided that he was losing his mind.

Hae-jun shook his head as he prepared breakfast, which had now become a habit. He felt it was a waste of time to wallow in abnormal sentiments like being depressed over receiving more money.

As he did every other day, Hae-jun took a loaf of bread out of the cupboard to prepare breakfast. There were exactly two slices left.

At first, there was quite a lot, and he had worried if he could finish it all while staying here, but so much time had already passed.

He carefully toasted the bread, harboring the hope that Lee Kang-ju would take at least one bite. Using a toaster would be simple, but in a kitchen where one pot and one frying pan were the extent of the equipment, it was greedy to wish for a device like a toaster that served only a single purpose.

During his stay here, Hae-jun had tried cooking eggs in various ways. He had made boiled eggs, sunny-side up, hard-fried, scrambled, and even omelets, but Lee Kang-ju always acted as if he hadn’t seen them. However, since the man never actively stopped him, Hae-jun did not cease his challenge, feeling a sense of “let’s see who wins.”

Today, the toast and eggs were cooked especially well and looked delicious. Hae-jun took a photo to keep as a record and waited for Lee Kang-ju. When the appointed time came, the door opened and Lee Kang-ju entered. With the heart of someone hoping a picky judge would finally shout “pass,” Hae-jun followed Lee Kang-ju with his eyes.

Lee Kang-ju sat across from Hae-jun. He looked at the plate, the newspaper, and the cup in turn, then reached out. Hae-jun watched with a pounding heart, but he was soon disappointed. Unlike Hae-jun’s daily improving cooking skills, Lee Kang-ju simply moved the water cup—which was off-center every single time—to the middle of the coaster before letting go.

“That’s the last of the bread…”

“Is it?”

Even though Hae-jun murmured regretfully, Lee Kang-ju replied half-heartedly. Feeling it was a waste to throw it away, Hae-jun quickly finished his portion and pulled Lee Kang-ju’s plate toward himself. Thanks to Lee Kang-ju’s constant indifference, Hae-jun was the only one unintentionally overeating every morning.

He chewed the toast habitually. Every time he swallowed, his throat, which had been overworked last night, felt a sharp sting, but it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t eat.

He felt like he hadn’t been in his right mind yesterday. The movie theater and the bar were one thing, but as he tried to recall what happened afterward, his body flushed with shame.

For all he knew, there was a high possibility Lee Kang-ju regarded him as a crazy bastard obsessed with cock. To lie down on a sacred dining table and hold his mouth open, telling the man to put his cock in. He swore he had never done such a thing in his life and was too scared to ever do it again.

But

“…….”

Suddenly, his cheek felt a sting. Hae-jun, who had been staring blankly elsewhere, lifted his head and his eyes locked perfectly with Lee Kang-ju’s in midair. Feeling embarrassed, Hae-jun set the toast down.

“They say you’ll be punished if you waste food.”

“Do you always eat with it smeared on you like that?”

Lee Kang-ju tapped his own lips. Forgetting the question directed at him, Hae-jun stared blankly at those lips for a moment.

How soft they were, how hot they were, and how the tongue hidden inside had melted him so thoroughly. The sensation returned vividly, sticking to his brain like sticky honey or syrup. Feeling a tickling sensation, Hae-jun bit his lower lip.

“Cha Hae-jun,” the voice calling him brought Hae-jun back to his senses. Lee Kang-ju was staring at him intently. After rubbing his lips vigorously with the back of his hand, Hae-jun bowed his head deeply.

“Not there.”

Lee Kang-ju reached out and naturally touched the corner of Hae-jun’s mouth. As he rubbed lightly with his thumb, just as he had when smearing semen there, crumbs fell away in flurries. Hae-jun didn’t even know what kind of expression he was making because of the sound of his heart thumping as if it would break his ribs. His eyelids fluttered, and his lips parted slightly.

“……That!”

Hae-jun jumped up and rubbed his lips roughly with the back of his hand. The wound from last night stung, but that wasn’t the problem.

“It’s not there anymore, right?”

“On your lips.”

“Where else is it? No, I’ll go check the mirror.”

Before Lee Kang-ju could say anything, Hae-jun scurried away from the dining table. His strides were so wide it looked as if he were running in place.