Sunshine Shower

When he returned home, he headed straight to the bathroom as soon as he entered the room. He felt sticky all over after sleeping without washing up.Turning on the shower, he stood underneath, feeling a stinging sensation as the water touched his skin. Reflexively, Moon Seoyoon raised his hand to find the source of the pain. His eyes fell on the skin that had turned red where the earring had pricked him.Pressing around the wounded area, the pain intensified. It was only natural that he thought of Woo Yeonjae, whose nails had often grazed the same spot. The lips that carelessly touched his fingers and the tongue that licked his skin followed suit.It felt hot, humid, and mushy.“Ha….”With closed eyes, Moon Seoyoon bit his lips. Soon, a muted groan echoed in the bathroom. A vague sense of self-reproach clouded his faint sensitivity.***“Oppa, your friend is here.”“My friend? Who? …The one from last time?”Song Jua leaned into the supply room, her upper body tilted forward. Moon Seoyoon furrowed his brow imperceptibly. It had already been a few times that Woo Yeonjae showed up sporadically around the time his shift ended.“Yes. But isn’t that person Woo Yeonjae?”“How did you know?”He hadn’t expected the name to come up suddenly. Moon Seoyoon widened his eyes, holding a disposable straw in his hand. Apparently surprised by his reaction, Song Jua nudged his arm with a puzzled expression.“What’s wrong? Are there people in our school who don’t know Woo Yeonjae? …Of course there might be. But he’s a regular on the community boards, that guy.”“Oh, so he’s famous.”Unable to discuss further in the crowded hall, the two exchanged brief conversations in the supply room.“Oppa, handsome guys are destined to become famous. There aren’t many good-looking guys even though there are plenty of pretty girls, right? And talk about like some other guy. Oppa, you were famous before going to the military, right?”Me? Moon Seoyoon openly scoffed this time. What else could make someone famous if they weren’t a celebrity?“I’ve never heard such talk. Why would I be famous?”“Don’t you use the community forums? Our cafe has seen an increase in customers because of you. Didn’t you play the piano when you were in middle school?”“Is that also being talked about? I know there are community forums, but I’ve never tried them… Seems like people talk a lot about others.”Caught off guard by the unexpected stream of information about his past, Moon Seoyoon felt somewhat flustered. It couldn’t have been spread by someone close, but it seemed to have reached the community through his former classmates’ mouths. While there was no particularly negative memory associated with the piano, it was still intriguing to see so much information floating around.“Well, you don’t seem to care much about those things. Still, I thought you’d be famous.”“No, there’s no reason for me to be famous.”Song Jua looked at the man who seemed to take all jokes in stride and inwardly clicked her tongue. He must have heard plenty of compliments about his looks. There was a subtle awkwardness about him, suggesting he was used to overhearing such things.Although he never brought up appearance directly in conversations, Moon Seoyoon was undoubtedly handsome. With fair skin, dark brown hair, and features that were soft and rounded, he exuded a composed and gentle aura. Would it have been a natural assumption upon discovering he played the piano? Perhaps a thought like that would have crossed one’s mind. His gentle and clean atmosphere suited him quite well.Whether she knew how he was being evaluated or not, Song Jua gestured towards the door as if inviting Moon Seoyoon to leave the supply room. Instead of turning away immediately, she snatched the straw from his hand and embraced him tightly.“Why?”Moon Seoyoon looked at her with a puzzled expression.“I’ll finish up. You did it last time, remember?”“We can do it together.”“I’m waiting for a friend.”As Song Jua slipped away, her voice echoed, “Seoyoon oppa will be out soon.”“We can do it together.”Although he initially hesitated, Moon Seoyoon eventually straightened his apron and grabbed his coat. He couldn’t stop his hands from moving faster despite saying he would help.Seeing Woo Yeonjae was both daunting and delightful for Moon Seoyoon. Strictly speaking, the feeling of excitement outweighed any sense of burden. Liking someone carried a weight so heavy it could swallow up even the guilt.Afraid that any obvious signs of affection might show, Moon Seoyoon smoothed out his expression, took a short breath, and stepped out of the supply room. Woo Yeonjae, who had been looking at the showcase, turned as Moon Seoyoon approached.“Moon Seoyoon.”Moon Seoyoon bit his lower lip gently. It had become a habit to do so whenever Woo Yeonjae called his name in an affectionate tone. He had to forcibly suppress the corners of his mouth from lifting involuntarily.“Why do you keep coming back?”“Who else is there to meet? I have nothing to do when no one else is available.”As if it were natural, Woo Yeonjae slung his arm over Moon Seoyoon’s shoulder. Moon Seoyoon subtly distanced himself while turning his body slightly to greet Song Jua. He worried that the sound of his racing heart might escape, which led to movements that were almost habitual, driven by unnecessary impatience.“Jua, I’ll leave first. Thanks.”“No, it’s okay. Take care. And I’ll enjoy the cake, Sunbae!”“Yeah. Goodbye.”Woo Yeonjae waved his hand towards Song Jua and cheekily intercepted her response. His hand, which had been lightly swaying, naturally fell onto Moon Seoyoon’s shoulder.“See you after the weekend.”Moon Seoyoon turned back once more to bid farewell to Song Jua.Partway dragged by Woo Yeonjae, they stepped outside, feeling the cold wind brushing past their cheeks. Despite it being March, there was no sign of the weather warming up.“Did you buy the cake?”Sniffling, Moon Seoyoon looked up at Woo Yeonjae.“He sent you off quickly, so it’s a bribe.”“What kind of bribe is that?”Not sure how to react, Moon Seoyoon awkwardly responded, and Woo Yeonjae chuckled before gesturing towards the car.“What do you want to eat?”“Why do you keep trying to feed me? It’s burdensome to eat at this hour.”“I lost weight. I told you, I’m making up for not eating for two years.”At the mention of weight loss, Moon Seoyoon reflexively looked down at his body. Since he hadn’t weighed himself since his military service, it was impossible to confirm whether he had lost or gained weight. But if Woo Yeonjae said he lost weight, then he probably did. Moon Seoyoon’s observational skills were impressive.“I haven’t paid attention, but… you probably did lose some.”Moon Seoyoon was susceptible to stress. When he was stressed, it often manifested physically, and one of the main symptoms was weight loss.“You recognize me even though I’m wearing winter clothes.”It was early spring, a time when even someone with good eyesight might not recognize someone in thick clothing. It was just impressive that Woo Yeonjae could recognize him.“I’ll know if I hug you.”“What nonsense.”“I’m serious.”Furrowing his brow to distinguish whether it was a joke or a serious statement, Moon Seoyoon glanced over, noticing someone waving their hand vigorously in the distance, beyond Woo Yeonjae’s shoulder.“Hey, Woo Yeonjae! Wait, isn’t that Woo Yeonjae?”“Kim Hyunseung.”Woo Yeonjae calmly called out the person’s name. As if about to hop into the car, he held his hand out towards the door, and the person started running towards them at a frantic pace. Just as they reached a hair’s breadth away, Kim Hyunseung stopped and heavily pounded Woo Yeonjae’s back.“Woo Yeonjae!”“It’s not ‘Bastard Woo Yeonjae,’?”“What? Did you hear?”He chuckled and glanced back and forth. Despite not having seen each other in a while, there was no sense of awkwardness.“Where are you guys going?”“Moon Seoyoon’s taking me to eat.”“Wow, this guy’s really petty. What about me?”Suddenly, memories of high school came flooding back, and Moon Seoyoon chuckled.“I haven’t decided what to eat yet… Wanna come with us?”“Oh, I don’t even want to buy water for Hyunseung.”“What? You’re buying something tasty for me? Thanks.”Kim Hyunseung, tapping Woo Yeonjae’s back again, quickly hopped into the back seat. Woo Yeonjae, looking bewilderedly into the car, eventually turned his gaze towards Moon Seoyoon, his head tilting slightly in what seemed like resentment.“My friend has no sense at all.”“What do you mean?”“What if someone else interrupts our date?”“You have a girlfriend and you’re calling this a date with me?”“Even close friends meeting up is a date.”It was an audacious response. Moon Seoyoon struggled to maintain his expression, fearing he might seem overly sensitive if he retorted. Unsure how to respond, he simply pursed his lips, but Woo Yeonjae gestured towards the car again as if urging him to get in. Only then did Moon Seoyoon slowly get into the car. He knew that such actions might be misunderstood by others, but it was difficult to control his expression knowing that it was one of Woo Yeonjae’s habits.“What were you two talking about? Get in the car.”“Who said anything about our date being interrupted?”“Hyunseung, why don’t you join our date too?”Kim Hyunseung, sitting in the back, suddenly raised his head and leaned forward, showing support. Moon Seoyoon felt embarrassed, thinking that this kind of reaction was only for someone with a crush. Feeling like he had bragged about having a girlfriend for no reason, he decided to playfully tease Kim Hyunseung by pushing his cap back. He also made a mental note to react in a similar manner next time.