"Why what?"
"Why are you trying to call another guy to come and sleep with you? You had made mention of a deal between you two. What's that deal about? Is it about money or a job?" Byeong Ho asked, eyes narrowing as he tried to process the situation. His arms were crossed, the tension in his shoulders revealing just how wary he still was.
"What does it matter? It's not like you can do anything about it. Even if you can, it doesn't mean that you will, so why should I tell you anything about what is going on between the man and me?" Doyun replied, his tone calm but firm. He shifted slightly, leaning against the wall to emphasize the distance he wanted to maintain.
"Wait, he is a man? Not just a guy? Were you intending to go for an old geezer? Why...? Are you that desperate?" Byeong Ho's voice cracked slightly at the end, betraying the shock and disbelief he was feeling. He stepped back a little, trying to put some space between them.
Doyun sighed. "Your words are starting to get on my nerves, so you better drop it before I get annoyed with you right now." His jaw tightened slightly as he tried to keep his composure.
Byeong Ho didn't intend to come off as offensive, but he didn't know how else to frame his questions without sounding accusatory. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, fidgeting with the edge of his sleeve.
Doyun also thought that he was being harsh to the older guy, so he tried to calm down.
"I'm sorry that my messages came to you instead, disturbing your peaceful night, but you could've just let me know that I sent them to the wrong number once you realised that instead of coming here. It's late now, so you'll have to sleep here for the night and leave when morning comes." Doyun ran a hand over his face, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he spoke.
Byeong Ho watched the younger guy as he rambled on. He still had some questions he wanted to ask, but Doyun's next words pulled him out of his thoughts entirely.
"I hope you don't mind sharing a bed with me." Lee Doyun asked. His tone was hesitant, but there was a quiet earnestness in his eyes that made the offer seem genuine.
Stunned, Byeong Ho only stared at him. His mind raced, unsure if he should take the offer seriously or assume some trickery.
Noticing that his visitor looked uncomfortable at his question, Doyun added, "Don't worry. I'm not into guys, so don't think I'll jump you or touch you in any bad way, unlike what my messages suggest."
His words carried a quiet reassurance, though the faint redness on his cheeks betrayed slight embarrassment.
'Shouldn't I be telling him that?' Byeong Ho mused to himself. It's physically obvious that he is the stronger and sturdier of the two of them. He crossed his arms again, trying to calm the fluttering in his chest.
Why would this idiot, who is even the one inviting a complete stranger he has just met into his bed, be the one to tell him not to worry when it should be the other way around? The thought made him incredulous.
'Does he have a brain at all?' Byeong Ho was a little bemused, shaking his head subtly.
"The bed is small, but since my friend and I are able to share it, you're not that much bigger than he is, so...ahh." Doyun rubbed his forehead, wincing slightly. His left eye throbbed in pain, the faint headache making him pause mid-sentence.
"Would you like to wash down first, or would you like to sleep right away?" He asked the older guy, his voice careful as if giving him a choice might ease the tension.
"No. I never said I'd be sleeping here. Why would you assume that?" Byeong Ho asked him back, tone sharp but laced with mild amusement. He took a step back, trying to reclaim a bit of personal space.
"It's very late." Doyun repeated, his eyes scanning the room, noticing the shadows and the faint hum of the streetlights outside the window.
"I know that. I just can't sleep at someone's place, so I'll be leaving. I only came because I was just curious." Byeong Ho's words were firm, but there was a slight tremor in his voice that betrayed a flicker of doubt.
Byeong Ho got down from the bed, but Doyun blocked his path, thinking he was going for the door, and held his shoulders in both hands. The grip was gentle but firm enough to stop any sudden movements.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, but his visitor only looked back at him questioningly with raised eyebrows.
Doyun sighed.
"Look, this neighbourhood is very dangerous at night, okay? And I wouldn't want to be blamed for something happening to you. If you should leave now, I don't think I can have a good rest worrying about whether or not you made it out safely. So just for my own sake, can you just wait till morning? Please?" His voice softened at the end, almost pleading.
"Fine. But I'm not sleeping on the bed with you." Byeong Ho pried his hands away and moved back to the bed. He positioned himself against the wall, turning his face to avoid looking directly at Doyun.
"Won't you change? Would you like for me to give you something to change into?" Byeong Ho didn't answer, the quiet settling around them like a tangible weight.
Doyun shook his head and pulled the blanket to cover him up before going to make a bed for himself on the tiny floor space by the nightstand and beside the bed. He adjusted the thin mat and a pillow, trying to create a semblance of comfort for the night.
"Hye-Won, Hye-Ri, you two should stay with omma and call me once she's awake or if anything else." Doyun instructed as he stood at the hospital doorway, checking the girls' expressions.
"Oppa, we just got here not long ago. The doctor said the drugs will wear off in less than two hours, so she will wake up soon. Where are you going in such a rush?" Hyewon asked, frowning slightly. She glanced at her younger sister for reassurance.
"Today is Saturday. Some of our customers will be coming for their orders. I have to go and attend to them. You know how oemma takes her work very seriously." His words were brisk but calm, laced with a subtle undertone of urgency.
"Alright. Then why don't I go with you?" Hyewon turned to her younger sister.
"Hyeri, stay with oemma. Call us immediately; she's awake. Okay?"
"No, you both should stay here. I can manage the stall. I'll come back after. Here, take this money. In case you all need something." He handed them a small envelope with folded bills inside.
"Okay. We'll call you as soon as she wakes up." Hyewon said, accepting it, her fingers brushing briefly against his.
"Take care, oppa." Hyeri said to her brother, who was almost out of the door. He nodded once in acknowledgment and hurried out, his pace brisk, eyes already scanning the streets as he made his way to the market.
"Ajumma, yours is the other blue ice chest. This one is for another customer." Doyun shouted from outside to the middle-aged woman inside their store, where he had placed the orders of some of their customers.
"See, this one has someone else's name. Yours is the other one on your left." Doyun excused himself and went to show the woman her correct goods before returning to serve those outside. His movements were quick but careful, mindful of the orders and customers around him.
"Give me 2 lbs of drumsticks, 1 lb of chicken wings, 2 lbs of sardines, and 1 lb of cod." Doyun served the other customers one after the other while keeping an eye out for those who had made previous orders.
His mother sells fresh seafood and frozen meat at the local market. Some restaurant owners and other food vendors make their orders for the following week over the weekend so that they can prepare and store them for the early part of the week.
He intends to close the shop as soon as those old customers come for them. But in the meantime, he still has to serve those who have come to buy from them today too. He moved briskly between the ice chests and the weighing scale, balancing efficiency with care.
"Hooaaah." He yawned after closing up the shop. Luckily, those he was waiting on came early for their goods, so he could close early and leave for the hospital. The late afternoon sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the market stalls as he gathered his things and hurried toward the exit.