Chapter 17: Pink Flip-flops
Ha-ru couldn't get over how casually Raiven had suggested they might have slept together. He wasn't the type of person to take advantage of someone in that state - besides, he wasn't attracted to men.
Or at least, Sunghoon never had been. All his previous lovers had been women. He had starred in a gay-themed film once, despite his agent's frantic protests, but that was just professional curiosity. He'd wanted to improve his range and prove he wasn't an actor who could be boxed into a single trope.
Maybe it was the 90s mentality still clinging to him, but he found modern life... overwhelming. Se-hee talked about sex so casually it made his ears turn red. She would blatantly fawn over "ships" from Thai dramas on the living room TV without a shred of shame. He'd tried to watch one with her once, but he'd barely lasted five minutes before his face started heating up. Seeing intimacy displayed so openly felt like a shock to his system.
And yet, Raiven had said it so indifferently. It seemed the boy was attracted to men, or at least wasn't bothered by the idea. Then again, he'd been kissing a woman at the club. Maybe he just enjoys all kinds of company, Ha-ru thought, shaking his head.
He set a steaming bowl of Sundubu-jjigae down on the counter just as Raiven stepped out of the bedroom.
The idol had freshened up and was wearing a baggy, expensive-looking tracksuit. Ha-ru felt a prickle of annoyance; the guy looked like he was walking a runway even when he was recovering from a whiskey-induced blackout.
Raiven sat at the counter and took a cautious bite. After a few more spoonfuls, he looked up. "Aren't you going to eat?"
"I am, I am," Ha-ru muttered, sliding into the stool across from him and taking a massive, defensive gulp of soup.
"I'm sorry for the trouble yesterday," Raiven said, his voice quiet.
"It's nothing. We're friends, after all." Ha-ru tried to sound cool, but his feet were bouncing nervously under the counter. The silence stretched a second too long, making him panic. "You aren't my type, by the way!" he blurted out.
Raiven stopped chewing, a spoonful of tofu halfway to his mouth. He blinked, looking genuinely puzzled. "Okay?"
"I like women," Ha-ru added sheepishly, suddenly very interested in a stray green onion in his bowl.
"I like them too." Raiven's tone was so indifferent it made Ha-ru scowl.
"So... you like men, too?" Ha-ru asked, his voice dropping an octave as he looked away.
"Yeah."
"Not that it's bad! Love is love!" Ha-ru blurted out the slogan with the intensity of a man reciting a manifesto.
Raiven actually let out a small, huffed breath that was dangerously close to a chuckle. He set his spoon down and tilted his head. "I know it's not bad. Have we become that close already? Deep heart-to-hearts over breakfast?"
Ha-ru scoffed, regaining some of his bravado. "I cleaned your puke, Raiven. I think we've skipped past the 'getting to know you' phase and landed straight in 'lifelong trauma' territory. We are definitely past the line."
"What line?"
"The friendship line! We are officially, legally friends."
"Were we not friends before?" Raiven was clearly enjoying this now. He leaned forward, watching Ha-ru flounder. He could see how uncomfortable the other man was with the topic of intimacy,it was almost quaint, and amusing.
"We were, but this... this solidified it," Ha-ru said, avoiding eye contact. "And why don't you ever address me formally? I'm older than you, you know."
Ha-ru caught himself immediately. Wait, in this body, I'm younger. He cleared his throat quickly. "I mean... I feel older. Mentally. And I'm very casual with my friends."
Raiven laughed,a real, light sound. "You're a piece of work, Ha-ru."
Ha-ru avoided eye contact, focusing intently on his soup. In the 90s, holding hands was a monumental relationship milestone; talking about sexual fluidly over breakfast was practically a heart attack.
After they finished, Raiven bypassed the sink and loaded everything into a sleek dishwasher, despite Ha-ru's insistence on doing them by hand.
"Your clothes are still in the wash," Raiven said, slinging a gym bag across his chest. "Just keep wearing mine for today. I'll have yours cleaned and sent to you later."
Ha-ru looked down at the oversized designer gear he was wearing. It was comfortable, but he felt like he was playing dress-up. "Are you going to practice now? Don't you have a hangover?"
"I'm used to it. Come on, I'll drop you off."
Ha-ru slipped into his footwear from the night before. Raiven stopped at the door, staring at Ha-ru's feet.
"Cute flip-flops," Raiven remarked, a smirk playing on his lips.
Ha-ru scowled, wiggling his toes. He'd been in such a rush to leave the apartment at 3:00 AM that he'd accidentally grabbed Se-hee's pair. They were bright pink, covered in My Melody characters.
"They're ergonomic! And high fashion!"
"Sure they are."
They got into the private elevator. Raiven's eyes lingered on Ha-ru for a moment. He couldn't deny the guy looked good in his clothes, the long white shirt and loose beige linen trousers gave him a relaxed, effortless vibe. Combined with the messy ponytail, he looked... striking.
Ha-ru caught him staring in the elevator mirror. He bared his teeth at his reflection.
"Something on my face?"
"No," Raiven said quickly as the doors opened. "You're fine."
"Your car is still at the club," Ha-ru noted as they walked through the sea of luxury vehicles in the basement.
"Good thing I have more than one, then." Raiven pressed a key fob, and a sleek black sedan chirped nearby.
"This is nice," Ha-ru admitted, studying the car's lines. "You have taste." He nodded, pouting his lips in approval like an old connoisseur.
Raiven smiled, a real one this time - and they pulled out of the estate. The ride was mostly quiet, with Ha-ru watching the Gangnam skyline. He decided not to ask about the woman Raiven had been kissing or the white powder on the table. Some things were better left for another day.
Raiven dropped him off a block away from his house.
"Call me sometime," Ha-ru said, leaning through the open window. "And not just so I can pick you up from a dumpster fire."
Raiven chuckled. "I'll try."
Ha-ru watched the car disappear before beginning the walk up the hill. He looked down at his pink My Melody flip-flops and sighed. He had a lot of explaining to do to Se-hee,especially since he was coming home in the middle of the day in an outfit that didn't match his taste whatsoever.