#Side Story, In Heat - e

At the strange intonation felt in those words, Seung-jo's expression became even more unpleasant.

"I'm not interested in men, so get lost."

It wasn't that there had never been guys who approached Seung-jo when he was alone. There were timid ones who spoke to him saying they wanted to be friends, and there were those who picked fights wanting to brawl out of the blue. And though not common, the type that appeared just when he was about to forget was guys like the boy in front of him who showed romantic interest in him.

This type was the most annoying, sticking to him persistently whether male or female. Because of this, Seung-jo had reached the point of feeling disgust towards people who clung to him first saying they liked him.

He thought he hadn't met anyone like that recently because he was only focused on Mu-heon and kendo, but to think he had to meet such a guy even here. Seung-jo clicked his tongue briefly and decided to go inside without another word, avoiding the boy.

Just as he moved to pass by the boy, he heard the boy, with his eyes narrowed into slits and full of laughter, speaking loudly to himself.

"Not interested in men? Is that why you follow a man's ass around?"

The moment he heard that, Seung-jo grabbed the boy's neck. Though it didn't fit entirely in one hand, just pressing below the Adam's apple was enough to instantly stop the unpleasant voice.

"You seem to have no manners. So what's your purpose and what do you want to say? Are you saying I'm a homo bastard like you?"

As he spoke and slightly loosened his grip, the boy coughed a few times and looked up at Seung-jo, still not completely erasing that unpleasant smile.

"I just thought I'd try to get closer to you, and I was only trying to teach the right answer to someone who's wandering without knowing his own heart."

"Don't talk nonsense. You think you know my heart?"

It was beyond ridiculous and becoming laughable. As he asked, tensing the corner of his mouth that was twitching involuntarily, the boy nodded.

"Anyone with a bit of perception can know your heart. You're always only thinking about Kang Mu-heon."

"What did you say?"

For a moment, he felt as if something he had been hiding had been discovered, like his heart had dropped. Looking at Seung-jo, whose expression had strangely changed unlike before, the boy pushed away Seung-jo's hand that had momentarily lost strength and brushed off his neck.

"Curious how I knew? Then come out here again at night. You're in group 2 and I'm in group 3, so we sleep in different rooms, and this is the only suitable place."

"What..."

Despite Seung-jo's expression filled with murderous intent, his eyes glittering, the boy showed no fear at all and pointed to himself.

"And next time, I'd like you to call me by my name. I'm Hong Young-ui."

While there was a commotion about playing games to build friendships after eating, the sun had set and night had fallen before they knew it. The boys joined their pre-assigned groups and went to their respective rooms to sleep. Seung-jo was no exception.

But unlike during the meal, his mood had improved quite a bit now. It was because Mu-heon had taken a spot right next to him and was talking while washing up.

"Did you go out somewhere after eating earlier?"

"...Just to get some air."

After finishing washing his face and putting toothpaste on his toothbrush, Mu-heon asked about earlier, and Seung-jo gave an answer that wasn't quite a lie. Mu-heon nodded as if it had been a casual question.

"I see. When you came in, you were with Young-ui, so I wondered when you became close..."

"I don't know him. ...But how do you know that guy's name?"

Seung-jo's eyes widened as he asked, unpleasant at hearing that name from his close friend's mouth. Mu-heon answered with his toothbrush in his mouth.

"Why wouldn't I know? He's in the same club. He's not very good, but he works hard."

"Works hard? Ha."

Mu-heon didn't know anything. What had that nauseating guy said about Seung-jo? He had spouted nonsense about how Seung-jo looked at Mu-heon, and using Mu-heon as an excuse, he had made tasteless advances telling him to come out at night.

If Mu-heon had seen even once the vile smile that damn homo bastard had worn, how could he say such things?

A hardworking club member? Rather than using brain cells to remember that vile bastard like that, it would be better to remember more about himself instead.

"Why are you making that expression again? Aren't you going to wash up? I'm already done."

Mu-heon, who had spit out the foam, looked at Seung-jo quizzically. Coming to his senses at that face, Seung-jo looked in the mirror and saw his own face all scrunched up. It was a very strange face.

Surprised that he had shown such a weird face to his close friend who should only see his good side, Seung-jo hurriedly returned his facial muscles to a neutral expression and shook his head.

"I'll do it. Wait."

The night in the mountains was long. The boys in their prime wanted to stay up all night playing, but they couldn't overcome the fatigue built up from the harsh daytime training.

As the children fell asleep one after another as soon as they lay down, Mu-heon, who had laid out two spots side by side and was lying on one side, called out to Seung-jo who was standing blankly, patting the blanket next to him.

"Jeong Seung-jo, sleep over here."

"...Okay."

Though he answered, it wasn't easy to sit down next to Mu-heon, who was lying there with his bangs still wet from washing, pulling the blanket up to his chest with a pleased expression.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

But that was only for a moment; when he saw Mu-heon's face squinting as if the bright fluorescent light was dazzling, his body moved without realizing and he ended up lying down stiffly in the spot next to Mu-heon. A moment later, the lights were turned off by the last boy who had come in after washing up.

In the pitch-black darkness to which his eyes hadn't yet adjusted, Seung-jo tried to sense the presence of the person lying next to him, barely able to breathe properly.

The sound of breathing was hard to distinguish from that of the other boys, but the feeling of the body touching his right arm was chillingly clear. He could hear chirping sounds from somewhere outside and smell the scent of the mountains.

Perhaps to find a comfortable position, Mu-heon tossed and turned a few times before settling on one side and opening his mouth quietly enough for only Seung-jo to hear, saying goodnight.