Love for love's sake [ENG TRANS]

Chapter 57

[Cha Yeowoon's POV]

Cha Yeowoon thought it was better for him to be hurt rather than Tae Myeongha. Since when did he start thinking like that? He found it intriguing. His world was very narrow. The only person he had liked from birth was his blood-related grandmother. But even when she was alive, he never considered shouldering her pain.

"Okay, now, let go." Tae Myeongha whispered.

Cha Yeowoon, instead of releasing Tae Myeongha's blood-stained finger, put his mouth on it. A bitter taste spread. He could feel the cut. The smooth nail caught his tongue.

"Hey, what..."

Cha Yeowoon, ignoring Tae Myeongha's attempt to pull his hand away, focused on licking the wound. It was sweet even though it shouldn't be. A sense other than taste as if a completely new sensory organ had grown for Tae Myeongha. Small goosebumps rose, and the hairs on his earlobes stood on end.

"What if there's glass that hasn't fallen out yet? Don't do it."

Tae Myeongha, who had been stiff, pulled his hand back again. Instead of wiping his wet finger, he only frowned apprehensively. It wasn't an expression showing disgust, which made Cha Yeowoon feel an itch in his stomach.

"I'm glad you suggested doing something together, sunbae."

Whether it was asking for shaved ice on the way home, social media, or anything trivial. Cha Yeowoon was happy just to be able to do it with Tae Myeongha.

"Am I the reason you're putting in so much effort?"

Although their feelings for each other weren't the same, it was okay. Cha Yeowoon's heart, which he had always considered insignificant, was carefully accepted and cleaned. A first love that could have been nothing more than an old coin was treated like gold. Even if it wasn't the same kind of love.

"Thank you." Tae Myeongha went quiet, as if he was lost in thought while wiping the milk that had soaked the floor and carefully cleaning up the broken glass.

After Cha Yeowoon brought the first aid kit and applied medicine to the wound, he placed his lips on the back of Tae Myeongha's hand. He tilted his head as he imagined himself kissing everywhere. That was enough.

The frightening moment for him was when his heart swelled. Like the first time he realized he was in love. What should he do if his greed grew so much that he couldn't be satisfied by those small gestures anymore?

Pressing his lips against the palm of Tae Myeongha's hand for a long time, he breathed in the sweet scent of his warm flesh. He couldn't stop himself once he started. The pace would only increase with time. He didn't know how to stop half-heartedly.

Tae Myeongha, with his back against the morning sun, was shining brighter than the previous night. When Cha Yeowoon closed and opened his eyes, it became clearer. The illumination and saturation was different. It became increasingly distinct from everything else.

He moistened his lips. His tongue stung as if it was pricked by glass. What should he do? Tae Myeongha would continue to be lovely. The summer days were growing longer, showing no limits, and the temperature was soaring, boiling the ground. The midsummer heat wave was just around the corner.

***

[Tae Myeongha's POV]

Effort. It was true that I was putting in effort, but I never thought I would hear it directly from Cha Yeowoon. I considered myself as someone who worked hard. It was a tough situation where if I didn't pushed myself over the limit, I wouldn't be able to do anything.

After my grandmother passed away, I started living diligently. Because I studied and worked so hard, my interpersonal relationships weren't wide. Naturally, I put effort into everything I did. But was it the first time I had ever had someone tell me they appreciated my efforts? It was an unfamiliar feeling.