✔ ENCEPHALON: 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐.𝟎𝟔

"After this month?" repeated Yeonjun, somewhat surprised.

He didn't really know what to say to that. After all, he had arranged all this just to get his parents' attention. This time, it was even Yeonjun who pulled his lower lip between his teeth uncertainly.

"Should we really be discussing this right now? There's still some time before then and we don't even know how my parents will react yet," he said somewhat quietly, clearing his throat.

Honestly, he didn't want to think that far ahead. "There's a good chance you'll be rid of me by next week."

If that were the case and Yeonjun called off the deal after only a week, Beomgyu would be left without a job again, and more importantly, alone. Even if he could easily get by for a month with the money without taking on customers, it was not a good omen to piss them off and then come crawling back. He would rather wait for new ones and start the procedure all over again.

For Yeonjun everything sounded simple, but for Beomgyu it was not. He was ready to give his suitors the boot, and the rich son of the hotel owners wasn't even sure?

"Okay," the younger Choi then said tersely, turning his gaze back to the view, "we'll wait and see then."

The 21-year-old's expression spoke volumes and downright instilled guilt in Yeonjun. After all, it had been his idea to make this deal without weighing the possibilities first. After all, if his parents didn't have a problem with Beomgyu, he would have completely wasted his time. But on the other hand, he wanted to save him from this lifestyle.

But could he do that for the rest of his life?

"What are you worried about, Beomgyu?" asked Yeonjun therefore, because he wanted to know what was going through the pretty boy's mind. "That we'll fall in love that month? Or that you don't know how to make an end after that?"

The injured boy's eyes grew cloudy as he heard the things that were actually going around in his head, but not only that. Yeonjun perhaps couldn't imagine what it meant to slip into this milieu and get caught up in it. He had never had to worry about money, and Beomgyu didn't blame him.

But when Yeonjun had proposed this arrangement, the naive little boy had had hope in him.

For a better life, a different life.

It was reckless and stupid of him to directly assume that everything would change afterwards.

But deep inside, behind the façade, he was still a lost boy, looking for support and clinging to anything good he could find. That's why it disappointed him. Not because Yeonjun wasn't sure, but because Beomgyu had given himself too much hope even though it hadn't even begun. It just sounded too good to be true and he should have known it.

The sad beady eyes wandered over the many rooftops, the blue sky and the many contrails. He didn't want to seem like he couldn't handle it on his own again, because he had taken care of himself for a long time.