The kiss is tender. Sweet. The longer Joonyeong holds his lips there, the brighter his core burns. His knees go weak as Woojin grabs his shirt, slowly pulling him so they're chest-to-chest, before pulling away and leaning back in, this time taking his mouth with his own. Woojin threads his fingers in Joonyeong's hair, cradling his head like he's a small baby. Then, gently, ever so gently, he pokes his tongue in. Joonyeong would've jumped back in surprise if Woojin wasn't holding him, but then he feels extremely embarrassed, knowing that would've been his reaction.
Gulping, Joonyeong tries to reciprocate the best he can, but Woojin pulls away before he tries.
"Hey," he whispers, moving his hand to Joonyeong's arm. He squeezes it lightly. "You okay?"
Joonyeong gulps.
"It's my first kiss," he confesses, his cheeks growing hotter by the second. "It's okay. I'll get used to it."
Woojin grins.
"Mine too," he says, laughing a little. Immediately, Joonyeong feels a flood of relief knowing that Woojin is just as inexperienced as him. With the way Woojin kissed him just now, he thought that he had kissed so many people before that it was second nature for him. But then Woojin goes on to explain, "My cousin is really into romance dramas, and he told me some of the stuff the characters did. So I tried some of it out."
He laughs again.
"It's actually kinda weird, but I like it," he muses, looking back at the moon. He leans his head on Joonyeong's, pulling him so that their bodies are fully next to each other. The body-to-body contact makes Joonyeong's stomach roil in a good way, swooping back and forth with the jitters of his feelings being returned. "Do you?"
Joonyeong ponders this for a long time. Does he like the feeling of Woojin's tongue in his mouth? How would it feel if their tongues touched? He must admit that there was a bit of grossness with their saliva mixing and all that, but he did like it, nonetheless.
He realizes he wants to do it again.
And again.
And again.
So, he turns and takes Woojin's mouth with his own the way Woojin did earlier, pushing him against the tree. He doesn't mean to be rough. However, Woojin clearly likes it with the way he throws his arms around Joonyeong's neck, pressing themselves together inch by inch.
"I'm not sure how to tell you this," murmurs Woojin between kisses, "but I've liked you for so long."
Joonyeong presses harder into the kiss, his stomach whirling with this new knowledge. This time, he's more confident, pushing his tongue in and forcing Woojin's to lock with it. He wants to taste all of his mouth now, no matter if they're somewhere in the woods, no matter if their friends start looking for them. His hands grab at chunks of Woojin's hair, refusing to let go of his taste, of this feeling. It's like nothing he's ever experienced before—he wants to stay here all night, just kissing Woojin.
After a while, they pull away for good, their heads colliding softly. Joonyeong's eyes flutter shut as he pants, breathless, fully smiling as he rests his nose on Woojin's. He presses a kiss to it, and then to his cheek. He can't believe he can do this now. It feels so good to finally act on his feelings, kissing Woojin whenever he wants to. It feels so good to know that Woojin feels the same way.
Through her advice, Eomma perhaps gave Joonyeong the best gift of his life.
Suddenly, he hears sniffles. The arms draped on his shoulder move so that a hand grips the back of his neck. The grip is shaky.
"Joonyeong, I'm serious," whispers Woojin. "I've liked you for so long, and...and I thought I had no chance." He steps back, his eyes watering as he gulps hard. "I thought...I thought I'd have to stand at your wedding and watch as you'd get married to some girl you'd meet at SNU who'd be just as smart, just as funny, and just as sweet—"
He chokes out a sob, roughly wiping his eyes dry.
"I never said anything, because if you knew I liked you in that way, I—I was sure you would've hated me." He lets out a shuddery sigh. "I was scared that I'd ruin everything if you knew, that you would've been so disgusted." Woojin, despite his sorrow, smiles through his tears. "You remember that night on the balcony? When you backed away, I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life. Every time you grabbed my hand after that, I didn't think much of it since I figured you were grieving, like we all were, and you needed comfort. But I didn't dare think more of it in case you didn't like me in that way."
By this point, tears have welled in Joonyeong's eyes as well. He didn't even think of someone liking him before—let alone his best friend. So, to learn that Woojin did like him and suffered because of it rips him apart. He didn't realize just how hard Woojin took Joonyeong's silent rejection on the balcony, let alone how tormented he was afterwards. The fact he didn't notice it before makes him feel so fucking guilty.
Thinking of the way Eomma sometimes would put her hand on Appa's cheek to comfort him, Joonyeong steps forward, doing the same. He frames Woojin's jaw with his fingers, running his thumb over his cheek delicately, looking up into his eyes the way Eomma used to with Appa. Then, he pulls him into a tight embrace, anchoring him.
"Didn't you see my mom? My dad?" asks Joonyeong, beginning to cry himself. "They were such open-minded people—it was so much so that by the time I was ten and had heard a nasty homophobic comment on the street, I was shocked."
Woojin's hold on him tightens significantly.
"I know that now," he cries, his voice cracking into two pieces. One piece is sorrowful, and the other is frustrated. The two pieces fall like glass shards, shattering at Joonyeong's feet. "I'm sorry—we're supposed to be kissing, not crying. Fuck. I ruined the moment."
All Joonyeong answers him with is a warm smile. He doesn't want Woojin to feel any sort of negative emotions right now. It's supposed to be a happy occasion. They should be rejoicing in each other, now that they know what they are.
"You haven't ruined the moment at all."
Without warning, he takes his face in his hands and pushes him against the tree again, capturing his mouth once more with his. He grins again when he realizes that he's actually doing this.
God, kissing Woojin will never get old.
—
"Here, let me help you up."
Joonyeong grabs Woojin's outstretched hand, hoisting himself onto the wall.
"I can climb on my own, you know," drawls Joonyeong.
"Can you blame me for wanting to help my boyfriend?"
Joonyeong nearly falls off the wall in surprise.
"Wh-what?"
Woojin's expression falters.
"Uh...that is what we are now, right?"
"Yeah—yeah! Of course we are!" answers Joonyeong enthusiastically, sliding down the rope after Woojin gets off. "Of course we are," he repeats quietly. "I guess I'm still in disbelief, though."
"I am, too. But I'm so happy," replies Woojin.
Joonyeong grins in return, pulling the rope off the wall. He quickly stuffs the rope under the piles of leaves and branches before pulling Woojin in for a deep, lingering kiss. The feeling of his lips is so addictive—he's already memorized the shape of them with how much he's kissed him so far.
"I'll see you tomorrow...jagiya."
His grin is mischievous of the highest order as he jumps from the resulting slap on his arm.
"Yah!" hisses Woojin as he cringes, only making Joonyeong double over in giggles. "We're not in some BL. Don't call me 'jagiya.'"
"Do the guys in BL's call each other 'jagiya'?" questions Joonyeong, genuinely curious. "Did you find that out from watching dramas with your cousin?"
"You think my cousin watches those?" says Woojin, laughing. "He's straight. He'd never watch something like a BL."
"Okay, but I really will see you tomorrow," says Joonyeong. "It's late."
Woojin nods.
"Yeah. Goodnight, Joonyeong."
Joonyeong smiles warmly, linking arms with Woojin.
"Actually, I'll walk you to your cell. I'm not ready to say goodnight yet."
Woojin laughs.
"Honestly? Same."
They begin making their way down the path, past the sheds, and past the food court. The gravel crunches under their feet, but this time, it's not painful for Joonyeong to hear. However, just as they pass the building he and Namra were taken to, the boys hear a couple of arguing voices.
"You're crossing your line here as a lieutenant. As I'm your superior, you must obey my orders."
Captain Ahn?
"They're just kids!" the other voice replies, and Joonyeong and Woojin gasp, stopping. "You made two innocent teenagers kill the infected. Don't you see how wrong that sentence sounds?"
Lieutenant Song's tone is desperate as he conveys his frustration. It sounds like he's about to cry.
Joonyeong flinches hard when one of them is slammed into the wall.
"Are you listening to yourself right now? 'Just kids'? 'Innocent teenagers'? They crave human flesh." After a few calming breaths, Captain Ahn continues, "I've always looked out for you, Song Kangdae. It's crazy how we found each other again because of this. And I know how hard it was to see your son turn. But don't be stupid, okay? Remember what happened with that other girl from Hyosan High? She was angry with her friend, and she killed him by eating him. What kind of fucked up shit is that?"
"Oh Joonyeong and Choi Namra aren't like that girl, hyung," whispers Lieutenant Song. "They never attacked anybody for any reason. They just minded their own business and tried to adjust like everyone else. You have to give them that."
"Fine. I will," concedes Captain Ahn. "But you don't form an attachment with them, either. The military has to run tests on them to find a cure, and we made sure we got their consent before doing so." He sighs. "You're talking to me as if we're the monsters, Lieutenant. But we're not."
"Are you saying they are, then?" challenges Lieutenant Song. "Are you saying that Joonyeong and Namra, teenagers who probably had no idea they were going to get bitten, are monsters?"
The long period of silence that follows is telling. Joonyeong has to stuff a fist in his mouth to prevent a sob from escaping as Woojin pulls him into a protective embrace.
"No," Captain Ahn finally answers. "At least...not fully."
"You bastard," Lieutenant Song hisses. "You fucking bastard."
"You saw that first girl!" insists Captain Ahn. "She had violent tendencies! What makes you think that the other two don't, huh? Has your son's death made you so crazy that you're willing to see past that? That you're—"
"If you finish that sentence, I won't be responsible for what I do next," Lieutenant Song cuts off, his voice dark. The words drip from his tongue like poison. Joonyeong can tell how hard he's being pushed against his limit.
"Are you threatening me?" whispers Captain Ahn.
"Don't bring my son into this," Lieutenant Song continues. "He's dead. He can't come back. So don't try to get me to that state again, because it won't work. I've moved on."
From the tone of his voice, it's hard to tell whether he's actually moved on, or if he's just saying it as a defense mechanism. Joonyeong's heart clenches for him. He doesn't deserve this kind of treatment.
"Fine. Fine," Captain Ahn concludes with a sigh, exasperated. "If you want it that way, fine. I'm sorry for mentioning your son. I was just looking out for you."
"You don't look out for people by mentioning their dead children," Lieutenant Song replies quietly. "Oh Joonyeong and Choi Namra still have human minds. Realize that you've probably given them unspeakable levels of trauma by making them do what they did today."
There's another long period of silence, maybe a reflection period. Joonyeong shakes in Woojin's arms, repeating in his head over and over what Captain Ahn said. In turn, Woojin strokes his hair, pressing a kiss to his head, almost encapsulating him whole.
"You're not a monster, okay?" whispers Woojin. "Don't listen. Don't listen."
Joonyeong nods, but he can't stop his tears. He wants to yell into the night and get the zombies to come and fully turn him, if that's even possible. Maybe he just has to accept he's no longer human, but something else entirely.
Maybe Captain Ahn is right. Maybe Lieutenant Song is being too kind.
His fingers curl around Woojin's as he slowly sinks to the ground.
In the end, it was Captain Ahn who ruined the moment.
The krch, krch of boots crunching gravel rings in his ears, and he leans into Woojin's touch, pressing one of his ears against his chest. Another set of noises signals that the other is leaving, too. But then the footsteps turn in Woojin and Joonyeong's direction, making the boys shoot up and begin walking forward, moving to hide in a dark shadow.
Don't get noticed, don't get noticed...
Woojin takes Joonyeong's hand, pressing his back against one of the buildings. Joonyeong follows his actions, mimicking them. They try to slow their breathing so as to not be heard, going silent as Joonyeong contends with the sound of his pounding heart.
Don't get noticed, don't get noticed...
The soldier coming in their direction is soon revealed to be Lieutenant Song. That sets Joonyeong off again, his eyes quickly burning to unbearable degrees, unable to help himself when a soft cry worms its way out of his throat.
"F-fuck..."
Woojin turns to him, his eyes wide in alarm as Joonyeong lets the word slip through his teeth.
Lieutenant Song also turns towards them, utter devastation crashing on his face.
"Hey. Is that you, Joonyeong?"
Joonyeong moves from Woojin's hold, letting the light capture his face.
"Oh, God," Lieutenant Song groans. "God. You heard all that, didn't you?"
At this, Joonyeong nods, finally breaking down in sobs. In an instant, Lieutenant Song's arms are securely around his shoulders.
"I'm so sorry," he says, and he's clearly trying to keep it together. "I'm so sorry you had to hear that. But Captain Ahn is wrong—completely, undeniably so. You are no monster, and neither are Namra and the other girl. None of you are like this by choice. Please, tell me you understand that."
He steps back, holding Joonyeong by his shoulder.
"Tell me you understand. Tell me you understand that you're not a monster."
Woojin walks up beside Lieutenant Song, and Joonyeong looks between them. They're wrong, surely. How can he brutally murder someone and not be considered a monster? Yoon Gwinam was his mother's killer, but Joonyeong stooped lower than that by giving him a slow, painful death. Lieutenant Song doesn't know this about him, so it's understandable how he feels, but Woojin? Fuck, why did he confess to him? He should've known how bad of an idea it was. How could he have been so selfish?
Why did I drag him into my hell?
"I—I understand," he murmurs, forcing himself to stop his crying. I am worse than a monster. I'm the devil himself. "I understand I'm not a monster."
Lieutenant Song smiles warmly, a sharp discord with Joonyeong's state. He hates lying to him, but he can't be coddled anymore. He has to suck it up and accept himself for who he is, which is a human-eating monster. He's nearly pushed to tears again when Lieutenant Song ruffles his hair.
"I'll let it go, just this once," he says to the boys, "but don't go out past curfew again, okay? It's not safe."
"Yes, sir," answers Woojin as Joonyeong nods.
"Goodnight, boys."
"Goodnight, Lieutenant Song," Woojin says, answering for himself and Joonyeong once more.
The lieutenant turns to leave, but before he can, Woojin catches his arm.
"Wait."
Lieutenant Song turns back.
"What is it?"
"I know I'm not allowed to visit, but for tonight, can I stay with Joonyeong?"
Joonyeong whirls towards him in surprise.
"He's had a really terrible day," Woojin continues. "I don't think things will be any better if he's alone."
Lieutenant Song looks between them suspiciously, his eyebrows knitting together.
"All...right," he allows, his expression turning fond. "But don't make it a habit. There's only so much I can allow before I get in trouble myself."
Woojin grins, bowing deeply.
"Thank you so much, Lieutenant Song. Goodnight."
Woojin takes Joonyeong's hand, leading him in the opposite direction towards Joonyeong's and Namra's cells.
"You think he knows?" asks Woojin, throwing an arm around Joonyeong's shoulders, giggling like a middle school girl.
Joonyeong's smile is strained as he forces out a laugh.
"Yeah, yeah. Maybe. I dunno."
Woojin laughs, a beautiful sound, as he pulls him in and gives him a little kiss on his cheek.
"God, I'm so glad I can do this. It's my favorite thing to do now. Should I put it on a plaque?"
Joonyeong's smile falters as the guilt overtakes him. He did such a disservice to Woojin by confessing, but now isn't the time to disappoint him. He can't let him know that this was a mistake, that Joonyeong is too much of a monster for him.
"If you want," is the answer he settles for. Fuck, he's being so selfish. Why, why, why did he confess?
He wishes Eomma could be here to tell him to stop thinking these things, because she was the only person who could've pulled him out of this spiral. She was the only person he would've believed if she could tell him that Captain Ahn was wrong. She was the only person he would've trusted to present the facts straight.
Unfortunately, Woojin sees through his fake smile. He knows something is wrong.
"Hey," he calls softly. "What's up? What's wrong?"
He stops walking, stopping Joonyeong in turn.
Joonyeong's tears betray him, leaking through his eyes, crying out for help when their owner refuses to ask for any. The instinct to ask is too great, but Joonyeong must fight it. He's not a baby. He's not helpless. He can help himself—he just has to get his shit together. But just as he thinks that, even more tears leak through, and at a faster pace. A noise between a groan and a sob escapes his throat without warning, just as his knees buckle.
"I'm a monster, Woojin. Don't you see?"
Too distraught to think anymore, Joonyeong wrenches himself from Woojin's hold, storming away. As he does so, he finally allows himself to cry properly. He's stupid if he thinks his zombie instincts wouldn't have gotten the better of him eventually. It's safer this way, though it's so fucking hard.
"Yah!"
Running footsteps.
"Yah! Oh Joonyeong!"
Woojin grabs his wrist, roughly pulling him back. Joonyeong almost falls over, but Woojin catches him just in time.
"Joonyeong-ah, you act like I didn't see you bash Yoon Gwinam's head in." Joonyeong looks for the laughter in Woojin's tone, the joke, but finds nothing.
He's serious.
"You don't understand." Joonyeong feels broken. Resigned. "The feeling of liking someone's pain...it's so weird. It's addictive. I...I wouldn't have stopped hitting him if you didn't force me to."
"And I didn't stop you until I was certain he was dead," Woojin replies. He lets go of Joonyeong's wrist, gently taking his hands as Joonyeong shakes his head insistently.
"My point is that I wouldn't have been able to stop if you hadn't done it! Isn't that abnormal? No normal person kicks a dead horse—they leave it alone."
"And if the horse has killed someone close to them?" Woojin takes a step towards him, forcing Joonyeong to look up. "If the horse was an evil bully," he whispers, his face mere centimeters from Joonyeong's, "what then?"
Woojin's breath ghosts Joonyeong's lips, sending pleasant shivers up his spine.
"There's nothing wrong with what you did," Woojin continues. He gulps, letting out a shaky sigh. "Trust me. I would've done the same if it was my sister."
"You don't know that," Joonyeong insists. He sniffles loudly. "It was more than grief—it was pure rage. As if I'd become Rage itself."
"You think that's not how I would've felt if my sister was the one killed?" Woojin counters incredulously, but quietly. His lips hover over Joonyeong's. "Don't think you're getting rid of me that easy. I know it's because of that bastard, Captain Ahn. It's his fault you're thinking of this bullshit now." He presses a tender, mournful kiss to his lips. "But I know better," he finishes in a whisper. "You're the same Oh Joonyeong I've known since fifth grade. Nothing has changed about you."
The last sentence makes Joonyeong dissolve into tears again because he knows this isn't true. He's completely changed—he can no longer eat normal food, he has to stave off cravings for human flesh, and loud sounds are now the very worst kind of torture.
"Why're you lying to me, Woojin-ah? Why?"
"I'm not." Woojin pulls him into what Joonyeong feels is the tightest hug possible. "You, as a person, haven't changed one bit. I know that."
Joonyeong closes his eyes, crying harder as he registers the sincerity of Woojin's words. He realizes that his best friend—his boyfriend—truly believes this. He truly believes that, despite what he's done, despite what he's now capable of, he's still the same Joonyeong as before.
If that's true...then perhaps Joonyeong can believe it, too.
—
For the first time, his dreams are pleasant.
He's in bed with Woojin, making out with him like crazy. Soowi is at a friend's house, so it's just them. Woojin has him pinned to the bed, holding his arms above his head. It makes Joonyeong feel excited, whereas in other situations, he'd normally feel vulnerable. After a few good years of being together, Woojin and Joonyeong have matured in their physical displays of love.
Woojin leaves a trail of hot kisses down Joonyeong's neck, making Joonyeong's toes curl pleasurably. He makes his way down his collarbone, and then unbuttons a few of the buttons on his shirt so he can kiss down his chest.
"Mmm," groans Woojin. The kissing suddenly stops.
Joonyeong is confused. What happened? Is there something wrong?
He lifts his head, about to ask him what's wrong, when Woojin's head snaps up.
Joonyeong's eyes water in terror. No, no, NO. This can't be happening, no, no NO—
Woojin, his eyes bloodshot, bares his teeth, leaping forward and biting down on his shoulder, injecting his zombie blood into him.
"Woojin-ah," sobs Joonyeong, looking up at the ceiling. "Please..."
There's no pain when Woojin bites him again. Joonyeong continues weeping.
"Woojin-ah, please...don't. It's—it's not—"
Woojin bites him yet again.
"Please, stop!" begs Joonyeong. "Stop it, Woojin!"
The scene slowly changes, darkening, quieting, until...
Joonyeong wakes with a calm sense of urgency. His cheek is pressed into the pillow...and it's wet.
His eyes are wet.
And he's crying softly.
His fingers are curled like a baby's. His arms are tucked by his chest, making room for the arm Woojin draped over his waist before promptly falling asleep. Of course, a leg is also swung over Joonyeong's legs.
The blanket suddenly feels too hot. Too scratchy. His tears dry, leaving his eyes sticky and crusty.
He shudders at the sudden clarity of knowing how a person's nose feels nuzzled into his neck. Woojin's soft breathing warms his skin some, reminding him of the other body pressed full against his. Physically, Woojin is like a parasite, melding himself onto Joonyeong with no intention of letting go.
Joonyeong breathes in and out, slowly calming himself down.
Woojin is not a zombie, and we're not in our mid-twenties. Relax.
With each breath, more relief comes to him and a small weight lifts from his chest.
He closes his eyes, beginning the process of lulling himself back into slumber.
Woojin is not a zombie, Woojin is not a zombie...
Soon enough, he's fallen back asleep once more, oblivious to the dark world around him.
—
Things gradually become easier following Joonyeong's confession.
Mijin is the first to know about them. Naturally, she's overly excited for Joonyeong, pulling him in for a bone-crushing hug before congratulating him.
"See, I knew it was him," she says with an impish grin, pointing to Woojin while wiggling her eyebrows. "You were making eyes at him every chance you got. But I didn't say anything because I wanted you to say it yourself."
When they inform Namra and Suhyeok some days later, Namra's eyes widen, but not for the reason they expect.
"Wait. You weren't dating before?"
Well. This is new.
"What do you mean, Namra-ya?" asks Suhyeok, and Namra looks down shyly as he sounds out the endearment.
"They already seemed close," she explains in a low voice. "So I assumed they were together."
Woojin grins.
"Maybe you were made the class president for a reason," he half-jokes. "You're too smart for any of us."
Joonyeong finds himself grinning along with him.
"You really are," he says sincerely.
Namra glances at Suhyeok, who looks perplexed.
"Am—am I the only one who knew?" she asks, looking hilariously confused for a person with her cool composure.
"Don't worry," Joonyeong replies. "Apparently Mijin knew, too. I don't know from when, though."
Soowi is the next to know. Her reaction is simple and sweet, for she immediately runs to Woojin and hugs him tightly. Then, she takes his hand and says seriously, "If you do anything to hurt oppa, Jeonghoon and I will hurt you much more. Okay?"
Woojin, flustered, laughs nervously as Joonyeong sends a warm smile Soowi's way.
"Thanks, Soowi."
"You're lucky you have a sister like her," Woojin says at the same time.
Daesu's reaction is perhaps the worst one. As soon as he knows that two of his best friends are dating each other, the first thing he says is, "Joonyeong-ah! Or should I call you...brother-in-law?"
He swings out his arm, hooking it around Joonyeong's neck and pulling him over. Then, he proceeds to give Joonyeong the worst noogie of his life. Even with Joonyeong's enhanced strength, he thinks that nothing could possibly match the strength of Daesu's knuckles as they rub hard on his scalp.
"He's not gonna be your brother-in-law!" snaps Woojin, rolling his eyes. "You crazy prick."
"Yah! Do you know how long I've had a crush on Hari-noona?" Daesu lets go of Joonyeong, mirroring Woojin's stance. "It's not that easy to just move on."
"What's going on?"
The trio turns to see Hyoryung walking towards them with a small tote bag. It's filled with snacks that are presumably for the memorial.
"Nothing," Woojin placates, not quite accomplishing the air of calmness he tried presenting. Joonyeong, still in pain from Daesu's sudden noogie, says nothing as he massages his head.
"Ah, it's okay," she replies, turning to Daesu. "There will be a girl for you one day. You just need to look."
The corner of Daesu's mouth quirks up.
"If you say so. Let's go to the memorial." As he starts walking away with Hyoryung, he turns back to Joonyeong and Woojin, giving them a thumbs-up and a big smile. "Congrats, guys."
Hyoryung turns back at this, her eyes widening excitedly. "Wait—you're dating?"
Joonyeong smiles proudly, nodding. Woojin throws an arm around his shoulders, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek for good measure.
"Oh my goodness! Congratulations!" she chirps. The smile they get afterwards is even bigger than Daesu's.
Onjo and Cheongsan are the last of their friends to know, and their response is, for lack of a better word, odd. At first, it seems normal, with Onjo feverishly asking which one of them confessed first. Joonyeong, of course, answers that he did, but he quickly realizes his mistake when she groans very loudly, screeching, "You? Why you? You're always so quiet! Why did you have to confess?"
A few people in the surrounding crowd look up, wondering what's going on.
"You okay, Onjo?" asks Woojin.
"And you!" she snarls, whirling in his boyfriend's direction. "Why didn't you have the guts to confess first? Why did you wait so—fucking—long?"
Joonyeong gasps without meaning to, utterly shocked as he hears Onjo's voice sounding out the vulgarity.
Man, what is she so mad about?
As if he heard his internal question, Cheongsan, wearing a devilish smirk, answers, "This, my friends, is how Nam Onjo handles losing a bet."
He yelps a second later as Onjo kicks him soundly in the shin.
"Just because you won doesn't mean you get to rub it in," she hisses. She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. "Jerk."
Ignoring her name-calling, Cheongsan turns back to Joonyeong and Woojin like he's giving a business presentation.
"We betted on who was gonna confess first. I betted on you—" he points to Joonyeong— "and Onjo betted on you." He points to Woojin. Then, turning back to Onjo, he chuckles, saying, "You owe me ten thousand."
"Hey! I didn't agree to this!" cries Onjo. "Since when was money involved?"
Cheongsan smiles innocently, slinging an overly friendly arm around her shoulder.
His voice comes out in a low, flirtatious rumble.
"Come on, gongjunim—"
Another kick lands on his shin just as he lets slip the endearment.
"Say that again, and I kill you," she threatens, though the blush coloring her cheeks tells an entirely different story. Joonyeong's eyes widen, realizing that his friends are finally—finally—together. Woojin comes to the same conclusion, punching him in the shoulder while grinning.
"Yah! Is it true? You—you're dating?" asks Woojin excitedly.
Cheongsan's expression softens considerably. So does Onjo's.
"For a little over a month," Onjo answers quietly. "We talked about it as soon as we got to the camp, and we decided to start dating after having a long discussion about it."
Joonyeong gives them a couple of thumbs-ups.
"Congratulations!"
"About time," Woojin laughs. "Everyone at school thought you were dating already, so why not make it official, right?"
Cheongsan laughs, too.
"Yeah. You could say that."
—
The very last person to know is Hari, who's grown even more distant following the zombie attack. By this time, December has just arrived. For some reason, Woojin was reluctant for his sister to know. Of course, Joonyeong respected his wishes. Even when Hari does know, however, it's not because they actively decide to tell her.
Joonyeong is eating the pack of meat Lieutenant Song gave him for dinner when he feels a tap on his shoulder. The rest of his friends look at him, their eyes questioning.
"It won't be long," says Hari. "I just need to talk to Joonyeong about something."
Confused and nervous, Joonyeong sets his chopsticks down.
"Okay."
He stands slowly, not seeing the stormy look Woojin sends to his sister's retreating form. He then follows her to the girls' cell. Without the girls in there, it's very spacious and vast. Joonyeong isn't used to this much space in the cell, which only increases his nervousness.
Hari shuts the door before stalking towards him, crossing her arms. Even when he's significantly taller than her, she still intimidates him with her firm stance. He suddenly wonders how on earth Daesu managed to have a crush on her and have the guts to confess in front of everybody. He's a very brave man, indeed.
"My brother has always been guarded when it comes to his sexuality," she starts off. "You know how people are. Many of them want gay people to suffer and pay for their so-called sins."
Joonyeong nods. "Of course. I know that very well."
"My brother, obviously, has suffered because of this," she continues. "When he was in ninth grade, there was a group of older boys who'd try to kiss him, just to test out if he was really gay. They'd catch him out of nowhere and force themselves on him. Luckily, he was strong enough to push them off."
"What?" Joonyeong is shocked. How come he didn't know about this before?
"He pretends that he's gotten over it. He brushes it off as a bunch of stupid kids who didn't know what they were talking about, or doing. Sometimes, he even laughs at the memory." Hari stops, letting the words sink in, before she speaks again. "But make no mistake in thinking I do." She steps closer to Joonyeong. "One time, I was there to stop those boys. They were older than me, but by then, I'd become pretty good at archery. So I threatened them with my bow and arrow, and they were scared off."
"What did Woojin do?" asks Joonyeong, almost afraid to find out.
Hari sighs.
"He didn't do anything." Clearly suppressing tears, she continues, "Our parents were very homophobic, so all he could do was suffer in silence. And that's when I decided to tell him that I'm gay, too." Scoffing, she continues, "That's probably the closest I've ever felt with him. We shared something, even if it was just our sexuality."
They stand there in silence after that, and Joonyeong takes that time to process Hari's words. Now, he feels even more guilty for rejecting Woojin that night. It probably added so much more to the pain he was already experiencing. But a rational voice in his head—Eomma's voice—assures him that it wasn't his fault. After all, how was he supposed to know at the time that Woojin was gay?
"So, with that said, I expect you to treat Woojin with the utmost respect and sincerity," Hari concludes. "If you feel you can't do that at any point, then you have to end things before you hurt him more than necessary."
Joonyeong nods dutifully. Of course he will. They've been friends for so long, it would be impossible for him not to.
"Of course, noona," he replies.
"And another thing, before I forget," says Hari just as Joonyeong stops talking. "I know I've been distant from Woojin since we looked for our parents." She pauses. "It's because they're dead. I received word that day when I asked for confirmation."
Joonyeong isn't surprised at all by this information.
"However, Woojin seemed very hopeful that they survived. So...I didn't have the heart to tell him. And now, it's probably too late. I've waited too long."
"It's not," Joonyeong counters with a soft smile. "He really misses you, noona. I can tell, even if he hasn't said anything."
Hari gives him an indescribable look. But then, she mirrors his smile.
"You care about him a lot, don't you?"
Joonyeong fervently nods.
"Then you shouldn't find it hard to do what I've asked. I'll also do what you've asked of me." After a moment, she says, "We'll both do right by Woojin." Hari then turns, opening the cell door and walking out.
Feeling lighter than before, Joonyeong follows her. He silently thanks Hari for telling him what she did. Now, he understands Woojin so much more than he did before, and for that, he's insanely grateful.
—
"You'll never get tired of this, will you?"
Joonyeong mumbles this against Woojin's lips, distinctly feeling the pressure of being pushed against the tree by the memorial.
Woojin briefly stops, pulling away. "Never."
"Don't speak too soon—" But before Joonyeong can finish, he's cut off by Woojin's mouth. He groans slightly, the feeling of their mouths moving together a little too pleasurable.
Woojin pulls away again, whispering, "Let me try something."
As soon as Woojin's lips catch the corner of his jaw, Joonyeong's fingers curl tightly, suppressing a gasp. Woojin kisses him down his jawline, and down his neck. Goodness, he never thought someone would like him enough to do this. It's...amazing, aweing, and so many other words Joonyeong can't think of right now. It's enough to make him forget that terrible dream he had this morning, for this feels nothing like the dream. It's completely different.
When they get too tired to go on, they stop, and Woojin slides to the ground.
"It may sound weird to say this...but fuck, that's tiring."
Joonyeong laughs as he sits beside his boyfriend. He intertwines his fingers with Woojin's.
"There's more to dating than kissing, you know."
Woojin nods. "Yeah, I know. But there's not much we can do here besides that." After a second, he says, "I promise I'll take you out on a proper date when we get out of this camp. It's not like we can stay here forever, right?"
Joonyeong's heart flutters, and he squeezes Woojin's hand.
"Yeah. And I will, too."
The moonlight shines on their joined hands. With a grin, Joonyeong realizes even the universe is cheering them on.
"So...what did my sister tell you?"
Joonyeong glances at him before looking back ahead.
"She basically told me to treat you properly. And...she told me about the stuff you dealt with back in middle school."
Woojin's face darkens, and his fingers around Joonyeong's tighten.
"What did she tell you?"
Joonyeong gulps.
"That...that a bunch of boys tried kissing you against your will many times before your sister stopped them. Then she told me to treat you with sincerity, which is what those boys didn't do."
"It's okay," Woojin brushes off. "It was a long time ago. Nothing I can do about it now."
At this, Joonyeong frowns.
"That was sexual harassment, Woojin," he states plainly. "Nothing about it was okay."
"They would've brushed it off," Woojin counters. "They would've called it 'boys being boys,' or whatever. So I have to brush it off, too. I can't let it affect me when the authorities wouldn't have batted an eye. If they wouldn't have cared, I can't care, either."
He swallows hard, and Joonyeong gives him a questioning look.
"Seriously, Joonyeong-ah. It's okay." Woojin leans in, giving him a warm kiss on his cheek. "It's all in the past. What I do care about is you. With you by my side, nothing else matters."
Joonyeong's brain short-circuits as he hears those last words.
With you by my side, nothing else matters.
Grinning, he lets go of Woojin's hand and pulls him in for a hug.
"Same here," he says with conviction, pecking him on the lips. "You're the best."
"Right back at you!"
The boys laugh, swimming merrily in their affection for each other. Joonyeong has a strong feeling that they're going to stick by each other for a very long time, but of course, he doesn't acknowledge it. He's very content with what they have now, and he doesn't want to jinx anything with hopeful thoughts. The only hope he allows himself to feel is the hope that things will get better. After everything that's happened, the universe owes him that, at least.
...
Tell me your thoughts! Other than the kissing bits, the conversation with Hari is probably my favorite part of the chapter.
Also, what do you think of the new cover? I think it's much better and more sophisticated than the old one hehe.