Eighteen’s Bed Novel Completed - Chapter 136

I scratched behind my ear and picked up the blanket, which was half on the floor below the sofa and half draped over my legs. What should I do? I held the blanket awkwardly, then carefully placed it over him so as not to wake him up. I tried my best to cover him properly, but his legs were clearly sticking out from under the blanket. I saw pants that were clearly not what he had been wearing yesterday, but rather pajamas. I subtly glared at his uncovered legs and muttered,

“How annoying.”

“…What’s so annoying?”

Gasp. I almost bit my tongue at Go Yohan’s sudden voice. No way, perhaps, it couldn’t be, I thought, slowly turning my head, but all I saw was Go Yohan still sleeping with his eyes closed and arms crossed.

“Were you awake?”

I whispered in a voice so low that a sleeping person wouldn’t hear it. It was an act of caution, like crossing a stone bridge after tapping it, just in case. Go Yohan, with his eyes closed and only emitting dignified breaths, opened his mouth without moving.

“Just woke up.”

“Because of me?”

“Yeah.”

How honest. I frowned and scratched my forehead. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, I cautiously asked.

“…About my clothes.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you change them for me?”

“No.”

Go Yohan’s words stopped. As if he wasn’t fully awake yet, he opened his mouth again after a beat.

“A ghost came and changed them for you. It’s quite a mystery.”

“You know that’s not funny, right?”

“I was being sarcastic when I asked who changed them.”

“If you changed them, why did you put on your clothes, not mine?”

“Since when was it illegal to wear someone else’s clothes?”

“No, we don’t live separately, my room is right next door.”

“Anyway, you’re still complaining even when I do something for you.”

“And why no underwear?”

“Do you want me to put them on for you?”

Finally, I was speechless. I was crazy. I had crossed the line while talking.

“No.”

“Well, if you really, really want to wear underwear that’s full of my body heat, I could put it on for you with a heavy heart.”

…Listening to Go Yohan’s words, I was tormented by emotions I couldn’t express in words. What kind of person says such things with their eyes closed and no change in expression? I was being drawn in. Again. I sighed and covered half my face with my palm.

Don’t delve too deep. Don’t think too hard. Don’t be serious. After repeating these three phrases, I spoke.

“I don’t need your underwear, I can just get my own from my room.”

“Are you a pervert? Why are you rummaging through someone else’s underwear?”

“…”

He had a point. I frowned. Anyway, I always lost to Go Yohan in logic. Why? Even though Go Yohan’s logic was irrational and arbitrary, it was still true. But honestly, I was dissatisfied. My strange pride flared up even in this situation. Just once, let’s win. Let’s make Go Yohan speechless. Stubbornness took over.

“If you’re so reasonable, why are you sleeping cramped on a narrow sofa? You’re a big guy, acting like an idiot. Why don’t you just sleep comfortably in your big bed? Why do you volunteer for hardship?”

Go Yohan moved slightly, pressing himself so close to the back of the sofa that his face was practically buried in it. I had gotten up too, so I didn’t think there was any need to avoid me that much, but…

“This bastard doesn’t know love.”

“Lo—”

My words caught in my throat. Every time Go Yohan crossed a subtle line, I remembered the day he kissed my feet. And the awkward fingers that touched my feet, and the clearly visible burn scar. But I wasn’t used to such words, and something in my chest ached. My heart was pounding as if it would burst. I avoided Go Yohan’s gaze and changed the subject.

“Come to think of it, it’s almost lunchtime.”

“…Hey.”

“…What do you want to eat? Should we go out and buy something?”

But Go Yohan didn’t answer. Only an uncomfortable silence flowed again. I nervously fiddled with the hem of the unfamiliar T-shirt. After a long silence, a low sigh escaped. It was Go Yohan.

“I’m a bad bastard too, but…”

“…”

“You’re a really bad bastard too.”

“…”

My gaze was still fixed on the hem of the T-shirt. I couldn’t bring myself to lift my head and look at Go Yohan. I scratched at the tightly stitched seam with my fingernail for no reason.

“Bullshit, after rubbing what needed rubbing, and spilling what needed spilling…”

“D-don’t talk like that.”

“Why? Embarrassed?”

“It’s not embarrassment, it’s…”

There was an indescribable emotion. Go Yohan, who uttered words that were still too difficult for me, made me uncomfortable. It wasn’t a bad feeling, it was just… My T-shirt was crumpled, but I couldn’t stop my hand from tormenting the fabric. I twitched my lips, wondering what to do, and just as I was about to say, “That is…”, Go Yohan quickly cut me off.

“No, don’t. Don’t say it.”

There was urgency in his voice, as if he didn’t want to hear my answer.

“Seriously, don’t say it.”

“…”

I felt a little relieved. There was nothing to say even if he called me a coward. I knew what Go Yohan truly wanted, yet I shamelessly changed the subject.

“That guy yesterday, from mechanical engineering.”

“Park Soohyun?”

Honestly, I was grateful to Go Yohan. Just now, he had accepted my shamelessness. I couldn’t suppress the faint smile that spread across my face.

“It’s Kang Soohyun.”

“Does it matter?”

When I spoke in a playful, chiding tone, Go Yohan raised one eyebrow. What was he so dissatisfied with now? And he didn’t even feel guilty for being wrong. Even at twenty, his habit of not remembering things outside his interests remained.

“You’re really something.”

“What was really important was the ruckus that bastard caused.”

“Ruckus?”

“See, you know you’re clueless, right?”

Go Yohan frowned. And he subtly glared at me.

“I’m quick-witted.”

“And a guy like that just meekly accepts other people’s tricks?”

“Huh, honestly.”

I snorted. It was just so absurd. In my short life, I had never been called clueless before. It was a word I never even thought I’d hear. So, of course, I was dumbfounded.

“You didn’t know that girl, So-hee or whatever, sitting at the end of the table, kept looking at you, did you?”

“Soyeon? Gahee?”

“I don’t know, you idiot.”

This time, Go Yohan grumbled. I, dumbfounded, lightly hit Go Yohan’s leg with the back of my hand.

“I know a girl looked my way, but she was looking at you.”

“It was you, you idiot.”

“I’m telling you it was you?”

“It was you.”

“Enough. What does it matter?”

“That’s true, isn’t it? Right, it shouldn’t matter.”

I had just let it go, thinking it would be an endless argument, but Go Yohan subtly wore a proud smile. At times like this, he was so transparent. I let out a hollow laugh in disbelief. But then, Go Yohan, strangely serious, uncrossed his arms and held out his hand.

“What’s this?”

“Give me your phone.”

“Why?”

“Why? I heard all your tricks even while my mind was going in and out. An invitation? Bullshit. Absolutely not.”

“Kang Soohyun already knows my number, what are you going to do?”

“What am I going to do? I’m going to pretend your number changed. Give it.”

His left hand wiggled. I sighed deeply, bent down, and picked up my pants from the floor. As soon as I picked up the pants, my underwear dropped out, and I was momentarily stunned. Then, startled by the sound of him getting up behind me, I quickly pulled my phone out of my pocket. I turned around to see Go Yohan already standing, leaning weakly against the back of the sofa. Even in that state, he managed to take my phone.

“…”

And he still knew my password. I watched the screen turn on with a sense of futility. When I let out a sound like “Huh,” Go Yohan flinched his shoulder, glanced at me, then averted his gaze.

“…I need to change my profile picture and status.”

Go Yohan muttered to himself like an excuse, then suddenly stared at the screen seriously and bit his fingernails. Soon after, he smiled as if he had thought of something, and without a moment’s delay, his fingers moved dazzlingly. I didn’t really have anyone to contact, so I didn’t care how he changed it, but I couldn’t help but be curious. I subtly moved closer and peeked at the screen.

‘Cheongsong Apples for sale ^^ / Honest honey apples, 20,000 won per box / Delivery available / 5,000 won each’

No, what is this?

“He really goes all out, seriously…”

“Move. I need to download a picture of honey apples.”

I tried to take my phone back, but I gave up and retreated, sighing, because of his arm blocking me. Seeing him bury his head so close to the screen that his nose almost touched it, all my motivation disappeared. And it was also because of Go Yohan’s changed typing method, along with his chopstick skills. Go Yohan used to type with both thumbs, but now he typed with his left thumb and right index finger. Like eagle-eye typing.

On the surface, it might seem like just a peculiar habit, but looking closely, there was an awkwardness that showed. It was the same with his laptop. Go Yohan used proper typing with his left hand, but eagle-eye typing with his right hand. The only thing that hadn’t changed was how he held a pen. To be precise, only the postures where he didn’t use his middle, ring, and pinky fingers much remained the same. That didn’t mean those fingers couldn’t move at all. Go Yohan had said that he felt pain back then because his nerves weren’t completely dead. A lucky yet unlucky case. That was Go Yohan.

“It’s done. Now, if he contacts you, ignore him. Got it?”

“But I have to do a project with Kang Soohyun?”

“Ignore him. Just send the file and pretend you don’t know him.”

“Do you think such a trivial trick will work?”

“Even if it doesn’t, just ignore him. From yesterday, he looks like the type who’ll shut up if you beat him a few times.”

“Talk sense.”

I shook my head at his pathetic words and snatched my phone. Go Yohan pouted his lips and just stared at my phone as it moved away. But, in truth, I had no intention of continuing contact either. After all, I was just bait, and there would only be fishermen whose real target was Go Yohan.

I looked at the profile screen, which looked like something a farmer would use, and felt a slight question arise. It was a truly useless question.

“But are Cheongsong apples really 20,000 won?”

“How would I know that? I don’t like apples.”

“…”

But why apples of all things? While I was dumbfounded, an alarm rang at a perfectly absurd timing. As I looked at the screen, Go Yohan quickly pressed close to my side.

Surprisingly, the sender was Kang Soohyun. Should I call it good luck or bad luck?

「Why are Cheongsong honey apples so cheap? Are they fallen apples? Can they be delivered to Seoul?」

“…”

“See, he’s falling for it.”

Go Yohan’s fingers, which were subtly chuckling, were trembling.

“Is it funny?”

But my chiding voice also wavered, so I quickly bit my lip. The hand holding my phone also trembled. Was Kang Soohyun an idiot? The conversation from a few days ago was right above it. As if to humor my thoughts, he sent another message.

「Oh my, it was Jun」

「Does your family own an orchard?」

“Hey, he’s not even worth answering.”

“Right.”

I agreed and swiped the message away. I looked at my phone, which was turning off, and then suddenly, dissatisfaction erupted. Thinking about it, I was getting angry. Why was I the only one who had to go through this? And I also wanted to find out the truth that had been bothering me all along. I had every right to see Go Yohan’s contacts too. I widened my eyes and held out my hand just like Go Yohan had earlier.

“You too, give it.”

At my request, Go Yohan looked at me as if asking what I was talking about, then said “Ah!” and rummaged through his pocket.

“My phone? Here.”

“Huh? Oh, oh… that.”