Chapter 137: Side Story – Monday Blues Have Disappeared (7)

Thanks to the absent Seung Ho, Team 3’s regular Friday meeting was skipped.

Tae Hwan, who had woken up before the re-asleep Bodam, checked Seung Ho’s message in the notice room and put down his phone.

In his arms was Bodam, who had become a water dumpling from crying his heart out.

‘Why is he pretty even when he’s swollen?’

‘Don’t get sick.’

‘He even speaks so prettily.’

“Haa. I’m so happy I could die, really.”

Two hours ago, Tae Hwan had been awake since Bodam had fidgeted and covered him with the blanket.

He hadn’t opened his eyes, wondering if it was a dream as the lovely Bodam lifted the blanket to admire his body and touch his face.

For fear that the dream would break if he opened his eyes.

He just secretly admired Bodam’s touch, which reached him carefully as he held his breath.

“Yoon Bodam.”

How much he had wanted to call his name.

Tae Hwan poured kisses on Bodam, who was sleeping as if he had fainted, and sang “Bodam, Bodam” like a sparrow heralding the morning.

The morning he had greeted under the same blanket felt newly emotional.

He felt like he could die like this.

Tae Hwan had nothing more to wish for.

“Eung…”

While Tae Hwan was soaked in emotion, Bodam, who had been tossing and turning in his firm embrace, bent his knees.

At this, Tae Hwan’s mouth fell open with an “Ah,” and his body stiffened.

Because Bodam’s knee, which had been between his legs, had stimulated his center.

Tae Hwan, with blood rushing to his lower body, blushed, recalling their naked bodies clinging to each other.

‘Even though he had done all the embarrassing things all night.’

Grumble.

Just then, a loud noise came from the stomach pressed against the blushing Tae Hwan’s.

It was a noise so loud it felt as if his belly button was vibrating.

Of course he was hungry, having fallen asleep exhausted from being tormented by excessive exercise.

‘…Should I wake him up?’

Grruuumble-.

“Yoon Bodam.”

Tae Hwan, who had been hesitating to wake him up because he was sleeping so well, was startled by the tremendous sound of his stomach and urgently shook Bodam.

He felt like he had to put something in his mouth quickly.

“Wake up, Bodam.”

“Ah, I want to sleep…”

“Eat and then sleep more.”

Bodam’s eyelids fluttered at the word “eat,” and he struggled to open his eyes.

A tremendous rumbling was churning endlessly in his stomach.

“You’re awake?”

Bodam, who met the gentle voice’s eyes, was soon wide awake.

Heat was about to rise at the sight of Tae Hwan’s face, who was hugging him naked.

He had been less embarrassed when he had seen the sleeping Lee Tae Hwan.

“You’re awake, right?”

He became insanely embarrassed seeing Tae Hwan smile, gently pressing his own swollen eyelids.

The moment he became aware of his knee nestled between the thick thighs, his embarrassment went beyond its limit.

“I’m, I’m hungry.”

Bodam muttered, turning his head away as Tae Hwan tried to brush his bangs back.

He also pulled out his deeply entangled legs and scooted back, wiggling his butt.

“I’ll get it ready right away.”

Tae Hwan, who had gotten out of bed watching Bodam, laughed lowly and left the room.

Bodam, while hiding his body tightly in the blanket, found his gaze automatically following the back of Tae Hwan, who was wearing just a gown.

“Haa… Am I crazy.”

Bodam buried his face in the pillow and shook his head.

Along with the tangled morning with Lee Tae Hwan, he felt like he was really crazy for having such naughty thoughts first thing in the morning.

And those thoughts were filled with Tae Hwan.

***

Bodam had an awkward breakfast with Tae Hwan, checked the Espers’ wavelength readings, and then went home early.

As it was a Friday, Bomi wasn’t there, so he had a delicious dinner alone with Geun Young.

Today, Bodam’s schedule was to eat well and rest well.

“Son.”

“Yeah. Mom, sit here.”

Bodam, who was eating an apple for dessert in the living room, pointed to the spot next to him on the sofa for Geun Young, who had come with washed strawberries.

Bodam never let Geun Young, who had a bad back, sit on the floor.

Geun Young, who had quit her job after moving in, was recuperating, treating her creaking body, which was old for her age.

“Are you tired?”

Geun Young looked at Bodam, who was sprawled on the sofa like an invertebrate, with concern.

She wondered if her son, who was constantly just sitting today even while his mouth was moving nonstop, was sick somewhere.

“I couldn’t sleep well yesterday.”

“Why? Was there a lot of work?”

‘Um, I can’t really call it work.’ Bodam, who had just vaguely answered yes, said the strawberries were sweet and told his mom to try some quickly.

The strawberries were really sweet and delicious.

Even though he had just eaten dinner, the fruit kept going into his mouth.

Perhaps because he had exerted himself all morning, his appetite wouldn’t subside.

And on top of that, his body was aching.

Ha, it’s something I can never do again.

Absolutely.

“There’s something Mom is curious about.”

Geun Young, who had been looking at her well-eating son with satisfaction, brought it up.

Bodam listened intently, wondering if it was something serious.

But Geun Young’s next words were not serious, but very out of the blue.

“Are you perhaps dating Mr. Min Ji Oh?”

“Who?”

‘Min Ji Oh?’ Bodam, who had widened his big eyes and asked back, tilted his head.

‘Why is that name coming up here?’

“He must be busy, but he always comes whenever we go on a trip. Yesterday too, he came all the way from Hawaii to take us home. And it was nice to see him getting along with Bomi.”

“Mom, eeeum.”

Bodam, who shook his head and hands together, answered flatly.

‘Min Ji Oh of all people, not even Lee Tae Hwan.’

“He’s a colleague, a colleague.”

“I just asked, just in case. If not, then never mind.”

Geun Young, who was laughing like a young girl, said she understood and handed her son an apple and a strawberry speared together on a fork.

Seeing her son’s expression, it seemed they really weren’t anything.

Geun Young, who recalled Ji Oh, who was unique but flamboyant and handsome like a celebrity, was actually a little relieved.

She hoped that her weak son’s romantic partner would be another guide or an ordinary person if possible.

“But Mom.”

This time, Bodam casually brought up a question.

It wasn’t said with any great meaning.

Just since the topic came up.

And since he had been thinking about Lee Tae Hwan just then.

“What would you think if I dated an Esper?”

“With an Esper?”

“No, just. I’m asking because you asked.”

Bodam, who added to his words at Geun Young’s surprised expression, felt like he had said something unnecessary.

They hadn’t asked each other out yet, but since they had seen each other naked and had even done that, he couldn’t help but think about it.

“If you like him, Bodam, then you should date him.”

Geun Young, who had paused her answer for a moment while chewing on a strawberry, smiled calmly.

At his mom’s pleasant voice, Bodam felt as if a tangled thread in his somewhat complicated heart was unraveling.

‘That’s right. What’s there to think about so hard. If you like him, you date him. If you like him.’

“But if you date an Esper… do you have to consider an imprint too? Mom doesn’t know much.”

Bodam, who flinched at Geun Young’s careful question, put down his fork.

“If you like them a lot. Yes.”

Rubbing his finally full stomach, he slowly mulled over his own answer.

***

The next day, Bodam, who was enjoying draft beer and German handmade sausages from midday on a sunny Saturday, contemplated.

‘Hmm, should we have a team dinner every month or something?’

Yesterday, they couldn’t have the team’s regular meeting because the Team Leader was busy, and last week too, he had gone to check the recovery site of the citizens and buildings that had been damaged by the wavelength of the remaining unregistered person in the civilian area, so they couldn’t have a meeting.

The week before that, Tae Hwan had been requested for support in Sector 4, so they couldn’t all gather again.

‘Still, we’re a team, so we should meet often.’

Bodam wanted his Espers to at least see each other’s faces often.

He had a hope that even if they couldn’t be close due to their personalities, they would become closer than now if they saw each other often.

When he was the only one on the outside, he had thought they were close among themselves, but looking closely, they were neither on good terms nor bad.

They could be classified as being on the good side, but they were very indifferent to each other.

Bodam wanted them to get close.

He often imagined them becoming an ideal relationship where they relied on and became a source of strength for each other.

A harmonious relationship where if the team leader skipped a meal, Tae Hwan would take care of him, and if Tae Hwan got excited, the team leader would calm him down and quiet Min Ji Oh.

He felt like he could leave his post with a more at ease mind then.

“Hyung, you don’t have any worries, do you?”

“Me?”

Yeon Yeok asked while Bodam was busy racking his brain, thinking about the strong individualities of Attack Team 3.

Yeon Yeok, his only guide colleague, often had lunch with Bodam.

Usually, Bodam, who had a lot of time like now, would come to a restaurant near Sector 3 to meet Yeon Yeok.

Today was the week Yeon Yeok was working on a Saturday.

“Who doesn’t have worries.”

Bodam, who took a large bite of a plump sausage, snickered as if it were an obvious question.

He had a lot of worries.

Even now, he was thinking about where a dinner place that would satisfy all his Espers with their different personalities would be, and he also had to decide on Yulri and Yoon Seok’s Christmas presents.

Moreover, he had to look up a travel destination to celebrate the retirement of Ms. Moon, who had finally quit her job, so he had a ton to worry about.

“That’s true. And since hyung is the exclusive guide of the representative attack team, there’s no way you wouldn’t have any.”

Bodam, who chewed and swallowed a sausage while looking at the nodding Yeon Yeok, felt a little awkward.

‘I don’t really have any worries about work.’

“Why, is something wrong with you?”

Bodam, who patted the shoulder of the worried-looking Yeon Yeok, told him to hurry up and confess to his hyung.

When Bodam was Yeon Yeok’s age, just getting by every day was a bundle of worries.

Suddenly remembering those times and feeling a pang, he poured himself a draft beer and poured a soda for Yeon Yeok.

Yeon Yeok couldn’t drink because he hadn’t gotten off work yet.

Yeon Yeok, who chugged the soda like alcohol, confessed a worry fitting for his age.

While he answered passionately and confidently on the topic of his career and aptitude, Bodam, who faltered when the topic of his worries about his crush subtly came up, just ordered more beer.

Dating was not Bodam’s major.

“I see. Um. It would be nice if it works out well. It will.”

Though he denied it himself, because he had never had a proper relationship, he just cheered him on enthusiastically instead of giving advice.

Yeon Yeok, who was in a “some” relationship with a guide named Suji, was touched even by the common encouragement.

“Ahem. Hyung, I actually did it last weekend.”

“You did?”

Bodam tilted his head at Yeon Yeok, who was laughing shyly, lowering his voice as if telling a secret.

‘What did he do?’

“I had a little to drink, and Suji said she would sleep over, so one thing led to another.”

When Yeon Yeok skipped the rest of his words and asked, “You know?” Bodam nodded and laughed along, as if it would be wrong not to know.

As a proper adult, Bodam got it right away.

“But you’re not dating yet, are you?”

“Haa. I know, right? Suji seems to want to just stay in a “some” relationship for a little longer, so I can’t say anything.”

Bodam, who gulped down the cool draft beer, had a brief malfunction in his reaction.

He looked a little shocked.

‘So they do it even if they’re not dating…’