Chapter 60: The Distance Between Us

“Even if you take that, it’ll only be a loss for you.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“…”

Seunghyuk spoke firmly and shook his head.

Even if the shirt Hyunwoo wore yesterday felt unhygienic and not worth returning, why was he insisting on keeping this cheap one?

Feeling uneasy, Hyunwoo glanced at the shirt Seunghyuk was wearing and slowly lifted his gaze upward.

And froze.

“…!”

There was a clear bruise on Seunghyuk’s face.

A bruise Hyunwoo had caused last night.

Hyunwoo swallowed dryly without realizing.

“Why?”

“No, it’s just…”

“…?”

Seunghyuk stepped closer as if puzzled.

And then he understood the reason for Hyunwoo’s reaction.

“Hyung, I’m hurt.”

“…Does it hurt a lot?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

Seunghyuk nodded with a sad, pitiful expression.

For a moment, Hyunwoo felt sympathy.

But then his brows furrowed.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t hit him on purpose.

It was an instinctive reaction.

And it was Seunghyuk who had attacked first because of the rut.

If Hyunwoo hadn’t hit him, things would have gotten far worse.

Hyunwoo shook the guilt off and glared slightly.

“Well, who told you to do that? I brought you here because you didn’t want to go to the hospital…”

“I couldn’t help it. It was the rut.”

“Well… yeah.”

He got that.

He himself almost lost control during his own rut not long ago.

So Hyunwoo couldn’t comment further and fell silent.

“It hurts. Blow on it for me.”

“What are you saying.”

“It hurts.”

“…”

Hyunwoo tried to ignore him, but his gaze kept returning to that bruise.

Maybe because Seunghyuk’s skin was pale and soft, the mark stood out more.

The more he looked, the more a faint guilt crept in.

Even if Hyunwoo had given up on his feelings for him, he had fallen for Seunghyuk at first sight because of that face.

A face like a national treasure.

And now he had put a mark on it.

It felt… wrong.

“…Does it really hurt that much?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait. I’ll buy ointment on the way out and put it on for you.”

“Blow on it.”

“…”

“I said blow on it.”

Seunghyuk insisted stubbornly.

Hyunwoo stared at him in disbelief.

He wanted to say: Go home and ask Hyunjin for that kind of childish crap.

But the words didn’t come out.

“Stop fooling around and let’s get going. Checkout time is soon.”

“Hmph.”

When Hyunwoo spoke coolly, Seunghyuk pouted.

Hyunwoo let out a short laugh at the childish reaction.

“Come on, if we pass checkout time, they’ll charge extra. Do you even know how much a night here costs?”

“I can pay.”

“Stop talking nonsense and move.”

Hyunwoo pushed his shoulder.

But Seunghyuk didn’t budge.

He simply looked down at Hyunwoo, silent.

Why is he acting like this?

For a moment, Hyunwoo felt uneasy.

Maybe… the rut wasn’t fully over.

The memory of last night flashed vividly.

“Wh-what is it?”

“…”

Hyunwoo snapped defensively like a hedgehog.

But Seunghyuk said nothing and simply reached out his hand.

“…!”

Hyunwoo stepped back in surprise—only to fall onto the bed.

“Wait—!”

So the rut wasn’t over.

Seeing Seunghyuk approach, Hyunwoo shut his eyes tight.

The smell of pheromones flooded the air.

But—

Nothing happened.

Feeling something was off, Hyunwoo opened one eye.

Seunghyuk was holding the room phone.

“Yes, I’d like to extend the room for one more day. And also order room service.”

“Uh…”

“Yes, please bring Brunch Set A and B.”

“Hey—!”

He had extended the stay and ordered room service on his own.

Seunghyuk set the phone down and shrugged at Hyunwoo’s stunned expression.

“What? You’re hungry too.”

“When did I—”

Growl.

“…”

“…”

Of all times, Hyunwoo’s stomach growled loudly.

Hyunwoo bit his lip in embarrassment.

Seunghyuk looked smug.

“Still, instead of paying for another day, we could just go eat somewhere.”

“But room service is faster.”

“Sigh…”

This extreme brat.

Hyunwoo dragged himself off the bed and walked to the sofa.

“…They do say the brunch here is good.”

“Exactly. Let’s eat slowly and rest.”

“…”

Seunghyuk sat next to him.

Way too close.

And this was the very room where everything happened last night.

Hyunwoo quickly looked away.

“You were the one saying your cheek hurt a minute ago.”

“Then will you blow on it?”

“No.”

“Tch.”

Why was he obsessed with something so childish?

Was this a post-rut symptom?

If he acted like this with Hyunjin… it would have been a disaster.

Hyunwoo exhaled.

This was… for Hyunjin.

He had to handle it to the end.

“Fine. Stay here one more day and go home tomorrow.”

“You’ll stay with me?”

“Are you crazy? I’m leaving after we eat.”

“Then I’m leaving too.”

“Sigh…”

Talking to him was like dealing with a stubborn child.

Hyunwoo rubbed his forehead.

“Then promise you won’t do anything stupid to Hyunjin at home.”

“I promise.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Seeing him nod seriously, Hyunwoo felt he could trust him.

So they’d go home together.

“But hyung.”

“What?”

“If you really wanted me to end up with Joo Hyunjin… you should’ve left me at home when the rut started.”

“…What?”

“But you separated us.”

“That’s…”

Hyunwoo froze.

He had brought Seunghyuk here for Hyunjin’s sake, to avoid danger.

But in the original story, a rut event between protagonist and love interest was a key bonding event.

He had broken that.

Without realizing.

Like shattering the main route.

“Don’t be confused.”

“I just—”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

“…”

Hyunwoo could only stare silently at Seunghyuk’s bright smile.

Ding-dong.

“Room service must be here.”

“…”

Seunghyuk stood.

Hyunwoo sat still, watching his back in a daze.

Drrrrk.

“Haha…”

Kwon-oh stared at his phone as the call disconnected.

A hollow laugh slipped out.

So that’s how he wants to play.

He flung the phone aside angrily.

“You only got these pictures?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What about inside the room?”

“That’s…”

“Tch…”

Kwon-oh clicked his tongue and lit a cigarette.

On the desk lay photos.

Seunghyuk and Hyunwoo entering the hotel together.

And later, Hyunwoo leaving alone.

It was enough to spark rumors.

But not enough to burn Moonseong to the ground.

Kwon-oh grabbed the photos and threw them at his assistant.

“You should have gotten proof of what happened inside!”

“The security is extremely strict, so—”

“You call that an excuse?”

“I’m sorry.”

Kwon-oh glared.

He didn’t know whether the anger came from the failed plan—

—or something much uglier churned inside him.