Eighteen's Bed-Chapter 28.6

“But earlier—why were you looking at me like that?”

The question tumbled out, almost on instinct. I had been so curious that I couldn’t hold it back any longer. But, unfortunately, I never got an answer.

Because instead of responding, Go Yohan took the cup from my hand like it was nothing and downed the remaining drink in one go. Then, licking his lips, he muttered:

“Looks like I raised you wrong.”

What the hell was he talking about? My brows furrowed at the completely nonsensical statement. Seeing my confusion, Go Yohan added:

“Were you always like this, or are you starting to take after me?”

“Take after you?”

“Oh, I see.”

Before I could even understand what he meant, he had already reached his own conclusion. But judging from his expression, he didn’t care about the answer—he just wanted to enjoy the moment.

With half-lidded eyes, he looked at me with that familiar smile. Something about it felt ominous.

“You’re copying me, aren’t you?”

“What? No.”

“You used to copy me all the time in high school. Don’t you remember?”

What kind of bullshit was this? The absurdity of it made my brows knit together even tighter.

Go Yohan’s long, slender fingers reached up to his bangs, which had grown far too long.

Ever since he turned twenty, he’d let his hair grow out, slicking it back most of the time. But a few stray strands always fell forward. His fingers moved to push them back—a natural motion, yet still unnatural.

His fingers had been stiff for a long time. Even though he could move them now, he could only do so by exerting extra effort. And when he did, three of them would move together, like now.

“…Back then, I wasn’t copying you either.”

“Just say you were. Every time you did, I felt like I was going insane from how much I liked it.”

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his fingers.

Why the hell did I find those hands so maddeningly captivating?

Go Yohan, oblivious, glanced up at the sky while running his fingers through his hair. I was staring at him, entranced, when he suddenly spoke again.

“And you even bought lime flavor, knowing I like it.”

“……”

“The lemonade was good.”

…So he remembered.

Suddenly, it felt like he had read my thoughts, and embarrassment flooded me. Unlike him, who casually tilted his head back to fix his hair, I lowered my gaze, staring intently at my own feet.

I even noticed the ice cream stain on my pants. Normally, I’d be annoyed, but right now, it felt like a trivial thing.

“Let’s go.”

“To where?”

His voice held a strange hint of amusement. My response came out a bit curt—not because I was annoyed, but because I was flustered.

Go Yohan, seeing my childish reaction, stretched out his foot and nudged mine. Only then did I finally lift my head.

Our eyes met, and he gave me a small, one-eyed smirk. The coat that had been draped over my arms slid off, caught between his fingers.

****

This was definitely one of Go Yohan’s traps.

The moment I sat in the passenger seat, he tossed something into my lap—a packet of wet wipes.

The package had "World of Dreams and Fantasy" written on it. Obviously something he had picked up from a store somewhere.

So that’s where he had disappeared for a moment.

“You don’t have a change of clothes, so wear this for now.”

I instinctively cleared my throat, an awkward attempt to mask my reaction to his words.

Go Yohan tugged at the hem of the white turtleneck he was wearing as he spoke.

As the sound of the car’s engine faded into silence, the warmth inside the vehicle started to build.

I averted my gaze, staring out at the night sky. It had already grown dark. Winter nights always came early.

Krhm.

An involuntary, awkward cough escaped me.

“Then what are you going to wear?”

“What.”

“You… don’t like that, do you?”

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I glanced at his shoulder and scratched the back of my neck. My hand, still cold from the damp wet wipes, left a chilling sensation.

Go Yohan didn’t answer. He simply stared at me, his gaze lowered.

That was enough to make me shut up.

I peeled off the damp shirt clinging to my skin. My fingers absentmindedly played with the buttons, but before I could dwell on it, Go Yohan moved.

He crossed his arms, grabbed the hem of his shirt, and pulled it up.

I watched intently, pressing my back against the car door, my fingernail still absentmindedly scratching at a button.

His skin, faintly illuminated in the dim light.

I forgot to swallow.

Only when my throat burned did I finally gulp down a breath, audibly.

Right, Go Yohan swam. His family’s house had a pool.

Is that why his body looked like that?

The moment his head slipped out of his shirt, I hurriedly looked away.

“Here.”

“……”

With nowhere else to focus, my gaze landed on his tousled hair, strands messily clinging together.

Even in an unkempt state, everything about him suited him perfectly. Seriously, how ridiculous.

“What are you waiting for?”

“Oh, uh. Yeah.”

What the hell is he going to wear?

That thought ran through my head, but I was too dazed to ask. I simply took the clothes he shoved into my hands.

What was I supposed to do with this?

I hesitated, rubbing the fabric between my fingers, when Go Yohan threw another comment my way.

“You’re not planning to put that on over your wet shirt, are you?”

“…What?”

I blinked, dumbfounded.

I looked down.

The damp white shirt clung to my torso, now fully soaked through.

Even I had to admit—it was completely unwearable.

The cold air made the wet fabric feel even worse. It’d be better to just take it off.

But still.

My fingers, fiddling with the buttons, slowed.

“…Turn around. Don’t look this way.”

“Fuck.”

The husky voice that slipped out was laced with shame and embarrassment. It didn’t even sound like my usual voice. If it were anyone else, fine. But why did it have to be Go Yohan standing in front of me?

“What, you’re shy now? After doing everything already?”

“That’s not it…”

It’s just—comparison.

The fact that I had to expose my body next to Go Yohan’s made it even more humiliating. But saying that out loud would be beyond pathetic. It’d be downright despair-inducing.

“Just—just look somewhere else for a second. It’s not that hard.”

“Why do you always ask for so much? So annoying.”

Go Yohan tilted his head back against the seat and shut his eyes, smirking with an unreadable expression.

“There. Happy now?”

“Just a second—just give me a second.”

I hurriedly kicked off my shoes and pulled my legs up onto the seat. It was an impulsive move, born purely out of the desire to minimize the amount of exposed skin. Pressing my back deeper into the space between the seat and the door, I fumbled hastily with the buttons. And when I looked up—

“…….”

I locked eyes with Go Yohan.

He was leaning back against his seat, one hand lazily resting on the steering wheel, his head tilted.

“What?”

He had the audacity to ask, as if he had done nothing wrong.

But I couldn’t bring myself to get mad or scold him. I just bent my knees, feigned nonchalance, and took off my shirt.

“It’s nothing.”

Unfortunately, my brain was on the verge of explosion.

His relentless gaze seared into the skin newly exposed to the cold air. At least I had lifted my legs first. The dried ice cream stains on my pants served as an impromptu shield, blocking his line of sight.

I picked up the sweater he had been wearing just moments ago. The soft cashmere fabric felt foreign against my fingers.

Trying to act casual, I searched for the opening for my head. I managed to pull the sweater over me in a somewhat natural motion, slipping my arms through the sleeves. And as soon as I settled into it, my previously restless thoughts began to calm.

“All done.”

Krhm.

I swallowed dryly, clearing my throat.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

“Yeah?”

“Did all the hair on your body just decide to go to your head?”

“…What?”

I lowered my legs and scowled, my brows knitting together. The change in my expression was subtle, but my emotions weren’t.

At first, I furrowed my brows trying to understand what he meant.

Then, I furrowed them even deeper when I actually figured it out.

Without a word, I tossed my damp shirt into the backseat.

Unfortunately, Go Yohan was sharp as hell and caught on to my deliberate ignorance right away.

“You know, that was a compliment. You’ve got a lot of hair.”

“Liar.”

“You look like a perfectly cultivated premium ginseng root.”

“…That’s the worst fucking analogy I’ve ever heard.”

Go Yohan, still leaning against the steering wheel, wrinkled his nose playfully. He wasn’t even trying to hide his amusement.

And just like that, he dropped the topic and turned his gaze elsewhere.

His eyes landed on my pants, still stained with dried ice cream.

“What about the pants?”

“What, do you want me to take them off too?”

“If you want. I wouldn’t mind.”

I could never win against Go Yohan, not even back in high school.

But now, after he had grown a year older, he was even worse.

He was calmer, more composed, spoke less—but somehow, that made him even harder to deal with.

And right now, he was the same.

He ran a finger along his cheek, pressing into it hard, and then said:

“But would my pants even fit you? Your clothes are already loose.”

“……”

My gaze naturally dropped to what I was wearing.

When Go Yohan had it on, the sweater had looked relatively snug.

But on me, it hung just a bit loose.

The top was fine. But if I borrowed his pants, the extra length would be obvious.

Fuck.

The embarrassment made me bite my lip.

“…I’ll just keep wearing these.”

“That’s not gonna work.”

“What?”

“I told you, this is a rented car.”

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even form words.

This rich bastard.

Not only that, but he had just scraped the car earlier while pulling into the lot. When the door brushed against the wall, his expression didn’t change at all.

But now?

Now, he was acting all concerned.

Even though he knew I could tell he was full of shit, he was still keeping up the act.

Insane.

Still—he had the car. Which meant he had the upper hand.

So I tried negotiating.

“Go Yohan. If I take these off, I’ll have nothing to wear.”

“That’s why I turned the heater on.”

“Fine, let’s say I take them off in the car. But what about when I have to get out?”

“You’ve got a long coat. Just wear that.”

“……”

Did this crazy bastard seriously expect me to just wear a turtleneck and a coat over my underwear?

With knee-high white socks on top of that?

Who the hell did he think I was? Some kind of exhibitionist?

I turned to glare at him, my face burning red.

But Go Yohan, clearly entertained by all of this, still had that damn smile tugging at his lips.

I could feel it—something was off.

Instinctively, I clutched onto my pants as if to defend them.

Go Yohan, noticing my reaction, lazily spoke.

“Oh, right. By the way, we’re not going home yet.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“There’s a fireworks show at nine. Let’s go watch it. It’s our first official date, after all.”

Date.

The weight of that word pressed down on my chest.

Go Yohan casually reached back and tapped the window with his fingers.

“The heater’s on. The seats are wide. It’s dark. The view outside is clear, but no one can see in. Perfect, right?”

“…You got the windows tinted?”

“Yeah. Really dark.”

I bit down on my lip.

If Go Yohan was pushing this hard, there was no arguing with him.

And besides…

It wasn’t like I was the only one undressed.

He was still shirtless.

And that was because of my mistake.

In a way, he was accommodating me.

If he hadn’t brought the car, this would’ve been an absolute nightmare.

Fine.

At the end of the day, I had no choice but to surrender.

And well… taking off my pants wasn’t nearly as bad as being compared to Go Yohan’s upper body.

At least in the dark, it wouldn’t be that noticeable. I could just cover up with my coat.

Even after making my decision, I hesitated, tracing my fingers along the buckle.

And then, just like before, I spoke up.

“I’ll take them off real quick, so keep your eyes shut.”

“That’s easy enough.”

“Don’t open them halfway through, like last time. Promise me.”

“I got it. I got it.”

Go Yohan shrugged lightly before resting his forehead against the steering wheel.

Then, by accident, he pressed the horn.

A loud honk blared through the quiet night.

Startled, he lifted his head, glanced at me, and laughed sheepishly before lowering his head again.

And that’s when I saw it.

The deep, jagged scars carved into his back.

“…….”

I quickly ducked my head, my face burning red, and unzipped my pants.

“Don’t look yet.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. I won’t.”

“Not yet. Not yet.”

I hastily yanked my legs free from the fabric and tossed the stiff, ice cream-stained pants into the backseat.

Ignoring the dull thud as they landed somewhere, I pulled my coat over my legs.

All of this happened in under thirty seconds.

I exhaled, slightly out of breath, and called out to him.

“It’s done now.”

“You sure?”

“…Yeah.”

“Pfft.”

Go Yohan straightened up, shaking his head.

For a brief moment, the light from the streetlamp outside caught his skin, making it glow before it was swallowed back into the dark.

He leaned back into the seat, a loose grin tugging at his lips.

“You got to stare as much as you wanted, but I can’t even look, huh?”

“I didn’t look.”

“I never said you did.”

The denial was almost automatic.

Go Yohan, without even glancing my way, casually checked the time on the dashboard clock. Then, out of nowhere, he reached back and opened the storage compartment in the backseat.

I was too embarrassed to look at him directly, but eventually, I followed his lead and turned around.

Most people would have to lift themselves up to reach, but Go Yohan simply stretched out his arm and grabbed it effortlessly.

Inside were a few cans of soda and some small chocolate bars.

“…You said this wasn’t your car.”

Go Yohan, noticing my disbelief, showed his first sign of embarrassment today.

“You never know what might happen, so I came prepared.”

I stared at his outstretched hand.

At those three stiff fingers.

I had no idea how he managed to drive with them.

But he did.

Steering was easy enough, sure. And shifting gears wasn’t too difficult either, since the car was automatic.

Still, for some reason, I couldn’t stop looking at them.

To be honest, even on the drive here, I had been restless, crossing my legs unconsciously more than once.

By now, Go Yohan was well aware of my strange reactions.

Ever since I admitted that I got turned on by looking at his fingers and scars, he had been subtly touching me more often with those three stiff fingers—dragging them over my skin, brushing against me on purpose.

And the worst part?

I reacted to it every time.

…I was definitely a fucked-up pervert.

“So, we’re staying for an hour, right?”

“Yeah. We won’t be able to see them up close, but at least we can watch from somewhere warm.”

Go Yohan cracked open a can and smiled.

A pure, unguarded smile.

I accepted the drink he handed me and thought about it.

The chances that Go Yohan had ever watched fireworks like this before.

If I had to guess—close to zero.

I raised the lukewarm drink to my lips, then hesitated.

“This isn’t alcoholic, is it?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“‘Unfortunately’?”

He was weirdly good at keeping up with my dumb jokes.

I had been trying to sound funny, but I failed miserably.

So instead, I just pretended to be serious and took a sip.

As I swallowed a few gulps, I suddenly found the entire situation hilarious.

A small, breathless laugh escaped me.

This time, I was careful not to spill anything, covering my mouth with the back of my hand.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. It’s just—this whole situation.”

“This situation?”

I bent forward slightly, wiping my mouth.

“I never imagined I’d be watching fireworks in my underwear.”

“Well, I never imagined my first fireworks show would be half-naked.”

“…Wait, this is your first time?”

“It’s the first time I’ve ever come to actually watch them. Didn’t think my life would have room for stuff like this.”

I didn’t say anything.

I just took another sip of my drink.

And I mentally applauded myself for making the right decision a few minutes ago.

Good.

At least I didn’t let anyone else take this moment away.

A moment I hadn’t even realized was important—one that somehow became the highlight of our relationship.

Go Yohan’s first relationship.

His first date.

His first fireworks show.

And all of them were with me.

“…Why do you keep smiling?”

Go Yohan asked, his back against the seat, watching me.

The funny thing was—he was smiling too.

And he didn’t even realize it.

“You’re smiling too.”

“No, I’m not. You are.”

The guy had the audacity to say that while literally grinning.

I let out a small scoff, shaking my shoulders.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“Seriously, why do you keep smiling? You think this is that funny?”

“Right now? I’m smiling because I’m happy.”

“…What’s making you so happy?”