Seo Seung-hyun’s hand suddenly left him, and Lee Young-jin’s stiff body finally moved. He hurriedly rushed to the wardrobe and took out a gray coat. Unlike the bright South American sunshine he had imagined, Bogotá’s February was dark and humid. Thin raindrops tapped against the glass windows. As they left the room, Yang Ye-ri followed them, unsure of where they were headed.
“Where should I take you?”
“It’s fine.”
Without any further response, Yang Ye-ri simply said “Okay” and stepped back.
The overcast gray clouds enveloped the mansion’s red terracotta roof. Far in the distance, a pale mist hung along the foothills of the imposing Andes Mountains.
The road, with alternating pink and white tiles, gently meandered, hardly distinguishing between sidewalks and lanes.
Walking ahead without an umbrella, Seo Seung-hyun pushed his shoulder into the inside of Lee Young-jin’s umbrella. Their bodies brushed against each other, and Lee Young-jin was pushed a couple of steps to the side. Seo Seung-hyun’s hand wrapped around the back of Lee Young-jin’s hand that held the umbrella. His palm felt dry and slightly warm, while their touching arms and shoulders felt oddly hot. Raindrops seeped through the gaps in the tiles, creating a misty ambiance. A small yellow taxi slowly crawled up the steep slope.
The scent of damp mountains lingered in the air.
Other than the sound of raindrops falling, it was quiet.
No, perhaps it was just how Lee Young-jin felt. His lips were pressed together tightly, almost as if glued, and he didn’t even blink. But he couldn’t guarantee that Seo Seung-hyun was the same. Maybe Seo Seung-hyun said something… or perhaps he asked something…
“We’re here.”
At that moment, Seo Seung-hyun broke the silence. Simultaneously, his large hand firmly grabbed Lee Young-jin’s opposite shoulder. Lee Young-jin wasn’t surprised, or perhaps he couldn’t even muster the capacity to be surprised. Seo Seung-hyun stood on Lee Young-jin’s right, holding his hand, which was clutching the umbrella, with his right hand, and firmly embraced Lee Young-jin’s left shoulder with his left hand as they walked a few more steps.
Something caught the tip of his foot. It was the purposely raised tile floor. Without realizing it, they had entered a narrow alley, and between the vibrant red brick walls, there was a glass door moist with humidity.
Seo Seung-hyun took the umbrella from Lee Young-jin, folded it, and simultaneously pushed the glass door open with his shoulder. It chimed softly. The door was small, so Seo Seung-hyun inclined his head slightly as he entered.
A variety of scents floated in the air inside. The pungent aroma of herbs, the smell of cooking meat, a mixture of unfamiliar spices and sweet coffee, the scent of butter and cream… Lee Young-jin looked around. Colorful frames adorned the colorful walls. A few old wooden dining tables and chairs could be seen. The tablecloths and cushions were of various natural colors, mixed without any particular pattern or design.
The interior was in a “ㄷ” shape, with a refined patio in the middle, open to the ceiling. Thin streams of rain tapped gently on the large potted plants’ leaves in the patio.
Seo Seung-hyun grabbed Lee Young-jin’s arm and led him forward. They took a seat right by the patio. Occasionally, raindrops would splatter on the table legs and the tiles under their feet.
A tall, smooth-skinned woman with black hair appeared, moving gracefully. She brushed her hand against her white apron and asked inquisitively, “¿Son dos? (Are there two of you?)”
“Sí. (Yes.)” Seo Seung-hyun replied.
“¿Desean comer, o solo café? (Do you want to eat, or just coffee?)”
“Ambos. (Both).”
“¿Qué desean comer? (What would you like to eat)?”
As if they had been waiting, the orders flowed effortlessly.
“Bandeja Paisa y Drucha para dos, asado, cebiche de calamar, huevos pericos con chorizo, arepa con queso. y dos tazas de aguapanela. Para postre, quiero Arroz con Leche, tartas de fresa, Milhojas. Dos tazas de café con crema, azucar, y leche aparte. (Bandeja Paisa and Drucha for two, roast, squid cebiche, scrambled eggs with chorizo, arepa with cheese. And two cups of aguapanela. For dessert, I want Arroz con Leche, strawberry tarts, Milhojas. Two cups of black coffee with cream, sugar, and milk on the side).”
The staff seemed impressed by Seo Seung-hyun’s natural Spanish and the extensive order. The curious gaze of the employee who took the order asked, “¿Son varianté? (Is it variant?)”
“Como ves. (As you see.)”
“¿Turismo en Bogota? (Tourism in Bogota?)”
“No. Tengo negocio. (No, I have business.)”
With a seemingly interested shrug, she confirmed the order once again and then stepped back.
Lee Young-jin listened to the conversation with his ear perked, unable to understand a single word. He kept his gaze fixed dreamily on the patio. The surface of his moist eyes was as foggy as Bogota’s damp winter. He gently touched the large pot where rosemary and sage were mixed and growing. Raindrops rolled down the leaves of the herbs. A soft music, reminiscent of tapping drums, echoed inside the restaurant.
The food was hearty, oily, salty, and delicious. Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and dietary fibers were all mixed appropriately, and everything exuded strong aromas. It was simple yet abundant, but it felt a bit awkward to Lee Young-jin’s standards.
Seo Seung-hyun seemed strangely affectionate.
He explained each dish, cut the roasted banana into small pieces, and carefully removed the large fish bones from the fried fish. Of course, it was evident that he wasn’t experienced in such tasks. The roasted bananas were all mashed together because they were cut into excessively small pieces, and he kept missing some fish bones while trying to remove them. In truth, none of these things were of much importance to Lee Young-jin.
After the meal, they walked for about fifteen minutes. Seo Seung-hyun held the umbrella. The raindrops fell intermittently and then stopped. A droplet splashed inside the umbrella and landed on Seo Seung-hyun’s straight nose. A small, firm water droplet trickled down a few millimeters along his sharp nose. Lee Young-jin stared at it for a moment. More instinct than intention, his hand suddenly shot out to wipe Seo Seung-hyun’s nose. His palm got a little wet from the water droplet. The contact was brief, just a light brush. At the same time, Seo Seung-hyun tilted his head slightly toward him.
“The raindrop splashed on you…”
Lee Young-jin murmured as if making an excuse.
Anyway, Seo Seung-hyun clearly had no intention of listening to that excuse.
Seo Seung-hyun’s lips formed a faint upward curve. It might have looked like a smile, but Lee Young-jin couldn’t recognize it. Seo Seung-hyun lowered his head. For the past twenty-five years, Lee Young-jin had never once thought about his preference or aversion to this kind of casual contact, but at this very moment, he realized that he might actually enjoy it.
He sat in front of the computer, staring at the monitor for a long time in a daze. The world of 0s and 1s seemed to warp like a hazy hologram. He had never experienced anything like this before… His damp eyes shimmered, and his cheeks flushed. He reached for the keyboard but then moved his fingertips to the mouse. He pressed the wheel back and forth and then hesitated, lightly touching his lips with that hand.
He thought of Seo Seung-hyun.
Alpha’s sturdy body, long eyes, and soft lips all came to mind.
He forcefully tried to change his train of thought.
He forced out Ji Jung-hoon and Park Eun-young from the depths of his brain. He even thought of his teacher. Every memory rotated in his mind, filling his small head. And in the very last moment, he managed to recall one thing.
[Interpol captured two Korean nationals involved in the H Bank invasion in Shanghai. Suspected affiliation with international terrorist organization… Expected extradition to domestic investigative agencies within this month.]
The cursor on the monitor, which was moving aimlessly before, came to a sudden stop. Lee Young-jin stared at its still position for a moment and then immediately started moving his hand. Click, click, click, several times, tap, tap, the sound of typing on the keyboard. Capture on January 30th, extradition to Korean police on February 2nd, transfer to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on February 6th… That’s where the trail ended. So much had happened in just the past week.
Lee Young-jin stared intently beyond the monitor. After a while, he slowly closed his heavy eyelids and gazed into the darkness within.
When he opened his eyes again, his expression was back to its original state. The faint glimmer that lingered in his slightly moist eyes gradually faded away. Alpha’s body temperature, weight, the soft bass in his voice, the colorless shimmer of his pupils, his smile, the thickness, warmth, and humidity of his lips… What did it matter? After all, Alpha was not his to possess.
***
Leave a Reply