Chapter 96: Dissolve: His Last Choice

Following behind Yoon Jooho, who was carrying Monroe’s cage and a shopping bag, Song Hyunsoo spoke up.

“Was there another vacant room on the first floor?”

“Not really a room— more like the Alpha Room.”

While making do with a meal of Song Hyunsoo’s ‘Kimchi Pot Rice,’ the two exchanged and searched for cat information.

Since the adoption had been so sudden, they needed to study fast.

After finishing their meal, they decided to formally set up Monroe’s living space first.

They’d read that it was best to give a cat a quiet, private space to find stability while adapting to a new environment.

“Wow… Every room in this house really has a Han River View.”

As soon as they entered the long, rectangular room, Song Hyunsoo was in awe.

He didn’t know what an Alpha Room was, but except for being a little smaller, it was just like the other rooms in the house.

Despite facing north, the floor-to-ceiling windows and lack of buildings blocking the view meant plenty of sunlight poured in. It was perfect for a cat.

“I guess it’s best to put everything by the window, right?”

Holding the food and water bowls, Song Hyunsoo stood in front of the window, looking around for the best spot. Yoon Jooho carefully set the cage down at the edge of the window.

Though Monroe had survived the night safely, he was still frightened, curled up in the innermost part of the cage.

“Here, Sunbae. Wouldn’t it be perfect to put a Cat Tower here? Monroe could watch the world outside and bask in the sun.”

Song Hyunsoo pointed to the spot right in front of the window, his voice bubbling with excitement.

As Yoon Jooho opened the cage cover and arranged cushions and toys around it, he let out a snort.

“Who said I’d actually buy a Cat Tower?”

“I saw you looking them up earlier.”

“I just looked them up, that’s all.”

“Ah, sure.”

You spent a million won at the Animal Hospital’s cat supplies section this morning, but you talk a big game.

I can already see the future where you bring in the fanciest Cat Tower with spiral stairs and a slide, and even a silent Cat Wheel.

“Where are you going?”

As he was peering into Monroe’s state, bent at the waist, Song Hyunsoo called out to Yoon Jooho, who was about to leave the room.

“You said we’d keep him here.”

“Still, it feels wrong to leave him all alone. He’s still a baby.”

“Then what’s the point of putting him in this room?”

“We just need to keep a little distance. He should get used to us being around, too. Let’s stay here a little longer before we go.”

Sitting on the floor diagonally across from the cage, Song Hyunsoo patted the spot next to him.

Niya, Niyang.

“See? Even Monroe’s saying not to leave.”

Pretending to be reluctant and annoyed, Yoon Jooho still ended up coming over to Song Hyunsoo.

Leaning against the wall, the two of them sat side by side on the floor. There were only two or three mysterious boxes in the room— no real furniture to speak of.

“Ah… I must’ve been really tired yesterday. I slept like a log, you know?”

“You slept well?”

“…Yeah.”

Yoon Jooho turned to look at him, suddenly bringing his face close. The surprise attack left Song Hyunsoo frozen in place.

Yoon Jooho’s cool hand reached out and swept Hyunsoo’s bangs back from his forehead, then carefully checked each of his eyes.

“Your eyes are totally bloodshot.”

“……”

Still needlessly meticulous as ever.

The truth was, he’d barely slept, busy plotting his confession. His body was exhausted to death, but his mind was too tense to rest.

He kept waking up every thirty minutes, and in the end, got up even earlier than Yoon Jooho.

Meanwhile, Yoon Jooho looked as refreshed as someone who’d slept for over ten hours.

“I did sleep well, but I had a weird dream.”

Brushing his bangs aside, Song Hyunsoo replied sulkily.

“What kind of dream?”

“You were… wearing a wedding dress and marrying me.”

He hadn’t dreamed anything like that.

It was just Hyunsoo’s way of dropping a hint before confessing.

Without even glancing up from his phone, Yoon Jooho let out a snort, as if to say that would only ever happen in a dream. It seemed he hadn’t picked up on the hint at all.

“Looks like Sunbae had a great sleep, though.”

“Great sleep, my foot. I can’t sleep well with someone next to me.”

Wow, I almost burst out laughing.

I watched you all night, you know? You slept just fine— hugged me from behind, wrapped your thigh around my leg, breathed on the back of my neck, and tortured me for an hour in that position… And you say you can’t sleep with someone next to you?

I have so much to say. But since I plan to confess today, I’ll hold back for now.

“Did you… have any dreams or anything, Sunbae?”

“……”

Song Hyunsoo definitely saw it.

For a split second, as Yoon Jooho scrolled up and down and typed in search words, his fingers froze.

“Don’t remember.”

Today, Yoon Jooho was a liar.

Watching the side of the lying Yoon Jooho’s face, Song Hyunsoo rubbed his sweaty palm against his pants.

About ten minutes passed like that. Monroe cautiously stepped out of the cage.

The two of them tried to act nonchalant, as if they weren’t pleased or proud at all, watching him with blank faces.

After glancing at the two humans sitting far away, Monroe sampled the softened kibble, drank some water, and began to explore the area near the cage.

Feeling relieved, they went back to searching. On the outside, their fingers kept moving, but Song Hyunsoo couldn’t concentrate.

He kept repeating his prepared confession lines in his head, so none of the information on the screen really registered.

Then, as he skimmed through one page, Song Hyunsoo’s eyes widened.

“S-Sunbae… Sunbae, what do we do?”

“What is it?”

He couldn’t bring himself to say it. With the face of a criminal caught red-handed, Song Hyunsoo looked at Yoon Jooho and swallowed dryly.

Growing impatient, Yoon Jooho snatched Hyunsoo’s phone.

“Perfume, Incense Candle… They’re all bad for cats.”

“……”

Yoon Jooho’s face stiffened for a moment as he read through the information on the screen. But after clicking his tongue, he handed the phone back to Song Hyunsoo as if it was nothing.

“It’s not a big deal. Don’t overreact.”

“But you like those things.”

“I’m over it. I was getting tired of spraying it so much anyway.”

“But that’s your Trademark.”

“My charm isn’t so flimsy that a Trademark like that makes a difference.”

“That’s true. I mean, you’re right, but…”

Song Hyunsoo knew that lighting an Incense Candle and watching the flickering scent was one of Yoon Jooho’s few pleasures. It felt like he’d taken away something too valuable from him.

Even if he’d known in advance, Yoon Jooho probably would have brought Monroe home anyway. He really believed that.

But deciding something with full awareness and resolve was different from doing it without knowing.

“I pushed for it without even checking properly…”

“You think I’d just go along with whatever you say? Don’t be weird. I brought him home because I wanted to.”

Yoon Jooho placed a hand on the nape of Song Hyunsoo’s bowed head, gently massaging it. Then, resting his chin on Hyunsoo’s shoulder, he gestured toward Monroe with a nod.

“I haven’t lit an Incense Candle since bringing him here. So it’s fine.”

A gentle smile suddenly appeared on Yoon Jooho’s face as he finished speaking. Captivated by that smile, Song Hyunsoo turned toward the window.

Monroe, who had been circling the cage, was now curled up asleep on a cushion, basking in the warm sunlight streaming through the window.

Yoon Jooho was always like this.

All bark and no bite in words, but generous at the crucial moments.

Instead of complaining that he couldn’t use Perfume or light Incense Candles because of Monroe, he just made excuses that he was getting tired of them anyway.

Maybe, that means there’s hope for my confession?

“He’s asleep now. Should we head out?”

Yoon Jooho whispered as he stood up first and offered his hand. Just as Song Hyunsoo was about to rise, he hesitated, then took his hand.

The pull was stronger than expected. Whoa? His body tipped forward and fell right into Yoon Jooho’s arms.

With his arm around Song Hyunsoo’s waist, Yoon Jooho gazed down at him from under the shadow of his eyelashes.

“Tired?”

“…Not really.”

“If you’re not tired, let’s go to the bedroom.”

Song Hyunsoo couldn’t help but laugh.

He realized that Yoon Jooho was recalling their conversation from early dawn, back in the Escalade parked at the Myung Haeri Vacant Lot. Seeing Hyunsoo laugh, Yoon Jooho smiled shyly too.

“But, Sunbae.”

As Yoon Jooho was heading toward the living room, Song Hyunsoo called out to stop him.

“The bedroom sounds good, but… Want a cocktail first?”

“Now?”

“I’m not going anywhere just because we have a drink first.”

Yoon Jooho grinned at Song Hyunsoo’s deliberately cocky, playful tone.

“Drinking in the middle of the day?”

“But going to bed in the middle of the day is fine?”

Well, that’s true, Yoon Jooho let out an embarrassed snort.

It’s not like he’s against day drinking anyway.

“The cocktail I promised to make for your birthday. I never got to make it for you.”

Yoon Jooho turned and headed for the bar on the upper floor.

“Have you thought of something stronger than Kiss of Fire?”

“Mm, I was going to let you choose between two.”

“What are the options?”

“Sex on the Beach. Or, Orgasm.”

Instead of punching in the password, Yoon Jooho unlocked the door with his fingerprint. Holding the handle of the now-open door, he looked back at Hyunsoo.

“I’ll just have both.”