Chapter 13
The sound of returning footsteps drew James away from the sketch. He quietly closed the notebook and placed it back in its original spot on the wooden shelf.
Juhoon came back holding a stack of paintbrushes and a few tubes of paint. His eyes quickly darted toward the corner shelf, resting on James.
Juhoon paused for half a second. He walked over and dropped the supplies onto the table with a dull THUD, his voice even:
"Is snooping through other people's personal stuff a habit of yours, Team Leader?"
James didn't deny it. He leaned back against the shelf, looking calmly at his junior:
"The wind flipped the page. The pencil strokes are the same as in your architecture drawings, but the guy in the picture looks more hardworking than the real-life version."
Juhoon scoffed: "That's just because the real-life version annoys me most of the time."
He didn't ask for the sketchbook back, nor did he mention the sentence written underneath.
Twilight descended quickly over the suburbs. The evening sun faded, giving way to a soft gray light pouring through the large glass panels. Juhoon didn't turn on the lights; instead, he invited James out to the small backyard where two old wooden chairs faced a wild meadow.
The two sat side by side, finishing their cold cups of coffee.
"At school, you always act like you're carrying everything," Juhoon leaned his head back, gazing off into the distance. "Aren't you tired?"
James took a sip of the bitter coffee:
"I am. But as a team leader, I can't afford to look lost in front of Seonghyeon and Keonho."
"What about you? Don't you get tired?" Juhoon turned to him.
James swirled the coffee in his cup, shaking his head slightly:
"It gets overwhelming sometimes. But we made it through today."
Six in the evening. It was completely dark.
Walking toward the sports car in the yard, Juhoon pulled out the key and tossed it over to James:
"You drive. I'm a bit tired."
James caught the key mid-air. Juhoon had already walked straight to the passenger side and opened the door.
The car glided off the dirt road, merging into the traffic on the boulevard heading toward the city center. Soft Indie music played quietly from the speakers.
Fifteen minutes into the drive, James glanced at the passenger seat. Juhoon had fallen sound asleep. His head leaned to one side, dark hair falling over his forehead.
When the car stopped at a red light, James shifted to neutral and pulled the handbrake.
The seatbelt was pressing a bit too tightly against Juhoon's neck. James paused for a moment. Using the back of his hand, he gently swept the soft strands of black hair away from Juhoon's eyes, then casually loosened the seatbelt notch slightly.
The warmth from the back of his hand brushed against the cool skin of Juhoon's cheek. Juhoon stirred slightly, letting out a long breath before sinking back into sleep.
The traffic light turned green. James pressed the accelerator, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
The car pulled up into the underground parking lot of Juhoon's high-end apartment complex. James turned off the engine and gently shook his junior's shoulder:
"Juhoon. Wake up, we're here."
Juhoon mumbled lazily, letting out a soft groan before slowly blinking his eyes open. He looked around the familiar parking garage, then turned to James still sitting in the driver's seat. Mind still hazy, Juhoon stumbled out of the car, his voice raspy:
"Come upstairs."
James unbuckled his seatbelt, offering the keys back: "I'll take a cab back. Go up and sleep."
Juhoon didn't take the keys, nor did he bother arguing much. He simply leaned against the car frame, crossing his arms and looking at James with half-lidded yet stubborn eyes:
"Look at the time. There's the living room, or the sofa. Pick one."
"It's not convenient. Besides-"
"You have the car keys," Juhoon interrupted, turning around to walk straight toward the elevator, tossing back a flat remark. "If you don't want to come up, feel free to sleep down here in the garage."
James looked at the key in his hand, then at the tall, slender figure yawning his way into the elevator. He let out a sigh, shaking his head as he followed. There was simply no winning against this kid's stubbornness.
Juhoon's penthouse apartment was spacious and cold, much like his personality. Juhoon tossed James a brand-new set of loungewear, pointed toward the bathroom, and walked straight into his own bedroom.
Nearly one in the morning. Fresh out of the shower and wearing clothes slightly too short for his frame, James walked out into the living room. The apartment was dark, illuminated only by the city lights filtering through the large glass windows.
Just as he was about to lie down on the long sofa, Juhoon's bedroom door creaked open. Standing at the doorway holding an extra thin blanket, Juhoon spoke in a sleepy voice:
"Get in here. That sofa is stiff as a board. Don't complain about back pain tomorrow."
James paused: "I'm fine on the sofa."
Without a word, Juhoon walked over, grabbed James's wrist, and pulled him straight into the bedroom. Juhoon's bed was massive, covered in dark gray sheets. He tossed the blanket onto one side of the bed and settled on the other, turning his back to James:
"Just lie down. I'm exhausted and don't have the energy to argue with you."
James stood looking at Juhoon's broad back for a moment. Finally, he slowly lay down on the empty space beside him. The room was so quiet that James could clearly hear Juhoon's steady breathing.
James tilted his head toward the slender back across from him, letting out a subtle smile before closing his eyes.
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