We Slept Side by Side… and He Made Me Breakfast

If we’re both trying to put the other to bed, wouldn’t it be a solution for both of us to sleep in the bed?

Haejin suggested in a very small voice, glancing at Beomwoo to gauge his reaction.

Beomwoo looked dazed, as if he had heard something he never expected.

“……In the bed?”

“Yes…… At this rate, it doesn’t seem like either of us is going to change our minds.”

“……”

“And this bed is a queen size anyway. If it’s just for sleeping… I-I think it might be okay…”

Haejin explained that this argument didn’t seem like it would end easily.

Since we both seemed to want the other to sleep in the bed, wouldn’t it work if we both slept there?

In case there was any misunderstanding, he hastily added that he had no impure intentions.

From the first time he entered this house, the bed had been a queen size.

Haejin wasn’t particularly large, and the bed was wider than necessary, so it wouldn’t be cramped even with two adult men lying in it.

Realistically, sleeping in the same bed was a situation Haejin should be more worried about than Beomwoo.

He, of course, had no intention of doing anything to Beomwoo, and he was in a state where both his body and mind were weakened.

It was a situation where he might need to be wary of what Beomwoo might do to him.

But for some reason, Haejin didn’t think Beomwoo would do anything to him.

Given the cautious nature he had shown in this life, and how frightened he was after nearly being assaulted, he didn’t seem like the type to lay a hand on him.

The thought of sharing a bed with Beomwoo made him nervous, but in a way, it was something they had done every day as a married couple in his past life.

Their relationship now was different from then, but for him, it wasn’t something to be newly nervous about.

However, for Beomwoo, unlike him, it would be the first time… The issue was how he would perceive it.

Given his past actions and today’s events, he probably wouldn’t think that way, but if misunderstood, he could be seen as a temptress trying to lure him to bed.

He hoped there was no misunderstanding…

As Haejin blinked his large eyes, watching his reaction, Beomwoo remained still for a moment before cautiously replying.

“If you’re okay with it, Haejin… I’m fine with it.”

“……”

“I’m not one to pass up an opportunity.”

Beomwoo said he wasn’t uncomfortable with sleeping together.

He even added that it was an opportunity that wouldn’t come often for him, so he should take it.

It would have been better not to add that last part…

While thinking that, Haejin also wondered if he was doing it on purpose.

To make him back off if he was even a little scared of sharing a bed.

His intention was transparent, which made Haejin more confident that it would be okay to share a bed with him.

He seemed even less likely to do anything to him.

“Alright then… come on up.”

“……”

When Haejin spoke even more boldly, Beomwoo paused.

It was clear he had thought Haejin would get scared and take back his words.

Beomwoo showed a momentary look of panic but didn’t say anything more, simply nodding.

“Then I’ll turn off the light. Lie down comfortably.”

“Ah, okay…”

As if they had finally decided to sleep in the bed together, Beomwoo headed toward the switch.

As Haejin properly adjusted his position and lay down on the bed, the light that had brightly illuminated the room went off with the sound of the switch.

In the darkness, before his eyes could adjust and while he could see nothing, he heard footsteps approaching.

Soon, he felt the mattress dip on one side.

It was Beomwoo getting onto the bed, his weight shifting to one side.

It was a sound and movement so careful you wouldn’t hear it unless you strained your ears, but with nothing to see, his other senses became several times sharper.

In the situation, calm yet like the eye of a storm, as if something might happen, Haejin unconsciously clenched the blanket in his hand.

He reassured himself that Beomwoo wouldn’t touch him and that it wasn’t something to be newly conscious of since he had experienced it many times in his past life.

But the fact that his heart was gradually beating faster was not something he could control.

While telling himself not to be conscious of it, he felt Beomwoo settling down properly beside him.

Beomwoo lay in a proper position, not even turning toward Haejin’s direction, staring at the ceiling as he spoke.

“Don’t think about anything. Sleep well.”

“Yes, y-you too, Beomwoo…”

As if to make his own thoughts seem foolish, Beomwoo simply and cleanly settled down to sleep without any sign of misbehavior.

He had believed he wasn’t the type to do such things, but seeing him not touch a single hair made him feel like he was the pervert.

Beomwoo had told him not to think about anything and sleep, but Haejin’s thoughts were stolen by the man lying beside him.

He was there beside him, just like when they were married, but without a single point of contact, lying still like a wooden doll.

Yet, for some reason, his pounding, fluttering heart felt more intense than any night they had spent as a couple.

Why did simply being there beside him, without doing anything, feel so much like he was thinking of him?

Just the fact that he was there made Haejin feel at ease, and he slowly closed his eyes.

****

The savory smell of cooking rice…

Haejin thought, ‘That smells delicious,’ and snuggled deeper into the warm blanket.

He couldn’t quite remember when he had last welcomed a morning with such a savory smell.

It had been a daily occurrence when his birth parents were alive, but after they passed and he was adopted by his aunt, he was usually the one getting up at dawn to prepare breakfast.

After Beomwoo gave him this house, the need to prepare meals for them disappeared, but he still had to cook for himself.

In his past life, the most recent memory was when the housekeeper prepared breakfast for him.

He couldn’t have gone back in time to his childhood, so he thought he must be having a pleasant dream and wriggled in the blanket.

The soft touch of the blanket against his skin felt excessively vivid.

No matter how vivid a dream, he had never experienced one where touch and smell were this clear…

Huh…? Vivid? Wait, is this not a dream?

In an instant, his mind jolted awake as if he had been grabbed by the collar and dragged into reality.

Remembering that he had slept in the same bed with Beomwoo last night, he quickly checked the side next to him, but it was neatly made with no trace left.

The memory of last night felt so surreal that it was hard to distinguish what was real and what was a dream.

Beomwoo had explained how he found and saved him, but even so, appearing at that desperate moment felt like something out of a movie or drama, and it was still shocking.

He wanted to clearly confirm with his own eyes both the savory smell of rice lingering in the air and the truth of last night.

Although awake, his body was still sluggish from sleep as he stumbled out of the bedroom and into the living room.

There, the tall man standing in the kitchen seemed to sense his presence and turned to greet him.

“You’re awake?”

“……”

Standing in the kitchen, just like the day he had cooked for him before, Beomwoo stood with an apron around his waist, holding a spatula.

Even though he had seen him like that before, this current sight felt more surreal than all the events of last night.

Haejin stared at him blankly as if seeing a ghost, and Beomwoo naturally started speaking.

“It’ll be ready soon. Have a seat.”

“Ah, okay…”

To anyone watching, it would seem like he was the guest and Beomwoo was the homeowner.

Legally, Beomwoo was the owner…

While he was still uncertain if this was a dream or reality, Beomwoo’s natural presence in the kitchen made Haejin unconsciously follow his words.

Normally, he would have told Beomwoo to sit, that he would do it, but whether it was because he wasn’t fully awake or because of the situation, his mind was fuzzy.

As Haejin sat down, true to his word that it would be ready soon, Beomwoo brought out the food.

Placing a bowl in front of Haejin, Beomwoo spoke.

“I thought it might be hard to come back in once I left. I borrowed your fridge.”

“……”

There probably wasn’t much in the fridge…

Thinking that, he looked at the plate.

On a wide plate, crispy toasted bread, a fried egg, and sausage were arranged appetizingly.

It was a very simple meal, but the bread toasted to a perfect golden brown, the egg cooked sunny-side up, and the sausage with neat cuts subtly showcased his cooking skills.

Having experienced his cooking before, he knew he was skilled, but perhaps because this was only the second time in years, it felt as surprising as the first time.

As Haejin stared blankly at the food without eating, Beomwoo sat across from him and asked, as if checking his mood.

“Are you upset that I went through your fridge without permission?”

“Huh? No! Of course not!”

What a strange thing to say.

The person who had given him a home, saved him just yesterday, and now prepared his breakfast by using his fridge—how could he possibly be angry about that?

Seeing Haejin’s now fully awake face vehemently denying it, Beomwoo looked at him intently as if asking why he was acting that way.

There really was no reason; he was just surprised anew.

But saying he was surprised might seem like he was looking down on him, so Haejin hesitated before giving an evasive answer.

“Ah, it just looks delicious… Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“……”

When Haejin answered, Beomwoo looked at him with eyes that seemed to say, ‘That’s not it,’ but Haejin tried to ignore it and put the food he had prepared into his mouth.

He had started eating to avoid further questions, but once he began, his attention was naturally drawn to it.

The food was as delicious as it looked.

He usually had a small appetite and little taste for food upon waking, but whether because it was a light meal or because it was cooked perfectly to his taste, he ate well.

Although intended to change the subject, seeing Haejin genuinely enjoying the food, Beomwoo looked at him suspiciously before giving up and looking away.

Since he was enjoying it, it was probably fine.

He also picked up his utensils.

About halfway through the meal, eaten in silence with the clinking of dishes, Haejin finally stole another glance at Beomwoo.

He had been momentarily distracted by Beomwoo’s sudden question about being upset over the fridge, but this situation—him preparing breakfast and them naturally eating the food he prepared—was truly strange.

The last time he had prepared a meal, Haejin had thought, ‘Even if his affection was false, if he had been like this, I would have had the strength to endure.’

But this time, perhaps because they had slept together and welcomed the morning, that feeling struck him even more clearly.

In his past life, even when he had no appetite, he would force the hard-to-swallow food down his throat at the mention of marital duty.

But now…

Why did the more he thought about how kind and good the present him was, the sadder it made him in contrast to the past?

Swallowing a slight bitterness, Haejin found himself unable to stop his heart from leaning toward him again.