I’m Too Lazy To Run away - Side Chapter 24

Yang Tae-Yang grabbed Do-Yoon’s arm as he was about to go inside.

“Do you… do this often?”

“Huh?”

“Like this… bringing people to your place.”

Even if he was just a Middle, it was worrying how he didn’t seem to fear people and just let them into his home. It might sound like he was interfering in his personal life, but there were so many crazy people out there!

Do-Yoon shook his head.

“No. If it’s for that, I wouldn’t come all the way here. Today it’s just because it’s close….”

“What kind of person might come here, and you just—! You seriously have no sense of danger!!”

“…!”

At the sudden raised voice, Do-Yoon flinched.

Seeing that, Tae-Yang immediately stopped and scratched the back of his head roughly, looking troubled.

“Do-Yoon… whenever I look at you, I feel like I can’t leave you alone anywhere without worrying.”

“I’ve heard that a lot.”

Do-Yoon even nodded calmly, as if agreeing.

Watching him, Tae-Yang felt like he was going to burst from frustration. There were plenty of shady people who wouldn’t even care about compatibility and would just pounce. You see it on the news all the time—serious crimes. Someone like Kim Do-Yoon, living isolated like this, was exactly the kind of high-risk target.

Holding Do-Yoon by the shoulders, Tae-Yang said,

“Don’t bring people home like this… no, not just home—don’t meet strangers anywhere. Especially these days.”

But Do-Yoon tilted his head, clearly not understanding.

“Then how do I meet them?”

“What?”

“That way it ends faster….”

“So you’re saying you’re going to keep meeting them like this?”

“It’s not like I do it often. Just once is enough….”

He said that while glancing at Tae-Yang’s reaction.

Tae-Yang felt dizzy.

A one-night stand?!

‘Kids these days, seriously…’

Was that why he always looked tired? Because of frequent one-night stands? How was he supposed to explain that he shouldn’t be doing that? If he didn’t stop him now, it felt like Do-Yoon would end up in serious danger.

Tae-Yang panicked and made a rash decision.

“Do it with me.”

“Okay.”

“No—only with me.”

He blurted it out first, but didn’t plan on taking it back. In this situation, it was better to block the problem entirely than try to solve it later.

But Do-Yoon was even more concerning than expected.

“…Wouldn’t it be better with more people?”

“……”

Tae-Yang felt like he was losing his mind.

But he couldn’t back down now.

“I—I’ll do everything for you.”

Do-Yoon seemed to think for a moment, then nodded.

Just as Tae-Yang was about to feel relieved—

“I understand. You mean quality over quantity, right?”

…No.

Tae-Yang was speechless.

That was technically correct, but… he didn’t even know anymore.

“Yeah, quality over quantity. I’ll make sure it’s enough, so promise you’ll only do it with me.”

He held out his pinky finger.

“Hurry!”

He urged him.

Do-Yoon, still a bit dazed, hooked pinkies with him. After sealing it with a thumb press, Tae-Yang finally calmed his racing heart.

‘Wait… does that mean we’re doing it now?’

Following Do-Yoon inside, Tae-Yang’s thoughts became chaotic.

‘Was that too sudden?’

‘But if I didn’t do that, who knows how many people he’d bring here.’

‘Who knows what those people would do to him.’

After justifying himself, his thoughts moved to the next stage.

‘He’s probably not only done it with Middles…’

‘How do I satisfy him? I want to be gentle…’

‘But he seems experienced—should I be a bit rough?’

After all that thinking, Tae-Yang finally prepared himself.

‘Still… starting with a kiss is best….’

He grabbed Do-Yoon’s shoulders and turned him around. Before even taking off his shoes, he held his chin and leaned in—

“By the way, how do we submit the assignment?”

“…Huh?”

Tae-Yang froze mid-motion, making the dumbest expression he’d ever shown.

“And if it’s just the two of us, what about the other group members? Quality over quantity is fine, but… will the professor accept it without the others?”

“…I don’t think so….”

Do-Yoon kept asking questions, but Tae-Yang couldn’t answer a single one. Instinctively realizing how embarrassing the situation was, he barely managed to speak.

“When you said ‘once is enough’ earlier… what did you mean?”

“Huh? For other classes, we only had to meet once before the presentation.”

“…And when you said you don’t usually come all the way here?”

“We usually meet at school.”

“…And when you said more people is better?”

“It’s a group assignment, so I thought teamwork mattered….”

Tae-Yang collapsed on the spot, covering his face with both hands.

This was beyond embarrassing.

What kind of misunderstanding had he been having?

And what if he had actually kissed him just now?

It was a relief he realized now—but if he hadn’t, he could’ve been reported for harassment.

‘Crazy, crazy, crazy….’

Tae-Yang wanted to crawl into a hole.

Meanwhile, Do-Yoon crouched down beside him.

‘Is he really not feeling well?’

Thinking he didn’t even have the strength to stand, Do-Yoon decided rest was more important than the assignment.

“Do you want to sleep?”

“…!”

Tae-Yang shot his head up, looking deeply wronged—his face bright red.

“Why would I?!”

Startled by the sudden shout, Do-Yoon flinched. Tae-Yang quickly covered his mouth.

Do-Yoon thought hard.

“Then… do you want to wash first?”

“…!!”

Tae-Yang snapped to his senses. Do-Yoon’s way of speaking was full of traps.

“N-now’s not the time. I’m not sleepy. I’m not sick either.”

Do-Yoon nodded.

After finally taking off their shoes and entering, Tae-Yang saw the floor covered in paintings.

“It’s a bit messy. Just sit anywhere.”

“O-okay.”

Do-Yoon began picking up paintings, but it was too much alone. Tae-Yang helped, picking up scattered works.

They ranged from light sketches to paintings still wet with paint. The subjects varied, but they all shared one thing—

Each felt like it had its own breath.

Some evoked the damp smell of a rainy alley at night. Others felt like a misty forest. Some had form, others were distorted, yet all overflowed with emotion.

Tae-Yang unconsciously picked one up.

There was no hesitation in the brushwork. Though oil painting allows corrections, this felt like sculpture—no mistakes allowed.

The subject was simple: lotus flowers floating on a deep green pond.

Yet it was striking.

“Do-Yoon.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to… do the exhibition project with me?”

“….”

A brief silence.

Then—

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something to feel pressured about—just do what you normally do…!”

“I’m sorry….”

Do-Yoon apologized again, looking troubled.

Only then did Tae-Yang realize his mistake.

“No, no—you didn’t do anything wrong. Sorry, I was too sudden.”

“……”

Do-Yoon scratched his head, then said,

“This semester is too busy… but next semester is okay.”

“…What?”

“Next semester is fine.”

“?!!”

Tae-Yang’s face lit up.

“Really?! You’ll really do it with me?!”

Instead of answering, Do-Yoon held out his pinky.

Tae-Yang grinned and hooked fingers with him.

He felt like jumping on the spot.

***

“Heh.”

Tae-Yang couldn’t stop smiling.

They had worked on the assignment together, eaten ramen, and even promised to do the exhibition next semester.

“Hey sunshine, why are you acting crazy this early in the morning?”

Even his friend’s teasing didn’t bother him.

Seeing Tae-Yang grinning like an idiot, his long-time friend Park Dae-Seop was deeply annoyed.

“To get this crazy before summer even starts… global warming much?”

“…Why is this class only once a week? Can’t it be every day?”

“Sunshine, if you’re going crazy, at least do it gracefully.”

Tae-Yang sighed.

Their shared class was only once a week—and even that was mostly replaced with assignments.

Meaning he wouldn’t see Do-Yoon again until group work resumed.

He stared blankly at his silent phone.

When it vibrated, he quickly checked—

…but it wasn’t Do-Yoon.

Calls weren’t answered. Texts came late, if at all.

Do-Yoon never contacted him first.

That bothered him more than he expected.

‘…Should I just transfer departments?’

His judgment was starting to slip.

Then—

“Hey sunshine, I’m thinking of being a croquis model.”

“Yeah, good for you.”

“A professor personally asked me! They’ll even open the sculpture room.”

“Nice.”

“But you’re doing it too.”

“Nope.”

“It’s just upper body!”

“Then you do it.”

“They said sculpture, design, and painting majors are all joining!”

“…Painting too?”

“Yeah.”

Painting… meant Do-Yoon.

“I’ll do it.”