7. Not Sharing A Bed

"Why what?"

"Why are you trying to call another guy to come and sleep with you? You had made mention of a deal between you two. What's that deal about? Is it about money or a job?"

"What does it matter? It's not like you can do anything about it. Even if you can, it doesn't mean that you will, so why should I tell you anything about what is going on between the man and me?"

"Wait, he is a man? Not just a guy? Were you intending to go for an old geezer? Why...? Are you that desperate?"

Doyun sighed. "Your words are starting to get on my nerves, so you better drop it before I get annoyed with you right now."

Byeong Ho didn't intend to come off as offensive, but he doesn't know how else he should've put his questions.

Doyun also thought that he was being harsh to the older guy, so he tried to calm down. 

"I'm sorry that my messages came to you instead, disturbing your peaceful night, but you could've just let me know that I sent them to the wrong number once you realized that instead of coming here.

It's late now, so you'll have to sleep here for the night and leave when morning comes.

Byeong Ho watches the younger guy as he rambles on. He still had some questions he wanted to ask, but his next words pulled him out of his thoughts.

"I hope you don't mind sharing a bed with me." Lee Doyun asked.

Stunned, Byeong Ho only stares at him.

Noticing that his visitor looked uncomfortable at his question, Doyun added,

"Don't worry. I'm not into guys, so don't think I'll jump you or touch you in any bad way, unlike what my messages suggest." 

'Shouldn't I be telling him that?' Byeong Ho mused to himself. It's physically obvious that he is the stronger and sturdier of the two of them.

Why would this idiot, who is even the one inviting a complete stranger he has just met into his bed, be the one to tell him not to worry when it should be the other way around?

'Does this boy have a brain at all?' Byeong Ho is a little bemused.

"The bed is small, but since my friend and I are able to share it, you're not that bigger than he is, so...ahh." Doyun rubbed his forehead, for he started to feel a slight headache, and his left eye started to throb in pain.

"Would you like to wash down first, or would you like to sleep right away?" He asked the older guy.

"No. I never said I'd be sleeping here. Why would you assume that?" Byeong Ho asked him back.

"It's very late." Doyun repeated.

"I know that. I just can't sleep at someone's place, so I'll be leaving. I only came because I was just curious." 

Byeong Ho got down from the bed, but Doyun blocked his path, thinking he was going for the door, and held his shoulders in both hands.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked but his visitor only looks back at him questioningly.

Doyun sighed. "Look, this neighborhood is very dangerous at night. I wouldn't want to be blamed for something happening to you. 

If you should leave now, I don't think I can have a good rest worrying about whether or not you made it out safely. So just for my own sake, can you just wait till morning? Please?"

"Fine. But I'm not sleeping on the bed with you." Byeong Ho pried his hands away. He moved back to sleep on the bed and turned his face to the wall.

"Won't you change? Would you like for me to give you something to change into?" Byeong Ho didn't answer him

Doyun shook his head and pulled the blanket to cover him up before going to make a bed for himself on the tiny floor space by the nightstand and beside the bed.

***************************************

"Hye-Won, Hye-Ri, you two should stay with omma and call me once she's awake or if anything else." 

"Oppa, we just got here not long ago. The doctor said the drugs will wear off in less than two hours, so she will wake up soon. Where are you going in such a rush?" Hyewon asked.

"Today is Saturday. Some of our customers will be coming for their orders. I have to go and attend to them. You know how oemma takes her work very seriously."

"Alright. Then why don't I go with you?" Hyewon turned to her younger sister. "Hyeri, stay with oemma. Call us immediately she's awake. Okay?"

"No, you both should stay here. I can manage the stall. I'll come back after. Here, take this money. In case you all need something."

"Okay. We'll call you as soon as she wakes up."

"Take care, oppa." Hyeri said to her brother who was almost out of the door.

Doyun only nodded and rushed out of the ward all the way to the market.

**********************************

"Ajumma, yours is the other blue ice chest. This one is for another customer." Doyun shouted from outside to the middle-aged woman inside their store, where he had placed the orders of some of their customers.

"See, this one has someone else's name. Yours is the other one on your left." Doyun excused himself and went to show the woman her correct goods before returning to serve those outside.

"Give me 2Lbs of drumsticks, 1Lb of chicken wings, 2Lbs of sardines, and 1Lb of cod." 

Doyun served the other customers one after the other while waiting for those who had made their orders previously to come for their goods. 

His mother sells fresh seafood and frozen meat at the local market. Some restaurant owners and other food vendors make their orders for the following week over the weekend. 

So that they can prepare and store them for the early part of the week.

He intends to close the shop as soon as those old customers come for them. But in the meantime, he still has to serve those who have come to buy from them today too. 

"Hooaaah." He yawned after closing up the shop. Luckily, those he was waiting on came early for their goods, so he could close early and leave for the hospital.