On The Surface | RavnWoong

C H A P T E R ₀₈

Hwanwoong wiped his forehead exhaustedly when he got up from resting his hands on his knees for a little. This was it, the last box. He now had everything ready to take with him. The rooms looked dull and lifeless now. He had packed all of his belongings throughout the last few days, knowing that he wouldn't need more time than that anyway. He wouldn't take any furniture with him which made it easier to move out without stressing too much.

Youngjo had ordered a van for Hwanwoong to load his things inside. The man who drove it offered help and the dancer accepted it happily. While they were carrying the boxes down, Geonhak made his appearance.

"Oh, I didn't expect to see you here!" Hwanwoong said out of breath but sounded friendly regardless and Geonhak nodded.

"Unfortunately, Seoho got sick, that's why Youngjo asked me to take his place for today."

Was a bodyguard really necessary for all this? Hwanwoong wasn't too sure about it, but he didn't mind. He nodded and told Geonhak that it was nice to see him, which the blond man smiled at. That the bodyguard wasn't talkative was not a shocker to Hwanwoong anymore.

With some more time passing, they got all of the boxes loaded into the van. The driver asked for the location which Geonhak gave to him later on and eventually held the car door open for Hwanwoong to enter. He told the driver that if he felt unsure, he could always just follow his car.

It was silent at first. Geonhak had his eyes strictly on the road, gaze almost as sharp as his jawline. Hwanwoong let his fingers trail over the car door, fingertips carefully feeling the pattern and he realized that although the cars looked the same, this must've been a different one than the one Seoho would usually drive. He knew Youngjo had money. Lots of it. That he was able to afford a car per bodyguard easily though still took Hwanwoong by surprise somehow.

"Is it serious?"

Geonhak's head twitched slightly, indicating that he was listening to Hwanwoong. He shook his head softly. "No. He'll be able to work again tomorrow."

The dancer hummed, nodded, and awkwardly rubbed his palms on his jeans back and forth in slow motion. Geonhak caught that from his side view. Stirring the wheel, he asked Hwanwoong a question.

"Do I make you nervous?"

Silence. Hwanwoong didn't want to say something wrong. He didn't know Geonhak long and well enough to be sure how to answer without unintentionally upsetting him. He may have been good at noticing things, may have been average at reading people, but Geonhak? He was a closed book surrounded by chains that were fastened by a padlock.

"I take that as a yes. There's no need to be. I know my expressions resemble the ones of a stone, but that's how I am. You'll get used to it."

The smaller nodded. He knew that the bodyguard would see it from his side view. A stone. He wondered if it had always been that way or if Geonhak was like lava at some point. If there happened something that caused him to turn into a rock. Somehow it was comforting - Hwanwoong knew that once lava freezes and turns into a rock, it'll start forming crystals on the inside.

He was sure that Geonhak had some of those crystals deep inside of him. Crystals that are only visible once the rock opens up. For now, he wouldn't, and that was okay. But that didn't scare Hwanwoong off to at least sense the beauty inside of him, not anymore.

The van stopped right behind them. Geonhak got out, held a card similar to Seoho's in front of the electrical device, and waited for the beep sound. Eventually, the van followed Geonhak's car and they got out once the cars were parked.

Hwanwoong didn't notice it at first but Youngjo was standing in the doorframe already. He was leaning against one side, had his arms crossed, and waited patiently. His clothing looked ordinary. Nothing special, just jeans and a black long-sleeve shirt that complimented his body very well, especially the crossed arms, and Hwanwoong only now realized how wide his husband's shoulders actually were. Good lord.