Highway to Heaven 🔞

19. 직면

Kim Taerae had been pretty good with studies, consistent with covering up what he had learnt almost every evening. He had an organized life, and knew how to effectively manage time. Therefore, even after keeping up with all the friendly hangouts, he gets satisfactory grades, even in surprise quizzes.

In the evening that day, he had gathered up his notebooks and put his glasses on, ready to go through the first lecture slide for that day. But before he was even halfway through, his bell rang. Failing to remember whether he was supposed to have a guest, he eventually went to the door and looked through the peephole. His lips spread in a smile when he saw Zhang Hao standing outside.

"Hyung! You didn't say you were coming." Taerae greeted the senior he looked up to the most. Hao smiled at him, then entered. He soon noticed the open notebook on the younger's table.

"Oh, were you studying?" Asked the Chinese senior. Taerae made a gesture of waving his palm, "I'll do it later. Let's just sit down and talk. Why didn't you tell me you'll be here? I'd have made you something to eat."

Zhang Hao shook his head. "I have something urgent to talk about, that's why. Don't worry, I won't take long."

"Eyy, what's the rush?" Taerae asked, "Shall I order a pizza? And I think I have a few cans of beer left-"

"No, Taerae." Zhang Hao stopped him, "Just... Sit down. And talk."

That's when the younger noticed, his senior was frowning ever so slightly. Like he was in deep thoughts. And worried. His facial expression concerned Taerae, who asked, "Hyung, is everything okay?"

Hao nodded, he so hated to be taking about what he was going to, but it was important. Very important.

"Taerae yah, if hyung asks a question, will you answer with full honesty?"

Now it was Taerae's turn to cross his eyebrows, "What is it about?"

"It's about what you've been hiding from me." Zhang Hao turned, he looked so distressed and his voice was shaky and whiny. He was upset, for sure. "Why didn't you tell me you and Hanbin used to hook up?"

'SHIT!' Taerae closed his eyes shut, and a face immediately appeared in his mind, 'Ricky you damn bastard!'

"How could you do this to me? When you first met him, you should have told me everything instead of-"

"Ricky told you, right?" Taerae asked.

"It doesn't matter who did!" Hao almost snapped, "How could you keep hiding something like this from me?"

"Okay, listen." Taerae tried to collect his thoughts. He needed to be careful. Zhang Hao may look like a damn-care, sassy human being, but he was clever, and also strict; even to his own emotions. "First of all, it's in the past." The younger said, "Yes, we may have did it a few times-"

"For over a year." Hao corrected him.

'Just how much did you spill, Ricky??'

"Right." Taerae breathed out, "But it doesn't matter now. Him and I are- nothing! We've never been a thing! And he said he's serious about you, so-"

"He did to you what he's doing with me, and then after a year, when you said you want a commitment, he just threw you away." The other male asked, "How are you okay with it? Especially as you see me being in your place?"

"Cause your case is different." Taerae tried to tone down the sadness in his voice, "He never once said he waned more than sex from me, but that day in the movies, he clearly said he was serious about you. And I didn't wanna be the thorn in your way, hyung. If you accuse me of keeping it a secret, I did it for you."