This moment, aware of each other through the lens, doubles the tension.
Liu recalled his memories of Hong Kong with Yeehyeon.
In a bustling bar in Soho, Liu had captured Yeehyeon on camera. And Yeehyeon, slightly tipsy, had asked to see what he’d taken.
He had stretched his arm far in the opposite direction to avoid Yeehyeon’s hands fumbling for the camera, and unlike usual, Yeehyeon hadn’t backed down so easily. Yeehyeon’s body, hands flailing for the camera, had leaned into him, almost as if falling into his arms.
The sweet scent of his body mixed with a hint of sweat from the nape of his neck.
To what could he compare the fantasy of that moment?
「Hmm… I don’t think I should show you.」
「Why?」
「Seo Yeehyeon, you’re a fortune-teller. If you see my photos, you’ll read everything, won’t you?」
「…Read what?」
「…….」
How I see you.
A photograph is imbued with the photographer’s feelings for the subject. The more skilled the photographer, the stronger the effect. Just as a skilled painter can express themselves more clearly.
At the time, Liu couldn’t yet show his photographs to the enigma that was Seo Yeehyeon. Because he would be found out—the way he looked at him.
The Yeehyeon in the photos from back then was captivating. He was like a mysterious stranger, hiding a secret story that piqued one’s curiosity. It was only natural. Because Liu, who had taken the photos, had seen Seo Yeehyeon as a captivating and mysterious person.
An unknown subject who, while claiming to be a beta, emitted pheromones, detected Liu’s, and reacted to them.
My one and only diamond dust.
Now, he stood before him as his lover.
Liu pressed the shutter, trapping this moment’s Yeehyeon in the LCD screen.
Then he reached out and tapped Yeehyeon’s cheek with the back of his hand. Even a small, insignificant touch like this could turn tension into a tremor. Yeehyeon’s eyelashes fluttered, and his lips parted as he swallowed dryly. Liu carefully watched every one of these minute reactions.
The tram made a wide right turn around Christoph Merian Park. Yeehyeon’s hand, gripping a thin green pole to keep his balance, tightened.
“But why Migros today instead of Coop? Coop is closer.”
“The post office is near Migros.”
“……”
“I have to send a postcard to Korea.”
The color in Yeehyeon’s eyes shifted subtly. He was moved.
Liu leaned down, bringing his lips close to Yeehyeon’s ear.
“Should I allow a deep kiss? You were just thinking that, weren’t you?”
“……N-No, I wasn’t!”
The afternoon sun was mellowing, growing softer. The scenery before them was already warm and faded, as if he were reminiscing about a time already past. He suddenly felt it was a terrible waste for this moment to pass by.
Closing the one-step distance between them, Liu moved closer to Yeehyeon and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He stroked his warm, sun-drenched hair.
Yeehyeon tilted his chin up to look at Liu’s face. Then, he pecked Liu on the corner of his mouth. As if he had read Liu’s unspoken feelings and was offering comfort. The kiss left Liu’s lips tingling with happiness.
What did it matter if this moment was pushed into the past?
This unknown subject would make every coming moment shine with mystery and joy.
The day was being filled to the brim, becoming the best of days. Today, just like yesterday.
■ ■ ■
「Kun, what about a shared rental? We could cook for ourselves. Don’t you think it would be fun?」
That’s what Yeehyeon had said when they had just started planning their trip.
They were apart, in Paris and Seoul, and were on a date via video call, as always.
Liu, whose list of hotels he wanted to stay in with Yeehyeon for each city was full, had initially shown a lukewarm reaction. Yeehyeon, on the other hand, had been proactive, even sharing the webpages of places he had found himself.
「Could you take a look at this link? It’s a place in London. It has a separate bedroom, a pretty well-equipped kitchen, and even a small bathtub. The interior is cute, right?」
「Hmm, it’s cute, but… wouldn’t a small, private home be uncomfortable? And Zone 3 is a bit far from the area where the museums and galleries are.」
「I guess… it would be a bit uncomfortable for you if it’s not a hotel, right, Kun?」
「I’m fine. I’d be happy anywhere as long as I’m with you. But it’s because there are so many places I want to show you. It’s not just about being extravagant; there are many hotels with historical, aesthetic, and architectural value. It’s not like we can take long trips like this often, so it’s a good opportunity.」
Hearing A-Oui’s words, Yeehyeon seemed to sink into thought on the screen. Then, in his characteristically deliberate and calm tone, he spoke.
「I know very well that there’s a lot you want to show me and have me experience, A-Oui. And I have no intention of reducing all of that sentiment to just money and rejecting everything on the grounds that it’s too extravagant for me.」
「Hmm… I have a feeling a ‘but’ is about to follow that.」
Yeehyeon chuckled at A-Oui’s words and continued.
「But, for this trip, I’d like you to match my budget. Just this once. Please?」
「Ah… pleading so cutely like that, saying ‘please?’… that’s just cheating.」
At Yeehyeon’s rare display of affection, Liu was already more than halfway defeated. He leaned his head back and pretended to be frustrated, covering his face with both hands.
「Think of it as Seo Yeehyeon inviting Liu Wiekun on this trip.」
「Seo Yeehyeon inviting Liu Wiekun on a trip. If you put it like that, I can’t argue anymore. Whose boyfriend is this smart?」
Liu’s resistance ended without putting up a proper fight, and the two agreed to use shared rentals throughout their trip.
But the trip using shared rentals held a new kind of joy that Liu had not anticipated.
A joy he would not have felt if they had stayed in historic luxury hotels and had all their needs met by the services provided.
It was the joy of getting a preview of what it was like to live together.
■ ■ ■
While Yeehyeon wrote a postcard at a standing table in the center of the post office, Liu looked around.
It was brighter, cleaner, and more modern than he had expected. They also sold various products related to mail, such as postcards, stationery, and envelopes. At a glance, it looked more like a stationery shop than a post office.
Liu’s gaze, which had been browsing the various promotional items on display, returned to Yeehyeon. Standing diagonally across from the table, Yeehyeon had his eyelids lowered, his pen moving quietly. For some reason, there was no hesitation at the tip of his pen today.
Watching him with his chin propped on his hand, Liu took out his phone.
Silently, he trapped another moment of him in the screen.
Almost simultaneously, Yeehyeon put down his pen and looked up, searching for Liu.
“I’ll go mail it.”
Liu gave a short smile and nodded.
As Yeehyeon came back from mailing the postcard at the counter, his expression looked relieved in a way it hadn’t before.
Liu, who was leaning against the central table, held out his hand to him. Yeehyeon walked over quickly and took it.
As they stepped out onto the street hand in hand, there was plenty of sunlight and a pleasant breeze.
“What are we eating today?”
“Hmm… what sounds good? First, we’ll make gnocchi with the leftover dough.”
“But the amount of dough is a bit awkward.”
“Right?”
“It’s a little too little for two people for one meal, but a little too much for one person.”
“Then should we grill a steak to share, too?”
“Sounds great!”
“You’re so cute.”
Looking down at Yeehyeon’s unclouded, smiling face, he caressed his cheek with one hand and kissed him.
As the trip went on, Yeehyeon had grown quite used to short kisses like this out in public. There were even times when he would initiate them himself, like on the tram a little while ago. Though it was a rare occurrence.
They headed toward the supermarket, swinging their clasped hands back and forth like children.
Their Basel rental was right behind the SBB railway station. It was a quiet residential area, a little ways from the city center.
A branch of Coop, a popular Swiss supermarket chain, was a two-minute walk from their place, and another chain, Migros, was a five-minute walk away, which was convenient. For the past week, they had stopped by one of the two almost every day on their way home.
On days they didn’t eat out, they would buy ready-made pizzas or salads, or things like bacon, bread, eggs, and tomatoes for Liu to make a full English breakfast. They also sold a few types of Korean ramen, so they had cooked and eaten that a few days ago.
Yeehyeon was still fascinated whenever he saw Liu eat things like ramen or hamburgers.
「You look like a prince trying this stuff for the first time.」
That was his reason.
「As you know, it’s not my first time.」
When he would reply sulkily, Yeehyeon would laugh with such amusement and innocence that Liu couldn’t help but laugh along. He felt like a robot programmed to laugh whenever Yeehyeon laughed. He sometimes found it absurd himself, but what could he do? He loved it.
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