Lurking from his white framed window bared of covers, spots of bright irradiation blemished his sheet and the man underneath it could feel the crescent heat slowly riding up his lower back even in his comatose state. His pale fingers, hanging by his hips and just above the mess of fabric, were tinted with sunlight expressions, stripes of sunbath being formed around his knuckles. It was the beginning of a new day and as a curious yet reticent child, the sea of flames molded in a sphere shyly peeped from behind his mother’s mount-like legs. 

Hidden from the light, Bona soundly slept with his body impossibly curled for a human. A black and white plumpy ball of grumpiness quietly sharing the mattress with his owner that was also way deep in his own head. Before long, a strident noise echoed from afar, making the short black and furry ear jol yet the body where it standed didn't move. Persistent, the racket seemed to make itself louder and the cat quickly stood up once the human body by his side rolled closer to it, tossing his coated legs dangerously proximated to the small animal’s head. 

- Hum… - Seo Joon mumbled, squeezing his closed eyes until a profound frown sprouted out of his forehead. The sound kept going. 

He turned around. Stubborn eyelids sealed, chest facing the ceiling and a sleepy tongue clicked underneath his dry lips in a clang. The morning had parked outside and running away from it wasn’t an option since he had responsibilities to deal with. 

With a single movement, he sat up and once with his eyes open, a squared cardboard version of Oh Hyuk and his peers stared back at him right from his dark green wall. It had been a while since he had listened to their EP 24, most certainly because Gang Gang Schiele was his favorite song and at the same time too much for his heart to bear. A kind reminder of dark times it was, a time where the talkative kid became taller, quieter and where shame was everything he could think about. 

Seo Joon turned his head as it could possibly hide him from his self judgment and got up, looking around as he walked towards the bathroom just to see if his cat was anywhere around. It was laying there, on the farther edge of the bed and looking at him with his annoyed expression and yellow marble-like eyes. 

Maybe Bona also knew he shouldn’t be digging into himself that early in the morning or, better saying, at no time. 

His feet discontinued the course after a brief realization and his body retreated just enough for him to turn around and face the bamboo dresser behind him. When the man reached for the brass rounded handles, opening the second drawer, his eyes and mind worked on a quick deliberation and his hands dove in, carefully turning the pieces of clothing around under the cradling silence that engulfed the room. With a head tilt Seo Joon glanced through the window. Those strong flashes of light still making their way up in the horizon stroke as an indication that Friday was going to be as hot as the past day and he went back to his picking, taking a linen shirt and clean underwear. He wasn’t sure about choosing between shorts or pants, but decided to leave his considerations to the warm shower to come. 

The raising sound of his cell phone alarm started to resound again and Seo Joon marched towards it, proceeding to his still half-lighted living room. Occasionally glowing against the dark synthetic leather it laid, the high pitched noise reminding him of a child throwing a fit for attention. He should change it.

Baek briskly reached the device and pressed the screen for it to stop disturbing his morning, tossing it back to the sofa before taking a turn and crossing the bathroom entry.

*~*~*~*

- So, are you excited? - His inked broad hand reached for the tongs resting on a small plate close to the fire. - I mean, it’s like uni all over again, don’t you think? 

Seo Joon watched as his friend turned the meat over, pink flesh flaring against the metal grid.

- Kind of… - The younger one mulled over and Yoon Jae eyes met him for a moment, questioning in silence right before he went back to his grilling. - I mean, university wasn’t a thrill to be honest. It was… Fine, I guess? - He shrugged. - There’s just too much work to be done this time. 

- Yeah, probably, yet… Here. - He stretched the tongs over Yoon Jae’s plate, leaving a piece of steaming meat there. The other one thanked him with a quick nod. - You should have a little bit of fun, meet some people, party with youngsters once you get the chance, things like that…

Seo Joon laughed and picked up the grilled meat with his silver chopsticks, shoving it into his mouth. 

- You know I’m twenty six, right? - He mumbled, chewing right after.

- Yeah, but are you dead? - Yoon Jae sighed, putting more meat over the fire. - I said youngsters because they go to the best parties, but you can hang out with people your age too, I mean... - He pointed the utensil to his chest - Besides me, of course.

- Oh please! - This time Seo Joon picked the raw meat himself and sat it on the grill. - I have more friends, but people can be nosy sometimes... 

- You sounded just like your sister, dude.

- I know.  - He turned the pork belly over, eyeing his friend from behind a few strands of long hair. - I don’t know man, since I came back from Thailand I feel kind of disconnected to people here, like we are living in different pages of the same book, you know? - His hand sled the rebellious hair away, fingers shoving it behind his ear. - The enquiry about job, salary, accomplishments… Boring, honestly. 

This time Yoon Jae laughed harder than his friend did and shook his head after taking a lettuce leaf from a metal plate. 

- Sounds like a date! Give me that. - Seo Joon grabbed the porcelain bow with bean sprouts and handed it to Yoon Jae. - Last time I went on a date it was dreadful. I’m sure she thinks I’m homeless by now… 

- Aren’t you? - He teased. 

- Omo, don’t you know? I’ve been living in your basement since you came back! 

Both men laughed. The bean sprouts popped against the heated grid. 

- My MBA peers are really nice and they are friends with a couple of students from Natural Sciences. Good people, I dare to say. - He chewed a lettuce wrap, quickly swallowing it down and Seo Joon nodded, watching the meat get darker over the grill and holding his tongs ready. -  You could end up liking them… 

- Are you talking about all of them or do you just want me to like anyone? 

- Come on, how long has it been since you dated, man? - Yoon Jae abandoned the pickled radish dish on the table and threw himself back on the chair dramatically. 

- I have no idea, why do you care? I’m fine...

- Yah! - His pointing finger was now up to Seo Joon’s face from across the table. - Does that dick of yours still even work?! Don’t you pity him?! 

Red as a stop sign he looked around, feeling his soul melting under his flesh as he noticed the neighboring people glaring at their table. 

- Could you please be a human being for a night, hyung?! - He hissed, moving his head in an awkward bow with mumbled and not so welcomed ‘i’m sorry’s’ towards the strangers. 

- I’m just worried about your health! What if you… - He toned it down, moving his hands weirdly and leaning forward a bit. - What if your dick explodes or something?

- Oh my… Are you five?! - Baek Seo Joon couldn’t control his laughter nor his distraught expression. - Have you ever heard about such a thing happening, hyung? Are you really a biologist? 

- In my job nature can never be underestimated… - He joked, pushing a piece of meat further in the heat. - I saw things, Seo Joon-ah. I saw things… 

- You’re weird.

- Yeah, but at least I get laid… - The other one catched on to the murmured remark and rolled his eyes. - You have more options than I do, yet you have less sex than my left hand!

- Jesus Christ… 

- When did you become a Christian?! - Yoon Jae had that fake look of disbelief on his angular face, a smirk dancing in the corner of his lips. 

- Hyung, honestly… - He looked around, feeling sorry for the people surrounding them and then he turned back to his unbelievable friend. - I’m done with sleeping around, alright? I don’t even have the time! 

- Oh, everybody has the time! Stop bulshitting me! 

- I mean it... - He smiled, but his mind was still in shock with the conversation content that came just out of nowhere. - When I think about going on dates I feel… Hey, take it away, it's gonna get burned! - He warned since his hands were occupied with a half done wrap. Yoon Jae got in action yet clearly expecting the rest of his phrase. - ... Well, I just feel bored and like people are wasting their time as much as I am.

- But are you in a girls phase again or its like, all genders are too much of a bore?

- Yeah, that. - He shrugged. - My head is at work all times and if not, with my family and if not, with my cat and then my plants… I don’t know, I’m not bothered at all. Honestly, never have been better. 

In silence, his hyung stared at him  for a couple seconds as looking for some crack on his relaxed face and then realized that there was nothing to find. The older man sighed.

- Alright then, alright! I won’t push you about it anymore, here… - He served the younger one again, this time also giving him some grilled vegetables. - You know I just want you to be happy, right? You’re a nice kid and I get worried…

- I know, but you don’t actually have to worry this much. - He emphasised. - Also, now you sound like my sister. - Seo Joon chuckled and his friend smiled at him. 

- Yeah? Which one? - The tattooed man wiggled his dark and thick eyebrows. 

Abruptly serious and with a full mouth he answered. 

- The married one, sunbae… 

- Oh, you’re no fun hoobae-nim!

*~*~*~*

Once out in the open again, Seo Joon took his time appreciating the dim sky that nicely greeted him during his walk back home. The sidewalks, tinged with yellow spotlights that belonged to the bulbs looking down from the top of street poles, were a pleasant view, as were the dark green leafs slightly shaking under the restful breeze swimming through the air. 

Apart from a pretty embarrassing personal enquiry, the young man could say he had a lovely evening and he didn’t feel like ending it just yet, even though his friend and him had already parted ways. Being so, taking a cab or even sitting down on a bus stop wasn’t something he felt inclined to do. 

Baek decided to take a shortcut by the park that,  in reality, was far from being short at all. He wanted to see a little bit more of nature surrounding him, even if it was just a slice of flora fighting for some breath in the middle of a jungle made of stone.

That night, Yoon Jae and him went to the latest favorite place and even without drinking at all, their meeting could easily be classified as the most enjoyable one the younger of the two had with people outside his family circle in a while. 

Since he came back to South Korea, Seo Joon hadn’t actually spent a whole night out. He would join festive meetings very early and flee from them as soon as the clock pointer reached ten pm. It was a matter of being able to get a good night of sleep before his work hours and maybe, just maybe, one of boredom too. In any case, sleep was something pretty sacred for Seo Joon because once he didn't have a soundly rest time, his entire day would be as dreadful as it could be.

He glanced at his sneakers for a moment, a sudden restlessness taking him over that even made him lightly suck on his bottom lip for a split second. Perhaps there was something wrong with him after all… The whole numbness toward people, even the ones he once took a liking to being around not even that long ago, was something that kept him wondering. During his time away from the country, he felt more into listening or being around other people and even though the Seo Joon had never been someone with a bustling love life, there used to be an excitement over relationships that would pop in his mind after seeing or talking to someone interesting. One day, however, the thoughts that used to come and go along the road just didn't make their way back and, to his own surprise, the urge of having them back also did not hit home at all.

Lost in thoughts, he kept on walking forward, lost eyes gazing at the empty open space in front of him. He wondered what time it was since there was not a soul to be seen at the park and after briefly checking his cloth-banded wrist watch he decided that it was still pretty early for everyone to be already at home. Not even a second after his considerations, the sound of muffled voices reached his ears and he managed to see a pair of - apparently - teenagers sitting at the foot of a leafy tree a couple meters off his left side. They were quietly talking and widely smiling over something that for sure was pretty amusing. 

Seo Joon thought about his nights at Bangkok, wet arse on the sand and feet buried inside the water by the shore. Laughing, drinking… Conversations about nonsense, flirting… It was fun, he thought, and for a moment he missed that. 

A loud skidding noise startled him and there was not much time to react once he turned his head and was faced with a body coming his way. Seo Joon moved his torso slighted to the side before the impact found his way yet rapidly, the floor became acquainted with his weight in a powerful thud. 

An airless groan left his throat through his half open lips as his body rolled to the side with the impact. An excruciating pain embraced the left side of his hips and his dark iris got hidden under the pale eyelids. He couldn’t manage to understand what in hell just happened. 

- Oh, sh…! I’m sorry, I’m sorry... - He heard the exasperated voice coming his way and then the sound of metal hitting the floor. - I… I didn’t see you there, I’m really sorry. - An unknown hand touched his shoulder in a light hold. Seo Joon Opened his eyes.