Chapter 5 : The Taste of Red Wine Sauce

“It’s been a long time” Woo Bin said, grinning at Jong Suk, whether it was a sincere greeting or a sarcastic one, Jong Suk couldn’t differentiate. “Oh…you got a girlfriend without even telling me?” he was now looking at Park Su Jin.

“Let’s have a double date” Ji Ahn suggested, snapping both Jong Suk’s and Woo Bin’s attention on to her at once.

“What?” they both said at the same time, then glanced at each other.

“I mean you guys haven’t met in a while and it would be fun” she smiled. Then she called a waiter and fitted two more chairs on to the table.

“Please bring our order to this table” she said to the waiter before he left.

Ji Ahn kept asking a mountain of question from Su Jin and Jong Suk was glad she had decided to prey of his date instead of him. Woo Bin was sitting on Jong Suk’s left; their longs legs brushing slightly against each other under the small table that was obviously not big enough to occupy four people, specially tall ones like them. Jong Suk felt a chain of heat bold through his leg all the way into his chest as Woo Bin’s knee pressed against his own for a second time.

“Why didn’t you answer my calls?” Woo Bin broke the silence between them. “Did you block me?”

Jong Suk’s eyes widened and automatically reached for Woo Bin’s face. His eyes had a pale red glitter to them. Jong Suk had seen those eyes before, during the time they were filming ‘School 2013’; they were the eyes that belonged to a hurting Woo Bin. Woo Bin is in pain…the thought crossed his mind inevitably. A chill ran through him. The knot of air stuck in his throat burnt down his chest and clenched at his heart. He is hurting…because of me…

Jong Suk swallowed hard; don’t let him shake you Jong Suk, he reminded himself once again, he is only talking to his friend, he is sad only because his friend had ignored him for a while, he is only talking to Lee Jong Suk who is his best friend.

Luckily for Jong Suk, the food arrived before Woo Bin could say anything else. He tried focusing on Su Jin, sitting in front of him, smiling like a little angel. She shared a lot of similarities with him personality wise; apparently she liked to stay home rather than hanging with friends in noisy places, she preferred to sleep at home rather than clubbing at night. And when Jong Suk looked at her, he felt like he was looking at a girl version of himself. Did he feel attracted to her? No he didn’t, not even a thousandths of a fraction of the attraction he felt toward the man sitting next to him.

“Ah…Sweety” Ji Ahn muttered, pulling at her last word as if she was singing a song, “Do you want me to that away?” she asked, reaching for Woo Bin’s lip. She rubbed her thumb over his red lips and brushed away the bit of sauce that was stuck at the corner. Then she her thumb.

Jong Suk suddenly felt sick; his stomach lurched as if someone had their hand in and pulled his guts out. He wanted to throw up.

“Excuse me” he managed to utter before jerking to his feet and running to the bathroom. He shoved one of the toilet doors open; it slammed against the adjacent wall. He clutched on to the toilet seat with both his hands as he bent down, but nothing came out; probably because there was nothing to come out other than the few tasteless bites of the steak he had just eaten. His insides felt much calmer now and the urge to hurl had subsided somewhat. His body still felt weak as if his life had vaporised from his body. Why did we have to meet like this…when my heart is still on an edge? He felt a tear break down as he stared into the plain wall. He didn’t have the will nor the strength to pull himself up; so he just let his tears roll along with the stabbing pain at his heart. He had to let it all out, otherwise he might not be able to stay firm before that boy. Fortunate for him, the bathroom was empty.

The door to the bathroom creaked open all of a sudden and Jong Suk held in his sobs. The squeal of the steps got closer to him and a broad hand rubbed against his back, very familiar warmth drifting into his skin. He jolted. He hadn’t expected Woo Bin to follow him there.

“Why did you eat when you had no appetite?” Woo Bin asked, helping him on to his feet.

Jong Suk faced away from him in an attempt to hide his messy face as he staggered passed Woo Bin toward the sink. He hit the cold water on, bent down, and splashed some water on his face; the coldness felt refreshing against his burning eyes. The taste of steak still lingered in his mouth and every second that taste tingled on his tongue, it only brought back that sickening image of Ji Ahn’s thumb on Woo Bin’s lip. He washed his mouth clean, hoping those images will wash away with the taste. He straightened up and met the sharp eyes on the mirror staring at him.

“Woo…Woo Bin-ah....” it was all he could say before Woo Bin clutched his wrist shoved him against the bathroom entrance-door.

“Why have you been avoiding me?” his voice sharp with a tint of pain

“W—What?”

“Why have you blocked me away?”

“I…I haven’t” Jong Suk said, darting his gaze to the floor.

“Then let me see” Woo Bin grabbed both Jong Suk’s hands in one hand and pressed them up against the door. Jong Suk didn’t have the strength to push him away. He reached his own phone and dialled Jong Suk’s number, gasped it against his lips and searched for Jong Suk’s phone. He dug it out and saw his name appear on the screen with ‘blocked number’ next to it. A smirk tugged at Woo Bin’s lip, his eyes twirling in a sharp pain. He pulled the phone off his lips and slid it back to his trouser and held Jong Suk’s phone in front of his face.

“Then, how do you explain this?” his words pierced into Jong Suk’s heart as he tried to find a way out; but Woo Bin left none.

“I won’t let you go until you explain all this crap” Woo Bin’s words trembled with all kinds of emotions.

Jong Suk felt the tears surf once again; not now he uttered in his mind, but his body was not listening to him. Since it has come to this…even though you may never look at me again, I might as well tell you the truth, he thought as the tears rolled down his face.

Woo Bin felt his heart ache at the sight of Jong Suk’s tears. He released his grip on Jong Suk’s hands held against the door; but he left no escape as he placed both his hands on the door, trapping Jong Suk between himself and the door.  

Why is he crying? Did I press his hands too tight? Did I push him too hard? Is he hurt somewhere? He gazed carefully at Jong Suk’s fallen hands, but they seemed fine other than a little redness around the wrists where he had held onto.

“It hurts…” a sob broke out after Jong Suk’s words. Woo Bin darted his eyes back to his face.

Did I really push him too hard? He worried.

“When I see you with her” he was saying now, “It hurts me so much damn it!!” he almost screamed now.

What is he saying…..oh…then it hit Woo Bin’s mind. He is hurting because of her? A smiled tugged at his lips.

“Neh babo….” (my idiot) Jong Suk heard Woo Bin’s whisper as a soft finger rubbed across his cheeks, wiping away the tears. “Why are you so stupid?”

“What?!” Here I am confessing to him with all the energy I have left and all he thinks is that I’m an idiot? Jong Suk felt his anger boil up. His tears had stopped now. He shoved off Woo Bin with all his strength, but he didn’t even nudge. “Let me—g” his words were swallowed into a pair of soft lips pressing against his own.

Jong Suk blinked. The world seemed to have frozen in an eternal moment in time. He felt Woo Bin’s long fingers slide behind his neck as he pulled Jong Suk closer. Their lips glided over each other smoothly. Woo Bin gently on Jong Suk’s top lip captured between his own. Jong Suk twitched to the smooth warmth that ran down his lips and struck at his chest. He grasped the edges of Woo Bin's shirtfront for support as his knees gave away. Jong Suk felt his lips grow wet and warm under Woo Bin’s nibbling; the taste of Woo Bin’s lips, the taste of red wine sauce lingering into his own mouth.

Red wine sauce…that slightly bitter taste hauled the image of Ji Ahn’s thumb on these lips that were on his own now, the same taste she had savoured just a moment ago. His eyes shot open; he felt the sickness take over his body once again. He shoved Woo Bin away and dashed out of the bathroom.