Cozy Obsession-Chapter 41

Attraction
It was a challenge—an open dare. Even when I’m this determined, you’re still going to resist?
But instead of showing the slightest reaction, Iheon just stared at Heemin with a look that said, You’ve finally lost your mind.
“Do you even understand what you’re saying?”
“Of course I do. I’m not that much of an idiot.”
He had never been in a relationship, never even had a fling. But he had read more than enough books to be well-versed in theory. So, with that knowledge, he had carefully prepared himself and thrown out a line straight out of a romance novel—only, perhaps it had been too blunt.
Iheon scoffed in disbelief before flicking his forehead with his fingers, thumb and middle finger snapping together in a sharp pop.
“A kid like you has no filter.”
“Ah! Ow!”
It wasn’t meant to hurt, but since Iheon’s fingers were much thicker than most, the impact stung. Heemin grimaced, rubbing his throbbing forehead aggressively as he glared at him. But Iheon merely shook his head in exasperation.
“I can’t tell if I’m dealing with a twenty-one-year-old or an elementary schooler. You weren’t even this bad when you were fifteen.”
Elementary schooler?
To Heemin, that word was as much of an insult as a full-blown curse. It was the ultimate dismissal of his maturity. He would rather be called a brat or a kid than that.
He was about to retort that he couldn’t tell whether he was dealing with a thirty-year-old or a preschooler, but before he could, Iheon reached out and gently rubbed the spot he had flicked.
“I’m going to change.”
Again? Again?!
Instead of a protest, all that escaped Heemin’s lips was a sigh of exasperation.
Just when he thought he had completely blown it, maybe—just maybe—his attempt at seduction had worked a little. At least he hadn’t been outright rejected.
As he watched Iheon disappear into his room, Heemin snapped out of his daze and hurried to the fridge, pulling out three bottles of soju.
Pressing one of the cool bottles against his still-stinging forehead, he let the condensation soothe his flushed skin.
While waiting for Iheon to change, he turned on the stove and dropped some pre-soaked clams into the broth he had prepared earlier. Once the shells began to open, he added thinly sliced red chili, green chili, and scallions, letting the soup simmer. The rich, spicy aroma filled the air, the perfect companion for a night of drinking.
“This wasn’t made by the housekeeper—I cooked everything myself. Looks good, right?”
Iheon, now dressed in more comfortable clothes, stepped out just as Heemin proudly gestured toward the lavish spread he had set on the table.
Tofu with stir-fried kimchi, crispy potato pancakes, cheesy rolled omelets, boiled squid slices, and the clam soup.
It wasn’t until he saw it all together that Heemin realized—every single dish was something Iheon had once liked.
Unlike Iheon, who could drink without food, Heemin needed something to nibble on. Back when they went out drinking, Iheon always ordered at least three or four side dishes for him, spoiling him into developing an unfortunate habit of never drinking on an empty stomach.
“You’ve got skills, kid.”
“Oh, again with the kid thing?”
“You’re nine years younger than me. Of course you’re still a kid.”
As he spoke, Iheon reached for a bottle of soju, twisting off the cap.
Heemin had expected him to brush it off, maybe tell him to grab whiskey instead—but no, he was actually going along with this.
Soon, the clear liquid filled the small glasses, carrying the sharp scent of alcohol.
Heemin placed the finished clam soup in the center of the table and sat down across from Iheon.
“Wait, we need to toast first.”
He stopped Iheon just as he was about to take a sip. Holding up his glass, he waited.
Iheon exhaled in amusement before clinking his glass against Heemin’s. The clear liquid rippled in tiny waves inside the glasses.
Somehow, even though he hadn’t even started drinking yet, Heemin’s heart wavered.
That vague, restless feeling—he wanted answers.
Without another thought, he downed the soju in one go.
The first shot had to be a one-shot—an unspoken rule between them.
“Ugh.”
It had been a while since he last drank, and the burn on his tongue made his eyes sting.
The bitter liquid trailed down his throat, scorching its way into his stomach. Almost immediately, the alcohol began to spread through his veins, igniting a familiar warmth in his body.
Maybe the whiskey from last time had hit him hard not because of his tolerance but because he had been in bad shape. This was completely different—heady, dizzying, intoxicating.
Just one glass, and his face was already flushed.
He should have taken it in two sips.
Now, his stomach was churning.
“Eat something.”
As he quickly sipped some of the clam soup to soothe the burning, Iheon placed a piece of tofu topped with spicy stir-fried kimchi neatly on a plate in front of him.
“You eat, too.”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Knowing that Iheon never touched bright red foods, Heemin wanted to feed him like last time. But he was already struggling to keep himself steady, his body reacting to the alcohol faster than he had expected.
For now, all he could do was focus on cooling the fire inside him with another bite of food.
“Phew...”
He had grown so accustomed to his current life of comfort that he kept forgetting—this body wasn’t truly his.
If he drank according to his original tolerance, he was bound to regret it.
What a useless, fragile body. No matter what he did, it was of no help.
“You can’t even handle alcohol. What were you thinking?”
Iheon left Heemin’s glass empty and instead poured another drink into his own.
As expected, he drank effortlessly, downing soju like water without a single change in expression.
He had already finished two bottles on his own, yet he didn’t seem the least bit affected.
It was disappointing.
The plan had been simple: drink until he was just tipsy enough, then casually ask, Hyung, do you like me?
When Iheon scoffed and tried to brush it off, he would push forward—I think I like you too, hyung.
Then they would share a reconciliation kiss, and all of this pointless tension would come to an end.
But at this rate, everything was ruined.
What the hell is this? This is just embarrassing.
Heemin chewed on a piece of squid absentmindedly, watching as Iheon continued drinking alone.
Once he seemed convinced that Heemin was stable, he finally spoke.
“What is it you wanted to talk about?”
“Well...”
“What do you want this time?”
Iheon looked at him as if to say, I’ve given you everything you could possibly need—what more could you possibly want?
Taking a sip of water instead of alcohol, Heemin gathered his thoughts and spoke carefully.
“The way you keep calling me ‘kid.’”
“And?”
“Are you finally admitting it now?”
“Admitting what?”
“That I’m not the same Seo Heemin.”
Despite the expert’s diagnosis, Iheon had always believed that ‘Seo Heemin’ was simply putting on an act—pretending to be someone else.
At first, it had seemed like he was slowly coming to terms with it, but then, at some point, his attitude shifted.
He had stopped doubting him and instead started treating him like a literal child.
He hadn’t noticed it at first—his mind had been too preoccupied after running into Do Junyoung at the department store.
But thinking back now, Iheon’s demeanor had changed right after he had asked Heemin to confirm his age.
Iheon poured himself another glass, filling it to the brim.
Without a word, he drank the entire thing in one go.
Then, he locked eyes with Heemin.
Their gazes tangled, and in Iheon’s deep, black pupils, Heemin saw his own reflection.
For a moment, he stared at himself as if looking into a mirror.
Then, blinking slowly, he finally asked,
“Did you ignore me because I wasn’t that Seo Heemin? Because I was just some kid unworthy of your attention?”
The cold, distant look Iheon had given him played back in his mind.
That feeling of being pushed away, shut out beyond an invisible wall—
There was no way Iheon didn’t understand what that felt like.
So was this his revenge? Was he making Heemin experience the same pain he had felt when Seo Heemin had abandoned him?
That was just cruel.
A whirlwind of emotions churned inside him—hurt, resentment, frustration.
Tears welled in his eyes.
He hadn’t expected to get ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) this emotional over a single drink.
“You are Seo Heemin. Even if your personality has changed, I know that much on instinct.”
“Then why did you avoid me?”
If he knew, why had he suddenly become so indifferent?
Iheon was supposed to be Seo Heemin’s counterpart. Yet instead of obsessing over him like before, he acted as if he didn’t care at all.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
The love was supposed to burn hotter, not fade into indifference.
This was false advertising.
A single tear escaped, sliding down Heemin’s cheek.
Iheon’s hardened face reflected in his tear-filled vision.
“...Because you’re going to abandon me again.”
His voice was as bitter as the aftertaste of soju.
A heavy silence blanketed the room.
The word again stabbed through Heemin like a blade.
Quietly, he rose from his seat and stepped closer to Iheon.
Without a word, he reached out and grasped the sleeve of his shirt.
His voice, steady and serious, cut through the tension.
“I will never abandon you.”
“Never?”
Iheon’s gaze sharpened instantly.
The dark pupils reflected the dim light unnaturally, his black irises gleaming with a cold glint.
His entire presence shifted—
Predatory.
Dangerous.
Like a beast poised to sink its teeth into its prey.
Unconsciously, Heemin swallowed.
“Just like you didn’t recognize Do Heeyoung, what if your personality changes again? What if everything we’ve built over these past few months disappears—just like that?
You always throw things away so easily.”