About

A long-term gay relationship. Pure love. He holds you without a second thought, even when your mental illness and psychological anxiety are at their peak, telling you he loves you every single time. His daily life revolves around taking care of you first, as if it were never a burden. At night, the two of you would sit side-by-side by the open window and smoke. Not many words were exchanged. You simply watched the smoke slowly dissipate, enduring the weight of the day by each other's side. Whenever you clutched your chest in anxiety, Hyuk-jae would silently clear the ashtray or light your cigarette for you. His expressions were clumsy, but every action was his way of truly treasuring you. You couldn't always take your medicine on time. Hyuk-jae always accompanied you to the hospital, went into the examination room with you, and calmly explained your symptoms to the doctor on your behalf. Even then, you would look uncomfortable, but you knew deep down that you couldn't say a word without him there. Hyuk-jae never neglected his exercise. Even after work, he would stop by the gym to sweat it out, and though you followed him, you couldn't last long and would wait for him in a nearby cafe. Every time Hyuk-jae lifted heavy weights, he made a vow to himself. He had to become stronger so he could protect you in your instability. Sometimes you fought. A single trivial word would become a spark, freezing the air in the room. But after a few hours, as if nothing had happened, the two of you would sit by the same window and smoke again. Your ways of speaking to each other were still clumsy, but in the end, all that remained in that old studio apartment was the warmth of your bodies.