Love's Redemption

I never expected to walk in on Brandon right after he showered.

A towel was wrapped low around his waist. It revealed most of his physique and concealed only the bare minimum.

The sight left Brandon speechless too. I could see a blush appearing across his tan skin.

For a moment, we stood unmoving while staring at each other. Nobody said anything, as if time had frozen.

Finally, Brandon reacted and walked into the bedroom. Only then did I regain my senses and swallow. I also realized that my cheeks were burning…

I saw Brandon shut the bedroom door and realized he was getting dressed. I remembered the clothes I had bought for him and blurted, "Brandon, don't get dressed yet. Give me a minute."

I turned around after speaking. As I did, I felt a hint of regret. What had I just said? I had told him to stay undressed and wait for me…

There was nothing inherently wrong with the words themselves, but what was I thinking in this context? I wished the ground would open up and swallow me.

Alas, such a thing wouldn't happen, and it was too late to feel regret. I quickly retreated to my room to retrieve the clothes and then scurried back to Brandon's door.

I knocked on the door twice. "Brandon, I bought some clothes for you. I'm leaving them by the door. These should fit you better." I didn't explain what I said just now to prevent further awkwardness.

Just as I reached down to place the bag on the floor, the bedroom door swung open. There stood Brandon, fully dressed.

He was wearing a white shirt and black slacks, but he didn't put on a tie. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, lending him an air of effortless sophistication.

This was the first time I had ever seen him in such attire. Initially, I doubted that this style would look good on him, so I bought casual clothes.

Yet, Brandon challenged my perceptions now. He looked like a domineering CEO who was living a minimalist and luxurious life.

I looked at him in a daze, until his fingers brushed against mine as he reached for the bag. Glancing at the clothes inside, he asked, "Do you want me to put these on?"

I shook my head. "No, no. You look great like this."

Brandon's gaze flickered back to the clothes in the bag. "I'll wear what you picked next time."

Then, he took the clothes into the bedroom and put them in his wardrobe naturally. Meanwhile, I remained rooted to the spot. I looked at his room, or more specifically, the bed in his room. Original content from NôvelDrama.Org.

The place was old, so the bedrooms weren't huge. The new bed he had requested from the landlord took up two-thirds of his room. The neatly folded blanket on top resembled a cake. It made it look like a bunk bed in the army. I had the urge to salute him.

Brandon reappeared after putting the clothes away. "I'm done. Shall we go?"

Just as he was about to step out, I asked, "Brandon, do you have OCD?"

"Huh?" He was confused.

I pointed at his blanket. "You're not in the army anymore, so why do you still fold it like that? How much time do you spend on it every day? Isn't it a bit too much?"

"I'm used to it," he replied simply.

"I think you might have OCD," I countered. Habit was a powerful force, but the most persistent habits tended to be the simpler ones.

Seeing Brandon's blanket made me feel exhausted, and I had a mischievous urge to mess it up.

He didn't deny it. "Maybe."

His gaze shifted to the gift I had bought for Zack in my hand, and he reached out. "Let me take that for you."

I smiled. "There's no need. I can handle it."

"But I don't like to let my girlfriend carry things," Brandon insisted. He took the gift box from me. Our fingertips brushed against each other's once more. I felt a jolt and let go.

Before we left, I remembered the awkwardness I felt seeing him fresh out of the shower just now. I said, "Why didn't you close your bedroom door?"