By Zephyria 
Do-kwon’s summer nights are a bit busy. This is because he has to wake up from time to time to look after Eun-soo.
When the weather gets hotter and summer arrives, Eun-soo tends to kick off his blankets in the middle of his sleep, even if the air conditioner is blasting. Yet, he seems sensitive to the cold; after sleeping soundly for thirty or forty minutes, he lets out a small groan and curls his body up as if he’s freezing.
Therefore, Do-kwon had to check frequently to see if Eun-soo was properly covered or if he was shivering from the cold.
Waking up around six in the morning, Do-kwon checked on Eun-soo. Sure enough, the blanket had slid down to his knees. Do-kwon pulled it up, covering him up to his neck. Then, thinking it might be too stifling, he lowered it to his chest. Instead, he raised the air conditioner temperature by about two degrees.
While Do-kwon moved about quite busily, Eun-soo didn’t budge, breathing softly and evenly. Since it was Friday night and they had stayed up until dawn watching movies because it felt like a waste to go to bed early, it was only natural that he was tired.
Lying on his side, Do-kwon blinked slowly. From this moment on, it was Do-kwon’s secret time. A time to admire Eun-soo, a time to love him all to himself.
While a moving Eun-soo was obviously beautiful and lovely, a sleeping Eun-soo had a different feel. How should he put it—it felt secretive because it was a one-sided observation. It felt as if he alone were in a different world. It felt like he was stealing glances at Eun-soo within a frozen moment of time.
It was also Do-kwon’s favorite moment of the day.
Eun-soo, in his bed, by his side. Eun-soo, floating through peaceful dreams without crying or having nightmares. No one could possibly know how much that overwhelmed Do-kwon with emotion.
Had he been watching Eun-soo for about an hour? Suddenly, his hand curled inward. It was because of a sudden onset of terror.
Do-kwon was occasionally swept away by fear like this. The fear that Eun-soo might be an illusion. That he might be a phantom created by his own madness. That the Eun-soo who decided to keep him by his side, the Eun-soo who wanted to start a family with him, the Eun-soo who occasionally smiled at him, was all a lie.
The fear that, in reality, Eun-soo… might not be alive.
He was terrified. It wasn’t just a simple sinking feeling in his chest, but a deep terror that made his body tremble. In those moments, he had to see Eun-soo immediately, touch him, and confirm whether he was alive or dead. If he didn’t, his breath would hitch and twist.
Sometimes it happened while he was at the office, during a meeting, or while flipping through documents. Then, he would endure it while shaking his leg frantically, until finally, unable to bear it, he would call Eun-soo.
His excuses varied. Asking if he’d eaten lunch. Asking if he was short on snacks. Asking if he was very busy. Telling him not to work too hard. Telling him he called just to say he loved him. While babbling these things, he would observe Secretary Jeong’s face.
Because if he were talking to himself into a receiver where nothing could be heard, Secretary Jeong’s expression would surely be unusual. But fortunately, Secretary Jeong would nag him, telling him to mind the time and place. Then, Do-kwon would let out a secret sigh of relief.
Approaching Eun-soo, Do-kwon quietly gazed at his chest. The chest rising and falling regularly indicated that Eun-soo was alive. But that wasn’t enough, so he placed his index finger under Eun-soo’s nose. A warm breath gently tickled his finger.
However, relief did not come easily. With an anxious expression, Do-kwon carefully pressed his nose against Eun-soo’s shoulder. Eun-soo’s pheromone scent flowed softly. It felt as if his pounding heart was finally finding its rhythm.
Do-kwon savored Eun-soo’s scent for a while. Then, just in case, he slightly lifted the blanket. He counted Eun-soo’s fingers, which were faintly visible.
Once, when Eun-soo was having a session with a counselor, Do-kwon had gone into the next consulting room to ask another doctor.
He asked how to distinguish if the world he was seeing was a lie and an illusion created by his madness. The doctor told him to look for things that should be natural but were strange. For example, if an illusion had four or six fingers. If the left and right hands, or left and right feet, were swapped. Or if the legs of the chair or table the illusion was sitting at were not symmetrical. If so, it was an illusion.
After that, whenever he felt anxious, Do-kwon would count Eun-soo’s fingers. White, slender fingers: one, two, three, four, five. Once he confirmed this, the tension in his shoulders would vanish.
Do-kwon gave a light, soft kiss to the wedding ring on Eun-soo’s ring finger. Then, he covered him with the blanket again.
Having re-confirmed that this moment was reality, Do-kwon could admire Eun-soo with a much more comfortable heart. The lightly disheveled hair. The prettily closed eyelids. The thick, dense eyelashes. The high bridge of the nose. The rounded tip of the nose. The moderately concave philtrum. The exceptionally plump lower lip. The short chin. The soft tip of the chin.
After staring at his face for a long time, he carefully observed things like the curve of the ear or the earlobe, thinking about how even those could look so pretty.
Then, time vanished in large chunks, and before he knew it, it was 7 o’clock. Around then, Do-kwon would turn off Eun-soo’s phone alarm before it went off. It was a wicked intention to see Eun-soo for even one minute more.
But that intention didn’t work well. Being a diligent office worker, Eun-soo would often slide his eyes open on his own even if the alarm didn’t ring. Today was no different.
Despite having forced himself to watch movies until dawn with sleepy eyes just to try and sleep in. In the end, he opened his eyes at 7.
The moment Eun-soo wakes up is a scene that can be seen only once a day. That’s why Do-kwon would even hold his breath and concentrate on that moment.
He could see Eun-soo’s pupils moving behind the thin eyelids. The eyelashes twitched briefly and then slowly lifted. Soon, light brown eyes were revealed. Pupils that were cloudier than usual, unable to shake off the sleepiness, slowly wandered around.
Do-kwon swallowed hard and waited until Eun-soo discovered him.
Soon, Do-kwon was reflected in Eun-soo’s eyes. Then, Do-kwon curled the corners of his mouth up as much as possible to welcome his awakening.
“Did you sleep well? You woke up early.”
“Ah…”
Eun-soo let out a small sigh. Then, he stretched out long. His arms and legs extended up and down, and his eyes closed tightly enough to wrinkle the bridge of his nose. Letting out a groan, he looked at Do-kwon with eyes that had become much brighter. Then, he rolled half a turn and dove into Do-kwon’s arms.
It was an old habit. For Eun-soo to hug Do-kwon upon waking. It had been that way since they first started dating. Eun-soo had once mentioned in passing that it was because he loved the feeling of not being alone when he opened his eyes in the morning. He said that being held in a warm embrace made him feel not lonely. He said that warmth allowed him to spend the day feeling much more fulfilled and happy.
They hadn’t been able to do this for a while for various reasons, but since he had cleared his mind a bit, he had begun to dive in readily like this. For Do-kwon, it was a joyful, touching, and grateful thing.
As if he had been waiting, Do-kwon hugged Eun-soo tightly. And with all his sincerity, he whispered love into his ear.
“I love you, Eun-soo.”
“…Yes.”
“I love you.”
He also gave him pecks on his cheek and neck. Eun-soo let out a soft laugh at the ticklishness.
“What time is it?”
“7 o’clock.”
“Ugh… I woke up early again.”
Eun-soo spoke as if he were devastated. If this happened, wasn’t there no point in forcing himself to watch movies until dawn with wide, sleepy eyes? Pouting his lips, Eun-soo climbed up Do-kwon’s body. Then, burying his cheek against Do-kwon’s firm, thick chest, he let out a long sigh through his nose.
“Why do you want to wake up late?”
Do-kwon asked while stroking Eun-soo’s spine. To this, Eun-soo replied with an expression that asked if he really didn’t know.
“Then I could go eat brunch as soon as I open my eyes.”
“…”
Ah, that was the reason… Do-kwon nodded with a serious expression. Indeed, most brunch places didn’t open until after ten in the morning, so waking up now was a bit awkward.
“Are you hungry? Should I blend some oranges for you?”
Do-kwon offered a second-best alternative in haste. He couldn’t leave Eun-soo in a hungry state. At those words, Eun-soo made a humming sound in his throat, rested his chin on Do-kwon’s chest, and met his eyes.
“Are there strawberries at home?”
“There should be. Should I blend them with milk?”
“I’d like that. Not just a little, blend a ton. A whole basin. As much as a washbowl.”
“Alright. Wait. I’ll be right back.”
Do-kwon pressed his lips firmly against the crown of Eun-soo’s head and then pulled away. But as he tried to get up, for some reason, Eun-soo wouldn’t move out of the way.
“…”
Do-kwon looked at Eun-soo with eyes mixed with slight bewilderment.
“…”
Eun-soo also looked at Do-kwon. Even while staring at the flustered Do-kwon, he showed no sign of moving. The flustered Do-kwon lay back down gracefully, returning to his role as Eun-soo’s makeshift cot. How could he possibly push Eun-soo away with his own hands? He had to stay pinned down like this until Eun-soo moved.
After a few minutes had passed, Eun-soo hugged Do-kwon’s waist and whined.
“Can’t you just take me with you? I don’t want to be apart…”
Blinking, Do-kwon let out a laugh. Eun-soo occasionally acted like a young child. He would pout his lower lip and act cute, throw tantrums for trivial things, or demand bothersome things just to confirm he was loved.
Do-kwon loved that side of Eun-soo. He could give him whatever he wanted, and he would do it all even if Eun-soo just asked bluntly, so the fact that he added a nasal tone and acted cute was a huge win for Do-kwon.
“You can.”
Do-kwon answered shortly and raised his upper body. Supporting Eun-soo’s back with one hand and his bottom with the other, he stepped off the bed. At the suddenly heightened perspective, Eun-soo burst into laughter as if he were on an amusement park ride.
Do-kwon chuckled along and rubbed his lips against Eun-soo’s cheek.
After eating his fill of brunch, Eun-soo headed straight for ‘Bom’s Tree’ as soon as they returned home. The tree with the nameplate that read ‘Bom♥’ had grown quite a bit in the meantime. It seemed to be absorbing the abundant attention and love that Do-kwon and Eun-soo gave it frequently.
Eun-soo watered it, checked the soil, and changed the nutrients. Do-kwon hovered behind him, holding the watering can for him and handing him the nutrients.
After bustling about for a few minutes, the two sat down on the chairs next to the tree. After naming the tree Bom, Eun-soo spent more time on the balcony. Since crouching to look at the tree seemed quite uncomfortable, Do-kwon had brought out two small chairs and a tea table.
Do-kwon stealthily stole Eun-soo’s hand as he looked at the tree. He massaged it gently. He would press his lips lightly to the back of the hand or the fingertips, or touch the ring on his ring finger with an overwhelmed expression.
How long had they been there? As noon passed, the sunlight began to grow intense. Do-kwon glared displeasedly at the scorching sun landing on Eun-soo’s cheekbones and the bridge of his nose.
The moment Eun-soo slightly frowned, Do-kwon quickly reached out to create a shadow over his face. The shadow cast by Do-kwon’s large hand completely covered Eun-soo’s small face.
“…”
Eun-soo looked at Do-kwon. Do-kwon’s face was reflected in the eyes that sparkled freshly despite the blocked sunlight. Seeing this, Do-kwon breathed out love like a sneeze.
“I love you, Eun-soo.”
“Yes.”
Eun-soo accepted Do-kwon’s love with a beaming smile, his eyes curving. Do-kwon gazed at the smiling Eun-soo, entranced. Just as he was about to utter his love again, he saw Eun-soo’s lips move. Do-kwon quickly shut his mouth.
“Next weekend.”
“Yeah.”
“Shall we go to the Chairman’s house?”
“…Why?”
“We have to tell them we’re getting married.”
“Ah… We could just call them, do we really have to…”
“Hey, how could we do that? We should go and get their permission and all.”
“Permission, my foot.”
Do-kwon chuckled. If he told his parents he was marrying Eun-soo, they would probably jump for joy barefoot on a gravel path. They would be as happy as he had been when he cried unsightly a few days ago at Eun-soo’s suggestion of having a baby. Because they loved Eun-soo as much as he did.
“We should have a wedding, right?”
Eun-soo asked after thinking for a moment.
“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to. As long as I can live with you, nothing else matters.”
Do-kwon shook his head.
“We have to think about your parents too. They’ll be disappointed if their only son doesn’t have a wedding. Besides, is the Chairman just any Chairman? There are so many people from the political and business worlds who would rush over to congratulate us if we said we were marrying. I think reporters would come too.”
“I suppose so. Do you hate it?”
“Uh… it’s not that I hate it… it’s just… a bit… burdensome. Unlike you, my background is too ordinary. I don’t have… parents, and I have no friends. The only guests would be people from work. Wouldn’t that cause a lot of talk? Other chaebols all marry within their own circles… What if they whisper behind my back? What if they give me looks and bad rumors spread…”
“Who would dare. No. They’ll swarm you like a pack of dogs just to get a glimpse of you or get on your good side. Because you’ll officially become a member of the Seong-jin family.”
At those words, Eun-soo’s pupils stiffened. Do-kwon, who didn’t miss that minute change, was suddenly terrified. He feared Eun-soo might want to call off the wedding. He pulled Eun-soo’s chair close with one hand. Then, he checked Eun-soo’s complexion with worried eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Uh… the wedding suddenly felt very real?”
“In a… bad way?”
“No. In a good way. It means… I’ll have a family too. That I’ll become family with you, the Chairman, and your father. We’ll… gather every holiday, ask how each other is doing, worry when someone is sick, and be happy together when there’s good news, right?”
“…I suppose so.”
Do-kwon nodded slowly. Eun-soo seemed to quite like the idea of fitting in among his family. He tenderly stroked the cheek of the beaming Eun-soo. But for some reason, the cheek felt hot.
“Let’s go inside. The sun is stinging.”
Do-kwon helped Eun-soo up. Eun-soo entered the living room first. Following him out of the balcony, Do-kwon glanced back at the tree. Then, he pulled the pot to a spot where the sunlight hit well. After that, he left the balcony.
The two sat side by side on the living room sofa. Finding the air conditioner remote, Do-kwon pressed the buttons to lower the temperature. He also drew the curtains. He asked, “Do you want some water?” but Eun-soo shook his head. Leaning his head on Do-kwon’s forearm, he asked.
“Does your family fry pancakes on holidays?”
“Pfft… No. We don’t. We don’t perform ancestral rites. We just stop by my grandparents’ graves to pay our respects.”
“Oh, you go to your grandparents’ graves. I think this is the first time I’ve heard about your grandparents. That’s interesting. What kind of people were they?”
“Well… they were similar to my mother and father. But a bit more affectionate. Since I was a distant grandchild, after all.”
“Is that all? How were they affectionate? Tell me anything you remember.”
“Hmm… I think I was six or seven on my birthday, and my grandmother bought me a dinosaur as big as a house as a gift. I’m not exaggerating, it was really the size of a house. It wouldn’t fit inside, so we had to put it in the garden, and my mother hated it terribly, saying it was an eyesore and asking if this was a natural history museum.”
Eun-soo opened his mouth wide. He seemed to be imagining a dinosaur the size of a house. That face was as cute as a child’s. Unable to resist, Do-kwon rubbed his lips all over Eun-soo’s cheek.
“Wow, the scale really is different. This is so interesting. Is there anything else? Tell me more.”
“Hmm…”
Do-kwon pondered, his Adam’s apple moving. Something else. After swimming through his past for a moment, he recalled a short anecdote. He didn’t usually have a habit of chatting, but since Eun-soo asked, the stories began to flow.
“When I was a student abroad in New York, I mentioned casually to my grandfather that the traffic was too bad. So, he contracted a helicopter for me.”
“A… helicopter? Not a toy helicopter, but a real one? The kind you only see in the news or movies?”
“Yeah. Even I, who had received everything, was flustered by that. I couldn’t exactly go to lectures in a helicopter. So, while worrying about how to refuse, I vaguely made an excuse that helicopters are hard to park.”
“And then?”
“He bought me a mansion in Brooklyn that had a helicopter pad.”
“…”
“Fortunately, my mother found out in advance and blocked it. The helicopter was donated to the fire department.”
Eun-soo’s lips pressed firmly together. His expression became intensely serious. His body, which had been leaning languidly against Do-kwon, suddenly stiffened.
Do-kwon silently swallowed a laugh. Eun-soo had never seen him or his parents truly “throw money around.” He had likely only gauged it at the level of, Oh, they have a lot of money. That was probably why he seemed so shocked by the specific anecdote.
It was obvious how complicated things were inside that small head of his right now. Do-kwon wrapped an arm around Eun-soo’s shoulder and whispered.
“You shouldn’t be surprised. Compared to what you’ll experience in the future, this is nothing.”
“……Excuse me?”
“Once we have a child, things even more extravagant than dinosaurs or helicopters will be delivered.”
“More… extravagant…?”
“Even back when you were carrying Bomi, they were talking about giving a building in Cheongdam-dong as a first birthday present, or building an amusement park named after Bomi.”
“Ah…….”
Eun-soo covered his mouth. His pretty eyes were filled with worry. He seemed distressed already, wondering how he could possibly refuse such overwhelming gifts.
Do-kwon stared quietly at Eun-soo. He… seemed unable to imagine for a second that Do-kwon would have actually agreed to build an amusement park named after Bomi.
But what to do? Even seeing Eun-soo be so appalled, if the child born between them in the future said they wanted to go to an amusement park, or that they wanted a helicopter, Do-kwon felt he would rush out and buy it for them in a heartbeat.
Do-kwon secretly smacked his lips.
That evening, the two decided to drink wine while watching a movie. Since Eun-soo had skipped both lunch and dinner due to a nap, Do-kwon prepared a lavish spread of appetizers before opening the wine.
Just as Do-kwon was pouring the wine into the glasses, Eun-soo, who had stepped away for a moment, trotted back in. Looking at him instinctively, Do-kwon had to catch his breath for a second. It was because Eun-soo had changed his clothes.
When at home, Eun-soo usually stayed in homewear. While Do-kwon changed into loose pants and a knit or t-shirt after getting out of bed, Eun-soo remained in pajamas until he went to shower in the evening—the kind of matching set with a flowy texture.
But the clothes he had suddenly changed into were an oversized short-sleeved t-shirt and short athletic shorts. It wasn’t a particularly special or surprising outfit.
“I guess summer really is coming. Wearing long sleeves and long pants felt strangely suffocating.”
It was an ordinary outfit, one Eun-soo spoke of nonchalantly as he sat on the sofa. The kind of attire commonly seen on both men and women when going outside in the summer.
However, it didn’t feel ordinary to Do-kwon. The loose fit of the t-shirt created folds against Eun-soo’s slender body every time he moved. As the white cotton clung to his skin, subtly revealing the texture of his flesh, Do-kwon couldn’t stop imagining how soft it must be underneath.
The neckline was deep, offering glimpses of the center of his collarbones. Whenever Eun-soo lowered his head, the smooth nape of his neck stretched out beneath his hair. The vertebrae of his spine protruded slightly through the t-shirt, making Do-kwon swallow hard. Like Adam coveting the forbidden fruit.
Furthermore, the line of his forearms extending beneath the short sleeves was a work of art. He wasn’t skeletal with skin clinging to bone; rather, he had a moderate amount of flesh, extending in a straight, clean line. They would fit entirely within one hand if gripped, yet they were firm and soft, like well-kneaded flour dough. He wanted to suck on those faintly pink elbows, the prominent wrist bones, and the long, slender fingers adorned with a ring until they melted away.
Of course, what drove Do-kwon the most crazy were the pants. The shorts, which ended a hand’s breadth above the knees, were truly… excessively seductive.
Those pale thighs were burned into his retina and wouldn’t leave. The thought of burying his face there sent a vulgar, decadent thrill tingling down his spine. Even the rounded protrusion of the kneecaps from sitting drew instinctive admiration.
The smoothly extending legs went without saying. The calves, curving in a way that felt somehow languid, and the ankle bones beneath them were impossibly tempting. Occasionally, when Eun-soo wore suit pants and crossed his legs, they would be revealed, and Do-kwon would steal glances every time.
As for the feet… since he had a history of trying to chew on Eun-soo’s toes, he wouldn’t say more.
While Do-kwon was entranced, admiring Eun-soo’s body, Eun-soo used the remote to play the next series of the movie they had been watching yesterday and spoke.
“Stop staring. Someone might think I came out wearing a thong.”
Cough, cough, cough…
Do-kwon coughed. He coughed so hard it felt like he was coughing up his lungs. His face turned bright red in an instant. A th-thong. A thong. He was dazed by the appearance of a word he had never once uttered in his life.
Eun-soo thrust his face right in front of Do-kwon. His large eyes were brimming with mischief.
“Oh. Why are you coughing? Why are you flustered? Do you like those? Thongs?”
“No, no, no. It’s not like that.”
“You imagined it, didn’t you?”
“That’s true, but… I’ve never liked them. No, I’ve never even thought about whether I liked them or not.”
Do-kwon denied it fervently. He shook his head back and forth. Even then, the image of Eun-soo wearing a thong stuck to one side of his mind and wouldn’t disappear.
Plump buttocks. A thong digging into the center.
As Do-kwon let out a groan, Eun-soo braced himself against Do-kwon’s thigh and straightened his upper body to meet his gaze. Like a cat begging for a treat.
“So Do-kwon didn’t know that he likes thongs?”
“Huh? Uh… well…”
“Just like I didn’t know Do-kwon didn’t know how to prep a mango?”
“…….”
Do-kwon shut his mouth tight. He stared quietly at the beaming Eun-soo. Then, he lightly tapped Eun-soo’s cheek with the tip of his index finger.
“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Is it fun?”
“Yes.”
Eun-soo nodded concisely. Each time he did, his hair fluttered. Do-kwon let out a small chuckle. Then, he planted several kisses on the corners of Eun-soo’s upturned lips.
“Then keep going.”
Having said that, Do-kwon finished pouring the wine. He then placed a slice of hot cheese pizza on Eun-soo’s plate. As he lined up various sauces, Eun-soo pouted his lower lip.
“What… it’s not fun anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s no reaction.”
At those words, Do-kwon let out a low groan. A reaction. What kind of reaction would be good? What should he do to make Eun-soo find it fun? After pondering, he tentatively submitted an answer.
“……Should I cry or something?”
“Forget it.”
Responding sharply, Eun-soo adjusted his posture. He squeezed a long vertical line of garlic sauce onto the pizza. Without spreading the clumped sauce, he folded the pizza in half and took a huge bite. Soon, his cheeks puffed out. Do-kwon laughed silently and poked at his cheeks.
He didn’t know why Eun-soo looked so pretty while eating. The saying that one feels full just by watching someone else eat—he wondered if that phrase had been created specifically for Eun-soo.
Eun-soo soon focused on the movie. He had already seen the series, so Do-kwon didn’t know why he was watching it so intently. His upper body leaned toward the TV. The colorful lights emitted by the screen seeped over his clear face.
Eun-soo occasionally sipped wine and diligently chewed the pickles Do-kwon popped into his mouth.
How much time had passed? By the time the tire-sized pizza was half gone and a bottle of wine was empty, Do-kwon stood up. He headed quietly toward the kitchen so as not to disturb Eun-soo’s movie viewing.
Do-kwon took out a new bottle of wine and searched the pantry for nachos. From the fridge, he took out salsa and cheese sauce and transferred them into small bowls. He almost brought ice cream too, but decided it was a bit too early.
By the time Do-kwon returned to the living room, two more slices of pizza had disappeared. Eun-soo was nibbling on the crusts filled with sweet potato mousse and cheese, holding them upright like Pepero sticks.
When Do-kwon laid out the items he brought, Eun-soo looked up at him and grinned. It was his way of saying thank you. Do-kwon smiled back and pressed a kiss to his pretty forehead.
Truly, serving Eun-soo was a pleasure. He felt he would have been quite happy even if he had lived as Eun-soo’s slave rather than his lover.
More time passed, and the second bottle of wine hit the bottom. The nachos were half gone, and one slice of pizza remained. By then, Eun-soo was sitting on the floor, leaning his back against the sofa. A large tub of ice cream was wedged between his knees.
Eun-soo ate ice cream with a rice spoon. And even though there was nothing to chew, he moved his jaw diligently. Occasionally, he would bury his face in the tub to find the chocolate and cheesecake chunks embedded in the ice cream. Then, whenever a thump or crash sounded in the movie, he would snap his head up.
Not a mole digging a tunnel… not a meerkat on lookout… so cute…
Do-kwon lay stretched out on the sofa, alternating his gaze between Eun-soo and the movie from a diagonal angle. Occasionally, fearing Eun-soo might get cold while eating ice cream, he raised the air conditioner temperature or draped the blanket from the corner of the sofa over Eun-soo’s shoulders.
Then, he noticed Eun-soo’s knees were glistening and wet. The condensation from the ice cream tub was wetting his bare skin. Do-kwon bolted upright. He pulled the ice cream tub out from between Eun-soo’s knees.
Having his food snatched away, Eun-soo widened his eyes and looked up at Do-kwon.
“Why?”
“Isn’t it cold?”
“It’s bearable.”
“……Why on earth are you eating ice cream to the point of ‘bearing’ it?”
“Because it’s delicious?”
Do-kwon let out a long sigh and plopped down beside Eun-soo. He wiped Eun-soo’s knees with a tissue. The water had flowed so far that his groin area was also damp. Do-kwon sighed again at the chilled skin. However, Eun-soo ignored him and reached for the ice cream on the table with his spoon.
Do-kwon felt a bit grumpy. He loved that Eun-soo ate. Even if Eun-soo ate and ate until he became twice his current size, Do-kwon would happily embrace and pamper him. But when he acted so oblivious in strange ways like this, it was genuinely irritating.
What if he caught a cold? What if he got sick? Just imagining a coughing, feverish Eun-soo made a chill run down his spine.
While rubbing Eun-soo’s cold knees with his palms, Do-kwon blurted out something random.
“I want to kiss you.”
“……What?”
Eun-soo asked back as if he had misheard.
“I. Want. To. Kiss. You.”
Do-kwon spoke, putting heavy emphasis on every word. His brow furrowed, and his eyebrows arched. Watching him, Eun-soo pressed his lips together firmly. His chin tucked in, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
“……Are you angry?”
Do-kwon shook his head decisively. Angry? No way. How could he possibly be angry at Eun-soo?
“No. I’m just grumpy.”
“Why? Because my thighs got cold?”
“When you put it that way, it sounds trivial, but yes, that’s the reason.”
At Do-kwon’s admission, Eun-soo burst into laughter. It was a wide, beaming smile. At that, Do-kwon’s broad shoulders slumped further. It was strange. Whenever Eun-soo laughed, everything became okay. His twisted mood was smoothed out instantly, as if it had been ironed.
As Do-kwon gazed at Eun-soo, whose eyes curved prettily in a smile, Eun-soo paused the movie. Then, he tugged firmly on Do-kwon’s sleeve.
“Do it. I have to soothe your grumpiness.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
With Eun-soo’s permission, Do-kwon lunged forward. Their lips locked. The soft, plump lips were colder and sweeter than usual because of the ice cream. They tasted of vanilla.
Do-kwon lightly sucked and released Eun-soo’s lips. Then, as Eun-soo placed his hands on Do-kwon’s shoulders, Do-kwon tilted his head and slid his tongue between the lips.
“Nngh…….”
Eun-soo’s small moan tickled Do-kwon’s tongue. Exhaling a heavy breath through his nose, Do-kwon pulled Eun-soo’s pelvis tight against himself. Eun-soo was helplessly drawn into his embrace.
Their lips locked more deeply. Sensitive skin rubbed together, and Do-kwon began to earnestly explore the inside of Eun-soo’s mouth.
The inside of Eun-soo’s mouth was moist. Perhaps because of the ice cream, the saliva was stickier than usual, creating a squelching sound every time their tongues met. It felt as if the tongues were pleading not to be separated.
Do-kwon swirled around Eun-soo’s tongue and pushed deep into his throat. He could feel Eun-soo’s chest heaving busily.
Eun-soo breathed through his nose when kissing. He repeatedly inhaled and exhaled, trying to manage his quickening breath. In those moments, Do-kwon would scrape the roof of his mouth hard with the tip of his tongue or suck his tongue until the root tingled. Then Eun-soo’s body would stiffen, and his breathing would falter. In doing so, he would unconsciously exhale through his mouth.
At that moment, Do-kwon would open his throat wide and inhale the breath coming from Eun-soo. The breath saturated with Eun-soo’s pheromones was beyond ecstatic; it was wondrous. It felt as if every muscle in his body was melting. Of course, the muscles in his lower half contracted rigidly.
Sometimes, he had the sadistic thought of wanting to kiss him while blocking his nose, so that Eun-soo couldn’t breathe through his nose and wouldn’t waste that precious breath on the air.
“Ut, hng…….”
The kiss grew deeper without end. Pushed by Do-kwon’s overwhelming force, Eun-soo kept being pushed back. Before he knew it, Eun-soo was lying on the floor, with Do-kwon mounted on top of him.
Having settled into position, the two rubbed their lips together for a long time. Sometimes greedily and vulgarly, other times romantically and sweetly. Then, Eun-soo let out a small groan. It was a signal. That he was running out of breath.
Do-kwon pulled his lips away slightly. Not much, just about the width of a fingernail. The breath they exhaled tickled each other’s highly sensitized lips and philtrums.
Do-kwon gazed at Eun-soo with darkened eyes. The lips that had turned red in the meantime, the slightly parted teeth, the red tongue visible through the gap, and the glistening saliva drove Do-kwon crazy.
As Do-kwon urgently moved toward Eun-soo’s lips again, Eun-soo slightly turned his head to the side. Do-kwon stopped abruptly.
“I… want to watch the movie…….”
Eun-soo looked at the paused movie screen.
“Just one more time.”
Do-kwon planted small kisses on the tip of Eun-soo’s chin. At those words, Eun-soo knit his brows.
“Are you only going to kiss me?”
“Yeah.”
“But Do-kwon’s hand is right here.”
He flipped up his top. Do-kwon’s hand had been kneading Eun-soo’s chest without either of them noticing. Do-kwon hadn’t even realized it himself.
He slowly withdrew his hand. But then, missing the feel of Eun-soo’s skin leaving his palm, he gripped Eun-soo’s chest again. It wasn’t a voluminous handful, but it was a soft, supple chest. The pink nipples embedded in the center were beyond lovely.
Do-kwon gently stroked Eun-soo’s ribs with his thumb.
“……I’ll only touch.”
Eun-soo giggled at the constantly increasing conditions. He cupped Do-kwon’s cheeks and met his gaze.
“Then do you think your grumpiness will be gone?”
“That was gone a long time ago.”
Do-kwon rubbed Eun-soo’s thighs and knees with his other hand. The skin that had been cold had returned to warmth. Since the reason for the grumpiness had vanished, it was only natural that the grumpiness vanished too.
At Do-kwon’s serious words, Eun-soo burst into laughter again. Do-kwon stuck out his tongue and lightly licked the palm of the hand cupping his cheek. He wanted to swallow Eun-soo’s lips as quickly as possible, and it was agonizing that Eun-soo was just laughing.
Perhaps sensing Do-kwon’s heart, Eun-soo, having barely calmed his laughter, wrapped his arms around Do-kwon’s neck. And then, like a miracle, he pressed his lips against Do-kwon’s first.
Do-kwon’s body stiffened at that thunderous flutter of excitement. But it was only for a moment. His heart swelled with love for Eun-soo. He felt that if he let his guard down for a second, his body might just explode from the uncontained love. It was a childish expression, but there was no better way to put it.
Do-kwon gripped Eun-soo’s hand. In response, the hand much smaller than his entwined its fingers with his.
Do-kwon let out a small laugh.
In truth, it felt as if some part of his body had already exploded.
As the alcohol took hold, Eun-soo’s eyelids became noticeably heavy. The upper part of his pupils were pulled under his eyelids, giving him a languid and sorrowful impression; this was the time to get him to sleep quickly. Then he would sleep soundly through the night without waking once.
Do-kwon did a rough cleanup and took Eun-soo to the bathroom. When Do-kwon put toothpaste on the toothbrush, Eun-soo brushed his teeth slowly but thoroughly. Do-kwon watched him through the mirror and brushed his own teeth alongside him.
After a light wash, the two went straight into the bedroom. Do-kwon stopped Eun-soo from simply collapsing onto the bed. Holding Eun-soo by the waist with one arm, he flipped the duvet back and laid him down. Eun-soo squirmed and shifted his body, searching for a comfortable spot.
Do-kwon covered him with the duvet and stepped away from the bed. He wanted to dim the lights, adjust the air conditioner, and prepare some water in case Eun-soo woke up in the middle of the night.
But Eun-soo tightly gripped the hem of Do-kwon’s clothes.
“……Where are you going?”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“…….”
“I’m just going to adjust the air conditioner.”
Do-kwon whispered in a low voice. The remote was on a distant table, so he had no choice but to move. At that, Eun-soo pursed his lips and looked at Do-kwon with sorrowful eyes.
“Can’t I just sleep now?”
“……You can.”
Without hesitation, Do-kwon changed direction, climbed onto the bed, and settled beside Eun-soo. As if he had been waiting, Eun-soo slid into Do-kwon’s embrace. Do-kwon supported Eun-soo’s head with one arm and gently patted his back with the other.
The night is a painful time. A time when hidden wounds become prominent and forgotten sorrows rear their heads.
Occasionally, Eun-soo would subtly express this hidden loneliness. Whenever he did, Do-kwon tried his utmost, with all his heart, to fill that void.
He would release more pheromones than usual, touching him or talking to him incessantly until he fell asleep, reminding him that he was right there by his side.
Then, after tossing and turning for a while, Eun-soo would soon find peace. As the days passed, the time it took to regain that peace was getting shorter. It was a good sign.
As Do-kwon stroked Eun-soo’s shoulder, Eun-soo peeked up. Do-kwon looked down and met his eyes. He raised an eyebrow, substituting the question “What is it?” with a gesture. After hesitating for a few seconds, Eun-soo spoke softly.
“Tomorrow morning, too…….”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be by my side, right?”
“Of course. I’ll be right up against your face so you can see me the moment you open your eyes.”
Do-kwon smiled faintly and gently rubbed the corners of Eun-soo’s eyes. Eun-soo let out a smile in return.
“You absolutely have to.”
“Yes, I will.”
Do-kwon pulled Eun-soo closer into his arms. Eun-soo rubbed his cheek against the firm chest. He even took a deep breath on purpose. It seemed he liked Do-kwon’s pheromones. After feeling Do-kwon’s warmth and scent for a long time, Eun-soo murmured to himself.
“……There aren’t many days left where I can whine like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“Once I have a child, I won’t be able to whine. I’ll be the dad, so how can I act like a child? Well…… I probably won’t even have the time.”
I’ll probably be too exhausted from childcare to do anything but crash. My eyes will be bloodshot from lack of sleep. Eun-soo’s face immediately became serious. At that, Do-kwon let out a chuckle. Eun-soo, worrying about such things already, was truly adorable.
Come to think of it. Back when he couldn’t ride in cars due to the trauma of a traffic accident, when he had to take the subway to Bomi’s wedding, he had complained and cried, worrying about what would happen if he were late.
Do-kwon gave several small, fluttering kisses to Eun-soo’s furrowed brow.
“There will be time. Raising a child is easy if you have a lot of money.”
“……You sound like you’ve raised about three kids yourself.”
“Not me. My mother and father did. My grandmother and grandfather did too. They said raising a child isn’t that hard if you have plenty of money. They told me all you need to give is infinite love and utmost attention.”
“Infinite love?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder if that’s easy…….”
Eun-soo murmured gloomily. Do-kwon brushed the hair back from Eun-soo’s forehead.
“It is easy. Both you and I have done it passionately, and we’re still doing it now.”
“Ah…….”
Do-kwon gave Eun-soo’s lips a light, sucking kiss. Then, with their upper lips still touching, in a very small voice that only Eun-soo could hear—so that the flowing love wouldn’t scatter—he whispered secretly and privately.
“I love you, Eun-soo.”
“…….”
“I love you.”
“…….”
“I love you infinitely.”
Eun-soo blinked slowly at Do-kwon’s love, which fell as heavily as a downpour but as quietly as a drizzle. Then, the corners of his mouth curled up into a bright smile. He wrapped his arms fully around Do-kwon’s waist and clung to him with his whole body. Do-kwon hugged him back. Then, pressing his lips to Eun-soo’s ear, he spoke softly.
“So, you can whine as much as you want. After we have a child, of course, and even when you turn fifty, or eighty, and your hair turns white—if you still whine to me, I think I’ll be truly happy.”
“…….”
Eun-soo nodded. It was unclear whether he meant he understood the sentiment or that he intended to whine even at eighty, but the corners of his mouth were curved in an arc. That was enough.
Smiling along with him, Do-kwon gently stroked the back of Eun-soo’s head.
“Sleep well.”
“……You sleep well too, Do-kwon.”
“Yes.”
After squirming for a few minutes, Eun-soo soon fell asleep. Do-kwon listened quietly to Eun-soo’s steady breathing. Then, he slipped out of bed, adjusted the air conditioner, and brought some water. After that, he lay back down beside Eun-soo.
Do-kwon gazed at the sleeping Eun-soo for a while. When he opened his eyes tomorrow morning, he would be the first person to see Eun-soo. The thought made the corners of his mouth twitch. Being present at his end and his beginning was a blessing beyond words.
Savoring that gratitude, he slowly closed his eyes.
Do-kwon’s day ended like this again today.
* * *
01+ – Side Story. Do-kwon’s Another Day
After finishing a luncheon meeting, Do-kwon entered his office. Taking off his jacket and tossing it haphazardly onto the sofa, he immediately reached for his phone. And as always, he sent a message to Eun-soo.
[Eun-soo. Did you eat lunch?]
After pressing the send button, Do-kwon stared intently at the screen until a reply came. While exchanging messages with Eun-soo, Do-kwon’s time momentarily stopped. It didn’t matter what he was doing. Whether he was standing or sitting, he remained frozen until Eun-soo bestowed a reply like a divine grace.
Knowing this, Eun-soo was very kind and usually replied quickly.
[Yes. We had chicken kalguksu and galbi dumplings today.]
[Did you eat, Do-kwon?]
Do-kwon let out a faint smile. A menu Eun-soo likes had come out. Just like yesterday. Since he was the one who built the company cafeteria and hired the chef, it was only natural that the menus were extremely biased. Tomorrow would probably be beef tartare bibimbap. That, too, was a menu Eun-soo loved.
[Yes, I ate.]
[Was the chicken kalguksu delicious?]
Do-kwon asked again. And he waited for the reply. This answer came even faster than the previous one.
[Enough to mix in the rice and eat it all!]
[A bear emoticon with puffed-out cheeks.]
Do-kwon couldn’t help but laugh. From that single exclamation mark sent by Eun-soo, he could vaguely gauge how wonderful the meal had been.
Only after sending further messages—that he would pick him up around the time he finished work, to not work too hard, that he loved him, and so on—did Do-kwon put down his phone.
At the same time, Secretary Jeong, who had been waiting behind him, held out a folder of documents for approval. After skimming through the papers, Do-kwon scribbled his signature with a fountain pen. The sharp nib of the pen moved smoothly and decisively.
Then, he suddenly headed toward the small dressing room in the office. There, he put on a new tie and changed into a new jacket. The neat and tidy suit was one Secretary Jeong had never seen before. Seeing as it was taken from a cover with a luxury brand name, it seemed to be a new purchase.
“Where are you going?”
Secretary Jeong asked with a puzzled look.
“Hmm.”
Do-kwon answered shortly.
“To meet Team Leader Yoo?”
Secretary Jeong asked again. It wasn’t surprising that Do-kwon and Eun-soo met, as it happened every day, but suddenly at this odd hour? And changing clothes too? While Do-kwon did put effort into his appearance before meeting Eun-soo, he had never been so extra as to change into clothes without a single speck of dust on them.
“No. To Bundang.”
“……Bundang?”
Secretary Jeong’s brow furrowed at Do-kwon’s answer. It was a completely unexpected location. Tilting his head, he let out a short gasp of realization.
“Are you going to the…… memorial park?”
“Yes. I should see Eun-soo’s parents. And tell them we’re getting married.”
Do-kwon tied his tie with practiced movements. As he put on his jacket, Secretary Jeong stepped closer and tidied the collar from behind. Do-kwon naturally accepted his assistance.
After changing clothes and grooming his hair once more, Do-kwon left the office. Secretary Jeong, having gathered the folders, quickly followed him.
“Shall I drive?”
“No. I’ll go and come back alone.”
“Yes, then…… have a safe trip.”
Secretary Jeong pressed the elevator button. Soon, with a ‘ding,’ the doors opened. Do-kwon stepped inside. The doors closed shortly after.
With his hands politely folded, Do-kwon faced Eun-soo’s parents inside the charnel house. He offered a short greeting. Asking if they had been doing well. Telling them that Eun-soo was doing well. That he didn’t cry much these days and slept well. That he still loved eating, so he was trying his best to feed him well.
As he continued to ramble, he licked his dry lips. He swallowed and chewed on the inside of his cheek. After hesitating for a long time, he carefully brought up the purpose of his visit.
“I…… am marrying Eun-soo.”
“…….”
“It would be the right order to ask for permission first……. But I felt you wouldn’t grant it, so I’ve come cowardly to notify you like this.”
“…….”
Do-kwon smiled bitterly. Then he fell silent for a moment. He could no longer ignore a certain photograph that had been catching his eye.
Next to the photo of Eun-soo’s parents was a very familiar picture. It was Bomi’s ultrasound photo. One that Do-kwon didn’t have a single copy of. He knew Eun-soo had a few, but he felt he had no right to ask for one.
Do-kwon took a half-step forward. He stared intently at the photo, which was nothing more than a pale blur. Without blinking, he looked and looked again.
Doing so naturally made his eyes sting. Then, they became hot in an instant. Do-kwon squeezed his eyes shut. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
Do-kwon quickly wiped it away. Clearing his throat, he stepped back half a pace. Then, he gave a deep, respectful bow.
“I know I have no right to ask this, but our Bomi…… our daughter Bomi, if she is there, please…… take good care of her.”
“…….”
“I will take good care of Eun-soo here. I won’t make him cry. I will do my best to make him happy. So, Father and Mother-in-law, please…… look after our Bomi.”
The monologue, heard by no one, drifted dryly through the charnel house. Do-kwon smiled faintly.
After that, Do-kwon stood still in silence. Eun-soo’s high school graduation. The photo of his parents with him in the center. And Bomi’s ultrasound photo. He stood there for a long time, looking at them over and over.
The next day. Eun-soo approached Do-kwon in the study. Before Do-kwon could ask what was wrong, those plump lips began to chatter.
“Last night.”
“Yes.”
“Mom and Dad appeared in my dream.”
“…….”
Do-kwon’s brow furrowed slightly. Usually, the dreams Eun-soo had of his parents were related to nightmares. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed Eun-soo tossing and turning all night, and began to blame himself. Then, Eun-soo held out something he had been hiding behind his back.
“It was a dream where we were grilling fish and playing at the beach, and Mom said, ‘Give one of these to Do-kwon, too.'”
“Ah…….”
What Eun-soo held out was another ultrasound photo of Bomi. Taking it, Do-kwon stared intently at the photo. Then, with an apologetic face, Eun-soo stroked the back of Do-kwon’s hand.
“I’m sorry. I had a few, but I didn’t think to give one to you.”
“No, you don’t need to be sorry.”
Do-kwon shook his head at those words. As he stroked the photo, Eun-soo pressed his hips against Do-kwon’s thigh. Do-kwon wrapped his arm around his waist and sat him on his lap. Leaning against Do-kwon’s chest, Eun-soo looked at the ultrasound photo with him.
“But isn’t it strange? I wonder why Mom suddenly said that…….”
“……Indeed. It is strange.”
Do-kwon gently stroked the edge of the photo. Then, fearing he might even damage it, he placed it carefully on the desk. Do-kwon pressed a kiss to the nape of Eun-soo’s neck to express his gratitude.
“……Thank you, Eun-soo. I’ll cherish it.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“No. Thank you, truly.”
Do-kwon hugged Eun-soo tightly from behind. And he smiled secretly. It seemed Eun-soo’s parents had given him their blessing. Otherwise, this situation made no sense.
Laughter tickled his throat. Eventually, he couldn’t hold it back and let out a soft chuckle. Eun-soo looked back at Do-kwon with curious eyes, but Do-kwon didn’t tell him anything. Instead, he poured a deep kiss onto Eun-soo’s lips.
Now, truly, the wedding was not far off.
* * *