By Zephyria “Go Yumin! Go Yumin!”
The audience chanted Yumin’s name. Some even added interjections in between. Embarrassed, Yumin signaled to the crowd to quiet down, but the cheers only grew louder.
“Ah, really…”
Even though Yumin was confident and enjoyed being in the spotlight, being the center of attention like this was another matter entirely. Finally, too ashamed, Yumin lowered his head. The tips of his ears turned bright red.
“What, they’re calling you.”
Tae-jun approached, half-teasingly. Yumin shot a glare at the innocent Tae-jun before reluctantly taking the microphone. The moment he was about to speak, a loud screech came from the microphone, causing people to cover their ears. Yumin quickly tapped the microphone a couple of times and began to speak.
“Thank you for coming today.”
Yumin’s name erupted from the audience again. Yumin cleared his throat a couple of times before continuing.
“Um… I don’t really know what to say. There are many things to be thankful for, and many people to thank. But I’ll keep it simple. The line of our family will not be broken.”
He thought it was a witty remark. It wasn’t time to announce the pregnancy directly yet. More importantly, he hadn’t even told his parents, so he expressed it indirectly.
Naturally, people found it difficult to grasp the meaning. They simply thought he meant he was going to get married soon, so the family line would continue, and they applauded.
However, of all the audience members, only one, the exceptionally perceptive Go Seong-min, grasped the hidden intention behind Yumin’s words. After pondering for a moment, she wore an expression of realization. While she couldn’t ascertain the specific circumstances, especially the one carrying the child, she had a general idea.
The two descended from the stage and exchanged greetings with people. Yumin was flustered after making the rounds to introduce Tae-jun to the elder relatives. Just then, Hyeon-seok, with Seong-min on his arm, approached from a distance to greet them.
“Congratulations, Yumin. Tae-jun.”
“Thanks.”
“I can’t believe you, Go Yumin, beat me to it.”
“What? Got a problem?”
The two cousins were bickering as usual. Meanwhile, Tae-jun and Hyeon-seok exchanged pleasantries.
“I was surprised when you suddenly announced your engagement, especially since you weren’t coming to school much.”
“It just happened. Has everything been alright?”
“Me? Well. Speaking of which, did you hear about Juwan?”
Yumin’s ears perked up at the familiar name. Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since he’d seen Juwan. He decided he should buy him a meal next time they met.
“What about him?”
As Yumin interjected, Tae-jun’s brow furrowed slightly. Unaware, Yumin urged Hyeon-seok for an answer.
“Ah, Juwan ran away from home.”
“What?”
Unlike Yumin, who was startled, Tae-jun was unfazed. He had expected it to some extent.
“He was supposed to have his engagement ceremony soon too, so something must have gone wrong.”
“Juwan’s engagement?”
“Yeah, didn’t you know? Juwan has a fiancée.”
“I didn’t know.”
Yumin was surprised by many things today. He recalled listing Tae-jun, Juwan, and Hyeon-seok as potential marriage candidates at the beginning of the semester. He felt a little embarrassed, having listed someone who already had a fiancée.
“Well, he’s all grown up, so he’ll handle it. By the way, when did you two get together?”
Tae-jun cut in, changing the subject. He wasn’t particularly pleased about Yumin showing interest in Juwan. So, he shifted the topic and asked about the dating lives of Hyeon-seok and Go Seong-min, whom he wasn’t that curious about.
Hyeon-seok shyly scratched the back of his head. Before he could answer, Go Seong-min spoke.
“Hyeon-seok fell for me at first sight.”
“Seong-min.”
“Why, isn’t that right? Or am I wrong?”
As she spoke, Go Seong-min shot Hyeon-seok a sharp glance. Hyeon-seok smiled helplessly and nodded in affirmation.
“Well, it happened like that.”
“That’s great. Congratulations.”
Tae-jun was pleased. He held no particular ill will towards Go Seong-min, Yumin’s cousin. He was simply grateful that she had taken Hyeon-seok off his hands. With this, all the troublesome issues were resolved, and Yumin would have no choice but to focus only on him, a double win.
“Yumin!”
“Mom, Dad!”
Just then, Yumin’s parents approached them with smiles. Go Seong-min and Hyeon-seok bowed respectfully. Then, they waved goodbye, saying they’d see them again, and left.
“Congratulations on your marriage, son.”
“Thank you.”
While he was happy to receive the cheers of the crowd, the words from his parents carried a different weight. Feeling tears welling up, Yumin sniffled.
“Oh, you. Why are you crying?”
“I don’t know…”
No matter how steadfast and confident he tried to appear, Yumin was still his parents’ precious baby wildcat. The joy of seeing his parents after a long time bloomed anew. He acted spoiled and nestled into his mother’s embrace.
“You’re about to get married, you shouldn’t be like this.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Yumin now.”
“Tae-jun, I’m counting on you.”
Yumin’s father said, patting Tae-jun’s shoulder.
“By the way, where are you two staying tonight? Should I clean out the guest room?”
“Yes, that would be great—”
“We have a place to go.”
Yumin, who had been sniffling in his mother’s arms moments before, suddenly lifted his head and exclaimed.
“Where? This late at night?”
“Seong-min’s place. The adults aren’t home today.”
“Oh, really?”
This was news to Tae-jun. But sensing Yumin had something up his sleeve, he didn’t pry. He was curious to hear what Yumin had planned.
“Yeah. So we’re going to sleep there.”
“Then do that. But come over for breakfast tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, we will.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Tae-jun bowed to his parents. His parents patted Tae-jun and Yumin’s shoulders before heading towards their house.
Many people still remained in the open space. Music played from the speakers, and people gathered in small groups, talking or walking around. The streetlights added to the scene, making it resemble a foreign night market.
Tae-jun and Yumin naturally joined the crowd. As they slowly walked through the space, they would stop to have brief conversations when classmates or friends they recognized called out to them.
“It’s nice.”
“Right? I like it too.”
Yumin had a unique sense of pride in his hometown. It wasn’t just because it was where he was born and raised. He loved the beautiful natural scenery that remained untouched by development, the warm-hearted people, and every element that made up the village. He wanted to walk here with his children when they were born.
Yumin squeezed Tae-jun’s hand tightly. The large, firm hand enveloped Yumin’s in response.
“Should we grab some food here?”
“Oh, food?”
“Are you planning to take me somewhere, Yumin?”
“W-well, yes…”
Tae-jun had a hunch. It was no exaggeration to say he knew almost everything about Yumin. He was sure Yumin had made a clumsy excuse because he wanted to go somewhere without his parents knowing.
The two stopped at a food pop-up and bought some snacks. Seeing the delicious food before him, Yumin’s appetite returned. He realized he hadn’t eaten properly. The day had passed in a blur.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
The two held hands and headed towards the forest path. The sounds of people’s laughter still echoed from the open space behind them.
The place Yumin was heading to was none other than the Love Nest. A few hours earlier, when Tae-jun had shed his clothes to transform into a tiger, Yumin’s dormant desires had awakened. After the engagement ceremony and everything else that followed in a daze, his lust naturally returned once he had a moment to breathe.
He hadn’t told Tae-jun directly because he was worried about seeming too eager, even amidst everything. Tae-jun would have been happier if he had told him directly.
The path to the Love Nest was quite rugged. This was why it had remained undiscovered by the village elders until now. After walking for a long time up the forest path, they turned onto a secluded trail that people rarely used, and after walking for another long while, they reached the Love Nest. It was nestled in a place overgrown with bushes and trees, designed to be as inconspicuous as possible.
Yumin had participated in renovation work a few times, so he easily found the cabin. Back then, he used to envy the couples who frequented this place. He had thought he would come here with his own precious partner someday, and now, years later, he was here with Tae-jun, which filled him with emotion.
Upon arriving at the cabin, Yumin first checked the door. To prevent any awkward situations, there was a sign indicating whether it was in use or vacant. Confirming the cabin was empty, he looked for the key. Lifting the empty flower pot placed by the door, he found an antique key.
Until then, Tae-jun had just watched Yumin’s actions. He even teased Yumin.
“What are you doing? Burgling an empty house?”
“I’m not!”
Despite his sharp retort, Yumin was in a rather awkward situation. He had confidently dragged Tae-jun here, but he hadn’t explained why they were here. The reason was simple: he was too embarrassed to say it himself. He had intended to lead Tae-jun like a man, but he lacked the courage to openly suggest they go have sex.
So, he had hoped Tae-jun would figure it out, but it seemed to be in vain. Tae-jun stood there with a look of complete cluelessness.
“It’s not someone else’s house, this place is…”
“This place?”
“Ah, well, this place is a cabin…”
“Ah. So you came here to sleep?”
“Yes, that’s right! We came to sleep!”
Yumin was delighted, thinking Tae-jun had finally understood his hidden intentions. But his spirits fell with Tae-jun’s next words.
“That’s great. I’m tired, let’s take a nap.”
“What? Just sleep?”
“No?”
“Ah, really!”
Finally, Tae-jun burst into laughter. Yumin’s ears turned red as he realized Tae-jun had been teasing him all along.
“You knew all along, didn’t you?”
“Knew what? I don’t know.”
As Yumin was about to get genuinely angry, Tae-jun, perhaps realizing his mistake, pulled Yumin into a hug.
“Okay, okay. Let’s go inside first.”
“I’m really not going to let this go.”
Tae-jun chuckled and led Yumin inside.
The interior of the cabin was quite spacious, more so than it appeared from the outside. Immediately upon entering, there was a small entryway, followed by a living room large enough for two people to relax comfortably. Beyond the cozily decorated living room was another door. That was the heart of the Love Nest, the so-called ‘Love Nest’.
“It’s nice.”
“Right? I painted the back of that door.”
“Really? You had such talent.”
Yumin puffed out his chest and smiled proudly. Tae-jun stroked his hair and then stepped further inside. The atmosphere was very different from his own pension cabin. It felt cozier and more comfortable.
The living room sofa was a peculiar size, a bit too small for two people to sit comfortably, but too large for one. Tae-jun quickly understood its purpose. Couples who came all the way here weren’t going to hold business meetings sitting separately; the intention was obvious.
Sitting on the sofa, Tae-jun looked at Yumin and lightly patted his lap. Yumin hesitated for a moment before climbing onto Tae-jun’s lap and wrapping his arms around his neck.
It was the warmth of each other they had felt in a long time. Tae-jun also embraced Yumin and buried his face in his neck. Yumin flinched as if tickled, but Tae-jun took a deep breath. It was Yumin’s familiar scent.
“I missed you.”
Tae-jun whispered in a low voice, and Yumin nodded in agreement.
“Me too…”
Although they had lived in separation due to a great misunderstanding, now that all misunderstandings were resolved, there was no reason to hesitate. Yumin honestly conveyed his feelings.
“But I was scared.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it was my misunderstanding alone.”
Instead of replying, Tae-jun took Yumin’s fingers and kissed them briefly. The ring on his finger sparkled.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Next time, I’ll get you something even better.”
“Marriage…”
Yumin murmured shyly, and Tae-jun chuckled. Kissing his cheek, Tae-jun whispered in a tender voice.
“We did this one in a hurry. Next time, I’ll prepare it better.”
“It was already amazing.”
Yumin recalled the feast held in the open space. From the invited singers to the various food stalls and the water park for children, the scale was unbelievable. He knew Tae-jun had a bold side, but he never imagined he could prepare something of this magnitude in such a short time.
“No. Whatever I do for you is not enough.”
“Tae-jun…”
Touched, Yumin snuggled deeper into Tae-jun’s embrace. Tae-jun gently patted Yumin’s back. Yumin quietly accepted the touch, filled with anticipation. He still couldn’t forget Tae-jun’s naked body he had seen in the forest. In fact, having lived a celibate life, he felt like rolling around with Tae-jun right now.
However, contrary to his expectations, Tae-jun showed no particular movement. He simply stroked Yumin gently. The touch was even careful and soft, like petting a cat, like Kkyang-i. It wasn’t the rough, passionate touch Yumin desired.
“Tae-jun.”
“Why?”
“Did you forget something?”
Unable to bear it any longer, Yumin spoke, overcoming his embarrassment, but Tae-jun just looked at him as if asking why.
“Ah, right. I forgot something.”
At those words, Yumin’s heart pounded with anticipation. He thought, ‘Finally, I’m going to mate in the Love Nest,’ and his grin widened, his lips itching. But with Tae-jun’s next action, Yumin froze stiff.
Tae-jun carefully placed Yumin on the floor. His words, “Wait a moment,” heightened Yumin’s expectations. But Tae-jun headed not towards the Love Nest, but towards the entryway.
“We should eat before it gets cold. Here, come here.”
Saying that, Tae-jun laid out the food they had packed. They had packed so much that there wasn’t enough space on the small table. Soon, the small cabin was filled with the aroma of delicious food.
“Tae-jun, what are you doing?”
“What am I doing? I’m hungry. Let’s eat quickly.”
“No, that’s not it. I am hungry, that’s true, but…”
Yumin was angry. Even he, known for his lack of perception, could realize it now. Tae-jun was deliberately avoiding physical contact with Yumin. His pride hurt, Yumin bit his lip tightly.
“What’s wrong?”
“How could you do this to me!”
“What did I do?”
Yumin sputtered and then spoke. He couldn’t just suffer in silence like this. They had resolved their misunderstanding, reunited as lovers, and even got engaged, so what was this? Coming all the way to the Love Nest only to eat a late-night snack made no sense.
“You’ve been pretending not to know since earlier!”
At Yumin’s tearful voice, Tae-jun stopped moving. Then, he fell into thought. Watching his profile, Yumin desperately held back the tears that threatened to fall. He felt that if he cried now, the last shred of his pride would shatter.
Tae-jun sighed and slowly began to speak.
“Yumin, I’m not doing this for no reason.”
“Then what is it!”
If there was a reason, he wanted it explained. If it was a justifiable reason, Yumin could understand. But to humiliate someone like this unilaterally was unbearable. A surge of sorrow washed over him, and Yumin finally burst into tears.