By Zephyria It was just a touch of lips, but it was so fragrant and sweet that his eyelids fluttered shut. He couldn’t muster the will to resist.
The hand on his neck, stroking and massaging, had a slightly cool temperature. The lips brushed his own as if tickling, then pressed down softly. A tongue flicked between his upper and lower lips, wanting to enter.
Song Hyun-soo involuntarily twisted his jaw and opened his lips.
“Mmm…”
The feeling of his tongue pushing into his mouth was always new. As his tongue filled his mouth, scraped his palate, and traced the inside of his cheeks, a low moan rumbled from his throat.
“Shall we go to the bed?”
At that whisper, Song Hyun-soo barely regained his senses.
Yoon Joo-ho, stroking Song Hyun-soo’s neck and rubbing his nose against his temple, gestured towards Monroe with his chin.
“We didn’t get to do it the day we brought him home. We have to keep our promise.”
Monroe, who had been playing energetically on the cat tower, was now gnawing on his carrot plushie inside the spaceship at the top. If the carrot plushie were alive, it would be covered in wounds. Monroe was just playing, but still.
Yoon Joo-ho’s lips touched Song Hyun-soo’s temple as he looked at Monroe. His lips moved to his ear, holding the soft curve of his earlobe between them, and he bit down gently, like Monroe would do to a carrot doll.
Song Hyun-soo’s senses awakened with the touch of Yoon Joo-ho’s hand, starting from the back of his neck and tracing down his back over his t-shirt. His back wasn’t particularly sensitive, but it was because the person touching him was Yoon Joo-ho.
He’s just going to pretend he doesn’t know, to let it pass as if nothing happened.
To think that such sweet lips could also bring such cruel pain. Life’s trials truly come in all sorts of forms.
Yoon Joo-ho’s hand dug into his lower back, under his t-shirt, and his lips moved to Song Hyun-soo’s neck, attempting a deep kiss.
Song Hyun-soo pushed his hand away and turned his head, avoiding his lips. Yoon Joo-ho would never know how much self-control it took him to do so.
“I have to go.”
“Now?”
Yoon Joo-ho frowned, his brows furrowing, and his voice rose. He looked as if he’d heard something unbelievable.
You want to leave now? Even when I’m seducing you so openly?
“I have plans.”
Song Hyun-soo looked down at his hands, cracking his knuckles on his knees, staring intently at them. He avoided looking at Yoon Joo-ho’s eyes, afraid he would lose the battle against the temptation.
“What plans?”
“I’m supposed to go look at apartments.”
“Apartments?”
“The owner of the rooftop room I’m living in wants to raise the rent and the deposit, so I’m just planning to move out.”
“Is it a cancellation-proof appointment?”
“…”
He couldn’t help but look at Yoon Joo-ho.
Why is he speaking like he’s desperate? Anyone would hear that as him begging me not to go.
No, don’t be fooled by those eyes. He’s probably convinced that if I show even a little disappointment, I’ll abandon my plans with Jung-ho and choose him.
Seeing Song Hyun-soo hesitate, Yoon Joo-ho seized the opportunity and immediately reached out. He rested his wrist on Song Hyun-soo’s shoulder and traced his cheek with his fingers.
“Are you still mad because I fell asleep first that day?”
“Stop it.”
He turned his head in the opposite direction, but Yoon Joo-ho immediately followed, cupping Song Hyun-soo’s chin and forcing him to look at him.
“I thought you wanted it too. Not anymore?”
I was the one who confessed and got rejected, and I’m the one who can’t see the person I like for days. It’s unfair, but his eyes looked even more unstable, making it impossible for me to be angry.
“I want it.”
“But.”
“You know there’s something else I want besides that, sunbae.”
“…”
He knew this silence was his second answer. He pushed away Yoon Joo-ho’s arm that was holding his chin and stood up.
“Move. I have to go.”
“How much do they want to raise it by?”
“…”
“The deposit, the rent.”
“Do I have to tell you everything?”
“I’m your representative now.”
Recalling the contract clauses, Song Hyun-soo sighed and reluctantly answered.
“Ten million won for the deposit, one hundred thousand won for the rent.”
A crack appeared on Yoon Joo-ho’s forehead. He seemed unable to comprehend that he had to move from a place that wasn’t even better than a ‘cat room’ to somewhere worse for that amount of money. Though he didn’t say it, his strangely contorted face spoke volumes.
“Who are you going with?”
“What?”
“You said you had plans to look at apartments. Aren’t you going with someone?”
“I’m going with Jung-ho.”
“Jung-ho?”
“He’s someone I work part-time with at Daehangno. He styled my hair and picked out my clothes for me…”
“Are you close?”
“Yes, we’re close.”
“Is he handsome?”
“Why, are you going to make Jung-ho an actor too?”
“Let’s assume so. Is he handsome?”
“He dresses neatly and stylishly… he has a masculine look.”
Song Hyun-soo took out his phone from the pocket of the jumper he’d thrown on the sofa and checked the time. It was time to leave if he wanted to take the bus to Wangsimni.
“I’m going.”
He put on his jumper and picked up his bag, turning to leave. Yoon Joo-ho, who must have gotten up without him noticing, was already heading towards the door.
“I’ll give you a ride.”
“No, thank you. Why would you, sunbae?”
We’re not even dating after I confessed and you rejected me. Why?
“As your agency representative, I’m offering transportation. Is there a problem?”
■■■
Yoon Joo-ho went down to the underground parking lot and opened his garage shutter with the remote. Then, he let go of Song Hyun-soo, who had been trailing behind him, clinging to the sleeve of his jumper, in front of the passenger seat of the Porsche.
“Get in.”
When Song Hyun-soo stood there blankly, even with the courtesy of Yoon Joo-ho opening the passenger door for him, he let out a sigh that seemed to suppress his temper. Then, he placed his palm on the crown of Song Hyun-soo’s head and pushed him into the car.
Song Hyun-soo glared at Yoon Joo-ho as he walked around the front of the hood to the driver’s seat.
Do you think I’m doing this because I can’t run away?
The one who’s fallen is the sinner, so I’m enduring it because I won’t see you again tomorrow. Right?
Song Hyun-soo, who had been ignoring Yoon Joo-ho even after he sat in the driver’s seat, fixed his gaze on the center screen. The home screen, divided into date, time, navigation, and car status information, also showed the most recently played music.
“This is the song you played when you went to see Myung Hae-ri.”
“Really?”
As they exited the parking lot’s ramp, Yoon Joo-ho feigned ignorance, not even batting an eyebrow. Wow, look at that acting. A natural actor.
But denying it was useless. At the time, he clearly hadn’t known this song, and if he had heard it in another car later, it was certain he had sought it out deliberately.
He felt a little better.
Just the mere fact that he had spent time deliberately seeking out and listening to the song they had listened to together in this car. It made him feel like he could forgive the kiss from earlier. In fact, he hadn’t disliked the kiss itself. It was just that he hadn’t done it well.
Song Hyun-soo played the song.
As soon as the car left the parking lot, a scream-like cheer erupted. It seemed there were fans lurking around the apartment building, waiting for Yoon Joo-ho. Song Hyun-soo looked back. The fans, unable to believe they had seen Yoon Joo-ho’s car, covered their mouths and jumped up and down. They hugged each other, and some even collapsed on the spot.
His stance was that showing up at someone’s home was a violation of privacy, regardless of the reason, and sasaeng fans were not fans at all.
As he passed them, sitting in the passenger seat of Yoon Joo-ho’s car, he felt strangely guilty. He glanced at Yoon Joo-ho, but he remained focused on the road ahead without any reaction.
Song Hyun-soo turned up the volume of the music a little.
He rested his elbow on the car window, propped his chin on his hand, and looked outside.
The lyrics of the song, which he had been listening to passively, suddenly struck him. It was a story about being unable to control oneself, swayed by the person one likes. It was a familiar story.
Of course, it sounds like my story, who else would it be if not someone in love. It’s so cliché it’s embarrassing, I even let out a wry smile.
He turned his head and stared intently at Yoon Joo-ho, the cause of it all, in the driver’s seat.
His profile, pretending to concentrate only on driving, was flawless. Perhaps that’s why he kept wanting to shake it. Wanting to create even a small crack, he threw a stone.
“Why did you kiss me earlier?”
“We agreed on a reward, and I gave it to you.”
“Why did you give me that expensive padding?”
“It’s not expensive to me.”
“Why did you give me strawberries every time I went to practice?”
“As you know, I’m a generous employer.”
Damn it. He has an answer for every question.
The car passed the bus stop in front of the community center, where Song Hyun-soo always got off. Turning right towards Galleria Department Store, Yoon Joo-ho asked a question this time.
“And you, why did you come to my house on my birthday and kiss and fool around with me?”
“…”
“It’s the same reason for me. I wanted to, and I felt like you did too, so I did it. Was my feeling wrong?”
“It’s right… but it’s wrong.”
“You know that doesn’t make sense.”
“Do you think your actions make sense?”