By Zephyria drrrr… drrrr….
He tossed and turned at the noise cutting through the midnight silence. His large hand fumbled across the bedside table, searching for the source of the sound. Soon, he grasped the phone vibrating in his hand. A burst of light the size of the phone emanated from the pitch-black darkness. That light illuminated the face of the phone’s owner. It was Jeon Mi-nam.
Jeon Mi-nam checked the caller ID, frowning with sleepiness. Soon, a long sigh escaped him. He touched the call button and brought the phone to his ear. Having just woken up, his voice was lower and more sunken than usual.
“Yes. Please speak.”
Ah, you finally picked up?
“Are you drinking again?”
Sniff sniff. Strange. Does the smell of alcohol travel through the line? You’re as sharp as ever, Mi-nam.
“I can tell just by the sound of your slurred speech.”
Who’s speech is slurred?
Despite the pronunciation being completely crushed, he stubbornly denied it. Jeon Mi-nam let out another deep sigh. But only for a moment; he bolted upright and swept his hair back.
He pulled the phone away from his ear for a second to check the time. It was past 3:30 AM. He stepped out of bed immediately and headed for the wardrobe. From inside, he pulled out a neatly ironed shirt. Meanwhile, the person on the other end of the line poured out a stream of incomprehensible words. The tone sounded like a lament, but he couldn’t make head or tail of the content.
“Where are you? Right now.”
Switching the call to speakerphone, he put on his shirt and pants and grabbed his jacket. Then, he walked straight toward the front door, confirming the other person’s location. It was a familiar gesture, as if it had become a habit.
Where am I? Hmm. Try and guess.
Just as he was putting on his shoes to leave the house, the other man played a prank, oblivious to his mood. Jeon Mi-nam said, “I figured it out,” and unilaterally hung up the call. A mixture of emotions played across his face as he skipped the elevator and ran straight down the stairs. A bit of boredom, annoyance, and an overriding sense of anxiety, worry, and urgency. He grew nervous, fearing that if he were even a little late, the man might get caught up in another pointless fight.
“Haa, haa, haa….”
His breath came out ragged from the run. Wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, he looked around the establishment. Soon, a familiar silhouette sprawled across a table entered his field of vision. A pub employee was hovering around him, trying to wake the sleeping man.
He hurried over. Then, he gave the employee a gesture indicating it was okay. The employee, while genuinely glad that Jeon Mi-nam had appeared to collect the nuisance customer, was momentarily speechless, startled by his overwhelming presence.
“Uh, excuse me, but….”
“I came after being contacted directly by this person.”
To reassure the hesitating employee, Jeon Mi-nam called back using the recent call log. Immediately, the phone in the unconscious man’s hand rang.
“I will take him with me, so there is no need to worry.”
“Ah, yes. Then.”
“Thank you.”
Only after they bowed to each other did the employee return to the kitchen. Even then, he kept glancing back. Jeon Mi-nam was so used to such looks and reactions that he didn’t mind.
“Wake up.”
“…….”
“Mr. Baek.”
“Ah, someone keeps making noise. I can’t sleep.”
Baek Do-un, sprawled on the table, mumbled like he was talking in his sleep. He waved his hand in the air a few times as if telling him to go away, then eventually let it drop.
Jeon Mi-nam watched him with a troubled expression before first hoisting his upper body up. He considered carrying him on his back since the man kept sagging, but when Baek Do-un slid right into his embrace, he ended up lifting him up in his arms.
A massive man of suspicious identity and another man being carried by him. At this entirely unconventional sight, the people in the pub all stared at the two of them. Small but fierce whispering could be heard. Jeon Mi-nam regretted not bringing his sunglasses in his haste as he left the shop.
Holding Baek Do-un, he opened the back door. Then, he leaned deep to carefully place him on the rear seat. Baek Do-un groaned softly and shifted his body. Thinking he might be uncomfortable, Mi-nam watched him for a moment. After some grunting, Baek Do-un suddenly gave a silly smile. He even rubbed his cheek against the seat.
Jeon Mi-nam shook his head and closed the back door. As he sat in the driver’s seat and fastened his seatbelt, a sigh escaped him naturally.
“I’m departing.”
“…Hm? Who is it?”
Baek Do-un fluttered his eyelids. His pupils were so dilated that he likely couldn’t see anything properly.
“It is I, sir.”
“Mmm, the alcohol tasted especially good today… even the designated driver is my type.”
Unable to even recognize the person, he flirted childishly. After that, he kept prying, asking how old he was, what his name was, how much he worked out, and if he had time. When Jeon Mi-nam remained silent, he pouted and tried to go back to sleep.
Deep, languid breaths were exhaled repeatedly. Each time, the heavy scent of alcohol filled the car. He considered ventilating the car, but he abandoned the thought upon seeing Baek Do-un’s attire in the rearview mirror. He was wearing thin clothes, and two buttons were undone, exposing his chest. Since he was completely drunk, the night wind wouldn’t do him any good.
He drove quickly along the empty road and arrived at Baek Do-un’s apartment. After parking smoothly, he got out of the car. He opened the back door and woke the completely limp Baek Do-un.
“Sir. We have arrived home. Sir?”
“…No, I don’t want to. I’ll just sleep here.”
Baek Do-un kept shaking his head, showing no intention of getting up. Left with no choice, Mi-nam pulled him up and carried him on his back. Baek Do-un’s body draped helplessly over Jeon Mi-nam’s back. Consequently, his head rested on Mi-nam’s broad shoulder, and their ears brushed and pressed against each other. Despite it being an unavoidable physical contact, Jeon Mi-nam flinched and stiffened. He instinctively supported the man’s buttocks, but at the sound of a soft “mm,” he startled and moved his hand to the thigh. Oblivious to this, Baek Do-un tightly hugged Jeon Mi-nam’s neck in his sleep, repeatedly rubbing his head against his neck and shoulder. The hot breath hitting his nape repeatedly was distressing.
With a small sigh, he entered the elevator. Being in such close proximity in a confined space made him conscious of Baek Do-un, even though he tried not to be. The short time it took to reach the front door felt longer than ever before.
“Sir, I need the key now.”
“…….”
Even after waiting for a long time, there was no response from Baek Do-un.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Having no other choice, he reached back and rummaged through Baek Do-un’s pockets. However, he could only feel the phone and wallet; he couldn’t find anything that seemed to be a key.
Wondering if fingerprint recognition would work, he grabbed Baek Do-un’s hand and pulled. Just as he was about to touch the door lock, he stared blankly at the hand, which was thinner and whiter than he expected. The hand, with its closely trimmed nails, was clean and neat without a single scar. Suddenly, he remembered the first time he met him, seeing that hand wielding a scalpel and suturing wounds. Even then, perhaps because of the fluid movements, or perhaps because a man’s hand was so fair and pretty, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off it for a long time.
“…Ugh, cold.”
Baek Do-un suddenly curled up and groaned softly. Only then did he snap back to his senses. He wondered what on earth he had been thinking about. He finished pulling Baek Do-un’s hand to the door lock for fingerprint recognition. Fortunately, the lock opened immediately. Just as he was about to let go of the hand, Baek Do-un’s fingers subtly entwined between Jeon Mi-nam’s.
“…Sir?”
“Warm.”
The voice mumbling in sleep wrapped languidly around his ear. He gently disentangled their fingers. At that, a disappointed sigh escaped Baek Do-un.
As he opened the front door, a small creature that sensed a presence came scurrying over. It was the rabbit that Baek Do-un had brought from Ju-wan to raise.
“Hello.”
Jeon Mi-nam greeted the creature, which was tilting its head while staring up at him. It was a greeting he would never have dared to utter if Baek Do-un were conscious, or if there had been anyone else watching.
The rabbit ran ahead as if guiding the two inside. Jeon Mi-nam turned on the lights, being careful not to step on the little thing. Then, a sight far more disastrous than he had imagined filled his vision. Clothes scattered all over the sofa, empty bottles rolling here and there, and rabbit droppings sprinkled everywhere without exception.
With a deep sigh, he laid the still-unconscious Baek Do-un on the sofa. He took off his own jacket and covered the man’s body with it.
“Please endure the cold.”
He went straight to the veranda and opened the window wide. As the freezing air rushed in, the stale air that had pooled in the house began to ventilate quickly. Then, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and began cleaning in earnest. Starting with the clothes scattered around the sofa, he sorted them into things that needed washing and things that were already clean. He swept up all the laundry and threw it into the washing machine.
The rabbit twitched its nose and stared intently at the busy Jeon Mi-nam. Fearing the creature might get swept away, he knelt on one knee, picked up the animal—which was smaller than his hand—and placed it beside Baek Do-un. He also pulled out the food bowl that had been pushed deep under the sofa and gave it an appropriate amount of feed. While he was at it, he properly closed the feed bag that had been torn incorrectly from the start. The rabbit buried its head in the bowl and diligently filled its belly.
He went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The nearly empty fridge contained only alcohol and bottled water. There were also leftover delivery foods stored in their containers. He took them all out and dumped them into the food waste bin. He washed the containers clean along with the cups in the sink.
Having finished the kitchen work, he returned to the living room and filled the rabbit’s water dispenser with lukewarm water. He brought the creature, which had already emptied its food bowl, over to drink its fill of water.
He hadn’t looked inside the rooms yet, but he could imagine what state they were in without even looking. Baek Do-un had said he had lived alone ever since he became an adult. It had already been about 15 years. Yet, he didn’t seem accustomed to living alone.
From the time Jeon Mi-nam started his life in the organization, the existing employees had often called Baek Do-un ‘Young Master.’ He had simply assumed they used the title because he was the son of the previous President. However, observing Baek Do-un from the side, he lacked independence and self-reliance, just like the ‘Young Master’ of stereotypes. It seemed he had become accustomed to a life where someone took care of him and looked after him since childhood.
The more he saw him, the more he seemed like a flower in a pot. In many different senses.
“…Mmm.”
Groaning from intense thirst, he struggled to lift his eyelids. A familiar landscape slowly filled his blurred vision. The presence of the rabbit, running around and kicking the floor, reached his ears. His olfactory cells, the last to wake up, recognized the smell of savory food. Only then did a clear question arise in his empty mind. When and how did he get back?
He pushed himself up, feeling dazed. He clutched his head as a splitting headache rushed in as if it had been waiting. It wasn’t just his head that hurt. His entire stiff body felt as if it were screaming.
“What happened?”
His voice was terribly cracked. He remembered drinking happily alone at his favorite pub, but everything after that was a blank. He traced back his hazy memories for a while. Then, he spotted Jeon Mi-nam sitting on a single-person sofa and immediately grasped the entire situation.
Jeon Mi-nam was dozing off with his arms tightly crossed. It was obvious he would open his eyes at the slightest touch or sign of presence.
He could clearly picture the man coming to the pub reluctantly. If it were so bothersome and annoying, he could have just ignored the call in the first place, but this diligent man simply could not refuse someone asking for help. Even if that help came at the cost of his own damage and sacrifice. That was his charm. The way he was more diligent, meticulous, and steadfast than necessary. If he ever got a lover, that part would be a complete disadvantage for that lover, though.
“…Ah, oh dear.”
Before long, Jeon Mi-nam woke from his light sleep, startled. Like people who leave a pot on the stove, he reflexively half-rose from his seat. He was about to head to the kitchen, but he soon noticed Baek Do-un’s gaze and looked back. He locked eyes with Baek Do-un, who was, without fail, beaming.
Surprised for a moment that Baek Do-un had woken up first, Jeon Mi-nam hurried into the kitchen. Then, he took the bubbling pot off the heat.
Baek Do-un loosened his body with some light stretching and stood up. The rabbit, which had been running here and there, rushed toward him. He picked up the rabbit, which looked as if it would bury its head in his foot if left alone. Then, he rubbed the tip of his nose against its soft fur. The rabbit also twitched its nose, expressing affection. Roughly smoothing down his hair, which had become messy overnight, he headed to the kitchen.
A neat breakfast was prepared on the dining table. He pulled out an outer chair and leaned back in it. Then, while gently stroking the rabbit that kept sniffing, he murmured.
“You’re like a secret house-wife, Mi-nam.”
“I didn’t volunteer for this.”
He responded while placing a steaming bowl of hangover soup in front of him. He had no persuasive power. Baek Do-un chuckled and picked up his spoon. He took a spoonful of the soup, blew on it to cool it down, and carefully put it in his mouth. The warm, savory broth gently swept down his esophagus and stomach, which had been irritated by alcohol. It felt as if his nauseous stomach was washed clean in one go. Baek Do-un shuddered slightly—perhaps a bit exaggeratedly—and gave a thumbs-up without hesitation.
“Amazing. Truly amazing. How are you such a good cook? Did you learn it somewhere?”
“Excessive drinking is bad for your health.”
“I heard you were practically the breadwinner for your family; is that why you’re so good at cooking?”
“Even if you drink, please do not get blackout drunk when you are alone. You never know what might happen.”
“Why don’t you just quit your current job and open a restaurant? I’ll be the CEO, and you can be the chef, Mi-nam.”
“It seems your excessive drinking has become more frequent lately. Is there a reason for that?”
“Or do you really not want to marry me?”
“Sir.”
Jeon Mi-nam was not swayed by Baek Do-un’s tactics. He simply held him firmly and politely as the man tried to escape by ignoring his advice. Only then did Baek Do-un stop talking nonsense and pout.
“What reason could there be? It’s because I’m lonely. Because I don’t have a lover.”
He gave a frivolous excuse. He even grinned, saying it would be fine if someone would just be his lover. He was trying to brush it off so casually. A sigh escaped Jeon Mi-nam instinctively.
Regardless, Baek Do-un put some dried radish strips in his mouth and chewed them crunchily. Every time his lips moved, the small mole just below them moved along. For some reason, Mi-nam’s gaze lingered on that small mole.
Baek Do-un continued his meal, humming a tune. Jeon Mi-nam stood opposite him with his arms crossed, looking down at him endlessly.
“Do you want to kiss me?”
Baek Do-un asked out of the blue. He suddenly looked up and met his eyes. Jeon Mi-nam did not waver.
“Of course not.”
“You were staring so intently that I thought so. Since we’re on the subject, do you want to kiss?”
“I’ll pass.”
When he rejected him flatly, Baek Do-un let out a small, deflating laugh. He had been subjected to such jokes or provocations so often that he was no longer flustered.
Baek Do-un quickly finished the meal Jeon Mi-nam had prepared. He ate well when served, but he never tried to take care of himself. He was the type of person who would spend his whole life employing others.
“The more I see you, the more it’s a shame… do you really not want to marry me?”
Even his thanks for the meal were absurdly in his own style.
“Please stop with those jokes.”
Jeon Mi-nam drew a line as he gathered the empty dishes and took them to the sink. Then, contrary to his blunt attitude, he placed a glass of barley tea he had boiled and cooled himself in front of Baek Do-un. Baek Do-un readily quenched his thirst and held out the empty cup.
However, when Jeon Mi-nam actually took the cup, he didn’t let go easily and held on.
“Too bad. I’ve never been joking.”
The smile gradually faded from Baek Do-un’s face. In contrast, Jeon Mi-nam’s face, which had been consistently expressionless, was clouded with deep bewilderment.
* * *
At twenty, he killed a person for the first time. He didn’t feel a shred of guilt. He had decided to become a beast himself to face the beasts who had abandoned their humanity.
‘The court cannot fathom the immense shock and pain suffered by the defendant and the defendant’s family, who lost a beloved sister and granddaughter due to this act. However, the investigation by the authorities into the case has not been concluded, and it cannot be confirmed that the victims were the actual perpetrators of that crime. Even if the victims were the perpetrators, the criminal law of the Republic of Korea does not tolerate private revenge, and retaliating violence with violence can never be justified under any circumstances. Furthermore, at the time of the incident, the victims were heavily intoxicated and unable to properly resist the defendant, who is a sports specialist; the court judges that the defendant was fully aware that his violence could lead to the victims’ deaths. Accordingly, this court sentences the defendant, Jeon Mi-nam, to five years in prison.’
At that time, he believed there was no such thing as justice in the world.
He first met Kwon Su-hyeok in prison. It was during the period when Kwon Su-hyeok had been incarcerated after taking the fall for his enemy’s crime.
Back then, Kwon Su-hyeok had a quite different impression than he did now. While he didn’t have a particularly bright personality, there was vitality in his eyes, and he harbored a small hope of getting out soon to live with his younger sibling.
Neither of them spoke much. That made it easier for them to grow close. The commonality of prioritizing family over themselves also played a large role in narrowing the distance between them. As someone who cherished his younger sibling, Kwon Su-hyeok might have found the young Jeon Mi-nam particularly poignant.
Kwon Su-hyeok, who always looked after Jeon Mi-nam, eased his worries even when he was released first.
‘Don’t worry. I’ll drop by and check on your grandmother every now and then.’
However, the promise to visit often was not kept. And he could find no news of Kwon Su-hyeok anywhere.
After serving his full sentence, his only family, his grandmother, passed away. Jeon Mi-nam guarded the funeral parlor all alone. In the late dawn, at a funeral where no one was expected to come, Kwon Su-hyeok appeared. His impression had completely changed over the few years. It was enough to make one wonder if he was the same person. The light in his eyes had completely died out.
With Kwon Su-hyeok’s appearance, wreaths lined the empty funeral parlor, and his organization members helped with all the funeral procedures. Kwon Su-hyeok also stayed until the very end without leaving. For Jeon Mi-nam, who had nowhere to lean on, it was a great source of strength.
Throughout their time in prison, Kwon Su-hyeok had drawn a line, telling him not to take any interest in the work he did. The reason was that it didn’t suit Jeon Mi-nam’s nature.
But on the way back after the burial, for the first time, he asked Jeon Mi-nam if he wanted to come with him. Without long deliberation, he took his hand.
After succeeding Baekmu Corporation, the first thing Kwon Su-hyeok did was find and eliminate his enemy. Jeon Mi-nam saw with his own eyes then how cruel a wounded beast could become. Unaware of his own injuries, Kwon Su-hyeok was obsessed with thoroughly crushing the opponent. Knowing that feeling better than anyone, he couldn’t hastily stop him. No, he chose not to.
When everything was finished, Kwon Su-hyeok’s shoulders heaved as he took deep, heavy breaths. It seemed as if the strength had left him after completing the revenge he had long plotted. He looked exhausted, and perhaps empty. Every time he struggled to inhale and exhale, red blood spurted from various parts of his body. Kwon Su-hyeok didn’t even attempt to stop the bleeding.
As if accustomed to such situations, other subordinates hurried to bring a doctor. That was Baek Do-un. Perhaps having been dragged away during his shift, Baek Do-un was dressed no differently from any other intern. A name tag was still hanging on his gown. He approached, dragging his slippers with a dissatisfied expression. For some reason, that sight entered his eyes like slow motion.
‘Crazy bastard.’
With a pretty face, Baek Do-un blurted out a curse immediately, without any sign of surprise or agitation. That was why Jeon Mi-nam found himself staring blankly at Baek Do-un.
Even after that, while examining Kwon Su-hyeok’s wounds, Baek Do-un continued to pour out nagging that bordered on swearing. Kwon Su-hyeok remained consistent in ignoring him, as if the reprimands were unheard. Jeon Mi-nam was the only one surprised by this. The other organization members seemed to take the informal relationship between the two for granted.
‘You, what’s your name?’
‘Pardon? Me?’
He ended up asking back stupidly at the sudden question. It was simply not a situation for introductions. Baek Do-un, who had been silently wrapping a compression bandage, stopped his hands and looked back at Jeon Mi-nam. Then, mimicking his tone sarcastically, he pressed for an answer.
‘Yes. You.’
‘I’m… Mi-nam Jeon.’
‘I can tell you’re a “Mi-nam” (handsome) just by looking at you.’
‘I’m sorry, but that is my real name.’
‘Is that so? No need to be sorry; your parents must have had quite a bit of foresight. Anyway, Mr. Jeon Mi-nam.’
‘Yes.’
‘If this bastard keeps acting like this, he’ll be dead before long.’
‘Pardon? What does that…’
‘His blood isn’t something that can be easily obtained anywhere. It’s such a rare blood type that if an emergency surgery came up, they’d have to put out a nationwide search, but he’s not in a position to proudly do that, is he? So, make sure he doesn’t go crazy like today; act as a brake for him. I think you wouldn’t be pushed around in terms of strength.’
‘Then I will take it all.’
‘Take what?’
‘From now on, I will take all harm directed at the President in his stead.’
Jeon Mi-nam vowed with utmost seriousness. Baek Do-un clicked his tongue with an absurd expression. Then, he suddenly reached out, grabbed Jeon Mi-nam’s face, and pulled him close.
‘You’re incredibly persuasive looking like this, aren’t you?’
Baek Do-un scolded him while staring intently into Jeon Mi-nam’s flustered face. Soon, he gently rubbed the wounds on his forehead and under his eyes with a cotton ball soaked in medicine. Because they were so close, he reflexively held his breath. He deliberately turned his gaze away. Even so, he couldn’t ignore the pleasant scent that pierced through the metallic smell of blood and the scent of disinfectant.
‘You endure it well. How cute.’
Having finished the treatment, Baek Do-un grinned. It was a smile so gentle that one might mistake it for affection. He felt as if he had been staring blankly at him for a while.
He drove Baek Do-un back to the hospital himself and watched him go inside. As he ran hurriedly, the hem of Baek Do-un’s gown fluttered. It was almost as if an angel in white was flapping its wings.
* * *
Driven by the loud sound of the doorbell, he finished his shower and came out. Checking the intercom, he saw the top of someone’s head wearing a hood.
“Who is it?”
When he pressed the response button and asked, the man outside lifted his head. It was Baek Do-un. Without answering the question, he abruptly thrust the rabbit in his arms in front of the intercom camera. For some reason, the rabbit was wet and shivering, leaving him with no choice but to open the door.
“Were you sleeping? Why did it take so long to open the door?”
Baek Do-un grumbled as he entered as if it were his own home. He acted as if they had a prior appointment. Now that he looked, not only the rabbit but he too was soaking wet. It seemed he had been caught in the rain. Jeon Mi-nam looked with questioning eyes at Baek Do-un, who habitually took the rabbit out of his arms and handed it over.
“What brings you here?”
“I’m hurt. Shouldn’t you have asked why I’m so wet first?”
“…….”
“I just stepped out for a moment to buy Todori’s feed, and suddenly it started pouring. I thought I’d stop by to avoid the rain.”
Baek Do-un went and sat on the sofa nonchalantly. Jeon Mi-nam immediately brought a dry towel and a shower towel from the bathroom and handed them to him. He personally and thoroughly dried the rabbit’s wet body.
“Somehow, Todori has a better life than I do.”
Baek Do-un muttered dissatisfiedly, shaking out his wet hair. Jeon Mi-nam only took tender care of the rabbit, as if he couldn’t hear the complaints.
“What happened to your car?”
“I decided to take a leisurely walk since it’s been a while.”
“All the way here, you mean?”
“How far is it really? It’s just a short distance.”
“…….”
Unless he had specifically sought out a store near Jeon Mi-nam’s house, it would have been much better for Baek Do-un to return to his own home even if he encountered unexpected rain.
However, Jeon Mi-nam didn’t bring it up. There was no way Baek Do-un didn’t know that, and it was obvious that pointing it out would only create a strange atmosphere.
Having removed the moisture from his hair, Baek Do-un suddenly whipped off his wet t-shirt. When he proceeded to lower his pants, Jeon Mi-nam hurriedly stopped him.
“What are you doing?”
“If I wear wet clothes for too long, I’ll catch a cold.”
He was momentarily speechless at the confident and nonchalant attitude. Soon, Jeon Mi-nam took Baek Do-un by the wrist, saying, “Please come this way,” and led him to the bedroom, which was attached to a bathroom and a dressing room.
“This is my first time entering Mi-nam’s bedroom.”
Baek Do-un chuckled, leisurely looking around the bedroom. He even flopped down on the well-made bed. Jeon Mi-nam left him there alone and stepped outside, closing the door.
“Please wash up and pick anything to wear from there.”
“Wow, how can you be like this? This is an opportunity given by heaven, and you’re just going to throw it away?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What do you mean you don’t know, you perfectly healthy man? Do I really have to shove my tongue into that mouth?”
“…Please change slowly and come out.”
Jeon Mi-nam cut the conversation there and turned away. Then he brought a hairdryer and dried the rabbit’s fur to make it even fluffier.
Before long, the rabbit’s fur revived strand by strand, beginning to look like a single sphere. Around then, he became concerned about the state of the quiet bedroom. Whether he had finished showering, whether he had found the right clothes to wear, or if he had perhaps fallen asleep.
After worrying about the situation inside the bedroom, he shook his head. He immediately stood up and entered the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator to check what was inside. Just then, a bag of fish cakes he had bought yesterday caught his eye.
He took out the fish cakes and sliced them into appropriate sizes, and prepared the radish and green onions. He put anchovies, kelp, and dried shrimp into a small pot full of water to brew the broth. When the broth was sufficiently brewed, he skimmed off the solids and foam, added the fish cakes, and brought it to a rolling boil once more.
Meanwhile, the quiet bedroom door opened. The scent of a refreshing shower gel mingled in the air. He could hear Baek Do-un, who had come out, chatting softly to the rabbit. Jeon Mi-nam deliberately did not look back.
“Please sit. I’ve prepared something warm.”
Only after the fish cake soup was finished did he call Baek Do-un. He heard the sound of Baek Do-un walking ploddingly toward the kitchen. Jeon Mi-nam turned around with the pot, trying to maintain a composed expression.
However, he soon froze in place. It was because Baek Do-un had gone out of his way to find and wear one of Jeon Mi-nam’s shirts. His bare legs were clearly exposed beneath the shirt, which hung long like a dress. Because the fit was so oversized, light passed through the sides, vividly revealing the silhouette of his body.
Eventually, as soon as their eyes met, Baek Do-un even lifted the hem of the shirt to show him.
“I borrowed a pair of underwear too.”
“…….”
“Ah, it smells delicious.”
In that state, he nonchalantly pulled out a chair and sat down. Normally, one does not borrow someone else’s underwear, especially tight-fitting drawers rather than boxers. He couldn’t tell if the man was simply oblivious or trying to play a prank.
Jeon Mi-nam let out a deep sigh and approached the dining table. Then he ladled an appropriate amount of fish cake soup into a bowl and placed it in front of Baek Do-un. Baek Do-un blew hard on the soup to cool it down. His red lips curled into a circle and opened slightly as he took the spoon. Between the parted lips, neat teeth and moist membranes were visible. He hurriedly averted his gaze.
“Mmm, it’s refreshing.”
“I made a lot, so please take your time and eat as much as you want.”
“The broth is so good it makes me crave alcohol… Can I have a drink with this and sleep over here?”
“That is not allowed.”
“Aw, don’t be so stingy. I’m just worried I’ll get wet again if I go outside. I’ll sleep on the sofa. Please?”
“No. Once you’ve finished eating, I will drive you home.”
Jeon Mi-nam then left the kitchen, saying, “Please call me if you need anything.” For some reason, Baek Do-un didn’t complain as usual. He simply stuffed his cheeks full of fish cakes and chewed slowly.
Just as he was trying to withdraw his gaze even from Baek Do-un’s back, Baek Do-un muttered in a slightly frustrated voice.
“If you keep playing hard to get, I’m just going to devour you.”
* * *
Jeon Mi-nam’s car continued to circle around Baek Do-un’s apartment. The reason he didn’t go to the house was that he had no clear purpose. From outside, he carefully counted the floors and unit numbers to check if the lights in the window were on. All the windows were dark. Even though it was quite late, had he not returned home yet?
For a while, Baek Do-un did not appear before Jeon Mi-nam. It was the same at Kwon Su-hyeok’s house. He was told that Baek Do-un had asked for understanding in advance, saying he wouldn’t be able to visit for a while because he had become busy with work. He should have just understood it as it was. Yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off the dark window.
“…….”
After much deliberation, he got out of the car. He intended to just take a quick look from the outside and leave, but he felt he would be uneasy all night if he did. Since the man lived alone and didn’t take good care of himself, it was natural to be worried.
Rationalizing this, he tried the intercom at the entrance. For a long time, only the characteristic ringing sound echoed, but there was no response. He had no choice but to take the master key out of his pocket. It was something Baek Do-un had left behind when he visited his house last time. He had thought about returning it when they met, but there hadn’t been a proper opportunity since. He touched the key and entered the entrance. As a habit, he looked at the mailbox, which was stuffed with mail. He carefully gathered them and stepped into the elevator.
Even upon reaching the front door of Baek Do-un’s home, Jeon Mi-nam steadfastly pressed the doorbell. The bell rang repeatedly, but there was no sign of presence inside. He took out the key again and opened the door lock.
“Doctor.”
He deliberately called out to Baek Do-un as he opened the door and entered. There was still no answer from inside. However, he heard the sound of something small running toward him from the interior. Jeon Mi-nam closed the door and picked up the rabbit that had come to greet him at the entrance. Fortunately, the little guy looked quite healthy, as if he had been eating well. He walked inside while stroking the rabbit’s long ears and face, the little creature sniffing with its tiny nose.
He felt along the wall and turned on the living room lights first. A scene he had clearly expected greeted him. Magazines and clothes scattered haphazardly, pellets of feed and rabbit droppings rolling around the floor, and half-drunk bottles of water and various liquor bottles left abandoned. A sigh escaped him automatically.
Jeon Mi-nam carefully placed the rabbit on the sofa and searched for Baek Do-un, moving through the house. Whether it was a misfortune or a relief, he was nowhere to be found. His worry that the man might be suffering alone turned out to be unfounded.
As usual, he rolled up his sleeves and began cleaning the house with familiarity. It wasn’t as if he had always been in charge of housework. After joining Baekmu Corporation, his main duty was assisting Kwon Su-hyeok. Then, as Kwon Su-hyeok brought Jaguar into the house, he naturally spent more time at the house than in the office. This was purely because he was the most reliable among Kwon Su-hyeok’s subordinates and the most capable of housework. Though he was somewhat clumsy, his experience was high because he had looked after his seventy-year-old grandmother and his disabled sister.
First, he opened every window he could find and ventilated the place. Then, he cleared away the most obvious items first and gathered the laundry to run the washing machine. While the laundry was running, he vacuumed the living room and every single room without exception. Next, he put the washed clothes in the dryer, went to the kitchen, and washed the cups. While he was at it, he placed the frequently used dishes and cups in the dishwasher and sterilized them. He also neatly tidied the bathroom, which bore clear signs of use, and the blankets on the bed.
He opened the half-open closet and neatly pushed in the protruding clothes. He picked up a shirt that had fallen on the floor and hung it properly with the other clothes. Then, his hand suddenly stopped. It was right after he discovered a heavily wrinkled white gown inside the closet.
Staring blankly at the gown, Jeon Mi-nam picked it up and brought it to the living room. He also brought a standing ironing board and an iron from the dressing room and began to smooth out the wrinkles of the gown. Since he ironed his own shirts at least once a day, his touch was confident. Even though it was certain to wrinkle once worn, he poured his sincerity into it, even as sweat beaded on his forehead.
That was when it happened. A sudden presence was detected outside the front door. Then, the lock clicked open, and the sound of Baek Do-un’s squelching footsteps echoed in.
“…Hm?”
A voice expressed curiosity upon discovering Jeon Mi-nam’s shoes in the entryway. Without hesitation, the rabbit dashed toward the door.
“Todori, have you been playing well?”
Perhaps thanks to the rabbit, Baek Do-un’s gait became noticeably lighter. He picked up speed and strode inside.
“You’re finally here.”
Jeon Mi-nam, who had just finished ironing, turned around and greeted him. Baek Do-un stared at him blankly for a moment before breaking into a silly grin.
“My secret helper is here again.”
“Park Ju-wan said he hadn’t seen you in a while…”
“Ah, did Ju-wan come by because he was worried about me?”
“Yes.”
“Only Ju-wan?”
“…It seems you’ve been busy lately.”
“Was I? Did that make you feel neglected?”
“I don’t know what you mean…”
“Weren’t you secretly upset that I haven’t contacted you or visited like I used to? Or maybe you were curious about me.”
“That’s impossible.”
“You have no cute side at all.”
Baek Do-un muttered with a dissatisfied expression. Then, for a while, he said nothing and simply stroked the rabbit. Jeon Mi-nam stepped in to smooth over the rapidly awkward atmosphere.
“It’s late today, and since I’ve seen that you’ve returned, I’ll just tidy this up for you and then leave.”
He took the well-ironed gown and entered the bedroom. He hung it on an empty hanger and placed it carefully in the closet so it wouldn’t wrinkle.
As he closed the closet door and turned around, Baek Do-un was suddenly standing behind him.
“Sir, why…”
As he looked on in confusion, Baek Do-un pulled something out of his pocket. It was an unopened syringe and an unidentified medication. With fluid movements, Baek Do-un tore open the packaging and said, “Roll up your sleeve.”
“What?”
“You always work so hard for me without taking any money, so I thought I should do something for you. I’m sure you’d refuse anything else, so I’ll just give you a nutritional supplement.”
“No. It’s fine.”
“Why? Do you want me to put on the gown first before I give it to you?”
Baek Do-un gave a meaningful smile to the still-reluctant Jeon Mi-nam. Under his watchful gaze, he pulled the piston to fill the cylinder with the medication. He tapped the syringe with his fingertip and pressed the piston slightly to remove the air.
To Jeon Mi-nam, who had been watching stupidly, he said, “Hurry up.” When he still hesitated, Baek Do-un stepped closer and pulled up his sleeve himself.
“I’ll do it.”
Startled by the sudden contact as if burned by fire, Jeon Mi-nam yanked his arm away. Then, reluctantly, he rolled up his shirt sleeve all the way to his shoulder.
Baek Do-un wiped Jeon Mi-nam’s skin with an alcohol swab and gripped his arm lightly. By then, Jeon Mi-nam’s gaze was fixed not on the needle, but on Baek Do-un’s white fingertips.
“Just a little sting.”
Whispering softly as if soothing a child, he inserted the needle. He could feel the medication surging into his body.
“You’re such a good boy, taking the injection so well.”
Baek Do-un’s breezy voice echoed lingeringly in his ear. Then, his head spun, and he suddenly began to feel hazy. He shook his head as if trying to shake off the strange sensation. It was useless. The strength suddenly drained from his body.
Thinking it was strange, he looked at Baek Do-un, who was smiling brightly.
“I warned you. If you keep playing hard to get, I’ll eat you up.”
With those final words from Baek Do-un, he lost consciousness.
“…Ugh.”
He opened his eyes with a small groan, his head throbbing with a splitting pain. His vision wavered, and he couldn’t see anything. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. When he opened his eyelids again, his vision gradually recovered. At first, he thought it was just blurry, but what filled his sight was indeed a white ceiling. The feel of the mattress against his back was firm yet cozy. Jeon Mi-nam was lying on a bed.
He retraced his thoughts to figure out what had happened. His memory cut off immediately after receiving the nutritional supplement from Baek Do-un. Had he fainted? Or was that medication not a nutritional supplement?
“Are you awake now?”
Startled by the sudden sound of Baek Do-un’s voice, he tried to get up. However, his body would not move as intended. He looked upward with a puzzled expression. Sure enough, both of his arms were tied to the bedposts. He strained to pull his wrists free, but the bandages only tightened further.
He hurriedly shifted his gaze downward. Soon, Baek Do-un entered his field of vision. He was naked, wearing only the white gown that Jeon Mi-nam had painstakingly ironed. Whether it was a relief or not, he was still wearing briefs.
“…Sir?”
Baek Do-un’s white knee rested on the bed. That alone made Jeon Mi-nam’s Adam’s apple bob subtly. Baek Do-un slowly approached on his knees from below. His two hands traced their way up from Jeon Mi-nam’s ankles to his knees and then his thighs. He flinched and trembled his legs at the ticklish touch, but for some reason, even that was not easy. When he lifted his head to check, his ankles were tied to the lower bedposts, just like his arms.
Before he had time to panic, Baek Do-un’s knee pressed firmly between his spread thighs. As pressure was applied to his groin, Jeon Mi-nam’s knees twitched instinctively. Baek Do-un pressed down on Jeon Mi-nam’s shoulders and observed his tense face. For some reason, he felt an unbearable sensation.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to have a taste.”
“If this is a joke, please stop.”
“Well, I told you it’s not a joke, but you still say that.”
“I honestly don’t know why you’re doing this to me.”
“You don’t know?”
Baek Do-un looked incredulous. Then, drooping his eyebrows, he said, “I guess I have no choice.”
“What does that…”
Jeon Mi-nam’s words were cut short. It was because Baek Do-un suddenly grabbed his face and pressed their lips together. Jeon Mi-nam froze with his eyes wide open. Soft lips pressed gently against his tightly closed ones. Then, a lukewarm tip of a tongue lightly licked his lips. Baek Do-un’s scent, now much closer, heavily stained his sense of smell. Soft hair repeatedly touched his forehead, making it tickle.
After receiving Baek Do-un’s kiss blankly, Jeon Mi-nam clung to his thin shred of reason and jerked his head away. Baek Do-un turned his face back and sucked lightly on his lips. He repeatedly teased the tightly locked lips with the tip of his tongue, as if trying to enter.
When Jeon Mi-nam clenched his teeth and stubbornly resisted, Baek Do-un pinched his nose. Soon, feeling a lack of oxygen, Jeon Mi-nam opened his mouth. Taking advantage of that gap, Baek Do-un pushed his tongue deep into Jeon Mi-nam’s mouth.
Baek Do-un’s tongue began to tangle wildly with Jeon Mi-nam’s thick tongue. He gently pushed up under Jeon Mi-nam’s tongue with the tip of his own, then captured it and sucked on it. At the exotic stimulation, Jeon Mi-nam’s tongue went completely stiff before gradually writhing slowly as if in a fever. Baek Do-un tilted his head to overlap his tongue on top of the other, rubbing it thoroughly. Every kind of stimulation poured down like a waterfall. Jeon Mi-nam’s tongue, which had been lost, slowly melted away.
“Mmph… haa.”
As Baek Do-un pulled away with a popping sound, the breath Jeon Mi-nam had been holding burst out in a mess. Along with it, his thick chest and abdomen, upon which Baek Do-un was sitting, heaved heavily. Baek Do-un licked his saliva-drenched lips with satisfaction and muttered.
“You were acting like a virgin, so I wondered, but I guess it’s true?”
“Haa… please stop now.”
“Stop what? We’re just starting. If you’re that confused, just think of it as a one-night dream. That you just had a proper wet dream.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“How do you know without trying? If it’s uncomfortable because I’m a man, should I blindfold you too?”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Then what is it?”
Asking half-heartedly, he began to undo Jeon Mi-nam’s shirt buttons one by one. He repeatedly kissed the thick Adam’s apple and collarbones as they were revealed.
“It is not right to mix bodies with someone for whom I have no feelings.”
At those words, Baek Do-un paused for a moment. But soon, he let out a short, airy laugh.
“What is this, some Confucian scholar from the Joseon era? You have to check the sexual chemistry first to decide whether to keep seeing someone or not.”
“I don’t engage in such light and irresponsible encounters…”
“Do you hate me?”
Baek Do-un straightened his back and looked down at Jeon Mi-nam. The mischievous expression had vanished from his face. With a fairly serious gaze, staring at Jeon Mi-nam as if he were slightly wronged, he waited for his answer. Would it be too arbitrary an interpretation to say he looked somewhat anxious? Jeon Mi-nam was dumbfounded.
“Pardon?”
“If you really say you hate me, I’ll stop.”
Baek Do-un even raised both hands in the air. Even in his suddenly indifferent expression, not a trace of lingering attachment could be seen.
Hate Baek Do-un? That was impossible. Because he was a man—for that reason alone—he had simply never deeply thought about or defined whether his long-standing feelings were admiration, respect, or something else. In his childhood, he knew nothing but sports and family, and after becoming an adult, his sister’s situation became a trauma, preventing him from dating women impulsively. Because of that, he didn’t know how much his affection for Baek Do-un resembled romantic feelings. Baek Do-un was a person from a completely different world, so he hadn’t dared to compare the two.
“…No, it’s not that.”
At the hesitant answer, a bright smile spread across Baek Do-un’s lips like a miracle.
“Then that’s fine. Why think so hard about it? Let’s just enjoy what we can enjoy and then forget it all. It seems we’re both in a hurry.”
Baek Do-un moved his hand down and stroked Jeon Mi-nam’s groin deeply. With just that much contact, his penis, which had become erect during the kiss, throbbed with a tingling sensation. Jeon Mi-nam squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth. While kissing his tense jaw, Baek Do-un yanked the shirt open to both sides. The remaining buttons popped off, leaving his front completely exposed.
“Wow, what a great body.”
Baek Do-un admired softly and slid his hand inside the shirt. As the cool fingertips touched his bare skin, Jeon Mi-nam’s abdomen instinctively twitched. Baek Do-un chuckled and slowly stroked the protruding Adam’s apple, the thick and straight collarbones, and the bulging chest muscles. Then, he suddenly gripped the thick chest fully in his hand, kneading it while lowering his head to take the bulging inner arm deep into his mouth.
“Ugh… please stop.”
“But it looks like it’s about to burst down there. Stop saying things you don’t mean.”
He scolded him, kissing Jeon Mi-nam’s lips again. Then, he pressed his lips in spots along his thick neck. Jeon Mi-nam clenched his fists and swallowed his groans.
Looking up at Jeon Mi-nam, Baek Do-un stuck out his tongue and nibbled at the hollow between the collarbones. For a moment, it felt as if Jeon Mi-nam’s body were swelling. With a smirk, he licked a long path down the cleavage to the abdomen. Occasionally, he tightened his lips and sucked on the skin. He could feel the muscles beneath his lips bulging. Even Jeon Mi-nam, who had been enduring it by clenching his teeth, finally let a groan leak out.
“Ugh, ah… stop…”
Ignoring him, he bit down on each abdominal muscle as if to eat them, eventually pushing the tip of his tongue into the navel. Jeon Mi-nam tilted his head back and gasped for air. Along with it, his member, which had been touching his neck, twitched massively.
“You really want me to stop?”
Baek Do-un chuckled as if teasing him. While subtly pressing his penis with his chin, he gently stroked the thick hair growing from the lower abdomen downward. In anticipation, Jeon Mi-nam’s abs heaved even more violently.
“Sir, please! If you do more, I’ll get angry!”
Unable to take it anymore, Jeon Mi-nam shouted. With his eyes, ears, and neck all flushed bright red, he didn’t even look funny.
“Please, me too. Just once. Hmm?”
He whined, repeatedly teasing the penis that was blatantly bulging through the drawers. Because of that angle, it was impossible to keep watching. He squeezed his eyes shut, turned his head, and clenched his teeth.
Only then, seemingly satisfied, Baek Do-un moved up, tracing the divided ridges of Jeon Mi-nam’s thighs. Soon, he discovered a clear scar on the thigh and stroked it repeatedly.
“What is a scar doing on such a perfect body? It makes the viewer sad.”
He muttered to himself, softly kissing the spot. The body that reacted honestly, flinching wherever he touched, felt simply cute.
He stood his index finger up and gently touched the protruding part of the drawers. At that, Jeon Mi-nam’s entire body tensed up. The penis inside the drawers throbbed noticeably. While looking clearly at Jeon Mi-nam’s flustered face, Baek Do-un gripped his penis through the drawers with one full hand. The flesh, emitting a hot heat, pressed densely into his palm. He smiled mischievously as he indirectly massaged the massive member that more than filled his hand.
“I think I’m going to feast properly today.”
“Ugh… isn’t this enough teasing?”
“Who’s teasing? I’m more sincere than ever. My mouth is watering; I can’t stand it.”
He pressed down on the penis he had been kneading as if to crush it, then slowly ran his tongue over the fabric of the drawers. As the soft tongue flattened against the flesh, Jeon Mi-nam’s thighs trembled violently in a fierce reaction.
Curling the corners of his mouth, Baek Do-un licked Jeon Mi-nam’s penis all the way to the tip. Then, he sucked on the area around the rock-hard glans through the underwear. Immediately, the area in contact with the tongue became damp.
“Hngh…”
A groan close to a sigh escaped Jeon Mi-nam out of shame. Baek Do-un looked up to admire his bright red face while gradually taking the penis into his mouth and moving downward. He played with one testicle with his whole tongue as if rolling a ball, then suddenly grabbed the edge of the drawers and yanked them down to the knees.
The bright red penis sprang out fiercely and stood erect. As the cold outside air hit it, the shaft twitched noticeably.
Baek Do-un swallowed hard, tilted his head, and took Jeon Mi-nam’s scrotum into his mouth again. He rolled his tongue over it as if it were a candy, occasionally sucking and pulling. Jeon Mi-nam’s waist jerked. The sound of teeth grinding echoed from his tightly shut jaw. This spot seemed to be quite sensitive.
“…Ugh, ah.”
He swept back up the shaft and sucked on the wet urethra. He stared down at the constantly twitching urethra before glancing up at Jeon Mi-nam. By now, Jeon Mi-nam was also looking down at Baek Do-un with a precarious gaze. His waist trembled thinly with primal anticipation.
Baek Do-un responded to that anticipation by lightly pulling the glans with his hand to open the urethra. Then, he rubbed the urethra, which was already beaded with pre-cum, deeply with the tip of his tongue.
“…Haa-ugh!”
A pleasure equal to pain surged through Jeon Mi-nam’s limbs. His tied arms strained until they turned white, and thick veins stood out on his twisted neck. The groan he had tried so hard to suppress, even holding his breath, came out heavily crushed.
Baek Do-un didn’t stop there, persistently digging in as if to enter the narrow urethra. Jeon Mi-nam’s massive body jolted as if struck by electricity. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and took the entire penis in. The thick member filled his mouth and eventually went down into his throat. For a moment, his stomach churned, and his eyes watered.
Barely swallowing the rising gag reflex, he moved his head slowly. His mouth and throat were so full that even breathing was difficult. As he licked with all his heart, tightening his lips, Jeon Mi-nam’s lower abdomen twitched and repeatedly pushed deeper into his mouth. Because of this, his uvula was hit and crushed, causing repeated bouts of nausea. Veins stood out on Baek Do-un’s forehead from the effort of enduring it.
As if soothing Jeon Mi-nam, he slowly stroked the abdomen that kept twitching. Then, he continued to suck on the member that felt alive, fueling it. Only when both sides of his jaw grew sore did he release the penis.
“Haa, do you like it?”
A long string of transparent mucus stretched between Baek Do-un’s lips and Jeon Mi-nam’s urethra. It was impossible to tell if it was saliva, bodily fluid, or both. The sight was simply too stimulating, so he bit his own lip. He clenched his tied fists even tighter.
“Hmm? Do you like it?”
Baek Do-un’s voice echoed unrealistically in his ear. He was so overheated that his head felt dizzy. No matter how much he breathed, he couldn’t catch his breath. His boiling limbs kept trying to betray his reason. He had reached his limit.
“I’ll make you feel even better.”
Baek Do-un reached for the bedside table and pulled out a tube of gel. He opened the cap and squeezed it firmly, layering the syrup over his penis, which was already slick with saliva. The transparent gel poured out without hesitation, sliding down his shaft to soak his pubic hair, and continuing down to drench his scrotum and abdomen. Baek Do-un carelessly tossed the nearly empty tube aside.
“Seon…!”
Before Jeon Mi-nam could even finish his word, Baek Do-un, sitting with his knees drawn up, began to rub his bottom gently against Mi-nam’s erect penis. However, the gel-slicked shaft didn’t slide into the hole as he intended; instead, it slipped several times, bending toward the perineum or rubbing against his buttocks. Each time it happened, Jeon Mi-nam clenched his teeth hard.
“Why isn’t it going in? I loosened everything up during the shower…”
Baek Do-un tilted his head as if unable to understand and gripped Jeon Mi-nam’s penis tightly. Then, he aligned his hole perfectly with the glans and slowly lowered himself. Jeon Mi-nam squeezed his eyes shut.
“Kgh, ugh…”
“…Ah, ngh.”
Jeon Mi-nam’s penis began to force its way through the narrow opening, pushing in with a grinding friction. Even Baek Do-un, who had been relaxed until now, frowned and let out a somewhat strained moan. His thighs trembled violently with the effort.
He paused for a moment to catch his breath, then, with renewed determination, slowly lowered his hips again. He put not only his weight but all his strength into his lower body. Only then did the penis, which had been precariously perched, push through, filling the inner walls to the brim. Even though he had only swallowed about two-thirds of it, he felt bloated, as if it had reached his throat. He had met many men, but this was the first time he felt such a daunting sensation.
“…Haa, haa. This isn’t easy. Mi-nam ssi, how is it? Do you like it?”
“…Ugh.”
“Don’t make such a pained face. You liked this gown, didn’t you?”
“Hng, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You used to stare at me whenever I wore this. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“That’s…! Ugh…!”
“Ah, I really can’t. It’s so big, I feel like my stomach is going to rip.”
Baek Do-un hesitated and leaned his body backward. The two hands bracing against Jeon Mi-nam’s thighs were trembling. Every time he shifted above, his hole squeezed the penis in tandem. A deep groan erupted from the back of Jeon Mi-nam’s throat. He felt as if he were being pulled deep into a dense swamp. He was anxious and desperate. He couldn’t even breathe properly. Perhaps due to the lack of oxygen, his head felt dizzy.
Every time he looked at the disheveled Baek Do-un sitting on top of him, his lower half felt so tight he thought he would go crazy. When Baek Do-un, who had been struggling to regulate his breathing, slowly began to bounce his lower body, the penis engulfed by him felt as if it were tingling and melting away.
“Ngh… ah, ngh… haugh….”
“…Ugh, kgh, ugh, ngh.”
Baek Do-un tensed his entire body and moved slowly. Even though he had loosened himself up sufficiently, he didn’t dare move deeper. He wasn’t sure how far the penis would reach inside his stomach if he sat down completely. Despite being a doctor who knew the human body inside and out, he instinctively hesitated.
Because of that, Jeon Mi-nam’s penis was repeatedly swallowed halfway and then spat back out. Compared to his own rough hands, the sensation of the soft, clingy inner walls made Jeon Mi-nam’s blood boil. His instincts, pressing against his thinning reason, writhed with the desire to fill the belly more fully and completely. Even when only half-swallowed, the contact with the supple mucosa was so sweet it was tantalizing; and when it slid out leaving only the glans behind, he felt a craving to dive back inside. By the time Baek Do-un slowly lifted his waist, Jeon Mi-nam’s lower body twitched instinctively, trying not to let the receding buttocks pull away. The reins, which had grown loose from a long period of abstinence, snapped all at once.
“Ah… wait, just a moment….”
Noticing something strange, Baek Do-un hurriedly tried to calm Jeon Mi-nam down. But Jeon Mi-nam began to thrust upward sharply, his lower abdomen and thighs pulsing simultaneously. He thrust up so violently that the penis, which he hadn’t even been able to swallow fully until a moment ago, was driven in to the root in just a couple of hip movements.
“Augh… ngh, too, deep… ah!”
“Ngh, ngh, kgh… haa, ugh….”
Baek Do-un’s buttocks and Jeon Mi-nam’s thighs collided violently with a wet, slapping sound. Jeon Mi-nam’s penis pushed into depths where nothing had ever touched before, repeatedly hammering in with a glans as hard as a rock. His cheeks trembled under the intense thrill. The fingertips gripping Jeon Mi-nam turned white with tension. The power of the lower body thrusting without pause was so overwhelming that even though he tried to support himself, he frequently collapsed.
“Ugh! Aah… ah! Ha-ugh… ngh! Slow, slow down… ah-ng! Ng!”
“…Haa. …Kgh.”
Every time Jeon Mi-nam thrust his hips up, the bedposts where his arms were tied shook along with him. Because he had pulled and twisted his arms so forcefully, the bandages that had been wrapped tightly several times had stretched to their limit.
Jeon Mi-nam forced his eyes open, which had been about to close from the shocking pleasure. He stared stubbornly at Baek Do-un, who was shaking messily on top of him. Baek Do-un, who had been moaning in pain, finally met his eyes. Hearing him weakly call out, “Mi-nam ssi,” while exhaling ragged breaths, a strong heat surged through his core.
“Aah… no, don’t… ngh, ugh, haugh, ng!”
For a moment, Jeon Mi-nam’s thighs twitched noticeably, and then he began to press his lower body against him explosively. Flustered, Baek Do-un could no longer hold on and collapsed onto Jeon Mi-nam. Their sweat-soaked bodies clung together stickily. Baek Do-un’s hair tickled the tip of his nose. His characteristic scent wafted strongly, fueling the excitement. It felt as if his heart would burst.
“Ah, Mi-nam ssi, ah… ng, ngh, ugh….”
“Haa, ha, ugh, ngh….”
It felt as if warning lights were flashing in his whitening mind. His brain seemed to boil from the red flame blazing inside him. His eyes grew hazy, and he could see nothing but Baek Do-un.
Yet, no matter how desperately he pressed his lower body and gorged on the inner flesh, it didn’t feel like enough. He wanted to swallow more, more fully. An endless thirst. A greed, a desire to make everything—from Baek Do-un’s hair to his toes—his own. An ego he had never harbored before sprouted in his chest.
He gritted his teeth. He had never been driven into such a corner. His neck and spine were burning hot with flowing sweat, yet goosebumps rose on his forearms and the backs of his ears.
“Ah, ah-ng, ng, ah… ugh, ngh!”
“Kgh, uuuugh!”
With a thud, the moment Jeon Mi-nam pressed his lower body completely against Baek Do-un’s buttocks, his penis exploded hotly inside Baek Do-un’s stomach. As thick semen was splashed inside, the inner walls, which had been helplessly pierced and pounded, twitched. It was a movement as if they were sucking and swallowing Jeon Mi-nam’s semen.
Baek Do-un’s body also trembled at the undeniable thrill. He groaned deeply, twisting his limbs as much as he could.
“…Ah …ah-ngh!”
Baek Do-un’s body, which had been tensed, suddenly went limp. He slumped against Jeon Mi-nam’s chest, heaving as Mi-nam caught his breath after ejaculating. Jeon Mi-nam subtly rubbed the bridge of his nose against Baek Do-un’s hair. That scent, which had always made his heart flutter, wafted over him poignantly.
“Haa, haa… ah, we only did it once… haa, I’m so exhausted.”
After lying on Jeon Mi-nam’s chest for a while and complaining of exhaustion, Baek Do-un slowly raised his upper body. He then reached out and untied Jeon Mi-nam’s arms. He had struggled so much that the bandages used for the restraint were almost entirely stretched out; it was merely a matter of undoing the knots. Clear restraint marks remained on Jeon Mi-nam’s wrists.
“Seeing this makes me feel bad. Did it hurt?”
Baek Do-un clicked his tongue softly. There was no response from Jeon Mi-nam. It was because the hem of Baek Do-un’s gown had slid down, covering his face. Every time Baek Do-un moved to untie his arms, pale pink nipples flickered in his field of vision.
“…All untied.”
As soon as his hands were free, Jeon Mi-nam grabbed Baek Do-un’s waist. Then, in one motion, he flipped him over and pinned him beneath him. For a brief moment, Baek Do-un was puzzled by the sudden reversal of his vision, but he quickly closed his eyes as Jeon Mi-nam crashed his lips against his.
Their lips didn’t even lock properly; they were just pressed together recklessly. Rather than a kiss or a peck, it was closer to a blunt smashing of lips. When Jeon Mi-nam slowly pulled his lips away, his expression was quite solemn. He then slightly lifted Baek Do-un’s knees and pressed his lower abdomen against the hole where his semen was slowly leaking out.
“You’re going to do it again right away?”
“You brought this upon yourself, Doctor.”
“Haha, let’s go with that. But just a little slower… ah-ngh!”
Before he could even finish his sentence, the already erect penis was pushed firmly inside. The hole, softened by the previous insertion and ejaculation, opened without resistance to take in the thick piece of flesh. The mucosal lining of the inner walls, still soaked in the afterglow, clung tightly to the surface of the penis.
Jeon Mi-nam lowered his head to take Baek Do-un’s beautifully colored nipple into his mouth, sucking on it while slowly bouncing his lower body, which was locked tight. The inner flesh was stirred densely and viscously. With his legs spread wide by Jeon Mi-nam’s thick thighs and his arms pinned to the bed, Baek Do-un could do nothing but moan in sweet pain.
They mixed their flesh and shared their body heat repeatedly until their consciousness grew hazy. Whenever Baek Do-un laughed, drenched in sweat, Jeon Mi-nam poured out his own kind of kisses as if he couldn’t bear it. A ticklish laugh broke out at the act, which felt like simply stamping his lips.
Baek Do-un reached out and hugged Jeon Mi-nam’s massive back tightly. It was as warm and comforting as he had hoped. He wanted to stay embraced like that forever.
“…….”
Looking at Baek Do-un, who had fallen asleep as if fainting, Jeon Mi-nam’s emotions became complicated. He gripped his head with both hands and blamed himself. Why had he let himself be swept away by a moment of pleasure?
Baek Do-un’s provocation was merely a one-time prank. At least, that’s what Jeon Mi-nam thought. Since they were both men, he believed it was impossible to share serious affection. He had tried to rationalize it that way, ignoring Baek Do-un’s mischievous jokes and enduring steadfastly. He felt that if he opened the latch once, he would fall in irrevocably. He knew it was a bottomless swamp, so he couldn’t step into it carelessly.
Baek Do-un was a being he dared not reach, and someone he should not rashly touch. Though they seemed to live in the same place, their worlds were strictly different. There was no way someone like him could handle Baek Do-un. Nor did Baek Do-un need to handle someone as lowly as him. Above all, for someone like him who had experienced the despair and pain of loss, it was too much to have someone precious and dear again. Yet, he wasn’t the type of person who could lightly shake it off as if it were a one-night dream, as Baek Do-un had suggested.
A sigh escaped him naturally. He didn’t know what to do. Pushing his true feelings onto Baek Do-un, who likely had a light heart about it, would only make things awkward for the other man.
Suddenly, Baek Do-un’s gown, strewn about carelessly, caught his eye. He reached out and picked it up. For some reason, a deep part of him throbbed, and his throat felt tight. Frowning bitterly, he buried his face in the gown, clutching it with both hands as if crumpling it.
“No need to sigh. It’s not like a baby will happen, and I won’t ask you to take responsibility just because we slept together once.”
It was the moment Jeon Mi-nam let out another sigh full of regret. Baek Do-un’s voice suddenly broke through. Startled, he looked beside him to see that he was still lying with his back turned. Then, he slowly sat up and left the bed with an awkward gait. Because he stubbornly refused to show his face, Jeon Mi-nam couldn’t tell what expression he had or what emotions he felt while saying those words. However, seeing him so composed made it feel as if something sharp was mercilessly carving into his chest.
He immediately sprang up from his seat. He strode after Baek Do-un and swept him up in his arms in one motion. He saw Baek Do-un’s face, which was rarely sullen. Seeing him pretend it wasn’t a big deal, pretend everything was fine, Jeon Mi-nam decided he no longer cared what happened.
“What are you doing?”
“I’ll wash you.”
He took Baek Do-un to the bathroom without hesitation and carefully sat him on the sink. Then, he filled the bathtub with warm water. Feeling the thick bodily fluids leaking from inside his buttocks, Baek Do-un hesitated as he stepped down to the floor, covering his back with his hand. Facing each other in that state, it felt unnecessarily awkward and embarrassing. When Baek Do-un, who was always grinning and joking, fell silent, the silence was deafening.
Soon, Jeon Mi-nam knelt before him. He gripped Baek Do-un’s two hands tightly in his own and confessed solemnly.
“I will take responsibility.”
Baek Do-un’s eyes widened at the sudden declaration. But the look in Jeon Mi-nam’s eyes as he looked up was shining more seriously than ever.
Looking down at him blankly, Baek Do-un suddenly let out a smirk.
“Do you finally feel like marrying me?”
“I am not saying this lightly. I…!”
“I know. I know you’re a suffocatingly serious person, Mi-nam ssi. So don’t rush it, it doesn’t suit you. I can wait longer. I think it would be more hurtful if you agonized over it too seriously… Come to me when your heart and mind are both ready.”
Baek Do-un smiled brightly and comforted Jeon Mi-nam. It wasn’t exactly something for a man to say, considering he was the one who had rushed things by using drugs to push his body, but he was saying he would wait until Mi-nam was no longer confused.
As he stepped into the bathtub, which had filled with water, Baek Do-un chattered loud enough to be heard.
“Shouldn’t you brew me some bone broth or something? After making me suffer like that all night.”
He didn’t make things difficult by suddenly changing his attitude or creating an uncomfortable atmosphere. Instead, he spoke, acted, and laughed as if nothing had changed from usual, easing the unnecessary guilt.
It was probably only a matter of time. Falling for the mischievous yet kinder-than-anyone Baek Do-un. No, it was a matter of his mind admitting that it had already happened.
Baek Do-un fumbled with his neck, which Jeon Mi-nam had bitten repeatedly, and gently washed it. Watching this, Jeon Mi-nam approached the tub and scooped up a handful of water. He then poured the water over Baek Do-un’s back several times. Perhaps it was an illusion, but Baek Do-un slightly shrugged his shoulders and trembled faintly.
“Is bone broth enough?”
“Hmm… would that be insufficient? Then shall we go for another round and have eel?”
He was beaming and joking again as if nothing had happened. A chuckle escaped Jeon Mi-nam.
As expected, he was like a flower in a pot. Someone who needed to be constantly looked after, moved to ensure enough sunlight, repotted, watered, and given nutrients. He didn’t want to hand over that potentially tedious task to anyone else for the time being. No, perhaps forever.