By Zephyria “Are you serious?”
Tae-jun asked, his voice choked. Yumin replied as if it were absurd.
“Would it be fake? Try it again.”
Yumin pulled Tae-jun’s hand and placed it on his stomach. Tae-jun could feel the light movement again. He felt a small but strong motion.
“It’s so… strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“No, I misspoke. It’s amazing.”
“Right?”
Yumin smiled and looked at Tae-jun. His eyes held tenderness and deep affection. At that moment, a strange sensation welled up in Tae-jun’s chest. It was a fullness he had never felt in his life.
“Are you crying?”
“I’m not crying.”
He couldn’t show tears disgracefully in front of Yumin. However, the tears welling up in his eyes flowed down his cheeks before he could stop them. In the end, Tae-jun shed tears in front of Yumin for the first time in his life that day.
“This is so nice.”
“It’s good, isn’t it?”
After driving for several hours, the two arrived at Tae-jun’s villa. The interior wasn’t as stylish as the pension they had visited before, but the cozy atmosphere instead provided a sense of stability.
“Yeah. It feels really familiar.”
“It’s originally our family’s villa, but my parents don’t come often. Since I’m getting married soon, they decided to pass it down to me.”
“Marriage……”
“Yes, our marriage.”
Tae-jun said, lightly embracing Yumin. Yumin rested his face on Tae-jun’s chest and fell into thought. Everything had happened so quickly that sometimes he couldn’t grasp what was happening. But when he thought of the concrete goal of marrying Tae-jun, he could steady his mind.
“I’m nervous.”
“Are you?”
“Yeah. Aren’t you?”
“I am too.”
Tae-jun whispered, lightly kissing Yumin’s forehead. Yumin held him tightly and leaned in deeper. Feeling his warm body and firm embrace, the turmoil in his heart seemed to subside.
If only he could remain immersed in this peaceful feeling forever. Yumin prayed in his heart.
And that night, Tae-jun’s Heat Cycle arrived.
Both had expected it to some extent. They had braced themselves since experiencing the precursory symptoms of the last Heat Cycle. That day, Yumin had experienced an unprecedented climax from Tae-jun’s strong touch, but Tae-jun was different. Yumin felt a slight sense of guilt.
They had even consulted with a doctor beforehand, just in case. They had received an answer that intercourse was permissible as long as it wasn’t too intense, now that he was in a stable period. Still, Tae-jun had vehemently refused.
Yumin knew it was all for his consideration, but he couldn’t feel entirely at ease. So, when the Heat Cycle arrived, he thought it was for the best. He had a strong conviction that Tae-jun would not harm him.
“It’s okay.”
Yumin whispered in the bedroom, with only dim lights left on. Tae-jun was still hesitating.
“Just in case.”
“I trust you.”
Sweat trickled down Tae-jun’s temples. Even without seeing it, his front was likely already engorged. Yumin experienced a precarious feeling between fear, anxiety, and anticipation. Tae-jun’s invisible desire filled the air. He could vividly feel that thrilling sensation on his skin.
An intoxicating desire to collapse Yumin right now and bury himself deep within him. Tae-jun was losing his reason, consumed by lust. His breaths, which desired Yumin more than anyone else, tickled Yumin. Soon, Yumin also heated up.
“I want you too.”
“Yumin-ah……”
“It’ll be okay. I hate seeing you suffer from holding back more.”
Yumin extended his hands and cupped Tae-jun’s cheeks. Hesitation still lingered in his eyes. However, that small fragment of hesitation vanished instantly when Yumin kissed Tae-jun’s lips.
At first, it was a light kiss, lips meeting lips. But soon, the kiss deepened. Tae-jun embraced Yumin’s back and passionately explored him. Their tongues tangled, and saliva, whose owner was indistinguishable, flowed out from their lips.
“Tae-jun-ah……”
Yumin gasped Tae-jun’s name in the brief moment their lips parted. Tae-jun’s gaze had completely changed now. It was a look he had seen before.
Tae-jun pushed Yumin onto the bed without a word. He felt the soft mattress beneath his back. He didn’t say a word even as he roughly removed their clothes.
The fear Yumin had forgotten began to resurface. For a moment, he almost pushed Tae-jun’s hands away, but he steadied his resolve. Trusting Tae-jun was more important than anything else right now. If he pushed him away after saying he trusted him, it would mean nothing.
Instead, Yumin embraced Tae-jun. As their bare skin touched, he felt a pleasant warmth.
“It’s okay.”
It was a whisper to Tae-jun, and to himself.
“Ah, ah……”
Tae-jun was exercising the greatest patience of his life. Yumin’s embrace, felt after a long time, made his head spin. He could have easily moved his hips roughly, beyond control. But a sliver of remaining reason stopped him.
Above all, the person in front of him was Yumin. He couldn’t hurt the most precious and lovely being in the world.
He moved his hips as slowly as possible, checking Yumin’s complexion. If Yumin showed any sign of pain or distress, he would stop immediately. To do that, he had to focus all his nerves on Yumin. The pleasure he felt now came second.
Fortunately, Yumin seemed to be feeling it properly. Tae-jun gritted his teeth as he repeated the thrusts slowly and carefully, ensuring no harm came to Yumin or the babies in his belly. The deep, dark desire within him whispered to Tae-jun’s ears to ravish Yumin to his heart’s content right now, but he didn’t listen.
Heat Cycles were originally sticky and damp. Each time he had experienced one after his secondary sexual development, he had confined himself to a small, dark cabin. After suffering from intense urges for several days, he would spend the rest of the Heat Cycle feeling half refreshed and half sticky from unfulfilled desire.
In a way, perhaps it was possible then because there was no specific object of desire. Sexual acts were something distant from him. But now, it was different. With Yumin as a clear object, and while having sex with him, Tae-jun had to fight intense desire every single moment.
“Tae-jun-ah…?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
He must have stopped moving while lost in deep thought. Yumin looked at him with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong with your lips.”
“What?”
“They’re bleeding….”
Yumin gently brushed Tae-jun’s lips. It stung slightly, suggesting his lip was torn.
“It’s okay.”
Tae-jun lowered his lips again and kissed Yumin’s neck deeply.
“Ah……”
Even in the dim light, a clear mark was visible. The sight of his blood mixed with the skin, reddened and bruised from Tae-jun’s sucking, was excessively sensual.
“Yumin-ah.”
“Yeah.”
Yumin, still holding Tae-jun’s cock, felt an unbearable ache in his lower abdomen. He knew Tae-jun was moving slowly for him, but he also wished to be ravished intensely. However, fear held him back from saying it.
“I love you.”
“Tae-jun-ah….”
It was a confession heard in an unexpected situation. Tears welled up before he could even think. In this moment of profound connection, feeling that their bodies and hearts were united, he was overwhelmed with emotion.
“I love you too, I love you too.”
Tae-jun smiled softly, as if returning the answer without losing. It was the most tender and beautiful smile he had ever seen.
Tae-jun’s tension had eased. He could feel the stiffness in his body’s muscles softening again. The pain that had been stabbing his back, almost to the point of hurting, had disappeared. The Heat Cycle had passed.
Had his Heat Cycle ever passed so quickly and easily in his life? He could say with certainty, no. The desire to cherish Yumin had come before his physical desires.
“I’m okay now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Can we do it properly now?”
“Why are you even asking that?”
Yumin was also smiling broadly. After a light kiss on his lips, Tae-jun began to move his hips.
“Haa, Tae-jun-ah……”
“Yumin-ah.”
The movements were more natural and intense than before. Tae-jun felt a sense of exhilaration he had never experienced before, hitting Yumin’s G-spot precisely. Only Yumin could move Tae-jun. Only he could make Tae-jun a better being.
As the movements grew more vigorous, Yumin’s head tilted back. The kiss mark left moments ago looked like a brand proving he was his.
Tae-jun bit Yumin’s neck without hesitation. Yumin let out a tiny scream. After thrusting hard several times, Tae-jun ejaculated inside Yumin and bit his neck fiercely at the same time.
Now, the two would share the same feeling and the same heart. Wherever they were, they could feel each other’s mark.
Yumin also knew. The moment Tae-jun’s sharp teeth dug into his tender neck skin, and the moment Tae-jun ejaculated long and deep inside him, Yumin could feel all of Tae-jun’s thoughts and heart.
Finally, the marking was complete.
The next morning, Tae-jun and Yumin began their day with a brunch Tae-jun had prepared since dawn. Tae-jun sat Yumin on his lap and fed him.
“Say ‘ah’.”
“Ah.”
As Yumin opened his mouth like a baby bird, Tae-jun popped a piece of bread in. He also fed him small pieces of seasonal fruit one by one.
“You’re eating well.”
“Yeah. Are you still feeling sick?”
“Uh-huh.”
Tae-jun’s morning sickness, though weaker in intensity, continued subtly. Unfortunately, Tae-jun could only eat a few slices of watermelon. His body was incredibly tired, but seeing Yumin eat well filled his heart. Was this love? It couldn’t be explained otherwise.
“Tae-jun-ah. We have to decide on the wedding hall concept by this week, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What style do you like?”
“Hmm… I guess a grand one would be nice. What about you, Yumin?”
“Traditional Korean wedding.”
“Really?”
Yumin had always been interested in traditional Korean weddings. He just hadn’t been able to say it, fearing the village elders would dislike the red and green makeup or bright ceremonial robes.
“Then let’s do both. Wear a tuxedo and have a traditional Korean wedding too.”
“Really? I like that.”
The ceremony would be longer, but for the two who loved to relax and have fun, it was actually an advantage.
Back in Seoul, the two plunged into wedding preparations. However, a minor issue arose. When they went to get fitted for their wedding attire, Yumin’s belly began to show. It wasn’t very noticeable, but it made it difficult to wear clothes that emphasized the waistline.
Tae-jun mobilized all his connections to bring in a tailor working in Italy. After three days and nights of fittings, a suit that beautifully draped Yumin’s body was completed. The shoes were also custom-made to be comfortable even if his feet swelled. Thanks to this, Yumin was able to prepare everything comfortably.
While Yumin chose wedding gifts and furniture, Tae-jun focused on household chores. To procure tuna sashimi, which Yumin loved, he visited famous Japanese restaurants in Seoul every day. Once, he even put on a private tuna filleting show just for Yumin.
As Yumin entered the stable period of his pregnancy, his appetite became voracious. Not only his favorite foods but also foods he had never been interested in suddenly came to mind, waking him from sleep.
“I want pizza.”
“…Pizza.”
“Yeah. I need to eat it right now.”
At 4 AM, Yumin, who had suddenly woken up, whined. Tae-jun, still half-asleep, quickly got up and dressed.
Sometimes, Yumin made such absurd demands. But what could he do? It was Tae-jun’s destiny to procure whatever he wanted to eat.
Although he rushed out, Tae-jun was at a loss. Where could he get pizza at this hour of the morning? Should he buy frozen pizza from a convenience store? As he drove, a lit pizza place caught his eye. Tae-jun quickly pulled over and ran into the pizza shop.
“We’re closed.”
“Please, I beg you. My wife really wants it.”
Tae-jun, who had never had to ask for favors in his life, had no choice now. After pleading for a long time and even offering extra money, Tae-jun finally got a pizza.
“Is it delicious?”
“Yeah, it’s delicious. But I’m a bit tired of it.”
Despite the effort to procure it, Yumin was tired of the pizza after just one slice. However, Tae-jun didn’t show any displeasure and put the pizza away. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, and he felt that it was enough if Yumin ate even a single slice with enjoyment.
“Tell me if you want to eat anything else.”
“Yeah, but I want shaved ice now.”
Before Yumin could even finish his sentence, Tae-jun grabbed the car keys and ran out of the house.
“It’s been a while.”
“It has. You’ve lost so much weight, Tae-jun.”
“Isn’t it because Yumin’s been making you work too hard?”
“No way?”
Tae-jun and Yumin went out for the first time in a while. They were meeting Hyeon-seok and Go Seong-min. They had kept in touch occasionally since their encounter in Yanggo Village. Yumin, who had always bickered with Go Seong-min while growing up, still held some resentment, but her heart had softened slightly after Go Seong-min’s sincere congratulations at the village engagement ceremony. No matter what, they were blood relatives.
And Go Seong-min’s demeanor had also softened considerably as her relationship with Hyeon-seok entered a stable phase. Today, Go Seong-min had prepared a gift for her soon-to-be-born nephew.
“Why did you prepare a gift?”
“I can do it when I want to!”
Despite their playful arguments, the two took a picture together with the gift placed between them. Tae-jun and Hyeon-seok, watching them, could barely suppress their laughter.
“By the way, the wedding is soon. How are the preparations going?”
“They’re mostly done, more or less. Still, it’s been hectic.”
“You’ll give me the bouquet, right?”
“We’ll see how you do.”
Go Seong-min seemed to have already marked herself as the intended recipient of the bouquet. Seeing Yumin’s lukewarm attitude, Go Seong-min clung to him, glancing at Hyeon-seok. Her gaze held unspoken pressure.
“Why are you looking at me?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
Even though their relationship had improved, the competitive spirit they had since childhood hadn’t completely disappeared. Go Yumin getting married first was quite a shock for Go Seong-min. Her subtle nudges towards Hyeon-seok these days were partly to gauge him and partly to pressure him for a proposal.
“The food’s here.”
“It looks delicious!”
Today’s celebratory meal was a tuna course, Yumin’s favorite. While he got tired of other foods after a few bites, for some reason, tuna was something Yumin never got tired of, no matter how much he ate.
“Here, open your mouth.”
“Yeah.”
Tae-jun fed Yumin tuna sashimi, unconcerned by the disgusted looks from Go Seong-min and Hyeon-seok. Yumin, as a matter of course, opened his mouth and ate it deliciously.
“Oh, speaking of which. I think I ran into you at that omakase restaurant before, Go Seong-min.”
“I did. Back then, I had my eye on Tae-jun.”
Hyeon-seok’s brow furrowed at Go Seong-min’s response, it was unclear if she was oblivious or brazen. Go Seong-min, regardless, was focused on eating.
“Who had their eye on whom? Don’t say ridiculous things.”
“Well, you weren’t dating back then either.”
Yumin had no response to that.
“It’s a strange world. I never thought you two would get married due to an unplanned pregnancy.”
“What, do you have a problem with that?”
“I’m just envious.”
This time, Hyeon-seok flinched. Tae-jun watched him with an amused expression. It seemed like something was being discussed between those two.
“By the way, where are you going for your honeymoon?”
Hyeon-seok quickly changed the subject. He wanted to escape the uncomfortable conversation.
“We’re still deciding.”
“I know where I want to go!”
Yumin shot his hand up and interjected. All eyes turned to Yumin.