#157

Side Story Episode 8

“Why are you suddenly running off by yourself?”

Without a word, Ho-jae pushed his plastic chair back with a loud scrape.

“What? Where are you going?”

“The restroom.”

“What? Don’t tell me you’re about to throw up? Hey, Hyeong-hun. Ho-jae’s gone completely out of it. You still coming? Huh….”

As he stood up, his body swayed slightly. Short gasps of surprise echoed behind him. Soon, he heard the sound of someone getting up and following him. Stumbling, Ho-jae pushed aside the curtain of the pojangmacha.

“Are you okay?”

It was Jung-hyun. He had followed closely behind Shin Ho-jae, his voice laced with concern. As if he were deaf, Shin Ho-jae strode out into the pojangmacha street and began walking down the alley.

“Ho-jae.”

“…….”

“Is it because you really feel like throwing up? I’ll call Secretary Kim right now….”

The moment he judged they had left the crowded area, Ho-jae grabbed Jung-hyun’s hand and pulled him somewhere. It was inside an empty commercial unit.

“I’m not drunk.”

Jung-hyun narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn’t seem to believe him.

“It’s true I drank because I wanted to get drunk. But I’m not as drunk as I thought I’d be.”

“……You wanted to get drunk?”

“I felt like I could only say it if I had some alcohol in me.”

“Say what?”

Shin Ho-jae licked his dry lips. He should have drunk more. Looking at Jung-hyun’s face, even the small amount of alcohol in his system felt like it was evaporating.

So, thinking ‘to hell with it,’ Shin Ho-jae leaned his body into Jung-hyun as if collapsing into an embrace. Since Shin Ho-jae was much taller and larger than Kwon Jung-hyun, it looked as though he were headbutting someone smaller than himself. In a way, it looked like a drunk person unable to keep their balance. Jung-hyun, looking slightly flustered, tried to grab Ho-jae’s arms to pull him up, but Shin Ho-jae held his head firm and resisted.

“…What is this? Are you alright?”

“I was a little hurt.”

He was trying to use the tip Ji Min-chul had given him. If the other person wants you to lean on them, you should lean on them first.

He had been worried that Jung-hyun might see him as too young, especially since he was six years younger, but he thought it might be possible if he borrowed the strength of alcohol.

“About you saying you’re looking for a house in Seoul. You didn’t even tell me….”

He only realized it after hearing the advice of Yuk Du-min and Ji Min-chul, but it seemed he had actually wanted to appear more mature than he really was when talking to Jung-hyun.

Jung-hyun was the kind of person who possessed such power. A power that made one want to be more reliable and more mature. Anyone who locked eyes with those blue-grey pupils would inevitably feel that way.

Because of that, he had naturally censored behaviors that felt too childish to him, such as acting spoiled or being cute.

Instead of looking into his eyes, Ho-jae breathed in his warmth and scent. With the addition of the alcohol, it was much easier to reveal his true feelings.

“I have to go to the US soon, but it feels like you’ll be staying here, and I don’t like that either….”

Since the following words were a bit embarrassing, he mumbled them slightly.

“…I started thinking that maybe I was the only one looking forward to our newlywed life.”

“…….”

He expected a laugh, but what he received instead were arms wrapping around him in a hug. He hadn’t said it seeking consolation, but his heart melted instantly at the gesture.

“Is that why you drank? To tell me this?”

While still embraced, Shin Ho-jae nodded.

Jung-hyun’s hand slowly slid down Ho-jae’s spine toward his waist. Since he was wearing only a very thin t-shirt, the sensation of where the palm brushed and where it lingered was vivid.

“It would have been better if I told you in advance; I’m sorry for making you find out so suddenly. But it hasn’t even been a day since I made up my mind, so could you stop being hurt?”

“…Not even a day?”

“After seeing you fill the hotel fridge with side dishes just to make sure I had breakfast, I just thought it would be nice if we had our own home in Seoul too.”

“…….”

“Even if we can’t come often, you’ll visit your family and I’ll come for work, so it’s a hassle to stay at a hotel every time.”

Jung-hyun pulled back slightly and looked at Ho-jae.

“That’s why I’m doing it—not because I plan to stay in Seoul for a long time. I hope you understand that.”

“…….”

“And… you’re probably not the only one looking forward to it.”

Jung-hyun lowered his head slightly and whispered so only Ho-jae could hear. Although he had pulled his body away, he was still holding Ho-jae’s waist, so their chests pressed together again. Ho-jae felt his body heating up, even without fully understanding the meaning.

“…Looking forward to it?”

“Newlywed life.”

“…….”

At the unexpected words, the area below Ho-jae’s cheeks flushed hot. Jung-hyun grabbed the brim of the ball cap Shin Ho-jae was wearing and slowly turned it backward.

“Why do you think I’ve been clinging to work day and night?”

“Because you have too much to do… isn’t it?”

“It’s so I can match the departure date. So I can enter the US together with you, Shin Ho-jae.”

“……Really?”

“I didn’t plan on saying it because it didn’t seem very cool.”

“…….”

“But since you opened up to me with such difficulty.”

Under Jung-hyun’s touch, the ball cap was now completely turned around. There was nothing left to obstruct their kiss. Shin Ho-jae slowly adjusted the angle and took his lips into his own. As he cautiously pushed his tongue in, Jung-hyun’s lips opened as if he had been waiting.

An urgent energy soon enveloped the two of them. Perhaps because it was an empty commercial space, the wet sounds of their tongues intertwining echoed loudly. Ho-jae glanced sideways and tried to stifle the noise. The feeling of kissing while hiding from others sent an inevitable thrill down his neck.

By the time they pulled apart, breathing heavily, his lower body had become heavy to a degree that couldn’t be ignored.

“…The smell of alcohol.”

Jung-hyun’s well-shaped lips were a mess of saliva. Instead of answering whether he smelled strongly of alcohol, Shin Ho-jae kissed him again. This time, too, Jung-hyun didn’t resist and obediently opened his mouth.

The vibration from the smartwatch on his wrist came just as his hand was groping Jung-hyun’s buttocks. He tried to ignore it, but the vibration was as persistent as he was.

He intended to end the call, but it seemed his finger had accidentally pressed the answer button. A cheerful voice rang out in the hallway that had been filled only with the sounds of kissing.

─Ho-jae hyung! Where are you? I’ve arrived!

“…….”

“…….”

Shin Ho-jae and Jung-hyun immediately pulled their lips apart and looked at each other. The owner of the voice was Park Hyeong-hun.

─The CEO is there too, right?

“Haa….”

Shin Ho-jae let out a quiet sigh of embarrassment. His lower half was already as engorged as it could be. Even if he tried to calm it down, it would take time, and frankly, he wasn’t in the mood to calm it down.

─Huh? Hello? Can you not hear me?

“Player Park Hyeong-hun. It’s been a while.”

At that moment, Jung-hyun lifted Shin Ho-jae’s wrist and spoke instead.

─Oh…! CEO…!

“But I’m afraid I have to apologize. Ho-jae is quite drunk right now, so we’re just about to head back.”

Jung-hyun, who smoothly cut off Hyeong-hun’s touched voice, looked at Shin Ho-jae and slightly curled the corner of his mouth. Shin Ho-jae’s heart pounded for no reason as he became an accomplice to the small lie.

─Oh, really…? Is Ho-jae hyung that drunk? Well, I guess so. When I saw him in Japan before, he was weak with alcohol. He was completely gone after a few drinks.

However, it was difficult to just let Park Hyeong-hun’s following words slide. As Shin Ho-jae frowned, Jung-hyun chuckled, as if agreeing with Hyeong-hun.

“That’s true. But I think we should head back now. I believe there will be many connections with the Blue Wolves in the future, so we can all meet up with Peter later.”

─Yes… please do….

Hyeong-hun’s disappointed voice finally cut off, and Jung-hyun looked up at Ho-jae.

“This watch. If you press the side button twice, you can end the call.”

“…….”

Shin Ho-jae unconsciously swallowed hard. So… did that mean Jung-hyun also wanted him to end the call?

“Yes, Secretary Kim. I’d like to leave for the hotel now. Ah, then I’ll be in the car first. Please take your time.”

Jung-hyun immediately picked up his own phone and finished a call with Secretary Kim. Secretary Kim said he had parked the car nearby and stepped away for a moment.

Fortunately, the car was parked not far away, but the problem remained Shin Ho-jae’s still heavy lower body. As if it were bothering him, Shin Ho-jae sat in the back seat and glanced at the rearview mirror.

“It’s not visible in the rearview mirror, right?”

“If you’re like this every time we kiss once, I won’t be able to do it outside anymore.”

“……I’ll try to calm it down.”

As he spoke, clenching his fists on his lap, Jung-hyun let out a breathy laugh. Skillfully undoing a button with one hand, Jung-hyun took off his jacket and draped it over Shin Ho-jae’s body.

“If it bothers you that much, keep it covered.”

“…….”

However, far from calming down, his desire grew to an agonizing degree. It was because of the subtle scent of pheromones embedded in the jacket. The secretary would be here soon, so the only way was to suppress it, but it wasn’t easy. Just as he was spreading his legs further and breathing rapidly…

“This is the first time I’ve lent my jacket.”

Jung-hyun spoke with a face that seemed lost in thought.

“Ho-jae has always taken off his coat for me.”

“You’re talking about the training camp, right? And the housewarming party at Yuk Du-min’s….”

“Actually, there’s one more time.”

Ho-jae glanced at his profile. Now that he thought about it, he remembered having a similar conversation in the past. When was it….

“When you were playing for the Montreal Heights, we actually met once.”

“…You and I?”

Jung-hyun nodded lightly.