By Zephyria 
Side Story Episode 1
The midday sun hung high in the sky, illuminating the entire world in brilliant light.
The sky was clear and serene, without a single cloud.
The deep blue hue, looking as if paint had been splashed across the heavens, captured the eye.
Chirrrr, chir, chirrr— chu chu chu chu…
The noisy drone of cicadas echoed from afar, and the wind brushed against the grass like a gentle touch. The lush, deep green blades of the garden shifted quietly, conveying the breath of summer.
A scene like a picture on a postcard. At its center sat an old hanok.
Beneath the black tiled roof, a polished wooden veranda stretched out, and flickering shadows clung to the gaps between the rafters. In a pond situated on one side of the garden, water flowed quietly, with large lotus leaves floating beside neatly trimmed stones.
Splash, splash! Carp swimming leisurely leaped from the surface, showing off their dorsal fins. Two koi, a blend of crimson and platinum, played affectionately together.
‘Peaceful.’
If there were a paradise on earth, it would be right here.
Kwon Rae-i, who had been leisurely enjoying the view of the garden through the shutters, turned his head. Neither the deep greenery—a gift of nature—nor the scorching summer sun could replace the person currently held in his arms.
On the wide bed lay Woo Tae-hwon, quietly drifting off into a nap.
‘Ha, Tae-hwon is just too cute.’
Swallowing a surge of emotion, Kwon Rae-i wrapped his arms around Tae-hwon’s waist.
After finishing his work in the main house’s office and returning to the annex, he found Woo Tae-hwon sleeping so adorably, breathing softly in his sleep. Then again, he hadn’t let him sleep until late last night. Since he had poured out an especially overflowing amount of love, it was only natural that he was lacking sleep.
But still, Woo Tae-hwon was Woo Tae-hwon.
A man like iron. He endured being stabbed without a word and rarely let his emotions spill out, even when they were turbulent. Of course, he didn’t usually show his fatigue like this either. Even if he took a short nap, it would normally be the case that Woo Tae-hwon would wake up and present a neat face before Kwon Rae-i returned.
And yet. Here he was, breathing softly and cutely.
‘I love you, Tae-hwon. I love you, my darling.’
Kwon Rae-i whispered hot confessions to himself several times and buried his face in Tae-hwon’s shoulder. The tip of his high nose touched the muscle-toned body. Though he was a full-grown man with a large frame and a body covered in scars, in Kwon Rae-i’s eyes, Woo Tae-hwon was the most lovely lover of all.
As Kwon Rae-i clung to him, a bead of sweat trickled down Tae-hwon’s nape. It seemed the summer heat was unavoidable. Kwon Rae-i lifted his lowered eyes and stealthily checked Tae-hwon’s condition.
‘Sweat…’
Sweat.
Sweat shed by Woo Tae-hwon.
Long eyelashes, crafted as if with silver threads, fluttered a few times, and conflict arose in his blue-gray eyes.
‘Should I lick it?’
Would he wake up if I touched him?
He wanted to savor the sight of a napping Woo Tae-hwon a bit more, but…
‘I’m licking it.’
Yes. Who could stop Kwon Rae-i?
Just watching him made him thirsty. It was impossible from the start to have Woo Tae-hwon before his eyes and not touch him. Slowly leaning in, Kwon Rae-i pressed his lips against Tae-hwon. As he touched the neckline, a slight heat radiated, and he could smell Woo Tae-hwon’s scent. If he focused closely, it was faintly salty and wonderful.
Kwon Rae-i’s eyes narrowed. He hadn’t intended for this, but his tongue moved impulsively. Sucking the nape of the neck with open lips, he slowly licked the skin. The sensation of the flesh pressing in was maddeningly good.
“…Woo Tae-hwon’s sweat smells amazing.”
“…”
“I think it’ll be sticky if I strip him now.”
Muttering to the unresponsive Tae-hwon, Kwon Rae-i took the skin into his mouth again. He left three or four marks in a row on the neck. Even when he ended by nipping with his lips, Tae-hwon did not wake.
“You must have been really tired, Tae-hwon.”
Kwon Rae-i lifted his head and whispered. His pale face, looking down at Woo Tae-hwon, seemed to sparkle like starlight. Born with albinism, his skin was so white it looked otherworldly in the scorching heat of midsummer. However, only Woo Tae-hwon could make such a Kwon Rae-i flush.
This beautiful summer day and Woo Tae-hwon.
In the season of youth-like greenery, the annex containing their memories breathed quietly, and the time they spent together flowed slowly. In this nest surrounded by tranquility, the noise of the world seemed to recede, and the past seemed to fade.
Because this moment shone so brilliantly.
Because he had longed for this daily life so desperately.
Kwon Rae-i reached out affectionately and lightly patted Tae-hwon’s cheek. He slightly turned the face resting on the pillow toward himself and brushed back his hair.
Deep black hair. He loved this smooth and orderly texture.
There was a time when he wanted to touch it so much his heart felt like it would stop. Now he could touch it whenever he wanted. And yet, his heart raced every time he did, to the point of being difficult.
Kwon Rae-i’s white fingers dug between the roots of the hair. Swoosh, swoosh. After playing with it for a while, he lowered his head and pressed his lips again. First a kiss on the forehead, then the tip of the nose, the cheek, the lips, the chin—he peppered him with kisses without exception. Once he started touching, he was unstoppable.
As always.
How was one supposed to control the impulses toward Woo Tae-hwon?
He didn’t know the answer. It was surely a homework assignment he would have to ponder for the rest of his life. His heart overflowed so much that if he wasn’t looking, he missed him; if he looked, he wanted to touch; if he touched, he wanted to grip; and if he gripped, he wanted to disarray him.
Once, he had suppressed and endured these emotions, but now it seemed he had forgotten how to be patient. That was because Tae-hwon was too close and his heart was too hot.
“Tae-hwon, are you asleep…?”
Kwon Rae-i whispered softly, tracing Tae-hwon’s shoulder. The platinum ring on his left hand, which was touching the fine hairs, caught the eye. Of course, there was an identical ring on the ring finger of Woo Tae-hwon’s left hand.
“Darling, are you tired? Are you going to keep sleeping…?”
Kwon Rae-i asked out of habit, not expecting an answer.
“Then I… can I touch you a little?”
Because he had already received permission regarding this matter.
That it was okay to touch him while he slept. To just do whatever he wanted.
Of course, this was likely a permission granted out of half-resignation by Tae-hwon, who was exhausted from accepting Kwon Rae-i’s overflowing lust. Still, seeing as it hadn’t been revoked yet, it was a valid promise.
He definitely said it was okay to touch. Woo Tae-hwon did.
“Lullaby, lullaby.”
Kwon Rae-i intentionally let his voice flow into the other’s ear as he moved his hand. He rolled up the thin sleeveless undershirt Tae-hwon was wearing, slowly pushing it upward. The inside of the shirt was slightly sticky, soaked in sweat. That point was incredibly thrilling.
If there were two types of humans in the world—those with normal sexual desires and those with abnormal ones—Kwon Rae-i was absolutely, without a doubt, the latter.
He was fully aware of the fact that there was no bigger pervert than himself.
Because Kwon Rae-i could get an erection just by smelling Woo Tae-hwon’s sweat. He could already feel the mass trying to bulge out against the upper part of his thigh. Pressing the part trapped in his trousers against Tae-hwon’s buttocks, he focused on rolling up the clothes further. He didn’t take off the white undershirt completely, just rolled it up.
‘Sexy.’
Woo Tae-hwon’s belly button, which looked maddeningly attractive.
The packed abdominal muscles.
Even the scars, which he remembered so perfectly he could draw their positions and shapes like constellations.
Kwon Rae-i swallowed hard. He took a deep breath and exhaled, preparing himself mentally.
‘One. Two. Three.’
Swoosh. A large chest emerged. He felt dizzy at the sight of that massive chest, that mass composed of muscle and fat. He wanted to pounce on it and suck it right now, tease it until it turned bright red, and pull out his cock to rub against it. The way moisture had gathered in the cleavage due to the heat was especially driving him crazy.
“Tae-hwon. I’m really going to die.”
Kwon Rae-i let out a low growl, swallowing a sigh.
He didn’t know how much mental energy he was spending in this moment to avoid rushing. Kwon Rae-i clenched his fists tightly and took a deep breath before he could finally place his hand on Tae-hwon’s torso.
He could feel the hotly throbbing heartbeat through the muscles.
Thump-thump. Kwon Rae-i was so moved and happy that Woo Tae-hwon was living so intensely.
“I feel like my breath is stopping. If I say this, Tae-hwon will probably tell me not to say I’m dying again.”
He slid his palm up along the abdomen. Gradually adapting, he stroked him, touching as if redrawing each rib one by one. Before long, one hand became two. He stroked both sides of the waist with both hands before moving higher. He gripped the large chest tightly.
“But what can I do, leaving this alone.”
Kwon Rae-i lamented, skillfully caressing the chest. His hand movements were not ordinary. He pinched and rubbed, then pressed and rubbed quickly, trapping the flesh between his knuckles. He flicked them and scratched gently with the tips of his nails, stimulating him properly.