DL Episode 28

#028

Despite his cold expression, Baek Sa’s skin looked clear, and there was a faint scent about him. More notably, his casual attire instead of the usual formal wear suddenly brought back memories for Ha-gyeom.

He looked more like Baek Seung-woo than Baek Sa.

Since lights out had passed, only a single lamp illuminated Baek Sa’s room. Quietly closing the door, Baek Sa adjusted the glasses perched on his nose.

Standing by the bed, Ha-gyeom’s neck flushed red.

“That was the first time you had that much extracted, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. I felt like I was going to die.”

Grinding his teeth, Ha-gyeom turned to look at Baek Sa. The aftereffects of the energy extraction still made his legs tremble. Baek Sa, standing leisurely with his arms crossed, checked his watch even though it was the promised day and time.

His hair was wet, falling smoothly in its natural state, resembling his old self. Ha-gyeom swallowed dryly, realizing that he still liked, no, loved this version of him.

Baek Sa, seemingly preoccupied, walked to a desk. On it was an old laptop from Company A, which was rare even at the center. Ha-gyeom, captivated, walked over.

Sitting down first, Baek Sa glanced at the laptop Ha-gyeom was eyeing. He spread his legs slightly and pulled Ha-gyeom onto his lap.

Caught off guard by the naturalness of the gesture, Ha-gyeom found himself sitting there, staring blankly. Baek Sa tapped the exposed neck above Ha-gyeom’s t-shirt.

“You do know that skin contact helps too, right?”

“Of course.”

Recalling the time Baek Sa had an outburst was dizzying. He hadn’t expected anything resembling foreplay, thinking that common sense didn’t apply here.

Relieved that his expectations were wrong, Ha-gyeom frowned slightly and wrapped his arms around Baek Sa’s neck. His body trembled from his poor condition, and he felt the familiar strength pull him closer by the waist. Baek Sa’s gaze remained on the laptop, tilting his head familiarly to the side.

Having only ever started guiding on a bed, this felt awkwardly personal. Ha-gyeom, who had long admired Baek Seung-woo, naturally found his mind tangled.

“Do you prefer women over men?”

Baek Sa’s question cut through his hesitation. Understanding the ambiguity between guiding and sex better than Ha-gyeom, who had only recently come of age, it was a valid question.

“No, I prefer men.”

Since Baek Sa didn’t remember anything about him, there was no harm in being honest. To Baek Sa, Ha-gyeom was just an outsider. Their high matching rate might seem like luck.

“Or am I not to your standards?”

Ha-gyeom let out a small laugh. While everyone had their preferences, some people transcended personal taste, captivating attention and desire. Baek Sa was such a person—someone whose looks and presence could overshadow any preference.

Despite speculation about him becoming a cold-hearted person, he wasn’t intimidating or threatening. Ha-gyeom felt lost on how to deal with someone he knew but had to pretend not to.

“…It’s just unfamiliar.”

Baek Sa’s intense gaze was overwhelming, so Ha-gyeom made an excuse. No matter how mesmerizing his beautiful eyes were, clinging to the past would only lead to turmoil.

Despite any past stories, Ha-gyeom could always use the excuse of needing energy. He decided to follow his instincts since Baek Sa was acting ambiguously.

Even though Baek Sa’s focus was on the laptop, just looking at his sturdy neck made Ha-gyeom tense up. He had never been this close to him as an adult, and certainly never kissed his skin.

As he kissed the hollow between Baek Sa’s neck and collarbone, Baek Sa’s hand moved from his waist to his back. The casual yet deliberate touch made Ha-gyeom anxious. His skin was maddeningly warm. Remembering how he had fantasized about Baek Seung-woo’s naked body while masturbating, Ha-gyeom quickly got aroused. He felt himself hardening.

In contrast, Baek Sa remained calm. His gaze stayed on the screen, and he twirled a pen in his free hand.

Ha-gyeom glanced over Baek Sa’s shoulder to confirm this, then opened his mouth. He licked Baek Sa’s long neck, feeling a sudden pang of guilt.

Really, are you going to do this to the person who practically raised you?

It was as if someone was asking him. As his arousal increased, so did his guilt.

But now, the excuse of needing energy was crucial. Feeling a surge of determination, Ha-gyeom’s hand, previously on Baek Sa’s shoulder, slid down. His fingers trembled noticeably as they traveled down Baek Sa’s firm chest to his defined abdomen.

Lifting Baek Sa’s t-shirt near his navel, Ha-gyeom saw Baek Sa finally turn away from the laptop and look at him.

“…….”

“…….”

Caught off guard, their eyes met, and Ha-gyeom’s nerves showed. Even if his eyes trembled, Baek Sa wouldn’t suspect anything.

Feeling strangely indignant, Ha-gyeom bit his lower lip. His cheeks burned with embarrassment, making it clear what Baek Sa must have been thinking.

“Not bad….”

Baek Sa murmured as he leaned closer, their noses almost touching. His lips brushed against Ha-gyeom’s, capturing his lower lip like a piece of candy.

“……!”

Could one be surprised by such softness? Ha-gyeom, startled, pushed Baek Sa’s chest away. Even as his eyelashes trembled, Baek Sa approached again, his face unfazed.

“I don’t think twenty-one is that young….”

Ha-gyeom had only started guiding a year ago. He wasn’t entirely inexperienced but neither was he particularly skilled. To be honest, he didn’t think he had much talent in this area.

Especially when his partner was his first love….

There was no way he could avoid being nervous every single second.

Taking advantage of his hesitation, Baek Sa’s lips pressed in, soft and insistent. Baek Sa pressed down on Ha-gyeom’s jaw, forcing his mouth open and sliding his warm tongue inside. As Baek Sa’s tongue swept through his mouth, Ha-gyeom clenched his fists repeatedly, finding it hard to believe this was real.

‘I shouldn’t be enjoying this….’

An alarm went off in his head repeatedly. Their lips were locked, but why did his lower abdomen tingle and his toes curl?

It’s not like he didn’t know what arousal was. He had guided Baek Sa before.

The difference between doing this consciously and unconsciously was staggering. While it wasn’t wrong to enjoy guiding, Ha-gyeom found everything about this experience with Baek Sa unfamiliar and overwhelming.

When Baek Sa finally pulled away from the kiss, Ha-gyeom felt drained after just a few minutes. Resting his chin on Baek Sa’s shoulder, he heard him chuckle softly before turning his attention back to the laptop.

His arousal remained unrelieved.

Suddenly feeling mischievous, Ha-gyeom grabbed Baek Sa’s chin and turned his face back toward him.

“Is that really more important right now?”

“Do you even know what this is?”

“If you make a commitment, you should follow through.”

The intertwining of their energies felt so good, almost like becoming one.

Doing something he had only ever imagined as a child, Ha-gyeom was captivated by a pleasure far beyond his fantasies. Even though Baek Sa wasn’t exactly Baek Seung-woo, there was no turning back now.

“Yeah. This isn’t… really important.”

As Ha-gyeom fidgeted with impatience, Baek Sa closed the laptop and stood up.

Supporting Ha-gyeom effortlessly, Baek Sa carried him to the bed by the window. No place in District 0 still had lights on. Looking out at the pitch-black scene, Ha-gyeom soon found himself seated on Baek Sa’s bed.

Baek Sa placed his glasses on the bedside table and pulled off his t-shirt in one motion.

The light from the desk lamp wasn’t enough to fully illuminate the room, but it was enough to highlight Baek Sa’s sculpted physique.

‘…Damn.’

In their previous guiding session, Ha-gyeom hadn’t had the chance or presence of mind to ogle Baek Sa’s body. Compared to the last time he’d seen him at twenty-six, Baek Sa’s muscles were even more defined, a testament to the passage of time.

Ha-gyeom hesitated, clutching the hem of his own t-shirt, but Baek Sa crawled forward on his knees and pulled the shirt off for him. With a push, he laid Ha-gyeom down, stripping off his underwear and pants in one go, leaving him completely naked.

No matter how much he had trained, Ha-gyeom’s body was nothing compared to Baek Sa’s. He had only had water since his energy was drained.

Being fully exposed in front of Baek Sa, especially with an erection, was an intensely awkward experience. He hadn’t even known how to get it up when they parted ways.

Baek Sa’s eyes scanned Ha-gyeom’s dried-out body with an unreadable expression before reaching out. His thumb traced Ha-gyeom’s neck with a delicate touch that made Ha-gyeom close his eyes involuntarily.

Contrary to his expectations, Baek Sa didn’t immediately kiss or caress him. He simply let his fingers glide over Ha-gyeom’s skin, inspecting every inch with meticulous care.

Ha-gyeom shivered but endured. As Baek Sa’s hands traveled from his shoulders to his chest, waist, hips, knees, and down to his feet, the rising heat made it hard to breathe.

“What about you… do you prefer men or women?”

His words came out haltingly. Baek Sa, who had just kissed his ankle, looked up and casually replied.

“Both.”

…Was Ah-rang, his previous guide, a woman? The thought crossed Ha-gyeom’s mind. Judging by the name, probably, but he couldn’t be sure.

Feeling suddenly deflated, Ha-gyeom turned his gaze to the window. At the center, Baek Sa had guided with both male and female guides. Ha-gyeom had once dreamed of sharing a bed with him, but he had never expected it to actually happen.

He was someone who had fed, clothed, and sheltered him.

Now, in the dark room, Ha-gyeom’s complicated feelings intensified as he focused on the task at hand. There was no room for personal feelings. He had to remember that this was just another part of his duty.