EAR Ch 45

The car door clicked shut. Settling into his seat, Jaemin stared out the window with a bored expression. His phone showed it was past 11 PM. He was tired, but having studied right up until the moment he got into the car, he wasn’t sleepy.

“Aren’t you tired? You should get some sleep, even if it’s just for a bit.”

The driver asked as he started the engine. Starting his junior year, Jaemin had decided to switch back to being picked up instead of taking the bus, which he’d done for a semester. Jaemin, who had been leaning his head against the window, shook his head.

“I’m not sleepy.”

“You seem to be studying too late. If you use your brain late at night, you can’t fall asleep right away even when you lie down.”

“That’s true.”

It was true that he had developed mild insomnia lately. Spring of his junior year. The world was abuzz with cherry blossom viewing and festivals, but for high school seniors preparing for the college entrance exams, it was just someone else’s business.

Since most students aimed to enter college through early admissions, the first semester of their junior year was the last hurdle, and with their essentially final midterm exams looming, the students were going through a difficult and dry spring, almost resenting the beautiful blossoming trees.

Jaemin’s schedule had also become much tighter this year. Even though his days always started early and ended late, he had increased his tutoring and self-study hours, so these days he was really busy just collapsing and sleeping as soon as he got home. It wasn’t just because of his parents’ demands; it was also a choice Jaemin himself had made.

More than anyone else, Ryu Jaemin wanted to achieve his goal of getting into Korea University’s medical school. If his resolve weakened now or he became lax due to exhaustion, all the effort he had put in for years, enduring various things, would be wasted. He also absolutely didn’t want to jeopardize his plan to go to the same university as Oh Seungpyo.

‘I miss him.’

Jaemin thought of Seungpyo, looking at the scenery outside the window. He had seen him at school today, but he missed him already.

Seungpyo was also busy with the final spurt of exam preparation, and due to differences in their study methods, they had been spending significantly less time alone together lately. It felt like just yesterday they were enjoying dates, immersed in the holiday spirit, and welcoming the New Year together.

As they came out onto the main road, cherry blossoms in full bloom boasted their last bursts of color outside the window. It would be difficult this year, but next year, they would be able to stroll through the spring together. Thinking of Seungpyo softened his frayed nerves, and Jaemin finally closed his eyes.

Bzzzzz.

However, his moment of rest was short-lived. His phone vibrated in his hand, and Jaemin opened his eyes.

“Hello.”

It was a welcome call, as if Seungpyo knew he was thinking about him. Despite Jaemin’s tired voice, his joy was evident.

―Are you done with tutoring?

“Yeah. I’m in the car on my way home.”

―Already? That’s a bit earlier than usual, isn’t it?

“Yeah, about 10 minutes early. We got through the material faster than expected.”

Seungpyo’s tone became slightly awkward.

―I would have called earlier if I knew you were finishing early. I’m in your tutoring neighborhood right now.

“What?”

Jaemin quickly turned his head toward the driver.

“Sir, wait a moment. Please stop the car for a second.”

“What? There’s nowhere to stop here.”

“Then I’ll get off now. You can go ahead today.”

“Your parents will get mad at me if I do that. Are you meeting a friend? Tell me where they are. They can ride along.”

Jaemin hurriedly turned his attention back to the call.

“Where are you?”

―You know that convenience store right in front of where you have tutoring? I’m there.

“Then wait there for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

The car turned around, heading back the way it came. The driver chuckled.

“You two are really close. Anyone would think you’re dating.”

“Now that we’re juniors and busy, the only fun we have is meeting friends.”

“That’s right. The friends I struggled with during my senior year are the ones I remember most from high school.”

Fortunately, it didn’t take long to go back since they hadn’t gone far. Jaemin happily rolled down the window, spotting the familiar silhouette standing in front of the convenience store.

“Oh Seungpyo!”

Seungpyo walked straight towards the car. Before getting in, he bowed politely towards the driver’s side window.

“Sorry to bother you by showing up unannounced. Hello, sir.”

“It’s been a while. You’re having a hard time these days, too, right?”

“Not as much as Ryu Jaemin.”

The back door swung open, and Seungpyo got in. Unable to hide his wide smile at the sudden appearance of his boyfriend, Jaemin greeted him.

“How long have you been waiting?”

“You finish latest today. I thought you’d be tired, so I was just going to see your face briefly before heading home.”

“You’re tired too.”

“I don’t even go to that many academies.”

They whispered quietly so the driver couldn’t hear. Yearning gazes met. They wanted to kiss right then and there, but they couldn’t. Unaware of their situation, the driver casually asked as he turned the wheel.

“Should I go straight to your house? You weren’t meeting up for an appointment or anything?”

Seungpyo quickly answered for Jaemin.

“No, sir. I was just in the neighborhood, so I stopped by.”

“So you were waiting to catch a ride?”

“Ah, you caught me.”

The driver was used to Seungpyo’s easygoing nature, having met him a few times before. They chuckled and exchanged jokes like close friends.

Seungpyo and Jaemin fiddled with their hands on the seat and rode in silence for a while. From the tutoring academy to his home, it was a familiar route that Jaemin took every day. The cherry blossom petals fluttering outside the window made the everyday path feel like a special place.

“There’s usually no traffic here, but it’s congested today. Maybe there’s an accident.”

Traffic had started to build up at some point, and even though the light turned green, the cars weren’t moving. Jaemin stared blankly at the line of cars with their headlights on, then suddenly spoke.

“Sir, we’ll get off here.”

“Now?”

“It’s not a long walk from here. It’s better to walk than to keep standing still in traffic.”

“Let’s do that then, since we’re almost there.”

This time, the driver agreed. Jaemin and Seungpyo hurriedly got out of the car. They passed the line of waiting cars and stepped onto the sidewalk. After a brief bow to the driver who had dropped them off, they started walking.

Cherry blossom petals, nearing the end of their bloom, danced in the wind above their heads. The blossoms under the streetlights had a different, serene beauty compared to those under the sunlight. Unable to hide his joy, Jaemin looked at Seungpyo.

“I was just thinking I wanted to see the cherry blossoms with you.”

“Me too. I was worried they’d all fall, so I tried to catch the last train to see them.”

“Today was the latest I finish… how long have you been waiting?”

“About an hour?”

“You should have contacted me beforehand.”

“I wanted to surprise you after your tutoring, but I didn’t know it would go wrong.”

Late at night, there wasn’t much that two high school students in the midst of exam preparation could do. The only thing they could do right now was walk together until they reached Jaemin’s house, which wasn’t far.

They paused their slow walk and changed direction. The beautiful spring night was bright and noisy everywhere, but the two had long since learned how to hide from people’s eyes.

Hidden in the shadows of the blossoming trees, holding hands, they clearly felt each other’s longing even in the darkness. For some reason, they couldn’t bring themselves to kiss easily tonight and just stared at each other.

“Oh.”

Seungpyo let out a small exclamation without realizing it. A beat later, Jaemin understood why he had reacted that way. A petal, fluttering from somewhere, had landed on Jaemin’s lips.

As if it were a signal, Seungpyo leaned in. Their lips met silently, then made a soft, moist peck, peck sound. The small, thin petal was crushed between their lips and then slipped away, disappearing.

The petal may have fallen fleetingly, but their kiss had not. Their soft lips, like delicate petals, met again and again, and their tongues explored each other’s mouths longingly. The fact that it was almost time to part made them hold on tighter.

Seungpyo, who had been teasing Jaemin’s lips, pressed deeper, his tongue delving deep inside. It was a kiss that sent shivers down to Jaemin’s throat. Holding back his moans throughout, a low, soft sound escaped Jaemin involuntarily.

“Hmm….”

Startled by his own sound, Jaemin tightened his arms around Seungpyo. There were no eyes around to spot them hidden in the shadows on this dark night, but Seungpyo pressed closer nonetheless.

Still, the kiss didn’t stop. Seungpyo’s tongue would retreat slightly, then plunge back in. The same action repeated over and over. It was less a kiss and more a blatant caress reminiscent of penetration, making Jaemin’s shoulders and waist tremble. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Suppressed moans barely reached their ears alone.

“Haa….”

When Seungpyo finally lifted his head, Jaemin simply caught his breath quietly, unable to even open his eyes right away.

Seungpyo slowly pulled Jaemin into his arms.

“Your lips taste like cherry blossoms.”

“Cherry blossoms don’t have a taste.”

Grumbling, Jaemin hugged Seungpyo back. They would see each other at school tomorrow anyway, but the thought of parting now made his chest ache.

Shaking off the melancholic feeling, Seungpyo whispered first.

“I should go in now.”

“You should go easy on me. How am I supposed to go home like this….”

“What can I do? I’m sad to leave you.”

Jaemin buried his face in Seungpyo’s shoulder with a heated sigh.

“I thought I was going to be devoured.”

“How did you know? I almost devoured you just now.”

Seungpyo grinned and whispered in his ear.

“I don’t have to be number one on the midterms, but I really want to devour our school’s top student.”

The playful, lewd banter exchanged between them, their moist breaths, showed no sign of cooling down. Dating as a high school senior was a constant battle against oneself. The top student, now prey, didn’t flinch at the threat of being devoured, instead smiling back.

“Devour me all you want after the exams.”

“Yeah, look forward to it. I’m going to completely ravage you.”

Playful, low laughter was secretly exchanged under the dark shade of the cherry blossom trees. It was a short, private hanami for the two of them in the spring of their junior year.