7MoH 4.5
by SpringlilaSide Story 3. FOMO
At the serving counter of Annenberg Hall, which is responsible for freshmen’s meals, plastic containers are provided alongside trays. This is a considerate arrangement that allows students to take food out like a lunch box.
On this beautiful day, Jeong-in and Chase decided to eat lunch outside and picked up plastic containers instead of trays.
While contemplating at the omelet counter with its array of egg dishes, someone greeted them from behind in a familiar voice,
“Hi, Lim. Hi, Prescott.”
“Hello, Sullivan.”
He was one of Chase’s fellow residents at Weld Hall, and Jeong-in had exchanged greetings with him a few times as well.
As they entered their second month of life here, the number of people they encountered and greeted around campus gradually increased. Perhaps becoming familiar with a place starts with such small things.
The two filled their containers with food and went outside.
It was dazzling outside. Annenberg Hall, reminiscent of Hogwarts’ Great Hall, was a red brick building with Gothic-style spires and arched windows. The beautiful building, which looked like a medieval cathedral or a movie set, appeared even more magnificent in the warm light.
Outdoor tables with parasols were scattered in front of the building.
On clear days, many students chose to be outside as if seeking photosynthesis. Some laughed and chatted with friends, while others had their laptops open, tackling meals and assignments simultaneously.
It was a campus life with its unique charm, sometimes busy, sometimes overwhelming, but worthwhile.
“Oh, Jeong-in. I think I need to go to Legatus House tonight.”
Chase’s words made Jeong-in tilt his head.
“Isn’t joining a Final Club something you do in sophomore year?”
The ‘Final Clubs,’ fraternity clubs that only men could join, were not simply social gatherings but secret elite organizations and symbols of privilege. Only a small number of those invited could join, and the process was strictly confidential.
If you failed the interview, you wouldn’t get another chance, and the selection criteria went beyond grades or social skills. Family, background, connections… To cross the threshold of a Final Club, you needed the power to overcome invisible barriers.
And the Legatus Club, established in the early 1800s, was among the most prestigious of Harvard’s Final Clubs. It had its own luxurious clubhouse outside campus, a place that ordinary students like Jeong-in would find difficult even to approach.
They typically recruited new members in the fall of sophomore year. This process was called the ‘punch,’ and first-year students generally couldn’t participate. But Chase had been exceptionally invited to the punch.
The Prescott family had produced Legatus alumni for five generations. There was even a separate chapter called “Prescott Legacy” in the Legatus yearbook, so it wasn’t strange that he had been invited.
“So you’ll have dinner there tonight?”
“I suppose so.”
Meanwhile, Jeong-in had joined the Korean Student Association on Aiden’s recommendation.
It was a club with at most fifty members, and only about ten were actively involved.
The ostensible purpose was to broaden awareness of Korean social, political, and cultural issues among undergraduate Korean and Korean-American students, and to promote fellowship among members. But in reality, the atmosphere was much more relaxed and casual.
It was a place where Korean students scattered across and outside campus occasionally gathered to build friendships in small groups, and sometimes spent time cooking and eating Korean food.
On rainy days, impromptu pajeon (Korean pancake) gatherings would be organized, and some days they would watch Korean dramas to catch up on storylines and learn trending phrases.
There were also times when they read Korean novels in their original language to maintain their Korean skills, but even those sessions were filled more with chatter and laughter than seriousness.
“Your next class is in the Northwest Building, right?”
Jeong-in nodded at Chase’s question.
From the Annenberg Hall courtyard where they were sitting, it was at least a 10-minute walk.
Chase reached out and picked up the empty bowl in front of Jeong-in.
“I’ll clean this up. Hurry and go. See you at the condo tonight.”
On Fridays, the two always headed to the condo. Spending the weekend together and returning to school on Monday had become a familiar routine.
Chase kissed Jeong-in lightly on the cheek as he stood up with his bag, sending him off.
The campus was extremely vast. Some students even used public transportation to move between lecture buildings.
Jeong-in was seriously considering buying a bicycle these days. Perhaps riding a bicycle around campus like he did in Bellacove would allow him to enjoy college life more leisurely and romantically.
After walking quickly, he barely made it to the classroom before the class started.
Today was the day for his weekly basic life sciences class. The three hour class combining experiments and theoretical lectures consumed quite a bit of physical energy and concentration.
After class, a meeting for a group project was scheduled. Remaining in the emptying classroom, he opened his laptop and coordinated presentation directions with his teammates until he noticed it had already grown dark outside.
Finally, having completed all his daily tasks, Jeong-in left the classroom while pondering dinner options.
Though Annenberg Hall provided three meals a day, the menu was always pretty much the same. The food was inoffensive enough not to get tired of, but nothing particularly appealing either.
Just then, a message on his phone solved Jeong-in’s dilemma.
Aiden Han: [Do you like spicy food?]
Jeong-in replied immediately without even stopping his walk.
To Aiden Han: [Yeah, why?]
Aiden explained he was on his way to eat stir-fried squid with friends from the Korean Student Association and asked if he’d like to join. Jeong-in’s eyes instantly lit up. It was an opportunity he couldn’t miss.
The restaurant ‘Sooni’ was a place he had been eyeing and mentally bookmarked, but hadn’t yet visited.
Chase couldn’t handle spicy food well. Though he occasionally boasted about liking Mexican food, claiming to have what Koreans call ‘spice pride,’ from Jeong-in’s perspective, he was just someone who marveled at slightly spicy tacos.
There was even a time when he had tried a sauce he recommended as ‘really spicy’ and thought to himself, ‘This is just ketchup.’
Moreover, squid was an ingredient Americans rarely ate, so it would certainly be unfamiliar to him in many ways.
To Aiden Han: [I’ll be right there]
Without hesitation, Jeong-in immediately replied that he would come and quickened his pace. Unfortunately, since the building was located in the northern corner of campus, it would take quite a while to walk to Harvard Square.
By the time he arrived at the restaurant ‘Sooni,’ Jeong-in was almost panting.
With white walls, a green awning, and a small olive tree next to the entrance, from the outside it looked vaguely like a Mediterranean restaurant. However, the moment he opened the door and stepped inside, the scene completely changed.
The familiar scent of Korean seasonings stung his nose. Inside, a song currently popular in Korea was playing, and Korean writing was visible everywhere he looked.
“Jay! Welcome!”
Dave Choi, one of the seniors from the student association, greeted Jeong-in warmly. Aiden, who belatedly turned his head towards the entrance, also waved.
As it happened, a senior who had recently visited Korea during the break had brought six bottles of famous makgeolli that hadn’t yet been officially imported overseas.
He took one bottle to the kitchen area and handed it to the restaurant owner. It was a natural and heartwarming gesture, like paying a corkage fee.
Six people including Jeong-in sat around the table, filling each other’s cups with makgeolli.
The Korean language and the smell of Korean food, these two elements alone made the space feel familiar and warm.
Just then, a middle-aged woman with a motherly appearance emerged carrying steaming hot jeon.
〈Ah, is Jay here for the first time? Say hello to the owner!〉
At Dave’s good natured prompting, Jeong-in bowed his head politely. The owner, who was cutting the pancakes into bite sized pieces with scissors, opened her eyes wide upon seeing Jeong-in.
〈Oh my, aren’t you handsome! Would you like to meet my youngest daughter? She’s twenty four.〉
Jeong-in smiled awkwardly and lowered his head, while Dave smoothly interjected,
〈He’s not available, ma’am. He has a gorgeous blonde partner with an incredible physique. They’re the most famous couple at Harvard.〉
〈Are his standards that high? My daughter is pretty too!〉
Laughter erupted throughout the restaurant.
The atmosphere was lively. A burner was placed on the table with a stone plate heating up above it. Fresh squid, pork belly, and various vegetables including minari (water dropwort), hard to find here, sizzled as they were placed on the grill. On top, a frightfully red sauce was generously poured. Jeong-in’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
〈If it’s too spicy, eat some pajeon.〉
Aiden’s considerate comment only provoked Jeong-in’s competitive spirit. Dave added one more remark,
〈Yeah, listen to Aiden. They use chili powder ground from the owner’s home grown Cheongyang peppers. It’s really spicy.〉
The stir-fried squid Jeong-in tried with some trepidation had a strong charred flavor and was pleasantly spicy. The excellent side dishes paired well with the makgeolli, which was quickly finished.
They ordered more alcohol, and the owner brought out side dishes she normally reserved for family, a special expression of affection.
Jeong-in looked around at the group with serious eyes and said,
〈Please let me know whenever you all come here.〉
〈Why? You can just come with your boyfriend.〉
Lindsay Seo, the vice president of the Korean Student Association, said with a smile.
〈He can’t handle spicy food very well.〉
Of course, if asked, Chase would immediately come along. But he had once said that even after eating something as mild as spicy chicken stew, he felt his heart racing in his stomach. If he tasted this Cheongyang pepper sauce, he might suffer from stomach pain for days.
〈Wow, we found a weakness.〉
In response to Jeong-in’s questioning look, Dave added playfully,
〈Honestly, someone like your boyfriend could afford to have more flaws. I heard the football team is begging him to try out?〉
Jeong-in nodded and said,
〈They’ve even asked him to just play in ‘The Game’.〉
Chase had been receiving persistent appeals from the Harvard football team since the beginning of the semester.
Because the Ivy League doesn’t offer athletic scholarships, it’s difficult to get in based solely on athletic ability. Elite quarterbacks like Chase who had made it to high school playoffs rarely if ever came to Harvard.
Coaches took turns visiting him, pleading for him to join as a walk on player, joining the team without official recruiting.
But he showed no interest.
He rejected tryout offers and stated he had no intention of officially joining. Unlike before, it wasn’t necessary for admissions, and extracurricular activities wouldn’t particularly benefit him anymore.
Then the coach, accompanied by the team captain, asked if he would at least play in ‘The Game,’ even without formally joining the team.
‘The Game’—the very match that stirred the blood of every Harvard student.
Most Ivy League schools, including Harvard, ranked low in football ability. People didn’t expect much from them.
Still, they had one very important match: the annual game against Yale, known simply as ‘The Game.’
This match, which began in the late 1800s, transcended a simple sporting event to represent a clash of pride, tradition, history, and symbols between the two prestigious universities.
Regardless of the team’s overall performance, whether they beat Yale in The Game affected the entire school’s atmosphere.
Whether player or spectator, everyone was passionate about this one day.
Even on the typically quiet Harvard campus, this day was filled with flags, cheers, anger, and joy.
〈Why won’t he do it?〉
〈He seems to think it’s a waste of time.〉
〈You said he made it to the playoffs. If I had his physique and skills, I would definitely play. It would make him a legend.〉
Chase was someone who attracted attention everywhere and stood at the center of whatever he did. Perhaps he had received people’s admiration so often that he no longer found excitement in becoming a legend.
〈I’d actually like him to play in the game. I want to see him in action once more.〉
〈Why don’t you try to persuade him?〉
〈What if his grades suffer because of it?〉
The memory of cheering for him and wearing his jersey in high school remained like a precious page of youth. Thinking there would be no more games,he had unknowingly shed a few tears at what he thought was his final match.
His running figure on the field was brilliant and beautiful.
Just imagining him wearing a helmet again, with shoulder pads on, cutting across the grass field made his heart race.
But Jeong-in said nothing to Chase. He couldn’t sacrifice Chase’s future for his brief happiness.
Speak of the devil, a message arrived from Chase.
Chay❤️: [Did you eat dinner? I’m at a Mexican restaurant called Tia Lucha near American Bank]
Only then did he realize he hadn’t told Chase about this sudden gathering. Jeong-in hurriedly replied.
To Chay❤️: [I’m having dinner with the KSA people right now]
For a while, there was no reply. Jeong-in wondered if he might be upset that he hadn’t told him in advance. While he was worrying, nosy Dave cut in with a sly expression.
“Who is it? Your boyfriend?”
“Yes. I forgot to tell him I was coming here.”
“Is he experiencing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) maybe?”
“No way.”
He was none other than Prescott. Someone who had friends wanting to hang out with him wherever he went. Common emotions like alienation or jealousy didn’t suit him.
Just then, a message came from Chase.
Chay❤️: [Okay, see you at home later 😘]
Just as he put down his phone with relief, the owner appeared again from the kitchen area.
“I have some homemade ginseng liquor, would you all like to try it?”
Saying it won’t give you a hangover and is very clean tasting, the owner was already pouring the liquor into small soju glasses for everyone.
“We can’t drink this without more food.”
With those words, they ordered more side dishes. The restaurant ‘Sooni,’ which was like a community gathering place for the Korean Student Association, ripened with the fragrant scent of ginseng liquor and laughter tinged with intoxication.
* * *
“Are you okay?”
Aiden looked at the wobbling Jeong-in with nervous eyes. Sure enough, just as he lost his balance and was about to tumble onto the uneven block pavement, Aiden reflexively caught him.
“Be careful, idiot!”
“Senior, my body is… experiencing acceleration due to the imbalance between alcohol and gravity…”
Aiden burst into laughter.
“How did you go from completely fine to totally wasted with just that one drink?”
Jeong-in, who had been perfectly sober until drinking makgeolli, began to lose focus in his eyes as soon as he swallowed a glass of ginseng liquor.
As if the mixing of two completely different types of alcohol suddenly brought on intoxication, Jeong-in slumped over the table, and Aiden volunteered to take him home. He remembered the address because he had stopped by Chase’s party before.
As he was about to press the intercom at the common entrance on the first floor, Henry, who was on night duty, spotted Jeong-in first and came out opening the door.
“Mr. Lim? Are you alright?”
Henry gave Aiden a momentary but reproachful glance. Feeling somewhat unfairly judged, Aiden greeted him with an awkward expression.
“Hello. I’m trying to take this friend home.”
Henry, still looking dubious, held the elevator for them.
Somehow Aiden managed to support Jeong-in and arrived at Penthouse 601, which he had visited before. Shortly after ringing the doorbell, the door flung open and a large man appeared.
Chase’s blue eyes immediately went to Jeong-in, who was practically collapsing into Aiden’s arms.
“Haha… Long time no see, Prescott.”
Chase silently took Jeong-in, looking at Aiden with an expression that seemed to be suppressing something.
“…Since you came all this way, come in for a bit.”
“No, I should just go.”
“I can’t let you do that. After bringing him here, let me at least offer you a glass of water.”
“Really, it’s fine,” Aiden tried to say, but Chase had already turned his back and was taking Jeong-in inside. Inwardly swallowing a deep sigh, Aiden reluctantly entered the living room and sat on the sofa.
After laying Jeong-in down on the bed and returning to the living room, Chase took out a cold bottle of water from the refrigerator and lightly tossed it toward Aiden.
“Thanks, I’ll drink it.”
“What happened?”
“We were all eating and drinking at a Korean restaurant.”
Aiden deliberately emphasized the words ‘all’ as he spoke.
“He said he likes spicy food but couldn’t handle it. And then the owner said they had some house brewed alcohol, so we drank it, but it didn’t suit Jay. Or maybe it suited him too well.”
Aiden spoke with an awkward smile, but Chase maintained an expressionless face and said nothing.
Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong, Aiden felt uncomfortable. Chase wasn’t being particularly rude or overtly emotional, but there was something strangely suffocating about the atmosphere. His possessiveness seemed far from ordinary.
Aiden found himself rambling about various topics.
“I heard the football team is persistently trying to scout you? Are you really not interested?”
“Jay said that?”
“Oh, it was nothing special. Just that he’d like to see you playing again, that’s all.”
Jeong-in had never said such a thing to Chase. Chase was silent for a moment. It irritated him greatly that Aiden knew something that even he, who could pride himself on being closest to Jeong-in, didn’t know.
“I enjoyed the drink. I should be going now.”
Leaving his water bottle, which wasn’t even half empty, on the table, Aiden escaped from the penthouse almost like he was fleeing.
Left alone in the living room, Chase quietly sighed and went into the bedroom.
Under the dim light, Jeong-in was tossing and turning with the blanket half covering him. Seemingly having trouble falling asleep due to the alcohol, Jeong-in mumbled words that sounded like sleep talking.
“Chase… my equilibrium… has collapsed… the gravitational field… is pulling me strangely…”
Chase looked down at Jeong-in with a serious expression.
* * *
His head felt like it was about to split open.
Jeong-in touched his temple as soon as he opened his eyes. His head throbbed as if someone were stirring his brain with a hot ladle.
As he breathed in, he noticed a familiar scent. Clean, soft blankets touched his fingertips and toes. It felt comfortable and cozy.
Suddenly, he realized he had no memory of falling asleep last night, let alone returning home. Jeong-in sat up abruptly with a sharp intake of breath. It felt as if his brain was sloshing along with the mattress.
“Ugh…”
Jeong-in cradled his aching head in his hands and looked around.
He was in Chase’s condo, lying on the bed in the master bedroom.
There was no one beside him, and looking at the window, he could see the sun was already high in the sky. Judging by the angle of light coming through the window, it wasn’t early morning anymore.
Just as Jeong-in started trying to recall what had happened, the door opened with a click and Chase entered the room.
“You’re awake?”
He smiled gently. It was the familiar smile he’d always seen. It seemed he hadn’t caused any trouble while drunk.
“I bought some soup. I’ll heat it up, so wash up quickly. Let’s eat together.”
“…Okay.”
Though still confused, Jeong-in felt somewhat reassured by Chase’s calm tone and his usual expression.
Jeong-in slowly got up and went to the bathroom. The warm shower seemed to wash away some of the hangover that enveloped his entire body.
When he went out to the living room, a savory aroma wafted through the air.
Chase poured the heated soup into a pretty bowl and placed it in front of Jeong-in. Milky steam rose from the soup. It was chicken soup with small pasta.
“Want some crushed pepper?”
Having spent enough time together, Chase now knew Jeong-in’s preferences well. He sprinkled a bit of crushed pepper in Jeong-in’s bowl before pushing it forward.
“Go ahead and eat.”
“What about you?”
“I already ate the sandwich I bought with it. Eat. It’ll get cold.”
Jeong-in took a spoonful of broth first.
“It’s delicious.”
The hot broth spread through his mouth, warming his insides. The pasta was chewy, and the peas that he occasionally bit into were nutty. The broth with crushed pepper went down his throat with a pleasantly spicy warmth.
By the time he’d emptied about half the bowl, he started to feel better. And only then did he begin to feel self-conscious about Chase. Chase was drinking coffee while watching Jeong-in eat.
“Umm… about last night. What time did I come in?”
“After midnight.”
“Ah…”
The thought of coming in late at night, reeking of alcohol and completely drunk, made him cringe. But Chase didn’t particularly question or reproach him. Was he going to let it slide?
“Hey… Chase. Aren’t you mad?”
“Mad? Why would I be? Just finish your food.”
Chase said with a smile. Jeong-in, feeling relieved, picked up his spoon again.
“Ahhh… that was good.”
Jeong-in emptied his bowl completely. He now understood a little why adults sought hangover soup. The warmth of the hot broth heated his insides and cleared his head.
Chase glanced at the empty bowl.
“All done? Want some more?”
“No, I’m full.”
“Then let’s talk.”
At that moment, Chase’s expression changed completely. The smile that had been on his face until just a moment ago vanished entirely.
“Huh, uh?”
“I am mad.”
Jeong-in blinked with wide, surprised eyes as he looked at Chase. Chase’s blue eyes gazed coldly at Jeong-in.
“Oh, why am I suddenly like this? You tend to refuse to eat when you’re upset, so I had no choice.”
His plan had been to fill Jeong-in’s stomach first before starting the conversation.
“You tricked me!”
Jeong-in realized he’d fallen for Chase’s strategy. Though the only ‘harm’ he’d suffered was getting hangover relief and a hearty breakfast.
“Aiden brought you in, practically holding you up. Well after midnight. How do you think I felt seeing that?”
If the roles were reversed, Jeong-in would have been just as angry, if not more so.
Jeong-in offered a feeble excuse.
“A-Aiden is straight.”
“And what was I supposed to think?”
Jeong-in cautiously spoke again.
“Six of us ate together yesterday. Aiden brought me here because he was the only one who knew this place.”
“Hearing that doesn’t make me feel any better. If you were going to get drunk, you should have called me.”
With only those words, Chase quietly left his seat. His actions spoke louder than his words about how he was feeling.
Jeong-in quietly followed Chase to the master bedroom. Chase was changing clothes in the walk-in closet inside.
Jeong-in carefully spoke to Chase’s back as he layered a sweatshirt over a thin short sleeved t-shirt.
“I’m sorry, Chase.”
“Don’t try to seduce me. I’m angry.”
Jeong-in hadn’t particularly intended to seduce him, but apparently just calling his name made Chase feel tempted.
“I was wrong, Chase…”
“I told you not to seduce me.”
Chase looked directly at Jeong-in. His eyes showed he was enduring something.
“Do you know what you did wrong?”
Chase approached until he was right in front of Jeong-in. Then, as if he couldn’t hold back anymore, he spoke.
“I can’t join that damn Korean Student Association.”
That was fundamentally impossible unless Chase was reborn as someone else.
When Jeong-in conversed naturally in Korean with them, Chase felt like he was the only one left alone in the noise.
The language contained jokes, nuances, and emotions, but all he could do was read facial expressions and the general atmosphere.
Jeong-in looked much more comfortable when speaking Korean. His intonation was diverse and his expressions were rich. It was incredibly difficult for Chase to see Jeong-in standing in a world he didn’t know.
“What does that suddenly have to do with anything?”
“I’m jealous. Damn it! I’m jealous, okay?”
As Dave had said, Chase was feeling left out. Chase being so honest about his feelings made him seem even more lovable than usual. He even looked cute.
Jeong-in remembered reading an article in a fashion magazine that Vivian had made him read during her makeover phase, preparing for situations like this.
The title was ‘How to Soothe Your Partner’s Anger,’ and it said physical contact was the most effective method. At first, he thought it was childish and dismissed it, but he remembered reading it seriously after learning it had scientific basis.
The article explained that letting your partner touch parts they like, such as the chest or buttocks, releases oxytocin in the brain through physical contact, lowers cortisol levels, and ultimately stabilizes the autonomic nervous system, helping to relieve anger.
Now was the perfect time to test if that article was correct.
Jeong-in looked at Chase and said, “Want to touch my chest?”
Chase seemed speechless, frozen with his mouth open. His hand twitched as if it had a mind of its own. But as if trying to show he was still angry, he roughly ran the hand that had unconsciously started to reach for Jeong-in’s chest through his own hair instead.
“Don’t try to placate me like that.”
Chase, dressed in jogger pants and a sweatshirt as if going for a run, picked up his phone.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes. Take some time to reflect while I’m gone.”
“Where are you going?”
“It’s a secret!”
With only those words, Chase left the condo.
Jeong-in knew that Chase couldn’t stay too angry with him. But considering that coming home drunk yesterday, barely able to stand and leaning on someone else, was definitely his fault no matter how he looked at it, he sent an apologetic message with sincere regret.
To Chay❤️: [I’m really sorry. I’ll make sure this never happens again.]
The reply came quickly.
Chay❤️: [I’ll check if you’ve sincerely reflected when I get back.]
Jeong-in put down his phone with a sigh of relief. Then he began his day belatedly.
After brewing and drinking a strong cup of coffee, he immediately started working on his assignments. Hours passed, and even as the sky outside turned red with sunset, Chase, whom he thought had gone running, still hadn’t returned.
Just as he began to wonder about this, a message arrived from Dave.
Dave Choi: Well done, Jay! Did you tell your boyfriend? Harvard’s going to win at this year’s game!
(Photo)
The attached photo showed Chase training on the football field.
* * *
Jeong-in was sitting on the sofa with his laptop on his knees, still working on his assignments. His hands, which had been busily typing on the keyboard, suddenly stopped at the electronic sound of the front door lock being released.
Jeong-in immediately closed his laptop, practically tossing it aside, and jumped up from his seat. The sofa rippled slightly with his sudden movement.
“Chase!”
As soon as the door opened, Jeong-in leapt from his spot and ran to Chase. Without hesitation, he jumped up.
Chase instinctively caught Jeong-in, who had suddenly launched himself at him. Jeong-in wrapped his arms around Chase’s neck and clung to him like a koala.
Chase smelled like someone who had just showered. The subtle scent of cheap soap commonly found in school locker rooms wafted from him. Combined with his natural scent, it felt incredibly fragrant.
Jeong-in, still holding tightly onto Chase’s shoulders, slowly raised his head to look down at him.
“Are you going to do it?”
“Do what?”
Chase avoidantly asked with feigned nonchalance.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. I’m talking about football. A senior from the Korean Student Association sent me photos.”
“…There are moles everywhere.”
Chase muttered as he turned his head, then continued.
“…I just agreed to play in The Game. Like as a wildcard.”
“Why did you suddenly decide that?”
“Because you wanted it.”
“Huh?”
To Jeong-in’s puzzled question, Chase replied with a somewhat resentful expression.
“You didn’t say a word to me. But you told Aiden that you wanted to see me play.”
Jeong-in’s breath faltered. Did he really decide to return to a sport he had given up just for such a simple reason?
Moisture gathered in his dark eyes.
“Chase…”
Jeong-in’s lips trembled.
“I figured it wouldn’t take much more time than running, and it’s just one game against Yale.”
“…I’ll wear a jersey with your number and even do face painting with your number.”
At those words, Chase raised one eyebrow.
“So, you weren’t planning to do that?”
Seeing tears in Jeong-in’s eyes, Chase briefly lowered his gaze, then quickly changed the subject.
“That’s not the issue. Did you reflect well today?”
Jeong-in quietly nodded. Words wouldn’t come easily due to his choked up throat.
“Let me check.”
While Jeong-in blinked in confusion, Chase strode toward the master bedroom.
Soon Jeong-in’s back touched the bed, and Chase covered him from above.
He tilted his head slightly and very gently bit Jeong-in’s lips before releasing them. Jeong-in felt dazed receiving a kiss when he hadn’t done anything to deserve it.
“Doesn’t that Korean Student Association recruit guest members?”
“I’ll ask about it.”
Chase’s lips covered Jeong-in’s once more. This time a bit deeper than before. His warm, moist lips brushed the inside of Jeong-in’s lips before slightly pulling away.
“Don’t be alone with someone else when you’re drunk again. You become too cute when you drink.”
When Jeong-in nodded, Chase rewarded him with slow, gentle kisses. Jeong-in’s lips parted slightly. As if waiting for something.
“Why are you opening your mouth?”
The corners of Chase’s mouth curled up. He could see that Jeong-in’s eyes were already glazed over.
“Want me to put my tongue in?”
He resented his teasing attitude. Frowning with indignation, Jeong-in embraced Chase’s neck without hesitation and roughly pulled him closer. Then he boldly rubbed his lips against Chase’s.
His tongue swept broadly across Jeong-in’s oral mucosa, tracing the inside of his mouth. It tickled the border between his molars and gums, and abruptly poked at the root of his tongue. Just as Jeong-in began to adjust, it would stimulate an entirely unexpected spot, leaving him constantly twitching and struggling to keep up.
“Ugh…”
Jeong-in’s small groan was swallowed into Chase’s mouth. The hand that had been cupping Jeong-in’s cheek moved to the nape of his neck. His calloused hand gently massaged the slender neck.
The movements of the tongue ravaging his mouth gradually intensified. He changed direction several times. Each time his high nose bridge intersected with Jeong-in’s, hot breaths mingled.
Chase lifted himself up, positioning Jeong-in between his knees. Then, with leisurely movements, he crossed his arms and pulled off his shirt. The hem of the shirt rode up his abdomen. As the shirt was pulled over his head, his golden hair became tousled.
Faint moonlight streamed in through the window. His frighteningly broad shoulders basked in the moonlight, flaunting their presence.
The realization that his undressing was for sex caused Jeong-in’s heart to pound rapidly.
Chase’s voice, a tone lower, echoed in the dim room.
“Maybe you picked the wrong guy. Someone with fierce jealousy and intense possessiveness.”
No sooner had the discarded t-shirt hit the floor, Chase lowered his pants zipper. Roughly exposing his rampant throbbing, erect penis so it could breathe, he leaned down towards Jeong-in.
Their tongues tangled again. He frantically intertwined his tongue with Jeong-in’s while using only one hand to undo Jeong-in’s pants. Jeong-in’s own penis was also hardened, leaking clear fluid from its split glans.
Even during the brief moments when he pulled away to remove his clothes, Chase stared intently at Jeong-in’s lips, as if even a moment of separation was a waste.
Chase’s impatiently reaching hand trembled slightly with eagerness. Unable to control his strength, there was a ripping sound as he tore off the t-shirt.
Finally, holding the completely naked Jeong-in in his arms, Chase gazed at him as if admiring a painting.
Hazy, unfocused eyes, flushed cheeks, lips stained by the lingering effects of a long kiss. If he were an artist, Jeong-in would undoubtedly be his muse. With the tip of a brush, with a carving knife, and with words. He would explore Jeong-in in every conceivable way.
Chase’s gaze, which had been lingering on Jeong-in’s face, slowly flowed down like viscous liquid. A slender jawline, the opposite of the angular chins popular these days regardless of gender, and below that, a long neck leading to a dizzying drop. Pointed shoulders that he seemed self-conscious about, and a lean chest rising and falling sharply.
Everything was maddeningly alluring. The fact that Jeong-in himself didn’t realize it and was embarrassed every time he showed his body drove Chase crazy.
The gently rippling blue eyes darkened with desire. A tar-like, thick, and heavy gaze settled quietly onto Jeong-in’s body along with the hazy moonlight.
Chase pressed his body tightly against Jeong-in’s. His hard chest pressed heavily down on Jeong-in.
He pressed his lips to Jeong-in’s neck, where the blood flowed, and pressed firmly. He could feel the pulse throbbing. After lingering there for a while, his lips traveled down the neckline.
When he bit down on his hardened nipples, Jeong-in inhaled sharply and heaved his chest. Chase sucked on the small bud with force, like someone suffering from a terrible hunger. When he gnawed on the nipple between his teeth, Jeong-in twisted his waist and tried to push Chase’s shoulder away.
“Ungh…”
Chase intertwined Jeong-in’s fingers and pressed them down, so hard that the knuckles lost circulation and the fingertips turned white.
A moist tongue roamed every part of Jeong-in’s body. He was cautious like a dog licking its injured owner, but then suddenly bit ravenously.
The unpredictable caresses made his vision blur. He couldn’t come to his senses.
Jeong-in’s panting chest rose and fell sharply. His eyes, which were usually sharp and alert as if ready to refute anything, collapsed imploringly.
Chase’s grip gradually tightened. The large palms cupping his waist were burning hot. With those hands, Chase flipped Jeong-in over. As soon as he saw Jeong-in’s small, round buttocks, his mouth filled with saliva.
Jeong-in looked back urgently.
“Ah… Ch-Chase…”
“Shhh.”
Jeong-in realized what Chase was about to do: lick the small hole between his buttocks.
Chase loved doing this.
By now, it was difficult to count the number of times they had had sex, even using both hands and feet. Of course, he never ended it in just one go, so that number would have to be multiplied several times.
So by now, awkwardness and shyness should have disappeared, but Jeong-in didn’t think he would ever get used to that act.
At first, he had been horrified and thrashed about, even kicking him off the bed and onto the floor.
He had never imagined that someone would lick and suck in such a place. This was far beyond a simple secret act. But Chase, on the contrary, said he couldn’t understand Jeong-in.
“Your body is my playground.”
He always said that. And he put those words into practice.
Even though he had experienced it countless times, it was still unfamiliar every time. Jeong-in had never even brought Chase’s penis to his mouth. Of course, he had never asked him to, but he doubted whether he could even if he did. He would do it someday, but no one knew when that day would come.
Chase put his hand under Jeong-in’s lower abdomen and lifted his lower body up. This put him in a position where his chest was against the bed and his buttocks were raised high. Jeong-in’s back drew a dizzying curve.
Chase massaged Jeong-in’s buttocks with his large hands. He squeezed the flesh as if wringing it out, then spread them apart, stretching the wrinkled hole horizontally. Chase lowered his head.
A rough tongue licked up from the perineum to between his buttocks. Jeong-in flinched once. But his hand only tightened its grip on his buttocks. It was clear that if he looked in the mirror while showering tomorrow morning, he would surely see Chase’s handprints left red.
“Haa…”
He twisted his waist and reached out to pull him away, but it was useless. After attempting a futile resistance, Jeong-in gave up and let his arms droop.
The hot, tickling sensation felt from below made his hole throb.
He was being sucked in the most shameful part of his body. He felt embarrassed and ashamed, but also a strange pleasure. The unresolved tickling was so painful that his feet involuntarily wiggled.
Chase tilted his head this way and that, like when he kissed, and rubbed the hole lewdly with his tongue.
In the end, Jeong-in couldn’t stand it and pressed his stomach tightly against the mattress as if running away. But Chase spread his buttocks further apart and thrust his pointed tongue into the softened hole.
“Ah!”
Chase, who had pushed his thick tongue all the way in, swirled the tip of his tongue around.
“Heuuh… Huu, Chase… Haa, Chase…”
If Jeong-in twisted his body due to the excessively strong stimulation, Chase would suck even more violently as if punishing him. The squelching sound echoing between his legs made him feel like he was losing his mind.
Chase pulled Jeong-in’s penis, which had been lying straight under his stomach, down. The skin was pulled taut and Jeong-in’s penis protruded between his legs. Chase continued to probe his hole with his tongue while rubbing Jeong-in’s glans and part of his shaft with one hand.
“Ahng… Ah, heung… Heuk…”
Chase shook his head with his tongue deeply inserted. The hole opened and cool air entered. The stimulation was too much. Jeong-in made a gasping sound, twisted his waist, and sobbed.
“Haa, Chase… Please… Please…”
He sucked for a long time until the tender hole was red and gasping painfully. He usually had a persistent nature, so he would relentlessly torment Jeong-in until he begged.
“Chase, I… Haa, it’s too hard…”
Jeong-in seemed to be already exhausted. He showed tremendous perseverance and concentration when it came to studying or research, but his physical strength was another matter.
He had no desire to exercise at all. Unlike studying, where he felt a sense of accomplishment as knowledge accumulated, he couldn’t find a reason to do it because his muscles ached the next day. He and Chase, who considered that muscle pain refreshing, were different species from the start.
The tongue, having finished its feast, finally withdrew. A sense of liberation and a new tension found Jeong-in.
He heard the sound of a drawer opening and closing on the bedside table. Chase picked up the lubricant and poured a generous amount of the transparent liquid onto his palm. Then, as if washing his bottom, he rubbed it from Jeong-in’s butt crack to his penis with his entire palm. The area between his legs became completely soaked.
Soon, his fingers pierced the entrance.
“Ah…!”
The lubricant soaked fingers stirred the hole. The hole, loosened by his tongue, quickly accommodated two of his fingers.
Jeong-in’s body heaved each time he stirred inside. Chase bent the fingers he had inserted inside, aiming for the spot where Jeong-in felt it.
“Haa-euk…!”
The immediate reaction made one corner of Chase’s mouth curl up.
Chase firmly pressed down on Jeong-in’s lower back to keep him from moving with one hand, and quickly increased the number of fingers.
The wet, squelching sound was loud each time the bundle of fingers went in and out. Chase put so much force into it that the muscles in his forearm and veins were bulged out, and he slammed his hand up. It was a deep insertion to the extent that the joints bulged between his fingers and the back of his hand collided with the buttock.
“Ah, eung, heung, eup, heuk…”
His vision turned white. Jeong-in’s whole body shuddered and writhed at the feeling of sparks flying inside his body.
When Jeong-in’s eyelids, which he couldn’t properly feel or open, began to twitch convulsively, the fingers that had been embedded were mercilessly pulled out.
“Why… Why…”
His dazed eyes, as if he had taken drugs, looked back at Chase with resentment.
“Today, you’re only going to cum with mine.”
Chase, who spoke with a roughly cracked voice, loosened his pants a little more. His penis was already bulging out over his underwear. He reached out to Jeong-in with his penis and testicles exposed by lowering the briefs band as if he didn’t have time to take off his pants.
“Ah, damn it.”
Jeong-in turned around at the sudden curse.
“I forgot to buy condoms.”
“Just… do it.”
“…What?”
Chase looked surprised as if he had heard something he couldn’t have imagined. Jeong-in said between ragged breaths.
“We’re… only going to do it with each other.”
His blue eyes flickered greatly. Chase, who snorted as if he was dumbfounded, stretched his lips long and smiled, repeating what Jeong-in had said in a similar way.
“Then I’ll just do it today. As you said… we’re only going to do it with each other for the rest of our lives.”
Before he could answer, his buttocks were lifted up. Jeong-in’s heart was pounding like crazy at the intense premonition that his penis would thrust in. But the place where his hand touched was Jeong-in’s waist.
Suddenly, his body was lifted up. Just as he thought his vision was moving quickly, Jeong-in was sitting on Chase’s crotch, who was lying flat on the bed.
Jeong-in blinked as if he didn’t understand.
“As a sign of repentance, you’re going up today.”
A look of embarrassment appeared on Jeong-in’s face. It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried this position before, but he had never started it on his own initiative like this.
He felt an enormous amount of volume under his buttocks. HThe thought of inserting that all by himself made him feel faint. On the other hand, Chase was looking at Jeong-in with a relaxed face, with his arms clasped behind his head as if watching.
Chase, who was looking at Jeong-in who didn’t know what to do, lifted his waist up with a flick. It was a movement with a clear meaning of urging.
Jeong-in put strength on his two knees on the mattress, lifted his buttocks, reached his hand behind his back, and grabbed Chase’s penis. It was a grotesque thickness and length no matter how many times he looked at it.
Jeong-in pulled his penis between his buttocks, matched the end to the wrinkles of the hole that had shrunk tightly with tension. And after taking a deep breath as if making a big decision, he began to sit down little by little on the pillar like thing.
“Ungh…”
As soon as the glans and part of the shaft were pushed in, his body froze. No matter how much he loosened it with his hands, his penis was a size that he couldn’t easily hold.
He couldn’t even breathe properly due to the pressure that was pushed into his intestines. His thighs trembled with pain as if they were splitting from his pelvis to his sternum. The inner wall that held the huge penis writhed like an epileptic fit. And that unintentionally led to Chase’s pleasure.
“Euhm…”
A languid groan flowed from Chase.
He felt the ecstatic sensation of the first insertion and looked down at the joint. He reached his hand inside his trembling thighs, lifted Jeong-in’s penis slightly, and admired the sight of his thing being stuck in Jeong-in’s body.
“So pretty.”
Jeong-in looked down at Chase with teary eyes. He had a look on his face that was deeply absorbed in something. It was the kind of expression he made when he first tasted and savored a good whiskey or wine that someone had brought, saying it was precious.
The penis, which was so thick that it didn’t go in well, filled every corner of the inner wall.
He felt like his thighs were losing strength and he was about to collapse, but he was afraid that if he did, that huge thing would all come into his body. Jeong-in held onto Chase’s solid abs and desperately endured.
“Heung, what, what do I do…”
“Euk…”
Unable to go down any further or go back up, he twitched in a state of being unable to move. When Jeong-in tightened around him, Chase’s face contorted with pleasure. He became acutely aware of their bodies being connected.
“Need help?”
Chase asked with a slightly troubled smile. Staying motionless like this must have been difficult for him too.
Jeong-in nodded urgently, and Chase braced his hands beneath Jeong-in’s thighs to keep him from sinking down further. In that moment, Jeong-in let out the heavy breath he had been holding.
“Can you try gently rocking your hips back and forth in this position? Do you think you can do that?”
Just as Jeong-in could drive Chase crazy, Chase knew exactly how to ignite him. All it took was sparking his competitive spirit, and the rest followed all too easily.
Taking shallow breaths, Jeong-in slowly rocked his hips back and forth. He could feel Chase shifting deep inside him. Each time he drew his hips back and pressed forward again, a wave of intense pleasure coursed through his body, leaving him trembling all over.
Jeong-in, who had straightened his body again, closed his eyes and slowly moved in pursuit of his own pleasure. He experimented with rotating his hips in circles and lifting his body up and down using the strength of his legs.
“Ah… haa… ungh…”
“Does it feel good? Hmm?”
All feelings of embarrassment had completely disappeared as he nodded frantically. Their connection deepened. Jeong-in even forgot his fear that his body might break. Do moths feel this way when they fly into flames? Somehow, he was now taking all of him.
“Haa, Jeong-in. Open your eyes and look at your stomach.”
The sight of his lower abdomen bulging with his movements was always terrifying. But by the time they reached this depth, Jeong-in’s mind was already scattered.
Chase’s hand traced over his stomach, feeling the distinct outline. A shiver ran down his spine, awakening something primal within him.
Chase gripped his hips tightly and thrust upward from below.
“Ah!”
Jeong-in’s head tilted back. Chase raised his knees and moved relentlessly. The undone zipper of his pants scratched against Jeong-in’s thighs, leaving red marks on his skin. But he couldn’t feel any pain.
“Ah! Hah, ah, uh…”
His body bounced up and down as if riding a horse. The sound of skin against skin echoed loudly with his broken gasps.
There was nothing he could do. Jeong-in could only make expressions that didn’t feel like his own, release sounds that didn’t seem to be his, and be tossed around.
The sensation that crossed between pleasure and pain was too overwhelming to bear. Tears streamed down like a broken faucet.
Chase’s face showed complete immersion. His usually calm blue eyes were now storming with waves of desire. Nothing could stop Chase when he was like this.
The building pleasure swelled like a balloon about to burst. Then a blinding wave of sensation washed over him. Jeong-in’s entire lower body contracted intensely.
“Ahhh…!”
He shuddered with pleasure so intense he could barely make a sound. His arched spine trembled. His dark eyes rolled back as his body twisted in spasms.
Chase also reached his climax, unable to hold back against Jeong-in’s tightening. He made one final powerful thrust upward.
“Uh…”
Thrust thrust, thrust. Each time he thrust in, semen was squeezed out of the split tip of Jeong-in’s glans like a piston-pressed syringe. The sticky fluid traced the contours of Chase’s abdomen.
Jeong-in’s upper body collapsed at once and poured down onto Chase’s body. Jeong-in leaned his wet cheek against Chase’s chest and gasped for breath.
Chase’s hands firmly embraced his rapidly rising and falling back.
Chase sat up while holding Jeong-in, who had lost focus in his eyes and was just breathing. Then he moved his feet to the floor.
Chase had Jeong-in wrap his legs around his waist and then stood up. His penis was still stuck in Jeong-in’s body.
“Ah…”
Startled by the sudden elevation, Jeong-in desperately clung to Chase’s shoulders. His fearful clinging was both pitiful and endearing.
Chase held Jeong-in up with just the strength of his arms and tightened his muscles as he thrust upward. His penis, which had been erect as if it had never cooled down, pushed into the hole.
“Ahh…”
He hit new spots that hadn’t been reached before.Jeong-in felt an irrational fear that he might go too deep. The feeling of falling from a height made him tighten his arms around Chase’s neck.
Chase lifted Jeong-in’s lower body and dropped it as if letting it fall. At the same time, he thrust his hips up from below. Each time, sparks flew in front of Jeong-in’s eyes. The penis was deeply embedded to the point where his buttocks were crushed by the added weight, and then the penis was ejected as if bounced off by the reaction, and it repeated coming down and being embedded like a pendulum.
“Chase… ah… Chase…”
Chase sometimes became scary when he started penetrating, even though he would caress him with affectionate hands and look at him with a face that seemed to be crazy in love with him. But the only place Jeong-in could hide was in his arms. When he curled up and hid, he would quickly become affectionate again and gently stroke every part of his body.
But Chase now was not as relaxed as before. He wasn’t relaxed either. His impatient gestures were eager, and his eyes looking at Jeong-in were completely captured by lust and had lost their reason.
“Hic… uh… ah…”
Chase’s shoulders were slippery with sweat under his arms.
Each time the penis, with its clear outline of the glans, dug into the hole, the semen and melted gel that had been released before leaked out and flowed between Chase’s thighs and pants.
“Scary… I’m scared… feels like I’ll fall… ah…”
His eyes stung from the constant tears. It felt like someone was putting their hand inside his stomach and stirring their fingers wildly, tickling him.
Finally, the balloon that had been swelling inside burst with a pop. Jeong-in’s body trembled as if he had a chill. His teeth chattered and his body twisted. Even if a gunman broke into this room, he wouldn’t be able to stop this convulsion.
“Ahhh…!”
The feeling of release was a hundred, no, a thousand times more intense than the relief after holding back an urgent need. Thin saliva dripped from his parted lips as he lay there dazed.
Chase too felt his climax approaching and moved frighteningly fast.
His entire body contracted tightly as his eyebrows twisted fiercely. The definition of his tensed muscles became more pronounced.
“Ah…”
Jeong-in could vividly feel Chase’s pulsing release inside me.
After enjoying the afterglow with a few more small thrusts while deeply connected, Chase carried Jeong-in to the bed and lay down with him still in his arms.
The room, which seemed to have risen a few degrees in temperature, was filled with the rough breathing of the two.
Jeong-in, lying on top of Chase, was intermittently trembling with his cheek against his shoulder. Every time he convulsed from the residual heat of pleasure, he could still feel the presence of the penis that was still filling his body. He was too exhausted to even utter a whimper asking him to take it out.
After a while, Chase carefully rolled over so that Jeong-in was underneath. Then he slowly grabbed his penis and pulled it out. As his penis, which was bigger than other people’s erections even before it was erect, scraped against his inner walls as it came out, a moaning sound that seemed like a sob naturally popped out.
“Ah…”
He felt a hand gently stroking his cheek. After blinking a couple of times, Chase’s face filled his blurry vision.
His consciousness became hazy, and sleep slowly washed over him.
“I’m sorry for being such a jealous lover.”
Jeong-in smiled weakly instead of answering. It was a smile that looked somehow sad, perhaps because his eyes were red.
“I love you, Jeong-in.”
Unable to respond, Jeong-in quietly fell into the sweet abyss of sleep. With the lingering confession that had seeped into his ears, he would surely have good dreams tonight.