EAR Ch 13

Oh Seungpyo was facing Ryu Jaemin’s face.

His gaze, hidden by half-closed eyelids, neither fully open nor closed, does not look directly at Seungpyo. This appearance seems both cold and coy.

The face, carved as if measured perfectly down to the ratio of features and the position of the eyebrows, had no expression, making it somewhat eerie, like facing a real sculpture in an art room.

Seungpyo felt an urge to put some expression on that face which pretended to be cold despite being quick to shout nonsense when angered. Seungpyo reached out, pulled Ryu Jaemin’s school uniform tie loose, and tossed it away carelessly.

Jaemin stood there quietly without shaking off the hand. While roughly undoing Jaemin’s shirt buttons, Seungpyo whispered commandingly.

“Take off your pants.”

With his chest fully exposed, Jaemin bent over, took off his pants, revealing his bare legs. He was wearing black briefs and socks inside his school pants. Seungpyo whispered again.

“Take off your underwear too.”

Jaemin hesitated a bit this time but eventually pulled down the elastic band. Ryu Jaemin’s lower abdomen was taut and smooth without an ounce of fat.

In a video Seungpyo had seen last year, Ryu Jaemin was in a similar state, panting while touching himself. There was no sound in the video, but Seungpyo had already experienced, or rather, had been subjected to, what kind of voice Jaemin made at such times.

Remembering himself, like a mouse in front of a snake, eyes wide open in tension, unable to do anything, made Oh Seungpyo’s face flush with embarrassment even now. He wanted Ryu Jaemin to feel the same humiliation. A surprise kiss wouldn’t even begin to repay the emotions he felt back then. How could he get revenge?

“Do a standing at ease.”

“Why…”

“Quickly.”

Jaemin bit his lips in discontent but soon complied without further protest, turning his hands behind him. Only then did Seungpyo take one more step closer to Jaemin.

Looking down at Jaemin from close up made him chuckle. He gathered his thumb and middle finger as if to flick Jaemin’s forehead, but instead, he lightly flicked the now erect, swollen glans.

“Got hard, huh? Just like a pervert.”

Even though it was a light hit, Jaemin frowned. Seungpyo stared at that expression and flicked the glans again, this time with a bit more force. The erect penis swayed and then stood up like a roly-poly toy.

“Ah…”

This time, a small moan of pain escaped Jaemin’s lips. Ironically, his penis grew even harder, lifting its head proudly.

What if he flicked it ten times with all his might? Even the great Ryu Jaemin might not be able to hold back tears. Seungpyo put more strength into his fingers and, with a series of loud smacks, hit the red glans repeatedly.

“Ah, ugh.” Jaemin couldn’t help but squirm his waist and abdomen, moaning, but Seungpyo’s laughter was louder than Jaemin’s cries.

“Hey, Ryu Jaemin. Why does it keep getting harder?”

Seungpyo gripped the now reddened penis tightly. Jaemin’s body shuddered. Even while being struck, Ryu Jaemin wasn’t embarrassed but looked at Seungpyo with an excited expression.

This was not humiliating at all. Since his hands were only making him feel more like a pervert, Seungpyo changed his mind. Clearing his throat once, he rubbed his chin and asked.

“Want to make a bet?”

“What bet…”

“If I win…”

Before explaining the bet’s content, Seungpyo told Jaemin what he would have to do if he lost.

“Show me you masturbating with your anus while lying down. You’ve never filmed that before, right?”

Ryu Jaemin reacted to that. Maybe he was finally feeling some embarrassment as his eyes slightly reddened. But who knows? Was he blushing from embarrassment or from excitement at the thought of performing his perversion in front of an audience like before?

“The bet’s condition is…”

Seungpyo gently stroked Jaemin’s penis. Jaemin began breathing heavily.

“If you cum before I tell you to, you lose.”

It was an unfair condition where Seungpyo could only win, but the bet started before Jaemin could protest.

Seungpyo touched Jaemin’s penis with more dedication than Jaemin had ever done to himself. The hands of a boy in his growth spurt, larger than those of his peers, with rough knuckles but soft, youthful skin.

A smooth palm wrapped around the erect penis. Adjusting speed from fast to slow, he meticulously stroked it, diligently rubbing the glans where clear fluid had already pooled.

“Haa, ugh.”

When Seungpyo pressed down on the slit of the urethra with his thumb, Jaemin lost his balance for a moment, almost stumbling back a step. Seungpyo liked that Jaemin didn’t break his standing at ease posture even then.

Was it because he had lived his whole life as an exemplary student? He would glare at him with wide, fierce eyes and never back down in words, but when given conditions to follow in such situations, he would stick to them even at the risk of death…

‘Exciting.’

Seungpyo defined his swirling emotions with that single word and quickened the pace of his hand stroking the penis.

When the gentle touch suddenly turned rough, Jaemin inhaled in surprise, unable to suppress his startled moans as he looked down at himself.

“Ah… Ah! Hah, aah!”

While Jaemin twisted his waist with his arms still crossed behind him, Seungpyo stared at him as if to pierce through him.

This expression suits you better. The one where you look like you might cry from confusion. Squirming in embarrassment but enjoying it when your penis is touched, unable to run away, throwing away your lofty pride for this lewd act, you perverted bastard.

Seungpyo, breathing roughly himself, moved his hand even faster. Jaemin gasped and his voice rose. The penis, trapped in his palm, twitched as if about to ejaculate.

“Hey, are you hurt? Why are you groaning so much?”

The next moment, Seungpyo blinked. It seemed he had fallen asleep while watching game videos on the couch. His older brother, who was in his room, looked out into the living room, probably hearing Seungpyo’s sleep-talk.

“…Oh, no. I must have dozed off for a second.”

“It’s late. If you’re sleepy, go to bed in your room.”

The head that was poked out disappeared quickly. Seungpyo looked at his hand, which was awkwardly curled as if still holding something.

‘Why is my hand like this…?’

As Seungpyo blankly stared at his empty palm, his eyes widened as he remembered. His face, which had been dazed from sleep, turned bright red in an instant.

Seungpyo jumped up from the couch and walked unsteadily. It felt like he had gone back to the time right after his circumcision in elementary school. Of course, it didn’t hurt like back then, but his penis was still erect, and the damp underwear against his skin felt unpleasant.

As soon as he entered the bathroom, he quickly stripped off his pants and underwear. His underwear was thoroughly soaked with semen from his wet dream. He turned on the tap forcefully, then started washing his underwear with determination, as if to deny the reality before him.

Even as he scrubbed the soap to erase the traces of his unintended ejaculation, Seungpyo’s face remained flushed. Erasing the traces didn’t make the fragments of the dream disappear instantly.

It wasn’t the first time. He had experienced his first nocturnal emission in middle school, so it wasn’t something to be embarrassed about now. Honestly, even dreaming about a naked Ryu Jaemin could happen. He had seen and thought about Ryu Jaemin’s lewd behavior a lot lately, and today he even had an official kiss with Ryu Jaemin’s consent during the day.

The kiss…

Ssshh— Seungpyo, with his hands in the running water, stopped washing his underwear and stared blankly into space.

When they kissed at the karaoke, it was so sudden that he only felt his heart might burst, but today, after the kiss, it felt like his penis might burst.

When Ryu Jaemin made that strange sound, it felt like all the blood in his body rushed downward. He just followed some internet advice when kissing, like stroking the neck, which was supposed to be good…

But no matter what…

‘Damn, the dream was too perverted.’

Does hanging out with a pervert make you become one? Compared to the lewd dreams he had in middle school, the dream about Ryu Jaemin he just had was bizarre.

He kissed, he masturbated, and although he couldn’t remember everything, he seemed to have said a lot of strange things to Ryu Jaemin in the dream… In the dream, Ryu Jaemin definitely came, but in reality, it was him who did.

‘Why did I flick his penis? Did I have nothing better to do?’

If it was going to be a perverted dream, it should have been just lewd, but the act of flicking someone’s penis several times felt childish and even more embarrassing, like the fantasies of an immature boy.

He never imagined that their real-life arguments about flicking each other would manifest in such a way in a dream.

Even the vivid dream faded quickly upon waking. Seungpyo, now in the shower, slowly gathered the fragments of the dream he had wanted to shake off due to shame.

When he flicked the penis… what did Ryu Jaemin do again? Ryu Jaemin, known as a pervert, had a unique reaction even in the dream. Instead of pushing away or hating it, he enjoyed it. Since it was just a dream, Ryu Jaemin’s real response might be different, but Seungpyo admired how his dream seemed to reflect reality quite well in that aspect.

When he was shaking the penis, Ryu Jaemin seemed to make such a lewd expression… but he couldn’t remember those details. And then…

The bet.

He had suggested a bet. He didn’t remember the details, but he set some arbitrary conditions, and Ryu Jaemin didn’t refuse, accepting them. The dream was a mix of conversations he had with Ryu Jaemin at school.

After finishing his shower, Seungpyo stood in front of the mirror, pushing his hair back to reveal his forehead completely. He thought he looked the best like this. Maybe he should try this style when he goes to university.

After washing away the traces of the dream and cleaning his body, the embarrassment washed away with the water. Feeling refreshed, Seungpyo returned to his room, deciding to use his renewed clarity to study after such an awkward night sleep. This was a wholesome end to the day.

‘Can we kiss again tomorrow?’

As soon as he sat at his desk, these random thoughts made it a bit difficult.

But having a reason to look forward to going to school was positive. Seungpyo was a student who enjoyed hanging out with friends and didn’t dislike classes, but school was still school. Like many students preparing for exams, Seungpyo, at the end of his teenage years, often felt the boredom of daily life repeating like a hamster wheel.

How many high school students get excited about going to school the next day? If there are any, it would only be those involved in a romantic relationship at school.

…Of course, my relationship with Ryu Jaemin now is not even close to dating or having mutual affection; we’re just classmates and friendly competitors passing through the boredom of exam life and the sexual confusion of adolescence together.

Anyway, kissing feels good, so that’s all that matters. Seungpyo nodded, convincing himself.

📚

The classroom was noisy from the morning, and Seungpyo’s seat was surrounded by several people again today.

Kids who were close to Seungpyo would gather around his seat to talk even without directly conversing with him. They would chat among themselves regardless of whether Seungpyo was sleeping, reading, or just looking at his phone. It was as if Seungpyo’s seat was some kind of social hub.

Because of this, Ryu Jaemin was not clearly visible. Seungpyo peeked through the gaps between the standing students towards Jaemin’s seat. Unlike the bustling area around Seungpyo, Jaemin was sitting alone, calmly reading either a book or a notebook.

Perhaps because of last night’s dream, with Jaemin in close proximity, Seungpyo felt an urgent need to do something. He suppressed his itchy feelings and continued a half-hearted conversation with the other kids.

He needed to get Jaemin’s phone number quickly. Despite all the fuss about phones, Seungpyo still didn’t have Ryu Jaemin’s number.

“Where are you going?”

“To the bathroom.”

When Seungpyo suddenly stood up, the kids asked where he was going. Seungpyo, pretending to head to the bathroom, walked past Jaemin’s desk in a lazy manner. He quickly tapped the desk twice, and Jaemin looked up. Seungpyo continued walking as if nothing happened, and a few steps later, he heard the sound of Ryu Jaemin getting up from his chair.

Seungpyo and Jaemin, each in their own way, walked down the hallway, looking in opposite directions as if they had different destinations. But when they reached the end of the hallway, they both glanced around simultaneously, waiting for a moment when fewer people were around, and then quickly ducked into the resource room.

Once the door was locked, Jaemin faced Seungpyo and asked, “Why?”

Why what? You knew why you followed me here. Seungpyo smirked.

“Do you think acting innocent and dumb now is going to work?”

“You’re being a pain from the morning.”

“We’re only going to kiss, so why wait until lunch break?”

If they were absent together at lunchtime, they would quickly arouse suspicion, especially since Seungpyo was popular and often sought after.

A ten-minute break was enough for just a kiss, or the time before the teacher entered, like now. Seungpyo added, 

“It’s better to get it over with quickly for the sake of concentrating on class.”

If they didn’t do it beforehand, Seungpyo knew he’d keep glancing at Ryu Jaemin due to the lingering effects of last night’s dream and wouldn’t be able to focus. Just as Seungpyo’s hand was about to touch Jaemin…

“Why is the door locked here?”

Clunk, clunk, the unexpected noise from behind made Seungpyo quickly withdraw his hand in shock. Jaemin also opened his eyes wide in surprise and shut his mouth tight.

“Is anyone there?”

Even the sound of knocking was clear. Jaemin bit his lip slightly, then hurried over to open the door. A teacher was standing there.

“Ryu Jaemin, why are you here? Oh, Seungpyo too?”

“We had something to discuss… It was too noisy in the classroom. Sorry for coming in here without permission.”

“What were you talking about that you had to lock the door? Are you done talking? If you’re not here to get something, go back to the classroom quickly.”

“Yes.”

They left the resource room pretending nothing had happened, but their hearts were beating so loudly that it was hard to tell whose was beating faster. As they walked back to the classroom with sour expressions, Seungpyo muttered,

“The resource room is out of the question now.”

Jaemin just nodded without replying. Seungpyo let out a sigh that was barely audible.

Finding a place for a kiss that would only take a few minutes seemed difficult; now he understood why Ryu Jaemin chose the internet for his secret perverted activities. Satisfying sexual curiosity safely during adolescence was really not easy. Jaemin grumbled quietly,

“Why did you call me out so early in the morning?”

“It’s good for focusing on the class if we do it in the morning.”

I dreamt about you last night. That’s why I wanted to do it quickly. Of course, he couldn’t say that, so Seungpyo swallowed those words along with a dry gulp.

They were classmates in the same school, the same classroom. They had already kissed, and although they were right next to each other now, the only thing they could do was walk back pretending nothing had happened.

“Let’s meet during the break.”

Before entering the classroom, Seungpyo whispered, and Jaemin nodded, but today was not their day.

After the first period, a teacher came looking for Seungpyo, and they had to talk for a while. After the second period, Jaemin had some business and had to visit the teacher’s office.

After the third period, a few kids clung to Jaemin’s seat, having something to discuss, and he couldn’t move. During the fourth period, someone from the class spilled cola on Seungpyo’s desk, and he couldn’t leave to clean it up. At lunchtime, Jaemin had a prior commitment with the reading club.

They couldn’t find a single moment for just the two of them throughout several hours.

‘Damn it.’

Seungpyo’s frustration was building up. In the end, without even touching lips or fingertips, the fifth period approached. It was joint physical education time.

After hurriedly eating lunch and engaging in some physical activity on the playground or in the hallway to digest, the PE class scheduled in the drowsy fifth period was generally unwelcome. However, if it was a joint class with students from other classes, it was a different story. The format for the joint PE was set.

It started similarly to regular PE classes. Today, they were going to practice dribbling, which would be evaluated later in the PE skills test.

But the real interest of the students was not in the dribbling practice, which wasn’t even part of the evaluation, but in the inter-class basketball game that would take place 20 minutes before the class ended. The PE teacher always used an inter-class match to pique students’ interest on days when ball sports were practiced. Today was basketball, but sometimes it could be soccer or volleyball.

“How should we strategize?”

Thump, thump, thump, with students from both classes bouncing balls all around, the gym was so loud it was deafening. If you weren’t talking right next to someone, you couldn’t even hear what was being said.

While forming teams and practicing passing and dribbling, the students were also busily discussing strategies for the game. Since basketball is a five-player game, not everyone could participate. There were also many students who didn’t want to play, so despite the teacher’s intent to include as many different students as possible, the players who ended up playing were usually the same familiar faces.

One student said with determination,

“First, Oh Seungpyo and Ryu Jaemin have to play. Ryu Jaemin! You’re going to play, right?”

“Huh?”

“You’re going to play later, right?”

Jaemin, who was practicing dribbling in another group, looked surprised by the unexpected question, blinking before nodding hesitantly.

“Then come over here. Let’s talk together!”

Jaemin moved to Seungpyo’s group. He settled into a somewhat awkward position and cautiously asked,

“I’ve only played in a basketball game once last year. Can I play?”

“You were awesome back then. We all saw it. Since you and Oh Seungpyo are in the same class, our team’s strength is at an all-time high. We should make use of it.”

Jaemin tapped the ball on the floor with a strange expression, one that looked both happy and embarrassed, a look he had never shown in front of Oh Seungpyo before.

Seungpyo pouted for no reason. He was the one who had gotten so annoyed with this model student who never came out to the playground that he dragged him onto the court. Looking back, Oh Seungpyo was Ryu Jaemin’s basketball coach. He even gave him a brief lesson on three-pointers once.

“Seung, what should we do?”

While Seungpyo was grumbling to himself, the kid next to him asked. Anyway, Oh Seungpyo was always the most reliable player and the ace and coach of the team during basketball games.

“Hmm.” Seungpyo thought briefly before speaking up.

“First, Kyungwon, you take the center position.”

“Me? Shouldn’t you or Ryu Jaemin do it? You guys are taller.”

The kid who was assigned the important role of center was shocked and questioned back.

“Ryu Jaemin has good shooting and scoring ability. It’d be a waste to just have him under the basket.”

It wasn’t an incorrect statement, but having Jaemin, who was taller, play center was not a bad strategy. The center position also requires shooting and scoring skills.

However, Seungpyo remembered last year’s game where both he and Jaemin had played center. The center position involves a lot of physical contact, being responsible for defending the basket.

Thinking about how much he and Ryu Jaemin had rubbed against each other while fighting for position… he concluded there was no need for someone else to be rubbing against Ryu Jaemin like that. They weren’t in any kind of relationship, but they had at least kissed.

“And you know I don’t play center. So, Ryu Jaemin will be the small forward, and I’ll be the point guard.”

“You as the point guard?”

Point guards are supposed to focus more on passing and defense rather than shooting, needing to read the game’s flow and be relatively smaller and quicker, which made Seungpyo’s choice seem like a waste of his height. Given that Oh Seungpyo, who had grown rapidly in his second year to almost 190 cm, wanted to be the point guard, the kids were puzzled.

“Ryu Jaemin, just focus on finding open spaces and scoring. I’ll look for the lanes and pass to you.”

“Uh…”

“The rest of you run with me, reading the flow. Let’s go with that as our main strategy today.”

After Seungpyo finished speaking, everyone nodded. At first, they were puzzled, but it was clear this was a strategy the other class wouldn’t expect. Since Jaemin played center in last year’s game and Seungpyo was there, the opposing team would assume Jaemin would focus more on defense than scoring.

Even though he seemed to just play around, Jaemin consistently ranked second in the school, proving his intelligence, which made the kids admire him inwardly while Jaemin looked slightly nervous.

“I haven’t practiced since last year’s game. Will it really be okay?”

“I don’t practice often either. It’s fine; your body remembers, and you’ll get back into it as we play.”

One of the kids reassured Jaemin’s worries. Seungpyo, watching Jaemin, gestured to him.

“Come here.”

They moved away from the others near the basket. Seungpyo passed him the ball.

“I taught you how to shoot last year. Try doing it the way you remember.”

Jaemin, looking tense, cleared his throat and lifted the ball, careful not to grip it too tightly. With a focused face, he aimed at the basket, slightly bending his knees before jumping up lightly and silently, extending his arm.

By this time, the other kids were watching the two standing in front of the basket. With the attention of the audience, the ball flew cleanly, passing through the hoop without even touching the rim.

As the ball bounced a few times on the ground and then rolled to a stop, Jaemin, having made his first shot in a while, stared blankly at the basket. Seungpyo asked in an unenthusiastic tone,

“You remember. Can you do it now?”

“…Yeah.”

“What are you doing? Go get the ball.”

Jaemin, snapping back to reality, quickly ran to fetch the ball. Watching Jaemin go without a word of protest, Oh Seungpyo secretly felt pleased.

“Okay, let’s stop practicing and start the game. You’ve all been waiting, right?”

“Yes!”

“Have you chosen the starting players?”

“Yes.”

The teacher signaled the end of practice and opened the game. The fact that Seungpyo and Jaemin, who regularly topped the school rankings and had shown the most exciting performance in last year’s inter-class match, were on the same team attracted the audience’s interest. Even students who would usually sneak a look at their phones to avoid the teacher’s eye were now heading to the court to watch the game.

As they took their positions on the court, the expressions on the faces of the opposing team already showed signs of confusion. As Seungpyo predicted, the other team had strategized, expecting either Ryu Jaemin or Oh Seungpyo to stay back.

But there was no time for further contemplation. As the teacher threw the ball up in the middle of the court to start the game, the players quickly moved to find their roles.

“Don’t lose Oh Seungpyo!”

Unsurprisingly, Seungpyo was the one the opposing team was most wary of. When the ball finally ended up in Seungpyo’s hands after some initial confusion, a rather large kid from the other team stuck to him for tight marking. The kids also shouted to block Seungpyo, drawing attention to him.

However, taking the ball away from Seungpyo was no easy task. Despite the defenders flailing their arms trying to steal the ball, Seungpyo dodged and dribbled, changing direction to avoid them. Instead of looking for open space, he ran towards where another defender was.

“Block him!”

As Seungpyo ran with the ball, another kid from the other team joined in to mark him. But Seungpyo didn’t lose the ball this time either, moving towards where yet another player stood. Eventually, with three defenders on him, even the great Oh Seungpyo found it hard to keep the ball.

Only then did Seungpyo pass the ball. Not towards the basket, but to the open space created naturally because three defenders were on him, where Jaemin was already positioned to receive Seungpyo’s pass.

Seungpyo’s pass reached Jaemin’s hands without obstruction. The opposing players, confused, turned to block Jaemin, but without hesitation, Jaemin shot the ball. It flew through the air and, just like during practice, went straight through the hoop.

Cheers erupted from the watching students. The tension finally left Jaemin’s face, which brightened up considerably.

“That’s it!”

“Oh Seungpyo is drawing so much attention today.”

With the first score quickly made, Seungpyo and Jaemin’s classmates were ecstatic. Though they couldn’t fully express their joy during the game, they shouted at Jaemin or reached out to show their excitement.

“You’re still good at this! Why were you worried?”

“You haven’t practiced and yet you do this? You’re a genius, a genius.”

“No, I was just lucky this time.”

Jaemin, responding to the praise with a bright smile, gave high-fives to the outstretched hands. Moving through the high-fives, he ended up at Seungpyo, who was like the final stop. Jaemin’s expression turned awkward, lowering the hand he had been holding up.

Seungpyo smirked. He found it amusing that Jaemin was shy about high-fiving him when they had kissed in private.

“Why won’t you do it with me?”

As Seungpyo raised his hand to ask, a faint blush appeared on Jaemin’s cheeks. Only Oh Seungpyo could discern whether the flush was from the excitement of scoring or from his words. Seungpyo shrugged and continued speaking.

“Just keep doing what I tell you to do.”

Instead of answering, Jaemin hit Seungpyo’s hand once with a thud and then turned back to his position. Seungpyo lightly shook his hand.

The game resumed. Even though the other team now understood Seungpyo’s strategy, it wasn’t easy to avoid falling into it. The kids gathered for PE were not basketball club members but just regular boys who liked basketball. Even knowing Seungpyo was using a decoy strategy, when the ball passed by, their eyes and bodies were instinctively drawn. It could be a real attack rather than just a decoy, so they couldn’t just ignore it.

Whenever there was an opening, Seungpyo would pass the ball at just the right moment, giving Jaemin a scoring opportunity. Jaemin didn’t waste those chances, connecting them to points every time.

At this point, complaints started to arise from their teammates.

“Hey, Oh Seungpyo! Why are you only passing to Ryu Jaemin?”

“We’re open too!”

Seungpyo waved his hand in response.

“Okay, okay. But it’s also your fault. Ryu Jaemin finds the best positions, that’s why.”

At those words, Jaemin seemed to smile slightly but quickly suppressed it, biting his lips as if to hide his amusement. Seungpyo, pretending not to see that expression, shouted to his teammates to hold their positions.

Even last year, Seungpyo was surprised by Ryu Jaemin’s talent. For someone who had just started learning basketball, Jaemin had too much sense. But in the last game, Jaemin was on the opposing team, and with a cheeky bet to beat Seungpyo, he was grinding his teeth. Seungpyo had no intention of praising him or being particularly happy about his improving skills.

But now, Ryu Jaemin and Oh Seungpyo were on the same team. Seungpyo’s words to the others were not empty; whenever Seungpyo lured the defense and looked for someone to pass to, Jaemin was there, magically in the perfect spot.

‘Why is this guy so good at everything?’

Despite feeling a bit annoyed, Seungpyo couldn’t suppress his rising joy and made the pass. After all, Seungpyo really loved basketball, and playing with a teammate whose skills and chemistry matched well was thrilling.

“Now really, hold your positions. Don’t fall for Oh Seungpyo’s tricks.”

The opposing team’s attitude changed as they kept falling for the same strategy. They started to focus intensely to avoid giving any openings, trying not to be drawn in by Seungpyo’s decoy moves.

As the opposing players gritted their teeth and exerted self-control, Seungpyo’s strategy hit a snag. With the path from Oh Seungpyo to Ryu Jaemin blocked, the scoring slowed down.

Not just Seungpyo, but Jaemin was also closely guarded. Jaemin struggled to find space to receive the ball, running to shake off the defense. Voices to guard Jaemin echoed loudly through the gym.

“Hey, block Ryu Jaemin properly! He’s scoring all the points!”

To prevent further scoring by Jaemin, the opposing team’s defense chased after him. Seungpyo, watching the timing, made another pass, this time not to Jaemin.

“Wow!”

Another cheer of admiration burst from the audience.

Seungpyo’s pass went to another teammate instead of Jaemin. The teammate quickly passed the ball, exploiting the gap left by the defense focused on blocking Jaemin, and scored.

“Ryu Jaemin just faked it, right?”

“Yeah, he intentionally made them chase him to the wrong spot.”

Given that Jaemin was known to be a basketball novice, the classmates watched the game with excitement. This was also true for Seungpyo, who was on the court.

He had instructed Jaemin to score after receiving passes, not to deceive the opponents with a fake. He had never taught him such a strategy. Ordinary guys wouldn’t come up with such tactics after just two games. Seungpyo’s lips curled up in amusement.

‘Damn, this is so fun.’

Today’s game, where everything clicked, was too enjoyable. Yet, Seungpyo wanted to end this game quickly.

Because he wanted to kiss Ryu Jaemin, who was smiling so brightly, even if just for a second sooner than he could.

Seungpyo had seen athletes kiss in joy with their high-contributing teammates after winning games. Especially in European soccer games, it was not an uncommon sight, but even in a good mood, kissing a male teammate seemed crazy to Oh Seungpyo.

Now, he understood why those athletes did it. Just the thought of finishing this amazing game with a victory made Seungpyo want to hug and kiss Jaemin. He often played basketball because he loved it, but not every game turned out this interesting, thanks to Ryu Jaemin.

With the will to win the game for that victorious kiss, Seungpyo and his classmates, driven by his spirit, started to coordinate even better. The game’s progression was surprisingly smooth, and the scoring pace didn’t slow down.

In the end, when the teacher called the game off five minutes before the end of the period, the match ended with an overwhelming score difference, showing no signs of a comeback.

Some of the watching students even ran onto the court, shouting in celebration. Although it was just an inter-class match during PE, not a sports day or a skills assessment, the boys’ genuine joy from running hard and cheering for the win was real. The disappointment and gloom of the losing team were just as authentic.

The PE teacher, who had organized the game purely for the fun of the class, blew his whistle loudly and made a decision for emotional mediation.

“Okay, okay. The winning team will clean up the balls and equipment.”

“What? We won, why us?”

“Because you won, you do it. It would be upsetting for the losing team to clean up too.”

“How does that make sense?”

The kids grumbled but complied with the teacher’s orders, starting to clean up. The students who had been downcast because they lost also looked a bit more cheerful since they could return to the classroom earlier.

The PE teacher sighed as he watched Seungpyo picking up the balls.

“Oh Seungpyo, if you weren’t so good at studying, I would have made you play basketball…”

“Ah, it’s just a hobby, I told you. A hobby.”

The basketballs were loaded into two carts. Seungpyo grabbed one of the handles.

“I’ll take this to the storage. You guys go ahead.”

“Really? But there are two, so someone else should go too.”

“Ryu Jaemin, want to come with me?”

Jaemin, looking as surprised as when he was asked to join the game, nodded shortly.

“Yeah.”

Thankful for their willingness to handle the tedious cleanup, the other kids quickly patted both on the shoulder.

“Yeah, we said the winners would clean up. Since you scored all the points, you should do this too.”

“Got it. You guys go ahead.”

“Good work!”

As the kids left the gym laughing and joking, the gym quickly became quiet. Among the two standing side by side, holding the cart handles, Oh Seungpyo spoke first.

“Hey, let’s take it there quickly.”

Seungpyo led with the cart, and Jaemin followed silently. The sound of the old wheels sliding over the smooth floor was quite loud.

Once inside the equipment storage, Jaemin immediately tried to unload the boxes, but before he could even touch them, Seungpyo, who was behind him, grabbed his shoulders in a hug.

“You…”

Before he could finish speaking, Seungpyo’s lips covered Jaemin’s. But he didn’t succeed in kissing him right away. In his haste, Seungpyo missed his target, ending up kissing Jaemin on the nose.

“What are you doing? Ah, hey!”

Jaemin shouted in surprise. If he had missed the spot, he should have moved away, but Seungpyo didn’t pull back; instead, he playfully bit Jaemin’s nose. Then, he whispered in a low voice.

“You really have a talent for basketball.”

His voice was full of warmth. The opportunity to kiss that he had been eyeing since morning was finally within reach, and the excitement from the game hadn’t yet subsided.

“I know.”

However, Jaemin’s voice was as cold as ever. Although he had shyly smiled when the classmates praised him, he seemed utterly uninterested in Seungpyo’s evaluation, responding brusquely. Seungpyo’s eyes narrowed in displeasure.

“Why are you so snarky when I’m the one who helped you get good at basketball?”

“How is me being good at basketball your doing? It’s my talent.”

“I kept passing to you, and you kept scoring today.”

“You said yourself that I took good positions.”

“Tch, you always…”

Seungpyo frowned and brought his face close again. This time, his lips landed perfectly on Jaemin’s.

Neither closed their eyes this time. Jaemin’s eyes, which had been defiantly staring back at Seungpyo, softened. Even without tongues, the contact of their lips made his expression look dazed.

He’s crazy. Seeing Ryu Jaemin’s face, which looked like it could turn lewd any moment, made Seungpyo feel like he might come undone even before they started. His usually straight demeanor, now with slightly furrowed brows, looked provocative. Instead of using his tongue, Seungpyo bit Jaemin’s lower lip gently and grumbled even more mischievously.

“I should just shut you up.”

“Huh…”

“Make you unable to speak…”

He wanted to say more, but the strange, breathless sound that escaped made Seungpyo close his eyes first this time.

Then, he felt a soft touch on the back of his neck. It only took a few seconds to realize it was Ryu Jaemin’s hand.

Last time, Jaemin had just stood there like a scarecrow, taking whatever Seungpyo did, but today was different. As Jaemin’s fingers lightly brushed his neck, Seungpyo felt a chill run down his spine, his shoulder blades tingling.

“Mmm…”

Seungpyo let out a low moan without realizing it and opened his eyes slightly. Jaemin had closed his eyes now. Being so close, everything was blurry, but he could still clearly see Jaemin’s long eyelashes trembling.

Jaemin had placed his hand on Seungpyo’s neck and was now moving his tongue first. His tongue slowly and evenly caressed the inside of Seungpyo’s mouth, occasionally stiffening with too much force before softening as if he realized his mistake.

Seungpyo had also been mindful of this during their kisses. The advice to keep the tongue soft rather than tense was repeatedly emphasized in ‘how to kiss well’ guides.

Well, Ryu Jaemin was a cyber wanderer, so his real-life kissing experience might be less than expected. In the arcade, he was always worried about being recognized, so he would be cautious with real-life meetups. Thus, whether Seungpyo was his first or not, the skill difference might not be significant.

With this thought, Seungpyo felt more confident. He placed his hands on Jaemin’s cheeks instead of his neck and pushed his tongue deeper into Jaemin’s mouth. Remembering how much Jaemin had enjoyed it last time, he gently sucked on the moving tongue, and as expected, Jaemin’s voice grew louder.

“Mm, ah!”

That sound made Seungpyo’s lower abdomen and pelvis ache painfully. A heat different from the one during the basketball game spread through his body.

He suddenly remembered the dream from last night. In the dream, he had stripped Jaemin bare and had him stand at ease while touching him. He wondered how Jaemin would react in the same situation in reality.

Seungpyo pulled Jaemin’s hand down from his neck. He then turned Jaemin’s arms behind his back, mimicking the pose from the dream. Jaemin’s tongue, which had been moving eagerly, paused in surprise for a moment but then continued the kiss in the standing at ease position without much resistance.

Jaemin’s submissive behavior quickly heightened Seungpyo’s excitement. His movements became rougher, delving deeper into Jaemin’s mouth.

“Ah, mm!”

Jaemin’s moan escaped between their joined lips. Seungpyo leaned into Jaemin as if putting his weight on him. Jaemin stepped back to avoid it, and with their lips still locked, they moved until Jaemin’s back was against the storage room wall.

With nowhere else to retreat, their bodies pressed together. Seungpyo licked inside Jaemin’s mouth more stickily than before. Saliva spilled out, making wetter sounds than their previous kiss.

Jaemin’s wrists, tightly held by Seungpyo, trembled. Both were panting heavily, making it quite noisy even when trying to keep quiet.

“Mmm, hng.”

How long had they been kissing? When their jaws and lips started to ache, Jaemin shook his head, trying to pull away from the kiss. Seungpyo let go of his lips but not his hands. Ha, they both exhaled heavily. Jaemin, head slightly bowed, was still breathing hard.

“This…”

Jaemin’s mouth, which probably meant to say “let go,” closed again as Seungpyo’s lips covered his ear. Jaemin’s strength seemed to drain once more.

“Ah…”

He tilted his head away, trying to escape the lips biting at his ear, making sounds that were half sigh, half lewd moan. His wrists, still restrained, twitched again, as if he was deciding whether to push Seungpyo away firmly or to let the kiss continue a little longer.

Seungpyo traced down Jaemin’s profile with his lips to his chin. Jaemin, now really trembling, tried to shake Seungpyo off.

“Stop, just, follow, mm…!”

“What words.”

“At school, this kind of thing.”

Even without those words, Seungpyo knew they couldn’t do more. The break time was almost over.

With a reluctant heart, he let go of Jaemin’s wrists. Jaemin, leaning against the wall, was panting, looking somewhat out of it. Seungpyo stared at that face, then bit his inner cheek and flicked his finger in front of Jaemin’s eyes.

“Hey, snap out of it. We’re out of time. We need to get back to class.”

“Damn, you should know when to stop. You took too long…”

Jaemin, looking embarrassed, glanced at his wrists. He hadn’t thought he held them that tightly, but faint hand marks were visible on Jaemin’s white skin. Seungpyo felt awkward too.

“Did it hurt?”

“Forget it. Let’s go.”

With no time to spare, Jaemin covered the marks by pulling down his shirt sleeves instead of blaming Seungpyo.

How long must this go on? The kisses were good, but the more they did it, the thirstier Seungpyo felt. If Ryu Jaemin’s kisses were water, they were definitely saltwater.

He wanted to strip off Jaemin’s clothes like in the dream, to touch his bare skin. To look at and touch what was heating up inside his pants, to see if Jaemin would enjoy it as much as in the dream.

“Hey, Ryu Jaemin.”

“What? Hurry up. You said there’s no time.”