EAR Ch 18

And that was the problem. Where should they go? Seungpyo had been looking forward to kissing at Neverland since he heard about the field trip. But finding a suitable spot was proving to be as difficult as catching a star.

The park, now more crowded than in the morning, was teeming with people, especially students from Ilyang Boys’ High School. If they were caught kissing by someone from their school, their peaceful school life would be over. Was there nowhere they could be alone, away from prying eyes?

As Seungpyo scanned his surroundings, a structure he hadn’t noticed before caught his eye. It was a ride he had no intention of riding, so he had completely disregarded its existence.

“Want to ride the Ferris wheel?”

Seungpyo pointed to the old Ferris wheel, slowly rotating in a large circle. It was a boring ride that took a long time, the kind that no teenage boy on a school trip would be interested in. If it weren’t for Ryu Jaemin, he wouldn’t even jokingly suggest it.

Jaemin looked up at the Ferris wheel, towering like a skyscraper, and asked with a puzzled expression, “I don’t mind, but aren’t you afraid of hei…?”

“Hm?”

Jaemin stopped mid-sentence.

“Never mind.”

“If you’re okay with it, let’s ride it. We can rest a bit in there after the petting zoo and then call the others.”

They quickly agreed and walked for a while, longer than they had anticipated. The Ferris wheel was further away than it had appeared.

The Ferris wheel was a classic amusement park icon, but its popularity had waned with the advent of newer, more thrilling rides. As Seungpyo had expected, the line was short, consisting of a young couple, a few families with children, and no one in their school uniform.

“…We’re the only ones here our age.”

Jaemin whispered, sounding slightly flustered, as if he hadn’t anticipated this.

Seungpyo almost laughed out loud. Jaemin had agreed so readily to riding the Ferris wheel, seemingly unaware that it wasn’t a popular choice for their age group.

Jaemin nudged Seungpyo’s waist, thinking he hadn’t heard, “Only couples ride this.”

“If you’re bothered, pretend you’re my boyfriend.”

“You brought me here to tease me, didn’t you? I’m not riding this.”

Just as Jaemin was about to leave the line, the couple in front of them boarded an empty gondola. Then, the door of a gondola two cars down opened.

“Next guests, please. Have a wonderful time.”

The attendant gestured with a friendly smile, guiding Seungpyo and Jaemin towards the empty gondola. Jaemin, who had been about to abandon Seungpyo and the line, couldn’t refuse the attendant’s kind gesture and boarded the gondola, collapsing onto the seat.

“I thought you weren’t riding.”

Seungpyo chuckled, sitting across from him. Jaemin looked out the window with a deflated expression.

“As long as no one saw us.”

“Who cares about other people at an amusement park? Everyone’s too busy having fun.”

The gondola slowly ascended. Seungpyo, also looking out the window, suddenly seemed anxious and took out his phone.

“How high is this?”

He searched for “Neverland Ferris wheel height.” The answer appeared immediately.

“Wow, 70 meters…”

Jaemin tilted his head and asked, “Why? Do you not like heights?”

“I don’t particularly like them, but it’s fine. It’ll be over soon.”

“This is moving slowly, so it won’t be over soon.”

Jaemin was right. Unlike rollercoasters or drop towers, which ascended quickly and descended rapidly, the Ferris wheel was rising at a snail’s pace. Furthermore, rollercoasters moved so fast that there was no time to look at the scenery, but this was a Ferris wheel, meant for viewing. Looking out and enjoying the scenery was the main purpose of this moving observation deck.

Seungpyo frowned slightly and glanced out the window again. He had a mild fear of heights and usually avoided them. But he often braved thrilling rides like rollercoasters, not wanting to appear cowardly in front of his friends, and also driven by curiosity and a desire for thrills.

But now, he was just stuck at a great height, looking down. This was much worse for Oh Seungpyo than rides that ascended and descended quickly.

I can just avoid looking out the window.

It wasn’t a ride with any other movements besides going up, so if he focused on kissing Ryu Jaemin before they climbed any higher, he wouldn’t have time to feel scared. He had to act quickly.

“Ryu Jaemin.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s continue what we were doing.”

“What were we doing?”

“What we were doing in Ghost World.”

Jaemin blinked a few times, then his eyes widened slightly as he seemed to understand. He looked around, then frowned in disbelief.

“There are windows everywhere. How can we do that here? Everyone below will see.”

“They won’t see.”

“Look. There are students from our school down there. They can see us if they look up.”

“Who’s going to look up here? They’re just passing by.”

“Anyway, we can’t do it here.”

“I rode this to kiss you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You didn’t even tell me beforehand.”

The slut who was always so eager to open his mouth anywhere was refusing to kiss him here? Seungpyo’s expression turned serious. Meanwhile, the Ferris wheel continued to ascend, and they were already quite far from the ground.

Seungpyo quickly searched again. How long does it take for the Neverland Ferris wheel to make a full rotation?

“Twenty minutes.”

“What?”

Twenty long minutes on the Ferris wheel. If he couldn’t kiss Ryu Jaemin, Seungpyo would have to endure his fear of heights alone for that entire duration.

How would Ryu Jaemin react if he confessed his fear of heights and said he needed to kiss him to feel better?

He could imagine three possible responses: First, Jaemin would find his fear amusing and condescendingly grant him a kiss. Second, he would mock him for being scared, deliberately shaking the gondola. Third, he would think Seungpyo was more timid than he appeared and either refuse to kiss him or reluctantly agree.

Any of these scenarios…

…were embarrassing.

Kissing the terrified Ryu Jaemin in Ghost World had been fun, but Seungpyo didn’t want to be in the same position.

The thought of Ryu Jaemin feeling the same amusement he had felt while watching Jaemin cower in fear made him cringe with embarrassment. It was a different kind of feeling from the pleasant tingling he had felt when he found Jaemin hiding in the haunted house.

The Ferris wheel continued its slow, relentless ascent. The ground was now far below. Most of the other rides were beneath them, and the people looked like tiny, moving miniatures.

“Oh Seungpyo.”

Ryu Jaemin called out. Seungpyo, who had been focusing all his energy on appearing nonchalant, replied curtly, “What.”

“You can do it now.”

Seungpyo lifted his head slightly to look at Jaemin. Ryu Jaemin, who had been unable to open his eyes in the haunted house, now wore his usual indifferent expression, seemingly unfazed by the height. He continued, “We’re high enough now, no one from outside can see us.”

Seungpyo involuntarily glanced out the window, which he had been avoiding. Fuck, he almost cursed out loud.

He felt a sudden jolt of fear, a chill running down his spine, a cold sweat breaking out. The Ferris wheel was much higher than he had realized.

I’m such an idiot, why did I suggest this? Regret washed over him. He had never been on a Ferris wheel before, so he hadn’t imagined it would be this terrifying. He had run out of options.

“No, forget it.”

“…Why?”

“Do you think I have no pride? I’m not going to jump at you just because you changed your mind after saying no.”

Jaemin looked abashed at his grumpy reply and turned to look out the window without another word.

“Suit yourself.”

An awkward silence settled over the small gondola. But Seungpyo was too preoccupied to care. They seemed to be about halfway up, so ten minutes must have passed. He wished the remaining ten minutes would fly by. He wanted to be back on solid ground as soon as possible.

He desperately wanted to kiss Ryu Jaemin, but it was impossible in his current state. He couldn’t even bring himself to stand up and walk the few steps to Jaemin’s side. Frozen in place, he kept his gaze fixed on his feet, avoiding the windows, hoping to hide his fear from Ryu Jaemin.

…I should have asked Ryu Jaemin to come over here.

He realized his mistake too late and bit his lip. He wouldn’t normally be this slow-witted, but his fear had clouded his judgment.

He couldn’t very well backtrack now and ask Jaemin to come over and kiss him after accusing him of being shameless for changing his mind. He had trapped himself. Seungpyo sighed softly.

“It’s really high…”

Jaemin, who had initially turned away, offended by Seungpyo’s words, now seemed to have forgotten his annoyance as he murmured in awe, looking out the window. Their gondola was nearing the top of the Ferris wheel.

Creak… Clunk!

A strange sound echoed. The gondola swayed slightly, and the slow movement came to a sudden halt. Both of them looked around. Seungpyo’s voice rose involuntarily.

“What? Did it stop?”

“Does it usually do this?”

“I don’t think so…”

Seungpyo swallowed nervously. He was growing increasingly anxious. He didn’t dare move, unsure if it was a dangerous situation, when an announcement came over the speakers.

[To all passengers on the Neverland Ferris wheel, we sincerely apologize. There is currently a temporary issue with the electrical system, and repairs are underway. Please remain calm and seated, and we will resume operation shortly.]

Jaemin sighed in relief at the attendant’s voice.

“Thank goodness. It’s not a major malfunction.”

He was right, it was fortunate. But Seungpyo was too agitated to agree.

Shortly, how long was that? Five minutes? Ten minutes? He had been pretending to be calm because he expected to be descending soon. Being stuck high in the air, right at the top, was a nightmare.

“Haa…”

He couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer. Like Ryu Jaemin in Ghost World, Seungpyo closed his eyes, no longer caring what Jaemin thought.

After a brief silence, Jaemin’s voice broke through.

“Are you scared?”

Seungpyo remained silent. It was obvious to Ryu Jaemin, but he didn’t want to admit it. When he didn’t reply, Jaemin hesitated, then spoke again.

“You have acrophobia.”

Seungpyo’s eyes snapped open.

It was true, but he had never told Jaemin he was afraid of heights, and they had never been to a high place together. How did he know?

“How did you know that?”

“I overheard you talking to the others in the classroom. I thought it was strange when you suggested the Ferris wheel… but I thought you were okay with it since you brought it up.”

He had known?

All his efforts to appear nonchalant felt futile. His shoulders slumped. Seungpyo sighed heavily, covering his face with his hands.

“I’ve never been on a Ferris wheel before, I didn’t know it would be this scary…”

“How could you not know? It’s obviously this high, even just looking at it.”

“And I thought I could kiss you right away!”

Jaemin scoffed, his amusement evident. Frustrated but already exposed, Seungpyo closed his eyes tightly and continued, “I wouldn’t have ridden it if I wasn’t going to kiss you. Do you think I enjoy this?”

“Who stopped you? I told you you could!”

“We should have done it before we got this high! I’m too scared to move!”

Perhaps venting his frustration helped alleviate his fear, as he felt slightly calmer after saying everything he had been holding back.

Jaemin remained silent. Even Seungpyo knew there weren’t many appropriate responses to his childish complaints.

Jaemin must think he was ridiculous and pathetic. Someone paralyzed by a fear of heights, unable to move a few centimeters in a seated position, was much funnier than someone hiding from ghosts.

“Pfft.”

He actually laughed.

The sound from across the gondola was the breaking point. Seungpyo lowered his hands from his face and looked at Jaemin, expecting to be mocked mercilessly.

Hahaha. As their eyes met, Jaemin burst out laughing. As Jaemin laughed, the fear, embarrassment, and other unpleasant emotions gradually faded from Seungpyo’s face.

It was the first time he had seen Ryu Jaemin laugh so openly, so heartily, directed solely at him. He had seen Jaemin smile brightly after scoring a goal or winning a basketball game, but even then, it had been among other students. Ryu Jaemin was the type to suppress his joy in front of Seungpyo, his expression hardening whenever they were alone.

And yet, here he was, suddenly…

“Wh-what’s so funny?”

Seungpyo asked grumpily, not wanting Jaemin to notice his quickening pulse. Jaemin chuckled, trying to compose himself, then his expression returned to its usual indifference.

“Then you should have asked me to come over to your side since you’re scared. Why are you snapping at me? I honestly thought I did something wrong.”

“I wasn’t wrong. And your attitude was annoying.”

“Stop it. Always trying to win.”

Ryu Jaemin clicked his tongue and suddenly stood up. Seungpyo’s eyes widened, and he gestured for him to sit down. “Hey, sit down! They said not to move!”

“They meant don’t run around in a panic.”

Jaemin hopped over and sat down beside Seungpyo. The gondola was small, and the two-seater plastic chair wasn’t large either. Two growing boys sitting side by side left barely any space between them.

Jaemin remained silent after sitting down. Seungpyo, mesmerized, stared at him, his attention no longer on the view or his feet. Jaemin turned to Seungpyo and asked, “Aren’t you going to do it?”

Of course I am.

All of Seungpyo’s attention, previously focused on the world outside the gondola, snapped back to Ryu Jaemin. As he stopped focusing on the height, his fear subsided as if by magic.

Just as he was about to kiss Jaemin, Seungpyo paused. Jaemin blinked and asked, “Why?”

“Wear this.”

“What is this? Why?”

“I wore it earlier, so now it’s your turn.”

Even in this urgent situation, Seungpyo remembered to take off the lesser panda headband and put it on Jaemin. Jaemin muttered, “When was earlier?”, then seemed to realize Seungpyo was referring to the kiss in Ghost World, and hesitated, flustered.

Seungpyo didn’t wait, pressing his lips against Jaemin’s. Ryu Jaemin opened his mouth willingly, more readily than ever before. Before Seungpyo could even slip his tongue in, Jaemin’s tongue darted out, licking the tip of Seungpyo’s.

It was uncharacteristically gentle of Ryu Jaemin. Was he trying to comfort him because he was afraid of heights? The thought sent a wave of excitement through Seungpyo, chasing away his fear.

“Hup…”

Jaemin let out a slightly muffled sound as Seungpyo suddenly tightened his embrace. Seungpyo captured Jaemin’s tongue and pulled it deeper into his mouth. He slowly sucked on it, changing the angle, and felt Jaemin’s breath quicken.

“Ha… Hhh.”

“Stick your tongue out more…”

Jaemin always seemed to enjoy having his tongue sucked, but he always tensed up and tried to pull away. At Seungpyo’s words, Jaemin finally relaxed.

Seungpyo gently nibbled on Jaemin’s tongue, then captured it between his lips and sucked on it slowly. Jaemin’s hips twitched as their tongues rubbed together.

As Jaemin completely surrendered, allowing Seungpyo full access, Seungpyo thrust his tongue deeper, licking the roof of Jaemin’s mouth. His tongue grazed the soft flesh between the roof of Jaemin’s mouth and his throat, making Jaemin’s jaw and body tremble. His moans became more unrestrained.

“Ngh, uh, ah…”

“Huu… Mmm.”

Ryu Jaemin is enjoying this too.

The sounds Jaemin made while trying to suppress his moans always aroused Seungpyo, but today, they sounded even more enticing. Seungpyo forgot about being 70 meters in the air, lost in the hot, heavy sensation of the kiss.

He thrust his tongue deeper, swallowing Jaemin’s moans, pulling back slightly whenever Jaemin shuddered. He nibbled on Jaemin’s lips repeatedly. Jaemin was now panting openly.

Seungpyo pushed Jaemin against the wall of the gondola. They were no longer sitting side-by-side. Jaemin was almost lying down, leaning against the wall, with Seungpyo leaning over him.

Seungpyo briefly pulled away and looked down at Jaemin. The indifferent, laughing Jaemin from earlier was gone. His face was flushed, his expression almost tearful, his eyes unfocused. The lesser panda ears on his head were slightly askew.

“You’re cute.”

Seungpyo’s kisses continued, trailing down Jaemin’s jawline, making him flinch with each touch. As his lips reached Jaemin’s ear, trailing down his neck, Jaemin trembled and grabbed Seungpyo’s shoulders.

“Ah, wait…”

“It’s not moving yet.”

“Ah―”

Jaemin let out a long moan as Seungpyo nipped at the soft skin of his neck. It was a different sound from the whimpers he made during their kisses, more like a sudden cry. Seungpyo felt a rush of heat and buried his face in Jaemin’s neck.

He kissed and licked his way down Jaemin’s neck, across his collarbone and towards his shoulder, nipping and sucking on the skin. He gently sucked on a spot, then watched as the blood rushed to the surface, leaving a red mark, and kissed it again.

“Haa, hng… hhh…”

Jaemin’s hand moved to Seungpyo’s back. His voice was becoming increasingly strained, almost like a sob. But when Seungpyo looked at his face, concerned, he wasn’t crying, just panting, his face even more flushed than before.

As Seungpyo was about to bury his face in Jaemin’s neck again, Jaemin stopped him.

“O-Oh Seungpyo…”

“Huh…?”

“Are you still scared?”

Seungpyo stared at him blankly, then nodded. He had forgotten about the height during the kiss, but Jaemin’s question brought it back to his awareness.

“A little.”

Jaemin swallowed and clutched at the buttons of his shirt. Even though they had stopped kissing, his face continued to redden. He hesitated, then spoke slowly, “Should I… suck your nipples now?”

The gondola, which had been filled with the sound of their ragged breaths, fell silent.

The sound of Seungpyo swallowing echoed loudly in the silence. Seungpyo, who had been acting like he would devour Jaemin whole, now froze, staring at him, completely stunned by the offer.

Jaemin held his gaze for a long moment, then, unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, looked away and muttered, “Forget it, if you don’t want to.”

“I never said I didn’t want to.”

Seungpyo immediately retorted. Like a Ferris wheel restarting after a malfunction, he leaned towards Jaemin again.

He showered Jaemin’s face, lips, and neck with kisses. Jaemin, still aroused, shivered slightly. Seungpyo sucked on his parted lips and whispered hoarsely,

“Ryu Jaemin, say that one more time.”

“What?”

“What you just said.”

Jaemin, who had been breathing raggedly, asked back with an uncertain expression.

“Tell you to stop if I don’t like it?”

“Before that.”

“What…? Tell you to suck my nipples?”

“Ha.”

Seungpyo let out a short, incomprehensible sigh, clenched his teeth, and pulled down Jaemin’s hand, which had been resting on his chest. The fabric around Jaemin’s hand was slightly wrinkled because he’d been gripping the front of his shirt so tightly. The usually neat, model student’s attire was on the verge of complete disarray.

Seungpyo quickly reached out and began unbuttoning Jaemin’s shirt from the top. However, he’d never unbuttoned someone else’s shirt before, and his current state of hazy, hurried excitement – or perhaps it was nervousness – made it difficult. The small buttons, securely fastened, kept slipping between his large fingers. Seungpyo muttered to himself,

“I just want to rip it open.”

His impatient thoughts unconsciously translated into action, and he put too much force into his hands. This time, Jaemin caught his wrist.

“Don’t rip it. Wait.”

Seungpyo stared intently as Jaemin gently pushed him away and slowly unbuttoned his shirt.

Ryu Jaemin’s hands were large with long fingers. The backs of his hands were pale and smooth, and his neatly trimmed nails were clean, without a hangnail or chip in sight.

They were different from Oh Seungpyo’s hands, which were rough and slightly tanned, with scratches and scrapes from his frequent outdoor activities, including basketball. Just by looking at them, you could tell that Jaemin was the type to quietly study all the time.

Jaemin’s nape, peeking out from between the collar, was flushed red from where Seungpyo had been nuzzling it, and there were even a few faint bite marks that would soon disappear. But Jaemin’s hands, seemingly oblivious to their owner’s inner turmoil, were impeccably neat, almost to the point of appearing brazen.

‘Always keep your appearance and conduct neat.’ 

It was a lesson he’d heard countless times from adults since he was an eight-year-old starting school. And the more “delinquent” a student was, the more they seemed to rebel against that sermon by deliberately messing up their appearance.

Not wearing the uniform properly, dyeing their hair, discarding required items, and wearing forbidden ones. Seungpyo, too, sometimes intentionally left his attire in a slightly askew, unfinished state, simply because he found the idea of blindly following rules irritating.

Looking at Jaemin now, Seungpyo had a vague understanding of why dishevelment was associated with rebellion. Those who constantly demand neatness probably believe they also have the right to undo and dismantle it. The only way to deny such arrogance and delusion was to disrupt it oneself first.

However, even the bold Ryu Jaemin, who had filmed his own lewd acts, posted them online, and even chatted with perverts, seemed different now. His breathing, which had been rapid for a while, showed no signs of slowing down, and his fingertips, having finally undone one button, moved hesitantly.

Watching him, Seungpyo gradually calmed down and caught Jaemin’s hand as it reached for the second button.

“It’s okay. I’ll do it.”

Jaemin’s hand went limp, offering no resistance. Seungpyo silently began unbuttoning the rest of the shirt. Unlike before, the buttons came undone smoothly, and the front of the shirt finally opened wide.

Underneath the school uniform shirt was a thin, white t-shirt. Like a warrior facing the final gate, Seungpyo took a deep breath. He was about to grab the hem of the shirt and pull it up, but he hesitated, lowered his hand, and suddenly dipped his head.

Jaemin’s waist twitched slightly in surprise. Seungpyo, instead of pulling up the shirt, had caught the very bottom of it between his lips.

His soft lips brushed against the flat skin of Jaemin’s lower abdomen, just above his pants. Jaemin’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at the unfamiliar sensation against his bare skin. He immediately started to scold Seungpyo.

“What are you doing? Why are you eating my shirt….”

He could have just taken the shirt off and pressed his lips against Jaemin’s bare chest, but inversely proportional to Jaemin’s impatience, Seungpyo didn’t want to rush. Whether it was a carefully considered permission or an impulsive decision, he finally had his answer, and he wanted to do it well rather than messily. Oh Seungpyo was the type of person who, if he decided to do something, wanted to do it right, or not at all.

As he slowly raised his head, the shirt he was holding in his mouth came up with him, gradually revealing more bare skin. Seungpyo’s lower lip slid slowly upwards, grazing Jaemin’s stomach.

“Ah, ah…”

Even with this light contact, barely a tickle, Jaemin fidgeted and bit his lip. His panting breaths accompanied the rising and falling of his flat stomach and slender waist.

With his ribcage exposed, the only part still covered by clothing was his chest. Swallowing hard once more, Seungpyo swiftly pulled up the shirt.

“Phew…”

Only after he’d pulled the t-shirt up to Jaemin’s collarbone did Seungpyo release the fabric from his mouth. It had been a trivial act, but he must have been more tense than he realized, because a large exhale escaped him as soon as his mouth was free.

Holding the shirt up with his hands so it wouldn’t fall back down, Seungpyo gazed at the bare skin, like freshly peeled fruit.

Ryu Jaemin’s body, which he had first seen in low-quality videos taken in dimly lit places, was now bathed in the sunlight streaming through the windows seventy meters above ground. His pale skin was almost dazzlingly bright, and the target of Seungpyo’s desire was….

“Wow, why is it so pretty?”

Seungpyo murmured without realizing it. He understood, fuck, why those internet perverts kept clamoring to suck his nipples.

Like the perverts they were, those guys must have been able to vividly imagine this sight from just the few crude videos and photos Ryu Jaemin had posted.

“Are you crazy? Nipples are all the same.”

Ryu Jaemin genuinely looked bewildered as he refuted Seungpyo’s admiration. Like many teenage boys, he seemed to take the word “pretty” as more of a taunt than a compliment.

But Seungpyo was more preoccupied with his own observation. The same? Going to school together, playing sports, and hanging out inevitably led to seeing your close friends undressed at some point. So he must have seen their nipples in passing, but apart from the fact that there was one on each breast, they had nothing in common with Ryu Jaemin’s in terms of color or shape.

Well, he’d never really paid close attention to what other guys’ nipples looked like when they were shirtless, so maybe Ryu Jaemin was right. Maybe the others were similar, and Oh Seungpyo just hadn’t noticed because he didn’t care… Of course, that wasn’t true.

“Don’t get mad. I’m not saying you’re pretty.”

Seungpyo slowly brought his lips closer to Jaemin’s chest.

As if embarrassed by their owner’s shyness, the small, pink buds resting like tiny petals on either side of his chest seemed to blush along with him.

“I’m saying your nipples are pretty.”

As he finished speaking, Seungpyo engulfed one of Jaemin’s nipples in his mouth. He could feel Jaemin’s body tense.

“Hngh…!”

Just by pressing his lips against the small bud and gently sucking, a hot, hazy sound escaped Jaemin’s lips.

Seungpyo’s eyes widened, and he stared intently at Jaemin’s face, as if determined not to miss a single reaction. Jaemin, biting his lip to suppress a moan, slowly lowered his head towards Seungpyo. His eyes, which had seemed glazed with passion during their kiss, now trembled slightly with anxiety.

Seungpyo held the nipple in his mouth and carefully moved his tongue. He slowly flicked the small bud with his tongue before sucking and licking it with a soft tch.

Jaemin’s face, which had briefly returned to its normal color after their kiss, flushed red again. As if displeased by the compliment despite having offered his nipples first, Ryu Jaemin stubbornly kept his mouth shut, even though he’d been panting uncontrollably during their kiss.

With only one mouth, it’s impossible to suck on two nipples at once. Seungpyo decided to make use of his hands instead. While his tongue lapped and teased one nub, his fingers kneaded the other, now noticeably more erect.

“Nn, mm… haah…”

Was it his increasingly ragged breathing, or simply the pleasure? Jaemin’s tightly sealed lips parted once more.

Seizing the opportunity, Seungpyo opened his mouth wider, taking in more of the soft flesh. He grazed his teeth over the skin surrounding the nipple before sucking harder. He wrapped his arms tightly around Jaemin’s back and sucked with loud, smacking sounds, causing Jaemin to flinch and shudder in his embrace.

He’d figured Jaemin would enjoy this, considering how he’d moaned and whimpered just from having his neck licked, but Jaemin’s arousal was far beyond Seungpyo’s expectations.

“Ah, ah…! Ah, wait… ahn…! Mm…”

Jaemin’s fingers dug into Seungpyo’s short hair. He tried to push him away, but Seungpyo, far from yielding, clung closer like a dog biting its prey.

He nibbled and gnawed, relentlessly sucking on the nipple as if refusing to let go. Jaemin’s voice took on a whimpering tone once again.

“Haa, ah, Oh Seung, pyo, wait, a minute…”

If he truly put his mind to it, Jaemin could easily push Seungpyo off, but his arms lacked their usual strength. Seungpyo, engrossed in his task, finally grinned and released his hold.

“Why are you so weak?”

Jaemin had been frantically urging him to stop, yet now that he had, he remained silent. He simply cast his gaze downwards, his mouth slightly open as he gasped for breath like someone exhausted.

Against the pale, smooth expanse of his chest, the area Seungpyo had sucked on was flushed red, the blush spreading to the edge of the areola. The pink nipples had deepened to a near crimson.

“Hmm?”

Seungpyo pressed the question, nuzzling his lips against the other nipple. Jaemin let out a soft moan, his eyes fluttering closed. Seungpyo chuckled and stuck out his tongue.

“I get it. ‘Wait a minute, wait a minute’ actually meant you wanted this one sucked too.”

“Ah, nnh… haa, ah…!”

Seungpyo, slower now but with more intensity, began to lick the other nub he’d been teasing with his fingers. As he enveloped it in his mouth and sucked gently, Jaemin cried out, an “Ahh,” escaping his lips as he shivered, his hips twitching.

The faint outline of Jaemin’s abdominal muscles twitched beneath his navel, and Seungpyo had to suppress the rising heat within him, forcing a smile. As if possessed, he reached out. While his mouth continued to tease Jaemin’s chest, his hand trailed from his collarbone down to his lower abdomen.

Just as he’d pressed his lips to the exposed skin of Jaemin’s neck, now Seungpyo trailed kisses across the entirety of his bare torso. Not only the nipples, but also the rise and fall of his chest with each breath, the curve of his ribs, around his navel, and down towards the waistband of his pants.

“Haa, ah! No, ahn… Oh Seungpyo, no…”

Jaemin’s body had slid down the wall, now practically lying on the two-seater plastic chair. Seungpyo, his face pressed against Jaemin’s body, naturally found himself hunched over him.

Seungpyo lifted his head slightly. Jaemin, repeating only the word “no,” wore an expression Seungpyo had never seen before, like he was on the verge of tears. This guy, usually sporting an arrogant, impassive face, only looked at him with this desperate, drowning-man expression in moments like these.

He’d seen Ryu Jaemin’s lustful expressions several times, but today was truly dangerous. Even more so than when he’d masturbated in front of him out of spite.

He understood why Ryu Jaemin was saying no. Seungpyo, too, felt like he shouldn’t go any further.

And yet, his hand slid down Jaemin’s smooth stomach… further down. He couldn’t bring himself to push inside, but he slowly grasped and rubbed the distinct bulge beneath the fabric of his pants. Jaemin shook his head, pushing against Seungpyo’s shoulder.

“Don’t…!”

He’d meant to say “stop,” but a moan escaped him instead. He arched his back, his body trembling.

Seungpyo was merely holding and stroking him, not even properly fondling or jerking him off, yet Jaemin’s panting grew heavier. Haa, haa, haa. His anxious breaths teased Seungpyo’s ears.

“Ryu Jaemin.”

“Don’t… hn, this, here…”

Jaemin finally finished his sentence, his eyes glistening.

“No. I can’t, can’t take it anymore…”

His voice, too, seemed laced with moisture. Seungpyo’s heart pounded in his chest.

He wanted to whisper, “Don’t hold back.” No, he wanted to push him to the point where he couldn’t hold back anymore, where he’d lose control completely. What would happen if he slipped his hand inside his underwear, if he touched and stroked the hardened cock beneath? Would he really burst into tears?

Seungpyo was struggling to contain his own rising heat. His lower abdomen throbbed with a burning sensation.

“Nn, nn…!”

Seungpyo’s hand, slowly stroking Jaemin’s groin, dipped slightly beneath the waistband, as if about to breach the inside of his pants. Jaemin squeezed his eyes shut, clutching Seungpyo’s sleeve.

As he wrestled between impulse and restraint, a sound he’d completely forgotten broke through.

Clank, screech…

“[Announcement.]”

Jaemin’s eyes snapped open.

Their gazes locked, they turned their heads in unison, a dazed expression on their faces. The spring landscape outside the window, the wide, peaceful expanse of the amusement park, came back into view.

“[Attention Neverland Ferris wheel passengers, thank you for your patience. Repairs to the electrical system have been successfully completed, and the ride is now resuming normal operation. Thank you for your calm cooperation.]”

…Right.

He’d forgotten the time limit they’d had from the start. Seungpyo, realizing the situation he’d briefly forgotten, slowly pulled back from Ryu Jaemin.

He stood there, in the middle of the Ferris wheel car, having forgotten his phobia. As the Ferris wheel began to move, the hazy, heated atmosphere that had enveloped them seemed to dissipate, as if they had briefly visited another world and returned.

Seungpyo looked down at Jaemin, who was still slumped in his seat. Jaemin, looking back up at him, furrowed his brow.

“Ugh…”

Now that they’d been jolted back to reality, Jaemin, who had been far more disheveled than Seungpyo, seemed even more disconcerted by the abrupt end to their encounter.

But the pleasure that had so recently set his body ablaze hadn’t faded so easily. Even after managing to sit up, he couldn’t immediately compose himself, instead catching his breath with his head bowed. His hands trembled slightly as he fumbled with his buttons.

“Ryu Jaemin.”

Seungpyo called out to him urgently. Jaemin instinctively looked up.

“Just stay still. …I’ll do it.”

Seungpyo sat beside Jaemin and reached for his shirt. He straightened the slightly rumpled t-shirt and began buttoning it from the top down.

As he silently fastened the buttons, the flush of embarrassment and unease on Jaemin’s face gradually subsided, eventually replaced by a sheepish expression as he glanced around. As Seungpyo fastened the last button, Jaemin muttered softly,

“I could’ve done it.”

“The one who undid them should be the one to button them back up.”

Seungpyo retorted playfully, then chuckled as he looked at Jaemin, whose red panda headband had slipped askew.

“What’s so funny?”

“It really suits you.”

As Seungpyo adjusted the headband, Jaemin reached up and touched it, as if he’d forgotten it was there.

“Ah, take it back now.”

“Just wear it. You’re a loser if you don’t wear one at an amusement park.”

“Take it so you don’t become a loser.”

The Ferris wheel began its slow descent, gradually aligning with the other rides that had seemed so far below. Seungpyo hesitated, then asked,

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

Jaemin’s reply was tinged with awkwardness.

Seungpyo noticed Jaemin’s hands resting neatly in his lap. He stared at the pale, delicate hands for a moment, then suddenly grabbed one.

“What?”

Jaemin asked, puzzled, but Seungpyo, instead of answering, brought the captured hand to his mouth.

He popped one of Jaemin’s fingers into his mouth and bit down, causing Jaemin to grimace as if he were looking at a madman. He quickly released the finger, leaving a clear teeth mark.

Jaemin stared at the mark, then grumbled,

“What are you doing?”

“It’s funny how your hands are so clean when everything under your clothes is probably marked up.”

“What’s funny about that? You’re such a weirdo…”

“And you’re normal, suddenly asking to have your nipples sucked in a Ferris wheel?”

“Well, whose fault is that? I did it because you were so scared. You did the same thing in the Ghost World…”

“When did I ask you to suck my nipples in the Ghost World? I never did that.”

“It’s the same thing.”

Jaemin brushed off the clearly dissimilar incidents and glanced down, fiddling with his collar, seemingly bothered by the lingering marks. But he couldn’t see his own neck. He frowned slightly and asked,

“Is it still red?”

“Mm, just a little here. It should disappear soon, though.”

“Damn it, what is this? You should make sure these things don’t leave marks.”

“Just say a mosquito bit you.”

“Where are there mosquitoes now?”

They bickered as the Ferris wheel reached the ground. The doors swung open just as they had upon entering.

“Thank you for waiting. Have a nice day.”

The attendant greeted them as they stepped out. Relief washed over Seungpyo, accompanied by a strange exhaustion. He felt more like sitting down and zoning out than going on any more rides.

“Let’s get something to drink.”

At Seungpyo’s suggestion, Jaemin followed him without complaint. They checked the time as they sat down in a restaurant; it was lunchtime.

They each ordered a hot dog with a large sausage and a cola, then sat facing each other, eating in silence for a while.

“Oh.”

At Seungpyo’s voice, Jaemin looked up from his plate. He followed Seungpyo’s gaze to the window, where the clear sky had turned overcast.

A few raindrops began to fall, quickly increasing in frequency and intensity. Seungpyo grumbled,

“The forecast said it might rain, and it actually did? I thought it wouldn’t.”

“Do you think it’ll keep raining?”

“I hope it just stops soon.”

But instead of stopping, the rain intensified. The people outside scurried for cover, waiting for the sky to clear, leaving the area deserted.

The restaurant, meanwhile, was getting crowded. But the two of them paid more attention to the sound of the rain outside than the noise behind them. Though not enclosed like the Ferris wheel, they felt as if they were sitting together in their own private space, listening to the same sound.

As they stared out the window with empty plates in front of them, a voice suddenly called out from the surrounding commotion.

“Oh Seungpyo, Ryu Jaemin!”

“You guys were together this whole time? You said you’d call, but you didn’t.”

Their friends had also sought shelter from the rain in the same restaurant. Seungpyo waved.

“Sorry. We didn’t really want to ride anything extreme, so we went to the zoo.”

“So you were bluffing about being okay with the roller coaster, huh? Did you see the tigers? Did you eat?”

“Yeah, we ate.”

Their friends, seemingly still hungry, rushed to the counter to place their orders. The fact that their alone time had ended like this left Seungpyo feeling strangely bitter.

Something more….

Something more….

But he couldn’t quite articulate what that “something more” was. Something more… good? Could it have been better? As he pondered the right words, fiddling with his phone, Jaemin casually asked,

“You live with your brother, right?”

“Yeah. He came home drunk last night, so he’s probably just staying home all day today.”

“Are you going straight home after the field trip?”

“Yeah, probably? But I might go play games with the guys if I have time.”

He didn’t have any cram school today. Jaemin went to the same cram school, so their schedules wouldn’t be that different. Unless he had private tutoring.

It was unusual for Ryu Jaemin to be so interested in his after-school plans. Was this the effect of having his nipples sucked? Seungpyo was about to smirk when their friends approached.

“It’s so crowded because of the rain. It’s gonna take a while for the food to come out.”

“You guys are lucky you’re already done eating.”

Their friends returned, spreading their food out beside them and noisily starting their lunch.

Just then, a notification popped up on Seungpyo’s phone. It was a direct message notification from the social media app he rarely used these days. The last time he’d used it was to exchange videos with Ryu Jaemin…

Seungpyo casually opened the message. The sender of the new message was Ryu Jaemin, sitting right in front of him. Seungpyo glanced at Jaemin, who was feigning innocence as he ate, and checked the message.

Both my parents are in Jeju for a seminar today so they’re not home

If you have time you can come over

Seungpyo’s head snapped up, his eyes fixed on Jaemin. Their friends, mid-meal, asked him,

“Hey, Seungpyo. Let’s go to the PC bang when we get back to Seoul. No cram school today, right?”

“I can’t today.”

“Why?”

“I have something to do.”

“Dude, why do you keep bailing on games lately?”

The friend who’d been abruptly rejected grumbled, but Seungpyo’s expression was resolute.

He felt like he’d been hit twice in a row, starting from the Ferris wheel. As expected, the cyber whore wasn’t ordinary in real life either.