EAR Ch 19

Schoolboys in uniforms pushed through the pouring rain, queuing to board the bus. A teacher raised his voice beside them.

“Don’t push, get on slowly! It won’t get you there any faster.”

They had waited for over an hour, but the rain, far from stopping, only intensified. The weather forecast predicted continued rainfall throughout the night. Finally, the teachers announced the cancellation of the field trip. The heavier the rain, the more congested the roads to Seoul would become, increasing the risk of accidents. It was an unavoidable decision.

“Aw, I didn’t get to ride the Extreme.”

“Idiots, you should have ridden it first when the weather was good.”

The children who hadn’t had their fill of fun pouted and grumbled, while those who had diligently explored the park and ridden all the desired attractions snickered and teased their disappointed friends. The bus, which had been filled with cheerful chatter on the way there, now buzzed with a tense atmosphere, as if a fight might break out at any moment.

“Everyone be quiet and sit down quickly! Anyone who talks from now on will have their conduct grade affected!”

The homeroom teacher yelled before a real commotion could erupt. The children quickly found their seats and settled down. Although murmurs and grumbles continued, the atmosphere no longer felt as volatile.

Amidst the noisy bus, two students remained quiet. Seungpyo and Jaemin sat side-by-side in a two-person seat.

They had sat with different people on the way there, but they had been together since lunch, naturally boarding the bus one after the other. This led them to sit in the empty seats in sequence. Due to the heavy rain and the rush of students, they didn’t have the leisure to choose their preferred seats or companions like they had on the way there. Following the teacher’s instruction to switch seats once everyone was on board, the students piled in and squeezed into any available space.

Seungpyo and Jaemin, however, didn’t bother changing seats. Taking advantage of the remaining noise, Seungpyo lowered his voice as if exchanging a coded message.

“Is anyone home?”

“The housekeeper is there. My parents aren’t home today, so she’ll stay the night.”

“So, it’s not empty after all…”

Seungpyo muttered, sounding somewhat disappointed. His own home, with his older brother, wasn’t much different from Jaemin’s, with the housekeeper present. Seungpyo’s brother would likely be holed up in his room all day with a hangover, oblivious to his younger brother’s whereabouts.

“The housekeeper usually goes to her room around 10 pm and doesn’t come out. She’s a heavy sleeper.”

“…”

“Our house is big… her room is pretty far from mine.”

At Jaemin’s further explanation, Seungpyo straightened up from his slouched posture. He hadn’t expected Jaemin to invite him over without a plan. Ryu Jaemin was a meticulous guy; he always had a plan. Thinking this, Seungpyo felt reassured, his estimation of Jaemin rising even higher than before.

Jaemin, looking out the window, felt his phone vibrate and checked the notification. A new message had arrived on his social media.

But if we have to wait until 10 pm, does that mean you want me to sleep over at your place?

Jaemin stared at the message silently for a moment before replying.

Is that a problem?

Seungpyo scoffed, glancing at Jaemin with a look of disbelief, and tapped on his keypad.

If I’m going to sleep over, I need to tell my brother beforehand.

I thought it would be okay since you only live with your brother.

It was true. As long as the Oh brothers weren’t getting into trouble and were safe, they didn’t interfere with each other’s plans, even if it meant spending a night or two elsewhere. He quickly replied.

Yeah, it’s fine.

He heard a muffled giggle beside him. Turning his head, he saw Jaemin stifling his laughter.

Seungpyo instinctively reached out toward him but caught himself and clenched his fist. No matter how good kissing Ryu Jaemin felt, no matter how pleasurable it was to touch him, he needed to be mindful of the time and place. He was afraid that if he continued like this, he might lose control and reach for Jaemin even in the classroom, surrounded by everyone.

As the bus engine rumbled to life, Seungpyo crossed his arms and leaned deeper into the backrest. The buses started departing one by one, starting with Class 1. Jaemin, sitting by the window, rested his arm on the windowsill, gazing at the rainy scenery outside.

Exhausted from their eventful day, the students, one by one, began to close their eyes. By the time the bus reached cruising speed on the highway, many were fast asleep.

Even though it was barely 4 pm, the sky was dark and heavy, as if night was about to fall. Rain poured outside, and the bus carrying the students swayed rhythmically. For the sleep-deprived adolescent boys, the heavy clouds were like a comforting blanket, and the swaying bus, a cradle.

Seungpyo, feeling drowsy, blinked slowly, ready to fall asleep. He hadn’t been particularly active or ridden any thrilling rides, yet the ordeal of being trapped in the Ferris wheel, trembling with fear, and the… intimate moments he shared with Ryu Jaemin had left him surprisingly tired.

“Hey, aren’t you sleepy to…”

Seungpyo started to speak to Jaemin but stopped mid-sentence.

He had never seen Jaemin doze off at school. Although he sometimes looked tired, true to his reputation as the top student, Jaemin never closed his eyes to nap or slumped over his desk like other students, at least not during class or break time. Of course, Seungpyo didn’t observe Ryu Jaemin 24/7, so he couldn’t be absolutely certain, but that was how it seemed to him.

So, as he turned to speak to Jaemin, he envisioned Jaemin’s usual composure. He expected Jaemin to be gazing out the window, impassive as ever, even now, while everyone else was succumbing to exhaustion.

But he was wrong. Perhaps fatigued by the day’s events, Ryu Jaemin was dozing off, his head bobbing and drooping precariously.

He could have leaned against the window for a more stable sleep. Was he unfamiliar with the art of napping because he had never done it outside before?

Seungpyo hesitated, clenching and unclenching his fist, much like when he had almost reached out to Jaemin earlier. He glanced around, feeling as though someone might be watching. At least the students immediately surrounding them were all asleep, mouths agape and heads tilted back.

After a moment of hesitation, he swiftly extended his arm towards Jaemin. He needed to be careful not to wake him, but his urgency made him move quickly.

A large hand gently nudged the bobbing head towards him. Jaemin’s face came to rest on Seungpyo’s shoulder. The precariously swaying head, like a pendulum, finally stilled, finding its support. The sight brought a sense of relief.

Fortunately, Ryu Jaemin seemed to be in a deep sleep and didn’t open his eyes even as his position was shifted. Seungpyo swallowed hard. It wasn’t as if he had done anything extraordinary, but his heart pounded, and his face flushed.

After all, they were on a bus full of classmates, and what Seungpyo had just done was an intimate gesture between male classmates.

It felt more embarrassing than secretly kissing, sucking nipples, or stroking each other over their pants in a private space.

📚

As expected, due to the rain and traffic, they arrived back at school around evening. Leaving the buses parked in the schoolyard, the students said their goodbyes and dispersed.

Seungpyo and Jaemin exited the school gates together. They maintained a slight distance, as if heading in different directions, but their paths were the same. Seungpyo asked,

“No Benz picking you up today?”

“That’s for when I go to cram school. It doesn’t come when I go straight home from school.”

“Aw, I was hoping to ride in a Benz.”

“…Should I have called it?”

Seemingly taking the joke seriously, Jaemin looked slightly embarrassed. Seungpyo chuckled and shook his head.

“Nah, I’ll buy my own Benz later. I’m going to get my driver’s license right after graduation. Dad promised to give me the car he’s driving now when I go to college.”

“Does your brother have a car?”

“Yeah, he got a used car, but I’m getting Dad’s current one. He’s often overseas, so he doesn’t drive it much anyway. Score!”

They reached the nearby bus stop. Their conversation continued as they waited.

“Is the picture on your phone’s background also taken by your father?”

“Yeah, on a ship. It’s a place most people can’t go. Right in the middle of the ocean.”

Seungpyo looked down at his phone’s background, then sighed as if a sudden thought had crossed his mind.

“I need to decide what major to apply for…”

“Anything in mind?”

“Korea University, natural sciences or engineering. You?”

Jaemin looked at the traffic before answering.

“I’m also thinking about engineering… but my parents want me to go to law school after graduation.”

“Wow, already?”

So, he would have to keep studying even in college? Seungpyo knew many people went to law school after graduating, regardless of their major, but it was still a distant future plan for him.

“Your father is a law professor, right? Are you going into law like him?”

“Um… I’m considering it. My parents want me to.”

“What does your mother teach?”

“Fine arts.”

“Don’t you have any artistic talent?”

“Just average. My sister was good at drawing…”

“You have a sister?”

Seungpyo’s eyes widened in surprise. Jaemin nodded hesitantly. Seungpyo’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“It must be nice to have a sister, right? My brother is seriously the most useless person in the world. It’d be better if I didn’t have one. Man, I wish I had a sister instead of a brother.”

“Well… we get along, but she works and doesn’t come home often, so I don’t see her much.”

“She works? There must be a considerable age gap.”

Jaemin nodded.

“We were closer when we were younger…”

As they spoke, the bus they were waiting for arrived.

They boarded side-by-side, like they had on the express bus, holding onto the overhead bars. From then on, they remained silent, each absorbed in their phones for several stops. After getting off the bus, they walked together again, maintaining a suitable distance, until they reached an apartment complex.

Seungpyo’s family was well-off, but the apartment complex where Jaemin lived was famous in the area, rumored to be home to many celebrities. It was known to be a secure place, inaccessible to non-residents, so Seungpyo looked around, taking in the sights.

“It’s nice, being an expensive place. It must be nice to live here.”

Jaemin didn’t reply.

They took the spacious elevator and finally arrived at their destination – Ryu Jaemin’s front door. Standing there, the reality of the situation sunk in, and Seungpyo suddenly felt nervous.

If the announcement about the Ferris wheel restarting hadn’t come on, he would have definitely slipped his hand inside Ryu Jaemin’s pants. Even though Jaemin had verbally protested, Seungpyo could see the hesitation in his eyes. The hand that grabbed his sleeve at the last moment hadn’t held on tightly.

At the time, he had forgotten his fear of heights, forgotten that he was trapped 70 meters in the air in a stalled Ferris wheel. All he could think about was what to do with Jaemin, whose face was flushed and flustered.

Once I enter this house, ‘that’ will begin… Before he could finish that inner thought, Jaemin opened the door.

“Welcome. Jaemin brought a friend over.”

“Hello.”

As they entered, a middle-aged woman, presumably the housekeeper, came to greet them near the entrance. Seungpyo bowed politely, and the housekeeper’s face brightened.

“His friend is very handsome too. You two look good together, as expected.”

“Thank you. You’re very pretty too.”

“Oh my, such a sweet talker. Are you hungry? Go wash up and wait a bit. I made a lot of delicious food because your friend was coming over.”

As the housekeeper returned to the kitchen, Seungpyo whispered in Jaemin’s ear.

“Dude, she’s like a mom.”

“She’s very kind.”

Although she had acted as his father’s accomplice in searching his belongings, Jaemin didn’t resent the housekeeper for it. No matter how kind she was, she was ultimately employed by his parents and couldn’t refuse their requests.

Moreover, she had later apologized profusely to Jaemin for the incident. Jaemin hadn’t encountered many adults who apologized to him. That alone allowed him to continue liking her, and he was grateful for that.

“Did you tell your parents I was coming?”

“No.”

“Is it okay if you don’t?”

“They won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon anyway. We’ll be at school then. I asked the housekeeper to keep it a secret too.”

Seungpyo looked at Jaemin with a strange smile. Jaemin also put down his bag, looked back at Seungpyo, and asked,

“Why are you smirking?”

“Your parents don’t know anything about this, do they?”

Jaemin chuckled and loosened his school tie.

“As if they would.”

Seungpyo giggled, and Jaemin laughed along. Feeling a surge of happiness, he almost added, No one knows but you, but stopped himself.

“Jaemin, dinner’s ready.”

“Yes!”

“Both of you, change your clothes and give me your uniforms. You’ll need them tomorrow, so I’ll wash your friend’s too.”

Seungpyo’s eyes widened, and he shook his head.

“No? It’s okay. I can wash it myself. I always do my laundry at home.”

“Oh my, such a filial son. You wash your own uniform? Your mother must be happy.”

Knowing that Seungpyo didn’t have a mother, Jaemin’s face stiffened awkwardly. But as the conversation flowed smoothly, he gradually relaxed his expression and looked at the two of them.

Then, he lowered his gaze slightly and smiled wryly. It was the first time he had brought a classmate home since middle school…

‘It feels like home for once.’

Although Seungpyo was bigger than Jaemin, there were clothes that fit him among Jaemin’s belongings. After changing, they joined the housekeeper at the dining table.

The sizable table was laden with food. It looked less like a dinner for a suddenly invited classmate and more like a birthday feast. Seungpyo was constantly expressing his amazement.

“Awesome. Do you always eat like this?”

“No, not really.”

The housekeeper smiled and set down a pot. She opened the lid to reveal a beautiful, vibrant spicy crab stew, a large crab nestled within.

“I’ve been working here for several years, but this is the first time Jaemin has brought a friend home. Eat a lot. You seem like you have a good appetite, don’t you?”

“Ah, yes. I eat as much as I look like I do.”

“You should eat a lot of good food with Jaemin. He’s a picky eater, so I worry.”

Jaemin protested, as if he couldn’t understand.

“Auntie, I really don’t eat that little.”

Seungpyo interjected, pointing his empty chopsticks at Jaemin as if to scold him.

“No, you eat very little. Sometimes he just has chocolate milk for lunch, you know? I can’t stand it; I get hungry by 5th period if I eat like that.”

“That’s only when I lose my appetite sometimes.”

“I never lose my appetite.”

Boast much? Defeated by the firm rebuttal, Jaemin grumbled and started eating.

As promised, Seungpyo ate heartily. Jaemin had seen Seungpyo eat at the school cafeteria, but perhaps because it was school lunch, he hadn’t realized how much Seungpyo could eat. Now, with a table full of home-cooked food, the dishes were emptying at a rapid pace.

The housekeeper seemed surprised. She had prepared a lot since it was a rare occasion for Jaemin to have a guest, but she hadn’t anticipated him actually eating this much. As Seungpyo’s bowl emptied, she asked,

“Do you want more rice?”

“Yes.”

“You’re at a good age. All that food must be going straight to your height. Jaemin, do you want more too?”

Normally, Jaemin would have declined. There was no point in competing over food. But a strange competitive spirit surged within him, and Jaemin nodded.

“I’ll have some more too.”

“I guess your appetite is better when you’re eating with your friend.”

The housekeeper muttered to herself as she got up to refill their bowls. Jaemin blushed, understanding what she was thinking. It felt like he had evoked unnecessary pity.

But she might be right. He rarely had an appetite at home. The meals he ate with his parents at their large dining table, filled with stiff conversation, always tasted bland.

The days when Jaemin “had chocolate milk for lunch,” as Seungpyo had mentioned, were mostly because he felt upset about something that happened at home and skipped meals altogether. Jaemin wasn’t the type of kid who forced himself to eat unappetizing food or excused himself from the cafeteria because he felt sick.

They each finished two bowls of rice before getting up. When Seungpyo offered to help with the dishes, the housekeeper shooed them away, telling them to go and have fun since she was paid to do it. She even cut up fruits for dessert. Jaemin ate two slices of apple and put down his fork.

“Why aren’t you eating more?”

“I’m full.”

“Eat a lot. We’re going to be up late tonight, right?”

“Even if I don’t eat any more, I don’t think I’ll be hungry until tomorrow morning.”

Seungpyo picked up the remote control on the table, turned on the TV, logged into a video streaming platform, and asked Jaemin,

“What channels do you watch? Do you have any favorites?”

Although Jaemin’s living room had a large TV like any other house, it was mostly for decoration. Neither his father nor mother watched it much, so Jaemin naturally didn’t use the living room TV often. If he wanted to watch something, he usually did so on his laptop in his room.

“I don’t really watch TV. I don’t have any favorites.”

“Well, you don’t play games either, so you probably don’t watch much TV.”

As they relaxed on the living room sofa, having finished their dessert, the housekeeper peeked out. She smiled and said,

“I’m done with my work, so I’ll head in. It’s better for you two to have fun without me around, right, since your friend is here?”

“No, it’s okay. You don’t have to worry about us.”

Seungpyo offered a polite reply. Jaemin glanced at the clock. Usually, when his parents were away overnight and the housekeeper stayed to look after him, she would tidy up around the house until 10 pm. But today, it was a little past 9 pm, earlier than usual.

“It’s good for me to rest early too, thanks to you. I washed and ironed your uniforms, so you can wear them tomorrow. See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight!”

Seungpyo said cheerfully. The housekeeper smiled, accepted the farewell, and headed to the smallest room, located furthest from the living room.

Seungpyo and Jaemin, who had been conversing smoothly, fell silent as they were left alone in the spacious living room. An awkward silence hung in the air, as if they had suddenly run out of things to say.

Seungpyo looked around and spoke first.

“My house isn’t small either, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a big house. Do you, your parents, and you live here?”

“Yeah, but Dad has his own study, Mom has a room she uses as a studio, and Noona’s room is still kept… All the rooms are used.”

“A study? Cool. Can I take a look?”

Now that he thought about it, he had brought Seungpyo over as a guest and hadn’t even considered showing him around the house. Jaemin didn’t answer immediately, and Seungpyo, thinking it might be a difficult request, quickly changed the subject.

“If not, it’s okay. It’s your dad’s study, so maybe I shouldn’t go in without permission.”

“No, it’s okay to go in.”

Jaemin had just been momentarily stunned by the unexpected question, but this time he answered like a shot.

When he was home alone, he never really thought about going into his father’s study. The same went for his mother’s studio and the other rooms.

Most of the books that filled his father’s study were difficult academic texts, none of which Jaemin would read. Besides, it was not only a study but also his father’s home office. Even though he had never been explicitly told not to enter, Jaemin naturally considered it a place he shouldn’t go in without permission.

Even when his older sister was staying at home, he had never seen her enter the study before their father called her in. Almost every time their father summoned him and his sister to the study, it was to scold them harshly, away from their mother and the housekeeper. Honestly, it wasn’t a place he wanted to go near.

But then again, why shouldn’t he be allowed to enter the study of someone who had come into his room and rummaged through his belongings without permission?

Of course, this house belonged to his mother and father, and he was just a dependent they supported, temporarily staying here until he became an adult and could live independently.

However, it was his parents, the owners of the house, who had designated one room as “Ryu Jaemin’s room,” and until that agreement was broken, no one had the right to rummage through his space without permission. It was the same principle as how Jaemin or other family members couldn’t just go into the housekeeper’s room, even though it was part of the house, while she was resting.

“Really? Aren’t you going to get in trouble?”

“How would Dad know if we went in or not?”

Seungpyo nodded as if agreeing, but with a mischievous expression.

“Yeah, what’s the big deal? We’re going to do worse things anyway.”

At those words, Jaemin chuckled along.

He was right. Today, in this house without his parents, Jaemin planned to do the thing his parents hated most with Oh Seungpyo. In retrospect, no matter how recklessly they roamed this empty house, nothing could surpass the illicit nature of bringing Oh Seungpyo here.

Jaemin felt a surge of courage, like a warrior stepping into dangerous territory. He stood up and gestured for Seungpyo to follow him.

The study was located right next to Jaemin’s room. The faint smell of old books, like in a library, wafted from the room.

“Whoa, this is insane.”

Even though it was an empty room, Seungpyo lowered his voice in awe. Three walls were lined with bookshelves, and a large, dark brown wooden desk and the black leather chair behind it sat heavily, as if declaring the owner’s character.

The desk was full but neatly organized, and the packed bookshelves were spotless. They had a housekeeper, so his father wouldn’t be dusting himself, but in any case, the atmosphere was rather imposing than cozy as he had imagined. Seungpyo looked around at the books on the shelves in amazement.

“Wow, all the titles are in Chinese characters. You have to know Chinese characters to study law. Do you study them?”

“No, I’ll learn them when I need to.”

Jaemin looked around as if he were entering the room for the first time. Seungpyo asked in an amused tone,

“Why are you looking around like that? It’s your house.”

“It feels like a different room when I come in like this.”

“How is it different?”

Jaemin slowly walked past the bookshelves as if admiring exhibits, answering,

“Well…there are books, a desk…it’s just a room.”

“Of course there are books and a desk in a study. I don’t get what you’re saying.”

“You don’t have to.”

Jaemin replied and sat down on a small sofa by the window. Unlike the office chair in front of the desk, it looked more comfortable for relaxing, and there was a small coffee table in front of it. The table was also made of antique wood, polished smooth and unassuming, as if it had been used for a long time.

Leaning back against the sofa, Jaemin pointed to the table.

“When I was little, I used to get spanked by Dad on this table if I misbehaved.”

“Spanked? Like a Joseon era teacher? Your dad is so proper. My dad just hits me when he’s mad.”

“Really? Your dad hits you too?”

“Um… well, it’s not really disciplinary hitting, but sometimes when he’s really pissed? Like before my brother went to college, he got accepted early decision and then went out drinking all night without telling anyone. When it’s just my brother and me, we don’t care if we stay out overnight, but when Dad’s around, you can’t do that. Dad got mad and hit my brother, and the crazy guy, still drunk, was like ‘Who are you to hit me?’ and hit Dad back. I almost died laughing watching them. I still regret not filming it.”

Seungpyo chuckled, seemingly amused by the memory. Jaemin, unsure if he should laugh along, asked with a bewildered expression,

“Your brother hit your dad? Was your dad okay?”

“Oh, you’ve never seen my dad, have you?”

Seungpyo picked up his phone, tapped a few times as if searching for something, and then showed it to Jaemin. On the screen was a picture of a middle-aged man who looked like he could single-handedly take down two robbers.

“It’s a miracle my brother survived that day. I’m going to work out more and build up my body when I go to college. They say if you build too much muscle now, you won’t grow taller.”

“I don’t think you need to grow any taller…”

“I’ll be 190 if I grow just 2 more centimeters. Might as well hit 190 while I’m at it.”

Seungpyo patted Jaemin’s head and looked him up and down, then asked,

“How tall are you?”

“I was 180 last year when they measured us at school, but I haven’t checked since…”

“Stand up.”

Why the sudden interest in height? Complaining inwardly, Jaemin stood up from the sofa. He followed Seungpyo’s beckoning hand and stood close in front of him, their faces very close together.

Seungpyo stretched out his hand to gauge the height difference between them.

“I think you’ve grown taller than last year. There’s a guy in the next class who’s 180, and you’re definitely taller than him.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And your face is smaller, too.”

The difference in their eye level wasn’t that significant. They could make eye contact just by slightly shifting their gaze up or down. Jaemin said,

“I’m still growing, so maybe I can hit 190 too.”

“You won’t.”

“Why?”

“They say if you’re too horny during puberty, you won’t grow tall. Because you use all the energy needed for growth on horny stuff.”

“Are you describing yourself?”

“No, I’m not.”

Seungpyo playfully muttered. Jaemin narrowed his eyes and looked at his face. They were so close that it was hard to focus. His long, almond-shaped eyes, slightly lowered, were smiling. His well-shaped lips were also smiling.

I didn’t bring him home for this kind of banter. Thinking that, what Oh Seungpyo had just teased him about wasn’t entirely wrong.

Feeling a little absurd, he quietly stared at him, and the smile on Oh Seungpyo’s eyes and lips slowly faded. He softly spoke,

“Ryu Jaemin.”

“Huh?”

“Can I kiss you now?”

Oh Seungpyo, who usually tried to kiss him whenever they were alone in a hidden spot at school, was unusually cautious now.

Even though he had been calculating the timing to kiss him just a few seconds ago, Jaemin couldn’t readily decide what to say. He had boldly entered the study, but there were invisible boundaries when it came to violating what was, to him, somewhat taboo. The thought of his father watching them coldly with a hardened expression while they kissed made him dizzy.

When Jaemin remained silent, Seungpyo’s lips curled up slightly again. A large hand wrapped around the back of Jaemin’s neck.

“You’re not answering right away, so that means yes.”

No. If he had asked one more time, I would have said no.

Seungpyo’s face slowly approached, and Jaemin closed his eyes tight at the feeling of their soft lips touching. The back of his neck, where Seungpyo’s fingers brushed against, and the fine hairs on his cheeks beside his lips, all seemed to stand on end.

Kissing is truly amazing. When you close your eyes and kiss, all places become equal, like in a dream, and it doesn’t matter where you are.

Just as he had forgotten for a while that the Ferris wheel they were on was broken and stopped, this time Jaemin intended to forget where he was.

The time they had shared in the Ferris wheel, a time that belonged only to them, had merely paused, not ended or disappeared. The heat that had filled his body like a hazy vapor had only subsided for a moment, and as their lips met, it reignited as if by command, spreading warmth to his fingertips.

Both eagerly pushed their tongues out, wanting to explore each other’s mouths. Soft flesh tangled messily. His palate was scraped, and the smooth skin inside his cheeks rubbed together. For some reason, the kiss in the empty study felt more urgent than the one high in the sky where they felt time-constrained.

“Haa… uh, hmm.”

Jaemin, who always beat Seungpyo in tests, always lost at kissing. This time, too, Jaemin, who ran out of breath first, helplessly accepted Seungpyo’s tongue invading his mouth.

Sensing this, Seungpyo’s arms wrapped tightly around Jaemin’s back and waist. Jaemin involuntarily flinched and arched his back as Seungpyo’s tongue darted in and out, probing his weak spots.

Seungpyo bent down, following Jaemin’s lips without letting go, then lifted Jaemin up and raised his head.

“Haa…”

Seungpyo wiped his wet lips with his fingertips. Then, he tapped Jaemin’s chin with his finger.

“Why do you keep trying to lie down? Are we filming a movie?”

He hadn’t done it on purpose, but he was speechless at being teased. Feeling like he had lost, Jaemin tightly closed his mouth, and Seungpyo pushed him against the wall.

No, more precisely, against the bookshelf. Jaemin was leaning against the frame of the neat, wooden bookshelf, packed with precious books that had stood guard like a totem pole for years.

Suddenly, his back felt cold. His body was hot and his back cold, and the temperature difference made him shiver.

But Seungpyo, oblivious to Jaemin’s inner turmoil, traced his fingers over his shirt and found his nipples, rubbing them.

“Stick your tongue out.”

His head felt slow, as if he couldn’t think. Jaemin obeyed.

Seungpyo lightly bit and gently sucked the tip of his tongue. It wasn’t his usual playful sucking with loud smacking sounds, but a quiet, slow pull on the tip of his tongue, then a sudden engulfing of the tongue and a repetition of the same act.

“Hmm, ah… uh…”

After having his tongue devoured countless times, a moan escaped his open mouth before he could stop it.

“…Uh…!”

The fingers that were groping his chest through his shirt suddenly pinched his nipples, the ones that had been sucked on for so long during the day. “Haa,” Jaemin sighed deeply and put his arms around Seungpyo’s shoulders. His legs felt weak, and he felt like he would collapse if he didn’t hold on.

It was Oh Seungpyo who moved, and he just stood still, but he felt drained, as if he had exerted all the effort himself. His breath kept getting shorter, and his back, which had been cool for a moment, was now completely hot. An unfamiliar heat filled and tormented him, making him want to cry.

“What’s with your face?”

Seungpyo hugged Jaemin’s waist again. The hand that had been hovering over his clothes slipped inside his thin indoor t-shirt. His sensitized skin reacted with embarrassing alarm to even the most casual touch, shaking his composure. Jaemin grimaced and moaned softly.

“Ah…”

“Are you doing this even though you don’t want to?”

“…”

“If you don’t like it here, we can go to your room.”

Seungpyo, trying to gauge Jaemin’s feelings, changed his angle and looked into his eyes.

Despite having intended to say no to the second question, Jaemin gave an answer different from his initial intention.

“…We don’t have to go.”

Seungpyo smirked as if he understood.

“You too, huh?”

“…What?”

“I guess I’ve gotten used to sneaking around with you at school. We finally came home, and we’re making out in a place like this.”

They had a small designated space, imperfectly though it may be, that belonged to Ryu Jaemin, yet in this large, empty house, they were touching each other with pounding hearts in a place where they couldn’t completely shake off the worry that someone might burst through the door, or that someone might be watching.

If it was a habit, it was a dangerous, bad one. The thought that he had developed a bad habit made Jaemin’s heart beat faster, thump-thump-thump.

The hand that had been creeping across his skin under his clothes finally reached his nipple. Seungpyo’s fingertips rolled the hardened bud, rubbing it up and down and flicking it.

Perhaps because his hand was hidden under his clothes and out of sight, the sensation against his skin felt even more vivid. Jaemin, who usually retorted to Seungpyo’s playful jokes, couldn’t bring himself to respond now, swallowing his voice and letting out short breaths.

“I don’t care, it’s not my house, as long as you’re okay with it…”

The hand that had been toying with his nipple suddenly slid down. Jaemin involuntarily leaned his face against Seungpyo’s shoulder and raised his voice.

“Ah, ah…!”

“Ha…”

An involuntary sigh escaped Seungpyo’s lips as well.

The hand that had hesitated and ultimately stopped short of entering his pants at the amusement park now slipped inside without hesitation. Since he had changed into comfortable pants with a loose waistband after coming home, the intrusion was that much easier.

However, instead of immediately grabbing his genitals, the hand inside his pants caressed the soft inner flesh of his thighs. Everywhere the fingers traced felt burning hot, yet also damp.

“Haa, mm, uh…”

Every sensation he felt felt like a contradiction, making Jaemin dizzy. Seungpyo’s voice reached his ears softly.

“Hey, you know… I didn’t follow you home just to make out.”

Jaemin nodded, his face still buried in Seungpyo’s shoulder. Seungpyo’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped.

The large hand that had been caressing his thighs climbed back up, and hesitant fingertips traced the line between his waist and hips before slipping inside his underwear. His groin, engorged with blood from the kissing and touching of his chest and stomach, was much hotter than the rest of his body.

His erect penis inside his underwear was already making its presence known. Even though Seungpyo could reach it with just a little further push, he didn’t move his hand carelessly. He pretended to be nonchalant and at ease, but Jaemin could easily sense that Seungpyo’s hand was also wandering, like a lost child unsure of where to go.

But such minor hesitation wasn’t enough to cool the heat that surrounded them. The hand had barely touched his bare skin beneath the clothes, not even reaching his penis yet, but Jaemin trembled and leaned against Seungpyo.

“Ah, ha…”

Seungpyo, also exhaling unevenly, held Jaemin close. Suppressing his impatience, he slowly pushed his hand further down. Finally, grasping his heated penis, he paused for a moment, then squeezed and slid his hand all the way up to the glans.

“….!”

Jaemin opened his mouth and trembled silently, then slowly bit his lip. It was the first time someone else’s hand had touched that secret place inside his clothes, and for the purpose of pleasure. He felt dizzy.

What would it feel like, how good would it be, what would happen if Oh Seungpyo’s hand, the one he had seen in the videos sent via SNS, touched him in the same way?

He had thought about it. For days. Perhaps even until this very moment. And now, the feeling was indescribable.

As Jaemin remained silent, Seungpyo’s hand continued its careful exploration. At first, as if gauging Jaemin’s reaction, he had paused with his hand cupping the glans, but now his hand slid down the shaft and back up, stroking the entire length.

“Hmm… uh, huh.”

It wasn’t rough or fast, but it was a thorough touch, as if to wring every last bit of sensation. His bitten lip parted involuntarily, and a low whimper escaped.

He hadn’t even been touched that many times, but his penis twitched and Jaemin’s waist trembled uncontrollably. His legs felt weak, as if he would collapse even though he hadn’t done anything strenuous. The pleasure was overwhelming.

Neither of them spoke. Both the toucher and the touched were too tense to open their mouths. Only Jaemin’s faint moans occasionally escaped, interspersed with Seungpyo’s quiet but increasingly ragged breaths.

As Jaemin leaned against him more desperately, Seungpyo continued to fondle him inside his pants, holding his waist. The occasional brush of their thighs, pressed close together, clearly indicated that Seungpyo’s own erection was growing. Every time Jaemin felt it, a strange shiver ran down his spine, and he clenched his teeth.

By now, the clear fluid leaking from his glans served as a lubricant. The sensation was smoother than before, but even though his pants were relatively loose, it was still awkward to touch him through the fabric. Seungpyo cleared his throat, sounding frustrated. Then, still holding Jaemin’s waist, he moved and sat Jaemin down somewhere.

Realizing where he was sitting, Jaemin was startled and almost jumped up. His bottom was planted on his father’s wooden side table, the same one he had shown Seungpyo earlier.

“Why here…?”

But Seungpyo looked unconcerned.

“What’s wrong with here? You said you’ve stood on it before.”

He had misunderstood the reason for Jaemin’s surprise. Seemingly absorbed in his task, he sighed and quickly knelt down, trying to pull Jaemin’s pants down. Startled again, Jaemin grabbed the waistband as it began to slide down.

“Why are you taking my clothes off?”

“It’s hard to use my hand with your clothes on.”

Seungpyo snapped his right fingers together a couple of times as if clicking castanets, and then, as if a playful thought had struck him, he grinned and took out his phone.

“Hey, wanna make another bet?”

“…What kind of bet.”

“I’ll set a timer for 10 minutes and jerk you off. If you don’t cum, you win.”

“And if I can’t hold out?”

“Then I lose. The prize… like last time, a wish.”

This guy was addicted to bets. But Jaemin didn’t refuse. Instead, he tried to negotiate.

“10 minutes is too long. Just 5 minutes.”

“Are you a premature ejaculator? You can’t last 10 minutes?”

“You try it. It’s different when someone else is doing it…”

Angered by the “premature ejaculator” comment, Jaemin trailed off, realizing the implication of his words. Try it? How? Whose hand was he suggesting?

Sure enough, Seungpyo grinned, stroking Jaemin’s still-erect penis through his clothes.