EAR Ch 44
by soapaThe exciting end of the year had arrived. Today was the last day of a turbulent sophomore year of high school.
Finally, the last gateway to the long school days. Jaemin, on the cusp of his senior year, decided to end the year in a way he wouldn’t have dreamed of before. He was going to spend the night at Seungpyo’s house.
It was the long-awaited sleepover plan. Thanks to Seungpyo’s brother, who couldn’t let special occasions pass by unnoticed and planned to stay out all night, the two of them could spend the night together.
For someone who’d even run away from home, spending a night at a friend’s house might not seem like a big deal, but for Ryu Jaemin, it was special. It wasn’t just any day, it was New Year’s Day, and he would be greeting it not with his family, but alone with Seungpyo. While shopping for food at the supermarket, Jaemin gave a deflated, bitter smile.
“I guess I’m the unwanted child now.”
“If letting you sleep over at a friend’s house makes you unwanted, then I’m practically discarded.”
Seungpyo understood what Jaemin meant, but he replied jokingly. Perhaps thinking it would only lead to more complaints, Jaemin just laughed it off.
Only six months had passed since that day during summer vacation. It was too short a time for the deep emotional rift to heal, and perhaps it would never heal completely.
Honestly, Seungpyo didn’t care whether things improved between Ryu Jaemin and his parents. The important thing was that his family no longer bothered his precious boyfriend. He would take responsibility for Ryu Jaemin’s happiness and joy from now on, so his family could stay out of it.
In that sense, tonight he wanted to eat a lot of delicious and warm food together. Even if it couldn’t compare to the housekeeper’s cooking in terms of taste.
“Ryu Jaemin, want to try making this? Mille-feuille nabe.”
“Yeah, sounds good. It looks delicious.”
“I need to practice cooking little by little. I’ll have to live on my own in a year.”
“I don’t have to. You said you’d do it all.”
“That’s why I need to practice.”
Perhaps the last day of the year was special for everyone, even high school students facing their senior year were allowed a short break. Thanks to shortened classes at both school and cram school, the two could spend time together outside while the sun was still up.
Giggling, they pushed their cart full of food towards the checkout. Their footsteps were playful and light. They often went to convenience stores together, but this was their first time properly grocery shopping.
While waiting in line at the checkout, Seungpyo kept feeling a sweet sensation, and a smile kept creeping onto his face. They had just bought snacks for tonight, but it felt different than usual.
‘This must be how it feels when you’re married.’
Oh Seungpyo was imagining married life before even graduating high school.
📚
A cold wind was blowing in the streets, sharp enough to sting the face. Even teenagers in their prime, who rarely felt the cold, were repeatedly saying they were freezing in this chilly year-end cold snap.
“It’s freezing today.”
“Seriously. It’s not even that far from the bus stop to home, but I’m completely frozen.”
The quiet, empty house became boisterous as soon as the two entered. As soon as the front door closed, Seungpyo leaned Jaemin against it, trapping his head between his arms.
After dropping the groceries they brought from the supermarket at their feet, Seungpyo stood in front of Jaemin and kissed him. Jaemin smiled and accepted the kiss.
“As soon as we get in?”
“There’s an entrance fee to my house. Didn’t you know?”
“I like the cheap entrance fee.”
“Bullshit. If your lips are the entrance fee, it’s fucking expensive.”
They chuckled and rubbed their noses together. Just escaping the winter wind was enough to start warming their bodies, but they hugged each other tightly, as if wanting to get even warmer. Their lips met lightly, then softly pressed together, exchanging warmth and sensation.
“Mmm….”
Their lips, which had been rubbing together playfully, gradually deepened the kiss. They both tasted the inside of each other’s soft mouths. There was no particular taste, but their tongues felt like they were melting, sweeter than eating candy, cake, or ice cream. It was hard not to be addicted to kissing.
“Haah, uh.”
Their breaths grew ragged as they caressed each other’s cheeks. They naturally began to explore each other’s bodies, but since they were still wearing their padded jackets, all they could feel was the soft, puffy material.
“It’s hot,” Jaemin whispered. As the kiss heated them up, the thick jackets that had protected them from the cold quickly became a hindrance.
Perhaps because they were in a hurry, the zipper wouldn’t go down at once. Normally, the kiss would deepen at this point, but they had to break apart to take off their jackets.
“I’m sweating.”
“Let’s shower first.”
Since they had stopped kissing, they finally shoved the groceries into the refrigerator. They quickly took off their clothes and went in to shower together.
Under the warm, rain-like water, they kissed again. Just kissing was enough to make them happy, so they didn’t rush to progress further, content to caress each other’s shoulders and kiss. Looking at Jaemin’s face, which looked even brighter under the water, Seungpyo whispered with satisfaction.
“If we lived together, we could do this every day.”
What would it be like for these moments, which were now occasional events, to become everyday life? It seemed so good that he couldn’t even imagine it.
Jaemin replied, “We have to go to the same university first.”
“We can do it.”
Tomorrow they would be nineteen. Starting March, they would be seniors. The time was coming when they had to make clear decisions about things they had left vague until now: not just their desired universities, but also the application process, majors, and future life plans.
After their final year of high school, they would be twenty. All their classmates and peers across the country would turn twenty as well.
Even then, complete independence would be impossible, but at least their lives of wearing uniforms and going to school together according to set rules would be over. With the unspoken message of “Now take care of yourselves,” they would be suddenly pushed out, each carrying their own lives like bundles on their backs.
“Want to eat first?” Seungpyo asked after they finished showering. Jaemin shook his head.
“I’m not hungry yet since we had snacks not too long ago. Let’s eat later if you’re okay with it.”
Jaemin was wearing the pajamas Seungpyo had bought specifically for him at his house. Although this was the first time he was sleeping over since he bought the dedicated pajamas.
When Jaemin first saw the mint-colored pajama set with white trimming, he’d widened his eyes and asked why he bought such a bright color, but Seungpyo was very satisfied. He could cuddle with his Candy Bar even in winter.
“Then shall we do what we planned first?”
At Seungpyo’s suggestion, Jaemin smiled and nodded.
The last day of the year, spent alone together in an empty house, with the person he was dating.
They entered Seungpyo’s room and closed the door firmly. They could have lounged around in the spacious living room or spent time at the kitchen table since no one was home, but being in his room felt the most comfortable.
Their true alone time began after the door closed. Jaemin set a timer on his phone and placed it between them.
“From now on, we’re only studying for two hours, nothing else.”
Two hours straight? Not even breaking it up into hour-long sessions? Seungpyo thought it was a bit much, but he readily nodded. It wasn’t like they couldn’t do it.
“Okay. Let’s do what we planned and then have fun.”
“If we try to do it after having fun, we won’t want to.”
Seungpyo nodded seriously.
Since there was only one desk, they sat facing each other across a wide low table. As Jaemin started the timer, only the scratching sound of their mechanical pencils against paper filled the silence.
With the end of the year, many students, regardless of school or cram school, were excited. Even those who didn’t have much to be excited about were immersed in the year-end atmosphere, neglecting their urgent tasks.
Seungpyo and Jaemin couldn’t help but be swept up in the Christmas spirit. After all, it was their first Christmas as a couple!
Although a sleepover was difficult, they had dinner at a casual restaurant suitable for high school students, took pictures, and stayed up late at a cafe before parting ways. Just spending a day immersed in that sweet feeling made them feel a sense of crisis afterward.
‘Should we be doing this now?’
For the perpetual top student, studying was like breathing. Because exams were over, because it was vacation, because his grades were better than usual and he needed a reward, because his grades weren’t as good as he’d hoped and he felt bad, because he’d achieved a goal…
It wasn’t something he could take a day or two off from for those reasons and others; it was something he had to do regardless.
Now, on the verge of his senior year, it was even more important. Reflecting on the two days he’d slacked off, Jaemin promised Seungpyo that no matter what, they wouldn’t miss their study time from now on.
The same was true today. Even if they spent the night together having fun, they would do what they had to do. They wouldn’t miss even an hour or two a day. That was their resolution. Seungpyo wasn’t actually that meticulous of a model student, but if his beloved Ryu Jaemin wanted it, this much was nothing.
He’d almost given up on reclaiming his spot as the top student, but Oh Seungpyo now had a new goal. He would never let another guy’s name come between him and Ryu Jaemin.
With everyone competitively increasing their study time before senior year, it wouldn’t be surprising if his current third-place ranking was suddenly snatched away if he let his guard down.
On the exam results sheet that all the students would see, the thought of another guy’s name right below Ryu Jaemin’s…
‘I’d rather die than see that.’
That thought made Seungpyo unable to relax anymore. The carefree Oh Seungpyo who used to easily take first place by studying hard only during exam periods after playing around all the time had long been left behind in middle school. The world wasn’t that easy.
Regardless of their circumstances, they were both top students, so once they started studying, they gained momentum rather than getting distracted. The room, filled with the competitive flipping of pages, was heated with quiet intensity. If he were alone, he might have occasionally checked his phone or done other things, but the fact that they were sitting across from each other prevented them from getting distracted.
‘…He’s really just studying.’
Nevertheless, Seungpyo’s concentration broke faster than Jaemin’s. It couldn’t be helped. Ryu Jaemin was sitting right in front of him, like a Candy Bar just for Oh Seungpyo.
He glanced at the timer. The timer, which was rapidly counting down the seconds, indicated that they still had about 30 minutes left of their designated study time. He was getting impatient, having his Candy Bar right next to him but not being able to even unwrap it for two whole hours.
‘I should have suggested breaking it up into hour-long sessions.’
Jaemin, engrossed in solving problems, didn’t notice Seungpyo looking at him. He spun the pen he was holding and dropped it. The pen rolled across the table and stopped in front of Seungpyo.
“Oh Seungpyo, pen please.”
Jaemin held out his hand. His expression showed he had no doubt Seungpyo would return it.
He was just treating him normally, completely trusting him, but why was it so cute? Jaemin’s innocent face triggered Seungpyo’s playful side.
“It crossed the line, so it’s mine.”
Acting like a sulky child, Seungpyo snatched up the pen that had rolled over to his side. Jaemin’s eyes widened, and then he let out a chuckle, furrowing his brow.
“Line? Where’s the line?”
“From about the middle here is the dividing line.”
“Why are you being so childish all of a sudden?”
“If you’re upset, steal mine too.”
“Are you in elementary school?”
Grumbling, Jaemin didn’t argue further and chuckled, calmly opening his pen pouch and taking out a new pen.
The brief commotion was quickly quelled by Jaemin’s calm response. The room became quiet again, with only the scratching sound of pens on paper.
Seungpyo, diligently solving problems, slightly furrowed his brow and picked up his eraser. As he erased part of his solution, his hand slipped.
“Oops.”
The eraser rolled, this time towards Jaemin’s side. Jaemin, who was looking at his textbook, picked up the eraser and grinned.
“It crossed the line, so it’s mine.”
He had several pens, but only one eraser. Seungpyo reached out with a look of dismay.
“I’ll give you back your pen if you trade.”
“Don’t need it. I have plenty of pens.”
“You were calling me childish just now.”
Jaemin nodded.
“I’ll give it back if you take off your clothes and study.”
Seungpyo’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
“What? Clothes? Take them all off?”
“Yeah.”
“Underwear too?”
“Isn’t underwear clothes?”
Suddenly asking him to take off his clothes? Seungpyo narrowed his eyes and looked at Jaemin, wondering if there was another meaning. But Jaemin seemed purely playful.
“You’ll take them off soon anyway after studying, so just stay undressed.”
It sounded familiar, but maybe it was just his imagination?
Seungpyo didn’t hesitate long and nodded.
“Sure, whatever….”
He wasn’t embarrassed to take off his clothes anywhere. It was just absurd that he was taking off his clothes first when it should be his Candy Bar’s wrapper that needed unwrapping.
Seungpyo casually tossed his shirt off and stood up. When his pants and underwear disappeared, leaving him completely naked, Jaemin looked at him with a slightly flustered expression. Why was he pretending to be embarrassed after asking him to undress? Seungpyo calmly asked why.
“Why?”
“You’re kind of hard….”
“Because you told me to take my clothes off.”
“I just told you to take them off. I’m not going to do anything.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to do anything either?”
At Seungpyo’s innocent question, Jaemin seemed speechless and waved his hands.
“…Just sit down. Don’t stand there dangling.”
“You’re the one who told me to take them off.”
“At least pretend to be embarrassed.”
What was there to be embarrassed about all of a sudden? Seungpyo just shrugged and sat back down.
But studying didn’t come easily. Ryu Jaemin still seemed unaware of how instantly Oh Seungpyo reacted to his signals. He had even worried about becoming like Pavlov’s dog, but…
As soon as Ryu Jaemin said to take off his clothes, Oh Seungpyo’s clever brain seemed to interpret the instruction as the starting signal for some upcoming naughty business. Once aroused, it showed no signs of calming down.
He’s going to make me like this and then study by himself? In the past, he would have thought it was some cunning scheme of the top student.
Jaemin lowered his head and calmly looked at his book, but his pretense of indifference didn’t last long. Whether because he sensed Seungpyo’s gaze or because he wanted to admire the boyfriend he’d undressed, he glanced up, and their eyes met unexpectedly. Jaemin asked awkwardly,
“Aren’t you studying?”
“My dick is bored.”
Jaemin cleared his throat. He took a sip of water and said in a teacher-like tone, “You’re bored because you’re not concentrating.”
Teacher. It’s not me, it’s my dick that’s bored!
He wanted to retort like that, but Seungpyo let out a small sigh and started to focus on solving the problem again. He didn’t want to break the top student’s will to study.
Fortunately, as he concentrated on the math problems, Oh Seungpyo’s brain seemed to realize it had misinterpreted the situation, and the stiffness in his lower region began to subside.
“Hmm….”
Seungpyo, who had been quiet for a while, let out a groan as if in thought. Jaemin looked up at the sound.
“Why?”
“Ah, sorry. I’m stuck. I’ll just check the answer later.”
Jaemin looked and saw a small star marked next to the math problem Seungpyo was working on.
A problem Oh Seungpyo couldn’t solve? It was a rare sound of weakness. As Seungpyo nonchalantly tried to turn the page, Jaemin spoke up quickly, “Should I try solving it?”
“Oh, the top student.”
Seungpyo didn’t refuse and gestured for him to come over. Normally, Jaemin would have casually come over, but now, conscious of the naked Oh Seungpyo he’d undressed, he approached hesitantly on his knees.
He didn’t know why he asked him to take off his clothes if he was going to be like this. Jaemin sat next to Seungpyo, read the problem, and widened his eyes slightly.
“This is competition level, not college entrance exam level.”
“Yeah, I bought one of those workbooks too.”
“Right. I sometimes want to solve these kinds of problems.”
“Me too.”
Engrossed in solving the problem, Jaemin belatedly realized that Seungpyo had no intention of staying put.
“You keep working on the problems.”
That’s because Seungpyo, who was sitting next to him, had now wrapped his arms around Jaemin from behind and was pressing his lips against the back of his neck, going beyond lightly grazing it. Both of his hands were now inside Jaemin’s clothes.
His hands, which had been toying with his nipples, slowly slid down his stomach and slipped inside his pants. He caressed his warm, smooth thighs and then immediately reached his genitals.
The light touch felt intense due to the unexpected stimulation. Oh Seungpyo was already completely naked, so the outline and warmth of his body against his back felt excessively vivid.
Feeling goosebumps all over his body, Jaemin flinched, and Seungpyo chuckled playfully.
“Now you’re hard too.”
“Because you’re touching me… uh…!”
“It’s not my fault. You’re the one who should be focusing on the problem.”
However, the force wasn’t in Jaemin’s head, but in Seungpyo’s hand. As he grasped Jaemin’s erect penis and slowly stroked it up and down, the lead of the mechanical pencil on the paper slipped, drawing weak, squiggly lines unrelated to the problem.
Seungpyo gently adjusted the pencil with his free hand. Bringing his lips close to Jaemin’s panting ear, he asked, “Explain this problem to me. I don’t get it.”
“Haa, uh. Th-this… requires… some, college-level math…to, to solve….”
“Ah, no wonder I couldn’t solve it.”
Seungpyo grumbled and quickened his hand movements. A squelching sound began to leak out between his palm and Jaemin’s penis, which was now slick with pre-cum.
“Ahh, uh, ngh.”
“If it’s that kind of problem, I won’t understand it even if you explain it.”
Seungpyo pulled Jaemin’s hand down and guided it to the next problem, a new one that Seungpyo hadn’t even attempted yet.
“Then solve this one.”
Jaemin looked down at the new problem. Even amidst his arousal, he could tell at a glance that it was a problem he could solve without difficulty.
As Jaemin adjusted his grip on the pen, Seungpyo released his hold on his penis. Thinking the teasing was over, Jaemin barely managed to collect himself when Seungpyo’s hand moved to a completely different place. The hand that had let go of his penis reached behind his pants, now trying to wedge itself between his buttocks.
“Hey, stop it.”
“No stopping. You crossed over to my side, so you’re mine now.”
“Ah, uh, so childish.”
“What’s childish? You played along with the eraser thing too.”
Even as he complained about it being childish, Jaemin’s waist twitched every time Seungpyo’s fingers brushed between his buttocks. Because he was sitting on the floor, his buttocks were slightly pushed back, leaving him no way to prevent the touch.
“Lift your waist a little.”
Jaemin leaned his upper body against the table and awkwardly lifted his waist while kneeling. He didn’t complain or hesitate anymore. He didn’t even flinch when Seungpyo pulled his pants down completely, exposing his white buttocks.
The nightstand was within easy reach. Seungpyo took out the lube and squeezed the transparent liquid directly onto Jaemin’s entrance. Jaemin’s waist twitched as the cold lube landed on his warm skin.
“Haah, uh….”
Seungpyo’s fingers smeared and spread the clumped lube like ointment. He rubbed the sensitive entrance, and feeling the hole involuntarily twitching, Jaemin tightly closed his lips.
“Hey, I guess it wasn’t just my dick that was bored.”
Seungpyo whispered with a chuckle and slid his rubbing finger inside.
They had already been intimate several times. It seemed like the time for being sensitive to just a finger had passed, but whenever Seungpyo’s touch entered him, Jaemin still became clumsy.
“Mmm, haa.”
The slowly thrusting finger increased to two, and when they went in deep enough to hit his knuckles, a momentary chill passed, and his body quickly heated up.
Jaemin let out a slow sigh. As much as Jaemin had become accustomed to Seungpyo, Seungpyo had also become accustomed to Jaemin, now exploring his back with ease without fumbling. Thanks to the generous amount of lube, squelching sounds soon filled the air.
“The lube’s all melted.”
Seungpyo pointed out something Jaemin could already feel. But Jaemin found it hard to answer. Seungpyo’s fingertips were now rubbing near his most sensitive spot.
“Ryu Jaemin, have you solved the problem yet?”
“Ah, how can I solve a problem like this…”
“Then I’ll give you a break. Solve it quickly. It’s an easy one.”
The fingers that had been pressing and scratching inside slowly stopped. Jaemin’s eyes grew redder. The spasms in his rear, which he hadn’t realized while being swept away by Seungpyo’s frantic movements, now felt incredibly vivid.
Oh Seungpyo would also feel his insides twitching and gripping his fingers. Preoccupied with the sensations inside him, Jaemin couldn’t concentrate on the problem in front of him. Gripping the mechanical pencil tightly, he muttered, “Hey, if you’re just going to do that, just pull it out…”
But Seungpyo answered without hesitation, “I’ll pull it out if you solve the problem.”
His penis was already erect and leaking clear fluid. Now that the diligently thrusting hand had stopped, his heated inner walls kept clenching and unclenching, trying to wring out pleasure.
He wanted Seungpyo to continue rather than stop, but Seungpyo pretended not to know. Unwilling to ask for more, unable to stand the blatant teasing, Jaemin actually started to solve the problem.
It was indeed an easy problem within the challenging workbook. The usual Jaemin might have already solved it. But today, it wasn’t easy.
Just having those two fingers inside him was distracting. Still, he scribbled down equations, swallowed his ragged breaths, and tried to solve the problem. Then, Oh Seungpyo’s fingers, which had been waiting patiently, started to wiggle again.
“Haa, ah.”
“You’re actually solving it.”
“You, uh, told me to…”
Seungpyo smiled and suddenly turned Jaemin’s head and kissed him. Moaning softly, Jaemin opened his lips, showing no intention of resisting.
Usually, they would kiss first and then move to other things. Today, it happened the other way around. Perhaps because his whole body was heated up, Jaemin’s mouth was warmer than usual, and every time Seungpyo’s tongue explored his mouth, his rear twitched around Seungpyo’s fingers, which was both cute and arousing. Seungpyo laughed breathlessly.
“The top student solving math problems while being fucked… so hot.”
“Asshole…”
Jaemin cursed back, but that was all. Then, he put down his pencil and turned his head towards Seungpyo, initiating a deeper kiss.
Muffled moans mixed with the increasing squelching sounds from below. When their lips parted, Seungpyo was no longer laughing.
Jaemin’s mint-colored pajama pants were removed. Instead of taking off his shirt, Seungpyo pushed it up and leaned his upper body against Jaemin’s back as he panted. Jaemin leaned against the table and moaned softly.
“Haa…!”
As the hard tip touched his loosened entrance, Jaemin gasped as if something hot had touched him.
“Ryu Jaemin….”
Seungpyo called his name and slowly pushed his hips forward. Thanks to the position with his buttocks pushed out, insertion wasn’t difficult.
The head of his penis, bunched up like a fist, followed by the shaft, slowly slid inside. Ah, ah, ah. Jaemin’s excited moans gradually grew louder.
“Haa, haa.”
“Fuu….”
Seungpyo, having buried himself completely inside Jaemin, took a breath. He was burning up even though they hadn’t properly started yet.
He began to thrust slowly. As he pulled out and pushed deep inside, he could see Jaemin’s back trembling with pleasure.
“Haa… Ahh! Haa…!”
The pace gradually increased, and the sounds of their bodies colliding echoed. The workbook under Jaemin’s elbow crumpled.
But after two or three thrusts, Seungpyo had to stop. The relatively light low table wobbled precariously as their combined weight shifted.
Clicking his tongue, Seungpyo reached out and pulled the blanket from the bed. He spread the soft blanket on the floor and laid Jaemin face down on it. Jaemin fumbled to speak, sounding flustered.
“Ahh, we could, uh, just go on the bed.”
Instead of answering, Seungpyo pressed his weight heavily against Jaemin’s back and thrust inside. As he buried himself deep repeatedly, Jaemin could only moan and writhe instead of speaking.
Seungpyo thrust quickly and repeatedly. Jaemin, pinned beneath him, convulsed as if electrified. His buttocks and thighs tensed, tightly gripping Seungpyo’s penis.
“Nghh….”
Feeling the squeezing pressure, Seungpyo gritted his teeth and pushed down even harder, pretending not to hear Jaemin’s rising moans.
“Haa, back during, summer vacation.”
Thwack, thwack, thwack. Thrusting hard, Seungpyo continued speaking. He wasn’t sure if Jaemin could hear him properly.
“Haa, hnng! Haa, ahh!”
“When we went to the beach, at grandma’s house, there was no bed, haa, so we did it on the floor with a blanket.”
Jaemin barely managed to nod instead of answering. There was no way he could forget that night. Just hearing about it sent shivers down his spine.
Seungpyo seemed to feel the same way, as his penis inside Jaemin felt like it was twitching and hardening. He continued speaking between ragged breaths.
“You seemed, more sensitive then… because the floor was hard, it pressed against you more….”
Seungpyo’s hand reached around to Jaemin’s groin and caressed his erect penis. Lying flat, it was crushed beneath their combined weight.
Seungpyo moved his hips back and forth. Every time his long, thick penis thrust deep inside, Jaemin’s body shook along with it.
“Am I right?”
“Haa, mm, good, it was good. Ah, ah.”
Just as Oh Seungpyo said, it felt incredibly good as his front was rubbed every time Seungpyo thrust hard from behind. Even amidst the heat, Jaemin felt a little embarrassed that Seungpyo had noticed it without him realizing.
A soft bed would sink under their weight, but the floor was different. It pressed against him tighter, and it felt that much better. A sensation somewhere between a sharp pain and sweet pleasure alternated between his lower abdomen and shot up to the top of his head. Jaemin unconsciously whimpered and started moving his hips on his own.
“Ah, ahnng, haa.”
“Haa, because, you like it, haa, I’m doing it, but…”
Slapping Jaemin’s white buttocks with his whole body, Seungpyo spoke between ragged breaths.
“Later, fuu, I hope, you can feel this good, just from my dick…”
“Haa, ahnng… Ahh, ahh, hnng!”
Finishing his words, Seungpyo thrust even harder. The crumpled blanket beneath Jaemin became soaked as he convulsed.
Seungpyo lowered his head and pushed Jaemin’s cheek up with one hand to kiss him. His hot, swollen lips were soft and moist, perfect for sucking.
Beep, beep, beep, beep.
They had been so lost in their afterglow that they hadn’t noticed the phone’s timer alarm ringing. Seungpyo reached out and checked the time. It was already 15 minutes past their allotted time. He turned off the alarm and whispered in Jaemin’s ear, “Ryu Jaemin, shall we have dinner now?”
Jaemin nodded with wet eyes. Staring at his face, Seungpyo thought he’d rather just keep devouring Ryu Jaemin instead of dinner.
But he had to feed Ryu Jaemin. Kissing his cheek, tired from studying hard and dealing with him, Seungpyo sat up. Jaemin, still panting, checked the time and furrowed his brow.
“We have to make up for the time we lost.”
“Of course we will. Let’s eat, play a little, and then study again.”
“Why did you have to touch me in the middle of studying when we could have done it after?”
“Not my fault. You came over to my side, that’s why this happened. Why did you tell me to take my clothes off in the first place?”
After clinging to each other and kissing deeply, they started bickering again as they headed to the bathroom.
📚
The pot, which had been overflowing, was now almost empty. Jaemin sighed and leaned back in his chair.
“I’m so full.”
“You really ate a lot today.”
“It was so delicious that I couldn’t stop.”
Seungpyo smiled with satisfaction. The mille-feuille nabe they bought at the supermarket was a meal kit that only required boiling the prepared ingredients. Predicting that it wouldn’t be enough, Seungpyo had also bought extra vegetables, meat, and ramen to add to the prepared ingredients.
Seungpyo was right. After finishing the prepared portion, they made beef shabu-shabu with the remaining broth, and after thoroughly enjoying ramen with two cracked eggs, they finally cleared the table. Seungpyo’s goal of sharing lots of warm and delicious food was successfully achieved.
Feeling sluggish from his full stomach, Jaemin mumbled, “Let’s clean up later.”
“You rest. I’ll do the dishes quickly.”
“Let’s do it together later.”
“It’ll be quick.”
“Still, let’s do it together.”
It was just one pot and a few bowls, so in Seungpyo’s eyes, it wasn’t even enough work for two people. He could finish it quickly by himself. But Seungpyo nodded and led Jaemin to the living room, holding his hand.
They say you shouldn’t lie down or sit right after eating, but that’s what adults say. Eighteen-year-old boys, whose food digested as soon as they turned around, didn’t feel any discomfort even after stuffing themselves and lying down immediately. They ignored the perfectly good sofa and lay down on the floor, using cushions as pillows.
“Let’s have ice cream and fruit later.”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
On the TV, which was playing background music, comedians were chattering and laughing about something incomprehensible. Staring blankly at the screen, Seungpyo asked, “What did you talk about with your homeroom teacher today?”
On the last day of the year, Jaemin had gone into the counseling room and talked with his homeroom teacher alone. Seungpyo had waited, thinking Jaemin would tell him, but Jaemin hadn’t mentioned it all day.
Finally, after being asked, Jaemin rolled his eyes slightly and answered with a sigh, “I have to decide on my career path now. I talked about that.”
“There’s still half a year left until college applications.”
“Still.”
Jaemin’s profile still seemed troubled, as if his worries hadn’t been resolved. He hadn’t spoken about it because he was still unsure. Seungpyo, who was lying down, turned halfway over and propped himself up on his elbows.
“What are you going to do?”
“I was originally planning to go to law school after graduating. You know, because my father… always wanted me to.”
But did his father’s wishes matter now? Even without Jaemin explicitly saying it, Seungpyo understood the unspoken words.
“Don’t more humanities majors go to law school? It doesn’t really match your current elective subjects.”
“Yeah, and law school is something you decide on four years after college anyway. I thought a science major would give me more options, so I’ve been studying accordingly, but now that I’m facing my senior year, I’m also considering humanities majors. But my homeroom teacher also said it would be better to apply based on my current grades rather than cross-applying.”
Oh Seungpyo agreed with the homeroom teacher. With the grades Ryu Jaemin, the top student, had accumulated over the past two years of high school, was there any need for him to cross-apply? Especially because of his parents’ wishes.
“Where will you apply if you don’t cross-apply?”
“My homeroom teacher mentioned medical school.”
“Do you want to do that too?”
“Well… I guess so.”
Doctor Ryu Jaemin. It was hard to imagine him in a doctor’s coat while he was still wearing his school uniform, but for Ryu Jaemin, it wasn’t a pipe dream but a realistic prospect. There was no vagueness of a dreamer in Jaemin’s eyes.
“It’ll be tough studying… but realistically, there are a lot of advantages.”
“Don’t you have any sense of calling?”
“How can I suddenly have one when I haven’t even thought about it much?”
Jaemin gave a wry smile. But Oh Seungpyo knew.
If Ryu Jaemin went to law school and became a lawyer as originally planned, he would be an excellent lawyer who gave his all. Ryu Jaemin, who diligently followed his plans every day and never lost his top ranking despite grumbling about it, would approach any task with the same diligence.
Even if he became a doctor for practical reasons, Ryu Jaemin would still be a doctor with more dedication than anyone else. Maybe later, he would become a famous person giving interviews or writing books like Jaemin’s father. Then, Ryu Jaemin could successfully achieve the revenge he dreamed of against his parents.
“Ryu Jaemin.”
Seungpyo, who had been smiling while dreaming of a wonderful future, suddenly turned serious and called Jaemin’s name. Jaemin blinked in surprise. Frowning, Seungpyo continued,
“But if you go to medical school, we can’t enlist together.”
“Huh?”
“If you go to medical school, you don’t go to the military like everyone else. They say you go as a public health doctor or military doctor after graduating. Then I’ll have to go alone for two years?”
Seungpyo’s expression became serious and grave. Jaemin smiled faintly. He wouldn’t say such things jokingly anymore, but this was the same Oh Seungpyo who used to tease him by calling him a whore.
“Why? Are you worried about leaving your whore alone and going to the military?”
“Hey! I told you not to use that word anymore.”
Seungpyo sat up abruptly and came over to hug Jaemin tightly. Jaemin chuckled and hugged him back.
“What’s the point of just not saying it? If you didn’t really think that way, you wouldn’t be worried.”
“You think you’ll stay innocent on your own? There are so many real whores out there.”
“Do you think I’d get involved with those kinds of guys?”
Well, he couldn’t be sure if Jaemin was lonely. The whores who didn’t reveal they were whores were the real whores, and Ryu Jaemin didn’t seem like he could easily recognize those kinds of bad guys. Even if Ryu Jaemin had hung out with perverts for a while, it was just online. His defenses in offline reality were close to zero.
“Do you think you can avoid them? Do you think bad guys walk around with ‘bad guy’ written on their foreheads?”
“Hey, that was just online, I’m normal. Has any guy in real life approached you wanting to sleep with you? Besides you, I haven’t had anyone.”
“You’re not normal at all. You’re fucking handsome, sexy, and pretty.”
Jaemin, at a loss for words, laughed out loud. The sudden compliment didn’t seem to displease him, as he smiled and kissed Seungpyo’s cheek.
“They say everyone uses phones in the military these days. I’ll call you every day and report to you that nothing’s happening. I’ll visit often too.”
“I’ll call you too. You better answer.”
They still had a few years left until enlistment, but he was already incredibly worried. After a moment of silence, Jaemin asked, “What about you?”
Seungpyo just blinked at the sudden question. His eyes asked what he meant.
“If you’re worried about that, you can just come to medical school with me.”
“Hmm… I think I could get in… but you know, right? I can only work hard at things I want to do.”
“You don’t want to study for the entrance exams now either. But you’re still doing it diligently.”
“That’s because there’s a deadline. But once you choose a career, it’s hard to change it.”
That was true. Even Jaemin thought Oh Seungpyo in a doctor’s coat looked a bit awkward. Besides, Oh Seungpyo wasn’t afraid of ghosts or anything like that, but he was uncomfortable with real blood and corpses, so he wasn’t suited to be a doctor.
In Ryu Jaemin’s mind, Oh Seungpyo always looked coolest when he was playing basketball. He would have made a great basketball player, but as their gym teacher often lamented, Seungpyo was just too good at studying. Seungpyo had declared ambitiously,
“I’ll make a ton of money doing something else, and when you become a doctor, I’ll set you up with your own hospital.”
“Sounds nice, but we’re already so jaded.”
“What? We’re still pretty pure.”
The two honor students laughed, sharing their capitalistic dreams, then sat up straight. Discussing their future ambitions seemed to have helped their food digest.
After finishing the dishes they had put off, they took out the ice cream they had carefully stashed in the freezer. It was an expensive tub of ice cream they’d splurged on for this special occasion.
“Want to finish studying while we eat?”
“A little later.”
Despite having insisted on sticking to their study schedule, this time it was Jaemin being lazy. Seungpyo chuckled and carried the low table out to the living room. They both slowly settled in front of the table, eating ice cream, chatting, and working on their problems. They started off distracted, but at some point, they both zoned in and silently focused on their textbooks.
“Ah!”
After a while, Seungpyo was the first to snap out of his concentration. He hurriedly checked his phone, then let out a sigh of relief and grabbed the remote.
Watching him frantically flip through the channels, Jaemin also seemed to remember something he’d forgotten and gasped softly.
“Whoa, almost missed it.”
“I know, right? I wanted us to watch it together.”
Finally, he settled on a channel. On the screen, a large crowd was gathered, waiting for the New Year’s bell-ringing ceremony. Even a cold wave warning couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the people waiting for this once-a-year event.
As high school seniors facing entrance exams, they’d decided to watch the ceremony on TV this year to avoid catching a cold. But they planned to go see it in person next year.
The lights from people’s phones and glow sticks twinkled like stars on the ground. While the noisy, bustling scene wasn’t exactly beautiful, the wishes and hopes reflected in each tiny light gave it a touching, human quality.
[The countdown will begin shortly.]
[So much has happened this year. Let’s leave all the bad things behind and hope for a new year filled with good things and hope.]
As soon as the announcers finished, a large number appeared on the screen. 10! 9! 8! People chanted along, their voices rising. Seungpyo and Jaemin joined in.
“5, 4, 3, 2, 1!”
BONG――――.
The deep toll of the bell resonated, silencing the noisy crowd. Seungpyo and Jaemin also fell silent.
BONG, BONG, BONG. After about five rings, the announcers resumed speaking.
[The New Year has begun with the first bell ringing at 00:00:00.]
[Those watching the bell ringing are also quietly observing this moment. What wishes are everyone making?]
After the moment of silence provided by the broadcast, Seungpyo spoke again.
“Did you make a wish?”
“Huh? No. I was just listening to the bells.”
“Guess what I was thinking about.”
“What?”
Seungpyo grinned.
“That time we made a bet about who could hold out longer while jerking off, using the countdown.”
“Oh, you crazy bastard! Why would you think about that during the New Year’s bell ringing, you pervert?”
Despite scolding him, Jaemin laughed out loud, incredulous.
At this moment, having turned another year older, nothing had actually changed just because it was past midnight. They continued teasing and joking with each other as usual, then suddenly embraced and kissed.
“Ryu Jaemin, let’s do our best in our senior year.”
“You too.”
It was their first time welcoming the New Year with a kiss. They still had a year to go before legally becoming adults, but they felt a little more grown-up than last year.
They were nineteen years old now.