MPK Ch 5

I came first, and then semen shot from the tip of Woo Baekyeon’s red cock. He came for a long time, as excited as he was. Our joined lower bodies became slick. The sound of the viscous liquid rubbing together was blatantly lewd.

But the Name symptom, though its urgent fire had been quenched, still lingered. We gently rubbed our lower bodies together, as if striking a flint against the remaining embers. How long had it been since we came? My cock was already starting to harden again.

“…Ugh…!”

Woo Baekyeon’s cock, which had been grinding against mine, slipped and poked between my legs. The first time was an accident, but immediately after, the head of his cock jabbed at my perineum. It seemed deliberate. The action of him placing his cock between my buttocks and lightly moving his hips was blatant in its meaning. Even though I had willingly given up the top position, tension filled me.

…More than anything, the pink dolphin was unexpectedly large. The glans, wedging itself little by little between my buttocks, felt thicker than I had seen with my eyes.

Ha, but, insertive sex…. No. Let’s do it. Two virile men in their 20s are given this symptom and told to mate. If not today, it was bound to happen eventually.

As if sensing my hesitation, he bent down and kissed the nape of my neck where my Name was inscribed.

“Hey, ah. Ugh!”

Because of the position, the inside of my thighs were pressed, and my legs spread apart. A sudden chill ran through me as my lower body was exposed to the air.

Between my spread legs, I had the same equipment as him, yet Woo Baekyeon seemed to have no qualms about actually having sex with me.

“Ahem, Woo Baekyeon. Did you, uh… learn how to do it between men?”

“Do you need to learn that?”

…Right. You said you lived in the West for a long time. Woo Baekyeon lifted my legs onto his kneeling thighs.

“It’s here, right?”

He was right that there’s only one place to put it in a man’s body…. His cock touched the crevice between my buttocks. Perhaps because I saw the real thing, the heat felt pink.

“That’s right… but, I’m not expecting a condom in this situation, but do you have anything to lubricate it?”

“……”

This bastard, I’ll see if he can stay this sullen when it’s his turn to be fucked.

Woo Baekyeon stroked my lower abdomen. What the hell, why is he suddenly stroking me like he’s soothing someone with indigestion?

That hand suddenly slipped under my buttocks.

“Hey, ugh…!”

Ah, he wasn’t stroking me. He’d wet his hand with what we’d made earlier. It began to enter between my cheeks.

Until a moment ago, captivated by Woo Baekyeon’s face, I thought, ‘Whatever, anything’s possible,’ but, ah, maybe not. Kissing and masturbating with a man is fine, but I’m not ready to be penetrated. Instead of arousal, I only felt goosebumps.

“Shit, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do this. Stop.”

“Just a little. Jung Hankyung. Just stay still.”

“Hey…!”

“Please.”

The pleading words coming from the haughty Woo Baekyeon were several times more effective than from anyone else. He didn’t miss the moment my strength gave way, and his finger invaded me. Woo Baekyeon stroked my neck with his other hand. Once the initial resistance at the entrance subsided, it seemed bearable.

“Ha, haa.”

Right. Just like fingering. Up to this point, it feels okay, like the novelty of stepping into a new world. Woo Baekyeon’s gaze moved down from my face to between my legs.

“It doesn’t seem like you dislike it. You’re hard.”

“This is just a reflex….”

I was about to argue back, but his finger twitched inside me. The sensation of it brushing against a sensitive spot erased the pain at the entrance. Soon, Woo Baekyeon’s fingertip pressed precisely on that spot. My mind flashed, picturing the outline of the white finger.

“This is where you get excited, Jung Hankyung.”

“Ah, wait, ugh…!”

My lower abdomen pulsed with my uneven breaths. Woo Baekyeon continued to explore me with his finger while he grabbed his own cock and stroked it. Seeing the aloof Woo Baekyeon undone by lust gave me a strange sense of satisfaction.

“Haa, ah… huh….”

Woo Baekyeon parted his red lips, the reddest part of his flushed face, and looked at me.

Damn it….

Since it wasn’t an emergency, I started thinking, ‘Is it, is it doable?’ again.

I was largely responsible for this situation, and it felt emasculating to back down now after coming this far.

“Hey, uh… there, it, it seems looser… try putting just the tip in.”

I wanted to take back my words as soon as I spoke them, but Woo Baekyeon’s eyes widened, and he nodded, so I shut my mouth. I was such a pushover. If I were a Joseon Dynasty king and Woo Baekyeon were a concubine, I would have already ruined the entire country. But to laugh heartily in the burning palace… it hurt. A lot. My forcibly spread bottom hurt.

“Ah, ow, hey! Just the tip, just the tip!”

“The tip… doesn’t, huh, fit, ugh….”

“It hurts…!”

Thud!

“Ugh!”

A strong impact, so intense I couldn’t even complain about the pain, hit me. The bulging thing finally passed through the entrance. Something settled inside, bringing with it a pain I had never felt before.

“I thought it would be better to put it in this much….”

“…Good, good job….”

What’s stuck inside right now must be the glans. It’s better than being forcibly shoved in, but I still can’t breathe properly.

“Jung Hankyung, when you touched my bottom earlier, the inside was softer than the outside.”

That was information I could have lived without knowing.

“Now that the outside has opened up, if you just relax a little… it’ll go in further.”

Squish.

A sound I had never heard before echoed. No, rather than hearing it, the sound from inside my body transmitted to my head.

Squish, squish.

“Hey, hey, ahhh…!”

“Relax, ugh….”

My bottom gradually widened, and Woo Baekyeon’s cock penetrated deeper. My insides burned like I had fallen and scraped myself on hot asphalt. Fuck, ah, really stop. This is unbearable….

“Jung Hankyung, huh…, Jung Han, kyung….”

His voice seemed to tremble, so I opened my squinted eyes. Woo Baekyeon was desperately clutching my thighs, his face bright red. Wait, I’m the one who’s about to die from the pain, why do you look like you’re about to cry?

Damn it, whatever.

I pulled Woo Baekyeon closer and hugged him tightly. Woo Baekyeon took a deep breath next to my neck.

“Okay. Okay, so…, do it. I think I’m getting used to it, so it’ll be okay.”

“……”

“Ah, but slowly…!”

A heavy pressure settled on my chest, cutting off my words. Woo Baekyeon put his arm between my back and the bed, holding me tight.

Thud!

He thrust upwards, simultaneously pulling my upper body down. The pressure took my breath away. The cock buried inside me dug deeper. Woo Baekyeon seemed to murmur something in my ear, but I couldn’t hear it.

He pulled back slightly, then thud! He thrust inside again. Yeah, I was definitely mistaken earlier when I thought he might cry. If someone could cry while thrusting like this, it would be… terrifying in a different way. I’d rather have someone who’s completely lost in excitement.

“Ugh, ah…!”

Penetration into a dry passage was more difficult and painful than I had imagined. But it wasn’t just pain. From the moment Woo Baekyeon hugged me tightly, the area where my Name was inscribed began to burn, and a small spark of sensation ignited below. My heartbeat quickened as if I had caught his desperation.

“Jung Hankyung, huh, ah, Jung Hankyung.”

“I can’t breathe, ah, there…, ugh!”

My body, crushed by the weight of two people, was completely buried in the sheets. His cock pushed deeper, forcing its way through the tight passage. Now my lower abdomen hurt more than the entrance. The pressure was immense as my insides were forcibly filled and pressed down from above.

Hot breath spilled onto the Name on my neck. A chilling sensation followed as he withdrew, only to thrust back in forcefully.

“Ah, haa, ugh…!”

But this guy, even though we’re both men, his sex manners, really…. It’s a good thing there isn’t much of a size difference between us, or I would have been folded in half and flattened by now. What kind of exercise does he do that makes his hips move so relentlessly even in this position? Every time Woo Baekyeon ravaged me, a slapping sound echoed from the colliding flesh. This must be incredibly draining for him too, but the intensity only increased as time passed.

“Haa…, huh, ugh, ha.”

“Hey, Woo Baekyeon, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Huh, what, what did you say?”

“We’re even married, ha, where would I go? Go easy on me…! Ah!”

His grip on me tightened. The king-sized bed in the hotel was even bigger than a standard king. The fact that it was creaking like this meant I was being pounded with all his might.

There was one more thing I was curious about. We definitely started without lube or a condom, but at some point, a squelching sound began. That seemed to make the movement smoother. To be honest, from a certain point, I had also forgotten the pain and was lost in the frantic rocking.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him. I wouldn’t be able to withstand his force if I didn’t hang on. Woo Baekyeon’s embrace tightened.

“Jung Hankyung, why are you doing this to me?”

“What are, huh…!”

“I was trying to be content, but why, why, more and more….”

“Ah, fuck, what, strength, ugh!”

My insides were relentlessly ravaged without a moment’s respite. Because it had been so thoroughly violated, it had become so sensitive that I could clearly feel the thickness of his cock as it moved in and out.

It was the most brutal and rough sex I had ever experienced, though this was my first time being on the bottom. I couldn’t do this, even if I was told to thrust like this from above. I was so breathless that I felt dizzy. Cramps ran through my forcibly spread thighs.

“Jung Hankyung, …, huh, ah, Jung Hankyung.”

Woo Baekyeon seems intent on wearing out my name today. My insides will wear out first, though. The faster the intense pleasure built, the more fragmented my thoughts became.

“Ha, ah! Ah, gasp, huh!”

Just as I thought I might lose my mind, Woo Baekyeon buried his cock to the root and stopped moving.

“Haa, ha, ah….”

His eyes squeezed shut. Immediately after, the cock inside me slid out.

Woo Baekyeon grabbed it and my own aroused cock together in his hand. The direct stimulation of my cock right after the rough scraping of my insides sent shivers through my body. Crazy, it was so good I almost couldn’t breathe. His and my cock spurted white semen almost simultaneously.

“Ugh, ugh…!”

“Ah…!”

For a moment, neither of us could utter a coherent word, only moans escaped. I opened my eyes, which had been squeezed shut from the overwhelming pleasure, and met slightly wet brown eyes.

“Haa, ha, haa….”

His left hand, resting on my lower abdomen, was covered in our mixed semen. It was his hand that was dirty, but my Name was the one covered in semen… It felt strange.

He’d had sex like a madman, but as soon as it was over, Woo Baekyeon shyly avoided my gaze. At least the misconception that Woo Baekyeon had OCD was cleared up. There’s no way someone with OCD could crush someone like that, be so close, and touch someone else’s crotch so casually.

“…Hey, Woo Baekyeon.”

There were so many things I wanted to say during sex, but as soon as it was over, new things I wanted to say popped up.

Honestly, I felt it even during foreplay, but he really comes a lot….

The space between my spread legs was sticky and wet like spilled porridge. I felt something trickling down from inside the opened hole. His cock, which had caused all this chaos, was also glistening from the tip to the base. I wondered why there was a pink dolphin between my legs, but I guess it was because the environment was sufficiently moist. Amused by my own thoughts, I chuckled, and Woo Baekyeon brought back his wandering gaze.

“Jung Hankyung, why do you call me and then laugh?”

“No, it’s just, ha… I didn’t expect us to go this far.”

“……”

That must be the same for Woo Baekyeon. It was rough, but it felt good to come while completely lost in lust.

I once had a frivolous conversation with my colleagues about whether there were cheating Name couples. Now I can answer definitively. Absolutely not. The Name makes the sexual chemistry between men so fantastic, how could anyone meet someone else?

After entertaining that embarrassing thought, I scratched my neck. Woo Baekyeon then took my hand and lowered it.

“You have a scratch there. Why are you scratching it?”

“I always wear turtlenecks, so I get heat rash. Is it scratched? Ugh, that’s probably why it was itchier.”

“…Ah.”

Woo Baekyeon gently stroked the area around the scratch. Then, belatedly, I felt a stinging sensation.

“Don’t scratch it. And find another way to cover your neck.”

“What other ways are there…? Ah, hey. Stop touching. It’s getting hard again.”

“What’s getting hard?”

“…Why are you asking? There’s a Name there.”

Remember why we, who were awkward until yesterday, ended up naked in the same bed.

“……”

The hand stroking my neck stopped. My gaze wandered awkwardly in the air. Then Woo Baekyeon wrapped his hand around my neck again.

“That’s not a reason to stop touching.”

“…Huh?”

“……”

“……”

The brown eyes I was looking into flickered once before his voice continued.

“You’ve touched my hand a lot more.”

“Hey, wait. Ugh…! It’s getting hard again!”

“Do as you please.”

What? Before I could ask again, Woo Baekyeon grabbed the back of my knees.

“…You want to do it again?”

“Can’t you?”

‘Can’t you?’ If he asks like that, even if I’m on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, there’s only one answer I can give. To be honest, the painful memories were already fading, replaced by the lingering afterglow of the breathtaking pleasure… Maybe one more time would be okay….

As I relaxed my legs and willingly spread them, Woo Baekyeon positioned himself. The heated glans rubbed against the wet opening before pushing in. Following the path that had been mercilessly ravaged earlier, his cock entered. Since both his cock and my hole were sufficiently wet, Woo Baekyeon chose to push in heavily instead of thrusting like before.

“Ugh…!”

The second penetration felt completely different. If the first time felt like tumbling down a flight of stairs, now it felt like slowly sinking into a swamp. Either way, what engulfed me from the depths was intense pleasure.

I expected it to be better than before since it was the second time, but the discomfort didn’t completely disappear. But, as if remembering the previous experience, my cock also began to harden as soon as my bottom opened up. I was worried about becoming addicted to sex after just one time.

“Hey, this Name thing… it’s crazy.”

“…..”

Woo Baekyeon looked down at me as he exhaled, then replied.

“I think so.”

After that strange conversation, our lips met for some reason.

💍

I opened my eyes to a vibrant pattern. Thinking I was seeing things, I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again, but the border between the black logo and the beige background only deepened. Something was covering my eyelids.

“…What is this?”

I heard my own voice and asked again inwardly. What is this? My voice was dry, like the last leaf about to fall from a dying tree. My throat was also raw, as if it had been scraped with sandpaper.

Raising my arms was also a struggle. My hands, groping upwards from my chest like a crawling turtle, finally reached what was covering my eyes. It was a smooth, slippery fabric. What’s it called? Silk? The fabric easily slipped off my face with a weak tug.

“Ugh.”

Bright light flooded my naked eyes. After squinting for a while to adjust, the first thing I 확인ed was what had been covering my eyes. It was a handkerchief with a vibrant pattern. It must have been acting as a blindfold.

It took me a little longer to recall yesterday’s events that had left me in this state. I sat up, my upper body groaning in protest against the muscle soreness as I leaned on the bed. I thought I was naked, but something was draped over me. Judging by the texture and color… a robe. The white towel robe provided in the bathroom.

So, he wrapped the sleeping me in a large white robe and gently covered my face…? Should I be thankful he didn’t go as far as putting me in a coffin and burying me in the ground?

‘Wow, I really slept with him yesterday….’

It’s not like your body wears out from having sex once—although it might wear out a bit if we kept going like yesterday—so sleeping together is whatever, but the problem was the shocking aftermath of yesterday’s sex.

Sex with Woo Baekyeon brought alternating waves of thirst, as if I had been starving for days, and a euphoria that brought tears to my eyes. From the middle onwards, I couldn’t stop.

In short, it was insanely good. Any other explanation was meaningless. It was good, excessive. My lower abdomen still throbbed when I thought about the feeling of our bodies joined and coming together.

Maybe the true fruit of love isn’t the manifestation of the Name itself, but this side effect. A surefire handcuff that prevents you from even thinking about anyone other than your Name partner.

Even Woo Baekyeon, who seemed to have no romantic feelings for me, lost control. Still, this kind of thing couldn’t happen often. If we did this a few more times, death by snu-snu wouldn’t be out of the question.

“Ugh.”

I sat up, my aching body protesting, and closed the robe. As I opened the door and stepped out, all the lights in this room were also on, even the ones hidden in the corners. I hobbled down the brightly lit path, like a fashion runway, and arrived in the living room. There, I found the other person who came on this honeymoon trip with me.

Woo Baekyeon was sitting on the terrace connected to the garden. He had his long legs crossed, a book resting on the table. Slightly damp hair clung to his forehead, and the oversized cardigan he wore gave him a different feel than his usual sharp appearance.

A cat, twirling its tail, rubbed itself against Woo Baekyeon’s ankle. Woo Baekyeon simply lowered his gaze, neither chasing it away nor petting it. Although I couldn’t approach because of the cat, a few sparrows, having come down for their morning meal, also chirped around him.

The sunlight, brilliantly fragmented through the leaves, the light green garden spread out behind him, and the animals circling around him, seeking attention. It was a scene that felt incredibly surreal. I don’t think I was this captivated even when I was guarding my favorite female idol during my military service.

Woo Baekyeon also noticed me standing there. He immediately got up, opened the terrace door, and came inside.

“Jung Hankyung.”

His voice calling my name was slightly hoarse. He quickly closed the distance and stood in front of me.

He’s pretty even in the morning….

Honestly, I felt a slight twinge of disappointment, thinking, ‘If we caused that much commotion all night, wouldn’t it be okay to share a bed?’ That feeling melted away as I saw Woo Baekyeon avert his gaze as he came closer.

This guy, he’s shy.

“Do you know that cat?”

The cat that had been acting cute towards Woo Baekyeon meowed plaintively outside the closed window.

“No. I don’t. I don’t know how it got inside the resort.”

“You seemed pretty close for strangers.”

“Animals aren’t usually afraid of me. Even in England, when I went to the park, other people’s dogs, foxes, and squirrels would often sit on me. Sometimes it was embarrassing because people stared too much.”

A beautiful person with a pale face surrounded by animals on a green lawn is universally beautiful, I guess. I’ve seen something similar somewhere before…, oh right. Snow White’s storybook.

“Did you sing, too?”

“Why would I?”

“Ah, right?”

I quickly erased the image of Woo Baekyeon in a beautiful dress spinning around with animal friends from my mind.

With a slight awkwardness between us, we moved to the sofa and sat side by side. The midday sun cast pale yellow circles inside.

Considering the season, it’s colder outside than it looks, so today, with its warm sunlight, would be a good day to hike up the mountain. I realized this too late, though.

Tomorrow is the last day of our honeymoon, so the chance to climb Hallasan Mountain is gone. Baengnokdam crater lake, which they say takes three generations of accumulated virtue to see, is also out of reach now.

“I guess neither of our ancestors were very virtuous.”

“What are you… oh.”

A few seconds later, Woo Baekyeon understood what I meant and let out a breathy laugh. His eyes crinkled, and the corners of his lips lifted as he looked at me.

“I guess so.”

Since the window was on my side, when Woo Baekyeon looked at me, the sunlight caught his rounded cheeks and full lips. His smile slowly faded, leaving a lingering afterimage like softly falling fluff.

Crazy, is this also an effect of the Name? Or an arrhythmia caused by all the chaotic events?

Woo Baekyeon looked away from me and let out a sigh that sounded like an ocarina, then ran a hand through his perfectly fine hair. Then, unable to keep his hands still, he rubbed his knees.

He’s probably in the same state as me.

Changing the subject in situations like this only backfires. Even if we talk about something else, the scenes from last night would be replaying in both our minds.

I subtly shifted my hips closer to Woo Baekyeon. Then, I put my elbow on the backrest and sort of put my arm around him.

“Um, ahem. Yesterday… it was our first time, and we went at it pretty hard, are you alright? Anything hurt?”

…Is it right for me to ask this?

Woo Baekyeon pressed his fingers near his lips and answered in a small voice.

“My back is a little stiff. My lips… are swollen and sting a little.”

With every word he uttered, color bloomed on his white earlobes. Seeing that, my Adam’s apple bobbed like a beast’s.

“Jung Hankyung, how about you?”

I’m fucking dying. The place where the pink dolphin went in and out is stinging, my back, which he described as just stiff, feels like it’s about to break, and my thighs are sore as if I’ve been squatting all day. Woo Baekyeon shouldn’t complain about being sore in front of me if he has any conscience.

“Me? Well…”

“Yes.”

“…..”

Damn it, …why is it so hard to say I’m hurting? It’s even harder when I meet his shy gaze.

“I’m, similar.”

“I see.”

“…Ahem, then did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

“The bed must have been a mess, where did you sleep?”

“There’s another guest room. I slept there and had housekeeping come early in the morning.”

“I see….”

The conversation so far has been an intro. Now the really important question remains. Before speaking, I straightened my back despite my aching muscles’ protests. Then I asked in a relaxed voice.

“How was it yesterday?”

“…It was good.”

The immediate answer made me straighten my shoulders a bit more. Well, me too… Except for the excessive intensity and duration, I enjoyed it. After being entangled with Woo Baekyeon like we were wrestling and squeezing out every last drop of lust, I felt a sense of relief. If it weren’t for the lingering aftereffects, my assessment would have been even better. But if the opportunity arises, I wouldn’t mind doing it again, maybe switching positions next time.

“Woo Baekyeon, so, about our sex life, is there anything you’d like more of, or anything you’d like me not to do?”

It sounds like a magnanimous offer to listen to his requests, but it’s actually bait. After hearing Woo Baekyeon, I have something to say. No matter what, he has to be gentler than yesterday. If we do it like that twice, I’ll die.

“Well. It’s hard to say since it was my first time.”

…Huh?

“Of course, I had the general theory in my head. But reality is different.”

“…..”

“I’ll tell you if I have any suggestions. Jung Hankyung, what about you?”

I’d like you to be gentler because you pounded me so hard that it hurt….

My pride stopped me before the first syllable could escape. No, it wasn’t my hand that covered my mouth, but my pride. My pride crumpled up the words that had reached the tip of my tongue and shoved them back down.

First time? First time?

“You mean it was your first time with a man?”

“No. It was my first time having sex.”

Confirmation.

My slightly hunched back from the throbbing pain straightened with a jolt. My shoulders, which had been slumped against the back of the sofa, also broadened.

Ah, it was his first time, so he could have been rough without realizing it. That’s entirely possible. Then, then. Generosity welled up within me, even without Woo Baekyeon asking for it.

No wonder he pounded me like a madman. And this morning, unlike his usual self, he was so hesitant. It was his first time…. My face flushed as if I’d caught Woo Baekyeon’s shyness. Getting topped was nothing. Woo Baekyeon’s reactions compensated for everything.

“Jung Hankyung, do you have any requests?”

You don’t know this, but I’ve just lost all ability to speak. Except for one sentence.

“Not really, no.”

Yeah, well, I can just show him how it’s done when I lead. Then he’ll learn by watching and become gentler….

“So you enjoyed it too?”

“Yeah, doing it with a guy is definitely different, more intense.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

No, it’s just something I blurted out, you don’t have to take it so seriously.

The tendons on Woo Baekyeon’s hand, resting on his thigh, appeared and disappeared repeatedly. I stealthily moved my hand closer. His hand was a similar size to mine, just thinner. But for some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off it.

“By the way, is the Name sensitivity getting any better…?”

Wow, I sound like such a creepy old man hitting on him. He looked down at the back of his hand, glanced at me, then traced the Name there. Jung Hankyung, the three letters of my name moved towards me.

“Touch it and find out.”

“Uh, yeah. Right. Can I touch it?”

“You’re the one who brought it up, why are you asking?”

Even after a night of passion, Woo Baekyeon was still coy. I touched my name on the back of Woo Baekyeon’s hand with my fingertip. His hand, which I expected to be smooth, was unexpectedly bumpy. I thought his hands were just pale, without many visible veins, since the other hand was so fair.

“Ugh…!”

“Oh, is it still sensitive?”

“No, haa… It’s much better than yesterday.”

“…”

Watching Woo Baekyeon with a strange sound mixed in his moan, my lower abdomen suddenly tingled. Maybe it’s because the sun is shining so brightly, but it’s really hot in here. I pulled my hand away before the atmosphere became too suggestive. Casual conversation is fine, but we can’t start a fire again. It’s broad daylight, not to mention it hasn’t even been 30 minutes since I passed out and woke up from sex. If we’re doing it again, it’ll have to be after sunset… The thought that ‘frequent sex with Woo Baekyeon is reckless’ had vanished without a trace.

What can I do? I can’t possibly refuse someone this beautiful, who also happens to have fantastic sexual chemistry thanks to the Name.

“Woo Baekyeon, turn around. You said your back hurt, right? I learned sports massage.”

“Sports… massage?”

Woo Baekyeon hesitated for a moment, then obediently turned around. He even took off his cardigan, leaving him in a thin short-sleeved t-shirt. Pressing below his shoulder blades with my thumbs, I found his back firmer than I expected.

“Do you swim?”

“No. I hate being in the water.”

“Then how did this get here…?”

These weren’t deliberately built muscles. His frame was naturally large, with finely toned muscles. That’s why the description of a beautiful body suited him, despite his size.

I ran my thumbs down from his broad shoulders towards his narrow waist. It was like a sculptor had carved him.

“Huu…”

Woo Baekyeon’s shoulders rose, and his body trembled.

“Ah, sorry. Did that hurt?”

“No… It’s just my first time having someone touch my back…”

“This is your first time too…”

Ah, first time. That damn first time. Once I got used to hearing those words, my ears immediately flushed. My hands, working to loosen his knotted muscles, tightened. While I massaged his back, his body twitched beneath his shirt, but he accepted my touch without complaint. Considering his previously prickly demeanor, it was a rather satisfying sight. Then I placed both hands on his shoulders.

“Huh?”

“Why?”

Woo Baekyeon turned his head to look at me.

“Are you left-handed?”

“…Why do you ask?”

“This side is much more tense. You must use your left hand and arm a lot.”

But didn’t he use his right hand when eating? Woo Baekyeon twisted his shoulders, slipping out from under my hands.

“You can stop now.”

“Huh? Oh…”

He sat back up straight and buttoned up his cardigan completely. What the hell, I gave him a massage even though my body is a wreck, and suddenly he’s being coy again. Of course, compared to his previous icy coldness, this was a much warmer temperature.

The massage, along with my lack of stamina, must have been tiring because I felt drained. I leaned back against the sofa. My body was tired, but my mind was alert, like the day after a strenuous game. Come to think of it, it’s similar, I thought as I leaned back further, and something rustled in my pocket.

“Ah, Woo Baekyeon. I was wondering, what is this?”

I took out the handkerchief that had been covering my face this morning. Where do you even buy something with such a flamboyant pattern?

“A scarf.”

“Ah, it’s a scarf. So, did you drop it on me? Keep it.”

“…You keep it.”

“Why? I don’t use these things.”

“It’s not that…”

Woo Baekyeon held the scarf and reached out. He placed the scarf against the area on my neck where my Name was inscribed.

“Hey, that tickles. It’s already irritated from me scratching it because of the turtleneck.”

“…..”

Woo Baekyeon suddenly crumpled the scarf and stuffed it back into my pocket.

“I don’t use things other people have touched, so you keep it.”

Well, then why did you cover my face with it in the first place? The texture is nice, maybe I’ll use it as a handkerchief later. I took it out of my pocket and neatly folded it, when a white finger pointed at the corner.

“It’s crooked.”

He’s so picky, I thought as I straightened the corner of the handkerchief. I felt his gaze fixed on me. Then, his finger intruded into my view again.

“It’s wrinkled.”

“You did that just now.”

“Smooth it out with your hand. Like this.”

He smoothed out the scarf with the side of his hand. Why didn’t he just hand it over neatly in the first place?

…And while you think you’re smoothing out a handkerchief, you’re also stroking my thigh where it’s resting. Hey, that area is still a bit sensitive from yesterday.

“Ugh.”

I thought I swallowed the moan, but Woo Baekyeon paused and looked at my face.

“…Why, what.”

“…..”

He’s usually so quick to speak his mind, why is he so quiet now…? My unguarded heart pounded. Without context, the image of his face from last night’s sex overlapped. I’m not a kid seeing something lewd for the first time, why are my thoughts going there on a peaceful morning? I tried to regain my composure with deep breaths, but they only came out as snorts like a panting pervert.

Unable to maintain eye contact any longer, I looked down and saw his hand resting lightly on my thigh. Around my crooked Name, someone had left reddish lip marks.

Ah, this is no good. My reason is too easily compromised on vacation.

“Woo Baekyeon, since the hike is canceled, our schedule’s free today, right?”

“Yes.”

“And, well, we are on our honeymoon after all.”

“The Name symptoms haven’t completely disappeared either.”

“…..”

Woo Baekyeon added.

“I was trying to rationalize having another round.”

“…Just say it.”

I don’t know who got up first. We were suddenly standing in front of the bedroom where we had our tryst yesterday.

“Since it’s an unfamiliar act, it’s better to do it again in the same place.”

This time, Woo Baekyeon’s voice definitely trembled. I chuckled foolishly, taking in the vibrations. Everything related to him is so unpredictable.

This change, completely shattering my daily life and way of thinking, wasn’t so bad.

As soon as we entered the room, our lips met. Woo Baekyeon immediately wrapped his arms around my neck. The Name wasn’t as boisterous as yesterday. Instead, the memory of the pleasure, lingering in my body and mind, made me hot.

But tonight was going to be different from last night.

I wrapped my arms around Woo Baekyeon’s waist as we stumbled towards the bed. I gently laid him down on the bed.

“Can I be on top today?”

“On top?”

“Yeah. I’ll be gentle.”

His white head bobbed up and down in a small nod. I lowered my lips to kiss him.

We were used to exchanging tongues now. Since we’d seen everything there was to see, there was nothing to hide, so I just undid his robe. And I took off Woo Baekyeon’s cardigan and t-shirt. His firm, sculpted body trembled slightly every time I ran my palm over his bare chest.

“Woo Baekyeon, you’re really pale.”

“…My skin doesn’t tan easily, so, ah…!”

“It bruises easily too.”

A distinct red mark appeared on Woo Baekyeon’s skin between his collarbone and chest where I had just sucked.

I was only going to leave one playful mark, but seeing Woo Baekyeon freeze, speechless, made me mischievous. I left another kiss mark on the symmetrical spot, then playfully left a mark just beside his nipple. Three marks now adorned his chest.

“This much is okay, right? It won’t show through clothes.”

“…I want to do it too.”

Woo Baekyeon grabbed my arm and pulled me down. My body was pulled on top of his, bringing his face and my chest together. I quickly propped myself up on my elbows to avoid crushing his nose.

He placed his lips on the same spot where I had bitten, the upper part of my left chest. A ticklish sensation followed as he rubbed his lips against my skin.

“You have to nibble a little for it to leave a mark.”

Then came a stinging sensation. Seeing his clumsy lack of control, I let out a chuckle despite the pain. His next mark mirrored mine.

After leaving marks slightly darker than the ones on his own body, Woo Baekyeon stared intently at the spot.

“If you want to do more, go ahead.”

I left three too. Woo Baekyeon’s brow furrowed in concentration. He opened his lips and took the area a little lower into his mouth….

“Ow!”

No, this bastard. I thought the nipples were a sacred area between men, so I avoided them, but he just went ahead and bit mine.

“Hey, ugh…!”

Why does it sound like that when he’s sucking? It feels, really weird. His front teeth grazed my nipple.

“Ah, uh.”

Woo Baekyeon grabbed the back of my neck as I tried to pull away. The Name was caught between us, sending a tingling current through my body. The unpleasant stinging in my chest turned into something strange.

“Ugh…, hey, stop. Don’t…!”

Perhaps he wasn’t as out of it as yesterday, because he pulled away when I voiced my refusal. I was dumbfounded when I saw the state of my nipple that his mouth had ravaged. It was swollen and reddish.

“Hey…”

“…Did you not like it?”

Ah, why is he making that face again?

“It’s not that I didn’t like it…, since we’ve exchanged three marks, I meant let’s move on. We can’t just keep sucking and nibbling…”

“…You’re right. It’s good to use time efficiently. Based on yesterday’s experience, we spend much more time after penetration than on foreplay.”

“Huh? Why are you getting up…?”

Woo Baekyeon’s upper body rose, propped up on his hands. Because he changed positions, I was now sitting on his thighs. My thighs spread apart beneath my open robe. This is weird, isn’t it?

“I’m not experienced, so it’s difficult for me to have smooth sex in a position where my hands aren’t free.”

“Today… you won’t really need to use your hands, though?”

“What are you talking about? You… there, it’ll hurt if we go straight to penetration. It was like that in the beginning yesterday too.”

Woo Baekyeon’s determined brown eyes met mine.

“I know I was clumsy yesterday. I’ll be better today.”

No, that’s not what I meant, today I’m… I’m….

Woo Baekyeon’s hand slipped through the gap in my robe, brushing against my thigh and reaching my buttock. He then rubbed the spot between my buttocks, which must be swollen, with his fingertip. His movements were definitely calmer and more patient than yesterday.

“Can I?”

A slight tension in his voice, a tremor in his breath, and a hint of eagerness.

…Alright. Since it’s Woo Baekyeon’s first time, it’s probably better to take the same position this time. I nodded and replied, “Uh, yeah, go ahead…” and his fingers parted my cheeks and entered.

“Ugh…”

The sensation wasn’t any less foreign just because we’d had amazing sex all day. On the contrary, after being thoroughly used yesterday, it had become more sensitive, and the foreign sensation felt stronger. But it definitely seemed to hurt less. It felt less tight too.

“There’s still some left from yesterday.”

I didn’t want to know the reason for the squelching sound his two fingers were making. I felt the fluids pooled inside being stirred and flowing out by Woo Baekyeon’s fingers.

“Ha, ah… ugh.”

His fingers dug in and touched a certain spot, and a dull tightness spread through my lower body. Ah, damn it. I completely threw off the cumbersome robe and grabbed my cock. The embers left smoldering from yesterday flared up.

“Haa, ha…”

While I masturbated with someone’s fingers in my ass, the cock of the person in front of me also thickened inside his pants.

“Jung Hankyung.”

“Huh, uh, speak… haa.”

“Are you still going to be on top like you said earlier?”

The bulge in the center of his sweatpants poked between my buttocks, as if telling me to just sit down on it. Judging by his face, flushed with newly discovered lust, it wasn’t a calculated move.

“It seems to have loosened up enough… take your hand out.”

His fingers were so long that the sensation of them sliding out lingered. I grabbed his cock through his clothes. Woo Baekyeon bit his lip, suppressing a moan. He then looked at me with wet eyes.

“Is there something… ugh, more, huh, I should do?”

“No.”

Even if I wanted to do more, I’m out of energy. I pulled down his pants and underwear, and his cock sprang free. The pink dolphin was a little shyer than yesterday.

“Ah, ugh…”

I held his cock in one hand and placed my other hand on Woo Baekyeon’s shoulder as I slowly lowered myself. The entrance stretched tight. A stinging pain shot through me as it rubbed against the still-tender spot. As I instinctively tried to pull back, Woo Baekyeon grabbed my waist with both hands.

“Jung Hankyung.”

Ah, his expression really has something that excites me. I lowered my waist again, giving in. A tightness spread through my abdomen, constricting my breath and bringing with it a faint pleasure.

Steadying my trembling thighs, I pushed down, and my body sank a little lower. I lightly touched the joining between my legs. The tautly stretched skin was incredibly hot, like it wasn’t even my body.

“Ah…!”

Woo Baekyeon thrust his cock upwards. My hand, which had been hovering awkwardly near the junction, was momentarily trapped between my buttocks and his thigh before being released. The shaft, buried to the hilt in an instant, pulled back slightly before plunging deep inside again. Something that had been surging at the edge of excitement overflowed.

Wow, here we go. A shiver ran down my spine as soon as we connected deeply. I was already clinging to his shoulders, lowering myself to the rhythm of his thrusts.

“Ha, ah, ugh, ha.”

“Jung Hankyung, ah…, huu…!”

Woo Baekyeon’s wet breaths scattered over my skin with each deep thrust. I suddenly felt a pang of regret, was this also the Name’s doing?

I lifted Woo Baekyeon’s chin and lowered my head. He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth. Hot air flowed directly into my mouth. Our tongues tangled wetly, making our previous kisses feel like child’s play.

Once ignited, this thirst seemed to crave more even if I poured water until my stomach burst. As if the close contact of our naked bodies wasn’t enough, I ran my hands down his body, gripping him tightly. The quick-learning Woo Baekyeon also tightened his grip on my waist.

“Ha, crazy, Woo Baekyeon, I like it…”

The thought echoing in my head spilled out of my mouth. Woo Baekyeon seemed to say something with a panting breath, but I couldn’t hear it properly. Before I could ask him to repeat himself, he bit down hard on the Name on my neck.

“Huu!”

Woo Baekyeon pulled my startled, frozen body down. Then, a loud bang, bang echoed in my head as he pounded me relentlessly. My vision flickered white, and the muscles in my lower abdomen tightened.

As soon as my battered waist sprang up, it was pushed down even deeper. The friction of his cock against my inner walls intensified the pleasure. It was the perfect rhythm to suffocate me. Only the sounds of ragged breathing and wet sex remained.

“Ah, ugh, gasp!”

How is he so strong? The head of his cock, which I thought was already all the way in, pushed even deeper. The sensation of this unfamiliar place being invaded added to the excitement. I was terrified that the pleasure, which had long since crossed the line, was about to explode.

I squeezed my blurry eyes shut and opened them again. Woo Baekyeon, lost in pleasure, came into my slightly clearer view. His fierce gaze, overflowing with heat, was also watery.

“Ah…!”

Then, my mind went blank as my cock spurted semen onto Woo Baekyeon’s stomach.

“Ah, ahh…, ugh! Hey, wait…!”

Unfazed by my shuddering orgasm, Woo Baekyeon continued to thrust inside me. It seemed like he couldn’t hear me anymore.

“Haaa…!”

Then, something hot spilled inside me. Even after I came, the strange feeling of my lower abdomen being filled continued for a while.

“Ha, ah…”

Crazy bastard…. I’m completely drained. Limp, I dropped my head and glared at Woo Baekyeon.

As the size of the cock buried inside me decreased slightly, the semen he’d spilled inside leaked out through the gap between his shaft and my hole. It seemed like a lot came out, but my insides were still full. Is he really a water-spouting dolphin…? This wasn’t cute, it was exasperating.

Woo Baekyeon’s face, flushed with arousal, regained its usual coyness. He slowly took in the messy scene below my navel, then looked at me.

“Jung Hankyung, you seem to get more excited when I thrust hard.”

“…Did it seem that way?”

“Yes.”

No, ha. It’s closer to being wrung out until my head spins.

I rolled over and lay down on the bed. My stiff back ached as it relaxed.

Woo Baekyeon followed me with his gaze, then took off his clothes and moved between my legs.

The sunlight streaming into the bedroom grew brighter, an explicit invitation for round two in the brightly lit room.

If Woo Baekyeon hadn’t gently rubbed my knee, I would have told him to rest since I was tired. If it hadn’t been for that face that looked like he was crazy about having sex with me…. The resistance in my thighs, which he was spreading apart, disappeared. Woo Baekyeon gripped my hips and aligned the tip of his cock with my twitching hole.

“I’ll do it the same way as before. I like your style.”

Hey, wait a minute. I don’t think I ever said anything about my style. How did he get that misconception…?

“Haa…!”

My quickly recovering cock hardened and ravaged the place drenched in his semen.

“Jung Hankyung, haa…, ha…”

Woo Baekyeon stared at me from less than a handspan away, as if he were about to pierce me with his gaze. His pale, dry face was now flushed and damp with sweat. His soft brown hair clung to his face.

Just as I thought it was a nice sight, he thrust his hips up hard again.

After being rocked repeatedly, I couldn’t take it anymore and gripped the sheets tightly.

“Ha, crazy…, ah, there, ugh, more, good.”

The excitement overflowed, engulfing my entire body.

Woo Baekyeon still didn’t know how to pace himself. The intensity only increased as the room filled with our rough panting. But I think I’m getting used to the force that felt like it was going to shatter my body.

“Ah, ugh, Woo, Baekyeon, ugh!”

“Haa, ah, …huh, ah…”

Ah, I think I turned off my thought process like this last night too.

I don’t know. I’ll think about it later.

💍

What a fulfilling day….

thought someone who had spent most of their day in a sticky mess.

We paused during sex to receive room service, then tangled up in bed again. After the late autumn sun set early, there were no more reservations. I hadn’t left this room, Woo Baekyeon’s room, all day.

“Hey, were you really okay with it?”

Woo Baekyeon, who had turned to drink some water, turned his head with a questioning look. My bite marks and red traces were scattered across his white body. My own situation, with only my lower body covered by the blanket, wasn’t much different.

“We got married after meeting less than five times. Weren’t you bothered when we walked into the wedding hall?”

“I was the one who proposed. I don’t do things I’ll regret.”

He put the water glass on the nightstand and climbed back onto the bed. I ate and drank everything from the tray on the bed, but he at least had his feet on the floor while eating. He didn’t say anything about my sprawled-out posture, but he quickly picked up any crumbs I dropped with a tissue.

“The reason we didn’t meet much before the wedding… was because I was busy. Now that we’ll be living together, we’ll see each other often.”

That’s right, we have to move in together when we return to Seoul. This honeymoon alone felt like it had shifted something in my life, and there were still other changes ahead.

…Well, it’ll work out somehow. Just like this honeymoon.

“Are you done with all your busy work?”

“No, not yet. I have to continue when I return. I need to finish as much as possible before winter comes.”

I see…. I wasn’t particularly curious about the details. It seemed related to his family’s business at Woosung Group, and even if he explained, I probably wouldn’t understand, much less be able to help… Hmm, even so.

“So, when we get back to Seoul. Why don’t we go greet your grandfather together?”

His long eyelashes lifted, and the eyes beneath them looked at me quizzically.

“Why would you think that?”

“We have to smooth things over after the incident at the wedding. I’m good with elders. Wouldn’t it be better to go greet him and move on, rather than pretending nothing happened?”

“No. It’s fine.”

Woo Baekyeon answered without hesitation.

“This marriage wasn’t about impressing him, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Hmm? He’s the chairman. Didn’t you marry me because you’re in a sensitive position regarding inheriting the family business? It wouldn’t be good if he dislikes me because of what happened.”

Besides, isn’t he his only direct descendant since his parents aren’t around?

“My grandfather is the one person I don’t have to worry about in Woosung’s internal struggles.”

Woo Baekyeon’s lips seemed to twitch for a moment.

“He has no choice but to choose me.”

“…Why?”

“Because he stubbornly refuses to admit his own failures.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t need to know that.”

With that vague explanation, Woo Baekyeon closed his mouth. There are many ways to make someone angry, and one of them is to stop talking mid-sentence… Woo Baekyeon’s forlorn face is good for appeasing that anger, though.

When he makes a face that says, ‘I have circumstances I can’t tell you…’ it’s hard to pry further.

“Jung Hankyung, are you done eating?”

“Yeah.”

Woo Baekyeon took the empty plates and tray from the bed.

“Hey, don’t tell me.”

Judging by the way he was getting on top of me, it seemed like my suspicion was correct. We’ve already done it so many times, and again…!

“We can’t?”

“…We can.”

What else would this be if not a honeymoon? The excitement the Name had injected into my body had long since subsided, but the embers it had ignited were now burning brightly, fueling themselves. Our heated bodies met again.

I dozed off a few times during sex, but this time, I must have fallen into a deep sleep.

I turned to the side. Even Woo Baekyeon must have been exhausted from two straight days of this, as he was sound asleep beside me. His sleeping posture was impeccably straight, lying on his back, facing the ceiling, with his head slightly turned towards me.

His still, doll-like face would have seemed lifeless if it weren’t for the soft rustling of his breath. I brushed his bangs aside, revealing his shapely forehead. I already knew his eyelashes were long, but with his eyes closed, they looked like finely placed soft brown feathers. How can a guy’s face be so pale, I thought as I touched his cheek. It felt like soft, moist dough.

It would hurt a bit to put my eye in his, because of his size, but it’s a face someone would endure anything for, if they could see it for the rest of their life.

“Like a princess…”

Snow White asleep after eating the poisoned apple, or a princess living in a pale blue ice castle. No matter how pretty he is, the reason such absurd nicknames come to mind for a guy has to do with my attitude towards him.

Even when Woo Baekyeon is unreasonably prickly, I don’t get angry easily, and I can’t refuse any of his requests. The problem is that even though I know these situations are strange, I don’t feel bad about them.

Should I say I’m happy with the reactions he shows, breaking through his cold facade little by little?

I didn’t know I had this side to me. I continued to stare at the sleeping Woo Baekyeon. The more I looked, the more the face that seemed like it would devour me earlier felt like a lie. I randomly recalled the sex scenes and then took a deep breath to calm my throbbing lower abdomen.

‘By the way, can we get a divorce in three years? With this insane sexual chemistry? What if we end up meeting again after breaking up, just for sex like a Hollywood couple…?’

This doesn’t seem like just sleepy nonsense.

Anyway, the reason I could see his face clearly as soon as I woke up was because the bedroom light was on. He did this yesterday too, does he have so much money that he doesn’t care about the electricity bill?

‘I should say something later.’

I sat up, supporting my aching back. Let our Baekyeon sleep well since he couldn’t even turn off the light. Unlike my inner bravado, I shuffled towards the light switch like a zombie, turned it off, and returned to bed.

A temporary, strategic marriage for only three years, I wonder how that period will go…

I don’t know. Let’s just go back to sleep. Darkness fell over Woo Baekyeon’s pale face. As soon as I pulled the blanket over his shoulders, I drifted off to sleep.

💍

At a time so dark that he couldn’t discern the hour, Baekyeon woke with a jolt, as if falling off a cliff.

“…Gasp…!”

He registered the darkness before he registered that he was awake. He looked up at the ceiling with disbelief; there wasn’t a single speck of light. He was in complete darkness.

Cold sweat broke out all over his body. His trembling lips turned blue.

Why, why is the light…!

As he twisted his stiffening body, the person lying next to him came into view.

Jung Hankyung. His Name partner.

He assumed that Hankyung, who had fallen asleep with him after they had sex, had turned off the light.

His eyes, filled with darkness, darted around, lost. Then, without warning, a terrible phantom pain washed over him.

“Ack, ugh…! Hup…!”

Baekyeon clutched his left hand, the source of the pain, then quickly covered his mouth.

Pain, as if each of his bones was being broken one by one, then crushed along with his flesh, surged through him. His left hand, unable to bear the pain, began to twist grotesquely against his will. The three letters of the name “Jung Hankyung” inscribed on it also distorted.

Even though his terribly injured left hand had healed, and the name had been rewritten over the scars, the terrifying memory deeply etched within him hadn’t disappeared. The hand that had evoked such ecstatic sensations earlier was now the source of excruciating pain.

Bang, bang, bang.

The sound of that day replayed in his head.

Back then, his hand had also twisted, in a direction it shouldn’t have. The afterimage of his much smaller and more delicate hand from that time overlapped with his present hand.

The pain, localized to a single part of his body, brought down his entire system. The pain spreading from his hand stiffened his arm, his upper body, his entire being. It was a pain that made him want to bash his head against the wall and pass out.

Even then, he didn’t remove the hand covering his mouth. He clutched his lower face, covering both his mouth and nose, in case any other sound escaped, in case the person still asleep beside him woke up.

Instead, his mind screamed. Save me. Please, save me!

Baekyeon’s feet touched the floor, and his body crumbled. Realizing he couldn’t stand, he crawled on his elbows. In the direction he was heading was the door leading out of the room.

Whenever the pain came, he wanted to plunge his hand into boiling lava. Even though that would also be excruciating, wouldn’t his hand melt away, and the pain disappear along with it? However, his hand, still attached to his arm despite being crushed like a rag, only continued to evoke the pain of that time.

Would the pain lessen if he screamed as loud as it hurt? Would he feel better if he turned on the light and yelled for painkillers?

But at that moment, he saw the name written on his left hand again, in handwriting as messy as it was absurd.

Jung Hankyung.

“Ugh, ah, uhh…!”

He couldn’t let him see, not this person.

Hadn’t he hidden and run away like a coward enough times to be used to it?

He could do this. Even for a lifetime. A faint hope, like the dim light of dawn, flickered through him.

Baekyeon continued to crawl across the floor like an insect. The face that Hankyung had admired countless times was nowhere to be seen, distorted like a figure in a hellish landscape. Finally reaching the door, he pulled himself up against the wall and twisted the doorknob. The bright light of the hallway spilled in.

“Huh…, uh, ah, guh…”

He barely managed to close the bedroom door behind him before collapsing on the floor. His eyes, wide open to constantly reassure himself of the light, became bloodshot. As his tears soaked the floor, the pain very slowly began to fade. Even then, his curled-up body trembled convulsively.

Only after his reason returned, the tremors subsided, and his left hand, bearing the name of the person sleeping unknowingly in the room, returned to its normal state, could Baekyeon finally take a deep breath.

He wiped his face with his palm, suppressing the welling sorrow.

He pulled himself up and slowly walked out to the living room. The dawn sky, turning a deep indigo, was preparing to usher in the morning. The sky, clear throughout the three days of their honeymoon, was finally clouded over on their last day.

Baekyeon looked at the overcast sky and rubbed his left ring finger. His face, after the excruciating pain, was still pale, and his lips, split open at some point, throbbed belatedly.

“Jung Hankyung.”

He murmured, as if groping his way through a maze.

He could keep it hidden.

He had to keep this from Jung Hankyung.

He’d had more than enough practice hiding and running away like a coward.

He could definitely do this. For the rest of his life, if he had to. A fragile hope, resembling the faint light of dawn, flickered within him.