PIA 156

The two of them spent time like beasts. Like animals mating until conception during their heat. Perhaps it was because of the birth control pills Jeong Hee-seo had taken that he was so persistent as Ji-an was unable to get pregnant.

The experience of their cycles completely meshing together took them to another realm. Ji-an even had the illusion of hearing Jeong Hee-seo’s thoughts during sex. Of course, he could have been saying them out loud.

His mind was hazy, and he couldn’t distinguish between dream and reality. All he knew for sure was that he had Jeong Hee-seo’s cock inside him the whole time.

So, when Ji-an woke up in the resort bed with a clear mind, he was a little, no, very embarrassed.

The room, flooded with the bright sunlight of the southern country, was open on all sides, and beyond it, he could see the shallow, rippling sea. Being a bungalow built on the sea, it was surrounded by water on all sides. Irregular shadows cast by the roof made of woven palm trees stretched to his feet.

“…Hng, cough!”

No sound came out, and his whole body was red and blotchy. Every limb under the white sheet ached, and it took great strength just to get out of bed. The floor of the bungalow was warmed by the sunlight. Ji-an wiggled his white toes.

How did we get here from the plane?

His memory of coming by boat was hazy. As he forced himself to remember, it seemed like he had been wrapped in a sheet and carried, but he wasn’t sure if it was a memory he had created or reality. Anyway, seeing that he was clean and wearing a clean gown, it was clear that Jeong Hee-seo had washed him.

Ji-an bent over slightly and groped his butt. It was the first time he had been intimate for so long, and a sudden anxiety surged. What if it’s all stretched out? Just as his groping fingers touched the hole.

“What are you doing, Ji-an?”

Turning his head at the voice, Jeong Hee-seo was grinning, holding a fruit basket.

“Is Ji-an not satisfied?”

“Huh?”

“If you want your hole stuffed, you should tell your hyung, baby.”

“N-no, it’s not!”

Surprised by Jeong Hee-seo approaching quickly, Ji-an ran away, but Jeong Hee-seo grabbed him and hugged him tightly. When tickled, his sore muscles seemed to scream in protest. Jeong Hee-seo sat down on the bed, holding the whimpering Ji-an close. A sunny laugh scattered near his ear.

Jeong Hee-seo hugged Ji-an and kissed him repeatedly.

“Did you sleep well? My baby.”

Cough, Ji-an was about to answer right away but cleared his throat again.

“Where did you go?”

“I got some things for Ji-an to eat. We missed breakfast time, so I went to the resort building to buy food and fruit.”

“Did I sleep for a long time?”

Ji-an asked with an apologetic tone, wondering if he had kept him waiting. Jeong Hee-seo shook his head gently and peppered Ji-an’s face with kisses.

“You need to eat. Are you hungry?”

“Very.”

Jeong Hee-seo pointed to a tray with food on it. It was strange that he could smell the food only then. His head, which had been filled with Jeong Hee-seo’s pheromones, slowly cleared, and his stomach rumbled as if it was starting to function normally.

“Have you eaten, hyung?”

“I waited to eat with you.”

Jeong Hee-seo brought the entire tray onto the bed. He scooped the shrimp and seafood fried rice with a large wooden spoon and put it in a small bowl. He also handed him a drink with a straw stuck in a coconut.

The bright blue sky was dazzling. Small wooden boats floated on the distant horizon beyond the bungalow.

On the other side was a green island. The resort had a grape-like structure extending from the island, with the bungalow where Ji-an was lying and a suite forming one set. The phrase ‘paradise on earth’ written in the resort’s promotional brochure was no lie.

“This place is so pretty.”

“I’m glad we came, right?”

Jeong Hee-seo smiled as he fed Ji-an the fried rice. Finding it delicious, Ji-an’s eyes widened and he nodded. It was unclear if he was agreeing about the taste or about being glad they came, but a positive response sufficed either way.

Ji-an had opposed taking such a long honeymoon so far away, leaving Hae-yi behind, until the very end. He had missed the moment of the child’s birth and early infancy. Ji-an felt deeply apologetic towards Hae-yi. He felt guilty about leaving Hae-yi behind again to enjoy their honeymoon.

He had even made the unreasonable suggestion of waiting until Hae-yi was older to travel together, which Jeong Hee-seo opposed. So, the honeymoon plan that Jeong Hee-seo had made faced difficulties in negotiations until the very end. Myeong Hyun-sook finally convinced Ji-an, saying that it was a time that would never come again.

“Let’s have fun and come back with dark tans. That’ll make it worthwhile.”

“I want to video call Hae-yi first.”

“It’s nighttime in Korea now, so let’s eat first.”

“…Then I’ll go snorkeling after eating.”

“Okay, there are a lot of fish here.”

Jeong Hee-seo smiled contentedly as he fed Ji-an another spoonful of fried rice. His stomach, which had been hungry from spending the entire flight and the entire day after arriving in a rut cycle, seemed bottomless. The two finished all the fried rice on the tray and emptied the fruit basket as well. A satisfied smile and happy atmosphere filled the space between them.

As the sun at the top of their heads waned and a cool breeze blew, the two of them left the bungalow to create memories of their own, wearing the couple outfits that the secretarial team had prepared as a travel gift.

* * *

“Wow, this is so cute!”

Ji-an jumped excitedly at the small hat Jeong Hee-seo had picked out. There weren’t many places to shop on the natural island, which was designed solely for relaxation, but a small goods shop inside the resort caught Jeong Hee-seo’s eye.

Jeong Hee-seo bought a white straw hat to put on Ji-an, bought one for himself, and also picked up a baby-sized one with the same design next to it. Ji-an was the first person he thought of when he saw the hat, but the recipient himself seemed most impressed with Hae-yi’s size.

“What about me? Am I not cute?”

“You’re handsome.”

Just as he was feeling a little sulky that his lover, who looked so good in the white hat, was only thinking about their baby, Ji-an turned to Jeong Hee-seo with teary eyes.

“Hyung, I… I don’t know why it makes me so happy when you dote on Hae-yi.”

My heart feels strangely fluffy. Ji-an muttered.

“…”

Jeong Hee-seo, who had been having narrow-minded thoughts, was momentarily speechless and pulled Ji-an into his arms. He wrapped one arm around his neck and showered his forehead with kisses, and Ji-an smiled brightly.

“I didn’t know you’d like it so much. Should I buy that shirt over there too? A set for the three of us.”

“Yes! Please pick it out for me this time too, hyung.”

Ji-an seemed to like the words ‘the three of us’ very much. Jeong Hee-seo felt a tightness in his chest as he watched Ji-an savoring the words.

At that moment, he realized something. That Ji-an felt vicarious satisfaction from the way he expressed his love for Hae-yi. Jeong Hee-seo felt a little choked up by the fact that Ji-an’s deficiencies were being filled by his insignificant actions.

Ji-an, who had been looking around with sparkling eyes, excitedly ran towards the shirt display, leaving behind the dazed Jeong Hee-seo.

“Ji-an-ah.”

Jeong Hee-seo approached and called his partner’s name.

“I love you.”

When he said it out of the blue, Ji-an turned around and smiled awkwardly.

Ji-an didn’t seem to have developed any immunity to the word love. Blushing furiously, he wore a flustered expression with his face in full bloom. Hesitantly approaching, he wrapped his arms around Jeong Hee-seo’s waist and whispered in response.

“I love you too.”

As if it was so precious and important that he shouldn’t say it carelessly.

Before meeting Ji-an, Jeong Hee-seo thought that there was nothing lacking in his life. He had always lived with gratitude for that, but after meeting Ji-an, he realized that he had become the biggest piece of his life. Just as he felt complete when he looked at Ji-an, he wanted Ji-an to feel complete because of him too.

If there was anything lacking in Ji-an, he was ready to fill it endlessly. He was happy and grateful for that.

“Hyung, should we buy something for noona too?”

“No? Why would we?”

“Still… Usually, everyone buys gifts when they go on their honeymoon.”

“If you want to buy it, Ji-an, buy it. I’m not going to buy it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ji-an burst out laughing at his nonchalant reply. Ji-an could laugh so brightly and be so happy even at his insignificant words. And of course, he was happy because of that laughter too.

“I love you, Ji-an-ah.”

Jeong Hee-seo once again uttered his love out of the blue. Seeing Ji-an’s flushed face each time made his heart swell. Love was undoubtedly more happiness-inducing for the one expressing it than the one receiving it.