RFL Ch 15

But he regretted it soon after.

“Ah! St- stop… ha…”

Song Jaeyi relentlessly pushed Sooin, seemingly determined. As soon as Sooin’s clothes were off, Jaeyi began stroking his own cock, urging him to cum, then ran his hand across Sooin’s wet stomach. Sooin could vaguely see Jaeyi’s large hand collecting the spilled semen and smearing it on the sofa.

Speechless, Sooin could only open and close his mouth as their positions shifted. Song Jaeyi flipped Sooin onto his stomach and began licking his hole. A hand slid between Sooin’s legs and traced up his perineum.

“Ha… g- get… uh… inside… hngh!”

Sooin’s body, sensitive so soon after cumming, twitched. He gasped and pleaded, and Song Jaeyi obediently helped him up. Relieved by the unexpectedly quick compliance, Sooin caught his breath.

But Song Jaeyi immediately positioned Sooin to face the sofa, his knees against it and his hands gripping the curved backrest. Jaeyi’s already half-hard cock brushed against the soft suede.

A sense of foreboding washed over Sooin as he tried to turn around, but his back was pressed down. Song Jaeyi held him in place, grinding against his hole.

“You said you’d mess it up.”

The hand rubbing between his buttocks was as hot as the hand gripping his back. Sooin melted instantly, collapsing against the backrest. Seizing the opportunity, fingers stretched his entrance and pushed inside.

Several fingers entered at once. Unable to even moan, Sooin rested his forehead against the sofa and looked down. Jaeyi’s cock, now fully erect, pulsed with heat. Pre-cum dripped onto the sofa. Every thrust of the fingers inside him brought him close to the edge.

“Hngh… Jaeyi, Jaeyi, Hyung will… ah, ah… suck you.”

Sooin whispered urgently, gripping the tip of his cock. Sensing his movement, Song Jaeyi chuckled and leaned in.

“Are you that worried about the sofa?”

He chuckled, nibbling Sooin’s neck. The weight of his large body pressed down, pushing Sooin further against the backrest.

Song Jaeyi pulled his fingers out of Sooin’s hole and rubbed them across his chest. His fingers, slick with precum, roughly rubbed and pinched Sooin’s nipples before moving back down to his entrance. In contrast to the sweet kisses on his neck, Jaeyi’s rough touch was wanton. The contrasting sensations sent shivers of excitement through Sooin.

“Hngh! Ah, please…”

Actually, it’s not the sofa, it’s my stamina… Sooin wanted to explain, but it wasn’t easy. The fingers filling him again made a squelching sound.

As Jaeyi pressed against his sensitive spot, Sooin could only open and close his mouth silently. The suppressed urge to cum surged through him. The pleasure melting his spine made him dizzy.

Swallowing a whimper that sounded like a sob, Sooin desperately reached back. He let go of his own cock and pushed against Song Jaeyi’s bare body, only to be held tighter. Song Jaeyi held his stomach and chest, as if telling him not to move, and thrust his fingers inside him with a loud squelch. A thin fluid splattered around them, accompanied by a sniffling sound.

Sooin stifled a scream-like moan and slumped down, his legs giving way as his spine melted. The fingers inside him pressed deeper, making his head spin. His thighs spasmed, and his untouched cock, on the verge of orgasm, twitched. His pathetically flushed cock was quickly grasped.

Song Jaeyi rubbed the tip against his entrance, slowly thrusting. Sooin gripped his forearm tightly, enduring.

“No… I said no…”

The moment he choked out a moan, the suppressed orgasm erupted. A sob escaped him as he came again. Tears streamed down Sooin’s face as he tilted his head back.

“It’s no use resisting. It’s already soaked here anyway.”

Song Jaeyi licked away Sooin’s tears and kissed his temple repeatedly. He soothed him gently, but the hand thrusting between his buttocks didn’t stop. Overwhelmed by the pleasurable afterglow, Sooin trembled and pushed Song Jaeyi away.

“The sofa… ha… it’s not because of the sofa…”

The sofa was already a mess. Song Jaeyi had let go at the moment Sooin came, resulting in a splatter of semen across the backrest, and as Jaeyi had pointed out, the precum leaking from Sooin’s hole had soaked the leather. It was too late to worry about the sofa now.

Sooin pushed Song Jaeyi onto a relatively dry spot and murmured, “I want to do everything for you today.”

Kneeling on the floor, Sooin traced the already aroused alpha’s cock. The veins stood out on the shaft, which seemed much hotter than usual.

“I want to do everything you like… but I can’t get tired first.”

Even normally, it was difficult to handle all of Song Jaeyi’s desires. Sooin always had to beg him to stop, and he’d even passed out during sex for the first time in his life. But today especially…

Song Jaeyi had been out of his mind from the moment they kissed on the street. With the lingering effects of his rut, he had been leaking pheromones and acting desperate from the start. The depth and intensity of his pent-up desire was palpable with every breath.

So Sooin knew this could be an even longer session. Normally, he would have tried to escape or find a way out. But today, he intended to accept all of Jaeyi. He wanted to do anything for him, to satisfy all his pent-up desires.

Sooin lowered his lips to Song Jaeyi’s knee, tracing a dotted path up his thigh with his tongue. Reaching Jaeyi’s hard cock, he gently caressed the shaft with his lips. He grazed his teeth against the sensitive glans, then sucked it hard.

Sooin brushed his hair back. His jaw already ached at the thought of properly sucking him off, but he tried to appear nonchalant as he glanced up at Song Jaeyi.

“Be careful not to touch the back.”

Sooin’s belated concern for burns made Song Jaeyi raise an eyebrow, as if asking if that was really important right now. Sooin quietly lowered his head.

The slippery tip slid between his soft lips. He breathed deeply through his nose, careful not to bite down. The familiar scent of Jaeyi’s pheromones filled his senses. The moment he inhaled, excitement surged through him, making his ministrations bolder.

Sooin gripped Song Jaeyi’s firm thighs and bobbed his head up and down. Wet sounds and the sloppy noises of air escaping his mouth echoed loudly. The explicit sounds were enough to make him blush, but he didn’t stop. On the contrary, he sucked harder, opening his throat wider. He gagged slightly as he deep-throated Jaeyi, his throat naturally widening, and saliva leaking out.

“Ah, ugh… Hyung…”

Each time, Song Jaeyi’s grip on Sooin’s hair tightened, controlling the depth. His cock thrust into Sooin’s mouth roughly, like when he was fingering him. Physiological tears dripped down, but Sooin continued bobbing his head with pleasure. He wanted to swallow more of the dominant alpha’s potent pheromones.

“Ha… I want to cum inside…”

Jaeyi’s cock, which had been pressing against his throat, rubbed against the inside of his cheek. Sooin’s head naturally tilted to the side, and he sucked as if kissing.

Each slow stroke of the thick shaft grazed his molars. Worried he might hurt Jaeyi, Sooin opened his mouth as wide as possible. But no matter how wide he opened, the hot cock continued to rub against his molars. Strangely, it aroused him. He felt a tingling sensation at the roots of his teeth.

“Cum inside, press like this, inside… ha… I want to cum inside.”

You can just cum inside. Sooin raised his eyes, filled with the same burning desire. Their gazes met, hot and intense. Song Jaeyi stared at him as if he was about to lose control.

“Are you saying yes?”

His cock twitched against Sooin’s wet inner cheek. Sooin hummed in agreement and took him back into his mouth properly. He stroked the remaining length with his hand, sucking the tip hard and bobbing his head. He moved his tongue faster each time Song Jaeyi moaned roughly.

Just when he thought his jaw might actually dislocate, his hair was pulled hard. He felt Jaeyi trying to pull out, so Sooin shook his head. He gripped Jaeyi’s legs and persistently followed his retreating cock, sucking it back in. The throbbing cock finally began to spurt hot fluid into his mouth.

Because Song Jaeyi had pulled out midway, semen splattered across Sooin’s face. Sooin rested his head obediently on Jaeyi’s thigh and closed his eyes. He waited as if asking to be cleaned, and soon a soft tissue wiped his face.

“Ha… Hyung must feel really sorry towards me.”

Song Jaeyi sighed, a languid moan escaping his lips. His warm fingers stroked Sooin’s hair and traced his ear. Sooin passively let himself be touched, then opened his eyes. He kissed Jaeyi’s fingers as they caressed his face.

“I’m just enjoying myself to the fullest.”

They had slept together before, but Sooin had never been completely honest. He smiled faintly and climbed on top of Song Jaeyi. His core throbbed with the aftershocks of sucking Jaeyi’s cock. His own pheromones flowed uncontrollably.

As a result, Song Jaeyi, despite having just come, was already half-hard. Sooin wrapped his arms around Jaeyi’s shoulders and rubbed his soaked groin against him, teasing his hole and perineum with Jaeyi’s cock.

“Hyung, wait, a condom…”

“You said you wanted to cum inside.”

Sooin pushed down the alpha, who had started to sit up, and reached behind him. He grabbed his own sufficiently hardened cock and pressed it against Jaeyi’s twitching hole. The contact alone sent a shiver of pleasure through him. Song Jaeyi’s abdominal muscles tightened, and he let out a low groan.

“Ugh…!”

“You said… hngh… you wanted to cum inside… and press…”

Sooin didn’t miss a beat and lowered his hips. He felt a jolt of fear as the heat stretched his entrance, but he swallowed it down. Contrary to his rational mind, his body, already overtaken by pheromones, eagerly devoured the alpha’s cock.

“Do whatever you want.”

“Ngh… do you know what you’re saying right now?”

To maintain a semblance of composure, Sooin tensed his throat, suppressing his moans. He gave the softest smile he could manage.

“Cum inside me, Jaeyi. Hyung wants it too.”

Song Jaeyi pulled Sooin into a hug without a word. Sooin naturally wrapped his arms around Jaeyi’s neck. Suddenly, the cock he thought was already fully inside pushed deeper. The floating sensation as their eye levels shifted felt strangely familiar. Sooin gasped and desperately clung to Song Jaeyi. He was being lifted into the air again, impaled on Jaeyi’s cock.

Song Jaeyi started walking, carrying Sooin’s large frame with steady steps across the white living room and towards the bedroom at the back. Sooin whimpered, nibbling on Jaeyi’s shoulder. The sound of his precum dripping onto the floor made his ears burn.

Song Jaeyi carefully lowered Sooin onto the bed, still standing at the edge, and placed pillows behind his back. The slight change in angle made Jaeyi’s cock graze his insides. After a couple of gentle thrusts, Song Jaeyi brought Sooin’s legs together and held them.

“Ha… ah!”

Then, hard thrusting began. Sooin’s cock, which had just come, twitched uncontrollably. While his vision flashed with the intense orgasm, his insides continued to churn with a different kind of pleasure.

“Ha… Jaeyi, uh… ngh… wait…! Hngh…”

“I can’t… ha… I can’t stop.”

Song Jaeyi groaned like an animal, thrusting inside him. He gripped Sooin’s trembling legs tightly and pounded his slick insides, relentlessly stimulating his sensitive, swollen walls.

As a result, Sooin came again and again. Unending tremors warmed his core, and the heavy outpouring of pheromones made him breathless. Every difficult gasp was met with the scent of their mingled pheromones from the sheets, further fueling his arousal. Surrounded by Song Jaeyi’s scent, he couldn’t calm down.

Song Jaeyi released Sooin’s legs and pressed on the back of his thighs. Sooin’s body folded in half under the force, fully exposing his lower body. Song Jaeyi devoured the sight of his unprotected hole, perineum, and cock with his eyes as he moved. He stared, mesmerized, and swallowed hard before suddenly pulling Sooin’s hips towards him.

“Ngh… Hyung… you’re… ha… too good.”

“Hngh… ngh… me too… ah, ah! Too good… hngh… agh!”

The entire mattress shook with each powerful thrust of the completely aroused Song Jaeyi. The bed banged against the floor with the force.

Sooin no longer had the rationality to worry about furniture. His mind registered only the cock grinding against his insides. His overheated thoughts were consumed with the desire to be filled with Song Jaeyi’s cum.

Sooin wrapped his dangling legs around Song Jaeyi’s waist. He pulled Jaeyi closer, their bodies fully aligned, and Jaeyi pulled Sooin’s shoulders down. He felt the cock hit a dangerously deep spot.

“Hngh, ah!”

Something was wrong. It felt like it shouldn’t go this deep. A sudden fear gripped Sooin, and he clung to Song Jaeyi. Careful not to hurt his back, Sooin wrapped his arms around Jaeyi’s shoulders.

“Jaeyi, wait… this is strange. It’s not… not right, hngh!”

Despite his whispered pleas, the thick cock continued to pound him. Sooin tensed his neck, trying to suppress the strange hiccuping sounds he was making, and whispered again, “Too deep… hngh… please, ah…”

As Sooin whimpered incoherently, Song Jaeyi slowly lifted his torso. His face, which had been nuzzling Sooin’s neck and growling, now looked down at him with fervent eyes. He panted heavily and asked in a dazed voice, “Does it hurt?”

Song Jaeyi’s eyes, half-lidded with lust, looked animalistic. He resembled a predator, blocked by something just as it was about to devour its prey. His gleaming eyes burned with the desire to pounce and feast.

Sooin reached out a trembling hand and traced Jaeyi’s lips. The wound on his lip, reopened from being bitten in an effort to control his violent urges, was bleeding again.

He stops to ask if I’m hurt even in this state? A strange tenderness filled Sooin, and he shook his head. Dismissing his previous pleas and protests, he pulled Jaeyi closer.

“No, just… keep going. Harder…”

As soon as the capricious permission was granted, Song Jaeyi pressed their bodies together again. He let out a deep, satisfied groan against Sooin’s ear and began moving his hips. His thick, hard cock pulled out as if to tear Sooin apart, then slammed back in with ferocious momentum. A lewd squelching sound accompanied each collision of their hips.

Now, Sooin reached climax without a sound. He couldn’t tell if he was releasing semen or just convulsing internally. Orgasms, strong enough to make his eyelids twitch, washed over him in waves. They built up without release, threatening to explode.

“I’m going to… go crazy… ah… cum inside me, Jaeyi, quickly…”

Frantic, Sooin bucked his hips, desperately rubbing his heels against Song Jaeyi, urging him on. Song Jaeyi muttered a curse under his breath, almost inaudible, and resumed his brutal pounding, as if trying to break the bed.

“Ha… Hyung… Kim Sooin…”

Song Jaeyi called Sooin’s name endlessly as he neared his own climax. The name itself seemed to act as an aphrodisiac, heightening Sooin’s excitement. He could even welcome the cock hitting his most sensitive spot. Moans that didn’t seem like his own escaped his lips.

The cock that had been relentlessly pounding his hole suddenly shuddered. Something hot spurted from the tip, buried deep inside him.

“Ah, ngh… Hyung…”

Song Jaeyi moaned softly, nibbling Sooin’s collarbone painfully. Sooin could feel every muscle twitching in his climax. He ran his hands along Jaeyi’s arms and writhed his hips. Something continued to spill inside him.

“Haa, ah… ungh…”

To be precise, it didn’t feel like water, but it was too much to be just semen. The endless stream against his sensitive walls was intensely stimulating. His entire core burned, and his thighs trembled and drew together.

“What is this… hngh… ungh…”

Only when he asked, surprised and fumbling for words, did Sooin realize what it was. It was pre-ejaculate, released by alphas before knotting to prevent injury to the omega.

The flood that threatened to fill him completely subsided, and then the real ejaculation began. Song Jaeyi filled him with semen, his insides already full of pre-cum, and slowly lifted his head. His flushed face, still dazed from his long orgasm, resembled a ripe peach.

“You look so beautiful even when you’re being this lewd.”

Sooin caressed Jaeyi’s face and smiled. He pinched his soft, downy cheek, and Jaeyi’s lower body twitched in retaliation. The base of his knotting cock was swelling. Jaeyi gasped and winced.

“Hngh, fuck… this…”

It seemed the knotting wasn’t intentional. As the flustered Song Jaeyi tried to pull out, the sensation intensified. Sooin moaned softly and hugged him, his awkwardly placed hands trembling slightly around Jaeyi’s shoulders.

“It’s okay… Jaeyi. It’s okay.”

He tried to reassure him calmly, taking deep breaths, but even without the knot, a dominant alpha’s large cock was not to be underestimated. The tightness in his chest made it hard to suppress his moans. Anxious, Sooin initiated a kiss.

“Ha… Hyung… I’m sorry, ugh… I’m sorry…”

Song Jaeyi apologized between hot kisses. He seemed truly sorry for knotting without permission.

Actually, it was Sooin who had begged him to cum inside without a condom. He hadn’t planned to let Jaeyi pull out, and he could just take the morning-after pill.

Instead of explaining the facts, Sooin guided Jaeyi’s hand to his cock.

“It’s okay, I feel good… Look at this.”

His insides, filled with Song Jaeyi’s cock and pre-cum, continued to twitch. As if craving more even after being stretched to the limit, his hole pulsed around the now still cock, drawing out the pleasure. It sent continuous waves of shallow orgasms through Sooin.

“It keeps coming out.”

Due to the repeated orgasms, Sooin’s cock was only half-hard, yet it continued to leak. Song Jaeyi touched it curiously, stroking Sooin’s wet stomach and rubbing the tip.

“Hngh…”

Even this light touch made Sooin cum again. Fluid spurted out, and his vision momentarily whited out.

As Sooin’s hole, still engorged around Jaeyi’s cock, began to clench, Jaeyi let out a low groan. He sighed softly and lowered his head, peppering Sooin with kisses on his lips, nose, neck, and collarbone.

“I like you, Hyung… I like you so much.”

Jaeyi’s words were muffled against Sooin’s skin. The mumbled endearments sounded cute, and Sooin reached out, stroking and then gripping Jaeyi’s soft hair that tickled his skin.

“Yeah, I like you too.”

Sooin grinned, and Song Jaeyi frowned. He glanced down at their joined bodies with a troubled expression and murmured, “We might end up doing this all night.”

His words, though complaining, were surprisingly gentle, considering his cock was still buried deep inside Sooin. So, instead of asking if Jaeyi was seriously considering stopping, Sooin simply spread his legs wider, as if inviting him to continue for as long as he liked.

❤︎₊ ⊹

As predicted, their long lovemaking session didn’t end until dawn, leaving a trail of evidence across the sofa, bed, window, and even the bathroom.

I think I fell asleep midway…

If Sooin remembered correctly, he should have woken up sticky and uncomfortable in a bed soaked with their combined fluids. But he was clean, dressed in navy blue pajamas, and the bed was dry and soft, not damp at all.

Sooin stared at the new mattress with bleary eyes. It was still partially wrapped in plastic, covered with a jumble of blankets instead of a fitted sheet. It looked like someone had tried their best to create a comfortable bed for him.

He wanted to pat Jaeyi’s head for being so thoughtful, but the space beside him was empty. Sooin pushed himself up with difficulty and slowly left the room. Where did he go? He tried to murmur, but his voice was too hoarse. He chuckled awkwardly and rubbed his scratchy throat.

The living room was a testament to the previous night’s chaos. Scattered furniture and messy white stains elicited a sigh from him. Sooin tidied up a few larger items and headed towards the room near the entrance.

“Jaeyi.”

His hoarse voice cracked even with that short call. If Song Jaeyi had heard him, he probably would have told him not to speak.

But Song Jaeyi wasn’t in the room either. It seemed he had stepped out for a while. Maybe to get breakfast or the morning-after pill? Sooin wondered as he slipped into the room, just as Song Jaeyi had explored his empty apartment before.

The room seemed more like a library and closet combined. The tightly packed bookshelves and cabinets emitted a pleasant woody scent. The comforting aroma, combined with Song Jaeyi’s tropical flower pheromone, made Sooin feel like he was in a rainforest. Despite the vibrant scent, the space felt strangely calm. The soft colors and clean lines of the furniture were very serene.

Amongst it all, Sooin spotted something that stood out. Two white stuffed figures placed in the middle of the closet, right in front of the mirror, caught his eye.

“There’s another one like it.”

Sooin chuckled, picking up the bear-headed doll he had won for Jaeyi. The other doll, slightly worn with age, looked similar to the bear. White, round, and squishy, it resembled a mochi rice cake.

Was this doll a trend a while ago? It looks strangely familiar. Sooin poked the old mochi doll with the bear doll. The mochi doll yielded easily, revealing a mended seam. It looked like it had been cherished for a long time.

He’s so unexpected…

“Of all things, why does he collect such goofy-looking stuffed animals?” Sooin burst into bewildered laughter, looking at himself in the mirror. He suddenly wondered if this kind of appearance was Song Jaeyi’s type. Holding up the two white dolls, Sooin started comparing them to his own features.

His skin tone was similar to the dolls’, but if that was the criteria, Song Jaeyi’s was much closer… The dolls’ soft, squishy texture was a no-go, and their naive, dopey expressions and indistinct features were the opposite of his own.

Hmm. Sooin sighed softly, puffing out his cheeks slightly. If Jaeyi still had this old doll, this kind of face must be a long-standing preference, right? As he was thinking, he heard the front door open. Quickly releasing the air from his cheeks, Sooin rushed out.

“Where… ahem… where did you go?”

His voice didn’t seem to be recovering any time soon. He cleared his throat belatedly, and as expected, Song Jaeyi frowned in concern.

“Why is your voice like that? Don’t speak.”

Exactly as predicted, Song Jaeyi said something that would sound like a challenge if anyone else heard it. Sooin laughed at the predictable response, and Song Jaeyi raised an eyebrow as if asking why he was laughing. He held up a bag, indicating he’d brought breakfast and medicine. His gaze then drifted downwards. Only then did Sooin remember the white dolls he was holding.

“Ah, these… I was just happy to see them.”

He shrugged awkwardly, and Song Jaeyi, who was heading to the kitchen, stopped. He turned around, his face full of surprise.

“Happy to see them? You remember them?”

“Of course. How could I not? You begged me to get you that one even when I offered to get you a different one.”

Sooin had even attached it to Jaeyi’s bag himself; there was no way he wouldn’t remember. He nudged Song Jaeyi’s side playfully, saying, “What do you take me for?” As if suddenly released from a freeze-tag game, Song Jaeyi let out a relieved sigh. He gave Sooin an annoyed look and started setting the table.

“Why… ah, were you upset because I touched them without asking? Sorry, I’ll put them back.”

“It’s fine. I just put them away because Hyung said they’d get dirty.”

“…Really? Hmm.”

They seem to have more of a story behind them than that. Sooin pulled out a chair at the table and placed the two white, round dolls in front of him. Song Jaeyi placed sandwiches and orange juice in front of the dolls.

“This one seems pretty old.”

“Yeah. I got it when I was nine.”

“You got this one too?”

“…Yes, from Hyung.”

Sooin poured the large carton of orange juice into two glasses, placing one in front of Song Jaeyi first. He casually asked which Hyung had given it to him.

Song Jaeyi’s returning gaze was filled with a strange anticipation. His intense stare, as if he had a specific answer in mind, made him seem like a nine-year-old.

Sooin tilted his head, thinking hard. The only explanation for this atmosphere…

“…No way, me?”

There was no other possibility.

“Yes, Hyung got me that one too.”

Song Jaeyi answered readily, smiling faintly. It seemed like a chuckle, or perhaps a sigh of relief. The way he treated this moment as if he’d been waiting for it a long time made Sooin’s heart flutter.

But how? Why? Sooin blinked in confusion, searching his memory. If Song Jaeyi was nine years old… he would have been in his first year of middle school. He barely remembered anything from that time, not even his homeroom teacher.

But Song Jaeyi wasn’t just anyone. Could he really forget a kid with that face and that personality so easily? It wasn’t just a passing encounter; he had even won him a doll.

“It’s natural you wouldn’t recognize me. I was small and skinny back then.”

Song Jaeyi offered an excuse for Sooin’s frozen state and pushed a plate towards him nonchalantly. The plate, which resembled the white, round doll, was piled high with several different kinds of sandwiches.

“Stop thinking and eat.”

The sound of Song Jaeyi tapping the table snapped Sooin out of his thoughts. Sooin, who had been staring at the sandwiches as if they were his enemies, finally picked one up. He wasn’t hungry and felt more thirsty than anything, but he forced himself to eat, chewing listlessly as he searched his memory.

It wasn’t a memory, more like a hazy scene. Eating shaved ice at Bekoom with a foreign child who was so pretty he couldn’t tell if they were a boy or a girl…

The faded memory, like an old photograph, was surreal and fragmented. It became more vague and unclear with time, and even when it occasionally surfaced, he couldn’t be sure if it was real. It felt like a scene from a dream.

But Song Jaeyi still treasured a doll from over ten years ago, clearly remembering that Sooin had given it to him.

“…So, you recognized me from the beginning?”

“Yes.”

From the time they agreed to the fake dating arrangement? A heaviness settled in Sooin’s chest, and he sighed, picking up a sandwich and putting it back down.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Song Jaeyi, who had already devoured three sandwiches, gave him an annoyed look.

“Why do you care now?”

“…Well, it’s a bit… you know… since you recognized me but I didn’t remember you.”

I feel bad. Sooin swallowed his words and picked up another sandwich. As he slowly peeled off the paper wrapping, an unexpected answer came.

“I didn’t say anything because I was disappointed.”

“…Disappointed?”

“You’d changed so much. It wasn’t good.”

“…Was I better as a kid? I’m more handsome now.”

Song Jaeyi must have a thing for goofy, doughy faces. Sooin’s expression turned serious as he put the sandwich down again and turned over the two white dolls. The white circles stared blankly up at him.

“Not your face, your personality. You were nice back then, but now…”

“…I’m trash?”

“A little.”

Song Jaeyi nodded without hesitation and snatched the sandwich Sooin had been picking at. His large hand quickly peeled off the wrapping.

“So I was going to pretend I didn’t know you, but I was curious. Curious about what changed you so much, Hyung.”

He placed the unwrapped sandwich on Sooin’s plate. Sooin stared at the exposed filling for a long moment before finally taking a bite.

“So, did you find the answer?”

He smiled playfully, his mouth full. Song Jaeyi raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t know. It’s not that important anymore.”

Song Jaeyi already knew. Sooin was certain. No one else knew so well how cowardly, insecure, and defensive he was. Yet, Jaeyi didn’t gloat and pretended not to know. His attitude touched Sooin deeply.

Sooin ate his sandwich in silence, savoring his meal even after finishing, as he held Song Jaeyi’s gaze from across the table. The view was amazing, even though they weren’t in a restaurant.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Just… because I’m happy.”

Sooin smiled lazily and stood up with his plate. Song Jaeyi followed him to the sink and wrapped his arms around Sooin’s waist from behind, nuzzling his neck.

“I’m annoyed.”

“What is it this time?”

“You were planning on never telling me.”

Sooin chuckled instead of answering and washed the dishes. Jaeyi’s large frame clinging to him was a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t push him away.

“It’s frustrating. Only I remembered.”

“You said it was natural that I wouldn’t remember.”

Sooin laughed, finding his childish complaint both funny and endearing, knowing it was unreasonable. As he laughed out loud, Song Jaeyi tightened his grip around Sooin’s waist. The force was so strong, almost like a punishment, that Sooin couldn’t move even after finishing the dishes.

“It’s still annoying. Were you always like this, Hyung, even as a kid?”

Sooin chuckled dryly at his younger lover’s blatant annoyance. Like this… He murmured softly and asked gently, “Weren’t you saying I was nice back then?”

“I’m asking if you were nice to everyone back then. How often did this kind of thing happen that you don’t remember a single one? We spent the whole day together. You even got me that doll…”

Song Jaeyi rested his forehead against Sooin’s shoulder repeatedly. His sulky voice betrayed his long-held grievance.

Sooin laughed and placed his hands over Jaeyi’s arms around his waist, gently gripping them. He turned his head, and Jaeyi’s complaining lips followed as if drawn to him. Sooin turned completely, cupping Jaeyi’s chin and pulling him closer.

“Alright. I was wrong, so I’ll take responsibility, Hyung will.”

He quickly swallowed Jaeyi’s lips before he could protest. What started as a light peck deepened into a series of lingering, wet kisses.

As the kiss deepened, their legs tangled, and pheromones filled the air. The atmosphere was ripe for another round of clothes-shedding, so Sooin pulled away abruptly, catching his ragged breath and gripping Jaeyi’s strong shoulders.

“First… let’s talk about what we didn’t get to talk about yesterday.”

Song Jaeyi frowned, his eyes darkening. His expression, as if asking, “Do we really have to do this now?” and the warmth radiating from his body, tempted Sooin to just ignore it and move on.

Sooin glanced at the clock involuntarily. Song Jaeyi caught the look and didn’t miss a beat.

His arms were pulled, and he was dragged forward by an irresistible force. Sooin chuckled as he found himself seated at the table where they had just eaten. The scent of pheromones was already making him dizzy.

Ah, I shouldn’t give in like this…

He thought, but his arms reached out on their own. He pulled Song Jaeyi closer, cupping the back of his head, and whispered, “Just this once.”

“Okay.”

With a promise neither intended to keep, they kissed again.

The long kiss was like a candy offered before a dose of bitter medicine. Sooin closed his eyes, desperately hoping this sweetness would dilute the unpleasantness to come.

❤︎₊ ⊹

Of course, the sex didn’t end with “just this once.” Every time he regained his senses, Sooin thought he should firmly put a stop to it, but his resolve was weak. The fact that he had to bring up an unpleasant topic kept him from making a decision.

In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to push Song Jaeyi away until nightfall. Exhausted and finally back in his pajamas, Sooin lay sprawled on the mattress, blinking.

“Let’s watch a movie.”

Song Jaeyi, who had been just as actively involved for two days straight, showed no signs of fatigue. On the contrary, his face was flushed and glowing.

He definitely looks happy. Sooin stared at Song Jaeyi, who was leaning against the wall as a headboard. Jaeyi didn’t ask “What?” in his usual sullen tone despite Sooin’s persistent stare. He seemed strangely excited. A laptop rested on his firm thighs, its screen illuminating his face.

“I wanted to watch this movie with you, Hyung, since you like hotels.”

“What movie…”

Sooin’s voice, which hadn’t been normal since morning, was now almost a rasp. He cut himself short and rested his head on Song Jaeyi’s shoulder. Rich jazz music flowed from the laptop speakers.

The movie title scrolled across the screen in elegant cursive. Sooin stared at the white subtitles that appeared below.

‘Like a Hotel.’

What did “like a hotel” mean to Song Jaeyi? Sooin felt a pang of sadness, guessing it couldn’t be a pleasant association. He couldn’t postpone the conversation any longer. He straightened up, determined to speak, but Song Jaeyi beat him to it.

“My only good memory at Bekoom is the day I met Hyung.”

“…”

“I still don’t like hotels, but Hyung seems happy when you talk about them, so I’ve been curious lately. Curious about what you like so much.”

Is that why he looked up this movie? Sooin took a shallow breath and grasped Song Jaeyi’s hand, gently caressing the back of his hand as he murmured softly, “I have a lot of good memories… with my parents and Suye…”

Sooin quickly trailed off, his voice cracking.

To him, hotels were filled with warmth and light, comforting and cozy. When he saw the title ‘Like a Hotel,’ he immediately thought of warm colors and happy memories.

Talking about it now would only reopen Song Jaeyi’s wounds. Sooin fell silent and turned his head slightly to look at Jaeyi.

“Yesterday… I overheard… about…”

Song Jaeyi’s gaze shifted from the screen to Sooin. His eyes were so clear and bright that Sooin found it difficult to continue. He frowned repeatedly as if blaming his throat, then took a deep breath, knowing he couldn’t stall any longer.

“What happened at Bekoom during your rut. The parking garage incident.”

Sooin blurted out the words and then gauged Song Jaeyi’s reaction. Fortunately, Jaeyi’s expression remained neutral. His usual impassive face seemed to be asking, “So?”

“I think… I might have been the one who reported it.”

Sooin cautiously brought up the dreaded topic, feeling like he was crossing a crumbling bridge. For a moment, Song Jaeyi didn’t react. His eyes simply widened slowly.

“…What?”

He abruptly sat up, pushing the blanket aside. The laptop slid off his lap and onto the mattress. Sooin reached out to catch it, but his hand was grabbed. Song Jaeyi held his hand tightly, his voice almost a growl.

“How… why would it be you, Hyung? That doesn’t make sense.”

His eyes were wide with shock. Sooin spoke softly, trying to calm him.

“I’m not sure. In my memory, the alpha was blond, and their guardian seemed incredibly shocked.”

“….”

“The car was shaking so much, I thought something strange was going on, so I went to check. I was annoyed because I didn’t want Suye to see. But then, inside the car, a kid…”

At that point, the shock in Song Jaeyi’s eyes began to fade, replaced by a darker hue. He let out a small, breathy laugh and murmured, “He was begging for help.”

“….”

“How could that have been Hyung too? How embarrassing…”

Song Jaeyi covered his eyes and chuckled dryly. His shaky breath and bobbing Adam’s apple betrayed his efforts to suppress his emotions. Sooin suddenly remembered the game of hide-and-seek he’d played with Song Jaeyi in the hospital parking lot that night.

He had shown Song Jaeyi his most pathetic side. His carefully constructed facade of composure had crumbled, revealing his weak defenses and cowardly escape. And of all people, he’d shown it to the person he most wanted to hide it from.

But at the same time, Sooin felt relieved. Relieved that it was Song Jaeyi who had discovered his scars. That he had accepted him without hesitation and taken his side. That he hadn’t left him. His heart melted helplessly.

“Jaeyi.”

Sooin hugged and patted Song Jaeyi, just as Jaeyi had done for him. Just as Sooin had been too embarrassed to lift his head back then, Song Jaeyi remained silent, his face buried in Sooin’s shoulder. After a while, Sooin cautiously broached the subject.

“So… um… if you need evidence, I can…”

Song Jaeyi suddenly lifted his head. His eyes, meeting Sooin’s, were red and dry.

“You didn’t cry?”

Sooin tried to lighten the mood with a half-hearted joke, but it was no use. Song Jaeyi let out a hot, curse-laden breath and practically snarled, “Don’t ever say that bullshit again.”

“…If you think about it calmly, it’s not entirely bullshit…”

“You don’t need to meet or interact with that man again, Hyung. Erase him from your life.”

The most crucial issue remained unresolved. Song Jaeyi seemed determined not to be swayed by any logical arguments. Sooin stared into his blazing eyes for a long moment and sighed softly. If logic wouldn’t work, he had to appeal to emotions.

“How can I do that? He’s hurting you.”

“….”

“You want me to just stand by and watch while someone I care about is suffering?”

His voice, even more hoarse now, made Song Jaeyi flinch. The sharp, unwavering gaze in his eyes softened slightly. Sooin quickly seized the opportunity.

“We can at least try talking to him. If he knows there’s more evidence, it might change things.”

“…He’s not someone you can reason with. You don’t know how much of a trash he is, Hyung.”

“…I’m pretty useless, aren’t I? I want to be helpful to you.”

Sooin put on a dejected expression and burrowed into Song Jaeyi’s embrace, wriggling under the tangled blankets. A large hand wrapped around his back, its slow caress hesitant.

“It’s no use trying to persuade me. It won’t work.”

Despite the gentle touch, his voice was firm and sharp. Sooin gritted his teeth at the cold finality in his tone. Even after Sooin sighed sarcastically, Song Jaeyi seemed unfazed, reaching for the laptop as if to say they should just watch the movie now. He settled down, seemingly calm again.

“Oh, and continue to stay with me from now on. It’s dangerous.”

Sooin gave Song Jaeyi a hollow smile and nodded obediently. His smiling eyes looked compliant, but his mind was racing with other plans.