SOG Ch 209: Side Story END

It was so embarrassing. Truly, unbearably embarrassing.

Having finally escaped from the mirror, Seon Jae-chan burrowed himself into the bedcovers. Not even the sight of his impossibly beautiful boyfriend or the lingering ache below from their earlier activities could suppress the overwhelming shame that consumed him. Unable to muster the courage to face Woo-jin, he buried his face deep into the bed.

Just then, a hand reached out from behind him. Startled, Jae-chan peeked out from under the covers, thinking Woo-jin was about to pull the sheet away. Instead, he suddenly found himself being lifted.

The momentary feeling of floating ended as they arrived in front of the fireplace in the living room. The crackling sound of burning wood came with a fragrant scent.

The two sat together in a spacious and comfortable armchair. Jae-chan’s tired head rested on Woo-jin’s broad shoulder.

“Want a drink?”

Woo-jin asked, observing Jae-chan who still couldn’t meet his eyes out of embarrassment.

A drink, suddenly? As Jae-chan raised his bewildered gaze, Woo-jin drew close with curved eyes. After kissing his lips and nuzzling their noses together at breathing distance, he said,

“You forget to be shy when you drink.”

The suggestive comment about wanting to see his soft chest and h0le when thoroughly drunk made Jae-chan’s mouth drop open.

Even as he received a gentle kiss on his nose, his shock remained. He wondered where the pure, twenty-three-year-old Go Woo-jin had gone. Thankfully, it seemed to be only talk, as Woo-jin didn’t actually bring out any alcohol.

At least the joke seemed to dilute his embarrassment somewhat. Jae-chan, with a slight desire for revenge, bumped his head against Woo-jin’s temple, who had been quite mischievous today. Woo-jin lifted the corner of his mouth as if unbothered, and eventually Jae-chan couldn’t help but smile too.

For a moment, they just stayed close like that. Woo-jin, holding Jae-chan and pressing his lips to his hair, carefully observed Jae-chan’s still somewhat dazed expression. Then, Woo-jin quietly apologized.

“Sorry.”

Jae-chan slowly shook his head.

“…It’s okay.”

Wrinkling his nose bridge in contemplation, he continued speaking.

“I was trying to brainwash myself into getting used to it.”

What could he mean?

Woo-jin, who had been kissing Jae-chan’s soft hair, paused. Jae-chan seemed unaware of what he had just said. His eyes trembled slightly as he bit his lip. “Ah, you, that kind of… I mean…” He mumbled as if trying to explain, then closed his mouth.

Then, taking a deep breath, Jae-chan said clearly,

“Since you seem to like it so much, I decided I should try to like it too.”

Jae-chan suddenly opened his eyes wide and spoke with determination. Like a student preparing for an exam, drinking caffeine until the last minute and wearing a headband with ‘Victory’ written on it.

Woo-jin quietly met those burning eyes and asked,

“What about you?”

“…Me?”

“You don’t really like it.”

From Woo-jin’s perspective, while Jae-chan enjoyed s3x itself, he was uncomfortable with acts that deviated from the norm, like earlier. He knew that while Jae-chan would reluctantly accept pleasure when pushed to lose control, he was somewhat afraid until then. Woo-jin continued,

“I should get used to you too. If you don’t like it, I should-“

He couldn’t finish saying ‘stop doing it.’ Woo-jin, who had always been good at finding and implementing moral answers, felt strong resistance at this moment.

After stubbornly avoiding what he should say, he corrected himself:

“-only do it occasionally.”

Jae-chan’s face, which had been staring blankly at Woo-jin, turned red. His lips parted in bewilderment.

So he’s really going to do it again. Unconsciously pressing his knees together tightly, Jae-chan dropped his gaze to the bed and said,

“Really just occasionally. I really…”

It was too embarrassing. Unable to even curse, Jae-chan spoke with a resigned, reddened face. Actually, it was beyond ‘too’ embarrassing – he had ended up crying. Especially when he remembered how he had become aroused to an embarrassing degree in that situation.

Meanwhile, Woo-jin covered his mouth with a troubled expression as he looked down at Jae-chan’s still-pink nostrils and tear-dampened eyelashes. I’m such a pervert, Woo-jin thought. Hearing him say that just makes Woo-jin want to embarrass him even more.

Woo-jin pressed his palm firmly against his mouth, burying the urge to make Jae-chan blush bright red again. Jae-chan seemed to be struggling enough as it was.

Holding back the desire to embrace Jae-chan tightly enough to suffocate, Woo-jin gently pressed his lips to his still-red eyes and round nostrils, as precious as his lover was. Jae-chan seemed to be gradually getting over his embarrassment. With a face regaining courage, he now met Woo-jin’s gaze readily and returned playful kisses.

Suddenly, Jae-chan cast a sparkling glance toward the fireplace.

“That’s really nice.”

It was indeed pleasant to watch the flickering flames casting crimson shadows on the wall. Woo-jin nodded in agreement.

They stayed like that for a while, just watching the fireplace. The corners of Jae-chan’s mouth lifted slightly in contentment. With his s3xual desires more than satisfied and Woo-jin’s embrace warm, he felt happy and content as if he owned the whole world.

As the flames began to die down, Jae-chan, still leaning on Woo-jin’s shoulder, mumbled in a slightly dazed voice.

“Should we live together?”

He blurted out as if enchanted by the fragrant flames.

The crackling of burning wood briefly filled the silence. Suddenly, Jae-chan slowly realized what he had just said.

Crazy.

It must have been because everything was too warm, too peaceful, and his brain was addled from excessive pleasure. He had made a mistake. This wasn’t how he had planned to say it. The details of the event agreed upon with the hotel, scheduled to begin tomorrow morning, flashed through his mind like a spinning lantern.

Woo-jin also seemed confused. He must have been startled by Jae-chan’s lack of manners. Their trembling gazes met. Amidst their silent turmoil, Woo-jin suddenly spoke.

“Then let’s get married.”

Just as Jae-chan’s words had been sudden, so was Woo-jin’s response.

And just like Jae-chan, Woo-jin looked caught off guard by his own words. It had been an impulsive proposal, spurred by nothing more than hearing Jae-chan’s voice.

But it was too late to take back, and he didn’t want to. He wanted to keep saying it so badly. Woo-jin, his face now flushed, fixed his trembling dark eyes on Jae-chan. He said it again, more clearly.

“Let’s get married.”

This time, it was Jae-chan’s complexion that began to flush.

Woo-jin’s eyes, rippling like dark river water at night, made Jae-chan’s heart flutter. He felt like he was drowning in an overwhelming tide, unable even to breathe. With a gaze equally shaken, Jae-chan opened his mouth.

“Um, but we’re just twenty-three—”

More precisely, Jae-chan meant ‘you, Woo-jin, are twenty-three.’ It was why he had planned to postpone the proposal for a few years. Just as he was thinking he couldn’t be such a thief, he caught those eyes patiently waiting for his answer.

And immediately, he crumpled up all those thoughts. What did age matter anyway? If he’s okay with it.

“Yes, let’s do it!”

Let’s do it! Yes! Jae-chan shouted enthusiastically, even tensing his stomach. Only then did Woo-jin break into a cheerful laugh. Neither noticed that his way of laughing had come to resemble Jae-chan’s.

“We’ll have the ceremony in the Fifth Union. The marriage registration too.”

Woo-jin immediately shared his various thoughts about the wedding. The surprisingly specific details made Jae-chan unable to hide his emerging smile as he asked,

“Why specifically the Fifth Union?”

“There’s an ocean next to the desert.”

He softly shared stories about the golden desert, beautiful coastal dunes like gentle ridges, sparkling blue waves, the local bus traveling between the tourist city and beach, palm trees lining the route, comfortable hammocks hung under canvas roofs, and star-filled night skies.

Jae-chan’s eyes widened before agreeing excitedly, saying it sounded fantastic.

“That would be really amazing.”

Watching Jae-chan’s favorable reaction, Woo-jin hesitated between slight guilt and conscience before quietly adding, “And-“

“Divorce is still illegal in that country.”

Though such laws wouldn’t apply to them as Union citizens, it was more about the principle.

Hearing Woo-jin’s serious confession, Jae-chan blinked before bursting into laughter. Laughing out loud, he gently bumped his head against Woo-jin’s. Finally, a relieved smile appeared on Woo-jin’s face too.

Let’s go visit it this winter. The ocean beside the desert. It would be fascinating if it’s as hot as summer. After talking about the future for a while, Jae-chan suddenly lifted his smiling face and asked, “You know what?”

“We haven’t had dinner yet.”

“Should we order?”

“Mm, later.”

Staying like this was better for now.

Jae-chan’s eyes sparkled as he climbed onto Woo-jin. Having completely shed his embarrassment, he pulled his arms out from the sheet to embrace Woo-jin’s head. Woo-jin laughed as he received the shower of kisses all over his face. It was the kind of skinship Jae-chan loved most, and therefore, what Woo-jin loved most too.

Though it might be better to stay covered right now.

After the rain of kisses ended, Woo-jin carefully pulled up the fallen sheet to cover Jae-chan up to his neck again.

Jae-chan seemed content with the warmth, simply enjoying it. Now facing Woo-jin, he was busy asking more about the Fifth Union.

But how did you know about the ocean next to the desert? Jae-chan asked with curious eyes. Meeting those eyes sparkling with curiosity, Woo-jin held Jae-chan with a smile and promised to tell him after dinner. The night was long, and they had many days ahead to spend together.

The autumn rain began falling again outside, tapping against the window. Their overlapping figures were hazily reflected in the terrace window dotted with tiny droplets.

The sound of rain, crackling firewood, and their beloved’s laughter. The night deepened with these heart-warming sounds blending moistly together. It was just another warm autumn evening.

Side Story End.