TTD 138

After finishing their walk, they fried chicken and bought beer, then moved to the neighborhood where Ja-kyung lived as a child. The place that had been remembered with pain had become special because of Kang Il-hyun’s confession. Moreover, it was refreshing and had a great view since it was at the top of a hill.

As they walked up the alley, some familiar neighborhood thugs recognized them and gave polite greetings. They were guys they met occasionally – at first they had caused trouble, but later became acquaintances who would at least exchange greetings.

“Wow, hyung-nim. Did you buy that shirt? It suits you so well. You look just like a model.”

“That’s what I’m saying! Looking at the boss then looking at my own face makes me so mad!”

Guys who would normally just give a quick greeting and run away were unusually talkative today. But when they sensed Kang Il-hyun’s expression darkening, they quickly scattered. When Ja-kyung snickered, Kang Il-hyun glanced at him.

“What were they babbling about?”

“Just saying that you’re cool and handsome, basically.”

“You understood them?”

“Seok-joo uses similar words.”

“Seok-joo does?”

“Yes.”

“What else did he teach you?”

Ja-kyung thought carefully and unconsciously muttered a word that crossed his mind. Seubuljae….

“Seubuljae^[1]?”

“You’re seulbujae to me, that kind of talk… Ah, the chicken will get cold. Let’s hurry.”

While trying to change the subject and brush it off, Kang Il-hyun took out his phone to search and smirked. When Ja-kyung asked if it was funny since his reaction wasn’t bad, Il-hyun immediately called someone.

“Tae-soo, has Seok-joo left work?”

Ja-kyung stared with wide eyes. Why Seok-joo suddenly? Then Kang Il-hyun said one thing with a smile on his lips.

“When Seok-joo comes to work tomorrow, bury him in the watermelon field right away.”

Ja-kyung’s jaw dropped and Il-hyun continued speaking calmly.

“No, alive. Yeah, right.”

When Il-hyun was about to hang up, Ja-kyung quickly snatched the phone and said hello, and Park Tae-soo’s voice actually came through. Ja-kyung was startled and earnestly pleaded that the previous words were just a joke and to leave Seok-joo alone. After hanging up, Kang Il-hyun’s eyes were fierce.

“Worried about Seok-joo?”

Ja-kyung grabbed Il-hyun’s hand and forced a smile.

“Calm down. Take a deep breath and regain your senses. Come on, make your eyes gentle too.”

Kang Il-hyun put his arm around Ja-kyung’s shoulder and brought his face close.

“Want to say what you said earlier again?”

“What did I say? I don’t remember.”

“You said ‘S’ something.”

“S? What S? Sex? Ah, I want to have seeeex-“

How cunning. Il-hyun pinched Ja-kyung’s cheek, and Ja-kyung squirmed, trying to escape, but ultimately got caught and was thoroughly shaken. When they finally arrived home and opened the door, something had changed again.

The flowers were more abundant than before, and the house had been fixed up here and there, giving it a cozy feeling. After looking around, Ja-kyung trudged over, sat on the bench, and took out a cigarette. Kang Il-hyun came beside him, lit it for him, and lay down using Ja-kyung’s thigh as a pillow.

As Ja-kyung blew out smoke and looked down, he noticed that Kang Il-hyun was wearing shorts today, revealing his firm thighs and long, toned calves. As he looked him over and gulped, Kang Il-hyun somehow noticed and laughed.

“You look like a cat eyeing its prey.”

a-kyung denied it, but there was no way Il-hyun would believe that. Feeling embarrassed at being caught staring uselessly by himself, his ears turned slightly red. When Il-hyun got up and sat beside him, he put the cigarette Ja-kyung was smoking in his mouth. He took one drag and pushed Ja-kyung down, getting on top of him.

“Don’t do this. Today we just came to drink beer with chicken.”

“You seduced me with your eyes.”

“I did not!”

“You did. And now I’m hard because of it.”

Kang Il-hyun fondled his thickened groin. Honestly, with the way he acted, he looked like a third-rate thug. Ja-kyung glanced at the front door, worried someone might see them. It was quiet. The neighborhood punks had told him that rumors of two scary guys coming and going had kept people away.

Kang Il-hyun tossed aside the cigarette in his hand and pressed his lips against Ja-kyung’s. The scent of tobacco lingered as his tongue entered.

“Sir… wait… let’s do this… at home… ah…”

His lips moved down to Ja-kyung’s neck, sucking continuously. Stars twinkled in the night sky, and his body was gradually warming up. Il-hyun’s hand slipped inside his shirt, kneading his chest and rubbing his n1pple with his thumb, making Ja-kyung arch his back and moan.

Kang Il-hyun pressed up strongly with their lower bodies joined. Even with clothes on, it felt as stimulating as being naked, and their bodies grew hot. He thrust as if he were penetrating, and Ja-kyung felt like he was going crazy from the sensation of his hard cock being pressed down.

They were quickly drenched in sweat, panting and embracing despite the heat. Regardless, they kept rolling around until they felt close to cl1max. After pulling down their pants, they held each other and stroked up and down until they both came, dirtying their hands simultaneously.

Il-hyun wiped his hands with nearby tissues, helped him dress, and smiled while brushing back his wet hair.

“We should go home.”

Ja-kyung, breathing heavily, patted the space beside him.

“Wait, let’s lie down for a moment.”

When Il-hyun lay down, a breeze blew by. Though it was humid, it still helped cool their heat. Just then, an airplane passed through the dark sky, and Ja-kyung pointed at it.

“Look, an airplane is passing by.”

“Want me to buy you one?”

Ja-kyung was about to say what nonsense, but stopped. Since he was the type who could actually afford it, he just laughed and said no thanks. Il-hyun turned to lie on his side and stared intently at Ja-kyung’s face.

“Just say it. I’ll do anything for you.”

Ja-kyung answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“Change your will.”

One of Il-hyun’s eyebrows rose crookedly. It meant he didn’t like it. But this was an issue that needed to be addressed. Once when his lawyer came to the house, Ja-kyung jokingly asked if there was anything about burial alive in the will. The lawyer said he couldn’t say, but through his serious expression, he clearly realized it was true.

“Don’t you want to be buried with me?”

“Who would like being buried alive?”

“I specified that you should be anesthetized first.”

Damn. That’s even scarier. Ja-kyung sat up, looked down at Il-hyun, and pleaded earnestly.

“How would you feel if I put the same thing in my will?”

“I’d be happy.”

“…”

“Even without a will, I’ll be buried with you. Without anesthesia, and I’ll hold you and whisper “I love you” until my last breath.”

“…”

“Are you touched?”

Damn it. Ja-kyung was about to curse, he held back and chugged a beer instead. Watching Ja-kyung, Kang Il-hyun sat up and handed him a chicken leg. Ja-kyung glared at him in annoyance, but Il-hyun put it into his mouth and urged him to eat. For some reason, that made Ja-kyung laugh. At that moment, he realized, absurdly, that he genuinely liked this guy.

***

Ja-kyung had come out to swim when he spotted Kang Seok-joo entering through the front gate and waved. You came? He was about to take off his robe at the sunbed and stretch before entering the water when Kang Seok-joo sat on another sunbed nearby. He was wearing a suit but unlike before, he looked lifeless and visibly tired.

“What a life. Swimming on a weekday while everyone else is working?”

He wasn’t being sarcastic; one could tell he was genuinely envious. He had been forced to take a job at the company, but whether due to Kang Il-hyun’s harsh training or his own natural business sense, Ja-kyung heard he’d recently been promoted.

“What brings you here? Day off?”

“Took a day off, but realized I had nowhere to go. Being stuck at work all day has made me distant from my friends. Besides, if I went somewhere weird and got caught up with that psycho, he’d find fault with me. I’d probably get beaten with a golf club again after being called to the office.”

Ja-kyung knew the “psycho” Seok-joo mentioned was Kang Il-hyun. Then, remembering last night, he smiled.

“You should thank me.”

“Why?”

“I saved your life yesterday.”

Kang Seok-joo discreetly looked around, then leaned in and gestured for him to come closer. When he sat down, he let out deep sighs.

“If you really want to save me, grant me one favor.”

Ja-kyung popped a grape from nearby into his mouth. What is it?

“I can’t live like this anymore. I hear you’re skilled. Could you just kill Kang Il-hyun once?”

“People can only die once, you know.”

“That’s not what I meant. That man gave me panic disorder.”

“That’s good. What about drvgs? You’re not still doing drvgs, are you?”

“He said he’d slice open my stomach if he caught me doing drvgs. Would you do it if you were me?”

“Be careful. Kang Il-hyun really will cut you open.”