WOPE Ch 5

So, during summer vacation before the draft, all the guys were saying we should do it now,”

Junwook’s face gradually changed. His stiff expression softened, not into a wide grin, but a subtle satisfaction was evident. Perhaps because of this, Hooyoung’s inexplicable feelings of injustice and anxiety also subsided. He felt a little relieved.

“And if we go pro, the number of games increases and the break gets shorter, so it becomes difficult to find time, and if we get any irritation, it lasts much longer and hurts more…”

As he spoke, it all sounded strangely awkward and like excuses. He felt like he had become some kind of hairless pervert, his voice getting quieter and quieter. Back then, it seemed like such a great idea, all the guys with the same concerns raising their hands and doing it together.

“It hurts, and so?”

Hooyoung’s wrist was now free. But he couldn’t bend his arm. Junwook’s fingers were gently scratching somewhere on the inside of his forearm. Just a little lower and they would reach the soft, sensitive skin. At some point, for some reason, Junwook’s irritation seemed to have dissipated, and he looked quite amused. Feeling strange, Hooyoung pressed his lips together, and Junwook tapped his armpit with his index finger.

“Ah!” Hooyoung flinched, ticklish.

“Tell me quickly.”

“So, we all…”

Hooyoung gulped.

“Got laser hair removal.”

They had all made a big decision and undergone multiple laser hair removal sessions. It stung each time, so painful that he regretted it, but it was paid for with the senior class funds, not his own money, and he thought it would save him trouble throughout his athletic career, so he persevered.

“Laser hair removal?”

“Yes. Laser hair removal.”

Upon hearing that they had collectively spent the money usually used for a graduation trip or matching gold rings and necklaces on laser hair removal, the senior basketball team members spread rumors of them being the crazy graduating class, while the juniors expressed their intention to follow suit, thinking it was a decent idea.

“Completely?”

“…Yes. Completely.”

They underwent multiple permanent laser hair removal sessions. It was so thorough that not a single hair had grown back since the last session. Including his armpits, everywhere. …Everywhere? A ticklish feeling made Hooyoung scratch below his neck, then he looked at Junwook with surprise. With perfect timing, Junwook grinned, as if he knew everything.

Gasping, Hooyoung moved with incredible speed. He mustered all the strength that comes in emergencies. In the blink of an eye, he pushed Junwook away, stood up, and ran. It was a level of agility completely different from when he had tried to get up from the sofa earlier and was caught.

“Oh, this guy!”

Junwook immediately chased after Hooyoung, who was running shirtless and panting. Even so, it was inside the house, so there was nowhere to hide. An unexpected chase unfolded, the sound of footsteps somewhere between a dodododo and a dududu echoing continuously through the high-ceilinged house.

“Look, I don’t think today is the day!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Come here quickly! Hey! Aren’t you coming?”

Junwook skillfully herded Hooyoung, who was dodging him this way and that, towards the inner rooms. He was running well, dudada, but Junwook was the owner of the house.

“I made a mistake!”

It had been a while since the hair removal, and he was so used to not having hair that he hadn’t even thought about it until a moment ago. Even though things had changed.

When he was spending a lot of time with Junwook in America, it was before the hair removal, so he had hair where there should be hair, but not anymore. The exposed area was just his armpit, but further down, in more intimate areas, the hair was also gone.

Athletes wore tight, body-hugging leggings that also served as underwear under their uniforms, and hair often caused considerable discomfort. Therefore, younger athletes tended to be more open to hair removal, and it was becoming increasingly common. Many young athletes, including Hooyoung, were smooth from the neck down. Of course, there were still some strange guys who, embarrassed, kept the visible hair on their armpits or arms, but the trend was clear, and these days many specialized hair removal shops catering to athletes of all kinds were popping up.

“These days, it’s really, really common!”

Hooyoung, narrowly escaping Junwook’s grasp, opened the slightly ajar door in front of him and slipped inside. He was only thinking about escaping, but it was a wrong choice.

“Who said anything?”

Junwook kicked the door shut and grabbed Hooyoung from behind as if pouncing on him. He struggled to break free, but to no avail. There was no way to escape the overwhelming force of Junwook’s tall frame hugging him from behind. This is why you need to be tall. Even in the midst of this, Hooyoung thought about height, falling helplessly onto the bed as he was pushed.

“Ah, wait, no, wait!”

Strange cries erupted from Hooyoung’s mouth. Junwook’s hand movements, grabbing at his waistband, were too fast. Hooyoung’s two hands, trying to protect his zipper, and Junwook’s hands, trying to bypass them, tangled frantically.

“Oh, really?”

Junwook frowned as if scolding a child. Hooyoung’s two hands rested on his almost-undone pants button, and Junwook’s two hands were on top of those, trying to undo it.

“Are you going to be like this?”

Hooyoung shook his head vigorously from side to side, the scattered hairs on his forehead swaying with him.

“I’ll just look.”

“Li-liar!”

Junwook’s smile didn’t leave his face, as if he was incredibly amused and excited. And more than anything, looking was the biggest problem. He also wanted to have sex. Who was it that almost collapsed from kissing? Hooyoung racked his brain.

“Then, with the lights off…?”

“No way, no way.”

Junwook flatly refused.

“Ah, I’m not mentally prepared yet…”

Even though they had already slept together, showing his bare, pale, smooth body required mental preparation. The thought of what would have happened if he had forgotten all about it and been caught in the act of undressing was horrifying.

“Hooyoung.”

Junwook called Hooyoung in a voice laced with both affection and ulterior motives. Hooyoung’s eyes rolled and fixed on Junwook. It was the first time he had been called by his name, so the rapidly spinning thoughts in his head couldn’t help but stop. It was the face he liked, the voice he liked. The strength in his hands, gripping his pants button like a lifeline, slowly drained away.

“I’m going to see it anyway. Give up.”

Hooyoung’s lips pouted. How could he not even say, even as a formality, that he wouldn’t do it if he didn’t want to? Well, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to, of course he was planning on it, it was a shame to end it here, but still… As if knowing all of Hooyoung’s inner thoughts, Junwook smiled confidently in front of him.

“Should I undress you? Or will you undress yourself?”

“Well, then, why don’t we turn off the lights…?”

“No, that’s even worse. Why are you so shy? We’re going to see it anyway, and we’re going to do it anyway.”

Even if he tried to act brazen, how could he not be embarrassed with that kind of reaction? Hooyoung made up his mind. Today was definitely not the day. He had to find a way to get past Junwook, get dressed, and run away. It was at that moment, as Hooyoung was looking for an opening to wriggle free.

“Going somewhere?”

“Ugh, ah!” As he twisted and turned to lie face down, Junwook caught him. Not just caught him, but as if he had been waiting for that exact moment, he yanked Hooyoung’s pants down from behind. The barely fastened button popped open from the force, and with how skillfully he had hooked his fingers between the clothing, his pants and underwear slid down together.

“Ahhh!”

The moment his pale buttocks were exposed, Hooyoung, sensing his doom, dove face-first into the bed, pressing his body close.

“Ah, turn around. Let me see.”

Clap clap. Junwook sat down next to the prone Hooyoung, and playfully slapped his buttocks.

“…Don’t do that.”

“No.”

Hooyoung, his face completely buried in the bedsheets, mumbled a protest, but Junwook ignored him. Still sitting there like some kind of delinquent, he continued slapping Hooyoung’s buttocks. Clap clap clap clap, clap clap! Clap clap clap! Clap clap clap clap clap! He tapped them in a teasing rhythm he had never heard before.

“Wow, I thought this before, but…they’re really like pudding or jelly.”

Hooyoung was annoyed. Even in this cornered situation, the touch on his buttocks made his front and lower abdomen tingle, and his pants, caught around his thighs, were bothersome.

“It’s like you think it’s over, but you don’t know how to turn around. You’re probably dying of embarrassment.”

“…Yes.”

“Should I turn you over by force? Or will you turn around yourself?”

Junwook, having completely gained the upper hand, lightly scratched the exposed skin with his fingers. Near his shoulder blades, along his thin, athletic waistline, from his white, eraser-like armpits to his firm ribs, from his distinct iliac muscles to his rounded buttocks, which could almost be considered hills. Hooyoung flinched wherever he was touched.

“Excuse me.”

Hooyoung turned only his head to meet Junwook’s eyes.

“Yes?”

“You won’t laugh, right?”

“Laugh? Why would I laugh? I’m completely turned on right now.”

“If you promise not to tease me either.”

Tease him? As if that was even possible. Junwook, as if incredulous, lightly pinched the flesh under Hooyoung’s buttock. The intention was clear. Just a little further in, and he’d be between his legs. It was a message that he could touch him any moment, but he was holding back until Hooyoung showed him.

Hooyoung let out a deep sigh and slowly turned around. It was a sign of surrender. As he turned, Junwook pulled off the rest of his pants that were still hanging on his thighs. Of course, his underwear came with them. Junwook grabbed Hooyoung’s naked ankles and settled into position. His eyes were fixed in one place. They wouldn’t leave.

So this is what it means for eyes to sparkle. Hooyoung squeezed his eyes shut. He thought it looked familiar, like his own face when presented with expensive, delicious food.

“There’s really nothing there.”

“…This way it’s clean, and even if I sweat, it doesn’t hurt, and, ugh!”

Junwook, barely listening to his rambling, swiped a fingertip down, and Hooyoung jumped up as if electrocuted.

“Wow, what should I do?”

Junwook moved on his knees, trapping Hooyoung between his legs, and slowly moved his eyes. He rolled them so slowly that if you listened carefully, you might even hear them turning. It was an incredible display of concentration. He seemed determined to find even a single hair that had defied the laser.

“If you look at me like that…”

Hooyoung couldn’t finish his sentence. As soon as Junwook’s hand, gripping his hip, moved slightly and brushed against his skin, his lower body tingled. It had been heating up and cooling down repeatedly, and that single touch seemed to have set off a chain reaction. It was embarrassing that he was already getting hard without even being properly touched, so he raised his hands to cover his eyes. Composure and patience were always mentioned as his strengths, but in front of Junwook, both his body and mind were like a toy with almost dead batteries, acting erratically.

“You’re so cute.”

It’s not that cute. Based on his extensive experience of communal showers during long training camps, he always thought his was not inferior to others. But there was no time to argue. He had to clench his teeth because of Junwook’s skillful touch.

“Ah, why.”

Junwook, who was rubbing the tip of his glans with his thumb, smiled and pulled down Hooyoung’s hands that were covering his eyes. His eyes were teary like a cornered mouse. His face was flushed from moaning, and his lips were slightly swollen from being chewed.

“Well, that’s…”

“Yeah.”

While answering in a soothing, affectionate voice, Junwook’s hand was still gripping Hooyoung’s penis. He gently spread the pre-cum, leaking out from the excitement and pressure, over the glans. Hooyoung’s face looked incredibly frustrated, while his waist trembled uncontrollably.

“I thought it would be a little, a little different…”

A small, suppressed moan escaped his lips as soon as he finished speaking.

“What? What did you think would be different?”

Even though he wasn’t at the point of being breathless yet, his words were shaking, and somewhere deep between his legs felt ticklish. Still, he wanted to say what he had to say. Hooyoung reached out his hands, and Junwook leaned down as if waiting. Peck, peck. Their lips met and parted with the most embarrassing sound in the world.

“It’s been a while, and, hmm…”

While Hooyoung spoke, Junwook’s lips moved to suck on his earlobe. He rolled it around with his tongue as if savoring the taste.

“It’s just like before, just, ah, just like a kid…”

Hooyoung grabbed the back of Junwook’s head, which was pressed against his ear, as if it were a lifeline. He liked the smooth, firm feel of the back of his head leading down to his neck. He also liked how Junwook tightened his waist, occasionally applying strong pressure below, where their genitals touched. His own penis, leaking fluids from excitement, rubbing against Junwook’s still-clothed lower body, sent shivers down his spine. He wanted to express this overflowing emotion, but he also wanted to have sex quickly, so it was hard to organize his thoughts.

“Ah.”

Junwook, understanding Hooyoung’s cryptic utterance a beat later, lifted his head and met his eyes.

“So, it’s grown. Unlike in America, you’re a proper adult with a job now.”

His head nodded automatically. That’s right. It had been a while since they had sex. Aside from his currently aroused body, he had also had his fantasies, and since it was a reunion, he had expected some kind of mature, adult atmosphere, but nothing had changed. He was still awkward like a beginner, and because he hadn’t thought about the hair removal beforehand, it had become comical. He wanted to hear words like “hot” and “sexy” rather than “cute.”

Junwook chuckled, as if he knew everything, sat up, and moved down slightly to grab Hooyoung’s knees. “Even your knees are so soft,” he murmured.

“I was saying I was annoyed at being teased…”

It wasn’t annoyance… because if he was annoyed or angry, he wouldn’t want to have sex. Hooyoung, speaking softly, reached out again. Junwook, smiling even brighter but silently, briefly held his outstretched hands and then let go. It was a bright smile, but it also seemed a little exasperated. Hooyoung wanted to ask why he was smiling like that, but he forgot everything when Junwook’s hand suddenly slipped between his knees.

“What, what are you doing?”

“I was thinking, why don’t we be childish together?”

Junwook, stroking the back of his knees, tightened his grip and slowly lifted his legs. He looked delighted, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Wait a minute, hey!”

Hooyoung tried to resist by tensing his legs, but Junwook was a step ahead. His legs were lifted completely, his feet dangling by Junwook’s ears.

“Ugh, ugh! Ah, stop, wait!”

Hooyoung, his eyes wide with shock, frantically brought his hands down to cover himself. He didn’t care about his already exposed penis, but showing the area below, Junwook’s ultimate goal and, though he hated to admit it, the place he himself liked even more, in such a blatant way was embarrassing. However, with Junwook’s strength, his buttocks were lifted higher, and his knees spread wider. He spread them so forcefully that it felt like his knees would touch the bed any second.

“You’re so flexible. And you have long arms.”

Watching Hooyoung’s desperate attempts to cover himself, Junwook kissed his legs from his ankles to his calves. He parted his lips slightly and practically sucked at the skin with his tongue, and the sound of Hooyoung gulping was audible. His trembling hand, its neatly trimmed nails occasionally brushing against the puckered opening, hovered over the perfectly hairless skin around his penis. Junwook, his eyes fixed there, removed his mouth from his leg and licked his lips with his tongue.

“Move your hand.”

Hooyoung shook his head.

“Come on, quickly. I’ll just take a proper look. Just once.”

The charm of a handsome man’s low-voiced coaxing. Hooyoung, as if under a spell, blinked a few times before slowly removing his hand. He knew what was going to happen anyway, so it was a bit of a pretense to keep covering up and fussing. If he wanted to appear mature, his actions had to follow suit.

“Keep it up, don’t lower it.”

Junwook, supporting Hooyoung’s buttocks with one knee, lowered the hand that was holding his leg. His fully erect penis, glistening with pre-cum, his taut testicles, and below them, his smooth perineum and still tightly closed opening were visible.

“…Hmm, that’s a bit, ugh!”

His bent knee jerked towards Hooyoung’s face like a spring, then returned to its place. Junwook, lightly coating his finger with fluid, rubbed his perineum and then gripped his buttocks.

“Ugh, huh! Ah, that’s weird, weird!”

Junwook squeezed and released Hooyoung’s buttocks, even peering between them. His lower body was practically suspended in mid-air, leaving him unable to move.

“Every time you talk, Hooyoung, it moves.”

Ugh. The way Junwook circled his finger around the opening was so ticklish and strange that Hooyoung squeezed his eyes shut. But when he tensed his body to suppress the sounds and minimize the movements, he could feel it moving himself. With it spread open by Junwook’s hand, the outside air rushed in and out with every movement. Junwook, staring intently, chuckled again.

“…Can I spit?”

“No?!”

Startled, Hooyoung tried to sit up, but Junwook, anticipating this, pushed his chest back down.

“I’ve sucked you off before, why can’t I spit? It makes me want to do more.”

“That was only, only once!”

“Yes, once. And how much I’ve thought about that one time.”

There was a playful tone in Junwook’s voice as he undid his own pants button. Something was different. Was he always this blunt? It wasn’t that he was wrong; they had done plenty of sexual things before, including him sucking Junwook off, but he didn’t remember him being so direct. It was a little unfamiliar and intriguing, so he was staring when Junwook, having tossed his pants to the floor, shifted and lightly flicked Hooyoung’s forehead. It was more of a touch with the tips of his long index and middle fingers than a flick.

“I said let’s be childish together.”

“Huh?”

His back against the bed made him a little more comfortable, but Hooyoung, still unable to bring his legs together, only rolled his eyes to look at Junwook. Junwook, only in his underwear, stretched his long legs a few times and stood in front of a nearby drawer. They’re really long. Even in this moment, seeing his tall stature made Hooyoung think he was truly hopeless.

“Every time you stare like that, I feel like I’m going to cum.”

Liar. Hooyoung muttered under his breath. He had seen the bulge in Junwook’s underwear since he took his pants off. Of course, it probably wasn’t fully erect yet. Junwook held what appeared to be a condom and a bottle of lube. He felt momentarily annoyed, wondering why those were in the drawer, but since both the condom and lube were new, he decided not to think too much about it. He could just assume they were bought yesterday.

“Don’t think weird things with your tiny head. I brought this from Seoul today.”

“…Why did you have that in Seoul?”

Junwook, standing in front of him and peeling open the new lube, just smiled and didn’t answer. Come to think of it, it was strange. He was already hard, and with a little more stimulation, he was about to cum, so why bother using lube from the beginning? They had often skipped condoms altogether when they were in a hurry. As he was pondering these random thoughts, he felt the heat rapidly cooling down.

“Whoa, whoa! What, what are you doing?!”

Junwook, standing in front of him, started randomly squirting the lube on Hooyoung’s body. Not just on specific areas, but all over, from his chest to his feet. It was fortunate that it didn’t hit his face.

“Actually, I wasn’t planning on using this today, I just bought it while buying condoms. But seeing this, how could I not use it?”

While looking at Junwook’s incredibly excited face, Hooyoung touched the lube that had been sprayed on his stomach and felt something strange. It was too slick to be lube.

“It’s oil.”

Ugh… While Hooyoung stammered, touching the sticky, slippery oil, Junwook, having emptied the entire bottle, tossed it somewhere in the room. The empty small bottle bounced on the floor and rolled into a corner.

“This, wait, hey?!”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s okay. You’ll like it.”

Junwook climbed on top of Hooyoung, covered in oil. Before he could say anything else, their lips collided. The heat that had almost cooled flared up again. There was none of the gentle, leisurely kissing from before. Junwook’s tongue entered his mouth, sweeping through it aggressively. It was so intense that it was hard to keep up. Moreover, he could feel Junwook’s body rubbing against his oil-slicked skin far too vividly.

“This, this…”

Hooyoung gasped, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. Junwook, noticing the oil on Hooyoung’s chest, smeared near where their bodies met, swiped a hand across it. As his nipples brushed against Junwook’s fingers, sending a jolt of sensation, Hooyoung shivered and then inhaled deeply.

“Oh, this.”

“Didn’t you put on too much? The sheets are going to get soaked…”

Junwook playfully furrowed his brow and made a tsking sound.

“If I were you, I’d worry about yourself before the sheets.”

Even at that, Hooyoung’s expression remained one of bewilderment, questioning why he should worry about himself. Junwook shook his head slightly and pulled Hooyoung’s hands to his own waist.

“Do this for me.”

Hooyoung nodded. He had been wondering about it anyway. Carefully, he gripped the waistband of Junwook’s black underwear and slowly pulled it down. He tried his best, consciously making an effort to keep his face neutral, but his heart pounded with anticipation. It felt like unwrapping a present. He knew what was inside, and perhaps because he knew, the anticipation was even greater. Hooyoung bit his lower lip and tightened his grip.

As the waistband slid down Junwook’s thighs, his penis sprang free. It was quiet, yet it seemed as though there was a thud, a sound of something being released. Hooyoung stared, transfixed. It was big. Still, very big.

The first time they had sex in America, he had vaguely thought, sex is sex, but when it came down to it, he had been flustered. He was too preoccupied with following the man’s lead, but amidst it all, he had been shocked at the sight of Junwook’s naked body. Wow, this guy’s tall, has big hands, big feet, and this is big too. That’s what he had thought. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen people with big hands, feet, and height before, but they hadn’t been this big. Even searching through his long experience of communal living, he had never seen anything like it.

‘Want to touch it?’

He hadn’t refused. Carefully, he touched it with one finger, then cautiously grasped the shaft. It felt heavy and substantial in his hand. It was like the first time he held a basketball in elementary school. The basketball had been too big for his hands and kept slipping, and Junwook’s penis was just like that. It wasn’t the size of a basketball, of course, but it was incomparable to his own or any he had seen before.

Lost in these memories, Hooyoung looked up at Junwook.

“…Should I use my mouth?”

Junwook, as if waiting, tapped both of Hooyoung’s cheeks. It wasn’t their first time, and the good thing about having been intimate multiple times was that they both knew what to do at this moment.

“No. Do we have to? I put oil on today.”

Junwook, having completely removed his underwear, kissed Hooyoung a few times and then pulled him into an embrace, lying down on the bed. Before Hooyoung could make a sound, he was enveloped in Junwook’s arms.

“How does it feel?”

Before the oil smeared on his body could fully drip down, Junwook’s arm moved first. He slowly dragged the viscous oil upwards, spreading it in a wide stroke. A small moan escaped Hooyoung’s lips involuntarily.

“Feels good, right?”

“Hmm.”

Junwook’s damp hand kneaded Hooyoung’s chest a few times, then gathered his areola and nipple together in a tight squeeze. Because of the oil, it slipped rather than pinching properly. At the same time, Hooyoung’s waist twitched. As his trembling buttocks moved back, Junwook seized the opportunity, pressing his own lower body closer.

“With this, what do we need a mouth for?”

Hooyoung felt his mind growing hazy. He had wondered why Junwook had used so much oil, and now it was being spread all over his body. The hand focused on his chest kept brushing past his nipple, whether intentionally or due to the slipperiness, only grazing it briefly. The pleasure intensified and then vanished just as quickly, leaving him restless.

“Haah, this… this is too much…”

Whenever he tried to grab the wandering hand, it slipped away, moving down to caress his lower abdomen and the sensitive skin just below. As a result, only Hooyoung’s own hand remained on his chest, twisting and pinching his nipple. Even while thinking he shouldn’t be doing this so openly in front of Junwook, he couldn’t stop, finally experiencing the satisfying pleasure.

“Too much?”

Junwook nibbled on his earlobe, his voice husky and seductive.

“Yes…”

“Hah, fuck… Because you don’t have a single hair on your body…”

Junwook practically wrapped himself around Hooyoung, tightening his hold. One leg slid between Hooyoung’s, lifting them slightly, and the pressure below elicited a louder moan from him.

Junwook’s hand reached for Hooyoung’s armpit. For some reason, male athletes tended to be hesitant about removing their armpit hair, as if it represented a loss of masculinity, but with younger athletes increasingly embracing hair removal, the atmosphere had changed considerably. Hooyoung himself was quite satisfied with it. That was, until just a moment ago. Now, having someone else’s hand there felt strangely arousing. It wasn’t why he had done it. Really.

“Hmm, don’t, don’t touch there…”

“It’s like some incredibly chewy mochi.”

With all that oil applied, the slapping sound was natural, but with it happening in his armpit, something deep inside him kept tingling. Every time Junwook ran his fingers from the inside of his armpit down to his ribs, it felt as though his already hardened nipples were becoming even more erect.

“Huh? Hooyoung, with your whole body like this, what use is a mouth?”

“Haah!”

Just as it seemed Junwook was about to pull his leg away, he thrust his penis between Hooyoung’s legs. It was done with enough force to make a slapping sound as flesh met flesh. The large, thick penis, aimed at the softest, fleshiest part of his inner thigh, penetrated deeply and snugly.

“Ugh, this, this is a bit… huh, ah!”

Without giving Hooyoung a chance to speak, Junwook started moving. He rubbed against every point of contact. It was as if he intended to transfer all the oil from Hooyoung’s body onto his own. And Hooyoung’s body was his tool.

“Haa, wait! This is too much, ugh! It’s too much, hmm!”

His penis was almost fully erect, the tip flushed red. Even though it had only brushed against Junwook’s thrusting penis a few times, and only been grazed by the hand caressing his upper body, pre-cum dribbled down shamelessly. It wasn’t like before, where he could hold back if he waited.

Hooyoung tried to stop him, grabbing Junwook’s arms that were holding and touching him. His hands slipped each time he tried to grasp them, but he persisted. However, because of the slipperiness, every time he missed, his buttocks slapped against Junwook with a clap, clap, as if fueled by his frustration.

“Are these athletic reflexes too? You’re doing well.”

He didn’t know what he was supposed to be doing well. Hooyoung felt like crying. The more aroused he became, the more sensitive his senses grew. He wasn’t sure if Junwook had put on the oil knowing this, but the sensation of Junwook’s hairy body against his own hairless skin was incredibly stimulating. Down below, where they were practically fused together, Junwook’s coarse pubic hair kept scratching the sensitive skin of his buttocks, and with every movement of their intertwined legs, he could feel each individual hair on those long limbs. It was just their bodies touching, yet blood rushed to his lower body.

“Hooyoung.”

He couldn’t answer immediately. He was too busy whimpering, almost at his limit. He couldn’t distinguish between the penis thrusting between his thighs and the legs wrapped around him, rubbing against his lower body. Was it because they were both long and large?

“Your dick’s about to explode.”

Junwook subtly stopped moving. Their eyes simultaneously lowered, focusing on the same spot. Flick. It was literally a flick. Without a moment’s hesitation, Junwook’s index finger touched it, and whitish semen spurted from Hooyoung’s penis.

“…You came.”

It wasn’t an explosive ejaculation caused by strong pressure or thrusting, but it was still an ejaculation. Hooyoung, already flushed with arousal, turned even redder with embarrassment. From his fingertips to his toes, he turned pink. It wasn’t the warm sensation of ejaculation that was the problem, it was the fact that it happened without any proper stimulation. He wasn’t a middle schooler having a wet dream, yet he had just witnessed his own whitish semen dribbling out with a single flick of a finger.

“Ugh, I, I, bathroom! W-wait! I don’t normally do this! It’s been too, too long!”

His previously drawn-out words became rushed, his voice slightly louder. Junwook looked like he was about to die of laughter. Amusement and pleasure were etched all over his face.

“Where are you going? What are you going to do in the bathroom, huh?”

Junwook tightened his hold on Hooyoung. His legs wrapped around him again, and his arms came forward. He spoke with his lips pressed against Hooyoung’s ear. His body, coated in oil, felt damp, his temperature had risen, and he was slightly sweaty. It felt like the air itself was thick with moisture, making it hard to breathe. He couldn’t tell if the wetness around Junwook’s lips against his ear was saliva, oil, sweat, or just his own heightened senses.

“Turn around.”

With the command, he exerted force, and Hooyoung’s head turned in one swift motion, against his will. He hadn’t felt that much force, but the oil he had applied did its job remarkably well, making his body turn easily.

“Lift your legs too.”

Junwook pulled Hooyoung close and lifted his legs, draping them around his waist. Because they were facing each other so closely, his lifted legs were raised quite high. His rear was completely exposed. As Junwook stared intently into his eyes, pressing their bodies together so tightly that not even a piece of paper could fit between them, Hooyoung could clearly feel Junwook’s hardened penis against him.

“We haven’t even started penetration yet.”

“…I know, hmm, I know.”

The hand stroking his buttocks slid down, pushing between the cheeks and reaching for his entrance. He had wanted to touch him there from the beginning, but he had taken his time, savoring the anticipation. The moment Junwook’s finger pressed against his tightly puckered opening, Hooyoung shuddered.

“I was thinking while looking closely.”

Gasp. As one of Junwook’s fingers slid inside, Hooyoung flinched. He had known it was coming, but the sudden intrusion was still startling. The intruding finger, as if it had somewhere to be, began probing inside.

“Open your eyes.”

It was natural for his eyes to close and his lips to part when his most sensitive, complex, and demanding spot was touched. Hooyoung, heeding Junwook’s words, forced his eyes open. But he couldn’t control his trembling body. As the finger pushed deep inside, as if searching for something hidden within, his body writhed.

“Anyway, I was thinking. Why can’t I see any pores, even though you’ve plucked all your hair?”

Ah, what is he talking about? Hooyoung’s eyes closed again. Junwook’s words didn’t register, just floating around him. He had heard something about hair and pores, but he didn’t want to think about it. He just turned his body further into the bed. His face was almost buried in Junwook’s chest, but he didn’t care.

“Huh? Why is your skin so, huh?”

Another finger was added. Or maybe two more. The stimulating force inside intensified. Despite their last encounter being a year and a half, almost two years ago, Junwook remembered Hooyoung perfectly.

“Why is it so smooth, both inside and out, huh?”

Come up here. Junwook shifted his position, sitting up and pulling Hooyoung completely on top of him. He drew his legs in as much as possible, and Hooyoung, offering no resistance, was pulled towards him, his arms wrapping around Junwook’s neck.

“Ahh…”

Hooyoung moaned, burying his face in Junwook’s hair. Being on top, the positioning was exquisite. His chest rested perfectly against Junwook’s lips, and his buttocks were once again held in Junwook’s hands. Junwook bit down on his nipple as if tearing it off with his teeth, one hand spreading his buttocks while the other continued to explore his entrance. The embarrassing sound of sucking echoed from his chest.

“With a face like you don’t know anything, huh?”

Junwook spoke while sucking on his nipple. Both his words and his actions were indecent.

“Ah, sto- stop, hmm!”

His most sensitive nerves were being directly stimulated. If he tensed his lower body to endure the upward thrusts, the fingers would dig deeper into his sensitive inner walls as if waiting for it. If he focused on his upper body instead, it would result in him rubbing his nipples against Junwook’s lips. He didn’t know what kind of patience Junwook possessed to hold back so well, but Hooyoung, his penis hardening again, was struggling.

“You were blinking innocently like a student who only studies, an athlete who only trains. But the moment you’re undressed, honestly. Whether it’s fingers or a dick, you just melt, huh?”

“…When, hmm, ugh! When did I!”

Hooyoung grabbed Junwook’s shoulders and tried to sit up. Even then, Junwook didn’t let go, tightening his lips so that Hooyoung’s pebble-like nipple was stretched and then snapped back against his chest.

Hooyoung looked at Junwook with a frustrated expression. He was being treated like a slut, yet Junwook still wore a sly smile on his face.

“It was like that the first time we did it in America. And it’s like that now.”

How could that be? The first time in America was his very first time, how could he have melted? Junwook knew it all.

“I like it.”

It’s more like I’m crazy about it, then. Junwook continued his monologue.

Hmm? Really, how fickle can a heart be? Just a single word, “I like it,” and he was just melting like this? Hooyoung, completely forgetting the previous situation, focused on Junwook again. He let himself be carried away by the feeling of Junwook’s hands sliding over his slick body. And then, inwardly, he made a reluctant admission. He wasn’t a slut, but he always melted in front of Junwook, so he couldn’t really deny it. He was being too easy.

“Lie down straight.”

As soon as Hooyoung lay down, Junwook spread his legs and positioned himself. Behind his buttocks, above the puckered opening Junwook had loosened with his hand, the heavy, thick glans pressed against him. It was the biggest he had ever seen in person, judging by its weight alone.

“Do you want to put it in, or should I?”

Junwook shifted slightly, and because of the oil, Hooyoung’s body moved with him. It was more of a slide than a shift. The glans nudged against his opening, teasingly close to entering. Their gazes remained locked, and their bodies, coated in the sticky oil, felt practically glued together. The condom, taken out along with the oil, lay discarded and unopened somewhere, neither Junwook nor Hooyoung paying it any attention.

“Hmm, I haven’t an- ugh!”

As Hooyoung just stared without answering, Junwook made the first move. Without giving him time to think, he thrust his penis in, all at once.

“Haa…”

Hooyoung shivered, momentarily holding his breath, as the penis pushed deep inside. His body felt paralyzed, unable to move. Did he have three legs now? How could it feel like it was filling him up all the way to his navel? Then again, when he thought back to when Junwook was only in his underwear, even then, its size had been overwhelming, pressed firmly against his thigh.

Junwook hadn’t even started moving yet, but Hooyoung was already panting. His eyes were unfocused, his legs spread haphazardly, and he couldn’t seem to regain control. Looking at Junwook, chuckling and playing with his dangling ankles, it seemed he preferred him like this, disheveled.

“If I tell you to get on top now, you’ll probably die.”

“Just, a little later…”

While being pounded would feel good, right now, gripping the sheets beneath him and catching his breath was the priority. At the same time, the feeling of Junwook’s slightly rough skin rubbing against his, slick with oil, was surprisingly pleasant. Junwook’s pubic hair was now rubbing against his perineum. It was a completely different sensation from having soft skin tickled. It was a dark, primal feeling that sent shivers down his spine.

“Caught your breath? Ready?”

Junwook thrust his hips once, and Hooyoung squeezed his eyes shut, his body trembling. He forced himself to hold back any sounds. He didn’t understand why Junwook kept asking when he wasn’t going to wait for an answer anyway. As if he was going to do as he pleased regardless of the response. Well, it seemed like his personality.

“It doesn’t hurt, right? I loosened you up perfectly, didn’t I?”

“Hmm, yes…”

With all that oil and the preparation, it didn’t hurt. That didn’t mean it wasn’t uncomfortable, though. It had been so long, and the size was so significant that every thrust brought considerable pressure. Every movement of Junwook’s hips elicited a moan from Hooyoung.

“Ugh… Huh!”

Even though he wasn’t moving that fast yet, his body felt like it was melting. He forced his heavy eyelids open to look at Junwook above him, and even through his blurry vision, Junwook looked incredibly pleased. The satisfied smile on his face made Hooyoung’s lips curve upwards involuntarily.

“Hooyoung, you look really… when you’re panting and smiling like that.”

Junwook dragged some of the oil that had dripped down to the side with his hand and carefully spread it over Hooyoung’s chest again. He pinched both nipples, pulling them hard and then releasing them repeatedly. Of course, his hips didn’t stop moving. Every time he dug his nails into the dip of his nipples and thrust deep inside, Hooyoung shuddered and cried out.

“Really, hmm, really what?”

“Fucking hot.”

Junwook flicked Hooyoung’s now-hard penis with his finger, and seeing him tremble, lowered himself to kiss him. It was a deep kiss, their mouths wide open as he thrust his tongue in, practically injecting his saliva.

“I want to suck here too.”

Junwook trailed kisses down his jawline, lingering on his collarbone before moving upwards.

“…Huh?”

Hooyoung, not understanding at first, flinched and recoiled as he saw where Junwook’s face was headed.

“W-w-why are you coming there? Ah, huh! W-wait!”

If the usual progression was from collarbone to chest, Junwook, after sucking on his nipple, moved past it, upwards. Towards his smooth, white, hairless armpit.

“I, I, I’m sweaty!”

While his lower body was being relentlessly pounded, his upper body was being invaded in a place that was not only embarrassing but absolutely forbidden. Hooyoung practically flailed, pushing Junwook away. His hands kept slipping because of the oil, but he finally managed to grab Junwook’s shoulders and stop him.

“I put oil on. It’s okay.”

As if his efforts were in vain, Junwook slid over Hooyoung’s body, returning his lips to their original destination.

“I’ll just suck once.”

“Ah, this is a bit, a bit too much!”

He could vividly feel Junwook’s tongue against his armpit. It tickled, but he couldn’t move properly for fear of sweating more. His face was flushed crimson, almost as if it would burst.

“It only smells like oil. And it’s incredibly chewy.”

Junwook, having licked and sniffed his armpit, grinned and vigorously resumed thrusting his hips.

“Hmm, ah, deep, deep!”

“I haven’t even started from behind yet. Why is it deep?”

Whether it was the oil or the fact that it had been a while, Junwook’s penis felt particularly ferocious today. Like a cylinder straight out of a math textbook, it dug deeper into his inner walls, and Hooyoung felt like he was dying.

“Ah, ugh! It’s too much, haah!”

The moment the hard glans hit his deepest point, Hooyoung shuddered, his head thrown back. A wave of heat washed over him, and his body felt like it wasn’t his own.

“Here it is.”

“Hmm, no, ugh! Huh!”

Saying no was useless. Junwook, his eyes shining as if he had struck gold, lifted one knee.

“…I, to see this, huh?”

He thrust so hard that his words were lost in the thwack, thwack of flesh hitting flesh. Hooyoung could only writhe, lost in the sensation. The overwhelming pleasure brought tears to his eyes and saliva to his mouth, but he didn’t even notice.

“Haa, ah, too much, ugh!”

“You look like you’re dying of pleasure.”

When Hooyoung shook his head frantically in denial, Junwook thrust his hips again, pinching and pulling at his nipples.

“Haaah!”

“Liar.”

“Hmm, don’t, don’t do that…”

Hooyoung practically begged, trying to remove the hand on his chest, but it was already too late.

“Do you like it, or not?”

“Ah, ahh! I, I like it. Hmm!”

As he reached his peak, tears streamed down Hooyoung’s face. Junwook straightened his lifted leg and placed both of Hooyoung’s legs on his shoulders.

“Ahh, I’m going to, hmm! I’m going to cum!”

His vision alternated between white and black. He couldn’t withstand the force pounding down from above, grinding against his inner walls.

“Huh!”

With a sharp cry, Hooyoung went limp, his body convulsing slightly. He barely managed to raise his arms to cover his face. With his legs on Junwook’s shoulders, the trembling of his body in the aftermath of his orgasm was clearly visible.

“Haa…”

Junwook had worked his prostate so thoroughly that semen had spurted out without him even touching himself, reaching past his chest and near his collarbone. His hips were raised high, so it was inevitable, but the feeling of the sticky, white fluid dripping down his face was incredibly embarrassing.

“Are you going to cum by yourself again?”

“…Ah! W-wait! I just, I just came! Ugh!”

Who made him cum in the first place? Hooyoung felt wronged, but he couldn’t protest as Junwook resumed thrusting his hips.

“Huh, right now, ugh!”

It felt like a red-hot poker was being jabbed into his already sensitized body.

“Wait, ahh! Ah, no…”

Tears welled up in Hooyoung’s eyes.

“Not there, not there! Hmm, not too deep, hmm, ugh!”

It hadn’t been long since he climaxed, but Junwook was stimulating his prostate again. He thrust as deep as he could, grinding against him. He spread Hooyoung’s knees as wide as possible, almost touching the bed, and continued to pound into him.

“Ah, ah! Stop…”

“No.”

He said no, yet he paused to kiss him.

“Hmm, I, I just, hmm! I just came!”

No matter how much Hooyoung pleaded, Junwook’s hips didn’t stop.

“Ah! If you do more, I’ll, I’ll cum again, huh!”

His waist trembled again, his inner walls clenching around Junwook’s penis involuntarily. Junwook responded by thrusting even harder, pushing deeper inside.

“Ah, ah! Really, too much! Hmm…”

Before he could finish saying it was too much, more fluid leaked from Hooyoung’s limp penis, near his lower abdomen. A clear, watery fluid slowly dribbled down.

Similarly, with a low groan, Junwook thrust his hips deep inside and came, filling Hooyoung completely, not leaving a single drop of semen behind. With each surge of semen, Junwook watched Hooyoung’s hair tremble.

“You came again?”

Wasn’t that an inappropriate thing to say while kissing him tenderly all over? Hooyoung, his body still slightly trembling, fumbled for the sheets and covered his face. He was too embarrassed to look at Junwook.

“I, I told you I was going to cum again, to stop…”

“Yeah, you’re pretty, pretty. I wanted to keep looking because you’re so pretty.”

Junwook slowly pulled out and lay down, holding Hooyoung close.

“Aren’t you going to clean up the sheets? Let me see your face.”

“…A little later. Not now.”

“Okay, okay. Do as you please, Hooyoung.”

Both Hooyoung and Junwook lay quietly, catching their breath. It had been a while since they had sex, and a while since they had held each other like this afterwards. Hooyoung felt suddenly drowsy. He felt like he might fall asleep.

“…Sleepy.”

“Huh? Already? No way. We’ve only done it once.”

“…I haven’t.”

At his grumpy, dissatisfied tone, Junwook chuckled and slipped his arm under Hooyoung’s neck. He also pulled down the sheet that was covering Hooyoung’s face and draped it over his body.

“Should we sleep for 10 minutes and do it again?”

“…We’ll see.”

“Okay, okay.”

Hooyoung, his eyes heavy, looked at Junwook, feeling the gentle pats on his back.

“Have you thought about what you want?”

…The mood had been so good until just now. Hooyoung closed his eyes without answering.

“I told you I’d help with anything I can. If there’s anything you need, think about it.”

…I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that and sleep deeply.

Sometimes, when you sleep too deeply, you wake up suddenly with a strange sense of déjà vu. That’s what happened to Hooyoung today. He had fallen asleep, completely exhausted, but now his eyes snapped open. He could dimly make out his surroundings, the first light of dawn filtering in. It was bright enough to see without turning on the lights, but dim enough that he would need to walk slowly to avoid bumping into anything.

“Ugh…”

A groan escaped his lips as he sat up. He glanced to the side, startled, and saw Junwook, who had been facing him, stir slightly and then turn to face the other way. He must have changed the sheets and cleaned him up while he was sleeping, because both his body and the bed were spotless.

Hooyoung watched Junwook for a moment, making sure he was still asleep, and then carefully got out of bed. Remembering his pants and underwear, discarded in a corner of the room, he tiptoed out, retrieving them as he went.

Ah, it’s not good for my body if I can’t sleep like this. Hooyoung, a firm believer in the importance of restful sleep for athletes, muttered, stepping out of the room and fumbling to put on his underwear. But he was already wide awake, and there was nothing he could do about it. He had never experienced this before while sleeping next to Junwook in America. Perhaps it was because it was their first time having sex in a while, or maybe Junwook felt more distant than before, or perhaps it was because this relationship wasn’t as simple as it had been in America.

“Ah, why am I so thoughtless, Lee Hooyoung…”

Standing in front of the mirror in the living room, Hooyoung looked down at his body and muttered to himself. It was covered in mottled marks. This made him dread changing clothes in the locker room on Monday. He would definitely have to shower at the dormitory for a while. The funny thing was that his body, saturated with oil, was practically gleaming. It felt incredibly soft to the touch. He already showered at least twice a day and diligently applied lotion, but today his skin felt excessively nourished.

“Ugh. With this, I don’t need to put on anything for at least three days.”

Hooyoung finished dressing and sat down on the living room sofa. He needed some time alone to think, rather than lying next to Junwook. Really, after practically draining me with sex, how could he say that at the end?

‘Have you thought about what you want?’

Asking him to name his price for sex, was that really something to say so tenderly? With those honey-dripping eyes and that husky voice, really?

‘I told you I’d help with anything I can. If there’s anything you need, think about it.’

As if he would grant every wish? How could he know what he would ask for? He felt unreasonably frustrated. They had sex, and all Junwook could think about was what he should give him in return, about compensation. Only he, like a fool, had been lost in the pleasure. Really.

“Ah, this is embarrassing.”

Hooyoung, his face sullen, hugged a sofa cushion. Leaning back almost as if lying down, he pouted and wondered if he had been a fool. He had known it couldn’t be the same as in America, yet throughout their renewed contact, and even during sex at his house, he had deluded himself, or rather, looked the other way. But no matter how much he thought about it, it wasn’t entirely his fault, was it? Wasn’t it Junwook’s fault for treating him with such affection?

Hmph. Hooyoung glared at the closed door of Junwook’s bedroom. Ugh, how sly. Bewitching people with words and body. Of course, it was something he couldn’t say to his face. From the beginning, team owner Eun Junwook and America’s Eun Junwook had to coexist, but he had foolishly tried to keep only one, and that’s why this had happened. And he had focused on America’s Eun Junwook, naively and foolishly.

“What kind of bonus is he talking about, anyway? Is he going to set a price per sex act or something?”

Is he like those guys who pay five thousand won per sex act? Only Hooyoung’s grumbling voice could be heard in the quiet living room. He wasn’t good at expressing his inner thoughts openly, so he tended to do it when he was alone.

Junwook was Junwook, and basketball was basketball. No matter how rich, how powerful, how omnipotent Junwook was, he couldn’t help his basketball career. If he accepted money, it would help with his debt, but the important thing was that he didn’t want to. Besides, no matter how rich Junwook was, he couldn’t repay all his debts with just compensation for sex.

He also had a personal desire to stand before Junwook simply as Lee Hooyoung, the skilled basketball player, without any conditions. Even if Junwook, the decision-maker, didn’t see him that way.

“I don’t really want anything even if we meet without any conditions. Honestly.”

Even though he had grown up in difficult circumstances, even though he was used to bowing his head and expressing gratitude for the support he received, Hooyoung was a professional athlete. A fundamental virtue of an athlete was a competitive spirit that kept them awake at night after a loss, and a stubbornness like a bull. This applied to Hooyoung as well.

“If he’s going to treat me as he pleases, I’ll do the same.”

It wasn’t a serious relationship, and it wouldn’t last. Junwook didn’t have the will, and he wasn’t in a position to. It would end someday, so wasn’t it pointless to worry about it now? Things like compensation and bonuses, things that made him feel cheap, he could just take as he pleased. So, Junwook in his own way, and him in his own way.

“Each in our own way. Casually. Thoughtlessly.”

Muttering this small resolution, Hooyoung jumped up from the sofa and rubbed his stomach. He was thirsty, and the sex had taken a toll on his energy. He felt hesitant about going into someone else’s kitchen, but it was dawn, and he couldn’t wake Junwook, so quietly going in and out without leaving a trace was the best option. He was rich, so he probably wouldn’t mind him having a small snack.

As expected, the kitchen was clean and well-equipped. A peek inside the refrigerator revealed it was fully stocked with food, and various drinks were neatly arranged in rows.

“…Wow.”

And what stopped Hooyoung in his tracks was the cupboard next to the refrigerator. Within easy reach, there were rows of small, luxurious snacks, perfect for this moment. It looked like none of them had been touched, with no empty spaces. But Hooyoung’s eyes weren’t on the snacks, but on something else above them.

All sorts of supplements, clearly expensive and reputable brands, filled the shelves. Multivitamins, probiotics, omega-3, magnesium, lutein, red ginseng… it was hard to even read them all. He gulped. His mouth watered involuntarily. He didn’t remember seeing anything like this in Junwook’s American house. Lucky him. I’m envious. This is what it means to be rich.

Hooyoung’s eyes darted around.

“What are you doing?”

Junwook emerged from his room just as Hooyoung had eaten about half of a palm-sized cookie. He must have come out looking for him, as one of his eyes was still half-closed. Hooyoung, startled, turned around with the cookie bag in his hand, and Junwook approached him with a snort.

“Were you hungry? There’s plenty of food in the refrigerator. Why eat cookies instead of something else?”

“…I didn’t know if I could. And the cookies in this house look expensive, so, um, I thought they would be healthy.”

“You’re hilarious. Cookies are cookies.”

Junwook laughed, as if incredulous, but Hooyoung decided not to mention that he had already opened the refrigerator. Actually, in America, he had treated it like his own house, opening it and eating whatever he wanted. Hooyoung scratched his chest with his cookie-free hand. It felt strangely itchy, as if something was pricking him.

“I’ll get you some water.”

“No!”

His sudden outburst made his voice crack. Junwook, who had been heading to the kitchen, opened his other eye wide and stared at Hooyoung.

“Huh?”

“…I already have water.”

Hooyoung smiled awkwardly, holding up the small water bottle on the coffee table. Hmm. He looked so obviously guilty that a playful expression spread across Junwook’s face.

“Suspicious.”

“…Well.”

“Yeah, well?”

Junwook quickly scanned Hooyoung, muttering to himself. When did he get dressed? I would have been disappointed if he had put on socks too.

“I had some snacks. Not just cookies, other things too.”

Hooyoung shifted slightly, and on the table he gestured towards, several empty wrappers were visible. He seemed to have eaten quite a bit.

“I thought it was something else.”

Junwook walked over and sat next to Hooyoung on the sofa. Right next to him, too close. Hooyoung, feeling flustered, tried to subtly move his buttocks away, but as if anticipating this, Junwook pulled him closer, trapping him in his embrace.

“Why are you running away?”

“…I’m not.”

“You are. Is it a habit of yours to run away after sex?”

“No, it’s not.”

Run away after sex? Of course, he had done it, but how could Junwook accuse him like that? …Of course, he couldn’t say that out loud, so he just stared, conveying his feelings with his eyes. Junwook, amused by something, smiled and stroked Hooyoung’s face.

It hadn’t even been an hour since he had resolved to treat him casually, without getting swept away. Why am I so spineless? Hooyoung stared blankly at Junwook’s smiling face and shook his head.

“Okay. Let’s say you don’t.”

Junwook hugged Hooyoung like a bolster, leaning back deeply. Hooyoung, not wanting to spill cookie crumbs on the sofa, stretched his arms forward and brushed them off.

“Let’s sleep a little longer.”

“Just a moment, let me put this down.”

“What should we do after we wake up?”

Hooyoung, having found a gap between the arms holding him, tossed the cookies onto the table and snuggled back into Junwook’s embrace. On the basketball court, his small stature and relatively small build compared to other positions were always a complex, but right now, it wasn’t bad. It was strange not to feel inferior to someone bigger than him. It even felt cozy. Feeling ticklish, he wiggled his toes, hidden from Junwook’s view.

“You smell good.” Junwook buried his face in the crook of Hooyoung’s neck, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Of course, he would smell good after being doused with oil. Hooyoung lifted his arm and sniffed it. A sweet scent wafted from his skin.

“Have you thought about it?”

“About what?”

Hooyoung, who had only been thinking about what they would do today after waking up, asked back, assuming Junwook was referring to their plans.

“I asked if you need anything. Think about it. Things like a car take time to arrange.”

Did he really have to say this while holding him so tenderly? Hooyoung, his back to Junwook, frowned.

“…Not yet.”

“Think about it quickly. Hurry up.”

What’s the rush? Annoying. He was annoyed that Junwook was offering to do something for him, annoyed that he couldn’t express his annoyance, annoyed at everything. He just had to brush it off. Delay it so much that he forgot about it. He couldn’t say it outright, but he wouldn’t just go along with whatever Junwook wanted.

“After we wake up…”

“Oh, I think I have to go out this morning.”

Junwook, who had been about to drift back to sleep, sat up at Hooyoung’s words.

“Go out?”

“Yes.”

“It’s the weekend. You don’t have training, do you?”

That’s right. But just because he didn’t have training didn’t mean he had promised to spend his weekend at Junwook’s house. It was Hooyoung’s subtle way of rebelling.

“…I have an appointment.”

“An appointment?”

Junwook tilted his head slightly, looking at him with a blank expression. From their phone call to last night, he had mostly been smiling, but now he seemed cold. It was a little, just a little frightening.

“What kind of appointment?”

Maybe he had gotten a little carried away because it was after they had slept together, and Junwook had been so affectionate. Meeting Junwook’s gaze, Hooyoung quickly came to his senses. But he still had a sliver of pride left, so he couldn’t admit to lying. He came up with the most appropriate excuse. It was something he had to do soon anyway.

“I have to go see my grandmother.”

“Your grandmother?”

“Yes.”

Strangely, just by mentioning his grandmother, Hooyoung felt a sudden surge of longing for her. And he felt guilty for using her as an excuse, when he hadn’t initially planned to visit her out of genuine concern. He felt uneasy for various reasons.

🏀

Hooyoung left Junwook’s house early in the morning, after getting some more sleep. Junwook simply watched him put on his shoes at the entrance, leaning against the wall, without saying a word. He didn’t seem pleased with the situation, but since Hooyoung had mentioned his grandmother, he seemed to be letting him go. Hooyoung could feel Junwook’s gaze on his back until the very moment he stepped outside, but he walked away resolutely. He felt strongly that he shouldn’t use his grandmother as an excuse.

He stopped by the dormitory to change his clothes and then headed straight for the bus stop. It had actually been about a month since he last saw his grandmother. It had been a while. He hadn’t visited her often, using the excuse of being busy with training and other things. The distance between the clubhouse where the dormitory and training grounds were located and the hospital was far, and lately, his mind had been preoccupied with his salary negotiations and Junwook.

I’m such an unfilial grandson. Looking out the bus window, he saw the familiar scenery that always accompanied the trip to Seoul. In elementary school, he had played basketball because it was fun. In middle school, because he was good at it. From high school onwards, he had played diligently to make his grandparents happy. They were the ones who said they felt alive seeing their grandson excel at basketball. They couldn’t afford expensive tonics, but they never let him wear a smelly uniform.

“Hello.”

Hooyoung bowed his head to the receptionist and headed straight for his grandmother’s room. After she collapsed, the hospital had said that her recovery would be slow and difficult due to her age, but he hadn’t hesitated to move out of the room he shared with her to cover the hospital bills. It hadn’t taken long to make the decision to move out, receive his deposit, and pay the hospital bills. He had done everything in a flash. He knew that if the loan sharks found out about his 20 million won deposit, they would demand he pay off his debt.

However, the loan shark, upon learning the truth, hadn’t said much to his face. He had just stared at him intently, tilting his head and saying,

“It’s old age, the prognosis is clear. Did you really have to move out of your tiny room for that?”

“…Yes.”

“If it were me, I would have at least paid off some of my debt… Well, with how much you owe, what difference would 20 million won make anyway?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I can’t really complain about you paying for your only remaining grandmother’s hospital bills. But…”