WOPE Ch 6

At least, Hooyoung thought he’d be reprimanded, but it was unexpected.

“Even if I think that way, our superiors won’t.”

This young loan shark with a delinquent impression had indeed achieved a position much higher than his age due to his extraordinary mind, but he wasn’t the head of the organization. If this man’s boss wanted to punish him for defiance, they could do so easily. They could bring up all sorts of unreasonable and absurd contract clauses to raise the interest rate or increase the debt.

“I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Huh?”

“I’m kindly offering to keep it a secret. I’ll make sure the underlings keep their mouths shut too.”

After a moment of bewilderment, Hooyoung bowed his head low and thanked him repeatedly. He must have said thank you at least ten times.

He had gotten away with it, but honestly, he still wondered why he was spared. It was true that the loan shark treated him particularly well. Thinking about it, it was him who allowed him to continue playing basketball instead of sending him to a deep-sea fishing vessel. Hooyoung overheard his subordinates saying that he persuaded his superiors that it wouldn’t be a loss as long as he collected the high-interest debt later.

It would be good if the loan shark treated him specially, but strangely, the man was quite frightening. It wasn’t because he felt any pity or saw him as a poor young man. Maybe it was because a certain memory was too intense.

In high school, his coach, who cared for him deeply, suggested he renounce his inheritance, offering to help him. He had briefly dreamt of a bright future with his grandparents after learning about inheritance renunciation, but that was because he had no clue how wicked the organization was from which his father had borrowed money.

One day, after men with fierce expressions ransacked their house several times, asking if the debt would disappear just because he renounced the inheritance, the man entered the house alone. Hooyoung briefly thought it would be okay today since the huge, intimidating men weren’t there. But in the blink of an eye, his wrist was in the man’s grip, a knife point aimed at it, as if it would pierce through any second.

“Go ahead and try renouncing the inheritance. But your grandson’s wrist will go with it. If we don’t get our money, your grandson’s life is over. No matter what, our guys will definitely cut off both of these wrists. Ah, it would be fun if he couldn’t hold a basketball anymore, right?”

The tip of the knife was almost touching his skin. He felt that if the man applied even the slightest pressure, his hand would be gone. After that, he completely gave up on renouncing the inheritance or receiving any legal help.

Hooyoung quietly opened the hospital room door and walked to the corner. His grandmother, with wrinkles all over her face and hands, lay quietly with a ventilator. She had been unconscious for quite a while. The doctor said she was on life support and that it was time to make a decision.

“Our grandmother is still so beautiful.”

The prepaid hospital bills were running low, and he had heard a lot about how life support only prolongs the patient’s suffering, so he knew he had to prepare himself mentally, but it was difficult right now. Even though she couldn’t speak to him, even though she couldn’t hold his hand and call him her precious one, the mere fact that she was still there was a comfort.

“Grandma.”

Hooyoung whispered softly into her ear, careful not to disturb the other patients in the room.

“I’m eating a lot and playing basketball really well. Don’t worry.”

He sat there for over an hour, holding her hand, combing her hair, and then left the hospital, promising to visit more often before the season started. Honestly, there wasn’t much he could do other than sit quietly beside her as she lay there with her eyes closed.

🏀

Another week began. Hooyoung woke up around his usual time, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and went outside. Just as he expected, his phone rang. It would be Junwook, without a doubt.

Hmm… He hadn’t contacted Junwook separately after visiting his grandmother at the hospital. He had done it out of petty defiance, but after a day had passed, he wondered if it had been too presumptuous. He also wondered, just in case, what if Junwook didn’t contact him? It would be ridiculous for him to contact Junwook first. While he was pondering this, the call disconnected, followed by a message.

[Don’t ignore me while you’re looking at your phone.]

Huh. How did he know? Startled, Hooyoung quickly dried his face with a towel and picked up his phone. The call came right back.

“Hello?”

—You ignored me on purpose.

“No? I just got out of the shower…”

—You’re funny.

“……It’s true.”

It was a lie. He couldn’t have possibly seen him. Yet, feeling incredibly guilty, he looked around the ceiling of his room. Just in case, a very slight chance, there might be a CCTV that shouldn’t be there.

—Lee Hooyoung.

“Yes?”

Human emotions are truly fickle. Sitting on the bed, Hooyoung felt a ticklish sensation and scratched his chest lightly. Junwook’s voice, right after waking up, sounded attractive. Maybe because two days had passed, his sulky feelings had subsided a bit. Well, it was honestly funny that he was sulking at Junwook in the first place.

—In America, you know.

The American story again. Hooyoung’s face fell. Even after spending the night together, even after mixing their bodies to the point of being almost one, what happened in America stayed in America. What was he going to say this time?

“Yes……”

—How did we usually contact each other?

Contact? The day after we first slept together, I contacted him. It was because Junwook had told him, “Contact me when you get home.” He had contacted him with a heart filled with excitement, as if he had just bought a cell phone for the first time and was contacting his friends, or as if he had just discovered the text messaging function. And then, Junwook contacted him the next day, he thought. “When do you want to meet?”, “Where should we meet?”, “I’m coming now.” Those were the main contents, so it wasn’t much of a contact.

“Yes?”

—Unless your fingers are broken, contact me first sometimes.

“Ah……”

—It’s like what I said about meeting up like we did in America. Do you know how awkward it was when you went to see your grandmother and I couldn’t contact you?

Ah, he sounds like a lover complaining about not being contacted. Hooyoung fiddled with the hem of his shorts on his thigh. Or is he a sponsor complaining about not being contacted? It’s unfair for someone who’s supposed to give material things in exchange for sex to say things like this. It would have been easier if he had just told him to come over now, or to leave, or something like that.

“I will.”

Besides, hasn’t Junwook been contacting him first every morning lately? Hooyoung recalled Junwook’s words about meeting like they did in America, offering to be a bonus. Anyway, the man was perfectly his type, and he didn’t dislike him. When would he get another chance to meet a man like this? Let’s think of it as taking good, expensive herbal medicine that he can’t afford. Very expensive herbal medicine.

—Okay. Does training end at the same time today?

“Yes……”

Hmm… It’s the same schedule every Monday through Friday, but is he trying to see him again today? After seeing his grandmother, Hooyoung had been holed up in his dorm. He had barely recovered by doing some light stretching and avoiding strenuous exercise. It was fortunate that he had fallen asleep; if they had done it several times in a row, he might not have had the energy to visit his grandmother.

—What’s with that iffy answer?

“……Well, that’s…”

—Yes, well, that’s…

Glancing at the clock, he still had some time before he had to leave.

“On weekdays, um… considering the training and the upcoming games in the season… that’s…”

—Ah.

As he hesitated, stumbling over his words, Junwook, as always, understood first.

—It’s hard to have sex on weekdays? So I should be considerate and refrain from it?

“No, that’s not what I meant!”

While the meaning wasn’t entirely wrong, he hadn’t meant it so aggressively. And Junwook was the team owner and he was a player on the team, so wouldn’t it be better for Junwook if he took care of his body during the off-season and played well during the season to achieve good results?

—Then what do you mean?

Junwook’s voice was full of amusement, as if he was teasing him. It’s always like this. He knows what he means, but he just laughs and beats around the bush.

“……You know what I mean.”

—I don’t know. Tell me directly.

“So, on weekdays, it’s a bit… um, a little, a little…”

How about we reduce the amount of sex we have? The words he couldn’t bring himself to say lingered in his throat.

—Hooyoung.

Junwook called him in a languid voice.

“Yes?”

—Lee Hooyoung, is your head filled with nothing but having sex with me? I was going to suggest having dinner together today. Since you left early, you didn’t eat properly.

“Ah……”

—Oh, pervert.

Me?! Hooyoung’s eyes widened at the word pervert. He was about to protest, asking why he was the pervert, but the call had already ended.

After the awkward call, Hooyoung hurried to the training ground. He was a little worried about being late, but fortunately, he arrived just in time to prepare for training with Hojin.

“Hey, Hooyoung.”

Hojin tapped him on the shoulder as he was busy filling the refrigerator with drinks.

“Yeah?”

“What did you do over the weekend?”

“I went to see my grandmother.”

I slept with the team owner and visited my grandmother. Hmm, thinking about it this way, it makes me seem like quite the amazing person, doesn’t it? Hooyoung focused on not blurting out what was on his mind as he grabbed a drink.

“What did you eat?”

“Uh, food?”

What’s with him today? Hooyoung, who was in charge of the lower shelves, looked up at Hojin. Hojin had an expression as if he was observing him. What? Is there something on my face?

“……Why? Is there something on my face? I just ate what I always eat.”

“No, but your skin looks particularly glowing today. You don’t seem tired even though it’s Monday.”

Now that he mentioned it, he felt lighter than usual today. Usually, both he and Hojin would complain about not wanting to exercise and hating Mondays every Monday morning since their college days. Hmm… Does talking on the phone in the morning wake him up better? It was a particularly refreshing Monday.

“I’ve been suspicious since last week. Be honest. The team gave you something good for your body, didn’t they?”

“……What are you talking about?”

“You were flying on Friday, and your face is bright today. There’s no other explanation than some kind of tonic. Tell me honestly. Did they give you ginseng? Or maybe only the starting players?”

Tonic? Something good for the body? …Uh… Hooyoung’s face flushed slightly.

“I… I think I ate something good for my body.”

“You little rascal! I knew it!”

Hojin clapped his hands as if he had been proven right and slapped Hooyoung’s back, urging him to tell him quickly, but Hooyoung had nothing to say. It wasn’t given to him by the team. …It was given to him by the team owner.

“Ah, just… um, ahem. I ate something delicious.”

Was it delicious? Is it right to call it delicious? Hooyoung tilted his head and pondered, but didn’t offer any further explanation.

“But why is your face red?”

“When was my face red?!”

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Hooyoung jumped up in surprise at Hojin’s words.

“Oh! The seniors are coming! I’ll prepare the towels!”

“Hey! Finish what you were saying! Hey!”

Hooyoung ran across the court. Lately, he’d been running at full speed even when he wasn’t playing a game. Like when he ran away from Junwook’s house a few days ago, and now.

Thanks to his strangely refreshed body, Hooyoung did well in training today. Everyone complimented him on how light he felt. The coach and the manager gave him thumbs up. He kept smiling, feeling good for various reasons.

“The foreign players will be joining next week, so get used to them, and we’ll be going on a training camp soon, so be prepared.”

After training, everyone gathered in a circle to say goodbye, and the coach mentioned the training camp. Usually, basketball teams went to training camp right before the season started to improve their physical condition and play a few practice games with local teams. This was Hooyoung and Hojin’s first training camp since joining the professional team.

“Has it been decided where we’re going?”

The senior players, being more experienced, immediately asked where they were going as soon as the coach finished speaking.

“It hasn’t been decided yet, but it’s usually the same places. The Philippines is most likely, or we might go somewhere warm in Korea like last year, just to work on our physical conditioning.”

“Ah, it’s still better to go abroad if possible.”

The seniors looked genuinely disappointed. Playing practice games with foreign teams was a valuable experience in basketball. Since only five players play at a time, and it’s not a sport with a large pool of players like baseball or soccer, it’s difficult to be selected for the national team, and it’s not easy to gain experience with various foreign teams.

“Who doesn’t know that? We need to at least reach the playoffs, get some good results, to even suggest going abroad this time. Hmm.”

The senior, who had needlessly brought up the topic, quietly shut his mouth after being hit with the facts. No matter how much they tried to maintain a positive atmosphere during practice, lower-ranked teams would occasionally sink like this, uncontrollably. It wasn’t just one year of poor team performance, but several years in a row, so everyone was becoming more sensitive.

Hooyoung and Hojin exchanged glances and subtly lowered their heads. It was best for the juniors to stay out of sight at times like these.

“Still, since the head of the sports division has changed and all, let’s talk to the general manager and try to go to the Philippines at least.”

Alright, everyone gather around. In the somewhat unsettled atmosphere, everyone raised an arm and shouted “Fighting!” to end the training. Hooyoung and Hojin were relieved that it had ended smoothly, despite feeling a little apprehensive. As they were walking to clean up, one of the seniors stopped Hooyoung.

“Hey, Hooyoung.”

“Yes, hyung.”

Turning around, it was Lee Taehoon, a senior who had joined two years before him. He was a 195cm forward picked third overall in the first round, and the ace who had carried the team before him. However, he hadn’t quite lived up to expectations, and injuries had hampered his progress, forcing him to spend most of last season in rehabilitation. This season was crucial not only for Hooyoung but also for Taehoon.

“Hey, throw me some assists. You’re a guard with a wide view, but you can’t see when I’m open?”

“Huh?”

“If I’m open, give me the ball right away. Don’t just try to shine on your own. Let’s try to survive together, okay?”

Taehoon smacked the back of Hooyoung’s head with his palm and walked past him. It wasn’t a hard hit, but being on the back of the head, it didn’t feel good.

“……What’s with him?”

Hojin, a loyal friend, glared in the direction Taehoon had left and rubbed the back of Hooyoung’s head.

“It’s not that he can’t see you; it’s that you’re not open because you haven’t mastered the patterns, right? Anyone would think Hooyoung would just hand out assists to anyone who asks.”

“It’s okay, Hojin. Stop it. He’ll hear you.”

The biggest difference he felt in professional basketball was the sheer number and complexity of the plays compared to college basketball. There were dozens of patterns they practiced during the off-season, and these were applied differently depending on the game and the characteristics of the players on the court. He couldn’t help but feel that the role of a guard was even more important than in college. He had to direct these numerous patterns on the court and also create opportunities for the foreign players, who were the main scorers.

“Hey, Hooyoung. Don’t be a pushover. Got it?”

“……Do you think I’m stupid? I’m not going to just hand out assists to anyone who asks. If I mess up the game because of that, it’s my responsibility.”

“Aw, our Hooyoung is all grown up. Even though he’s still 180cm?”

“……It’s 181.4. I’ll kill you if you say I’m 180cm somewhere. Say 181.4, every decimal place.”

While the different play styles were the difference on the court, the difference off the court was the players’ sense of responsibility and pressure. In college, poor stats or slumps were solely his responsibility since it wasn’t his profession, but in professional basketball, it was different. With the high salaries came double or triple the stress when he underperformed. That’s why people like Taehoon existed.

Hooyoung’s mood was slightly dampened by Taehoon’s last remark, but he finished cleaning up and headed to the locker room. He thought of it as a minor incident, and more importantly, it was now his enjoyable lunchtime. Wondering what was on the menu today, he arrived at the locker room and turned on his phone. There was a message from Junwook.

[Call me.]

It meant to call him, remembering their earlier conversation about contacting first. Well, he did agree to it, but did he need to be reminded like this? Hooyoung looked around the locker room as he prepared to call. Hojin was getting ready to shower, and a few seniors were changing their clothes.

“Where are you going?”

“I left something on the court. I’ll be right back!”

He hurried out into the empty hallway, even though he hadn’t left anything, and picked up his phone. The familiar, unsaved number was in his call history.

—Hello.

As if he had been waiting, Junwook answered the phone after only a short ring.

“Hi, it’s me.”

—Oh, why?

Why? You told me to contact you. Sitting on a chair in the hallway, Hooyoung bit his nails, thinking about what to say.

“You texted me to contact you……”

—Ah, Hooyoung.

Junwook called him in a deflated voice, as if he’d lost some steam.

“Yes?”

—Do it again. Oh, why?

What does he mean, do it again? Why am I the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on? Anyway, since he said to do it again, he had to answer differently. Hooyoung replayed their previous conversations in his mind. There wasn’t anything particularly special about them. Um, like a usual contact, as if they were in America… Ah?

“Have you had lunch?”

—Yeah, you?

A crisp reply followed by Junwook’s chuckle. Junwook meant for him to pretend he hadn’t initiated the contact because of his message. As if Hooyoung had contacted him first for no particular reason.

“I’m about to go eat.”

—Okay. Keep chatting. How was practice?

“Practice was the same as always, so there’s not much to say. Oh, we’re going to training camp soon.”

—Training camp? For how long? Has the location been decided?

“Usually, it’s about a week, but I don’t know where we’re going yet. It could be the Philippines, or if it’s domestic, it could be Jeju or Tongyeong…”

I’ve never been to the Philippines. I wonder if the food is good there? If we go domestically, I’ve been to Tongyeong a few times, so I’d prefer Jeju.

—Ah, so you’re saying we should have a lot of sex before you go? Is that what you wanted to say?

“Huh?”

—Isn’t that why you brought up the training camp? Right? Oh, I’ve been thinking since this morning, Hooyoung, maybe because you’re an athlete, but your stamina is seriously no joke.

Flustered by Junwook’s teasing, Hooyoung stammered. As always, laughter erupted. He was still shy and embarrassed when sexual topics were mixed into their everyday conversations, and he found it awkward to respond naturally.

—Alright, alright. We can see each other as much as possible before you go.

He’d only mentioned the two words “training camp,” and it had turned into “let’s see each other a lot before you go.” It was absurd that it had played out exactly as he wished, but seeing each other a lot before he left… well… it’s not bad.

—So where do you want to go?

“Huh?”

—For the training camp. You said the Philippines, Jeju, or Tongyeong. Where do you want to go?

“This is my first professional training camp, so I don’t know where is good. The seniors said it’s important to go abroad and play against local teams……”

—So you want to go abroad? The Philippines? Do you like the Philippines?

Is he going to tease me in a different way again, saying ‘You seem to like being away from me?’ if I say I want to go? While Hooyoung was harboring these suspicions, he suddenly heard Junwook typing and clicking his mouse, sounding not very busy.

—Choose. The Philippines, Okinawa, Hawaii.

“Huh? What am I supposed to choose?”

—I’ll send you wherever you want.

Hooyoung’s eyes widened. What, send me wherever I want? For the training camp?

“No, that’s not something I can decide…”

—Well, now you can. Hurry up and tell me. The Philippines, Okinawa, or Hawaii. You don’t say anything when I offer to buy you things, so at least do this. In return, I’ll send you wherever you want, and we’ll sleep together even on weekdays before you go, okay?

Hooyoung rubbed his neck vigorously. He couldn’t tell if the goosebumps were from sweat drying or from Junwook. He suddenly thought of his grandmother lying in the hospital. Grandma… is this good or bad?

Exhausted after giving his all in training, Hooyoung bowed repeatedly to his seniors and the coach and went up to his dorm room. Today, he showered after both the morning and afternoon training sessions. So, he had already gone back and forth between his dorm and the training ground more than three times.

“Why are you running back and forth so much today? Just shower here! You’re being such a fussbudget.”

“Whatever. I don’t want to wait, and our shower room is cramped. I don’t want to bring my shampoo and body wash from the dorm.”

He made excuses while carefully avoiding taking off his clothes. Hojin grumbled that he would rather wait and shower later, but Hooyoung stubbornly returned to his dorm.

“……It would have been a disaster if I had just undressed and showered without thinking.”

Entering the bathroom, Hooyoung clicked his tongue while looking at his reflection in the mirror. Junwook’s marks from Friday night were still visible. Even after using so much oil, it was still like this; if they hadn’t used it, there would probably be welts that would take over a week to disappear.

During morning practice, the memory had suddenly surfaced, leading to the comical scene of him raising his hand and excusing himself to the bathroom. As soon as he got there, he checked his exposed neck and chest, lifting his arms to inspect his underarms and sides for any other marks.

Fortunately, thanks to the oil, the visible areas only had faint traces if he looked closely. However, if he lifted his practice uniform even slightly, areas like his chest and sides were a minefield. He had been agonizing over it throughout the morning practice. In the end, he had put on an uncomfortable compression garment that he rarely wore when he returned to his dorm during lunch break.

Compression garments are tight-fitting functional sportswear worn under training clothes. They are high-tech clothing designed to aid blood circulation and speed up recovery through muscle compression. There was no harm in wearing them, but Hooyoung found them uncomfortable. It was certainly unexpected, considering his personality, which was willing to eat anything if it was good for him.

‘Oh, Hooyoung, what’s up? You usually don’t wear the ones the team provides because they’re uncomfortable.’

‘……I saw it while organizing my clothes, so I tried it on.’

He couldn’t say that he was diligently hiding the evidence because he didn’t want to accidentally brag about the amazing sex he had. He started the afternoon practice with a thick skin, but the compression garment was definitely still uncomfortable. Initially, it had been one of the things he had looked forward to the most about joining the professional team. The problem seemed to be the brand.

The HG Big Whales basketball team had a contract with an obscure domestic sportswear brand for their uniforms, shoes, and sportswear. Perhaps because they focused on imitating the functions of famous products without investing in development, most of the players purchased their shoes and sportswear with their own money. This was unthinkable for Hooyoung, who had to save every penny. He tried wearing the gear provided by the team, but it was simply too uncomfortable. The compression in unnecessary areas made him feel suffocated and unable to move.

“Uncomfortable, uncomfortable.”

Hooyoung muttered to himself as he sorted his laundry. When he came out of the shower, there was a message from Junwook.

[Traffic is bad. The door code is 220725, so go in first.]

Hooyoung planned to have dinner twice today. Once at the clubhouse at 5:30, and then again with Junwook. To compensate for eating twice, he ate a little less than usual and ran harder during night training.

Hooyoung left the dorm, anticipating both his second dinner and meeting Junwook. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a bad reward for a Monday. His steps toward the training center were light and buoyant.

Even though the owner had told him to go in first, being alone in someone else’s house felt strange. He had done everything he wanted, from checking the refrigerator to rummaging through the cupboard full of snacks and supplements. All that was left was to think. He had received another message on his way here.

[Decide on the training camp location before I arrive. One of the three: Philippines, Okinawa, Hawaii. If you don’t choose, it’s domestic.]

He wanted to ponder easier questions like what they would have for dinner, rather than difficult ones like the training camp location. The main dish at the clubhouse dinner today was stir-fried pork, which he didn’t particularly like, so he didn’t even have to try to eat less. Unable to bear the boredom any longer, Hooyoung stood up from the sofa. A sudden curiosity had struck him. There were a few things he could only do when Junwook wasn’t around.

Feeling like he had to tiptoe even though no one else was home, Hooyoung cautiously entered the bedroom and opened the drawer near the bed. It was the same drawer from which Junwook had taken out the oil last time.

“……Oh, wow.”

The drawer was packed. Condoms, lubricants, oils – all kinds of brands and varieties filled it to the brim. Hooyoung’s face flushed crimson. ……He called me a pervert. Yet, he couldn’t stop his hands from exploring. He had clearly said that he brought them from Seoul to use with him that day, so did that mean he intended to use all of these with him? What the…

Why am I getting excited? Just as his face was getting hot and his stomach was starting to churn, he heard a faint electronic beep. It was the sound of someone entering the door code. Gasp! Startled, Hooyoung slammed the drawer shut and ran out at full speed. He was so flustered that he almost tripped coming out of the room. If the floor had been marble instead of wood, he might have already fallen and broken something.

“Oh, you’re here!?”

Hooyoung’s yell made Junwook, who was just opening the door, stop in surprise. He was holding a square paper bag. Junwook looked down at Hooyoung with a suspicious expression. It was hard not to be suspicious; Hooyoung’s face was flushed, and there was a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. His chest was heaving, a clear sign of rushing, unlike someone who had been inside the house.

“What’s up?”

“Y-yes?!”

Hooyoung’s flustered demeanor was enough to raise suspicion.

“Did you bring another man into the house while I was gone?”

“What?! This isn’t even my house!”

Hooyoung’s eyes widened in disbelief, and Junwook’s smile deepened.

“Or were you about to masturbate in my room? Did I walk in just as you were pulling down your pants?”

After taking off his shoes, Junwook smacked Hooyoung’s butt with a ‘smack!’ and entered the house.

“Ah! M-masturbate… No? No! Really! No!”

Hooyoung, realizing what Junwook meant a little late, shook his hands vehemently, denying it, but Junwook, walking into the living room, didn’t seem to be listening.

“Next time, tell me beforehand, and I’ll come in a little later. You don’t have to open the windows and air the place out.”

“I’m telling you it’s not!”

“No?”

“Yes! Really, no!”

“Then can you tell me what you were doing?”

Hooyoung’s mouth snapped shut. It definitely wasn’t masturbation, but telling him that he was peeking into the drawer full of sex toys wasn’t something he could readily confess either. Seeing Hooyoung hesitate, Junwook smiled knowingly.

“Come on, you were masturbating, weren’t you?”

Ugh! Hooyoung followed Junwook, repeating futile protests like, “No… Really no, it’s too much if you think that way…”

“Alright, alright. Hooyoung wasn’t masturbating. Happy? Come and sit.”

“……Really, no.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Junwook took off his suit jacket, placed it neatly on the back of the sofa, sat down, and patted the seat next to him. Hooyoung, still looking utterly wronged, sat down beside him. It was impossible not to tease him.

“So, have you decided? Philippines, Okinawa, or Hawaii.”

As if he hadn’t heard, Hooyoung’s eyes were glued to Junwook’s hands opening the paper bag. He had wondered what they were having for dinner, and it seemed Junwook had brought takeout. The crisp paper bag and the expensively-looking lunch box wrapping raised Hooyoung’s expectations.

“I asked if you’ve decided.”

Noticing Hooyoung’s diverted attention as he was taking out the chopsticks, Junwook waved his hand to get his attention.

“Um, can we eat first…?”

“No, not until you tell me.”

Oh, oh. It’s a signal. That’s sushi. Hooyoung’s heart raced. He rarely got to eat sushi, and the sushi from a Japanese restaurant Junwook would frequent must be incredibly expensive. Would there be eel? Eel is really good for stamina. Hooyoung, who preferred seafood over meat anyway, couldn’t help but feel excited.

“Decide quickly. The Philippines, Okinawa, or Hawaii.”

Philippines, Okinawa, Hawaii. He had repeated those words so many times since the afternoon that they felt like rap lyrics. Junwook’s hand rested on the lunch box like a barrier, tempting him with the promise of food if he just spoke.

“……Okinawa?”

“Really?”

Junwook pushed the chopsticks and the sushi box towards Hooyoung and then set his own in front of him.

“Yes. Okinawa.”

Hooyoung picked up a piece of eel sushi first. He had a habit of eating the delicious and good things first. Since he usually encountered good food at company dinners or gatherings, where most of it wasn’t meant solely for him, it was better to eat quickly while he could. He put the thick, long piece of eel sushi into his mouth and chewed. It was incredibly tender and delicious, making him regret the stir-fried pork already in his stomach.

“Why Okinawa? Better than the Philippines, but too shy to say Hawaii?”

How did he know? Hooyoung, mid-chew, looked at Junwook in surprise. He was spot on. He had been thinking about it since Junwook had told him to talk about it in the evening, and that was his exact conclusion. Hawaii was his first choice, but it seemed too obvious, so he thought Okinawa, the middle ground, would be better.

“Okay, let me ask you this. Choose.”

What is it now? Junwook being like this never meant anything ordinary, so he felt apprehensive.

“If you go to Okinawa, it’s close, so I can follow you. Well, I could come and go for a day or two.”

Hmm? Hooyoung, having finished the eel sushi and now with a piece of salmon sushi in his mouth, was pondering why Junwook would want to follow him when Junwook uttered words that almost made him spit out the salmon.

“We’ll do it on the hotel terrace, overlooking the Okinawa ocean. Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

“……Huh?”

“If you go to Hawaii…”

If? Hooyoung’s chopsticks hovered in the air. He couldn’t bring himself to eat another piece of sushi.

“I can’t follow you there, so we’ll have phone sex.”

“Huh?”

Hooyoung stared, wondering if he heard correctly, but Junwook’s eyes held no hint of jest; he was completely serious.

“So, choose again. Think carefully. Go to Okinawa and have sex with me, or go to Hawaii and have phone sex with me.”

What kind of choices are those? Hooyoung quickly swallowed a piece of halibut fin sushi. He needed sustenance to make the right decision.

“……Um, then Philippines?”

“Wouldn’t the training quality in the Philippines be lower than Okinawa or Hawaii?”

Want more eel? Junwook, looking relaxed, transferred a piece of eel sushi from his box to Hooyoung’s.

🏀

Some time later, the HG Big Whales departed for their training camp in Hawaii. The news that the training camp location was Hawaii caused quite a stir in the fan community.

“Is the parent company crazy, sending them to Hawaii? Is this an indirect message, like, ‘We’ll treat you well one last time, so you must win the championship, or we’ll sell the team’?”

Soohwan, Junwook’s secretary, read the comments aloud in a realistic fanboy voice, a mix of playful mockery and exaggeration, while looking at his tablet.

“Hawaii just because it’s pretty? The team will think they’re being sent there because they’re good. It’s clearly part of the parent company’s new image branding.”

Junwook silently turned around before reaching his office.

“Why?”

Soohwan asked why, and Junwook gave him a look that said, ‘You don’t know?’. His displeasure was evident.

“Why do I have to listen to that?”

“Of course, Director Eun doesn’t need to hear such trivial online reactions.”

“But.”

“But I know why, how, and through what process the basketball team ended up going to Hawaii for their training camp.”

As Soohwan replied with a forced smile, Junwook returned the smile and barged into his office.

The fact that they had known each other since their time in the US meant that Junwook’s older brothers knew Soohwan as well. Junwook was comfortable with Soohwan, and his brothers trusted him. Perhaps they trusted him even more than Junwook. Of course, they cherished Junwook more as family, but in the same situation, they were more likely to listen to Soohwan’s explanation first.

“Did Bae Soohwan fall asleep during the meeting? Our motto is Active HG. A young, aggressive, and active group led by young executives. We’ve decided to generously support all sports teams for the time being, and the basketball team’s timing just happened to be right. Got it? That’s it!”

Junwook rattled off the explanation and concluded. If it weren’t for Soohwan, who knew the whole story, no one would have questioned the decision. It was a reasonable decision for a sports team representative.

“Active HG my ass, everyone knows it means Director Eun gets to spend money freely and do whatever he wants. Okay, let’s say the basketball team’s training camp is fine, but what about Lee Hooyoung?”

“Oh, really.”

Junwook finally responded with annoyance, but Soohwan didn’t flinch. He could still handle this much.

“I’m your secretary, so I have no choice. Managing owner risks is also my responsibility.”

“So what. Tell me, what about Lee Hooyoung.”

Junwook glared at him menacingly as he hung his jacket on the hanger with impeccable precision.

“At the Haegok High fundraising gala, you asked for Lee Hooyoung’s profile that night, right? That was a basic investigation, including information provided at the time of joining and what’s available in online articles.”

“Yeah, and?”

Junwook sat at his desk. He had been caught up in work, but so far, it wasn’t bad. He had resisted because he hated being bothered, but life in Korea was interesting in its own way. Of course, the biggest source of interest was Lee Hooyoung.

“This is the data I investigated after seeing the way you looked at Lee Hooyoung in the parking lot that day. A thorough investigation into his personal life.”

Soohwan pulled a thin document envelope from his bag and showed it to Junwook.

“Is there anything I particularly need to know? No parents, grew up in difficult circumstances, good at basketball. Oh, and his grandmother is in the hospital.”

“You said you were curious whether he climbed a ladder or took an elevator to get to the kitchen.”

Junwook chuckled at Soohwan’s words.

“Ah, is that in there? Whether it was a ladder or an elevator? Bae Soohwan, you’re good at your job. Taking the initiative to find out what I was planning to figure out slowly.”

Soohwan faltered momentarily at the obvious sarcasm. Even if he was a slacker and a free spirit, he was still his boss. A slacker and free spirit boss with a formidable background who could go crazy at any moment.

“Are you serious, or is this some kind of sponsorship thing? To me, it seems like sponsorship no matter how I look at it.”

Junwook shrugged.

“For now? You saw it too, that sports car. So, for now, I was trying to lure him with money. I’m confident I won’t lose in a war of attrition. I was going to lure him in first and think about the rest later. Whether it becomes real or not, we’ll know after Lee Hooyoung takes the bait, right?”

“…….”

Soohwan pondered for a moment.

“Mr. Bae Soohwan, since you’ve dug into your boss’s privacy as his secretary, now tell me. What did you investigate? So, was it a ladder or an elevator? Oh, wait.”

Junwook, who had been pressing Soohwan, paused as his phone rang. Hooyoung’s name appeared on the screen. Judging by the time, he must have just arrived in Hawaii.

[Arrived in Hawaii. It’s really beautiful here. Coach said the facilities where we are staying are really nice.]

He had told him to contact him first, and Hooyoung was diligently sending messages first.

“See, he’s obedient.”

At Junwook’s remark, Soohwan pursed his lips and frowned slightly.

“……Sponsorship my foot.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. Anyway, here. I don’t know if giving you this is the right thing to do as a secretary, but here it is.”

Junwook took the document envelope from Soohwan.

“Care to summarize the key points?”

“It wasn’t a ladder or an elevator. He’s in debt. Quite a significant amount, surprisingly. That sports car was a loan shark.”

“A loan shark?”

Soohwan tried to gauge Junwook’s reaction, but his expression was as usual.

“Well, it’s disguised as a legal lending business, but in reality, it’s thugs, gangsters, organized crime, that sort of thing. It’s been going on for a while. Since Lee Hooyoung was in middle school or high school? It started with 800 million won borrowed by his father much earlier. Seems like he got involved in a lot of things.”

Hmm. Junwook rested his chin on his hand. Soohwan couldn’t tell if he found it interesting or if it piqued his curiosity. In a way, he looked like he was thinking, ‘Is this something I need to worry about?’.

“Director?”

“Alright. Leave it. I’ll read it.”

……See, this is what always happens. Soohwan left Junwook’s office with a troubled expression. Often, conversations like this ended with him spilling everything and gaining nothing in return. His goal for today had been to gauge Junwook’s feelings and react appropriately later, but he had failed.

Junwook, arriving home after work, was about to call Hooyoung when he received a call. It was his younger brother. Ignoring him would have dire consequences.

—Did you arrive? Was the traffic okay? Did you drive safely?

“……Hyung, I’ve told you at least three hundred times that I’m thirty-four this year. I drove safely, the traffic was fine, I worked hard today, the house is clean, ah, everything’s going well, so stop calling!”

—Junwook, I still can’t believe you’re driving.

Junwook let out a disbelieving laugh at his younger brother’s words.

“Hyung, have you forgotten that I’ve been driving since I was eighteen in the States?”

—I know. How could I forget? You fired the driver we hired and drove that huge Cadillac yourself, almost giving Dad a heart attack. They told me to go check if you were driving properly and even film it. It was chaos.

“……Ugh, hyung. Stop reminiscing. You’re getting old. What’s wrong with you?”

Junwook hung his jacket in the dressing room and sat on the sofa. He checked the time; he couldn’t be sure whether Hooyoung would be awake if he called Hawaii now. Unless he was being forcibly kept awake in bed, Hooyoung rarely stayed up past midnight. He was like a child in a new country.

—Both me and our older brother are getting old. He’s almost fifty, you know.

“Hey, he’s still got a long way to go.”

He had taken off his jacket and tie, but something he brought from the office remained on the sofa with him. It was the document envelope he received from Soohwan this morning. Junwook’s fingers fiddled with the corner of the envelope.

—Ah, you don’t keep a single promise. You’re coming to Seoul next week, right?

“I’ll see and go this week.”

Next week was going to be busy as Hooyoung would be returning from Hawaii. Since it would be better to visit his family home this week, Junwook suggested going this week, and a noticeably pleased voice came from the receiver.

—That’s good then. Oh, you’ve been taking your vitamins diligently lately. Your sister-in-law is happy that her efforts weren’t in vain.

“Huh?”

Vitamins? What vitamins? Junwook, his mind preoccupied, wondered what his brother was talking about. Had he ever taken any of the vitamins at home? Even when the housekeeper occasionally placed them on the dining table with his meals, he mostly forgot to take them. Hmm, did she think he took the vitamins he had been neglecting?

—Also, you said you didn’t need it, but I heard you drank a lot of ginseng tea. My younger sister-in-law said she’ll send more if you run out, so don’t hold back. How is it? Makes a difference, doesn’t it?

“Ah, what’s this about ginseng tea now, um……”

Junwook, about to retort with something like ‘Are you raising another younger brother I don’t know about?’ tilted his head and paused.

“……He drank ginseng tea?”

—That’s what I heard. What, you didn’t drink it? She specifically said it was gone and asked if she could send more.

“No, no. I drank it. She must have been mistaken about something. That ginseng tea, it’s good.”

Junwook, who had been lounging on the sofa, sat up with a wide smile, as if about to jump up. He remembered Hooyoung acting strangely awkward when he woke up first and went to the living room the day they first slept together at this house. It was the same when Hooyoung had arrived at the house before him recently.

“Hyung, I have things to do. I’m hanging up.”

—Oh, okay, work hard. We’ll talk more when you come to Seoul…

“Oh, stop nagging! Tell your wife to keep sending the ginseng tea because it’s good. Okay?”

Junwook hung up without listening to the rest of his brother’s words. He was in a hurry. He looked incredibly excited as he dashed to the kitchen. If he had still been wearing his tie, it might have been fluttering behind him.

“He drank it.”

The ginseng tea, which hadn’t been much to begin with, was half empty. There would be a couple left that the housekeeper had given him but he hadn’t taken, so the remaining two or three were undoubtedly Hooyoung’s doing. Junwook chuckled and looked at the cupboard next to the refrigerator. The individually packaged vitamins also seemed a bit depleted, or so it seemed.

“Ah, why is he so adorable? He’s so cute, I could die.”

Junwook stood there like a fool, looking back and forth between the half-empty ginseng tea box and the cupboard full of vitamins. He was disappointed that Hooyoung wouldn’t answer if he called Hawaii now. The document envelope he had been holding remained abandoned on the sofa.

🏀

The Hawaiian weather was incredibly clear. The warm weather, the blue ocean, and above all, the luxurious hotel with a spacious gym and nearby training facilities were more than enough to captivate the players.

“You guys are really lucky. I came to Hawaii once when I was a rookie, after we won the championship. Even then, it wasn’t a 5-star hotel like this.”

The team’s oldest senior player spoke passionately during breakfast. When the soon-to-retire senior was talking about the HG Big Whales winning the championship, it was almost fifteen years ago. How old would I have been then? Hooyoung wondered as he put a piece of toast in his mouth.

“And this time, we each have our own rooms.”

Choking on his juice, Hooyoung coughed, trying to suppress the sound, as Hojin, while putting food in his mouth, reached out and patted him on the back.

“Don’t eat so fast just because it’s a hotel breakfast. You’ll regret it if you get indigestion. There’s nothing more pathetic than being sick and stuck in bed during a training camp. If you’re out, the tactical training and practice games won’t go well, and we’ll get yelled at like crazy.”

“Yeah, I know.”

He hadn’t been eating fast; he was surprised. He was reminded of Junwook’s mischievous grin when he promised to make sure they had single rooms so they could do what they needed to do.

Since it was morning here, it would be the middle of the night in Korea, so Junwook wouldn’t be calling now. So, he could relax for now, but strangely, he honestly wanted to contact him. While he was afraid Junwook would actually suggest doing it over the phone, he was curious about what Junwook was doing, how his day was going. Things like whether he went to work in that nice suit again, whether he left work on time.

In a way, he wasn’t normal either. I’ll contact him during lunch break. Hooyoung put the rest of his omelet in his mouth.

However, the luxurious Hawaiian training camp, fully supported by the parent company, had its downsides. The general manager, the coach, and the coaching staff, overly conscious of the parent company, created a brutal schedule. There was no time for swimming in the ocean or enjoying free time with the other players.

“They provided this environment so you can do well! Work hard! Repay them with results!”

The general manager, inexplicably wearing sunglasses indoors at the basketball court, shouted from a distance, dressed in casual clothes. He wasn’t even conducting the training, yet he had a whistle hanging around his neck for some reason.

The morning tactical training, with the foreign players now joining, was generally strenuous. Leading the senior players and the foreign players on the court as the youngest point guard wasn’t easy. Although Hooyoung kept telling himself he would contact Junwook after lunch, he couldn’t overcome his fatigue and fell asleep during his break, his phone clutched in his hand.

The afternoon schedule began without him having time to even send a message. It was a practice game against a local university basketball team. Since it was pre-season training with the complete roster including the foreign players, and they were playing against a physically superior American university team, the starting members played for a realistic amount of time. The problem arose here.

Early in the second quarter, with the game in full swing, sweat was pouring down like rain, soaking his body. Basketball is one of the sports where physicality plays a significant role, so today’s game against foreign players was even more disadvantageous for the shorter Hooyoung. One of his main strengths was quickly penetrating past slower, taller players, but the physical contact with the foreign players was much more intense.

“Hooyoung! Hooyoung!”

What drove Hooyoung even crazier was Taehoon. Taehoon, who had recently asked him to share the court and give him more assists, started calling for Hooyoung incessantly. Every time the Big Whales had the ball, Taehoon would clap and call out to him, asking for an assist, as if it were some kind of mantra.

As a point guard, Hooyoung’s role was to facilitate the offense for all positions, from Taehoon, the forward, to the foreign center. Moreover, since Hooyoung was a guard with good offensive capabilities, it was often easiest for him to shoot when the situation was ambiguous. Above all, it was impossible to focus on just one player while running set plays.

“Hey! Hooyoung!”

This time, Taehoon called for him before they had even fully executed the play. Two opposing players were closing in on him, and because Taehoon was desperately calling for him, Hooyoung got flustered and passed the ball. Taehoon immediately took a three-point shot, but the ball bounced off the rim. It was still early in the 24-second shot clock, and the opponent, who rebounded the ball, scored a three-pointer on a fast break. It was a clear offensive failure.

It was only natural that the coach, unable to bear it any longer, called a timeout. Beep—. The buzzer echoed throughout the court.

“You little rascal!”

The Big Whales coach, who would never be called a compassionate coach even in his next life, pointed at Hooyoung and yelled as soon as the players sat on the bench.

“Do you still think this is college?! If you’re going to dribble the ball around as you please, why are you getting paid to play professional basketball?!”

“I’m sorry!”

Hooyoung apologized loudly, wiping his sweat with the towel Hojin handed him. It was a common reprimand. It was his fault, no need to blame Taehoon. There was no point in playing if he was just going to pass the ball to whoever called for it.

“Now, look.”

The coach explained a new strategy on the whiteboard with a marker. Hooyoung focused, trying to compose himself. I won’t do that again when I go back in. I’ll play my game.

However, contrary to his resolve, Taehoon’s mindless calls for “Hooyoung” continued throughout the third and fourth quarters. Taehoon was also a star player on the team. Strictly speaking, Hooyoung was the rising star and next ace, while Taehoon had been the team’s pillar and most prominent player before him. Although he hadn’t quite lived up to expectations after joining, he was considered the player with the highest potential for a rebound with the addition of Hooyoung as point guard. That was the difficult part. If it were a junior, or a sixth man like Hojin overflowing with passion, he could just ignore them, but Taehoon was one of the starting five he needed to make work.

In the end, they lost the practice game. They had been told that it wouldn’t be easy to beat an American college basketball team, even in Hawaii, but the team atmosphere wasn’t great after the loss. Hooyoung, distracted by various things, performed below his average in both assists and scoring, and he felt the same way.

“Are you going straight back? It’s Hawaii, the guys are going out.”

Hojin stopped Hooyoung, who was about to return to the hotel after an early dinner at a Korean restaurant in Hawaii.

“I’m going back to rest early.”

The young players, who seemed to have endless energy only at times like these, were making plans to enjoy the last bit of their day, but Hooyoung shook his head. The aftereffects of losing the practice game still lingered.

“Want me to walk you back to the hotel?”

“……Do you think I’m a child?”

Hojin smiled awkwardly, trying to lighten Hooyoung’s mood.

“You look like a lost Korean elementary school kid right now.”

“Have fun, but don’t stay out too late. The coach might get angry if you’re tired tomorrow.”

“Okay, okay. Go on! I’ll bring you some snacks later tonight!”

Hooyoung turned around without replying to Hojin’s last remark. Telling him not to come would be awkward, but saying “Yeah, come quickly. I’ll wait.” felt strange too.

Hooyoung’s steps toward the hotel were heavy, unlike his usual brisk pace. His only consolation was that the atmosphere here resembled the LA beaches to some extent. Even if it was just a thought stemming from being in a foreign country with an ocean, a beach, and warm weather, it was a comfort to Hooyoung right now.

As he almost reached the hotel, Hooyoung took his phone out of his pocket. There was a message from Junwook.

[Don’t you dare flirt with anyone else in Hawaii.]

“……Who would I flirt with?”

Hooyoung scratched his chin. Entering the cool hotel lobby, he saw many people of various ethnicities who seemed to be tourists. He had no intention of flirting with anyone, but he still looked around. Hmm, there were tall people, but no handsome men. ……Is that a good thing?

[No sitting on the beach.]

Hooyoung blinked, feeling a pang of guilt as he read the message. Another message arrived in the meantime.

[Especially don’t stare at other people on the beach with a drink in your hand. You’re dead.]

Hooyoung quickened his pace. No… Did I stare at him intentionally? I just glanced. It was beyond my control at the time.

[Especially don’t follow anyone who offers to buy you food.]

……This is a bit much. Hooyoung tilted his head as he stepped into the elevator. Both Junwook and Hojin tended to see him as someone obsessed with food. Well, it wasn’t that he didn’t value food, but he didn’t think he looked like a fool who would follow anyone offering him food. Did he look like he would get into trouble because of food? Was it that bad?

When it came to his personality, he found it difficult to be objective. Hooyoung took out his phone in the hallway before even reaching his room.

[I have free time now.]

As soon as he sent the message, the read receipt appeared, and a call came in. Hooyoung’s face brightened a little. This morning, he had been half-afraid and half-excited, thinking Junwook would suggest something if they contacted each other, but now, he just wanted to talk without thinking too much.

Hoo… Taking a deep breath after seeing the number on his phone screen, Hooyoung answered. It was a good kind of nervousness. Except for the first time they met in Korea, this was how he usually felt around Junwook. A pleasant thrill, like before entering the court.

“……Hello?”

—You’re not in your room?

“I’m on my way. In the hallway.”

—I thought you were trying to weasel out of it.

A small chuckle finally escaped Hooyoung’s lips. It was the first laugh he had since the afternoon practice game.

—Hmm.

“But aren’t you at work right now?”

—I’m in my private office where no one knows what I’m doing. But that’s not the point…

Hooyoung swiped his key card and entered his room. Junwook, who had paused as if in thought, spoke again.

—Did you go into your room?

“Yes.”

—Then show me your face.

Hmm? Confused, Hooyoung pulled the phone away from his ear. He saw that Junwook had already switched to a video call and was watching the screen with an amused smile.

—I could only see your ear slightly, but I wanted to nibble on it. So smooth.

Hooyoung bit his lip and touched his ear. Smooth.

—My original plan was to ask you to show me other smooth parts on video. You have many of those, Hooyoung. The ones I like.

……Like. Hooyoung’s face flushed slightly as he repeated Junwook’s words internally.

—But.

But? Hooyoung was about to lie down on the bed but decided to sit instead, since it wasn’t good for his back. He adjusted his phone to a flattering angle.

—You look so gloomy. I guess we can’t do anything naughty today.

“Huh?”

Hooyoung looked at Junwook with a slightly surprised expression. His face on the small screen looked the same as usual. He had thought he was a little down when he first answered the call, but he didn’t think it was noticeable.

—I even prepared some teases and was thinking of making you do all sorts of embarrassing things.

“Huh?”

Junwook, sitting against the backdrop of a bright afternoon, narrowed his eyes, clicked his tongue, and then moved. It seemed like he was moving from his desk to the sofa in his office. While Hooyoung had to be mindful of the angle to look presentable on screen, Junwook looked handsome even while casually leaning on his desk or the armrest of the sofa. It was considerate of him to notice Hooyoung’s state.

—Was training hard?

“No?”

It would be rude to complain about training to the team owner who sent him all the way to Hawaii.

—Or is someone bothering you?

“That’s not it!”

That was also definitely not true. Today’s incident with Taehoon was something that could happen on any sports team, and if he couldn’t handle it, it was a problem with his mental fortitude as a player.

—Hmm, then I guess there’s nothing I can do.

“Okay.”

Phew. Hooyoung breathed a small sigh of relief. Even though he was in a position of receiving help, he didn’t want to appear incompetent.

—So.

Hooyoung was captivated by the sight of Junwook resting his chin on his hand and looking at him. He was just calling him like usual, and they weren’t even face-to-face, just looking at each other through their screens, but why did he feel so flustered?

—Nothing else to say? No requests today?

That again.

“……No.”

—That’s a shame. I feel like I’m the only one who always has a lot of requests.

Junwook said, wiggling his nose, and strangely, it was quite arousing. He could see Junwook’s eyes scanning him even through the screen. Hooyoung gulped and spoke cautiously.

“……Are you disappointed?”

—A little?

“A lot?”

—What if I am?

“Then… should we?”

Junwook burst out laughing at his last words. It wasn’t a mocking laugh, but a genuine, joyful one. The corners of his mouth were turned up, and his eyes crinkled. It was the bright, open laughter that Hooyoung liked.

—No. How can I suddenly get turned on by a gloomy puppy with its tail tucked between its legs?

Hooyoung burst into laughter along with him.

🏀

“Lower the camera a bit.”

At Junwook’s request, Hooyoung sat up and adjusted the camera angle. He returned to his previous position, leaning back on the bed with his legs spread, exposing himself even more explicitly. Oblivious to his embarrassment, his erect penis, his firm testicles, and his clean hole, twitching as he fiddled with it, were all clearly visible.

Is there no way to get rid of that small window showing me in the video call? Why is it so clear even in that small space? Hooyoung, with no intention of closing his spread legs, deliberately looked away, avoiding eye contact with Junwook.

It wasn’t even 7 a.m. yet in Hawaii. Four days had passed since they arrived for the training camp. Because of the time difference and their busy schedules, they couldn’t do it every time they wanted, but Junwook was persistent. He had been subtly incorporating dirty talk into every phone call, and today, he had woken Hooyoung up at 6:30 a.m. He had asked if waking up an hour earlier than usual was okay and then abruptly told him to take off his underwear.

“……Hmm, should I turn on the light?”

“No, it’s fine as it is. I like this better.”

The curtains were half-drawn. The Hawaiian morning sun streamed in, creating a soft, subdued atmosphere. Junwook seemed to like it.

Hooyoung enjoyed the feeling of his thigh muscles tightening. He collected some precum and rubbed it over the wrinkles before carefully inserting a finger. A slight pain shot through him as his legs momentarily spread wider before returning to their original position. But it all felt unsatisfying and frustrating. He had followed Junwook’s instructions, touching his chest and stroking his penis to draw out more precum, but what came next wasn’t easy. He tried to move his hand faster, growing impatient, but it didn’t bring him any closer to satisfaction.

“Haah, uh!”

Unable to insert his finger any deeper, Hooyoung brought his other hand back to his chest.

“Oh, touch it. Pinch it a little.”

Hooyoung’s body filled most of the screen, while Junwook’s face was barely visible. He was definitely lying on the bed, but his body, except for his neck and shoulders, was mostly hidden. He occasionally furrowed his brow, making Hooyoung wonder if he was doing it himself, but he was too preoccupied with his own actions to ask.

“How did I do it?”

How did he do it? He lightly scratched it with his teeth and… Hooyoung gently grazed the hollow of his nipple with his nail. A tingling sensation shot through him, reigniting his arousal. He pulled on his hardened nipple like Junwook had done, then pressed and circled it with his index finger.

“Add another finger.”

He inserted his middle finger alongside his index finger deep inside. His back arched involuntarily. A little deeper, just a little bit more… As he dug in, scraping against his inner walls, it felt much better than before, even if it wasn’t perfect. His mouth watered, and his body flushed with heat. He kept tensing up, afraid that any loud noises would be heard by Hojin in the next room.

“Haa, but……”

“Yeah?”

“It’s, it’s good, but, ah, uh!”

It would be better if it went a little deeper. It wasn’t like this when he had sex with Junwook. No matter how deep he inserted his fingers, it felt vastly different from Junwook’s penis. It was teasing him, close yet so far. His toes curled, but the climax wouldn’t come.

“Is it hard?”

Junwook chuckled, watching Hooyoung struggle.

“……Yeah.”

Hooyoung, more frustrated than aroused, finally gave up and pulled his fingers out. Tears welled up in his eyes, threatening to spill over.

“But I didn’t tell you to finish.”

Hooyoung, lying on his side, seemingly upset about not reaching his climax, sulkily fiddled with his nipples again at Junwook’s words. Junwook chuckled.

“Your sensitive spot is a bit deeper. Your fingers won’t reach it, will they?”

Hooyoung didn’t answer, just kept playing with his nipples. He was right. Something big and thick like Junwook’s penis needed to stimulate his prostate further inside to make him cum. He could never do it with his own fingers.

“Want to touch yourself in front?”

Hooyoung glanced down. His penis, unfazed, was still flushed and erect. It would probably go down on its own soon enough.

“Touch it. Spread your legs and touch your chest like you did earlier.”

Hooyoung watched Junwook’s expression. Just a moment ago, he had been furrowing his brow and wetting his lips with his tongue, showing signs of arousal, but now he seemed completely indifferent. Hooyoung felt strangely deflated.

“Why are you watching my expression? I like looking at your body. I like how your fingertips turn red when you hold your cock. Well, I like it better when you’re holding mine, but still. And even better if you put it in your mouth instead of your hand.”

As Junwook urged him on with a mischievous smile, Hooyoung repositioned himself. While he felt awkward with the backdoor, the front was manageable. Hooyoung stared at Junwook on the screen and wrapped his hand around his penis. As he gently stroked his glans, his stomach began to churn again. But more stimulating than the direct touch was Junwook’s gaze, watching him intently even through the screen.

🏀

After the Hawaiian training camp, the players received a short vacation. It wasn’t much of a vacation, just an extra day off on Friday added to the weekend. Even that Friday was mostly spent traveling, as they arrived at the airport in the morning, making it just like a regular weekend, but the players were still excited to go home. Hooyoung also returned to his dorm, unpacked, and took a shower.

[If you arrive early, go to my place.]

Hooyoung checked Junwook’s message as soon as he arrived at the airport. He had been in a good mood since then. The ride from the airport to the dorm felt excruciatingly long. Even if he hurried, it wasn’t like Junwook would leave work early.

After changing into clean clothes, he practically ran to Junwook’s house. He hadn’t been there many times, but he felt comfortable enough to turn on the air conditioning and head straight to the kitchen. He had been in Hawaii for over ten days. Although they talked on the phone almost every other day, he was nervous to see him in person after so long.

He was as excited about seeing Junwook again as he was about consuming the ginseng tea and vitamins in the kitchen. He hadn’t had much, but the ginseng tea definitely worked. The training camp had been physically and mentally demanding, but he had finished it without any problems. Hojin had commented at the airport that he seemed to have lost some weight, but since Hooyoung didn’t feel any lack of stamina, he wasn’t concerned. There were many reasons, but Hooyoung believed the ginseng tea had definitely played a part.

“……Whoa.”

Hooyoung, who had planned to have one now and sneak another one early tomorrow morning or while Junwook was asleep, opened the cupboard door and gasped in surprise.

“Wow.”

His jaw dropped. The cupboard was full. As if someone had sent gifts, or they had stuffed unwanted items into storage, it was overflowing with vitamins. The same was true for the ginseng tea. The small boxes of ginseng tea in luxurious gold-foil packaging, which had been few in number before, were now piled up haphazardly like instant ramen boxes. Hooyoung’s eyes sparkled.

“I could have two and he wouldn’t even know.”

Hooyoung grabbed two ginseng teas and one of each vitamin. He meticulously read the descriptions on each vitamin container, selecting any that mentioned recovery. Athletes used their bodies, muscles, and fat more than ordinary people, so recovery was especially important (or so he believed).

Since Junwook still had some time before arriving, Hooyoung sat at the dining table and leisurely enjoyed the ginseng tea and vitamins. He savored each sip of the double-strength ginseng tea and carefully swallowed each vitamin one by one. By the time he finished, he felt full even before dinner. Finally, to eliminate any evidence, he buried the trash at the bottom of the trash bag and meticulously washed the cup, leaving everything as it was. He didn’t forget to brush his teeth and gargle thoroughly in the bathroom.

About an hour passed as he watched TV on the living room sofa. He heard Junwook coming in. Hooyoung quickly got up and went to the front door. He thought this would prevent Junwook from suspecting he had been doing something else at home like last time.

“You’re here!?”

“Yeah.”

A bright, welcoming smile spread across Hooyoung’s face. His eagerness to see him was evident in his steps towards the door.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Yes!”

His voice rose involuntarily. He was in a good mood for several reasons. Junwook looked handsome in his suit after work, and it was good to see his face in person after a while. Even the way he took off his shoes seemed stylish.

“You seem overly excited. Like a dog greeting its owner.”

Hooyoung, aware of the need to maintain some composure despite his excitement, managed to stop himself, but Junwook didn’t. He grabbed Hooyoung’s waist with one hand and pulled him towards the sofa, step by step.

“You’ve lost some weight.”

“……From working hard.”

He wished they would just go to the sofa, but their bodies were getting closer. Hooyoung suddenly remembered the few times they had been intimate in Hawaii. Things like ‘Put your hand in your pants.’, ‘How did it feel when you put your finger in?’, and the moment his white fluid splattered on the phone screen.

“Have you eaten?”

Hooyoung shook his head slightly.

“Then we should eat first.”

Junwook’s hand, which had been on his waist, slid down and gripped his butt tightly, as if about to squeeze it. It wasn’t painful, but arousing.

“……I’m not hungry yet.”

“Not hungry? Why not?”

Did he eat something? Junwook asked, alternating between patting and kneading Hooyoung’s butt.

“Then should we do something else first? Do you want to?”

Hooyoung cautiously nodded. Junwook could easily satisfy the needs that Hooyoung couldn’t fulfill with his own hands. Besides, it was Friday, a day when he could push himself to the limit.

“I want to kiss you first. Can I kiss you?”

When Junwook asked with a playful smile, Hooyoung didn’t answer but wrapped his arms around Junwook’s neck. He expected Junwook to kiss him immediately, but he didn’t.

“Can I really? Is it okay?”

Is this not it? The hand on his butt suggested otherwise, but Junwook’s expression seemed strangely playful. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he smiled at Hooyoung.

“……Why?”

“Well, I thought you might be in trouble if I kissed you right now.”

Why would he be in trouble? Hooyoung couldn’t understand. Ah. After staring blankly for a moment, Hooyoung spoke.

“……I showered! I even brushed my teeth!”

Junwook burst out laughing at Hooyoung’s urgent words. But before Hooyoung could find the laughter strange, Junwook’s lips crashed onto his. His hand invaded his pants. Hooyoung lost himself in the sensation. Junwook’s hand was definitely much better than his own.

After their encounter on the sofa, Junwook and Hooyoung, having showered and cleaned up, sat at the dining table. They both wanted to continue, moving to the bathroom or the bedroom, but they decided to eat first.

“You don’t have to leave early tomorrow?”

“Um, no.”

Hooyoung replied when Junwook mentioned the day he went to see his grandmother. It had been a while since then, so it was time to visit her again, but… he could go Sunday evening. It was an awkward topic, so Hooyoung looked away. Junwook seemed to understand and didn’t press further.

Junwook took out food from the refrigerator and reheated it. The housekeeper had come in the morning, so the refrigerator was full.

“How was the training camp? Can the Big Whales make it to the playoffs this time?”

“We can.”

Junwook turned his head at Hooyoung’s serious reply and then burst into laughter. Hooyoung’s face was filled with determination, his eyes burning with passion. Junwook had never seen this expression on him before.

“Are you giving a training camp report to the owner? Do you think I’ll scold you if you say you can’t make it to the playoffs? Relax your face. You look strange.”

Junwook poked his cheek with a finger, but Hooyoung’s determination didn’t waver.

“We really worked hard. It’s different this time.”

“When you called from Hawaii, you sounded like you were going to cry whenever we talked about training.”

As Junwook placed the reheated bulgogi on the table, Hooyoung pretended not to know while drinking water.

It wasn’t entirely untrue. He had been stressed because Taehoon’s attitude hadn’t changed until the very end, but Hooyoung had decided to think positively. This season was a real opportunity for him. He wasn’t a rookie joining a team mid-season, and he wouldn’t have a mental breakdown because of his grandmother’s sudden collapse. Furthermore, he was on the edge of a cliff, needing to raise his salary for the next season. If he didn’t succeed, it was over. Being stressed wouldn’t help.

“We seem to have good foreign players this time.”

Hooyoung habitually put some vegetables in his mouth and looked at Junwook sitting across from him.

Fortunately, deciding to be positive and work hard had put him at ease. And, unexpectedly, his conversations with Junwook had been incredibly helpful. Even if Junwook meant it casually, his simple questions like ‘How was your day?’, ‘Did training go well?’, ‘Did the coach praise you?’ made him want to play basketball really well.

And one. Hooyoung didn’t know why he thought of “and one” at this moment. But it was the most appropriate way to describe it. His relationship with Junwook was physically and emotionally fulfilling, but lately, it was also having a positive impact on his basketball. Junwook was the first person since his grandfather’s passing and his grandmother’s hospitalization who asked about and showed interest in his basketball. Hooyoung wanted to play better because he didn’t want to disappoint Junwook.

“Hooyoung.”

Junwook, unaware of what Hooyoung was thinking, called him softly.

“Yes?”

“Are you in debt?”

Hooyoung’s expression hardened at the completely unexpected question. Debt? Junwook wasn’t really asking. He knew and was confirming.

“……Why?”

“Should I pay off your debt?”

Did he only know about the debt and not the amount? Or was he saying this even though he knew? Was the amount something he could easily offer to pay off? Hooyoung suddenly lost his appetite.

“You know, like a certain amount each month, or each quarter. Or maybe just the interest. Wouldn’t that help you focus on basketball?”

Sadly, Junwook’s expression was still gentle as he said these words. It was just that his “and one” and Junwook’s “and one” were different.