EAR Ch 25

Oh Seungpyo, who had abruptly dropped the unbelievable confession, became quiet after speaking.

Jaemin also didn’t respond immediately. A heavy silence, unsuited to the sunny atmosphere, settled in the library. Only the fresh scent of green grapes lingered between them like invisible fairies.

“You…”

Jaemin finally managed to speak. Even though he only uttered a short word, his tense voice cracked slightly.

“Said you weren’t gay.”

“I wasn’t.”

The past tense was significant. Jaemin closed his mouth again, searching for the right words.

His thoughts were tangled, his mind spinning out of control. He felt like he had been dropped into a minefield without any warning, completely unprepared. He had been making Jaemin curious since yesterday, but to think he would say something this ridiculous…

The reason he didn’t ask if Seungpyo was crazy or laugh and tell him to stop joking was because of a strong feeling that this wasn’t something to be dismissed so lightly. He didn’t think Seungpyo would have been making such a fuss since last night just to play a silly prank…then what was his motive?

Did he really like him? That couldn’t be. Wouldn’t he be a fool to believe the confession of the guy who had just yesterday declared that he wasn’t even his friend?

“I’m sorry, but I’ve never thought of you that way.”

“Me neither.”

“Then why suddenly…?”

“Sometimes you don’t know until you know.”

Then he sighed lightly. Jaemin looked at Oh Seungpyo’s profile, his expression melancholic as if he had suddenly shouldered all the worries of the world overnight, with a mixture of suspicion and disbelief. He was truly an unusual guy in many ways.

Seungpyo continued,

“You asked me at your house before, if I still disliked you. I said how could I kiss someone I disliked.”

“Even then, I only said I didn’t dislike you. I never said I liked you.”

“I have a lot of closer friends than you, but there’s no one among them I want to kiss.”

“……”

“If any other guy suddenly whipped out his dick in front of me, I wouldn’t just stand there and watch. I’d punch him.”

“Didn’t you want to hit me back then too…? I thought you were just too surprised to do it.”

“Hit you?”

Seungpyo looked back at Jaemin with a surprised expression and let out a short breath, almost a sigh.

“I’d rather die.”

Jaemin broke out in a cold sweat at each dramatic word. He was still trying to process the confession, feeling like he was going to choke, and now Seungpyo was talking about life and death. What a dramatic guy.

So he liked him because he didn’t hit him, even though he would have hit anyone else? Jaemin had never had a deep affection for anyone, but he didn’t think he would ever gauge his feelings based on whether or not he wanted to hit someone.

Jaemin, who rarely lost his composure, was an exception this time. His mind went blank, and he couldn’t figure out what to say. Strictly speaking, “I like you” wasn’t a question; it was simply a unilateral expression of Oh Seungpyo’s feelings.

He liked him, so what?

Did he mean they should date? Could he reject him if he didn’t want to?

But it didn’t seem right to respond to a confession with a rejection. Should he answer whether he liked Seungpyo too? What should he say if he didn’t feel anything? What should he do if he didn’t want to date but also didn’t want to end their…whatever this was…?

‘This is bad. I need to avoid this.’

Jaemin, his mind in a whirl, decided not to continue the conversation here.

If he was trapped in a minefield without preparation, the first priority was to escape safely. Analyzing the mines could wait. It was a strategic retreat. The day had just begun, and there was still plenty of time left.

“I’m a little…flustered right now. It’s so absurd, it’s like you suddenly appeared in my dream and said this.”

“I guess so. I know.”

“Can I think about it and give you an answer later? We can’t talk for long here anyway.”

“That’s why I said it would take time.”

Seungpyo grumbled slightly, glancing at Jaemin with a surprised look.

“But you’re not angry. I thought you might be really upset.”

“Well…”

Jaemin, at a loss for words, just mumbled vaguely.

He wasn’t angry or offended by the confession, just flustered. They had already kissed and even imitated things close to sex. It would be strange to get angry and agitated over a confession now.

Ryu Jaemin had long been accustomed to being harassed and receiving meaningless confessions from various boys. If he were the type to get offended by such things, he wouldn’t have done anything, let alone kiss, with another boy in the first place.

Seungpyo stood up, his expression relieved.

“That’s enough for now. I was most worried that you might avoid me if I said this.”

“I don’t know.”

Jaemin couldn’t predict what decision he would make yet.

By the time he sorted out his thoughts, he might think they couldn’t continue this relationship, or, like Oh Seungpyo said, he might not be able to be close to him anymore. He couldn’t be sure of anything yet.

“You always have a lot of things you don’t know. Even though you’re good at studying.”

“……”

“Let’s go back now. The homeroom teacher will be here soon.”

Leaving the library, Jaemin took a deep breath as if he had escaped a confined space. The golden sunlight that had been filtering through the small window of the library was now pouring like a waterfall through the large windows in the hallway.

The weather had been nice since he left the house, but had the sunlight been this bright? Feeling like the world was particularly sparkling, Jaemin walked slowly, looking out the window.

The playground was visible through the classroom windows, and the low foothills behind the school building were visible through the hallway windows. The mountains in mid-June were lush green, as if trying to engulf the viewer. While he had been busy preparing for the finals, the world had become even more beautiful.

He supposed the reason he was noticing these small details was because Oh Seungpyo’s confession had unsettled him. He had heard that when the brain receives a shock, it instinctively tries to alleviate it. Ryu Jaemin’s brain was currently trying to soften the blow from the library by appreciating the natural scenery.

They weren’t the only ones heading back to the classroom as the assembly time approached. Seungpyo moved closer, their shoulders almost touching, and whispered,

“But you said you would kiss me if I told you when you wanted me to.”

The shock had been so great that he had completely forgotten about that condition. While Jaemin walked like a robot, staring straight ahead, unable to even blink, Seungpyo added,

“I’ll be waiting during lunch break.”

Jaemin finally came to his senses and retorted,

“What are you talking about? We need to deal with what you just said before we do that.”

“You can give me an answer during lunch break.”

“Hey, aren’t you being too hasty? I need at least a day to think about it.”

“Really?”

Seungpyo shrugged, as if lunch break was already a long wait. It was typical of the impatient guy who had done a 180-degree turn in less than a day.

This was ridiculous. Jaemin grumbled in a low voice,

“Not everyone rushes into things like you.”

“You’re good at rushing into things too. Suddenly whipping out your dick in front of people.”

“Be quiet. There are people around.”

The familiar bickering was more comfortable. Jaemin, having regained his composure, firmly stated his conclusion.

“Let’s talk again tomorrow morning.”

“Kissing too?”

“Yeah.”

Seungpyo’s eyebrows twitched, looking slightly dissatisfied, but he didn’t push it further. He was the one who had laid the minefield, so he knew he would be the only one to suffer if he stepped on one and it exploded.

Quickly returning to the classroom, Jaemin sat down at his desk and finally let out a deep sigh. His heart had been pounding so hard while he was walking with Oh Seungpyo that he could barely breathe. He had tried not to show it, but he wasn’t so thick-skinned as to be unaffected by such a bombshell confession first thing in the morning.

‘What should I do first?’

Jaemin, pondering, picked up his phone. He wanted to research similar cases and see how other people had handled them. He couldn’t look up such things in the library or ask his teachers, so the internet was the easiest place to look.

He tried various combinations of search keywords. School, friend, confession, exam… It wasn’t difficult to find similar stories. Fortunately, there were quite a few stories of people who were confused about what to do after receiving a sudden confession from a friend.

But the reason Jaemin couldn’t relate to those concerns was that most of them were about relationships between men and women. There had to be someone somewhere in the world who had experienced something more similar to him, but Jaemin, frantically searching for a solution, couldn’t easily find one.

Then, as he clicked through various search results, the title of a post suddenly caught his eye.

I think the top student in our school will get first place again.

As if drawn by an invisible force, he clicked on the title. A short text appeared on the screen.

Should I just confess the day before the exam? I think it’ll mess with his mind and his grades will drop. BTW, it’s an all-boys school.

Jaemin’s eyes widened. It was a post Oh Seungpyo could have written yesterday. His hand holding the phone trembled.

He unconsciously checked the date the post was uploaded. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it was an old post, almost a year old. The comments were filled with people excitedly laughing and cheering on the confession.

└ Is this the legendary confession as punishment? lol

└ I support your love lol

└ Then are you second place?

└ Jealousy is scary 

└ What if he says he likes you too? Will you date? lol

└ If he says he likes you, your mind will be blown lol

└ That’s how everyone becomes gay.

“Assembly is starting. Everyone turn off your phones!”

The homeroom teacher entered the classroom while he was engrossed in the comments. Jaemin, startled, quickly exited the post.

The classroom looked as peaceful as it had a few minutes ago, but Jaemin’s mind was in turmoil, like the aftermath of a violent upheaval. His heart pounded wildly as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

He was staring obediently towards the podium, but the homeroom teacher’s words didn’t register. Jaemin’s eyebrows slowly furrowed.

‘…What the hell, I almost fell for it.’

No wonder it was strange. It hadn’t even been 24 hours since last night, and Oh Seungpyo was saying things completely different from usual. If he had changed his stance after at least three or four days, it would have been more believable.

It was Oh Seungpyo, not him, who had emphasized that they weren’t gay, that they would date girls when they became adults, and that they were just finding a way to relieve exam stress and deal with the sexual confusion of adolescence. It didn’t make sense, even simply considering when he supposedly started liking him. Oh Seungpyo must have seen a post like this online and copied it.

‘Is that crazy bastard doing this just to win a bet?’

Jaemin scoffed, feeling both indignant and dumbfounded, but he quickly changed his mind. Unlike the midterms, the bet for the finals had a considerably high stake.

Jaemin had thought that what he and Seungpyo did that day at the field trip was practically sex, but compared to the real thing…he was inclined to agree with Oh Seungpyo, who had said it wasn’t sex if there was no penetration. Real sex would require far more courage than their pretend play.

His opponent was a pervert whose mind was filled with lewd thoughts. It wouldn’t be strange if he used any means necessary to get on top of Jaemin and win. A fake confession would be nothing to him. Oh Seungpyo, that guy, was the despicable bastard who had threatened to expose Jaemin’s secret account from the beginning.

He started to get angry, feeling both deceived and remembering old incidents he had forgotten. But it would be foolish to openly express his frustration here.

Knowing your enemy and knowing yourself guaranteed victory in a hundred battles. Now that he had seen through the sudden confession as a trick to win the bet, all that remained was to use this knowledge without letting Oh Seungpyo know. How should he deal with Oh Seungpyo, who was trying to deceive and play with him?

If he says he likes you, your mind will be blown lol

Fortunately, he didn’t need to think long. The comment he had just read offered a suitable answer.

The assembly ended while he was lost in thought. Jaemin opened his messenger and sent a message to Oh Seungpyo.

Come to the library during lunch break.

A reply from the impatient Oh Seungpyo came quickly.

You said tomorrow? Really?

Yeah, come quickly after you eat.

I can skip lunch.

No, because I’m hungry.

K.

After the short reply for “okay,” several sickening hearts were attached. Jaemin stared coldly at the lovey-dovey message window, then turned off his phone.

It was time to completely revise his plan. Just as Oh Seungpyo had deceived him, he would come up with a confession that would fool Oh Seungpyo completely.

Jaemin had received two or three confessions from girls who liked him. None of them had been as absurd and brazen as Oh Seungpyo’s, and Jaemin had always politely rejected them, despite being shy. He didn’t want a girlfriend yet, and he had never felt any romantic attraction to the girls who had confessed.

This meant that this would be his first time accepting a confession.

‘I like you too.’

The most common reply came to mind first. Jaemin simulated the scene with Oh Seungpyo in his mind. Even though it was a lie, the thought of saying “I like you” to Oh Seungpyo made his anger-fueled courage dwindle.

To think that his first confession, which he had never uttered before and had thought he would say to someone he truly cherished someday, would be like this… It was absurd, and he was worried about whether he could pull it off without being caught.

‘No, this isn’t the time.’

Jaemin, who had become slightly discouraged, quickly encouraged himself. Oh Seungpyo would be very flustered by his reply but wouldn’t show it. He would pretend it was real at least until the finals were over, until he achieved his goal.

If Jaemin reciprocated his feelings, there was a high chance Oh Seungpyo wouldn’t wait until the bet was over and would try to satisfy his desires. He might insist that they shouldn’t wait any longer and have sex now that they knew they liked each other.

Jaemin, calmly twirling his pen with an impassive face, looked as relaxed as ever, but his mind was busy devising ways to punish the despicable Oh Seungpyo. The otherwise boring morning classes became more enjoyable than usual.

Oh Seungpyo must have had this much fun while planning to deceive him. A faint smile touched Jaemin’s lips as he asked himself, then quickly turned into a wry smile.

It was just a made-up story, a fake confession meant to screw with Oh Seungpyo, but the thought of actually saying those words out loud made Jaemin’s heart pound. He was worried Seungpyo might even hear the thump-thump-thumping.

Was it his conscience pricking him for trying to deceive someone with a lie? Jaemin diagnosed his own condition as such, but then he remembered he’d never felt guilty about deceiving his parents, tutors, or internet creeps.

Calm down. Tricking the despicable Oh Seungpyo isn’t something to feel bad about. This pounding is just the expression of regret for wasting his first confession on a trick.

Jaemin steadied himself by recalling the moment Oh Seungpyo first blackmailed him in this very resource room. Back then, he hadn’t fidgeted or trembled like this. Even now, he thought he had handled the situation calmly and coolly.

“Ryu Jaemin?”

The silence stretched on, prompting Seungpyo to study Jaemin’s expression. Jaemin was in the middle of his mental pep talk, but there was no more time to think. He blurted it out.

“I like you too.”

Another silence fell.

Jaemin bit the inside of his cheek. This was bordering on failure. Despite rehearsing it countless times in his head, the actual execution was a mess.

He had planned to look at Oh Seungpyo and say it with a smile, but in the end, he averted his gaze like someone with a guilty conscience. He couldn’t even manage a smile, and he spoke too quickly. He probably didn’t look like someone who was genuinely confessing their feelings. It wouldn’t be surprising if the perceptive Oh Seungpyo saw through his lie immediately.

“…Really?”

Sure enough, a skeptical question came back.

I’m screwed. Jaemin inwardly groaned, glancing sideways to gauge Seungpyo’s reaction.

“Really?”

Seungpyo repeated the question, but his expression was completely different from what Jaemin expected.

Instead of the suspicious, probing gaze Jaemin had anticipated, Oh Seungpyo’s eyes were wide, his face a mixture of bewilderment and unmistakable joy. If he wasn’t mistaken, the skin around Seungpyo’s temples and ears looked slightly flushed.

‘This bastard, is he some kind of acting genius?’

Jaemin collected himself and quickly nodded. If this damn charade wasn’t over, he wasn’t going to lose either.

“Yeah.”

When Seungpyo first confessed his feelings, Jaemin had wondered why he was suddenly spouting such nonsense. He must have eaten something bad or gotten caught in the rain.

Now he knew the reason. The confession itself was a tactic to confuse him, so it was bound to be sudden and awkward. That’s why Jaemin had prepared a more believable response than Oh Seungpyo.

“After thinking about it, you’re right.”

“Right? About what?”

“I can’t imagine kissing anyone else either.”

“…….”

“The fact that we’ve been able to get along like this… I think it’s because I have feelings for you.”

“Ryu Jaemin….”

Seungpyo’s eyes sparkled as if he were genuinely moved. Jaemin did his best to meet Seungpyo’s gaze and smile. Seungpyo took a step closer.

“I didn’t think you’d accept my feelings so quickly.”

“I was surprised this morning and said I’d think about it until tomorrow, but I don’t think the answer will change just because I think about it longer.”

“You’re really cool.”

The straightforward compliment nearly made Jaemin lose his composure and blush. It felt slightly unsettling that Oh Seungpyo was only showing positive reactions despite Jaemin’s performance.

At this point, Oh Seungpyo should be at least a little flustered, but there was no sign of it. It was as if his confession had been genuine. Impossible.

Then Oh Seungpyo reached out. His hand silently touched Jaemin’s cheek. His gaze lingered on Jaemin for a moment, then he asked, as if suddenly shy, “Can I kiss you?”

The expected question finally arrived.

Jaemin, momentarily thrown by Seungpyo’s unexpectedly delighted reaction, instantly regained his composure. He placed his hand over Seungpyo’s and, with a slightly furrowed brow, as if reluctantly, removed Seungpyo’s hand from his cheek.

As Oh Seungpyo had stepped closer, Jaemin took a step back. Seungpyo stared at him in astonishment. Jaemin cleared his throat and continued, “So, here’s the thing.”

“What?”

“We’ve kissed and done a lot more without even dating. Well, not everything yet…”

“So?”

“I didn’t think much of it when I wasn’t thinking clearly…. But I realized we shouldn’t continue like this if we’re going to genuinely like each other and date. If you really like me and want to go out with me…”

“I want to go out with you.”

“Then I want us to date properly, not like this. Like normal high school students.”

“We are normal high school students.”

“Yeah. That’s why. Normal students don’t date like us.”

“Normal students don’t kiss?”

Why does it feel like he keeps interrupting me? Jaemin took a breath. Seungpyo’s expression had become somewhat serious, as if he sensed the conversation wasn’t going his way.

“They probably do. But the way we started isn’t normal. If we’re going to date, I want to start over. Kissing and stuff… that was just for stress relief while studying. If we’re going to be a couple because we like each other, not just stress-relief partners, things need to change. So for a while, I don’t want to kiss or do other… stuff.”

…My ass. A kiss for stress relief or a kiss between lovers, a kiss is a kiss. Jaemin didn’t think there was any need to distinguish between the two.

But for Oh Seungpyo, whose mind seemed perpetually occupied with the thought of rubbing lips and bodies together, this proposal could serve as a lie detector. Even though Jaemin’s composure hadn’t been shaken by the false confession, Oh Seungpyo was probably inwardly smirking, thinking that even though his confession tactic failed, he’d at least be able to get what he wanted.

But what if he was suddenly cut off from not only sex, which was the original bet’s condition, but also from the frequent kissing? Oh Seungpyo would gain nothing. His petty scheme would fall apart. It wasn’t too late. He could still give up and say it was all a joke, and Seungpyo might laugh it off.

“Hmm….”

Jaemin quietly waited for his reaction. Seungpyo seemed to be racking his brain, unwilling to admit defeat so easily.

Then, with a sigh, his expression clearing as if freed from his dilemma, he nodded.

“I get what you’re saying.”

“…….”

“You want to reset things, right? Since we’re dating now.”

“Yeah.”

“I still want to keep kissing, though. You seem to enjoy it too.”

“…I do enjoy it. But I’m saying let’s hold off for a bit.”

At those words, Seungpyo looked at him with the tender expression of an owner looking at a well-behaved puppy. What was with this reaction? Unable to grasp his true intentions, Jaemin maintained his forced smile as Seungpyo nodded again.

“Honestly, you’re such a horndog.”

“…Are you picking a fight?”

“If you, of all people, are saying you’ll hold back… then I, the one who confessed first, can’t argue with that.”

Oh Seungpyo was spouting nonsense with a virtuous expression. Jaemin couldn’t tell if he was serious or just messing with him, so he just kept watching him warily. Then Seungpyo asked, “So, are we officially together starting today?”

“Whatever.”

“I’ll plan our dates. Let’s go somewhere this weekend.”

“After finals.”

“Oh, right.”

He sighed as if he had forgotten about finals, then double-checked, “Wait. Does that mean our bet for this exam is void? Even if I win, no sex?”

“Does it make sense to decide something like that based on a bet when we’re dating? We’re holding off on kissing, so sex is obviously a long way off.”

“Figures.”

Seungpyo sighed deeply. He could still confess that it was all a joke, but he was surprisingly persistent. It seemed like he was determined to see who would win this deception battle.

Seungpyo, who had lowered his head, looked up again and, with a slightly sullen expression, moved closer.

“Can I at least kiss you on the cheek? That’s not… stuff, right?”

“Kiss on the cheek?”

Jaemin hesitated, unsure how to answer. Wasn’t a peck on the cheek something only children did?

Jaemin had occasionally exchanged cheek kisses with his parents when he was very young, but had stopped around the time he started elementary school. Kissing was an adult activity, so it was fine, but kissing on the cheek at eighteen felt embarrassing. Seungpyo explained calmly, “Couples kiss on the cheek. Even if they’re not… kissing.”

“It’s embarrassing. We’re not kids.”

“What’s embarrassing about it? People much older than us do it.”

Seungpyo narrowed his eyes. His large hands cupped Jaemin’s cheeks again.

“Don’t tell me you won’t even let me do this. What kind of couple can’t even kiss on the cheek?”

“No, but…”

Seungpyo seemed determined not to listen. His face drew near.

Jaemin squeezed his eyes shut. The warmth he thought he wouldn’t feel for a while approached, and Oh Seungpyo’s slightly shaky breath brushed against his cheek, spreading to the base of his neck.

Peck. His lips touched Jaemin’s cheek with a ticklish sound. There had been times during their kisses when their lips brushed against each other, but this was different.

Peck, peck, peck, peck. Oh Seungpyo didn’t stop at one. As if trying to compensate for being forbidden from kissing, he showered Jaemin with pecks, barely giving him a moment to breathe.

Was this some kind of retaliation for seeing through his true intentions? Jaemin was completely disoriented. The constant ticklish sensation of soft lips on his cheek made him involuntarily flinch, and he finally turned his head and pushed Seungpyo away.

“Hey, stop it.”

Seungpyo finally released Jaemin’s cheek, but that wasn’t the end.

“Aren’t you going to do it to me?”

“What?”

“We’re dating. You have to do it to me too.”

At those words, Jaemin could only open and close his mouth silently. It was already a trial to endure such childish behavior, and now he was being asked to reciprocate.

But Oh Seungpyo was resolute. He didn’t need to explain; his eyes, expression, and broad shoulders radiated a single message: he was serious.

Jaemin clenched his fists discreetly, hoping Seungpyo wouldn’t notice. He was clearly testing him. Testing whether Jaemin’s confession was genuine.

Just as Jaemin had suspected Seungpyo’s confession and uncovered his ulterior motives, Seungpyo could also be doubting Jaemin’s acceptance. He hadn’t managed to break Jaemin’s composure as originally planned, and he was now blocked from both kissing and sex. He might be trying to provoke Jaemin out of spite.

If he refused here, he’d be suspected, so he had no choice. Like someone swallowing bitter medicine, Jaemin squeezed his eyes shut and thrust his head forward. It was a choice made to quickly get the unpleasant act over with, but as a result, he didn’t properly confirm where Seungpyo’s cheek was.

Peck. The feeling on his lips was softer and more yielding than expected for a cheek. Startled by the familiar sensation, Jaemin opened his eyes wide. Seungpyo, also wide-eyed, looked back at him with a puzzled expression before breaking into a sly grin.

“As expected, you’re bold.”

“What?”

“I asked for a cheek kiss, and you went straight for the lips.”

Jaemin frowned. Of all places, his lips had landed on Seungpyo’s lips.

He was suspicious. Even with his eyes closed, he had roughly gauged the position…. Could Oh Seungpyo have moved his face to offer his lips while Jaemin’s eyes were closed? As Jaemin glared suspiciously at Seungpyo’s brazen face, Seungpyo continued nonchalantly, “Kiss my cheek too.”

“I kissed your lips, isn’t that enough?”

“You said you liked me, why are you being so cold? We agreed to date.”

He had a point, and Jaemin couldn’t argue. He had just confessed his feelings and agreed to start dating, so even if he wasn’t head over heels, he should at least be a little nicer than usual.

Jaemin relaxed his frown and forced a smile.

“I’m not being cold, I’m just not used to this kind of thing.”

“You’ll get used to it. Was kissing something you were used to from the start? Lunch break is almost over. Hurry up.”

Just endure it until finals are over. Jaemin set his jaw, forcing a smile.

Oh Seungpyo must have planned all this to win the bet, so Jaemin decided to play along until then. If he secured first place again and shattered Oh Seungpyo’s ambitions, then revealed that his confession was also fake, Oh Seungpyo’s shocked expression would be priceless.

Recalling the story of the man who licked a bitter gallbladder every night before bed to maintain his desire for revenge, Jaemin puckered his lips again.

Oh Seungpyo’s smooth, elastic cheek, with its slightly prominent cheekbones, came into view. The skin, slightly tanned from the early summer sun, seemed different today.

Even while they were embracing and kissing for long stretches, Jaemin had always felt a hint of animosity in Oh Seungpyo’s gaze. But today, he wasn’t sure. Whether it was the effect of the words themselves, even if they were lies, or just wishful thinking, Jaemin felt as if Oh Seungpyo was looking at him warmly.

‘It’s just my imagination.’

Jaemin closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Oh Seungpyo’s cheek. Peck. The feeling on his lips as they parted was unfamiliar, different from their usual kisses.

They’d even rubbed their dicks together, so why did this trivial act of touching lips to cheek make his chest flush for no reason? Jaemin desperately hoped he wouldn’t blush and quickly straightened up.

Oh Seungpyo, having received the kiss he’d pestered for, stood dazed for a moment before grinning like a child.

“I get why you wanted to reset things.”

“Why?”

“The… stuff is good, but normally, couples start with this. Kissing on the cheek, holding hands.”

Seungpyo suddenly reached out and grabbed Jaemin’s hand. Jaemin was startled and tried to pull away, but Seungpyo’s long fingers quickly interlaced with his. His firmly clasped hand wouldn’t release easily.

As Jaemin blinked in surprise, Seungpyo’s smile deepened.

“You wanted to do this too, right?”

“No, I…”

“We can’t hold hands outside, but we can do it here.”

No, I’m not. Jaemin wanted to shout his denial, but he was the one who had confessed his feelings and agreed to date. It would be illogical to refuse to hold hands on their first day together.

Speechless, Jaemin let his hand be held. Seungpyo, misinterpreting his silence, put on another exaggeratedly shy expression. He then lifted their joined hands and lightly kissed each of Jaemin’s fingertips in turn.

The sensation of lips on his fingertips tickled. Unfamiliar with the feeling, Jaemin pressed his lips together. A lightheadedness washed over him. Seungpyo’s behavior, as if he were desperate to kiss him anywhere he could, made Jaemin’s throat tighten, rendering him speechless.

He suddenly remembered the time Seungpyo bit his finger on the Ferris wheel. No. It would be dangerous to dwell on that memory any further.

“Let’s go now.”

Jaemin spoke as if fleeing, his fingers still captured by Seungpyo’s lips. He quickly added, “We’re still preparing for finals.”

“…Yeah, that’s true.”

Seungpyo finally released his fingers, muttering his disappointment. Jaemin continued, “I want to do well on this exam, regardless of the bet.”

“Me too.”

“It makes me uncomfortable to keep doing this during lunch break.”

“You’re such a goody-two-shoes.”

Oh Seungpyo grumbled, but he didn’t seem particularly displeased. Instead, he gave Jaemin a strange look, almost as if he approved, and continued, “So, is our bet completely off?”

Instead of nodding immediately, Jaemin looked at Seungpyo.

Unlike Seungpyo, who had boldly declared from the beginning that the bet’s condition was sex if he won, Jaemin had never mentioned his own condition. So Seungpyo probably didn’t realize it, but Jaemin had also had something he wanted to demand if he kept first place.

But with the situation having taken this turn, it seemed difficult to bring up his original condition even if he won the bet. Jaemin shrugged, slightly dejected.

“Whatever. We can continue with a different condition.”

“It’s better to keep the bet going. We both improved our grades thanks to it last time.”

He finished speaking and grinned, lowering his eyes.

“Wouldn’t it be better to keep the condition the same? You’ll study harder if the stakes are high.”

“So you can keep calling me out and interrupting me like today.”

“I won’t.”

“Anyway, that’s not happening. You said you understood what I meant. So stop being stubborn.”

“Then I’ll think about the condition again. You haven’t told me what you want if you win the bet either.”

Seungpyo backed off without further protest. However, he didn’t forget to leave a meaningful remark.

“There are plenty of things we can do besides sex, I’m sure.”

What a creep, always leaving things so ambiguous. Jaemin grumbled inwardly, pretending not to hear, and peeked out the resource room door. The hallway, which had been quiet when they entered, was now bustling with activity.

Even amidst the activity, there were gaps. As the footsteps of passing students momentarily ceased, Jaemin quickly gestured.

“Come on.”

They quickly slipped out of the resource room. The subsequent routine was set. They would walk down the hallway pretending not to know each other, averting their gazes, and then disperse to their respective destinations – classroom, field, or cafeteria.

But their usual dynamic had already changed. Seungpyo, showing no intention of parting ways, stuck close to Jaemin and even slung an arm around his shoulders, casually asking, “Going straight to class?”

“Hey, people are watching.”

Jaemin whispered in surprise, but Seungpyo simply blinked, as if bewildered.

“There are tons of kids who do this. Besides, we can’t even kiss anymore, so there’s nothing to be worried about.”

“It’ll be weird if we suddenly start acting all close.”

“What’s weird about it? If anyone asks, we’ll say we became friends today.”