Cherry Cake Chapter 8.1

“Hmm, they seem to be growing well enough.”

Seo Soohyun muttered to himself, pressing the soft soil with his fingers. He was admiring the plants growing in pots, not in a field, so there was no need to squat. While it was nice that his legs weren’t aching, he felt a twinge of disappointment at not experiencing the full gardening experience.

“It should be enough for two people….”

Having grown up with a grandmother who always cooked in abundance, he felt a nagging sense that it wouldn’t be enough, even though he knew it logically should be.

Moreover, growing plants in pots rather than a field severely limited the types of crops he could cultivate. If they were at his countryside home, he’d be growing spring greens in the garden patch by now, but it was impossible in his partner’s apartment.

“They sell everything here, but….”

There was a world of difference between cooking with ingredients freshly picked from the backyard and using store-bought produce. Even the expensive ingredients from the department store’s food hall couldn’t compare. Just as fish and meat tasted best when fresh, vegetables were much more flavorful when harvested immediately.

Should I ask the Director if I can start a garden?

Seo Soohyun pondered as he plucked a perfectly grown lettuce leaf. It was one of two main concerns occupying his mind lately.

Whenever he asked the Director for something, he’d always agree, so he suspected the garden idea would be met with a similar response. However, he hesitated to ask directly, worried about how he’d feel if he was refused.

After all, placing a few kimchi pots in the backyard was completely different from tearing up the lawn to create a vegetable garden.

“You can’t have everything in life.”

Shaking his head, Soohyun reaffirmed his contentment. He was already satisfied with his current life; it wouldn’t do to be greedy. His grandmother would have called it shameless if she were still alive.

“Things are going well these days.”

Seo Soohyun was slowly adjusting to life in Seoul. He wasn’t going out sightseeing or wandering around, but driving to visit Bokshil and frequenting his partner’s office helped him gradually acclimate to the bustling city.

Yesterday, he even met his Seoul grandmother, who was visiting the city on business.

‘Everything alright?’

‘I’m doing well, Grandma.’

He felt a pang of disappointment at not seeing Kang Yiseon but refrained from mentioning it, knowing that Yiseon, for some reason, avoided Seoul.

Even without doing anything significant, time flew by when he went out like yesterday or called his grandmothers. Catching up with them on the phone could easily take an hour or two.

However, the absence of a garden had definitely increased his free time. For someone always on the move, these idle moments felt a bit tedious.

“Maybe I should learn something new.”

Lee Chanseo’s words about learning new things in Seoul suddenly came to mind.

“Baking….”

He’d been thinking about how expensive desserts were. They used some French butter, which made the price exorbitant, something Seo Soohyun, a baking novice, couldn’t comprehend. Ultimately, the price was up to the shop owner, but it still seemed excessive. He even considered making them himself.

“If I take classes in the morning or afternoon, I can still help the Director with work. …Would he mind?”

The thought of Gi Taeyeon brought back his voice telling Soohyun to ask for permission every time he wanted a snack, making him pout. He doubted the concern stemmed solely from the cost of the snacks. It was probably his retort about not having cavities after being told to visit the dentist that had annoyed Gi Taeyeon.

I don’t think I have cavities, though.

Lately, he hadn’t felt any throbbing pain.

Regardless, he’d reduced his snack intake. He’d been wondering if his sweet tooth was the cause of the occasional toothache, so it wasn’t a bad outcome.

“Whenever I ask the Director if I can have a snack, he always says yes.”

Having neatly piled the picked lettuce in a round stainless steel bowl, Soohyun turned around, muttering in puzzlement. He’d been diligently asking for permission every time, as instructed, but he hadn’t been refused once. Initially, he thought it was because he’d reduced his snacking, but now he had a feeling that wasn’t the reason.

Was he just trying to scare me…?

Asking for permission wasn’t difficult.

“Oh, right. I need to unpack what Seoul Grandma gave me.”

Placing the bowl of lettuce on the table, Seo Soohyun finally remembered the two bundles he’d left on a chair. He knew what they contained since his grandmother had told him, but he’d forgotten to unpack them.

Two bundles, one gold and one pink – likely repurposed gift wrapping from holiday gift sets – emerged from a large paper bag.

Seo Soohyun untied them one by one. As he opened the black plastic bags inside, a spring fragrance filled the air.

“Wow, she packed so much. I should call her to thank her.”

The gold bundle contained mugwort, and the pink one held angelica shoots. Looking at the green spring greens brought back memories of foraging for mugwort with his grandmothers last spring. Although physically tiring, it had been fun.

I haven’t picked mugwort this spring. Seo Soohyun gently stroked the fragrant mugwort. It looked like his grandmother had meticulously removed any weeds and stray leaves.

She must have worked hard preparing these…. I should definitely buy her lots of gifts when I visit.

“What should I make with the mugwort? Fritters are good, and soup is nice too…. Ah, should I make ssukbeomuri?”

He wasn’t confident in his ssukbeomuri (mugwort rice cake) making skills, as it had always been his grandmother’s domain, but he’d learned by watching her, so he figured he could manage. Besides, the recipe was surprisingly simple.

“I was planning to make bibimbap with tuna and gochujang for dinner tonight….”

Even with a runny fried egg, bibimbap with gochujang tended to be salty, but ssukbeomuri would balance the flavors nicely. Although it was more of a snack than a side dish, he craved ssukbeomuri more than fritters or soup right now.

“I can just blanch the angelica shoots.”

Seo Soohyun checked the time. He now had more to do, but blanching the angelica shoots would be quick once the water boiled, and the ssukbeomuri only needed steaming, so it wouldn’t take long.

I should start with the ssukbeomuri.

He retrieved another large stainless steel bowl, poured half of the mugwort into it, turned on the tap, and began washing the leaves thoroughly. He finished by rinsing them in a bowl of water with a splash of vinegar.

“Phew.”

He’d rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and was about to wring out the mugwort when—

“What are you doing?”

Startled by the unexpected presence, Seo Soohyun whirled around. His partner stood close, watching him at the sink with a curious expression.

“You’re home already?”

“A while ago. I wondered what you were doing that you didn’t even hear me come in…. Playing house?”

I thought he had more time at work…. He must have gotten off early today.

“I’m making ssukbeomuri.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s…not exactly a rice cake, but similar. It has rice flour in it. Have you never tried it?”

“Never heard of it.”

“Just curious, Director, are you from Seoul?”

“Yeah. Why do you ask?”

I see. He sometimes used dialect, which I found interesting, but it must have been from his colleagues who came from various regions. People tend to pick up each other’s accents after spending a lot of time together. His Seoul grandmother did the same.

“I just thought we weren’t very compatible.”

“What?”

Seo Soohyun rephrased his words after seeing the Director frown.

“I meant you seem unfamiliar with rural life. Ssukbeomuri isn’t specifically tied to where I grew up, but…. Anyway, it’ll be ready soon, so please wait a bit.”

“Mm, right. We’re compatible in other ways.”

The frown disappeared as the Director smirked. What are we compatible in? Seo Soohyun blinked, unable to grasp Gi Taeyeon’s meaning.

“So, what are you doing now?”

“I washed the mugwort, and I need to squeeze out the water.”

“Give it here.”

“You want to do it?”

“Don’t you think I’d be better at it than Fuzz-face?”

He had a point. Seo Soohyun stepped aside.

“Wash your hands first.”

“Always so tidy.”

Despite his words, Gi Taeyeon unbuttoned his cuffs, rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands, and took the clump of mugwort from Seo Soohyun. Seo Soohyun stared at his partner’s forearms, where the veins stood out prominently. He himself would have been groaning by now, but Gi Taeyeon squeezed the mugwort effortlessly, his expression unchanged.

“Done?”

“Yes. That should be enough. Ah, hold on a second. I need to season it.”

Soohyun took out a new bowl, transferred the mugwort, added a pinch of salt, and a generous amount of sugar. Then he gently mixed in the rice flour. He wanted a strong mugwort flavor, so he had to be careful with the amount of rice flour.

“Anything else you need?”

“No. It’s a simple dish, so it’s almost done.”

The seasoning is crucial, and I’m not sure if I’ll get it right on my first try.

Seo Soohyun cautiously moved his hands, trying to recall his grandmother’s technique. If he squeezed too hard, the rice flour would clump up and make the ssukbeomuri too dense, so he had to mix it lightly, as if dusting the mugwort. He carefully combined the sugar, salt, rice flour, and mugwort, ensuring the rice flour didn’t stick together.

“Now I just need to steam it in a steamer basket.”

Satisfied, he washed the rice flour off his hands and placed the mugwort mixture in a steamer basket over a pot of simmering water. Once the water boiled, he’d occasionally check on it and turn off the heat when it was ready.

“So, those bundles were what you brought yesterday?”

“Yes. The other one has angelica shoots. We can blanch them and eat them with dinner.”

Soohyun rinsed the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher as he answered. He’d been skeptical of the machine at first, but after using it once, he was hooked. He was always amazed by how clean the dishes came out, and it was so convenient.

“What did you do today?”

“I picked lettuce.”

Seo Soohyun gestured towards the lettuce. The Director glanced in that direction, then at the balcony filled with potted plants, and chuckled. He’d questioned whether they would actually grow when Soohyun brought home the seedlings, so it seemed amusing to him that the lettuce had thrived and was now being used for dinner.

“How many snacks did you eat?”

“I didn’t have any except for the ones you gave me permission for.”

“If your tooth hurts, go to the dentist.”

“It really doesn’t hurt. Maybe it’s because I’ve been brushing diligently and cutting back on snacks lately.”

“As if you’ve cut back.”

He’d gone from two snacks to one, which was a 50% reduction in his mind.

He knows everything, even though I thought he wasn’t paying attention…. Seo Soohyun stole glances at Gi Taeyeon while inhaling the subtle aroma of mugwort.

Suddenly, he realized how peaceful his life had become. Although his surroundings were different, the familiar scent of mugwort brought a sense of normalcy. Unlike last spring, his grandmother and Bokshil weren’t with him, but he was doing alright.

“Why? Something to say?”

Gi Taeyeon frowned at Seo Soohyun, who was staring at him intently instead of chattering as usual. Seo Soohyun opened his mouth, a gentle expression on his face.

“I just thought…”

“What.”

“I’m glad I met you, Director.”

Although they came from vastly different backgrounds and he sometimes found Gi Taeyeon’s words and actions baffling, he was truly grateful.

“I’m happy to be with you.”

That’s why he cherished these ordinary moments.

🍑

A few days ago, Seo Soohyun heard the word “no” for the first time. His tooth ached again, so he instinctively probed it with his tongue, and it just so happened that Gi Taeyeon caught him in the act.

‘Come here.’

The Director’s voice was low and stern as their eyes met. Usually, Soohyun would have excused himself, claiming to be busy, but it was around 3 p.m., right after lunch and before snack time, so he had no excuse. He approached Gi Taeyeon, feeling a pang of guilt.

‘When are you going to the dentist?’

The Director cupped his cheek and pressed against the inside of his mouth, his brow furrowed.

‘….It’s not that it hurts, but I think something got stuck in my tooth when I had a snack earlier.’

‘Something probably got stuck after you ate that?’

Seo Soohyun followed Gi Taeyeon’s gaze to the strawberry cheesecake left for him. It was the same dessert Soohyun had just eaten. In other words, it was a snack that wouldn’t leave anything stuck in his teeth.

Seeing Soohyun hesitate, Gi Taeyeon released his cheek without further comment.

He acted normal afterwards, so Soohyun optimistically assumed he’d let it slide. He realized he’d been mistaken the very next day.

‘Director, can I have a snack this afternoon?’

— What are you going to eat?

Seo Soohyun looked at the pie in the white box as he spoke.

‘Pumpkin cheesecake. I bought it with the strawberry cheesecake yesterday.’

— No.

‘….What? Why not?’

He’d been about to cut a slice, fully expecting permission.

— Should a kid who needs to go to the dentist be eating sweets?

‘….I’m not a kid.’

— Anyway, no.

At the firm refusal, Soohyun pouted but obediently closed the box and put it in the refrigerator.

He’d been looking forward to the pumpkin cheesecake, especially since the strawberry cheesecake from the same bakery had been delicious. Its creamy cheese filling topped with a thin layer of strawberry jam, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries had been delightful. He felt a twinge of disappointment at not being able to eat the pumpkin cheesecake today.

No one was watching, and he could easily eat it and buy a replacement before Gi Taeyeon found out, but Soohyun obediently abstained. The thought of lying didn’t even cross his mind.

‘Director, can I have it today?’

— What.

‘The pumpkin cheesecake. I bought it the day before yesterday, so I’ll have to throw it away if I don’t eat it today…. It cost six thousand won. It would be a waste of money and food.’

— You really didn’t eat it yesterday?

A low chuckle came from the phone. He was the one who told me not to eat it. Soohyun replied, slightly sullen.

‘You told me not to.’

— Such a good boy.

After chuckling again, the Director gave him permission.

‘Yes. What time are you coming home today?’

Excited, Seo Soohyun headed towards the refrigerator as he continued the conversation.

Finally able to eat the pumpkin cheesecake the next day, he found it different from the strawberry one. The cheese seemed to be blended with pumpkin, and the prominent pumpkin flavor suited his taste perfectly. The smooth pumpkin filling complemented the flaky, layered crust surprisingly well.

A dollop of white whipped cream, resembling a scoop of ice cream, sat atop the yellow pie. Eaten together, the sweetness of the cream enhanced the pumpkin flavor.

‘Delicious.’

Happily eating the pie, Soohyun only realized the next day that Gi Taeyeon had effectively reduced his snack time to every other day.

“What should I do….”

Seo Soohyun fretted, caught in a dilemma. Just as a sparrow couldn’t pass a rice mill, he’d become a sparrow himself. The problem was that the mill wasn’t grinding grain but churning out sweet, beautiful desserts.

“I don’t think he’ll let me have one today.”

He muttered dejectedly, yet he peeked through the cafe window. A cherry cake in the display case caught his eye, and he stopped involuntarily. He knew he should just get in his car and go home, but the cherry cake made it difficult to turn away.

I’ll just go in and look.

Knowing full well he wouldn’t just look, Seo Soohyun made an excuse and opened the door.

“Welcome!”

A cheerful voice greeted him as the bell chimed.

“Hello.”

Seo Soohyun bowed slightly and looked around the small cafe. Potted plants, indicating a recent opening, were the first things he noticed. Various cake slices filled the display case.

‘They have meringue cookies, too.’

Since arriving in Seoul, he’d encountered a plethora of desserts he’d never known existed.

Every visit to a dessert shop presented him with unfamiliar names, and he’d initially wondered why they were so complicated. Now, after exploring various places, he could distinguish a dacquoise from a madeleine, and those were definitely meringue cookies.

His gaze, drawn to the small, sweet cookies, returned to the cherry cake. It looked different from the one the Director had brought him. It wasn’t just the difference between a whole cake and a slice.

The cherry cake he’d had for his birthday had been filled with cherry cream and cherries. This one was a chocolate cake with a single cherry on top. The cherry wasn’t fresh either; it looked like the canned variety.

Is it a chocolate cake, not a cherry cake?

“Excuse me.”

“Yes!”

“Is this a cherry cake or a chocolate cake?”

“Ah, it’s a chocolate cake with a cherry on top. The cream inside is chocolate as well.”

So it was a chocolate cake…. Slightly disappointed, he still found the single cherry atop the dark chocolate appealing.

“One of these, and…. hmm, an apple tea, please.”

“For here or to go?”

Should I eat it here? He had a feeling the Director would say no if he called. Normally, he’d accept that and wait until tomorrow, but today, he craved cake now.

Should I just eat it secretly?

He knew lying was wrong, but wouldn’t it not be a lie if he didn’t ask in the first place? This wicked rationalization took root in his mind.

“Um, I’ll have it here. In that case, could I have an Americano instead of the apple tea?”

“Certainly. Would you like it hot?”

“No, iced. Half a shot of espresso, please.”

Seo Soohyun deliberately paid in cash. He’d kept the allowance his grandmothers had given him in his room, only carrying around a couple of tens of thousands of won in his wallet, and he hadn’t expected it to come in handy like this.

After receiving his change, he sat by a sunny window, his heart pounding.

‘What have I done? I did a bad thing.’

He hadn’t expected a mere cake to lead him to such impulsive behavior. Not only had he broken his promise to the Director, but he’d also paid in cash to avoid getting caught.

Am I really this lacking in self-control? He was about to wallow in self-doubt when his cake and coffee arrived.

“Enjoy!”

“Thank you.”

To alleviate his guilt, Seo Soohyun quickly picked up his fork and took a bite of the cake. The moist cake and sweet chocolate melted away his unease.

“Delicious.”

He wiggled his feet in delight, then straightened up, remembering his manners. He carefully stirred the ice in his glass with a straw.

‘I hope it melts quickly.’

Seo Soohyun wasn’t particularly fond of Americano. He hadn’t drunk much coffee in his life, and most of it had been instant coffee, so Americano tasted too bitter. If it had a burnt flavor, it was bearable, but a sour Americano made him question whether it was even coffee. The color wasn’t appealing either, and if he hadn’t been curious after seeing the Director drink it, he probably wouldn’t have tried it.

He ordered it today because he was having chocolate cake. The bitterness would balance the sweetness.

‘It should be melted a bit by now, right?’

Seo Soohyun cautiously sipped the Americano through the straw. Fortunately, it had a burnt flavor. It was still bitter, but it would be fine once the ice melted a bit more.

“This is a service, please try it.”

While he was gazing outside, the barista approached and handed him a small bag.

“Thank you.”

Seo Soohyun accepted the bag. Inside were meringue cookies decorated with small, symbol-shaped cookies.

I’ll eat these later. He made a mental note to save them and thanked her again. The barista smiled kindly and returned to the counter.

“Oh, the Director said he’d be home early today….”

After finishing most of his cake and some of his coffee, Soohyun took out his decorative phone and checked the time. It wouldn’t take long to drive home, but it was close to dinnertime. It wasn’t the dinner preparations that bothered him but the fact that he’d had a snack so close to dinner.

His appetite was large enough that he’d eat his usual portion, but having something sweet right before a meal usually dulled his appetite for a while.

But dessert and dinner are separate stomachs, so it should be fine.

Seo Soohyun plucked the stem off the candied cherry and ate the fruit. It lacked the fresh, tangy flavor of a fresh cherry, but it was sweet, matching its pretty color.

“Uh….”

Opening the front door, Soohyun froze. A large pair of shoes sat in the otherwise empty shoe rack. The Director was home.

“Director, you’re home already?”

He wasn’t in trouble for arriving later, so Seo Soohyun continued inside, calling out to Gi Taeyeon. He didn’t have to look far; his partner was in the living room.

“Seo Soohyun.”

“Yes?”

The Director, who had been leaning back on the sofa with his head resting against the back, tilted his head down, his dark eyes following the movement.

“Are you ready for your punishment?”

Seo Soohyun’s eyes widened.

“How did you know?”

“Confessing already?”

Oh right. I should have pretended I didn’t know.

But it was too late to take back his words. As he approached Gi Taeyeon, Seo Soohyun subconsciously licked his lips, checking for cake crumbs. He couldn’t taste any chocolate. He wondered how the Director had discovered his transgression, especially since he was meticulous about not leaving any mess, even when eating messy dishes like bibimbap.

“I even paid in cash….”

By the time he reached the sofa, Gi Taeyeon was sitting upright, his head no longer resting on the back. Confessing to secretly eating the cake and paying in cash made his partner’s dark eyebrows twitch.

“Where did you learn to be so sly?”

It was a sly act, done to avoid getting caught.

“Don’t you do things in cash on purpose, Director?”

“I’m a bad guy, that’s what I do.”

So he’s aware of it….

He’d tried to deflect the blame onto his partner, hoping for leniency, but that backfired.

Seo Soohyun decided to confess everything honestly.

“I was coming home…”

“You were coming home.”

“And I passed a cafe, and there was a cherry cake in the display case.”

If it hadn’t been for the cherry on top, he would have walked past.

“You remember last winter, when you brought a cherry cake to my house? It reminded me of that, and I stopped without thinking. I was debating whether to go in or not, and I thought I’d just look around, but there were so many things…. Anyway, I asked the barista if the cake that first caught my eye was a cherry cake, and she said it was a chocolate cake.”

“And?”

“I was a little disappointed because I went in thinking it was a cherry cake, but it was so pretty I couldn’t resist. I thought you’d say no if I asked if I could have it, so I decided to eat it secretly. I had it there instead of taking it home. And I even had an Americano instead of apple tea, which I really wanted….”

“You ate it knowing I’d say no?”

“You only let me have snacks every other day now.”

His voice trailed off.

“That’s why I told you to go to the dentist. If you’d gone, would I have told you not to eat it?”

Seo Soohyun finally regretted not going to the dentist. The pain was intermittent, so he’d been ignoring it, thinking he could manage with diligent brushing, but he’d have to go eventually.

I should have just gone to the dentist and eaten whatever I wanted…. Then I wouldn’t have done something I felt guilty about, and I wouldn’t be getting scolded now.

He briefly wondered if secretly eating a slice of chocolate cake warranted such a scolding. At the same time, he realized he deserved it, considering he hadn’t gone to the dentist and was still indulging in sweets. His grandmother or mother would have scolded him too.

But Seo Soohyun had his reasons.

“I really hate going to the dentist….”

“How did you get your teeth pulled out before, then?”

“I tied a string to my tooth and the doorknob, and Grandma would yank it open.”

Partly because there wasn’t a dentist in his village, and partly because there was no need to go to the dentist for a loose tooth, especially if it wasn’t decayed.

“And most of them just fell out on their own when I was eating…. One time it happened when I was eating chonggak kimchi, another time when I was eating an apple.”

Those times didn’t hurt much.

After exclaiming, “Oh, it fell out!” he’d finish his food, wash the tooth, and throw it onto the roof.

“You always do the darndest things.”

Gi Taeyeon chuckled, shaking his head in amusement, and Soohyun pouted. I didn’t do it on purpose; they just fell out while I was eating…. Did you always go to the dentist to get yours pulled? He must have had a sheltered upbringing.

“My little baby hates the dentist so much, but it’s okay to eat cake before dinner?”

Despite the teasing tone and the childish nickname, Gi Taeyeon had a point. His grandmothers always told him not to snack an hour before meals.

“I won’t do it again.”

“Where do you want your spanking?”

Seo Soohyun thought for a moment. He wouldn’t try to avoid punishment, but he wanted it to hurt as little as possible. It would likely be a light spanking, but he still preferred a less sensitive area.

“My bottom…?”

His bottom and back were accustomed to the occasional smack from his grandmother, so he figured they would be fine. And between the two, his bottom was the better choice. Unlike his bony back, his bottom had plenty of cushioning. Flesh absorbed impact better than bone.

Seo Soohyun thought it was a reasonable decision, but the Director smirked and let out a low chuckle. Then he tilted his chin towards his own thigh.

“Lie down.”

Why lie down…? Confused, Soohyun slowly climbed onto the sofa and lay face down on Gi Taeyeon’s thigh. He’d expected a light spanking on his bottom, his arm held by the Director like his grandmother used to do, but it seemed that wasn’t the plan.

“You actually lie down when I tell you to.”

“You told me to.”

Staring obediently at the sofa, Seo Soohyun glanced up. He immediately met the Director’s dark eyes.

Gi Taeyeon’s expression was slightly mocking. Soohyun knew he had a bit of a temper, but he hadn’t realized he was also capricious. His words suggested a hidden playful streak.

Should I get up? As he shifted his weight onto his elbows, the Director gently grasped the back of his neck and forced his head down again. His gaze fell on the black leather sofa. Before he could blink, his pants were pulled down.

“Uh….”

He flinched, bewildered by the unexpected disrobing. A large hand smacked his bare bottom without warning.

Smack!

“Ow!”

Seo Soohyun instinctively tensed. His lower abdomen was pressed against Gi Taeyeon’s thigh, his own thighs pressed against the sides of his partner’s leg. The Director’s hand was also holding the back of his neck, making it difficult to move. The only thing he could do was push against the sofa with his fingertips.

“Does it hurt?”

The Director’s voice was both gentle and irritated. Soohyun couldn’t answer. He was too flustered by his exposed state.

Smack!

“Yelp!”

Another smack echoed in his ears. His underwear was still on, so the Director’s hand wasn’t directly touching his skin, yet the sound of impact was sharp. It wasn’t until the third smack that Seo Soohyun fully grasped the situation.

“Hngh….”

The stinging pain, momentarily masked by his embarrassment, finally registered. It wasn’t as painful as when his grandmother had caned his calves as a child, but the Director’s large hand was hitting with considerable force, so the pain was understandable.

“Soohyun.”

“Hng, yes?”

Soohyun instinctively tried to look up at Gi Taeyeon but remembered the hand on his neck and instead wiggled his toes. His toes, stiff from being tucked under him, twitched inside his white socks.

“Did you do something wrong, or not?”

“I did, ow!”

Smack!

Another stinging pain shot through his bottom, making his lower body jump. Seo Soohyun, at a loss, clenched his fingers and toes. The burning sensation in his bottom was definitely painful, yet a strange tingling spread through his lower abdomen.

“What did you do wrong?”

Why does it feel strange…? Perhaps the tension from the spanking was causing his penis to press against the Director’s thigh.

He should have been focused on the punishment, but his position created a strange, distracting sensation.

“I, I ate, hngh, chocolate cake before dinner.”

He couldn’t not answer, so he replied obediently. His voice trembled slightly from the burning in his bottom.

“Is that all?”

“Hngh, I, I told you… ow!”

Smack! This one hurt a bit more. Seo Soohyun blinked, unconsciously tensing his thighs. His feet, initially neatly together, were now crossed. What else did I do wrong…?

“You’re not listening to me.”

“No, I am…. Hngh, I, I ate it without your permission.”

Seo Soohyun finally remembered his other transgression. He was an adult and didn’t need permission to eat snacks, but he’d promised the Director he’d ask, and he’d broken that promise.

“Will you do it again?”

He couldn’t see the Director’s face, but his voice seemed softer. Seo Soohyun shook his head. The Director wasn’t holding his neck too tightly, so he could move it slightly.

Smack!

“Ow!”

Soohyun flinched, his shoulders tensing. He’d thought the punishment was over, so the sudden smack made him jump. The impact pressed his lower body, including his now-erect penis, firmly against Gi Taeyeon’s thigh. At the same time, he realized he was hard. Before he could process his embarrassment, the Director’s low voice sounded above him.

“Who answers with their head, you brat?”

The Director’s fingers, threading through his hair, felt ticklish despite the stern tone.

“Hngh, I, I won’t do it again…”

“Won’t do what.”

“I won’t, ngh, lie to you.”

His words were cut short.

He braced himself for another smack, but the firm hand didn’t hit his bottom. Instead, it kneaded the reddened flesh teasingly.

Why is he touching me? I need to get down. What should I do? He blinked rapidly, afraid to move in case his erection was discovered. A long finger suddenly brushed against his underwear, right between his perineum and anus.

“Soohyun, baby.”

“Hngh.”

Seo Soohyun instinctively inhaled. The Director’s finger moved like a snake, tracing the rim of his anus, and he felt the fabric of his underwear dampen.

“Got hard while getting spanked?”

“No, I….”

Before he could finish, the finger slipped inside his underwear. The rough hand grazed his bottom, and Seo Soohyun flinched, his shoulders hunching. It didn’t seem like he’d been spanked that hard, but the slightest touch now sent a jolt of pain through him.

The problem was, whether from the squirming or his mind misinterpreting pain as pleasure, he was getting wetter.

“Soaking wet, aren’t you?”

“Hngh, uh….”

The Director’s finger probed his wet opening, his words teasing. Shame washed over him, and he wanted to struggle, but his pants and underwear were tangled around his thighs, restricting his movements.

“My little Soohyun looks innocent, but he’s a pervert inside.”

“I’m not a per, ngh, ow!”

“Oh, you’re not, are you?”

The finger pushed inside, deliberately stroking his inner walls. A wet squelching sound accompanied the movement, quickly swallowed by a whimper.

“Sucking on my finger, aren’t you?”

“Hngh, ah…. Dir, hngh, pher, omones…”

“Want me to release them?”

Seo Soohyun shook his head slightly, as before. He’d said it because his body’s arousal confused him, not because he wanted the Director to release pheromones. He didn’t even have any.

“Haah, hngh, ungh…”

The Director, who couldn’t have missed his headshake, began releasing pheromones without warning.

“No, I…”

Seo Soohyun thrashed like a drowning man, his bottom completely exposed. His already softened opening leaked slick fluids in response to the alpha’s pheromones. The single finger was replaced by three, and he accommodated them easily.

“Your hairless little dick gets hard too, huh?”

“Oh!”

Gi Taeyeon lifted his right thigh slightly, as if the weight wasn’t even noticeable. This forced Seo Soohyun to arch his back further, pressing his erect penis between his abdomen and the Director’s thick thigh.

“Fucking dripping wet…”

The Director’s voice lowered, and the fingers inside him moved faster. Seo Soohyun instinctively tensed his legs, his thighs, calves, feet, and toes rigid.

“Ah, hngh, hngh!”

Whether from the awkward angle or pure instinct, his hips bucked involuntarily. His already hard penis, trapped between his stomach and thigh, twitched with the added pressure.

Just a little more…. He was on the verge of succumbing to a familiar, albeit infrequent, pleasure. Suddenly, the fingers withdrew. The warmth and friction vanished, and the escalating pleasure abruptly cut off.

“Haah, hngh…”

Seo Soohyun managed to prop himself up on his elbows. He turned his head, his upper body slumping, and met the Director’s cool gaze. Gi Taeyeon smirked, wiggling his fingers. His long fingers, excluding the thumb and pinky, were coated in a clear liquid, dripping down to his wrist.

He opened his mouth to speak, his gaze fixed on the obscene gesture, when—

Smack!

“Ow!”

Gi Taeyeon smacked his bottom again with the same hand. The wetness amplified the sound.

“Hngh….”

Or maybe it was because he wasn’t wearing any underwear. The amplified sound mortified him, and the stinging pain followed immediately. His opening twitched, leaking fluids expectantly.

“See? You’re turned on. Getting tighter with every smack.”

As Soohyun gasped in embarrassment, the Director laughed.

Why am I like this? His own reaction was unfamiliar, and he could only pant in response.

It wasn’t just the pheromones; his penis had hardened and he’d been leaking even before the Director released them.

Do people get turned on by spankings? He was bewildered.

“Director, hngh.”

But his immediate need was too strong to ignore.

Seo Soohyun looked up at Gi Taeyeon, pleading.

“I want to.”

“Want to what?”

“Have sex….”

He knew it was strange to be aroused by a spanking, but that was beside the point. He wanted to have sex with the Director. It wasn’t his heat cycle, and he couldn’t understand his own desires, but having experienced it before, he wasn’t afraid of the sudden surge of lust; he simply craved it.

Perhaps it was because he hadn’t finished. The Director had withdrawn his fingers right before he’d come, leaving him unsatisfied.

Instead of hesitating, he voiced his desire, and Gi Taeyeon smirked, tilting his chin towards his thigh.

“Get on properly.”

Although it was a command, a hand slipped under him before he could even move.

“Nngh!”

His perspective shifted in seconds. He was now sitting on Gi Taeyeon’s thigh, legs spread wide. Due to their height difference, their eyes were almost level.

“What do you have to do if you want to have sex?”

Seo Soohyun glanced down. He could feel the Director’s erection pressing against his inner thigh. He hadn’t even noticed when his pants and underwear had been completely removed.

“You have to, hngh, take your clothes off too.”

Realizing that, he remembered what he had to do. He answered breathlessly.

“Then take them off.”

The Director reached out and kneaded his bottom as he commanded. The spanking had sensitized him, and the touch sent a wave of stinging pleasure through him. His mind, hazy with arousal, interpreted the pain as pleasure, and he reached for Gi Taeyeon’s pants, squirming slightly.

He fumbled with the belt before finally undoing it and pulling down the zipper. Unlike his own, the Director wore boxer briefs.

“Just going to look? Your hole will close up if you just stare.”

“Hngh!”

The hand on his bottom moved lower, teasing his wet folds. A soft moan escaped Seo Soohyun’s lips as he pulled down the Director’s underwear. He couldn’t remove the pants completely with Gi Taeyeon sitting on the sofa.

Coarse, dark pubic hair appeared, followed by a thick, engorged penis. Seo Soohyun gulped involuntarily and gently caressed it. Its size was slightly intimidating, but its shape and color, different from his own, fascinated him.

As he stroked it tentatively, gauging the Director’s reaction, Gi Taeyeon’s eyelids lowered. His expression wasn’t his usual smirk but a languid, heavy-lidded look that sent a thrill of anticipation through Seo Soohyun.

“Just going to keep touching? You need to shove it in if you want to cum, Fuzz-face.”

“Ah!”

As Seo Soohyun gazed at the Director’s relaxed face, Gi Taeyeon’s thumb pressed against his perineum, spreading his cheeks. His grip was strong enough to make the flesh bulge between his fingers. But the stinging sensation was overshadowed by the wetness lubricating his inner walls.

“Shove it in yourself.”

The Director smirked as their eyes met.

“Nngh…”

Seo Soohyun shifted his weight onto his knees and slowly lifted himself. He leaned against Gi Taeyeon’s chest and reached back with his right hand, grasping the Director’s hard penis.

Is this it? He positioned himself over the opening and lowered his hips, but whether from his own slick or pre-cum, the hard tip slid between his opening and perineum instead of penetrating.

“Hngh, Director.”

He was getting impatient. He looked down at Gi Taeyeon, pleading.

“It won’t go in, hngh, help… ow!”

Before he could finish, a hand grasped his hips and pushed him down, the thick tip burying itself in his opening with a soft thud.

“Haa….”

“Haah, hngh, ungh….”

The sudden penetration sent his head lolling back, but the arm around his waist prevented him from falling.

“Your little hole is loving it, isn’t it…”

Gi Taeyeon’s muttered words didn’t reach Seo Soohyun’s ears.

“Ah… ungh…”

He trembled like he was about to pass out. The moment the thick penis entered him, or perhaps even earlier, during the spanking, his own penis had spurted, releasing a thick stream of semen. His inner walls, spasming from the orgasm, contracted around the invading penis.

“Hngh, ah…”

He was lost in the sensation, dazed, when—

Smack!

“Ow!”

The sudden smack brought him back to reality. His head snapped forward, his upper body slumping against the Director’s broad shoulders.

“Having fun all by yourself?”

“Ah, hngh…”

Even without moving, his inner muscles clenched around the intruding length. Seo Soohyun could only moan as Gi Taeyeon’s hand reached behind him and peeled off his thin spring knit. The fullness in his opening sent waves of pleasure through him, but the feeling of being stretched was overwhelming.

“Move.”

After a few seconds of adjusting to the unfamiliar position, the Director’s hand cupped his chest, pinching his nipple as he commanded.

“Hngh, ungh.”

Only after sharp teeth nipped at his nipple did Seo Soohyun reach up and place his hands on Gi Taeyeon’s shoulders. He was sitting on the Director’s thick thighs, the deep penetration uncomfortable, but this was his first time moving on his own, and curiosity won over discomfort.

“Put your weight on your knees and rotate your hips.”

His legs were already spread wide because of the Director’s thick thighs. He struggled to straighten his knees, following Gi Taeyeon’s guidance. Every movement caused the thick penis to grind against his inner walls, disrupting his balance, but he managed to get upright with a groan.

“Haah, hngh…”

He cautiously began to move his hips in the unfamiliar position. A lewd squelching sound accompanied the slow movements.

He didn’t dare to move faster. His legs were already spread wide, and every small movement caused his penis to rub against his skin. He was afraid he’d lose control if he moved any more vigorously.

But the Director wasn’t satisfied.

“How are you going to cum with those tiny movements?”

Gi Taeyeon pinched his nipple, pulling it taut, and sighed before slipping a hand under his bottom.

“I can do it, aah!”

Seo Soohyun collapsed against Gi Taeyeon’s shoulders, not just from the hand lifting him but because the thick penis had withdrawn and thrust back in mercilessly.

Gi Taeyeon didn’t relent. He bottomed out, grinding his hips against Seo Soohyun’s, and nipped at the back of his neck as he pistoned into him.

“Haah! Ah! Aah!”

“Hngh…”

Seo Soohyun’s weight was nothing to him.

Knowing that Seo Soohyun was struggling, he continued thrusting relentlessly. His slick-coated penis slapped against the flushed flesh of his bottom, withdrawing and thrusting back in with each stroke.

“You can do it? What can you do?”

“Aah! Aah!”

The first time Gi Taeyeon had fucked Seo Soohyun, he’d been half out of his mind, but he clearly remembered their last time. Seo Soohyun’s claim of being sturdy wasn’t an exaggeration; he could take quite a bit despite his slender frame. He hadn’t been with any other alphas, so he was unaware of his own limits, which pleased Gi Taeyeon. It meant he could train this wanton body to his liking.

And judging by how wet he was getting from a mere spanking, he seemed naturally sensitive. His pheromones were faint, only a hint of cherry even now, at the height of his arousal, but his body was an alpha’s dream.

“Ah, aah, aah, hngh!”

Especially the way he leaned into the thrusts.

Gi Taeyeon deliberately squeezed the reddened flesh of his bottom. Bruises would form in a few hours, and he imagined the sight would be quite appealing.

“Dir, ector…. Hngh, slow, slow, aah!”

Unfamiliar with being taken from below, Seo Soohyun squirmed, rubbing his forehead against the Director’s neck. The whiny plea made the penis inside him twitch.

“Hngh, fuck…”

Gi Taeyeon, driven by instinct, buried himself deep inside, spilling his seed. The stretched walls, slick with cum, began to contract.

He realized belatedly that he’d fucked Seo Soohyun raw. Despite his messy and promiscuous sexual tastes, he usually used condoms to avoid complications, so this was unusual.

Well, there’s no risk of pregnancy. I came inside him last time too.

Gi Taeyeon lowered his head and nuzzled Seo Soohyun’s cheek.

“Haah, hngh, it’s leaking…”

“Mm, it’s leaking? How does it feel?”

Seo Soohyun, dazed from the Director’s kisses, absently touched his stomach. During their previous encounters, he’d been too lost in the haze of pleasure to notice, but now, sitting upright and catching his breath, he could clearly feel the outline of his penis, still hard. The feeling of something inside him was both strange and fascinating. The precarious situation also excited him, perhaps because of the lingering tingling in his lower abdomen.

Of course, it wasn’t just his abdomen that was tingling. Despite having already come once, his penis, stimulated by the thick length inside him, hardened again and leaked against the Director’s shirt, staining the patterned fabric with a whitish stain.

“Hngh, it’s weird, but, ah, it feels good…”

“Feels good?”

Seo Soohyun nodded, panting despite his exhaustion. He’d never considered himself particularly lustful, but this risky act felt incredibly good. He enjoyed the mindless pleasure that consumed him, but more than that, he found satisfaction in the act of sharing warmth with someone.

He was the only one naked, and the Director was still clothed, so perhaps “sharing warmth” wasn’t entirely accurate, but the physical intimacy itself brought a sense of comfort and fulfillment.

“Yes, it feels good…”

He nuzzled his forehead against Gi Taeyeon’s shoulder as he confessed, panting, when—

“Haah!”

An arm slipped between his legs, and he was suddenly lifted. The Director had stood up abruptly, leaving his legs dangling in the air. He instinctively wrapped his arms around Gi Taeyeon’s neck. His inner muscles clenched around the penis, and he felt a renewed wave of pleasure.

“Hngh, why…”

“If it feels good, you should beg for more.”

He was afraid of falling.

“Director, hngh, I want to get down. Ungh, put me down.”

“Kiss me.”

Driven by a primal survival instinct, Soohyun, who had been clinging to Gi Taeyeon, tilted his head back. He met the Director’s amused gaze.

“I said kiss me.”

His tone was condescending, like a mister teasing someone much younger.

But Seo Soohyun, accustomed to the Director’s crass language, didn’t take offense and obediently licked his lips. He then darted his tongue out, probing between Gi Taeyeon’s teeth.

“I said kiss me, not swallow me whole.”

Despite his mocking tone, Gi Taeyeon chuckled and kissed Seo Soohyun deeply.

The small, soft tongue tasted faintly of cherries and something sinfully sweet.

🍑

His eyelids fluttered open. Sleep clung to his lashes, his expression drowsy.

He hadn’t woken up of his own accord; it was more like he’d been forced awake by his growling stomach. He’d been too exhausted to eat dinner and had drifted off to sleep.

“I’m hungry…”

His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper.

Rubbing his flat stomach, he stared blankly at the window, where blue light was filtering through, then looked up at the Director’s sleeping face. The memories of last night surfaced, but he didn’t blush. He simply observed Gi Taeyeon’s peaceful expression.

‘He looks different when he’s sleeping compared to when we’re having sex.’

He himself probably wasn’t much different. He didn’t cry in his sleep.

He’d cried during sex. Overwhelmed by the unfamiliar pleasure, tears had streamed down his face involuntarily. Tears were like moans; they couldn’t be held back. Besides, the Director tended to be relentless until he cried.

Soohyun blinked, looking at the Director’s relaxed face, so different from his usual furrowed brow. Even in sleep, Gi Taeyeon exuded a cool aura, his features sharp and defined, a typical dominant alpha. He didn’t look as fierce and wild as he did during sex, when he’d furrow his brow and clench his jaw.

He’s handsome. Seo Soohyun admired him silently.

Perhaps his gaze was too intense, or perhaps the Director was a light sleeper, but Gi Taeyeon’s eyelids fluttered open. He registered Seo Soohyun’s presence, his brow furrowing slightly before he wrapped an arm around the smaller man and pulled him closer. Seo Soohyun had been using his arm as a pillow, so the simple movement was enough to bring him into a close embrace.

“What are you doing awake?”

“I woke up.”

Seo Soohyun’s voice was still hoarse, while Gi Taeyeon’s was low and rough, like someone who had just woken up. His hand, which had been suspended in the air, moved down, threading through Seo Soohyun’s soft hair.

“Go back to sleep instead of staring at my face.”

Seo Soohyun’s forehead now rested against Gi Taeyeon’s chest.

Unlike during their encounter on the sofa, the Director was completely naked. They had moved to the bedroom and continued after removing their clothes, so it wasn’t just because of his habit of sleeping naked.

His bare skin radiated warmth, explaining why he wore light clothing even in winter.

Yet Seo Soohyun didn’t feel hot or stifled. The warmth was comforting, like snuggling under a thick comforter on a cold winter night.

He kept his eyes open, even as the Director’s breathing slowed. He’d been drowsy moments ago, but the Director’s words had roused him, or perhaps it was his hunger.

Clutching his growling stomach, Seo Soohyun exhaled softly. He’d slip away once Gi Taeyeon was asleep again.

“What should I make for breakfast?”

He muttered to himself as he opened the refrigerator, having dressed earlier.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to shower despite his sore muscles. They had been so entangled that he could barely stand afterwards, so the Director had washed him.

He hadn’t even been able to walk to the bathroom on his own. He’d been panting, limp in the Director’s arms, as he was lowered into the bathtub. He might have passed out if they’d gone another round.

He was so clumsy.

The memories of last night surfaced as he looked inside the refrigerator.

The Director’s hands had been clumsy while washing him. His grip was strong, and he’d scrubbed his hair thoroughly, but the rinsing had been less skillful, water splashing into his eyes, nose, and mouth, making him cough.

‘Cough, cough. Director, hngh, I got soap in my eyes.’

‘Ugh, fuck. Now I’m a babysitter.’

Gi Taeyeon had assessed the situation, then supported Seo Soohyun’s neck against the edge of the tub, tilting his head back before rinsing his hair again.

The soaping had been swift. Just as he’d effortlessly maneuvered him during sex, he handled his limp body with ease, lathering and rinsing him quickly.

Seo Soohyun had soaked in the hot water until the Director was done, then he was lifted out again. Gi Taeyeon had dried him roughly, given his hair a perfunctory towel-dry, and then deposited him on his bed.

‘This is your room.’

‘Just go to sleep. You’re all wet, where else are you going to sleep? On the floor?’

He’d intended to return to his own room, now that he could walk, but whether the Director interpreted it as a request to be carried or to have the sheets changed, he’d simply replied nonchalantly and climbed into bed. Seo Soohyun had quietly closed his eyes, preferring the company to sleeping alone.

Even if he’d woken up hungry in the middle of the night.

“Oh, right. I have that.”

Taking a bite of a frozen brownie, he hummed softly, remembering an ingredient. It was a bit heavy for breakfast, but they had exerted themselves last night, and the Director wasn’t picky, so it would probably be fine.

“Where did he go…. What’s this?”

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Gi Taeyeon, who had been looking inside the refrigerator, slowly looked up at the sound of Seo Soohyun’s voice.

“Actually, I woke up earlier because I was hungry. I thought I’d make breakfast while I was up, and I remembered what your colleague brought over. I usually make this for lunch or dinner, but we both used up a lot of energy yesterday, so I thought it would be okay for breakfast. The rice is just done, so have a seat.”