Simmering Heat Chapter 11.2

“I wonder when Teacher’s coming back…”

Seo Jaeoh had been on the phone outside for a while. Taeun, lying on the floor, opened his social media app to kill time. As he scrolled through his feed, his eyes suddenly lit up. The downward momentum of his thumb stopped, and he tapped the screen, muttering something unintelligible.

He finished typing his comment and pressed enter just as the sliding door opened and Jaeoh walked in. Jaeoh’s eyes widened at the sight of Taeun sprawled on the floor, breathing heavily. He hurried over to Taeun.

“Taeun, Taeun, are you okay?”

“Ah, yes… I’m not that drunk…”

Jaeoh carefully helped Taeun sit up.

“Can you stand? Let’s go. The driver’s here.”

“Yes…”

Jaeoh retrieved Taeun’s abandoned bag while Taeun wobbled unsteadily to his feet. Just as he was about to fall, Jaeoh caught him, the warmth of Taeun’s alcohol-flushed body pressing close.

“Hey, you said you could hold your liquor.”

“Heh heh. Guess I’m not as good as I thought…”

“What are you talking about?”

Jaeoh steadied Taeun and guided him towards the door. Since they’d been sitting on the floor, he had to help Taeun sit down again. Jaeoh slipped on his shoes, then knelt and helped Taeun put on his sneakers, feeling like an unexpected babysitter. He chuckled softly.

“Teacher… want me to set you up with someone? I have a friend who’s really good at drinking… I think you two would get along…”

Taeun, leaning heavily on Jaeoh, started hiccuping and rambling. Jaeoh finished putting on his other shoe and ruffled his hair.

“Too bad. I prefer people who can’t drink as much as me.”

“So you like most of the world’s population?”

Taeun replied with utmost seriousness. Jaeoh flicked his forehead lightly.

“…Ow…”

His reaction was delayed. Jaeoh put Taeun’s arm around his shoulder. “Where do you live?” he asked, changing the subject. “Seoul… Special… City… Hiccup…!” Taeun started mumbling his address.

🔥

Cha Jinhyun stood frozen, lost in thought. He looked like he was in a daze.

Organizing his thoughts and the situation should have been simple, but it wasn’t. Ten minutes after Taeun had walked away, he finally started moving. He passed through the subway turnstile, boarded the train, and got off again, his mind filled with Taeun.

Taeun, who liked him, kept showing him unfamiliar sides of himself. Jinhyun was taken aback each time. He tried to overlay those new expressions with memories of the past, hoping that Taeun’s fleeting feelings would fade, that he would return to the Taeun he knew.

But that wasn’t working this time. Every time he blinked, he saw Taeun’s resentful face. That pathetic expression filled with frustration, sadness, anger, and yet, undeniable affection.

“…Fuck, seriously.”

Jinhyun cursed under his breath. After repeatedly trying to clear his mind and organize his thoughts, he realized that the lingering discomfort was guilt.

He felt like a villain for hurting Taeun with a simple joke, even though Taeun had acted far worse – confessing his feelings, then assaulting him, then disappearing again.

Back at home, he filled the kettle and pulled out a packet of instant coffee. He decided to go downstairs for a cigarette while the water boiled. He stiffened at the thought of running into Taeun.

Fortunately, Taeun was nowhere to be seen. Jinhyun lit his cigarette, glancing around the alley. Where did he go? It was strange that Taeun wasn’t home yet, even though he’d left the cafe first. He finished his cigarette and lit another one. The sun was setting.

He took a drag, not noticing how quickly it was burning. “This is so short, damn it,” he grumbled, lighting another one. He looked up as he sensed someone approaching. It wasn’t Taeun. A woman, giving him a wary look, hurried into the building. Jinhyun turned away awkwardly.

Back on the 7th floor, he sat on the sofa and sipped his coffee. It tasted unusually bitter. He turned on the TV, filling the quiet apartment with the sound of laughter. He flipped through the channels, then stopped. It was a rerun of a daily drama. He recognized the actors; it was the one Taeun always watched. He unconsciously checked the episode number. Episode 14…

‘He said he missed this episode. I wonder if I can watch it online.’

He fumbled with the remote, searching for the record button, then suddenly threw it onto the sofa. It was an unexpected burst of anger, like a calm cat suddenly swatting a glass off a table.

“Why isn’t he home yet?”

He drained his cold coffee and muttered irritably. It was dark outside. Taeun should have been home hours ago. He tapped his foot impatiently, put his cup in the sink, and started washing the few dirty dishes. His foul mood persisted.

He stripped off his clothes and headed to the bathroom. He took a long, slow shower and meticulously dried his hair, a process that took at least an hour. Taeun still wasn’t home.

Jinhyun put on a comfortable t-shirt and sweatpants and sat on his bed. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, lost in thought. He’d meant it when he said he wanted Taeun to move on. He’d answered honestly because he wanted Taeun to give up on him.

But he hadn’t intended to hurt him.

He opened his eyes and checked the time. 10:30 PM. Not terribly late, but considering the time they’d parted ways, it wasn’t early either. He opened his chat with Taeun and started typing.

Hey, why aren’t you home yet? Where are you? Did you run away again? Are you still mad? Is it because of me?

He stopped. It sounded too desperate. He deleted everything and started again.

Where are you

…That’s too cold. He didn’t want to upset Taeun again.

Are you still mad? Where are you?

He combined the two messages, creating a more acceptable version. He was about to press send when—

[‘Lee Taeun’ tagged you in a comment.]

…What? Surprised by Taeun’s sudden appearance online, he tapped the notification instead of sending the message.

—————————————————————
Sunday, first week of April,

Light spring rain is expected in the central region.

Tag @ someone you love and tell them to bring an umbrella ♥
————————————————————

A simple weather forecast appeared on his screen, a typical post from an online news account. He scrolled down to Taeun’s comment.

[Lee Taeun: @Cha Jinhyun bring an umbralla don’t leave home]

“…….”

It was a strange message, he wasn’t sure if Taeun was telling him to leave the house or not to leave the house. He didn’t have any plans to go out tomorrow anyway. Jinhyun chuckled, unable to stop himself. Is he trying to announce his feelings to the world? He wondered what possessed Taeun to tag him so openly in a public forum.

Well, at least he’s not angry anymore. Jinhyun leaned back against his headboard, feeling relieved. Since Taeun had reached out, he probably wasn’t going to run away. He’ll be home soon. Instead of replying to the cute comment, Jinhyun liked it. It was his way of offering a peace treaty. He lay back comfortably and scrolled through his social media feed, which he hadn’t checked in a while.

He casually browsed through memes and humorous posts, checking the time intermittently. After 11 PM, his relaxed mood turned anxious. He checked Taeun’s comment again.

“…That idiot’s drunk again.”

He noticed the misspelled word, a clear sign of Taeun’s drunken efforts. He immediately opened his call log, found Taeun’s name, and pressed call. Taeun’s familiar ringtone filled his speaker.

The song played for a long time. Jinhyun, who had been lying down, sat up. The ringtone suddenly cut off. Jinhyun spoke before Taeun could say anything.

“Where are you.”

—Uh…

As expected. Jinhyun frowned at the slurred response. Taeun always resorted to drinking. He remembered Taeun stumbling home drunk the day after he’d been fined, throwing up everywhere, and sighed in exasperation.

—Jinhyun, hey, I…

“Why aren’t you home? Did you run away again?”

He was getting impatient with Taeun’s drawn-out response. He wanted to know where Taeun was. He was about to ask again when Taeun’s dazed voice drifted through the speaker.

—My… butt’s stuck…

“…What?”

The nonsensical words made Jinhyun forget what he was about to say.

—I was going to… sober up a bit before going home… but my butt’s stuck.

“What are you talking about? Where are you?”

He was going to sober up… so he’s near the apartment, then. Taeun’s voice, though he was clearly trying to articulate, was thick with alcohol. He’s not in his right mind. Jinhyun knew it instinctively.

—I’m trying to… get it unstuck… but I’m stuck to the bench… right now…

“A bench? Near our apartment?”

—I came home… hey… someone must have put glue on it… I’m completely stuck.

“What do you see around you?”

—I’m stuck… I can’t see properly.

This crazy bastard. Jinhyun got up, grabbed his jacket, and headed out. He mentally listed all the possible benches near their apartment as he stepped into the elevator. He was thankful that their elevator had cell service. Just then, Taeun, who had been mumbling and breathing heavily, spoke in a resigned tone.

—Jinhyun… I’m really sorry… could you call 119 for me?

“…….”

Jinhyun, who had been walking towards the nearby park, stopped dead in his tracks.

—It’s not coming off… uh… never mind, I’ll do it… I’ll hang up…

“Hey, fuck, don’t hang up! Stay where you are.”

Jinhyun started running. He was worried Taeun would actually call 119 and report his stuck butt.

He ran towards the small park nestled between the residential buildings. If he’s not there, I’m screwed. He passed the cute sign that read ‘Haedari Park’ and frantically scanned the area. He was out of breath from running with his phone pressed to his ear. He spotted a figure lying on a bench and ran towards it, lowering his phone.

“Taeun.”

“…Oh, you… how did you get here…?”

Jinhyun caught his breath and called out Taeun’s name again. Taeun’s head slowly turned. He was lying on his back, staring at the sky as if counting stars. It was a ridiculous sight.

“…Hey, can you see? My butt was stuck before, but now my back’s stuck too…”

“This is insane.”

Since Taeun rarely got drunk, Jinhyun seldom saw him like this. Even when drunk, he usually just mumbled nonsense and fell asleep. He must have bathed in alcohol to get this drunk.

It hurts. Taeun’s words from earlier suddenly resurfaced, making him feel uneasy.

“Ha… damn it, just get on my back.”

Taeun was clearly in no condition to walk. Jinhyun knelt in front of him, offering his back. But Taeun, lying there like a corpse in a coffin, only mumbled, “It’s… not coming off…” and didn’t move. Ah, fuck… Suppressing his frustration and curses, Jinhyun pulled at Taeun’s arm.

Glue my ass. Taeun’s body was surprisingly light as he was pulled up. Jinhyun was about to hoist him onto his back when he stopped. Taeun’s phone was vibrating in his pocket. He put Taeun down, and the phone slipped out, landing on the ground. Jinhyun picked it up.

[Flower Boy Teacher Seo]

The name on the screen was strange. The ringing stopped, then started again a few seconds later. The caller ID was the same. Jinhyun leaned against the bench, pressed the answer button, and brought the phone to his ear.

—Taeun? Did you get home safely?

A worried voice filled his ear before he could even say hello. The man’s gentle tone as he called Taeun’s name was unfamiliar.

“Who is this?”

It wasn’t something you’d typically ask after answering someone else’s phone.

—…Is this not Taeun?

“I’m his friend. Who is this?”

Jinhyun brazenly questioned the caller’s identity. He knew most of Taeun’s friends, and he had no data on a ‘Flower Boy Teacher Seo.’ Even during their three-year separation, most of that time had been spent during Taeun’s military service. And the military wasn’t exactly a place to meet someone deserving of the title ‘Teacher.’

…Someone he met recently? Or is he actually a teacher? …No way. There hadn’t been any teachers worthy of the title ‘Flower Boy’ during their school days, and the voice on the phone sounded too young. Annoyed, Jinhyun pondered the question when a worried voice came through the speaker.

—Ah… I was with Taeun earlier. I was worried he might not have gotten home safely. Is Taeun okay? He was quite drunk.

Flower Boy Teacher Seo was right, Taeun was incredibly drunk, but the caller sounded perfectly sober. Either he had an incredibly high tolerance for alcohol, or he’d deliberately gotten Taeun drunk. Jinhyun’s mind raced.

The latter scenario seemed more likely. What would anyone gain from getting him drunk? Was he robbed? Jinhyun rummaged through Taeun’s bag, which was lying on the ground, but his wallet was safely inside.

“If you got him this drunk, you should have at least made sure he got home safely. What, did you just leave him in the park to freeze to death?”

Annoyance fueled his unexpectedly rude tone. Surprised by his own words, Jinhyun fell silent.

—…He’s in the park? I walked him all the way to his apartment…

“…….”

—His friend’s right. Next time, I’ll just let him sleep at my place. Please take good care of him this time.

But the man seemed unconcerned by Jinhyun’s rudeness, his focus solely on Taeun’s well-being. Jinhyun would have preferred to be reprimanded for his tone. He clicked his tongue, annoyed. He was also displeased by the implication that this man planned to get Taeun drunk again.

“That won’t be necessary. He can’t answer the phone right now, so I’m hanging up.”

Jinhyun pressed the end call button. The man’s voice continued, but Jinhyun didn’t care. He was about to pick Taeun up again when he stopped, a childish curiosity piqued. Having seen the nickname ‘Flower Boy Teacher Seo,’ he couldn’t resist. He turned Taeun’s phone back on. 0514. The passcode was easy; it was Taeun’s birthday. He unlocked the phone and searched his contacts for his name.

“…….”

Nothing. ‘Cha Jinhyun.’ Nothing. He even tried searching for various heart emojis, just in case. Still nothing. Did he delete my number? Jinhyun typed his own number into the search bar.

[ㅗ]

“Ha.”

The result was perhaps worse than being deleted. This guy is ‘Flower Boy’ and I’m just a vowel? A fucking vowel? Jinhyun stared at Taeun in disbelief. Taeun was still mumbling about his back and head being stuck to the bench.

“You’re so dead when you sober up.”

Jinhyun muttered darkly, securing Taeun’s dangling arms around his neck.

🔥

By the time he got Taeun home, his entire body was drenched in sweat, despite having showered earlier. He sighed and laid Taeun on the sofa. Taeun’s unfocused eyes stared back at him; he wasn’t asleep. His goofy grin was annoying.

“Wake up and wash up before you sleep.”

He shook Taeun’s shoulder lightly.

“…Wash me…”

Jinhyun took a deep breath, trying to control his rising irritation. What did I just hear?

Taeun’s drunken ramblings, which he would have normally ignored, now filled his mind with all sorts of thoughts. Is he really this drunk, or is he messing with me? Jinhyun stared at Taeun’s slack face. There was still nothing sexy about him. Of course not. Lee Taeun was just a guy, after all. He was more cute than sexy.

“…….”

Cute was fine. There were plenty of cute things in the world. Even stray puppies wagging their tails were cute. But no one dated puppies just because they were cute. That would be insane.

“Hey, puppy. Are you going to get up?”

Jinhyun poked Taeun’s flushed cheek. Taeun, now apparently stuck to the sofa, feebly swatted his hand away. Jinhyun stopped poking him and pulled him up, putting his arm around Taeun’s neck. He couldn’t undress and wash him, but he could at least help him brush his teeth and wash his face.

He dragged Taeun to the bathroom and squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush. He shoved the toothbrush into Taeun’s mouth, who stood there like a statue, then took the toothbrush back and held it himself.

“Open your mouth.”

Taeun slowly opened his mouth. At least he’s listening. Jinhyun bent down slightly to meet his eye level and started brushing his teeth vigorously. Taeun’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Be gentle…”

Jinhyun’s hand froze.

“…….”

Is this bastard doing this on purpose?

A puppy could turn into a son of a bitch in an instant. He looked up at Taeun, who just blinked at him with a dazed expression. Jinhyun roughly finished brushing his teeth and handed him a glass of water.

He cupped Taeun’s face in his hands and splashed cold water on it, ignoring his weak protests. “Blow your nose,” he ordered firmly. “Snort!” Taeun obediently blew his nose into Jinhyun’s hand. Jinhyun rinsed his hand and roughly dried Taeun’s face with a towel.

He led Taeun, who was stumbling like a broken robot, back to his room. He propped the drunken man against the bed and lifted the hem of his hoodie. He took it off, revealing a loose t-shirt underneath. It seemed comfortable enough to sleep in, so he left it on. He reached down to unbuckle his jeans and stopped.

Why am I hesitating over unbuckling a guy’s pants? His own hesitation felt strange. It was understandable, though. This was his first time undressing someone who claimed to like him. No, this was his first time undressing any man. The position felt awkward too. Him crouching in front of Taeun, pulling down his pants…

“Ugh, fuck.”

He cursed under his breath, a wave of self-disgust washing over him. He closed his eyes, unzipped Taeun’s jeans, pulled them down, and pushed him onto the bed. Taeun landed on the mattress with a thud. Jinhyun turned away and threw a blanket over him.

He quickly flipped the light switch, plunging the room into darkness.

“You… when you wake up…”

He started to rant at the motionless Taeun, then stopped, feeling suddenly deflated.

…The lingering feeling of Taeun’s groin against his fingers bothered him. He’d seen Taeun naked countless times when they were kids. The last time had been in middle school, maybe. So it shouldn’t feel strange or awkward, but… it did.

Instead of returning to his room, Jinhyun went back to the bathroom. His dried sweat felt sticky, and he needed to clear his head. He felt strangely intoxicated, despite not having had anything to drink, probably from dealing with Taeun.

He took a quick shower and walked back to his room, towel-drying his hair. He felt exhausted from all the thinking, running, carrying, and general chaos of the day. He removed the towel from around his neck and was about to get into bed when he stopped, holding his breath.

“…What are you doing?”

Lee Taeun was in his bed.

“…Let’s sleep together.”

Taeun, who had even brought his own pillow, was lying under the covers up to his neck, looking at him expectantly. Fortunately, his lower half, clad only in his underwear, was hidden under the blanket. He wasn’t sure why he found that fortunate. Taeun seemed to have sobered up slightly; his voice was clearer.

“You want me to sleep in the same bed with someone who likes me?”

“I’ll just hold your hand…”

Jinhyun was speechless at the ridiculous compromise. This was wrong on so many levels. They’d slept in the same bed countless times as kids, but Jinhyun, his mind still hazy, couldn’t process the memories. He was about to pull Taeun out of his bed and remove the blanket when—

“You were mean to me today…”

“…….”

Those words struck a chord, stirring up the guilt that had been swirling inside him. A flicker of conscience surfaced.

“If you sleep with me… I’ll forgive you.”

Taeun’s soft voice made Jinhyun’s head spin.

“Hey, you, seriously, since earlier…”

Jinhyun stopped mid-sentence and closed his eyes tightly, rubbing his face with his hand.

“…Forget it.”

Lee Taeun is out of his mind. Jinhyun repeated it to himself like a mantra and turned off the light. Darkness enveloped the room. He walked back to the bed and climbed in with a sigh.

“Move over. It’s cramped.”

“Okay.”

Taeun obediently shuffled closer to the wall, making space. Jinhyun lay down, his head on the pillow. With two grown men in one bed, it was inevitable that they would touch. He felt Taeun’s hand reaching for his under the covers. …He wasn’t joking about just holding hands.

“…Am I dirty?”

“What?”

Taeun, intertwining their fingers, asked a strange question. Jinhyun slowly turned towards him.

“…Is it… dirty to touch me…?”

The unexpected question rendered him speechless. That was the only reason for his delayed response.

“Even if it is, deal with it.”

The silence seemed to have hurt Taeun again. His mumbling voice lacked confidence, despite his assertive words.

“You promised you’d do your best too.”

“You’re not dirty.”

It was ridiculous that they were even discussing whether or not touching each other was ‘dirty.’ They were practically brothers. Jinhyun, wanting to avoid further guilt, finally answered.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Heh heh…”

Taeun giggled, seemingly pleased by the simple, perfunctory answer. So easy to please.

“You… you used to beg to hold my hand…”

“Bullshit. I never did that.”

“You did. At that elementary school camp…”

Jinhyun searched his memory at Taeun’s specific accusation. …He had a vague recollection.

On the first night of the camp, he’d woken up needing to use the bathroom. He’d dragged a sleepy Taeun along with him. He’d insisted on holding hands, afraid Taeun might run away, and Taeun, yawning loudly, had reluctantly complied. It was an embarrassing memory now.

“You were so scared of ghosts, it was ridiculous…”

“Hey.”

Taeun continued in his drunken drawl. Jinhyun interrupted him in a serious tone.

“Ghosts are real.”

“Crazy bastard.”

Taeun burst out laughing. Jinhyun smiled, pleased by Taeun’s laughter. …This is what playful banter is supposed to be like. He unconsciously reflected on his earlier behavior.

The breeze from the open window felt cool against his skin. He felt good, and he wanted to keep talking. He spoke casually.

“Taeun.”

“Yeah…”

“Are you afraid of anything?”

“I’m…”

Taeun’s voice trailed off, as if pondering the simple question. He stared at the faint moonlight filtering into the room.

“I’m… most afraid of you.”

Again.

The unexpected answer pulled Jinhyun back into the pit of discomfort, filled with this unfamiliar, awkward Taeun who liked him. He shook his head slightly.

A cool breeze rustled their hair in the darkness. And suddenly, a faint thrumming resonated from their joined hands. Jinhyun flinched, his hand twitching slightly.

“…Hey.”

I need to let go of his hand. A sense of unease washed over him. He slowly started to pull his hand away.

“If I let go of your hand…”

“…….”

“…will you be hurt again?”

But the slight movement stopped. He couldn’t bring himself to let go, remembering Taeun’s hurt expression.

“…Yeah, a lot.”

“…….”

“I’ll kill myself.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

He wasn’t completely sober yet. Jinhyun couldn’t bring himself to let go of Taeun’s hand. Instead, he loosened his grip slightly. Their intertwined fingers were hidden under the covers. He was strangely relieved.

“Jinhyun.”

Taeun turned towards him, his voice muffled by the pillow, and softly, almost affectionately, called his name again. His warm breath tickled Jinhyun’s neck.

“Yeah.”

“You know…”

“Yeah.”

“I really like you.”

“…….”

Is randomly confessing his feelings his new hobby? Jinhyun opened his eyes and looked at Taeun. Taeun was curled up on his side, his head down, so all Jinhyun could see were his lowered eyelids and the top of his head.

“Why do I like you so much?”

His mumbled voice was thick with emotion. He sounded like he was about to cry.

“Why do I like you this much…?”

“…….”

Jinhyun didn’t have an answer to the confession that sounded more like a soliloquy. He remained silent, wanting to fall asleep before the atmosphere, his feelings, became even more ambiguous. Perhaps sleep was an escape into darkness. He was about to close his eyes again when—

“I’ve… been thinking…”

Taeun suddenly sat up halfway, his unfocused eyes staring down at Jinhyun.

“…What.”

Taeun’s face, dimly lit by the moonlight, was blurry. He was very close. Jinhyun pulled his head back slightly, and Taeun followed like a magnet.

“…It’s because you’re so handsome.”

And then he started rambling. Right, he’s drunk.

“Go to sleep.”

Jinhyun gently pushed Taeun’s shoulder, but Taeun didn’t budge. He moved even closer, close enough for Jinhyun to feel his breath.

“Your eyes are handsome…”

Taeun, practically lying on top of him now, traced Jinhyun’s eyebrow with his other hand. Jinhyun choked back a laugh at the sudden face appraisal. Taeun continued his assessment, oblivious, his fingers tracing the lines of Jinhyun’s face. The faint scent of alcohol, mixed with toothpaste, tickled Jinhyun’s nose.

“Your skin is nice… your nose is handsome…”

“…….”

“But your lips… they’re a little… fat…”

“…Are you trying to pick a fight?”

Taeun’s long fingers traced the lines of Jinhyun’s face, sliding down like a gentle caress before stopping at his lips. Jinhyun’s body stiffened at the intimate touch. He retorted, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Kind of… sexy.”

“…….”

But he couldn’t maintain his composure as Taeun’s assessment continued. Thump. Thump. The faint throbbing beneath his fingertips intensified, accelerating. He didn’t know why.

Taeun’s eyes, fixed on Jinhyun’s lips, flickered with a strange light. It wasn’t the unfocused gaze of drunkenness. His finger slowly pressed against Jinhyun’s full lower lip. Jinhyun felt a strange tingling sensation. Oh, this isn’t good. A sense of danger washed over him. He was about to pull Taeun’s hand away when—

The precarious distance between them closed, and Taeun’s lips landed on his.

It was the second time their lips had met, the first a clumsy, drunken press of flesh. Jinhyun held his breath, his vision filled with Taeun’s gently closed eyes. Even in the dim light, he could clearly see Taeun’s long eyelashes fluttering. Jinhyun couldn’t bring himself to pull away. He’ll be hurt if I push him away. That was his first thought, and it worried him.

…He’s drunk. He let Taeun’s clumsy kiss linger.

Taeun’s lips pressed against his, firm and unmoving. It was a truly artless kiss. Jinhyun ignored the slight acceleration of his heart, waiting for Taeun to pull away. But instead, the warm lips grew more insistent. It was strange. He’d expected Taeun to pull away soon, but he showed no signs of doing so. Taeun’s body, not behaving as expected, remained warm against his.

Taeun moved closer, his legs tangling with Jinhyun’s. His bare leg pressed against Jinhyun’s thigh, and then his tongue tentatively touched Jinhyun’s lips.

As if urging him to open his mouth, Taeun’s lips gently sucked on Jinhyun’s lower lip. Jinhyun froze, his body stiff with surprise. But what truly surprised him was his own inability to escape this bizarre, unexpected situation. Taeun licked his lips again, sending a shiver down Jinhyun’s spine.

Oh. This was strange.

This was incredibly strange.

Yet, Jinhyun slowly raised his other hand. He wasn’t even aware of his hand moving. He felt exhausted. All the strength seemed to have drained from his body, except for his hand, which moved on its own accord. He couldn’t stop his lips from parting slightly. He sucked on Taeun’s tongue, which was clumsily exploring his mouth, and cupped the back of his head, his fingers tangling in Taeun’s soft hair.

He could taste the faint flavor of alcohol on Taeun’s tongue. He gently pressed his tongue against Taeun’s, teasing the inside of his mouth, and Taeun shivered. The clumsy response sent a jolt through Jinhyun’s hand. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, and rolled over, his hand sliding beneath Taeun’s head and sinking into the soft pillow.

“Mm…”

Their lips, momentarily separated by the change in position, reconnected. With Jinhyun now on top, his hand rested beside Taeun’s face. The wet sounds of their lips sliding against each other filled the room. Taeun wrapped his free arm around Jinhyun’s neck, pulling him closer. Their bodies pressed tightly together, their legs tangled beneath the rumpled blanket. Jinhyun nipped at Taeun’s lip, then pulled away slightly.

“Ha… mm…”

Taeun gasped, their lips glistening with mingled saliva. He instinctively pressed closer, his slightly swollen lips reaching for Jinhyun’s again. Just as Jinhyun was about to lower his head—

“…….”

He felt a hard pressure against his lower body. He froze. The sudden awareness of what was happening brought him back to reality. He abruptly pulled away, sitting up as if he’d just woken from a dream. He was now straddling Taeun.

Fuck. What?

A wave of shock, like a bullet to the back of his head, washed over him. He scrambled off the bed.

He gasped, then sighed, pressing his hand to his forehead. Unable to calm down, he paced the room restlessly. He heard Taeun mumbling something in his sleep, but he was too distraught to pay attention.

He went straight to the bathroom, turned the faucet all the way to cold, and splashed water on his face repeatedly. He turned off the faucet, the gushing water ceasing abruptly.

“Fuck.”

A hollow curse escaped his lips. His lips, already wet before the cold water, felt numb as he chewed on them.

He’d kissed Lee Taeun. Sober.

He’d been on top of him, kissing and licking his lips. And if that were all, it might have been manageable. He lowered his head slowly, staring at his own erection, and muttered a curse under his breath.

“…Fuck…”

He’d kissed Lee Taeun. Sober. He’d been on top of him, kissing and licking his lips, and he’d gotten hard.

He wanted to die.