Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 17

What was the point of dragging this out with more talk when he’d come here to do this anyway? Taehyun closed his eyes tightly in his mind and answered.

“Fine, let’s do it.”

If it’s something he had to do eventually, it was better to get it over with sooner. Back when Taehyun was a student, corporal punishment was still a thing. Whether for tardiness or unfinished homework, whenever he faced punishment, he’d close his eyes and get through it quickly. The pain would gradually become familiar and fade, but the fear leading up to it was what made his heart race and his life miserable. This wasn’t much different. If it was something he’d have to get used to, starting sooner was better. With his resolve set, Taehyun answered, and Sejin stood up.

“The bedroom’s this way. Want to use the bathroom?”

As Sejin briefly explained the house’s layout, Taehyun got up and followed him. He’d showered at the WeSports facility before leaving, but the thought that he might smell like the car or feel a bit grimy after the drive made him nod. At Taehyun’s response, Sejin added.

“There’s a new robe in the bathroom.”

Was he saying to come out in just a robe since he’d be taking it off anyway? Sejin wasn’t one for long-winded speech. Despite his delicate, striking appearance, he was taciturn and blunt. His lips, naturally redder than most without any makeup, uttered only concise, unembellished sentences. Four years ago, when Taehyun had trailed after Sejin, meddling in his affairs, he’d repeatedly warned that Sejin’s demeanor could cause misunderstandings, but it seemed nothing had changed.

Well, what could be done about his personality? If Sejin was willing to deal with the minor issues it caused, it wasn’t Taehyun’s place to nag. Still, it felt like a bit of a waste. Not that Taehyun was telling him to meddle in others’ affairs like he did, but if Sejin could just reduce misunderstandings a little, he’d have so many more good people around him. But since that was Sejin’s choice, Taehyun couldn’t say more.

“Alright. I’ll take a quick shower and come out.”

Escaping the awkward atmosphere, Taehyun headed to the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Opening the closed door revealed a masonry bathtub large enough for several adults without feeling cramped. A window, likely a one-way mirror, offered a clear view of the garden outside. It’s not visible from the outside, right? There was a shower booth separated by a glass wall, so he wouldn’t need to fill the massive tub, but the unique interior was unlike anything you’d see in a typical home.

‘I’d probably never afford a house like this in this neighborhood, but maybe in the Seoul suburbs it wouldn’t be impossible….’

As Taehyun sprayed warm water over his body with the showerhead, he mentally recalled construction costs and land prices from real estate shows. Even if it wasn’t impossible, he didn’t want to sink that kind of money into a house for just himself. Maybe after retiring from competing, working as a coach for a decade or two, and fully retiring, running a pension or guesthouse in a picturesque home wouldn’t be a bad idea. A thought for the distant future, perhaps.

‘Living alone in a place like this would feel too lonely.’

Having some guests around might make it less desolate. Meanwhile, the foam he’d meticulously applied to his body washed away. The unavoidable moment was now approaching. Click. As Taehyun turned off the shower, the bathroom, previously filled with the sound of rushing water, fell into silence.

Why was he so tense, as if he were being dragged to a battlefield? With a long sigh in the steam-filled bathroom, Taehyun slipped on the robe hanging outside the shower booth. Unlike the standard ones at hotels, it was lightweight, highly absorbent, and soft—even to someone like Taehyun, who didn’t know much about such things, it seemed expensive.

‘They use all sorts of fancy stuff.’

With money to spare, it was only natural, he supposed. Taehyun, too, had earned enough from years of commercials and variety shows to live comfortably without working until he died, but growing up in tough circumstances made spending money feel foreign. If he had that much cash, he’d rather donate to replace equipment in shared facilities for younger athletes than splurge on luxuries for himself. So, the items filling this house—multi-million-won sofas, multi-million-won beds—looked to Taehyun like props on a filming set.

What about Sejin? Back when they spent time together, he didn’t seem all that different from Taehyun. Even growing up abroad, Taehyun had felt a sense of kinship, never imagining the gap between them would widen this much.

‘It’s not like I can say I’m jealous….’

Somehow, it felt like Sejin had grown even more distant. And yet, Taehyun was the one who’d cut him off so abruptly.

“…….”

Lost in pointless thoughts, the remaining moisture on his body was fully absorbed by the robe. He’d need to wear his clothes again later, so he’d better organize them. Folding the clothes he’d worn and left in the bathroom, Taehyun carried them out, only to find the bedroom door open. Carefully setting the folded clothes down in front of the bathroom, he stepped toward the bedroom in his robe.

“Just finished showering.”

The moment he entered the room, the heavy pheromone scent he’d smelled at the hotel hit him like a wave, flooding his senses. Reflexively, Taehyun almost covered his nose and mouth but remembered why he was here. Normally, he’d be horrified, wondering what lunatic would release pheromones like that, but this time, the pheromones were serving their intended purpose.

“…….”

Sejin was perched on the edge of the bed, looking up at Taehyun. His long legs, visible under loose shorts, stood out. The shorts weren’t particularly short in length, but Sejin’s legs were so long that they made the shorts seem brief, and the thought of that massive thing Taehyun had seen last time being confined in them made him want to laugh. Ahem. Clearing his throat to dispel stray thoughts, Taehyun approached Sejin.

“Like we talked about. It’s not like touching it will wear it out or break it, so do whatever you want.”

As if his body was so precious it needed delicate handling. They weren’t lovers—just in a mutually beneficial arrangement where such tender considerations weren’t necessary. If Sejin wanted that, Taehyun could accommodate to an extent, but if not, then so be it. As Taehyun slowly untied the robe and approached, the grassy scent emanating from Sejin grew even stronger. Reflexively, his lower abdomen heated up instantly.

“Ha….”

Straddling Sejin’s thighs, Taehyun climbed onto his lap, and Sejin cautiously parted the robe, sliding his hands toward Taehyun’s waist. The moment those hands touched the firm muscles, flinch, the abs leading to the base twitched. Sejin slowly traced Taehyun’s well-defined muscles with his fingertips, then gripped Taehyun’s half-erect member with his other hand. Pre-cum was already seeping from the tip, making lubricant seem unnecessary.

“Ah….”

As Sejin slowly but persistently gripped the tip and rolled it in his palm, the pheromone scent from Taehyun grew sharper. The scent of sun-dried laundry, a pleasant smell of sunlight. Though far from a sexual atmosphere, it was more than enough to arouse the alpha before him. Sejin moved his hand faster, wanting Taehyun’s scent to intensify.

“Ugh… wait, not there….”

Taehyun, whose erection was now hard enough to poke his own stomach, bit his lip and placed his hands on Sejin’s shoulders. Then, he grabbed Sejin’s hand, which was holding his member, and guided it backward. The lewd hole, already leaking slick in small spurts, was twitching, begging to be touched.

“Here… ha… you need to put it in….”

It felt strange. Just moments ago, he hadn’t had the slightest intention of doing this, yet a single pheromone had his body heating up so quickly, making him want to skip foreplay and get to the main act. He’d always thought it didn’t matter what his partner’s dynamic was—rubbing and grinding until release was all the same—but now, his body’s reaction made that belief seem foolish.