Black & Grey Vol. 4 Chapter 6 - Extras (End)

Jungeol turned around and looked at him as if to say, “Go ahead.” Yoochan, feeling embarrassed, rubbed his nose and hesitated before nodding towards the inside and asking,

“…Hyung, if you want to come in, you can.”

Although Jungeol had already showered as soon as he woke up, he didn’t hesitate to take off his top and place it on the chair before heading to the bathroom. Yoochan, feeling shy at the sight of the half-naked Jungeol, took a few steps back. Jungeol pushed the door handle and pressed the light switch outside with his other hand.

The bright daylight lamp changed to a soft indirect light. Yoochan looked up at the bathroom ceiling, puzzled. Click. The sound of the door locking came from inside as Jungeol entered.

Just as Yoochan was about to ask why he changed the light and locked the door, Jungeol pulled him close. Realizing Jungeol’s intention, Yoochan smiled and wrapped his arms around his partner’s neck.

“Oh, by the way, Taekwang Hyung asked me to join him on YouTube.”

While showering after a quick rinse, Yoochan suddenly said. Sitting in the bathtub with his legs out, feeling hot, Jungeol glanced at Yoochan. Kneeling in the warm water up to his waist, Yoochan scrubbed Jungeol’s back with a shower ball and added,

“Remember I mentioned it before? It’s like a vlog of the athletes’ village. I tried it a few times, and it was fun.”

“…Really?”

“What do you think, Hyung? It doesn’t take much time, and Taekwang Hyung said he’d pay me. Since Taekwang Hyung will handle all the editing, isn’t it okay?”

Jungeol straightened his bent back and pondered his response. When it was a one-time appearance, he thought it was just Yoochan hanging out with friends and didn’t give it much thought. But considering it as a regular broadcast, Jungeol felt concerned.

While comments about Yoochan’s appearance could be taken as jokes, constant requests to show his muscles, like last time, would be hard for Yoochan to keep refusing. If Yoochan, pressured by Taekwang, started taking off his clothes carelessly again, Jungeol, as his partner, wouldn’t feel good about it.

Unaware of Jungeol’s serious dilemma about whether to respect Yoochan’s hobby or express his discomfort as a partner, Yoochan continued, touching the lion tattoo on Jungeol’s back, which he found the sexiest.

“Do you want to watch Taekwang Hyung’s YouTube video now? He’s surprisingly funny.”

“I’ve seen it.”

“Oh, you have? What did you think?”

“It was entertaining.”

“Really?”

Encouraged by Jungeol’s praise, Yoochan scrubbed Jungeol’s back with more enthusiasm.

“Taekwang Hyung is quite funny. Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing to say, but he asked me to be the face of his YouTube channel, saying I’m the best-looking among the athletes. So I showed him a picture of you, Hyung, saying I know someone better looking.”

Jungeol turned to face Yoochan, who was still scrubbing his back. Their lips met briefly, and suddenly, Jungeol was holding the shower ball Yoochan had been using.

“You’ll get caught.”

Jungeol said, scrubbing Yoochan’s arm with the shower ball. Yoochan laughed, watching the lather build up on his arm, and sat comfortably with his legs crossed.

“What’s wrong with showing a picture we took together? He’ll just think we’re close Hyungs. It’d be obvious if he saw the couple tattoo, though.”

“I keep mine well hidden, so it’s fine. No one else will see it anyway.”

“Can you really hide it? Yours is huge.”

In Yoochan’s case, the couple tattoo was cleverly placed where it wouldn’t be visible even if his judo uniform slipped during intense matches or if he wore short sleeves in the summer. But Jungeol’s tattoo was in a spot that was visible even with loose short sleeves.

Unaware of Jungeol’s effort to shower at home after working out at the gym, Yoochan playfully pulled Jungeol’s waist while soaping his neck.

“And you don’t have to hide the tattoo. I’ll just say I liked you so much that I copied it. It’s half true anyway.”

Yoochan pulled Jungeol closer, signaling that they had cooled off enough. Jungeol, pretending to give in, got into the bathtub. The water that had reached Yoochan’s waist quickly rose with Jungeol’s added weight.

Looking down at himself, Yoochan suddenly remembered a passage from the book “The Rules for Long-Lasting Couples” he had read a few days ago. He had impulsively bought the book, drawn by its title, while visiting a bookstore with a friend. Although Yoochan had only read the first few pages, one part stood out.

“Compliment each other specifically.” Now was the time to apply the rule for long-lasting couples. Yoochan looked at Jungeol’s smooth, well-defined face and his characteristic curly hair. His gaze followed the long, well-proportioned neck and the firm muscles of his shoulders, stopping at his arms as he spoke.

“Hyung, you’re definitely thick where it counts.”

“…….”

Jungeol’s expression hardened. It was as if all his circuits had shut down. Seeing Jungeol frozen, Yoochan suddenly realized his mistake and quickly corrected himself.

“Oh, I meant your arms!”

Jungeol still looked unconvinced.

“I’m serious….”

Yoochan muttered, feeling wronged, and tried to salvage the situation.

“I’m saying I’m in love with your baguette-like biceps again.”

To prevent Yoochan from ruining the mood any further, Jungeol leaned in, supporting Yoochan’s head against the tiled wall. Their torsos pressed together, and their soft, warm lips met.

Yoochan opened his mouth and slowly exhaled. As Jungeol’s tongue entwined with his, he felt the familiar tingling sensation in his neck. He was on the verge of moaning. Just as Yoochan was tense and focused on Jungeol’s lips, Jungeol’s voice echoed off the bathroom walls.

“You said you were thinking about playing games with your friend on YouTube.”

Jungeol’s lips trailed down from Yoochan’s neck to his shoulder. Yoochan let out a short moan and asked, “Yes. What do you think?”

Jungeol pondered his response, inhaling the scent of Yoochan’s skin mixed with the soap. He had been skeptical at first, but now he was sure. He didn’t want to admit it, but the thought of Yoochan becoming famous and attracting the interest of others bothered him. Even though he thought it was childish jealousy, he didn’t want to back down. Jungeol, with his lips pressed against Yoochan’s neck, came up with a reasonable excuse.

“Since it’s an important time, focus on your training this year… You can think about that later.”

Yoochan, expecting Jungeol to continue pleasantly kissing and licking him, was startled when he felt a hard sensation against his bare skin. Jungeol was gently biting his shoulder.

Yoochan squirmed and said,

“Oh, okay, okay! I won’t do it! Ah, don’t bite! It’ll leave a mark!”

“It’ll fade in two days.”

“It won’t fade. Last time you said it would fade in two days, but it didn’t, and I was embarrassed.”

Jungeol smiled and let go of Yoochan. Since neither of them was wearing anything, Jungeol’s lower body pressed firmly against Yoochan’s stomach with the swaying water.

This time, Jungeol traced Yoochan’s chin with his tongue. Feeling his lower body heat up again, Yoochan slowly reached down and grasped Jungeol’s penis.

Yoochan moved his arm, causing the warm bathwater to ripple. He could hear Jungeol’s moans between their touching lips. As Jungeol’s low voice echoed off the bathroom walls, Yoochan’s lower body also began to harden.

“Ha….”

Unable to hold back any longer, Yoochan released his lips from Jungeol’s and buried his forehead in Jungeol’s neck, slowly stroking himself. Jungeol watched Yoochan with amusement and then placed his hand under Yoochan’s armpit, lifting him up.

Yoochan, who had been engrossed in pleasuring himself, looked at Jungeol with a puzzled expression. Jungeol moved Yoochan’s hand aside and gently grasped his penis. It seemed he wanted to do it for him.

“I can do at least this much.”

Yoochan, feeling embarrassed, rubbed his cheek with his arm and placed his hand on Jungeol’s still foamy shoulder, looking down at him. As Jungeol moved his wrist, the stimulation began to build. Yoochan rubbed Jungeol’s dark back with his foam-covered hand and asked,

“Hyung, is Taeho Hyung coming over tonight too?”

“Why?”

Jungeol paused and licked the shaft while asking. Yoochan, with one eye squinted, tensed his calf under the water and replied,

“Not to go out… I just want to hang out at home together.”

“Should I book a hotel?”

Jungeol, having released Yoochan’s penis, looked up at him and asked. The dim lighting made Jungeol’s wet, dark eyelashes and clear eyes suddenly seem seductive. Yoochan fell silent and nodded. At that moment, as if answering for him, Yoochan’s penis, held by Jungeol, throbbed heavily.

At the sound of Jungeol’s chuckle, Yoochan’s face turned red. Jungeol playfully tapped Yoochan’s penis, which was now flushed and dripping with something other than water.

“Ah, Hyung…!”

Embarrassed, Yoochan closed his legs and sulked. Jungeol smiled understandingly and leaned down again. As the glans was sucked deeply into the warm, moist space, Yoochan’s thighs naturally spread apart.

Yoochan curled his toes. Jungeol wrapped his strong hand around Yoochan’s calf, lifted it onto his thigh, and moved his head.

“Ha… ah….”

Thanks to the lingering steam and heat, Yoochan’s face turned as red as a tomato. Unable to bear it any longer, Yoochan pushed Jungeol’s chest away. Then, boldly straddling Jungeol’s thigh, he kissed him.

* * *

As the bathwater began to cool, Jungeol handed Yoochan a towel and a robe and exited the bathroom first. Yoochan, pleased with the robe Jungeol had prepared, put it on and admired himself in the mirror. He noticed an item on the shelf next to the sink and smiled contentedly.

The house where Jungeol and Taeho lived had two bathrooms, but Yoochan only used the one next to Jungeol’s room. As a result, Jungeol’s bathroom was filled with Yoochan’s things.

Since Yoochan barely grew any facial hair, there was a disposable razor next to Jungeol’s electric one. Next to Jungeol’s unscented shampoo was Yoochan’s favorite menthol shampoo, and next to Jungeol’s toothpaste, which Yoochan found too strong, was a milder one Jungeol had bought for him.

Seeing their toothbrushes side by side made Yoochan feel like they were already living together.

“Yoochan.”

Hearing Jungeol call him, Yoochan went out. Jungeol, already changed into comfortable clothes, was taking out Yoochan’s underwear and tracksuit from the wardrobe.

“Oh, I was wondering where this was. It wasn’t at the dorm.”

Yoochan smiled, happy to see his red Adidas tracksuit, and reached out his hand. Since Yoochan often stayed over on weekends, Jungeol’s apartment was filled with his things.

Still feeling his skin too moist to get dressed, Yoochan took off his robe, put on his underwear, and hugged Jungeol tightly. The scent of different shampoos and the same body wash filled their nostrils.

“Ah, I’m so happy.”

Feeling drowsy, Yoochan rested his head on Jungeol’s shoulder. Jungeol replied, “Me too.” Yoochan murmured again,

“I already miss you, and I just got here. Once a week isn’t enough. I wish I could be with you like this every day… I wish time would just stop.”

As Jungeol smiled at Yoochan’s words and closed the wardrobe door, they heard someone singing nearby.

“Cuz I’m a girl.”

“Oh? That’s Taeho Hyung’s voice.”

As soon as Yoochan finished speaking, Taeho entered the room. Taeho, humming a tune he didn’t know the rest of the lyrics to, greeted them.

“Hyung, you left this at the shop.”

What Taeho handed over was a white tablet.

“Yeah, it’s broken, so I was going to throw it away.”

“Did you back it up?”

Jungeol took the tablet, placed it on the table, and nodded.

“Did you come just to give me this?”

“Of course not. I stopped by on my way to meet a friend.”

“Hyung! When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

“…Phew.”

Jungeol’s jaw tightened slightly at Yoochan’s sigh of relief.

“Why? What were you two doing?”

Taeho asked, frowning.

“Whatever it was, I’m glad I didn’t see or hear it. Anyway, I’m going out now, so you two can do whatever you were doing.”

“It’s fine, you can stay. We’ll go out.”

As Jungeol said it was okay, Taeho waved his hand, saying it was fine.

“I’m going to the PC room with Jaehyeok Hyung anyway. I have to level up my Dia today. Baek Yoochan, there’s macaron in the freezer, so eat it with Hyung.”

“Really?”

Hearing about his favorite snack, Yoochan ran to the fridge and took out a handful of macarons.

“Thank you, Taeho Hyung. Oh, by the way, what was the song you were singing earlier?”

“Is this ‘Curse of My Girl’?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t know it?”

“I’ve never heard it before. Is it a pop song?”

Yoochan looked puzzled as he unwrapped a macaron and popped it into his mouth. Taeho, with a bitter expression, mumbled,

“You might not know it since you were in elementary school. Well, I guess it’s a generation gap. Jungeol Hyung must have a hard time.”

Jungeol, passing by Taeho, chuckled at the comment. Yoochan glanced at Jungeol, who seemed to know the song. Thinking it must be an old pop song, Yoochan unwrapped another macaron and offered it to Jungeol.

Taeho, seeing Jungeol accept it without hesitation, frowned and, pretending to check his phone, hurriedly left, saying Jaehyeok was calling him.

Yoochan, eating another macaron, looked at the tablet on the table and tilted his head.

“Did you do this, Hyung? A portrait?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it a father and daughter?”

Jungeol, drinking his now-cold coffee, nodded at the tablet. Yoochan, looking warmly at the middle-aged man and the four or five-year-old girl on the arm, suddenly had an idea and turned to Jungeol.

“When I retire, can you put Hyung on my body too…?”

“No. I won’t.”

“…I haven’t even finished talking.”

Feeling hurt by the cold response, Yoochan said. Jungeol, putting down his coffee cup, looked at Yoochan. The gentle, persuasive look made Yoochan step back, feeling dejected, and mutter,

“It’s romantic. Hyung is too negative. Have you ever seen me regret the tattoos you did for me in over two years?”

“I would regret it.”

Jungeol rubbed his eyes with the hand that had held the coffee cup. Even the brief thought seemed to tire him like a nightmare. Yoochan, clenching the macaron wrapper in his fist, retorted,

“Why? Are you embarrassed by my face?”

“I don’t want to do that while looking at my face. I’m serious.”

“Oh.”

Realizing he hadn’t thought that far, Yoochan quickly nodded and looked back at the tablet, fascinated. The kind wrinkles around the man’s eyes, the small scar on his nose, the shining eyes of the little girl with messy pigtails. The lifelike drawing, hard to believe it was made with ink, made Yoochan murmur,

“Hyung… do you still do sketches these days?”

“Yeah, why?”

Jungeol interlocked his fingers and looked at Yoochan. Yoochan, resting his chin on his fist, smiled at Jungeol.

“Well, it’s strange that my boyfriend, an art school graduate, has drawn everyone else’s face but mine in over two years.”

Thinking it was a reasonable request, Jungeol playfully asked, mimicking Yoochan’s pose,

“How should I draw you?”

Yoochan frowned in thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up and pulled Jungeol’s arm. Yoochan led him to Jungeol’s room. He sat Jungeol in the chair at the desk, then casually took off his robe and lay sideways on the bed.

“Have you seen Titanic?”

Guessing what Yoochan wanted, Jungeol didn’t answer. But Yoochan, already determined, propped his head on one arm and looked seductively at Jungeol in just his underwear.

“It’s like that. I’m the girl, and you draw me like DiCaprio. Easy, right?”

Thinking Yoochan’s arm was too muscular for a Kate Winslet stand-in, Jungeol accepted the situation and took a drawing book from the shelf. While Jungeol looked for a pencil, Yoochan kept adjusting his pose and then noticed the ring on his left hand, shouting,

“In Titanic, there’s a necklace. You have to draw our rings too. Oh, Hyung, give me your ring for a moment. I want to wear both. Man, I should have brought the gold ring from your car.”

As Yoochan regretted not bringing the gold ring from Jungeol’s car dashboard, Jungeol found a pencil and flipped through the drawing book for a blank page.

Watching with an excited expression, Yoochan suddenly sat up and grabbed the end of the drawing book Jungeol was holding.

Jungeol handed over the drawing book with a puzzled look. Yoochan reopened the page Jungeol had casually flipped past. As Yoochan quietly examined the drawing, Jungeol spoke.

“I practiced once before.”

Yoochan smiled slightly and replied,

“Seriously, with Manager Noona, Taeho Hyung, and Jaehyeok Hyung around, why practice with my face?”

Yoochan glanced at Jungeol, who seemed embarrassed and evasive, and asked,

“Was it during last year’s competition?”

“Yeah.”

“When did you draw it?”

“…Right after Taeho printed the photo.”

Seeing Jungeol cover his mouth, unable to hide his expression, Yoochan chuckled and looked back at the drawing of himself. It depicted Yoochan, with his judo uniform top open, raising his arms in victory.

Yoochan, examining the drawing, softened his gaze and said,

“It looks more handsome and cool than in real life. Honestly, I don’t look like this.”

Jungeol, who had been silently rubbing his mouth, lowered his hand and looked at the drawing, saying,

“I drew what I saw.”

Hearing the affectionate tone, Yoochan looked at Jungeol with emotion for a moment. Then, clutching the drawing book, he crawled to the head of the bed and slipped under the covers, patting the spot next to him.

Jungeol looked at Yoochan briefly, then got up and sat beside him. Yoochan leaned his head on Jungeol’s shoulder and said,

“You have to print this for me. I want to show it off.”

When Jungeol chuckled, Yoochan added, as if he wasn’t joking,

“You really have to. I’ll look at the drawing you made whenever I’m struggling. I’ll think, ‘I’m so handsome and cool when I do judo,’ and push through.”

“Is it tough?”

Jungeol asked, brushing the hair stuck to Yoochan’s forehead. Yoochan, holding the drawing book and hugging Jungeol’s chest, replied in a sad voice,

“The physical part is fine, but I hate not seeing you and my friends often. And what if you get bored of not dating much and break up with me?”

Of course, Yoochan knew Jungeol wouldn’t do that, so it was clearly a joke. Essentially, he was complaining that he wanted to play more than train, making Jungeol chuckle. Yoochan, rubbing his cheek against Jungeol’s broad chest, said,

“Hyung, if I win a medal this time, can I quit?”

Jungeol replied in a tone that suggested it was obvious,

“You can quit even if you don’t win.”

Yoochan, with an amused expression, looked up at Jungeol and asked,

“If I quit, what will I do? I’ll be jobless. Should we travel together?”

“Maybe.”

Jungeol shrugged indifferently. Yoochan, having a good idea, said,

“Or we could go abroad.”

“Sounds good. Where to?”

“Anywhere.”

Jungeol nodded with a sigh.

“That sounds good too. How about taking a month or two off to travel?”

“That would be amazing.”

Yoochan straightened up, proudly puffing out his chest.

“My dad said if I have nothing to do later, I should get a certificate and open a judo gym. It’d be great if it were right next to your tattoo shop. I love kids, so I’d teach them judo. Then we’d wait for each other and go home together.”

“There should be a Yangpyeong hangover soup place on the first floor, which you like.”

“And a café that sells macarons. So we can go there during breaks.”

“I’d have to work hard to set up a judo gym for you in such a place.”

Jungeol playfully joined in Yoochan’s imagination. Yoochan frowned and asked seriously.

“Come on, I’m an only child. My mom would probably get us a building. I’d be a bit disappointed if she didn’t.”

Jungeol shrugged as if he wasn’t sure. Yoochan, leaning his head on Jungeol, wiggled his fingers on the blanket, enjoying the thought.

“Hyung, hearing you say that makes me feel better. But I’ll still try my best for now. I’ll win a medal in this competition. I don’t want to show you a losing side anymore.”

“Okay.”

Jungeol whispered, holding Yoochan’s wiggling hand and lowering his head. Yoochan, watching Jungeol slowly approach, smiled excitedly and slid down slightly, preparing for a kiss.

“……”

There was silence between them. Jungeol’s deep, intense eyes narrowed through his long, curly bangs, and their lips almost touched. Yoochan swallowed and hugged Jungeol’s back. Amidst their mingled hot breaths, a barely audible voice promised to do just that.

Imagining the judo gym and tattoo shop that would someday stand side by side in a magnificent building, Yoochan responded by lifting Jungeol’s T-shirt and hugging the man’s back, covered in black and gray tattoos.