First Date (3)
The next place Jaehyuk took him was somewhere familiar to Jeongbae. The hotel he’d been to with Woohyun. The atmosphere from that time, the discomfort, the awkward feelings all rushed in at once and made his stomach churn.
‘Of all places… here….’
Jeongbae bit his lip. He tried to act calm, but inside was noisy.
The original plan was a motel.
—Cheap, quiet.
—Just have sex, cleanly sort things out and end it.
That was today’s purpose…. He’d believed so firmly that this was the fastest way to push Jaehyuk away. But now it felt like he’d come to put the finishing touch on a full-course date, and Jeongbae’s heart was heavy. Rather than falling away, it felt like they were sticking together even more firmly.
‘Is this right?’
Jeongbae had belated worries. That’s how relentless and unpredictable Jaehyuk’s pace was. To the point where even his quick-witted self couldn’t handle it.
When the revolving door at the hotel entrance came into view, Jeongbae’s steps grew heavy.
‘Here… with Dr. Jung Woohyun….’
Back then too, such a fancy place had felt awkward. Woohyun skillfully checked in and naturally led Jeongbae. But all of it was somehow cold and transactional. After it ended, they’d cleanly do tutoring, promise a next time, and that was all.
But now….
Jeongbae glanced at Jaehyuk. Jaehyuk was walking casually, but he was gripping Jeongbae’s hand firmly. As if worried he might let go.
‘Is this… different?’
Jeongbae bit his lip.
‘No. It’s the same. Today is the last day anyway.’
But the more he thought that, the more his chest hurt.
The cityscape of buildings flowed quietly outside the window. Only small candles placed on each table and gentle music softly filled the space, with almost no voices audible. Even the customers were quiet and elegant as if they were part of the space itself.
A high-end lounge bar in a 5-star hotel.
Only Kang Jeongbae and Yoon Jaehyuk were creating discord within it.
“Um… I don’t want to drink.”
“I’m the one drinking. Sit down already.”
His sweat-soaked clothes even had the smell of the meat restaurant, reeking. His hair was no different from being disheveled since Jaehyuk had stroked it so much. The floor without a speck of dust was embarrassing to walk on with safety shoes covered in cement powder. Jeongbae entered as if being dragged, receiving people’s stares.
“A fruit-flavored non-alcoholic cocktail here. For me, single malt whisky, something suitable, in a rocks glass.”
As soon as they sat at the bar table where the bartender was, Jaehyuk ordered indifferently. A male bartender with a pretty face wearing a neat dress shirt instantly made the drinks and presented them with precision.
“By the way… what’s the relationship between you two?”
Jeongbae was shocked. He knew bartenders made small talk like he did as a dealer, but he hadn’t expected such a direct question.
Jeongbae anxiously gauged Jaehyuk’s reaction. He recalled how Jaehyuk had thoroughly embarrassed him in front of Kang Isol, calling them ‘fuck buddies.’ He was unconsciously shrinking his body when….
“Can’t you tell by looking? He’s my wife.”
The flustered waiter’s eyes widened. Even customers sitting nearby turned their heads slightly. Jeongbae wanted to crawl into a mouse hole. He bit his lip and hung his head low.
“I brought my husband who worked hard to earn money out for a night stroll. Right, honey?”
With his characteristically expressionless face, Jaehyuk acted cute with his thick voice. Jeongbae, exhausted to the core, downed the cocktail the bartender offered in one shot without a word.
Gulp—.
For a moment, giggling laughter came from the surroundings.
“My honey is so manly.”
Says the one who looks and sounds like the alpha of all alphas…. Jaehyuk leisurely wet his throat with his glass like a predator. Under the table, their closely pressed knees brushed several times. Jeongbae’s shoulders kept curling at the subtle skinship.
The entire lounge’s attention was fixed on them. A couple that clearly didn’t match, like a prince and a country mouse.
“Bartender, one more for my honey. This time sweet and non-alcoholic too.”
Jaehyuk, who seemed to have taken a liking to the ‘honey’ sound, didn’t know when to stop.
“Don’t call me honey.”
Jeongbae, drained as much as from dawn construction labor, muttered. It was a sharp remark in its own way. But Jaehyuk didn’t bat an eye.
“If I call you ‘dear,’ you’ll be too embarrassed….”
“Hey!”
Jeongbae unconsciously covered Jaehyuk’s mouth with both hands. With his mouth blocked, Jaehyuk just folded his eye corners into crescents and licked Jeongbae’s palm.
“That’s disgusting! Really, from earlier!”
Jeongbae snapped irritably as if fed up. And without realizing it, he smacked that annoying mouth.
“Ow…. I’m hurt.”
“Are you crazy, really?”
“It hurts.”
“It hurts?”
Yoon Jaehyuk dropping his eyebrows and making a pitiful expression. Jeongbae felt a bit sorry and tilted his head, staring intently at those well-shaped lips.
“Not there.”
“Huh? Then where?”
“My heart hurts.”
“……”
“Because my dear is too cute.”
A vein bulged on Jeongbae’s forehead. To think he’d end up doing the world’s most humiliating play with the second-to-none handsome man in such an atmospheric bar. The bartender in front of him had tears pooling in his eyes from holding back laughter. Jeongbae gritted his teeth. At this point, it was do or die.
“Do you have soju? Or at least beer?”
Jeongbae asked the bartender in a blunt voice. Finally the bartender couldn’t hold it and burst out laughing.
“Ahahaha…. I’m sorry. Sorry.”
“I can’t endure this with a sober mind.”
“I’ll get you a beer right away.”
A beer glass with cream-like soft foam was placed in front of him in an instant. Jeongbae downed it in one shot again. Jaehyuk’s gaze was hot.
“Your wife must really love her husband.”
“…I guess so.”
At the bartender’s comment, Jeongbae answered lifelessly. He’d let everything go. Thinking it was a place he’d never come to again anyway made him feel at ease.
“But I think I can see why you like him.”
“What?”
Jeongbae’s eyes widened. What do you know? He was just a construction worker covered in dust with a musty smell. That guy over there was just crazy.
“You have really good impact. He must have fun teasing you.”
“Ah… I’m a bit like that.”
As expected, it means he’s easy to tease.
“…And, you have a kind of honest charm somehow. There’s no pretense.”
Jeongbae blinked blankly.
“Me… you mean me?”
The bartender lowered his voice slightly. His eyes were somehow serious.
“People who come here are ‘pretending.’ Pretending to have money, pretending to be cool, pretending to be pretty. But you have none of that. It’s refreshing.”
“……”
“You don’t even seem to have any desire to look good….”
That was natural. He was trying to push Jaehyuk away.
“It’s because I’m unsophisticated.”
Jeongbae fumbled awkwardly at the unexpected compliment, just fiddling with his empty glass. Jaehyuk, who’d been listening silently from the side, slowly placed his arm on Jeongbae’s shoulder.
“If you cheat, I’ll kill you.”
“……”
Jeongbae, completely drunk on one beer, irritably shook off his arm. In his opinion, the one who was unpretentious and disgustingly honest was Yoon Jaehyuk. Jaehyuk’s hand wrapped around Jeongbae’s waist. Tightly. Possessively. Then he whispered quietly so no one around could hear.
“That bartender bastard keeps looking at you while smiling.”
“…What?”
“You don’t know, but I saw that guy’s eyes. He’s definitely hitting on you.”
Jeongbae laughed at the absurdity. The bartender even seemed like an omega.
“What are you talking about? He’s just being friendly.”
“Friendly? That’s friendly?”
Jaehyuk’s voice lowered.
“When I’m right next to you, he dares….”
Jeongbae stared intently at Jaehyuk’s face. He seemed genuinely angry. His jaw was tense and his eyebrows were slightly furrowed.
“You… are you jealous?”
“Of course.”
Jaehyuk answered immediately.
“Because you’re mine.”
Jeongbae’s heart sank with a thud.
He briefly took in the night view outside the window. If darkness had fallen this much, there was no need to delay further. Having made his decision, Jeongbae turned his head and looked straight into Jaehyuk’s eyes.
“Let’s go rest now.”
Jaehyuk’s firm, masculine lips curved into an arc.
“Alright, if my dear wants. I’ll fuck you until your lower half goes limp.”
This time, a man at the end of the bar table spat out his drink in shock. Jeongbae sighed inwardly and stood up pretending not to notice. A large silhouette stuck close and wrapped around his shoulder.
They received the room key from the front desk and stood in the elevator hall. Awkward silence descended.
Until just moments ago, this was Yoon Jaehyuk casually saying things like ‘I’ll kill you if you cheat,’ ‘I’ll fuck you until your lower half goes limp,’ ‘honey’ or ‘dear.’ But with his mouth shut, he just looked like a handsome normal person.
Jeongbae felt suffocated by that characteristic expressionlessness.
‘I can’t predict what he’s thinking or what he’ll say at all.’
Becoming anxious, Jeongbae clenched his fists in unknown nervousness.
‘Please, somehow coax him well today and send him home. Just today. I just need to endure today.’
The elevator doors opened. The two people entered the quiet space.
As soon as the doors closed, Jaehyuk suddenly lifted Jeongbae up. The back of his head was pressed down and their lips hurriedly overlapped, a hot tongue invading his mouth. Jeongbae was surprised but slowly responded. The lewd sound of wet saliva intertwining filled the elevator.
‘Anyway… this is why I came here.’
He drew a line inside, but the arm pulling Jaehyuk’s neck unconsciously put in all its strength. His heart was already shaken to the core. Jeongbae thought while squeezing his eyes shut.
‘No…. I don’t like him. Just… only now. Only today.’
But the more he thought that, the more desperate and earnest the kiss became.
‘It’s okay. As long as I’m not found out.’
While hurriedly stroking Jaehyuk’s broad back as if satisfying hunger, Jeongbae felt dismayed.
