…Either way, I have to endure. Jiseo, who let out a sigh inaudibly, properly settled in.
“Jiseo-ssi is really amazing. You were really about to just leave earlier. Do you normally not get hot easily?”
“Last summer was pretty hot. We had a lot of outdoor filming then, so I guess I got used to it.”
In fact, half of it was forced endurance, but outwardly he looked quite fine.
The longer he stayed, the more his body temperature would rise, and if that happened, an uncomfortable situation might finally occur. So Jiseo acted even more nonchalant. Since he was going to endure until the end anyway.
“That was record-breaking heat that year. Phew, can’t beat that. It was sweltering heat that felt like I’d die. I was indoors almost all summer. Practicing for performances. So it felt even hotter subjectively.”
“Ah, I can’t stand it. I’m going to stop here. I’ll get cooked at this rate.”
“We want to go out too.”
Among those giving up one by one, a persistent gaze turned toward Jiwoo, who remained until the end.
Watching Jiwoo and Jiseo’s battle with an intrigued expression was brief. Jiwoo, who had hurriedly raised his body, finally declared his surrender.
“Since you’re enduring so well, haa, I guess Yeongwon asked you to beat me, Jiseo hyung. Ahh, I lost.”
“A promise is a promise, so Jiseo-ssi is excluded from tomorrow morning duty. Ah, let’s go out now. Let’s drink something cool too.”
Though everyone was soaked in sweat, they scattered quickly as if they’d been waiting, with appearances not ruined at all.
Jiseo, who had also let out a sigh knowingly or unknowingly, slowly raised his body and followed Yeongwon, finally escaping the blazingly hot steam room.
“Since we’re wet, we can pour water on ourselves now. Let’s go straight to the private jjimjil room.”
“Aren’t you thirsty, hyung? Should I go get another drink?”
“You. If you’re thirsty, I’ll go get water. Want some?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“I really want to pour water on my body quickly. If you’re okay, let’s hurry.”
Jiseo, who had finally received the first place prize but didn’t care about it at all, quickly led Yeongwon.
First of all, both their clothes were definitely wetter than before. Seeing others’ body scents that had been felt increasingly strongly, he thought that now a distinctive scent might come from Yeongwon too. So he should cool down the heat first.
The private jjimjil room was also originally a place to gradually pour hot water on the body to sweat. They also said you could cool down the heat with cool water.
Staying alone together wasn’t a direction that helped Jiseo, but it couldn’t be helped. He led Yeongwon and closed the wide-open door without hesitation.
“Now I can finally have a proper date with hyung.”
Even at the whisper filled with laughter that was heard as soon as they were left alone, Jiseo just laughed lightly.
It was a somewhat reflexive response. He’d always been that way, but now it was even harder to respond. As if there was something more important, Jiseo slowly took in Yeongwon with his eyes.
Perhaps because the lighting inside the steam room wasn’t bright, he hadn’t realized until now that everyone’s skin had turned so reddish. So Yeongwon was the same.
Whether he’d reached the limit of absolutely being unable to overcome the heat, Yeongwon was unconsciously rolling up his clothes.
If he’d been a little later, he probably would have faced everyone looking like this.
He’d folded the pants that came down below his thighs up to about half their original length, and the sleeves that had covered his forearms were the same. They were roughly rolled up almost to the point of becoming a tank top.
It wasn’t that his outfit was strange. If they went outside, probably more than half would be dressed exactly like Yeongwon.
The problem was that there was a conspicuously different point. The problem was that his white skin had turned reddish in places.
Jiseo, who had slowly withdrawn his gaze from Yeongwon, put his hand in the small tub prepared in the center.
After confirming the moderately warm temperature, he scooped water with a basin and carefully poured it over Yeongwon’s shoulders.
“I was fine, but now that I’ve refreshingly washed off the sweat, I feel alive. Pour it one more time, hyung.”
As soon as he poured water starting from his back so he wouldn’t be startled, Yeongwon let out a satisfied exclamation.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem unwelcome, so Jiseo hurriedly cooled the body where heat was rising.
Only after the reddened skin returned and the flush on Yeongwon’s cheeks disappeared did he pour water on his own body too.
“If you’re hot, don’t do jjimjil and spend time in places like this. Don’t push yourself unnecessarily.”
It seemed he’d have to prevent him from entering the steam room again until filming ended. It looked like if he got close, body scent would be thoroughly rubbed on.
He should have told him to be careful earlier, but time was tight. Yeongwon was still no different from a non-designation holder, so he wouldn’t know what aspects to be careful of. That’s why he was strutting around with that face.
Jiseo again drew in air as if breathing comfortably. Only the fragrant hinoki scent spreading in the jjimjil room wafted subtly.
He had no choice but to inevitably wait only for the moment when filming ended and the mics were removed again.
Jiseo resolved again in his heart. When showering, he absolutely must not let him be in the same space as others.
“We’ll cut it here. Please return your mics like before.”
Fortunately, filming ended without being able to do much due to time constraints. If they’d used it in small pieces it would have felt long, but Jiseo had spent the entire time with Yeongwon in the private jjimjil room.
“We’re going in first!”
“Don’t worry and wash comfortably.”
Watching those who hurried toward the shower room as if they couldn’t stand feeling sticky, Jiseo quietly examined the interior.
Unfortunately, it was a structure without individual shower booths. So Jiseo naturally held onto Yeongwon and moved to a corner of the changing room.
“Let’s wait until everyone else washes and then go in to wash.”
“Why? Don’t we not have time?”
“They said we have a lot of spare time. I also have something to say.”
“To me?”
Yeongwon obediently followed Jiseo and focused on Jiseo’s voice saying he had something to say to him. Since he didn’t know when someone might come out, Jiseo immediately opened his mouth.
“Don’t show your body to other people.”
“Why?”
“You haven’t been long since you manifested. It’s not the same designation, there are other designations mixed in too.”
“…”
“And you don’t know the cycle of when your heat comes yet. If you accidentally don’t take your medication, you’ll lose your reason too. So be careful.”
“What could happen during filming?”
“Even during filming, if you don’t keep your wits about you, accidents can happen.”
Yeongwon was convinced that nothing would happen because it was a filming location.
Of course that would be true. With all the cameras rolling, they couldn’t pull anything. Still, heat cycles could be pulled forward or burst due to unexpected things.
“You’re worried someone might see my body while showering together and react?”
Yeongwon immediately picked at the fact that Jiseo had deliberately spoken in roundabout terms.
Jiseo couldn’t answer right away, wondering whether he should nod or not. That could happen. He was most wary of that possibility.
“Since I have no experience, you’re worried I might fall for it completely?”
“Fall for what?”
“If someone propositions me.”
“Who’s telling you to have such bad thoughts?”
What would they even do. Jiseo, who had immediately lowered his voice, sighed.
It wasn’t forbidden to engage in acts of mingling bodies without emotion, and it was quite common if it was common in this industry. Yeongwon wouldn’t be unaware of sexual acts either, and he might even be curious.
That was Yeongwon’s choice, but when no one was actually thinking such things, it was also wrong to drag it into their own conversation. That said, he wasn’t completely unconcerned either.
Even though it wasn’t bad, it was still bad for Yeongwon. Thus, a voice that seemed to scold him flowed out from Jiseo without realizing it. Well, Yeongwon’s face didn’t seem to care much though.
“You at least know that you shouldn’t be careless with your first experience, right? Like I don’t know anything?”
“…”
“Now that it’s come up, let me say this—it’s okay for hyung to push you to experience a lot of different things.”
“…”
“But in this direction… it’s not, right?”
“Of course not. Has hyung lost his mind? To talk about such things? I don’t know if it’s what you want, but I won’t push you.”
“Then…”
“…”
“Just have hyung take my virginity instead.”
At the words whispered confidently, Jiseo froze in place.
It was a bold voice that made him look around even knowing they were alone here, even knowing there were no mics.
End Of Volume 1
