# Chapter 75
I was foolish to think I could rest comfortably once I got home. If I truly wanted to rest, I should have insisted on going to my own apartment.
“Hey! What are you doing in the entryway…”
“Going from here to there, doing it all over the place with you—that’s today’s plan.”
‘Why are you making such plans on your own?’
Yeomin was being kissed by Jiho in front of the shoe rack with its full-length mirror.
It was already overwhelming just stretching his neck out for a kiss, and now somehow his lower garments had been removed, leaving him feeling strangely empty below.
“First the kitchen, living room, bathroom. Which do you prefer?”
Gripping Yeomin’s buttocks while saying such things—did he know how much of a pervert he seemed?
Yeomin managed to snap at Jiho’s antics.
“Stop talking and go to the bedroom.”
Yeomin’s threat carried no weight at all. Of course, making such statements while exposing his backside to someone else couldn’t possibly be intimidating.
Rather, those words seemed to act as a catalyst, as Jiho bared his teeth and nibbled on Yeomin’s earlobe.
He was already an easily excited guy, but Yeomin could feel Jiho’s emotions clearly through his caresses.
“I’m sorry, hyung. I can’t hold back.”
‘Is my jealousy making you that happy? Should I do it occasionally on a regular basis?’
It was enough to make him consider it. After pouncing on Yeomin like an excited dog for quite some time, Jiho mumbled with half-lidded eyes.
“Could you say again what you said earlier?”
“What? Ah…”
Yeomin’s knees kept buckling. Every time Jiho’s fingers broke him down inside, he wanted to collapse.
“What you said about wanting me to be completely yours, wanting to have me exclusively. I want to hear it again. I’ll record it and listen to it as my morning alarm every day.”
What a crazy kid…
Though Yeomin grimaced, he soon proposed a deal. He couldn’t just do nice things for Jiho.
“Then you promise too.”
“Yes. I will.”
Jiho agreed without even hearing what Yeomin had to say. Such a crazy kid… What did he think he was agreeing to?
Yeomin hung onto Jiho’s neck and gave him a solemn look.
“Promise you’ll drop the festival work.”
“…What about you?”
“With the festival approaching, we can’t have two people dropping out.”
“Then what am I supposed to do alone while you work?”
The reaction was expected, which made it funny, and because it was exactly as expected, it also made his heart flutter.
“Do cross-stitch at home, or glue eyes on dolls, whatever. Anyway, the festival work… drop it.”
He said this because it kept coming to mind. The freshman who said she liked Jiho. Of course, there must be countless people at school who liked him.
He didn’t want to feel self-loathing watching Jiho constantly with that girl. And he didn’t want to childishly be jealous of her either.
“Hmm, that seems a bit unfair.”
After acting like he’d agree unconditionally, Jiho came back with something quite petty.
“I’ve tolerated you being close with Lee Taeyang, going to Seol Jiwoong’s house without telling me, eating meals with your seniors at school, I’ve tolerated it all.”
“…So you’re saying I shouldn’t do any of that?”
What a fox.
Even when he’s acting like he’d jump into a fire pit out of love, he never yields easily in this kind of negotiation.
In this situation, perhaps saying “I won’t do those things either” would be the best negotiation strategy.
But Yeomin couldn’t easily get the words out. If he said that… it felt like only Jiho and himself would be left in this world.
Would that be okay?
Is it acceptable to like someone that way?
Is it okay to like someone that much…
“Then let’s both do what we want…”
“Ah shit, take it back. If you want to continue with the festival work, then do it.”
“What?”
“I lost my mind for a moment. You need to have a school life too, and it doesn’t make sense for me to stop you from doing things I don’t like.”
Jealousy is like a wave that will calm down with time anyway. If he’s going to date someone like this, he’ll have to get used to it, even if by force.
“Are you serious? Are you really okay with it, hyung?”
“Yeah. It’s fine, so bicker and fight at school, do whatever you want. Be a good senior. You might as well become the student council president later. Definitely.”
“I’ll quit school when you graduate, hyung.”
“What the fuck are you saying?”
Yeomin was so shocked that all his desires subsided.
“Wait a minute, what did you just say… ahh!”
“There’s no reason for me to go to school without you, hyung.”
“Aren’t you, nnh, ah… ouch… wasting all the time you’ve already spent there?”
“That’s a lie. You’re enjoying this.”
Jiho’s strong knuckles touched Yeomin’s body. Completely playful, yet impossibly serious.
But that’s not what’s important right now. Yeomin barely supported his nearly collapsing body by leaning on Jiho. His mind was in chaos.
‘If he’s thinking about quitting school when I graduate… does that mean the only reason Seol Jiho is attending school now is entirely because of me?’
Truly, this should be absurd and outrageous, but why…
‘Why does it feel good… am I the crazy one?’
That insane statement he just heard made Yeomin feel so good. Among all the confessions he’d heard from Jiho, it was the best.
“When you get a job, I’ll follow you into that company. Or should we study abroad together after graduating? We could even immigrate somewhere where same-sex marriage is allowed.”
Yeomin knew. If he wanted, he could easily get support from Ian Group. Director Ahn and President Ahn were desperate to hand Seol Jiho over to Joo Yeomin.
But to the practical Yeomin, those words only felt like distant fairy tales.
“Stop touching now and let’s do it.”
“Answer me first.”
He didn’t want to hear such unbelievably romantic future plans with his entire body flushed. And he certainly didn’t want to answer in a ridiculous, trembling voice, excited and aroused.
“Hmm? What do you think?”
“Hah… I don’t know… finish what you started.”
Yeomin pulled Jiho’s hand to touch himself.
“Do you know how lewd you are right now, hyung?”
“…”
“You look like you’re in heat.”
“The one in heat, hngh, would be you.”
Yeomin sneered with the corner of his mouth raised. Jiho couldn’t hold back and urgently devoured Yeomin’s lips. All scattered moans disappeared into Jiho’s mouth.
* * *
The hundred condoms that were Jiho’s housewarming gift. How many had they already used?
As soon as he opened his eyes in the morning, Yeomin counted the empty condom wrappers with a disheveled appearance.
“One… two… three…”
While gathering the remnants of condoms in a drowsy state, soon warm arms wrapped around his back.
“What is it? Should we use one more?”
“…Go back to sleep before I make you pass out.”
Yeomin was seriously starting to find this guy creepy. Of course, he was also good enough to be creepy.
Jiho pressed his body against Yeomin and persistently questioned him.
“What are you going to do today? What about food? Is there anywhere you want to go?”
“I’ll go to school later and check on the kids working. Nothing special after that.”
“Then come back home and check on me too. I need your touch.”
“Oh, come on…”
He’s built like a mountain, but does he think making his voice cute with those fierce eyes is enough?
But Yeomin found himself stroking Jiho’s head without realizing it. Honestly, he was a bit cute.
“Hyung, take care of me and look after me every day. I can’t do anything without you, so don’t take your eyes off me for even a moment.”
Yeomin pulled Jiho’s head and kissed his forehead soothingly.
“Keep sleeping. Let’s have lunch after I get back from school.”
“Hmm… don’t say that, just lie down a little longer. Just until I fall back asleep.”
Jiho grabbed Yeomin’s shoulders, laid him down, and tightly hugged his waist. Yeomin gave up resisting and surrendered his body to him.
Yeah. Who would complain if he’s a bit late? And if anyone did complain, he wouldn’t just sit quietly with his explosive temperament.
‘I wish vacation would come quickly. Maybe I should suggest going on a trip…’
“What are you thinking about?”
Jiho could read what was on Yeomin’s mind just by looking at his expression.
When he said “I’m not thinking about anything,” suspicious eyes followed persistently. Such a tenacious guy.
“Actually, I was thinking about wanting to run away.”
Jiho’s expression froze instantly.
‘Ah… that’s not what I meant.’
Realizing Jiho had misunderstood, Yeomin corrected himself immediately.
“…I want to run away with you.”
“I thought you wanted to run away from me… though I’d still find you even if you did.”
“I don’t even dream about it, so you don’t need to reassure me.”
“Where should we run away to, hyung? I’m ready even today.”
Jiho was quick to change his attitude. Yeomin couldn’t help but laugh at his slick behavior.
“Aren’t you too easy? What would make me trust you enough to follow you?”
“I’ll go anywhere you tell me to go with you. Even if it’s the pits of hell.”
But surely the first travel destination with this guy doesn’t necessarily have to be the pits of hell.
Jiho laid out various options.
“What would be romantic to run away to? A hidden provincial villa? A seaside island village? Or a foreign country where no one knows us?”
It seemed like a grand melodrama was already unfolding in his head. In contrast, Yeomin responded very dryly.
“All good. But there’s no valid reason to run away yet.”
Not wanting to attend classes. Finding the festival annoying. Being afraid of job hunting. These seemed insufficient reasons to run away…
Usually in dramas, when protagonists run away, they either feel their lives threatened, defy family opposition, or have a forbidden love. There are always compelling reasons, right?
Neither he nor Jiho qualified for any of the three.
“If you need a dramatic reason, just say the word. I can create a reason to run away anytime.”
Jiho was clearly speaking kindly, but somehow it felt ominous.
“I could ask Director Ahn to cause a scene at school, or ask President Ahn to oppose our relationship so we can have a love escape.”
“You… have a plan for everything?”
At times like this, Yeomin realized. That Jiho loved him quite intensely, and with unexpected meticulousness.
And suddenly, that fact felt fortunate. Actually, it was even moving.
“I’ll tell you when I really want to run away. To ask you to run away with me.”
In truth, Yeomin’s daily life recently was so comfortable and peaceful compared to all the days he had lived before that there was no urgency to escape.
“So if you feel that way too, tell me—”
“Every moment, every second.”
“…”
“Even now, being like this with you. Even when no one is interfering with our relationship. I always want to run away and hide with you.”
“…”
“So time can’t touch us. So that even if your heart changes, it can never go back. I want to be eternally trapped with you in eternity.”
Yeomin quietly gazed at Jiho as his confession poured out overflowingly.
“Seol Jiho.”
“You’re going to scold me.”
“Why would I scold you?”
“For saying weird things…”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what?”
“After the festival ends, let’s go ride the carousel.”
It was an abrupt statement. But Yeomin just wanted to do it.
He had definitely told the guy before. That next time, he would wait for him to ride the carousel. He had promised to still be there when he came down from the carousel.
He wanted to keep that promise quickly. It was a feeling of wanting to prove that he could be that person for him.
“…”
Seol Jiho, who readily answered about wanting to run away, hesitated at the mention of riding the carousel.
But in the end,
“Alright.”
That’s what he knew he would say.
Yeomin decided to wave at Jiho as he rode the carousel, and to make sure to tell him when he got off the carousel.
That if a day comes when I want to run away from all of this… it will probably be because I’ve come to like you too much.
