# Chapter 47
After finishing his tutoring session, Yeomin deliberately came home late.
He took a nap at a café and bought some tteokbokki to eat on the street. During that time, his phone remained off. His battery had died, and he didn’t have a power bank.
He thought it would be fine. Since their contract, Jiho hadn’t contacted Yeomin as frequently as before, nor had he demanded that Yeomin stay at home.
As Yeomin returned home, deliberately walking quietly to muffle his footsteps, he encountered a figure sitting on the sofa like a ghost.
No. Perhaps an actual ghost would have been better.
“Haah, I almost had a heart attack.”
‘What kind of creature of darkness are you?’
Yeomin calmed his startled heart. Then, he deliberately spoke in a nonchalant voice, trying to erase what Jiwoong had told him earlier that day.
“Why are all the lights off? Trying to save on electricity?”
“…”
It was awkward when there was no reaction to what was meant to be a joke. Hmm. Yeomin cleared his throat.
“I’ll go take a shower.”
That statement seemed unnecessary. Why am I reporting that I’m going to shower?
Yeomin berated himself as he went to his room. He put down his bag and took out his phone, which he had turned off.
Immediately, countless missed messages flooded in.
The sender was… all Seol Jiho.
21 Missed calls
[DogWatch: Where are you that you’re not answering?]
[DogWatch: Your tutoring finished in the afternoon]
[DogWatch: Why is your phone off?]
[DogWatch: Call me when you see this]
[DogWatch: Hyung, are you doing this on purpose?]
Well, it’s understandable to make several calls when someone suddenly becomes unreachable. Right.
‘But isn’t this a bit excessive?’
Yeomin’s face hardened.
As he looked at the time intervals between messages and became increasingly concerned, he heard the door opening behind him.
Yeomin turned around with a start.
“Hyung.”
Jiho called out to him but said nothing more.
I’d rather he whined like before, asking why I was so late with that annoying aegyo. His expression, barely visible in the darkness, was puzzling.
Yeomin tried to sound calm.
“Why did you call so many times?”
“From now on, I’d like it if you always told me where you’re going.”
“What are you so anxious about? Why don’t you just put a GPS tracker on me?”
“Can I do that?”
Please don’t ask like you’re genuinely interested. You’re really starting to scare me.
Yeomin slapped Jiho’s shoulder and said seriously:
“Turn on the light.”
And as he turned to unbutton his shirt, Jiho embraced him from behind.
In the darkness, he could feel not only Jiho’s body heat but even the beating of his heart.
Jiho whispered coldly:
“Actually, I was thinking of putting a leash on you rather than a GPS.”
“…Let go, Seol Jiho.”
“I was worried you might have been kidnapped. You know someone’s following you these days. Don’t underestimate Ian Group.”
What do you know? I was out all day today, and no one was following me.
‘Isn’t it you who’s trying to kidnap me, not Ian Group?’
Yeomin suddenly recalled what Jiwoong had told him earlier.
‘Run away while you still can. Seol Jiho just needs a toy right now.’
A toy that makes him anxious when it’s not within reach or sight. But a toy that isn’t even thought of when not needed… is that what Yeomin is to Jiho?
Yeomin suddenly became curious. Is this guy the type to forget toys when he gets bored, or the type to break them?
If he’s going to be discarded or broken anyway, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to make him get bored quickly.
Seeing Yeomin’s quiet reaction, Jiho seemed to soften a bit and tried to appease him.
“Are you angry?”
Just a moment ago, he had his teeth bared, and now he was looking at Yeomin’s mood. It was hard to tell if this was genuine or just an act.
“You’re mad because I called so much. I’m sorry. I try not to, but…”
“You do seem a bit crazy, which is a turn-off, but I’m not angry.”
Really, I’m not. It’s true that it’s a bit scary, and it’s true that it feels unsettling, and it does feel like something serious is happening…
But at this moment, Yeomin’s curiosity about Jiho was greater.
‘Why are you like this to me? Why, to this extent?’
He just wanted to know the reason.
“Then why aren’t you saying anything? If you’re not angry.”
“…What should I say? Here.”
“Look at me.”
“I would if I could see.”
The room is dark, I can’t see anything. Yeomin made that excuse.
But Jiho ruthlessly turned Yeomin’s body to face him.
When Yeomin inadvertently looked up, he saw Jiho’s eyes, deeper and darker than the darkness itself.
Yeomin suddenly felt an impulse. That place with unfathomable depth. He wanted to just jump into that deep, dark place.
Whether he hit the bottom or sank endlessly… he wanted to get completely soaked once. That kind of reckless thought occurred to him.
“Seol Jiho. Listen without misunderstanding.”
“Okay. I won’t misunderstand.”
“Have you ever slept with a man?”
“…Suddenly?”
“I asked if you’ve done it. Answer me.”
“Hmm. No.”
“Then you wouldn’t know how men do it.”
“I do know. I looked it up.”
“What?”
That was an unexpected answer.
“The day you moved in here, I looked it up.”
Why would you look that up? Were you planning to strip me naked from the beginning? This is ridiculous.
Well. I don’t particularly blame him. Actually, Yeomin was somewhat relieved.
In a situation where he should be embarrassed and awkward, Yeomin wasn’t particularly ashamed to be having this conversation. Maybe it’s because he’s shown too many uncool sides to Jiho already.
The current moment, asking if he’d slept with a man, seemed less embarrassing than the day he sat drenched in rain, looking lost in front of the convenience store.
‘…That’s right. Come to think of it, I’ve shown too much of myself to him.’
“But why are you asking that? Are you finally thinking of sleeping with me?”
“I was just curious if you’re the type who could do it with a man too.”
“What do you think?”
“You… probably wouldn’t be picky.”
Jiho burst into laughter. It wasn’t meant to be funny, but he clutched his stomach and laughed for quite a while.
“Then what about you? You said you don’t have that preference, but do you think you could do it with a man now?”
“…”
“No way. Have you even imagined it? Did it seem possible when you imagined it?”
“We’ve already kissed, so I figured sex wouldn’t be that different.”
Yeomin retorted bluntly. Even as he spoke, his palms were already drenched with sweat.
Jiho looked down at Yeomin, who was pretending to be brazen, from right in front of his face.
It was close enough to feel his breath.
“I wonder what kind of story you heard today, for you to suddenly give me this surprise.”
“You said I can’t meet anyone else while I’m fake dating you. Then who am I supposed to satisfy my urges with?”
“I didn’t know you were the type with a strong sex drive.”
“Yeah. I’m really into it.”
“For someone like that, you’ve never dated.”
“That’s because of my unfortunate family environment! Just say no if you don’t want to.”
Embarrassed, Yeomin moved away from Jiho. He was thinking of just changing his clothes as if nothing happened.
A strong grip pulled Yeomin. Drawn to Jiho, Yeomin found himself with his chin held, surrendering his lips.
As their lips intertwined, Yeomin thought:
‘The kisses I’ve had with Seol Jiho so far… they were just child’s play.’
It was foolish of him to only now realize that this guy knew how to kiss like this.
* * *
They were definitely kissing in the dressing room, but when Yeomin came to his senses, they were on the bed in the bedroom.
At this rate, Yeomin felt like he was going to go through the mattress and into the floor.
Jiho didn’t budge even as Yeomin struggled and pushed. Just when Yeomin thought he might suffocate, Jiho moved away on his own.
“Right, condoms!”
What quiz are you solving right now? Before Yeomin could stop him, Jiho was rummaging through the master bedroom drawer.
As if anything would come out of there. Yeomin looked at him with exasperation. It seemed faster to just go to the convenience store…
‘Why are there lube and condoms coming out from there?’
Yeomin let out a laugh of disbelief.
“Are those yours?”
“They’re my uncle’s.”
“Don’t lie!”
“Really. I saw them here last time.”
Is that so? The way he says it, it does seem true. Right now, Yeomin’s judgment was quite clouded from the prolonged kissing.
“But is it okay to just use someone else’s things?”
“I’ll get permission from my uncle.”
“Are you advertising that we’re having sex?”
“It’s good if it gets advertised. That’s our goal, right?”
“…”
Sigh, whatever. That’s not the important thing right now.
Lying beneath Jiho, Yeomin said:
“You explain how men do it, since you studied it. I don’t know well.”
I should at least run a mental simulation. Bedding Jiho.
“Close your eyes.”
At Jiho’s words, Yeomin closed his eyes. Everything went dark. Jiho’s hands gently felt Yeomin’s body.
Jiho’s soft voice resonated in his ear. It was a kind tone, as if he was reading a fairy tale:
“First, I’ll undress you. Completely. Down to your underwear, everything.”
…Damn it. An image of himself naked floated around in Yeomin’s mental universe.
Jiho’s whisper continued:
“Then I’ll loosen you up.”
“…Loosen what?”
“Your lower part. Since it’s your first time, it will probably hurt a lot.”
“This is driving me crazy.”
Yeomin muttered with his eyes still closed.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t imagine it.
Imagination is based on experience. Yeomin, who didn’t even watch porn, had no way of knowing.
But Jiho continued his explanation:
“I’ll keep loosening you until you say it’s okay. So you don’t get hurt. We’ll need to use lube too. It might be awkward for you at first, but you’ll soon adjust. You’ll make sounds too.”
“…”
“Then, I’ll put it in.”
“Put it in?”
“My thing.”
“…”
“Into you.”
Yeomin’s eyes flew open. Put it in?
He stared at Jiho’s lower body, trying to gauge the size.
He couldn’t tell just by looking…
“Should we do it right after washing? Or I’d like to do it while we shower together.”
“I-I just realized it’s getting quite late. Maybe we should just do it next time…”
“Sexual frustration can make you sick, hyung.”
Jiho’s smile was extremely dangerous, and beautiful. Though Yeomin was tense, he didn’t think of running away.
It was like the feeling just before riding a thrill ride. Nervous, queasy, but also excited.
I guess I really am sexually frustrated…
“It has to feel good.”
Yeomin insisted.
“Forget about the loosening and everything, it must feel good. If it just hurts, it’s pointless.”
“Are you scared?”
“…I just feel like I’ll regret it otherwise.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Our hyung shouldn’t have regrets. Shall we shower together?”
“Let’s shower separately!”
Yeomin drew the line and ran to the bathroom attached to the room.
Jiho smiled slightly, finding Yeomin’s reddened nape cute.
