Ganghyuk had never given him any hint of it, but perhaps because of his greed to become a person worthy of Ganghyuk, his heart was complicated.
Then Ganghyuk grabbed Ian’s nose and shook it lightly. When Ian widened his eyes, Ganghyuk smiled gently and brought his face close.
So close they could see each other’s individual eyelashes, he whispered in a low voice.
“Just stay by my side. No matter what happens, even if something happens that disappoints you in me, you can resent me, just don’t leave. That’s enough for me.”
However, this anxiety wasn’t something only Ian harbored. Ganghyuk felt the same way. In his eyes, Ian was very young and a pretty and kind child who could be loved by anyone.
Ganghyuk had gotten a lot of blood on his hands. As such, there were considerable grudges. He’d killed Gal Hongdo and dealt with Tae Minjae and Tae Nayeon’s matters, but he didn’t know when or where dangerous situations might arise again.
After killing people, he’d never particularly felt guilt. They all died because they deserved to die. Ganghyuk had never harmed anyone according to his own greed.
Everyone had touched Ganghyuk first, so he just showed them an example. This time, since Ian had been in danger, it was true he’d punished them a bit more excessively than other times, but they were the ones who started it in the first place.
Even so, he knew well that he wasn’t a person worthy of Ian. Ian suited someone more upright than himself.
So at first he pushed him away, but it was already too late. Now, even if Ian said he disliked him, he couldn’t let him go. As he’d warned, Ian’s nose ring was firmly twisted to him.
“You can quit the store work anytime too. You won’t be able to do it anyway once redevelopment gets fully underway. You could take this opportunity to study properly.”
He had let Ian do it because he wanted to, but it was pitiful to watch him work hard every day.
“What are you going to do if I get spoiled?”
Ian asked, interlacing his fingers with Ganghyuk’s hand. Between their intertwined fingers, their body heat was transmitted completely to each other.
Today too, Ganghyuk’s body temperature was higher than Ian’s. Ian liked the warmth and squeezed his hand. As if in return, when Ganghyuk put strength into his fingers, Ian groaned and shook their clasped hands.
“It hurts.”
“Sorry.”
Ganghyuk immediately apologized and stretched out the arm that had been supporting his head to give Ian an arm pillow. At a distance where their noses almost touched, the two people’s gazes quietly tangled.
Sometimes there are things that are conveyed without words. It was Ganghyuk who broke the quiet silence and spoke first.
“Then I’ll have to keep you for life.”
“……Really?”
Just like when he heard the confession that he was Ganghyuk’s first love too, Ian’s heart pounded. As if he had just received a marriage proposal, excitement filled his entire body.
When his pounding heart wouldn’t settle down at all and his chest felt tight, Ganghyuk turned his head and kissed him.
Their breaths melted together softly. Like dissolving very sweet candy, at the movement grazing his tongue tip, Ian cupped Ganghyuk’s face with his hands.
Wanting to come a little closer and deeper, he parted his lips and sweetly swallowed Ganghyuk’s saliva. Dense pheromones descended on his entire body like drizzle.
Not long after having sex, his sensitive senses awakened one by one. Ganghyuk’s hand also wrapped around the back of Ian’s head and pulled him in.
He meticulously licked the mucous membranes while releasing thick pheromones. The deep musk scent settled into the air and seeped deep into Ian’s body.
Strong possessiveness was embedded in the pheromones. The plum blossom scent collapsed as if buried in snow, then bloomed gorgeously like flowers in full bloom.
The air in the bedroom became heavy with the two people’s pheromones. Their lips overlapped without separating, and their tangling tongues made squelching sounds.
“Haah, haah……”
Only when their lips had swollen did Ganghyuk pull his head back. Ian gasped with rough breaths and lifted his hazily unfocused eyes.
Ganghyuk preciously stroked his reddened eyes. The fragrance that poured down like rain completely mixed together and seeped into each other’s skin.
“Do you think someday you’ll regret meeting me?”
A voice calmly laid out like the night air brushed Ian’s ear. Why was that? Just now, Ganghyuk seemed more fragile than himself.
Even though he had confessed they should be together for life, it was strange that he was anxious imagining a future that hadn’t even arrived yet.
“No. Never. You know, don’t you, Executive Director? I liked you first. So there’s nothing to regret. You shouldn’t regret it either, Executive Director. Because I’m going to be with you for life.”
“I won’t either.”
“Then tell me you love me. That I’m your first love.”
Ian smiled broadly while making an irresistible temptation. At the movement of subtly rubbing his hardened member, a flash passed through Ganghyuk’s eyes.
His patience wore thin quickly, but the confession came first.
“I love you, kid. And thank you. For becoming my first love.”
At the confession he’d wanted, Ian bit his lip. His heart swelled. The times when he had liked him alone and suffered in anguish melted away like snow. Hot excitement took its place, and a flower bud that had been sleeping deep in his heart for a long time burst open.
It felt like this moment would remain in his memory for a long time. The thick pheromones as if submerged in water, the gaze looking at him, even the warmth stroking his cheek.
“……Me too. I love you very much too, Executive Director.”
If only there were words that could contain my heart better than the word love. Since this was the only word he knew, instead Ian lunged at Ganghyuk and kissed him.
That became the fuse that lit the fire. Ganghyuk pulled Ian tightly into his embrace and roughly devoured his soft lips. Longing became a sigh and collided with his lips.
He conveyed the feelings he couldn’t fully express through his breath. The deep kiss became the answer to everything. No more anxiety or fear remained. All that was left was desire growing large enough to consume the two of them.
**Side Story. Here and Now**
“I’ll contact you often.”
“Yes, and contact me right away if anything happens.”
“Okay.”
Ian, who had been saying goodbye to Okjeong, made an awkward expression at the sniffling sound. Okjeong was full of regret but wasn’t shedding tears.
It wasn’t like they were parting forever, and Ian had promised to visit often when he opened his new restaurant.
Even before that, they could see each other anytime if they contacted each other and their schedules matched. He wasn’t going very far away.
But Soyeon seemed not just regretful but sad. Well, once he moved, it would be difficult to see each other’s faces casually like before.
Even without making specific plans, it would be hard to drop by on the way to buy something delicious and have everyday conversations.
“Noona, stop crying.”
Ian took out tissues from the bag slung over his shoulder and handed them to Soyeon. Soyeon layered several tissues and held them to her nose, making a loud honking sound as she blew.
“Who’s going to listen to my chatter now, *sniff*…… Talking with the lady and you, Ian, was the only pleasure in my life……”
Come to think of it, Soyeon had said the lover she was currently living with was quite taciturn. Although he listened well to what Soyeon said, that was all.
Sometimes when she wondered if he was listening properly and spoke to him, he would say something completely off-topic, and she’d said it felt like she would get stress-induced illness.
“We can talk on the phone often. And I’ll go to your salon every time I get my hair cut, noona. Then we can see each other at least once a month.”
“Will you really do that? You’re not just saying that, you’re promising, right?”
“Of course.”
Ian smiled affectionately as he hooked his finger with the pinky Soyeon held out. Only then did Soyeon realize she had been acting foolishly.
Even though menopause was still far off, her emotions fluctuated wildly like a seesaw. At the thought of having to part with these two people who were practically family, tears flowed down.
She rubbed her eyes roughly with tissue and said a regretful goodbye to Ian. As Ian said, they could see each other’s faces at least once a month, so she would be able to adapt quickly.
“Then we’ll be going now.”
Ganghyuk, who had been waiting nearby, approached and greeted Okjeong and Soyeon. Ian waved at the two while interlacing his other hand with Ganghyuk’s.
He walked toward the car parked to one side and briefly stopped. Having never moved in his life, the feeling was new.
