Summer season side story

1. Each One’s Summer

 

With a soft clack, the beer can landed on the wooden platform, and the beads of condensation covering it immediately ran down its sides. Eun-ho wiped the moisture that had gathered between his fingers across his knee, planted one hand beside his hip and leaned back. Maybe it was because I-hyeon’s place sat high on the hillside, or because it was a rooftop room, but there was nothing blocking the breeze in any direction. Rows of similar reddish-brown villas and rooftops painted deep green spread out beneath him.

 

Eun-ho puffed out his cheeks, idly knocking the toes of his slippers together, then let himself fall backwards with a meaningless groan.

 

“Ah, it’s fucking hot…”

 

He stretched an arm out and felt around the platform. The rough grain of the wood scratched lightly against his palm. His fingertips passed another cold can of beer and the bag of snacks he had brought before finding his phone. He tapped the screen a few times with obvious laziness, and the music blaring from the speaker cut off abruptly. Silence settled over the rooftop. Eun-ho dropped the phone and closed his eyes.

 

“How the hell does Kwon I-hyeon live up here?”

 

A heavy summer breeze, thick with humidity, brushed weakly beneath the hem of his shorts. At this point, being underwater might actually be better. He was just beginning to drift towards sleep with that stupid thought when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Must be him. Eun-ho yawned widely to chase away the drowsiness and slowly pushed himself upright. The expressionless face that appeared at the top of the stairs belonged to I-hyeon.

 

“You’re back?”

 

“Sorry. I meant to be quick, but we got a group order… Have you been waiting long? You should’ve gone inside.”

 

“I’m not shameless enough to sit in someone else’s place with their air conditioner running when they aren’t even home.”

 

“…I wouldn’t have minded.”

 

I-hyeon scratched his eyebrow, looking faintly apologetic, and headed straight for the rooftop room. Eun-ho had been about to complain that he had nearly died from the heat, but when he saw I-hyeon repeatedly wiping sweat from his forehead, he let out a sigh instead. 

 

The bright orange uniform with PIZZA COUNTRY printed across the back looked hot enough just to look at. I-hyeon stopped in front of the old brown metal door and rummaged through his pocket. His face remained blank as he pushed the key into the lock.

 

But the moment the door opened, a wave of trapped heat rolled out, and his smooth brow immediately creased. The room had been roasting beneath the midday sun all day. The heated air poured out like lava.

 

“Bloody hell. It’s probably hotter in there than out here. Sit down for a bit before you go in.”

 

Eun-ho grimaced too. He picked the coldest beer from the cans lined up beside the platform and held it out, but I-hyeon shook his head.

 

“I’m just changing out of my uniform.”

 

“Fine. Turn the air conditioner on while you’re at it.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Once the rooftop door closed, Eun-ho flopped down again. It was already past eight, yet the sky was still bright. Summer really was summer. He was staring blankly at the clouds drifting overhead when the door opened again, and I-hyeon returned. Without sitting up, Eun-ho felt around for the cold can he had set aside earlier and held it out again.

 

“Want one? It’s still cold.”

 

“No. I have to go back out later.”

 

Eun-ho quietly withdrew his hand. He had only just remembered that I-hyeon had to get a little sleep before heading to his second job. Since moving out immediately after graduation, I-hyeon worked at a local pizza shop during the day and served at a club at night. Instead of the beer, I-hyeon picked up the small bottle of water beside Eun-ho.

 

“That’ll be warm. Go get some ice from the fridge.”

 

“I think going back in there right now would be hotter. It’s fine.”

 

Eun-ho watched I-hyeon slowly wet his lips with the water, then spoke.

 

“Do people make you drink when you’re working?”

 

“Not often. Sometimes.”

 

I-hyeon opened his cigarette packet and looked down at Eun-ho.

 

“Mind if I smoke?”

 

Eun-ho stared up into his pale eyes.

 

“Do what you want. It’s your house.”

 

The lighter wheel clicked. A long stream of white smoke rose into the evening air. I-hyeon drew lightly on the filter and exhaled with such easy familiarity that the movement looked completely natural. He probably did not realise it, but whenever he smoked, Kwon I-hyeon always looked as though he could finally breathe again. Like a diver breaking the surface after holding his breath for far too long. Even though he looked like the sort of person who would never touch cigarettes.

 

“Doesn’t the club stink of smoke too? How are you not sick of it?”

 

At Eun-ho’s casual question, I-hyeon lifted one corner of his mouth in a faint smile instead of answering. He exhaled a long plume of smoke. Against the deepening red sky, it spread like a pale cloud before disappearing.

 

“Anyway, why did you come over all of a sudden? Didn’t you work today too?”

 

“Ah. Right. Nearly forgot.”

 

With a grunt, Eun-ho sat up and reached for the shopping bag he had shoved carelessly to one side. Several airtight containers emerged from it. Most held dry side dishes that would keep well even in the hot weather.

 

“These. Mum told me to bring them.”

 

“She really doesn’t have to do this.”

 

Each time Eun-ho took out another container and stacked it on the platform, I-hyeon bit his lip. Judging by his expression, he clearly thought he was imposing. Eun-ho deliberately kept his tone casual.

 

“You know what my mum’s like. And they’re not all for you. I’ve still got to deliver some to Cha Do-hyeon’s.”

 

I-hyeon’s stiff expression eased slightly. He turned his head to blow out the smoke, then replied so quietly Eun-ho almost missed it.

 

“Tell her she doesn’t need to pack anything for me next time.”

 

“Yeah, sure. I’ll tell her you enjoyed it.”

 

“I’m serious.”

 

“Then hurry up and put it in the fridge.”

 

“…She’s busy at the restaurant already. I just don’t want her tiring herself out because of me.”

 

“Oh, give over. You say this every time, and then you eat the lot. Fine. I’ll put it away.”

 

Eun-ho was already starting to stand when I-hyeon took the containers out of his hands first.

 

“Tell her thank you.”

 

I-hyeon rubbed the back of his neatly shaped head with one palm and stared at the floor. Was this really something to feel that guilty and embarrassed about? Eun-ho grumbled inwardly and sank back onto the platform. 

 

While I-hyeon went inside to put the food away, Eun-ho picked up the beer he had been drinking and took another mouthful. It had already lost most of its chill and somehow tasted more bitter than before. He was glaring at the can when I-hyeon returned and sat beside him.

 

“How’s helping at the restaurant? Bearable?”

 

The moment he heard the question, Eun-ho pictured the scorching grills at his parents’ meat restaurant. He grimaced at the memory of glowing charcoal and pale ash drifting like snow.

 

“Awful.”

 

After graduation, freedom had arrived. Freedom sounded good, but really it meant long stretches of empty time with absolutely nothing to fill them. His pleasure at no longer having to wake up early lasted only until early spring, at best. After that came endless boredom. 

 

Lying around at home like an unemployed bum with nothing to do turned out to be far less enjoyable than he had imagined. When he was still at school, he spent most of his day trapped there, which made every hour outside precious.

 

After graduation, it became the opposite. Half bravado and half boredom had driven Eun-ho to start working part-time at his parents’ restaurant.

 

“If I’d known it would be like this, I would’ve said I was going to resit the entrance exam too.”

 

“It’s bad enough to make studying sound better?”

 

“Yeah. Fuck… It’s no joke. Stand in front of the grill for three minutes and sweat starts pouring off you. The air conditioning does absolutely nothing. I never knew people in this country ate that much meat.”

 

Eun-ho deeply regretted the version of himself who had volunteered for the job when nobody had asked him to. He also regretted dismissing his father’s warning, If you’re going to quit halfway because it’s hard, don’t start, as the usual empty threat.

 

“If it’s that bad, why don’t you just tell them you want to quit?”

 

Eun-ho briefly imagined his parents giving him the I-knew-this-would-happen look. Then he imagined his future, practically living at Do-hyeon’s place. Spending all day at home with Cha Do-hyeon…? 

 

He shook his head.

 

“No. I think suffering through the heat might actually be easier.”

 

I-hyeon glanced at the shudder that ran through him, an odd expression on his face, then looked away. Eun-ho quickly scattered the indecent thoughts forming in his head and turned his gaze towards the evening sun sinking slowly through the heat. 

 

A lazy silence settled between them. Every time the village bus stopped, the hiss of its brakes echoed through the alleys. Distant cicadas spread through the neighbourhood like background music.

 

Eun-ho stared down at the village, heavy with humid air and a strangely languid atmosphere.

 

“I thought graduating would mean some completely different world opened up.”

 

He let out a sigh.

 

“Sometimes I think school was actually better.”

 

People had begun moving through the streets below as the sun went down. Eun-ho watched office workers walking somewhere with loosened ties, students chattering in uniform, people hurrying along with things clutched in both hands.

 

“Everyone else is busy with university or jobs. Sometimes I wonder if I’m really allowed to sit around doing nothing like this.”

 

He stared into the distance, sighed again, then suddenly turned his head.

 

“Oi. I called Yoo Won-ho the other day. He was introduced to someone his dad knows and started learning to weld. Says he’s so busy following the guy around he barely knows whether he’s coming or going.”

 

I-hyeon kept staring at the view below. Eun-ho looked at him for a moment, then turned the same way and took another drink of beer. Maybe the alcohol was beginning to spread through him. His body felt warm and stuffy from the inside.

 

“Maybe I should seriously learn the restaurant business from my parents. Although… I don’t think I can spend the rest of my life standing in front of that heat.”

 

Not that his parents were the type to hand over their secrets simply because he asked. Eun-ho shuddered at the memory of mountains of dirty grills and the heat from burning charcoal.

 

“No. Forget it. Better to start studying again and go to university, right?”

 

I-hyeon answered the half-muttered question.

 

“Take your time.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“You can only afford to take your time when you’ve got somewhere safe to fall back on.”

 

If there had been sarcasm or bitterness in the words, Eun-ho might have frowned. But he knew I-hyeon’s blunt way of speaking. And even though his expression remained blank as he looked down at the peaceful scene below, there was something bitter about it. A question hovered on Eun-ho’s tongue. 

 

He rolled it around a few times, then swallowed it. Instead, he scratched the back of his neck and looked away from I-hyeon as he lifted the warm bottle to his lips again.

 

“Kwon I-hyeon. Are you going to keep working at the club?”

 

“…Not sure.”

 

“Even if you’re only serving, isn’t it dangerous?”

 

I-hyeon had never told him exactly where the club was, so Eun-ho had never been there. But dealing with drunk customers could not be easy. And someone as small as I-hyeon was probably more likely to get into trouble. Eun-ho looked at him with concern, but I-hyeon only shrugged.

 

“It’s fine. It’s manageable.”

 

“Seriously. They still think I’m young, so all they make me do is carry food out from the kitchen.”

 

When he noticed Eun-ho was still frowning, I-hyeon smiled faintly and nudged the snack bag with one finger. Eun-ho sighed and scratched his neck again.

 

“Who am I to worry about you, anyway?”

 

“…You’ll manage.”

 

“Ugh… One can of beer, and I can already feel it.”

 

Eun-ho finished the last mouthful in one go and crushed the empty can in his fist. It dropped into the rubbish bag with a metallic clatter.

 

“Ah… When am I supposed to go to Cha Do-hyeon’s…”

 

He complained as he stretched out flat on his back again. Watching the white clouds drift slowly overhead, he raised one arm to cover his eyes. Sticky. Everything touching his skin felt unpleasantly sticky, as though the whole world were determined to cling to him.

 

“If you’re that hot, want to shower before you go?”

 

“What?”

 

“I’ve got a few clothes I don’t wear anymore because they’re too big.”

 

Eun-ho slowly sat up and raised one eyebrow. His gaze travelled over I-hyeon from head to toe. I-hyeon himself only looked puzzled by the scrutiny.

 

“Kwon I-hyeon. I’m saying this because I’m worried about you. Don’t say things like that to other people, all right?”

 

“What things?”

 

I-hyeon blinked innocently. Eun-ho sighed. He was about to say never mind because explaining it was awkward when a sudden suspicion flashed through his mind.

 

“Oi. I’m only asking just in case… You don’t like me or anything, do you? Because that would be a serious problem for me.”

 

Eun-ho cautiously shifted his eyes towards him. The look he received in return was pure disgust. I-hyeon stared at him as though he had just heard something obscene. The meaning could not have been clearer. Embarrassed, Eun-ho tucked his lips inward and looked away.

 

“Fine, fine. If you don’t, you don’t. Why are you looking at me like that, fuck…”

 

He sprang to his feet to hide his awkwardness and began tidying everything scattered across the platform. I-hyeon stubbed out his cigarette, pulled another from the packet and spoke flatly.

 

“Leave it. I’ll clean up later.”

 

“There’s hardly anything here.”

 

“I’m ordering dinner. Want to eat before you go?”

 

“No. I’ve got this.”

 

Eun-ho swung the lighter shopping bag.

 

“I’ve still got a delivery to make.”

 

I-hyeon simply nodded. Eun-ho bent down to put on the shoes he had left beneath the platform, hesitated and spoke again.

 

“Oi, Kwon I-hyeon. Nobody at that club does anything weird to you, right?”

 

“…No.”

 

“Then fine.”

 

He tightened his laces and stood. I-hyeon was still smoking, rubbing one side of his neck with his palm. Eun-ho headed towards the stairs, a shopping bag swinging at his side. Almost at the same moment, the phone in his pocket began to ring. Cha Do-hyeon.

 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. He’s going to start again. I’m off.”

 

Eun-ho turned back and mouthed a goodbye to I-hyeon before answering. 

 

The ringtone was cut off. A wash of background noise came through first, followed by the familiar voice.

 

[Yeo Eun-ho, where are you?]

 

“At Kwon I-hyeon’s.”

 

[Still?]

 

Eun-ho could practically see Do-hyeon frowning in irritation. He left the building and trudged down the sloping road, pulling the front of his T-shirt away from his skin.

 

“Just left. Ugh, it’s fucking boiling. When are you coming? If you get there first, turn the air conditioner on.”

 

[Take a taxi.]

 

“No. It’s not that far.”

 

He wiped the sweat gathering on his forehead with one forearm as he walked. Then louder voices suddenly broke through the call.

 

[Do-hyeon, come to the second round!]

 

[Exactly! Love your classmates, love your country! Your seniors are here too. 

 

You can’t seriously leave first again tonight, can you?]

 

Oh, right. Do-hyeon had said there was a department gathering tonight. The thought of him standing there, looking troubled, between seniors and classmates who were trying to drag him to another bar made Eun-ho smile for some reason. He adjusted the shopping bag in his hand.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon, can you actually leave? Should I just come another day?”

 

[No.]

 

“…”

 

[Don’t.]

 

The answer was immediate. Eun-ho shrugged to himself and continued towards Do-hyeon’s place.

 

“Fine. I’ll go ahead. Take your time.”

 

Do-hyeon’s sigh came through beneath all the overlapping voices. He still has people around him all the time, just like school. Well… obviously he does. Eun-ho scratched his head and turned towards the convenience store ahead. Maybe because of all the drunken laughter and shouting, the fragments of Do-hyeon’s voice that reached him sounded strangely far away. 

 

He rubbed the back of his neck and pushed open the glass door. The entrance bell jingled. Almost at the same time, an angry voice exploded through the phone.

 

[Oi, Cha Do-hyeon. You’re a fucking freshman and already acting above yourself. Think money means you can do whatever you want, you prick? Your seniors are talking to you, and you won’t even come?]

 

[Seong-tae! What are you doing? Do-hyeon said he can’t. Go without him.]

 

Several startled voices tried to intervene, but the hostility in the other man’s tone did not change. Eun-ho caught scattered words: rude, eyes, attitude. He stopped just inside the shop, eyes widening at the sharp voice using Do-hyeon’s name.

 

[Let go of me. I’ve wanted to say something to that bastard for ages. Always looking down on people like we’re beneath him. Let me go.]

 

[You’re drunk, you idiot!]

 

The employee crouched by a shelf checking stock looked up at Eun-ho in confusion. That brought him back to himself. He hurried farther inside and covered the bottom of his phone with one hand.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon. Shouldn’t you hang up? Sounds pretty bad over there. Want me to call back later?”

 

[Don’t hang up.]

 

“No, seriously. The mood sounds awful…”

 

[It’s fine. Stay on the phone.]

 

Eun-ho was fairly sure calling later would make more sense, but he was arguing with Cha Do-hyeon when he had decided something was hopeless. He moved deeper into the shop, away from the employee.

 

[Do-hyeon, sorry. He’s really drunk. Just go.]

 

[Yeah, sorry. His drinking habits are terrible.]

 

[I said I’m not drunk! Fuck, are you lot ignoring me too? Someone half-decent looking turns up, and you’re all falling over yourselves—]

 

[What? Oi, Yoon Seong-tae! You want to say that again?]

 

So even people at prestigious universities got drunk and fought like everyone else. The unusual part was Cha Do-hyeon being right in the middle of it. Once Eun-ho understood roughly what was happening, he shook his head and walked towards the ice-cream freezer. Do they still have the one I bought last time? He scanned the neatly stacked packets. The noise on the call began to settle. Eun-ho slid open the freezer.

 

“What happened? You get out?”

 

[Yeah.]

 

“Who was that bloke?”

 

[Class rep. Apparently he did his military service straight after getting in and only came back this year. Guess he was drunk.]

 

“If he came back after the army, doesn’t that make him your senior?”

 

[Probably.]

 

A faint crease appeared between Eun-ho’s brows. He remembered the so-called seniors who used to drag him around whenever they felt like it during his first year of school. He had no idea exactly how different university was, but surely the whole watching-your-seniors thing existed there too. And if that man was class representative, did that not make him important?

 

“What if he calls you out later and gives you shit?”

 

It was an offhand question, but the silence that followed went on oddly long. The only sound was distant traffic through the phone. Eun-ho stopped moving and narrowed his eyes.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon?”

 

Had he hit the mark? A thought flashed through him. What if he had just got in the way of Do-hyeon’s social life? Do-hyeon was still only a first-year. If bad rumours started circulating among his seniors, that would not be good.

 

“Don’t be stupid. Just go back now. You know I knew loads of seniors like that in school. Getting dragged into shit with old-fashioned arseholes only makes your life harder.”

 

Eun-ho glanced at the shopping bag.

 

“I’m off from tomorrow through Sunday anyway. I’ll just drop the side dishes at your place and go home, so you get back there.”

 

He was disappointed, of course. But not seeing Do-hyeon tonight was hardly the end of the world. For the sake of Do-hyeon's smooth university life, Eun-ho could make this sacrifice. He felt rather pleased with how mature and rational he was being.

 

“And don’t drink too much. You’ve got a first-period class tomorrow.”

 

He wedged the phone between his shoulder and ear and began properly digging through the freezer. The shop had mountains of red-bean and chestnut ice creams. Why is whoever orders stock here obsessed with old-man flavours? Who even eats this stuff now?

 

“Oi, Cha Do-hyeon. Do you still have any of the ice cream I left at your place—”

 

[Eun-ho. So you don’t miss me at all.]

 

“What?”

 

The packets rustled. Eun-ho froze with one hand inside the freezer, shoulder lifted awkwardly to hold the phone.

 

[You’ve been busy and tired every day lately. It’s already been ages since we actually saw each other.]

 

Do-hyeon’s voice was low. The convenience store had felt cool and dry a moment ago. Now the air seemed unnaturally sharp against Eun-ho’s skin. Thrown completely off, he let go of the ice cream he had picked up and straightened up.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon… Have you been drinking a lot?”

 

[That’s all you’ve got to say?]

 

Eun-ho had spoken without thinking. Apparently it only made Do-hyeon angrier. He bit his lower lip and glanced around. The employee was looking towards him again. Eun-ho closed the freezer door.

 

“I’m only saying it because I don’t want you getting on the wrong side of your seniors. And if he’s class rep, you’ll probably see him all the time. I’ve got loads of free time from tomorrow…”

 

The more he explained, the more his brows pulled together. Why am I defending myself? It’s not like I said any of this for my own benefit.

 

“And get it right, you idiot. Last Sunday you were the one who kept me up all night, and I still had to go to work afterwards. Anyone listening to you would think we haven’t seen each other for months. It’s been four days. Four!”

 

[So because you saw me four days ago, you’re saying you don’t care whether you see me today.]

 

Why was someone who was never like this suddenly picking at every word? Is this bastard drunk and trying to start a fight with me now? On a day this hot and humid, when I’ve carried bloody side dishes all the way here? Eun-ho glared at the shiny silver ice-cream packets.

 

“Fine! Sorry I’m busy, for fuck’s sake. Happy? Yes, sir, everything’s my fault. There. Satisfied?”

 

His sharp voice rang through the quiet shop. The employee looked over again. Eun-ho yanked open the freezer and threw several of the awful red-bean ice creams into his basket.

 

“I’m hanging up!”

 

He ended the call and marched towards the till. Rows of hangover remedies sat beside the counter. He turned his head sharply and pretended not to see them. As if Cha Do-hyeon deserved one. That bastard could eat disgusting red-bean ice cream instead.

 

“Sorry! Just a second. I’ll ring you up as soon as I’ve put these out.”

 

The employee, busy arranging a pile of stock nearby, called out loudly when he saw Eun-ho waiting. Eun-ho said nothing and glared at the innocent products instead. No, seriously, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous it is. He kept staring at the silver packets on the counter, and his temper only climbed higher. 

 

The employee became increasingly flustered by Eun-ho’s expression. Eun-ho sighed quietly and turned his head. A long, veined hand belonging to the customer behind him was reaching towards a display beside the till. The shelves held various kinds of condoms.

 

Eun-ho frowned slightly when the large hand casually picked up a small box that looked annoyingly familiar. Maybe the man had chosen it simply because it was a design not many convenience stores stocked. The problem was that it was the Magnum-size brand Do-hyeon used regularly. 

 

Eun-ho might not be as large as Cha Do-hyeon, but he was comfortably above average and proud of it. He still vividly remembered the day he had tried one of those condoms himself and immediately suffered a crisis of confidence.

 

He could picture Do-hyeon’s irritating little smirk as though it were happening right now. There was a reason most shops did not bother stocking them. Really, Do-hyeon was the abnormal one, so Eun-ho had nothing to feel embarrassed about. Unfortunately, merely remembering that smug face made his fist tighten.

 

“Sorry! It’s working now. I’ll ring these through.”

 

The employee began placing the silver-wrapped ice creams into a plastic bag one by one. Eun-ho watched with a frown. Then the man behind him placed the box of condoms beside the till. What the fuck? Can’t he see I’m waiting? 

 

Is he cutting in line? In an instant, Eun-ho’s earlier concern about discreetly suggesting an alternative product to protect the stranger’s pride disappeared. Now he almost wanted the man to humiliate himself.

 

“Excuse me, can’t you see someone’s already—”

 

“Add this to the same bill, please.”

 

The voice came from directly behind him. A familiar voice. Far clearer and closer than it had been over the phone. Eun-ho spun around. Do-hyeon was standing so close behind him that Eun-ho had to tilt his head back.

 

“What the hell? Why are you here?”

 

Do-hyeon looked down at him and slowly lifted the corners of his mouth.

 

“You apologised.”

 

“What?”

 

“So I came to accept it.”

 

The quiet amusement in his voice. The long curve of his smile. His eyes narrowed slightly. This bastard. He’d been pretending to be angry from the start. Eun-ho’s brows snapped together. He glared at Do-hyeon instead of answering, but the smile on that handsome face only deepened.

 

“Er… shall I put this through with yours?”

 

The awkward employee was the one who finally broke into their one-sided staring contest. Eun-ho turned sharply.

 

“No. I don’t know him.”

 

Do-hyeon burst out laughing. Eun-ho glared at him once more, snatched up his bag and card as soon as the payment was finished, then shoved through the convenience-store door. Behind the jingling bell, he could hear a short laugh.

 

──── 📘📘 ────

 

The moment Eun-ho punched in the officetel code and yanked the door open, cool air from the air conditioner spilt over him. Dry, chilled air wrapped around his overheated skin.

 

“I turned it on before you got here because I knew you’d be hot.”

 

Do-hyeon came in behind him, lightly pressed a palm to the top of Eun-ho’s head, kicked off his shoes and walked past him into the flat. Despite the muggy weather, the back of his neck and the thick forearms exposed beneath his white T-shirt looked perfectly dry and smooth. Just looking at him made Eun-ho even more irritated. He had actually planned to dump the shopping bag of side dishes on the table and turn straight back around.

 

But now that he was standing inside the cool officetel, the thought of going back outside began to fade. His annoyance with Cha Do-hyeon and his desire to remain somewhere comfortable fought inside him. Eun-ho stood by the entrance with his lips pressed tightly together, glaring at the back of Do-hyeon’s head.

 

“Oi. Is it fun messing with people?”

 

Do-hyeon turned slowly. Seeing Eun-ho’s face covered in irritation and wounded pride, he smiled. Then he walked back, bent slightly and brushed his lips against Eun-ho’s in a quick kiss.

 

“I don’t like messing with people.”

 

He gently took the shopping bag and convenience-store bag out of Eun-ho’s hands.

 

“I like Yeo Eun-ho.”

 

Then he turned and walked inside as though he had said nothing unusual. Eun-ho glared at the straight line of his back and bit his lower lip hard. He was still angry. Unfortunately, his heart was also pounding. His fingertips tingled. He clenched his fists, but it did nothing. It had been more than a year, yet sudden touches like that could still send a sharp thrill through his stomach. If I go back outside right now, I might actually die from the heat…

 

Without even realising how much of his anger had already dissolved, Eun-ho followed him in, wearing a stubborn, sulky expression. Do-hyeon was putting the containers from the shopping bag into the fridge. When he saw Eun-ho, his eyes curved gently.

 

“Your mum must’ve worked hard making all this. Tell her I’ll come and see her next week.”

 

“Tell her yourself, you bastard.”

 

Do-hyeon let the answer slide past as easily as water and lifted the plastic bag full of silver-wrapped red-bean ice creams.

 

“What’s this? Why did you buy so many?”

 

One corner of his mouth twitched.

 

“Suddenly obsessed with these?”

 

Now that Eun-ho thought about it, buying nothing but disgusting ice cream purely to spite him felt embarrassingly childish. His brows tightened.

 

“Yeah! They’re all mine, so don’t touch them. If you eat even one, I swear—”

 

“Fine.”

 

Do-hyeon gave a small laugh and put the whole bag into the bottom drawer of the freezer. His calm agreement left Eun-ho with nowhere to direct the rest of his complaint. He pursed his lips and turned his head away. While Eun-ho leaned against the wall beside the dining table looking dissatisfied, he heard a few more clinks behind him. Then footsteps approached. He deliberately ignored Do-hyeon and stared into the empty living room.

 

Before he could brace himself against the sudden closeness of Do-hyeon’s body heat, Do-hyeon lowered his head and rested his forehead on Eun-ho’s shoulder.

 

“The class rep earlier poured soju into a beer glass and told me to drink it.”

 

The soft strands of his hair tickled Eun-ho’s chin. Eun-ho swallowed and weakly caught hold of both Do-hyeon’s forearms. The muscles beneath his fingertips were hard.

 

“…You’re hot.”

 

“He got pissed off because I said something during our group project. Ever since then, he’s picked at everything I do.”

 

Do-hyeon’s large hands settled around Eun-ho’s waist. His index finger began slowly stroking the middle of Eun-ho’s back. The touch was too deliberate to be accidental and too restrained to call blatant. Eun-ho’s entire body stiffened. He swallowed again and forced his voice to sound indifferent.

 

“Okay. And?”

 

“Will you comfort me tonight?”

 

“What?”

 

Without lifting his forehead from Eun-ho’s shoulder, Do-hyeon tilted his face upwards. His lips brushed lightly along Eun-ho’s jaw. Eun-ho’s lean body flinched.

 

“Shower with me.”

 

Each movement of Do-hyeon’s mouth tickled the thin skin beneath Eun-ho’s chin. Warm breath slipped between the words and raised goosebumps along him. Eun-ho instinctively stepped backwards, let go of Do-hyeon’s arms and planted one hand against the wall. Do-hyeon immediately took advantage of the gap. He pulled Eun-ho by the waist until their lower bodies collided.

 

“Mm? Shower with me.”

 

He was already hard. The solid pressure pushed against Eun-ho’s stomach. At the same time, Eun-ho’s fingertips brushed the box of condoms Do-hyeon had bought earlier. Fuck. Seriously, what a sly bastard… Eun-ho bit his lower lip and breathed hard through his nose. Hidden beneath his chin, Do-hyeon’s mouth curved into a long smile.

 

──── 📘📘 ────

 

Water poured from the shower with a steady rush. Some of it slid over overheated skin; some struck the floor and broke into circles across the grey tiles. Water travelling towards the drain divided around an obstacle in its path.

 

“Mm… ah…”

 

Do-hyeon had his tongue extended along the tip of Eun-ho’s cock. The instant a strained sound escaped from above him, he raised his eyes. Then, almost as though checking the reaction, he dragged his tongue briefly across the slit at the head again.

 

“Ah… hey… s-stop…”

 

A shuddering sensation spread through Eun-ho’s whole body, like something venomous coiling around the back of his neck. He bit down hard on his lower lip and tipped his head backwards. His hips twitched. When he lowered his head again and wiped the water from his face, he opened wet eyes to find Cha Do-hyeon kneeling in front of him with Eun-ho’s cock in his mouth. Between Do-hyeon’s thick thighs, something equally hard strained visibly. The position had Do-hyeon kneeling on an unforgiving tile, looking up.

 

Against his pale face, his red tongue flicked over the flushed tip as though tasting ice cream. His own arousal was obvious enough beneath him, yet his handsome face remained infuriatingly composed.

 

“Ah… Cha Do-hyeon…”

 

“Mm?”

 

Do-hyeon continued moving his tongue at an unhurried pace, lightly stroking the twitching shaft up and down with one hand. Then the stream of shower water, blocked by Eun-ho’s back, suddenly splashed across Do-hyeon’s face. He leaned away slightly, closed his eyes and frowned as he swept his wet fringe and the water from his forehead in one motion. Eun-ho stared blankly at him. A sudden wave of arousal surged through him. His fist clenched. Blood rushed downwards before he even consciously registered it, and his cock jerked hard.

 

A clear bead of pre-come gathered at the tip and tapped lightly against Do-hyeon’s lips. Do-hyeon opened his eyes, wiped the water from his face and smiled when he saw Eun-ho’s expression.

 

“…Fuck.”

 

Pleasure and embarrassment spread through Eun-ho together like heat. Even the water running down his back began to feel like stimulation. He pushed the shower lever down and shut it off. The instant silence that followed made him regret it.

 

“Why’d you turn it off? You said doing it in the bathroom was embarrassing because the sound echoes.”

 

At the amusement in Do-hyeon’s voice, Eun-ho narrowed his eyes and bit his lip. Do-hyeon only grinned and took him into his mouth again.

 

“Fuck… When did I say I was embarrassed? I only said it echoes, ah, and the neighbours might… hear…”

 

“Fine. We’ll go with that.”

 

Without the white noise of the shower, every wet sound reflected openly off the tiled walls. Eun-ho pressed his lips together and clenched his fists to contain his moans, but he could not stop his breathing from growing ragged. Do-hyeon stroked the rigid shaft gently with one hand, then deliberately made the sound wetter as he sucked around the head.

 

“But it’s fine.”

 

“Ah—don’t… don’t talk with it in your mouth…”

 

“The soundproofing here is good.”

 

Every time hot, wet flesh enveloped him, Eun-ho’s toes curled. The stimulation was becoming unbearable. He wanted to move backwards, but Do-hyeon had both his ankles gripped tightly, leaving him nowhere to retreat. His legs felt ready to give way. There was nothing nearby to hold on to. Without thinking, Eun-ho placed a hand on the back of Do-hyeon’s head.

 

“Ah… mm…”

 

Feeling that warm, wet pressure close around him, Eun-ho’s hips began to move in tiny, unconscious motions. Wet black hair wound between his fingers. The closer he got, the more a dizzying sensation travelled from his lower back up his spine, gathering behind his eyes and forehead. He was still lucid enough, however, to realise he was thrusting into Cha Do-hyeon’s mouth. 

Another sharp pulse ran through his abdomen. Eun-ho tipped his head back, trying to hold off his orgasm, and pushed weakly against Do-hyeon’s head.

 

“Ah… Cha Do-hyeon, wait… I think I’m going to come…”

 

Instead of pulling away, Do-hyeon relaxed his throat and took him all the way in. The narrowness around the head tightened without pain while his red lips rubbed softly near the base. Eun-ho pushed at his head again with a clenched hand. The pressure only intensified.

 

“Ah… I said I’m going to—”

 

The pleasure he had been stacking carefully inside himself was seconds from collapsing. His shaking waist arched backwards, and his head fell back. Do-hyeon knew the reaction well enough by now. The moment Eun-ho approached his limit, Do-hyeon released one ankle and slid his hand directly between Eun-ho’s buttocks. Two long fingers pressed inside with little resistance against a body already relaxed by heat and moisture.

 

“Ah—!”

 

The abrupt increase in stimulation broke Eun-ho’s control. His toes scraped across the tile. His whole body locked. His vision blurred. The prominent line of his throat moved violently as he swallowed. Do-hyeon watched Eun-ho’s trembling jaw, then finally drew his head back. Semen spilt in heavy spurts around Do-hyeon’s mouth, across his cheek and onto his shoulder. Eun-ho had clearly warned him. He did not even have enough strength left to complain that Do-hyeon should have stopped.

 

All at once the energy left his body. He simply stood there with his eyes closed, breathing hard. Why the fuck is that bastard good at everything…? The thought floated vaguely through Eun-ho’s mind and vanished like a bursting soap bubble. The fingers still inside him had begun to move.

“Ah… Cha—Cha Do-hyeon…”

 

Two long fingers spread the tightened inner walls in a scissoring motion while Do-hyeon’s thumb slowly traced the sensitive folds outside. Eun-ho hurriedly pushed Do-hyeon’s head aside and tried to retreat, only to have his back strike the hard wall. His heated skin flinched against the cold tile. Do-hyeon immediately took the still-sensitive head of his cock back into his mouth. He closed his lips gently around the ridge and sucked. The pointed tip of his tongue brushed the over-sensitive slit. Eun-ho’s thighs shook violently.

 

“Ah… hey… stop… mm…”

 

He could neither push Do-hyeon away nor pull him closer. He simply trembled like someone struck by lightning. Then another sudden sensation shot from his feet to the top of his head. At the same instant, Do-hyeon’s long fingers found a familiar point inside him and rubbed against it.

“Ah—!”

 

Weak pulses of semen spilt again. Do-hyeon gently swept them away with his tongue, then finally rose to his feet. Part of him wanted to keep tormenting Eun-ho until nothing but thin fluid came out. But Eun-ho was already so sensitive that Do-hyeon had no idea what reaction he might get if he pushed that far. Stopping here was probably wiser. With a faintly regretful lift of one eyebrow, Do-hyeon spat the semen he had been holding in his mouth onto the floor.

 

Eun-ho was still leaning against the wall, breathing hard. Do-hyeon wrapped one arm around his waist and used the other hand to turn the shower back on. Water crashed down. The pale fluid on the floor thinned and drifted uselessly towards the drain. Eun-ho opened his eyes with a frown, still not fully recovered. Just as irritation mixed with lingering pleasure threatened to spill from his wet lips, Do-hyeon tilted his head, pressed close and pushed his tongue between them.

 

“Lift your leg.”

 

Eun-ho, exhausted and half asleep, opened his eyes when warm hands began kneading around his ankle and calf. Do-hyeon had apparently finished his own shower. Wearing nothing but black shorts, he sat at the edge of the bed and was lifting one of Eun-ho’s legs.

 

“Ah… leave it. I’m going to wash in a bit.”

 

His whole body felt like wet cotton. Even reaching the bathroom seemed impossible. He briefly wondered if he should have accepted Do-hyeon's offer to wash him earlier. Then again, if he had, he probably would not be able to lie here now. Eun-ho lazily waved one foot. The sole landed against Do-hyeon’s firm stomach. Even when Eun-ho applied a little pressure, nothing happened. Ignoring the weak resistance, Do-hyeon settled comfortably on one side of the bed.

 

A warm wet towel began wiping gently over skin gone rough where various fluids had dried. The touch was so straightforward and unhurried that Eun-ho sighed and relaxed.

 

“What did you talk about with Kwon I-hyeon that took so long?”

 

“What talk? He had to go back to work, so I basically just gave him the side dishes and left. And what do you mean, took so long? Anyone listening to you would think you’d been waiting obediently at home.”

 

Eun-ho looked up at him sideways. Do-hyeon laughed lightly and shrugged.

 

“Anything happen at the restaurant?”

 

“A group came in at lunch, and it was chaos. Other than that, same as always.”

 

Do-hyeon set the towel aside, lifted Eun-ho’s leg, and began pressing the muscles as if massaging. Eun-ho let his body go slack and made a languid sound. Do-hyeon’s grip was strong enough that the fatigue seemed to loosen from his body. Strictly speaking, more than half that fatigue was Cha Do-hyeon’s fault in the first place, so Eun-ho did not feel especially grateful.

 

“What about you?”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yeah. You said the gathering was arranged suddenly, so I thought you’d come back really drunk.”

 

Before university even started, Do-hyeon had been constantly invited here and there. Oddly, once the semester actually began, he seemed to avoid most gatherings and drinking sessions. Every so often, though, there were important events or situations he could not escape. On those nights, he usually returned fairly drunk. The real problem was that whenever that happened, he crawled into Eun-ho’s house instead of going back to his own officetel.

 

Do-hyeon almost never got drunk enough to lose consciousness. But his patience became dangerously thin, and stopping him from doing whatever he wanted was not easy. Eun-ho had been expecting another night where he would not sleep until sunrise.

 

“What? Disappointed I’m not drunk?”

 

Sure enough, the hand massaging Eun-ho’s Achilles tendon and calf slipped beneath the blanket and began inching upwards. Eun-ho frowned suspiciously, but Do-hyeon casually threw the covers back.

 

“There’s a mark here.”

 

His fingers stroked the inner side of Eun-ho’s thigh, just above the knee. The meaning was obvious. Eun-ho tried belatedly to pull his leg away, but Do-hyeon lowered his head and pressed his mouth to Eun-ho’s chest.

 

“And this is swollen.”

 

“Mm…”

 

Earlier, Do-hyeon had bitten and sucked hard enough that even a light stroke of his tongue over the sensitive peak sent a tremor through Eun-ho’s lower stomach. Eun-ho hurriedly pushed himself upright, grabbed the blanket and dragged it tightly around his body. Then he shuffled backwards towards the headboard.

 

“Oi, my back genuinely feels like it’s going to snap. You lunatic…”

 

Pride abandoned, it came out almost as a plea. It was still nowhere near enough to stop Do-hyeon. He pinned the blanket so Eun-ho could not hide beneath it and slowly leaned closer. Eun-ho tried to move farther back. The headboard was already against his spine. Do-hyeon saw that and tilted his head with a grin.

 

“Fine. Then this time you can get on top of me.”

 

“On top, my arse—”

 

Do-hyeon’s mouth closed over his, stealing the end of the sentence. His tongue slid naturally through the gap between Eun-ho’s lips. One hand stroked up the back of his neck and lightly held his jaw. Eun-ho’s head tilted farther back. His mouth opened slightly wider. Thud. Thud. Thud. His pulse beat hard at his temples, and his thoughts went white. The blanket that had barely covered him slipped down. Do-hyeon’s hands wandered over Eun-ho’s body. Hard fingertips lightly pinched the small point at the centre of his chest.

 

Eun-ho groaned before he could stop himself and grabbed the sheet. Do-hyeon lifted his head with a satisfied smile and was just beginning to move his mouth lower when a mechanical vibration suddenly filled the room.

 

Bzzz—bzzz—

 

Do-hyeon’s phone lit up on the desk. The uneven vibration came in several short bursts. A message, not a call. The alien sound scratched at Eun-ho’s ears and pulled his softened body abruptly back into alertness. He quickly dragged the blanket up to cover himself.

 

“Check your bloody phone.”

 

Do-hyeon sat up with a short sigh. He pushed his fallen hair back irritably and crossed towards the desk, muscles shifting visibly across his back. Eun-ho watched him for a moment, then finally let out a breath of relief. Nearly got dragged into it again… The bastard had a natural talent for slowly building a mood and steering everything in his favour. Eun-ho promised himself he would stay alert enough not to be manipulated again. Then he noticed the messages racing quickly up Do-hyeon’s phone screen.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

Do-hyeon skimmed a few messages and lifted one eyebrow. Then he shut the screen off decisively and returned to the bed. He stroked Eun-ho’s bare shoulder, already half buried beneath the covers, and leaned down. Eun-ho suddenly grabbed the phone from the bedside table and twisted away.

 

“If it’s nothing, why’d you make that face?”

 

It was nearly midnight. There had to be a reason the group chat was exploding like that. Surely it was not because of the way Do-hyeon had left the drinking session earlier. Eun-ho typed the familiar password and unlocked the phone. The yellow messenger icon showed notifications in triple digits. He stared in disbelief and opened it. Several unread chat rooms had jumped to the top. After scanning the names, he opened the top group chat, where the messages were still changing in real time.

 

Business Administration Class B. Cha Do-hyeon’s name appeared repeatedly among the flood of messages. Eun-ho scrolled upwards. From what he could gather, Do-hyeon had been mentioned on some kind of university community board. Relieved that it was not a serious problem, Eun-ho immediately became curious. He elbowed the body clinging to him away and kept scrolling. Do-hyeon had been gently licking the exposed back of Eun-ho’s neck.

 

He sighed and finally sat up. Eun-ho’s face was completely fixed on the phone, curiosity blazing across it. Realising there was no point in continuing to bother him, Do-hyeon swept his hair back, got out of bed, and headed towards the kitchen.

 

“Yeo Eun-ho. Wash.”

 

“Yeah, yeah.”

 

“Want me to wash you?”

 

“No, you fucking lunatic.”

 

Eun-ho answered absently and kept scrolling. Eventually he reached what looked like the start of the conversation: a screenshot and a link. He tapped it without hesitation. A browser window opened. At the top was written CAMPUS FREE BOARD. Eun-ho grinned and scrolled. 

 

> Saw an insanely fucking handsome guy in the smoking area outside the Business building. 

 

> Tried asking him for a light just so I could talk to him. He handed me his lighter and told me to keep it.

 

> Be honest. That’s basically a marriage proposal, right? 

 

> Wanted to ask for his number, but he took a call and left straight away. Since it was outside Business, he must be a Business student… 

 

> From today I’m pitching a tent there and waiting.

 

Likes (92)   Comments (34)

 

> Anonymous 1: The smoking area between Business and Economics? I’m in Engineering, but I’m smoking there from now on. 

 

> Anonymous 2: Doesn’t it take twenty minutes to walk there from Engineering? LOL. I’m dying. 

 

> Anonymous 3: Bet he has a ridiculously pretty girlfriend. 

 

>  Original Poster: No, I scanned his hands first. No ring or anything. I looked plenty while he was smoking, so I remember for sure. He only had a leather bracelet on. Can I let myself hope?

 

> Anonymous 5: Tall, kind of sharp-looking? Black hair, short-sleeved shirt? 

 

> Anonymous 8: About 80 per cent of men walking around campus have black hair and wear short-sleeved shirts. How would anyone know from that? LOL. 

 

> Original Poster: I think that might be him? He looked kind of cold, so I hesitated before talking to him. Tall, looked like he had a good body. The day I saw him, he was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. The fit was fucking insane. Seriously.

 

> Anonymous 5: Ah. I know who you mean. There’s only one freshman in Business this could be about. 

 

> Anonymous 9: What year? Give us the initials. 

> Anonymous 5: Freshman. C.D.H. 

 

> Anonymous 7: I’m in another department, but I think I know. There were several posts about him as soon as term started, weren’t there? Heard he has a girlfriend. 

 

> Anonymous 11: He has a girlfriend? I’ve never seen him walking around with one.

 

> Anonymous 7: My friend asked for his number, and he said he was seeing someone. 

 

> Original Poster: Ah… That explains why he suddenly smiled like that when someone called him. I had our honeymoon destination and number of children planned while he was smoking ^ 

 

> Anonymous 13: Economics student here. Reading all this, I think it really is that Business freshman. Mainly because there is absolutely nobody in our department who could inspire this kind of post… ^^

 

>  Anonymous 14: I’ve seen him a few times going in and out of Business. He isn’t THAT handsome lol. 

 

> Anonymous 16: Wow, the jealousy from our male College of Commerce students is so loud I can hear it from the fourth floor of the west dormitory. Embarrassing, honestly ^^;; 

 

Even from a rough skim of the comments, it was easy to tell the subject was Cha Do-hyeon. Eun-ho closed the browser and returned to the group chat.

 

His classmates’ messages continued below. 

 

Lee Ji-yong: Does Do-hyeon seriously have a girlfriend? I thought he was getting introduced to that girl from Dance last time. 

Park Yoon-ji: Same. Jihyun-sunbae was really trying to set those two up. 

Kim Seong-bin: Don’t think he even gave her his number. I remember seeing her look pretty disappointed. 

Lee Ji-yong: I am genuinely curious about Do-hyeon’s girlfriend though. He tells us absolutely nothing when we ask. He protects her like crazy.

Park Yoon-ji: Maybe he simply doesn’t want someone like you seeing her… haha. 

 

Do-hyeon had never been someone who shared every detail of his life. Still, all of this was new to Eun-ho. He had never heard about a senior trying hard to set him up with someone, or that the other person had been a freshman in Dance. Somehow Eun-ho had been transformed into a gorgeous woman with beauty and brains—Cha Do-hyeon’s perfect mysterious girlfriend.

 

He burst out laughing and looked up.

 

“Oi, Cha Do-hyeon. You’re popular, apparently?”

 

Do-hyeon was leaning against the fridge with one hand on his waist, drinking from a bottle of water. He looked towards Eun-ho. Eun-ho held out one hand for the bottle while continuing to scroll through the messages with his thumb. Then the phone suddenly disappeared from his hand. He looked up. Do-hyeon was holding it. Without expression, Do-hyeon held out the cold water bottle instead.

 

“Stop reading.”

 

“Why? It’s funny.”

 

Eun-ho stretched towards the phone, but instead of returning it, Do-hyeon pressed the water bottle towards his mouth. The water touching his lips was cold enough to send a shiver down his spine. Eun-ho flinched and quickly took the bottle. Do-hyeon scrolled the screen a few times, expressionless, then tossed the phone onto the sofa. Eun-ho drank slowly while looking him up and down. For someone who spent a lot of time outside, Do-hyeon’s skin was still fairly pale.

 

His black hair was swept back, leaving his smooth forehead fully visible. His eyes often looked almost emotionless, in contrast to the natural upward curl at the corners of his mouth. There was no denying it was a face people noticed. And it was not only his face. Since graduation, he had started going to the gym instead of playing football or basketball, and his body had definitely grown thicker than it had been when he was in school uniform.

 

Eun-ho kept the bottle against his lips even after he had stopped drinking and narrowed his eyes. Do-hyeon looked at him with a puzzled expression while pulling on a T-shirt that had been hanging over a dining chair. Then he opened the fridge.

 

“Why are you staring like that? Hungry?”

 

It was hardly new information that Cha Do-hyeon was popular with women. He had been popular even when everyone wore the same uniform and had similar haircuts. Now it was obvious things would only be worse. Still, Eun-ho could not help the strange feeling that settled in him. He was suddenly realising how many versions of Cha Do-hyeon he did not know existed. 

 

Versions that only existed when Eun-ho was not there. Things he could never know unless Do-hyeon chose to tell him.

 

“Oi, Cha Do-hyeon. Do you still smoke?”

 

“Sometimes. Only when I’m stressed.”

 

“You never smoke around me.”

 

“You hate the smell.”

 

So this was what it meant for their paths to split. Two circles that had once overlapped completely moving in different directions. The shared middle gradually becoming smaller. Oddly, hearing that more people were interested in Do-hyeon did not make Eun-ho particularly anxious. Separate from the open affection Do-hyeon showed him, they had twenty years of trust beneath them. Someone could probably try every trick imaginable and still fail to make Cha Do-hyeon look their way.

 

If the hottest idol in the country appeared before them, Do-hyeon would still be the sort of bastard to stroke between Eun-ho’s fingers and ask when they could go home. It was only that they had never once lived separate daily lives before. So the fact that there were now things about Do-hyeon that Eun-ho did not know hit harder than he expected. Eun-ho put the bottle down and deliberately looked elsewhere.

 

“So… that person who talked to you in the smoking area. Were they pretty?”

 

“What?”

 

“Your type or something? You gave them your lighter.”

 

Only after the words left his mouth did Eun-ho realise how sulky they could sound. Sure enough, one corner of Do-hyeon’s mouth was already climbing. Heat rushed instantly into Eun-ho’s face. He quickly looked away, pulled on his robe and got to his feet.

 

“Eun-ho.”

 

There was laughter in Do-hyeon’s voice. Pretending not to hear, Eun-ho hurried towards the bathroom. A foot suddenly blocked his path. A black T-shirt filled his vision. Do-hyeon gently took both his shoulders and bent slightly, teasing.

 

“Is this jealousy?”

 

Eun-ho’s fist tightened. He was furious at himself for carelessly giving Do-hyeon something to torment him with.

 

“Jealous, my arse. I just feel sorry for all those people at university getting fooled by Cha Do-hyeon’s image management. Sorry for them!”

 

He shouted it deliberately loudly. Do-hyeon’s smile only deepened. Biting his lower lip, Eun-ho lowered his head and punched Do-hyeon in the stomach. Do-hyeon bent forward, one arm around his stomach, laughing under his breath. Eun-ho’s eyes narrowed further.

 

“I like it. I—hah—I like it. Want to ask anything else?”

 

“I said I’m not jealous.”

 

Do-hyeon only continued laughing. That made Eun-ho even hotter. He glared at the rounded top of Do-hyeon’s head, then shoved him aside. There was no point engaging with Cha Do-hyeon when he got like this. Eun-ho quickly opened the bathroom door. Behind him, Do-hyeon finally stopped laughing and wrapped both arms around Eun-ho’s back. Eun-ho tried to drive an elbow backwards, but Do-hyeon tightened his hold and stopped him.

 

Lips brushed lightly against his temple. The voice that followed still held laughter.

 

“I gave the lighter away because I didn’t want to carry something another person had touched.”

 

“And the senior who tried to introduce me to someone? I’ve never even seen their face.”

 

The hard chest pressed against Eun-ho’s back made his face heat even more. Do-hyeon lowered his mouth beside Eun-ho’s burning ear.

 

“What am I supposed to do if you still don’t know my type?”

 

A whisper.

 

“Mm?”

 

Every fine hair inside Eun-ho’s ear seemed to stand upright. His body tensed. Do-hyeon pressed closer, clearly enjoying the reaction. A firm chest and abdomen pushed lightly against Eun-ho’s back. Something already hard pressed against his backside.

 

“Want me to remind you while we shower?”

 

A light shiver climbed from Eun-ho’s toes all the way up his spine. He trembled. Then he tore Do-hyeon’s arms away and kicked him hard in the shin like an enraged bull.

 

“Ah—fuck off!”

 

This time it genuinely hurt. Do-hyeon doubled over with a grunt. Eun-ho glared furiously at his bent back, opened the bathroom door and slammed it behind him.

 

“If you pick that lock and come in here, you fucking pervert!”

 

Standing on one leg and clutching his shin, Do-hyeon broke into quiet laughter again. Hearing it seep through the gap around the door, Eun-ho turned the shower lever sharply with his face still burning.