Summer season side story

2. My Summer

 

A faint rustling sound made Eun-ho crack his eyes open. Weak morning light was coming through the window. He rubbed a hand over his face and checked the time. Just after seven. He had barely managed to fall asleep as dawn began to brighten the sky, because Cha Do-hyeon had pounced on him again almost the moment they finished showering. Blinking beneath heavy eyelids, Eun-ho lifted his head and saw Do-hyeon’s back in the kitchen.

 

Monster. Eun-ho raised an arm over his eyes and muttered hoarsely,

 

“…What are you doing?”

 

“You’re awake? Sleep a bit more.”

 

Slippers dragged closer across the floor, then one side of the bed dipped. The hand pulling the blanket carefully up towards Eun-ho’s neck was gentle, but he was already fully awake. He scrubbed both hands over his face and sat up. Do-hyeon held out the glass of water from the bedside table.

 

“Why are you leaving so early?”

 

“A senior I know asked me to help with something.”

 

“At this hour?”

 

Eun-ho drank, his face almost buried in the glass, as he studied him. A loose beige T-shirt and jeans were nothing unusual, but it had been a while since Eun-ho had seen him wearing a baseball cap. There was also a large duffel bag by the entrance instead of Do-hyeon’s usual backpack. A pair of football boots stuck out through the half-open zip. Eun-ho looked at it questioningly.

 

“There’s a sports festival coming up,” Do-hyeon explained. “I agreed to play one match if they promised to stop asking me to join the club.”

 

“That football club?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Since the beginning of term, several seniors had apparently tried to recruit Do-hyeon. Contrary to Eun-ho’s expectations, he had shown very little interest in clubs or societies other than the student council. And even that barely counted as voluntary, considering the president was his direct senior and had more or less dragged him in. Eun-ho had assumed Do-hyeon would end up surrounded by people at university, just as he had been at school, but Do-hyeon did not seem particularly interested in university life at all.

 

“You liked sport when you were at school.”

 

“I did. I’m just not that bothered now. I’m busy too.”

 

Do-hyeon naturally took the empty glass from his hand and turned away. Eun-ho watched his tall back, groaned and buried his face in the duvet.

 

“I only have morning classes today. Want to come out around when I finish?”

 

“What time?”

 

“Around twelve. Come near campus, and we’ll get lunch.”

 

“Dunno… I’ll see.”

 

Do-hyeon laughed softly at the mumbled answer and enormous yawn. He ruffled Eun-ho’s already messy hair and headed towards the entrance. Eun-ho rolled onto his side with one arm tucked beneath his head. For some reason, Do-hyeon’s back looked particularly broad today as he bent to fix his shoes.

 

“Go back to sleep. I’ll call later.”

 

“…Mm.”

 

The front door closed. The lock chimed. Silence settled instantly. The sudden quiet felt strangely unnatural. Eun-ho kicked the duvet around with his feet just to make some noise. The rustle of fabric filled the flat, then stopped again. He lowered his arm and rolled onto his back.

 

“What am I supposed to do…”

 

He was tired, but he did not think he would fall asleep again. After staring blankly at the plain ceiling for a while, he felt around beside his pillow and grabbed his phone. The first name at the top of his messages was I-hyeon. Kwon I-hyeon: Please tell your mum thank you for the side dishes. And thanks for bringing them. Eun-ho considered replying. But I-hyeon had probably only just got home from the club and gone to sleep.

 

Instead of opening his chat, Eun-ho checked a few lower-down group chats. Most were full of pointless conversation from people he used to hang around with in school. Even those had barely any new messages. He tossed the useless phone aside and sat up. His back aching, he shuffled to the dining table. A box of his favourite cereal had been left out for him. He poured some into a bowl without milk, carried it to the sofa and turned on the television with his knees pulled up.

 

Artificial studio laughter, a voice-over and the crunch of cereal echoed through the silent flat. After flicking through the channels without finding anything worth watching, he switched to a streaming service. The logo disappeared and the dark screen filled with rows of brightly coloured posters. 

 

There were so many choices that choosing anything became harder. Eun-ho slowly read through the little descriptions. Mystery thriller. The perfect film for a chilling summer night.

 

No. He did not want anything frightening first thing in the morning. Sweet romance. The kind of love story that makes you want to fall in love immediately. After being relentlessly tormented by his so-called boyfriend only a few hours ago, that was the last thing he wanted to watch. Pass. Today is the youngest day of your life—essential viewing for anyone who has lost their way. Eun-ho’s finger stopped over the remote.

 

Normally, a line like that would not have interested him much. Today, for some reason, it caught on. After hesitating, he selected the first poster. Two men stood with their backs to the camera, facing the sea. He settled comfortably with his knees drawn up. A bright song began, and a title appeared in red letters across the screen. KNOCKIN’ ON HEAVEN’S DOOR. Eun-ho tipped a large mouthful of cereal into his mouth and watched the slightly hazy image of the old film.

 

Two men sat inside a dimly lit train carriage and began talking. It did not take long for him to become completely absorbed.

 

──── 📘📘 ────

 

The dial tone had barely ended before Eun-ho launched into the reason for calling, not even waiting for his mother to say hello.

 

“Mum. Where’s the car?”

 

[What? The car? What car?]

 

“I need to go somewhere. Urgently.”

 

The noise of the restaurant came through the phone. Over it, Bob Dylan’s song from the film played. On the television, waves rolled in one after another while the two men stood facing the sea. The end credits rolled. Eun-ho leaned back against the sofa and blinked slowly as the song kept playing. He let out a long breath. His mother sounded baffled.

 

[I left my car at home. Why are you suddenly driving? Your dad told you never to get behind the wheel again.]

 

“He said if I wanted to move my registered address to a prison I should keep taking the car, otherwise I should use the bus. He didn’t technically say I was forbidden to drive.”

 

[That means exactly the same thing. Anyway, the key’s in the dressing-table drawer. Where are you going?]

 

“The sea.”

 

[Now? You’re suddenly going to the sea?]

 

Eun-ho pressed his lips together and nodded even though she could not see him. He could not put into words the feeling that had risen from somewhere deep inside him the moment the film ended. There was only one thing he knew for certain. He had to see the sea. With Cha Do-hyeon. Now.

 

“Yeah. Mum, there’s just… something. Anyway, don’t wait up. Go to bed. I’m going with Cha Do-hyeon, and I’ll come back tomorrow.”

 

He said whatever he wanted and hung up. Looking down at his phone, Eun-ho roughly calculated the time. If he went home for the car first and then drove to Do-hyeon’s university, he would be cutting it close. He jumped to his feet, grabbed a bag from the corner and began stuffing things into it. A T-shirt and shorts Do-hyeon often wore. A phone charger. Whatever else came to hand. Do-hyeon had underwear at Eun-ho’s house. He could grab clothes for himself while collecting the car key.

 

There should be most other essentials at the villa anyway. The men in the film had escaped hospital with a bottle of tequila and a stolen car and set off for the sea. This was more than enough. The thought of snatching Cha Do-hyeon the moment his class finished and heading straight for the coast made Eun-ho feel as though he could already hear waves somewhere. A prickling excitement spread from his fingertips. He quickly washed his face, came back out and shoved Do-hyeon’s cap down over his hair.

 

“Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door…”

 

The familiar melody escaped between his lips.

 

──── 📘📘 ────

 

Eun-ho was leaning so close to the steering wheel his chest nearly touched it, frowning as he looked from side to side. Classes must have finished. The streets, quiet only moments before, were beginning to fill with students. He had waited for Do-hyeon near the back gate once or twice before, but he had never driven this deep into campus. Everything looked unfamiliar. Worse, the car behind him had been honking its horn repeatedly for a while, making it impossible to concentrate.

 

Eun-ho glared at the innocent wing mirror, then nudged the car forwards again.

 

“Ah… I think it’s around here.”

 

He had managed to ask a parking attendant and find the area where the business and economics buildings were grouped together. Unfortunately, every building looked almost identical. He had no idea which one was Business. And now that classes were properly ending, streams of students pouring out made everything more confusing. What if we miss each other? He was debating whether to give up on the surprise and call when he spotted a familiar face leaving a building about fifty metres ahead.

 

Do-hyeon was looking down at his phone with his usual blank expression. For some reason, seeing him felt especially welcome today. Eun-ho looked around quickly for somewhere to stop. Nothing. There was a car park sign in the distance, but if he went all the way there and doubled back, he might lose him. After a moment’s hesitation, Eun-ho leaned his head out of the window.

 

“Oi! Cha Do-hyeon!”

 

The building was too far away. Do-hyeon did not hear him. Only a student walking beside the car glanced over with a strange expression.

 

“Oi! Cha Do-hyeon! Cha Do-hyeon!”

 

To make matters worse, Do-hyeon started walking in the opposite direction. Eun-ho could simply have phoned. Instead, panic took over. He jerked the steering wheel, pulled the car as close as possible to the pavement and stopped. One of the tyres caught something, making the whole car jolt.

 

“Ah, fuck it.”

 

A man walking past frowned at Eun-ho as he jumped out. Eun-ho was fairly sure he heard him mutter something about absolutely fucking awful driving. He pretended not to notice. Jogging towards the building Do-hyeon had left, he scanned the area. Soon he spotted the familiar back in the distance. 

 

Do-hyeon was sitting on a bench beneath a sign marked SMOKING AREA. Eun-ho quickened his pace, intending to surprise him. Then he slowed. The people nearby were laughing and talking to Do-hyeon. Eun-ho had assumed they were another group.

 

Apparently they were his friends. One of the men standing in front offered Do-hyeon a packet of cigarettes. Do-hyeon shook his head and continued fiddling with his phone. Eun-ho had no idea why he was sitting in a smoking area if he had no intention of smoking. It was Friday, and plenty of students looked as though they had made an effort with their clothes. Even so, Do-hyeon in a plain T-shirt somehow stood out the most.

 

With the large duffel bag beside him, he could easily have been mistaken for a sports student. Apparently Eun-ho was not the only person thinking along those lines.

 

“Yeon-su, look. See that guy? Fuck, he’s completely my type.”

 

“Where?”

 

“Oi, don’t stare so obviously! Over there. The one sitting on the bench in the smoking area. Wearing a cap.”

 

Eun-ho glanced towards the excited voices behind him. Two women who looked as though they had just left class were holding a textbook titled Introduction to Academic Writing and staring in the same direction.

 

“Oh… what the hell is that body? Is he in Sports Science?”

 

“Why would a Sports Science student be sitting outside the Business building?”

 

“They have to take electives too. Ah… if he weren’t with people, I’d go ask for his number.”

 

Eun-ho turned back towards Do-hyeon. Sure enough, there he was, still frowning at his phone. A strange sense of déjà vu passed through Eun-ho. For a moment he remembered a girl in a school uniform standing face-to-face with Do-hyeon years ago. Something in one corner of his chest pinched. 

 

Eun-ho shook his head hard, scattering the old memory. Seriously. Bastard lives in a world by himself. He was pouting for no real reason when the phone in his back pocket vibrated.

 

Cha Do-hyeon: Yeo Eun-ho, are you awake? Am I awake? I’m behind you, idiot. Instead of replying, Eun-ho shoved his phone back into his pocket and walked faster. A pair of trainers suddenly appeared on the cigarette-littered ground in front of Do-hyeon. Do-hyeon looked up. When Eun-ho saw those normally calm eyes widen, every strange feeling from moments ago vanished. His own mouth began to curl upwards. He grinned and nudged Do-hyeon’s trainer with the toe of his shoe.

 

“Oi, Cha Do-hyeon. Your classes are finished, right?”

 

Do-hyeon stood, lifting his bag.

 

“When did you get here? You should’ve called.”

 

“Just now. Got anything urgent afterwards? If you do, cancel it. We’re going somewhere.”

 

“Where?”

 

“Your villa. If we’re going all the way to Gangwon-do, we need to leave now.”

 

“Now?”

 

“Yeah. Now.”

 

Do-hyeon lifted one eyebrow and studied Eun-ho’s face, as if checking he had heard correctly. Eun-ho only looked excited and completely certain. After knowing him for about twenty years, Do-hyeon was used to these sudden impulses. Still wondering what had got into him, he took out his phone and quickly checked train times.

 

“Come on. I parked the car over there.”

 

That sentence made Do-hyeon’s brows knit. Instead of answering, he stared at Eun-ho. Then a high-pitched voice came from behind them. The people Eun-ho had momentarily forgotten.

 

“What? What? Do-hyeon, who’s this?”

 

The cheekbones of a woman with a wavy bob lifted slightly when she got a proper look at Eun-ho. The men standing nearby looked between the two of them with open curiosity. Do-hyeon did not appear interested in answering.

Eun-ho glanced at him and replied flatly,

 

“His friend.”

 

One of the men immediately jumped in.

 

“If you’re Do-hyeon’s friend, you must be a year younger than me. What department?”

 

“I don’t go here.”

 

“Oh, so you’re friends from school?”

 

“Yeah… something like that.”

 

Eun-ho deliberately kept his tone crooked and uninviting, but they seemed interested anyway. He gave half-hearted answers while checking the time. Already twelve. If they left soon, they would probably arrive around three.

 

“Wait, does Cha Do-hyeon seriously have a villa by the sea? Take us sometime during the summer holiday.”

 

“Yeah! It’d be great if everyone in the department went together.”

 

Perhaps the man had been offended by Eun-ho’s lacklustre responses. He laughed awkwardly, slung an arm over Do-hyeon’s shoulder and redirected the conversation. The heat of the arm against the back of Do-hyeon’s neck irritated him instantly. Without showing it, Do-hyeon smoothly removed the arm. Then, before the man had time to feel embarrassed, he smiled pleasantly.

 

“Something’s come up, so I’ll go first. We’ll get lunch another time.”

 

Do-hyeon caught Eun-ho by the wrist and started walking. Eun-ho glanced at Do-hyeon’s friends once, then turned without saying goodbye. He snorted softly at the fact that Do-hyeon had not even offered a polite Maybe next time about the villa. Behind them, the others were already discussing when to go, apparently having noticed nothing strange. Eun-ho tugged back on Do-hyeon’s arm until he stopped.

 

Smiling brightly, he rose onto his toes and hooked an arm around Do-hyeon’s shoulders, almost hanging off him. He nodded toward the car.

 

“Come on. Let’s go see the sea.”

 

The humid summer wind slipped pleasantly across the skin where they touched. It was the perfect beginning to a trip. Until Eun-ho got behind the wheel again.

 

──── 📘📘 ────

 

“Yeo Eun-ho! Behind you! There’s a car behind you!”

 

Do-hyeon almost never raised his voice, but a genuinely urgent shout tore out of him. Eun-ho, nearly glued to the steering wheel, checked the wing mirror too late and hit the brake. The car jerked to a stop. Both of them pitched forwards before settling back into their seats. 

 

Eun-ho gave an awkward smile and bowed his head apologetically towards a pedestrian crossing the road. Then he remembered something from a driving lesson and switched on his hazard lights as an apology.

 

He breathed out in relief and waited for the crossing signal to change. A burning stare came from beside him. Eun-ho pursed his lips and slowly glanced sideways. Cha Do-hyeon was swearing at him entirely with his eyes.

 

“There are suddenly loads of people because we’re near the market… and buses too.”

 

“Ha…”

 

“Still, we got this far without an accident. That’s something, right?”

 

There had admittedly been several similar moments on the motorway after they left Seoul. But as long as he did not actually hit a person or another car, wasn’t it fine? Embarrassed, Eun-ho grew louder and turned up the car's music.

 

Knock, knock, knockin’ on—

 

Do-hyeon’s hand tightened around the grab handle. He had been tense the entire journey and no longer had the strength even to argue. After two uninterrupted hours of the same song, he was beginning to hate that too. He fumbled for the passenger window and lowered it all the way. The cool air from the air conditioner escaped instantly. Hot, sticky wind rushed inside instead.

 

“Oi! It’s boiling! Why are you opening the window?”

 

“I’m going to die because of you, Eun-ho.”

 

The sigh came from somewhere deep in Do-hyeon’s chest. Forget trauma or anything else. If the alternative was staking his life on Yeo Eun-ho’s driving, maybe he should simply learn to drive himself. The light changed. A short horn sounded behind them. The car jolted once, then gradually accelerated. Do-hyeon sighed again and tightened his grip on the handle. The smell of the sea was getting stronger.

 

──── 📘📘 ────

 

The villa looked exactly as Eun-ho remembered it. Last year they had arrived late in the evening and left around dawn, so he had never really noticed how brilliantly white the beach directly in front of it looked beneath the sun. They dumped the shopping bags they had picked up on the way onto the dining table. Eun-ho turned and immediately saw the entire sea spread beyond the wide glass windows. He grabbed Do-hyeon by the arm while Do-hyeon was unpacking meat, seafood and bottles of alcohol into the fridge.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon, let’s go out.”

 

Only half an hour earlier, Eun-ho had been complaining that the heat felt hot enough to cook his brain. Apparently he had forgotten. His pale face was full of expectation. Do-hyeon laughed through his nose at the rare sight of him looking this excited.

 

“There’s a parasol in the storage room. I’ll finish putting this away. Go get it.”

 

Eun-ho had been planning to run straight outside and throw himself into the water. His mouth drooped. Still, looking at the beach with not a scrap of shade anywhere, he admitted the parasol might be necessary. He nodded, went to the storage room and came back carrying the dusty parasol bag. The moment he slid open the living-room window and stepped onto the terrace, heat blasted through the soles of his feet.

“Ah!”

 

Eun-ho yelped and jumped. Do-hyeon came out behind him, laughing quietly and placed a pair of slippers from the entrance in front of Eun-ho’s feet. Embarrassed for no reason, Eun-ho glared. Do-hyeon ignored him and headed towards the beach. Eun-ho hurried after him. Unlike Do-hyeon, who strode comfortably over the sand, Eun-ho sank the instant he stepped onto it. 

 

The sand had been baked so hot by the sun it felt like walking across an iron plate. And he was carrying the heavy parasol bag in one hand, which made it even harder to balance.

 

He wobbled. Eun-ho narrowed his eyes at Do-hyeon’s back. The bastard was casually carrying a huge cool box as though it weighed nothing. Does he not feel heat? My feet are actually cooking. Don’t they make coffee in hot sand in Turkey or somewhere? This beach has to be that temperature. Do-hyeon noticed he could no longer hear Eun-ho following and turned around. He watched Eun-ho take another step and immediately flail. Then he burst out laughing.

 

“Yeo Eun-ho, are you dancing?”

 

“Fuck off!”

 

Easy for him to laugh with one cool box. Eun-ho made a face like an annoyed Tibetan fox and took an exaggerated step. His body tilted sideways. The only thing beneath him was sand as hot as heated stones. When Eun-ho threw out one arm trying to catch his balance, another loud laugh rang out. Do-hyeon walked back with long strides and casually took the parasol bag out of Eun-ho’s hand.

 

“Oi! It wasn’t because it was heavy. It’s because I was carrying it on one side and couldn’t balance!”

 

Do-hyeon’s shoulders lifted in a silent shrug. The mocking face above them appeared for a second, then disappeared as he turned away. Eun-ho looked at Do-hyeon’s nicely defined arm muscles and deliberately tensed his own. Don’t underestimate the practical muscles I built changing grills at the restaurant. He took another quick step to save his burning feet. His foot immediately sank deep into the sand again.

──── 📘📘 ────

 

They planted the parasol roughly into the sand, spread out a mat in the shade, and used the cool box to pin down one corner. When Eun-ho opened the surprisingly heavy box, he found beer cans submerged in ice water. He smiled with immense satisfaction and nodded towards a small rock sticking out of the sea about twenty metres offshore.

 

“Want to race there and back?”

 

They had done it since middle school. Swim to the rock, touch it and return. The memory made Do-hyeon smile too. He wet his lips with his tongue.

 

“You know you’ve never beaten me once.”

 

“Are you insane? Don’t talk shit. The last time we did it, we reached shore at exactly the same time.”

 

Do-hyeon only laughed as he stood. Then he pulled his T-shirt off in one smooth movement.

 

“Then beat me today.”

 

Eun-ho’s competitive streak caught fire instantly. He ripped off his own T-shirt and flicked the slippers dangling from his toes to one side. Heat rose from the sand beneath his feet. Do-hyeon was rotating his arms, loosening his shoulders.

 

Eun-ho glanced at him and suddenly shouted,

 

“Start!”

 

Then he bolted. Once he crossed the firmer damp sand, cool seawater curled around his feet. Ignoring the tickling sensation between his toes, he flung his arms forwards and staggered deeper. A quick glance over my shoulder showed Do-hyeon coming after him at speed, laughing. Eun-ho scooped water towards him. Do-hyeon wiped his wet face, looking in disbelief. Eun-ho’s heartbeat accelerated. A light, fluttering excitement began in the pit of his stomach and spread through his whole body.

 

The corners of his mouth lifted on their own. Laughter slipped through his teeth. Eun-ho launched himself forwards. The rolling water held his body easily. Every time he reached one arm forwards, turned his head and shoulder and breathed, sunlight shattered across his vision like fireworks. The sensation of seawater running through his hair and chilling his scalp. Salt on his lips. Sunlight pouring down without interruption.

 

The bright traces of light trembled on the surface. Every sensation arrived with startling clarity. Eun-ho kicked hard and slapped one palm against the rock. Heat from its sun-warmed surface moved instantly into his hand. He turned and swam back towards the beach. The moment his feet touched the seabed, his upper body folded forwards. His heart felt ready to burst. Blood rushed into his face. He dropped to his knees in the sand, bracing himself and dragging in breath. Almost immediately, similar breathing sounded beside him.

 

“Hah… hahahaha…”

 

Neither of them knew who began laughing first. Eun-ho’s chest heaved as he laughed aloud. He did not even have the strength to walk any farther. He simply lay on his back where the waves ran up and withdrew. Summer light filled the sky so brightly that he covered his eyes with one arm. There was a splash. Then the sound of another body dropping heavily beside him. Warm fingers curled around the hand Eun-ho had left resting in the sand.

 

“Hah… Cha Do-hyeon, this time I definitely won. Right?”

 

“Yeah. You won.”

 

Still lying down, Eun-ho turned his head. Do-hyeon’s face looked even paler under the light. His lips curved cleanly upwards. His dark eyes were steady and fixed on Eun-ho. Eun-ho could see his own face reflected faintly in them. A pulse hammered near his temple. His breathing had mostly calmed, yet his heartbeat showed no sign of slowing. If anything, it seemed faster. Do-hyeon laughed softly and looked back up at the sky.

 

“You won, Yeo Eun-ho.”

 

Their joined hands remained exactly where they were. Something swelled rapidly inside Eun-ho’s chest. He clenched his free fist. Without thinking about it any longer, he sat up and leaned over Do-hyeon. He caught Do-hyeon’s wet chin in one hand and pressed their mouths together. He felt Do-hyeon’s lips curve beneath his. Do-hyeon wrapped both arms around Eun-ho’s waist and quickly pulled him on top. Startled, Eun-ho pushed himself upright. His body blocked the sunlight from Do-hyeon’s face. Drops clinging precariously to Eun-ho’s hair fell one by one.

 

He looked down at Do-hyeon for a moment, then spoke.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon. I won, so grant me one wish.”

 

“Say it.”

 

“I’m going to say something now.”

 

Eun-ho swallowed.

 

“Don’t laugh. And you have to say exactly the same thing back.”

 

He had never properly said these words in his life. He had never seriously considered needing to. But an irrational certainty had settled inside him. If he did not say them now, he would regret it. He looked down at Do-hyeon, who was still gazing up at him, and slowly rolled words across his tongue that had not passed his lips once in twenty years. As if possessed by the midsummer sun. Slowly. Clearly.

 

“I love you.”

 

A long wave rushed up the beach. Do-hyeon did not speak. His black eyes, now completely free of amusement, stared only into Eun-ho’s. Another wave slipped around their four tangled legs. Wind brushed over their wet skin. Sunlight warmed it again. Everything was quiet. If the sound of the waves disappeared, Eun-ho felt as though the only noise left in the whole world would be his own pounding heart. 

 

They stayed locked together like that for what felt like forever. Time had been stretching sluggishly, like music on an old cassette. Then it suddenly returned to normal speed.

 

Eun-ho was just about to sit up and complain, I told you to say it back. Do-hyeon’s mouth opened. A hand pressed against the back of Eun-ho’s neck, pulling him down.

 

“I love you more.”

 

Their mouths tasted of salt. Do-hyeon’s tongue tangled deeply with his, hot as the sun beating down over them. Strength seemed to drain out of Eun-ho’s arms. He relaxed and closed his eyes. Each time their mouths separated, heated breath filled the small gap. Their heads tilted. A thin thread of saliva broke, only for their tongues to meet again. Do-hyeon naturally rolled them over until his body covered Eun-ho’s. The sand beneath Eun-ho’s back had warmed in the sun, but the layer directly beneath him was still cold and wet.

 

Goosebumps rose across his skin. Do-hyeon slowly stroked both shoulders and moved his mouth to the side. Corner of the lips. Cheek. Temple. Ear. Neck. He lightly bit the side of Eun-ho’s neck as though taking a bite from an apple, then soothed the skin with his tongue. His mouth travelled lower with an almost playful slowness. At Eun-ho’s collarbone, he pushed his tongue into the hollow in a teasing little motion. A shiver ran up Eun-ho’s spine. Do-hyeon immediately lowered his head towards his chest.

 

“Mm… Cha Do-hyeon.”

 

Do-hyeon closed his mouth around the hard nipple and bit lightly at the surrounding skin before soothing it with his tongue. Eun-ho gripped both his arms. It kept feeling as though the ground beneath his back were dropping away. Do-hyeon lifted his head briefly, stared at the reddened nipple shining with saliva, then caught it between his lips and applied a little pressure. As his upper and lower lip moved in opposite directions, Eun-ho felt himself harden further.

 

Realising he would not be able to hold out much longer, he dug his toes into the sand and weakly pushed at Do-hyeon’s head. They were in a remote place with no one passing by. Still, lying together like this with nothing around them made it impossible to shake the feeling that they were doing something they absolutely should not be doing. The fact that this made it more exciting was unfortunately undeniable. At least Eun-ho still had some morality and reason left.

 

Judging by the brief gleam in Cha Do-hyeon’s black eyes, he probably did not.

 

“Oi. Get a grip. We’re outside.”

 

Do-hyeon glanced around, then smiled.

 

“I’d bet there isn’t another person within five hundred metres.”

 

There was not even a convenience store nearby. You had to follow the road away from the villa for quite a distance before reaching a properly paved road, and even that was only a narrow two-lane road. Beyond it lay little more than a small village near a military boundary. Tourists had almost no reason to pass through. Eun-ho knew Do-hyeon was probably right. That did not make the hesitation disappear. Do-hyeon noticed.

 

He slowly rubbed one finger over Eun-ho’s swollen nipple and curved his eyes.

 

“Eun-ho. You beat me today for the first time.”

 

“I’ll make you feel good.”

 

His mouth curved softly. Do-hyeon lifted Eun-ho’s hips and pulled him closer against his already hard body. Through the wet fabric of their shorts, the heavy pressure against his thigh and backside made Eun-ho’s mouth go dry. When he swallowed, he tasted salt. Ah, fuck it. Eun-ho sighed. Somewhere along the way, he had already been persuaded. This time he caught the back of Do-hyeon’s neck himself and kissed him. That was the spark. Whatever restraint had remained in Do-hyeon disappeared.

 

His tongue moved over Eun-ho’s salt-dried skin without hesitation. Wet hair brushed ticklishly across Eun-ho as his body grew hotter. Do-hyeon’s fingers slipped beneath the waistband of Eun-ho’s shorts. He tried pulling them down, but the wet fabric clung stubbornly to Eun-ho’s legs. Eun-ho lifted his hips to help. Do-hyeon gave up on the waistband and slid a hand in through the loose leg instead. Cold, hard fingertips traced slowly up the inside of Eun-ho’s thigh as Do-hyeon watched his reactions.

 

The closer he moved towards thinner, more sensitive skin, the harder it became to stay still. Eun-ho tried raising an arm to cover his face. Do-hyeon caught his wrist immediately.

 

“Why are you hiding? You look good.”

 

Eun-ho turned his head sharply instead of answering. A wave swept over the beach and receded. The darkened sand slowly faded back to light as the water drained away, sunlight settling over it in bright sparks. Can we really be doing this here? Do-hyeon apparently realised Eun-ho’s mind was wandering. One fingernail lightly scratched over his perineum.

 

“Ah!”

 

“Pay attention.”

 

Another wave broke. The water cleared. The sand darkened. Then, without warning, a finger pressed inside. Eun-ho swallowed a groan and tipped his head back. Every sensation felt sharper than usual. His body tightened around the intruding finger as though trying to push it out. Do-hyeon seemed to notice too. His movements were more cautious than normal as he searched along the inner wall.

 

“…You’re really tight.”

 

Partly because they had not used gel or lubricant. But Eun-ho suspected the cold seawater repeatedly washing over his legs had lowered his body temperature too. Do-hyeon tried moving his finger around to loosen him. The stiff, wet shorts kept getting in the way. He lifted one eyebrow, sighed and pulled his hand out in one movement. A second later Eun-ho’s hips were raised, and his soaked shorts dragged down to his thighs.

 

Cold, gritty sand touched skin rubbed sensitive by the fabric. For one sharp moment Eun-ho thought, No, seriously, this is a terrible idea. Then pressure beneath the backs of his knees lifted him automatically.

 

“Oi—Cha, Cha Do-hyeon… At least move us onto the mat, yeah?”

 

The answer was not verbal. A warm, wet sensation touched him from below. Do-hyeon had buried his face between Eun-ho’s thighs. With one damp hand, he spread him apart. There was still sand caught against the skin. Do-hyeon licked over the exposed opening without hesitation. A shudder travelled from Eun-ho’s toes, through his calves and knees, then shot straight up his spine. He jerked and hurriedly pushed at Do-hyeon’s head.

 

“Ah! You fucking lunatic!”

 

Do-hyeon did not move. If anything, he simply kneaded Eun-ho’s raised hips with obvious satisfaction. He stared at the twitching, flushed opening, then licked it again.

 

“Fuck…”

 

Half defeated, Eun-ho covered his face with both hands. If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve brought gel. But honestly, who expected to end up doing this in broad daylight on an empty beach? Only Cha Do-hyeon could turn an ordinary trip into something this ridiculous. Eun-ho, lying there with his hips raised under an open sky. Do-hyeon on his knees between them. Neither of them had any right to judge the other. The absurdity made a short laugh escape Eun-ho.

 

A moment later, there was no room for laughter. A wave rolled in from below and pushed against Do-hyeon’s back. His nose brushed repeatedly against Eun-ho’s perineum. Every time it happened, Eun-ho thought he might die. Whenever he squirmed to ease even a fraction of the pleasure building inside him, Do-hyeon immediately tightened his grip on his hips. Do-hyeon had been licking around the entrance and just inside it when he finally pushed a finger in.

 

Eun-ho’s neck stiffened. White light flashed behind his eyes. There was no way Do-hyeon could have missed the visible jolt. He lifted his head slowly. His lips were shining. Late-summer sunlight fell across the lazy smile on his face, making the whole scene feel even more indecent. Without taking his eyes off Eun-ho, Do-hyeon reached into his back pocket. Then he pulled off his shorts. In his hand was a single-use stick packet of gel.

 

Of course. Eun-ho’s eyes sharpened.

 

“Oi. You planned this from the start, didn’t you?”

 

Do-hyeon squeezed the gel over his own erection and smiled slowly.

 

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who dragged me to the sea.”

 

He settled naturally between Eun-ho’s legs and let the remaining gel run between them. The slick coldness spread over Eun-ho. Then the heavy head of Do-hyeon’s cock pressed against the entrance. The familiar, chilling sensation of being opened began. Do-hyeon’s voice came over it.

 

“Didn’t I tell you?”

 

“Ah… mm…”

 

“There isn’t anywhere in my head where you’re just smiling innocently.”

 

“Ah—ngh!”

 

The penetration was deep. Eun-ho felt skewered all at once. His vision blurred. He wrapped both arms around the back of Do-hyeon’s neck as though hanging on. Do-hyeon immediately began moving.

 

“Ah… ah… ngh…”

 

“Hah…”

 

There had not been enough gel. It helped with the first push, then barely seemed to matter. Each time Do-hyeon’s thick cock drove all the way in and withdrew until only the head remained, sensation spread through Eun-ho’s body like heat travelling through blood vessels. He bit his lip, trying at least to stop his moans from echoing across the empty beach. It was useless. Every slap of skin against skin drew another sound from him. Do-hyeon felt the tense inner muscles gripping him and pushed deeper. Eun-ho’s hard cock jerked in the air.

 

Seeing the corners of Eun-ho’s tightly closed eyes tremble as he tried to endure the pleasure-filled Do-hyeon with a possessiveness and satisfaction almost difficult to contain. A low sound escaped him.

 

“Eun-ho… relax a little.”

 

“Fuck… that’s why I said we should do it inside… ah!”

 

It was not intentional. Every time a wave came in and pulled sand from beneath Eun-ho’s back as it retreated, the ground seemed to shift under him. His whole body tensed. When cold seawater ran beneath him and reached the back of his head, the sensation spread through him until he felt dizzy. Maybe the place was the reason something he had felt inside himself many times suddenly seemed strange today. It was the first time he had looked up past Cha Do-hyeon’s face and seen a completely blue sky.

 

Do-hyeon caught Eun-ho, whose body kept being pushed farther up the sand, and dragged him back down. The water was reaching higher now. Eun-ho suddenly grew nervous and kicked his legs in the air.

 

“Oi! The sea! The seawater’s getting in!”

 

“It’s not getting in. You’re clamped around me this tight. Where’s it supposed to find space?”

 

Do-hyeon stroked a finger around the stretched entrance and drove his hips forwards hard at the same time. Eun-ho’s head snapped back into the sand.

“You’re too dry inside, Eun-ho. Let’s make you come once and then keep going.”

 

The crash of waves and the wet slap of bodies against one another filled the beach. A cloud moved away from the sun, and everything brightened. Eun-ho covered his face with one arm. Without sight, the sounds seemed even louder.

 

“Hah… Cha Do-hyeon, the noise… it’s too…”

 

“Yeah. The waves sound good.”

 

Even if Eun-ho managed to swallow his own voice, the wet sounds between them would give them away to anyone nearby. He gave up biting his lip. Instead, he pulled Do-hyeon down by the neck and kissed him. Do-hyeon’s familiar scent filled his senses. Pleasure that had been sloshing near the limit surged suddenly, as if it might flood his brain. Do-hyeon realised how close he was and increased his pace.

 

“Hah… ngh…!”

 

The strength vanished from Eun-ho’s hands where they gripped Do-hyeon’s back. Flickering white patterns moved behind his closed eyes. His neck, feet and waist all went rigid. His cock jerked hard and began spilling semen in thick pulses. Do-hyeon rubbed the pale fluid that landed across Eun-ho’s smooth stomach with his fingers and moved faster.

 

“Ah… Cha Do-hyeon…!”

 

“Yeah. What, Eun-ho?”

 

“Ah… ah…”

 

The words I’m going to die had been sitting on Eun-ho’s tongue for a while. They disappeared back down his throat with a moan. When Do-hyeon’s firm hand closed around his still-sensitive cock and stroked it up and down, pleasure shot from below so violently that Eun-ho thought the top of his skull might split. All he could do was breathe and move his lips soundlessly. Do-hyeon followed soon after. The problem, if there was one, was that clear fluid burst from Eun-ho again almost at the same time, spraying into the air.

 

Delayed exhaustion flooded his body. His arms, which had been clinging to Do-hyeon as though to a rope, went limp. One hand fell into the cool seawater moving beneath them. Inside him, a different warmth spread. Do-hyeon slowly withdrew partway, then pushed all the way back in as though trying to press everything he had released deeper. Eun-ho’s body, slicker now, offered almost no resistance.

 

“Ah… Cha Do-hyeon… stop… enough…”

 

“Hah…”

 

“Fuck… I seriously feel like I’m dying…”

 

His legs were still spread and trembling. His vision repeatedly darkened and brightened. All around them came the faint popping sounds of water draining from the sand after each retreating wave. Then another wave would return and wet the beach again. Eun-ho had no strength left. Forget cleaning up afterwards. He wanted a soft bed and unconsciousness immediately. If the bed were too far away, the mat beneath the parasol would do.

 

I’ll make Cha Do-hyeon carry me. His voice had shrunk to almost nothing.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon… pull out…”

 

But the heavy fullness inside him did not disappear. Neither did the stretched sensation beneath him close. Eun-ho frowned and opened his eyes to see why Do-hyeon was not moving. At that exact moment, Do-hyeon drove forwards again.

 

“Ah!”

 

Any normal person should have been overcome by at least some amount of exhaustion after coming. At the very least, they should need time before getting hard again. But this insane pervert—

 

“Ah… ah… Cha Do-hyeon!”

 

“Hah…”

 

Before Eun-ho could even register the heavy pressure building again in his lower abdomen, Do-hyeon pulled out and then thrust all the way back in without warning. The fullness seemed to reach his solar plexus and stole his breath. Eun-ho flailed and weakly kicked at Do-hyeon. Do-hyeon simply lifted both Eun-ho’s legs over his shoulders. Is this bastard actually human? Tears gathered from sensations Eun-ho could no longer measure. The need to survive overwhelmed any concern about pride.

 

At this rate, he might become the first person in history to die from sex on a beach. Eun-ho panted and, with one hand, fumbled for something beside him. If he found a large enough rock, he intended to throw it directly at Cha Do-hyeon. His fingers found only thin, wet sand dissolving between them. So instead he scooped up seawater and threw it in Do-hyeon’s face. For a second there was something like a rainbow among the droplets.

 

Or perhaps it was not sunlight at all. Maybe Eun-ho really was leaving this world. Either way, the sudden saltwater made Do-hyeon stop for a moment. Eun-ho glared at him through wet eyes, voice shaking.

 

“Ah… you bastard… I said I feel like I’m dying…”

 

“I’m the one who wanted to come to the sea, so why are you the one going completely insane?”

 

He had come here to think about the meaning of life again. It had never occurred to him that he might fucking end it here instead. Do-hyeon wiped his wet face with one hand and leaned down. A soothing kiss landed on Eun-ho’s forehead. The changed angle drove deeper, making Eun-ho’s vision swim again. Do-hyeon felt the slick inner muscles twitch and cling around him. He slowly kissed Eun-ho’s forehead.

 

“Fine. I’ll go slowly.”

 

His thick cock dragged along the inner walls as he eased back. But Eun-ho was already so loose and oversensitive that even the slower movement produced unbearable pleasure. His body trembled violently. He seized Do-hyeon’s arm.

 

“Ah—wait, wait!”

 

“Fuck… You’re squeezing this hard and telling me to go slower?”

 

“Don’t… move…”

 

That was the limit. If Cha Do-hyeon thrust hard even once, everything Eun-ho was holding back would spill over immediately. The truth was that part of him desperately wanted that. But he knew coming would only make his body more sensitive. And Cha Do-hyeon was not going to stop just because Eun-ho had. So holding out as long as possible seemed wiser. Eun-ho gripped Do-hyeon’s arm and breathed slowly. Unfortunately, with something hot and hard filling him so completely, the pleasure continued spreading rather than settling.

 

As the seconds passed, Do-hyeon’s patience thinned. A long wave struck Do-hyeon’s back. The force pushed him forwards without warning. Eun-ho gave a sharp cry. At almost the same moment, thin semen spilt from his erect cock. Do-hyeon’s eyes changed. A muscle shifted once along his jaw. He slowly drew his hips back. His cock was slick with gel and semen. He spread Eun-ho’s thighs wide with both hands and looked down. Between Eun-ho’s trembling pale buttocks, fluid was leaking slowly from the reddened opening.

 

Eun-ho was too exhausted even to feel embarrassed. He lay with his head thrown back, panting. Do-hyeon caught the base of his own cock and rubbed the head gently over the entrance after it closed again. He gathered the leaked fluid and pushed it back inside once more. The ring of muscle opened easily around him. Do-hyeon ran his tongue slowly along the inside of his cheek and held Eun-ho’s thighs apart. Then he began moving at an unhurried pace.

 

Each time the thick shaft disappeared and returned, pale fluid seeped from the place where their bodies met. Do-hyeon watched without blinking. Eun-ho’s body tightened whenever waves broke beside his pale legs. With so much heat trapped in him, the seawater felt even colder. Do-hyeon thought they should get inside before Eun-ho’s temperature dropped too far. Then he drove his hips upwards. The sound of skin striking skin mixed with the waves.

 

Fluid that ran down between Eun-ho’s legs was quickly washed away. It did not matter. Each deep movement brought more.

 

“Ah…!”

 

Thick white fluid squeezed out again like melted ice cream.

 

“Eun-ho, look at the foam when the wave breaks.”

 

“Hah… ah…!”

 

“It looks like your semen.”

 

“Mm—fuck…”

 

“No. Maybe mine.”

 

Do-hyeon squeezed Eun-ho’s hips and released them. Before the last wave had fully disappeared into the sand, another large one rolled in and broke into white foam.

 

“Want to see?”

 

Do-hyeon slid an arm behind Eun-ho’s neck and back and pulled him upright. Eun-ho ended up seated across his firm body, making the penetration deeper. He had been lying there with no strength in him like a corpse. Now he could not even find enough energy to swear. Only a thin moan came out.

 

“Ah… mm…”

 

“Hah… Don’t squeeze too hard.”

 

Do-hyeon’s wet tongue repeatedly licked Eun-ho’s closed eyelid as though ordering him to open his eyes. If Eun-ho kept them shut, he honestly believed Do-hyeon might pry them apart and lick the eyeball itself. Biting his lip, Eun-ho slowly opened them. Do-hyeon’s face appeared directly in front of him, half wet, smiling beautifully. A cool hand supported the back of Eun-ho’s neck and pushed it gently down. Then Do-hyeon began thrusting upwards in shallow movements. Eun-ho had no choice but to look.

 

Four long legs tangled together. Drops of water glittering on sunlit skin. Cha Do-hyeon’s cock disappearing completely inside him and emerging again. Pale semen smeared around where they joined. The sight was more obscene than anything Eun-ho had ever seen. He squeezed his eyes shut again. That only made Do-hyeon’s low moans sound even clearer right in front of him. Even with his eyes closed, darkness did not come. Light flashed across his vision.

 

Eun-ho had no choice but to wrap both arms around Do-hyeon’s neck and bury his forehead into his shoulder. His own face felt hotter than the sun-warmed skin. Barely holding on to consciousness, he muttered,

 

“You are… completely beyond saving. Fucking pervert…”

 

“Apparently so.”

 

Do-hyeon drove his hips up once, hard, and slowly came again. He kissed Eun-ho near the temple and tipped his head back. The brilliant white sun pressed through his closed eyelids and left pale stains behind. He exhaled slowly and smiled.

 

“Looks like I really am, Eun-ho.”

 

All he got back was ragged breathing. Their two hearts hammered violently where their bodies met. Do-hyeon squeezed Eun-ho’s hips once and let go. He already knew he would remember this moment through every summer of his life.

 

──── 📘📘 ────

 

By the time they returned to the villa and ate dinner, the moon had risen into the centre of a completely black sky. The moment they washed the sand and bodily fluids from themselves, both had collapsed into sleep. When Eun-ho opened his eyes again, it was already well past dinnertime. The meat and seafood they had bought for a barbecue went straight into the freezer. Who knew when they would return to the villa. Still, freezers were places where time stopped, so it should be fine.

 

Eun-ho did not put his chopsticks down until he had eaten the very last strand of ramyeon from four packets.

 

“I didn’t come here for this…”

 

He stretched his legs out and leaned his back against the sofa, shooting Do-hyeon a sideways look. Do-hyeon shrugged as though nothing had happened, picked up the pot and headed to the kitchen. Water began running at the sink. Eun-ho turned towards the dark sea beyond the living-room window. There was almost no light outside. Only distant white traces of waves breaking could be seen. In the glass's black reflection, Do-hyeon’s back moved as he washed up.

 

Suddenly Eun-ho remembered last summer. The time he had come here after looking for Do-hyeon’s parents. When he thought about it, it had not been that long ago. Yet it felt like a memory from another lifetime. Remembering how confused and frightened he had been then, Eun-ho unconsciously stroked the bracelet around his wrist. This is leather. Is it even all right to get it wet? He was still considering that as he stared out the window when Do-hyeon finished washing and returned.

 

“Why did you suddenly want to come here?”

 

Do-hyeon naturally caught Eun-ho’s stretched-out leg and began massaging from the sole of his foot up to his Achilles tendon and calf. The touch was clean and simple, without any hidden intent. Eun-ho let his head fall back and relaxed.

 

“I told you earlier. The film finished, the credits started rolling, and I suddenly thought I needed to see the sea right now.”

 

“That’s all?”

 

“No. You said you’d seen that film too. Didn’t you feel anything similar?”

 

Eun-ho raised one eyebrow. Do-hyeon only tilted his head with his usual blank expression.

 

“I thought the mafia were surprisingly forgiving considering the men stole a million dollars from them.”

 

Eun-ho shook his head at the painfully practical answer. Then he leaned his head back again.

 

“I don’t think I’d know what I wanted to do even if someone told me I was dying in a few days.”

 

His life was peaceful. Unlike when he was still at school, there was nothing he absolutely had to do. That also meant that unless he found something himself, every day could keep passing in roughly the same way. The problem was that he had no idea what he was supposed to find. If he drifted along like this, time would simply keep moving. He had even considered getting his military service over with quickly. But he did not think the army would hand him an answer either.

 

Cha Do-hyeon would get his university degree and, as always, find his path without much trouble. Eun-ho sometimes wondered how Do-hyeon made choices with such certainty. It had been the same when he quit taekwondo. The same when he picked which universities to apply to from all the options available. A question suddenly occurred to Eun-ho. He turned towards him.

 

“Cha Do-hyeon. Why did you suddenly quit taekwondo, anyway?”

 

Do-hyeon, who had been massaging his calf, turned his head calmly. Then he noticed something, frowned slightly and stood.

 

“You kept saying you hated seeing me get hurt.”

 

“I did?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You quit over just that?”

 

Eun-ho had once guessed all kinds of reasons behind Do-hyeon’s sudden decision. That had never been among them. He could not believe Do-hyeon had abandoned something he was good at over one remark Eun-ho himself did not even remember. Do-hyeon returned with his bag. From the front pocket of the duffel, he took out a small tube of ointment.

 

“It wasn’t just that…”

 

He squeezed a little onto one fingertip and gently rubbed it over the outside of Eun-ho’s knee. Only when the sting appeared did Eun-ho realise he had a scrape there.

 

“If I’d gone a little farther with it, I probably would’ve wanted to see how far I could take it.”

 

Do-hyeon carefully covered the injury with a plaster.

 

“But one ambition was enough for me.”

 

He spoke as casually as though discussing somebody else. There was no regret in his face at all. The way he looked down at Eun-ho’s wound was far more intense.

 

Eun-ho hesitated before asking,

 

“…Were you ever disappointed?”

 

“No. Not really.”

 

The answer came without pause.

 

“I only started because I wanted to impress you in the first place.”

 

Do-hyeon had started taekwondo in his first year of middle school. So long ago it felt almost unreal. Thinking of the feelings Do-hyeon had carried alone and hidden for all those years made Eun-ho’s throat tighten. He pressed his lips together and immediately changed the subject.

 

“Anyway, what was that thing you mentioned earlier? Sports festival. Is it at your university?”

 

Do-hyeon quietly smiled at how quickly Eun-ho began rummaging through the duffel, avoiding eye contact. Apparently, Eun-ho had interpreted the uglier emotions and desires Do-hyeon had harboured back then as nothing more than pure, touching love. There was no particular need to correct the misunderstanding.

 

“Yeah. We didn’t use to practise at dawn, but I think the club president got serious once he heard about the prizes.”

 

“What’s the prize?”

 

“Not sure. Some game console that came out recently. He says he absolutely has to get one for the club room.”

 

Eun-ho’s head snapped up.

 

“You don’t mean that Switch thing?”

 

“…Yeah. I think that was it.”

 

A completely different light entered Eun-ho’s eyes. The emotion that had weighed on his chest disappeared instantly, replaced by interest.

 

“Do you know you can’t even buy one of those at the moment? People queue outside shops before dawn hoping to get one.”

 

It had been out for a month, yet it was still difficult to find due to stock shortages. Eun-ho had been interested after hearing it was good, but second-hand prices had climbed to almost twice retail, and he had given up immediately. Do-hyeon laughed at the sight of his shining eyes.

 

“What? Yeo Eun-ho, you want one?”

 

“Didn’t you say it was going in the club room?”

 

“The first prize is three of them. No wonder the president was acting so generous about giving me one.”

 

Eun-ho’s eyes widened, and his mouth curled upwards. What kind of ridiculous luck was this? They had not even won yet. He had not even heard when the match was. And already he could picture the console in his own hands. Eun-ho quickly pulled his leg out of Do-hyeon’s grip and sat close beside him.

 

“Oi, Cha Do-hyeon. When’s the match? Can outsiders come and watch?”

 

“Why? Coming to cheer me on?”

 

“Obviously. Just tell me when. I’ll bring a vuvuzela and make a banner myself.”

 

Far from being embarrassed by Do-hyeon’s amused tone, Eun-ho became more enthusiastic. The soft curve of Do-hyeon’s mouth climbed higher. His long fingers settled slowly on Eun-ho’s bare leg. Earlier, while massaging his calf, there had been nothing suggestive in the touch. Now the intention was obvious. Do-hyeon’s fingertips began lightly teasing around Eun-ho’s knee. Eun-ho swallowed. Their eyes met. Do-hyeon’s already upturned eyes curved in a distinctly sly way.

 

“You don’t need all that.”

 

His smile deepened.

 

“One wish should be enough.”

 

Only then did Eun-ho understand the feelings of some mythical idiot who knowingly reached for delicious food even though they knew it was bait leading straight into a trap. Still, the game console was too tempting. He looked at Do-hyeon suspiciously and nodded. Do-hyeon smiled wider.