#73
However, Taeseong’s answer was neither. A hotel…? Wait a minute, isn’t this better than a bar? He could be alone with Joo Taeseong in a private indoor space? Though he hadn’t expected a hotel at all, Bonoh’s emotions were somewhat heightened from holding hands throughout the performance, and this moment felt like an opportunity.
Why hadn’t he thought of a hotel before? In dating sims, the option of a hotel wasn’t given. But a hotel – could there be a better place than this for confessing? There must be good reasons why people choose hotels for proposals.
“Can I come with you too?”
Taeseong and Bonoh’s gazes collided in midair.
Even without knowing the exact location of the hotel Taeseong was going to, there was no way there would be a hotel closer to campus than the dormitory. There was no reason for Bonoh to bother following Taeseong to a hotel. Bonoh knew this fact, and Taeseong clearly knew it too.
“…My clothes are wet too.”
Unable to bear the atmosphere that was about to become awkward in the strange silence, Bonoh added. But even that didn’t serve as a proper excuse.
“Alright.”
However, Taeseong didn’t refuse.
***
The hotel only had one room left. As soon as he heard that, Bonoh cheered inwardly. With this flow, there wouldn’t be any need to use separate rooms after coming this far, but if Taeseong happened to book two rooms, there would be no situation more awkward than that.
Taking the card key and getting on the elevator, Bonoh recalled when they went to Gangneung. Even when the two of them stood in the elevator, he had felt subtle emotions. Up until then, Bonoh never dreamed he would come to like Taeseong.
But surely the bathroom wall isn’t glass again, right? Suddenly anxiety washed over him. Directly observing Joo Taeseong washing would bring quite a lot of visual pleasure, but would exposing his own washing to Taeseong be the same? When Bonoh posed that question, he couldn’t easily give a positive answer.
Ah wait… What if I scrub hard like the old men at public baths and kill the mood? Before his complicated head could sort itself out, the elevator arrived. Even while following Taeseong, Bonoh’s mind was preoccupied with whether the bathroom wall would be glass or not.
“Ah, mmph…”
So Bonoh had no idea that Taeseong would kiss him the moment they entered the room. Taeseong urgently pressed his lips against his before the door was even completely closed. Bonoh was a little surprised but didn’t push him away. What a windfall, he thought. His eyes naturally closed so he couldn’t check what the bathroom wall was like. But for now, there was something more important.
As their lips met, Taeseong pushed into the gaps between Bonoh’s teeth with his tongue. Bonoh opened his mouth wider as if responding. Then Taeseong more actively explored inside Bonoh’s mouth. After licking the tender flesh, their tongues intertwined.
“Mm…”
When Taeseong tilted his head and his nose touched his face, strength left his knees. Bonoh didn’t know it, but his body had been tense all day. As that tension released, his legs gave out along with it.
Bonoh almost collapsed for a moment, but because Taeseong grabbed his waist, he could avoid falling pathetically.
Taeseong’s hand that was gripping his waist dug inside his coat. It seemed to caress his side, then the hand gradually moved up and began to undress Bonoh. The clothes that had gotten wet in the rain on the way here had dried somewhat, but were still damp. Bonoh helped as Taeseong undressed him. Even so, their lips didn’t part.
“Whew…”
The damp clothes fell one by one to their feet with soft thuds. Only a thin white short-sleeved t-shirt remained on Bonoh’s upper body. Taeseong stroked Bonoh’s chest as if massaging it with his wide palm. While caressing his flat chest, Taeseong’s fingers caught on his hardened nipple.
Blocked by Taeseong’s lips, Bonoh’s suppressed moan leaked out. Taeseong tried to take off Bonoh’s pants, but the heavy jeans soaked with rainwater also got stuck on his thighs and wouldn’t go down further.
“Mmph, hey…!”
Then Taeseong gripped Bonoh’s thigh and lifted him up. Bonoh had no choice but to reflexively wrap his arms around Taeseong’s neck. Taeseong slightly raised the corner of his mouth and used his other hand to pull off the jeans caught on Bonoh’s legs.
Even after that, Taeseong didn’t put Bonoh down. He held Bonoh and pushed him against the wall while continuing to kiss. Taeseong only stopped when Bonoh’s lips had swollen up.
“Hah…”
The two were close enough that their exhaled breaths mixed. Taeseong walked while holding Bonoh. Only then could Bonoh check the bathroom wall. Fortunately, it wasn’t glass. Bonoh secretly let out a sigh of relief. That was until Taeseong entered the bathroom just like that.
“Hey, wait! Just wait.”
“Why.”
Bonoh stretched out both arms to grab the bathroom door frame and block them from entering. At Bonoh’s sudden action, Taeseong wrapped one arm around his back so Bonoh wouldn’t fall backward. Taeseong’s slightly relaxed expression became sulky.
“You wash first. I’ll wash after you wash.”
“Let’s wash together, hm?”
After saying that, Taeseong sucked on Bonoh’s nipple that was standing out enough to show through his t-shirt. He erected his tongue tip to dig into the split part of the nipple, then licked up the entire areola with his tongue. Bonoh’s waist bent forward sharply from the stimulation. He let go of the door frame and hugged Taeseong’s neck again.
Since it was a thin white undershirt, the color of his nipple seemed to show through the part wet with Taeseong’s saliva. When Taeseong pulled away his mouth and blew a “whoo,” whether because his nipple was wet, even the very faint breeze felt sensitive. Bonoh squeezed his eyes shut. His waist trembled.
“Ah… No. If we wash together it’ll take a long time…”
Bonoh almost gave in to Taeseong but barely came to his senses and pushed him away.
“You again…”
“Again…? Why? What!”
When Taeseong looked at him with suspicious eyes, Bonoh reacted excessively like someone feeling guilty for no reason. He did this without even knowing what meaning Taeseong’s “again” carried.
Taeseong lightly put Bonoh down and silently grabbed the hem of Bonoh’s t-shirt.
“Then you wash first.”
“Huh?”
Bonoh blinked in confusion, but before his response was even finished, Taeseong moved quickly. The t-shirt was stripped off over his head in an instant, followed by his socks, and finally even his underwear – everything disappeared by Taeseong’s hands. Bonoh became naked without even having time to properly recognize the situation.
“Hey, wait…!”
Bonoh’s face turned bright red. He hunched his shoulders and frantically tried to cover his body, but Taeseong didn’t give him that chance. He looked at Bonoh as if it was nothing. He was calm as if Bonoh’s flustered embarrassment was amusing.
Taeseong’s fingertip touched the tip of Bonoh’s chin. That touch was unexpectedly cold. In the lukewarm room air, that temperature felt even more vivid. Bonoh drew in a small breath. It felt like tension extending from somewhere in his chest was climbing up his nape.
Taeseong’s finger slightly lifted Bonoh’s chin. Their gazes met. In Taeseong’s deep gaze, no playfulness or lightness could be found. At that moment, Taeseong said nothing and slightly tilted his face. Then slowly, carefully, he pressed his lips to Bonoh’s. It was a light, short kiss.
Even when their lips parted, Bonoh couldn’t open his eyes. Then Taeseong lightly pushed Bonoh’s shoulder.
“Go wash up.”
As if entranced, Bonoh was pushed without resistance as Taeseong pushed him. The cold bathroom tile touched his bare soles. When Bonoh completely entered inside, Taeseong closed the bathroom door for him. Even in that moment, Bonoh had the illusion that Taeseong was still watching him from beyond the door. Bonoh lightly shook his head and turned on the shower.
He roughly dried off the moisture with a towel taken from the shelf. In the mirror fogged with humidity, his flushed red face was reflected. Bonoh deliberately pretended not to see and opened the bathroom door.
The moment the door opened, Taeseong was standing right in front. Bonoh was startled, but Taeseong silently draped a shower robe over his body as if he had been waiting. The texture of the robe brushed against Bonoh’s still not completely dry skin.
Taeseong even put his hands around his waist to tie the belt. To hide his awkwardness, Bonoh deliberately avoided Taeseong’s gaze.
“I sent your clothes to the laundry service.”
Taeseong said with a calm face. Only then did Bonoh realize that the clothes that had been on the floor had disappeared.
“So stay put and wait while I wash. Don’t think about going anywhere.”
Taeseong’s voice was languid yet clear. It sounded like he was firmly holding him down so he couldn’t escape. Bonoh scratched his nape for no reason and nodded. Even that small action seemed unable to escape Taeseong’s gaze.
Bonoh, gripping the robe, unconsciously stole glances at Taeseong’s back as he entered the bathroom. Every time Taeseong took off clothes, his back muscles rippled. And once again the bathroom door closed.
Now when Taeseong came out, it would be time to confess. He had insisted on washing separately to prepare his heart.
If this were a dating sim, if he had to seduce the handsome Joo Taeseong… what would the success rate be right now? It would depend on the affection level, right? If he kissed him the moment they entered the room, doesn’t that mean Joo Taeseong has some feelings too? Bonoh’s heart beat like crazy. The pounding sound transmitted to his ear tips hammered his brain. It felt like he might vomit up his heart.