Da Haram’s mouth, which Tae-yi had expected to start chattering away any second, remained shut for quite a while.
“You’re overthinking again. I’m not going to work for a while—I’ll be staying home.”
“You’re not going to the office?”
Haram recalled how Tae-yi’s phone had been ringing nonstop since early morning. Even just now, it seemed like he’d come back from taking an urgent call…
Tae-yi answered casually, his eyes calm despite the blend of worry and anticipation in Haram’s gaze.
“My boss doesn’t like me. Won’t give me any work.”
“That’s awful!”
Not giving such a capable person work? That’s practically bullying.
Seeing Haram’s face harden in righteous indignation, Tae-yi smiled in satisfaction.
“Is your boss your hyung? Is he the one harassing you?”
Tae-yi didn’t answer, but his silence only strengthened Haram’s certainty. Of course it was. Not only had Tae-yi been hurt, but even now, he was still being mistreated. Unlike Tae-yi, his hyung must be a genuinely mean-spirited person. Haram’s insides boiled like a cauldron over a raging fire.
Tae-yi quietly observed him. Watching Da Haram pout with his lips twitching like that—it was almost like he was cursing out Kang Tae-jin in his stead. This tiny Haram, who fit so easily in his arms, somehow felt comforting and reliable—like someone who was entirely on his side.
“What should we do for fun?”
Tae-yi asked as he gently pressed the furrowed space between Haram’s brows with his fingertips. The warm touch snapped Haram out of his fiery mood, and his expression softened immediately.
“Let’s start a hobby together. Something we can share even when we’re apart.”
“Like what?”
“How about growing plants? I can grow stuff in the garden, and you could raise something small in a pot.”
He was just calmly explaining his idea, but he looked unbearably adorable doing it. When Tae-yi stared silently at him, Haram’s expression quickly turned cautious again, like a squirrel sensing danger. Tae-yi cupped Haram’s cheek with one hand and asked softly,
“Wanna go shopping for supplies tomorrow?”
When Haram gave a clear yes, nodding eagerly, Tae-yi’s smile widened to match his excitement. As Haram giggled quietly under the gentle stroke of fingers on his cheek, he slowly raised one hand and touched Tae-yi’s left cheek.
The warmth of Haram’s hand seemed to clear away the haze in Tae-yi’s mind. He leaned down, following the path of those tiny fingers, and kissed him.
His tongue pushed deep, brushing against the tip of Haram’s smaller one, teasing it gently. Behind Haram’s back, his tail flicked lightly. Stifling a chuckle, Tae-yi traced the roof of Haram’s mouth before pulling away. Then he scooped him up and stood.
Haram smacked his lips, clearly craving more after the brief kiss. In response, Tae-yi brought his fingers to the space between Haram’s cheeks.
“Mmh.”
The sensation through the fabric made Haram curl his toes and wrap his arms around Tae-yi’s neck. Before he knew it, Tae-yi had laid him on the bed and was climbing on top of him. Haram looked up at him—he’d always known Tae-yi was big, but seeing him from below made that size feel overwhelming.
When Tae-yi pulled off his shirt, the sight of all those scars filled Haram’s vision. The stark contrast between Tae-yi’s rugged body and his own pale, scrawny frame froze him in place instinctively.
“K-Kiss me.”
His voice trembled slightly as he spoke into the room, timid from fear. Tae-yi, who had been reaching to remove Haram’s pants, stopped. He clasped Haram’s small hand, still clutching the blanket, and kissed him.
“You really like kissing that much?”
Tae-yi asked teasingly after pulling back. Haram bit his lower lip, now glossy with saliva, his face bright red.
It was just the act of their tongues touching and brushing against sensitive membranes, but it felt incredibly good. The longer the kiss lasted, the more his body melted into a daze, like he was about to drift off into a dream.
“I do…”
Haram whispered, barely audible. Despite his shyness, his voice was honest and warm in Tae-yi’s ear. With one more tender kiss, Tae-yi slid Haram’s pants down.
***
Crunch, crunch.
The soft crackling echoed through the spacious room. Leaning back against a pillow, the sky squirrel nibbled away, his cheeks twitching as he picked up the next snack. Holding a large peanut in both hands with great care, Da Haram displayed a small, habitual quirk as tiny as his body.
After every time they had sex, he always transformed into his sky squirrel form.
It was his way of saying, That’s enough for now, while also silently asking Tae-yi to indulge him with a small reward—namely, a bunch of peanuts and other nuts.
Tae-yi, always perceptive, never pushed further once Haram transformed. He’d simply lay him gently on the bed and, every morning, scatter a circle of nuts around him.
Waking up surrounded by the rich, nutty aroma made Haram feel happy even before opening his eyes. But more than anything, he loved how he could reach in any direction and grab a handful without even trying. Even after a night of being completely worn out, the joy overwhelmed any trace of pain.
For the promise of that morning happiness, Haram always found the strength to force himself to transform, even when he was utterly exhausted.
“You’re really good at shelling those.”
Tae-yi, lying beside him, murmured as he watched Haram expertly crack open a peanut with his teeth. His voice sounded especially low today—and for some reason, that made it even nicer to hear. Haram turned toward him, showing off a half-shelled peanut proudly.
“Chirp, chirp.”
This was nothing. He could peel chestnuts and dig out acorns too. Peanuts were child’s play.
Emboldened by Tae-yi’s warm gaze, Haram began a proud little mukbang as they stared at each other. Each time he bit into a peanut, the glimpse of pink inside his mouth stirred a strange curiosity in Tae-yi—he suddenly wanted to stick a finger inside. Resisting the urge, he forced himself to sit up.
“Finish that, then let’s head out.”
“Chirp…?”
When Haram tilted his head innocently, Tae-yi chuckled and gently poked one of his puffed-out cheeks.
“Didn’t you say we were gonna do our hobby?”
Haram finally remembered and nodded enthusiastically. Swallowing the last peanut, he scurried across the bed toward Tae-yi. Carefully picking up the tiny sky squirrel, Tae-yi headed to the bathroom.
***
“I said to keep it small…”
Since Tae-yi wanted to grow something edible, they’d settled on cherry tomatoes. But while shopping for supplies, the plan to raise a few tomato plants started ballooning into what looked more like a full-scale farm. Haram hadn’t realized how serious this Seoul city boy was about gardening.
Hearing the concern in Haram’s voice, Tae-yi paused mid-step on their way to check out more tools.
“You’re growing stuff in your garden too, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but I have a garden.”
“I can make one.”
Tae-yi shrugged like it was no big deal, and Haram nearly jumped out of his skin. The yard—no, the landscaped garden around Tae-yi’s home—didn’t have any vegetable patches, just beautifully pruned pines and elegant, minimalist design.
A tomato patch in the middle of all that? It just didn’t fit. And more importantly, Haram didn’t trust Tae-yi’s green thumb.
“How about those pots over there? Since it’s your first time, something that size might be better.”
Haram pointed to some neatly sized balcony planters. They looked perfect for growing cherry tomatoes. When Tae-yi hesitated, Haram quickly added,
“I’m only growing a few too, so you should match me. It’s a shared hobby… Let’s do it the same.”
Tae-yi couldn’t help smiling at Haram’s earnest, methodical tone. When Haram stared at him expectantly, Tae-yi finally gave a slow nod.
It was the answer Haram had expected. Tae-yi always went along with his ideas. That quiet sense of satisfaction made Haram grin from ear to ear.
***
On the way back home, they carried balcony planters and four-week-old tomato seedlings. Tae-yi had also bought Haram a vanilla ice cream, which melted away the nervousness he’d felt all day while walking around outside.
“That good?”
Tae-yi chuckled as Haram scraped the bottom of the cup for the last bits of ice cream. Embarrassed, Haram realized he must’ve looked like a kid tasting it for the first time, and gave an awkward smile.
They chatted about how they’d set up their new garden, and before they knew it, they’d pulled into the garage. As they stepped out, the door to the house opened and Chief Yoon appeared.
“Just finished unloading everything into the basement.”
“Thanks for your help.”
Tae-yi offered a polite, businesslike reply and began organizing the items from the trunk. With their conversation seemingly over, Haram cautiously approached Chief Yoon.
“I heard you went to check on the peanut field… Thank you so much.”
Genuinely expressing his gratitude, Haram bowed his head. Chief Yoon forced a smile, but his face darkened slightly at the mention of the peanut field. Swallowing dryly, he responded,
“…I just took a look.”
That’s really all he could do—just look. There wasn’t a thing to salvage. The whole place had been overturned so badly, it looked more like a construction site than a field. Holding back a deep sigh, Chief Yoon struggled to keep a straight face.
“Was the field okay? Is it badly damaged?”
Haram looked up at him with worried, downturned eyes. Not knowing exactly how much Haram had been told, Chief Yoon glanced sideways at Kang Tae-yi, who was standing at the trunk.
