His mind was a mess. With emotions boiling over and no way to rein them in, he leaned his forehead against Eun-jo’s shoulder. A guy standing at 186 centimeters resting against another man—yeah, it looked weird. But neither of them cared.
The moment they touched, energy began to flow. Just from that slight contact, his breathing eased, and Jung Tae-seok let out a quiet moan. Every time he touched Yeo Eun-jo, it felt like resurfacing from underwater. Like he’d been holding his breath forever—then suddenly, finally, he could breathe.
It felt that good. And yet, Eun-jo had been pulling him up while slowly falling apart himself. And he didn’t even know…
“You’re seriously…”
“Mm?”
Jung Tae-seok muttered under his breath, trying to keep his anger down.
“Fucking unbearable. Seriously.”
Eun-jo held him close, laughing silently to himself. The warmth felt like hugging a huge, oversized dog. Despite the harsh words, Jung Tae-seok made no move to pull away.
When Eun-jo moved his hand down toward Tae-seok’s waist, only then did the man flinch and tense up.
“You hurt?”
“……”
“S-should we go to the Guiding Room?”
“Cut the crap. Just stay still.”
“Okay…”
This guy was seriously like a dog.
One minute he was throwing a tissue box, the next he was handling Eun-jo like glass. Thanks to that, Eun-jo hadn’t even walked to the Guiding Room on his own—Tae-seok had basically carried him.
After laying him gently on the sofa, Jung Tae-seok headed deeper inside. Compared to others, Eun-jo’s Guiding Room hadn’t changed a bit since it was first set up. No potted plants, no drawers—nothing. It was so empty, it was honestly weird he hadn’t noticed before.
“Tch.”
He opened the mini fridge. There was just one sad bottle of water inside. Even that had probably been stocked by a staff member while cleaning. He let out a dry laugh, slammed the fridge shut, and walked back over.
“You broke or something?”
He crossed the room in a single stride, glaring down at Eun-jo.
“What, no money? Why the hell’s your fridge completely empty?”
“You…”
Eun-jo trailed off, lightly biting his lower lip. When it puffed up slightly, Tae-seok’s gaze zeroed in on it.
“You don’t talk to me like that.”
Don’t call me hyung unless you act like a younger brother. The word itself felt bitter on his tongue. Eun-jo’s expression fell, frustration weighing down his cheeks, and he kept biting at his lip until Tae-seok grabbed his chin.
His fingers brushed against soft, flawless lips. Not a single crack. Which meant the blood he’d seen yesterday hadn’t come from here—it had to have come from inside.
“Let go.”
“If you…”
Eun-jo blinked up at him, clueless.
“If you were dying… like, terminally ill—what would you do?”
“Terminally ill?”
He repeated the words, clearly rattled, and then looked away like he was hiding something.
His eyes darted back and forth, as if carefully choosing his words. Like he was trying not to get caught. Completely unaware that Tae-seok’s expression was growing darker by the second, Eun-jo trailed off.
“Why would you ask something like that…?”
“A Guide from the center next door died.”
“Ah.” Eun-jo let out a faint sound, then gave a bitter smile.
“Someone died, huh…”
Eun-jo murmured softly, and the anxiety on Jung Tae-seok’s face deepened. As pressure built in the hand gripping Eun-jo’s chin, Eun-jo gently placed his own hand over Tae-seok’s.
“If I ever get a death sentence, you’re the one I’ll have to Guide.”
Eun-jo brought their joined hands to his cheek, and Tae-seok’s hand followed quietly. Pressing his face into that large palm, Eun-jo continued softly,
“I’ll check everything carefully to make sure you’re not in pain. I’ll Guide you as much as I can.”
“……”
“And before I go… I’ll find you another Guide.”
Eun-jo looked up at him with eyes that curved in a soft, radiant smile. It was a delicate, beautiful expression—his lashes trembled, but he didn’t seem to notice. Seeing him smile like that made Tae-seok’s chest ache. He managed to force out a reply.
“I don’t need one.”
“You haven’t even had proper training Guiding lately. I hope you find someone who takes that seriously, unlike me…”
“Hyung. I said I don’t need anyone else.”
“And someone who can put up with your temper. Even when you’re being a pain.”
Eun-jo poked him in the cheek with a playful finger. Tae-seok’s already grim expression hardened even further.
“If possible, I hope they’re A-rank. Not a B-rank like me.”
“……”
“That way… it’ll be easier on you.”
He’s really planning to die.
The moment those words left Eun-jo’s lips, Tae-seok’s heart crashed straight to the floor. It felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest. His expression twisted in pain, as if a limb had been torn from him, and he pulled Eun-jo into his arms without hesitation.
But even with Eun-jo held tight against his chest, the dread wouldn’t fade. It felt like Eun-jo might disappear at any second. Tae-seok’s arms wrapped around him even tighter, cradling his head and shoulders.
“I told you—I don’t need anyone else.”
But it was too late to apologize. Way too late. Even if he begged for forgiveness now, it wouldn’t change a thing.
Hidden in his arms, Eun-jo pouted. After all the times Tae-seok had ignored him, now he was falling apart just from hearing he was dying. It was kind of cute. Like a dog panicking when its owner plays dead. Smiling faintly at the thought, Eun-jo pulled back slightly and looked up at him.
“Still… make sure you find someone else.”
“Shut up.”
At some point, Eun-jo’s big eyes had filled with tears. Tae-seok looked down at the reddened corners, then couldn’t hold back anymore—he leaned in.
Their lips met, and his tongue immediately slipped inside, urgent and seeking. As if trying to confirm with every movement that Eun-jo was still alive, Tae-seok explored every inch of his mouth. Unlike their past kisses, this one was soft—gentle.
“Ah… nn, haah…”
Eun-jo clumsily followed his lead, and Tae-seok’s breathing turned even rougher. His hand, which had been cupping Eun-jo’s cheek, slid down his neck.
The chill of his touch slipped beneath Eun-jo’s shirt, and a moan escaped him. Still kissing him, Tae-seok gently pushed him down onto the sofa.
He finally broke the kiss, biting Eun-jo’s lower lip one last time before letting go. Then he grabbed hold of his shirt. Before Eun-jo could stop him, the shirt tore open with a loud rip, buttons flying everywhere.
“Tae—Tae-seok!”
Eun-jo gasped in shock, but Tae-seok replied in a calm, unreadable tone.
“Hyung… I’m in pain.”
“What?”
“I said I’m hurting.”
His voice was quiet, but there wasn’t a trace of pain in his expression. He lowered his head and pressed his lips to Eun-jo’s now bare chest.
Maybe it was the chill, but Eun-jo’s nipple was slightly swollen. Tae-seok took the rosy nub into his mouth, and when his tongue flicked across it, Eun-jo jolted and grabbed at his hair.
“Aah! W-Why—why there?!”
With both hands, Tae-seok cupped Eun-jo’s chest and began to suck—loud, wet sounds filling the air. Like he was savoring perfectly ripened fruit, he latched on tightly, drawing at it with such force that sweet moisture seemed to seep out with every pull.
How is there not a single spot on you that isn’t sensitive?
He took an entire nipple into his mouth, sucking hard—and Eun-jo’s body reacted instantly.
“If it—hah—if it hurts, I-I’ll hold your hand, okay?”
But Tae-seok didn’t answer. Instead, he slipped his tongue between the soft cleft, slowly dragging it across. Eun-jo arched his back with a gasp, hands flying to grip Tae-seok’s hair tightly.
“Haah!”
After a long while of teasing his chest, Tae-seok finally pulled away. The smooth, pale skin had turned a flushed red where he’d worked it over. He tapped the now fully erect nipple and murmured,
“Didn’t you say you’d spread your legs whenever I’m hurt?”
“T-That was…”
“You’ve got your chest all puffed up like this, and now you’re offering to just hold my hand?”
Not waiting for a response, Tae-seok lowered his head again. He kissed his way down from Eun-jo’s chest to his stomach, each one wet and deliberate. Then, with a swift motion, he slid off Eun-jo’s pants.
Just like his chest, Eun-jo’s cock was a soft, flushed pink as it came free.
“No! Stop—don’t…!”
Feeling Tae-seok’s gaze settle there, Eun-jo’s thighs snapped shut on instinct. His face flushed as he quickly reached out and cupped Tae-seok’s cheeks with both hands.
