When Go Hoon snapped back with a sharp tone, Bae Jung-yoon’s lips twitched slightly.
“Sorry. It’s been a while for me too—I got a little carried away.”
His mouth apologized, but his face showed no trace of regret. In fact, he looked more cheerful than usual. Disturbingly cheerful.
A storm of impulses surged up inside. The strongest of them? The urge to punch Bae Jung-yoon right in the face.
But trying to fight him in his current condition would be beyond pointless. He wouldn’t even get a hit in. He’d been painfully reminded of that just yesterday—he wasn’t even close to being on the same level.
Food first. He needed to eat something solid and get some strength back. Only then could he even begin to handle Bae Jung-yoon.
Go Hoon lowered his gaze to the bowl piled high with chicken. The meat had already been neatly deboned—ready to eat.
My first meal after having sex is some kind of health tonic? What’s that supposed to mean? Was this his subtle way of saying “your stamina’s pathetic?”
Grumbling internally, he reached for his spoon. His fingers trembled slightly. Has this thin piece of metal always been this heavy? He stared at the shaking utensil, and Bae Jung-yoon, who happened to catch it, asked with a serious expression,
“Want me to feed you?”
“No.”
Embarrassed as hell, Go Hoon forced himself to act like it was nothing. He quietly scooped up a bite of shredded chicken and brought it to his mouth. After chewing thoroughly, he took a spoonful of broth. The lightly oily, clean-tasting soup slid smoothly down his throat. Great. Of course, it’s disgustingly delicious on top of everything else.
After finishing the generous serving of samgyetang, Go Hoon went straight to the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. From outside, he could hear the sound of dishes being washed.
He lay still, listening to the soft clinking of tableware, when a wave of fatigue washed over him. After a while, the noise from the kitchen faded. He sensed someone approaching the bedroom, but he didn’t move a muscle.
Then, suddenly, a cool hand touched his ankle. His eyes flew open. Bae Jung-yoon was sitting at the edge of the bed, gripping his ankle.
His breath slowed without him realizing. He remembered how Bae Jung-yoon had rubbed and licked his legs just last night.
“Hoon.”
As Go Hoon eyed him cautiously, a low voice followed.
“How was the sex?”
Go Hoon scowled faintly at the question. How was it? Was that even a real question?
“It fucking hurt.”
He hadn’t wanted to admit it—it sounded too much like whining—but he couldn’t help it. He still ached down there. He already dreaded the next time he had to take a piss. It was going to be hell.
But for some reason, Bae Jung-yoon chuckled, his shoulders shaking with laughter. Despite Go Hoon’s dumbfounded glare, he kept on laughing until eventually the expression slipped from his face. Tilting his head, he asked again.
“Was it just painful?”
This time, Go Hoon didn’t answer right away.
Honestly… he wasn’t sure. At first, yeah—it just hurt. But later? Saying it felt good didn’t quite fit, but calling it completely miserable felt unfair too.
That final round of sex had given him a shockingly intense pleasure. A feeling unlike anything he’d experienced before.
And the sight of Bae Jung-yoon moving above him… it was burned into his brain. He couldn’t shake it.
But he wasn’t about to confess all that to his face.
“I liked it.”
When Go Hoon stayed silent, the quiet was broken by a soft murmur. At the same time, the grip on his ankle tightened. Fingers crept up his calf and began kneading behind his knee. The ticklish sensation made goosebumps ripple across his skin.
“…Let go, asshole.”
Sensing exactly what that touch meant, Go Hoon sat up. He tried to pull his leg free, but Bae Jung-yoon just tugged harder, and the distance between them closed.
“Hoon, I’m going to be clear—I’m not ending this contract.”
Go Hoon stared him down with a hard, unblinking gaze. Those pitch-black eyes, focused solely on him, felt like a bottomless swamp.
“So let’s keep living together like this.”
The hand gripping his ankle was ice cold. Unlike the heat that had seared him last night, this chill felt entirely different. Like the hand of a drowned ghost, dragging him into the depths. If he let his guard down for even a second, he’d be pulled under completely.
Go Hoon found himself instinctively parting his thighs as Bae Jung-yoon moved closer. What the hell is this guy doing now? He shot him a look, and a shameless voice answered,
“I won’t put it in this time.”
Pale fingers slipped under the open folds of his shower robe and began to rub his nipple. The circular motion made his shoulders jerk slightly. The small bud, remembering the earlier stimulation, quickly stiffened.
BZZZZ—
Right then, the phone on the nightstand vibrated. His half-fogged mind instantly snapped into focus. He turned his head and saw his phone ringing on the table.
Go Hoon shoved Bae Jung-yoon away with all his strength. Surprisingly, he backed off without resistance.
Woo Gun-hyung. The name lit up on the black screen. It was only then that Go Hoon remembered—he still hadn’t replied to him.
Go Hoon’s gaze instinctively landed on Bae Jung-yoon. He didn’t move—just watched, as though analyzing him. Holding that stare, Go Hoon lifted his phone to his ear.
“Hello?”
– Your voice sounds awful. Are you sick?
Go Hoon blinked, startled, his eyes darting as he realized how hoarse his voice was. Only then did he become aware of the strain in his throat. So that’s why Bae Jung-yoon didn’t bother stopping me last night… Embarrassed, he cleared his throat with a soft grunt.
“…I caught a cold.”
Bullshit. That was the best he could come up with? The lie stung with how clumsy it was, but he couldn’t exactly tell the truth either.
What was he supposed to say? That after they parted ways, he went home with a friend and got talked into having sex? That after insisting there was no way he’d ever give himself to the guy, he folded like an idiot? There was no version of that that sounded okay.
And the culprit was sitting right in front of him. He stole a glance. Sure enough, Bae Jung-yoon’s face was curved with amusement.
“Liar.”
He mouthed it silently. Heat rushed to Go Hoon’s face. He turned away from him, unable to keep facing him.
There was no way he could continue talking to Woo Gun-hyung with Bae Jung-yoon right there, watching. Ignoring the man looming behind him, Go Hoon pressed the phone tighter to his ear. But the other end had gone oddly quiet.
“Hello?”
The silence unnerved him, and Go Hoon gave a small nudge. Woo Gun-hyung’s voice finally came back, a second delayed.
– Huh. You seemed totally fine just yesterday. Did you take anything?
“No, I’m just resting. Think I’ll be better after a day off.”
He brushed it off and quickly tried to steer the conversation elsewhere.
“Anyway, about yesterday—I’m sorry. I’ll apologize on behalf of my friend. He’s usually not that rude… there must’ve been some misunderstanding.”
– Oh, no. No need to apologize. It wasn’t that bad. Actually, if I’m being honest, it was kind of exciting. Felt like I got cast as a side character in a messy romance drama or something.
The joking tone made Go Hoon frown—but he couldn’t help letting out a small laugh. Honestly, the guy’s easygoing nature was kind of impressive.
– So? What happened with your friend? He looked like he was ready to kill me.
“…We just talked it out.”
He gave another vague answer, and thankfully, Woo Gun-hyung didn’t press further.
– Well, that’s good to hear, then.
A short silence followed. It felt like the right moment to wrap up the call. But the presence behind him—Bae Jung-yoon still looming silently—was making it impossible to focus.
He was just about to say let’s talk again later when a hand suddenly grabbed the back of his neck. The sharp tug threw off his balance, and before he could react, he was flat on his back, the mattress beneath him.
Dazed, Go Hoon turned his head to find his phone—but he didn’t have a chance to check whether the call had ended. Because Bae Jung-yoon was already on top of him.
“Hey, what the hell are you—”
“What, one night together and now you’re already cheating on me?”
Bae Jung-yoon cut him off with a smirk curling on his lips.
“What?”
A disbelieving laugh escaped him.
Cheating? What a ridiculous word. Sure, they’d slept together once—but that didn’t mean they were dating.
He thought back to yesterday—when he’d asked Bae Jung-yoon if he liked him. The guy had only answered reluctantly, like he was saying what Go Hoon wanted to hear. Nothing about that had felt real.
So no, Bae Jung-yoon didn’t have the right to say shit like that. They weren’t together. There was no “cheating” involved. That word didn’t belong between them.
“Do you even care about that kind of thing?”
Honestly, Go Hoon doubted it. With how casual and free Bae Jung-yoon’s views on relationships seemed, it was hard to believe he gave a damn about boundaries. And now here he was, playing the hurt boyfriend?
Was he seriously trying to act like he cared? If so… why? For what purpose?
“Move.”
Go Hoon shoved against him, trying to get up. But Bae Jung-yoon’s solid body blocked him completely.
“You said you wanted to cancel the contract because you were afraid you’d fall for me, right, Hoon?”
The words fell flat—dry and calm—just as icy fingers slipped beneath his shower robe. The hand swept roughly up his thigh. Go Hoon grabbed his arm, trying to stop him, but Bae Jung-yoon didn’t flinch. His hands were unrelenting.
“Kh…!”
Go Hoon sucked in a sharp breath as fingers pressed against his core, firm and punishing. Pain flashed behind his eyes, and then came the friction—raw and overwhelming. The hand that wrapped and rubbed his shaft made it hard to breathe.
Gritting his teeth, Go Hoon dug his nails into Bae Jung-yoon’s forearm. What if Woo Gun-hyung was still listening? Panic set in. He turned his head, desperately searching for the phone.
Bae Jung-yoon watched him, then grabbed his chin, forcing their eyes to meet. His hand clamped around Go Hoon’s jaw, unyielding. At the same time, the movements below grew more intense.
“Hhh…!”
A breathless moan slipped out. Go Hoon shot his hand up to cover his mouth, glaring through tear-pricked eyes. Bae Jung-yoon stared back with those pitch-black eyes, then whispered low and rough—
“But here’s the thing… I don’t believe you really meant it when you said you liked me.”
