After changing into his outdoor clothes in the dressing room, I stood in front of the mirror and examined my reflection. Lately, I’d only been wearing whatever was easy to slip on, so even now, my so-called “going-out outfit” was just a slightly more presentable version of my usual sloppy look.
I leaned in close to the mirror, staring at my face like I was locked in a staring contest. With one hand, I pushed my bangs back.
“…Does my hair look too messy?”
It had grown a lot, now that I thought about it. The thought came without effort, but it was true—I hadn’t been to a hair salon once since getting discharged. It was long enough to cover the back of my neck, so it was no wonder I looked scruffy.
Might as well get a trim while I’m out. I made a mental note and refocused on my reflection.
Until now, I’d only ever cleaned up the length to keep it neat. But maybe this time, I should try a different style. The idea surfaced briefly but faded just as quickly. I shook my head. Why would I suddenly do something out of character? It’s not like I have anyone to impress.
Leaving the dressing room, I glanced at the wall clock in the living room. The meeting was at six. It was five now, so I had about an hour to kill. Since I wasn’t feeling great, Yoon Seong-gon had agreed to meet me nearby. Then again, he always had.
Should I let Bae Jung-yoon know I’m heading out? I didn’t need his permission, but still—it felt right to say when I’m going out and when I’ll be back. Just basic courtesy.
I picked up my phone and called him.
– “Hey, Hoon.”
His warm voice came through before the ringtone even had time to ring once. I sat down on the sofa, let my body relax, and leaned back against the cushion.
“Can you talk for a sec?”
– “Yeah, sure. Haa… What’s up?”
It took me a moment to notice, but his breathing sounded a bit heavy. I frowned slightly.
“Why are you breathing so hard…?”
– “Ah… I was in the middle of working out. Why? Do you need something?”
Right, he’d said he was going out to exercise. That relaxed my expression. For a second, I thought this idiot was off doing something shady. Calming myself, I cleared my throat.
“No, nothing like that. I’ve got plans tonight, so I’m heading out later. Just figured I should let you know.”
He took a beat to reply.
– “Who are you meeting?”
“Yoon Seong-gon.”
– “Why?”
Why? Do I need a reason to meet someone? Though to be fair, there was a specific purpose behind this one.
I thought about just saying we were catching up, but decided to be honest. It wasn’t like I needed to hide anything.
“I kind of owe him something. Figured I’d buy him dinner.”
– “Is it really important enough to bump me down the list?”
There was no hesitation in his voice. It felt like an accusation—like a lover demanding to know why I had to go to this meeting instead of staying with him.
I hesitated for a moment, but gave a firm answer.
“Yeah. It is.”
Of course it was. I’d set up the meeting to make amends.
– “…Got it. What time are you meeting?”
“Six.”
– “When will you be back?”
“I’ll head home after dinner, so… probably before nine, just to be safe.”
– “Nine o’clock.”
He repeated the time under his breath. Was something wrong? I glanced around nervously. And then, in a quieter, more subdued tone, he said:
– “That’s too bad. I was planning to have something nice with you at home tonight.”
That wistful tone hit me with a wave of guilt. Still, I couldn’t just cancel my plans with Yoon Seong-gon now.
“Sorry. It’s not something I can cancel. You should grab something good with someone else today. Cooking at home every day gets tiring, doesn’t it?”
I apologized, but not once did I offer to cancel.
Honestly, tonight’s meeting was partly an escape. What could I say? Being around Bae Jung-yoon wasn’t easy these days.
Every time we sat down to eat together, I was so tense I couldn’t even tell whether the food was going down my throat or up my nose.
Just for once, I wanted to eat in peace. Even if it meant my body had to be a little uncomfortable for it.
***
Bae Jung-yoon stared blankly at the now-dark phone screen after the call ended.
“He didn’t even say he wanted to eat together.”
The quiet murmur followed. Humming low in his throat, he tapped the punching bag with his lightly clenched fist.
“So just a little touching, and he runs?”
All that over something that barely even counted—like a kid’s prank.
Bae Jung-yoon knew. Ever since that day, Go Hoon had been slowly, quietly avoiding him.
He could tell Hoon was uncomfortable around him now—but even so, he had no regrets. He did, however, admit that things had gotten a bit impulsive that day.
The trigger had been simple. Just one trivial thing had set it all off: Go Hoon and Kim Yeo-jin.
He arrived early at the outdoor parking lot to wait for Hoon, but before long, his feet began to move on their own. And what he saw next was Kim Yeo-jin, looking at Go Hoon with eyes full of concern.
Bae Jung-yoon stopped in place, unable to tear his gaze from the scene before him. The moment he saw the two of them standing face-to-face, deep in conversation, a strange emotion stirred inside him.
He couldn’t see Go Hoon’s expression from behind, so he had no idea what kind of face he was making.
But Kim Yeo-jin’s face was clearly visible—even from here. Her cheeks were flushed, her expression tense, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, Jung-yoon did too, as if by instinct.
All the way home, something heavy sat in his chest. A vague sense of unease clung to him, like his mind was wrapped in fog.
The moment he walked through the door, Bae Jung-yoon stripped off his clothes and went straight to the bathroom. Only after cooling his head under a blast of cold water did his thoughts begin to clear.
Now calmer, he retraced the source of that discomfort step by step.
Go Hoon and Kim Yeo-jin. That was where it began. Or, more precisely… was it just Go Hoon?
Tilting his head, Bae Jung-yoon eventually nodded. Yes. That was it. The root of all these emotions—again—was Go Hoon.
It wasn’t easy to bring him into his grasp. Hoon kept rejecting his touch, even in situations where it was obvious he needed help. He never asked, never reached out first.
That alone was frustrating. But now, Kim Yeo-jin was starting to get under his skin too, quietly making her interest in Hoon known.
“…Should’ve had him neutered from the start.”
The words slipped out of his mouth without thinking. If he’d done that, maybe he wouldn’t be dealing with this mess right now. A shame, really.
But that thought finally brought everything into focus. The root of his discomfort was now crystal clear.
If Go Hoon really was the cat he once raised, then from now on, he was his. That meant Hoon getting a lover wasn’t just inconvenient—it was completely unacceptable. Even more so if that led to him mating and having kittens. Absolutely not.
Because eventually, Hoon would come back to him. He was meant to live in the space Jung-yoon allowed, receiving the care he gave. There could be no obstacles to that. And for the first time, Bae Jung-yoon considered that Kim Yeo-jin might just be one.
I never planned on finding you a mate, Kkongddeok.
As his owner, there was no way he could allow it. His cat should have one favorite person, and one only—his owner.
Now that he understood the source of his discomfort, the conclusion came easily: he couldn’t just sit back and watch Go Hoon and Kim Yeo-jin get close.
After gathering his thoughts, he stepped into the living room—only to find it empty. Following the sound of water, he walked to the bathroom. When he opened the door, what met his eyes was a completely naked figure.
A tanned back came into view first. Well-toned muscles formed a lean, balanced body that drew the eye. His gaze naturally drifted downward, over the straight line of Hoon’s spine to the round curve of his ass.
It was true—the sight of that defenseless back stirred something in him. But that was only a small part of it.
He recalled how Hoon had flinched at his touch. At the same time, it dawned on Bae Jung-yoon that maybe—just maybe—it wouldn’t be all that hard to keep Hoon’s attention away from Kim Yeo-jin.
As the memory resurfaced, so did the feel of that hot, hard cock in his hand.
The flushed nape of Hoon’s neck. His ragged breathing. It all came back so vividly. They hadn’t even had sex—just a handjob—and yet he found himself obsessing over every reaction.
And it hadn’t stopped. For days now, every time he saw Go Hoon’s face, he got hard.
This wasn’t something he’d expected. Bae Jung-yoon despised anything that slipped out of his control. That’s why, today, he’d gone out to work out.
He’d never been the type to redirect that kind of lust elsewhere. But his cat—his Kkongddeok—was nervous and, when it came to sex, surprisingly prudish.
He swam nonstop for two hours. Normally, exhausting his body like that would clear his head. But today, even that wasn’t enough—so he ended up here.
“So disappointing, Hoon.”
When I’m trying this hard.
His whisper was soft, almost tender, but no trace of sadness showed on his face. Only a still, heavy quiet settled in the air around him.
Just then, the gym door burst open and a man strode inside. In a hurry, he scanned the room—ignoring the gym owner himself—and called out as soon as he saw someone already seated in the corner.
“Seriously? No heads-up or anything?”
Bae Jung-yoon turned his head, hiding his cold expression.
“You’re here?”
The man smiled at him, and Jung-yoon gave a small nod in response. But then the gym manager’s eyes lit up with surprise.
“Whoa, what happened to your face, Bae Jung-yoon?”
He grinned, clearly amused. During their time apart, a deep bluish bruise had formed at the corner of Jung-yoon’s mouth.
“Damn. Didn’t think there was anyone out there who could leave a mark on your face. Must’ve had some real skill.”
It was an honest remark. People might think Jung-yoon was easygoing because of his gentle expression, but hurting him was no simple task. Try it, and you’d be on the ground before you got the chance.
“Right?”
Jung-yoon didn’t deny it. He even smiled faintly and brushed his thumb along his bruised lip. The gym manager narrowed his eyes. That reaction was unexpected—and now, he was even more curious about whoever had done it.
“Who was it? Who landed that punch?”
“Why? Are you interested?”
“Hell yeah. If they managed to hit you, they’ve got serious talent.”
The manager tapped his palm with his fist, clearly intrigued. Jung-yoon smiled and leaned in, voice low.
“You’d be better off not getting involved.”
Then, in a calm, deliberate voice, he added:
“He already has an owner.”
Owner? What the hell is that supposed to mean? The word choice made the manager frown. He let out an awkward laugh. Maybe he just meant the guy was already tied to another gym.
It did make him curious—what exactly did that mean? But… maybe it really was better not to pry. As soft-spoken as Bae Jung-yoon seemed, that was clearly a warning.
Stay out of it.
