Kim Dae-hong moved as fluidly as water.
He stepped up so naturally, took their luggage as if it were only expected of him, and moved like someone who had been waiting all along. Ha-jin couldn’t help but be thrown off. He’d spent the entire weekend explaining that there was nothing going on between him and Cheon Tae-seong, but now, in the face of this situation, every word of that explanation felt meaningless. The fact that Yushin was beaming beside him only made Ha-jin’s face burn hotter.
“It’s seriously not like that…”
Muttering was pointless.
After transferring all the luggage, Kim Dae-hong gave a polite nod, alternating his gaze between Ha-jin and Yushin.
“The CEO sent me. He asked me to escort you comfortably on your way back from the hospital. Please, both of you, get in the car. It’s been thoroughly cleaned—no residual pheromones left—so there’s no need to worry.”
“…Alright.”
Ha-jin had been about to ask, Where is the CEO? What the hell is going on? but he clamped his mouth shut.
The fact that the car Tae-seong had been using all this time was now meticulously washed and sent over—this level of calculated kindness didn’t leave room for questions. All he could do was take Yushin’s hand and climb into the backseat.
Cheon Tae-seong’s car. The backseat was absurdly spacious for just the two of them. Maybe if it had been a little tighter, Ha-jin’s thoughts wouldn’t be running so wild. He kept darting his eyes around like a rolling tire until he locked eyes with Kim Dae-hong in the rearview mirror.
“Uh… the CEO…”
“He went ahead. He’s waiting for you.”
Ha-jin and Yushin exchanged glances at that. Went ahead to where? Could it be… our house? As if he’d heard their shared suspicion, Kim Dae-hong quickly added,
“He wanted to come greet you himself, but he thought it might be a bother for your brother. He asked me to tell you not to feel disappointed.”
“Ah… yeah…”
Disappointed, my ass.
Ha-jin thought about calling Tae-seong directly instead of talking through Dae-hong, but gave up. The house wasn’t far from the hospital—no need to get impatient.
While he silently debated what he wanted to say, the car pulled into their neighborhood, and Kim Dae-hong smoothly parked at the entrance of an alleyway.
Before Ha-jin could open the door to get out, Yushin nudged him playfully.
“Hyung, if it’s really nothing, would he go this far? I’d misunderstand, too.”
Ha-jin let out a flat chuckle and helped Yushin out of the car. Kim Dae-hong was already halfway up the alley, briskly carrying their bags on his back.
As they neared the house, a faint trace of Cheon Tae-seong’s pheromones drifted toward them on the wind. When Ha-jin turned his head to find him, Tae-seong was standing atop the steps, a hint of discomfort crinkling the bridge of his nose. He raised his hand in greeting—directed not at Ha-jin, but at Yushin, who was wearing a mask.
“Congratulations on your discharge. I tried to be careful, but I guess I wasn’t careful enough. Want to go inside first? I need to talk to your brother.”
Yushin, visibly a little tense, glanced between Ha-jin and Tae-seong before bowing politely. His expression said he was surprised by the real-life presence of the man.
“Yes, thanks to you, I’m feeling much better. I appreciate you going to all this trouble.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
That gentlemanly, soft-spoken tone brought to Ha-jin’s mind the Tae-seong from before the regression. It was the version of him that only appeared when they had kept a step apart. It served as a sharp reminder that the Tae-seong he thought he knew for two years had been a carefully worn mask.
“I’ll take him inside first. Yushin shouldn’t be standing for long.”
Tae-seong gave a gentle smile and stepped back. Ha-jin, noticing how Tae-seong was consciously suppressing his pheromones, quickly ushered Yushin inside, nearly embracing him to do so.
After helping bring in and organize the luggage, and making sure Yushin had changed and settled into bed, Ha-jin stepped back outside.
Tae-seong hadn’t moved an inch from where he’d been standing, like a statue.
Ha-jin slowly climbed the stairs, gripping the railing. The old metal was rusted, with chipped green paint, the surface gritty to the touch.
Instead of stopping at Tae-seong’s level, Ha-jin took one step higher to match eye level. The man’s eyes curved into a smile, and with it, his pheromones began to spread, almost like they had a will of their own, wrapping around Ha-jin.
“Thanks for sending the car. Yushin could’ve taken a taxi just fine… and you even had it cleaned. Both he and I were really moved by your thoughtfulness. I’ll make sure to repay the kindness.”
Just like Yushin had asked, Ha-jin expressed sincere gratitude. Tae-seong reached out and brushed back the hair that was covering Ha-jin’s ear.
Maybe it was because they hadn’t seen each other all weekend, but Tae-seong’s gaze clung to him—roving, possessive.
“Kindness? Nah. I was just so desperate to get my pheromones on you again, I couldn’t help myself. You’re giving my dirty little urges such a classy excuse.”
“Still holding a grudge, huh…”
Tae-seong took one step up, putting himself just slightly above Ha-jin again. Ha-jin, overwhelmed by the rising tension, instinctively pressed his lips together, and Tae-seong responded by gently pressing his thumb against Ha-jin’s chin.
“A grudge, you say?”
His whisper was teasing and soft—but the pressure was undeniable. Ha-jin wanted to back away, but there was nowhere to go on the narrow staircase. In the end, he was trapped between the wall and Tae-seong.
“…?”
He braced himself for what was coming, screwing his eyes shut—but nothing happened.
When he dared to open them, Tae-seong was laughing quietly. It felt like he was being toyed with. Just as Ha-jin began to shift his weight in irritation, he felt something press firmly against his lower stomach. He stiffened immediately.
The heat passed through the fabric—undeniable, searing. Ha-jin’s ears flushed red.
Lips brushed down onto his eyelids as if telling him to close his eyes. Then a warm, wet tongue licked over his lips before prying between them. As saliva mixed and pheromones flooded in between their breaths, Ha-jin could only gasp and swallow.
Even after their lips parted, Tae-seong’s pheromones lingered thickly in his mouth, making the base of his tongue throb. Tae-seong exhaled a hot breath, his eyes hazy as they followed Ha-jin’s red tongue.
“Haah… what number is this for us?”
Seventeen.
“…I haven’t been counting.”
“I’ve been keeping track, though. So you haven’t, huh?”
It was obvious he knew Ha-jin was lying. Tae-seong smiled as if amused, then buried his nose in Ha-jin’s shoulder.
“Did you take your meds today?”
“Yeah.”
Tae-seong opened Ha-jin’s collar and rubbed his prominent nose bridge against Ha-jin’s bare skin.
“You logged your test results too?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The heat radiating from him was enough to make Ha-jin forget the chill of the concrete wall. Maybe that’s why he started to feel that familiar pull below his waist… even though it didn’t make any sense. Ha-jin gripped Tae-seong’s shoulder lightly, pressing against him as if to stop him.
“CEO… this is all just because of the situation, right? It’s all just an act.”
At his words, Tae-seong moved slightly—but it wasn’t clear if he was nodding or not.
“I lied to Professor Joo… Are you okay with that?”
“You like me. How’s that a lie?”
“Don’t joke around.”
The man suddenly lifted his head. Like a snare, his hand caught Ha-jin’s chin and forced him to meet his eyes.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
His tone was more careful than usual. Ha-jin averted his gaze.
“To be honest… I think I’m uncomfortable with this. It feels like you’ve been overstepping ever since last time, whether it’s my imagination or not…”
“…”
“If this were just work, I could do it without thinking. But it’s starting to get complicated.”
Ha-jin wasn’t blameless in that. He offered his pheromones so willingly, let Tae-seong kiss him nearly every time they saw each other—and never once pushed him away. In the end, it was all on him.
He couldn’t bring himself to say no, but he couldn’t say yes either. That word was the closest to how he felt right now.
Uncomfortable.
It was the perfect fit. A feeling he’d only realized thanks to Professor Joo Yoon-seo’s question.
Confessing that truth brought a sense of relief—but Tae-seong clearly didn’t like hearing it. His grip on Ha-jin’s chin tightened, forcing their eyes to meet again.
“If it’s a performance, you still have to act like it’s real. That’s how you get the audience and make money.”
“Ugh…”
“Even if you’re uncomfortable, just endure it a bit. You’re an adult, Ha-jin.”
“Even if I play along like it’s real… it doesn’t change the fact that it’s still not real.”
Ha-jin replied stubbornly. When he looked into Tae-seong’s eyes, he saw something stirring in the pit of his stomach, something he didn’t want to accept.
He didn’t know why Tae-seong was so desperate—claiming he felt sick without “Lee Ha-jin”—but he had a strong feeling this wouldn’t end well.
What was meant to happen would happen. Cheon Tae-seong was someone inextricably tied to his death, and Ha-jin needed to keep his guard up around him.
“…Haah.”
Tae-seong looked at him wordlessly, then finally released Ha-jin’s chin with a sigh of resignation. Instead, he ruffled Ha-jin’s hair as if to vent his frustration.
“Stop being annoying. Go tell your brother we’re going out to eat.”
“Yushin just got discharged. You want him to eat alone?”
“Your boyfriend spent the whole weekend eating alone.”
“Yushin’s a patient. Also, I’m on vacation today.”
“Your vacation just got canceled. The CEO approved it as a half-day instead.”
The audacity… Ha-jin jutted out his lower lip in protest and shoved Tae-seong off him. Only then did the stifling heat from his body dissipate, letting a breeze cool the sweat clinging to Ha-jin’s skin.
