Ha-jin drove toward a paid parking lot near his home. His gaze, focused on the steering wheel, was the picture of intense concentration. Seated in the passenger seat beside him, Cheon Tae-seong watched with bright, curious eyes, claiming he just wanted to observe Ha-jin while he drove. Every time Ha-jin bit his lip, Tae-seong’s lips curled with playful amusement.
The neighborhood where Ha-jin lived was built on a hill, with compact multi-family homes tightly packed along its slope. As a result, there was no proper space for parking lots near the lower roads. One had to drive up a narrow, winding incline to reach a lot suitable for parking. Given that the car had been borrowed under pressure—and an extremely expensive one at that—Ha-jin couldn’t help but tense up on such a path.
The parking lot’s entrance was covered with gravel, and every time the tires crunched over the loose stones, Ha-jin felt as if his own skin were being scraped.
Finally, after carefully maneuvering into the designated space, Ha-jin unfastened his seatbelt and practically sprang out of the car. He bent down to inspect the smooth, deep-blue body for any scratches or dings. Just then, a black car quietly entered the parking lot behind him—it had followed Ha-jin’s car to bring Cheon Tae-seong back home.
From the passenger side, Kim Dae-hong stepped out.
Not stopping there, he popped open the trunk and pulled out bundles of food, then made his way over to Ha-jin.
“I’ll bring these inside the house for you, Manager.”
Even his voice carried a trace of tension. As Ha-jin straightened up, Kim Dae-hong’s gaze involuntarily scanned over his knees and legs. Earlier, during the commotion, Ha-jin had bumped into the table so hard he’d shed a few tears—an incident that had earned Kim Dae-hong a forehead flick from Tae-seong, and his forehead still bore a red mark from it.
“You can just give it to me—I’ll carry it up.”
Ha-jin reached for the bundle.
“Ah, no, it’s really heavy. There’s sikhye and all sorts of stuff inside.”
“I can handle that much.”
“I insist.”
Kim Dae-hong politely but firmly refused, stepping back slightly. Ha-jin found the deference a bit uncomfortable. Just because he was dating Tae-seong didn’t mean Kim Dae-hong was now subordinate to him. When Tae-seong had snapped at Kim Dae-hong earlier, Ha-jin hadn’t known what to do.
It had reminded him of his father—how, as a child, when his father scolded and mistreated him for no reason, his grandmother would step in to defend him. He remembered the sharp glint in his father’s eyes peeking over her shoulder. And when that shield disappeared, so did any restraint. What followed was always punishment.
In his past life, it had taken over a year to grow close to Kim Dae-hong. In this life, the man’s warmth toward him without cause only added to his anxiety. Was he creating unnecessary enemies again?
“Manager, is your bag in the backseat of the car you drove?”
“No, I’ll grab it myself!”
Just as Ha-jin tried to stop him, Kim Dae-hong began moving quickly—but before he could do anything, Tae-seong stepped out of the car, Ha-jin’s bag slung over his shoulder. That settled it. Tae-seong gave the blue car’s hood a satisfied pat before walking over to stand beside Ha-jin.
“Dae-hong can take the stuff. I’ll take care of Ha-jin.”
Tae-seong handed the bag over, and Kim Dae-hong accepted it with a nod before briskly heading toward Ha-jin’s home. Whether he was trying to get away from Tae-seong or just didn’t want to interfere, the speed of his retreat felt a little desperate.
Either way, only the two of them remained in the parking lot now—if you didn’t count Driver Choi, who sat silently in the Rolls-Royce, observing the scene like it was a play.
“I’ll walk you there.”
“Uh… okay.”
Ha-jin had assumed Tae-seong would get back into the car, so he was caught off guard by the offer and gave an awkward smile. Still, he naturally slipped his arm into Tae-seong’s. He hadn’t forgotten what he’d learned back during their fake dating phase.
By now, Kim Dae-hong had vanished without even a hair in sight. The two began walking along the road together. For someone who hated wasting time and looked like he only walked on carpeted floors, Tae-seong stepping boldly into Ha-jin’s hilly neighborhood again was… unexpected, to say the least.
From the parking lot’s back exit, it took about ten minutes of brisk walking down a gravel path to reach the entrance of the residential alley where Ha-jin’s house was. But today, it would likely take them more than twenty.
“Wanna hold hands?”
Not long after they entered the trail, Tae-seong opened his palm to him. Ha-jin obediently placed his hand into his, and Tae-seong gave it a firm, warm squeeze. The feel of his large, heated hand enveloping his own was more pleasant than Ha-jin had expected.
Sunlight flickered through tightly packed leaves, and a muggy wind stirred the air. Despite the cloying, suffocating temperature, it didn’t feel bad at all. They didn’t talk much, yet the sound of their synchronized footsteps crunching over gravel made Ha-jin feel like they were sharing a conversation without words. His heart felt like it was floating.
Even at their leisurely pace, the path ended before long, and Ha-jin could see the small roof of his home peeking out from beneath the tightly stacked stairs ahead. If Tae-seong walked all the way down with him, the return trip back up to the parking lot would be a pain—there were easily over a hundred steps.
“Tell Driver Choi to come around to the lower road.”
Tae-seong read Ha-jin’s thoughts perfectly from just the way he looked at him while letting go of his hand. He was making it clear: don’t try to send me away. It was his way of saying, I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to go back to the car.
“Um… I have to stop by the bathhouse first. Yushin’s at home.”
There was a tinge of apology in Ha-jin’s voice.
Tae-seong’s brow twitched—he’d completely forgotten about the bathhouse. The few days they’d spent together at the hotel suite had been that sweet. As long as Ha-jin lived in this cramped little town, the phrase “I have to stop by the bathhouse” was going to be a permanent refrain. But even if he lived elsewhere, as long as Ha-jin lived with his brother, it would be the same.
Tae-seong stepped onto the stairs first, and once they were eye-level, he turned to Ha-jin.
“I’m coming with you.”
“…Where?”
Ha-jin asked even though he already knew.
“That place. The bathhouse. What was it—Bbosongtang?”
It’s Boseong Bathhouse. But there was no time to correct him. Tae-seong was already moving. Thump-thump-thump, he sprinted down the stairs, and Ha-jin hurried after him in a panic. Despite the uneven, bumpy concrete, Tae-seong descended with ease.
***
Ha-jin stepped ahead and opened the glass door. He parted the blue curtain and walked in, instantly hit by the thick humidity and the familiar, sharp scent of soap. While Ha-jin instinctively headed for the shoe rack, Tae-seong frowned in disgust at the grimy curtain and shook his shoulders like he was brushing off filth.
“If you really hate it that much, do you want to wait outside? I’ll be quick.”
Ha-jin turned back and asked with a barely suppressed grin. Tae-seong shook his head firmly. He insisted on seeing what was inside with his own eyes.
They deposited their shoes at the rack, received two locker keys and towels, and stepped into the main area—where the awkwardness only deepened.
A low ceiling. Naked men everywhere. Men walking around with nothing but towels. Tae-seong repeatedly dry-washed his face to hide his expression.
“After you shower… don’t release any pheromones. Got it?”
“…”
“And no weird stuff in here. Absolutely none. I mean it.”
If you do, we’re going straight to the police station… Ha-jin whispered, throwing a glance at Tae-seong’s lower half. Then he walked over to his designated locker like it was no big deal. It was kind of hilarious.
Tae-seong let out a sharp snort. It seemed Ha-jin was worried that his body wouldn’t listen to reason—but if he got turned on here, he really would be a lunatic.
Right behind Ha-jin, a man with a hairy chest and a frog-belly was sprawled out on a wooden bench. At least he had the decency to cover himself with a towel, but it was so flat, you’d believe it if someone told you he’d had it cut off.
“Even if I went into rut, nothing would happen in here.”
Trying to reassure him with a cocky grin, Tae-seong earned a sweet smile from Ha-jin. There was something oddly serene about his expression that Tae-seong couldn’t quite place.
Inside the locker Ha-jin rented monthly was a stash of personal items. With practiced motions, he pulled out a bath basket and stripped off his clothes in one smooth motion. He folded everything neatly, sealed it in a large plastic pack, and checked his change of clothes with a glance.
Completely nude in the blink of an eye, Ha-jin turned around to find Tae-seong still fumbling with the buttons of his shirt.
“Do you need more time?”
Ha-jin stood there completely bare—yes, completely—his porcelain body fully exposed, even down below. And yet his expression was the very picture of innocence. At his gentle prodding, Tae-seong clenched his jaw.
