Chapter 19
“Where are you going?”
Without answering Taeri’s question, Juha rushed to the bathroom.
When the bathroom door slammed shut, Juha was finally alone.
“Ha, hoo…”
Juha’s hand trembled as he locked the door.
“This is driving me crazy…”
He couldn’t understand why Choi Taeri was obsessed with his cheek. Last time he poked his cheek, and this time he cupped his cheek and rubbed it with his fingertips.
No, this was entirely Juha’s fault. The mistake of coming all the way here knowing that Choi Taeri enjoyed provocative teasing.
In a space filled with Choi Taeri’s scent, sitting close enough to touch with the slightest movement. Despite that, his resolve not to fall for his temptation was nothing but Juha’s arrogance.
Juha had been enduring with all his might until now. But when Taeri kept touching him like that, his mind became hazy.
‘What am I doing in someone else’s house?’
Juha leaned against the door and exhaled heavily. How much time had passed when suddenly there was a knocking sound on the bathroom door. Juha was startled and pulled his back away from the door.
“Lee Juha, are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?”
Taeri’s voice came from beyond the door.
“Haa, haa.”
Though he hadn’t done anything, Juha’s breathing became rough. His own body and Choi Taeri standing outside the door – everything was beyond what he could handle.
Choi Taeri knew nothing. Neither this dirty lust nor his deep feelings toward him.
If he found out, their debut together and everything else might end.
“N-no, I’m fine. I’m fine!”
Juha shouted urgently.
“…Should I help you?”
After a moment of silence, Taeri’s voice rose mysteriously.
Why was his mouth watering hearing that sound?
“Ha, crazy bastard…”
Juha cursed at himself. He couldn’t stand how pathetic he was being here like this.
“I’m f-fine.”
Juha answered through gritted teeth. Outside, the voice of the person who caused this situation rang sweetly, heat boiled in his body, and his heart pounded frantically.
‘Gapsasahwa, gapsasahwa…’
Juha recalled the training camp and chanted ‘gapsasahwa,’ but ridiculously, only the image of his own debauched photoshoot came to mind.
Yeonsangun and Choi Taeri – everything that popped up in his head was hard to handle.
“…Then will you help me a bit?”
At Taeri’s voice, Juha’s eyes snapped open. He felt temptation in his words to a dizzying degree. Juha’s whole body pounded as if his entire being had become a heart.
‘What should I do…’
What kind of help he wanted – the purpose was unclear, but Juha kept expecting something. Saliva kept pooling in his mouth.
‘Let me just ask what he means.’
Juha unclenched his fists and steeled his resolve.
“Whoo…”
Breathing again, Juha carefully cracked the door open.
“What do you want me to help with… mmph!”
Before he could finish speaking, Choi Taeri forcefully grabbed his wrist and pulled. As soon as he was dragged out of the bathroom, Juha’s back hit the wall with a thud.
Taeri wrapped his waist to prevent him from falling and rushed at his lips in an instant.
Strength entered Juha’s entire body. He closed his eyes tightly and tensed his lips as well. He scratched the wall with his hands several times as if gripping it. Even the cool wall felt the rising heat. Unable to breathe, Juha’s face turned red.
After long contact, Taeri’s lips pulled away.
“Haa, haa, haa.”
Juha released the breath he’d been holding.
“Open your mouth, Lee Juha.”
Taeri glared at Juha as if displeased.
Since this was his first real kiss (he’d only seen them on screen), Juha had reflexively shut his eyes and mouth tight.
Juha trembled as he looked at Taeri’s lips. They were plump, moistly glistening, and slightly parted – looking at his lips made his mouth naturally open.
Not missing that gap, Taeri’s lips crashed into his again.
Unable to think of anything, Juha collapsed into Taeri’s embrace.
His legs felt like they might give out. The more this happened, the more strength entered Taeri’s arms holding Juha’s waist.
Though he wasn’t short, it was strange that Juha had to lift his heels slightly to kiss. When he relaxed and parted his lips, Taeri’s tongue slid in smoothly.
The wheat beer scent they’d shared spread fragrantly in his mouth.
This was Juha’s first kiss.
Until now, Lee Juha’s life had been like a monk’s. While other trainees secretly dated and caused trouble, he pushed away countless approaching women and only repeated unrequited love and giving up.
But now that this situation arose, excitement boiled up beyond what he could handle.
Juha steadied his breathing as much as possible and slowly intertwined their tongues. Breath mixed in the moist, hot mouth. With eyes closed, the sensation was even clearer. As soon as Taeri’s lips pulled away, Juha stuck his head out and bit his lips. Then Taeri’s hand gently stroked the back of Juha’s neck. Whether from the heat rising in his body or not, even Taeri’s hand brushing his neck felt warm. As if they’d been close for a long time, Juha felt no resistance to his touch.
Choi Taeri kissed so well that there was no time to think of anything else. There was no chance for first-timer Juha to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Even while already biting his lips, it was a mind-numbing kiss that made him want to dig in more deeply. Juha wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled, hoping the kiss would deepen.
A seemingly endless long time passed. They explored each other’s mouths until breathing became difficult and they could barely breathe, finally separating.
When Juha barely lifted his trembling eyelids, he met Taeri’s eyes looking down at him. Juha tilted his head to the side and observed Taeri deeply.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Taeri asked.
“I’m curious how you’re feeling.”
Finding his moving lips cute as he spoke, Taeri lightly bit Juha’s lower lip. The moist attachment and separation was regrettable.
“I’m going crazy.”
At Taeri’s answer mixed with laughter, Juha’s body trembled sharply.
* * *
Looking at the faintly brightening window, Juha opened his eyes. It was an unfamiliar place.
It felt like a heavy stone was placed on his chest.
With an anxious heart, he turned his head to see Choi Taeri naked, embracing his chest.
Suddenly yesterday’s events passed through Juha’s mind.
Last night, Taeri continuously kissed Juha’s shoulders and neck while whispering dirty words.
‘Your ears turned red again.’
Taeri let out a low laugh and lightly bit Juha’s ear with his lips. When his earlobe was bitten and released by Taeri’s lips, Juha brushed his ear with his shoulder.
Seeing this, Taeri burst into gentle laughter again.
‘Ha… what am I supposed to do with this really…’
Taeri spoke in a helpless tone, then dug into Juha’s side.
Recalling the scene suddenly made him annoyed.
“Ha… damn it.”
Juha cursed quietly and brought his arm to his forehead. Taeri lying next to him was gentle like a completely different person from last night.
Looking at Taeri sleeping calmly, Juha suddenly felt anger surge.
Yesterday spent with Choi Taeri felt like being under some spell. After spending a frantic dawn and daybreak came, reason returned as if magic had been broken.
Lee Juha wasn’t originally this kind of person. Until now, all desires had been under the dream of being an idol. He slept less to practice more, ate less to maintain his body.
To avoid future scandals, he hadn’t even had his first kiss at twenty.
But less than a month after meeting Choi Taeri, everything collapsed. His first resolution entering ‘My Idol’ was losing ground to lust-driven madness for Taeri.
Juha suddenly became afraid of these emotions and this situation.
A sigh suddenly welled up.
Juha first carefully moved away Taeri’s arm that was on his chest. Then he quietly put on clothes and went outside. Perhaps last night had been hard for him too – Taeri didn’t wake up.
The dawn air bleakly brushed Juha’s nostrils shortly after sunrise.
Though the cold had passed with early summer, he felt chills from within. Juha rubbed both arms with his hands making rustling sounds to generate heat. It still wasn’t enough.
With shoulders hunched up, Juha caught a taxi. Getting in the car, the chill subsided and his thoughts became clear.
Last night had definitely been crazy. While other trainees were probably busy resting and managing their condition, sneaking out of someone else’s house from dawn – his current state was ridiculous.
After posturing alone that this was his life’s last chance, he’d ruined it like this.
Suddenly remembering that Choi Taeri was the starting point of all this mess, Juha’s lips turned bitter.
Though it was a sudden emotion, Juha had been sincere about Taeri. He liked Taeri to a degree he didn’t know how to handle.
‘But why me of all people?’
A guy, someone he’d known for not long, someone with no particular presence in My Idol – no matter how much he thought about what interest Taeri could have in him, he couldn’t find an answer.
“We’re here.”
Cutting off Juha’s thoughts, the taxi stopped.
“Thank you.”
Juha greeted and got out of the car holding his waist.
‘Let me sleep at home first.’
Sleeping was the best for recovery.
However, the moment he opened the front door, all plans crumbled.
7 o’clock.
It was time for all the other family members to have breakfast.
His mother was tasting the soybean paste stew, his father was adjusting his tie, and his younger sister Yunha was sitting at the table arranging her school uniform skirt.
“Ah, um…”
“The stew is done cooking. Eat breakfast.”
“…Yes.”
Juha sat at the table putting in maximum effort to not show his limping. The chair happened to be hard, and he almost cried out as soon as he sat.
“If you’re going to sleep over, you should say you’re sleeping over.”
His mother scolded while setting a rice bowl in front of Juha.
“Sorry. I fell asleep after watching the whole first episode.”
“Whose house did oppa watch it at?”
Malicious curiosity showed in younger sister Yunha’s eyes. Usually she’d tease him calling him a loser bastard, but suddenly showing interest was puzzling.
“What’s it to you?”
“Who? Don’t tell me you watched it with Choi Taeri?”
“Is Choi Taeri your friend?”
At Yunha’s words, Juha naturally frowned.
“Ah, who did you watch it with!”
“What if I watched it with Taeri?”
“Awesome. Oppa is really close friends with Choi Taeri. I should tell the kids.”
“Don’t. Don’t tell them.”
“Ah why, the first episode was chaos. You didn’t waste those 6 years as a trainee after all?”
“That mouth of yours…”
“Ahem…”
When the siblings bickered at the dinner table, their father cleared his throat.
“…”
“…”
Both quietly buried their faces in their rice bowls.
“You worked hard.”
Father threw out a word in a dry voice.
“Did you watch it?”
Juha perked up his head again.
“I put the broadcast on the living room TV saying you were appearing and hid the remote.”
Yunha grinned and interjected. When his bratty sister acted like that, she was endearing again.
If the parents really didn’t want to watch, they would have gone to their room to rest, but it seemed they watched it all until that late hour. Somehow, father looked more tired than usual.
“But Yunha.”
“Yeah, why Dad?”
“What’s an obsessive maniac?”
A tremendous silence enveloped the house.
“…”
“…”
Oh no, he’d already mastered all the comments too.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
