Ah… he was joking.
Seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes, Hye-seong let out a small, relieved smile. But the moment he did, Yoo Ji-ho’s expression hardened—as if displeased.
“…C-could you please give it back now?”
“I don’t know. I should think about it.”
The corners of Hye-seong’s lips, which had barely lifted, sank again in disappointment.
“Then… let me ask just one thing.”
Turning him gently so they were face-to-face, Ji-ho brought the floating binder down.
A large hand slid from behind and gathered both of Hye-seong’s wrists, holding them firmly against his chest. Then Ji-ho lowered his head, lips close to his ear, and asked quietly,
“Which photo in here do you like the most?”
His breath brushed against Hye-seong’s ear as the low voice reverberated. Startled, his shoulders instinctively curled inward. After blinking a few times, he reluctantly answered,
“…The one at the bottom right.”
It was the photo of Ji-ho smiling brilliantly in his Esper uniform, gazing at something off camera. Every time he saw it, Hye-seong wondered what—or who—had made him smile like that.
“So you like uniforms.”
“…Huh?”
How did that conclusion happen? Hye-seong tilted his head.
No, it’s because you smiled… that’s why I like it…
No matter what Ji-ho wore, he always looked incredible. The clothes had nothing to do with it. That photo was simply the one where his smile shone the brightest—nothing more.
But saying that aloud felt too personal, so he kept it to himself.
He’d get the binder back eventually, but the fact that it was still in Ji-ho’s hands made him uneasy. It was humiliating enough that the binder even existed—yet here he was, caught red-handed.
Thankfully, Ji-ho hadn’t turned that many pages yet. If he could get it back now, he might escape with only moderate embarrassment…
“Don’t cry. I’ll look through it one more time and then give it back.”
“…Huh?”
One more time? Meaning he already saw everything?
“O-one more time?”
“You’ve been collecting these for a while. I don’t remember ever taking some of these pictures.”
“……”
“Interesting.”
He had seen everything. It was over.
There was nothing left to hide.
Leaving the devastated Hye-seong to stand there in silence, Ji-ho pulled the binder closer. Holding it with both hands now, he casually flipped through pages right in front of him.
“To be honest, when you said you were my fan, it didn’t really hit me. I knew you said you were passionate, but I wondered if you were exaggerating. But after seeing this, now I know for sure.”
“K-know what…?”
“That Baek Hye-seong likes me—likes me a lot.”
The words froze him in place. Like an ice sculpture, he stood still, mind blank.
His hands were free now. If he reached out, he probably could’ve grabbed the binder back.
But his body felt bound, unable to move.
Suddenly, he no longer knew— Was it good to be someone who liked Yoo Ji-ho so much? Or… was it bad?
“……”
“Why do you look so serious?”
The person who caused all of this simply laughed at him—watching his expression crumble, cheeks flushed, eyes uneasy.
After flipping the last page, Ji-ho closed the binder with a soft thwap.
Then he turned Hye-seong again, placed a hand on his shoulder, and with the other arm wrapped snugly around his waist, said,
“Okay, that’s enough teasing. We’re taking this with us.”
“…To your house? You… want it?”
“No. It’s yours.”
“……”
“Even if the only thing in it is me.”
That felt… embarrassing.
Eyes darting around, flustered, Hye-seong finally admitted,
“There’s nothing interesting in there for you… Is it really necessary?”
“Yes. I think it is.”
“……”
His tone was gentle, yet unmistakably firm—leaving no room for refusal. And suddenly, the closeness between them became impossible to ignore. Ji-ho’s face was far too near.
“T-then… I’ll take it…”
Lowering his gaze, he nodded. Even if the binder would only serve as something for Ji-ho to tease him with, escaping this moment mattered more.
“Are you done packing?”
“Oh—yes. I just need to pick out a few books.”
“Then let’s go now.”
“Okay!”
So he would be released now?
Brightening, Hye-seong nodded, then glanced down— The arm around his waist still hadn’t moved.
“…Huh?”
It wasn’t loosening.
His pale eyes trembled as realization dawned.
“What should I do…? There’s no time for you to pick anything.”
“……”
Ji-ho’s black eyes flickered with something heavy and dark.
A tension—dangerous, unfamiliar—ran through the air.
And then Hye-seong understood what the hard pressure against his thigh had been all this time.
***
Hastily stuffing only a few books and essentials, he came out with a small bag.
But strangely, despite being in such a rush, Ji-ho made him say goodbye again—this time to the front door itself.
“Um… bye…”
With an awkward expression, Hye-seong humored his hero.
“Good job.”
“Hehe.”
Being praised with that smile made everything feel worthwhile. Feeling unexpectedly pleased, he hurried toward the car and climbed into the passenger seat.
Just like earlier, the drive felt like a small, private trip with Ji-ho, and he couldn’t help smiling.
But the smile didn’t last long.
“……”
Still wearing his yellow hoodie, he leaned against the window, watching the scenery whip by—expression unusually serious.
Enough so that after a while, he finally turned and asked,
“Yoo Ji-ho. Do you, um… not really use navigation?”
Because… This wasn’t the way to the Center.
Even at his earnest question, Ji-ho gave no reaction—eyes fixed ahead, expression tense.
A few minutes later, the car slowed to a stop on an empty stretch of road.
“Why are we… here?”
Bewildered, Hye-seong looked around.
Without answering, Ji-ho unbuckled his seatbelt, sharply reclined the driver’s seat, then slid the entire seat backward to clear space.
He looked both angry and not angry—an unreadable mixture.
After making room, he reached over, unbuckled Hye-seong’s seatbelt as well, then slid a hand under his arm and pulled him forward.
“Ah!”
In an instant, Hye-seong found himself straddling Ji-ho’s lap, facing him. And only then did he grasp Ji-ho’s intent.
Is guiding really that urgent?
So urgent he couldn’t even drive home first?
Drawing him closer, Ji-ho pressed his nose to the slope of Hye-seong’s pale neck and muttered,
“Fuck… it’s not like I want to be like this…”
He was clearly aroused.
He’d shown hints of it earlier, but afterward he’d seemed completely composed—enough that Hye-seong had forgotten.
Now he didn’t know what had triggered it… or when it had started.
“W-why are you suddenly like this? Are you okay?”
“I’m not okay.”
Not okay?
Shocked, Hye-seong tried to lean away to check his face, but Ji-ho frowned like someone throwing a tantrum and yanked him closer again.
“Blood keeps rushing to my cock and I can’t drive. And it’s all your fault.”
“Huh? Wh-what did I do… mmph.”
Starting at his neck, Ji-ho kissed upward with wet, sucking sounds, brushing along his jaw and cheeks before claiming his lips.
Despite his shock, Hye-seong’s lips—soft from days of being kissed—opened willingly and accepted the invading tongue.
Eyes wide at first, his gaze soon blurred as he followed Ji-ho’s mouth helplessly. When their lips finally parted, he absentmindedly licked at the lingering taste, dazed.
Watching that undone expression, Ji-ho lifted a hand and cupped his chin.
His long thumb pressed into the soft lips, parting them.
The fingertip slid inside, stroking the pale, wet inner lining—so different from the flushed outer lips.
His tongue, bright red, brushed the intruding finger instinctively. At that, Ji-ho’s brows tightened, and he pushed deeper.
The long, straight fingers stroked his tongue, exploring further. Hye-seong trembled but obediently opened wider to accept it.
“Mmgh…”
As if saliva might spill, his lips puckered tightly around the finger, then loosened with a breathy haah.
Eyes half-lidded, Ji-ho watched him and murmured,
“Your mouth… and probably the other hole too… they’re both really small.”
“……”
“Wanna suck me?”
Focus snapped back into his dazed pupils.
Ji-ho slid the saliva-slick finger from his mouth and lazily traced those tender lips again.
“S-suck… what?”
No answer.
But the moment he asked, realization hit him—hard.
He froze, eyes widening.
Because his thighs—straddling Ji-ho’s lap—were pressed right against something hot and swollen. It had been rubbing against him from the moment he sat down.
“A-ah…”
Watching him stumble through realization all on his own, Ji-ho let out a small, incredulous laugh.
A small mouth. And sucking.
The “connection” didn’t make sense to Hye-seong at all, but he still nodded.
