Dongha hesitated, unable to ask outright if there was more food. Jiseok, amused by the obvious hint, unconsciously extended his spoon toward Dongha. Dongha, just as unconsciously, opened his mouth and took it. Both of their faces flushed instantly. The few seconds of silence and eye contact felt eternal.
Jiseok slowly pulled the spoon from Dongha’s lips. Dongha’s lips pressed firmly, savoring the taste of rice, ham, vegetables, salt, egg, and ketchup—though he couldn’t taste anything. His flushed face didn’t cool down. After chewing for what felt like forever, he swallowed. Jiseok offered his plate to Dongha.
“Eat more.”
Dongha, unable to refuse now, quietly took the plate. The only sound was the clinking of spoons against plates. As Dongha finished his second plate, Jiseok stared blankly at the wall. The empty plate clinked onto the stack, and Jiseok stood up from the sofa. Dongha’s small voice followed him.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Jiseok brought water and sat back down, offering the cup. Dongha shook his head.
“What if I need to use the bathroom?”
“Then just wet your throat.”
Dongha took a sip and handed the cup back, making awkward small talk to break the tension. The bizarre scene—a man stuck in the wall and another sitting beside him—continued with various conversations. Jiseok explained he’d been hammering nails to hang a new wall-mounted TV. An apology slipped out for not warning Dongha first, and their past arguments were brought up, dissolving the lingering resentment. The conversation flowed naturally, touching on personal stories and hobbies. Dongha suddenly apologized again for acting like a fool and explained why he’d lost it—including the story of his breakup.
“Did you love him a lot?”
“Not really… At some point, it just felt like we were together out of habit. People like us find it hard to start over, so we just cling to what we have…”
“People like us?”
Dongha’s body stiffened. He stopped breathing. He’d just outed himself. What now? His mind raced. Did Jiseok catch the meaning? The words echoed in his head as Jiseok’s voice cut through his panicked thoughts.
“Ah. Right. I understand.”
Dongha turned his head, eyes wide with shock. Understand? What? He tried to make sense of it, then met Jiseok’s gaze—and his smile. It was strangely warm, contrasting with his cool demeanor. Gap moe? Dongha absentmindedly reached up to smooth his own messy, wavy hair, suddenly self-conscious.
Suddenly, Jiseok moved closer. Close enough for their breath to mingle. His lips parted.
“This might sound funny in this situation… but want to try a fresh start?”
Dongha’s shocked eyes met Jiseok’s, then slowly closed. A quiet gulp escaped his throat. The moment their lips touched, Jiseok’s hand gently cupped Dongha’s cheek. The soft, warm kiss sent a jolt through Dongha’s body. Their tongues tangled, sending waves of pleasure through him. Dongha’s fingers dug into the sofa’s leather, his knuckles whitening. Jiseok’s hand, damp with sweat, cradled Dongha’s cheek.
A soft sigh escaped as the kiss ended. Their lips parted, still glistening. Dongha slowly opened his eyes, meeting Jiseok’s gaze—filled with shyness and excitement. The tension lingered until Jiseok suddenly burst into laughter. The mood shattered instantly. Dongha’s flushed face twisted in confusion, then realization. He snapped his mouth shut, glaring. Jiseok tried to stifle his laughter, stroking Dongha’s hair.
“Ahaha, s-sorry, but… the situation… hahaha…”
“Stop! That’s enough!”
Dongha huffed and turned away. Jiseok, still laughing, gently ruffled Dongha’s hair. The laughter finally subsided, but the smile remained.
“I’ll stop! I won’t laugh!”
“…”
“Should we try again?”
Dongha looked back at Jiseok, his round eyes flickering with fear.
“Then we really have to stay like this until tomorrow afternoon?”
“But…”
“Does it still hurt?”
“If I stay still… it’s, uh, not too bad. Just a little throbbing.”
Jiseok shifted, reaching toward the wall. He pressed near Dongha’s stuck pelvis. There was no give. It must hurt. He traced the area, his hand sliding up to Dongha’s narrow waist.
“Hik!”
Dongha jerked at the sudden touch. Jiseok, amused, continued exploring the firm muscles beneath the thin T-shirt. He’s toned. His waist is narrow, but his back and abs are solid. Just a wide pelvis making him look slim. Jiseok imagined Dongha’s lower body, hidden by the wall. He’d never had a chance to appreciate it before—always facing Dongha’s angry scowl.
“Hngh… uh, just… wait…”
A soft moan escaped Dongha. Startled, he grabbed Jiseok’s shoulder. His flushed cheeks were adorable. Jiseok’s hand slid down Dongha’s waist, then away. Dongha’s face reddened further. Jiseok’s curiosity about what lay beyond the wall grew. He wanted Dongha to be excited on the other side. Impatient, he thought about how to get Dongha out quickly. Just his upper body wasn’t enough—it was frustrating.
“Should we try pushing again?”
“N-No!”
“Then we can’t break the wall. You might get hurt.”
Dongha groaned, lost in thought. Jiseok’s gaze lingered on the taut waist suspended between the sofa and the wall. He reached out again, but Dongha stopped him.
“Ah! What if we pull?!”
“Pull?”
“Go to my place and pull from the legs. It might… work?”
His confident voice faltered as he spoke. Jiseok smirked—Dongha wasn’t much of a thinker. But even that was cute. The memory of their constant bickering felt distant.
“Won’t pulling hurt just as much as pushing?”
“Oh.”
“But pulling might give us more leverage. If you can endure it for a moment, it might work quickly.”
“Endure…?”
Dongha’s eyes drooped with fear. He really hated pain. Jiseok chuckled and stood up from the sofa.
“Tell me your unit number.”
Dongha rattled off the six-digit code. Jiseok slipped on his slippers and headed to the neighboring unit. Every time he passed, he’d glared at that door. Now, he was walking in. Life’s full of surprises. He pressed the code and entered. The dark interior lit up as he flicked on the switch. A laugh escaped him. Hahaha. The sound was loud enough for Dongha to hear.
“Don’t laugh!”
Dongha’s face burned with embarrassment as his shout echoed from beyond the wall. After a long bout of laughter, a sudden, unexpected friction brushed against Dongha’s exposed buttocks.
“Ahh!”
Dongha screamed in surprise. The playful slap from Jiseok’s hand on his firm buttocks was more startling than painful. Before Dongha could even get angry, Jiseok raised his voice from the other side of the wall.
“I’m going to pull you out!”
Dongha’s body, gripping the back of the sofa, tensed instantly. He felt Jiseok’s hand firmly grasp his pelvis below his waist, bracing for the pain to come. And then—the pull came, and with it, the pain.
“Aaaah! S-Stop!”
Jiseok, startled, let go. He couldn’t fathom how much it hurt. Dongha wiped away the tears welling in his eyes with his hand. His waist and pelvis were especially sensitive, and the pain was amplified by the hours he’d been stuck, his skin swollen beneath his T-shirt. His waist trembled as he panted.
On the other side of the wall, Jiseok could only see Dongha’s plump buttocks. He’d felt their firmness when he’d playfully smacked them earlier—the elasticity was no joke. Dongha’s wide pelvis and toned lower body, clad only in tight black briefs, had shifted downward as he’d wriggled through the hole. The briefs were now halfway down his hips, barely covered by the short hem of his T-shirt poking through the hole. Jiseok’s hand, which had unconsciously reached out, froze as he realized he was swallowing hard. He quickly pulled his hand back, covering his mouth. His flushed face cooled as he wiped his brow, but his gaze lingered hungrily on Dongha’s lower half. What had seemed funny before now felt… different.
“Jiseok!”
Jiseok flinched at the call from beyond the wall. Even though Dongha couldn’t see him, he tore his eyes away from that tempting sight.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
