“Gyujin… wait a minute.”
Hyun Gyujin, willingly stopping at Yuwon’s pull, closed the half-opened front door and turned towards him. The sensor light in the hallway detected their movement, briefly illuminating them before dimming again.
“If you’re going to hold me back, don’t do it like that.”
“……”
“Hug me.”
With a small laugh, the light above them came back on. Yuwon approached Hyun Gyujin, who had opened his arms for a hug, and embraced him tightly.
“I’m sorry for making you feel bad… but I really like you. A lot, a lot.”
As much as a cool shade on an unbearably hot summer day, as much as being able to give away all the sweet things you love, as much as choosing an unhealthy life again if it meant meeting someone as wonderful as you despite being weak and often sick.
“Yeah, I like you too, Jung Yuwon.”
“……”
“A lot, a lot.”
Warmth touched Yuwon’s hair and then his ear. Yuwon lightly pressed his lips against Hyun Gyujin’s shoulder, which had a nice scent. The firm arms wrapped around him gave him an immense sense of security. Yuwon hugged Hyun Gyujin even tighter, hoping he felt the same comfort.
“Should I stay for another hour?”
“Yeah…”
“Is it okay if you don’t finish studying?”
“I’ll do it tomorrow…”
With a broad smile, Hyun Gyujin pressed his lips deeply against Yuwon’s pale, slender neck before pulling away. Then, lifting the smaller body into his arms, he held him as if draping him over his shoulder.
“I feel like I’m going to fall… Can you put me down?”
“Why would I drop you?”
Laughing, Hyun Gyujin walked back down the hallway he had just come from, eagerly anticipating the uninterrupted hour he would spend with Yuwon, who adored him so much.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
***
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More troubling was the persistent thought that he wanted Hyun Gyujin’s hands to touch him, and for Hyun Gyujin’s eyes to look at him.
“……”
I want to kiss him…. Yuwon’s shoulders twitched as he realized what he was thinking, his body heating up in embarrassment.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Huh? What do you mean?”
“You’re a bit red.”
“…Really? Maybe it’s too hot in here? Should I open a window?”
Hyun Gyujin, watching Yuwon fumble in a way that was out of character, shook his head.
“It’s better if it’s a bit warm for you. If we open the window now, you’ll catch a cold.”
“…Is that so?”
Biting his lip, Yuwon picked up a sheet of paper and fanned himself with it. The flimsy paper created a weak breeze that barely brushed his cheeks.
“Are you really that hot? The room feels fine to me. What’s up? Do you have a fever?”
Worry quickly clouded Hyun Gyujin’s previously calm face. He moved his chair closer and placed a hand on Yuwon’s forehead, who, almost without thinking, tilted his head and gave him a light kiss on the lips.
“Oh…”
“What’s this? If you wanted a kiss, you should have said so.”
“No, it’s not that…”
“I wanted to kiss you too, Yuwon.”
Before Yuwon could say anything else, Hyun Gyujin pushed the chair back, their lips meeting again. The chair stopped when it hit the bed, but Hyun Gyujin didn’t stop.
The thought of Yuwon’s mother being home kept tapping at his mind. Even if she did come in, she would knock, and she was probably tired and asleep by now, but it still made him uneasy. However, what tapped more insistently at his mind was how good this kiss felt despite the anxiety.
Instead of pushing Hyun Gyujin away, Yuwon found himself gently touching his shoulder and then cupping his face.
“Yuwon, ha… Do you like this? Did you want to kiss me? Hmm?”
“Yeah, I wanted to…”
Hyun Gyujin’s kisses interrupted his words, his urgency making him appear both cute and desperate, causing Yuwon’s breath to quicken as well. Yuwon focused on the deep kiss, their tongues intertwining for a long moment.
The thought of studying had already vanished from his mind.
***
With the final exams only three days away, the atmosphere in the classroom had become very serious. This was the last exam before they became seniors, and they had heard countless times that establishing good study habits now would make things easier in their senior year. The students’ intent to focus as much as possible was evident.
Yuwon also tried to concentrate more than usual, but he kept getting distracted by thoughts of being with Hyun Gyujin.
Even though he knew that once the finals were over, they would visit their tutor’s school, and soon it would be vacation time, allowing him to spend more time with Hyun Gyujin, he couldn’t focus on his studies for these few days. It was a significant problem.
If he just stuck to his plan and worked hard for the next three days, Yuwon knew he wouldn’t have any regrets. However, as things stood, he would likely end up spending more time fooling around with Hyun Gyujin instead of studying. This had happened yesterday and the day before that too.
“With only three days left until the finals, let’s push a little harder. Even though three days might seem short, it’s a time in which you can make a huge difference. I’m sure I don’t need to explain this in detail. The finish line is in sight, so let’s sprint towards it. Great job today, everyone,” the homeroom teacher concluded.
As soon as the final homeroom session ended, the sound of chairs being pushed back filled the classroom. Yuwon grabbed his packed bag and left the room with Hyun Gyujin.
Today, they had planned to eat udon and side dishes at a famous udon restaurant near the academy. Since the waiting line got extremely long if they were even a little late, they needed to arrive within 15 minutes to secure a spot. Yuwon and Hyun Gyujin walked briskly, crossing the schoolyard faster than usual.
Their effort paid off, and they snagged the last available table. Yuwon took a sip of the hot udon broth and then tasted the chewy noodles.
“It’s delicious. Whenever it’s cold, I always crave this udon. I think I always will.”
“Then let’s come here every winter. Together.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.”
As Yuwon enjoyed the noodles and looked around the bustling restaurant, he turned his gaze to Hyun Gyujin.
“Today, after the academy, I’m planning to study late in the self-study room….”
“Why the sudden change? Why not study at home?”
“Well… I find it hard to concentrate at home. I love being with you, but I keep getting distracted….”
“Is the problem studying at home, or studying with me?”
“To be precise… it’s me who’s the problem.”
Hyun Gyujin stopped eating and looked at Yuwon, tilting his head slowly.
“Why you?”
“…When I’m with you, all I want to do is have fun with you. Even when I’m solving a problem, I keep looking at you… I can’t focus. It’s not your fault, it’s mine.”
Yuwon, speaking quietly and glancing around to see if anyone was listening, looked pitiful. Hyun Gyujin nodded while taking a sip of water.
“Let’s talk after we eat. Let’s just eat for now.”
Although it was a bit disappointing that Yuwon suddenly decided to study alone, it wasn’t something he couldn’t understand. Hyun Gyujin ate his portion of udon and sides, trying to match Yuwon’s pace. He wasn’t exactly overjoyed, but he wasn’t particularly upset either.
After all, Yuwon saying that he couldn’t concentrate on studying because he wanted to keep hanging out with Hyun Gyujin was, in a different light, quite a thrilling thing to hear. He decided to take it positively. There were only three days left until finals, and even including the exam days, it was just a week. It’s not like they wouldn’t see each other at all during that time; Yuwon just wanted to study on his own, which was understandable. While dating is important, so are exams, and Hyun Gyujin considered himself a very understanding boyfriend.
“Why are you so worried? It’s not like you said something you shouldn’t have.”
“…I just thought you might feel bad since we’ve been studying together and now I’m saying I want to study alone.”
“It’s fine. You’re just saying you’d be too distracted by me, right?”
“…It’s not that extreme.”
“Well, it’s similar.”
Eventually, Yuwon nodded. It wasn’t entirely wrong. Although it was a bit of an exaggeration, seeing Hyun Gyujin did make his stomach flutter and sometimes even made him feel a strong pull towards him.
“Well…. Okay. If you can’t study, there’s nothing we can do. Ah, if only I were a bit less handsome. Then our Jung Yuwon would be less distracted.”
Hyun Gyujin grinned and gently ruffled Yuwon’s hair. Yuwon tried hard not to melt under the touch, feeling his heart in turmoil. Even though Hyun Gyujin was only touching his hair, it felt as if his whole body was being caressed. It was a feeling that couldn’t be fully described as simply ticklish.
“I want to do it too.”
