“Do you plan on wearing short sleeves for a while when going out?”
“Since it’s the weekend starting tomorrow….”
“It doesn’t matter when going out with me.”
Seeing no response, he lowered his head and gently kissed my arm where it lay. As his warm lips touched my skin, I felt a mixture of anticipation and fear. While gazing at the bedsheet, a hand came from behind and lifted my chin.
“I’m telling you to look.”
“…Will it hurt?”
“I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.”
His hand holding my wrist felt firm and warm. A sensation of heat rose in my tingling abdomen.
“I’m watching.”
He kissed the soft skin of my arm. He lightly touched and then sucked a little, enough not to hurt. Then, he sucked the flesh between his hot lips.
I focused on breathing while leaving my arm to him. It wasn’t painful, just a firm pressure and a slight tingling sensation. However, when he removed his lips, there was a clear mark on the inside of my forearm, visible only when I bowed my head or raised my arm.
“Lee Seodan’s skin bruises easily.”
He said to me, who was inspecting my arm intently.
“But the principle is the same, so try it. It’ll probably work.”
It seemed like he meant theoretically it should work.
At that moment, I realized that nobody had ever tried to leave marks on him like this before. Not because they didn’t want to, but probably because he didn’t allow it.
My heart raced a little faster. Like building the first cabin in an unexplored land, I kissed his chest. Just as he said, I applied more force and sucked harder. I pressed my lips for a long time, until they became tingling and my breath almost stopped. And when I pulled away, leaving behind my exhausted body, faint red marks remained as if declaring conquest over his chest where his heart was beating.
“Is this… okay?”
The marks didn’t disappear even when I rubbed them. I suddenly felt regretful that these marks wouldn’t be permanent, fading in a few days.
As I silently watched what I was doing, he reached out and gently touched the corner of my mouth.
“Are you feeling that good?”
“…Sorry, for waking you up out of the blue.”
“Since we’ve done it, try a few more. Just as practice.”
“…Is it still okay?”
He nodded as if it didn’t matter much, so I didn’t decline. After exploring, I selected two more spots: slightly above the opposite chest and on the firm muscles around the shoulder. When it was all over, my lips were swollen, but I felt satisfied, like someone who had built a few more cottages as a refuge besides their main house.
“Now that you’ve had your fun, let’s sleep.”
As I couldn’t take my eyes off the marks, which were getting darker, he urged me with a dry voice.
“I’m in a bit of a hurry, so I’ll start getting ready for work when Lee Seodan falls asleep.”
“I’ll just go to work with Team Leader.”
Although my body felt a bit heavy, it seemed okay. When I tried to get up, he stretched out his arm and pushed me down.
“It’s okay for now, but you’ll be tired in the afternoon. Just rest for now. I’ll come pick you up after lunch.”
“…Is that okay?”
“It’s better that way.”
He summed it up in one sentence. If I had to contact a superior separately, I wouldn’t have had the courage, but since I had a direct superior right in front of me, it seemed okay.
“Then I’ll come to the company when lunchtime ends.”
“It’s not that far. Stop thinking about it and rest.”
I obeyed quietly. Han Team Leader propped up a pillow for me to lie comfortably and hugged my body from behind. The air conditioner seemed to be set too low as the breeze felt chilly. But it was nice to feel the warmth where our bodies touched.
“Team Leader.”
With closed eyes, I whispered softly towards him, whose face I couldn’t see.
“I’m sorry.”
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.
“…What?”
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“P cfnfg atbeuta sbe kbeiv atlcx atja kjs lc atf mjg.”
“…”
“Pa’r cba yfmjerf P’w ujs atja P ilxf Kfjw Ofjvfg, jcv fnfc lo sbe kfgf j kbwjc, bg tfafgbrfzeji, bg rbwfatlcu firf… P kbeiv ralii ilxf Kfjw Ofjvfg atf rjwf kjs.”
The explanations I had prepared while lying down, carefully crafting each sentence. The words flowing between my lips now weren’t those. They were more natural and ordinary.
“I started feeling greedy after meeting with Team Leader… People who like Team Leader might notice me, and everyone might know that I have the closest relationship with Team Leader… I just wished it was a public relationship… because I thought Team Leader might feel the same way… or because I was afraid you might feel inadequate someday, that’s why I asked…”
“…”
“…I just… wish Team Leader also liked only me.”
If the affection one person can give to another is limited, and if one gives as much to one person, they must give less to others.
Where did this selfish desire come from, wanting to occupy one hundred percent of his heart, his complete circle? The heart expressed in words was surprisingly selfish, immature, and yet surprisingly indifferent to that fact.
He, behind me, was quiet as if asleep. I slowly opened my eyes. When I tried to turn my head to look at him, my shoulder was grabbed, and my body was turned to lie down. His face, looking down at me closely, was quietly settled.
“Lee Seodan.”
With a calm breath, as if stating the most natural fact, in a calm and somewhat tired voice, he spoke.
“I don’t have any impatience about making our relationship public.”
“…?”
“If possible, I want to fill a necklace with my name engraved on it and send it to the company for Lee Seodan. Even if I can’t do that, nothing will change.”
His fingers lightly squeezed the tender skin on my neck. With eyes that hid nothing, he looked into mine, and calmly continued.
“You are the first and last person I’ve ever loved in my life, more important to me than the rest of the world. If you didn’t know that, remember it now.”
Each letter fell like raindrops into my ears.
I didn’t know what expression or gaze to give him. The sound of my heart beating louder and louder seemed like it would reach him too. A warmth surged up in my chest as if it were about to overflow.
In the end, I impulsively reached out and hugged him tightly. I pressed my cheek against his broad and firm chest.
His hand, wrapped around the back of my head, slowly stroked me. He adjusted my posture so that I could lie down with my face buried in his chest. The warmth of our bodies touching was comforting and stable.
I continued to breathe slowly as if asleep. I couldn’t decide what expression to make when I looked at him now, so much so that I didn’t even know what to do. His hand, which I thought was caressing my back, slowed down. My body, which was in contact with his, trembled slightly, and a slow and gentle touch lingered on my forehead.
“Seodan-ah.”
It was a whisper, low and affectionate. His slow touch swept my forehead, and once again, his lips touched mine.
“Lee Seodan.”
“…”
“Seodan-ah.”
Between soft kisses, he whispered my name several times more.
“Seodan, Seodan.” Like a lullaby, the soft repetition lulled me to sleep in his arms. The insomnia that had plagued me a few hours ago on the same bed disappeared without a trace.
***
I woke up. Unconsciously, I reached out my arm and touched an empty bed. Then my arm, which was groping the sheet, collided with a familiar warmth.
“…Team Leader.”
Han Team Leader, whom I thought had already gone to work, was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at me.
I blinked my heavy eyes, trying to regain my senses, and checked the time. I hadn’t slept as much as I thought.
“Are you… about to leave?”
He was shirtless, with his hair still wet as if not properly dried.
I tried to sit up halfway, but bit my lip and lay back down. I was fine just a moment ago, but now there was no part of me from my waist to my hips that wasn’t hurting.
“Just rest more.”
He said with a subtle expression as if he had expected it. His approaching palm brushed against my cheek.
“I’ll mark it as half a day off and call you around lunchtime.”
“…Okay.”
“Is it hurting? Are you okay?”
“Yes, I think I’m okay.”
“I’ll prepare breakfast. Would you like to eat now or later when you get up?”
“You’ll have breakfast too?”
He always made breakfast when I stayed over at his place, but I didn’t know he would still do it on a day like today. Come to think of it, I was the tenant, so it shouldn’t have been my job in the first place. As if he had read my mind, he said,
“Just tell me what you want to eat, I’ll take care of the rest.”
“…If you’re going to have breakfast now, I’ll eat too. But there’s nothing in my house to eat right now…”
“I noticed earlier.”
He replied as he got up.
“The fridge was empty. Looks like you don’t cook much at home.”
“…Yes.”
I looked at his determined face and managed to come up with something else to say.
“We can eat that. The scones that Supervisor Kim gave… I have strawberry jam at home.”
Han Team Leader just frowned and didn’t reply. As he disappeared into the kitchen connected to the living room, the sound was clear even though his figure wasn’t visible due to the small size of the apartment. I could hear the sound of the refrigerator opening and closing, and the sound of the cupboard door rattling.
“Lee Seodan.”
His voice came through the open bedroom door.
“Are the eggs way past their expiration date?”
“Uh… No, the eggs are not that old.”
I thought I could make perfect fried eggs after watching him make them next to me in the morning, but I ended up eating them only once. No matter what I did, the bottom was stuck and the top was uncooked, so I gave up.
As I continued to be restless and unable to make a decision, I heard him rustling something in the kitchen, the sound of opening a can, the sound of opening a can lid, and the sound of turning on the gas stove. It was fascinating to hear someone else making sounds in my own kitchen. About seven minutes had passed since I heard the clock in the bedroom.
As I was about to get up to at least bring some cutlery, he pushed the half-open sliding door open completely.
On the tray he held were two large plates with steaming kimchi, half-cut scones, two perfect rugby-ball-shaped omelets, and a small bowl of corn salad. There were coffee in one mug and what looked like heated milk in another.
“If you can’t finish everything, just leave it.”
He said as he slowly placed the tray on my lap.
“I just made do with what I had since I didn’t have enough ingredients.”
“Are you going to eat here?”
“If it’s uncomfortable, we can go to the living room.”
My dining table was a short-legged table, so I had to sit on the floor to eat. I eventually awkwardly accepted the untimely patient treatment. The omelets he had made before were as soft and delicious as I remembered, and the corn salad tasted much richer than the canned one. It seemed like he had prepared separately.
“Team Leader, are you running late?”
As I was eating scones with omelets on top, the bright sunlight from the living room caught my eye. Han Team Leader glanced at the clock and furrowed his brow for a moment.
“I was planning to stop by home and then head out, but it looks like I won’t have time.”
“I gave the shirt you left behind to the cleaners… It might be a bit warm, but you can wear it.”
Not only the stares from my team members, but the shirt he wore yesterday wouldn’t serve its purpose for a while. I felt like I should at least find the two missing buttons while he was away. Who knew buttons would come off so easily?
“It’s in the closet over there…”
I tried to get up but was gently stopped by him.
“Stay seated. Have you eaten enough?”
“Yes.”
“Then lie down and rest more.”
Despite my protests, he stubbornly took the tray and cleared it away, even finishing the dishes. Then he tidied his hair with my comb in the bathroom and changed into the shirt from my closet. It was more of a spring shirt than a summer one, but it seemed fine. With the buttons fastened and the collar straightened, he stood in front of the small mirror attached to the closet door and then turned to me.
“I’ll have to borrow a tie.”
I realized that the one he wore yesterday was crumpled and lying at the corner of the bed. I stretched out my arm while lying on my stomach.
“In the drawer in the closet… On the left, in the plastic bag.”
Except for the one he had given me as a gift, I hardly remembered what tie I had worn to work. It was plain in color and pattern, so no one would notice it was mine. As he neatly tucked the tie under the collar, I watched from under the covers, bundled up like a cocoon, and suddenly had a thought.
“That… it’s a tie only for Team Leader…”
Our eyes met through the mirror. His eyes, heavily curved with laughter before he could control his expression, came into sharp focus in my vision.
“You really have a way with words, now.”
“…I’ll make sure to come to work in the afternoon. You didn’t have to come all the way here…”
“I came because I wanted to. I’ll contact you, so just rest.”
The tie formed a neat knot. After adjusting it a few times with subtle pulls, he stood by the bedside with a perfectly arranged work bag. It felt strange to look up at my superior with only the covers draped over my body.
“I’ll buy lunch on the way back, so don’t bother trying to eat beforehand.”
“Yes.”
He placed the air conditioner remote next to my phone within my reach.
“I’ll tell Supervisor Kim that we’ve been in touch. It would be annoying if she fusses over worrying, so send her a text too, Lee Seodan.”
“Yes.”
As he crossed the threshold of the bedroom door, I also got up. Just as my feet were about to touch the floor under the bed, he turned to me.
“Why.”
“I’ll see you off to the entrance.”
“…What does ‘seeing off’ entail?”
He approached me, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with the covers wrapped around me. The morning sunlight was dazzling on his hair, his smiling face, and the creases of his crisp white shirt.
“What you were planning to do at the entrance, let’s do it here.”
“…Please bend your waist.”
He raised an eyebrow as if he hadn’t expected me to be like this, but obediently bent his body. Our faces drew closer and stopped at a distance of about a hand’s width.
“Like this?”
“…Yes. Stay still like that.”
I lifted my body slightly while gripping the edge of the bed. I saw his eyes closing just before our lips touched. With the young sunlight on his eyelashes, I pressed my lips against his. Our lips met perfectly without the slightest gap.
“…The traffic might be heavy, so drive safely. I’ll see you later.”
With a soft sound, our parted lips tingled. He looked at me silently for a while before reaching out to tousle my hair.
“I’ll call you.”
“Yes.”
“If you think of anything you want for lunch, let me know.”
I sat and waved my hand gently until he left the entrance. Thinking that there were three clear stamps I had left under his crisp white shirt, sending him off to work gave me a sense of relief.
Click, the entrance door closed, and the sound of the lock clicking echoed. Only the usual silence settled in the narrow house.
“…”
I buried my nose in the pillow, still smelling his scent, and tossed on the bed. The sweet and fuzzy feeling kept swelling in my chest. Even breathing felt electric, tingling down to the tips of my fingers and toes.
How could I sleep in this state? Though my eyelids were heavy with the remaining drowsiness, I wanted to stay awake a little longer.
I had a premonition that even long after much time had passed, I would cherish this moment like a precious pearl. It was not a warm memory or a fleeting expectation for the future, but the present happiness I was experiencing with certainty for the first time in my life.
I couldn’t waste such a historic moment by sleeping, so I sat up.
Now, today, here. I blinked my eyes wide as if to remember everything around me. The sunlight streaming through where he had been sitting radiated a dazzling golden hue of summer.
They’re so sweet!!! I swear to god if these has a problem I also have one, if these two are happy I’m also happy 🤍🤍🤍