Kwon Taejung and Yigyeom, who had retired to bed early, gently stroked Kwon Taejung’s hair as if recharging himself, enjoying the kisses that had been absent throughout the evening.
Even when closing the cafe, when getting into the car after finishing work, Kwon Taejung, unable to resist, leaned over with a face that seemed impatient and kissed passionately for a long time. This continued before parking the car, and even inside the elevator on the way to the apartment.
Except when showering, their lips seemed to be constantly connected. Yigyeom delicately responded to the tip of Kwon Taejung’s tongue, which explored his mouth with pleasure. Every movement of their tongues added tension to the muscles inside his thighs.
“Ah…”
Large and warm hands slid inside the T-shirt, caressing his waist and trailing up his spine, gently teasing his nape. As the T-shirt lifted, exposing his back to the slightly cool air, Yigyeom shivered.
“Ha… I told Noona and Hyung today.”
Unable to answer directly due to the tongue that immediately continued to play, Yigyeom exhaled heavily and looked at Kwon Taejung.
“I told them about meeting in the redevelopment area, about being younger, and also…”
Kwon Taejung, who had been enjoying a long and deep kiss, playfully extended the wet lower lip without causing any pain.
“Even that I want to get married.”
“Ha…”
Breathing heavily, Yigyeom waited for Kwon Taejung’s next words. He was curious about their reactions, but he couldn’t bring himself to voice his concerns.
“I shocked them a bit by saying it so suddenly, but it wasn’t like those things you see in dramas, you know? ‘Are you crazy? Break up right now!’ That kind of thing.”
“Ah… I’m relieved.”
“You were worried?”
“Yes… There are many reasons for you to see me in a negative light, but it seems there’s no reason for you to see me in a positive one.”
Alone in the cafe, Kwon Taejung felt uneasy thinking that Yigyeom might have spent the whole evening contemplating. Kwon Taejung quietly stroked Yigyeom’s hair, gazing at his budding lips.
“Until now… there were many instances like that. When I was in school, at first, they approached me wanting to be friends… but when they found out I lived in the redevelopment area, they started avoiding me. Those who kept pestering me… would make strange demands…”
“Demands? What kind of demands?”
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.
“…Once… if I allowed it to happen, they said they would date me…”
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“No, no, it’s not that. It’s not that the conversation is uncomfortable; it’s just that I’m thinking about how to mess up the lives of those bastards who dared to say such things to you. It’s no big deal to track them down if I know their names.”
Watching Kwon Taejung speak seriously, Yigyeom smiled and gently pulled him back as if to lie down again, feeling content just being with him, remembering those times.
“It really pisses me off. Damn bastards.”
Even though he spat out curses, it didn’t seem scary at all. Yigyeom knew how affectionate Kwon Taejung normally was. He thought that he hoped his anger would subside quickly as he quietly watched Kwon Taejung, who had been led by his hand and was lying down again, gently stroking his head.
“The classmates, the teachers… There were too many reasons for them to dislike me. My parents aren’t around, my grandfather was busy working until that age, the place I used to live got redeveloped, and they didn’t even grant my simple requests…”
“…”
“Several years have passed, but nothing has changed for me. Instead, it’s become… even worse than back then. I’ve accumulated debts, and my grandfather passed away… That’s why I appreciated Chief, who treated even someone like me so well.”
Yigyeom recalled Kwon Taejung, who seemed to shine alone in the dim alley, knowing how warm-hearted he truly was. Kwon Taejung smiled, looked at him, and spoke kindly, wishing him to grow well.
“It was the first time… someone treated me so well. That’s why I liked you so much… so much.”
“Too much?”
“Yes… A lot, a lot.”
Kwon Taejung was like a cherry blossom tree that never withered even after spring had passed. Just as the large cherry blossom tree next to the dry cleaner’s provided a name for the season to Yigyeom, Kwon Taejung also took a moment each day to pause and let him catch his breath.
Though a bit quirky and perhaps a bit intense, the brief moments with Kwon Taejung provided Yigyeom with a time to breathe amid his busy life.
His bright smile, the hands reaching out to him without hesitation, and even the face that came close enough for him to feel his breath—all of these things made his heart flutter.
“…Because I like Chief… I want to make a good impression on Chief’s family… But no matter how much I think about it, I couldn’t find a reason why you would look favorably upon me, so I kept worrying.”
Wanting to give something good to Kwon Taejung, just as he gave him laughter, warmth, and kindness, Yigyeom wished to give something even greater than what he received. He also hoped that Kwon Taejung wouldn’t feel awkward in front of his family because of him.
“Why wouldn’t I have a reason to look favorably upon you? I’ll tell you now.”
Initially speaking while making eye contact, Kwon Taejung gradually lowered his head. Then, as if hiding entirely in his embrace, he gently lifted Yigyeom’s chin and, meeting his eyes once again, smiled.
“You live in the redevelopment area, without parents… and also have debts. Now your grandfather has passed away, leaving you alone. Realistically speaking, that’s the situation.”
“…”
“But is that all you are?”
Kwon Taejung’s hand, which was as comforting as his words, gently covered Yigyeom’s face. The warmth seeping in made Yigyeom’s eyes glisten.
“You’re warm and affectionate. You worry about my leg being sore when I enter your home uninvited, make hot chocolate for me even when I’m uncomfortable, and you’re kind enough not to scold me even when I’m more than an hour late and you wait for me in silence.”
Just realizing what meaning his small actions and words held for Kwon Taejung, it felt as if tears were about to fall. Holding back his tears, Yigyeom listened intently to Kwon Taejung’s words. He didn’t want to miss even the slightest sound, gaze, or breath.
“Even if you know I lied, you don’t scold me once and just lie down, turning your back to me. That’s all.”
“…”
“Even if you say you won’t see me again, there’s nothing for me to say, and you won’t avoid me intentionally. You also give me the courage to meet you first instead of getting angry when I bring you home while drunk.”
As they drew closer, and the focus blurred, their lips met without anyone saying who would initiate it. Yigyeom pressed his body even closer, feeling like Kwon Taejung’s words lingered on his tongue. Kwon Taejung was wonderful—so wonderful that he wanted to cry out loud.
For a while, they continued caressing each other’s faces and ears, teasing with their tongues and exploring each other’s mouths. When their lips finally separated, Yigyeom opened his eyes and fell in love with Kwon Taejung once again.
“When I found out you secretly sleep in the car, I worried, and you care enough to run to me even knowing what might happen to me when I mention the word ‘Rutra.'”
“…”
“You have the courage to express your feelings aloud, you know how to be loved, and you also know how to give.”
Taking Yigyeom’s hand and raising it to his lips, Kwon Taejung smiled. Seeing his smile, Yigyeom’s eyes, which had been teary, finally overflowed with tears. Kwon Taejung didn’t wait for Yigyeom to wipe his tears; he quickly approached him and covered the tears with his lips.
“Moreover, it’s so damn pretty when you cry. Your heart is so beautiful, and is it even possible for your face to be more beautiful? After achieving something difficult, why are you still so unsure of yourself?”
Placing his lips on his tear-soaked eyes and moving to the eyelashes, Kwon Taejung seemed unable to stand the tears and eagerly sought his lips.
Their wet breaths met on Kwon Taejung’s lips, and their tongues entwined on the roof of their mouths. Yigyeom embraced Kwon Taejung, caressing his hair, neck, and back while exchanging their tongues for a long time.
“Ha… Ha…”
When their lips finally parted, the pent-up breath rushed out. The disrupted breath mingled chaotically, and amid that, their lips touched occasionally, producing ticklish sounds.
“Ha… Noona and Hyung want to have a meal together. What do you think, Yigyeom?”
As Yigyeom was catching his breath, he lifted his wet eyelashes and met eyes with Kwon Taejung. Frankly, meeting Kwon Taejung’s family was not an easy thing to do. However, having seen them briefly in a department store and feeling that they were good people like Kwon Taejung, he wasn’t overly worried about meeting them again.
“If it’s okay with both of them… I would like that too.”
“Noona was curious about you since she saw you at the department store. She must want to meet you officially since I’m meeting you. It’s not a difficult situation; just think of it as a simple meal. It would be nice if Noona and Hyung sided with us.”
Smiling, Yigyeom nodded his head and nestled his face in Kwon Taejung’s embrace once again, closing his eyes.
“Noona and Hyung are really good people. They’re true angels, except when I’m working; they’re merciless then. If they say I’m the worst and have no manners at home, it makes sense.”
“Chief is also… a good person.”
“Really?”
“Yes… I don’t like bad people.”
Whenever Yigyeom expressed his likes and dislikes based on his own standards, Kwon Taejung found it too adorable, making it difficult for him to just watch quietly. Expressing love for bad people out loud might not be common, but when Yigyeom did it, it seemed excessively charming, as if his heart would burst.
“Gyeom-ah, am I really kind?”
“Yes…”
“Am I handsome?”
“Yes…”
“Do you like me?”
“…Yes…”
The last answer, spoken with a bit more shyness, had a softer and drawn-out tone. Looking down at Yigyeom’s blushing ear while embracing him and burying his face, Kwon Taejung, with a subtle smile, hugged him tightly and pressed his lips into his hair.
“Then, do you love me?” The next question, lingering in his mouth, was something he thought he should ask on a day with bright and beautiful sunshine, while looking into each other’s eyes.
