LM 115

Side Story: To Be With You

“No way.”

Kwon Siyul’s mouth fell open at the firm reply. His eyes opened wide. He had expected Kwon Yuwon to react this way, but the other man was more resolute than he had anticipated.

“Why not? You’ve been coming home late these days, or not at all.”

“Is that the same as living together?”

Kwon Siyul grumbled, and Kwon Yuwon clenched his fist and glared at him. His already large eyes widened, showing the whites, which was rather intimidating. Still, Kwon Siyul didn’t back down. He steeled his resolve, glaring back with equally fierce eyes.

“What’s the difference?! It’s the same. And when you weren’t here, I already…”

“That was because I had circumstances and couldn’t help it.”

Kwon Yuwon slammed his non-alcoholic beer on the table, cutting Kwon Siyul off. Kwon  Siyul pouted. He shot Kwon Yuwon a protesting look, but Kwon Yuwon ignored him, picking at his snacks.

“Absolutely not. Living together when you’re not even married? Don’t be ridiculous.”

The way he was talking, he sounded like a crotchety old man in a Joseon-era hanbok. Feeling frustrated, Kwon Siyul chugged his beer.

It started out like this. His work was settled, Woo Hyunse kept poking him to come back, and Kwon Siyul was growing increasingly anxious as the time he spent with his partner dwindled while living in the inn.

So, he tried to persuade Kwon Yuwon to finally move out, but that Alpha seemed to be as stubborn as ever, refusing as soon as Kwon Siyul brought the matter up.

“Is it because of the rent?”

He cautiously asked if he was worried about having to pay the rent alone. Kwon Yuwon snapped at him, as if he thought the other’s words were petty.

“Then why?”

Kwon Yuwon remained silent. Rather than scolding, coaxing and acting pitiful usually worked on him. Kwon Siyul looked at Kwon Yuwon with teary eyes. At first, Kwon Yuwon looked away, but he eventually gave in to the puppy-dog eyes.

“I don’t like that Woo Hyunse. I don’t like him.”

“Why? What’s wrong with Hyunse hyung?”

“Hyung, my foot. He’s an old geezer. Why do you call someone eight years older than you ‘hyung’? Call him ‘ajusshi’ or ‘grandpa.’”

“Grandpa is a bit much.”

He didn’t want to treat Woo Hyunse, who didn’t even have a single gray hair on his head, as if he were an old man. Kwon Siyul protested timidly, and Kwon Yuwon scoffed. He playfully punched Kwon Siyul on the arm, grumbling that he was already taking his side.

“Anyway, no way. I’m against it.”

“Ah, Kwon Yuwon.”

Kwon Siyul shook his arm, pleading, but Kwon Yuwon shook his head. He was an adult now, and Kwon Yuwon wasn’t his guardian, so he didn’t need his permission, but he still wanted to be formally acknowledged by someone who was like a brother to him.

“Really not?”

“Nope.”

Seeing him like that, he was left with no other choice. It was better to retreat for today and try again later. Unlike other issues, Kwon Siyul didn’t want to give up on moving out easily.

“Okay. But…”

He had to vent his frustration. Kwon Siyul finished his beer and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Kwon Yuwon, who had been sitting sideways and looking into the distance, turned his head toward Kwon Siyul right then. He met his gaze.

“You can’t stay out either.”

“What?”

Kwon Yuwon asked in disbelief. Kwon Siyul didn’t waver, not in the slightest.

“Set a curfew too. 12 a.m.”

“Hey.”

“Let’s be fair. I won’t stay out either. I’ll keep the curfew.”

“What are we, teenagers? You’re just mad at me for stopping you from living together.”

“Scared?”

Kwon Yuwon narrowed his eyes. He didn’t hesitate for long. “Fine,” he said, readily accepting Kwon Siyul’s challenge.

“Three strikes and you’re out.”

“Three is too many. One.”

Kwon Yuwon raised the stakes. Kwon Siyul shouted “Deal!” and accepted the condition.

“The winner gets to make a wish.”

“Alright. Be prepared.”

Kwon Yuwon thumped his chest, confident that he would never lose. Kwon Siyul’s eyes gleamed. With his independence on the line, he was ready to give it his all.

He had quit his part-time job at the barbecue restaurant, so the 12 a.m. curfew wasn’t going to be too much of a problem. He just had to adjust his meeting times with Woo Hyunse. He had wanted to share the good news. Kwon Siyul’s shoulders slumped as he glumly got into the car.

“Did it go well?”

Since the result wasn’t good, Kwon Siyul couldn’t even smile when he saw Woo Hyunse. He couldn’t bring himself to speak. The other man must have been expecting it. Kwon Siyul hesitated, and then started to explain the situation to him.

“Yuwon was very firm…”

Kwon Siyul had naturally assumed that Woo Hyunse would take him home regardless of Kwon Yuwon’s opinion. But surprisingly, he stepped back and waited for Kwon Siyul’s decision. Compared to the past when he had locked him up and not allowed him to leave the room, it was a huge improvement.

Kwon Siyul continued to chatter. When he mentioned the bet, Woo Hyunse chuckled softly. He ruffled Kwon Siyul’s hair affectionately, put his arm around his neck, pulled him close, kissed his cheek, and then playfully nipped at him.

He bit his soft cheek with his lips, stretching it like mochi, and only let go after Kwon Siyul pushed him away. His reddened skin was covered in saliva. Woo Hyunse gently wiped Kwon Siyul’s cheek with his thumb.

Despite the outcome not meeting his expectations, Woo Hyunse didn’t show any disappointment. It could be that he might have anticipated this result all along.

“But isn’t 12 a.m. too early?”

“Yuwon has been coming home around 2 a.m. these days. His part-time job ends early, though.”

He hadn’t set the curfew at 12 a.m. for no reason. This was a game he was sure to win. And he had to win.

“Smart.”

“So, I can’t stay long. I have to go back soon.”

Kwon Siyul glanced at his watch and saw that it was already 10:30 p.m. Time was flying by, even though they hadn’t done anything special.

“Then come up here.”

Woo Hyunse patted his thigh. He remembered this happening before. He had hesitated then, but not now. Not wanting to waste a single second, Kwon Siyul quickly straddled Woo Hyunse’s lap. He wrapped his arms around his neck, and kisses rained down on his face. Kwon Siyul’s toes curled up instinctively.

“I’m definitely going to win.”

Woo Hyunse lowered his head to Kwon Siyul’s neck. He rubbed the tip of his prominent nose against the exposed skin and inhaled deeply. Kwon Siyul giggled and shrugged. The sweet scent of wisteria wafted out, filling the car. Woo Hyunse’s forearm tightened around Kwon Siyul’s back.

“Should I help you?”

He looked up and asked him this. Kwon Siyul cupped his face in his hands and lightly kissed him, just as Woo Hyunse had done. He slowly pushed away Woo Hyunse, who was about to pounce, and pressed his forehead against his.

“How?”

“There are many ways. First, we could make sure Park Hae-jeong can’t go home.”

“Ah.”

That was one way. Kwon Yuwon was late because of Park Hae-jeong most of the time. But he didn’t want to resort to such underhanded tactics. Kwon Siyul wanted to compete fairly.

“It’s okay. I’ll handle it myself. It won’t last long.”

Kwon Yuwon was much more impatient than him. He would give up in less than a month. Woo Hyunse stared at him as he smiled confidently, then tilted his head to one side and devoured his lips. He sucked on them and forced his way in like a thirsty man. Kwon Siyul flinched and slowly closed his eyes. The cool, sweet scent of the birch forest filled his nostrils.

Even though he knew the outside couldn’t be seen from the inside, and that this was a secluded place where people didn’t pass by, he couldn’t help but worry that someone might come and catch them in the act. Kwon Siyul peeked out the window. Woo Hyunse gently grabbed Kwon Siyul’s chin and turned his face toward him.

“Ah,” Kwon Siyul said, leaning back and lowering his gaze. The lap he was sitting on had already swollen thickly. He was in a similar state. His fair earlobe and outer ear instantly turned crimson.

But this wasn’t the right place. He had to pull himself together while he still had some reason left. Kwon Siyul tried to get down quickly, but Woo Hyunse’s arm around his waist only tightened.

“Not here.”

“There’s no time to go to a hotel.”

“Still…”

Kwon Siyul glanced at his watch. He only had about an hour until curfew. The timing was too tight to move this anywhere else.

But he couldn’t do it here. Kwon Siyul clenched and unclenched his fists, suppressing the rising urge. He tried not to breathe in the scent that filled the car, and he tried to calm the tingling in his stomach. But the more he tried, the worse it got.

The air he inhaled and then released was filled with Woo Hyunse’s scent, and his skin was getting wet despite his efforts to stop himself from sweating.