BHB 134

As Taegang leaned over simply to fasten Yeowon’s seatbelt with no ulterior motive, he suddenly paused and gazed intently at Yeowon. His eyes fixed on the monolid that became a double eyelid at the corner of Yeowon’s elongated eyes, and he pressed his lips there. The soft smack echoed in the car, causing Yeowon’s face to stiffen even more.

“What, what are you doing?”

Though they’d had sex even before dating, and despite Yeowon accommodating Taegang’s vulgar sexual style, he was particularly embarrassed by these small affectionate gestures. Every one of these bashful reactions was incredibly stimulating to Taegang.

“…Because you’re so damn handsome.”

Whenever Taegang realized that this person, whom everyone coveted and desired, was now his, his heart swelled. It drove him crazy, and his possessiveness and desire to monopolize surged uncontrollably. It was the same now. Investment or business, whatever Yeowon would do in the future, Taegang wanted to keep him locked away. He wanted to somehow hide this person whom others couldn’t help but desire, to be the only one who could undress and consume him for a lifetime.

“What’s… suddenly…” Yeowon let out an awkward laugh and lowered his gaze. 

Taegang followed the avoiding face, bending his head to press his lips against Yeowon’s. Unlike before, it was a deep kiss. After a moment of apparent surprise, Yeowon wrapped his arms around Taegang’s neck and hesitantly parted his lips. Taegang responded to even this small reaction and delved deeper.

He sucked on Yeowon’s moist tongue and swallowed his saliva almost obsessively. With nowhere to retreat against the aggressive kiss, Yeowon was trapped against the seat, turning his head to accommodate Taegang’s kiss.

“Ha…”

A moist breath escaped between their connected lips. It was impossible to tell whose it was. Both were equally focused on the kiss and equally aroused. While fiercely entwining his tongue and pushing it deep toward Yeowon’s throat, Taegang kept his eyes open, watching him. When his gaze met Yeowon’s half-opened eyes, Taegang felt an even more intense heat coursing through his body.

“…Shall we?” Taegang whispered lowly after rubbing his lips against Yeowon’s and giving them a small suck. 

Momentarily lost in the kiss, Yeowon blinked with a deliberately surprised expression. “…Here?”

“…You don’t want to?”

“No… today is just… strange.”

“What is?”

“No, it’s just… getting like this as soon as we meet…” Yeowon was bewildered by Taegang’s immediately aroused state.

“…I thought you’d be in a bad mood.” He murmured softly, caressing Taegang’s face. 

In response to the affectionate touch, Taegang pressed his face even closer to that hand, in a manner unlike him.

“Why would I be?”

“…You don’t like me meeting with the boss.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I met that boss today, though?”

“I know. That bastard’s cologne is strong.”

“…Then why do you seem in a good mood?” Yeowon asked with a deflated laugh. 

He had naturally assumed Taegang would be in a bad mood. Taegang always became particularly sensitive on days when Yeowon met that boss, and he hadn’t liked Yeowon’s decision to take this job in the first place. So it was curious that his mood seemed better than expected.

“Sometimes.” Taegang broke the kiss and pressed his lips against one of Yeowon’s cheeks.

“…Sometimes it feels like an illusion.” Then he whispered with his lips still against his skin.

His large hand played with Yeowon’s opposite ear, then pushed his fingers through his hair. It felt like a movement that didn’t want to let go. He pressed close like a large beast struggling not to break away and poured his voice into Yeowon’s ear.

“…That you’re mine.”

At that moment, a small laugh burst out as if Yeowon couldn’t hold it in anymore. Taegang pulled his head back slightly to look at him, and Yeowon curled his lips inward to suppress his laughter before opening them again.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing… it just doesn’t suit you when you talk like that.”

“…What doesn’t?”

“It’s too tender. It really doesn’t match you.”

“You’re ruining the mood again.” Taegang lightly chided Yeowon, who was grinning mischievously. 

Yeowon hastily shook his head in denial. “No. I like it too.”

“……”

“…It’s awkward… but I do like it.”

“……”

“I can feel how much you like me.” Yeowon caressed Taegang’s face again with his characteristic refreshing smile. Then, looking straight at Taegang with an amused gaze, he continued, “…It’s good to know.”

Taegang gently raised the corners of his mouth and nuzzled his face more deeply against Yeowon’s skin. Finding the intimate skinship both embarrassing and ticklish, Yeowon twisted his body and pulled away slightly. 

Through the space created between them, he looked directly at Taegang and said softly, “…Let’s do it at home.”

“……”

“It’s uncomfortable here.”

And as always, he took the upper hand with words that left Taegang spellbound. Although Yeowon was always the one who yielded, Taegang thought he would never be able to win against him in his lifetime. He didn’t even want to think about defeating the person who accepted him so completely.

***

Yeowon woke up late and habitually felt for the space beside him. Recently, they had always slept together, so the absence of someone next to him felt unfamiliar. That seemed to be what had woken him. Yeowon sat up with a drowsy face.

Something had switched on in Taegang, and he hadn’t let Yeowon go until early morning. He always had sex like this. Once he started, he knew no moderation, losing focus in his eyes and his reason. They had had intense sex as if they might break each other. To the point where Yeowon wondered if that was simply his sexual preference.

Yeowon headed out of the bedroom, clutching his sore waist. Taegang wasn’t in the bedroom. The house was so spacious that it took time to find him. Gripping the second-floor railing and looking down at the open space below, Yeowon saw him talking on the phone near the window. Taegang must have also woken up recently, as he was bare-chested with only training pants hastily pulled on.

Taegang’s face was expressionless as he talked on the phone. It was the Taegang that others saw. A cold face showing no interest or concern for the world. Yeowon watched that face while leaning on the railing. These days, when he saw that face, Taegang seemed like a stranger. Though his default expression was similar, when he was with Yeowon, some emotion was always visible on his face. Whether it was irritation or a subtle smile, pleasure or his habitual look of anxiety. His characteristic angry face always had underlying anxiety.

“Ha. I’m sure I told you not to interfere.”

His expressionless face contorted like a demon’s. Seeing his face twist so fiercely, it seemed the person on the other end had considerably provoked him.

“Why would you even go there—” Taegang spoke again irritably, pushing his bangs back, “Fuck, why should I.”

Since starting work, Taegang had been acting more mature. Not just because of his position, but because he now had subordinates. Whether they were secretaries or supervisors, he wasn’t sure, but a car was always waiting for him when he went to work, and they moved together whenever he had business to attend to, and menial tasks were delegated to lower employees, so he didn’t have many difficult tasks. Perhaps because of this, he seemed to be more sparing with his words and restrained his rough speech patterns from his student days.

But the content of the call must have greatly displeased him, as his manner of speaking now was like the usual Taegang. Like a rebellious kid.

Yeowon went downstairs and approached Taegang, who was clicking his tongue harshly. “What is it? What’s got you so heated?”

Taegang glanced at the phone he had thrown onto the sofa and then turned his head calmly to look at Yeowon.

“…You’re up?”

“Yeah. What is it?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“But I am worried.”

“It’s not something you need to worry about.” Taegang said dismissively, as if he didn’t even want to talk about it. 

While many things had changed since they started dating, one thing that hadn’t changed was his occasional habit of making such dismissive remarks. The kind that subtly made people feel bad.

“It’s not something I should worry about?”

“There’s no need for you to worry.”

Whether or not it was something to worry about, he could simply answer when asked, but Taegang always tried to avoid even mentioning things he disliked.

Taegang evaded the answer and headed to the dining room, and Yeowon watched him quietly before following and placing his hands on the island counter. He looked at Taegang’s broad back as he prepared something to eat.

“I woke up in a good mood.” Yeowon gazed intensely at his back and spoke calmly, “…But it got shitty real quick?”

No need to worry about it? What nonsense. Yeowon narrowed his eyes and rolled his tongue in his mouth. Taegang’s movements stopped, and a soft sigh followed. Though he really seemed reluctant to speak, he turned around to face Yeowon across the island counter.

“…Family gathering.”

Taegang dropped this reluctantly and avoided Yeowon’s gaze.

“That’s it? You got so upset over that? Even taking it out on me?”

When Yeowon asked with a face that showed his lack of understanding, Taegang turned his averted gaze back.

“With you.”

“So what… What?”

“They want me to bring you.”

“……”

“Maternal and paternal relatives will all be there, and at a place where even sixth cousins gather, they specifically want you.”

Taegang seemed irritated just thinking about it and swallowed a curse.

“…Why me?”

“Why do you think?”

“Why?”

“Either they want to humiliate you, or they’re curious.”

“…Why?”

“Because they can control me through you.”

In short, his family was curious about him. Whether they had called him to truly humiliate him face-to-face or to make him leave voluntarily wasn’t exactly clear, but even Yeowon, who wasn’t the brightest, knew well enough that their intentions were certainly not good.

Yeowon pondered for a moment, tapping his finger on the table. 

Tap, tap. 

The rhythmic sound continued for a while. In the time it took Taegang to open the refrigerator and take out some ice water, Yeowon spoke again, “…I’ll go.”