BHB 5

“Don’t say that, just stay a little longer…”

“I told you, I’m not feeling well.”

“…”

“Just because others are curious about me doesn’t mean I have to socialize with them.”

This damn hot temper.

Even knowing it was unnecessary self-consciousness, Yeowon couldn’t stop the words from coming out. As he was about to hurriedly pass by Jeon Chaemin, feeling miserable self-loathing, a fair, smooth hand grabbed his arm.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“…”

“Get home safely. See you next time.”

Jeon Chaemin concluded with a forced gentle smile. It was the composure befitting an older person. The image of a considerate senior tolerating a younger colleague’s outburst.

Feeling self-loathing, Yeowon wearily rubbed his face. This was always the reason for fighting with Lee Taegang too. Failing to control momentary emotions and blurting out words recklessly. Inwardly cursing at his pathetic self, Yeowon nodded towards Jeon Chaemin.

“…I’m sorry for speaking so rudely.”

At the honest apology, Chaemin let out a faint, deflated laugh.

“It’s okay. You’re not feeling well, so it’s understandable. Go on home. Should I call you a taxi?”

At the question asked as if taking care of a younger sibling, Yeowon awkwardly lifted the corners of his mouth and shook his head. He simply bowed his head in farewell once more and quickly left the place. Then he immediately hailed a taxi on the street. His only thought was to get home quickly and rest.

**

After roughly washing with cold water and collapsing onto the bed, Yeowon buried his face in the pillow and exhaled deeply, his chest heaving. As he closed his eyes, all of today’s events flashed by like a kaleidoscope. His pathetic actions and the scene of those two’s lovemaking, which had replayed in his mind hundreds of times, played out again.

A closed external space. Jeon Chae-min, who was outwardly a kind senior, was bent over a desk like a dog, legs spread. His transparent skin flushed red as he panted sweetly with breaths that stimulated all five senses, urging Taegang on.

Unlike the impatient Chaemin, Taegang was relaxed. It wasn’t the first time he had seen his erect d1ck, but it was the first time he had seen it so obscenely entering and exiting another’s private parts. No, it was the first time he had seen Taegang having s3x. Though he was smiling leisurely, his breathing was irregular. His face that flinched with each movement and the rough hands gripping soft skin. It was evidence of his excitement. And the red flesh raising its veins to the point of looking ferocious. The squelching sounds it made without filter…

Yeowon suddenly lifted his head from the pillow. Then he looked down at his underwear-clad lower body with a shocked expression.

“What the hell…”

Seeing his half-erect d1ck, Yeowon felt his mind go blank.

So that was the reason for his constant discomfort. He had to admit it. It wasn’t the fact that Lee Taegang had kept a secret from him that bothered him the most—it was the fact that he had reacted to witnessing that scene. The scene wouldn’t leave his mind. More precisely, the image of Taegang enveloped in heat.

Taegang’s obscene expression visible through his shaking hair, his voice, and his movements, kept stirring him up chaotically. That sight had been shocking. Taegang’s new appearance focused on s3x and his face smiling lasciviously were stimulating him.

Yeowon was now getting aroused by his best friend.

Moreover, as soon as he heard Chaemin affectionately calling Taegang’s nickname, his blood boiled and the back of his neck stiffened. He had to grit his teeth as heat rose and his volatile temper flared up.

The reason for feeling so disgusted, the reason this disgusting feeling wouldn’t go away, the reason that scene wouldn’t leave his mind despite the disgust—all of it was a tangled mess. Strange emotions whirled around chaotically.

Beep. Even before his thoughts were finished, Yeowon heard the sound of the door lock clicking open. Startled, he hurriedly covered himself. He was still semi-erect, and there was only one person who would casually walk in using the passcode to his place.

“Damn it.”

At this moment, Yeo-won thought he should change the passcode tomorrow. It seemed he needed to prepare in advance for such unexpected situations.

The sound of Taegang’s footsteps entering the foyer and crossing the hallway could be heard. Yeowon wrapped himself tightly in the blanket and pretended to be asleep. As this was his first time doing such a thing, he even deliberately acted out his breathing, worried he might be caught.

Click. As the bedroom door opened, Yeowon’s shoulders stiffened. Though he felt self-loathing at what he was doing, he had no choice. He didn’t have the confidence to face Taegang, especially while still half-erect.

“Han Yeowon.”

A low voice resonated softly. Simultaneously, the mattress dipped under Lee Taegang’s weight. Yeowon felt the warmth of his body pressing against him from behind.

“Asleep?”

At the question checking on his unresponsive self, Yeowon forcibly swallowed his answer. He counted numbers inwardly, keeping his eyes tightly shut. He really wanted to sleep.

Whether Lee Taegang believed his act or not, he didn’t say anything more. However, he didn’t leave either. As Yeowon continued pretending to sleep, a warm sensation gently touched his forehead. Lee Taegang’s hand. Yeowon recognized it immediately—it was much larger than his own.

“You don’t have a fever…”

Lee Taegang muttered as he checked for a fever. It seemed he was double-checking after hearing he wasn’t feeling well. Soon after, a faint sigh was heard. Then the mattress shook once more and his warmth moved away. The sound of him taking off his coat and entering the bathroom was followed immediately by the sound of the shower running.

Only then did Yeowon finally let out a shaky breath, feeling like he could breathe again. He glared at the bathroom door, gritting his teeth. His own house is right next door, so why the hell is he showering here?

Yeowon squeezed his eyes shut again. He had to actually sleep now. Forcing himself to sleep seemed like the only way to escape this awkward situation.

But it wasn’t as easy as he thought. In less than 10 minutes, Lee Taegang came out from his shower and lay down next to him wearing only a bathrobe. This was routine. When they heard they’d both been accepted to the same university, they immediately rented rooms next door to each other in the same apartment. Just moving out of home using school as an excuse was exciting. Plus, they were free from parental surveillance, and there was the thrill of finally being adults.

But maybe renting next door to each other had been a mistake. Lee Taegang frequently came over to Yeowon’s place, and whenever he could, he would crawl into bed next to him and fall asleep, even though his bed was bigger and more comfortable than Yeowon’s. Over time, that had become the norm, as natural as waking up together in the morning.

But now, something felt terribly wrong. He could hear Lee Taegang’s steady breathing as he slept behind him. What used to be so normal now felt dangerously unsettling. Sleep wouldn’t come, and Yeowon’s eyes snapped open. Lee Taegang’s peaceful breathing sounded sensual, and the hand resting on his back felt provocative.

It was like being struck by lightning. The peaceful routine that had always been there was now crumbling around him.

**

In the end, Yeowon spent the night wide awake and couldn’t focus on his classes the next day either. He had thought about it all night but still couldn’t make sense of it.

That he was aroused by Lee Taegang? That he liked him? Nonsense. Why now? They’d known each other for 15 years. Besides, he’d dated women just fine until now. Though none of the relationships lasted long, but that was the same for Taegang too. They both lived without much worry, thinking their inability to maintain long-term relationships was due to their parents’ influence.

In fact, Yeowon’s parents had strayed and eventually found other partners. When they turned eighteen, Yeowon parents separated, and they could no longer live in that house. Dividing the house in half was one of the conditions for their amicable divorce. Though he could no longer live next door to Lee Taegang, which was disappointing, Yeowon had expected it. He had known since before he was old enough to understand that his existence wasn’t significant enough to prevent their divorce.

Perhaps because of this, Yeowon had dated a few times and had slept with women, but he had never stayed with one person for long. There had been women he liked, but he had never loved anyone passionately. To him, love was a distant, almost mythical emotions. He had always thought he was still too young to experience such intense emotions.

After thinking through it all, he came to one conclusion: it was a misunderstanding. He had just been living too cleanly lately. It was true that he hadn’t been with a woman or had sex for a while. The scene he had witnessed must have been stimulating simply because it was unexpected. After all, he had practically been abstinent, so it was only natural that such a vulgar scene would provoke a reaction, no matter who the people involved were.

“Ugh, my head’s killing me.”

Jo Suchan, who was sitting next to him, clutched his forehead and slumped over his desk. Their usual companion, Do Youngjae, seemed to have drunk himself into oblivion and had skipped class.

“How much did you drink?”

Yeowon asked casually, though his mind was clearly elsewhere.

“Until round three? Ugh, the seniors really made us drink. Those assholes. They were so full of themselves just because they were paying.”

“You should’ve left earlier.”

“But it was fun though. Having Chaemin Sunbae there definitely livened up the atmosphere.”

The sudden mention of that uncomfortable name made Yeowon’s expression briefly stiffen.