* * *

Jingyeom’s eyes flew open as he felt a soft sensation against his lips. What he saw was Soohyuk’s face, closer than ever.

They were so close that he could feel their noses brush against each other, and Soohyuk’s eyes, filled with intense desire, made chills run down Jingyeom’s spine.

He tried to shrink back, but the arm around his back stopped him.

With no other choice, Jingyeom tilted his head back, just enough to break the contact between their lips.

Soohyuk only stared at Jingyeom’s eyes as he tried to pull away, not moving a muscle.

He knew if he made any more moves, he wouldn’t be able to control himself.

Even just a brief touch of their lips had ignited a fierce desire within him.

All the suppressed urges he had buried deep were now surfacing.

He knew he should stop here, but instead, words escaped his mouth on their own.

“I want to.”

“…….”

“……Can I?”

He had to ask, because if he acted impulsively and Jingyeom pushed him away, the aftermath would be his to bear.

He was desperate to feel that sensation again before it slipped away.

The sudden change in the atmosphere left Jingyeom struggling to calm himself.

His heart pounded so hard that the numbers flashed clearly on his watch screen.

If his heartbeat went up just a bit more, the watch would set off a warning with flashing red lights.

His chest heaved as his breath quickened to match his racing heart.

With trembling eyes, Jingyeom looked down, unable to meet Soohyuk’s gaze that seemed to want to devour him whole.

Even before, whenever he looked at Soohyuk, his heart would always feel a strange tickling sensation, and now it was the same.

That ticklish feeling spread throughout his body, leaving him with a chilling sensation.

It was as if his fingertips were electrified, tingling with numbness.

The feeling was so unfamiliar that Jingyeom forgot to blink, and his vision slowly blurred, his eyes stinging.

‘It feels like my heart is going to burst….’

But it wasn’t the kind of pounding that came from pain or dizziness.

The only reason he could act naturally around Soohyuk even after receiving his confession was because Soohyuk had always set the mood to be relaxed and comfortable.

Now, seeing this entirely different gaze of his, Jingyeom realized something.

The Soohyuk who was exposing his true feelings felt like a completely different person.

It wasn’t that he seemed scary or unfamiliar.

Rather, it was a bizarre feeling—both eerie and yet strangely ticklish.

Jingyeom, feeling his lips dry out, unconsciously licked them and then flinched at his own action, hastily closing his mouth tight.

Soohyuk, who caught that sight, let out a bitter laugh.

“I was too hasty, wasn’t I?”

Even though he’d said he wouldn’t push his luck, he’d ended up building up expectations. It seemed there was still a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

Soohyuk pulled back a little, not wanting Jingyeom to get more scared.

He also let go of the arm that had been resting on Jingyeom’s shoulder.

Awry smile spread on his lips as he noticed his own fingers awkwardly clenched halfway into a fist.

“Hyung… should I go?”

He wanted to stay beside him until Jingyeom calmed down, but if he stayed, he might not be able to keep his distance.

So, he asked cautiously, even though he received no response.

Just as Soohyuk hesitated and was about to get off the bed, Jingyeom abruptly lifted his head.

Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed Soohyuk’s fingers, feeling like he shouldn’t let him go.

“Jingyeom-ah.”

“…….”

“If you do this, my heart’s going to start racing again.”

Jingyeom remained silent, his lips tightly shut like someone who knew they shouldn’t speak.

In reality, he didn’t know what to say, so he couldn’t open his mouth.

He should’ve told Soohyuk no when he asked if he could go further.

But even in that moment, his lips only twitched without a word coming out.

Why did I do that?

Was I just swept up in the mood?

If that were the case, I wouldn’t have pulled away—I would’ve clung to him instead.

But I didn’t do that.

Then again, I didn’t push him away, either.

I just stayed still, letting myself be held in his arms.

Was it because I was lonely? If it were, Wonbeom being here should’ve been enough to fill that void.

This is a different kind of feeling.

‘No way….’

The emotions he felt when he saw Wonbeom standing in the living room were distinctly different from what he felt when looking at Soohyuk today.

Soohyuk’s gaze was so captivating that it made him want to give in.

Did his own feelings finally start to mirror Soohyuk’s without him even realizing it?

Every time Soohyuk called himself his lover, kept in touch daily, and took care of him—Jingyeom knew he was gradually getting used to all those actions.

Even so, he thought he could keep himself grounded as long as he stayed centered…

‘I can’t… This really can’t happen.’

Jingyeom’s face twisted into a pained expression, and he hung his head low.

“……Jingyeom-ah?”

Startled, Soohyuk quickly cupped both of Jingyeom’s cheeks in his hands.

Jingyeom’s eyes, already moist, shimmered with unshed tears.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I was too selfish….”

“No, that’s not why….”

“Then why, why are you about to cry?”

Soohyuk stammered, visibly flustered.

The situation made him feel like he was to blame—as if Jingyeom’s tears were his fault for kissing him.

Jingyeom shook his head. It wasn’t Soohyuk’s fault; it was his own emotions spilling out uncontrollably.

Well, maybe Soohyuk was partly responsible.

If Soohyuk hadn’t come on so strongly, Jingyeom wouldn’t have been aware of these feelings.

“Hyung….”

“Yes, yes. Tell me. Why?”

“……Why do you like me?”

“What?”

“Why… do you like me?”

Soohyuk’s confusion melted away, replaced by a calmness.

“Because… my eyes kept going to you. And before I knew it, I started liking you more and more.”

“……Is it because of my face?”

“Are you asking if I like you just for your looks?”

When Jingyeom nodded slowly, Soohyuk let out a soft, incredulous laugh.

He knew Jingyeom had a handsome face.

Jingyeom knew it too.

Anyone who looked at him would agree.

Of course, looks played a part, but that wasn’t the only reason he liked Jingyeom.

If that were the case, he would have approached Jingyeom instead of Jinwoo from the start.

“I admit you’re good-looking, but I’m long past the age where I’d like someone just for their face. There are plenty of good-looking guys out there, even if they’re not quite at your level.”

Jingyeom’s tearful expression twisted slightly.

“And for the record, I’m pretty good-looking myself. Why would I settle for just a pretty face?”

“……Are you picking a fight with me?”

“No. I’m just setting things straight since you seem to be misunderstanding my feelings.”

“It really sounds like you’re picking a fight….”

“I’m saying I like you. Don’t lump me in with those who came after you just for your looks.”

Realizing his mistake, Jingyeom froze.

That wasn’t what he meant, but it seemed he had hurt Soohyuk’s feelings.

“I get why you’d misunderstand. You’ve dealt with plenty of people like that. But don’t say that to me again. If you doubt my feelings, I’ll prove them to you until you believe it.”

“……That’s not necessary.”

The way Soohyuk looked at him already conveyed more than enough.

“Did you really think I kissed you without loving you?”

“No.”

“Then why? I can’t go like this. I won’t be able to focus because it’ll bother me all the way there, and even after I arrive, it’ll keep lingering in my mind, making it impossible to work.”

Before they knew it, it was almost 2 a.m.

Originally, they should have left no later than midnight, but Jingyeom had delayed the time, wanting to spend even a bit more time with Soohyuk.

“Don’t tell me… did you hate my lips that much?”

“…”

“…Really?”

When Jingyeom hesitated, Soohyuk’s face showed genuine hurt.

He had thought that Jingyeom had started to like him even a little, but maybe he was completely mistaken.

Had it all been in his head?

“Wow… This is…”

Soohyuk stepped back, stunned.

Covering his mouth with his hand, he couldn’t continue speaking due to the shock that refused to fade.

He stared blankly at the ground, sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.

Until now, no matter what Jingyeom did, it had been fine, but this time it really hurt.

His chest tightened painfully; the impact was huge.

In truth, Jingyeom didn’t hesitate because he disliked it—quite the opposite.

He was just so overwhelmed.

When he realized that Soohyuk misunderstood, he wanted to say that wasn’t the case, but seeing Soohyuk’s wounded expression, he moved before he spoke.

Jingyeom held Soohyuk’s face in both hands, forcing him to look at him.

“…It wasn’t that I didn’t like it.”

“…”

“I didn’t dislike it. Your lips…”

Then Jingyeom rose to his knees and pressed his lips against Soohyuk’s.

Having no memory of ever kissing or being kissed, he pressed hard, like a woodpecker striking a tree with its beak, making it hurt a little, but he didn’t pull back.

It wasn’t a kiss that moved. It was tense and rigid—really, it was a combative kiss.

And neither of them closed their eyes.

They kept staring at each other.

Seeing Soohyuk’s wide, surprised eyes, Jingyeom slowly shifted his gaze to the side.

He couldn’t maintain eye contact after initiating the kiss; he was too embarrassed.

Even so, he didn’t want to let go, so he pressed harder instead.

As Soohyuk tried to gently pull back from the pressure on his lips, Jingyeom’s eyes, which had been looking to the side, quickly returned to him.

Soohyuk let out a small, choked laugh, the corners of his eyes softly curving as he gave a tight-lipped smile.

He liked it so much he didn’t want to let go, but he worried Jingyeom’s lips might get hurt from being pressed so hard.

Gently cradling Jingyeom’s cheek, he slowly pulled back.

“Do you like my lips that much?”

“I-I said I didn’t dislike them, not that I liked them—mmph.”

Jingyeom couldn’t finish his words before Soohyuk’s lips swallowed them.

It wasn’t like the light peck earlier when they’d simply pressed lips together.

It was a deep kiss, where their warmth intermingled.

As if unwilling to let go of a taste he’d gotten a hint of, Soohyuk was relentless.

He knew he should be considerate of Jingyeom, who was experiencing his first kiss, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop.

When Soohyuk finally withdrew his lips, he lightly brushed against Jingyeom’s now glistening lips.

Jingyeom, who was struggling to breathe after failing to catch his breath during the kiss, looked as if his face would explode, flushed red all over.

Soohyuk, who had been mesmerized by the sight, snapped back to reality when the beeping sound of Jingyeom’s watch, which hadn’t been there before, rang in his ears.

He checked Jingyeom’s condition.

“Shouldn’t we go to the hospital?”

“…No need.”

“But I can hear the beeping from your watch…”

“I said I’m fine!”

Jingyeom, raising his voice, buried his face into Soohyuk’s shoulder.

His heart was racing, but it was all because of the kiss, not because he was in pain.

The heart that hadn’t rested properly for a while now sent out alarms as if it couldn’t take it anymore.

Yet, even as he heard the warning sounds, Jingyeom had a strange certainty that nothing would happen.

Jingyeom felt like he was going crazy, the sensations from the kiss still vivid in his mind.

‘…What have I done? Ah!’

If Soohyuk hadn’t been right next to him, he would have been thrashing around.

“Tell me if it hurts.”

“I told you, that’s not it!”

Soohyuk burst into a delighted laugh. He had asked out of worry even though he knew why Jingyeom’s heart was racing.

“What should I do with you?”

Jingyeom, flushed red from his ears down to his neck, was so lovely that Soohyuk couldn’t find any other way to express it but to hold him tight.

He savored the happiness for a moment, but soon reality hit him with the fact that he had to leave.

For a split second, he entertained the dangerous thought of taking out President Kim and all the opposing executives, then placing Wonbeom in the president’s seat.

‘Either I need to wrap things up quickly, or…’

He knew that Jingyeom hadn’t responded out of love.

He was just caught up in the mood.

But even so, the fact that Jingyeom hadn’t pushed him away and had initiated the kiss himself gave Soohyuk a huge sense of hope.

It was the moment he realized he held a bigger place in Jingyeom’s heart than he had imagined.

* * *