* * *
“Ah… I still feel like I can taste cum in my mouth…”
I wasn’t even fully aware of what I was saying, or why.
The words slipped out almost unconsciously—yet Taehwan responded immediately.
“Yeah? Stick out your tongue.”
“Like this?”
“More.”
Only after I stretched it out until it almost ached at the root did he seem satisfied, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He grabbed my tongue between his fingers and seemed to inspect it for a moment… then suddenly, he bit it—not with his teeth, but with his lips.
“Hold still.”
I flinched and tried to pull back in surprise, but as if he had anticipated it, Taehwan was quicker.
Like a puppy that had just been told to “stay” by its owner, I froze in place as Taehwan leaned in again.
He slipped my tongue deep into his mouth without hesitation, dragging his lips along it as he pulled back, then swallowed it again.
He repeated the motion several times, even suckling with wet, smacking noises.
“Nngh, ah…”
He was sucking on my tongue.
Not just once—over and over.
Again and again.
And every time he swallowed it deep, the tip of my tongue would brush lightly against his… making my body tingle in the strangest way.
That he was sucking on my tongue—it was… weird.
And yet, I liked it.
The sensations seeping through the sensitive mucous membrane made my head swim.
I don’t know how long it went on for, but eventually, Taehwan pulled away and licked his lips thoughtfully.
“Doesn’t taste like cum anymore.”
“Ah… then… maybe it’s still inside my mouth?”
“Could be.”
What the hell was I saying?
My face burned hot enough to burst.
I couldn’t bring myself to look at him and kept my gaze lowered.
Realistically speaking, if I really wanted my mouth clean, rinsing with water would be the most effective way.
Having someone lick the inside of your mouth?
That was neither efficient nor normal.
And yet… despite knowing it was strange, I wanted it.
I wanted to lean into Taehwan more.
I wanted to feel what I had just felt… again.
In the end, I gave in to the desire spreading through my entire body.
“Taehwan… um, could you… clean me…?”
Before I could even finish asking, his large hand—bigger than my entire face—wrapped around the back of my neck and head, pulling me in.
In an instant, my world was filled with only one person: Im Taehwan.
“Mmph—”
Even though I was the one who asked for it, I reflexively shut my lips tight like a startled clam the moment Taehwan came closer.
He was too near—his breath, his face.
He pulled me in close by the back of my head and my waist until we were fully pressed together.
It felt like our heartbeats might sync.
His tongue gently teased my clenched lips, slipping between them, tapping at my teeth like a soft knock.
“Jaehee, open up.”
“…”
“Say ah.”
I was embarrassed, but after being under his care for so long, I couldn’t resist when Taehwan used that voice to say “ah.”
Like Pavlov’s dog, my lips parted before my brain could even catch up, and Taehwan, as if waiting for just that moment, tilted his head and dove in without hesitation.
“Mmmph… nn…”
Before I could react, our tongues intertwined.
Hot, wet, and soft, he filled my mouth completely, not stopping there—he persistently teased every sensitive spot.
A shiver ran down my spine and my breath quickly grew ragged.
You’d think he’d ease up by now, but Taehwan only deepened the kiss, greedily swallowing even my gasps and moans, pushing further and further in as if mocking me.
Every time his tongue brushed mine, a dull ache built below and sparks danced up my spine.
At some point, I found myself lying flat on the floor with Taehwan on top of me, stroking my cheek as his lips remained on mine.
His saliva dripped into my mouth, sweet, and every time our tongues tangled, my fingers, clumsily holding onto his arms, trembled.
‘This is basically ki—’
The thought was cut off. I had a strong sense I shouldn’t finish that word.
So instead, I emptied my head and focused solely on Taehwan—his breathing, the sensations he gave me.
I closed my fluttering eyes and wrapped my arms around his broad back as he leaned over me.
The porridge was finished quickly.
Not because I was any good at it, but because I had a highly skilled helper.
Unlike me, who was slow and clumsy with the knife, Taehwan handled everything with ease.
Watching him slice and prep ingredients with the speed and precision of a professional chef was enough to leave me dazed.
His skills were so impressive that I lost even the will to insist on doing it myself.
So I kept my mouth shut and stirred the pot, mentally noting that after learning basic hand-to-hand combat, knife skills should be next.
Sure, cooking and combat knives are different—but even so, I had to improve.
At least then my cuts wouldn’t be so uneven.
Thanks to my competent assistant, I was able to offer a steaming pot of porridge to Taehwan, who must have been starving.
A whole pot’s worth!
“It’s warm and delicious.”
“Yeah? That’s a relief. I haven’t made it in a while, so I wasn’t confident. Eat up!”
He must’ve been really hungry—he devoured it at lightning speed.
By the time he finished his third bowl, I felt a swelling pride in my chest.
Sure, Taehwan had helped a lot, but the recipe was mine.
I did the seasoning.
Thinking back, all that had started because Taehwan suddenly got hard.
That led to some sucking, something like a kiss, and a rather heated atmosphere… but I was relieved we somehow returned to normal.
…Now, it was time to deal with something else.
“Hey, Taehwan.”
“Yeah?”
“There’s something I need to tell you…”
“…What is it?”
I cautiously set my spoon down.
The opportunity had passed earlier when we suddenly became distant, but now—I had to say it.
If I waited any longer, it might be too late.
Taking a deep breath, I confessed.
“I think… I might be gay.”
Taehwan, who had just refilled his bowl and was about to eat again, glanced over at me.
He popped a spoonful into his mouth, chewed, even had a bite of kimchi before finally replying.
“What’s this all of a sudden?”
“Ah… well, I just felt like I needed to say it…”
Because we’re housemates.
Because we’ve been friends for so long.
Because every time I found out he’d kept something from me, it hurt.
I wanted to be the one to say it before he found out on his own.
To me, it felt like a serious confession—but Taehwan’s reaction was oddly flat.
Not even a flicker of emotion crossed his face.
He just kept eating like his appetite had come back.
After swallowing, he finally opened his mouth again.
“This isn’t about what we did today, is it?”
“N-No! It’s not because of that…”
“…Then what?”
Still, I was sure he’d react to what I was about to say next.
I had no doubt.
This time, I needed to prepare myself properly.
I bowed my head and clenched my fists tightly in my lap.
“I kissed a guy and… I guess you could say we had a thing? Anyway, it felt good……”
“What the hell. Did what? How far did it go?”
“N-no! The kiss just… happened, and besides that we only hugged and held hands. I didn’t do the stuff I did with you.”
“With who? What kind of bastard laid hands on you?”
“Ugh……”
Of course, he exploded in anger.
I expected it, but now that I was actually witnessing it, my body froze up.
He wouldn’t really go confront that person, right?
I didn’t want to cause any trouble.
Worry crept in and made my whole body go cold, but… I trusted Taehwan.
I believed he wouldn’t put me in a difficult situation.
Even if he’s angry, he’ll talk with me and come to an agreement.
Still clenching my hands tightly, I barely managed to speak.
“It’s with… the ‘Gray Coat’ Hunter……”
“Ah. Him.”
“Yeah……”
“Haa… and here I was wondering who it could be.”
…Huh?
Just a second ago, Taehwan looked like he was about to burst with rage.
But now, suddenly, all that fire seemed to disappear, and his expression turned blank.
Was it just my imagination?
Or… was it because it was him that he felt relieved?
I thought he’d be mad no matter who it was, even if it was ‘Gray Coat’—but he didn’t seem all that bothered.
“Is there anyone else besides him?”
“Wha—no! He’s the only one!”
“…I see.”
Now he looked a bit more at ease… Was it just my eyes playing tricks?
One way or another, Taehwan used to talk about Gray Coat a lot.
Since he was someone I could communicate with through the old man, he wasn’t exactly a total stranger.
Maybe that’s why he’s okay with it?
Or maybe… because he knows I like the guy, he doesn’t want to get in the way?
Still… it felt kind of weird.
I expected a stronger reaction.
It was… anticlimactic.
My chest felt oddly unsettled.
Logically, though, this was a good thing.
If Taehwan didn’t have a problem with it, that was a relief.
I decided to move on to the next topic.
“So, um…”
“What? There’s more?”
“Because of… all that, I think maybe it’s time I move out of this house.”
* * *
