Chapter 12

Sangwoo’s fingers clenched tightly around his shoulders. “Have you lost your mind?” he squeaked. Without bothering to respond, Jaeyoung pressed his lips against the spot where he’d just bitten. Sangwoo’s dark mole stood out starkly against his pale skin, and he turned his attention to that next, causing the weirdo to flinch slightly under him. For a moment, Jaeyoung stayed in place, content with lapping lightly at Sangwoo’s skin and occasionally diving in for another nibble. How could he taste so sweet? What made him so special? Jaeyoung licked a trail from Sangwoo’s neck to his chin, then pressed a few kisses to one cheek before tracing his tongue around the little grooves of his ear. A low groan slipped from Sangwoo’s lips as Jaeyoung nibbled on his earlobe. Satisfied for the moment, he kissed Sangwoo again, savoring the feeling as he snaked his right hand around the weirdo’s waist, which was currently hidden under his navy plaid shirt. Sangwoo’s torso felt exactly as he’d imagined—lean, but muscular. A feeling that could only be described as ecstasy swept over Jaeyoung as he ran both hands over Sangwoo’s back. His fingers hungrily roamed over the younger man’s flat stomach, then traveled to his chest and played with his nipples before they settled again at his neck. Their lips finally broke apart. Sangwoo was panting heavily, his brow furrowed. Jaeyoung knew Sangwoo would recover faster if he breathed through his nose instead, but he was feeling too impatient to stop and give that piece of advice. His fingers kept slipping as he tried to unbutton Sangwoo’s shirt, though he was usually pretty good with his hands. It was the damn plaid shirt’s fault—it had way too many buttons. Jaeyoung only managed to make it through three before he accidentally ended up ripping through the rest, sending miniature white circles bouncing off the car’s seat to vanish into the shadows. He waited for Sangwoo to snap at him, but strangely, he didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. Instead, he reached out to grab Jaeyoung’s wrist. “Hey… Did you hear what I said?” “Yeah.” “I’m very…intoxicated. I don’t know what I’m doing…” “Got it… But damn, your chest…” Jaeyoung felt lightheaded and dizzy, like the alcohol Sangwoo had chugged was hitting him instead. He couldn’t hold himself back any further—he pressed his lips against Sangwoo’s bare torso, sucking on the skin and lapping at the enticing dip of his collarbone. Sangwoo’s thighs bucked under him. Jaeyoung felt the weirdo’s grip tighten on his arms, then flex as he tried to push him away. But Jaeyoung refused to let him go, pressing Sangwoo down firmly against the seat and continuing his exploration of his torso. “Nngh… Why…aren’t you listening to me?” Apparently, Jaeyoung’s brain had lost the ability to process language, because he couldn’t understand a word Sangwoo was saying. The only thing he registered was that Sangwoo was struggling relentlessly against him, but there was no real strength behind his limbs—likely because he was drunk and aroused. “No need to waste your breath,” Jaeyoung rasped. “Let your body do the talking.” His mouth traveled down to Sangwoo’s nipples, and he pulled one between his lips, teasing the other with his fingers. Sangwoo twitched and twisted every time Jaeyoung’s tongue made contact, his fingers tightening in his hair. Taking this to be a good sign, Jaeyoung tightened his grip around Sangwoo’s waist, holding on to him like he’d slip away if he wasn’t careful. The curve of the younger man’s spine was damp with sweat. Belatedly, Jaeyoung realized Sangwoo had tugged his shirt up around his neck. Without hesitation, he slipped off his jacket and short-sleeved tee in quick succession, tossing them into the backseat. His glasses slipped off his face, and his vision blurred, but he didn’t care—his attention was solely on Sangwoo, who was lying there and staring at him intently. He could almost feel the heat of Sangwoo’s gaze on his skin. “Hey, Sangwoo.” “Yes?” Jaeyoung almost laughed. Even in his disheveled state, with arousal burning in his eyes, Sangwoo had responded to him as diligently as if they were having a regular conversation. His gaze drifted down to the prominent bulge in Sangwoo’s jeans. Excitement filled him at the thought of pulling away yet another layer of Sangwoo’s defenses—gone now were the boring black clothes, the modest attitude… Beyond leagues of pale skin, what else would he find hidden within? “Who would’ve known you were hiding such a wild side?” Jaeyoung said with a smirk. “What the hell are you talking about, you… You pervert!” Grinning, Jaeyoung unbuckled Sangwoo’s belt, relieving the pressure on his erection, and immediately began to unbutton his jeans. “Wait,” Sangwoo said frantically, grabbing Jaeyoung’s hand. “What? I’m in the middle of something, you know.” “I have something important to say.” “Okay. Say it.” “But you’re not giving me a chance to speak!” “Don’t say it, then.” Jaeyoung swooped down and pressed his lips against Sangwoo’s, effectively blocking off whatever he was about to say next. His hands worked diligently, unzipping Sangwoo’s jeans and pulling them down. Even with his eyes closed, Jaeyoung could feel the cotton of the boxers. And then, at last, his fingers brushed against Sangwoo’s cock. As he mapped out uncharted territory, Sangwoo bit down on Jaeyoung’s lip, hard. Until that point, Jaeyoung had simply assumed that Sangwoo was just as hard as he was—it was a reasonable conclusion, based on the visible arousal on Sangwoo’s face, his unfocused gaze, trembling voice, and passionate kisses. But now, Jaeyoung could actually feel the truth of it in his hand. Any semblance of coherent thought disappeared from his mind, and he gripped Sangwoo’s dick through the damp fabric of his underwear, not bothering to engage in any gentle foreplay. Sangwoo’s body tensed, and he groaned under his breath. “You feel that, Sangwoo?” Jaeyoung asked pointedly. “What’s going on here?” “As the result of local stimulation… Blah blah-blah the corpora cavernosa of the penis… Blah-blah blah-blah an increase in blood flow…” Why’d I even ask? Jaeyoung sighed inwardly. Up to this point, Sangwoo had been mostly cooperative, but it was like a switch had flipped in him when Jaeyoung touched his genitals. The younger man desperately slapped his hands away, and whenever Jaeyoung’s hands ventured back toward the apparently forbidden area, he put up a vigorous defense. They soon found themselves locked in a standoff. “Nngh… No…” “What do you mean, no?” Jaeyoung growled. He was already suppressing the desire to pin Sangwoo under him and fuck him senseless—the only thing stopping him was the fact that Sangwoo would probably get hurt in the cramped car. Breathing heavily, Jaeyoung gripped Sangwoo’s wrists and forced him to meet his gaze. Sangwoo’s eyes were half-focused, filled with a mixture of torment and arousal. Jaeyoung felt the exact same way. Shit… At this rate, my dick will explode. His lower abdomen had been throbbing for the past few minutes, an unfortunate side effect of neglecting his erection for so long. He quickly unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down roughly. His boxer briefs were nearly glued to his skin and dripping wet from all the precum. Tugging both of their boxers down at the same time, Jaeyoung pressed his entire body against Sangwoo’s. When he grabbed their both of their cocks in one hand, Sangwoo twitched and desperately reached out to stop him. “I—I…I can do that myself…at home.” “You sure you wanna pass up the chance to cum while looking at my face?” “I do that anyway.” “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” “I don’t want to tell you… Ungh!” Jaeyoung’s fingers could barely wrap around both their shafts, but he squeezed them together and began to stroke roughly. The stimulation was way too intense, and he ended up collapsing breathless against the headrest despite wanting to continue looking at Sangwoo’s face. “Shit…!” Burying his face in Sangwoo’s nape, Jaeyoung began to move his hand again. Even with his eyes closed, the sensations were overwhelming—Sangwoo’s breath brushing against his earlobe, his nails digging into his back… The scent of skin and sweat tickled Jaeyoung’s nose, and the smoldering heat of Sangwoo’s skin made him nearly lose his self-restraint. “Damn it, Sangwoo…” His hand began to move faster and faster. Though he knew exactly how to stimulate his own body, he’d never handled two dicks at the same time before. “Sangwoo Choo, do you know…what you’re doing to me? Huh?” Whether he answered or not didn’t even matter. Jaeyoung’s cock was so sensitive that even the clumsiest touch was enough to send a wave of pleasure through him. Their shafts rubbed against each other, precum dripping down and pooling in Jaeyoung’s palm. His arm was starting to ache, but he simply sped up instead of taking a break. Sangwoo was bucking wildly, his ass lifting off the seat, but he was almost completely silent. Wanting to hear his voice, Jaeyoung kept talking to him. “What are we doing to each other? A-ah… Nngh!” The pleasure became overwhelming, and Jaeyoung slumped over Sangwoo’s torso. As he struggled to catch his breath, he stroked their shafts faster and faster. Sangwoo’s arm slipped around his neck and held him tightly, while his other hand overlapped Jaeyoung’s, pressing their cocks together even more firmly. Twisting his head, Jaeyoung pressed his lips against Sangwoo’s neck. “Say…my name.” His vision was turning white. He barely managed to right himself and lean his chin against Sangwoo’s chest. When he glanced up, he saw that Sangwoo was clenching his jaw shut so tightly that the muscles in his face were pulled taut. With the hand that wasn’t stroking them both to completion, Jaeyoung reached up and pried Sangwoo’s lips open. “Hrgh! Haah… Ah!” The moans that burst forth were so damn hot that Jaeyoung nearly came right then and there. Barely managing to restrain himself, he pushed his fingers between Sangwoo’s teeth so that he wouldn’t be able to bite on his lip. “Nngh… Aah… Hnngh…” Sangwoo moaned, his voice buckling almost into a sob. Almost there…! “I sure hope you won’t cry…once we actually go all the way,” Jaeyoung muttered, stroking as fast as he could. The simple knowledge that he had Sangwoo pinned under him, moaning and gasping, was enough to bring him closer and closer to his climax. The pleasure was so blinding that he couldn’t feel the pain of Sangwoo biting on his fingers. “Sangwoo… Say it.” “Shut…up.” “Watch your language… Ungh… Now…spit it out.” “Nngh! Fuck… J-Jae…young!” Jaeyoung. It was just his name, really, but when the sound of it combined with the sight of Sangwoo beneath him, it overloaded Jaeyoung’s mind. His hands clenched, and his eyes shut tight. He felt like a train with a broken brake, racing downhill only to fly weightlessly into the air when his track abruptly came to an end. The pleasure that had been growing relentlessly inside him finally burst, and he saw red—the color of desire. Sangwoo, who had been biting on Jaeyoung’s fingers like they were his lifeline, shuddered violently and groaned. They came at the same time into Jaeyoung’s palm. Jaeyoung went limp against Sangwoo’s body, breathing heavily as the strength drained from him. Shivers from the climax relentlessly sparked through his body, as if this was the first time he’d experienced such ecstasy in his entire life. It was like he’d been struck by lightning—everything was sensitive and throbbing. “Haah… Haah…” The overwhelming pleasure ebbed, soon giving way to a gentle, relaxing lull. Feeling Sangwoo’s shoulders quivering underneath him, Jaeyoung tried to wrap his arm around him but froze when he realized his hand was still covered in cum. “Damn… I had no idea you were such a horndog…,” Jaeyoung whispered slyly. “You’re…one to talk.” Finally managing to push himself off Sangwoo, Jaeyoung reached out and cupped the weirdo’s cheek with one hand, no longer caring that his palm was dirty. He wiped away a tear from Sangwoo’s eye with the back of his hand, then pulled him into a kiss. There was only silence as the two of them panted against each other’s lips, their chests pressed together. However, it was obvious that neither of them were fully satisfied yet, judging by the hardness Jaeyoung could feel pressing against him. Suddenly, the car felt way too cramped for the two of them. Jaeyoung sat up slowly, feeling the stickiness of their cum on his chest. Sangwoo stayed right where he was, covering his face with one arm and pursing his lips like he’d committed some unspeakable crime. “I feel gross now,” Jaeyoung said, pulling up his boxer briefs. Sangwoo remained silent. “I guess we’ll have to shower at your place.” After a long moment, Sangwoo finally said, “Are you suggesting that we have intercourse in my apartment?” He was starting to catch on much faster nowadays. “What, you don’t wanna?” To be fair, Sangwoo had been acting slightly off for the past few minutes. It was understandable if he felt repulsed by what’d happened, but it looked like there was something else going on. Unfortunately for him, Jaeyoung was thinking with his dick, and he didn’t have any room to be considerate—even now, after that insane climax, he still had a raging erection. “First, get off me. I have something to say, but…I can’t do it like this,” Sangwoo mumbled. Instead of responding, Jaeyoung took in the other man’s disheveled state. Sangwoo’s shirt was spread wide open, his hair was drenched with sweat, there was cum on his cheek, and his cock was still hard. Jaeyoung felt another stir of arousal, but he forced it down and returned to the driver’s seat. After zipping his pants back up, he grabbed a condom from the glove box—one he’d left there specifically for such an occasion—and shoved it into his pocket. He didn’t bother to put his shirt back on, figuring it’d come off again soon enough anyway. When he looked back at the passenger’s seat, he saw that Sangwoo had already exited the car and was now quickly making his way over to his apartment building. There was a hurriedness to his stride that almost made it seem like he was trying to escape, and Jaeyoung immediately chased after him. It didn’t take him long to realize that Sangwoo was, in fact, trying to run away—that Sangwoo was taking the stairs two at a time, his plaid shirt flapping wildly behind him, proved to be plenty of evidence. Jaeyoung caught up to Sangwoo on the third floor, nearly tackling him as he wrapped his arms around the weirdo’s waist from behind. Sangwoo spun around like he’d been struck. “Why are you running away?” Jaeyoung demanded. The stairwell was poorly lit, the only light coming from a streetlight. Its glow streamed in through the window, casting a reflection in Sangwoo’s dark eyes. The first time they’d met, those same eyes had regarded Jaeyoung with utter indifference. Over time, they’d filled with hatred and irritation, which had then slowly transformed into a hesitant sense of solidarity. Now, they held something fiery and bright, but there was still a flicker of discomfort behind it. Jaeyoung couldn’t understand it. Why was he acting like this when they could simply be enjoying the moment? Maybe it was because he’d shut Sangwoo down before he could say whatever he needed to, but, frankly, Jaeyoung wasn’t interested in hearing him out right now. His arms tightened around Sangwoo’s waist. Why waste time on talking when there’s a much better way to get our feelings across? Jaeyoung himself was more than ready to express the emotion burning in his heart and pumping through his veins like lava—physically, at least. Pulling Sangwoo in closer, he closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Sangwoo’s neck. His hands roamed around Sangwoo’s lean, muscular back as he kissed his shoulder. Sangwoo’s skin was burning hot under Jaeyoung’s curious fingers. He let them slowly move down the smaller man’s body to his waist, then walked them up his ribcage, brushed them over his armpits, and explored the muscles of his arms. Finally, he laced his fingers together with Sangwoo’s, then let his eyes drift back open. Sangwoo immediately shoved him away, sending him stumbling backward until his spine collided with the cold wall. But Sangwoo wasn’t trying to escape this time—instead, he moved in close, an oddly pained scowl on his face. “Just…let me say something.” If I lean in a little bit, our lips would meet, pointed out Jaeyoung’s runaway mind. The guy had to be releasing some sort of pheromone or something—what other explanation was there for the heat pooling in his gut? “You have to stop…seducing me. I… I can’t handle it,” Sangwoo muttered. Tipping his head forward until their foreheads met, he placed one hand over Jaeyoung’s eyes. Suddenly surrounded by darkness, Jaeyoung could only hear his heart pounding. A moment passed, then he felt Sangwoo’s lips press against his neck. He sank his teeth in next, as if he felt obligated to return exactly what Jaeyoung had done for him. Sangwoo’s tongue, hot and wet, teased at Jaeyoung’s collarbone. It was a clumsy attempt at best, but Jaeyoung felt his head spin regardless. In the silence of the staircase, he could only hear the sound of Sangwoo lapping at his skin. What little patience he had left frayed almost instantly, and he pulled Sangwoo into a tight embrace before pushing him up the stairs. When they stumbled onto the narrow landing, barely a meter wide, he pressed Sangwoo against the wall. But Sangwoo flipped things on him and gripped his wrists instead, turning him around and backing him into the corner. “My turn now,” he whispered, then resumed his exploration of Jaeyoung’s skin with his tongue. His hands remained where they were, trapping Jaeyoung against the wall, as if he was worried his prey would try to slip away. Jaeyoung stood still and let Sangwoo do what he wanted, but he found it more and more difficult to contain himself—he was dying to strip Sangwoo of his clothes, toss him on the closest flat surface, and finally do the deed proper. A shiver ran down his back as he imagined how tight Sangwoo would be, how enthusiastic he’d be in bed, and how his moans would sound. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. “Let’s go inside,” he declared, reaching down and removing Sangwoo’s venturing hand from the back of his pants. They walked up the staircase and reached the door to Sangwoo’s apartment in seconds, but to Jaeyoung, the time felt like an eternity. Granted, he’d been busy groping Sangwoo’s chest and nibbling on his ears from behind the whole time, so their ascent hadn’t been as fast as it could have. It took Sangwoo three tries to enter his code into the keypad, but his door eventually swung open. The moment they found themselves in the privacy of the weirdo’s dark apartment, Jaeyoung pounced on him and began walking forward, sending Sangwoo stumbling back toward the faint outline of his bed. Pushing him onto the mattress, Jaeyoung immediately straddled Sangwoo’s hips and tried to kiss him. But to his mild irritation, Sangwoo turned away and tried to push him off. “I need some time to…prepare myself,” he gasped. Brushing Sangwoo’s concerns aside, Jaeyoung grabbed the other man’s chin and turned his face back toward his. But when he pressed their lips together, Sangwoo pushed him away again, flailing in earnest this time. “I said I have to prepare myself… Wait, please…” Still ignoring him, Jaeyoung unbuckled the weirdo’s pants and pulled them down swiftly, and— Sangwoo lost it. Surging abruptly to a sitting position, his face twisted in what seemed to be anger as he shouted, “Stop! I want to mentally prepare myself!” This was definitely not how Jaeyoung had expected the night to go. As he froze, blinking in surprise, Sangwoo slipped away. He heard a door slam shut a moment later. Jaeyoung turned and stared at the bathroom door, slightly bewildered. After a few seconds, he walked over, knocked gently, and pressed his ear to the wood. Silence. “You okay…?” “Just…give me a moment.” There was the sound of running water, but it wasn’t loud enough to be the shower—if Jaeyoung had to guess, Sangwoo was washing his face at the sink. He turned around and slid to the floor, sitting with his back against the wall and staring blankly into the darkness. It took a moment, but Jaeyoung’s arousal eventually subsided. Climbing to his feet, he fumbled along the wall in search of a light switch, hoping to pour himself a glass of water. When he finally managed to find one and flick it on, he found himself standing in a small apartment—so clean and sparsely furnished that it felt almost uninhabited. The bedroom only contained a bed, two desks, a bookshelf, a clothing rack, and a small dresser. The kitchen area was equally as minimalistic, with a microwave, a shelf, and a small refrigerator. Inside the fridge were seven cans of Black Holic, a few eggs, a carton of milk, and two bottles of water. Jaeyoung grabbed one of the bottles and chugged it as he walked back to the bedroom. After glancing around for a place to sit, he settled on the bed. A navy comforter lay draped over white sheets, their placement neat and precise. So this is where he sleeps, Jaeyoung thought, feeling another rush of blood to his nether regions. He forced himself to look elsewhere. The bookshelf had to be the most boring thing he’d ever laid his eyes on. It only held giant programming books, without a single work of fiction in sight. As for the clothing rack, a couple of jackets and six shirts hung on the upper tier, and below them were two pairs of pants. Every single piece of clothing looked familiar. Jaeyoung had suspected it before, but now he was sure that Sangwoo must follow a specific rotation when dressing himself. Next, he examined the desks, only one of which had a lamp on it. He assumed that was the one reserved for studying. The other, a larger office desk, had a monstrous desktop setup sitting on top, complete with dual UHD monitors that had to be over forty inches wide. Even the accessories—a mechanical keyboard, gaming mouse, and speakers—were from high-end brands. A transparent PC tower, probably packed with top-tier components, sat nearby. I guess this weirdo never learned to do things in moderation… Jaeyoung mused. The PC setup alone was probably more expensive than everything else in the apartment combined. He couldn’t help but chuckle quietly at the contrast between the simplicity of the clothing rack and the extravagant PC—it was so…Sangwoo. “Hey, Jaeyoung?” The sound of Sangwoo’s voice had him instantly springing to his feet. He rushed over to the bathroom. “Yeah? What’s wrong? You feeling okay?” he asked through the door. “I’m feeling a bit more sober now.” Sangwoo’s voice was calm and almost emotionless, and Jaeyoung suddenly found himself dreading what he would hear next. Please don’t reject me, not after everything… He anxiously curled his hands into tight fists, waiting until Sangwoo spoke again. “I wanted to do it, I really did… I did so much research… But I don’t know if I can.” Jaeyoung stayed silent, hanging onto every word. “Please…leave.” “What?” He gaped at the door in disbelief. If Sangwoo was uncomfortable with the idea of having sex with another guy, he would have understood—in fact, he was familiar with that discomfort himself, and it was likely magnified tenfold in someone as rigid as Sangwoo. But what pissed him off was that Sangwoo had been an enthusiastic participant in their activities just minutes ago. Despite that, here he was now, claiming that he couldn’t do it anymore. Countless responses formed and dissipated in Jaeyoung’s mind. Finally, he opened his mouth. “It’s not like I kicked down your door,” he said. Even he could tell that his voice was chilly and sharp. “We agreed on this, remember?” Sangwoo hesitated for a moment, then said, “I knew you would be angry, but I can’t—” “Angry? I’m not mad at you. I simply don’t understand where this is coming from.” “The thing is, I don’t think I can perform like the people in the videos.” Sangwoo’s voice sounded calm and collected. To Jaeyoung, he might as well have been saying: “Sorry, but I don’t give a shit about your feelings.” Jaeyoung’s breathing grew ragged. The desire and ecstasy that had been simmering in his heart were nowhere to be found, replaced by burning rage. “Oh, so you don’t wanna see me anymore, game be damned?” “That’s right. I momentarily lost control of myself. Please leave.” “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Jaeyoung shouted, fury erupting. He was starting to see the pattern here—for a while, everything would be fine, then Sangwoo would suddenly cast him aside without warning. Of course, he’d fallen for it every time like the complete sucker he was. “You must be the most inconsiderate asshole I’ve ever met!” “I will ask you for a second time. Please leave.” “No,” Jaeyoung snapped. “No more hiding. You want me to leave? Come out here and tell me to my face!” His only reply was silence. It was infuriating, the way Sangwoo managed to ruin everything whenever Jaeyoung managed to fool himself into believing everything was absolutely fantastic. But this incident…it was worse than all the others combined. Jaeyoung spent the next few minutes hurling every single cuss word he knew at the closed bathroom door. He knew he was acting pathetic, pouting and sulking like this after being denied sex, but he didn’t even care. Unfortunately, it didn’t make him feel any better, and the fact that Sangwoo had stayed completely silent the whole time didn’t help. Abruptly, he heard Sangwoo bang on the door from the inside. “Of course you’re not worried! You’d just lie there!” “What the hell are you talking about?” Jaeyoung snapped. “Come out here and explain, unless you want me to stay here all night!” “No! Then you’ll kiss me, and… And touch me! And then I won’t be able to think logically!” “Then don’t think! Who cares? Stop trying to be so rational!” He could practically hear Sangwoo seething. “That doesn’t even make any sense! You’ve ruined everything for me!” “What don’t you get about that?!” Jaeyoung shouted in frustration, slamming the back of his head into the door with a loud thud. As he slid limply to the ground, he wondered if he was being an idiot getting involved with Sangwoo. After all, that complete weirdo was someone who refused to venture past life’s well-trodden paths, only staying in familiar, safe territory. “You know what? Never change, asshole. Just keep following your stupid routine, wearing your stupid outfits, eating your stupid meals, making your stupid plans…!” “That was the goal until you interfered.” Apparently, Sangwoo was planning on dumping the blame on Jaeyoung for their current situation instead of taking any sort of accountability. But…he was technically right, wasn’t he? Jaeyoung’s head throbbed. It was painful to admit it, but he had been the one to barge into Sangwoo’s life. And with the intent of turning it upside down, no less. Still, he refused to admit that their relationship was as one-sided as Sangwoo made it sound. If he was a bug in the weirdo’s program, Sangwoo was a glitching brush tool. Sure, Jaeyoung might knock the weirdo off-kilter, but it was a mutual effect. Jaeyoung couldn’t get his mind off him, to the point he was dedicating a significant amount of his time and effort to helping the weirdo make his game. But Sangwoo didn’t seem to realize that it took two to tango in a relationship. His world was black and white, with only a perpetrator and victim. He wanted to preserve his precious routine—nothing else mattered in the grand scheme of things. And that really pissed Jaeyoung off. “Just…come out of the bathroom, asshole. Let’s talk.” “No.” “Don’t make me tell you twice.” “Please go.” “You’ve got ten seconds to come out, or you won’t like what happens next.” “That’s an empty threat, and I know it. You can shout and cuss as much as you want—” “Oh, an empty threat? Personally, I think I can totally kick down that door.” “Try it, then. Let’s see if you’re still that confident when you’re sitting in the police station.” Apparently, the sole purpose of Sangwoo’s existence was to piss Jaeyoung off. Scowling in annoyance, he took a quick glance around the room. “Your PC looks pretty expensive,” he commented nonchalantly. The effect was immediate. “No! Leave my PC alone!” Ignoring him, Jaeyoung began the countdown. “Ten.” “I already turned you down!” “Eight. Too late. Should’ve done that before I came in here.” “I was too drunk to think straight. You kept giving me those free drinks…” “Not listening. Seven.” “You can’t force someone into having sexual intercourse.” “Five. Just come out. I wanna have a deep, long talk with Sangwoo Jr.” “My erection is gone now.” “Three seconds.” “Oh, for… When I get my hands on you…!” In the end, the weirdo proved way too predictable for his own good. The bathroom door swung open right before Jaeyoung finished his countdown. Sangwoo’s face was flushed, and he was visibly seething. Jaeyoung could almost see the steam gushing from his ears. His shirt was hanging on for dear life, with only the top three buttons remaining to hold it together. The rest flapped wildly at his sides, making him look downright ridiculous. Jaeyoung, who’d positioned himself against the wall far enough away that he was safe from getting smacked by the bathroom door, looked up at him in silence. Sangwoo sounded completely serious as he said, “I mean it. I don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t leave. I’ve been way too stressed because of you.” Geez, what a weirdo…and that’s putting it mildly. For a long moment, Jaeyoung simply stared at Sangwoo. In hindsight, he’d displayed an uncharacteristic boldness when he’d barged into the restaurant Jaeyoung worked at and demanded to speak to him, especially after pushing him away for so long. The fact that Sangwoo had agreed to become his friend with benefits had also come as a surprise. In the end, Jaeyoung had simply come to the conclusion that once Sangwoo made up his mind, he never looked back. Thus, it had been natural to assume they’d actually end up going all the way. And that was partly why it made no sense to him that Sangwoo was trying to back out now. “Sorry, but I’m gonna need an actual explanation. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a real living and breathing human being, not an NPC.” Sangwoo stayed silent, staring at the ground with a conflicted look on his face. “You can’t get rid of me that easy.” Sangwoo’s head shot up. He glared at Jaeyoung, muttering. “Easy…? You think this is easy?” “Uh… Yeah? You tried to banish me from your apartment like you were deleting an app. Unfortunately for you, it doesn’t really work like that with humans.” “Of course you think this is easy. You’re always so nonchalant and confident… You deadbeat piece of trash, you have no idea what I’m going through right now…” “Maybe you can explain it to me, then,” Jaeyoung snapped. “Sorry for being so damn ignorant, but you seemed like you were raring to go until now!” “I’ve been trying to tell you, but my mind went blank, and everything felt so weird…” “What’s the problem, then? Isn’t that what—” “Stop making it sound so easy!” Sangwoo roared. Jaeyoung flinched slightly, backing up a few steps. The way Sangwoo was glowering at him made him wonder if he was about to throw a punch. The standoff dragged on endlessly, Sangwoo’s glare so sharp and intense it felt like it could cut. But then, his eyes began to shine with tears, and his face gradually crumpled into an expression that made Jaeyoung’s heart sink. “Sangwoo…?” He rose to his feet and took a closer look at Sangwoo. There were definitely tears brimming in the younger man’s eyes—the muscles in his face were twitching as he fought them back, and he was biting on his lip hard. Without thinking, Jaeyoung reached out to touch his cheek, but was immediately denied access. “Are you…crying?” Sangwoo didn’t say a word. He merely glared at Jaeyoung for a few more seconds, fists clenched, then spun around. Jaeyoung reached out again, trying to grab Sangwoo’s arm and draw him back, but he found himself stumbling back a few steps after receiving a strong shove. He remained relentless, though, charging forward and wedging his arm in the bathroom door when Sangwoo tried to squirrel himself away again. His escape attempt thwarted, Sangwoo grew visibly flustered and shriveled into the corner. When he covered his face with both hands and leaned his forehead against the tiled wall, Jaeyoung belatedly spotted the tears running down the smaller man’s cheeks. Ah… That’s not fair. The fight drained out of Jaeyoung’s body in an instant, and he felt the walls he’d put up around his heart—spikes and all—disintegrate into dust. The sharp words he’d been about to hurl at Sangwoo quickly dulled and lost their edge. What was he supposed to do when his opponent broke down crying in the middle of an argument? Somehow feeling even worse than before, Jaeyoung stood there and let Sangwoo cry. The only sound in the quiet bathroom was the younger man’s uneven, ragged breathing. A long while later, Sangwoo climbed to his feet once again. Turning on the tap, he splashed water on his face a few times. “Feeling better now?” Jaeyoung asked hesitantly. No response came from Sangwoo, but he seemed to have lost most of the aggressive edge he’d been sporting before. Brushing past Jaeyoung, he collapsed on his bed, then wrapped himself in the comforter until he became a giant burrito. By the time he was done wedging himself in the corner of the bed in a defensive position, only his eyes peeked out. Sighing inwardly, Jaeyoung grabbed a few tissues from the desk and placed them by Sangwoo like a peace offering before sitting on the edge of the bed, putting as much distance between them as possible. The seconds ticked by in uncomfortable silence. “You have no idea what it’s like,” Sangwoo said abruptly. “I’m not satisfied, no matter how many times I masturbate… The erection keeps coming back, and then I can’t think straight.” Same here, dude, Jaeyoung thought, but chose not to comment. “The only thing I can think about is fornication. My life is falling apart. You may not take it seriously, and you might think it’s easy, but I…” Sangwoo went on to explain exactly how much he was struggling, and how Jaeyoung had ruined his life. Although it was mildly worrisome to hear that he was seriously considering chemical castration, Jaeyoung never interrupted him. As he listened to Sangwoo, his mind was filled not with empathy or pity, but doubt. Honestly, Jaeyoung was at a total loss. He could explain to Sangwoo that everything he was ranting about was totally normal and rooted in basic human instinct, and that most people experienced the same struggles at some point in their lives, but he had a feeling Sangwoo wouldn’t buy it. He took a moment to choose his words carefully, knowing Sangwoo had a tendency to interpret things in an annoyingly selective and superficial way. Finally, he decided to start with, “Are you…a virgin?” “No.” “What’s all the fuss, then? You’re acting like a kid who got his first erection.” So much for not losing his cool. Mission: failed. Sangwoo sniffled, and his hand slipped out from underneath the comforters to grab the tissues Jaeyoung had brought him. They disappeared, tucked into his palm, and made a reappearance near his neck. Sangwoo blew his nose noisily, then muttered, “Until now, I have always been able to control my desires. On the few occasions I’ve felt such sensations before, they didn’t particularly bother me. That means you’re an anomaly.” “Are you implying I’m not normal?” “How can you look so…enticing? You’re lucky I never acted on every single thought I had about you… Then I’d be imprisoned for life.” Jaeyoung blinked. “Actually… I can’t blame you for being so pretty. I’m the perverted scumbag here. Why did you do this to me? You’ve ruined everything. This is your fault.” Is he trying to flirt with me or blame me for his problems? Jaeyoung thought, confused. Sangwoo’s speech was jumbled, a stark contrast from the robot-level composure he usually displayed. Then the truth of the words truly hit Jaeyoung—Sangwoo was trying to say his desires, which barely stirred for anyone else, had turned into a raging inferno for Jaeyoung and Jaeyoung alone. It was a shame that such a confession, which could’ve been incredibly grand and emotional, had unfolded in such a lousy fashion. Maybe Sangwoo’s talents were wasted on computer science—he would do better directing an erotic film. “Then sleep with me,” Jaeyoung said with a sigh. “Can’t bash it until you’ve tried it, right?” It was his last-ditch attempt at “fornication,” as Sangwoo would say. He was definitely a scumbag—the scummiest of them all. Sangwoo was literally crying, and he was still trying to get into his pants. Sangwoo shook his head, looking completely drained. “I can’t cause you that much pain, no matter how aroused I am. And I…I don’t know if I can put it into…where excrement comes out. I’m sorry to let you down.” Jaeyoung had almost forgotten how self-absorbed Sangwoo could unintentionally be—the asshole had assumed he’d be topping since he was a man, not bothering to consider that Jaeyoung was also male. He couldn’t help but sigh in disbelief. Why does that idiot always act like he’s the center of the universe? Sangwoo’s lack of social skills were so extreme that describing them as an inability to empathize with others wouldn’t do it justice. It was more like he hadn’t formed a single meaningful connection with another human being in the past twenty-five years, only interacting with people on a surface level. This is exhausting… Jaeyoung had been looking for a simple fling. He hadn’t signed up for a whole emotional rollercoaster. It’s not worth the damn trouble. For a long moment, Jaeyoung sat in complete silence, covering his eyes with one hand. Then he said, “All right, I get it. Let’s continue this conversation tomorrow when we’ve both calmed down a little and you’ve sobered up.” Silence. “You ignoring me again?” Is he being serious right now? Jaeyoung whipped his head around to glare at Sangwoo, his temper flaring, only to see that Sangwoo was already asleep with his head propped against the wall. “You’ve gotta be kidding me…” Sangwoo looked infuriatingly innocent in his sleep. Jaeyoung’s hands curled into fists, but there was nowhere to release his anger with his only opponent knocked out. Turning away as his shoulders slumped, he contemplated his next course of action. It was about time he made up his mind. Perhaps it would be better to abandon the game, since it seemed like their collaboration was surely doomed. Sure, he’d already spent hours getting the key assets together, but things would only get busier once the prototype was out. “This shouldn’t be so damn complicated,” Jaeyoung muttered to himself. Until today, he’d lived by a very simple rule—to dive into anything he felt drawn to and quit anything he didn’t. But now, the three pillars he deemed most important—work, sex, and social life—felt more like sharp blades, digging into him. Maybe Sangwoo was right. Maybe the smartest thing to do was to wash his hands of this mess and walk away. With a sigh, Jaeyoung got to his feet and stepped into the bathroom to quickly clean his face and hands. When he came back out, his gaze landed on the shiniest, most expensive thing in the room—Sangwoo’s PC setup. “No! Leave my PC alone!” Unfortunately for Sangwoo, it was human nature to want something more the moment it became forbidden fruit. Jaeyoung walked up to the sleek, transparent PC tower and pressed the power button, telling himself he would leave right after. When the LED lights came on, they were rainbow—a stark contrast to the dark, boring outfits Sangwoo usually wore. It only took a second for the PC to boot up, thanks to the ultra-high specs. There was no passcode—probably because it was Sangwoo’s private computer—so Jaeyoung found himself greeted with a black-and-white grid background instead. The way it was laid out across the dual screens made it almost resemble a chessboard. There was nothing but three folders on the desktop: My PC, Trash, and… Wait. Jaeyoung’s brain stalled out as he leaned in, face nearly brushing the screen. Maybe he’d misread the label. But no. The last of the three folders was clearly named “Jaeyoung Jang.” There was no mistaking it. He couldn’t even begin to guess what was inside. Did it contain information Sangwoo had gathered on his weaknesses? Or a collection of paperwork he’d put together in case of a lawsuit? Anxiety fluttered in his heart as he double-clicked on the folder. And then… What the…? Inside the folder were pictures. Dozens of them, all featuring Jaeyoung. There were around ten videos as well. Some were from as far back as his high school days—a few he didn’t even remember taking!—while others were more recent uploads from his social media, neatly organized by date, location, and source. “So he’s been jerking off to me this whole time, huh? What a perv,” Jaeyoung muttered. His disbelief grew as he checked the other files. Everything Jaeyoung liked—his favorite products, styles, athletes, and hobbies—were organized neatly into a document. It even recorded changes to a music playlist of his that had been updated earlier that very morning, which meant Sangwoo had been looking at it only hours ago. The situation was so absurd, it felt like something straight out of a sitcom—but instead of disgust, a warmth spread through Jaeyoung’s chest, reaching every corner of his body. His heart pounded as if it might burst through his skin, and a quiet chuckle slipped from his lips. Just sexual desire, huh…? I wouldn’t be too sure about that, Sangwoo Choo. He closed the folder and began to poke around the rest of the computer’s files curiously. Nearly every game that had been released recently was installed on it—everything from popular MMORPGs to trending PC games. It looked like Sangwoo was genuinely set on becoming a game developer, after all. As Jaeyoung clicked through various folders, he drifted into Sangwoo’s downloads and found five files dated two days ago. They reminded him of what Sangwoo had said in the car—something about purchasing videos for his research. He frowned as he read the file names. Size kink, fetish play, dildos… Okay, sure, that’s par for the course with porn videos. Hold on—incest, gangbang, torture, and bondage…? What the hell? He played the videos one by one, already scared of what he would see. The first video featured two men in surgical gowns, standing around a naked man wearing a blindfold. It started off with wax play and vibrators, and escalated to physical mutilation at the end. He double-clicked on the second video, which started with the scene of a tiny, lean man getting reamed out by another man with a giant cock. That by itself wasn’t too terrible, but the small man was subjected to various abuse until he was bleeding. The third video featured an orgy. The fourth, a gangbang. The last one was so rough that Jaeyoung couldn’t even watch to the end. While the yelling and pained cries of the actors were obviously an act, it was too much. I get it now. Jaeyoung had a good idea of what had gone through Sangwoo’s head while watching these videos. The younger man’s whole life revolved around manuals, after all. Knowing him, he’d probably downloaded the top five films based on popularity. Unfortunately, it seemed the site he’d stumbled across specialized in hardcore porn. For a few minutes, Jaeyoung sat motionlessly in front of the PC. Everything was falling into place. He finally understood why Sangwoo had pushed him away despite the burning desire in his eyes, and why he’d rambled on about needing to say something, about needing time to prepare, only to end up rejecting him. Jaeyoung now knew how to handle the mess on his hands. He could only hope that it wasn’t too late, but he had to be patient. Everyone moved at different speeds, after all—if he pushed Sangwoo too hard when he wasn’t ready, the whole thing would go belly-up. After deleting the five videos, Jaeyoung stood up and walked over to Sangwoo, who was fast asleep. He can’t be comfortable, lying curled up against the wall like that…, he mused. Gently unwrapping the comforter from around Sangwoo, he repositioned the smaller man properly on the bed and pulled the blanket back over him. Then he crouched beside him, studying his face intently. If Sangwoo were awake, he’d probably be grumbling at him or chastising him. But in his sleep, he looked completely relaxed—peaceful, even. “Hey, weirdo.” No response came, but Jaeyoung kept talking. “You were being a total idiot today, you know that? But you’re not driving me off anytime soon.” It was strange—despite the earlier fiasco, Jaeyoung’s heart tingled pleasantly as he gazed at Sangwoo’s sleeping face. “Also…” He stroked Sangwoo’s cheek with the back of his hand, his thumb caressing the younger man’s cheekbone. “We’re gonna pick up where we left off next time, so you better not forget how it felt.” Before he left, Jaeyoung couldn’t resist pressing one last kiss on Sangwoo’s forehead. Even then, he lingered a moment longer, leaning in to whisper, “Make sure to dream of me tonight.” Semantic Error, Volume 1 END