“I can’t take any more of this.”
As soon as Taekjoo got back to the inn, he sat down to breakfast. He chewed the pelmeni[2] like he was gnawing on rubber. He had been outside long enough for his balls to shrivel from the cold, and his reward? A bowl of pelmeni. Was he supposed to be grateful just for being indoors and warm instead of freezing to death outside? Even a change in the menu wouldn’t have lifted his mood. The menu was limited to lamb, herring, cabbage, and potatoes. Any food is exciting only when eaten occasionally—eat it every day, and it turns dull fast. Just the smell of the food made Taekjoo feel like his gut was already stuffed. Yet, he was still hungry. The whole situation was frustrating.
Taekjoo craved hot, spicy soup. He rummaged through the spice cabinet, hoping to find something, but there was nothing remotely like gochugaru[3]. Taekjoo’s spirits were down. He was so hungry that it was almost painful, but there was nothing in the inn that he found appetizing.
He rested his face on his palm and sighed. Taekjoo had just gotten out of a hot shower, his hair fluffy, wearing nothing but briefs. He had a blanket draped over his shoulders and sat glaring at a defenseless bowl of pelmeni.
Zhenya joined him in the kitchen. Taekjoo didn’t even bother to turn around. He just kept poking at his Russian dumplings.
“Nothing so far. No one’s gone in or out.”
Taekjoo gave his partner a quick rundown, more out of obligation than interest. Zhenya didn’t respond. He was busy with something, rustling in front of the stove. Taekjoo stole a quick glance and was about to look away, ready to mind his own business, when his eyes widened. In Zhenya’s hands was a pack of spicy Korean ramyun.[4] Even just the packaging was enough to make Taekjoo’s mouth water.
Noticing Taekjoo’s eyes glued to the ramyun, Zhenya lifted it slightly. Taekjoo’s eyes moved up as well. Zhenya casually tossed the pack of noodles into his other hand. Taekjoo’s restless eyes followed the movement too. Zhenya’s lips curved into a wide grin.
“I heard Koreans would do anything for this. I guess it’s true, huh?”
“Where did you get that?”
“From the innkeeper. She said a Korean guest gave it to her as a souvenir.”
Did the innkeeper think that the Korean between the two was Zhenya and not Taekjoo? Or else, why would she say nothing to Taekjoo and instead hand over that precious thing to Zhenya? Taekjoo silently resented the clueless innkeeper, his eyes locked on the ramyun.
Before he knew it, he reached out to grab it. The tips of his fingers brushed the edge of the ramyun packaging, making a rustling sound. The rustle seemed to trigger something—Taekjoo stretched his arm further, trying to snatch it. The blanket slid off his body, but he didn’t even care.
Zhenya could have played nice and handed the ramyun to Taekjoo, but instead, he raised the arm holding it even higher. Taekjoo did not think twice. He jumped for it. He threw his hands up, as if blocking a player in a basketball game.
But try as he might, he could never reach Zhenya’s outstretched arms, which moved left and right to evade him. That didn’t stop Taekjoo, though. He kept leaping for the ramyun again and again, but Zhenya dodged each time, snickering at his frustration.
“So it really is true—you lot would do anything for this.”
Then, suddenly, Taekjoo stopped. He ran a hand through his hair, calmly brushing it back. After catching his breath, he made his bold demand.
“Give it to me.”
“You have to pay the price.”
Zhenya gave his usual cheeky smile. He looked like the devil himself. Taekjoo was not happy with what he had just heard. But he really wanted the ramyun. So Taekjoo asked again.
“What do you want?”
“Depending on how you look at it, it could be nothing.”
Zhenya was being deliberately vague. He held his phone in one hand and the ramyun in the other, using a translator app to read the cooking instructions.
Soon, a small pot of water was placed on the stove. The jerk adjusted the flame, then crossed his arms and stood in front of it.
Now, Taekjoo’s eyes were glued to the pot. Saliva pooled at the corners of his mouth. He looked like a dog about to drool. But he couldn’t just take the bait Zhenya was dangling in front of him. No one knew what twisted demand that monster might come up with. While Taekjoo was thinking, the water in the pot started boiling.
Zhenya tore open the seasoning packet and dumped it in. The sharp, spicy scent hit Taekjoo’s nose immediately. He went back to his seat, putting on an act like he didn’t care, poking around his cold, sad pelmeni. Maybe I can trick my brain. Maybe my nose can fool my tongue too. Taekjoo tried to look on the bright side and took a bite of his pelmeni. But it was just as heavy and greasy as ever—a big slap to the face.
Zhenya finished cooking the ramyun and placed the pot on the table. Taekjoo studied the magnificence silently. It looked like heaven on earth. One spoonful, and it would immediately clear up the greasy heaviness in his stomach. One drop of that Korean spiciness on his tongue, and it would chase away the stubborn fatigue.
Taekjoo’s fork crept toward the pot, but Zhenya yanked it away and shooed him off. Taekjoo went for it again, and he failed again. The closer Taekjoo got, the more Zhenya pulled the pot away, keeping the same distance. He’d had it. Taekjoo couldn’t stand it anymore. He gave Zhenya a stern warning.
“If you don’t eat that soon, the noodles are going to get all mushy and bloated.”
“I don’t care.”
“...”
Of course, you don’t care. Why would you, you son of a bitch. Taekjoo clenched a fist around the fork in his hand. His lost appetite came rushing back so forcefully, it made him lightheaded. His reason slipped away from him as well. It was now or never. Taekjoo had to eat it now. A second chance might never come. Maybe Taekjoo had overreacted—who knew, Zhenya’s demand might turn out to be something simple. There was no harm in hearing it out before making up his mind.
As he was thinking, the noodles soaked up the broth, leaving less and less soup. Taekjoo felt like he would die if he didn’t eat that ramyun right now. Finally, his thin strand of reason snapped. Taekjoo stood up and grabbed the pot. Then, he gulped down the broth as though it were the elixir of life. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down his neck. The moment the broth touched his tongue, it was as if he could see, breathe, and hear more clearly. He felt like all the butter in his system was being washed away.
Zhenya slowly moved to stand behind Taekjoo. Taekjoo was so occupied with wolfing down the ramyun that he didn’t notice Zhenya moving. Zhenya’s eyes slowly scanned Taekjoo’s body, from his neck, to his shoulder, then further south. His eyes kept moving down, tracing Taekjoo’s straight back, slim waist, round ass, all the way down to Taekjoo’s lean legs, before he gave his command.
“Don’t move.”
The tip of Zhenya’s fingers touched the back of Taekjoo’s thigh. His touch was as light as dust, floating in the air as if it brushed against Taekjoo’s skin. Zhenya’s lustful eyes busily traced the movement of his own fingers. The jade eyes didn’t blink as if afraid to miss a single detail. Zhenya even held his breath.
At the next moment, Taekjoo felt pressure in his thigh. Zhenya, after brushing Taekjoo’s skin with a touch as weightless as a feather, suddenly grabbed and squeezed Taekjoo’s thigh. Taekjoo watched Zhenya’s hand for a moment, a bit annoyed, then quickly went back to eating his precious ramyun. Taekjoo had expected something much worse, and this was a breeze compared to what he had in mind.
Taekjoo was wrong, however. Zhenya’s fingers slowly crept up and went inside his briefs. What started as a touch on the thigh had turned into a slow trace along the curve of his ass cheek. The eyes, once as cold as ice, were now glowing with heat. Zhenya kneaded the firm flesh of the ass that pushed back against his fingers, clearly enjoying the sensation. Apparently, that wasn’t enough for him—he added a shameless demand.
“Squeeze your ass.”
What did you just say?
Taekjoo scowled, about to protest. But the GPS tracker suddenly started beeping sharply. He set down the pot and checked the target first. Sure enough, the red dot had disappeared from the map. It meant that the location tracker had exited Hong Yeowook’s digestive system.
Taekjoo chucked the device he’d been staring at Zhenya.
“Looks like somebody enjoyed a number two,” Taekjoo muttered.
Zhenya didn’t catch the device. In fact, he didn’t react at all. He simply gazed down at his hand. He looked sorry to stop, as if still craving more. He was left with nothing but an empty hand.
Taekjoo smirked and clapped him on the shoulder.
“That was great. Thanks.”
He made sure to thank his partner. Taekjoo grabbed the blanket that had fallen on the floor and wrapped it over his shoulders before leaving the kitchen. The pot was empty.
Zhenya chuckled, still staring in blank awe.