VI | Chapter 6

Taehwon’s eyes were wide open, trembling, and bloodshot. The most horrifying thing was that Taehwon didn’t even have the courage to make an excuse. Could he dare say he didn’t remember? Could he draw a line and pretend he had nothing to do with the chairman’s death? Was that something he could do to Kwon Rae?

Taehwon felt wronged to death, but he was someone who shouldn’t feel wronged. If he had to blame someone, he should blame himself for losing his memory at will.

“……I’m sorry.”

In the end, he had no choice but to apologize again. It was getting harder and harder to even look at Kwon Rae.

Kwon Rae sighed softly into Taehwon’s ear and rejected his apology with a hoarse voice.

“Taehwon-ssi. No. I said I don’t want an apology. I just want to kiss you.”

“That…….”

“I just wish you would accept me, please. That’s all I want.”

Taehwon tried to pull away, but Kwon Rae kept chasing him, trapping him in his arms. His back hit the sink, and his face came closer. Now, all he could see was Kwon Rae.

With a desperate smile, Kwon Rae murmured like a madman, completely dominating Taehwon’s vision.

“Last time, you said I was an adult, right? It’s true. I’m twenty this year, and you said you’re twenty now too. So aren’t we friends now? We’re the same age, right? We’re friends of the same age, aren’t we? What’s the reason we can’t kiss? Did I say I wanted to have sex right now? It’s not like that. It’s just a kiss.”

What…… what is this?

Kwon Rae was acting as if he wanted to devour every part of Taehwon. His eyes were filled with a desperate longing, as if he wanted every single cell of Woo Taehwon. The fierce light in his blue-gray eyes seemed ready to tear Taehwon apart.

He was unstable, clearly not in a normal state.

‘Right. There’s no way he could be okay.’

Taehwon, who had been momentarily dazed, soon understood him.

In a situation like this, it would be stranger if Kwon Rae’s mind was intact. Who could be sane when the trusted Taehwon betrayed him and the chairman passed away? Moreover, Kwon Rae was young. Of course, they were both twenty now, but in Taehwon’s eyes, Kwon Rae still looked like a cute ten-year-old young master. Innocent, pure, and someone who needed protection.

With the kid struggling so much, what could Taehwon do?

After committing something that couldn’t be repaid even with death, if it could ease Kwon Rae’s heart even a little, what did it matter what he did?

‘Of course, the fact that it’s a kiss…… is a bit concerning.’

Taehwon sighed deeply, responding awkwardly. His voice, still deeply resonant, was severely cracked.

“Ha…… Is it really just one kiss?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“But kissing won’t repay the young master’s feelings. In fact, in this situation, it might be something I shouldn’t do.”

“Ah, I’m tired of hearing that pattern. I’ve heard it so much it feels like nails in my ears. It doesn’t matter, okay?”

“Do you really want that? Before that, I don’t even remember anything…….”

“I said it’s fine. Stop talking and just stick out your tongue. I said it’s fine!”

Finally, Kwon Rae shouted. He really seemed to be in a bad state. He was in pain. Startled, Taehwon opened his lips as instructed. It seemed like he shouldn’t be doing this, but there was no other solution. Honestly, Taehwon couldn’t grasp the situation properly either.

“…….”

Taehwon lowered his eyes, avoiding Kwon Rae’s gaze, and stuck out his tongue a little. Just a little, resting on his front teeth. Seeing the slightly visible tongue through the parted lips, Kwon Rae, as if he hadn’t shouted earlier, focused solely on Taehwon’s tongue.

“Thank you. It would be nice if you could stick it out a little more.”

“……Ugh.”

Taehwon stuck out his tongue a little more. As the area of the crimson tongue became more visible, Kwon Rae took a deep breath and smiled contentedly. He gently cupped Taehwon’s face with both hands, observing and appreciating the sight of his tongue sticking out, and then kissed him as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Their lips met urgently, and he sucked on Taehwon’s tongue intensely. Softly biting and licking, he pushed Taehwon further onto the sink. It felt like his whole body was being pressed and covered.

It felt indescribably strange.

While a vivid pleasure and primal sensation heated him up, the persistent sense of betrayal, rejection, and guilt swirling in his mind sent chills down his spine. Taehwon did care for Kwon Rae, but not in this way. It wasn’t a brief, light peck; it was a skilled deep kiss that left him dazed.

‘And why is he so good at it?’

Taehwon clung to his arm. Thinking that the clothes brushing against him were mourning clothes made him sigh. Taehwon groaned and let out a strained moan.

“Huff, ugh.”

Kwon Rae had said it wasn’t their first kiss, and that Taehwon had become experienced through various encounters. But that was the story of thirty-year-old Woo Taehwon. Twenty-year-old Woo Taehwon was a virgin with no experience in kissing or anything else. He had lived a hard life, working in a factory, just entering the Gyeongjeong faction, having tasted only the bitterness of life and none of its sweetness.

The inside of his mouth was being rubbed and entwined with a tongue. His breath became more labored, and he felt like he was sweating. Taehwon trembled, his neck twitching.

It seemed like he couldn’t continue any longer. As heat pooled below and his body started to react, Taehwon tugged on his arm, signaling to stop. Of course, Kwon Rae didn’t stop.

“Wait, just a moment. Stop…….”

“No.”

He refused firmly, completely out of his mind.

“I can’t stop. Let’s keep going.”

He slipped his fingers into Taehwon’s hair and clung to him again. His black hair wrapped easily around Kwon Rae’s pale fingers. Kwon Rae kissed Taehwon, kissed him, and kissed him again. Their lips were completely soaked with saliva, dripping down their chins, yet he didn’t stop.

Why was he being so persistent?

What had happened in the past ten years? Not only had Taehwon, who betrayed the chairman, changed, but Kwon Rae had become strange too.

“Huff, mm……. Ugh!”

Taehwon, who didn’t even know how to breathe through his nose while kissing, was on the verge of suffocating, his face turning red.

“Huff, cough, cough!”

As he coughed loudly, unable to continue, Kwon Rae finally pulled away, albeit reluctantly. A transparent string of saliva stretched between their lips before snapping.

Taehwon coughed repeatedly, shaking his head, while Kwon Rae gently patted his back, soothing him.

“Taehwon-ssi, is it hard? You’ll get better at kissing with practice. I’ll teach you. You’ll get the hang of it eventually.”

Taehwon didn’t understand what Kwon Rae was saying.

What was he going to teach, and what was he supposed to learn?

Moreover, Kwon Rae comforting Taehwon felt awkward. Taehwon had often cared for and comforted the sickly Kwon Rae, but the reverse situation was hard to accept and believe.

“No, it’s fine…… ugh.”

“Shh, don’t talk for a moment and just rest. I actually went a bit overboard. I didn’t mean to be so rough. I want to take it slow and cherish it with you, but I got excited.”

“Young master, are you…… are you okay?”

“Me? Of course, I’m okay. I’m feeling really good right now. So good…… it’s actually a problem.”

Kwon Rae muttered incredulously. He persistently stared at Taehwon, stroking his cheek, catching his breath, and trying to suppress the rising impulse. Even if Taehwon didn’t want to know why Kwon Rae was treating him this way, he had no choice but to understand now. Kwon Rae felt sexual desire for Taehwon.

Taehwon slowly calmed his breathing. Kwon Rae patiently waited for him. And then, a brief silence began. The stillness between them lengthened as they gazed at each other, each holding the other with different emotions.

Taehwon felt affection, pity, and regret for Kwon Rae, while Kwon Rae desired, loved, and obsessed over Taehwon.

“Shall we go back to bed then? You shouldn’t overdo it yet. Taehwon-ssi needs to rest. It would be better to lie down and relax.”

For some reason, the gentle voice made his throat tighten. Taehwon parted his wet lips and asked a question.

“Don’t you resent me……? No matter what, in this situation…….”

He should resent him. He had to.

But Kwon Rae simply smiled lightly and helped Taehwon up.