PS | Chapter 2.11

They never stop to consider how much pain the people involved might be going through. They probably never will. The ones who fuel those rumors will live their whole lives that way—completely oblivious to the kind of suffering they inflict.

“If weird rumors start spreading about you too because you hang out with me, then what?”

At that, Sihoo frowned slightly.

“Why are you thinking like that, Hyuk-ah?”

Because there was a reason.

Jehyuk suddenly recalled one of the reasons he dreaded rumors so much. It was something he had deliberately tried to forget.

“It happened in high school, remember?”

Sihoo had never asked about the rumors surrounding Jehyuk back then, pretending not to know. But for all of high school, people had whispered about Yoon Sihoo being a lunatic for hanging out with Ji Jehyuk.

The only reason it hadn’t caused problems was because the girls were always on Sihoo’s side, and among the guys, most of them either wanted something from him or simply respected him too much to mess with him. That alone showed just how much influence Sihoo had.

And thanks to that influence, Jehyuk had managed to get through high school without much trouble.

Of course, even without Sihoo, he could have endured it—just like he had in middle school. He was tall, athletic, and no one really wanted to pick a fight with someone like that.

“The ones who get caught up in that kind of nonsense are just idiots. There’s no reason to deal with stupid people. Besides, we’re adults now. University is just another fence we can step over whenever we want. It doesn’t define you.”

It was something an adult would say. And he was right.

But still… something about it didn’t sit right with Jehyuk.

“But I don’t want you to suffer because of me.”

At that, Sihoo’s expression softened. His lips curved ever so slightly, the familiar relaxed look returning to his face.

This was the Sihoo Jehyuk knew.

Sihoo reached up, casually running a hand through Jehyuk’s hair.

A slow warmth spread through him. His body, which had felt frozen just moments ago, gradually thawed. His temperature rose, his blood began to stir.

“I’m not mad anymore. Let’s go.” Sihoo held out his hand. Expectantly.

“Come on.” Without hesitation, Jehyuk took it.

Somehow, within just a week, this feeling had become familiar to him—the solid yet gentle touch of Sihoo’s hand.

As he gripped it tightly, a sudden thought crossed his mind.

I wish this practice never had to end.

***

Yoon Sihoo drove his car. Most parking lots were closed, so he had parked at an officetel building, and now the two of them were walking hand in hand along Gangnam-daero for a few minutes. Passing glances kept landing on them, only to move away again.

Ji Jehyuk was convinced that all those stares were directed at Sihoo. That thought made him debate over and over whether he should let go of Sihoo’s hand. But every time his fingers fidgeted, as if sensing his hesitation, Sihoo tightened his grip.

“…How did you find me?”

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, Jehyuk asked in a slightly husky voice. Sihoo chuckled.

“I called Han Bada and found out the meeting location. But when I got there, you weren’t there. So, I looked for the bus stop that went back to campus. You don’t like crowded places like the subway, so I figured you’d take the bus.”

Since he would never take a taxi, Sihoo’s deduction was spot on.

“That’s kinda impressive.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

Sihoo agreed easily.

As they chatted, they reached the parking lot. They took the elevator down, and Jehyuk followed behind Sihoo. Sihoo stopped in front of a gleaming white foreign car. Jehyuk didn’t know much about imported cars, but even he could tell this one was insanely expensive.

When Sihoo opened the passenger door for him, Jehyuk awkwardly took a step back. He felt like this level of treatment was too much for him, and so was sitting in this car.

“You don’t have to open the door for me. I have hands, you know.”

He cracked a joke to shake off the awkwardness. But Sihoo answered seriously.

“You’re drunk.”

“I sobered up already.”

Sihoo squinted at him like he found that amusing.

“You were stumbling when we were walking just now.”

“Me? No way.”

He would’ve noticed if he had. Unlike last time, his vision wasn’t spinning or anything.

“Let’s just say you were.”

Sihoo gestured with his eyes, telling him to get in. Jehyuk figured there was no point in dragging this out, so he carefully climbed into the passenger seat.

As soon as he got in, he caught Sihoo’s familiar, fresh scent. The inside of the car was spacious and impeccably clean. With no decorations in sight, it felt very much like Sihoo himself.

“When did you learn to drive?”

Jehyuk asked once Sihoo got into the driver’s seat. He was sure they had been together throughout high school, so if Sihoo had gotten his license back then, he would’ve known about it.

“I learned in England. Then as soon as I was old enough to get a license in Korea, I got one.”

That’s cool.

Sihoo must have caught his small mumble because he added, “You’d be a good driver too if you learned. If you want, I can teach you.”

“Nah. I doubt I’ll ever need to buy a car anyway. Thanks, though.”

While Jehyuk was responding properly, Sihoo was watching him quietly. Then he suddenly turned his upper body toward Jehyuk and leaned in slightly.

Just like earlier, he reached out, grabbed the seatbelt beside Jehyuk, and fastened it for him.

Click.

The moment he heard the sound, Jehyuk realized just how close they were.

Just like last time, when they kissed.

Their eyes met.

Jehyuk held his breath, waiting for Sihoo to pull away. But even after securing the seatbelt, Sihoo kept looking down at him, tilting his head slightly.

“Hyuk-ah.”

“…Yeah?”

The tension coiled tightly around his body. It felt like an invisible hand had wrapped around his heart, gripping it completely. A sharp chill spread inside his chest.

“So, what did you do at the meeting?”

Sihoo was dangerously close.

Jehyuk found himself staring at that all-too-familiar face he’d been seeing more and more up close lately. His own eyes naturally had an upward slant, but unlike him, Sihoo’s features weren’t sharp. Maybe it was because of his ridiculously long eyelashes, but…

Was it weird to say he looked kind of… seductive?

Normally, Jehyuk would’ve snapped out of his thoughts in shock and pulled away, but as Sihoo had pointed out, his slightly tipsy mind wasn’t putting up any defenses.

Still dazed, he absentmindedly parted his lips.

“…Drank.”

“I know that much. That’s why you’re this drunk.”

Sihoo’s free hand reached out and lightly brushed Jehyuk’s cheek with his fingertips.

“What I mean is, what else did you do while drinking at the meeting?”

“Hmm… I was looking at my phone, waiting for your message….”

Sihoo’s eyes curved at that response. The way his lashes curled at the ends was dizzyingly pretty.

“You were?”

“Yeah. I kept checking when you’d text back.”

“I like it when you talk like this when you’re drunk, Hyuk.”

…Do I?

“So, if you’re gonna get drunk, do it in front of me. Though, the best option is not drinking at all.”

“Got it.”

“That’s all?”

“No.”

Jehyuk suddenly recalled another thing. There had been an incident where he ended up ruining the mood.

At the drinking party, one of the game penalties was a kiss. But before he even got close to Jeong Yieon, the chosen partner, he had backed out completely, saying he just couldn’t do it. Instead, he downed a drink to take the penalty. That was why he had ended up drinking so much.

“There was a kissing penalty in a drinking game…”

“…A kiss?”

The moment that word left Jehyuk’s mouth, Sihoo’s once-amused eyes sharpened. His face turned cold in an instant as he interrogated him.

“With who?”

Because he was still a little slow from the alcohol, Jehyuk didn’t immediately pick up on Sihoo’s shift in mood. He simply answered the question honestly.

“Jeong Yieon. A first-year in your department.”

“Oh. Jeong Yieon.”

Sihoo smiled, but only with the corner of his lips.

“So… is that your type?”

“…Huh?”

“You said before that you broke up because you couldn’t even hold hands with your girlfriend. So were we…”

Sihoo leaned in, his lips stopping just short of touching Jehyuk’s.

“…Practicing?”

The way Sihoo pronounced the word practice made his lips look even redder in contrast to Jehyuk’s own. Even in the dim parking lot, they remained vividly colored, almost inviting.

That thought—one that had haunted Jehyuk all week—suddenly resurfaced. The memory of something soft, sweet, and so addictive that it kept coming back to him.

…He wanted to kiss him again.

Desire, like a spark, flared to life within Jehyuk.

His still-clouded mind scrambled to figure out how he could experience that sensation again. He couldn’t just do it—Sihoo had said that a first kiss should be with someone you’re dating.

But…

If the only reason Sihoo had avoided kissing before was because it was supposed to be a first kiss, then now that it wasn’t his first anymore… wouldn’t practice be fine?

“…Isn’t this a good thing?”

Jehyuk said something he would absolutely regret if he were sober.

“If it’s not my first kiss… then we can practice, right?”

Even as he spoke, his heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst. Would Sihoo say no? No, was there even a reason to do something like this in the first place? To the point of making up awkward lies?

But he didn’t want to back out now.

The distance between them these past few days had driven him crazy, and today’s events had left them both emotionally drained. Jehyuk had never been the type for physical affection, but something inside him believed that this was a way—a way to build some kind of connection.

Sihoo’s expression gradually faded.

It was like he had removed a mask, revealing his true face. The easygoing smile he always wore disappeared.

“…Our Hyuk-ie.”

And then, a new smile appeared.

One Jehyuk had never seen before.

“You’re learning how to seduce now, huh?”

The hand that had been lightly brushing his cheek changed its grip. Large fingers slid to cradle his jaw and ear. Then Sihoo moved in, pressing closer, his whole body angling toward Jehyuk.

Jehyuk, who had been about to say something—who had planned to diligently respond as always—couldn’t even finish before he was caught in Sihoo’s pace.

Their lips met.

That much was the same as before.

But everything after that was different.

A sensation he had never even imagined suddenly overwhelmed him.

Soft lips rubbed against his, and then—

A tongue.

A tongue swept lightly over his lips.

Jehyuk inhaled sharply. Hhk!

A shiver shot through him, goosebumps breaking out all over his skin.

His lips burned, tingling like they had been seared by fire.

And it didn’t stop there.

Even though this alone felt like too much, Sihoo’s lips then lightly bit down on his.

What the hell—

His brain felt like it was going to explode from the sheer overload of sensations. His lower stomach clenched with a strange heat. His spine tingled, and his throat trembled.

But that was only the beginning.

Something happened next that Jehyuk had never in his life considered possible.

A tongue—

Sihoo’s tongue entered his mouth.

Jehyuk’s whole body locked up, completely frozen.