Chapter 87: Can I Go to Your Place, Senior?
by Gideon“Did CEO Park tell you?” Jubin asked, startled.
“No, Andrew called me yesterday, crying his eyes out.”
In an instant, the image of Andrew Jin, utterly devastated and despairing, flashed through Jubin’s mind. It was unbearable to see his favorite person suffering because of him.
“Andrew is someone who wears his heart on his sleeve,” Zion explained. “He never hides when he’s struggling, hurting, or happy.”
So he’s that sensitive, Jubin thought. He let out a deep sigh, berating himself. What was I thinking?
“I made my favorite person cry.”
“Well, that’s no easy feat.”
Watching Zion smile so nonchalantly, a strange emotion welled up inside Jubin.
“You must be really close with the Director.”
Zion shrugged. “The Director just likes me one-sidedly.”
What did he mean by “like”? As an actor? As a person? Or maybe as a muse?
Or perhaps… as a man…
For a moment, Jubin felt his emotions were spiraling out of control. Jealousy over my own bias? It was only natural for Director Andrew to like Zion. In fact, it would be weirder if he didn’t.
Since their relationship was built on a foundation that could crumble at any moment, Jubin had to treat all these possibilities as trivial.
Of course…
“I think as long as you don’t run away from me or push me away, we’ll never break up.”
Zion’s feelings for him seemed straightforward and unwavering so far.
Yet, the lingering possibility and anxiety that Zion could leave him at any moment continued to gnaw away at his heart.
“So, you have absolutely no intention of appearing in Iconic Mood?”
“It’s not that. The director is holding an open audition, so I told them I’d participate just like everyone else.”
Zion fell silent for a moment before asking seriously, “Why choose the hard way when you could have taken the easy path?”
This felt like the right time to finally be honest with Zion and lay everything out.
“It took six years,” Jubin said, his voice trailing off.
He fell silent again, his gaze still fixed on Zion.
“Six years to get back to this position.”
Zion’s gentle, encouraging look—as if urging him to continue—made Jubin’s hidden feelings spill out.
“I just wanted my favorite director to cast me because they genuinely recognized my talent.”
The way Zion’s gaze lingered on him, the way his body was angled toward him, and his quiet, focused attention… it was all so heartbreakingly tender.
“Of course, I’d love for this to be a project where we both add a strong line to our resumes. But I’ve waited six years for this. Even if it takes another few decades to be fully recognized, I don’t mind.”
Does he see me as stubbornly obstinate when it comes to acting? Yet, I still wouldn’t change my choice… Probably because I can’t abandon my perfectionism—the need to refuse any compromise when it comes to my craft. Iconic Mood was a result I wanted to achieve with my own two hands.
“I heard you recommended me. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Andrew just asked if there was a co-star I could truly show my real self to, so I recommended you. Don’t misunderstand.”
Regardless of the reason—whether it was a special one or any other—I knew the outcome would have been the same the moment Zion recommended me.
Jubin hoped Zion would understand why he’d been forced to refuse.
“Yeah, I’m not taking it personally.”
Peck.
A soft, fleeting kiss brushed his lips.
Jubin froze, his head whipping around as he scanned their surroundings. Zion, noticing his frantic gaze, smiled reassuringly.
“No one saw.”
“What if they had?!” Jubin hissed, his heart racing.
Zion gently pressed a finger to his own lips. “Shh, you’ll get us caught.”
His voice was a low murmur, his lips curving into a soft smile. Jubin found himself speechless, biting his lower lip hard.
“Still, how could you make a choice like that?” Zion added, his tone a mix of disbelief and admiration, as if talking to himself.
How am I supposed to tell him I’m actually regretting turning down Director Andrew Jin’s offer now? I couldn’t say it even if a knife was at my throat…
Though I kept a straight face, I had no idea how many times I’d kicked my covers in frustration before sleep over the last few days.
“You always make my stubbornness sound so noble,” I said.
“Because it is noble,” Zion replied. “If it were me, I would’ve snatched that opportunity without a second thought.”
“Well, here’s the fool who let it slip away,” I added with a self-deprecating smile. “I’m too careful. That’s my problem.”
“Not careful—prudent. In everything, always.”
I was always lacking, always falling short. Yet Zion loved me even for my flaws. I was so grateful to him for that.
But I was also so precious to me that I couldn’t bring myself to bare my heart completely. And for that, I felt disappointed in myself all over again.
That’s just how I am.
The thought of someone being disappointed in him—especially if that someone was Zion—would be more than he could bear. So, he hid his feelings, terrified of getting hurt again.
Zion glanced around once more, confirming they were alone, before wrapping his arm around Jubin’s waist and pulling him close.
“When are we going to practice?”
Their bodies pressed together. Jubin tightened his grip on the handle of the cardboard box in his hand. Instead of giving the answer Zion wanted, he let a hint of hesitation slip.
“Can’t we take it slow?”
“Sunbae.”
Zion’s voice dropped an octave, a low whisper against Jubin’s ear.
“I want to go to your place tonight.”
When Zion pleaded with that subtle, longing gaze, Jubin knew he couldn’t refuse.
Water from the showerhead dripped—tap, tap—onto the floor.
“Haah, ah…”
Water also dripped from Jubin’s own crotch.
He hadn’t planned on doing this in the bathroom. But Zion had begged him to open the door, claiming he had an urgent matter to attend to. The moment Jubin complied, Zion had stormed him with kisses.
It turns out the “urgent matter” was Zion’s.
Jubin had suspected this would happen, especially with the way Zion’s hungry gaze had lingered on him all day. But this… this was excessive.
As if kissing alone wasn’t enough, Zion was relentlessly focused on Jubin’s lap.
“Zion, ah… You can… stop now.”
Zion, still fully dressed in his wet clothes, was on his knees, Jubin’s cock already in his mouth. Watching him suck and lick with such devotion, Jubin felt himself on the verge of coming.
“Wait—stop. Just… pull out. Now.”
Despite Jubin’s plea, which bordered on a beg, the other man ignored him, sucking even harder.
“Ngh…”
Jubin’s thighs tensed as he tried to hold back.
“Hah…”
The heat that had been building up layer by layer finally erupted, unable to be contained any longer.
Dammit, I did it again. Right into his mouth.
“Seriously… why do you always…” Jubin panted, his breath ragged as he urged the man to spit.
The man flipped the shower valve up, letting the water wash away the fluid he’d been holding in his mouth. Jubin’s thick, white seed swirled down the drain with the gushing water.
“Your clothes are soaked. What are you going to do?”
He’s so much bigger than me, I don’t have any clothes that will fit him… But I can’t just let him stay naked. He’ll catch a cold.
“I know, right?”
Well, we’ll figure something out. Zion’s carefree smile was infectious, and Jubin couldn’t help but grin back.
“Since we’re already here, let me give you a proper scrub.”
Having received such attentive care himself, Jubin volunteered to wash Zion. The way Zion tamely accepted his touch made him seem like a giant golden retriever.
“Pfft.”
Jubin burst out laughing when Zion frowned, bubbles clinging to his hair. He looked ridiculously cute.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. Just… the whole situation.”
“We should do this more often,” Zion said. “Bathing together like this.”
“We’re not kids, you know.”
“So what? I’d much rather do this than shower alone like some kind of stranger.”
The moment Jubin finished rinsing the last of the soap from Zion’s hair, Zion pulled him in for another kiss.
Jubin remained trapped in the bathroom, held fast in Zion’s embrace for a long, long time.
“Your hair is so fine, sunbae.”
Jubin had draped a towel loosely over his head, but Zion approached and began drying it for him with tender care.
His own wet clothes were still in the dryer, leaving him wearing nothing but a pair of nearly dry drawers.
“Yeah, that’s why my stylist says my hair is a pain to manage.”
“It just looks black at a glance,” Zion murmured, “but it has this deep brown glow in the sunlight. And it’s so soft and pretty when I touch it like this.”
He unfolded another dry towel and gently patted Jubin’s hair.
Jubin simply stood there, letting himself be cherished by the affectionate gesture. Zion’s touch was so practiced, yet so clumsy, that it left Jubin feeling strangely confused.
“Do you do this for everyone?”
“Why would I?”
Can I take that as a yes? I felt a faint surge of confidence, but I didn’t have the courage to ask for confirmation. I swallowed the words, keeping them locked inside.
Suddenly, the hairdryer clicked off. A warm hand reached out, sweeping Jubin’s bangs back from his forehead.
“…What are you doing?”
He met my eyes and smiled softly. “You’ll be styling your hair like this for your makeup later, right?”
“…I guess so?”
I waited patiently, wondering why he was asking. He just beamed at me, his expression bright and clear. “You look just like Hyeonseo when you do this.”
Ah, so that’s it?
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