Side Story 1 (1)
by GideonThey say we’re living in the Dopamine Age. Our phones, glued to our hands all day, are overflowing with constant stimulation. Trends shift in the blink of an eye. Caught up in the rush, anything less than a thrill feels dull and tasteless.
Juhyeon was no exception. He found himself drawn to the expensive desserts trending on social media rather than the cheap snacks he used to love. He’d get completely absorbed in soap-opera-worthy love stories, the kind that would be called a total mess.
“Fuck, I knew it. I knew something was off the moment he suddenly stopped caring about me!”
Juhyeon’s jaw dropped as he listened to the story. His best friend, who had been giving him relationship advice, had actually been cheating on his own girlfriend. And the craziest part? The list of people he’d slept with included Juhyeon’s own girlfriend—and three or four others.
His colleague, who had been cursing relentlessly while downing drinks, suddenly burst into a manic laugh.
“He was staring at his phone the whole time we were in the motel… He was texting that other guy, wasn’t he? While he was with me! That fucking bastard!”
Texting his side-piece even after we fucked? Juhyeon found the idea unthinkable. How could he even have the energy left to do that? He drew a sharp breath through his teeth and muttered under his breath.
“…Even after? If he’s still doing that, he must not have been satisfied—”
“What?”
His colleague, who had been clutching his head in despair, managed to catch the muttered comment and slowly looked up. His eyes were blazing. Juhyeon clamped his mouth shut and started fidgeting with the side dish.
“Hyung. Are you seriously insulting my dick right now?”
Of course, I’d never seen him naked, so I couldn’t say for sure. But seeing him tremble with rage like this, maybe there was some truth to it. Still, if I ever said that out loud, rumors would spread through the entire department that I was a total asshole. I scrambled to make up an excuse.
“Ah, no. I-I didn’t mean his size, exactly. I just wondered if you were… I don’t know, mentally unsatisfied while you were dating him?”
“Fuck, that still sounds like you’re talking about his size. I’m average, you know. What, you want me to take it out right here?”
“…Are you insane?”
Even after snapping back at him, I felt a twinge of guilt and glanced at him sideways. I quickly refilled his empty glass and forced a clink.
“Hey, just curse me out and get it over with. Let’s just forget this happened!”
“Whatever. This is just fucking hilarious now, hyung.”
The drinking session continued. After listening to his friend’s complaints for a while longer, Juhyeon discreetly lifted his phone.
Text me before you leave.
It was a message from Taemo, sent three hours ago. He hadn’t sent anything else since. He hadn’t asked when Juhyeon would be home, where he was, or who he was with. Does he not worry because this kind of thing never happens around him?
I’m wrapping up now.
After a moment’s hesitation, Juhyeon typed out a reply. He quickly added the name of the bar before shoving his phone back into his pocket.
“…Hey, let’s go. If you pass out, I won’t be able to carry you by myself.”
“Fuck! I should’ve told him to shut the fuck up when I said that bastard was handsome…!”
Juhyeon struggled to drag his wailing, thrashing junior out of the bar. At least he was still conscious—that was a relief. After sweating profusely to get him into a taxi, Juhyeon let out a long sigh of relief.
“Ugh, I’m completely drained.”
Juhyeon stared blankly at the receding taxi when a familiar car pulled into view. It was as if it had timed its arrival perfectly, taking over the spot the other taxi had just vacated.
“Perfect timing,” Juhyeon muttered.
Maybe his instincts are so sharp because he’s killed people before, Juhyeon thought, scratching the back of his head as he hurried toward the stopped car.
“Hyung!”
“You’re sober today,” Taemo remarked.
“What? Do you think I’m always drowning in booze?”
“Aren’t you? You’ve been running wild like a white dog off its leash ever since you went to college.”
As Juhyeon quickly buckled his seatbelt, a large hand reached out and touched the back of his head. The rough caress wasn’t exactly gentle, but it was still careful.
“I’m not that wild,” Juhyeon grumbled.
Taemo kept fondling the back of Juhyeon’s head until he had fastened his seatbelt and settled into his seat. Only when the touch grew more lingering, tracing the nape of his neck, did Juhyeon finally glance away.
“Why… Why are you doing that?”
“Doing what?”
Juhyeon’s neck flushed hot every time Taemo’s fingertips relentlessly traced his skin.
“You keep touching a drunk person so… suggestively. This could look really shameless, you know?”
“You said you weren’t drunk earlier. Besides, being shameless isn’t a new habit of mine. And touching you is my prerogative.”
“You’re truly impossible,” Juhyeon muttered.
“Yeah. I know.”
Taemo chuckled and withdrew his hand. He gripped the steering wheel lightly and pressed the accelerator. They were only fifteen minutes from home—a short distance—yet Juhyeon found himself rambling, as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages. He chattered about what he’d done during his free period, the things he’d discussed with Kang-i in class, and how the new drink at the cafe had tasted. He’d wanted to tell Taemo about their classmate, too, but decided against it—that was too much personal drama to unload.
As Juhyeon rambled on with these trivial stories, Taemo just nodded, listening quietly. Whenever they hit a red light, he would meet Juhyeon’s eyes, but otherwise, he said nothing.
Just as Juhyeon was in the middle of an enthusiastic story, they pulled up near their house. A thought suddenly struck him.
Why isn’t Hyung asking me anything?
The drinks tonight had been completely spontaneous. He’d told Taemo he was just grabbing a meal with a classmate, yet here he was, returning at dawn after drinking alone with him until the early hours. But Taemo hadn’t asked a single question. He hadn’t even asked why Juhyeon was so late.
I knew it the moment he suddenly stopped giving a fuck!
His classmate’s voice, nearly wailing, echoed in his mind. Even after they stepped into the brightly lit apartment, the thought continued to gnaw at him.
“Hmm.”
Taemo pressed his body flush against Juhyeon’s back as he stood rooted to the spot in the living room. Then, he grabbed Juhyeon’s ass in a firm grip and whispered into his ear, “What? Want me to wash you?”
“Ugh, no way.”
Knowing Taemo would only get more relentless, claiming that a drunkard’s body heat made things even better, Juhyeon practically leaped away from him and bolted into the bathroom. Standing before the mirror, he rubbed his face, which was flushed crimson with intoxication.
“…Since when did I start pouting like this?”
He tapped his lips, which were jutted out like a duck’s, before turning on the shower. He hoped the cold water would wash away his lingering unease.
College life was a lot more chaotic than I’d expected. Some days I’d rush through assignments like I was back in my GED prep classes, dozing off in lectures just to get my attendance credits, or just kill time aimlessly before heading home after a meal at the cafeteria. I went to the MT, drank until dawn… Taemo allowed me to do everything, but he was the only one who opposed me getting a part-time job. That was a bit of a shame, but college life was still plenty enjoyable. It was also great to have a lot of good friends around me.
“Woo Juhyeon, when are you leaving?”
Kang-i whispered, poking my side. Kang-i was in a different major, but he hung out with Juhyeon’s classmates often. He’d been having a blast with everyone earlier, but today he seemed a bit tired.
“I don’t know. Do you want to go?”
“Yeah, I’m drained. I told you not to call me when that guy shows up.”
He shot a long, weary look at the vice president. The guy was a loudmouth who did nothing but swear, which was why Kang-i particularly disliked him. Juhyeon felt the same, but today they’d all gathered to boost the sales of a shop run by a fellow student. Since they needed to show up in numbers, Juhyeon soothed Kang-i, telling him to just bear it for a little longer.
“Hey, hey! Let’s take a picture. Everyone, gather ’round!”
One of their classmates held his phone high in the air. It was a group photo they took almost every hour. He claimed he had to keep sending them to his girlfriend, and everyone seemed so used to the routine that they just stared at the camera without complaint.
“Juhyeon-hyung, move a little more to the front!”
As Juhyeon tilted his head, the camera clicked repeatedly. Then, everyone casually drifted back to their conversations as if nothing had happened.
“Hey, send me the photos too. I want to send them to Hyeon-jeong.”
Similar requests echoed from all around. Juhyeon glanced at his classmates before discreetly pulling out his phone to check for messages. There was nothing from Taemo.
“…”
The last message he’d sent was telling Taemo he was going to eat lunch. More than eight hours had passed since then, yet there was no reply, let alone a phone call. Staring blankly at their silent chat room, Juhyeon finally spoke up.
“Send the photos to me, too.”
“Sure thing! I’ll just post them all in the group chat.”
He scrolled through the four photos. In one of them, caught mid-movement, he looked as if his cheek was almost touching the classmate sitting next to him.
“…”
Juhyeon went out of his way to save the photo and send it to Taemo. He’d thought Taemo was busy, but he read the message almost immediately.
Why is Kang-i there too?
He was already there when I arrived;; I think my classmates called him over;;
Just ignore him.
Juhyeon typed his reply, mindful of Kang-i, who was acting like the class representative, fussing over their fellow students.
Is that okay? 😭
The “Read” receipt appeared instantly. But even after a long wait, no reply came. Juhyeon kept tapping the screen, though he didn’t know why he was so anxious.
Is that it? He sees Kang-i there, but doesn’t he see me pressed up against my classmate like that?
Just as he was about to wake the darkened screen for the second time with a long sigh, a reply from Taemo finally arrived.
You look like the baby of the group there, Woo Juhyeon.
“…”
Even though no one else was looking at his phone, Juhyeon shoved it into his pocket.
Who asked for a compliment like that?
His cheeks burned as he stroked them, then he lifted his beer glass, set it back down with a loud clack, and even dropped his chopsticks. He had to make some noise to drown out his wildly pounding heart. But he had no idea how to hide his flushed face.
Among the drunk classmates, the conversation topic shifted rapidly. A new wave of chaos erupted after a classmate revealed his best friend had stolen his girlfriend. Complaints about dating poured out—one girl lamented how her girlfriend’s jealousy and control had severed all her other relationships, while another argued that was still better than the boredom of a long-term slump. Juhyeon couldn’t relate to any of it.
Living with Taemo, Juhyeon had never once thought such things. Although Taemo drove him to and from places every day, he otherwise gave Juhyeon plenty of space. Aside from the immediate aftermath of learning about Dongwoo hyung’s situation, they had never even had an emotional argument.
After all, doesn’t a fight require two people of equal standing?
“If I wanted to fight him, I’d have to risk my life…” Juhyeon muttered, shaking his head.
Lee Taemo was the kind of man who would crack jokes in front of a corpse. Juhyeon knew better than anyone how terrifying he could be. Moreover, Taemo was surprisingly gentle and mature, leaving Juhyeon with no real reason to fight him. He was also the sort of steady, unshakeable man who would just glance past a photo like the one from earlier without a second thought.
He didn’t even have any real flaws. He was just… a bit lacking in his expressions, right? But it wasn’t like I couldn’t feel his affection.
Hmm.
Was I asking for too much? This was hard. Dating seemed more difficult than all the struggling I’d done to get into college.
The drinking party dragged on. Kang-i left early, complaining that the vice-department head was going to make him go deaf. Normally, we would have left together like a set, but today I let Kang-i go ahead. When my mind was a mess, I needed to be in a more chaotic place to keep my thoughts from wandering.
Text me when you’re done.
The message was so brief I could read it in the preview. Should I reply that I’d go home on my own, or ask him to pick me up?
“Hyung, what are you looking at? Stocks again?”
“Ah, no.”
Juhyeon stumbled as a classmate leaned in, his large frame pushing him off balance. He quickly flipped his phone face down.
“What do you know? Everyone knows you’re always checking your bank balance and stock portfolio.”
“…I only check it a few times.”
In truth, I check it all the time. Whenever I felt anxious, checking my bank account had become a habit. Even then, I’d only stare at my phone in public. At home, I’d take out the gold bars I’d hidden under my mattress, polishing and counting them. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t act like a money-obsessed freak in college, but now that I’d already been caught, I felt awkward.
“Yeah, yeah. Sure you do, Mr. Stock Market Mogul.”
“…”
Am I anxious again? What am I anxious about? Once I realized it, I didn’t even glance at my phone. I drank for a long time, and only after I’d left the drunk kids behind and gotten into a taxi did I secretly pull out my phone.
No message.
He knew Taemo wouldn’t be the one to push, but still… If he didn’t reply, Juhyeon could have just called and nagged him. He rubbed the screen harshly, his lips curling into a pout.
It had been a long time since he’d taken a taxi home. Even with the streetlights on, standing alone in front of the dark gate felt awkward. Perhaps it was because Taemo always came to pick him up, no matter the time, rain or snow.
“…It’s scary walking alone,” Juhyeon muttered, watching the taxi’s taillights fade as it pulled away from the alley.
He was halfway up the low steps leading to the gate when it happened.
Click.
The sound of a lighter flicking open echoed. A moment later, a crimson glow flared from the corner of the wall. Juhyeon’s eyes darted around, his body freezing in place. The red dot slowly faded, and then a dark silhouette began to move.
“…”
Juhyeon stood rooted to the spot. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, as the footsteps drew closer. The pungent stench of alcohol still filled his mouth, but his mind was sharpening. Should I run? What if they attack while I’m opening the gate? Should I scream? The house is right here… My brother would come out immediately. But is he even home?
A thousand thoughts raced through his mind in that fleeting moment.
Though terrified, his body acted on survival instinct. Just as he lunged for the stairs to open the gate, a hand violently seized his collar.
“Gah!”
The grip was so fierce that Juhyeon couldn’t move a single step. As he struggled, hot breath brushed against his ear.
“Where do you think you’re running off to?”
“…Ah! Hyung!”
The moment he recognized the voice, all the tension drained out of him. Juhyeon collapsed onto the stairs, his legs giving way. He pressed a trembling hand to his chest.
“You scared the hell out of me! Why are you just standing there like that?”
“You’re only scared because your conscience is pricking you.”
“Ugh, my heart almost stopped.”
A long plume of cigarette smoke Taemo exhaled blurred Juhyeon’s vision. Because of it, he couldn’t see Taemo’s expression clearly.
“What happened to all the fighting I taught you? You just turned tail and ran.”
“I… I was drunk…”
I trailed off, my eyes darting away. As the smoke cleared from my vision, I took in Taemo’s attire. He was in his street clothes, and the heavy scent of cigarettes clinging to him suggested he’d smoked more than just one. Had he been waiting for me to call him to come get me this whole time?
Just as a twinge of guilt began to stir, Taemo leaned in close, his face suddenly inches from mine.
“I told you to call me. So why did you take a taxi?”
I considered confessing the petty truth: that I’d been comparing our relationship to my friends’ and feeling resentful, that I’d tried to make him jealous but felt hurt when he didn’t react, and that I just wanted to feel his affection for me. But seeing his expression—harder and scarier than I’d expected—the words died in my throat.
“You just completely ignore what I say, don’t you?”
Despite his playful tone, Taemo’s expression remained frigid. Juhyeon’s mind, already sluggish from the alcohol, raced to cobble together an excuse.
“The… the class rep paid for the whole taxi ride,” he stammered. “I just… took it. It would’ve been a waste to turn down a free ride, right…?”
“Why the hell would he pay for your taxi?”
“I-I don’t know. He said it was some kind of… fund? Did he embezzle public money? I never thought he was like that, wow…”
Juhyeon, who had been speaking perfectly clearly until now, suddenly started mumbling nonsense, pretending to be drunk.
“Bullshit.”
Taemo, who had been silently listening to the nonsense, snapped. As Juhyeon swallowed hard, Taemo abruptly reached out. He hauled Juhyeon’s sprawled body off the stairs and threw him over his shoulder. Without a hint of struggle, he stood up and swung the front door wide open.
“Ugh… I’m gonna—”
Juhyeon’s stomach was already churning, but being carried upside down made it feel like it was turning inside out. He flailed, pounding Taemo’s back, but the other man didn’t stop.
“You’re the one who lives like a complete mess,” Taemo muttered. “What gives you the right to raise your voice?”
“Mmph… I’ll try to hold it in…”
Juhyeon clamped his hand over his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut. See? I can’t even fight back. The moment Lee Taemo gets a little scary, I just tuck my tail.
Despite Juhyeon’s tension, Taemo carried him into the bathroom and washed him up. When Juhyeon, still covered in soap suds, clung to the toilet and retched, Taemo even patted his back. He brushed Juhyeon’s teeth twice, scrubbing vigorously, and wiped his face with his large hand—as if determined to erase every last trace of alcohol.
After quickly drying his dripping body with a large towel, Taemo rolled it up and draped it over his shoulder.
Then, he threw Juhyeon straight onto the bed. The towel wrapped around Juhyeon’s body slid off. Standing by the bed, Taemo’s gaze as he looked down at Juhyeon was excessively hot. Juhyeon pulled the towel and the blanket over himself to cover his lower body. Since he wasn’t wearing any underwear, it was all too exposed.
“I-it’s cold.”
“Move it.”
“…Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
Taemo scratched his eyebrow and replied nonchalantly, then reached out. In an instant, the thing covering Juhyeon’s lower body fell to the floor. He shoved Juhyeon’s awkward upper body and climbed on top of him.
“Are you… are you going to do it?”
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