Song Hyunsoo picked up the jeans that had fallen on the floor and fished out the briefs rolled up inside.
“Why is everything such a mess? Nothing is where it’s supposed to be.”
From the third row, Yoon Jooho’s complaining voice rang out as he rummaged through his bag.
Then suddenly, an arm shot out from the back. Yoon Jooho draped his wrist over Song Hyunsoo’s shoulder and shook something.
It was a new pair of underwear. Black briefs with a brand name on the waistband— clearly expensive.
“They’re brand new. Never worn.”
“Ah… um…”
As Song Hyunsoo hesitated, unable to accept them right away, Yoon Jooho gave a wicked grin.
“What, do you prefer ones I’ve already worn?”
If he had to be honest, yes. No, wait, that’s not it.
“Stop worrying about whether they’re expensive or not and just take them. They’re wet. How are you going to wear those again?”
Yoon Jooho’s gaze fell to the briefs in Song Hyunsoo’s hand. The front was damp with precum, and Song Hyunsoo quietly rolled them up in his palm to hide them.
The back of Yoon Jooho’s hand, which was resting on Hyunsoo’s shoulder, lightly brushed his cheek.
“I’m partly to blame for getting them wet, too.”
Glancing sideways at Yoon Jooho’s expressionless face as he did something so teasing, Song Hyunsoo eventually accepted the underwear.
After pulling on the briefs and jeans and zipping up, something else came flying from the back seat. This time, it was a T-shirt.
“Put it on. Your T-shirt’s probably uncomfortable too.”
“Then I’ll wash this and give it back to you.”
“You’re fixating on the weirdest things. Do as you like.”
Yoon Jooho shook his head as if he couldn’t understand and went back to rummaging through his bag. Soon, he pulled out another fresh T-shirt.
“Is that Doraemon’s Pocket or something?”
“What?”
From the way he frowned, it was obvious he didn’t know Doraemon. Song Hyunsoo hadn’t grown up watching Doraemon cartoons either, but he knew what Doraemon’s Pocket was.
“You don’t know? The pocket that has everything inside.”
Yoon Jooho pulled the T-shirt over his head, slipped his arms through, and tugged it down. His broad chest and defined abs were covered one after the other by the shirt.
Then he climbed out from the third row.
“Emergency supplies. You never know what’ll happen during a shoot.”
“Ah…”
“Where the hell did all the towels go, though? I told them to always pack two or three.”
Yoon Jooho grumbled about the lack of basic supplies in the bag. It seemed like something the Manager or Stylist— his staff— should’ve handled.
Just as Yoon Jooho was about to open the door from the second row to move to the driver’s seat, he paused.
He glanced down at Song Hyunsoo, who sat absentmindedly with a new T-shirt in his hands, still shirtless after taking off his sweatshirt and the T-shirt he’d been wearing underneath.
Then, Yoon Jooho reached down and gently smoothed out Song Hyunsoo’s messy hair. The slightly rough motion of his hand felt surprisingly pleasant.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you cold?”
“I just zoned out for a second.”
“Your nipples are hard.”
“……”
Almost reflexively, Song Hyunsoo looked down. The lingering heat from before had faded, and his nipples were poking up from the chill.
“H-Hey, don’t look!”
Without thinking, he crossed his arms over his chest and hunched his shoulders. Yoon Jooho let out a helpless chuckle and flicked Hyunsoo’s forehead.
“Hurry up and put it on. Or I’ll just go for it, condom or not.”
Was that a threat or a temptation?
Only after twisting around and fully putting on the T-shirt did Song Hyunsoo watch Yoon Jooho open the back door. In the meantime, the cold felt even sharper.
Sitting side by side in the driver’s and passenger’s seats, they checked the clock. It was almost 2 a.m.
According to the Navigation, their estimated arrival at Yoon Jooho’s place was 4:45.
“4:45…”
As he swung the car around in the empty lot, Yoon Jooho muttered to himself.
Then, as he squeezed through a narrow alley, he glanced at the around-view camera and added in a low voice,
“Hm. I don’t think I can hold out until then.”
“……”
“What’ll you give me if we get there by four?”
“Quit it. Just focus on driving safely.”
Watching Song Hyunsoo’s face flush, Yoon Jooho chuckled and reached out to gently tug Hyunsoo’s ear.
He’s so touchy today. And in such a good mood, too.
It wasn’t just Yoon Jooho who was feeling impatient.
Even though he knew Jooho’s size would definitely be a strain on his body, curiosity lingered.
No matter if it hurt or even tore, that thing was so sexy it made his mouth water just looking at it.
Based on their two previous experiences with pseudo-sex, Yoon Jooho was definitely skilled.
His style was rough, but he knew how to satisfy his partner. Surely, he was also good at handling his own impressive equipment.
After all, living with that big thing, he must have picked up some tricks. Maybe he could even manage to penetrate without hurting him.
And now, it wasn’t just about desire anymore.
Baek Kang and Lee San—what he’d felt in Myeonghaeri.
He wanted to feel that sense of connection, not just emotionally, but physically too.
But contrary to their impatience, snow started to fall around the middle of the Kyungbu Expressway.
The occasional flurries quickly turned into big, heavy flakes. The car had no choice but to slow down.
The closer they got to Seoul, the thicker the snow became, to the point where it was hard to see ahead. Their heated discussion about gradually faded away.
Yoon Jooho couldn’t keep his hands still on the steering wheel. Fidgeting his fingers and constantly shifting in his seat, he finally spoke to Song Hyunsoo in a quick tone.
“Check if it’s snowing this hard in Seoul too.”
He looked so anxious that, at first, Hyunsoo thought maybe he needed a bathroom break. But when he drove right past the service area, he realized that wasn’t it.
“They say at least 5cm will pile up by morning.”
Hmm. Yoon Jooho let out a heavy sigh and stared intently at the road ahead.
He promised to have sex when they got home, but does he hate the idea of snow delaying sex that much?
But as he watched Yoon Jooho’s profile in the silence, Song Hyunsoo thought he might have figured out the real reason for his restlessness.
Looking up at the thick snowflakes battering the windshield, Hyunsoo murmured,
“It’s really snowing like crazy this winter.”
“……”
As expected, Yoon Jooho didn’t say much.
With a serious expression, he bit his lower lip, looking for all the world like someone trapped by a blizzard and unable to keep his promise to someone desperately waiting for him.
Song Hyunsoo thought he knew who that person was— the one who could make the mighty Yoon Jooho this anxious. At some point, he’d come to understand him that much.
“Sunbae, by any chance…”
“……”
“Are you worried about the cat?”
“What? What cat?”
As if to say, “Why would I be?” Yoon Jooho frowned and shot back. But seeing his reaction, Hyunsoo felt even more certain.
He’d told Jooho before— about the kitten sitting on the wall in the snow, waiting for its mother and siblings. That he was worried about it.
“Sunbae, go bring it home.”
“What are you talking about.”
“You know what I mean.”
With his elbow propped on the window frame, Yoon Jooho pressed his temple with a loosely clenched fist.
“I told you, it’s not that simple.”
“You’re so distracted you can’t even focus on driving.”
“……”
“If you just take responsibility till the end, it’ll be fine. You can do it, sunbae.”
Yoon Jooho clattered around, fishing out a cigarette and sticking it in his mouth.
“I…”
He parted his lips, but instead of finishing his thought, he took a long drag from the cigarette. Only after a long pause did he speak, voice heavy like a sigh.
“I probably can’t do it.”
A Yoon Jooho lacking confidence—so unfamiliar it was almost refreshing.
He was better off his usual way, bordering on arrogant.
The lone kitten left behind after its mother and siblings were gone, sitting on the wall in the snow.
Yoon Jooho, holding that kitten and gently stroking it.
They hadn’t known each other long, but Song Hyunsoo knew—Yoon Jooho would never irresponsibly abandon an animal halfway through.
『“Why do you really hate it so much?”』
『“Because it’ll die before I do.”』
He couldn’t bring himself to adopt a pet because he was afraid it would die before him. In other words, he cared that much.
If it wasn’t precious, there would be no sense of loss or deep sorrow after losing it, and therefore, nothing to fear.
Had something happened in the past with a pet? But it wasn’t something he could ask so easily.
“I’m an irresponsible bastard in a lot of ways.”
“What kind of irresponsible bastard stays on top for thirty years?”
“……”
Yoon Jooho glanced sideways at Song Hyunsoo’s indignant tone.
“You can’t last thirty years at the top with just your looks. You know that better than anyone, sunbae.”
As he flicked ash from his cigarette, Yoon Jooho frowned.
“You always sneak in that ‘bastard’ talk at times like this.”
“It’s just that you called yourself that first, so I’m matching the rhyme.”
Song Hyunsoo knew how important it was to be careful when bringing in a pet. It wasn’t something to encourage someone to do on a whim.
But he could see it.
Yoon Jooho’s heart was already leaning toward that kitten. He was just pretending not to notice, scared for some reason only he knew.
Hyunsoo wanted to tell him he didn’t have to be that way. No matter what anyone said, he was never irresponsible.
“Sunbae, if you force yourself to block affection, it turns into misfortune. You’ll invite bad luck.”
“Shut up.”
“Sunbae, today’s Sunday.”
“So what.”
“‘Gukine’ is closed today.”
“……”
That meant even Aunt Kurin wouldn’t be there to look after the kitten.
After passing Dongtan Junction and reaching Giheung Service Area, Yoon Jooho fell silent, lost in thought.
He was probably picturing the kitten, left behind in an empty house, sitting on the wall in the snow.
This time, Song Hyunsoo didn’t push him, just let him be.
After a long while, Yoon Jooho stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and finally spoke.
“I can’t just take it without telling the restaurant Chairman.”
“I’ll message her for you!”
“You—you know the Chairman’s number?”
His face turned from puzzled to outright appalled as he looked over.
“Of course I do. By the time we get to Seoul, Aunt will probably see the message. She wakes up at five for Morning Swimming Group.”
Yoon Jooho shook his head in disbelief.
“What do you even talk about with the Chairman?”
All sorts of things.
From how Aunt is the Morning Swimming Group Leader, to how the Prince is actually timid but loves being petted by people.