Before Kwon Tae-hee could assist, Seo Jeong-won had already undressed and stepped into the bathroom.
He picked up a toothbrush from the shelf, squeezed toothpaste onto it generously, and started brushing his teeth.
Taking a step aside, he made space for Tae-hee beside him.
He turned on the shower, adjusting the water to a comfortably warm temperature.
Soon after, Tae-hee came in and closed the door behind him.
Although the bathroom had never felt small before, the space now felt unusually tight.
As he brushed his teeth, Seo Jeong-won occasionally glanced at Tae-hee.
Once finished, he moved quickly to wet his body—he planned to finish up soon.
There was a subtle sense of urgency.
The space was not large enough for two people to move freely, and Tae-hee’s reactions were becoming increasingly noticeable.
As the warm steam filled the room, a particular scent began to linger—something more natural and distinct than the artificial sweetness of shampoo.
Seo Jeong-won paused, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
Tae-hee, as calm as ever, approached and reached into the foam.
Jeong-won instinctively leaned closer.
“You’re in a bit of a hurry,” Tae-hee commented softly.
“I just didn’t want to inconvenience you… It’s really just that.”
Seo Jeong-won’s gaze drifted downward, catching sight of Tae-hee’s clearly aroused state, yet he stammered nervously in response.
“I didn’t intend to take it any further,” Tae-hee said gently.
“Do I really seem like someone who’d take advantage like that?”
“No! I didn’t mean it that way, truly…”
“Still,” Tae-hee added, his tone laced with teasing, “it does sound a bit rough when said out loud.”
Before Jeong-won could say more, Tae-hee leaned in, claiming his lips with an unexpectedly tender kiss.
His embrace was firm but not forceful, his breath carrying a faint hint of mint as his lips moved against Jeong-won’s.
The warmth between them deepened.
Despite how familiar the closeness had become, the sensations never dulled.
Jeong-won trembled slightly, his body sensitive to every movement.
As Tae-hee continued, gently touching him, the tension grew until it reached an undeniable release.
Tae-hee held him throughout, guiding him gently through it.
When Jeong-won grew weak-kneed, Tae-hee supported him and helped him sit down.
“Close your eyes,” he said softly.
“And open your mouth just a little.”
Jeong-won, breathless and flushed, did as told.
Tae-hee, still aroused, touched his face and guided the moment delicately.
Though it was overwhelming, Jeong-won didn’t resist.
Perhaps it was because he had experienced this intensity before, or maybe he had grown used to it—either way, he no longer recoiled from the taste or scent.
Later, Seo Jeong-won emerged from the bathroom feeling thoroughly exhausted.
Even lying in bed, he was still overwhelmed by Tae-hee’s constant presence.
Though there were no more physical advances, the heat from the shower and Tae-hee’s embrace lingered.
His eyelids grew heavier.
The side of his neck, where Tae-hee had buried his face earlier, still felt warm.
“…It stings,” he murmured.
“It looks like it,” Tae-hee replied, brushing his lips gently over Jeong-won’s skin.
Tae-hee found himself overwhelmed not by pheromones, but by the natural scent of Jeong-won’s skin—something surprisingly pleasant.
Despite using products with a cheap rose fragrance, once they were on Jeong-won, it felt like being surrounded by fresh blooms.
His warmth and softness, paired with that scent, made it hard for Tae-hee to pull away.
He kept kissing Jeong-won’s neck, brushing his lips softly along the skin.
When he finally looked up, he saw Jeong-won had fallen fast asleep, his lips parted, breathing quietly.
It made sense—Jeong-won hadn’t been sleeping well lately.
Resting his head on his arm, Tae-hee gazed at the sleeping man beside him.
His delicate features looked like they had been painted with a fine brush, each detail perfectly placed.
He tried to recall what Seo Gyuwon looked like, but his memory failed him. Perhaps they looked alike, but Gyuwon didn’t carry the same feeling.
Unlike before, Tae-hee no longer felt disappointed that Jeong-won was a beta.
Even if he never manifested as something else, that was fine.
But if that were the case, his reason for holding onto Jeong-won might disappear.
“Ah… marriage,” he murmured.
If they started a family, everything would fall into place.
The thought was brief—Jeong-won wouldn’t turn down the idea, especially with his brother’s hospital bills looming.
He could only hope Seo Gyuwon held on long enough.
It would be better if he recovered, though Tae-hee knew the chances were slim.
***
In the deep hours of the night, Tae-hee awoke to sounds coming from Jeong-won.
The man was drenched in sweat and looked visibly unwell.
Tae-hee reached for his phone, checking the time, and sat up.
The body he had held all night radiated intense heat, skin damp and sticky.
Trying to shake off the drowsiness, he checked Jeong-won’s temperature.
Though it felt like a fever, he wasn’t sure it was from illness—his breathing was steady.
After brushing Jeong-won’s hair back, Tae-hee got up, turned on the lights in the living room, and rummaged through cabinets to find fever medication.
Returning with lukewarm water, he helped Jeong-won sit up and drink, though most of the water spilled.
He gently touched Jeong-won’s dry lips with his own and even tried nudging with his tongue, but there was little response.
Finally, he held water in his mouth and shared it slowly, letting it moisten Jeong-won’s mouth.
Eventually, Jeong-won stirred slightly and opened his eyes halfway.
“Are you okay?” Tae-hee asked softly.
“…It’s dizzy,” came the weak reply.
“So… hot.”
As if searching for a cool place, Seo Jeong-won leaned his face deeply against Kwon Tae-hee’s neck.
He rubbed his damp forehead against the cool skin.
This side of him, never shown before, felt both new and endearing—but at the same time, it brought a sense of responsibility, like needing to give him fever medicine.
When Kwon Tae-hee tried to pull Seo Jeong-won away, a faint trace of resentment lingered in the dazed, feverish eyes.
“Medicine first.”
“Hot…”
Kwon Tae-hee, holding a fairly large pill in his mouth and water in his cheeks, pressed his lips back onto Seo Jeong-won’s.
As he passed the pill to him and their tongues entwined, Seo Jeong-won coughed but managed to swallow it.
After repeating the same method a few more times to give him water, he laid Seo Jeong-won down on the bed.
Like someone looking for a cooler spot, Seo Jeong-won squirmed around a bit—then soon fell asleep quietly, like a baby.
Maybe it was because this was his first rut.
Until just before bed, Seo Jeong-won had seemed fine, but his condition rapidly worsened.
Maybe knotting was too much.
Considering an omega would also find that painful—how could Seo Jeong-won, a beta, have handled it?
Kwon Tae-hee felt a slight twinge of guilt.
Still, it wasn’t like he could make a promise never to do it again.
He knew he would.
Until he got tired of Seo Jeong-won.
Kwon Tae-hee devoted himself to caring for him all night long, to the point that it could be called attentive.
Only after giving Seo Jeong-won another dose of fever reducer every four hours did his fever begin to go down.
By then, the day had broken.
After a quick wash and getting ready for work, Kwon Tae-hee leaned against the door and thought for a moment.
“Mr. Seo Jeong-won.”
“Mm…”
“Wouldn’t it be better to go to the hospital?”
“Let me sleep more… later…”
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