At her words, Taeyun’s eyes sharpened.

‘Sleep together.’

It was something he had never expected to hear.

Steadying himself, Taeyun gently took the hand she was holding him with and placed it back beneath the blanket.

“Let’s just sleep separately.”

His voice was calm as he tried to soothe her.

There had been countless times when simply sitting beside her made him want to kiss her, forcing him to hold himself back.

That was why, after they began living together, he had been even more careful about everything.

“Don’t do that. Just sleep here with me.”

Ina immediately sat up.

Then she reached out again and grabbed the hem of his shirt.

Taeyun’s gaze deepened even further.

Looking nervous, Ina bit her lip tightly and watched his reaction.

After a moment, Taeyun sat down on the edge of the bed facing her.

“Ina.”

“…I won’t hold you back.”

“What does that even mean?”

Upon hearing her words, Taeyun’s eyebrows drew together sharply.

Ina lowered her gaze and hesitated for a moment.

She knew why he avoided physical intimacy.

She could sense how careful he was being.

Even when they were dating, Taeyun had barely done more than hold her hand or give her a light kiss. But ever since she moved into his house, he had kept an even greater distance.

“Sometimes I think about it. You’re so upright and amazing. You grew up without wanting for anything, and I wonder if I’m holding someone like you back. Am I just something that gets in the way of your future?”

“Yoon Ina.”

His voice turned cold.

But Ina continued speaking calmly.

“If my son brought home someone like me, I don’t think I’d like it.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“I feel like I’m receiving too much without giving anything back… and it keeps bothering me.”

Taeyun treated her as if she were something too precious to even touch.

Being beside him sometimes made her feel as though she truly was someone valuable.

But when they kissed, she could see the way he held himself back, struggling to restrain his feelings.

And whenever she saw that, her own heart felt just as frustrated.

‘Why would he do this much for someone like me?’

“So even if—just in case—we break up someday… I won’t hold you back because of something like this, brother.”

“…”

Was it because he had taken his mother’s call earlier?

The sudden turn of the conversation left Taeyun completely taken aback.

Unsure how to respond, he simply stared at her.

Ina gently took his hand and gave a small smile.

“So… stay with me. Okay?”

“Do you even know what you’re saying? If I lie down next to you, I’m not confident I’ll just stay still.”

Taeyun confessed honestly.

Just looking at her made his body burn with restrained longing.

If he lay beside her, he wasn’t sure he could stop at simply touching her hand.

“I know. Me too.”

“No… I don’t think tonight is a good idea. Just go to sleep. Another time.”

Taeyun steadied his breathing and tried to calm her.

After hesitating for a moment, Ina placed something in his hand.

Taeyun lowered his gaze and looked at it.

“You…”

The moment he realized what it was, his eyes trembled.

“I thought… just in case. You looked like you were having a hard time.”

It was a condom.

Taeyun’s expression hardened instantly.

He had never even bought one.

He didn’t want to do something like that impulsively. But now she had brought one.

The absurdity of it made a hollow laugh escape his lips.

“Don’t your feelings matter? If I’m struggling, are you just going to go along with it?”

“That’s not it.”

Hearing the irritation in his voice, Ina quickly shook her head.

That wasn’t what she meant at all.

They had planned this trip together, and she thought there might be a moment like this.

So she had prepared it.

Of course, seeing how much he seemed to be struggling had also been part of the reason she bought it.

“If that’s not what you meant, then I’m fine.”

“Brother.”

Tears welled in Ina’s eyes.

Holding his hand tightly, she spoke through trembling breaths.

Her feelings hadn’t come out the way she intended, but she didn’t know how else to express them.

Looking at him, she swallowed back her tears.

“I… don’t have anything.”

“…”

“There’s so much I want to give you in return for everything you’ve given me… but I don’t have anything to give.”

The tears gathered in her eyes spilled down her cheeks.

Taeyun’s brows slowly drew together.

“Instead of giving anything, I just keep receiving more. So…”

“Haa.”

Taeyun listened quietly, then slowly closed his eyes.

He understood how she felt. But at the same time, the fact that she had been thinking this way made him a little angry.

Because he understood her heart, he forced down his frustration and spoke calmly.

“You don’t have to give me anything. I didn’t do those things because I wanted something back. I did them because I wanted to. Just stay by my side like this. That’s enough. Really.”

“…I like you. A lot.”

It was the first time she had said it.

Taeyun had confessed to her countless times, but this was the first time Ina had said those words.

Just saying it felt like her heart might burst.

Han Taeyun.

Just thinking about him made her chest swell.

“I like you a lot, brother.”

Ina said it again.

Taeyun froze.

He had always known she liked him too. But hearing it directly from her lips sent a shiver through his entire body.

“So… just in case… I keep worrying you might disappear somewhere. It makes me so anxious.”

“That won’t happen. Don’t worry.”

With tears filling her eyes, Ina looked at him.

She raised her hand and cupped his cheek.

The couple ring he had given her earlier glimmered softly in the moonlight.

After gazing at him for a moment, Ina leaned forward and kissed him.

“…”

Their lips touched briefly before separating.

Taeyun stared at her in stunned silence.

Ina slowly opened her eyes.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Their gazes tangled at close range.

It was also the first time Ina had kissed him first.

Everything felt unexpectedly overwhelming.

Taeyun frowned slightly, closing and opening his eyes slowly.

“Give it… as my birthday present.”

Ina spoke as if she had made up her mind.

The meaning behind her words made Taeyun’s eyes shake violently.

She looked at him quietly before leaning forward to kiss him again.

This time, Taeyun tilted his head and captured her lips completely.

***

“Ha… ah…!”

A moan escaped her without her meaning to.

The unfamiliar sensations left her unsure of what to do. All she could do was surrender her body to the guidance of his hands.

Ina gently wrapped her arms around Taeyun’s head as he pressed his lips against her collarbone.

Kissing her softly, he carefully lowered her onto the bed.

Then he leaned his weight over her.

She didn’t know if this situation was right or wrong.

But one thing was certain.

At this moment, all he wanted was to hold her.

He had barely managed to suppress his instincts and look away, but her constant touches—her crossing the line again and again—had finally burned away the last of his restraint.

“Mm—”

As his lips moved slowly along her collarbone, his breath grew deeper.

A shiver ran through her entire body.

The lingering warmth of his touch, the heat of his tongue, the damp trace of his breath—

She couldn’t think straight.

While slowly kissing the line of her neck, Taeyun lifted a hand and carefully cupped the soft curve of her chest.

“Ah—”

Even through her clothes, the sensation was overwhelming.

Startled by the sound that escaped her, Ina quickly covered her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Should we stop?”

“No.”

Ina shook her head immediately.

It seemed that Taeyun was hesitating because she looked flustered, even though they had barely begun.

Lifting his head for a moment to check her expression, he lowered his lips again.

Each time his hand kneaded her chest, a strange, intoxicating sensation spread through her entire body.

“Haa…”

The dizzying feeling made Ina squeeze her eyes shut.

Perhaps because she was so tense, the sensitive peak beneath his hand had already hardened.

The faint rustle of fabric beneath his touch made her mind go blank.

Her body twisted unconsciously, and her breathing grew uneven.

“If it’s too much, tell me. I’ll stop.”

Taeyun said it once more before removing her top completely.

The moment cool air brushed against her skin, her shoulders instinctively tensed.

With only her bra left on, she felt unbearably shy, heat rushing to her face.

Click.

Taeyun reached behind her back and unclasped it.

The last layer slipped away.

Embarrassed, Ina quickly raised both hands to cover her face.

“Ah—”

The heat of his hand against her bare skin made her slender body stiffen instantly.

As Taeyun gently caressed her, her breathing faltered and white sparks flashed across her vision.

“Mmh…”

Taeyun looked down at the woman beneath him.

Ina was biting her lip, trying to stifle the sounds slipping from her throat.

Her skin was so delicate that even touching her felt like something that needed care.

Wherever he touched, her skin quickly flushed red.

Just the sight of her hardened, rose-colored peak made his body grow heavier with desire.

After teasing her slowly for a moment, Taeyun finally lowered his head and took it gently into his mouth.

“H—”

Ina’s head tipped back completely.