“It seems like it’s because of the team transfer… I heard it got moved up. Should I put in a separate request if you want?”

“No. I asked for it to be done sooner.”

“Do you hate our team now?”

“You know that’s not true.”

“Yeah. Now I’m going to miss you?”

From her playful smile, he noticed Yun-jin was trying to lighten the mood. It had been too good a team for him. Though he had worried since they were quite selective about people, thanks to both being on the same team as Myung-hwon and Yun-jin’s help beside him, he was able to adapt easily to Attack Team 1.

“I’m really sad about changing teams too… but I can’t help it because of my personal feelings.”

“Still, we can feel sad about it. I’m really going to miss you.”

Yun-jin whispered that it’s so hard to find good colleagues while glancing toward where Ho-yun was. When he smiled awkwardly, not knowing how to respond, Yun-jin naturally changed the subject.

“You didn’t fight with Myung-hwon, did you?”

“What?”

“Since you two never come in at the same time.”

“It’s not like that. Just some circumstances came up.”

Unable to explain the private details about Myung-hwon, he brushed it off. Just then, No-hun got up from his seat and came over to where the two were.

“Yun-jin-ssi, Ju-eon-ssi. Aren’t you going to lunch?”

“Let’s go.”

Ju-eon reflexively glanced at Myung-hwon’s seat, which would clearly be empty. While scanning the empty seat, his gaze naturally went to Ho-yun’s seat next to it. Ji-woo also naturally grabbed his phone and stood beside No-hun.

“What about Ho-yun-ssi?”

Though they usually all ate lunch together as a team, since no one asked about Ho-yun, Ju-eon asked first.

“Ho-yun-ssi already went out earlier?”

“Really?”

“Let’s hurry. If we’re late we’ll have to wait in line again.”

It would be hypocritical to say he was worried. But he didn’t want things to be so difficult that team life became unbearable. It might be a base desire. But he couldn’t help it. He just hoped that, just a little, just while he was still there, they wouldn’t get along too well.

After eating, he thought about contacting Myung-hwon, but didn’t after hearing Ho-yun had taken a half day off. The chances of them being together were low, but he was afraid of hearing they were together if he called.

Before lunch break ended, he took his medicine and sat at his desk, now a familiar routine. Time that used to just flow boringly now passed by cruelly fast.

Yun-jin stretched, saying her body was stiff from sitting in one position for so long.

“Just one more day until the weekend. I can’t wait to rest.”

On days without dungeon missions, work mostly consisted of simple tasks or writing reports. Recently, with Ho-yun joining, dungeon missions became more frequent and the team often worked later than usual.

Work hadn’t been distributed to Ho-yun yet, and since Ju-eon was about to change teams, he wasn’t taking on new work. Instead, he had to finish paperwork within the deadline so his workload hadn’t decreased. But after tomorrow, Ju-eon would stop going to dungeons, so he could leave work at the usual time. Only the remaining original team members had it tough.

“Right. But they’ll probably redistribute work soon.”

“I hope so.”

Ju-eon finished his work around the usual time.

“I’ll head out first.”

“Are you done with work?”

“For today.”

“I’m jealous.”

Receiving Yun-jin’s envious farewell, Ju-eon left the office. Checking the time, thinking he might be a bit late at this rate, he hurried his steps. Instead of going straight home, Ju-eon stood in front of a shop in the busy district that he had only seen from the outside while passing by.

Though its clean exterior had caught his eye whenever he passed by, he had never thought about going inside. With red brick exterior and a single clean neon sign hanging, it was a tattoo shop.

Personal belongings couldn’t be brought in, and one of the side effects was memory loss. Yun-jae had given many precautions, but these two points struck Ju-eon the most.

“I’ve drawn the design outline, please check one last time.”

Having finished drawing the design on the skin, the tattoo artist stepped back and held up a mirror to the area with the design, asking Ju-eon to confirm.

“Yes. It’s good. Please do it like this.”

When deciding the tattoo location, he chose without much thought, but having someone touch the inside of his thigh felt stranger than expected. Though not a crucial area, it was somewhere he had never shown anyone except Myung-hwon.

“Ugh.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry.”

Ju-eon was most surprised by the moan that escaped between his bitten lips. Though the tattoo artist seemed unfazed as if used to such situations, Ju-eon apologized with a bright red face. He knew the inside of his thigh was sensitive from nights with Myung-hwon, but this was the first time learning it was also vulnerable to pain.

Ju-eon gripped the edge of the reclining chair tightly. To not let moans escape from the unfamiliar pain of needles piercing skin.

**

Not having noticed without windows, by the time he finished the tattoo and came out, the sun had already set.

Whoosh-

To make matters worse, it was raining. The rain was so heavy he could barely see ahead. The orange streetlight in front of the shop flickered.

“…Should I just go?”

In this weather, there wouldn’t be any taxis going to a destination that wasn’t too far. With strong winds blowing along with the rain, he would get soaked even with an umbrella.

In the end, there was only one choice left.

His shoes got wet with each step. Being late autumn rain, it was unbearably cold. It was too foolish a choice. But his body was already soaked through. Ju-eon quickened his pace and walked fast. While his whole body was getting colder, the inside of his thigh burned hot with each step as skin rubbed together.

Beep beep beep beep.

Click. Ring ring.

When he opened the front door, all lights were off, just as they had been when Ju-eon had briefly stopped by home. The empty house made him feel unsettled.

Click.

But unexpectedly, he ran into Myung-hwon coming out of the bedroom shirtless. Amusingly, his unsettled feelings instantly melted away.

“Oh? You were home? What are you doing with all the lights off?”

“Was just going to change clothes and head out. Why are you so wet?”

Again?

Water dripped from his clothes. The automatic sensor light at the entrance that had turned on when Ju-eon came in went off.

“It’s raining outside… got caught in it.”

Ju-eon blinked rapidly to adjust to the darkness.

“Come in quickly.”

“…Don’t go.”

It was unlike himself. Myung-hwon must have noticed it was different from usual Ju-eon, as he hesitated.

He didn’t ask where he was going. He didn’t want to ask where he was headed. That wasn’t what was important. He wanted someone to understand and comfort him when he was lonely and hurting and in pain. Wanting such things without saying them was selfish. He knew that. But this was the best way he could say it.

“Did something happen?”

Pop.

Instead of answering, Ju-eon slowly undid his buttons from the top. His clothes were heavy with water and kept stealing away what warmth remained in his body.

Pop.

With each slow unbuttoning, Myung-hwon also held his breath, his gaze fixed on Ju-eon’s fingertips. As his hands slowly moved downward, Myung-hwon’s gaze followed. Though his fingertips trembled at the intense gaze, Ju-eon didn’t stop. His outer clothes fell to the floor.

Thud.

The entrance sensor light came on again from the movement.

“Hold me.”

Even if it burns. I want to be consumed by your heat.

This time, Ju-eon was the first to light the fuse that he had always been too embarrassed to do, always leaving it to Myung-hwon.

“……”

Myung-hwon remained frozen without saying anything. His gaze was fixed on Ju-eon like a nail.

Was it too unlike me? It was an incredibly clumsy seduction. In their 9 years of dating, this was the first time Ju-eon had tried to seduce him this way.

‘Was I too clumsy.’

Ju-eon lowered his head, feeling embarrassed by his actions. His flat chest was visible.

“…If you don’t want to… I- ah?”

In an instant, Myung-hwon came right up to his face and grabbed Ju-eon’s wrist, pulling him.

“Ah…!”

Myung-hwon pushed Ju-eon’s wrist against the wall, then tilted his chin and claimed his lips. Ju-eon wrapped his free hand around Myung-hwon’s neck.

Myung-hwon’s hot tongue pushed in. Now ignited, Myung-hwon embraced Ju-eon more passionately than before. The sensor light kept turning on and off as the two moved. Their lips parted briefly and Myung-hwon pressed his forehead against Ju-eon’s.

“You. Where did you learn… ha.”

“Haa….”

When Myung-hwon bit Ju-eon’s lower lip just hard enough to hurt slightly, Ju-eon let out a faint moan and opened his mouth. His mind grew hazy from his heat. Like an oasis found in the desert, Myung-hwon swallowed Ju-eon’s saliva.

Myung-hwon pressed his body close with obvious intent. Ju-eon, who had his eyes closed, opened them with a start.

After seeing Ju-eon’s surprise, Myung-hwon pulled away from his lips and turned his head to take Ju-eon’s earlobe into his mouth. When he rolled the earlobe in his mouth, the wet sounds became even clearer, making Ju-eon’s body twitch.

“Wrap your arms properly.”

Myung-hwon whispered to Ju-eon in a lowered voice. Ju-eon wrapped his legs around his waist, and Myung-hwon lifted him up easily.

Listening to the sound of rain hitting the windows, Myung-hwon laid Ju-eon down on the bed. In complete darkness, only the two of them remained.