Chapter 02

Dohyun arrived at the familiar doorstep of Dongsun's house, his stomach tight with a mix of nerves and something more primal. Here he was, about to backpedal on his whole 'it's just lust' line. Should he apologize for his harsh words? Admit the truth that he couldn't bear the thought of losing Dongsun? Or would it be better to simply acknowledge the strong physical attraction that had been driving their on-again, off-again relationship?

The last few days had been rough for Dohyun. All he could think about were their fights, and maybe, okay definitely, he'd spent way too much time looking at Dongsun's pictures online. Those pictures -Damn! Dongsun with his messy blonde hair, that perfect skin, and a figure that could make Greek god jealous... 'Wait, Dohyun FOCUS!' He scolded himself. These daydreams were making it hard to even think about saying sorry.

Taking a deep breath, he rapped his knuckles on the door. Silence. He knocked again, harder this time. He waited, his nerves on edge, until he detected the faint movement of Dongsun's eyes peeking through the peephole. Dohyun steeled himself, knocking again, more firmly this time. "Dongsun! Open up, it's me!" After what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open.

"Hey, Dohyun," Dongsun rasped, looking pale and drawn. 

"Are you okay?" Dohyun's concern was evident as he stepped inside, his eyes scanning Dongsun.

"I feel a little dizzy and I vomit sometimes," Dongsun confessed, and sat on the couch. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" Dohyun offered, his earlier resolve melting into genuine worry.

"Don't worry, my mother is on the way to take care of me." He paused, his gaze shifting to Dohyun's face. "Did you... did you want something?" 

"No, I was just passing by..." Dohyun lied, his eyes following Dongsun as he tries to lay on the couch. "I think I should let you rest. So...see you at the university," he added awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head as he turned to leave, his heart heavy with unspoken words.

Dongsun offered a wan smile and a weak wave goodbye. Just as Dohyun reached for the doorknob, the words 'my mom' snagged on his brain. A nagging doubt that drove him towards the bathroom door. What he found there shattered the fragile peace—Jungeun, standing in nothing but his underwear, greeted him with a casual, "Hi, Dohyunnie."

Dohyun's eyes flashed with fury as he exclaimed, "You lying BASTARD!" Overcome with anger, he stormed towards Dongsun, grabbed him by the collar, and shook him. Caught in the act, yet trying to pretend innocence. He claimed he was sick and his mother was coming to take care of him, but in fact, she didn't even know what his house looked like.

Dongsun's gaze flickered, a mix of defiance and resignation. "Dohyun, come on. You and I both know what this was," he replied, his voice laced with a bitterness that matched the coldness in his eyes. "We were never about love letters and forever promises. It was fun, wasn't it? Just fun."

Dohyun's laugh was hollow, devoid of any real humor. "Fun? Is that what you call it?" He shook his head, disbelief etching his features. "I knew we were playing games, Dongsun. But I didn't realize you were keeping score with someone else."

Junjeun standing between them in his boxers felt completely comfortable at Dongsun's house. He wore the smile of someone enjoying the drama in front of him. Dongsun stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper, "Dohyun, we agreed to this. No strings, remember? You can't hold it against me when you've been playing the field just as much."

Dohyun recoiled as if struck, the truth of Dongsun's words stinging. They had both entered this arrangement with eyes wide open, a mutual understanding that their connection was rooted in physical pleasure, not emotional depth. Yet, standing here, amidst the fallout of their choices, Dohyun couldn't help but feel a pang of something similar to loss.

"Besides," Dongsun added, a smirk playing on his lips, "I found a new hole and you need a new dick too."

Dohyun's eyes widened before quickly narrowing, his body tense. "Fine," he spat out, the word tasting bitter on his tongue. "Consider this the end of our... 'fun,' Dongsun. I hope he was worth it."

Dohyun looked at them both from head to toe with an unbothered look, then walked outside. He waved goodbye and closed the door behind him, not giving them the satisfaction of closing it in his face. This left them shocked.

Dongsun returned to the living room, with Junjeun trailing behind him. "That was funny to watch. I didn't expect him to break up with you so easily," Junjeun remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Dongsun leaned in closer to Junjeun, their lips nearly touching. "Give him a few days, and he'll come crawling back, begging for me. He's nothing more than a little slut who can't live without sex," he whispered, before capturing Junjeun's lips in a slow, deliberate kiss.

Two months crawled by. Most days, Dohyun felt a quiet contentment he hadn't expected. Occasionally, craving a touch would send a twinge of longing through his body. But those moments were brief, easily swallowed by the normalcy of his routine.

Dohyun sat at the dining table, his chubby cheeks puffing out like a quokka with each chew, making him look even more adorable than usual. Seojin entered the kitchen his gaze lingered on Dohyun, a sly smile unfurling across his lips, he approached him, leaning against the table with his butt to the edge, looking down at Dohyun.

"You know, Dohyun," Seojin began, his voice low and husky, "you have such delicious-looking cheeks."

Dohyun's eyes widened in surprise, nearly causing him to choke on his food. He stammered, "W-what?" Looking up at Seojin.

Seojin's laughter was soft, his hand reaching out to flick a stray piece of rice from the corner of Dohyun's mouth and gently caressing his cheek, causing a shiver to run down Dohyun's spine. "I'm just saying, you have such a cute face. It's hard not to notice."

Mixed emotions swirled within Dohyun; flattery warred with a creeping suspicion. Seojin's tone seemed to hint at something more, something unspoken. "T-thanks," Dohyun whispered, his gaze dropping to his plate, unable to meet Seojin's eyes.

Seojin's hand remained a moment longer, his touch gentle yet unsettling. "You know, those cheeks could probably handle more than just food," he remarked,

Dohyun's heart skipped a beat, and he felt a sudden rush of heat between his legs. He dared a glance upwards, confusion etched across his wide innocent eyes. "W-what do you mean?" 

Seojin chuckled at Dohyun's cuteness, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he glanced down at Dohyun. "Oh, nothing much," he said, his tone casual. "I just meant that you have such a big appetite. I bet you could eat a lot more than you already have on your plate."

At that moment, Chinwoo entered, his gaze immediately drawn to the scene unfolding before him. He saw Seojin's hand gently cupping Dohyun's flushed cheek, the affectionate gesture sparking something within him. "There you are. What are you guys doing?" he asked.

Seojin turned, with an innocent smile. "Just commenting on Dohyun's adorable cheeks," he explained, nodding towards the flushed boy. "I was just admiring Dohyun's cheeks," he said, motioning to Dohyun's face. "Don't you think they're just adorable?"

Dohyun's arms crossed as he regarded Seojin, a newfound confidence bubbling within. 'This has to make Dad react somehow. He won't stand for this...'

"Yeah, they are," Chinwoo agreed. Dohyun's face fell down in surprise. The expected reaction from Chinwoo left him deflated, his earlier confidence evaporating.

Disappointment gnawed at him, his suspicions seemingly unfounded. Was he just making things up in his head? The ambiguity of it all was frustrating.

"Anyway, Dohyun, finish your food," Chinwoo said, taking out his phone. "We need to head to the gym for practice. It's been a while since you've been there."

Dohyun nodded, his mind still racing with thoughts and questions. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. He pushed his plate away, his appetite suddenly gone.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat a little more?" Seojin teased. "Those cheeks of yours could use a little more filling out."

The comment sent a fresh wave of embarrassment crashing over Dohyun, his face aflame. In front of his father, no less. 'He must be out of his mind.'

Chinwoo, however, seemed oblivious to the tension, as he was focused on his phone. "Come on, Dohyun. Let's get going," he said.

Rising from his chair, Dohyun followed, his thoughts a whirlwind. 'Why am I so bothered? He's just my stepfather...' Yet, despite his attempts to rationalize, Dohyun couldn't shake the unease that Seojin's words had planted within him.

"Take care!" Seojin called out, waving goodbye to his husband and stepson, his smile revealing sharp, crescent-like eyes. As Dohyun walked out the door, a shiver ran down his spine.