Archive of Our Own

Gi-hun knew it. He should’ve trusted his gut that screamed it was a bad idea. He knew it.

His mind kept replaying the way In-ho had looked at him, the way he’d brushed his hand against his cheek so delicately, as if he desired him, as if he cared, as if he respected him. As if he mattered to him.

But of course, that was In-ho—a damn expert at being a liar, a hypocrite, and the greatest manipulator in the world.

Able to look at him like he was something special, something worthy of his time.

He had looked at him like he was the only important thing in the world, the only truly beautiful and perfect thing. With that easy smile and those bright eyes that looked straight into his own, grabbing all his attention, causing a slight blush. Stirring a flutter in his stomach and a pleasant warmth that spread through his body.

In-ho had been around Gi-hun for weeks after they ended up in an after-school workshop together. In-ho had taken every little chance to find him, walk beside him, ask to walk him home, offer to carry his books to class—he even showed up at lunchtime with a small box of chocolate milk, handed it to him with little knowing smiles, and then left to sit with his friends. And maybe that should have been the first sign.

Because always, after talking to him, after asking about his day and if he needed help with anything, after his seemingly innocent compliments about his looks, In-ho always went back to his group of friends. He sat with them and they all started laughing while In-ho never took his eyes off him. Most times, Gi-hun could even see him joining in on the laughter.

And still, his mind ignored it. Because it was In-ho.

Because when In-ho looked at him like nothing else in the world existed, Gi-hun’s world stopped for a moment. Because In-ho’s touch felt like an electric current shooting from his fingertips through every inch of his nervous system.

Because it had been In-ho who made the first move, who asked—no, begged—for a date.

And when he looked at him like his life depended on it, Gi-hun couldn’t say no. He couldn’t, so he said yes.

And one date led to another, and another, and before he realized it, he was standing outside his house with his lips pressed against In-ho’s, In-ho’s hands on his waist, fingers slightly curled, gripping, holding, anchoring him.

And yes, Gi-hun admitted it was he who asked for time, for discretion and anonymity. Because how else could it be?

In-ho was the school’s golden boy: attractive, charismatic, smart without even trying, athletic, taking extra classes, adored by students and teachers alike. Basically everything Gi-hun wasn’t and never would be.

And that was the problem.

That was his crime. 

Because In-ho was adored and desired by half the school, and Gi-hun was just another misfit on his long list.

He didn’t want to be bullied just for daring to breathe near the golden boy. So he asked In-ho to keep it secret, to stay low-key. He excused it by saying he wanted something just for the two of them, free of outside drama. And though the younger boy didn’t seem thrilled, he agreed anyway.

F riday

They were in In-ho’s bed.

They had gone after school—In-ho was going to help him study for a history quiz, and Gi-hun would help with a geography model. It was only for schoolwork, they’d promised. And that had been the first in a chain of mistakes.

Until In-ho started looking at him in that way again. The way that made his knees weak and sent a chill down his spine, the way that made him feel wanted; made him feel loved. And when Gi-hun met those eyes with his own, not even a second passed before their lips were together.

All was warm breath and saliva, the room filled with the sounds of lips breaking the vacuum between them, books being set aside, their feet guiding them toward the bed. In-ho gently laid him on the mattress, pulling away briefly to admire him before kissing him again.

It was clumsy, shy, and desperate. Everything expected from a teenager. But also eager and determined, sure of what he was doing.

In-ho broke the kiss again, looking up at him. He took a few seconds to admire him—his slightly red and swollen lips, straight messy hair, blushed cheeks, dilated pupils and sparkling eyes, the way his chest rose and fell with erratic breaths. He admired him, adored him, worshipped him. And then kissed him again.

First on the lips, then down to his chin, up his jawline, and down to his neck—his lips touched a spot near his pulse that made Gi-hun moan.

It wasn’t a low, muffled sound. It was pure, loud, and uncontrollable.

In-ho pulled back to look him in the eyes. Gi-hun was even redder, eyes half-lidded from the sensations.

“So we have something here…” he murmured before kissing him again on the same spot. Gi-hun moaned again, this time softer, while gently tugging In-ho’s hair.

In-ho smiled against his skin—he felt it. Just like he felt In-ho’s hand sliding up under his shirt, resting on his warm stomach. Fingertips tracing his exposed skin, moving up, slipping beneath the fabric, trailing up his abdomen.

“In-ho…” Gi-hun murmured. In-ho kissed his neck again but didn’t stop. “In-ho…” he tried again. This time In-ho gave a soft hum. His hand climbed higher, reaching the edge of his chest. “In-ho. Stop, please.”

And that was more than enough. In-ho pulled away like he’d been burned, like he’d touched something sharp. He lifted his hands in the air, moving away, watching Gi-hun carefully.

“Gi-hun.” He looked at him with concern and regret. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry.” Gi-hun nodded, sitting up.

“It’s okay, it’s just… I’m not ready.” In-ho nodded.

“Of course. Sorry. It’s just—I like you a lot.”

In-ho looked at him with wide, bright eyes, full of concern and regret. Gi-hun smiled, unable to stop himself from finding him adorable. He leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.

“It’s okay. I like you a lot too.” He smiled. “It’s just that… we don’t even have condoms.” He blushed and looked away. In-ho blushed too.

“Oh, right.” He laughed awkwardly before flopping back on the bed.

Gi-hun followed, lying beside him. He turned to look at him—blushed cheeks, messy hair, lips still swollen and wet from kissing. He was beautiful—more than beautiful. He was simply perfect.

Monday

In-ho sat in his usual spot before the school bell rang. His friends were already waiting for him: Min-joon, Tae-yeon, Dae-ho, and No-eul.

Gi-hun watched from afar, from his usual seat near his friends.

He saw him laugh—loudly—while Min-joon laughed beside him and clapped him on the back. And they could’ve been laughing at anything, some joke between them. But Gi-hun was more than sure they were laughing at him.

He lowered his gaze in shame.

“Hey.” Sang-woo placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him inside. “Ignore him.”

“The damage’s already done,” Gi-hun murmured, leaning into his friend’s warmth.

“He’s just an asshole.”

Gi-hun nodded weakly, looking back one last time at In-ho. He wasn’t looking his way—he was leaning toward Tae-yeon, whispering something, and Tae-yeon had his stupid annoying smile as he listened. Gi-hun felt a tightness in his chest. He kept walking.

His phone buzzed as he sat on a bench with Sang-woo and Ali. Then it buzzed again, and again. He sighed, pulling it out—3 texts from the friend group, 1 from his mom, and 5 new ones from In-ho, joining the 6 he hadn’t read from yesterday. He cleared In-ho’s notifications and put the phone away.

He hugged his backpack to his chest like it could protect him from everything.

“Slut.”

One of the drama club girls walked by, glanced at him—but even if she hadn’t, he knew the comment was meant for him. He hugged his backpack tighter.

His friends surrounded him like a protective barrier. They comforted him with kind words and pats on the back. Tried to cheer him up with stories. Jung-bae even shared how his foot got stuck in a drain near the market on Saturday. Everyone laughed. Everyone had fun—except him.

He felt someone looking at him. When he looked up, he was there. Watching. Walking toward him.

Gi-hun stood up suddenly, grabbed Sang-woo’s hand. The group fell silent, watching. No one asked questions. Without letting go of Sang-woo’s hand, he walked toward the school building. Away from him.

Sang-woo held him close, dropped his hand and wrapped an arm around his back, resting his hand on his waist. Pulling him close. Protecting him.

Gi-hun looked back one last time, one last time at him. In-ho was in the middle of the courtyard, like he’d stopped halfway abruptly. Eyes fixed on him, jaw clenched, lips pressed into a thin line, shoulders tense. And Gi-hun thought he saw a flicker of pain in his gaze.

Son of a bitch.

Liar.

Hypocrite.

Friday

Gi-hun’s stomach hurt from laughing so much. Beside him, In-ho wasn’t doing much better.

They were still lying on the bed. The kisses had stopped, but not the caresses—not completely. In-ho’s hand stayed on his, gently stroking it. It was delicate, even tender.

They heard a click, then the front door opening. Both teens sat up in bed instantly.

“Shit,” In-ho muttered.

“In-ho!” his mom’s voice. In-ho blushed. “I told you, when Gi-hun’s over, the bedroom door stays open.” She knocked before opening the door. “This door. Open. Young man.”

“Sorry,” In-ho mumbled, embarrassed.

“Hi, Gi-hun.”

“Hello, ma’am. We’re really sorry.” Gi-hun bowed his head in apology.

“Oh, don’t worry sweetheart, it wasn’t your fault.” She looked at In-ho again. “Door open, okay?”

“Yes, Mom.”

She smiled once more before leaving.

She adored Gi-hun, ever since he introduced himself as In-ho’s boyfriend. She took his hand warmly, accepting him immediately into the home, into the family. Mal-soon loved anyone who made her son smile, who softened his serious, worried expression. And Gi-hun was an expert at making In-ho feel better.

She loved Gi-hun. Not in the same way that In-ho loved him, but she loved him too.

“Gi-hun!” Jun-ho, In-ho’s little brother, ran into the room and tackled his legs in a hug.

“Hey, Jun-ho. How are you?” he ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Good. Mom bought me a helicopter.” Jun-ho held the toy up. “Is my brother treating you well?”

“Hey!” In-ho playfully bopped Jun-ho on the head. “I’m your brother, you should worry about me.” Jun-ho stuck his tongue out and hugged Gi-hun tighter.

“I take care of Gi-hun.”

In-ho smiled at Jun-ho’s behavior. His little brother adored his boyfriend. Gi-hun was kind to him, played with him while In-ho helped with dinner, helped him with homework—even once asked to sit on Gi-hun’s lap during a movie. Jun-ho was only five, but protected Gi-hun like he was a mini police officer.

“Gi-hun, are you staying for dinner?”

“Uh… No, ma’am. It’s getting late and I should head home before dark or my mom’ll go crazy.”

“All right. In-ho, walk your boyfriend home.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Monday

The bell rang. Class was over and the noise resumed. He put his notebooks away.

“Slut.”

“Whore.”

"Promiscuous." 

Gi-hun shrank in his seat at each word, waiting for the classroom to empty before he sighed and got up. His friends were waiting for him at the entrance.

It was lunchtime, and if he was lucky, he wouldn't see In-ho. 

The problem was Gi-hun never had much luck, because In-ho was already waiting for him in the courtyard.

“Gi-hun…” His voice was low, broken, barely a whisper. He walked toward him.

“Leave, Hwang.” Sang-woo stepped in front of him, stopping his approach. Protecting him. “You’ve done enough.”

“Get out of my way, Cho.” In-ho stood in front of him, lifting his head to look at him. The height difference was obvious, but it didn’t make In-ho back down. “I need to talk to Gi-hun.”

Sang-woo let out a bitter laugh.

“Oh yeah? What for? So you can keep hurting him? Continue being a despicable person with him?"

“Get out of my way, Cho! I won’t tell you a third time.”

“Oh, screw you, Hwang. You think you’re hot stuff with your pack of idiots following you around, but you’re a complete jerk. And not much of a man.” In-ho raised his fist.

He punched Sang-woo straight on the cheek. Sang-woo staggered slightly before regaining his balance and responding. In-ho dodged the first punch, but the next one hit him square in the stomach. The two boys got into a fistfight as the other students formed a circle around them, shouting.

They fell to the ground, still hitting each other. In-ho hit his leg on the pavement while Sang-woo cushioned the fall with his hands. In-ho grabbed his shoulder, flipping him over and pinning him to the ground, straddling him, his legs trapping him, his weight keeping him from getting up, keeping him from moving. He was stronger, much more athletic, and he was on the MMA team. Sang-woo didn’t stand a chance.

He tried to defend himself, throwing a punch to In-ho’s side that the younger boy blocked with his arm. He raised his left fist and began punching Sang-woo in the face.

“In-ho, stop. Please.”

It was like flipping a switch. In-ho’s fist froze mid-air, just inches from Sang-woo’s face, ready to strike again. The older boy beneath him wasn’t moving anymore, wasn’t even trying to defend himself—it was pointless. He just kept his eyes closed, waiting for the next hit. His glasses had flown off and lay forgotten on the ground.

Gi-hun ran toward them, pushing In-ho off, who fell onto his back, watching as Gi-hun helped Sang-woo to his feet.

“Let’s go,” he murmured to his friend.

“Gi-hun…” In-ho looked at him.

“Leave me alone, Hwang. You’ve done enough.”

“Gi-hun, talk to me. Please.” His voice sounded broken, desperate, and Gi-hun hated him even more for being such a good actor, for sounding genuinely hurt. “Please, please. Please. Talk to me.”

“Stay away from me.”

In-ho reached out, wanting to stop Gi-hun. He wanted to hold him, look him in the eyes, and ask what was wrong, what had happened. How he could kiss him with such devotion three days ago and now act like they barely knew each other—as if In-ho was some kind of intruder in his perfect world.

“Hwang In-ho, to my office. Now.”

Principal Il-nam grabbed In-ho by his green school jacket and yanked him up off the ground. In-ho wanted to protest, to stop, to run after Gi-hun, to beg him right there in front of everyone to talk to him, to let him understand. He was losing his mind and didn’t know what to do.

But he did none of that. He followed the principal.

As Gi-hun passed through the crowd holding Sang-woo over his shoulder, he could feel the hateful stares of the other students on him. He hunched his shoulders.

“Hussy.”

“Not content with messing up In-ho’s life, now he’s doing the same to Sang-woo.”

“He got two guys to fight over him.What a cunning bitch.”

Friday

They walked in silence, holding hands, fingers intertwined. In-ho gently stroked the back of Gi-hun’s hand with his thumb, and Gi-hun smiled at the gesture. That was one of the first things he’d noticed about In-ho, he was very physical, always touching, caressing, brushing their skin together, sharing warmth. He let go of his hand and wrapped an arm around his back, resting his hand on Gi-hun’s waist, caressing him through the fabric, squeezing gently from time to time, pulling him closer.

When they got to Gi-hun’s house, he said goodbye with a slow kiss on the lips. In-ho stroked his cheek, his knuckles brushing his skin tenderly before giving him another quick kiss and finally pulling away, watching him until he stepped through the door before heading back home. 

In-ho’s hands were trembling, and he felt like he was doing something illegal, something wrong, like stealing or cheating. His eyes scanned the entire condom section in front of him. Ultra-sensitive, textured, warming, flavored ones like strawberry and chocolate. He wondered why someone would want those—and then blushed violently when he figured out why.

He grabbed a regular pack and read the back, hoping to find answers to all his questions. Nothing. Maybe if he had accepted the talk his mom tried to have him when he told her he was dating Gi-hun, he could’ve figured out the best choice among all these condoms. In-ho didn’t even know there were so many options. Maybe it was stupid, impulsive—he didn’t want to pressure Gi-hun, and God help him if he ever tried. But Gi-hun was right, they needed to be better prepared, more responsible. Lately, whenever they were alone—at his house or Gi-hun’s—things always escalated. The heat would spread through his body, and it was better to be ready. He just wanted Gi-hun to feel comfortable, loved, satisfied. He blushed again at the thought.

He grabbed three different packs and a strawberry-flavored lube.

He got in line at the register and grabbed a bag of cheese-flavored chips from a nearby shelf, just to make it look less obvious.

“Oh, if it isn’t the golden student.” In-ho tensed his shoulders. He clenched his purchases in his hands. “Don’t be like that, Hwang. I thought we were friends.” Thanos slung an arm around his shoulders. “Come on, relax.”

“Let go of me.” In-ho pulled away. “What do you want?” He knew Thanos was trying to provoke him now that there were adults and other customers around and he wouldn't start a fight there. 

“Just saying hi, In-ho. We saw what you were buying…” In-ho clenched his jaw. “I guess the stash ran out, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, someone’s cranky.” Thanos mocked. Nam-gyu beside him laughed too. “Oh, is it because you didn’t get to finish?” Thanos laughed again and snatched the lube bottle from In-ho’s hands.

“Oh, how naughty.” Nam-gyu teased.

“Give me that back. Now.” In-ho clenched his fists.

“Alright, no need to get mad.” He placed the bottle on top of the chip bag. “So… who likes strawberry?”

“Shut up,” In-ho muttered.

His phone rang. He sighed and pulled it from his pocket. The screen lit up with a notification, and under it was a photo of Gi-hun—he had taken it just days after they had started dating officially. Gi-hun had stopped to pet a cat that lived near his house, one In-ho had learned he often fed, almost like the cat was his. He’d picked it up to show it to him, and In-ho had snapped what he still considered his best picture: Gi-hun smiling, chocolate-brown eyes squinting slightly from the huge grin on his face, the last rays of sunlight lighting up his features, the white cat in his hands as he showed it off. He immediately locked the screen after reading Gi-hun’s message asking him to let him know when he got home.

When it was his turn, he paid and left without looking at the smug glances Thanos and his friend exchanged.

Monday

“Suspended?” Tae-yeon took the disciplinary slip from In-ho’s hands. “Four days for hitting a guy who provoked you? That’s bullshit.”

“He said something about me being the karate team captain, that I couldn’t get into fights like this. He also said I’m suspended from the MMA and archery teams until my 4-week detention ends. He only let me stay on the karate team because I’m the captain.” He kicked a stone on the ground and dropped down at the table. "You know what’s worse? I couldn’t even get close to Gi-hun. And I gave him one more reason to hate me.”

“But Sang-woo insulted you.”

“But I’m stronger than him. It was an unfair fight from the start.” He rested his chin on his backpack. “He’s not answering my messages, either my calls. I have no idea why.”

“Really? Not even a clue?” Min-joon sat beside him. “And here I thought you were smarter than that.”

“I’m not in the mood.” Min-joon raised his hands.

“Okay, relax, Frontman. I don’t want to end up like Cho. I’m just saying—it’s obvious.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t heard?” Min-joon lowered his hands and raised an eyebrow.

“Heard what?”

“Oh, come on, In-ho. The whole school knows.” Dae-ho looked at him. “Everyone knows that you and… that both of you…”

“We're dating. Or… we were.”

“You slept together. You took Gi-hun’s virginity.”

“WHAT?!”

In-ho jumped up from the bench, feeling lightheaded and dizzy—though he wasn’t sure if it was from the sudden movement or Dae-ho’s words.

“Jun-hee told me this morning. She doesn’t want to talk to you. In fact, she asked me not to either. She says you’re a manipulative liar and not a real man.”

In-ho froze.

“What?” he repeated, quieter this time. Dae-ho sighed.

“She said you told everyone about…”

“I didn’t.”

“You didn’t tell anyone?”

“We didn’t sleep together. We haven’t…”

“You lied?” No-eul raised both eyebrows. “Damn. That’s even worse.”

“What? No! I didn’t tell anyone, no one knew about us. I only told you guys this morning and only our families knew before that. We haven’t had sex, and if we had, why would I tell anyone?”

“Oh, I don’t know—maybe to boost your damn ego,” No-Eul answered.

In-ho clenched his fists tightly. Dae-ho sighed.

“Nam-gyu messaged him, mocking him. Called him a slut and a bitch. Said you told everyone, bragged about taking his virginity, said he begged you for it, even cried.”

“Nam-gyu and Thanos? I don’t even talk to…” He paused. “Shit. No. No. No. Fuck…”

“So it’s true?”

“What? No! Of course not. They saw me while I… while I was buying… and my phone…” In-ho started to put it all together. “And they must’ve figured it out. Those bastards went after Gi-hun because they know what he’s like—calm, kind, a little clumsy but overwhelmingly good… and of course they wanted to hurt him. And they did… but I never…”

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, tugging slightly at the strands.

“Of course he’d be mad at me, he has every reason to be. And Gi-hun’s probably been overthinking things for three days because that’s what he does, and I didn’t even realize… and this weekend I took my little brother to the park and… I’m such an idiot.”

He rushed past his friends, running back into the school building. First, he checked Gi-hun’s classroom—it was empty and his things were gone. He cursed, pulling at his hair again. He ran down the hall to the nurse’s office.

Empty.

Another curse.

He tightened the straps of his backpack and ran.

He was sure he ran more red lights than he could count. Cars honked their horns at him, but he didn’t care—none of it mattered. Only Gi-hun.

He recognized the streets of Ssangmun-dong as soon as he arrived, but he didn’t stop. His chest ached, his nose burned, everything felt heavy—but he didn’t stop. He didn’t slow down. He kept running.

He turned the corner onto his street and saw him.

Crouched down, black hair falling over his forehead, smiling—but it wasn’t a happy smile. Between his feet, the white cat he always fed rubbed against his legs. Gi-hun smiled and petted it. At his feet was an open pouch of cat food, half-eaten.

In-ho slowed his pace as he approached him, giving his muscles a slight rest, letting his lungs fill with oxygen.

“Gi-hun!” The other boy tensed at the sound of his name. He stood up immediately to face him.

“Leave me alone, Hwang.” He walked toward his house, and In-ho hurried to catch up.

“Gi-hun… let’s talk, please.”

“I have nothing to say to you. I don’t talk to manipulative liars.” He crossed his arms, like he was trying to shield himself.

“Okay, then let me talk. Let me explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain, In-ho. Go tell them I blew up you too if you haven’t already. You lying bastard.”

“I didn’t tell anyone. I know you have no reason to believe me, but I swear I didn’t tell anyone. Not even that we were dating. I’m in love with you, Gi-hun. So deeply, so completely that I would never. More than that—I respect you, and I’m not a shitty person.”

Gi-hun stopped when he heard that last part. Tears were already silently rolling down his cheeks. He turned to look at In-ho.

“Listen to me, Hwang In-ho,” he murmured through clenched teeth. “Fuck you. Fuck you and leave me alone. Stay away from me. Why would they say those things if they weren’t true? How do they know I feed a white cat, if only you and my friends know? How do they know we were together Friday and you walked me home?” In-ho was silent. “That’s what I thought. You idiot. Don’t ever come near my house again.”

“They saw me while…” In-ho murmured, blushing slightly. “They saw me at the store while I was buying condoms and lube. I mean… damn, it sounds worse than it is.” He covered his flushed face with both hands before looking up at the older boy again, ready to try once more. He had to do it, for both of them. “After I left you at your place, I went to the supermarket and bought a couple of boxes of condoms and some lube. I know it sounds awful and that now you probably think I only wanted to sleep with you, but that’s not it. Believe me.” He sighed, watching Gi-hun, who was clenching his fists tighter and tighter. “And I should have talked to you about it, but I felt embarrassed… but the last few times we’ve… when we’ve… you know, when we’re alone… things have gotten pretty heated, and I know you’re not ready, and honestly, I’m not either, but I want to seem confident if that’s what you want. And you said we needed condoms, and you were absolutely right, so I thought maybe one day we’d both… both be ready, and it would be good to be prepared. I should’ve told you, I know. But I acted on my own and decided to buy us a few just in case, you know…” In-ho was rambling, trying to say everything as quickly as possible, but he had to say it all—Gi-hun was right there, listening. “Then those idiots Nam-gyu and Su-bong saw me when I was about to pay, and at that moment, a notification from you popped up, saying to let you know when I was home. And I have that photo I took of you when we’d been dating for 10 days and went to eat that Ramyon you love, just four blocks from here. So apparently they’re not as dumb as I thought because they put the pieces together but wrong.”

In-ho finally finished, taking a deep breath, he was starting to get overwhelmed. He looked Gi-hun in the eyes, hopeful, almost ready to get down on his knees if needed. Gi-hun just stood there, unsure of whether to believe him.

“Gi-hun, I’m in love with you, like a crazy. I’ve been in love with you for three years now—every little detail that makes you who you are. I love you. I’m in love and I’d never do anything to hurt you. You probably just lived through the worst three days of your life, but I swear I didn’t know anything until a few minutes ago when Dae-ho told me. And it’s okay if you want me out of your life, but I needed to make it clear that I would never do something like that. Gi-hun, I’d do anything to make it right, because everyone’s treated you horribly and judged you for something you didn’t do, something I caused. I’d do anything to fix it—even if I have to grab the school microphone and tell everyone I’m a virgin, I will…”

“Is it true?”

“That I’m a virgin? Yeah, I already told yo—”

“No. No. The thing about being in love.” Gi-hun looked at In-ho.

“Of course. Love you more than anything.”

They stayed quiet. Gi-hun looked at him, his eyes pleading with unspoken words, his slumped shoulders saying more than any sentence could, his slightly sweaty hair pushed back so it wouldn’t get in the way, his lips slightly parted as he breathed.

Gi-hun took a step forward, then another, never breaking eye contact. In-ho waited.

Then, he took the younger man’s face in his hands and pulled him closer, joining their lips in a kiss. In-ho melted into it, wrapping his arms around Gi-hun’s waist to bring him even closer.

When the kiss ended, their foreheads stayed pressed together, their breaths still mingling, their bodies too close, hands in the right places. Gi-hun was the first to take a step back.

“You’re gonna need more than that for Sang-woo to forgive you, you know?” Gi-hun said with a playful smile. In-ho chuckled softly.

“Of course.”

Gi-hun took his hand, intertwining their fingers.

“My mom’s not home. Wanna come in?” In-ho nodded enthusiastically.

They walked in together, hand in hand. Everything felt right—just as it should.

“By the way, how could you even think I’d do something like that? Do you know what my mom would’ve done to me if I ever hurt you like that? Or Jun-ho?”

Gi-hun laughed again.