The fear of parting with Jaekyung tormented him more than any previous breakups. The thought of a sad ending destroyed him from the inside. Jihon knew he couldn't stand it. But he did not dare to share his anxiety. Jaekyung is young and has a bright future ahead of him, and such revelations can tie his hands. But if everything continues like this, then there is a high probability that Jihon will dump his bitter feelings on him. Most likely, he will even start clinging to Jaekyong and crying out loud. But the protracted evening threatened with an imminent explosion and the complete baring of the soul in front of his beloved, a sight that Jihong did not want to show him. So, after finishing his beer, he said quietly, "Go home today."

The unexpected request caused Jaekyong to be perplexed: "Why?

"I'm drunk, nothing will work out today," he deliberately joked.

To which the guy immediately frowned: "What are you saying?

"Well..." Jihon grinned, finally giving up. "Hey, if you've already figured it out, isn't it the rules of etiquette to just leave quietly?"

"Well, I'm actually a boor," Jaekyung replied with a deliberate snort.

Obviously, this bulldozer would be offended if Jihon agreed with him. In fact, his behavior hadn't been bad enough lately to deserve such words.

"You're not that impolite," Jihon propped his chin on his hand and said thoughtfully, "You've even been trying to be friendly with people lately.

That made Jaekyung's eyebrows meet again on the bridge of his nose, as if he was trying to remember something, like, "Did I do that?"

"I did. Jihon smiled, resting his head on the table. "Although you don't notice it yourself, you've changed a little.

When he added that it was perhaps a good change, the young man, immediately cheered up by the compliment, straightened his shoulders with a proud look. Then I'll do you a favor. Come on, quickly snuggle up to me and cry.

"Leave it alone, you fool.

"Why?"

"Because I'm the eldest. Jihon, rising from his lying position on the table, muttered, "You love me for being so cool.

"And I love you because you're cute," Jaekyung snapped, blinking as if he didn't know what he meant.

Jihong looked at him with a slight, ironic smile, as if to say, "Of course." Jaekyung, leaning on the table, leaned forward, "Okay. Then, maybe today I will be the senior? Jihon-ah, what do you think?

Jihong laughed at the unexpected patronizing tone, a little louder than usual because of the alcohol he had drunk. And thereby attracted the displeased gaze of the grumbler, who muttered a little offended: "Hyung, you like older ones, don't you?

"Why?"

"It's just a feeling. You love it when I call you Jihon-ah and communicate informally.

"No, I like you.

Jaekyung, squinting, glared at Jihon. It was his trademark look, which, although it showed disbelief, still betrayed that these words pleased him.

"Okay, I'll be the senior today. Come on, be capricious.

"Come on.

"Why, Jihon-ah?" I'll accept anything, no matter what you say.

"Hey.

"Don't address hyung so disrespectfully. Jaekyung frowned, clearly showing, "Well, that's too much!"

"Hyun Jaekyung," Jihong whispered insinuatingly, still smiling. "Stop fooling around. Today, just go home.

"What a stubborn fellow, really.

Jaekyung suddenly stood up abruptly and, grabbing him by the arm, lifted him from his seat, only to sit him on his lap. Making himself comfortable, he hugged Jihon and said, "Come on, cry already."

"I won't cry!" Suddenly sitting on someone else's hips, Jihong protested jokingly: "And how can you cry in such an environment?

But Jaekyung warned me in a serious tone, "If you speak to me on a first-name basis again, you'll get hit.

Jihong laughed again, wrapping his arms around Jaekyung's shoulders, "I won't cry. Tears were about to gather, but you made them hide again.

"So I'll have to bring you to tears," he said confidently, after which he bit Jihon hard through his T-shirt on the chest.

"Oh!" Jihon cried, reflexively putting his arms around his neck. "Hey, wait, it hurts!"

"You're on a first-name basis again."

Jaekyung, holding a nipple in his mouth, muttered something and then pretended as if he was really going to punish. That made Jihon involuntarily straighten up, expecting pain, but, fortunately, this did not happen. Jaekyung pressed his teeth for a moment, and then changed them to his lips, touching the nipple and playing with it with his tongue. A light, almost tickling sensation was transmitted through the thin fabric, causing itching in the lower back.

"That's enough, it's ticklish," Jihon said, laughing.

Only then did Jaekyung raise his head and look at him.

"So you really won't cry?"

"No, I won't.

"Oh well.

Jaekyung hugged Jihong's waist tightly and began to rub his cheek against his chest. His actions read something like a belated apology for the pain caused, mixed with an attempt to express his own feelings. Stroking his beloved's hair, Jihong asked, "Do you want me to cry or not?"

"I don't want to," he replied without hesitation. Burying himself even harder in his chest, he continued, "Just the thought that you might have a reason to cry turns everything inside me. But if you do cry, I want it to happen in my presence.

"So that I can help you somehow," the last phrase, muffled by the hug, touched not so much Jihon's ears as his heart. I was tormented by one thought: was he doing the right thing? After all, Jaekyung is so worried about him. And if he finds out about the pills and their side effects, he is likely to get very angry. But there is no other way. This was the only way out that Jihon could find.

"What are you thinking again, hyung?" Jaekyung said indignantly, and before he could say anything, he was the first to press his lips to his lips. And then, breaking away, he said quietly: "It smells like pistachios.

"You like pistachios," Jihon jumped off the topic briskly, smiling.

"How did you guess?"

"Yes, you feed me only with them.

When Jihong asked if Jaekyung really thought that everyone loved the same things as him, he replied without a hint of doubt: "Why?" Pistachios are delicious. Of all nuts, I love them the most.

"Did you buy popcorn for the same reason?"

"yes," the stubborn man confirmed confidently. "I often took caramel popcorn with beer.

"Really?" And why did you choose salty today?

"Because you don't really like sweets.

"Oh my," Jihon laughed.

What an impudent person: he chooses popcorn at will, but at the same time he selects the taste according to the preferences of another. It was like a strange kind of care, like when a cat worries about a mouse.

"That's right, you don't eat caramel popcorn, do you?"

Jaekyung, who was looking at him, clearly eager for praise for his insight, looked so smug that Jihong had no choice but smile. And this time he himself kissed the "cat" first, and then added: "If you gave it to me, I would eat it.

Jaekyung clearly did not expect such an answer. He narrowed his eyes and quietly drawled, "Oh...", pretending that he didn't care, even though he was glad. Jihon, finding this pretense amusing, kissed him again, this time slower and deeper.

"If I had eaten, I would have had the taste of caramel pistachios in my mouth now.

Reluctantly pulling away, Jaekyung suddenly blurted out in a serious tone, "No, that's not going to work.

"Why?"

"If we continue, I don't think I'll hold back.

At these words, Jihon's eyes widened: "What? Are you holding back now?

Only now did he realize that the sensation of something pressing against his thigh was not an illusion. Earlier, Jihong specifically said that nothing would happen today, and thought that Jaekyung took it calmly, so he didn't pay attention. But it turned out that he really restrained himself. Moreover, in such a position, hugging him, the desire could only intensify.

"Maybe we should have sex after all?" Jihong asked, deliberately slowly running his hand over Jaekyung's cheek.

— No, I don't.

"Why?" Because I said that nothing would happen today?

"That's not the point. It's just that you've been very tired lately.

"Me?" Jihon was confused.

The guy, without raising his head, nodded: "You don't look well after you got sick. At first I thought I thought it was or it was because of the weather, but today, after talking to the producer, I realized that this is not the case.

"Here's Inyeong-hyun," Jihong sighed in his mind and hurried to justify himself: "It's all right. I always lose a little weight in winter.

— You used to claim that you lose weight in the summer.

"Oh, really?" Jihon laughed unsuccessfully.

Jaekyung raised his head and stared at him.

"Oh, no. My metabolism is good, so the weight constantly goes away and returns.

He explained that his weight sometimes fluctuates dramatically: it is quickly gained and just as quickly lost. "It's the same with you," he added. "This is normal for all athletes."

Jaekyung looked in agreement, but still wrapped his arm around his waist tighter. "In any case, I'll hold off for now.

Such a firm tone made Jihon tense a little.

— "For now" — up to what point?

Without answering, Jaekyung lifted Jihon's T-shirt with a sharp movement, not giving him time to come to his senses, and then immediately lowered it back.

"*Until you get well.