Chapter 4
Jaeyel gasped against Yang’s lips, his fingers trembling as they clutched at his sleeves.
“W-Wait-”
He barely got the word out before Yang silenced him with another kiss – deep, unrelenting, stealing his every breath.
It was intoxicating.
A low sound rumbled in Yang’s throat as he pressed in closer, his hands firm on Jaeyel’s waist, fingertips digging in just enough to make Jaeyel shiver.
He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, his lips hot and insistent, leaving Jaeyel breathless.
Heat coiled low in Jaeyel’s stomach, his body reacting before his mind could catch up.
His grip on Yang’s sleeves tightened.
It was too much.
Overwhelming.
Jaeyel squirmed beneath him, his breath shaky, heart pounding against his ribs. “Wait- “
His words faltered as Yang’s lips brushed down his jaw, slow and deliberate.
Then,
Yang stopped.
Lips hovered just over Jaeyel’s skin, breath warm against his cheek. His voice came out low, like he was trying to hold himself back.
“Not here?”
Jaeyel’s eyes widened, stunned.
His body froze, mind blank for a split second before he stammered, “W-What are you talking about?”
Jaeyel’s breath hitched, his face burning. “H-H-H—Here?!”
Yang simply looked at him, gaze unreadable and steady.
Jaeyel, feeling his face burn hotter, shifted uncomfortably.
“L-Let me sit properly,” he muttered, unable to meet Yang’s eyes.
A pause.
Yang clearly didn’t want to move, but after a beat, he let out a quiet sigh and finally leaned back, pulling away with clear reluctance.
As Jaeyel rushed to fix his clothes, his hands shaky, Yang reached over, slowly running his fingers over the fabric, smoothing it out with a lingering touch.
Jaeyel stiffened.
His face? Yeah, it was definitely about to explode.
His mind was a mess.
What just happened? Why is he suddenly acting like this? And why does he always let him do it?
What’s their relationship, really?
His lips still tingled from the kisses, his pulse pounding in his ears.
His thoughts spiraled, crashing into each other.
W-Wait… does this mean he’s… really my– Jaeyel’s face burned. Bo-boyfr–
Jaeyel’s brain completely short-circuited at the thought.
Oh my…
Panic started creeping in.
Just then-
“Boyfriend.”
Jaeyel flinched.
His head snapped toward Yang, eyes wide. “W-What?!”
Yang was leaning against the steering wheel now, watching him intently.
“I heard it.”
His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.
“Your conversation earlier.”
Silence.
Jaeyel felt his stomach drop.
Oh no.
His entire face turned an alarming shade of red. He whipped his head away, gripping his seatbelt as if it could somehow save him from this situation.
Oh no no no.
He heard that?!
Why was Yang even everywhere when he was supposed to be busy? Didn’t he have a whole company to run? And if he was there, why didn’t he step in? He always did. He always meddled in his business.
But why not this time???
Couldn’t he see I was getting bullied back there?!
Jaeyel’s mind spiraled into chaos, torn between embarrassment and pure, unfiltered annoyance.
His brain scrambled for an escape, and before he could even think, he blurted out,
“I-It’s not what you think!”
His voice came out louder than intended, flustered and desperate.
Still looking down, Jaeyel forcefully denied, “It’s… not you! I wasn’t talking about you…”
Silence.
Too silent.
Something shifted.
Jaeyel, still looking away, suddenly noticed the absence of Yang’s usual warmth.
The air felt heavy.
Slowly, hesitantly… he peeked up at Yang.
And his breath caught in his throat.
Yang’s face… was cold.
Not angry, not even irritated, but the coldness in his expression was undeniable.
His sharp gaze pinned Jaeyel in place, something unreadable lurking behind his eyes.
Jaeyel swallowed.
“W-What…?” His voice came out small.
Yang tilted his head slightly.
“Then who?”
Jaeyel stiffened.
Yang’s voice was calm – too calm, but the weight of his question pressed down on Jaeyel like a slow-moving storm.
“Who’s the boyfriend, if not me?”
Jaeyel felt a chill crawl up his spine.
“I-I wasn’t talking about anyone in particular…” he admitted, forcing his voice to stay steady despite the shift in the atmosphere.
“I just… I just wanted to make him realize I don’t care about the rumors…”
Silence again.
Then-
“…Okay.”
Jaeyel blinked.
What?
Yang reached over, adjusting Jaeyel’s seatbelt with careful hands.
But this time, Jaeyel felt the coldness in every touch. The way Yang’s fingers brushed over him no longer felt deliberate – it felt distant.
Something was off.
Jaeyel glanced at Yang, confused.
He wanted to say something, but the way Yang silently fixed his own seatbelt, expression closed off, made the words die in his throat.
And then, without another word, Yang started the car and drove.
…
Back at the Dorm
Jaeyel barely acknowledged the other members as he entered the dorm, heading straight for his room.
The door clicked shut behind him, sealing him in with his tangled thoughts. He sat down on the edge of his bed, hands gripping the sheets as the weight of everything crashed down on him.
His lips still tingled from Yang’s kiss – hot, unrelenting, impossible to keep up with. Just thinking about it made his face heat up all over again.
But even as he replayed that moment, something else lingered in his mind.
Yang’s face.
That look.
Cold. Detached.
Almost… dangerous.
Was it because Jaeyel denied that he was talking about Yang as his boyfriend?
But – what were they, really?
Yang kissed him whenever he got the chance. And Jaeyel…
Jaeyel let him. That much was clear. But beyond that? There were no words, no labels, no confirmation of anything.
Jaeyel ran a frustrated hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.
The entire ride home, Yang had been quiet.
He wasn’t angry, at least not outright. But the silence had been heavy, pressing, charged with something Jaeyel couldn’t put into words.
For some reason, that unsettled him more than anything.
With a sigh, he flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying and failing not to think about it anymore.
In the car
The engine hummed softly, but Yang remained still, fingers tapping an impatient rhythm against the steering wheel.
His gaze never left the building in front of him. It had been thirty minutes since Jaeyel went inside.
Thirty minutes, and yet he was still here.
Watching.
Thinking.
Jaeyel’s words echoed in his mind.
“It’s not what you’re thinking. It’s not you.”
Yang had been patient.
He had let things flow naturally, allowed Jaeyel to come to him, to accept him at his own pace.
But tonight, something shifted.
Jaeyel still wavered. Still hesitated.
A slow, calculated exhale left his lips as he leaned back against the seat, his expression unreadable.
His fingers stopped tapping.
Then, a cold whisper slipped past his lips.
“What should I do… to make him completely mine?”
