A few days had passed since that night.

And no, they didn’t do it.

They had just kissed.

And kissed.

And kissed until Jaeyel could barely feel his lips anymore.

Even now, alone in his apartment, Jaeyel found himself blushing at the memory.

---

Back to that day.

Bo ends it with a soft press of lips to Jaeyel’s forehead, a quiet sigh of regret escaping him as he pulls away.

“I want to treasure this,” Bo murmurs, his voice rough with restraint. “So I’m going to hold back this time.”

Jaeyel only stares at him, still dazed, still breathless.

Bo tilts his head. “What? Were you disappointed?”

Jaeyel immediately shoves him, face burning. “Stop teasing me!”

---

Back in the present, Jaeyel groaned, burying his face in his hands, his lips twitching into an unwilling smile. He felt ridiculous.

Bo is busy again these past few days. Not that Jaeyel is waiting for him or anything. He has his own things to focus on—talking to his uncle about a potential full-time job in Seoul, something more stable than just working part-time whenever his uncle calls him.

But still…

His phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts. His mother.

He answered. “Hello?”

“Jaeyel, come over for dinner.”

He blinked. “Uh, I’m actually cooking right now—”

Then, he heard it.

A voice in the background.

A voice that was unmistakably Bo’s.

Jaeyel froze, knife still in hand. “Wait. Is that—?”

“Just come eat. I made a lot, and your handsome friend is here too.”

Then she hung up.

Jaeyel stared at his phone, processing.

I thought he was busy…

For a second, he just stood there.

Then, without another thought, he shoved the chopped vegetables into the fridge, turned off the stove, hurriedly fixed his hair, and practically sprinted out the door.

…

---

Jaeyel arrived at his parents’ house, only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

Bo, standing there like he lived there—was helping set the table, placing down dishes with practiced ease.

“You—” Jaeyel muttered, completely caught off guard.

Bo looked up, met his gaze, and smiled. “You’re just in time. Sit and eat.” His voice was casual, as if Jaeyel were the guest here.

Before Jaeyel could even process that, his parents walked into the room—but…

Something was off.

His mother was wearing makeup. His father was dressed in a neatly pressed suit, smelling like he’d practically bathed in cologne.

Jaeyel frowned. “Wait. What’s going on? Why are you two dressed like that?”

His mother beamed, looking way too pleased. “Oh! Bo got us tickets to see Park Minjae’s concert tonight—front row!”

Jaeyel blinked. “Park Minjae—the opera singer?” He turned to his father, whose face lit up at the name.

“It’s a dream come true!” His father suddenly took his mother’s hand and spun her around the kitchen like they were in some kind of classic romance film. His mother giggled, actually giggled, clinging to him dramatically.

Jaeyel just stood there, completely thrown.

What the hell is happening?

He glanced at Bo, who was watching his parents with an amused smile. Then, sensing Jaeyel’s stare, Bo turned to him, grinning so innocently, like he wasn’t the mastermind behind all this.

Jaeyel narrowed his eyes.

“Anyway,” his mother said, breaking the moment, “we’re heading out now. Don’t wait up!”

“Enjoy the dinner, boys!” His father added with a wink.

And just like that, his parents floated out the door, practically radiating joy.

Jaeyel remained frozen, staring after them.

His mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. “Did that just—”

Before he could finish, a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind, pulling him into a firm, warm embrace.

Jaeyel froze.

Bo’s breath ghosted over his ear, his voice low, sending a shiver down his spine.

“I missed you.”

Jaeyel turned bright red.

Despite the warmth of Bo’s embrace, Jaeyel tried to act normal. He cleared his throat and asked, “What… what exactly did you just do?”

Bo grinned, clearly amused by how Jaeyel wasn’t actually pulling away. If anything, he just stood there, letting himself be hugged. Bo took full advantage of it, holding him even tighter.

“My mom gave me those concert tickets for a date,” Bo murmured, his breath warm against Jaeyel’s ear. “But I figured your parents would enjoy it more than the two of us. Opera’s not really your thing, right?”

Jaeyel blinked. “How do you know that?”

Bo chuckled. “You made it obvious. You wouldn’t stop talking about how you’re a huge fan of that new boy group—what was it? AHOF?”

Jaeyel stiffened.

“And your bias… JL, right?” Bo continued, his voice carrying a slight pout.

The moment stretched between them. Then, realizing how Bo sounded like he was actually sulking, Jaeyel couldn’t help but tease, “Wait… are you jealous?”

He expected Bo to deny it. Maybe laugh it off.

Instead, Bo met his eyes and, without hesitation, said, “Yeah.”

Jaeyel’s face went up in flames. His ears burned, his brain short-circuited. He regretted asking immediately.

He scrambled for words, suddenly flustered. “You don’t have to be! I mean—why would you even be jealous of me—?”

Bo tilted his head. “Huh?”

Jaeyel coughed, realizing what he just said.

Right. Only the readers knew the joke here. Why would Bo be jealous of JL when Jaeyel was JL?

Bo was still looking at him expectantly, clearly waiting for an explanation. Jaeyel quickly slipped out of his hold, avoiding his gaze. “Never mind. We should eat before the food gets cold.”

Bo watched him for a moment, then suddenly perked up. “Right!” With a bright smile, he grabbed the nearest serving spoon and eagerly started piling food onto Jaeyel’s plate.

Jaeyel sat down, still red-faced, still reeling.

This man was going to be the death of him.

---

After dinner, Jaeyel stood at the sink, washing the dishes while Bo sat nearby, flipping through a family photo album he had somehow gotten his hands on.

“Oh?” Bo smirked, holding up a picture. “What do we have here? Baby Jaeyel in a little bunny onesie?”

Jaeyel groaned, not even turning around. “Put that down.”

Bo ignored him, grinning. “No way. This is gold. Look at you, chubby cheeks, big round eyes… so cute.”

“I swear to god, Bo.”

Bo chuckled, flipping through more pages. “Oh, this one’s even better! Why are you crying while holding a giant ice cream?”

Jaeyel sighed, giving in. “Because my brother took a bite before I could.”

Bo laughed. “Wow, you haven’t changed at all.”

Jaeyel splashed water in his direction. Bo dodged, still grinning. Their playful banter filled the kitchen—until Jaeyel’s phone rang.

He wiped his hands hastily and grabbed it, answering without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”

Bo watched as Jaeyel suddenly tensed.

Then, a second later—

“Wait, really?!” Jaeyel practically shouted, his voice bursting with excitement.

Bo sat up, curious. He stepped closer, trying to make out what was happening.

Jaeyel was nodding, smiling so wide it was contagious.

“Thank you! Seriously, thank you, Uncle. I won’t let you down.”

Uncle? Bo realized instantly, Jaeyel was talking to the uncle he’d mentioned before.

When the call ended, Bo was about to ask what happened, when suddenly, Jaeyel turned and jumped at him.

Bo barely had time to react before Jaeyel’s arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Surprised, he staggered back slightly, but instinctively hugged Jaeyel back, his face heating up.

“I got it!” Jaeyel exclaimed against Bo’s shoulder, still practically clinging to him. “I got the job! A full-time job in Seoul!”

Bo’s breath caught.

Then, understanding dawned, and warmth spread through his chest.

“That’s amazing,” he said, arms tightening around Jaeyel’s waist. “I’m so happy for you.”

Jaeyel pulled back slightly, still grinning, still buzzing with excitement. Bo looked down at him, eyes shining.

“You know what this means, right?” Bo murmured, his voice softer now, more intent.

Jaeyel blinked. “What?”

Bo’s fingers brushed against his waist. “We’ll be together more often.” His smile was different this time, deeper, more meaningful. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Jaeyel’s breath caught. For a moment, he just stared, taking in the warmth in Bo’s gaze, the sincerity in his voice.

His heart pounded. “Me too,” he admitted quietly, cheeks flushing.

They didn’t move. They didn’t speak.

The energy shifted. The air between them turned thick, charged with something heavier, something impossible to ignore.

Bo’s gaze flickered to Jaeyel’s lips.

And then he kissed him.

No hesitation this time.

Jaeyel gasped, but melted instantly, gripping Bo’s shirt as their mouths met in a heated, desperate kiss.

Bo pressed him back, pinning him against the kitchen wall, kissing him deeper, tasting, taking, wanting more.

Jaeyel felt his knees go weak. The heat between them crackled like fire, consuming every inch of space until all he could feel, all he could think, was Bo.

But then—wait.

Jaeyel barely managed to break the kiss, panting, his hands pushing against Bo’s chest.

“We… we can’t do this here,” he gasped, breathless.

Bo paused. Blinked. And then it hit him.

Oh. Right. They were still at Jaeyel’s parents’ house.

Bo groaned dramatically and pressed his forehead against Jaeyel’s. “Damn it.”

Jaeyel let out a breathless laugh. “Yeah. Damn it.”

Still, Bo didn’t pull away immediately. Instead, he tilted Jaeyel’s chin up and kissed him one last time, slow, lingering, filled with promise.

“Be ready for me,” he murmured, his lips just barely brushing against Jaeyel’s. “Next time, I’m not holding back.”

Jaeyel swallowed hard, his entire body betraying him with a deep, flustered blush.

Trying desperately to recover, he pushed Bo off and mumbled, “I still have dishes to wash.”

Bo sighed, dramatically flopping into a chair. “Ugh. You could’ve just said yes, you know.”

Jaeyel rolled his eyes, turning back to the sink. “To what? Letting you have your way with me in my parents’ kitchen?”

Bo smirked. “I mean, it’d make a great memory.”

Jaeyel picked up a wet sponge and chucked it at Bo.

Bo yelped, dodging it just in time. “Hey!”

Jaeyel just smirked. “Oops. My hand slipped.”

Bo narrowed his eyes, lips twitching. “You’re lucky I like you.”

Jaeyel, still blushing, glanced over his shoulder.

“…I know.”

Their laughter filled the kitchen, light, warm, effortless. The tension melted into something softer, something steady, something that felt like them.

Bo grinned, leaning back in his chair. “You know, Jaeyel… I can’t wait to see how long you’ll keep pretending you’re not completely into me.”

Jaeyel huffed, turning back to the sink. “Keep dreaming.”

Bo only chuckled, watching him with that same knowing smile.

Jaeyel didn’t have to say it. Bo already knew.

And as the night stretched on, with lingering glances and quiet, unspoken promises, one thing was certain—

Whatever this was between them, it was far from over.

Seoul was waiting. And so was everything else.

The End.