Vol 5 Hidden Track

You can tell a deep, restful sleep the moment you open your eyes. That sense of everything settling into place as a sharp, sensitive mind eases into relaxation — all of it, Wooyeon had learned through Inseop.

 

This morning, too, when Wooyeon opened his eyes, he was greeted by a leisurely start. The pleasant rustle of sheets and the familiar scent — everything about it was satisfying. Last night, they had come home together and showered, stealing kisses and playful touches, with Wooyeon helping wash Inseop’s body.

 

They had a simple dinner. When Wooyeon offered to make pancakes, Inseop shook his head, saying he wanted to go to bed early. They lay together, talking about various things, while Wooyeon peppered soft kisses on Inseop’s cheeks. Each time his lips met those soft cheeks, Inseop smiled gently. Enchanted by the childish affection in his gesture, Wooyeon kissed him several more times before they drifted off to sleep.

 

“…..”

 

Suppressing a happy chuckle, Wooyeon turned to find Inseop’s side of the bed empty. He could hear soft sounds from outside the bedroom. Wooyeon got up, washed his face briefly, and walked out. In the kitchen, he saw a small figure moving around.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

He snuck up close, and Inseop let out a startled gasp, turning around.

 

“What were you doing to be so surprised? Were you, by any chance, trying to poison me?”

 

“N-no! I’d never do that!” Inseop shook his head firmly, his expression serious.

 

“Then why are you up to something in secret?”

 

“I wasn’t trying to be sneaky. I just wanted to get up quietly so I wouldn’t wake you.” Inseop’s eyebrows drooped, as if hurt.

 

With him reacting like this every time, Wooyeon thought, how could I ever stop teasing him?

 

Wooyeon lifted Inseop’s eyebrows back up and replied, “Alright, I believe you.”

 

“Take a shower and come out. I’ll make breakfast for you.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Inseop looked puzzled at the sudden question.

 

Making me hard first thing in the morning…

 

Wooyeon suppressed his urges and spoke casually, “You’re sick of my pancakes, aren’t you?”

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

“I even had trouble sleeping last night because I was so excited to make pancakes for you this morning. But I guess it makes sense to be sick of them if you’ve been eating them often.”

 

With a sorrowful look and a wistful voice — the marks of a brilliant actor who knew how to tug at others’ emotions — Wooyeon spoke. Inseop, flustered, reached out and grabbed Wooyeon’s hand tightly.

 

“I want to eat them. I really want to eat the pancakes you make. I’d love to have them every day.”

 

…Damn, I’d love to have you every day, too.

 

Looking down at Inseop’s hand gripping his, Wooyeon swallowed his dark thoughts.

 

“Then just eat the pancakes I make. Why did you get up by yourself to do this?”

 

“…It’s been a while.”

 

“What has?”

 

“You sleeping in.”

 

Wooyeon was a light sleeper and was usually the first one awake. When Inseop opened his eyes in the morning, Wooyeon would often already be sitting up at the head of the bed, watching Inseop’s face, lying down beside him, or holding and caressing him. This morning, Inseop had been the first to wake and had left the bed, seeing that Wooyeon was sleeping soundly.

 

“I thought you’d been really tired. I thought you’d sleep better if you could rest well… You must have been busy in Hong Kong, and then worrying about me…” 

 

Inseop cast a cautious, caring look at Wooyeon and asked, “…Did you sleep well?”

 

Wooyeon looked at Inseop for a moment, then smiled softly. “Thanks to you.”

 

He reached out and cupped Inseop’s cheek, and Inseop nuzzled into his large palm. Pressing his finger into Inseop’s cheek, Wooyeon asked, “What are you making?”

 

“Just a simple breakfast.”

 

“Do you know how to make it?” Wooyeon teased.

 

Since they started living together, most of the cooking had fallen to Wooyeon, as Inseop wasn’t talented in the kitchen. Even when he followed a recipe, there was always something off about the taste. Wooyeon ate what Inseop made, but never praised it out of courtesy. Instead, he would just make food himself.

 

“I-I know how. I learned.” Inseop’s cheeks flushed as he replied.

 

“What? Who did you learn from?” Wooyeon pressed further, catching his words.

 

“When I went to America last time, my aunt was there, and she taught me how to make fluffy omelets…”

 

Fluffy, huh? Well, it’s still just an omelet.

 

“And?”

 

Wooyeon stepped closer, leaning his face in as he asked.

 

“My mother showed me how to make poached eggs…”

 

“And?”

 

Wooyeon moved even closer. Inseop took a step back but found himself blocked by the kitchen island behind him, unable to escape.

 

“Sunny-side up eggs, and, um…”

 

In other words, he only knew how to fry and scramble eggs. Looking down at his adorable partner, who was proudly touting his lack of cooking skill, Wooyeon asked, “And?”

 

“Ah, Aunt Stacey taught me how to make delicious French toast, and…” 

 

Wooyeon pressed his lips to Inseop’s, lightly capturing his mouth in a gentle kiss. As their lips parted, Inseop looked up at him, dazed. Their noses almost touched as Wooyeon asked again, “And?”

 

“…What?”

 

“What else did you learn?”

“Ah, …uh…”

Before Inseop could give a proper answer, Wooyeon’s lips closed in again. This time, it was a deep, intense kiss that far surpassed the last. Inseop gasped for breath, clinging onto Wooyeon’s arms.

 

“Didn’t anyone teach you how to kiss?”

 

“…What?”

 

Wooyeon lightly nibbled and sucked on Inseop’s lower lip.

 

“I just wondered who taught you to kiss so poorly,” he teased, and Inseop’s face turned bright red. Wooyeon planted a soft kiss on the bridge of his nose, where his freckles stood out, and asked, “Hm?”

 

“…I’ll practice more.”

 

Before Wooyeon could ask with whom and how, Inseop’s lips met his in a tender kiss — small lips, a soft tongue, and cautious movements. A sweet, lovable kiss.

 

Wooyeon lifted Inseop up onto the kitchen island, guiding Inseop’s arms around his neck as their kiss deepened. He slid his hands down his thighs, traced his back, and gripped his nape — craving him, never feeling close enough no matter how close they got. His large hands grasped Inseop’s hips roughly, pressing him against his own body. Inseop wrapped his arms tightly around Wooyeon’s neck, opening his mouth wide to receive the kiss. They were lost in each other.

 

Wooyeon laid Inseop down on the kitchen island, their hurried gestures unrestrained. But there was one problem — the ingredients Inseop had prepared for cooking lay scattered on the island. Inevitably, Inseop’s body nudged the bowl of pancake mix off the counter.

 

“…!”

 

Snapping back to reality, Inseop reached out to catch the bowl, but it was too late. Instead, he lost his balance and nearly fell off the island. Wooyeon quickly leaned down to catch him, but they both ended up covered in pancake powder.

 

In the wake of the unexpected mishap, the two stared at each other before bursting into laughter. Laughing so hard, Inseop inhaled some of the pancake mix and coughed several times.

 

Wooyeon brushed off some of the powder from Inseop’s hair with his hand.

 

“Looks like we won’t be having pancakes.”

 

“…I guess not. I’m sorry.”

 

“Nothing to be sorry for,” Wooyeon replied, brushing the powder from Inseop’s cheek as well.

 

“Then… shall we go shower?”

 

Inseop nodded. Postponing their pancake breakfast was no big deal. 

 

It was one of those rare, clear skies on a late morning, after the rain had stopped.

 

[A love mariage a hidden story End]