The silence of the night stretched on, but Taesan couldn't sleep. His mind churned with memories—snapshots of Jaewon's laughter, his endearing clinginess, and those earnest puppy-dog eyes that had always disarmed him. But beneath the surface, something darker nibbled at him.
Betrayal.
He clenched his fists under the blanket, his heart a storm of anger and disbelief. Jaewon had been the one person Taesan trusted unconditionally. Yet, the truth had come crashing down like a knife to his back. Jaewon had been deceiving him, pulling strings behind the scenes, plotting something Taesan couldn't forgive.
Taesan's eyes noticed Jaewon's sleeping form. He looked peaceful, almost angelic, as if he hadn't shattered the heart of Taesan. The real wolf in sheep's clothing.
Not yet.
Taesan's jaw tightened. He had a plan—a way to make Jaewon pay for his treachery. But as he stared at the boy who had once meant everything to him, doubt crept in.
"Was I ready for this? To hurt Jaewon the way I had been hurt?" Taesan thinks to himself.
The next morning, the sun began to creep through the curtains, and Taesan's mind was no closer to clarity. As Jaewon stirred awake, stretching and yawning like nothing was wrong, Taesan's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Good morning, Hyung!" Jaewon greeted, his voice cheerful and oblivious.
Taesan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Good morning," he replied evenly, hiding the storm within.
Weeks later, the apartment settled into a strange new routine. On the surface, Jaewon and Taesan remained inseparable—laughing, teasing, and living in their shared space like nothing was a mess. But beneath the surface, both were playing a silent game of deceptiveness in which they convinced the other they were oblivious.
Taesan had perfected his plan. With each casual swipe of Jaewon's card or transfer from Taesan's shared expenses fund, Taesan mirrored the transactions in Jaewon's bank account. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, and Jaewon never noticed the slow drip of funds disappearing.
Jaewon, meanwhile, wasn't entirely innocent. Taesan's generosity—the late-night food deliveries, the spare cash handed out without question—was something he took advantage of more often than he admitted, believing it went unnoticed. After all, Taesan was always so calm, so accommodating.
***
One evening, the apartment felt unusually quiet, the soft hum of the fan mixing with the faint glow of streetlights leaking through the curtains.
"Hyung, let's order pizza tonight," Jaewon said, flopping onto the couch like he owned the place. He grabbed the remote and started flipping through channels, legs stretched out lazily. "I'm starving."
"Sure," Taesan replied from the desk.
He barely looked away from his laptop, fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. The blue light reflected off his glasses, making his expression hard to read. After a moment, he glanced back and gave a small, absent smile.
"Your treat this time, though."
Jaewon froze.
"Ah, Hyung," he whined, dragging out the word as he tilted his head back dramatically. "You know I'm broke."
Taesan's fingers paused.
"Broke?" he asked mildly. "Didn't you get paid yesterday?"
Jaewon's shoulders stiffened for just a second. Too quick to notice unless someone was watching closely.
"Uh, yeah," he said with an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "But you know how it is. Bills, food, random stuff. Money just disappears."
"Right," Taesan murmured. "Bills."
His tone was calm. Too calm.
His hands returned to the keyboard, typing faster now. Lines of code flickered across the screen, reflected faintly in his lenses. Within moments, the familiar login page opened. A few clicks later, Jaewon's account appeared.
The balance was lower than it should have been.
Taesan stared at it for a second, then let out a quiet breath through his nose.
So that's where it went.
A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"Fine," he said casually, leaning back in his chair. "I'll pay. Again."
Jaewon's face lit up instantly.
"Really? Thanks, Hyung!" He grinned so wide his eyes nearly disappeared. "You're the best, seriously."
The praise came so easily it almost sounded genuine.
Taesan only hummed in response and closed the tab.
Days passed like that. Small favors. Small lies. Quiet monitoring.
Neither of them said anything.
One night, they ended up on the balcony with a cheap six-pack between them. The air was cool, carrying the distant noise of traffic and music from somewhere far below. City lights stretched endlessly, glittering like scattered stars.
Empty cans rolled near their feet.
Jaewon laughed too loudly at something stupid, shoulders bumping against Taesan's. "Hyung, you drink slow. You're losing."
"It's not a competition," Taesan muttered, though his cheeks were already flushed pink.
Jaewon leaned closer anyway, close enough for their arms to touch. "You're just weak."
"You're the one slurring," Taesan shot back, trying to sound annoyed, but a small smile betrayed him.
The alcohol hit harder than expected.
Thoughts grew fuzzy. Words slipped out without filters. The distance between them shrank without either noticing.
Jaewon's face was warm, eyes glassy and soft. He kept laughing over nothing, leaning into Taesan like it was natural, like he belonged there.
Each time their shoulders brushed, Taesan felt his heart trip awkwardly in his chest.
Stupid, he thought.
Still, he didn't move away.
By the time the last can was empty, both of them were far past tipsy. The world felt slow and unsteady. Reason faded into the background, replaced by loose smiles, flushed cheeks, and reckless honesty.
The kind of drunkenness where feelings slipped out before they could be stopped.
"Hyunggggggggggggg~~," Jaewon moaned.
"Whhhhhhattt~" Taesan slurred, stumbling over to the couch, a beer can dangling from his fingers.
"Youuuuu knowwww you are tooooo nice for meeee".
"And youuuuuu are the clingiest idiot," Taesan retorted, settling onto the couch with a sigh.
"Hyung..." Jaewon suddenly rose from his seat, swaying as he made his way toward Taesan. His gaze was soft yet intense, his cheeks flushed a deep crimson. "Why do youuu look so... tempting sometimes? You lookkk very cute and pretty for a guyyyyyyyy-" he murmured, a bashful smile curling his lips.
Taesan blinked up at him, his own face painted with a drunken blush. "Whaaaat are youuu doinggg?" he managed to ask, his voice laced with uncertainty, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity.
Jaewon stood still for a moment, staring at the delicate features before him—the plum-red lips, the rosy cheeks glowing like blush, and the wide, doe-like eyes that seemed to hold secrets of their own. Something deep within him stirred, an ache he couldn't name.
With trembling hands, he reached out and clasped Taesan's. Leaning in, he whispered, his voice soft but charged with emotion. "Hyung... why are you so pretty...?"
"Jae... what are you do..do..doing..?" Taesan's voice cracked, the slur of his words barely masking the tremor of anticipation laced within. Though he questioned Jaewon's intentions, a part of him—a small, hidden corner of his heart—yearned for this moment.
Without hesitation, Taesan reached out, his fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against Jaewon's cheek. He cupped it gently, his touch warm and hesitant yet filled with an unspoken invitation.
Something deep within Jaewon stirred again—an emotion so intense it left no room for thought, only action. Slowly, he leaned in, his gaze locked on Taesan's slightly parted lips. The world seemed to fall silent as their faces drew closer, and finally, Jaewon pressed his lips to Taesan's.
Taesan didn't pull away. He didn't even resist. Instead, his hazy, unconscious self surrendered to the kiss, his shyness dissolving. It was a moment suspended in time, fueled by intoxication yet brimming with a raw, undeniable tenderness. Their extreme drunk state brought out their hidden emotions for each other.
*Surely they both were in love with each other, but unaware of this fact.*
——————— TO BE CONTINUED