Chapter 126: The Way He Chose to Show It

Kang Wooju knew.

He knew what kinds of things naturally happened between people in a relationship.

It was a bit ironic that the realization came from watching a random movie where the main characters shared an intimate scene, but regardless, he was aware.

Even if he had never dated anyone in his 27 years of life and had never felt interest in people who showed him affection, he wasn’t stupid.

Of course he knew.

That physical affection was something that naturally came with being in a relationship.

To be honest, after deciding that he and Won Jitae were dating, it wasn’t like he had never thought about touching and being touched.

But every time he did, he found himself wondering if he could really do that with that guy.

Looking back, all they had was a childish, immature relationship full of bickering.

And now, suddenly, they had elevated into something that felt almost sacred and beautiful—being lovers.

Naturally, those kinds of actions felt awkward.

For example, in the short time they had been dating, Won Jitae had expressed his feelings countless times without holding back.

‘I miss you, Kang Wooju.’

‘I like just looking at your face.’

Things like that, along with words like handsome and cute—things that made his skin crawl with embarrassment.

Every time, Wooju felt like running away and hiding somewhere.

His face would turn red, his body restless, and he’d feel an overwhelming urge to escape the moment.

Matching that kind of expression—saying “I feel the same”—wasn’t something Kang Wooju was built to do.

Maybe it was his personality.

People always said that a person doesn’t change easily.

Human psychology is simple—if someone gives, they want to receive too.

Won Jitae had expressed his feelings, so maybe he wanted the same in return.

Wooju knew that.

But words didn’t come easily to him.

And Jitae seemed to understand that too, because whenever Wooju blushed in embarrassment, he would just smile to himself, as if that alone made him happy.

So Wooju worried.

If he couldn’t even properly exchange words… could he really handle communicating through their bodies?

But he also realized—

That worry was unnecessary.

Whenever they met despite Jitae’s busy schedule, or on the rare days they could spend time together at home…

The way Jitae touched him, as if he was something precious—

Honestly, it felt incredibly good.

Holding his hand while watching a movie.

Gently touching his face and stroking his hair while he slept.

Waking up first and placing soft kisses on his forehead, cheeks, and eyelids.

And the way he hugged him so tightly every time they met, it almost felt like he was showing off his strength.

Wooju liked all of it.

Then one day, they were watching a movie together at Wooju’s place.

By coincidence, a deep kiss scene filled the screen.

The two exchanged glances as if they had planned it.

Jitae leaned closer.

Wooju closed his eyes.

Their lips met naturally.

“Haah……”

Their breaths grew uneven in the dim living room.

As Jitae gently sucked on his lips, Wooju thought—

This would turn into something deeper, like what he saw on the screen.

His heart pounded, and instead of worry, anticipation filled his chest.

But then—

“Sh-should we just sleep?”

Before anything more could happen, Jitae pulled away.

He hugged Wooju once, as if he was something precious, then disappeared into the bedroom.

For a moment, Wooju even considered hitting him in the back of the head.

When he turned his head, the actors on the screen were still exchanging heated breaths, as if mocking him.

At some point, his worry about whether they could act like proper lovers had disappeared.

Wooju wanted it.

That kind of closeness.

Even if verbal expressions still made his body reject them, physical expression didn’t.

“…These days, don’t people sleep together first and then date?”

Pfft.

At those words, Choi Seokhyun, who had been drinking water in front of him, spat it out.

Used to such reactions, Wooju casually handed him a tissue.

“W-what did you just say?”

“No, I mean… people move fast these days, right? Sometimes they sleep together right after dating, or even before dating. Isn’t that true?”

Even in a country rooted in conservative culture, young people moved fast these days.

Seokhyun nodded, but the problem was who was saying it.

At a loss for words, Seokhyun just stared blankly while Wooju stood up first.

“Is he impotent? Doesn’t seem like it……”

Muttering incomprehensible things, he left.

That day, after getting confirmation from someone—well, just Seokhyun—

Wooju kept thinking.

Why wasn’t Won Jitae going further than just kissing?

Even the kisses felt… lacking.

Like being handed a single sip of water after intense training.

Wooju wasn’t someone with a particularly vivid imagination.

But when it came to Jitae, things were different.

Before he knew it, the question—

‘Why won’t Jitae go further?’

Had turned into—

‘Then how does it even work between two men?’

Wooju picked up the tablet by his bed and started researching.

Fortunately, he was an adult, and in this day and age, there was nothing you couldn’t find online.

He learned that it wasn’t much different.

That even between men, relationships worked in similar ways.

It didn’t feel particularly unfamiliar.

And honestly, he didn’t feel any resistance to it.

If it was with Jitae… it didn’t seem unpleasant.

“Though… does that actually fit?”

That thought crossed his mind once or twice.

Thankfully, his imagination didn’t go far enough to start questioning who would take which role.

They hadn’t even gotten that far yet.

Then one day, he received that strange message.

[Wooju… don’t get tired of me… I’ll do betterㅠㅠ]

At first, he almost called him immediately to tell him to stop talking nonsense and focus on work.

But then he paused.

Jitae wasn’t the type to say something like that without reason.

‘…Have I not been expressing myself enough?’

That thought naturally followed.

He could just call and say something affectionate.

But his mouth wouldn’t open.

Then it hit him—

Expression didn’t have to be through words.

Just like how people could communicate through gestures even in a foreign country, physical expression could be just as effective.

“Hmm……”

And there was one more thing he had realized.

While researching, he learned that the receiving side carried more burden.

That it demanded more, and risked more.

Even so—

He wanted to go deeper with Jitae.

He wanted to express himself just as much as he had received.

Without hesitation, Wooju grabbed his jacket.

His destination was Jitae’s house.

“I said I’ll be the one taking it, for you.”

“…Did you really drink?”

“Not even a sip.”

The same guy who had been anxious like a drenched puppy earlier now stood there pale, mouth slightly open.

Honestly, Wooju hadn’t planned to go this far today.

He had only intended to figure out what Jitae was thinking and maybe share a few kisses.

But after hearing what he said earlier, he got a little angry.

He agreed that feelings had weight.

Just like how anger could be small enough to disappear after one hit, or big enough to make you want to destroy someone.

He knew Jitae’s feelings—built over more than ten years—weren’t small.

Especially for someone who had gone as far as scheming just to film a variety show together.

But—

He was just as certain that his own feelings weren’t any lighter.

After resolving their long-standing past and accepting his own emotions, Wooju had once thought—

Maybe his obsession with Jitae as a rival…

Had been a form of love all along.

Or perhaps something just before it bloomed into love.

“You say you’ve liked me for a long time, but I’ve known you for just as long. And you still say something like that?”

Of course it annoyed him.

“If it’s because of what I said earlier, I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I just… got a little anxious.”

Jitae tried to hug him gently, as if calming him down.

But Wooju didn’t let go of Jitae’s hand that rested on him.

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