The two who came down the stairs naturally headed toward the café on the inner side of the first floor, as if by unspoken agreement. Unlike in the past, when Liu would usually visit the studio for work, the café played a large part in the increased frequency of Shushu visiting Phantom himself. Sometimes, he would even visit on his own just to have a coffee.
Although all of Phantom’s exhibition halls were closed to the public today for the ‘Gakyanggaksaek’ exhibition, there were few empty seats in the café. Because the entire south and west walls facing the outside had been replaced with windows, providing an excellent view and lighting, that alone was enough for it to quickly become a so-called ‘Hot Place’ on social media. As a result, for a month or two, there were more café customers than exhibition visitors, but things had now entered a period of stability, and the gallery itself was no longer paralyzed.
Just as Juhan, who had pushed for the café in the first place, had intended, many customers who had visited the café to take pretty pictures ended up looking around the exhibition, and many guests perused the displayed pamphlets with interest. At this rate, it seemed Juhan’s goal of lowering the barrier to entry for the gallery could be considered a success.
“Juhan’s completely settled into his role in charge of the café now, huh?”
“Surprisingly, customer service seems to suit his constitution. He’s like a fish in water.”
The two of them chuckled, their gazes on Juhan, who was skillfully handling taking orders and making drinks all by himself from behind the bar. While Shushu took a seat at the one remaining window table, Liu ordered their drinks. Originally, pickup was also self-service, but Juhan came to their table himself, tray in hand.
“Shushu-nim, you’re coming tonight, right?”
Juhan brought up the topic as he set down the iced coffee, the ice clinking. His wide eyes and raised eyebrows were practically forcing attendance.
Yeehyeon and Yuni were on a flight from Paris to see Liu Weikun’s final exhibition at Phantom. Except for a brief visit Yuni had made in December of the year before last due to visa issues, it was the first time both of them were returning to Korea. To welcome them, Juhan had arranged a dinner and invited their acquaintances.
“Look at Kwon Juhan, all excited to see his soulmate after so long.”
“Well, it seems he found his real soulmate over there.”
A hint of disappointment was visible in Juhan as he retorted nonchalantly, tucking the tray under his arm.
“Anyway, Shushu-nim, don’t even think about bailing. You have to come. Got it?”
Shushu nodded at Juhan, who was trying to secure his promise again. Only then did Juhan’s expression soften, and he left their table after cheekily boasting that he had prepared their coffee to be especially delicious. Even as he pretended to be displeased about Yuni having a lover, his retreating figure looked quite excited.
Watching Liu check his wristwatch yet again before touching his coffee, Shushu lightly stirred his drink with the stainless steel straw.
“You should have asked for a to-go cup.”
“Huh?”
“The flight. Did you say it arrives at 17:00?”
“Yeah.”
“You should get going.”
“…I still have time.”
“Seems like your mind is already at the airport, though. You’ve been looking at your watch this whole time.”
Liu, who had been trying not to show it, let out a chuckle at the thought that his efforts had been in vain. In truth, he felt even more giddy than Juhan, as if his feet weren’t touching the ground. He had been in this state ever since he heard from Yeehyeon that he would be coming to Seoul to see the exhibition.
He had told Yeehyeon that they were planning a tour of European art museums once Yeehyeon left ‘The Hands,’ and that they could continue to be together as part of the same organization afterward, so there was no need to force his schedule. But Yeehyeon had been uncharacteristically insistent, saying he really wanted to go.
“You see each other once a month without fail, and you’re still this happy?”
“Me going there and Seo Yeehyeon coming here are two different things.”
Dodging Shushu, who was chiding him to hurry up and go with a look that said he didn’t understand what was so different, Liu stood up with the glass of coffee in his hand.
As if waiting for the right moment, a visitor cautiously approached and asked Shushu if they could take a picture together. Shushu readily agreed to the photo. To avoid disturbing them, Liu only exchanged a nod with Shushu as a farewell.
He left Phantom with the iced coffee Juhan had transferred into a to-go cup in his hand. The sky he looked up at was as clean as a blank canvas. Liu put on the sunglasses that had been tucked into his left breast pocket and got into the driver’s seat. They were the same sunglasses he had once gifted to Yeehyeon.
■ ■ ■
The two stood slightly off-center from the stream of water pouring down from the rain shower head. White foam slid over their naked bodies. The rich stream of water, pouring down with a pressure strong enough to have a massaging effect, continuously washed over the left shoulder of Yeehyeon, who stood facing the wall with his back to Liu.
Liu kissed Yeehyeon’s nape and shoulder, gently scrubbing his back with a sponge that had been worked into a rich lather. The stream of water flowing from the left shoulder down the curve of his back washed the foam away as soon as it touched Yeehyeon’s skin.
Looking down at the sight of the white foam flowing down the lean, sleek body and disappearing between the curve of his buttocks, Liu buried his lips in the nape of Yeehyeon’s neck and lightly bit the skin.
“Mm, that part… I can do it myself.”
A hint of laughter was in Yeehyeon’s voice. It was because of the sponge, which, without even seeming to have finished washing his back, had skipped ahead and was subtly pushing its way between his legs.
Liu peeked over Yeehyeon’s shoulder and asked innocently.
“Oh? Really?”
Yeehyeon wiped the water from his face with his palm and turned around. Liu’s face was close enough for their noses to touch. He lowered his eyelids and gazed at Liu’s lips. Wet with water, they looked even sexier than usual. It might have been even more so because they hadn’t seen each other for five weeks for the sake of this return trip.
Yeehyeon tilted his head back a little more and pressed his lips against his. The time they spent rubbing their soft, plush flesh together was brief, but it was stimulating enough to make them crave a deeper contact.
“Even if you can do it yourself, isn’t it better when I do it for you?”
At Liu’s words, seeking his agreement with a serious face, Yeehyeon burst out laughing and nodded. Liu followed with a low laugh and lightly bit his earlobe. The sponge, which had traveled backward from his buttocks to his front, pushed up his testicles and scrubbed a wide area of his inner thighs. Though he moved as if nonchalantly, his touch was less like showering and more like a caress.
“Mm…”
At the feeling of not the sponge but his bare hand stroking his skin, made slippery with foam and water, Yeehyeon bit his lip gently and closed his eyes. The sponge rubbed his lower abdomen, and Liu’s right hand stroked his buttocks in a wide, circular motion. When he unconsciously tensed his gluteal muscles, the fingers dug into the cleft between his cheeks. He knew immediately that Liu wanted his anus.
Yeehyeon felt his own pheromones.
He could now clearly detect not only Liu’s pheromones but also his own. Like a solid bath bomb slowly dissolving in warm water, spreading a progressively deeper color and scent. The more he was stimulated by Liu’s desire and arousal, the more active his pheromones became.
But even though desire dripped from the fingers pressing and rubbing around his anus, Liu didn’t seem to intend to immediately proceed to full-blown sex. It was as if he was conscious of the sex they’d had before the dinner party, where they had practically lunged at each other.
It was the first time they had seen each other in the flesh in five weeks. As soon as they entered the living room, they had embraced, devoured each other’s lips, and practically ripped off each other’s clothes, neither waiting for the other to make the first move.
With his lower belly pressed tightly against Liu’s and their hips grinding to stimulate their erections, Yeehyeon had first laid eyes on ‘Colorful Ghost’, which was hanging over the sofa. It was a strange feeling, to be engaged in a sexual act with him in front of his own painting.
Once they started penetration in earnest, they wouldn’t be able to stop the Changing, and that would restrict their ability to go out because of Liu’s eyes. And he couldn’t very well wear sunglasses at a dinner table with acquaintances. They had exercised restraint, settling for intense foreplay and bringing each other to climax with their hands, but even without penetration, coming three times was incredibly draining.
It was something the Yeehyeon from his beta days could never have imagined. Even if, by some chance, he had managed to ejaculate three times in a short period, it would have been impossible to feel sexual desire and get an erection again that same day.
But he knew that just by their skin brushing, just by meeting his heated gaze, his libido would be instantly re-stimulated. Just as it had been ever since he met him and Diamond Dust’s pheromones were first aroused.
Liu, who had been gently washing his penis with the sponge while massaging above his anus with his right hand, seemed satisfied with just that for now and pulled back. Turning to face him, Yeehyeon said he would wash his back this time and turned him by the shoulders. For some reason, Liu hesitated with a reluctant face before turning around, his back having grown even more solid since he’d last seen it.
After wiping the water from his face with his palm, Yeehyeon squeezed more shower gel onto the sponge. Even with his arms hanging loosely and his body completely relaxed, the contours of Liu’s muscles were distinct on his back.
He pressed the sponge firmly where the nape of his neck met his back. The rich foam, saturated with water, trickled down all at once along the groove of his spine.
His own pheromones were growing stronger in response to Liu’s taut, firm, and well-balanced body. He was still shy about such a naked exchange of feelings, as if his innermost thoughts were being read. While scrubbing behind Liu’s defenseless shoulders with the sponge, Yeehyeon deliberately brought up another topic.
“You were bothered by my conversation with Inwoo-hyung earlier, weren’t you?”
“No. I didn’t even know you two spoke separately.”
There was no way Liu didn’t know that his immediate, stiff reply only proved his jealousy. He was probably expressing his displeasure indirectly right now.
“Then, I guess I don’t have to tell you what we talked about.”
“……”
Though he couldn’t see Liu’s face since his back was turned, he could almost picture his crestfallen expression. Yeehyeon swallowed a laugh, pretending to clear his throat. He rested his chin on Liu’s shoulder as he stroked his sleek, firm waist with the sponge.
“As you probably guessed… it was about that surprise kiss back then. He was apologizing.”
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