The news was being broadcast on every TV channel.

Jeong Taeui, fresh out of the shower and still drying his hair, heard the news about the conflict between Lebanon and Israel and could only click his tongue.

Although that area had always been tumultuous, such news was now broadcast so frequently that he no longer even cared about the minor disputes there anymore.

Because riots were incessant, it seemed no place was peaceful anymore, everywhere was just scenes of bombing and sorrow.

……And then there’s the guy who suddenly dropped bombs on a peaceful country. He didn’t know where he was or what he was doing now.

“He surely wouldn’t go there and do crazy things, right……”

Jeong Taeui stared at the radio and mumbled.

However, after thinking about it for a while, he concluded that it was very unlikely and slumped down onto the sofa.

Droplets of water dripped from his still-wet hair down his neck.

Now, he could understand such news without any trouble; it seemed his German had improved quite a bit, and that was quite refreshing.

Should he now try talking to Kyle, Rita, and others? They had all been unnecessarily using English because of him for so long, there was no need for that anymore…… But Rita seemed strict about grammar, so maybe he should just continue pretending he didn’t know.

Jeong Taeui nodded to himself thoughtfully.

10 P.M. As the news program ended, the music program began.

Jeong Taeui set the towel down and closed his eyes, quietly listening to the music without thinking to wipe the water dripping down his neck. It seemed to be a special episode about choirs, as choral pieces kept coming on one after another. The harmony of the singers’ voices was even more pleasing than the musical instruments.

Jeong Taeui opened his eyes, exhaling comfortably.

At that moment. A faint ring of a phone could be heard.

“……?”

Jeong Taeui turned around. The faint ringing was coming from Ilay’s room, just separated from his by a wall.

Clearly, there was a phone call in that room. But that phone had never rung before, so much so that he often wondered if it was just decorative. Most people who contacted Ilay did so directly on his mobile phone. It was unusual. Regrettably, the owner of that phone call had been absent for 2 months. Even he didn’t know when he would return.

The call stopped ringing. However, before Jeong Taeui turned his head back, it rang again.

The sound was very soft, also very faint, so if he ignored it, it wouldn’t matter. But for some reason, Jeong Taeui thought for a moment and then stood up.

He was curious why someone on the other end would call a person who had been absent for so long, or was it just someone randomly dialing a strange number?

Jeong Taeui hesitated as he opened the door to a room whose owner was not present, but seeing the blinking light of the screen through the slightly open door, he stepped inside. He entered the dark room without turning on the light and checked the unfamiliar number on the display and picked up the receiver.

“Hello.”

[“Mhm, I knew you would pick up.”]

“……..”

Jeong Taeui stared at the face displayed on the LCD screen.

It was the owner of the room.

He could see a large oil painting decorated on the wall behind Ilay, who appeared to be sitting on a bed in a room somewhere.

“Oohhh~…… long time no see.”

[“You must be living well. Your face looks very lively.”]

“Thanks to you.”

Specifically, thanks to your absence all this time.

But Jeong Taeui could only silently swallow those critical words.

However, it seemed like Ilay clearly understood the intent behind his statement and burst out laughing.

“Why are you calling this number? In a room that’s supposed to have no one to answer?”

[“I thought you would hear the ringing sounds, and that you would pick it up.”]

“Why not call directly on my phone then?”

[“Your phone can’t do video, so I wouldn’t be able to see you while talking.”]

“……..”

Jeong Taeui observed the face reflected on the screen once again. He felt this man didn’t seem like the person he used to know. Yet the smiling face at seeing his expression was all too familiar.

“What’s the matter? Got some documents or something that you need to check visually?”

[“No, I just wanted to know if you’re okay. I was thinking about what you might be doing and where you are…… Did you just take a shower? Your clothes seem a bit wet.”]

“Where else could I be?”

Jeong Taeui muttered and then reached behind his neck to pat his neck and shoulders. Drops of water still dripped down from his hair that hadn’t been properly dried.

“Is there something wrong?”

[“Sit down.”]

Ilay nodded towards the chair behind him, signaling for Jeong Taeui to sit down. Jeong Taeui looked at him suspiciously and then quietly sat down. Disappearing for two months and now suddenly calling, what did it mean?

“There was news about the riots in Lebanon, so I thought you might be there, but it seems that’s not the case.”

He said this while observing the expensive decorative items on Ilay’s screen. Ilay just smiled back at him without responding.

“……..Where are you?”

[“South of Berlin……. hmm. Is it cold there?”]

Jeong Taeui frowned at the abrupt question.

There’s no way he’d forget the weather here just because he’s been gone for two months.

“It wouldn’t be cold here this season.”

[“Really? Because your nipples are standing up, I thought it might be due to climate change.”]

“……”

Jeong Taeui stared at the face on the screen, embarrassed. He had just showered and was sitting under the air conditioning, so he was still a bit cold. In fact, those words sounded very nonsensical, but why did they sound so vulgar coming from that man’s mouth?

[“It’s just the air conditioning working too well. Is the climate there subtropical?”]

Jeong Taeui rubbed his chest and muttered sulkily.

[“Hmm, a subtropical climate? Did you think you were on a vacation all by yourself? Why rub it over your clothes instead of taking it off so I can have some eye candy? It’s not like I haven’t seen your nipples hard countless times, so why act shy all of a sudden?”]

“You haven’t called in ages, and the first thing you say is…… Haizz…… Fine, look all you want. Look!”

“What kind of eye candy a guy’s nipples could possibly be?” – Jeong Taeui grumbled as he yanked off his T-shirt with a choked expression. It wasn’t anything new at this point, anyway.

“So, what’s going on? Calling me out of the blue like this.”

This was a man who hadn’t contacted him once in two months without a single word about where he had gone. Yet, calling out of nowhere, all he could do was harp on about nipples.

[“Well. I just wanted to call and check in on you for once.”]

“Don’t lie.”

Lately, Taeui seemed to be hearing a lot of strange things. Just a few days ago, hearing the combination of words ‘Ilay’ and ‘childhood friend’ from his uncle was strange enough, but now it was ‘Ilay’ and ‘checking in’.

[“How heartless of you to cut me off like that.….. Move your arm to the side. It’s in the way, so I can’t enjoy my eye candy.”]

“……Anyway, it feels like all I hear these days are strange things. Maybe it’s me who needs some real nourishment for my body.”

[“Hah. Strange things? Why, did someone say something ridiculous?”]

“No, it’s just that not long ago, I heard that you actually have a childhood friend.”

[“Aha…… Who would say such a thing?”]

It was very slight. Extremely faint. So subtle that it was almost undetectable, but Ilay’s voice slowed down.

Ah…… so this is it. The reason this guy contacted me out of nowhere.

For reasons unknown, that was the topic Ilay had wanted to hear about.

Jeong Taeui kept his mouth shut for a moment. And soon, he realized. Ilay had also caught onto the fact that Taeui noticed something was up. His eyes narrowed.

“What do you want to know?”

[“I didn’t really have anything I was curious about, I just called to check in…… but now it seems I might have a few questions. So, who told you I had a childhood friend? My brother?……. Put that hand down.”]

While thinking he’d love to tear apart that mouth of his for adding: [“It’d be nice if you took off your bottoms, too,”] Jeong Taeui hesitatingly moved his arm out of the way.

“My uncle dropped by. While he was talking with Kyle, he mentioned someone named Christina. Said she’s your childhood friend and colleague.”

[“Hah…… He dropped by? Must have had a good time catching up with family after so long. So, did he say he’s doing well?”]

“Yeah, he’s doing well. Mentioned there’s a joint training session with the European branch soon, and said things are much easier without a madman around.”

It was good that he wasn’t here, so Jeong Taeui could confidently say what he truly felt without any hesitation. However, in response to these provocative words, Ilay did not react at all, just smiling at him.

[“Haha, well that’s something to celebrate. Right. Did he say the other bastards are doing well too?”]

At that, Jeong Taeui closed his mouth once more. Then he stared intently at him. The man was smiling faintly with his eyes narrowed.

“……What is it you want to know? Just spit it out clearly instead of asking things that don’t even suit you.”

[“Well, let’s see……”]

Ilay tilted his head to one side with a crackling sound in his neck, as if he was genuinely pondering Jeong Taeui’s words.

[“Instead, Taei, how has it been being alone at home for two months? Aren’t you bored? Isn’t your body feeling a bit off? Today, I feel very heavy.”]

In the part about ‘today’, Jeong Taeui had to witness something he absolutely did not want to see at all. Ilay was sitting slightly leaned back on the bed, stroking his boxer shorts – the only clothing he wore instead of pajamas – and suddenly pulled out his engorged genitalia from beneath those shorts.

“……..”

Suddenly, that object filling up the screen caught his eye. Jeong Taeui was left speechless.

He hadn’t seen it in all this time, but now he had to look at that object hundreds of miles(estimate) away through a screen.

“So then…… What now…… You want to have phone sex or something?”

Jeong Taeui put on a bored expression and joked, but he couldn’t muster even a forced smile. However, it really was just a joke.

Contrary to his awkward demeanor, Ilay’s face showed neither tension or excitement, yet the thing he was stroking stood erect before the screen.

Ilay initially smiled casually as if it was just a playful banter in response to Jeong Taeui.

[“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it? Sounds pretty fun, doesn’t it?”]

“Stop, if it comes to that, it’s a bit…… I feel my life is chaotic enough already.”

Should he hang up and just go back to his room? No, even if they were far apart now, he had to think about the consequences later.

Watching Jeong Taeui slowly move away from the screen, Ilay grunted: “Hmm”.

Strange, why is his screen angle so wide, why is it only zooming in on his side? Jeong Taeui tried to turn away from the obscene screen but was immediately pulled back by Ilay’s laughter, which sounded like the wind blowing through.

[“Taei, have you forgotten? I thought I made it very clear that you belong to me. If it’s been so long that you’ve forgotten, let me remind you. You——”]

“Aishiiii. What do you want, what do you want?!”

Hearing that phrase, which had been used as if to brainwash him hundreds of times, Jeong Taeui shuddered momentarily. He yelled reflexively.

The simple answer came back immediately.

[“Take off the bottom part too.”]

He thought he’d have some peace for a few months, but this damn guy……

“Hey, Ilay, I don’t know when you’ll be back, but you are coming back, aren’t you? When you do, whatever you want……—”

[“One month.”]

“Huh?”

“One month and I’ll be back. So, Taei. It seems you still don’t know, so let me enlighten you. Which would be more beneficial for you? To handle three months’ worth in one night or to deal with two months over the phone first and then do the last month in one night?”

Hearing that, Jeong Taeui had no response. Just as he said, it was a kind of enlightenment he had never considered before.

Facing a Jeong Taeui staring at the screen with a bewildered face, Ilay nodded at him once again.

[“Take it off.”]

Damn it. He felt sick. If he just hung up now or ignored him, he’d probably really have to go for a portrait shoot after next month. Jeong Taeui placed his hand on his waistband and glared at Ilay. But after dozens of seconds of a silent staring contest, he finally gave in and took off his pants.

He should have never picked up the phone. He should have just listened to music and gone to sleep. But it was too late for regrets now.

Jeong Taeui felt like crying and threw the pants he had just removed at the screen, the powerless garment falling to the floor, revealing the smirking face on the screen.

“What now…… take off the underwear too?”

[“Of course.”]

Jeong Taeui looked furiously pale as he glared at him, even though screaming wouldn’t make him flinch, not even an eyebrow. He reluctantly removed his underwear and threw it at the screen. If it could get stuck on the screen and cover up the monster that had risen in there, that would be great. But wishes are just that, wishes.

Being naked wasn’t anything special. But being naked while watching Ilay manipulate the thing on the screen brought on a very strange feeling. It was hard to tell if it was stimulating or uncomfortable.

[“Sit down. Don’t stand and look at me with that expression.”]

That calm demeanor irritated him even more. Right, he was always like that.

Jeong Taeui reluctantly plopped down on the chair. He felt choked up, unable to express his feelings. He draped his legs over the arm of the chair, everything between his legs now blatantly exposed to the screen, and he snapped.

“Like this, does it look good?”

[“Haha. It looks very good indeed. A very beautiful view.”]

The thing standing erect before the screen seemed to grow a bit larger.

For a moment, Jeong Taeui felt uneasy, but since he had opened his eyes wide and stared at him, he couldn’t avoid Ilay’s fiery gaze anymore.

He wondered why he always dug his own grave when talking to this man……

“A view between a man’s legs is that wonderful?”

Jeong Taeui tried to use the most sarcastic tone he could. But the penis rising forcefully in the delicate white hand stroking it up and down seemed to rear up even more fiercely.

Ilay stared straight at Jeong Taeui while curling his lips. Those normally icy eyes briefly warmed with a smile. No matter how many years he had seen that smile, those eyes still seemed unreal. He couldn’t understand why those eyes, when smiling, looked so unfamiliar.

[“Of course. Whether it’s what’s between your legs, your desire to hang up the phone and run away immediately, or your face when you realize you’ve dug your own grave but still try to act calm, it’s all a very beautiful sight.”]

“……..!”

It was moments like this. The most desperate thing for Jeong Taeui was that he could feel the warmth of his arousal actually touching his skin.

“……Do you like it?”

Jeong Taeui asked indirectly. Although aware of the insinuation behind his sarcastically phrased question, Ilay still answered falsely according to his own interpretation.

[“I wasn’t planning on doing this. The moment I saw you, though, my body just reacted on its own. Seeing something I’ve only been able to reminisce about in my head for the past two months, my lower body swelled with pain as if my heart would go numb.”]

That calm and indifferent tone did not match the penis pressed against the screen, which seemed to be reaching its climax.

Ilay stared straight at Jeong Taeui as if about to explode, his voice deeper, his breath faintly filled with pleasure, his hand tightly grasping his own flesh, making Jeong Taeui feel like it was piercing his chest. Just like Ilay, his heart pounded painfully numb.

In an instant, the back of his neck heated up.

Damn it. Living with this man for too long made him this way.

[“Taei…… spread your legs wider……— Taei.”]

Jeong Taeui quietly and obediently spread his legs wider in response to his command. He wondered if his brain was also malfunctioning.

He leaned his head against the chair, praying no one would see him in this state with the door still open. He wanted to close his eyes, but the eyes of the monster immersed in lust wouldn’t allow it, capturing his mind completely.

[“Taei~…….”]

Once again, he heard his name called. Simultaneously, a thick, sticky fluid shot up, scattering all over the screen. Behind the semen sticking to the screen and slowly dripping down, Jeong Taeui could see cold eyes staring back at him.

“…….”

[“……Indeed, not being together really isn’t good at all.”]

The moment he heard those words, the anger he had momentarily forgotten flared up again.

This bastard. Just seconds ago, he had ejaculated all over the screen someone else was staring at, what right did he have to say it wasn’t ‘good’?

However, before Jeong Taeui could vent his feelings, Ilay placed a finger on the screen and gently stroked down. Jeong Taeui involuntarily shuddered as if that finger was directly touching and caressing his skin. Ilay noticed that weak reflex and faintly smiled.

[“Uhm. I should also help you relieve your desires, but since we’re apart, I can’t do anything about it. I’m sorry.”]

“…… It’s okay, you don’t have to worry about it. I also refuse to accept that apology.”

On the contrary, it would be even more frightening if he tried to relieve his desires for him.