The Agreement

The next day marked the official start of the long holiday weekend. It was a Friday morning, no different from any ordinary weekday, and Jaeho was getting ready for work as usual. Just like always, he finished his breakfast. Today, he wouldn't be coming straight home after work. Since it was the day before the holiday, he planned to go out for drinks. But he knew it wouldn't end there.

Since the night before, Jaeho had talked with Minji countless times and agonized over it endlessly. In the end, he had finally made his decision. The aftermath that decision would bring was something he could barely even imagine. Determined to convey what he'd resolved, Jaeho spoke to Minji.

"No, it's..."

Minji was far too calm. If anything, it was Jaeho who was the one feeling shaken. He tried to act as normal as possible, but he could feel his fingertips trembling slightly.

With Minji's farewell, Jaeho headed to the company. His steps felt as heavy as lead.

When work ended that day, Jaeho called Hyunwoo out for drinks as promised. As if it were only natural, Hyunwoo had once again returned with no results. He didn't seem particularly eager and looked like he wanted to decline. His hollow eyes and dark circles spoke volumes about his exhaustion and despair. But Jaeho couldn't just leave him like this, completely deflated, so he practically dragged Hyunwoo to an izakaya.

Hyunwoo just kept sighing heavily with his drink sitting in front of him.

Jaeho encouraged him while sipping his drink, but Hyunwoo remained completely listless. His unfocused eyes drifted through the air.

If he had no plans, then it wouldn't be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a problem even if tonight ran long. Jaeho felt a sense of relief inside, but also a bitter aftertaste.

Hyunwoo was clearly in deep despair. His tone was one of complete resignation. Sure, he hadn't closed a single contract, but it wasn't something to crumble over like this. Among Hyunwoo's peers in sales, only one person had managed to land a contract in their first month. However, several of the others had at least submitted estimates and were waiting for responses, which was probably making Hyunwoo even more anxious and frustrated.

In an izakaya full of other customers, Jaeho couldn't speak more specifically. He swallowed back the words that had risen to his throat.

Vague encouragement alone couldn't lift Hyunwoo's spirits. After drinking and eating for about an hour, Jaeho suggested moving to the next location.

Jaeho practically forced Hyunwoo to his feet and out of the restaurant, heading straight somewhere. Hyunwoo stumbled along as he was pulled.

Jaeho brought Hyunwoo straight into his own home. A creeping sense of discomfort and self-loathing rose from deep within his chest, but since he'd already told Minji, he couldn't back out now. Jaeho tried to cover up this unbearable awkwardness with the effects of alcohol.

With her usual calm voice, Minji came out to the entrance to greet them. Her composure almost felt unreal.

Hyunwoo, who had been staggering along, seemed to snap awake the moment he saw Minji's face. He straightened his posture and his voice rose slightly in pitch.

Jaeho almost laughed at how quickly Hyunwoo perked up the moment he saw Minji, revealing his shallow nature. Still, he dragged the man inside. As they entered the living room, beer and simple snacks were already neatly arranged on the table.

Jaeho sat Hyunwoo down and poured him a beer. Hyunwoo emptied the glass with surprising energy. It seemed he didn't want to look pathetic in front of Minji. His gaze kept drifting toward her.

No matter how much Jaeho encouraged him, Hyunwoo kept his head down, only stealing occasional glances at Minji. It was clear he had feelings for her. His eyes were filled with a mix of longing and desire. As Jaeho comforted him, Minji quietly approached and nodded from beside him. It was the signal.

Finally, Jaeho had no choice but to bring up the main topic. His heart was pounding violently.

It must have been completely unexpected. Hyunwoo's face filled with panic. He nearly spat out the beer he was drinking.

Hyunwoo was so shocked and flustered he didn't know what to do, his face turning bright red.

Hyunwoo shrank his large frame in embarrassment. Minji, who already knew everything, pretended to be surprised anyway, widening her eyes as if hearing it for the first time. That act twisted something inside Jaeho.

Jaeho continued speaking, but Hyunwoo just curled in on himself, head bowed. Even his ears had turned red.

Jaeho downed his beer in one go, borrowing the strength of alcohol. Without it, he felt like his resolve would crumble. He clenched his fists tightly to hide how his hands were shaking.

At Jaeho's words, Hyunwoo's head shot up. His eyes widened in disbelief for a moment, seeming to blaze with intense light.

As expected, the words Jaeho had thrown out with such difficulty had landed clearly in Hyunwoo's ears. Jaeho's small hope that if he hadn't heard, they could pretend it never happened, was shattered completely.

Hyunwoo's voice trembled with excitement.

It felt like his chest was being torn apart, but seeing the sparkle in Hyunwoo's eyes, he couldn't take the words back.

Even though Jaeho had given permission, Hyunwoo seemed to know it wasn't that simple. He needed to confirm Minji's feelings, which were the most important part. His gaze turned to her with desperate longing.

From the corner of his eye, Jaeho saw Minji nod without hesitation, even with a slight smile on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her lips. It seemed her resolve was even firmer than his. Or perhaps she was enjoying this situation.

Hyunwoo shot up from his chair. He looked like he might pounce on Minji at any moment. His eyes gleamed with raw desire. But Jaeho had no intention of allowing things to go that far. Jealousy and anger surged within him.

At Jaeho's cold voice, Hyunwoo's excitement cooled.

Thinking he'd been teased, Hyunwoo sat back down with a deeply disappointed expression. He looked deflated again, his shoulders slumping.

A faint spark of hope returned to Hyunwoo's face. Realizing this wasn't a joke, he lifted his head again.

If Hyunwoo agreed to this, it would mean allowing him to sleep with Minji next Saturday. Given the circumstances, they couldn't put it off any longer than that.

Hyunwoo was completely excited. Since Jaeho had brought it up first, there was no way to back out now.

Hyunwoo's eyes sparkled with hope, his face filled with uncontainable joy. In stark contrast, Jaeho felt like his insides were burning to ash, but he desperately maintained a calm facade on the surface.

His insides were twisted beyond recognition, but Jaeho pretended everything was fine in front of Hyunwoo. Later, Minji would tell him that his expression at that moment had been as hard as stone. Hyunwoo, either unaware of Jaeho's feelings or too caught up in his own joy to notice, didn't seem to care at all.

Forcing down the turmoil boiling inside him, Jaeho had to set some conditions. Otherwise, who knew what kind of disaster might happen later.

If it ended with just Hyunwoo knowing, that might be one thing, but if it reached other ears, the consequences would be impossible to handle. It was best not to create that kind of spark in the first place.

Hyunwoo answered energetically.

Using a condom had been an absolute condition from the start. There was no way he could let Minji end up pregnant with Hyunwoo's child by mistake. Besides, he'd heard that even without ejaculating inside, pregnancy was possible from penetration without a condom. He couldn't tolerate even the touch of bare skin.

Since he was a virgin, Hyunwoo probably hadn't even tried it before, but it seemed he planned to practice on his own. That wasn't Jaeho's concern.

He didn't know where they'd do it, but he could only hope it would end quickly. Even now his insides were burning like this. He couldn't even imagine how he'd feel on the actual day. He didn't have the confidence to endure it for long. At the same time, he couldn't tolerate them doing it in their bedroom. Every time he lay in that bed, he'd remember the nights when Minji had been held in his arms. It would be unbearable. So wherever it was, it had to end quickly and Minji had to be sent back.

After all, it was Hyunwoo's first time. There was no way he'd last very long. It probably wouldn't drag on.

Minji asked back as if surprised.

Honestly, he wanted them to do the bare minimum. But he couldn't say that, fearing it would make him seem petty and narrow-minded.

Minji didn't seem bothered at all, but Hyunwoo agreed to follow Jaeho's words. For now, these were the conditions Jaeho had set.

When Jaeho poured more beer, Hyunwoo drank it down energetically in one go. It seemed his completely deflated mood had been completely lifted. The problem was that now Jaeho felt like he was dying inside.

"Excuse me."

Completely different from when he'd arrived, Hyunwoo left with energetic steps.

"Sigh..."

The moment Hyunwoo's figure disappeared, Jaeho collapsed onto the sofa.

Since he'd already given permission to Hyunwoo, he couldn't take it back now. If he canceled, Hyunwoo might really quit the company. So the promise couldn't be broken.

Minji approached between the legs of Jaeho, who was slumped on the sofa like he'd melted into it. Then she knelt down right in front of him.

"Minji..."

Jaeho pulled her into his arms and kissed her. From now on, it was time that belonged solely to the two of them as husband and wife, undisturbed by anyone. But even in that moment, a corner of Jaeho's heart felt like it was continuing to fester. He told himself that maybe he'd get used to this too. For now, he just wanted to lose himself deeply in Minji.

"Minji..."

"Mmm... Mmm..."

Chu, smooch...

"Haa..."

For the rest of the holiday, Jaeho never left Minji's side. He tried to get closer to her, to press their bodies together as much as possible. It was like they were on their honeymoon, or like they'd returned to the early days of their marriage. He held Minji passionately several times, but in the end, he held back from ejaculating inside her and released on her stomach instead. Then, as if sensing his anxiety, Minji willingly took him in her mouth to please him even more.

Throughout the entire holiday, Jaeho spent hot, intense time with Minji. The holiday passed by in the blink of an eye, and daily life began again. And finally, the promised weekend was right around the corner.

It was the second Friday night, as the May holiday seemed to be ending yet somehow wasn't quite over. Jaeho and Minji were about to go to bed without anything special happening.

Jaeho hadn't been able to fall asleep yet, thinking about what would happen tomorrow. Minji seemed to be tossing and turning with various thoughts as well, unable to sleep.

Even without Minji bringing it up, Jaeho had been thinking about it all day long. Tomorrow night, Minji would become the partner for Hyunwoo's first experience. At the company, Hyunwoo hadn't said anything to him, but every time their eyes met, he would bow his head lightly like someone who had committed a crime. Jaeho knew full well how excited Hyunwoo was, but he felt like he'd been driven into a dead end with no escape. When he came home, rather than seeming anxious or uncomfortable, Minji even showed subtle signs of enjoyment. Jaeho couldn't bring himself to ask her why.

It was true. Ever since making the promise with Hyunwoo, Jaeho had desired Minji more intensely than ever before. And Minji had gladly accepted that side of him. It really felt like they'd returned to the beginning of their marriage.

Minji sat up and gently kissed Jaeho.

Jaeho closed his eyes without a word and tried to sleep.