The next few days were filled with tension and uncertainty. Ji Hoon tried to focus on work, but every time he saw Tae Joon, his mind would wander. The memory of their kiss was still fresh, still vivid. It haunted him, lingered in the corners of his thoughts, and made it impossible to concentrate.
The office felt different now. It wasn't just the physical presence of Tae Joon—there was something more. An unspoken understanding hung in the air between them, making the simplest exchanges feel loaded with meaning.
Ji Hoon couldn't avoid it anymore. He had spent days convincing himself that what had happened between them was a one-time thing, a mistake fueled by the heat of the moment. But deep down, he knew it wasn't. He knew that what they shared went beyond physical attraction. There was something more to it. Something real.
He couldn't deny the way his heart skipped when Tae Joon smiled at him, the way his presence seemed to draw Ji Hoon in. He couldn't deny the way his body reacted when Tae Joon brushed against him, even if it was just a passing touch.
One evening, after work, Ji Hoon found himself standing in front of the coffee machine in the break room, trying to distract himself. He could hear footsteps approaching, and when he turned, there stood Tae Joon, looking as calm and collected as ever. But Ji Hoon could see the flicker of something in his eyes. The same thing he had been feeling—the pull, the desire.
Tae Joon didn't speak at first. He just stood there, watching Ji Hoon with an intensity that made Ji Hoon's heart race. The silence between them was thick, heavy with the words neither of them had said. It was as if they both knew what was coming but were too afraid to acknowledge it.
Finally, Tae Joon spoke, his voice low and steady. "We need to talk."
Ji Hoon's stomach twisted at the words. He had been dreading this conversation. He knew it was coming, but that didn't make it any easier.
"What about?" Ji Hoon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tae Joon took a step closer, his eyes never leaving Ji Hoon's face. "About us. About what happened. About what we're doing."
Ji Hoon's pulse quickened, but he didn't step back. "I don't know what to say," he admitted, his voice strained. "I don't know what any of this means."
Tae Joon took another step forward, closing the space between them. "I think I know what it means," he said softly, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "But I need to hear it from you."
Ji Hoon opened his mouth to respond, but the words died on his lips. He didn't know what to say. How could he put into words the confusion, the desire, the longing that had taken root in his heart?
Tae Joon seemed to sense his hesitation. He reached out, his hand gently cupping Ji Hoon's cheek. The touch was warm, grounding, and Ji Hoon's breath hitched at the contact. It was as if the simple touch was enough to break down the walls Ji Hoon had spent so long building.
"I don't want to keep pretending like this doesn't matter," Tae Joon murmured, his voice barely audible. "I don't want to pretend that I don't want this. Don't want you."
The words hit Ji Hoon like a shock to the system. For a moment, he couldn't speak. Couldn't think. Could only feel the weight of Tae Joon's words hanging in the air, filling the space between them.
Ji Hoon's hand found its way to Tae Joon's chest, and for a moment, they both just stood there, looking at each other. And then, without warning, Ji Hoon leaned in.
Their lips met in a kiss that was nothing like the one they had shared at the bar. This time, it wasn't tentative or unsure. It was hungry. It was desperate. Ji Hoon's hands gripped Tae Joon's shirt as if he couldn't get close enough, as if he needed to feel him, to lose himself in him.
The kiss deepened, their mouths moving together with an urgency that surprised them both. Ji Hoon's body was alive with desire, every nerve on edge, every thought consumed by the feel of Tae Joon's lips against his.
Tae Joon responded just as fiercely, his hands sliding into Ji Hoon's hair, pulling him closer. There was no space between them now, no distance. They were tangled together, their bodies pressing against each other as if they were one.
For a moment, Ji Hoon forgot about everything—the office, the rules, the consequences. All that mattered was the way Tae Joon made him feel, the way his touch ignited something deep within him.
Finally, they pulled away, both breathing heavily, their faces flushed with desire. Ji Hoon's heart pounded in his chest, and for a moment, he felt dizzy, as if the world around him had stopped spinning.
"I… I don't know what this means," Ji Hoon whispered, his voice shaky.
Tae Joon smiled softly, his thumb brushing over Ji Hoon's bottom lip. "I don't think either of us knows what it means. But maybe that's okay."
Ji Hoon nodded, his thoughts still a whirlwind. He didn't have all the answers, but he knew one thing—this, whatever this was, wasn't something he could walk away from. Not now. Not when it felt like this.
"I'm not ready to figure it out," Ji Hoon admitted, his voice low. "But I want to try. I want to see where this goes."
Tae Joon's eyes softened, and he nodded. "Me too."
And in that moment, Ji Hoon knew they had crossed a line they couldn't uncross. There was no going back now.