SLC 30

“Do you know the dictionary definition of kidnapping?”

…He had forgotten. The most treacherous hurdle.

“It wasn’t a kidnapping….”

“If you leave behind nothing but a single note saying you’ll step out for a bit, then disappear with a person and all contact gets cut off, that is called kidnapping.”

As Secretary Kang continued coldly, Kim Jinkyung looked at Mok Seongha from the corner of his eye.

Please help me.

But the one who had been in a foul mood ever since leaving Go Jinyoung’s place turned his gaze away.

“Why do you even carry a phone?”

“I’m sorry.”

He had already heard the same words twice today. Feeling too ashamed, he couldn’t lift his head.

“And you too, Young Master….”

Secretary Kang turned his gaze in that direction. Mok Seongha still refused to meet his gaze.

“Where does it make sense to suddenly stay out overnight without saying a word?”

“I’m sorry. From now on, I’ll never….”

“You won’t need to do that anymore.”

The interruption was abrupt and decisive.

“I would like you to leave now, Teacher. Covering for things any further is beyond my authority.”

For a moment, Kim Jinkyung was left speechless. It was true. He knew that Secretary Kang had been turning a blind eye because of the young master. But he was still an employee, and it made sense to end this before it turned into something more troublesome.

The thought that he wouldn’t be able to see him anymore made his chest ache, but he tried to nod. That was when the one who had been distracted suddenly intervened.

“You’re firing him right now?”

“Yes.”

The reply was more assertive than usual.

“No.”

The look in Mok Seongha’s eyes turned chilly.

“You two haven’t even been studying lately. He was hired to teach in the first place, so what exactly…?”

“No. What kind of bullshit are you talking about?”

Secretary Kang had expected resistance, but not to this extent, and he couldn’t hide his confusion.

“It’s fine. Thank you for letting me stay here all this time.”

Kim Jinkyung bowed politely and tried to stand. His gesture made the gaze fixed on him grow ominous.

“Sit.”

Mok Seongha monotonously commanded. He hesitated, then sat back down on the sofa.

“Young Master. If you continue like this, I’ll have no choice but to report it to the chairman.”

Mok Seongha scoffed and replied.

“Go ahead. You’re already reporting everything anyway.”

The tension between them made Kim Jinkyung force an awkward smile as he grabbed Mok Seongha’s arm.

“Please, don’t….”

The moment his hand touched him, Mok Seongha slapped it away. Kim Jinkyung’s hand hovered in the air with nowhere to go. His expression stiffened briefly, then he spoke calmly.

“I’ll go pack my things in the room first.”

“I’ll calculate the tutoring fee up to today and transfer it.”

“No. It’s fine.”

He had a conscience too. He hadn’t done anything worth getting paid for these past few days. He stood up and headed to the room.

“Hey.”

The voice followed him, calling him to stop. He deliberately didn’t answer and went inside. Mok Seongha followed him in.

He put books and clothes into his bag. He didn’t have much to begin with, so there wasn’t much to pack. Then someone rushed over, pulled the items out of the bag, and threw them onto the floor.

“……”

Without saying a word, he picked up the scattered clothes and put them back in. This time, the bag itself was snatched away and shaken until everything spilled out again.

However, Kim Jinkyung calmly gathered his belongings and put them back in.

“What are you doing?”

“……”

That was what he wanted to ask.

What are you actually doing?

“Why are you leaving? You still have time left on the contract.”

“Less than 10 days. Leaving 10 days early isn’t that big of a problem, right?”

“Finish the 10 days.”

“…”

“Hey.”

It felt like a block of ice had been driven into his chest. As he bent down to pick up a pen that had fallen from his pencil case, it was snatched from his hand.

“Does what I say sound like bullshit to you?”

“I hear you clearly.”

“Then why aren’t you answering?”

He tried to take the pen back, but Mok Seongha hid it behind his back.

“Is it because I jerked off too much on you yesterday?”

“……!”

“I’ll make it more fair from now on, so….”

“I’m going to stop. That’s what’s right.”

The man had used his body to masturbate all night. More precisely, it had been simulated sex.

When his hands hurt from chafing, Mok Seongha rubbed his flesh between his legs instead. Being rubbed against, having his neck bitten, and having his desire exhibited by someone he liked was beyond anything he could have imagined, or ever considered.

Every time the hard flesh thrust up from behind, stars flashed in his vision. The sensation that traveled all the way to his toes rendered him unable to think clearly. He was correct. Doing it with just one hand would never produce such a thrill.

‘Ah… uh.’

The moan that slipped out of his mouth made him panic and clamp his lips shut. At the same time, the sheet covering his lower body was pulled away and his erect penis was fully exposed.

It was the first time. The first time he had been sexually aroused by a living person, and the first time the other person had seen it.

He felt so ashamed he wanted to die.

‘No….’

He tried to cover himself again with the sheet, but it was useless. Curious eyes looked down at his penis. Being stared at like that was more miserable than he expected.

‘T-this isn’t because it means anything else. It’s just that it kept rubbing from behind…’

He rambled, not even knowing what he was saying. Then Mok Seongha suddenly pulled him into his embrace, and made a ridiculous suggestion.

‘No, it’s fine. I’m fine, so….’

Mok Seongha hugged him from behind, and moved his hips like a beast in heat. After that, he couldn’t remember anything.

‘Teacher…. Teacher…. This feels so good, this…’

A heated body slammed into him while muttering like someone out of their mind. He bit him, licked him, and rubbed against him. It was no different from sex. In the end, he ejaculated in Mok Seongha’s hands. Again and again. All night long.

It was the worst.

Even if Mok Seongha wasn’t in his right mind because of the fever, Kim Jinkyung was. He shouldn’t have let it happen. This was on a completely different level from simply helping him release.

More than anything, Kim Jinkyung had harbored improper feelings toward Mok Seongha. No matter how much a cat wriggled inside a box, you shouldn’t put your hand in it. It was never meant to be his in the first place. The moment desire took over and crossed the line, it turned into a harmful one sided love.

“No.”

Mok Seongha blocked his way.

“Goodbye.”

The longer they talked, the worse it got. Kim Jinkyung knew he was especially weak to him. He knew he’d probably let it slide again if he stayed. His stomach burned, but this was the right moment to draw a line. He slung his bag over his shoulder and walked toward the door.

“I can’t do it without you.”

His heart ached. He knew it wasn’t a confession, yet his stupid one sided feelings heard it that way, and that made him angry at himself.

“I can’t do it without your hand. If I do it alone, the fever just gets worse.”

“…….”

Kim Jinkyung looked down at his own hand. He couldn’t exactly cut it off.

“In a few days, your fever will go down.”

As he left, he planned to inform Secretary Kang about his condition. Someone needed to know what state Mok Seongha was in.

“Don’t go.”

Mok Seongha stood in front of him again, blindly blocking the way.

“If you have a fever, take antipyretics and rest.”

“I said you can’t!”

He shouted. The cracked voice, so unlike his usual composure, exposed his panic.

“If I stay like this, I can’t see the chairman.”

“If you tell the chairman…”

“Then I won’t be able to go again. Not to the hospital. Not to the funeral.”

“…….”

“Beasts aren’t allowed in places like that.”

When he said those words again, Kim Jinkyung could easily guess what the young Mok Seongha must have gone through.

…He probably couldn’t even attend his parents’ funeral.

“I’ll give you money.”

“…….”

When there was still no response, his voice grew more desperate.

“Then I’ll give you a house.”

Still nothing. His voice changed into something threatening.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to tutor some other bastard?”

He sounded like someone interrogating a lover about cheating. Kim Jinkyung could only stare at him, dumbfounded.

“Try teaching someone else. I’ll twist that bastard’s neck.”

His pupils constricted as he growled. It felt like he’d tear the limbs off anyone who appeared in that role. Kim Jinkyung quickly changed the subject.

“No. I’m not tutoring anymore.”

With the money he’d saved, he could stay at the place Go Jinyoung had lent him and somehow last until dorm applications for next semester.

“Then do it only with me.”

“…….”

The object. He needed the object.

“Please. …Teacher.”

…That was dirty. Calling him teacher there was cheating.

“Just until my fever goes down.”

He bent his large body, and rubbed his forehead against Kim Jinkyung’s shoulder. It always happened like this. Whenever he wanted something, he pressed his forehead against him, acting like a huge, spoiled cat.

With his face still against his shoulder, Mok Seongha turned his head. Their gazes met and Kim Jinkyung looked away.

This time, he couldn’t give in easily.

“Teacher.”

“…….”

…He shouldn’t.

“Yeah?”

Those suffocating golden eyes were pleading. Kim Jinkyung took a deep breath and opened his mouth, he seemed to have made his mind.

‎

‎

‎

When the ramen started boiling over, Kim Jinkyung turned off the heat and carried the pot to the table. He set down chopsticks and side plates, and then the doorbell rang.

He hurried over, checked the intercom, and sighed. On the screen stood Mok Seongha, holding up a workbook.

“Just a moment.”

He went to the door and opened it.

“There was a problem I don’t understand.”

“I told you to mark them and we’d go over them all at once.”

“There are too many marked.”

When Kim Jinkyung said he was quitting, Mok Seongha had begged and threatened him at the same time, asking for time until the heat subsided.

In the end, Kim Jinkyung agreed to continue tutoring. His golden eyes sparkled like they were filled with stars.

‘But I have a condition. I’m moving out.’

The moment he said it, Mok Seongha’s expression fell. But Kim Jinkyung steeled himself and continued.

Tutoring would stay three times a week, like before. Questions would be collected and reviewed when there was time. And most importantly…

“You can’t come here like this.”

No showing up at his place without notice.

“I contacted you. You just didn’t check.”

He pulled out Kim Jinkyung’s phone and showed the message as proof.

“…….”

“Why do you even carry a phone?”

Kim Jinkyung wasn’t the type to keep his phone close. He used it only when necessary and spent the rest of his time reading or studying.

“Did you come alone?”

He deliberately changed the subject out of embarrassment.

“Are you crazy? Secretary Kang drove me.”

“…….”

It felt like an invisible glare was stabbing him.

“Don’t tell me he’s waiting in the parking lot right now?”

“He wanted to, but I sent him back.”

The first day Mok Seongha came over saying he had questions he didn’t understand, Kim Jinkyung nearly had a heart attack. Secretary Kang’s grim face was visible on the intercom screen as well.

“I’ll explain it after I eat.”

“Okay.”

He walked over to the table and sat down. Kim Jinkyung sat across from him.

“You eat ramen instead of proper meals? That stuff isn’t good for you.”

“I just crave it sometimes.”

“Yeah?”

He rested his chin on his hand and watched Kim Jinkyung eat. Kim Jinkyung hesitated for a moment, then said “Let’s eat ramen and go.” He knew what “eat ramen and go”¹ meant these days, but he didn’t think a cat who lacked common sense and was behind on trends would know that.

Mok Seongha smiled.

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

“What?”

“You said eat ramen and go.”

He nodded toward the ramen. Kim Jinkyung flustered and stammered that it wasn’t, and Mok Seongha laughed in response. It was an unrestrained laugh, like flowers blooming.

“Hahaha. I know. You’re not trying to seduce me.”

“…….”

It wasn’t that he wasn’t trying. He just couldn’t. A scary bastard who was handsome. Terrifyingly scary, terrifyingly handsome.

“I know I’m not your type.”

“…Yes.”

Kim Jinkyung focused on eating his ramen. Mok Seongha quietly watched him for a bit, then seemed to catch a scent. He sniffed a few times and frowned.

“Someone was here?”

“…Huh? Yes.”

Kim Jinkyung swallowed the noodles and nodded.

“Who?”

“Sangil.”

“Why would that bastard come to this place?”

He wanted to throw the words right back at him. Kim Jinkyung sighed and drank some water.

“Why does he come and go from this place?”

“He’s my friend.”

“So friends can just walk into someone else’s place?”

“Then who’s allowed?”

Kim Jinkyung had met Seo Sangil, explained things as vaguely as possible, and apologized. Naturally, he grilled a lot of beef for him.

Stuffing three pieces of beef into his mouth at once, Seo Sangil scolded him, saying someone like him wasn’t even a friend.

‘Yeah. You’re right. I screwed up.’

Kim Jinkyung quietly continued grilling. Only after Seo Sangil ate an entire 1 kg of beef by himself did his mood soften just a little.

‘Don’t think this wipes the slate clean.’

He added that while eating seasoned fried chicken for dessert.

‘And that rude bastard, if he shows up in front of me one more time, I won’t let it slide.’

Kim Jinkyung swore he’d never let the two of them meet again.

“You like that kind of thing?”

The sudden question made him frown, like he’d misheard.

“What kind of taste is that? Did you have a rough childhood?”

“No.”

He barely answered and picked up his chopsticks.

“Then why?”

The tone was genuinely baffled.

“I don’t like him anymore.”

“You used to.”

“Even so, Sangil is…”

He was about to say he was fine, that he was good looking, if only the blindingly handsome man in front of him hadn’t been staring and waiting.

“…He’s okay.”

He chose the least conscience stabbing word he could.

Sorry, my friend.

“Okay my ass. At least look at faces when you date men.”

“…….”

I look at them a lot. Only faces. Just that.

Kim Jinkyung finished the ramen, put the pot in the sink, brushed his teeth, and came back to sit down.

“Ask your questions.”

“I marked them.”

He checked the problems. As usual, he was stuck on the applied ones.

“You just lack experience solving problems like this. If you keep at it, you’ll get used to them.”

“How many times before I get used to it?”

“I don’t know. You have to try a lot.”

“Then why do you say I have to masturbate alone after just two times?”

“That and this are…!”

Heat flooded his face. Mok Seongha curiously waited for the answer. Kim Jinkyung massaged his brow and continued.

“…I told you then.”

When he left the mansion, Kim Jinkyung had added one more condition.

If his heat came, except in unavoidable cases, he would never help again.

“I can’t do it alone.”

“You can.”

No. He had to. He didn’t even know when the heat would end. He couldn’t be the one dealing with it every time.

If Secretary Kang found out and it reached the chairman’s ears… no, he’d be dead before that. He’d die in Secretary Kang’s hands.

Furthermore, the more it happened, the heavier his heart felt. Greed began to sneak into what should have been a harmless one-sided love.

No. No matter how handsome, that’s a dead cat.

He silently repeated dead cat prayers and avoided his gaze.

“What if I can’t?”

“…….”

Kim Jinkyung didn’t answer. He skimmed through the workbook and started explaining the wrong problems. The man who’d been spewing nonsense moments ago now focused on the lesson with a serious face, like nothing had happened.

“Try solving these.”

He worked through the problems. The approach was still bold. Even when he was wrong, he tried to push through in his own way. It suited his personality.

“I’m done.”

The grade was given right away.

“Good job. This one you got wrong, redo it at home.”

“What? You’re telling me to leave now?”

“You asked everything you didn’t understand.”

“There’s more.”

He flipped the pages urgently. Kim Jinkyung sighed and placed a hand on his forehead. There was no fever. Fortunately, after two heats, his temperature was still normal.

“Go now, just in case the fever comes back.”

He reminded him to lock himself in his room and handle it alone if it happened. He added that he was never to come looking for him.

“Hey.”

In response to the low call, Kim Jinkyung swallowed dryly. Mok Seongha’s upturned gaze was overwhelming.

“You said you’ve tutored a lot before, right?”

“Y-yes.”

A familiar chill ran down his spine.

“Were you this slutty with your students back then too?”

“What did I even do…?”

“Just now.”

Mok Seongha gaze dropped to his hands.

“They look slutty.”

It was unfair. Kim Jinkyung wanted to drag in his high school homeroom teacher, the one who said he looked exactly like what you’d get if you turned a model student into a person, and make him testify.

“What about me is…?”

He was about to argue when Mok Seongha’s phone rang. Only a few people knew his number. Kim Jinkyung started feeling nervous.

“Yes.”

He answered. After responding a few times, the call ended.

“I have to go. The chairman called me.”

“Should I call Secretary Kang?”

“No time. He said come now.”

His heart pounded, wondering if it was urgent. Mok Seongha noticed his tension, and chuckled.

“It’s not like your grandfather died. Why that face?”

“…Of course I’m worried.”

They hadn’t met often, but he was worried about the chairman, and more than that, about the big cat who’d be left alone if something happened.

“The chairman won’t die. He’s not someone who’d go that easily. Anyway, he told me to come right away, so drive me.”

Instead of kicking him out of the mansion, a condition was added. Just in case, he was to take a car. It made sense, so Kim Jinkyung asked to borrow one temporarily.

Two days later, a delivery truck arrived with a new car. Seeing the B on the grille, he asked if that was Mercedes B. He knew Mercedes had a three pointed star, but he didn’t want to imagine anything else.

‘Bentley. Are you stupid?’

From that day on, the Bentley he hadn’t even driven sat heavy on his chest.

“I’m driving that?”

“I bought it so you’d drive it.”

He quietly took the car keys that had been carefully placed on the desk and packed his books. Before leaving, he stood by the mirror and asked,

“How do I look?”

“What?”

“Me. The chairman told me to come looking handsome.”

“You’re already handsome.”

Kim Jinkyung replied as he put on his shoes. Mok Seongha looked at him through the mirror and smiled.

“Why?”

“Nothing.”

He looked pleased, but Kim Jinkyung didn’t ask why. He was just concerned with the pressure of driving a brand new Bentley.

1. Sexual euphemism. It’s an indirect invitation to come inside for sex or something sexual, just like “Netflix and chill”. ↩︎