Ball-Boy Tactics

So even though I could feel my face heating up, I quickly jumped up and denied it.“No! I don’t know either. How would I know about stuff like that between guys!”“That’s why I’m saying we should go watch it together, to learn. It wouldn’t hurt to know. Or are you just embarrassed?”Kwon Jungwoo’s mischievous smile showed that he was teasing me on purpose. I knew it, yet I still couldn’t manage to stay composed. Instead, I stumbled over my words, my face flushing just as he wanted.“Embarrassed? No way! I’m a grown adult, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s just that… well, I feel like stuff like that is something you just do instinctively, without needing to know beforehand.”“Instinctively? Like how?”“Well, like…”I didn’t even know what I was trying to say. I was just rambling as usual and briefly dropped my gaze to the corner of the table before looking back up.When our eyes met again, we both became more aware of each other. Even though we’d been face to face for a while, Kwon Jungwoo’s intense gaze suddenly felt new.It would be a lie to say I hadn’t imagined what sex with Kwon Jungwoo might be like. His sturdy build and the thought of being overpowered by him to the point of climax had been enough to fuel sleepless nights on more than one occasion. I wasn’t someone with a wild imagination, but just the thought of him touching me was enough to make certain parts of my body swell with desire.I’d been staring into those same eyes all day, but now, for some reason, tension filled the air, and it wasn’t just because of our conversation. Maybe it was because we were both scrutinizing each other’s expressions so carefully that even our lips hesitated to part.Kwon Jungwoo, who had been quietly waiting for me to finish my sentence, blinked slowly. His lips, which I had kissed before, parted gracefully.“You know, it’s funny. I find your gaze far more… captivating than a 90-minute porn movie.”Kwon Jungwoo, uncharacteristically trailing off, tilted his head slightly. A faint crease appeared between his brows, which added to his handsome, rugged features. He swallowed, causing his prominent Adam’s apple to bob slightly, and his tongue briefly wet his lips. In that short moment, I had no idea why I felt so tense, holding my breath unknowingly as my chest tightened with anticipation.It was then that I spotted two large figures meandering not far from us. I don’t know where the courage came from, but I suddenly shot up from my seat, completely forgetting that I wasn’t wearing a hat.“Oh, there they are! Seungjin, Eunoh! Over here!”At my call, Byun Seungjin and Yang Eunoh, who had been looking around, came over. The fact that I’d also drawn the attention of random passersby didn’t bother me as much as it normally would have. Maybe it was because I still felt the steady gaze of Kwon Jungwoo beside me. Unlike when I was alone, I felt sure they wouldn’t embarrass me as long as he was there.I glanced down at Kwon Jungwoo. Had I cut him off too abruptly? Was he upset? But his relaxed smile told me otherwise.“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s fine.”It was as if he’d read my mind. I wasn’t sure if I should respond or pretend I hadn’t been sneaking glances at him. Before I could figure out what to do, my friends finally reached us, grumbling with slightly wet eyes from two hours of movie watching.“Hey! What’s up with you two? Did you ditch us on purpose? Eunoh spilled popcorn all over me!”“Kwon Jungwoo’s personality might be garbage, but Jiwon, I didn’t expect this from you. Did you really want to see us crying like grown men?”“At least you didn’t actually cry. You got to enjoy the movie, so stop whining.”Kwon Jungwoo, still sitting, responded with shameless indifference, making Byun Seungjin and Yang Eunoh bristle. They gestured dramatically at their pants, asking how he could know if they hadn’t cried or spilled anything.Before things escalated, I quickly stepped in.“Sorry, guys. We wanted to stay, but it got way too scary, and we started feeling sick. Both me and Jungwoo… I thought I was good with horror movies, but I guess not.”I spouted an excuse I had prepared earlier, but the two of them just twisted their lips in disbelief.“Jiwon, don’t lie. You might have been scared, but this guy wouldn’t even flinch if he sprinted up a mountain. This dude doesn’t even have nerve endings in his organs.”“No, really. He said he was feeling awful… his face went pale, and he looked like he was about to throw up. Right?” I turned to Kwon Jungwoo for confirmation.He was staring straight at me. His defiant gaze from earlier softened, and he replied smoothly.“Yeah, I was about to puke.”Ignoring their protests, Kwon Jungwoo kept his eyes fixed on me as he added with a smirk, “My chest felt so tight the whole movie… I almost threw up my heart.”So, even though I knew my face was heating up, I jumped up in surprise.“No! I don’t know! How would I know about that kind of thing between guys?!”“That’s why I’m suggesting we watch it together, like a study session. It wouldn’t hurt to know. Or… are you just embarrassed?”I could tell from the mischievous smile in Kwon Jungwoo’s eyes that he was deliberately trying to make me uncomfortable. Even knowing that, I couldn’t respond calmly. Instead, I reacted exactly as he expected, blushing and flustered.“Embarrassed? What’s there to be embarrassed about? I’m a full-grown adult. It’s not embarrassment. It’s just… I mean, things like that don’t need to be learned, right? You just follow your instincts.”“And what instincts would those be?”“Well, uh…”I didn’t even know what I was trying to say. I was just blurting out random words, and for a moment, I averted my gaze to some corner of the table before looking back up.The moment our eyes met again, we both became aware of each other. Even though we had been facing each other this whole time, Kwon Jungwoo’s deep gaze suddenly felt new.It would be a lie to say I hadn’t imagined having sex with Kwon Jungwoo before. His strong physique and rough movements, along with the fantasy of being overwhelmed by him, had often kept me up at night. I wasn’t very imaginative, so the fantasies weren’t that vivid, but just the thought of him touching me was enough to make my body tense up and my most sensitive areas swell.Even though we had been looking at each other all day, this one gaze exchange suddenly filled me with tension. It wasn’t just the topic of conversation; it was because we were scrutinizing each other’s every subtle change in expression, not even parting our lips.Kwon Jungwoo, who had been silent as if waiting for me to continue, blinked slowly. His lips, which I had felt before, parted alluringly.“It’s strange. Compared to this 90-minute porn movie, your gaze is…”Kwon Jungwoo, uncharacteristically, trailed off and tilted his head slightly. His sharp, handsome brow furrowed faintly. I watched his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed, and his tongue gently moistened his lips. In those brief moments, I had no idea why I was so tense, but my heart refused to calm down.It was then that I spotted two large figures approaching from a distance. I don’t know where the courage came from, but I suddenly shot up from my seat, forgetting I wasn’t wearing a hat.“Oh, there they are! Seungjin, Eunoh, over here!”At my call, Byun Seungjin and Yang Eunoh, who had been looking around, started to walk toward us. The problem was that a few passersby, who hadn’t been called, also stopped and looked our way, but oddly, I didn’t feel scared at all. Maybe it was because I could still feel Kwon Jungwoo’s steady gaze beside me. Unlike when I was alone, I was confident that these strangers wouldn’t cause me any trouble with him there.I glanced down at Kwon Jungwoo. I wondered if he was upset that I had interrupted our conversation. But to my relief, a relaxed smile was playing at the corner of his eyes.“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s fine.”It was as if he had read my mind. I wasn’t sure if I should respond, deny that I had been worried about his reaction, or simply remain silent. Before I could decide, the two tall figures, Seungjin and Eunoh, arrived and began to complain. Their eyes were still moist from the two hours they had spent in the theater.“Hey! What the hell? You guys left us in there on purpose, didn’t you? This jerk spilled popcorn on me!”“Even though Kwon Jungwoo is a piece of work, Jiwon, I didn’t expect this from you. You really wanted to see two grown men wet their pants?”“It’s fine as long as you didn’t wet yourselves. Don’t whine after enjoying the whole thing.”Kwon Jungwoo, who hadn’t bothered to stand up, responded shamelessly. Seungjin and Eunoh, offended by his response, snapped back, demanding how he could know whether they wet themselves or not, all while pointing at their crotches.When Kwon Jungwoo dryly offered to pour a cup of soda on them to cover up any evidence, I quickly stepped in.“Sorry, guys. We really wanted to stay and watch with you, but we suddenly got so scared and felt sick, so we had to leave. Both of us. I thought I could handle horror movies, but I guess I was wrong.”I used the excuse I had come up with earlier. The two of them twisted their lips in disbelief, clearly not buying it.“Jiwon, don’t lie. Even if it was too much for you, this guy could run up a mountain and not even gag. He doesn’t have any sensitivity to pain.”“I’m serious! He really told me he was scared… that he felt so pale and like he was going to puke. There was no way we could stay. Right, Jungwoo?”Seeking validation, I looked at Kwon Jungwoo. He stared right back at me. His gaze, once sharp, softened.“Yeah. I puked everything out.”Despite Seungjin and Eunoh’s protests, Kwon Jungwoo kept his eyes fixed solely on me and added casually,“The whole time we were watching, my heart was racing so badly I thought I might cough it up.”***Kwon Jungwoo had started coming to the photography department building almost every day. Even though he never called ahead—claiming he liked seeing me surprised—it never seemed like he had been waiting for long. After all, my classmates would always come running to tell me they had seen him the moment he appeared. Their excitement was almost like they were talking about spotting Santa Claus.It was a Friday evening after my major class had ended. We were having a casual drinking session that the professor had suggested (though the professor left after less than an hour). The conversation was full of stories about Kwon Jungwoo, to the point where it felt like my classmates considered him an unofficial minor in photography.The atmosphere was great.Even though I hadn’t talked much with these classmates before, it felt like we had all grown close over the semester. Maybe that’s why I kept drinking, forgetting my usual limits.I wasn’t that drunk—just tipsy enough for the pub’s lights to spin a little. Enough to make me unsure whether it was still evening or late at night. I was sure I could walk in a straight line just fine.When Kwon Jungwoo suddenly called, and I blurted out something dumb, it was just an honest mistake.“Uh… What’s up so late?”The moment I saw his name on my phone screen and heard my classmates’ excited reactions, I rushed outside the pub. It wasn’t until I looked up at the clear indigo sky that I realized my mistake.“Ah, I mean, not ‘so late’… I meant, in the evening! Friday evening!”— …Are you drunk?I thought I had answered clearly, but Kwon Jungwoo could always see right through me. I quickly sniffed my shirt.“How did you know? Do I smell like alcohol?”— Where are you? I’ll come get you.“No, no, no, no. It’s fine. I’ll hang out a bit more and then take a cab home with the others. You don’t have to worry. Plus, we’re still just friends…”I thought I heard him chuckle. I might have imagined it. The cool breeze ruffled my hair, making me feel good.— I’ll be done with my workout in an hour, so I’ll come get you then. Even though we’re still just friends, I have to try to win you over.“Oh… right.”Ah. I was pretty sure he actually laughed this time. Was he in a good mood? I felt good too, almost as if his mood was contagious.— So, who are you drinking with?“Uh… with people who like you.”Referring to my classmates like that made me feel strange all of a sudden. I was grateful they liked Kwon Jungwoo, but at the same time, I wished they didn’t. What was this feeling? I didn’t even know why I was thankful they liked him.“They keep telling me how much they like you, saying they want you to come to our department all the time.”— So how did you feel about it? Did it boost your ego, make you feel special?“Huh? No, why would I feel special just because they like you?”— What, you haven’t told them yet?“Told them what?”Kwon Jungwoo let out a long sigh. It almost felt like he was exhaling directly into my ear, making my shoulders flinch. His voice, which followed the breath in a low tone, sneaked in and gripped my heart while I was vulnerable.— Go ahead and tell them. Tell them Kwon Jungwoo likes you, that every time I shoot, I think of you.Could a heart ache this much just from excitement? My chest hurt so much I thought I might be sick. My heart was racing so wildly that I got scared.“Hey… don’t say things like that when I’m drinking.”— Why not?“It makes me think too much, and my head hurts. And Jungwoo, you… you shouldn’t say stuff like that. It’s serious.”Kwon Jungwoo asked “Why?” again, his voice carrying a rhythm to it. I kicked the ground lightly with the tips of my shoes and spoke with all sincerity.“When you’re taking a shot, you should only focus on the shot. If you get distracted during sports, you’ll get hurt. You know that, right? Once you injure something, it’s easier to get hurt again. You need to be careful with your ankle.”— Oh, so that’s what you meant?I heard laughter on the other side of the phone. I was being serious, but what was so funny that he found it worth laughing about?— Well, that won’t do. Your voice sounds way too soft from drinking for me to not think about you.“…”— You’re too sweet when you’re like this. Don’t drink too much.After asking for my location, Kwon Jungwoo hung up. Even after the call ended, his parting words—”I miss you”—echoed in my head, leaving me lingering outside the bar for a while.***I was glad I hadn’t responded when Kwon Jungwoo told me not to drink too much. It seemed the alcohol was hitting me faster than it was wearing off. I was definitely more tipsy than I had been an hour ago.The thing was, people kept bringing up Kwon Jungwoo in conversation, and it was making me thirsty. Eventually, I couldn’t hold back and voiced something that had been bothering me.“Hey, is it really that funny that I’m close to Jungwoo? You might not know, but whenever I’m with him, people look like they’re trying not to laugh. They purse their lips and whisper to each other…”“Hahaha, oppa, it’s not because they think it’s funny! Uh, how do I explain this… It’s more like you both look really good together. When two good-looking people hang out, it just naturally draws attention, you know?”“I appreciate the compliment, but I didn’t feel like people were looking at us that innocently… Maybe it’s just my imagination?”“It’s like this. He has a really strong vibe, and you seem like the type who’d get all sad with just a nudge, so people are curious about what you two are like together.”“Exactly! Your styles are so different, but when you’re together, you somehow match. So it makes people interested.”The girls nodded, and so did some of the guys. What did they mean our “styles are different”? I didn’t quite understand, but seeing how everyone else accepted it, I just went along and nodded too. I guess they meant we look good together. Still, I’m not that sensitive.“So how did you guys get close? Neither of you seems like the type to make the first move.”“Uh, well… I think I was the one who approached him first.”“Oh my god, you ‘approached’ him!”Maybe it was the alcohol, but everyone burst out laughing at my words. I guess I wasn’t clear enough. I shortened the story since I didn’t want to go into details about dropping stuff in front of him or having him drive me home.My classmates seemed to take it all positively, though. If they knew we had kissed, they’d probably freak out. And yet Kwon Jungwoo tells me to go around saying he thinks about me every time he shoots… Sometimes I think he’s so naive.I managed to calm my classmates, who were disappointed that I had to leave, and ended up leaving the bar about ten minutes later than I had promised.As I walked under the darkened sky, lit up by artificial streetlights, the evening air felt much colder than it had been earlier in the day, thanks to the rain. Wearing only a light short-sleeve shirt, I couldn’t help but shiver.Was Kwon Jungwoo not here yet?I checked my phone as I climbed up toward the school. Just then, someone came up from behind and threw an arm over my shoulder. I gasped and froze in place, only for Kwon Jungwoo to immediately pull his arm back with a laugh.“What are you so jumpy for? Who else would do that to you besides me?”With his first words, he left me speechless. Should I have just said, “No one”? Or was he asking because he already knew the answer?While I stood there dumbfounded, Kwon Jungwoo took off his summer tracksuit jacket, leaving him in a simple white T-shirt, and handed me the jacket.“I just worked out, and it’s too hot. You wear it.”“No, you should keep it on. If you dress lightly when you’re hot, you’ll catch a cold.”“If I get sick, you’ll visit me, right? Oh, I kinda want to catch a cold now. Should I go ahead and get sick?”As he casually slipped my arm into the sleeve and zipped it up for me, the warmth of his body and the lingering scent on his thin tracksuit were so strong that my heart started to race.His car was parked at the entrance of a nearby alley. Naturally, I got into the passenger seat and fastened my seatbelt. Watching me quietly, Kwon Jungwoo smiled.“Seems like you’re still in your right mind. Since you’re sitting in the passenger seat instead of the back.”I had intended to play the role of chauffeur properly this time.He added that it was a shame, then smoothly started driving. Even though I was drunk, I knew exactly what Kwon Jungwoo was referring to from our past.Just like that day, the car was filled with the scent of his body wash. I wonder if Kwon Jungwoo knows. There was a time I went to the store just to sniff body washes, trying to find the one he uses. In the end, I couldn’t find it, and my nose went numb, so I ended up just taking an evening walk. That’s a secret I could never tell him.“Did you just shower?”I don’t know why I said that. The thought just slipped out on its own. I wasn’t even embarrassed. Actually, I wasn’t even sure if I’d really said it out loud, because wearing his basketball uniform felt so unreal.“Jungwoo, do you know? You smell different in the morning than you do in the evening. You put on cologne in the morning, right? Which brand is that? It smells good.”“Ahh. Do you prefer the cologne in the morning or the evening scent? Maybe I should carry around some samples.”“No, no. You know, Jungwoo, you smell sexy both when you have cologne on and when it’s just the body wash scent.”I was being sincere, but Kwon Jungwoo just chuckled. Now that I think about it, he seems to laugh every time I try to be serious. He doesn’t understand my feelings.“I’m serious. It’s because your scent isn’t something I feel with my nose—it’s something I feel with my heart. Maybe… do you think hearts have a sense of smell too?”“No. It’s because you like me.”“Oh… yeah. That must be it.”Raindrops started to fall against the dark window. They first appeared as small drops, but soon streaked down, drawing countless lines. The wipers swayed back and forth but couldn’t keep up with the endless raindrops.Was the day especially cold because it was going to rain? Suddenly, I wanted to see the park in the rain.“Do you want to go to the lake park? I feel like going for a walk.”“It’s raining.”“Then, how about we have a drink in the car? I’ll buy.”“You’re too drunk.”“Actually, Jungwoo…”I called out to him softly, feeling frustrated by his short responses. He answered with a simple “Mm?” but didn’t look back at me.“I just want to be with you.”Once again, Kwon Jungwoo smiled at my sincerity.“You’re really going all out just because you’re drunk.”His indifferent reaction made me think he was going to ignore me, but soon, the black SUV changed lanes and headed in a direction I wasn’t familiar with. It was toward the lake park.As the road became quieter and the trees grew denser, a sudden thought popped into my mind, making me uneasy.“Wait, Jungwoo. Now that I think about it, you can’t drink since you’re driving. Should we just head to my place?”“Don’t try to tempt me. And just so you know, I don’t take anything a drunk person says seriously, even if it’s you.”“……”“We’re going to sober you up now.”His voice was steady, as if his words held no particular meaning, and he stared ahead as if deep in thought.I didn’t mean it like that… Even though I was drunk, it didn’t feel good being treated like someone who would try to take advantage of him under the influence.Noticing my sudden silence, Kwon Jungwoo turned to look at me after what felt like a long time.“What are you thinking? Did my words upset you?”“I wasn’t trying to tempt you. I wasn’t calculating anything; I just genuinely wanted to be with you.”“Okay, sorry. I must have misunderstood.”“Yeah. I’m not that kind of person… You know that when people drink, their physical desires come up, right? I was just acting on instinct.”“…I see. In that case, I’ll take back my apology.”The car finally came to a stop at a parking lot overlooking the wide lake park. It was raining, and there seemed to be no other visitors, as only a few cars were parked.I must have been really drunk. I had always wanted to come to this lake park with Kwon Jungwoo, but now, instead of the scenery, I only wanted to focus on being with him in the car.When he turned off the engine, the wipers stopped, blocking the view of the outside world. The charm of coming to the lake park disappeared, but now it felt like I had an excuse to focus entirely on Kwon Jungwoo.“Drink.”Kwon Jungwoo handed me a bottle of water. It hadn’t been long since he bought it, and the coolness still lingered in it. Watching me obediently drink the water, he unbuckled his seatbelt.Even though he didn’t turn on the car’s interior light, the streetlamps outside made his face softly visible.“The outfit suits you. You really should join our team.”“……”“So, when are you coming to the basketball court? Aren’t you coming to watch me play?”“Actually, I was planning to go. I need to pick up a memory card from Seungjin, so I thought I’d drop by.”“A memory card?”Kwon Jungwoo, noticing the water on my lips, gently wiped it off with his fingertip. I thought I felt hot from the alcohol, but his fingers were warmer than mine.“Yeah, he said he has a spare.”“Ah, I see.”Kwon Jungwoo nodded and leaned back comfortably in his seat, arms crossed, gazing towards the unseen lake. I placed my hand neatly on my thigh, ready for him to take it.Only the sound of rain tapping on the car windows filled the silence.“Jungwoo, can I ask you something?”“Yes, go ahead.”“You said you’d seduce me… Why haven’t you tonight?”It seems alcohol really does give you courage. Words I would never have spoken while sober slipped past my internal filter.Jungwoo, who had been lazily leaning his head back, sat up and looked at me. For a brief moment, a wrinkle appeared between his smooth brows before it disappeared.“I was excited to, but you’re more drunk than I expected. That’s why.”“So, you can’t seduce someone who’s drunk?”“How would I know what might happen? I don’t believe in ‘drunken truths.’ When someone’s drunk, there’s no sincerity—only mistakes.”“But still…”“Why? Did you want me to seduce you? Were you hoping to use being out of your mind as an excuse to do this and that with me?”Jungwoo took off my hat and placed it in my hand. Then, with those neat and steady fingers, he fixed my hair. He was big enough that a slight turn of his body easily brought him over to the passenger seat. He gently traced around my ear, as if tucking my hair behind it. After a moment, he spoke softly.“Han Jiwon, were you really planning to play with me for these two weeks?”“Well…”“Should I let you play with me or not?”His face inched closer. Every time our conversation paused, the rain hitting the car windows seemed to grow louder. The sound was as fierce as my heartbeat, making me swallow nervously.I must have stared at his lips for too long because, in the dim light, Jungwoo whispered lowly, “I told you—I don’t kiss between friends.”“…But you did at the basketball court.”“I thought we’d start dating right after.”“……”“So, please decide quickly. Kwon Jungwoo is growing impatient.”He spoke playfully, but unlike me, he seemed completely composed.I didn’t understand why he kept treating me like a kid, speaking formally and teasing me, especially after I made it clear earlier that alcohol just heightened my adult desires.I reached up to touch Jungwoo’s cheek as he began to pull away, more out of stubbornness than anything else.“A kiss might help me think more clearly, don’t you think?”“……”The playful smile slowly disappeared from his face. Even in the dark, I could see his gaze waver. I gently stroked his cheek. For the first time, I touched Jungwoo’s face, and the rain outside made his skin appear even more delicate.“If you really like me, show me, Jungwoo.”The sound of the rain pouring down grew intense. Jungwoo, who had been staring at me blankly, finally let out a soft, defeated laugh.“Looks like I might’ve gotten in over my head, huh?”He gently pulled my hand away from his lips, but he didn’t move away. Instead, he drew closer, gripping my shoulders.“I’m the one who was supposed to be seducing you, but why do you keep turning the tables? The more this goes on, the more I end up liking you.”There was a hint of frustration in his voice, mixed with a soft complaint.His confession that he was growing more fond of me made me giggle a little. Jungwoo started to smile with me but stopped, looking at my face instead, carefully studying every feature as I laughed.“Han Jiwon, I’ll tell you a secret, but only you. I’m kind of weak to the sound of rain.”“…….”“But right now, the smell of alcohol on you is ridiculously sexy.”His large hands finally cupped my cheeks, and before I knew it, he was so close that our noses were almost touching. He inhaled slowly, and his gaze was intense, almost obsessive.“How much should I show you? Should I give you more than you want, or less?”“…….”“Then, why don’t you try to guess how much I like you?”His lips pressed against mine quickly, as if in a rush. As soon as they touched, he parted them and bit down again—was it a habit? He nibbled at my lips hungrily, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Despite the urgency, it wasn’t rough. His lips felt soft, like spun sugar.Jungwoo had always been powerful, straightforward, and bold—both in the media and from what I’d experienced of him personally. But his kiss was gentle. So gentle it was agonizing.Though the rain was pounding loudly outside, all I could hear was the faint sound of our lips moving together. His large hand, which had been holding my cheek, slid further back as the kiss deepened, and soon enough, he was cradling my entire head. My head, so much smaller than a basketball, was carefully held as he pressed in deeper.Every time his slick tongue brushed against the sensitive parts of my mouth, I wanted to be even closer to him. I unbuckled my seatbelt, which slipped away smoothly, and turned my body towards him just as the kiss grew more intense.Suddenly, Jungwoo grabbed me firmly and lifted me onto his lap. I let him move me, not wanting to break the kiss. As soon as I was straddling him, he pulled the lever, reclining the seat, and in an instant, I was lying on top of him.There was no time to be surprised as the kiss resumed immediately. Even though I was on top of him, I still felt like he had total control, his arms encircling me, keeping me close.His warm lips and tongue skillfully melted me. When I opened my eyes briefly, I could see his tightly shut ones, and at other times, I met his heated gaze watching me. Every time our eyes locked, it sent a shiver through me.“Ah… Jungwoo…”