Kiss the Ground

As the weight on the sheet pressed down, Chahyun slowly became conscious. His side felt unusually warm. With his eyes still closed, he groped around, searching for a familiar presence. Soon, he felt the soft, curly fur under his palm and gently stroked it.“……”The thought that the texture of the fur was different from usual began to cross his mind just as he was starting to wake up fully. Was it because he had fed it homemade dried sweet potatoes? As he squinted open his eyes, the bright interior of the bedroom came into view. The ceiling was quite high for a house, the white walls looked like they had been forgotten about in terms of decoration…. Turning his creaking neck to look down at his side, he saw the top of a head he had been touching. It wasn’t a dog’s head but a human one.“Mi…”At the ghastly sound that leaked from his dry throat, the owner of the head lifted it. What met Chahyun’s clear gaze were light gray eyes reflecting the sunlight from outside and softly tousled brown bangs. The person, who was lying with their head resting on Chahyun’s arm and their arms wrapped around his waist, was endearingly oversized.“Yuan, good afternoon.”“……”It was only after hearing the obedient voice that he remembered. Last night, or rather, until this morning, with this guy…Chahyun exhaled and pressed his eyelids with his thumb and index finger. His worn-out voice and uncharacteristically creaky joints brought back memories of the previous day. He couldn’t count how many times they had done it or how many times he had climaxed. Even the club T-shirt and socks he had been wearing like rags were gone by the end. He was left naked, covered only by a white blanket.He felt like a beast. It was the first time he had woken up later than his partner, and the first time he felt so worn out. Right after the game, excitement was high, and given the situation, he hadn’t expected anything leisurely and languid… but this was beyond intense, so much so that it had left him utterly drained. Despite his typically excellent stamina, Yoon Chahyun had been unable to even faint from exhaustion by the end.By the time the sky outside turned blue with dawn, Misha had finally granted Chahyun’s near-pleading request for a break. Was it a draw then? No, it was probably a loss. As he massaged his eyes and sighed deeply, the arms around his waist tightened.“Are you okay? …Was it too hard on you?”“So you do know you were being rough.”Chahyun turned his heavy body to face Misha. He hugged Misha’s ample shoulders, bringing his arms around to pull Misha’s head snugly into his chest. The hair against his bare skin tickled.“…Is today our day off?”“Yeah, just for today. It’s already three o’clock, though.”“Three o’clock already…”My routine is completely ruined. Chahyun murmured with his eyes closed. In reality, it wasn’t important whether his condition was disrupted or not. This was the day right after the biggest disruption in his life, a break from his ordinary routine.Chahyun stroked Misha’s arm. As he felt the broad shoulders, back, and waist, something odd caught his hand. It felt like a strap tied in a bow, covering Misha’s entire body. Frowning, Chahyun moved his hand a bit more until the shape became clear. It was undoubtedly a ribbon.“Are you wearing an apron right now? Why?”“I was preparing breakfast. I came to wake you up, but you were sleeping so soundly.”“Breakfast… so you’ve been lying here without getting dressed this whole time?”“It’s the opposite. I was just watching you sleep, but then you suddenly hugged me.”Misha, who was already dressed in neat loungewear and an apron, looked up at Chahyun from within his arms. The innocent eyes blinking up at him were a strange contrast. An apron… does he know what he’s doing? The sight made Chahyun’s heart itch, and he shook his head in exasperation.“I need to wash up and get dressed. I can’t stay naked like an animal for hours on end.”He tapped the head resting on his chest and got out of bed. The white blanket followed his movements, trailing down to the floor. He could keenly feel Misha’s gaze on his bare back as he moved.As he stepped barefoot onto the floor, he felt as if all the blood drained from his legs. It felt like he had played six consecutive games. Struggling to stand on shaky knees, he took a few steps, only to feel his inner thighs trembling. Suddenly, something trickled down his thigh.“Oh…”There was no doubt about what the white substance flowing down his leg was. Before he could do anything, it left a trail on the floor. Feeling a shiver, Chahyun looked back at Misha, who, as expected, was staring at the sight. Feeling awkward, Chahyun opened his mouth to speak.“…It’s your floor, and that’s your stuff… so it’s not my fault.”“Yuan.”“I’m going to wash up.”Spitting out the words, Chahyun staggered into the bathroom. Whether it was because he was worried about Misha’s reaction or because he needed a place to hide, he wasn’t sure. Closing the door with a peculiar feeling, he stood in front of the mirror, reflecting his bare upper body. It was a stroke of luck that his body bore no marks despite the wild encounter.Feeling drowsy, he turned on the shower and recalled last night’s mistake. Why hadn’t he thought about needing a condom? Though it was partly due to the urgency, there was also the fact that considering its primary function, it hadn’t seemed essential for Misha and Yoon Chahyun.Misha wouldn’t have thought of it, so Chahyun should have been more responsible. Last night had been so overwhelming, like being caught by a beast, that he hadn’t been able to think clearly. Sighing, he stood under the shower. Just as the hot water poured over him, the bathroom door suddenly burst open.“…Hey, I haven’t even…”I haven’t washed anything yet. Before he could finish his sentence, Misha stepped right into the shower booth where Chahyun stood. Startled, Chahyun backed away, but Misha stepped closer.“What are you going to do about it?”“Do about what? I’m going to wash it all off.”It was obvious what Misha was referring to. Chahyun reached out to reduce the water pressure so that Misha’s clothes wouldn’t get wet, but Misha didn’t seem to care as he moved even closer. His voice was slightly heated.“I want to do it.”“No, thanks.”“It’s mine.”“I said no, ah…”Misha’s hands suddenly grabbed Chahyun’s waist. This wasn’t just a provocation. Chahyun already knew all too well what happens when Misha is spurred on by strange impulses. However, Misha’s eyes already had that familiar look.“Teach me, Yuan. How to do it.”“I don’t know either…”“Do I use my hand?”“I don’t know.”As Chahyun mumbled evasively and turned his head, Misha’s hand slowly explored his thigh. The long, white fingers touched the sensitive skin inside his leg and quickly moved to the intimate area. The familiar tickling sensation near the opening made Chahyun grip Misha’s shoulder.“Spread your legs, Yuan.”“…”Though Misha seemed to be coaxing Chahyun, he was ultimately acting on his own whims. He was endearing and pitiful, yet clumsy and obsessive. And Chahyun couldn’t refuse any of it. Frowning, he slightly lifted one leg, and Misha slowly inserted a finger inside him.“Ah, ah…!”The familiar place, now wetter and softer, accepted the finger more easily. Chahyun scratched at Misha’s shoulder and twitched his waist as the foreign object quickly invaded him. His lifted leg folded even higher.“It’s a bit swollen compared to last night…”“Of course it is, you jerk. You…!”“I’ll be gentle.”The intimate whisper tickled his ear. As Chahyun blinked, the finger gently pushed and twisted inside. His reflexively tensing leg caught on Misha’s body, causing it to spread wider. With Misha’s fingertip pressing against his extremely sensitive inner walls, Chahyun eventually wrapped his arms around Misha’s neck.The water spraying from the overhead shower eventually drenched Misha’s back. His apron and new loungewear, which he had worn with care, were completely soaked, but Misha didn’t seem to care. Without a word, he pressed Chahyun firmly against the wall, forcing Chahyun to rest his forehead against Misha’s chest.“Ah, gently, slowly…”With one hand on the wet tile wall, Misha used the other to explore Chahyun’s interior slowly. His fingers, no longer clumsy, quickly increased in number, spreading apart as if to open him up. Hot water and Misha’s chest became a conduit for Chahyun’s labored breathing.“Haah, hah, hng…”Caught between discomfort and pleasure, his body trembled without direction. Then, Misha’s lips pressed heavily against Chahyun’s wet ear. The smudged whisper flowed in.“Yuan…, let’s bring the dog home.”“What…?”It was an utterly unexpected statement. Chahyun whipped his head up, but Misha’s face was as serious as ever.“If it’s left alone elsewhere, it’ll be lonely. We haven’t been together for long.”Despite his tender words, Misha’s hands did not stop caressing Chahyun. Chahyun struggled to respond while squirming upwards.“Do you… know how hard it is to keep a dog at home? You have to feed it every meal, just like a person.”“I know. But I still want to be with it.”“You have to play with it every day, hng…, and comfort it.”“I’ll do well.”“You have to love it… too…”Seeing Misha’s attentive face, Chahyun’s voice gradually trailed off. It felt like he was talking to himself. Bringing his dog into this house essentially meant settling down here permanently. It would mean having someone to play with, comfort, and love.Would that really be okay? They’d probably end up doing this kind of thing all the time. Living together usually meant that. Though he’d never done it, he could roughly imagine. Rolling around the house from morning till night. Even today, they’d ended up in the bathroom as soon as their eyes met.Chahyun took a breath and slowly spoke.“Well, for now… I’ll ask him.”“Really?”“It’s just asking… Ah!”“I’m really happy.”“Ah, ah… mmm.”Misha murmured with a voice full of joy as he moved his fingers. Afraid of how his body was reacting like a switch, Chahyun turned his head aside, and Misha pressed his lips to Chahyun’s temple. Feeling the hot kiss slowly descend his cheek, Chahyun squeezed his eyes shut. The evidence of last night dripped between his legs in the next instant.—The atmosphere at the club two days later was hostile. Especially towards Yoon Chahyun. Although Misha had also skipped the victory celebration, the club members were particularly harsh on Chahyun. With threatening glares all around, Chahyun could only timidly workout in a corner like a wet tissue.“Yuan! I heard Jude is breaking up with you? Haha!”Alois, who was heading out early for the evening, found Chahyun and laughed gleefully. Chahyun was already painfully aware of the fact. Jude had been glaring at him with slanted eyes all day long.A few days ago, right after the game, Chahyun had disappeared for a while and then hurriedly declared he was going home. Jude had cursed at him in what seemed to be an unintelligible dialect, probably some local English slang. Despite the foreign cursing, Chahyun couldn’t muster any excuse. He didn’t have the guts to confess that he had snuck off with a teammate.Trying to read the room was as exhausting as the game itself. By the end of the day, Chahyun felt as drained as a wilted spinach. There was no solution but to wait for time to heal things.In the quiet evening locker room, only Chahyun and Misha were changing clothes. After getting their injuries checked at the medical office, they returned to find the locker room empty. The soft rustling of fabric echoed between the distant lockers. Misha, drying his wet hair, looked back at Chahyun.“It’s a relief you don’t need treatment starting next week. Honestly, I was worried. Your bruises don’t seem to be healing well.”“Honestly, aren’t you in worse shape than I am? At least I can cover mine with a uniform, but your face looks terrible.”“You don’t know how bad your wounds are, Yuan. When I look down at your back from behind…”“Ugh.”Recalling the embarrassing memory, Chahyun fell silent for a moment before turning around to face Misha.“Misha, come here.”At Chahyun’s beckoning, Misha hesitantly approached. When had the empty locker room started to feel so peculiar? Looking up at Misha’s shower-dampened cheeks, Chahyun pondered the issue he had been mulling over since yesterday.Bringing the dog home…Maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad. The malice that had been following Chahyun for months still hadn’t been fully resolved. He couldn’t leave his dog in someone else’s care forever. Plus, with the league nearing its end, living with another teammate might not be such a bad idea. It could provide emotional comfort, couldn’t it?But more than all these reasons, Yoon Chahyun simply felt that he would like being with Misha.“About what you said yesterday.”“Yeah?”Seeing Misha patiently waiting for his words, Chahyun’s heart softened. Just for three seconds, no, five seconds… With a cursory glance around the empty locker room, Chahyun gently pulled Misha closer by the waist. Then, he whispered into Misha’s ear, which was now right in front of him.“Let’s bring the dog home, like you said.”“Really? Did you ask?”Misha’s eyes widened. When Chahyun nodded, they sparkled brightly.“Because he likes you so much, well, I can’t help it.”Chahyun brushed his lips lightly against Misha’s jaw, which let out a small gasp. But at that moment, they heard someone outside the locker room door.Feeling a chill like cold water had been poured over him, Chahyun stiffened and looked towards the door in shock. The person standing outside made eye contact with Chahyun and let out a short gasp, their body trembling.“Huh…!”The person, who had been glaring at Chahyun all day, was Jude. He dropped the drink he was holding as if in a scene from a movie. The bottle rolled in a circle and stopped precisely at Chahyun and Misha’s feet.This is insane…“J-Jude. Since when…?”There was no need to ask. Jude had caught Chahyun and Misha in the act, kissing in the locker room. The look on Jude’s face, eyes wide in shock like he had witnessed a murder, said it all. Neither Chahyun nor Jude had expected anyone to be at the club an hour past the end of the practice.“Wait, Jude.”“Bwaaaah!!”When Chahyun took a step towards him with an outstretched hand, Jude freaked out. With a scream that sounded like a wounded goose, Jude stumbled backward. He seemed ready to run away down the hallway at any moment. Surprisingly, it was Misha who moved quickly to catch Jude.Misha approached like lightning and effortlessly grabbed Jude’s arm. Jude, smaller by a head than Yoon Chahyun, dangled helplessly in Misha’s grip, flailing. Misha frowned and spoke first.“…Why are you running away?”“Because you chased after me!”“Misha, stop!”Chahyun’s heart ached at Jude’s pitiful struggle. How shocked must he have been to see his two teammates entangled in the locker room? Imagining his confusion, Chahyun couldn’t help but cry out in a distressed voice.“You have to hold his neck!”***“Kill me.”Jude, sitting on the locker room chair with his head down, muttered in a profound voice. He seemed to have already resigned himself to his fate, looking utterly defeated. With his legs spread and Misha holding him by the neck from behind, he resembled a spy captured by the enemy.“Why would we kill you? Seriously, Jude, stop with the role-playing.”Dragging a mop handle from the supply room, Chahyun slowly approached. Jude flinched and shrank back, his terrified expression eliciting pity from Chahyun, who gently placed the heavy handle under his chin.“Are you going to talk?”“About what? That you two are in a relationship?”Jude defiantly lifted his head, his eyes sharp and unwavering. He really hadn’t done anything wrong. The ones at fault were Yoon Chahyun and Misha, engaging in private acts in the club’s corner. Feeling bitter, Chahyun poked Jude’s cheek with the mop handle, prompting a sharp retort.“How could teammates do that to each other? Do you think you’re still Winchester?”“That… that’s…”“You told me you had a girlfriend, and now I find out it’s Misha!”Chahyun had no words. Behind Jude, Misha, who was holding him, tilted his head, clearly hearing this for the first time. Feeling awkward, Chahyun loosened his grip, causing the mop handle to clang loudly against the floor right next to Jude’s leg. Jude jerked his head wildly and yelled.“We’re supposed to be family! Aren’t we?”“Jude.”“This is social incest!”“Ince…?”As absurd as it was, Chahyun couldn’t berate him now. Jude had a surprisingly romantic streak. Honestly, clubs in the league functioned more like fluid organizations driven by money than affectionate families. It was common for teammates to be traded or loaned, turning yesterday’s friends into today’s foes. But Jude’s sudden sense of belonging pricked Chahyun’s conscience.“I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you. It all happened so suddenly…”“Suddenly? You two have been like this since the Umbertide match, right? When you kissed during the celebration, you were already in that kind of relationship, deceiving everyone.”Denying it was pointless. Chahyun fell silent, and Jude grew more agitated.“Yeah… I knew something was off! You two disappeared after the round of 16, and the same after the quarterfinals. Wait, didn’t you swap clothes once? Could that have been…?”“…Uh…”“Are you both insane?”“Jude, calm down for a moment.”“I can’t accept this!”Jude glared at Chahyun, his eyes wide with anger. Seeing Chahyun’s troubled expression, Misha tightened his grip on Jude’s neck. Veins bulged in Misha’s arm.“Yuan, let’s bury him outside on the ground. If it’s a secluded spot, it should be fine for a while.”“No, not there… It’s summer now, it’ll be noticeable quickly.”“Aaaargh!”Jude went ballistic, which wasn’t unexpected. They had betrayed him while claiming to be his closest friends. Deeply guilty, Chahyun looked down. He would have felt equally upset and betrayed if the roles were reversed.But given the circumstances, there was no other choice. They couldn’t hide it anymore, and it was better to explain things.How could they explain this complicated situation? The two had only become romantically involved less than a day ago. Chahyun didn’t have the experience to explain smoothly and confidently. Calming his pounding heart, he finally opened his mouth.“I…”Jude, miserably twisted in Misha’s grasp, looked up at Chahyun. Chahyun hesitated, opening and closing his mouth several times before finally blurting out something that couldn’t fix the situation.“I like him. What can I do…?”Chahyun’s face flushed red. What else could he say? Embarrassed, he bit his lower lip, feeling Misha’s intense gaze.“Yuan…”