My Stalking Diary

Chapter 23

“Hey, how’s everyone doing? Seeing you like this during exam period, I guess you’ve given up on your grades.”

Just then, a particularly loud noise erupted from the hall, as if new customers had entered the bar.

Startled, I opened my eyes and pulled my head back. Joo Kwon-oh let me go readily, even as he continued to stare intently at me.

Judging by the talk about exams, they seemed to be college students. Although there were other universities in the area, it was hard to ignore the possibility that they might be Hanguk University students.

Even though the space was divided, it was impossible not to be conscious of doing this with just a thin door separating us.

“This won’t work here.”

Joo Kwon-oh seemed to have similar thoughts, as he let out a short sigh and stood up. Then he grabbed my wrist and pulled.

“Let’s go.”

“Oh, where to?”

“We’ll think about that as we go. Fix your clothes and come out.”

Joo Kwon-oh lowered his tone so it wouldn’t be audible outside.

Only then did I check my appearance. My top was quite disheveled. I’m not sure when his hand had reached my waist in this short time, but that area was also wrinkled with the fabric rolled up.

While I tidied myself up, Joo Kwon-oh paid at the counter. When our eyes met, he jerked his chin towards me as if telling me to hurry out.

As I stepped out of the bar, I scanned the newly arrived customers to see if there were any familiar faces. Fortunately, they were all strangers.

“It’s really cool outside.”

I muttered, feeling the night breeze cooling the heat that had pooled in my cheeks.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll have a smoke.”

Joo Kwon-oh took out a cigarette and shook it.

“You don’t mind, right?”

“No.”

Actually, I really disliked the smell of tobacco, but I had no intention of stopping him. Right now, even watching Joo Kwon-oh smoke seemed fine.

“……”

“……”

I stood awkwardly next to Joo Kwon-oh, who was exhaling smoke, with just the tip of my e-cigarette in my mouth.

The bustling alley was full of people out enjoying the night. The mixture of laughter, the smell of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and grilling meat made me a bit dizzy.

Joo Kwon-oh’s cigarette quickly shortened. No more words were exchanged between us.

When that cigarette burns out, what happens next? Will Joo Kwon-oh’s reason cool off as if it had never ignited?

It felt surreal that we had briefly kissed again just moments ago.

Why did Joo Kwon-oh ask me to drink, what did the kiss mean, what was he thinking now… I was overflowing with unanswered questions, but I didn’t dare ask first. I knew how insignificant my position was in our relationship.

Even if Joo Kwon-oh were to coolly say we should each go home now that he’s come to his senses, I would still often reminisce about this night. I was confident I wouldn’t resent him even if he ignored me starting from tomorrow.

“Fuck, this really won’t do. Let’s catch a taxi.”

Joo Kwon-oh’s voice cut through my preoccupied consciousness.

Having already discarded his cigarette, he grabbed my wrist and walked towards the main road. His strides were so quick it was hard to keep up.

Only when I became aware of the hot body temperature coming through his skin did I realize. That Joo Kwon-oh’s heat hadn’t cooled any more than mine.

I followed Joo Kwon-oh without knowing where he was taking me. While my steps were dragging slightly due to the alcohol, Joo Kwon-oh’s steps were unwavering.

He quickly hailed a taxi, opened the back door for me to enter first, then sat beside me.

I glanced at Joo Kwon-oh as he told the taxi driver the address, then turned my gaze to the window.

Soon, only the sound of my regular, slightly ragged breathing filled the car interior.

Then Joo Kwon-oh tapped the back of my hand with his fingertip. Surprised, I turned my head and stared at him as if asking why.

But Joo Kwon-oh pretended nothing had happened and stared out the opposite window.

I turned my head back to look out the window. At the same time, I carefully moved my hand and tapped the back of his hand, just as he had done.

Then I tried to quickly withdraw my hand, but Joo Kwon-oh covered it with his. And he held it tight so I couldn’t pull away.

“……”

“……”

Our gazes were in opposite directions, but our hands were firmly intertwined.

I wondered if the taxi driver had noticed? The car interior was probably too dark for this to be visible. In fact, even if it were visible, I had no intention of letting go.

“By the way… where are we going?”

“My place.”

Joo Kwon-oh calmly answered my belated question.

“……”

I nodded without replying.

If this taxi’s destination was his place, did that mean Joo Kwon-oh intended to do more than just kiss me?

Sex. A familiar word, yet one I had never associated with myself.

Perhaps after today, it might become a word somewhat related to me.

I shivered with a mix of secret elation and tension.

But I wasn’t sure if Joo Kwon-oh could have sex with me.

Naturally, he would never have slept with a man before. Such a confident heterosexual probably hadn’t even imagined sleeping with a man, let alone had any experience.

Moreover, I had never slept with a man either.

This meant there was no one to smoothly lead the situation.

“Please stop up ahead.”

A few seconds after Joo Kwon-oh spoke to the driver, the car stopped. He quickly paid and hurriedly opened the door, waiting for me to get out.

As we got out of the taxi, Joo Kwon-oh grabbed my hand as if snatching it. I was led by him into an unfamiliar building and onto an elevator.

If it were my usual self, I would have had the leisure to figure out where this place was and observe the surroundings, but not now. My patience had worn thin just like Joo Kwon-oh’s.

Joo Kwon-oh got the door lock password wrong twice.

“Haa, shit.”

He muttered a curse as if frustrated and entered the password again. Finally, the door lock disengaged, and we were pushed into his apartment.

Bang. The door closed. As soon as we entered the shoe rack area, our bodies stuck together like one mass, as if they had been waiting for this moment.

“Haa.”

“Hnn.”

And we kissed.

We frantically covered and licked each other’s lips while taking off our shoes. The noise of four feet moving chaotically was bustling.

A few seconds later, we safely entered the house. Joo Kwon-oh, who had pushed me towards the wall, must have pressed a switch because the light near the entrance turned on. As if fleeing from the illuminated light, he pulled me deeper into the room.

“Watch out, behind you.”

He whispered as we walked with our feet intertwined like dancing. At the same time, my foot caught on something like a threshold.

“Ah.”

My body stumbled, but thanks to Joo Kwon-oh catching me, I didn’t fall.

After a few more steps entangled with him, the back of my knees touched the bed mattress. Then Joo Kwon-oh slowly laid me down on the bed.

My body, unable to resist gravity, fell onto the sheets. Immediately, Joo Kwon-oh’s scent surrounded me from all directions.

The faint body scent that I could smell from his neck or shoulders when we were close while kissing was now permeating this entire place.

This might not be reality.

Even as I was directly kissing him and pressing against his skin, a voice kept emerging, denying this moment. I even had the silly thought that I might have been sucked into the romance movie playing in my subconscious.

Unable to hide my flushed feelings, I clung to Joo Kwon-oh, begging for a more passionate kiss.

“Haa, wait. Just a moment. Let’s take off some clothes.”

Joo Kwon-oh grinned as he pulled away from my lips, responding to my eager attitude. He then took out his wallet from his coat pocket, tossed it carelessly to one side of the bed, and swiftly took off his top. With just a few simple movements, he had instantly bared his upper body.

I could see his form quite clearly even in the dim room. Although the main light of the studio apartment was off, the light from the entrance area faintly extended to here.

Joo Kwon-oh’s body had a robust bone structure throughout, and it was harmoniously composed without any excess, with an ideal combination of lines and planes. It felt like feasting with my eyes. It was an excellent body that satisfied just by looking.

As expected, I want to draw Joo Kwon-oh. After all, it’s obvious that I won’t be able to have him in the end. I wanted to draw him to my heart’s content. At least then, the form of Joo Kwon-oh born from the tip of my pencil would remain on the canvas for a long time.

For that, I needed long and persistent observation. I needed to take him in fully with my eyes, but Joo Kwon-oh didn’t allow me time. Because he leaned down and continued the kiss that had been paused.

I couldn’t bring myself to complain. I didn’t want to refuse either.

Along with the languid kiss, his warm hand entered my clothes, roaming around my waist and stomach.

“Can I take this off?”

He asked for permission in a husky voice.