When he pressed the button hard, it refused to cooperate twice before the light flickered back on the third try.

This time Haejun made the call. The ringing didn’t last long.

“Ah... I think seawater got inside my phone. It’s been cutting off since earlier.”

— Buy a new one.

“A phone?”

— Yeah. That’s why I gave you the card.

Lee Kangjoo offered the solution like it was nothing. Haejun glanced at the new clothes spread across the floor.

“But I already got all these clothes...”

— Didn’t you say you’d use it big later. One shot. Bang.

It was the joke Haejun had made at the sea. He could picture Lee Kangjoo pointing a finger into the air, mimicking a gun. A snort slipped out of him.

— You’ve got to practice spending it in advance, don’t you?

It was payment for selling his body, sure, but still—was it okay to receive something this excessive? Haejun rubbed at the new fabric absently. It felt like he was getting all the presents he’d ever receive in his lifetime crammed into a single day.

“Then... I’ll change my phone tomorrow for sure. Thank you.”

— Alright.

From that unwavering tone, it sounded like the call was about to end. Haejun hurriedly caught him.

“Um—”

— What.

“...I was wondering when you’re coming.”

He almost asked if he could come see him right now.

“I wanted to show you the new clothes, too...”

A pathetic excuse. Silence settled on the other end. Just as he started scrambling for another excuse—

— I’m out of town right now. Even if I leave, I’ll arrive late at dawn. Let’s meet tomorrow. Early...

His voice came back, slightly lowered. Haah... A long exhale brushed against Haejun’s ear. Maybe because it reminded him of the time he’d breathed right against it, Haejun’s lower half started itching.

Glancing around cautiously, Haejun wrapped a hand around himself. It wasn’t a video call anyway. Even if it was shameless, he wanted to use Lee Kangjoo’s breathing as a side dish.

— I’ll come early.

“I’ll wait.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say I miss you and hung up instead. As he lowered his head, just hearing that one breath had already made his cock lift its head.

Haejun didn’t hesitate. He slipped his hand inside his pants. It had been a while since he’d touched himself. With his other hand, he grabbed the clothes Lee Kangjoo had picked out for him and started stroking himself briskly.

“Hng... ah...”

Even jerking until wet sounds echoed wasn’t satisfying enough. He let go of the clothes and pinched one nipple between his fingers, twisting it the way Lee Kangjoo always tormented him. He pumped himself and pulled hard at his nipple, but the heat wouldn’t ease. Even after repeating the motion until his forearm ached, it wasn’t enough to drag out his release.

He didn’t want to, but he couldn’t think of another way. Getting rid of this heat came first. Haejun shoved his fingers into his mouth, slicking them with saliva. He rolled his long fingers over his tongue until they were soaked, then spread his legs wide. His damp fingertips slid down over his balls, past his thick perineum, and teased the twitching hole.

“Sir, there, ah... ngh...!”

Imagining Lee Kangjoo’s fingers, he pushed inside. It wasn’t as thick or as long as his, but when he squeezed his eyes shut and layered imagination over it, a bead of fluid welled at the tip of his cock.

That dense face drenched in lust, the rougher thrusts as he neared the end, the hand gripping his waist hard enough to crush it, the ragged breaths bursting by his ear. And the heavy pounding from their pressed chests.

When everything that made him came together as one, the heat tangled into itself. The moment of joy exploded like fireworks, painting his vision white.

“Lee Kangjoo, Kangjoo... hyung, ngh...!”

With no one there to hear, he yanked his shirt up and bit into it, calling the name freely. Adding hyung made his body shudder violently. His inner flesh clamped hard around his fingers. Finally, he dragged the skin of his cock up with all his strength, and pale semen burst from his urethra, splattering in drops over the brand-new clothes he hadn’t worn even once.

It was only one orgasm, but his head spun as if he’d run a marathon. Haejun collapsed onto the clothes stained with his release.

“Calling him hyung to his face...!”

Only after the lust drained away did his reason return. Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Haejun writhed on top of the new clothes for a while.

Snap.

The sudden sound dragged him back to reality. Yohan, who had been unfolding the table legs, snapped his fingers in front of Haejun’s face. His eyes were wide as he glared.

“I asked who it was. Why the hell are you blushing?”

“Who’s blushing? It’s cold, that’s all. Go outside yourself—you’ll freeze instantly.”

Haejun lifted his chin and lied. Yohan snorted and set the table down.

“So which bastard gave you all that. Don’t tell me it’s that so-called CEO?”

“...Yeah.”

“Finally using your head. Milk him more. Don’t just stop at clothes—squeeze out other stuff too. Didn’t he give you gold bars? At least get a gold ring.”

“Even I have limits with gold... Oh, right. I changed my phone.”

Haejun proudly pulled out his brand-new phone. Seeing the latest model, Yohan clapped like it was his own achievement.

“That’s ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ my Haejun. Keep draining him dry, okay?” He even patted his ass in praise.

“Grandma must be waiting. Let’s set the table first.”

“Yeah.”

From a drawer, Yohan carefully took out a framed photo wrapped in cloth. It was their grandmother’s memorial picture. Wearing a neatly pressed pink hanbok, her hair pinned with a jade ornament, she smiled kindly from the photo.

“Our grandma was so beautiful. Right?”

“The prettiest in the neighborhood. Remember how those old men wouldn’t leave her alone? In high school you almost got arrested for grabbing one of them by the collar.”

“Of course I remember. That senile fucking bastard. If Grandma hadn’t stopped me, that day would’ve been his memorial.”

Even though it was in the past, Yohan still bristled with anger. Haejun smiled as he set out the food they’d brought—seasoned vegetables and pollack pancakes. Yohan added fruit and bread. When they placed meat soup and freshly made rice on the table, it looked complete enough.

They didn’t follow tradition. They’d never learned the proper way, and Grandma had always insisted that when she died, they shouldn’t struggle over rituals—just gather together and share something good.

They cracked the window open slightly and bowed. They didn’t offer alcohol. She had never touched the stuff in her life.

“Grandma. Are you watching us from heaven? I’m doing well. Cha Haejun’s working hard too.”

“...”

“He seems to have caught a decent sucker this time. If you saw us, you’d probably beat us both with a broom, but making honest money isn’t easy. Once we earn enough, we’ll quit, so don’t scold us too much when we meet again.”

Yohan spoke softly to the frame. Haejun just listened. This year especially, he had so much he wanted to say—but it was all about Lee Kangjoo. He couldn’t open his mouth in front of Yohan. Noticing something different, Yohan jerked his chin.

“Say something before she leaves.”

“You already said everything I would.”

“Still.”

He couldn’t ignore it when Yohan gave him the spot. Haejun shuffled forward on his knees. In the frame, Grandma’s smile remained gentle as ever.

“Grandma, we’re living well. Um... If you come in my dreams next time, give me the lottery numbers.”

Yohan burst into laughter, saying he prayed for that every night.

Before the cold wind turned the room icy, they finished and closed the window. Yohan wrapped the frame carefully again and returned it to the drawer.

Haejun chose bread instead of rice. Yohan clicked his tongue.

“A Korean should eat rice.”

“I just like this better.”

It was sweet red bean bread. Yohan grumbled, but he was the one who’d bought it, considering Haejun’s taste.

“Such an old man’s preference. You insisted on red bean bread when you were little too. Taking that taste to the nursing home with you?”

“Why, it’s good. There was a time I was so hungry I almost starved to death. When I ate this, I felt like I might survive.”

“Before you met Grandma and me?”

“Yeah. I was alone at home... I don’t remember who gave it to me. Anyway, since then, this tastes the best. Like you said, I’ll take it all the way to the nursing home.”

“Do as you please. I bought plenty, so take some later.”

“Park Yohan’s the best.”

Only the clink of dishes filled the room. After finishing a full pot of meat soup and a mound of rice, Yohan cleared the table.

“Cha Haejun.”

While they were eating fruit for dessert, Yohan called him. Haejun looked up, chewing on a slice of apple.

“Is it bearable?”

“Yeah.”

Even though he had nearly thrown himself into the sea. Even though those impulses sometimes tried to move his hands and feet for him.

He remembered Lee Kangjoo’s hand gripping the back of his neck and dragging him out. And the sunrise they’d watched together. That scene gave him strength to move forward one more time.

“Live long. Longer than me.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Healthy, long, long life.”

Yohan had never once been insincere.

“You too.”

And neither had Haejun.

Yohan lifted his gaze from his phone and looked at him. They met eyes and grinned at each other, just like they had on some childhood day long ago.