There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 774: Side Story 4. Endless Journey - 57

The sky had already darkened when the garage elevator opened, and a black car rolled in. Byul perked up and came out of his bedroom just in time as the tall esper went out of the garage.

"Hyung!" like a puppy, Byul bounced toward the esper.

"Oh, you’re done with your audition?" Kar waited for the actor to reach him and ruffled the curly hair; it almost felt like he could see a wagging tail. "You haven’t texted me, so I thought you were still there."

"Only invited people got to audition, so there were only seven participants. We finished in the afternoon," Byul told the esper and followed the man to the kitchen to get water. "How’s the graduation, Hyung?"

"Hmm...nothing much? It’s a strict college, so they just receive their diploma neatly," Kar shrugged. All he did was record the process for his parents, who couldn’t come to avoid chaos. "The after-party is something else, though."

Byul laughed as he could easily imagine it. "They must have let go of all their stress."

When a drama finished shooting, usually there was an after-party too, and the crew were the ones who would drink the most as they let out all of their grievances during the shooting.

"There’s that, and frustration of those who are still job-hunting," Kar chuckled while taking a cool mineral water from the drink fridge.

"Oh, there must have been a lot of alcohol."

"I told Asa to be careful and left before he got too tipsy. Arnar is also there watching him."

Byul fiddled with his shirt. "I thought you were going to stay until he’s home."

"Why would I?" Kar scoffed, glancing teasingly at the actor. "I have a cutie waiting for me at home."

"Hyung!" Byul buried his face in his palm, hiding his flustered face behind the flower vase on the kitchen island.

"On that note..." Kar smiled and careened his head to peek at his hiding baby. "How’s the audition?"

"Well..."

Slowly coming out behind the vase, the flustered face turned into a smile. Instead of answering with words, Byul spread his arms wide. Kar blinked and stared at the sparkling black eyes.

"...did you?" the esper widened his eyes, walking around the kitchen island to Byul’s side. "You got it?"

"Hehe..." Byul grinned widely, and before he knew it, his feet left the ground as Kar wasn’t only hugging him, but carrying him high. "Whoaa!"

He clutched the esper’s shoulder, staring at the laughing face filled with genuine delight. Kar kissed his cheek and jaw, and Byul couldn’t help but get red all over. "Good job! I know you can do it."

Byul smiled shyly. "Thanks to you, Hyung."

"I just thought you a few moves--even your action coach can teach you that," Kar shrugged. "But the one who executed it was you, right? With all the acting, no less."

"Hehe..."

Kar laughed softly, pecking the grinning actor. "Congratulations, baby."

"It’s just a supporting role, though..." Byul said quietly, fiddling the back of the esper’s suit collar.

"And that was how you landed a lead role before, right?" Kar tilted his head. "Even espers can’t just go to the highest floor right away. No matter how strong they are, they still have to climb the tower floor by floor."

"Oh, you’re right!"

"I’m sure you’ll get a lead esper role soon."

"Soon is too much," Byul laughed. "But thank you for saying it, hyung."

"I never doubt you’ll make it," Kar smiled.

"Really? Even back then?" Byul raised his brow, before asking quietly. "Why?"

"Because you’re a persistent hard worker," Kar softly kissed the actor’s jaw, whispering near the reddened ear. "Not to mention pretty."

"Hearing that from you..." Byul tilted his head, stroking the beautiful face in front of him. Sometimes, he wondered if his hyung even knew how handsome he was.

"What?"

Byul just laughed. "It’s an honor."

Their chuckles ended up on each other’s lips, soft and filled with longing even though they saw each other that morning. Somehow, it had become even harder getting away from each other after they opened their hearts. Byul hugged the esper tightly, even after they parted their lips to take a breath.

"Hyung..."

"Mm?"

"Can I be honest with you?"

Kar gently had the actor sit on the kitchen island while still hugging the younger tightly. "You can always be honest with me."

Laying his head on the broad shoulder, Byul whispered as if he was making a confession. "Today, they announced the result right away, you know? And..." he bit his lips before continuing. "When they said I got it, I want you to be the first one to hear it."

The fingers on Kar’s back clutched tighter.

"I--I know I shouldn’t be, but...but I was kind of upset that I can’t tell you in person right away," Byul added quietly.

"I’m sorry," Kar stroked the younger’s back, and Byul pulled himself back quickly, shaking his head.

"No, Hyung...I don’t mean to blame you," the actor pressed his lips. "It’s not like you can be there anyway, and you promised Asa Hyung you’d come from a long time ago..."

Byul closed his eyes tight and sighed, feeling pathetic for feeling like this. He didn’t want to act like a clingy, needy lover who expected Kar to be there for him twenty-four-seven.

"I don’t want to make you choose between me or your family; I was just...feeling childish and...umm...selfish?"

Byul lowered his head, feeling too embarrassed to look at the esper--and honestly...worried. But Kar smiled and kissed his forehead. "Thank you for bearing with it, Byul."

Byul finally looked up, and, upon seeing the soft smile and gentle gaze, cupped the esper’s face and kissed the man with all his heart. Why was he so kind? Byul couldn’t even find any trace of annoyance, even if it would be understandable if he did.

But then again, wasn’t that why he fell in love with this man? Kar had always been like that; so kind, so gentle, always ready to console him and made him feel like he was something and more.

Oh, he really didn’t lie when he said he wanted Kar to be the first one to know. He wanted to call, but he was worried he would blurt it out before he could see Kar in person. So he held it in and poured everything into the kiss he rarely initiated.

The kiss that was getting more intense by the second. Harder, deeper, Byul clutched the esper’s hair, tilting his head so Kar could devour him better. And it almost felt like Kar would, with the way those strong hands clutched his neck and groped his back. Byul sighed and gasped into the kiss, twisting his hips as he felt something hardened against him down there.

"Hyung..." Byul whispered breathlessly, wantonly, and the kiss abruptly stopped.

There was a silent, two seconds of pause before Kar pulled back. As if nothing had happened, he let go of the actor and asked dryly. "Have you eaten?"

"H-huh?" Byul blinked; dazed and confused. "Oh...no, not yet. I was waiting for you, Hyung."

"Then let’s order something tonight," Kar said while walking away, going toward the stairs. "Pick whatever you want; I’m going to change for a bit."

"Okay..."

Byul spent some more time just blinking while sitting dazedly on the kitchen island. He could still feel the warmth in his arms and body; his lips were still wet and his stomach was still stinging.

He gulped and got down from the kitchen island, sighing quietly as he dropped to the ground. It took him a few seconds to manage his heartbeat, and he glanced upstairs. Once again, he sighed, questions swirling inside his pretty head.

* * *

"You look like you have a lot on your mind," the manager commented when he saw her actor, who was usually so diligent and proper, was laying on his back looking at her office ceiling in a daze.

Byul sighed. "Not a lot, just..."

"What’s wrong? Is there anything difficult about the script?"

"No, the script is fine."

The manager narrowed her eyes and put down the document she was reading. If her actor was in trouble, she needed to solve it quickly. "Then?"

Byul, still staring at the ceiling, asked with an innocent-sounding tone. "Hmm...normally, how long does a couple take from kissing to...the next step?"

That wasn’t the kind of trouble in the manager’s mind. She had thought about arguments, about lack of time together as two busy people. She had even prepared for a sign of them breaking up, because she had to think about relocating Byul somewhere else.

But yeah...not this.

"What?"

Byul tilted his head to glance at her. "I mean...you know?"

"Byul..."

"What?" the actor got up, pursing his lips at the exasperated voice. "People even do it before they get into a relationship these days!"

"I know that, but I’m not comfortable talking about it with someone who could be my son," the manager sighed, massaging her throbbing temple.

"Ugh..."

Byul pouted and laid back down. Who could he talk about this, then? He didn’t want to talk about him wondering why they hadn’t had sex yet to people who knew Kar personally. But he also couldn’t ask people who didn’t know that he was in a relationship--including his two friends.

"I’m surprised, though..." the manager leaned back and crossed her arms, tapping his upper arm. "When I saw him on the screen, he looked like someone who could easily devour anyone with just a look."

"He could do that...literally," Byul muttered.

"...yeah, that’s true," the manager shuddered slightly, once again getting reminded that her actor’s lover was one of the strongest in his generation. "But I mean for the things you’ve been thinking about."

Byul covered his face with the script, screaming teasingly. "Kyaah!"

"Stop it."

Byul laughed for a few seconds, before sighing helplessly. "Am I not attractive enough?"

"That’s ridiculous--unless you think he’s with you for your looks only," the manager clicked her tongue. "Maybe he thought you were not ready?"

Byul felt he was showing enough signs, though. He didn’t think he ever showed that he was scared. If anything, he thought he was acting rather eager. Besides, it was always Kar who suddenly stopped when it was getting hot, and shifted to do something else right after, as if pretending nothing had happened.

"Or...do you think he’s asexual?" the manager arched her brow.

Byul recalled the bulge after their first kiss, and again that night in the kitchen. "Definitely not."

"Alright," the manager nodded. It would be a waste anyway, if someone oozing so much sexual attraction like Karna Ishtera were to be averted to that. "Just ask, then," she shrugged. "Maybe he does think you’re not ready, since you’re younger, who knows?"

"Do you think it’s that easy?" Byul grumbled, pursing his lips while dragging a cushion to hug it.

"It’s not," the manager agreed. "But only thinking about it with no answer is also not easy, no?"

And the proof was the current Byul, who couldn’t concentrate on practicing his script. "Ugh--you’re right."

He lay there silently for a good ten minutes before finally getting up and clenching his fist. It’d be embarrassing, but he had experienced how stupid it was to keep what he felt to himself. How miserable it made him.

"Fine. Let’s ask, then."