2. Blood in the Cup

ch XIV.

After dinner, Wooyoung, San, and Haneul stayed in the living room, where they continued their conversation in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. The dim light in the room had a soothing effect on them as they sat side by side, immersed in their thoughts.

After a moment of silence, Haneul spoke first, looking thoughtfully at Wooyoung. "I don’t think Dad ever liked anyone as much as he liked you, Woo." His words sounded sincere and slightly emotional, as if this realization had been building up inside him for a long time.

Wooyoung paused to consider this, then sighed deeply. "I feel so relieved..." The words brought him relief, as if he could finally release the tension that had been weighing on him. He then moved closer to San, gently resting his head on San’s shoulder and quietly enjoying his comforting presence.

While Wooyoung was absorbed in listening to Haneul and San, he suddenly heard a soft, delicate meowing. Startled, he blinked and slowly looked behind the couch, where he saw a small, soft-furred cat curiously watching them. Wooyoung’s eyes immediately brightened upon seeing the tiny, fragile creature.

"A cat?" he said in surprise, then jumped up and hurried over to it. He bent down to gently pick up the tiny gray-and-white kitten, which immediately began to purr in his arms. Wooyoung’s heart filled with warmth as he softly stroked the kitten’s head, which closed its eyes contentedly.

"Well, who are you, cutie?" he asked gently, looking at the animal with sparkling eyes, as if everything else had suddenly faded away. The kitten’s purring blended perfectly with the room’s atmosphere, and Wooyoung seemed to relax even more in the presence of the little creature.

San, meanwhile, stood up and approached Wooyoung with a smile. He gently wrapped his arms around Wooyoung’s waist from behind and leaned in close, so they could both watch the kitten together. "Her name is Byeol," San whispered softly, gently squeezing Wooyoung as if he didn’t want this peaceful moment to end.

"Byeol?" Wooyoung repeated softly, then laughed as he continued to gaze at the kitten with sparkling eyes. "Of course... it's like a little star." The kitten’s tiny, bright eyes did indeed shine like a small celestial body in his arms.

San, still holding Wooyoung’s waist, remarked, "She seems to like you too."

Half an hour later, the atmosphere in the living room was completely relaxed. Wooyoung, San, and Haneul were comfortably engrossed in conversation, with Byeol occasionally meowing softly before comfortably falling asleep in Wooyoung’s lap. The conversation was light but intimate; they laughed about old stories and discussed future plans as time slowly passed.

As the evening began to quiet down, San and Wooyoung decided it was time to retreat. They carefully placed Byeol on the couch, where the kitten stretched out contentedly before curling up again.

"Let’s go," San said quietly, taking Wooyoung’s hand, and they headed towards the bedroom. Haneul wished them goodnight and smiled as he watched them leave.

Once they entered the bedroom, Wooyoung wasted no time. He quickly made his way to the bed, then, with a playful move, jumped onto it and flopped down with a dramatic flourish. "Ah, it feels so good to be here!" he exclaimed, laughing as he sprawled out on the bed. The springs of the bed creaked slightly from the sudden movement, but Wooyoung didn’t mind. He lay with his arms spread wide, enjoying the comfort of the soft bedding and thick blanket.

San watched with amusement from the doorway. "Are you always this dramatic?" he asked playfully, though his smile showed that he loved Wooyoung’s spontaneous and passionate nature.

"Only when I’m tired!" Wooyoung replied with a grin, adjusting his pillow before lying down. "Come on, get over here!" he called out, playfully patting the space next to him.

San slowly moved closer and watched as Wooyoung cheerfully beckoned him. He paused for a moment, as if to savor this moment in his mind, then smiled and climbed onto the bed next to Wooyoung.

San stretched out beside Wooyoung, then turned slightly to face him, observing his face, which now radiated a mix of tiredness and happiness. After a brief silence, San spoke, his voice deep and sincere in the quiet room: "I’m so glad you’re feeling more free lately. It’s nice to see you so happy."

Wooyoung smiled and moved a little closer to San. "Yes... I also feel like everything is different now. It’s like I can finally be myself." His eyes sparkled in the dim light of the bedroom as he looked at San with happiness.

San didn’t say anything more, just turned gently towards Wooyoung and leaned in to kiss his neck, his fingers softly gliding over his skin. Wooyoung almost instinctively sighed with pleasure at the tender touches, while San continued to pamper him. His hand slowly moved, caressing Wooyoung’s stomach with circular motions, applying just enough pressure to create a pleasantly tingling sensation.

Wooyoung closed his eyes and gave himself up to San’s gentle caresses, feeling his body slowly relax. The calm atmosphere seemed to deepen the intimacy between them. San’s touch was tender and caring, as if every movement conveyed that, here and now, only Wooyoung mattered.

Wooyoung delightedly surrendered to San’s gentle strokes, sinking deeper into the intimate moment they were sharing. He felt his heart racing as San stroked his neck and stomach, but it wasn’t just the touch that enchanted him, but also the knowledge that he finally felt completely free and safe beside San.

In a sudden moment, as if it were a natural continuation of his feelings, Wooyoung spoke quietly but with deep sincerity: "I love you, San."

San’s hand paused in its motion, as if it had frozen. The words hit him like a lightning bolt. Wooyoung had never before uttered this simple but profoundly meaningful word. San’s heart began to race as he tried to process what he had just heard. He felt as if the world had momentarily stopped around him.

Noticing the silence, Wooyoung pulled back slightly, looking at San’s face, which now wore a surprised, almost frozen expression. "San?" he asked softly, as if concerned about his reaction. "Is everything okay?"

San eventually slowly regained his voice but still looked astonished as he gazed at Wooyoung. "Did... did you really say that?" he asked, as if he wanted to be sure he heard correctly.

Wooyoung smiled nervously but with sincere emotion still evident in his eyes. "Yes. I love you." His voice was quiet but firm, as if he had finally spoken what he had long felt but had not dared to admit even to himself.