Limerence

E P I L O G U E

｡ TWO YEARS LATER ｡

THE CHARMING FRAGRANCE OF EUCALYPTUS SPEARMINT WAFTS OVER MY SENSES AS WARMTH ENGULFS MY BODY. Slumber floats from my clouded mind. I release a groan as Man-soo shifts into bed beside me.

"Hey," he whispers in my ear, warm breath caressing my cheek. He snuggles his chin into the crook of my neck and drifts his fingers along the exposed skin around my waist. "You promised you'd be ready by six. Amber is going to kill us if we're late because you want to take a nap."

"But I'm so tired," I moan. "I had to size and fit an entire ensemble. It was forty people." I roll over until my tired eyes meet his as he hovers next to me amongst the bedsheets. "This musical is way overcast and it's a mess. The director has no clue what she's doing."

"I understand." A teasing smile graces his lips and he places a delicate kiss against my forehead. "But Amber is doing this for you. Everyone wants to celebrate your acceptance into a prestigious private college," he mocks my voice with terribly close accuracy.

"Ngn." I lean into him and lace my fingers through the silkiness of his hair. "But I'd rather cuddle with you."

A simple phrase enkindles temptation in the nights of his eyes. The tip of his tongue rests between his lips briefly before he drags his teeth over the bottom. It invites suggestions of lust despite its innocence in nature.

Usually asking Man-soo to cuddle ends with our limbs tangled and intimacy staining our aroused skin.

Over the years, we've explored the boundaries on my levels of affection until I was able to enjoy sex again. The first few times were awkward and stiff as he was afraid of hurting me and I was afraid of being hurt. Though through trial and error, we've grown relaxed until having sex is almost as normal as it used to be.

When we got this apartment together, we were able to unveil more of our desires and weaknesses with each other. Become two people unafraid of our own sexualities. Watching Man-soo grow from a boy into a man has been one of my greatest pleasures over these past two years.

"If we cuddle," he begins with a light warning, "it'll only be for a few minutes."

"Twenty?" I tease my thumb between my teeth and position myself directly under him.

He arches a brow as if to chide me but can't fight the slight arch in the corner of his mouth. "More like ten."

I untangle my hand from his hair and tease it down his cheek to his firm jawline. "Fifteen...?"

He grabs my wrist and kisses my palm. "Do you promise to get up afterward?"

"Maybe," I tease while pulling him down by his collar and capturing his sweet lips against mine. The flavor of strawberry bubble gum lingers between them and I relish in it.

Groans rumble deep in his chest like the softest thunder. He plants his hands on either side of me as he positions his legs between mine. "You're pretty impatient," he breathes against my skin, slightly breaking away.

I grin and pull him close again. "You know I can't resist you." I tease the tip of my tongue over his lips before stealing them once again.