In Every Heartbeat

4

By the second month of having Junhoe around him, Jiwon had gotten used to waking up early and starting on his core exercises. His upper body strength grew and he started looking healthy again. They spent their mornings exercising while the afternoons were carefree moments of playing chess and board games, sometimes Junhoe would sit by the bay windows, writing his poems and if he was in a good mood, he would recite them for Bobby, who sat on the floor, putting together samples or writing verses. Nights were for making dinner together or ordering takeout and watching movies till late at night. Junhoe was definitely not averse to cleaning a paraplegic and whatever qualms Jiwon had with Junhoe undressing him to clean or attend to his personal hygiene, Junhoe always followed through without making him feel uncomfortable.

"You ready?" Junhoe had asked one Sunday morning after carrying him out of the tub, drying him and slipping the bathrobe over his naked form, then making sure he was comfortable on the reclining chair. He had offered to trim Jiwon's hair and shave his scraggly beard. Jiwon had agreed. Jiwon had invited a group of close friends for dinner and he needed to look sharp. It was probably the first time he had actually invited people over after a long time. He had wanted to reconnect with players in the music industry and wanted to introduce Junhoe to them.

"Ready." Jiwon said, watching as Junhoe sat astride the same chair in front of him, his finely carved features within kissing distance. Jiwon closed his eyes, realising that it was quite distracting. Junhoe applied the shaving cream liberally, first on the underside of his jaw before circling it around one cheek and then sweeping it with flourish under his nostrils. He heard the whirr of the shaver and opened his eyes slightly when he felt the tips of Junhoe's fingers cup his chin lightly and turning his face to one side.

Junhoe, deep in concentration had stuck his tongue out to one side of his lips, running the shaver over Jiwon's right cheek. His hands were steady and his eyes narrowed in on Jiwon's thin moustache.

"I can't. Stop." Jiwon suddenly said, suddenly holding one of Junhoe's wrist tightly. Junhoe gasped, his strength had definitely improved.

"What is it?" Junhoe asked, wiping his hands onto the towel that he had laid over one thigh just for that purpose.

"I...I...You look good, like real good. " Jiwon rasped shyly, those eye smiles now becoming a familiar feature on his face.

"Tell me something I don't know, Kim Jiwon and stop distracting me. I'm almost done here." Junhoe complained, the fingers grasping Jiwon's chin tighter now as he continued shaving. Jiwon gulped himself into a silence. Junhoe worked the shaver on the other cheek, slowly letting it oscillate across the same spot for a few seconds before moving back downwards to the chin once more.

"Junhoe." Jiwon called and there was something in the tone of that rasp that perked Junhoe's attention. He turned off the shaver and let his eyes settle tenderly on Jiwon's face. He looked way better than the first time Junhoe had met him. The workouts had made his face sharper and the almost squarish shape of his jaw made him look absolutely attractive.

Junhoe's gaze wavered when he realised that Jiwon was looking at him with the same tenacity and focus. Before Junhoe could reply, Jiwon's lips had found his. Soft at first, but as Junhoe responded, he increased the degree of urgency, his tongue searing out from between his lips to invade Junhoe's supple ones, tasting slowly. Junhoe moaned as one of Jiwon's hand roamed across his chest.

"Kim Jiwon. What in the blue hell do you think you are doing?" Junhoe whispered weakly when Jiwon finally released him.

"What I've been wanting to do since I first met you." Jiwon confessed, fingers coming up ever so slowly to trace that jawline that had been haunting him for the last two months.

"What happened to all that no emotional connection bullshit?" Junhoe teased him and Jiwon was enjoying it.

"Do you know how hard it has been for me? Granted, I am not supposed to feel anything down there, but here," Jiwon had nodded to his groin and then pointed to his heart, "this part of me, that is still alive and beating, it had never beat this fast until I met you." The tears that had collected in Junhoe's eyes from the moment Jiwon confessed, finally found their trail down his cheeks.

Jiwon hurriedly wiped them, unable to bear the thought of Junhoe crying.

"I hate to say this, Koo Junhoe but like it or not, my emotional connection to you is at an all-time high right now. And chances of it ever ending are at a pretty all-time low." Junhoe crushed his lips against Jiwon, not giving him any opportunity to talk anymore and that was the beginning of their beautiful life together.