Jeongguk pulled up to the curb outside of Jimin’s apartment. Although the building was far from the school, it was conveniently located along the route they planned to travel to get to the cabin. He exited the car and stared up towards the third floor where he saw Jimin sitting in the window drinking a cup of tea. They gave each other a quick wave followed by a text. 

Jeongguk to Jimin: “You ready for a life changing experience 🙂?” 

Jimin to Jeongguk: “Life changing seems a bit aggressive but yea I’m all packed. Be down in a minute.”

By the time Jeongguk walked to the back of his truck and popped the trunk, Jimin was already downstairs. Jeongguk helped him with his bags. He immediately took note of Jimin’s sleek but stylish set of black luggage with the matching leather satchel. Nothing was in excess. Jimin was neatly organized and efficiently prepped for their week- long interlude. He moved quickly to avoid wasting time, exuding happiness, with springy steps of excitement. The brilliant smile that always warmed the hallways of the Academy suddenly warmed their little corner of the world as they packed the car. His mood was infectious, causing Jeongguk to immediately smile back. 

 

In Jeongguk’s opinion, Jimin always had an impeccable sense of style. Even on a teacher’s salary, he had that “it” factor that gave him the air of wealth. His natural beauty didn’t hurt either. In a room full of incredibly beautiful men, he always seemed to be the prettiest. It was never anything that he did purposely to stand out, it was just part of his construct. He knew how to make the most of what he had. 

Jimin’s presentation on this day was no exception. His dark hair was swept away from his face, with the wind gently lifting individual strands and sweeping them against his forehead. Baggy, oversized jeans clung to his hips, camouflaging what Jeongguk knew to be an impeccably chiseled body. The fuzzy cream colored sweater that Jimin was wearing made him look like a cuddly teddy bear. As such, Jeongguk immediately hugged him as soon as he reached the car. 

“Oop yep, so we’re hugging now?” Jimin laughed warmly into Jeongguk’s ear, as he eagerly returned the hug. 

“Oh, oh my God I’m sorry. I should have asked first instead of just assuming that you wanted me draped all over you.” Jeongguk pulled away, shy and uncertain. 

“I think you know by now that I’m quite fond of your hugs,” Jimin threw his luggage into the back compartment of Jeongguk’s Palisade. 

“Just the same. If we want to keep things from getting weird, we need to respect each other’s space and boundaries.”

“Yea no weirdness. Weirdness sucks,” Jimin’s laugh lit up the entire block.

Jeongguk bit his bottom lip, “I really want this trip to be special. We both need this time away. With that said, Jimin you look fabulous, may I have a hug?”

“Ah consent. Love it,” Jimin joked, “Yes Mr. Jeon you may have a hug.“

Once again they found themselves locked in a sweet embrace. Jimin gave Jeongguk a hard double tap on the back. He opened his satchel to reveal scores of colorful packages and juice boxes.

“I got snacks,” he smiled as he pulled the leather bag open to show Jeongguk his haul.

“Nice! I never thought to bring snacks. See, we’re already vibing.”

Jeongguk hopped into the driver’s seat, Jimin posted into the passenger’s seat. With one final nod, Jeongguk placed the car in park - and they were off. 

***

 

With the music blaring and Jeongguk’s SUV gliding along the winding road, they made their way up the mountain towards the cabin. The further up they traveled, the more the weather shifted. Layers of dew collected on the windshield as the temperature dropped. Despite it all, the bright sun casted golden rays across the mountainside. Jeongguk wasn’t sure which was brighter, the glow of the sun or the glow of Jimin’s smile. He settled on Jimin’s smile.

Jimin was the DJ responsible for music and navigation. At first he worried that his music choices might not be to Jeongguk’s taste. His concerns were soon buried as Jeongguk danced and sang to every single song that Jimin queued up. 

“Wow, you like Usher too?” Jeongguk asked.

“He’s my favorite artist. I have every album, every single.”

“He’s hot too…if you like that strong, muscular, super dancer type,” Jeongguk added.

“I do like that type,” Jimin winked.

“So, I don’t want to ruin the moment, but I do want to talk to you about something.”

“The only thing that could ruin this moment is Delores Umbridge, and I’m sure you don’t want to talk about her.”

“Actually I do. We have to fight this suspension. I mean, I know we accepted it just so that we could take this vacation but we can’t allow it to be added to our permanent record. I have a plan.”

“A plan? You really don’t know the words ‘give up’,  do you?”

“I don’t even know how to spell those words, so hear me out. We can easily talk to the nurse and get her to verify that we sent Mina to see her. We can even ask her to speak up on our behalf. We were telling the truth about why we were late to class. We were trying to help another student. I refuse to go down for trying to do the right thing.”

“I hear you Jeongguk. But is it really worth it? The more I think about this job, the more convinced I am that I need to transfer to a different school. This environment just isn’t for me.”

“Fine. Try to transfer…and see what they say when they find out that you were suspended for a week for improper conduct. Good luck trying to explain that. Don’t you see, having this blithe on our record could follow us for the rest of our careers and that’s exactly what Principal Han wants. She wants to see to it that we are pushed out of teaching for good. Transfer to another school, although I’ll miss you, I won’t try to stop you. But promise me that you’ll help me fight this first. Our futures could depend on it.”

“Yea, ok. If it’s important to you, then yea, I’ll stand beside you and we’ll fight. Somebody has to make that old unibrow hag pay for what she tried to do to us,” Jimin agreed.

***

It was early afternoon by the time they reached the cabin. Jeongguk pulled up to the front and parked near the front door. Jimin stepped out of the car and stared through the large picture windows. 

“Holy shit this place is gorgeous.” He scratched the back of his neck and shivered as the cool breeze flowed through the fibers of his sweater, “Pretty romantic. If I were in love, I would want to spend  all of my days here.” 

As Jeongguk gathered their luggage, Jimin walked around the front of the all white cottage with black trim. There were bushes and bushes of yellow daffodils and daisies sprouting up in the garden, decadently framing the entrance. Ferns hung from the rafters of the front porch and soft ivy climbed up the left side. He stepped towards the window to get a closer look.  Every light was on, creating a golden glow throughout the space that complimented the sinking sun. Jimin could see all the way to the back of the house where an elaborate brick fireplace held up the rear wall.

“Wow, oh wow.”

“Like it?” Jeongguk smiled, pleased with Jimin’s reaction.

“Like is not quite the right word. I can’t believe we’re going to be spending the next seven days here.”

“Thank you for coming. As you can imagine, it would have been pretty lonely coming here alone,” Jeongguk passed Jimin his suitcase. 

A forest of statuesque trees stood directly behind the house, leaning ever so slightly to align with the pitch of the mountain. Even in broad daylight, the area looked like a forbidden jungle, a place where people were not allowed. Yet from afar it contrasted beautifully against the glowing white house. Everything around them was quiet, with the exception of excitedly chirping birds. 

“I don’t know how to explain it…this place just feels…right,” Jimin remarked.

“I feel that way too. I felt it even through the pictures when I was booking it. I have a feeling that we’re going to have a really great time here.”

A soft breeze arrived causing them to turn and look at each other. At the exact same moment they looked back towards the house, wondering what mysticism and magic awaited them inside.

***

 

Jeongguk popped the heat up and started a fire. The temperature had dropped again, causing the room to be a little chilly. He sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and scrolled through his phone.

Jimin arrived, “Uhhh, I think we have a problem.”

Jeongguk looked up. For untold seconds he watched the glow of the fiery embers dance across Jimin’s face. He was reminded of just how handsome he was with his fresh clear skin and beautiful pink lips. 

“Now how could there possibly be a problem in a place as heavenly as this?” Jeongguk teased.

“The Airbnb host left your itinerary on my bed in my room. Looks like you have quite a few events planned that you forgot to cancel,” Jimin grimaced.

“Oh shit!” Jeongguk dropped his head and frowned. “I can’t believe I forgot to cancel all of the excursions.”

“Says here that you booked the ‘Bump and Grind honeymoon package’,” Jimin tried to hold his laughter. “And it includes a couple massage, a skinnydip in the salt fountain, a picnic for two at the apple orchard, a Paint and Sip class, and an erogenous zone stimulation class and a… hayride to the pumpkin patch where we will be served wine and a charcuterie board. Oh and by the way, that hayride starts in about one hour,” Jimin burst into laughter. Never had he seen a vacation so ‘let’s fuck’ coded in his entire life. “Seems like you had one thing in mind for this trip with you and Yu-jon.”

“I can explain,” Jeongguk blushed and focused his eyes on the fireplace.

“Don’t you dare explain. Jeongguk this is beautiful. You planned all of this for him? It’s the most thoughtful expression of love I’ve ever seen. You really, truly loved him didn’t you?”

“I did. But now I don’t. And knowing that I once loved him that much, makes me feel sick to my stomach. You were right when you said he never deserved me. He didn’t.”

“Nope. Not ever. Glad to see that we finally agree. Now that we have that out of the way, what are you going to do about these excursions? I don’t mean to probe, but your receipt is attached and I can’t help but see how much you paid. Since you can’t use any of this stuff, how can we get your money back?”

Jeongguk sat at the other end of the couch and faced Jimin. “We don’t have to cancel everything. Ok, maybe coworkers shouldn’t go skinny dipping together, but some of that other stuff could be great for two friends who are getting to know each other.”

“Oh yea? And what about the erogenous zone stimulation class? That seems a bit too…,”

“...yep, ok maybe we should skip that one too. But the rest, we should keep, including the hayride,” Jeongguk insisted. 

Jimin continued to watch the fire sparkle. The heat felt good to his face as it was quite chilly inside of the small house. He didn’t dare say what he was thinking for fear of Jeongguk judging him and being disappointed. But his truth was that he very much wanted to do those romantic things with his co-worker but he was terrified of developing feelings that would go unrequited. Jeongguk was like an aphrodisiac, the more of him he experienced, the more of him he wanted. He knew that Jeongguk was still healing from his break-up and he didn’t want to be seen as taking advantage of him. Yet the entire trip and the circumstances were presented to him so seamlessly and unexpectedly that he wondered if maybe destiny was at play. He tossed the decision back and forth in his mind, worried that if he accepted, they would be stepping into dangerous territory.

“Please say yes,” Jeongguk reiterated as he watched Jimin toy with the decision in his head. “Strictly platonic. This stuff is only romantic if you have feelings for each other.”

“And of course we have no feelings for each other,” Jimin nodded overly aggressively.

“Exactly. I even know friends who have skinny dipped together. It’s just like changing clothes in the locker room. Just bros. Nothing sexual.”

“Nothing sexual?” Jimin glanced down at the muscular frame of Jeongguk’s thighs beneath his jeans. He imagined seeing his bare luscious legs splashing through the water. His dick twitched just thinking about it. “And are you sure your friends who skinny dipped together weren’t trying to actually hook up?” Jimin laughed.

“Nevermind them. This is about us. We promised each other, no weirdness. So don’t make it weird.”

Jimin gave it more thought. “Yea, yea let’s do this. If we’re going on this hayride, I better wear a bigger coat, it’s cold out there.”

Jeongguk’s face lit into a large toothy grin. He slapped his knee, “That’s the spirit.”

***

 

The hayride consisted of a large flatbed being towed by a tractor. At first glance it seemed archaic. But that all changed as soon as they climbed inside. The flatbed was decorated like a tiny restaurant. Hay covered the bottom of the flatbed with small lamps placed strategically around the open space. There was seating for eight, with four small tables arranged for couples. Each table had a posh bottle of wine, a blanket and chocolate covered strawberries. The blankets were meant to be shared as were the wine and chocolates. The entire event was set up for people in love - or people who were trying to get laid.

Jimin and Jeongguk were the first to climb onboard. They sat a respectable distance away from each other as they watched the other three couples climb on. Each of them were holding hands and making kissy faces at each other. Jimin gulped. He stared straight ahead as the couple right next to them began to passionately kiss. 

“Uh Jeongguk, this is definitely going to test the strength of our friendship,” Jimin said as he sat at the table and ate a piece of chocolate.

Jeongguk also noticed how hot and horny the other couples were for each other. It was awkward to say the least, “We’ve got this. We’ll just talk about sports and work. Yes, work. There’s nothing romantic about work,” Jeongguk scooted a couple of inches further away from Jimin to emphasise the fact that they were just friends.

 

As the large pale moon rose overhead, the wooden wheels beneath the flatbed began to turn. There was a loud creak beneath them, followed by the low hum of the trailer engine. They moved slowly, but steadily, rolling over rocks and uneven patches of ground as they headed towards the pumpkin patch. 

It was cold. Jimin and Jeongguk both looked around for their respective blankets. But they were reminded that each couple had only been provided one heated blanket. In other words, if they wanted to bundle up for warmth within the blanket, they had to share.

“I-I guess we’re supposed to share this?” Jeongguk lifted the blanket and clicked up the heat on the blanket’s controller.

“Consent is always key. May I share the warmth of that filthy blanket with you?”

“You may,” Jeongguk played along. For the first time that evening, they sat close; close enough for them to share the moderately sized blanket and soak up its warmth.

Positioning was tough. There was absolutely no way to fully engulf themselves in the blanket without squeezing tightly together. In the end, Jimin realized that he had to place his arm around Jeongguk’s waist to pull him close enough for both of them to fit. So he proceeded to do just that, “May I…squeeze in a little closer?”

“You may. Otherwise we’ll freeze to death,” Jeongguk joked. 

Whatever chilly discomfort they felt initially, it quickly dissipated as their bodies melted one over the other. The slow rocking of the flatbed as they traveled into the cornfield, was soothing. The couples around them kissed at a regular cadence. The soft whispers and loud lip smacking added pressure, making them feel obligated to normalize their situation.

“I have a stack of papers to grade.”

“Same. I’m on the same track. We read 곰돌이 이야기 ‘The Story of the Teddy Bear’ and each of the kids had to write a few sentences as a summary,” Jeongguk nodded. 

Jimin could feel Jeongguk’s warm breath wisp across his neck each time he spoke. The scent of him was like an orange blossom, freshly peeled and opulent. He turned his head slightly inwards to smell more of him, all while melting in the low easy tone of his voice, “Nice story. Very well written and the kids seem to enjoy it.” 

 

Each breath that Jimin took made Jeongguk feel more at ease. What began as a cumbersome uncomfortable mess, transitioned into a comforting exchange with no weirdness at all. Just as Jeongguk predicted, their natural affinity towards each other prevailed, keeping them grounded and unscripted.  

The ride to the pumpkin patch was forty-five minutes, just enough time to allow the two teachers to share details about each other’s families and college lives. They learned new things which lightened the mood even more. No longer bothered by all of the smooching and flirting going on around them, they focused on each other, laughing and joking as they owned the moment. 

In the distance they could see a bright concert of lights at the top of the hill. Below it lay rows and rows of colorful pumpkins resting on large blue tarps. As part of their fee for entry, they were allowed to choose two pumpkins to take home to carve. That meant they had some shopping to do. 

Jimin climbed out of the flatbed first, he laughed as he watched Jeongguk pick hay from the rear of his jeans, “May I help?” Jimin offered.

“Yes, because this hay is sharp and it’s sticking me in the ass,” Jeongguk fussed.

Jimin delicately picked away the shards of hay that were embedded in Jeongguk’s pants. After several unnecessary feels along Jeongguk’s firm bottom, he advised, “I think we got it all. Come down,” Jimin extended his hand again.

Jeongguk grabbed Jimin’s hand sternly as if they were about to arm wrestle, and then used the assist to jump free of the flatbed. Their clasped hands lingered. Jimin could hear himself counting down the seconds in his head. ‘Don’t let go, don’t let go, don’t…let go,’ he wordlessly pleaded with Jeongguk as they turned to face the sea of pumpkins.

“How beautiful,” Jeongguk exclaimed as his eyes filled with the joy of a child. “There’s so many to choose from. Orange, or white or that green one that I’m sure is just a squash.”

Jimin stared down at the soft bundle of fleshy palms that clung together between them. “Huh?” 

“The pumpkins…we have to choose.”

“YES, yes we have to choose,” Jimin refocused.

The other couples sprinted towards the pumpkin patch, holding firmly to their glasses of pricey wine.

“I guess we can take our wine with us?” Jimin concluded.

“Pumpkin picking while drunk? I’m all in.” Jeongguk quickly climbed back into the flatbed and refilled their wine glasses. He gave one to Jimin and they headed into the patch to find pumpkins.

***

 

By the time the hayride headed back to base, Jimin and Jeongguk were on their third bottle of wine.  They sat cuddled together, each with a large pumpkin stowed between their legs. The slow drawl of the wagon and its creaky wooden wheels etched memories in their minds that would not soon be forgotten. The sound of each other breathing, the firm holds they had on each other’s bodies, the feel of the sharp hay prickling their skin, and the glow of the full moon; all of it was woven into the tapestry of one the most beautiful experiences they’d ever had. The jokes came naturally, the smiles even more so. They took turns glancing at each other as they reveled in deep conversation. 

Until the moment, the completely unconstructed moment, where they both glanced at each other at the exact same time. They froze. With eyes locked and their expressions stalled, the heat swirled between them in their small shared space. The glow of the moonlight carved a path along the outer cheeks of their faces, allowing them to clearly see each other’s attractive features. Each was hesitant to look away. 

The wine made them do it. Without consent, they leaned in. But just at the moment when they were about to say drunken words that they shouldn’t, the wagon came to a sudden jerking halt, dislodging them and pulling them apart. Jimin fell sideways and had to crawl back to get under the blanket. After a brief stop that only lasted a few seconds, the wagon crept to life again and continued down the mountain. 

Neither of them mentioned what had almost happened. Jeongguk played it safe by scrolling through his phone. Jimin looked straight ahead at the couple who appeared to be fucking on the other end of the flatbed. He focused on them. Watching hetero strangers have sex was much safer than accidently making heart eyes at the handsome man next to him. The man who was just supposed to be his pal.

***

 

“My pumpkin is bigger than yours,” Jeongguk teased as he watched Jimin sort through all of the drawers in the kitchen looking for a knife large enough to carve their fresh haul of pumpkins. 

He paused and turned to glare at Jeongguk, “Your pumpkin is bigger than mine, that’s true. But it’s not always about size is it? Sometimes it’s about the flourish, the skill and what you can do with it.”

Jeongguk wasn’t aware of how erotic his conversation was beginning to sound. The haze of intoxication still hovered over him, “For me, it’s always about size. Bigger is always better.” 

“So you’re saying that only big pumpkins can make you happy?”

“No, I’m saying that big pumpkins will always keep me on my knees begging for more, willing to do anything to keep it.”

“That is a level of brutal honesty that you’re probably going to regret sharing. I’m also one-hundred percent sure we’re no longer talking about pumpkins.”

 “You’re cute when you’re drunk,” Jeongguk said haphazardly.  

“And you’re cute every single fucking moment of your life. So there’s that.” Jimin tried to reel it in and refocus them, “We need a knife. Why are there no knives? What does it say in the guest book?”

Jeongguk picked up the guest book and flipped through the pages looking for instructions on kitchen supplies. He found exactly what they were looking for, “Ah, it says here that there are more kitchen supplies stored in the trunk in the back bedroom. I bet that’s where she keeps the larger knives.”

“That’s my bedroom. Grab your big pumpkin and let’s go.”

“This is kind of a strange place to keep extra kitchen supplies when they have so much space in the actual kitchen,” Jeongguk found the large trunk that was referenced in the guest book. There was a lock on the front, but it wasn’t fastened. He removed it and then pulled the heavy trunk open.

Jimin noticed the confused look on Jeongguk’s face as soon as the trunk popped open, “What is it? Something wrong?”

“What is all of this stuff?” He sorted through the first few layers of items until he finally located a wooden box that said ‘knives’ on the front. “Oh here they are. Why is it buried in this trunk?” Jeongguk pulled the box free and sat it on Jimin’s bed. But curiosity led him right back to the contents of the strange trunk they had discovered. 

Jimin, no longer interested in the pumpkins at all, glossed over the contents as well. There was so much of it, yet none of it was immediately recognizable until he discovered one peculiar item in the corner that he recognized as, “Handcuffs? Pink furry handcuffs? Why in the world do they have these?” Jimin laughed loudly as he picked up the handcuffs and examined them. 

Jeongguk laughed as well. “Oh, they’re so cute.”

“I wonder how they feel. They’re all fuzzy and soft, they can’t work like real handcuffs, can they?”

“Only one way to find out. Let’s experiment,” Jeongguk said boldly. He lifted his wrists for Jimin to put them on him.

Jimin was very aware that Jeongguk was still drunk. So before slapping a pair of pink handcuffs on him, Jimin stated the obvious, “You’ve been drinking. Are handcuffs really a good idea?”

“Is there a key?”

“Yea.” Jimin locked the empty cuffs closed and then used the key to reopen them, “and it works.”

“Then yes, let’s do it.”

“You sure you want to do this?” Jimin asked one final time.

“Stop being so serious. I just want to see how they feel. It won’t hurt me or anything,” Jeongguk reiterated. Now go on…you know what to do.”

Jimin knew exactly what to do, “May I cuff you?” He asked for consent.

“You may.”

Jimin closed both of the fuzzy pink bracelets around Jeongguk’s wrists and squeezed them tightly until he heard them click.

Jeongguk grinned from ear to ear. He twisted his arms around. “Oh they feel so nice. They’re actually comfortable. Who would use these? For what purpose?” Jeongguk was baffled. “Maybe if you don’t want to hurt someone while you’re arresting them?” He continued to twist his wrists within the fuzzy bracelets.

“Ok, that’s enough. Let me remove them please,” Jimin interjected.

“No. I want to keep them on. They’re adorable. What else is in that box?” He leaned over, movement restricted because of the handcuffs. 

Jimin reluctantly sorted through more of the contents. “What is all of this shit? Everything is so random: feathers, chords of velvet rope, more handcuffs, and what is this thing?” Jimin picked up an object that had a large folded piece of leather attached to a long handle. As with everything else in the box, it was pink. He slapped it against his hand, “Ouch shit that stings.”

“Oh dear God,” Jeongguk said faintly.

“What? Is it bad? What is it?”

“I think this is a…a…a kink box,” Jeongguk proclaimed with wide eyes.

“A what? Kink? What kind of kink?”

Jeongguk plunged both of his handcuffed hands into the box and began searching more vigorously. His suspicions were quickly validated when he pulled a ball gag from the bottom, along with more feathers, more rope and small wooden paddles. 

“It’s a bdsm collection,” Jeongguk said in a whisper. He looked around like a kid who had just been caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

“bdsm!” Jimin ducked as if a drone had just flown over his head. He concentrated his focus on all of the paraphernalia that he’d lined up on the bed. Suddenly it all made sense. Jeongguk was right. They had accidently stumbled upon the owner’s collection of bondage toys. “Ok, we’re taking the handcuffs off.” He searched for the key, “Oh God. I can’t believe we were playing around in this stuff. Hang on, I’ll get them off of you.”

“Yea, sure.” Jeongguk could sense Jimin’s discomfort. As much as he enjoyed the handcuffs, he realized that Jimin wanted no part of bdsm play, even  if it was accidental. He quietly acquiesced and held still so that Jimin could remove them. 

“Let’s close this up and pretend we never saw it,” Jimin laughed as he threw the fuzzy pink handcuffs back into the box. “And why is everything pink?”

“I kind of think pink is pretty. It’s one of my favorite colors. If I had a bondage sex kit, I would want  mine to be pink,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Wait a minute. Don’t tell me…you like this kind of stuff?” Jimin asked.

Jeongguk was direct, “I don’t know much about it. Yu-jon was always very vanilla with our sex life. He had a big dick…that’s as exotic as things got. My boyfriends before him never expressed any desire either. The only reason I know anything about it is because of that stupid fifty shades of grey bullshit that was popular when we were younger. But the concept does intrigue me a little.” Had Jeongguk been sober, he would not have been nearly as honest. He and Jimin were close friends, but not exactly close enough to reveal such honest and intimate thoughts. 

But to Jeongguk’s surprise, instead of Jimin being repulsed, he teed up more conversation. “What is it about bondage that feeds your interest? I mean…what exactly does it fulfill?”

Jeongguk blushed and then laughed, “How would I know? I told you, I’ve never done it. I just liked the way the cuffs felt around my wrists. They were warm and cuddly, like having a teddy bear locked around me. You act as if I’m some kind of hard Dom.”

“Hard Dom? No, you would never be a hard Dom…a soft one maybe…and definitely a Dom switch.”

“Ok, so I see that I’m not the only one who’s been curious in the past. Maybe I should be asking you about kink fulfillment,” Jeongguk winked.

“I wouldn’t go that far. I know a little…very little. And maybe I was a little curious when I was younger. But it never went any further than that. I’ve never been or done or…I mean…I don’t know much…I don’t know anything. Nothing…,” Jimin stumbled over his words.

“We have pumpkins to carve. We found our knives so let’s get started. I have a fabulous dinner planned. Then we can play a little Texas Hold Em’ before bed.” And just like that, the strange moment was over. Jeongguk headed for the kitchen, leaving Jimin there to stare at the box of sin in his bedroom.

***

 

Jeongguk was tired. By eleven that night, he was in bed. Jimin chose to stay up to grade a few papers. Before heading to bed, he turned down the lights and grabbed a bottle of water.  It was warm in the house because Jeongguk had the heat cranked all the way up to eighty-five. Jimin removed his shirt and chose to sleep topless for the evening. Wearing only his baggy sweatpants, he found his way to the back corner of the house where his room was located.

As he shuffled through the darkness, his foot lightly treaded over something on the ground. Closer inspection revealed that it was the pair of pink fuzzy handcuffs from earlier. The key was still lodged in the lock. 

“Thought I put these away,” he spoke quietly to himself. The instant his fingers touched them, his mind transported back to the moment where Jeongguk had them locked around his wrists. He could see him struggling, twisting around and around as the soft fabric circled his arm. Even in memory it was erotic, much more so than Jimin realized at the time. Maybe both of them were drawn to a little bondage play. Even so, it wasn’t anything that he could or would readily admit…even while drunk. 

He crawled into bed with the pink cuffs in his hand. Curiosity got the best of him. He unlocked the cuffs and fastened one of the bracelets around his wrist as he laid in bed. He wiggled his fingers and twisted his wrist within the bracelet. Jeongguk was right, they did feel good; powerful, yet soft and painless. The key was still safely lodged in the lock so he decided to fasten the second bracelet around his other wrist. He tugged at them. The feeling was something that he couldn’t quite explain. He was restricted, yet it was pleasurable. The fuzzy pink fabric felt soft against his skin, yet whenever he tried to pull away, he was met with a gentle restriction. His awareness of self was heightened, allowing him to feel the rawness between his legs as his cock awakened. It was as if a gate had opened, allowing greater sensitivity in every part of his body. Somehow it was just enough. The cuffs definitely held a bit of magic for him. Had he been a connoisseur of erotic bondage - fuzzy, pink handcuffs would’ve definitely been part of his arsenal. He understood why Jeongguk liked them so much.

But while he toyed with the cuffs and fantasized about Jeongguk’s strong tattooed wrists being bound by them, he overlooked one problem. Even though the key was still in the lock, he had bound both of his wrists, making it impossible to reach it and unlock them.

“Uh oh,” Jimin couldn’t help but laugh at himself. Only he could get into such a predicament. It wasn’t until twenty minutes later that he realized he had a real problem. No matter how much he contorted his fingers, he couldn’t reach the key to twist the lock open. “Shit!” He swore loudly. He stood to his feet, thinking he could maneuver into a better position while standing. But no sooner than he stood up, the key dropped to the ground and slid under the bed. “Shit, fuck, shit!” 

With his wrists still bound, he pushed his hands beneath the bed to feel around for the key. He crammed his body halfway under the bed before realizing that the key had simply vanished. Even after turning on the light, he couldn’t find it. Out of desperation, he tore through the box again, looking for another key that could fit the lock. He found several, but couldn’t fit them properly into the lock to release himself. His situation was suddenly very real and potentially dangerous. Before he knew it almost two hours had gone by. He slid the bed back and forth across the floor looking for the original key. But it was gone, impossibly gone. Jimin sat on his bed with a thump. He had very few choices. Either he was going to have to sleep with his hands bound or he was going to have to ask Jeongguk for help. After a few moments of contemplation, he realized that waking Jeongguk in the middle of the night to tell him that he had accidentally handcuffed himself and couldn’t find the key - was not it. 

Jimin fell back into the bed and laid on his side with his cuffed hands resting in front of his crotch.  He was too tired to fight anymore. The only thing to do was wait until morning to look for the key again. Something about the feel of the handcuffs lulled him to sleep. He felt comforted, secure, safe. A sudden intense desire to masturbate rushed over him. He wondered how it would feel to cum in the midst of such restricted bondage. But he fought against those raunchy thoughts. Jerking himself off with his coworker in the next room felt a bit debauched. 

What was it about these handcuffs that bubbled up such erotic desire? He wondered if Jeongguk felt the same arousal when he wore them. Maybe that was why he didn’t want to take them off. It was an odd feeling that he didn’t quite understand. Did he himself have a small bondage kink for pink fluffy handcuffs? The question was his last memory before falling asleep.

***

 

The noise coming from Jimin’s room was irritating. Why was he pushing his bed all around the room? The racket went on for a couple of hours before stopping. Jeongguk didn’t bother to speculate what it was about, but he did think it best to check in just to make sure that everything was ok. Before stepping out of his bedroom, he pulled on a robe to cover his partially nude body. He was not one for sleeping in layers of clothes. 

He crept down the hall to the room next to this. The door was open and he could see Jimin from his vantage point in the hallway. Whatever he was doing prior didn’t seem to matter because by that point, Jimin was resting peacefully in his bed. He appeared to be sleeping, which was comforting for Jeongguk. But just before he turned to go back to his room, he noticed the fluffy pink cuffs that wrapped around Jimin’s wrists. 

“What the hell?” Jeongguk snickered. 

Was Jimin having a little private party with the cuffs? Jeongguk wasn’t sure if what he was seeing was sexual or deviant or just a terrible accident. He settled on the latter. He looked around. Jimin’s room was in disarray. The bed was about five feet away from its proper position. The contents of the bdsm box were strewn all over the room. Key after key lay littered on the floor. And Jimin himself seemed to be distressed, judging from the red marks on his wrists where he had apparently struggled against the cuffs. Jeongguk didn’t know if he should intervene or go back to his bed. In his best guess of what had happened, he surmised that Jimin had accidently or on purpose locked himself in the handcuffs and then found himself unable to get free.  Jeongguk stepped into Jimin’s room to get an even closer look at his sleeping companion. 

At the very moment when he should have been looking for the right key to use to release the cuffs, he chose to stare at the handsome man. He knew that he would be mortified if Jimin were to wake up and find him standing there staring, but he couldn’t help it. He had to watch him sleep, just for a few seconds. Every delicate feature seared into Jeongguk’s brain. From the soft tendrils of the other’s hair, to his perfect Leonardo DiVinci sculpted nose to his small pink toes that peeked beneath the hem of his sweats. 

And then there were the cuffs. Jeongguk quickly stepped back when he felt himself start to stiffen at the sight of Jimin sleeping while bound.  A sudden urge to masturbate overwhelmed him. He couldn’t understand why the fluffy pink handcuffs aroused him. Seeing Jimin wear them only magnified the feeling. It was at that point that he realized he was not only attracted to him, but he had feelings for him, both romantic and sexual. He was embarrassed. Never had he behaved this way - watching a man in his sleep. Being alone with Jimin was more temptation than he bargained for. But for the sake of their careers and their budding friendship, he needed to be disciplined. Jimin was already weirded out by how romance coded the vacation was. Jeongguk didn’t want to do anything to agitate him any further. It was time for him to go back to his room. His creepy voyeurism needed boundaries.

“Jeongguk, is that you?” Jimin said wearily from the bed.

“Yea, it’s me. Go back to sleep.”

“Why are you in my room?”

“Nothing creepy, I promise,” he lied because watching him sleep for ten minutes was definitely creepy. “I heard all of the noise coming from your room. I came to check on you to make sure you were ok.”

“I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m so sorry. I had a bit of a situation.” Jimin tried to sit up but realized that his hands were still cuffed together. “Oh...yea…so this was my situation.” He laughed groggily as he lifted the cuffs to show them to Jeongguk.

“How exactly did this happen?” Jeongguk laughed and stepped closer to Jimin’s bed. “May I approach?”

“You may,” Jimin gave consent.

“I saw the key on the ground somewhere,”

“So…funny story. I was playing around with these things, wondering why you liked them so much. I put one on and then put the other on. I left the key in the lock and everything. But when I was ready to take them off, I couldn’t reach it because my hands were cuffed. Then to make the situation worse, I lost the key.”

“May I turn on the light?” Jeongguk asked for permission.

“Please.”

“I’m sure I saw the key. It’s different from all of the others. It has a pink heart at the end. It looks like a skeleton key. It’s here, hold on.”

“I lost it. I think I kicked it under the bed or something. I searched for two hours.” Jimin wasn’t nearly as embarrassed as he thought he would be. Jeongguk finding him cuffed to himself should have been his most embarrassing moment. But Jeongguk was so breezy with the situation that Jimin felt it was safe to tell him the truth 

“Here it is! Somehow you kicked it over here in the corner behind the door.” Jeongguk emerged with the pink heart key. “May I?” 

“Please, please yes you may.” Jimin held his arms out for Jeongguk to release him.

Jeongguk hesitated for a few seconds. A sinister look crossed his face as he stared down at Jimin on the bed; topless, sweaty, hot and handcuffed.

 Jimin could see the sin in Jeongguk’s eyes. His platonic buddy was aroused, sprouting a stiffy that molded the fabric beneath the thick robe. The younger one hesitated with removing the handcuffs, drinking in the sight of Jimin’s restriction. For a moment Jimin wondered if he would ever release him. 

 Jimin lifted his wrists a bit higher to break Jeongguk’s daze. 

The younger shook his head with a sudden spasm and then swiftly removed the cuffs, “How did this happen again?” He asked Jimin as he dropped the cuffs back into the box. 

“Doesn’t matter. Go back to bed. Thanks for getting me out,” Jimin rubbed his wrists. Despite the cuffs being soft to the touch, they left intrusive red marks. Jeongguk stared at them as if he were in a trance. He didn’t move a single muscle. “You can go back to bed…thanks for the rescue,” Jimin affirmed.

Jeongguk rushed out of Jimin’s room without saying goodbye. Within five minutes Jimin could hear the headboard banging gently against the wall. Whatever Jeongguk was doing, it was causing his entire bed to move. 

Jimin sat up in the bed and pressed his ear against the wall to hear more clearly. He could hear Jeongguk’s soft, passionate moans. He was getting himself off, with no regard for the fact that Jimin could hear him. Were the cuffs that much of a turn on, to the point where Jeongguk had to satisfy himself right then and there? Judging from his moans, Jimin surmised that the answer was definitely yes.

***

The following day was apple picking and wine tasting at a large vineyard about one hour south of the cabin. Once again Jimin did the honors of being the DJ, while Jeongguk drove them.

The weather was cold, but the sun was golden and the sky was so clear that the cold was barely noticeable. With a cup of hot coffee in his hand, Jimin exited the car. He looked towards the sky and took a long deep breath as the sun warmed his face. Being so far above sea level meant cleaner air and less traffic congestion. He felt exceedingly happy and exceedingly free as if all of the stress and drama of the last several days had completely washed away. 

He looked down the mountainside and summoned Jeongguk over, “You see those houses off in the distance down at the bottom?”

Jeongguk peered over the rail, “Quaint. I remember that neighborhood from when I was a kid.”

“I grew up down there. When you say you’re from Busan, most people just assume you grew up on the coast, near the sea. But I grew up at the foot of the mountain. We had sheep, a few goats and even a chicken. It was definitely different from the big city of Seoul. I always thought I wanted to move there when I grew up. I spent a few summers doing student teaching there and I couldn’t wait to come back home.”

“Same. We have so much in common. I did student teaching there as well. Seoul is nice, but it’s not home. I can understand why you chose to stay here,” Jeongguk lightly tapped Jimin’s hand. “Let’s go. We have glasses upon glasses of wine to taste as part of our  lunch for two in the apple orchard. And we’re going to get our money’s worth.”

“Don’t get too drunk. You’re my ride home,” Jimin remarked.

***

 

The orchard was expansive, with rows and rows of apples as far as the eye could see. Jimin and Jeongguk hung close to make sure they didn’t accidently get separated. With them, lingered several families with children who ran around in circles and threw rotten apples at each other. It was an annoyance, but one that both readily adapted to, considering they reminded them of their students. 

“I’m really having a great time,” Jimin offered. “I mean, I knew it would be fun, but I didn’t expect this. You’re a great travel buddy.” Jimin’s arms were full of vibrantly colored apples that he’d picked from the Macintosh tree. Despite having a bucket, he chose to carry his haul.

“Would you think I was crazy if…,” Jeongguk stopped walking, allowing the other families to walk ahead, leaving him and Jimin alone. He swung his bucket full of apples back and forth, “...would you think I was crazy if I planned to come back next year…me and you?”

“I would be honored, actually. I think it would be fun…maybe make a tradition out of it.”

“Fall is my favorite time of year, but my mom is always off with her boyfriend traveling and visiting romantic places. Sometimes I just want someone to enjoy it with too, you know? As-as friends…,”

“Of course. Bros, absolutely,” Jimin agreed. 

Jeongguk turned slightly, “Oh, look at those pink colored apples. We didn’t go down this row yet did we?”

“No. They’re beautiful. Let’s throw a few in our bucket.” Jimin already had his hands full, but he was willing to grab a few more to complete their collection.

Jeongguk started off, but within seconds he screamed and dropped the bucket, clawing at his face and hair. He spat as if his mouth was polluted, “SPIDER WEB!” He screamed as he tried to brush the large web away from his face. 

“And spiders,” Jimin said calmly. He could see the large hole in the silken structure where Jeongguk had walked right through. And for his troubles, he had collected two very large spiders that were crawling up his shoulder.

“SPIDERS! What do you mean SPIDERS!” Jeongguk began to spin in circles, swatting at every inch of his body.

“Ok, stay still before you push them down into your shirt. I recognize the species, they bite. May I get them off of you?”

“THEM? PLURAL? BITE?  I hate spiders,” he began to jump and flail, while slapping his arms, shoulders and legs, trying to kill the little creatures. Despite his antics, he ridiculously managed to avoid hitting either of them.

Jeongguk didn’t exactly give Jimin permission but consent was implied. He quickly jumped into action when he saw them crawling up Jeongguk’s neck towards his hair. “Ok, ok, I’ve got this.” Without thinking, he jammed one of his apples into his mouth, gripping it with his teeth, while dropping the others to the ground. He pounced on Jeongguk, slapping his neck hard and stunning both of the large spiders just long enough for him to knock them to the ground.

Jeongguk grabbed his neck, shocked by the painful slap. With the apple still in his mouth, Jimin tracked them along the ground to make sure they crawled away. He then immediately approached Jeongguk again, pulling down his coat collar and looking inside of his shirt for more creepy crawly stowaways. He shook Jeongguk’s shirt and pulled off his coat for a closer inspection, just to be on the safe side. 

Jeongguk stood perfectly still, holding his hand over the spot on his neck where Jimin had slapped him. He watched as Jimin shook his clothes, all while holding the small apple in his mouth. He could still feel the sting on his neck. His eyes focused, not on the path where the spiders had escaped, but on the swell of Jimin’s lips as they melded around the circumference of the rounded apple. He could see hints of the fruit juice gathering in the corners of his mouth as Jimin made mild mumbling noises caused by the stuffed apple. There was a smile there, ever so slightly distorted by his gag. 

Jeongguk felt his breath stammer, something similar to hyperventilation. It took mere seconds for him to realize what was happening to him; he was absolutely aroused by seeing Jimin with the apple stuffed roughly into his mouth. He found himself staring, gawking, salivating as he glazed his bottom lip with his overly wet tongue. He looked away penitently as soon as he felt his body begin to react.

Jimin, completely unaware of Jeongguk’s dilemma, casually handed his coat back to him. After what seemed like a fortnight, he finally removed the apple from his mouth to speak, “You’re clean. I got them all off of you. They didn’t bite you did they?” Jimin placed his cold hand along the area where the spiders had been. “Sorry about the slap,” he laughed. 

Jeongguk rushed towards Jimin with several ill-timed and overly aggressive steps. The sum of it all left Jimin pinned against the tree, with a very erect Jeongguk centimeters away from him. 

“What? What are doing? Are there spiders on me too?” Jimin checked his coat and hair for crawling arachnids.

Jeongguk had no words. He looked down at the apple that Jimin still held in his hand. Two perfect rows of bite marks were embedded in the skin.

“Uh, my apologies, I - I thought I saw one crawling on you too. But I was wrong.” Jeongguk stepped back, giving Jimin room to breathe. “Nothing…there’s nothing there. I - I hate spiders,” Jeongguk said vacantly.

Jimin proceeded to pick up the pile of apples that he had dropped to the ground. He hummed as he crawled on his hands and knees, recovering his stash. “Well the good news is they didn’t bite you. Those suckers pack quite a punch…,”

“I HAVE TO PEE!”  Jeongguk said unevenly and much too loudly. 

“Now? Can’t it wait until…?”

“Nope. Gotta’ go now. I’ll find one of the trees over there,” Jeongguk didn’t have to pee. But he did urgently need to walk off the erection that was crawling down his thigh. He was absolutely gobsmacked by the way his body responded to seeing Jimin with the apple in his mouth. He walked away quickly with his hands in his pockets, shaking his jeans, trying to get his cock to calm down. He cupped his crotch and pulled at his balls to try to get himself together. Thanks to his stubborn, unrelenting cock, it took another five minutes of wandering through the trees before his erection finally waned.

Jimin watched with confusion. From his vantage point, he could see Jeongguk talking to himself and shaking his jeans as if spiders were still in them. Eventually he disappeared behind a tree, leaving Jimin wondering if he really had to pee at all.

“Ok, that’s just weird,” he laughed. Instead of holding the apples in his arms again, he dropped them on top of the apples in Jeongguk’s bucket. 

 

It was getting late and the alcohol had worn off. It was time to head home. The two gathered enough apples to share with both of their classes when they returned to school. If both men had been honest and willing to admit it, they would have acknowledged how boyfriendy the day felt and how much they enjoyed moving like lovers instead of co-workers. They would have spoken the truth about the growing attraction between them and how it was affecting their time together. And lastly, maybe, they would have avoided wasting another night in the secluded cabin, pretending to be just friends.

“That was a pretty successful day two. Did you cancel the massage and the erogenous zone classes?” Jimin teased.

“I did. Tomorrow is down time. I have an incredible breakfast planned, an even more incredible dinner and a nice sandwich shop for lunch. We can sleep in, get some papers graded or just talk. I mean…if you want to talk. We don’t have to talk. We can do hundreds of things other than talk,” Jeongguk found himself flustered. 

“Jeongguk, all of it sounds perfect. I’m looking forward to it. Listen, I’m pretty exhausted. It was a long day. I’m going to grab a shower and get to bed. See you in the morning?”

“Yea. In the morning.” Jeongguk sunk into the couch as he watched Jimin walk back to his bedroom.

The elder teacher was starting to get to him. He couldn’t even look at him without fantasizing about him in some grossly inappropriate way. He sat there for a few more hours, contemplating his state of mind. The biggest question he asked himself was why he was suddenly so sexually attracted to the man who was just supposed to be his friend. Jimin hadn’t done anything intentionally to put those thoughts in Jeongguk’s head. They just came, fast and furious even when Jimin did nothing but smile at him. There was a level of guilt but also a level of curiosity. He wondered if  it was best to tell Jimin the truth about what he was feeling. Crossing the line would surely end poorly. He decided to keep his hands and his feelings to himself. They only had three more days. Surely he could keep his mind and his dick under control for five more days.  Just five. More. Days. 

 

As Jimin exited the shower, the first thing that caught his attention was the kink box next to his bed. He tried to ignore it by focusing on his wet hair. He pulled the blow dryer from the wall and played around with the settings. The noise from the dated dryer was startling. He laughed as he held it against small sections of his hair, blowing each around his head. Fingering the wet strands as the wind warmed his scalp gave him plenty of volume and bounce. 

Through the mirror’s reflection, he could still see the forbidden box. He had already been busted once playing with the handcuffs, he was not going to let it happen again. He returned to drying his hair and attempted to put the box out of his mind. Yet, every time he lifted his arm, he could see it. It tempted him, like an evil seductress. His resolve was much weaker than his curiosity. He had to open it one more time; if for no other reason than to feel the soft fuzzy handcuffs on his wrists again. 

 

The cuffs were not the only things he pulled from the box. He also retrieved the small pink crop, the silk blindfold and…the ball gag. It was an experiment. Truly, he just wanted to see how his body would react to playing with the bespoke toys. Never had he experienced the pleasures of bondage. It only made sense to test his interest…his boundaries.

Once again he secured the cuffs around his wrist. Only this time, he only secured one of the bracelets, leaving his other hand free to unlock himself when he was done. The sensation was immediate. He watched himself in the mirror as he placed the ball gag gently into his mouth and tied the velvet strands around the back of his head. He stood to his feet and released his fluffy white towel, leaving him standing there completely nude. A quick survey of his body revealed that the peaks of his nipples were already hard and the thick veins of his cock were already flushed with excited blood. 

Everything in the kink box contradicted the limited information he knew about traditional bdsm. It was as if the owner’s of the kit had forged a path into a new genre of kink play. Instead of the hard and painful whips, wooden paddles, and black leather whips of regular bondage play, everything in this tool kit seemed purposely intended for delicacy and softness. The materials were all incredibly satisfying to the touch. It was the equivalent of a soft cuddly teddy bear holding you gingerly in bondage and tickling you until you came all over yourself. That was the only way that Jimin knew to describe it in his head. 

He searched the recesses of his mind…at some point he was sure he’d heard of a concept known as soft, gentle dominance. Where the focus was on self-control, patience, mindfulness, insight, and understanding instead of violence, pain or humiliation. It was always the violent aspects of bdsm that turned Jimin away and kept him from wanting to associate with it. Even the words dominance and subordinate creeped him out. But the sudden discovery of these toys, with their much less abrasive engagement made him wonder if a world existed where there was no sub or dom, but equals who gently exchanged power dynamics like traditional switch couples. 

Another look in the mirror and he was ready to engage even deeper with the tools he’d selected. He began with the soft pink crop. He slapped his left nipple with it and then struck himself again right over his belly button. The sting was fantastic. Coupled with the pull of the handcuffs and the gag in his mouth, he felt a level of stimulation that was foreign to him. The key to his satisfaction was not one tool or two or three, but multiple layers of sensations acting upon his body at once. He loved the pink marks that the crop left on his chest. Despite the mild pain, it was brief, quickly forgotten, leaving him poised to do it again. So once again he whipped the crop against his nipple and then his belly button and then his nipple again. 

“Fuck,” he moaned. 

The blindfold lay on the vanity beneath the mirror. It was long, soft mauve in color, and exquisitely divine to the touch. He had never felt a fabric so sultry and satisfying. He took another look at his body, stared at the pink crop marks across his chest, and then he wrapped the blindfold around his eyes. He rubbed his hands up and down his naked body, exploring with his fingertips instead of his eyes. His small hand landed on the extended thickness of his shaft. It was so wrong to jack himself off with Jeongguk just  feet away, but the need to fuck himself was urgent. There could be no other consideration, he had to cum. He had to feel the flow of his juices spill over his hand while blindfolded, cuffed and gagged. It had to happen and it did. He breathed through his strokes, imagining how beautiful he looked cuffed and blindfolded while masturbating in front of the mirror. There was inexplicable pleasure in each pass of his fist, each squeeze of his leaky mushroom-capped tip. Within seconds, his orgasm swarmed causing a geyser of cum to squirt from his tip. His moans were much louder than he meant for them to be. Even gagged, his voice traveled down the hall, greeting Jeongguk as he sat on the couch flipping through the television channels.  

 

Jeongguk sat up, concerned that Jimin was possibly crying? Or maybe he was talking on the phone? He wasn’t sure what the noises were so he flipped off the television and walked back to Jimin’s bedroom. Outside of the door he stood with his ear pressed against the wood. His eyes bulged and a sinister smile crept across his face. Unless Jimin had managed to sneak someone in his room, he was fruitfully and shamelessly fucking himself in his bedroom. And Jeongguk could hear every bit of it. In fact, he absolutely loved it because for the first time he had confirmation that he wasn’t the only one feeling a heightened sense of sexuality. Jimin was experiencing it too. Something inside of Jeongguk made him feel victorious, avenged. He was not the only pervert on the mountain. He wondered if Jimin was continuing his exploration of the toys in the box, the exploration that had led him to accidentally locking himself in the cuffs and having to be rescued the previous night. If Jeongguk’s assumptions were correct, it meant that Jimin had a kinky side; a side he was very bad at hiding. 

It took every bit of discipline he had not to barge in with his dick in his hand and shove it up Jimin’s ass. But…just because Jimin had a little hidden freak inside of him, didn’t mean he wanted to share that side of himself with Jeongguk. So, rather than be a creep and continue to listen at the door until Jimin finished, Jeongguk chose to go back to his television program and his warm seat on the couch. 

***

 

By the time Jimin arose the following morning, Jeongguk was already cooking breakfast. 

The sun’s rays traveled through the kitchen, bronzing the surface of Jeongguk’s skin as he happily stood over a hot stove. He was cheerful, full of smiles. Jimin wondered if he had possibly overheard his little self-bondage ceremony the previous night. If he had, Jeongguk didn’t mention it. And Jimin appreciated him for not making it - weird.

“What are you cooking?” Jimin asked as he made his way into the large gourmet kitchen.

“I’m using the fresh apples we picked to make apple cinnamon pancakes.”

“Oh that sounds so delicious. May I help?”

“I would love help. Cooking with Park Jimin. Sounds like a YouTube channel.” Jeongguk laughed. He was indeed in a very good mood. “I’m reducing the apples with a little cinnamon-sugar, vanilla and butter. When I’m done it’ll have the consistency of a compote. We’ll pour it over the top of the pancakes. Got the recipe from my aunt and I think you’re going to love it. While I’m doing this, do you mind starting on the batter?”

“Sounds easy enough.”

“The owner of the cabin has a standing mixer. It’s a Kitchenaid too. Really quality stuff. I’ve already set it up on the counter. Can you start pouring the ingredients into the bowl and give it a good mix? The recipe is there on that yellow piece of paper.”

“Sure.”  Jimin walked over to the other side of the kitchen where Jeongguk had the pancake supplies set up. He settled in and took inventory of all of his ingredients. He also took inventory of his sexy companion who stood barefoot at the oven. From his vantage point, he had a great view of Jeongguk’s butt as he stirred his spicy apples.

Jimin found a spare apron and popped it over his head. The apron he chose was three sizes too big, so he looped it around his waist several times and tied it in the front. Despite his attempts to tighten the strings and take up the slack, they dangled along the counter around the outside of the bowl. Each time he leaned forward to add a new ingredient, the rouge apron strings would end up inside of the bowl. But he was so focused on his task that he barely noticed. Jimin was making a mess, but he very much enjoyed the chaos of his technique. 

“How’s it coming?” Jeongguk asked as he continued to mix his apples on the stove.

Jimin mouthed the words to the next line on the recipe, “One half cup of sugar…uh fine. It’s going fine. But where’s the sugar?” Jimin wondered.

“The sugar…? I think I saw it up here,” Jeongguk danced to the soft lo-fi music playing in the background. He grabbed a stool and pushed it up to the counter. “I saw it way up here on the top shelf. Kind of a dumb place to keep the sugar,” Jeongguk continued to dance his way up the step stool. As his eyes glanced over each of the packages on the high shelf, he wiggled his hips and shook his butt to the beat of the music. 

Jimin started the mixer. The blades of the mixer slowly began to swirl, picking up speed with each circumference it traveled through the mixture. The different ingredients, dry and wet, began to layer and then mix. Jimin smiled. His project was coming together nicely. He glanced up from his pancakes to get Jeongguk’s approval and that’s when his eyes immediately landed on the firm muscular butt shrouded in tight jeans, at the top of the step stool. 

He bit his lip as his eyes traveled the full length of Jeongguk’s incredibly long legs. Jimin recognized his jeans. They were the same jeans that Jeongguk had been wearing the first time they met - all those months ago at new teacher orientation. They clung to Jeongguk’s body like a second skin, despite large rips along the knee and the tattered hem. Jimin felt himself growing faint. Jeongguk, the aphrodisiac, was beguiling him once again.

Jeongguk was having trouble finding the sugar. He turned over every package on the shelf, reading it thoroughly before pushing it aside. “I know I saw it up here somewhere.”

Jimin didn’t mind the delay because the harder the sugar was to find, the longer Jimin was able to stare at younger’s butt. He leaned forward, losing track of his silly apron strings that had been encumbering him all morning. His eyes glossed over as he watched Jeongguk slide down the step stool and land gracefully onto the floor with the sugar in his hand.

“See I told you I would find it,” Jeongguk said brightly.

Just then Jimin felt an uncomfortable pull at his apron. Within milliseconds the pull got stronger and then stronger and then stronger. Jimin could feel himself being pulled towards the bowl and the spinning blades of the mixer. 

His eyes bulged with panic, “Whoa! Whoa! What the hell,” Jimin strained, “Shit! My apron strings are caught in the mixer.”

Jeongguk spun around just in time to see Jimin’s apron bunching up and twisting between the blades of the mixer. The apron tightened around Jimin’s body as the fabric became more and more entangled in the spinning machine.

“Well shit! That’s not good,” Jeongguk jumped into action. 

Jimin could feel the fabric squeezing him tighter and tighter around his body as the spinning mixer gobbled up more of the apron’s fabric. He couldn’t reach the off switch because the apron had pulled so tightly around his body that he could barely move. Even his arms were restricted.

Meanwhile, Jeongguk just couldn’t fathom how Jimin had gotten himself into such a predicament. The mixer continued to spin, speeding up faster and faster the more Jimin fought against it. 

Jeongguk tried pulling Jimin free, but by this time, his apron was so tangled within the mixing blades that there was no slack to pull for leverage. The apron was tight around his chest and he was struggling more significantly by the second. 

“Why does this kind of shit always happen to you?” 

“I don’t know. I truly don’t fucking know,” Jimin giggled despite the fact that the mixer had now gobbled up half of his shirt as well as the apron. The ceramic bowl wobbled furiously under the uneven spinning from the mixer tossing around the combination of pancake mix and Park Jimin. “Ok, I need you to get me out of here,” Jimin managed to smile despite the life being squeezed out of him.

“Trying. Be still, stop squirming,” Jeongguk moved in closer. He stood behind Jimin who was being pulled chest first into the bowl of pancake mix. He gave him another tug to try to dislodge him from what they deemed a homicidal Kitchenaid mixer. But Jeongguk still couldn’t get him free. Kitchenaids were expensive and if they weren’t careful, they could have easily cracked the blades or blown the motor. Jeongguk did not want that expense on his damages bill. It was a bonafide mess that Jeongguk tried to take seriously, even though he couldn’t stop laughing. 

Jimin’s chest was mildly constricted and his arms were caught at his sides. The entire situation was comedy at its finest. 

“Wow, this thing is really trying to eat you alive,” Jeongguk laughed. 

“Unplug it before you have to send my remains to my sister,” Jimin was tickled. The tasty batter with no sugar splashed all over his face, the cabinets, the counters and Jeongguk.

“Unplug it? Oh…what a great idea,” Jeongguk walked up behind Jimin. The only way to reach the plug was to press against Jimin’s back and reach over him.

Jimin could feel Jeongguk’s warm body. They were adhered together like two spoons in a drawer as Jeongguk finally managed to reach the plug.

“The simplest solution is always the best,” Jeongguk laughed. The overly aggressive beaters were stopped, but Jimin’s situation was ongoing. “You’re still tangled. May I…help you get loose?”

“Please. Being stuck in a kitchen mixer isn’t exactly how I planned to spend my day.”  Jimin consented.  

“This should only take a second.” The first thing that Jeongguk had to do was slowly rewind the blades to give Jimin more slack. “Can you breathe, are you ok?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Just get me out of this entrapment,” Jimin waited patiently. 

The strings of the apron were wrapped around  Jimin’s chest multiple times and the ends were looped multiple times around the beating blades, causing a tightness around his chest. The only thing that could be done to free him was a methodical untangling of each of the strings as well as the fabric. Jeongguk hit the release button which ejected the mixing blades. Jimin was able to stand free of the bowl but his clothes remained caught.

The untangling was a messy matter, with batter dripping everywhere. The thick watery dough felt like slime and Jeongguk’s long fingers were covered in it. He pulled and tugged, trying to loosen the knots that had formed, anxious to get his friend free. With each tug, more of Jimin’s bare chest was exposed. Jeongguk could see the red marks begin to form along Jimin’s skin where the strings were pulled against it. Face to face they stood, with Jeongguk’s soft brown eyes focused on his task. 

Jimin felt strange, hot, over stimulated as every nerve in his body rapidly and uncontrollably fired. Something about being tightly bound triggered him, opening the gates to the sinister underbelly of his deepest desires. Now was not the time, not with Jeongguk standing so close. He tried to control his thoughts, closing his eyes to retrain his brain towards the mundane. But with every twist of the strings, and every hard pull, every tug at his body, he spiraled. The feel of Jeongguk’s hands on him, the closeness of his face and the soft hint of toothpaste on his breath drove Jimin insane. He balled his hands into a fist and tried to control it. With Jeongguk being so near to him, he was sure to notice that Jimin had an erection.

There was no other movement between them except for Jeongguk’s restless fingers working the knots of the apron. 

Jimin felt Jeongguk’s gaze and heard the deepening rasp of his breath. The strings slowly began to loosen and before he knew it, both the mass of the apron and Jimin’s shirt slid to the floor, leaving Jimin standing there with a chest covered in searing pink bondage wounds. He closed his eyes, an attempt to mask his thoughts while avoiding the beautiful eyes that were staring back at him. And then suddenly, he felt Jeongguk’s mouth on his shoulder, his breath wafting in a hot mist against his skin. Gently, both of his large batter covered hands came around his waist. The floor seemed to shift beneath their feet as he leaned into the solid strength of Jeongguk’s rugged body. Jimin hardly dared to breathe. His fingers curved around the younger’s broad, muscular back. The swollen bulge of Jeongguk’s cock pressed into Jimin’s thigh while his long wandering fingers found the crest of his nipple and slowly massaged it to its peak. He tried to step away but was overwhelmed by the intimate pleasure. Jimin released a soft groan and clenched his hands over Jeongguk’s ass to hold him in place and keep their bodies pressed together. The heat was building in his loins and there was nothing he could do to stop it. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Jeongguk said softly, his mouth nipping at Jimin’s ear and then trailing down his neck.

“What’s happening?” Jimin whispered as he threw his head back to feed more of his sensuous swan-like neck to Jeongguk.

“I don’t know.”

Nothing was in their control anymore. They moved by sheer instinct. 

To Jimin’s surprise, his small hands grabbed at the lapel of Jeongguk’s button down shirt. He pressed his mouth against the hard mound of his chest and then reached for his nipple with long velvety licks from his tongue. The savory taste of the bitter batter coated his skin. Once again, Jimin’s hands crept inside of the lapels, spreading them open and pushing the shirt from Jeongguk’s shoulders. It dropped to the floor on top of the batter covered apron and Jimin’s shirt. Still refusing to meet Jeongguk’s eyes, Jimin found the waist of his jeans and began unbuttoning them. 

Jeongguk trembled, heart slamming against his chest as he felt the pluck of Jimin’s fingers against the buttons on his pants. The loosened jeans obediently lowered, revealing the CK logo on the hem of Jeongguk’s underwear. Jeongguk’s breath skipped, his eyes rolled as he absorbed the sultry feel of Jimin’s foreign touch.

Jimin’s fingers touched the tautness of Jeongguk’s lower belly as he smoothed through the hairs that laid uniformly like silk across his crotch. It was at that moment, when Jimin’s hands began to explore Jeongguk’s most intimate regions. Only then did their eyes meet.

“I want to touch you there, please say yes. May I touch you there?” Jimin looked for consent before proceeding. He needed permission to pleasure him.

“Fucking yes,” Jeongguk moaned as he pushed his hips towards Jimin’s crawling fingers. 

 

There was a strong aggressive knock at the door. The veil of passion was suddenly and callously lifted. Rawness of what they had done and what they were about to do sobered them immensely, causing them to pause and pull back, partially clothed and still reeling. 

Jeongguk looked at Jimin as if he were a stranger, seeing him for the first time. Jimin looked on with similar disbelief. Whatever had come over them had not been sanctioned by either of them. They were left standing there, partially clothed in the kitchen, swimming in regret; each wondering if they had offended the other.

“That’s um, uh probably the wine that we ordered from the orchard. I-I better answer the door,” Jeongguk said awkwardly.

“You do that. I-I-uh better clean up this mess. There’s batter everywhere.” Jimin turned his back abruptly. He fished through the batter-covered pile of clothes on the floor and quickly slid back into his shirt. 

Jeongguk took one final look at the marks across Jimin’s back before heading to answer the door. 

***

He placed the delivered wine on the hearth of the fireplace and then immediately bolted. He ran out of the cabin so fast that he didn’t even take a jacket with him. Jeongguk wasn’t ready to face Jimin and admit to what had happened in the kitchen. He first needed to understand it for himself before he could talk to Jimin about it. He chose to go for a walk along the path behind the house. The foreboding trees and dark forest floor were not enough to dissuade him because he much preferred the unknown of the forest than the unknown of what was happening between him and Jimin. 

As Jeongguk wandered down the path, he deconstructed the events in his head. Everything was a blur and in the end, all he could remember was the overwhelming urge to fuck. It had all started when he saw the restriction marks on Jimin’s skin. That seemed to be the trigger that caused him to lose his senses. The only thing he remembered after that was pressing his lips against Jimin’s bare shoulders. He could still feel the heat in his cock from his raging erection. Never had his dick been that hard withYu-jon. So how did Jimin draw such a reaction from him? Had he been the one to make the first move? It was unclear.

Jeongguk continued to overthink the situation. He aimlessly took a right turn at the end of the path, which led him away from the trail. It wasn’t just the incident in the kitchen that had Jeongguk confused. It was all of it - the entire two days they had spent alone. Everything about Jimin felt like a sexual conquest, a journey he was destined to take, but couldn’t. Their friendship was on solid ground and he cherished it above everything else. Sex would ruin everything. 

That’s how it started with Yu-jon, friends, best friends, until the night they had sex. It didn’t take them long to realize that the sex was much stronger than the friendship and that’s where things started to fall apart because they didn’t have a strong enough foundation to keep Yu-jon faithful. 

If he crossed the line with Jimin, he would end up losing a friend that was a once in a lifetime find. In the little time that he and Jimin had become closer, he had served as a transformative figure in Jeongguk’s life, changing his outlook and helping him find inner strength that he never knew he possessed. Surely he wasn’t ready to sacrifice all of that for a fuck. Albeit, possibly one of the best fucks of his lifetime. 

“No, I can’t,” Jeongguk said aloud as he picked frost covered pine cones from the forest floor. 

He continued on until he reached a peaceful stream that flowed from the upper tier of the mountain. There his feet shifted over a lake of pebbles beneath him. One by one, he skipped them across the water’s surface as he grappled with his feelings. For the first time in forever, he was embarrassed by his behavior with Jimin. And that was a rare occurrence because Jimin was the only person in the world who never made him feel uncomfortable in his own skin. 

Adding to his embarrassment was knowing that the night prior, he had been so aroused by his cabin mate that he fucked himself with a dildo, after watching Jimin squirm inside of the pink fluffy handcuffs. It was that image that stuck in his head as he worked himself to climax. Even though he knew that Jimin could possibly hear him, he did it anyway. He couldn’t help himself. 

And that brought up another problem that confused him. Why was he so turned on by the elements of bdsm? First the handcuffs, then seeing Jimin gagged with the apple, then the accidental tangling of the apron. Where had this new proclivity come from and why was it suddenly overwhelming him? He had never given the practice a second thought until they uncovered the tools in the box.  

He made excuses to himself, “It’s been a long time since you had sex. At least five months. You’re just horny, that’s why you’re so unhinged.” He nodded with relief. 

That was as good of a reason as any. But was there more? He had spent time with other friends, but none of them were so stimulating that they compelled him to bend himself over a bed and fuck himself. No. This seemed like a Jimin only phenomenon. 

Jeongguk considered himself a man of integrity. He wasn’t putting himself through misery just for the sake of being dramatic. There was a very valid reason that he couldn’t simply give in to his desires. And that was because - he and Jimin worked together. That fact alone raised the stakes much higher than they had ever been with Yu-jon. Principal Han already suspected something was going on between them even before the sexual tension crept in. Imagine what she would sense if they were actively fucking each other. Jeongguk’s job meant everything to him. Even though he hated the school because of the administration, he wanted to control his own fate and not have some nosey hag dictating his future. Allowing himself to engage in a fuckfest with Jimin would drastically change their dynamic, giving her the upper hand because dating between staff was explicitly prohibited by Principal Han, even though it was perfectly fine at other schools. There was no way they would be able to hide it from her if they started a sultry forbidden affair.

There was one thing that Jeongguk was certain of. His behavior was not rebound drama. Thanks in part to Jimin, he had solidly put Yu-jon behind him, to the point of being agnostic to his existence. That was  the best thing to come out of him and Jimin’s friendship. He was able to see Yu-jon for the snake he had always been.

Jeongguk skipped so many rocks across the stream that a large pile of them began to gather on the other side. He was lost in thought and barely cognizant of time. A rustling of footsteps over dry leaves sounded behind him, causing him to turn around. 

There stood a pale tan doe, all alone, grazing on the wet moss that grew along the large oak tree. 

“Why hello there. Did you come here to think too? Are you also being tormented by a flaming hot first grade teacher who refuses to stop crowding your sexual thoughts? Yea, same.” He smiled at the doe who was unbothered by his presence. 

The animal was a thing of beauty.; light fur, with perfectly rounded white spots along his torso, large fluffy ears and eyes as big as bulbs. Jeongguk had to get a picture. He knew that his students would be delighted to see such a lovely creature in its natural habitat. As the doe walked deeper into the forest, Jeongguk followed along quietly snapping pictures from different angles. He allowed Jeongguk to get within inches of him, often posing for the camera with twigs in his mouth. 

And then just as suddenly as the doe appeared, he sprinted away, cutting through the trees, making it impossible for Jeongguk to follow. It was only then that Jeongguk noticed that the sun was going down. Inadvertently, he had spent hours in the forest, losing all track of time. As someone born in the bustling city of Busan, it was rare to experience nature in such an intimate setting. But as luck would have it, he had overstayed his welcome. A chorus of crickets, croaking frogs, and hooting owls signaled dusk. It was definitely time to head home. The dappled light of the trees grew dim as he turned back towards the cabin. Well at least he thought he turned towards the cabin. He searched the ground for the familiar path, using his phone to illuminate the dirt. He turned in circles, unsure of which direction to go. The light of his phone recessed before eventually going dark. 

“Shit. What is going on?” He shook his phone trying to get the light turned back on. And then he realized the problem. And it was a big problem. His phone was dead. He was in the middle of the forest, he had been gone for hours, he hadn’t told Jimin where he was going or that he was even leaving and he was fucking lost. “FUCK! How did I end up in this situation?” 

***

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Chapter Links | Posting Schedule

Chapter 1 - Odor of Mendacity - 3/1/25

Chapter 2 - The Audacity - 3/1/25

Chapter 3 - The Complexity - 3/2/25

Chapter 4 - The Tenacity - 3/2/25

Chapter 5 - The Intensity - 3/7/25

Chapter 6 - The Sensitivity - 3/8/25

Chapter 7 - The Atrocity - 3/9/25