Projection Novel (Completed) - Chapter 99

“Maybe we should really go on a trip,” Cheon Sejoo thought, then asked, “It’s not what you think. How about we go on a trip?”

“…Are you sick?”

Sejin worriedly touched his forehead. He must have been worried because Cheon Sejoo, after returning from the supermarket, said something out of place. But Cheon Sejoo was perfectly fine. To confirm he was completely sober, he said clearly, “I’m not sick. Let’s take a month off, okay?”

As he said that, he suddenly felt certain this was the best time. Before, he wouldn’t even dare to dream of taking a month off, but when he thought of the endless working days ahead and having to be away from Sejin during that time, he felt he couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“What’s wrong with you, suddenly…”

Even though Sejin looked at him as if he were insane, Cheon Sejoo didn’t care and immediately started planning their trip.

Sejin had once said he’d never been abroad, and neither had Cheon Sejoo. Despite speaking English like a native, he had never even had a passport.

Asian countries like Japan or China could be visited on short breaks, so if they were going, they should go far, to America, Canada, or Europe. After much deliberation, Cheon Sejoo thought of England and Western Europe, then remembered the setting of Sejin’s favorite movie was in England.

“How about England? Live in England for a month?”

“…Are you serious?”

Sejin’s face clearly showed confusion. He couldn’t tell if this was a joke or real, so his eyes darted around, which Cheon Sejoo found strangely endearing. Cheon Sejoo smiled faintly, lifted his head to kiss Sejin’s chin, and whispered, “Let’s go, travel.”

And so, the two began preparing for a long journey.

Of course, since neither of them had ever been on a long trip before, everything was difficult from the start. After getting their passports and booking flights and accommodation, they still had no idea where to begin packing or what to bring.

“Do we need to bring a kettle?”

Sejin had seen people on TV bringing pots to cook instant noodles while traveling so they could eat them every night. At that question, Cheon Sejoo frowned in thought. If they brought a kettle, they’d also have to bring noodles, and to bring enough for Sejin to eat for a month, they’d probably need three boxes.

“No. There must be Korean supermarkets there, we can just buy what we need on the spot.”

Cheon Sejoo gently shook his head, then took out his tablet and reopened the detailed information page for the place they would stay for three weeks on an app. Reading the description carefully, he saw that the place was fully equipped with basic cooking utensils.

“It seems we only need to bring clothes.”

Not far from their accommodation were markets and shopping centers, and Korea Town was just a 10-minute train ride away. Cheon Sejoo sat next to Sejin, and together they made a list of things to bring.

“What about swimsuits?”

“I’ll order them.”

During their month-long trip, they would stay in a studio for three weeks and a hotel for one week. When he heard the hotel had a large swimming pool, Sejin seemed visibly excited. Noticing this, Cheon Sejoo immediately promised to go swimming every day. The problem was, neither of them had swimsuits. When Cheon Sejoo said he would buy them himself, Sejin blinked and asked, “Buy them without trying them on? What if they don’t fit? Isn’t it better to go out and buy them?”

But Cheon Sejoo already had a plan. He smiled faintly, poked Sejin’s ear, and asked, “Ordering online takes only one day, why go out? What, do you want to try them on in person and show off your body to someone?”

“It’s not like that…”

“Isn’t showing me enough?”

“It’s not…!”

Sejin’s face flushed red, and he shot up from his seat at Cheon Sejoo’s relentless teasing. When he saw Sejin go into the dressing room, seemingly to pack, Cheon Sejoo quietly took out his phone.

Last night before bed, he had searched and found a swimsuit he really wanted Sejin to wear. Even though he knew the chances of Sejin actually wearing it were very low… he still had to try. Cheon Sejoo’s eyes lit up, and he pressed the checkout button.

The next evening.

When he went out to pick up the fried chicken they ordered for a late-night snack, Sejin saw a package at the door. He brought it in and asked, “Cheon Sejoo, what did you buy?”

At that moment, both were taking a break after studying for a while. Looking at the box in Sejin’s hand, Cheon Sejoo placed the London travel guide on the table and stood up to take it.

“Swimsuits.”

“Did they arrive that fast?”

“Yes, old man. If you order now, it arrives the next day.”

Sejin pouted at Cheon Sejoo’s teasing tone, as if saying, “You don’t even know something so simple?” While Sejin was opening the fried chicken box, Cheon Sejoo quietly tore open the package.

Inside was a black triangle-cut swimming brief and a rashguard set. The rashguard was a white jacket-style top and loose-fitting shorts. The swimming brief was just one piece, with nothing else included.

This triangle brief had the brand logo printed on the elastic band, looking so flimsy it barely covered the buttocks, with sharp and bold cuts. If Sejin wore it, it would definitely be very sexy.

Would Sejin actually wear this? Cheon Sejoo was thinking this as he tried pulling the elastic band to check its stretch.

“…What is that?”

Sejin brought the tray with plates and rice, frowning as he asked. His eyes showed disgust, as if he had just seen something he shouldn’t have. This wouldn’t do, Cheon Sejoo pretended it was nothing, smiled brightly, and held the brief up in front of him.

“It’s your swimsuit.”

“…..”

Sejin tilted his head as if he had misheard. He silently looked at Cheon Sejoo, then placed the tray on the table and sat down next to him.

“It’s pretty.”

Cheon Sejoo still smiled nonchalantly and placed the tiny brief in Sejin’s hand. Sejin froze, holding the brief with two fingers, looking at it as if observing a cockroach with 320,000 antennae.

“…Are you kidding?”

Finally, Sejin put the brief down, struggling to turn and ask Cheon Sejoo. Cheon Sejoo answered concisely to the serious question.

“No kidding,” then chuckled.

He bent his head, shoulders shaking with laughter, while Sejin frowned and yelled, “Are you crazy? How am I supposed to wear this!”

Sejin’s pale face turned bright red. He couldn’t believe it, picked up the tiny brief with two fingers again, discovered it was only the size of his palm, then yelled “Ah!” and threw it hard onto the table.

“What the hell! I don’t even wear underwear like this!”

Seeing Sejin scream, Cheon Sejoo laughed so hard he almost choked, hugging Sejin’s waist, unable to stop laughing. Sejin’s adorable reaction, exactly as expected, drove him crazy with delight.

“Stop laughing!”

Sejin’s rapid breathing echoed in his ears. Finally, Cheon Sejoo managed to suppress his laughter, looked up, and saw Sejin’s face flushed and scowling with anger.

“Whyyyy~?”

He raised a hand to stroke Sejin’s cheek, who immediately turned his face away, clearly pouting. But Cheon Sejoo didn’t care in the slightest, leaning down to lightly kiss Sejin’s cheek. The soft kiss calmed Sejin, who softly said, “It’s embarrassing… It’s like wearing nothing.”

“It’s different. Very different.”

Cheon Sejoo said, trying to hold back his laughter. Sejin turned his face to glare at him as if saying, “Don’t talk nonsense,” then reached for the rashguard on the table.

“Whose is this?”

No matter how he looked at it, that triangle brief was exactly Cheon Sejoo’s style. When he worked in the task force, he often wore such briefs. Sejin used to think that whenever he saw him wear them, he looked… lewd, far beyond sexy.

“This isn’t my stuff, is it?”

Therefore, Sejin was certain Cheon Sejoo was just teasing him. He squinted and asked, Cheon Sejoo shrugged and turned slightly, tilting his head to signal Sejin to look at his back.

“I have to cover my tattoo. So I’ll wear the rashguard.”

“…..”

Sejin had also heard that if you have tattoos, you’re not allowed in public baths or saunas.

So… this was really Cheon Sejoo’s stuff? Sejin frowned, picked up the rashguard to examine it, then glanced at that terrifying triangle brief again, finally asking in a small voice, “You wear the rashguard, and I wear this?”

“Yeah. It fits, right?”

At that answer, accompanied by a wide grin, Sejin replied concisely, “I’m not going swimming anymore.”

“Why not? Because of the swimsuit?”

“This isn’t a swimsuit! It’s underwear!”

“It’s not underwear. It’s this tight.”

Saying that, Cheon Sejoo stretched the tiny brief horizontally. He even pulled the front part to prove it could accommodate Sejin’s “big boy” without tearing.

Of course, that didn’t convince Sejin at all. If he had to choose between not swimming or wearing that, he’d rather not go. This brief was too revealing and sexy, impossible to wear outside.

Seeing Sejin’s resolute expression, Cheon Sejoo was slightly disappointed. Actually, he didn’t expect him to wear it to the pool, just for him to see… But looking at the situation, Sejin might even burn the brief.

No, Cheon Sejoo gently placed the triangle brief on the table and called, “Sejin.”

“What?”

“Just try it on once.”

“No.”

The cold, indifferent reply didn’t deter Cheon Sejoo. He turned Sejin around, gently placing his hands on his waist. When they were face to face, Sejin’s stiff face immediately softened, his cheeks flushing as he secretly glanced at him. Cheon Sejoo smiled faintly, whispering, “Just once.”

Sejin gently bit his lip. Seeing the clear hesitation on his face, Cheon Sejoo tilted his head, placed a light kiss on his shoulder, and whispered, “I won’t make you wear it outside. But you can show me, right?”

“……”

“Hmm?”

When facing and talking with such a beautiful face… it was truly impossible to refuse. Sejin bit his lip in distress, then gently nodded, avoiding Cheon Sejoo’s gaze. Only then did Cheon Sejoo chuckle and gently step back.

Sejin jumped up from his seat, grabbed the swimsuit, and went behind Cheon Sejoo. He stood behind the sofa, yelling loudly as he looked down at Cheon Sejoo’s head.

“Don’t turn around!”

“Got it.”

Sejin’s behavior, having already seen almost everything but now yelling not to peek while he changed, was maddeningly adorable. Despite that, Cheon Sejoo tried to respond calmly. He narrowed his eyes, subtly glancing at Sejin’s reflection in the glass door, and when he heard the sound of fabric being removed, he held his breath.

Sejin ripped off his t-shirt first. He placed it on the sofa, then continued to take off his pants. Meanwhile, Cheon Sejoo pulled Sejin’s t-shirt closer and buried his face in it. He took a deep breath, immersing himself in Sejin’s scent, then heard Sejin awkwardly mumbling from behind, “Don’t…”

Even though he had nodded, saying he understood, Cheon Sejoo continued to inhale the scent. As he was still intoxicated by the gentle, sweet fragrance emanating from Sejin, Sejin’s hesitant figure then came into view.

Cheon Sejoo released the shirt and turned his head, his gaze settling on the body standing next to him.

“It’s strange…”

The whisper was so faint it was barely audible, but what met his eyes at that moment was Sejin’s naked upper body, his face flushed red.

Broad, straight shoulders, beautiful collarbones extending like a line, not too thick but firm, a moderately developed chest, two light pink nipples like blooming flowers, upper and lower abdomen revealing gentle muscle lines, a neat navel, and prominent hips with the pelvis protruding on both sides.

His shoulders were significantly wider, but his waist was as small as Cheon Sejoo’s, creating a clear contrast. Below that prominent body was the tight black swimming brief. Right below the brand logo band, a very obvious bulge appeared. Just as Sejin said, this really couldn’t be worn outside.

“…Turn your back.”

Sejin felt as if his head was melting when Cheon Sejoo whispered that, he shyly raised a hand to touch his cheek, then awkwardly turned away.

Along his slender spine were two clearly defined muscle lines. That snow-white back, though a classic metaphor, was truly as vast as the Pacific Ocean, and his slender waist looked even more prominent from behind.

Cheon Sejoo unconsciously reached out to touch Sejin’s hip. When his fingertips lightly brushed that curve, Sejin subtly tensed. The tightening muscles clearly showed their attractive shape.

Cheon Sejoo stared blankly at Sejin’s small buttocks, then slipped his hand under the thin fabric covering that area.

“What are you doing!”

Sejin screamed and turned around when Cheon Sejoo grabbed his butt, but Cheon Sejoo didn’t let go. Instead, he held Sejin’s butt tightly and knelt down, pressing his face into Sejin’s groin.

“Cheon Sejoo!”

The taut, shiny fabric of the brief lightly brushed the tip of his nose. Cheon Sejoo stuck out his tongue, licking along the part hidden within the brief. Each time his tongue passed, the brief became wetter, and the part inside became harder and harder.

“If you wear this, it won’t end well… haa, it’ll drive people crazy…”

Cheon Sejoo rubbed his cheek against Sejin’s damp groin and looked up at him. Sejin’s cheeks were flushed with embarrassment from accidentally seducing him. That embarrassed face was deeply etched in Cheon Sejoo’s eyes, he opened his mouth wide, taking into his mouth the part that was bulging under the fabric.

“We can pack the luggage tomorrow, Sejin…”

Now, something else needed to be dealt with first.

After a long flight, when they landed at Heathrow Airport in England, it was drizzling under a gray sky. The weather wasn’t pleasant, but it was good to arrive safely. Just not losing their luggage at Heathrow, a place famous for that, was a lucky start.

Although this was the first time abroad for both of them, only Sejin was particularly excited. He kept looking around from the moment they got off the plane, his head constantly turning from side to side.

Cheon Sejoo pulled down his hoodie to hide his laughter, then led Sejin following the signs to the Heathrow Express line to the city center.

The airport, though not as clean as Incheon, was still neat and orderly. When he saw Sejin worried amidst the crowd, Cheon Sejoo placed a hand on his shoulder and finally managed to find the Heathrow Express ticket machine.

If they had booked tickets 90 days in advance, the price would have been much cheaper, but because their decision to go was so sudden, they had to pay over 50,000 won per person for a round-trip ticket from Paddington to the airport. At that moment, both clearly felt how unbelievably cheap Korean public transportation was.

Sejin held the ticket in his hand, clinging tightly to Cheon Sejoo, chattering questions, “Cheon Sejoo. This trip goes straight to Paddington, right? We won’t go the wrong way, will we? You didn’t press the wrong ticket, did you?”

“It says ‘Express’ on the ticket, Sejin. Don’t show off your level 6 English anymore.”

“……”

At Cheon Sejoo’s calm tone, Sejin pouted and lowered his head. He carefully read “Heathrow Express” and the “sky-high” price printed on the ticket, then carefully put it in his pocket. Since it was a round-trip ticket, he had to keep it safe until their return.

Even standing on the unfamiliar platform, so different from anything he had seen in Korea, Sejin’s eyes kept darting around. Everything from the arched ceiling, the seats, to the floor had an unusual design that captivated his gaze.

Soon after, the purple express train that would take them to Paddington pulled into the station.

Heathrow Express.

Before boarding the train with Cheon Sejoo, Sejin confirmed the line name one more time. Although it looked a bit old on the outside, the inside was clean. The large, wide purple seats had a slightly strange smell, but the space was still comfortable enough.

“Are you enjoying it?”

“Huh?”

The train started moving, Sejin still didn’t take his eyes off the scenery outside the window. Cheon Sejoo, sitting next to him, asked softly, a hint of gentle jealousy in his gaze.

“I noticed you haven’t looked back at me once, so I’m curious what’s so captivating.”

“Oh, it’s just… it feels new…”

Embarrassed by Cheon Sejoo’s direct remark, Sejin blushed and explained. Perhaps he was too excited. Sejin sat up straight, turned his head to look at Cheon Sejoo, who then smiled faintly and reached out to tightly intertwine their hands. Sejin startled, his eyes wide as if asking, “What’s wrong?”

“No one thinks it’s strange.”

Cheon Sejoo whispered, then gestured with his chin towards the seats diagonally opposite, where a gay couple was intimately holding hands. No one paid them any mind, not even the person pulling luggage down the aisle.

Sejin’s mother had him when she was very young, so she instilled extremely conservative ideas in him early on. This was to prevent her strikingly handsome son from getting a girlfriend pregnant, as she had experienced.

Even when Sejin had no intention of dating, his mother drilled countless rules into his head: before becoming an adult, he could only hold a girlfriend’s hand; if she didn’t like it, he couldn’t kiss her; use condoms during intercourse; let his heart lead, not instinct… Don’t act like an animal, don’t touch your girlfriend in public, cherish the other person, only engage in physical contact when both consent and in a private space…

And because of this, Sejin always avoided intimacy with Cheon Sejoo in public. If Cheon Sejoo accidentally patted his butt while they were walking, he would panic and immediately pull away. Although Cheon Sejoo found it adorable, sometimes he also got annoyed, feeling like he was a dog in heat by himself.

“Not even here?”

Since they had come all this way, Cheon Sejoo didn’t want to maintain the same distance as in Korea. Seeing him ask softly with a gentle gaze, Sejin awkwardly looked around, then squeezed his hand a little tighter. Feeling that small warmth, Cheon Sejoo chuckled, resting his head against Sejin’s temple.

“It’s really big…”

Since it was an express train with no stops, they arrived at Paddington quite quickly. The two pulled their suitcases off the train, standing speechless on the vast platform.

The space was so vast it resembled an aircraft hangar more than a train station. The high arched ceiling with a transparent top like a greenhouse, dimly lit by the overcast sky, illuminated the entire station.

Amidst the unfamiliar crowd, Sejin still held Cheon Sejoo’s hand tightly, trying to find their way to their accommodation.

The studio they rented was in a building not far from the station. The building was quite old, so much so that it had an old-fashioned elevator where you had to manually push the doors open and close, like in movies.

“…”

“It won’t fall, will it?” Sejin shivered, his eyes darting worriedly, but fortunately, nothing happened.

Inside, the elevator, unlike its old exterior, looked quite clean, as if it had been renovated. When they reached the 6th floor and stepped into the hallway, only the faint sound of suitcase wheels echoed.

Room 604, their rented studio, appeared before them. Both entered the pre-received code and stepped inside. As soon as they opened the door, what caught their eyes was the large balcony with wide glass doors, just like in the photos, from which they could see a panoramic view of central London.

Under the dim afternoon light, on the dining table in the living room was an incredibly beautiful bouquet of flowers. It was a gift prepared by the host, deceived by Cheon Sejoo’s lovely lie in the “special notes” section that they were on their honeymoon.

A strange coincidence was that the white tulip bouquet was exactly like the gift Cheon Sejoo had given Sejin on graduation day. He picked up the bouquet, approached Sejin who was still unable to tear his eyes away from the view outside the window, and placed the bouquet in his arms.

“What’s this?”

Apparently, he hadn’t noticed the bouquet on the table yet, Sejin’s eyes widened as he looked down. He tilted his head, gently sniffing the flowers, an act so tender and beautiful. His cheeks flushed with excitement for the trip, his red lips contrasting beautifully against the white petals and dark green stems, making Sejin look strangely even more alluring.

Instead of answering, Cheon Sejoo just smiled with his eyes and kissed him.

That was the beginning of their vacation.

However, Cheon Sejoo was not the type of person who could live lazily, and although it was called a vacation, both continued their studies even after arriving in England. They simply moved their study location from their home to the British Library, parks, or outdoor cafes along the streets, always living alongside books.

Even so, unlike in Korea, they no longer studied diligently from morning till night. They often woke up late, put on sportswear, and jogged in Kensington Garden near their accommodation, then stopped at an eatery on their way back for breakfast.

After showering, they changed clothes, brought their books, and went out. If it rained a lot, they’d go to a nearby cafe; on nice days, they’d go to a park or a library. It was just a change of scenery, but each day brought a different color. Even though it still rained and was gloomy as usual, the days in London passed slowly and longer than in Seoul, making Sejin and Cheon Sejoo feel a sense of freedom every day.

Then one morning, the sky finally cleared, and a beautiful sunny day arrived. Cheon Sejoo opened his eyes while still in Sejin’s arms, staring blankly at the clear blue sky outside the window.

It was the first time in two weeks they had seen a clear blue sky. During that time, they had only seen gray and dull skies, but today, it was as if they had stepped into a different country in their sleep, the world’s colors seemed different too.

Suddenly, Cheon Sejoo wanted to stay away from books today. He took Sejin’s hand, which was resting on his waist, and gently pulled it to wake him.

“Sejin.”

“Mmm…”

Although he could be considered more diligent than Cheon Sejoo in some aspects, whenever he was woken up a little earlier than planned, Sejin would lazily draw out his voice as if whining, as if saying, “It’s not time to wake up yet.”

Hearing that adorable reply, Cheon Sejoo gently bit the fingertip that had been playfully touching him all night and said, “Wake up.” Sejin groaned softly, rubbing his forehead against Cheon Sejoo’s nape.

“What…” His voice was still full of sleep.

Cheon Sejoo still looked up at the sky, intertwined their hands, and softly said, “Let’s not study today, let’s go on a date. The weather’s too beautiful.”

“Huh…?”

Hearing the words “date,” Sejin immediately opened his eyes wide.

When they arrived in London, they had already rented a car in case of long trips away from the center, but because public transportation was more convenient than driving in London, the car had been left unused in the parking lot for over four days.

Each time they passed the car, they would say that when the weather was nice, they would go to Dover together. And at this moment, the words “date” and “beautiful weather” reminded Sejin of Dover.

“Dover?”

“Yeah, want to go?”

“Yes.”

Sejin immediately sat up after answering. He seemed to want to look at the sky again, so he moved closer to the window, wearing only his underwear.

Cheon Sejoo lay on his side, narrowing his eyes as he admired Sejin’s back. Sejin’s body was covered in marks left by him. Dark red hickeys, marking ownership as if someone had stamped his skin with red ink.