Into The Thrill

Haewon had never maintained a steady relationship with anyone for more than half a year. After a few times together, the tension in the relationship would wane, and as more time passed, the fantasies and expectations he harbored would disappear, leaving him no longer curious about the other person. He typically °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° got bored much faster than average.

Thus, he only ever had fleeting relationships, like with Kim Jaemin, who would soon return to America, or Choi, who kept a certain distance and never got too close.
Haewon thought of himself as someone who easily became bored and lacked patience. Aside from playing the violin, he never consistently committed to anything and quickly lost interest, especially in people.
The idea of sustaining excitement or affection for several months seemed impossible, but Hyun Woojin was an exception. Perhaps because Hyun Woojin was busy and they couldn't meet often, or because he never used clichéd expressions of affection like saying he was in love, or maybe because he didn't try to win favor with expensive gifts—whatever the reason, Haewon felt like he was fishing for a catch that, no matter how enticing the bait, would just swim around it but never bite.

The fish he wanted to catch was beautiful in shape and color, and he could imagine all the delicious ways he could enjoy it—grilled, sautéed, fried, making his mouth water.
Haewon was aware of his growing impatience and the feelings he harbored towards him. Hyun Woojin, who remained constant no matter the circumstance, was so different from him that sometimes Haewon wanted to grab him by the collar and demand to know exactly how much he liked him, quantified.
His phone rang, and he searched through his jacket pocket. It was Hyun Woojin.

"Hello?"
—Turn around.
As he left the concert hall, Haewon turned around. He saw Hyun Woojin's car. Haewon got into the car.

As usual, Hyun Woojin placed Haewon’s violin in the back seat.
Haewon, who had thought the car had just been repaired after an accident with Lee Jinyoung, only recently realized that Hyun Woojin had actually replaced it with a new one. It was the same model and color as before, but after finding out, he noticed that the interface and the exterior seemed slightly different.
It was only after seeing the same model of car on the street that he noticed the differences from the previous one.

Every time, it was strange. If it were Haewon, he would have chosen a completely different color and model. He preferred something new for the sake of new experiences, because he found sameness boring.
"If it were me, I would have changed to a different car."
"It’s my car, I’ll do as I like."

"Don’t you get bored with the same thing?"
"I prefer comfort over convenience."
Hyun Woojin accelerated the car. Haewon looked at him, questioning the meaning behind his words. Even while keeping his eyes on the road, Hyun Woojin felt Haewon's gaze and said,

"Changing cars means taking time to get used to the buttons and operations. I’d rather spend that time doing other things. I like things to stay as they are. It’s more comfortable that way."
"You really are an old man, aren’t you? It’s not about saving time, it’s just bothersome."
"I am old. When you were seventeen, flirting with piano teachers, I was rolling in the military."
"When I was seventeen, Hyun Woojin was a military man."

Haewon felt the reality of their six-year age difference. When he was in his second year of middle school, Hyun Woojin was in university; when Haewon was a senior in high school, Hyun Woojin had graduated from university. When Haewon entered university, Hyun Woojin was in the Judicial Research and Training Institute. And when he was transferred to the Central District Prosecutors' Office and got engaged, Haewon was hiding behind a grand piano in the school practice room, having sex with a teaching assistant whose name he couldn’t even remember. So he couldn’t really blame him. At least he had no right to.
"When did you graduate?"
"When did you enroll?"

After Haewon told him the year he enrolled, Hyun Woojin told him the year he graduated. Their paths had overlapped for a year without either knowing.
Haewon had walked the paths he walked, eaten at the same spots, sat on the same lawns, and while Haewon was in the practice room, Hyun Woojin had been in the library, unknowingly sharing the same space.
It felt surprisingly fulfilling. He wished he could have seen what Hyun Woojin was like as a student. If he had known such a senior, he would have been more enthusiastic about school, not missing out on drinking sessions, joining clubs, and not scoffing at useless activities like festivals.

"You really were a senior."
Haewon imagined what Hyun Woojin must have been like, fresh and youthful, and looked at him now, far removed from that freshness. Experience and sharp intelligence seemed to flow from his forehead down his nose.
"I should have known you. Didn’t you come to school?"

Hyun Woojin reached out and touched Haewon’s cheek, then held his hand. Haewon, who used to dodge such gestures, now automatically stiffened and held his hand when he got in the car. He smiled warmly at him.
What mattered was now. Not every day needed to be a revolution. Haewon, who had once thought he could never be content with just this, was surprised at himself. Just holding hands with Hyun Woojin was enough. Just holding hands was enough to make his heart flutter.
"I never skipped school. And I’m still going."

"You’re still going?"
Hyun Woojin asked, sounding puzzled. Haewon mentioned nonchalantly,
"The professor gives me lessons."

"He gives you private lessons? According to the Primary and Secondary Education Act Article 2, Higher Education Act Article 2, faculty members affiliated with established schools are prohibited from tutoring."
Hyun Woojin took it seriously, even citing the laws. Haewon laughed in disbelief.
"He doesn’t take money for it. Just does it as a favor."

"Just as a favor?"
He looked even more suspicious.
"He’s been helping me before I even entered Yewon. He even introduced me to the violin dealer. You know that not just anyone with money can buy those, right?"

Fine instruments aren’t just available for anyone with money. Qualified individuals can either be lent them indefinitely or be introduced to purchase opportunities. Without the professor's active intervention, Haewon would never have been able to own such a fine instrument.
While the professor didn't explicitly favor or praise him, he was most worried that Haewon might lose interest in music and quit. The professor had recognized Haewon’s talent and supported him till now. Hyun Woojin didn’t seem to think so. His mouth twisted.
"He probably just wants to watch you play."

"People like you might think that. He watches kids play all day; why would he be particularly interested in watching me?"
He wasn’t someone without things to do, nor did he have much time. Hyun Woojin, who thought he was the busiest person in the world, had said something absurd.
"Does he touch you under the guise of lessons, treating any discomfort you feel as if you're being too sensitive?"

"What are you talking about?"
"Maybe he's just satisfying some minor urge by touching you under the pretext of adjusting your posture."
"Why would you interpret it like that? Does everyone in the world look like a criminal to you?"

If that were the case, he would have noticed. Haewon had never seen the professor that way, nor had he ever felt anything untoward.
Musicians often have chronic pain in specific areas, and if he mentioned a headache, the professor might massage his scalp, or press down on a sore shoulder like pressing a pressure point, but he had never felt any sinister intentions.
As dusk settled and the streetlights flickered on, Hyun Woojin's car pulled into the parking lot of a Japanese restaurant. They stepped out of the car and entered the restaurant.

They were led to a seating area separated by walls, each with a backrest-equipped floor chair. Haewon sat cross-legged, a position he found uncomfortable as he wasn't used to it. He disliked floor seating for this reason.
Stretching out his legs, Haewon's toes accidentally brushed against Hyun Woojin's calves. As he wiped his hands with a wet towel and glanced under the table, Hyun Woojin's eyes met his.
"Sitting cross-legged is tough."

Casually, Haewon rested his foot atop Hyun Woojin's ankle, his toes playfully digging under the hem of his pants. Just then, a rustling sound was heard as a uniformed server entered.
While Hyun Woojin ordered, Haewon sat back, his foot continuing its playful exploration up to Hyun Woojin's shin. Despite ordering nothing unusual, Hyun Woojin managed to make the server blush with just his smile. Once the server left, Hyun Woojin pushed Haewon's foot away, prompting Haewon to adjust his posture.
"You can't sit still for even a moment."

"You think I don’t know when I’m being toyed with? That's ridiculous. The professor isn’t like that."
Haewon brought back the topic from the car. Hyun Woojin took a drink of water as Haewon held his gaze.
"I know someone like that. When a student complains, they're labeled as sensitive and weird. They claimed the victim seduced them by wearing provocative clothing, turning the victim into the perpetrator in no time. The student suffered from nasty rumors and eventually had to leave school. In the worst cases, they even needed psychiatric treatment."

"That's a terrible person. What happened to him?"
Given his job dealing with criminals, Hyun Woojin's views were quite cynical and harsh. It was unclear if this was his natural disposition or a result of his intense work, but his judgment of people was undoubtedly skeptical.
"Fortunately, there were many victims and their statements were consistent, so he was prosecuted. The trial went forward but he was acquitted, and higher-ups ordered no appeal. He was related to someone high up. This bastard went back to school and continued his misdeeds more cunningly."

Seeing such a person acquitted must have been one of the most disheartening aspects of being a prosecutor. Fortunately, Hyun Woojin seemed accustomed to the interference of power beyond logic and cause, not showing much despair or anger.
As he spoke calmly, the meal was served. An elegant spread of assorted sashimi, soba, beef tartare, sushi, and abalone porridge was laid out before them.
He paused speaking as the server placed the food and bowed before leaving. Hyun Woojin picked a piece of sashimi and placed it on Haewon's plate, dabbing the right amount of mustard and soy sauce, suggesting how best to enjoy it. Haewon ate as suggested, the chewy texture and mild flavor filling his mouth.

"So you just let it go?"
"Prosecuting a crime as a crime seemed futile."
"What does that mean? You give up on catching criminals to philosophize instead?"

"I made sure no more orders would come down."
It was a cryptic response. As Haewon stared blankly, Hyun Woojin elaborated.
"The fastest solution was to ensure the high-ups couldn’t interfere again. I started with a leak to the tabloids and nudged a journalist I know to raise suspicions. It just so happened to be during nominations, and he ended up not being nominated. Then I caught the guy I'd put aside, and now he's in jail."

"And the high-up? What was his crime?"
"He interfered with my work."
"That’s a crime?"

"It’s abuse of power."
Was it really okay to do that? It sounded like he had destroyed someone else to catch someone else, or rather, he had removed an obstacle that was in his way.
"He got a heavier sentence and served seven years. Been three years or so. Died of an illness. Something bad, what was it again..."

He shrugged nonchalantly, as if he couldn't quite remember.
"Karma, I guess."
"Karma? That guy just had bad luck. It just so happened that the case was assigned to me."

He shoved another piece of sashimi into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. His jaw muscles worked the flesh. He wasn’t someone who couldn’t stand injustice, as Haewon had seen from how he dealt with his father. Perhaps he just couldn’t tolerate his work being hindered in such a way.
Dealing with extraordinary people had made Hyun Woojin's way of thinking incomprehensible to Haewon. There were times when Haewon realized just how unusual Hyun Woojin was, and this was one of those times. Haewon didn't add more to the conversation and simply ate the sashimi Hyun Woojin placed on his plate.
Below the dimly lit Han River bridge, not a soul was in sight. Parking the car in a dark area, Hyun Woojin suddenly reclined Haewon's seat. Haewon's heart skipped a beat as the man leaned over to press their lips together.

Haewon closed his eyes, soaking in the sounds of Hyun Woojin's breathing, the warmth and scent of his lips. His tongue entwined insistently with Hyun Woojin’s, eliciting a soft moan.
After a long kiss, Hyun Woojin pulled away. His quivering tongue trailed Haewon's lower lip. In the darkness, their eyes met.
"Should we check out that professor?"

"Stop talking nonsense."
Hyun Woojin's voice was low, almost like proposing a shady deal. Haewon's brows furrowed instinctively. They kissed again, their upper bodies entwining clumsily.
Haewon wrapped his arms around the back of Hyun Woojin's shirtless back. The contours of his back under the shirt felt resilient. Hyun Woojin's hands spread Haewon’s knees apart and crept up his thighs, moving inward. Haewon moved his hands from Hyun Woojin's back to lower down.

Breathing became rapid. They struggled to control their heavy breaths. Hyun Woojin lifted Haewon’s shirt up to his neck and kissed his exposed chest.
"Ah..."
His warm lips caressed Haewon’s nipple, then teased with the tip of his tongue. Haewon gripped Hyun Woojin’s hair tightly. He stroked the back of his head with one hand while covering his mouth with the other.

Though they were alone in the car and in a secluded place, Haewon was cautious about making any noise given the location.
After a while of suckling on Haewon’s chest, Hyun Woojin looked up. His disheveled hair framed his sharply alert eyes, which gleamed under the dim light. Haewon felt a chill down his spine. Those deep, dark eyes seemed to pierce right through him. For some reason, whenever Haewon looked into his eyes, he was reminded of the dark forest surrounding President Kim Jeong-geun's Yangpyeong villa.
Haewon stroked the area around his eyes. When his hand touched him, Hyun Woojin’s eyes closed. Haewon gently caressed his eyelids and brows, confirming through his fingertips that these were indeed human eyes, not those of a predatory beast.

Hyun Woojin slowly opened his eyes.
"Try it with your hand."