The weak morning sun peeked shyly through the hotel window, spreading gently across Yongguk’s face. The young man groaned in protest, lifting his hand to his eyes as if to shield them from the weak rays. He inhaled sharply, catching the soft fragrance of Himchan’s hair and the sweat that had condensed on the walls after their night got rather heavy. He observed Himchan’s sleeping features. They were peaceful and beautiful just as Yongguk had always known them. It hurt him to have to disturb Himchan like this.

“Himchan.” Yongguk placed his hand on Himchan’s bare chest. His pink fingers flirted nervously over Himchan’s white skin that had been painted red and purple by Yongguk’s bruising grip.  Himchan stirred, his eyebrows brought together on his face, but his eyes didn’t open. “I’ll be leaving first.” Yongguk sighed, eyeing his shirt on the floor. It was lying as a messy pile of blue on the floor and Yongguk had wondered how he could have been so careless with it, because, after all, it had been quite expensive.

Yongguk brought his legs over the edge of the bed, and prepared to get up when he felt Himchan’s hand clamp around his wrist. He turned to see cat eyes, still full of sleep, staring up at him. A tiny smile appeared on his lips as he sighed gently and blinked once. “I don’t want you to go.”

Yongguk leaned in and pecked Himchan’s lips, letting their taste linger on his before them. He hummed as he tongue was awoken by the sweet taste of Himchan’s chaste morning kiss. As much as he wanted to comply with Himchan, he knew he had to leave first. “I don’t want to go either, Himchan. But I have to. People will talk.”

“Let them talk!” Himchan rolled over and groaned into the pillow, his angry expression drowned by the soft white fabric. Yongguk smiled at Himchan’s carefreeness. He knew that  Himchan wouldn’t be caught dead wrapped around in rumors; but he let Himchan continue to think that society’s opinion of him didn’t matter.

“We’ll see each other at the contract meeting.” Yongguk purred as he ran his digits across Himchan’s now exposed back. He felt the softness of Himchan’s flesh underhand, and proceeded to it knead it softly, extracting a low moan from his lover.

“Contract meetings are exactly romantic.” Himchan grumbled unhappily as Yongguk withdrew his fingers and sat up from the bed. As if the bed too was protesting, it let out a sharp whine from its springs when Yongguk’s weight was removed.

Yongguk picked up the pile of clothes that he had carelessly strewn across the room and got dressed accordingly. The shirt was slightly wrinkled and his pants seemed to be unraveling at the bottom, but otherwise, he looked like a well-groomed man. The smell of butter and tea was filling the room, indicating that the city was coming back to life, slowly. With more hurried motions, he slipped his polished black shoes on and stumbled towards the door.

“I suppose I’ll be seeing you in two hours?” Himchan sat up on the bed, his white torso exposed to the timid rays of sunlight that filtered through the blinds. He seemed to glow underneath the light and Yongguk wanted to stop the world from spinning so that he could add a few more seconds, minutes,hours with Himchan.

“Yes, Himchan.” Yongguk nodded and took hesitant steps towards the flimsy door. His fingers hit the coldness of the brass doorknob, and he gripped it tightly, not wanting to turn it. For turning the doorknob would mean there was no going back, no second glances he could throw over his shoulder. He’d have to slip through the door narrowly as possible, and close it quickly to keep his best kept secret undisclosed. He didn’t like calling Himchan a secret. He thought Himchan deserved a lot more, but divulging their relationship would cost them their happiness.

*

Lord Choi’s courtroom was slowly cooking its guests alive. The temperature had risen subtly throughout the day, making the air in the room stuffy. Yongguk took short breaths as he sat restlessly in his chair. His back stuck to the seat as a result of the sweat that was pouring down his back. His eyes traveled to Himchan who sat at a large oak table mere inches from Yongguk’s chair. Although it seemed the world around him was melting, Himchan managed to look unfazed. A slight sheen glossed his forehead and his mouth was slightly open, but his eyes were calm. His soft white hands were folded nicely in his lap and his legs were crossed. He didn’t shuffle or spread his body over the chair in an attempt to cool down. Himchan’s eyes would occasionally flicker over to Yongguk, whose heart would race, only making him hotter.

“Mr. Jung, what goals do you in obtaining Mr. Bang’s property?” Junhong sighed as he flipped through pages. Yongguk saw that the young duke must have been quite bored and confused. It was the blonde’s first contract meeting. His gray suit clung to his skin and he would occasionally pat his forehead with a cloth to wipe away the sweat.

“I’m only taking what’s mine, Lord Choi.” Daehyun replied, looking up from his team of lawyers, before shooting Yongguk a poisonous glare.

“I understand Mr. Jung. But what are your future plans?” Junhong pouted his lips. Yongguk could tell that he’d rather be out by the Garonne, possibly fishing or courting women.

“I plan to make a profit, selling fine wines and grapes.”

“Mr. Bang, what laws have you found on property?” The duke turned his attention to Yongguk.

Yongguk swallowed thickly and looked over at his own team of lawyers. They were old men, in their fifties and sixties, who were scrambling nervously around the paperwork, trying to find their evidence.

“Please discuss with the opposition.” Junhong suddenly waved his hand. Yongguk watched as he brought his tall figure to full height and stepped down from the podium, whispering something in a servant’s ear. The servant nodded and quickly stepped out of the room.

Taking his gaze away from the duke, Yongguk came face to face with Himchan. He wore a slight smirk on his face and his eyebrow was raised delicately.

Yongguk resisted the urge to bite his lip; digging his nails into the palm of his hand instead. He turned his attention to Daehyun, who also wore a smirk. His tanned face was twisted in sadistic glee as his lawyers found law after law denoting the property as his. But Yongguk’s heart was still at ease; he knew those laws were old and he could knock nine out of ten out of the running. After a while, Daehyun’s smirking face was too much to bear, so he trained his eyes back on his lover.

Yongguk felt both of Himchan’s feet sandwich his own.  He gasped slightly, bringing his fingers to lips as if to stop it. He watched as Himchan smiled and looked to Daehyun innocently.

“Are you alright, Mr. Bang?” Daehyun asked, noticing Yongguk’s slightly surprised expression. “I wouldn’t want you to fall apart already. It’s much too early.” His words were drenched in malice as he scoffed and continued reading the laws.

“I’m fine, Mr. Jung.” Yongguk growled back. He set his eyes on the papers in front of him, trying to focus, but Himchan’s touch and presence was greatly distracting. He flicked the pages loudly as he reached up to read them, trying to hint to Himchan that he was trying to focus.

Himchan’s body rolled forward slightly, and Yongguk tried to understand what was happening before he felt Himchan’s foot on his thigh. Swallowing thickly, he turned his attention back to the papers, circling and discussing specific parts of the documents with his lawyers.

His skin tingled delightfully as Himchan’s toes crept their way up his leg, reaching the sensitive skin on his inner thigh. Himchan wore a bright smile as he feigned reading the documents to Daehyun.  A hungry glimmer in his eyes sparkled as his toes finally reached what they had been searching for, making Yongguk nearly scream out in pleasure.  He muffled it with his hand, biting down hard on his knuckles. He could almost hear Himchan’s laughter as Yongguk’s face contorted in pleasurably tortured expression.

“Perhaps it’s starting to get a bit hot in here?” Daehyun suggested, looking right at Yongguk, whose face was a lovely shade of pink. “Shall we get some refreshments before we proceed? Mr. Bang?”

Yongguk turned his hazelnut eyes on the Niceois, allowing for a few seconds to pass before answering him. “A refreshment would be welcome.”

Daehyun plastered a smile on his face. “Ten minute break, gentlemen.”

Yongguk watched as all the lawyers got up and found their way to the nearest door, in hopes of getting some of Lord Choi’s servants to serve them drinks. Their shoes squeaked on the polished marble floors as they hustled breathlessly past each other in the heat. Only Yongguk and Himchan remained seated. The bourgeois could still feel Himchan’s foot, heavy on his leg.

“A refreshment, Mr. Kim?”  Yongguk asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I was just on my way. Shall I get you anything?” He felt Himchan’s foot lift from his thigh, and listened to it shuffle under the table, looking for the shoe.

“A glass of water would be welcome.” Yongguk smiled. Beneath this friendly conversation façade, Himchan and Yongguk were engaged in a far lengthier, much more improper, conversation as they read each other’s eyes.

As Himchan stood up, Yongguk kept his eyes glued on his feline ones, capturing their emotion and memorizing it.

The couple was so absorbed in each other that they didn’t notice another pair of eyes observing them silently.