"I told him to kiss me again."
Johan was still thinking about that. It had come out so direct, but inside, he was shaking.
And Kang said:
— If I kiss you now... I won't be able to pretend this is just another thing.
Neither could Johan.
It was real.
They'd known each other for three months, but it felt like longer. Because Kang saw him.
The way he held his face.
The way Kang looked at him before the kiss. Like he was asking without words: "Are you sure?"
Johan answered with his mouth.
He let it happen again. He wanted it.
He gave in.
Worse: it felt good. Too good.
After Kemun, there had been others. Some flings, some distractions.But no one laughed like Kang. No one fell apart like that when Johan walked by. No one whispered in his ear in the middle of the workday with that serious face that melted the moment no one was looking.
Kang hadn't changed much. Still flirting every second.
But now Johan could be honest in his reactions.
He smiled back. Teased back. No more pretending he didn't feel anything.
They flirted in the middle of the office like it was a habit. And somehow, it had become one.
When Johan walked into the room, Kang smiled instinctively. Almost unconsciously. Almost... intimately.
Then Adrian showed up. Knocked on the open door but walked in anyway, eyes suspicious and that nervous half-smile on his face.
— I swear, every time I come in here, I'm afraid I'll catch you two on the couch, shirtless, with the room smelling like testosterone.
Kang didn't even flinch, just let out a muffled laugh.
— We're always working. This is an office, not a motel.
Johan didn't even lift his eyes from the laptop.
Adrian raised his hands in surrender.
— Just making sure… You guys have a vibe, y'know? I just don't wanna end up as an accidental witness to anything.
Johan closed the laptop, looked up seriously:
— Adrian, if you ever end up as a witness, it's because we invited you.
Adrian's eyes widened. He turned to Kang, trying to figure it out.
— Is he joking?
Kang shrugged, smiling slyly:
— That's for you to find out.
— So… are you guys really together? — He looked at Johan. — Kang's not bothering you?
His boss raised an eyebrow. Kang kept the smile.
— Look at his face. Does that look bothered to you?
— Looks more like he wants to drag you to bed — Adrian replied, innocent but dead-on.
— Don't you have work to do, Adrian? — Johan shot back, flat.
— Alright, alright — he handed over the documents. — FinaMerc project.
He left quickly, and the two of them stayed in the room. Still working. But both with that half-smile stuck to their faces.
Later, in the parking lot.
Johan had his car key in hand, backpack slung over his shoulder. He was about to open the door when he heard footsteps behind him.
No need to look.
It was Kang.
— You following me now? — Johan asked without turning around.
— I'm addicted — Kang replied, coming closer. — Not sure if it's your perfume or just... you.
Johan turned slowly, leaning against the car, arms crossed and smiling.
— Want more of me?
— If you let me, I do.
— I might let you…
Kang stopped in front of him. Real close.
He didn't touch.
But the look was there. Focused. Warm.
— You really leaving?
— Uh-huh.
— Really?
Johan tilted his head, curious.
— You want me to stay?
— I want you to come with me tonight.
Johan sighed, unhurried.
— Not tonight.
— Tomorrow?
— Maybe.
Kang smiled.
That smile that didn't quite fit his face.
— I'll wait.
Silence fell. Not a weird silence. A comfortable one, full of unsaid things.
Then Johan, without warning, stepped forward. Grabbed Kang's jacket collar and kissed him.
It was quick. Calm.
A "just so I don't forget how you taste" kind of kiss.
But long enough to leave Kang frozen in place.
When Johan pulled back, Kang was still there. Still.
With a face like he'd just been slapped and liked it.
— Holy shit… — he laughed, voice hoarse. — I'm your doormat.
Johan laughed too. A short, pretty laugh. One that warmed the air without meaning to.
— See you tomorrow?
— I'll be waiting.
Johan nodded, opened the door and got in the car.
Kang stayed there. Still.
The wind brushing softly against his face.
"Tomorrow."
(...)
The next morning, they went to oversee the final steps of the security system installation at MigellCorp.
Johan walked into the lobby with a tablet in hand, eyes fixed on the network map.
Next to him, Kang walked like he belonged there, like he was more interested in the man beside him than in any of the equipment.
— Do you like walking with me like this? — Kang asked, casually.
— Like what?
— Like we're... life partners.
Johan raised an eyebrow but didn't take his eyes off the screen.
— I don't know. Still getting used to it. But... it's not bad.
And it really wasn't.
Because for the first time in a long while, Johan didn't feel like he had to armor up before entering a building full of people.
Even if he heard the whispers along the way.
"Is that Johan Hild?"
"I remember him, he used to work here."
But none of them had the strength to pierce the shield Kang created just by standing beside him.
— Everything's running smoothly — Johan said, stopping in front of a panel. — From here, you can manage who enters and leaves, track every employee and visitor. The system's solid.
— I know. — Kang smirked. That smug little grin of someone who had been there through every step, every line of code, every sleepless night. — I was with you the whole time, remember?
Johan tried to hide the pride in his own smile, and failed.
The setup was flawless.
No bugs, no errors.
Clean work, the kind he liked to sign with his full name.
— Can we go home now? — Kang asked, already with that mischievous tone that made Johan roll his eyes.
His face flushed.
— You could at least try to focus on work today.
— I am focused. It's just that the project I care about now is you. — he whispered, stepping in close enough to throw Johan off for a second.
Without much thought, Johan gave his chest a light shove.
— You wanna kiss me in front of all these people and cameras?
— Only if you let me — he replied, steady gaze, firm voice.
Johan looked away and stepped back.
— I'll finish up here and meet you outside.
Kang nodded, laughing softly to himself.
— Will it take long?
— Two minutes. Three if I get distracted admiring my own reflection.
— Idiot.
— Show some respect.
— I'll be right back. — Kang said.
Johan stood there for a few seconds, watching Kang walk away.
Still smiling, feeling lighter.
It was strange to feel like this: at ease.
No armor.
No rush.
He sighed, finished the last few things, adjusted the strap of his bag over his shoulder, and headed down to the parking lot.
He expected Kang to already be there, maybe leaning against the car, throwing out some cheesy pickup line or, worse, quoting a random love song he'd pretend to hate.
But the space was empty.
— Must've forgotten something — he muttered to himself, unlocking the car.
Before he could open the door, he heard footsteps behind him. But they weren't Kang's. They were slower. More calculated.
When he turned around, his body froze for a second.
— Johan, we need to talk — said Kemun, leaning against someone else's car with that same disgusting casualness.
— I've got nothing to say to you. Persistent little thing, aren't you? — Johan shot back, locking the car and gripping his bag way too tight.
— Then just listen. — His voice still had that calm, manipulative tone. — Kang's using you. He's always liked picking up the trash I threw away.
— You threw me away? — Johan laughed, no humor in it. — What now, you wanna recycle me?
— Johan... — He stepped closer, invasive as always. — You can't even look at me. You know you still feel it.
— You don't know what love is. You only know possession. And you lost me.
For the first time, Johan saw what was hiding behind the mask.
It wasn't pretty.
It was hollow.
— Gonna let my son play hero now? He's worse than I ever was.
— He's not. — Johan didn't even hesitate.
Kemun smirked.
— So that's it? You're trading the original for the copy?
— Original? You're rotten, Kemun. Kang's a real man. You're just a badly sketched draft.
Johan should've stopped there, but his blood was boiling.
— And you know what? I kissed him. And I'd do it again. And again. Because he makes me feel alive.
Kemun froze.
The calm drained from his face.
That's when he tried to shove Johan against the car.
But he never touched him.
— What the hell are you doing here? — The voice sliced through the air like a blade.
Kang appeared like a storm, standing by his car. His eyes lit up like fire the second they met his father's.
— You waited for just one moment of peace to crawl out, is that it? — he growled, already moving.
— Kang... — Johan tried to stop him, but it was too late.
The punch came clean.
Direct.
Dry.
Kang's fist hit Kemun's jaw with enough force to echo through the parking lot.
Kemun staggered a step, but didn't fall.
Then he laughed. Mocking.
— Touch him again and I swear you'll leave here on a stretcher — Kang warned, his voice low and deadly.
— Ah, family reunions — Kemun snorted, wiping the corner of his mouth with his thumb. — I only came to talk. What do you even see in him, Johan?
— Don't talk to him — Kang snapped again, stepping in. Close enough to smell his father's rotting ego. — You've done enough damage. Show up again and I won't warn you. I'll just bury you.
— Gonna kill me, son? — Kemun grinned wide. — Stain your precious reputation?
— Death would be mercy for you. I'd rather watch you rot in prison.
— You've always been a coward.
— You already lost MigellCorp to me. Take a good look at what a pathetic mess you are — before it's too late.
— You know damn well I stepped down from the presidency. You're just the CEO. Don't bet too hard on your luck.
Anyway, you're still predictable, Kang — Kemun sighed. — I just wanted to see with my own eyes how far you've fallen for some random guy.
— His name's Johan Hild. — Kang didn't flinch. — And I'm taking care of my boyfriend.
He turned, adjusting his collar like nothing had just happened.
— See you around, Dad.
Kang didn't wait for an answer. Neither did Johan.
They just stood there, in the heavy silence that remained.
Kemun vanished through the parking lot exit like he'd just come to drop a bomb and slip back into the shadows.
Johan ran a hand through his hair, silent for a moment. Then turned to Kang.
— Are you okay?
Kang was still shaking. Fist clenched, jaw locked.
— I'm fine.
— Your hand?
— Still whole. His face is what's broken.
Johan chuckled softly, almost relieved.
He looked at Kang like, for a second, he was seeing that 18-year-old boy again.
— You really grew up, huh?
— Only 'cause you showed me I could — Kang replied, with that look that said everything without a single word.
Gratitude. Admiration. Want.
Johan took his hand — the one still in a fist until now.
Kang stared at the gesture like it was new.
And squeezed back, fingers intertwining.
Without a word, Johan stepped in, closing the space between them. Just enough to touch. He rested his forehead on Kang's shoulder. Breathed in his scent. And everything settled.
Kang let out a breath like he'd finally won the war inside himself.
— Let's go — Johan said.
Kang wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him gently.
— Let's. Home's waiting for you.
Johan lifted his head and, without warning, kissed Kang.
Quick. Soft.
Kang smiled into the kiss.
— You trying to kill me with anticipation?
— Just making sure you don't change your mind on the way.
— Never.
Johan laughed.
And the sound of it chased away the last of the ghosts in the parking lot.
All they could think about now was being together.