Chapter Text
💧
The notice fluttered in the breeze, the yellow paper barely secured to the door by a short piece of tape. It would’ve flown off unread had Sunoo not caught it in time.
He frowned at the words, muscles already tensed under the weight of his shoulder bag.
To: All Fifth Floor Tenants
Re: Hot Water Service Disruption
The hot water will be unavailable to your floor until the 14th as we do routine maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Great. A shitty addition to his already shitty day.
He crumpled the announcement in his hands, muttering in annoyance. The front door flew open noisily as he kicked it with more force than usual, stomping in and ignoring the warning thumps from his neighbor downstairs.
Why did his building’s management have to be so stupid? Couldn’t they give more notice? Will their rent be prorated to account for this major lapse of service? Who could he yell at right now?
Before he could let out a frustrated scream, Mimi sauntered over, her fluffy tail leisurely curling in the air. She mewled an affectionate greeting.
Sunoo melted to the ground and buried his face into her soft, gray fur. He kicked off his shoes and threw his bag somewhere so he could fully immerse himself in his dear cat’s comforting body.
“Mimi-ya! You’re the only one who can calm me down! Can you believe the nonsense I had to go through today? First, I missed my regular bus and got to work late. Then, my boss got mad at me for a mistake he made! And then I had to look so foolish in front of — argh!!”
His mind unhelpfully supplied the memory he had been trying suppress. Just before an important meeting, Sunoo had gone to the bathroom. When he returned to the conference room and went up to give his presentation, several of his co-workers were snickering. He ignored it, but when he sat back down, the one person he never wanted to look foolish in front of discreetly told him that he had toilet paper stuck to his shoe the entire time. Sunoo wanted to fling himself out the window right then and there.
Though he was less likely to defenestrate now, he still released a sustained, guttural groan into Mimi’s belly. She smacked at his head several times until he finally let her go. She had enough of his complaining and slinked away to lounge in her pink, mansion-shaped cat tree.
He crawled the rest of the way into his living room and collapsed onto the couch face down, sighing into his cushions. Where was he supposed to shower? He had a strict nightly routine that required a shower, or else he would be extra grumpy in the mornings and might be more inclined to commit a homicide. He didn’t know anyone else in the building, and his friends lived far away. His sister was out of town and she’d been cagey about giving him a spare key. He didn’t want to travel anywhere anyway — he was far too exhausted.
He pulled out his phone and searched for bathhouses in the area. There were a few highly rated ones that were reachable by bus. That was still too much effort. All he had wanted to do tonight was wash up and crawl into bed, but now he couldn’t even do that. If only there was something closer.
He finally noticed a men’s spa within walking distance on the map. It didn’t have many reviews, but there were several five-star ratings with short testimonies: loved it, found the love of my life. relaxing. just what i needed. not for beginners but worth it.
Strange, but Sunoo always took online reviews with a grain of salt. He believed that a majority of internet reviewers were slightly deranged. In any case, it was nearby and Sunoo was already in a bad mood. He needed to unwind in a hot bath. It was probably most frequented by the neighborhood uncles anyway.
His stomach grumbled in protest, so he quickly reheated leftovers from last night and ate from the container as he leaned against the kitchen counter. His phone played some YouTube video as he zoned out, staring out the small window above the sink, imagining himself flying above the roof of row houses up into space.
His mother had warned him about moving into an older apartment building, but he had ignored her, as usual, because he wanted to quickly move out of his parents’ house after graduation. It was a reasonable commute to his office, and Mimi seemed to get along with the other cats in the neighborhood. Plus, he had liked the vintage fixtures — it all seemed very chic and adult to him.
Despite the newly found independence, Sunoo rarely had any free time. He used to be someone who had so many hobbies. Now, all he had energy for was work, and when he wasn’t working, he was napping. If he knew growing up would be this tedious, he would’ve been more rebellious during his university days, taking more risks instead of studying and running around for internships.
He had spent too much time worrying about everyone else’s expectations for him. What did he even want for himself? He had hoped that with his own place, away from his family and anyone who knew him, he could meet more people and try dating for once. What did it mean to actually like someone? What would he find pleasurable? What was he interested in for a romantic partnership? He thought he could explore these questions more, but his lack of work-life balance made it near impossible.
He’d been on a couple of dates after graduation, when he felt certain he was into men and less embarrassed about it. The first guy he had met at a bar seemed sweet at first, but then it turned out he was obsessed about being Sunoo’s first boyfriend. The second guy could not stop talking about himself and never asked Sunoo a single question in return.
How come other people his age seemed to have their shit together? All he saw, across social media, were classmates and old friends buying their first homes, getting engaged, having their first kid, and here he was, still confused about talking stages.
Sunoo burped and tossed his empty carton in the sink. He stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders. He seriously needed to take a bath or all his negative thoughts would plunge him into a deeper spiral.
He checked the directions to the men’s spa. It didn’t have much of an online presence, so there was no way to know if it was even open. He would just have to go and see for himself.
As he filled a tote bag with a change of clothes, his toiletries, a book, and a water bottle, he let the little noises that filled his one-bedroom apartment calm his mind. The buzzing of the fridge. The inane chatter of a vlog auto-playing on his phone. Mimi padding across the kitchen tiles to her food bowl.
He wasn’t totally unhappy about this little life he had. He did like finally having his own place. He didn’t have to fight over the bathroom every morning. He didn’t have to pretend he wasn’t ogling handsome men on the TV. He was sure that he was closer to who he was really meant to be at least.
Once he was ready, he grabbed Mimi from the floor and gave her a big, sloppy kiss. She hissed and wriggled out of his grasp. He then set off for the mysterious bathhouse.
As he walked down a small street, he realized that he hadn’t really taken the time to get to know his new neighborhood. He had just been focused on going from home to work without noticing that there was a corner store across from his building, a dry cleaners further down, and a few bars and restaurants that piqued his interest.
It was almost spring — several posters announcing an upcoming neighborhood event reminded him that it was already March. Tiny, green buds were starting to emerge along slender tree branches. The evening air was warming up, though a slight breeze made him grateful he was still wearing a cardigan. It had been too long since he’d had a leisurely walk like this.
He stretched his arms toward the sky, pretending he could swat at the blinking plane lights transporting passengers to some fantastic getaway. The last vacation he had was probably while he was still in school: a weeklong trip to Busan with friends that hadn’t been so relaxing because he had to organize most of it and he ended up having a falling out.
Since he was so deep in thought about how adrift at sea he felt, he nearly missed the bathhouse. It was tucked away in a cramped alleyway between a real estate office and a used clothing store. The sign above the entrance was mostly faded, but since the lights were on inside, Sunoo slid the tattered door open.
Instead of a dilapidated dump, he was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a sleek lobby and the fragrant smells of rosewater and citrus. It was warm and clean, with a calming atmosphere apparent already. Sunoo relaxed as he stepped in, fixing the tote bag strap that had slid down his shoulder.
The young man behind the counter didn’t bother looking up from his phone. Instead, he scratched his scalp with a pen as he recited a rehearsed greeting in a bored tone.
“Welcome to Spa Garden. The usual service?”
Sunoo cleared his throat. “Oh, um, sorry, it’s my first time here.”
At that, the young man’s eyes flicked up. Instantly, a customer-service switch flipped on, offering a wide grin. It reminded Sunoo of Mimi when she wanted more food.
He leaned over the counter, giving Sunoo a once-over. His eyes lingered on Sunoo’s collarbone, exposed by his stretched-out shirt. When it seemed as if the other man was trying to look down it, Sunoo crossed his arms over his chest.
The young man’s smile grew as he clapped his hands together. “My apologies! Welcome, new guest! Is this your first time in a public bathhouse?”
Sunoo shook his head. “No, I’ve been to a few when I was younger.”
“What do you know about this one?”
Sunoo tilted his head, confused. “Uh…nothing? Am I supposed to?”
The young man shook his head, a dimple deepening in his cheek. “No, no, that’s fine! We haven’t had a new face in a while, so welcome! Things run the same here, mostly. We offer soaps, shampoos, the like, but if you’ve brought your own, that’s fine. Drop your used towels in the bins just outside the heated pools. What size do you need?”
Sunoo eyed the photos of the uniform displayed on the wall behind the young man. They were a standard light brown shirt and shorts.
“Um, I think medium works? I like a looser fit.”
The young man nodded enthusiastically. “I was thinking the same! Please fill this out first, and once you’re done, bring it back, and I’ll go over some other formalities.”
He handed Sunoo a digital tablet and gestured at a bench by the entrance for him to sit. That was a surprise — since the bathhouse didn’t even have a website, Sunoo hadn’t expected it to have any tech capabilities. He also didn’t remember if he had ever had to fill out paperwork for a bathhouse before, but maybe this was a new requirement? Maybe it was something his dad had handled back in the day. He wasn’t sure if questions about his last STD screening and overall health were relevant, but maybe because it was a shared space?
When it came to extra services he could order, he chose a full-body scrub. He smiled to himself as he checked a box; he was already getting giddy at the thought of finally scraping all the dead skin off his body.
He handed the tablet back to the young man once he was finished. The young man looked it over quickly before clapping his hands again cheerfully.
“Excellent! I’m Attendant Yang, but you can just call me Jungwon. I’ll be doing your scrub later as well. Here’s the key to your lockers and your pass for the food hall. If you need any help, just ask any of the attendants wearing a grey shirt like this one. Also, we ask that you don’t use your phone once you enter. If you need to use it, you have to come back out here. We have a strict privacy policy.”
Well, that put a stop to Sunoo’s plans to catch up on the new episode of a drama he had started. He was going to watch it while eating. Good thing he brought a book.
“Do you have any questions for me?” Jungwon seemed as if he wanted Sunoo to ask him something, but he didn’t have any questions. He shook his head.
With that, Jungwon’s eyes crinkled and he waved his hands toward the private areas. Sunoo could still feel his gaze on the back of his neck as he entered the shoe locker area.
As he slid into his slippers, he sifted through his bag to make sure he had put his wallet back, shuffling forward into the main locker room. When he finally looked up, he found at least a dozen pairs of eyes trained on him. Men in various states of undress appraised him as he hurried past, trying to ignore their stares. He felt like he was a specimen under a microscope or some titillating new circus act.
When he got to his locker, he used the door as a shield and peeked around it. Relief flooded his body when everyone seemed to ignore his existence once more.
He narrowed his eyes at his surroundings. The other patrons were not the neighborhood uncles that he had expected to see. In fact, there weren’t even any children. Instead, all the men were suspiciously attractive: some waif-like, some gym-obsessed, others thick and hairy, and still others with curves and dips — all types of bodies that glistened through the hazy sheen wafting from the heated pools.
Many of them seemed to know each other, at least based on how close and touchy some of them were. A finger tracing a pec, a pair of lips murmuring against a waiting ear, eyes shamelessly watching someone bend over to pick up a dropped item. Sunoo felt like he was intruding into an already established social club. Was this supposed to be a members-only location? But, surely, he would’ve had to pay an extra fee or something before entering? He felt like he was missing something as he pulled his shirt over his head and undid the tie on his sweats.
When he tried to ball his shirt into his tote bag, it fell over, spilling onto the ground. He cursed under his breath as he chased after a bottle that had rolled toward the other end of a bench. A hand reached for it at the same time he did, fingers clashing. Sunoo looked up and felt his heart drop out of his mouth.
“Oh, hey hyung. I didn’t know you came here too.”
Riki handed him the bottle with a friendly smile. Sunoo willed his eyes not to leave his co-worker’s face, zeroing in on the curve of his left brow so that he could still avoid direct contact.
In his periphery, he could tell that Riki was only wearing a towel, slung low on his hips. He did not need to see any more. In fact, it would probably be a good idea to forego the bath and just go home right now. What the fuck was his co-worker — his work crush, the man who had been mentally tormenting Sunoo’s dreams — even doing here? He especially did not want to see him outside of the office now after that humiliating toilet paper incident.
Riki blinked at him, waiting for his response. Sunoo’s brain rebooted. “Ah, yes, hello, Riki-ssi. What a…surprise seeing you here!”
He stood back up like a jack-in-the-box. He hoped his smile looked natural but it felt more like a grimace.
Riki offered a friendly chuckle. “Yeah, likewise. I actually moved to the area a few months ago. Been going here since then. How ‘bout you?”
“Oh, yes, I also live nearby, but this is my first time here. The hot water is out in my apartment, so I have to come here for the week.”
Riki raised a brow. “Your first time here? Wait, so…you do know what kind of place this is, right?”
Sunoo pursed his lips. “I think online it said it was a men’s spa? Why?”
Riki stared at him incredulously, eyes narrowing as if gauging Sunoo’s honesty. When he found Sunoo to be completely truthful, he shook his head. For some reason, he leaned in closer, trying to catch Sunoo’s gaze. Sunoo instinctively looked away, admiring the beige of the metal lockers.
“Hyung…this is…ah, I’ll just show you.”
He grabbed Sunoo’s wrist and dragged him over to another row. He put a finger to his lips and gestured over his shoulder for Sunoo to peer into the next aisle. Sunoo crossed his arms over his bare chest, wishing he could put his shirt back on. He wasn’t sure what nonsense Riki was trying to show him, but he sighed and peeked out.
A beefy, younger guy in just a towel was on his knees on the soft floor, pressing his arms across the hips of a slender, older man leaning against the lockers. The older man’s head was thrown back, mouth slack as he let out nasally whimpers. The beefy guy bobbed his head as his hand twisted around…oh God.
Sunoo clapped his hands over his mouth, muffling a shriek.
Riki quickly pulled him away, leading them back to his locker. He guided Sunoo to sit down on the bench. Sunoo clutched at his sweats and leaned into his knees.
So, moment of truth: Sunoo did not have a lot of sexual experience. He’d given a hand job once, and he was still embarrassed about masturbating. The last time he’d jerked off was maybe a few weeks ago, when he was bored and kept thinking about a certain co-worker, and…never mind!
Riki cleared his throat. “It’s a cruising spa, hyung. A gay cruising spa.”
Sunoo’s face was on fire. He was sure the tips of his ears were red. He grabbed his water bottle and chugged half of it.
Now all the strangeness and vague reviews were starting to add up. But wasn’t this the adult experience he had always wanted to try? Wasn’t this why he was so desperate to move out of his parents’ house? He knew virginity was just a construct — he had paid attention in those gender and sexuality classes! — and, in theory, he was sexually curious and open to try new things. But wasn’t it too ambitious for a novice to just dive into the deep end and start his experience at a gay cruising spa? Shouldn’t he first figure out how to unlearn all the shame he still felt whenever he came into his own fist? Could he even fuck a stranger at a public bathhouse?
As he kept his eyes clenched, he could now hear the various noises echoing around the locker room and coming from the direction of the showers. Squelching, moaning, grunting, whispering, slapping — oh my!
How could he be so stupid! There were obvious signs that this wasn’t a family-friendly bathhouse! Jungwon had even ogled his chest — that should’ve been a dead giveaway!
Sunoo smacked his cheeks, trying to calm himself. When he looked over, he found Riki leaning against the lockers, eyes closed in quiet contemplation.
His mouth moved before his brain could catch up. “So…what are you doing here?”
Riki kept his eyes closed, but a grin slowly started to stretch across his lips.
“Well, I am here mostly to relax and use the saunas. But every once in a while, I…well…yeah…”
Suddenly, Sunoo felt like he was in the middle of the desert without any protection, vultures circling overhead. He was unmoored as a million thoughts rushed through his mind.
His office crush went to a gay cruising spa to hook-up with guys.
Fuck.
That was so hot.
Sunoo covered his face with his hands as images of Riki, wet and naked and bent over or on his knees, flashed behind his eyelids. There was a slight burn of jealousy, but mostly, he was intrigued. He wanted to see it. He also hoped to experience it.
He shook his head and abruptly stood up. Well, it was time to go home. He rummaged through his locker for his shirt again, only to remember his hot water situation and tomorrow morning’s meeting that he had to lead. He couldn’t be unwashed for that. He groaned and smacked his cheeks again.
Then, turning to Riki with eyes blazing, he asked, “Were you about to leave?”
Riki shrugged. “I was, but since I ran into you, I’d feel bad about leaving you alone since it’s your first time here. And it sounds like you need to be here.”
Sunoo bit his bottom lip. He didn’t really want to ask, but he knew he couldn’t get through this by himself. He didn’t stand a chance, and Riki knew what he was doing.
“I need your help. I’m not ready to cruise right now, but I need to be clean for the morning and I would like to relax a bit. Can you please stay with me? Snacks and drinks on me.”
Riki smirked. “But you’re ready to cruise another time?”
Sunoo waved his hand dismissively, even as a blush bloomed across his face. “So, it’s a deal, right?”
Riki blew a damp strand of hair away from his face as he feigned consideration. Sunoo wanted to roll his eyes, but he knew he was in no position to complain.
Riki shrugged. “Sure, I’ve got time. Plus, what kind of hoobae would I be leaving my poor sunbae all alone when he’s so scaaaawed?”
Sunoo ignored Riki’s stupid handsome smile. “Thank you. Now, go stand over there and don’t even think about turning around.”
With his scrawny arms, he pulled at Riki’s broad shoulders and pushed him until he was facing away. Riki laughed the whole time, treating Sunoo’s manhandling as if he were a puppy grabbing a chew toy. Once Riki was firmly turned, Sunoo quickly undressed and poked Riki’s back to get him to start walking.
Sunoo tried not to walk too closely behind him, but he wanted to make himself less visible to other men. He couldn’t help but glance around. Some people were getting dressed again, ready to leave. Others were rubbing bare skin and whispering seductively. He looked away again, but when he realized he was facing Riki’s bare back, he dropped his gaze to the ground, counting the tiles under his footsteps.
At the entrance to the hot pools, Riki stopped suddenly, causing Sunoo to run into him.
Sunoo rubbed his nose. “What—”
“I need to take off my towel. Is that OK, your Highness?”
There was a sign by the entrance requiring the area to be completely nude. Sunoo grunted and kept his eyes trained on Riki’s damp hair. His co-worker slipped the towel off and tossed it in the bin. Then he threw a smirk over his shoulder at Sunoo and kept walking. Sunoo balled his fist and followed behind.
They stopped by the shower area. Sunoo made Riki stand right outside the stall while he slipped behind to thoroughly wash himself. He tried to think calming thoughts as he lathered up. So far, the spa did smell good and seemed well-maintained. With a quick glance, it didn’t seem like anyone was doing anything untoward in the hot pools.
As he rinsed off, he heard some squelches a few stalls over. Sunoo peeked at the small mirror on the wall — he could see a pair of bodies pressed closely together. A lithe hand tightened its grip in a fistful of thick, black hair. A moan echoed off the tiled walls.
Sunoo finished rinsing and hurried back out. He ran into Riki’s back again.
“You OK?” Riki asked through laughter.
“Let’s just get into the hottest pool right now. I need to be a soup dumpling.”
Riki snickered and pointed to a shelf where Sunoo could leave his toiletries. Then, Sunoo made Riki wait at the edge, with his back turned, so that he could quickly submerge himself in the heated water.
Finally, peace. Every muscle in Sunoo’s body started to unknot as he spread his arms across the ledge and let his head fall back. This was it. This was what he needed.
He opened one eye when he heard a splash. Riki joined him, sitting close. He was much taller, so his shoulders still stuck out over the water. Sunoo tried not to follow the droplets pooling in his clavicle and tumbling down his chest.
“Feeling better?” Amusement colored Riki’s voice.
Sunoo made a noise of contentment. After a beat, he muttered, “Sorry I’m a cruising-spa virgin.”
“That’s OK, hyung. We’re all virgins at something.”
Sunoo snorted. “But not you, right? Mr. Know-It-All.”
Riki seemed to seriously contemplate Sunoo’s assumption. After a beat, he shook his head. “I’ve never been in love before.”
How unbelievable, and Sunoo made sure to express that. “Oh please! I bet lots of people have fallen for you.”
That earned an amused chuckle. “Maybe. But I haven’t felt that way about someone else. There were some moments where I felt close to it, but nothing really stuck.”
Sunoo wasn’t sure how to respond. He also couldn’t take Riki’s gaze for much longer, so he ended up just closing his eyes again and letting the sound of running water and footsteps on wet tiles lull him into a mild meditative state. His bad mood from the day was finally melting away.
The calm didn’t last long though.
A few more splashes and displaced water meant that more people had joined their pool. They seemed to be keeping to themselves, talking quietly about the weather and the price of eggs at the grocery store. They somehow seemed to know Riki, and so a chorus of three or four voices started to clash together. Sunoo sighed and opened his eyes, straightening his posture. The pair who had joined them were ridiculously hot, to the point that Sunoo had to stare at the ceiling.
“Who’s your friend, Ni-Ki?” The one with a sharp smile asked.
Sunoo raised a quizzical brow at the name. Riki grinned coolly as he wrapped a damp arm around Sunoo’s shoulders.
“This is Sunny. He’s new here. I’m showing him the ropes, so he’s just observing for now. He’s not yet ready to play.”
The one with striking brows laughed. “Ah, that’s a shame. Next time then. I’m Steven, by the way. This is Jay. We’re happy to help out too. Jay was scared out of his mind when we first came, but now, he’s the one dragging me here every week.”
Jay rolled his eyes and splashed water in Steven’s direction. “You were terrified too! ‘Waaah, I don’t even know how to suck dick, waaah!’ And now look who’s the throat goat?”
They all burst out laughing, splashing at each other. Sunoo sank down so that only the top of his face was visible over the water.
He had never joked so freely about sex, even with his closest friends. Everyone in his life had treated sex like a taboo topic, using euphemisms and avoiding it altogether. But here they were, his co-worker and two strangers, giggling about fellatio.
They settled down again. The two men moved a bit closer. Sunoo, in turn, inched closer to Riki. Jay swiped water across his hair, pushing it out of his handsome face. Even though Steven seemed aloof, he had a gentle smile whenever Jay said something funny. Had Riki hooked up with them? They were all so comfortable with each other.
Sunoo’s eyes flicked away from his lips when Steven addressed him.
“Sunny, we’d love to get to know you better, if you’re interested. Maybe, next time you’re here, you could let us teach you a thing or two?”
Steven and Jay looked completely earnest. Riki seemed disinterested, picking under his nails.
Sunoo emerged slightly from the water. “Um, sure. Next time.”
Steven grabbed his hand and kissed it. Jay did the same, and then they both left the pool, shoving each other as they made their way back to the lockers.
“Next time, huh?” Riki flicked an imaginary speck off his finger.
Sunoo blew bubbles into the water. After a while, he squeaked out, “Well, I’m not not interested. I mean, I could’ve just left when you first told me about this place, but I didn’t, so I am…you know, a bit…”
Riki waded forward, crowding Sunoo into a corner. His arms emerged from the water, gripping the ledge on either side of Sunoo’s body.
The water cascaded off Riki’s skin in slow motion, glinting gold in the warm lighting. Sunoo focused his gaze on a water stain above him. “What’s with the names, huh? Ni-Ki? Sunny?”
Riki leaned closer until their noses were centimeters from touching. “People use pseudonyms here. Helps with the anonymity. Unless we want something more on the outside.”
“Oh. So…does anyone know your real name here?”
The left side of Riki’s mouth quirked upwards. “Other than you? I don’t think so.”
“Oh. Cool, cool.”
Sunoo’s eyes flicked down to the mole on Riki’s chin. He licked his lips, stirring closer.
A mop handle fell between them, swinging gently so that they would move apart.
Jungwon stood there with that wide smile on his face. “Dear customers, please refrain from doing any activities in the pools. You’re welcome to move to the showers, locker room, saunas, or resting spaces.”
Riki rolled his eyes but backed further away. “Attendant Yang, always a pleasure.”
“Ni-Ki-ssi, you’re a returning customer. Please help our newer guests become accustomed to our rules.”
He couldn’t believe he was already getting in trouble. In a rush of embarrassment, Sunoo blurted, “Um, I’m hungry anyway, so let’s take a break.”
He heaved himself out of the pool without thinking. When he was up and standing, his hands flew to his crotch and chest.
“Don’t look!”
Riki laughed. “Too late.”
He shamelessly ogled Sunoo’s naked body, a self-satisfied grin on his smug face. Sunoo turned bright red and stormed away, grabbing a towel on the way out.
He quickly changed into his sauna uniform, huffily folding a sheep’s head for his hair. Another towel appeared in front of him.
Riki, mercifully dressed this time, dangled it over his head. “Make one for me too.”
Sunoo rolled his eyes but quickly folded it. Riki bent down so Sunoo could crown him with it. His cheeks burned as they walked to the resting area.
Here, it was easier to see that it was a specialty spa. There were open buckets of free condoms and lube packets. There was a vending machine of sex toys. There were several private rooms that had the “occupied” signs lit up. People were mostly lounging and eating, quietly chatting or watching the movie playing on a wide screen in an area with a row of massage chairs. He eyed a pair of lovers resting on some mats, one laying with his head on the other’s chest, playing with his hair. They kissed slowly as if they had all the time in the world.
When Riki cleared his throat, he realized they had reached the front of the line at the food counter. Riki only wanted a Melona bar, while Sunoo ordered ramyeon, tteokbokki, and sauna eggs for them to share, along with beer and jelly packets.
Eating with Riki was much more calming than being in the baths. They avoided talking about work at first. Instead, they mostly discussed horror, from recent movies they’d seen to real-life experiences. Riki was currently going through all the “Ring” movies, the Japanese and American versions. They disagreed on whether vampires should be sexy and mysterious (Sunoo) or gross and more zombie-like (Riki).
The younger man peeled his egg but then placed half of it on Sunoo’s plate. He kept on insisting Sunoo eat most of the food, and Sunoo stopped fighting it after awhile.
Eventually, they did end up talking about work — how much they hated their boss, the annoying clients, the kind auntie at the lunch place across the street that would give customers extra pajeon if she thought they were extra attractive that day. He snorted when Riki told a story about a recent business trip with their boss, when he had to share a room and put up with their boss’s farting all night long.
Riki was an awful storyteller, jumping around in his narrative and losing interest in his own talking, but Sunoo found it all so endearing. He was grateful they could spend time out of the office like this. Riki was more approachable, familiar, with his bangs down and his skin glowing from the baths. He didn’t want to have a crush, but when Riki joined their department all those months ago, introducing himself with a boxy smile and poorly hidden disdain for their boss, Sunoo couldn’t help the stuttering of his heart. At least it gave him something to look forward to at work.
When Riki glanced up, he suddenly switched seats to join Sunoo’s side of the table. “Fuck, I didn’t think they’d be here tonight.”
“Who? What’s wrong?”
Riki clicked his tongue. “There’re these two regulars — they’re kind of intense. They love putting newbies through the ringer. I’m hoping they don’t notice you, but Jake hyung and Evan hyung probably — ah, hey hyungs. How’s it going?”
Two men with easy gazes sat across from them without asking. The taller of the two gestured at the towels folded on their heads.
“I didn’t know you could fold a sheep’s head, Ni-Ki-san. How cute.”
Riki draped his arm across the back of Sunoo’s chair. He offered a strained smile.
“Well, you learn something new everyday.”
The one with large, inquisitive eyes raised a brow at Sunoo’s direction. “Aren’t you gonna introduce us to your new friend? I don’t think we’ve met before. I’d definitely remember a face like yours. I’m Jake; this is HamHam.”
The other man narrowed his eyes. “I told you I changed it to Evan months ago.”
Sunoo stifled the urge to laugh. What ridiculous names. Could you even moan the name “Evan” in a sexy way?
Riki moved his chair closer to Sunoo’s. “He’s really new to this, guys. Take it easy.”
“What, you his guardian or something?”
“As a matter of fact, I kinda am, for as long as he needs it. He’s here to wash up and relax, so leave him alone.”
The three of them seemed to have an argument with their eyes. Sunoo looked between them, trying to decipher their expressions. He was lost.
After awhile, they slowly got up. Jake smiled warmly. “Well, whenever you’re ready to play, let us know.”
“We’ll be waiting.” The taller one flashed his bright teeth.
When they finally left, Riki relaxed his grip on Sunoo’s shoulders, sighing deeply. “Those guys are always on the prowl for fresh meat. If you’re not ready for them, just steer clear. You should stick to the kiddie pool unless you really wanna get nasty.”
Sunoo shuddered lightly, not out of fear but out of quiet anticipation. Maybe that was something he could work up to. He still needed to learn how to suck dick first. Still, he smiled gratefully at Riki.
“I’m glad we ran into each other tonight.”
Riki flicked his earlobe. “Don’t mention it. You kinda got scammed into coming here by Attendant Yang, but hopefully, your experience hasn’t been too awful so far.”
Sunoo shook his head. He wanted to say more but didn’t know how to come off nonchalant and not totally in love with his co-worker. So, instead, he just gathered up their trash and cleaned up their table.
There was still a bit of time before Sunoo’s scrub, so they explored the different heated rooms together. They both avoided the super-hot room, but spent ample time in the red clay ball and charcoal rooms. There wasn’t any awkwardness as they sat mostly in silence, letting the heat lather them up into a nice sweat. Sunoo tried to keep his eyes away from the way Riki’s sweat smoothly slid down his face, dripping off his chin and dampening the collar around his neck. He shut his eyes completely when he saw Riki grab a water bottle and chug, throat bobbing steadily.
When it was time for Sunoo’s scrub, Riki promised to wait for him. Sunoo made his way back to the heated pools alone to a partitioned area for scrub and massage services. Jungwon greeted him at the entrance and led him to a cushioned table.
As Sunoo lay down, Jungwon scrolled through his tablet, brows flying up at whatever was on his screen.
He cleared his throat. “I’m doing this as a courtesy since you’re new. It seems as if you ordered a special scrub, which allows you to orgasm at its completion. Is that something you’re still interested in?”
Sunoo sat up, eyes popping out of his socket. “Excuse me?”
Jungwon shrugged. “Sorry, I didn’t catch it when you first signed in. You probably meant to pick the regular scrub.”
He held up the tablet to Sunoo, who saw that the box for “special scrub — climax package” was indeed checked.
He smacked his forehead. His mother did always warn him to read the fine print.
But now that he had been here for a couple of hours and knew what sort of establishment this was, he felt a bit more open to try. Plus, Riki was not far, and he could always yell for his help, right?
He laid back down, folding his arms over his chest. “Um, so…you’ll be doing it then?”
Jungwon smiled beatifically. “Yessir, at your service.”
“Oh, then, let’s…stick to the original plan then. I’m good with it.”
And with that, Jungwon guided Sunoo onto his stomach and started slathering his back with a rose-scented body scrub paste.
“Let me know if the pressure is too much or too little,” Jungwon murmured in his ear.
He started from Sunoo’s shoulders with a pressure that was just right. Sunoo let out an involuntary groan at the movement. His eyes fell shut and his body sank into the table. It had been so long since he had felt this undone.
Jungwon’s hands were just the right firmness. His muscles untangled one by one. When Jungwon scrubbed down his legs, Sunoo couldn’t help the soft grunts that escaped his lips.
He leaned back up to Sunoo’s ear. “Sir, I’m going to be using lube next. You may feel a bit of coolness. I’ll start with my fingers, but then I’ll insert a prostate massage device once you’re ready. My apologies for any discomfort. Please let me know if you’d like to stop. You can tap the top of my head or say, ‘Water.’ Understood?”
Sunoo swallowed thickly. “Y-yes. I get it.”
He held up a device in an unopened plastic package, probably to show that it was unused and hygienic. Sunoo just nodded, feeling as if half his brain had liquefied. Jungwon smiled and disappeared from view again. A few seconds later, Sunoo felt globs of lube run down the cleft of his ass cheeks. Then, two fingers slid the liquid up and down his fluttering hole. Sunoo’s heart beat roared in his ears.
He was starting to think that maybe he had jumped the gun. He was a total newbie after all. But maybe it was best that a professional was guiding him through such preparations? He had no clue.
“Just relax, sir. Sorry — what are you going by?”
“Sunny.”
“How fitting. Sunny, you’re in good hands. I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.” His voice was so reassuring and sweet. He also had a nice smile, with prominent dimples that Sunoo wanted to poke. He felt like he could trust Jungwon.
He took a deep breath. “I’m…I’m ready.”
The first finger was strange. It wasn’t all the way uncomfortable, but it did feel unexpected to have unfamiliar hands probing his most intimate parts. While one hand worked his entrance, the other was gliding up and down Sunoo’s side, cupping and squeezing his ass. More lube trickled over his hole and the finger moved deeper until it pressed against something that felt somewhat pleasant. Sunoo gasped and shifted his hips at the intrusion.
When Jungwon added a second finger, Sunoo groaned, enjoying the added pressure. He licked his lips and arched his back slightly. He could feel his dick starting to fill out. His erection was trapped against the table, drenched in body oil and lube.
“How does this feel, Sunny? Is it uncomfortable?”
Sunoo shook his head, growing breathless. “Mmmh, no, it’s fine. It’s, um, starting to feel…good…”
Jungwon chuckled. “That’s good then. Do I have your permission to stimulate your front as well?”
“Ah, y-yes, p-please.”
Jungwon started with his left nipple, slipping a free hand underneath Sunoo’s chest to start rubbing and flicking. He’d never thought of his nipples as particularly sensitive, but the way Jungwon’s nail dug into his bud had him shivering against the table.
The finger-fucking sped up, with a third one added. Jungwon leaned in to kiss Sunoo’s shoulder. The slide felt much more effortless now, natural, as if Sunoo was made for this. His ears burned as he tried to ignore the embarrassing little gasps that kept tumbling past his lips. He felt a hand cup his chin, and when he opened his eyes, Jungwon’s face was mere centimeters away, his lips just barely touching Sunoo’s.
“May I?” His breath was sugary, as if he had eaten candy beforehand. Sunoo nodded eagerly.
They kissed as Jungwon plunged his fingers deeper, dragging a low moan out of Sunoo that vibrated against his throat. He opened his mouth wider, and Jungwon curled their tongues together. His head was beginning to spin, drunk off the way Jungwon sucked on his tongue while he stroked that pleasure point inside.
Jungwon’s hand slid down his neck, tweaked a nipple, scratched down his belly, until finally, his slim fingers wrapped around Sunoo’s throbbing erection and started rubbing on rhythm with the fingers buried deep inside. He kept kissing Sunoo, and when Sunoo needed to catch his breath, he nibbled Sunoo’s ear and kissed the spot behind it that made Sunoo twist against the table.
Something was bubbling in his core, ready to spill out. Sunoo grabbed Jungwon’s face and kissed him roughly, tongue swiping the back of his teeth.
“I-I think…I’m—”
Jungwon smiled against his lips as he quickened his pace. And then, Sunoo came harshly, back lifting off the table, angling his neck in an awkward way as his muffled cries sounded like pained groans trapped behind bitten lips. He whimpered at the loss of fingers from his body.
He could hear the sound of running water as he tried to reboot his mind again. He felt a warm cloth cleaning up his stomach, and then streams of water gently rinsing off his body.
“You did wonderfully, Sunny,” a tender voice murmured. “You didn’t even need to use the massage device. How do you feel now?”
Sunoo blinked his eyes slowly open. He stared at the overhead lights for a few minutes before he rubbed his jaw and tried sounding out words again.
“Uh…ah…I feel good. Really good. I’m…relaxed. I think.”
Jungwon chuckled. “That’s good to hear. Your allotted time is up. Would you like to extend it?”
He wondered if he could go another round. But his first orgasm from a stranger had already taken so much out of him. He didn’t need to rush. So, he shook his head.
Jungwon helped him sit up again and gently dried him off. He wrapped a towel around Sunoo’s waist and walked him to the entrance. He bowed once Sunoo could use his legs again.
“Thank you, Sunny, for trusting me. I look forward to seeing you here again.”
Sunoo nodded in a daze and sauntered back to his locker. Riki was waiting for him, already dressed in sweatpants and pulling on a T-shirt as Sunoo walked past. He regarded Sunoo in silence, an amused smile slowly stretching across his face. When Sunoo finished getting dressed and closed his locker door, Riki was leaning in front of him, an interested brow raised.
“So, how’d the scrub go?”
Sunoo shrugged but he knew the tips of his ears were pink. “It was fine. Regular. I’m feeling rejuvenated and ready to go.”
“Yeah? You look like you’d been thoroughly fucked.”
That snapped Sunoo back to reality. He reopened his locker to look at his reflection. His cheeks were flushed and a bruise where Jungwon had bit him was starting to bloom. He slammed the door and tried to look indignant at his co-worker.
“Aren’t you younger than me? I don’t think you should be talking to me like—”
He muffled the rest of his words against Riki’s lips as they kissed. Riki pushed him against the lockers, arms snaking around his waist as he bit Sunoo’s bottom lip. Sunoo raked his nails down the sides of Riki’s neck until he was cupping his face, driving his tongue deeper into Riki’s mouth.
When they pulled away, Riki swiped the drool off Sunoo’s chin and stuck his thumb into his mouth. Sunoo sucked softly, scraping his teeth against Riki’s nail.
“Sorry. You just looked so cute, all blissed out like that.” Riki grinned lopsidedly.
Sunoo looked up through his lashes. “You can’t tease me. I’m still a newbie, remember?”
Riki scoffed. “I think getting finger-fucked by Attendant Yang means you move up a grade. Or so I’ve heard.”
They gathered their things and left together. A different attendant at the welcome desk greeted them on their way out.
As they walked down the street, Sunoo wished for the night to keep going. But in front of the dry cleaners, Riki pointed in the opposite direction.
“I gotta head this way. Are you good to get home on your own?”
Sunoo nodded quickly. “I’ve already taken up too much of your time anyway.”
Under the flickering streetlight, Riki brushed a stray hair out of Sunoo’s eyes. His fingers lingered over his right ear.
“Impossible. I’ve got time. Really.”
Sunoo rolled his eyes and playfully smacked his hand away. “Don’t be late for tomorrow’s meeting.”
His smile was cheeky as he let Sunoo hit his shoulder.
“You got it. Good night, Sunoo hyung.”
💧