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“Taemu,” she moans louder, squirming in her place as he rocks with her. “Taemu, please—“
She doesn’t get to finish whining because he’s picking up his pace, going harder than before. She slips out of his grasp just a little so he places his hands on her hip bones and holds her firmly in her place against the bed. “Stay still,” he almost growls.
Surprisingly, but actually not surprisingly at all, because Taemu had always suspected she would be a bit of a freak in bed, she likes it.
There were late nights before they’d gotten together where he would lay awake thinking about her touch, her lips, her body, everything she did that unconsciously turned him on. Somehow, his thoughts would circle back to their first date and how forward she was with him. Though he had a feeling back then she might’ve been faking a lot of it, he had been undeniably attracted to her. Then, he’d find himself wondering what would’ve happened if she had just followed him into the room.
After they got together, it was his turn to get her flustered by simply being honest about how he felt. The first few times they’d slept together, she was shy and restrained which made him think he’d been wrong about her. Still, because it was Hari, Taemu found her flushed red cheeks and wide eyes hot. He liked it even when she took her time with removing her clothing, when she’d blush all the way down to her chest and hide her face in his shoulder or when she’d get embarrassed after accidentally letting a moan slip. It was all very cute. But it also made Taemu feel like he was touching something so delicate, and almost ruining it and he kind of liked the idea of that.
It was only when they’d gotten together that he realized he had been completely wrong about her.
It all happened one night when she showed up at his doorstep late at night, frustrated about her new recipe at work consistently failing, her parents adding onto her stress and a new text from Yoora wanting to meet up— which had been her final straw.
He played the role of a good boyfriend. He had let her in quietly, careful not to wake his granddad and listened to her vent until she grew sick of it.
But technically, it really started with a massage.
She had complained about having a crick in her neck lately because of work and Taemu had innocently suggested a massage but when a moan left her lips, well, the rest was history. Hari had been too exhausted to put up a front or care that much about how he was perceiving her so that was the first time she’d totally been herself with him in bed.
And boy, had he been right about her from the very start.
She was demanding, knew exactly what she needed from him and wasn’t afraid to tell him so. She was also really loud. She made all sorts of noises Taemu would’ve never even imagined coming from her mouth and all it did was turn him on even more.
Though it did take him a while to figure it out, Hari was indeed very aggressive in bed. She seemed to like it most when Taemu got a little out of control and just a tad bit…animalistic? So, yeah, it was to no one’s surprise that she moaned even louder and tugged on his hair after he basically manhandled her.
Taking it as a sign of enthusiasm, Taemu loses all his self-control. The room is soon filled with the fast tempo noises of skin on skin, Taemu’s low groans and Hari almost but not quite screaming as he works her up to her orgasm. “God,” she gasps, squeezing his bicep. “You’re so good. I love you.”
Taemu’s almost in a daze at this point but the three words cut through it like a knife. He stills all of a sudden, “What did you say?”
But Hari’s so far gone that it doesn’t register at all. All she knows is that he’s stopped and he shouldn’t stop— why is he stopping? She whines and begs, “Please don’t stop.”
Taemu pulls away and takes his time examining her face, but it doesn’t really feel like when he stops just to admire how needy she is. She doesn’t get time to start thinking about it because he’s kissing her then, moving back and forth again but much gentler than before.
Grateful that she can feel him again, she doesn’t complain about the pace. In fact, she relaxes completely in his arms as he picks her up and holds her closer to his chest. She kisses him back just as hard, smiling at him when he refuses to pull away.
And it doesn’t take long for both of them to see stars after Taemu regains his earlier pace. They hold each other as they come down from their respective highs, Taemu especially holding her tighter than usual as if she might slip away. She gets up eventually, after many soft kisses in return for him letting go to pee and clean herself up. It’s only when she’s washing her hands that she remembers what she said earlier.
She smacks her forehead with her hand and it echoes throughout the large, empty bathroom. It’s so loud that she hears Taemu’s muffled voice from outside, she’s not exactly sure what he’s saying but she shakily replies, “It’s nothing! I’m okay!”
She sits cross-legged on the floor, panicking. Sure, she loves Taemu. In fact, she’s known it for a while now. She just hasn’t told him because as loving as Hari is to everyone around her, she’s never really said those three words to anyone except Youngseo and her family. Even in her past relationships, she’s tried to say it but it never ever felt right-- most times because she didn’t love them and partially because of Minwoo.
The problem with Taemu, though, is that he said it so early on, way before she was ever ready that every time she wants to say it, she overthinks it and it becomes too awkward to say it. She knows it’s stupid but she always felt like she’d missed her chance to say it to him and saying it now would be too late.
But now, with the way she let it slip, she’s confident Taemu’s gonna confront her about it when she gets back. And then, she’ll probably have to say it and she’ll overthink it and it won’t even feel right like it’s supposed to be---
“Hari, are you done? I need to use the bathroom.”
“Yeah!” she stands up suddenly, scared he might have an idea as to what she’s doing in there. “Just a minute!”
She turns off the tap water and opens the door to find Taemu standing outside with crossed arms, now clad in a pair of gym shorts. His entire face softens when he sees her and it almost breaks her heart, thinking about how disappointed he must’ve been that she took so long to say those words and that she’s probably gonna mess it up later when he confronts her about it. Taemu strokes her hair twice before disappearing into the bathroom in a hurry.
She sits on the bed as she waits and considers falling asleep before deciding it would be unfair to him. Taemu takes his time showering and when he does get out, he takes even longer looking for his clothes. When his phone rings, he gives her an apologetic smile and disappears into his study and doesn’t return for a while.
Hari sits up, confused and very much bothered that he doesn’t seem to be jumping at the chance to ask her about it. Is he playing some trick on her? Is there a test that she’s currently failing? Is she supposed to go to him? All her drowsiness wears off as she stands and decides she isn’t going to fuck this up any more than she already has.
She hovers by the bedroom door and looks out into the hallway until she’s sure his grandpa isn’t walking around or watching a drama because the last thing she needs is to get caught like this. Then, she waddles into his study with her arms crossed, finding him sat at his desk going over what seems to be a contract.
She cuts right to the chase, “What are you doing?”
He places his highlighter at the page he’s on and hurriedly closes the contract, “Oh, I must’ve taken a long time. I’m so sorry, I didn’t even notice it. They wanted me to go over the contract but it’s riddled with mistakes. You’d think the lawyers would be much more competent for the amount I pay them--”
“No,” she shakes her head, hesitantly walking up to him. “I’m not talking about this.”
He swivels around so that he’s facing her, “What is it?”
“I-- Earlier…we, when I--”
“Yeah?” he prompts, still as gentle and patient as ever.
She sighs in frustration, running a hand through her hair, “Didn’t you hear what I said? Earlier? When we were, you know…?”
“You know?” Taemu teases, chuckling. “It’s hard to believe this is the same person from a while ago.”
She smacks his shoulder, “You know what I’m talking about!”
Taemu touches the spot where she’d hit him as if it hurts, just out of habit, and then smiles, “I do.”
“Well?” Hari asks, shrugging her shoulders over-dramatically. “Aren’t you going to ask me about it?”
“...Am I supposed to?”
“Well, it’s my first time saying it to you,” she sighs, and Taemu nods. “I thought you’d want to know why I didn’t say it or…or I should say sorry for not saying it earlier. I didn’t even say it right actually, since I didn’t even realize--”
“Hari,” Taemu pouted, pulling her onto his lap in one swift motion. “I know you love me. Today might’ve been your first time actually saying it but that doesn’t mean it was your first time telling me you love me. You’ve shown me how much you love me way more than I’ve said it, I think. I’m sure you have your reasons for it and I’m perfectly willing to wait until you’re ready to say those words. You really have nothing to apologize for and don’t worry, because I know just how obsessed you are with me.”
She laughs, the tears pooling in her eyes slightly blurring his image when he winks at her. She rolls her eyes, “I’m not obsessed with you.”
“Really?” Taemu smirks. “Then, who was it earlier who was begging--”
She covers his mouth with her hand and his eyes soften as he laughs. And in that moment, she knows.
“I love you,” she whispers. “I really do.”
She watches as his eyes widen for a split second before he gives her those big, doe eyes that make him look way younger and softer than he is. She pouts, removing her hand and pecking his lips, “I love you, Kang Taemu.”
He only continues to stare until she says, “It’s okay to show you’re happy, you know.”
Then, he slowly smiles, baring all his teeth for her to see. She bursts out laughing, patting his cheek, “You’re so cute.”
“Thank you for saying it,” he hugs her and rests his head on her shoulder. “I love you too. You have no idea.”
“I think I can guess,” she jokes, earning a chuckle from him but he only tightens his grip on her, adamant to never let her go.