Substitute-Chapter 48

He hadn’t slept a wink all night.

Jiwon literally had to pinch his thighs to suppress the urge.

He clenched his teeth, afraid his hand might unconsciously grab his dick. He couldn’t even bring himself to open the ointment they gave him for the swollen, tattooed nipples. It was his own body, but he didn’t trust what he’d do the moment he started rubbing that stuff in. The fear gnawed at him.

For the first time since arriving, he slept in a shower gown. Even that didn’t feel secure enough, so he wound the blanket around himself like a cocoon to hold his body in place.

Was I always this weak? This starved for sex that I’m getting horny over someone of the same sex?

Was it the painkillers? What if there’s something in the boosters they make us take every morning?

He spiraled into every conspiracy he could think of, grasping at excuses, but eventually blamed himself. For being a worthless son, a pathetic older brother. He apologized in his head to his parents and to that kid.

He’d left the curtains open and watched the sky lighten through the glass wall in real time.

The garden outside was disturbingly peaceful. Beautiful.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t stepped foot outside since arriving here.

Was the garden off-limits?

He made a mental note to check the rules later—and then nodded off without meaning to.

The wake-up siren jolted him back to himself, and he let out a hollow laugh of relief.

He was soaked. In a climate-controlled room, he’d sweated like he’d taken a bath.

Jiwon quickly wriggled out of the blanket and stripped off the gown. He worried, just for a second, that maybe he’d come in his sleep like at the pool—but it was nothing. His thighs weren’t crusted with dried semen, just marked with bruises he’d given himself and handprints from Number 3.

Still, today, there’d finally be a chance to let it out. Even if the instructor was watching, he figured he’d probably be the first to come. He smiled bitterly at the thought.

He stepped into the bathroom to shower. Looking at how swollen his nipples were, and the way the tattoo had widened his areolae, he couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded.

People are really into this?

He knew kinks came in infinite forms, but this was beyond anything he’d ever heard of.

Honestly, it was weird. No matter how you painted the nipples and drew the areolae big and pink, they didn’t look like a woman’s. The shape of the chest was just completely different.

Okay, maybe if you were a guy who didn’t work out and just had some fat on you, it’d sort of resemble it. But everyone here was ripped. Anyone who’d seen what pecs looked like wouldn’t be doing this stupid shit.

Well, unless they’d seen them and still went for it. Which would make them real perverts.

Maybe, like the thong panties, I’ll get used to these too. Fuck.

He turned on the cold water.

The tattooed area stung whenever the water hit it. But at least it wasn’t as intense as he’d feared. Yesterday, he’d clearly been out of his mind.

I mean, it’s just a chest. What’s the big deal? Jiwon didn’t have any sensitivity there. Even when his ex-girlfriend had played with them during sex, it just tickled—nothing more.

Thinking of her made him miss her. And feel sorry.

If none of this had happened, they’d probably be married by now. Maybe with one kid already. Maybe even pregnant with a second. Grocery shopping with his wife, doing chores, taking care of the baby, commuting to work—his life would’ve been something normal. His mom, obsessed with education, would already be looking at preschools.

How did a life that was supposed to be so ordinary end up like this?

Still, he didn’t blame that kid.

He chose this path himself. Every decision had been his own. No one had pushed him into it. Not even the detective who suggested it—he’d asked multiple times, told him to think it through. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

Following the manual, Jiwon finished grooming and got into his sailor uniform before stepping out of his room. Park Gunwoo happened to be coming out at the same time.

His eyes looked swollen.

“Hyung, what’s up?”

“No idea. Allergies maybe?”

“In this clean air?”

The air really was clean. Not just clean—refreshing. That’s why no one felt cooped up despite never going outside.

Sometimes he caught that rich, green smell you only noticed in deep woods. With the place surrounded by forest, the wind must’ve carried it in.

“Pretty sure it’s the pool. Everyone came in there—like hell nobody pissed too.”

Gunwoo shuddered.

“Yeah... that might be it.”

“I’m thinking of going to the clinic later.”

After saying that, Gunwoo stared straight at Jiwon.

“...What...?”

“Just wondering if your heat’s cooled off.”

He said it teasingly.

“Come on, hyung. I’m not—”

His face burned with embarrassment.

“Not what? You and Number 3 were practically grinding on each other yesterday.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“It was exactly that bad. If Minjae hadn’t shown up, you two would’ve been sucking face in no time.”

Jiwon kept denying it, then finally asked, “Was it really that obvious?”

“Yeah. But it was cute. You two looked good together.”

Gunwoo winked. Somehow, that made the shame a little easier to bear.

The more he got to know him, the more it became clear: Gunwoo had a talent for putting people at ease. He always seemed like he didn’t care about anything, but really, he just wasn’t twisted inside. In a place like this, it was an unexpected kind of treasure.

“What about you, hyung? You and Kkwakchan?”

He quickly changed the subject before the talk circled back to Number 3.

“Ha. Kkwakchan. What kind of name is Kkwakchan, seriously? You seen his dick? But it’s not just his dick that’s full. The more you talk to him, the more you realize he’s stuffed full of love. It’s hell trying to hold back.”

He rolled up his sleeve.

Just like Jiwon had done to his thigh, Gunwoo had pinched his inner arm. The marks were clear.

So it wasn’t just me.

Jiwon let out a soft, deflated laugh.

“Hey now, you laughing? Like you held back better?”

“I’m about the same as you.”

He mimed pinching his own thigh.

Gunwoo chuckled.

“Shit, we really are in heat. I almost came just rubbing ointment on my tits last night. Thought my chest was my cock.”

It was a dumb, vulgar joke, but they both laughed anyway—because they got it.

“Still, this shit comes off, right?”

Gunwoo pushed out his chest.

“They said it would, so I guess it will.”

“I mean, I didn’t think about it yesterday, but temporary tattoos that last two weeks are usually just painted on with a brush. No machine. Just dye on the skin surface.”

He tilted his head, still doubtful.

“Maybe they had to cover up the natural color of the nipples and areolae first? To make the pink show better? That could explain it. They did use a brush too.”

Jiwon didn’t understand half of what Gunwoo was saying. He knew nothing about tattoos.

“Hyung! Jiwon!”

Suddenly someone crashed into them from behind, pulling both of them forward with a tight hug.

“Jesus, kid. Full of energy this morning.”

“Energy? I was about to lose my damn mind.”

Kim Yunho was dealing with the same symptoms, but his face was bright.

“Still, today we finally get to do it.”

He smiled, suggestively.

“I’ve been waiting for this too.”

“You, hyung? Me too!”

Yunho poked Gunwoo in the ribs with a dated catchphrase.

Then he turned to Jiwon. “You too?”

The dumb joke made them all laugh.

“You too?” Yunho asked again.

“...Me too.” Jiwon tried not to laugh as he replied.

“But doesn’t it fucking hurt? The nipples, I mean. Is it okay not to use the ointment?”

“We were just talking about that,” Gunwoo said, linking arms with Yunho.

“I mean, when I got my arm tattooed, they wrapped it for three, four hours. And then: no saunas, no swimming for two weeks. Only quick showers. Always apply ointment. So many damn rules. But this? Just one application of ointment and showering’s fine? We’re gonna be working out soon, too.”

Yunho echoed Gunwoo’s concerns.

They were both wondering if this was really just a temporary tattoo.

“How long’ve you had yours?”

“Over two years. You?”

“Three.”

“Damn. We’re kind of veterans, huh.”

Gunwoo nodded at Yunho’s comment.

“Yeah. That machine was definitely brand-new.”

“And the artist’s technique—pure art. Made me wanna get one on my dick too.”

Yunho reached dramatically into the air, talking like he was alone.

“Why didn’t you?” Gunwoo jabbed at him.

And just like that, the conversation ended.

The two of them talked so fast, Jiwon felt ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) exhausted just trying to keep up.

“By the way, Kim Jiwon, you’ve put on some weight.”

Gunwoo gave him a once-over.

“He’s right. You’ve got some volume now.”

Yunho squinted, then started poking Jiwon’s arms, back, waist, and ass.

“For real. You checked your weight?”

“No, not yet. Doesn’t feel like I’ve gained.”

Jiwon glanced down at himself, trailing off.

“Dude, those pants are basically leggings now and you say you haven’t?”

He hadn’t noticed. Honestly, with how tight the thong was, he hadn’t even been paying attention to how the pants fit.

“I mean, I’m eating well, so I guess it’s normal.”

And it was. After starving on garbage food for so long, now eating three solid meals a day made with high-quality ingredients—not gaining weight would’ve been weird.

“Shit, even your ass is bigger, you know?”

“Oh, come on. It’s only been three days. No way my ass grew already.”

“I’m telling you, it has. Your butt’s about to bust outta those pants.”

Yunho grabbed a handful of Jiwon’s ass.

“Stop it, old man.”

Jiwon joked and brushed him off. Yunho cackled. “Look at you, making jokes now.”

Then he suddenly said, “Number 3’s not around, huh? Fuckin’ bastard. Can’t even call you a bastard anymore, I’d feel bad.”

“You, worrying about what people think?” Gunwoo shot back.

“Okay, fair.” Yunho grinned like an idiot.

“I think I’ve gotten bigger too. We should measure ourselves later.”

With one arm still around Gunwoo, Yunho looped the other around Jiwon.

The three of them walked side by side, arms linked.

It wasn’t just talk—people really did call them the Three Musketeers.