Kiss the Ground

The heckling cries of the spectators hovered over the Winchester players like a dark cloud all day long. Even for Chahyun, who was now relatively relaxed despite playing an away game surrounded by opponents, it was quite unnerving.As Chahyun tidied up the last meal remaining on his tray, he thought about the Winchester away fans who had come all the way to the Netherlands to support the team. Though they were only a handful compared to the local fans, the fact that they had come all this way was a great comfort to the team. However, it was also a burden. There was pressure not to disappoint them and to deliver good results.“Those fans of the other team are such a pain.”Jude, still seemingly not fully relieved, spoke somewhat grumpily as he poked at his food with a fork. His complaint hinted at concern about the violence of the team they would face tomorrow. Chahyun, who had received warnings about the opposing team firsthand, was also well aware.“It’s better if you’re prepared to face them.” Jude’s warning from the day before echoed vividly in his mind.“…I’m going to turn in. See you all tomorrow morning.”As Chahyun got up to leave, his surrounding teammates looked at him with surprise. Complaints rose from various corners.“Yuan, are you going to sleep already? You haven’t even placed your bet on tomorrow’s game yet!”“I’m passing this time too. I want to go in and rest early.”“If the young ones act like this, how can traditions be maintained?”Ignoring someone’s jesting suggestion, Chahyun raised his hand in farewell. As he left the hotel restaurant, Misha’s hair at a distant table brushed fleetingly through his mind.The rooms assigned to each player were quite spacious and comfortable. This time, the accommodation for the away game was a luxurious hotel not far from the stadium, with excellent facilities. Since there had been times when they had to share a room with two people during difficult situations, getting a room all to oneself was considered quite fortunate.Chahyun immediately took a bath and changed into indoor clothes before diving onto the bed. He habitually picked up the remote control and turned on the expensive television mounted on the opposite wall, but he soon turned it off again as he couldn’t understand a word. As he fiddled with the neatly arranged hotel amenities, time was already heading towards 10 o’clock.Staying up late on the eve of the game is absolutely forbidden. To maintain a normal routine and take care of his condition, he must start falling asleep soon. Chahyun lay down on the bed, staring at the high ceiling for a moment before closing his eyes. Tomorrow’s game flashed through his mind like a simulation game. It was the perfect atmosphere to fall asleep in.…“I’m not even a bit sleepy.”With a mind overly alert, sleep seemed utterly elusive. After tossing left and right several times, Chahyun finally reached for his phone on the bedside table. Since he usually avoided checking internet reactions before the game, all he could do now was to check messages. Fortunately, there were dozens of encouraging messages piled up in his inbox, which could help pass the time. And among them, placed not at the top but nevertheless standing out, was a message from Cheon Sungju.▶ [Chahyun! Thanks to you, I’ve come all the way to the Netherlands. The night view of Amsterdam is beautiful. I hope tomorrow will be beautiful too. ♥ Fighting ♥]“Ugh! Heart.”The tone of the message, drastically different from the threatening one sent just before the Round of 16 match, startled Chahyun to the point where he closed the window. After checking all the other messages, all that was left for Chahyun to do was absentmindedly touch the screen. After repeatedly making meaningless touches for a while, Chahyun’s finger accidentally pressed the call button.“… ”Was Misha resting in his room?Perhaps he had already fallen asleep. Players generally have quick sleep and wake schedules.Or maybe someone was secretly participating in goal betting in someone else’s room. Since it had been a long time since he personally played in a match, it wouldn’t be strange for such a thing to happen. After all, there was a need for the younger ones to inherit traditions.While thinking such thoughts, Chahyun’s gaze remained fixed on the green handset icon. The warm light and temperature of the screen seemed to touch his fingertips, swirling around them.The moment when Chahyun started exchanging messages with Misha was a month ago. It all began when Misha indicated a place for Chahyun to contact him for an explanation after the Round of 16 match. Due to the unexpected contract that followed, they needed to confirm each other’s time, place, and schedules. So, it was a purely purpose-driven communication to start with.However, lately, bits of their personal conversations had been creeping in. Whether it was complaining about boring seminars, congratulating on goals scored in practice matches, or just one or two emoticons… Except for exchanging greetings when they met at the center, there hadn’t been much interaction between them, so this was quite a significant development for both of them.But at this moment, recalling the conversation with him was not simply for the sake of trivial small talk. Rather, it was closer to the pure purpose of the agreement. Because…Yoon Chahyun had to kiss Misha. Before the game in 12 hours, it must happen.“Ha….”Chahyun suddenly sat up in bed. Then, he raised his hand and gently rubbed his warm forehead. The reason that had been pushing Chahyun away from rest all this time was finally clear.Chahyun had known from the moment he boarded the flight to the Netherlands that the current moment in the hotel was crucial. As the game approached, he didn’t want to risk being shoved into some corner with others, away from prying eyes. Yet, he also couldn’t seem to find a stable time and space solely for that purpose amidst the gaze of reporters and spectators.Chahyun briefly bit his lower lip and glanced at the screen, then lay back down as if crumbling onto the bed. Feeling the soft blanket wrap around him, he brought his hand holding the phone to his forehead.“Ah… What am I even doing?”Chahyun sighed deeply, feeling that his attitude, taking the meeting with Misha for granted, was too audacious. What came to mind with his tightly closed eyes was Misha’s face sitting in the seat next to him on the morning flight. And his firm yet gentle voice.“You can call me anytime you need me.”It was like a catchphrase from a delivery service. Thinking about those words made his stomach churn. It was the same when he first heard it. Unable to figure out what strange pain it stemmed from, Chahyun turned over and buried his face in the pillow in an attempt to find its root. But that thought shattered into pieces with the subsequent shock.Tap, someone had knocked on Chahyun’s door.“Ah!”Startled by the knock breaking the silence, Chahyun jolted up and sat halfway, staring at the door, which was now silent again.“Did I mishear?”But before he could dismiss the thought, the knock came again, as if to retort. The clear and distinct sound echoed through the thick metal door of the hotel and reached Chahyun’s ears clearly. Only then did Chahyun touch the bed and sit up.Someone had come. And it was 10 pm on the night before the game. There was no doubt about it. With no memory of ordering room service at this hour, and no crazy teammate bursting in to play, all that remained was perhaps the coach, whom he hadn’t yet briefed. Stepping closer to the door, Chahyun confirmed that the bolt was securely in place and then slowly pressed the handle.The unexpected figure standing outside the door was, to be honest, an expected one.“Good evening, Yuan.”“Mi…”Crazy. Chahyun unconsciously closed the door. But soon, he moved his stiff hand, hurriedly unlocked the latch, and opened the door again.“Misha?!”“Did I wake you up?”“Oh, no. It’s not that, but…”“Can I come in?”Misha, wearing a white T-shirt with the club logo on the left chest, tilted his head through the open door. His brown hair seemed much darker than usual, indicating that he had probably already taken a bath. Chahyun briefly glanced at the droplets on his bangs, then stepped back a bit late and opened the door for him.“What’s going on this night? I didn’t call you, but… Oh…”Still, barely swallowing the word that almost slipped out of his tongue, Chahyun looked at Misha, who was suddenly entering the room. He didn’t want to be caught hesitating whether to contact Misha or not until just now.“I said I’d come even if you didn’t call.”“So that’s what it meant.”“Well, there are other reasons too.”As Misha stepped into the center of the room, he lightly brushed his wet hair with his hand. Perhaps due to the dim indoor lighting, both his hair and eyes looked black. With that unfamiliar dark gaze, he calmly spoke to Chahyun.“You kept staring at me in the restaurant. Like someone asking for help but can’t decide.”“Was I really staring at you like that? I wasn’t that indecisive.”“Really? Felt like it to me.”During the long dinner time, Misha sat on the narrow king-size bed placed inside the room, with a rather personal interpretation. But as Chahyun looked at him in this position, he felt a bit uncertain in his heart. Did I give off such an anxious vibe?“I thought you were really going to bed early. I was even considering leaving since I couldn’t meet you.”“Oh… I was planning to, but for some reason, I couldn’t sleep.”For some reason couldn’t sleep. Chahyun internally snickered at his own answer. Without knowing the other’s self-reflection, Misha nodded in agreement.“Everyone feels that way the night before a game. Coaches always tell us to sleep early, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.”“True.”Feeling awkward just standing in the hallway, Chahyun casually approached Misha. Though their meeting gazes seemed like nothing special, sitting side by side on the bed was an unexpected move. As the springs of the bed sank heavily, Misha adjusted his body slightly towards Chahyun and spoke.“Is it because of excitement?”“Huh?”“Since it’s right before the game. Maybe adrenaline or something is kicking in.”The saying “the thief has a guilty conscience” seemed fitting. Reacting unintentionally to words like ‘excitement’, Misha chuckled as he noticed Chahyun’s exaggerated response. Realizing his own overreaction, Chahyun rolled his eyes a bit late.“Yeah, I guess. In times like this, it’s inevitable to feel tense…”Even in the awkward conversation, Misha casually nodded as if it were nothing. As soon as Chahyun closed his mouth, an uncomfortable silence filled the gap of about 20 centimeters between them. Touching the high-quality fabric of the blanket with his palm, Chahyun spoke slowly.“So… why did you come here?”That was the main point. Compared to the few seconds Chahyun hesitated before asking the reason for his visit, Misha immediately disclosed his purpose without any hesitation.“We have something we need to do.”“Something we need to do.”This wasn’t just a fastball, it was a curveball. The ball he threw definitely hit Chahyun’s chest. With a refreshing tone, Misha continued before Chahyun could recover his taste for words.“I don’t like doing it in the stadium restroom. It makes me feel like a bad person.”Surprisingly, that was exactly Yoon Chahyun’s thought. Anyway, it wasn’t a place with a few partitions where you could secretly kiss. It wasn’t even Winchester’s home stadium, but a club stadium in another country… Chahyun spoke with a somewhat awkward feeling.“Weren’t the seminar room or the locker room bad enough? We’re getting worse now.”“That’s true, but the chance of getting caught was lower than in the restroom. No one seemed to suspect anything. We even analyzed the game there several times afterward…”“Let’s stop talking about that.”Chahyun quickly interrupted Misha’s rambling, but he didn’t say anything wrong. The seminar preparing for the Villadebalta match had taken place where Misha and Yoon Chahyun had first exchanged the kiss of their contract. When Chahyun saw the coaches and players sitting around the table discussing strategy, he had to bite his knees without even screaming.Ah, if there’s a god of football, he will never forgive me. Whether Misha knew Chahyun’s resignation or not, he continued speaking.“Anyway, in that sense, this place is reasonable now. It’s hygienic, quiet, and there’s no fear of being exposed.”“You’ve thought a lot about it.”“I’ve been thinking about it since the plane. It’s lucky the room isn’t far away.”Misha spoke distinctly without a hint of embarrassment. Seeing his clear face, Chahyun wrinkled his nose.Yeah, after all, we’ve flown several thousand miles with the same thoughts. During dinner, while looking around the stadium and preparing for tomorrow’s game, we’ve been thinking about our ‘things to do’ all the time.“Hmm.”Chahyun let out a deep sigh. In honesty, Misha seemed more mature than Yoon Chahyun. Better than being a coward holding onto a phone or weighing the situation. Against the straightforward attitude of the opponent, the barrier that had crossed Chahyun’s heart burst like a dam in the rainy season.Chahyun straightened his slouched back towards Misha. Misha turned his body around curiously at the sudden movement. Looking at the serious expression in the other’s alternating eyes, Misha seemed to be thinking something for a moment before lowering his eyebrows slightly.Contrary to his bold attitude earlier, the suddenly timid voice came out right after.“Yuan, are you angry?”“Why would I be angry?”Misha lightly shook his gaze, wondering what expression Chahyun was wearing. He had answered somewhat kindly, but had he been too strict in his upbringing? As Chahyun furrowed his eyebrows, reevaluating his parenting style, Misha hesitated before offering his own reasoning.“Is it because I’ve been too bossy?”Chahyun’s face looked at him with a childlike expression as if he had done something wrong. Feeling a bitter taste in his mouth, Chahyun leaned in closer to him.“No, it’s less than usual right now.”“Then why do you look so upset?”Because Yoon Chahyun is foolish. And because he’s not only shameless but also cowardly. At Misha’s subtly piercing words, Chahyun lowered his head slightly. Then, he whispered quietly.“You’re right… We have things to do from now on.”There was no more room to turn away. The desire to turn around had vanished. Chahyun raised the hand that wasn’t resting on the bed and gently cupped Misha’s left cheek.His eyelashes, still damp from the bath, fluttered like butterfly wings. Without hesitation, Chahyun kissed him straight away. Misha’s moist lips trembled as if startled, then slowly met Chahyun’s after a few seconds.If this situation were to be blamed on something, it would be the fault of the soft quilt.The thick mattress, which bore the weight of two adult men, did not utter a creak despite Chahyun pressing his hand against it every time. Reminding them of the fact that this was a hotel bed, the luxury of it all caused Chahyun to exhale hot breath onto Misha’s cheek.Only the sound of their saliva mingling filled the silent room. If counted, this would be the third kiss since the contract was signed. With one hand on Chahyun’s cheek, Misha closed his eyes, focusing on the kiss.During the short weeks of their contract, they had certainly learned the atmosphere. No longer did Misha scrutinize Chahyun’s every expression with wide-open eyes. Perhaps this was thanks to Chahyun’s education.But ironically, it was Yoon Chahyun who was contradicting his teachings. Misha’s eyelids, softly closed, subtly vibrated each time Chahyun leisurely brushed against them with his tongue, and his beautiful eyelashes twitched ever so slightly whenever Chahyun touched a place inside his mouth, almost like he was tickling a nerve.“So that’s why I’ve been giving you that look every time we kiss.”Observing the ever-changing expressions was quite addictive. Whether Chahyun knew Misha was studying his reactions or not, Misha was doing his best to fulfill this illicit contract with a sincere face.Was not pushing Chahyun back right now, just like the question he hesitated to ask earlier, because Chahyun thought he was angry?“It’s not me who should be angry, Misha.”Relying on blind kindness and unreserved sincerity, Chahyun entrusted his own shame and irrationality to Misha.It was comforting to be under his influence. If he blamed everything on Misha’s actions, Chahyun could remain an ordinary, normal human being. So, he had always acted as the ‘demanded party’ cowardly.Thinking so, a frustrating sensation crept into his throat. In the midst of this strange heat, Chahyun unknowingly grabbed Misha’s inexperienced wrist near his waist. Then, he pushed him straight onto the bed.“…!”It was a will that lay somewhere between impulse and intention. Suddenly falling backward, Misha’s eyes widened as if he had forgotten the manners he had just learned. His eyes rolling in pain or confusion rather than surprise, as the thick and valuable bedsheet likely cushioned the shock.Chahyun raised himself up to look down at Misha. With the faint light of the room falling on Chahyun’s back, dark lines were cast over Misha’s body beneath him.“Yuan….”Misha’s face was full of curiosity. It was almost cute how he blinked his eyes, anticipating what would happen next after losing control. Unable to withstand his lips being moistened by Misha’s saliva, Chahyun finally kissed him for the second time, holding his arms down.His heart raced like a rushing stream. With his face flushed, Chahyun continuously took in Misha’s tongue and saliva into his mouth. The faint warmth began to boil as if it had crossed a threshold.As his hand gripped the waistband to support his body’s center, Chahyun’s hand touched Misha’s waist. Deepening the kiss, Chahyun habitually moved his hand up Misha’s waist, feeling around. Hips, ribs… His fingers, throbbing with pain, instinctively moved higher. Just a bit more… More.“Ah, ah…!”The sudden awakening came as Chahyun’s hand swept up Misha’s chest, feeling the wide, firm texture with his whole hand, Chahyun’s eyes snapped open.“S-Sorry.”He hastily rose up as if scalded by boiling water. This wasn’t part of the contract. It was a contact that didn’t belong to any of the three stipulations. A flustered apology slipped out of his mouth.“I… made a mistake.”Misha, whose lips were now tinged red from friction, lifted his head in surprise at Chahyun’s action, blinking. What on earth was he doing…? Chahyun’s face flushed hot with embarrassment at his own impulsive behavior. But after briefly looking at Chahyun like that, Misha slowly lay his head back down and murmured.“It’s okay, Yuan.”What followed was an unexpected action.“You can do as you please.”While meeting Chahyun’s gaze, Misha moved his hand to slowly pull up his own T-shirt. The white Winchester FC player’s shirt was guided by his hand to reveal the body hidden beneath. From his thick, sturdy collarbones, well-defined waist, to the well-shaped chest that Chahyun had just grabbed, it all appeared before Chahyun’s eyes like a panorama.His heart sank and then raced with a quick tempo. Chahyun frowned.“What are you doing?”“If you want to touch, then touch.”“What…?”“Everything, as you wish.”Misha, who had now pulled his shirt up to just below his chin, narrowed his gaze as he looked down at Chahyun. There were subtle colors mixed in those eyes that revealed his entire upper body to the air. As Chahyun looked at that indiscernible expression, he licked his lips.Younger than his age.It was clearly a cunning move. Yet unexpectedly, it sent sharp shivers down Chahyun’s spine. As Chahyun watched in bewilderment, Misha grabbed Chahyun’s right hand and slowly brought it to his body.“……”As Chahyun lifted his index and middle fingers onto Misha’s abdomen, he felt Misha exhale. Following his breath, Chahyun lightly brushed his fingers over the skin.Rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis… Chahyun’s fingertips explored the firm body backwards. The muscles that seemed inconspicuous when changing uniforms now felt oddly unsettling up close. It was a debauchery that straddled between contract and non-contract. With that realization, his heart suddenly raced like running a marathon.And it seemed Misha felt the same. As Chahyun’s hand wrapped around the solidly contoured muscles of his abdomen and crossed over the firm chest, rapid vibrations echoed beneath the skin. Overwhelmed by the rising heat, Chahyun blurted out.“Are you… bulking up?”“Bench press.”“Dumbbells or barbells?”“Both.”“…Alright.”I should too… And that was the end of the nonsense.The handsome body, devoid of any common tattoos, revealed the sinuous muscles under the dim light as if drawn in a painting. As Chahyun cautiously ran his tense hand over the skin once again, Misha’s Adam’s apple bobbed slowly. Seeing those parted lips, Chahyun instinctively leaned in.Their thin lips touched with only the thickness of a single peel of skin between them. It was a familiar position, having kissed each other enough times to remember each other’s oral structure and temperature.But as Chahyun paused with their faces inches apart…‘……’Kissing now… It wasn’t because it needed to be done, but because he wanted to. Because Yoon Chahyun wanted to kiss Misha.His heart pounded with conflicting emotions. Heat quickly transferred from the partially undressed body of his partner. As he shifted slightly, Chahyun’s thigh brushed against Misha’s open legs on the bed. Feeling the familiar weight and curves against his groin, Chahyun cursed inwardly.This guy’s hard. And so am I.It was madness.No matter how much they clung to each other, bit and sucked, they were still teammates, junior and senior, and fellow men.