COCKY.
CHAPTER ONE
Hyunjin x reader. (s)
MASTERLIST
Synopsis: When you signed up for a paid product testing program, you expected free samples and money. What you didn’t expect was to be paired with Hwang Hyunjin and assigned to test a series of increasingly questionable sexual wellness products together. (19,8k words)
Author's note: Cocky Hyunjin has been bothering me for a while so I decided to let it out to the world. Hope you enjoy it ❣️
The first thing people notice about Hyunjin is the face. Which is unfortunate for everyone involved, because it distracts from the fact that he is, annoyingly, actually good at his job.
In an advertising company where ideas move fast and egos move faster, Hyunjin has carved out a reputation that most designers spend years chasing. Some of the company’s biggest advertisements of the past few years carry traces of his work. His designs circulate through presentations and pitch decks like proof of the company’s creative credibility. It’s difficult to hate him for his looks when his work is that good.
Still. The face does complicate things. Hyunjin knows exactly what he looks like. He’s aware of it in the casual way someone might be aware of the weather: a constant, useful piece of information. The sharp lines of his jaw, the long dark hair he occasionally ties back when he’s working late, the way his eyes soften and form two crescents when he smiles—none of it is accidental. He takes care of himself. He dresses well. He moves through the office with the easy confidence of someone who has long since realized the effect he has on people and he uses it… efficiently.
A smile here when he needs a favor from the media team. A playful remark when he runs into someone from the copywriting department by the coffee machine. A teasing compliment that leaves someone flustered long enough for him to slip away with the information he needed.
Hyunjin flirts naturally, thoughtlessly, without much effort. Which is why half the office is quietly convinced they could be the one to make him settle down.
Well, they’re wrong. Hyunjin has never been particularly interested in relationships. Dating, flirting, the occasional late-night distraction—those are easy. Fun, even. But commitment has always felt like something unnecessarily heavy, something that would only complicate a life he currently enjoys very much.
He likes his freedom. He likes leaving the office late with his headphones on and no one waiting for him. He likes the way people look at him, the way conversations tilt in his direction, the way the room subtly shifts when he walks in.
Hyunjin is perfectly content being exactly who he is: a talented graphic designer with a dangerously charming smile and absolutely no intention of giving his heart to anyone. At least, that’s what everyone in the office believes and Hyunjin has never bothered to correct them.
-
Hyunjin stands at the front of the meeting room with the remote wrapped around his fingers, one hip leaning against the edge of the long table. The presentation slide behind him glows across the wall. A clean layout, sharp typography, rich colors that pull the eye exactly where he wants it. It’s Hyunjin’s distinct artistry. He taps the remote and the next slide appears: a sleek product mockup for a new aphrodisiac pills campaign.
Hyunjin notices the way people around the table shift in their chairs, interest sharpening immediately “So the idea here is to lean into confidence rather than… desperation.” he begins, voice smooth and steady.
A few quiet chuckles ripple through the room. He gestures toward the screen as the advertisement shows a minimalist design. A dark background, elegant lettering, the product centered like something luxurious rather than clinical.
“We’re not selling a solution to a problem. We’re selling the idea that the person taking this already has the confidence. This just… amplifies it,” Hyunjin continues.
Another click on the remote and mockups of billboard layouts appear. A senior marketing manager nods approvingly. Hyunjin glances around the table, reading faces like he’s done this a thousand times. “And besides if these things work as well as the brief claims, I might need a pack myself,” he adds casually, slipping a hand into his pocket.
Laughter spreads around the table. “As if you need it,” someone mutters under their breath.
Hyunjin only smiles like he’s perfectly aware of the reaction he just caused and the rest of the presentation moves quickly after that. A few questions, a suggestion about color variations, a brief discussion about rollout timelines.
By the time the meeting ends, Hyunjin shuts off the projector and begins stacking his notes. One by one, the room empties and then he realizes someone is still standing near the end of the table. He looks up and sees a woman he doesn’t recognize steps forward, offering a polite smile.
“Hi, I’m Jane,” she says, red-painted lips curve into a polite smile.
Hyunjin straightens slightly, curiosity flickering across his face. “So, Jane. Did you enjoy the presentation, or are you here to critique my color palette?”
She laughs softly. “Actually, I’m the one who created the pills.”
Hyunjin’s brows lift, impressed. “Well, then I guess I should congratulate you on creating such revolutionary product,” he says.
Jane folds her hands loosely in front of her. “I’m the development scientist behind the formula.”
Hyunjin lets out a low whistle. “That’s a lot more impressive than designing the packaging. You’re the one doing the real work.”
“I enjoyed your presentation. You made the product sound very appealing,” Jane says.
Hyunjin coyly, subtly shrugs one shoulder. “That’s my job.”
For a moment, he assumes this conversation is going exactly where conversations with strangers usually go — a little light flirting, maybe a request for coffee. Instead, Jane says, “Would you be interested in becoming one of our product test participants?”
Well, that… wasn’t what he expected. “For the pills?” he asks.
“Not really,” she says while rummaging through her bag for something. “Our company runs a testing program whenever we’re creating new products. We recruit participants who receive these products and test them before the official public release.”
Hyunjin studies her, trying to decide if she’s joking. But there’s no laughs or a teasing smile. “Is this… serious?”
“Yes,” she answers without a beat. After a while, Jane finally finds the thing she’s been looking for in her bag. A card wallet. “Participants receive several products. They document their experience, provide feedback, and complete evaluation forms,” she further explains.
Hyunjin crosses his arms loosely. “And what do I get out of this besides… enhanced confidence?”
Jane smiles knowingly. “The participants are generously compensated for their feedback.”
Now that catches his attention. One eyebrow lifts slightly. But there’s this teeny tiny fear that he’d be trying out some ominous, questionable products. They’re not out in the market yet for a reason.
Jane notices his hesitation. She flips open her wallet and pulls out a name card, extending it toward him. “If you’re interested, just give me a call,” she calmly says.
Hyunjin accepts the card between two fingers and reads aloud quietly. “Jane Woods. Development scientist.”
Underneath the name sits the company logo of a famous, a very legitimate pharmaceutical brand that appears in international campaigns and research journals alike.
Hyunjin looks back up at her. “Well, that suddenly feels like a much more serious invitation,” he says, impressed despite himself.
Jane laughs softly. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
She steps back toward the door, clutching her bag in front of him. “Your presentation really was excellent, Mr. Hwang. Have a good day!”
With that, she leaves the room. The door closed behind her and for a moment, Hyunjin simply stands there. He glances down again at the card resting between his fingers and weighs the promise it holds. Free products and money. His lips curl slightly at the corner, slips the card into his pocket and, to his own surprise, he’s actually considering it.
-
You like order and maybe that’s why you thrive in this career. Inside the marketing department of the company, you’re the one people quietly rely on when something important needs to happen without disaster. Product launches, brand activations, press showcases, corporate networking nights—if the event matters, it usually ends up on your desk.
You’re the event planner. Which, in reality, means you are also a problem solver, negotiator, scheduler, coordinator, and occasionally the person sprinting across a ballroom in heels because someone forgot the microphone batteries.
While other people crumble under the chaos of deadlines and moving parts, you move through it with focus. You juggle spreadsheets and vendor calls, marketing briefs and venue contracts, your calendar packed with color-coded reminders that tell you exactly where you need to be at any given minute. Multitasking comes naturally to you. Efficiency, even more so.
You just don’t like things falling apart. Which is why the events you handle rarely do. When a launch party runs smoothly, when the lighting cues hit perfectly, when the clients leave impressed and the executives satisfied, no one really notices the hundreds of small decisions you made behind the scenes to make it happen. And you prefer it that way. Being the invisible engine behind a successful event suits you perfectly.
It also keeps you very, very busy. Busy enough that you rarely have time to linger around the office gossip corners. Busy enough that lunch breaks often happen at your desk. Busy enough that while other people in the office flirt across cubicles or sneak away for after-work drinks, you’re usually still answering emails or double-checking vendor confirmations.
Dating, as far as you’re concerned, simply doesn’t fit into the schedule. Not anymore. Once upon a time you might have thought differently. Once upon a time you might have believed that relationships were worth rearranging your life for. But that was years ago. And things have a way of changing after certain experiences.
You’ve learned since then that emotions complicate things. They make people unpredictable. They create expectations that can collapse without warning.
Work, on the other hand, is simple. Work follows logic. Effort in, results out. So you pour your energy into your career instead. Into building something solid and dependable in a world that sometimes proves otherwise.
Dating feels like an unnecessary distraction. A waste of time. Which is why, when coworkers whisper about the charming graphic designer from the creative team who seems to flirt with half the office, you barely pay attention. You have far more important things to do.
-
There’s not much time left to the launch party so you gather everyone in the meeting room to assess the preparation. You stand at the head of the table, tablet in hand, scanning the agenda you put together the night before.
“Alright,” you say, tapping the screen to pull up the event timeline on the projector. “Let’s run through final preparations for the launch party.”
The room quiets almost instantly and that’s one thing about your meetings—people actually listen.
“The event is scheduled for next Friday evening. Guest list confirmations are almost complete. Press invitations went out yesterday, and we’re expecting around 200 attendees, including several influencers and media partners,” you continue.
You lower your tablet and glance down the table. “Operations—venue setup?”
One of the managers nods. “Furniture layout and stage equipment are booked. Lighting crew will arrive that morning.”
“Good.” You tap your tablet again and move to the next on the list. “Catering?”
“Menu finalized. Delivery scheduled two hours before doors open.”
“Perfect.”
You keep moving through the checklist, your mind ticking through each element like clockwork. Everything needs to line up. If one piece slips, the entire event can unravel.
Finally, you reach the next point. You look toward the far end of the table. “Creative team. Status on the graphics and visual materials?”
That’s when Hyunjin finally speaks. He looks up from whatever he’s working on a piece of paper. Then he leans back in his chair, long legs stretched casually under the table, one arm draped over the backrest like he doesn’t have a single worry in the world.
But when he answers, his tone is completely professional. “Billboard mockups are finalized. Event banners are currently in print. Digital displays for the venue screens will be delivered by Wednesday.”
The other person from the creative team hands you a tablet and you glance at the designs shown on the screen. Hyunjin is annoyingly good at it and you hate to acknowledge it.
You nod once and mutter, “Thank you.”
Hyunjin inclines his head slightly in return before getting what to whatever he’s doing earlier.
The meeting continues for another fifteen minutes as you finalize timelines and confirm responsibilities. Then, slowly, the room begins to empty.
You’re left collecting your notes at the front of the table and jot down some added notes on your tablet when all of a sudden, a drawing lands on top of your tablet. A drawing of you in blue pen.
“It’s not hard to draw you. Just a few straight lines and a frown…” Hyunjin says with a grin.
So, this is what he’d been working on during the meeting. Despite that he’s drawing you in harsh lines of blue ink, it’s… good. It’s so artistic. But again, you refuse to acknowledge it. instead, you slowly lift your eyes and give him a flat look.
“Cause you know, you’re always this tense,” he casually adds, leaning against the table, watching you with that infuriatingly relaxed expression.
You take the drawing and crumple it into a ball. Then, you politely ask, “Is there something work-related you need, Hyunjin?”
“Well…” His gaze flicks toward the presentation screen still displaying the product logo for the aphrodisiac pills. “Here to remind you to get a pack of those at the launch party.”
The smirk on his face tells you exactly what kind of reaction he’s hoping for and you refuse to give him the satisfaction.
“Even if I took the entire bottle, I still wouldn’t be attracted to you,” you coyly reply.
For a moment, silence hangs between you. Then Hyunjin’s smile widens. Not the slightest bit offended. If anything, he looks entertained. He stops leaning against the table and walks toward you. The space between you shrinks quickly until he’s standing just a little too close.
Up close, he’s even more irritatingly composed. “You say that now,” he murmurs.
Your arms fold across your chest, the tablet clutched in between. “Trust me, that won’t change,” you dryly say.
Hyunjin tilts his head slightly, studying you like he’s just encountered an interesting puzzle. “Give it time,” he says.
Then his voice drops a fraction, but certain. “You’ll fall under my charm eventually.”
You scoff outright and the sound echoes slightly in the empty conference room. “In your dreams.”
Hyunjin only chuckles as he cheekily adds, “In your wet dreams.”
Then he turns, slipping his hands into his pockets as he walks toward the door. His strides are wide and easy, the posture of someone completely confident in his place in the world.
The second he leaves the room, a groan of disgust escapes you before you can stop it. “As if,” you mutter to the empty room.
The idea alone sends a shiver crawling up your spine. Falling for a man like him? A man who’s too confident, too smooth, too certain that everyone eventually falls for him?
You’ll never understand why people are drawn to someone like that and you’re absolutely certain of one thing. You would never be one of them.
-
From a distance, the launch party looks effortless. Which is exactly the point. You stand near the back of the room, half-hidden beside one of the tall display panels, a walkie-talkie clipped in one hand while your eyes move steadily across the space like a radar.
“Stage lighting check,” you murmur into the device.
A crackle answers back. “Lighting stable.”
“Entrance desk?”
“All guests checked in. Media arriving in ten.”
You nod to yourself. Good.
Everything is running exactly the way it should.
You’re dressed for the event. A black evening dress, heels, hair neatly pinned back but the walkie-talkie in your hand ruins any illusion that you’re here to enjoy yourself. You’re working, and everyone here knows it. Your gaze drifts across the crowd again and feel assured that everything is under control.
After two hours of intense monitoring, you allow yourself a small break. You step toward the bar at the edge of the room and take one of the champagne flutes sitting on a tray.
You tilt your head back and drink it in one long swallow. Only then do you realize how thirsty you actually are. The empty glass rests in your hand as you exhale quietly.
That’s when you notice someone stepping up beside you. A woman. She seems vaguely familiar, though you can’t immediately place where you’ve seen her before. She stands comfortably at the bar, rummaging through a small purse with casual focus until she pulls out a slim cigarette case.
Your eyes widen slightly and lean toward her politely. “I don’t think you’re allowed to smoke inside,” you say carefully.
The woman pauses, cigarette halfway out of the case. Then she smiles faintly to herself. “What a shame,” she mutters.
She slides the cigarette back into the case and snaps it shut. Then she turns to look at you properly and extends a hand. “I’m Jane Woods.”
Recognition flashes through your mind at the mention of her name. Your posture straightens instantly. “Oh—of course. You’re the development scientist behind the product,” you quickly say, embarrassed you didn’t recognize her sooner.
“That’s me,” Jane says with a proud smile.
You shake her hand politely. “I’m the event planner for tonight. And congratulations on the launch. The response looks great so far.”
Jane glances around the room, amused. “It does seem lively.”
She leans her elbow lightly against the bar. Then, without warning, she says, “I need you to be honest with me.”
“…Yeah?”
“Would you ever buy aphrodisiac pills?”
The question catches you off guard. You hesitate, weighing politeness against honesty.
“Well… I’m not sure I’m exactly the target market,” you sheepishly answer.
Jane chuckles softly, clearly entertained. “That’s fair.”
She takes a glass of champagne, holding it in her hand as she mutters almost to herself, “Man, I should’ve made a vibrator with teeth or something. They always sell well.”
You offer a polite laugh at that.
She tilts her head to take a big gulp of her wine and then turns to you. “I’m sure you have one of our vibrators in your panty drawer, yeah?”
You nearly choke on absolutely nothing. The bluntness of the question makes your brain stall for half a second. Instead of answering, you offer a polite smile.
Jane watches you and her eyes narrow just a fraction. “What? You don’t?” she asks.
You shake your head, confirming it.
Jane lets out a surprised laugh, genuinely amused. “That’s unexpected.”
She rummages through her purse again and this time she pulls out her wallet. From inside, she slides out a small name card and holds it out toward you.
“Let me hook you up to some of our products,” she says casually.
You stare at the card like it might explode. Your brain immediately begins searching for a polite way to decline.
Jane continues talking before you get the chance. “Our company sometimes runs participant testing programs. We select a bunch of people to try new products before they reach the market. Everything’s legal. Completely safe.”
Then she adds, almost as an afterthought, “And the reviews are generously compensated.”
You glance down again at the card resting between her fingers. Like it’s a cursed object. You hesitate long enough that Jane simply takes your hand and places the card into it herself.
“Once you receive the products, you test them at home and report your experience. Easy,” she breezily explains.
Then she leans in close and lowers her voice slightly with a playful note. “You know. Free products. And extra money.”
Honestly, it’s tempting. Free products and money. But you know those things don’t come easy like this. They always come with something else. And considering the fact that a development scientist behind the aphrodisiac pills comes with the offer, you’re right to feel suspicious.
Jane calmly finishes her champagne and then flashes you another bright smile. “Give me a call, okay?”
Within seconds she disappears into the crowd of guests and flashing cameras, leaving you standing there and holding her name card.
Jane Woods. Development Scientist. The pharmaceutical company’s logo sits neatly at the top of the card. It’s legit. Your index finger taps the edge of the card thoughtfully.
It’s probably just a marketing study. Companies do those all the time. Focus groups. Consumer feedback programs. Still… The idea lingers in your head because yes, it’s strange. But it’s also—
Participants generously compensated. Free products. Extra money. Jane’s words echoing in the back of your head.
It’s ridiculous to even consider it. You’re busy enough already. And testing… those kinds of products? The thought alone makes heat creep up your neck.
You slide the card into your clutch anyway. Just for now. No commitment. No decision. Only curiosity. And maybe a tiny, inconvenient interest in finding out how the program actually works. After all, free products are free products.
-
By the time the weekend finally comes around, the launch party already feels like something that happened months ago instead of just a few nights earlier. But the one thing that lingers in your memory is of a certain name card.
One afternoon, you decided to give Jane Woods a call and told yourself you were only calling to ask questions. Somehow the conversation ended with her cheerfully telling you to stop by the company building on Saturday afternoon and inform the reception you were there for the program.
So now here you are, standing inside the gleaming lobby of one of the most well-known pharmaceutical companies in the country. The place looks exactly how you’d expect, clean, sleek and professional.
You slowly approach the reception desk. “Hi, I’m here for the product testing program,” you say politely.
The receptionist barely hesitates as she guides you through the route. “Of course. Fourth floor, C Hall. Just follow the signs for the program.”
You thank her and head toward the guest elevators. The ride up is quick, the soft hum of the elevator doing nothing to calm the strange flutter of curiosity in your chest. This is still a little ridiculous. Testing products? You’re not even sure why you agreed to come.
The doors slide open onto the fourth floor and you immediately spot several signs posted along the hallway: Product Testing Program →
You follow them until the hallway gradually grows louder the closer you get to the end. Then you turn the corner and see the small crowd. People are gathered near the entrance of a hall, chatting in small groups while holding identical tote bags.
You approach the check-in desk near the door where two staff members sit behind laptops. “Hi, I’m here for the program,” you tell them.
One of the staff members looks up. “Name?”
You tell her and she quickly types it in, scanning the list before nodding. “You’re on the list.”
You let out a breath of relief. It would have been very awkward if you weren’t there.
A printer beside her whirs softly as she prepares something while the other staff pulling out a clipboard and a pen. “Please sign this,” she instructs.
“May I know what is this?” you ask as you pick up the pen.
“It’s a waiver. Means that we have your consent to participate in our testing program, to the terms and conditions,” she vaguely explains, probably have explained the same thing to other dozen people before you.
You understand right away, just another standard registration process—something you’ve done dozens of times at professional events. You flip through the pages, skimming most of it and find the liability clauses. That’s important.
You take another look at it, skimming the boring part — testing products, duration of the programs, evaluation forms…
Your brow quirks up at the mention of compensation for providing feedback. The company is indeed very generous for it. You feel assured now, certain so you sign the waiver.
You hand it to the staff and in exchange, she hands you a plastic ID card with a lanyard attached. Your name is printed clearly beneath the label with: Participant 260319
Along with it, she slides a small tote bag across the desk. “Complimentary snacks,” she says cheerfully.
“Thank you,” you say as you take it.
You glance inside briefly and see a pack of sandwich, a small bag of chips, bottled juice. A few other small items.
Before you can say anything else, the other staff member adds casually, “You can wait inside the hall with your partner.”
“My partner?”
The staff member nods. “Yes.”
A small laugh escapes you. “Oh—I think there’s a misunderstanding. I came alone.”
The two staff members exchange a confused look. “But you’re registered with a partner,” the first one says.
You shake your head. “No, I signed up by myself.”
The second staff member turns her monitor slightly toward you before gesturing to a poster taped to the side of the desk. You follow her finger, eyes landing on the smaller title printed under the company’s name.
COUPLES PRODUCT TESTING PROGRAM. Below it is a neat explanation about testing intimacy products designed specifically for partners.
Your eyes widen slowly. “Oh?”
You stare at the poster like it personally betrayed you. “But I–I don’t have a partner,” you say weakly.
The staff member tilts her head. “You do.”
Your heart skips. “…I do?”
“Yes.”
You feel an uncomfortable prickle run down your spine. “Who?”
The staff member lifts a hand and points behind you. Your body goes completely still and for a moment, you seriously consider not turning around. Because something in your gut is already warning you this won’t end well. But curiosity wins anyway as you slowly, reluctantly turn.
You immediately regret it because standing a few feet behind you is Hyunjin. He’s leaning casually against the hallway wall, dressed in dark jeans and a black jacket like he just stepped out for coffee instead of walking into a pharmaceutical testing program. A plastic ID badge dangles loosely between his fingers and on his face— is the most infuriating smirk you’ve ever seen.
Hyunjin lifts the badge slightly and gives it a little wave. “Hey, partner” he says lazily.
The sight of him sends a shiver straight down your spine and suddenly the word partner feels a lot more terrifying than it did thirty seconds ago.
-
Of all the people in the world. Of all the possible partners. It had to be Hwang Hyunjin.
Your brain refuses to process the sight of him for a solid three seconds. You recover just enough composure to grab his sleeve before he can say anything else and drag him away from the check-in area.
“Come with me.”
Hyunjin barely resists. If anything, he looks amused as you pull him down the hallway and into a quieter side corridor where the noise of the crowd fades into a distant murmur.
You release him and spin around. “What are you doing here?”
Hyunjin straightens the lanyard around his neck lazily. “I think it’s pretty obvious. Same reason you’re here,” he answers with a one-shoulder shrug of his.
You inhale slowly through your nose, forcing your voice to stay low. “How did you even get here?”
He shrugs again like the question barely matters. “I got invited to try some products. So I came.”
Of course, a person like Hyunjin would come to something like this. You believe he said yes without thinking.
Then you ask again, softer but more strained. “How did you know about this program?”
Hyunjin tilts his head and instead, asks the question back at you. “How did you know?”
You hesitate because you don’t want to gift Hyunjin the knowledge that you said yes when the creator of aphrodisiac pills invited you to this.
“A friend of a friend recommended me. She works here,” you lie, at the least, a part of it.
Hyunjin’s eyes narrow slightly. “So, you have a friend, huh?” he teasingly says.
You shift your weight and glare. “Of course I have a friend.”
His gaze lingers on you a moment longer, clearly unconvinced. “And who is this friend?” he presses.
You immediately cut him off. “That’s not the point.”
You gesture vaguely toward the hallway behind you. “The point is that we can’t be partners.”
“Why not?” Hyunjin says, immediately and innocently.
You stare at him like he just suggested something completely insane. “Because, you are not my actual partner. You’re my coworker. And you’re—”
You pause, searching for the right word to describe him. “…Vile.”
Hyunjin snorts and mutters, “As if you have an actual partner.”
Your mouth opens but nothing comes out. The worst part is that he’s not entirely wrong. You don’t have a partner. Actual or not. You don’t let him watch you struggle for a comeback for long.
You straighten your back and say, “I’m going to sign out of the program.”
Hyunjin’s full lips curve into a smirk. “Yeah. That’s the problem.”
Your confidence shrinks a little. “What problem?”
“You already signed the waiver.”
A quiet gasp escapes you, eyes widen in horror. He’s right. You skimmed most of it before signing it and giving your life away.
Hyunjin notices the realization spreading across your face, his smirk turning wicked. “No backing out now.”
You shake your head immediately. “That can’t be right. There has to be a way to cancel it.”
Hyunjin chuckles under his breath like he’s just heard the most ridiculous thing imaginable.
“Or, you could just accept that we’re partners,” he lightly says.
He gestures vaguely between the two of you. “And we’re going to test some sexy products together.”
The thought alone makes your entire body recoil. A groan of disgust spilled out of your mouth.
Hyunjin adds casually, “They’re paying us too.”
You close your eyes briefly as all sorts of thought running through your head. Testing products. With Hyunjin. As partners. The more you think, the more absurd it becomes.
“There has to be a way,” you mutter under your breath.
Without another word, you turn and march straight back toward the check-in desk and the two staff members look up as you approach.
“Hi, I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” you say, forcing a polite smile.
You gesture vaguely behind you where Hyunjin is now strolling up at a much more relaxed pace. “I’d like to withdraw from the program.”
The staff member nods professionally. “Of course. May I ask if you’ve already signed the waiver?”
Your mouth parts open but the word is hard to say out loud. “…Yes.”
She taps a few keys on her computer before pulling up a document. “Unfortunately, once the waiver is signed, participants cannot withdraw from the program,” she patiently explains.
She turns the monitor slightly so you can see the waiver and this time, with more attention. Then you reach the section outlining the program requirements.
Participants must complete product evaluations and submit reviews throughout the duration of the program.
A slow wave of panic creeps up your spine. Why? Why did you sign that so quickly? Why today, of all days, did you decide to be reckless?
Hyunjin is standing beside you now. He glances at the screen and then at your face. And with a small shrug, he simply says, “Hey, you signed it.”
You exhale heavily, in defeat because this time, the disaster is entirely your own doing. And apparently, you’re going to be stuck in this mess. With Hyunjin. For an entire month.
-
You sit beside Hyunjin in the row of chairs arranged in neat lines across the hall, your ID badge hanging stiffly around your neck like a badge of shame. Around you, a dozen or so couples settle into their seats, some leaning comfortably into each other, some whispering and laughing like they’re on some bizarre date night.
You, on the other hand, sit ramrod straight with arms crossed. You back rigid against the chair. As if posture alone can save you from the humiliating reality of the situation.
At the front of the hall, a man in a white coat adjusts the microphone and opens the seminar. “Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for participating in our thirty-day couple product testing program.”
Thirty days. Thirty days of this. Oh, god…
The man gestures to the large screen behind him where images of the products appear one by one.
“Our goal is to gather honest feedback about usability, comfort, and partner experience. Each of you will receive a full testing kit at the end of this seminar.”
A ripple of excitement moves through the room. You, however, feel your stomach sink lower with every slide that appears.
The speaker continues explaining the first product—what it is, what it does, how it’s supposed to be used. “… And don’t worry, there will also be detailed instruction sheets included in the package.”
From somewhere in the back, a male participant calls out jokingly. “Don’t worry, I think we’ll figure it out!”
Laughter erupts across the hall.
God. This is a nightmare. You wince so hard your eyes nearly close.
Strangely, the person sitting beside you doesn’t join the laughter. You glance sideways and finds Hyunjin sitting relaxed in his chair, long legs stretched slightly forward, a few strands of hair escaped the messy bun on the back of his head. He looks calm, almost focused.
When the next slide appears, the presenter gestures toward it. “And this model is designed specifically for couples—”
The screen displays a sleek product image and below it, the name of the product typed in bold: Hands-free couple vibrator.
You feel heat creep up your neck immediately but before you can look away, Hyunjin leans closer. His shoulder brushes yours, warm through the thin fabric of your sleeve. “That looks fun,” he teasingly murmurs.
Your entire body shivers from sheer, mortifying disbelief that you and Hyunjin will be testing that product together. You stare straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge him.
The seminar continues, each explanation somehow making the situation worse in your mind. Eventually, the presentation shifts and different speaker steps forward.
“Now let’s discuss the structure of the program itself.”
Finally. Something practical. Something that you can pay attention to without feeling queasy.
“You will receive your testing kits today after the seminar. You may test the products in any order and at any time during the thirty-day program period.”
Thirty days. The number echoes again in your skull.
“For each product, both participants must submit evaluation forms describing your experience, including comfort level, ease of use, and partner response.”
That part, at least, you understand.
“As long as all evaluations are completed within the thirty-day period, participants will receive the full compensation package at the end of the program.”
The room erupts in whistles and clapping. Someone actually cheers.
You stare at the floor, wondering how the atmosphere became so festive.
And just when it seems like the excitement has peaked, the speaker raises a hand. “Oh, and we’ve prepared one more special thing.”
The room quiets instantly, anticipating.
“We will also be selecting one couple who provides the most genuine and insightful product feedback.”
The screen behind him changes again to an image of a tropical beach, palm trees and vast blue ocean.
“Those participants will receive a complimentary couples vacation package.”
The hall explodes. The whistles and clapping are louder now. A few couples lean into each other laughing, already excited.
Beside you, Hyunjin turns his head. His elbow nudges yours. “Did you hear that?”
You glance at him with pure exhaustion. “Yes. We’re hearing the same thing.”
He grins like a man who just won the lottery. “We’ll get a free vacation.”
You stare at him. “It goes to one couple.”
“And?”
“And I highly doubt that couple will be us.”
Hyunjin shrugs easily, completely unbothered. “I feel like we could win this.”
The reality of the situation settles heavier and heavier on your shoulders. You close your eyes for a moment, massaging your temple as dizziness creeps in from the sheer absurdity of it all.
Beside you, Hyunjin joins the excitement buzzes around you as if there was no complication in this situation. Which, somehow, makes it even worse.
-
You sit in the passenger seat of the car with your arms crossed so tightly across your chest that your shoulders ache. Beside you, Hyunjin drives like he has absolutely no worries in the world. He’s probably already imagining himself on that tropical beach, sipping exotic cocktails.
Hyunjin glances at you briefly before looking back at the road. “You’re very quiet.”
You don’t respond. Not even a hum of acknowledgment.
A few seconds pass and then he chuckles softly under his breath. “Did the seminar traumatize you that badly?”
You stare straight ahead through the windshield, refusing to take the bait. Out of the corner of your eye, however, you catch sight of the thing sitting on the backseat. A large cardboard box stamped neatly with the pharmaceutical company’s logo. Inside it is a full month’s worth of sexual wellness products. In other words, your nightmare.
You exhale slowly through your nose and turn your face toward the window. You’re wondering how did you get yourself here when the car eventually turns into the familiar neighbourhood.
Your brows slowly knit together, panic prickles your chest. “How do you know where I live?”
Hyunjin turns his head toward you and grins. “I know a lot about everyone.”
Your eyes narrow in suspicion.
“Relax,” he says quickly, lifting one hand briefly from the steering wheel. “I drove you home once.”
Your forehead creases in confusion. “When?”
“After that team dinner a few weeks ago.”
The memory flickers faintly. You probably were too drunk to remember any of it anyway so that makes sense. “Oh?”
Thankfully, the car slows and stops right in front of your house. Relief floods through you so quickly you almost sigh out loud.
Finally. You can go inside. Lock the door. Sit in the dark corner of your room and rethink every terrible life decision that led to today.
You unbuckle your seatbelt and quietly mutter, “Thanks.”
You don’t even wait for his response before opening the door and stepping out onto the sidewalk.
The cool evening air hits your face. You take three steps toward your gate and pause when you hear the car door shuts behind you. You turn to see Hyunjin standing beside his car now, lifting the large testing kit box from the backseat.
Your confusion hits instantly. “What are you doing?”
He closes the car door with his hip and locks it with a beep before walking toward you. “I’m coming to your house,” he says easily.
Your brain struggles to process that sentence. “Why?”
“To talk strategy,” he casually answers.
After what you’ve been through today, your energy is gone. Completely gone. All you want is silence and peace. You inhale slowly, forcing yourself to stay calm. “Let’s not do this now.”
Hyunjin tilts his head slightly. “You prefer to do it in the office then?”
“No,” you flatly refuse and warn him. “Don’t you ever mention it in office.”
“Then?”
You rub your temple again. “Why does it have to be at my house?”
Hyunjin gestures vaguely with his chin. “Because you live in a house.”
“Yes…?”
“I live in an apartment. You know, I have neighbors on both sides. Above. Below.”
You stare at him blankly. “And?”
He lifts the box slightly. “Not exactly the ideal place to conduct tests on sex toys.”
You lunge forward instantly and warn him. “Lower your voice!”
Your head whips around instinctively, scanning the quiet street. Thankfully no one seems to be nearby. You glare at him again and Hyunjin only looks amused. At this point, arguing feels like it will take more energy than you possess.
So you sigh. A long, defeated one. Then you turn toward your front door and drag yourself up the short path to it. You unlock it with tired fingers and step inside. Your bag slides from your shoulder and lands on the living room sofa with a dull thump as you walk straight past it, heading for the kitchen.
Hyunjin moves around the space at ease. You don’t have to say anything. He’s already making himself comfortable.
By the time you reach the sink, you hear the scrape of a dining chair against the floor. Hyunjin pulls it out and sits down like he’s been here a hundred times before, dropping the large testing kit box onto your dining table with a heavy thud.
“I’d like a glass of water, please,” Hyunjin says from behind you.
You grab a clean glass from the cabinet, filling it with water and walk over, placing it on the table in front of him.
Hyunjin flashes you a grin. “Thank you.”
You don’t answer and turn back toward the kitchen. This time, getting yourself a glass of water.
Hyunjin lets out a low gasp after sipping his water. “So, how much do you pay for rent here?” he asks casually.
“I own it,” you say, rummaging through the kitchen drawer for your medicine box.
For a moment, Hyunjin just stares at you like you’ve said something conceptually confusing. “You… own it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
You look at him flatly. “Because I’m an adult.”
Hyunjin tilts his head slightly, considering that. “As opposed to a cool person like me who barely affords my monthly rent?”
You nod once. “Yeah.”
A slow smile spreads across his face like he’s weirdly pleased with that answer. Then, he grumbles to himself like a fussy child. “Aww, man. Being an adult suck.”
His attention immediately shifts back to the testing kit. He rubs his hands together like someone about to unwrap a long-awaited present. Then he pulls away the packaging and opens the lid. Inside, the products sit neatly arranged in compartments, each one sealed in sleek, professional packaging. A thick bundle of instruction sheets rests on top.
Hyunjin actually coos in awe. “Wow.”
You lean against the counter, watching in mild horror as his face lights up. Like a child on Christmas morning.
He starts pulling items out one by one. “Oh, we know this one,” he beams as he lifts a pack of aphrodisiac pills.
He continues, lifting the product and reading what it is. “Massage oil. Foreplay kit. Ooh… arousal serum.”
He coos again when he pulls out another thing. “Here’s a fun one for you.”
You glance over to see him holding the package for a vibrator pressed close to the side of his face.
He keeps going with boxes of condoms in different sizes and variations. More questionable bottles. More simple packaging with surprises inside. Then he picks up a sleek device from one of the compartments.
His entire expression brightens and he turns it over in his hands. The hands-free couple vibrator he was excited about during the seminar. He beams at it like he just discovered groundbreaking technology. Then he looks at you. “Can’t wait to try this with you.”
A quiet groan escapes your throat and the dizziness from earlier sharpens into something far less abstract. A headache. An actual, pounding headache. You move to the small medical box in your kitchen drawer, pulling out an aspirin and swallowing it quickly with a large gulp of water.
Hyunjin notices immediately. “What did you just take?”
“Aspirin.”
Without another word, he reaches into the box of products and tosses something toward you. “Start taking those too,” he says.
You barely react in time, catching it against your chest. You look down and the packaging reads: Libido Boosting Supplements.
Rather than argue, you shove the box into a drawer where you don’t have to look at it.
When you turn back, the entire dining table is covered with testing products.
Hyunjin looks extremely pleased with himself. “So, which one do you want to test first?”
You open your mouth to speak but he beats you to it. “This foreplay kit looks fun.”
You have absolutely no energy left to deal with him. You weakly say, “Please get everything off my dining table.”
To your surprise, Hyunjin actually obeys. He gathers the products and places them back inside the box, though he does it slowly, like he’s still admiring them.
When the last item disappears back into the box, he looks up again. “We should schedule the tests.”
You press your fingers to your temple again. “Please not now.”
“We only have thirty days.”
“That’s still plenty of time.”
“We shouldn’t waste it.”
You exhale slowly and place both hands on the kitchen island, leaning your weight forward. “I’m having a really hard time processing all of this.”
You close your eyes briefly, eyelids fluttering. “And I have a headache right now.”
Hyunjin stares at you and then nods. “Okay.”
You open your eyes again and force a small smile as you say carefully, “It would be nice if you leave so I can rest.”
He nods again, more seriously this time. But even as he stands from the chair, he adds, “Okay. But we should do at least one test this week.”
You pinch the bridge of your nose and sigh. “Fine.”
“When?”
“I’ll tell you when.”
The crooked grin returns on Hyunjin’s small face. “I’ll look forward to it then.”
He starts walking toward the door and then pauses. He turns back, opens the box again. You watch with tired disbelief as he rummages through it and pulls out a small bottle.
“I’m taking one for myself,” he says, holding up the same libido-boosting supplements he threw at you earlier.
You simply nod because at this point, you’ll agree to anything if it gets him out of your house faster. You follow closely behind as he heads toward the door, sending him on his way out.
Just as he grips the door handle, he turns around with the smirk sits comfortably on his face. “Let’s get that free vacation, yeah?”
You truly admire his determination. You admire it more it if wasn’t misplaced.
You close the door the second Hyunjin gets into his car and lock it. You slowly stumble back into the living room before collapsing onto the sofa. Your hands drag down your face slowly, staring at the ceiling for a long moment, still refusing to fully accept the truth.
This is your reality now.
-
For the next few days, you choose to live in denial. You live your day, you move through the office pretending none of it happened. If Hyunjin happens to be somewhere nearby, you simply… don’t notice.
At least, that’s the strategy.
You walk the long way around certain hallways. You take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you hear his voice in the creative department, you suddenly remember something urgent in another wing of the office.
Somehow, you manage to live four whole days in perfect, blissful denial — until today.
You just get back from meeting with a vendor when you spot Hyunjin leans casually against the desk. One elbow rests on the counter as he talks to Gabe, your assistant, who looks both amused and slightly flustered.
Hyunjin flashes that stupidly charming smile as he gestures toward her. “That blouse looks great on you, by the way.”
Young and innocent Gabe softly giggles at that and then shyly fixes her glasses.
You have the chance to save the poor girl from Hyunjin’s cheap flirting but you choose not to take it today. Your survival is more important. You quietly, carefully pivot on your heel. You begin walking the opposite direction, making sure your heels barely make a sound against the office floor.
You’re almost free when you hear, not Hyunjin’s. But Gabe’s voice.
“There you are!”
Again, you have the chance to pretend that you didn’t hear it but the way you freeze tells everything. You close your eyes for a brief, painful moment before turning back slowly, forcing a polite smile onto your face.
“Yeah?”
Gabe beams as she gestures toward Hyunjin. “Hyunjin here has been waiting for you.”
“Oh, really?” You ask, feigning oblivion.
But Hyunjin, Hyunjin is looking straight at you and that grin on his face says that he knows. He absolutely knows you’ve been avoiding him and apparently your luck has run out.
“Said he has something important to tell you,” Gabe says, completely oblivious that there’s nothing work-related about what Hyunjin has to tell you.
You inhale slowly and nod. “Huh?”
“We can talk here if you want,” Hyunjin says, wicked smirk and all.
You subtly glare at him, a warning. “We can talk about it in the meeting room.”
“Okay,” he says.
You lead him down the hallway toward an empty meeting room, pushing the door open and stepping inside. The moment he follows you in, you close it firmly behind him. Then you whirl around. “I thought we agreed not to talk about it in the office?”
Hyunjin only leans back against the table, arms loosely crossed. “Oh, so you know I’m here to talk about our filthy little secret.”
You lunge forward immediately. “Shh!”
Your eyes dart toward the door in horror even though you know perfectly well no one else is inside.
“Well, there’s not exactly another way to address this,” he calmly says, holding his hands up in mock defense. “You’ve been ghosting me.”
“I have not,” you outwardly lie.
“You absolutely have,” He tilts his head, looking mildly offended. “Which is kind of rude, considering I’m usually the one doing the ghosting.”
You scoff because he’s actually offended by it. “I’m not ready for this.”
Hyunjin pushes off the table slightly. “We’ve already wasted four days.”
You cross your arms. “And we still have twenty-six days left.”
“I guarantee you the other couples have already submitted at least one evaluation by now,” he confidently states like he reviews them himself. “We should do one this week.”
The thought alone fills you with dread so you rake your brain, trying to find an escape plan. “Why don’t you just… get someone else to do it?”
“You’re the one who signed the waiver.”
“No one has to know. Just test the products with someone else and I’ll— I’ll do the evaluation forms,” you offer.
Hyunjin immediately shakes his head.
“You can keep the entire compensation,” you offer desperately.
He shakes his head again. “Nope.”
Your frustration spikes. “Why not?”
“Because I want to do it with you,” he simply says.
“Why do you have to do it with me?”
Hyunjin’s lips curl into a small pout and then he nonchalantly shrugs in answer.
Oh, so it’s not about the money or the vacation. Or even for the sake of science. Hyunjin is in it for his own amusement.
“You’re just doing this to mess with me, huh?” you wildly assume.
He shrugs again but this time, a smirk tugging at his lips which answers enough. After a moment, he finally speaks again.
“What’s wrong with wanting to win the vacation?”
You stare at him, sensing that this is part of his trick. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m serious.”
You rub your face in disbelief. “You’re really in this for the vacation?”
Hyunjin shrugs again. Still smiling. He sure knows to annoy to no end.
You brain works at a lightspeed, finding another escape plan until a desperate idea slips out. “I’ll pay for the vacation.”
His eyebrows lift slightly, intrigued.
“You don’t need to win it. I’ll just pay for it,” you add with a not-so-convincing smile.
Hyunjin considers this for a moment and you can feel a sliver of hope when he smiles and says, “Tempting…”
A triumphant smile rises on your face but it drops the second he shakes his head. “But nope.”
You groan loudly and at this point you just stare at him, completely defeated. “Please, just let me go,” you hopelessly beg.
Hyunjin crosses his arms together and takes a step closer toward you. “I have a better offer,” he says.
Hope sparks your chest again. You’re up for a compromise. Just anything to get you out of this. “Okay. What is it?”
He leans closer, close enough for you to see the true shade of brown of his eyes. “If you refuse to do it, then I’ll tell everyone about this. About us,” he says.
The gasp that spilled out of your mouth is of surprise and horror. It’s not an offer, it’s a threat. Then you remember a part of the waiver that said the participants are not allowed to spoil the products they’re testing to people.
“You forgot that we’re not allowed to talk about the products—"
Hyunjin casually cuts in with a smile. “But I’m allowed to tell people who I’m doing it with,” he retorts.
You open your mouth but nothing comes out. You have no comeback to that and in the end, you can only let out a frustrated groan. “You!” You say it so intensely your lips tremble. “How dare you!”
“So let’s just do it, mmh?” Hyunjin cheerfully says as he places his hand on your shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Let’s win that vacation!”
You almost sink to the floor right there but this is still the office. And you refuse to give the entire company the satisfaction of watching you collapse. Especially in front of Hyunjin.
So you swallow your pride and give in. “Friday then.”
Hyunjin straightens instantly. “For our first test?”
You nod tiredly. “Yeah…”
His grin widens. “Friday. Okay.”
You point a finger at him sternly as you warn him. “And we are never having this conversation at work again.”
Hyunjin salutes lazily. “Copy that.”
You don’t wait to turn and grab the door handle. Behind you, you hear him say brightly—
“I’ll make myself available for you this Friday.”
You glance back over your shoulder and put on a saccharine smile. “Oh, lucky me!” You sarcastically mutter.
Then you yank the door open and stride out of the meeting room. Your head already starting to pound again, because now, you have less than forty-eight hours to find a way out of this nightmare.
-
You bury yourself in work so thoroughly that entire week disappears faster than you expected. Every time your mind starts drifting toward the looming disaster waiting at the end of the week, you shove it aside and open another email, schedule another meeting, check another checklist.
But inside, you’re restlessly thinking and deeply hoping that you’ll come up with something. A loophole. A brilliant escape plan. Some miraculous cancellation clause hidden in that waiver you stupidly signed without reading.
However, the ideas never come. Every night you go home telling yourself you’ll figure it out tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes Thursday. Thursday becomes Friday. And suddenly— It’s the end of the workday.
Around you, the entire office hums with the familiar Friday energy. People pack their bags early, laughter drifting through the hallways as weekend plans are discussed. Meanwhile, you sit at your desk staring blankly at your screen with your shoulders slumped and a quiet sigh escapes you.
Eventually there’s no avoiding it anymore. You shut down your computer, grab your bag, and join the slow stream of employees heading toward the elevators.
Everyone around you looks cheerful while you look like someone walking toward a dentist appointment. You press the elevator button and wait with the others, staring at the glowing numbers as they descend.
When the doors finally slide open, everyone piles inside. You step in last and immediately regret it for not taking the next one. Because leaning casually against the back wall is Hyunjin. His eyes meet yours almost instantly and not long after that, a subtle smirk appears on his face.
You pretend not to see it. You turn slightly, angling your body toward the side of the elevator like the wall is suddenly fascinating.
Someone beside him starts talking, a fellow coworker from the creative department. “Hyunjin, any plans this weekend?” the guy asks him.
You keep your eyes on the elevator panel but you feel it anyway. Hyunjin’s gaze drifting right back to you.
“I’ve got a pretty solid plan,” he answers.
You swallow quietly and shift your stance a little more, trying to avoid his line of sight.
The coworker laughs. “Oh yeah? Something fun, I bet.”
Hyunjin’s voice is light. Playful. “I hope so.”
The coworker chuckles knowingly, clearly interpreting that in his own way. He reaches over and gives Hyunjin a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Well, have a great weekend, man.”
The elevator dings and you practically bolt out of the second the doors slide open to the lobby, weaving through the small crowd like someone escaping a burning building. You just keep walking toward the lobby doors as fast as your dignity allows.
Your heart pounds a little harder than it should because despite all your attempts at denial. Despite four days of pretending. You’re running out of time. But technically… You still have a few hours left and maybe, you can still find a way out of this. Maybe.
-
The clock on the wall ticks loudly with every passing second, each one sounding suspiciously like a countdown to your impending doom. You’ve been pacing back and forth across your living room like a caged animal. Your brain cycles through possibilities at an alarming speed.
At first the ideas are reasonable. You could simply refuse. Claim illness. Sudden food poisoning. A family emergency. But those fall apart quickly under scrutiny. Hyunjin would absolutely show up anyway just to confirm whether you were lying.
Which means you need something more… dramatic.
Your eyes drift toward the kitchen drawer where the testing kit sits hidden. You could throw it away. Just grab the whole box and dump it into the nearest dumpster. Problem solved.
Except the products aren’t public yet. If someone finds them. If the company traces it back— Lawsuit.
Okay. Bad idea. You grimace. You start pacing again and another thought hits you. You could flee the country. Just pack a suitcase and disappear. Except that would require abandoning your job, your house, and your entire life because of Hyunjin.
Unacceptable. You drag your hands down your face and another idea appears. You could set the house on fire. A second later, you pause. “…No.”
Insurance fraud seems like a slightly excessive reaction so you start pacing again. Maybe fake amnesia. You could pretend you forgot everything. Yes. Temporary memory loss.
That could work. You nod to yourself slowly. Then you imagine trying to explain selective amnesia specifically about one contract involving sexual wellness products and one extremely persistent coworker. God, you’re losing it!
By the time midnight rolls around, your brain feels like it has been wrung out like a sponge. You collapse onto the sofa as silence fills the house.
The clock ticks. The street outside is quiet. And slowly, a thought creeps in. It’s past midnight and Hyunjin hasn’t shown up. Your eyes widen slightly. Maybe, just maybe… That “solid plan” he mentioned in the elevator was just him messing with you. A prank. A way to watch you panic all week.
Your heart lifts as you sit up straighter. A laugh bubbles out of you before you can stop it.
“Oh my god, he can’t possibly—” you mutter to yourself, covering your mouth.
Your laughter dies instantly as headlights sweep briefly across your living room window. A car engine idles outside and your entire body goes still. A while later, the engine shuts off and it’s quiet again.
There’s the sound of car door opens and closes. Then footsteps, getting closer and closer. When the knock echoes through the house, you stay perfectly still on the sofa despite your heart beating out of your chest. Maybe if you don’t move, if you stay quiet. Maybe he’ll think you’re asleep. Maybe he’ll leave.
You hold your breath, faking an absence but then his voice drifts through the door.
“Come on, don’t act like you haven’t been waiting for me.”
Without having to look, you can practically hear the stupid grin on his face. With a frustrated stomp of your foot, you march toward the door and yank it open.
There he is. Exactly as you imagined. Hyunjin stands leaning casually against the doorframe, one hand tucked into the pocket of his jeans, that infuriating grin firmly in place.
His other hand lifts slightly, showing you the bottle of champagne he’s holding.
“To mark the beginning of our secret sex project.”
You groan immediately. “Do not call it that.”
He chuckles. Then glances past you into the house. “So, can I come in?”
You stare at him and sneer. “Wow. You do have manners.”
You step aside reluctantly, opening the door wider for him.
Hyunjin slips inside like he belongs there, still holding the bottle. “This should probably be chilled,” he says, examining it thoughtfully.
The next thing you know, he’s inside your house. He’s standing there in front of you, his height towering you, face a little flushed like he’s just ran a mile and his long dark hair —
“Why is your hair wet?” You curiously ask.
Hyunjin leans slightly closer to you. Close enough that you can see the warm brown of his eyes. His voice drops just enough to be teasing. “Don’t you prefer me like this? Wet.”
You gag dramatically. “Ugh!”
He laughs and straightens. Then runs a hand through his damp hair. “I went to the gym earlier. Showered after and didn’t have time to dry it. I was too excited to get here.”
You groan and roll your eyes at that.
He ignores you completely. His smile stays bright as he lifts the champagne bottle. “Shall we begin with a celebration?”
You drag yourself toward the kitchen even though there is absolutely nothing to celebrate.
At least not from your side of this situation.
-
You move slowly around your kitchen. Very slowly. So slowly that if anyone were watching, they might think you’d forgotten how kitchens work. So slowly that people could mistake you for a sloth. You open the kitchen cabinet and stare inside for a moment longer than necessary before finally reach in and take out two wine glasses.
Behind you, Hyunjin seemscompletely unfazed by your deliberate sluggishness. He’s busy at the counter, scooping ice into a big bowl. The clink of cubes echoes in the quiet kitchen as he settles the bottle of champagne into it.
A satisfied little sigh leaves him as he adjusts the bottle. “There we go.”
You move at the pace of a sleepy turtle toward the dining table.
Hyunjin glances over his shoulder and casually says, “As we wait for the champagne to chill, we should start discussing which product to test first.”
You say nothing but place the glasses on the table with exaggerated care. Then you adjust them slightly. Then again.
“So where do you keep the testing kit?” He asks.
You freeze for a second and shrug, pretending that you lost track of it.
When you bring the glasses fully onto the dining table and turn back toward him, Hyunjin is already watching you, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
You give him the most innocent look you can manage. “I kind of forgot where I put it.”
He stares and then shakes his head slowly. “Kind of forgot?” he repeats your words.
Before you can respond, he steps closer and closer until he’s standing right in front of you. His face only inches away now, close enough that you can clearly see the way his eyes study yours.
You try to hold the gaze but the longer he looks, the harder it becomes. Your eyes flicker. Just slightly.
Hyunjin notices immediately. He cracks a smile, index finger playfully taps at your nose. “You’re bad at lying.”
A slow smirk spreads across his face like he knows he’s just uncovered you. But instead of calling you out, he takes a step back and leans against the dining table.
“Alright. Let’s figure out which product to try first.”
You look away, pretending to examine the table.
Hyunjin taps his finger lightly against the surface. “I think we should start with the hands-free couple vibrator.”
Your head snaps toward him instantly. “No.”
The answer comes out so fast it surprises even you. “You can’t just jump straight to that. We can’t have sex right away,” you quickly explain.
Hyunjin gets quiet for a second and then he breaks into laughter. “You know it can be used individually too, right?”
Yeah, right. You didn’t pay enough attention during the seminar. You clear your throat and straighten slightly. “Well… then we should start with something easy. Practical.”
Hyunjin turns to face the table, resting his hands on the wooden surface, long fingers spreading. “This is why I need to see the testing kits. So I can actually look at everything and help us decide.”
You stare at the table and quietly admit that your brilliant plan of hiding the box suddenly feels much less clever.
He leans forward on the table, his voice softens as he sweetly says, “Be a good girl and take the testing kits.”
The silence stretches for a moment until you let out a long, defeated sigh. “I’ll get it.”
Your feet drag a little as you head up the stairs. Down the hallway. To the linen closet next to the bathroom where the large testing kit box sits exactly where you hid it four days ago.
The moment you pick it up, it really feels like surrender. You carry it downstairs and Hyunjin is now sitting in one of the dining chairs when you return.
When you place the box down in front of him, the weight of it landing on the table feels strangely symbolic. Like you’ve just officially given up resisting.
Hyunjin looks at the box and then at you. A slow, satisfied smile begins creeping back onto his face.
“Now, sit,” he tells you, patting the chair next to him.
Somehow, you obey. You sit at the dining table like someone awaiting a medical diagnosis.
One by one, Hyunjin begins taking the items out of the box. Not everything. Just the products that needs to be tested. By the time he pulls out the third item, the table looks less like a dining surface and more like a suspiciously well-stocked adult store display.
Hyunjin hums thoughtfully as he picks up small boxes of what you assume are condoms. “Oh, nice.”
He flips it over and starts going through them like a kid sorting candy. “Different sizes… different thinness…”
His grin widens when he reads something on one of the boxes. “They even have one in my size.”
You immediately seize the opportunity to tease. “Oh, you mean for your micro penis?”
You lean back in your chair, folding your arms smugly. Normally that kind of jab would earn a dramatic protest.
Instead, Hyunjin simply smirks. Unbothered. “Oh, you’re so in for a surprise,” he calmly says.
You’re not entirely sure what that means and frankly, you don’t want to know.
Eventually everything is laid out across the table and seeing it all together makes you feel like you’re forced to directly face your fears.
Hyunjin reaches for one small bottle. “We could start with this.”
You squint at it. “What is that?”
“Arousal serum.”
You decide not to ask him. Instead, you grab the instruction bundle and begin flipping through the papers until you find the matching sheet. Your voice lowers as you read quietly.
“Use one to two drops…”
You swallow. “…apply on sensitive areas such as nipples… around the vulva or—”
You stop reading immediately as your face feels slightly warm.
Across from you, Hyunjin is grinning. “It’s going to be fun.”
You lean back in your chair and shake your head firmly. “No.”
Hyunjin sighs and spreads his hands in surrender. “You know what? I’ll let you choose.”
You lean forward reluctantly and begin scanning the table. Your eyes dart past several things you refuse to acknowledge. Finally, you grab a small bottle and hold it up.
Hyunjin looks at it and then at you. His expression slowly collapses into exhaustion. “That’s massage oil.”
You immediately defend yourself. “It’s perfect for the first test.”
Hyunjin runs his hand through his dark locks. “That’s a complimentary product.”
“What?”
“It’s not one of the testing items,” he gestures toward the instruction bundle in your hands.
Yep. You definitely didn’t pay attention at all during the seminar. You flip through the papers again and sure enough, each testing product has its own instruction sheet, but not the complimentary ones.
You glance back at the table and most of the remaining test products involve things that clearly require mutual participation. Or worse, penetrative sex. Which leaves… The arousal serum. You stare at it like it’s a final boss battle.
Hyunjin seems to notice the gears turning in your head. “But sure, we can start with the massage oil,” he says lightly.
Then he stretches slightly, his white t-shirt rides up exposing a patch of skin of his abdomen and adds with a playful grin, “I happen to be a little sore from the gym.”
Before you can respond, he suddenly snaps his fingers like he remembered something. “Oh—right.”
He stands and grabs the champagne bottle from the ice bowl. The corkscrew twists into place as he glances at you. “So, which one is it going to be?” he says casually while working the cork loose
You stare at the table. Then at the serum. Then back at Hyunjin. And finally, you sigh. “Fine. Let’s do the arousal serum first.”
Hyunjin smiles at the exact moment the cork pops. Champagne foam spills slightly over the bottle’s neck. He laughs and quickly pours the sparkling liquid into the two waiting glasses. Bubbles rise rapidly to the surface. He slides one toward you and then offers his hand.
You stare at it for a second, not sure what he’s trying to do. He ends up grabbing your hand and helping you get up from your chair.
As he does, his eyes flick down toward the table and gasps. “Oh! And one more thing.”
He reaches over and grabs a blister pack that you know too well is the aphrodisiac pills. “Instructions say we take these thirty minutes before.”
You stare at the pills like they might explode. “Before what?”
Instead of answering, Hyunjin pops the foil and drops two pills into his palm. He places one in your hand without hesitation. “Together?”
You narrow your eyes, slightly uneasy. “I don’t think mixing that with alcohol is a good idea.”
He lifts your hand toward you. “Just take it.”
You continue staring at the pill like it’s one thing that will define your life.
Hyunjin sighs dramatically. He holds his own pill between his fingers. “We’ll take it together on three, okay?
You remain suspicious.
“One… two…”
You still hesitate.
“Three.”
It’s better to just get this over with so without thinking, you shove the pill into your mouth and immediately wash it down with a sip of champagne.
Hyunjin does the same and then he squints at you. “Did you actually take it?”
You scoff and open your mouth, sticking your tongue just a little to show him that you indeed took the pill.
Satisfied, he nods and then reaches for your head as he softly pats at it. “Good girl!”
Hyunjin doesn’t notice the way you recoil as he’s busy refilling both glasses with more champagne. Raising his glass proudly, he flashes that infuriating grin again.
“To our nasty little science project.”
You groan, hating the way he names it.
Hyunjin only looks more pleased with himself when he sees your expression. He doesn’t wait but clinks his glass against yours. Then he takes a long sip and exhales happily.
“Whoa! That’s good champagne.”
You watch Hyunjin as he finishes his champagne like it’s the highlight of his evening. Which, judging from the satisfied little sound he makes after the last sip, it might actually be.
He lowers the glass and looks at you. “So, should we head upstairs and get started?”
Your hands shoot up immediately. “Upstairs— What?”
“To your bedroom?”
“What makes you think you’ll be in my bedroom?”
He looks at you, confused. “Where else would we do it?”
“Definitely not my bedroom.”
He studies you for a second. Then his mouth slowly curves into a teasing grin. “…The living room?”
He glances around casually and this time, his smirk is wild. A little naughty. “I’m open to anything though.”
“Ew!” You groan.
He lifts his hands innocently. “I’m just saying...”
You rub your temple and try to calm yourself down. “I have a guest room.”
His eyebrows rise slightly. He looks around again as if suddenly remembering something. “Right. This is a house.”
You stare at him. “Yeah.”
He nods thoughtfully. “Lead the way then.”
He trails behind you as you lead him through the back of the house where the guest room sits near the sliding doors that look out into your small backyard. Moonlight spills faintly through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the neatly made bed.
Hyunjin steps inside first and gasps dramatically. “Whoa.”
You glance at him suspiciously. “What?”
“You changed the bedsheets?”
“Of course I did,” you answer without a beat and then add, “Regularly.”
He looks at you and then nods like that makes perfect sense. Without asking for permission first, he launches himself onto the bed. The mattress dips heavily under his weight. He deliberately bounces once. Twice. He presses his palms into the mattress like he’s evaluating furniture. “The bed has good bounce.”
You don’t expect a man like him to act maturely but still, you stare at him in disbelief. “Please stop testing my guest bed like it’s a trampoline.”
He sits up, still smiling, and looks at you expectantly. “Alright.”
His hands slap lightly against his thighs. “Let’s get started.”
You hold your hands up again. “Wait.”
He tilts his head and this time, he’s the one sighing. “What now?”
“I need to get ready.”
“Ready how?”
You gesture vaguely toward yourself. “I—Just—give me a minute.”
Luckily, he doesn’t push further. He simply shrugs and says, “Okay.”
Then he leans back on his hands casually, legs spreading wider. “I’ll get myself ready too.”
You immediately decide you don’t want to know what that means. So you turn around and leave the room before he can elaborate. Once you’re in the privacy of your bedroom, you close the door behind you and sit down on the edge of your bed.
The quiet of the room feels almost surreal after the chaos downstairs. For a moment you just sit there, staring at nothing. Your mind replays the last few hours like a badly edited movie. The contract. The champagne. The pills. The testing kit. Hyunjin bouncing on your guest bed.
You drop your face into your hands and mutter quietly to yourself. “How did I end up here?”
-
You sit there for a long moment, thinking and wondering. Before finally start moving on autopilot. Like you’re following instructions someone else wrote for you. You change out of your clothes until you’re standing in just your bra and underwear. After a second of hesitation, you pull a soft bed robe over it and tie the belt loosely around your waist. If this is happening, you might as well… prepare.
You tell yourself it’s because you like routine and at the same time, you’re just stalling from stepping into your nightmare. You wash your face. Brush your teeth. Brush your hair. At some point you end up standing in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at your own reflection like you’re trying to negotiate with it.
“Okay,” you mutter to yourself with your reflection staring back at you. Then you point at it. “You can do this.”
The aphrodisiac pill was supposed to kick in by now, wasn’t it? You don’t feel any dramatic change. No sudden rush of desire. But you do feel… warm. Your skin feels slightly flushed, like you’ve had a little too much wine.
“Probably placebo,” you mumble.
Eventually you can’t stall any longer. You leave the bathroom, tightening the straps on your robe before heading downstairs. You breathe in and out. In and out.
Then you step into the guest room and greeted by the sight of Hyunjin, lounging on the edge of the bed. A champagne glass in one hand and wearing nothing except a pair of dark boxer briefs.
Hyunjin usually comes to work buried in oversized sweaters and loose shirts. But like this—
It’s… different. His shoulders are broader than you expected. His torso lean and toned in a way that suggests those gym visits aren’t just for show.
Your brain takes a moment to process the rest of the image and the second you realize you’re staring, you quickly flick your gaze away.
It’s too late anyway as Hyunjin notices and smiles. “Hey.”
You cross your arms defensively, a little stammering when you ask, “Is that uh… what you meant by getting ready?”
He tilts his head. “What did you mean by it?”
You ignore the question entirely and try not to look his way.
Hyunjin shifts slightly on the bed, leaning forward, legs spreading casually as he plants his elbows on his knees. “So, how do you want to start this?”
You clear your throat and vaguely gesture toward the products. “We already agreed on trying the massage oil first.”
He reaches over and gathers the items into his arms. He places everything aside except the massage oil bottle, which he leaves sitting on the bed between you. Then he sets his champagne glass on the bedside table.
Finally, he pats the empty space beside him. “Come sit.”
You do. You awkwardly come over to him and sit. But you keep a very respectful distance between the two of you.
Hyunjin notices the obvious gap but doesn’t comment on it. Instead he reaches for the massage oil box. “Let’s open it together.”
The packaging comes apart slowly in his hands. Inside is a sleek dark bottle nestled in foam.
Even before he opens it, a faint scent escapes.
Hyunjin twists the cap and the scent becomes stronger—still subtle, but distinct now. Something vanilla with a little bit of lavender.
He brings it close enough to inhale it. “Oh, that smells good.”
You nod in agreement. “It does.”
He glances at you again. “How are we going to do this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Should we take turns? Massage each other’s back?” He suggests.
At first hearing, it sounds absurd. You, going to massage Hyunjin’s back. But when you think about it, it’s a harmless suggestion.
You slowly nod. “Okay.”
He softly smiles at that. “Want to go first?”
“No,” you answer too fast. “You go first.”
He chuckles softly and hands you the oil bottle. “Okay, I’ll go first,” he says.
He shifts on the mattress, turning and climbing fully onto the bed before lying flat on his stomach.
For a moment, you just sit there with the massage oil in your hand, unsure what to do.
Hyunjin slowly looks back over his shoulder. “Are we starting this millennium or the next one?”
You snap yourself out of it. “Oh my God, just give me a second.”
You fiddle with the bottle cap for a second before climbing onto the bed beside him.
Hyunjin stretches his arms forward, then settles them comfortably at his sides. The muscles along his back shift slightly as he adjusts and it’s mesmerizing to see.
After a moment he glances back again. “You know how to use it?”
You roll your eyes. “I know how to do it.”
He slyly grins. “Just checking.”
You wait until he turns his head away again before opening the bottle, pouring a generous amount of oil into your palm. You set the bottle aside and rub your hands together before placing them against his back.
“Oh, yeah…” Hyunjin hums immediately. It comes out low and sultry.
The sound startles you. You move your hands uncertainly across his shoulders, spreading the oil across warm skin. His skin feels warm, his muscles flex beneath your touch.
“So, how is it?” he asks, his voice a little muffled.
All of a sudden, you feel flustered. “Soft,” you blurt out.
Hyunjin turns his head far enough to look at you. “The massage oil is soft?”
Oh, he asked about the massage oil. Not how he feels. You freeze for a brief moment as you think of something to say. “I mean, the massage oil feels soft on my hands,” you smoothly lie.
“Anything else?” he asks.
“Well, how it feels on you?” you say, shifting the attention to him.
Hyunjin hums again, more like a low grunt this time. “I like that it doesn’t feel heavy or sticky,” he comments.
“Okay,” you say, unsure what to say and what to do as well. All you’ve been doing is kneading on Hyunjin’s flesh like you’re marinating a slab of meat.
“You should start from the shoulders and work your way down,” Hyunjin murmurs like he heard your mind out loud.
You roll your eyes but do it anyway. You put your hands on his shoulders and work on the knot of muscles there.
“Don’t be shy. Put a little more pressure,” he says.
You sigh but again, you do it, applying pressure like he asked.
“Harder,” he demands.
You groan and apply more pressure with your fingers.
“Ah—” He jerks slightly. “Okay, that was too hard.”
“You asked for it!” You defend and ease up. “There?”
He sighs in delight this time. “Yeah. That’s good.”
You work your way slowly down his back, keeping the same pressure.
Hyunjin hums again. And again. “God, that feels good.”
Another minute passes. Then another. He sounds far too relaxed as you’re hearing him moaning now. You abruptly pull your hands away. “That’s enough.”
Hyunjin lifts his head and looks back at you. “What? Why?”
“We’ve tested it enough.”
His plush lips curl into a pout. “It was just getting good.”
“That’s exactly why I stopped.”
Hyunjin pushes himself upright and turns to face you. “Alright. Your turn now.”
You immediately shake your head. “No. I don’t need one.”
He gives you a look. “We agreed to take turns.”
“All massage oils are basically the same,” you say.
Hyunjin casually shrugs and about to put away the massage oil when he says, “Okay then. Let’s skip this and go straight to the arousal serum.”
Oh, no. You’re not ready and honestly, you’re not sure you’ll ever be ready for it. Your hands shoot up, stopping him from getting the arousal serum. “Okay. Fine. I’ll take my turn.”
Yet you don’t move from where you’re sitting when you massaged Hyunjin until his eyes drift to your robe. You understand the unspoken point immediately. With a quiet sigh, you untie the belt. The robe falls open as you slide it off your shoulders and place it beside you on the bed, revealing your dark matching underwear.
Hyunjin’s gaze sweeps briefly over you, he doesn’t even try to hide it.
You wave your hand in front of his face. “Eyes up here!”
Hyunjin only smirks in responds. A hand comes up to his face, fingers rubbing over his lips as he says, “You should take the bra off too.”
Your hands fly to cover your chest. “Why?”
“We don’t want the massage oil get all over your very cute, very sexy bra, right?” he teasingly says.
You know he’s right and for a second, you can’t believe that you let Hyunjin get to second base in one night. Your hand slowly reaches to the clasp at your back but before you snap it open, you glare at him.
“Turn around.”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes but turns anyway. “You know I’ll see them eventually,” he mutters and sighs.
You ignore his grumble and turn a little to the side as you take your bra off as quickly, as swiftly possible. Then you lie down on the bed the same way he did earlier, stomach against the mattress.
After a moment he asks behind you, “Can I turn around now?”
You hum in response.
The mattress shifts as he moves. You hear the faint click of the oil bottle being picked up.
Then suddenly, you feel him climb onto the bed.
You glance back and see Hyunjin hovering above you, knees on either side of your hips. “What are you doing?”
“Relax, I’m not sitting on you,” he assures you. “This position is better for massage.”
You push yourself up slightly. “Get off!”
His hand presses gently but firmly against your back, guiding you back down. “Jeez, just relax.”
You grumble but rest your head on the pillow again and a second later, you feel warm oil dripping onto your back. Hyunjin’s hands follow after, spreading it carefully across your skin. His touch is… surprisingly attentive. Gentle. Like he’s actually enjoying it.
After a moment he murmurs again, “Relax.”
“I am relaxed.”
“No. You’re tense.”
“That’s because you’re stressing me out.”
His fingers move to the nape of your neck, steadying you there. “Just relax, okay?” he softly says.
You know that the only way for him to stop telling you to relax if when you finally do. So you close your eyes and just breathe. Inhale. Exhale. You focus only on the feeling of his hands moving along your back. The massage oil. The firm but gentle of his palms.
It does feel good. You can feel the way your breathing slows, how your muscles loosen.
Until his hands moving low to the base of your spine, lower still and —
You jolt upright so quickly that Hyunjin loses balance and tips sideways onto the bed. You scramble immediately for your robe, pulling it around your chest. “That’s enough!”
Hyunjin scoffs an amused laugh. “…Okay.”
He moves to the other side of the bed while you tie the robe tightly around yourself again.
For a moment neither of you says anything but you see Hyunjin reaching for the smaller package sitting on the bedside table. He holds it up between you and raises an eyebrow.
“Ready for the real test?”
-
The arousal serum stares at you like a grim reaper about to collect your soul. You swallow air, suddenly feel a little panic. There’s no avoiding it anymore. It’s here. Your nightmare is here.
You hold your hand up and blurt out. “I need a break.”
To your surprise, Hyunjin only nods and grins. “You’re right. It’s time for a champagne break,” he says.
You and him are definitely thinking of different kind of breaks. But you don’t argue as he’s already reaching for the glasses.
Hyunjin presses one into your hand and grabs the bottle with the other. The champagne foams lightly as he refills both glasses, bubbles rushing to the surface again.
You’re already holding the glass so you might as well take a sip. You tip the glass into your mouth and what initially a sip, turning into a big gulp.
Hyunjin pauses mid-sip and looks at you with mild surprise. “You seem thirsty.”
You ignore him and take another swallow.
He chuckles softly, leaning back against the headboard while he enjoys his drink at an annoyingly relaxed pace.
By the time you finish your wine, that’s when a realization settles into your head. By stalling, you’re only dragging this out. The longer you delay, the longer you’ll be stuck in this room with him, surrounded by half-tested products and that stupid grin on his stupid face.
You sigh quietly because you realize that it’s better to end it quickly. Rip the band-aid off at once.
You set the empty glass aside and then turn to him. “I’m ready.”
Hyunjin almost chokes on his champagne. “Already?”
You don’t wait for him. You lean back against the headboard and grab the small package from the bedside table. It crinkles softly as you read the instruction again.
“Apply 1 to 2 drops to your finger, then massage directly onto the clitoris, around the vulva or other desired areas. Feel a warm, tingly sensation within seconds. Repeat as desired.”
The serum bottle is smaller than the massage oil with a pump instead of a cap. There’s no scent escaping from it so you have no clue what it smells like. Or if it has a smell at all.
Hyunjin finishes his champagne almost immediately and scoots closer, grabbing the carton box to read the information on the back.
“Warm, tingly sensation…” he murmurs, eyebrows lifting slightly. “Interesting.”
You pump a drop onto the back of your hand just to check. The liquid is clear and almost watery. It feels lighter on the skin than the massage oil. You bring your hand close to your nose and can’t smell anything but the tiniest hint of peppermint.
Wanting to make sure himself, Hyunjin grabs your hand by the wrist and leans in close to smell it as well. “It doesn’t smell,” he says.
You use your finger to rub the serum into your skin, wanting to know how long until the warm and tingling sensation appears. But you don’t feel anything but a little warm.
“I don’t think it’s working,” you say, sounding a little disappointed.
Hyunjin snorts and takes the bottle from you. “It’s because you try it on your hand,” he says.
“What difference would it make?”
He shows you the instruction again like you didn’t just read it along with him earlier. “It says to use it directly on the—"
“Okay, okay,” you quickly cut him off to stop him from finishing the sentence.
“You want to go first?” He casually offers.
“You go first,” you instantly say while pointing at him.
Hyunjin nods thoughtfully. “Okay, but you’ll be assisting.”
You groan. “Why?”
“Because this requires teamwork.” He gestures between the two of you. “We do it together.”
You glare at him and remind him once more. “There will be no sex.”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes rather dramatically. “Yes. I heard you the first twelve times.”
He leans back slightly, a hand propped against the matters. He looks at you like he’s studying something that is hard to comprehend. “The aphrodisiac pill did nothing on you, huh?”
You narrow your eyes. “Why? Is it working on you?”
Hyunjin smirks. “A little.”
You stop yourself from asking, but he tells you anyway. “I find you more appealing when you’re scowling and groaning at me.”
You scoff at that. It’s clear that you’re the only one struggling in this situation.
As if he senses your struggle, his smile fades just a fraction as he quietly says, “Look, I want to get this over with too.”
He gestures toward the bottle in your hand and continues talking. “So let’s cooperate and finish this.”
You can’t believe that Hyunjin is being the logical one here. You sigh in defeat and nod. “Okay.”
Hyunjin’s grin immediately returns. “Good.”
His long dark hair falls to the side as he tilts his head playfully. “Let’s cooperate and finish this together,” he says again.
A beat, he adds, “Literally finish together.”
You roughly exhale and glare at him. “Can we not?”
“Right. Right.” He shifts slightly on the bed, turning to face you more directly. “Take your robe off.”
Your head snaps toward him. “What?”
“To try the serum,” his voice is annoyingly calm. “I want to test it on the nipples first.”
You stare at him like he’s lost his mind. “Why?”
“You’d rather we go straight to…” He doesn’t finish the sentence but you notice his eyes flicking downward briefly.
You can’t believe that two of you get to this point. “Fine.”
Reluctantly, you untie the belt of your robe but you don’t pull it apart. You immediately catch Hyunjin’s glare on you. You sigh dramatically and slide the robe off your shoulders, setting it aside.
The cool air brushes against your skin as you sit there in just your darky panties and glance at him. “Satisfied?”
“Very,” he shortly answers with a grin.
His eyes linger on your body for a brief moment and then he begins by uncapping the serum bottle. “Let’s start small.”
His finger presses the pump gently until a single clear drop lands on his fingertip. Before he moves closer, he murmurs. “Remember! Cooperate.”
You don’t answer but lean back, propping your hands behind you against the mattress.
Hyunjin moves closer. His fingers hover for a moment before touching your skin. The serum spreads slowly as he rubs it gently around your areola.
The sensation is cool at first. Barely noticeable. But it could be Hyunjin’s fingers or the way he watches as they move.
“How does it feel?” he asks, voice low it’s almost a whisper.
You subtly shake your head. “Nothing yet,” your voice dropping low as well.
His fingers move inward, in slow circles, spreading the serum further but only teasing around the sensitive bud.
After a moment he glances up. “How about now?”
You shift slightly, feeling yourself getting aroused. “It’s getting warm.”
He continues, his thumb moving on your nipple now, rubbing the serum directly on it.
The warmth grows and soon, a faint tingling follows. Your breath changes slightly before you realize it. Your eyes drift upward, watching Hyunjin who’s unexpectedly focused—his gaze fixed on what he’s doing, brows drawn in mild concentration.
Then he notices you watching. “How about now?” he asks again, voice lower.
Your answer comes softer than before. “It’s a little… tingling.”
And the strange thing is, you feel it elsewhere too. Far enough from where he touches you. A faint awareness settling between your legs, subtle but impossible to ignore.
Hyunjin’s hand pauses slightly, though he doesn’t pull away. “Want me to keep going?”
You hesitate to say no because you’re actually enjoying his attentive, gentle touches. “You can continue for a moment longer,” you say.
Hyunjin nods. His thumb is now replaced by the index finger, the tip lightly circling on your nipple. His breathing slows as he watches it hardening under his touch. He glances up and asks, “How about now?”
You forget how to talk for a brief moment. “It’s too warm but manageable,” you lowly mutter.
His gaze is steady but it holds an intensity to it. “Is it still tingling?”
“Yeah,” you answer, almost breathless.
His eyes flick down, watching as he puts his thumb and index finger together, gently pinching the nipple in between.
You let out of a gasp, low but noticeable. You realize you’re enjoying it too much so you swallow lightly and say, “I think that’s enough.”
Hyunjin doesn’t wait until you scold him to stop. He slowly pulls his hand away and averts his eyes.
“That’s okay if you don’t want to continue,” he softly says.
You almost chuckle at how defeated he sounds and how he quickly misinterpreted your words. “No, I mean, we should try it… somewhere else,” you carefully say.
Hyunjin’s head turned your way so quickly. “Oh?”
You don’t wait but move your hands to the elastic band of your underwear, tugging it between your fingers.
Hyunjin turns away without you having to ask him first. His back is on you as he says, “I’ll make it fair,” he says.
You don’t know what he meant by that and put your focus on pull your underwear down. The second it’s off of you, you immediately press your legs together, folding your arms across your chest in a poor attempt at modesty.
Across the mattress, Hyunjin is also taking his brief boxer off and you tell yourself to not turn your head, to give him the privacy he also gave you. When he finally turns, you keep your eyes on his. Not anywhere else. Just his face.
Eyes up. Eyes up. You constantly mutter inside your head.
He’s brushing his long hair to the back, sending it dishevelled and a few strands messily framing his small face. He does the opposite, his gaze traveling down on you and drifting downward toward your tightly pressed legs before lifting again.
“Do you want to go first or should we do it together?”
You consider it for a moment. If you go first, then all of the attention will be directed on you and only you. Somehow, that will make you too aware of yourself. “I think we should do it together,” you answer.
Hyunjin nods once and picks up the serum bottle again. “Okay then I’ll put it on you first and you’ll do it after,” he suggests.
“Yeah,” you slowly nod, voice almost inaudible.
His eyes flick down toward your legs. “You’ll have to—”
You already know what to do. But it’s been a long time since you get naked in front of someone, you suddenly too aware of your body, of its appearance.
“I—” you hesitate to explain.
He softly smiles as he looks at you and assures, “I don’t mind a little hair.”
With a small, hesitant breath, you open your legs just enough for him to reach between them.
Hyunjin doesn’t put his attention on it right away. He flicks open the bottle and draws some of the serum onto his fingers. “Let’s do two drops this time,” he murmurs.
You nod. You watch in quiet anticipation as his hand inches closer to your sex. Your breath catches despite yourself when his fingers begin spreading the serum carefully, gentle strokes that trace over vulva like the instruction says. At first it feels strange. Cool and slippery. Then the warmth slowly blooms.
When he moves toward the clitoris, he’s using just the fingertips to rub over it, so lightly and gently like he’s touching a flower.
You take the initiative to do your part. You take the bottle of serum from him, pumping the same amount of serum on your fingers. You allow yourself to look this time because it’s hard to navigate your hand without looking.
When your gaze drops to his cock, you know that Hyunjin wasn’t exaggerating earlier. You are in surprise at how big he is. It’s flushing red like all the blood are rushing there and worse is, it’s not fully erected yet. Your eyes widen slightly before you manage to look back up again.
He notices your hesitancy but doesn’t tease or comment. He gives you a reassuring look.
For a moment, the attention shifts back to you again as you begin to lather the serum around the head first. You’re a little startled by how warm he already feels under your touch.
“Is it okay?”
“Yeah,” he lowly murmurs. “Keep going.”
You continue by sliding your hand down his length, slow and careful, you try not to react when you feel a prominent vein coiling around his shaft. You start to doubt that two drops is enough to cover the whole size of him.
“Should we… uh add one drop?” you suggest.
Without saying anything, Hyunjin is already reaching for the bottle and pumps the serum directly on his member. The drop rolls and you catch it with your fingers halfway down his length, rubbing it evenly for a proper result.
You look up and ask, “Does it feel warm and tingling already?”
“Mmm-hm,” he vaguely answers with a hum.
With the serum covering his skin, it’s glistening under the low light. You remain calm when you feel him slowly, but surely hardening each time you slide your hand up and down his length.
For a moment, Hyunjin forgot that he’s supposed to keep doing his part. He looks back at you then, meeting your eyes.
Neither of you says anything after that. You both simply start moving, hands on each other and try to do well on it. His fingers tracing careful circles on your clit that makes the warmth deepen into something brighter.
Your hand following the same pace, spreading the serum along him as you move. You tighten your hand around him, just a little and continue pumping.
Eventually the rhythm finds you both.
The room grows quieter somehow—filled only with the subtle sounds of movement and the occasional breath that escapes your parted mouth.
The warmth builds steadily. The tingling follows it, a little intense now.
Hyunjin leans into your side, murmurs occasional instructions into your ear. “Slower.”
You do as he asked. You slow your pumping, relying on the intensity of your hold around him.
A while later, he leans in and whisper, “A little faster.”
When you glance up again, his eyes are already on you. Dark and lustful eyes, focused on you. Something heavy flickers in them.
For a moment, the two of you just staring into each other’s eyes with hands still moving, touching, pleasing.
Hyunjin is the first to lean in. He leans in so close that you feel his breath ghosting your lips but he moves past them and aims lower, planting his mouth on your neck. He’s not just kissing the skin, he’s gently sucking, tongue lightly tasting the skin.
“Oh…” you breathlessly moan, eyes fluttering close for a brief moment.
He drags his mouth upward, little kisses along the jaw as it makes its way to your mouth. When his lips meeting yours, it feels like it’s not the first time they touched. It feels natural, familiar that you pull away for a second to check that it’s really Hyunjin you’re kissing, not someone else.
He notices the confusion in your eyes as he looks at you with eyes wide and mouth wet. “Did I—”
Before he can finish the sentence, you lean in again, kissing him without thinking of anything else but this — The feel, the plush, the warmth of his lips endlessly brushing over yours. It’s dizzying, intoxicating yet you keep coming back for more.
It doesn’t take long for the kiss to turn urgent — lips sucking, teeth clashing, tongues twirling. Like the two of you are hungry for each other. You don’t shy away from moaning into his mouth now.
In response, Hyunjin deepens the kiss as his hand tirelessly undoing you in each rub over your sensitive bundle of nerves, applying just the right pressure that sends more moans spilling into his mouth.
The sensations stack on top of each other—warmth, pressure, the lingering tingling from the serum and the way he feels around your hand—until the tension in your stomach tightens and tightens.
Your hips shift without thinking, arching, seeking more of him and you feel the way his breathing grows rougher against your mouth. You do your best to keep up, tightening your hand around his cock, keeping a steady pace.
Eventually the pull becomes too strong to ignore, not with the way Hyunjin using his skillful fingers to their full potential. Two fingers teasing the entrance while his thumb won’t stop rubbing over your quivering clit.
When you finally come, the sound escaping into the kiss. Your body spasms along to the waves of pleasure washing over you.
Hyunjin doesn’t pull away. His touch only slows slightly, softer now as the intensity fades.
Through the lingering haze, you realize your hand has nearly stopped moving. You tighten your grip again, trying to return the favor back to him.
A quiet groan leaves him as you put your focus back on him, your movements more deliberate now. Your half-lidded eyes look down, finding his cock engorging in your hand, a drop of pre-cum glistening the tip. Yes, the size is quite intimidating but the way he feels in your hand — Hot and stiff, pulsating with so much desire.
With the way his hips slightly stuttering, his breathing quickens, the low breathless moans spilling out of his mouth… You never heard something that beautiful than that. In that moment, you realize you have the control over his body.
The knowledge only gives you a boost of confidence. Your eyes flick up, deeply staring into his warm shade of brown eyes. You can see the pleading glint in them, needing you to give it to him already. So you do. You quicken the pace, incessantly pumping him faster, harder.
The tension builds quickly from there. His shoulders tense, breath uneven. Then finally he exhales sharply as the last of that tension releases.
And oh, he looks beautiful when he falls apart before your eyes. Eyes closed, lids slightly fluttering, the veins on his neck appear in river of blue and green, red lips form an O shape as a breathless moan spilling out of him.
You slow your movement, letting him riding his high for as long and ignoring the way his cock still twitching in your hand. You glance down and see the mess he made on himself — strings of his pearly white seed on his abdomen and thigh. And your hand.
For a moment neither of you move. Just catching your breath with foreheads nearly touching.
Eventually Hyunjin shifts slightly, his hand moves first, catching yours in his. You watch him in quiet confusion as he lifts it toward his mouth. Before you fully process what he’s doing, he presses a quick, absentminded kiss against your knuckles.
He doesn’t think, doesn’t hesitate to lick his own release tainted your skin. His tongue darts out to collect a streak on your wrist. He licks clean the inside of your palm next. Then he pulls your hand a little further.
His eyes are on you when he inserts your finger one by one into his mouth, gently sucking at it before letting go. He goes with the pinkie finger first but then he gets impatient and shove the index and middle fingers at once. You can feel the way his tongue curls around and then he gently sucks on them.
You’re completely dazed with what you’re seeing and feeling. So dazed that the realization hits you a little too late.
“Hyunjin, wait.”
His eyes are still on you, a little alerted now.
“I don’t think that serum is supposed to be… ingested.”
The moment it sinks to him, his mouth stiffens around your fingers. He slowly pulls your fingers out, coated in his saliva now. And before it, they were coated in a serum that caused warm and tingling sensation.
“…Are you okay?” You carefully ask.
Hyunjin sits still. Too still that it’s getting concerning. When he finally moves, he moves so quickly that you don’t feel the way the bed shifts as he gets off and runs to the bathroom.
You reach for the robe first and the fabric feels almost comforting as you slide your arms into the sleeves, tying it tightly around your waist. Your bra and underwear are still somewhere on the bed, and after a brief moment of staring at them, you scoop them up and shove them into the deep pocket of your robe instead.
The bathroom door opens behind you a moment later. Hyunjin steps out in a white towel hanging low around his hips, his hair slightly damp where he must have splashed water on his face. It baffles you how he looks hotter than when he was fully naked.
You shake away the thought for now and study him cautiously. “Are you… alright now?”
Instead of answering, he pauses beside the small table where the champagne bottle still sits. He picks up his glass, looking almost innocent as he takes a sip.
The second it hits his tongue, he winces. Slowly, he lowers the glass and looks back at you.
“This tastes like piss now,” he grumbles.
You wince right along with him. “That’s… probably temporary. The effect should fade gradually.”
Hyunjin nods slowly. “Let’s hope so.”
He takes another cautious sip, clearly testing the situation, before setting the glass back down. Then he looks at you again. “Still tastes like piss.”
You wince at that, feeling bad because you can’t do anything about it.
Hyunjin exhales air and plants his hands on each side of his waist. “Hey, do you mind if I stay over… for the night?”
He’s already having a bad night. You can’t possibly tell him to go on this late hour with his mouth warm and tingly from a product test gone wrong.
“Yeah. Of course. You can use the guest room.”
Hyunjin gives you a genuine, thankful smile. “Thank you.”
The test is technically done. The product worked—more or less. Aside from the… minor complication involving oral numbness. There’s really no reason for you to linger here anymore. So you start backing toward the door awkwardly, step by careful step.
“I’m going to head upstairs so you can rest,” you say, gesturing vaguely toward the ceiling.
Hyunjin nods as he reaches for his t-shirt draped over the chair. “Yeah, you too.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
You slip out of the room before the conversation can stretch any further, quietly pulling the door closed behind you.
The house feels strangely quiet as you walk upstairs. Your head feels light. Your legs feel a little weak. Your skin still warm. You head straight for the bathroom without stopping anywhere else.
The shower turns on with a rush of hot water, steam quickly filling the small space. When you step beneath the spray, the heat sinks into your shoulders immediately. Your hands move automatically, rinsing away the lingering traces of oil and serum from your skin.
However, your mind is somewhere else entirely. You can still feel the ghost of his hands. The attentive way he touched you. The warmth of his mouth when he kissed you. The look in his eyes right before everything unraveled—dark, focused, like he had forgotten for a moment that this was supposed to be nothing more than a product test.
You remind yourself that it was a product test and yet the memory that keeps replaying isn’t the serum or the instructions or the feedback shared in between.
It’s the way Hyunjin looked at you when he lost control.
-
While you wait for the slow drip to finish on the coffee machine, you open your laptop and follow the instruction on the sheets on how to fill and submit the evaluation form. The site loads without much fanfare, you type in the participant information first. Your name and Hyunjin, using the participant ID numbers as password per the written instructions.
A list of products appears. You click the one you tested last night, and the evaluation form opens almost immediately.
The questions are simple and straightforward. Rate comfort (1–10). Rate stimulation intensity (1–10). Describe your experience using the product.
You stare at that last one for a moment and there’s also a long box labeled Additional Feedback beneath it, followed by a couple of final questions. Would you buy this product? Would you recommend this product to others?
The coffee machine suddenly beeps. You flinch slightly before moving to grab the mug, pouring yourself a cup while the warm, earthy smell fills the kitchen.
Breakfast is easy. You pull a jar of chia pudding from the fridge and scoop it into a bowl while the laptop screen waits patiently on the counter. You’re just opening the fridge again when you hear slow footsteps behind you.
Hyunjin shuffles into the kitchen. His hair is a complete mess, eyes barely open as he trudges toward the dining table like someone operating on the last sliver of battery life. He drops into one of the chairs with a low thump, stacking his hands together on the table before lowering his head onto them.
For a full minute, he doesn’t move. You’re almost certain he falls asleep again.
Then his head lifts slightly. “What’s for breakfast?” he mumbles.
You grab another bowl of chia pudding—the one you originally meant to save for later—and place it in front of him.
Hyunjin squints down at it and subtly grimacing. “What is it?”
“Chia pudding.”
He stares at it for another long second. “Do you have anything… less healthy?”
Without hesitation, you pull the bowl back. Then place a banana in front of him instead.
Hyunjin looks at it and then at you. “Do you have normal breakfast? Cereal, perhaps?”
You glare at him and simply say, “You’re not staying in a hotel.”
Immediately, his mouth curls into a grin. He reaches forward and pulls the chia pudding back toward himself. “Well, maybe it doesn’t taste as bad as it looks,” he says, picking up the spoon.
Two mugs of coffee are poured, and you set one in front of him before sitting down across the table.
Breakfast passes quietly for a while. You eat. Hyunjin eats. And much to your mild irritation, he seems to be enjoying the chia pudding more than he wants to admit.
Eventually he looks up again, flashing that same crooked grin. “It tastes very healthy.”
You nod calmly. “Good.”
Hyunjin takes another spoonful. Then pauses.
“…I’m not sure if it’s because the serum effect is still lingering or if this is just what healthy food tastes like,” he adds thoughtfully.
You take a slow sip of coffee and smile slightly. And decide you’re perfectly fine letting him suffer a little longer.
A long moment later, Hyunjin lazily scrapes the last spoonful from the glass bowl like he’s trying to prove something to himself. When he’s done, he leans back in his chair while you grab your laptop again and return to the table.
The evaluation form is still open. You turn the screen slightly so he can see it too.
“Okay, time to fill the evaluation form,” you announce, scrolling back to the top.
Hyunjin hums in agreement, sipping his coffee.
You begin reading the questions out loud. “Rate comfort from one to ten.”
Hyunjin tilts his head. “Eight.”
You glance at him. “Eight?”
“It wasn’t uncomfortable,” he says with a shrug. “Just… intense.”
You type 8 into the box and move to the next question. “Stimulation intensity?”
Hyunjin snorts softly. “Do they have a fifteen option?”
You give him a flat look. “Scale of ten.”
“Then ten.”
You hesitate for a moment before typing it in.
The next section takes longer. Describe your experience using the product.
You rest your elbows on the table, thinking aloud while Hyunjin occasionally chimes in.
“The warming effect was gradual. Not immediate,” you say, typing as you speak.
Hyunjin nods in agreement. “Yeah. It builds.”
You type that in before you forgot. “And the tingling sensation enhanced sensitivity,” you continue.
“Especially after a few minutes,” he adds.
You type that too and so far, the feedback actually sounds… professional.
Until Hyunjin starts leaning closer to the screen. “Add that it works very well.”
“I already implied that.”
“No, like—very well.”
You ignore him and keep typing. Then comes the Additional Feedback box.
Hyunjin taps the table thoughtfully. “You should mention the accidental oral side effect.”
“Right.”
You type a careful sentence about 'unexpected sensory numbing when ingested.'
Hyunjin watches you write. Then grins. “You should also add that participant two is very handsome.”
You slowly turn your head toward him. “Participant two?”
Hyunjin points at himself, grinning in a mix of pride and cockiness. Well, more cockiness.
You can’t believe that you get to see his stupid grin this early in the morning. You close the laptop halfway.
“You know what, I’ll just finish the evaluation myself,” you tell him.
Hyunjin only shrugs. He leans back in his chair again, lifting his coffee like this is no longer his problem. “Fine with me.”
You reopen the laptop and keep typing, summarizing the useful points the two of you discussed while deliberately ignoring the commentary coming from the other side of the table.
The kitchen falls quiet again for a moment, filled only with the sound of your keyboard clacking as you type. But not long after, you hear rustles of plastic as Hyunjin rummages through the testing kits still sitting on the dining chair from last night.
“We should plan our next test,” he says.
“I’m thinking that we should make a schedule for it,” you answer without looking away from your laptop screen.
A second later, he says, “Let’s try this one next.”
You stop typing and look at him. And immediately regret it. Because not only you see that stupid grin again, but also the product he wants to test next with you. You sigh when you read the product name on the sleek, metallic package.
Ultra-Sensitive Thin condom – 0,01mm.
-
Product Evaluation Submission Participant Product Testing Program Product Name: Arousal Serum – Warming & Tingling Formula Product Code: AS-WT-04 Participant 1 ID: P-260319 Participant 2 ID: P-260320 Date of Evaluation: Friday, March 20. 1. Rate Comfort (1–10) Participant 1: 7 Participant 2: 8 2. Rate Stimulation Intensity (1–10) Participant 1: 9 Participant 2: 10 3. Describe Your Experience Using the Product The serum takes approximately 1–2 minutes before noticeable effects occur. Initial sensation begins as mild warmth which gradually develops into a stronger tingling sensation. The stimulation effect intensifies over time and significantly increases sensitivity in the applied areas. The warming sensation remained consistent throughout the duration of use without causing discomfort or irritation. Participants reported that the serum was easy to apply due to the pump bottle design and that the texture spreads smoothly without becoming sticky or overly oily. Overall stimulation response was strong and effective for both participants. 4. Additional Feedback The warming and tingling effect performs as advertised and noticeably heightens physical sensitivity. However, during testing an unexpected side effect occurred when the product was accidentally ingested. This resulted in temporary numbness and tingling in the mouth. While the effect appeared harmless and faded after some time, it may be useful for the company to include a warning against oral contact in the usage instructions. Aside from this incident, the product functioned as intended. 5. Are you satisfied with the product? (Rate 1-10) Participant 1: 8 Participant 2: 10 6. Would You Buy This Product? (Rate 1-10) Participant 1: 7 Participant 2: 9 7. Would You Recommend This Product To Others? (Rate 1-10) Participant 1: 8 Participant 2: 10 Final Comment Product performs effectively and delivers strong stimulation results. However, clearer safety instructions regarding ingestion may be necessary. Submission Status: ✔ Successfully Submitted
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✨ COCKY: CHAPTER 2 is available on Patreon✨
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