Kiss Me Like You’re Not Married.

The group chat was born sometime past midnight the night of the sleepover, after two bottles of wine, a spilled glass, and Ha-eun insisting they should all "do this more often." Seo-yeon had agreed too enthusiastically, clumsily naming the chat "Double Trouble!" while laughing so hard she'd dropped her phone under the couch.

It had been a few days now since the dinner date, What started as drunken emojis and photos from that night eventually morphed into a real thread. Memes. Scheduling ideas. Parenting complaints. At some point, Tae-hyun had begun replying faster. Even tossing in occasional jokes. And when Ha-eun mentioned needing another outing to "unwind from toddler tantrums," Tae-hyun, of all people was the one who suggested a casual bowling day.

Joon-won saw the message pop up during a late lunch break at work.

Tae-hyun: What if we go bowling? Haven't done that in forever.

Seo-yeon: WAIT that sounds so fun.

Ha-eun: With the kids?! Orrrr… just us?

Tae-hyun: Bring the kids. They can go to the kids zone. We can pick them up after for dinner.

Joon-won: Sounds perfect. Just tell us when.

Joon-won had stared at that last message longer than he should've. It was simple. Clean. Nothing overt. But he could feel it, just enough warmth, a subtle shift in tone. Tae-hyun had suggested it. Tae-hyun had invited him back in.

⸻

The smell of buttered popcorn and fried corn dogs clung to the air as the bright neon lights of the mall's arcade and bowling alley pulsed in vibrant colors. The laughter of children echoed from the indoor playground, a riot of padded tunnels and plastic slides that stood just across the polished lanes.

Tae-hyun crouched beside his son, helping him slip off his sneakers and into soft grip socks. Seo-yeon was already over by the entrance of the play area, chatting with Ha-eun, both women watching the kids as they scrambled in with shrieks of excitement.

Joon-won stood nearby, holding his own son on his arm with one hand, his other casually tucked into the pocket of his black slacks. He wore a fitted navy bowling shirt that somehow managed to hug every muscle on his torso like it was designed for him alone. His watch gleamed under the lights.

Tae-hyun had shown up in a white tee under a soft flannel, sleeves rolled high, forearms taut and flexing whenever he'd do the smallest things with some bracelets on each wrist, he looked clean and relaxed. While

Ha-eun and Seo-yeon wore their hair up in easy ponytails, dressed casually but cute, loose jeans, cropped sweatshirts they had agreed to match and glossy lips

Tae-hyun glanced up just as Joon-won met his gaze, and the man's lips curved into a grin.

"Winner gets a wish?" Joon-won said, low enough that their wives wouldn't catch it, but pointed enough that it lingered.

Tae-hyun straightened, tossing his empty shoe bag into the cubby and dusting off his pants. "Confident, aren't you?"

"I have every reason to be."

"Oh yeah?" Tae-hyun tilted his head, tone light. "You bowl more than once a year?"

Joon-won stepped closer, brushing past Tae-hyun's shoulder just enough for the contact to register. His voice dipped near his ear, all amusement. "I bowl exactly as much as I need to win."

Tae-hyun didn't answer. He just smirked, sharp and slow and grabbed his ball.

They joined the others by the lane where their names blinked on the screen:

Ha-eun, Seo-yeon, Tae-hyun, Joon-won.

The wives insisted on going first, leaving the two men standing shoulder to shoulder behind them, shoes squeaking faintly on the wood floor.

"You know she's going to beat both of us," Tae-hyun said, nodding toward Seo-yeon who adjusted her wrist guard with practiced ease. "She used to be on her university's team."

"Then she can have second place," Joon-won replied without missing a beat.

Tae-hyun snorted. "You really think you'll beat me?"

"I know I will." Joon-won stretched his arms overhead lazily, the hem of his shirt riding up to reveal a sliver of his toned waist. "But I'll try not to embarrass you too badly. It'd be awkward for the wives."

Tae-hyun looked away before he could be caught staring. "Try all you want. I'll take my wish now, thanks."

"Oh?" Joon-won leaned in, his shoulder brushing Tae-hyun's again. "What would you even wish for?"

Tae-hyun turned to face him, eyes narrow. "You'll find out when I win."

Their standoff was interrupted by the crash of pins—Ha-eun's first strike. She turned around with her arms raised in victory, laughing as Seo-yeon whooped and clapped. The kids' shouts echoed faintly from the nearby playground.

The game began.

⸻

What started as casual play quickly devolved into a silent war between the two men.

Joon-won bowled with a casual elegance, every motion controlled, precise. His muscles flexed beneath the sleeves of his fitted shirt with every throw, and he barely missed a pin.

Tae-hyun, more unpredictable, used momentum and instinct. He would laugh when he got lucky strikes and groan dramatically when a single pin taunted him at the end of the lane.

"Okay, that one was rigged," Tae-hyun muttered after his ball curved just a little too early. "Did you pay off the lane?"

Joon-won stepped up behind him, watching the replay screen with a smirk. "You're turning your wrist too early on the release."

"Oh?" Tae-hyun looked back at him, eyes narrowing. "You gonna show me how to do it, coach?"

"If you beg."

Tae-hyun raised a brow. "That part sounds more like your fantasy than mine."

Joon-won's lips twitched… not quite a smile, not quite a smirk. His gaze lingered a beat too long before he turned away to take his turn.

Their wives were oblivious, caught up in chatting, cheering, and occasionally taking selfies together. The kids had long since forgotten their parents existed, tumbling through tunnels and down bright red slides.

Joon-won bowled another clean strike and turned back with quiet confidence, running a hand through his already tousled hair. Tae-hyun watched him, jaw tightening slightly from competitiveness, he told himself.

And maybe something else.

"You watching my form again?" Joon-won asked.

"Watching you get cocky. Same thing."

The tension between them simmered beneath the noise, unspoken but thick. There were moments — quick glances, flickers of smiles, a touch too long at the shoulder — that neither man commented on but both noticed.

By the end of the tenth frame, Seo-yeon and Ha-eun had both done well, but it was clear who the real showdown was between.

Tae-hyun stared at the final score:

Joon-won: 201. Tae-hyun: 198.

"You've got to be kidding," Tae-hyun groaned, dropping into the bench beside him.

Joon-won leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, voice barely audible above the noise. "You owe me a wish."

Tae-hyun didn't look at him, just wiped his palms on his thighs. "Make it reasonable."

Joon-won chuckled, deep and warm. "Oh, it'll be reasonable. But you'll still be nervous."

That earned him a side glance with a soft huff. "Why does everything you say sound like foreplay?"

Joon-won smiled without looking away. "Because I'm not playing."

Tae-hyun swallowed and looked away, heart ticking a little faster as their kids came running toward them, voices high with laughter, cheeks flushed.

Seo-yeon moved to help her son out of the playground while Ha-eun took a group photo of the kids. Everyone was smiling.

Joon-won rose to his full height, reaching down to offer Tae-hyun a hand.

Tae-hyun hesitated only a second before taking it. The grip was warm. Strong.

He stood, closer than he meant to be, the air between them charged in the quiet way that had become so familiar that pull neither of them had yet dared to name.

As the group gathered, the two wives fixing the little boys clothes and shoes, the tension between them remained, simmering, unspoken, sharp-edged and smiling.

And Tae-hyun couldn't stop wondering what that wish would be.

"Let's go get ice cream!" Ha-eun chirped, linking arms with Seo-yeon. "There's a really cute spot down the hall."

As they walked, the kids skipping ahead, Tae-hyun fell back slightly. Joon-won matched his pace.

"Wasn't expecting you to be that good," Tae-hyun said, voice quiet enough to keep it just between them.

"I'm full of surprises," Joon-won replied without looking at him, his profile sharp under the overhead lights.

"Yeah," Tae-hyun said softly with a smile. "You really are."

⸻

Tae-hyun didn't complain much. But his small little pout said a lot as they left the lane said enough. Joon-won walked beside him, smug satisfaction in every stride. Their wives were a few steps ahead with the kids, chatting excitedly about ice cream and mall photos. The scent of sugar and fried dough drifted through the air.

They were a picture-perfect group.

But every now and then, Tae-hyun would glance up at Joon-won and catch him doing the same.. watching. Measuring. Smirking like he still had something left to win.

Their arms would brush. Their eyes would hold a second too long. And neither of them said anything.

Just as they passed the neon glow of an indoor shooting range, Ha-eun tugged Seo-yeon's arm. "Wait! That place wasn't here last time, was it?"

Seo-yeon slowed down, looking through the glass at the sleek black counters, the protective headgear lined up on the wall, the digital target screens. "Nope. Looks new. Looks cool."

Then, without skipping a beat, she turned toward the guys. "You two wanna try?"

Joon-won raised a brow. "Now?"

"Why not?" Ha-eun grinned. "Winner decides our next weekend outing."

Tae-hyun laughed, already amused. "You're serious?"

"You're always competitive," Seo-yeon said. "Might as well give it an outlet."

"Unless you're scared to lose," Joon-won murmured just loud enough.

Tae-hyun turned slowly, a glint in his eyes. "You think just because you bowl like a machine, you're good at everything?"

Joon-won gave him a long, unreadable look. "Why don't we find out?"

——

The indoor shooting range was sleek and modern, hidden behind soundproof glass near the mall's entertainment wing. It offered simulated firearms and real airsoft-style rifles that mimicked the weight and recoil of actual guns.

Joon-won handled his like it was second nature.

Tae-hyun was no slouch, his grip was decent, aim consistent but Joon-won… he moved with unspoken familiarity. His stance was fluid, grounded, his focus razor-sharp. He barely blinked between shots.

The wives watched from behind the glass with the kids, cheering occasionally, but Tae-hyun barely heard them anymore.

His eyes were fixed on Joon-won.

On the veins that ran along his forearms.

On the way his muscles flexed with the pull of each trigger.

On how calm, how in control he looked.

And how hot that was.

Tae-hyun fired off his final shot, hitting the target just outside the bullseye.

The score beeped on screen: 86.

He turned to see Joon-won lower his gun with deliberate ease. The screen above him blinked: 100.

The wives clapped like it was a fun, innocent game. But Tae-hyun couldn't breathe.

He walked over, brushing fingers through his hair, his heart hammering with something he didn't want to name.

Joon-won was smirking again. Confident. Warm. And unreadable.

Tae-hyun stopped beside him, trying to hide the heat rising up his neck.

"You've done this before."

Joon-won shrugged but his eyes were glued down onto Tae-hyun clear flustered face. "Something like that."

"You trained?"

Joon-won smiled. "Let's just say I had a mentor once who took precision very seriously."

"That's…" Tae-hyun hesitated, licking his lips without thinking and breathed out. "That's kind of hot."

Joon-won turned to him fully now, brows lifted. He glanced at his lips again, then at the wives watching with innocent smiles just beyond the glass. His voice dropped. "Not gonna lie, I like seeing you flustered like this."

Tae-hyun's throat went dry. "Shut up."

Joon-won leaned down slightly and tilted his head, his eyes dropping to his lips for a second before letting his gaze again. "You wanna learn how to handle it properly?"

Tae-hyun gave him a long look, heart in his throat. Then, suddenly bolder than he intended, he said loud enough for their wives to hear:

"Yeah. Teach me."

Seo-yeon laughed and nudged Ha-eun playfully. "Look at him. Finally admitting someone's better."

Ha-eun grinned. "Watch Tae get all serious now."

Inside, Joon-won blinked once, clearly caught off guard by how openly Tae-hyun had asked. But then he smiled, slow and full of something darker. "Alright."

He stepped behind Tae-hyun, barely brushing their bodies as he reached around him. His hand slid over Tae-hyun's, correcting his grip. He adjusted the angle of his arm, nudged his foot slightly with his own.

But he didn't stop there.

He leaned in, his chest pressing subtly against Tae-hyun's back, warm and solid.

Joon-won's lips brushed the shell of Tae-hyun's ear.

"You want to learn?" he whispered, breath hot. "Then you're gonna have to focus, Tae-hyun. Real hard."

Tae-hyun stiffened, eyes wide but he didn't pull away. He leaned into him instead and glanced over at him sideways.

"Steady hand," Joon-won murmured, guiding his fingers. "Relax your shoulders. Yes just like that. That's it. Good boy."

Tae-hyun swallowed, jaw tense.

Joon-won's voice dropped another octave as he guided Tae-hyun finger to the trigger and pressed on it lightly. "See this trigger? You only pull it when I tell you to. Understand?"

Tae-hyun let out a shaky breath. "Joon—"

"Shh. You'll do fine," Joon-won said, almost kind. "Don't worry. I'm right behind you."

And he was. Firm against his back, every breath brushing the side of Tae-hyun's neck, every whisper like heat sliding down his spine.

To their wives watching outside, it looked like harmless instruction. A close, focused lesson. Nothing more.

But to Tae-hyun, it was suffocating in the best way. His ears were hot. His pulse throbbed in his neck. And Joon-won hadn't even started the dirty part yet.

Then..

Joon-won leaned in closer, breath warm against Tae-hyun's ear. "I'm going to tell you what my wish is now."

Tae-hyun's hands tightened on the gun. His eyes fluttered shut for a second, throat bobbing in a silent swallow. "What is it?"

Joon-won's lips ghosted just behind the shell of his ear, voice dropping to something darker, rasped and deliberate.

"My wish…" He paused, letting the silence stretch, letting Tae-hyun feel the heat of his breath. "Is you. On your knees before me. Hands on my knees. Tongue out while looking up at me.. eyes glazed like you were made to obey."

Tae-hyun exhaled shakily.

He paused just long enough to let the weight of it sink in. Then added, huskier, darker. "No ring, just you raw and wanting. That's my wish." Joon-won's hand lingered on his hip just a moment longer. "That's it. That's all I want. Keep that image alive for me, Tae. Every damn time our eyes meet from now on."

And then, as if he hadn't just broken every line they weren't supposed to cross, Joon-won stepped back smoothly and said, "Shoot."

Tae-hyun fired on demand.

The shot landed just barely off-center, close enough for applause from the staff.

Behind him, Joon-won clapped once, grinning like a proud coach. "Not bad."

Tae-hyun turned slowly, stunned, his ears burning and mind spinning. His heart was racing and lips parted as he stared at Joon-won with a glint of desire in his dark brown eyes.

The glass door opened.

Seo-yeon peeked her head in. "So? Who won?"

The staff pointed at Joon-won's screen. "This one. Without question."

The wives cheered and clapped, the kids already distracted with a gumball machine.

Joon-won turned to Tae-hyun and leaned in one last time, casual to everyone else, intimate only to him.

"Your body was burning against mine just from hearing a few dirty words," he whispered, smirking over at him before he gave his shoulder a light squeeze and his voice dropped ever lower so only he could hear him. "My slut." 

And then he walked out of the room like nothing happened.

Tae-hyun stood still for a second longer, hand trembling slightly as he put the gun down and eyes wide at being called 'his slut'.

He didn't even notice he was smiling and blushing like crazy at the same time. Hopefully none of the wives or kids had noticed his flushed face but he was losing his mind, Joon-won was teasing him so bluntly and he loved every second of it.