Chapter 82
To return to where they had parked the bike, they needed to climb back up the pit. It meant having to rely on Mujin’s help again, just like when they came down.
Mujin took off his combat suit top. He couldn’t hold Eunseong with a body covered in poison.
“Come up.”
Mujin spread both arms toward the hesitant Eunseong. Even though he had clung to him on the way down, seeing him changed into just a thin t-shirt made it feel strangely new again.
“…Lean down a little more.”
Eunseong avoided eye contact as he wrapped his arms around Mujin’s neck. When Mujin lifted him up by supporting his buttocks with his hands, Eunseong squeezed his eyes shut. To overcome the awkwardness, it was better to hold on tightly. So he clung on, tensing his legs wrapped around Mujin’s waist.
Mujin climbed the cliff as easily as when they had come down.
“We used to play like this before, though you probably don’t remember.”
It was cheating to bring up that story at a time like this. Because it involuntarily brought back memories of clinging to Mujin while playing on the climbing facility at Huiseon Guild’s training ground. Of all things, he remembered this clearly.
“Did I crack your collarbone because of this?”
“It wasn’t because of you. Jaeseong was fine.”
Mujin shook his body greatly as he leaped high. Eunseong hugged him tightly and muttered.
“Ah, so it was my fault for landing wrong?”
Mujin was the one who burst into laughter, so why were his own hands and feet tingling? Eunseong lifted his head to look up. He desperately wished for a quick arrival.
After climbing for quite a while longer and finally arriving, the top of the pit was quieter than when they had first entered. As soon as Eunseong reached the top, he loosened his arms and crawled down from Mujin. But then he felt something brush against his thigh.
“……”
Eunseong, who had casually glanced down, momentarily forgot what to say. Mujin’s lower body was prominently bulging. The outline was so clear there was no mistaking it for anything else. When he hastily lifted his head, this time their eyes met directly.
“Because you were rubbing against me, Eunseong.”
“……What?”
It was an excuse worse than saying nothing. Eunseong gaped in shock.
*Crazy, is he crazy?*
*What, who are you? Who are you, really.*
Eunseong’s mind became tangled in complete confusion. This moment when Mujin in front of him felt too unfamiliar.
From when they were very young, he had known him for over twenty years. Though Eunseong had been the first to like him, there was a huge gap between those innocent feelings and imagining him getting aroused. The distance that Eunseong could never bridge, Mujin had leaped across in an instant.
When the flustered Eunseong stumbled slightly, Mujin reached out to steady him. His prominent bulge remained the same, yet he acted as if nothing had happened.
*He gets a physical reaction that quickly…?*
Eunseong almost looked down at himself but quickly shook his head to block the thought. He didn’t have the confidence to walk around as nonchalantly as Mujin.
“Over there.”
Mujin’s voice sounded normal as he led the way. Eunseong reluctantly gave a small “mm-hmm” in response.
The bike was sitting obediently in the exact spot where they had first left it. The small monsters that had been swarming around scattered and disappeared all at once when Mujin approached. It was such a quick exit that there was no need to chase them away.
Mujin casually remarked while carefully inspecting the barrier he had set up.
“If you keep staring like that, it tickles.”
Then he grumbled that his erection wouldn’t go down because of him. Eunseong was so dumbfounded that he punched Mujin’s back hard with his fist.
“Your teasing is too much!”
“What teasing.”
The eyes that turned around were rather reproachful toward Eunseong. Eunseong felt embarrassed about the hand he had hit him with and bit his lips tightly.
*Come to think of it, does this guy know that I like him?*
*Doesn’t he know?*
*Is he just confirming his own feelings and charging ahead?*
Suddenly Eunseong became curious whether Mujin was being so aggressive because he was certain of something. Mujin’s current behavior was no different from what dating couples would do. Even though Eunseong had never given him any certainty.
While Eunseong hesitated, Mujin took out a small coordinate measuring device. After staring at the screen for a while, he began walking in the direction the device indicated. When Eunseong just stood there watching, he gestured for him to follow.
“It seems to be around here somewhere.”
The place where they stopped after walking for a few minutes was the spot where Curry had disappeared. Mujin knelt on one knee and placed his palm on the ground. Then he began spreading his energy widely. Eunseong’s mouth formed a round ‘O’ as he watched.
Golden energy spread out in circular waves centered on where the two of them stood. *Swoosh—* When the light receded like an ebbing tide, it even created the illusion of wind blowing. Eunseong followed Mujin’s energy with his eyes as it illuminated all directions. The warm, cozy energy seemed to have a fragrant smell, making him feel as if he were nestled in Mujin’s embrace.
Eventually, Mujin stood up and pointed his index finger in one direction.
“I’ve fed that guy my energy several times for fun. He ate it well. I think he’s in that direction, let’s go see.”
“Weren’t you trying to kill him?”
“Haha, you caught me.”
When Eunseong hit the mark, Mujin smiled mischievously just like his childhood face. Eunseong’s heart started pounding again at the surprise attack-like smile.
Mujin had brought the feelings that Eunseong had kept to himself alone to a rolling boil. To a degree where they could never return to their original temperature.
Eunseong turned around abruptly and began walking blindly in the direction Mujin had pointed.
“What do you think will come out that you’re abandoning me and going ahead? This is a rift, you know?”
“You’re behind me.”
“Are you sulking because I said you hit Curry?”
Before he knew it, Mujin had closed the distance and was walking alongside Eunseong. *Bump, bump,* their shoulders kept touching. Mujin leaned against him as if nuzzling, putting strength into his arm.
“Mujin, you……”
Eunseong started to speak but couldn’t finish and swallowed his words. Then Mujin tilted his head diagonally to meet his eyes. His already flushed cheeks grew hotter and hotter. He felt like his face would swell up and burst.
“You, you……”
“Me?”
“Do you like me?!”
He tensed his lower abdomen and shouted the question. An echo rang through the vast rift land.
*Like you like you like you* – as the sound spread out, Mujin raised his pinky finger to dig in his ear. He even playfully closed one eye with an expression that said he couldn’t stand how ticklish it was. Eunseong puffed out his round cheeks even more.
“Yeah, I like you.”
“……”
Eunseong’s breath caught at the simple, clear answer. He definitely had something to say, but he forgot it all.
“Then did you think I sucked on your lips without even liking you? Ah, but Yoo Eunseong did suck on my lips often.”
“That, that was!”
*Because I liked you too!* Mujin had expressed his feelings so simply, but why was it so hard for him to voice his own? When Eunseong closed his mouth again, Mujin laughed as if he found it amusing.
That expression was so fresh. They were clearly standing inside a rift, yet it felt as if they had come out to play somewhere scenic. His hair swaying in the dark atmosphere sparkled by itself as if it were receiving sunlight. Even though it was a mess, splattered with poison and monster fluids, it looked that way.
*Seriously, I really…* Eunseong scrunched up his brow.
“Did you come out to play? What’s so fun for you?”
“Right? It’s pretty nice inside this rift. Should we not go back and just live here? Grilling monster meat and eating it. I’ll do the hunting.”
*Ugh.* Eunseong stuck out his tongue. Then Mujin suddenly lowered his head and pressed it against Eunseong’s tongue. The soft flesh rubbed together, and as Eunseong pulled back in shock, the lips followed. Soon there was a smacking sound.
“Are you crazy?”
When he covered his mouth in alarm, Mujin smacked the back of that hand a couple more times.
“Yeah, I’m crazy.”
“No, what……”
*Why is this guy so decisive about everything? Is his way of liking someone also the charging type, like fighting monsters?*
“Don’t you even ask me?”
“Do I need to ask?”
When he said that, there was nothing left to say again. Eunseong started walking again.
“Just doing whatever you want like that… kissing me, without even asking me, and giving pecks too……”
Even though his unconscious mind might have been wanting it enough to kiss in that hallucination, that was something Mujin didn’t know.
“You like me.”
“That’s true, but.”
Eunseong reflexively answered and then covered his mouth. When he quickly turned his head, Mujin was grinning widely.
“I have good instincts.”
“So that’s why you charged in like fighting, all of a sudden?”
“Ah! Wrong. My instincts are terrible, right. I got cocky despite being completely clueless.”
“Don’t say it like that.”
Feeling completely drained, Eunseong let out a small sigh. Then Mujin grabbed Eunseong’s arm and turned him around. When he looked up, there was an intensely serious expression on the face that had just been fooling around.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
