Chapter 85
The time given was too short to just be moved. Eunseong, who wanted to quickly find information and destroy evidence, scrolled down frantically.
After speed-reading Wikipedia and three blog posts, two anonymous community advice posts, and a newspaper article of unknown purpose, and even browsing shopping malls selling various equipment, his heart was beating so wildly he felt dizzy. Even in the midst of all that, he couldn’t bring himself to click on the videos.
“…Whew.”
Eunseong calmly took a deep breath and closed all the pages he had browsed. After stuffing the tablet back under the cushion where it originally was, he sat up straight at the end of the sofa. With both hands neatly placed on his knees, he consciously relaxed his facial muscles.
He waited for Mujin like that for a while.
The bathroom door slid open, and Mujin appeared, dripping water from the ends of his hair. With a towel draped over his shoulder, he walked straight across the living room and stood in front of Eunseong, who was sitting with a pale face.
“Are you uncomfortable somewhere? Does it hurt?”
“…No? Nothing hurts.”
Though the expression on Mujin’s face was pure concern, Eunseong, who had something to feel guilty about, ended up speaking in a somewhat blunt voice. He smoothed his stiff expression with a dry wash of his face and went straight into the bathroom without making eye contact with Mujin. Right after the door closed, the sound of the lock clicking into place followed.
“…”
Mujin, left alone in the living room, turned his gaze to the sofa. The cushion next to where Eunseong had been sitting was slightly tilted—a very minor change, but it showed signs of being lifted and put back down.
Slow hands moved the cushion aside. Underneath, the tablet that Eunseong had stuffed there moments ago was revealed.
Turning on the screen was a natural course of action. At first glance, there were no signs of use. Mujin manipulated the screen to check recent usage history. Then he immediately opened the search engine that Eunseong had used.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Mujin ran his tongue across the inside of his mouth.
How men do it together.
He closed all the windows he’d opened and shut down all the programs he’d run… but forgot to delete the search history.
“Ah, really, what should I do with this cute guy…”
Mujin’s shoulders shook as he took a deep breath. He put the tablet back where Eunseong had hidden it, then struck the back of the sofa hard with his fist. It was because his fingertips were tingling unbearably.
* * *
When Eunseong opened the bathroom door after washing until his fingertips were wrinkled, about an hour had passed.
The living room, with its lighting dimmed softly, was warmly dark. Crossing the bathroom threshold, Eunseong put strength in his toes and carefully looked for Mujin. The surroundings were so quiet that the sound of water droplets falling from his hair could be heard.
Then from behind, a hand silently approached and took the towel Eunseong had around his neck.
“Eek!”
Eunseong briefly gasped and flinched.
“What are you so surprised about?”
“…My, my heart nearly stopped.”
“How dramatic.”
It was clearly intentional teasing, but Mujin lifted the corners of his mouth and played innocent. Then he began gently rubbing and drying Eunseong’s wet hair. The touch transmitted through the towel was heavy and warm.
“Want to drink?”
Eunseong, whose heart hadn’t yet regained its composure, just nodded a couple of times without speaking.
On the dining table, three types of side dishes on small plates were steaming. The savory aroma of grilled shrimp and butter tickled Eunseong’s nose. Only then did he realize he was quite hungry.
“When did you prepare all this?”
Eunseong muttered while looking at the dining table, then was startled when he spotted the digital clock. He had washed much longer than he’d thought.
“Team Leader Yeon prepared everything for us to eat when we returned from the rift. I just grilled and heated things up.”
“Still, let’s do it together.”
Mujin pulled out a chair for Eunseong to sit and placed a frozen beer glass in front of him.
“Beer for you.”
And he poured whiskey into an on-the-rocks glass for himself, sitting diagonally across.
Gulp, as soon as he swallowed a sip, Mujin pushed the side dish plate toward Eunseong. He quietly watched him eat, and after confirming he chewed and swallowed, continued speaking.
“I won’t do anything reckless, so don’t be nervous.”
Because of those words, the rough kiss they’d shared in the tent flashed through Eunseong’s mind like lightning.
“That… um, I understand.”
Feeling his ears grow warm, Eunseong took three more sips of beer.
“I said it to help you relax… but you’re getting more nervous instead.”
Mujin clicked his tongue and added.
“Yoo Eunseong worked hard today. Getting involved in a fight for the first time in your life.”
Along with affectionate words, he picked up a shrimp with chopsticks and brought it to Eunseong’s lips.
“Ah.”
“Mm.”
The plump shrimp, thicker than an adult’s thumb, had firm, savory flesh.
Mujin stuffed two more shrimp into Eunseong’s mouth, then took his hand away. He made him spread it wide so his palm was visible, then began pressing acupressure points firmly.
“Now it’s clean, see.”
Proudly displaying his large hands with their rough grip, Mujin laughed low with satisfaction.
“Mmhm.”
“This means I can touch you freely now.”
Even with dirty hands would be fine. Eunseong thought so, but it was hard to continue speaking under the pressure on his acupressure points. As he endured silently, the greedy hands continued massaging each finger joint and even his wrist.
“How’s your body?”
“Hm? Ah… if you mean the rift, so-so.”
“Hmm.”
Breaking another brief silence with effort, Mujin spoke up.
“As you said, it would be better to call Joo Hyeonwoo first to talk about Curry. Because your body is more important, Eunseong.”
“What does my body have to do with Curry?”
“It seems like Curry is related to your condition… the fever thing. My guess is that Curry is an item that eats things you don’t want to eat instead. The item description matched too.”
“Ah…”
Eunseong let out a small breath. His hesitation was brief. Brushing away all his uncertainty, he shook his head.
“No.”
Mujin, who had been pressing his palm firmly, stopped abruptly. Eunseong, with an increasingly flushed face, glared at his half-empty beer glass before speaking.
“I just, today I just want to sleep.”
Looking up at Mujin, who gave no response, he also looked just as tense as Eunseong. His gaze went to the tongue moistening his dry lips.
Eunseong carefully added one more thing.
“…With you.”
* * *
The pure white large bed was the same as what he’d seen with his own eyes earlier.
The people who take care of home conditions probably never dreamed that the two guild leaders would be rolling around here tonight.
Eunseong, who had confidently led Mujin’s hand into the bedroom, became a little breathless.
“Mujin, we…”
As soon as he turned around, his lips were captured. As if it was impossible to turn back and leave now, Mujin cupped the back of Eunseong’s head and kissed him deeply. With his other hand, he pushed the door closed. Click, the sound of the lock turning felt as loud as thunder, startling Eunseong into accidentally biting Mujin’s tongue.
The sound of wet flesh rubbing together made his ears dizzy. When their joined lips finally separated, Eunseong’s mind was hazily blurred. When he came to his senses, he was already sitting on the bed, having crumpled the sheets considerably.
Eunseong, leaning diagonally against the headboard, gasped until his chest heaved. His heated eyelids stung.
“Why?”
Mujin’s low voice tickled his ear. He was tilting his head, watching Eunseong fumble and reach toward the nightstand. What his fingertips touched were safety goggles that could cover his eyes.
“Do your eyes hurt?”
Mujin made a puzzled expression.
“No, that’s not it…”
Eunseong’s voice became unclear. Clutching the safety goggles in his hand, he couldn’t continue speaking for a moment.
“…I’m so nervous, I thought if I wore these, it might be less embarrassing.”
The last words sounded almost like a whisper. Even though all the lights in the room were off, everything was too clear to a hunter’s five senses. The breathing of both people, their body heat, everything seemed combined. That’s why he wanted to escape inside the safety goggles.
When he lifted his downcast eyes, he saw Mujin, whose face was just as red and heated as his own. It definitely wasn’t because of the alcohol they’d shared. Eunseong recalled Mujin’s previous appearance, when he’d remained pale even after drinking two glasses straight.
“…”
Recognizing this, his trembling suddenly subsided a little. It was as if they’d shared the embarrassment.
“Yoo Eunseong, Eunseong.”
Mujin leaned forward and gently stroked Eunseong’s cheek. Meeting the golden eyes glowing yellow in the darkness, Eunseong parted his lips. As if he’d been waiting, their breaths tangled again.
The kiss he’d thought would be short lasted for a long time. With their bodies pressed close enough to be breathless, Mujin’s hand tickled Eunseong’s jawline and gripped the nape of his neck. Under the heavy weight, his waist was crushed and his stomach ached with longing.
“Hah, mm…”
Eunseong unconsciously let out a moan and gripped Mujin’s collar.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
