“Did it smell a little like roasted peanuts?”
“Don’t get curious about Director’s business for no reason. And don’t ask.”
“Kang Tae-yi’s never going to be bored. I’m jealous, so jealous.”
There’s an Omega who smells like roasted peanuts, and on top of that, he’s a Sky Squirrel Beastfolk who can just fly away if he wants.
If it weren’t for Kang Tae-jin’s affairs, he would have dropped everything—company work and all—and gone to the countryside without a care, living happily with his Omega squirrel.
“Of course he’s never bored. He’s got endless work to do.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, man.”
Yoon Ji-seok chuckled awkwardly, lowering his voice as he gazed out the window.
“The problem is that Chairman Kang needs to hold on a little longer. If he passes now, Secretary Kim or not, things are going to get messy.”
This time, Yoon Min-ho silently nodded in agreement with Yoon Ji-seok’s words.
“If this whole thing goes according to our plan, what do you think Kang Tae-yi will do next?”
“……No idea.”
He was never interested in the successor position to begin with, and lately, all he seemed to want was to spend time with Da Haram. But the idea of Director abandoning all his company work to go live in the countryside with Da Haram, farming and all? That was beyond imagination.
“I imagined Tae-yi with a towel around his neck, pulling weeds in a field. What about you?”
After a long silence, it seemed Yoon Ji-seok had been entertaining such frivolous thoughts. Yoon Min-ho shook his head and turned up the music loudly, as if he’d had enough of his brother’s idle chatter. He wondered how much longer they’d have to wait before they could go in.
***
How much time had passed? Haram suddenly came to his senses. The only light in the dark room came from the dim glow of the bedside lamp. He stifled a yawn as he looked at Tae-yi, fast asleep beside him. It had been so long since he’d seen him like this—he’d assumed Tae-yi would have left by the time he fell asleep.
He resisted the urge to trace Tae-yi’s long lashes and the bridge of his nose, holding his breath as he smiled softly. Then, a sharp pain shot through his lower back, and he bit his lip. Now that he was aware of it, his back felt like it was splitting in two, and his pelvis, gripped tightly during their lovemaking, had gone numb. The hole that had been relentlessly pounded by Tae-yi’s thick cock was too sore to even think about.
Grunting, Haram carefully sat up, realizing he was naked. He headed straight for the dresser. Judging by the lack of any traces of their lovemaking on his body, Tae-yi must have washed him, but why hadn’t he dressed him? Or maybe he knew why.
“Ugh…”
Just bending slightly to put on underwear sent a groan escaping his lips. His legs felt like lead, and even the slightest movement was agonizing. Biting his lower lip to stifle another groan, he managed to pull on his underwear with great effort. The thought of putting on pants was too much, so he grabbed one of Tae-yi’s white T-shirts instead. After making sure it covered halfway down his thighs, he left the dresser.
Slowly descending the stairs, Haram made his way to the kitchen, his steps unsteady. It was late, but Tae-yi would probably wake up soon, so making dinner seemed like a good idea. More than anything, he wanted to cook for him after so long.
After checking the fridge, Haram pulled out ingredients at random. His back ached, and even standing was a struggle, but the thought of Tae-yi eating the meal he prepared made him hum softly to himself.
Laying out the ingredients, he smiled. He could make braised mushrooms, soybean paste stew, and seasoned peanuts. As he put back the unused items, he paused.
“Dallae?”
Tae-yi must have bought the fermented fish sauce the old fishing supply store owner had mentioned—he’d said how delicious it was wrapped in seaweed. Even though he’d been trying to distance himself, Tae-yi hadn’t missed a single word Haram had said. The thought of making the sauce and placing it on the table made him hum again.
Preparing food to share made even chopping ingredients enjoyable. As Haram searched for a pot to make the stew, he noticed a paper bag next to the sink. It looked thick, like a rice sack, and faintly smelled of peanuts. No, it definitely smelled like peanuts.
“Ah…”
Haram peeked inside and found it filled with peanuts. He smiled unconsciously, then blinked at the Post-it note stuck to the inside: For seed! He stared at it for a moment, then chuckled. These were the big peanuts he’d picked out last time. He’d completely forgotten about them in all the chaos, but Tae-yi had set them aside. Whether he’d done it himself or asked someone else, Haram was grateful either way.
If Tae-yi had told him about the dallae and the peanuts beforehand, he would have showered him with thanks. At the very least, he wouldn’t have bitten his finger in annoyance. Or maybe he would have hesitated before getting upset.
Biting his lower lip guiltily, Haram decided to make something delicious and apologize. He set down the bag of peanuts and reached for the pot.
Haram slowly turned the doorknob and opened the door, tiptoeing toward the bed when he saw Tae-yi still fast asleep. He must have been exhausted—it had been over an hour since he started preparing dinner. Every day was filled with troubles, overseas business trips, and the stress of searching for Haram after his kidnapping. He clearly hadn’t had a moment’s rest.
His heart ached, and the corners of his eyes drooped. He didn’t dare climb onto the bed, so he crouched on the floor, gazing at Tae-yi’s face. How wonderful would it be to wake up every morning to Tae-yi sleeping beside him? The thought alone made him grin. Would they ever have a peaceful, ordinary life like they did in the countryside? He hoped that once all the troubles were resolved, they could have at least that much leisure.
“What?”
Just as he was about to stand, thinking he was being too obvious, a low, sleepy voice stopped him.
“Ah… did you sleep well?”
Haram met Tae-yi’s bleary eyes and smiled awkwardly. Tae-yi reached out and gently played with his silver hair.
“You could have slept longer…”
“I slept deeply. I cummed a lot earlier.”
“……”
It took Haram a moment to understand what he meant. His lips twitched as he shook his head, avoiding Tae-yi’s touch.
“Y-You, you should sleep more…!”
His stammering, flustered voice was followed by a quiet chuckle. His ears burned as he slowly stood up.
“What were you doing?”
Tae-yi, now sitting on the bed, pulled Haram onto his lap.
“I made dinner so we could eat together.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a meal you cooked.”
“Mmm… but don’t touch me there… it tickles.”
Tae-yi’s fingers traced his exposed thighs, making Haram squirm. Of course, there was no escaping his lap.
“L-Let’s eat first! Eat first…!”
“Wasn’t planning on more, but are you saying you’re not satisfied?”
“Just starve!”
That sly grin again—always trying to tease him. Haram felt like he was always being tricked, like a Sky Squirrel dancing on Tae-yi’s palm. Moments like this made him acutely aware of how much younger he was.
He might speak casually with Tae-yi, but he was well aware of the age gap. Chief Yoon was older than him, and Yoon Ji-seok, Tae-yi’s only friend, was obviously older too. It annoyed him to think they might be excluding him because he was the youngest.
“Why are you pouting? What’s on your mind?”
Tae-yi studied Haram’s pouting lips, chuckled, and tapped his nose. That sulky expression meant he was probably overthinking again, pulling in unnecessary worries.
“L-Let’s eat… dinner.”
Haram hugged his silver tail tightly, shaking his head as he pushed Tae-yi away and stood up abruptly. But the sharp pain in his back and the weakness in his legs made him plop back down. Tae-yi pulled him close, his hands kneading Haram’s barely covered buttocks before lifting him up. Haram wrapped his arms around Tae-yi’s neck and held on tight.
“I made the dallae sauce too.”
As they descended the stairs, Tae-yi murmured about the delicious smell. Haram smiled and spoke up.
“Really? You’re good at everything, Da Haram.”
“……Thanks for buying them.”
He wanted to thank him for remembering every little thing, but it felt awkward. Instead of words, he received a quick kiss and couldn’t help but grin.
