127
* * *
The car heading toward the ocean was peaceful. Doun wanted to quickly see the sparkling blue waves of the sea, and Samin wanted to see the blue eyes beneath him, tearful and whimpering.
“So how does it feel to have broken that bastard’s ribs and cleaned out his pockets?”
Samin asked like an interviewing reporter. Though the content wasn’t the sort a reporter would dare speak aloud.
“It wasn’t as satisfying as I thought, so I’m a bit troubled. Maybe I should have beaten him up more.”
Doun looked a little dejected. Samin glanced at the pale face sitting in the passenger seat, then raised his eyebrows as if surprised.
‘He’s being more honest than I expected. I thought he’d just say everything was fine.’
Doun didn’t reveal his inner thoughts easily. He was frustratingly considerate of others’ feelings, keeping his true heart tightly hidden and only rarely, even then just barely, letting it slip. This was no exception even for Samin, who had become his lover.
Of course, he’d been much more open about his feelings since they started dating, but while the frequency had increased compared to before, Doun still often hid his true feelings and didn’t show them. It would be a lie to say Samin wasn’t disappointed.
However, Samin knew that Doun treated him specially. Just the fact that someone so sensitive to others’ gazes would readily accept childish and frivolous pet names showed that. Of course, there was the condition that they had to be alone, but what more could he ask for?
Moreover, Doun would initiate kisses, smile bashfully when their eyes met, and didn’t avoid skinship that clearly revealed lustful intentions.
‘Wanting more than this would be pure greed.’
Samin knew when to be satisfied and step back appropriately. That’s why he could gladly accept Doun’s unexpected grumbling.
“Hmm. Since hyung says you’re disappointed, should I use my challenge right one more time to completely finish him off? So he can never mention hyung again!”
“What? No! You’ve never even met that bastard.”
Doun lifted his hips in alarm.
‘What is this guy talking about?’
While Doun had many entanglements with Choi Jeongwook and they were bound to settle things eventually, Samin was different. He’d never met him, and there wasn’t a clear reason why he should unilaterally beat him up. So there was no need to dirty his hands and cause gossip.
“I shouldn’t? Don’t beat him up?”
“Right. You shouldn’t. This is all over now.”
Doun said firmly. His heart wasn’t relieved, but he wanted to end it at this point. He was tired, and his energy was too precious to waste on such a person. He was confident that spending more time together or focusing on tower conquest would be far more productive and happy.
“Still…”
“Hyung said no twice already. Including just now, that’s the third time.”
Samin shut his mouth tight. When his beloved hyung emphasized it that much, as the younger one, he had to obey to receive affection. He really wanted to force-feed potions and beat him up for three days and nights straight, but it was truly regrettable.
“Ah, there was something I was curious about. Can I ask?”
“…Yeah.”
“Why did you give that bastard a potion? Was it like ‘drink this and get lost’ or something?”
The gentle Lee Doun probably didn’t give it with that meaning, but Samin asked just in case. Then Doun seemed to choose his words for a moment before saying something unexpected.
“It’s more like… if I didn’t give him at least that, he’d blame me again and complain about assault and badmouth me. That person seemed like he’d do even worse.”
Samin nodded. Considering what Timer Choi Jeongwook had done so far, he could understand if Doun had done worse than that. Not only had he created a new guild with the terrible name “Anti-Magic,” but until recently he’d been pathetically mentioning Magnetic on internet personal broadcasts.
No one was curious about how low that bastard could sink, but this time he might personally show them.
“If that guy has any sense, he won’t keep being clingy. Coming fully equipped with armor and hunter gear only to get beaten by hyung – surely not.”
“I hope so… I really don’t want to get entangled with that bastard anymore.”
Just imagining it seemed to disgust him as Doun’s pretty face turned sour.
“Hey. Let’s stop thinking about that guy on such a good day and go look at the beach with me, then have some fun.”
“Okay.”
Doun nodded readily. As Samin said, today should be a good day. He’d gotten revenge with his own hands and received an apology from the person involved, even if it was insincere. Though it wasn’t sincere, so in the end he’d launched all sorts of attack skills at him.
The person who was no different from a corpse without his pride had lost without being able to use even one hand properly. The places he’d been hit would heal perfectly with potions, but the mental shock would be separate.
‘I hope he suffers as much as I did.’
Doun made a small wish in his heart while looking at the blue sea that appeared closer and closer. He hoped Choi Jeongwook would suffer exactly as much as he had been troubled and hurt – no more, no less. Because he knew that if he suffered more, he definitely wouldn’t reflect on his own faults but would blame innocent people instead.
‘My wishes… honestly, they’ve never been granted even once.’
Doun reflected on the many wishes he’d sent to candle flames. They were meaningless now, but at the time he’d wished for them with truly desperate hearts.
‘I wish uncle would give me even a little allowance too.’
‘I hope our family appears in my dreams on this birthday.’
‘Can’t you make aunt stop cursing at me when she drinks? I’m having a hard time too…’
Setting aside the pathetic reminiscences of the past, Doun suddenly thought of a skill he’d acquired but never properly utilized.
‘…Synthesis.’
The skill that created the grateful artifact that connected him with his boyfriend humming beside him. When their eyes met and Samin smiled brightly at him, Doun asked.
“Samin. That wish-granting artifact you mentioned using before.”
“Ah. The one that leaked hyung’s phone number?”
“Yeah. What materials did you put in to get that?”
“Do you expect me to tell you just like that?”
“…Of course not. What should I give you?”
“What do you mean give, between us? Actually, there’s not really a recipe – I put the same things in and tried several more times but it didn’t give me the same thing. I’ll tell you the materials for now, but don’t expect too much. You’ll be disappointed if it doesn’t work.”
“Okay. But I’ll compensate you if you tell me.”
“Anything?”
“If it’s something I can give.”
“No taking back what you just said.”
When Samin smiled wickedly, Doun finally seemed flustered and drew in a breath.
“You’ll ask for money or something like that, right?”
“Well? I’m not sure.”
“Magic stones, I’ll give you all my magic stones. Or should I buy you something with the points I got from this duel?”
“Hmm, not tempting…”
Samin responded half-heartedly to Doun’s attempts to repay him materially. He wasn’t short on money, nor did he have any items he wanted. He just wanted to do various things together with his boyfriend whom he wanted to see every day even just by looking at him.
“Hey. Samin…”
“Why? Why are you calling me so desperately?”
“You’re not thinking of making me do something weird, are you?”
“Hmm, something weird? Like what, for example? I’m not sure. What kind of weird thing is hyung talking about?”
When he deliberately pretended not to know and played dumb, Doun’s gaze grew sharper.
“Don’t do that, please.”
“Oh, look at that ocean. It’s even more beautiful seeing it at sunset, isn’t it?”
Even knowing it was an obvious attempt to change the subject, Doun glanced out the window. And he ended up completely captivated.
Because the scene created by the sunset ocean was beautiful. This was his third visit to the ocean, so he thought he wouldn’t be very moved. But his expectation was wrong.
When the sun was high, it had just been brilliant and sparkling, but now there was a rippling that stirred emotions. Seeing Doun lose his words and even turn his head to look at the crimson sun disappearing beyond the sea surface, Samin deliberately slowed down and turned the wheel.
“Before the sun completely sets, let’s park the car at the hotel and go look. How about it?”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
Doun’s gaze was still fixed on the sea that was swallowing the bright red sunset.
‘Tch. Does he like the ocean more than me?’
Samin pursed his lips and made a resolution. Tonight, after Doun returned to the hotel from looking at the ocean, he would thoroughly strip and devour him.
‘Just wait, Lee Doun. I’ll make you regret being distracted by the ocean when I’m right next to you.’
Even though a gaze as hot as the sun was blazing right beside him, Doun just blinked, intoxicated by the overwhelming emotion rising within him.
‘I think it was good to come to the ocean with Samin again.’
Just the fact that he wasn’t alone could make such a difference. Sometimes he wondered if he’d been so depressed because he had no one to stay by his side, but now he knew there was someone to comfort him even if he got lost in such solitary melancholy. Because of that, he could accept the sadness he’d felt as a fairly good emotion.
“Samin. The ocean is really beautiful.”
Doun said with a smile in his voice. It was a voice purely admiring the scenery.
“It really is. I think I’m glad we came here too.”
Samin said while turning the wheel as he entered the hotel entrance. His gaze glancing at the passenger seat was more serious and clear than ever.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
