Chapter 35
“……No.”
“I’ll notice them before they spot us, so just keep your eyes on me. When I give you the signal, stop the car immediately.”
“……Got it.”
“Don’t forget that I’m the one responsible for your safety. That doesn’t mean you can act recklessly like before, though.”
Going out with Yu Sol and running into danger was something even Baek Rak hadn’t anticipated. It was literally an unexpected situation. Even though Baek Rak had promised to protect him, if Seo Won strayed from his sight, there would be no way to help him.
Realizing this difference and the subtle warning it implied, Seo Won nodded silently.
“Maintain speed and follow me.”
After finishing his words, Baek Rak closed the passenger door and ran toward where Haru was. Seo Won watched his retreating figure and let out a small sigh.
“Everything he says is right, so I feel sorry…….”
Regardless of his intentions, it was always Baek Rak who suffered because of his reckless actions. Because he was the one who had to protect him.
Seo Won rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Baek Rak clearing the road together with Haru up ahead. Come to think of it, those two were doing all the hard work. He was just sitting here driving.
He felt belatedly embarrassed for needlessly holding back the busy Baek Rak.
“Ugh, really.”
While reflecting on himself, he stared intently at Baek Rak as instructed. He didn’t take his eyes off him for even a moment, not knowing when a signal might come. As he kept watching like this, Baek Rak’s physique caught his eye anew.
His height that seemed to exceed 190cm, broad shoulders, solid chest, a waist that flowed smoothly without an ounce of fat and long legs, firm thighs. On top of that, his inexhaustible stamina was truly impressive. Even from his own perspective, Baek Rak was a perfect man without any flaws.
What was surprising was that his lips were softer than expected, and for someone who fought with a sword, his palms were gentle. He couldn’t help but know these things since they had touched his own body.
Seo Won froze for a moment while looking at Baek Rak and recalling those sensations. Then he immediately shuddered. His face turned bright red.
“Ah, damn!”
Why was he having such thoughts while looking at Baek Rak? Whether Baek Rak had good stamina or not, whether his palms were soft or not—wasn’t that none of his business?
But once the floodgates opened, he couldn’t stop that day from coming to mind. The memory of everything being wet and messy, shaking frantically, was vivid.
‘I was deliberately trying to forget it!’
Seeing his muscles tense up on their own, it seemed his body also remembered that day. Just thinking about it sent a tingling current from his toes. A subtle heat surged up from below.
“Why is this coming to mind now…….”
He glared at Baek Rak resentfully for no reason. The method of awakening as a Hunter was so improper that it felt unfair.
Seo Won breathed heavily in panic. His lower region, which had swollen without fail just from thinking about it, was frustrating. Really, he wasn’t even an animal, yet he was in this state just from recalling that day.
“……Let’s be tactful, okay?”
Seo Won looked down at his lower body and muttered quietly.
When he raised his head again to look forward, his eyes met Baek Rak’s for a moment. Startled, he unconsciously averted his gaze. But he felt something cold.
He looked back at Baek Rak.
He was sending a signal to stop with a stern face.
Seo Won hurriedly stepped on the brakes and crouched down as much as possible. Rolling only his eyes to survey the surroundings, he still couldn’t see anything.
Only after quite some time passed could he spot a black group moving across the collapsed Seoul Bridge. Looking more closely, he realized they weren’t Creatures but Turncoats.
Baek Rak and Haru were hiding behind a pillar, assessing the situation.
‘Surely they won’t recognize the truck and approach.’
He watched them while holding his breath, hoping they would go in a different direction.
The Turncoats who had crossed Seoul Bridge looked around and then started walking to the left. It would have been hopeless if they had come straight, but fortunately they didn’t. Still, he couldn’t let his guard down until the end. He kept watching until they disappeared from sight.
When he could no longer see the group of Turncoats, he looked at Baek Rak, but he was still glaring in the direction where they had disappeared.
‘Not yet, I guess.’
He waited for Baek Rak’s signal while trying his best to ignore his pounding heart.
Only after waiting several minutes did Baek Rak gesture for him to start moving.
“Whew…….”
He drove the truck again with a sigh of relief. Fortunately or unfortunately, his lower region that had been making its presence known had settled down. He shook his head, vowing never to recall that day again.
Seo Won drove the truck as Baek Rak and Park Haru moved forward while clearing the road.
It was slower movement than expected, but fortunately they were able to reach the Han River in front of Yeouido without incident.
More precisely, the riverside that circled around Yeouido.
Following Baek Rak and Park Haru’s instructions, Seo Won backed the water tank up to the riverside and got out of the driver’s seat.
“It was worth crawling here.”
“This is pretty good.”
Haru was pleased as he pulled out the hose connected to the water tank. He also informed them that today they were quite lucky.
Haru put the hose into the quietly flowing river and waved his hand vigorously at Baek Rak, signaling that it was ready. Seeing this signal, Baek Rak pressed the green button, the upper of two buttons next to the water tank. The hose, which had been limp, began to suck up water and became plump.
Seo Won leaned his shoulder against the truck while watching the hose steadily drawing water.
“How long will it take to fill it up?”
Having just recalled that day he shouldn’t have remembered while looking at Baek Rak, he deliberately turned his gaze toward the river as he asked. He could feel Baek Rak looking at him, but he pretended not to notice and ignored it.
“About an hour.”
“……That’s quite a while.”
He was wondering what other topics they could talk about when he heard a ‘thud’ sound from in front. When he turned his head, he saw Baek Rak leaning against the truck in the same way, looking at him.
His hair swayed gently with his slightly tilted head. In his blue, sparkling eyes, he could see his own awkward reflection. He didn’t understand why the heat he thought had subsided was rising again.
“…….”
Seo Won quickly averted his gaze.
He could feel the heat in his neck and cheeks. Why did Yu Sol, who had asked why they weren’t dating at a time like this, come to mind? Seo Won dry-washed his face and let out a deep sigh.
“Yoon Seo Won.”
The voice calling him was exactly the same as that day. No, had it always been consistent? He wasn’t sure.
“……What.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“I’m not thinking about anything.”
“If you’re not thinking about anything, why is your face red?”
“……Because it’s hot.”
Honestly speaking, the weather was cool. Earth without sunlight couldn’t be hot. Come to think of it, he had used his outer clothing to stop Yu Sol’s bleeding, so he was in short sleeves.
Still, the fact that he didn’t feel cold suggested his body was quite heated up.
“Why are you suddenly hot?”
And why are you so persistently curious about it? Can’t you just let it slide appropriately?
Seo Won swallowed the words he couldn’t bring himself to say and replied as if nothing was wrong.
“I’m tired, so maybe I’m getting body aches.”
“Body aches?”
Baek Rak chuckled as if he’d heard something interesting. Then he spoke with his arms crossed.
“Are you getting body aches because I made you tired?”
“……No, the fatigue I’ve accumulated is just hitting me now.”
“Is that so?”
Baek Rak seemed to think for a moment, then said gently.
“If you put it that way, don’t I have a share in it too?”
His heart sank at the meaningful words. Surely he hadn’t been caught? He thought maybe Baek Rak had vaguely noticed because he was trying too hard to avoid him.
Seo Won steadied himself and faced Baek Rak. His slightly raised corner of his mouth and slightly curved eyes showed that Baek Rak was enjoying himself right now. Moistening his parched mouth, he slowly opened it.
“Of course there’s mental fatigue accumulated because of you too.”
“…….”
“I’m glad you know.”
When he subtly blamed him, Baek Rak just stared for a while before shrugging his shoulders. Was he going to let it slide? Seeing no particular response, he finally felt relieved.
Baek Rak turned his body to lean his back against the truck and looked up at the red sky. Following him, Seo Won also leaned his back and raised his head.
In the blood-red sky, pink clouds were drifting leisurely. Fortunately, it seemed Earth was still moving even in this situation. A gentle breeze was also blowing. When he first came here, there wasn’t even wind, but nature still existed.
Feeling like he was becoming unnecessarily sentimental, he turned his gaze away. As he was examining the water tank and watching the hose drawing up water, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
Seo Won asked Baek Rak.
“Come to think of it, why do you come directly to the riverside to get water like this? Wouldn’t it be better to use the water supply system to draw it?”
Since it wasn’t that far a distance, if they dug underground and connected pipes, there would be no need to move around dangerously like this.
“What are you talking about? Use the underground?”
At that moment, Haru, who had been far away, approached. Haru’s eyes were glowing turquoise.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
