Chapter 61
With a burning thirst, Yuwon barely managed to open his eyes. He tried moving his parched mouth and swallowed dry saliva, but it only made his throat sting and didn’t help much. It felt like he’d swallowed a handful of sand. He desperately wanted water, even just a few drops.
“Ugh…”
But cruelly, his body wouldn’t listen to him. It was hard to move even a fingertip, and he had almost no sensation below his waist. This was all because of that ajeossi who had devoured him like a beast despite his pleas to stop.
The lovemaking that had started yesterday afternoon eventually continued until late at night. It would stop when he collapsed from exhaustion and fell asleep, then start again when he woke up. Yuwon had endured relentless torment even in the bathroom when he went to wash, and eventually fell asleep like fainting while drying his hair.
Having been tormented until the very end, his bottom still felt numb and sore. Yuwon made a pained sound and collapsed face-down, burying his face in the pillow. Maybe he should just sleep more. As he was about to close his eyes again while pondering this, he heard the sound of the bedroom door opening.
Through his half-obscured vision, he could see Jeonghyeok. He seemed to have just finished washing, shaking off his wet hair with a towel. With his movements, the contoured muscles rippled over his bare body.
“Did you sleep well?”
At the gentle voice, Yuwon bit his lower lip hard. A sudden feeling of injustice welled up inside him. He was in pain all over his body and felt like dying, but Jeonghyeok looked perfectly fine as if nothing had happened.
He wanted to snap at him, asking why the ajeossi was so selfish, but he didn’t have the strength. First, he wanted to resolve the throat-tearing thirst.
Yuwon silently sat up. After lowering his stiff legs below the bed and putting his feet on the floor to stand, an electric-like pain shot through his waist with a tingling sensation. He limped a few steps toward the door, when Jeonghyeok, who had been still until just now, deliberately blocked his path.
“Where are you going?”
It’s just inside the house, so where would he go? At the rather strange question, Yuwon tilted his head and answered.
“To drink… water.”
“I have some. I’ll bring it to you.”
Jeonghyeok sat Yuwon back down on the bed and headed outside the bedroom. Watching the man’s retreating figure, Yuwon blinked with a puzzled expression, then suddenly remembered one important fact.
“Oh, right.”
He had completely forgotten that he needed to go to the orphanage. He quickly checked the time and saw it was a little past 9 o’clock. It was a bit tight, but if he hurried from now, he thought he could arrive just in time.
He almost would have been late. As he let out a sigh of relief, Jeonghyeok returned to the bedroom with a cup in one hand.
Yuwon took the cup and quickly gulped down the water. The cold water flowed down his throat, cutting through the center of his chest. A sound like “keu” naturally escaped him as if he’d drunk alcohol. Now he felt like he could live.
“Aren’t you going to work, ajeossi?”
“I should. After I drop you off.”
Yuwon, who had been about to finish drinking the remaining water, stopped what he was doing and said:
“I’m fine, so please go to work quickly.”
“Don’t overdo it and go comfortably.”
“It’s not overdoing it. It’s not even that far.”
Suddenly bringing water, and now treating him like someone who can’t walk. Although the aftereffects of last night still remained, it wasn’t to the extent of being treated like a patient.
Yuwon poured the remaining water into his mouth and continued speaking with unnecessary vigor:
“I’m not that weak, you know?”
“You fell asleep like collapsing yesterday. You were groaning terribly even while sleeping.”
“That’s because you were too…!”
Yuwon’s face turned red in an instant as he clamped his mouth shut. Falling asleep like collapsing and groaning while sleeping – it was all because of someone. He was dumbfounded by Jeonghyeok’s shameless attitude, acting as if it had nothing to do with him.
Unable to say anything more, he bit his lips, and Jeonghyeok smiled slightly and took a step closer. The distance between the two suddenly became very close. Was he thinking of doing it from the morning? Startled, Yuwon stiffened his body.
Jeonghyeok’s low voice echoed in his ears, saying this would be the last time he’d let it slide, so never avoid him again.
It was none other than himself who had answered “okay” to those threatening words. Although he had answered half-forcedly, he thought that just avoiding him indefinitely wasn’t the solution. Since they were lovers, they had to work things out somehow. That’s what he thought.
But in this condition, it was too much. Jeonghyeok with his monster-like stamina might be able to, but he was no different from a poorly-oiled tin robot right now. Moreover, if he was going to the orphanage, he needed to get ready to leave soon. He couldn’t afford to deal with Jeonghyeok when he wasn’t that leisurely.
Even if he wanted to escape somehow, there was no way out, which was troubling. Yuwon wiggled his bottom while sitting. He was just fiddling with the innocent cup when an arm stretched out in front of him.
“…”
Contrary to his worry that his body might fall backward, Jeonghyeok merely took the cup from Yuwon’s hand. And then he moved away. It was a plain movement with no sinister intentions felt at all.
“Tell me when you’re ready.”
As if his business was finished, Jeonghyeok leisurely left the bedroom. With the click of the door closing, Yuwon grabbed his own hair.
“Hah…”
He was embarrassed at having made a strange misunderstanding by himself. However, it was also a situation where he couldn’t help but misunderstand. If he was going to take the cup, he could have just reached out his hand – what reason was there to come so close?
He’d been fooled again, again. He had definitely been played like a fool by that man who always teased him.
Yuwon glared at the door with wide eyes. It wasn’t like Jeonghyeok would know, but he felt like he needed to glare at least in the direction where he had disappeared to calm his heart.
Yuwon, who barely pulled himself together, went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. When the warm water hit him, his stiff body felt like it was loosening up a bit.
Yuwon, who had been busily preparing while checking the time, finally grabbed his phone and came out to the living room. Looking around and then toward the entrance, he saw Jeonghyeok waiting in a suit as always.
Even though he avoided eye contact, pretending not to notice the lingering resentment, Jeonghyeok, who had confirmed his presence, put on his shoes without saying anything. Yuwon also approached hesitantly and slipped his feet into his sneakers following him.
He bent down to straighten the crumpled heel of his shoe and raised his head again, making eye contact with Jeonghyeok who had been quietly watching him. The staring gaze continued for quite a while.
Just when he was wondering if something was on his face, Jeonghyeok reached out and smoothed Yuwon’s hair. His thick fingers gently passed through the still-damp hair. The slightly disheveled hair settled neatly following Jeonghyeok’s touch.
Just moments ago, his wariness had been sky-high, but now seeing Yuwon obediently accepting his touch, Jeonghyeok found it cute and smiled briefly. Then Yuwon’s brow furrowed slightly as if asking why he was laughing.
“Let’s go.”
He should end the conversation before he started chattering about something again. Jeonghyeok quickly erased his expression, opened the front door, and held it open, waiting for Yuwon to come out.
Yuwon, who had been standing there blankly, shot him a suspicious glance but pressed the elevator down button firmly. While waiting for the elevator coming up from the first floor, he casually touched the back of his head. It was where Jeonghyeok’s fingertips had touched just before.
“…”
What was this about? His nape grew warm from such a trivial contact. Jeonghyeok, who moved as if such things were natural between them, somehow felt unfamiliar.
That made sense, because the man from last night and the man in front of him now were completely different people. If he was going to be affectionate, he should be consistently affectionate. Why did he act like the worst guy in the world yesterday, confusing him?
Soon the elevator that arrived at the 21st floor opened its doors. At Jeonghyeok’s gesture for him to get on first, Yuwon let out a small sigh and stepped forward.
***
Even though they left a little later than usual, they were able to arrive at the orphanage with plenty of time to spare by car. Worried that he might run into Minhyeon, Yuwon quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and greeted Jeonghyeok.
“Thank you for the ride, ajeossi. I’ll contact you when I’m done.”
Despite the warm tone, his hand was already on the door handle. His urgent feelings were clearly visible. At his look asking him to say goodbye quickly, Jeonghyeok smiled roguishly and said:
“With empty lips?”
“What?”
“You should show some sincerity.”
Jeonghyeok tapped his own lips with his index finger as if it were obvious. The meaning of that action was all too clear, but Yuwon pretended not to know and widened his eyes.
“What, what?”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I have no idea.”
Yuwon firmly shook his head, feigning ignorance. He tried to quickly open the car door and get out, but his arm was grabbed.
“Why don’t you just do it while I’m asking nicely?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
