# 67
* * *
Riyekan eagerly seized the “little more” that was greater than he expected. He grabbed Jin-ha’s back and the nape of his neck to prevent him from retreating, and took a large bite of Jin-ha’s lips. When he pushed his tongue into the mouth that opened in surprise, Jin-ha’s body trembled.
At the hasty movement, Jin-ha tried to back away and reflexively bit the tip of Riyekan’s tongue. Even that seemed to please Riyekan, as if he were losing his senses.
Ah, a little more.
A little more.
At some point while gasping and expressing his thirst, his reason flew away at the scent of flesh that moistened his nostrils.
“…Wait…!”
The more he drank, the more his thirst grew. His brain was hot. An intense heat like lava flowing through his head was boiling.
“Stop…”
“……”
“…yekan…!”
Bang!
When he came to his senses, he was lying on the floor. Riyekan raised his dazed gaze to look up at Jin-ha.
Jin-ha was standing with his legs spread on either side of Riyekan’s waist, panting. His gaze was filled with confusion, and several bite marks were visible beneath his shirt, which was disheveled at the front.
“Did I do that?”
“Who else would it be?”
“Sorry…”
In response to Jin-ha’s reproach, Riyekan rubbed his face and apologized in a small voice.
“…Is your head alright?”
Jin-ha asked while examining Riyekan’s head, which had hit the floor. Just moments ago, Riyekan had been like a violent wild animal.
He had suddenly become violent, biting Jin-ha’s neck, tearing his shirt, and biting his collarbone and shoulder. In response, Jin-ha had tripped him and made him fall backward…
“Yes, I’m in my right mind now. I’m sorry. It was my mistake. I didn’t know I would lose my reason like this. It’s embarrassing since it’s not even a rut… I was trying to behave properly today.”
“…It’s fine.”
Jin-ha, who kept his words brief and his mouth shut, moved away from on top of Riyekan.
While Riyekan was getting up, Jin-ha turned around and secretly calmed his trembling breath. This trembling wasn’t due to fear. If it had truly been fear, he wouldn’t have wanted to hide it like this.
Riyekan, who had lost his reason and rushed at him, not only bit him but also licked the bite marks and repeatedly pressed their lips together, persistently seeking his tongue.
And Jin-ha didn’t dislike it. That was the problem.
Jin-ha hadn’t known his body was so susceptible to lust. With each unexpected contact, he unwittingly forgot about the fence he had been trying to erect between himself and Riyekan and simply fell into it. Every time.
Jin-ha realized he had fallen for Riyekan more deeply than he thought—enough to make his heart flutter even while knowing that this behavior was merely craving for lost soul fragments.
‘Why don’t you have some fun this time?’
Jin-ha’s shoulders twitched. Now he understood.
It wasn’t actually Cha Ki-young’s voice, but his own desire crawling up from beneath his feet and whispering in his ear.
The desire to throw himself into a relationship that might last two or three months, or perhaps a year, maybe even two or three years, kept pushing his back.
He wasn’t this kind of person. Originally, he was someone who avoided casual relationships and pursued serious ones. But now he wanted to throw himself into a lightweight relationship with a predetermined end—it was unbelievable.
It was all because of that man, Riyekan.
“Let’s go back now, Jin-ha.”
“Yes.”
“Come on, take my hand.”
Jin-ha looked troubledly at Riyekan, who had already neatened his disheveled clothes and was extending his hand, before hesitantly reaching out. Riyekan pulled his hand before it had fully reached him.
It was like their relationship. Whenever Jin-ha hesitated, Riyekan unhesitatingly led him where he wanted to go. Forward, sideways, sometimes even backward. But when Jin-ha came to his senses, it was always in the direction Riyekan wanted.
He feared that the next time he regained his senses, they might already be lovers.
Lovers. That was what Jin-ha wanted too. The problem was that the two of them had very different definitions of what being “lovers” meant.
Even while being quietly led away, Jin-ha couldn’t figure out what he should do in the future.
“What’s wrong? Are you still angry?”
When Jin-ha didn’t say anything, Riyekan apologized again.
“I told you I was wrong. This is all because Hunter Lee Jin-ha caresses me so rarely. If you did it more often, I wouldn’t lose my reason and rush at you like this. Don’t you think?”
The apology that had veered in a strange direction midway ended up as criticism directed at Jin-ha. Even in the midst of this, he sought his own benefit—so typical of Riyekan.
Jin-ha narrowed his eyes and quickly extended his hand.
“Like this?”
Riyekan’s arrogantly opened eyes crumbled helplessly once more.
“You…”
The voice that was about to surge up became muffled. Riyekan, with his eyes closed, tilted his head toward the hand that was caressing his cheek.
“Yes… Play with me as you please…”
His voice, lowered and husky, declared surrender. His slowly blinking eyes followed Jin-ha persistently. When Jin-ha applied a bit more pressure with his fingertips and rubbed slightly harder, those sapphire blue eyes trembled.
As Jin-ha faced those chillingly persistent eyes head-on, he suddenly wondered if he needed to worry about this issue anymore. Riyekan would keep approaching him regardless of Jin-ha’s rejections, and he himself would never be able to make a decision. Riyekan was a poisoned apple to approach, but he had already grown too fond of this man to back away.
In the end, this matter might be about when and how Riyekan would achieve his goal, regardless of Jin-ha’s will.
He didn’t know.
Amidst his complicated thoughts, Jin-ha just wished he could gaze at those yearning eyes, that gaze, for a little longer.
* * *
“We’ll be going now, Section Chief.”
“I’ll buy you something delicious!”
“Wouldn’t it be better if we split up and went out in halves? The Section Chief will be lonely alone.”
Jin-ha waved his hand at the children making absurd worries.
“It’s fine. It’s better if you all go together. For management purposes.”
“Aw, you’re just worried about us.”
“Since you can’t go out every week, enjoy yourselves. I don’t need any gifts.”
“Tch, always pretending to be stiff. Right?”
The children laughed brightly, adding “That’s right, that’s right” in agreement. Though he hadn’t particularly been nice to them and had always dealt with them politely but firmly, strangely, the children weren’t intimidated by him.
No, are all children like this these days…
Jin-ha looked at the children in bewilderment before giving Seo Ji-seop a nod. Seo Ji-seop, who had been watching the scene with satisfaction, began to shepherd the children with both hands.
“Alright, let’s go, kids. If we’re late, the person who gave me this ring will scold me.”
At the mention of the ring he had received as a 22nd wedding anniversary gift, the children grimaced as if tired of hearing about it. It was clear how often he must have bragged about his gift ring and his wife’s love.
No wonder his love stories were individually reported in the news and people talked about them. Jin-ha clicked his tongue inwardly as he saw them off at the front door.
Seo Ji-seop, who was herding the children chattering excitedly without hiding their enthusiasm, slightly leaned his upper body toward Jin-ha.
“Are you really okay?”
“Don’t worry and just go.”
“If you’ve changed your mind, I can stay.”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean. Didn’t you say Yoo Chae-yeon would scold you if you’re late? Please just submit my report properly. It contains important information about dungeons and fairies.”
“Of course I will. I’ll deliver it directly to Manager Nam and Dr. Jo Sung-hyun, so don’t worry. Haha. Well then, I’ll be going. If the Master bullies you, call me!”
Seo Ji-seop, no less excited than the children, ran happily toward the kids who had already gone ahead. What nonsense, talking about phone calls in a world where electronic devices don’t work and reports have to be handwritten…
Still, Jin-ha understood his feelings. He had visited Earth once when he collapsed previously, but this was the first time for the children and Seo Ji-seop. Returning after a month, they couldn’t help but be excited.
Jin-ha chuckled as he watched the group laughing loudly and starting to run in the distance, then turned around.
His next schedule was set. For the past few days, the place Jin-ha had headed every morning was always Riyekan’s room.
“Welcome.”
As soon as Jin-ha ascended to the 17th floor of the tower with Legas’s guidance, Riyekan waved his hand casually in greeting.
“Hello.”
Jin-ha returned the greeting and went to his desk.
Originally, this place had bookshelves, desks, and display cases arranged like a maze, but when he came the day after visiting the fairy realm, it had changed to its current state.
Furniture had been cleared to make space, materials from Master Senistry’s room had been moved there, and desks and chairs had been arranged for easy reference of the materials. The area right in front of the cage had been transformed into a study for Jin-ha.
It was certainly a kind gesture.
It would have been even better if Riyekan’s desk wasn’t right next to his.
“Here’s your coffee, Mr. Lee Jin-ha.”
“…Thank you.”
Legas, who had followed him in, brought Jin-ha’s coffee as if it were the most natural thing. It made him uncomfortable, as if he was using Legas as his own servant rather than just Riyekan’s, but if he refused, Legas would keep preparing different drinks, so he had no choice but to accept the service obediently.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
