#68
“…Wash me.”
That damned man had finally, finally extracted those words from Seo Yi-young’s mouth. Seo Yi-young vowed to tear his own lips off.
“I like your quick agreement.”
Seo Yi-young truly wanted to knee Choi Do-jun in the forehead. He felt such a strong impulse.
But the impulse ultimately remained just that—an impulse. Choi Do-jun returned and lifted Seo Yi-young into his arms. The skin-to-skin contact was slippery due to the soap, and that sensation felt strange too.
“Looking at this, you don’t seem completely tired.”
“…Shut up…”
Seo Yi-young closed his eyes and covered his face. His cock was slowly raising its head. It was a disobedient thing that couldn’t even understand its owner’s feelings. But perhaps knowing how tired Seo Yi-young was, Choi Do-jun didn’t tease him any further.
Choi Do-jun’s hands were surprisingly meticulous as he washed Seo Yi-young’s body. It was surprising that he could do something like this. He had the image of someone who would handle people roughly, like laundry. No, if we’re being particular, the very idea of Choi Do-jun washing someone else seemed absurd from the start.
After thoroughly cleaning every bit of soap from Seo Yi-young’s body, Choi Do-jun carried him in his arms and laid him on the bed. Wrapped in a large beach towel, Seo Yi-young greatly appreciated the bed that enveloped his body softly. It seemed Choi Do-jun had changed all the sheets before following Seo Yi-young into the bathroom.
Though his wet hair bothered him a bit, it would dry on its own if left alone. It was too bothersome to move his body again just to dry his hair.
Perhaps with a last shred of conscience remaining, Choi Do-jun didn’t make any more advances toward Seo Yi-young. Or maybe he didn’t touch Seo Yi-young because he understood his condition well.
Opening and closing his heavy eyelids a few times, Seo Yi-young followed Choi Do-jun’s movements.
[Because memories of the dungeon come to mind, because excited nerves won’t calm down, because the faces of dead hunters appear. Anyway, the important thing is that you can’t sleep properly.]
Choi Do-jun’s previous words came to mind.
Seo Yi-young was certain that Choi Do-jun, with that cold expression, must have had similar experiences. Since Choi Do-jun had started hunter work at the age of ten, it would have been worse, not less severe.
“……”
Perhaps sensing his gaze, Choi Do-jun turned his head. At his look that seemed to ask if Seo Yi-young had something to say, Seo Yi-young patted the space beside him lightly. Choi Do-jun’s expression became peculiar.
It was the limit. With sleep washing over him, Seo Yi-young could no longer keep his eyes open. Without any particular effort, his eyes closed naturally. Enjoying the floating sensation right before falling asleep—something he hadn’t experienced in a very long time—Seo Yi-young closed his eyes.
He heard Choi Do-jun approaching. Squeezing out his remaining strength, Seo Yi-young patted the space beside him a couple more times, then immediately fell asleep.
*
When he opened his eyes again, the sky was faintly brightening.
How long had he slept? His mind, having enjoyed deep sleep, felt as refreshed as a clear sky. As Seo Yi-young wiped his damp lips, he discovered Choi Do-jun lying beside him and stopped moving. Choi Do-jun was sleeping. That Choi Do-jun. The Choi Do-jun who had endured without sleeping even in the dungeon. Next to him. Was sleeping.
Seo Yi-young’s mouth opened in surprise.
He stared at Choi Do-jun with a sense of wonder.
Choi Do-jun was sleeping soundly with no expression on his face, which usually had a cold cast. Since he was typically expressionless, Seo Yi-young had thought sleep would look similar, but it was subtly different. Perhaps because his facial muscles were relaxed, it felt somewhat different from usual.
Looking at Choi Do-jun like a zoologist who had discovered an extinct species, Seo Yi-young tried to move his body carefully. Belatedly recognizing the pain traveling throughout his body, Seo Yi-young quickly applied his healing ability. He felt much better.
His throat was a bit dry, so he needed to carefully go out without waking Choi Do-jun.
Choi Do-jun probably wouldn’t mind if he rummaged through the refrigerator a bit.
Just as he was about to get out of bed, Seo Yi-young discovered bite marks clearly imprinted on Choi Do-jun’s collarbone. It was enough to make him frown involuntarily. It looked savage. Who on earth had bitten so roughly…oh, it was me. In Seo Yi-young’s hazy memory, he recalled biting Choi Do-jun’s collarbone while thrashing in pleasure. Since Choi Do-jun hadn’t shown any pain, Seo Yi-young had even gnawed on it to see how much he could endure, but he hadn’t expected it to be this severe.
Furrowing his brow, wondering if this guy couldn’t feel pain, Seo Yi-young soon recalled what kind of mobs Choi Do-jun typically faced. Compared to those, his teeth probably wouldn’t hurt much. No, but still, it couldn’t have been completely painless—shouldn’t he have said something?
Seo Yi-young sighed, looking at the obtuse Choi Do-jun.
He seemed not to have noticed earlier because he was too sleepy.
With an injury this severe, he should have said it hurt. What a stubborn guy. The scars on his body caught Seo Yi-young’s eye. He slowly examined Choi Do-jun’s body. Various types of scars remained, creating an uneven texture.
Though he didn’t know the circumstances of these injuries, they were certainly all acquired while facing mobs in dungeons. Had he been charging recklessly since he first started entering dungeons? What a stubborn and reckless guy. He could have at least used some protective gear. Or if not, he could have pretended to be less capable and stayed back a bit.
But even thinking this, Seo Yi-young knew that Choi Do-jun wasn’t the type to be that tactful.
With all those wounds already, Seo Yi-young had no intention of adding to them. He concentrated power in his palm and placed it over the wound he had made. Since using too much power might wake Choi Do-jun, he needed to use just enough to remove the scar.
Though he wanted to remove other scars as well, they weren’t fresh wounds but fully healed scars, so it was impossible. It would be nice if he could remove at least a few of the larger ones. His healing ability wasn’t omnipotent, so there was nothing he could do about it, however regrettable.
Thinking that he might be able to do that too if he understood his ability better, Seo Yi-young realized he had been using his ability for too long and withdrew his hand. Hopefully, he hadn’t woken Choi Do-jun. As he carefully examined Choi Do-jun, his eyes stopped at a certain point.
“…Huh…?”
Seo Yi-young involuntarily made a sound. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
Including the wound he had inflicted with his bite, several scars that had been on Choi Do-jun’s forearm until just now had completely disappeared. Wondering if his ability could even remove old scars, Seo Yi-young was looking down at his palm when his thoughts were interrupted by Choi Do-jun grasping his wrist.
Oops. It seemed he had used his ability excessively. As a result, the sleeping Choi Do-jun had awakened.
“What did you do?”
“What do you mean, what? If you’re not planning to break my bones, let go of my hand first before speaking.”
At Seo Yi-young’s point, Choi Do-jun released the wrist he was holding. Though he had only held it for a very brief moment, Seo Yi-young’s wrist felt numb. This guy really didn’t know the concept of moderation.
“I healed the part I bit. I healed you for free, so you should be grateful.”
“When did you ever charge for it?”
This guy doesn’t even understand jokes. Seo Yi-young shook his head and spoke.
“Of course not. I’m just saying because I even removed your scars, which is special.”
“Scars?”
“Look.”
Seo Yi-young tapped the area where there had been a clear scar until just now.
At Seo Yi-young’s words, Choi Do-jun looked down at his forearm and his expression hardened.
“You removed it? This?”
“Yeah.”
Watching Choi Do-jun slowly examining his arm, Seo Yi-young unconsciously raised the corners of his mouth. He had expected an immediate reaction, but several seconds passed without Choi Do-jun saying anything. Losing patience, Seo Yi-young sighed, lightly dropping his shoulders.
“These must have been recent ones.”
After finishing his sentence, Choi Do-jun looked at Seo Yi-young and continued.
“Did you have an ability you were hiding?”
“What? Hiding?”
Seo Yi-young couldn’t understand what he was suddenly saying. Thinking it might be a joke, he laughed, but seeing Choi Do-jun’s serious expression, his own expression stiffened. Did the previous Seo Yi-young not have this ability? Or did Choi Do-jun simply not know about it? Seo Yi-young quickly thought it through.
Feeling as if Choi Do-jun’s sharp gaze was seeing right through him, Seo Yi-young spoke in as light a tone as possible.
“Yeah, sure. You must have one or two abilities you don’t use and keep hidden too, right?”
Choi Do-jun’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Seo Yi-young, who had spoken vaguely and ambiguously. He seemed to be trying to gauge whether it was true or not.
“Surprising. I didn’t know this was possible.”
He bought it. But the relief was only momentary. It had just been something Seo Yi-young said to avoid the situation, but the fact that Choi Do-jun agreed meant only one thing.
It meant that Choi Do-jun himself had abilities he wasn’t using and was keeping hidden. He was already strong, so what other abilities could he possibly have?
“What kind of ability? What is it?”
When Seo Yi-young, overcome with curiosity, asked first, Choi Do-jun pretended not to hear.
“Do you think I’d tell you?”
“Yeah. It’s not fair otherwise.”
“I never asked you to use your ability on me.”
“How is that the same, hey, Choi Do-jun!”
Slippery bastard. Cowardly bastard.
Seo Yi-young closed his mouth, watching Choi Do-jun’s back as he entered the dressing room.
Though he was curious, there was no way to force Choi Do-jun to use his ability. Well, he had been hiding it all this time, so Seo Yi-young should abandon the expectation that he would show it just because Seo Yi-young asked once. It didn’t seem like asking for more would work.
Anyway, Seo Yi-young had nothing to lose since he had discovered a new way to use his ability. Having slept satisfyingly, it seemed like he should head out soon. Today, he only had a schedule to enter a dungeon in the late evening. Since he also felt bad about parting with James that way yesterday, he thought he should meet him briefly for a meal at least.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
