Seunghyun reached out and touched Suhwan’s forehead. He murmured in a serious tone:
“You seem to have a bit of a fever too.”
The cool hand on his forehead felt refreshing. Suhwan, who had unconsciously curled up, carefully spoke:
“My rut time has passed, right? Maybe that’s why.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Seunghyun realize that Suhwan’s rut hadn’t come. Stroking Suhwan’s warm face, he asked in a gentle tone:
“Should I bring you suppressants?”
“No. It’s okay.”
It didn’t seem necessary to take suppressants. When Suhwan shook his head, Seunghyun looked down at him with worried eyes for a moment. Suddenly, a subtle light flickered in his eyes.
If only Suhwan would go into rut, he could use that as an excuse to have him again. Having had that thought momentarily, Seunghyun slowly caressed Suhwan’s face.
“…Seunghyun.”
Since being confined in this room, Seunghyun had never revealed his desires. Even when he undressed Suhwan for a bath, he only frowned momentarily in displeasure at seeing marks that were clearly left by Ju Geonyul.
Whether it was because of the pheromones, or because he wanted to be considerate of Suhwan after the assault. Maybe it was both.
In any case, Seunghyun had been restraining himself until now, but it seemed like it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to hold back. Sensing the growing turbulence in his pheromones, Suhwan looked at Seunghyun with fearful eyes.
“…Let’s eat dinner first.”
Deliberately reining in his pheromones, Seunghyun removed his hand from Suhwan’s face. Suhwan unconsciously gulped at the touch that dripped with lingering attachment.
In truth, Suhwan didn’t dislike that Seunghyun was still excited by him. Rather…
Clink.
“…”
But the shackles and chains that he felt every time he moved his feet made a corner of his heart uncomfortable.
The situation was clearly going wrong. Suhwan was confused because of Seunghyun, who still treated him kindly. Sometimes he even thought it wouldn’t be so bad to stay like this. He truly wasn’t in his right mind. Suhwan tensed his body, deliberately tapping the chains with his toes.
“Today we have rolled egg, which hyung likes.”
By now, he was getting used to being fed like this. At first, it was just embarrassing and awkward, but when Seunghyun picked up the soft rolled egg with chopsticks, Suhwan automatically opened his mouth like a baby bird receiving food from its mother.
“Is it delicious?”
“Yes.”
When Suhwan nodded slightly while chewing, Seunghyun smiled brightly.
After finishing the meal, Seunghyun organized the dishes and took them out. And when he returned, Seunghyun was holding another tray. Suhwan could guess what it was. It was the evening snack.
“Eat this and then take your medicine.”
“Okay.”
Today it was Basque cheesecake with vanilla bean. It was definitely from the famous bakery they had visited before. This was particularly popular and sold out quickly, so Suhwan wondered when Seunghyun had bought it. Suhwan swallowed his saliva as he looked at the cheesecake. He couldn’t eat this cake either unless Seunghyun fed it to him.
Seunghyun gazed lovingly at Suhwan, who was waiting patiently with bright, expectant eyes. If only he could stay like this forever, by his side, doing nothing but looking pretty.
“Is it delicious?”
“It’s delicious.”
Suhwan nodded with a satisfied expression, feeling the sweetness and rich flavor spreading in his mouth. Seunghyun watched his chewing lips with intense eyes before reaching out his hand.
“There’s something here.”
“Ah.”
Seunghyun wiped the crumbs from Suhwan’s lips with his finger and smiled. Then, as Suhwan stared at him with wide, surprised eyes, he slowly licked his own finger.
“Tastes good.”
“……”
The atmosphere became somewhat strange. Somehow, Suhwan couldn’t properly meet Seunghyun’s eyes. Usually, this was when Seunghyun would kiss him. And sometimes, Suhwan would initiate it.
But this time, Seunghyun didn’t rashly touch Suhwan either. He probably wanted to be considerate, but it felt like he was keeping his distance, which oddly left Suhwan feeling disappointed.
No, feeling disappointed in this situation was troubling. Suhwan hardened his expression and mentally shook his head vigorously.
After finishing the cheesecake, he took today’s pheromone medication. Although he doubted its effectiveness since his rut hadn’t come, he had to keep taking it if he wanted to continue living as an alpha. Suhwan swallowed the small pill that Seunghyun had placed in his mouth.
“Haah.”
“Hyung.”
“Yes?”
When Seunghyun called him, Suhwan turned his head, puzzled. Usually after taking the pheromone medication, Seunghyun would suggest turning off the lights and going to sleep, so it was unexpected for him to start a conversation. Seunghyun spoke with a smile on his lips as Suhwan looked at him.
“Where would you like to go if you could travel abroad, hyung?”
“Travel abroad?”
Travel abroad, out of nowhere. Suhwan opened his eyes wide.
“How about somewhere in Europe? France? They say the food there is delicious.”
“……”
“Or maybe an island? A small island might be nice too.”
Suhwan just blinked at the sudden suggestion. He couldn’t understand why Seunghyun was bringing up travel all of a sudden. And overseas travel, at that.
Of course, Suhwan had never gone on a trip anywhere. Well, he might have, but he had no memory of it. Jin Suhwan, being wealthy, probably traveled freely, but that was something the original Jin Suhwan had done. The current Suhwan was someone who hadn’t even traveled domestically, let alone abroad.
But the issue wasn’t that. Wasn’t it too strange to casually bring up travel in this situation? Suhwan swallowed nervously and carefully asked.
“Why suddenly talk about travel? And overseas at that.”
“Ah.”
Seunghyun smiled deeply at Suhwan’s question. His hand stroked Suhwan’s ankle where the shackle was fastened.
“We can’t stay here forever. I want to leave for somewhere the chairman can’t find us.”
“What?”
Suhwan’s eyes widened in surprise.
It was absurd. Going abroad to escape Hwalyeon’s eyes? Such a thing couldn’t possibly happen. And above all, Seunghyun’s mental state seemed questionable for calmly considering such a thing.
“That’s not possible.”
Suhwan stared at Seunghyun in bewilderment at the ridiculous suggestion. But Seunghyun’s face was filled with an unusual level of confidence.
“It’s okay. You just need to trust me and follow me, hyung.”
“Ugh.”
“I’ll take care of everything.”
The pheromones hit Suhwan again suddenly. Unable to move, he trembled all over. Seunghyun smiled at the trembling Suhwan as if finding him adorable, and briefly kissed him.
“Let’s be together forever, just the two of us, without anyone interfering.”
“Seun, hyun……”
“You’re mine, hyung, and I won’t let anyone take you away.”
The softly whispered voice penetrated Suhwan’s ears. The low, cold tone gave the listener an eerie feeling.
Though he couldn’t believe such a thing was possible, Seunghyun was the protagonist of this novel. If he truly wanted it, perhaps it wasn’t impossible.
Realizing this, Suhwan became frightened. And he truly felt that Seunghyun was not in his right mind.
“Let’s go to sleep now.”
“…Yes.”
Seunghyun kissed him gently again and turned off the lights in the room. As pitch darkness settled around them, Seunghyun approached and embraced Suhwan, who had lain down on the bed. Suhwan inwardly sighed as he found himself familiarly enclosed in Seunghyun’s arms.
‘This can’t continue.’
Something had to be done. But how? Suhwan thought all night with a mind full of questions.
***
The next morning, Suhwan paced around the room. He was only free to move within the bedroom and the attached bathroom and shower. The thick chain did not allow him to go any further.
After contemplating, Suhwan approached the bed. At the end of the bed was the chain connected to Suhwan’s ankle, and Suhwan didn’t have the strength to lift the large, heavy bed. But he thought he might be able to move it a little by pushing with his body.
“Alright.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
