Chapter 66
What did Jang Jae-gyeong mean by saying that? His vague words fell on me like a warning, and though I was curious about his meaning, I couldn’t get a good answer. From Jae-gyeong’s mouth came only the words “you shouldn’t know yet” like a broken tape. I thought about getting angry, but seeing Seungwoo’s bright eyes next to me, I gave up on that too. While Jae-gyeong could be quite playful, he wasn’t someone who spoke without reason. I did briefly wonder if he was saying such things because he didn’t get along with Kim Doyun, but…
Anyway, I nodded to indicate that I understood. Jae-gyeong, looking satisfied, patted my cheek and said I was good. I wonder how old he thinks I am.
“Hey, is uncle younger than that mister?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“I see.”
Seungwoo’s reaction made me feel even stranger. It seemed like he asked because Jae-gyeong was treating me like a child. But don’t I clearly look younger? Unconsciously, I gently stroked my face, deep in thought. I wanted to ask Seungwoo how Jae-gyeong and I appeared to him, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask, afraid of receiving a shocking answer. While he might not notice much difference between a 29-year-old and a 24-year-old, still, I’m five years younger, and it would be sad to hear that we look the same age or that I look older…
Meanwhile, Junwoo scurried over to Kim Doyun’s arms, gesturing to me to hurry. Kim Doyun lightly lifted Junwoo and approached casually, not caring that Jang Jae-gyeong was frowning and moving aside. But I wish they’d remember we’re up in a tree. Both Kim Doyun and Jang Jae-gyeong were moving around the tree so nonchalantly that I was worried Seungwoo and Junwoo might learn from them. I was already anxious seeing slight signs of this from Seungwoo…
“Dad!”
Junwoo smiled brightly and stretched his arms out to me. Considering the shock the child had experienced, I had decided to remain “Dad” until Junwoo was okay. Seungwoo, though disliking the idea of his father being forgotten, pressed his lips together and said he would endure it. Perhaps because his parents had entrusted his little brother to him, Seungwoo often acted mature in front of Junwoo. He could have acted more childish if he wanted to…
“Dad, do you like the mister?”
Junwoo’s unexpected question made my heart plummet to the floor. What is he saying? I hurriedly looked at Kim Doyun, who shook his head with a smile.
“I asked the mister if he liked big sister and me, and he said we’re cute. Then I asked about that other mister, and he said he doesn’t like him. So I asked about dad, but you’re not answering. Dad? Do you like the mister, or not?”
Junwoo’s eyes were bright and eager. Seungwoo, looking up from below, also had sparkling eyes. Under the pressure of the children’s expectant gazes, I opened my mouth awkwardly, mumbling.
“Dad… of course likes the mister.”
I could hear Jang Jae-gyeong snorting from a distance. Hearing that sound made me even more embarrassed, and I practically snatched Junwoo away from Kim Doyun. The child’s warmth in my arms calmed my pounding heart a little. But oblivious to my feelings, Seungwoo said with a grin:
“Uncle is strange. He gets embarrassed just like mom and dad.”
“Uh, really?”
To my flustered response, Seungwoo clapped his hands and explained:
“That’s Junwoo’s habit. When he’s bored, he asks people around him who they like. Everyone else just laughed or joked around, but when Junwoo asked mom and dad if they liked each other, they always got embarrassed. Just like you, uncle!”
Flustered, I adjusted my hold on Junwoo and tried to explain to Seungwoo.
“Seungwoo, this isn’t like that. When I said I liked him, I meant…”
“You didn’t?”
The words I was about to say went back down my throat with a gulp. Confused, I looked at Kim Doyun and my jaw dropped. Kim Doyun was looking down at me with a sad expression. His face and voice were dripping with hurt feelings.
“So you didn’t like me that much after all.”
“Uh, uh, well…”
“I understand.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Junwoo, oblivious to everything, played with his hands, while Seungwoo just tilted his head in confusion, looking between me and Kim Doyun.
* * *
From a distance came the squeaking cries of monsters. Light still flickered from the building, and faint sounds that could be either men cursing or laughing drifted through the air. A monster came near our tree and sniffed around, but instead of climbing up, it headed straight for the building. Perhaps there were more people there making it look more appetizing, or maybe the building was easier to climb than the tree. Either way, the monsters always chose the building over our tree.
I looked towards where Jang Jae-gyeong and the children were, though they were barely visible in the darkness. At first, I was afraid Seungwoo might fall, so I planned to sleep with him. But Kim Doyun objected, concerned about my sleeping habits, so Seungwoo and Junwoo ended up sleeping with Jang Jae-gyeong.
Junwoo, who had been whining all day about wanting to stay with dad, went into Jang Jae-gyeong’s arms without complaint when bedtime came. Judging from the way he looked at Seungwoo while in Jae-gyeong’s arms, it seemed Junwoo distinguished between acceptable tantrums and unacceptable ones. He was quite clever for only being six years old.
Jang Jae-gyeong, who usually stayed up late every night, prepared for bed early today, perhaps thanks to the children. However, there was something strange about the way he was arranging the blankets. I cautiously approached him.
“Jae-gyeong?”
“…Mmm?”
His response was oddly delayed. He was pressing his chest and closing his eyes, and his face looked somewhat pale. Thinking he might be sick, my heart sank. I quickly moved beside him and placed my hand on his forehead to check for fever, then sighed in relief. There was no fever; in fact, his forehead was slightly cool. When my hand touched him, Jang Jae-gyeong opened his eyes slightly and looked at me. His tongue moistened his dry lips.
“…I feel strangely tired. Wonder if I’ll be able to sleep…”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine.”
“Should I take the kids with me?”
“They’re warm, which is nice. Just go to sleep. No, wait. Want to sleep with me? We can leave the kids to that guy.”
Jang Jae-gyeong quickly changed his expression and acted as if nothing was wrong. Just as I was about to nod and say that would be a good idea, Kim Doyun, who hadn’t even been looking at Jae-gyeong’s words, quickly called out to me.
“If you’re sleeping here, I’ll sleep here too.”
“Oh, get lost.”
Jang Jae-gyeong reacted in shock and chased both me and Kim Doyun away. Still concerned, I hovered around Jae-gyeong. I was eventually driven away again after being told to take care of myself, but… with both Jae-gyeong and Kim Doyun not showing when they were unwell, I was more than a little worried.
I rubbed my forehead with one hand and sighed. As I tried to go back to Jae-gyeong to check if he was ill, this time Kim Doyun stopped me. He said that going back and forth might actually disturb someone who said they were fine. His smile as he told me to let Jae-gyeong rest seemed somewhat cold.
While I couldn’t say anything, Kim Doyun pulled me over and laid me down on the bedding. He had even prepared the blankets already… Jae-gyeong and the children’s side was quiet except for the sound of breathing, suggesting they had fallen asleep. With no choice, I too lay down. But I couldn’t fall asleep and just blinked for a long time, until a firm arm draped over me pulled me slightly closer.
“Are you asleep?”
Kim Doyun’s voice touched my ear. I turned my head slightly and saw Kim Doyun’s face up close. It was too close. I was startled, but due to our embrace, I couldn’t move and could only look at his face.
“N-no, not yet…”
I answered, moistening my dry lips with my tongue. I could feel Kim Doyun’s deep eyes tracing my lips and tongue. I felt the strength in the arm wrapped around my waist. It felt like I had returned to the moment when I had realized my feelings for Kim Doyun and was bickering with him by the hole.
The gently blowing wind swept across my cheek. When Kim Doyun’s hot hand touched my cheek that had been cooled by the wind, my face stung as if burned. His deep eyes, so intense they made me shiver, held a subtle smile. His face, his nose, came closer and gently rubbed against mine.
As a result, I couldn’t breathe and panted slightly. I closed my mouth and fidgeted, bothered by our lips that had almost but not quite touched. Perhaps finding it amusing, Kim Doyun let out a small laugh. But since we were so close, the breath he exhaled with his laugh touched my lips moistly. My body stiffened. I couldn’t think of anything.
Feeling like I shouldn’t stay like this, I tried to turn my head, but Kim Doyun’s large hand caught my cheek. Though he didn’t apply force, once my face was caught in his firm hand, I couldn’t move it. I felt like I was caught in a trap.
“Are you avoiding me?”
I tried to shake my head hurriedly, but I couldn’t move. Unable to move my mouth either, I hesitated, then realized the firm body touching my chest and opened my eyes wide. Kim Doyun was holding me tightly, as if pressing me down. For a moment, my head felt dizzy. I felt strange. It was as if carbonated water flowed through my veins instead of blood, making me feel ticklish with tiny bursts. Kim Doyun’s index finger, holding my face, rubbed below my eye and slowly traced down to my chin.
“B-but, it’s so sudden…”
“Do you dislike it?”
“It’s not that I dislike it…”
My eyes met Kim Doyun’s, who was narrowing his eyes right in front of me. I felt like the ground beneath me was giving way, like stepping into a hole and falling. Unable to withstand the dizziness, I shut my eyes tightly. To my frozen state, Kim Doyun said with a smile:
“Then don’t avoid me.”
“D-Doyun…”
I barely opened my mouth and breathed rapidly. The index finger that had fallen to my chin now rose to my lips and pushed in between them. I could feel his firm yet soft finger touching between them. I helplessly bit his finger as I looked up at him.
“Look at me.”
“Ah…”
“Don’t look away.”
Kim Doyun gazed at me for a long time with his deep eyes. Even if I wanted to turn my head, I couldn’t. Not because of the hand holding my face, but because of his persistent gaze looking down at me. His index finger parted my lips a bit more. The gaze falling on my parted lips felt somehow sticky and dangerous. Rather than frightening, this danger was… I tensed my waist tightly.
“I’ve never let go of something I’ve set my mind on.”
Seeing my confused eyes darting around, he smiled, creasing his eyes.
“…I prefer certainty. What I like, what concerns me. What I want.”
His voice, tinged with amusement, poured onto my lips.
“So, I’ll have to take it slow so that Seongho can’t run away.”
What? Before I could voice the question that had risen in my mind, Kim Doyun’s lips lightly touched mine and then pulled away.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
