#103
Choi Hanseo carefully climbed onto the bed and lay down. He then slid his arm under Eunseok’s head to serve as a pillow.
Eunseok was about to tell him to take off his shirt too, but stopped when he saw the IV in his arm. In this state, the shirt couldn’t be removed without tearing or cutting it.
“Lift up my shirt,” Eunseok requested again. Choi Hanseo gazed at Eunseok silently for a moment as if observing him, then carefully lifted the shirt.
“Now let’s hug and take a nap together.”
“…Alright.”
Choi Hanseo carefully embraced Eunseok, pulling him into his arms. Resting on his arm and being held in his embrace, Eunseok finally felt a true sense of “returning.” Eunseok drew up his guiding energy. Fortunately, even with his body paralyzed by the drug, there was no problem manipulating the energy.
A drowsy silence fell between the two lying embraced on the bed. The time he had been held captive by Park Sunwoo felt like a dream.
“I’m sure the Esper Management Bureau and the government must have requested that he not be killed,” Eunseok said, moving his mouth that was gradually becoming more pliant.
Although he had caused a tremendous incident, the country surely wouldn’t have wanted to lose an S-class esper. Even if it meant incurring tremendous public outrage.
“Let’s not talk about that. I’ll take care of everything. Don’t worry about it.”
Eunseok felt the muscles in the arm supporting his head tense up. Choi Hanseo didn’t want to hear, think, or recall anything about Park Sunwoo. But Eunseok knew well that simply ignoring it wouldn’t solve anything. A festering wound must be drained before it can truly heal. If Park Sunwoo’s existence became a festering wound between them, it would surely rot and break down someday.
“You were right, Choi Hanseo. A young hunter who can’t even control himself is indeed very dangerous.”
“…Eunseok. That topic…”
“Choi Hanseo.”
Eunseok cut off Choi Hanseo’s words and called his name. Then he turned his eyes to meet his gaze directly and spoke.
“Intelligence agents can be captured or kidnapped at any time during a mission. Therefore, they are thoroughly trained for interrogation and torture scenarios. There are various types of torture. Naturally, sexual torture is included among them. It’s the most effective torture that can break both the mind and body simultaneously.”
Choi Hanseo held his breath. Sexual torture. Eunseok had very directly described the series of acts he had endured from Park Sunwoo in those terms.
“I don’t feel ashamed about it at all. It’s not something to be ashamed of. But if you keep being conscious of it… I might end up feeling shame because of that. Because I’ll start questioning whether I should be feeling ashamed in this situation.”
Choi Hanseo, who had been staring intently at Eunseok for a moment, slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding. Then he tightened his embrace, pushing strength into his relaxed arms. Choi Hanseo’s face buried deeply into Eunseok’s neck. Warm breath spilled onto his nape.
“I had forgotten for a moment. How strong you are.”
Choi Hanseo whispered softly. Then he placed a long kiss on Eunseok’s neck.
As the familiar scent wafted over him, a sudden, unbearable fatigue washed over him. Eunseok didn’t force himself to resist and closed his heavy eyelids. A profound darkness enveloped him. He had a feeling it would be a very comfortable and sweet sleep.
***
I’ll be back.
Choi Hanseo’s voice was faintly heard in his half-asleep state. Soon after, he felt a light kiss on the crown of his head. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids were too heavy to lift. Eunseok floundered in sleep once more.
When he opened his eyes, bright sunlight was pouring in. He didn’t know how long he had slept, but even after opening his eyes, his mind was still hazy between sleep and wakefulness. As he moved his languid body around, his movements were quite natural, as if the drug’s effects had worn off.
The bedroom door opened carefully. His eyes met with someone peeking inside.
“Oh my. Are you awake?”
An unfamiliar middle-aged woman entered with a welcoming expression. Judging by her apron, she seemed to be the housekeeper who managed the penthouse.
“I’ve been keeping the porridge warm, wondering when you’d wake up. You’ve been sleeping for almost a day without eating. I’ll bring you some porridge right away.”
The woman quickly left the room. Her words about keeping the porridge warm weren’t just empty talk; the savory aroma of porridge seeped into the bedroom. As he smelled the food, hunger that he had long forgotten suddenly surged. His stomach, recognizing the smell, grumbled and threw a fit.
A moment later, the woman entered with a tray containing the porridge. She carefully placed the tray on the bed.
“I heard you haven’t eaten for a while? I made it extra thick, so eat slowly,” she said kindly, even handing him a spoon.
Eunseok lifted a spoonful of porridge. The creamy porridge, thickly boiled, gave off a pleasant aroma. But the moment he saw the viscous, milky porridge dripping from the side of the spoon, he suddenly felt nauseous.
“Ugh-. Urgh-.”
Eunseok put down the spoon and covered his mouth, retching.
“Oh my. Oh my, what’s wrong?”
The woman, startled, patted Eunseok’s back. But when Eunseok’s retching didn’t subside and instead grew worse, she quickly fetched a bathtub scoop from the bathroom and held it in front of his mouth.
Uwek-!
Eunseok grabbed the scoop and vomited the contents of his stomach into it. Only after repeating this violent vomiting a few times, his whole body heaving, did his stomach finally settle.
“Are you alright? Oh dear, what should we do?”
The woman kept stroking Eunseok’s back with a worried face. Eunseok glanced at the thin porridge on the tray. Although a savory aroma was clearly rising from it, strangely, he felt as if the fishy scent of semen was tickling his nose.
“I’m sorry, but could you please take this away?”
Eunseok pushed away the tray, unable to bear it any longer.
“Ah, yes. Of course.”
The woman quickly took the tray with the porridge bowl and left the room. Only then did Eunseok heave a sigh.
“It seems your stomach was shocked by smelling food after starving for so long.”
The woman returned and offered a bottle of water, speaking with concern. Eunseok took the water bottle and swallowed a few gulps.
“Ma’am.”
“Yes, young man. Should I make something else? If there’s any food you’re craving, just tell me.”
“If there are any energy bars or something similar, please bring me a few. And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell the Guild Master about me vomiting just now.”
“Ah…”
The woman made a troubled expression.
“Please.”
Eunseok looked directly at the woman and politely requested.
“Energy bars, I’ll bring them right away.”
The woman evaded answering and disappeared out of the room. Eunseok sighed heavily as he wiped his mouth with a tissue pulled from the bedside table.
It hadn’t been long since he told Choi Hanseo that he was fine. Yet here he was, vomiting just from seeing porridge that reminded him of semen. He must have become mentally lax since leaving the military.
As he was unwrapping an energy bar the housekeeper had brought and chewing it into tiny pieces to swallow, the bedroom door opened and Choi Hanseo strode in.
“I heard you vomited?”
Choi Hanseo sat down beside the bed and placed his hand on Eunseok’s forehead.
“I just felt a bit nauseous suddenly smelling food, that’s all.”
Eunseok made an excuse with an unperturbed face.
“And that’s okay?”
Choi Hanseo asked, nodding towards the energy bar in Eunseok’s hand.
“This is just easier to eat.”
Eunseok said, taking another bite of the energy bar.
Choi Hanseo stared intently at Eunseok as if trying to see through him. Masking his expressions was something Eunseok was very good at. When he gave a look as if to ask why Choi Hanseo was staring so intently, Choi Hanseo let out a faint sigh.
“You should eat proper food.”
“What food gives you as much energy as an energy bar?”
“…You never give in, do you?”
Choi Hanseo grumbled with dissatisfied eyes as he ruffled Eunseok’s hair.
“You must be busy with the aftermath. Did you rush up here just because of this?”
“What could be more urgent than your condition?”
“The government and Esper Management Bureau must be in an uproar because you killed Park Sunwoo, and they’re probably being a nuisance under the pretext of investigation. They’re probably also playing tug-of-war, trying to pass off the responsibility for repairing the airport you smashed up.”
Eunseok listed one by one the problems Choi Hanseo was likely facing now. Choi Hanseo chuckled as if finding him incorrigible.
