Chapter 35
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35
As Dokyun blankly chased the warmth that had vanished, he heard a voice call to him from a distance.
“H-Honeybee…?”
He lifted his head and looked to the side, where a pair of eyes was staring intently at him from the kitchen. Only then did Dokyun realize he had been sitting dazedly on the sofa. He gave an awkward laugh and replied.
“Ah, sorry. I was spacing out for a moment.”
“Hehe…”
Her smiling face struck him in the chest. Fearing his stomach would start churning again if he kept looking at her, he hurriedly got up and walked to the kitchen.
“W-Well then, just a moment…”
After confirming that Dokyun was seated at the table, Eun-ah turned her back to him and began to cook.
The rhythmic fall of the kitchen knife filled the space with a steady beat. The sound of boiling water and sizzling oil followed, creating a busy corner in the kitchen.
The aroma pricked his nose, making his mouth water.
Meat.
Her culinary spectrum was incredibly wide. Korean food was a given, but she also handled Japanese, Chinese, and Western cuisine. In the past week, she had never once repeated a dish.
The one thing they all had in common was that meat was always the main course.
He didn’t know if she had a good grasp of his tastes or if she just liked it herself, but the meals she prepared were always dominated by meat.
Well, as long as it’s delicious, who cares?
He shook the thought away. When it came to food, he could enjoy whatever was served.
Dokyun watched her back as she prepared the meal.
The way her shoulders bobbed as she hummed a tune was utterly charming.
A while passed as Dokyun stared blankly at her. Before he knew it, the cooking was finished, and dishes were being placed on the table one by one.
It was bulgogi, coated evenly in a red sauce that made it look appetizing.
Then, as had become natural, she sat down in the seat next to him, looked at him, and smiled radiantly.
“P-Please enjoy your meal…!”
“Thank you again for today. I’ll eat well.”
He smiled as he spoke and picked up his spoon and chopsticks. He saw a hand follow his, picking up its own utensils. The small hand he had been holding just moments ago began to handle the chopsticks with perfect form.
The chopsticks moved smoothly, picking up a piece of meat and placing it on top of his rice bowl.
“H-Here…”
“Thank you.”
She always urged him to eat before she took a bite herself.
She would never touch her food until he had started, so at some point, it became natural for him to be the first to pick up his utensils.
He put the rice, topped with meat, into his mouth.
The smoky marinade and savory juices seeped between the grains of rice, filling his mouth with flavor as he chewed.
He chewed the food thoroughly and swallowed, then turned to her—who had been staring at him the whole time—and spoke with a smile.
“This is delicious today, too.”
It was.
Despite the vast number of dishes that had appeared on the table over the past week, not a single one had been anything less than delicious.
“Hehe…”
A lovely laugh reached his ears. She always smiled like that, as if watching him eat brought her so much joy.
It felt like only a few days ago that he had found her gaze burdensome, but now, it had become all too familiar.
Feeling it would be awkward to do nothing, he moved his chopsticks, picked up a piece of meat, and placed it on her rice bowl.
“You should eat too, Eun-ah.”
“Huh…?”
She looked back and forth between the piece of meat on her bowl and him, her cheeks flushing slightly. She then turned to him and opened her mouth wide.
“Ah, ahh~.”
Dokyun stared at her for a moment before deducing the meaning of her action.
Is she asking me to feed her?
The way she waited with her eyes closed and mouth open seemed to confirm it.
He was about to move his chopsticks, but for some reason, his gaze was drawn to her, and he just watched.
With her eyes squeezed shut and her mouth open, she looked like a baby bird waiting to be fed, and it made him chuckle.
He could see a bright red tongue and white teeth inside her open mouth.
She has good teeth.
Her teeth were perfectly straight. Small, white teeth were arranged neatly in her mouth.
And no cavities.
There wasn't a single black or even yellow spot. They were clearly well-cared-for. As he continued to stare,
“Ah, ahh…!”
He heard her whine again. He glanced up and saw her narrowed eyes glaring at him.
“Ah, sorry.”
He had been staring blankly again. His eyes kept following her.
He smiled apologetically, placed the meat on a spoonful of rice from her bowl, and brought it to her mouth.
“Hup!”
As the spoon entered her mouth, she snapped it shut as if snatching it and began to chew. Her cheeks puffed out slightly, and he felt an urge to poke them with his finger.
She mumbled the food in her mouth for a long time before swallowing, then began to giggle.
“Heehee…”
A silly laugh escaped her. Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
“You eat well.”
He stroked her head as he said it, and she blushed, leaning her head against his shoulder.
As she snuggled against him, giggling, he heard her mumble.
“S-So good…”
She looked so happy, rubbing her head against his shoulder as if the meal was the last thing on her mind.
Watching her, Dokyun felt that familiar flutter in his chest again. He gently pushed her away and opened his mouth.
“We need to eat now.”
“Okay…”
He patted her shoulder gently as he spoke, and she finally turned back to her food and picked up her utensils. The way she scooped up a bit of rice and put it in her small mouth, chewing quietly, stole his gaze once more.
Cute.
The thought popped into his head unbidden.
Startled by his own thought, Dokyun quickly lowered his head and began to eat.
Trying to ignore the pounding of his heart, he stuffed his mouth full of rice and chewed.
It’s delicious. So delicious, but he couldn’t tell what he was tasting.
His entire focus was fixed on the person beside him, to the point where he couldn’t tell if he was eating with his mouth or his nose.
His insides felt tight, and he wondered if he was choking, so he took a gulp of water, but that didn’t seem to be it.
The meal continued like that.
He didn’t even know what he was eating; he just kept shoving rice into his mouth. Every time his eyes moved of their own accord to glance at her, he would find her smiling face looking back at him.
His heart was beating like crazy.
Calm down…
The fluttering in his chest showed no signs of stopping.
After moving his utensils for a while longer, the meal was finally over.
Thinking it would be better to just sleep, he helped her clear the dishes, brushed his teeth, and went into the bedroom.
As had become routine over the past week, he lay on the outside of the bed while she lay on the side by the wall, and they held each other.
All he had to do was fall asleep, but sleep wouldn’t come.
He glanced down and saw her finger tapping on his chest. Her pout suggested she was unhappy about something.
Feeling the fluttering in his chest grow stronger, Dokyun opened his mouth, troubled.
“Shouldn’t we sleep now?”
“Uuu…”
A disgruntled sound escaped her. She glanced up at him and spoke.
“H-Honeybee…”
“Yes?”
Her lips trembled. Her eyes darted around, unable to find a place to rest, and her cheeks were flushed red.
After a long moment of hesitation, her mouth finally opened.
“Um… h-how much longer do I have to wait…?”
“Huh?”
“I-I’ve been really patient…”
She was asking for his body.
Despite the critical situation, the first thought that popped into Dokyun’s head was, She held out for quite a while.
Honestly, she was an impulsive woman; he hadn’t thought she would last even a day.
Then, a feeling of relief washed over him at her demand, and his stomach dropped.
You’ve lost your mind…!
He had to get a grip. He had to refuse her, firmly, one more time. But the moment he heard those words, the fluttering inside him became a tidal wave, crashing down with immense force.
Thump—!
His heart clenched tight again. The warmth radiating from her was mercilessly ravaging his body.
“Huuuh…!”
A sorrowful sob. Then, he felt her grip tighten on his clothes. Her furrowed brow made it clear she was angry.
“Well…”
“Y-Yesterday, too… and the day before…”
“Eun-ah?”
“And the day before that…”
Her tone grew heated, and he flinched slightly. He tried to call her name, but her lips continued on, ignoring him completely.
“Just a…”
“I-I kept… I kept waiting…!”
Once the dam of her words broke, it was as if she had to pour out all her pent-up sorrow. She cut him off and kept talking.
“Y-You’re not supposed to lie…”
Her soft lips jutted out in a pout.
“Y-You said just a little…!”
Under the blanket, her small foot began to tap against his shin.
Ah.
It was a dangerous and difficult moment, but even so, her pouting, whining face captivated his gaze.
“Y-You have to… keep your promise…!”
Her eyes grew moist and began to shimmer.
I’m going crazy.
He shouldn’t. He knew he shouldn’t do this, but his heart was swaying. He wanted to kiss her, to feel her skin against his, to put himself inside her and fill her completely.
“L-Liar…”
Her voice was thick with tears. Her eyes, full of resentment, pierced him. Even that glare, that narrowed gaze, was captivating him.
I can’t…
Even as he thought it, his hand reached out on its own.
His hand came to rest on her cheek, and his thumb began to gently stroke her skin.
“Uuh…?”
A look of confusion appeared on her face as she felt his touch.
Even in the dark room, her brightly shining eyes were fixed on him.
He leaned his head forward slightly, his gaze drawn to the luscious lips on her questioning face.
Peck.
A soft sensation met his lips. He could feel their soft, plush flesh pressing against each other.
Their breaths mingled through their slightly parted lips.
After the short kiss, he pulled away and saw her staring at him with wide, round eyes.
Her cheeks slowly began to blush, and he found it so beautiful that the corners of his mouth twitched.
I’m so fucked.
The slight daze in his head, the churning in his gut, the pounding of his heart—it all proved it.
Suddenly, he remembered something he had heard somewhere.
That it only takes three seconds for a person to fall for someone.
He thought he finally understood what that meant. Because in just one week, it seemed he had become completely bewitched by those eyes.
Still, I held out for a week.
He figured that was a pretty long time.
It wasn’t arrhythmia. It wasn’t a delusion. He had well and truly fallen for her.
He watched her dazed face staring at him, then opened his lips and spoke.
“I’m not a liar.”
“Hic…”
“Shall we keep our promise?”
Her sparkling eyes fluttered and slowly lowered. Her head followed, dipping down.
Finally, her answer came.
“Yes…”
He had thought he had to be so wary of her, but in the end, he had fallen for her completely.
Indeed, she was a vixen worthy of endless praise.
His heart, which had gone from being in bad shape to completely broken, began to pound furiously.
He felt her hands wrap around his neck as she answered shyly.
The gentle warmth encircling his neck shook his soul once more.
Reason screamed at him to stop, but his body had already fallen head over heels and had no intention of listening.
…It’ll probably work itself out.
His body moved.