Chapter 39
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 39
The moment that had set their bodies ablaze had passed.
The searing heat that had filled the room subsided, and the sound of their breathing slowly took its place.
Dokyun felt the warmth of the small body he held seep into his chest.
“Mmm…”
He looked down at her as she whimpered softly in his arms.
The way she fidgeted with her eyes closed was so endearing it made his heart flutter.
He gently brushed her cheek, and she lifted her head to look up at him. Her clear eyes, shining like jewels, reflected his image.
They gazed at each other in silence for a moment before her lips parted.
“Wa-was it good…?”
A soft chuckle escaped his lips.
It was almost ridiculous, the way she sought his approval after everything they did—or more accurately, the way she fished for compliments.
“Why? Didn’t you like it, Eun-ah?”
“N-no…!”
When a playful Dokyun feigned a sullen expression, she frantically shook her head in denial.
Then, with a bashful look, her lips trembled as she added, “I… I liiiked it…!”
Poof—.
As soon as the words were out, her face turned beet red, and she buried her head in his chest again.
“Mmph…”
A muffled sound escaped from his chest. He could feel the heat radiating from her, feel her embarrassment.
She was so silly and yet so cute that he couldn’t stop smiling.
Feeling a sense of deep contentment, Dokyun continued to watch her.
Has she gained some weight?
She seemed to have, compared to when he first saw her. He couldn’t be sure, since he saw her every day, but the gauntness and gloom that had given her such a grim aura when they first met seemed to have faded.
Her corpse-like pallor would flush a vibrant red whenever they were close, brimming with life.
Her frame was still slender, but no longer so thin that her bones jutted out. Wherever he poked, her skin yielded with a soft pliability.
Her cheeks were soft as rice cakes, and her belly gave way easily when he prodded it.
He loved the feeling so much that he’d keep poking her, which would earn him a cute little glare. That look would, in turn, stir his sadistic side, and he’d continue until tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing her on the verge of crying would finally make him stop.
Weren’t a woman’s tears said to be a weapon? True to the saying, the sight of her crying would make his chest tighten, and he’d find himself patting her back and apologizing.
The way she’d stop sniffling and hug him tightly as soon as he apologized seemed almost cunning.
As his thoughts drifted, Dokyun realized why he felt she had gained weight.
It’s just rose-colored glasses.
It was strange. All that had changed was the amount of time they’d spent together, yet his feelings for her had transformed completely.
Once he peeled away the lenses of fear and disgust that had clouded his vision, he saw a girl who was so full of life.
The way she clung to him all day, her face radiating happiness, could only be described as that of a girl in love.
She was just so silly and cute that he found it impossible to reconcile her smile with the person who had orchestrated this house, found him, and kidnapped him.
As he stroked her, lost in thought, he felt a hand cup his cheek.
Her fingertips, rough with faint scars, tickled his skin.
He shifted his gaze to her and saw her smiling sweetly up at him.
“Hehe…”
Her soft laughter tickled his ear. The faint warmth of her hand felt almost cool as it caressed his cheek, shimmering like a mirage.
Her smile, her touch, her laughter—it all blended together and seeped gently into his heart.
Dokyun met her gaze and smiled.
“Should we sleep now?”
“Hmm…?”
“We played pretty hard, didn’t we?”
Played. He said the word with a mischievous grin, and he saw her blush again as she nodded.
Her head drooped, and her lips trembled as she mumbled, “G-good niiight…”
“Yeah. Good night, Eun-ah.”
He felt another wave of satisfaction as she nodded and snuggled against him.
Fear had turned to disgust, disgust to doubt, and doubt to this wavering affection—all in the space of a single week.
It was a short time, but it was enough to get him addicted to her warmth.
Enough to make him open his heart and willingly accept it.
It made him hold her hand, press his skin to hers, and smile.
It made him wonder if, just maybe, their relationship could move in a different direction.
Suddenly, his eyes fell on her wrist.
A series of straight, thin scars ran across it. The newest one still had a reddish tint, not yet fully healed.
Self-harm.
The word surfaced in his mind. Her frantic outbursts, her erratic behavior, the marks all over her body—they all pointed to a life that had been anything but happy.
He wanted to ask about them, but he couldn’t bring himself to pose a question that was so obviously a trigger. So he said nothing.
She, too, seemed to pay them no mind, so he acted as if they weren’t there.
It had become an unspoken rule between them.
His hand moved, brushing her cheek again.
A belated curiosity about her began to stir. How had she lived? What had caused her so much pain? Why had she hurt herself this way?
These questions bloomed one by one, soon transforming into a sympathy that pricked at his conscience.
Should I have read it all?
He thought of the diary in the study.
He recalled the traces of what seemed to be a happy time, yet one that still left him with a sense of unease. The entries had been disjointed and without context, but it was the only clue he had to her past. It was only natural that his mind returned to it.
Thinking of how he’d closed the diary without finishing it, he was struck by a wave of regret.
Ugh…
Wrestling with his thoughts, Dokyun calmed the knot in his stomach and tried to think clearly.
As long as he was here, there would be another chance.
As his thoughts trailed off, he felt drowsiness wash over him. The intense… activity, the first in days, seemed to be catching up with him.
I should just sleep for now.
It seemed later than usual. It was best to just sleep.
Feeling his consciousness begin to sink, Dokyun slowly closed his eyes.
*
He opened his eyes.
His body felt as heavy as a waterlogged sponge, and a rusty groan escaped his lips.
“Ughhh…”
Shaking off his lethargy, Dokyun glanced down at his own stomach and let out a dry laugh.
“Hah.”
Eun-ah was asleep on top of him.
So that’s why I felt so heavy.
The way she was sprawled on top of him, her body rising and falling with each soft breath, was utterly endearing.
Dokyun smiled, his hand moving to gently stroke her back.
Her bangs, which usually covered her nose, were sticking straight up like a little horn, and her gently closed eyes made her look as placid as a sloth.
A small trail of drool escaped from the corner of her slightly parted lips.
He reached out, wiped it away, and continued to watch her, caressing her cheek.
She looked utterly defenseless as she slept.
Come to think of it…
This was the first time he’d woken up before her. She was always the one to get up first, prepare breakfast, and wake him.
He watched her sleeping face for a moment, then raised a hand and gently tapped the tip of her nose. In response, her brow furrowed slightly.
A playful impulse took hold.
A small smile playing on his lips, Dokyun pinched her nose shut.
Her face began to turn red. A small, strained sound escaped her lips as she struggled for air.
“Nnngh…!”
Just as her face started to twitch and she began to squirm, he let go. Her airway finally clear, she took a deep gasp of air, her expression relaxing.
“Phhheww…”
A long sigh of relief escaped her.
“Pfft…!”
Seeing her still fast asleep, breathing deeply, he couldn’t help but chuckle again.
She must have been exhausted. This was the first time she’d slept in so soundly, completely unaware that he was awake. A flicker of concern went through him.
Hmm… was I too rough?
Had he gotten too carried away and worn her out? As Dokyun recalled the previous night, he felt a faint pang of guilt.
Grumble—.
He felt his stomach rumble.
It was breakfast time. He’d been eating so regularly lately that his body knew it was time for a meal before his mind did.
As he listened to the rumbling, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
Wait a minute…
He replayed his daily routine in his head.
He wakes up, and food is already prepared. He eats, and she cleans up. He washes up, then spends the day on the sofa with her in his arms. Then he eats the dinner she serves him and goes to sleep.
Uh…
He felt a sense of déjà vu.
It was a familiar pattern. One he knew all too well.
Bborongi?
Dokyun realized his current life perfectly mirrored that of Bborongi, the lazy cat his parents owned.
Zap—!
His mind snapped to attention as a cold sweat trickled down his back.
He could feel his human dignity starting to fade.
His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he glared at Eun-ah, still sprawled on his chest.
Could it be…
Is this all part of her plan? A sophisticated ploy to make him completely dependent on her, to erase his suspicions by doing every little thing for him?
As his thoughts raced, the girl on top of him stirred.
A smile spread across her lips.
“Hee hee hee…”
He heard a dopey little laugh. Her head turned, and she began to nuzzle his collarbone, suckling at the skin.
“Mmm…”
She must have been having a nice dream; she looked so content as she squirmed against him.
His suspicion vanished, and he felt the tension drain right out of him.
A plan? Yeah, right…
She was so transparent that it was laughable. If she were plotting something, it would be written all over her face.
This was probably just the result of her doing whatever she wanted.
Feeling a wry smile creep onto his face, Dokyun gently lifted her off him, laid her down at his side, and pulled the blanket over her before getting out of bed.
“Ugh…”
Maybe he’d overdone it last night. His back ached.
After rubbing his sore back for a moment, Dokyun got dressed and headed for the kitchen.
It seemed he would have to prepare breakfast today.
Yeah, I should at least do something.
Otherwise, I'm no different from a machine that just makes shit.
Out in the kitchen, Dokyun stretched his arms wide, waking his body up.
First…
He had to open the fridge and see what they had.
I’ve lived alone for years.
He opened the refrigerator, thinking, How hard can making breakfast be? His eyes widened at the sight of the ingredients packed inside.
He’d expected a wide variety, given all the different dishes she’d made, but this was far beyond his imagination.
Vegetables, pork, beef, chicken, seafood…
There were so many ingredients it made his head spin. He couldn’t even guess what some of them were used for.
“Hmm…”
After staring into the fridge with a troubled expression, Dokyun finally shut the door.
Click!
He moved to the cupboards and opened one.
Isn’t there any ramen?
Proper ingredients like those were way beyond his skill level.