I 15

Chapter 15

The temperature of his hand was so high it felt like her knee was being warmed. When Chayun’s body flinched, Gyobeom applied gentle pressure as if to soothe her. Moving slowly upward as if wiping away the moisture, his hand reached her thigh and became half-hidden beneath the wet hem of her skirt.

“W-wait a moment.”

Unable to bear the strange feeling, Chayun grabbed his wrist tightly.

“……”

Fortunately, Gyobeom withdrew his hand at her words and looked down at his own palm. He quite liked the sight of the water droplets that had been wetting Chayun’s legs now wetting his hand.

“You’re very wet.”

The sight of him whispering softly as he looked at his hand that had gone under her skirt hem was so erotic it made her vision dizzy. Though she hadn’t done anything with him, her face grew red and her blood raced. Her heart pounded and the space between her legs grew hot.

Whether he knew her feelings or not, Gyobeom began wiping her legs with his shirt sleeve. The glossy black shirt was clearly an expensive brand—the kind with several zeros attached to the price.

“No, I, I’ll do it if you just give me a t-towel.”

“Do you need one?”

Before she could even answer yes.

Chayun’s body floated up.

“Kyaa!”

Having involuntarily let out a high-pitched scream, she wrapped her arms around Gyobeom’s neck to steady her swaying body. Gyobeom, pleased by the weight and body heat entrusted to him, wore an unconscious smile as he carried her toward the bathroom.

The bathroom, finished in silver-gray marble, seemed larger than the two-room apartment Chayun currently lived in. Two sinks, ample storage cabinets, a hanger with bathrobes hanging. If one opened the tall vertical display cabinet, high-end products would likely be arranged in perfect rows and columns.

It looked like a studio built for filming advertisements or pictorials rather than a bathroom, so Chayun momentarily lost herself and kept turning her head. Then, coming to her senses, she cleared her throat and parted her trembling lips.

“Wh-why are we here?”

“Why else. You said you needed a towel.”

Gyobeom carefully set her down on the edge of the large, spacious bathtub and opened the display cabinet to take out a fluffy white towel. Then he lowered himself and sat before Chayun.

“Don’t do this, I’ll do it myself.”

“What are you going to do when you’re trembling like that?”

Gyobeom, kneeling on one knee, began slowly wiping her legs—as white and soft as the towel. Though he could have wiped quickly and roughly, he wiped with the meticulousness and delicacy of a restorer restoring humanity’s heritage, and…… very slowly.

It was obvious he was doing it on purpose. Even a snail would be faster than this.

She bristled, thinking he was trying to make a game of her flustered state again. But looking into Gyobeom’s eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him to stop teasing.

She didn’t want to believe it, but his eyes—at least in this moment—seemed…… genuine.

This man, over 190cm tall with a large build, who could easily bring men with intimidating gazes to their knees, was handling her with such care with those large hands, as if she were made of glass, and her heart went soft. As if he truly treasured her.

‘Why am I always like this.’

Why was she so weak against Gu Gyobeom?

Even after being hurt like that, she still couldn’t come to her senses and was having her gaze stolen again.

‘Genuine, my foot. Nonsense.’

Having steeled herself, Chayun snatched the towel from his hand. Gyobeom raised his head and looked at her face.

“I’ll do it. It’s a bit uncomfortable.”

“Ah.”

Nodding as if he understood, he lifted her up again.

“You should have said so earlier.”

This time Chayun barely suppressed her scream and grabbed his shoulder.

“Put me down.”

“You said you were uncomfortable.”

“It’s not the position.”

It’s you who’s uncomfortable, sunbae—her light brown eyes were saying. Even though he noticed, Gyobeom didn’t put her down; instead, he adjusted his hold to bring her closer. The tips of their noses were on the verge of touching. The breath flowing between their lips mixed hotly.

Chayun’s lower belly tightened.

Though they weren’t kissing, it felt like they were doing something even more erotic than kissing.

“Am I uncomfortable?”

“……Wouldn’t you be?”

Terrified eyes. A head tilted sideways, unable to look directly at his face. Yet even so, the way she kept talking back in a small voice was simply adorable.

No, that wasn’t it.

Adorable and simultaneously sensual.

Her lips, swollen red from biting them repeatedly at the café, her trembling eyelashes, the small movement of swallowing nervously—all of it was stimulating enough to make him want to swallow her whole.

But he decides to hold back.

Chayun still hadn’t escaped the tension and anxiety from the disturbance at the café, and now she was even feeling discomfort because of his presence.

When prey is frightened, pouncing on the nape of its neck is Gyobeom’s specialty—but Hong Chayun is on a different level from prey. She was something he had treasured and protected for a long time. He had lost her trust in the process, but what mattered more was that she was still alive today, not crushed in his father’s grasp.

If he waited just a little longer, he could keep Chayun by his side.

Then he would swallow her whole.

Even if she begged and pleaded, it would be no use. By then, his own circumstances would be far more urgent.

“Even if you’re uncomfortable, endure it.”

“What did you say?”

“No, let me correct that. Get used to it. It’ll be better for you that way.”

But he said he wouldn’t swallow her yet—he never said he wouldn’t touch her.

Until that day comes, he will mark every corner of her white, soft skin.

That she is his.

Since someone who knew who he was had deliberately touched Chayun, he would now have to carve it in deeply, one by one.

“Hold on tight to my neck.”

“No……”

“Otherwise you’re heavy.”

Her face instantly flushing red, Chayun gave him a pretty glare. Seeing her gnawing on her lower lip with her front teeth, she was clearly chewing him out internally.

Then, at her docile movement of wrapping her arms around his neck, Gyobeom let out a low laugh.

Chayun’s reactions, which never strayed outside his expectations, were adorably maddening.

“Wh-why are you laughing?”

“Because you’re funny.”

“What’s so funny……”

Even her small-voiced grumbling and huffing was lovable.

Still smiling, Gyobeom left the bathroom and headed out of the bedroom entirely, toward the living room.

“Where are we going?”

“Guest room.”

Passing through a living room several times larger than the bathroom, Gyobeom headed to a room near the entrance. It was smaller than the bedroom she had just woken up in, but still larger than the two rooms of her two-room apartment combined. Perhaps because it was smaller in scale, it felt much cozier and more stable.

After gently laying her on the queen-sized bed, Gyobeom went out again and returned with his own clothes.

“Change into these.”

Chayun, who had inadvertently received the pants he held out, blinked.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

At the worry contained in his indifferent tone, she bit the tender flesh inside her lip.

Why is he suddenly like this? Why is he pretending to worry? Now, of all times……

“……Please leave.”

“Why.”

“I need to change.”

“I was going to dress you myself.”

When Chayun, her eyes red and swollen, shut her mouth tightly and glared at him, Gyobeom curved his eyes and let out a soft laugh. Her bristling appearance, like a small rabbit, was very cute. If he said that, she’d get angry again for teasing her.

That sight would certainly be cute too, but Gyobeom decides to step back for now. Because Chayun’s body hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Click. As he closed the door and left, Chayun took off her wet skirt and, grunting, pulled the shorts he had offered up her legs. The shorts would surely come above his knees when he wore them, but on her they came down below her knees, making her look like a child imitating hip-hop fashion.

The pants with a sports brand logo had an elastic waistband, but they were still loose on her.

‘If he sees me like this, he’ll laugh again.’

Should she just lock the door and stay inside until her clothes dried?

As if reading that thought, a knock sounded.

Knock knock.

“I’m coming in.”

At the low voice echoing from outside, her heart suddenly pounded.

“Just a moment.”

“Aren’t you dressed yet? If you’re thinking of pulling any tricks, hurry up and fold. Before I throw the door open.”