“Not the cheek.”
“Strictly speaking, kissing the cheek is also a kiss.”
“That’s what kids do. We’re adults, so do it on the lips.”
His insides were boiling. Curses were about to burst out. Let’s endure. Let’s just do what he wants. Swallowing down his irritation, Yeojin quickly brought his face close and kissed Haeju’s lips with a peck. He tried to pull away after just barely feeling the soft texture of his lips, but as expected, he wasn’t the type to just let him go like this.
The moment their lips brushed, the guy suddenly opened his eyes wide and pulled Yeojin’s body into an embrace. Their lips pressed together more deeply. The lips that had only lightly touched now stuck more deeply together and were crushed. By the time he thought I knew this would happen, it was already too late.
It was a kiss like a starving beast greedily devouring food. The guy urgently pressed their lips together, bringing their mouths together, and chewed and bit on the flesh of Yeojin’s lips that had parted in bewilderment. It felt like he would be devoured. Yeojin struggled, gasping for breath. When Yeojin pulled his head back to avoid him, he persistently followed and swallowed his lips again. Strength entered the arms embracing Yeojin’s body too. As if Yeojin might run away. It was so greedy and intense it was frightening.
“Hey, hey you real… Seo Haeju, Seo Haeju.”
While gasping for breath and constantly squirming, trying somehow to turn his head, the guy’s face immediately followed and their mouths locked again. It felt like his lips would be torn off. Haeju didn’t know how to kiss, so he only bit and sucked the outside of Yeojin’s lips while panting. More strength entered the arms embracing his body, and it hurt. Haeju held Yeojin’s lower back with all his might with those strong arms and pulled him into his embrace.
“Seo Hae-juuuu, stop, stooop.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration, it really hurt. Does this guy not know how strong he is? It seemed like if the guy put his mind to it, he could burst a person to death with his bare hands. His lips hurt from being violently bitten, his embraced body felt like it would be crushed, he couldn’t breathe—he felt like he was dying. Then a disturbing crack sound came from near his ribs.
“Ahhh!”
Yeojin couldn’t hold back and screamed.
Only then did the guy flinch. Startled, he hurriedly removed his lips and hands. Only then did he seem to come to his senses. Still with eyes where the excitement hadn’t fully subsided, he raised both hands in dismay and looked at Yeojin while gasping for breath.
Yeojin clutched his throbbing ribs and gasped for breath. The momentary pain was so intense that words wouldn’t come out.
“Doctor…”
Haeju’s voice trembled as he called Yeojin.
“I’m fine…”
“You’re not fine.”
Before he could even finish his words, he coldly cut him off. When he glared at Haeju while gasping for breath, the guy was out of it. His expression was as if he was so flustered he didn’t know what to do. He seemed quite shocked.
“You can’t control your strength, can you?”
Irritated, Yeojin moved his body to lie down on the bed. Haeju quickly moved and brought two pillows, placing them against the headboard. But after that, he just stared at Yeojin groaning and lying down on the stacked pillows. Normally he would have quickly supported Yeojin to help him lie down.
He leaned his lower back against the fluffy pillows and stretched out both legs. In his current state, it was better to lean back halfway like this rather than lying down flat. As he stayed still until the pain near his ribs subsided, he felt Haeju’s gaze.
When did he pounce on me like a starving beast out of his mind, and now he’s completely cowed and just watching my mood. That appearance was pitiful, so he was going to forgive him, but since the bitten lips still throbbed and hurt, he decided to let him watch his mood and be anxious a bit longer.
“I’m sorry.”
How long had they been like that? Tearing through the awkward silence, the guy cautiously opened his mouth.
“I’m not normal, I’m a monster, and not knowing that, I used my strength recklessly and hurt you, Doctor… I’m sorry.”
Haeju’s voice, full of moisture, trembled miserably. It was a voice soaked with tears. When he glanced over, he really had his shoulders drooping like a scolded child, unable to even raise his head properly.
“I’m sorry.”
His apologizing voice sank even lower. The guy couldn’t continue his words anymore. Awkward silence floated around. Yeojin knew well how much Haeju was blaming himself and suffering right now. He was a guy who shouted with his whole body that Yeojin was his whole world. A guy who had spouted without hesitation that he liked him, loved him, would protect his Doctor. But to hurt the person he cherished so much with his own hands, not anyone else’s. His self-loathing must be tremendous. All sorts of painful thoughts would come rushing in at once.
Yeojin clicked his tongue inwardly. Tsk. It was true that the guy couldn’t control his excitement and acted willfully, but he probably had absolutely no intention of hurting Yeojin. It was just because his physical strength was excessively good, not that he used his ability or anything.
He just liked me, liked me so much. Like a large dog that doesn’t think about its own size and excitedly jumps around and rushes at its owner.
“Seo Haeju.”
When he called his name quietly, the guy immediately raised his head saying “Yes!” as if he’d been waiting. That appearance was also annoyingly pitiful.
“You know you did wrong, right?”
“Yes.”
He answered immediately and then apologized again saying “I’m sorry” in a dejected voice.
“Don’t do that in the future.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t just answer.”
“I won’t do it. I’ll be careful. I’ll control my monster-like strength too.”
“You did wrong, but don’t call yourself a monster. You’re not a monster.”
Haeju’s pretty face crumpled as if about to cry. His smooth cheeks trembled, and the red lips that had been pressed against Yeojin’s just moments ago twisted. It seemed like if anyone tapped the guy, tears would come pouring down.
“But try to control your strength a bit. Your strength is a bit, too strong.”
Haeju didn’t say anything. After a short silence, he opened his mouth.
“Doctor, I like you.”
Another confession followed in a trembling voice.
“I really like you. I just like you so much, Doctor…”
Unable to finish his words, the guy bit his own trembling lips. I shouldn’t soften my heart, I should educate him properly at times like this, but he couldn’t help his heart breaking. Min Yeojin was too weak, far too weak when it came to Seo Haeju.
“Don’t dislike me.”
“I don’t dislike you.”
How could I dislike this guy? There would be times when he’d be annoying like today, but there would never be a reason to dislike him.
Yeojin patted the spot next to him with one hand and said “Come here.” Haeju quickly lay down next to Yeojin. He curled up his large body, turned on his side toward Yeojin, and stared up at him. That appearance was so cute that his heart was strained. It seemed like he would naturally stroke his head if he kept looking, so Yeojin turned his head toward the ceiling.
“Haeju.”
When he called his name, Haeju responded “Yes.”
“What do you think?”
“About what?”
“About Earth. The people here.”
“I don’t trust anyone.”
The answer burst out immediately, as if he’d been waiting for this question.
Yeojin had the same opinion. He didn’t trust anyone. He couldn’t trust them. Even the people who helped them, provided comfortable shelter, and showed kindness—he didn’t know when or how they might stab them in the back. He didn’t believe anyone would truly help them.
The only ones to trust were himself and Haeju.
“The only one I trust is you, Doctor.”
The guy said that while fidgeting and sticking closer to Yeojin’s side. Haeju seemed to think that way too. One corner of his chest stung achingly for no reason. The situation they faced wasn’t easy, but it was reassuring that he wasn’t alone. Along with the sense of responsibility that he must protect this guy who trusted him and leaned on him, strength rose in his tired body and mind.
***
It seemed he had dozed off like that for a moment again.
He heard what sounded like a knock-knock on the door, then a loud voice followed saying “What the—what is this!”
“Someone broke the door!”
It was Han Daesik. Following that, Im Junwoo’s voice was heard too.
“You weren’t in the room we gave you, so you were here.”
Yeojin, who had woken up with a start, frowned and looked at the two people who had already entered his room. When he glanced to the side, Haeju was stuck closely to Yeojin’s side.
“I knew it, I knew it.”
Han Daesik clicked his tongue. Im Junwoo also let out a short sigh.
“Doctor, you should show some restraint even though this is someone else’s house.”
Han Daesik muttered as if thinking that Yeojin and Haeju, the two of them, had done something sneaky.
“What restraint—don’t talk as if we did something strange.”
They had embraced and kissed, but hadn’t done more than that. Though it wasn’t completely proper, it was a bit unfair to be treated as if they had done such things in someone else’s bed. Haeju seemed to have woken up from sleep due to the commotion around them too. He rolled over his large body and then opened his eyes.
Haeju, having woken from sleep, drowsily sat up and yawned, then stretched languidly. Whether he had slept soundly, his face was soft and fluffy, and a happy smile spread across his face.
“Maybe because I slept with Doctor, I really slept well for the first time in a while.”
Han Daesik made a strange gasping sound. Im Junwoo also looked at Yeojin with a shocked expression. His eyes seemed to say Doctor, I didn’t see you that way. This guy is saying things that will cause misunderstandings, really.
“Hey, what kind of strange things are you saying?”
“Did you sleep well too, Doctor?”
When he said something flustered, Haeju asked with a bright smile. That face looked so truly innocent and cute that Yeojin momentarily lost his words.
