Chapter 145

"It feels like you might go somewhere."

Soram's eyes blinked rapidly.

"What are you talking about? Where would I go?"

Far from going anywhere, I only used it when I wanted to desperately survive by your side, Han Tae-un.

"You're imagining strange things. Did you really get traumatized after I secretly went to Busan?"

"Yeah. I'm so scared. I feel like I could cause a mimicry dungeon in the headquarters."

If it broke out in the headquarters, the Director and the chiefs would rush out and handle it in an instant, so that would be good... right? He understood that Han Tae-un had made a rare joke in that stiff voice of his, but he couldn't quite manage to respond with the same laughter.

"So please, never use the magic stones again. I'll do anything else you want. Every time you get near those, it's like watching a child holding a knife backwards, Soram-ah."

The sigh at the end of his words trembled. That vibration touched and scattered behind his ear.

Han Tae-un was neither the type to cling to impossible things, nor someone who would make empty promises to do anything. All of this was unlike him. Now he seemed to understand a little the reason for the strange stubbornness that had continued for days.

Was he anxious rather than angry?

Anxiety was a familiar emotion to Soram as well.

Especially anxiety about someone who makes unpredictable, sudden actions was something he couldn't resolve with his own strength.

I know it well too. Thanks to you, very well.

On Soram's stomach, arms that had embraced him tightly from behind were crossed. After staring blankly at the prominently raised veins, he slowly relaxed his shoulders.

Anxiety, huh...

Soram smiled a smile that seemed like it would seep out bitter water.

"...Alright. I'll do as you want. But there's a condition. If you keep this, I promise I'll never use the magic stones again in any situation."

"What is it? Tell me."

"It's what I've been telling you since we first met."

There was only one way to make accepting Han Tae-un's demand not a one-sided coercion. For him to take on Soram's very old anxiety in the same way.

If he granted this wish, Soram could willingly accept not only the magic stones but any demand.

"Don't save me. Don't try to help me no matter what happens in battle situations. Until now, I've just gotten angry and let it slide every time you've tried to protect me, but since it's a condition now, you must keep it."

Tae-un, who had been confident he could accept all conditions, couldn't answer right away. The corners of Soram's mouth curved into a slightly bigger arc.

I don't know how much fear you felt, but it's probably nothing compared to mine.

"The moment you try to save me, I'll not just scratch myself with the magic stone, but embed it in my body. And I'll burst out all my power regardless of overload to prevent you from being in a situation to save me."

"..."

"This is the condition I'm setting."

After a moment of silence, Tae-un sighed, ruffling Soram's hair.

"That's such a scary thing to say."

"So, are you going to accept it or not?"

"..."

Han Tae-un avoided answering and wriggled his head on Soram's shoulder. Then he pressed his cheek firmly against the other's shoulder and stared at his face. Soram's face was reflected clearly in those pitch-black eyes without color.

When his eyelids covered the top once and opened again, the image became slightly darker. While his hair rubbed roughly against Soram's shoulder, Soram looked at that face as if time had stopped. As gentle hands slowly caressed his waist, his relaxed body gradually leaned against him.

"Ah!"

Soram, finally coming to his senses, fluttered out of his arms.

Good heavens. He had almost been completely enchanted. It was even more dangerous because he hadn't expected Han Tae-un to do something like this. To cloud his judgment by bringing his face close.

Standing straight and facing Tae-un, Soram put a lot of strength into his eyes.

"Hey, you didn't answer. Answer properly..."

Chu.

Chu?

Tae-un's face was suddenly right in front of his nose again. His neck and back were pulled tightly in his direction.

Chu.

"...!"

Instead of the answer he demanded, another sound came from the bridge of his nose. Then lips touched his cheek again. Wh-wh-what is this doing now.

Chu, chu.

"What's this suddenly! Why, why are you doing things that don't suit your size!"

"I felt like I was going to die not seeing you. Let me."

"It wasn't me who said I'd let everything slide if we're dating, it was you. I won't let anything slide!"

"I see."

As he answered, his lips came down on his forehead in succession. Soram couldn't help but notice that he was just bringing his face close without any skill in changing the subject.

If you do this, who do you think will like it...!

"If you're going to continue, answer properly first and then do it! Answer...!"

Tae-un ignored him and forcefully grabbed Soram again.

"Ungh... mmph."

Chu.

Two hands pressed his cheeks, making his lips like a fish's, and then pressed their mouths together. Something soft touched his puckered lips with a smacking sound, then separated, repeating.

What? Really, what? While he was dumbfounded, his words were completely blocked. Feeling like he would be completely swept away at this rate, Soram defended his face with his arms.

"Wait, wait a moment!"

Tae-un, who had been trying to push his face through the gaps here and there, was finally blocked by the iron-clad security and let Soram go. Soram pressed him, guarding against Tae-un thoroughly.

"Answer quickly first!"

"...It's not working."

Han Tae-un's face, as he rubbed the back of his neck vigorously, was truly red hot. He must have been hit by belated embarrassment now for doing something that didn't suit him. The uptight scholar's effort was admirable, but it was far from enough.

"Did you think I'd fall for mere seduction?"

"No. I didn't intend that, I was trying to make you flustered and gloss over it somehow."

"..."

"I guess it's fortunate that I at least heard my face is good."

"Ahem, don't change the subject! You've agreed. The condition. Absolutely don't save me, don't jump in front of me when something happens, don't protect me."

"Ah, that..."

"Answer properly."

After a brief staring contest, Tae-un finally answered in a reluctant voice.

"...Alright."

Having squeezed out an answer, Tae-un pouted as if some resentment remained, then pulled Soram in for another hug. This time, Soram didn't struggle and obediently entered his embrace, then placed both hands on his broad back.

Sigh.

We've really made up now. It's over.

The tension that had been tightly wrapping his body until just now disappeared with a whoosh. As the emotions that had been piled up coldly for days softened, there was a rumbling sound as if a castle wall was collapsing. Belatedly, he realized it was the sound of his heartbeat.

When he raised his head again, both of their faces had a slight flush. Even though they had done nothing but hug, both of their breaths were slightly quickened.

"..."

"...Hey, it's embar...rassing..."

Tae-un's hand moved stiffly along Soram's lower back, barely stopping around his belt. There was more restraint in the back of his hand than when he had pulled Soram in and held him earlier. The tips of Soram's nipples, pressed firmly against Tae-un's upper body, throbbed. His face grew hotter and hotter.

'Th-this is why everyone has sex after fighting and making up.'

When he had only read about it in books, he had wondered why they suddenly acted like that right after fighting bloody battles, but now he thought he understood that feeling a little, no, a lot. The heat of the emotions that had been boiling couldn't disappear at once and had bounced in another direction.

"Han Tae-un."

"No."

"What?"

"It's outdoors even if there's no one here."

"I know. Of course."

"...Right. Of course you know."

It wasn't just outdoors, but a cliff, and strictly speaking, they were on duty. Tae-un would be considering that more rigidly in his head than Soram.

Soram raised both corners of his mouth towards him, who was uncharacteristically wavering in his words.

"Han Tae-un, then shall we just kiss?"

Before the 'ss' could be fully pronounced, their lips met. Their upper bodies pressed tightly together and their breaths quickly became rough. Before Soram's back, pushed backwards, could touch the cliff, Tae-un cushioned his arm between Soram's back and the rock wall.

As if pouring out emotions suppressed for days, the insides of their mouths deeply adhered and mixed. When they lacked breath, they pulled at each other's collars, and pressed their lips together again to prevent separation even for a moment.

They both felt like they were twenty, no, like kids experiencing their first love, rather than twenty-seven-year-olds. In a place with no regard for surroundings, the kisses they thought had become skilled with each other as practice partners were nowhere to be seen as they pounced on each other. It resembled more their appearance rushing towards each other on the training ground than on a bed.

"Ha, mmph, haa."

Their shoulders twitched as if electricity had run through them. Saliva that couldn't be swallowed flowed down the corners of their mouths. Tae-un's thick tongue stirred inside Soram's thoroughly wet mouth as if ransacking it. Soram was the same.

The kiss was deep, and all consciousness and sensation focused on where he touched, erasing other thoughts.

After chasing each other's depths for a long time, their lips finally parted when they became dizzy from lack of oxygen.

"Haa, ha."

"Ugh."

Tae-un caught his breath while bracing against the wall behind Soram's back, and Soram's knees buckled momentarily before he grabbed Tae-un's collar and stood again. Their hazy gazes crossed. Haa, haa. For a long time, only the sound of breathing echoed between the two.

"...Tae-u."

Tup.

Huh?

Han Tae-un covered Soram's mouth with his palm.

"No. You, that, if you call my name without the family name now, I really don't think I can hold back."

"..."

"No names."

"How could we do anything here? It's barely wide enough for two to stand."

"I ran all the simulations in my head while kissing you."

"..."

Soram's gaze took in the precarious ground, the wide mountain scenery spread around them, and finally Tae-un's face. His brown eyes mixed with blue curved roundly.

"Tae-un-ah."

"I told you not to..."

"Tae-un-ah Tae-un-ah Han Tae-un-ah Tae-un-ah Tae-un-ah Tae-un-ah Tae-un-ah."