Cherry Cake – Chapter 14.2

Author: nicotine

No matter how recessive he was, Seo Soohyun couldn’t avoid Gi Taeyeon’s rut forever.

“You spoil me, Director, so I don’t know how scary alphas are.”

“Oh, really?”

“Even if I managed last time ‘cause you were on suppressants… I can handle it today too.”

In moments like this, he had to push forward like the young lover he was.

“We’ve slept together way more since then.”

He thought he was making a rational point, but Gi Taeyeon’s lips curled in disbelief.

“I’m used to sleeping with you now, so I can handle it even better.”

Unfazed, Seo Soohyun stepped forward. Standing on tiptoe, he pressed a quick kiss to the man’s lips.

“So I’m claiming your rut too, Director. Give it to me from now on.”

“…Fuck.”

Before he could lower his heels, Gi Taeyeon yanked him by the waist, grabbing his cheek with his free hand to pry his mouth open. The moment his lips parted, searing heat invaded.

“Mmgh!”

The hand pulling his waist slithered down like a snake, cupping his butt and lifting his entire body. Seo Soohyun wrapped his legs around Gi Taeyeon’s hips like a koala, settling familiarly into his embrace. His suddenly elevated view forced his head back, then down as their tongues tangled—lips locked, only the angle shifting.

“Hnngh…”

The kiss was so chaotic he didn’t notice Gi Taeyeon moving. Panting weakly as the man’s tongue recklessly probed his cheeks, Soohyun didn’t pull away. From the moment he stepped through the door, the pheromones teasing his fingertips now poured out fully, his cells screaming to claim them.

To steal even a bit more of the pheromones in Gi Taeyeon’s saliva, Soohyun slid his tongue forward. His mouth, made for just one tongue, protested the intruder, but instead of passively accepting, he chose to lap at the man’s spit himself.

The uniquely sweet, potent scent seeped through his taste buds, fogging his mind like he’d downed liquor.

“Ahh!”

The moment his head hit the bed, his body flipped. Instinctively, Soohyun raised his knees. The molten kiss drained his strength, his upper body collapsing limply, but he somehow kept his thighs tense. Gi Taeyeon, unwilling to let him fully crumble, slid an arm under his waist to adjust his position, then stripped off his pants.

Meeting Kang Yiseon after so long, he’d worn neat cotton trousers instead of casual clothes, but they came off easily. Only when they were gone did Soohyun realize his hole was already slick. Too focused on devouring the man’s saliva, he hadn’t noticed his own body.

“Hnngh…”

“Wet already—lucky, huh?”

A vague voice—half-laughing, half-mocking—poured over his exposed skin. Rough hands tugged down his underwear. His leaking cock and the drenched hole behind it hit the air, the wet skin feeling even colder.

“Our Soohyun’s ass…”

“Ngh!”

The finger swiping the slick dripping down his thighs felt scorching by comparison.

“Wetter than a peach.”

“Ah, no, ah!”

Gi Taeyeon’s earlier butt-kneading comment flashed through his mind. Back then, he’d wondered why compare a body to fruit—now he saw the intent.

“No? What’s no?”

His recessive body, sensing a dominant alpha’s rut, writhed to open itself fully.

Seizing the chance, Gi Taeyeon shoved two fingers into the pulsing hole. Slick gushed out, soaking his thighs, his toes curling reflexively. It was like biting into a juicy peach, the nectar streaming down your palm.

“A few thrusts, and my hand’s soaked.”

“Ahh, ngh!”

Soohyun shook his head frantically, denying it. His bangs stuck to his forehead, crumpled against the sheets. His limited vision aside, the socks he wore even in summer wrapped his wriggling toes, adding an odd stuffiness amid tension and anticipation.

“Not a peach, then?”

“Eek!”

A sharp yelp escaped. A different wetness—a fleshy mass—grazed his perineum and hole.

“Guess Fuzz-face’s pheromones are cherry, huh.”

Not even full licking, yet the saliva on Gi Taeyeon’s tongue made Soohyun’s nerves bristle. Not in a heat cycle, but his body, sensing his mate’s rut, flared hotly, gasping breaths bursting out.

“Pretty wet for a cherry.”

“Ngh, don’t… ah!”

Trying to push Gi Taeyeon away from the overwhelming sensation, Soohyun didn’t finish before a thick tongue latched onto his perineum. Hot lips rubbed the sensitive skin, the hidden tongue writhing greedily, sucking at his hole.

Chup, chup, tsup, tss…

“Ahh, ah, aah!”

It wasn’t just sucking. The gentle friction, like kissing something delicate, turned viscous, like a ravenous beast’s slobber. Soohyun, at a loss, shed tears. His pheromone-drenched body urged release under the relentless stimulation.

“Hnngh…”

Finally, cum spurted from his rigid cock. Even as it pulsed, the tongue ravaging his hole and surrounding skin didn’t stop.

Gi Taeyeon had licked him there before, but this—this sucking—was a first. Not mere foreplay, it was like cornering prey before devouring it.

“D-Director, ngh!”

The tongue, licking until his skin burned red, pushed past the folds, delving inside. Soohyun tried to glance back, but it was futile. The stiffened flesh barreled in, crushing the slick inner walls like it meant to bite.

“Haa, ngh, ah…”

He knew teeth couldn’t enter, yet it felt like his insides were being chewed, goosebumps rising. Not fear—anticipation. A masochistic satisfaction from giving everything to his alpha.

“Aahh!”

The tongue, sloshing noisily, plunged deeper, like it was prying out a peach pit with fluid, relentless motions.

Unaware he was drooling, Soohyun’s parted lips mingled ragged breaths. Already struggling to breathe amid the pheromones, the tongue’s assault made his stomach quiver. His thin T-shirt slid down his tilted torso, exposing a trembling navel and spasming skin.

“Haa, your sweetness makes me thirstier.”

Only then did Gi Taeyeon pull back, licking his lips like he was parched, thumb rubbing the pulsing hole.

“Hnngh, haa, ngh…”

Soohyun only blinked. When something blunt and hot—not a finger—touched his hole, he realized Gi Taeyeon had stripped.

Whether from the gushing slick, the softened hole, or the man’s precum, a sticky sensation lingered below.

His hole, sensing imminent penetration, quivered expectantly.

“Ngh!”

An arm hooked under his elbow, flipping him instantly. Before he could blink, his breath was swallowed whole.

“Mmph…”

His hips jolted sharply.

Soohyun struggled to lick the tongue filling his mouth. Facing Gi Taeyeon’s unsuppressed rut was a first. The pheromones in his saliva were so potent, he craved more. In a heat cycle, he’d have sobbed, begging for anything.

“Haa.”

Pausing to catch his breath, Gi Taeyeon groped over the T-shirt, then stuck out his tongue. Soohyun’s chest rose slightly with anticipation, then fell. The red tongue touched the white fabric, its tip pressing his nipple.

“Ahh…”

Unlike his erect left nipple, the right one was sunken.

Soohyun twisted. The soft fabric, wet with saliva, clung to his chest. The sensation—filtered through cloth—was unfamiliar, heightened by Gi Taeyeon’s hand under the shirt, brazenly rubbing his stiff left nipple.

“D-Director…”

Soohyun reached out weakly. Gi Taeyeon, tongue out, met his gaze with only his eyes. Those gleaming eyes were black with lust.

“Shirt, ngh, not…”

Blocked by the man’s bulk, he couldn’t undress himself. Soohyun’s wandering hand brushed Gi Taeyeon’s ear.

“Raw, ngh, suck it…”

A ripping grin spread.

“Ah!”

With a hand already on his left chest, the T-shirt came off easily. Desperate for direct licking, Soohyun squirmed under the gaze staring at his sunken nipple.

“Touch it.”

Soohyun fumbled at his right chest. His fingertips grazed a tiny, damp nub. Rubbing harder to make it rise like the left, a wet breath hit him.

“Ahh…”

The pliant tongue swirled, sucking his finger too. Soohyun subtly pulled back. Sensing his wish, Gi Taeyeon chuckled throatily, tongue pressing to draw out the nipple. As it slid around the small bud, the overwhelmed chest swelled like the left.

Even as sharp teeth nipped the surrounding skin, Soohyun only moaned. With his hole, mouth, and now chest sucked, every erogenous zone was crushed, his body trembling. His faint pheromones grew vivid.

“Spread your legs wide. Show me your hole.”

Gi Taeyeon ordered. Unashamed, Soohyun raised his knees, splaying his legs. Between them, the man’s fully nude body appeared. His erect cock, nearly touching his stomach, was dauntingly massive as always.

“Gonna fuck you till you break.”

Unlike his usual teasing, the dead-serious tone made Soohyun swallow hard. Alphas in rut lost reason easily, but the prolonged foreplay now made sense.

“Saving the tasty stuff, then?”

The teasing voice echoed. Though both he and his lover devoured tasty things first, Gi Taeyeon had chosen to savor this today.

Wanting to say it was fine, Soohyun parted his lips, but immense pleasure pierced him.

“Aah!”

The sudden shock snapped his head back. He didn’t know how he held himself. The sharp pleasure struck too fast for thought.

“Haa… Fuck.”

Gi Taeyeon grabbed his cheek as if to snap him out of it, biting his lips gently.

“Ahh, ha, haa…”

Maybe the bite stung. But Soohyun couldn’t feel pain. His brain, filtering all but pleasure as noise, left only blinding ecstasy.

“If I’m more out of it than you in rut, what then, Boss?”

The rare “Boss” pulled Soohyun’s focus. Gi Taeyeon peered down with narrowed eyes. His cock, buried to the hilt, grazed coarse hair against Soohyun’s ass.

“D-Director, ngh…”

Flailing, Soohyun was met with Gi Taeyeon lowering his torso. Like a clingy child, Soohyun threw his arms around the man’s neck.

“I’m, ngh, focused, now.”

The pheromones were so potent he wasn’t sure how long he’d last, but sex with Gi Taeyeon always ended in a haze, so losing it wasn’t new.

But losing it now would exhaust him quickly. To stay lucid, Soohyun dredged up school lessons.

Dominant traits meant longer ruts or heats. Unlike recessives, their pheromone control extended cycles in modern times.

As societies evolved, hiding pheromones became norm. Suppressing what was once flaunted increased internal pheromones, lengthening cycles.

Some said dominant cycles were precise for this reason—their bodies evolved to prepare for vast pheromone loads.

Recessives lacked such evolution. Their faint pheromones were their only edge, if you could call it that.

But that edge was from a beta’s view. For a dominant with a recessive lover, it was a headache—hard to gauge if they could endure the cycle.

Gi Taeyeon likely thought the same.

“It’s, fine…”

But Seo Soohyun was truly fine. Not just talk—his yielding body proved it, taking Gi Taeyeon without strain.

“Don’t, ngh, hold back.”

Soohyun whispered softly by his ear.

“Can’t, avoid it, forever, right? I read, ngh, lovers… adjust to this, too.”

The cock plunging to the root felt overwhelming for a first, but not painful—like floating on clouds. The fluids and pheromones from Gi Taeyeon’s cock were absorbed through his inner walls.

Alpha pheromones were an aphrodisiac to omegas, and this moment proved it.

“Now, ngh, I take, your dick, well…”

His ragged breaths parted his lips wider.

“I can, handle, your rut, too.”

The massive cock twitched inside.

The tight walls, stretched around the hard flesh, pressed organs as it writhed, drawing panting moans. Not pained—lewd, nasal breaths.

“And, haa, it’s right, I take, responsibility. I’m, your lover, so, ah!”

Thinking it was fully in, the cock pushed deeper, spreading his insides with a creak. Soohyun gasped a “ngh!” His limp arms flailed, and Gi Taeyeon finally moved his hips slowly.

“Our Soohyun, haa, never says wrong things, huh?”

“Agh!”

He pressed gently on Soohyun’s slightly bulging stomach.

“Gonna make you cum once…”

“Ahh, ha, hnngh…”

The stuffed hole, already tight, quivered with wet sounds under the subtle pressure.

His lover’s cock, fucked countless times, was buried deep. Just breathing rubbed his peak, crushing him with pleasure, and the writhing walls amplified it.

Moans spilled from his dazed lips. Thanks to Gi Taeyeon’s stillness, they weren’t wild, but Soohyun sensed the cock inside would soon move ruthlessly.

“Stay focused.”

Thrust!

“Aht! Ah!”

The cock withdrew fast, plunging back before the walls could close. The brutal thrusts gave no chance to contract, defying the “stay focused” command. Shaking, Soohyun clung to reason desperately.

“Haa, ngh, hnngh!”

Each thrust rocked his hips and body. The sheets grazing his skin, hair brushing his neck, the hot grip on his wrist, the potent scent in his nose, even breathing—all became intense pleasure. Gulping air filled his lungs with pheromones, no mere illusion.

“Ha, ngh, haa…”

“Ahh, ah, Director! Ngh, s-slow, ah…”

Seo Soohyun, limp and swaying, poured out how good it felt. The cock stirring his insides was one thing, but accepting Gi Taeyeon’s rut was euphoric.

He knew few valued rut or heat partners deeply. He wasn’t blind to Gi Taeyeon’s past reckless ruts either.

Many used non-lover partners to resolve cycles—nothing scandalous. To them, caring about heats seemed stranger.

But lovers changed things. A lover’s rut or heat wasn’t just release—it was love and trust, resolving primal instincts to return to humanity.

That’s why the mental satisfaction was so deep. Gi Taeyeon giving his rut meant he trusted Soohyun.

“No need to say it—I know you love it.”

“Agh!”

Thrust, thrust! Soaked moans spilled as the cock crushed his walls.

Ah, something…

Soohyun weakly groped his stomach. An unfamiliar sensation prompted the instinctive move.

“Hoo, fuck…”

Gi Taeyeon brushed his hand away, kissing him while grinding his hips. The walls spasmed joyfully as cum flooded in.

“Mmph…”

Their tongues rubbed, saliva mixing. So did their pheromones. Soohyun’s faint scent was nothing next to Gi Taeyeon’s, but both caught the subtle sweetness.

“Haa, why touch your stomach?”

“Haa, ngh, haa…”

“Want a baby?”

Panting, Soohyun blinked. A feral, teasing face loomed. Not serious—just taunting. Soohyun rubbed his stomach again. With Gi Taeyeon still inside, he felt hard fullness, not soft skin.

“N-not, ngh, that…”

“If not that, what?”

The cock slid out slowly. Knowing Gi Taeyeon was checking his hole, Soohyun only panted, unfiltered words spilling.

“S-something, haa, felt, weird…”

Hard to describe. His stomach just felt off.

“Goddamn innocent.”

“Aaah!”

Lost in thought about his stomach, Soohyun didn’t brace as Gi Taeyeon thrust back in. The savage pleasure drowned out the words’ meaning.

“Ahhgh!”

The man leaning his full weight down made it worse.

Even then, Soohyun poked out his tongue. Gi Taeyeon, chuckling low, mirrored him, grazing its tip. Soohyun waited for him to lower further, then burrowed his tongue in, lapping the hot inner cheek. The pheromones on the man’s membranes stoked uncontrollable arousal.

“Ngh…”

Savoring Soohyun’s tongue, Gi Taeyeon bit it with his teeth. Despite the sharp nip, Soohyun didn’t pull back, wriggling to go deeper.

Fearless as ever.

If he had fear, he wouldn’t be doing this now.

Gi Taeyeon had sensed the rut coming. Last winter, weak suppressants and a skewed cycle made him think it might shift. But afterward, with no hiccups, his body snapped back.

Avoiding Fuzz-face for a week was purely due to rut signs. An early cycle was unlikely, but he feared hurting Soohyun by mistake.

Fear. A feeling he’d never known.

Yet that alien emotion proved its reality. Living fearlessly, the thought of harming Soohyun chilled his blood.

When the rut hit, he drove straight here. He’d planned to spend it in Soohyun’s old bedroom. Fucking an omega’s hole was the surest relief, but he had no intention of handling his young lover irrationally.

He’d meant to take suppressants. Without his doctor’s advice to skip them, he would have.

With suppressants gone, one option remained.

Gi Taeyeon headed to Soohyun’s room. To endure a raw rut without sex or drugs, he needed Soohyun’s lingering pheromones. It’d ease things, maybe shorten it by hours.

A dominant alpha’s rut didn’t end in a day. It took days to fade fully. He hadn’t warned Soohyun, knowing he’d step up like this.

“Hah.”

Gi Taeyeon let out a hollow laugh.

Trying to be considerate—out of character—backfired when Soohyun showed up, bold as ever. His words were even bolder.

“So I’m claiming your rut too, Director. Give it to me from now on.”

He wondered if Soohyun would stick to that later, but it was done. He’d devour him thoroughly.

Gi Taeyeon knew his bedroom tastes were far from refined. A rut wouldn’t change that—it’d make them filthier, more obsessive.

A rut wasn’t like drugged or suppressed sex. Fearless Fuzz-face would learn the difference soon.

He pressed Soohyun’s bulging stomach, marked by his cock’s outline.

“Ahhgh!”

“Soohyun. Haa, really don’t know why it’s weird?”

“Ngh, d-don’t, know!”

Tongue loose, Soohyun whined petulantly. Gi Taeyeon buried his cock deeper, whispering.

“Baby-hungry, haa, your womb’s begging, isn’t it?”

“Ah!”

Recessive, it’d barely function outside a heat, but the alpha pheromones confused his body. Overloaded, it was plausible.

Not that pregnancy was likely.

“Ngh, n-not, that, ngh!”

A bit more thrusting or knotting, and his cock might graze the womb.

“Haa, ngh, aah!”

The swollen walls gripped his cock tightly. Even half-mad, Gi Taeyeon checked Soohyun’s state. The teased nipples stood rigid, and his trembling stomach caught his eye. Another climax—white cum dripped onto the pulsing belly.

“Came again?”

Gi Taeyeon grazed the pink cock like touching a hamster’s stuffed cheek. Even the light touch made Soohyun wail.

“Already, ngh, cumming, this, much, haa… How’ll I, last.”

“Ngh!”

The sharp sweetness clung to sweat-soaked skin—Soohyun’s pheromones, rarely felt outside sex.

Yet Gi Taeyeon always caught his omega’s scent. His sharp senses found it oddly keen.

Never obsessed with omega pheromones before.

His eyes chased Soohyun’s traces; maybe his senses chased his pheromones. A new, unconscious habit.

“Hoo…”

Catching his breath, Gi Taeyeon pressed his nose to Soohyun’s neck, inhaling slowly. The sweet, viscous scent—red if it had form—roiled his mind. Like the taste when sucking his hole. Drawing it deep, his body stiffened, sensing omega pheromones. Holding Soohyun tightly, he thrust roughly.

“Ahh, ngh, hnngh!”

Thrust, thrust, thrust!

Trapped in his arms, Soohyun squirmed, but Gi Taeyeon had no intention of letting go.

“Haa, fuck, it’s clinging…”

He wasn’t the only one unwilling to release. The soft, slick walls sucked his cock greedily.

“Haa, ngh, ah, no! Ah!”

“No? Haa, what’s no…”

The walls clung so tightly, each withdrawal felt like they’d follow. Gi Taeyeon gritted his teeth. His tip probed the walls obsessively.

The thrusts were so fierce, white foam oozed from the stretched hole with each stroke.

“S-stop, eek! Stop, c-coming… ngh!”

Normally handling his cock well, Soohyun trembled like a leaf, shuddering. The issue was Gi Taeyeon’s rut-fogged mind couldn’t go easy like usual.

He grinned crookedly, leaning down.

“Made for fucking—why say stop?”

“Ahh, ngh, s-stomach, weird… ah!”

“Soohyun.”

“Ngh!”

“My baby, hate feeling full?”

A feral voice leaked through twisted lips.

Gi Taeyeon had never imagined a child between them. But his rut-driven brain, like any beast in heat, fixated there. He knew “stop” didn’t mean dislike, yet still.

“N-no, ngh… S-slow, ngh…”

“Haa, fuck—”

His jaw clenched, teeth grinding. Gi Taeyeon steadied his breath. His thrusting hips slowed, curving gently.

“Ngh, mmph…”

As if he’d never tensed, he bit Soohyun’s lips, stealing his panting breaths. Soohyun’s lips twitched, finally calming. His saliva-soaked lips rubbed against Gi Taeyeon’s.

“Haa…”

Gi Taeyeon gradually sped up. Rut or not, his taste was relentless thrusting, but he couldn’t treat Soohyun like past partners.

Sticking to one position was purely for his young lover. Only hours into the rut—handling him freely now would exhaust him, making him squirm to escape. And a crazed Gi Taeyeon wouldn’t let him go.

His patience was at its limit here. Normally short, it shrank further in rut, not suddenly growing. He was still coaxing Soohyun, but when the full rut hit and knotting began, his mind would drown in heat completely.

He’d seen it coming.

The reason Gi Taeyeon had so readily let Seo Soohyun go to his meeting with Kang Yiseon was because it coincided with the day his rut would hit.

Everyone around his lover grated on Gi Taeyeon’s nerves. The old folks didn’t bother him much—elders doted on young ones universally—but anyone else tested his patience. They likely fawned over Soohyun because they saw how pretty he was.

“Seo Soohyun.”

“Ngh, hnn…”

As he released Soohyun’s lips, tear-glossed eyes filled his vision. Not entirely out of it, the dark irises struggled to focus.

“Why’d you come to this house?”

Gi Taeyeon asked gently. He’d expected Soohyun to head to their Hannam-dong place. Soohyun preferred environments where he could feel the ground underfoot over high-rises, and he especially loved the garden out back.

So, he just needed to get through tonight. A rut wouldn’t end in one night, but he’d already instructed Seo Jihwan to come up with a plausible excuse to send Soohyun back to his old neighborhood. With Kang Yiseon in Seoul, getting his cooperation wouldn’t be hard.

And Gi Taeyeon figured Soohyun wouldn’t think twice about going with Yiseon. A few days at most—he wouldn’t notice anything odd.

So, Soohyun showing up here was completely outside his calculations.

“Ngh, just…”

Panting heavily, Seo Soohyun answered.

“Sleeping alone’s, ngh, fine… but, still, wanted, to, hnn…”

Gi Taeyeon pressed his hips down firmly. Not as fast as before, so it seemed less taxing—the inner walls clung to his cock, kissing it softly.

“This is, where, I, first, lived, with, you, ahh… so, wanted, to, come, ngh!”

“I…”

Gi Taeyeon brought up the question that had been nagging him.

“If I told you to stay somewhere else for a bit, would you still have come here?”

Blinking as if parsing the words, Soohyun nodded limply.

“Now, ngh, this, is my, home…”

“…”

“You’re, with, me, ‘cause, you, love, me, right… ahh… lovers, live, together, ngh. So, this, is my, home.”

A fierce, indescribable urge surged within him. Afraid he’d hurt Soohyun if it continued, Gi Taeyeon moved to silence his trembling lips.

“And, ngh, to, me, you’re, the, most, important… ahh, I’ll, always, be, by, your, side. I, ngh, said, I’d, take, responsibility, for, you.”

“You, fuck…!”

“Ngh!”

Swallowing a curse, his fully buried cock began to swell irresistibly. Knowing Soohyun was overwhelmed, Gi Taeyeon didn’t soothe him, only staring obsessively at the man pinned beneath him.

The intense gaze lasted only a moment.

Without hesitation, Gi Taeyeon reached out. His hand, gripping the flushed, fever-hot cheek, tilted Soohyun’s head aside.

At the same time, he lowered his head, baring his teeth.

“Ah!”

Soohyun let out a pained sound, but Gi Taeyeon bit down relentlessly on the pale neck.

It was more primal than the alpha instinct called knotting, overpowering even that urge. Though steeped in possessiveness and exclusivity, its root was a singular emotion no different from any ordinary person’s.

“Ahh, ha, aah…”

Hearing his lover’s moans—pleasure tangled with pain—Gi Taeyeon grinned fiercely.

A perfect satisfaction, never felt before, opened its jaws and swallowed him whole.

🍑

“Fuzz-face.”

“Mmph…”

Soohyun made a sound—half-answer, half-moan—stirring restlessly. At the wriggling, Gi Taeyeon smirked, slowly withdrawing the finger that had poked his cheek. Even the slight shifting seemed taxing, followed by soft, pained groans.

Finishing off a half-empty water bottle, he set it down carelessly, eyes rolling lazily. He’d just cleaned his unconscious lover and moved him to a tidy bedroom. With fresh sheets and blankets, it’d be more comfortable than the damp bed they’d been rolling in.

His gaze drifted downward. There was Seo Soohyun, sleeping with a furrowed brow. Normally, even in deep sleep, his lips stayed closed, but today, they parted slightly, swollen from exertion.

Swollen was the least of it. The red lips showed faint traces of blood, as if torn by something sharp.

Yet Gi Taeyeon didn’t look regretful or guilty. His body and mind were too refreshed, too clear for such feelings.

The finger that had grazed Soohyun’s cheek now brushed his plump lips. Soft and warm.

“Nn…”

Soohyun shifted his head slightly, chasing the warmth as if drawn to it. Watching quietly, Gi Taeyeon climbed onto the bed, lying on his side. Propping his head on his elbow, he wore sweatpants, unlike Soohyun, tucked naked under the covers.

Gi Taeyeon stared at his worn-out lover. He’d checked while cleaning him—no injuries, thankfully. The hole, swollen like his lips, was otherwise intact. If he told Soohyun that, he’d likely snap, “If you call this intact, Director, you’ve got no conscience.”

“Seo Soohyun.”

Calling his name to tease the sleeping man, Soohyun’s eyes fluttered open. Gi Taeyeon hadn’t expected him to wake, but he chuckled, rubbing the reddened corners of his eyes. Not squinting on purpose—those were the best he could manage.

“Whyy…”

Soohyun frowned, voice hoarse with pain.

“Don’t talk, just sleep.”

A trace of amusement in Gi Taeyeon’s voice deepened Soohyun’s scowl. If you’re gonna say that, why wake me? His chirpy tone seemed to echo, and Gi Taeyeon’s lips curled.

The frown didn’t last. As sleep reclaimed him, Soohyun’s eyes closed slowly.

Gazing at the long lashes and the dark shadows beneath, Gi Taeyeon’s eyes slid coolly. No matter how unmarred Soohyun’s skin was, nothing looked as ravaged as his neck.

Bite marks weren’t new—he left them often. But drawing blood was a first.

“Pretty.”

Gi Taeyeon muttered without hesitation, words that’d earn a triangular glare from Soohyun. But to him, it was pretty because it looked pretty. It was only natural.

A mark of bonding, wasn’t it?

Never thought I’d bond in my lifetime.

Unexpected, but no regret. It felt like ticking off a long-planned task, exhilarating even.

In a relationship he’d never imagined, bonding wasn’t out of reach either.

Gi Taeyeon replayed the moment. His swollen cock had ravaged Soohyun’s stomach, and his sharp teeth tore into the slender neck without mercy.

The bonding was as brutal as the sex. The potent pheromones, laced with sweet venom, flooded out, devouring Soohyun’s faint cherry scent. Had the engorged cock seeking his womb not spared physical pain, the pheromones alone would’ve made Soohyun gasp in agony—a one-sided, coercive binding.

“Haa, ngh, Director, this, ahh, what…”

Was he asking about knotting or bonding? The vague question went unanswered as Gi Taeyeon licked the blood beading along the bite marks like a beast.

“When our baby’s all grown, I’ll tell you.”

“I’m, grown… ngh!”

What followed was endless lust, frenzied joy, and base satisfaction.

Gi Taeyeon gently stroked the bitten neck with his thumb. Touching a sleeping person with no care, he reached for Soohyun as always, unhesitant.

His eyes, savoring the shallow scars against soft skin, narrowed sharply.

Soohyun would no longer sense other alphas’ pheromones. He’d never noticed them at the company, so he might not feel a difference, but others hiding their pheromones and Soohyun being unable to sense them were separate matters.

And Gi Taeyeon found that deeply satisfying.

Bonding bound the other while creating a weakness. For him, who’d had none, it was his first.

A cheap price for tying Soohyun down.

“Not bad.”

His voice, slipping through a crooked grin, dripped with satisfaction.

He’d forgotten bonding existed, irrelevant to him, but it seemed he’d always wanted to claim Soohyun. From the moment he realized the true name of what he’d thought was impulse.

Maybe even before.

Perhaps from the first day he felt that impulse toward Soohyun.

A wholly one-sided decision and act. Even more so with a loved one.

But Gi Taeyeon was born with a base nature.

Born and raised that way.

To keep Soohyun by his side forever, he could sink lower.

No reason to hesitate. Not with Soohyun, baring his neck defenselessly in sleep, marked by him.

Gazing at his bonded omega, Gi Taeyeon sank into thought.

It didn’t take long for his rut-sated body and bonded mind to paint a vivid picture.

🍑

Even in sleep, a fumbling hand touched his stomach. Warm, soft skin met his fingers. A faint ache hinted at bruising, but thankfully, nothing torn or pierced.

Oh. That thought jolted his hazy brain awake.

Snapping his eyes open, Soohyun threw off the covers and looked down. Bare, his flat stomach was plain to see.

Really fine… Staring at the mottled skin, a lukewarm warmth brushed his cheek.

“What’re you staring at? Checking for a baby?”

A low chuckle grazed his ear. Tilting his head, he saw Gi Taeyeon standing with a crooked smirk. Spotting him, Soohyun narrowed his eyes playfully.

“Sex doesn’t mean instant pregnancy. You knotted, so I checked without thinking. I learned in school knotting doesn’t do anything, but lessons and reality are different, so don’t laugh.”

“Hospital?”

Oh, really? Expecting teasing, the hospital question surprised him. Puzzled, Soohyun shook his head.

“Not that bad.”

Gi Taeyeon handed him water.

Not particularly thirsty, but once he drank, thirst hit. Soohyun gulped down the cup, his head clearing as warm water settled.

“Not holding it in?”

Blinking lazily, enjoying the languor, Soohyun was caught off guard by Gi Taeyeon’s question. His expression showed displeasure. Soohyun rubbed his stomach gently, like his mother did when he was sick as a child.

During knotting, he’d feared his stomach might tear, but now, no real pain lingered. The faint ache was from Gi Taeyeon’s biting and sucking, not internal.

“Not holding in—I’m really fine. If I hurt, I’d go straight to the hospital. Grandma said don’t let illness fester—go even for small pains.”

“Tell me later if it hurts. Could be trouble.”

Taking a dominant alpha’s rut with a recessive body might bring fever. Nodding obediently instead of arguing, Soohyun watched Gi Taeyeon set the cup down and pick up something else.

Raising his arms familiarly, Soohyun felt his hair press as a thin T-shirt slid over his bare torso. The warm, sunlit scent tickled his nose.

“Food. Now?”

“Yeah. Hungry.”

Hunger confirmed his insides were fine. Thinking the same, Gi Taeyeon smirked, pulling him by the elbow. Soohyun dangled in his arms, legs swinging. When a large hand groped between his thighs, he instinctively flinched.

“All swollen.”

“Your fault, Director. Not blaming you since I said I’d take responsibility, but it’s still ‘cause of your dick.”

“Sure. I know it’s me.”

Gi Taeyeon’s coaxing tone left Soohyun wordless.

“So. Gonna run next time?”

His neck ached faintly, but as he reached for it, Gi Taeyeon met his gaze. Soohyun shook his head without pause. He’d vowed to handle the rut—no coercion from Gi Taeyeon. As a man, he wouldn’t go back on his word.

Running meant fearing or disliking someone, but Soohyun felt neither about Gi Taeyeon’s acts.

“Promised I wouldn’t run. I asked for your rut… Tougher than usual, but still good. Knotting hurt a bit.”

Even their first time, he recalled the cock swelling, so he’d jumped in thinking it’d be similar. It wasn’t—shocking. Drugs versus hormones was a world apart.

“Ah, Director, ngh! It, hurts…”

“Haa, you squirming, ngh, won’t make it slip out… Be good and take it.”

Swollen beyond belief, the cock felt like it’d pierce his stomach. Not just his stomach—the thick pheromones made his mind flicker.

His body melted under the pheromones, yet their intense pleasure blurred pain and ecstasy.

“Haa, ngh, aah!”

“Stick out your tongue. I’ll suck it.”

“Ngh, hnn!”

To soothe him, Gi Taeyeon slid an arm under his waist, lifting him to sit on his thighs. The already overwhelming cock scraped his insides with the sudden shift.

Soohyun couldn’t even extend his tongue properly. The sensation, rising from his toes, was unmistakably pleasure. His walls ached like they’d bruise, but his body, drunk on sweet liquor, burned endlessly in the scent.

“Don’t want it sucked? Thought our baby loved that.”

“N-no, ngh… Suck, suck it, mmph!”

Unable to hold back, Gi Taeyeon dove into his parted lips. Pheromones poured over his skin and melted into his saliva, absorbed through his membranes, layering pleasure until it choked him. His spasming hole clamped the veined cock, biting it.

“Ngh, hnn! W-what’s, this…”

Was it the cock growing larger, or his hidden womb grazing its tip? A massive pleasure crashed into him. Unlike his first knotting, this was vivid.

In hindsight, a drugged Gi Taeyeon wasn’t a true rut, so the difference made sense.

“Was it good?”

Ignoring the pain comment, Gi Taeyeon cherry-picked. Soohyun glanced at him, then nodded. Tough, but good was good.

“Nothing torn or hurt… So, tell me when your rut’s coming. Don’t lie about being too busy to come home. Trust is key for lovers—how could you lie?”

“Was busy. Jerking off thinking of Fuzz-face.”

Chuckling, Gi Taeyeon set him down by the table. About to nag, Soohyun’s eyes widened. White rice, braised ribs, bean sprout soup, and side dishes filled the table.

“You prepared this, Director?”

“Threw money at it.”

Definitely bought.

Despite the soreness, hunger won. Soohyun grabbed chopsticks. Waiting for Gi Taeyeon to eat, he watched him place deboned meat in his bowl.

“Eat up.”

“Thanks.”

Taking it as a cue, Soohyun scooped meat and rice together. The sticky rice paired perfectly with the savory, tender meat. It felt like home-cooked food, not restaurant fare.

“Did you get it from Teacher?”

“Jihwan picked it up.”

As expected, he’d asked the cooking teacher.

“Gonna pamper you all day?”

“Yeah. Feel like I deserve it today.”

“Little guy talking about being pampered.”

Gi Taeyeon teased but added more ribs. Soohyun returned the favor, placing meat in his bowl, urging him to eat.

Unconsciously, his hand brushed his neck, unaware of the faint pain etched in his skin.

🍑

People should live with their feet on the earth.

Soohyun mused, not for the first time, as he turned the hose. Water sprayed toward blooming flowers. White and purple petals, dampened, looked even fresher. Bellflowers and deodeok didn’t need much water, but the droplets on their petals were so pretty he occasionally sprinkled them like this.

In a week, the bellflowers had bloomed. Deodeok wouldn’t fully flower until August, its green buds still closed, but the bellflowers alone brightened the green garden.

Bet my strength’s thanks to them.

Tending the garden built stamina, and living close to the soil, caring for plants, probably toughened him. His body, unscathed after a dominant alpha’s rut, proved it.

“Director was worried, but I’m glad.”

If he were a dominant omega, it’d be no issue. But recessive omegas risked illness from a dominant alpha’s rut, unable to process the pheromones. A hospital visit after Gi Taeyeon’s rut was to check for problems.

“Pour 1.5 liters into a glass like this—what happens? Overflow’s the least of it. Sometimes, it cracks. Especially if you pour from high up.”

Even light ailments like colds were still illnesses, and the doctor’s explained symptoms counted as such.

Fever and trembling, like manifestation pain, could hit. The problem: no medicine fully cured it, like manifestation pain.

“But like manifestation pain, it heals with time, right?”

“Well, yeah. Tough on you, though.”

Despite the doctor’s warning, Soohyun brushed it off. Healing with time wasn’t fatal—closer to a cold.

Fine now, so I’ll be fine later. If I hurt, I’ll tough it out till I’m fine.

No use worrying prematurely. But Gi Taeyeon reacted sensitively, unlike his own nonchalance.

Yet, contrary to his worry, Soohyun was fine. Walking was slightly uncomfortable, but that was normal after sex with Gi Taeyeon.

Eating restorative food and sleeping all day after waking had fully restored his stamina. Tending the garden, cooking, and moving around relied on that strength.

Soohyun credited his health to his lifestyle. People should live grounded wasn’t wrong.

“Soil and flower scents lift my mood. A good mood keeps you healthy.”

Satisfied, he shut off the water. The hose dribbled, then stopped.

As he coiled it neatly, Gi Taeyeon stepped outside.

“Heading out?”

Soohyun jogged toward him. Gi Taeyeon flicked the brim of his hat. The summer morning sun was harsh, so he wore his gardening hat.

“It’s hot—stop playing house and go inside.”

“Was gonna see you off and head in.”

Chattering, Soohyun walked to the car, when last night’s unsettling dream hit him.

Bokshil appeared after ages, tugging Gi Taeyeon’s pant leg fiercely, as if pulling him back.

Good to see Bokshil, but…

A dream with his scruffy white dog should’ve been joyful, but Bokshil’s desperate motions left him uneasy.

Trying to help, his legs wouldn’t move, stuck like in mud. He could only watch Bokshil struggle alone.

What was Director doing then?

The question surfaced, his face turning serious.

“Ah.”

His hat brim bumped Gi Taeyeon’s chest, pushing his head back.

“Escorting your lover while daydreaming?”

The brim hid his face, so he tilted back further, seeing Gi Taeyeon’s faint smile. Feeling uneasy, Soohyun scrunched his nose.

“Director, be careful today.”

“What now?”

Gi Taeyeon raised a brow, half-amused, half-dismissing, but Soohyun pressed on.

“Had a bad dream last night.”

“What kind?”

“Bokshil pulling at your pants.”

“Wanted to play.”

“No. I’d know if Bokshil wanted play. It felt like he was trying to save you.”

If it were play, Bokshil would’ve circled, tail wagging, not braced and pulling.

“So, be careful.”

“Got it. Gotta stay safe to avoid my wife’s nagging.”

Grinning, Gi Taeyeon removed the gardening hat, ruffling his hair. Soohyun pouted, grumbling. I’m serious…

But Gi Taeyeon, finding it cute, pinched his cheek and kissed his protruding lips.

“Be good.”

Soohyun stared blankly as Gi Taeyeon got in the car. The engine started, and the window rolled down.

“Gotta earn to feed my lover, so I’ll work hard.”

Instead of his usual come back safe, Soohyun urged, “Don’t get hurt.”

Gi Taeyeon wasn’t one to get injured, but if it happened, Soohyun would be devastated.

🍑

The phone, silent all day, rang near Gi Taeyeon’s usual return time.

“Director, when’re you back?”

Heart oddly racing, Soohyun urged him home.

“This is Seo Jihwan.”

“Oh, Manager. Hi. What’s up?”

Why call from Gi Taeyeon’s phone? Puzzled, a calm voice came through.

“Director’s been injured.”

Bad news tightened his grip. Bokshil’s straining figure flashed in his mind.

But now was the time to stay sharp. It wasn’t entirely unexpected. Knowing Gi Taeyeon’s dangerous work, and recalling a past stabbing, Soohyun had braced for something like this.

“Where is he now?”

First, assess Gi Taeyeon’s state. Severe injuries meant ER or surgery; minor ones, a casual reply. Soohyun waited anxiously. Barely a second passed, but his heart pounded.

“He’s been treated and heading back, so you should stay home.”

“Not badly hurt, right?”

Why was Jihwan calling? Relief hit, but doubts kept him from relaxing.

“No. Minor scratches, no need to worry.”

“Then why’re you calling?”

Jihwan paused, uncharacteristically.

“…Director got in another car right after treatment, so I’m calling instead. Not to alarm you.”

With Gi Taeyeon’s personality, he’d have snatched a phone to call himself, so this was odd.

Did he avoid calling to spare me worry?

Still, not seriously hurt was good. Soohyun acknowledged Jihwan’s estimate of ten minutes, then hung up.

“Phew…”

A sigh escaped. Despite hearing it wasn’t bad, unease pulsed, clouding his ears.

🍑

“Director!”

A familiar car stopped at the gate. Leaning against the wall, Soohyun darted toward the back door as it opened. His eyes scanned the man stepping out. No need for a long look—something stood out. Gi Taeyeon wore a different shirt than when he left.

“Come to meet me?”

Grinning slyly, the man opened his right arm and draped it over Soohyun’s shoulder. Thinking it was a cue to support him, Soohyun, teetering slightly, quickly steadied himself. He wanted to hold Gi Taeyeon properly, but not knowing exactly where he was hurt, he hesitated to touch.

“Director, we…”

“No need—just go home. My guy’s got me.”

Gi Taeyeon waved dismissively without looking back. Too focused to mind the others, Soohyun supported him, grunting as they shuffled inside. His legs seemed fine—he walked steadily—but he kept leaning his upper body into Soohyun, drawing out soft groans.

“Come in!”

From afar, the gate clanged shut, followed by a hearty shout. The lively tone, not funereal, eased Soohyun’s mind a bit.

Guess he’s not hurt too bad.

Soohyun led Gi Taeyeon to the bedroom, not the living room, sitting the much larger man on the bed before speaking.

“Where’re you hurt?”

No limping, so it wasn’t his legs. Soohyun grabbed the hem of Gi Taeyeon’s shirt, tugging it up to inspect him. The soft fabric lifted easily, revealing his body.

But no matter how he looked, there were no visible wounds—just solid muscle.

Did he lie to mess with me? Gi Taeyeon had never played such pranks, but who knew? About to narrow his eyes suspiciously, he paused.

“Huh?”

Dropping the shirt hem, Soohyun swiftly undid the buttons. He’d glimpsed white gauze peeking from under the collar.

“Stripping me the second I get home.”

Sitting on the bed, Gi Taeyeon had Soohyun’s knee between his thighs. He teased in a suggestive tone, grabbing Soohyun’s butt. Ignoring him, Soohyun focused on his task. Too impatient to unbutton fully, he stopped around the navel, flipping the shirt back to reveal gauze plastered across Gi Taeyeon’s shoulder.

“Stabbed again?”

Relieved it wasn’t the shoulder Gi Taeyeon had slung his arm over, Soohyun relaxed slightly.

“Can’t you tell?”

Unlike Soohyun’s worry, Gi Taeyeon acted like it was nothing, kneading his butt like dough. Annoyed by the attitude, Soohyun slapped his hand away. Their gazes tangled, and Gi Taeyeon’s eyebrow arched sharply.

“Told you to be careful.”

He should’ve known when Bokshil yanked at Gi Taeyeon in the dream. As expected, the uneasy dream had a reason.

“Last time too—why do you keep coming back hurt?”

What he thought was anger was actually hurt, Soohyun realized easily. It hadn’t hit him this hard before, but today, he felt so upset he could cry.

“If you keep getting hurt, stop going out there. Think about retiring. Athletes retire when their skills fade with age. People who live by their bodies retire—same for you, Director. If your body can’t keep up, you should quit. I know it’s not easy to retire in your world, but someone like you can do whatever you want.”

But Soohyun didn’t cry. No matter how upset, he wasn’t weak enough to weep over this. Instead, his lover’s injury made him resolve to be stronger. Wasn’t he in a position to meddle now?

As a proper lover, he could nag this much.

“One more injury like this, and you’re retiring for real.”

Soohyun put on a stern face, laying down the law. Just as Gi Taeyeon didn’t interfere with his life, Soohyun had no desire to meddle in his. Never asking him to quit dangerous work was out of respect.

Pine caterpillars eat pine needles—everyone has their place. Soohyun accepted Gi Taeyeon’s work as part of that. Picturing him living leisurely, doing good deeds, and reading heartwarming books was impossible—for Gi Taeyeon too. He had the right to live as he wanted.

But not if he kept getting hurt like this. Soohyun firmly demanded a promise.

“Alright, I won’t get hurt.”

While Soohyun mentally organized arguments to persuade him, Gi Taeyeon agreed readily—an unexpected response.

“…Really, one more time, and you’re retiring?”

“Don’t trust your lover?”

“Not that I don’t trust you—it’s just suspicious how easily you agreed.”

Gi Taeyeon had never lied to him, so it probably wasn’t a lie now.

“Seeing your reaction, I figure I don’t need to.”

“Need to what?”

“Never mind—don’t worry. I won’t get hurt.”

What did his reaction have to do with it? But getting a firm promise came first. Soohyun extended his pinky. Gi Taeyeon scoffed, as if it were absurd, but hooked his finger, pressing their thumbs together. Soohyun only pulled back because Gi Taeyeon tugged his arm.

“Ah!”

Unable to lean on an injured man, Soohyun braced his knee, and Gi Taeyeon let out a deflated chuckle.

“Quit playing—you’re hurt.”

“Nothing’s gonna burst.”

“Not stitched?”

“Just a graze.”

To keep Gi Taeyeon from joking, Soohyun tensed his stomach and thighs, inspecting the shoulder again. Disinfected, the gauze was covered with a waterproof bandage, hiding the wound. Judging by the bandage size, it wasn’t too wide.

“No hospital stay?”

“Not like my guts are stitched—why bother? Hospital food’s fucking awful.”

True, he’d brushed off a gut wound like it was nothing.

“Don’t peel this off today.”

Recalling when Gi Taeyeon had ripped off gauze, earning a loud smack on his back, Soohyun warned sternly. Perhaps thinking the same, Gi Taeyeon slung an arm around his waist, teasing.

“Gonna obey my wife?”

Frowning, Soohyun considered retorting but held back. Only his shoulder was hurt—hitting his chest wouldn’t pain him. Compared to the heart-dropping news of his injury, this peaceful moment felt infinitely precious.

“How’d you get hurt?”

“Plenty of bastards hold grudges against me.”

Gi Taeyeon answered dully, as if it were trivial. Soohyun sighed deeply. Telling a man who’d lived a life of misdeeds to go straight was pointless. Instead, he subtly shifted blame.

“Guess the uncles aren’t as skilled as I thought. On TV, the boss’s men block attacks before they hit.”

“Who drags a posse around central Seoul?”

Didn’t you? Soohyun thought.

Only then did he ask about the incident.

“Were you alone? What happened to the guy with the knife?”

“Curious?”

“Ngh!”

Suddenly, Gi Taeyeon tightened his grip around Soohyun’s waist. Despite standing firm, the shift in balance tipped him forward. Unlike Gi Taeyeon, seated on the bed, Soohyun had only one knee up—an unstable stance. Luckily, his stomach hit Gi Taeyeon’s face, avoiding a full fall.

Careful not to jar the left shoulder, Soohyun twisted, locking eyes with Gi Taeyeon, who tilted his head back.

“Wanna see?”

“See what?”

“What happened to that bastard.”

“Not that curious… Don’t need to see. If you handled it to your liking, that’s enough.”

Even if Gi Taeyeon had done wrong, pulling a knife was extreme. Per Jihwan, only serious players tangled with their group. So, the attacker wasn’t likely innocent—maybe rival gang muscle.

In that case, Gi Taeyeon’s actions were partly self-defense.

“Good enough.”

As if he’d only held his waist, Gi Taeyeon’s arm dropped, his hand smacking Soohyun’s butt.

“Done eyeing the grown-up?”

He didn’t grip harder, so Soohyun eased back, carefully lowering his knee from the bed. With a shoulder injury, leaning wasn’t wise.

“Glad it’s not serious, but be careful next time. Don’t forget our promise.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Gi Taeyeon drawled, rising slowly.

Just the shoulder, right? Soohyun watched his movements closely.

Guess I was really shaken. Soohyun pressed his pounding chest, soothing himself. No espresso shots, yet sleep wouldn’t come, and his heart raced. He must’ve been more rattled than he realized.

Lying flat, staring at the ceiling, he quietly turned. The sleeping man came into view.

Wasn’t this shaken last time.

When Gi Taeyeon hurt his stomach, it was similar. The difference? Today, Jihwan called, not him.

Maybe that’s why it hit harder. Though reassured it wasn’t bad, that brief moment sprouted wild thoughts, clouding his mind.

Soohyun studied Gi Taeyeon’s wound. Compared to last time, it wasn’t major. Yet, sleeplessness suggested worry and shock had inflated unnecessarily.

He hadn’t imagined Gi Taeyeon gravely hurt. Not one for pointless worry, raised to avoid bad thoughts, he was even less inclined. But maybe because he didn’t imagine it, the small wound nagged him.

Is this how it feels when someone you love gets hurt, even a little?

He recalled his grandma and mom fussing when he scraped his knee as a kid. It hadn’t hurt much, he’d thought then, but now he understood them.

“What do I do?”

Unconsciously, Soohyun muttered to himself.

“I really love Director.”

It was odd—reaffirming a feeling he’d already known, body and heart, through hurt, not just joy.

Hope I don’t feel it through hurt too often…

Loving someone didn’t mean constant happiness, but he wished for fewer days like this.

If he gets hurt again, I’ll make him retire.

Reaffirming his resolve, he shifted his gaze from the wound. A silent arm pulled him close. Familiar touch, familiar warmth—not startling, but thinking Gi Taeyeon was asleep, Soohyun blinked, surprised. Their eyes met in the dark.

“Fuzz-face.”

Gi Taeyeon called.

“Thinking weird stuff.”

“Not weird stuff.”

“Then why’re you up? Don’t you know babies need sleep to grow?”

“Didn’t realize how much your injury shook me. Heart’s pounding—can’t sleep. And I’m grown, I said.”

“Worrying over nothing, again.”

“Not nothing.”

About to protest how worry could be nothing, he frowned slightly.

“I’m not dying and leaving Seo Soohyun, so sleep.”

Gi Taeyeon drawled, his lips curling with amusement.

“How could I die and leave my bonded guy?”