Love Born of Pity Chapter 125

Still, it was a relief that he told him what he wanted to eat. Do Yeonjae headed straight to the concession stand. He picked out lemonade, jelly, and candies, and also bought every variety of chocolate available. When he got into the car carrying the fairly heavy black plastic bag, Kwon Jiho laughed, with only his eyes peeking out.

“It really doesn’t… suit you, Director.”

“Is that so? Ah, I’ve been thinking.”

“Yes? What…?”

“About that title.”

Do Yeonjae inserted a straw into the lemonade and handed it over as he continued.

“It seems wrong. I’m not Mr. Kwon Jiho’s boss, and besides, our relationship will change in one way or another in the future, so I don’t think you can keep calling me… by my job title.”

“Then… what should I do?”

“How about calling me by my name?”

“…I… call you by your name?”

Kwon Jiho, whose eyes went wide in surprise, missed the straw while sipping his drink. Small droplets splattered. Do Yeonjae adjusted the radio frequency and nodded.

“Try calling me.”

“…Ah, that’s a bit…”

Kwon Jiho shook his head. He said again that calling by name didn’t feel right. At his muttering of how he could ever do that, Do Yeonjae laughed and turned up the volume. The voices of advertisements filled the car before the movie began.

“Do you hate it?”

“It’s not that, it’s just… how can I suddenly call you by your name when I’ve been calling you Director?”

Did he not know the gap was too wide? Kwon Jiho pondered how to give a proper example. But no matter how much he thought about it, nothing suitable came to mind.

“Is it more comfortable to call me Mister?”

“…Cough, cough! Ahem, ugh…”

“I think that’s fine, too. Considering your age and mine, that’s more fitting than a name.”

Do Yeonjae took out a tissue and wiped the corners of Kwon Jiho’s mouth. Looking at his eyes shimmering under the screen light, the shameless thought of wanting to kiss him right then and there crossed his mind first. Kwon Jiho, who grabbed and pulled down the hand dabbing his mouth, apologized in a small voice, saying he was sorry about that time.

“Right, I’ll accept your apology. Kiss me instead.”

“…Pardon?”

“You said you were sorry. Now that I think about it, I think I was quite shocked back then, too. ‘Mister,’ of all things. That was my first time hearing that.”

He said this without erasing the smile from his lips. Kwon Jiho found it difficult to distinguish whether Do Yeonjae was joking or not. He seemed too nonchalant to say he had been offended, yet a tinge of laughter permeated his voice even as he called it a shock.

“Why.”

“I can’t… quite gauge your mood.”

At Kwon Jiho’s expression as he gauged his reaction, Do Yeonjae pulled up the hand he had lowered. He gripped his soft cheek and slowly tilted his head.

“I did it because I wanted to kiss you. I thought if I gave you a reason, maybe you’d do it for me.”

“…”

“Just lift your head, then.”

Kwon Jiho bit his lip at the shameless demand made while holding onto his retreating head. Raising only his pupils to check on Do Yeonjae, he glanced fleetingly at the car window.

“What does it matter if someone sees? We’re not going to see them again anyway.”

Unlike his relaxed voice, he was anxious that Kwon Jiho might refuse. His minutely trembling pupils stared persistently at Kwon Jiho’s lips. The red flesh pressed firmly against his neat teeth made him ache just by looking at it. At that moment, as if Kwon Jiho had made up his mind, he moved his head.

The hand that had been scratching his thigh reached out toward Do Yeonjae. Though he hesitated, he carefully wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled lightly. The head that had been pulled in as if waiting tilted, and their lips locked without a gap.

Do Yeonjae waited for his cautious tongue to dig into his mouth. But no matter how long he waited, the smooth flesh didn’t press in. He was just keeping his lips still against his. He had asked him to kiss him, but wasn’t this just a peck? At the innocent and cute action, Do Yeonjae opened his mouth. When he bit down on his plumply swollen lower lip, his mouth opened with an “Ah,” a moan.

His tongue, which had dug into the narrow, damp, and tart-tasting mouth, licked every inch of the mucous membrane and stole the saliva pooling within. Soothing his shivering body, he remained engrossed in the kiss for quite a while even after the movie started, only pulling his tongue out when he felt a pushing hand.

Chu-wok, chu, chu-eup. Only the wet sounds resonated obscenely, mingling with the voices coming from the radio.

“How about ‘Hyung’?”

Do Yeonjae asked, dropping light kisses again and again onto his moist, damp lips as if he were still unsatisfied. Kwon Jiho couldn’t answer immediately. Lips that were nearly inseparable and a tongue that slipped in and out hindered his answer.

“Hng, ugh…”

“Hmm? Or ‘Darling.’”

Do Yeonjae acted a bit more shamelessly. Knowing full well that he wouldn’t be able to easily call him by any of the names he suggested, he was throwing out every title he wanted to hear from Kwon Jiho’s own lips. His white skin, which easily revealed his excitement, was flushed red all over.

He gripped his slender neck, forcing him to tilt his head back further, and blocked the widening gap with his thick tongue. The moans and the strength with which he grabbed him intensified as the connection deepened.

“Jiho-ya.”

“Ugh, hng… Haa, stop…”

The squelching sounds of flesh woven together, sucking and rubbing, rang in his ears. Due to the excessive stimulation, Kwon Jiho pushed Do Yeonjae’s shoulder. Although Do Yeonjae had created gaps for him to breathe or breathed life into him in between, his breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved urgently.

Do Yeonjae, feeling the regret of having to stop just like this, pressed his lips against his cheeks, earlobes, and nape to calm his excitement. Ha, haa, hoo-eu. Rough breaths spread from his reddened nape.

“The movie, we were supposed to watch the movie…”

“Right. We should. Let’s watch the movie.”

“If you… if you let go.”

“Yes, I will.”

His words and actions were different. Do Yeonjae held Kwon Jiho tightly and couldn’t let go. Thinking that if he hugged him too hard, it would hurt, he only put strength into his crossed hands and thought of nursery rhymes. He regained his composure amidst nursery rhymes featuring all sorts of animals. Only after he had barely calmed down did he release Kwon Jiho’s body.

“Don’t you want to go on a date like this again?”

“…”

“I’m trying, but I don’t know why I can’t control myself.”

“…I don’t hate it. It was fun.”

At the voice ringing from within his arms, Do Yeonjae let out a pained groan. Kwon Jiho, who told him he liked even this, was so incredibly pretty and so frighteningly wonderful that he was even worried.

♬⋆.˚

Returning after finishing the date safely and putting Kwon Jiho to sleep, Do Yeonjae notified his grandfather and father that they had to have dinner with Kwon Heeyeon tomorrow. He should have told them earlier, but he didn’t have the time to convey it while he was out with Kwon Jiho. Expecting to hear an earful, he was surprised to hear them agree without even a light reprimand.

“Is Jiho’s sister as kind and gentle as Jiho?”

“No. She doesn’t resemble him.”

Do Yeonjae, who shook his head at Jang Hyunsu’s question, cast a fleeting glance at his grandfather. He couldn’t tell if those deep eyes knew the fact that she wasn’t Kwon Jiho’s biological sister or not. Even if he knew, he wouldn’t show it to Kwon Jiho, but he still had to confirm it for sure.

“Go ahead. I have something to tell Grandfather separately.”

“Father, I’ll head up first. Please rest.”

“Right. Sleep well.”

As soon as Jang Hyunsu left the study, Do Yeonjae turned his body. He stared at Do Seungtae, who was sitting in the seat of honor, with a look that bordered on insolent.

“Do you know?”

“Know what?”

“About Jiho’s family.”

Realizing what Do Yeonjae was asking, Do Seungtae turned his head and answered listlessly.

“How could I not know what you know? Your impudence is excessive.”

“Jiho doesn’t know. And I intend to keep him ignorant.”

“Of what.”

“Of everything. Go to sleep.”

Do Seungtae looked at Do Yeonjae with a displeased expression before turning his head away again. According to what he had investigated, Kwon Heeyeon possessed a disposition distinctly different from Jiho. No matter how closely he examined the photographs, there wasn’t a single feature that resembled her brother.

He thought it might be possible since they were from different seeds, but his suspicions only deepened. He had reached the truth by effortlessly following the traces left by someone else.

“Poor thing.”

At the softly ringing mutter to himself, Do Yeonjae stopped his step and looked back for a moment. His gaze was sharp, watching out for the possibility that he might say something foolish to Kwon Jiho.

“I told you I wasn’t going to let him know.”

“I’m tired, so get lost.”

Do Seungtae, grumbling that his insolent way of speaking never improved, waved his hand in the air.

Do Yeonjae, who left the study, didn’t go up to the second floor but headed toward the entrance. He intended to go to the annex. Partly to check if Kwon Jiho had woken up. In truth, the desire to see him was dominant. He didn’t want to be apart for even a moment.

His steps toward the annex were light. He was worried to death that Kwon Jiho might catch a cold in the chilly breeze. His pace quickened. Arriving at the door as if running, he pulled the handle without hesitation. The unlocked door opened easily.

Do Yeonjae, entering the quiet interior while muffling his footsteps, headed straight for the bedroom. When he opened the door, Kwon Jiho was asleep, in the exact same state he had left him in. Do Yeonjae, who approached the bed and pondered for a moment, secretly took the spot beside him.

With the rustling sound of fabric being crumpled, he lay down beside him, being as careful as possible so as not to wake Kwon Jiho, and gazed at his sleeping face.

He is so pretty. How is it that the more I look at him, the prettier he gets? His heart couldn’t handle it, watching Kwon Jiho, who was prettily fresh every single day. Do Yeonjae, without realizing it, stroked his soft cheek. The baby to be born should resemble Kwon Jiho. Preferably a boy. If a girl were born, he felt he would be so anxious he wouldn’t let her step on the floor.