Love Born of Pity Chapter 18

Kwon Jiho started feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Unless he was a fool, he couldn’t be oblivious to Lim Seonghun’s interest. His first worry was what would happen if Do Yeonjae found out. The phone call from earlier also bothered him, making him strangely anxious.

His heart pounded uncomfortably fast as he tidied up the academy and waited for Do Yeonjae. He took off the mask he’d been wearing all day, washed his hands, and splashed water on his face. His cheeks were flushed. The dull ache that came with his fever was becoming familiar.

He pressed his hand to his forehead, rinsed his face a few more times with cold water, and dried it, only to find blood on the tissue. He’d been getting nosebleeds often lately. Was this also because of the fever? He tilted his head down, plugging his nose with tissue, when the door opened.

The clear chime of the wind chimes clashed with Do Yeonjae’s presence. He was leaning against the doorframe, staring intently at Kwon Jiho.

“Ah, Director, you’re here.”

He removed the tissue, and blood, not yet fully clotted, trickled down again. Do Yeonjae’s brow furrowed. Usually, he would have approached, but the way he just stood there watching felt unfamiliar.

The small change made Kwon Jiho’s hands tremble as he pinched his nostrils tighter. After what felt like tens of minutes but was only a few, the bleeding stopped. He washed his face again, dried it, and approached Do Yeonjae.

“…Director?”

“Why the nosebleed?”

“…I don’t know. It just started when I was washing my face…”

Before he could finish, Do Yeonjae turned around. Taking it as a cue to leave, Kwon Jiho hurried to turn off the lights and lock the door. After setting the security system, he rushed out of the building. Do Yeonjae was waiting by the car, jerking his chin to indicate he should get in.

Kwon Jiho couldn’t hide his urgency and quickened his pace. Before he could stop in front of the car, Do Yeonjae opened the passenger door. He bowed his head in thanks and climbed in. Do Yeonjae’s face, as he walked around the hood, was expressionless, but it was clear he was in a bad mood.

What happened today? Why… why is he like this? Kwon Jiho sat in the passenger seat, fumbling with his seatbelt, nervously watching Do Yeonjae get into the driver’s seat. Would he answer if asked? He bit his lip anxiously when suddenly a hand reached out.

“Mr. Kwon Jiho’s sister.”

“Yes?”

“I’m thinking it might be good to transfer her to a rehabilitation hospital.”

“Would…would that be alright?”

Do Yeonjae smiled at the cautious question.

“If Mr. Kwon Jiho is okay with it.”

“Then…I’d like to. I got a call earlier saying Heeyeon fell.”

Unbeknownst to Kwon Jiho, Do Yeonjae saw him as vulnerable to stress. Aside from the joy of his sister waking up, everything related to her was causing him stress.

“That can happen.”

“My sister seems to be struggling a lot…”

As he confessed his worries, Do Yeonjae responded indifferently, stroking his soft earlobe.

“That upsets you?”

“Yes? Of course…”

“What’s so special about her? Your sister’s being quite dramatic, don’t you think? Or is she just stupid?”

Do Yeonjae clicked his tongue at Kwon Heeyeon’s foolishness for falling after moving recklessly, knowing her body wasn’t the same as before. His hand moved from Kwon Jiho’s face to the steering wheel, turning it smoothly. The car began to move slowly, the air inside heavy and suffocating. Kwon Jiho blinked, replaying the carelessly spoken words in his mind.

“Heeyeon… everything is so sudden for her right now, she must be confused. That’s why… that’s why. I’ve never thought she was being dramatic. It’s natural… it’s only natural… So, I wish Director wouldn’t say those things about Heeyeon—”

“Mr. Kwon Jiho.”

“…Yes?”

“Mr. Kwon Jiho seems to have gotten very comfortable with me.”

Long fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel.

“You’re in no position to even visit your sister without my permission, yet you dare talk back to me.”

Do Yeonjae’s voice, clearly defining their status, or rather, their relationship, made Kwon Jiho tremble.

“Am I spoiling you too much? Making you forget your place?”

“…”

“I keep telling you how pretty you are, so you think you can crawl all over me? How irritating.”

Do Yeonjae, unconsciously releasing his pheromones, loosened his tie. As the car stopped smoothly at a red light, his gaze pierced Kwon Jiho sharply. Knowing that Kwon Jiho couldn’t sense the pheromones, he released them even more intensely, as if showering him in them.

“Hmm? It’s not like I need Mr. Kwon Jiho’s permission to speak.”

He should have said it wasn’t like that, but the trembling that spread throughout his body prevented him from speaking. He parted his dry lips, then pressed them tightly together, lowering his head.

He was scared. It was natural, as Do Yeonjae was someone who always hurt him with words, even without physical threats. The perfectly learned fear and dread began to gnaw at his mind.

“Our Mr. Kwon Jiho, clinging to some misplaced pride, refuses to beg.”

“…”

“Have I been too lenient?”

“…I’m sorry, Director. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”

His stammering apology trembled pathetically. Tears fell onto the white back of his hand resting on his thigh – plip, plop, plop. The way he wept silently, tears just streaming down his face, was both poignant and pitiful, stimulating a sadistic urge. Did Kwon Jiho know? That crying like that made him want to torment him more.

“Why are you crying?”

“…”

“Did I hit you? Did I curse at you? Why are you crying? I’m curious.”

“Huu, I’m sorry.”

Kwon Jiho pressed the back of his hand against his eyes, biting his lip to stop crying, and reached out habitually. Reaching hesitantly for something to hold onto, be it Do Yeonjae’s clothes or hand, his hand barely grasped the edge of his jacket.

“Director… I won’t do it again.”

“Won’t do what? Speak clearly so I understand.”

Hic, sniff, sniff. Sorrow and a lump in his throat mingled. His face was completely flushed. The tears streaming down his cheeks, his choked apologies, showed how utterly defeated he was.

“Your sister would be surprised to see you like this, Mr. Kwon Jiho. Shall we go home today?”

His intention was clear. Despite hearing Kwon Jiho say he would visit his sister that night, he suggested going home instead of the hospital. Kwon Jiho swallowed the automatic “no” that was about to escape his lips and nodded. Do Yeonjae smiled, hearing him add softly that he was tired.

♬⋆.˚

After arriving home, they had a simple dinner and bathed together. Do Yeonjae, like the night a few days ago when the rut hit, repeatedly bit down on Kwon Jiho’s skin, leaving marks. Kwon Jiho cried, unable to even utter a word of protest as he was bitten and sucked. He endured it, clutching Do Yeonjae’s neck, his hand, and when there was nothing left to grab, the bedsheets.

“Open your mouth.”

“Hng, uh…”

“Wider.”

Do Yeonjae, positioned on top of Kwon Jiho on the bed, hooked a finger inside his slightly parted lips and pulled them open further. He spat inside, and Kwon Jiho, whimpering, swallowed the intruding saliva. As if rewarding him, a kiss followed. After thoroughly ravaging Kwon Jiho’s mouth for a while, biting and sucking on his soft flesh, Do Yeonjae ripped open a packet of pre-prepared lube and squeezed it out.

Without breaking the kiss, he pecked at the swollen flesh before, as if annoyed, complaining as he probed the dry opening.

“Maybe I should just shove a dildo in there.”

“Hng, uh… ah…!”

“It’s such a hassle having to stretch you every time we fuck.”

“Ahh…”

Kwon Jiho’s thighs trembled as he endured the pain of Do Yeonjae’s fingers roughly invading his tightly closed entrance. The rapid in-and-out motion quickly increased to three fingers. The sudden fullness made Kwon Jiho gasp and clench his thighs.

The body-heat-melted lube dripped down to Do Yeonjae’s elbow. He smirked, staring intently at the stretched, wet opening, its surrounding flesh flushed red.

“You’re like an omega. Leaking all over the place.”

“Stop, stop… just…”

“Just?”

The sloshing sounds, originating from the slowly pistoning fingers, made Kwon Jiho whimper again. His eyes, red from constant rubbing, stared up at Do Yeonjae reproachfully, his eyelashes fluttering.

“…Please, put it in.”

“I am putting it in.”

Do Yeonjae, spreading Kwon Jiho’s thighs wide to display the lewd sight, chuckled cruelly.

“Want my cock?”

Unable to hold back his tears at the vulgar question, Kwon Jiho’s face crumpled, tears streaming down as he reached out. His pitiful, wretched appearance strangely satisfied Do Yeonjae. The way he clung to him as if he were all Kwon Jiho had. Covered in a blush and bearing the marks Do Yeonjae had made, Kwon Jiho sniffled and nodded.

Hearing him say it aloud would be nice, but to hear that shy confession, he’d have to work a little harder. Do Yeonjae, with a predatory glint in his eyes, took Kwon Jiho’s hand gripping the sheets and guided it to his own slender ankle, which felt like it would break with even a slightly firm grip.

“Spread your legs properly.”

He positioned himself between Kwon Jiho’s legs, eyeing his hard, throbbing erection. He picked up the discarded lube, squeezed it onto his tip, and aligned the blunt end with the now-tightened opening. A tense Kwon Jiho inhaled sharply, then held his breath, looking up at Do Yeonjae with fearful eyes.

“D-Director… Director.”

Kwon Jiho’s shoulders trembled as he called Do Yeonjae’s name, his lips working as if wanting to ask for something. His full lips were caught between his neat teeth.