Love Born of Pity Chapter 31

At the entrance of the mountain path, I confirmed the high walls and sharply pointed iron gate. So that’s why there were no people. Kwon Jiho realized the reason only when it was time to leave.

Do Yeonjae laughed at the expression on Jiho’s face as he stared blankly upwards with wide, surprised eyes. In the quiet atmosphere, Jiho lowered his head, scratching his cheek at the lone laughter.

By the time the car, completely out of the forest, merged onto the road, it had begun to drizzle. The overcast sky had finally released the rain. Do Yeonjae, as if he’d never laughed, hardened his expression and frowned slightly as he checked his tablet.

No matter how many times I saw it, I couldn’t get used to him working in a moving car. Wouldn’t he get carsick? Even if he said he didn’t get motion sickness.

“Why?”

“….I was wondering if you get dizzy. It seems like you would get carsick.”

The moment Jiho wrinkled his nose, voicing his honest thoughts, a familiar sensation washed over him. “Ah,” a small sigh escaped him as a white hand covered his face. Do Yeonjae’s eyes widened, then furrowed as he saw the blood seeping through Jiho’s fingers. He tossed his tablet down and pulled a handkerchief from his inner pocket.

As Jiho, flustered, pressed himself against the door, Yeonjae pulled him closer. In a trembling voice, Jiho said that he was getting blood on him. Do Yeonjae sighed irritably and pulled Jiho’s hand away from his face.

From his philtrum to his lips and chin, everything was stained with red blood. As he wiped the nosebleed, which had thoroughly soaked Jiho’s palm and begun to drip, with his handkerchief, Yeonjae pinched Jiho’s nostrils shut. Jiho winced, seemingly in pain.

“Did your nose always bleed this often?”

“….It’s been happening a lot lately.”

Perhaps because of the profuse bleeding, Jiho’s already pale face had turned whiter. Letting out an involuntary sigh, Yeonjae carefully wiped the remaining bloodstains with a wet tissue passed from the driver’s seat. Skillfully maneuvering his hand while still pinching Jiho’s nose, Yeonjae released his grip on his nostrils to check if the bleeding had stopped.

“This is the umpteenth time I’ve seen this. At this rate, shouldn’t you go to the hospital?”

“It’s true that it’s been happening often….but isn’t this just because I’m tired…?”

“You rested.”

“I….rested.”

Lifting his fluttering eyelashes to meet Yeonjae’s gaze, Jiho looked away instead of offering a more detailed explanation.

“Ah.”

“….Yes, that.”

“Sex?”

At the blunt expression, Jiho blinked, unable to even breathe. Do Yeonjae chuckled at Jiho’s reaction, murmuring that it was possible.

“You overdid it. Until dawn.”

“Ah, that….”

Jiho, fidgeting with his hands on his thighs, couldn’t bring himself to hold onto Yeonjae and wore a dejected expression, like a dog caught in the rain. Amused by Jiho’s innocent reaction to such a simple word, Yeonjae took his hand.

“….It’s dirty.”

“Indeed. There’s a lot of blood.”

Muttering softly, Yeonjae pulled out a wet wipe and slowly rubbed Jiho’s palm. Maintaining eye contact as he wiped away the bloodstains, he agreed again. Only after pulling out several more wipes and meticulously cleaning away every trace of blood did Yeonjae raise his head.

“It’s clean now.”

“Thank you.”

Noticing some blood remaining around Jiho’s nose, Yeonjae pulled out another tissue and began to wipe his delicate skin. Jiho blushed at the careful touch, as if Yeonjae was worried about causing another nosebleed.

“Why are you blushing?”

“….Huh?”

“Is it going to start again?”

“Ah, probably not. That….feeling is there, but now it’s…it’s okay-”

Before he could finish his sentence, something warm trickled down his philtrum. Cursing under his breath, Yeonjae grabbed Jiho’s nose and let out a hollow laugh.

“What kind of thoughts are you having that make your nose bleed again?”

“It’s not like that….”

“Were you thinking about how I touched you yesterday?”

“It’s not that, it’s just….your hand, Director.”

Vehemently denying it, Jiho eventually conceded implicitly, lowering his gaze.

“My hand?”

“It’s moving so carefully….”

“I can’t move carelessly. I like Mr. Kwon Jiho because you’re pretty, and it would upset me if I hurt you.”

You hit me back then though. Thinking to himself, Jiho lowered his head to hide his hurt expression. The second nosebleed stopped faster than the first.

“Close your eyes.”

“Huh? Why….”

“It wouldn’t do for you to get another nosebleed from looking at my hand and getting turned on.”

At the playful remark, Jiho chuckled softly and closed his eyes. Throughout the time Yeonjae’s hand cleaned his face, his eyelids remained closed.

The car, having driven down the clear road, arrived at the academy and stopped with its hazard lights flashing. Jiho, who had drifted off to sleep, opened his eyes at the slight pressure of a hand shaking his shoulder. His sleepy eyes took in the scenery outside the window, and he straightened his posture, which had tilted towards Yeonjae.

“Go in.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll come pick you up, so wait.”

“Yes.”

Jiho, about to habitually say “drive safely,” clamped his mouth shut and stared intently at Yeonjae. He felt a sudden urge to kiss him, but lacked the courage to act on it. He pictured himself acting boldly in his mind, along with Yeonjae’s less-than-welcoming expression, and quickly gave up. Hiding his disappointment, he pulled the door handle.

“Why?”

“It’s nothing. See you later.”

“Yes.”

Jiho bowed his head to Yeonjae, who was picking up the tablet from his thigh, and as soon as he got out of the back seat, the car drove off as if it had been waiting. Jiho, staring after the receding taillights, stood there a little longer before slowly moving his feet. It had been raining near the coast, but Seoul, where they had arrived, was hot without a trace of rain.

“It’s hot.”

As Jiho fanned himself with his hand, someone suddenly blocked his path. Looking up, he saw the man who had unexpectedly visited the academy standing there.

“We meet again.”

“…….”

“I didn’t think I’d be coming here again either. So that expression is a bit offensive.”

“Hello.”

At Jiho’s slightly furrowed brows, Kang Gyumin’s face crumpled. Jiho, after a pause, bowed his head. The scent of Do Yeonjae’s pheromones was incredibly strong on him. Like an animal marking its territory, Yeonjae had saturated Jiho with alpha pheromones.

“Can we talk for a moment? You may not have anything to say, but I do.”

“If you don’t mind….would you like to come inside the academy?”

“No, I’m not comfortable there. Let’s go to a cafe. And those pheromones….ha, I guess you wouldn’t know, being a beta.”

“Huh?”

The pheromones were so strong that it felt like Do Yeonjae was right next to him.

“It’s truly unpleasant.”

Having been showered with Yeonjae’s pheromones as a matter of course since he was a beta, even after presenting, Jiho was unaware of them. He never felt any aversion. Yeonjae’s pheromones had always been present on him. Jiho awkwardly rubbed his mouth at Gyumin’s words, finding the scent, so natural to him, unpleasant.

He hadn’t realized it when he was a beta, but he realized today, through Gyumin’s reaction, that the pheromones were stimulating to others. Seeing Gyumin’s perpetually contorted expression, Jiho tried to remain emotionally detached, feeling that even feigning sympathy would be deceitful.

As soon as the cafe door opened, Kang Gyumin strode in and took a seat in the middle of the room. He didn’t seem to have any intention of ordering himself, and waited with his arms crossed until Jiho came to take his order. He had no shame in approaching and asking what he wanted to drink, as if it were only natural. Jiho accepted his condescending attitude as a matter of course.

“I’ll have an iced latte.”

“Alright.”

“And ice water. I’m burning up inside, no, melting, because of my fiancé’s affair partner.”

“….Okay.”

Because he hadn’t lowered his voice, the surrounding gazes fixed on Gyumin and Jiho. The cafe owner, who usually exchanged greetings and small talk about the weather or recent events, looked at Jiho in surprise at the word “affair partner.”

“….Hello.”

“Mr. Jiho. I was worried you were sick because I haven’t seen you for two days. Are you alright?”

“I’m not sick. I’m fine.”

“That’s good, your face looks good….but what’s this? Bloodstains?”

Despite his attempts to stop it, the blood that had flowed down his hand seemed to have stained his shirt. Jiho followed the cafe owner’s gaze and looked down. Seeing the small, round bloodstains, he gave an awkward smile.

“My nose has been bleeding a lot lately.”

“Is that so? Why? Is it because it’s dry?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. One iced latte and one peach iced tea, please. Could I get the ice water now?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll bring it right away. By the way, is he an acquaintance?”