Correction Chapter 127 - Side Story 3

Rather… I felt my body trying to open itself to Kim Joohwan. Even though they had been apart for months, my body remembered him. How he had held me, how he had churned me up inside. As the memory surfaced as vividly as if it had happened yesterday, I felt my body grow aroused, and Jungmin pushed Kim Joohwan away even more forcefully. Their lips parted, and they looked into each other’s eyes. Pushed away after being rejected, Kim Joohwan made an unreadable expression before pushing himself against Jungmin again and taking off his clothes.

“Wait, wait a minute!”

When he realized his pants had been stripped off and his underwear was being pulled down, Jungmin stopped Kim Joohwan more urgently.

“Kim Joohwan!!”

Jungmin got angry and rejected Kim Joohwan with his entire body. His voice even held a note of firmness. Thanks to that, Kim Joohwan’s movements stopped. He slowly let go and looked at Jungmin.

His eyes were filled with anger and sadness. Why? Had something happened that would make him despair this much?

“Did you… not miss me?”

A tremor could be heard in Kim Joohwan’s voice.

“Do you know how many months it’s been since we last saw each other? A whole three months. If we’re meeting after three months… I thought that at the very least, sunbae would be happy to see me. But… it makes me think even a runaway dog wouldn’t get this kind of treatment if it came back home. Do you have any idea how miserable I feel right now, sunbae?”

What kind of nonsense is this? Why are you comparing yourself to a dog? And what on earth did I…. Thinking that, Jungmin recalled his actions when he had first seen him earlier and thought, oops. He had to admit that Kim Joohwan wasn’t wrong to misunderstand like that. And even now… it was no different from him pushing him away and rejecting him.

“Don’t tell me… you haven’t been sleeping around with other bastards here, have you? Or maybe you met an omega you liked.”

The arm that was holding Jungmin’s wrist tensed up again. He could feel his hand trembling. He was anxious. No… he was afraid. The guy who acted like he owned the world, all because of him.

It seemed he needed to clear up the misunderstanding. He first considered what he should do. Feeling that rejecting him and pushing him away any further here would only fuel his anger, Jungmin lifted his head and kissed Kim Joohwan. Smooch— it was a kiss like a child’s playful peck, but with that one brief expression, he could see the anger in Kim Joohwan’s eyes subside. A simple guy.

“You seem a bit like a younger guy today. You always acted so mature.”

“Why are you changing the subject?”

“You know it’s not true. This… this is a neighborhood where just surviving is a struggle. So how could I date or look at anyone else? And hey, do you have any idea what a scary tiger I’m raising back in Korea? Look at this, he couldn’t even last three months and flew all the way to this remote place. He’s no ordinary guy, right?”

Jungmin smiled and kissed Kim Joohwan again. This time, it was a more intense, adult kiss. The strength left Kim Joohwan’s hands. With his now-free arms, Jungmin wrapped them around Kim Joohwan’s neck and kissed him more deeply. The heavy pheromones that had been pressing down on him were gone, and their pheromones intertwined gently. Even with two alphas… if they share their bodies and open their hearts for this long, they can become entwined like this.

“It’s true I was flustered to see you. But it wasn’t that I wasn’t happy to see you. Rather… I was too happy. I couldn’t look you in the face. It’s just… honestly, I don’t know why I did that either… but for some reason, I just couldn’t look you in the eyes.”

“Maybe because the tiger you saw after so long was too handsome.”

“There you go again, can’t resist getting cheeky.”

“Sunbae…. really… when you avoided my gaze, I thought my heart was going to drop. I was afraid you had forgotten me. That you didn’t need me anymore.”

Kim Joohwan hugged Jungmin’s body tightly. He’s really acting like a kid today. Jungmin chuckled and patted his back. Kim Joohwan’s lips touched the nape of his neck. Feeling the arousal slowly rising again, Jungmin quickly pushed Kim Joohwan away.

“No. Kim Joohwan.”

“I understand. I won’t make it hard for you, sunbae.”

Kim Joohwan sat up. For some reason, it felt like he could see a tail and ears, which Kim Joohwan couldn’t possibly have, drooping sadly. Jungmin scratched his cheek and sat up on the edge of the bed. Then he grabbed Kim Joohwan’s arm.

“Uh… I’m saying this so you don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I was avoiding you, and it’s not that I don’t want to.”

“It’s okay. I respect your wishes, sunbae. I’m not mad at you because I can’t have sex. It’s just… you kept pushing me away. It felt like… ha, like you said, sunbae, I’m acting like such a kid right now.”

As if he disliked this childish side of himself, Kim Joohwan ran his hands through his hair in frustration. To think I’d see this side of him. It was both fascinating and made me feel sorry.

“The truth is, this country has such a severe water shortage… I can’t wash properly. So I was worried I might smell, it was bothering me so…”

Jungmin spoke hesitantly, with some difficulty. It was embarrassing, and he knew it sounded ridiculous, but he felt he had to tell the truth.

“Ah, of course, I’m brushing my teeth properly, and I wash my hair as much as I can… but I can’t shower, so the most I can do is go into town once a week to wash, and I wipe myself down with wet wipes every day, but still, there’s probably… a little…. Aaack!”

Kim Joohwan pushed Jungmin back onto the bed again. This time, he was laid down gently, so there was no impact on his back or his head. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them to see Kim Joohwan’s face. All his anxiety had melted away, and a gentle smile was spreading across his face.

“If you keep doing this, the bed will break…. This is the only reason I can sleep at all.”

“I’ll buy you a new one.”

“It’s fine. I’m going back to Korea next month, anyway.”

When Jungmin caressed Kim Joohwan’s cheek, he took that hand and kissed it.

“I told you not to.”

“Your scent, sunbae… your pheromones… I love all of it. So don’t avoid me.”

“It’s because I’m self-conscious.”

“That’s really the only reason, right? There’s no other guy, right? You haven’t… come to dislike me, have you?”

“What happened to you during these three months? Why do you seem like a different person?”

You weren’t like this, were you? Jungmin stopped himself before saying it. Was there anything he really knew about Kim Joohwan? Probably not. He had only known the him he saw on the surface.

“This side of me feels unfamiliar to me, too… but you’re right. When I’m involved with you, sunbae, I get confused about myself too.”

“There’s no reason for you to be anxious. Really. All I do here is work, and just getting through each day is so overwhelming and difficult.”

“Then that’s enough.”

Kim Joohwan rested his face on Jungmin’s chest and breathed evenly.

“I thought you were a tiger, but you’re a cat.”

“Should I cry ‘meow~’ for you?”

“Don’t, that’s creepy.”

“Haha.”

“You worked hard coming all the way here.”

“I didn’t even feel how hard it was because I was thinking of seeing you, sunbae. I just… thought about how I wanted to see you quickly…. I was all excited, only thinking about being praised.”

“Alright. It was my fault. What’s so important about smelling a little? I should have just hugged you tight.”

“Hug me.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s not too late now. I said, hug me. And praise me a little.”

He’s really a kid. What on earth happened in Korea during these three months? But I don’t exactly dislike it.

Smiling, Jungmin hugged Kim Joohwan tightly and stroked his hair.

“You did well. Good boy. You’ll be able to save many people with what you’ve brought.”

“Actually, I only need to save you, sunbae… but since you’ll want to save other people, use it as you wish. I can do anything for you.”

The things he brought today alone must have cost an astronomical amount. Yet he said it was nothing. How reassuring that was. This guy probably doesn’t know.

“Your family helped out too, sunbae. They gave a lot of support.”

“I see… I’ll have to thank them when I go back to Korea.”

The conversation died down for a moment. In the silence, the wind shook the house as it passed by.

“It’s so quiet here.”

“It is. There’s no TV or anything… no internet, of course, and no cell phone service.”

That was why it had been difficult for the two of them to even talk through a messenger app.

“So what did you do all day?”

“I read an incredible number of books. And I studied a lot. The mindset here toward traits is so old-fashioned. So I’ve been having a bit of a hard time with that.”

“And?”

“Um, I’d wake up, work…”

“And?”

So there’s an answer he wants. Jungmin tousled Kim Joohwan’s hair.

“And thought of you, by a fingernail’s amount?”

“Wow, you thought of me by a whole fingernail’s amount. This is an honor. The old Shin Jungmin wouldn’t have even thought of me that much. That’s huge progress.”

“What about you? What about the company, how did you come all this way?”

“I took care of all my work before I came, and I set things up so it runs well without me, so I can be away for about a year. Though I still have to go back in a week. And… I thought about you, sunbae, for 24 hours out of the 24 hours.”

“Wow, what an honor.”

“So don’t you ever avoid my eyes again. You don’t know what I might do to you, sunbae.”

“Alright. I get it.”

Jungmin hugged Kim Joohwan tightly again. It was the warmth of another person, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. And it wasn’t just anyone, but Kim Joohwan’s warmth. Perhaps because of that, his eyes slowly began to close. It seemed to be the same for Kim Joohwan, as he gradually spoke less. There’s so much to do and things to organize…. We need to talk more, too. For now, let’s just sleep a little. This guy needs to rest, too.