Even My Life Is Yours Chapter 75

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she felt was the warmth touching her cheek. It was warm and peaceful, but feeling strangely as if floating in midair, Hongyo opened her eyes and realized she was being carried on someone’s back, barely holding back a scream. However, she couldn’t help the sound of her breath that slipped out in surprise. Then, the man who was carrying her on his back spoke, quite kindly whoever he was.

“Are you awake.”

For a moment, wondering if the owner of this back was Jeonghwan or someone else, all sorts of thoughts crossed Hongyo’s mind, but she let out a sigh of relief at the familiar voice.

“Ah, it’s Gamyoung. I’m saved.”

Then a grumpy voice immediately came back.

“Saved? Do those words even come out of your mouth after seeing the state you’re in right now?”

His voice was cold, as if he was suppressing his anger. It had been a while since she saw Gamyoung like this. Although he rarely lost his temper, when Gamyoung was truly angry, he had a fierce side that made it hard for even her to strike up a conversation, so Hongyo quickly confessed her mistake.

“Hey, I only drank exactly three cups.”

In truth, she had drunk one more cup, but there was no need to be that honest. Then, as if dumbfounded, Gamyoung let out a hollow laugh.

“Is whether it’s three cups or ten cups important right now? When you can’t even drink in the first place. You can’t even stand properly right now either.”

He seemed more angry than she thought. Despite that, his posture carrying her and his breathing were completely undisturbed. Because Gamyoung was saying nothing but the truth, Hongyo, left with nothing to say, merely spun useless excuses.

“No, everyone else was drinking, so it would be awkward for only me to be left out. Take it easy on me. Hmm? I won’t do it again.”

Usually, if she went this far, he would gruffly let it slide even while pretending not to, so she thought it would be the same today. However, it didn’t seem like he would just let it pass today. Come to think of it, because of this last time too, she had been carried into the house on Gamyoung’s back. To show such an unsightly scene again.

Blaming herself for not having changed at all since then or now, Hongyo finally decided to use her last remaining trick. She really didn’t want to go as far as using this method, but since she had shown an unsightly scene to Gamyoung twice already, she had no choice.

“Ah, Brother Gamyoung. Don’t be like that, please let go of your anger. I really won’t do it again, so let it slide just this once. Hmm?”

And then she rubbed her cheek against his tensed shoulder. At times like this, Gamyoung would usually show disgust, pushing her away while asking what on earth a grown fellow was doing, so once she felt his anger had dissipated to some extent, she intended to tickle him next. Since it was always this way, she thought he would let it pass like that this time too. However, for some reason, Gamyoung suddenly came to a dead halt and spoke chillingly.

“Get down.”

When Hongyo, rather flustered by those words, asked back, “Huh?”, Gamyoung replied.

“We’ve already walked one full lap around. If you’re awake, walk on your own two feet.”

Ah, right. If I’m awake, I should walk on my own feet. However, was it because it had been a long time since she had been together with Gamyoung like this? Contrary to her thoughts, her body, which felt as if it had stuck fast to Gamyoung’s back, wanted to just droop boundlessly today of all days. Furthermore, even if she was awake, the tipsiness that felt like it had thoroughly scrambled her head was still the same.

“I don’t want to.”

And then, before Gamyoung could say a word, she quickly added.

“Being like this reminds me of the old days. Back then, you carried me on your back too.”

“You know that, yet you’re doing this again?”

“Sorry. But your back is really comfortable.”

To the extent that a sigh came out because it was so good. When Hongyo let out a long breath against his neck, Gamyoung’s body tensed. However, unlike when she was in her right mind, Yeo Hongyo, unable to distinguish reason, merely stayed carried quietly, having no intention of getting down at all. Ultimately, the losing side this time as well was Gamyoung.

“You, never let alcohol touch your lips again.”

It was a voice that was highly restrained but somehow seemed to growl. Even while drunk, the voice that for some unknown reason gave her a chilly feeling was quite unfamiliar to Hongyo as well. Without realizing it, Hongyo nodded her head obediently while burying her face in Gamyoung’s shoulder.

“Mmh.”

The voice that slipped out softly mumbled as if muffled. Gamyoung slowly moved his steps once more. Hongyo closed her eyes while carried on that back. With every single step, Gamyoung’s pulse and breathing were felt entirely. Because it was strangely comfortable, Hongyo, who had been closing her eyes without realizing it, suddenly sat up, gasping, “Ah!” Surprised by that, Gamyoung turned his head halfway to look at her, and Hongyo, her eyes wide and round, asked.

“But why are you carrying me? At the end, surely the Inspector General Excellency…”

Amidst her scattered memories, the image of Jeonghwan supporting her came to mind. Leaving the tavern, entering Hwayeonggyeong altogether, and stopping upon seeing Gamyoung there. After that, Gamyoung said something, and him supporting her was the last of it. When she opened her eyes with that memory as the end, Gamyoung’s back was in front of her eyes, and…

Hongyo felt her drunkenness instantly vanish.

“Did everyone see us like this?”

However, there was no answer from Gamyoung. At that few seconds of silence, Hongyo mumbled with a tearful face.

“What should we do. If it’s revealed that you and I are acquaintances, it’ll be troublesome for you too.”

She should have listened to Gamyoung and not drunk alcohol. Blaming herself, Hongyo mumbled against his back.

“I’m truly sorry. If talk uselessly goes around because of me…”

As if there weren’t already many things to be careful about because of her, it was as if she had even loaded him with a burden because she couldn’t conduct herself properly. Unlike earlier, her highly dejected voice was filled with worry. Gamyoung, who listened to those words silently for a while, finally opened his mouth.

“Even if everyone finds out, there’s no helping it.”

“…Still.”

“Don’t care too much about what others say. If you’re worried about rumors that you might have received special treatment, do not concern yourself with that either. Among the things you’ve done until now, what has there been that you didn’t achieve by your own strength?”

It’s not that light a matter. However, Hongyo wanted to believe Gamyoung’s words just like that. Because among the words Gamyoung said, there was nothing that wasn’t right.

If Gamyoung says it’s so, then it must be so.

As if not wanting to think further, Hongyo buried her head back into Gamyoung’s shoulder. A gentle vibration and warm warmth were transmitted.

“Gamyoung. Do you know that?”

Against the back of Gamyoung, who was walking silently and mutely, Hongyo mumbled softly as if letting out a sigh.

“As expected, I like you the best.”

“Oh dear. The tea is completely gone?”

When Hongyo smiled awkwardly with a troubled face, Gamyoung pressed his hand to his forehead as if he knew it would be so. After all, feeling sorry to Gamyoung, who had carried her on his back all the way to the dormitory, it was just a few minutes ago that she asked him to come into the room, saying she would at least treat him to some tea. Yet, for the tea leaves to be completely gone like this.

“Yeoryeong in the next room said he obtained some good tea leaves, should I ask him for some?”

At that, Gamyoung, who was pressing his forehead, hardened his expression frighteningly.

“At this hour? Forget it. I don’t need to drink tea, so I’m leaving.”

And then, Hongyo grabbed Gamyoung, who was truly about to leave.

“Ah, if you leave like this, I’ll feel sorry! It’s been a while since we saw each other, so is this how you treat a guest? You have to give me a chance to make up for it too!”

Even if she spoke that way, in truth, it meant she wanted to be together since they hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Gamyoung looked at Hongyo, who was staring at him with eyes telling him not to go, then lowered his gaze to look at the edge of his sleeve that was held tight. Ultimately, Gamyoung nodded his head this time too.

“Alright. Then I’ll leave after staying for just a little bit.”

“Really? The traditional sweets I received from Yeoryeong earlier must be somewhere.”

Gamyoung, watching Hongyo start rummaging through the room frantically again, said in a tired voice

“I’ll look for the sweets.”

“Will you? Then I’ll go wash up, so if you find them, eat first.”

And then, gathering her clothes, she headed toward the bathroom attached to the room. Once the bathroom door closed, Gamyoung exhaled the breath he had been holding. Yeo Hongyo, when drunk, was excessively honest and…

‘Cute.’

Gamyoung had to admit that fact. Usually, he lived holding onto his wits somehow, but once alcohol entered, it seemed he couldn’t even distinguish that. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly be that honest and affectionate.

However, apart from that appearance being cute, he was more worried because of it. Of course, since he was a grown fellow, nothing much would happen just because he was that clumsy, but… Gamyoung tried to steel his mind, thinking it must just be his own delusion from being infatuated, but he was thoroughly realizing the fact that when it came to the one he loved, emotions couldn’t be easily controlled like cutting a radish.

“Haa….”

Even right now, it was a big problem because he liked being together like this. Even though he knew it was just words spoken out of habit, his heart fluttered at the words ‘I like you the best’, and not even knowing what he himself was thinking, he completely entrusted his body to him, and not stopping at that, he rubbed his face against him just like a puppy with a tail, to the point where he almost resented Yeo Hongyo.

‘What kind of thought is this toward a friend.’

However, to blindly be happy about it, Hongyo was his closest friend. And a man to boot. Therefore, even though he knew he had to thoroughly hide this heart, he feared this love that popped up unexpectedly at every turn. Of all things, for the person he came to love for the first time to be a friend, and a man to boot. Even if he searched through all the books in the Imperial Palace, there was no such love.

Even if he made up his mind to hide it, just seeing Hongyo together with another person he knew made jealousy surge. Even while knowing that was an unmanly heart, the names of others coming from Hongyo’s mouth, and the faces smiling as they faced each other, were all displeasing to him. Even just now, hadn’t he brought Hongyo back, going so far as to do something that was fully enough to arouse suspicion?

Furthermore, the fact that he entered the room just because he told him to enter. Of course, when they were outside, he had frequently gone in and out of Hongyo’s house and even stayed overnight, so only the location had changed now, but wondering what that was about, his own self being strangely tense was now to the point of being ridiculous.

‘The worst.’

Gamyoung, who happened to see the stone mirror on the side table, realized for the first time that he was making such a distressed face. However, such sentiment was only temporary.

“Did you find the sweets?”

Behind Yeo Hongyo, who opened the bathroom door and emerged, white steam spread. And through that, Yeo Hongyo, who had just washed up, approached without even drying his hair. Gamyoung stared at that sight as if bewitched. Wondering if he had washed up in a hurry, beside his face where moisture still remained, a droplet of water formed at the tip of his hair rolled down, tracing his neckline.

“Gamyoung?”

The voice calling his name as always was heard right in front of him. However, Gamyoung could not answer. He merely stretched his hand out toward his hair, which before anyone noticed had easily surpassed his shoulders, below his long neckline.

Hongyo closed her mouth without realizing it at the sight of Gamyoung, who silently and carefully held the tip of her hair. The hair where moisture remained wound helplessly around his long fingers.

“Your hair has grown a lot.”

In the room where only the sound of breathing remained, Gamyoung’s voice spread low.