Dirty Sweet Baby Chapter 34

When he opened the lid of the porridge bowl, warm steam billowed up.

“Eat some.”

“…”

Heeheon just stared at him wordlessly. In truth, he couldn’t do anything because he found it hard to believe that the person he was seeing before him was real. He thought it might be a dream. He even had the suspicion that his hallucinations had evolved.

‘There’s no way he would just show up when I didn’t even call… and with porridge, of all things.’

<You know. There are times I want to just kill you, hyung.>

Even after saying he found Heeheon that dreadful…

Heeheon slowly shook his head. Cha Moogyul’s presence was doubtful, and his kindness was even more questionable. Besides, he had no appetite right now and was dazed from sleep. But Cha Moogyul, as always, simply ignored Heeheon’s wishes.

He pushed aside the blanket and forced Heeheon to sit up. Heeheon frowned slightly. The hand on his back was familiar. It really was Cha Moogyul. That made him even more confused and skeptical.

“Drink some water first.”

Cha Moogyul poured fresh water into a cup and held it out to Heeheon. Heeheon was about to refuse this time as well but swallowed a sigh and gave up. If he were to try to force-feed him, it seemed better to drink it himself. Heeheon, who had been listlessly reaching out to take the glass, gasped when he saw the pager clutched in his hand. At that, Cha Moogyul let out a languid chuckle.

“That thing.”

“…”

“I didn’t leave it there for you to grope in your sleep.”

“…I know.”

Heeheon retorted curtly and placed the pager back on the nightstand. He acted as if nothing was wrong, but inwardly, he was breaking out in a cold sweat. Of all people, Cha Moogyul had to see it. He didn’t know what Cha Moogyul would think, seeing Baek Heeheon asleep with the pager in his hand. Had he figured out that he had been debating whether to call him or not?

Heeheon took a sip of water, barely drinking any, and put the glass down. In the meantime, Cha Moogyul was stirring the hot porridge with a spoon to cool it down a little.

He couldn’t understand it at all. Why was Cha Moogyul doing this? There was no need, no reason for him to be so meticulous and attentive to Heeheon… Taking care of his medicine, his water, and his porridge, the sight of him diligently looking after Heeheon was, on the contrary, suffocating.

‘Why is he nursing me?’

Was it pity?

‘Because he feels sorry for me…?’

<I’m holding back by a pretty narrow margin, you see. To keep from completely breaking you.>

‘Could it be that he’s holding back even now…?’

While he was lost in such thoughts, a spoonful of white porridge, cooled to a good temperature, was held out in front of his lips.

Cha Moogyul extended the spoon toward Heeheon and made a short sound.

“Ah.”

“…?”

What the… Is he trying to feed me… huh?

Heeheon’s expression hardened. The sleepiness vanished from his startled eyes.

“Say ah.”

“…I can eat it myself.”

“Ah.”

Cha Moogyul gently pressed Heeheon’s lower lip with the spoon. The viscous, warm white porridge stuck to his dry lips. Flustered, Heeheon pulled his head back and pursed his lips. Cha Moogyul smiled.

His exquisite, almond-shaped eyes curved nicely.

“Just take it.”

“No…”

“Your hands are shaking now, hyung. You’ll spill it.”

“…”

“Here.”

This is awkward. He even felt an uncomfortable fear at his action, the intention of which he couldn’t discern.

‘If I refuse… will he really try to force-feed me…?’

He didn’t know. He couldn’t even determine that. Trying to break down and analyze his actions one by one was nothing but a futile, misdirected effort.

Heeheon reluctantly opened his mouth. Even as he took the spoon in his mouth and ate the porridge, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease, wondering if this was right, if this was okay. Heeheon chewed and swallowed the white porridge. He had no appetite at all, but perhaps because it was the first food he had eaten in a long time, his body welcomed it, contrary to his mind. It was delicious.

Cha Moogyul scooped up more porridge with the spoon. He held it out to Heeheon again.

‘This is uncomfortable…’

His kindness confused Heeheon even more.

Swallowing a sigh, he ate it without a word. In truth, he didn’t even have the strength to argue with him. He wondered if Cha Moogyul was the same way. Trying to feed him quickly and get it over with…

Heeheon lowered his eyelids and asked quietly.

“…How many days has it been?”

“Two days.”

“I have to submit the field dispatch report.”

“I took care of it.”

“The ammunition resupply request, too…”

“That, too.”

“Ah…”

“You just focus on getting better, hyung.”

Cha Moogyul scraped the remaining porridge from the round bowl. He neatly scooped it onto the spoon and held it out to Heeheon’s mouth. It was the last bite.

“I think I’m developing a hobby of looking after patients.”

“Jokes… are not funny.”

“It’s true. Washing and feeding, it’s quite fun. It’s like taking care of a baby.”

After Heeheon ate the last spoonful, Cha Moogyul cleared the bowl and handed him a pill. Heeheon took that as well without a word and swallowed it. Then he asked.

“…What’s the reason.”

“Reason?”

“The reason you’re doing this to me. There must be something.”

Heeheon let his voice out carefully. But he couldn’t hide the strangely distorted expression on his face.

“No matter how much I think about it, I don’t really know what you want to do to me.”

“Right. It seems you’re finally a little curious about me, hyung.”

“…If I ask, will you answer?”

“We’ll see.”

“…”

“Depends on how you act, hyung.”

Heeheon silently bit the inside of his cheek.

‘Right, I thought this would happen.’

Cha Moogyul was definitely not the type to meekly do as Baek Heeheon wished. Heeheon clutched the thin blanket in his hands. He wanted to hold onto something. In truth, what he really wanted to hold onto was the ocean, but he knew it was not something that would fit in his hands.

“Are you teasing me? What are you trying to do by confusing me…”

“I want you to think about it, hyung.”

“What…?”

“No. I want you to suffer. Because of me.”

“What on earth does that mean…”

Heeheon’s eyes wavered greatly. He was dizzy, not knowing what Cha Moogyul was trying to do.

Worrying, suffering, and even pain—for Baek Heeheon, it was already all about him…

“So, do you mean you want to torment me?”

“Something like that.”

“Then why are you nursing me? Why don’t you just act like an asshole, why are you taking care of me like this?”

“…”

“The guiding, why did you do that? You said you wanted to kill me, so why did you go so far with the guiding…”

Lost in confusion and frustration, Heeheon flailed and threw out one question after another. Cha Moogyul merely watched Heeheon with a languid gaze. His black eyes shone with a sinister, unusual light.

The more Heeheon struggled and had a hard time, and the more he showed it on the outside, the more he seemed to be inwardly satisfied and pleased. He didn’t know if he was enjoying watching Baek Heeheon wander lost because of him.

“Hyung.”

Cha Moogyul cut Heeheon off, calling him in a low voice. His hand slowly approached. Heeheon flinched.

Even more slowly, with a movement that seemed easy enough to avoid, he swept Heeheon’s forehead. He lightly pushed back his bangs and touched his round forehead. The coolness from his hand felt good.

“I think you’re sweating. Should I wash you?”

“What, huh?”

“Looking at you, I thought you might feel sticky…”

What did Cha Moogyul mean by washing him, was he crazy?

“Are you really treating me like a baby? Forget it.”

Startled, Heeheon refused with disgust. His heart pounded rapidly.

“Don’t refuse. I washed you two days ago, too.”

“That was… the situation was different.”

“The situation now isn’t all that different. You’re sick. I’ll help you.”

Cha Moogyul chuckled and grabbed Heeheon’s arm. He was trying to get him out of bed, so Heeheon hastily slapped his hand away.

His heart began to beat even faster. And at the same time, Heeheon felt a mysterious, strange emotion. Anxiety and discomfort, and a damn sense of excitement, were all mixed together, coexisting. In fact, Heeheon himself didn’t even know what he was feeling.

“I said no. I don’t want to.”

“Why be so shy? I’ve seen your naked body anyway.”

“Hey, you…”

“Is that all? I even know the color of your asshole, hyung.”

“…Shit.”

A curse flew out automatically.

He already had a high fever, but Cha Moogyul’s shameful words made his face gradually turn red. Even his ears turned beet red, and he turned his head away. Was that a mistake? Cha Moogyul didn’t miss the opening Heeheon showed. He threw off the blanket and forcefully pulled Heeheon up.

“Follow me.”

“No, Cha Moogyul!”

Heeheon had no choice but to be dragged along by him. Even when he tried to hold onto the doorframe and resist, his sick body had no strength. Like a dog on a leash, he was simply dragged down the long hallway as he was led and shoved into the bathroom.

The bathroom sensor light turned on automatically. Pushing Heeheon in and closing the door, he came closer, bathed in the bright light. His hand reached for the pajamas Heeheon was wearing. Heeheon used his hands to grab the buttons around his neck to prevent him from unbuttoning them and said urgently.

“Stop, okay. I’ll do it.”

He did want to wash, as he had sweated a little from the high fever.

“I’ll take them off and wash myself, so you get out now.”

“I don’t think that’s going to work…”

He glanced down at Heeheon, who was holding onto the buttons and resisting.

“I need to see more of Baek Heeheon flustered.”

With his signature ominous smile, Cha Moogyul muttered with interest. Then, he changed direction and grabbed his bottoms instead of his top, pulling them down. The thin summer pajamas slipped off without resistance. Heeheon, whose legs were suddenly exposed in an instant, was aghast.