The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 252

“What… w-what do you mean you want to do things with me?!”

I tried to deny reality, wondering if I’d misheard him, but this wasn’t a dream.

“I said I want to try all sorts of things with you. All the way.”

His fairly serious tone made me let out a sigh without realizing it.

“My pure Pession……”

“Pure?”

“Since when did you become this… sly…!”

Pession tilted his head, then laughed low. The more I jumped around in shock, the louder his laughter became.

“Why are you laughing?! Is this funny right now?”

“You keep being funny, Arell.”

“I’m funny?”

“No, you’re cute.”

“I’m cute in this situation?”

“Yeah. You’re so cute I keep laughing.”

What kind of logic is that?

I wanted to brush it off as teasing, but Pession’s eyes were serious.

What kind of love-struck filter is he wearing, anyway?

Still—still!

“Give him back…….”

“Who?”

“My cute Pession.”

Pession burst out laughing again.

“Why do you keep asking me to give something back?”

“You don’t get it. My cute Pession… you’re fake. Where’s the real one, you fake.”

“What do you mean fake? I’ve been like this from the start.”

There’s no way.

I narrowed my eyes.

“My Pession isn’t like that!”

“Isn’t he? Ever since we were kids, all I thought about was how to make you look only at me.”

Pession casually replied while brushing near my eyes. I couldn’t believe it.

“Don’t lie. My cute Pession would never do that. You followed me around everywhere.”

“Was I that cute?”

“Is that even a question?!”

“So I’m not cute now?”

“Now… well……”

I should’ve said he wasn’t, but the way he looked at me all sulky was cute.

Damn it—now I’ve got rose-colored glasses too!

When I couldn’t answer and just fidgeted with my lips, Pession curled up the corner of his mouth.

“Guess I’m still cute.”

“…….”

Not being able to deny it made me miserable.

I couldn’t argue back, but I didn’t want to admit it either, so I just huffed. Pession tapped my cheek lightly.

“Don’t worry, Arell. You’re cute too.”

“Of course I am—! …No, wait, that’s not it.”

I got played!

I realized too late that I’d fallen right into his trap. Pession pressed his lips to the back of my hand and whispered softly.

“No matter how much you deny it, I’ve been like this since I was little. I was always curious about you, missed you, wanted to see you so badly it drove me crazy. And in the end, I was always the one who came looking for you first.”

“That’s different from this—”

“It’s the same. Every time, I wanted to grab you like this and hold you tight. So tight you couldn’t breathe.”

I’d heard him say he liked me before, but this was the first time I’d heard feelings this deep. Or maybe not? I wasn’t sure anymore.

Just the way his eyes met mine, his careful hands, his deeply lowered voice, the heavy emotions inside it—

Even the sound of breathing felt loud, and I couldn’t breathe properly.

“Do you know how cold you were to me back then?”

“That’s…….”

It was true that I’d been cold when we were young, so my conscience stabbed me. When I floundered, Pession glanced at me, then smiled softly, like he was letting it slide.

“You’re still like that now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even though you’re right here, I still want to touch you.”

It was strange. He was already half-hugging me—how could he want more?

“How do I make this thirst, this hunger, go away?”

And yet, why did I feel like I understood what he meant?

Pession muttered darkly.

“Every moment, I’m tormented by these urges. If I tied you up, locked you away, broke everything—would I finally be free from this pain?”

A chill ran down my spine. Instinctively, I knew he wasn’t joking.

“Pe-Pession……?”

I called his name anxiously, but his darkened eyes were so deep I couldn’t guess what he was thinking.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Was this because I left him behind to look for my dad?

I couldn’t tell where things had gone wrong. While I was groaning inside, our eyes met again.

It felt like staring into an abyss, and I held my breath—

“But I think I’d regret that.”

Pession let out a deep breath. I breathed again too, matching him, and wondered.

What was that just now?

I didn’t get long to think. Pession didn’t allow it.

“If I choose the easy way because I can’t endure it, I feel like I’ll lose you forever.”

Even though he looked like he’d agonized over this thousands of times, Pession smiled calmly.

“What I want is the whole you.”

I wanted to say something, my lips twitching, but no words came out.

I couldn’t express what I was feeling right now.

I just—just—

Wanted to hug Pession tightly. But that felt awkward here, so I hesitated. Seeing that, Pession mocked himself.

“See? I’m not cute like this, right? Feelings you didn’t really want to know, right? Ugly, huh? Do I look like a monster?”

“Shion……”

I hadn’t meant that.

Hearing how he saw himself made my chest ache.

“I was actually relieved. Thinking, ‘Oh, you’re human too.’”

Pession’s expression shook visibly, like he never expected that answer.

“I mean, people can think like that. I was surprised, yeah, but you didn’t actually do anything bad to me… and you won’t in the future either, right?”

I looked at him, asking for agreement. Pession slowly nodded.

“Yeah.”

Then he smiled helplessly.

“If you don’t want it, I can’t do anything.”

I gently stroked Pession’s head as he smiled weakly.

“I get jealous sometimes too, you know. When you’re with other noble ladies. And I feel proud when you put me first over others…….”

“Really? I didn’t know.”

Pession’s eyes widened, then his eyebrows drooped like it was unfair he hadn’t known.

“It’s okay.”

At my words, Pession visibly relaxed.

“I can do anything for you.”

“Yeah.”

“So don’t leave.”

“Yeah. That one’s on me.”

If I’d known his separation anxiety was this bad, I would’ve brought him along even if it was dangerous. This was my fault.

“Is there anything you want? Something I can do?”

When I asked, trying to make up for it, Pession looked at me quietly, then asked carefully.

“Tell me. How can I have you?”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I told him to ask, and he really did.

“You already have me.”

Even with my clear answer, Pession looked dissatisfied. Then he asked again.

“Then can I kiss you?”

“Oh, come on.”

Fine. Do whatever you want.

When I nodded, Pession leaned down. Just as our lips were about to meet again—

Wooooooong—!

A monster’s cry rang out nearby, and Pession immediately pulled away.

“…Ha.”

The quiet sigh told me exactly how annoyed he was.

Of course, he wasn’t the only one annoyed.

Did it have to be now?! The mood was perfect!

[ H A R V E S T ! ]

“Wait here.”

As if venting my share of frustration too, Pession said that—and then a brutal scene unfolded among the monsters.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Pession didn’t seem tired at all from fighting in the city. After wiping out a whole swarm of monsters, he actually looked refreshed.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Nope.”

Must be nice.

As I looked at Pession with envy, he tried to pull me into a hug again.

“No, we have to go find Luka now.”

“…….”

We’d already wasted a lot of time. I hadn’t realized it, but dawn was approaching—the dark sky was slowly beginning to brighten.

Pession followed me without complaint, then suddenly asked as if the thought had just occurred to him.

“Luka—he’s a guy?”

“Probably?”

“What do you mean, probably?”

“Well… he’s a guy, I think?”

With hair that long, he could be a woman—but he could just as easily be a long-haired guy. So Luka might be male.

I hadn’t really cared about his gender, so I never asked.

“How do you not know that?”

“All mages have long hair, so it’s hard to tell.”

Whether it was because of my master’s influence, because hair affected mana, or simply because it was a hassle, I didn’t know—but most mages wore their hair long. Even high-ranking ones were no exception.

‘Seriously, why though?’

Now I was really curious. I should ask at the Sky Tower later if there’s an actual reason.

While I was lost in thought about why so many mages had long hair, we arrived back at the building where I’d left Luka.

“Here.”

“Here?”

Pession tilted his head.

I opened the door I’d locked so carefully and looked inside.

“……?”

What?

“…Luka?”

The spot where I’d tied Luka up was completely empty.