Struggle Chapter 76

Nanyoung awoke suddenly, as if stung by a bee. Gasping, when he came to his senses, the night had clearly grown longer than the day, and it was still a dark dawn.

Before I knew it, I sprang up, and the hand that had been resting on my chest slid away. Nanyoung glanced at it absentmindedly, then startled by the sight of that very hand, flung it off as if brushing away a bug.

“Ah….”

At that, Taerok let out an annoyed groan. He rubbed his eyes, then casually moved his hand aside to check beside him.

“…The drunken Grand Prince. Are you awake.”

“Oh, when… when did you arrive?”

Pressing his startled chest, Nanyoung asked.

Taerok yawned and sat up.

“I came when the sun was at its zenith and waited.”

“Me, since daytime?”

“When I arrived, I was told that Grand Prince Heonui had entered the palace for an audience with His Majesty the King—so what was I to do? I had no choice but to wait. And then the sun set, and the master of the house comes in dead drunk. The treatment of guests is a complete mess.”

“You came without any prior notice, Uncle….”

Nanyoung clutched his chest even tighter and muttered sullenly. Taerok found the sight of Nanyoung, holding his garments closed and acting modestly, amusing. The more he did so, the more Taerok wanted to pry him open and enter—it seemed Nanyoung had no idea about that kind of psychology.

“I’ve already earned your deep displeasure anyway, nephew, so what does a little more rudeness matter.”

Taerok stretched his limbs and yawned. Having slept on the cushion, his body seemed quite stiff. Especially Taerok, whose build and height were far superior to others, having slept cramped to fit Nanyoung’s cushion, he didn’t seem well-rested at all.

“I want to wash up.”

Taerok looked at Nanyoung with sleep-laden eyes and murmured.

“Is this how Grand Prince Heonui treats his guests?”

“…”

He even addressed him by his title, and even this Nanyoung could not ignore.

∞ ∞ ∞

It happened that the kitchen had just begun to light the fire. Nanyoung ordered the male servant to prepare heated water for washing. Since word had spread overnight among servants, slaves, and attendants alike that the Grand Prince had come home rarely dead drunk, the servant nodded without a word.

Once the water was prepared, Nanyoung headed to the main guest quarters.

“You may go to the bathhouse.”

Taerok took off his outer vest and glanced back. Nanyoung was gripping the door handle tightly, avoiding his gaze. Tilting his head, Taerok strode over across the desk.

“Why do you keep such distance between us, Uncle and nephew?”

His manner seemed genuinely curious, as if simply asking out of wonder.

“Then am I to keep no distance at all, ever?”

“Playing with words, too. Where did you learn such petty tricks?”

“I know how to make jokes too.”

“So I’m asking, where did you learn them.”

Taerok leaned his arm beside Nanyoung and asked leisurely.

“Sim Suhwan?”

“…Why does that name come up now?”

Nanyoung, who had been watching his reaction, asked sullenly.

“Because, no matter how I think about it, the only person around you who would coax you into sneaking into your uncle’s house like a stray cat is him.”

“…”

“I didn’t think much of him, but the Chief Commander really failed at raising his children. He would never have imagined his own son would sell out his father’s close friend. One of the people who was with me is actually the Chief Commander’s closest ally.”

“…He wasn’t trying to sell you out. He’s just short-sighted and a bit quick-tempered.”

“What do you mean, not? If it’s discovered that he’s plotting treason, that’s the end of it.”

Taerok lowered his hand and firmly gripped Nanyoung’s buttock.

“Or did he believe that because he noticed the uncle and nephew were fornicating, he and his household could escape?”

“…!”

Nanyoung’s face went white. He felt his heart clench, wondering if his uncle had found out that Sim Suhwan had come to his house and threatened him. He was so shaken that he didn’t even feel his uncle gripping his backside.

“Why do you hang around with people like that, Nanyoung….”

“Ugh…!”

He tried to push away Taerok, who was pressed close against him, but he wouldn’t budge an inch. Instead, he pressed his half-erect member against him.

“The water is getting cold!”

In the end, what Nanyoung chose was Taerok’s face. Pushing his uncle’s face away, he panted heavily. Pushed back by Nanyoung’s hands, Taerok let out a sigh.

“Fires were lit, water was carried—much effort was spent. We shouldn’t let that effort go to waste, should we.”

“Fine… whatever.”

Taerok replied indifferently.

“Let’s go wash.”

Then he grabbed Nanyoung’s hand and moved his feet.

Brought to the bathhouse together with Taerok in a daze, Nanyoung had his clothes stripped off by his hand before he could even collect his wits.

“You smell of alcohol. I think you should wash first, rather than me.”

Smiling gently, Taerok lifted Nanyoung and plopped him into the bath.

Nanyoung, dropped into the water without any preparation, was dumbfounded. But he was already soaking wet, and his clothes had been removed, so he couldn’t get out either. Taerok too, leaving Nanyoung aside, took off his inner jacket and trousers. Then he stepped in as well, and the water sloshed and spilled over.

“After we wash.”

With his eyes closed, Taerok murmured.

“I’ll show you something.”

His body, stiff from sleeping uncomfortably, slowly began to loosen. Taerok placed his right hand on his left shoulder and stretched his neck and shoulder. He repeated the same on the other side.

“What is it…?”

“Something you’ll like, nephew.”

Nanyoung curled his body and tried to think of what he might like.

Perhaps because he had grown up without lacking anything from the start, his preferences were not distinct. It was the same with people. Nanyoung suddenly felt he could understand why Taerok had become such a cold person. It must have been tedious, tediously dull.

Only he himself had never been bored. Because he had his uncle. Because his uncle came to find him, teased him, scolded him, and carried him on his back.

Resting his chin on his wet knees, Nanyoung gazed up at Taerok. With his eyes closed, he moved only his lips and asked soundlessly, “What.”

“I think it’s because of you, Uncle, that I didn’t grow up to be like you.”

His sullen reply was rather sharp, so Taerok blinked open one eye.

“But lately… I’m worried I might be becoming like you. I’ve been getting short with my inferiors, too….”

“It’s only natural you take after me, since I practically raised you.”

“You’re not someone worth taking after, Uncle….”

“Why. There was a time you said you wanted to be like me.”

Taerok stretched out his leg, wrapped it around Nanyoung, and pulled him in.

“Did you just realize now? That what you really wanted wasn’t to be like me, but to sleep with me?”

Nanyoung’s face showed both embarrassment and anguish at once. The way he bit his lip even made him look like a practiced courtesan.

Taerok was driven mad with delight at how transparently Nanyoung reacted every time he teased him. It was addictive. The more he looked, the more entertaining it was. Every prod drew a reaction. Nanyoung was wrong. Becoming like him? Not even close. He still had a long way to go.

“I’ve never met anyone who said they didn’t want to sleep with me.”

“That’s only because you’re a Grand Prince, Uncle, so they couldn’t speak honestly!”

Nanyoung struggled, trying to escape Taerok’s arms, which had already firmly wrapped around his waist, as he spoke. Water splashed and slapped loudly.

“For someone who says that, you also dribbled all over my thing, didn’t you, nephew. I still remember it so vividly.”

The sinews in Taerok’s forearm stood out. Nanyoung’s fierce struggling seemed to amuse him as if it were a delightful game.

“Lying to one nephew while trying to kill another…!”

“Listen to that—what kind of uncle would that be.”

Taerok deliberately lowered his voice and murmured with feigned seriousness.

“Quite the scoundrel of the world, wouldn’t you say?”

And then, as if it were all a joke, he burst into laughter.

The sound of his wicked laughter was grating. If he had been a friend, Nanyoung would have struck him. No, if he were a friend, he wouldn’t be here knowing he harbored treacherous intent. Nanyoung kept repeating to himself, elder, elder, until he eventually covered his ears and even closed his eyes. Just as Taerok was about to pull Nanyoung in and kiss him—

“Your Highness, is there anywhere you feel unwell?”

From the tone, it was the male servant. He must have come because of the splashing water. Gasping, Nanyoung stiffened. Then Taerok rose on his knees, rested his chin on Nanyoung’s chest—now higher than his own eye level—and looked up. He even tickled Nanyoung’s chest in circles with the tip of his chin, as if urging him to answer quickly.

“Ah, no. There’s nowhere uncomfortable. Go attend to your duties. I, I’ll call you if I need you.”