“I can’t. I’d rather kill every other bastard than knock you out.”
It seed Joo Seunghyuk really had no intention of putting to sleep.
“Then at least a sleeping pill...”
“I told you that’s not allowed.”
He rejected my plea again.
In the end, I boarded Sungan’s private jet completely sober.
Well—if losing all rationality the mont I stepped on the plane still counts as “sober,” that is.
“AAAAAAH!!”
“Hyung, don’t you think you’re gripping my hand too tightly?”
“I don’t care! This is why I told you to knock out—AARGH!!”
“I can’t feel my fingers.”
“AARGH!!”
Seunghyuk kept teasing while smiling faintly—and then gently pulled into his arms.
“It’s okay. Don’t be scared. I’m here.”
His soft voice and warm body heat wrapped around . In that mont, I heard a familiar voice echo in my ears.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to be afraid of sothing like that. I’m here.”
It was Seunghyuk. Yeah, he’d hugged like this before. But when...? Even after our first ti together, I couldn’t rember him ever doing this...
“It’s okay.”
Seunghyuk kept soothing gently.
His touch, his voice, his warmth, the flow of his mana—everything enveloped , along with faint mories of the past.
Honestly, I was still terrified of flying, but a small sense of reassurance blood inside —as long as I was with Seunghyuk, I might be okay.
As the panic and tension that had built up to the extre slowly lted away, fatigue swept over .
I fell asleep holding tightly onto his waist.
***
“Seunghyuk, pinch my cheek, will you?”
“You keep making difficult requests. How could I ever pinch you, Hyung?”
The way Seunghyuk feigned innocence like a sly fox was so ridiculous I couldn’t even respond.
“You pinched every day.”
He never left my face alone. Any ti he got a chance, he’d poke, squish, or pinch . Okay, not painfully—just light squeezes and little grabs.
“That’s because you’re cute.”
“Then treat like I’m cute.”
“Okay.”
Seunghyuk cupped both my cheeks in his large hands and kissed softly on the lips.
We were in Incheon Airport, surrounded by people. I flinched and backed away in surprise, and Seunghyuk let out a quiet laugh.
“Why are you so startled?”
“Because you kissed out of nowhere...”
“You said to treat you like you’re cute.”
“I ant a pinch...”
When I pouted, he pinched my lips between his thumb and forefinger and tugged them outward.
“Wuh—!”
“Haha. Happy now?”
It was clear he found ssing with fun. I might as well be his toy.
Still, I was sure of one thing now. Judging by how vivid the feeling of his lips had been, this wasn’t a dream.
I had finally returned to Korea. I wasn’t still unconscious and wandering dreamland—I had really, truly set foot on Korean soil.
This ti, I’d scread less than when we left. I didn’t crumple Seunghyuk’s clothes like a paper bag or babble nonsense. I had made it back safely.
Had I... maybe taken a step toward overcoming my fear of flying?
I inhaled deeply, taking in the air of Korea. Honestly, the air quality in the mansion and Aquilus was probably better, but still—just seeing Hangul everywhere cald .
Even if I spoke a little English, nothing could beat the comfort of my native language. At the sa ti, other thoughts began to creep in.
Had Seunghyuk truly forgiven completely?
Just because he took to Aquilus didn’t guarantee he’d give freedom in Korea.
As I anxiously waited for his verdict, Seunghyuk spoke.
“Do you want to go to your parents’ place? Or co to our house?”
“I can go ho?”
Was I really... a free man now? But my hopes were dashed by what he said next—like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.
“Yeah. We need to go greet your mom and dad.”
“What?!”
“We should’ve t them a long ti ago, but it’s been delayed too much. {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} What kind of people do they like? I’m worried—I’m not exactly the type that parents love. What if they oppose our marriage?”
Ah. Right.
This guy had been forcing marriage on as the price for taking his virginity... I’d been so focused on escaping confinent and preventing Do Hyeokjin’s death, I’d almost forgotten.
“...I’m really tired today. Let’s go to your house.”
I chose the Yandere House over the in-laws. Because if he t my parents, there’d be no turning back.
“If that’s what you want, then okay. But soday, you really do have to introduce . I want to et your siblings too.”
“Okay.”
Besides, seeing Seunghyuk leave the choice to ... made feel like I didn’t have to fear being locked up again.
From the mont I left the mansion—or maybe the mont I gave up running away—his expression had softened. As if he already understood what was in my heart.
“Then shall we go ho?”
“Yeah.”
I wasn’t sure if “ho” ant Seunghyuk’s house, or a house we’d be living in together.
Either way, Seunghyuk and I left the airport hand in hand.
***
Seunghyuk’s house was still just as pitch black.
Black, dark, and the place where I’d once been confined. But for so reason, it didn’t feel that scary anymore.
“Sit down.”
He gestured toward the living room sofa.
“Okay.”
“Want so tea?”
“I’m good. Co sit with .”
Seunghyuk looked completely drained. He seed to have lost weight, too.
He’d probably been stressed out from handling the Aquilus Auction. And on the plane, he’d been busy comforting instead of getting any rest.
If he wasn’t exhausted, that would’ve been strange.
“I’m making tea for myself. Should I make one for you too?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
“Wait here a minute.”
He disappeared into the kitchen. He was treating like a guest.
As long as I didn’t run, he wouldn’t send back down to that basent. But confinent wasn’t the only issue here.
I turned my head slowly toward the shopping bags on the sofa.
Inside were the “those kinds” of treasures Seunghyuk had bought from the Aquilus Auction.
I might not be locked up again, but it was still entirely possible I’d experience what it was like to be inside a luxurious trash can. Still, he looked exhausted tonight. I doubted he’d use them right away...
I swallowed nervously—just as sothing clattered in the kitchen.
What was that?
“Seunghyuk? Are you okay?”
I called out, but he didn’t respond. Feeling uneasy, I got up and walked toward the kitchen.
And the mont I stepped in—my heart dropped.
“Seunghyuk!”
He had collapsed on the floor. White pills were scattered all over beside him.
Was he sick? Did he have so chronic illness? But there was never any ntion of that in the original...
I was panicked and confused, but this wasn’t the ti to freeze.
119—no, Sungan Hospital would be faster.
I fumbled to dial their number, but Seunghyuk grabbed my hand.
“I’m okay.”
“You call this okay?!”
His face was pale, and cold sweat dotted his forehead.
“I’ll call the hospital. Sungan’s fine, right?”
“There’s no need. I just need to take my ds.”
“What are you sick with?”
“I’m not sick. Can you get so water?”
“...Okay.”
Even if we went to the hospital, he’d need to take his ds first. On the table, there was a cold glass of water and a brown plastic pill bottle.
So “tea” was just an excuse—he ca in here to take his ds.
The bottle must’ve been knocked over when he collapsed, and the pills spilled out.
As I reached to grab one of the remaining pills, my eyes caught the na on the label—and I felt the blood drain from my face.
“Seunghyuk, you’re in rut?”
It was a pheromone suppressant. Even as a Beta, I recognized the brand. It was a well-known product.
Alphas and Ogas often took suppressants during gate missions to delay their cycles.
But long-term use was considered dangerous.
“Give it to .”
Seunghyuk reached for the water cup in my hand without answering.
“How long have you been in rut? How long have you been taking this?”
“It’s been a while.”
“How long?”
“......”
He fell silent. Which ant—it had been long enough that he didn’t want to tell .
“Why would you do this?”
“Because if I went into rut... I was afraid you’d run away.”
“......”
“Lee Yeonsu, you’d definitely cry. You’d say it was too hard and run—and I can’t let that happen.”
He smiled faintly, his face devoid of color. It was a joke, but one drenched in sincerity.
“You idiot! So you just kept taking suppressants until you collapsed?!”
“...Hyung, are you mad?”
“Of course I’m mad!”
I’d heard that overusing suppressants could ss up your pheromone system for life. I snatched the pill out of his hand and threw it aside.
Then I rushed into the living room.
I dug through the shopping bags on the couch and pulled out the Bracelet of Roitalraum.
Not as valuable as the Nershield Necklace—but still an insanely expensive treasure. Without hesitation, I put it on and ran back into the kitchen.
“You’re back. I thought you’d run away after hearing the word ‘rut.’”
“I’m not running.”
I said firmly as I walked up to him. But Seunghyuk pushed away instead.
“You should go ho tonight... I don’t think I can hold back anymore.”
“Do it.”
“Go. Don’t say things like that unless you really know what a rut is.”
I lifted my wrist and showed him the Roitalraum bracelet. It was a treasure that reduced physical burden during intercourse.
“I’m ready. Just do it. I won’t run.”
I grabbed his shoulders and kissed him. His whole body was burning hot, like a volcano.
As our lips parted, Seunghyuk exhaled a feverish breath and muttered softly:
“You’re awful. Saying stuff like that makes it really feel like Lee Yeonsu actually loves .”
“......”
He looked at with a lonely expression—and pulled into a hug.
Our lips t again, and that scorching heat swallowed whole.
It was the beginning of his rut cycle.
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