noveltune Chapter 83
Chapter 83
Ryu Seo-ha’s eyes shook greatly. A tracking device? His eyelashes fluttered as he looked down at the spoon waiting by his mouth.
“You don’t need to worry about anything.”
Choi Gang-hu gently lifted Ryu Seo-ha sitting on his lap as if soothing a startled child. The touch quietly patting his thin thighs was not comforting at all.
“It’s just food containing nanobots with search-type skills applied.”
Even the words emphasizing that it wasn’t harmful to health didn’t register. There are quite a few items that can be forcibly equipped. There are ordinary GPS chips too. But why embed tracking functions in food of all things?
Choi Gang-hu was the man who had helped him redefine the meaning of meals. The person who taught him that eating could be a realm of pleasure beyond mere survival. But why this, of all things?
“...I’d rather wear handcuffs.”
Ryu Seo-ha shook his head, slightly lifting his wrists tightly bound with the necktie. Choi Gang-hu’s smile quickly faded as he grasped both his wrists with one hand.
“That wouldn’t reassure me.”
His expressionless face was chilling enough to make his heart sink.
“You could cut those off easily by yourself.”
It was as if he saw right through Ryu Seo-ha’s inner thoughts. That once he made up his mind to escape, he wouldn’t hesitate to use any means necessary without regard for his own body.
“Did you run away from me without even being prepared for this much?”
Choi Gang-hu’s thumb languidly caressed the skin inside the wrist held without resistance.
“I’ll personally feed you with my own hands every morning.”
He couldn’t guess the emotion contained in the softly whispered voice. Intense aversion gathered in Ryu Seo-ha’s eyes as he looked at the spoon persistently hovering around his mouth.
The thought that it would settle in his stomach and constantly transmit location information made him shudder with discomfort. To the point where the delicious pearl ice cream looked like disgusting insect eggs.
In fact, several devices for surveillance were already prepared. This was just adding one more method. But why did it cause such severe aversion? Because it was inserted into the body?
“It’s disposable and excreted in urine every day.”
Even hearing the additional explanation, he couldn’t bring himself to open his tightly closed lips. Ryu Seo-ha shook his head again. And looked up at Choi Gang-hu pleadingly.
“...I don’t like that.”
When he clearly expressed his refusal as previously instructed, Choi Gang-hu’s sharp eyes narrowed gently. Usually at this point, he would easily back down as if he had no choice. But this time, the atmosphere felt different somehow.
“I won’t run away anymore. No, I can’t run away.”
Ryu Seo-ha quickly continued, clenching his fists. Because otherwise, it seemed like Choi Gang-hu would forcibly feed him the tracking device in the ice cream right away.
“The remaining lifespan shown on my status window has increased.”
Perhaps because he was in a hurry, disorganized words tumbled out hastily.
“Remaining lifespan?”
“Yes. Just now when we kissed...”
The teaspoon that had been thrust right in front of his face slowly retreated and gently rested on top of the glass containing the ice cream.
Ryu Seo-ha, firmly grasping his shirt hem, asked quietly as he looked up at his lover leaving the dining room. At his much softer expression.
“Because you wanted it.”
When you like someone, the threshold for accepting losses caused by that person becomes more generous. To the point where you can willingly accept things you dislike, and gladly endure instinctive aversions.
“...I’m sorry for running away alone.”
He wanted to confirm it to himself. That he could sufficiently endure this much to soothe Choi Gang-hu’s wounded heart. Just like the many things he had to endure to protect his collapsed older sister.
“Why did you run away?”
Choi Gang-hu, who had been striding into the bathroom, stopped and asked back. His black eyes were deeply sunken, as if recalling the time he had chased the traces of his disappeared lover.
“Because I was scared.”
Ryu Seo-ha rested one cheek against his firm chest and smiled bitterly. In his past life’s childhood, he was forced to witness many deaths. Not one of those many people’s final moments could be easily forgotten.
“I didn’t want to remain in Choi Gang-hu’s memory as a dying image.”
It was a desire to be remembered by his precious ones with a face full of vitality. He also didn’t want to leave behind traumatic scenes for them before departing.
Perhaps he wasn’t actually ready to accept the parting. That was why death was frightening, even though he had already experienced the amazing miracle of reincarnation once.
“Didn’t you think about looking for new methods together with me?”
Choi Gang-hu said reproachfully as he set down the person he was holding onto the blanket-covered toilet lid. Ryu Seo-ha nodded with a slightly dejected smile.
He had considered whether or not to honestly confess the problem, but he hadn’t thought about looking for solutions together. It was a side effect of a life where he had always judged and sought everything alone.
Who would have known a method would appear so close by? If he had discussed and received help from the beginning, he might have found it much faster. He wouldn’t have had to leave unnecessary wounds on his lover’s heart.
“I was foolish.”
As he lowered his eyelashes, candidly admitting his mistake with regret, sweet kisses landed on both his eyelids, chu, chu. Ryu Seo-ha smiled, slightly closing and opening his eyes as if welcoming those lips.
“Are you trying to enchant someone by acting so pretty?”
Choi Gang-hu praised him, smiling back. His tone suggested the coldly boiling anger had subsided a lot. It seemed worth it to have obediently entrusted his body to him like a doll.
Hoping that his anger had eased somewhat and he might now untie his hands, Ryu Seo-ha quietly lifted his head. Choi Gang-hu was putting mint-flavored toothpaste on a new toothbrush.
“Are you... going to brush your teeth?”
When he quietly asked with subtle anxiety, Choi Gang-hu smiled brightly and brought the toothbrush to Ryu Seo-ha’s mouth.
“You first.”
“You need to untie this...”
“There’s no need to get your hands wet.”
The sound of water gushing from the faucet that moved on its own to fill the bathtub could be heard.
“I’ll wash you.”
It was the sound of anxiety becoming reality.