CHAPTER 94: CHAPTER 94: I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE YOU

Min‑jae froze.

He did look at him that way.

Every time.

Every second.

But—

If he confessed and vanished...

If he disappeared from this world without any warning...

Meical would be left behind with nothing but confusion and heartbreak.

Min‑jae lowered his gaze, feeling the ache spreading through his chest. "Meical... I can’t give you the answer you want. Not yet."

The silence that followed was heavy...too heavy.

Meical’s hand slowly loosened, he wasn’t pulling away, but easing the pressure. His expression dimmed just a little, the warmth replaced by something subdued. "I see.." he said quietly, his voice calm in that way he used when he was hiding disappointment. "Then I’ll wait. As long as I have to."

Guilt clawed at Min‑jae.

This man, this incredible, sincere, steady man, was willing to wait without knowing the real reason for his hesitation.

Min‑jae stepped closer, gently touching Meical’s chest right over his heartbeat. "Don’t misunderstand me.." he said softly. "It’s not that I don’t want to say it. It’s not that I don’t feel it."

Meical’s breath stilled.

"Then what is it?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Min‑jae looked up at him, eyes shadowed with fear he couldn’t explain. "There are things I can’t tell you yet.." he murmured. "But when I’m ready... I want to say it properly. Not halfway, not with doubts or lies..."

Meical studied him for a long moment, searching his expression, reading the sincerity beneath his hesitation.

Then slowly, gently, he lifted Min‑jae’s chin with two fingers, making their eyes meet fully.

"Alright.." he said quietly. "As long as it’s the truth... I can accept that."

Min‑jae let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, relief and sorrow mixing in his chest.

Meical gave him a faint, tired smile and brushed a thumb across his cheek, lingering there. "But when you’re ready... don’t hold back from me. Even if your feelings scare you. I want all of you... even the parts you’re afraid to show."

Min‑jae’s fingers tightened around Meical’s sleeve.

He wanted to give Meical everything.

But what if he vanish before he could?

What if loving him ends up hurting him more than anything else ever could?

He couldn’t say any of it.

Not in this moment.

Not when Meical was looking at him like he was the only thing left in his world.

Min‑jae took a slow breath, trying to steady the trembling inside him. "Let’s... keep walking.." he said softly. "It’s getting colder."

Meical nodded, still holding his hand as if he were afraid Min‑jae might slip away.

"Then stay close, let’s find Punz and go back inside.." he murmured, voice low and tender.

Min‑jae led the way quietly, their footsteps soft against the stone paths. Punz was nowhere in sight at first, but a soft rustle from the hedges announced her presence. She emerged with a stretch, her tail high, then darted ahead, pausing to glance back at them as if to say, Follow me.

Meical fell into step beside Min‑jae, his hand brushing Min‑jae’s lightly. The night air was cool, the lanterns flickering faintly along the walls and garden paths.

Neither spoke much; there was no need. The rhythm of them walking together, the sound of the crickets around was enough.

When they reached the house, Punz slipped through the door first, flicking her proudly.

Min‑jae chuckled softly, picking her up to set her down on the floor inside. "She always finds her way, that’s why she’s so fat." he said.

They entered their room in silence, the faint creak of the wood beneath their feet the only sound in the room.

"Shall we... bathe?" he asked softly.

Meical nodded, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Together?"

"Yes, I know you won’t let me bathe alone.." Min‑jae confirmed, stepping toward the bathroom.

Meical laughed. "You’re right on that..".

The bath was warm, the steam curling around them, softening the edges of the world outside.

They moved with their usual routine, splashing of water, soft chuckles when one nudged the other and gentle touches that lingered longer than necessary.

Min‑jae was the first to step out. He wrapped himself in a simple robe, his damp hair still clinging to his forehead.

He moved to the bed, smoothing the blankets, straightening the pillows, arranging the sheets the way he liked them. It was a quiet, domestic rhythm he found soothing after the long day, a small sanctuary of normalcy.

It would be an hassle to call the maids by the time.

He had just finished when he sensed Meical’s presence in the doorway. Wrapped in a towel, water droplets glinting faintly on his skin, Meical’s eyes met his, a teasing glimmer dancing in their depths.

Before Min‑jae could react, Meical was behind him, arms sliding around his waist.

The warmth pressed against him but that wasn’t what made Min‑jae freeze.

Something solid pressed through the towel at the small of his back, and he shivered sharply.

Why is it hard?!

"What...?" he murmured, his voice was slightly elevated but neither of them acknowledged in the elephant in room.

Or rather the elephant rubbing against Min-jae.

Meical’s breath ghosted over his neck. "You look... like a little wife when you do things like this.."he murmured as he stroked Min-jae’s belle.

Min‑jae tried to swallow, heat rushing to his face. He couldn’t believe he was feeling this, right now, like this, and neither of them had said anything about it.

"I—uh..." he started, then trailed off, fingers tightening on the sheets instinctively.

Meical’s hands moved slightly, as if unconsciously, the towel doing little to hide the weight pressing against Min‑jae. "I like it.." Meical whispered softly, pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck.

Min‑jae shivered again, caught between wanting to pull away and not wanting to.

The closeness, the weight, the teasing, the unspoken boldness of it, made his heart race.

"Your hair..." Meical murmured, voice lighter now, "it makes you look... boyish. But... mature. I like it, I also liked it when you had longer hair too.."

-_-

Min‑jae exhaled shakily, leaning back slightly, still pressed to Meical.

"What are you doing? Am I suppose to believe you’re hugging me without an agenda?"

He had no choice but to address the elephant in the room.

Meical chuckled as he raised a hand and pressed Min-jae to the bed.

The robe Min-jae was wearing, meant he had easy access.

Min-jae gulped, in his position, his ass was straight to Meical’s dick.

"You’re right. My agenda was to have sex with my wife and it seems he’s not complaining.."