Guest Ch 34

Misunderstandings and Truth (4)

Before I could gauge his intention, Lee Yiseon pulled me by the wrist. I widened my eyes in surprise. It happened so quickly that there wasn’t even time for a scream to escape.

I stumbled and was pulled into his arms, awkwardly ending up sitting on his thigh. Leaning against his solid thigh, my body stiffened involuntarily. Not a word escaped my mouth.

Still not fully grasping the situation, Lee Yiseon, who had kept his mouth closed until now, finally spoke.

“If I want to keep treating you as ‘Woo Hyunho’, is it okay for me to keep interfering with you?”

It wasn’t a question; it was more like asking for permission. This wasn’t the kind of thing one should say while being so close. I stood up and asked again.

“Treat me as a friend, not as Prophet?”

But before I could even get up, he grabbed me again. The force of the pull made me collapse onto his thigh. His firm thigh, which seemed to be as thick as the waist of a young girl, pressed against the inside of mine. My body, which had been tense for a while, stiffened even more.

“Can we start by being friends?”

Oh no… This posture is a bit…

Flustered by the strength that held my wrist, I tried to pull away.

“Do you want to be friends with me?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“What’s with that? Do you want something other than friendship?”

Lee Yiseon gave me an unreadable look. Then, with his other hand, he wrapped his arm around my waist. Worried that the strange tension from the bathtub might return, I blocked his hand before it could reach my waist.

“Don’t do this.”

Do you even know how I felt that night, kicking off the blanket? I don’t want to go through that again.

“Who touches a friend like this?”

I quickly continued as I pushed his hand away from my waist.

“And even if we become friends, the roles of ‘Captain’ and ‘Prophet’ won’t change. I still need to dream, and you still need to use my dreams. If I don’t do my job well, we’ll end up fighting like this every time. Do you think we can stay friends like that? It’ll only ruin things. I don’t want my emotions getting mixed up in a relationship that’s unclear.”

The wild dogs joined forces to attack the western tanker, didn’t they? If the cause lies with me, and you plan to vent your anger on me as a friend every time, I won’t be able to handle it. I was about to say that this is why a friendship between us is inappropriate, but then Lee Yiseon said something else strange.

“I don’t mind doing this with you.”

You like fighting? Is he out of his mind?

“If you want to fight, there’s Toya, the Doctor, and Black Foot.”

“Doing this with them would be awful.”

“Are you saying it’s okay with me?”

“Yeah. You’re fine.”

“I guess you can’t hear the sound of my insides turning over.”^[1]

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Getting pleasure out of someone else’s suffering… Are you a pervert?”

“Is this suffering?”

“When you’re angry, I get stressed. Of course it’s suffering.”

“No, I’m asking if this is suffering.”

We were clearly talking about different things. I wanted to establish the boundaries between myself as Prophet and him as Captain, but what on earth was he talking about? While I was lost in thought, Lee Yiseon didn’t miss his chance.

Sreuk.

The hand that had been blocking him wrapped around my waist. I missed my chance to push his hand away. Thanks to that, my body, which had been perched on his thighs, was now pulled tightly against him.

In an instant, our chests were pressed together. Our waists touched as well. My lower body pressed against his stomach, and the raw sensation made my face flush with heat.

“Wait a minute.”

As I tried to get up, he held me down by force. The difference in grip strength was too great. I had no chance of escaping through strength alone.

“What are you… huh… .”

Before I could finish speaking in my panic, his lips were on mine. My eyes flew wide open.

This again….

I tried to push him away with my free hand, but the hand that had been on my waist blocked my attempt. I couldn’t pull my hand from his grip. With both of my hands pinned, his tongue slipped into my open mouth.

“!”

I was so shocked that I inhaled sharply. The surprise from when he was toying with my lips hadn’t even worn off yet. This time, my tongue was overwhelmed as it met his, brushing against my teeth and the roof of my mouth, making it hard to breathe.

“Mm, Lee, Yiseon!”

I struggled, trying to free my hands. They didn’t budge.

This guy… how is he so strong…!

Assessing my resistance, Lee Yiseon grabbed both of my wrists with one hand. Apparently, he thought that was enough. With his other hand, he pulled me even closer by the waist and kissed me more deeply.

“What the hell are you doing, ah, ah… .”

I turned my head to avoid the kiss, but he persistently followed. Our lips mashed together. His tongue pressed between them. The vivid sensation of hot, sticky saliva mixing was overwhelming.

Thump, Thump!

My heart pounded wildly in shock. Our bodies were so close that I felt as if my heartbeat was echoing in Lee Yiseon’s chest.

“You crazy bastard, who does this with a friend? .”

Lee Yiseon… this crazy guy… What the hell are you thinking….

He pulled his tongue back into his own mouth. His strange, intense kiss, where he sucked on my tongue, left me dazed.

It’s just like the dream I had when we were in the red spider lily flower field. The feeling was the same in the dream.

“Woo Hyunho.”

The deep bass of his voice made my waist flinch involuntarily. He whispered as he licked the saliva off my lips.

“You said you didn’t like gentle kisses. Do you want it rough?”

“What? No, what are you talking about… When did I ever say I didn’t like gentle kisses…?”

…Huh? Is this something from a dream?

It was a dream we had, lying in bed, staring at each other. There was no time to argue with Lee Yiseon, who was speaking words from that dream. I was too busy dealing with him kissing me roughly to even ask how he knew about a dream I hadn’t mentioned.

“Oh, shit, hey, wait, just stop for a second, you crazy bastard.”

He grabbed my waist, spun me around, and sat on my thighs. As I lost my balance and tilted, he pushed me all the way onto the sofa. Then, he pressed down on me with his entire body. His weight settled between my legs, making it hard to breathe as the air was forced out of my throat.

“Ah!”

There was a significant difference in size between Lee Yiseon and me. In this position, lying down, I couldn’t possibly push him off.

“Hey, hey, hey! Stop, seriously, stop, hey…!”

Lee Yiseon, pressing down heavily, cupped my head in his hands and kissed me. As the kiss became more intense, my vision started to blur.

“Hnn, uh, wait, n-no, ah!”

I didn’t know when to breathe. I had no idea what to do with the tongue invading my mouth. He held my face so tightly that I couldn’t turn away or avoid the kiss, making it impossible to resist.

Should I bite? But it’ll hurt a lot if I bite his tongue, is that okay?

“Ugh, mmm, ugh…”

I couldn’t bring myself to bite down. It felt like I would end up biting my own tongue, not his. Instead, I reached out with both hands. I grabbed his shoulders and tried to push him away, but there was no response. Even when I clenched my fists and hit him, it was the same. The more fiercely I resisted, the more my strength faded.

“Ah, mmm, ugh, ah…”

My limp fingers touched his back, sliding over his sweat- and blood-soaked skin.

There was nothing to hold on to. His back was hard and smooth. I clawed at it desperately, digging my nails into his flesh, trembling. With nothing else to grasp, I clung to him, gasping for air as his kisses rained down on me.

“Haa, ha, ha, stop.”

Lee Yiseon murmured against my lips.

“Haa… See? I told you. I told you to give me something to do.”

“Suddenly doing this….. ah, stop, I said stop.”

“I clearly warned you that if I had nothing to do when I came back, I wouldn’t leave you alone.”

“Wh-who would’ve guessed it meant this!”

“Woo Hyunho.”

“Ugh, no, no, I said no, hey…!”

Squeak.

The cheap faux-leather sofa crinkled beneath us. Lee Yiseon’s breathing grew heavier as he panted over me. It was clear he wanted to strip me. I could feel his desire to touch bare skin and delve into the flesh he had savored.

I shuddered at the eerie sensation of being penetrated by his gaze alone.

Wheeing.

A high-pitched, sharp sound pierced the air, halting the barrage of kisses. I, too, gasped for breath.

“Haa, haa.”

His lips slowly pulled away from mine. The string of saliva connecting our tongues broke in midair.

Lee Yiseon’s usual cold, pale face was now flushed deeply red. His hot breath swept me into a chaotic mess, and our breathing mingled.

“Hah…”

“Haa, haa.”

His jet-black eyes reflected my image. I looked unfamiliar to myself, my face flushed red, unsure of what to do. My hair was a mess, and even my neck and ears had turned bright red. It felt strange, even to me.

Wheeing.

As the siren continued to wail, I let go of his back, which I had been clutching tightly with my nails. Lee Yiseon slowly got up. The sound of the siren, not far away, filled the entire West Fort.

Lee Yiseon stood up and opened the door to the mechanical room, causing the piercing noise to grow sharper. He didn’t even seem to have time to grab a new shirt. Instead, he quickly strapped on the chest and waist belts with his gun holster over his bare upper body.

“What’s going on?”

I asked, wiping my wet lips with the back of my hand. Lee Yiseon pulled his gun from the holster and checked the magazine. Then, grabbing his coat, he spoke.

“The wild dogs we fought during the day have invaded.”

Lee Yiseon snapped the last remaining magazine into the gun.

“They really didn’t stray far from what I expected.”

He slipped his arms into his coat and stepped out the door. I hastily straightened my disheveled clothes and followed him out.

Lee Yiseon approached the rooftop railing and looked down at the street below. Even in the dead of night, people were moving frantically. Cars were heading toward the southeast of the fortress, near Boramae Park.

After confirming the tense situation, Lee Yiseon checked his watch. It didn’t seem like we had much time. Without warning, he wrapped his arm around my waist. As I hesitated, he pulled me into his coat and whispered.

“I have a lot to say, but let’s postpone it.”

Unable to bring myself to look him in the eye, I lowered my head.

“…Okay.”

“Don’t let your thoughts spiral in a bad direction by yourself.”

“What do you mean by ‘bad direction’?”

“Every time you’re alone, you overthink and consider the worst-case scenarios. Don’t do that this time.”

“Don’t act like you know everything.”

“I know because I’ve been watching you carefully.”

Even without looking up, I could feel Lee Yiseon’s gaze. He was staring at my still-wet lips. His intense gaze lingered on my mouth and eyes.

Lee Yiseon tilted his head slightly. As his breath touched my ear, his low voice slipped out.

“Don’t let negative thoughts consume you while I’m gone. Absolutely not.”

It must have been a warning about our relationship. I felt embarrassed that he was whispering to me even in such a moment, but I pretended not to notice and asked,

“Should I wait here again this time?”

Lee Yiseon didn’t answer my question with a simple ‘yes.’ His face was filled with concern.

The road below was filled with commotion. Military vehicles were approaching. Women, who I hadn’t seen before, also appeared. Each of them was carrying something. Although it was dark and hard to see clearly, it seemed they had brought extra guns, knives, fireworks, or flashlights to quickly alert other outposts. Some women were driving cars, checking extra fuel, and water supplies.

The fact that the fortress had been invaded meant the situation was urgent. Even the women, who had been protected, were naturally stepping up to support the battlefield from the rear. They were not only filling the gaps left by the men but also stepping forward to fight.

“Captain!”

Bang!

The rooftop door burst open. Toya, panting heavily, appeared. She was dressed in her usual purple tracksuit. A quiver full of arrows was strapped to her back, and she held a bow taller than herself.

“It’s them. The Wolf Fang pack from earlier today.”

Lee Yiseon released me from his arms and turned to face Toya.

“Who’s in charge of the eastern wall?”

“The one-eyed man and the one-legged man.”

“How many sentries?”

“I’m not sure. A little over 80?”

“The Wolf Fang has more than 50 people. It might be dangerous.”

“Let’s go quickly! We have to fight them all off!”

Seeing Toya shout aggressively, Lee Yiseon immediately grabbed my hand and pulled me over to her. He said, standing me next to Toya,

“Take him to the apartment.”

Toya’s eyes widened. She glanced between me and Lee Yiseon, then curled her lips.

“You could just leave him alone, so why take him?”

“It’s not safe here.”

“If it’s not safe here, where in the world is safe?”

“Just listen to me.”

“I can’t believe you’re saying it’s dangerous where the captain is.”

“Even Wolf Fang knows where the Prophet is staying.”

At that, Toya’s expression turned to one of shock. She had believed that the safest place in the world was wherever Lee Yiseon was, but now that belief had been shattered. Lee Yiseon continued speaking calmly.

“Tell the apartment guards it’s an exception. Let them take in a man.”

After hesitating for a while, Toya finally responded boldly.

“Got it! I’ll leave the Prophet in the apartment, then join you at the eastern wall.”

“No, you stay in the apartment, too.”

“Captain!”

“That’s more important. Defend that first.”

“There aren’t enough sentries as it is. If I’m missing, who’s going to cover for me?”

“The wall can fall, but not the apartment. If the women’s crops and water supply are taken, we’ll suffer even greater losses. Defend it at all costs.”

“Leave the rear, not the front line.”

Toya didn’t try to argue but instead tightly closed her thin lips. Lee Yiseon seemed to think that the barrier would inevitably be breached. It appeared that the aftereffects of the battle fought earlier in the day were too severe to perfectly defend the wall.

“Go down to the first floor.”

Lee Yiseon pointed to the door with his chin. Toya didn’t argue anymore.

“Got it.”

Only after the sound of her footsteps faded did I urgently ask Lee Yiseon.

“Is this a dangerous situation?”

Lee Yiseon only said what was necessary, without answering yes or no.

“There’s an apartment complex in Shinpung where women live. It’s large enough to house over a thousand households. It’s a place men can’t even approach, but the Prophet has been accepted there a few times. Go there and wait. If I manage to defend the barrier, I’ll come find you.”

“Lee Yiseon. Is defending the barrier difficult?”

“We will have to try to know. But just be aware of one thing: it’s rare for the siren to sound like this.”

“All of this happened because of me. Can’t I at least talk to Wolf Fang?”

Why should I be the only one safe in this darkness? I’m the Prophet. If I use my value, we could negotiate and ensure the safety of the people here. There’s no need to hide me, and no need for you to suffer unnecessarily.

“Go and get some sleep.”

“Lee Yiseon.”

“I have no intention of negotiating with you.”

I understand that you want to monopolize the Prophet, but still. If there’s a card to play, why not use it?

“When you were captured by Wolf Fang.”

Lee Yiseon took a step closer to me. The already dark surroundings were swallowed by an even deeper shadow cast by his long figure.

“The reason I was able to provoke them by saying, ‘Try to kill him,’ was because I had the confidence to put a bullet in Wolf Fang’s head.”

Lee Yiseon muttered as if he was still troubled by what had happened back then.

“It was possible then. But now, I can’t guarantee it.”

I couldn’t ask why. I couldn’t ask why we kissed in there, why you blushed while we kissed, or why I kept looking at your lips, still wet.

For now, everything had to be left unsaid. I couldn’t promise a future when I had no idea what could happen just minutes later. The only time Lee Yiseon ever revealed his true feelings was when it was absolutely safe. In situations without that safety, he maintained an impeccable poker face, controlling his emotions and staying colder than anyone.

“I’ll come find you when it’s over.”

Lee Yiseon pushed me through the rooftop door. Unlike me, heading indoors where the red sand couldn’t reach, he remained outside, still hit by the wind that whipped around the high-rise, turning his coat inside out.

“Sleep well. Don’t think about bad things.”

That was the kindest farewell Lee Yiseon could offer me right now.

The sound of sirens still echoed in the distance. Beneath it, the noise of hastily driven cars continued. It was Lee Yiseon who let go of my hand first. In such an unfamiliar and strange situation, all I could do was stare at him for a while.

Lee Yiseon’s profile, as he gazed toward the direction of the sirens, seemed as if it were being swallowed by the darkness, ready to disappear at any moment.

<Continued in Volume 2>