DL Episode 79

#79

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, each word that passed Ha-gyeom’s lips only fueling Baek Sa’s restrained desire. Ha-gyeom’s hesitant murmurs dissolved between their lips, replaced by the heat of their increasingly fervent kisses.

Baek Sa’s hand, firm yet careful, roamed to the curve of Ha-gyeom’s lower back, trailing to the swell of his hips. The warmth of Ha-gyeom’s body against his own was intoxicating, each trembling breath and uncertain movement heightening the charged atmosphere.

“…What kind of fantasies?” Baek Sa asked again, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver through Ha-gyeom.

The younger man froze for a moment, his lips parting as though to answer, but instead, he buried his face against Baek Sa’s neck, his hands tightening their hold.

Baek Sa smirked faintly, sensing the mounting tension. “You don’t have to hide it,” he murmured, his lips brushing against Ha-gyeom’s ear. “Whatever you imagined, you can tell me. Or…”

He tilted Ha-gyeom’s chin upward, their eyes locking. “…show me.”

Ha-gyeom’s cheeks burned an even deeper shade of red as his lips trembled with unsaid words. Unable to bear the intensity of Baek Sa’s gaze, he averted his eyes, choosing instead to lean closer, closing the gap with another kiss.

The kiss deepened quickly, their bodies pressing flush against each other. Ha-gyeom’s hands moved hesitantly to Baek Sa’s chest, fingers brushing against the taut muscles before trailing lower.

Baek Sa caught the younger man’s hand just as it reached the buckle of his belt.

“Not yet,” Baek Sa muttered, his tone firm but not unkind. He pulled Ha-gyeom’s hand back to rest against his chest, his other hand gently cupping Ha-gyeom’s flushed face.

Ha-gyeom’s breath hitched, his frustration evident, but he didn’t resist. Instead, his gaze flickered back to Baek Sa’s, filled with a mix of anticipation and yearning.

“Whatever you want,” Baek Sa said softly, his thumb brushing over Ha-gyeom’s cheekbone. “As long as it’s here, with me.”

Ha-gyeom’s lips parted as if to respond, but his words were swallowed by Baek Sa’s mouth as their lips met again. The intensity grew, but Baek Sa kept his movements deliberate, reining in his own desires to match Ha-gyeom’s hesitant pace.

Every sound Ha-gyeom made, every shiver that coursed through his body, only drew Baek Sa in further. His control slipped slightly as he pressed his hips forward, eliciting a soft gasp from Ha-gyeom.

“I’ll give you everything,” Baek Sa murmured against Ha-gyeom’s lips, his voice heavy with promise. “Just trust me.”

Ha-gyeom’s eyes fluttered shut as he nodded, his trust implicit and unwavering despite the lingering uncertainty. Baek Sa held him closer, their bodies entwined as the intensity of the moment consumed them both.

* * *

Baek Sa opened his eyes to the sound of rustling and silently watched Ha-gyeom climb out of bed. Though the movements were slow and heavy in the dim light, there wasn’t a hint of hesitation in Ha-gyeom’s actions as he left Baek Sa’s embrace.

Stretching where he stood, Ha-gyeom’s frame came into sharp relief, his lean muscles and red marks stark against his back. As he reached for his precariously hanging pants, he turned unexpectedly, locking eyes with Baek Sa.

“……”

Ha-gyeom, now fully conscious, no longer fumbled like before. He simply touched his reddened earlobes awkwardly, but that was the extent of his unease. His expression was weary, devoid of words, as he quietly walked away.

Baek Sa, his lower half modestly covered by a sheet, gazed at him with an unreadable expression. He had expected lingering glances or at least a few words exchanged, but all he heard was the sound of the shower turning on.

Ssshh—

It was as if Ha-gyeom was determined to wash away not just physical grime but emotions as well. Baek Sa’s eyes turned cold as he sat up, his body tense.

For the past two days, they had shared countless kisses, and Baek Sa had exerted immense self-control, focusing instead on easing Ha-gyeom’s fever and internal injuries. Ha-gyeom had occasionally resisted while in his arms but inevitably succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep.

Even now, Baek Sa’s lips tingled faintly at the memory of their contact. Despite his restraint, an uncomfortable tightness lingered in his core. But his self-imposed limits had left the sheets impeccably clean.

Still, the tension gnawed at him.

Rising from the bed, Baek Sa drank some water, his thoughts drifting as he stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. Dawn had yet to break, and the faint ambient light made the scene outside ethereal.

Not long after, Ha-gyeom emerged from the shower, toweling his damp hair as he took a seat across the table. Droplets of water slid down his neck and soaked into his white shirt. Baek Sa watched silently.

A knock at the door broke the stillness. Rising, Baek Sa opened it to find Tae-seong, who offered a warm bowl of porridge. Without a word, Tae-seong handed it over and left. Baek Sa placed the bowl in front of Ha-gyeom.

“Eat. You need it to recover.”

Ha-gyeom nodded, his expression devoid of resentment, anger, or even lingering desire. Expecting resistance, Baek Sa was momentarily surprised by the compliance and refrained from scolding further as he sat back down.

“Thank you for the food.”

Hearing those familiar words reminded Baek Sa of how Ha-gyeom never forgot to say them as a child. Though it was unsettling to see Ha-gyeom still treating him as Baek Seung-woo, Baek Sa merely frowned as he noticed Ha-gyeom’s trembling hands while lifting the spoon.

Ha-gyeom seemed genuinely hungry, eating the porridge quickly despite its lack of texture. When some spilled at the corner of his mouth, Baek Sa instinctively reached out to wipe it away, only for Ha-gyeom to turn his head sharply.

“I can do it myself now.”

Deliberately, Ha-gyeom cleaned his lips, then spoke with a hint of defiance.

“You might still see me as the nine-year-old I once was, but—”

Baek Sa leaned forward, interrupting him.

“Think about what we’ve been doing for the past two days, and you’ll realize how absurd that is. I’m not some bastard who gets excited over a nine-year-old.”

Ha-gyeom flinched, biting his lip only to wince in pain. His face reddened, though the dim light obscured it.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

“You think like Director Kim, don’t you? That I’m safer here if I stay ignorant.”

Whatever Kim Hye-jeong had told him before his arrival, Baek Sa had no doubt it was something to that effect. Agreeing silently, Baek Sa nodded, prompting Ha-gyeom to meet his gaze with rebellious eyes.

“That’s why you still see me as a child.”

“……”

“If I can’t be anything but a helpless survivor here, what makes me any different from who I was back then?”

“……”

“All the training I’ve gone through—doesn’t that mean anything? Or do you, like Director Kim, only see me as someone to protect, not as an equal?”

Though Ha-gyeom’s voice remained low, his agitation was evident. His breath quickened as he added, mindful of those outside the room.

“Is my only purpose to stop you from losing control? I don’t believe you raised me to be that way. If I’m no different from the child who needed rescuing all those years ago, then what has any of this been for?”

His eyes, reddened with unshed tears, betrayed his youthful vulnerability. Yet his words carried the conviction of someone who had outgrown his role as a victim. Objectively, he wasn’t wrong. Ha-gyeom was no longer just a rescued child; he was an S-rank guide, capable of producing immense purification waves.

Even so, Baek Sa couldn’t agree. Worst-case scenarios flashed through his mind: Ha-gyeom reduced to the state of Arang, confined to a lab, or worse. He had grown accustomed to tolerating corruption, loss, and sacrifice for the sake of survival, but Ha-gyeom’s presence threatened to unravel that fragile balance.

Before Baek Sa could respond, Ha-gyeom spoke with quiet determination.

“You think it’s hard to protect me here? Even if you can’t, I won’t hold it against you. I owe you everything for saving me.”

“……”

“But you should know this. If you protect me, I’ll protect you. It’s not just my duty—it’s my purpose.”