M 74

“…”

“Still, that person didn’t make any serious threats earlier. Rather, I heard only unbelievably… good things.”

Ki Tae-jeong’s breath made him feel moist and ticklish. It was hard to tell if this man was breathing, sighing in admiration, or kissing his neck.

“…I think General Oh Seon-ran said something about your real father earlier.”

“Ah… yes. He said he knew the person who gave birth to me well.”

Ki Tae-jeong tightened his arm around Sehwa’s waist once, then loosened it.

“You told me before that there was a big shot connected to the old experiments, right? Could that person be…”

“That’s right. It’s General Oh Seon-ran.”

“Hmm…”

Sehwa rubbed his eyebrows idly while choosing his words. So he wasn’t completely unrelated after all.

But he didn’t know how to begin explaining what he had just heard. It was such a bewildering story that he thought Ki Tae-jeong might find it ridiculous that he even listened to such nonsense.

After pondering for a moment, Sehwa decided not to tell Ki Tae-jeong everything that General Oh Seon-ran had told him. It was unbelievable that such an important person had been looking for him on behalf of his biological father…

However, it seemed certain that he was connected to the person who gave birth to him based on the circumstances. Hadn’t Ki Tae-jeong also mentioned it in passing before?

What had happened to him recently couldn’t be described as mere luck. In a card game, if the cards matched this perfectly, one should quickly fold. If the good flow couldn’t be explained by luck, then it must have been designed by someone.

So there’s no need to get excited. The only thing certain now is that his birth is more deeply intertwined with the military than he thought. Since Ki Tae-jeong also said he would look into his parents… it’s enough to solve the difficult puzzle after finding all the clues.

“Was the content written on that certificate earlier related to your birth?”

“Ah, yes. But does such a thing really exist? It’s said to be guaranteed by a high-ranking person…”

“It’s a privilege given only to Generals… but as Oh Seon-ran said, we should verify if it’s genuine.”

Even if it’s the head of state, they shouldn’t give guarantees carelessly…. While he was having such idle thoughts, Ki Tae-jeong suddenly turned to Sehwa and said something strange.

“Let’s go together, then.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s true that I have bad feelings towards Oh Seon-ran because he’s the person Lieutenant Kim serves… but I don’t intend to deceive you about things like this.”

“Ah, yes…”

“If you’re that uneasy, let’s check it together. But that bastard also climbed to that position doing crazy things like me in his heyday… No, never mind. Don’t whine later, just come with me from the start. That’ll do, right?”

Huh? Sehwa followed Ki Tae-jeong with a puzzled face, taking quick steps. He didn’t seem to be expecting an answer either.

Why is he getting so worked up? Is he worried I might secretly contact Oh Seon-ran? As he listed his thoughts as they came, Sehwa suddenly found his heart melting at a small phrase that had briefly crossed his mind.

…Is he adding all these explanations because he’s afraid I might suspect him of lying again?

“Brigadier General.”

“…”

“Brigadier General…”

Is what I’m thinking correct? Are you explaining so many times, unlike yourself, because you don’t want to see me upset, suspicious, or crying anymore?

“Brigadier General, please slow down a bit…”

“…”

“…Let’s go together.”

At the small plea to walk beside him, the long legs that had been striding ahead suddenly stopped as if broken. Even though he had carefully approached to just half a step away, the man didn’t move. He just kept looking at him.

Sehwa tentatively stood right next to him. Only then did Ki Tae-jeong start walking again. This time it was so slow that it was almost frustrating. It was clear he had never walked side by side with anyone before. Especially not adjusting himself to match someone else.

The two moved slower than a turtle, slower than a snail. It was a long time before they could step onto the escalator. Sehwa felt like butterflies were flying in his chest. With each flutter of their thin, delicate wings, something like sugar powder was piling up softly on his heart. It was ticklish and sweet.

This much… should be okay, right? Since Ki Tae-jeong approached first. Just being a little happy about it…

“Does your eye hurt?”

“…Pardon?”

“You’ve been touching your eye for a while now.”

“Ah, that’s…”

As he lowered his hand that had been unknowingly rubbing his eyelid, Sehwa suddenly felt curious and looked up at Ki Tae-jeong.

“Brigadier General, am I cross-eyed by any chance?”

“What nonsense is this now.”

While chiding him, Ki Tae-jeong stared at Sehwa’s eyes for a long time.

“…They’re the same.”

Only when it became almost burdensome to even blink his eyelashes did he turn his head with an unreadable expression.

“I see… That’s a relief.”

When Sehwa only heard General Oh Seon-ran’s words, it seemed that the person who gave birth to him… couldn’t have been in a comfortable situation when pregnant either. He said he felt sad because he couldn’t eat white rice cakes during pregnancy.

Still, seeing that his eyes weren’t uneven, Sehwa thought the baby in the womb wouldn’t have different-sized eyes just because it couldn’t eat some cherries. As Sehwa was vaguely thinking this, he suddenly startled himself and shook his head briefly. What did he know? He wasn’t going to have the baby anyway, so what did it matter if it had uneven eyes…

“Lee Sehwa.”

Ki Tae-jeong, who had been looking at the elaborately embroidered displays along the winding escalator, casually called out, “Lee Sehwa.” The gap between the surname and given name somehow seemed longer than usual.

“Since you asked something out of the blue, I’m just saying something random too.”

Even after starting, Ki Tae-jeong was silent for a long time. Occasionally, he would slightly squint one eye. It was like when you bite into something sour and it’s a bit uncomfortable.

“…That night when I brought you to the official residence and just held you while we slept.”

“…”

Ah. At this unexpected opening, Sehwa’s eyes widened in surprise. Moreover, surprisingly, he seemed to be choosing his words carefully… for his sake.

“I touched your stomach because I was curious that you’d gained weight since we first met. …I didn’t do it knowing anything.”

While it was both surprising and grateful to see the man being considerate of him… the excuse he blurted out at this timing was completely incomprehensible. He didn’t even know what this explanation was for…

Sehwa blankly examined his own stomach.

“Did I gain that much weight? I can’t really tell…”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant!”

“…”

“I’m saying you look better than when you were skin and bones.”

Sehwa, who couldn’t understand the brusque man’s words at first and just blinked, belatedly realized the meaning and his face turned bright red.

Ki Tae-jeong had called him pretty a few times before. But that was as meaningless as when he called him “baby.” It was just empty flirtation without any substance.

But these words he suddenly brought up now… somehow…

Sehwa lightly tapped his chest. His heart felt like it would burst like a balloon. The way he offered to go check the certificate together at General Oh Seon-ran’s office in case he had doubts, and how he tried to explain a past incident that suddenly came to mind, even if belatedly, somehow…

“What are you thinking that’s making your face so red?”

“Huh?”

“Look, I think your cheeks are bleeding.”

Sehwa was startled when he finally saw his reflection in the passing glass.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just…”

“…Lee Sehwa.”

Ki Tae-jeong, who had briefly distanced himself as if measuring something, soon came close and put his hand on his waist.

“Do you perhaps want to do it?”

Do what…? As Sehwa tilted his head in confusion, his face turning as red as if it were bleeding, he slapped Ki Tae-jeong’s hand. It was something he wouldn’t have dared to do normally, but he was so shocked and surprised that he pushed him away without realizing it.

“Hmm… But is it okay to have s3x now? You are 6 weeks, right?”

Despite his relatively sharp slap, Ki Tae-jeong didn’t budge and just continued saying what he wanted to say.

“Even if we can’t put it in, at least I could make you cum by licking…”

“Brigadier General!”

Sehwa hurriedly looked around. Fortunately, there was no one around. Whether it was originally a quiet time or if people had retreated because two star-ranked officers were present, he wasn’t sure… but anyway.

“What? Earlier you were looking at me like you wanted to lick me…”

Ki Tae-jeong placed his cap-like hat on Sehwa’s head. He deliberately pulled the brim down, blocking his view completely.

“I thought maybe you were turned on seeing me in uniform for the first time.”

From under the military cap he had awkwardly lifted, Ki Tae-jeong pushed his handsome face close and smiled.