IPSTDS Chapter 76

Chapter 76

The moment he asked if he was nothing but a rutting beast, his head burned hot. It seemed Lee Kangil had flicked his forehead lightly.

“I’m not. You’ve got it completely wrong.”

“But you said you’ve dried plenty of people’s hair before. You wouldn’t have washed someone for no reason.”

“Not people. A dog.”

“What?”

“When I was a kid, we had a big Labrador. Its fur was long and thick, so after washing it, I had to spend ages drying it.”

“……”

So what he’d dried wasn’t someone’s hair but a dog’s fur. Nahyuk felt embarrassed, realizing he had completely misunderstood and gotten jealous for nothing.

“That dog followed only me so well, if anyone else touched its wet fur, it would go crazy. So washing and drying it was my job.”

“Where is it now?”

“……It died.”

Damn, had he asked the wrong thing?

Nahyuk glanced up at Kangil cautiously. But Kangil only looked down at him without any change in expression.

It was a relief. Nahyuk hoped the moment would pass quietly, but Kangil whispered as if he had been waiting.

“Darling, were you jealous just now?”

If he admitted it, what would Kangil say in return?

Nahyuk tucked his lips inward and simply met his gaze. Kangil’s black pupils looked far clearer than they had that morning.

“I like it when you’re jealous.”

Unlike Nahyuk, who always hesitated and second-guessed himself, Kangil was bluntly honest.

His unrelenting gaze seemed to say, “I’ve already noticed what you’re struggling with, so you can stop hiding it now.”

In the end, Nahyuk decided to be honest.

“……From now on, only dry my hair.”

Even if it was just until their little lovers’ play came to an end.

“Alright, I understand.”

Kangil’s low voice, answering calmly without a trace of mischief, was needlessly pleasing.

After that, they had breakfast together.

Song, the butler who used to dote on Seo Dowoong, and the servants seemed to have grown quite close with Kangil as well, chatting with him or giving him friendly smiles.

“Please continue to stay close with our young master. We’re so glad he finally has another friend.”

It was questionable whether two people who got excited from seeing each other naked could really be called friends, but Nahyuk just smiled.

“Don’t worry. These days, I’m the one Noah spends the most time with.”

Saying that, Kangil slyly asked why they had even brought up another friend.

“But isn’t Seo Dowoong not on good terms with Noah lately? He gave our Noah a hard time.”

“Oh my, did he really? That doesn’t sound like young master Dowoong at all…”

“Manager Song. I’ve been friends with Dowoong for a long time too. Like you said, he isn’t normally like that, but maybe he’s been struggling lately. Sometimes he vents his frustration on people around him.”

“Oh dear…”

“So please, keep an eye on him. Just in case Dowoong tries to pull anything stupid with Noah.”

Well now, he sure knew how to badmouth Seo Dowoong while sounding like he was defending him.

Anyone who didn’t know the real relationship between the two would think they were truly close friends.

Nahyuk curled his lips in a mocking smile. He knew well enough that the two pretended to be friends but didn’t actually like each other.

“……Still, last time he came over, he looked so affectionate with you.”

That careless remark from Manager Song caused trouble. The grin on Kangil’s face, which had looked a little unhinged, cracked.

“Last time… Seo Dowoong came here?”

“Yes, he stayed the night and even had breakfast before leaving.”

It must have been that time a few days ago when Seo Dowoong showed up drunk. Nahyuk had completely forgotten about it.

“……Ah. He stayed the night and had breakfast?”

Under the table, Nahyuk stepped lightly on Kangil’s foot.

He shook his head vigorously as if nothing had happened, but there was no way to fix Kangil’s expression, already hardened.

If he didn’t explain himself now, Kangil would only get angrier. Nahyuk hurried to speak.

“Kangil, that time Seo Dowoong just came on his own. After he saw me celebrate your birthday, I guess he wanted his celebrated too.”

“That was a while ago then.”

“Yes, so don’t worry. He only stayed to sleep, that’s all.”

He didn’t mention collapsing that day because of his heart.

He didn’t want Kangil to worry—only to clear up any misunderstanding.

He spilled out excuses he wasn’t even good at making, only to realize something.

“Kangil seems pretty jealous too.”

That sulky look on Kangil’s face felt like proof that his words about liking him hadn’t been lies.

The realization almost made Nahyuk smile.

Even though he should have been smoothing over Kangil’s mood, he felt strangely pleased. It wasn’t just him feeling jealous.

Thinking back, Kangil had often shown flashes of jealousy about Kim Daon as well.

“Could it be… I can really expect Kangil’s feelings to be genuine?”

Could such a miracle happen—that they truly liked each other?

After how long since he’d been condemned for hoping for someone’s heart, here he was again, daring to hope.

But the heart can’t be controlled. Nahyuk couldn’t deny he was hoping for Kangil’s feelings.

He ended up smiling sideways, and at that moment Kangil snapped.

“You’re smiling right now?”

Sorry, Kangil. But your jealous, flustered face is just too satisfying.

Nahyuk covered his mouth with both hands and lowered his head. He couldn’t stop the foolish smile from spilling out.

The conversation ended as they began their meal. But throughout breakfast, Kangil made it obvious he was still in a bad mood.

It seemed he really hated knowing Seo Dowoong had stayed the night.

But there was one thing Kangil had overlooked. Between the two who shared the same birthday, Nahyuk had celebrated only Kangil’s.

Maybe that was why Seo Dowoong had acted so out of character.

And then, Nahyuk suddenly remembered Kangil’s words.

‘……Why do you think Seo Dowoong acts that way? Is it just possessiveness over someone who once liked him? Some thought like, the whole world should love me?’

‘There are two possibilities. One, like you said, because of his possessiveness. And two… because he’s started to like you, Yoon Noah.’

The idea that Seo Dowoong might like Yoon Noah was absurd. As impossible as the sun rising in the west.

But strangely, those words kept replaying in his mind.

Maybe it was because he remembered Seo Dowoong’s sulky face, whining like a child about why his birthday hadn’t been celebrated.

As if that could ever be possible…

But Nahyuk couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

Nahyuk went down to the parking lot to see Kangil off.

Telling him to call if Seo Dowoong showed up, telling him to phone right away if anything happened… after nagging him until his ears rang, Nahyuk finally shoved Kangil into the car.

“Drive safe. Watch out for people, watch out for cars.”

“Cut it out, will you? I’m not a kid.”

Kangil, since when did you become such a cynic?

But Nahyuk couldn’t bring himself to dislike Kangil’s sulking face. Maybe it was because he was blinded by love, or maybe because he knew Kangil was sulking out of jealousy.

“I’ll call you later.”

“…Just try not calling.”

Grumbling to the end, Kangil closed the car door. Nahyuk waved until the car turned into a dot and disappeared from sight.

Only when Kangil was completely gone did all the strength leave his body. It hadn’t even been a few hours since he got up, but he already felt drained.

“Well, a lot has happened this morning.”

Nahyuk stretched his arms wide.

It seemed it would be a while before Daon arrived, so in the meantime, it might be nice to lie down and rest in bed.

Back in his room, Nahyuk threw himself onto the bed.

Because of the warmer weather, the lighter blanket felt wonderfully comfortable. The servants must have been changing the bedding often.

The sun-dried blanket was fluffy and fresh, and sunlight streamed in through the window above his head… it was the perfect setting for sleep.

After setting an alarm in case he dozed off, Nahyuk began to nod off for real.

If he fell asleep like this and dreamed, maybe he could see more of Park Sangcheol’s schemes.

The wish to know the past seemed to draw sleep closer. As drowsiness blurred his mind, the phone beside his pillow vibrated.

Nahyuk forced open his heavy eyelids.

Could it be a call from Kim Daon?

But the notification on the phone was something entirely unexpected.

「‘Even in Ruins, Flowers Bloom’ Chapter 77 uploaded!」