UR Chapter 128

Chapter 128

“Family?”

“Yes. But… it’s not because you’re the child I was looking for when I was young that I’m saying I want to be your family.”

As he wiped away the tears on I-bom’s cheek, Beom-ho carefully drew him in by the waist. The slender body in his arms trembled faintly. With his other hand, he smoothed back the hair at the back of I-bom’s head.

“Even in all the time you didn’t remember that part of our past… my unconscious must have known. From the day we reunited—whether I was asleep, awake, eating—it was always you on my mind. I wanted to tell you I wanted to bring you to my side sooner. But you said you needed your grandmother’s permission, so I waited…”

His embrace was broad and steady, perfect for holding onto. Wrapped in the reassuring warmth, I-bom closed his eyes in silence.

“I did go to your house partly because I couldn’t reach you… but also to get permission to date you. Yet when I got there, I could tell from the atmosphere something wasn’t right. Your grandmother looked furious.”

“…”

“The moment she saw me, she denied you were her grandson. Maybe I was overthinking, but as soon as I saw her face, I worried about you. I realized this wasn’t the time to wait for her approval. I thought about how lonely you must have been here all this time, and I couldn’t think of anything else but to take your hand and get you out right away.”

The warm air in the car slowly chased away the cold, bleak weather outside. Feeling his frozen body begin to thaw, I-bom shivered without meaning to. Beom-ho gently rubbed his reddened hands.

“I hated myself for being complacent, and I couldn’t stop worrying about you.”

His gaze was fixed on I-bom, his face full of affectionate concern.

I-bom gave a small shake of his head.

“N-no… I’m fine now. My chest still hurts… but I also feel relieved. I realized I was the only one holding on to that family relationship, and knowing that… it’s like the attachment is gone.”

He let out a sigh, then mumbled softly in Beom-ho’s arms.

“And I… I’m more worried that you might catch bad energy from me and end up sick with yangsim fever.”

“That’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Beom-ho gave a faint smile, his voice low.

“…I-bom. Will you close your eyes for a moment?”

When I-bom peeked up at him curiously, he lifted a finger with a gentle smile.

“I’ve got something for you, but you have to close your eyes to see it.”

Following his instructions, I-bom squeezed his eyes shut. A moment later, a warm palm came to rest over them, his low voice brushing softly against his ear.

Then came the ticklish warmth of breath drawing near. I-bom’s shoulders hunched, and without being told, he knew exactly what was hovering so close to his skin—lips. Yet they stopped just short, lingering, as if hesitating or waiting.

“You could just ask me to kiss you, you know…”

I-bom gave a short laugh and carefully parted his lips. That instant, Beom-ho’s mouth covered his.

“Ah…”

The sealed space between their lips grew hot. With the light shut out, every sensation was sharper—every small movement of his mouth felt more vivid than usual. Their warm, soft lips rubbed together before his tongue surged forward like a wave. Whatever I-bom had been about to say was swallowed down, and Beom-ho’s tongue swept through his mouth as if savoring something precious.

Sweet. Like the taste of soft cotton candy he’d loved as a child. His tongue moved tenderly over the inside of I-bom’s mouth—tracing the rounded roof, the soft flesh, the full lips, even the firm teeth—exploring it all as if for the first time. The wet, sticky sounds soon filled the quiet car.

“Nh… mmh…”

Hyperaware, more sensitive than usual, I-bom’s low moans slipped out before he could stop them. How long was he supposed to keep his eyes covered like this? Breathing harder, he shifted restlessly in Beom-ho’s arms. His face flushed hot, his stomach tightened, and just as he tensed—

“…Ah.”

Light pierced his hazy vision. As he blinked and looked around, something slipped onto his fourth finger. The cold touch made him lower his gaze.

“T-this is…”

He stared, bewildered. A silver ring, unmistakably fine in quality, sat snugly on his finger as if it had been made for him.

“…What is this?”

“I wanted to bring you to me in the proper order… but things turned out this way.”

Beom-ho’s eyes were fixed on him, tension flickering in their depths as his lips parted slowly.

“I can’t just take you home without any vow between us.”

“…Huh?”

“In the Eun family, we have a tradition of giving a ring to the one we’re pledging to before marriage—to promise our engagement. I… hope you’ll accept it.”

His gaze lingered on I-bom, his expression quietly satisfied.

“Do you like it?”

“…I’ve never gotten a gift like this before.”

The flawless silver gleamed on his finger, the delicate engraved patterns catching the light so brightly it almost hurt to look.

“…Wow.”

He blinked in awe before he could stop himself. It felt like a dream, receiving a gift filled with someone’s feelings for the very first time in his life.

For the very first time, he had been given a gift of love.

And that made it okay. Even if the family he’d lived with his whole life had denied his existence, now he had a new family—one who would tend to his wounds and soothe the hurt.

* * *

I-bom walked hand in hand with Beom-ho toward the front gate. With the ring now on his finger and their fingers laced together, the feeling was strangely different. Beom-ho’s large, firm hand wove its fingers through his, and a pleasant warmth flowed through the joined grip.

The distance from the beautiful mansion, which overlooked the mountain, to the parking lot was less than a hundred paces. But to get from the garden in the mountain-side estate to the inside of the house, they had to follow a narrow path the whole way.

Despite it being the middle of winter, every tree, flower, and plant along the path stayed lush and green, as if the place were one giant greenhouse.

“How do you like this house?”

At Beom-ho’s sudden question, I-bom tilted his head. How did he like it? For someone who loved playing in the mountains, it was a perfect, wonderful home. An ideal place. The penthouse he had visited before was nice, but this mansion with a garden was even better. He even thought he’d like to work here as a gardener, tending the lawn and planting flowers himself.

“…Huh? It’s beautiful. Honestly, last time I was here I only remember the doctor treating me, so I didn’t really notice the rest. But seeing it now, the garden’s so well cared for… and it’s amazing that the flowerbeds stay like this even in winter. I’m curious how you manage that.”

“You don’t feel headaches or sluggishness?”

I-bom shook his head.

“No, not at all… actually, I feel lighter.”

Hearing that, Beom-ho smiled gently.

“Some people are afraid of this place because it’s called Guhochae—like walking into a tiger’s mouth. There are guests who say they get headaches as soon as they step in, or feel like something’s weighing down their ankles, or they just can’t keep their energy up. That’s why we’re very selective with the staff here.”

“Wow…”

Strangely, he had never felt anything like that. Even from the first time they met, it had been the same. Maybe he was just too dull to notice.

“A house is one of the most important things for a person. You can only do everything else if you have one. What most people don’t know is that just as people choose their houses, houses also choose their people. It seems this house has accepted you.”

A house choosing a person… The two-story mansion had a broad roof and a neat, orderly air. Despite its name, “Guhochae,” meaning something like a fortress inside a tiger’s jaws, the place felt warm and welcoming. As they walked toward the wide, open entrance, I-bom asked,

“So how long have you lived here, Beom-ho?”

They passed through the garden toward the front door. Their footsteps, once distinct, merged into a single rhythm.

Ssshh—

The gentle breeze rustled the branches shading the front of the house, carrying the fresh, green scent of the trees to his nose.

“This was the first home I got when I became independent, so… over ten years now.”

It looked like a new house, so I-bom’s expression showed his surprise.

“Really? It looks like it was built maybe three years ago… no, even just two.”

“It’s probably because of its symbolic nature. A male tiger beastman’s first home after becoming independent usually reflects his own nature.”

“I see…”

I-bom nodded. Yes, it did resemble Beom-ho’s atmosphere. Others might find him intimidating or overwhelming, but to him, Beom-ho felt like this house—fresh, gentle, and perfectly balanced in warmth and beauty.

“Usually, tiger beastmen have their children in the first home they receive as adults. When I have a child, they’ll probably live here until they move out on their own too.”

“Ah, a… child?”

I-bom’s face heated instantly. A child… He knew that in beastman species, men could have children together, but hearing the word so directly, so vividly in his ear, still startled him.

“Yes. Meaning, it will be our newlywed home.”

Beom-ho’s smoothly curved eyes fixed on him intently.