UR Chapter 92

Chapter 92

“Ah, uh, what do we do…! It’s hot, isn’t it?”

I-bom shot up from his seat. In an instant, the level of their gaze—just a moment ago equal as they sat side by side—shifted sharply. Beom-ho only blinked at him, staring steadily in surprise.

“……”

But those widened eyes were more than enough to intensify I-bom’s anxiety.

“Do you… want to go to the hospital? I think I might have burned you…”

He lightly held Beom-ho’s chin and turned his face this way and that, inspecting him. He didn’t seem to realize what he was doing at all. Beom-ho, on the other hand, stared fixedly at I-bom’s face.

The trembling fingers, the red lips at a loss, the breath rising and falling, the beads of sweat on his forehead, the damp strands of hair, the pale face—everything about him stirred a sudden urge to kiss him.

If only it ended there. But deep inside, far filthier desires coiled and twisted—wishing to cup those white, soft cheeks and press a kiss, to consume him whole to the very end. To fill those pretty eyes with tears, bare that smooth skin, and drink in every inch without restraint.

Yet he didn’t want to do that now. Not yet—not to this guileless pup. That small belly wouldn’t be able to bear the size of his lust if he poured it all in at once. Beom-ho clenched his fists tight.

“Ah, what do we do… I should call the doctor—no, maybe 119 first—”

Even the effort of locking those urges away in the depths was undone when I-bom’s fingers brushed lightly across his lips.

“……”

That small touch made his heart lurch violently. This shameless pup might really be trying to make his heart burst.

Bzzz—without a moment to compose himself, Beom-ho’s smartwatch buzzed hard on his wrist. It must have been warning him that his heart rate was spiking. He unfastened the strap. Now that he knew exactly why his heart was pounding, there was no need for it. The watch hit the floor with a dull thud and sent another alert, but Beom-ho simply nudged it away with the tip of his foot.

“That must hurt…”

Maybe from all his fussing, the gap between I-bom’s loose buttons revealed a glimpse of skin. The soft, pale flesh looked no different from what he had imagined stripping away in his fantasies.

He turned his head to break the dizzying pull, only to turn back almost immediately. It was too tempting to look away. From between the buttons, a faintly sweet scent drifted from the hollow of his collarbone, and the unbearable lure made him close his eyes briefly before opening them again.

“I-bom.”

When he took hold of I-bom’s slender wrist, a flush bloomed over the white skin.

“It’s fine. It just brushed me. No one goes to the hospital over something like this.”

“…Really?”

I-bom’s face was etched with worry. Seeing him cradle his face so seriously, Beom-ho steadied his own voice to reassure him.

“Yes. Beastmen heal quickly. But still…”

The fragile distance they had been holding between them snapped shut in an instant. Beom-ho’s smooth brow furrowed ever so slightly.

“…Don’t you think this is a little too close?”

“…Huh? Oh, uh, that’s—”

Only then did I-bom realize the position he was in—hands cupping Beom-ho’s face, close enough to be tucked into his broad chest. He quickly pulled his hands back and tried to lean away.

“S-sorry. I was just startled… I touched you without saying anything… You must’ve been uncomfortable?”

But before he could retreat more than two steps, Beom-ho’s arm stopped him. He drew I-bom gently back to his side.

“No.”

He shook his head firmly.

“I’m not uncomfortable at all. Being touched without consent—that’s what’s unpleasant. Especially for felines. If someone we dislike touches us, we really do get annoyed.”

I-bom blinked, his expression dazed.

“And… I never said I disliked being touched by you, I-bom.”

With all traces of a smile gone, Beom-ho pulled him closer, golden eyes narrowing sharply as he looked up at him. Then, in a low whisper at his ear—

“Touch me more.”

“W-what…?”

Startled, I-bom leaned his upper body back slightly.

“Tigers are felines too. Touch me. Felines like it when someone they like touches them.”

“B-but you’re a tiger. That’s… not the same as a cat. I don’t even know how I’m supposed to touch you…”

Their eyes met and broke apart several times, back and forth. Now it was impossible to tell if this signal was a stop or a go.

They could hear each other’s breathing at this distance. His fingers slipped through I-bom’s hair, the strands catching briefly before sliding free. The touch trailed down, rubbing gently at his earlobe until the white, soft flesh flushed red. I-bom blinked, hesitating.

“I’ll teach you. Just think of it as the same as with a person. For tigers, all you really need is prusten.”

“…What’s prusten?”

That innocent gaze sent a heavy thrum of want through his chest. Behind calm black eyes, he swallowed down his desire.

“It’s bonding through touch over the whole body.”

“The… whole body?”

“It usually refers to physical contact between a caretaker and a large feline’s true form, with genuine emotion. Naturally, it’s most effective when done in our beast form.”

“Th-that… sounds difficult.”

I-bom slowly nodded, his eyes dropping.

“It’s not difficult at all. I’ll show you.”

His fingers kneaded I-bom’s earlobe in a slow, deliberate motion. Whether it was from the touch leaving a mark or simply the illicit feel of it, his ear grew hot and his breathing roughened.

“It’s true, though—seeing a tiger beastman’s true form isn’t easy.”

I-bom nodded, swallowing hard and biting his lip before letting it go. He was curious, but from the man’s expression, it seemed he couldn’t see that form whenever he pleased.

“Want me to tell you the best way to build prusten when I’m in human form?”

“Yes. Please, tell me.”

“Kiss.”

Eun Beom-ho slowly drew the earlobe he’d been rubbing closer to his lips and whispered. His low, resonant voice tickled.

“…What?”

“How about it?”

“Uh, well…”

“If you don’t want to, say so. I won’t kiss someone who says they don’t want it.”

“I…”

His smile was light, but his expression was heavy. Maybe it was impossible not to notice—both of them were standing on a tightrope, waiting to see who would cross first. I-bom stared down at him. There was a shadow of unease in the man’s gaze.

“N-no, I don’t mind.”

The moment I-bom nodded, Beom-ho’s face lit up. He smiled wide, the corners of his lips stretching, and I-bom found his own mouth parting in a daze.

“Then… I’ll do prusten too. I… want to kiss you, Beom-ho.”

Before he even finished speaking, Beom-ho turned his head and pulled I-bom’s face toward him. Before his pounding heart could settle, their chests brushed clumsily together.

“Do you know?”

Like a predator stretching out to seize its prey, Beom-ho lightly pushed I-bom into his space.

“…I’ve wanted to do this from the start.”

To keep him from escaping—or from leaving his arms—he stretched one arm around I-bom’s waist, the other curling around his head, blocking all retreat.

“With you, I-bom…”

Like a growl from a beast, Beom-ho’s hot breath washed over I-bom’s lips. The rough sound of it burned against his skin, and I-bom’s eyes squeezed shut without him realizing.

Smack.

It was a light kiss, at odds with his rough breathing—barely touching, as if reluctant to part, before withdrawing gently. His soft lips brushed over I-bom’s, wetting them lightly with the tip of his tongue. I-bom’s eyes fluttered open again, his long lowered lashes trembling faintly.

“M-me too.”

I-bom stammered, panting. The thought that his heart might leap out of his dry mouth made him tremble, but the wave of sudden impulse only pushed him forward.

“I’ve… wanted to since the start. Me too.”

“…Ha.”

A flush spread under I-bom’s eyes. Beom-ho took a rough breath, staring at him intently.

“Do you even know… what you’re saying?”

“…Yes.”

Without realizing that his fingertips were cold and trembling from tension, I-bom nodded hastily.

A heavy tongue pushed into the space between their lips without hesitation. The thick intrusion began to roam greedily, exploring every corner of his mouth as if all his polite behavior until now had been a lie.

“Ahh…”

One of I-bom’s hands, swaying without direction, finally landed unsteadily on Beom-ho’s shoulder. In that moment, a dangerous glint lit up Beom-ho’s eyes.