By Zephyria 
43
Ho-eun, who was looking at Tae-muk’s broad back, took out a handkerchief from his pocket. The handkerchief, which had been used to wipe Tae-muk’s blood, was all red. He couldn’t even tell where his mother’s embroidery was.
Ho-eun dipped it in the river. Blood spread out over the river in waves.
“Hmm…”
After a moment of contemplation, Ho-eun awkwardly shook the handkerchief. He felt like he should wash it, but he had never done laundry in his life, so he didn’t know how. So he just soaked it in water and gently rubbed it. Still, the blood slowly drained out.
Strangely fascinated by it, Ho-eun diligently rubbed the handkerchief, forgetting that his fingers were freezing in the cold water. By the time most of the blood had been removed from the handkerchief, he felt an unbearable chill.
His hands were cold, his feet were numb, his cheeks were cold from the river breeze, and the tip of his nose was tingling. If he stayed any longer, he might get another fever. Or even worse, a bad cold.
“Um… General.”
After hesitating, Ho-eun called out to Tae-muk in a low voice. Tae-muk, who had just emerged from diving into the water, turned to look at Ho-eun. Ho-eun drooped the ends of his eyebrows and pleaded.
“My feet are so cold. I think my toes have turned to ice. Can we get out now?”
“…”
Tae-muk swept his wet hair back with his large hand. Then he pushed through the water and strode towards Ho-eun. His thick muscles gleamed in the moonlight. Golden light flashed in his dark eyes. He looked like a ferocious beast living in the water. Yet, on the other hand, he was strangely beautiful, like a merman.
Ho-eun briefly had the silly thought that Tae-muk might eat him.
Soon, Tae-muk reached Ho-eun, grabbed his calf where his pants were rolled up, and lifted it up. He held it up to the moonlight.
Ho-eun’s white feet were frozen red. At the sight, Ho-eun pulled his chin in and groaned, “Eugh…” then stretched his neck out and said, “Huh?”
At first, his ankles were so swollen that it was hard to take off his shoes, but now they were all deflated. His ankles, no longer plump but gaunt, were back to their original state.
Ho-eun, his lips rounded in wonder, turned his ankle slightly and went, “Hoo…” The pain wasn’t completely gone, but it was much better than before.
When Tae-muk first told him to put his feet in the river, he thought it was torture beyond torment. But it seemed that wasn’t his intention. He felt embarrassed, thinking he had only seen Tae-muk as a bad person.
“Why didn’t you say you were hurt?”
Tae-muk said, putting Ho-eun’s ankle back into the river. It seemed healed to Ho-eun, but not to him. Ho-eun shook his ankle, which was submerged in the water, and replied.
“Because I wasn’t hurt.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean, I wasn’t really hurt… Everyone else was hurt fighting the Devouring Ghouls, and Dong-ja Noonim can’t even move one of her arms, so how could I say I was hurt over something like this? Bandages and medicine are a luxury.”
Besides, I wasn’t hurt fighting a Devouring Ghoul, I just fell off my horse by myself. It was just embarrassing, so embarrassing. Actually, he wished Tae-muk hadn’t found out. He just wanted to suffer alone and be done with it.
“…”
Tae-muk didn’t say anything. Ho-eun glanced at him and wrung out the handkerchief. Clear water dripped down. He shook his dry wrists and spread it out on the grass.
Then he saw something sparkling in the grass. It was round and flat, like a silver coin. But it wasn’t a silver coin. It was chocolate. The chocolate that Ho-eun had once given to Tae-muk and the soldiers.
Why is this here? He tilted his head, wondering, and then he saw Tae-muk’s uniform, which he had taken off, about a hand span away. The chocolate that Ho-eun had put in the gaping pocket was still there. It seemed he had just left it there.
Ho-eun picked up the sparkling chocolate and put it in his mouth. It was something he did without thinking. He must have wanted to eat something. Ho-eun rolled the chocolate around in his mouth, then belatedly noticed Tae-muk’s gaze.
“Would you like some, General?”
He said, offering another chocolate to Tae-muk. He offered it knowing that he wouldn’t take it. He had learned that it was polite to offer food.
“…”
Tae-muk stared at Ho-eun. Ho-eun’s lips, with the chocolate in his mouth, moved slowly. A sweetness that was hard to find on the battlefield wafted like a floral scent.
Soon, Tae-muk reached out his hand. It seemed he was going to take the chocolate. Ho-eun moved the chocolate a little closer. But Tae-muk passed Ho-eun’s hand and grabbed Ho-eun’s chin. Then his massive back seemed to slowly bend, and his lips met Ho-eun’s.
“…”
Ho-eun’s eyes widened in surprise. The hand holding the chocolate curled tightly inward.
Tae-muk remained still with his lips touching Ho-eun’s. Then he stuck out his tongue and licked the entire surface of Ho-eun’s lips. Ho-eun’s whole body trembled. He froze for a moment, then at some point, slightly opened his mouth.
It was something he did, hoping that Tae-muk wanted it. He had always ordered him to open his mouth whenever they kissed.
Sure enough, Tae-muk’s tongue rushed into his mouth as if he had been waiting for it. Ho-eun’s brow furrowed slightly and then relaxed at the slippery, hot tongue that tasted strongly of Tae-muk.
The chocolate, which had been slowly melting in Tae-muk’s heat, instantly turned to liquid. The chocolate that seeped between his teeth was so sweet that his molars tingled.
But Tae-muk seemed to have no interest in the chocolate. Rather, as if it were a nuisance, he wiped away what was on Ho-eun’s tongue, the roof of his mouth, and the inside of his cheeks. Then, he sucked Ho-eun’s tongue, which was now much cleaner, whole.
“Eung…”
Ho-eun unknowingly let out a lascivious moan. He also hunched his shoulders, but Tae-muk pulled Ho-eun’s chin towards him as if to tell him not to. Then he tilted his head slightly and mixed his tongue even deeper than before.
His lips flattened and his tongues tangled. The sound of wet things rubbing together echoed, but it was impossible to tell whether it was coming from his mouth or from the river.
Ho-eun gripped the chocolate he was holding even tighter. His shoulders rose imperceptibly. It was because it was unfamiliar and strange. He had kissed Tae-muk every day, but he had never felt like this before.
Until now, the kisses they had shared had been a haphazard assault by Tae-muk, with teeth clashing, lips being crushed, and the base of his tongue often aching.
Today, what should he say… Yes, it was sweet. His shoulders were rising, but his spine was relaxing, his fingers were tightening, but his eyebrows were drooping, it was that strange sweetness.
Then, Tae-muk came even closer. He supported himself on the ground with one arm, and with the hand that had been holding Ho-eun’s chin, he embraced his waist. River water splashed and Ho-eun’s knees were soaked.
Their lips met even more deeply. Their tongues mixed even more fiercely. Occasionally, water falling from Tae-muk’s hair would tap, tap, tap on Ho-eun’s forehead or cheeks. Each time, Ho-eun was so startled that he trembled, but he still didn’t push Tae-muk away.
“Heu…”
But as time went on, it became difficult to keep up with Tae-muk’s kiss. It was because he was running out of breath. When Ho-eun frowned, unable to bear it any longer, Tae-muk pulled his chin back. Then he licked Ho-eun’s upper lip or sucked his lower lip, giving him time to catch his breath.
Ho-eun gasped for breath. His breath smelled of chocolate. Then, when his breathing became more peaceful, Tae-muk brought his lips back together.
“Eum, eung…”
Ho-eun felt his body heat up. He was still soaking his feet in the river, but he didn’t feel the cold. It was because of Tae-muk’s body temperature. His fiery body temperature seemed to have warmed not only him, but also this huge river.
The kiss lasted for a very long time. The chocolate that Ho-eun was holding tightly had melted into a mushy mess from the heat. Then, Ho-eun hesitantly pulled his body back. The lips that had been clinging together without a gap stretched out as if they didn’t want to part, and then barely separated.
“…”
Ho-eun bit his tingling lips tightly. His lips were all hot and sore. So were his cheeks. He felt a throbbing sensation, as if there was a heart in his cheeks.
Ho-eun swallowed hard and glanced at Tae-muk. Tae-muk was still right in front of Ho-eun. His eyes were very deep and hazy.
Feeling even more embarrassed by his gaze, Ho-eun lowered his eyes and belatedly pretended to be dignified.
“T-This is… outside. What if someone sees us…”
At those words, Tae-muk stared at the forest full of grass. He narrowed his eyes and then opened them. For a moment, his ears seemed to twitch.
“The only thing out there are Devouring Ghouls.”
Tae-muk said, tilting his head slightly. As if he was about to kiss Ho-eun again. But Ho-eun suddenly raised his head.
“D-Devouring Ghouls? Isn’t that a bigger problem?”
His clear voice rang out sharply over the wide river. His already large eyes grew even larger. The moonlight was reflected in his clear eyes, shining brightly.
Tae-muk, who had been quietly watching him, laughed as if in disbelief.
But it wasn’t a laugh of disbelief.