By Zephyria 
118
“Yes. It’s better than words can describe. My father always said that the most enjoyable way to spend money is to give it to those less fortunate than myself, and I finally understand what he meant.”
However, Tae-muk’s face turned cold at those words. His brow furrowed, and subtle wrinkles appeared between his eyebrows.
“…That’s a very convenient thought.”
He said it as if to himself and walked past Ho-eun.
“General?”
Ho-eun called out to Tae-muk. But Tae-muk didn’t look back. Ho-eun tilted his head. Tae-muk seemed angry, but he couldn’t figure out why. Ho-eun scratched his temple and belatedly started chasing after him.
But Tae-muk was walking incredibly fast. Ho-eun tried hard to keep up, but it wasn’t easy going against the crowd. Growing impatient as Tae-muk got further and further away, he eventually started running, only to trip over a small groove in the ground.
“Uh…”
Before Ho-eun could even scream, he lurched forward. His Braided Hair shot up as if someone had pulled it, and the lights on either side swayed like a fire wheel as they got closer to the ground.
Thud.
A large, firm hand grabbed Ho-eun’s arm.
“……”
Of course, it was Tae-muk. He had clearly been far away just a moment ago, so how did he get here so quickly? How did he know I was falling when he had his back turned? And… even though he was angry, he didn’t want me to get hurt?
Ho-eun had many questions, but he didn’t ask them. That wasn’t what was important right now.
“Could you please walk a little slower?”
Ho-eun asked.
“You could just hurry up,”
Tae-muk replied, releasing Ho-eun’s arm as if throwing it away. It was a childish and spiteful thing to say. But Ho-eun didn’t get angry. He had gotten used to Tae-muk sometimes talking like a sulky nine-year-old.
He didn’t know what it was, but he figured his inadequacy had upset him again, and it didn’t feel that unfair.
He took a deep breath to calm his panting and snatched Tae-muk’s hand as he walked away. Then, before he could shake his hand off, he quickly intertwined their fingers.
It was a cunning move. He knew that Tae-muk wouldn’t, or rather, couldn’t, reject his hand, his Bondmate’s hand. Now, ‘Operation Stick Together’ had become more than just an operation; it was a way of life.
Ho-eun pressed his palm firmly against Tae-muk’s and looked up at him, saying,
“Let’s go together.”
“……”
Tae-muk didn’t answer. He just glanced down at their clasped hands and then turned his head away. But his pace wasn’t as fast as before. Ho-eun smiled silently.
Ho-eun also stopped by a bookstore on the way back. There was a book he wanted to buy. Tae-muk showed subtle annoyance as if he found it bothersome, but he didn’t forbid it. Once inside the bookstore, when Ho-eun couldn’t reach a book on the top shelf, he personally took it down for him.
Ho-eun bought two books at the bookstore.
『Myriad Calamities Records』
『Devouring Ghoul Countermeasures』
They were related to Devouring Ghouls. He felt that even though he was fighting Devouring Ghouls, he didn’t know much about them, so he bought them. He wanted to know where they came from, how they were born, how they were raised, and what they did when they weren’t eating people.
In fact, he had gone in intending to buy all the Devouring Ghoul books in the bookstore, but there were only two.
Ho-eun thought that was strange. It seemed like all the books should be related to Devouring Ghouls, but there were only two. Come to think of it, Ho-eun had hardly ever seen books related to Devouring Ghouls when he lived in Hanyang either.
The cost of those two books was also paid with Tae-muk’s money. Tae-muk chuckled at Ho-eun’s very familiar and natural way of opening his purse.
“You’re spending someone else’s money like it’s nothing.”
To that, Ho-eun unusually retorted with a sly tone.
“How are we ‘someone else’? I’m your Bondmate, and you’re my God of War. We’re a match made in heaven, no less.”
“……”
“So, feel free to spend my money later. I’m fine with anything.”
“……”
Tae-muk narrowed his eyes at Ho-eun’s constant retorts. Then, he suddenly raised one corner of his mouth in a smirk and whispered into Ho-eun’s ear, who was wrapping the books in cloth, in his unique deep voice.
“Forget the money, just suck my dick.”
“Ack!”
Ho-eun, startled by the vulgar word, jumped in place. He covered his ears with his palms. His pale face was a mess of red and blue. He glared at Tae-muk with all his might, but he never cursed back; that was so like him.
Tae-muk smiled with satisfaction at the reaction he had expected.
Ho-eun’s steps were hurried as he returned to the inn. He had spent too much time doing this and that. He had to say goodbye to the children before leaving. He was worried they might be asleep.
Ho-eun held Tae-muk’s hand tightly as he entered the alley leading to the inn. The alley wasn’t as well-lit as the main street, so it was dim. There were few signs of people, and he could smell the damp, cool scent unique to the night. The air felt colder somehow, and Ho-eun subtly hunched his shoulders.
Suddenly, Tae-muk pulled his hand away.
“General?”
Ho-eun looked at him with a puzzled expression. Why suddenly take his hand away? Could it be because someone might see them? But being conscious of such things didn’t suit Tae-muk. Maybe it was just him, he thought, when Tae-muk ordered,
“Go in first.”
“Me first?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have something to take care of? What is it? Let’s go together.”
Ho-eun tried to take Tae-muk’s hand again. But Tae-muk pulled his arm back to avoid him and said in an annoyed tone,
“Just listen.”
“……”
Ho-eun froze. Why was he suddenly angry again? This time, he really felt wronged. He hadn’t said anything strange while buying books and coming all the way here. He had coughed a few times because the night air was cold, but was that so annoying? Couldn’t he even tolerate that much? Between them?
“Tch…”
Ho-eun, with his lips tightly shut, glared at Tae-muk. Then, hugging the cloth-wrapped books to his chest, he turned sharply and headed towards the inn entrance. But before he could take more than a few steps.
“Oh, oh. Young Master. You can’t go in like that.”
Someone’s voice grabbed at Ho-eun’s ankles. It wasn’t a familiar voice. It wasn’t Gil-sang, the children, or a soldier from the Crimson Rain Brigade. Yet, the voice was so friendly and kind that he momentarily wondered if he knew the person.
Ho-eun turned his head towards the direction of the voice. The depths of the alley were dark without a single light. It was as if someone had deliberately turned off the lights. Still, if he looked closely, he could see figures flickering.
“Who’s there?”
Ho-eun, unknowingly squinting, took a step towards the voice.
Tae-muk stood in front of him, blocking his way.
“I told you to go.”
“……”
Ho-eun looked up at Tae-muk when.
“Young Master.”
Someone in the darkness called him again.
“Do you know me?”
Ho-eun asked, only sticking his head out from behind Tae-muk’s arm. The Hair Tie tied in his hair drooped down and swayed gently. The jade-colored Hair Tie glowed faintly in the alley.
At that sight, Tae-muk clicked his tongue in annoyance. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have let him wear such noble-looking clothes, he regretted for a moment.
Whether he knew what Tae-muk was thinking or not, Ho-eun was staring at the end of the alley with curious eyes. Around that time, the owner of the voice slowly walked out of the darkness.
“How would I know someone like you, Young Master?”
It was a man who looked to be about a young man.
Ho-eun narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn’t know him, but he wasn’t a complete stranger either. He had seen him somewhere, fleetingly, he thought… and then he remembered that the clothes he was wearing were the same as the clothes worn by the man who had run behind Tae-muk in front of the fabric store earlier.
Why is that person…
As Ho-eun tilted his head, the young man took a few more steps closer.
“It’s nothing much. It looked like you had a very heavy money pouch, Young Master. I was wondering if I could help you carry it.”
At those words, Ho-eun let out an exclamation of “Ah!” It was a bright exclamation that didn’t suit the situation. He was happy because he thought he knew what the young man’s intentions were.
“What…”
The young man looked at Ho-eun as if he were crazy. Ho-eun also stared intently at him. But it wasn’t just about asking for money; it was about saying the money pouch ‘looked’ heavy. When had that young man seen his money pouch, or Tae-muk’s money pouch?
He hadn’t taken out his pouch since leaving the bookstore. So, had he been following him from there? Or from the fabric store?
If that were the case, Tae-muk couldn’t have been unaware—Ho-eun thought, and then he turned his head sharply to look at Tae-muk.
“Did you know he was following us?”
“Yeah.”
Tae-muk replied nonchalantly. Ho-eun tilted his chin and asked again.
“Since when?”
“From the beginning.”
“But why didn’t you say anything until now?”
“Did I have to?”
“……”
Ho-eun’s mouth opened slightly. Well, yeah, he didn’t need to tell me. What good would it do if I knew?
Still… still, he should have told me. He felt a little embarrassed that he had been so excited to pick out clothes, buy books, and look around town without knowing anything.
Ho-eun sniffled once and then peeked out from behind Tae-muk’s arm again to look at the young man. Men of slightly different ages were approaching one by one behind the young man. There seemed to be about fifteen of them.
Ho-eun examined them one by one. They weren’t as big as houses, their teeth weren’t jagged like saw blades, and they didn’t make cackling noises.
So, those people were… people. Just ordinary people.
“I don’t know how this will sound, but those people don’t seem that… threatening. Did you tell me to go in first because you were worried I might get hurt?”
Tae-muk, who had swept back his bangs, clicked his tongue and replied.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“……”
“General?”
It wasn’t that difficult of a question, but Tae-muk frowned and unfurrowed his brow as if he was having trouble answering. He scratched above his eyebrow. Then, forced by Ho-eun’s urging gaze, he opened his mouth.
“I sometimes…”
“Sometimes?”
“Tear off people’s heads too.”
“…Excuse me?”
Ho-eun asked back as if he had misheard.