By Zephyria 
168
Ho-eun pressed his lips tightly, and Tae-muk pulled him even closer. His handsome brow was furrowed with something that could have been annoyance or worry.
“Couldn’t sleep? Why? Because it was cold?”
“No. The room was warm. And… your arms were warm too, General.”
Ho-eun fidgeted with the hem of his clothes. There was no way he could have felt cold sleeping in Tae-muk’s arms. Tae-muk usually ran hot, and even if he didn’t, his body was so big and thick that no chill could penetrate it when he held him.
“Then why couldn’t you sleep?”
“That is…”
“What?”
“M-my heart… was beating too fast…”
Ho-eun squeezed his eyes shut as if ashamed. But Tae-muk’s face hardened.
“…Is it a heart disease now?”
At that, Ho-eun couldn’t help but laugh. Then his lips hurt again, and he groaned, “Ah…”
“It’s not that.”
But Tae-muk’s face didn’t soften. Even he, who knew little about illness, knew that ‘heart disease’ was a serious condition.
“Then. You don’t know the reason again? Like the nosebleed? Should I call the old man?”
He asked as if he would run out and snatch the old man by the scruff of his neck right away. At the sight, Ho-eun smiled faintly again. He didn’t know why Tae-muk’s worry was so enjoyable. Was it because he felt so cherished and cared for?
“It’s not that, it’s just that what you said yesterday kept replaying in my head, and I couldn’t sleep.”
Ho-eun said softly. In the late dawn, he had woken up for a moment and inadvertently looked at Tae-muk, and he had been staring at how handsome he looked even when he was asleep. Then he remembered what he had said and smiled like a fool, and then he worried that Tae-muk would wake up at his laughter, so he bit his lips, and then he laughed again.
He had always wanted to be useful in his life, but he never thought he would be useful to someone as great as Tae-muk. And he never knew that he would be so cherished because of that usefulness.
He felt proud of himself for flowing and flowing and finally reaching this point, grateful to Tae-muk, and thankful to the heavens for connecting him with Tae-muk like this.
As he was thinking that, he ended up watching the sunrise. And when he woke up from a light sleep, his lips were stinging.
“…Why did that come to mind?”
However, Tae-muk, who had no idea what Ho-eun was thinking, asked back with a tense face. His large hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly. Perhaps… was he upset? Because he only apologized with words? Should he have given him a knife and told him to stab him? Or should he have smashed his head against a rock? He was thinking all sorts of things.
“Because I’m happy.”
Ho-eun answered with a bright smile.
“…”
At that, Tae-muk’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. How beautiful his face was as he smiled, his eyes curving. How pretty.
Tae-muk, who had been staring blankly at Ho-eun, cleared his throat. He swept his hair back. His ears were subtly red. Ho-eun saw it, but pretended not to notice.
“How do you treat that mouth ulcer thing?”
Tae-muk asked, scratching the back of his neck with his index finger. Ho-eun pondered for a moment, then gave an unhelpful answer.
“Um… it just gets better with time.”
It was only natural that Tae-muk’s face immediately crumpled.
“Ha. What the hell, why do you only get diseases that have no medicine and no answer?”
“I’m sorry.”
Ho-eun apologized, lowering his eyes. At the utterly submissive apology, Tae-muk flinched, pulled his chin in, stiffened, and muttered in a suppressed voice, glancing askew.
“…I didn’t tell you to apologize.”
Ho-eun smiled faintly. Then something came to mind, and he let out a short exclamation of “Ah.”
“It also gets better quickly if you eat well and sleep well.”
“I’d have to see you eat well and sleep well to believe it.”
Tae-muk retorted immediately. Ho-eun smiled awkwardly. He was right. There was nothing more difficult for Ho-eun than eating well and sleeping well.
Tae-muk stared intently at Ho-eun, then shifted his gaze to the table, which was still full of rice and side dishes.
“Does it hurt to chew? Your stomach doesn’t hurt, does it?”
“No.”
“Then how about porridge?”
“Um… I think I can eat it.”
“I see.”
Tae-muk, who stood up without hesitation, headed straight for the door. Surprised, Ho-eun hurriedly grabbed his pants.
“I, I’ll find something to eat myself. Please finish your meal, General.”
He had already interrupted Tae-muk’s meal enough. Eating was so important. Especially for someone like Tae-muk, who used a lot of energy, moved quickly, and had a lot to do, it was important to eat well. His meal was not even comparable.
But Tae-muk didn’t seem to have any intention of continuing his meal.
“I want to eat with you.”
“…”
“I’ll be right back, so wait for me.”
At that, Ho-eun had no choice but to let go of his pants. Ho-eun’s cheeks were flushed pink like flower petals. Tae-muk bent down and stroked his cheek once, then opened the paper door and went out. Then, in case a cold wind came in, he quickly tried to close the door. Ho-eun peeked out.
“I, I can also eat scorched rice water.”
“Scorched rice water?”
“Yes. Porridge… takes a long time to make…”
Then Tae-muk would only return after a long time. Because he would have to be alone during that time. If it was scorched rice water, he would just have to scoop it out of the pot, so he would be back soon.
“…Okay. I’ll be right back.”
Tae-muk left with those short words. Ho-eun quietly watched his back as he crossed the small yard. But Tae-muk, as if he knew it, stood in front of the gate and gestured for him to close the door. Ho-eun smiled faintly and slowly closed the door.
But, not long after, Tae-muk quickly returned. Ho-eun greeted him with a smile, but for some reason, he wasn’t holding anything. Was there no scorched rice water? Had the other soldiers eaten it all? Ho-eun tilted his head in confusion.
“Put on your clothes.”
“…Clothes?”
Tae-muk said something out of the blue. Then he strode to the dresser and took out Ho-eun’s outer garments and a hat.
“Is something wrong? Did a Devouring Ghoul appear?”
Surprised, Ho-eun hurriedly got up. Tae-muk, who approached him, put a Dapho around his shoulders and said.
“Byeonguk is back.”
“……Yes?”
Ho-eun’s eyes widened.
People were crowded in front of the fortress walls. Ho-eun, who had been running busily downhill, gradually slowed down. He was uneasy about the crowd. The Crimson Rain Brigade was busy. Everyone had something to do, and they were always diligently moving. But why were they gathered like that?
“Has Byeonguk been injured?”
Ho-eun asked, turning to Tae-muk, who was following behind.
“No.”
Tae-muk’s expression, who answered briefly, was subtle. Byeonguk had returned after exactly ten days and five days, but he didn’t seem happy or pleased. There was something awkward and uncomfortable, but in any case, it wasn’t a positive reaction.
Ho-eun’s face, who had been watching Tae-muk, turned white in an instant.
“Or… did something happen to my parents?”
“Uh…”
Tae-muk trailed off. At that, Ho-eun felt his heart sink. It felt as if an arrow had been shot into his chest, and he couldn’t breathe. It felt like all the blood in his body was draining out through the soles of his feet. Tae-muk shook his head at his pale face.
“No. It’s not that.”
“Then why…”
“See for yourself.”
Tae-muk gestured towards the crowd. Ho-eun looked anxiously back and forth between Tae-muk and the crowd, then hesitated and approached it. At Ho-eun’s appearance, the soldiers who had been chattering stopped talking, and soon made way for him.
Familiar faces could be seen among the crowd. Gil-sang was there, and Seong-im was there too. Dong-ja and Man-soo were also there, and Chilbok was also seen. It was unusual. Why were they all gathered like this? Had they come to see Byeonguk?
“Young Master, you’ve arrived.”
“Young Master has arrived.”
“Young Master, you’re here?”
Ho-eun answered those who greeted him with a nod, and reached the end of the crowd. And at the same time, he had to drop his jaw.
“What, what is all this…”
Luggage was piled up like a mountain. There were chests, bundles, cloths, baskets, sacks, and even jars. It was as if a small mountain had sprung up. It was so high and huge that it blocked the sun and cast a shadow below.
“Captain. Young Master.”
Byeonguk, who approached, greeted Tae-muk once and Ho-eun once. Ho-eun, who had been lost in thought, belatedly welcomed him.
“Did you have a safe trip? Were you injured?”
“Yes. I was unharmed.”
“That’s a relief. But what is all this luggage…”
When Ho-eun asked with a curious expression, Byeonguk glanced at Tae-muk once, then looked at the luggage and said in a low voice.
“They packed it for you at your house, Young Master.”
At that, Ho-eun’s eyes widened as if they would roll out.
“A-at our house?”
“Yes.”
“What, what did they pack so much of…”
When Ho-eun left home, the luggage was not small either. It was so much that he felt embarrassed to take it all. But the luggage in front of him now was many times that. He knew that there were less than ten people who went to Hanyang, including Byeonguk, so it was amazing that they had brought it all.