BSW 246

“…….”

Ho-eun remained still for a long time, pressing his lips against Tae-muk’s. However, Tae-muk gave no particular reaction. After a moment of hesitation, Ho-eun gently pressed Tae-muk’s jaw to open his mouth and awkwardly slid his tongue inside.

He wasn’t sure if this would help, but he figured there must have been a reason why Tae-muk enjoyed doing it.

Yet, Tae-muk only grew hotter. It felt as if he might catch fire and eventually vanish, turning into ash.

“…….”

Ho-eun grew anxious. Since he couldn’t see any visible recovery, he didn’t know if he was fulfilling his purpose as a Bondmate. Nor did he have the courage to pull back the blanket and check Tae-muk’s wounds with his own eyes.

“General……. Please open your eyes. Please? General…….”

Ho-eun hugged Tae-muk’s body even tighter, desperately stroking him and kissing him softly.

Beads of sweat began to form on Ho-eun’s forehead. He was usually someone who didn’t feel the heat much, even in summer, but now it was so hot that breathing felt labored. It was because of Tae-muk’s high body temperature.

Still, Ho-eun did not pull away from Tae-muk. He pressed his body closer, [[visit [visit our site]our site]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">stolen content]determined to draw that heat into himself.

It was then.

“Haa…….”

Tae-muk let out a sound that could have been either a sigh or a groan.

“General!”

For a moment, Ho-eun’s face brightened. It was because he mistakenly thought Tae-muk was recovering from his wounds. As he scrutinized Tae-muk’s face, one corner of the man’s eye suddenly twisted. As if in pain, he pulled his jaw inward and frowned deeply enough to crease his brow.

Seeing this, Ho-eun’s face darkened once more. He gently rubbed Tae-muk’s cheek and asked.

“Does it hurt? Where? Where does it hurt…….”

His voice trailed off. He realized his question was utterly absurd. Where on Tae-muk’s body would it not hurt right now? His body was a complete wreck.

Yes. His whole body was a wreck. ……But then why was he expressing pain so intermittently?

Ho-eun continued to stroke Tae-muk, kiss him, and rub their skin together as he observed him. Then, when a cannon went boom! and a gun went bang!, he [[stolen content]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">stolen content]noticed that Tae-muk flinched and frowned.

Once, after Tae-muk had been injured at the lake and Ho-eun had fled before meeting him again, Tae-muk had said something.

‘Next time, go further. Hide more carefully.’

‘My hearing gets sharper when I’m in pain. You have to be careful.’

It’s because it’s too noisy. Ho-eun quickly pressed both hands over Tae-muk’s ears to block out the sound. Then, he spoke in a soft whisper.

“General. It’s me, Ho-eun. I’m here. Can you hear my voice?”

“…….”

“It’s okay now. Everything will be okay. I’ll protect you. So please, rest easy and sleep. I’ll be by your side. I won’t go anywhere; I’ll stay right here.”

Ho-eun whispered without pause until his lips grew dry. Since his hands were fixed in place covering Tae-muk’s ears, he rubbed his face against the man’s cheek and neck. He even breathed his own air into the gap of Tae-muk’s slack lips, as if performing artificial respiration.

Despite all his efforts, Tae-muk could not open his eyes. His breathing became more irregular, and he occasionally let out thin groans, furrowed his brow, or heaved his chest as if having a seizure.

Watching this, Ho-eun felt a surge of resentment.

Why did Tae-muk have to lie here in such a state?

He had lived more righteously than anyone else in the world; what kind of punishment did he have to endure to be this cruel?

Why were his shoulders so broad and so sturdy that he had to shoulder the fate of the nation?

Overwhelmed by a piercing sense of injustice, tears streamed down his face. Those tears fell onto the corners of Tae-muk’s eyes, flowing down as if they were his own. It was as if Ho-eun were weeping on Tae-muk’s behalf.

“I don’t know why you have to be the General.”

“…….”

“I wish you weren’t the General.”

“…….”

“If only you could have lived as just… just an ordinary person, if only…….”

What would have happened if that were the case? He probably would never have met Tae-muk. Since Tae-muk wouldn’t be the God of War, he, as his partner, wouldn’t have Manifested as a Bondmate. [stolen Read on Read BL Novelscontent]Perhaps the country would have fallen. Many towns would have collapsed and many people would have died without his help.

And yet, despite that, he thought that Tae-muk might have been happy. No, perhaps that would have been difficult. With a wicked Young Master, a cruel Lord Dae-gam, and parents who tragically lost their lives. Would he have been sad and struggling?

But at least he wouldn’t have been in pain like this. He wouldn’t have lived a life where his flesh was torn, his bones crushed, and he coughed up blood every single day.

Ho-eun wished Tae-muk had lived that way instead.

Sniffling, he swallowed his tears and gently brushed back Tae-muk’s damp hair as if combing it. Tae-muk often touched his hair like this, and because he had loved that touch so much, Ho-eun was imitating it. He wanted Tae-muk to feel that same comfort.

As he repeatedly stroked Tae-muk’s hair, Ho-eun apologized.

“……I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“I shouldn’t have asked you to save the country, to save the people…….”

He had never actually uttered those words aloud, but he knew that all his actions, his gaze, and his heart had said exactly that.

Knowing it would end up like this, knowing this situation would come, he had still sent him to that horrific battlefield. He hadn’t stopped him when he [stolen [Read on Read BL Novels]aria-label="unauthorized copy">unauthorized copycontent]said he would go. He had pushed him forward with a heart of support and stood by with a heart of worry.

In doing so, how was this any different from pushing him into a pool of blood with his own hands? How was this any different from tearing his own limbs apart?

“I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“Huu……, really……, hic, I’m sorry…….”

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Ho-eun apologized for a very long time. He continued to apologize until the saliva in his mouth dried up and his lips cracked.

Even then, he never stopped stroking Tae-muk, pressing their cheeks together, and kissing him. He caressed the most pitiful man in the world over and over again.

* * *

While sleeping, Ho-eun felt two sturdy arms wrap around his body. He felt a broad chest against his cheek. It was a familiar embrace. Since it was the embrace he slept in every night, there was no way it wouldn’t be familiar.

He had reached a point where he couldn’t fall asleep without this embrace; on days when Tae-muk was away, he often spent the night wide awake. But today, thinking that he was by his side until this late hour—, Ho-eun snapped his eyes open.

“…….”

And their gazes met. Those dark, clear pupils were the eyes he loved most in the world.

“Did you sleep well?”

Tae-muk asked. He looked a bit gaunt and pale, but a faint smile played on his lips.

“…….”

Ho-eun stared at him with trembling eyes. Tae-muk had regained consciousness. He wasn’t groaning, nor was he coughing up blood. Furthermore, he was…… holding him. He was holding him with two arms, two hands. The arms that weren’t there before Ho-eun fell asleep were now there.

Perhaps sensing Ho-eun’s confusion, Tae-muk pulled his hand out from under the blanket and gently rubbed the corner of Ho-eun’s eye with his thumb.

“Just how much did you cry? Your eyes are all raw.”

“…….”

“This is why I told you not to go to the garrison. Those bastards never listen to a word I say…….”

Tae-muk frowned irritably. He was already worried enough that Ho-eun’s skin was so delicate it might melt in the sun or be cut by the wind. Now, the raw skin was flushed bright red. BEGIN: visit our site -->visit our siteIt looked as if the skin might peel and bleed if touched the wrong way.

Tae-muk blew a soft breath of air to cool the area around his eyes.

Grab.

Ho-eun snatched his hand. Then, he turned the hand this way and that, examining the palm, observing the back of the hand, and scrutinizing everything from the fingers to the nails and palm lines.

This was definitely Tae-muk’s hand. It was indeed the hand of the man he loved and admired beyond measure.

“Are you…… okay?”

Ho-eun asked in a small voice. His voice, thick with the aftermath of crying, was damper and lower than usual. At that, Tae-muk curled the corner of his mouth into a smirk.

“Of course I’m okay. My Bondmate is right here.”

“…….”

But Ho-eun couldn’t believe his ‘okayness.’ So this time, he felt along Tae-muk’s arm, and then stroked his chest. As he did, Tae-muk slid Ho-eun’s hand away. Then, he kissed the pink palm and said:

“I’m perfectly fine. Thanks to you.”

In truth, he wasn’t completely fine. The pain from the damaged body had ended, but the price of using his power remained. The pain that felt like every vein in his body was tearing and the fever that occasionally blurred his vision were still there.

But such trivial pain. He felt neither hurt nor afraid. Because as long as he kissed Ho-eun and whispered while locking eyes, it would vanish as if it had never been.

With Ho-eun by his side, Tae-muk was practically invincible. At least, that’s how it felt to him.

“…….”

However, Ho-eun could not easily calm down. His thin chest rose and fell irregularly. He stared at Tae-muk without even blinking. He wondered if this was a dream. He feared that if he closed and opened his eyes, Tae-muk would return to that horrific state from yesterday.

Only after looking at and touching Tae-muk for a long time could Ho-eun believe that this was reality. At the same time, something he had forgotten came to mind.

“Ah…….”

Ho-eun let out a small gasp. At that, Tae-muk, who had been kissing Ho-eun’s small palm and rubbing his cheek, looked at him with eyes as sharp as a predator’s.

“What is it? Does something hurt?”

But Ho-eun said something completely out of left field.

“Should I…… go out?”