By Zephyria “What are you babbling about, Go Yumin?”
“If anything, I asked you to finish me off in one blow, without pain… sob sob.”
“Hah.”
“Please! Please, I beg you!”
Yumin clasped his hands together and pleaded earnestly. Tae-jun let out a hollow laugh. He had traveled a long way to fetch a runaway cat, yet instead of being grateful, Yumin was asking to be sent away. “You’d rather die than fall into my grasp?” It was an outrageous statement. Tae-jun found Yumin’s rejection infuriating.
But Yumin was someone he cherished dearly. He couldn’t push him too hard. Seeing Yumin’s gaunt frame, Tae-jun’s primary concern became ensuring he ate well. Tae-jun stared intently at Yumin’s slender wrist and his cheeks, which had lost weight, lost in thought.
What would be good for dinner? Jjimdak, which Yumin liked? Or bulgogi? Should he perhaps call a catering chef to set up a buffet?
“Hoo… How should I cook it… How can I make it delicious.”
“C-cook?”
“Because I’m hungry.”
“You, you’re hungry now, Tae-jun?”
“Yeah. Famished.”
Tae-jun had also suffered for days without being able to eat anything. He hadn’t felt hunger due to his longing and worry for Yumin, but now that he could finally relax, his appetite returned. He planned to prepare the most lavish and greasy meal possible for dinner and share it with Yumin until they were both full. Just imagining it made Tae-jun’s mouth water.
Gulp.
Seeing Tae-jun swallow his saliva with renewed appetite sent shivers down Yumin’s spine. He’s really prepared to eat me. How can I escape?
Yumin racked his brain. He knew he couldn’t win against Tae-jun in terms of strength. So, it would be better to pretend to be led along by Tae-jun obediently and look for an opportunity to escape. If he resisted clumsily, a bloodbath could erupt right where he stood.
“Shall we go then?”
“Uh, where?”
“Where else? To my home. Is there anywhere else to go?”
Tae-jun whistled lightly and linked arms with Yumin. Then, he pulled Yumin into the passenger seat of his car and forced him in.
“Get some sleep.”
“Uh… uh…”
“You must be tired.”
“I… am.”
“I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
Tae-jun leaned in abruptly towards Yumin. With a yelp, Yumin tried to flee, but Tae-jun held him and fastened his seatbelt. Looking closely at Yumin’s face, it was a sight to behold. He was deathly pale, sweating profusely, and though pathetic, Tae-jun felt a pang of pity.
Does he hate me that much? Is being a tiger so horrifying to him?
Watching Yumin tremble, unable to even meet his eyes, Tae-jun felt a strange sense of sadism bloom alongside his pity. When would he finally accept the Tiger Groom? The sooner he adapted, the better the baby in his belly would grow.
Tae-jun, with his twisted thoughts, glanced at Yumin’s belly. At first glance, there was no sign, but Tae-jun, a descendant of the Tiger God and the King of Reproduction, could feel it. A faint life force emanated from deep within his belly. I’m here, the baby is emitting pheromones.
And not just one, but two. They seemed to be twins.
At least I managed to ejaculate properly. If only one cub resembles me and another resembles Yumin, that would be perfect.
Tae-jun’s heart pounded as he imagined the soon-to-be-born little ones.
Seeing Tae-jun’s smiling profile, Yumin sensed that the time of his fate was drawing near. He closed his eyes and prayed fervently.
Ancestors, grant me wisdom and composure.
Another one fell…
Yumin was still in the car Tae-jun was driving. Fortunately or unfortunately, Tae-jun hadn’t used any restraints. However, invisible shackles of fear and tension bound Yumin. In a way, they were more terrifying than physical restraints.
He stared blankly out the car window. As the car stopped at a red light, Yumin watched leaves fall from the roadside trees. Despite the warm weather, leaves were falling incessantly from the trees for some reason. It was undoubtedly because their life was ending, perhaps due to disease or air pollution.
Yumin recalled a story he had read long ago. It was about a girl who believed she would die when the last leaf fell. Although the situation and setting were different, his own plight was fundamentally no different from that girl’s. Yumin’s life was also hanging by a thread.
Farewell, world. My true mate, whom I never met.
As he gazed out the window, reciting narration in his heart, tears welled up in Yumin’s eyes. He had never imagined that he would bid farewell to the world at such a young age, destined to become a meal for a beast. There were so many places he wanted to visit, so many things he wanted to do. He felt only bitter regret and injustice.
Yumin was half resigned. He was exhausted from his long flight, and he had a premonition that this was truly the end.
If he had one wish, it was to see his family and relatives one last time before he died. Even the detestable Go Seong-min was missed at this moment. The bond of blood was a formidable thing.
While he was lost in his own world, acting out a drama, the car had already reached the street in front of Tae-jun’s officetel. Yumin recognized it instantly, having been there countless times. He was to meet his end where it all began.
“We’re here. Get out carefully.”
As if unaware of Yumin’s burning inner turmoil, Tae-jun spoke kindly.
It’s his last courtesy before eating me. I don’t need it.
Yumin glared at Tae-jun. To be precise, it was merely a timid glance. Yet, in his heart, he glared with all his might, filled with hatred and resentment.
“Why are you staring? Is there something on me?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
But his furious glare didn’t last long. As Tae-jun looked at him with a puzzled expression, Yumin quickly lowered his gaze.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah… it has…”
It was a space Yumin knew all too well. Dragged into the large room Tae-jun used as a bedroom, Yumin could only stare at the floor. He was too terrified of what was about to happen to speak.
Whether Tae-jun didn’t notice Yumin’s strange behavior or was pretending not to, he treated him calmly. Asking if he was hungry, Tae-jun led him back to the kitchen and served him a simple meal. It was a dish Yumin usually enjoyed.
He’s fattening me up to eat me! I’m sure of it!
Yumin was utterly mistaken. After all, Tae-jun had only engaged in casual conversation since their reunion and hadn’t said a single important word. In Yumin’s mind, Tae-jun knew Yumin had figured things out but was deliberately pretending not to. He had his suspicions as to why. It was to push Yumin’s fear to its absolute limit.
Fear and dread were instinctive emotions not only for ordinary humans but also for wild animals and Beastmen alike. And now, Tae-jun was trying to maximize those emotions.
Yumin recalled a ghost story he had heard long ago. According to the tale, which had been popular among Beastmen his age for a while, a terrified beast tasted particularly good. Therefore, wicked predators would deliberately torment their prey before devouring them.
Recalling the story buried in the depths of his memory, Yumin’s entire body broke out in goosebumps. Tae-jun was frighteningly obsessed with eating him.
“Eat that and rest. You must be tired.”
Yumin nodded wordlessly. He didn’t forget to cast a submissive glance, hoping for any possibility of leniency. It was a sliver of hope. But in the next moment, Tae-jun shattered Yumin’s expectations without hesitation.
“You need to eat well and sleep well to gain some weight, don’t you?”
Shocked, Yumin dropped his spoon. It clattered to the floor with a clang, but Tae-jun showed no reaction. He just smiled at Yumin.
“You’ll be staying here for a while. The bathroom is attached, so it shouldn’t be inconvenient.”
After finishing his meal, Yumin sat on the edge of the bed. He had lost all his energy after hearing such terrifying words during dinner. Since hearing that he needed to gain weight, he couldn’t tell if the food was going into his mouth or his nose. Yumin forced himself to eat, fearing Tae-jun’s reaction if he left any food. As a result, his stomach felt slightly upset, and he felt a strange churning sensation.
“Let’s have something delicious for dinner tonight.”
Tae-jun spoke kindly, but Yumin couldn’t say anything. What could he reply when whatever he ate would simply become his own flesh?
“Not answering, Go Yumin?”
“Uh, uh! It sounds delicious!”
“You think it’ll be delicious without even knowing the menu?”
Tae-jun asked with a chuckle, but Yumin merely lowered his head again.
“Then rest. Oh, and by the way, this room can’t be opened from the inside, so don’t even think about escaping.”
At those words, Yumin’s head shot up, but Tae-jun had already left. The click of the door closing sent Yumin’s despair soaring to its peak.
Just in case, he rushed to the door and shook the handle, but it didn’t budge. Tae-jun had indeed installed a lock.
How could he do this… It’s unbelievable!
Yumin searched the room thoroughly. But Tae-jun’s words were not empty. There was no escape route anywhere. The window could be opened slightly, but only by a hand’s width.
Despairing, Yumin slumped to the floor.
“Sniffle…”
Tears, the number of which he had lost count today, fell.
“Finally, I have him.”
Despite a few twists and turns, he had succeeded in getting Yumin back. Yumin hadn’t caused much of a scene or resisted violently. Perhaps he had resigned himself to his fate.
However, his recovery was the priority for now. Once he was properly fattened up and his energy restored, Tae-jun planned to explain everything and say, “I won’t eat you. I’ll stop teasing you.”
And just in time, he planned to prepare the greatest event of their lives for Yumin, or rather, for both of them. It was a wedding.
While searching the entire country for Yumin, Tae-jun had his own plans. Although they hadn’t completed the imprinting, it was necessary to bind them with a social tie. He wanted to let everyone in the world know that Yumin was Tae-jun’s possession and solidify it.
So, Tae-jun didn’t hesitate and immediately began preparations.
“Hah… I didn’t know it would be this busy. How on earth did my aunt get married three times?”
Wedding preparations were incredibly complex. Even with a wedding planner guiding the process, there were hundreds of things the groom’s side had to personally inspect and decide. Because of this, Tae-jun couldn’t stay by Yumin’s side and had to go out.
His family elders demanded a grand and lavish celebration for Tae-jun’s wedding, as he was of precious lineage. They dreamed of a blockbuster-level ceremony, saying, “No matter the cost, book the largest venue in Seoul, prepare an ultra-luxurious traditional ceremony, rent out an entire hotel,” and so on.
This only made Tae-jun busier. Thinking that taking Yumin, who was in the early stages of pregnancy, out could cause him to fall ill, Tae-jun handled all the wedding preparations himself. Furthermore, wedding preparation was a series of choices. To prevent Yumin from getting tired from the overwhelming wave of options, Tae-jun chose every item according to Yumin’s taste.
Tae-jun spent two full days commissioning wedding rings and hired five photographers, even studying photography himself.
“Where should we go for the honeymoon? A place Yumin would like… Hmm… He likes swimming, so an island? But there are so many types of resorts…”
From traditional popular resorts like Cancun and Maldives to the abundant Seychelles, or the nearby Koh Samui…
Tae-jun once again fell into the swamp of options. His head throbbed, but with the desire to create the happiest memories for Yumin, he spent over an hour poring over the brochures sent by the travel agency.
“How is Yumin doing?”
Tae-jun turned on the pet cam program installed on his laptop. On the screen, Yumin was lying in bed, sleeping soundly. Yumin had been sleeping much more lately. He could barely wake up in the morning to exchange greetings with Tae-jun, and by the time Tae-jun came home at night, he was already asleep.
Yumin hadn’t yet noticed the changes in his own body. But Tae-jun didn’t feel the need to say, “I think you’re pregnant.” Telling that to Yumin, who was still wary of him, would only scare him and yield no benefit. Besides, it wasn’t yet the stage where fetal movement or pregnancy symptoms were clearly apparent.
It would be better for Yumin to notice the changes in his body himself and naturally accept the baby. That way, his affection for the child would grow, and he would decide to stick close to Tae-jun.
For over thirty minutes, Yumin slept soundly without waking up, as Tae-jun watched the pet cam. Seeing Yumin looking so comfortable, Tae-jun chuckled.
A moment later, Yumin finally stirred and got out of bed. Tae-jun smiled and called him. Yumin answered immediately.
Hello?
“Yumin, are you awake?”
Uh… yeah. Just now.
“I should have asked sooner, but I forgot something. Where is your paternal family from?”
M-my paternal family? Why?
Yumin jumped up from the bed, startled.
“Why? You need to give me your home address.”
He needed to confirm the address now to send out wedding invitations and arrange buses for the guests.
However, Yumin’s perspective was different.
He’s not satisfied with just me, he intends to devour my relatives too. What a wicked man!
I will never tell you. Don’t even dream of it!
“Why can’t you tell me?”
I alone am enough. Leave my relatives alone!
Yumin snapped and hung up the phone.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Tae-jun was bewildered. But soon, he understood what Yumin meant.
Come to think of it, Yumin still misunderstands.
He couldn’t stop chuckling. The misunderstanding that he intended to devour not only Yumin but also his relatives was undeniable.
He’s cute, but I should probably clear up the misunderstanding soon.
Normally, he would have let it be and found it endearing, but the situation was different now. For the smooth preparation of the wedding, Yumin’s cooperation was absolutely essential. Tae-jun decided he would explain calmly over a cozy dinner for the two of them.
Yes, tonight. He would confess his love and formally propose. And he would correct the misunderstandings that had accumulated and apologize for teasing Yumin. Since Yumin loved him so much, everything would fall into place.
Up to that moment, everything was proceeding according to Tae-jun’s intentions. However, there was one part he missed. And that minor mistake would soon turn into painful regret.