SAFBIAN Ch 99

Chapter 99

 

Groaning softly.

Dori, limp and exhausted, blinked his eyes open and closed. He truly felt like his entire body had been torn apart. He had no strength left and didn’t even want to move a single toe.

‘…I’ve been tricked.’

If he had known that “we’ll spend the whole day together” meant that, he would’ve refused outright without a second thought.

Just then, Haban, who had been heavily pressing down on him, slowly pulled out. The sensation of something sticky trailing from his entrance down the inside of his thigh was unmistakable—whether it was oil or semen, he didn’t know.

“Ugh…”

Dori groaned unconsciously, and in response, Haban kissed gently behind his ear as if to soothe him.

The lips that moved down from the nape of his neck to his shoulders and back calmed the tremors. Haban was still hugging him tightly from behind.

“You’re heavy…”

It was the first time Dori realized just how heavy a man’s body, pure muscle without an ounce of fat, could feel. Only then did the arms that seemed like they’d never let go finally loosen.

“Just wait a moment.”

His voice brimmed with reluctance.

As Haban sat up, skin stuck together by sweat peeled away with a sticky sound. A sudden chill made Dori curl up, but something was soon draped over his bare body.

Though it was a thin blanket, it instantly felt warmer. Soon, Haban returned from the bathhouse with a basin of water that was still steaming.

Warm water and soft silk cloth.

“Mmm.”

Each time the damp cloth passed over his skin, it felt refreshing. Even the light pressing massages were soothing, making Dori let out a satisfied breath.

“If you keep reacting like that, you’ll make me not want to let you sleep.”

“…Have mercy.”

Dori meant it from the heart.

Haban, who let out a small chuckle, seemed to have been teasing as he finished wiping him down and put the basin away.

“Wrap your arms around my neck.”

Bundled tightly in new bedding, Dori was lifted into Haban’s arms and carried to another nearby room. He worried someone might be in the corridor, but thankfully, it seemed everyone was asleep.

“Why this room?”

“You can’t possibly sleep in that bed.”

…Ah.

Dori’s face flushed crimson at Haban’s words.

The sheets, both above and below, were unusable with how soaked they were with bodily fluids and semen. He also remembered the pillows stained with tears and snot—mostly shed by himself while crying.

“I’ll wash up and be out soon. Sleep if you’re tired.”

This room also had a connected bathhouse. Once Haban disappeared inside, Dori, too exhausted, transformed into a fox and began dozing off.

When Haban came out after washing, he found Dori nodding off in his fox form.

“You could sleep more comfortably. Why are you like that?”

“…Kang.”

Fox form healed faster than his human body. Haban urged him multiple times to shift back, but Dori sluggishly burrowed into the blankets instead.

But the bedding felt stiffer than expected. Normally, it would have been fine, but in his current state—his muscles sore and skin burning—it was terribly uncomfortable.

As Dori twisted and turned restlessly, Haban suddenly reached over.

“Kang?”

Dori’s ears perked in surprise as Haban pulled him close and gently stroked his back.

“I can’t wake the others, so I’ll have to be content with this for tonight.”

Haban’s eyes softened tenderly.

Even in the darkness, fox-shaped Dori was clearly visible. Haban met his eyes and smiled gently in the shadows.

Hmph. As if I can’t manage just because I have to sleep on top of you?

Dori rolled his eyes playfully and laid down on Haban’s chest.

Curling his tail around himself and nestling his nose in it, he felt the steady thump of a heartbeat and comforting warmth. It was the perfect lullaby. Before long, Dori had drifted into a deep sleep.

He vaguely recalled hearing Haban’s voice, bidding him a soft goodnight, as he slipped into slumber.

—

The next morning.

Haban stepped away from the bed and headed to the table. On it sat a small kettle and a cup turned upside down to keep out dust. He poured a full cup of water and drank it in one go, then filled the cup again and turned around.

Dori, limp on the bed, stared at him and grumbled internally.

‘How is he still so full of energy…?’

He could barely move a muscle.

“What’s wrong?”

“…”

Dori only mumbled, unable to swear out loud.

“Right. You must be thirsty too.”

Indeed, he was. When Haban approached with the cup, Dori looked up expectantly.

Haban sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Dori into his lap with one arm. Dori, still limp from exhaustion, was jolted into alertness the moment his sore backside touched Haban’s firm thigh muscles.

“Kae, kae-ang!”

Tears burst forth. He’d been lying on his stomach precisely because that area still burned!

The sudden pressure felt like slamming his bruised behind on hard ground, and Dori sniffled as tears streamed down. Soon his eyes and paws were damp and matted.

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

A flustered Haban gently patted his back. Dori, barely able to stand on his hind legs, headbutted his annoyingly firm chest.

‘It’s your fault, Haban!’

He wanted nothing more than to smack him with his paws, but didn’t have the strength to even stand. Groaning, Dori rubbed his forehead against him.

“I tried to be gentle, and yet you’re still in pain.”

“…Kaang.”

Of course it hurts.

Even with all the care and liberal use of oil, this was the result. Dori couldn’t imagine how the original “Dori” endured it. For a moment, he even doubted whether staying in the imperial palace had been the right choice.

‘Still…’

This Haban was different from the one in the original story.

He gave him only the best food and clothes, gifted him the most splendid and beautiful palace in the court—nothing like the filthy cell and spoiled food the original Dori had been subjected to.

Even the physical intimacy, which had once been feared and agonized over, was now accompanied by careful concern.

‘If Haban had shown signs of becoming like the one in the original, I was ready to run without looking back.’

But seeing how he kept checking in, asking if he was alright last night and again this morning, Dori felt certain he wouldn’t turn into that monster. …It was a relief.

‘And yet…’

Maybe it was because he pitied the original Dori too much.

Like he had been emotionally immersed in the novel, his chest felt tight and aching. Tears began to fall, again and again. Unlike earlier, when it had been physical pain that triggered them, now they were purely emotional.

“Don’t cry anymore.”

‘I’m not crying because I want to.’

Dori, flustered, furiously rubbed his eyes.

“You’ll hurt yourself like that. You should’ve said something if it was that painful.”

Haban immediately shouted for the royal physician. The area outside the room became a flurry of movement at the Emperor’s command.

—

Dori, who had managed only a few sips of water before lying back down, drifted into light sleep and then awoke.

He’d had a dream.

It had left a horrible, disgusting feeling behind.

‘What was that…?’

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember the dream’s contents.

Even with his eyes closed, trying to recall it only gave him goosebumps. Worse, he could feel someone’s hand touching his body again and again.

Half-asleep and confused, Dori suddenly realized that the touches were on his backside—and that Haewon was applying medicine.

He woke up completely.

Just where do you think you’re touching?!

Even in fox form, it was humiliating and embarrassing. And the fact that it was for wounds from intercourse made it worse!

Dori immediately jumped down from the bed. His brief rest had allowed his strength to recover a little, and his mouth tasted bitter—likely from medicine administered while he was asleep to help restore his energy.

“Wait! I’m almost done!”

Haewon chased after him at once. Beside him, Hong and Cheong, who had been helping, quickly moved to block the door.

Unable to escape the room, Dori scrambled up a chair and into a corner, glancing at the window. It wasn’t locked, so he could escape, but Haewon would probably catch him before he could open it.

Dori’s eyes darted around the room before he dove under the cabinet.

“Where do you think—!”

It was a near miss.

Haewon clicked his tongue as he just missed grabbing the fox. With only his tail fur left drifting in the air, Dori curled up and made himself small in hiding.

“You, again!”

Haewon flattened himself to the floor, eyes blazing.

“Kang!”

‘I can’t help it!’

Even if he was just “possessing” Dori and currently in fox form, having someone touch his butt was unbearably mortifying.

‘I’ve never even been to a proctologist!’

Let alone that—he hadn’t even visited a urologist. Dori pressed himself further against the wall.

Soon, Hong and Cheong also lay flat, taking turns reaching under the cabinet to try to grab him.

“Grrr…”

Dodging left feet and then right, Dori growled low in warning. The three gave up and straightened their bodies.

‘What now?’

‘He probably won’t come out until we’re gone.’

‘Is that okay?’

‘Let’s wait outside the door and keep watch.’

The three exchanged glances and lip-synced their plan.

In truth, they had been quietly shocked by the traces left in the room. Though they didn’t show it, they could understand why Dori felt so embarrassed.

Unaware of all this, Dori waited until they stepped outside before crawling out from under the cabinet. He hadn’t noticed earlier in his rush, but now he realized his whole body ached.

He cautiously raised his tail and sighed deeply.