Escape from an Ancient Civilization Ch 201

Chapter 201 Side Story 2

 

Episode 3

 

 No matter how much I like you, I don’t want to make you smell this kind of sweat.

“I’ll go wash up quickly, so wait for me. Okay?”

“……Okay.”

In response to the hard-won agreement, Nataek gave another brief kiss as a sign of reply. When their lips met with a faint smacking sound, Medeus couldn’t resist even that fleeting moment and bit Nataek’s lower lip. Caught off guard, Nataek’s lip stretched slightly, then quickly loosened again. Rubbing his reddened lip, Nataek playfully pinched Medeus’s chest.

“Wait.”

With a completely resigned expression, Medeus slumped onto the sofa. Resting his elbow on the armrest, he lay sideways, staring fixedly at the sight of Nataek disappearing into the bathroom.

How long had he waited for Nataek to come out? After quite some time, Medeus finally saw Nataek again, now radiating the cozy fragrance of shampoo. His urge to pull him into an embrace and kiss him was overflowing, but doing so might make Nataek falter and draw away again.

The patience Medeus learned after coming to the modern world was different in nature from Uruk’s. Instead of controlling only his own desires, he focused deliberately on considering Nataek’s feelings and developed patience through that. In this way, Medeus was adapting to the modern world and becoming more mature.

After Nataek came out, Medeus also showered. During the shower, he kept seeing Nataek’s face in his mind, and his cheeks and body flushed and cooled down over and over again.

The moment he came out of the bathroom, he began toweling off his still-wet body and immediately looked for Nataek.

“Tere…si?”

As Medeus pulled the towel off his head, a hollow laugh escaped his lips.

Snooore—

Nataek had fallen asleep, sitting on the floor with his back against the sofa.

“……This is unbelievable.”

Medeus knelt down before him, resting on his knees.

“Teresi.”

Snoore—

With his thumb, Medeus gently brushed over Nataek’s slightly parted lips.

“……Nataek.”

“Uuugh……”

The way he furrowed his brows and let out a small groan at such a gentle call was amusing. Medeus softly cupped his jaw and placed a small kiss on the corner of his lips. Then, carefully, he picked him up into his arms.

“This makes showering feel pointless.”

Yet, despite his words, Medeus’s face was full of a warm smile. He carried Nataek into the bedroom, laid him down on the bed, and sat beside him, quietly gazing down.

“Should I take you back again.”

Though he murmured it under his breath, Nataek shifted in his sleep, turning his body away from him. Stroking his hair, Medeus thought of both life in Uruk and life now.

Compared to back then, this place was far more peaceful and comfortable beyond measure. Even if they said the risk of war existed here too, in Medeus’s eyes, the lives of the people seemed incredibly safe.

The issue was Nataek. Here, he couldn’t cling to him all day long as he had in Uruk. Especially when Medeus was at work, that was even more the case.

“I can’t exactly tie you up and carry you around.”

If he tried that, he’d only get lectured about modern life. It wasn’t because he didn’t know these things. Even though they were always together and saw each other every day, Medeus still carried that hunger for Nataek. Did Nataek realize that?

Medeus pressed a kiss to Nataek’s cheek.

“I love you, Teresi.”

The only reply was his heavy, exhausted breaths. Hugging him tighter, Medeus whispered softly into his ear.

“I love you, Nataek.”

If I told you that even though I see you every day, I still long to see you again, what kind of expression would you make?

The morning alarm rang noisily.

“Uugh……”

Nataek buried his face in the pillow and stretched an arm toward the nightstand to grope for his phone. Half-asleep, his hand wandered clumsily across the surface.

Since it was their first night after moving in, his sleeping environment had changed completely—yet he had slept soundly without waking once until morning. Because of that, his phone must have fallen somewhere while he slept, as his hand couldn’t immediately find it. While frowning and starting to lift his upper body, the alarm suddenly went silent. At the same moment, a warm, heavy sensation pressed down on his back.

“Teresi. Did you sleep well?”

Nataek blinked open his heavy eyelids with difficulty and turned his body. That comforting weight made him feel safe in the early morning. Facing Medeus, he asked,

“Did I just fall asleep last night?”

“Yeah. You abandoned me and went off to sleep on your own.”

Medeus ran his fingers through Nataek’s tousled hair. Smiling faintly, Nataek whispered softly, “Sorry.” To add meaning to his apology, he buried his face into Medeus’s chest. Once he used to dream of someone sweetly nuzzling against his chest like this. Now, instead, Nataek was rubbing his forehead into the chest of a golden-haired beauty. His voice was hoarse with sleep when he asked,

“Why did you wake up so early?”

“I just happened to open my eyes.”

Medeus wrapped his arm around Nataek’s waist and slipped his hand under his shirt, his touch gently stroking his abdomen. The motion was so natural. Just as they were lost in each other’s touch, the toaster alarm went off. Only then did they leave the bed.

Accepting the toast Medeus handed him, Nataek stared at him intently. He needed to say something about his new job. He wasn’t sure if Medeus would be happy or upset about the news, so it was hard to bring up.

Would he rejoice with me?

“What is it?”

But Medeus suddenly asked the question first.

“Hm?”

“It feels like you have something you want to tell me.”

Whether in the old days or now, this man was always eerily perceptive. The only difference was now…

“Go on, tell me.”

Medeus gave him a gentle, warm smile as he leaned closer. Yes, that was the difference—his smiles toward him now carried warmth and affection beyond words.

Was it that obvious? Nataek rubbed his cheek with one hand and slowly began to speak.

“Medeus. Do you remember when I once said I might look for a job?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Actually, I’ve been preparing since then. And…I got accepted at one place. So… I’ll be starting work next month.”

Medeus’s eyes widened in surprise. Not knowing what that meant, Nataek put down the toast he was holding, placed both hands on the table, and clasped them together.

“I knew it might feel sudden. But since you’re finding your place here too, I thought it would be good for both of us if I started working as well.”

Medeus seemed to fall silent in thought for a moment, then reached out and held Nataek’s hands firmly.

“Teresi. This is something you truly wanted, right?”

“Uh… yeah. For now, at least?”

“And it’s at the company you wanted?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s something to celebrate. Why are you saying it so carefully?”

“Is that… so?”

Nataek gave a sheepish smile. Medeus suddenly stood and moved to sit beside him. Then he pressed a light kiss to his forehead.

“Congratulations, Teresi. Why would you hesitate to tell me such good news?”

“I wasn’t sure if it would be news you’d be happy about.”

Without realizing it, he must have been more tense than he thought. Only now did his shoulders relax. Whatever little tension remained vanished completely once he was pulled into Medeus’s embrace. Medeus rubbed his cheek against Nataek’s shoulder and murmured,

“It’s something you’ve wanted—how could I not be happy for you?”

And after hugging him tightly for quite a while, he suddenly seemed to remember something and pulled him away. Startled, Nataek looked at him, only for Medeus to return to his seat.

“Let’s go out after breakfast. On a day like this, you should receive a congratulatory gift.”

It was an unexpected suggestion from Medeus.

Nataek hadn’t told him the news in order to receive something. But for some reason, Medeus looked even happier than he had when receiving the acceptance notice himself. Despite his outwardly impassive expression, Nataek could read the real emotion hidden underneath. That expression was… yes, it was just like back then. The time he had first received a gift from Medeus.

When they were cast out of Uruk and had been wandering, Medeus had noticed him eyeing a peddler’s pendant with longing. Without hesitation, he’d paid 200 gin to buy him a star-shaped pendant.

“You said it was pretty. Didn’t you want it?”

“Do you not like it?”

He had asked cautiously, but when Nataek accepted the necklace with joy, the look on his face had been unforgettable.

“Something like this, I could buy you as many as you want. Don’t feel burdened.”

Even back when Nataek wasn’t yet aware of his own feelings for Medeus, that moment left an indelible mark in his memory.

“Nataek. Come here.”

The difference this time was that instead of standing in front of a peddler in Uruk, they were standing inside a department store. But Medeus’s attitude toward him had not changed. Then and now, he still wanted to give him things, to provide for him, to completely bare his heart to him.

When Nataek walked up beside him, Medeus held up several jackets from the rack.

“A jacket would probably be best, right?”

“You’ve got good taste in choosing clothes. These are among the newest releases and also the most popular line.”

“Do you want to try one on?”

“Medeus. I don’t need this many.”

“Hurry. Go try them on.”

“The fitting room is this way.”

The store employee, worried Nataek might refuse, quickly took the clothes and led the way toward the fitting rooms.