NLFSD Chapter 32

Chapter 32

His stomach churned more violently, and now even his head started to ache. With nothing else to do, Jiwoon kept pounding his chest, and just then, Seo Taecheon came out of the bathroom.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah… actually, I think I have indigestion.”

“What did you say?”

“My chest feels tight.”

Jiwoon unbuttoned a couple of his shirt buttons and took deep breaths. Seo Taecheon noticed Jiwoon’s complexion gradually turning pale and frowned deeply.

“You don’t look good at all. Just lie down for now. I’ll go check if they have any medicine.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Seo Taecheon quickly left the room. Jiwoon, drenched in cold sweat and completely exhausted, collapsed onto the bedding.

After a short wait, Seo Taecheon returned. But instead of medicine, he brought a needle stuck into a cork and a lighter.

“Uh…? What about the medicine?”

“They were out of digestive medicine, of all things. But they gave me this instead.”

“A… a needle?”

Jiwoon flinched and recoiled instinctively. The thick, shiny needle gave off an intense, almost threatening aura.

“They said pricking with a needle will relieve the indigestion right away and even gave me a tutorial.”

Jiwoon was familiar with the idea of pricking fingers with a needle. When he suffered from indigestion as a child, his grandmother would prick his fingertips. But he also remembered, as vividly as if it were yesterday, how agonizingly painful it was—how the needle jabbed, and the blood had to be squeezed out.

Am I really about to go through that pain again…!?

Unfazed by Jiwoon’s fear-stricken face, Taecheon calmly prepared to prick his fingertip. Thanks to the grandmother’s meticulousness, he had a lighter to sterilize the needle. He flicked it on and passed the flame over the needle, then wiped it with an alcohol pad.

“Director, I really don’t like needles. Can’t we try something else?”

“Hmm. Well. I’ve tried various methods too, but nothing works like this for indigestion. It’s the quickest and most reliable.”

“Still…! I think it’s going to hurt too much. Just look at how thick that needle is.”

“The thicker, the better. You’ve got to go deep enough to bring tears for it to work.”

As Jiwoon made a miserable face, Taecheon moved in closer. He took off his watch and placed the needle down on the alcohol pad for a moment. Jiwoon nervously inched backward.

“W-why are you coming over here?”

“Just stay still.”

Why is he taking off his watch just to prick my finger? What’s he planning to do?

As Jiwoon trembled in fear, Taecheon suddenly reached out his hand.

“Gasp.”

“First, I need to massage it.”

His large hand moved directly toward Jiwoon’s flat stomach. Jiwoon was so startled he almost hiccuped.

“Stay still.”

Without hesitation, Taecheon began rubbing Jiwoon’s stomach in slow, circular motions. It was a soft, gentle touch—one that allowed Jiwoon to feel every bit of his warmth.

“…Director.”

“This helps your body relax.”

“Well, yes, but…”

With the wall behind him, there was nowhere to retreat. Jiwoon had no choice but to receive Taecheon’s touch. After a few minutes of this delicate massage, a deep heat started to rise in Jiwoon’s lower abdomen.

Damn it. This isn’t right. This is dangerous… too dangerous…!

Those firm fingertips, the calloused palms, the faint scent of cologne—all of it stimulated Jiwoon’s senses and sparked indecent thoughts.

This is a robot’s hand. Not a human hand.

He tried to brainwash himself, but Taecheon’s touch persistently traced over his abdomen.

“Breathe. Relax.”

“Haa… Yes, Director.”

“Loosen up a bit more. Just trust your body to me.”

“Ugh, okay.”

Taecheon’s touch grew slower and stickier, almost as if he were trying to memorize the contours of Jiwoon’s body.

No, I can’t let this continue! I’d rather deal with the pain of the needle.

Jiwoon suddenly grabbed Taecheon’s wrist tightly to stop him.

“S-stop! Please just use the needle instead!”

When Jiwoon blurted out his plea, Taecheon nodded, as if slightly disappointed.

“Your stomach was just starting to warm up… but alright. A quick prick will work just as well.”

“Y-yes.”

Taecheon ran his hand from Jiwoon’s elbow down to his wrist. At first glance, the motion looked soft, but in truth, it was quite firm—causing blood to rush to Jiwoon’s fingertips. He massaged Jiwoon’s wrist and hand, pressing the area between his thumb and index finger.

“Ah, that hurts.”

“This spot usually hurts when you have indigestion. Let me loosen it up.”

“Ugh, haah…!”

With a man’s strength, Taecheon pressed and kneaded the sore spots, making Jiwoon moan despite himself. He winced and turned his head away.

“There, that should do. Time to prick your fingertip now.”

“Haa… Okay. Please… just do it quickly.”

“Relax. If you’re tense, it won’t go in smoothly.”

Taecheon held Jiwoon’s index finger. Trapped in Taecheon’s large hand, Jiwoon’s hand trembled.

“Assistant Manager Lee, are you shaking?”

“N-no…”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“To be honest… no.”

“Then I can’t do it like this. You need to let go and accept it more calmly.”

Taecheon’s voice was like a whisper—so low and deep it seemed to echo through Jiwoon’s skull.

This is weird. I’m nervous. Not just because of the needle—it’s also because he’s so close. I can feel the Director’s breath entirely. Our knees are already touching.

The scent of his body, this strangely charged atmosphere, and now these lines that, with the slightest twist, could be completely misconstrued if filtered through a lewd lens.

He’s just telling me he’s going to prick my finger, but why does it sound so suggestive?

While Jiwoon was distracted by those errant thoughts, the needle suddenly pierced his fingertip.

“Ah!”

He hadn’t expected it and flinched hard. Taecheon had pricked him without warning.

“Ahh, ngh!”

Before Jiwoon could even protest, the next finger was pricked. The sudden pain was so intense it brought tears to Jiwoon’s eyes. He gasped for air, and tears rolled down his rosy cheeks.

“Does it hurt?”

“Y-yes, Director… Please stop.”

Jiwoon looked up at Taecheon with teary eyes.

“It only hurts?”

“Ah… not just that.”

Strangely enough, he felt a little better. Maybe the effect was immediate—his stomach was gradually easing, and the pressure was fading.

“It doesn’t… only hurt.”

“Then let’s prick one more.”

“N-no! This is enough.”

“Shh. Just one more.”

Swish. Taecheon picked up the needle again and pricked Jiwoon’s fourth fingertip. A round drop of blood swelled up, then rolled down his pale finger. His long, slender hands were now stained with smudges of blood.

“I’ll clean it for you. Wait here.”

“I can do it.”

“I’m the one who hurt you, so I’ll take responsibility.”

“Ah… then thank you.”

Taecheon went to the bathroom and returned with a wet towel, gently wiping Jiwoon’s hand clean. His gaze, lowered to inspect Jiwoon’s fingers, was grave and careful.

“I’m sorry for causing you pain.”

“…It’s alright.”

“I’ll try not to hurt you next time.”

Taecheon lifted his head and looked into Jiwoon’s eyes. Jiwoon turned his face away, suddenly feeling shy.

“I brought a bandage. Let me put it on.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Once Taecheon wrapped Jiwoon’s fingers with bandages, the treatment was complete. As Taecheon moved away to tidy up the supplies, Jiwoon finally relaxed. And then, a sudden wave of sleepiness hit him.

“Shall we lie down?”

“Yes…”

Jiwoon answered weakly, leaning against the wall.

Maybe it was because so much had happened in one day. His exhausted body quickly gave in to drowsiness.

Even as his consciousness faded, Jiwoon kept thinking:

I can’t fall asleep like this… I came to this island with a mission… but I’m just so tired.

Seo Taecheon supported Jiwoon by his nape and lower back, carefully laying him down on the blanket.

“Director… I can’t fall asleep now…”

“Alright.”

“There’s something I… still need to do…”

Jiwoon mumbled incoherently.

“Just sleep.”

Taecheon pulled the blanket up to Jiwoon’s chin and turned off the lights with the wall switch.

“We still have plenty of time, Assistant Manager Lee.”

But Jiwoon, now completely asleep, didn’t hear Taecheon’s last words. He simply sank into deep slumber.

He had slept far too deeply. What woke Jiwoon up was thirst. When he slowly opened his eyes, something warm—no, hot and firm—was pressed against him. No, considering that it was wrapped around his arm and shoulder, “trapped” might be a better word.

Where am I…? This doesn’t feel like home. And what’s with this suffocating heat? Did I fall asleep rolled up in an electric blanket? No, it’s too heavy for that.

He lifted his head to check what was wrapped around him, and then Jiwoon was struck speechless.

It’s said that extreme shock can freeze your body in place. Jiwoon swallowed his scream.

Seo Taecheon was lying beside him, one arm under Jiwoon’s head as a pillow, the other wrapped around his waist.

What he had thought was a wall of heat… was actually the Director’s chest and arm.