(Turning Point)

The first trip to Jeju Island was very enjoyable. Though clearly Korean, to In-woo, who had barely been outside of Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, it felt like a different world.

Maybe his stamina had weakened a lot while being in the cage, as he got tired quickly even though they hadn’t walked around much. The fact that he was very tense since morning probably contributed too.

Though he said a lot of strange things like being worried about plane crashes, In-woo’s mind was actually elsewhere.

That being his improving relationship with Lee Sun-ho.

Kim In-woo’s first confession ended ambiguously, and Lee Sun-ho acted like someone who hadn’t heard the confession. While thinking he should give up after that half-hearted rejection, he was shaken several times by Sun-ho’s helplessly kind actions.

He started having real hope right after Seo Jae-hyun appeared. Though he was just a hyung he’d gotten to know recently, Lee Sun-ho, unlike his usually calm personality, kept showing hostility toward Seo Jae-hyun. Anyone could see it was wariness and jealousy.

Kim In-woo, who grew up reading people’s moods since childhood, couldn’t have missed that subtle change.

Lee Sun-ho was conscious of Kim In-woo. Once he realized it, he noticed that recently, Lee Sun-ho often looked at him with strange gazes. It was like when Kim In-woo felt an intense gaze and turned around, Lee Sun-ho would be staring at him. But he seemed to have little awareness that he was conscious of Kim In-woo.

But if he confessed again here, Lee Sun-ho would probably act like nothing happened again. Rather, making Lee Sun-ho become aware seemed to have a higher chance of success.

While he was wondering what method to use, Lee Sun-ho suggested the trip. Don’t they say people look different when you’re away from daily life? He didn’t hope for anything grand, he just wished Lee Sun-ho, who only took care of him like a baby bird, would become even slightly aware of his feelings.

It was a trip he’d waited for like this. Maybe he was too tense, as his body had no strength at all. But after refreshingly washing up, he felt energized as if he’d received a buff.

It felt wasteful to just go to sleep now. Since the energetic Sun-ho didn’t seem tired at all, they should at least walk around nearby. The daytime was nice for being active, but isn’t nighttime more atmospheric?

Kim In-woo walked out of the bathroom with pleasant thoughts.

Until he went into the bathroom, Sun-ho had been sitting quietly on the sofa.

Sometimes Sun-ho would space out lost in thought, and when asked what he was doing, he said he was writing a diary. When told what diary could he be writing without having anything to record with, he just shrugged instead of answering. Lee Sun-ho could be quirky sometimes.

Still, by now that meditation should be about done. If he tells him to wash up right away and they go out immediately, it won’t be too late.

They don’t need to go far, they could use the hotel facilities. Since they splurged on the hotel for today, shouldn’t they get their money’s worth? The towel dropped from Kim In-woo’s hand as he walked into the living room with happy thoughts.

Sun-ho, who had been fine until just earlier, was curled up as in pain somewhere. In-woo ran to Sun-ho in surprise.

“Hyung! What’s wrong?”

“…Don’t come.”

In-woo hesitated when Lee Sun-ho spoke urgently. Sun-ho muttered something incomprehensible with a pained expression. Unintelligible words like too fast, without warning, and such.

“Hyung.”

“I said don’t come!”

Sun-ho shouted irritably. But In-woo couldn’t leave Sun-ho alone while he was suffering. When he finally placed his hand on Sun-ho’s body, it was surprisingly hot. As In-woo startled, Sun-ho also startled and deeply furrowed his brows. It was an agitation unbelievable for Lee Sun-ho who rarely showed changes in expression.

“Hyung, your fever is high. An ambulance…”

“It’s useless. Just leave, please…”

Lee Sun-ho avoided In-woo’s touch as if he were someone frightening. At the somewhat strange reaction for someone who was purely sick, In-woo slowly examined Sun-ho.

As In-woo’s gaze moved lower, he discovered clear evidence that Sun-ho was aroused. How could someone suddenly become aroused like they’d taken some drug?

In-woo gritted his teeth. He’d heard that Radel and Lampresh were considered among the better masters. Lampresh carefully tends to and takes care of humans they like. Like show dogs for competitions. Of course, they get discarded when they age and their looks fade, but until then, they could live somewhat luxuriously.

But those who crossed the line even further would casually do terrible things to humans. A prime example was modifying human bodies. Things like attaching multiple arms, or combining two humans into one, or making their insides strange without showing on the outside. Stories he’d briefly heard at the training center.

It seems Lee Sun-ho had gotten caught by one of those vicious masters. He was pitiful enough already, but to think he’d been experimented on by aliens too…

“Hyung. Sun-ho hyung.”

“Don’t, touch…”

“Hyung, I like you.”

Lee Sun-ho, who had been struggling with the heat inside him until just now, froze. Though it was an impulsive confession, Kim In-woo didn’t regret it. A way to calm sudden *rousal. For Kim In-woo who didn’t have knowledge like aliens, there was only one way he knew. Though it might be a cowardly thing to say in this situation…

“Hyung. Want to sleep with me?”

In-woo whispered lowly as he reached out to Sun-ho. When he carefully cupped the heated cheek, Sun-ho’s face instantly turned red. Sun-ho, breathing roughly, muttered something quickly under his breath, then immediately pounced on In-woo.