Chapter 47: The Lunatic Who Pretended to Be Dying Just to Get a Touch

“Booboo-boo, did they bully our baby again~?”

“I told you I’m taller than you! I’m not a baby!”

Ki-jun stood on tiptoe, glaring menacingly at Jae-hyung. But Jae-hyung only squealed harder and pinched his cheeks.

“If being cute is a crime, you’re getting the death penalty, Yong-yong-ah.”

“My name is not Yong-yong!”

“What? Kang Ki-jun? You actually like that name?”

Ki-jun froze mid-rage. Come to think of it… “Kang Ki-jun” was the fake name Kang Yeo-jun forced on him to deceive others.

“You hate it too, right?”

“Yeah, I hate that name… but I don’t have a real one.”

Jae-hyung fake-cried, hugging Ki-jun’s neck, then whispered in his ear,

“Then Yong-yong really suits you best. How about it?”

“No. Feels like you’re teasing me.”

“Pinkie, then?”

“…You psycho.”

Finally realizing he was being played, the pink dragon slapped Jae-hyung’s back.

“Get lost! Appear in front of me again and you die!”

“Okay!”

For once, Jae-hyung obediently backed off. But Ki-jun still watched him warily. The crazy guy was humming as he walked to the kitchen.

Moments later, the smell of melting butter and sizzling steak wafted out.

M-Meat…?

The scent was unmistakably butter-seared steak. Ki-jun drifted to the kitchen like he was possessed.

As expected, Jae-hyung was cooking steak.

He just told me to get lost… would it be weird to talk to him now?

But the smell won. Ki-jun silently stood behind him.

Jae-hyung glanced back with a mischievous grin.

“Planning to eat all that alone?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Looks like a lot…”

“What, you want some?”

Drool visibly dripped from Ki-jun’s mouth.

Jae-hyung barely held himself back from giving the whole pan to this adorable creature.

“One wish and it’s yours.”

“W-What is it? I’ll do it!”

“Turn baby dragon → one piece. Let me call you Yong-yong → two pieces. Finish eating, turn back human, and kiss me on the cheek → three pieces.”

Jae-hyung clasped his hands, praying for an instant yes.

Ki-jun looked back and forth between the perfectly seared steak and Jae-hyung’s face.

“It’s not even hard… and it doesn’t hurt…”

“Fine, screw it!”

Poof!

Instant baby dragon.

The tiny pink dragon sparkled his eyes up at Jae-hyung from knee level, begging for meat.

“Holy sh*t… this is illegally cute.”

Jae-hyung scooped him up and hugged him tight to his chest.

—THWACK!

A whole roll of toilet paper flew from nowhere and smacked the back of his head.

“Ow! Who—!”

“Who else, idiot. Your hyung.”

Jin-woo stood there, tongue clicking.

“Stop bullying the nice dragon and feed him already. Lee Chae’s almost here.”

“Tch… why are you like this? You think I’m just playing with a kid?”

“You are playing. Why else keep making him turn baby and bribing him with meat? Even if you’re bored, bullying a good dragon will get you karma.”

“I’m not bullying!”

Feeling misunderstood about his pure love, Jae-hyung shielded the dragon with his shoulder.

“Yong-yong, stay here and I’ll cut the meat for you.”

The baby dragon nodded.

Jin-woo muttered nonsense from behind while Jae-hyung plated the steak.

“You immature esper. Give up early—you can’t marry a dragon.”

Jae-hyung covered his ears, pretending not to hear. He knew interspecies marriage was impossible.

Calling my pure, spiritual love something dirty…

Trembling with indignation, Jae-hyung vowed to one day escape Legion with Yong-yong.

“Kyuuu!”

The baby dragon flailed toward the meat—he was about to climb onto the plate himself.

Jae-hyung immediately picked up a piece and fed it to him. The dragon swallowed the huge chunk in one bite.

“Good boy, Yong-yong. Want another?”

Nod nod.

One by one, the entire pan disappeared. Without hesitation, Jae-hyung pulled more meat from the fridge and kept cooking. Just watching Yong-yong eat filled his stomach.

Meanwhile, Lee Chae—who had already arrived at Legion—was warmly watching the cute esper feed steak to the cute dragon.

He’d been coming every day worrying about Ki-jun, but maybe he could stop now.

There was someone here who loved the dragon even more than he did.

Whether it was pet love or romantic love didn’t matter—having kind Jae-hyung cherish him was the best outcome.

Yong-yong… it really does suit him.

Lee Chae’s face broke into a soft smile.

“It hurts—it hurts so bad I might die. What if I die before our wedding night?!”

“Stop with the dramatics!”

Saturday night. Lee Chae had rushed to Legion after Jae-hyung’s panicked call that Haejin was dying. He knew it was probably fake, but the tiny chance it was real ruined his focus on studying.

Ever since rescuing the dragon from Yeo-jun’s lair, gates had been opening like crazy. New monster types—actual insectoid and bug-like monsters, not just shadows led by Cerberus—were appearing.

Every time Haejin went out to fight, Lee Chae worried. Hearing he was injured today, he couldn’t brush it off.

But when he arrived—perfectly healthy Haejin was just yelling that he was dying.

“How did you get hurt?”

“Was beating monster-types when shadows swarmed from behind.”

Lee Chae eyed him suspiciously. Haejin bristled, offended.

“I-I’m serious! Ask Jae-hyung.”

“Like he’d tell the truth. If you got hurt on purpose, you’re dead.”

“I barely ever get hurt in fights! That’s why pain hits me hard. I’m holding back from dying right now—ow, ow!”

“I’ll guide you, so shut up with the fake whining.”

“Yes, sir!”

Haejin answered loudly and winked at Jae-hyung behind Lee Chae. Receiving the signal, Jae-hyung chirped, “Time to grill meat for our Yong-yong!” and left.

Silence fell after Jae-hyung exited.

Haejin considered whining more, then decided quiet was better.

The room was so still they could hear each other breathe. Lee Chae looked away, embarrassed. Haejin stared at his jawline and neck for a moment—any longer and he’d pounce—so he forcibly turned away.

“Haa…”

He exhaled heavily to relieve the tightness in his chest.

Lee Chae whipped around, eyes wide.

“Does it hurt?”

“Huh?”

“That sigh didn’t sound fake…”

Lee Chae’s face had gone pale—he was genuinely scared.

Of course it wasn’t fake pain… I just saw a jawline and neck that could kill. Any guy who isn’t impotent would breathe like this.

“Yeah. It hurts a little.”

At the serious answer, Lee Chae opened his backpack and pulled out portable pads.

Portable pads on a night like this? Really?

The sight alone pissed him off.

Haejin grabbed Lee Chae’s wrist.

Lee Chae’s eyes went round as he looked up.

So fcking cute.*

In an empty room at night, holding his wrist made him look even cuter.

“Why?”

The moment Haejin loosened his grip slightly, Lee Chae’s shoulders trembled.

He already knew Lee Chae was sensitive to even small touches—that contact guiding was possible with just a little more.

Yet Haejin had never pushed it until now.

Because he didn’t want to force anything driven by instinct.

Lee Chae hated espers who moved on instinct alone.

Haejin wanted to prove with his actions that not all espers were like that.

“I want… contact guiding.”

Lee Chae jolted, yanking his wrist back and hiding it behind him.

As if that would stop Haejin from touching if he really wanted to. It was pathetic and adorable.

In those wide eyes, Haejin’s own reflection looked somehow cooler than in a mirror.

“No?”

He kept staring.

Lee Chae’s pupils shook; his long lashes trembled, casting shadows under his eyes.

Haejin swallowed hard, waiting for whatever would come out of those lips.