Chapter 7: The Night That Crossed the Line

But the man who was licking below showed no mercy.

Once he had been given permission, he ravaged the flushed flesh without hesitation.

The secret place whose very shape I did not even know, he sought to learn inch by inch.

The small opening twitched and spat out clear liquid, which his tongue—already wet and slick—licked up again.

Like a puppy lapping milk, he devoured it greedily.

Beneath him, all I could do was clamp my hand over my mouth, desperately trying to stifle the strange, uncontrollable moans spilling out.

But even that seemed to displease Gyesa, and he lifted one hand to stop me.

“Don’t cover it.”

He murmured, his lips still buried against my s*x.

It was unbearably embarrassing, yet at the same time I was glad to know that even a single sound from me stirred him, so I endured it.

“Ah—!”

After persistently circling the area with the tip of his tongue, Gyesa slipped one finger straight inside.

Startled by the intrusion—my first ever—I flinched and grabbed at his fine head of hair.

“Gyesa…!”

“Does it hurt.”

When he asked if it hurt, it wasn’t quite that.

How should I explain this unfamiliar, mysterious sensation.

I hesitated, lips parting uselessly, then shook my head.

Gyesa let out a deep, heated breath and slowly advanced his finger further.

It kept moving, stroking the ridged folds inside me bit by bit.

“Hh… hhng.”

As I breathed out, tense and overwrought, his upper body lifted.

With one hand cradling my head tenderly and the other subtly stimulating my inner walls, Gyesa felt strange and obscene.

“Haa… it’s okay.”

Whether from tension or excitement, he panted as he tried earnestly to soothe me.

Moving his finger slowly, he coaxed my arousal.

My body began to change little by little under the guidance of his hand.

My lower belly tightened, and regardless of my will, clear fluid kept spilling out below.

“Ah— ngh! Gyesa, this is strange… I, I…!”

“It’s okay. It’s not strange at all.”

I couldn’t even hear his reassurance.

Breath ran short, my head going blank.

It felt as though my mind was melting in the lifted pleasure.

My floating consciousness soared high without fear, toes curling as my entire legs went stiff.

I was heading toward a climax I had never experienced before.

Gyesa brushed his lips all over my face, stealing away my senses.

No—truthfully, even without that, his fingers, alternating between slow and fast, had already robbed me of all reason.

“Ah, ahh…! Aah!”

The opening, spasming and opening and closing on its own, finally clenched tight around his finger as I reached my peak.

Spilling clear liquid in a rush, it squeezed his finger for a brief moment before fluttering.

I didn’t even have the composure to feel embarrassed by that sensation.

Gathering my dazed mind, as if I had become an utter fool, was all I could manage.

I had never experienced anything so peculiar in my life.

As I steadied my trembling, shallow breaths, Gyesa brushed around my lips.

“Aedong.”

Calling my name gently, he slowly lifted his body over mine.

Perhaps expecting what would come next, I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck, trying to respond.

“Gyesa— ah!”

But the sudden burning pain at my back made me cry out with a frown.

Gyesa, startled as well, hugged me and sat up.

“Are you okay.”

He hurriedly examined my back.

It burned and stung.

Gyesa let out a low groan.

“You must’ve scraped your back on a rock.”

At his words, I understood what had happened.

At the same time, I felt terribly ashamed.

So absorbed in our indecent act that I hadn’t even noticed the pain.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful.”

Gyesa looked angry with himself as he apologized.

Seeing that made me anxious.

I worried that he might regret what we’d done, or say we should stop.

“I’m fine. We can keep going.”

I meant it.

The pain was brief—I could endure it.

But Gyesa shook his head firmly, as if it were out of the question.

“No. Your back’s all red. And you’ve got delicate skin….”

I felt foolish to the point of sorrow.

After such a rare chance, I couldn’t shake the thought that my own clumsiness had ruined everything.

As I fiddled gloomily with my fingers, Gyesa sighed lightly and brought my clothes over, dressing my now-cooled body.

“I’ve lost my mind. I’m sorry.”

Why are you apologizing.

Do you regret it.

If I opened my mouth to ask, it felt like tears would spill out, so I only bit my lip.

By the time he had dressed me, Gyesa stood and looked at my ruined expression.

In a voice like a sigh, he called me again.

“Aedong.”

“I, I liked it… but you… you….”

I wanted to speak clearly.

But nothing went as I wished.

As I stammered through tearful words, Gyesa gently pulled me into his arms.

“I liked it too. But they say the first time hurts… and we can’t do it properly in a place like this. It would be too hard on your body. We still have a long way to walk starting tomorrow.”

“Then…?”

I poked my head out of his chest and looked up at him.

In the bright moonlight, Gyesa’s cheekbones and ears were flushed red, like they’d been dyed with balsam.

“Next time… when we leave the circus….”

He was embarrassed.

That alone filled me with relief and joy.

Enough to make me forget the burning pain in my back.

Hiding my uncontrollable smile in his arms, I answered shyly but firmly.

“Yes. When we leave the circus.”

We held each other like that for a while.

I heard his low sigh above my head, but it no longer sounded worrying or sad.

If anything, it just made me want to laugh, which was troublesome in its own way.

“Let’s go back. Nights get cold.”

When our chilled bodies had warmed sufficiently from each other’s heat, he loosened his arms and spoke.

I nodded quietly, and he took my hand, leading me back the way we’d come.

For once, I was grateful for my slow steps.

This time alone together felt precious.

“Good night, Gyesa.”

When we reached the large temporary women’s tent and I said my goodnight, he looked at me for a moment before ruffling my hair.

As I accepted his familiar touch, as if hiding his cleansed face, I heard another sigh.

When his firm yet gentle hand fell away, I opened my eyes and looked at him.

His eyes wavered, troubled.

But without saying anything more, he only looked at my face before scratching his head roughly.

“Go in and sleep. It’s late.”

“Mm. You sleep well too.”

Only after confirming that I’d gone into the tent did Gyesa leave.

I’d secretly hoped he might kiss me goodbye, but that didn’t happen.

It was a bit disappointing, but being so absorbed in the fact that we’d done that together, I wasn’t too sad.

‘He promised next time.’

That alone made leaving the circus even more exciting.

‘I hope we reach Jeonsang City soon.’

Even as I tried to fall asleep, Gyesa’s face from earlier kept 떠오르는 in my mind, and my smile wouldn’t fade for a long time.

I had to work hard not to let the others hear my private giggling before I finally drifted off.

“Did we forget anything. We’re leaving!”

The ringmaster’s sharp shout became the signal, and the Chunrak Circus began to move.

The few horses pulled wagons loaded with equipment, and about twenty performers picked up their belongings and began walking in silence.

I was no exception.

“Someone’s suddenly full of energy, huh.”

As I walked along humming quietly to myself, a stray shot came my way.

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t be.”

At my cheeky reply, Obaltan burst into hearty laughter.

“Just the other day at dinner you looked so glum you’d cry if I poked you.”

“Oh, sir, honestly. When did I ever do that.”

When I shot him a glare with flounder eyes, he stuck out his tongue and teased me.

“Seeing you smile like this for once, did you sneak a kiss with that Gyesa fellow or something.”

“Sir! What kind of shameless talk is that. Are you already going senile.”

“Oof! Who’d dare tease you, you scary thing.”

“Since we’re on the subject, why do you always call me ‘kid.’ You know I’m an adult now, right.”

When I asked primly, Obaltan widened his remaining eye in exaggerated surprise.

“Where’s the adult. All I see is a naked little kid.”

This old man, honestly.

I lightly slapped his arm in mock anger and pouted.

“Just you wait. When I leave the circus and enter a madam’s household, I’ll become a very proper young lady.”

“Oh. There’s a place that’ll take you. Would anyone really take in a naked kid as a servant. Why not leave with Gyesa and live quietly as tenant farmers.”

“Hmph. You don’t know. A very rich madam said she’d take both Gyesa and me.”

At my boastful answer, Obaltan frowned and tilted his head.

“What are you talking about. What madam. Sounds like some strange con artist.”

“No. What kind of con artist would show mercy when demanding repayment of debts.”

“That’s exactly what a con artist would do. Anyone can say ‘pay me back.’ Saying it’s easy….”

His constant nitpicking got on my nerves.

I didn’t need to convince him, but I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face.

“When we reach Jeonsang City, we’ll pay off Gyesa’s debt right away and leave the circus. I’m telling you this just because it’s you. Don’t cry later saying you miss us.”

“Still sounds suspicious….”

Obaltan rubbed his chin, unconvinced.

“Oh, honestly. When you wanted us gone you were all for it, and now that a good chance appears you rain on it.”

“It’s not that… it’s just that chances that good don’t come to people like us. Sigh. Well, I suppose a madam might whimsically take in servants, at least.”