Honeymoon

After Yeehyeon got out of the tub, Liu wrapped him in a robe and seated him in front of the mirror in the powder room.

Yeehyeon looked like he could fall asleep at any moment. With his eyelids half-closed, he looked at Liu through the mirror.

"It's fine if I don't dry my hair and just go to sleep for one day."

Liu, standing behind him and preparing the hair dryer, said firmly.

"No. You're not in good condition today, and you could catch a cold."

"Then I'll dry it. It would be better for Kun to go to the gallery first."

"I sent a message, so it's fine."

Yeehyeon tried to snatch the hair dryer away, but Liu stretched the hand holding it far out of reach.

Giving up the battle for the hair dryer, Yeehyeon instead grabbed the sash of Liu's robe and looked up at him.

"It's just in front of the house, but just sending a message feels wrong. She is the gallery manager, after all. And nuna must be worried."

Holding the hair dryer like a gun, Liu looked down at Yeehyeon. He had intended not to take his eyes off Yeehyeon even for a moment all day. But his resolve felt like it was wavering.

How could he ignore that when Yeehyeon, freshly bathed and wrapped in a soft robe, was clinging to his waist? Besides, this earnest expression, as if pleading, wasn't one he saw often.

Stroking Yeehyeon's cheek with his thumb and giving it a slight pinch, Liu spoke.

"Don't you think I worry about you too, not just Baek Yuni?"

The sex that began around dusk yesterday had continued until dawn today. Both of them were completely drained and fallen asleep right where they were. It was the first time they had fallen asleep without changing the sheets or moving to the guest room bed after being intimate. Even Liu, who was confident in his stamina, couldn't withstand the rut.

He had woken up a little while ago, well past noon.

Liu immediately started running warm water in the bathtub, and while the tub filled, he looked for his phone. Several short messages had arrived from Yuni.

[What time do you expect to come in? It's 11, and you haven't shown up.]

This was a standard message because Liu's start time was never fixed.

[Mr. Carty is visiting this afternoon. He needs paintings to decorate the resort. You'll be in by then, right? You know he's coming to see the Director. Please come to work. Okay?]

The second message, which arrived a short time later, was somewhat threatening. However, it was no match for keeping Liu away from Yeehyeon after his first heat.

[Yeehyeon isn't feeling well. He probably won't be able to come in today.]

Having sent just that reply, he tossed his phone somewhere. He moved the groggy, barely conscious Yeehyeon to the bathtub, submerged his body, and quickly changed the sheets in the meantime.

After that, he got into the tub and washed up with Yeehyeon before coming out.

Today, he wanted to stay by his mate's side all day. He felt that would be the only way to feel safe.

But Yeehyeon thought differently.

"If you leave me alone for just a moment, nothing will happen to me."

"Yesterday..."

Yesterday, you almost got into serious trouble being alone. — Liu was about to say that, but he closed his mouth. If that incident had somehow traumatized Yeehyeon and made him afraid, it wouldn't have been good.

Finally, letting out a shallow sigh, Liu declared surrender.

"I'll dry your hair and then I'll leave."

"Kun."

"...Fine. Here. Happy?"

Yuni's threat hadn't worked, but Liu couldn't resist Yeehyeon. In the end, he handed the hair dryer over. With a reluctant expression, he turned away from the mirror and walked toward the dressing room, shrugging off his robe.

"Eat something instead. Let's eat and then sleep. Okay?"

"Sleep is more urgent than food right now. I'm so sleepy."

Liu tossed the robe into the laundry hamper and pulled on boxers from the drawer. He put on underwear and then pants, finally grabbing a top at random.

"You can't even manage some cereal?"

"Later."

"I'll bring it to you in bed."

He craned his neck, looking toward the powder room as if waiting for an answer. Yeehyeon, who had been watching him, shook his head.

"Sorry. I have no appetite at all."

"What about Omia's carrot cake?"

Omia was one of Yeehyeon's favorite small bakeries in Ubud. It wasn't far from the gallery or their house.

Yeehyeon seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he shook his head again. Then he walked out of the dressing room and fixed his gaze on Liu, who was approaching him.

"It is one of my favorites, but I'm fine."

Liu was wearing thin, comfortable loungewear pants made of linen that didn't restrict his movement. Then he pulled the top over his head. His toned, rugged torso, with its defined muscles, was instantly concealed, starting from his shoulders, down across his chest, and over his abdomen. However, since both the top and bottom were soft clothing, they couldn't completely hide the contours of his sensual physique.

As he placed the hair dryer on the shelf in front, Yeehyeon's gaze lingered on Liu's figure. Even though it wasn't directly visible, the way the fabric draped over the lines of his body made it even more evocative. Anyone could vividly imagine the beautiful, muscular body beneath the clothes. At least, that's how it seemed to Yeehyeon.

Liu, having returned behind Yeehyeon, bent over and wrapped his arms around his partner's shoulders.

"Shall I make you pancakes? I can whip up some egg drop soup right away, too."

"Anything Kun makes is great, but I'll eat after I've properly woken up."

Pancakes, egg drop soup. These were all dishes Liu had often made for Yeehyeon in the past.

Yeehyeon stroked the arms Liu had wrapped around his shoulders and met his gaze in the mirror. Liu pressed his lips against Yeehyeon's cheek and spoke.

"You haven't eaten anything since lunch yesterday."

"Awi hasn't either."

"I'm going to eat now."

"You know I just want to sleep after a heat. I'm so sleepy I can't do anything."

What Yeehyeon said was true. Omegas who finish a heat experience an intense need to sleep temporarily to restore their strength. Omegas who have been in heat for three or four days sometimes sleep soundly for a period equivalent to the duration of the heat itself. A strong appetite only returns after they wake up.

However, in a typical heat, it shouldn't disappear in just one night. That part kept bothering Liu.

"But then."

"Yes?"

Liu, who had been lost in thought, met Yeehyeon's eyes again in the mirror at the sound of his voice.

"You're still planning on going to the gallery?"

"It'll just be for a moment. Since it's lunchtime, there probably won't be any visitors."

"Isn't your outfit... too revealing?"

Yeehyeon's comment was so unexpected that Liu's eyes widened without him realizing it. Then he burst out laughing as if greatly amused.

"Excuse me? I think I misheard you, Seo Yeehyeon?"

It was the first time Yeehyeon had ever said something like that about his attire. Liu had thought he was pointing out that he was dressed too casually to go to the gallery… but this interference, this possessiveness, this jealousy — it only made Liu extremely happy.

Conversely, Yeehyeon was starting to feel awkward after revealing his true feelings. But now he couldn't back down. He wasn't planning on backing down even if Liu teased him.

He really couldn't allow Liu to leave the house dressed like that. Intellectually, he knew it wasn't a matter of giving or withholding permission, even for a spouse… but still…

"It shows off your figure so clearly."

"You've never said anything like that before."

"That outfit is a bit much. It's too thin."

"You don't like other people looking at my body? Even when I'm wearing clothes?"

"......"

Yeehyeon firmly pressed his lips together. He stared intently at Liu's face in the mirror, where Liu was grinning. Even with his bottom lip slightly swollen, his partner was devastatingly handsome.

He hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to state the truth, before deciding to be honest.

"I don't like seeing Kun, who was in rut with me just a few hours ago, go out looking like that."

In the mirror, Liu made an expression as if he might melt away. The arms holding Yeehyeon tightened their embrace. His face looked as if he were dreaming, as if he had just heard a romantic confession of love.

"Ah... this is truly too much happiness."

He pressed his lips deeply against Yeehyeon's cheek, kissing him with a loud smack.

"I'll go change."

Without a second thought, he headed back to the dressing room, shrugging off his shirt. His back, which had held Yeehyeon all night, lifting him, and moving ceaselessly, seemed even more powerfully built than usual. The deltoids at the edge of his shoulders, the rhomboids around his spine, and even the latissimus dorsi leading down to his waist looked more defined and bulkier today.

Although he felt a bit embarrassed for showing his feelings so openly, Yeehyeon thought he had done well to speak up. He even felt that saying things like this more often wouldn't be so bad if it could bring such a happy expression to Liu's face.

"How about this one? Is this okay?"

Liu, who had quickly changed clothes, spread his arms and waited for approval. He was wearing jeans and a pique polo shirt. Yeehyeon nodded.

"You have to look closely. Don't you think the shoulders or chest are too tight? Hmm?"

"Stop teasing me."

Yeehyeon felt his face grow hot. Picking up the hair dryer, he quickly averted his gaze from Liu. Liu, who approached with a smile, bent down and hugged Yeehyeon's shoulders tightly once more.

"Dry it thoroughly. Just like when I do it for you."

Liu kissed the damp hair, grabbed his cell phone, and left the bedroom. Yeehyeon's flushed face didn't return to normal until some time later.