Chapter 169: He wanted to feed me

"Yeah, but what if he wants to stop all that this time around and just wants to be treated the way I treat the rest of you?" I asked, causing him to flinch in shock.

"That Seo-Jun?" He asked in disbelief and I nodded.

Yeah, even I wouldn’t believe it as well, so I understand your reaction.

"Just know that it wasn’t anything bad." I said. "And because of that, I got to discover a new taste too. So, it’s nothing bad, Hyung. Please don’t pursue this matter any further."

Ki-hoon looked at me for a while and then sighed.

"You’re just too kind, Jo-Pil." He said.

Yeah, I’m just too kind that’s why I agreed to put up with all of you at the beginning. So, let’s give that bastard just one more chance. Just one more.

If he blows this up as well, I’ll give up on him for real.

"Thank you." I said, smiling at him. "I’ll take it as a compliment."

"Hm," Ki-hoon stared at me for a while and then said, "It seems Jin is rubbing off on you."

"What? How?"

"I just feel that way." He said but then chuckled, letting it slide. "Anyway, let’s eat."

I watched him for a while. Strange.

Just how did it look like Jin was rubbing off on me? I didn’t get it.

But I decided to focus on the slice of cake in front of me, chewing sweetly as the icing melted in my mouth instantly.

Gosh, we really did have the best chef. He could do it all.

I noticed Ki-hoon was pouring wine into his plate and I smiled, my eyes glinting. The sweetness of the steak came back to me and I felt my mouth water.

Maybe if I just ask for one bite, that would be enough for me. I wasn’t hungry, just craving.

Ki-hoon seemed to have noticed my stare and then smiled.

"Would you like a bite?" He asked and I didn’t hesitate to nod like a child. He laughed softly and then gently cut the steak with his knife, taking up the little piece he cut with his fork and stretched it towards me. "Then, say ’Ah’."

He wanted to feed me.

I couldn’t say no to that. Not when the steak was looking so delicious in front of my eyes.

I opened my mouth and chomped on the meat, but at that moment, Min-Cheol called out,

"Hyung,"

Oh, snap. When did he get here?

He approached with a Sonic the Hedgehog T-shirt and some slacks, looking at me with a worried and dissatisfied expression mixed together. Don’t know how that goes.

"When did you come down?" He asked. "And..." His eyes trailed towards Ki-hoon who was holding on to the fork. "Why didn’t you call me to have dinner with you?"

Jeez, they were all the same.

I moved my head back and finally began to chew, planning to respond to him as fast as possible but then Ki-hoon brought a napkin to my mouth and began to gently clean the corners of my mouth, saying,

"Chew gently so you don’t choke."

He was simply adding fuel to the flames.

He made it seem like we were having our fun before Min-Cheol arrived and Min-Cheol just stood there, patiently waiting for my words.

"T-thank you." I said to Ki-hoon and then swallowed.

This was hard.

I turned to Min-Cheol and said,

"It’s not what you think, Little Min. I..." What kind of excuse could I give in that moment that would explain perfectly and not get Min-Cheol upset?

"Jo-Pil already had dinner alone." Ki-hoon suddenly said. "He didn’t tell anyone he was heading down either, so I was also upset."

What’s this now?

"But I feel he might’ve done that for a good reason so I didn’t probe any further and instead asked him to accompany me while I eat." Ki-hoon explained. "That’s why he’s here having dessert while I have my steak. That’s all."

Ah, his explanation was so clear that it would be hard to pick offense with me. But he kind of forgot the part where I was eating from his fork.

"Hyung, are you..." Min-Cheol looked at me, his eyes welling up as if he was about to burst a dam of tears. "...tired of me?"

Ah, come on. How did he pick that up from everything Ki-hoon said?

"No, no, little Min. It’s nothing like that." I said. "I just wanted to eat alone and..."

"What’s going on here?" I heard Jin-Yeok’s voice and I lost the little strength I had left.

How were they coming down one by one? Did I jinx my own luck?

"Huh? Jo-Pil?" He looked at me, surprised. "Are you okay? When did you get down?"

Ah, Jin-Yeok, you prove to be more normal than the rest at times like this.

"And..." He glanced at our dishes, his eyes growing dark with envy. "Why are you having dinner without me?"

Nevermind. He’s the same as the rest.

"Okay, can you please calm down for a sec?" I asked. "I didn’t call either of you down to have dinner with me because I didn’t want to bother my masters when they’re so busy." I said, putting my hands together and rubbing my palms.

I needed to get my act up if I wanted to convince them and end that talk for good.

"I’ve been in bed for a while because of my condition and yet my masters always take time to come see me, despite their busy schedule. And I wasn’t sure if either of you had had your dinner yet or planned to have it later because of your schedule, so I decided to go ahead and eat alone. I didn’t... I didn’t want to disturb anyone since I’ve been a nuisance for quite some time now, but even then... Sniff... It seems my masters misunderstand me." I said, my eyes tearing up.

"Jo-Pil, how could you think like that?" Jin-Yeok asked, looking at me pitifully.

"Yeah, Hyung. You’re not a nuisance." Min-Cheol added with a forceful tone. "There’s no way we would feel disturbed if you came to us."

"Jo-Pil," Ki-hoon called. "I told you before. I’m never busy when it comes to you."

Yeah, yeah, that’s what you said. And it seems everyone else shared that mindset.

"You don’t have to entertain such trifling thoughts next time." Jin-Yeok said, sitting in the chair opposite me. "No matter the time of the day or what we’re busy with if it’s you, we will surely rush towards your side. Everyone else feels the same way, right?" He asked and they nodded.

Wow, this was so reassuring to the point that my heart was starting to pound in excitement.

I blushed.

Once again, they were making me feel so special.

"Thank you," I said, barely showing my face since I was embarrassed. "I... I don’t know what else to say? My masters treat me so well that it’s making me feel embarrassed."

"Hearing you say that makes me embarrassed." Jin-Yeok said.

"You deserve the best treatment in the world, Hyung." Min-Cheol added. "So, I would be glad if you told me whatever you wanted so I can get them for you."

Ah, he’s trying to score brownie points with me.

I laughed softly.

"Jo-Pil, really." Ki-hoon said, his gaze soft and his tone gently. "You don’t have to worry about anything when it comes to us. We’ll always be on your side and by your side." He smiled. "Trust us."

At that moment, a distant memory flashed through my mind. The memory of a depressed Ki-hoon who just wanted answers. His face had gone red with his rage as he strangled me and asked me why I did that to him. Why did I make him lose his mind?

The thought was depressing and I looked away from Ki-hoon for a bit, my heart racing in discomfort as I reached for my neck.

It happened in my past life and nothing like that in this life but... I gulped... I was suddenly feeling it.

What was wrong with me?

I thought I got over that already since the present isn’t going according to the original. Just why... Do I have to keep seeing those memories?

It had been a while since I last thought of their gruesome treatment in my past life so I thought I had gotten over it. Or at least, the present had overwritten my experience. But I guess I was wrong.

"Hyung, are you okay?" Min-Cheol asked, noticing my discomfort but I shook my head, trying to shake it off, and said,

"Yeah, I... I’m just feeling a bit tired." I said. "I’ve been sitting for long so I feel a bit... Strained."

That was a lie but I had to come up with something to excuse my sudden discomfort.

I couldn’t let them notice anything strange about me since I wouldn’t be able to explain.

In any case, I glanced at Ki-hoon, I was definitely not over my past trauma.

I had simply just...forgotten about it. Or, simply to say, I had shoved it to the back of my mind and forgotten that it was still there, secretly gnawing at me.

It was hard.

"Hyung," I smiled at Ki-hoon. "...will you carry me again?"

He looked at me, surprised and a bit worried but he nodded and said,

"Sure."

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