Editor: VCubed
Chapter 104
* * *
As he was absorbed in washing himself, Doyul suddenly lifted his head.
Splash-.
He heard the sound of water splashing beyond the bamboo screen.
It was the sound of someone pouring water on themselves.
Moreover.
“You, how dare you try to enter the hot spring without washing yourself first?”
“Bark! Bark bark!”
He could also hear Yerin and Somi bickering.
‘Wait a minute.’
Doyul gulped involuntarily.
Beyond the fragile bamboo screen that could be easily broken… Yerin was there.
The realization hit him anew.
Feeling unnecessarily tense, Doyul focused on his bath with somewhat stiff movements.
‘I hear nothing, I hear nothing, I hear not-…’
But the more he tried not to think about it, the more his mind wandered to Yerin.
“Look at this, what’s clean about that?”
“Bark! Bark bark bark bark!”
“When did you claim to be a noble spirit and not a dog?”
He could clearly hear the sound of Somi grumbling and Yerin scolding.
‘This won’t do.’
Doyul finally furrowed his brows and started drying himself off.
Bathing was out of the question.
At this rate, he would just keep straining his ears towards the sounds beyond the screen.
It seemed better to return to his room instead.
With that decision, Doyul hastily threw on his robe and was adjusting his clothing when—
“Ahhh!!”
A piercing scream rang out.
It was Yerin.
“Madam!!”
Startled, Doyul broke through the bamboo screen and rushed into the women’s bath.
The first thing he saw was Yerin, crouched down and pale with fright.
Next to her, Somi was clinging to her with a terrified expression.
“What on earth happened?!”
Doyul asked urgently. Yerin, trembling, pointed a shaking finger at a centipede crawling on the floor.
“T-there’s a centipede…!”
What?
Doyul couldn’t believe his ears.
“A centipede… you say?”
“Yes! That centipede suddenly appeared, and we need to catch it!”
Realizing the situation, Yerin froze on the spot.
Seeing Doyul’s bemused expression, a belated realization dawned on her.
‘Wait, I’m practically naked right now!’
Her face flushed with heat.
Splash!
Yerin quickly jumped into the hot spring, peeking out with an embarrassed face.
“I wasn’t trying to make a fuss on purpose!”
“You screamed because of the centipede?”
Doyul sighed in relief.
“Thank goodness, I thought something serious had happened.”
Yerin lowered her body as much as possible, hiding in the hot spring, and glanced at Doyul.
As he calmly approached the centipede, Doyul asked a question.
“Shall I catch this centipede for you?”
“Y-yes…”
Oh no, the more composed he is, the more embarrassed I get!
Where’s a hole I can crawl into? Please let me hide…
Yerin’s face was burning red with embarrassment.
Doyul picked up a nearby bucket, and without blinking an eye, he herded the centipede into it.
Then he released it into the dense trees nearby.
‘Wow, really.’
Yerin admired inwardly.
‘I could fall for that indifference all over again…’
As Yerin once said, there is no more reliable husband than one who can catch bugs for you.
Thus, Doyul was the perfect husband!
– ‘Well, it turns out you’re useful after all, young lord!’
Somi barked contentedly.
“Then continue your bath. I’ll return to the room first.”
As Doyul was about to leave,
Surprisingly, Somi stood up.
– ‘Enough, I’ll step aside so you two can have some time alone.’
“What?”
Yerin looked at Somi with a puzzled expression.
‘Did that damn beast eat something wrong today?’
Doyul also couldn’t hide his suspicious gaze.
Somi responded gruffly.
– ‘You, young lord, are always desperate to stick by my contractor’s side, aren’t you?’
“…”
Doyul felt sad about his situation, unable to refute them.
Somi, turning around, fetched a towel and handed it to Doyul.
– ‘Here, now dry me off first.’
“…”
– ‘Ah, hurry up! Only then will I leave you two alone, right?’
Is it just my imagination, or is it trying to make me work for it?
Doyul squinted but eventually dried Somi thoroughly.
– ‘Then, enjoy your time together.’
Once dried, Somi scurried out of the hot spring without any hesitation.
The two of them instinctively turned to look at each other.
‘Ah.’
Their eyes met.
“…”
“…”
An awkward silence ensued.
Finally, Doyul slowly stood up.
“It seems you’re still uncomfortable, so I’ll just…”
“No!”
Yerin quickly grabbed Doyul.
“How could I be uncomfortable with you! Besides, you caught that enormous centipede for me, didn’t you?”
At this moment, Yerin’s trust in Doyul was sky-high.
“…Then.”
With a slightly disappointed look, Doyul asked Yerin,
“Why do you keep glancing at me like that?”
“Huh? Well… that is…”
Yerin mumbled, unable to continue.
“Because…”
‘How can I say it’s because your body looks so good!’
Through the thin robe Doyul wore, his firm chest was barely visible.
If it were completely covered or fully exposed, it would be fine.
But the teasing glimpses made it even more provocative.
‘I can’t help but look that way!’
Yerin felt genuinely wronged.
‘If it were any other woman here instead of me, they wouldn’t be able to take their eyes off Doyul’s chest either!’
But Doyul seemed to interpret Yerin’s expression differently.
Because he said,
“Madam, your face is red.”
“Huh?”
“Have you been in the hot spring too long?” Doyul asked, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at Yerin.
“Wouldn’t it be better to come out and rest?”
“…That’s not it.”
“Pardon?”
Doyul tilted his head at the unexpected response.
Yerin replied with a hint of frustration.
“That’s not it, so could you cover your chest? Or just take off your clothes!”
“Cover my chest…?”
“Yes! Your chest is so tantalizingly visible that I can’t help but look!”
For a moment, Yerin’s frustration got the better of her, and she spoke vehemently.
‘Oh no!’
Shocked, Yerin quickly covered her mouth with her hands.
‘What did I just say?’
Was it the heat of the hot spring making her dizzy, or Doyul’s firm chest making her lose her senses?
Her inner thoughts had escaped her lips.
‘Oh no, this can’t be real, right?’
She wished it were a dream!
But it seemed far from a dream, judging by Doyul’s stunned expression as he looked at her.
“Doyul?”
“…”
“Don’t just stay quiet like that, it’s embarrassing…”
Unable to bear the awkward silence, Yerin hastily continued speaking.
“Embarrassing, you say?”
Doyul suddenly asked Yerin.
‘Why is he asking that out of the blue?’
Yerin responded bluntly.
“Yes, it is.”
“…Really?”
“Why would I lie about something like that?”
Yerin glared at Doyul, annoyed.
“Are you asking me this on purpose to embarrass me?”
“Oh, no. It’s not that.”
Doyul hurriedly waved his hands.
“It’s just… I always thought you were calm when dealing with me.”
What’s he talking about now?
Doyul continued to speak gently to the puzzled Yerin.
“So, to think that you also feel some kind of discomfort when looking at me…”
Doyul smiled brightly.
“It makes me happy.”
…Really, this man.
Yerin was momentarily at a loss for words.
‘Why is he so happy?’
Seeing him so delighted after she’d shown such an embarrassing side made her feel oddly flustered.
‘He’s making my heart flutter for no reason.’
Yerin pretended to be aloof and turned her head away.
“…You get pleased by the strangest things.”
But at that moment, Doyul took off his robe.
Only his lower body, secured by a belt, was covered, leaving his strong shoulders and broad chest completely exposed.
Yerin was startled.
“W-why are you suddenly taking off your clothes?”
“You told me to either cover up or take them off, didn’t you?”
Doyul shamelessly replied.
Yerin was stunned as if she’d been hit on the back of the head.
Well, I did say that.
Since when did my rabbit-like husband become so cheeky…?
But the biggest problem was:
‘I must resist…!’
Her gaze instinctively drifted towards Doyul’s chest!
Noticing her gaze, Doyul added with a chuckle in his voice.
“You’re welcome to look as much as you like.”
“Oh…”
It’s nice but embarrassing, yet it feels nice…
Overwhelmed by an indescribable feeling, Yerin ended up covering her face with both hands.
Doyul asked again.
“May I come closer?”
“If I tell you not to, will you stay away?”
“Of course, I won’t come closer. But I will continue to miss you from here.”
At his brazen response, Yerin glared at him.
However.
“…You can come.”
Her answer, an approval.
Doyul chuckled and stepped into the hot spring.
