Chapter 17

“…Mm!”

A flood of intense sensations overtook Suji as Rex pressed his lips against hers in a deep, fervent kiss. Even amidst the rain, his lips radiated a fiery heat, and his tongue was so soft it felt like it might melt. His tongue delved into her mouth, sweeping through it with an overwhelming intensity that left her breathless, swept up in the storm of his actions.

His saliva trickled down, and as Rex tilted her head back, her jaw followed suit, letting her swallow it without resistance. The taste mingled with the rainwater dripping into her mouth. Her vision blurred from the downpour, yet his kiss only deepened, growing more insistent.

“Ah… mm… mmph…!”

She couldn’t stop him. His tongue ravaged her mouth, claiming it entirely, leaving her struggling to catch her breath. Images of red and white clouds bloomed and faded in her mind as her thoughts scattered. Then, he moved his hand.

The rain drenched her, his kisses consumed her, and she didn’t even notice when his hand began loosening her undergarments. It wasn’t until her chest brushed against the warmth of his bare skin, her sensitive nipples grazing his, that a shock of sensation made her gasp aloud in surprise.

Rex seized that opportunity to suck on her tongue, intensifying the kiss. He didn’t care that her face flushed bright red, completely overtaken by the moment.

“Don’t you want more?”

His voice was rough, thick with desire he could no longer contain. His thoughts spiraled—he wanted to lay her down in the rain, lose himself in her, devour her completely. Yet, just as his resolve was about to break, Suji’s eyes suddenly snapped open, wide and startled.

She looked utterly bewildered as she realized her upper body was now exposed, her bare chest revealed.

“I-I…”

Suji stammered, her entire face flushing crimson. She had never experienced anything like this before—not even close. Her ears turned red as she hesitated, trying to find the words.

“I… have a dream about my first time,” she managed to say, her voice barely audible, her throat tightening with embarrassment.

“What?”

“I mean… I’ve always imagined it being nice, in a bed, taking our time.”

“…”

“My dream is to do it with someone I like… undressing each other gently, one piece at a time, in a comfortable bed,” she explained, her voice wavering.

As the words left her lips, Suji couldn’t help but feel self-conscious. Was she being too old-fashioned? Too naive? Still, she couldn’t deny that this was the romantic ideal she had held onto since her teenage years. After all, she was only 24.

Suji had almost experienced something like this during college, with an upperclassman she had been close to. But she hadn’t liked him enough, and her focus on passing her exams had been far stronger than any fleeting affection. She had firmly turned him down.

Later, even after passing her exams, she had felt a vague sense of regret—not for the upperclassman, but for the idea of what she might have missed. Watching him date someone else hadn’t affected her in the slightest. It wasn’t about him at all. It was about her dream of what ‘could have been’

What Suji envied wasn’t the upperclassman or the relationships themselves—it was the way people laughed and chatted so freely, their joy evident. She envied how they looked at each other, as if willing to give everything, expressing the unrestrained desires so natural for their age.

Feeling Rex’s puzzled gaze on her, Suji confessed honestly.

“I… I have things I want to cherish. So maybe we could wait until we understand each other a bit more? Instead of being so impulsive, we could talk about what we want—like… in bed, where it feels right.”

Was her request too absurd? Suji felt her face grow hotter with embarrassment, wondering if she had overstepped. Still, she had said what was on her mind.

But in her flustered state, she overlooked something crucial.

Rex couldn’t fully understand her words, but he caught the tone—she was rejecting him. His gaze darkened, his eyes glinting with something predatory. He imagined licking those flushed cheeks, sinking his teeth into her delicate white neck, and leaving marks as he sucked messily on her chest. He pictured forcing her trembling legs apart, driving himself into her until she moaned uncontrollably, her soft cries echoing in the rain.

The thought burned him from the inside out. His frustration twisted his features, his expression sharp with unmet desire.

Suji, noticing his intense look, instinctively clammed up.

‘Did I upset him?’

She could only imagine how infuriating it must feel to be stopped in the middle of such a heated moment. If she were in his shoes, she’d probably be mad too. Nervous and riddled with guilt, Suji struggled to find the right words, but nothing came out.

Her lips parted slightly, but before she could speak, Rex bent down and picked up her discarded undergarment. He handed it to her slowly, his movements deliberate, before turning away. Without a word, he stepped back into the shelter, leaving Suji standing there, overwhelmed by a storm of emotions.

Suji quickly put on her undergarments and followed him. Her body was drenched from the rain, and her steps wavered, but she didn’t care. All her attention was focused on watching Rex, trying to gauge his mood.

However, he paid her no mind. Instead, he busied himself with repairing the collapsed ceiling of their shelter. The sound of raindrops leaking into the room slowly ceased as he worked, and when the repairs were complete, he turned to meticulously peeling the blue fruits they’d gathered earlier.

Suji’s chest felt heavy as he continued to ignore her. She started to wonder if she shouldn’t have said anything.

‘But I just wanted it to be meaningful.’

Because she liked him.

The realization struck her like lightning, leaving her startled. When had she come to feel this way about him? She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but it was clear that every time he helped her, every time he led the way through the swamp, her gratitude and admiration had grown. Those feelings had gradually transformed into trust and a quiet sense of comfort that wrapped around her heart like a warm blanket.

‘I haven’t felt this in so long, it’s hard to be sure.’

Yet, every time she saw him, her heart fluttered and a calm reassurance settled over her. Feeling like this about someone—if that wasn’t love, what else could it be?

She told herself it could be the situation, the need for stability in this chaotic environment. Or maybe it was her preference for someone who brought her a sense of security. Whatever it was, her feelings for Rex weren’t the same as her youthful first love that had been fueled by naive excitement. This was different—steadier, grounded. She chalked it up to being older now. As an adult, she realized she was drawn to someone reliable and composed.

As her thoughts swirled, Suji glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Just then, their eyes met, and she instinctively flinched, her shoulders trembling as if she’d been caught doing something wrong.

Rex’s expression darkened further. His gaze swept over her trembling eyes, her lips, her slender neck, and her bare shoulders before he frowned and looked away. Feeling inexplicably hurt by his reaction, Suji bit her lip and lowered her head, unaware that Rex was watching the back of her head as if he could devour her whole.

‘What do I do now?’

Suji stared blankly as Rex fed kindling into the fire, stoking the flames. Once her scrambled egg dish was cooked, he moved on to roasting the game they’d caught earlier. The mouthwatering aroma of perfectly cooked meat filled the room, but Suji was too lost in her thoughts about Rex to touch her food.

“It’ll get cold,” Rex said abruptly, his voice breaking the silence.

Rex glanced at Suji, who seemed lost in thought, and made a dry remark. Whatever tone he used, it startled Suji, and she looked up at him in surprise. When he flicked his eyes toward her plate, she hastily picked it up and began shoveling the scrambled eggs into her mouth.

“Cough, cough!”

The price of her rushed eating came quickly. Seeing her struggle to catch her breath, Rex fetched a large leaf filled with rainwater and handed it to her. Suji accepted it gratefully, gulping it down. Only then, with her face flushed from the ordeal, was she able to let out a relieved sigh.

“Where are you going?” she asked as Rex stood up. Was he leaving because her coughing had ruined his appetite? There was still plenty of meat left on the fire. Startled by the thought, Suji watched him closely. Rex simply gestured toward the table where the blue fruits were stacked, indicating he was returning to his peeling work.

As he moved to his task, Suji felt a mix of relief and guilt. She couldn’t help but steal glances at him as he worked intently, like an old craftsman carving with purpose.

While Rex focused on his work, the exhaustion from the day’s events began to weigh on Suji. After finishing her meal, she found herself struggling to keep her heavy eyelids open. Scratching at the mosquito bites on her shoulder, she noticed Rex glance at the bed and give her a subtle signal to lie down.

Suji climbed onto the bed, but despite her fatigue, the damp and uncomfortable mattress kept her wide awake. The itching on her shoulder worsened, and though her body ached for rest, she couldn’t fall asleep. She tossed and turned for what felt like ages, growing more and more frustrated by the persistent discomfort.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Suji sat up.

‘He’s still at it.’

She glanced at Rex, who was still diligently working on the blue fruits like a dedicated artisan. For a moment, she wondered if he was secretly a craftsman of some renown. Could he be someone so famous that the world beyond the swamp would recognize his skill? She studied him quietly, fascinated yet unsettled by his unwavering focus, before turning her attention elsewhere.

Her gaze fell on a wooden container sitting by the head of the bed.

‘This is supposed to help with sleep, right?’

The idea of sleeping soundly in a place like this seemed absurd. Everywhere she looked, the swamp was an oppressive and unforgiving environment—a landscape shrouded in endless mist, its ground unstable and treacherous. Every step was fraught with danger, with bizarre creatures lurking in wait and attacks coming out of nowhere.

This was a place where even eating or sleeping came with a constant undercurrent of unease.

‘So even those who stayed here must have needed sleep herbs,’ Suji thought as she quietly pulled a dried leaf from the wooden container. A fragrant aroma wafted up, filling her nose and making her feel faintly light-headed.

‘Just one.’

She decided to take only a single leaf, leaving the rest for Rex if he needed them later. Placing the dried leaf in her mouth, she bit down, expecting it to take some effort to chew. Instead, it dissolved instantly.

‘I hope I wake up feeling refreshed,’ she thought, closing her eyes. ‘And maybe Rex’s anger will have cooled by then.’

But something felt strange.

Rex noticed the shift a few minutes later. Suji, who had been tossing and turning restlessly on the bed, had gone completely silent. At first, he assumed she’d finally fallen asleep. However, when he glanced her way and their eyes unexpectedly met, he froze.

“What’s wrong with her?” he murmured under his breath, his voice laced with unease.

Her expression was strange. Her pupils were dilated, her cheeks flushed pink, and her gaze had a dreamy, faraway quality as though she were lost in a trance. Rex clicked his tongue in irritation, his jaw tightening.

‘What’s with this? How can just looking at her make me feel like this?’

Her current state lit a fire within him that he struggled to control. It was as though she possessed some enigmatic charm that stoked his desire, making it burn hotter with every second.

Drawn closer, Rex stepped toward her cautiously. As he neared, Suji’s body shifted, her shoulder tilting subtly toward him as though she were seeking his warmth.

Reaching out to confirm her condition, Rex placed a hand gently on her cheek. Her skin was warm, and she immediately leaned into his touch, nuzzling against his palm.

A faint smirk tugged at Rex’s lips despite himself.