* * *
The next day, I blinked open my eyes and took a moment to realize what was happening.
I’m naked. The thin comforter was nowhere to be seen, and instead of a blanket, I was being hugged by someone. Raspy breath was tickling my earlobe and a strong, thick forearm was around me. Golden hair glistened in the morning sunlight.
It is Lacius. I stared at his sleeping face for three seconds and was startled.
Uh, this…
‘We did it?’
That? Did we?
Suddenly, my mind became jumbled and it rolled around like a tangled ball of thread. The back of my neck stiffens and my heart races. Once it registered to me, the things that happened last night came flooding back to me like a flood of data.
‘W-We really did…!’
Ahhh!
I turned away from Lacius, my face blushing. I was very bold yesterday, but I doubt if I am the same person as I am today. I inhaled and exhaled a trembling breath, trying to calm myself down. When Lacius sees me, I have to act nonchalant, like I’ve done this before. Otherwise, it would be too embarrassing.
“Shay?”
However, it was shattered by the voice of Lacius, who suddenly called me.
“Hiik!”
“Shay, are you okay? Are you in pain anywhere?”
“No, no, no!”
“Your face is red. Could it be that I was too rough yesterday? It must be fever.”
“No, no! Not at all!”
How long have you been awake?
Lacius pulled his upper body up and climbed on top of me. I buried my face in my hands and tried desperately to hide. It’s embarrassing and, above all, messy. I don’t know how much my hair had been swept up yesterday; it must be a mess. There might also be drool marks, and, well,
I’m babbling to myself. While doing so, Lacius smiled and withdrew from me. I peeked out between my fingers to see what he was doing.
“The grapes are sweet.”
“Hm?”
“Here.”
I was still thirsty and my mouth was dry, but Lacius brought out the most suitable thing for this situation. Sweet and sour grapes. Just thinking about it made my mouth water and the back of my throat prickle.
“Here.”
“Ah.”
“Good.”
As soon as I opened my mouth, the grape slipped in. I chewed on it, and the texture, flavour, and aroma burst into my mouth. It seemed to have energized me a bit. I finally calmed down and grumbled at him.
“Since when have you been awake?”
“Since dawn, the whole time.”
“Didn’t you sleep?”
“I feel good just watching you sleep. After that, I ran a lap and washed up.”
“… … .”
So, to put it plainly, he didn’t sleep. My heart was pounding and I felt like it was going to swell up and burst, He didn’t even have enough sleep yet still ran a lap. Surprised by his stamina, I let out a sigh.
“You must be tired.”
Lacius said that and handed me a glass of water to drink. I gulped down the water, and then he handed me palm juice next. I downed two cups of the cool, sweet stuff in quick succession, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. I happily accept Lucius’s attempts to treat me like a baby bird.
“Wait, I’m going to get some water for the bath.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Placing a bowl of apricots in front of me, Lacius looks at me as if he’s looking at the most adorable thing in the world, and my heart tingles. Then I heard the gurgling of water, and I took a bite of the apricot, trying to reignite my excitement.
“Oh, sour.”
It’s sour, but the taste is good. I took a few more bites and checked my body condition.
‘Um, but don’t I… feel too good?’
I hadn’t really noticed it after I woke up, but something was different. As I held the apricots and raised my arms, I felt much more energized and refreshed than I had yesterday. I felt like I could shout, “Tiger spirit!” for my legs felt light. Like I could run.
‘My back doesn’t even hurt; why?’
Usually, in scenes like this, people describe having back pain, right? Is it because we didn’t overdo it?
Even though I only changed positions with Lacius a few times yesterday,
‘Is this the ultimate compatibility?’
It’s said that this can happen if your inner energies are compatible, but I am not sure. And it wasn’t just the energy; I could feel it. One of my empty hourglasses has been slightly filled with life. I pressed my hand firmly against my chest and smiled.
In the course of my life, I never heard someone say that their lifespan increased after getting intimate. Warm energy gathered in my usually cold lower abdomen, swirling and circulating. This is probably the part of the body that would be described as a danjeon* in martial arts novels, but when I pressed it, hot energy rose through my fingers. It was as if someone had infused it with internal energy.
*(refers to the area inside the area about three inches below the navel. Simply put, the lower abdomen where the bladder is. It can be seen as a similar concept to terms used in modern sports such as the body’s center of gravity, power zone, and core.)
“Nutritious…”
“Hmm?”
“No.”
Slurp.
I wiped the corner of my mouth, realizing I’d unintentionally thought of Lacius as some nutritious food. Lacius looked at me with his puzzled face, and then he stretched out his arm.
“I’ve prepared the water. I also added a bath salt made from rosemary, which I thought you might like.”
“Nice. I like rosemary.”
“Alright, come here.”
Whether it was strenuous or not, being embraced by the person who would become my husband after waking up felt like a special privilege.
Soon, we were in a beautiful porcelain bathtub. I let out a sigh as I slipped into the rippling water and sank into a deep soak. The rosemary scent of the water is soothing and relaxing.
If only Lacius hadn’t been in the same bathtub with me!
“… …?”
I didn’t say anything because it would be the most selfish thing to do. I’m uncomfortable, but at the same time, I don’t want to leave. I have not yet been bold enough to seduce in broad daylight. But doing it one more time… umm, I think it will be fine. He came in with that intention, right? Or maybe I should just keep quiet to avoid embarrassment.
“Ack!”
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