ORCA 59

“I told you, I wasn’t scolding you.”

Despite the firm tone, Niah didn’t believe him and shook his head frantically. His hair fluttered as he rubbed his face against Orca. He immediately stepped out of the forest.

The sky was gradually growing dark. A dim energy hung over the dense, tree-filled forest. The surroundings were silent. Only a small, pitiful voice kept urging Orca on. Even while passing the lake and heading toward the mansion, Niah continued to beg when no one had asked him to. Orca walked with slow, measured steps. The goldfish wasn’t being easily soothed as he usually was.

Orca stopped abruptly and set Niah down to stand on his own. Leaving his arms, which refused to let go, alone, he bent his upper body to meet his gaze. It was a moment where Orca felt like a complete idiot for having used the fear and thirst that had built up inside Niah over such a long time as a mere toy to be toyed with. It was becoming burdensome to handle the light body that kept clinging to him. Yet, through it all, the excitement did not fade. His contradictory heart remained exactly the same.

He wanted to coax him with sweet words and trap him in his arms, but at the same time, he wanted to drive him to his limits until he had no choice but to cling to him. A dark question was cast: Wouldn’t it be fine as long as I don’t kill him? However, the goldfish’s threshold was too low and fragile, and he was already clinging to him every day. With one option removed, only one remained. Orca calmly swallowed the lust that would have terrified Niah had he heard it.

“I just came to get you. I only looked for you because you disappeared. So, stop that.”

He said it as gently as he could. Niah didn’t let go of his suspicion and breathed a ragged sigh. After a brief pause, he asked hesitantly. The question was asked carefully, filled with trepidation.

“Is it… okay if I stay here…? Will I not be kicked out, and… will you not punish me…?”

Orca scooped up the goldfish, who was sending him a gaze full of distrust, and supported his buttocks again. The answer was short and concise.

“Yes.”

Only then did Niah slowly loosen his strength. He let out a sigh of relief, lightly embracing the shoulders he had been gripping as if he would never let go, and leaned on him comfortably. Orca patted Niah’s back in a regular rhythm. The action, born from his subconscious, was surprisingly soft. He walked forward with narrow, slow strides. Niah, exhausted and limp, soon fell asleep.

Orca recalled the time he had tossed Niah into the basement hall when he had fainted. He suppressed a dry laugh and looked down at the goldfish who had fallen asleep in his arms. His plan was the same as before. He intended to soak him in warm water to wash him, fill his hunger, and then either let him sleep or soothe him as much as he wanted.

The unidentifiable emotion that he had never been able to define had now become too complex to dare to define. This was the first wave of its kind he had ever experienced. He could not defy the current of the sea.

Orca forcibly woke Niah, who was unable to shake off his sleepiness. He called his name and kneaded his cheeks before sending him into the bathroom. Before that, he had drawn the water himself and even added bath salts. However, when there was no splashing sound even after a long while, he had to go back in to check on him. Niah was leaning against the tub with his legs pulled in, nodding off. As he had fallen asleep while undoing his buttons, the skin revealed through the gap in his clothes caught Orca’s eye. The dim lighting faintly illuminated his pale skin. Orca, sitting in front of him, rubbed his forehead, looking troubled.

“Niah.”

He brushed back his hair and stimulated him by tapping his earlobe. Niah only made a soft, sleepy sound in response. Orca stared at his soundly sleeping face. It was dirty to let him sleep like this, and he hadn’t fed him yet.

He decided to just get him into the water and began to undo the rest of his buttons. He supported him well so he wouldn’t fall over, then took off his top and set it aside. His sleeping habits were tame, so it was easy to undress him. His thin, delicate body was laid bare in an instant.

“Niah.”

He called him once more, but the only response was the sound of even breathing. After admiring him for a while, Orca slowly traced the skin that had been hidden. The supple, soft skin wrapped around his fingertips. He rubbed his round shoulders along his slender neck, smoothed over his muscle-less forearms, and interlaced his fingers with Niah’s. While touching the hands sprawled on the floor, he slid his gaze toward his waist.

He stroked over the fading bruises, matching his palm entirely to the area. Then, his hand naturally moved backward, sneaking into the waistband of his pants. Orca, who had hesitated at the feel of the soft flesh, glanced down at Niah. His flat chest rose and fell slowly. There was no sign of him waking up. As he pushed his finger in one more knuckle, the skin pressed down.

“…”

Orca hesitated for a moment, then decided to take off his socks first. The hand that had been invading the pants quickly pulled back and grabbed his ankles. Both white socks soon landed on top of the clothes.

The goldfish curled his toes, overlapping his bare feet, and then hunched his limbs together. He leaned his knees against his chest and curled his small body into a ball. Feeling as if something were missing, his toes curled and uncurled incessantly. He mumbled something in his sleep and licked his lips. He slept soundly in an uncomfortable position. It looked like he was ready to stay like this all night.

“Niah. Wake up.”

There was no response, even when he whispered right into his ear. He was as deeply asleep as someone who hadn’t slept in days. Orca let out a long breath, as if sighing. He had to undress him completely to wash him, but somehow, he felt reluctant to touch him. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen his naked body before—no, he couldn’t even understand why seeing a half-naked goldfish was such a big deal. Orca’s gaze moved down his prominent spine to his waistband. As he stared, useless imaginations filled his head, so he scooped Niah up abruptly. Water splashed everywhere with a plop. His actions had become aggressive without him realizing it.

Niah opened his sleepy eyes wide and flapped about. It was because he had been suddenly plunged into the water. Of course, he couldn’t see well because his eyes were puffy and swollen. Niah, startled again by the sight of the young master’s face right in front of him, hung his mouth open. His unguarded tongue peeked out. Orca pretended to be indifferent and teasingly rubbed his tongue with his finger.

“Why are you sleeping? Wash up and come out.”

His low, quiet demand echoed calmly through the bathroom. Niah answered by nodding his head instead of speaking. Orca played with his tongue a few times, rubbed his chin for no reason, and then hurriedly went outside. He felt as if he shouldn’t let his cluttered heart be exposed.

Niah yawned, looking toward the screen where Orca had disappeared. The sleepiness that had momentarily receded came rushing back as soon as he calmed down. He sat blankly in the warm tub, pulling his knees up, and rubbed his eyelids. It was to wake himself up, if only a little. He couldn’t disobey the young master’s words just because he was sleepy.

The surface of the water rippled whenever he moved. A slight chill crept over his body when he was taken out of the steaming water. He wasn’t awake; he was just cold. He climbed back in and crossed his hands, rubbing his forearms. Perhaps because of the bath salts, his skin was smooth. The scent was good, and it was warm, so he felt happy. He found himself wanting to go to the young master quickly.

“…Uh…”

Niah, who had been enjoying himself with a languid expression from all the crying earlier, suddenly opened his eyes wide. His sleepiness vanished instantly, and he became alert. He touched and checked not just his forearms, but his whole body. His face flared red with heat. Only then did he realize he was half-naked.

Orca, who was rummaging through the wardrobe in the dressing room, felt embarrassed. The hurried, bustling noise coming from the bathroom made him feel as if he had done something wrong. He clenched his fists for no reason and pulled out a soft shirt.

There wasn’t a single servant who didn’t know that Orca had brought Niah in like a baby the previous evening. All the servants gathered in the dining hall were barely eating because they kept stealing glances. It was the same for Niah.

“Niah, what’s wrong? Are you sick somewhere?”

“Huh? Ah, no. I’m fine, Harriet. I’m not sick.”

Harriet checked Niah’s forehead. There’s no fever, she muttered, then pulled his plate closer. On the plate were boiled potatoes, an omelet, and a few pieces of lamb cutlet. Niah was just mashing the potatoes with his fork, but when Harriet told him to eat quickly, he finally began to nibble at it.