Vol 1 Ch 12

Kim Jinkyung wriggled back into bed. He couldn’t fall asleep easily even when he closed his eyes. He lay there for a long time when he heard footsteps.

 

The sound of wet footsteps gradually faded away. Kim Jinkyung quietly got out of bed.

 

He opened the door and went out, and the floor of the hallway was soaking wet. The water that had been sprinkled in spots led from Mok Seongha’s bedroom to the outside.

 

The hallway was so quiet that the events that had just taken place felt like a dream.

 

After hesitating for a moment, Kim Jinkyung carefully followed the trail of water. He came outside and walked for a long time until the scent of flowers gradually became stronger. He retraced the path he had taken before and arrived in front of the glass garden.

 

As expected, a large beast was lying on the bench. Water was dripping around him, as if he had been doused in water somewhere.

 

Kim Jinkyung approached him. He must have felt his presence, but the Black panther didn’t even turn his head.

 

“…Are you… okay?”

 

Kim Jinkyung carefully examined the Black panther’s face and forepaws. Kim Jinkyung doubted his eyes at his condition, which was free of any scratches, let alone open wounds.

 

It was amazing. No matter how skilled the doctor who treated him was, this was impossible…

 

Suddenly, Secretary Kang’s words to him flashed through his mind.

 

‘Let’s talk again tomorrow after seeing Young Master’s face.’

 

…Was that what he meant?

 

Still, he wondered if there were any other wounds left, so he looked around the Black panther’s body. Smooth, black fur covered the beast’s entire body without a gap.

 

Perhaps the wound had moved somewhere else…

 

As Kim Jinkyung leaned in to look under his belly, the Black panther swatted Kim Jinkyung’s head with his forepaw as if he was annoyed. Kim Jinkyung rubbed his forehead and sat down on the floor. He had hidden his claws and pushed him away, but he was so strong that his head was still dizzy.

 

“Why did you do that?”

 

He asked, knowing that he couldn’t get an answer. The Black panther was still not moving with his eyes closed.

 

“You shouldn’t do that even if you’re angry.”

 

Even if the wound disappears quickly, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.

 

“Don’t do that.”

 

“……”

 

The Black panther turned his head to the other side.

 

Was it because he found out his age? The calf-sized Black panther felt like a young animal that wasn’t fully grown yet. Of course, he was still a wild animal even if he was young, so he was terribly scary.

 

Kim Jinkyung continued in a slightly trembling voice, filled with fear.

 

“Go to the hospital later… You can’t see the wound, but still.”

 

The Black panther didn’t move, with his head turned away. Kim Jinkyung looked around. He couldn’t hear anyone, but he moved closer to the Black panther’s side in case of an emergency.

 

“Hey.”

 

As he whispered in a small voice with his face close to the Black panther, his round ears, which were sticking up, perked up.

 

“Someone might hear.”

 

Even as he was speaking, Kim Jinkyung was looking around diligently.

 

“…You can go outside, right?”

 

Judging by the fact that he went out to see the Chairman today, it seemed that his outings weren’t completely restricted. However, that didn’t erase the crime of raising a young child without even sending him to school.

 

The Black panther’s eyes stared at Kim Jinkyung.

 

It was a face that said, why are you asking me such a thing.

 

“I will make sure you get into college this year.”

 

The Black panther raised his head and growled softly.

 

“Yes. Really. Seoul National University or Yonsei…, Yonsei University or Korea University might be impossible, but still, I’ll somehow get you into a university in Seoul that you’ve heard of…”

 

Before he could finish his sentence, Kim Jinkyung lost his balance and fell backward. The black panther had climbed onto him, pinning both his shoulders.

 

No matter that it was a person transformed, a beast of prey was still a beast of prey. With the black panther standing on his body, it was as if every nerve in his body had been crushed; he couldn’t even move a fingertip. Not even a plea to be saved would come out.

 

‘Don’t provoke him for no reason. …On days like that, if you provoke him, he’ll bite.’

 

…I didn’t provoke you, so please don’t bite.

 

As the black panther’s lips curled upward, its white fangs were revealed. Goosebumps prickled his skin. It was as if golden moons were looking down at him from the darkness.

 

A low, rough sound rumbled from its throat, like a warning. Kim Jinkyung thought he knew what the panther was trying to say to him.

 

What you just said, is it for real?

 

Kim Jinkyung nodded.

 

“Yes. It’s for real.”

 

A large forepaw, the size of a child’s head, pressed deliberately against Kim Jinkyung’s shoulder. It was urging him to continue.

 

The reason.

 

The reason why Kim Jinkyung, a complete stranger, was going this far.

 

The fierce beast’s eyes watched him without a single opening, like a predator targeting its prey. It was assessing what kind of trick its opponent was trying to pull.

 

Kim Jinkyung swallowed dryly. He had been a coward since he was young. On days he watched a scary program on television, he wouldn’t be able to go to the bathroom all night.

 

As he got older, he gradually learned to hide that side of himself, but right now, he couldn’t manage it at all. His fingertips trembled so pathetically that it felt like tears would spill.

 

The reason.

 

The reason why he, a complete stranger, had to go this far, even though he felt like he would die of fear.

 

In truth, Kim Jinkyung didn’t know the real reason himself. Though he could instantly list several reasons why he shouldn’t get involved in this man’s affairs.

 

And yet.

 

“…Because you’re my student….”

 

Kim Jinkyung couldn’t pretend not to know. Although the man was in a position that someone like him couldn’t dare to pity, he couldn’t help but care for the man who had clearly lived for a long time in a vast mansion, meeting no one.

 

It was just that.

 

“Instead….”

 

Kim Jinkyung slowly raised his body. He was close enough for the beast’s breath to touch him. He leaned in to the black panther’s ear and whispered his next words in a barely audible voice.

 

‘Let’s have our lessons outside.’

 

At first, the man—or more accurately, the black panther—didn’t understand Kim Jinkyung’s words. It couldn’t grasp the exact scope of the word ‘outside.’

 

‘Outside the house.’

 

At the added phrase, the black panther stared silently at Kim Jinkyung, then smacked him hard on the temple with its forepaw. Then, it shook the water from its body with a splattering sound and vanished into the darkness.

 

***

 

The negotiation that night thus fell through. The next morning, Mok Seongha, having returned to his human form, came to find Kim Jinkyung. His face was pristine, with no trace of the previous night’s rampage.

 

“Why?”

 

He asked, point-blank.

 

Kim Jinkyung’s offer to take responsibility for getting him into university if they had their tutoring sessions outside was something he couldn’t understand. It was only natural. Even Kim Jinkyung himself hadn’t been able to come up with a reason that would convince him.

 

“Well, I like being outside.”

 

“What does you liking the outdoors have to do with having tutoring sessions outside?”

 

He might lack common sense, but he didn’t lack logic.

 

“…I need money.”

 

“Then do it at home for money. I’ll pay you double.”

 

“It’s not all about the money.”

 

“Oh yeah? Then triple.”

 

“……”

 

He almost gave in.

 

“Quadruple?”

 

“No.”

 

Kim Jinkyung barely regained his senses and shook his head. If they talked about money any more than this, he might not be able to handle himself.

 

“As I’ve said before, I have a private life, too. I can’t spend all my time in this mansion.”

 

“So what kind of private life is it that you can take care of by tutoring outside?”

 

…Annoyingly sharp bastard.

 

“That is….”

 

After pondering for a long time, Kim Jinkyung ultimately chose the easy and despicable path.

 

“Men?”

 

“……”

 

I can feel it. I can feel it. Even with my head down, I can feel his contemptuous gaze on me.

 

“As, as I said, I like them so much, …men.”

 

He felt a sense of self-loathing even as he said it. How was this any different from Go Jinyoung, who had asked him to introduce him to a woman after losing his studio apartment in a fire? Even worse, he had also said he liked money.

 

“There are plenty of men in this house, too.”

 

At Mok Seongha’s words, Kim Jinkyung waved his hands dismissively.

 

“No. Absolutely not. I’d rather die than do it here.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“…They’re not my type.”

 

This was true. The employees who worked here generally had rough-looking faces. They were all outside of Kim Jinkyung’s preferences.

 

“Then what kind of guy do you like? I’ll hire your type for you.”

 

“My type….”

 

He lifted his head and his eyes met Mok Seongha’s. Kim Jinkyung quickly looked away.

 

“I’ll take care of that myself. In any case, I want to have our lessons outside.”

 

“……”

 

“If you don’t want to….”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Do it outside. But I have a condition, too.”

 

Kim Jinkyung swallowed dryly.

 

What could it be? If I fail to get him into university, is he going to cut off my hand? …Do I have to bet my wrist on my faith in humanity right now?

 

Kim Jinkyung looked down at his own wrist, his face pale.

 

“If you’re going to have sex, do it where I’m not around.”

 

“Huh? wh, what?”

 

“I said do it where I’m not around. I have no intention of watching that kind of thing.”

 

“No, of course, I, why would I….”

 

About to make an excuse, Kim Jinkyung realized what path he had chosen.

 

I don’t do it. I’ve never done it, I have no plans to do it anytime soon, and of course I wouldn’t do it in front of people, …I couldn’t do it, either.

 

“…Yes. I won’t.”

 

Pushing aside the words he wanted to say, Kim Jinkyung once again chose the despicable and easy path.

 

“Ugh.”

 

Kim Jinkyung slapped his own leg. Mok Seongha looked at him with an again? expression.

 

“…The mosquitoes keep biting only me.”

 

Kim Jinkyung rubbed the spot that had already turned red and laughed. He was being bitten in over ten places. In contrast, Mok Seongha hadn’t been bitten even once.

 

“I guess my blood must be tasty. Haha….”

 

“It’s not that your blood is tasty, it’s because your body temperature is high.”

 

“My body temperature? No, it’s normal.”

 

Kim Jinkyung touched his forehead just in case. He didn’t have a fever, nor did he feel sick anywhere.

 

“Your usual body temperature. It’s about 0.2 degrees higher than other people’s. You didn’t know?”

 

“I didn’t. How do you know that?”

 

Mok Seongha slowly tilted his head. The thick tendons below his jawline became visible with his movement.

 

“Because I can feel it.”

 

“……”

 

“Pulse, body temperature, scent.”

 

Mok Seongha’s voice had a strange quality that made one feel a transference of senses. His low tone was rough and cold, and with every word he uttered, it felt as if a thin layer of ice was spreading across one’s skin.

 

Mok Seongha looked at Kim Jinkyung and continued.

 

“You’re a bit noisy, but you’re just about bearable.”

 

“Me?”

 

It was the first time he’d heard that. Kim Jinkyung wasn’t the talkative type. When he was flustered, words would pour out of him like a broken faucet, but normally, he was more of a listener than a speaker.

 

“When you’re flustered or scared, your heart beats incredibly fast.”

 

“……”

 

“Like right now.”

 

“…Ahaha….”

 

He can even hear my heartbeat? Isn’t that practically a superpower? Then, a thought suddenly occurred to Kim Jinkyung, and he asked.

 

“Is that why you dislike crowded places?”

 

Mok Seongha had agreed to his proposal to have lessons outside with surprising ease. It meant he was that serious about getting into university. But the next day, he had nonchalantly woken Kim Jinkyung up at a time close to midnight.

 

To go out for their lesson.

 

‘…What are you talking about? How can we have a lesson now?’

 

Kim Jinkyung, who had checked the time with a disheveled face, still half-asleep, protested, but it was no use.

 

‘You said we should do it outside. We didn’t decide on a time.’

 

In the end, Kim Jinkyung found himself setting up a table on the banks of the Han River and having a lesson at nearly one in the morning.

 

“Yeah. It’s noisy and it stinks.”

 

Mok Seongha continued speaking as he wrote numbers in his notebook.

 

“And I just don’t like them.”

 

Kim Jinkyung swallowed a sigh.

 

Just as he didn’t need a reason to like men, there was no need to question Mok Seongha’s reasons for disliking people.

 

“But can you see well? I think the lighting is a bit dim.”

 

Kim Jinkyung said, fiddling with the wireless lamp he had brought for their midnight lesson. He was hoping to move the lesson time up a bit if it was too dark.

 

“I can see the letters even without this thing on. I turned it on for you to see.”

 

“……”

 

There’s really no angle to attack from, is there?

 

Kim Jinkyung quietly shut his mouth and watched Mok Seongha solve the problem.

 

‘You can grasp a person’s character by the way they solve problems.’

 

He recalled something a professor from an advanced mathematics course he took in his first year of university had said.

 

Mok Seongha always wrote down his equations without hesitation. It was the same for problems he knew and problems he didn’t. He would write first and try to get an answer. It was like a hunt. An animalistic method.

 

“You did well.”

 

After checking the answer Mok Seongha had found, Kim Jinkyung wrote another problem in the notebook and handed it to him. The method he had just used had gotten him the right answer by luck. He needed to teach him how to solve the problem with the correct method.

 

“Then try solving this one, too. After you solve it, I’ll explain the concept one more time.”

 

Mok Seongha took the notebook. Only the sound of the pen scratching against the paper could be heard. The cool night air brushing against his cheeks and the sound of the water breaking against the riverbank were quite atmospheric.