When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 71
Chapter 71
Sehwa questioned in disbelief.
"What... did you say?"
"May I kiss you right now?"
"..."
She stared at him silently for a moment, unable to believe what she had just heard.
...What nonsense was this?
Asking if he could kiss her.
Of course...
'...I absolutely... hate this.'
It wasn't just dislike—she utterly despised it to the worst degree.
She clenched her fists with all her might.
'Say something that makes sense.'
Here you are with your hair meticulously styled,
Wearing ceremonial silk robes without a single wrinkle despite wearing them all day,
Exuding a fresh fragrance as if you've just applied perfume.
'...While I'm in sleepwear like mourning clothes, hair disheveled, barefoot, and face covered in herbal paste like a madwoman. And you want to kiss me now? Are you in your right mind?'
"Is that... a no?"
"..."
She remained silent with a frighteningly rigid expression.
Looking at her with trembling eyes, he forced a smile and stepped back.
"...I see. I'll treat you better from now on."
Her fists trembled on her knees.
'Are you joking? Did you have to ask right now? Couldn't you have asked later? Did you really have to ask something like that when I look like this?'
Yet.
"If you say no, I'll keep waiting. I won't force anything. So don't be angry. I was a bit hasty."
This man. He just had to add such tactless words.
'How can he be so oblivious to the situation and still manage to be a Clan Head?'
Suppressing her boiling emotions, she extended her hand.
"Give me the washing water."
Her voice had dropped so low that it startled him.
"Why the washing water? Are you leaving? No, you need to keep the herbs on for at least two hours—"
"Give it to me."
"Please don't be upset. I won't say anything more. Just keep it on so your face won't hurt tomorrow."
"Can't you hear me asking for it?"
"...Then wait a moment. I'll warm it up."
"Just give it to me as is."
Overwhelmed by her intensity, he reluctantly handed over the washing water he had brought.
She placed it carelessly on the blanket and began washing her face, removing the herbal paste.
Her reflection in the water was quite a sight.
Despite having tucked her hair behind her ears, strands had gotten wet and clung to the edges of her face like thin snakes.
Her bare face without makeup was clearly visible.
Still, it was better than the ghostly face she had first seen reflected in the water, which had been terrible even to her own eyes.
"...Here, dry yourself with this."
A dejected voice carefully offered her a white silk towel.
Frowning, she grabbed not the towel but the wrist that held it.
"Eh?"
Too impatient even for that brief moment of closeness, Sehwa grabbed his ceremonial collar and pulled him more forcefully.
"!!"
Unable to look at him as he stared at her in surprise, she squeezed her eyes shut.
And with that, their lips collided.
She hadn't intended to grab his collar and force anything like this.
But hearing how he spoke earlier...
'If I don't initiate today, this man will surely remain silent and ask the same question again on some distant future date.'
At the moment their lips met—hers cooled from washing with cold water and his burning hot—
Both their bodies trembled simultaneously.
Thanks to their close proximity and pressed lips, she could feel his racing heartbeat as vividly as if she could grasp it in her hand.
'What is this feeling?'
Sehwa's face burned crimson as she felt his body heat through their lips.
In her previous life, she had gone to the Baek clan right after her engagement to Ju Kyunghyun, and after returning, she had been trapped in the underground prison the whole time, so she never had the chance to do anything like this.
This was her first time pressing lips with someone.
'But it's just lips.'
Like holding hands. Like putting an arm around shoulders.
Though it was just two parts of skin touching, it felt different from any other contact.
The fierce emotions conveyed through their racing heartbeats. The yearning transmitted through their breaths.
How could such a brief touch seem to communicate so many words?
Her mind went blank from the overwhelming flood of sensations.
Just as she released his collar and tried to pull away in confusion,
His large, firm hands ensnared her body like a net.
His urgent, impatient lips entangled fiercely with hers, and his moist tongue roughly grazed her lips.
"!"
She tried to back away in surprise, but his hands holding her tightly didn't allow even the slightest gap.
As clear saliva rubbed against her lips, Sehwa's lips grew wetter too. That's when it happened.
The flesh that had been circling her lips pushed between her red lips and white teeth into her mouth.
"!!"
She opened her eyes wide in shock, only to meet Baek Giha's intense dark eyes at an extremely close distance.
Burning emotions seethed within them.
The desire in his gaze was so clear that she couldn't move, as if captured by it.
The wet intrusion stirring inside her mouth and his firm hands exploring her rigid back showed not the slightest restraint.
His tongue, which had probed sticky and deep into the root of her tongue and every corner of her teeth, scraped against the roof of her mouth.
Her skin instantly became sensitive and goosebumps rose.
"...Mmph. Hah."
As if even the smallest breath was precious, he sucked her breath into his mouth.
When his pointed tongue slid even deeper, she suddenly trembled.
"Hah... ngh!"
But even her suppressed moan was instantly sucked into his mouth along with their saliva.
"Mmh... ah."
Their wet breaths instantly grew denser. Desire condensed over a long period trembled between their pressed lips.
No, what was trembling was her hands.
She couldn't tell if her breathlessness was due to her trembling chest or because he was taking all her breath.
"...Hah. Ngh."
The sensation was vivid as his uncontrolled tongue thoroughly traced her sticky membrane. Her waist felt like it was melting.
When her heartbeat became almost unbearable, his tongue reluctantly withdrew, trailing along her teeth.
Their lips remained pressed together.
In that very narrow space between them, their fierce pulses intertwined.
His voice, rough and broken, scattered uneven breaths as he asked.
"You don't dislike it, right? You don't dislike me, right? You too."
What a foolish man.
After watching me for so long... Did I seem like someone who would do this with someone I disliked?
She should turn away.
She was going to turn away.
But when his hot arms embraced her, she just wanted to hug him back.
'No, saying it's for your sake is just an excuse. Maybe I simply don't want to show you my vengeful side.'
Actually... that was true.
"Hmm? Tell me. Answer me."
His burning eyes shone as he begged for an affirmative answer.
'This is the one thing I absolutely don't want to lose.'
It was frightening.
Because you never know when or how feelings might change.
He might be this passionate now, but would it continue? Until when? Forever? When was that?
That's why no matter who she killed from behind. No matter how wicked she appeared. No matter what cruel acts she committed.
She didn't want to show such depths of herself in detail before her family and this man.
Afraid that such a sight might cool his fervent gaze.
"Please."
Yes. That's why she couldn't answer now.
Because if she did, this man would surely treat her revenge as his own and help her.
Unable to speak, she grabbed his neck and pulled him close again.
Hoping this tactless man could at least guess from this action the answer she couldn't give.
Their joined lips grew burning hot. He pulled her small body tightly against him.
Realizing he seemed to understand her unspoken answer, the tip of her nose stung.
Ju Myoungyoon was greatly displeased from the morning.
It wasn't because of the unfortunate incident at yesterday's banquet.
No, that was part of it.
Who would have thought that the companion he had arranged would become such poison to his daughter?
How could he ever make up for that guilt to his daughter?
But his current displeasure was somewhat different from that matter.
"Ah!"
"You first."
"No, you eat first."
It was because of Baek Giha and his daughter's noticeably awkward behavior over something as simple as their chopsticks touching.
"..."
They had both been silent at the banquet... Where did this awkward air between them come from?
'Was it last night? Though I deliberately stayed away so exhausted Sehwa could sleep well... Did something happen then?'
While Ju Myoungyoon was making numerous conjectures with sharp military eyes,
'...Why do I keep doing this?'
After briefly glancing up at Baek Giha and meeting his eyes, Sehwa quietly looked away.
She was becoming excessively conscious of his lips after last night's kiss.
The sensation of his reddened tongue entwining with hers. Even that hot moment when their breaths tangled.
'Am I crazy? How can I keep thinking about this here?'
With Father right beside them, at this rate he would figure out what she was thinking.
She needed to quickly escape this gathering of three.
Just as Sehwa was increasing her eating pace with her mind in turmoil,
Hurried footsteps came rapidly down the corridor, and a servant suddenly appeared.
Baek Giha was the first to react to the servant's urgent report.
"...What did you say?"
"The Red Dragon Spirit Unit sent by the Mystic Ruler and the Baek Clan Cavalry have arrived in the courtyard. In particular, the cavalry's leader, the Baek Clan Chancellor, urgently requests an audience with the master."
As three pairs of eyes naturally turned to Baek Giha, he slowly put down his chopsticks.
His face darkened considerably, as if his appetite had instantly vanished.
A sigh-like groan escaped his lips.
"...Our Manyong again."
Manyong had arrived.
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