Chapter 105: Secrets (Part 3)

"Enlighten me." Jin parts his lips, "Yeogiwa." (Come here)

Hiro obediently lifts his upper body from the mattress, his strong and refined arms clinging carefully around his small frame.

Tilting his head fondly, Hiro's amused and clear eyes gaze up at Jin with what seems from either admiration or disbelief, "Shall I?"

His long and deft fingers fiddle against his delicate clothing and wonder how it's possible for someone to be so innocent and oblivious.

His feather touch trickles up to his spine, kneading his tender skin with his bare hands.

"Soft."

He leans his head closer, his pupils dilated, and gently rests his chin against Jin's chest, powerless and desperate, "Jin-ah." My lovely Jin-ah.

His pleading eyes and the endearing tone of his voice brought a weakening sensation to Jin's body, especially his heart that's once again swayed by his odd gentleness.

But for some other reason, Jin was nervous.

He chewed on his bottom lip as he stared down warily at the man from his bottom lash. He willingly watched how Hiro snuggled and rubbed his face to his chest like some starving kitten.

Aigoo, why is he acting cute again?

Enfolding his arms around him, he returns his warm embrace and shoves his nose to the calming scent of his hair that's now fresh from the hospital's scent.

He loves his smell.

Hiro hugged him tighter in response.

He suddenly found the room too difficult to breathe in. But rather than feeling the tightening of his chest, he felt them overflowing with awe—too much awe. One that's now far too familiar to him. "Ne." (Yes) He softly whispers, "I'll listen."

And it was enough to reassure Hiro.

With his eyes squinting in half, Hiro hums to Jin's skin, slowly surrendering to the ominous trembling and fluttering of his heart. He breathes deeply, groaning.

With one swift tug of Jin's gown, he pressed his lips leisurely to the young fellow's exposed shoulder. Then he pauses with a growing smile sculpting over his lips as his nose follows its way to his pale swan neck.

"The woman who gave birth to me was Korean."

He inhaled the familiar sweet scent of his pale skin, taming and holding his wavering control intact.

"Was?" Jin mulled over what he said by using past tense. The woman who gave birth to him . . . His mother?

Sooner than later, Jin felt the tip of his tongue replacing the trace of his nose against his sensitive skin.

Turning stiff on top of his lap, Jin withheld his voice from embarrassingly leaving his lips again. His wide and distracted amethyst eyes continued to eye him with caution.

Hiro met his brave eyes and pepper careful and appreciative kisses to his shoulder and arm, wishing he'd be more interested in him than someone who disappeared without a trace.

"Apparently, she went missing when I was eight."

Jin pressed his fingers together. He knows he shouldn't pry anymore but . . . "What happened to her?"

He couldn't help it.

His voice came out small, and he bit his lower lip after letting those words slip from his lips. The stillness of the silence once again settled between them both until Hiro spoke again, shaking his head lightly from the memory.

"She ran away soon after divorcing my old man."

Jin released his lower lip and looked down. He didn't know what to say.

A mother running away and leaving an eight years old boy behind?

Sulma . . . That thought alone breaks him. He knew all too well what it feels like to be left behind. Of how deep that wound can cut to one's soul, let alone a child. He pinches his thumb, feeling his insides twisting in remorse.

He didn't mean to talk about his mother, but he was naturally curious how his mogul father who's rich and seems all-that-kind-of-a-man had ended up being a widower. He thought it was only reasonable for him to know since he's—

'You're going to be part of this family soon.' His subconscious reminded him with a warning note.

Right.

He lifts his uneasy gaze and takes a quick peek at Hiro. "Do you ever miss her?" He was still bothered if this discussion was a sensitive topic that shouldn't have been brought up in the first place.

Hiro found his way back to the bed, though his fingers were softly caressing him from the sides of his waist. His mind seems to be nowhere near present.

And his eyes were empty while they stare at the ceiling, lost in thoughts.

"What was there to miss?"

A pang of unknown guilt swallowed Jin's consciousness. Listening to those calm words coming out from his lips, his heart hurts for him.

His brows curl into a sympathetic frown. It must have been challenging for him to say something about his family, knowing his indifference when it comes to them.

Despite the aching sadness in his heart, he can't help but stifle a gentle smile. Step by step he felt that he was growing closer to knowing this man's mysterious coves.

Furthermore, that was only second to his worries.

Hearing the emptiness and apathy in his voice while speaking about his birth mother gave him goosebumps.

It was as if he was speaking to someone no more or less than a stranger.

Jin leans back and tilts his chin up, leaning closer to look at Hiro's ever-so-divine face and catching him off guard.

Seeing him up close, the man quickly pursed his thinned lips toward him.

They were the reddest he had seen them. Like freshly popped cherries as he almost forgot how they were carved in a distasteful frown just split seconds ago.

Hiro's brows rose, and his lips were urged repeatedly towards him in a childlike manner, gone the heavy void in his eyes and Jin can't stop his smile.

Why is he pursing his lips?

Hiro waited for a couple of seconds and even shut his eyes close. For the first time in a while, his heart was thumping in strange giddiness. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but rather one to look forward to.

He waited patiently. Seconds turn to a minute, but nothing came down to him but a slap of another disappointment.

He opens his eyes in disbelief.

"W-What?" Jin glances down at him in utmost concern at his silence. He knew it. He shouldn't have insisted on asking personal questions about his mother.

Look what craziness this man is doing again.

"Reward." Hiro spurs immediately to him without hesitation. His voice was firm and authoritative.

Eh? "Reward?"

"My reward." He replied with a dejected expression painted across his face.

Jin blew a sigh. See his point? This frustrating man is at it again.

"Pardon me, but for what, Hiro?"

He was most surprised to find him shying away from his gaze. His cheeks were red like his, even redder than his. Jin found himself at a loss for words once again.

What is it?

"Enduring," whispers Hiro.

No vile thoughts. No twitching of hands. He did a good job.

His somber eyes peer up at Jin, "Don't you think so?"