Chapter 138

Kai Hiroshima mawkishly stuck out his tongue in front of Jin and rubbed it over the surface of his lips to stop himself from grinning. They glistened like his questioning umbra eyes that eyed the young fellow disdainfully.

Jin's pouty lips pucker more in response to such bold shrewdness he is receiving from the man, "You are incorrigible." This man—He cannot believe Hiro is probing him of innocence by being oblivious to his own silliness.

"What harm did I do, love?"

Hiro pleads in hush tones of dripping sweetness, pretending to have been hurt by his beloved pinching his ear. The spot of contact had left a melting warmth on his skin.

More. . .He wants more.

Jin's mouth fell open. He is absurd, "Silly, you keep asking such questions." Really now?

His boldness absolutely knows no bounds!

When, in fact, he knows he has relayed his affections evidently to him, but this man, without any doubt, is trying to hide his guileful grin from him, which always fails.

His beguiling dimples are always easy to spot.

Good god, may the heavens forbid him to do something to this mischievous man.

Hiro leans. He shoves half of his face under Jin's jaw. His midnight eyes gleamed, dilated as they fixated on the magnificent shade of purple shroud by thick and long strands of lashes above him, "Silly?" His voice came out soft with admiration.

Mine.

He could die like this. With his lips squeezing and kissing the softest skin sinful to any man to touch, but him, being bound to the devil at this moment, does not seem to sound so bad. 

"But do you not, my love?"

He could burn this world and annihilate souls if anyone disagrees.

His pointed nose travels to the luscious scent of his beloved's skin. "Do you not love me?" He breathes.

It is rather peaceful that way.

A world where it is just the two of them. . .

Jin clenches the lids of his eyes, tightly shutting them after feeling a surge of frustration as he realizes that after all his mansplaining, Hiro failed to grasp the meaning behind his words.

Of course, for the love of god and anything holy, Hiro does not get what he means.

He always does not. 

His fingers had traveled to the apex of the man's cheeks. He pinched them both and stretched them out of emolument to his challenged patience, "It is obvious that you are loved." My gosh, "Very much loved and adored."

"By whom?"

Jin pokes his tongue into the inside wall of his cheek, causing a small bump to form on the side of his face. It was clear that this man was obviously not letting this playful gesture slide.

A generous smile carves on the curves of his lips as his thumb traces over the thick and perfect hair of Hiro's brows.

"By your family, who else?"

They were well-trimmed. Or maybe it is natural. After all, the heavens did take an amount of time creating him leisurely.

They look so beautiful, and they suit him well. 

Hiro's brows move under Jin's finger. They were now crumpled. The young fellow's amethyst eyes curiously dart down and meet two glum obsidian ores.

"Have I said something wrong?" mumbles Jin, concerned.

"You do not love me because the thought of me looking like a shit weighs your mind. I am unfortunate and far from good-looking for being sleep-deprived—"

Jin moves to cover Hiro's mouth with his hands to stop his tantrums of prattling. Good grief! "I-I meant I am your family. Your new family, a-am I not? And I love and deeply care for you. You know that."

Jin let out a sigh, "You need to know my love for you is not that shallow." He slowly retrieves his hands and fingers continue to trail the soft strands of his brows, "Even when you are sleepless and overworked, bruised or injured, that may the heavens forbid."

This man honestly must understand that there is nothing to stress about. "I will love you through your worst and protect your heart as you have done to mine."

Hiro had barged into his life and sowed himself to his very being as a person. . .to his soul, and he doubts embracing who he truly is would be possible without him.

"Do not overwhelm too much about it, Hiro."

When he takes another quick glimpse at Hiro's face, an anxious expression is still etched on his face. He breathes and brushes his messy hair. "I will choose you every day so please rest your heart. Do you understand now, dearest?"

"I knew no abiding peace until now," hums Hiro in agreement.

Finally, the man was in tamed silence, and a breath of relief left Jin's lips.

It felt like he had just survived a war. Or saved the world from the unknown.

He felt proud of himself and Hiro.

Hiro's hand slipped around Jin's waist and his other crossed over his thin slender back and grasped the back of his neck, kneading his skin from there with the tips of his circling fingers.

"The cause of your abduction. . ."

Now he was intrigued, "The vault?"

Hiro looks up at him from his chest and his eyes are clear and sincere, not a pinch of evil intent is seen.

"Yes, it is here."

A little part of him wished they met earlier, and he could have seen how these same eyes remained on little grumpy Hiro. Then maybe perhaps his doubts and fears might not be easily shaken.

After nodding his head in his response, only then did Hiro scoop him out of bed. The man carried him with one arm around his waist, and he innately wrapped his arms around Hiro's neck and let his legs dangle and sway midair.

Hiro grabbed his IV pole and dragged it across the unbelievably too massive room. His lips parted when they strolled through the center aisle of the large columns. He was right at first glance. From its reflective surface, they were made in marbles of green, black, and gold.

"You have columns in your room."

However, he does not recognize the carved design of the capital on the very top of the column that connects to the ceiling. They were not Greek or Roman. They taper upwards in a beautiful pattern.

It was. . .captivating.

Hiro hums in response, a candid smile spreading his lips seeing the spark of appreciation in his beloved's eyes. 

His love has a good eye for art.

"It is called Haneikawa. They go way back in my lineage, but as much as I would tell you about it. . ."

Hiro paused, bending down to reach into the pocket of his sweatpants and pull out his phone. As he did so, Jin tipped his head to the side, his eyes alight with curiosity.

Jin observed how Hiro lifted his phone and took a picture of the ceiling above them before wordlessly placing the phone in his hand.

"Refrain from looking up, love," Hiro whispers to him and kisses the side of his head before continuing to walk and drag his IV pole with them.

It left his four cheeks red.