Even a Lonely Squirrel Has Its Burrow - Chapter 115

Chapter 115

Swish—.

As Garam’s hand reached for the buttons, his fingers brushed against the shirt, producing a soft rustling sound. Normally, such a faint noise would go unnoticed unless one paid close attention, but in his state of nervousness, even the smallest sound rang in his ears like thunder. Without realizing it, he flinched slightly before resuming his movements.

Lacking the courage to lift his head, he focused on fastening the buttons from the bottom up with trembling hands. Just then, above his bowed head, Sa Muheon’s quiet laughter trickled down.

“Ha-ha….”

When Garam hesitantly lifted his head, Sa Muheon’s smiling face immediately came into view. His expression was somewhat ambiguous, but it wasn’t until Garam heard his next words that he understood the reason for his laughter.

“Baby, why are you so tense?”

“Huh? What?”

“You’re buttoning it wrong.”

“Ah….”

Panicked, Garam quickly looked down and saw that, just as Sa Muheon had said, the buttons were mismatched, each one fastened in the wrong place. His cheeks flushed a deep red. He couldn’t believe he had made such a careless mistake—it was painfully obvious just how nervous he was. Hurriedly, he began unfastening the incorrectly buttoned shirt.

But with his nerves already frayed and embarrassment piling on top of it, his hands refused to cooperate. His fingers trembled so badly that anyone could see his struggle. Finally, when his hands were shaking to a pitiful degree, Sa Muheon slowly reached out and wrapped his own hands around Garam’s.

“Why are your hands shaking so much?”

Garam instinctively lifted his head. Sa Muheon’s face was closer than before. Though he was still smiling lightly, Garam wasn’t fooled. The eyes that met his were darker than usual, and the moment their gazes locked, Garam felt utterly ensnared. His breath caught, and he found himself unable to look away. He only snapped back to his senses when Sa Muheon’s hand moved again.

“Uh….”

The slightly cool hand that had been holding his slowly started to move. Sa Muheon’s fingers, now separated, trailed gently over the back of Garam’s hand, tickling his skin as they glided upward toward his wrist. Each time his fingertips barely grazed Garam’s skin, he reflexively inhaled sharply. The hand continued to move, creeping ever higher until, at last, it reached Garam’s cheek, touching it with an agonizing slowness.

Garam thought that was the end of it. But then, Sa Muheon’s fingers lightly stroked his cheek before his thumb pressed down firmly against Garam’s lower lip.

“Ah….”

A faint sound slipped from Garam’s slightly parted lips. His gaze remained locked onto Sa Muheon’s, unable to tear himself away for even a second. He had the strange feeling that if he did, he would be devoured whole.

Moments ago, Sa Muheon had been smiling as if amused, but now, he no longer had the composure to maintain any pretense. His eyes, burning with something deeper, fixated on Garam with an intensity that made him swallow hard. As Garam’s throat bobbed with the action, Sa Muheon let out a low chuckle—not the gentle, warm kind from earlier, but something rougher, more predatory.

“Why are you so nervous?”

“…….”

Garam couldn’t answer. It wasn’t just because Sa Muheon’s fingers were still idly playing with his lips but also because his mouth had gone completely dry.

“Hm?”

“Well, that’s….”

He tried to say something, but before he could finish his sentence, his tongue brushed against Sa Muheon’s fingertip. Garam flinched in shock, immediately closing his mouth, but it seemed Sa Muheon had felt it too. His eyes widened slightly as he looked at Garam.

“…You.”

When Sa Muheon spoke, his voice carried a raspy, almost serpentine undertone. As Garam swallowed again, Sa Muheon’s face moved even closer.

Press—.

Their lips barely touched for a fleeting second before Sa Muheon pulled away, leaving only the ghost of a sensation behind. Given the way he had been looking at him moments ago, Garam had been sure that Sa Muheon was about to consume him whole. It was unexpected. Seeing his approach, Garam had instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, but now, he slowly opened them again.

And immediately, his gaze met Sa Muheon’s, who was watching him intently from an impossibly close distance. The suffocating tension from earlier had vanished, replaced by a sensation like delicate flowers blooming in his chest. He wanted to turn his head away in embarrassment, but Sa Muheon gently held his face, keeping his gaze fixed on him.

“…Are you okay?”

“…….”

The soft question only deepened the fluttering feeling inside him. By now, Garam knew Sa Muheon well enough. He was not someone who was kind to just anyone. In fact, he was someone capable of doing frightening things. And yet…

“Baby.”

To Garam, he was always gentle. And Garam was completely helpless against that gentleness. Even now, despite the undeniable hunger in his eyes, Sa Muheon was waiting. He could easily take what he wanted if he made up his mind—Garam knew that. But instead, he was asking for permission. And Garam… had never learned how to refuse him.

“…It’s okay.”

His reply was barely above a whisper, quiet enough to be missed unless one listened closely. But they were so close their noses were nearly touching, and Sa Muheon didn’t miss a single word. Of course, even if they had been miles apart, he wouldn’t have missed it.

“So, then, I—”

Before Garam could finish his sentence, Sa Muheon’s patience finally snapped. He grabbed Garam’s waist and crushed their lips together. It was a desperate, urgent kiss.

Their first kiss—initiated by Garam in a drunken haze—was too faint in his memory, like a dream. Their second, given by Sa Muheon, had been teasing, playful. But this time was different.

Sa Muheon kissed him as if he had been waiting for this moment forever. Yet, even in his urgency, he somehow held onto the last thread of restraint. Every time his actions threatened to turn rough, he reined himself in, as if tightening a leash around his own desires.

Though his kisses were filled with yearning and desperation, they were never forceful. And because of that, Garam didn’t feel the least bit afraid. Instead, he found Sa Muheon’s every movement, his every touch, unbearably endearing.

This feeling was new to him. Every time their tongues intertwined, a shuddering sensation rippled through his entire body, making him unconsciously let out a soft, unfamiliar sound. He understood, at least in theory, that this was pleasure. But to Garam, it was a completely foreign experience.

And yet…

“Ah….”

“Haa… Baby, Kang Garam.”

Feeling increasingly out of breath, Garam raised his hand, only to remember that he had injured his shoulder. Barely managing to lift his arm, he instead placed his hand on the arm that was wrapped around his waist. With just that small gesture, Sa Muheon immediately grasped Garam’s state and slowly pulled away. However, even as Garam took a moment to catch his breath, Sa Muheon couldn’t hold back, whispering his name and pressing kisses all over his face.

The slightly cool body that held him close and the soft touch landing on his face made Garam let out an involuntary laugh. At first, he had thought Sa Muheon was a frightening and strange person, but now, he seemed gentle and affectionate. Wrapped in his embrace, Garam recalled the first day he had met him.

The day he had encountered him and curled up alone inside the hollow of a tree, seeking warmth by huddling against his tail on the tuft of cotton he had hidden in advance—it had felt unbearably cold. But now, nestled in the arms of this cool-bodied man, he felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and security. So much so that the loneliness of the past no longer came to mind. Bit by bit, Garam was melting into his affection.

Once it seemed Garam had caught his breath, Sa Muheon pressed his lips to his once more. And Garam did not refuse. This time, as he cautiously placed his hands on Sa Muheon’s waist, the man pulled him even closer. That was when Garam felt something unfamiliar against his body. Realizing what it was, his face instantly flushed red.

Sa Muheon, however, showed no shame. Instead, he pressed his body more firmly against Garam’s, and his hand, which had found its way to Garam’s waist, began to slowly trace up his back in a lingering caress.

“Ah…!”

Garam let out an involuntary gasp, then suddenly came to his senses and grasped Sa Muheon’s arm. Immediately, Sa Muheon stilled and withdrew his lips.

“…Did you not like it?”

“It’s not that. We… We need to go to the hospital.”

“We can go later.”

“No! You haven’t even fully healed yet…”

The embarrassment that had overtaken Garam just moments ago had completely vanished, and he glared up at Sa Muheon with what he thought was a fierce look. Sa Muheon clicked his tongue briefly before finally pulling away. As the loosened buttons revealed more of Sa Muheon’s body, Garam hastily turned his head away.

“As long as my arm heals, that’s enough, right?”

“Huh? Y-Yeah…”

Caught off guard, Garam nodded instinctively. Sa Muheon nodded back, his expression stiffening slightly. Then, running a hand through his hair, he let out a deep sigh.

“Hah… Alright. I’ll remember that.”

“Uh…”

Garam belatedly tried to say that wasn’t what he meant, but the sharp glint in Sa Muheon’s eyes made it impossible for him to take back his words.

“You remember it too. Don’t go saying later that you forgot, okay?”

“…Okay.”

In the end, Garam nodded, and only then did Sa Muheon smile in satisfaction before leaving the dressing room.

“I think I can get ready on my own. You probably need some time alone as well. I’ll be back.”

It was only after Sa Muheon had completely left the room that Garam checked his waistband and collapsed onto the floor. Furiously rubbing his burning red cheeks, he shut his eyes tightly.