JD 41

Like a playful puppy being scolded, Hakyung froze in place at the curt command, still holding the zipper. Muheon quickly got to his feet.

He gently smoothed Hakyung’s tousled hair and flushed cheeks before straightening his own clothes.

Hakyung’s pale cheeks puffed up in protest.

“Why! Why are you stopping? W-We were just getting started!”

“Just getting started, huh?”

“Of course! It’s only fair that I also get to—mmph!”

Muheon silenced the cheeky little mouth with his own lips.

“Mm! Mmmph!”

Before he could voice more protest, his lips were blocked, and even those muffled complaints melted away against Muheon’s tongue. The salty tang made Hakyung’s ears turn red, but the overwhelming kiss quickly dissolved any sense of embarrassment.

Only once Hakyung was breathless and dazed from the long, deep kiss did Muheon finally ease up. He gently pulled back and left one last kiss on Hakyung’s trembling eyelids.

His fluttering lashes tickled Muheon’s bottom lip, drawing a smile to his face.

“You can’t even breathe properly when we kiss. How are you planning to do anything else?”

“Kissing and that are different! Ugh, are you just going to keep weaseling out like this?”

“Next time. Slowly.”

Like coaxing a child with the promise of a sweet, Muheon’s words made Hakyung shout in frustration. A broad-minded, patient lover his ass—right now, Hakyung’s heart was the size of a dried anchovy.

“Boss, are you seriously impotent?!”

It was a shout loud enough to make the air tremble—possibly even loud enough for the next room to hear.

Muheon’s brow twitched at the eardrum-splitting volume.

“I told you I’m not.”

“Then why? Huh?”

“There are reasons.”

Uncharacteristically for him, Muheon kept holding back. Growing increasingly frustrated, Hakyung reached out and grabbed the weighty area firmly. Caught off guard, Muheon’s solid shoulders gave a sharp jolt.

Seeing such a definite reaction only made Hakyung more exasperated—and more annoyed.

He clenched his fingers tighter and started grilling him.

“This is too much. You totally knew what I meant when I said I wanted to come here! So why are you backing off? I showered like three times today and cleaned my crown over and over, you know that?!”

“You did?”

“Yes! I did!”

Hakyung thrust his crown toward him. He’d offered not just his cock, but his more precious crown—and yet it felt like Muheon just didn’t like him enough to go through with it, and that stung.

So what if there were scales? So what if there was some weird tattoo on his back? Hakyung was a river dolphin who could love even his lover’s “flaws” with open arms.

Muheon stared at the pink crown pushed up to his nose for a long moment, then smiled and wrapped Hakyung in a tight hug. His young lover was so sweet and dear he didn’t know what to do with himself.

That’s why he was scared. That’s why he was careful. He was afraid if he showed everything too fast, the boy would run. A coward’s fear, born of age.

Muheon buried his nose in Hakyung’s crown and took a long breath in.

The sweet scent unique to Kang Hakyung filled his entire being and made the world spin.

“I like you, Kang Hakyung.”

The confession slipped out before he could stop it, and Hakyung, who’d been struggling, let out a big sigh.

“I like you a lot too, Boss.”

“So let it go this time.”

“I won’t next time. I’m ripping your clothes off first.”

“Okay.”

Gripping Muheon’s shirt like he was about to yank him by the collar, Hakyung snarled and bit down on his firm shoulder. With behavior like that, you’d think the ‘Kang’ in ‘river dolphin’ stood for canine.¹강 (Kang)” in 강하경 (Kang Hakyung) means “river.” 

Muheon let him gnaw until the tantrum passed, then easily scooped him up in his arms.

“Time to shower.”

“Hmph, together?”

“No.”

“Wow. So petty.”

Even as he said it, Hakyung tightened his legs around Muheon’s waist.

***

That special thing.

Hakyung’s mind was consumed by a single thought: the “special something” that had put an abrupt end to their steamy out-of-office escapade.

It had popped into his head that evening after they returned—specifically, the thing Uncle Geowong had started to mention but never finished. When Hakyung had touched it with his hand, nothing had seemed strange about the shape or anything like that…

As if trying to recall the sensation, Hakyung wiggled his fingers in the air.

“It was… really something…”

Mumbling to himself, he lowered his hand and grabbed his own genitals. They were small enough that even his hand—small for an adult man—could wrap around them. He wondered just how ridiculous they must’ve seemed to the boss. Maybe that’s why the boss had no trouble putting it in his mouth… The thought stung his pride, and Hakyung pouted and began to move his hand.

Naturally, it didn’t excite him even half as much as when the boss did it.

“Ugh.”

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Hakyung rolled back and forth across the bed.

What was the boss’s secret? What was it? And how was he supposed to create another opportunity? These unresolved questions tumbled along with him, bouncing through his head.

As if mocking his frustration, the pink dolphin wind chime hanging by the window swayed gently, chiming a clear little sound.

Meanwhile, Muheon—who had saddled his young lover with one of life’s greatest mysteries—wasn’t exactly at peace either.

Compared to other imugis, he wasn’t particularly greedy or ambitious, but he wasn’t indifferent to the things he cared about, either.

In fact, he was trying to figure out how to reveal himself to Kang Hakyung without scaring him or making him run away.

Hakyung was so honest, so emotionally expressive—if he were to openly recoil or panic, Muheon wasn’t sure he could take it. Who would’ve thought that, after hundreds of years of life, he’d end up this weak to a river dolphin who had only just reached adulthood…

To be honest, he had no idea how things would turn out. Muheon let out a dry laugh and shook his head.

Even so, instead of irritation, what he felt was an overwhelming desire to resolve things quickly. He had fallen hard for Kang Hakyung.

“Mr. Muheon.”

“Yeah, come in.”

Sang-oh entered the room and gave a polite bow. Muheon casually waved his hand and spoke.

“What is it?”

“Well… I heard from Geowong. Is it true that you’re planning to take the river dolphin with you?”

Sang-oh, his large frame fidgeting nervously, asked in a cautious voice. The dark circles under his eyes made it clear he’d agonized over whether to bring this up.

But Muheon’s answer came easily, without a second of hesitation.

“Of course I am. Even if he’s been living on land, his roots are still in the sea.”

The response struck Sang-oh hard, and his face twisted with emotion. Muheon had said he hated everything and fallen into a deep sleep, and after waking, he’d returned to land as if he had no intention of going back to the sea anytime soon.

Just Muheon’s presence was enough to keep the ocean in order, wherever he was—but still, the abundance and balance that existed when he lived in the West Sea was unparalleled.

“You’ve made the right decision. I, Gi Sang-oh, have stayed by your side waiting for this day… I could die happy now!”

“Save the drama. I’ve got something I need you to check on.”

“Whatever it is, just give the order!”

Gi Sang-oh’s booming voice rang through the office. Muheon gave a brief laugh, thinking of Hakyung—why did everyone around him seem to practice yelling before they showed up?

He gave Sang-oh his instructions:

“Make sure the kid has everything he needs to live comfortably in the sea. And find a way for Kang Hakyung to accept me.”

“Wait… just a second…! Muheon-nim, that means, that means—you’re planning to show your true form to the river dolphin…?”

Sang-oh stared in disbelief, speaking slowly as if doubting his own ears. He even rubbed at them, wondering if he’d misheard.

Muheon confirmed it with a calm explanation.

“I’ve decided to take responsibility for Kang Hakyung.”

“Responsibility…?”

“But if he sees me and runs away, that’s no good. So figure something out.”

He recalled the moment Hakyung had shoved his crown right under his nose, declaring that he’d already shown everything and demanding that Muheon take responsibility. The memory of that soft, fluffy hair shimmered before his eyes.

He wanted to kiss him, to breathe in his scent until it filled his lungs. The growing impatience made Muheon tap his fingers on the desk.

The sound made Gi Sang-oh nervous as well. After all, the sea was filled with powerful suitors: high-born, good-looking, competent candidates who had all been turned away. And the winner? A river dolphin who reeked of dirt and mud. A river dolphin!

Gi Sang-oh’s lips puckered with silent disappointment. He could almost hear the cries of disappointed beastmen echoing from the ocean, where they were still faithfully waiting for Muheon’s return.

But in the end, Gi Sang-oh was Muheon’s loyal retainer. If there was something his lord wanted, he was prepared to scour every ocean on earth to obtain it.

“Understood. By when should it be ready?”

“As soon as possible.”

“Yes, I’ll get right on it.”

Gi Sang-oh, having tucked away his disappointment, moved swiftly. Muheon’s will was set in stone.

And so, Operation: ‘Make the Sea-Terrified River Dolphin Settle in the Ocean’ had officially begun.