JD 66

A scallion pancake loaded with delicious seafood, a doenjang stew so packed with brisket it was hard to see the broth, and a spicy steamed clam dish—the menu was surprisingly good for something whipped up so quickly.

“Hoooh,” Dok Gojin exhaled in admiration and sat up straight. His posture was completely different from how he ate back in the East Sea, where meals were served to him routinely.

Seeing the imugi of the East Sea so full of intent, Hakyung also looked visibly tense. It wasn’t like he was at a cooking competition, but the seriousness in the air was undeniable… and from behind him, Muheon let out a quiet laugh.

“You don’t have any allergies, right?”

“Of course not. As if I’d have something like that.”

With a snort, Dok Gojin dismissed the very idea that an imugi could suffer from such trivial ailments as beastmen or humans might. He picked up the neatly arranged chopsticks.

Alright then—let’s see what the river dolphin can do.

A smile crept across Dok Gojin’s face, his thoughts clearly written on it. It wasn’t like he was serving this to a mother-in-law, so why were Hakyung’s palms sweating so badly? Probably because this guest was the boss’s old friend.

Even the smallest things could affect the boss’s reputation among other imugi. With a small sigh, Hakyung leaned the back of his head gently against the boss’s broad chest.

He was a little annoyed that his fluffy hair was flattened under the hat and Muheon couldn’t feel it, but still, it wasn’t a bad moment—finding a spot to nuzzle and act cute.

Muheon rubbed Hakyung’s stiff cheeks and pulled out a chair.

“Let’s eat too. Sit down.”

Of course, Muheon seated Hakyung first, as if it were second nature. Dok Gojin’s lips twitched at the sight. Well, well. The Imugi Prince of Manners has arrived.

“Smells great. Looks delicious, really.”

“Yes! Please enjoy!”

With that lively response, Dok Gojin grinned and tasted the doenjang stew broth first. After that, he devoured the food like a beast swallowing prey.

To think there was a land beastman out there with such golden hands!

Even as he silently praised the flavor, Dok Gojin’s chopsticks didn’t slow down. Luckily, the food seemed to match his taste perfectly, and Hakyung finally relaxed.

Now that his nerves had settled, Hakyung eagerly picked up his chopsticks. As usual, Muheon wasn’t one to talk much during meals. That meant it was normally Hakyung’s job to fill the silence with chatter, but today, he didn’t have the mental energy to keep up a conversation with Dok Gojin.

As a result, silence reigned over the meal. Fortunately, every plate was cleaned to the last bite.

“Man, that hit the spot!”

Dok Gojin laughed heartily, having polished off three bowls of rice with ease. Hakyung followed with a sheepish smile. It always felt good to see someone enjoy what he’d made so much.

Having unexpectedly passed Dokgojin’s “test” with high marks, Hakyung now sat across from him.

It would’ve been easier if Muheon were still around, but the boss had gone downstairs to the office a while ago for something urgent. That meant Hakyung had to entertain the guest alone after the meal.

The imugi of the East Sea didn’t seem busy at all as he leisurely drank tea and asked questions. Hakyung, meanwhile, was technically on the clock and shouldn’t be spending this much time chatting.

Still, telling him to head back east was a line he only had the guts to say to the boss.

So Hakyung had no choice but to keep the conversation going, hiding any hint of discomfort.

Thankfully, despite his rough tone, the things Dok Gojin said weren’t all that different from the things Grandma often said. Compared to their first meeting earlier, things were already much better.

“I brought this with me, but I wasn’t sure if I should give it to you until after lunch.”

“Sorry? What is it…?”

In a sly tone, Dok Gojin patted his broad chest.

Surely he didn’t mean… his chest muscles? What on earth had he brought that came with that kind of look in his eye? Hakyung forced an awkward smile. He already wanted to refuse whatever it was, even before receiving it.

But true to his title as an imugi of the East Sea, Dok Gojin pulled out a silk lucky pouch from his chest and shoved it into Hakyung’s hand without asking. Beaming with pride, he began to explain.

“Let me tell you about that—it’s made from seaweed that grows in the deep waters under Dokdo, one of the purest regions in the East Sea.”

“Ah… I see… Thank you…”

Even though he had no idea what was inside, Hakyung nodded seriously. With eyes that sparkled so earnestly, it made Dok Gojin want to keep talking—even make something up on the spot if he had to.

Too bad he wasn’t good at storytelling, so he gave up quickly.

“You know how us imugi are a little… unique. Hm, do you know that yet?”

Dok Gojin pointed a finger toward his center.

Following the gesture, Hakyung’s gaze dropped—his ears turning a bright red.

Oh. So it wasn’t just the boss. All imugi had… two of them. That realization hit him hard.

“Hm? Didn’t know?”

“No! I mean—yes! Of course I knew!”

They’d just gone wild sucking and licking last weekend too. Every time Hakyung spent the night with the boss, it was like he’d been possessed by a ravenous spirit—his appetite came flooding back.

Each time, the boss would laugh in disbelief and try to rein him in, telling him to go easy, but it was no use. Since he still couldn’t take it all the way down below, he went all in elsewhere, indulging as much as he could.

Maybe it was because they hadn’t done it enough times yet—he still failed to take everything in every single time.

Just thinking about the time he lost to Muheon’s cocks made his appetite vanish. Hakyung set down his fork, a sulky look settling over his face. Even the little hole at the top of his head gave a slow, dejected throb.

“Oh? So you do know, huh?”

With even more lascivious eyes than before, Dok Gojin continued his explanation.

“In that case, you’ll definitely need this! It’s made from fresh, healthy seaweed. It’s got mystical energy, so take good care of it and use it well.”

“Hmm… when should I use something this mystical?”

“Well obviously, when you sleep with Muheon!”

Dok Gojin thumped the table in frustration. Wasn’t it obvious just by looking!

At his words, Hakyung quickly opened the lucky pouch to take a look. Inside was a thick green liquid, sealed in a transparent glass bottle. It looked extremely suspicious.

When Hakyung picked up the bottle and gave it a shake, it sloshed around heavily—it seemed to have a consistency similar to the gel he had prepared himself.

“Thank you. I’ll make good use of it.”

“Tch! This isn’t something you just say a boring little ‘thanks’ for. It’s not easy to get, and it works damn well. Even I only use it once every few years with my wife.”

“O-oh, wow. That’s… really exciting!”

Sensing Dok Gojin’s displeasure, Hakyung made sure to express his joy a little more enthusiastically. The more time he spent with other sea serpents, the stronger his longing for the boss grew.

Only after Hakyung thanked him several times did Dok Gojin finally look satisfied, smiling languidly. It was easy to imagine the kind of trouble the beastmen under him in the East Sea must have to deal with.

Once again, Hakyung realized just how lucky he was that it was the boss who had picked him up—he must’ve drawn on every ounce of fortune in the entire universe.

“I’ve never given this to any other imugi. I’ve been keeping it tucked away because it’s so precious…”

He had the gleam of a crow eyeing something shiny. Seriously, the East Sea imugi really knew how to make a show of generosity. If it’s so good, why not just use it himself…? The words rose to Hakyung’s throat, but he swallowed them—he was a polite river dolphin, after all.

He tucked the pouch away carefully again and responded with the smile that had won over the elders in his hometown for over twenty years.

“I’ll use it when it really matters. I’ll make sure to tell the boss it was a gift from Dok Gojin.”

“Ahem, yes, very good. You’re a dolphin who knows what’s what.”

Dok Gojin gave a fake cough, curling his lips. Hakyung, seeing that the man’s mood had improved, broke out in a cold sweat. The hole at the crown of his head twitched irregularly, as if crying out from mental stress.

Who knew how long they’d been sitting through Dok Gojin’s self-praise when Muheon finally returned from wrapping up urgent business.

“Boss!”

Hakyung welcomed his return more enthusiastically than ever. Not only was the hair under his hat slightly damp, his cheeks looked like they’d been half-devoured in the meantime.

Just how much had this precious partner of his been harassed… Muheon’s mood soured instantly as he growled at Dok Gojin.

“Let’s cut the crap here and get you back to your own turf, yeah?”

“Crap? Hey! What do you mean, crap! I gave you something really valuable—”

“Enough. Sang-oh, escort him out.”

Muheon cut him off mid-sentence and called for Sang-oh. Responding to the call, Gi Sang-oh came running from somewhere and politely escorted Dok Gojin out. Of course, while his manners were courteous, the push on his back was anything but gentle.

Hah! Crap, huh? Who’s the one being ridiculous now…?

He’s just jealous because he can’t get time alone with his own partner. Dok Gojin swallowed a deep sigh and walked away, convinced that in a few days, that guy would be down on his knees, thanking him for the gift.