Water Containing The Moon

The other party looked like a bear with a large, bloated body. He looked at Hyun’s face for a moment and smiled faintly.

“Where are you going?”

The man, Dangchil, asked.

Dangchil was the only child of his mother, a cook who could be said to be the leader of the kitchen, and was a prodigal with a quick-tempered and bad reputation. Every time he saw Hyun, he would blatantly flirted with, as it was not a problem having a lover of the same sex because the custom of Danguk tolerantly allows homosexuality (斷袖).

[斷袖 is literally ‘broken sleeve’ in Chinese. If you are familiar with CN novel, you will recognize this term as the way they describe ‘homosexuality’ in ancient times.

The origin of this (short version by me): Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty was about to go to the Imperial court one morning, however, his sleeve was held down by Dong Xian, his lover, a male. The emperor was afraid of waking up his lover if he pulled his sleeve, so he cut it off with a knife, showing the depth of his love. Therefore, a broken sleeve.]

Hyun often saw Dangchil blatantly flirting with other people other than him as well. It was simply disgusting, because he treats people like they were insignificant and acts depending on his mood. He even shouts when he’s ashamed. Which one of those who have rejected him in the Wei estate have not suffered from humiliation? There were cases of minor violence as well, he was literally a little tyrant.

Instead of answering, Hyun twisted in his grip and tried to get out of his hand. However, Dangchil used his strength and physique to relentlessly pull Hyun, so Hyun had no choice but to be embraced by him. Dangchil had just returned from working in the barn. His body had a foul odor.

“Every time I see you, I feel refreshed. How good would it be if you’re as obedient as your gentle-looking face?”

It was a terrifying sentence. Hyun, whose body was trembling from the absurdity, lost his reasoning, clenched his teeth and pushed him, but Dangchil did not move. Rather, he groaned and continued his words.

“You are reticent, but you are not dumb. Just saying ‘yes’ will look pretty with this face.”

His gaze tenaciously scanned Hyun’s neatly set front hair, round forehead, and his two swollen eyes and plump lips.

Hyun was a great beauty. It was surprising when the skinny and unsightly boy, who was like a newborn baby beast two years ago, turned out like this after some care. Every time Danchil saw him, his heart was tickled. Even though Hyun was still young, Dangchil’s eyes were drawn to him, and he was already looking forward to how much more beautiful he will become when he is fully grown and bloomed. When one is unsure, one should mark the target with their saliva in advance. However, Hyun is the master’s only servant, so his position was a bit different from the start. And Dangchil was even more annoyed by that.

“By the way, yesterday was the full moon, wasn’t it? Did you get sick again? Your pretty face is all damaged, it’s hurting me.”

—What is this bastard talking about? Keep saying shits.

“Oho, you have to say it in Danguk.”

As Hyun cursed in Korean, Dangchil smiled and caressed Hyun’s face. Goosebumps and nausea rose as his hand stroked Hyun’s soft cheek.

Hyun raised his hand again and slammed Dangchil’s shoulder hard. The moment Dangchil’s body moved back slightly, Hyun took the opportunity and dropped down from him. Every time he saw him, Hyun felt extremely uncomfortable. Hyun frowned in disgust as the shoulders and cheek that had been touched felt like there were cockroaches crawling.

It was a world where it is ordinary to have men as concubines of the high-ranked people, but it is just truly disgusting if the other party is a man such as Dangchil, who is basically an ugly pervert. It was so unfortunate for other people that he could run around everywhere just because his mother had the trust of the general.

“Go away. Don’t touch. I hate it.”

As Dangchil requested, Hyun spoke in Danguk language while rubbing his cheek roughly with his sleeve. Dangchil’s face contorted at the blatant refusal. As he took a step closer with a smirk, Hyun quickly took two steps back.

“What are you talking about? I was just worried. Why are you being so sensitive? I only touched for a brief moment to deepen our friendship. Why are you driving me away? How strange. Is worrying about others a sin?”

“I’m going to go over there. Let go.”

Dangchil stretched out his hand, but Hyun pushed him hard and found a way out. Even if they were similar in height, Dangchil had a very strong physique as typical male servants had, which couldn’t be compared to Hyun’s skinny body. As Dangchil tried to wrap his shoulders, Hyun slapped his hand and tried to run away. But this time, Dangchil came first.

“Don’t think of going anywhere!”

He moved his body menacingly to block Hyun and growled fiercely.

“Akh!”

Hyun grabbed his shoulder and screamed at the wretched hand that was twisting his arm. His small and light body was immediately dragged to Dangchil.

“You keep running away no matter what I say. Every time I see you, I smile and try to be nice to you, but you must think of me as a clown? Have I done anything to you? They only say you’re pretty, but they can’t see that you’re evil!”

Hyun moved his head back and hit Dangchil’s chin with it before trying to get away from his grip. But soon, he was grabbed again by his back and slumped helplessly.

“Aish. I bit my tongue. Fuck. Hey, come here. How can you ignore me when all I’ve done is just caring for you.”

Dangchil held onto Hyun’s chin and crushed his stomach with his knee. Hyun hit Dangchil’s shoulder with his fist and pushed him, but he didn’t even budge.

“Damn it, how could you be so pretty.”

Dangchil looked at Hyun’s face and muttered, feeling ecstatic. His eyes were hazy. A disgusting smell emanated from Dangchil’s wide-open mouth. Hyun felt like throwing up, so he closed his eyes tightly and shouted out loud.

“Go away!”

“Hey!”

With that loud scream, the weight that had weighed on his body disappeared in an instant. Hyun was startled and slowly opened his eyes. A familiar silk robe flaps gracefully in the wind as someone grabs his waist and lifts him up.

Hyun opened his eyes wide in the large arms that were almost embracing him. Tilting his gaze, sunlight poured down as if on purpose, making his primal sense run wild. The sight, the touch, and the sweet, tingling smell. Hyun’s cheeks blushed at the subtle and solid body scent on the tip of his nose.

The owner of the estate and the most beautiful and elegant man in Danguk was holding him in his arms and was pressing down on the servant of the family with his feet.

“Master.”

Hyun called him with a voice full of relief. He was embarrassed to be seen like this in front of him, but on the other hand, he was relieved as he recalled the same warm arms that saved him from the beggars two years ago.

“Are you alright?” Asked Wei Jeokmyung.

He must have just left the palace. He was dignified and beautiful in a neatly dressed uniform.

Hyun gently nodded. He felt a slight tingling in his stomach that was crushed by Dangchil, but other than that, he was fine. Dirt on the cheeks could be washed later. Moreover, seeing Dangchil squirm like a worm under the feet of Wei Jeokmyung was delightful and hilarious.

Dangchil was panting loudly with a pale blue face. He trembled and tried to swallow his saliva with his dry throat.

There was no one who didn’t know that Wei Jeokmyung loved Hyun. Is he not someone who only let his parents, the late princess and the prince consort, get close to him? Therefore, everyone was expecting Hyun to rise to a higher position sooner or later, perhaps something like a general manager.

[prince consort: a princess’ husband. So, basically. WJM’s mother is Princess Kiryo the emperor’s sister, who is mentioned in the last chapter. She married into the Wei family with WJM’s father, making him the prince consort. This makes the emperor WJM’s uncle, which is mentioned in Chapter 1.]

Dangchil is one of those people who think that way, so he had an insidious idea of seducing Hyun in advance and making him his own. He thought that if Hyun became his concubine and spoke well of himself to the master, he wouldn’t have to clean up horse dung any more.

‘However, Master sees something like this…’

Dangchil was sweating profusely. If Hyun hadn’t just screamed, he wouldn’t have kicked him. He barely opened his mouth with a trembling voice to clear up the misunderstanding.

“M- Master, you are mistaken. I didn’t do anything to Hyun.”

“Did he do anything to you?”

With a cold voice, Wei Jeokmyung handed Hyun a handkerchief and beckoned him to wipe his face. Dangchil’s lips were almost flattened to his left cheek. Hyun, who had a frown on his face, blushed in embarrassment and rubbed his cheek with the handkerchief. Every time the silk fabric moved up and down, the subtle scent of Wei Jeokmyung slowly permeated, dissipating the uncomfortable feeling.

Wei Jeokmyung gave more strength to the foot that was crushing Dangchil and questioned him strongly.

“Then what did I just see?

“T- That… I just…”

Dangchil quickly shook his head. It was true that he was pressing Hyun’s body. To the undeniable truth, he sweated profusely and uttered crude excuses.

“Because I longed for Hyun…”

“What?”

At the absurd remark, Wei Jeokmyung’s eyebrows twitched wildly.