Natural «Gu Dong-Mae & OFC» (15+) ✔️

Ch 02

TW: implied attempted non-con, violence, murder

Dong-Mae finished today's training and decided to take a stroll to cool off... and to check up on the woman he'd refused to help. Just in case.

Her face was clinging to his thoughts the whole day, making him reconsider his decision over and over. From what he'd gathered, she was already married and had just left the party. He needed to see for himself that she would really be okay without his help.

He never liked seeing people in power treat poorly those powerless. Nara Xen would normally be considered one of the has-its he despised, but she was of a dainty build and could not stand a chance defending herself against the robust frame of her new husband. If he decided to just take what he thought was his, he would get it whether she was willing or not.

Dong-Mae would never confess to such a thing, but he felt that even a snooty Westerner deserved protection from such abuse.

Lim's house was brand new, redundantly enormous and disgustingly colonial, but Dong-Mae found his way around. He peeked into the well-lit windows, but all he could see was an empty living-room.

He looked up and sighed. Some of the windows on the first floor were lit as well. That must be the bedroom.

Feeling like some sort of pervert trying to catch a glimpse of strangers having relations in their own home, he used the fragile ladder covered with vines to climb onto the balcony. He didn't even need to get close to the windows, though. As soon as he safely stood on the tiles, he could see and hear the scene inside unravel.

Lim Chung-Ho, almost purple with rage and strain, was standing over what looked like a pile of expensive clothing shaking at his feet. He was screaming something about whores, but the context was difficult to gauge, as the windows were all closed. The lucky bride was shielding her head with her arms, shaking like a leaf, jumping at every loud syllable of his enraged speech.

Dong-Mae's core tensed and his hand materialized on one of the hilts on his belt of its own accord. He gripped it tightly, but didn't act on impulse. The groom obviously had more he wanted to share with his fresh wife, and Dong-Mae deemed that his intervention wasn't necessary just yet.

It was just screaming so far. Dong-Mae had endured much worse as a butcher's son before he got too angry to think straight. It wasn't right, but it didn't warrant a break-in and an execution.

In the next moment Lim reached down, though, and as he violently jerked Nara up to her feet, he revealed the reason why she was cowering on the rug in the first place.

Her face was covered in tears and blood. Her lip was cut and bleeding, and several bruises were blooming around her cheekbones. Her robe was torn in the middle and she was trying to hold the ends over her chest.

Lim roughly pulled her head back by the hair and her sobs turned into wailing pleas.

That was the last straw for Dong-Mae. He kicked in the balcony door and stormed in with a blade drawn.

The couple froze for a second, staring at him in shock.

Lim's grip must have loosened and Nara quickly tore away from him. What she did next, shocked Dong-Mae in return:

She reached for his figure, hugged him around the waist and partially hid behind his frame.

"Please," she mewled with her wet eyes glued to his. "Help me."

Her small hands were clutching onto the fabric of his kimono. She was warming up his side and clinging to him so close he could feel her ragged breathing. She seemed to have completely forgotten about her torn robe and her bare breasts were pressing into the silk wrapping his body.

She rendered Dong-Mae speechless. This wasn't the first time a woman would trust him with both her life and chastity like this, but he would never even dream of a Westerner placing herself under his protection so eagerly, knowing next to nothing about him but the worst rumors in the streets. However depraved her husband was, Dong-Mae was still a very unlikely ally to turn to.

Was she more scared of being raped than of being sliced in two? She might have a concussion from the beating...

Lim regained his voice first. Instead of bargaining for his life, he laughed. He cackled like a mad man, as if nothing had ever amused him more. Dong-Mae frowned. Was he crazy?

"That's a good joke!" he exclaimed, tears streaming down his chubby, burgundy-colored cheeks. "Don't you know who this man is, darling?"

When she wouldn't reply, gaping at him along with Dong-Mae, he bent over and punched his own thighs, choking on laughter.

"I can just pay him to help me tie you to the bed posts! He doesn't care what happens to you, dummy! He could stand guard by our bed watching you fulfill your duty as my wife and wouldn't flinch!"

Dong-Mae narrowed his eyes at the ample figure convulsing with hysterical cheer. Anger that had subsided with Nara's confusing, but adorable, reaction to his presence rose in his throat once more. He didn't mind having an ugly reputation, but his nasty acts mainly concerned men, not helpless women. He found Lim's foul words revolting and deeply insulting.

"How about I tie you to the bed and watch her have her fun?" he cocked his eyebrows at him. "And when she's done, she can pay me with the money she will inherit from you."

The laughter stopped as suddenly as it began. The man's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, his hands balling into fists.

"How dare you!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. The vein in his temple threatened to burst. "How dare you stand in my house, armed and uninvited, and mock me! You filthy butcher's son! I can have you executed for this!"

Dong-Mae chuckled despite searing rage burning in his chest. Perhaps he should give him what he was begging for.

Lim stepped forward and tried to grab Nara's hand, so he could drag her out of her temporary safety behind Dong-Mae's body. Dong-Mae wouldn't have it.

A woosh of steel cut the tense atmosphere and something hit the wooden floor with a sick thud.

Lim screeched and stumbled backwards, struggling to keep balance as he'd suddenly lost a chunk of weight on one side.

Dong-Mae could feel Nara stiffen beside him; her fingers dug into his skin and a strangled scream left her lungs. Her gaze was nailed to the arm lying on the floor in a pool of blood, eyes wide and terrified.

That was a reaction Dong-Mae was used to seeing. Despite that, she wouldn't let go and clung to him even tighter. He sighed and picked her off the floor with his free hand, so he could move.

He caught up with the sobbing mess of a man in two long strides. His sword wooshed again and another, much heavier thud disturbed the sudden quiet.

Silence rang in their ears for a few moments. Then Nara burst into a new bout of crying.

"Come now," Dong-Mae attempted to comfort her. "It's over."

She finally loosened her grip and slid down the silk of his kimono, ending up in a sad heap of sobs by his feet.

"I thought you wanted me to kill him," he reminded her snarkily. "You wouldn't cry over him now, would you?"

She shook her head, but kept sniffling. The movement didn't help her attire; the torn robe opened even more and her breasts were out for everyone to admire. Not that Dong-Mae minded the view, they were nice, but it made the whole situation more awkward than it needed to be.

"Are you sure you're that comfortable around me?" he nipped and gestured towards her generous cleavage.

She frowned in confusion and looked down. Gasping, she quickly pulled the torn ends together again and pressed the fabric to her chest with one fist.

Dong-Mae chuckled. Yes, her thought process must definitely be impaired by the struggle.

"Thought so. Now be a brave girl and wipe up the snot. Go clean up and then we can locate your late husband's stash, so you can pay me for this."

Her jaw dropped. She stared at him for a moment, probably looking for words that would express her indignation. Dong-Mae patiently glared back. Eventually giving up, she shook her head again, let him pull her to her feet and went to do as he'd asked.