Gentle Forest

Chapter 39

The rain has seemingly subsided. Upon waking up, I adjusted my blurry vision, closing and opening my eyes to the damp sounds around me. My fever seemed to have subsided, and my head, once heavy, felt refreshed. My entire body felt as if I had just finished a bath, smooth and pleasant, with a hint of cool wood scent in my nose.

"Seowon..."

In response to Aiden's gentle call, I unconsciously nestled deeper into his arms. Thankfully, my body, enveloped like a blanket, was no longer chilling. I felt a genuine warmth, and my breath, spreading simultaneously, was lukewarm. Although I distinctly recalled a surge of fever towards the end of our intimate encounter, I was puzzled by the current sensation.

"Seowon..."

Lost in my thoughts, I forgot to respond, and Aiden called me again persistently. I tried to tilt my head back and look him in the eyes, but my whole body felt like it had been beaten. In particular, my back, buttocks, and groin area were sore and sore beyond words.

Finally, I managed a weak "yes" in response, groaning. Aiden, now seemingly fully aware, wore a sincerely apologetic expression.

"You must have been in a lot of pain."

"Yeah. I seriously thought I was going to die like this..."

The husky voice strained from my sore throat, a consequence of my moans, screams, and occasional swallowing of it all. Chuckling softly, Aiden reached out and placed his hand on my throat, gently soothing the discomfort. The sensation of his touch felt comforting, and with a soft laughter escaping, Aiden's previously tense face gradually relaxed.

"You cleaned up?"

"Yeah, worked hard at it."

"Inside as well?"

"Took everything out."

"Seems like the fever went down."

"I deliberately used cold water to wipe you down. To bring the fever down."

I had just changed into clean clothes, and Aiden's hair was still moist. Despite the harsh weather outside, I sensed he had ventured in and out of the house multiple times. Grateful for the unspoken care, I felt relieved as these moments passed while I was asleep. I couldn't muster the strength to dig the painful areas for further care.

"What time is it now?"

"Four in the morning."

"I need to clean up before Dad arrives."

"The rain seems to be stopping. Once it does, I'll move you to the room, tidy up here, and do the laundry."

"...You even planned all that?"

Aiden nodded, gently brushing my ear.

"I couldn't help it; I was too happy. I'm sorry..."

I nodded in response to the neatly delivered apology. Once my condition improved, I planned to playfully scold him and use that as an excuse to further restrain him. Even now, the guy would easily succumb to my words, but during our separation, it seemed okay for him not to engage in any foolishness.

"To the extent... it was that good?"

It was awkward to specify whether he meant inside me or my body. When I vaguely asked, Aiden explosively kissed my ear, whispering provocatively.

"It was insanely good..."

Feeling embarrassed, I had to hide my flushed face. With fingers trembling from ticklish sensations, I folded my earlobe, and Aiden, exploring the not-yet-faded marks, shifted his hand to my waist. Soon, he gently caressed my subtly protruding buttocks, tactfully avoiding any provocative gestures, and then patted them lightly. The coccyx resonated with a twinge, prompting me to involuntarily emit a moan.