Chapter 198.2

Chapter 198.2

Through every sense, she could tell he was gradually becoming aroused. Sweat began to bead on Lee Wooshin’s skin.

The effect of the drug, which had been simmering beneath the surface, now surged violently upward; his lips parted slightly, and the breath he exhaled was hot and ragged.

Startled, Seoryeong stepped back and braced herself against the sofa. The leather creaked as it sank under her weight, and even that small sound made Wooshin’s shoulders flinch.

“Those kinds of training used to be nothing for me,” he said quietly.

Then, all at once, he gritted his teeth and tugged at his collar as though the fabric was choking him. His body temperature was rising fast, red welts spreading across his neck like burns.

‘Is he okay?’ The thought slipped in before she could stop it.

“Heat is nothing. Endurance was easier than breathing,” he muttered.

He stood motionless, facing her directly. Even through the bandages, she could feel his gaze fixed entirely on her.

“Maybe it’s because what I wanted most was never in front of me.”

As he clenched and unclenched his fists, thick veins bulged along his forearms. The heat radiating from his body seemed to fill the entire room, sinking into her skin.

“Still, I only ever choose one person. I’ll never hurt you again. Let me prove it. If you can’t trust me yet, then at least look at me first.”

“…!”

“My instinct is to protect you.”

But his body was failing fast. His knees buckled, and he collapsed against the sofa. Sweat drenched his hair, the strands sticking to his forehead as he mumbled under his breath.

He kept trying to push himself up, again and again, but his legs wouldn’t hold him. It was as if gravity itself had turned against him.

Seoryeong swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm. I need to do something. A cold towel, anything. I have to tell someone he’s reacting badly to the drug. I can’t wait.

Just as she started to move-

“Honey… come here…”

His voice came out hoarse and guttural, tinged with metal. Seoryeong stared at his broad upper body, dumbfounded. That unfamiliar term of endearment drained the blood from her body down to her toes, making her legs twitch involuntarily.

What… was that?

The chronic headache that had haunted her vanished, and a strange yearning washed over her, like something was just out of reach. It was a reaction even she couldn’t understand.

Just then, Wooshin’s back gave out, and he stumbled. She reflexively reached out to catch him, only to feel like she was holding a burning coal.

Haa… haa…

The heat from his skin spread to her earlobes and cheeks, while a thick, pungent scent hung in the air. He cursed under his breath.

“…”

When she glanced down, she saw something had soaked through his cotton pants.

“Ah…”

It wasn’t pain. The drug was actually working. They’d only ever used sedatives on Lee Wooshin before, never the opposite. Her throat bobbed hard.

“Seoryeong.”

She wasn’t even surprised anymore that he’d discovered her identity. When she hugged his staggering form again, Wooshin let out a pained moan.

His entire body broke out in goosebumps, visible even through his shirt. At some point, his erection had risen, pressing visibly through his trousers. His thick chest swelled with each breath, and the veins running down his neck throbbed like roots under his skin.

At this close distance, Seoryeong felt like she was face to face with something wild. And each time he moved, there was a faint, wet squelching noise.

“Everything’s good… just, maybe don’t touch. Look with your eyes.”

If she kept being hit by this unbearable heat, something inside her might really snap. Even as warning bells rang in her mind, another thought drowned them out. ‘I have to get his confession. Now.’

Without hesitation, she tore the voice-modulating film from her throat.