Siyoon had never dated.
Never even come close to crossing that quiet, unspoken line that couples eventually did so when Draen began acting this forward, Siyoon should have been mortified. A part of him was, faintly, buried beneath the unfamiliar tension curling in his chest and the stiffness in his limbs.
But strangely, it wasn't enough to make him pull away.
Because beneath the discomfort was something far more dangerous.
A quiet, aching want.
Siyoon had always been someone who yearned for warmth, for affection that wasn't forced, for touch that didn't come with expectations or conditions yet back in Korea, there had never been space for such things.
His life had been a painfully routine, almost suffocating in its repetition.
Work, home, sleep. Work, home, sleep.
Days blurred together until even time itself felt meaningless. Survival had always come first. There were bills to think about, responsibilities to shoulder, people to satisfy.
He had lived his life bending around others.
Smiling when he didn't want to. Agreeing when he should have refused. Giving when there was nothing left inside him to offer.
That was what it meant to live an ordinary life, wasn't it?
To endure quietly.
To keep going because stopping was never an option.
Love, affection and desire were luxuries meant for people who had time.
For people who weren't constantly trying to keep themselves afloat so Siyoon never reached for them. Never even allowed himself to wonder what it would feel like to be wanted, to be held without purpose.
And then, everything changed.
He became Lewis.
In a world that wasn't his, living a life that felt like it had been stolen from someone else's dream, everything turned upside down in the span of a heartbeat.
He came from nothing… to everything.
Just one blink and suddenly, he had servants waiting at his side, tending to his needs before he could even voice them. A grand estate stretched endlessly before him, far beyond anything he had ever imagined. Knights stood guard as if his life held weight, as if he was someone worth protecting. Meals appeared without worry or cost, rich and plentiful, without him ever needing to think about tomorrow.
And Draen,
Dazzling, powerful and overwhelming.
A man who looked at him as if he mattered.
As if he was wanted.
It was too much, sudden and too unreal.
Siyoon, no, Lewis no longer had to work. He didn't have to count every coin in his head or calculate how he would survive the next day. Everything was handed to him so effortlessly that it felt undeserved.
And wrong.
Like he had taken something that was never meant for him and that thought lingered, heavy and unshakable, settling deep in his chest.
Because if he had gained all of this without giving anything in return…
Then, what was he supposed to offer?
His fingers curled slightly against his lap, tightening as the question echoed louder in his mind. What could he give? What did someone like him, someone who had nothing in his name could possibly hold value in a place like this?
His gaze wavered before drifting back to Draen without him realizing.
And the answer that quietly formed in his thoughts made his breath catch.
If this life, comfort and affection came with a price.
Then, was he supposed to offer himself?
"What are you thinking about so deeply?" Draen murmured with a hint of playful reproach in his voice. "What a shame. I've been right here the whole time yet you still find the space to wander off in your thoughts, my bride."
He pouted dramatically and gripped Lewis's hips, pulling him closer to steady him against his body.
Earlier, when Lewis had drifted off into his thoughts, Draen had noticed the subtle discomfort in his expression as he touched him. So, he had gently lifted his hands from Lewis's wet bottom and moved them to his hips instead.
"Uh, sir? I mean… Your Grace?"
"Yes?" Draen smiled while gazing intently into Lewis's eyes as he caressed his flushed cheek and gently rubbed the shell of his ear.
"Hmm… nothing," Lewis mumbled. "Could I wash up now?"
Draen studied him for a moment. He could tell Lewis wanted to say something but was holding back.
'Hmm. What is it this time?' he thought. 'No matter. We have all the time in the world. I can wait.'
Seeing Lewis's gaze darting around nervously, Draen cupped his face again and stole a quick, soft kiss.
"What a silly question," he whispered against his lips. "Of course you can wash up now, my bride. I'll see you later, alright?"
Once Lewis was out of sight, Draen let out a low breath. He wrapped his hand around his painfully hard cock and closed his eyes, imagining Lewis' warm lips, soft skin and those shy, flushed expressions.
"Ugh… I don't want to scare him," he whispered to himself, stroking slowly. "We'll take this slowly, Draen. Yes… you've waited years. This is nothing…"
Then, a deep groan escaped him as he finally reached his climax.
When night came, Lewis had already fallen asleep in the master's bedroom which is Draen's room as well. The room was quiet, filled only with the soft sound of his breathing.
Afraid of waking him, Draen entered slowly. His steps were light as he approached the bed. His gaze softened the moment he saw Lewis' peaceful face. For a while, he simply stood there, watching.
Then he reached out and gently caressed Lewis' cheek.
"…You look at ease like this," he murmured.
Leaning down, Draen placed a soft kiss on his forehead before straightening up. Without making another sound, he turned and left the room.
But the moment he stepped into the hallway, the warmth in his expression faded. By the time he reached his study, the gentle man from earlier was gone, replaced by someone cold, sharp and merciless.
Draen leaned back on his chair, with eyes calm but intimidating.
"Alon," he called.
Alon stepped forward and stood before him, hands behind his back. "Your Grace."
"How is the Imperial Family?" Draen asked.
His voice was calm but there was a quiet danger behind it.
Draen already knew that the Imperial Family had learned about Lewis. That alone was enough to put him on guard. If they knew, then it was only a matter of time before they acted.
And they would.
The news could no longer be contained, not after a traitor leaked it. Because of that, Draen had no choice but to tighten his protection. Lewis had to remain within his reach at all times but he also knew that Lewis was still uncomfortable.
So instead of making it obvious, Draen planned to have his men guard him in secret.
"The Crown Prince is planning to visit the estate, Your Grace," Alon reported. "What is your command?"
Draen's eyes darkened slightly at the news.
So, it had already begun.