“What the did you do to him?” Howon, who quickly came out his daze, screamed at his mother in law as he ran to his trembling husband. He wrapped his arms gently around him but that did not stop the painful whimpers coming from his husband.

Taehee looked at Howon from head to toes before scoffing at him. She moved to her husband side as she folded the white cloth. She hooked her arm in his and walked out of the household.

Howon, who was pissed at his mother in law, was about to follow them out and maybe start a fight if it wasn’t for the body that threw itself on his body. He looked down at his own husband who was shaking his head slowly while clutching his shirt tightly. By now, the Kims were already outside the house.

“No Sunggyu, they cant just go out and walk as if they did not do anything wrong!” Howon’s voice was loud enough to make the younger boy flinch.

Sunggyu shook his head harder as he tried to pull his husband back closer to him. “Please,” it was right then when Sunggyu broke down in harsh sobs that were hurting his throat, “just let them go.”

“How can I? Look at what she did to you!” Howon pulled his arm harshly out of anger causing Sunggyu to fall back on the bed.

Sunggyu quickly bit his lips as he tried his best to ignore the pain in his lower region. 

Howon snapped out of his rage and looked at his husband whose hands found his sleeves again, making sure he wouldn’t follow his in laws. He quickly sat down on the bed edge before pulling the smaller figure on his lap, hugging it close.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to blow on you” he sighed as he rubbed Sunggyu’s back softly.

Sunggyu shook his head gently that was resting on Howon’s chest, “it’s okay, just please don’t argue with them. There is really no point of talking to them.”

“But Sunggy-“

He cut off the older by placing his palm softly on his lips as his face was buried deeper in Howon’s neck, “please, don’t.”

A soft cry came from his lips as his other hand clutched on his husband. The speechless Howon stared at his fragile husband not knowing what was he supposed to say. He tightened his arms around the slim frame, slowly slipping an arm beneath his knees before standing up.

Sunggyu tightened his hold on the muscular body as he tried to slow down his racing heart. Howon took him to the bathroom and gently placed Sunggyu in the bathtub. He turned the water on, and made sure it wasn’t too hot nor it was too cold.

He grabbed a towel and placed it under the running water until it was wet enough. He looked back at Sunggyu who was looking at him with crimson red cheeks.

The smaller figure extended his hand as he tried to get a hold of the wet towel, “give it to me, I can do it myself.”

But to no avail, the older raised his arm, making sure the towel was out of the younger’s reach. “No, I will do it. Plus, we are married, and it shouldn’t be weird between couple.”

If Sunggyu cheeks can get redder than this, they would have. He didn’t know what to say, for what Howon said was true. They were married and it was normal between couples to see each other , let alone the private areas. But he and Howon, were they a couple? Maybe by papers, but are they? They were merely strangers living under the name of married couple, both forced into this marriage.

Sunggyu looked at the other side, facing the wall as he felt the towel rubbing itself gently against his thigh. He couldn’t move his legs, for they still hurt him. Howon’s hand slipped beneath his knee and parted his legs slowly, his hand going lower on a so slow pace.

Howon swallowed the lump forming in his throat hard from holding back all the sounds he could make from just running his hand down the pale soft skin, that ironically belonged his husband, yet he knew he couldn’t touch in the way his brain was thinking of.

By the time he cleared his mind, the latter’s legs were clean, but he did not know how to tell the younger boy.

Maybe Sunggyu is way too irresistible with his legs half parted and fully and no, Howon absolutely does not want to talk about how Sunggyu’s face looks just so-, or maybe he was deprived, either way, he surely wasn’t in a good situation.

They sat in their places for too long, but no one noticed the time that passed by as the enjoyed the silence company of each other.

Howon cleared his throat as he placed the wet towel on Sunggyu knees and stood up.

“I- I will get you some clothes, fini-“ he unintentionally looked back at the bathroom door when he heard their house door being knocked, he looked back at Sunggyu and said, “I will places them on the bed and close the bedroom door behind me, can you walk on your own?”

Sunggyu quickly nodded at the latter’s question as he closed his legs and pulled them to his chest.

Howon smiled before he kneeled and kisses Sunggyu’s forehead, “I will go and check who is at the door, stay in the room if you want, you don’t have to come out.”

With that being said, Howon left the bathroom. He placed some of his own clothes on the bed that he guessed might fit Sunggyu before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

~㉨~

“Mom?”