Desire Beyond Control

Jiho's body suddenly stiffened.

Drawn by something primal, his head dipped, brushing against her shoulder—his breath hot and uneven as it hit the delicate skin of her neck.

"W-What are you—" she whispered, but her voice faltered when his hand found her waist. It hovered for a breath, then gripped, firmer than before.

His eyes opened just slightly—still glazed, unfocused—but the shift in him was undeniable. His breathing had turned ragged. And in his gaze, beneath the chaos of qi—there was something else. Hunger. Fierce, consuming desire.

He turned to face her fully.

A surprised gasp escaped her lips as her back met the bedding. The mattress caught her weight gently, but Jiho now loomed above her, arms planted on either side. Her eyes widened—but her limbs, already weakened by the swirling qi and lingering toxins, didn't respond.

"You… you have to stop… You're not thinking clearly…"

But there was no answer. Only a low, almost feral growl as he leaned down.

His lips grazed her neck—hot against her cool skin. It wasn't a kiss meant to comfort. It was need—raw and electric. He inhaled sharply, as though her scent alone was grounding him… or pushing him over the edge. His tongue traced along her pulse, tasting something only he could feel pulsing beneath her skin.

His hands wandered—hesitant, but deliberate. From her arm, down her side, each touch a mixture of restraint and growing urgency. It felt like his body moved without thought, only instinct. An instinct that had been chained for too long, now unraveling.

She clutched at his arm—faintly.

"I feel strange… I like it… wh-what am I saying…"

The haze from the aphrodisiac-laced qi had started taking hold of her too. Her resistance waned, thoughts blurring with heat and confusion.

A soft moan slipped from her lips.

And then she whispered, breathless—almost pleading:

"Don't stop… keep going…"

And so, the night unfolded into one of unrestrained passion—A collision of two souls, drawn together by fate and fire,Their bodies entwined in desperate need, their breaths stolen in the dark.Between the flickering candlelight and the rustle of sheets,Desire bloomed—wild, raw, and beautifully real.

That night, a man and a woman—both broken in their own ways—Found something whole in each other.And under the veil of midnight, they surrendered,Not just to the heat of the moment,But to the quiet, dangerous truth of wanting—and being wanted.

---

The morning light had yet to fully seep through the paper windows, but Jiho was already awake.

He lay on his side, propped up by one elbow, quietly observing the young woman sleeping beside him. Her bare shoulder peeked from under the crumpled bedding, rising and falling with each breath. Strands of her dark hair fanned out across the pillow, soft against her pale cheek. She looked… peaceful. Almost unreal.

Jiho's throat tightened.

She's beautiful, he thought, unable to help himself. Her features were delicate, but not fragile—there was a quiet strength beneath that serene exterior. And last night… she had given herself to him, not in fear or confusion, but in something closer to helping hand. In a moment that neither of them had planned.

How did it come to this?

He closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a long, slow breath. His heart was still tangled in places he hadn't dared sort out. The first woman he'd ever laid with was Tang Meiyin—born out of constant interactions and the seeds of obsession eventually made them embrace each other.. The one he cared most deeply about… was Sohee. Sweet, fragile Sohee, whose safety was always on his mind.

And now, he had shared something intense—intimate—with a woman whose name he didn't even know. His chest ached with the complexity of it all. Even if it was the poison. Even if it was instinct and survival and qi deviation.

Still… her kindness last night hadn't been a lie. She'd helped strangers selflessly, fed him without question, and fought off bandits without asking for thanks. Someone like that…

...maybe I was lucky, Jiho admitted inwardly, even if it happened this way.

He returned his gaze to her. The morning glow now gently illuminated her features—she looked warm, almost glowing.

And then, without warning, her lips twitched. Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his startled gaze.

"…How long," she murmured, her voice low and playful, "…do I have to pretend I'm asleep like this?"

Jiho blinked, caught off guard.

"You've been staring for a while," she added, turning her face slightly toward him, a soft flush creeping over her cheeks. "It's your fault."

Jiho couldn't help but laugh softly, his eyes warming as he watched her. There was something endearing about her, even in the midst of all the chaos. Her playful teasing, the way she responded with such ease, it was a stark contrast to the turbulence inside him.

"Sorry about that," Jiho said, his voice light with amusement. "I guess I just couldn't help it. You're kind of... enchanting, you know?"

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Enchanting, huh? I'll take that as a compliment."

Jiho chuckled, the tension in his chest easing just a little. "But really, I want to know your name," he added. "I'm Jiho, by the way."

At the mention of his name, she seemed to soften, her gaze becoming a little more serious as if she had been waiting for this moment. "I'm Yerin," she replied, her voice gentle and steady.

Yerin... Jiho repeated the name in his mind, committing it to memory. It was a simple name, yet somehow it felt significant now, in the context of everything that had happened. He studied her for a moment, still unsure of what to make of this strange connection between them, but a small part of him was drawn to her, despite the confusion clouding his thoughts.

"You know," Yerin continued, her voice a bit quieter now, "I wasn't expecting this... to happen. But, sometimes... things just happen, don't they?"

Jiho hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "Yeah," he murmured. "Sometimes things happen that we don't have control over."

She smiled faintly, her eyes searching his face. "But I don't regret it," she said, her words soft but sincere. "In a way, it felt... right."

Jiho felt a knot form in his stomach, a mix of conflicting emotions. He had no idea where this was going, but he knew one thing for certain: Yerin had become part of his story now, whether he wanted her to be or not.

They were still lying side by side, the silence between them heavy with unspoken thoughts. Jiho stared at the ceiling, his mind racing as he processed everything. The venom, the emotions, the passion—they were all tangled up in a mess of confusion. And yet, with Yerin beside him, there was a strange sense of calm.