Chapter 225

Beyond the rising bubbles, jewel-like blue eyes were too vivid. Because of this, Leonardo, whose gaze was captured by the other's eyes, took a moment to realize the situation.

It felt as if the world had stopped. If the bubbles hadn't brushed against his skin, he might have really thought so.

Only the hair fluttering with the currents gradually traced his hazy vision. At the same time, the sensation of noses brushing diagonally stood on end from the bridge of his nose to his forehead and to the tips of his hair. As his entire scalp tingled with goosebumps, Leonardo finally became aware of the reality before him.

'..!'

His golden eyes, engulfed in confusion, shook violently as he assessed the situation. His hunched lower back, forearms, shoulders. Other parts trembled at about the same time.

The first thing he recognized was the excessively close distance with the other person. Next was his own lips, inelegantly pressed by that person.

Hazy sensations gradually became clear. The strangeness of the kiss that followed blew away the reason he had barely held onto.

Leonardo reflexively squeezed his eyes shut and tensed his unsteady neck and arms. But even though it was his own body, nothing could move as he wished. His entire body was tightly bound, wrapped in water.

"Ugh, mmm-"

Meanwhile, his head was tilted towards the other as if begging, and the short sound he barely uttered was buried in the water as if dedicated only to him. When he slightly opened his eyes and looked at the other, narrowed blue eyes were gazing down at him intently.

As the deeply settled gaze slowly intertwined, his already insufficient breath was suddenly cut off.

'What kind of situation is this now?'

He couldn't understand at all. He could only try to ignore himself reflected in those blue eyes while confusedly grasping the arms that confined him.

But was it a signal that he had tightly clenched his hand? The lips touching his carefully rubbed his lower lip. The movement was quite slow and persistent, as if trying to soothe his closed teeth.

That area felt hotter than any other part of his heated body, making it hard to believe that the person pressing against him was ice. Moreover, it was so strange and stimulating that Leonardo unconsciously trembled his eyelids. The particularly sensitive and delicate skin responded faithfully to the act, contrary to his will.

"..."

"..."

His jaw tensed and the corners of his lips trembled finely. His reason, trying not to give an opening, barely gnashed his teeth. Even that seemed fine as cool fingertips rubbed his mouth persistently. It was probably meant to reassure him, but Leonardo became more confused by that touch. He didn't know what this act wanted from him.

Because of this, as he kept his mouth tightly shut and continued to resist, Hugo, who had been gently trying several times, changed his approach this time.

A large hand grasped Leonardo's chin and tried to force his mouth open. It had probably been about 3 minutes since he had stopped breathing, so it was about time to reach his limit. Even if he was fine, Leonardo might drown right in front of him at this rate.

Staring at the golden eyelashes trembling finely even underwater, Hugo persistently stimulated the gap between the closed lips. He tried to wedge anything in between the mucous membranes and blow in air, but Leonardo wouldn't open his mouth, as if determined to resist even if his jaw was crushed. This somewhat forceful kiss made him recall emotions other than bewilderment.

'Leo.'

A voice other than the person before him called his name. At the same time, his furrowed brow smoothed out instantly, and memories he had buried in a distant place vividly resurfaced.

Meanwhile, Hugo, who had been in close contact, had no choice but to completely cover Leonardo's lips. He managed to create a gap by firmly pressing both cheeks with his grip. Then he began to blow cold energy into that gap as if performing artificial respiration, but Leonardo felt his spine grow colder each time his mouth filled with air.

'Leo.'

What followed was not relief.

It was an indescribable fear.

"...Ugh, mm!"

Leonardo suddenly turned his head and unconsciously emitted explosive heat. In an instant, the lake water surrounding the two boiled from his heat.

Amidst the chaotically surging bubbles, the water molecules binding Leonardo's limbs temporarily dispersed. Along with this, Hugo, who had been holding him, also hesitated at the heat. In that moment, feeling his body freed, Leonardo strongly pushed Hugo's shoulders with both arms.

Hugo, caught off guard, was pushed back slightly, but thanks to the water cushioning, he wasn't pushed far. Rather, he quickly regained his balance and, after a brief moment of bewilderment, rushed quickly towards Leonardo, riding the currents.

But Leonardo, thrashing and waving his arms, tried to get away from Hugo's vicinity again. Seeing him look so confused, Hugo first grabbed only one arm flickering before his eyes to calm him down. Then he tried to pull him in front of himself again to calmly face him.

However, it was in an instant that Leonardo's fiercely swinging fist struck Hugo's chin.

"...!"

A fairly dull impact sound was heard even underwater. He probably couldn't use even half his original strength due to water resistance, but it felt as if his jawbone had almost shattered.

As pain he had never felt in his life spread through his lower jaw, Hugo's expression lost control and crumpled for a moment.

Soon after, as an iron taste and fishy smell lingered in his mouth, he looked at the struggling Leonardo with a dumbfounded expression. But the one who had struck seemed equally surprised, as Leonardo remained frozen with a pale face. It could have been because he was out of breath, but seeing an opportunity, Hugo bound his entire body with water streams again.

As the other approached again, Leonardo twisted his head and tried to escape once more. However, a large hand strongly pressed down on the back of his head, fixing it in place so he could no longer avoid it. The lips that had briefly separated crashed roughly together again.

"..."

Leonardo's intermittent moans that had been leaking through his messily crushed lips were completely buried. Instead, their breaths mixed wildly, and bubbles occasionally flowed out between the mucous membranes.

His contorted golden eyes gazed sharply at the other with a somewhat defiant look. Not to be outdone, cool blue eyes coldly confronted the other with a somewhat overbearing gaze.

Hugo's hands, wrapped around Leonardo's waist and the back of his head, gave no more room to escape. Embracing him more tightly and pressing their bodies together, he emitted cold as if to freeze everything.

Held in Hugo's arms like this, Leonardo trembled at the ice-like water brushing his skin. At the same time, familiar mana came over from their mixed breaths and entered his airway like overflowing water.

That mana, mixed with a fishy taste, filled his mouth, sloshing like water really flowing in. Because of this, Leonardo, unable to refuse anything as his breath was blocked, instinctively lifted his chin and tried to swallow it down his throat. As his Adam's apple moved up and down as if drinking liquid, his heart and stomach cooled refreshingly to the point of aching.

At that cool yet strange sensation, Leonardo once again squeezed his eyes shut.

But his eyelids, feeling something odd, soon twitched and opened slightly again.

Beyond the rising bubbles, deep-sea-like blue eyes were too vivid.

Soon after, when he realized the heat inside him had stabilized, strangely enough, his blocked breath was gradually opening up.