Becoming the Terminally-Ill Villain Who Torments His Disciples - Chapter 28.1
“This is insane. Absolutely insane.”
Cielo hurriedly stepped into the bathtub. Even as he scrubbed the sweat off his body, his mind was completely occupied with thoughts of Ryan.
Even if he said it was for the sake of the patient he’d sworn to save, who could possibly endure such a torturous, sleepless week?
‘If it had been Oscar in my place…
Cielo paused, considering.
If Oscar had been the one suffering, and he had been the one needing to release pheromones for him—would he have been able to act like Ryan?
For a stranger? Never. It wasn’t his responsibility, and he had no desire to take such risks.
But if it had been Oscar…
‘…I probably would’ve done it.’
Did that mean his feelings for Oscar were similar to Ryan’s feelings for him?
‘This is too complicated…’
Cielo pressed his lips together and sank deeper into the water.
He wasn’t oblivious. Ryan’s emotions toward him weren’t just friendly. No one casually—repeatedly—proposed marriage to a friend.
‘If things were normal…’
Maybe he would’ve asked Ryan if he truly meant it. He would’ve asked what emotions, what thoughts were behind those words.
“If only I didn’t have to leave…”
Maybe, Cielo would’ve tried to seek his own happiness.
Maybe he would’ve faced Ryan head-on and tried to accept his feelings.
But since he couldn’t, he had no idea what to do.
He had never cared for someone this way before, and it was the first time he had received such feelings from anyone.
He’d always wanted to be loved, but no one had ever shown him such devotion.
Cielo raised a hand and pressed it against his chest.
After every heat cycle, his heart usually ached—but today, it didn’t hurt at all.
“Ryan…”
As he softly whispered his name, Ryan’s voice came from outside.
“Did you call me?”
Cielo’s eyes widened. He hadn’t even said it loudly—just murmured it quietly.
How had he heard it?
Cielo’s lips parted slightly as he panicked and stammered, “N-No!”
And then, it hit him—
“Kiss me… Please, Ryan…”
“Do it yourself, Cielo. Then I’ll know it’s really what you want.”
The memories from the heat cycle suddenly flashed through his mind.
Begging Ryan to kiss him.
Clinging to him like a child when he didn’t.
“Agh!”
His face instantly turned red as he let out a scream and shot up from his seat.
Usually, he didn’t remember anything from during a heat cycle—so why did it have to be that memory?
“I—I—I was the one who…”
Asked for a kiss?!
Clutching his head in disbelief, Cielo groaned.
Just then, there was a loud noise outside followed by the bathroom door flying open.
“What’s wrong? What happened?!”
Ryan, who’d rushed in at the sound of his distress, froze.
Dripping water.
No clothes.
Pale, bare skin.
Ryan’s face turned scarlet in an instant.
Cielo, equally flushed from the memories, stared back. Their faces mirrored each other—apple-red.
“D-did we… kiss?”
Ryan’s eyes widened at the abrupt question. But he quickly averted his gaze, staring at the floor, then the ceiling, before exhaling heavily.
“Ryan?”
“No, just… finish your shower first…”
Assured nothing was wrong, Ryan retreated, relief and tension warring in his expression.
Cielo caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His face was crimson.
***
After changing clothes, Cielo stood behind the bathroom door and watched Ryan.
Ryan, now steeping some tea, sat with one leg crossed, reading through some government documents.
“You weren’t embarrassed when you were whining for a kiss, but now that you remember, you are?”
Ryan set the papers down.
Even though he was staring straight ahead, somehow, he had noticed.
“So… did we?”
“Did what?”
“…Kiss.”
Ryan turned and looked directly at him.
Resting his chin on one hand, he smirked with a teasing voice.
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