‘Should I be the one to change a little?’

Until now, Yuri had never once thought of changing himself to suit someone else. While he could be more considerate or adjust his actions, he never believed that one could alter their innate disposition.
But…

“……”

Yuri held his glass and glanced at Ling Xinlu sitting beside him.

Leaning deeply into his chair, gazing at the lanterns shimmering on the water’s surface, he seemed either lazily devoid of thought or deeply engrossed in contemplation.

Then, as if stealing a glance to gauge the mood, he turned his gaze toward Yuri—and their eyes met.

Ling Xinlu blinked at Yuri a few times, then cleared his throat softly and leaned in closer.

“Mmm……. today……. the weather is nice, isn’t it?”

It was so unlike him to beat around the bush, Yuri couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

“Yes. It’s a night with a truly beautiful moon.”

Seemingly pleased by the response, Xinlu smiled, tilted his head further, and kissed him. Like a soft bird pecking lightly, his lips brushed Yuri’s gently before he suddenly whispered, as if cautiously checking:

“You’re not upset about anything, are you?”

And here, Yuri had to pause and consider how to answer.

Ling Xinlu could be an exceedingly difficult man at times. This was especially true in situations like this one, where there was no single right answer that would satisfy him completely, no matter how he looked at it.

It hadn’t been Yuri’s intention to invite Jeong Taeui – or more precisely, Kyle – to their home.

While on a call with Kyle about an issue related to a former colleague, the topic of old books had come up. Somehow, the conversation had meandered until it led to Yuri inviting him over.

Yuri wasn’t usually oblivious; under normal circumstances, he would have prevented such a thing from happening. But despite his seemingly easygoing and affable, almost neighborhood-uncle demeanor, Kyle was sharp as a tack and cunning like a fox. He had a remarkable talent for steering conversations in his desired direction before the other person even realized it. By the time Yuri thought ‘Ooopsie!’, it was already decided that he would show Kyle the books at their home.

Inviting Kyle over wasn’t the main issue. Ling Xinlu didn’t particularly like having outsiders in the house, but on the other hand, he enjoyed playing the host to Yuri’s acquaintances. Whenever a friend of Yuri’s visited from abroad, Xinlu would stick to Yuri’s side like glue, entertaining the guest as if to show off: ‘See, this is what the most generous and exemplary husband in the world looks like.’

Even if it was a member of that detestable family, since it wasn’t the individual himself, and since it was just a matter of inviting him over to show him a desired book, it wasn’t a big deal.

The problem was that this led to Kyle attending Ling Huolong’s banquet, which hadn’t been part of the original plan, and he brought Jeong Taeui along as his attendant.

“Hmm……. I saw the attendee list for Father’s banquet today. It seems Kyle Riegrow is coming with Taei-hyung.”

One evening, a few days before Ling Huolong’s banquet, Ling Xinlu suddenly spoke up as he lay back with a steaming towel placed over his eyes during a treatment.

Yuri had sensed a subtly uncomfortable air about him since that afternoon and wondered if something had happened. Watching him now, speaking as though confessing something grave, yet trying his best to sound nonchalant, Yuri realized: ‘Ah, so that was it.’

“Yes, so I’ve heard.”

“—You knew?”

Ling Xinlu removed the towel from his eyes and looked at Yuri.

“Yes, a few days ago, Kyle sent a follow-up email reminding me to take good care of the books and mentioned he’d be coming with Mr. Jeong Taeui.”

As Yuri answered, Xinlu frowned and stared at him intently. Then, he sighed and sat up completely, and handed the towel back to the attendant. Telling them that was enough for today and they could leave, the attendant looked somewhat taken aback, but since the treatment was nearly finished anyway, they left without a word.

Ling Xinlu sat upright facing Yuri, hesitated for a moment as if gathering his thoughts, and then asked:

“Would you like to go to Father’s birthday banquet with me?”

“Me? ……Umm, if my presence isn’t absolutely necessary, I’d prefer to just stay home.”

At Yuri’s words, Xinlu simply stared at him for a long while without moving. Then, as if reaching a decision, he finally opened his mouth.

“I had no idea Taei-hyung would be coming to Father’s banquet. Running into him there is the last thing I want. It’ll probably be so crowded we won’t even have a chance to talk, but even if we do cross paths, I’ll just say hello. I won’t go out of my way to find him. Only if we happen to meet.”

Yuri stared blankly at Xinlu, who was speaking softly in a tone that was hard to decipher, whether it was an excuse or a promise. He had to take a moment to process what this situation even was.

“Yes……. I mean, please, act naturally. It’s been a long time since you’ve seen him, after all.”

Ling Xinlu looked at Yuri with a strange expression, then frowned slightly and asked cautiously.

“You’re not……. upset by this, are you? About the possibility of running into Brother Tae-i while Mr. Gable isn’t there?”

“Huh? Of course not. I don’t pay attention to that sort of thing.”

It was an unexpected question. ‘As if I would care about something like that. I don’t care, and you don’t need to either.’ – Yuri shook his head with a laugh, intending to convey just that.

He didn’t realize it then.

That this was a moment where his answer mattered immensely.

Ling Xinlu stared intently at Yuri, who was shaking his head so breezily, and then his expression suddenly went blank. He muttered, almost to himself.

“Ah……. I see. You really don’t care at all.”

“Yes, so please, feel free to chat with him and enjoy yourself.”

“…….”

A silence fell.

Before Yuri could even begin to ponder the meaning of that silence, his thoughts were occupied with worry—worried that he might be upset or depressed upon encountering Jeong Taeui and recalling unpleasant memories from the past.

“It’s a relief that Mr. Gable isn’t bothered by it, though.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a voice that was so icy cold and completely different from before, reached his ears. Yuri looked up. Ling Xinlu’s dark eyes were glinting with a dangerous light.

“It’s a relief that Gable isn’t upset or anxious, isn’t it? That’s really great.”

The cautious tone from earlier had vanished without a trace, replaced by a sharp voice that struck his eardrums.

“But when I run into Taei-hyung, you don’t care at all? ……. Your lover is reuniting with a man he once had eyes for? It doesn’t matter to you? You’re not even concerned?”

Seeing Xinlu’s obvious displeasure, Yuri was stunned.

What kind of whim is this again? It’s not like cooking red bean porridge in midsummer, so why are two different statements coming from the same mouth within ten seconds?

His head was starting to spin, but fortunately, this time he gathered his wits a little faster and spoke.

“It’s because I trust you, Xinlu. I trust the affection and reliability you’ve shown me all this time.”

Ling Xinlu froze. And inwardly, Yuri patted himself on the back for his quick wit. It was a flawless, perfect answer.

But…

It didn’t work.

“I know. I know that, but……. can’t you at least show a little concern?” 

Ling Xinlu shouted indignantly: “Couldn’t you even be a little jealous? No—I absolutely don’t want you to be truly upset, angry, or suffering, and I’m sure nothing like that would ever happen anyway—but still, couldn’t you be a little more possessive of me?”

But even as he said it, he seemed to realize he was throwing a childish and unreasonable tantrum. His grim face flushed bright red, and he suddenly shot to his feet and stormed out of the room.

Left behind, stunned into silence, Yuri hurried after him a moment too late. But Xinlu had already gone into the study, locked the door, and refused to come out.

“Don’t come in right now—I’m embarrassed.”

Leaving only those sulky words behind, he barricaded himself in the study, and Yuri had no choice but to turn back helplessly.

Very late that night, Ling Xinlu returned to the bedroom only after Yuri had fallen asleep. The next morning, he acted as though nothing had happened.

“Sorry for being unreasonable yesterday.”

With his usual affectionate expression, he offered just those words before changing the subject. Yuri wanted to talk more, but Xinlu’s awkward attempt to act normal made him feel it would be embarrassing to press further, so he quietly closed his mouth and said nothing more.

After that, they were both overwhelmingly busy for a while. The affairs Ling Xinlu was in charge of were already thriving and expanding, making him busier with each passing day. On top of that, Ling Huolong ‘s 80th birthday banquet, with its staggering number and composition of VIP guests, was fast approaching. From the moment they woke until the moment they fell asleep, there was scarcely a moment to spare.

And so, after the hectic rush of the birthday banquet and seeing off all the guests had finally concluded, they had arrived at this moment.

“You’re sure there’s nothing, right? Nothing that upset you or made you feel bad?” – Ling Xinlu whispered again, his lips meeting Yuri’s as he gazed up at the night sky, lost in thought. His lips moved slowly over Yuri’s as if he would swallow up any hint of trouble the moment it was mentioned.

“There’s nothing in this world I’m afraid of, except one thing: The thought that you might ever be hurt because of me, Mr. Gable. That terrifies me.”

Yuri, quietly savoring Xinlu’s breath against his lips, answered softly: “My feelings have never once been hurt because of you.”

Leaning back just enough to see Xinlu’s face, Yuri paused thoughtfully before continuing: “But when I see you getting hurt because of me, it does weigh heavy on my heart.”

“—.”

Ling Xinlu opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. With the aggrieved expression of a wronged child, he pressed his lips tightly together. Yuri gently stroked his cheek and said: “Now, look.”

“You, Mr. Ling Xinlu, know me better than anyone. You know every trivial detail about me—where and when I was born, how I grew up, who I’ve met, what I’ve done, who I’ve dated in the past…….., and who I’m dating now.”

Yuri looked at Ling Xinlu, who was still pressing his lips together and not breaking eye contact, gave a firm nod.

“But think about it. You know better than anyone how close and intimate I am with you now. And yet, just because I happen to run into someone I once dated for a brief moment, do you really think that would make you upset, or bothered?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Uh oh. This isn’t how this was supposed to go.

Stunned by the blunt, almost sulky retort, Yuri was momentarily at a loss for words.

Flustered about which direction to take the conversation now, Yuri stammered: “Well, but I—”, before grasping for anything to say.

“But……. originally, you and Mr. Jeong Taeui never even properly dated, did you? How can you possibly be bothered by someone you only almost dated?”

“How could I not be bothered?”

Faced with Xinlu’s counter-question, delivered with a tone that suggested Yuri was being strange and hurtful, Yuri rubbed the frown forming on his brow. A slow sigh escaped him.

“Do you remember when I first met you, Mr. Ling Xinlu. I mean, not when we were kids and I fell into the ocean, but the real first meeting?”

The moment Yuri asked quietly, Ling Xinlu flinched.

“Back then, you were completely obsessed with Mr. Jeong Taeui. Because of that, your attitude toward me wasn’t exactly… good.”

Before Yuri could even finish his sentence, Xinlu abruptly grabbed his forearm. With an uncharacteristic look of sheer panic on his face, as if he didn’t know what to say, his lips working soundlessly.

In truth, saying his “attitude wasn’t exactly good” was a severe understatement.

He had hit him, kicked him, cracked his head open, and even shot him (albeit with a paintball gun).

“Back then, back then we weren’t in this kind of relationship! I had no idea things would turn out like this—”

“I know. At the time, your whole heart and mind were caught up with someone else. You had nothing left to give me.”

“——No! I was just angry at Rick, that son of a bitch——! Yuri, I’ve never in my life been this hopelessly consumed by anyone the way I am with you. Truly. That…, that was all just in the past. Why are you even bringing that up?! It’s not like that now. It’s absolutely not like that now!”

Yuri simply gazed at him in silence, watching Xinlu’s desperate plea.

Confronted with that silent stare, Xinlu seemed to run out of words mid-sentence. He closed his mouth and froze for a moment before slowly bowing his head. A low curse spilled from his lips as he nervously tugged at his own hair.

“Damn it, really…….. I just don’t want you to be upset over unnecessary thoughts, that’s all. This is completely separate from that—”

“……”

“……”

With a pained groan, Xinlu let his shoulders slump in defeat.

A period of silence passed before a gloomy voice, low as if it had sunk to the very bottom of the earth, flowed out.

“I know. I know I’m acting like a lunatic, I don’t want you to worry about pointless things, Mr. Gable. But then…, if you don’t worry at all, that also hurts. I want you to be more possessive of me, to care about me more. But I don’t want you to get hurt because of it either.”

“…….. Lin—.”

“I know. I know it’s unreasonable nonsense. This is my problem. It really has nothing to do with Taei-hyung or anyone else. I just… I just want Mr. Gable to be a little more—”

Ling Xinlu’s words stopped midway. He stared desperately at Yuri for a moment, then slowly closed his mouth and hung his head low. An anxious mutter: “…So annoying…,” escaped him, like a child who doesn’t know what to do with himself. 

“Have I failed to give you enough trust?” – At Yuri’s quiet question, Xinlu shook his head firmly.

“No. I know—I know your heart belongs to me unconditionally. I’ve never doubted that. It’s just… it’s just…”

The strength slowly drained from Xinlu’s stumbling voice.

“It’s just, I like you too much. How can I like you this much……. ? With every day that passes, I like you more. So much that……..”

Ling Xinlu pressed his lips tightly together. His dark eyes seemed to shimmer faintly. Then, abruptly, he shot to his feet and dove straight into the swimming pool.

A loud splash erupted, sending a spray of water into the air. The moon reflected on the surface shattered into a thousand glittering pieces. Amidst that shimmering foam, Xinlu’s figure swam away into the distance.

And left behind, drenched and alone, Yuri stared transfixed at that elegant form disappearing into the dark water.

“—How can I like you this much?” – The faintly trembling voice clung to his ears. The words seeped into him, traveling through his body and transferring their tremor until they finally reached the deepest part of his heart.

“—How can I like you this much?”

Yuri quietly clenched his hand to stop it from shaking. He pressed his lips tightly together to keep them from trembling too. But he couldn’t clench his heart, which continued to shiver helplessly.

‘How could he possibly like someone this much?’

That man and he were so different.

From head to toe—their appearance, personalities, dispositions, preferences—there was nothing alike. Even the shape of their affection, and the way they expressed and yearned for it, were entirely different.

No matter how hard Yuri tried to express himself, it never seemed to reach the fullness Xinlu longed for. Perhaps it never would, even in a lifetime. Yuri knew he could never express himself like Xinlu did.

But even so,

Even if he couldn’t express it, he was confident he could love him just as much.

Ling Xinlu, who had been cutting through the pool like a fierce beast, began to slow down after several restless laps.

After silently completing one more lap, he finally swam back toward Yuri.

Still half-submerged in the water, Ling Xinlu leaned his arms against the poolside, resting his chin there as he fixed his gaze on Yuri. Yuri rose from the chair, approached him, and crouched down in front of him.

The thought that this beautiful man, with only his head above the water, looked just like a merman, suddenly crossed his mind.

“Be more possessive of me,”

The merman said quietly, as if casting a spell.

Under the quiet night sky, where only the moon shone brilliantly against the pitch black, Yuri felt himself being enchanted by this merman who had emerged in the midnight pool. For a moment, he gazed at him in a daze before finally speaking.

“It does bother me.”

“—.”

“Who you’re with, what you’re doing, who you’ve given your heart to in the past—it bothers me, and it makes me jealous. Sometimes, I feel so possessive I can hardly breathe. I wish you wouldn’t look at or talk to anyone but me. But… because you’ll be with me from now on, I’m learning to be generous.”

Ling Xinlu blinked once. His eyes, wide with disbelief, grew larger, and those shining black pupils came into sharp focus in Yuri’s vision.

Now, even without an alarm, thoughts of him arise automatically.

‘I find myself contacting him even when nothing’s happening, and waiting for his contact even when there’s no reason. More than just contact, I want to be with him.’

‘My love, which was once as plain and mild as water or grass, has slowly, over a long time, begun to resemble his.’

“Just know this: No one in this world could ever love you as much as I do, Mr. Xinlu.”

“…….”

Ling Xinlu’s expression subtly wavered. Perhaps it was the water droplets streaming down his face, but he looked on the verge of tears. His face was so heartbreakingly beautiful that Yuri lowered himself to his knees and bent closer.

He pressed his lips to Xinlu’s, who was blinking repeatedly. A light touch, then a retreat. Those dark, beautiful eyes seemed to tremble. He pressed his lips again, then withdrew. Once more.

By then, Xinlu had stopped blinking and was staring intently at Yuri when he suddenly muttered,

“Are you teasing me?”

He whispered in a suppressed voice, as if feigning a complaint, and then suddenly shot his arms out and grabbed Yuri.

Like prey snatched by a great beast lurking beneath the water, Yuri was dragged into the pool without a chance to resist.

The tranquil space erupted with a loud *Splashhh*. Water sprayed upward. There were several more splashing sounds, but soon, only silence remained.

And beneath the water, where no sound should exist, Xinlu kissed Yuri with a fierceness that was deafeningly intense.

The water should have been cold, and yet it felt as though he had plunged into boiling heat. Heat-filled water covered every inch of his skin, stealing his breath.

Yuri gently embraced Xinlu, who was holding him tightly, and savored those heated lips in return. Articles of clothing, tangled in the current and clinging to their skin, drifted away one by one into the water.

Their lips never parted. Except for brief moments when he nipped at his cheek, sucked on his earlobe, or licked his eyelids, the creature of the water persistently devoured Yuri’s lips. His tightly wrapped arms left marks all over Yuri’s body without exception.

After fiercely and impatiently preparing to consume him, Xinlu finally released Yuri to the water’s surface only when he was completely bare and gasping for his last mouthful of air.

“…—.”

But barely a moment after Yuri broke the surface to draw a new breath, as if unable to wait even that short instant, Xinlu pulled him back under.

Even outside the water, Yuri struggled to breathe as Xinlu relentlessly claimed his lips. Having already discarded his own clothes in the water, Xinlu impatiently pulled Yuri’s waist tightly against his own.

“Sorry, I’m sorry—just once first” – Ling Xinlu whispered anxiously, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer. As if unfamiliar with the leisurely, skilled play of adults, he impatiently thrust his hips against Yuri’s.

“Ugh—!”

His member, which had been hard for a while now, pushed inside Yuri without warning. A sharp cry burst from Yuri’s lips at the merciless thrust that parted him deep in a single stroke. Ling Xinlu immediately smothered and swallowed even that sound with his own lips as thrusting crudely.

Shaken by the relentless, pounding motions that offered no respite, Yuri, with no footing to be found, could only cling to this aquatic beast.

“…….Good. So good. How—how can it feel this good……?!”

A low growl, mixed with curses and moans, bit at Yuri’s earlobe.

His breathing grew ragged. The intervals between his short, stifled moans were becoming shorter and shorter.

Unable to tell whether the violent thrusting inside his lower body was pain or pleasure, Yuri moved his hips in rhythm with Xinlu’s thrusts.

The hot body Yuri was clinging to seemed to stiffen faintly. Just as all movement seemed to slow for a moment, a hot wetness flooded into Yuri, prying him open from the inside.

“……., ……! …—!”

Ling Xinlu let out a savage moan. Yuri’s body, still wrapped around him, shuddered and convulsed several times.

The hard dick sliding in and out of him now moved a little more smoothly. As if a sliver of sense had finally returned to him, Xinlu’s wild, rough movements gradually softened. But the apology he’d whispered earlier “just once first” seemed long forgotten as he remained buried inside without any intention of pulling out.

With slow, deliberate thrusts, he continued to rub against Yuri’s inner walls, bracing Yuri’s unsteady back against the pool edge.

Finally able to breathe, Yuri’s body loosened, and he found himself staring dazedly at Xinlu, who met his gaze without flinching. Moonlight washed over his pale, flawless skin, catching on droplets of water that shimmered as they slid downward. Those dark, unreadable eyes seemed to hold a quiet glow as they fixed on Yuri. Spellbound by this dangerous yet beautiful creature of the water, Yuri let slip the thought that had been haunting his mind.

“You look like a merman.”

Ling Xinlu slightly raised an eyebrow. Then, he let out a soft chuckle. His slender eyes curving into a beautiful shape.

“You’re right. I can’t survive outside the water.”

Ling Xinlu whispered this as he leaned forward. The penis of him already filling Yuri pushed in even tighter, causing Yuri to hold his breath for a moment.  The heavy, insistent pressure began to stir, transferring heat back into him once more.

“……, if we’re going to continue, maybe……., we should get out of here……,”

Even as he said it, Yuri knew it was futile. Xinlu, nibbling at his chest and kissing his mouth, was clearly asserting his desire again.

Unlike Yuri, who disliked doing anything in the pool besides swimming, Xinlu loved bothering Yuri in the water far more than he enjoyed swimming itself. Especially on days like today, when the water had just been refreshed.

“You know how much I love doing it in the water on days like this.”

Ling Xinlu whispered coaxingly, gently, yet with an undertone of absolute resolve that brooked no argument.

“I want to see you swim in this water. I want you to swim in the very water where we’ve become one. —That way, when I see you—who loves water so much, sometimes even more than me—I won’t have to be jealous of the water itself.”

“So let’s do it a few more times, it’s still not enough,” – His excited tone lapped at Yuri’s ear. The pace began to pick up again with deep, penetrating thrusts.

Yuri looked at Xinlu with a hint of exasperation, about to say something, but then closed his mouth. If he were to ask: ‘Do you really have to have such strange thoughts?’, this man would undoubtedly smile beautifully and retort: ‘Do you want to see what truly strange is?’ before pouncing on him.

The sound of water continued to echo in his ears.

Amidst the splashing and the gurgling of bubbles, he could almost hear lewd, wet sounds that shouldn’t be audible. Those sounds soon transformed into a stifling, dense sensation that clung to his entire body.

From head to toe, his whole body felt submerged in water. That sticky viscosity became a suffocating pleasure, enveloping everything.

Yuri looked at Ling Xinlu through his blurred vision.

He didn’t know when they had started locking eyes, but they were staring at each other continuously. Biting, sucking, swallowing each other.

“……You’re beautiful.”

Ling Xinlu’s whispered words seemed to drift somewhere in the air around them. They didn’t properly register in Yuri’s hazy, intoxicated mind, scattering before they could take hold. Yuri tightly clung to the only thing providing clear sensation—that hot body.

“You’re beautiful……. I want to show you off.”

The feverish voice lapped at Yuri.

He couldn’t understand what this beautifully crafted merman was saying. Yuri curled in on himself against the sound of water blocking his ears. But no matter how much he curled up, he couldn’t block the heat flooding into him. No—he didn’t want to block it.

“More, I wish it would become even more mine.”

“—I want to show you off. That you’re mine. I want to declare it everywhere, just like this. I want to show them all exactly how much you’re enjoying this. So that no one would dare covet you. I want to stake my claim on you. To show that I’m the one who makes you feel this way.”

“…….But—I don’t want to show you to anyone. How can I show anyone something this beautiful? Only I will ever know.”

The greedy water beast gnashed its teeth as it muttered, swallowing Yuri whole.

And so, it was swallowed whole by Yuri.