Chapter 333: Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed
I was beat.
And my body was worn out to the max.
Jin-Yeok lowered me onto the bed with surprising gentleness for someone whose hands had broken bones before. The sheets welcomed me, but my body was stiff from all that pointless straining earlier.
I groaned and stretched both arms wide above my head, my spine cracking like an old granny doing stretches.
I think I’m broken, welp.
"Ugh... I feel like a wrung-out rag. Those exercises killed me." I exclaimed. "Are you sure all that wasn’t part of the act? Cause if this is how I’ll end up after every day at the gym then I think I should give laziness a second chance."
"It’s not always like that," he said, sitting next to me. "Your body’s just not used to it yet. Once it is, you’ll be like me."
"With hard abs?" I asked with hopes but he laughed and said,
"With a lot of stamina." Hearing that completely bloated my motivation and my smile fell.
"Oh."
My master’s eyes softened as he watched me squirm one more time, rolling over the bed with my sweaty body, as if that would help me get rid of all that fatigue.
No, it’s just me soiling the perfectly spread bed.
"Do you want me to massage you?" Jin-Yeok suddenly asked and I paused.
"A massage? From you?"
"Yes," he said without hesitation.
I let out a laugh.
"Hm, does owning a spa mean you learn what your employees do?" I asked. "I mean, no offense but I see your hands as the breaking type and not the mending."
He literally guts people with those hands. Can he really massage me without breaking me?
I don’t think I want to rest it out though. I have only one spine, you know.
Jin-Yeok, seeing himself underestimated, leaned down, his shadow falling over me and his lips tugging into a half-smile.
I gulped. Were we back to this?
I mean, it was only a few minutes ago he was on his knees, begging for my forgiveness, but now it’s like none of that ever happened, and he was looming over me like a dangerous threat.
"I can work one and two with my hands just fine without breaking them." He said and though how words sounded cryptic, I understood it.
He’s saying he was good with his hands, albeit not perfect.
"So? What do you say?" He asked with a gleam in his eyes which caused my heart to skip a bit, but I quickly masked it with a scoff.
"That’s... not very assuring," I said.
"But it’s honest," he replied, settling his forehead on mine and once again reminding me he was the Alpha. The taller one. "Besides, the owner of a spa should know at least a few techniques. Don’t underestimate me."
I raised a brow.
"So... Are you saying your hands are more magical than the people who trained for years to knead knots out of backs?"
"Well, think whatever you want, Jo-Pil. And if you want, you can try me," he said, his gaze steady, daring.
Hm, sounds tempting.
I rubbed my chin, still looking at him suspiciously as I weighed the pros and cons.
I wasn’t being played again, right?
I mean, he probably already learned his lesson, so...
"Fine," I said. "But if you’re terrible, I’m telling all your employees their boss is a fraud." Whenever I do get a chance to go there, haha.
But he won’t use this as an excuse not to take me to his office, right? He’s kind of sly, you know.
He smirked at my words.
"Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed, Jo-Pil."
And then his warm and steady hands, deceptively skilled, if I may add, pressed into my shoulders, and I almost cursed.
Oh. Oh no.
Why did it already feel this good?
"Wait," I jolted out of my lying position and then asked, "This isn’t one of the three things you promised me, is it?"
Jin-Yeok looked at me and then laughed, but he covered his mouth so it would seem like he was merely coughing.
"Come on, tell me," I said to him, and he shoved his fingers through his hair, as if this was the time to be acting like a supermodel.
"It’s not." He said. "And remember, I’m the one who offered it. The three things have to come from you, Jo-Pil."
"Oh, alright." I sighed in relief.
Phew, so I don’t have to worry that I’ll accidentally use up my three chances then.
"Now, lie down, I haven’t even started yet." He said but then paused. "But Jo-Pil, don’t you think this would’ve been much more soothing if you took your bath first and lay bare on my belly?"
"...!"
Right. That sounded much better. Why didn’t I think of that?
Probably because I thought once I took my bath, I would fall asleep right away.
Cause bathing would help get rid of that fatigue and I would feel much more at ease, leading me to sleep.
But what if I took my bath, felt at ease, and had Jin-Yeok’s gentle hands stretching every part of my body in a subtle gentleness?
Ah, my heart couldn’t fall at ease at the feeling I imagined.
"Alright, I’ll take my bath first," I said to him and he nodded, getting up from the bed.
"I’ll also go take my bath." He said. "But I’ll probably be done before you so you’ll find me here as soon as you’re done. That way, you won’t fall asleep while waiting." He smiled and I stared blankly.
Wow, I’ve been had.
"Okay, and could you get some massage oil?" I asked him and he nodded.
"I should have some in my drawer." I nodded and watched him leave.
Once the door closed, a thought suddenly crossed to mind.
"Why does he have massage oil in his drawer?"
But before I could think of an answer or even come up with a hypothesis, the door opened and the maids trooped in ready to bathe me.
"Ah, fine." I got up and they began to undress me. "Oh, sorry about this but can you change the sheets?" I requested. "I kind of spread my sweat all over."
"Yes, master. It was due for changing anyway so we’ll get to it." May said and my eyes widened.
Wanna know why?
They usually don’t speak more than they should.
She would just say, ’Yes, master,’ and get on with it, but she added excessive words, as if trying to assure me that everything was fine since they were going to change it anyway, and I did not give them unnecessary work.
It made me warm thinking she was trying to be considerate of me.
That’s a major development if you ask me.
"Alright," I smiled.
The bath went on as usual, and without being told, April massaged my shoulders and neck.
She probably felt how tense and knotted my joints were, and went ahead for my own good, and I was grateful. I’ll just have Jin-Yeok work on my back.
That place was a mess.
I got out of the bath feeling refreshed when I found Jin-Yeok in the room, sitting with his legs crossed.
"Come here," he said, stretching his hand towards me, and as if hypnotized, I went to him, took his hand, and he kissed it. "I’ll take care of you." He said and I laughed.
"More hands and fewer words," I said to him. "You’ll need more than that voice and face to convince me."
"Haha, and I plan to do just that," I said.
I was still in my bathrobe but I didn’t plan to wear anything to sleep.
As I lay on the bed, he pulled dom the robe, exposing my back that was as good as new, despite the last incident. But with a closer look, you could see lines on my back, stretched around as if trying to draw a map.
Yes, with a closer look, you could see a map on my back.
That means, only those close to me and have the privilege of washing me, know about this map in my back.
Wait, maybe it’s a treasure map, haha.
He poured the massage oil on me and started smearing it all over my back, passing on a relaxing feeling.
Massage oils are the best.
"Your shoulders aren’t that tense. I believe the maids had a hand in it."
They did.
"So I’ll focus on your back." He said. "Feel free to fall asleep, Jo-Pil."
"Mm."
His words and touch were so soothing that I found myself drifting as soon as he began.
I planned to stay awake for the first part, just to assess his skills properly but I think it was just so good that it forced the sleep to take over as soon as his fingers landed on me.
"Haha, I guess I’m that good." I faintly heard his voice and then a kiss on my forehead. "Sleep well, Jo-Pil. We have a big event ahead of us in a few hours."
Ah, that’s right. The event. I totally forgot.