Small and Fragile Things - Chapter 18

“Nngh…!”

In the end, her legs gave out. Irang collapsed against him like she was clinging on just to stay upright.

But Muk-hyun didn’t let up. He only pressed her harder, pushing her until she was trembling in fear at being dragged somewhere bottomless — until she finally broke down sobbing, breathless and shaking.

He devoured every moment of it, watching her fall apart in his hands like a predator savoring prey.

When she was finally too wrung out to even slap her weak fists against his solid chest — when her limp hands fell away — only then did he let go. His mouth pulled back, leaving a thin thread of saliva connecting them.

“Haa… ahh… haa… haa…”

Wet, humiliated sobs spilled from her lips.

Yet when he looked down at her — that face so thoroughly ruined by what he’d done — his eyes were still burning, not yet spent.

“Haa… huff… haah…”

Irang wanted so desperately to call out for the man who had once soothed her like a child — the one who’d held her with soft laughter. She wanted just a scrap of him back. But she had no name to call him by.

She should have given him one when he told her to. Regret squeezed her chest.

“See? This is what happens when you just wag your tail and follow someone wherever they say.”

Muk-hyun spoke like he could read her mind, brushing a thumb softly under her teary eye.

It was all she’d needed — just that faint kindness. Her heart caved in, swept helplessly along by that tiny mercy.

“And don’t just promise you’ll do anything, either.”

She nodded her head over and over, tears splashing down again.

“Stop crying.”

Maybe it was that his fingers felt oddly gentle as they tapped her damp cheek — she found herself rubbing her face into his palm without thinking. I’m done… please, it’s too much…

Even the whimper that slipped out felt like it belonged to someone else.

“Hey — just because you got that little thing sucked a bit, don’t act so pitiful.”

He mocked her lazily, his lips brushing her ear as he toyed with her earlobe.

“It wasn’t like you hated it, was it?”

He lifted her limp body upright as he spoke, like he wanted her to think about it.

She had thought it was too much — too rough, too sharp — but the truth was it hadn’t been all bad. Even now, the way he touched her still sent a warm shiver through her chest.

“You were dying for it, weren’t you?”

He wasn’t wrong.

Somewhere inside, she had known how this would end. She had even wanted it. She hadn’t wanted to spend a long, lonely night in a strange house, all by herself. If she could stay by his side — if she could give him everything — that was enough.

“Wasn’t that it?”

All she really knew about men was that they wanted women’s bodies — that they liked putting themselves inside and taking. But if Muk-hyun wanted that, she was willing to give him everything — if it meant staying right here, with him.

Her chest, rising and falling so frantically before, was finally settling back into a steady rhythm. He ran the back of his hand down her cheek, then lifted her chin with a thumb, drawing her blurry eyes up to meet his.

“Even your nose is red. You really are a rabbit.”

His eyes narrowed just slightly at the corners — like he was smiling — or maybe she just imagined it. Her head felt floaty ever since he’d started playing with her ear like that.

Still, she thought he’s smiling — so she smiled too.

When they both smiled, her heart seemed to ripple softly, warm for once.

She’d always been so cold — always shivering somewhere — but not now. Now it felt like sinking into warm water, wrapped in heat.

“You shouldn’t mess around so much, huh? Crying this hard over something so small.”

She couldn’t even understand what he meant anymore — her brain felt like mush.

Thoughts just couldn’t keep up with her body. She realized too late she was clutching him again — her forehead pressed to his shoulder before she knew it. She only snapped back to herself when he bit the tip of her nose that he’d just teased for turning pink.

Then Muk-hyun grabbed both her wrists in one hand and yanked her forward in a single pull.

“—Hik!”

Darkness swallowed her vision — she squeezed her eyes shut before she knew what was happening.

For a second, she was sure her heart had just stopped — her whole body froze solid, no strength to move a single finger.

What’s happening to me…?

Muk-hyun must have felt her stiffen up like stone — he let go immediately.

His eyes looked at her like they were asking why? — but her mouth wouldn’t open. She didn’t know either — didn’t know why she suddenly locked up like that.

“…Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue — then sighed like something made sense.

Without another word, he looped one arm around her waist and pulled her in, holding her tight against his chest.

“Come here.”

Muk-hyun pulled her onto his lap, her back leaning against his firm chest as his thick arms wrapped around her whole body.

Enveloped in the heavy scent of him, like being draped in a cloak, Irang felt the tight tension in her shoulders slowly begin to melt away.

“I didn’t say relax all the way, though.”

His mouth latched onto her earlobe just as his hot hand slipped boldly between her thighs.

“Ah—!”

“Shh… it’s okay.”

She flinched and squirmed, startled, but his gentle whisper brushed her ear, soft and coaxing.

“I won’t hurt you.”

That voice — it worked like magic. Her heart, locked up and rigid, kicked back to life. The breath trapped inside her lungs finally spilled out.

“You can close your eyes now.”

The moment she surrendered her sight, everything else grew sharper.

The warmth of his chest holding her tight. The strong heartbeat thudding against her back. The steady breath brushing her ear. His scent, thick and dark. She felt it all, raw and vivid.

And the hot, rigid presence pressing against her from beneath her ass — she knew exactly what it was. But strangely, she wasn’t scared. She didn’t want to run.

“Haah…”

His mouth traced wetly down her neck, leaving her earlobe slick, teeth scraping at the hollow where her shoulder met her neck, each breath like fire searing her skin. Just his breath alone was so intense that she bit her lip and trembled all over.

“Listen carefully.”

The hand that slipped over her shoulder cupped her br3ast, swollen and bruised from his mouth earlier. His palm squeezed gently, thumb brushing over the sore n1pple.

“From now on, you’re going to forget all of it. Whoever touched you before, however they hurt you — don’t ever think of it again.”

“…Ah…”

How did he know? Even she hadn’t fully understood that part of herself.

“Only remember what I tell you to remember. Got it?”

How did he always know the exact words that made her chest loosen and her mind go soft?

“Irang, answer me.”

“Ah… y-yes…”

The soft squeeze of her br3ast sent heat shooting through her chest. And lower — oh god, lower — his other hand parted the folds between her legs, fingers pressing firmly, rubbing slow circles like he was engraving his fingerprint inside her.

“Ah— ah…!”

“You’re already wet.”

At first, she didn’t get it — what did he mean? Did he think she’d peed herself? That wasn’t possible — she’d know if—

“Crying here too, huh?”

She jolted and tried to glance down between her legs, but his arm kept her pinned tight, so she couldn’t see anything.

“It’s… it’s not… it’s not like that…”

“Isn’t it?”

His fingertip scraped sharply over a spot inside — and she felt it, the sudden wet rush that slipped out of her.

“Ah—!”

There it was. She was soaked. She’d already been dripping before he’d even touched her there. All that teasing earlier, the relentless heat — it had been building this whole time.

“See? You cry just fine down here too.”

Her face flushed so hot she felt dizzy. But that wasn’t the end of it. Not by far.

“Ah! Don’t — don’t do it like that— ahh!”

He hooked a finger under the damp fabric of her panties and shoved it aside, pressing two fingers in at once. He moved them fast, merciless, flicking over that raw, swollen spot over and over.

Her hands scrambled to push him away, but he easily pinned them down and kept working her without slowing for a second.

The wet, obscene slap of his fingers echoed in the dark room.

She could feel the slick drip out, slipping down her ass crack. She was drenched — she wanted to sob from the shame of it.

“Ah— ngh! D-don’t— ah!”

The more she squirmed and tried to escape, the rougher his fingers got, no mercy in his grip. His voice dropped low and dangerous.

“From now on, you take everything I give you. Whatever it is.”

“Ah— stop— ahh…”

It felt like electricity sparking straight up her spine.

And then — he found it. Some tiny spot inside her she hadn’t even known existed — he flicked it hard with his fingertip, and she nearly screamed. Her hips jerked on their own, her back arched. She wanted to claw at something, anything, just to survive the insane pulse bursting through her.

Her forehead pressed hard against his chest as she babbled desperate pleas.

“Please… please stop— ahh…”

She’d never felt anything like this — this overwhelming, terrifying pleasure. He was pushing her somewhere she’d never been, something she couldn’t handle.

But the ache deep in her wasn’t just from what he was doing between her legs. It was more than that — and she was helpless to stop any of it.