There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 695

Chapter 695: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 30

The reunion of a supposedly married couple did not happen with an endearing hug--much less a kiss. It happened around a table, while they sat across from each other. Like a conference. Like a trade negotiation.

Like the first meeting of an arranged marriage.

Which was morally complicated because one of them had the mental age of a seven-year-old.

"This is...kind of funny?" the onlooker was whispering from the living room.

"Sush!"

With a sharp warning, they pretended not to stare, but it was human nature to be curious. Be it with skills or through reflection, they watched the awkward meeting unveiling in the corner. Well, what could they do? It wasn’t like they could leave a kid meeting with an adult unsupervised.

That being said, nothing was being said on that table for nearly five minutes. There was a cup of warm tea in front of Radia and a glass of warm chocolate instead of chocolate milk in front of Han Joon. That in itself was a funny scene.

Han Joon had been staring at the table while glancing at Radia about a dozen times during those five minutes. His face was strangely impassive despite the slightly reddened ears, but the black eyes were filled with all kinds of emotions: curiosity, confusion, astonishment, and there was a time when he just looked blank as if his brain got overloaded with his own thoughts.

As someone who had been taught to only follow orders and not think by himself, the torrent of thoughts he had to face for the past few hours was just overwhelming.

"Drink your chocolate before it gets cold," Radia said in an awkwardly soft tone. Of everyone else, he was probably the one most confused about how he should treat his child-husband.

"Ah--yes," Han Joon obediently grabbed the warm mug and sipped on the nice indulgence. His eyes flickered at the rush of the new flavor, and the sheer joy of it gave him the courage to speak. He raised his head to look at Radia properly instead of stealing glances. "Are...are you really that boy?"

"Mm."

"Oh," Han Joon nodded. "Do you remember me?"

"Would I be here if I didn’t?"

"Oh..."

The short-living conversation was both frustrating and hilarious for the peanut gallery, especially for those who had been used to how those two acting all flirty around each other. But honestly...it was like that for Radia too.

He wanted to talk more to Joon, but he just didn’t know how he should act around this child version of his husband. Certainly, he couldn’t just act as usual. He had been holding back from even thinking of touching the strand of Joon’s hair. He was a child. But also a husband he wholeheartedly loved and missed. He just didn’t know what to do.

In the end, he could only speak shortly and stiffly as he tried to suppress his longing. Oh, it was even harder than kneeling on a snowy ground.

Holding back a sigh that might make the child inside the fully-grown adult in front of him overthink, Radia asked in a soft tone--or at least he tried, but it came out stiff and dry. "You said you want to see me."

The red at the tip of Joon’s ear spread to his cheeks as he replied bashfully. "Yes."

It was hard. It was so fucking hard. Radia gripped the teacup just to make sure his hands did not cross the table. "But you don’t want to meet me?"

"...because I still can’t do it," the reply was something Radia did not expect.

"What is?"

"Live freely."

This time, Radia was the one blanking out--after all, it was already more than three decades for him. But the memory of their first meeting came to him gradually. A weird kid who tugged at his heartstrings and curiosity.

He was staring at that kid again, thirty-three years in the future. "You can start from now, can’t you?"

"I...think so," it was a hesitant answer, perhaps because he had just come to terms with the fact that he was free from his father. "Ah, I want to thank you."

"You already did," Radia smiled slightly, although his mouth felt bitter. Joon had thanked him millions of times and paid it back with something Radia could never return.

"I see..."

Han Joon nodded and fidgeted with the half-empty glass of warm chocolate. It was clear that there was something he wanted to say, but he held back because he had been taught to never have any opinion. _{ƒгeewёbnovel.com}

"It’s okay, Joon. You don’t have to hold back anymore, remember?" Radia held his cup even tighter because he really wanted to reach out and stroked his beloved cheek. "Start to live freely by telling people what’s on your mind."