There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 703

Chapter 703: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 38

"I’m glad there’s nothing wrong with your body," Laurel clasped her hands in relief after listening to Joon’s reports during luncheon.

It had become a rather grand event, with everyone joining around the dining table--including the three children who were bestowed tall chairs as their throne at the end of the table. Just this time, any mess would be tolerated.

And Radia was grateful because it was unlikely that Joon would run his mouth in the presence of three innocent minds.

"Yes; I am very healthy, Ma’am."

Wow--even cosplaying his usual model student self. If it wasn’t because he hated to share Joon’s face with the rest of the world, he would have convinced the man to take up acting on the big screen.

"But...I think I have been trespassing for too long," Han Joon continued with the reserved, polite tone that elders usually loved. "Since I’m not a kid anymore, I think it would be best for me to return home."

Han Shin gasped. "Oh, Hyung...our house is already--"

"Ah, no; unfortunately, I’ve never considered that place as home," Han Joon shook his head. "But I also don’t think I was homeless before getting admitted to the hospital."

"Ah..." Laurel smiled wryly, glancing at Radia. "That’s..."

"No," Radia hissed while shooting daggers at Han Joon, who was smiling infuriatingly.

Naturally, Han Joon challenged it. "Why?"

"I told you why."

Han Joon chuckled. For someone getting rejected, he didn’t look disheartened at all. It was as if he didn’t expect his request to be granted in the first place. "Still," Han Joon turned his head to the head of the table. "As someone who is not a family member, I don’t dare to be a nuisance any longer."

The matriarch accepted the rascal’s gaze in amusement, and she smiled. "No."

"Oh..."

This time, Han Joon truly looked disappointed.

"You will stay here as long as you’re still a minor," Ludya said casually before continuing her lunch, and Radia let out a relieved breath.

Oh, at least someone was still on his side in this house.

"Besides, you will never be a nuisance, Joon!" Laurel patted the sullen-looking teenager-in-an-adult-body Joon.

"...thank you, Ma’am."

"Oh, come on! You still don’t want to call me ’mother’?" Laurel pursed her lips.

Han Joon’s lips turned up as he smiled charmingly. "Unfortunately, someone said I’m still a minor."

Han Shin and Bassena coughed on their soup while Radia gripped his fork as if it were a trident. Nothing was safe. No situation was spared. This Han Joon was truly the most dangerous of them all.

The rest of the adults blinked at the statement, which was confusing at first until Reina giggled and made the children confused instead.

Han Joon smiled beautifully at Laurel as he added. "I will gladly call you so once my status is reinstated."

Laurel raised her brows, pressing her lips as she glanced at her seething, exasperated son. How...refreshing.

"This is disappointing," the matriarch narrowed her eyes from the head of the table, staring at Han Joon, and prompting the others to gulp nervously. "Why are you going straight to cheeky? I want to see the shift first."

"Right?" Laurel groaned in lament. "You were so cute and innocent yesterday!"

"Am I not cute now, Ma’am?" Han Joon tilted his head.

"No; but you sure are good-looking," Laurel laughed while pinching Joon’s cheek.

Oh, for fuck’s sake! Radia wanted to bury himself deep underground. While Han Joon had become more casual and loose after returning to society, he also had grown into a naturally reserved man who sometimes got too tired of the world’s bullshit. But this Han Joon? There was all the casual and looseness without the adulting scars to pull his brake.

This was an unrestrained Han Joon on a rapid train heading into freedom. Even Kar was staring at his beloved uncle dubiously.

"It’s nice having a lot of people after a long time," Calix chuckled. "Right, Mother?"

"It’s not like I’m actively chasing people away," the matriarch rolled her eyes, prompting the lunch table to be filled with laughter.

Oh, well...perhaps he should just be patient. Han Joon sighed inwardly. It was easier to do that when he knew he had to be patient. In the past, he had to make sure Radia wanted him fully, and especially, for his father to never know about it. But now?

His father was no more, and he already knew--more or less--the nature of his relationship with Radia. There was no need for him to be patient anymore, so it was harder to do it.

And...was it because he had been told to live freely from now on? The rebellious spirit he had to kill in his youth was waking up from its slumber, taking hold of his instinct and desire. If he was to live freely anyway...why should he hold back?

Minor...minor...what did it matter if he was mentally sixteen? It was so ironic how people used to say he was too mature for his age, but then he found himself in an adult body, being told he was a minor and could not pursue the love of his life. What a joke.

As it was getting harder to hold his desire, it was also getting harder to control his emotions. He used to be able to kill his feelings in a few seconds. Not anymore. He could keep a mask on his face, but his heart kept shifting tumultuously as if everything this body had been holding back was racing to surface all at once.

Ah, so difficult.

The most difficult of all--aside from not touching Radia--was accepting that he was no longer an esper.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t accept being powerless, but...he felt lost. What should he do now that he wasn’t an esper? His whole life, he was trying to be one--just for a sliver of acceptance from his father, and an effort to stay alive. If he wasn’t an esper...

What was he? What should he do? Would he still be useful?