𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ~𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐨

|11|

And all that for Felix? A cousin I didn't even know existed until this very second. Was their bond so strong that he would kick my ass in a heartbeat? Or did he just hate me so much that his skin crawled with the thought I was seeing a Lee. His Lee.

I never saw this protective side of his before—not this strong. Not even with Chan. I mean, that guy was twice the size Lee was, he didn't need any help.

The collective, broody Lee I knew wasn't standing in front of me now.

"To be fair, I didn't know he was a Lee. Your baby cousin," I shrugged, placing my I don't care two shits mask back in place. Carrying your emotions on the surface was plain-fucking-stupid in our world. Showing your weakness was asking for trouble. "But he didn't seem to mind being around me. In fact, he was far too eager to kiss me."

The trembling in his arms seized. For a moment I couldn't read his face, he seemed to think of something. But then anger flashed in his eyes and he leaped toward me.

Ah crap.. he didn't know we kissed. I wouldn't even call it a kiss, it was more like lips pressed onto each other. But I don't think he cared about such a small detail.

"You what?" His fist traveled back to meet my face again. This time I dug in time and took a few steps away from him, creating space between me and the red-hazed bull ready to charge me again.

"Hey now, it was all consensual." I tried to soften the fact I kissed his cousin, my hands acting as the mediator between us. A crooked smile bloomed out of nowhere; fuck, I kissed his cousin. Why had I never thought about the possibility that Felix could be family? Was the thought of him seeing a man in a romantic way far more plausible? Heck no, I'd never seen him fool around with men. So why did my mind go there? In a fucking straight line. Or a non-straight line. Whatever.

I dodged another of his technical kicks but stumbled over my own two feet because I shoved them into my boots this morning without putting them on properly. Lee launched at me, and I didn't know how, but I managed to hook my forearm around his neck. We fell. My back landed into the snow, and his back crashed against my chest.

He was writhing against me to break free from my hold like a Gangchunchi flopping on land. Which is a big ass river fish, I tell you. So I used all my strength to keep him in this headlock. My right leg wrapped over his, hooking my foot behind his calf. 

"Let. Go," Lee fumed. He tried to peel my arm off his throat which constricted him from his airflow. "Hwang!"

He bucked his hips, then painfully went back down with his ass against my groin. I groaned, getting tired of his never-ending stamina. Anger-fueled adrenaline was a shitty thing to beat.

"If you stop trying to kill me for one second, I'll let go," I snapped, my mouth brushing against his ear. The scent of his washed and still-damp hair filled my nostrils. He smelled of vanilla, honey, and a hint of peach. For a moment I got pulled into this sweet daze, until I felt an elbow jab in my ribs, and got hit by reality. Why the fuck was I sniffing him like a damn dog?

"Fine," Lee grumbled, "now let go." I did like I got burned, feeling very self-aware and uncomfortable about it. 

We both stood back up. I patted the snow off my back, Lee adjusted his jacket and sweater. Our eyes locked. There was this weird pause between us. His eyes trailed down, lingering on the brown stain on my white scarf, then further down. Even in this cold, I could still feel the heat in his seething gaze. I wanted to snap at him again, but he opened his big mouth first. "If I see you near Felix again, you can bet your sorry ass I'm coming for you. And this time I won't back down. I mean it, Hwang, know your place."