Eun-oh languidly stretched, the haze of sleep still clinging to him. A peculiar dullness enveloped his mind today, lingering as he sat in a daze.
Gradually, awareness dawned; he found himself in the inner room, absentmindedly scratching his neck.
Now that he was up, he needed to go out, get some food, and attend to his duties. Yet, strangely, he didn't feel like moving. He just wanted to indulge in laziness.
"...That won't do."
How dare he, a lowly servant, consider such idleness?
Even in his half-awake state, Eun-oh, feeling perplexed, ruffled his neck. It took him a moment to realize he was the only one here.
Realizing he had to get up, he awkwardly crawled out on all fours, self-chastising
"Ah, it's raining."
Rain drizzled outside, resembling fine dew.
In his days at Mount Moak, he had a penchant for idling in his hut during rain showers. The echoes of that habit persisted, causing his body to resist acknowledging the weather, enveloping him in a reluctance to move.
The rain left an eerie silence in the courtyard and the main house, making Eun-oh feel like he was alone in the world. This solitude wasn't unfamiliar to him; in fact, it felt oddly comforting.
Seating himself on the edge of the wooden floor, Eun-oh rested his chin on his hands and observed the rain-drenched scenery.
It was a rare sight for him.
Rainfall around the end of winter often carried the herald of spring. Since it came during the chilling days leading to the snow's disappearance, Eun-oh found it genuinely delightful.
As the overcast sky filled with rain clouds and droplets scattered like dew, his thoughts turned to Chae Yoon-sa, recalling the mysterious connection between rain and his master. However, something else crossed his mind-the face he had glimpsed just before drifting into sleep last night.
"Ah, it tickles."
Suddenly, a sensation arose in the groin area. Eun-oh unconsciously adjusted his thigh, resisting the urge to scratch the discomfort between his legs.
"Why are you doing this?"
Reflecting on his mother's warnings not to touch that place too often, Eun-oh couldn't help but recall how Young Master had touched him the night before-stroking, caressing, and even going so far as to release something other than urine.
The explosive sensation, liberation, ecstasy, and the lingering afterglow... It was an experience that left him feeling strange both mentally and physically.
His mother's words seemed to be coming true. Not only did his mood feel odd, but his body also seemed strange. If he continued like this, he feared his private part might swell up again, much like yesterday.
To clear his mind, Eun-oh shook his head vigorously, and to add to it, he slapped his own cheek. It seemed to bring some calmness to his racing thoughts.
Yet, his consciousness remained fixated on Chae Yoon-sa. Curiosity about the unseen whereabouts of his Young master led Eun-oh to murmur softly
"Where could you be going? Especially on a rainy day like this..."