There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 712: Side Story 3. Stellar Blossom - 47

The moment Radia fell in love with him?

Han Joon tilted his head. They were already in a tight relationship at that point, deeply obsessed with each other. Radia had stopped seeing anyone else ever since he frequented Joon’s bedroom, and naturally, Joon had thought he acquired Radia’s heart at that point.

Seemed like that wasn’t the case?

Radia chuckled when he saw the confusion in Han Joon’s face, and he held the warm hand tightly. "I knew I had this weird obsession with you, the kind of attraction I had never felt with anyone else, but..." he smiled sheepishly. "It was hard to say we were in love at that age, wasn’t it? I mean...normally."

Yeah, Han Joon was the anomaly. Teenagers’ love was as juvenile as their inexperience. It was tumultuous and everchanging. Not many people could say they fell in love with their childhood sweetheart and maintained it until they grew old. It was more common to see kids at that age having several short relationships, exploring their tastes and preferences.

"But at that moment...when I saw your tears and hugged you, I just knew," Radia smiled as he stroked the soft flesh beneath widened dark eyes. "I knew that it wouldn’t work with anyone else. I knew that it would just be us from then on."

Han Joon blinked dazedly for a few seconds before leaning slightly for a kiss. But the smiling lips suddenly dipped down, and there was a frown on Radia’s forehead--enough to make Joon startle.

"Perhaps that was why I was so angry when you told me you were going to the military," Radia pursed his lips. The sulky tone he was using was like snitching a son to their mother. "You were my precious first love, and I had given you all my heart, but you...decided to leave without discussing it with me."

Han Joon pressed his lips. It was so adorable that he wanted to laugh, but it felt like Radia would confiscate the wedding ring again if he did, so he held back until the corner of his mouth was twitching.

"I had the worst fever in my life after that day," the whine continued.

This time, Han Joon did feel guilty. "I heard," he stroked the deep red hair, and Radia let him.

"I kept waiting for you, thinking that you were going to explain better in person," Radia whispered sharply, clutching the edge of Joon’s coat. "I...was waiting to apologize for the neck wound."

"But I never came."

"You never did," Radia bit his lower lip, repeating quietly. "Not until eight years passed."

By that time, questions had been buried. Reasons had been blurred. Even if Radia asked, Han Joon never answered, so while they kept seeing each other like lovers, they kept getting into fights.

Were they lovers? Were they enemies with carnal attraction? Radia had no idea. He loathed the way they turned into, yet could not let go of the presence carved deep all over his heart.

"No matter how high my anger was, I could not erase the feelings I had for you," Radia pressed his head on the sturdy chest in front of him. The chest he always checked at least once a day for a heartbeat. "And yet, my ego did not let me give you the satisfaction of knowing you still had my heart, so..."

"So?"

"I refused to say it," Radia bit his lips. "That I loved you."

And when his hands were smeared by Joon’s blood that night, he had regretted it very much.

Han Joon held the man, his darling, in a gentle embrace. "It’s a deserved punishment."

"At least you know."

Han Joon chuckled. "I wonder what I felt after that..."

"After I sliced your neck?" Radia pulled back, raising his brows.

"Yeah..." Han Joon looked up, frowning slightly. "I’m not sure I would be able to take it well either. Even if I had already prepared for your wrath, it would affect me nonetheless."

"Shin told me that you were immediately moved to the barrack after asking Reina to take care of him."

"I see," Han Joon nodded. "The first thing I would have done was probably distracting myself."

That seemed to be the case. Radia wanted that to be the case. He wanted Joon to feel as messed up as he did about their separation. Even after knowing the reason, he wanted Joon to be as devastated as him about staying apart.

Because that heart, which was beating steadily now, was his. And it had to always get affected by him.

Radia pressed his palm on that chest, feeling the beat clearly beneath the fabric. "I’m glad," Radia said with a smile.

"About?"

The crimson eyes looked up and shimmering brilliantly. "That I’m still deeply in love with you even now."

Han Joon tightened his arms around Radia’s waist, swallowing through his hardened jaw. He leaned down and whispered.

"...it would be disrespectful to make out in front of the dead, right?"

Radia laughed and kissed the man softly, as much as his conscience allowed.

* * *

"And so, we will move back to my place," Radia announced during dinnertime; when the food was still in the middle of being laid down on the table.

The reaction was diverse.

"Right away?!" Laurel gasped loudly with widened eyes.

Calix sighed and shook his head. "I knew it when I saw them returning hand-in-hand."

And the Matriarch threw a simple remark. "I guess it’s time."

"Well, I’m no longer a minor," Han Joon shrugged cheekily. He turned toward Laurel, who had always sat beside him during mealtime. "Thank you for exerting patience for me, Mother."

Laurel blinked in a daze, before squinting her eyes. She didn’t want to fall for the teasing anymore, but when Han Joon raised his hand, which was re-decorated with his wedding band, she gasped.

Clutching her chest, she looked at her sons and exclaimed excitedly with glistening eyes. "Oh, my babies!"

"Mother, we’re almost middle age now," Radia sighed and grimaced.

"I don’t care! You’re all still my babies!"

Calix chuckled and glanced at the Matriarch. "Oh, Mother will be lonely."

"We’ll visit often," Han Joon smiled courteously.

Ludya scoffed. "Don’t bother to make promises you can’t keep."

"I don’t do that," Han Joon smiled confidently. "Even if it takes a long time to fulfill."

"What a cheeky rascal," the Matriarch shook her head while hiding her smile behind her teacup.

"Oh, why don’t we have a party there?" Laurel clasped her hands excitedly. "A get-well, return-from-the-hospital party!"

Radia rolled his eyes. "You just want to hold events, Mother."

"Why? What’s wrong with it?" Laurel pursed her lips.

"Well, the kids will want to come anyway, so might as well," Han Joon shrugged.

Shin and Bassena would come immediately after knowing he remembered more, and their partners as well as children would come by default. In the end, it would be a rather large gathering.

"Joon, my good boy!"

"Ugh--do whatever you want, Lady." freewebnσvel.cѳm

* * *

Moving back to the mansion was an easy affair; Joon didn’t even have to bring his clothes. As a guarantee of his promise, he left his clothes in the Peak, so he could ’pop up anytime’ in the future.

At any rate, once Radia took over as the head of the family, they would live in that mansion anyway.

And so, Radia took another day off and they departed after breakfast the next day. Han Joon had no recollection of the mansion, but he knew enough about it.

"Hmm..." he stared at the castle-like building. Estate-wise, it was smaller than the Peak. But the building itself was bigger than the main mansion. "Wasn’t this belonged to your parents before?"

"Yeah. I asked for this when I took over the Group--you know, after you broke my heart," Radia smirked. "It’s ours now."

"Ours..."

Radia glanced at the man who muttered quietly with a grin. Han Joon had been looking bright and cheerful ever since their car left the Peak. "You like that?"

"Us, ours--I like everything with that attached," Han Joon smiled.

Radia chuckled and led the man inside by the hand. A guard readily opened the door, and a line of house staff welcomed them in the main hall.

"Welcome back, Master Joon," the butler and housekeeper bowed politely, and the other staff behind them followed.

"Welcome back, Master Joon!"

Han Joon froze for a moment, blinking in a daze as he absorbed the scene in front of him. It wasn’t his first time having house staff, but...the house staff in his house never welcomed him like that, and the staff assigned to him at the Peak felt more like a temporary assistant--or caregiver, more like.

But here...he could tell that each one of them knew him, and the smiles on their faces were sincere. They looked genuinely glad that he was back and in good health--unless they were a bunch of excellent actors.

But Joon didn’t think any amount of pay could make someone act that well, because...why would they be here instead of shooting a movie, then?

It was rather overwhelming for the first minute, but Joon was used to surprising situations at this point. He nodded his head to acknowledge them. "I’m yet to manage to remember any of you, so please bear with me if I look confused."

"We understand, Master Joon," the butler said with a gentle smile. "Please do not mind us--we’re just happy to see you’re back and well."

Han Joon shrugged. "Well...I guess I’m healthy."

"And that’s the important thing," Radia clasped his hands. "My mother wants to throw a party, so...just be prepared."

"Oh, well..." the housekeeper chuckled. "We haven’t got anything to do for months, so we might as well, Sir."

"Pfft--yeah, have fun with it. Just call her for the details."

"Shall we bring out the playground, Sir?"

"The children will definitely be here, so prepare it indoors," Radia nodded and pulled Han Joon toward the stairs. "Let’s go and see our room."

Han Joon sighed softly at that word. Ah...truly. That word sounded so beautiful.

"Oh, and..." Radia turned around, gazing at him with a pair of twinkling crimson. He leaned forward and whispered. "Welcome home, Joon."

That word, too. Home.