Chapter 28 Bondage (5) - Martial Arts Masochist

Cheongwol decided late to change clothes. Han Seojin had his eyes closed, but she worried that he might open them. As she hesitated, questioning why she had to change in the first place, time pressed on. Eventually, Cheongwol found herself in a situation where she hadn’t yet fully straightened the skirt of her new outfit. If he opened his eyes, everything would be visible. In her desperation, she uttered words she never thought she’d say. "...to give" she muttered. The moment the words left her lips, her cheeks flushed as if on fire. It was a pitiful submission. Overcome with embarrassment, Cheongwol quickly fixed her outfit and then collapsed into a sitting position. She wanted to curl up and hide. No matter how much she tried to compact herself, the small fabric of her clothing continued to expose parts of her. The short hem of her skirt constantly slipped down between her legs, revealing her thighs again and again. She carefully brought her knees together, fearing that from an angle, the inside of her knees might be visible, causing her to panic. Her trembling hands clenched the hem of her skirt. Following her request, Han Seojin waited, momentarily frozen. By this time, he likely had his eyes open. He could see her pathetic appearance, her embarrassing posture, everything. Cheongwol couldn’t bring herself to lift her head, so instead, she began to speak, trying to salvage her pride and alleviate her shame. "...Die." She forced her words out with breathless effort. "If it weren’t for treating the heart demon... you would be dead." "..." "I will never again say something like 'please.' I didn't want to show my body to someone as awful as you... I had no choice..." The more she spoke, the more she felt like she was floundering in a muddy pit, the smaller she felt. More pathetic, more broken. In the end, biting her lip, Cheongwol couldn't hold it back and shouted. "Say something—" "I don't understand." Han Seojin's voice was surprisingly calm. His large hand grasped Cheongwol's forearm. When their bare skins met, Cheongwol started and tried to pull away, but any excessive movement could cause her to lose her balance and fall, and if that happened, surely the short hem of her skirt would turn over. Gently, Han Seojin helped Cheongwol to her feet, and slowly she followed his lead, rising from her spot. Clutching the front of her skirt tightly, she managed to pull it down as best she could. Han Seojin continued, "If people could only see these thighs, everyone would love you without you having to struggle." Cheongwol's ears burned with heat at his words. She understood now. It was, to some degree, a mere flattery, a compliment returned for her shameful conduct. But even knowing that, hearing such words right in front of her made her heart race. Especially for Cheongwol, who knew nothing of men, such suggestive compliments were overwhelming and foreign. "Can I touch them?" - POW! At those words, Cheongwol slapped Han Seojin's arm away. Just the words, the imagination alone made something feel like it was climbing up her thigh. That strange sensation made Cheongwol glare at him. Her emotions mixed with anger, humiliation, and something strange. Han Seojin, seeing that gaze, replied. "Just kidding." "...Huff...huff..." "And stop standing all awkward like that. Stand properly; it’s well covered down there anyway." **** I was still unable to shake off the shock of her saying "to give." In that moment, I had almost forgotten she was Cheongwol and spouted nonsense. Though I wanted to touch those thighs, it wasn’t something to say with a clear mind. A slap on the cheek would probably snap me back to my senses, but I couldn’t do that in front of Cheongwol. So, instead, I concentrated on taking deep breaths. I couldn't allow myself to forget. Being swept away by desire was unavoidable, but I needed to detach my rationality. I had to assess the situation coldly. For starters, my situation... I couldn't avoid Cheongwol. I couldn’t push her away. There we were, down in the basement engaged in an SM play, and I very much wanted to continue living. I needed to think about the future. Cheongwol was going to explode in that martial arts match and reveal her ultimate skill. And I was one of the people closest to her recently. When she collapses, I am one of the people who will be most affected. What would be the most correct choice? "..." As I thought, doing it like that first day might work. Back then, using the heart demon resolution as an excuse, hadn't I hit the spots she was anguishing over? I'm not sure if it worked since she cried, so... Anyway, considering she hasn’t killed me since and seems to be resolving her heart demon, that direction seems to be the way forward. While in the middle of this play, somehow, I should provide comfort. "...Whew." That’s that, but we can't stay frozen forever. I managed to get her to change clothes... Wow, maybe I should take a moment to appreciate this... Amitabha, Amitabha. Focus. The rope was ready, so let's use it. It’s also a good opportunity to tie her arm, just in case she swings it around and hits me. I took out the rope. Cheongwol's body flinched. Maybe it was because she already had an idea of what I was planning. Her imagination, knowing what I intended, seemed to make her shrink back even further. She glared at me. ...The look she gives me every time makes me feel like I might wet myself. With every such gaze, my rising desire plummets, and my survival instinct fiercely writhes. She seemed really upset, and every time, I had to pretend I didn’t notice and adjust the temperature of our interactions based on my judgment, which was not an easy task. To overcome that fear, I offered... "...Are you going to keep standing like that awkwardly? You’re truly looking beautiful." "..." ...a compliment. No one dislikes compliments. With every growing flame in Cheongwol’s eyes, I doused them with these cold waters. The atmosphere would then slightly, albeit very slightly, soften. I approached Cheongwol, feigning nonchalance. As Cheongwol drew nearer, she let out a moan. "...Uh." "..." Was it because the level had been raised? Her moan carried a deep-seated disgust and rejection towards me. Today, it felt harsher. At the marketplace, it was somewhat bearable, but here, perhaps because of my own demeanor, she seemed more infuriated. A sudden fear gripped me. ...What if she's not a masochist? The assumption that she was one was just my judgment. It was, after all, hard to believe—Cheongwol, a masochist? Seeing how much she despised humiliation, it didn't seem like an act. What if she's really doing this play with a heart filled with desperation, clutching at straws to resolve her heart demon? I glanced at Cheongwol again. Tears were brimming at the corners of her eyes, reflecting frustration and helplessness. Her desperate and earnest expression was now visible. I made an awkward sound, as I unconsciously let out a strange breath, and grabbed Cheongwol's arm. The thought that she might genuinely detest all of this left me paralyzed. I first moved my body; as previously planned, I started to bind her arms. There wasn't much else I could do. But Cheongwol tore my hand away more roughly than ever. Despite trembling with fear, the thought that I shouldn't falter compelled me to grab her arm again. "Stay still." Then, I gently placed the rope on her skin. "...It's soft, isn't it?" It's not coarse, m'lady...? "...It won't hurt. Don't worry." It was a specially prepared rope. Please, spare me. "..." M'lady only sighed in exasperation, offering no reply. Swallowing my anxiety, I began tying her arms using the tie methods I had practiced a hundred times. Tying someone up for the first time came with... no excitement. It was just my hands moving clumsily in haste. I lifted one of her arms, added a simple knot, lifted the other, and made another simple knot. Her smooth armpits were entirely exposed. Not a single hair was present. I was barely able to suppress my desire, aroused by such vulnerable flesh. Even though I expected cleanliness, the unexpected realization that she maintained areas where no one would see stirred some strange feeling in my heart. She was undoubtedly womanly. ...except for her tendency for violence. Gripping her rage, Cheongwol buried her head in her arm. Her anger was palpable, which only heightened my fear. I wanted to shout out. You said you'd raise the stakes! You're here, aren't you? If you don’t like it, then please leave! Why are you holding back this anger...? But I couldn't stop. We had come this far, and the knots had to be completed. Firmly, I tightened the rope to properly secure her arms, then threw the ends over the ceiling. The first restraint was complete. "...Huff...huff..." Cheongwol's breathing was already harsher than mine. She flinched, trying to move her arms, but either the knotting was well-done, or her movements were restricted. I took a step back from her. Cheongwol, with one eye buried against her arm, glared sharply at me with the other. Though I couldn't sense chi, I could tell... that was definitely a killing intent. Seeing her eyes made me think, ...perhaps she's not a masochist after all. What on earth should I do? Otherwise, she couldn’t stare like that... ...What? Then I saw something that suddenly melted away my tension. Oh, thank heavens. ...She is a masochist. **** Cheongwol couldn't quite grasp how to describe the feelings she experienced as her arms were bound. Each time Han Seojin's rope wrapped around her body, it felt like pieces of her freedom were being stripped away. That suffocation enveloped her. She gradually lost control over herself to him. It was unbearable and terrifying. Surely, by gathering her chi, she might break free from all of this. But that was just an assumption. No matter how much chi she gathered, just as a normal person couldn't chop down a mountain, a skilled martial artist like Cheongwol might not break free from these intensely winding ropes. Fighting against that fear, she wanted to press onward, but... Suddenly, she didn't want to continue this ordeal. Unlike the earlier games, this was entirely different. Never had she anticipated being restrained so strongly and blatantly. Beyond shamefulness and embarrassment, the outfit barely covered her body, the skirt revealing her legs left and right. Now, with her arms tied overhead, even her armpits were exposed. So this is what humiliation felt like. It was a type of emotion she'd never experienced in her life as the Millennium Flower. As strange, undocumented sensations crawled over her body, she was hot, overwhelmed, and strangely agitated. For the first time, Cheongwol experienced these feelings. As she watched Han Seojin take a step back after tying her arms, embarrassment surged at her bare armpits. She tried tugging her arms, but they were tightly bound. She already regretted permitting this. It was the first time she'd shown her armpits to anyone, man or woman. These were parts she'd never expected to be uncovered. "Huff... huff..." Frustration seeped out with her breath. She glared at Han Seojin with discontentment in mind. But she couldn't bear to look at him squarely, burying her face halfway into her arm and gazing at him with resentment from the other half. Han Seojin asked, "Why do you look so displeased?" Cheongwol was dumbfounded by his ignorance. Did he not understand even after seeing the situation? "Ack...! Because I hate it!!" she finally burst out. "Are you crazy? Enough, I don't like this anymore. Let's stop." "Stop?" "Yes!" Cheongwol shouted loudly, but Han Seojin seemed to pay it no mind. "If you enjoy it, why pretend otherwise?" Cheongwol was taken aback. How could he claim understanding of her heart? True, he had detected her heart demon earlier than anyone. And he had continuously consoled her despite her struggles. But this time, he was so incredibly wrong. "I said I hate—" "Cheongwol." Just that one word. Yet it was enough to make her stop speaking. Han Seojin approached slowly. With each step he took toward her, Cheongwol felt like he was constricting her breath. By the time he stood close enough that their bodies almost touched, she was already holding her breath. Thump. Thump. Thump. Her heartbeat pounded so loudly, she feared he might hear it. For some reason, it seemed as if he was peering right through her, into her innermost self. He spoke. "...You." With a slight smile, he whispered, "...Look at your chest." At his words, Cheongwol, without understanding why, looked down at her own chest. ... At that moment, she could see her nipple slightly protruding through the fabric of her clothes.