JM Chapter114

In the summer of the 14th year of the Republic, in a small town by the sea.

“Look at who Na Ran is painting, so beautiful…”

“This isn’t the model the teacher hired, is it? Doesn’t look like them!”

“Is this a man or a woman? An immortal or a demon?”

In the art school studio, a group of teenagers crowded around an unfinished painting, chattering away. Many wore expressions of intense envy, Na Ran’s painting skills were the finest in their class. From the moment he entered the school, he had displayed astonishing artistic talent. The teachers said that in time, with further studies abroad, he would surely become a master. What even more enviable was that Na Ran was the young master of a wealthy family; he never had to worry about the massive expenses required to pursue this path.

“Ranran?”

Suddenly, accompanied by a cold male voice, the studio door was pushed open. The teenagers turned their heads and simultaneously lost their breath, their gazes frozen on the face of the man standing in the doorway.

Wasn’t that the subject of Na Ran’s painting? Only, he was a bit different from the lazy figure in the painting who wore a dressing gown with long hair flowing loose. This man, whose handsomeness seemed inhuman, was now dressed in a formal suit with his long hair meticulously tied back. He wore a pair of sunglasses, looking elegant and dashing.

Realizing Na Ran was not there, the corners of the man’s mouth tightened slightly beneath his sunglasses, appearing somewhat nervous. “Apologies for startling you guys. May I ask where Ranran is? I am his… godfather.”

Seeing a figure skipping down the stairs behind the man, the shocked and speechless teenagers snapped out of it and pointed behind him in unison.

“God, Godfather, why are you here so early?” The moment his eyes met the man’s, Na Ran’s small face flushed bright red. He rushed into the studio in a panic and slammed the door shut.

“Ranran?” There was a knock on the door.

“I, I haven’t finished the birthday present I’m giving you yet!”

“It is your birthday today as well. I simply thought I would come to pick you up early.”

“Then, wait for me; I’ll clean up!” Turning around and seeing his classmates behind him, Na Ran’s face flushed even deeper. He rushed to the easel and turned the unfinished painting to face the wall. “How could you guys peek at my unfinished work! I even hid it in the corner and covered it with a cloth!”

“Sorry about that! So the person you’ve been secretly painting all this time is actually your godfather? We thought it was some demon or immortal you imagined!”

“Yeah, your godfather is way too handsome, and so young ah…”

Hearing the chatter around him, Na Ran felt as though his burning hidden love had been laid bare before his peers along with the painting. His toes curled in embarrassment. Like a cat whose tail was on fire, he rolled the painting into a tube, walked to the door, took a deep breath, and turned the handle.

The man he had missed all morning smiled at him and reached out before taking his hand. His godfather’s fingers were much longer than his own, capable of completely enveloping his hand within his palm. They were icy cold, yet they did nothing to stop Na Ran’s body temperature from rising like a small lump of charcoal burning in the snow. As soon as they sat in the car, he burrowed into the man’s embrace entirely before wrapping his arms around his waist and nuzzling his head into the crook of his neck. “I don’t want to go to school anymore, Godfather.”

“And why is that?” Tunshe Nalin stiffened for a few seconds before raising his hand to stroke the hair of the person in his arms, his voice turning slightly hoarse.

“I miss you.” The youth looked up, pecking him on the chin, and took off the man’s sunglasses. His amber eyes were bright and vivid. “The moment I can’t see you, my heart feels frantic. Even a short nap brings nightmares. Just one morning apart already feels like three thousand; no, ten; no, a hundred autumns of separation.”

Unable to endure any longer, Tunshe Nalin lowered his head and silenced his young sweetheart’s fire-starting mouth. A single morning apart felt like many autumns filled with dreams of the past events that had once separated them by life and death. How could it be any different for him? If it weren’t for Na Ran’s own good, and not wanting to waste his prime years, he would never have had the heart to send him out to school. Keeping him confined at home and held in his arms every day was what actually suited his desires best.

A faint heat began to kindle in his lower abdomen. Thinking of what had been planned for the night, Tunshe Nalin forced himself to restrain it, breaking the kiss only after a lingering brush as he withdrew. “Alright, didn’t you say you wanted to watch a… movie with me? I bought tickets for tonight.”

“Is this my birthday present?” Na Ran’s eyes lit up.

‘Movies’ were a novel thing brought in from abroad, only recently becoming popular. He hadn’t seen one yet; though he wanted to go, he hadn’t planned on mentioning it to his godfather, he knew his godfather was someone who preferred quiet and disliked crowded places. He never expected his godfather would take the initiative…

Could this be… a date?

Na Ran’s heart felt sweet as honey. He tightened his arms around the man’s neck, unable to resist acting spoiled again. “Godfather, you’re so good to me. But what should I do? The birthday present I’m giving you isn’t finished yet…”

A soft kiss fell upon his forehead as the man chuckled lowly. “It doesn’t matter. Finished or not, you painted it yourself, there could be no better gift in the world.”

His heart trembled as a numbing sensation spreading until he felt like he was melting into water. His chest felt so full that his love was practically overflowing, desperate to be drawn in and accepted. Unable to contain himself, he leaned into the man’s ear. “There’s another gift, do you want to accept it? I’ve grown up; I’m not a child anymore. Nalin… do you actually, l-like me?”

Despite having no heartbeat, Tunshe Nalin heard a roar like an earthquake echoing in his chest. This was the first time Na Ran had called him by his name in eighteen years. The title of “Godfather” was a boundary he had set for himself, a constant reminder to play the role of a guardian rather than a lover until Na Ran was grown. Restraint had become a habit; over the years, he had almost forgotten how to cross that line and return to being a lover—because his love was so deep, he felt a strange cowardice, hesitating as if approaching his long-lost home. In the end, when it was time to step past the boundary, it was his Ranran who had resolutely taken every first step to come toward him.

He shouldn’t let it continue like this, leaving his Ranran to wait until he felt anxious and doubtful.

“I do.” For the first time in eighteen years, he solemnly and honestly bared his heart to the sweetheart he had raised. “I love you, Ranran. I’ve loved you from a long, long time ago. I have been waiting for you to grow up.”

The amber eyes close at hand blinked once as a brief trace of confusion passing through them before it was drowned out by a fervent, unguarded yearning. “I knew you were keeping some secret from me, it’s related to those dreams, isn’t it? It’s okay, you can tell me slowly in the future; I’ll listen to them as bedtime stories. But I won’t listen tonight. I want my… coming-of-age ceremony.”

T/N: The new extras have finally dropped y’all! It has been dropped several days already but I just checked. Not sure if there’s more (hopefully there is) since there wasn’t any note or anything afterward. I’ll update more if there is, hope you guys enjoy it~