It's Actually Not Easy Wanting to be a Supporting Male Lead

So this chapter has a bit of NSFW...entwined with plot. When it gets to that point, there will be a drop down thing you can press to read the NSFW version. Or, you can continue past it to read the SFW version. You only need to read one. They’re basically the same but with a bit extra details regarding dirty adult things in the NSFW version haha.

Translated by Eve

Edited by Cat (only because I didn’t revoke access smh I feel like a bad adult now for letting a minor read this)

It was in this way that Sui Yuan was brought back to Max’s home. Of course, the helpless Ya, who blamed himself because he had done a bad deed, and who also ended up receiving Max’s cold treatment, was also brought back.

Although he had been here earlier, Sui Yuan had not yet taken a careful look at his surroundings at all. All of his attention had been placed on Max, whose attitude and behaviour were always on the brink of turning violent. Now though, Dima, who was a pest in Max’s eyes was no longer here. Max’s whole person seemed to completely relax. Even the cold air that had been emitting from his body seemed to disperse a bit.

Max’s residence was really clean, clean to the point that it seemed a bit empty. Aside from the necessary furniture and the recently added mermen furniture, there was practically no decorative things at all. It made obvious its owner’s chilly and sharp temperament.

From the time that they had left the hospital, Ya had been unusually silent. He didn’t act as he did before, acting fussy and discontent. He let whatever happen, happen. Max simply fulfilled his wish of being left alone, and threw him to one side, not paying him any sort of attention.

Despite Max’s desire to try out the previously learnt "108 Ways To Care For Your Merman" on Sui Yuan, however he was hindered by the outsider’s (?) presence. He couldn’t go too far. He thus had to let Sui Yuan learn how to take care of himself like Ya did, only occasionally taking the opportunity to give him a hand.

It was already very late by the time they finished eating dinner. Too much had happened today, making the two mermen feel quite tired. They began to yawn incessantly. Max handed over the chore of cleaning up the dinner table to the household robot. He then personally brought the two mermen to the washroom, he planned to clean them up properly, before putting them to bed.

The bath in Max’s house was really big. Even after stuffing two mermen inside, it didn’t look crowded in the least. There was even room for them to move about freely. After filling his belly, Ya had become slightly more awake. Upon being enveloped by the warm water, his whole body took on a slight rosy colour. However, upon seeing his own reflection in the mirror, he showed a loathing and distressed expression.

"What’s up?" As an obedient and considerate merman, Sui Yuan asked in a timely manner, tilting his head as he looked at Ya.

"It’s nothing."

Ya flicked his tail, a bit jittery. After flipping his body so that his back was to the mirror, he leaned against the bath’s edge, feeling a bit ill at ease as he shook his head. Soon after, he looked at Sui Yuan and spoke in an apologetic voice, "Today......Sorry."

Sui Yuan blinked his eyes, his expression unreadable.

"Because of me, your...... mate......" Ya said the words "mate" very quietly. After all, he was still unable to accept the relationship between mankind and mermen, "He was injured. You also had no choice but to leave his side, causing you to be heartbroken."

It had to be said that when they had been parting, Sui Yuan’s crying act had been deeply moving. It was so moving that it made Ya, who originally felt very remorseful towards Sui Yuan, feel guilt-ridden to death. He felt that he was the heinous wooden club used to beat up this pair of mandarin ducks

After hearing what Ya had to say, Sui Yuan felt that no matter what he himself said, it wouldn’t be quite appropriate. Therefore, he gave up on using words, and instead, reddened his eyes and conjured up a bout of emotions, looking as if he had suddenly been faced with a heartbreaking matter.

When he saw that Sui Yuan looked as if he wanted to cry, Ya was given a great fright. He knew that Sui Yuan was a crybaby, however he had never expected that the other was this weak. Ya, who didn’t know what he ought to say to stop him from crying, was at a loss for a long time. Afterwards, he stiffly brought the sobbing and sniffling Sui Yuan into his arms, patting him on the back: "I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I won’t say anything more. You......Stop crying, ah......"

Sui Yuan cried ’ying ying ying’ while leaning in Ya’s embrace. On the outside, he was portraying the face of a tear-stained beauty. Inside, he was silently cursing — he really didn’t want to cry. Just who was it that made this Lan character always cry! He had more crying scenes than he did lines!

During this crucial moment, the bathroom door was pushed open. Max, who had changed out of his military uniform, and into casual clothes, walked in. He glanced at the two mermen nestled together in the bath.

Immediately, the originally hot-as-a-sauna bathroom became cold, as if they had been thrusted into the dead of winter.

"What’s going on?"

Max’s tone was gloomy and chilly, carrying a heavy interrogative quality. Sui Yuan was frightened, and reflexively recalled back his tears. He left Ya’s arms. At the same time, Ya also let go of his hands, face full of guilt for having made Sui Yuan cry, "I......I said something wrong, and I made him cry......I didn’t do it on purpose!"

Max glared at Ya darkly, and walked towards the side of the pool and beckoned towards Sui Yuan, who had withdrawn into a corner who-knows-when. He softened his expression a bit, "Come here."

Sui Yuan hesitated for a moment, and glanced at Ya, warning Max with his eyes that there was another person present, so he couldn’t act too excessively. He then swam over, a bit unwilling.

Max brought him close to his chest, patting him on the head. Then he looked at Ya, voice apathetic, "Lan is a guest. Dima is still at the hospital. You have to look after him properly, and give in to him."

Ya nodded his head. Because of Sui Yuan’s character, Ya absolutely would not dare to bully him! As soon as he were to cry, anyone would immediately feel soft-hearted!

After he received Ya’s guarantee, Max looked like he was a bit satisfied. Then, he stood up, and began to undress.

Sui Yuan was leaning against the bath-side, and his reaction was half a beat too slow. Ya’s face, however, changed quickly. Suddenly his eyes widened in alarm, "What do you want to do?"

—–If this was Ya’s original world, he would never have such a big reaction with regards to someone of the "same sex" undressing, as he had previously lived in a dormitory and spent time in public baths. It was just that after transmigrating to this world and finding out its ways, he inevitably began to feel a bit nervous.

Max swept a cold glance at him, as if sneering at him for thinking that Max was interested in him like that, "Dima just called. He said that Lan needed a bath today. Dima isn’t able to do it, so he told me to help wash Lan on his behalf."

Ya sighed in relief, however he continued to be unable to look at Max, who had just undressed. He coughed a bit awkwardly, and grabbed onto the edge of the bath to pull his body up: "Then......I, I’ve already washed up. How about I leave first?

"Alright." action

Max nodded his head apathetically, the corner of his mouth raising slightly because of the other’s tact. He had just reach out to fish Sui Yuan up, but was stopped by Sui Yuan who had suddenly reacted.

Tightly holding onto Ya, Sui Yuan’s eyes genuinely teared up, "No, I don’t want to! I want to be with Ya....."

—–As if he didn’t know what would happen if he were to be alone with Max in a bath! It was only right to keep Ya by his side at this time!

Max’s expression darkened. When he had just received Dima’s call, his mood wasn’t good. It was only when he realized that the other man had yet to have time to personally wash Sui Yuan that he finally eased up slightly. In the end, however, Sui Yuan and Ya’s intimate appearance only added fuel to the fire.

Ya naturally felt Max’s oppressive aura. He looked at Max, feeling that the pressure was simply too great, and also looked at Sui Yuan. He was in a dilemma. Fortunately, Sui Yuan was stubborn, and Max was unwilling to push him too hard. Thus Max conceded to him in the end.

As there was still an outsider present, Max did not take off his pants, and directly stepped into the bath. Who knew what those pants were made of though, as it was unexpectedly not affected by the water, causing Sui Yuan to be rather curious.

Max let Sui Yuan examine his pant’s material. With one hand, he squeezed out the custom-made merman shampoo and rubbed it onto Sui Yuan’s head. With the other hand, he grabbed Sui Yuan’s hand and placed it directly onto his own crotch.

Upon feeling that place that was beginning to swell up, Sui Yuan immediately stiffened. He abruptly tried to withdraw his hand, but the other only smiled softly, and easily pulled Sui Yuan into his arms. Sui Yuan ended up tightly pressed against Max’s bare chest.

Since the bath’s water appeared white, and also because of the steam, as well as the fact that Ya did not dare to look directly at the two people out of politeness, Ya didn’t realize anything unusual was happening between the two people. He simply laid idly at the edge of the bath, tail tapping the water in the rhythm of an old folk song.

It should be said that this was the first time that he had ever seen Max take care of a merman with so much patience. Ya felt that this was quite a experience, and even felt a touch of jealousy.

Of course, this wasn’t to say that he wished that Max would treat him the same way. Rather, what he was jealous of was how Sui Yuan could so peacefully interact with Max. The atmosphere between them was warm and gentle, completely unlike the cold and rigid mood between himself and Max.

After all, Max was the first person Ya had met upon coming to this world. He was in charge of taking care of him. It was possible that they would end up being together for a long time. Ya didn’t want their relationship to be too estranged. Even if they couldn’t be friends, he wanted them to be on slightly friendlier terms at least.

Having thought to here, Ya could not help but recall Dima, who had been hospitalized because of him. With regards to this kind of man who risked his life to protect him, who had a warm and gentle personality, compared to Max, Ya held a more favourable impression of Dima. Thus, because he had caused the other to be injured, he felt an even guiltier conscience.

"......That, Max......" After muttering to himself for a good while, Ya finally opened his mouth, breaking the bathroom’s previous tranquility.

Max narrowed his eyes, enjoying himself as he combed through Sui Yuan’s sleek and glossy long hair. Sui Yuan seemed a bit shy, but he obediently nestled into his arms —Of course, as for what Max’s other hand was secretly doing beneath the cover of the bath’s water and steam, that was to be kept between them.

"What."

Although he didn’t want to bother with Ya, however Max still opened his mouth to speak coldly. He lowered his head to look at Sui Yuan, who was working diligently to keep calm-headed, despite his increasingly blurry eyes. This sight evoked a slight smile from Max.

"......Tomorrow......Are you free tomorrow? Can you take me to the hospital to see Dima?"

Ya asked apprehensively, completely unaware of what shameless, shady business the two people were doing not too far from him. His voice even carried a bit of his nervousness, showing a rare display of prudency. He instinctively felt that, as Max’s merman, to ask this sort of request was inappropriate. However, he still wanted to give it a try, so that he could attempt to make it up to Dima and actually express his regret, "Of course, there’s also Lan."

"Take you? What do you want to do?" Max scoffed, as if disdaining him. However, just as Ya began to feel disappointed, he suddenly changed his tune, "Since it was because of you that he got injured, it is only right for you to go visit him often. As for Lan......"

Pausing, Max rapidly wracked his brain, however, he couldn’t come up with a plausible excuse. He could only reluctantly nod his head, "He can also go with us tomorrow."

Upon obtaining permission, Ya was ecstatic. His favourable impression towards Max instantly rose a lot. He felt that although this person’s appearance was grave and callous, contrary to what one might expect, he was actually quite fair and reasonable.

"Tomo–Tomorrow we’re going to go see Dima.....?"

Realizing that this was a good opportunity to free himself, Sui Yuan, in a blink of an eye, spoke. His voice still held a sensual warm and soft quality to it that had yet to fade.

"I’m done washing. I want to go sleep and wake up early tomorrow......"

Fed up with Max, Sui Yuan’s blue tail rose up, coming out of the water. It ruthlessly swatted the water in revenge, splashing and drenching Max.

To Ya’s amazement, Max did not get angry. He even raised his eyebrow, mood seemingly not resentful in the slightest, as if he was an adult indulging a child’s naughty tantrum.

Afterwards, Sui Yuan cleaned himself in the bath. Max acted as if nothing had happened, and smugly began to wash away the shampoo in Sui Yuan’s hair.

Sui Yuan sighed heavily. He waited until his hair was all clean before immediately heading towards Ya. He grasped onto Ya’s arm, hiding behind the other’s body.

"Tonight......I’m gonna sleep with Ya....." Sui Yuan’s eyes were full of tears, looking extremely pitiful.

Ya could only stare blankly, and reflexively nod his head: "Ok....."

Sui Yuan stuck to Ya’s body. It was only then that he felt safe.

Seeing that Max’s gaze begin to turn dangerous, Sui Yuan pledged in his heart that if tonight — no — it should be that henceforth, if Max dares to act the way he did just now, he would definitely not give him any face. He would certainly loudly shout and wake up Ya!

SFW Ver CH END