DP Side Story 2, Episode 15

Deep Pivot Side Story 2, Episode 15

Surprisingly, when Seo-joon threw out the words jokingly, Yeon-woo actually responded with, “Yes.” Then he brought his round eyes close to the screen and immediately made a bold demand.

• Show me your dick.

As expected, it came in that hushed whisper version again. Seo-joon had to stifle his laughter until his eyes welled up. Who just suddenly blurts out a request like that? He had never actually tried phone sex before, but he knew this wasn’t how it usually started.

Maybe Yeon-woo thought he was indoors since he was under the roof of a roadside rest area. Suppressing his grin, Seo-joon replied calmly.

“If you want to see mine, you need to show yours first. Fair’s fair.”

At that, Yeon-woo’s expression turned serious in an instant.

• I’m in a hospital, though. How could I do something like that here?

Seo-joon couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving laugh.

“So you just want me to show mine?”

• …Isn’t that how it works?

“That’s not phone sex if only one person is showing. That’s just a solo show.”

• Then do that, please.

Seo-joon had never in his life met someone so shameless. Still smiling, he looked at his lovely partner on the screen.

“You’re pretending to indulge my fantasy, but you’re only after your own gain, huh?”

• It’s not really a gain for me.

“What was that?”

• I prefer seeing it in person more than through a phone.

“A solo show, you mean?”

The endless back-and-forth came to an abrupt halt. Yeon-woo blinked those round eyes, then leaned his pretty face back toward the screen. A ticklish little word fluttered softly through the speaker.

• Yes.

It was just a simple reply, but somehow he always managed to whisper it in a way that made Seo-joon’s chest tighten. He let out a soft chuckle. Just then, a car pulled up in front of him — the rental car Cheong-oh had gone to get.

“I have to get on a plane, so I’m hanging up now.”

• Already?

“If I want to put on a solo show for you, I have to get there as fast as I can, don’t I?”

• Hurry up, Lieutenant!

The urgency in Yeon-woo’s cute voice made Seo-joon laugh. He said it with such conviction that it came out sounding more like, “Hurry up, Chungee-nim!” Ending the call, Seo-joon smiled to himself and brushed off his unspoken thoughts with that grin.

This is why, even if you were on the other side of the world, I’d still want to marry you, Cha Yeon-woo.

He felt like his lifespan had just extended by fifty years, all because his lover was too cute.

---

Jeong-woo’s examination was completed. Based on his medical records, the hospital’s overall assessment was positive. However, they advised that he would need to recover his weakened physical strength from years of being bedridden in order to endure the surgery.

Dr. Yoon predicted that the surgery would likely take place early next year, considering the time required to manufacture the module device, Jeong-woo’s recovery period, and the availability of the operating medical team.

And so, at last, the Cha brothers began their perfect vacation at a deluxe resort within Disney World, near Orlando. Thanks to their naturally sociable personalities, Eric and Rachel, who now blended in almost like honorary SAU team members, spent time with them comfortably. Especially fond of both Seo-joon and Yeon-woo, Eric generously covered all lodging expenses with his overflowing wealth.

On the first day in the land of dreams and fantasy, the Cha brothers stood side by side wearing Mickey Mouse ear headbands and tried to convince Seo-joon—who wore a deeply unimpressed expression—to wear one too.

“Lieutenant, please… just once, okay? Just once. It’s Yeon-woo’s wish.”

Yeon-woo, holding a Minnie Mouse headband with a red polka-dot bow, pleaded with glistening eyes. Seo-joon, who had an extremely high mental wall against animal ear headbands, firmly declined.

“Yeon-woo… I’m just not the type of person who looks good in this kind of thing.”

“But now that you’re in this world, Lieutenant, you can’t escape it.”

“Everyone’s wearing one except you, Hyung. It’s weird.”

As if rehearsed, Yeon-woo and Jeong-woo tilted their heads and said, “So weird, right?” Looking around, it wasn’t an exaggeration—at least eight out of ten people, regardless of age or gender, wore some kind of quirky ear accessory.

“…”

Unable to resist the two adorable baby mice following him around with twitching ears, Seo-joon finally caved in to their request.

“…Just don’t take any pictures.”

Wearing the red polka-dot Minnie ears—an affront to his thirty-year-old dignity—Seo-joon murmured quietly to Yeon-woo. But it was already too late. Jeong-woo had started snapping pictures the moment he put it on.

Still, Seo-joon soon forgot his embarrassment, thanks to the sight of the Cha brothers bouncing around with their perky ears. Their cuteness reawakened the dormant photographer spirit inside him.

Of course, that photographer lacked any real talent and had a habit of taking continuous shots of every single motion his subjects made—but he was happy with the results all the same.

And Yeon-woo finally fulfilled a long-held dream by slyly switching out the ears and placing black cat ears on Seo-joon’s head once his defenses were lowered. It may have clashed with the image of the respectable adult he aimed to be, but it suited him surprisingly well.

Meanwhile, the team members busied themselves with odd face painting designs or efficiently coordinated routes to experience every possible attraction. Yeong-gyo and Cheong-oh had even booked a wedding portrait session, creating a wild themed photo shoot. On the last day, everyone spent time at a water park before returning to the resort for a lively night.

“Song-hee, there are a bunch of mug designs. What color do you like?”

While on the phone with Song-hee and browsing through a Disney souvenir shop, Seo-joon suddenly sensed something off. He turned his head and met eyes with Yeon-woo, who was secretly filming him from behind a display shelf.

“…Hold on. I’ll call you back.”

Only then did Seo-joon realize he was still wearing the cat ears. Ending the call, he yanked the headband off.

“Ah, Lieutenant, nooo.”

After wearing them for five days because of Yeon-woo’s persistence, they were starting to feel like a natural part of him.

“Didn’t we agree—no photos, Yeon-woo?”

“Just one. Please, just one.”

Humiliating. Absolutely humiliating. Seo-joon recalled the painful memory of the past few days. That wicked Yeon-woo had already taken dozens of photos under the pretense of “just one more” while flashing all sorts of cute expressions.

“These things only suit someone like you, Yeon-woo. They just look silly on me.”

“That’s not true! You look amazing, Lieutenant. Like, the best in the world.”

Yeon-woo began snapping more photos, tossing out strange phrases like “King of Cats,” “Trendsetter of Feline Fashion,” and “The world’s most dignified kitty.”

In the end, Seo-joon, unable to refuse his charming lover, once again put on the ridiculous cat ears. To a man like him, who had a firm sense of personal style, it was a completely unacceptable accessory.

After leaving Disney World, the SAU team returned to the resort in Palm Beach. Under the shade of a beachside parasol, Seo-joon lounged back in his chair and observed Cha Yeon-woo through his sunglasses.

On the first day in Palm Beach, he had learned to surf from both Chae-won and Seo-joon. Although he had struggled with even basic paddling at first, now his form was starting to look respectable. With its calm waves, Palm Beach was a great place for beginners to practice longboarding.

Lying flat on the board, Yeon-woo cut through the water with smooth strokes. Today, the wind was strong enough to bring just the right kind of waves. As he paddled with practiced rhythm and reached the crest of a wave, he attempted a take-off.

Seo-joon smiled proudly as Yeon-woo’s well-toned body balanced cleanly on the board. It was his first successful take-off. Chae-won, watching nearby, cheered and gave him a big thumbs up.

Maybe I should go surfing too. As that thought crossed his mind, Seo-joon glanced around. Min-geon, sitting next to him, suddenly spoke up.

“Man, America’s so big. It’s awesome.”

Do-young agreed.

“Right? Korea’s tiny and I still haven’t been to half the places. Americans must have so many places to go. You could live your whole life here and still not see it all.”

「You wouldn’t even mind being banned from international travel with land like this.」

Min-geon, who had said the last line in English, grinned at Eric. Eric laughed and joked that it wasn’t quite like that.

「But seriously, where do the Gates even open here? I haven’t seen a single emergency alert.」

「Maybe they’ve calmed down since you guys showed up.」

Eric gave a polite smile and tossed out a diplomatic answer. But the truth was simpler: the country was just too big. In Korea, a Gate opening would trigger an alert across the entire nation. In the U.S., if it wasn’t in your state, you probably wouldn’t even hear about it—and most people wouldn’t care either.

Not that Min-geon didn’t know that. He asked out of pure envy.