91

“…Why…?”

“If you don’t want to hear about your team leader’s love life, can you really just leave me here on the beach?”

His tone was playful, but his gaze was deep. Yu-young, feeling burdened by the subtle look that seemed to pierce him, lowered his eyes. His feet, absentmindedly kicking at the sand, were all he could see.

“I’m not leaving you… I just thought it’s cold, so…”

He tried to make it seem like he was cold by wrapping his arms around himself, but the warmth from his body, covered by Do-won’s jacket, was undeniable.

Still, Yu-young kept quiet and hid his emotions. He couldn’t bring himself to say that he was afraid being with him more would only make his feelings grow stronger, and that he might end up saying things he shouldn’t.

“Then, don’t go ahead, and let’s walk together.”

But Do-won’s voice had a magnetic pull, drawing Yu-young back from his resolve. In the end, their two sets of footsteps came together again.

The time spent walking in sync was peaceful and quiet. Aside from the sound of the waves and the soft crunch of sand beneath their feet, there was no other noise. The only thing that interrupted the silence was the sand, which made Yu-young’s steps slower as it seemed to swallow his feet.

“Why haven’t you looked at me once today?”

Breaking the silence, his words seemed to be both a joke and something more serious. Yu-young, puzzled, looked at Do-won.

“…Huh? What do you mean…?”

“Didn’t Assistant Manager Han say that? He was upset because I didn’t look at him even once while working.”

Yu-young had to pause and rack his memory for a moment to understand what he meant. When he finally realized what Do-won was referring to, he was stunned and stared at him, mouth slightly agape.

It was absurd. When did this team leader turn into such a sly fox?

“When… when did I ever say something like that?! That’s a distortion of what I said!”

Yu-young protested, stumbling over his words. He didn’t even realize that his face, chilled by the cold wind, was slowly warming up again. Despite this, Do-won’s next words came leisurely.

“Didn’t Assistant Manager Han say that? So today, I made sure to look at you carefully, but I didn’t expect you to avoid looking at me like this.”

“…What?”

He looked at him. Do-won had indeed glanced at him several times, which wasn’t just a feeling but a fact. Yu-young, who had been scolding him moments before, found himself suddenly silent. A small, ticklish feeling stirred in his chest, as if something like bubbles were popping inside him.

“Still, it’s nice. Seeing the sea with you, Assistant Manager Han.”

“…Yes. I… I like it too.”

Today, Do-won was truly strange. His calm voice remained the same, but his jokes, which made Yu-young’s face heat up, were becoming more frequent. Why was that? Was it because of the alcohol?

The truth was, hearing these words from Do-won didn’t make Yu-young feel bad. No, in fact, he felt good. It seemed like Do-won was also becoming immersed in the romantic atmosphere of the night, just as much as he was.

The feeling Yu-young had right now was similar to the relief he felt when he realized that the sense of unease and loneliness on the first night they had moved in together wasn’t just his own feelings, but something they both shared. So, today, he wanted to express his feelings a little more honestly.

The person he had wanted to take a picture with under the blue sky right after getting off the boat—was Do-won, the team leader. Although they had lunch separately, he felt a little bit hurt that Do-won hadn’t looked at him even once. But dinner together at the same table was nice. And seeing the sea together, that was a hundred times better.

‘…I shouldn’t say this.’

A small laugh escaped him, but it was a hollow one. If he was that honest, he would surely see the back of Do-won walking away, or worse, watch him distance himself from him without hesitation.

Then, Do-won casually spoke.

“Still don’t want to hear about your team leader’s love life?”

“Yes. Why do you keep bringing it up? I really don’t care about my boss’s love life.”

As Yu-young groaned and shot him a glare, Do-won laughed quietly and added slowly.

“Why do you hate it so much? You’re wrong from the start. You only talk about love life if you’re actually in one.”

When he reaffirmed that he wasn’t seeing anyone, Yu-young found himself oddly relieved. But Do-won never said he didn’t have anyone in mind. With a wary expression, Yu-young shook his head once more, rejecting the words.

“Still, you said you had someone in mind. That… that kind of talk… I don’t want to hear it right now.”

Even as he said it, Yu-young realized how timid he was, far more than he had thought. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and it caught him off guard.

He had always lived confidently, never being dragged around by anyone except at work. Especially when it came to emotions, he had never been shackled by anyone. He could always repay those who looked down on him as an Omega with twice or three times the strength. He had lived with that kind of confidence and never felt afraid of anything.

However, for the first time today, Yu-young felt afraid of facing the situation he was in. He was scared of the growing feelings that were budding inside him, and if he felt that way, how much more afraid must Do-won be? It turned out that growing emotions, which no one had ever asked for, could weaken a person’s heart more than he’d expected.

Hearing Yu-young’s firm answer, Do-won slowly nodded. After a brief silence, he parted his lips again.

“Alright. I understand that it might feel sudden for Assistant Manager Han, so I won’t say anything that would make you feel burdened anymore.”

“…Yes.”

Yu-young didn’t fully understand his words right away. But for some reason, he felt a dull ache deep in his chest.

It was true that Do-won had someone in his heart. From the words, “It might feel sudden,” Yu-young guessed that Do-won was holding back, perhaps out of consideration for their contractual marriage.

“Then…”

However, Do-won, stopping in his tracks, turned his gaze entirely toward Yu-young. His eyes were as still as the dark night sky.

“Is it that you don’t want your team leader to kiss you?”

A jolt surged through Yu-young’s heart. He heard the sound of his own heartbeat echoing deep within him. The waves, which had been gently murmuring in his ears, had suddenly quieted.

It was only natural to reject him. That’s what he had resolved earlier. But when Yu-young raised his trembling eyes to look at Do-won, the words he wanted to say—“No, don’t do this”—were nowhere to be found.

“…No… I’d like it.”

Despite himself, the words that escaped his lips were the complete opposite of what he had intended. They were the most genuine, most honest feelings that had been buried deep within him.

At that moment, his body felt weightless. Without realizing it, his hands desperately clung to Do-won’s neck.

“Ah!”

“Relax.”

Unexpectedly, Do-won lifted him into his arms. The feet that had been sinking slowly into the sand were now floating in the air. Only Do-won’s steady steps carried them toward the wooded area near the beach.

The towering, dark trees stood in rows, swaying gently in the sea breeze. This place, far from the resort and hidden from view even on the path to the beach, was completely isolated from the outside world.

The moonlight, too, was blocked by the dense branches, casting the area in complete darkness, unlike the area they had just walked through. In this secluded place, hidden from any prying eyes, Yu-young’s heart raced uncontrollably. He felt a sense of security in Do-won’s careful move, but at the same time, his emotions were stirred even more.

“U-uh… Team leader… You can put me down now…”

Although Yu-young was thin, he worried that it might be difficult for Do-won, so he tried to pull away. He waited for his feet to touch the ground, but instead, his body remained suspended in Do-won’s arms. Instead, he felt the soft touch of Do-won’s lips on his own.

“I don’t have the luxury of putting you down.”

His voice was deeper than usual. The warmth of his voice seemed to melt Yu-young’s ears, sending a sharp pang through his lower abdomen.

“…Ah… Ugh.”

Yu-young’s mouth opened to the sensation of Do-won’s tongue, and it felt like the thing he had been longing for. Perhaps he was more than just happy that Do-won had said those words to him.

All the emotions Yu-young had held inside him all day had been overwhelming, and there had been so many different kinds of them. He had felt suffocated because there was no one he could share them with.

But now, as he was close to Do-won, even though he couldn’t express all of those feelings in words, he felt like he was sharing them with him. Even if it was a one-sided feeling, it still felt like a connection. The warmth of his body that made him forget the cold, the scent that rose from the clothes he wrapped around him, and the sweet kisses that blended together all made it feel that way.

“Ah… Ugh… Team… Team leader…”

His desperate voice kept getting cut off by Do-won, who was relentlessly drawing closer. As Yu-young, tense and stiff, tried to call out to him, he gradually relaxed the grip he had on Do-won’s neck. Yet, his body remained firmly in Do-won’s embrace. The heat radiating from Do-won’s hand, which was supporting his weight without any movement, was burning hot.

Between their heavy breaths, the sea breeze passed by. Do-won’s scent, which wrapped around him pleasantly, and the waves crashing softly against his ears, created a mix of sensations that filled him completely. The moonlight filtered through the gaps in the dark night, and between their lips, a transparent thread was formed again and again, breaking apart and reconnecting.