DP Episode 82

Deep Pivot Episode 82

Seo-joon kept his eyes on the road while occasionally glancing at Yeon-woo beside him.

On Yeon-woo’s lap was the triple-sized ice cream they’d just bought. After promising ice cream, Seo-joon couldn’t take him back empty-handed.

…Feeling slightly better about himself with that ice cream, Seo-joon was now driving Yeon-woo back to his own mansion.

He noticed Yeon-woo’s side profile as he gazed out the window, and then checked the navigation system. Yeon-woo would have realized by now that they’d passed the road to his own place a while ago.

“…You don’t seem to like alcohol. You were good at refusing today,” Seo-joon asked, breaking the silence due to his own guilty conscience. Yeon-woo turned toward him.

“Oh… I just don’t know my limits yet. And…”

The hand that had been playing with the edge of the paper ice cream bag hesitated.

“…If I drank too much today, I would have regretted it.”

The car recognition system lifted the barrier as Seo-joon’s car approached the mansion’s entrance. In the underground parking lot, Yeon-woo remained silent for a moment before speaking again.

“I’ve been thinking about it since earlier, and I still feel like I’m dreaming. That you said you liked me… It feels unbelievable, almost impossible.”

“Why do you think it’s impossible?”

Seo-joon listened carefully before smiling faintly and turning the steering wheel. The car smoothly parked in an empty spot, and Seo-joon shifted gears and turned off the engine. Reaching out, he gently brushed the bridge of Yeon-woo’s nose.

“How could I not like you when you’re this lovely?”

And it wasn’t just his looks; Cha Yeon-woo had plenty of qualities to be loved for.

He shone so brightly that Seo-joon felt he shouldn’t monopolize him.

“Though I admit, I was a bit surprised when you thought of it in such a… forward way.”

“In what… forward way?”

Yeon-woo’s eyes wavered. Seo-joon laughed awkwardly and held his hand.

“To be honest, I never thought we’d actually date properly.”

Yeon-woo tilted his head slightly with a naive expression that said he didn’t understand.

“But… you said we should live together, right?”

“…”

“So you don’t want to date but do want to live together?”

The longer the conversation continued, the more Seo-joon felt like he was becoming the bad guy.

So now I’m the crazy guy who suggested living together without intending to date him? And with someone nine years younger, no less…

Yeon-woo lowered his eyes, and Seo-joon nervously watched his reaction.

“Are you angry, Yeon-woo?”

“No, I’m not angry.”

“…Then why are you pulling out your phone?”

“I’m going to delete the D-Day.”

‘That D-Day again.’

Seo-joon grabbed his hand.

“Wait, don’t delete it just yet.”

Yeon-woo looked up at Seo-joon. Cha Yeon-woo had the most gentle and tender gaze Seo-joon had ever seen.

Looking into those kind eyes, Seo-joon chose his words carefully. But the countless thoughts circling in his mind no longer mattered.

Cha Yeon-woo’s feelings were no longer one-sided. We clearly desire each other, yearning to cherish one another and reach out to touch more.

The world calls that love.

It was just unfamiliar because Seo-joon had always thought of it as something that had nothing to do with him.

“…It’s just a bit strange for me.”

‘You’re too much for me. I don’t know if I’m worthy of you. Because I… I…’

“I’m sorry if I’m clumsy.”

Yeon-woo’s innocent eyes focused intently on each word coming from Seo-joon’s mouth.

“But my feelings for you are sincere.”

Seo-joon, feeling guilty, unconsciously looked down and grasped Yeon-woo’s hand more firmly.

“If you show me what kind of relationship you’re thinking of… I’ll try my best to follow along.”

Seo-joon finished speaking and cautiously looked at Yeon-woo. His face contorted slightly before he turned his head to the side. Even in the dim light of the car, Seo-joon could clearly see Yeon-woo’s ears burning red.

“Yeon-woo.”

“…Yes?”

“I know you’re holding back your laughter. Look at me.”

At that, Yeon-woo covered his face with both hands, trying to suppress a burst of laughter. Seo-joon’s hand, still holding Yeon-woo’s, was pulled closer. The face pressed against his palm felt almost feverish.

“What should I do… I’m so happy right now that I could die, Lieutenant.”

Muffled words could be heard through his hands.

“You were crying earlier, and now you can’t stop laughing?”

“Yes… I think I’m drunk.”

‘Now he’s saying he’s drunk from drinking water.’

Yeon-woo suddenly removed his hands from his face and looked at Seo-joon with tearful eyes, pulling out his phone.

“Could you say it just once more? I want to record it and listen to it every day.”

This was becoming ridiculous. His eyes were glistening with tears, but he had a smile of pure happiness on his face. Seo-joon couldn’t help but laugh with him.

‘Recording, really?*’

“Stop with the nonsense and let’s get out. We need to get up before the ice cream melts.”

After stepping out of the car and taking a few steps toward the elevator, Seo-joon suddenly felt Yeon-woo’s large frame embrace him from behind. He felt warmth on his cheek and neck.

“…We’re really dating, right?”

Soft, sweet words were whispered into Seo-joon’s ear. He chuckled and raised his hand to gently stroke Yeon-woo’s hair.

“Can I fully like you now, Lieutenant?”

“How much more could you possibly like me?”

Ignoring Seo-joon’s joke, Yeon-woo buried his face into his shoulder. He tightened his arms around Seo-joon, and the steady beat of his heart was felt through his back.

‘I really like you, Lieutenant. I like you so much. My feelings must be much bigger than yours. I like you more than anything… I’ll say it every day now. I like you, Lieutenant…’

“I’m really, really happy. I’m so overjoyed, I feel like I could fly.”

His feelings washed over him, seeping in and coloring his entire being.

“…Me too.”

Seo-joon replied while caressing Yeon-woo’s cheek. From the moment their relationship changed, the worries and fears that had plagued him seemed temporarily lifted by Yeon-woo’s innocent joy.

Seo-joon quietly calmed his own fluttering heart. At least one of them needed to keep their feet on the ground.

✽✽✽

“Do you have school tomorrow since it’s the weekend?”

“No.”

Yeon-woo replied as he set the ice cream on the table. Seo-joon sat beside him and unwrapped a disposable spoon.

“Then you can stay with me.”

“…”

Seo-joon couldn’t help but laugh at Yeon-woo’s upturned lips.

“Does everything I say make you laugh now?”

“I find it funny just watching you breathe. I can’t help but smile.”

Seeing Yeon-woo’s silly grin made Seo-joon laugh too. He handed Yeon-woo a spoon.

“I’m not letting you go home this weekend. Stay here and think about whether living together is really okay.”

Yeon-woo silently laughed and poked at the ice cream, unbothered by his own smile. He spoke as he stabbed at it with the spoon.

“But I feel like we’re skipping a lot.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re only on day one, and we’re already talking about living together.”

Seo-joon scooped some ice cream and held it up to Yeon-woo’s mouth.

“If you like each other enough, that’s bound to happen.”

Yeon-woo opened his mouth and took the spoonful like a baby bird, not even caring about the flavor. Seo-joon wiped away a smudge of ice cream from the corner of Yeon-woo’s mouth with his thumb.

“What do you think the proper order for dating is?”

“Well, confess, date, hold hands, kiss.”

“But we’ve already held hands, hugged, and kissed.”

“The…”

The word hung in the air, unfinished. Seo-joon chuckled as Yeon-woo brushed his now-blushing eyes. If Yeon-woo blushed so easily, Seo-joon would never stop teasing him.

“That’s… that’s different. We’re a couple now.”

His pouty lips sealed shut. Yeon-woo intertwined his fingers with Seo-joon’s, waiting a moment before continuing.

“Touching your partner is very different from guiding.”

Yeon-woo’s warm cheek pressed against Seo-joon’s palm, and soft lips kissed the boundary between wrist and hand. The gentle sound of kisses on Seo-joon’s palm filled the air.

Even when he does this, it doesn’t feel manipulative, Seo-joon thought, looking into Yeon-woo’s innocent eyes.

No matter what Yeon-woo did, he still seemed endlessly pure.

“In what way is it different?”

Seo-joon softly touched Yeon-woo’s earlobe. As he gently stroked the small piece of flesh with his thumb, Yeon-woo’s eyes fluttered shut, as if connected directly to his nerves.

“Can you tell the difference, Yeon-woo?”

Seo-joon pressed a light kiss on his eyelids. Yeon-woo’s trembling eyelashes tickled his lips.

“How is it different when you touch someone you love?”

He gently traced the bridge of Yeon-woo’s nose and kissed his lips with the faint chill of the ice cream still lingering.

Slowly opening his eyes, Yeon-woo spoke softly.

“It’s different now.”

“I know how you feel, Lieutenant.”

Their noses brushed, and they shared breaths. Yeon-woo’s lips hovered over Seo-joon’s, lightly grazing them.

“I know how much you want me.”

The soft whisper was followed by warm lips pressing down on Seo-joon’s. He accepted them willingly, and love poured forth in the meeting of their lips and tongues.

‘First kiss.’

He had kissed those lips countless times, but the thought still crossed his mind.

Seo-joon must have experienced his first kiss somewhere in his life. But in his memory, the only kisses he’d had were during esper evaluations, with people whose faces and names he couldn’t even recall.

‘Maybe this is my first real kiss.’

Yeon-woo was right. This kiss was different from the others. A kiss shared out of love and without any other purpose.

Seo-joon’s heartbeat quickened. A flame he hadn’t known existed ignited in his chest. He wasn’t confused for once. This was different from the bond formed during guiding.

Kissing someone you desire feels like the world is turning upside down.

He finally understood why Yeon-woo’s breath had always been so unsteady during their kisses.

‘Your heart pounds so hard it reverberates in your ears, making your head spin and your breath falter.’

Now he understood.

Yeon-woo wrapped his hands around Seo-joon’s cheeks, pulling him back into a deeper kiss. Seo-joon held onto his neck as he leaned back, gasping for breath.

Yeon-woo lifted Seo-joon onto the table in one swift movement. The stool they were sitting on spun around, now abandoned.

Yeon-woo’s body slipped naturally between Seo-joon’s legs, and Seo-joon wrapped them around his waist. Their tongues intertwined as Yeon-woo softly invaded his mouth.

The first kiss tasted like cold strawberry ice cream.