EDEN — Chapter 5 (Part 3)

After their tearful reunion, the High Priest listened to the situation and trembled with rage. His sharp gaze turned toward the still-unconscious Hubert.

“You’re done with him?”

“Yes. For now.”

“Then I’ll take that bastard.”

“…And do what?”

“He turned my Jacky into this. I’ll make him worse than a dog!”

Jacky no longer cared about Hubert now that he had found his owner, but the High Priest’s fury was only beginning. I-eon understood the sentiment, but he wasn’t eager to hand Hubert over.

“Our High Priest asked me to check on this guy’s situation.”

“Artenore did?”

“…Yes.”

Hearing the Tiog High Priest’s name come casually from the demon High Priest’s mouth was startlingly familiar.

“Tell Artenore I took him. He’ll accept that.”

Apparently, they were close. If that was true, then maybe the Tiog High Priest heard about I-eon and Raham’s marriage not through rumor but directly from this guy…

A very reasonable suspicion made I-eon narrow his eyes, but before he could ask, the High Priest scooped up Jacky and Hubert and vanished in a hurry, consumed by vengeance. I-eon let out a helpless sigh and turned to Raham.

“So that’s how this ends… Well, we completed the quest, so whatever.”

“Should we go back to the Holy Temple now?”

“Right. You’re coming too?”

“Yeah.”

His expression said, obviously. But I-eon had no intention of watching another massacre party outside the temple gates.

“You’re going to cause another scene? Just wait at your house or somewhere else.”

“No. What if you get attacked when I’m not there?”

Raham insisted firmly.

“You have to stay with me from now on, I-eon.”

“…….”

The way he declared it, looking strangely satisfied, made I-eon suspicious. Almost like Raham had engineered the situation to turn out this way. From experience, I-eon knew Raham wouldn’t bend once he decided something, so instead of arguing, he issued a stern warning.

“Then behave. Don’t cause trouble. If you make a mess again, just try me.”

“Okay.”

He really did answer well.

Since they had already been exposed to the Justice Guild once at the temple, this time Raham followed I-eon inside. I-eon considered putting a mask on him, but since character names showed automatically inside temples, it would’ve been pointless.

I-eon stopped Raham at a reasonable distance before the temple knights guarding the reception room had a chance to point their swords at him.

“Don’t buy any favor potions.”

“Why?”

…He only said it just in case, but it seemed Raham really had been planning to buy them.

“I’ll handle it myself.”

While the knights kept a wary eye on the demon, they still treated I-eon with proper courtesy and opened the reception room door for him. Since a message had been sent from the demon realm in advance, the High Priest was already waiting, and his expression wasn’t pleasant.

“You came with that demon again…”

“These days.”

Before any notification about falling favor could pop up, I-eon cut him off. He planned to settle this once and for all.

“Priest Lekster is really popular, I hear.”

The High Priest’s shoulders stiffened. I-eon observed every reaction carefully and continued, fully composed.

“They say he warmly supports adventurers no matter what they do.”

“…….”

“I’ve only been getting scolded lately, so I’ve been thinking of switching over there.”

Throwing out the bait, he leaned back on the sofa with his arms crossed. One of the few hobbies priests had was bragging about the adventurers they were in charge of. There was always an unspoken competition among them. And since I-eon was valuable enough to receive love calls even now, the High Priest would absolutely not want to give him up.

As expected, the High Priest relented after a moment.

“Hm, I said all that because I was worried about you.”

“Did you?”

“As I fussed over you, I went a little overboard… I’ll stop saying unpleasant things now.”

The corners of the High Priest’s mouth trembled slightly as he tried to smile kindly. Whatever he muttered internally didn’t matter, as long as I-eon wouldn’t lose favor points because of Raham anymore. He had no real intention of switching priests anyway; no priest held more influence in the temple than this one.

Since he’d achieved his goal, the conversation moved on to the report about Hubert. When I-eon mentioned that Prmodehiti had taken Hubert, the High Priest reacted with surprise.

“He took him?”

“Yes.”

“Hah… dying earlier would’ve been kinder to Hubert.”

Just what kind of person was the demon High Priest for him to say something like that? I-eon was curious, and also very much not curious. The High Priest kept sighing, unsure if it was admiration or lament, before encouraging I-eon.

“In any case, well done. At this rate, you really might become the owner of the holy relic.”

I-eon simply smiled. Even if he’d found the second trace quickly, there was no way the final chapter of Tiog’s main story, unsolved since last year, would be that easy.

When he left the reception room, Raham was peacefully leaning against a nearby railing. Thankfully, there seemed to have been no ambush from the Justice Guild this time. Considering they’d rushed in before only to be wiped out, they were probably lying low.

“Good. You stayed quiet.”

“Yeah.”

I-eon headed toward the temple exit with Raham and opened his map. They had come from the demon realm, but the closest location was actually here in Limbert. Still, since it was the empire’s capital and the area around the outer walls was packed with buildings, it might actually be harder to search there.

Given today’s chaos, the third trace would have to wait until tomorrow. I-eon stretched.

“That’s enough for today. I’m logging off first.”

“I-eon.”

“Hm?”

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

Obviously… I-eon blinked, not understanding why he was asking.

“Questing.”

“…….”

For once, Raham hesitated, then laughed when he saw I-eon’s clueless expression. I-eon’s eyes widened. It was the first time he’d seen Raham laugh out loud. Usually he looked icy, but now, smiling with his teeth showing, he had the refreshing aura of someone who could appear in an isotonic drink commercial. A cruel truth, but when someone is handsome, everything works.

The laughter faded quickly, but Raham still smiled as he added:

“Not in-game.”

“…Ah.”

I’m becoming a total gaming addict… Feeling embarrassed, I-eon quickly controlled his expression.

“I don’t have anything. Oh, I do have my tutoring job.”

“What time?”

“Seven.”

The student got home from after-school academy around then. Raham gave a low hum and got to the point.

“Then let’s have lunch together.”

“Lunch? Well… sure.”

Honestly, he’d been too lazy to cook anyway. Nice.

At first it had felt burdensome, but Raham always came to pick him up, and every time they met he had guaranteed delicious food. I-eon getting used to this was inevitable. And beyond that, they actually got along pretty well except for the occasional moments when Raham’s logic derailed entirely. Raham also put in visible effort, and that made it even easier.

“Around twelve?”

“I’ll come pick you up.”

“Okay.”

The appointment was set instantly. Leaving Raham, who was always in Eden like an NPC, behind, I-eon logged out first.

Why does nighttime pass twice as fast as daytime?

Blinking awake to sunlight stabbing through his curtains, I-eon hated his previous self and dragged his body up. It was already well past ten. If he hadn’t had plans, he probably wouldn’t even have eaten properly before tutoring and would’ve just lazed around. If he were still living with his older sister, a rigid planner, she would’ve stared at him with utter disappointment.

He rested just a little more and suddenly it was almost noon. After washing up and throwing on some clothes, he was debating whether to wear sneakers with socks or just slip on sandals when his phone rang. He shoved his foot into the sandals and answered.

“Hello.”

[Come down.]

“Okay.”

After meeting a few times, most of the awkwardness had faded, and his steps felt light. He went down the short staircase and opened the door, and the summer heat poured over him. Grimacing, I-eon walked toward the same black sedan parked in its usual spot.

“I-eon.”

Do-Jin had already stepped out of the car to wait for him. His face, previously blank as he stared at his reflection in the window, bloomed with emotion when he saw I-eon. It felt like watching a lifeless sculpture suddenly turn into a person, all because of a single shared glance.

I guess he really does like me… The thought brought a small sense of satisfaction, like he’d tamed a proud, aloof stray cat.

Today, Kwon Do-Jin looked like he had walked straight out of a magazine. His hairstyle looked effortless but clearly required a professional touch. His skin looked brighter and healthier than the last time, pale and luminous. His clothes were dark, monotone shades like before, but even if someone beside him wore neon, Do-Jin would be the only one you’d notice. The broad shoulders and solid arm muscles outlined under the black shirt actually drew the eye even more.

Why is he glowing like that…? He had always been attractive enough to turn heads, but today it was especially bad. While I-eon was silently confused, Do-Jin rolled his eyes downward, scanning I-eon from head to toe, and smiled smoothly.

“You look pretty.”

“……?”

Why does he pick words like that?

Whether it was intentional or coincidental, after Korean and Japanese food, this time it was Western cuisine. The restaurant Do-Jin brought him to was in a high-rise building. Just judging by the location and the exterior, it was obvious it wouldn’t be cheap.

I-eon glanced at his reflection in the elevator’s clean mirror. Eating anywhere casual would’ve been perfectly fine… but clearly Do-Jin wasn’t the type to do that. Based on his strangely out-of-touch spending habits so far, he might honestly be the kind of pampered rich kid who had never tasted fast food.

When they got off the elevator and entered the restaurant, a bright yet sleek interior welcomed them. I-eon subtly checked the full-length mirror by the entrance. A slightly loose navy short-sleeve shirt, black long pants, black sandals. Not too casual, but with the staff in full suits bowing politely, he suddenly felt underdressed. Technically, Do-Jin in his simple black tee and pants was dressed even more casually, but his face and physique made simple clothes look expensive, so he didn’t count.

After they were seated, Do-Jin asked:

“What do you want to eat?”

“I don’t care… anything with meat.”

In unfamiliar places, it was better to leave things to the other person. As I-eon lazily listened to Do-Jin place the order, he looked out the window. The Han River and the whole city spread out before them, this must be an incredible spot at night.

After ordering, Do-Jin rested his chin on his hand and gazed quietly at I-eon, just like before. Seeing him outside like this… even his quiet stillness gave a different impression than in Eden. There was no absurd nonsense to witness like in the game, so his looks had full power. Every trait, his usually shut mouth, his surprisingly calm movements despite his size, even his rude habit of staring, felt strangely charming when stripped of their usual chaos.

Being the constant target of that stare, I-eon blurted a random complaint.

“You should’ve told me we were going somewhere like this.”

“Why?”

“I feel like I dressed way too casually.”

“You look pretty.”

Do-Jin’s eyes drifted downward. He traced over I-eon’s pronounced Adam’s apple, the faint line of his collarbone, and the rest of his upper body. He rubbed his thumb across his lower lip.

“But it’s kind of sexy.”

“…Sorry?”

“The shirt’s loose, so it makes you wonder what’s underneath.”

“…….”

I-eon decided he hadn’t heard that and stared out the window instead. The air was unusually clear today; even the farthest mountains looked sharp.

Soon, the appetizers arrived, bread, salad, and soup. Simple, but beautifully plated and delicious enough to raise expectations for the next dish.

He made small talk with Do-Jin as he finished the soup quickly. He’d been hungry, and the lightly salted broth made his appetite surge. Even though he didn’t love salad, the cloud-like white cheese on top looked good, so he picked up his fork..

“Oh, hey, Do-Jin?”

A man approached their table with long, confident strides and greeted Do-Jin enthusiastically. Three others, a man and two women, stood behind him with curious expressions. Leaning an arm casually on the table, the man kept talking at Do-Jin. I-eon flicked his eyes toward him. Slicked-back pomade hair, heavy double eyelids, and a slightly greasy smile.

“Wow, first time seeing you out like this. Chairman Kwon doing well?”

Another man from the group suddenly cut in from behind, hijacking the already one-sided conversation.

“Do-Jin, you remember me, right? We met at So-young nuna’s wedding two years ago.”

Not even last year, but two years ago… I-eon raised his head incredulously, but Do-Jin, the actual target, didn’t respond at all. He just sat there, ignoring them completely. Feeling a gaze, Do-Jin looked at I-eon.

Their eyes met. Do-Jin paused, as if assessing something, then let his eyebrows droop faintly. That tiny shift somehow made him look pitiful enough to tug at protective instincts. He wasn’t remotely a weakling, but with the two men hovering on either side, it gave the impression they were picking on him.

I-eon remembered Do-Jin’s lack of social skills. If someone tried, they could probably bully him by exploiting that. And the clincher, those eyes silently asking for help. Clicking his tongue, I-eon slammed his fist on the table. The hyena-like group finally noticed the surroundings.

“Can’t you see we’re eating?”

He crossed his legs and looked up at them with exaggerated arrogance. The men exchanged glances, trying to figure out who he was.

The “Chairman Kwon” they mentioned repeatedly was probably one of Do-Jin’s grandparents. A perfectly ordinary citizen like I-eon had no way of knowing, but he was absolutely prepared to weaponize Do-Jin’s grandpa, or grandma, to kick them out.

“Should I tell Chairman Kwon? That some noisy people were asking after him?”

Only then did the men finally lower their tails and shut their mouths. The one who had spoken first glanced regretfully at Do-Jin. Born with the kind of conditions others would envy, yet so reclusive people wondered if he was even alive, he was famous among them in many ways. Even though he lived like a monk cut off from the world, the Kwon family fussed over him so much that if he wanted any position, he could have it. Plenty of people tried to build connections with him… but leaving a bad impression would defeat the whole point of showing their faces.

“Ah, sorry. I was just really happy to see you. But since you’re having a private meal like this, you two must be close?”

“I told you to fuck off.”

The man, who had smoothly tried shifting his target to I-eon, froze mid-smile. Birds of a feather indeed, both of them had the same nasty attitude.

“Fine… enjoy your meal, and Do-Jin, let’s meet again if we get a chance.”

Ignoring the fact that nobody returned the farewell, the unwelcome guests left. I-eon glared at their backs before relaxing his posture. With only the two of them left again, Do-Jin smiled faintly and reached over to squeeze I-eon’s hand tightly.

“Thanks, I-eon.”

“Who were those people? Guys who used to bully you?”

“No idea. Never seen them before.”

The man who had met Do-Jin several times at formal events would have been deeply offended to hear that, but technically Do-Jin wasn’t lying from his own perspective.

Being a chaebol’s grandson makes it hard to live quietly, huh.

Feeling a touch of sympathy, the gullible I-eon said they should eat now and lifted the salad he’d meant to take earlier. The cheese was fine, but as expected, he couldn’t figure out how anyone enjoyed eating leafy greens.

Do-Jin watched him quietly. Instead of scolding him for picking out only cheese and fruit, he ate the leftover vegetables himself.

“That was really good.”

The meal had been so excellent that by the time they left the restaurant, I-eon had completely forgotten the annoying interruption. He patted his full stomach and turned toward Do-Jin, who wasn’t starting the car even though it was already running.

“What are we doing now?”

“No idea.”

So the other side also had no particular plan. While he rubbed his chin in thought, an idea came to him.

“Wanna go to a PC café?”

Some had regular desktops, but they also had VR game capsules, better quality than the ones for home use, so they didn’t strain the body as much. Ever since buying a discounted capsule from a friend and starting Eden, I-eon had never used one at a PC café, but he’d heard the performance difference was huge.

However, instead of eagerly agreeing like a true gaming addict, Do-Jin shook his head.

“Not really.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“Hmm…”

After tapping the steering wheel with his fingers for a while, Do-Jin made a suggestion.

“Wanna go for a drive?”

“A drive? Where?”

“The ocean?”

Now that he thought about it, it had been a long time since he’d gone to the beach. In Eden you could see it whenever you wanted, but in real life… not having a car made it difficult. Still, he liked drives and trips, so it was tempting, except for the tutoring he had in the evening. If there wasn’t enough time, the driver would be the one suffering.

“If we go somewhere close, we won’t be able to stay long. You’ll get tired.”

“It’s fine.”

Without hesitation, Do-Jin started the car. Well, if the driver said he was fine, then so be it. I-eon added one request.

“Let’s stop by a rest area.”

It was a spontaneous decision, but the thought of a long drive put him in a good mood. All the way there, I-eon tapped his toes to the upbeat music. As soon as the engine cut off at the rest stop, he hopped out of the car and headed for the snack corner. You couldn’t skip rest-area snacks on a trip, never. Ideally, he wanted to eat everything, but he’d eaten a big lunch, so his stomach wasn’t empty yet…

After careful consideration, he chose sausage and walnut cakes. He actually wanted roasted squid, but it felt rude to eat something that smelly in someone else’s car, so he held back. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet to pay, but a hand from behind swiped in and paid first. I-eon turned around with raised eyebrows. Of course, it was Kwon Do-Jin.

“Why do you keep paying for everything?”

This time it wasn’t even much money, but the problem was the pattern, it had been like this from the start. It was as if he couldn’t stand the sight of I-eon taking out his wallet. Even the time they were supposed to take turns buying meals had fizzled out. And while I-eon debated what to choose, Do-Jin had already bought two coffees, one in each hand. Do-Jin smiled lightly.

“I have a lot of money, I-eon.”

“…Are you bragging?”

“So just take it. Don’t feel burdened.”

“Still…”

“Should I buy the whole rest stop for you?”

“…….”

The way he glanced around the rest area building as he said it was enough to shut I-eon’s mouth. So this is how someone can say they’re spending pocket change.

By the time he finished talking, their order came out. Do-Jin gathered everything with his free hand and walked briskly toward the parking lot. I-eon, attracting the attention of the few people around as usual, let out a languid sigh and followed after him.

Even though the car had only been parked for a short moment, the interior was already heating up. As I-eon fastened his seatbelt and exhaled a hot breath, Do-Jin handed him coffee and snacks.

“Here.”

“Thanks.”

The cold of the iced coffee cooled his warm cheeks as the car pulled out. Just stopping at a rest area really made it feel like a trip, and I-eon was excited. Back on the highway, enjoying the cool air, he absentmindedly asked while eating his sausage,

“Wanna try?”

“Yeah.”

“…….”

He thought he’d say no.

When I-eon held the sausage up to his lips, Do-Jin took a bite and washed it down with coffee. For that moment, his intentions were obvious, making I-eon laugh quietly.

“You didn’t like it, did you?”

“…….”

“You immediately drinking coffee is kind of funny.”

He didn’t even bother denying it. Still smiling, I-eon finished the rest of the sausage, opened the still-warm bag of walnut cakes, and popped one into his mouth. Sweet filling mixed with savory nuts spread through his mouth. Looking pleased, he tilted the bag toward the driver’s seat.

“Want one of these too?”

Without turning his head, Do-Jin only opened his mouth with an “ah.” Eating sausage made sense since it could get messy, but walnut cakes were easy to hold, why was he asking to be fed?

“You can pick it up yourself.”

“I’m driving.”

“You can use one hand.”

“We’ll crash, I-eon.”

With shameless confidence, he placed even the hand that had been loosely draped over the armrest onto the steering wheel. And yet he’d had no trouble drinking coffee.

What is wrong with this guy… Resigning himself, I-eon popped a small round cake into his mouth. Watching him quietly chew it, I-eon couldn’t deny he felt a bit proud despite the absurdity.

“Well? Better?”

“Yeah.”

Of course it was, warm walnut cakes in the car could never taste bad. He normally didn’t touch sweets while eating, so hearing him admit it felt even better. Happy with his choice, I-eon fed him snacks until the bag was empty, even without Do-Jin asking.

At some point the smoothly rolling wheels came to a stop. There were faint sounds, clatter, squeak, and then everything faded again. After some unknown amount of time, consciousness gradually returned. He’d been blank for a while, but realizing he had fallen asleep brought his awareness back. Feeling like someone dragged him up from underwater, he opened his eyes to a wide stretch of ocean outside the car window.

For a moment, I-eon wondered why the sea was in front of him, then remembered, “Ah, I came on a drive with Kwon Do-Jin,” and sat up groggily.

The car was parked under a patch of shade along the seaside road. Despite the bright sun, he hadn’t felt any glare. His stomach was full and the air had been cool, no wonder he had completely passed out without realizing it. I-eon slowly turned to Do-Jin, who had been quietly watching him.

“When did we get here?”

“About twenty minutes ago.”

“…You should’ve woken me.”

So he’d parked and watched him sleep for twenty whole minutes. At his sheepish mumble, Do-Jin let out a soft laugh and turned off the engine.

“Let’s get out.”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah.”

Once outside, the humid ocean breeze wrapped around them. The shallow waves of the West Sea washed over the sand with barely anyone else in sight. Still groggy, I-eon stood there taking in the smell of the sea and stretched. He’d only blinked for a moment, yet the highway had turned into an ocean.

The two of them stepped across the shifting sand, moving closer to the water.

“It’s been a while since I came to the beach. Last time must’ve been… two years ago?”

“With who?”

“Friends.”

It was his first time visiting since he went on a trip with friends to celebrate finishing his military service a few years back. It had been hot in July back then too, but nothing like this. The summer sun felt like it was cooking his skin, yet the deep blue horizon in front of him made it bearable. They’d come on a whim without any plan, but now that he was here, it actually felt refreshing and pretty nice.

I-eon rolled up his pant legs, shaded his eyes with his hand, and stepped onto the wet sand. After he stood still for a moment, the incoming tide washed over his bare feet in the sandals.

“It’s warm.”

Even the sea must’ve heated up under the sun. He stepped forward again so the water reached his ankles, then turned around. Kwon Do-Jin stood where he was, looking at him. Even though he was wearing nothing but dark clothes in the middle of summer, his pale skin and cool features made it seem like he didn’t feel the heat at all.

“You should dip your feet too. We came all the way here.”

“……”

He’d tried to sound cheerful since he felt a bit bad about sleeping next to the driver the whole time, but there was no response. Do-Jin only stood there, watching I-eon’s movements with his eyes.

Was he actually sensitive to heat? He didn’t seem like it. Curious, I-eon stepped in farther. Once the water rose fully to his ankles, the warmth finally turned cool. The waves were gentle enough that his rolled-up pants didn’t get wet. As he swished his feet in the water with a childlike grin, he looked back again.

“Come here. It’s cooler over here.”

That finally made Do-Jin move. He took long strides, not even attempting to roll up his pants, and stepped onto the sand. I-eon let out a surprised “Oh…” but before he could say anything else, Do-Jin closed the distance in an instant and raised both hands. His large palms framed I-eon’s face and gently lifted it. With only a narrow space between them, their eyes met.

“……”

“……”

The hands on his face were cool, but the eyes meeting his were burning hot. I-eon instantly understood what Do-Jin was thinking. Even if it would only last a moment, he had plenty of time to refuse. He could push him away, step back, even just turn his head aside.

But as those sharp eyes met his head-on, the thought of pushing him away didn’t even surface.

Do-Jin tilted his head. Their lips touched, softly, carefully, so gently it almost didn’t feel real. I-eon blinked slowly, unable to fully close his eyes. The lips that had lightly pressed against his own pulled back for a moment, as if asking permission. After studying every reaction on his face, Do-Jin leaned in again. Their lips pressed together, deeper than before.

It felt like his legs lost strength along with his sense of reality. I-eon grabbed onto whatever he could reach to steady himself, only to realize belatedly that he was gripping Do-Jin’s arm. The peaceful sound of waves and seagulls vanished, and all that remained was the heavy thudding of a heartbeat, he wasn’t sure whose.

All of his focus gathered on the soft sensation on his lips. I-eon forgot how to breathe, his tightly shut eyes trembling. It wasn’t his first kiss, and they weren’t even using tongues, but he couldn’t spare a single thought to anything else. Their mouths met like clumsy first-love teenagers until, pop, a soft sound broke them apart. Only then did the breath he’d been holding escape. His unsteady gaze stayed fixed near Do-Jin’s chin. He couldn’t look up, he could feel the fervent gaze fixed on him from just above.

Silence, thick with tension, lingered between them, close enough that he could hear each other’s breathing. When the temperature of the seawater around his ankles blended with the heat in his skin, Do-Jin finally spoke.

“I-eon….”

The low, sticky voice calling his name sent a chill down his spine. His sun-warmed neck burned hotter, and that heat crawled up to his ears. He knew they must’ve turned red without needing a mirror.

Do-Jin’s arm slid around his waist. Startled, I-eon’s head jerked up, only to find a dead-serious expression staring back at him, unwavering. The atmosphere thickened between them. He was really going to kiss him this time. Realizing what that look meant, I-eon snapped back to himself like someone waking from a dream and shoved at Do-Jin’s chest.

But with the difference in size and strength, the one who stumbled backward was I-eon. His balance faltered as he stepped into a dip in the sand. Do-Jin caught his arm as he teetered. The same man who didn’t budge an inch when pushed earlier now toppled like a crumbling sandcastle, dragging I-eon down with him. A splash rose high as both men fell into the shallow water.

“Ugh….”

In an instant, I-eon’s pants and face were soaked. Do-Jin, leaning over him, was in slightly better shape but far from dry, his face and hair were drenched from the splash.

Their legs were tangled, making it hard to get up. When I-eon grabbed Do-Jin’s arm, telling him wordlessly to move, Do-Jin pushed back his wet hair and met his eyes. I-eon’s gaze was helplessly drawn to the sight: wet strands sliding down his forehead, water-glossed skin and lips catching sunlight…. Thump, thump, his heart pounded. He realized belatedly the sound was his own.

“You’re soaked….”

“…Move.”

Those eyes, devouring him without restraint. Under that intense, searching stare, he felt stripped bare. I-eon pushed him again. Do-Jin’s broad shoulders, wide enough to cage him between both arms, didn’t budge at all, like a wall carved from stone. His head spun from his racing pulse. His grip on his wet clothes tightened.

“What… what are you doing?”

“……”

“I mean, you’re one thing, but what am I even doing…?”

They kissed? He and Kwon Do-Jin? With a guy? But he was the one who leaned in first. He only failed to dodge because he panicked, right?

While I-eon was lost, babbling nonsense out of confusion, Do-Jin’s clarity slowly returned. His face didn’t show it, but he’d panicked too, acting on instinct when his mind went blank because I-eon looked unbearably pretty smiling at him in the sparkling seawater.

“…Ah.”

Only then did Do-Jin understand his own feelings. It was his first time feeling something like this, so it took him a while to put a name to it. And now that he had, there was no room left for hesitation.

“I-eon.”

“What?”

“I like you.”

It was a soft confession, spoken with sincerity.

That single sentence froze every movement in I-eon’s body. His mind went blank to the point he couldn’t even feel the seawater brushing his waist. While he stood there in utter confusion, the one who confessed looked strangely refreshed, as if his eyes had finally opened to something. And his expression, filled with certainty, was one I-eon had never seen on him before.

Do-Jin rose first, looking down at I-eon as he reached out a hand.

“Let’s get out of the water first.”

“……”

I-eon took his hand and was pulled to his feet in one motion, stepping onto the sand. His underwear was soaked, water dripping continuously. As he tried to wring out his pants a bit to reduce the dampness, Do-Jin approached. Other than some splashed spots and wetness up to the knee, Do-Jin was in comparatively decent shape.

They couldn’t stay in the water forever, so they had stepped out, but I-eon couldn’t even look at his face. In contrast, the unfazed Do-Jin spoke first.

“You should rinse off. Get in the car.”

“…Looking like this?”

“It’s fine.”

It was not fine. With nothing to lay on the seat, soaking it in saltwater would be a disaster. I-eon shook his head firmly.

“It’s hot anyway. I’ll dry pretty fast. Let me wait a bit.”

“I said it’s fine.”

“I’m too soaked.”

After I-eon’s repeated refusal, Do-Jin’s eyes briefly skimmed over his wet clothes, and he rubbed the corner of his mouth.

“Then you can take your pants off and get in.”

“……”

“No one outside will see.”

That’s not the issue, you seeing is the issue…. Momentarily forgetting the awkward tension, I-eon clicked his tongue inwardly and sat at the edge of the concrete shoulder between the beach and the road. On such blistering ground, ten minutes would dry most of the water. Do-Jin looked slightly dissatisfied but stayed quiet and stood in front of him.

With the soft sound of waves rolling in, I-eon stared blankly ahead until he slowly lifted his head. Do-Jin hadn’t looked away even once, their eyes locked immediately. Lips with a good shape and just the right fullness caught his gaze more than usual.

He had come to an unfamiliar place and experienced something he never could have imagined. Even with the summer heat so vivid, he still felt caught between dream and reality.

I-eon forced himself to speak.

“…You like me? Since when?”

Still standing, Do-Jin bent down. I-eon frowned as the sunlight hit him directly, only to realize Do-Jin had moved to block the sun for him.

Matching his eye level, Do-Jin placed one hand on I-eon’s thigh.

“I don’t know.”

“…Then why did you suddenly kiss me?”

“You were sparkling. It looked pretty.”

“……”

“Why didn’t you avoid it?”

“You blindsided me with your face.”

Hearing the accusation, I-eon snapped irritably. But inside, doubts spread.

If he had really hated it, wouldn’t he have pushed him away? Or hit him? And it happened twice. But he really didn’t like men… right?

The more he thought, the more confused he became. As he lowered his head in frustration, a large hand cupped his cheek and lifted it. I-eon stared blankly at Do-Jin. Even now, Do-Jin’s face showed no particular turmoil, but his steady gaze carried a depth that was impossible to ignore. Thinking back, he realized he’d seen that look before. He just never considered it could be romantic.

…Or did he really not know? Did he suspect it but dismiss it because he didn’t want to believe it?

“Stop thinking. I’m the one who acted.”

“……”

Do-Jin smiled silently, as if finding I-eon’s dazed expression cute. Then he wrapped an arm around I-eon’s waist and lifted him effortlessly. Startled, slung over his shoulder like luggage, I-eon clung to him instinctively, his hand even gripping Do-Jin’s hair without realizing it.

“That hurts, I-eon.”

“What the… let go! Put me down!”

Hurt or not, Do-Jin walked steadily toward the car. He opened the passenger door and set I-eon down inside, even fastening the seatbelt for him. I-eon sat frozen, staring forward in shock as the door closed. Do-Jin slipped into the driver’s seat soon after. In the game, I-eon assumed he dumped stat points into Strength, but lifting an adult man this easily… He barely had time to process it before the next wave of discomfort hit. Being in the car in soaking-wet pants was horribly clammy.

“It’s so damp….”

“Bear with it for a bit.”

“Where are we going?”

“To wash up.”

Considering it wasn’t just water but seawater, it made sense to clean up before returning to Seoul. Assuming they would go to a public bathhouse or sauna nearby, I-eon shifted to the very edge of the seat and endured the discomfort.

But the place the car stopped at was neither a bathhouse nor a sauna, it was a hotel. A very expensive-looking one, in the middle of nowhere.

From the moment they entered the underground parking lot, I-eon sat stiffly, clutching the seatbelt.

“Let’s go.”

“…It’s a hotel.”

“Yeah. Why?”

Why? He wanted to scream Why do you think? They had just kissed, twice, and now the guy who confessed to him brought him to a hotel. How was he supposed to interpret that innocently? And after saying “I like you,” no less.

Do-Jin unfastened his belt first, then leaned toward him. I-eon flinched at the sudden closeness, but Do-Jin merely unbuckled his belt too and looked into his eyes. His face was calm, as if reassuring him.

“We’re just here to wash.”

“Then why a hotel specifically…?”

“It’s convenient.”

Still… if they were only going to rinse off, choosing a hotel felt unnecessary.

Watching I-eon’s lingering anxiety, Do-Jin spoke slowly, low and utterly serious.

“If you don’t trust me, you can go up and wash first. I’ll buy clothes and have someone bring them up.”

“……”

Looking at him, someone who seemed like he should be the type to block exits and toss people onto beds, speaking calmly like this somehow made him trustworthy. And treating someone who just confessed like a potential criminal felt wrong too.

After backing down slightly, I-eon opened the car door and muttered:

“Let’s go.”