Harmonious Love – Chapter 110

“You were inexperienced then too. This is the real one.”

Tae Young-won kept his word. That he would never make such a confession to Mo Yeon.

“No more breaking up or any of that nonsense. From now on, it’s for life, for eternity.”

“…”

“So, my beloved Mo Yeon.”

Time seemed to stop.

“Date me, hyung. Properly, intensely.”

“…”

Perhaps Mo Yeon had wanted to believe from the moment Tae Young-won set foot here. Mo Yeon was already prepared to believe. Yet he had continued to doubt, deliberately ignoring the feelings that kept arising.

He didn’t want to do that anymore.

Unable to speak, he nodded. He felt his eyes reddening, but he didn’t want to hide his face. After all, Tae Young-won’s eyes were just as red.

“There are no substitutes now.”

“I never wanted any in the first place.”

“…”

He finally smiled brightly. With genuine relief, he pulled Mo Yeon into his arms.

In Tae Young-won’s embrace, Mo Yeon slowly blinked.

Then he wrapped his arms around Tae Young-won’s waist. Their bodies pressed against each other without any gaps. The dogs were still running around them.

Mo Yeon had just realized something.

That all this time, he had liked Tae Young-won’s smile. That he had actually wanted to stay by his side and see that smile. He wanted to tell him, but he didn’t have the courage yet.

There would be plenty of opportunities anyway.

For now, his heart felt too ticklish to say such tender words.

Instead, Mo Yeon tightened his arms around him.

Epilogue

“Sunbae definitely won’t be able to sleep comfortably here. I guarantee it.”

The afternoon before departing for Seoul, Tae Young-won came to pick up Mo Yeon, who had insisted on going alone.

Mo Yeon had clearly told him not to come, but he had shown up anyway.

How could someone who seemed to have slept only in plush beds his entire life say he wanted to spend a night at a temple?

“That’s not true. I sleep really well in places like this. You underestimate me, little one.”

Tae Young-won snorted. He also went on at length about how well he had handled military service.

However, when Tae Young-won actually entered Mo Yeon’s room, his expression looked somewhat confused.

He tapped the wind chime hanging on the window and exclaimed with genuine amazement.

“Wow… how did you sleep here?”

This was expected. Mo Yeon openly mocked him.

He laid out the bedding and pillow he had brought for Tae Young-won next to his own. The warm heated floor and colorful bedding certainly didn’t seem to suit Tae Young-won.

Leaving Tae Young-won standing there with a sour face, Mo Yeon burrowed into his familiar bedding. He was extremely tired after greeting the monks and doing chores until the last day.

“Sunbae, instead of just standing there, please turn off the light.”

“…”

Still, once Mo Yeon settled in, Tae Young-won turned off the light and quickly slipped under the covers.

In the mountains, when the lights go out in a room, it becomes completely dark without a trace of light.

Something rustled under the blanket, and it was Tae Young-won’s hand. He held Mo Yeon’s hand. When Mo Yeon smiled slightly, Tae Young-won went further and interlocked their fingers.

In the darkness where nothing could be seen, Mo Yeon closed his eyes. After waiting a moment, he heard Tae Young-won’s voice.

“This is strange.”

“…What is?”

“I don’t know why I’m trembling so much.”

Mo Yeon’s closed eyes opened, and he blinked.

Come to think of it, they had never slept just holding hands, nor had they ever walked holding hands…

Suddenly, it felt like sleep was escaping him. At that moment, Tae Young-won lifted his blanket and burrowed into Mo Yeon’s. Letting go of his hand to wrap an arm around his shoulder was a position familiar to both of them.

“You said we have to wake up early tomorrow.”

Something was touching him, but Mo Yeon pretended not to notice. Tae Young-won probably felt the same way.

“Holding hands makes me too nervous. Let’s sleep like this.”

“…”

The pounding heartbeat seemed audible even to his own ears. Of course, his own heartbeat was probably just as loud.

After listening to the thumping sounds for a while, he slowly regulated his breathing. Sleep seemed to be gradually washing over him.

Last night, Tae Young-won had complained about the heat and how the floor hurt his back. In the morning, he was shocked at having to wake up so early. Though Mo Yeon’s temple life hadn’t been easy either, Tae Young-won was truly the epitome of a pampered young master.

Still, thanks to his quick perception, there were no problems during meals. Of course, it wasn’t easy for Mo Yeon to hold back his laughter while watching Tae Young-won constantly glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

After the meal, Mo Yeon again chose a large piece of yeot candy to eat.

From this moment, he began to feel regret at the thought of this being the last time.

“Let’s just take one more walk before we leave. I feel reluctant to go right away.”

Because of this, Mo Yeon spoke in a somewhat gloomy voice.

“Do you really feel sad to leave?”

Tae Young-won raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, Mo Yeon thought it might be impolite to show too much reluctance in front of Tae Young-won, given that he had been away from him for over a month. Mo Yeon quickly added:

“I don’t mean I don’t want to go.”

“That’s not it. You look like you’re leaving forever.”

“…”

“We can come again in the future, right?”

…Is that so?

He had never thought of it that way. He had initially come here thinking it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Come to think of it, the situation was different now. With Tae Young-won by his side, Mo Yeon had nothing to fear.

That thought seemed to comfort his reluctant heart a little.

“But next time, come with me.”

Tae Young-won was saying what Mo Yeon should have been asking. Mo Yeon smiled softly.

“Okay.”

“Oh, right.”

As if remembering something, Tae Young-won handed something he had been holding to Mo Yeon.

“…Huh?”

It was a piece of yeot wrapped in white tissue. Mo Yeon stared blankly at Tae Young-won’s palm.

“You like this so much, right?”

“…”

Come to think of it, after the meal, Mo Yeon had gone out to the yard first, and it had taken quite some time waiting for Tae Young-won.

“I don’t know if it was just me, but that person is not easy to deal with… I got a hundred scoldings for picking a big piece, saying I should curb my greed. If they had found out it was for you, I would have gotten a full lecture.”

With a smirk, he urged Mo Yeon with his eyes to eat it quickly.

After nodding, Mo Yeon took the yeot and popped it into his mouth without hesitation.

Perhaps surprised that Mo Yeon liked it this much, Tae Young-won’s eyes widened.

“I should buy some to take home.”

He muttered, beaming with a broad smile. Mo Yeon glanced at him and then walked past him swiftly.

He needed to hide his reddened eyes. There was no other choice.

Perhaps because Mo Yeon had his head bowed, Tae Young-won thought he was feeling shy. He grinned the entire time as he followed close behind.

The secretly hidden piece was so sweet.

Mo Yeon secretly prayed.

That this sweetness, too, would last forever.

fin.