“Again, right away…?”
It was a natural question, given my past tendency to plead for a break only to be ignored. Cha Jae-woo looked at me with an incredibly sultry expression, a smirk playing on his lips.
“You need a break, right?”
His words and actions were completely at odds. His fingers were already slowly exploring inside me again.
“Haha…”
I laughed helplessly and shook my head. Then, with a forced effort, I stood up and gave Cha Jae-woo a quick peck on the lips.
“Remember, I’m not an Esper.”
“Yeah.”
Cha Jae-woo smiled as if he had been waiting for that. I hoped he would acknowledge that, unlike him, I tired easily. I clung to him once more.
Unfortunately, my wish was not granted.
The lovemaking with Cha Jae-woo continued until I was utterly exhausted and finally passed out. Honestly, I genuinely feared I might die from overexertion.
* * *
This is a dream.
The dark, chilly cave felt unreal, so I was certain it was a dream.
There was a familiar feeling about it. Soon, I realized this was the gate where Cha Jae-woo had awaited death.
Even knowing it was a dream, a sense of urgency gripped me. I ran desperately, fearing Cha Jae-woo might be somewhere in the same dire state as before.
Anxiety overwhelmed me, making me feel like I might die at any moment. I had to find him quickly.
‘Cha Jae-woo.’
Fortunately, I found him soon enough.
But he was not the Cha Jae-woo I knew. He was the young Cha Jae-woo I had seen in a dream once before, standing alone and dazed, having just lost his parents.
The boy was not crying. He just stood there quietly. I felt a bit relieved. Sensing my presence, the young Cha Jae-woo looked at me.
I forced a smile.
‘What are you doing?’
His indifferent expression was much like the Cha Jae-woo I knew now.
‘I was thinking.’
Even though he was a child, hearing him speak to me with respect felt odd. I scratched my cheek awkwardly and asked again.
‘About what?’
Cha Jae-woo seemed to ponder for a moment. Then, he looked straight at me, his dark eyes unwavering.
‘Whether I should follow you or not.’
It was an unexpected statement, but it didn’t sound strange. Instead, I felt a surge of joy.
‘Have you decided?’
I moved closer to Cha Jae-woo. He looked so small and cute. I wanted to hold his little hand.
‘I want to follow you. Is that okay?’
He replied.
I was overjoyed and couldn’t help but smile. I took Cha Jae-woo’s hand immediately. Even though it was a dream, his hand felt warm.
‘Of course, it’s okay. You can always come with me.’
Cha Jae-woo’s tense expression relaxed into a bright smile. Seeing him so happy made my heart swell, but I held back my tears, not wanting to cry when he was smiling.
I raised my voice deliberately.
‘Yes, come with me. I promise you won’t be lonely with me.’
‘I believe you.’
I nodded and led Cha Jae-woo by the hand. I didn’t know where we were going, but I was sure that wherever I went would be the right path.
‘Oh, but… Cha Jae-woo.’
Suddenly, an impulse made me stop in my tracks.
His puzzled eyes turned to me. I grinned mischievously and knelt down again. As our heights matched, he strangely resembled the current Cha Jae-woo. He must have been handsome since he was a child, I thought.
‘Try calling me “hyung” once.’
‘Hyung?’
‘Yeah. Not “you,” but “hyung.” Since we’re going together.’
I wondered when I’d ever get the chance to hear him say this. Since I had met the young Cha Jae-woo, I wanted to hear something I wouldn’t normally hear.
Cha Jae-woo hesitated for a moment. Then, he looked at me with determination. His lips moved.
At that moment—
“Are you awake?”
My eyelids fluttered open, revealing a scene different from the chilly cave.
The sunlight filtered into my room, and the current Cha Jae-woo lay next to me on the same bed, looking at me with a smile.
“Uh-huh…”
It felt surreal, almost impossible to grasp as reality.
Still half-asleep, I stared at Cha Jae-woo. Although I recognized my room, I felt like I was still in the cave with the young Cha Jae-woo.
“Quickly… please, just once…”
My murmurs were not meant for the present Cha Jae-woo. Though my eyes were open, my mind was still lost in the dream, and my lips moved on their own.
“What?”
Cha Jae-woo asked. I replied mindlessly and closed my eyes again. I still needed to bring Cha Jae-woo out of the gate.
“Call me hyung, just once, hmm… yeah.”
Darkness fell, and I found myself back in the cave. Relieved to still be holding Cha Jae-woo’s hand, I felt a sense of comfort.
‘Hyung.’
“Hyung.”
‘Like this?’
“Like this?”
A soft laugh escaped me. For some reason, this made me incredibly happy.
I led Cha Jae-woo by the hand towards the gate’s exit. Though I moved aimlessly, the exit appeared before us almost instantly.
“I’ll protect you…”
* * *
Cha Jae-woo watched Lim Haeyul, who was talking in his sleep, with a smile. The promise to protect him was strangely comforting, regardless of the outcome. Just having someone willing to protect him was enough to make him feel secure.
His parents must have felt the same way. Even knowing the likely outcome, they chose to enter the gate with their young son rather than send him alone.
Cha Jae-woo pulled Lim Haeyul into a hug. Lim Haeyul returned the embrace without a word.
He felt alive. Since Lim Haeyul had entered his life, Cha Jae-woo felt reborn, freed from the darkness that had consumed him.
Cha Jae-woo kissed Lim Haeyul’s forehead. He was certain that Lim Haeyul would stay by his side forever.
Every word Lim Haeyul spoke was true. He truly loved Cha Jae-woo, despite the pain Cha Jae-woo had caused him. Cha Jae-woo could feel it—the dark mass within him was gone, vanished the moment Lim Haeyul’s love reached him fully.
Lim Haeyul had not used his guiding abilities. The twisted energy that had lingered within Cha Jae-woo had destroyed itself the moment Lim Haeyul’s pure feelings reached him.
Cha Jae-woo smiled, laughter bubbling up within him. He had tried so hard to deny it, but his selfishness had embraced Lim Haeyul, and in doing so, found peace.
“Yet you call me Cha Jae-woo.”
He still felt unworthy. He wasn’t meant to be happy. He shouldn’t desire Lim Haeyul. Just being able to see his face should have been enough.
But Lim Haeyul had pulled him out of the darkness, just as he had been pulled from the dense fog that had clouded his path. Lim Haeyul made him happy, a feeling Cha Jae-woo thought he didn’t deserve.
In the end, Lim Haeyul had made him happy again. His appearance in Cha Jae-woo’s life was the greatest fortune. There was no other way to describe it.
“Ah… yes… okay…”
Cha Jae-woo looked down at his undeserved fortune and happiness, still unsure if he could fully accept it.
“Hyung… Cha Jae-woo hyung.”
“Haha…”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Cha Jae-woo laughed out loud. Lim Haeyul’s lips curved into a smile as well.
It was an excessively happy morning.
End of Side Story
I enjoyed this story, thank you for translating!