Side Story 1
They said there would be a lot of snow this winter.
As forecasted, snow fell continuously for several days. The white waste falling from the sky had turned the entire streets into a snowfield. It looked beautiful, but it was an unwelcome winter for those who had to commute through the heavy snowfall.
Poof!
But Siwoo especially loved this winter. Very, very much.
Pitter-patter, poof!
A white ball of fluff that jumped into the pristine, untouched snowfield wagged its tail excitedly. Though snow clung heavily to the fluffy tail, it wasn’t noticeable because they were similar in color.
“Han Siwoo, you’ll get hurt that way. Don’t run so hard.”
Geonho, who had been waiting until Siwoo had fully experienced the snow, pulled him out of the high snow pile. Siwoo, who had obediently allowed Geonho to pick him up, dashed back toward the snow pile at full speed the moment Geonho set him down on the ground.
His running posture resembled a cheetah sprinting across the savanna. Geonho watched him with a pleased expression. How could he run so well?
“He really can do anything.”
“Hyung, don’t praise him too much.”
Seojun, who was enjoying the snowy field with Geonho while admiring Siwoo, nudged Geonho’s arm. It wasn’t the first time Siwoo had nearly gotten hurt from becoming too excited by Geonho’s excessive praise.
“Even yesterday, he almost dislocated his arm while exercising. You know he overdoes things when he gets praised.”
“That’s right, Geonho. Everything should be done in moderation.”
Jihan, who had just returned from finishing work at the site, joined in and scolded Geonho. As usual, Jihan had appeared through teleportation but looked neat and tidy despite coming straight from work.
Thanks to the stabilized gate, he didn’t need to exert much effort. Now, a month and a half after Taebeom was discharged and returned, the gates had become even quieter, and their occurrences had decreased.
Dangerous gates requiring the Baekya Guild’s intervention no longer opened. Siwoo also didn’t need to follow them to the sites anymore, only providing guiding from the dormitory.
Since everyone knew about Siwoo’s homebody nature, they didn’t deliberately call him outside. They only went out together when Siwoo wanted to.
Thanks to this, Siwoo had come to like winter, which he used to dislike. Free from worries about heating bills and the cold, he spent his time completely immersed in the joy of watching snow from the warm indoors.
On days like today when snow had piled up, he would come out to the park and play to his heart’s content. He hadn’t known before that snow could be this refreshing and enjoyable. Siwoo, who had never even played in a snowball fight with friends during his childhood, was learning new pleasures one by one.
Seeing his joyful appearance, his espers became even happier.
“Do you think I’d let Han Siwoo get hurt?”
Geonho chuckled as he used telekinesis to cover Siwoo, who was buried in the snow pile, with more snow. While he seemed to overly praise and treat Siwoo carelessly, he was actually focusing all his attention on him every moment.
Geonho would support Siwoo just before he fell while running excitedly, and immediately use telekinesis to lighten the weight when Siwoo’s arm felt like it might dislocate while wielding a weapon. He was protecting Siwoo so discreetly that Siwoo couldn’t notice at all.
“And you should do things in moderation too. Don’t try to teach others.”
“What did I do?”
Jihan shrugged and tilted his head. However, Seojun seemed to agree with Geonho’s opinion as he also glared at Jihan. In Seojun’s eyes, both of them were equally dangerous.
“When the kid cries, you should stop, you pervert.”
Geonho threw a snowball at the shameless Jihan while rolling his eyes. Because the dormitory wasn’t soundproof, everyone knew who received how much and what kind of guiding. The sound could be heard even if you covered your ears.
“Geonho, you’re not one to talk.”
Just as Jihan was about to gather snowballs to counterattack Geonho, Siwoo, buried in the snow, suddenly poked his head out.
Meow!
‘Pull me out!’
Geonho immediately ran over and pulled Siwoo out, extracting his body that had stretched out like rice cake. Siwoo seemed to find that sensation fun too, as he wagged his tail vigorously and giggled inwardly.
Meeoow.
‘Hey, Yoo Jihan, you’re here?’
Upon noticing Jihan belatedly, Siwoo, apparently glad to see him, kicked him in the stomach and jumped back into the snow. Having been hit in the stomach for no reason, Jihan just grinned and waved his hand.
“Guide, I get that you’re fast, but please run slowly.”
Meow!
‘No!’
Siwoo continued to dash into the snow piles more than ten times afterward. Midway through, Geonho joined him, running together and burying himself in the snow. He seemed excited too, with his black ears half-popping out above his head.
Seeing this, Siwoo climbed onto Geonho’s shoulder and playfully bit his black ears like a toy. He found the flapping ears amusing and hit them with his paws. Geonho even brought out his large tail and tickled Siwoo with its stiff fur.
The stabilized Geonho had received permission from Taebeom that he could return to his original form for a short time. Still awkward with it himself, he only occasionally showed his ears and tail.
“Both of you, stop now and come warm up.”
Jihan, sitting on the bench, tried to calm down Siwoo and Geonho, who were rolling in the snow. Seojun stepped in directly and lifted Siwoo, who was covering Geonho’s face.
Meow.
Siwoo, still not over his excitement, this time clung to Seojun’s arm and bit his hand. The smiles on the espers’ faces didn’t fade at his properly excited appearance.
“Do you like snow that much?”
Seojun chuckled as he supported Siwoo’s bottom, which had become wet from the snow. What was so great about snow that falls every year? Siwoo, excited like a child seeing snow for the first time, was just adorable.
Siwoo thoroughly bit Seojun’s hand and then licked it with his rough tongue.
“Come here, Guide. I’m warm right now.”
Jihan looked enviously at Seojun, who was being licked like candy by Siwoo, and opened his arms. He created heat in his body like a heater to appeal to Siwoo. Siwoo immediately jumped onto Jihan’s warm body.
“It’s nice and warm, right?”
Siwoo sat on Jihan’s lap, adjusted his position, and blinked slowly. Seemingly satisfied, he began purring even before Jihan could touch him.
The youngest and Geonho made displeased faces at Jihan’s unfair trick. Geonho took out a hand warmer from his pocket and shook it, but Siwoo pretended not to see and rested his face against Jihan’s warm chest.
Undeterred, Geonho sat right next to Jihan and vigorously shook the hand warmer. It was an effort to show that his body was warm enough too.
Seojun seemed to have given up completely, not even trying. He knew well that Siwoo wouldn’t move so easily. Only Geonho, despite knowing this, refused to give up and persisted tenaciously.
“Stop shaking it, Geonho, you’re the one looking more like a pervert.”
“Is that kind of thought all you have in your head?”
“Of course, what else?”
Tired of Geonho and Jihan starting an argument as naturally as breathing, Siwoo suddenly stood up. After the gate entry incident, the two had been bickering particularly often. The atmosphere usually flowed with Jihan teasing and Geonho exploding.
‘Aren’t you embarrassed in front of the youngest?’
Siwoo glared at them both and climbed onto Seojun’s thigh, who was quietly filling a bowl with water for Siwoo to drink. Seojun fed water to Siwoo with a triumphant smile. His reaction suggested he had anticipated Siwoo would come to him.
“Shall we go now?”
Seojun prepared to leave, holding Siwoo, who was moistening his throat and yawning. Geonho and Jihan also stopped their verbal sparring and got up from the bench.
“Shall we walk back while looking at the snow?”
Jihan preemptively said what Geonho was about to say. Siwoo, being held like a baby by Seojun, slowly wagged his tail. He deliberately positioned himself to see the sky, wanting to look at the snow.
Appreciating the quick-witted Jihan, he enjoyed the snow falling on his face. The sensation of snow touching his nose was cold but pleasant.
“Han Siwoo, look at this.”
Geonho approached Siwoo and thrust his face close to him. Just when Siwoo wondered what he was doing, Geonho stuck out his tongue into the air and caught white snowflakes to eat.
Seeing this, Siwoo’s eyes widened. He had never thought about eating snow until now.
“You try it too. It’s delicious.”
‘Really?’
At the mention of it being delicious, a pink tongue reflexively poked out. Seojun, who was listening along, also tilted his head back and opened his mouth.
“It doesn’t taste like anything.”
“Keep eating, man.”
Siwoo and Seojun continued to catch and eat snowflakes until they could taste something. As they smacked their lips and savored the taste, they seemed to detect something sweet. Seeing Geonho eating with enjoyment beside them made them continue without stopping.
Jihan watched his brothers and quietly snickered. He was certain that Taebeom would definitely laugh if he saw this scene. Even he wouldn’t be able to resist laughing. Happiness is contagious after all.
Meow.
Siwoo called out to Jihan, who was laughing by himself.
“Yes, what is it? Want something?”
Siwoo showed Jihan how to eat snow following Geonho’s example. He meant for Jihan to hurry up and try it too.
Jihan obediently ate the snow and said what Siwoo wanted to hear first.
“Should we bring some to the leader too?”
As soon as the words were spoken, Geonho scooped up a handful of snow, and Seojun cleverly created an ice bowl using his ice abilities.
They gathered plenty of snow to give to their leader and headed to his office.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
