Even though it was late in the evening, the streets were more crowded than expected. Driving through a bustling part of the city where people kept flowing by was no easy feat.
Compared to the quiet countryside town that was always deserted, weekdays or weekends alike, it felt as if he had stepped into an entirely different world.
A big city where everything necessary for life was packed into just a few blocks. Young people never wanted to leave such a place, so when he applied for a transfer to the countryside, the fact that it was immediately approved seemed only natural.
Moon Tae-young gazed out at the glittering lights of the city night, his eyes shimmering faintly. This was the first time he’d come back to Seoul since fully relocating to Cheongseri.
One might expect him to be overwhelmed with nostalgia—but instead, what filled his chest was urgency rather than emotion. Endless conflicts and desires spun like a roulette wheel, scattering his rationality.
The question that kept circling in his head, the one he’d been asking himself since last summer: If you’re about to make a move and you find yourself torn between public duty and private emotion, which side should you choose?
—You will reach your destination in one kilometer.
Moon Tae-young had a tendency to suppress his emotions on purpose in daily life. It wasn’t just that he’d emptied out all forms of expression for the sake of his goals. It was also because he’d already experienced firsthand the kind of consequences poorly refined anger could bring.
But when he was with Cha Eui-sung, the emotions he’d sealed away would keep leaking out. He acted like it didn’t affect him, as if he had control, but he was always swayed by it.
Even on the day the dungeon malfunctioned, it wasn’t until the overwhelming heat—driven by lust and desire—had cooled that he could finally look back on reality, which he had temporarily forgotten.
There’s a problem…
No matter how he looked at it, getting caught at the place tied to that was a blunder.
And yet, the fact that he wasn’t completely furious at the lover who had trespassed into that hidden side of him—felt jarringly unnatural.
Moon Tae-young wondered: maybe, deep down, he had already anticipated that Cha Eui-sung would slowly tear down the barriers he’d built and eventually arrive at that place.
And if he hadn’t stopped him, then that meant… he must’ve subconsciously wanted it to happen.
He wanted him to find his secret. To witness the dizzying scale of it all—and either run away on his own, or stay despite everything.
Since then, Moon Tae-young had been in turmoil. He’d tried again and again to make a cold, rational decision. But when he woke up and saw Cha Eui-sung quietly nibbling on stew, the ice-sharp resolve within him melted away like slush.
His mouth tasted bitter. He couldn’t make a rational decision while facing him. If things continued like this, something would eventually go wrong—something he couldn’t afford to lose.
In that case, maybe it’d be better to avoid him for a while and sort things out.
Because if he clumsily tried to build a wall between them and ended up seeing that disappointed look on his face, he’d fall right back into confusion—unable to separate personal feelings from professional judgment.
So, since he happened to be busy with work anyway, he’d deliberately postponed meeting with him.
[I’m going away for a few days. Just need to clear my head.]
Still, he didn’t expect the guy to actually disappear after just a few days.
Where are you going? When will you be back… Can I contact you…
Moon Tae-young typed and deleted message after message before finally giving up on reaching out.
He ended up sending a short, formal reply: Take care. And then he thought—
Fine. Maybe this is for the best. Both of us could use some time to think things through.
Strictly speaking, Cha Eui-sung must’ve been shocked too—he was snooping around and then suddenly stumbled onto a dungeon. Even if he’d wandered around for half a day before returning to his side, that didn’t mean he was truly okay.
It didn’t even take a few nights for the calm he’d fought to restore to be completely overturned.
—Uh, I didn’t order this.
—That lady over there sent it to you.
—Huh? Wait, hold on a second…
—No, I’m just outside. It’s late, I know, but…
—Hi. I’ve been watching you for a while, and if you’re here alone—
—Oh, uh? Yeah?
Was that… meant for me to hear?
Cha Eui-sung definitely stood out, no matter where he went. His tall, well-proportioned figure drew the eye, while his pale hair and finely sculpted face radiated a distinct aura.
Depending on the arch of his brows or the way he lowered his gaze, he could look either lively or forlorn. On top of that, he knew he was good-looking, and he belonged to the kind of person who understood how to draw others’ attention.
Even so, Moon Tae-young never worried that he’d go around doing anything reckless. Wasn’t he the type to flinch in surprise, his eyes unfamiliar and startled, every time someone touched him?
That’s why he hadn’t intended to fall for such a petty provocation.
—The person you’re calling can’t come to the phone. You’ll be connected to voicemail. After the beep—
But once Cha Eui-sung started avoiding contact, his image lingered behind Moon Tae-young’s closed eyelids. He kept imagining outings he’d never even seen.
His mind told him it was probably nothing—but the ripples in his previously calm heart were completely out of his control.
“Huh? Where did Uncle go? He didn’t tell me anything.”
The day he finally lost all contact with Cha Eui-sung, Moon Tae-young got into the car as if possessed.
The sky burned red in the late afternoon glow. Not the best time to set out on a long trip, unless you were just stepping out for a walk.
Driving impulsively, Moon Tae-young was a storm of unease.
Was it really the right decision to just head out in search of him—without even an address or any way to get in touch?
It was embarrassing to even be worrying about this. Didn’t he look like some lunatic, like he couldn’t trust anyone?
Then there was the issue of how Cha Eui-sung would always stiffen up and bolt the moment anyone brought up anything about his health.
Still, Moon Tae-young had a vague idea—whenever he was away from Cheongseri, there was a decent chance he was visiting a hospital.
If he ever saw him looking sick and frail, what kind of chaos would that cause? Then again, he always seemed happy whenever he called…
He didn’t know. The whole journey had started from nothing more than an untraceable sense of anxiety and irritation.
Eventually, just before entering Seoul, Moon Tae-young pulled into a highway rest stop.
He couldn’t drive any further. Even though he was practically there, he was thinking of just turning back.
But before that, he figured he might as well try calling one more time. That’s what led him to dial Cha Eui-sung’s number, with the star-studded sky above him.
“Are you busy?”
—“No. I mean, not really… Haa… hhh…”
His voice—wet with something unfamiliar.
Crash!
A loud thud, like someone collapsing—and then nothing. No more reply.
Every drop of blood in his body turned cold. Worries about appearances, second guesses, all the hesitation that had been blocking his way—gone in an instant.
Moon Tae-young called his name again and again before jumping into the driver’s seat in a panic.
Ding-dong!
—You’ve arrived near your destination. Navigation will now end.
And just like that, in front of a hotel in the heart of Seoul, Moon Tae-young stopped the car and strode straight toward the lobby.
Near the entrance, in the gust of chilly wind, someone sat there, slumped weakly.
Even from afar, Cha Eui-sung stood out. In a city overflowing with dazzling lights and color, he seemed to be the only one who truly glowed.
Moon Tae-young slowed his urgent steps as he cautiously approached the hunched figure.
The closer he got, the clearer the face came into view—drained and sunken.
He looked painfully lonely, lost in thought all by himself.
Just then, as he happened to lift his head, their eyes met.
And for a moment, a flicker of joy passed over Cha Eui-sung’s previously troubled expression.
Somehow, Moon Tae-young’s chest tightened with emotion.
“…Moon Tae-young-ssi.”
He smiled as he spoke, but his complexion was anything but good.
Cha Eui-sung got up quickly upon seeing him, but hesitated as if unsure what to do next.
The joy on his face gradually faded, replaced by a thick mixture of regret and confusion.
Even so, a faint hint of happiness remained. That stubborn, lingering gaze of his instantly ensnared Moon Tae-young’s nerves.
Damn it.
His attention—his gaze—was maddeningly seductive. If those eyes were directed at him, he felt like he could even swallow the most bitter emotions.
All the effort he’d made to suppress his feelings felt laughably pointless as dizziness flooded his mind again.
“Why are you outside? It’s cold.”
That was the first thing he managed to say, after struggling to find the right words.
Even though he knew Cha Eui-sung was an Awakened, Moon Tae-young couldn’t help but worry about him in such an ordinary, unconscious way.
Maybe it was because his pale face wouldn’t leave his mind.
Sure enough, Cha Eui-sung let out a soft laugh and gave him a look as if to say, You’re worried about me? Seriously?
Even that faint smile looked good on him.
Moon Tae-young relaxed his rigid face and stepped up to him, gently placing a hand against his cheek.
His skin was icy—he must’ve been sitting out here for a long time.
There was a strange scent in his breath.
Now that he thought about it, hadn’t he said he was drunk?
It didn’t smell like regular alcohol, which meant it was probably something made for Hunters.
If he was hiding the fact that he was an Awakened, there was no way he would’ve drunk that in front of others.
Fingering his earlobe and then leaning in to sniff closer, Moon Tae-young caught a trace of unfamiliar cologne.
A smoky fragrance clung faintly to him here and there.
There were subtle remnants of someone else’s presence lingering on Cha Eui-sung’s body.
***
Realism… I need some damn realism!
The moment Cha Eui-sung left Go Yeong-won’s place, he rushed straight back to the hotel in a panic.
He swept up everything from his old room and dumped it into a new one, then tore through the bedding like a madman.
The perfectly organized, impersonal room was instantly reduced to chaos.
But just before he turned on the water in the bathroom, a flash of sanity passed through his head.
Come on. I’m not some animal. No way I’d actually wallow around in a sty like this.
In the end, Cha Eui-sung tidied the mess he’d just made, bringing the room back to a strategically disheveled state. That alone had to have eaten up forty minutes.
When he finally rushed downstairs, thankfully, Moon Tae-young hadn’t arrived yet.
Trying to look like someone who’d been waiting for a long time, he pressed his hands and face against the cold sculpture outside, leeching away as much body heat as he could.
After the frantic whirlwind of chaos, not long after, the familiar shape of a car appeared in the distance.
That stern face. The same unflattering glasses.
That absurdly tall, towering frame that most people wouldn’t even register—somehow, it twisted something deep in his chest.
Moon Tae-young started walking slowly toward him. The glow of the streetlamp cast long shadows over his face, briefly revealing a strikingly handsome expression.
Eyes long and elegant—recognizable even in the dark.
Sharp, sculpted features and lips pressed in firm silence.
What was this feeling? The way his coat was cinched around his waist hit Cha Eui-sung in a way that was way too on-target for his taste.
All at once, he forgot the panic and awkwardness over Moon Tae-young’s unexpected visit.
Before he even realized it, the corners of his lips curled up into a small, helpless smile.
