Seeing the man briskly walking down the long flight of stairs, Haon felt a wave of relief wash over him. Looking at the man, impeccably dressed as always, made him feel glad he’d decided to wear the clothes he’d received from him.
“Did you wait long?”
“I just got here too.”
As he buttoned the cuffs of his shirt sleeves, the man turned to face Haon, his eyes curving into a soft smile. Every time their eyes met, it had become a habit of his to smile with his eyes like that. And Haon really liked it.
“Shall we go?” he asked, motioning toward the door, but then paused mid-step when he looked at Haon’s outfit.
“That outfit… Did I give that to you?”
Tilting his head slightly, he studied the knit sweater and pants closely, as if trying to remember. Considering how much he’d given away, it made sense he wouldn’t remember everything.
“Yes, you did.”
When Haon added a quiet word of thanks, the man straightened up and flashed another eye smile. He stood there for a moment as if something was on his mind, but then simply said they should head out.
“The timing’s a little tight, so I booked the 3 o’clock movie. Let’s grab lunch first.”
“You already booked it?”
As he bent down to put on his shoes, Haon’s eyebrows drooped in surprise. He had assumed they’d buy the tickets at the box office. I was planning to pay for them, too…
“Oh? Was there something else you wanted to watch?”
The man told Haon the title of the movie he’d booked. It was currently the most popular film and had been receiving rave reviews.
“No, not really. It’s just… I was going to buy the tickets.”
“Why would you buy them, Haon?”
With a small chuckle, the man slid his phone into his pocket and opened the front door. He held it open, waiting for Haon to step out first.
“Usually the one who suggests going to the movies is the one who pays.”
“Then… then I’ll pay for the meal.”
“And meals are also covered by the one who made the plans.”
Shaking his head firmly, he extended his arm to guide Haon out the door.
The air outside was slightly humid compared to the comfortable indoor climate. While the humidity was still managed throughout the apartment complex, it wasn’t quite as pleasant as inside their home.
“Still, I really want to treat you.”
While they waited for the elevator, Haon insisted on at least paying for the meal. He’d already received so much from the man—he wanted to do something in return.
“Then treat me next time.”
Ding— The elevator doors opened, and as he waited for Haon to step in first, the man added that the next time Haon made the plans, he should treat him then.
And just like that, the two of them naturally made plans for their next date.
***
Pitter-patter, drip-drop.
As soon as they got in the car, the sound of rain became even more vivid. Settling into the warm seat, Haon leaned back and gazed out, almost as if he were counting each raindrop. The rain was growing heavier by the minute—it looked like it was going to pour all day.
I wonder if it’s raining hard back in the countryside too. The thought of home surfaced naturally, and he forced a smile as he absentmindedly fiddled with his seatbelt.
If it rains a lot, everyone’s going to have a rough time. He recalled Seong-gu hyung heading out into a downpour in a raincoat to tend to the cattle, and the memory filled him with worry. He silently promised himself to call later that night.
“Haon-ssi.”
“Yes?”
Just as he was pressing the tip of his folded thumb to his palm, trying to seal in the reminder, the man spoke. Truthfully, the man had already called his name several times before Haon finally tuned in, but he didn’t let it show.
“Why don’t you like the rain, Haon-ssi?”
The soft tone of his voice, so fitting against the backdrop of the rain, made Haon hum softly as he considered how to respond. There were so many reasons, he didn’t know where to start.
“When it rains in the countryside, there’s always more work to do. Old houses can collapse or the roofs start leaking—it’s a pain.”
He let out a short sigh, adding that since coming up to Seoul, he had to put up with mold and that lingering damp smell. Just talking about it made him hate the rain even more.
“Our place doesn’t smell, right?”
The man turned to glance at him, having been listening closely the entire time.
“No! Not at all. I was talking about my old place—where I used to live.”
“That’s a relief.”
The man smiled with his eyes again, clearly comforted. Haon, weak to that particular expression, quickly turned back to the window and swallowed dryly in secret. How can someone be that good-looking? No matter how many times he saw him, he never got used to his looks—and that was starting to become a problem.
Sometimes he looked so handsome, it was awe-inspiring. Other days, he looked almost impossibly beautiful. His large, deep-set eyes without double eyelids, those long lashes, the tall, sharp bridge of his nose—every feature harmonized perfectly. And then there were his lips.
“You really seem to like it.”
As Haon kept staring at his reflection in the window, the man commented. Blinking his big eyes in surprise, Haon tilted his head in confusion. He had no idea how obvious he was being.
“Like what…?”
“My face.”
The man chuckled as he turned the steering wheel, a playful grin spreading across his face.
Though it was meant as a joke, Haon turned beet red in an instant, flustered beyond belief. “Ah, uh, I mean, it’s just…,” he stammered, and the man seemed to enjoy every second of it before naturally shifting the conversation.
“The rain’s getting heavier.”
The raindrops kept splattering against the window without letting up. And yet, despite saying he disliked the rain, the man looked out at it with a contented expression.
“Yeah. Looks like it’s going to keep going all night.”
Having finally cooled down, Haon nodded and agreed. Then, while watching the rain alongside him, his lips parted—like there was something he wanted to say.
Inho simply watched Haon in silence. He was curious—wondering what Haon would say this time. His gaze lingered on Haon’s hesitant, plump lips.
“Why do you dislike the rain?”
After some thought, Haon finally asked the question, and Inho’s lips curled higher into a smile. That couldn’t have been the reason he hesitated for so long. Most likely, he’d been trying to figure out how to address him.
And Inho’s guess was spot on. Haon had been mentally repeating Inho-ssi… Inho-ssi too? as if rehearsing how to say it, but ultimately left the name out of his question altogether. Speaking Inho’s name still felt too awkward for him.
“I think my reason’s pretty similar to yours.”
Inho gave a vague response, accompanied by a soft smile.
Similar? Haon’s round eyes filled with confusion. It wasn’t like Inho’s house had mold or a leaky ceiling. He wanted to press further, to ask exactly what he meant—but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“But now that you’re here, Haon-ssi, I don’t dislike it as much anymore.”
Swallowing the brief silence, Inho added those words. And Haon’s heart was the first to react. As Inho’s smile deepened, Haon’s heartbeat started to race even faster.
What’s happening to me…?
Haon had no idea why his heart was pounding so wildly. It felt exactly like the time he’d taken the wrong medication—fast, erratic, and filled with unease.
Seeing Haon’s face pale, Inho stepped on the gas. He assumed Haon was getting carsick, judging by the way his hand moved to his chest.
“We’ll be there in ten minutes.”
He offered the ETA while meeting Haon’s eyes, but Haon, face growing more serious, quickly turned his gaze to the window—as if trying to escape. It really did look like he wasn’t feeling well.
***
“Are you really sure you’re okay?”
After parking in the department store garage and turning off the engine, Inho asked again, his voice filled with concern. Even though Haon had already said he was fine, Inho couldn’t shake his worry.
“We don’t have to watch the movie today. If you’re not feeling well, we can go home.”
“No, I want to watch the movie.”
Haon responded without looking at Inho, eyes fixed on the door instead. He seemed eager to get out of the car, so Inho reluctantly unbuckled his seatbelt.
“If you start to feel worse, you have to tell me, okay?”
Haon’s round head bobbed up and down in earnest. The fact that he still wouldn’t meet Inho’s eyes stung a little, but Inho stepped out of the car first.
“You’re not hungry yet, right?”
Walking beside him at Haon’s pace, Inho asked gently. He had made a reservation at a restaurant, but with Haon’s stomach acting up, skipping lunch might be better.
“No, not yet.”
Just as he expected. Pulling out his phone immediately, Inho started thinking about other options. What could he offer Haon that wouldn’t upset his stomach? Then it struck him—something light, like a dessert.
From what he’d observed so far, Haon seemed to eat most meals out of obligation, but he actually savored sweet treats. It seemed he had a bit of a sweet tooth.
“How about ice cream instead of lunch?”
He asked, just in case—and got exactly the response he was hoping for. Haon, who had been staring at the ground the whole time, suddenly looked up and replied, “I’d love that.”
I never even said I liked it… That reaction was so endearing, it made Inho chuckle.
“I’d like it too.”
And he truly meant it. On a cold, rainy day like this, he was glad to have Haon by his side, someone who could make him smile. He sincerely hoped that Haon’s presence would continue to feel this welcome.
And more than anything, he wanted Haon to enjoy spending time with him too. Inho only wanted to see Haon smiling—not looking pitiful with tears in his eyes.
“I’m hungry…”
Inho’s cheerful expression suddenly faded. The memory of Haon gasping for air, crying while saying he was hungry, flashed through his mind.
He often thought back to the moment in the club when Haon had looked so terrified. Hadn’t Haon said that things like that happened often?
An omega who didn’t even care where he was or who he was with—that kind of attitude never stopped gnawing at Inho. Just how many times had it happened for him to react that way?
“Let’s just take a break, okay?”
And then there was how Haon had apologized, saying penetration might be difficult. That wasn’t a normal response at all.
“The elevator’s here.”
While Inho had fallen silent, lost in thought, Haon looked up at him and pointed toward the elevator doors just beginning to open.
With his smile returning, Inho stepped inside with Haon. Then, as they stood side by side, he tilted his head gently toward Haon’s small face.
“Haon-ssi.”
Inho’s voice dropped to a soft murmur, resonating gently. There weren’t many people in the elevator, but he still leaned in close to whisper to Haon.
“Let’s get closer. Way more than we are now.”
He had been trying to match Haon’s slow pace, to approach him carefully—but now, he wanted to get closer, faster. They’d already been living together for over a week, and yet he knew so little about Haon. And Haon didn’t seem interested in learning about him either.
“I’m actually a pretty good guy, you know.”
So rather than saying you can trust me, he just smiled—letting that smile say it for him.
