“Can you still ride the bike?”
Inho smoothly shifted the topic, continuing the conversation. He had been thinking they might leave the bikes behind if Haon seemed too tired, but Haon sprang to his feet as if he’d been waiting for this very moment.
“Let’s go now!”
Dusting off the chair he’d been sitting on, Haon immediately got ready to leave. If he stayed seated any longer, he felt like the heat boiling inside him would explode. Or worse—it might shift elsewhere in his body.
“The bike…”
“It’s over there.”
Inho pointed out where the bikes were parked to the scanning Haon. Just as Inho was about to rise and follow after him, a fluffy white puffball came sprinting toward them from a distance.
Ruff ruff!
The little white dog barked boldly and charged straight into Haon’s leg with a bonk! It was a small Pomeranian.
“I’m so sorry!”
The flustered owner, clearly not yet used to handling a leash, came running over in a panic to apologize. The owner was just a kid—probably an elementary school student.
“She really loves people. Hayang, you can’t do that.”
The dog ignored her young owner and leaned her tiny body against Haon’s leg. Succumbing to the soft weight, Haon sat back down on the bench and stared at the fluffy white puppy. The dog was wagging her tail furiously as if she wanted to jump up into his lap.
“Hayang, tsk! I said no!”
“It’s okay.”
Watching the fluffball whine and wriggle, Haon turned to the child and asked if he could pet her. The young owner nodded and loosened the leash a bit.
Ruff!
The excited little dog wasted no time and hopped up onto Haon’s lap. She didn’t have much jumping power, so Haon had to gently support her by lifting her rear end.
RUFF!!
The dog, who looked just like a stuffed toy, barked happily as if to say thank you once she was on Haon’s lap. She panted adorably with her little pink tongue sticking out, looking absolutely precious.
“Haon, give me the ice cream.”
Inho took the remaining ice cream from Haon so he could pet the dog freely. He even handed his card to the kid and told them to go buy some snacks from the convenience store. Haon seemed so delighted with the puppy that Inho wanted to give him more time with her.
“Why is your fur so soft? You’re still a baby, huh.”
Thanks to that, Haon held the puppy close and stroked her to his heart’s content.
As Haon ran his hands over her, the dog’s tail wagged even faster. She wagged it so hard it looked like she might take flight, and Haon couldn’t help but shake his head right along with her.
‘You’re so damn cute, I can’t even.’
Inho watched the whole scene unfold with a silent smile.
“Hayang, what did you eat to get this white? Is that why your name is Hayang?”
Even though his own skin was just as fair, Haon was still fascinated by the dog’s snowy-white fur. Inho cast a sidelong glance at the puppy nestled in Haon’s arms.
With no tear stains and fur that was soft and pristine, it was clear this dog had grown up surrounded by love. You could tell just by how much she adored people.
“She’s so cute.”
After having his fill of petting the dog, Haon finally remembered Inho and glanced his way. It had been so long since he last interacted with an animal that he’d ended up focusing solely on the puppy, completely forgetting about Inho.
“You should try petting her.”
Saying the fur was unbelievably soft, Haon gently leaned the dog toward Inho. He was sure Inho would love it as much as he did once he touched it.
But Inho’s hand never moved. He simply held onto the ice cream and stared quietly at Haon.
“Wait… do you not like dogs…?”
Haon asked hesitantly, hoping that wasn’t the case. Thankfully, Inho shook his head.
“I do. I like all small animals.”
He gave that answer while gazing intently at Haon, as if he had something else he wanted to say.
“…Then try petting her. She’s super gentle.”
Haon tilted his head, puzzled by the silence, and continued stroking the dog. He brought her a little closer again, nudging her toward Inho in encouragement.
But Inho, his expression unreadable, gently shook his head. Though the corners of his mouth were still curved in a faint smile, something about it didn’t feel like a real smile.
“I have a fur allergy.”
Oh. That’s why.
As soon as Haon heard those words, he stood up with the dog in his arms and stepped back.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know…!”
Luckily, the young owner returned just then with a bag of snacks, and Haon used the perfect timing to hand the puppy back. Even after the dog left, Haon kept his distance from Inho.
“It’s okay. As long as I don’t touch it directly, I’m fine.”
Inho tried to approach him, but Haon instinctively backed away, retreating step by step. If he’d known Inho had a fur allergy, he never would’ve touched the dog in the first place.
“I’ll go wash my hands!”
Without waiting for a reply, Haon bolted toward the public restroom behind the convenience store.
He scrubbed his hands thoroughly with soap and checked his face in the mirror. His eyes looked dull and foggy, so he widened them for a second, then wiped the water off his hands and tried to tidy up his hair that had gotten tousled in the wind.
Just as he pressed down the bandage covering the bruise one last time, his lips parted in sudden realization.
“Ah… he did tell me.”
‘My fur allergy’s pretty bad.’
The conversation with Inho at the department store suddenly came rushing back. Good god—he had completely forgotten.
Eyes going wide, Haon smacked his forehead and rushed out of the restroom. He knew he’d made a mental note not to forget that. But after everything that happened—meeting Ryu Su-hyun, meeting Inho’s mother—it had completely slipped his mind.
“Haon, over here.”
As Haon rushed out, he locked eyes with Inho, who was standing not by the bench, but right in front of the restroom entrance, waiting for him.
“Is something wrong?”
Seeing Haon burst out in such a hurry, Inho’s expression tightened as he strode toward him. When he asked if Haon wasn’t feeling well, Haon quickly shook his head and started babbling without structure.
“I really meant to remember…! It’s not that I forgot—well, no, I did forget, but…”
Haon’s eyes flickered with nervousness as his words tumbled out. The moment he realized why Inho’s smile had briefly faded, unease crept into his chest.
That face—he’d definitely looked disappointed.
“I remembered that you said you’re allergic to fur.”
Scratching his carefully combed hair, Haon cursed himself for being such an idiot.
“I won’t forget again. I swear.”
He lowered his head, unable to meet Inho’s eyes.
He had forgotten the conversation they’d had at the department store, yet he clearly remembered promising Inho that he wouldn’t forget anything he said. The guilt stung—it felt like he’d broken another promise he shouldn’t have made in the first place.
“Even if you forget again, it can’t be helped. It’s not like you forget on purpose, Haon.”
Breaking the short silence, Inho reached out and smoothed down a stray tuft of Haon’s hair. He reassured Haon that it wasn’t something to apologize for.
Gaining courage from that, Haon finally looked up and met his gaze again. Thankfully, Inho was smiling. The familiar curve of his lips brought instant relief.
“Have you always been this forgetful?”
Watching Haon relax a little, Inho gently prodded him with a question. It was something he’d been meaning to ask for a while.
“I was a bit like that before… but it’s gotten worse since I presented as an Omega.”
Truthfully, he’d never been the meticulous type even as a kid. He used to lose things all the time and often got lost, even on familiar routes.
“Did you get tested?”
“They said it’s a pheromone issue. There’s nothing wrong with my brain.”
Haon clenched his fists like a kid insisting he wasn’t sick. He didn’t want to come off as some fragile patient to Inho. The man probably already thought he was an unstable Omega.
“I don’t forget the really important stuff.”
Any more flaws exposed, and he was sure Inho would grow tired of him. Haon silently vowed to keep it together from now on.
Inho quietly listened, then finally nodded and took Haon’s hand.
“Let’s go.”
Someone might steal our bikes, he added with a light tone, gently lifting the heavy mood.
Haon held onto Inho’s hand with both of his, then lengthened his stride. Even though Inho was already adjusting to his pace, he deliberately walked faster, afraid Inho might get frustrated with him.
***
Haon and Inho enjoyed their walk along Hangang Park until just before sunset. Even though they hadn’t done much, time had flown by.
Haon wanted to stay a bit longer, but when Inho said it was time to head back, he didn’t argue.
“Let’s hang out longer next time.”
Reading the disappointment in Haon’s expression, Inho smiled as he started the engine and spoke.
“It gets chilly at night now, so next time let’s dress warm and come back.”
Feeling reassured by the promise of a next time, Haon nodded in agreement. Pushing his luck might only end with him catching a cold. Since he couldn’t even take antipyretics, Haon often suffered for days from even a mild fever.
“It’s rush hour now, so traffic’s going to be bad. Get some rest—I’ll wake you up later.”
Inho leaned Haon’s seat back to make it more comfortable. Haon, fascinated by the automatic reclining mechanism, watched with wide, sparkling eyes.
“You’re not tired?”
“Nope.”
His answer came instantly, making Inho chuckle as he rested his chin on his hand. With one hand loosely gripping the steering wheel, he calmly navigated the congested evening roads.
“Want to listen to the radio? Or music?”
“Either’s fine… but the radio, maybe.”
Haon cautiously offered his choice, sensing Inho would ask him to pick between the two again. Honestly, he didn’t mind either way and had just chosen one at random.
With a few taps of his long fingers, Inho switched on the radio. The DJ’s smooth, steady voice filled the car.
Haon pretended to focus on the broadcast, but he kept sneaking side glances at Inho’s profile. Even after seeing that face all day, he never seemed to get tired of it.
Inho rarely looked to the side while driving, which gave Haon the freedom to gaze all he wanted. The serious expression he wore while focusing on the road, and the relaxed way he rested his chin during red lights—he looked so good, Haon wished he could capture it in a photo. It was frustrating that he couldn’t just burn it into his memory.
— What kind of place comes to mind when you think of your first kiss?
The DJ’s clear voice suddenly pierced through Haon’s ears. Words like first kiss, peck, lips touching kept repeating, making it impossible to ignore.
“Ahem…”
Haon cleared his throat and started fiddling with the bandage on his cheek. He tried not to look at Inho, but his honest eyes kept drifting toward Inho’s lips like they were magnetized.
It wasn’t on purpose. The DJ just kept emphasizing the word kiss, so of course his eyes went there. It didn’t mean he was expecting anything. Not even a little. Definitely not.
“Haon.”
Just as the DJ’s segment ended and music started playing, Inho’s warm voice called out, eyes still fixed on the road ahead.
“…Yes?”
Haon’s voice wavered with flustered hesitation. There was no reason to be nervous, yet his palms were damp with sweat.
“If you ever want to… just tell me.”
In the distance, beneath a sky painted in shades of red, the traffic light turned green. Inho let go of the hand resting under his chin and slowly pressed down on the accelerator.
Meanwhile, Haon silently mulled over Inho’s words, swallowing hard.
‘What do you mean…?’
He wanted to ask, but tension had locked his throat, leaving him unable to speak. All he could do was ask with his eyes—though Inho, staring straight ahead, wouldn’t have seen it.
“Just… anything.”
But Inho answered anyway, as if he had been watching Haon all along.
