The house that Sung Cha-hyeon and Ji Se-min chose as a married couple.
Even though it was a perspective he’d never once considered, Cha-hyeon’s words hit Se-min straight in the heart. Like a single drop plopping onto still water, the sudden realization spread deep and calm.
Yeah, that’s right. Why didn’t I think of that? Looking back, Se-min had always moved for a reason.
The purpose of the first place they’d moved to—the apartment they chose after Cha-hyeon Awakened as an S-grade Esper—had been the family’s safety. He’d wanted Grandma and Se-min to live comfortably in a good place.
So there was a university hospital nearby they could rush to at any time, and the neighborhood was a so-called “good school district,” the kind fueled by intense academic zeal. Because it was a large apartment complex, the senior center where elders gathered was well established, so even when Cha-hyeon and Se-min were out, Grandma didn’t feel lonely. Little Se-min, too, played all day to his heart’s content at the newly renovated playground.
Next, the purpose of their current home—the one they moved into after Grandma passed away—had been “a place that’s good for living with Se-min.” You could tell for sure from how, after losing his memories related to Se-min, Cha-hyeon didn’t even remember the house they lived in now.
But when he chose this place, he’d surely done so with the mindset of a home that would be good for living with Se-min, who was “no different from a real younger brother.”
A home perfect for a family-like younger brother with whom there was absolutely no chance of becoming lovers. Sharing day-to-day life under the same roof like family, yet keeping personal spaces that didn’t intrude. A home that would turn into an empty space the moment you cleared out only Se-min’s things.
But what if they went looking for a new place as a newlywed home? From the outset, what they’d consider would be completely different.
How big should the master bedroom—one they’d share—be? What size bed would they buy? How would they use the extra rooms? Should they create a room to share their hobbies? Starting from a blank slate and completing a home from A to Z through the eyes of a newlywed couple would obviously be different.
With his mouth, which had almost fallen open, clamped shut, Se-min swallowed hard. A faint flush spread across his cheeks. Scratching at his cheek, he muttered, dazed.
“I-is that… right? No, you’re right. That makes sense.”
Seeing how obviously embarrassed he was, Cha-hyeon let out a soft laugh. In a voice like sharing a secret, he whispered sweetly—a line that set the heart of a newlywed-roleplaying Se-min all a-tingle.
“Let’s toss all the furniture, the dishes, the housewares, and buy everything new. One by one, to match Hyung and Se-min’s tastes—just like other newlyweds do.”
“Buy it all new? Everything?”
“Yeah, all of it.”
Throwing out perfectly good furniture and household items they’d used for over a decade felt wasteful at first—but what Cha-hyeon said made sense, too.
Since they were moving into the place that would be their very first home as newlyweds, it did seem better to fill it with things they’d chosen as newlyweds. In his mind’s eye—vivid as reality—flashed the image of shopping for housewares with Cha-hyeon, trading opinions as they went.
Right. We can sell or donate the furniture and stuff… and it’ll mean more to buy the new appliances with my own money, won’t it?
Everything about the current house and its contents had been prepared by Cha-hyeon around ten years ago. Now that he, too, had money earned as a Guide, he could confidently pull his own weight.
Because he’d been searching this and that for his proposal, Se-min had also ended up reading related posts: the three-piece appliance set that was supposedly trending among newlyweds, dishware sets, interior styles… Information he’d naturally picked up because those were the posts that tended to follow “I got a proposal!” stories.
…A proposal? In the middle of that soft, fluffy daydream, Se-min screeched to a halt. He turned to Cha-hyeon, who was waiting for an answer, and blurted out, hurried:
“Hyung, don’t tell me this is a proposal, right?”
A helpless breath escaped Cha-hyeon. With a wry little laugh, he looked at Se-min as if bemused.
“Is a proposal the only thing inside that head of yours, Se-min?”
Bull’s-eye. Pricked by the harmless jab, Se-min replied defensively.
“No! I said I’d do it first, but then you suddenly talk about moving, buying everything new, so I asked just in case….”
His words trailed into a mumble. Maybe because he’d been reading nothing but proposal posts lately, it felt like the kind of timing where it wouldn’t be weird if, at any moment, Cha-hyeon went, “So will you marry me?” and pulled out a ring. Se-min pleaded once more, earnestly:
“You got it, right, Hyung? I… told you in advance?”
Even though both of them knew he was the one planning to propose, he still beat around the bush for no real reason. Cha-hyeon let out an even more exasperated snort.
“Mm-hm. This Hyung of yours knows nothing at all. I have no idea what on earth you’re talking about, Se-min.”
Getting thanked for nothing—like being bowed to when he should’ve been the one bowing—Se-min pushed out his lower lip, then shook with silent laughter at how ridiculous he sounded. A moment later, as the laughter faded, his face was entirely taken over by the fluttery, bashful look he wore for the person he adored.
“……”
Watching him with observant black eyes, Cha-hyeon curved his lips in a smile.
***
The proposal had been planned in a flash—like roasting beans on a lightning bolt—but even that short wait felt unbearably long to Se-min. Time that usually passed without notice now crawled as if weighted down with heavy sinkers.
Still, the day that felt like it would never come finally arrived. Tomorrow. The proposal day was finally tomorrow. And that last full day sped by—almost as if to make up for the sluggish pace until then—so quickly it made a mockery of the previous slowdown. In that swift current, Se-min launched the plan he’d simulated hundreds of times in his head without delay.
After checking into the hotel suite in advance, he met with the staff from the proposal company. He handed over the spare keycard and the gifts he’d hidden in the car trunk.
Going over the schedule one last time, he was told that on the day of the proposal he could come in anytime after 5 p.m., and that if they vacated the room by 1 p.m. the next day, the company would clear everything out by the late checkout time. He nodded as if calm, but in truth his heart kicked up even more—enough that he had to secretly wipe his sweaty palms on his pants.
After finishing the meeting, he called the restaurant he’d booked to reconfirm the reservation. Once he’d made sure everything was proceeding without a hitch, he went home as if nothing had happened.
He did, at one point, go down to the parking lot to check the trunk again, muttering, “I really passed everything on properly, right? I really am proposing tomorrow—this isn’t a dream, right?” Even so, his proposal prep stayed on track.
Floating all day as if gravity had half let go of him, Se-min wrapped up almost everything by packing condoms, lube, and a spare pair of underwear into his backpack.
I mean… it’s a hotel, and there’s a bed right there, and he’d paid for a two-night, three-day stay—(one night was a wash, but still)—so of course they might end up spending the night. After the proposal, the air would go soft and romantic, and what would likely come next was easy to guess. All he’d done was prepare thoroughly.
Anyway, the day before the proposal, only the most important task remained. The heart that had been fluttering all day as if Awakened now pounded harder than ever.
After a longer-than-usual shower, Se-min came into the bedroom with his hair half damp. Cha-hyeon, who’d been leaning against the headboard reading, lifted his gaze to him.
Maybe it was the long, almost-too-hot shower, or maybe nerves, but Se-min’s cheeks were rosier than usual. For no real reason, he shook out his hair with the towel. Pretending nonchalance as he looked for the hair dryer, he cleared his throat.
“Ah, right.”
As if the thought had just occurred to him, he opened with that and glanced sidelong at Cha-hyeon. From the moment he’d come in, Cha-hyeon had been peeking at him over the book; now he lifted his head.
“Hyung, are you free tomorrow?”
He sounded just like he always did, yet, strangely, even to his own ears, there was something awkward about it. Judging by the amused curve starting at the corner of Cha-hyeon’s mouth, he felt the same.
“Tomorrow?”
Not bothering to hide his amusement, Cha-hyeon asked. The cheeks already flushed on Se-min deepened red.
“Yeah. Tomorrow.”
Even so, he kept up the stiff act. He briskly rubbed his hair with the towel like it was nothing, but combined with his clunky tone, it only made everything more awkward.
By now, Cha-hyeon had shut his book completely. His gaze fixed on Se-min, who kept toweling hair that didn’t look like it had any moisture left to remove.
“Mm… tomorrow… I’m free. Why?”
Drawing it out as if reviewing his schedule for show, Cha-hyeon asked with a smile. Still rubbing at hair that had dried so much it was starting to resemble a scruffy rainy-season cat, Se-min finally spoke.
“If you’re free tomorrow, go on a date with me.”
