Seo Eui-woo followed Jae-jin’s instructions and gently scratched under Sun-woo’s chin. However, despite being an affectionate and people-loving dog, Sun-woo regarded him with an unusual level of wariness. His eyes darted between Eui-woo’s hands as if he wasn’t disgusted, but outright fearful.
Noticing this unexpected reaction, Seo Eui-woo muttered awkwardly, “Hmm, I guess animals can’t help it. Maybe I smell like creature blood.”
“Really…?”
“Yeah. There’s a reason why there are no dogs in the special settlements.”
“Ah…”
“Good thing you don’t mind, Jae-jin. You’re used to dealing with blood.”
“Well, I don’t exactly have creature blood in me, so…”
“That’s a relief.”
“Yeah… I guess.”
Sun-woo let out a small whine. Jae-jin sighed heavily and glanced between them.
Since Seo Eui-woo was born an Esper, it was normal for him to be drenched in creature blood almost daily. The idea that he wouldn’t be able to befriend Sun-woo just because of that… felt needlessly unfair.
A pang of sympathy hit Jae-jin. It almost made him feel guilty for no reason.
“This isn’t working. I should just put him down.”
Seo Eui-woo slowly withdrew his hand from Sun-woo’s fur.
At that moment, Sun-woo’s tail gave a tiny, hesitant wag. Jae-jin’s instincts kicked in immediately.
“No, Eui-woo, keep going… Keep petting him like that.”
“Huh?”
Sun-woo was, at his core, a civilian dog.
If he had been raised in a warzone, trained to fight, he would’ve reacted to the scent of blood with deep fear and instinctively shrunk away. But Sun-woo was just an ordinary five-year-old mutt who had never even seen a creature in his life.
A simple-minded dog, too young to understand fear.
He had no idea what a creature even was. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be a problem after all…?
“Yip! Yip, grr…! Woof…!”
Sun-woo’s tail gave another tentative wag—then, all at once, it spun into a full, enthusiastic circle.
Perhaps he had finally decided that Seo Eui-woo wasn’t a threat. His tense eyes softened, and his body relaxed completely as he melted into Seo Eui-woo’s arms.
“Huh…? What’s up with him? What’s happening?”
“Sun-woo likes you.”
“What?”
“Try calling him. Sun-woo, Sun-woo.”
“…Sun-woo?”
“Arf!”
“Now say ‘treat.’”
“…Treat?”
“Woof woof woof! Woong woong!”
“Now, tell him ‘walk.’”
“Wa…walk.”
“Arf woof! Woong woong!”
Chaos erupted.
It was as if two dogs had finally found each other.
The smaller dog was excited just to play, while the bigger dog—who was holding the smaller one—looked completely lost, glancing at Jae-jin for guidance.
Seo Eui-woo looking so flustered—it had been a while since Jae-jin had seen that.
‘Cute.’
Jae-jin chuckled, ruffling Seo Eui-woo’s messy hair before petting Sun-woo’s fur.
‘They’re both warm. They’re both soft. They even kind of smell the same. This feels like a matching set…’
“I like this.”
Still grinning, Jae-jin strolled into the courtyard.
Seo Eui-woo, still wearing an utterly confused expression, trailed behind him.
It seemed that the dog’s lack of fear toward him was something he had yet to process.
Standing in front of the main entrance, a familiar, mouthwatering scent drifted from inside.
Someone in the kitchen was simmering galbi jjim.
Braised short ribs… It had been one of Jae-jin’s favorite dishes since childhood.
For the past four years, he had grudgingly improved his cooking skills, and he was finally at a point where he could make edible galbi jjim himself. But honestly, what he had truly been craving—what he really wanted—was inside this house.
“…”
Jae-jin pressed his fingerprint against the door lock and punched in the passcode.
“I’m home.”
The door opened, time stretching as he stepped inside.
Everything inside was exactly as he remembered.
The refreshing coolness of the air-conditioned room greeted him first, washing over both him and Seo Eui-woo.
Despite the summer heat, it seemed his parents had turned on the AC in preparation for his return. The entire house felt crisp and refreshing.
“Jae-jin!”
“Oh, you’re here! Son!”
The moment he entered, familiar, welcoming faces emerged from the living room.
His father grasped his hand tightly, while his mother pulled him into a hug. Both of them looked healthy.
“Have you been well? Huh? Are you doing okay?”
“Did you eat? You had breakfast, right? Lunch, not yet?”
Their worried voices, their gentle fussing—it made Jae-jin’s eyes sting for a moment. His nose burned slightly, but he swallowed down any reaction, instead curving his lips into a small smile.
“Yeah, I had breakfast. Not lunch yet.”
“Good, good… Your mother made galbi jjim for you. She put in fresh potatoes, summer green onions, and honey dates. The broth’s nice and rich. Hurry up and eat.”
“Wait a second. This is Seo Eui-woo. He’s been with me.”
Jae-jin took two steps back, holding Sun-woo in his arms as he introduced Seo Eui-woo. Seo Eui-woo, who had been keeping an almost exaggerated distance, looked so stiff it was almost comical.
<Oh, uh. Got it.>
<Sigh, alright. I’ll try.>
His parents’ gazes immediately locked onto Seo Eui-woo.
“Oh… Seo Eui-woo?”
“The Special Forces Seo Eui-woo…?”
They blinked, staring at his face like they were seeing a mirage.
It was already overwhelming that their son—whom they had once believed dead—had returned. Now, standing next to him was a literal national hero. Their shock was inevitable.
And yet, the Seo Eui-woo on screen didn’t even compare to the real thing.
Tall enough that one had to tilt their head back to see his face, packed with lean muscle far beyond that of an ordinary civilian, and with striking features that stood out even with his hat and mask covering half his face. His presence alone felt unreal.
“I apologize. We had to move quickly for security reasons, so I wasn’t able to contact you in advance.”
After a few more exchanges, the tense atmosphere finally relaxed. His parents blinked rapidly and waved their hands dismissively.
“Oh, no, no. It’s nothing to apologize for. We were just startled, that’s all…”
“Ahem, right… Seo Eui-woo, I’m Kwon Young-jin, Jae-jin’s father.”
“And I’m Song Hee-jin, Jae-jin’s mother. Thank you for taking care of our son.”
“Seo Eui-woo, greet my mother and father.”
Seo Eui-woo remained utterly silent, standing with perfect military posture.
To an outsider, it might have seemed cold, even intimidating, as if he were a machine incapable of emotion.
But Kwon Jae-jin knew the truth.
‘He must be holding himself back like crazy right now…’
Jae-jin took after his parents.
Looking at old photos of his father in his youth, it would have been difficult to tell them apart—the same strong jawline, the same sharp eyes and nose.
Meanwhile, Seo Eui-woo’s coloring leaned toward his mother’s side. His hair was darker than most, and his striking gray eyes came from her as well. His pale complexion mirrored hers almost exactly.
“…I’m Seo Eui-woo, Esper of the 1st Special Forces Division.”
Seo Eui-woo finally parted his lips, his tone slow and deliberate.
It seemed he had decided on a more formal greeting rather than offering a casual introduction.
Seeing such an unmistakably military figure standing before them, Jae-jin’s parents grew even more flustered and quickly bowed politely in response.
“Ah, yes, Lieutenant Seo. We always admire your service and dedication to the field.”
“Since you’re here today, please feel at home. You’re more than welcome to stay for lunch.”
“We prepared a little extra food knowing Jae-jin was coming home… It might not be much, but would you like to eat with us?”
Before Seo Eui-woo could respond, Jae-jin gave him a quick side glance and firmly nodded.
To an outsider, Seo Eui-woo’s expression might have seemed unreadable—like that of a Special Forces soldier conditioned to be distant and cold.
But to Jae-jin, he could practically hear his thoughts—‘How am I supposed to answer this?’—just from the slight crease in his brow.
Jae-jin answered on Seo Eui-woo’s behalf.
“Yes, we’ll eat together. And please, speak casually with Eui-woo. We’re close, after all.”
“Oh, but how could we? He’s a lieutenant!”
“Yeah, that wouldn’t be right. He’s Lieutenant Seo.”
“It’s fine. You’re okay with it too, right, Eui-woo?”
“Yes, I have no objections.”
“Then… should we call you Lieutenant Seo, or Mr. Seo Eui-woo?”
“Go ahead and use my name.”
“Alright then, Seo Eui-woo… Shall we head inside?”
“Why is Sun-woo still standing over there? Oh, I’ll carry him. Come here, you little rascal.”
“Yip yip! Woof!”
Fortunately, the introductions went smoothly without any major hiccups.
Jae-jin let out a quiet breath of relief.
Just as they were stepping out of the entryway and heading toward the living room, a loud voice called out from across the hall.
“What? What?! Kwon Jae-jin’s home?! Oppa!”
A girl with long hair flying behind her came bursting into the room.
Jae-jin’s younger sibling, Kwon Jae-hee, came running at full speed.
He had two younger siblings—a younger brother, Il-ga, who was currently in the military, and his youngest sister, Jae-hee.
Jae-hee was in high school, an art major, with a personality as soft as her appearance. She had grown a little taller since he last saw her, but she was still just a kid.
“I was in the middle of working on an assignment, so I haven’t even done my hair… Ack, Seo Eui-woo?!”
She came to a screeching halt right in front of Seo Eui-woo, nearly colliding with him.
Even though Seo Eui-woo was still wearing his hat and mask, she recognized him instantly.
His parents, who had more experience dealing with high-profile figures, had reacted with quiet awe. But Jae-hee, still young and completely unprepared, had no way to hide her shock.
Her eyes widened so much they looked like they might pop out of her head.
“Se-Seo Eui-woo…?”
“……”
“Holy shit. Oh my god, I— Is this real?!”
Jae-hee, hit by sheer disbelief, crumpled to the floor like she had been struck by lightning.
Seo Eui-woo merely looked down at her, observing her reaction with his usual blank expression.
To a stranger, it would seem like he was coldly ignoring her, but Jae-jin understood.
‘Jae-hee… does look a lot like me, huh.’
Kwon Jae-jin. Kwon Jae-hee.
The two of them were practically identical, like a pair of twins separated by gender.
If Jae-jin had been born a woman, he would probably look exactly like her. The thought was oddly unsettling.
Jae-jin quickly stepped in to pull Jae-hee back to her senses.
“Jae-hee. You’re acting like you don’t even have an older brother.”
“Wait, oppa! But why is Seo Eui-woo in our house…?!”
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