“Jae-jin, eat a lot. Seo Eui-woo, I hope you enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you.”
“…I’ll eat well.”
With a nervous heart, Jae-jin picked up his spoon. He placed a piece of the braised short ribs he had grilled onto his rice, added a slice of kimchi on top, and took a big bite.
Seeing this, Seo Eui-woo, sitting next to him, subtly lowered his gaze.
Both of them, as if soldiers returning from a long campaign, momentarily forgot about their burdens and focused on their meal.
***
“This is my ID badge. The side displays details like your affiliation, team, and rank, while inside, there’s a microchip for meal access.”
“Interesting. Seeing it in person, it’s lighter than I thought.”
“Yes, even when worn around the neck, you barely feel the weight.”
After finishing lunch, they moved to the lounge area to eat dessert. A selection of fresh fruits was now placed on the table as the main course was cleared away. Apples, peaches, and grapes were arranged in abundance, already cut into bite-sized pieces. Jae-jin, feeling as if his stomach would burst, reluctantly put down his fork.
His mother always recommended peaches, his father apples, and Jae-jin, enjoying both, made sure to eat each equally, as if out of balance, one would be neglected.
“Ah, the frame you chose for the photo doesn’t sit right with me!”
Jae-jin frowned at the screen of the frame.
Before the meal, they had been setting up a picture frame, but something seemed off. As a former fine arts major, Jae-jin had a strong artistic sense, which sometimes led to dilemmas Kwon Jae-jin couldn’t comprehend. However, since he frequently took and printed photos, to the extent that he even had a dedicated photo printer in his room, his aesthetic taste was clearly on a different level.
Whenever he was granted long-term leave and returned home, Jae-jin wanted to show Seo Eui-woo the paintings that had inspired him in his early art school days.
“I should replace all the frames. Let’s just change all the photos.”
Jae-jin rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
He removed the frames from the wall, taking out all the old photos, and started replacing them one by one. He also pulled out the albums stacked neatly on the bookshelf, flipping them open.
The album contained all his previous military photos, now reorganized in a new arrangement.
“…”
Sitting stiffly on the sofa like a soldier caught off guard, Seo Eui-woo turned his head slightly towards the album.
His pupils dilated, and his white irises trembled slightly as if in shock. His hand hesitated as he reached toward the open album.
“An album…?”
Do you want to see?
Flip. Flip.
Each time Jae-jin turned a page in the album, Seo Eui-woo’s pupils gradually dilated with intensity. When a photo of Kwon Jae-jin from his orphanage days appeared, Seo Eui-woo clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.
‘He’s about to snap.’
In the end, Jae-jin stepped in first.
“Jae-jin, let’s look at the album together. When I go back, I want to take a few family photos with me too.”
“Oh, really?”
Jae-jin stood up, still holding the album. Of course, carrying all five thick albums at once was impossible. He grabbed one first and started to rise, but suddenly, the remaining albums that had been stacked on the floor shot into the air.
“Huh?”
“…!”
All five albums floated midair before landing right in front of Seo Eui-woo.
Seo Eui-woo.
Seo Eui-woo was using his telekinesis.
Jae-jin looked at Seo Eui-woo in shock. However, Seo Eui-woo was already too far gone, completely transfixed by the photos of young orphanage-era Kwon Jae-jin. The gleam in his golden eyes was anything but normal.
“Jae-jin, I want to keep this photo.”
“…”
“Can I take it?”
Seo Eui-woo carefully took out a picture of Kwon Jae-jin as a child and clutched it in his hands.
Inside the photo, Jae-jin was bathed in sunlight, his baby fat making him look round and soft, his bright smile full of pure joy. Yet, nearly half of the picture was dominated by a giant, swollen bruise.
Apparently, the image resonated deeply with Seo Eui-woo—his eyes were gleaming with delight, even the tips of his ears turning red.
“Uh, if… if my parents say it’s okay…”
Jae-jin answered hesitantly, glancing behind him.
His mother, father, and Jae-jin were all staring at Seo Eui-woo in stunned silence. Since Seo Eui-woo freely used his telekinesis, they were no longer easily startled by it. But the way he was so intensely fixated on finding photos of baby Kwon Jae-jin, flipping through the album with just his powers without even using his hands, was unsettling to witness.
“Can I take this one too?”
“…”
“This one as well?”
Seo Eui-woo held the album open toward Jae-jin. At this rate, it seemed like he intended to take the entire thing. Jae-jin was at a loss for words.
“That’s too many. Just pick three.”
“Three is too few.”
“That’s too many.”
“It’s not. I can come back and get more next time.”
“Hm…”
Seo Eui-woo carefully scrutinized the album, lost in deep thought.
His expression was serious as he compared a picture of four-year-old Kwon Jae-jin with his belly sticking out while napping to another of seven-year-old Kwon Jae-jin, where a missing tooth made his smile look even more awkward.
It might not be the right way to describe it, but compared to storming into battle with his throat dry or infiltrating a battlefield filled with creatures, his stomach felt much heavier and more tense now.
“You two seem really close…”
Jae-hee, who had been sitting near the dining table, commented with a nervous laugh. Even Jae-jin’s parents, who were eating fruit across from them, nodded in silent agreement.
“Yeah. It looks like they’re getting along well. Seo Eui-woo…”
Jae-jin was the first to react, clearing his throat and cutting in.
“Yes, we get along. In fact, we’re the closest.”
“Really?”
“We stay together all the time…”
Jae-jin, who had been engrossed in organizing albums, glanced toward Seo Eui-woo, only to find that the other was staring at him intently. His throat went dry.
“We… uh… that is…”
He could’ve just not said anything, but putting it into words was more difficult than he thought. While he hesitated, trying to find the right way to phrase it, a soft yet clear voice suddenly cut in from the side.
“Oh, can I say it now?”
Seo Eui-woo had set the album aside and was now looking at Jae-jin.
“Jae-jin, can I say it now?”
Faced with those direct words, Jae-jin realized Seo Eui-woo had no intention of hiding anything.
“I’m dating Jae-jin. It’s been 217 days.”
The words, spoken in his calm and steady voice, landed firmly in the room. His pale lips and white face contrasted sharply with his unwavering golden eyes, which were as steady as ever, locked onto Kwon Jae-jin.
“…”
Jae-jin let out a small chuckle.
Nothing in this world is eternal, but looking at Seo Eui-woo, that doubt seemed to fade. Even if nothing else, Seo Eui-woo might just be the one exception—something truly unchanging. That thought made Jae-jin believe, even if only for a moment.
“Yeah…”
Kwon Jae-jin responded after a brief pause.
“That’s right. I like him a lot. Eui-woo.”
There was no need to hesitate in saying it. There was no deception, no pretense between them—only certainty. So what was there to be conflicted about?
“I want to stay with him from now on too.”
“…”
“We promised to be together.”
Jae-jin let out a soft puff of laughter.
A son they thought was dead turned out to be alive, he was an S-Class Guide, and he was dating a hero – just a regular romance, yet if you added the detail that he was dating Seo Eui-woo, the nation’s hero… that was probably the most shocking part.
Well… hmm…
Still…
But honestly, it’s weird. It’s not like Jae-jin’s in his first timeline anymore, constantly being hunted down and nearly murdered. And yet, he keeps sneaking around everywhere like he is…
<Now that you put it that way… Hiding and being cautious really is kind of ridiculous for me now.>
Hiding things… holding back…
That was…
…
“Yeah… I see.”
“The couple’s ring on your hand left a mark.”
Huh?
Jae-jin’s eyes widened in shock.
His family, who had been nervously listening, looked a little awkward, but none of them seemed particularly surprised. If anything, they had looked more shocked when they first witnessed Seo Eui-woo’s telekinesis. Jae-jin admitted casually,
“Honestly, I already kind of figured it out. There were rumors all over the internet saying you two were dating.”
“W-What?”
“Yeah. After watching the debriefing video from the latest mission, the speculation got even stronger.”
“…It wasn’t that obvious.”
“You weren’t, but Seo Eui-woo’s Esper abilities are just… um… yeah.”
“…”
It wasn’t just Jae-jin. Even their parents seemed to have already known. Jae-jin’s mother and father looked at him with warm, understanding eyes.
“Anyway… I’m glad. It looks like you met someone good.”
“Jae-jin, you’re not a civilian anymore… It’s good to have someone to rely on.”
“…”
“It must have been hard to say out loud, but thank you for trusting us and being brave enough to tell us.”
The emotions in their eyes were impossible to ignore. The deep love of parents who could never fully understand or share in their child’s pain, yet held that sorrow close to their hearts.
“We just want you to be happy. That’s all that matters.”
“Stay healthy, always…”
“And don’t push yourself too hard all the time. Remember to look up at the sky sometimes, to take it easy every now and then…”
“Smile more, okay?”
“…Yeah.”
In the end, Jae-jin couldn’t hold back his tears.
His vision blurred as his eyes stung with heat, and he quickly ducked his head, embarrassed.
“J-Just a sec, I’ll, uh… I’ll go get some coffee. My throat’s dry.”
Using that as an excuse, he grabbed his mask and hurriedly put it on, desperately trying to control his expression.
His family didn’t hold him back or stop him; they simply let him go.
“Alright, be careful out there.”
“Eui-woo, take care of my baby brother for me.”
And then, as naturally as ever, Seo Eui-woo put on a mask and followed Jae-jin out.
“I’ll go with you, Jae-jin.”
His family watched them leave in silence. Even his parents simply waved, saying nothing more.
Jae-jin walked quickly through the garden, and Seo Eui-woo naturally kept pace beside him.
“Are you crying?”
The soft, gentle voice somehow made him tear up even more.
“Kwon Jae-jin, your eyes always turn red when you’re on the verge of tears.”
“…Eui-woo.”
“You look happy.”
Seo Eui-woo smiled and wrapped his arms around Jae-jin’s waist. As Jae-jin leaned against his shoulder, his vision blurred, and he felt the sting of tears rising uncontrollably.
Seo Eui-woo gently wiped his eyes, using the soft pad of his thumb to brush away the tears before they could fall.
“I’m still not used to this… I think that’s what it is.”
“…Yeah. It takes time.”
Through the faint haze of his tears, Seo Eui-woo’s sharp yet beautifully sculpted face came into focus.
If he could keep looking at this face forever, if he could go anywhere as long as Seo Eui-woo was by his side… Meeting his family, fighting in battles, having a simple meal, sleeping next to him—just sharing these small, everyday moments together. That thought alone hit him so hard it nearly took his breath away.
At times, it felt unreal. At times, it was frustrating. At times, it was overwhelming.
But… sometimes, it was adorable. Sometimes, it was full of love. Sometimes, it was liberating. And sometimes… it was simply overwhelming.
So, in the end…
‘…I guess this is what happiness feels like.’
If happiness existed, then perhaps traces of it were already deeply embedded in their lives.
“I’m happy…”
Jae-jin whispered softly into Seo Eui-woo’s ear.
Seo Eui-woo let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his shoulders slightly before whispering back into Jae-jin’s ear, echoing the same sentiment.
The two of them casually laced their fingers together, and, with their hands intertwined, they headed off to a nearby café to buy coffee.
