“Nabin-hyung, let’s hurry before the others get back.”
Overjoyed with the blanket he’d just received, Ryu Somin grabbed Nabin’s wrist with a bright smile and tugged him along. He was shorter and thinner than Nabin, yet the strength with which he pulled was surprisingly firm.
The grip stung faintly, but rather than asking Somin to let go, Nabin simply adjusted his stride to match his pace.
By the time they arrived, his chest burned with the effort. He pressed a hand over it and forced his ragged breaths to slow.
“Here. What do you think?”
“…It’s beautiful.”
The place Somin had led him to was nothing like the flower garden Nabin could see from his room. That garden was full of colorful, delicate blossoms, while the plot Somin tended himself was filled with strange, otherworldly flowers.
Some were unlike anything he’d ever seen. One bloom bore both sharp, pointed petals and round ones on the same stem. Another shimmered faintly as though emitting light of its own.
“…What’s this one called?”
What drew Nabin’s eyes was a flower with a soft violet hue, its color reminiscent of the jewel set in the butterfly pendant Lee Hayan had given him. Even in the shade, its petals shone like crystal, irresistibly catching the light.
“That’s a Pasquinum. Pretty, right? It’s my favorite too.”
“…Yeah. It’s really pretty.”
Nabin crouched carefully before the cluster of Pasquinum, hugging his knees. With a tentative touch, he brushed a bud with his fingertip.
The petals swayed shyly, as if greeting him. A smile bloomed on his lips, delicate as the flowers themselves.
“Here, take these.”
Watching him quietly, Somin pulled out a small bundle of Pasquinum and held it out. Their fragrance swept over him—sweet yet decadent, like roses coated in syrup.
“…You’re giving these to me?”
“Of course. You gave me a blanket. This is my way of returning the favor.”
Somin’s radiant smile lit the air around him. Seeing it, Nabin let go of the guilt he still carried over the blanket. He pressed his face into the bouquet, drinking in its sweetness.
“…Thank you.”
It was the first time in his life he’d ever received flowers. His pale cheeks tinged with pink.
“Want me to show you something fun?”
“…Something fun?”
“Mm. These flowers aren’t just pretty—you can use them like herbs too.”
Beautiful and useful both. The thought filled Nabin with a quiet admiration. He reached out again, gently brushing another bloom. Its fragrance soaked into his chest, lingering warmly inside him.
The two crouched side by side, chatting as they went through the flowers one by one, losing track of time.
But peace didn’t last. The quiet was broken by the sharp chime of a phone notification. Somin’s face paled as he checked the screen, then he grabbed Nabin’s arm and pulled him back toward the mansion.
“Yishin-hyung says he’s almost home. But he said he’d be late tonight…”
Nabin’s face turned pale to match. It had been Somin’s idea to step out first, but Tae Yishin wouldn’t care about that.
Even if it was Somin who had led him out, Yishin would inevitably vent his displeasure on Nabin.
“Hyung, knock the dirt off before we go in. Yishin-hyung notices everything.”
As Nabin moved to step inside, Somin tugged him to the side of the stairs and scraped the mud from his shoes. The early morning rain had left the soil soft and clinging.
The dirt wouldn’t come off easily. They bent and scraped, glancing nervously at the door, fighting with their soles until their thighs ached.
But time wasn’t on their side. The front gate clanged open. Both of them froze.
“Why are you two outside?”
Yishin’s voice was soft, but his eyes on Nabin were frigid. Afraid to meet them, Nabin dropped his head, curling his trembling fingers into fists. The bouquet of Pasquinum rustled faintly in his grip.
“Y-Yishin-hyung, why are you back so early? You said you’d be late…”
Somin mumbled nervously, shifting from foot to foot. If he’d known Yishin would be home this soon, he would have stayed inside.
“Somin, is there a reason I shouldn’t come back early?”
“No… it’s not that…”
Though endlessly gentle with Somin, Yishin was strictest of all when it came to his health.
Though spring, the morning rain had left the air cold. His sharp gaze slid to Somin’s bare legs, exposed to the chill. Somin fidgeted, trying in vain to cover them.
“Somin, go inside. Don’t catch a cold. Have some hot tea as soon as you’re in.”
“I want Nabin-hyung to come too. He didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who asked him to go out.”
Somin glanced back and forth anxiously between them, defending him. But the faint smile on Yishin’s face disappeared.
“Ryu Somin.”
He only used his full name when he was truly angry. Somin whispered a quick “Sorry” to Nabin before slipping into the mansion.
The moment he vanished, Yishin’s piercing gaze fell on Nabin, who shrank under it. Perhaps worn down by endless apologies, his silence was less irritating than it once had been.
But the sight of the Guide growing close to Somin twisted Yishin’s gut. That irritation came out sharp as blades.
“Our Guide sure has it easy…”
“…”
Nabin bit down hard, forcing back the apology rising instinctively to his lips. He tried not to react, but Yishin’s faint killing intent made his hands tremble, the bouquet rustling noisily.
“Getting flowers, too. I really don’t get why Somin likes you so much.”
Since childhood, Somin had barely left the house or hospital, living almost in seclusion. Even now, though his health had improved, he recoiled from strangers like a skittish deer. His circle was limited to hospital staff and the Espers of the mansion.
Yishin had never once seen him approach anyone first, never initiate a conversation. Though he seemed sociable on the surface, he was even more awkward with people than Gong Min.
And yet, with Nabin, he’d shown unusual warmth—so much so that he’d made a bouquet out of his treasured garden flowers.
If Somin needed a friend, Yishin could find him someone more suitable than a Guide. But sharing the same roof, it was natural his feelings had gravitated that way. This was why Yishin disliked letting outsiders in.
“Stop trembling and go inside. You need to guide.”
Startled, Nabin lifted his head. He’d expected violence, or at least harsher words. Compared to Yishin’s usual fury, this was nothing.
But when their eyes met, he understood. Yishin wasn’t calm. He was holding back.
They stood in plain view of Somin’s second-floor window and the entryway where other Espers would soon appear.
Because the others showed Nabin kindness, Yishin had started restraining himself, at least in public. But alone, little had changed.
If they went into a room together now, Nabin didn’t need to imagine what would happen. Frozen with fear, he couldn’t move, so Yishin opened the door himself and dragged him inside.
One shoe slipped off at the entrance, the other still on, as Nabin was hauled helplessly into the dim corridor toward a room at its end.
Thud.
“Every time I deal with you, I swear my patience grows.”
Yishin threw him to the floor like discarded trash. His merciless grip left Nabin’s arm throbbing as if a bone had cracked.
Tears streamed down his face. He bit his lip until it bled, stifling the cries that wanted to break free. Keeping silent was instinct, survival itself. Yishin only grew rougher whenever he heard a reaction.
