The Night Of The Untraced

Gurgle, bubbles of air escaped through parted lips. He inhaled to fill his lungs with oxygen, but all that entered his mouth was water. Through his dim, lifted gaze, he saw the flickering lights rippling along with the small waves.Seungjoo knew how to swim. Unless it was a turbulent sea, falling into this much water wasn’t a significant threat. If he just paddled a bit, getting back to the surface wouldn’t be hard.Yet Seungjoo let his body go limp, drifting underwater. The reason was simple: he didn’t feel the need to escape. This place, where he couldn’t even breathe, felt oddly comfortable, like it was his own home.And he couldn’t ignore the repeated calling of his name.Seungjoo-ya.“……”Who keeps calling me?Even though he clearly heard his name, Seungjoo didn’t think it was a “voice.” It echoed in his head rather than reaching his ears, and all he heard in his muffled ears was the sound of water.So, it felt more like it was transmitted than heard.Seungjoo.‘……How long will this calling go on?’Are they trying to engrain the name Seungjoo into his mind? Even if not, it’s a name he’s heard his whole life. Seungjoo didn’t like it when people called him without any purpose.Seungjoo……‘Okay, so talk to me.’Not even sure who he was annoyed at, Seungjoo thought to himself. His mind was so hazy that he couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality. Since he felt sleepy, it didn’t seem like a dream, but it also didn’t feel quite real.Maybe his frustration got through, as the calling of his name stopped for a while. Instead, a preamble that seemed like it might explain something soon followed.Help me……He already knew what the next words would be. From the moment he almost fell into the lake to now actually being in it, Seungjoo had been constantly thinking about that one phrase.Help me.‘……’So, how exactly am I supposed to help?‘What kind of help do you need?’Normally, Seungjoo wouldn’t have even asked. He would have ignored it like he did with Gwangsik, shutting his eyes and ears, and turning away. Returning to the lake, following Muheun, and looking around were all unlike Seungjoo.‘You need to tell me exactly what I need to do to help.’He was about to ask what he should do when his mind abruptly went dark. It wasn’t an entirely rational situation, but it wasn’t one where he should lose consciousness either. Still, his vision slowly blurred, and he could no longer continue his thoughts.At some point, Seungjoo realized the scenery around him was changing. The dark night sky was lit by sunlight, and the still lake began to flow in one direction. The cold water soaking his body now felt as familiar as his own skin.Around then, he couldn’t remember the name Seungjoo anymore. Even when it briefly came to mind, it only led to the question, ‘Who was that again?’ Eventually, that question transformed into ‘Who am I?’, but that, too, seemed unimportant.And so, finally, Seungjoo became ‘it.’ A being that had guarded this place for countless ages, flowing aimlessly as water, drifting as a plant, and occasionally being swept away as soil.‘Its’ days were insignificant, but the lack of change meant stability. It didn’t easily break or deteriorate, nor did it escape its bounds or deviate. All it had to do was flow meaninglessly, which made going against the natural order more difficult.Fish, birds, and a few animals were its only friends. What some might see as a boring existence was actually a symbol of peace and solid stability that wouldn’t easily crumble. It remained as it was, and these days repeated over countless years.However, there aren’t many things in the world that can truly be called ‘absolute.’ Permanence is harder than change, and silence is harder than noise, so the moment it all turned upside down came suddenly.‘If we turn this river into a lake……’Strangers began appearing one by one. As their numbers quickly grew, they eventually didn’t just linger around but started interfering directly with ‘it.’‘……It’s a suitable place for development.’‘It’ll make for a good scenic spot.’‘It’ didn’t understand all their words, but grasped the main idea. What they wanted, what actions they would take, and how it would affect ‘it.’They said they would fill the river to create a lake. Among various opinions, one side gained strength, and eventually, a massive construction project began. Without asking for ‘its’ opinion, the routine it had maintained for so long was shattered.It felt pain. Whether as water, plant, or even soil, it had never realized it was breathing, but from a certain day, breathing became difficult.From that day, the place was no longer called a river but a lake. An artificial lake created by humans, where the water no longer flowed or purified itself. Its insides rotted, yet it was prettily packaged to maintain a convincing appearance, becoming an artificial ornament.Trapped there with no choice but to long for the days when it flowed freely, it envied the fluttering fins more than anything. Being stuck in the same place, wasting time, led to resentment towards those who made it this way.‘It’ began to move around that time. Pain and sorrow gathered to form its body, and the festering anger within became its mind. Despite this, rather than leaving the home it had known all its life, ‘It’ chose to harbor resentment in the place it had always lived.Perhaps because of that, not long after, ‘It’ was given a name: Gwimae, a harmful entity said to sicken human minds and turn the dead into evil spirits.If it hadn’t taken shape, it would have been just an innocent victim called nature.‘……So, were you resentful?’Seungjoo couldn’t immediately answer the question posed by someone. In fact, both the questioner and the one who couldn’t answer were Seungjoo himself. Even with his consciousness still hazy, the emotions Gwimae felt were fully transmitted to Seungjoo as if they were his own.No.‘……’I just wanted to go back.At the moment he felt it was too exhausting to continue hating, he lost his way because he didn’t know how to stop. When he wished to fall into rest, he had to keep circling the lake because the environment didn’t let him sleep.‘If we build purification facilities……’It takes a very long time for destroyed nature to recover. Like tearing open bare skin to make a wound, it was the consequence of turning a perfectly fine environment into a mess in an instant. If they hadn’t interfered, there would have been no need to fix anything, but sadly, the damage was already done.However, human ingenuity found ways to replace the lost abilities of nature. They built purification facilities beside the ruined lake and brought in new plants to replace the dead ones. When they released young fish into the created habitat, the animals that had been ‘It’s’ friends gradually returned to their places.Ah, now I can really sleep.That hope arose several times, but reality was not so kind. Each time he thought he could close his eyes, there were things constantly disturbing the lake. For example, the short cigarette butts that smelled of burning, the flattened cans, the chopsticks stained red, and sometimes even the leftover ramen broth with those chopsticks.‘So now……’Seungjoo couldn’t ask if that’s why he was wandering without being able to sleep. It was an obvious fact even without confirmation, and Gwimae’s memories were being transmitted to him in detail. It even felt as if he was absorbing those memories himself.So help me.‘……How?’If he knew how, he would have done it already. He had been listening to the story to figure out that method. Strictly speaking, he wasn’t just listening but experiencing it, which was similar anyway.‘What can I do?’This time, it was his turn to hear the answer. For some reason, he felt a sense of tension as Gwimae remained silent for quite a while.Just as Seungjoo was beginning to feel frustrated, the message finally came through again.You, in my place……“……Cough!”With a start, the water that had entered his windpipe was expelled. Air filled his shrunken lungs, and his distant consciousness instantly snapped back to reality. Coughing violently as if to vomit, he heard a sound settle in his muffled ears.“Ha……”The sound was a sigh mixed with relief and joy. Cool fingertips caressed Seungjoo’s face and gently brushed his wet hair aside. As Seungjoo, gasping for breath, lifted his eyelids, he saw a man with a tearful expression under the dark night sky.“Ah, Seungjoo, please……”The moment their eyes met was oddly clear. Wet hair, dark eyes filled with worry. Then the man’s face crumpled as he brought his forehead to Seungjoo’s chest, who was lying down.“……Hyung.”It was Muheun.Muheun stayed still in that position for a while. He didn’t even make a sound, which led Seungjoo to unconsciously reach out and touch his hair. Fortunately, as soon as Seungjoo’s fingers brushed his hair, Muheun lifted his head.“……”“……”The gaze they exchanged in the air was much more intense than usual. To be precise, it was deep and dark. Perhaps it was because his face was completely wet, making it as difficult to look away as it was to escape the lake he had just been in.“……what about the goldfish?”“……”Despite that, Seungjoo barely managed to move his lips to ask the question that was bothering him the most. Muheun let out a dry laugh at that. He sighed softly and placed his palm on Seungjoo’s cheek.“Is that the first thing you say as soon as you open your eyes?”“Well……”Wasn’t that the original purpose? And strictly speaking, he called out to Muheun before worrying about the goldfish. As Seungjoo awkwardly averted his gaze, Muheun softened his voice and replied.“I sealed the ghost.”It was a concise and clear answer. It was definitely reassuring, yet Seungjoo couldn’t help but feel uneasy. As he turned his head to look at the lake, Muheun took a shaky breath and continued.“As soon as I finished, I pulled you out of the water.”It had been less than five minutes, he said. The work was almost done, and he had hurriedly completed it as soon as he saw Seungjoo jump into the lake.“Five minutes isn’t…… that long.”He had thought it was much longer, but it turned out to be just a brief moment. The scenes he saw in the lake didn’t seem like they could fit into just five minutes.As Seungjoo’s vision blurred and he blinked his eyes open, Muheun murmured to himself in a small voice.“It felt like five years to me, Seungjoo.”“……”His voice was so heavy it was almost suffocating. The usual languid tone held no trace of its usual ease. The hand touching Seungjoo’s cheek trembled slightly, probably not just because of his wet body.“Are you hurt anywhere? Did you hit your head or get scratched……”A drop of water from Muheun’s hair fell onto Seungjoo’s face. Muheun wiped it away with his long fingers and carelessly brushed his own bangs back. His wet hair revealed his smooth forehead.“I couldn’t check properly because I was out of my mind……”“……”Despite his own hair being carelessly swept back, Muheun carefully arranged Seungjoo’s hair as if handling something fragile. He gently pushed his bangs aside and caressed his forehead, tracing his languid eyes with his fingertips.“Are you sure you’re okay?”“……Yes, I’m fine.”It was a familiar touch, but the realization that it was familiar suddenly hit him. Being treated with such care was so natural that he sometimes couldn’t gauge the extent of Muheun’s affection. The person who was always so strong was now trembling as if the world was falling apart because of something related to him.“Earlier……”Feeling increasingly strange, Seungjoo awkwardly averted his gaze and sat up. He intended to change the subject before his emotions deepened, explaining how he ended up in the lake and what he saw there.“……Ugh.”But as soon as he straightened his upper body, a dull ache spread from his solar plexus. Seungjoo coughed lightly and hunched his shoulders. Simultaneously, Muheun supported his shoulders and helped him sit up straight.“First……”Muheun’s lowered gaze examined Seungjoo’s upper body. Although he couldn’t see anything through the clothes, Muheun seemed to have an idea of the cause of the dull pain.With a serious expression, Muheun positioned himself as if to carry Seungjoo.“Let’s go to the hospital.”* * *Seungjoo almost ended up in an embarrassing position, but after insisting three times that he could walk on his own, he managed to protect his dignity. Even so, Muheun lifted him up, startling Seungjoo into grabbing his collar (it was the only thing he could hold onto).Despite having his collar grabbed, Muheun spoke seriously.“You might have broken a rib.”He was worried about the aftereffects of CPR. After all, it was obvious what kind of emergency measures would have been taken to save someone from drowning. Seungjoo knew there was a possibility, but it was different with Muheun.“I mean, you must have controlled your strength……”It might have been naive, but he had a vague belief in that. Muheun would have been careful not to hurt him even in that dire situation. Even if he was hurt, it wouldn’t be serious.“It hurts, but I can walk.”He didn’t lie about the pain. His chest did hurt, but other things were more pressing.“And walking like this is more mentally painful……”Hearing that, Muheun hesitated before gently setting Seungjoo down as soon as he saw Seungjoo’s ears turning red. Walking while soaked would attract enough attention; he didn’t want to be carried around like that. It would be a hassle if their colleagues saw them.‘But you still need to go to the hospital.’Muheun’s stern addition was something Seungjoo had no intention of rejecting. He was genuinely in pain, and considering the situation, it wouldn’t have been strange to call 119. Refusing to go to the hospital now would be sheer stubbornness.So, the two removed the talisman, dispelled the barrier, and left the school. With water balloon throwing events going on, their wet clothes didn’t attract much attention. The weather wasn’t too cold, so their soaked clothes began to dry shortly after.Throughout, Muheun couldn’t hide his concern for Seungjoo’s condition. Initially, he wasn’t pleased with Seungjoo walking on his own. Later, he regretted not being able to give his jacket, worried if Seungjoo might be cold. Though Seungjoo felt bad, he was somewhat relieved that Muheun was also in wet clothes.Instead of taking a taxi or walking, they found Muheun’s car parked not far from the main gate. When Muheun opened the passenger door, he had a complicated expression.‘I just felt like bringing it.’Should he admire that surprising foresight? Or lament that he couldn’t foresee everything? Muheun seemed to lean towards the latter, but Seungjoo pretended not to notice.Seungjoo disliked how his neighbors felt responsible for things not their fault. Unlike Kim Muryeong, who didn’t blame himself, Muheun felt guilt and self-loathing.They didn’t inform Seungjoo’s parents. If there had been an issue, they would’ve called, but the tests revealed nothing serious. The chest pain Muheun worried about was likely just muscle soreness.‘See? I told you I’m fine.’The doctor said Muheun handled it in a textbook manner. By minimizing pressure points and applying chest compressions properly, serious rib fractures are uncommon. The doctor even asked if Muheun was a lifeguard, to which Seungjoo simply replied that he did something similar.Well, it wasn’t a lie. Lifesaving was a part of both lifeguards’ and exorcists’ jobs. Exorcists, as they gained experience, also mastered emergency first aid. Muheun’s joke about being a jack-of-all-trades wasn’t far off.‘As if you’d let yourself get hurt.’‘…….’Muheun didn’t answer Seungjoo’s indifferent comment. Instead, he looked at Seungjoo before averting his gaze. Before fully understanding the fleeting emotion, Muheun spoke in his usual gentle voice.‘I’ll take you home.’What a strange thing. Not the part about taking him home, but about sending Seungjoo home. Usually, Muheun, who clung like someone with separation anxiety, was now offering to take him to his parents’ house.‘Let’s go to your place, not my parents’ house.’So, for once, Seungjoo suggested going to Muheun’s place. He felt uneasy about staying out two nights in a row but was more concerned about something else. Seeing Muheun open his mouth, Seungjoo cut him off.‘I have something to tell you.’Muheun probably thought it was about the goldfish, which is why he nodded without protest.After that, they headed to Muheun’s place. As soon as they arrived, Muheun handed Seungjoo some clothes and sent him to the bathroom to wash up. Surprisingly, this time there were even undergarments, which were likely the ones Seungjoo had left there before.“……Hyung?”When Seungjoo came out after changing, Muheun wasn’t in the living room. He thought Muheun would be on the sofa as usual, but it seemed he was still in the shower. He headed to the bedroom and heard the water running from the en suite bathroom.‘He’s taking a long shower.’Though Muheun hadn’t come out yet, Seungjoo just lay on the bed. He figured Muheun would tell him to sleep there anyway. They could talk anywhere, so there was no need to move to the sofa.“…….”But as soon as he lay down with a pillow, an unexpected problem arose. Normally, he would’ve fallen asleep by this time, and after such a tiring day, his eyelids grew heavy.I shouldn’t sleep. Despite thinking that, Seungjoo’s eyes fluttered. He yawned broadly and pulled the blanket up to his chin. The steady sound of running water began to lull him like a lullaby.‘Maybe I should just sleep…….’Why is he taking so long? Normally, Muheun showered quickly, but today he was taking his time. With Muheun’s keen hearing, he must have heard Seungjoo enter the bedroom.Unless something happened……“…….”Realizing this, Seungjoo quickly opened his eyes. Not out of worry something had happened to Muheun, but due to a different suspicion. Since he regained consciousness, Muheun’s behavior had been strange.Realizing this, Seungjoo sat up and approached the bathroom. His drowsiness vanished completely. The water was still running, but it sounded too steady to be a shower.“……Hyung.”Knock, knock, Seungjoo called out softly. Though his voice was quiet, Muheun would’ve heard it. Without waiting for a response, Seungjoo frowned and asked firmly.“You’re not avoiding me, are you?”No matter how he thought about it, this was the only explanation. There was no way the robust Kim Muheun had fainted, and it was unlikely he had slipped and hit his head in the bathroom. The only plausible reason for taking so long was if he was intentionally avoiding him.“Come out quickly…”But before Seungjoo could finish his sentence, the sound of running water abruptly stopped. Just as he was about to say he was sleepy and wanted to talk face-to-face, Seungjoo clamped his mouth shut.“…”Seungjoo, who usually had ordinary hearing, found it strange that he could hear everything inside the bathroom so clearly at that moment. He heard Muheun tidying up, the sound of cloth rustling, and footsteps approaching the door.Just as Seungjoo swallowed nervously, the bathroom door clicked open.“…”“…”Muheun emerged with a towel over his wet hair. He was shirtless and only wearing sweatpants. Seungjoo, who had involuntarily stared at his exposed upper body, quickly lifted his gaze after noticing the defined abs and visible pelvic bones.“Did you finish washing?”There had been the sound of water, yet no warmth came from inside. Despite Muheun’s resistance to the cold, had he been using cold water in this weather? His pale skin looked especially cold.“Yes, I’m done.”Muheun replied nonchalantly while drying his hair with the towel. He casually walked past Seungjoo and headed towards the bed.“It took a while because I had things to think about.”For some reason, that seemingly natural reason sounded like an excuse. As if he had deliberately taken his time to think. His slow, languid voice, usually calming and sleepy, now seemed like he was stalling.“It’s time for you to sleep. Seungjoo, you must be sleepy.”“…”Yes, even that sounded like he had been waiting for him to fall asleep.“I told you I have something to say.”“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”Muheun asked lightly as he sat on the bed. He draped the wet towel over his shoulder and casually ran a hand through his hair. Every time he moved, the tattoos on his arm and wrist seemed to ripple.“I have school tomorrow.”“Then you should sleep early.”“You mean to talk after sleeping?”It wasn’t a bad idea, but it didn’t seem like that’s what he meant. His ambiguous behavior, without saying much, was enough to make Seungjoo feel frustrated.“Let’s just talk now. I might forget by tomorrow.”“Hmm… I know Seungjoo’s memory, you won’t forget.”He was right. More importantly, if it was something he could forget, it wasn’t that important. But if it was important, there was no reason to wait until after sleeping to talk about it.“Are you sleepy? If you’re tired, I’ll just sleep.”Muheun didn’t answer again. Since he never lied, he couldn’t even say he was tired out of politeness. Seungjoo knew Muheun wouldn’t show weakness in front of him.“Then why do you keep saying we should talk tomorrow?”“Weren’t you dozing off before I came out?”“…”“The sleepy one is you, Seungjoo, not me.”How did he know? Seungjoo glanced at the messy bedding and furrowed his brow. There were clear signs someone had been lying there, making it hard to deny it.“I’m fully awake now.”“Oh, you’re awake?”Muheun’s light-hearted remark wasn’t convincing enough. But he relaxed his expression and laughed quietly. Whatever was amusing him, he made a hissing sound before patting the edge of the bed.“Come here, Seungjoo. Let’s sleep again.”“Why are calling me like you would call Baek Seolgi…?”Despite grumbling, Seungjoo obediently approached. He wasn’t planning to sleep; he just needed to be close to talk.But as soon as Seungjoo sat beside him, Muheun shifted away, increasing the distance.“…”Seungjoo blinked in surprise. Though there was no need to sit close, the action felt like he was avoiding him. Normally, Muheun would cling to him, even sitting him on his lap.“Ah… why are you doing this, really.”The words slipped out reflexively, without Seungjoo’s intent. There was a mix of unfairness and perhaps a hint of sorrow. He didn’t want to act childish, but he couldn’t help feeling irritated.“Did I do something wrong?”“No.”Ironically, Muheun immediately denied it. Before Seungjoo could respond, Muheun frowned slightly, then turned to look at him with a regretful expression. He looked at Seungjoo directly and spoke firmly.“It’s not that. You didn’t do anything wrong.”“…”The moment their eyes met, Seungjoo understood. The reason he had been feeling so suffocated was that Muheun hadn’t been meeting his gaze since returning from the hospital until now.“Sorry.”“…”“I’m sorry, Seungjoo.”The soft, lowering voice was clearly meant to soothe Seungjoo. Despite his previously ambiguous behavior, Muheun must have realized his mistake the moment Seungjoo showed genuine hurt. That’s why he was now extending his left hand slowly, with an embarrassed look on his face.“I wasn’t avoiding you. My mind was just a bit cluttered.”The hand that touched his cheek gently caressed the corner of his eye. The touch was so cautious that Seungjoo almost felt like crying without realizing it. Seungjoo frowned slightly at the tickling sensation on the corner of his eye and asked in a sulky voice,“…Why is your mind cluttered?”They had resolved the ear issue, there were no problems at the hospital, so what was suddenly bothering him now? To the extent of acting strangely in the bathroom with cold water.“Why do you always have so many useless thoughts? You should learn from Kim Muryeong.”“Useless thoughts…”Muheun’s voice stretched out, tinged with a smile. “Is our youngest cursing now?” he asked in a similarly amused tone. When Seungjoo didn’t deny it, Muheun moved his hand to Seungjoo’s ear and spoke,“I wish this were just useless thoughts…”His long fingers touched Seungjoo’s right ear and earlobe. The sensation of his cooler-than-usual touch, coupled with a faint blue aura, was transmitted directly. Despite the ticklish contact, Muheun spoke in a low, subdued tone,“You almost died today.”“…”The sudden, heavy statement made Seungjoo sit up straight instinctively. Muheun continued without a change in expression,“If I had been a minute later, you might have been left with a disability.”It was a fact without exaggeration. Even the doctor had said something similar, expressing relief at not missing the golden time, calling it a near miracle that Seungjoo was still intact. They had advised him to be grateful to Muheun, and Seungjoo had nodded in agreement.“Seungjoo.”“…”“How many times do you think this has happened since your spiritual sight opened?”Muheun was asking how many times Seungjoo had nearly died. And even if Seungjoo didn’t answer, Muheun likely already had a conclusion.“Seven times.”“No way.”Had he really counted each time? More shocking than nearly dying seven times was the fact that Muheun knew this while Seungjoo was unaware. It wasn’t a small number, yet he had never taken it seriously.“You’ve almost died seven times in less than three months.”Seungjoo felt like he understood what Muheun was trying to say. Why his mind was cluttered, why he had been avoiding eye contact, and why he had shown that guilty expression outside the hospital.“…So you’re saying it’s because of you.”Seungjoo cut him off in a detached tone. He wasn’t skilled at evading the point or providing comforting reassurances.“Some of it might be because of you. These things wouldn’t have happened if my spiritual sight hadn’t opened.”He didn’t want to deny that his spiritual sight opened because of Muheun’s forced kiss. Though Seungjoo didn’t blame the subsequent incidents on Muheun, if Muheun felt that way, there was no helping it.“But even if it wasn’t you, kissing another exorcist would’ve opened my spiritual sight. That’s a problem with my constitution, not because of you.”At the mention of another exorcist, Muheun’s eyes barely twitched. Seungjoo thought he looked displeased. Though it wasn’t a significant point, he continued indifferently,“I didn’t almost die because of you, but rather, I’m alive thanks to you. If I almost died seven times, it means you saved me seven times.”“One of those times was Gwangsik.”“Whatever, the point is…”Muheun’s unnecessary quibble seemed unserious, though his expression was earnest. The name “Gwangsik” seemed out of place, making it humorous.“If that’s why you’re acting strange, there’s no need. Everyone keeps forgetting that I’m the one who doesn’t want to die.”Muheun cherished Seungjoo, and Seungjoo valued himself just as much. If things really seemed dangerous, he was ready to turn his back and block out everything.But Muheun still lowered his gaze with a solemn expression.“I understand what you’re saying, Seungjoo. But being involved with me has undeniably made things more dangerous for you. Maybe not entirely, but at least partially.”This time, Seungjoo couldn’t argue. Muheun’s reasoning seemed to stem from more than just guilt. With his beast-like intuition and ability to see the future, Muheun must have had a reason to speak so seriously.“So I’ve been thinking…”Muheun paused and looked at Seungjoo. In his pitch-black eyes, Seungjoo’s face was reflected. Blinking slowly, Muheun continued very deliberately,“Wouldn’t it be better if we were less involved from now on?”Should I call it a sense of crisis? The moment I heard those words, an ominous feeling washed over me. If I just let it go now, I felt like Muheun would really come to a conclusion on his own.“Oh, come on, what are you talking about?”So Seungjoo let out the frustration that had surged up to his throat. He furrowed his brow deeply and scrunched up one eyebrow. It was an openly dissatisfied expression, but Muheun didn’t even blink as he looked at Seungjoo.“Will I be safer if I’m not involved with you?”Muheun didn’t answer the incredulous question. Seungjoo understood what Muheun was worried about, but it was equally true that the future was uncertain. Without a guarantee of safety, all those concerns were nothing but needless worries.“Why is your line of thought always like this?”Muheun usually maintained a rational attitude, but when it came to Seungjoo, he occasionally made extreme decisions. Like the time he forcibly kissed Seungjoo, thinking it was the right thing to do, and no one could stop him once he set his mind to something.“So how are you going to distance yourself now? Do you think it’s up to you whether we’re involved or not?”Seungjoo ruffled his hair and let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, but the more he talked, the more anxious he felt. It was made worse by the unpersuaded look on Muheun’s face.“What, are you trying to become strangers to me?”Hadn’t they come too far to turn back now? From birth until now, there had been an inseparable destiny between them. Even if they hadn’t had a choice initially, the journey thus far had been entirely their choice.But now, not being involved anymore was an absurd idea.“Strangers? How could we ever be strangers?”Muheun seemed to have had a similar thought. Cutting ties wasn’t just a matter between the two of them. They were entangled with so many people that if it were easy, they wouldn’t have known each other for so long.“See, then what are you saying?”“What I mean is…”Muheun began slowly, lowering his gaze. As soon as his eyes dropped, Seungjoo felt a jolt in his chest again. Muheun’s slow, deliberate voice came from his slightly parted lips.“We should keep our distance, more than now.”“….”Seungjoo couldn’t bring himself to ask how much distance that meant because Muheun looked up and met his gaze. His subdued eyes were filled with a serious light.“We’ll obviously stick together until your spiritual sight closes. I can’t let you wander alone; it worries me too much.”Sticking together until the spiritual sight closed—those were always Seungjoo’s words. On the surface, it seemed kind, but in truth, it was a firm rejection that set a deadline for their relationship.Now those words were coming from Muheun.“But I won’t let you stay over anymore.”“….”“This can’t continue as it is.”Muheun’s hand, reaching out slowly, gently caressed Seungjoo’s cheek again. His tone was soft but firm.“We need to prevent your spiritual sight from opening again.”“…What.”Seungjoo’s eyes wavered greatly. Though it was what he wanted too, hearing it from Muheun felt different. Moreover, thinking about what actions must be avoided to keep the spiritual sight from opening again made his mind race.“I was too greedy.”Muheun’s quiet murmur was so faint it could have been missed. He drew a faint smile as if to reassure Seungjoo, then traced his fingers around Seungjoo’s ear before pulling his hand back. The image of him lowering his eyes and turning his head left an oddly strong impression on Seungjoo’s mind.“Let’s just sleep. We can talk more tomorrow.”Muheun’s back as he stood up looked very determined. He might have been going to turn off the lights, but Seungjoo thought he was leaving for another room. And maybe, he wouldn’t come back.“…No, wait.”Realizing this, Seungjoo instinctively grabbed Muheun’s wrist. Muheun, who had been about to take a step, turned to look at Seungjoo, a beat late. The towel on his shoulder fell limply, and their eyes met and locked.“Do you even understand what you’re saying?”Seungjoo hadn’t defined their relationship, but that responsibility also lay with Muheun. Knowing yet pretending not to, they had maintained a delicate balance through implicit agreement. Even if he hadn’t intended to get closer, pulling away like this was unreasonable.“You’re saying we should keep our distance? Just like that, all of a sudden?”As his frustration built, so did the words he wanted to say. The unresolved feelings he thought he had let go of started to resurface and spill out.“I told you. Do you think I’m just someone who will wait around until you come back, just because you say so? We fought about this same issue just yesterday, and now you’re doing it again?”They had just confronted each other yesterday, with Seungjoo voicing all his pent-up frustrations. It was only yesterday that he had raised his voice and laid out all his feelings.“You don’t even understand what you did wrong. That’s why you’re doing this again today.”“It’s a different issue from yesterday.”“My feelings are the same.”“….”“My feelings are the same, Hyung.”Seungjoo’s hand slid down from Muheun’s wrist. Holding onto his pinky finger, Seungjoo let go as Muheun tried to intertwine their fingers. As soon as the warmth left, Muheun’s expression twitched ever so slightly.“You always do this.”“….”“Every single time, you do this to me.”He didn’t want to act like a child, but the words came out almost like a whine. Yet Seungjoo couldn’t help it as his emotions ran high, and all he could do was speak his mind clearly.“You think alone, come to conclusions alone, act alone, and then, when I get used to it, you leave without a word.”“……”“You’ve done this to me ever since I was a kid.”Muheun might not have meant to, but his back always hurt Seungjoo. The feelings that lingered unknowingly had to be wrapped up in the guise of familiarity just to bear it.“You said the new faction is targeting me, right? You said it was dangerous.”“……”“You forced a kiss on me when I didn’t want it, and now you’re saying you won’t even sleep in the same bed to prevent my spiritual sight from opening?”Muheun’s lips moved as if to say something, but Seungjoo didn’t give him the chance.“Fine, let’s say you’re preventing my spiritual sight from opening. But what if that exorcist who smokes shows up again?”The reason for Seungjoo’s spiritual sight opening wasn’t solely because of Muheun. Just a forced kiss from someone could trigger it.“So if it opens again, you’ll protect me by walking me to school every day?”“……”“And if it gets more dangerous without you, then you’ll kiss me again?”The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. It might have always been the best option for Muheun, but Seungjoo was never given a choice. Acting out of concern for Seungjoo’s safety inevitably disregarded other things.“Why is everything so easy for you?”No matter how patient Seungjoo was, if his feelings and intentions weren’t satisfied, his patience would wear thin. Even if he tried to act rationally, he couldn’t completely exclude his emotions, especially when it came to Muheun.“What’s so easy about it…”“I didn’t decide this easily either.”Muheun cut Seungjoo off with his usual soft voice. It didn’t have the usual gentle feel; there was a hint of firmness. When Seungjoo glared at him, Muheun, unusually irritated, ran his hand through his hair.“I thought a lot about this before saying it. I’m worried we might really cross the line.”“Why do you always think about these things alone?”Seungjoo didn’t think Muheun had made a hasty decision. After all, he must have pondered deeply, even braving the cold, so his head would be clearer than ever. But accepting that was another matter for Seungjoo.“Cross the line, what line…”A hollow laugh escaped him unintentionally. This time, it really felt new and ridiculous. They had been through so much, and now talking about crossing a line seemed absurd.“I wasn’t going to say this, but after doing everything with me, what are you talking about? If you put it like that, how is this different from using and discarding me?”Even Seungjoo thought he had gone too far. He hadn’t meant to speak this way or mock Muheun. Normally, he wouldn’t get this worked up, but now he couldn’t hold back his rising frustration.But Muheun, in a tone that suggested he didn’t understand, asked back.“Did everything…?”“You and I, that day…!”Seungjoo, who was about to speak impulsively, clammed up with a startled look. He almost mentioned “that day,” the first day their relationship turned upside down, which he had never brought up before.Realizing Seungjoo’s suppressed words, Muheun narrowed his eyes and murmured.“Oh… that day.”Why did his quiet voice sound so significant? He opened his mouth as if he had something to say, then furrowed his brow. Avoiding Seungjoo’s gaze, Muheun spoke again in a firm tone.“But this is the right thing to do now.”“……”Oh, you stubborn fool.“Fine, do whatever you want.”The chapters have been revised, edited, and compressed, and the complete main story has been released for free, as I’m concerned it might be taken down or worse. I didn’t want to disappoint the readers, so I apologize for any inconvenience, and I hope you enjoy reading the complete story! The side stories will be coming soon, so don't worry~