To Me, Who Doesn’t Love You

The first thing Juno felt was a splitting headache, and the second was the chill of damp earth and the roughness of cement. Though winter wasn’t entirely over yet, the ground was so cold that his cheek and knees felt like they might break from the chill. His vision was blocked, and his arms and legs were tightly bound, with circulation barely managing to reach them — he was clearly in a life-threatening situation.“Mmgh, mmph—!”Isn’t anyone watching? Juno thrashed around, hoping to signal to any passerby, or whoever might be guarding the place, that he was awake. Staying in this position was unbearable; his knees felt like they’d shatter from the cold if he didn’t move.“Mmph—! Mmmgh!!”Time passed, though he couldn’t tell how much. There was no sound of a door opening, but he eventually heard the rustling of thick fabric — perhaps a blanket or sleeping bag being adjusted — before a gruff voice barked at him irritably.“Hey, keep it down! Can’t a guy get some sleep around here?”The voice sounded like a man in his late thirties to mid-forties, with a rough and mocking tone. Juno clung to that scornful voice like a lifeline.“Mmph, mmph! Mmph! Mph!”Why had they brought him here? What were they planning? If he’d been kidnapped for ransom, they would need to contact his parents to confirm he was alive, or he wouldn’t be worth much as a hostage. Hoping to negotiate and secure his release, Juno continued to struggle, indicating he’d give them whatever money they wanted.“Mmph! Mmmph! Mph! Mmmgh!”Ignoring the man’s reprimands, Juno kept making noise until the man snapped and kicked his leg hard enough to make a loud thud.“I told you to shut up! Don’t you understand Korean?”“Mmph!”The blow landed squarely on his knee, sending a jolt of pain up through his bones that made him convulse silently. Still, he couldn’t give up now. As Juno continued to struggle in place, the man finally sighed deeply and ripped the tape off Juno’s mouth in one swift motion.“Fine, go ahead. What do you have to say that’s so important?”“Agh!”Juno screamed from the raw pain that tore at his skin; the tape had pulled out bits of hair and stubble, feeling as though it ripped off chunks of flesh.“Ugh, why… why are you doing this…?”The pain around his mouth made it difficult to form words properly. Hearing his garbled speech, the man beyond Juno’s obscured vision laughed mockingly as he replied.“I wouldn’t know. The boss told me to bring you here, so I did. Just wait until tomorrow — the boss and a guest are supposed to arrive.”Boss? And a guest? Juno couldn’t make sense of the situation and asked again.“Isn’t this… Isn’t this for a ransom? For some kind of ransom negotiation?”The man gave a short, dismissive laugh, clearly finding the suggestion absurd.“Nah, we don’t do stuff that lowly. We either dump ‘em or bury ‘em. But don’t worry — you won’t be buried until tomorrow, so get some rest, alright?”Dump or bury? Images from countless crime films flashed through Juno’s mind — bodies encased in cement, people buried alive… He shivered, realizing that, in such an isolated rural area, a death could go completely unnoticed. Why would they go this far for me? He was stumped, until he remembered a distant rumor his parents had mentioned years ago.“Remember, that guy… that Suhan Lee? He’s the son of Director Lee, the former reporter who was rumored to have ties with the mob. They say he has tattoos, dark as ink, peeking out under his shirt.”It was too much of a stretch to assume Suhan orchestrated this solely because his father had underworld connections. Yet, given Juno’s fugitive status, with no way to contact his family without risking discovery, the only person who could harbor such a grudge was Suhan.What should I do… Juno’s mind raced. He had to survive and get out of this. He’d contact his parents, accept any inescapable charges, hire a top lawyer to reduce his sentence, and deny the rest. He’d clean up his legal record, leave the country, and start afresh — his parents wouldn’t let him be thrown out on the streets. While Juno was deep in thought, the man approached him with another strip of tape and slapped it back over his mouth.“So, now can we just get some sleep until tomorrow morning?”How could anyone sleep like this? The chill from the floor seeped into his bones, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably. Yet tomorrow, the person responsible for this ordeal would be here. He’d plead with Suhan, reminding him they were relatives — maybe Suhan would relent. Juno tried to fall asleep but couldn’t; his entire body ached, and the cold gnawed at him, so he spent the night wide awake, greeting dawn with bloodshot eyes.It wasn’t until late afternoon that the boss and the “guest” arrived, as the man had promised. Juno’s foggy senses snapped to alertness at the sound of an approaching car engine and heavy footsteps.“Mmgh, mmph…!”As he struggled, the man kicked him in the leg again.“Can’t you stay still? They’ll be here any minute.”Soon, the creaking of an old metal door signaled multiple people entering, and all movement stopped.“Well, does he meet your expectations, nephew?”At the voice of an older man, the blindfold was ripped off Juno’s face, and he squinted in the sudden brightness, recognizing a familiar figure.“Gah…! Ugh, hack—!”Juno gasped, choking on his breath, and a drumful of water was dumped over him, splashing everywhere.“Ugh…!”“Water’s good for a cough, but maybe I didn’t aim it quite right.”“You went overboard, boss. Should’ve used a smaller scoop.”As the thugs snickered, Juno looked desperately at the man he recognized.“Director Lee…! I think we have a huge misunderstanding here, don’t we? Let’s… let’s talk this out.”Standing right in front of him, impeccably dressed and exuding a cold beauty, was the man Juno had dreaded — Suhan Lee.Suhan leaned forward, his expression as icy as his gaze as he surveyed Juno on the ground.“A misunderstanding?”This might be Juno’s last chance to save his life. Swallowing his terror, he tried to reason.“Yes! I think there’s been a major misunderstanding between us. Why would I hold any grudge against you? Business is… just business…”At that moment, stars burst in front of his eyes as pain exploded in his cheek. He had rolled forward and smacked into the drum with a thud, too shocked to even scream. Bruised and scraped from the cement floor, he choked back sobs as his whole body trembled.Suhan approached, nudging Juno over with his shoe so that he lay facing the ceiling. Then, he stomped down hard on Juno’s groin.“All those ‘jokes’ you made about this, this little thing being a joke — was that a misunderstanding too?”“Agh, ugh, gah…!”Juno’s scream echoed. The pain felt real, visceral, as if Suhan meant to crush him entirely. The earlier punch had been nothing; this blow sent him to the edge of consciousness.“Hah, the presentation, the cottage renovation — everything…! I’ll cover it all!”With Juno on his knees, begging for his life, Suhan finally leaned closer, looking at him with absolute contempt as he got to the point.“Do you really think that once you’re out of here, your parents will somehow fix everything for you?”It was time to show him that he had no hope left.“You really went totally off the grid, didn’t you? Haven’t you heard about the latest charges? Your aunt personally gathered every piece of evidence proving it was all your doing and handed it to the police during their investigation.”“What?”Juno’s eyes shot open in shock as his only remaining lifeline snapped before him.“Looks like you really had no idea. Your own parents turned you in, willing to do whatever it takes to save themselves.”In that instant, it felt as though the ceiling was collapsing on Juno. No, this couldn’t be true… His parents had always given him everything he’d ever wanted. He could still recall his father’s reassuring words, vowing to reclaim the family business from the relatives who had inherited it, encouraging his mother to look forward to being addressed as the Lady of the House. He couldn’t believe that they had betrayed him the moment his crimes were undeniable, sacrificing him to save themselves.“What do you mean, they turned me in? They really claimed I did everything?”Juno stammered, denying reality, and Suhan replied, his lips curling into a wry smile.“Thanks to them, it seems they’ll just be considered witnesses. You really are out of the loop. Should I get you a new phone or something?”This couldn’t be true. While Juno gripped his head in disbelief and denied it all, Suhan decided it was time for the next step.“So, you’d better think carefully. Taking the blame yourself is one thing, but wouldn’t it be safer if the responsibility was shared with your family? If you take it all alone, even with top-notch lawyers, you’d be lucky to get out in less than ten years.”This wasn’t a mere threat but a reality. Though Suhan couldn’t report the attempted assault due to his own involvement, recent charges of attempted murder, defamation, industrial espionage, embezzlement, and theft—if pursued abroad—would be enough to land Juno a near encyclopedia’s worth of criminal records.Juno’s parents, having handed over evidence proving his guilt, had guaranteed there was no need to prove guilt any longer; the only question now was the extent of the sentence.“…”Suhan even showed Juno a letter sent by his aunt, containing official investigation updates that verified her intentions to clear her family’s name by exposing his guilt. As he read it, Juno’s denial slowly crumbled, and he writhed in panic.“No… it can’t be… no… everything…”Suhan’s mission to trap Juno in a nightmare was complete, but he wasn’t about to let the family escape unscathed. So, he presented Juno with a carefully baited trap, camouflaged as a lifeline.“Like I said, think about it. You can take all the blame and go down alone, or share it with your family. If you’d prefer the second option, I could help.”And Juno, unable to resist, grabbed at that bait. His desire for revenge burned anew, directed elsewhere.Watching Juno, Suhan allowed a bitter smile. It was time to help these people, who didn’t hesitate to use others for their gain, meet their well-deserved downfall.* * *“…Whew.”After finishing his wretched negotiation with Juno, Suhan returned to his office, finished his work, and headed home, feeling lightheaded. He wasn’t sure if it was just the stress or if he was genuinely feeling unwell. He decided he’d just lie down for a while. He was warm all over, possibly coming down with a cold.“Hyung, are you okay? You look really pale…”Yeonseo, who had come home with him as always, was visibly pale with worry. Just sit tight, will you? Suhan was about to tell him off, but seeing Yeonseo’s genuinely concerned face, he found it unexpectedly endearing. Ridiculous, he thought to himself, frustrated with his own reaction.Yeonseo’s panicked state was probably best ignored. Suhan’s stomach had been churning, and he’d had to go to the bathroom multiple times, noticing a thick discharge that was definitely not from nausea. He was about 40 weeks along, nearly full-term, but there was still time before the due date. He knew he’d feel sore and out of sorts as he got closer, but this felt mild enough to ignore.“Guess I overdid it by driving today,” he thought, vowing to stick to rides from now on, and skipped dinner, heading not to the master bedroom but his own room to sleep. He preferred being alone when feeling under the weather, hating to show weakness to others. He waved off Yeonseo’s concerned questions and closed his eyes.“…”When he opened his eyes, something soft and oddly comforting surrounded him. This warmth wasn’t just from blankets; it was something full of familiar scents. Groggily, he noticed that Yeonseo’s clothes were piled all around him, like a nest enveloping him snugly.What the hell is this mess? Since when has it been like this? It was definitely not like this when I fell asleep. As Suhan stirred in surprise, items piled beneath the bed clattered to the floor, and Yeonseo opened the door.“I heard a loud noise… I was worried. Did something happen…?”The moment he saw Yeonseo rush in, Suhan was struck by a sudden, intense need for him, to the point where he wondered how he’d ever managed to sleep alone. Was it because he felt so unwell? Why was he feeling like this? He couldn’t understand it, which only made it more bewildering.“Ah.”From his lower abdomen to below his ribcage, Suhan felt a sharp, hollow ache. His body collapsed forward, and he fell entirely into Yeonseo’s arms.“Are you okay!? Shouldn’t we get you to the hospital right away?!”Yeonseo, shocked, helped Suhan up and found his forehead covered in a cold sweat. No matter how stubborn Suhan might be, Yeonseo couldn’t leave him to rest on his own anymore. The moment he lifted Suhan to carry him to the car, a sudden warmth spread beneath his waist, hot and wet. Although they’d both heard that this might happen one day, neither expected it to come earlier than planned, leaving both Suhan and Yeonseo momentarily stunned. Yeonseo, terrified something was wrong, hurriedly picked up Suhan and crossed the living room toward the elevator.Throughout the turbulent ride to the hospital, Suhan felt a strange sense of calm despite everything. His belly kept tightening and throbbing with increasing intensity, and he was soaked in a mess below. He was just as nervous as Yeonseo, who looked ready to burst into tears as he fumbled to buckle Suhan’s seatbelt and gripped the steering wheel with shaking hands. Even though it wasn’t a time to laugh, Suhan found himself smiling, which startled Yeonseo so much that he clutched the wheel even tighter, almost breaking it.“Does it hurt a lot?! I should have called an ambulance instead… what should I do… should I call one now?”The now rhythmic waves of pain made Suhan swallow his laughter as he shook his head.“…Just focus on the road. I’m more scared that you’ll crash into the car in front of us.”“Yes!”Could he really trust this guy to be a dad? Suhan felt a flicker of doubt, but seeing Yeonseo’s deeply anxious face washed it all away. With someone who loved him this much by his side, everything else seemed unimportant.A little while later, they arrived at the hospital, and the medical staff swiftly took Suhan inside. Yeonseo, worried sick about Suhan and the baby, tried to follow them into the delivery room, but a nurse stopped him with a stern expression. Since it wasn’t a natural delivery and there was a need for general anesthesia due to potential risks, she explained that he would be called in later to cut the umbilical cord once the baby was born.Now, everything was up to Suhan. All Yeonseo could do was wait outside the operating room. He had imagined countless times the moment when they would be together as a family of three, but now that it was happening, he was filled with worry. As the surgery went on, he paced the waiting room, unable to sit still, wondering anxiously what he would do if something happened to Suhan or the baby. Finally, a cheerful voice called out to him from inside.“Guardian of Lee Suhan, please come in!”“Ah, yes…!”When Yeonseo entered, Suhan wasn’t there. Naturally, it was a separate area connected to the operating room. Just as his heart sank in worry for Suhan, his eyes caught sight of the nurse carrying in the baby. The baby, a bit on the small side, was perfectly healthy, her whole body flushed pink.“Both the mother and baby are healthy. She’s a cute little princess.”A tiny nose, little hands, and even tinier feet. She was so small, and yet, thinking of her having been inside Suhan all this time made her seem incredibly large. Though Suhan hadn’t shown it much, being strong and resilient, Yeonseo was overwhelmed with emotion, realizing how difficult it must have been. Meanwhile, despite her puffy face from the amniotic fluid, the baby wore such a pouty expression that her resemblance to Suhan was undeniable.“She’s so beautiful… sniff, uh…”Repeating himself like a broken record, Yeonseo eventually couldn’t hold back his tears, becoming known at the hospital as the “tall, handsome father who burst into sobs for the first time since the hospital’s opening.”* * *‘No wonder my back was hurting.’This was Suhan’s first thought as he awoke from anesthesia. The doctor had repeatedly advised him to come to the hospital immediately if he felt regular pain, but there had been a slight miscommunication.This was Suhan’s first child, and he hadn’t experienced or witnessed a birth before. Didn’t labor pains typically hurt so much that one would see stars, like in the media? However, that morning, as he prepared to meet Juno, he felt only a familiar backache—not enough to be considered severe.Naturally, he dismissed it, thinking it couldn’t possibly be labor pains. His strong constitution and high pain tolerance had come back to bite him. Even after the anesthesia wore off, Suhan, unlike the other new mothers groaning as the pain relief wore off, was so unfazed that he asked if he could be discharged, leading to a lecture from the medical staff, who wondered if he thought he was some ancient warrior.Right before the birth, Suhan had done some quality prenatal bonding with the baby. Though he felt a bit guilty for showing the baby such a sight, the satisfaction and relief he’d felt beating Juno nearly senseless was likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, maybe even a positive bonding moment. As a result, Juno ended up reactivating his phone and handing over conversation logs with his parents, as well as various recordings and files stored in his cloud, to the investigator, sparing Suhan from having to dirty his own hands further.‘So, you’ll let me go now, right?’With a self-assured expression, Juno, contemplating how to confront his parents, asked Suhan, who replied with a smile.“Nope. I’ll release you once I see your parents locked up.”Juno had flared up, accusing him of deceit, but a swift kick to his shin quieted him down again.About three days into his hospital stay, Suhan received a call from the lead investigator. An arrest warrant had been requested for his uncle and aunt. With the news that Juno could now be released, Suhan called a family friend of his father’s to thank him, only to hear unexpected news.— You know, it’s… awkward. My kids lost track of your cousin for a moment, and he just… disappeared.Juno’s whereabouts were finally discovered when Suhan was about to be discharged. It was in the dead of night, a deserted road where even houses were few, and trucks sped by at high speeds. While illegally crossing the unlit highway without a sidewalk, Juno had been struck by a vehicle and was now in critical condition. The diagnosis matched Suhan’s: multiple fractures and internal and external injuries. He might never regain consciousness.“……”Though unsettled, Suhan decided to accept it as karma. He had come back from the brink of death; Juno’s fate would be like his own—guided by destiny and fate.During Suhan’s hospital stay, one by one, the complicated incidents and accidents were finally being resolved. At last, it was time to be discharged with their baby. Suhan, who had taken extended leave, turned his head reflexively to stifle a laugh when he saw Yeonseo, who had come to pick him up.“Did you drive all the way here like that?”Suhan barely managed to suppress his shaking shoulders and asked, to which Yeonseo replied with swollen, puffy eyes.“Yes…”“That’s… impressive.”There was nothing more he could say. This guy, whose best features were his lower body and his handsome face, looked like he’d had his face soaked in water for about 12 hours, and he was laden with all sorts of baby supplies, blankets, and bags. It wasn’t like they’d use all of it just getting to the car; the baby was snugly wrapped in a sling. Suhan couldn’t understand why he’d brought so much.“Just go start the car. I can walk on my own.”Though he’d had surgery, compared to the major one that left him unconscious for three months, this was nothing. It was baffling to see Yeonseo reacting so dramatically, but when Suhan thought of it as part of Yeonseo’s way of welcoming their new family member, he didn’t want to scold him for it. While Yeonseo hurried to the car to warm up the seats, Suhan took in the gentle spring breeze as he walked.When he’d regained consciousness, it had been February 20. Now, nearly a month later, it was fully spring. With the milder weather, it wasn’t so daunting to bring out the nearly newborn baby.Suhan adjusted the small bundle, the newest member of their family, nestled against him. The baby, fast asleep, let out faint, colorful breaths, her tiny fists twitching. She was so small that her eyes hadn’t opened yet, and her complexion still held a hint of redness, contrasting sharply with the clear blue sky. They still hadn’t decided on her real name, so she continued to be called by her prenatal nickname.“She’s too small for the car seat, isn’t she?”Checking over the car seat they’d bought in advance, Yeonseo poked his head out and asked Suhan.“The brochure from the hospital says even infants under one year old should be in a car seat.”However, as they tried to put her in, the baby was so tiny it seemed like something wasn’t right.“Doesn’t it look a bit strange?”“Yeah, but they say it’s much safer than holding her during an accident.”“….”Having recently survived an accident that could have killed him, Suhan obediently tightened the buckle securing the baby.After much struggling, they finally succeeded in getting her into the car seat, and a cold sweat trickled down their backs. Who knew it would be this hard? The moment Suhan and Yeonseo’s eyes met, they couldn’t hold back their laughter any longer. Leaving the hospital with their baby marked their first accomplishment as a couple.The air was refreshingly cool, and Suhan was in a good mood at the thought of finally leaving the suffocating hospital. Since his return to work was still a ways off, he had plenty of time. If it wouldn’t be too much for the baby, maybe they could stop somewhere for a breath of fresh air. Wiping sweat from his brow, Suhan, seated in the passenger seat, glanced back at the baby and impulsively suggested to Yeonseo:“Can we stop somewhere on the way?”Not knowing what Suhan had in mind, Yeonseo nodded, adjusting the navigation screen to input an address. Watching Yeonseo’s nimble fingers move over the screen, Suhan slowly recited the address.“Incheon, Jung-gu…”“Incheon?”Surprised at the unexpected location, Yeonseo’s eyes went wide. Suhan simply smirked instead of explaining.“You’ll see when we get there.”Why was he being so secretive? Curiosity piqued, Yeonseo drove toward the address Suhan had given him. Fortunately, traffic was light, and they soon arrived. The open roads felt like a refreshing drive. After a while, the harbor came into view.Yeonseo parked near the pier, and Suhan carefully got out of the car, holding the baby. It wasn’t a busy port, with most ships covered in tattered tarps as though they’d been abandoned. Above, seagulls soared busily, and in the warm spots, cats lounged, yawning. Suhan gently carried the baby toward the edge where the waves were most visible.Why here? Although the baby’s nickname was Bada, Suhan and Yeonseo hadn’t spent their childhood here but in Gangneung. If he’d wanted to show the baby somewhere familiar, Gangneung would have made more sense, even if it took more time to get there. Puzzled, Yeonseo tilted his head in confusion, prompting Suhan to respond with a faintly bittersweet expression.“When I said it’s where my father rests.”“…Ah.”Finally, Yeonseo remembered hearing that Suhan had sent his father to a sea burial, even though he couldn’t attend the memorial due to studying abroad. So this would be Suhan’s first visit to pay respects since getting married. As Yeonseo hesitated, unsure of where to bow, Suhan walked toward the railing and gazed at the waves breaking white. Swoosh, the waves surged and then quickly receded, their sounds like a lullaby; the baby, though twitching its ears, continued to sleep soundly.Suhan didn’t feel a sudden surge of longing or tenderness toward his father now. The neglect and violence he experienced as a child were not things he could justify as his father’s “way of loving.” Yet, at the same time, he couldn’t ignore that his father had tried his utmost to ensure Suhan didn’t live a life like his own, even humbling himself to protect Suhan’s future. His mother was the same. She hadn’t abandoned him but struggled to stay with him out of guilt for leaving him behind. In the end, they kept crossing paths and missing each other until she died, unable to make peace. However complex his relationship with his parents, one thing remained true: Suhan had been loved, in his way.So, are you satisfied now? Just as you wished, I’ve climbed the ladder, graduated from a prestigious school, and, with support, became a corporate executive at a young age. I’m also a well-respected broadcaster. And I married a high-achieving, well-bred Alpha, and together we have a daughter as precious as can be. I no longer feel desolate or defeated by my circumstances. For the first time in my thirty-five years, I felt ready and even excited for tomorrow, not fearful.Suhan imagined the joy he would feel as his daughter opened her eyes, started walking, and eventually grew old enough to assert her preferences. He could already see the day she’d look up at him with sparkling eyes while clinging to Yeonseo, and his heart pounded as he pictured the family they would become.Life for Suhan had always been a hard fight to survive. He lived because he was born, always struggling to avoid being dismissed, striking out before he could be wounded, finding comfort only in solitude. It was his way to survive.“…….”Before awakening from anesthesia, Suhan had a long, surreal dream. In it, he met someone with his own face, someone who carried himself with an unshakeable confidence, strikingly different from Suhan, who constantly struggled to conceal his fears. Suhan instinctively took a step back, but “he” approached him easily. Seeing Suhan frozen, the other man smiled.“Do you like the gift I left you?”And, in that moment, Suhan felt utterly terrified. What if that other man was his alternate self, someone he could simply “switch” into, as if replacing a battery? If he could, wouldn’t it be better for that other self to live as Lee Suhan? Wouldn’t that make Yeonseo and the baby happier? But his tongue was tied, unable to speak. If he had to find a reason, it wasn’t difficult: he didn’t want that.He, too, wanted a shot at happiness, to live ordinarily and find joy with his loving husband and their beautiful child. He longed to be part of this dreamlike, shining future they would share. But would it truly be best for them? Was he putting that happiness in jeopardy just by clinging to it so stubbornly? As Suhan wavered, his other self laughed softly.“I told you, didn’t I? We’re not here to replace each other. You’re me, and I’m you.”Suhan couldn’t comprehend this answer. What kind of response was that? Suhan, unlike his kind and gentle self in the dream, was neither forgiving nor patient. Biting his lip, he held back what he wanted to say. The other Suhan sighed, scratching his head.“I’m no saint either. Memories don’t matter. We’re fundamentally the same person. Think of me as the version of yourself that could have been, the one you wished you could be.”Still, it was hard to understand. Seeing Suhan’s confusion, the other sighed again, exasperated.“Listen up. You were harsh all this time because you didn’t have the luxury to be otherwise. You had to act tough because people wouldn’t respect you otherwise. But think about it in reverse: if you didn’t have to do that, if you were respected without it—would you still be the same?”He looked ready to shake Suhan if he didn’t get it this time. Startled, Suhan’s eyes widened, and the other finally pinned it down.“So, from now on, it’s up to you. Live the way you always have, or live the way you want to be.”And with that, Suhan opened his eyes in the recovery room, greeted by the nurse who guided him back to his ward. Yeonseo was waiting, cradling the baby, face a mess of tears and joy, repeating, “She’s so beautiful.” Although Suhan hadn’t even seen her yet, he already knew she must be, so he decided to stay quiet, recalling those final words from his dream, keeping his thoughts to himself.“You get to decide.”The answer had been there from the beginning if he could determine his future for himself. Things needed to change from how they had been. No more self-pity as if he were the most unfortunate person in the world, or acting on impulse. The child who couldn’t say a word after being hit on the head with a roll call book by his teacher was no longer there. Suhan decided he would no longer blame his parents.If there’s a reason behind everything in the world, maybe there was one for all of this as well. Perhaps it had all been a milestone that guided Suhan to this point, where he could finally imagine a future with Yeonseo. In that case, what he had to do now was focus on creating his own happiness instead of clinging to the past.As Suhan looked out over the blue sea, lost in thought, suddenly, he felt a sharp headache and dizziness. Thankfully, it wasn’t enough to make him stumble, but the sudden vertigo made him feel it might be risky to keep holding the child. When he turned around to hand the child to Yeonseo, Yeonseo, who thought Suhan might want to dip his feet in the sea, was already bringing slippers from the car.“……”Seeing Yeonseo coming toward him with slippers, looking proud to be helpful in some way, made Suhan chuckle.“I brought these, just in case. There’s a staircase over there so you can go down!”Yeonseo, beaming as if he’d uncovered some big secret, shyly confessed, and Suhan greeted him in a way he hadn’t before.“Welcome back.”Yeonseo didn’t immediately grasp the meaning of Suhan’s greeting and looked a bit puzzled. Then, as a thought dawned on him, he studied Suhan’s expression. Suhan’s face had softened into a gentle smile. Could it be? In that moment, as trust in an unexpected possibility took hold, Yeonseo noticed Suhan’s ears turning bright red.“…!”Though he tried to stay composed, Yeonseo couldn’t help but realize that this was indeed the Suhan he had loved—and still loved. Clearing his throat and awkwardly looking away, Yeonseo said,“I like you exactly as you are, even if you’re not honest, are cold, sensitive, or prickly.”In other words, there was no need to force himself to be kind, or to act as gentle as he’d been during his amnesia. As much as his words held a kind intention, there was probably no more effective phrase to get under Suhan’s skin.“So you’re saying I’m trash right now?”Only after hearing Suhan’s irritated response did Yeonseo finally relax and laugh brightly. Suhan couldn’t help but think, This guy’s taste is seriously twisted—what’s wrong with his head? And with his brows furrowed in exasperation, Suhan cast a suspicious look at Yeonseo. But Yeonseo simply pulled Suhan into a full embrace.“I just…like you no matter what. I liked the gentle you and the mean you all the same…”And besides, you really are kind of a jerk. Yeonseo kept that last thought to himself as he hugged Suhan even tighter. Only when the child between them squirmed and whimpered from the discomfort did Yeonseo, startled, let go of Suhan.How am I supposed to trust this guy and live with him? Suhan thought, the complaint flitting across his mind before he brushed it away. Guess I’ll just have to keep him by my side. And as Yeonseo planted a teasing kiss on his lips, Suhan surrendered and kissed him back instead of getting angrier.It was as bright a spring day as the future awaiting the three of them.