* * *
The Duke of Pantheon’s household had a reason to celebrate.
The heir, Raizen Pantheon, had manifested as a dominant Alpha.
Gifts poured in from all directions to congratulate him.
However, the atmosphere within the ducal estate remained heavy.
“Breathing, pulse—everything is normal.”
Vincent, the family doctor, repeated the same words as always.
“The young master is… truly just asleep.”
Even he struggled to believe his own words, but it was the truth.
“I don’t know why he won’t wake up… I’m truly sorry.”
Had he ever felt this helpless as a doctor before?
The situation was undoubtedly unnatural—beyond reason—but no matter how hard he searched, he could not find an explanation.
“This isn’t your fault…”
The Duke of Pantheon trailed off with a sigh.
Everyone else in the room wore similarly grim expressions.
The Duchess barely held back her tears, while Mila pressed a handkerchief to her face, silently weeping.
As for Raizen…
“…….”
He stood quietly by the bedside, looking down at the sleeping Sean.
After suffering through a week of fever due to his awakening, the boy had taken on the appearance of a grown man.
The soft contours of his youthful face had sharpened into defined angles, and his deepened features gave off an air of decadence, adding to the cool impression he had always carried.
It had been two weeks since the day both Sean and Raizen began their awakening.
The fever had subsided, but Sean had yet to wake.
He looked as if he might open his eyes at any moment and ask what had happened.
The Duke and Duchess, who had been watching Raizen with concern, quietly led the others out of the room.
No matter what they said, Raizen would not leave Sean’s side until he chose to do so himself.
It had become routine by now.
And the fact that this routine had settled in so quickly was a sorrowful thought.
Click.
The sound of the door closing echoed through the silent room.
Only then did Raizen’s lips part slightly.
“Sei.”
It was only after receiving no response that he realized—Sean had always answered him.
Whether with a bright reply or a simple glance, he had always reacted in some way.
So why…
His chest felt unbearably tight, as if his heart was being squeezed.
Though he stood perfectly still, the ground beneath him felt like it might give way at any moment.
Only recently had Raizen come to understand what true anxiety felt like.
For most of his life, the only thing that had ever terrified him was the curse that threatened to consume his rationality.
But now, that wasn’t the case.
Even the thought of his upcoming enrollment at the Royal Academy or concerns about holy relics didn’t matter to him.
The only thing that filled his mind was the fear that Sean might never wake again.
“…Where did you go?”
Had he vanished as suddenly as he had appeared?
Had he noticed Raizen’s desire to keep him close—and run away because of it?
Or…
“Did you go back?”
Back to that other world.
To the place where he belonged.
To the one he truly relied on, the one who was not Raizen.
Raizen had sensed, however vaguely, that Sean had changed after the accident.
He had heard that Sean once used magic as naturally as breathing and that his parents had worried about his increasingly dazed state.
He had even overheard such conversations at family meals before Sean arrived.
But the Sean Raizen had met was different—a boy with divine power, an affectionate nuisance.
Perhaps that was why he had never been particularly curious about the Sean from before.
Looking back, maybe that, too, had been an instinctive decision.
Now, he was certain.
He knew exactly who the Sean before him was.
This being, whose real name he did not even know, came from an entirely different world.
‘So what?’
Raizen’s crimson eyes gleamed coldly. He reached out, grasping Sean’s hand tightly.
A faint warmth seeped into his palm, the soft texture of Sean’s skin unmistakable.
And along with it, an overwhelming surge of divine power flowed into him.
‘Half of you is still here.’
If Sean had truly disappeared, his divine power should have as well.
At least, that was what Raizen believed.
Yet, Sean’s power remained.
Not just remained—it was overflowing.
Anything placed near him had been turned into a holy relic.
That meant, at the very least, he had permitted part of himself to stay.
Whether leaving had been Sean’s choice or not, the fact that some part of him lingered suggested hesitation, attachment.
“Don’t worry, Sei.”
Raizen smiled faintly.
“You will return.”
And when that time came—he would make sure Sean could never leave his side again.
∗ ∗ ∗
Beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep—
“Argh!!”
I jolted awake and slammed my hand on my phone to shut off the alarm.
Damn this annoying ringtone.
But it was the only thing loud enough to actually wake me up, so I had no choice but to endure it.
After hastily swallowing a leftover sandwich from the fridge, I got ready for school.
Rushing out of my apartment, I headed for the subway station.
Just as I boarded the arriving train, my phone vibrated.
[Hyung♥: You have an 11 AM lecture today, right?]
I felt the tension in my lips loosen. Barely managing to suppress my rising smile, I typed a reply.
[Yeahㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Hyung, are you at work?]
[Hyung♥: Yeah. Had an intense meeting this morning, lol ㅠㅠ Just taking a breather now.]
[Hyung♥: Your classes end at 4 PM, right?]
[Yeah……ㅠㅠ]
[Hyung♥: Do you want to come by the office after you’re done? Let’s eat together.]
I barely managed to hold back a cheer.
[Sounds great!! I’ll run right over!]
[Hyung♥: Don’t trip while running. Just take the bus safely~ And be careful at the crosswalk.]
He still sees me as a middle school kid.
Not even actual middle schoolers get told stuff like this.
[Do you think I’m a kid?]
[Hyung♥: I know you’re not, but you’ve been in danger a lot lately. How many close calls have you had?]
A reply with a period at the end. That meant he was being completely serious.
[True ㅠㅠㅠ I’ll be careful.]
[Hyung♥: By the way, how’s your body? Any headaches or anything?]
[I told you, I’m really fine now! No need to worry!!]
In response, he sent a skeptical bunny emoji.
‘Seriously… I’m fine.’
A month ago, my so-called father hit me over the head with a soju bottle.
The reason?
The same as always—I talked back to my “almighty” father.
‘I should’ve just held it in back then. My temper’s the problem.’
To be honest, I had been secretly preparing to move out after my military service without my parents knowing.
I just had to endure a little longer before cutting ties completely.
But that day, I couldn’t.
‘Hmm…’
Why did I lose it that day?
Maybe because time had passed, but I couldn’t remember clearly.
Not that I wanted to. It wasn’t exactly a memory worth revisiting.
Anyway, ever since then, Hyung has constantly checked up on me.
He took care of me while I was hospitalized, and when I protested that my savings were for moving out, he paid the hospital bill instead.
‘And yet, we’re still not dating. Unbelievable.’
Hyung is my first love—one-sided, ongoing, and painfully obvious.
I know he doesn’t have no feelings for me, but whether he’s unaware or just avoiding them, I have no idea.
‘If he were dating a girl, maybe I would’ve given up already.’
People even asked if he was a monk because he had zero interest in relationships.
He was handsome, had a great personality, an impressive education, and a solid job—there was no way people weren’t throwing themselves at him.
But every time I tested the waters by asking, he’d just laugh it off.
‘I seriously can’t figure him out.’
[Hyung♥: Alright, see you later~ Have a good class, haha!]
[Okay~!!! You too, fighting!]
As the screen darkened, my reflection appeared, grinning ear to ear.
To anyone else, I probably looked ridiculous.
But who cares? This was the kind of everyday life I had always wanted.
‘Is this really all I want?’
For a moment, a strange thought flickered in my mind.
Time, no matter how slowly it seemed to pass, inevitably moved forward.
After struggling through lectures that were practically lullabies, I finally made it to 4 PM.
The moment the professor left, I bolted out of the classroom and onto the bus.
Since it wasn’t rush hour yet, there were plenty of seats.
[Hyung, I’m on my way, haha.]
After sending the message, I put in my earbuds and played my usual playlist.
Gazing out the window, I watched as the quiet streets passed by—until the bus slowed down.
We must have hit a red light.
I continued staring outside absentmindedly.
On the opposite sidewalk, unfamiliar people were walking along, heading wherever they needed to go.
“……?”
What was that?
Did I see that wrong?
I rubbed my eyes with one hand and looked again.
He was still there—a strange-looking man just standing still on the sidewalk, staring in my direction.
‘A cosplay?’
He was dressed like a character straight out of a fantasy webtoon, standing completely still while everyone else bustled around him.
‘His eyes… are red?’
Maybe he was wearing colored contacts.
But no, the red looked too natural.
And when I looked closer, something else stood out—his face seemed oddly familiar.
‘Familiar? No, that can’t be right.’
I had no reason to recognize him.
I should have been shocked.
The weirdest part?
He looked exactly like Hyung.
‘What the hell? What kind of stupid thought is that?’
It must be the distance playing tricks on me.
Up close, he’d probably just be someone who sort of resembled Hyung.
After all, there was no way a perfect doppelgänger existed.
Even so, I couldn’t look away from him.
Not until the bus finally moved, and the man disappeared from my sight.
* * *
