* * *

On the evening of January 26th, Jeongseo’s bright eyes reflected the grand hanok built beneath Mount Taebaek.

“…Wow, we can really stay here for free?”

Beside Jeongseo, Seo Kanghyun muttered while gazing at the majestic hanok.

Jeongseo had suddenly suggested joining Pyo Yoontae’s family for a trip to a villa near Mount Taebaek.

Kanghyun had agreed, but even so… the scale was staggering. It was a private villa—definitely something only a conglomerate could own.

Apparently, Jeongseo’s parents shared the same thoughts.

Kim Seohyun and Seo Taebaek stared in awe before snapping out of it to ring the doorbell.

The door opened as if waiting for them, and upon entering, they were greeted by Han Jaehee and Pyo Yoontae standing side by side.

“Hello.”

“Welcome! It must’ve been a tiring journey.”

Han Jaehee’s warm smile prompted Kim Seohyun and Seo Taebaek to return the gesture with polite bows.

Meanwhile, Jeongseo’s parents couldn’t help but glance at Pyo Yoontae standing with his composed demeanor.

‘So this is the famous Pyo Yoontae,’ thought Kim Seohyun.

He had seen Yoontae’s pictures online before, but the real-life version was much more striking.

“Oh, not at all. Thank you so much for inviting us to such a wonderful place.”

“No, it’s us who should thank you for coming. This is my son, Yoontae, and I’m Han Jaehee. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Jeongseo’s parents.”

Before arriving, Kim Seohyun had looked up the Heukpyo (Black Panther) Corporation.

Han Jaehee rarely appeared in public, so there wasn’t much information about her.

He hadn’t known what to expect, but she turned out to be unexpectedly kind, with a lovely, smiling face.

Relaxed now, Kim Seohyun placed a hand on Jeongseo’s shoulder and introduced their family to Han Jaehee.

After the introductions, Han Jaehee invited them inside, saying it was too cold to linger.

The hanok, shaped like a U around a spacious courtyard, was modern on the inside, with large, comfortable rooms.

The living room had a wide window that perfectly framed the yard, leaving Jeongseo quietly admiring it.

‘This house is too good to be just a vacation villa,’ he thought.

He wished Seobok had come along, but his mother had insisted against bringing their dog, saying it would be rude since they weren’t family and were only guests. Jeongseo had reluctantly agreed.

A pet sitter was watching over Seobok at home.

Han Jaehee told them they could choose any room to stay in. Jeongseo’s parents picked a large room near the living room, while Jeongseo and Kanghyun chose a smaller room deeper inside.

After dinner, the night quickly deepened.

While Kanghyun and the adults chatted in the living room, Jeongseo asked Pyo Yoontae to show him around the villa, leading them to climb upstairs.

“Do you come here often?” Jeongseo asked as he followed Yoontae up the stairs.

Yoontae shook his head.

“Maybe five times a year. It’s a favorite spot for my mom and grandmother.”

Jeongseo nodded in agreement.

If he owned a villa like this, he’d visit often, too.

At the top of the stairs, Yoontae opened the only door on the left.

“This is my room.”

Jeongseo peeked inside, tilting his head curiously.

For someone who visited often, the room seemed surprisingly minimal.

It wasn’t furnished like a lived-in bedroom but more like a simple overnight stay.

He had expected it to resemble Yoontae’s room at the dormitory but realized that might not be necessary for a villa.

As Jeongseo looked around the plain space, he sat by the table near the window, where Mount Taebaek could be seen in all its glory.

The view made him think the autumn foliage would be breathtaking here.

Yoontae sat across from him.

They chatted for a while until Yoontae suddenly narrowed his eyes.
“Be honest, Jeongseo.”

Jeongseo blinked, unable to guess what Yoontae was getting at.
“What is it?”

“Ha Sumin confessed to you, didn’t he?”

Jeongseo gasped, covering his mouth with both hands.

His reaction gave everything away.

As expected, Yoontae was irritated, furrowing his brows.

Jeongseo quickly waved his hands, flustered.
“Well, he did, but I rejected him! Really!”

Seeing Jeongseo panicking, Yoontae leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.

“Why did you reject him? You two seemed to get along well.”

His gaze clearly showed he already knew the answer.

Embarrassed, Jeongseo avoided his eyes.

“Of course, it’s because I have no intention of dating Sumin…!”

“Is that all, Jeongseo?”

Jeongseo pouted but couldn’t answer, glaring at Yoontae.

His sharp gaze softened as he whispered, “I like you, Jeongseo.”

His frank confession sent Jeongseo’s cheeks burning as his heart raced.

Yoontae smiled at his reaction, but before things could get too awkward, he changed the subject.

They talked until Jeongseo began nodding off. Yoontae shook him gently.

“If you’re sleepy, go to bed, Jeongseo.”

“I’ll just sleep here…”

“No, let’s go to your room.”

Yoontae’s firm tone surprised Jeongseo, who had hoped to stay.

Feigning exhaustion, Jeongseo slumped over the desk and even let his ears and tail appear.

“I’m too tired to move…”

Watching him for a moment, Yoontae suddenly smirked mischievously.

“Fine. Don’t move.”

Jeongseo barely had time to process Yoontae’s words before he felt himself being lifted.

“What are you doing?” Jeongseo shouted, flailing in surprise.

“You said you didn’t want to walk, so I’ll walk for you,” Yoontae teased, carrying Jeongseo like a child.

Jeongseo instinctively clung to Yoontae’s neck for balance, glaring as he wagged his tail in annoyance.

“I could’ve stayed with you…!”

Halfway down the stairs, Jeongseo froze, spotting Kanghyun holding a chocolate cake, surrounded by smiling people.

“What’s this?”

His irritation evaporated as his eyes sparkled with surprise.

Yoontae carefully set him down, and the room erupted in cheers.

“Happy birthday, Jeongseo.”

Yoontae’s voice was the first to cut through, followed by bursts of confetti and warm congratulations from everyone.

Beaming, Jeongseo exclaimed, “Thank you!”

This birthday would be one to remember forever.

°❀•°❀°•❀°

Overnight, snow had blanketed the world in white.

Early in the morning, Jeongseo woke up and immediately dragged Pyo Yoontae outside.

The two ran around in the snowy fields and built a snowman together.

After breakfast, they couldn’t resist the exhaustion that followed.

Lying on a blanket in Jeongseo’s room, the two fell into a warm slumber on the heated ondol floor.

“Hey, kids, want some fruit…?”

Han Jaehee and Kim Seohyun, who had brought frozen persimmons and strawberries, stopped in their tracks.

With the door half-open, they could see Jeongseo sprawled asleep on Pyo Yoontae’s stomach.

Meanwhile, Yoontae had a slight frown on his face, as if uncomfortable even in his sleep.

Yet, strangely, not only Jeongseo but Yoontae also had ears and a tail peeking out.

Han Jaehee found it particularly fascinating.

After all, Yoontae had always been meticulous about hiding his ears and tail, even in front of her, since he was young.

“They’re close, aren’t they?”

At Kim Seohyun’s contented comment, Han Jaehee quickly nodded.

“They really are. Yoontae never once talked about friends before, so I was worried. But I’m so glad he met Jeongseo. I felt even guiltier because he had to transfer schools because of me.”

“I always felt bad leaving my youngest alone, but since Yoontae transferred here, they seem to be getting along well, so I’m relieved.”

The two quietly observed their sleeping sons for a moment before leaving the room.

---

How much time had passed?

Jeongseo slowly opened his eyes.

His body felt heavy, like it was soaked in water, as if he’d slept longer than he intended.

He kept his eyes closed, sensing something odd—as if someone was watching him.

As soon as he opened his eyes again, he flinched.

Pyo Yoontae was lying on his side right in front of him, staring intently at him.

“Why are you like that? You scared me…!”

How long had he been looking?

Embarrassed, Jeongseo’s eyes darted around, but he didn’t turn his head.

He didn’t want to look away from Yoontae’s languid expression.

After a brief pause, the silence felt awkward, and Jeongseo broke it.

“…What time is it?”

“Five.”

“And the others…?”

Yoontae suddenly sat up slightly and began to idly play with Jeongseo’s white hair.

Perhaps because it was almost time for it to change back to brown, darker strands were beginning to grow in patches.

Though Yoontae often fiddled with his hair, this time, it felt oddly different.

Pausing mid-sentence, Jeongseo mumbled.

“What are the others… doing?”

“They’re outside, preparing for a barbecue.”

“Barbecue! That sounds… delicious…”

Jeongseo’s gaze wavered uneasily.

Was it his imagination, or was Yoontae’s face getting closer?

No, it wasn’t just his imagination—Yoontae’s nose was already brushing lightly against his cheek.

Instinctively, Jeongseo squeezed his eyes shut.

Moments later, something soft pressed against his skin—not quite his lips but an ambiguous spot just below them, accompanied by a faint sound.

Even with his eyes closed, Jeongseo couldn’t mistake what had just touched the area near his mouth.

Hearing a quiet chuckle, he abruptly opened his eyes wide, scrambled up, and shouted.

“What, what, what are you doing! You—!”

His face flushed as if it might explode, his heart pounding so wildly it made his stomach churn.

Watching Jeongseo’s flustered reaction, Yoontae’s eyes curved mischievously as he whispered.

“Jeongseo, you had plenty of time to avoid it.”

* * *