* * *
My first kiss… was more overwhelming than any dream.
Every time our lips or tongues brushed, a shiver spread through my entire body.
His breath, his pounding heartbeat—so close, so loud.
Louder than when we simply hugged.
Maybe it was because his large hand covered my eyes, blocking out the world.
It felt like it was just me and him, completely alone.
The parts of me connected to him felt especially sensitive.
“Mm… ngh…”
I lost my breath in an instant.
Like a jolt of electricity running down my spine to the tips of my fingers and toes, my once-stiff body melted into something soft and limp.
Even my mind grew hazy, like it was filled with fog.
It felt like he was guiding me into something… but I had no idea if I was doing it right.
I just followed, chasing after his warmth.
Every time he gently touched me, I trembled, overcome with bliss.
I didn’t know what to do with my hands.
Was it okay to hug him?
What posture was normal for a kiss?
After some awkward fidgeting, I finally placed my hand lightly on his chest.
When I clutched the fabric of his clothes tightly, he let out a short laugh.
That smiling mouth rubbed against mine.
But… this had to be my first time.
So how is it that this person—his hand covering my eyes, the way he touches my back—feels so familiar?
That can’t be. We’ve only met twice.
“…Oppa!”
Wait a second…
“Jehee oppa!”
“Ah.”
I snapped out of it.
Blinking, I looked up to see someone waving their hand in front of my face.
Eunseo was staring at me with concern written all over her face.
“You keep spacing out. Are you feeling okay? Shouldn’t you get checked again?”
“Ah, uh, no—I’m fine. Really. I was just lost in thought. Thanks for the toast. I’ll enjoy it.”
“…Okay. Eat it while it’s still warm!”
This morning’s toast was a joint effort by Eunseo and Eunyul.
Toasted golden-brown bread slathered with strawberry jam, topped with shredded cabbage, carrots, and egg, then finished with melty cheddar cheese and a swirl of ketchup.
Dad used to make this all the time when we were kids.
It’s been ages.
And the fact that my siblings—who weren’t even born when he was alive—made it for me now, it filled me with strange emotions.
My siblings had grown up so well.
The toast was delicious, steeped in nostalgia…
But still…
‘God, what is wrong with me…’
Even as I ate this precious meal, my thoughts kept circling back to the “man in the gray coat.”
Yesterday, after escaping the dungeon, I… kissed someone.
Someone whose name, age, gender, and face I didn’t even know.
Looking back now, I guess I wasn’t exactly in my right mind yesterday.
A lot had happened, and I’d downed a potion or two.
Maybe that’s why I acted so recklessly…
Still… there was a silver lining.
All those horrible memories from Wind Hole.
The stench of blood in the air, the agonizing screams, the beast’s murderous glare as it tried to kill me, the helplessness of watching someone die—I’d thought those moments would consume me.
But the vivid memory of that intense kiss helped drown them out.
I didn’t feel all that depressed anymore.
In fact, I didn’t even have any nightmares—probably because my mind had been preoccupied with that kiss.
I was momentarily worried that I might’ve… you know, had morning wood.
But, thankfully, everything down there was behaving itself.
“Eunseo, don’t hound him too much. After what happened yesterday, he deserves a break.”
Eunyul approached the table, holding a plate piled high with toast in both hands.
It was a huge amount.
Since it was the weekend and our mom was sleeping in, he must’ve decided to use up the whole loaf of bread and make plenty for everyone.
My siblings were already working hard from the crack of dawn, and here I was—their older brother—sitting around thinking about something dirty…
Damn.
My conscience stung.
They were being so considerate—because I’d come home after a long time, because I’d gone through something traumatic yesterday—and that made me feel even more miserable.
“No, seriously! I’m totally fine!”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I didn’t have any nightmares, and I slept well. I was just spacing out a little.”
“…Well, that’s a relief.”
“Yeah. Let’s eat. It’s really good.”
“There’s still some ingredients left! I can make you another one!”
Right now, I’m staying at my family home with my siblings.
After that happened yesterday, I was in a daze, barely functioning.
But then I got a panicked call from Han Jihye, and I pulled myself together.
The “gray coat” guy had vanished without a word during our call, but—somehow—Taehwan had managed to find me.
Thanks to him, I made it back to people.
I went straight to the hospital for a check-up, and thankfully, my body was fine.
That potion Cha Taeyang gave me must’ve been incredible—maybe even S-class, at least partially.
What was both a bit funny and a little sad amidst everything… was that Cha Taeyang ended up spraining his ankle.
The moment his arm cast came off, he ended up with a cast on his ankle instead.
He was seriously offended when he realized I, the one who actually fought the monster, came out of it completely unscathed.
I felt a little guilty, so I asked if maybe he should’ve used the potion on himself instead of me.
But what he said in response was just… unbelievable.
“Stuff like this, you push through with sheer willpower! You weren’t in any shape to do that!”
I thought once again—he really is a strange guy.
Still, he did help in a lot of ways this time, so I couldn’t help but reevaluate him.
Honestly… if only he didn’t treat Taehwan so terribly, he’d actually be a pretty decent person.
“Jehee, how about spending the weekend at your parents’?”
“You’ve been through a lot lately. Take it easy and relax. You’re discharged now—shouldn’t you go home for a bit?”
I didn’t need to be hospitalized, after all.
My family, who had rushed over in shock when they heard the news, met me, and while at it, I accepted Taehwan’s suggestion and decided to return home for a while.
It was a good opportunity for me, too.
I had grown fairly used to staying at Taehwan’s house and using my powers, and I wasn’t worried about accidentally using them on someone else anymore.
Plus, well… after doing that weird thing, there was this awkward tension.
I kind of wanted to keep my distance for a day or two.
To make matters worse, I ended up kissing “Gray Coat”…
Of course, it was just as embarrassing with my family, but right now, being with them felt a bit more comfortable than being around Taehwan.
Though I’m still not exactly sure why Taehwan keeps weighing on my mind…
“By the way… Gray Coat is a guy, right?”
He was huge. Might’ve even been over two meters tall.
Bigger than Taehwan, for sure.
Broad shoulders, solid chest—when I grabbed his clothes in a panic, I kind of felt him… and it was definitely a masculine chest.
A bit firmer than Taehwan’s.
Another moment I wish I could slam my head into a wall.
“So, I kissed a guy. Not even a girl.”
Sure, I wasn’t in the best state of mind and acted on impulse, but kissing someone I don’t even know—let alone someone of the same gender—that’s not exactly a common experience.
What the hell was I thinking in that moment yesterday?
“What’s even funnier is… I didn’t hate it.”
Was it because he’s my idol or something?
I didn’t feel any regret.
I just kept remembering that moment—our faces so close, sharing breath—and that alone was enough to make me flush with embarrassment.
The image I had in mind of “Gray Coat” and the actual man I kissed were slightly different, and maybe that’s why.
He may be a man, but he wasn’t an old one.
I didn’t get a good look at his face behind the mask, but we were close—very close.
His lips were soft, and the skin I happened to brush against was firm and youthful.
He might not even be ten years older than me.
That made me like him a little more, honestly.
He’s impressive.
Not just in skill, but in the fact that someone young—someone likely caught up chasing money and fame—was risking his life to fight for a greater cause.
That’s not something just anyone can do.
“He was good at kissing, too…”
It was my first kiss, so I don’t exactly have a comparison.
But it felt good—so good I moaned without even realizing it.
I guess that means he was good at it?
He must be experienced, right?
He was willing to kiss me, a stranger, without hesitation.
Maybe I was so clumsy he laughed at me…?
That thought made me a little embarrassed.
If I end up seeing him again during fieldwork, I don’t know how I’ll face him.
“Hyung. Jehee hyung.”
“H-huh? What?”
“They said the joint memorial opened. Want to go?”
“…Joint memorial?”
“For the victims of this dungeon incident. There’s a place they always set up, and it’s not that far.”
“Oh.”
* * *
