* * *

“Is… is that so?”

“Yes! Every time we see him, he only talks about you! It’s enough to make my ears fall off!”

Where does he even learn to say things like that?

But it’s cute… so, so cute. Adorable.

He’s grown so much.

That tiny child had come this far already.

Though still small, he’d grow even taller in no time.

My lips curved into a grin, the gloom I’d felt earlier completely vanishing.

Still, I didn’t know how to act or what to say, so I simply smiled while Eunsoo intervened.

“You’re really enjoying this, Heesoo, now that you’ve got someone to tattletale to.”

“Hehe.”

Grinning, Heesoo glanced between Eunsoo and me before tugging on Eunsoo’s hand.

As Eunsoo bent down, Heesoo stole a quick glance at me, cupped his hand over his mouth, and whispered softly.

“But Uncle, didn’t you say Uncle Heewoon is the prettiest in the world…?”

“So? He is the prettiest.”

“But Uncle, are your eyes okay? Uncle Heewoon is pretty, but Ellie is prettier!”

“Heesoo, you’ve got rose-colored glasses on.”

“No, you do, Uncle! You’re the one with the glasses!”

“…”

He thought he was speaking quietly, but his words were loud enough for me to hear.

By the end, he was practically shouting, making it impossible to pretend otherwise.

Children are often the most honest critics of beauty.

And since Ellie was the subject, Eunsoo’s opinion was definitely the odd one.

My chest fluttered. I remained crouched, my eyes darting nervously.

‘…It’s clear Eunsoo likes me.’

But why does he keep putting up walls?

Does he like me but want to avoid crossing a line?

Does he think spending time or money on me isn’t worth it?

And yet… he’s already spent a significant amount on me.

He stayed by my side at the hospital, shared a bed with me, cooked for me, and accompanied me to work sites.

So why…?

“Uncle Eunsoo, can I go inside now?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“Yay!”

“Careful not to trip.”

“Don’t worry! I won’t fall!”

As if he’d lost interest in me, Heesoo gleefully ran through the gate.

Despite wearing a pretty dress, he scampered inside with surprising ease.

Watching the child hop toward the garden, Eunsoo turned back to me.

“Hyung, I…”

“Sorry. Let’s talk later.”

It wasn’t the kind of conversation to have with a child around.

As I tried to pass him, Eunsoo grabbed my hand.

“Hyung. Just a moment. It’ll only take a second.”

His grip wasn’t firm, so I could have shaken him off if I wanted.

But the despair and sadness in his eyes stopped me in my tracks.

Reluctantly, I stood still.

Eunsoo took my hand in both of his and brought it to his lips, kissing it repeatedly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt or anger you. This is my fault…”

His trembling hands, quivering lips, and wavering voice were full of regret and sorrow.

The raw emotion in his voice was so intense it ached to hear.

Even his kisses felt desperate, as though he couldn’t control his overflowing feelings, much like in the hospital.

I couldn’t bring myself to stop him.

“I know. Don’t beat yourself up too much. I have my own issues too.”

“My issues…? Are you unwell? Are you hurt?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

His face paled, and he failed to hide the worry written all over him, leaving me more flustered than ever.

Seeing his expression, I finally made up my mind.

Pulling on Eunsoo’s wrist, I brought his hand closer and lightly licked the back of it.

Eunsoo’s eyes widened, while mine squeezed shut.

‘I’ve done it now…’

There was no hiding it.

Not when my head was full of Eunsoo.

Someone as perceptive as him wouldn’t miss it.

Still, I didn’t regret it.

Even if I was rejected, I had to face it.

If I didn’t resolve this soon, it might ruin everything.

I don’t want to grow apart from Eunsoo. I love him. Even if I’m rejected, I’ll endure it.

Though… I was embarrassed.

My face burned.

What was Eunsoo thinking now?

I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze, so I quickly turned away.

“Uncles! Why aren’t you coming?”

“Coming, Heesoo.”

The child’s urgent call to his useless uncles gave me the excuse to stride through the gate.

“Ah…”

Behind me, I thought I heard Eunsoo let out a faint sigh.

Heesoo and Eunsoo seemed pretty close, so I thought Eunsoo had been to my house before, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“Uncle Eunsoo said this is also Uncle Heewon’s house, so I can’t go in until Uncle Heewon gives permission! That’s why I came early today—to ask Uncle Heewon and explore the house!”

“Oh, I see…”

“Uncle Heewon, can I take a look around?”

“Oh, yeah, of course.”

“Yay!”

Eunsoo, who had followed shortly after, gave me a sideways glance.

He clearly had something to say to me, but with Heesoo around, it didn’t seem like the right time to bring it up.

Fortunately, Eunsoo seemed to agree since he didn’t press the matter further.

“Can I check out over there too? How about the second floor? There’s a basement too, right? And I want to see the attic!”

From the basement to the garden with the pond, the massive study, and even the attic filled with all the peculiar things Polwel left behind, the mansion had plenty of places to explore.

Heesoo, being a curious and adventurous child, was eager to see it all.

Without tiring in the least, he darted up and down, from the basement to the attic, exploring every nook and cranny.

‘I thought my stamina had improved, but apparently not…’

Despite all the training and field experience I’d gained, I hadn’t expected to tire before a kid.

Maybe living in Eliot’s similarly large house with all those cats had toughened Heesoo up.

“Heesoo, sit down and read for a bit. Uncle Heewon looks like he’s about to collapse.”

“No, I’m fine…”

“You don’t look fine. Your legs are shaking.”

“Uncle Heewon is so frail, he looks like he might blow away in the wind~,” Heesoo sang with a playful tune.

“…”

Hearing his lilting voice left me speechless.

‘Who taught him to say things like that?’

I quickly identified the most likely culprit and glared at him.

Eunsoo approached, wearing a shameless expression, and casually lifted me by the legs as if I weighed nothing.

“Ah…!”

“Stay still. Your legs are trembling, and it’s dangerous to go down the stairs like this.”

“But still… I can walk on my own…”

“If you like being carried like a princess, just say so.”

“…”

‘Absolutely not.’

When I shut my mouth, Eunsoo smirked and carried me down the stairs without a word.

Embarrassed, I covered my face the entire way down.

Wasn’t it enough back in the day when he would just support me by the arm?

I wasn’t weaker than before—if anything, I’d gotten stronger—but his antics made it seem otherwise.

Once we reached the couch, Eunsoo set me down and seamlessly went on to prepare a warm cup of tea.

“Oh, by the way, the others said they’d be late. They’ll be here in an hour or two. I’ll look after Heesoo, so get some rest.”

As Eunsoo had said, the Espers didn’t arrive at the agreed time, likely delayed by something urgent.

In the meantime, I had an early dinner with Heesoo, helped him brush his teeth, and watched as the little adventurer, exhausted from half a day of exploring, quickly fell asleep on my lap.

It was remarkable how easily he trusted me, even though this was the first time he’d seen me since he was a baby.

It must mean Eliot had taken excellent care of him.

I found myself staring at his peacefully sleeping face for a long time.

“Hyung, isn’t your leg going numb? I’ll move Heesoo to the bed.”

“It’s fine for now. By the way, you took care of Heesoo’s birthday for me, didn’t you? Thanks.”

“It’s… it’s nothing. I just got him something while I was buying my own gift…”

Eunsoo had grown so modest.

Considering I wouldn’t have much connection with Heesoo without Eunsoo, I was truly grateful he went out of his way to take care of it.

But continuing to praise him felt awkward.

I needed to sort out my feelings soon—talking to him like this only made me like him more.

A subtle silence settled between us.

“Hyung, um…”

“Ah.”

The moment had come.

Judging by how Eunsoo was acting, I could tell he wouldn’t distance himself from me completely, even after learning how I felt.

Still… I was scared of rejection.

‘What if he cries again?’

I didn’t want to burden him, but I was worried I couldn’t control my emotions.

Should I ask to postpone the conversation?

But I also wanted to end this ambiguous relationship quickly.

My mind wavered, confusion taking hold.

Eunsoo seemed to feel the same, hesitating as he struggled to find the right words.

As an awkward silence stretched between us, a booming voice shattered it.

“Heewon! We’re here!”

It was obvious who it was—Rex Hamilton.

The Espers had finally arrived.

* * *