* * *
Only after the video ended did I finally begin to piece together the strange details I had ignored, blinded by love.
The curtains in the house were tightly shut, leaving the rooms dim even during the day.
The fridge was packed to the brim with food.
Though this was an old room he had used in the past, living upstairs would clearly be more convenient.
Yet Eunsoo insisted on cooking, washing, and sleeping in this deep underground space.
Eunsoo had become unusually sensitive about even the smallest things that might discomfort me.
No—long before this, I should have found it odd that the Espers and the Bureau were so preoccupied.
Polwel herself had mentioned in passing how busy things were.
Hints had been there all along.
But I was so caught up in the bliss of every moment with Eunsoo that I couldn’t see past him.
…Not that things would have changed much, even if I had realized it earlier.
Unable to bear the silence, I turned on the radio.
As the announcer’s voice described a violet sky, the cold air, and the roars of monsters and explosions filling the world outside the shelter, I stared blankly at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity.
In this deep, windowless underground bunker, I couldn’t tell when the sun rose or set.
Each day, I relied on the alarm clock that went off morning and evening, as well as the radio updates, to keep track of time.
Suddenly, a sense of futility washed over me.
‘How long do I have to wait…?’
The bunker’s facilities were perfect—heating, showers, purified water, air filtration, and even self-sustaining power.
It was excessive for one person.
The outside world, however, was filled with terrifying news, while the bunker was eerily quiet, to the point where it felt unreal.
In this perfectly safe and comfortable bunker, I was completely alone.
‘Is it okay for only me to be safe?’
Wouldn’t someone else need this place more than I did?
Wouldn’t my insignificant abilities still be vital to someone out there?
About a week later, I stood at the door, dressed in outdoor clothes.
The button to open the door was right beside me.
It wasn’t secured with any special mechanism—just a simple press would open it.
As I stared at the button, my hand hovering, Eunsoo’s voice suddenly echoed in my mind. His eyes had carried a sorrowful glint as they looked downward.
“If you ever feel like suddenly leaving home or my side, maybe this will make you think of me one more time.”
The choker Eunsoo had put around my neck still rested there, light yet noticeable.
Eunsoo had asked me to wait. I had promised him I would.
Then I must wait. A promise is a promise.
I have to trust Eunsoo.
Shutting my eyes tightly, I turned back.
“The sky remains unchanged today. As the situation drags on, everyone must be exhausted. We have both good news and bad news to share…”
I turned off the alarm and the radio.
Keeping track of the days only made me want to leave, so I deliberately decided to lose track of time.
This life was mine, yet not entirely mine.
Even if I didn’t care about my own life, any reckless action could hurt everyone connected to me.
I had been selfish enough until now.
Just this once, I had to hold myself back.
To distract myself, I decided to read.
The books Eunsoo had stocked the shelves with matched my taste perfectly.
The genres varied, but most were novels, many of them coming-of-age stories.
‘But why do they all feature couples overcoming age gaps…?’
Eunsoo’s intentions were apparent, and I couldn’t help but smile despite the situation.
Even while reading, there were moments when the urge to leave surfaced.
Each time, I clutched the choker and held on.
—Clunk.
After some time had passed, the bunker door rattled.
Startled, I put down the book I was reading and scanned for a weapon.
But this was a refuge, not a battlefield.
The best I could find was a blunt object.
‘If it’s a monster…’
If a monster had made it this deep, it meant the outside world had reached its worst state.
If that were the case, I…
But before I could finish the thought, a voice came from outside.
“Hyung, it’s me.”
It was a voice I longed for—a voice I had been waiting for. Eunsoo’s voice.
But I couldn’t rejoice immediately.
Could I trust my ears?
Was I hearing things because I had been alone for so long, because I missed him so much?
While I hesitated, the door creaked open.
“Ah…”
Beyond the thick door stood my hero, smiling brightly, just like the day he had crossed the protective barrier.
“…Eunsoo.”
Rising from my seat, I wanted to run to him immediately, but having sat still for so long, my legs cramped up.
Eunsoo quickly rushed over and caught my staggering body, pulling me into his wide arms.
I clung tightly to his back.
“It’s really Eunsoo…”
Even with the awful stench of monster fluids and the burnt smell from battle clinging to him, I could never mistake Eunsoo’s scent.
How long had I longed for this smell?
“How’s your body? Are you hurt anywhere? Have you been eating properly? I’m sorry. You must have been so lonely by yourself.”
“No, no. I was fine.”
As soon as I felt reassured that Eunsoo was safe, I loosened my grip around him.
But then he placed a hand on my forehead to check for a fever.
It was ironic that Eunsoo, who had just fought his way out of a catastrophic battlefield, was worried about me being unwell in a safe place.
I grabbed his wandering hand, pulled it close, and planted kisses on his palm.
“Hyung, not there. Here!”
He moved his hand away and suddenly leaned his face closer, pointing to his lips as if to say he wouldn’t settle for a mere hand kiss.
His urgency was so endearing that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I’m glad you’re okay.”
Obliging him, I kissed his lips and then gently cupped his cheeks with both hands, gazing at him intently.
Although he looked slightly disappointed, probably wanting more, I couldn’t help it.
In the days he had been gone, I’d missed his face so much.
Even though he had rushed back, his face was clean, as if he’d taken the time to wipe it.
It was the face of the person I loved most in this world.
“Thank you for waiting for me. This time, I acted on my own selfishness, but next time, I won’t just ask you to wait.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s go upstairs. I wanted to have a meal with you. Let’s eat something delicious.”
Eunsoo suddenly scooped me up, lifting me effortlessly, and my view shifted upward in an instant.
It reminded me of how he carried Heesoo, and though I found it a bit annoying, I let it slide for now.
“But first, let me guide you.”
Holding Eunsoo’s cheeks in both hands, I pressed my lips to his.
An Esper who has endured days of hardship requires the healing touch of guiding.
Though Eunsoo flinched at the abrupt guiding through contact, when I persistently nudged his lips with my tongue, he let out a small sound of protest before accepting me.
“Hmm…”
Eunsoo’s light spread into me.
The battle must have been intense because a considerable amount of emotional impurities flowed into me.
As his presence filled me, a contented hum escaped my lips.
And as always, the emotions mingled with those impurities were solely for me.
Eunsoo had worried about me, missed me, and fought for me with a heart full of care.
Perhaps out of guilt for leaving me behind, his feelings were even more intense than before.
In this moment, I was entirely Eunsoo’s, and he was wholly mine.
The loneliness I’d accumulated in his absence was met with Eunsoo’s own loneliness, and together, we were no longer alone.
I was glad I hadn’t acted recklessly, that I had waited. I hadn’t made him worry even more, and that was a relief.
If Eunsoo loved me this much, I needed to love myself more too. If it was what he wanted, I should yield a bit more to him.
Maybe he sensed my thoughts through the guiding because Eunsoo looked at me with an expression of deep emotion.
“What’s this? My hyung is thinking such sweet thoughts now.”
But it was too soon to get emotional.
The main topic was just beginning.
“Eunsoo, let’s imprint on each other.”
“…What?”
Eunsoo stared at me in surprise, as if he hadn’t heard me correctly.
To dispel any doubt, I repeated myself, my voice firm and clear.
“Let’s imprint, and get married.”
I wanted to act maturely, but maybe it was because I had waited so long for him that my voice came out sounding like a childish plea.
But Eunsoo didn’t seem to mind one bit.
His already flushed face turned even redder, and after stammering for a moment, he broke into a wide smile, as though he couldn’t contain his happiness.
“Suddenly? I thought you wanted to take things slow and date for a long time.”
“I changed my mind.”
In his absence, I had grown restless.
The world we live in is far too dangerous, and Eunsoo stands at its frontlines.
For my sake, he always pushes himself to his limits.
I realized I wanted to seal our bond and reach a conclusion as soon as possible.
I wanted to live a life devoted to the one I loved, so I would have no regrets.
“Well, I guess saving the world so diligently was worth it.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Of course. Six years of unrequited love, finally seeing the light… how could I…”
Before he could finish, I sealed his lips with mine again.
This time, neither of us hesitated.
Our lips met with an unrestrained hunger as we explored each other, craving more.
If the earlier kiss had been guiding, this one was an unmistakable kiss—a kiss saturated with possessiveness for each other.
Eunsoo’s breathing grew heavier.
At some point, he stopped closing his eyes, watching me with his flickering blue gaze.
Perhaps it was his position—he was holding me and couldn’t take control the way he wanted, which must have frustrated him.
Knowing this, I deliberately didn’t deepen the kiss, hoping to drive him a little more mad with longing.
Eventually, Eunsoo, who had been about to leave the bunker, turned back.
When the door to the closed-off space, complete with a cozy bed and shower facilities, shut behind us, it became a world belonging solely to the two of us.
* * *
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