ACTSV chapter 204

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When Jinwoo came home from work, he was first surprised by the more elaborate meal than usual.

After finishing the meal, he was startled again by a mini cake.

And just when he thought the surprises were over, he was handed a gift, accompanied by a rendition of the birthday song.

Everything happened so quickly that, as Jinwoo blew out the candles as instructed by Jingyeom, he remained in a daze.

It was nice, but neither his birthday nor Jingyeom’s birthday was today.

“What’s with the sudden celebration?” Jinwoo asked, looking puzzled.

Jingyeom, pleased with the success of his surprise party, removed the candles from the cake and replied, “We always celebrated on December 3rd, but that day has passed, and January 28th is also behind us. Honestly, I wanted to celebrate sooner, but I had to wait until payday, so it’s a bit late.”

Without any savings to dip into and having spent what he earned before, Jingyeom had purchased everything with his recent paycheck.

He had wanted to give something even better but had to work within his budget, balancing design and cost.

After a full day of hopping from store to store, he finally found something he thought would suit Jinwoo perfectly.

Jingyeom gestured eagerly for Jinwoo to open the gift.

Jinwoo hesitated for a moment before opening the shopping bag.

Inside the small box tied with a ribbon was a wallet.

“……”

“I noticed last time that your wallet was really worn out. It’s about time you had a proper one, don’t you think?”

“……There’s money inside too,” Jinwoo said, cracking a smile as he opened the wallet to find crisp bills neatly placed inside.

There were bills of various denominations.

“It’s not just any money—it’s brand-new bills! They say putting money in a wallet as a gift is supposed to bring wealth. Oh, and do you know how hard it is to get fresh bills from the bank these days? They don’t just hand them out! I had to go twice to get them. But hey, if I’m going to do it, I want to do it right!”

“Is that so? You went through a lot of trouble,” Jinwoo said, running his hand over the smooth black leather wallet. A mix of emotions swirled in his chest.

“……Thanks, I’ll use it well. But what do I do? I didn’t prepare anything for you.”

The thought of Jingyeom spending the whole day preparing for this moment warmed Jinwoo’s heart.

He wanted to celebrate Jingyeom’s birthday, too, but it had already passed, and doing something belatedly now felt awkward.

It had been so long since Jinwoo had received a birthday gift.

While others occasionally gave him presents, he and Jingyeom shared the same birthday, so he was always the one giving rather than receiving.

And the mention of celebrating not the usual December 3rd but the alternate January 28th touched him deeply.

‘…I can’t bring myself to use this.’

Perhaps sensing Jinwoo’s hesitation, Jingyeom urged him to start using the wallet immediately.

“I didn’t give it to you to just admire. Use it! People might say wallets are unnecessary these days, but you still need one!”

“Alright, alright. See? I’ve already transferred everything,” Jinwoo said, showing Jingyeom as he moved his ID and cards into the new wallet.

Only then did Jingyeom finally relax, satisfied.

---

Later, Jingyeom sat on the porch and recounted the day’s events in great detail to Soohyuk.

Even though Jinwoo knew about their relationship now, Jingyeom lowered his voice, still feeling self-conscious.

“Oh, right. I’ve been meaning to ask—when’s your birthday?” he asked.

—So, you’re starting to take an interest in me now? Curious, huh?

“I’ve always been interested! So, when is it?”

—It’s in October. I’ll let you know when it’s closer. We’re still meeting tomorrow, right?

Though Soohyuk couldn’t see him through the phone, Jingyeom nodded and affirmed.

This year, spring had arrived early, with cherry blossoms blooming sooner than expected.

They had planned a late visit, but the forecast predicted rain that could ruin the view, so they hastily scheduled to go the next day.

“See you tomorrow. Don’t come up here—I’ll head down.”

—How long are we going to do this? You won’t even let me come to your door.

“Until I feel comfortable. Just a little longer, okay?”

—…Alright. Sleep well, then. See you tomorrow, darling. Smooch.

The exaggerated sound effect made Jingyeom laugh and curl his toes in embarrassment.

Despite the awkwardness, he made the same “smooch” sound into the phone before hanging up.

“Ugh!” He groaned, rolling around on the porch in embarrassment.

Acting overly sweet didn’t seem to suit him, leaving him cringing every time.

---

Soohyuk suggested visiting a quieter place, but Jingyeom insisted on Yeouido.

The trip there was fraught with traffic and parking challenges. It took an eternity just to park.

The crowd was as overwhelming as expected—so packed it was hard to tell if they were there to see cherry blossoms or just people.

Surveying the scene, Soohyuk let out a short sigh.

If not for Jingyeom, he wouldn’t have come here.

While he didn’t mind a moderate crowd, this was far too much.

The thought of navigating through the throng made his head ache.

Still, since it was Jingyeom’s wish, Soohyuk resolved to endure it.

‘Just don’t lose him,’ he thought grimly.

Though they were adults, the idea of losing sight of Jingyeom, even briefly, was nerve-wracking.

Pulling him closer, Soohyuk firmly wrapped an arm around his waist.

“Don’t stray from me.”

The seriousness on Soohyuk’s face made Jingyeom chuckle.

While he had researched the spot online, the sheer number of people was still surprising.

“Don’t look at the people. Just focus on the cherry blossoms,” Soohyuk added.

“What if I trip while looking up?”

“I’m holding onto you, aren’t I? Don’t worry—just enjoy. Once you’ve had your fill, we’ll leave.”

If Jingyeom had suggested a different location even now, Soohyuk would have gladly agreed.

But Jingyeom didn’t seem inclined to leave.

The walk turned into a mission for Soohyuk: weaving through the crowd and keeping Jingyeom safe.

Though he grew increasingly exhausted, the sight of Jingyeom’s delighted expression brought a smile to his face.

At one stall, they found cute mini hair clips shaped like flowers and leaves.

Soohyuk, initially reluctant, allowed Jingyeom to pin one on his hair after seeing how much it amused him.

Jingyeom even insisted on taking photos as they strolled along the blossom-lined path.

“Are you thirsty or hungry?” Soohyuk asked.

“All this walking has made me hungry. …That looks delicious,” Jingyeom said, eyeing street food stalls emitting tantalizing aromas.

He wanted to try some, but Soohyuk adamantly refused.

“Your Doctor told you not to stress and to eat what you want!”

“Not that. Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it for you next time.”

Jingyeom suspected he’d end up with a “healthy” homemade version of whatever he requested.

Likely something wholesome yet lacking the street food charm.

As he pouted, Jingyeom was bumped into by someone in the crowd and stumbled.

Soohyuk immediately pulled him closer, wrapping his arms tightly around him and steering him toward a less crowded area.

“Let’s go. This is too much—you keep getting jostled.”

Though reluctant, Jingyeom nodded, realizing Soohyuk was right.

Feeling guilty for dragging him into the chaos, Jingyeom promised himself to make up for it somehow.

When the crowd thinned a little, Jingyeom and Soohyuk managed to take some photos together and even snapped pictures of each other. They tried to get the cherry blossoms as a backdrop, though the angles came out a bit odd. Still, neither of them ended up with an unflattering face.

It was the first time they’d taken so many pictures. Though there were too many people to wander around leisurely, Jingyeom had a lot of fun.

The way back home was filled with a bittersweet sense of longing. The moment they got in the car, their hands instinctively clasped together and didn’t part. The weekend traffic was thick and stifling, but knowing it was just the two of them in that small space, they couldn’t care less about the congestion.

They’d occasionally fiddle with each other’s fingers, joking and laughing, or glance at each other’s faces when stopped at traffic lights. Throughout the drive, they had endless conversations. They didn’t share the same hobbies or come from similar backgrounds, so they didn’t have much in common—but somehow, the words never ran out.

Jingyeom, who frequently watched YouTube, always had plenty to say.

Meanwhile, Soohyuk, with his extensive travels and diverse experiences, had just as much to share.

At some point, Jingyeom’s curiosity got the better of him, and he asked,
“When did you start liking me, hyung?”

Soohyuk fell silent, seemingly lost in thought, unable to answer right away.

“…I think it was back then. At the hospital.”

“That’s such a long time ago.”

“When you first opened your eyes. The day you said you couldn’t remember anything. I think it started that day.”

Jingyeom’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting that response.

He had assumed Soohyuk would mention a later point in time—but that day?

“When you kept asking if I really didn’t remember anything?”

“…I didn’t press you that much.”

“What?! You kept asking if I really didn’t remember anything even after I got tested! Asking how I felt, and everything else!”

Jingyeom’s voice grew louder.

At the time, having suddenly woken up in someone else’s body, everything had felt unfamiliar.

He’d been terrified of Wonbeom and annoyed by Soohyuk’s persistent questions.

As Jingyeom furrowed his brows, Soohyuk chuckled and gently tapped his cheek.

“Unlike me, it seems your first impression of our meeting wasn’t so great. I liked it, though. You were fascinating. Even while trembling, you said everything you wanted to say. That’s when I got interested and went to see you again.”

“The next time… wasn’t much better, though?”

There was the time he collapsed from his peach allergy, then got dragged to a department store right after being discharged from the hospital.

Looking back, Soohyuk’s behavior had been far from considerate—it was ridiculous to take a patient around like that.

“Well, I liked it. When you wore that suit, I wanted to take it off you.”

“…”

“Even now, it’s not that different. But I’ll wait.”

At the subtle undertone of seduction in Soohyuk’s voice, Jingyeom turned his head away, gazing out at the darkened cityscape.

That’s when he realized something odd about their conversation.

“First meeting?”

For Jingyeom, that day was indeed their first meeting.

But for Soohyuk, who had already met Baek Jingyeom’s original self, it couldn’t have been.

“…Is he calling it our first meeting because I’d lost my memory?”

That made sense.

With no memories of the past, that day would feel like the start.

Having settled the matter in his mind, Jingyeom turned back to look at Soohyuk.

When they first met, he’d never imagined they’d end up like this—together.

Let alone that Soohyuk would take up such a permanent place in his heart, so deeply rooted he couldn’t let go.

Ever since Soohyuk had confessed his feelings, Jingyeom had found himself increasingly conscious of him, thinking of him habitually.

By the time he accepted his own feelings, all he wanted was to be with Soohyuk.

At some point, Jingyeom had likened Soohyuk to spring.

Like spring.

It was his favorite season.

Every summer had been comfortable enough for him, always indoors and shielded from the heat and humidity of the outside world.

But emotionally, he’d always felt stifled.

Every autumn had been about enjoying the vibrant foliage, appreciating the brief window where the leaves turned golden and crimson.

Yet, as they fell lifelessly and winter crept in, he couldn’t help but feel that he, too, might wither away.

Autumn and winter always left a bitter aftertaste.

But spring was different.

Spring was renewal. It brought budding leaves, blooming flowers, and a warmth that naturally made you stand taller, open up.

To Jingyeom, spring was a season of hope.

And now, spring had become Soohyuk.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“I like you.”

“…What?”

Soohyuk’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, his head swiveling side to side before he hurriedly pulled over to the shoulder of the road.

It all happened so abruptly.

He turned his head sharply, his bewildered face meeting Jingyeom’s, who responded with a faint smile.

“Is confessing something so shocking?”

Then it hit him—he’d never said those words before. Not once.

“I like you.”

“I didn’t hear you. Say it again.”

“You totally heard me!”

“I didn’t hear!”

“…I like you, hyung.”

Soohyuk’s face blossomed into the colors of spring.

The spring Jingyeom loved the most.

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