* * *

“Y-yes. Thank… you.”

I nodded, placing my hand on his chest, feeling his heart pounding rapidly.

When I looked up, Taeshin, who seemed as startled as I was, buried his face in my shoulder and groaned.

“I should carry Moon Sunwoo around…”

“I’m sorry… I’ll be careful from now on.”

Although I rarely fell, I couldn’t argue with a shocked Taeshin and quietly agreed.

After calming down, Taeshin checked if I was hurt and then held my hand tightly as we descended the stairs to the classroom.

Throughout, he didn’t let go of my hand, still pale with worry. I wanted to drop him off at home first, but he insisted on seeing me safely inside, so we headed to my place first.

“Be careful on the stairs.”

“I will. I’ll check twice and take each step cautiously.”

“Or I could carry you up.”

“No, I’ll be careful.”

Seeing some color return to his face, I waved my hand. He might actually carry me all the way to my room.

“Sunwoo.”

“Yeah?”

“Hug me just once.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” he kept saying, but it seemed he really wasn’t okay. I wondered if his pheromones were unstable again, but when I hugged him, I didn’t feel that.

Taeshin, who was holding me tightly for a moment, slightly pulled away and looked down at me. Just as I was about to say, “I’m really okay,” his face came closer, and I blinked.

Smooch.

“Get home safely.”

Taeshin’s face briefly touched my temple before pulling away. The taxi he was in soon disappeared from sight. I gently touched the spot where his soft, warm touch had been.

?

??

???

“What the…!”

I was so shocked that I swore both aloud and internally as I hurriedly retreated inside the front door. I dashed up the stairs and threw my bag into my room.

Kneeling on my bed, I pulled out my phone and turned on the screen.

When I entered the chat to send Taeshin a message, I saw he had already sent one.

[Taeshin♥> A blessing to not fall down.]

What kind of “God bless you” is that?

[ㅇ]

[ㅉ]

[ㄹㅇㄹ]

My heart was pounding, and my hands were trembling so much that I could barely type. Just as I saw the read receipt on my message, Taeshin called me.

“You!”

– Did you get up alright?

“What do you mean, did I get up alright! What do you mean,”

– That’s good to hear. Sunwoo always trips over nothing.

“Father, how do I trip over nothing?”

– You do. And that’s why you get scolded by Jinwoo hyung too.

I denied the false accusations Taeshin was making. I argued that I hardly ever tripped, but Taeshin calmly pointed out every instance he could remember.

“Those times, I almost tripped, but I didn’t actually fall.”

– Because I caught you.

“…”

I had nothing to say. Had my feet really failed me that many times? When I fell silent, Taeshin’s soft voice called to me over the phone.

– Sunwoo, next time I’ll go lower.

“What?”

– I’ll let you know if you fall.

What’s lower if I fall?

– Good night, Sunwoo.

“Uh, yeah. You too.”

I wanted to argue more, but I ended up saying goodbye out of reflex.

After the call ended, I pondered over Taeshin’s words, and then placed my hand over my forehead.

“Next time I’ll go lower.”

Taeshin’s voice echoed in my head. If lower from the temple meant, here? I slowly moved my hand down to press my cheek and opened my mouth.

Taeshin’s sudden actions left my mind blank, and my heart was pounding.

My heart raced so much that it felt like I could smell Taeshin’s pheromones again, like a conditioned reflex.

The soft, warm, sweet scent filled my imagination as I lay face down on my bed with my hands covering my face.

If from the temple, then it must be the cheek, but the Taeshin in my mind went even lower.

In my imagination, Taeshin kissed me on the lips.

* * *

[Title: I think my friend has gone crazy]

[Author: Expert Egg]

He kissed my forehead and said he’d kiss my cheek next time]

[Cheerful Kim Sakkat: Wtf]

[Rising Star: Damn]

[Great Universe’s Power: The god of the universe is calling you. If you want to become a follower of the god of the universe, come here http://www.oujuhims.com]

[Lovers of Potato Soup and Seolleongtang: Your username looked familiar, so I checked your previous posts. Is this a series?]

[Triangle Mayo Tuna Rice: Are you bragging?]

[TomsTenks: What a showoff]

[Tiger Researcher: Is this the same friend who hung out without his shell?]

[Apple Gum: Seems like they’re interested in you]

Feeling like my head would explode, I posted my story on a site where all sorts of stories were shared, hoping for some relief.

Replies came pouring in, but none offered the relief I was looking for. Sighing, I closed the site.

I couldn’t sleep all night because Taeshin kept lingering in my mind. Whenever I closed my eyes, I saw Taeshin.

Smiling Taeshin, sulking Taeshin, sleeping Taeshin, studying Taeshin, and various versions of Taeshin shook my mind.

Thinking about Taeshin made my heart pound, and I could almost smell his non-existent pheromones. If I couldn’t feel them, I’d reminisce about how soft, warm, and sweet they were.

Feeling like a pervert, I tossed and turned, trying to sleep, but whenever I closed my eyes, I saw Taeshin leaning in to kiss me.

Just before his lips touched mine, I’d wake up with a start and slap my cheeks to bring myself back to reality. This vicious cycle continued.

Thankfully, I only had one class today.

I just needed to endure the 2-credit afternoon class. They say the night and dawn bring a flood of emotions and thoughts.

Now that it was morning, it was time for reason to take over.

Having recently gone through something that made my head feel like it would explode, I could handle this with more composure.

Believing that time would solve it, I stayed calm and checked the message Taeshin sent.

[Taeshin♥> I’ve arrived. Come out when you’re ready.]

I grabbed my bag and headed out, finding Taeshin waiting after getting out of a taxi. He greeted me with a gentle smile.

“Hello, Sunwoo.”

A warmer spring breeze blew in, carrying Taeshin’s pheromones that tickled me softly. Did I say I could handle this calmly?

That composure went out the window the moment I saw Taeshin.

My heart raced, and I felt heat rising in my body.

The memories of last night’s restless imaginings mingled with Taeshin’s pheromones.

I saw a vision of Taeshin kissing me.

“Sunwoo?”

“Oh, yeah! Let’s go!”

No, Moon Sunwoo, get a grip!

I got into the taxi first, covering my mouth with my hands, then my cheeks, and then both my cheeks and mouth at the same time.

The ride to school felt too long.

In the confined space, we fumbled through a conversation that eventually fizzled out. As the talking stopped, Taeshin’s pheromones grew stronger.

Don’t look, Lee Taeshin… I’ll figure it all out.

It’s said that demons torment monks during their spiritual training, and my demon was definitely Lee Taeshin.

His pheromones, so potent and unyielding, made me wonder if he knew something. Otherwise, he wouldn’t disrupt my peace like this.

The scent grew sweeter and more intense. My hand, covering the side of my face, itched. I wriggled my ring finger and peeked through the gaps to check on Taeshin.

Taeshin leaned against the car door with one side of his back and shoulder, watching me with a very relaxed posture.

Had he been watching me like this all along? Was he trying to make me uncomfortable? Or was he just finding me amusing?

“What are you looking at?”

I asked, my insides churning, while trying to mask my irritation. Taeshin simply responded with a casual answer.

“Moon Sunwoo.”

Hearing his voice made my chest flutter, though I was unsure why.

“Sunwoo.”

Taeshin said my name almost like a song and continued, lowering his eyes slightly.

Even though his hand was covering his face, his gaze perfectly fixed on my lips, as if he knew exactly what I had been thinking last night.

I quickly covered my mouth with the hand that had been blocking his gaze.

As I shifted my body closer to the car door to avoid Taeshin, he turned his head forward and leaned back against the seat.

The smooth curve of his smile grew longer. Taeshin, grinning, rested his elbows on the car door and tapped his lower lip with the tips of his long fingers.

Taeshin was definitely acting like a devil, with the adjective “lewd” fitting perfectly.

Mom, I think I’ve been possessed by a lewd devil.

Taeshin’s actions felt excessively obscene.

Though there was nothing perverted in his behavior, my mind kept imagining that Taeshin was trying to kiss me—not on the cheek as he had hinted, but on the lips.

If someone asked me if I could carry on with my daily life right now, I’d probably have to say no.

When we arrived at school, Taeshin got out first, and I stumbled out after him.

The 30-minute walk to school already had me feeling drained.

Chin.

“Huh?”

As I climbed the stairs to the Business Administration building, my toe caught on my chin.

Losing my balance and reaching out to steady myself, I felt a large hand extend from right in front of me, grabbing my arm and lifting me up.

“Be careful.”

Taeshin, who had been ahead of me, held my body and spoke.

I lifted my gaze to look at Taeshin, but as a thought crossed my mind, my body tensed up.

“Sunwoo,”

“No way!”

I covered both of my cheeks with my hands. I thought that if I fell again, it would be even worse.

I was sure that if Taeshin kissed my cheek, I’d end up imagining him kissing me even more intimately all day.

Honestly, I felt like I could spend the whole night thinking about it.

* * *