By Zephyria 
Amidst the clinking and clattering of cutlery, Ire felt like he was going crazy, bothered by Kim Ha-yoon next to him. He winced and groaned several times as he used tongs to pick up food and place it on his plate. When he reached for the salad this time, Ire picked it up instead and placed it on his plate. Kim Ha-yoon then smiled with his eyes and leaned towards him.
“You’re so kind to me.”
Matteo shot him a displeased look, forcing Ire to be cautious. The day he went to see Kim Ha-yoon and returned after staying out all night, Matteo had asked about their relationship. He had pretended not to know until then, but said he couldn’t anymore. He wouldn’t interfere with whoever Ire met, given his age, but if the other person was Kim Ha-yoon, there was a problem.
Ire had said they weren’t anything special, just people who got what they needed from each other, but Kim Ha-yoon’s behavior now was bound to arouse suspicion in anyone.
“I wish Hayun hyung would live with us.”
Luca’s sudden remark was met with a gentle smile from Kim Ha-yoon.
“Should we? Should we live here with Ire hyung?”
Matteo, watching them, stopped Luca. He told him to be quiet and eat his food. Ire, glancing around nervously, deliberately stepped on Kim Ha-yoon’s foot under the table. He meant it as a signal to stop, but Kim Ha-yoon stared directly at his face.
“Why are you stepping on my foot?”
“…….”
“I’m a bit slow, could you explain it to me?”
His smiling grin made Ire’s ears turn bright red, against his will. He was chewing his food as if he didn’t know if it was a bean or a stone. Matteo’s gaze turned menacing, and Anna watched her superior’s embarrassing display with an intrigued expression. Ire quickly drank some water and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“I’ll, I’ll be going now. I have to leave before it gets too late.”
As he fled to his room, Kim Ha-yoon followed and closed the door. Ire gestured for him to leave, but he paid no attention. Ire lowered his voice, looking exasperated.
“What on earth are you doing? Are you doing this on purpose? To mess with me?”
“It’s not candy I want to feed you. You know that.”
Sigh, I’m such an idiot for worrying about this kind of person for days…
“Just shut your mouth and please leave. Let’s not meet except for work from now on.”
“Don’t say that. I came today because I wanted to be comforted by you.”
“What scheme are you plotting now!”
“I sent my mother off.”
Ire, who was about to say something more, fell silent. Kim Ha-yoon moved closer, pressing himself against Ire, and gently wrapped his arms around his waist. Then, he rested his forehead on Ire’s shoulder and quietly closed his eyes. He said he thought he’d be okay, but he felt worse than he expected.
“I know how shameless and selfish it is for me to ask you for comfort. But still, you should be able to bear seeing me because you miss me.”
“…….”
“Curse me and call me a shameless person. I deserve it.”
His calm voice seemed to carry a hint of sadness. He was a man who was good at deceiving others, so Ire couldn’t fully trust him, but strangely, he felt concerned.
In fact, he had thought of Kim Ha-yoon whenever he had free time. Is he okay? Did his wounds heal? He would shake him off with disgust, only for him to invade his thoughts again after some time. He realized he would need time to understand exactly what this feeling was.
After much deliberation, he slowly raised his hand. He hesitated, conflicted between touching Kim Ha-yoon’s back to comfort him or pushing him away, when the door suddenly burst open. Startled, Ire pushed Kim Ha-yoon away and simultaneously Luca shouted as he returned to the kitchen.
“Dad! The hyungs are hugging!”
Ire, his face pale, chased after Luca, trying to cover his mouth, but he couldn’t catch the squirrel-like boy. Matteo glared at them with a frown, Anna pretended not to notice, suppressing a smile, and the children watched them with curious eyes.
“My, my clothes got caught on something, so I was just helping him… Haha, Luca must have mistaken it.”
Ire glanced at Kim Ha-yoon, making a flimsy excuse. He sent a look, urging him to explain too, but Kim Ha-yoon defiantly lifted his chin. His expression was incredibly brazen.
* * *
Ire let out a quiet sigh as he looked at Kim Ha-yoon lingering in the passenger seat. He had thought Kim Ha-yoon had just come for a meal when he visited, but he had insisted on getting into the car. He couldn’t refuse when Kim Ha-yoon said it was for work.
Kim Ha-yoon mentioned he had sent a survey team to Zone D the day before. He explained they were checking for structural integrity in major buildings, inspecting essential infrastructure, and investigating how to secure electricity and water.
He also mentioned that if the communication base station was restored, video calls would be possible without needing to send people. Matteo and the children decided to stay in district a until Zone D was fully established, and Ire felt relieved knowing he could see their faces via video every day.
After driving for a while, Ire glanced over because it was quiet and saw Kim Ha-yoon looking out the window. His gaze naturally drifted down, landing on Kim Ha-yoon’s abdomen. He had pretended to be in pain during the meal, but now he looked fine.
“Why are you staring at me so intently?”
Ire flinched and looked straight ahead.
“Who’s staring… I was driving.”
“Your face was reflected in the window, don’t lie.”
“…….”
Kim Ha-yoon shifted his posture, resting his arm on the window and gazing intently at Ire.
“Go on, stare. I’m handsome, aren’t I?”
When Ire scowled, Kim Ha-yoon reached out and touched his earlobe. Your ears are red.
His face flushed, Ire pulled away from his hand and snapped irritably.
“If you keep playing around, I’ll leave you here!”
Kim Ha-yoon playfully raised both hands in surrender. He had spent a lot of time looking out the window silently during the drive, and while Ire disliked his flirtatiousness, he was also bothered by his quietness. Then, as they drove out of the district, raindrops began to fall one by one.
There had been no forecast for rain.
Seeing the sky turn dark black in an instant, Ire sighed.
Thinking they had to arrive before the downpour, he sped up as much as he could. But suddenly, Kim Ha-yoon reached out and turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction. Ah! The car lost its balance, spun several times, and finally stopped in a corner. Startled, Ire looked at him.
“What are you doing,”
Kim Ha-yoon put a finger to his lips. Shh. His gaze was fixed beyond the window, and Ire followed it. Spike strips were laid out like traps on the road, and then a rumbling sound shook the ground.
Damn it!
Just as they tried to start the car and drive away, a tang sound echoed as a bullet hit and embedded itself in the windshield.
Following that, a group appeared on modified quad bikes, front and back. Armed with homemade weapons and knives, they spun the spike strips and completely surrounded them. These were notorious thugs from the vicinity. The kind of people with whom words or negotiations were useless.
Ire quickly reached for his gun but paused. There were too many of them, and engaging in a gunfight here would put them at a disadvantage. What should he do? Should he use his ability? He unconsciously glanced at Kim Ha-yoon beside him.
Kim Ha-yoon was loading his gun and opening the window. Before Ire could ask what he was doing, Kim Ha-yoon extended his arm out the window, aiming forward. With a tang, the head of the guy on the best-looking motorcycle in the group instantly flew off. Shocked, Ire looked at him, and Kim Ha-yoon said calmly.
“It’s okay, just break through.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. Trust me.”
After all, it was Kim Ha-yoon’s car, wasn’t it? Ire had no choice but to press the accelerator hard. Oh well. He must have a plan. As they charged forward, the attackers threw spike strips. Moreover, they fired indiscriminately, and cracks slowly began to appear on the windshield.
Clunk. The car tilted slightly as it ran over a spike strip, and the gathered attackers scattered sideways in shock. As they were pushed back, Kim Ha-yoon opened the car’s cover and fired his gun frantically. Seeing him hit the heads of moving people from this distance with pinpoint accuracy, Ire suspected the man had spent his life just shooting guns.
As they continued to drive, a warning light flashed indicating a tire was losing air. It hadn’t burst yet, but it wasn’t intact either. As their speed gradually decreased, the distance between them and the attackers was closing. The rear windshield, which had barely held on, shattered with a crash, and bullets flew towards the seats and the driver’s side.
“Damn it!”
Kim Ha-yoon clutched his arm, and Ire’s face turned ashen.
“Did you get shot?”
“It just grazed me, don’t worry about it and go!”
How could he not worry? The attackers’ curses and shouts grew closer, and if they stayed like this, they would both be shot dead or captured and dismembered. In the desperate situation, Ire sharply turned the steering wheel, making the car spin around.
The vehicle, turning in a wide arc, now faced the attackers head-on. For a moment, the barrage of bullets stopped in mid-air. Kim Ha-yoon beside him looked incredulous, and so did the attackers who had followed.
Then, astonishingly, the bullets that had stopped in mid-air flew back towards the attackers. They screamed and fell, and the following motorcycles also stopped, creating chaos. Amidst the screams and explosions, Kim Ha-yoon grabbed Ire’s shoulder and changed direction.
“Stop.”
Just then, Ire felt a burning sensation on his upper lip. When he brought his hand up, it was covered in bright red blood. Kim Ha-yoon, who had produced a handkerchief, brought it to Ire’s nose. His expression looked complicated. The attackers, terrified, were fleeing, and a heavy silence settled between the two men.