By Zephyria 
‘Kwon Mi-eon?’
Even with his face covered by a mask, there was no mistaking him.
His uniquely blue-tinged curly hair, his towering height that would make anyone passing by glance at least once, and even the mole under his eye that was slightly visible despite the mask.
Wasn’t Kwon Mi-eon a person full of such distinct features?
As if to make eye contact with the seated Mo Yeon-hu, Kwon Mi-eon bent down, rolling his eyes as he scanned him.
“What…?”
Startled, he subtly recoiled.
Mo Yeon-hu looked utterly surprised. His lips were slightly parted, and his eyelashes fluttered with each slow blink. Kwon Mi-eon couldn’t take his eyes off him, but as if nothing had happened, he moved away from the window and instantly pushed open the cafe door.
Ding-dong!
With a cheerful ring, a large figure filling the doorway strode inside.
“Welcome… Oh?! Why so fast-”
Mi-yeong’s surprised voice came from the counter. Of course, Kwon Mi-eon didn’t spare her a single glance.
His eyes were fixed on the cafe’s only customer, who was sitting by the window.
Mo Yeon-hu flinched as he saw him rapidly approaching.
‘What, why this way-’
Kwon Mi-eon, disregarding his frightened expression, plopped down across from him.
And that wasn’t all. He casually removed the mask from one ear and even downed the water that Mo Yeon-hu had poured.
“……?”
His actions were so natural that one might mistake them for companions.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Kwon Mi-eon opened his mouth.
“Anyone would think I’m a loan shark.”
It was a playful voice. But what good was a light tone? Kwon Mi-eon’s expression was anything but playful.
If he had seemed wronged and desperate when they met that night, now he seemed… a little angry, a different feeling from then.
But what did it matter?
‘A Drug addict, of all people.’
Mo Yeon-hu, with a coldly hardened face, straightened his posture and spoke firmly to Kwon Mi-eon, who was sitting in front of him.
“Why are you sitting here…….”
But the voice that leaked out was far from firm….
Seeing him in the light, Kwon Mi-eon’s bulk felt even larger. He must work out diligently, as his solid physique was evident even under his T-shirt.
“…yo.”
So, this was a survival instinct.
Kwon Mi-eon blinked, continuing to stare at him.
The loose-fitting clothes made Mo Yeon-hu’s shoulders look particularly round. He seemed to have put some effort into his appearance, but his hair was slightly disheveled, and his eyes behind the round glasses were gentle.
“Just go back to where you were… going.”
Unlike his cold and wary face, his tone was round and awkward.
“Ah.”
The sharp glint in Kwon Mi-eon’s eyes vanished in an instant, and laughter burst out.
“I’m going crazy.”
His eyes and the corners of his mouth curved. The sharp attitude disappeared, and only laughter filled his face. Mo Yeon-hu’s hand twitched involuntarily at the sight of that face.
Just a smile could change his impression so much.
When he was expressionless, he had a chilling aura that made it seem like he could bury someone without a second thought, but when he smiled, his image completely softened.
And what were those eyes? Why was he looking at him with such a ticklish gaze, and why couldn’t he tear his eyes away from those eyes?
“Just drop the honorifics.”
Kwon Mi-eon said, his face still full of laughter.
“Yeon-hu hyung.”
Mo Yeon-hu’s eyes widened again at the fact that he knew his name.
‘I vaguely remember seeing him at the party, but did we even exchange names?’
It occurred to him that he had been called ‘hyung’ out of the blue on a rainy day, and he wondered if they had really become acquainted that day.
‘What happened?’
The problem was his memory. No matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn’t remember, and now he was frustrated to the point of madness.
“There’s something I want to ask.”
“That’s good, there’s something I wanted to ask too.”
As Mo Yeon-hu opened his mouth, Kwon Mi-eon immediately replied.
“Ask first.”
It was a gentle voice.
It was the opposite of that night. Unlike then, it was Mo Yeon-hu who was now lacking composure.
Of course, this was only his perception. Mo Yeon-hu had no way of knowing that the hangnails on Kwon Mi-eon’s interlocked fingers were all being gnawed at under the table.
“Do you remember when we first met?”
“That night?”
Since it was a party, it must have been at night.
“…Yeah.”
“I remember perfectly. That night was quite long.”
An immediate answer came back, but Mo Yeon-hu’s expression didn’t ease.
‘What’s with this meaningful expression?’
Was he not simply drunk and sprawled out somewhere that night?
“What on earth happened that night….”
Just then, a tray with bread and drinks was placed between the two men, who were looking into each other’s eyes.
“Ah!”
Mo Yeon-hu was startled. He had been so focused on Kwon Mi-eon that he hadn’t even noticed someone approaching.
“Oh, did I scare you? I’m sorry.”
He wondered who had interrupted their conversation, but when he thought about it, there was only one other person in this cafe besides them.
“Since there’s only one table with customers anyway, I just brought the tray myself… I guess I startled you a lot.”
Mo Yeon-hu’s startled expression melted at Ms. Mi-yeong’s cautious voice.
“No, it’s okay! You were being considerate….”
How could she be so kind? Rather, Mo Yeon-hu felt sorry for having been so startled.
But when he looked at the tray, there was a croissant in addition to the sandwich and drink he had ordered. When he focused on it, Kang Mi-yeong smiled sheepishly, brushing her cheek.
“I was grateful for the gift you gave me…. Do you perhaps dislike croissants?”
Good heavens.
“Ah, no.”
Was she an angel?
Mo Yeon-hu barely managed to tear his gaze away from Kang Mi-yeong and looked at the croissant. He imagined wings sprouting from the croissant, and it flying away with Ms. Mi-yeong.
The wary expression that had been directed at Kwon Mi-eon disappeared without a trace, and Mo Yeon-hu smiled brightly.
“…I like them.”
Could he not eat this and take it home? He wanted to keep it as a family heirloom.
As if only Kang Mi-yeong and Mo Yeon-hu existed in this space, a ticklish atmosphere spread between them. But they weren’t the only ones in the cafe.
Thwack!
The two men’s gazes turned to the source of the sudden, sharp sound. It was from the tray.
‘Huh?’
In the middle of the cream croissant that Kang Mi-yeong had given as a service, a fork was stuck. As they stared blankly at the shape of the crushed bread, a large hand that had slammed the fork down moved in a straight line.
—Screeeeeech—!
The fork that had pierced the croissant made a sharp, ear-scraping noise. Soon, the croissant, which had reached the end of the plate, looked as if it had been hit by a car.
The fork rose, the croissant dangling from its end, and the owner of the fork shoved the large croissant into his mouth in one go.
Crunch, crunch.
The sound of the croissant being crushed in his mouth could be heard.
‘Why is the bread making such a sound?’
At that rate, there must have been a rock in the bread. Not only Mo Yeon-hu but also Kang Mi-yeong looked at Kwon Mi-eon with wide eyes, seemingly surprised.
Amid the silence, where only the sound of Kwon Mi-eon chewing the croissant could be heard, he swallowed it without chewing much, wiped the cream that was slightly smeared on his lips with his fingertip, and said.
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
Kwon Mi-eon smiled.
“Are you two close?”
If one only looked at his brightly smiling face, one wouldn’t be able to sense anything strange, but Mo Yeon-hu saw it. The fork that Kwon Mi-eon was holding…….
‘It’s bent?’
Its neck was bent backward.