113 – AC

“But just because I like it doesn’t mean you absolutely have to like it too.”

“…….”

“It’s something that concerns both of us, but you’re the one who would actually go through it. It could be painful and difficult, and the changes to your daily life would be much greater.”

Watching Eun-won listen in silence, Cha Se-jin stood up and moved to sit beside him. He then firmly grasped Eun-won’s hand, which was resting on his thigh beneath the table.

“That’s why I don’t think I should put my own likes or dislikes first in this matter.”

“…….”

“But if, just if, a child is conceived and you say you want to have it.”

“…….”

“After the baby is born, I’ll make sure you don’t [Read on Read BL Novels]Read on Read BL NovelsRead on Read BL Novels stolen content-->have to struggle with anything. I’ll take a leave from the company—no, I’ll just quit and raise the child myself.”

Cha Se-jin’s eyes didn’t waver for a second. There was no hesitation or doubt in his words. There was no trace of a joke, yet he was incredibly careful.

“You can keep going to school. Study what you want, meet your friends, and do whatever you want to do even after you graduate. I’ll make it so you don’t have to give up anything. You’re still young, after all.”

“…Sangmu-nim….”

“Anyway, I’d actually prefer not to work. I wouldn’t mind quitting the company at all.”

A bit of playfulness finally crept into his voice. Eun-won knew this was Cha Se-jin’s effort to keep the atmosphere from becoming too heavy.

“But if you don’t want it, I will obviously follow your wishes. So don’t worry too much.”

“Yes…. I won’t worry too far ahead on my own. I was a little scared, but after hearing you say that, I feel okay now.”

“I’m glad. I won’t let you worry alone. Because it’s our business. Even if we worry, I’ll do it with you.”

“…….”

“And we’ll solve it together.”

Together. Together with Cha Se-jin. That word, ‘together,’ touched Eun-won’s heart. Since he was young, whenever a problem arose, Eun-won had usually chosen to swallow it, endure it, and settle it quietly on his own.

His mother had been by his side, but since she already had many hardships and was so fragile, he didn’t want to upset her further. To avoid becoming a burden and to keep her from being sad, he had folded his feelings smaller and smaller, tucking them away in a corner of his heart.

That was why he felt so grateful and happy that Cha Se-jin was the first to tell him they would worry together and solve it together. He became certain about what kind of person the man he loved truly was.

As some might say, he could be willful, he could be someone who hurts others by being too honest, and he could have a rough side… but when faced with something that might frighten Eun-won, he was someone who chose his words more carefully than anyone else, thinking of things that hadn’t even happened yet to reassure him with sincerity. And above all, Cha Se-jin was…

Someone who refused to leave him alone.

“Yes, I’m not worried at all now.”

He trusted Cha Se-jin. He trusted the hand that wouldn’t let go regardless of the situation, the gaze that never left him, and the thoughtful, brief silences—unlike before—where he thought once more before speaking.

Leaning in slightly, Eun-won buried his forehead into the shoulder of Cha Se-jin, who had turned his whole body to face him, before lifting his head. Cha Se-jin, who had been watching him quietly, visit [stolen content]our sitesuddenly had a deepening gaze as he tilted his head down.

In the distance that closed in an instant, focus blurred. The other hand, not holding Eun-won’s, slowly rose to gently cup his white cheek. Eun-won slowly closed his eyes as the tender and reassuring warmth from the large hand spread across his cheek.

The heat that began cautiously soon deepened. The sweet and sour scent of the lemonade they had just drunk mingled with Cha Se-jin’s low breaths between their lips. Without realizing it, Eun-won gripped Cha Se-jin’s hand tighter.

As if responding to that small pressure, Cha Se-jin cupped Eun-won’s cheek more tenderly. Without pushing, without rushing, just slowly enough for Eun-won to follow. Yet, it was because of that slow tenderness that Eun-won’s heart wavered even more deeply.

“…Mmm….”

A small sound broke between their touching lips. Cha Se-jin paused for a moment at the sound, then pressed his lips against Eun-won’s once more, very briefly. Like someone reluctant to pull away. Still, he managed to pull back before it grew deeper.

“Ha…….”

“…Haa….”

Eun-won’s breath scattered near Cha Se-jin’s lips. Cha Se-jin looked at Eun-won with a face that said he truly couldn’t hold back, and eventually kissed him briefly one more time. He didn’t linger this time. Instead, he didn’t remove the hand cupping Eun-won’s cheek until the moment they parted.

It was right after that they heard a knock.

Cha Se-jin checked Eun-won once more with a moist gaze. Only after waiting for Eun-won to catch his breath and compose his suggestively disheveled expression did he straighten his posture.

“Come in.”

Only after Cha Se-jin gave permission did the employee cautiously open the door. Feeling suddenly shy, Eun-won looked down, fidgeting with his lemonade glass. His lips, which had been locked with Cha Se-jin’s, were still hot, and the sensation of Cha Se-jin’s hand remained on his cheek. He could hear the employee kindly introducing the menu, but it didn’t register clearly in his ears.

As if noticing this, Cha Se-jin slowly stroked Eun-won’s hand with his thumb beneath the table. Soon, the employee finished the explanation, bowed, and left the room.

“Darling. Your face is still red.”

“…Do I look strange…?”

“No, you look so beautiful.”

With a grin, Cha Se-jin pressed his lips deeply against Eun-won’s cheek again before pulling away and serving some delicious-looking gnocchi onto Eun-won’s plate.

“Let’s eat first. We have somewhere else to go after this.”

Eun-won, who put a piece of gnocchi in his mouth after blowing on it, tilted his head and looked at Cha Se-jin at the mention of another place to go.

“Where is it?”

“I want to take you there without telling you.”

“…Is it somewhere like a center?”

“No, it’s not that kind of place. Hmm, it’s the kind of place you must go on the second day of dating, so you don’t have to worry. Just look forward to it.”

“Okay, I’ll look forward to it.”

“Yeah, enjoy your meal.”

“You enjoy yours too, Sangmu-nim.”

Watching Eun-won eat the gnocchi with soft sauce, pasta, pizza, and salad with great appetite, Cha Se-jin also slowly moved his fork. Perhaps because he had started a relationship [visit our site]with Eun-won—something he had no intention or thought of doing [unauthorized copy]with anyone—everything he ate today tasted more delicious and sweeter than usual. Of course, among all things, Eun-won’s tongue and saliva were the sweetest.

Thinking that he hoped Eun-won would like the place they were going after the meal, Cha Se-jin affectionately stroked the hair of Eun-won, who was popping a forkful of twirled noodles into his mouth. Turning his head, Eun-won smiled with slightly puffed-out cheeks. Cha Se-jin smiled back. It was a happy evening.

After finishing their meal leisurely, they enjoyed dessert while chatting about various things. The tiramisu and panna cotta were sweet, and Cha Se-jin’s gaze—which never left him as he listened to Eun-won’s stories and shared his own—was even sweeter. Thus, by the time they left the restaurant, his mood had become completely sugary.

The place they arrived at in such a good mood was the same place where they had purchased their couple suits last time. Thinking that Cha Se-jin had something to buy, Eun-won got out of the car and followed the employee’s guidance inside.

The interior was quiet, as if business had already ended for the day. Seeing Eun-won looking around, Cha Se-jin leaned down and whispered in his ear.

“It really is just the two of us. I arranged it in advance to come with you.”

With a grin, Cha Se-jin walked forward with his arm around Eun-won’s back. Only then did Eun-won grasp the situation and nod with a small “Ah…”.

Inside the quiet boutique, passing several sections, the place Cha Se-jin arrived at was the jewelry boutique. Transparent display cases shone neatly under elegant lighting. Eun-won looked around the store and then looked up at Cha Se-jin.

“I want to look at rings.”

“Rings?”

“Yeah. We have wedding rings, but we bought those because we had to, because they were necessary.”

Eun-won nodded quietly. Cha Se-jin was right. Although they were wedding rings, they carried a somewhat complicated meaning. A formality established before they knew each other well, at a time when they were married but their hearts hadn’t yet reached one another. With those meanings attached, they had simply sat in the dressing room display.

“That’s why I wanted to get new ones. Something to wear every day. Since we’re dating now, hmm… couple rings?”

Cha Se-jin, who was stroking the back of Eun-won’s hand with his thumb, tilted his head and laughed as if he found his own words a bit strange.

“Do married people not call them couple rings?”

At those words, Eun-won burst into a small laugh. Watching the laughing Eun-won, Cha Se-jin waited for an answer.

“I like it. Couple rings.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I like it very, very much. I’ll wear it every day without ever taking it off.”

Cha Se-jin, who could say nothing and just looked down at Eun-won’s face for a moment, suppressed the surging emotion in his heart. He liked Eun-won so much that if he didn’t control himself, if he didn’t restrain himself, he didn’t know what he might do right here. Barely suppressing the boiling impulse to maintain the appearance of a normal person, Cha Se-jin entered the store with Eun-won.

The employee guided the two of them to an inner table. Several rings were already prepared on a velvet-lined tray. Perhaps because Cha Se-jin had mentioned it in advance, most of the designs were suitable for daily wear rather than being overly flashy.

“I have prepared a few options that would be comfortable for both of you to wear daily.”

The employee explained calmly, sliding the rings forward one by one. Eun-won unconsciously took a small breath as he examined the rings.

Cha Se-jin, looking only at Eun-won’s face rather than the rings, asked.

“Is there one you like?”

“Can I choose?”

“Of course. You have to like it. It’s going to be on your body from now on.”

“You have to like it too, Sangmu-nim.”

“That’s why the person I like should be the one to choose.”

At the answer that came back so naturally, the tips of Eun-won’s ears turned slightly red. After glancing at the employee, who was maintaining a kind expression as if she hadn’t heard, Eun-won looked back down at the rings. His fingertips, examining them carefully one by one, stopped in front of the second tray.

It was a simple white gold ring. At a glance, it looked very neat, but upon closer inspection, small diamonds were set one by one along the thin line. It wasn’t excessive, yet he liked how it sparkled quietly whenever it caught the light.

“I think… this one is the prettiest.”

Cha Se-jin’s gaze dropped to the ring Eun-won pointed to, then quickly returned to Eun-won’s face.

“This one?”

“Yes. I think I’d prefer something simple like this rather than something too flashy.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty.”

Cha Se-jin nodded immediately. As the employee took out the ring to see if he wanted to try it [stolen content]on Read BL Novels" style="display:none;" aria-label="Read on Read BL Novels">Read on Read stolen contentBL Novelson, Cha Se-jin looked at Eun-won’s finger and then at the employee.

“May I do it?”

The employee smiled softly and bowed.

“Of course. Please feel free to put it on.”

Cha Se-jin took the ring from the employee. Until a moment ago, he had been excited, thinking how pretty and lovely Eun-won looked while carefully choosing the ring, and that the ring Eun-won chose sparkled just like him; but now that he actually held the ring in his hand, he felt strangely nervous.

“I’ll put it on for you.”