DD 9.1 Fiancé (2)

Having finished all the preparations to leave for the airport, Rau stood in front of the kitchen counter. He was planning to have one last cup of coffee with Lee Hyun.

As he poured hot water into the dripper with the filter, the aroma of coffee spread throughout the studio.

His Seoul residence was equipped with a fairly elaborate espresso machine. Whenever he felt like it, he would start by grinding the beans with a manual grinder and extract the coffee in a rather elaborate manner. But in Paris, he hadn’t even bothered to get a common capsule coffee machine, and he made coffee by hand drip every time.

He placed a filter paper in the dripper, poured water to pre-wet it, and then added the finely ground coffee beans. He slowly poured hot water, boiled in a special pitcher rather than an electric kettle, to brew the coffee. The drip coffee made in this way had a different charm than espresso coffee.

He also liked the fact that he could do something for Lee Hyun from beginning to end, using only his own hands, without using a machine.

“Kun, the Van Gogh bear.”

“Huh?”

“The teddy bear I bought at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.”

“Ah, right.”

“Did you pack it? Juhan Hyung told me to make sure to pack it.”

Rau, who had poured water into the dripper once, glanced back over his shoulder. Lee Hyun, wearing Rau’s sweatshirt over jeans, was standing blankly in the middle of the studio with his hands on his hips. Lee Hyun had been pacing around like that for an hour, looking anxious. It was unlike him.

Rau replied in a deliberately more relaxed tone.

“I already put everything in the suitcase.”

“Are you sure? Should I open it again and check?”

“Lee Hyun-ah.”

Lee Hyun, who was about to approach Rau’s suitcase that was placed in front of the door so he could take it out right away, stopped and turned to look at him. Rau held up two mugs at eye level.

“The coffee’s ready. Come and sit down.”

“But… Kun, you left your tablet behind last time.”

“That was just once. And you sent it by FedEx, so there was no problem.”

“Come to think of it, did you pack your tablet? You were looking at your tablet this morning.”

This time, Lee Hyun tried to rummage through Rau’s Boston bag that was placed on top of the suitcase.

“Seo Yi-hyun.”

“……”

Rau, who had already gone to the table and sat down, turned his left wrist to check the time. The reserved car to take him to the airport would arrive in 15 minutes.

“Come here and spend some more time with me.”

Although he still looked reluctant, Lee Hyun stopped trying to open the bag and approached the table. Rau placed Lee Hyun’s mug next to him, not across from him. It was a signal for him to sit here. Lee Hyun chuckled and walked around the table to sit next to Rau.

Rau firmly grabbed the seat of the chair he was sitting on and pulled it close to him with a creak. Then he turned his body completely towards Lee Hyun. He carefully brushed away his messy bangs and placed his palm on his forehead.

“Your fever hasn’t gone down any more.”

Lee Hyun, who was cupping the mug with both hands and savoring the warmth and aroma, smiled softly.

“How much could my fever go down in 10 minutes?”

Ten minutes ago, Rau had stopped Lee Hyun, placed his palm on his head, and said the same thing. And 10 minutes before that, and 10 minutes before that….

Lee Hyun had been showing mild flu symptoms since he changed trains in Dijon yesterday. A car was waiting for the two of them at Lyon station to take them to 601. But Rau took Lee Hyun straight to the clinic.

‘I think it’s just a mild flu.’

Lee Hyun was reluctant to go to the hospital.

‘It could be a symptom related to Manifestation.’

‘I’d rather go home and rest…’

‘We promised to see a doctor whenever we feel even a little off.’

‘I don’t think the director has appointments today.’

‘That’s why we’re paying for the expensive package. Don’t worry about that.’

Rau was anxious throughout the car ride. He couldn’t even lean his head comfortably on the headrest. Lee Hyun, who had been sleeping on the train, leaned his head against the window again, perhaps because of the fever. Rau moved to the middle seat and carefully supported Lee Hyun’s head, letting him lean on his shoulder. He prayed that this fever was not due to Manifestation, that nothing was wrong.

Fortunately, the doctor’s diagnosis was the flu.

Only then could Rau relax his shoulders, let out a sigh of relief, and smile awkwardly.

‘Seo Yi-hyun was right. I’m sorry for bringing you all the way here when you have a fever.’

Rau apologized like that in the back seat of the car moving to 601. Lee Hyun, who found Rau’s hand and held it, leaned his head on his shoulder and said.

‘It’s okay as long as Kun is relieved.’

At the end of his listless voice, he fell asleep again.

His fever rose slightly overnight, but his condition was much better in the morning than yesterday. It was a mild fever fluctuating between 37.5 and 38 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, Lee Hyun skipped his morning work and stayed with Rau. It was extremely rare for him to skip work with such a mild fever. Even right after returning from a 40-day trip.

“I’m glad you’re better than yesterday.”

“This is just a mild fever. People will make fun of you for being overprotective, you know?”

“Let them make fun of me. It’s true that I’m overprotective.”

Lee Hyun chuckled as he looked down into the mug at Rau’s words, which he readily admitted. Since sitting next to him, Lee Hyun had been focusing only on the mug. In contrast to Rau, who was completely turned towards Lee Hyun, Lee Hyun had not looked at him once.

“Seo Yi-hyun, aren’t you going to look at me?”

“……”

“I want to see your face even just one more time before I go.”

Only then did Lee Hyun hesitate and turn his head. Even though he was better now, his face, which had been suffering from a fever overnight, was still blotchy. Rau carefully stroked his flushed cheeks with his thumb. Apart from his worried heart, he couldn’t help but smile as he looked at his face.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

The smile seemed displeasing to his lover.

“How am I smiling?”

“It’s the smile you make when you’re thinking lewd thoughts.”

“That’s right. I was thinking some lewd thoughts.”

“You’re having those thoughts looking at me like this?”

Lee Hyun sounded incredulous. Rau leaned his upper body further towards Lee Hyun and pressed his entire palm against his cheek.

“Your eyes and the tip of your nose are red… you look like you’ve been tormented by me.”

“……”

Lee Hyun’s eyes wavered at the close distance. His tightly closed lips were clearly embarrassed. Rau deliberately brought his face close to Lee Hyun’s nose.

“And, what’s wrong with the way you look right now?”

“I’m a mess.”

“You’re just more languid and dazed than usual, which is just sexy.”

“Kun is really impossible.”

Lee Hyun burst into laughter and pushed Rau’s chest away. Rau chuckled softly and pulled Lee Hyun’s hand.

“Even the slightly nasal sound is so cute I could die.”

And he bit the tip of his fingernail without hurting him.

“Whose boyfriend is so cute, lovely, and a handful even when he’s sick? Huh?”

“That’s because Kun loves me.”

Lee Hyun quietly mumbled as he covered the mug with his hand, which he had slyly pulled out. As if he was embarrassed to admit Rau’s love with his own mouth.

Rau, who had his hand taken away, rested his elbows on the table and supported his chin. He tilted his head and looked at Lee Hyun drinking coffee.

“I’m glad you know.”

“……”

“That I love you that much.”

Lee Hyun, who had been smiling for a moment as if he couldn’t help it, soon looked at Rau with a warm and sincere expression.

“How could I not know?”

And he added.

“Every day, every moment, it’s conveyed through your whole body.”

“……”

“Even though I’m a dull person, how could I not know?”

Rau buried his forehead on Lee Hyun’s shoulder. Then he rubbed his lips along Lee Hyun’s neck and went up to his ear. He could feel Lee Hyun’s shoulder tensing up. It was sexual tension. He rubbed the tip of his nose against the auricle, which was filled with familiar and affectionate scents, and lightly bit the soft earlobe between his lips.

“Hah….”

A sweet sigh escaped from Lee Hyun. His fluttering eyelashes were slightly visible.

“Is it because you’re sick? Your scent is stronger than usual.”

“Do I smell?”

A worried face turned to look at Rau. It was close enough that the tip of Lee Hyun’s nose touched Rau’s cheek when he turned his head. Looking down at Lee Hyun’s lips, Rau wrapped the back of his neck with his palm.

“Silly. It’s not a smell, it’s a fragrance.”

Then he immediately tilted his head and pressed his lips together. He gently pressed and rubbed their lips, which were full of the scent of coffee, and savored the volume. With sweet and ticklish sounds, he repeatedly sucked and released his lips. Then Rau’s tongue slipped between Lee Hyun’s lips. As he dug into Lee Hyun’s lips, which had become dry due to the fever, the inside was as hot as if it would melt.

“Mmm….”

Lee Hyun groaned as if pleading from deep within his throat as his tongue was sucked.

As much as Rau desired Lee Hyun at this moment, he grabbed his shoulder tightly and pulled him in. It was with such force that his fingernails turned yellow and the veins on the back of his hand below his wristwatch became bluer. He gently squeezed and licked Lee Hyun’s hot tongue between his tongue and palate, and at the end, he sucked it in so strongly that it felt numb. It was a rather excessive kiss for a patient.

“Hehe, heuht… euheum.”

Just as Lee Hyun’s breathing became rough, Rau released the force pressing down on his tongue. Even then, he still watched him in his arms and continued to give him shallow kisses. Until his panting breath completely subsided.

And he pressed his forehead against his and said in a slightly apologetic voice.

“Was I a little too much?”

“A little?”

“Why? Did you think you were going to leak Pheromones?”

“……”

Lee Hyun couldn’t answer.

His lips, which had been dry because of the deep kiss a moment ago, were now moist. Pressing his lips with the back of his hand, Lee Hyun glared at Rau resentfully.

Rau had also had his switch flipped slightly. He wanted to deliberately release Pheromones to stimulate Lee Hyun. But it was a situation where he couldn’t take responsibility until the end. If he messed with him any more here, he really felt like Lee Hyun would hate him this time.

Glancing sideways at Lee Hyun drinking coffee, Rau also brought the mug to his lips.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it when you’re wearing my clothes.”

“Isn’t that a strange fetish?”

“Fetish? How about you call it love?”

“How is it love?”

“I like that you’re wearing my clothes, I like that you come here and stay when I’m not here, and I like that you use my things without hesitation.”

“……”

“It feels like the boundaries between yours and mine are blurring.”

Lee Hyun looked at Rau with an impressed expression. He even regretted lightly teasing him about it being a strange fetish. Rau put down the mug, leaned in deeply, and whispered in his ear.

“Like when we have sex.”

Click. Just then, Rau’s cell phone, which was placed on the other side of the table, rang briefly. Rau stretched out his arm and reached for the phone, almost falling on the table. It was a message from the driver notifying him of his arrival. Lee Hyun, who had missed the timing to tease Rau, was just watching him quietly.

“I should get up now.”

Rau said with a voice full of regret and got up from his chair. Lee Hyun suddenly grabbed Rau’s top tightly. It was an uncharacteristic and urgent movement.

“……”

When Rau looked down, Lee Hyun himself seemed surprised by his actions and was flustered. He let go of his hand and hesitated before getting up from his seat.

“Let’s go together.”

“You’re not feeling well, why don’t you just see me off at the door?”

“It’s not that bad. I’m just a little tired.”

Lee Hyun, who put on a light jacket over his sweatshirt, grabbed his keys and followed him out.

In the elevator going down to the ground floor, Rau held Lee Hyun tightly in his arms. As always when they parted, Lee Hyun also wrapped his arms around Rau’s waist, unlike usual, and did not hold back his affection.

“I’m worried about you being alone when you’re sick.”

“You know me. I can take care of myself even when I’m alone.”

“That’s right. There’s nothing to worry about with our Seo Yi-hyun. I know very well that there’s nothing to worry about… but I’m still worried?”

“If it seems to get any worse, I’ll ask my sister to come over right away. Okay?”

It was a Seo Yi-hyun-like answer. Only then did Rau feel relieved and smile.

The afternoon in Paris, as it transitioned from late autumn to early winter, was quite chilly. It wasn’t enough to make him shrink his body yet, but Rau was worried about Lee Hyun’s body.

While the driver was loading the suitcase into the trunk, the two exchanged their last greetings. Rau fastened Lee Hyun’s jacket tightly and stroked his face with both hands.

“Don’t overdo it, okay?”

He kissed the lips that nodded briefly and hugged him tightly. The words ‘I don’t want to part’ came up to his lips, but he swallowed them down, knowing that those words would make the lover in his arms even more difficult.

“We’ll meet in three weeks. You’ll get to see Morae and Seo Yi-han after a long time and have fun. I’m looking forward to it.”

Nod.

“Three weeks will pass quickly.”

Nod.

He didn’t know if it was a word to soothe Lee Hyun or a hypnosis for Rau himself. They would be spending a lot of time together soon, but this parting was especially difficult. They had been together every day for 40 days. It wasn’t easy to take Lee Hyun out of his arms. Even the Parisians, who weren’t very interested in others, glanced at them as they passed by. It was that long of a hug.

“Mister, you have to leave now.”

The driver, who had loaded all the luggage and was waiting, carefully urged him. He loosened the arms he had been hugging, but he couldn’t take those arms off Lee Hyun’s body.

“Go in quickly.”

This time too, Lee Hyun only answered with a nod.

Rau joked, pointing upwards with his finger, towards 601.

“Call me when you get home. I’m worried.”

Fortunately, Lee Hyun smiled.

The driver approached and opened the door to the back seat. It was like an unspoken pressure to get in quickly. Rau got into the car with Lee Hyun’s hand in his. The moment the fingertips he had been holding onto until the end fell off, Rau felt like his heart was falling.

Thud. The ruthless driver closed the door, separating the two. Rau lowered the tinted window.

“Go in quickly. Your face is pale.”

Lee Hyun, who had both hands in his jacket pockets, nodded with a face that was neither crying nor smiling. Rau’s face, which was trying to smile at Lee Hyun, was no different.

“May I depart?”

Rau reluctantly nodded to the driver, who asked in a stiff voice.

He tried to smile as brightly as he could and waved his hand. Lee Hyun also took one hand out of his pocket and waved his hand.

Lee Hyun was getting further and further away in the side mirror. Rau couldn’t take his eyes off that figure. Lee Hyun was also standing there facing this way, unable to take a step.

“This is no way for a person to live.”

Rau muttered, wiping his face as if he were crushing it. He was shaking his head without realizing it. Even while doing so, he didn’t take his eyes off the side mirror.

It was when the limousine was about a block away from 601. Rau, who had been watching the side mirror, narrowed his brows and leaned his body further. Lee Hyun in the mirror was slowly moving his legs. And soon he increased his speed and started running after the car.

It wasn’t a full sprint. His steps, as if he had been robbed of something and was aimlessly chasing after it with nothing else he could do, were not enough to catch up with the running car. Lee Hyun was like a young child who had lost his guardian in an unfamiliar place and didn’t know what to do.

“Stop… stop the car!”

Rau knocked on the passenger seat and shouted urgently.

As soon as the car stopped, he ran out. He didn’t even have the mind to close the door. He turned back at full speed towards Lee Hyun, towards the road he had come by car. It was the first time he had run like this outside of a treadmill since he became an adult.

Approaching, Lee Hyun’s face looked as if he was crying. Rau was nearly driven mad and sped up until the soles of his feet burned. He immediately pulled Lee Hyun into his arms at arm’s reach. Sniffle, sniff, sniff. Lee Hyun was sobbing. Rau, panting, kept readjusting his hold on him.

“It’s okay, Lee Hyun-ah. It’s okay….”

Why are you crying, why did you follow me? Why are you doing things you’ve never done before? Rau didn’t ask anything. He simply held Lee Hyun tightly in his arms, lowered his face to bury his lips near his ear, and tried to reassure him with his body, scent, and voice.

“Can’t you… stay a little longer… before you go?”

His trembling voice barely managed to string the words together amidst his sobs.

Rau squeezed his eyes shut.

“Tomorrow… or, even the next flight… would be fine.”

“Lee Hyun-ah.”

Lee Hyun’s hands gripped Rau’s back tightly.

“Don’t go… I’m scared.”

To make Lee Hyun say these words again. He couldn’t believe it.

■ ■ ■

Rau sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at Lee Hyun’s face. The sleeping Lee Hyun looked peaceful. But Rau’s heart and expression, as he looked at him, were never at peace. He couldn’t be.

After sending the driver back, the two of them came up to Room 601 together.

Lee Hyun didn’t want to be separated from Rau for even a moment. Moreover, he didn’t even try to lift his face, keeping his forehead buried in Rau’s shoulder. Rau had to hold Lee Hyun even while canceling the plane ticket.

He thought he knew Seo Yi-hyun well enough. At least, Seo Yi-hyun was the other person Rau knew best in this world. He had never been so interested in anyone else.

It was something that the Lee Hyun Rau knew until now would never do. That kind of thing had happened.

When it was time to part after a short meeting, Lee Hyun was always regretful but never told him not to go. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about parting. Rather, Rau knew that Lee Hyun also felt the pain of separation as much as he did.

But Lee Hyun wanted a love that built solid trust and growth, not a love that was consumed and ran wild with emotions and impulses. If Lee Hyun wanted it, Rau wanted it too. That’s why they were enduring together.

That Lee Hyun had held onto Rau. In such a heartbreaking way, too.

It was neither an easy thing to say nor a sentimental request.

Rau gave Lee Hyun another antipyretic, changed his clothes into pajamas, and went to bed with him. Lee Hyun tried not to close his eyes, worried that Rau would disappear while he was asleep.

‘I canceled the plane ticket. I didn’t book the next ticket either. I’ll be here until you feel better.’

Rau reassured him that many times. Nevertheless, Lee Hyun, who was trying to hold on, fell asleep in less than ten minutes. It must have been because he was psychologically and physically exhausted.

It’s okay. I was just a little sad earlier and said those things impulsively. Now I’m fine, so you can go. Even if Lee Hyun said that, Rau had no intention of leaving now.

While hugging and reassuring Lee Hyun in the middle of the street, a scene from the past came to Rau’s mind.

A summer night when it was pouring rain.

After having their first relationship in Hong Kong and returning home, around the time they were conscious of each other.

Even at The Hands’ company dinner, Rau was only thinking about Lee Hyun, who couldn’t attend, who wasn’t there. He couldn’t hear anyone’s words.

The Beta who had indiscriminately destroyed and entered his defensive wall that no golden Omega could shake. Pheromone with such a violent destructive power that he couldn’t suppress knotting or Changing, or anything. The first experience of being helplessly disarmed in front of someone else’s Pheromone.

When he received a call from that ‘Seo Yi-hyun’, Rau had to hide his smile as he pretended to rub his lips. He couldn’t attend the company dinner, but perhaps he couldn’t stop thinking about me either, so he called. He seemed to have such expectations.

[I’m sorry… for calling so late.]

But the voice on the other end of the phone was trembling as if terrified. Rau unknowingly leaned away from the back of his chair.

[You’re the only person I could think of… CEO…]

[Where are you now?]

As he asked that, Rau was already running out of the company dinner.

[Here… I’m at your house now. In front of your house.]

When he found Lee Hyun shivering in the rain in front of the gate, Rau realized. He had been turning a blind eye to it himself, but his subconscious knew. That he would come to love this person. That perhaps that love had already begun.

He jumped out of the car as if he were running away, put his jacket around Lee Hyun’s shoulders, and pulled him into his arms without a word. Rau didn’t ask anything then either. Then and now, Lee Hyun’s stability was more important than his own worries or questions.

[I’ll, I’ll draw it… I’ll draw the picture again.]

As he pulled Lee Hyun, who was repeating those words and asking for help, even more strongly into his arms, Rau knew that he would not refuse whatever help this person asked for.

He had a feeling that he would come to love this person. A very fierce love, a love that would bet everything without leaving out a single penny.

That night naturally came to mind. The current Lee Hyun was also not in a normal state, just like then.

Was it a phenomenon that appeared as hormones became irregular during the Manifestation process? It was possible enough. Rau reviewed Lee Hyun’s actions, which were so different from usual, several times. The ‘Subordination’ instinct that an Alpha has for his Omega, with whom he has exchanged Pheromones for a long time, or similar to the anxiety symptoms shown when a pregnant Omega is separated from his Alpha.

Pregnancy? No, that’s definitely not it.

No matter how much Lee Hyun was Diamond Dust and an unpredictable special case, pregnancy was impossible in a state where he hadn’t even fully Manifested as an Omega. He hadn’t heard anything when he had a checkup at the clinic the day before.

But whether it was because of hormones or psychological problems, it was true that Lee Hyun had reached that state. That scratched at Rau’s heart.

The image of Lee Hyun running towards him, staggering like a lost person, wouldn’t leave his mind.

He wanted to make him happy.

It wasn’t because he had the arrogant thought that he was a dependent person who couldn’t be happy on his own if I didn’t make him happy.

There are many kinds of happiness in life.

Happiness from personal achievements, happiness with family, happiness through friendship, happiness from travel or special experiences, and everyday happiness from a delicious cup of coffee or the scenery on a walk. And the happiness of building a special relationship with someone, nurturing love, and sharing life is one of them.

He was ready to do anything to make sure that Lee Hyun didn’t lack in that happiness.

And Rau looks down at Lee Hyun and thinks. That he may have failed at that in the present.

Lee Hyun was anxious about whether Rau had packed his luggage properly and wandered around the studio all morning.

He skipped his morning work, which was unusual, and was with Rau.

Even Lee Hyun’s hand, which unknowingly grabbed Rau as he tried to get up.

All the actions that were unlike his usual self were signals that Lee Hyun had sent…. Or maybe it was even much earlier than that.

The last night of the trip in Basel, Switzerland.

“Don’t go. Stay by my side.”

During knotting, Lee Hyun had already said the same thing.

Deep wrinkles formed on Rau’s forehead as he looked down at Lee Hyun’s face. He habitually stroked the ring finger of his left hand. He had made a half-hearted proposal with the ring on this finger, saying that he would wait as long as Lee Hyun wanted and marry him when he wanted to. So he had been waiting. He thought that was the way to free Lee Hyun and prove his love.

That thought was wrong.

At least now, it had become a wrong thought.

Rau got out of bed, picked up the phone on the table, and walked to the window. It was a position where he could immediately check on Lee Hyun’s condition just by turning his head. Without hesitation, he immediately searched his contacts and tried to call someone.

It was ‘Mother’.

“…It’s me.”

It was a somewhat stiff and awkward start. Suki Kim’s reaction was not much different.

Since he was regularly making obligatory greetings, Rau’s parents knew about this trip. She asked how the trip was. It was a perfunctory question.

“The trip went well. I returned to Paris yesterday.”

[How’s Lee Hyun? Is he healthy?]

“Yes, he’s fine. He’s taking his suppressants well and he’s healthy.”

In fact, he wasn’t in a very healthy state, but it wasn’t the time to talk about that.

[It’s different from people who are Naturally Manifesting. You always have to pay special attention. I wonder if this trip was too much for Lee Hyun.]

“I would never put Lee Hyun in danger.”

Rau, who had snapped back sharply without realizing it for a moment, soon frowned and shook his head. Lee Hyun wasn’t healthy right now, and Rau himself had put Lee Hyun in danger, which might be true.

“I’m sorry. That’s not what I was trying to say….”

With a deep sigh, Rau lowered his gaze.

The same scenery was unfolding as when he had come to see this house with a broker, standing right by this window. The supermarket across the street was still there. He remembers two men walking out of there side by side. A couple, one man carrying a baby carrier and the other carrying a shopping basket on his shoulder.

At the time, they seemed like a symbol of dazzling happiness to Rau. People who were enjoying a happiness that he couldn’t possibly get his hands on, a happiness that he had missed.

But now Lee Hyun was asleep in the bed in this house.

[I didn’t mean it that way either. It’s a relief if you’re both healthy. Thank you for calling.]

Suki Kim, who thought it was the same formal greeting as usual, was about to end the call. But Rau still had something to say.

“I went too far. I’m sorry. More than that, I called today because I have something important to tell you.”

[……]

“The necklace that Father gave you for your 20th wedding anniversary, do you still have it?”

[Of course. Why the necklace all of a sudden…]

“Could you give it to me, no… to Lee Hyun?”

On their 20th wedding anniversary, Rau’s parents were legally divorced. But it was just a sham divorce, and their love was solid. To commemorate the love of those two, Rau’s father had given Suki Kim a special Diamond.

From the moment he made up his mind, Rau couldn’t think of anything other than that Diamond.

[Rau Wikun, you’re perhaps….]

Suki Kim’s voice was unusually excited. A faint joy and excitement were transmitted from her.

Rau turned his head and looked at Lee Hyun, who was buried in the bed. The pure white covered duvet was rising and falling slightly with Lee Hyun’s breath. Rau’s gaze lingered on that quiet movement for a long time.

It was a word that had been prepared in Rau for a long time, he was just waiting for Lee Hyun’s permission. So there was no reason to hesitate.

“That’s right. I’m going to propose to him.”

■ ■ ■

Sunday, April 7th. Seoul.

The highest daytime temperature is 23 degrees Celsius, higher than the average year. Humidity 42%. Precipitation probability 0%.

It was a perfect day for outdoor activities.

Today, The Hands’ garden was decorated differently than usual. First of all, comfortable outdoor sofa sets and parasols that cast large shadows were installed everywhere, and tea, champagne, and good-looking snacks and finger foods were prepared on a long table for people to enjoy easily.

And a large amount of flowers decorated the garden richly enough to fill the area with fragrance. Jana roses with a light pink hue, lavender, ranunculus, and eucalyptus. The same flowers that Rau had chosen when he proposed to Lee Hyun at the Ritz Hotel in Paris.

Whether it was in season or not, it didn’t matter. Rau emphasized to the wedding planner that he wanted the flowers to be decorated lavishly, no matter the cost.

From after lunchtime, people arrived one by one and greeted each other happily. They took their seats in groups of three or five on the sofa sets placed here and there, reminiscing about memories related to today’s protagonists and having a noisy time.

They were all guests invited to the wedding of Seo Yi-hyun and Lau Wikun.

There were only about twenty guests.

The wedding planner in charge of their wedding, Javier, emphasized several times that it was literally the among the small weddings he had ever done. Each time, he added, ‘But the cost is by no means small.’

The protagonists didn’t want to make this wedding a social event. They wanted to get married surrounded by people who could sincerely congratulate them, people who sincerely cared for them. Once they made up their minds, it was very easy to decide on the guest list.

Lee Hyun’s father and Great Uncle and Great Aunt, and Rau’s parents were of course invited as the top priority. Marcus and Ellen, who were like family to Rau, their son Jonas, who had grown up like a brother to Rau in his adolescence, and Jonas’s fiancée. Ben and Jun, who were the closest among the colleagues who had lived and worked with Lee Hyun at The Hands. Baek Yooni and Michelle. The Im Morae and Seo Yi-han couple from Bali. In addition, Manager Han, Choi In-woo, Shushu, and Kwon Juhan were of course together.

Most of the guests had to visit Seoul specifically for this wedding. Hong Kong, Boston, Paris, Bali…. Less than twenty guests were residing in different cities, and Rau and Lee Hyun arranged plane tickets and accommodations for them.

They booked several rooms at a hotel in Gwanghwamun, not far from The Hands, and arranged meals so that they could interact with each other. They also prepared tours for the Marcus family and The Hands colleagues, who were visiting Korea for the first time. In the meantime, the guests were able to get closer naturally.

Lee Hyun’s Great Uncle and Great Aunt found it difficult to take several days off due to their business. The two arrived in Seoul yesterday afternoon, the day before the wedding. But thanks to the wedding rehearsal they had last night, they were able to mingle with the other guests without feeling awkward today. In particular, Rau’s parents took good care of them.

Even now, while the young people were chatting a bit noisily, the four of them were engrossed in their own conversation in a quiet and cool shade inside the garden. Rau’s father, William, mainly led the conversation. He was an energetic and humorous social person, constantly making the people around him laugh with various expressions and gestures. Thanks to that, Lee Hyun was able to feel at ease even while dealing with other guests.

After Rau and Lee Hyun promised to marry each other and announced it to the people around them.

Rau’s parents had visited Korea to meet Lee Hyun’s family elders. Lee Hyun, who was in Paris, also temporarily returned to Korea for the meeting, prepared various gifts, and visited the East Sea with Rau first.

At the time, Great Uncle and Great Aunt were very worried even before the meeting.

‘They say it’s a very amazing family that will make your jaw drop… Everyone in the neighborhood knew about it before we did and they were making a fuss….’

‘I guess I can wear the clothes you bought for me, Lee Hyun… But how should I act towards such rich people? I’m worried that you’ll be hated by your in-laws because of us.’

Lee Hyun calmly tried to reassure them.

‘Great Uncle and Great Aunt are polite people, too. Just be yourself.’

‘I wonder if people like us, who haven’t learned much, will be able to communicate with them….’

‘They’re not the kind of people who treat people based on such standards. You’ll know when you meet them.’

Instead of a high-end restaurant with a private room, Rau’s home in Seoul became the venue for the meeting. It was a choice for a slightly more comfortable meeting, and it worked.

Rau’s parents were also just as nervous. Lee Hyun’s uncle and aunt seemed somewhat relieved that they were no different.

As the meal progressed, the stiff atmosphere gradually eased. Contrary to their worries, the conversation continued without end. As can be inferred from Rau’s Korean skills, his father, William, was also fluent in Korean, so there were no problems with communication. In addition, William and Suki Kim showed interest in the in-laws’ fishing business and the natural environment of the East Sea, and led the conversation in that direction.

During the off-season last winter, Rau’s parents even invited Lee Hyun’s family to Hong Kong. It was Great Uncle and his wife’s first overseas trip.

Lee Hyun and Rau didn’t go with them then. They weren’t even invited, as it was meant to be a time for the older generation. It was probably the adults’ consideration not to make them feel awkward. Just from the photos and videos Great Aunt showed later, it was easy to guess that they had a wonderful time.

After this wedding, Rau’s parents were scheduled to visit the East Sea. William was excited about going sea fishing with Lee Hyun’s Great Uncle on his boat.

He had this conversation with Lee Hyun during the rehearsal last night.

“Lee Hyun, have you ever eaten freshly caught fish as sashimi on the boat?”

“Yes, I’ve experienced it once or twice.”

“You tried it with Great Uncle?”

“That’s right.”

William called Lee Hyun’s Great Uncle “Great In-law.” Will suggested at the meeting between the families that since he was Lee Hyun’s Great Uncle, “Great In-law” would be a good title, and Great Uncle and his wife readily agreed.

“When we go to the East Sea this time, Great In-law has promised to take us on his boat. He said flounder is in season now. Ah, what was flounder in Korean again? Something similar to ‘doraji’… Do… Do….”

“Dodari.”

“Right, dodari! It’s still difficult to remember the names of fish I don’t eat often in Korean.”

Will said, looking embarrassed like a boy. At times like that, he vaguely resembled Rau.

“Compared to my English skills, your Korean is already excellent, Father. I still get nervous when I have to speak in English.”

At Lee Hyun’s words, Will looked as if he had heard something absurd. He even put down the glass he was drinking from and said seriously,

“What are you talking about? Lee Hyun can speak English and French. That’s amazing. I’ve tried to learn French a few times, but I still only know a few simple greetings. French, you know, the pronunciation is especially tricky.”

William finished speaking in the tone of a complaining student, then looked at Lee Hyun and smiled contentedly.

“But Lee Hyun’s French is like listening to a poem by Alfred de Vigny.”

It was praise that made him feel utterly out of place.

William was a positive, optimistic, and emotionally expressive person, and he cherished Lee Hyun very much. Sometimes Rau would step in and isolate him, telling him to stop bothering Lee Hyun.

But Lee Hyun didn’t dislike William’s warmth and cheerfulness. Especially the way he treated Great Uncle and his wife so kindly and cared for them—he couldn’t be grateful enough.

Lee Hyun’s Great Uncle and Great Aunt, Rau’s father and mother.

The four of them were like childhood friends from the same hometown.

Friends who left their hometown and friends who stayed. Although their lives had taken different paths and they seemed to be from different worlds on the surface, the underlying colors were still the same, allowing them to get along without any pretense….

Even now, laughter never ceased from their sofa. Even while mingling with the guests on this side, Lee Hyun occasionally checked on the adults, but there seemed to be no need to worry at all.

“Why are Mom and Dad so excited? Since last night?”

Seo Yi-han, who had come close to Lee Hyun, chuckled as he spoke. Seo Yi-han himself seemed to be in a very good mood.

“Are they so happy that Seo Yi-hyun is getting married? They’re beaming. Well, I guess they must be deeply moved that the little kid who used to scribble all over the cement floor of the yard with crayons has grown up and is getting married.”

“What, when was that?”

Lee Hyun became slightly disgruntled at the mention of his childhood mischief.

“When was it? It was when you were eight years old, you idiot. Exactly eight years old, during summer vacation.”

“Your memory is good, Hyung.”

“I may not be smart when it comes to studying, but my memory isn’t bad. Do you remember when we fought and Mom hit us both with a broom?”

“I remember. It was when we were all grown up.”

It was after he started living at Great Uncle’s house in the East Sea. Seo Yi-han and he, who rarely fought as children, had raised their voices over a trivial matter. When the argument escalated, Great Aunt grabbed a broom and went after the grown men.

At that time, Great Aunt didn’t give Lee Hyun any special treatment. Lee Hyun was hit on the thighs and buttocks just like Seo Yi-han. Lee Hyun, who rarely showed emotion, cried so loudly that the house shook. It wasn’t because he felt unfairly treated by Great Aunt. It was the opposite.

He cried loudly because he felt relieved. He felt reassured by the fact that there was still someone in the world who cared about him, tried to correct him, and looked after him with affection.

“Don’t tell Rau Hyung that we fought, okay?”

“Why?”

“If he finds out I beat you up back then, I think he’ll try to get revenge.”

Lee Hyun burst out laughing at the absurd idea.

“What are you talking about? That was ten years ago.”

But Seo Yi-han clicked his tongue at Lee Hyun.

“You still don’t know that Hyung very well.”

“Don’t know him? I’m marrying him today, you know?”

“You’re getting defensive, you little punk. That’s why you can’t see some things. Even if it was something that happened thirty years ago, he’s the kind of person who would go after anyone who bothered you.”

“It’s not that extreme.”

“I’m saying it’s a good thing you’re marrying someone like that, you idiot.”

Seo Yi-han hesitated, stopping himself from ruffling Lee Hyun’s hair. He patted the shoulder of the tuxedo-clad man, avoiding the hair that had been styled so nicely for the wedding. Then he put his arm around that shoulder.

The two cousins stood shoulder to shoulder, looking towards Rau’s parents and Seo Yi-han’s parents.

“Our father isn’t usually so talkative. He must have really become close with Rau Hyung’s parents.”

“They traveled together and everything.”

“I think he likes them more than our in-laws.”

“Weren’t they getting along well now?”

“Well, it’s not so much that they get along well… more like they’ve become less awkward. For Father-in-law, even that’s a huge change.”

Morae’s father, who had strongly opposed the relationship between Im Morae and Seo Yi-han, finally relented a few years ago. Thanks to that, the two no longer had to live in hiding. They came to Korea about once a year to meet with their families.

What if Im Morae’s father hadn’t opposed their relationship? Lee Hyun suddenly had that thought.

If that were the case, Im Morae and Seo Yi-han wouldn’t have needed to run away to Seoul that rainy night.

Even if they had run away, what if those two hadn’t taken Lee Hyun with them?

What if he hadn’t reunited with Manager Han while working part-time at the moving company?

If even one of the countless connections had gone awry, he might not have met Rau. As he imagined that, Lee Hyun felt the hairs on his body stand on end.

He had met a man named Rau Wikun and started painting again, hurting and being hurt, yet moving forward and embracing each other once more.

At least, he couldn’t say that he was standing in this place today solely by his own power. He couldn’t ignore the influence that his relationships with countless people and their choices had had on him.

Rau, Manager Han, and Suki Kim, who had pushed him to start painting again. Baek Yooni and Michelle, who had been by his side to help him endure his lonely life in Paris, the colleagues of The Hands, Kwon Juhan, who was as generous as he was jealous and had held onto the threads of their relationship even from afar….

I did well all by myself, I am an amazing person. —No matter how much time passed, Lee Hyun didn’t think he could ever say that.

The people who had guided the human Seo Yi-hyun to this place today.

Only such precious and valuable relationships were gathered here.

At this place, Phantom, where Rau Wikun and Seo Yi-hyun had first met.

To celebrate Rau and his wedding, no less.

Their voices mingling in conversation, their joyful laughter filled the garden.

Lee Hyun looked around anew. He couldn’t be happier or more grateful than he was now. But amidst the bright and radiant fullness, he couldn’t ignore the deep, dark shadow like a sunspot.

Lee Hyun knew what that was.

At the meeting between the families, during Great Uncle and his wife’s trip to Hong Kong, at last night’s wedding rehearsal… Lee Hyun’s father was always absent.

It wasn’t that he had expected it.

His father was a man who had turned his back on the world, a man who was rooted in this world but whose heart had already left. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret and emptiness.

“Don’t be too upset that your father isn’t here. It’s not because he doesn’t think about you.”

At the rehearsal last night, Great Uncle had come up to Lee Hyun, patted him on the back, and offered that consolation.

“He even hung the suit you and CEO Ryu gave him on the wall of his room where he can see it well, you know?”

“Father did?”

“Yeah, he doesn’t have the courage to wear it out, but he must be happy.”

“I was expecting him not to come. He’s been there for too long. Coming up to Seoul itself is probably a burden for Father.”

Even though he said he understood, Lee Hyun’s gaze kept drifting towards the entrance of the garden. Even though he knew it was absurd to think that his father would leave the East Sea alone and come all the way here….

Surrounded by the people he loved and cherished, enjoying happiness to the fullest, he couldn’t erase his father’s absence. A single black shadow stood out even more in the midst of the brilliant light.

■ ■ ■

“Is that true? Rau Wikun did that? I can’t believe it.”

Shushu tilted her head and gave a dubious smile.

“Have you been living under a rock? I’m telling you, CEO knelt down on the Pont Neuf!”

Yooni said with an aggrieved expression, emphasizing it once more.

Yooni was passionately telling the story of how the two protagonists of today had proposed, in place of the taciturn parties themselves.

“He’s the person who hated old-fashioned proposals the most, CEO Ryu.”

Manager Han also reacted with disbelief. As the audience’s doubts continued, Yooni urged Lee Hyun.

“Lee Hyun, say something.”

“Me?”

“They don’t believe it. You have to be the witness. On the Pont Neuf, CEO, knelt down and proposed, didn’t he?”

Lee Hyun hadn’t expected the way they proposed to attract so much attention. Everyone was watching Lee Hyun with eyes that demanded the truth. Lee Hyun, who had been standing behind the sofa listening to the story as if he were a third party, felt pressured by those eyes. Rau had briefly left his seat because he was called by the wedding planner, so there was no one else to save him.

“Uh… yeah. He did.”

In the end, Lee Hyun nodded slowly.

“See? I told you so.”

Yooni looked around at the people with a confident expression, raising her chin. Unlike the other guests who were listening intently with sparkling eyes, Choi In-woo, who had been listening with a nonchalant attitude, shook his head and muttered.

“I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.”

It was then that Rau reappeared.

“I am a bit of an unbelievable guy, aren’t I.”

He had come up behind Lee Hyun without anyone noticing and joined the conversation with a nonchalant attitude. He had only been gone for about five minutes, but Lee Hyun was glad to see him. The expression on his face as he turned to look at him brightened without him even realizing it.

“Why did Javier call you?”

Javier was a planner recommended by Suki Kim. Originally from Spain and working in Hong Kong, he accurately grasped the feeling the two wanted and realized it perfectly. Thanks to Javier, they were able to prepare smoothly for today, even while being apart in Paris and Seoul.

“He asked me to take a look at the arch on the second floor.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

Lee Hyun immediately looked anxious, and Rau put his arm around his waist and smiled.

“It’s nothing like that. You know Javier’s personality. He’s just checking meticulously. Everything is perfect, so rest assured.”

Choi In-woo, who was sitting on the sofa diagonally across from where the two were standing, was looking at Rau askance.

“You knelt down and proposed on the Pont Neuf?”

“I did. Why?”

Rau, who had lightly put his arm around Lee Hyun’s waist from behind and was resting his chin on his shoulder, raised his eyebrows as if to ask what the problem was.

“Rau Wikun’s past dates would faint if they knew.”

“Hmm… Did CEO Ryu even have anyone he dated more than ten times? They must have been pretty picky.”

As Manager Han joined in after Choi In-woo, Rau pretended to cover Lee Hyun’s ears.

“Are you going to do this too, Manager Han? I’m a newlywed. What if I get kicked out right after the wedding?”

Choi In-woo grimaced as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

“To call yourself a newlywed with your own mouth. Hey, who are you really?”

Then, he made eye contact with Lee Hyun and gestured at Rau with his chin, adding,

“Lee Hyun, is that man really Rau Wikun?”

Before Lee Hyun could answer, Kwon Juhan cut in.

“At least he’s not the CEO I knew. That’s for sure.”

Everyone had been teasing Rau since the rehearsal yesterday. It was the kind of harmless joke that people often made to someone marrying a younger partner with an age gap. Rau and Lee Hyun knew that. That’s why Rau was more tolerant of their jokes than usual. But even though Lee Hyun knew it was a joke, he was still a little concerned.

He glanced at Rau to see if he was okay, but his smile looked genuinely happy. Sensing his gaze, Rau made eye contact with Lee Hyun, then wrapped his arms around the lower abdomen of the man who would soon officially become his partner and kissed him briefly on the temple.

“So, you knelt down on the Pont Neuf, fine. What happened next?”

Kwon Juhan urged him to tell the next part of the story, and Choi In-woo shrugged and retorted.

“What do you think happened? Lee Hyun said yes, so we’re all here today.”

“No, no, that’s not all.”

Yooni shook her index finger from side to side and shook her head. Then she looked at Lee Hyun with a meaningful smile.

“Actually, Lee Hyun had also prepared a proposal that day.”

The audience stirred as if surprised. Choi In-woo, who had been leaning loosely on the sofa, straightened his upper body.

“Seo Yi-hyun? Is this story true, Lee Hyun?”

His attitude was even more incredulous than before. It was beyond unbelievable, to the point where he seemed slightly angry.

Not only Choi In-woo but everyone gathered there was surprised. Only one person, Kwon Juhan, acted as if he had expected it all along.

“I thought Seo Yi-hyun would propose first.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. No one here thought that, okay?”

Choi In-woo strongly denied it.

“Why? Even though Lee Hyun seems passive, he’s the kind of guy who does things when he needs to.”

“That’s true, but… I mean, there was no need for Lee Hyun to propose. Lee Hyun, you should have played hard to get for at least a week or two after being proposed to. Awi would have been withering away.”

“I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“…….”

At Lee Hyun’s answer, everyone, including Choi In-woo, fell silent. He felt burdened by the concentrated gaze, but Lee Hyun wanted to express his love for Rau to his heart’s content, at least for today.

“I suddenly wanted to get married right away, so I prepared in a hurry. Kun was a little faster, though.”

The arms that had been wrapped around Rau’s waist and lower abdomen tightened around Lee Hyun’s body. Warm lips pressed firmly against Lee Hyun’s temple. He could feel those lips smiling.

Across from him, Choi In-woo shook his hands as if he were a gambler who had lost all his money and was leaving the poker table.

“I lost. I lost.”

■ ■ ■

The day he ran after Rau’s limousine as it headed for the airport.

After taking antipyretics and sleeping soundly, Lee Hyun belatedly felt ashamed of his actions. He didn’t know what he had been thinking when he did that. It wasn’t an action that came from thought.

If it had been the usual Lee Hyun, he would have told Rau to go back after waking up. He would have said that he was fine now, so he could go back to Seoul. But Lee Hyun hadn’t done that then. Because he didn’t feel like he would be okay.

“It’s probably because of a hormonal imbalance. You suddenly become anxious, and you do impulsive things. It’s a natural phenomenon.”

So there’s no need to blame yourself for doing something different than usual, Rau had reassured him gently. As always.

Rau’s words that it might be due to a hormonal imbalance might be true. But as a result of that commotion, Lee Hyun had clearly realized something.

Watching the departing car’s taillights, Hyun felt an indescribable anxiety. The intensity was unlike anything he’d experienced before, almost a threat to his life. His legs moved forward on their own. Like a drowning person flailing to survive, it was instinct.

And in Rau’s arms, who had run back and held him tight, Lee Hyun saw the emotion that had risen so clearly within him. An emotion so distinct it couldn’t be ignored or misunderstood.

Lee Hyun had already decided to propose then.

Rau was reluctant to leave Lee Hyun alone, even to go grocery shopping at the supermarket. Lee Hyun was surprised, but Rau was even more so. He called Yooni and asked her to stay with Lee Hyun, and only after Yooni arrived did he leave the apartment with a shopping basket.

This time, Lee Hyun reacted differently than before. He didn’t insist he was fine and could be alone. On the contrary, he welcomed it. He had something he wanted to ask Yooni, a secret from Rau.

As if he’d been planning it for a long time, Lee Hyun told Yooni his plan without hesitation. Yooni teared up as she listened. Her tears were a rare sight. Yooni herself seemed surprised by her reaction.

“Is it because I’ve watched you and the CEO get to where you are now? Why am I crying like this?”

“Thank you for all the trouble you went through in the middle because of us, Noona.”

“So you know?”

Yooni wiped away her tears with the tissue Lee Hyun handed her, glaring at him in a way that wasn’t unpleasant.

“Just know that when you two broke up, it was hell for me, okay?”

“I know. Sorry.”

“Don’t forget that I stayed with you the day you were so drunk.”

“Yeah.”

“I thought you’d confess you were having a hard time because you missed him, even if it was just in your drunken state, so I stayed by your side all night. But you didn’t mention the CEO at all.”

“I’m a bit foolish, you know.”

“Not foolish, strong.”

“Really?”

“It was so obvious you still loved him, I wondered how you were holding on… but now I know.”

“…….”

“From the start, neither you nor the CEO had any intention of ending it like that. Because you didn’t think it was the end, you endured with hope.”

Yooni’s words seemed right. They only needed time and distance; they never said a word about breaking up. They never doubted that the other person was thinking of them, focusing on the meaning of this time.

If they hadn’t done that, if they had glossed over the incident because they couldn’t bear to be apart from him, they wouldn’t have been able to look at each other without any reservations today. He didn’t doubt that either.

“To think the little bee who followed Manager Han around when he first came to ‘Phantom’ is getting married.”

“I know, right? I can’t believe it either.”

“And to Lau Wikun.”

Yooni and Lee Hyun looked at each other and laughed again.

“The CEO has to treat you really well.”

“He already does. You know that, Noona.”

“I know. I know he’d give his life for you. But I don’t know why I always take your side like this.”

Yooni shrugged and laughed, then suddenly burst into tears again. After crying and laughing for a while, she grabbed Lee Hyun’s shoulders and became serious, wondering what she was thinking this time.

“Lee Hyun, Seo Yi-hyun, don’t tell me… you’re pregnant?”

“…….”

“Is that why you’re rushing the wedding… is it?”

“Noona, my Manifestation isn’t even over yet.”

“I know. But….”

“…….”

“I feel like anything is possible with the CEO.”

Lee Hyun couldn’t even laugh this time because Yooni’s eyes, pale as they were, were so serious.

After Yooni left, Lee Hyun ate the pancakes Rau made and suggested to him.

“Kun, would you like to take a walk to Île de la Cité tomorrow?”

“If you’re feeling up to it, I’d love to.”

“I’m not sick, so I want to take a walk. I feel stuffy after not getting fresh air for two days.”

“Okay. But if you feel like you have a fever, we’ll turn back right away.”

He was worried Rau would notice he was strangely excited, but Rau seemed to accept the suggestion without any suspicion. A walk in Paris was routine for them, so there was no reason to suspect anything. When they felt like it, they would even go to the Luxembourg Gardens, a round trip of over two hours.

The next day, the slightly chilly weather was perfect for walking.

They headed south along the Boulevard Saint-Martin, then entered the Marais district, looking around at various shops.

Before turning onto Rue de Rivoli past Place des Vosges, they stopped by a flower shop for a moment. Rau found a basket full of Jana roses with large, luscious buds.

“They’ll be very pretty when they bloom, won’t they?”

Rau asked for a small bouquet with two Jana roses mixed with ranunculus. It was a size that wouldn’t be a bother to carry while walking.

Until then, Lee Hyun hadn’t imagined that Rau had bought the flowers for a proposal. He often gave flowers as gifts. Especially when he found Jana roses, Rau never passed them by. He always bought at least one for Lee Hyun. It was the flower that decorated the terrace when he made a half-hearted proposal at the Ritz Hotel. So there was no reason to be suspicious.

Besides, Lee Hyun was so nervous, preoccupied with succeeding in his own proposal. Even if Rau had bought a hundred roses, he wouldn’t have thought it strange.

As they approached the bridge, Lee Hyun felt impatient. He walked faster, almost dragging Rau by the hand. Rau, unaware of his feelings, was taking his time more than usual that day.

“Lee Hyun, look. Wow… the sunset is prettier than usual.”

Pulled by Rau’s hand, Lee Hyun turned around. Rau stopped there, looking at Lee Hyun and smiling.

At that moment, Lee Hyun felt a shiver for no reason. He knew what Rau was about to do, even before he knelt down, before he opened his lips to speak. As if God had whispered it to him.

With their eyes locked and hands held, Rau knelt on his right knee.

Everything around them seemed to move in slow motion. No, it wasn’t an illusion. Many people passing over the Pont Neuf slowed down and watched them from a distance.

“Sorry for being an impatient man.”

He started with a joke, smiling, but his facial muscles were all tense, and Lee Hyun knew he was as nervous as could be.

“I said I’d wait for your decision, but here I am, begging you again. But it’s different from then. This time, I know for sure. That I have to say these words to you now. No, maybe I should have done this sooner. Maybe I was too foolish.”

Then he handed Lee Hyun the bouquet he was holding in his left hand. Looking up from below, as if offering his heart.

“Seo Yi-hyun, will you marry me?”

His voice trembled fiercely in the short sentence.

Lee Hyun’s brain couldn’t keep up with the unexpected, sudden situation. He had been running wildly toward his destination, but he had already arrived. He couldn’t help but be bewildered.

But before he could even recognize it, tears flowed.

Just like his legs had run toward him before his head could command them.

Lee Hyun’s hand, receiving the simple, small bouquet, was also trembling. The people watching cheered and applauded, and Rau stood up and hugged Lee Hyun.

“Did I say it too late? I’m sorry.”

Hugging his waist in return, Lee Hyun shook his head strongly.

“Now is the right time. It’s now. Kun knows that too.”

“Yes, it’s right. It’s now, Lee Hyun.”

Lee Hyun’s hot tears, overflowing from between his tightly closed eyelids, soaked Rau’s shoulder. When they looked at each other again, Rau’s eyelashes were also wet. He carefully wiped Lee Hyun’s wet cheeks. Both of them chuckled, tears in their eyes, looking at each other.

Someone passed by, offering congratulations, and Rau nodded with a smile, responding to the congratulations.

After regaining his composure to some extent, Lee Hyun gently stroked Rau’s fingertips with his other hand, the one not holding the bouquet. Then he led Rau by the hand, taking the lead. The people who had applauded also dispersed and began walking again toward their respective destinations.

On the Pont Neuf, they went down to the Square du Vert-Galant via the stairs behind the equestrian statue of Henri IV. Rau was still following, clueless.

Lee Hyun took Rau to the end of the square, opposite the side, under the piers of the Pont Neuf. There, a small boat was docked. A middle-aged man guarding the boat found them, took off his hat, smiled, and greeted them politely.

“I asked Yooni Noona. She prepared it with Ben and Jun.”

“Is this… why you wanted to take a walk?”

“Didn’t you know? Didn’t you notice?”

Lee Hyun spoke in a higher voice than usual, chattering because of the tension.

The boat, finished with dark wood, was quite charming. It was a model that could be rowed leisurely, and it also had a motor.

On the small table in the back, there was a red and white checkered tablecloth, and simple snacks like crackers, jam, and honey, as well as white wine, were prepared in a charming way. Tea lights, covered with transparent covers to prevent them from being extinguished by the wind, were also lit. It was a boat specially prepared for a romantic time for lovers.

“It’s not a fancy cruise, but it’s pretty cute, right?”

“It’s not just cute, it’s amazing.”

“Kun has a boat operating license, right? I remembered that. You can just row this boat, though.”

The two sat facing each other across the table. The middle-aged man who helped them onto the boat handed Lee Hyun the key and waved goodbye.

Without having to row, the boat slowly began to flow from upstream to downstream, from the Pont Neuf, the starting point, toward the Eiffel Tower. Golden sunlight sparkled on the waves of the Seine. It was as if someone had dropped tens of thousands of diamonds into the river.

“So you and Baek Yooni made this plan while I went grocery shopping yesterday?”

“That’s right.”

“Are you doing this event because you feel bad that I couldn’t go to Seoul?”

Instead of answering, Lee Hyun gave an enigmatic smile. Then he got up and moved to Rau’s side. Rau held his hand to make it easier to balance. They sat side by side at the stern of the boat, watching the slowly unfolding scenery of Paris.

Lee Hyun leaned his temple against Rau’s shoulder and held his left hand. He fiddled with the ring on his ring finger and said.

“At the Ritz Hotel, when you gave me this ring, you said.”

“…….”

“You wanted to propose in a place where you were sure it wouldn’t disappear for at least a very long time.”

“You remember.”

“Of course, I remember. That’s why I chose here too.”

Lifting his head, which had been leaning on him, Lee Hyun looked up at Rau. The man who had proposed to Lee Hyun for the second, no, the third time just a few minutes ago was simply looking down at Lee Hyun with a warm smile, unaware of anything. When he made eye contact with him, the beautiful scenery of Paris was just a backdrop.

“Because the Seine won’t disappear, at least while we’re alive.”

“…….”

“I wanted to propose to Kun in a place that wouldn’t disappear either.”

“Ah….”

Rau let out a groan-like exclamation and unknowingly gripped Lee Hyun’s hand tightly.

“You said, let’s get married, right?”

“…….”

“This is my answer.”

As if possessed, Rau reached out and cupped Lee Hyun’s cheek. He naturally overlapped his lips, like the flow of the river. The boat was passing under the Pont des Arts. The kiss lasted for a long time as they passed the Louvre, the Tuileries Garden, the Place de la Concorde, and the Alexander III Bridge. The Seine and time flowed slowly.

■ ■ ■

Yooni mainly told the story of the proposal. It was a gathering where the people involved were present, but they were reluctant or embarrassed to talk about it themselves, and the guests wanted to hear it. So even someone who knew the story from the people involved had no choice but to step forward.

While revisiting the memories of that day through a third party’s story, Rau and Lee Hyun were holding each other’s hands at some point, without either of them initiating it.

The proposal was already about five months ago. The past five months had been a time of sweet anticipation and happiness more than ever before. At the same time, it was also a painful five months, with time flowing more slowly than ever before.

“So, you were both secretly preparing to propose on the same day?”

Shushu said that to the two protagonists with an emotional expression. Lee Hyun glanced at Rau with a flushed face and replied.

“It just… happened… by chance….”

“It’s not a coincidence. How could you have the same thoughts on the same day like that? You two are just that destined.”

Shushu seemed to want to believe that Rau and Lee Hyun had telepathy, but there was a clear trigger for this proposal. The incident where Lee Hyun chased after Rau’s car shocked them both and acted as a trigger that made them decide to get married. But they wanted to keep those details to themselves.

“I’m someone who doesn’t believe in fate or destiny, but there’s something a bit mysterious about the relationship between the CEO and Lee Hyun.”

Everyone’s attention was focused on Yooni again.

“It’s really rare for someone to Manifestation after becoming an adult. I think the probability is about 3%? But Lee Hyun Manifestation after meeting the CEO. With that 3% probability. That alone is not a normal thing. It’s like a sign from the heavens to get married, start a family, and have children.”

As Yooni thought, and as most of the people gathered here knew, Lee Hyun had not naturally Manifestation as an Omega. Rau’s grip on Lee Hyun’s hand tightened. And he smiled slightly, looking down at Lee Hyun. It was a complex smile that only Lee Hyun, only Diamond Dust, could understand the true meaning of.

There were only a few people in the world who knew that Rau was Ghost and Lee Hyun was Diamond Dust. Even Shushu and Manager Han only knew that Rau was Ghost.

Choi In-woo, one of the very few people who knew the truth, glanced at Rau and Lee Hyun.

“If Lee Hyun hadn’t become an Omega, at least a legal marriage between the two of you would have been impossible in Korea.”

“That’s right. On top of that, the two of you overcame that difficult long-distance relationship. Believe it or not, the probability of a long-distance relationship succeeding is 50-70% lower than a regular relationship.”

“Well, overcoming a long-distance relationship is impressive.”

Choi In-woo unfolded his legs and picked up his champagne glass, continuing.

“When you two decided to get back together, I thought Lau Wikun would immediately pack up his life in Seoul and fly to Paris.”

“I wanted to.”

Rau immediately affirmed.

“You endured it because you wanted to look good to Lee Hyun?”

“This person here doesn’t like irresponsible men.”

Rau raised the hand he was holding with Lee Hyun and shrugged. People burst into light laughter, and for a brief moment, Choi In-woo’s gaze was on Lee Hyun’s left hand, holding Rau’s right hand. It was still the same simple couple ring.

“But don’t tell me you proposed with just one bouquet? That’s irresponsible.”

“Would the CEO do that? He’s Lau Wikun? Lee Hyun received a diamond.”

“A diamond?”

Choi In-woo asked Yooni again as if to confirm. Frowning as if doubting his ears.

“Yes, a diamond. It was a truly mysterious and elegant blue diamond.”

As if seeing that diamond again in front of him, Yooni looked at the air with a dreamy, blissful expression.

“I don’t have the slightest interest in jewelry, but I was so mesmerized that I stared at it for a long time? Apart from the price, it’s really beautiful. It’s like it contains the seawater of the deep sea that humans can’t reach? Or like a bead that shows the future? Anyway, it’s a work of art.”

“Ah… really? A diamond. You proposed with a diamond, huh? And that rare blue diamond.”

Choi In-woo looked at Rau with a wicked smile. It was like a villain’s smile, enjoying having the enemy’s weakness in his hands.

“Why, is something wrong?”

“Back in the day, there was this classmate of Minton’s who was agonizing over what kind of diamond ring to buy because he was going to propose. I remember very clearly what Lau Wikun said in front of him.”

“Really? Did that happen?”

But Rau didn’t seem flustered at all. He simply shrugged and calmly sipped his champagne.

“Then let me remind you in detail.”

Choi In-woo put down his champagne glass and even adjusted his posture. Then, as if recalling what had happened just yesterday, or as if reciting a poem he had memorized by heart, he began to speak without hesitation.

“The perception that diamonds are a symbol of eternal love is just an illusion created by De Beers’ marketing strategy. Diamonds may be hard, but they are not durable and are easily scratched, and if you hit them with a hammer, you can crush them like candy. Moreover, diamonds are thermodynamically unstable materials, so even at this very moment, all the diamonds on Earth are slowly turning into graphite. So diamonds are neither eternal nor unchanging. Even the custom of proposing with a diamond ring is a kind of fad phenomenon fostered by De Beers’ famous copy, and its history is less than a hundred years old. ―That’s what you said, right?”

Puhahaha. Kwon Juhan burst into laughter, even slapping his knee.

“Wow, so scathing, so scathing. I know very well that CEO Ryu was a prickly guy before he met Lee Hyun, but this is really something else. Didn’t it cause a fight?”

Manager Han nodded, laughing.

“Now that I hear it, I remember too. The classmates were used to CEO Ryu’s prickliness. They just took it in stride.”

Yooni, who had been listening to the story, said to Rau with an amused expression.

“And yet CEO proposed with a 15-carat diamond? That’s a bit naughty, isn’t it?”

“Whaaat?”

Yooni almost spilled champagne on her new dress because Kwon Juhan in the next seat shouted so loudly.

“Oh, you scared me! Why are you yelling?”

“F, f, fifteen carats?”

Kwon Juhan even awkwardly lifted his butt from his seat. Then, as if his throat was parched, he gulped down his champagne and said with a determined expression.

“Beyonce’s engagement ring from Jay-Z… that was definitely 5 million dollars. An 18-carat white diamond.”

“You remember everything.”

“Even though it’s 3 carats smaller than what Beyonce got, what Lee Hyun got is a blue diamond, which is more expensive than white. So that means it’s at least 5 million dollars. How can you expect me not to shout?”

“Oh my, look who’s become a detective.”

“Well, this much is common sense.”

“I wasn’t exactly praising you, was I? And Beyonce’s engagement ring being 5 million dollars isn’t common sense, it’s gossip, isn’t it?”

Ben and Jun, who were listening to what Yooni and Joo-han were saying through a delayed translation to the Koreans around them, turned pale. They had heard about the price of the diamond. Jun, in particular, looked almost terrified.

Rau immediately checked Lee Hyun’s expression. As expected, Lee Hyun looked somewhat uneasy. Rau wrapped his arm around Lee Hyun’s shoulders and stroked them. Rau smiled at Lee Hyun, who looked up at him, to reassure him.

Kwon Juhan, who had been bickering with Yooni, suddenly looked back and forth between Lee Hyun and Rau with a questioning expression.

“But where would someone like Lee Hyun wear a 15-carat diamond? A diamond ring the size of a fist doesn’t suit Lee Hyun at all.”

“It’s not a ring, it’s a necklace.”

Yooni replied.

“Lee Hyun with a diamond necklace? Shouldn’t he be wearing a dress or something?”

Kwon Juhan chuckled to himself, as if imagining Lee Hyun dressed in an evening gown and wearing a 15-carat diamond necklace. Yooni, frowning, poked Juhan in the side with her elbow.

“Oh, come on. It’s not about the accessory, it’s about the symbolism, the symbolism.”

“What symbolism?”

This time, Rau stepped in directly.

“It’s my mother’s possession. My father gave it to her on their 20th wedding anniversary.”

At least the guests gathered here were not the kind of people who would gossip about the price of the diamond the groom had received. And they were close enough that there was nothing to hide. It would have been better if Kwon Juhan hadn’t mentioned the 5 million dollars. But anyway, at this point, it seemed better to talk about it himself. For the sake of the anxious Lee Hyun.

“Oh… that’s really meaningful.”

The playfulness disappeared from Kwon Juhan’s face. He wrinkled his nose and scratched the back of his neck, as if embarrassed by his talk about the value of the diamond.

“The moment I decided to propose, I could only think of that necklace. I told my mother that I wanted to propose to Lee Hyun with that diamond, and she very readily agreed, right there and then. She was really happy.”

Suki Kim, upon hearing Rau’s proposal story, immediately contacted a high-end security and delivery company to send the necklace to Paris. In Paris time, the next morning, Rau safely received the necklace while Lee Hyun was sleeping, and after returning from a walk, he handed over the necklace and reaffirmed his proposal.

The atmosphere among the guests changed. Interest shifted from the price of the diamond to the touching story behind it.

“Ah, so you even proposed with your mother’s diamond? Weren’t you absolutely disgusted by that kind of old-fashioned European aristocratic proposal?”

Only Choi In-woo continued to tease Rau. He seemed to have decided to tease Rau to his heart’s content today. If that was one of the prices of welcoming Lee Hyun as his partner, Rau was willing to put up with any amount of teasing. Nothing seemed capable of ruining his mood today.

Rau nodded with a smile that seemed to admit defeat.

“Yeah, I was ignorant. I talked big, but in the end, I fell in love, and I wanted to give my partner anything. Diamond or whatever.”

“What’s wrong with that? People’s thoughts can change as much as they want.”

Someone took Rau’s side. It was Michelle. She, like Ben and Jun, was following the conversation at this table with a delay, thanks to the translation of the people around her.

“Proposing with a special jewel that contains the story of your parents, that’s my romance. It doesn’t have to be an expensive jewel, but a turquoise bracelet that has been passed down since my great-grandmother, a 0.1-carat wedding ring that my grandmother received from my grandfather in poor times, that’s cool. It also feels like you are welcomed and respected by not only your lover but also their entire family.”

After speaking, Michelle looked warmly at Yooni, who was sitting next to her. Yooni returned a similar smile to Michelle.

“When you say it like that, it sounds romantic.”

Everyone looked at the two of them with satisfaction, but only one person, Kwon Juhan, was an exception. He was still jealous of the two of them, thinking that Michelle had stolen his soulmate.

Rau, who had been waiting for the right timing, put down his champagne glass and drew the guests’ attention.

“Well, then… are all your questions about the proposal answered? We’ll be excusing ourselves for a moment. There are a few last things we need to check.”

“Oh? Is it that late already?”

“There’s less than 30 minutes left until the ceremony!”

The guests were more excited and fussed than the people involved. Rau put Lee Hyun’s glass down on the table as well and pulled Lee Hyun’s hand towards the ‘Phantom’ main building, where the ceremony would be held.

The sight of the two men, dressed in handsome formal wear and holding hands as they walked away, already made it seem as if the wedding had begun. Everyone gathered here was a witness to the history of their love. It was a love that would be strong even without the law, but they were people who did not doubt that they should be legally recognized as each other’s partners. Even Choi In-woo, who had been teasing them all along, felt that way.

As soon as the two men turned the corner of the building and were no longer visible, Kwon Juhan brought up a question.

“In-woo Hyung, but what is that famous copy anyway?”

“What copy?”

“The diamond. You said that the trend of proposing with a diamond ring started because of some company’s advertising copy.”

“You guys don’t know that copy?”

Unbelievable, Choi In-woo put down his glass with a clatter and looked shocked.

“We’re not old people like CEO or Hyung.”

“What does that have to do with age? It’s one of the best copies of the 20th century, it’s common sense.”

“Stop nagging and tell us what the copy was.”

“A diamond is forever.”

At the same time as he gave the answer, Choi In-woo realized. No matter how blinded by love Lau Wikun was, the object of that love was Lee Hyun. He was not someone whose sincerity would be doubted just because he proposed without a diamond. But why did it have to be a diamond?

The reason was Seo Yi-hyun.

Hiding his lips with his glass so that no one would notice, Choi In-woo smiled without playfulness.

A diamond for Diamond Dust. What better reason could there be?

■ ■ ■

While being almost dragged along by Rau, Lee Hyun asked in an anxious voice.

“Didn’t we finish the final check earlier?”

“Come here.”

Rau, pushing open the heavy main door with his shoulder and pulling Lee Hyun’s hand, was like a playful boy. A boy who sneaks away from the group to find a haven in order to secure time alone with his first girlfriend.

“Did Javier call for us?”

“No, I just said it.”

The interior of the building where the wedding would be held was also decorated with Jana roses, lavender, ranunculus, and eucalyptus, just like the garden. The railings leading from the elegant curved staircase to the upper floor were all flowerbeds.

The downstairs was deserted, with only the voices of Javier and a few people audible from the second-floor hall where the ceremony would take place. Rau stood facing Lee Hyun and gently lifted the tip of his chin.

“I thought you looked too nervous, so I pulled you out for a bit to catch your breath.”

“How did you know I was nervous?”

Rau let out a low laugh.

“I’m the man who’s marrying you today. How can I not notice something like that?”

Then, with his chin still propped up, he gave him a short peck.

“Hey grooms, what are you doing now? Save the kisses for the wedding.”

Javier shouted, looking down from the railing.

Rau asked him to give him and Lee Hyun some time alone for about 10 minutes. Since the preparations were completely finished, Javier took all the waiting staff with him and left the place.

The surroundings became quiet. It felt as if they were the only two people left in this magnificent building.

Rau fiddled with Lee Hyun’s bow tie for no reason, wearing a satisfied smile.

“My husband, you’re so attractive.”

The two men had chosen elegant cream-colored white tuxedos for their wedding attire. They didn’t divide it into which one would wear black and which one would wear white. The same color and the same fabric, only the design of the tuxedos was different.

Rau emphasized his classic charm with a double-breasted jacket tuxedo with wide satin lapels, while Lee Hyun chose a single-breasted jacket tuxedo that suited his long limbs and calm image.

“How many times have you said that today?”

“No matter how many times I say it, it’s not enough for my heart right now.”

“……”

Lee Hyun’s face drooped down again, and Rau gently lifted the tip of his chin to make him meet his eyes.

“Is it really true that you’re becoming my husband now?”

“It’s really true. If it’s not… I’ll be in trouble too.”

Rau smiled at Lee Hyun, who was shy but gave him sweet words. He rubbed his nose lightly against his and said in a sighing voice.

“Does it feel real? That we’re getting married here in 30 minutes.”

Rau’s lips, which had been about to touch, slipped to his ear. The warm breath pierced his hearing, making Lee Hyun’s shoulders tense.

“Tonight, we’re going to have our first sex as a married couple.”

At the secret whisper, Lee Hyun bit his lower lip.

“Sleeping with married Seo Yi-hyun. I’m really excited.”

Instead of scolding him for his embarrassment, Lee Hyun smiled and nudged Rau’s shoulder. Rau, who had been pushed away with a very attractive smile that was both boyish and manly, both happy and sexy, returned to Lee Hyun’s side and held out his hand.

“Why don’t we go up these stairs together first?”

“……”

Lee Hyun looked up at the large arched staircase leading to the second floor.

Unlike usual, the two of them would be walking up the carpeted stairs together. The guests would congratulate the two of them as they appeared from the second-floor railing. When they reached the top of the stairs, they would exchange vows and kiss in the hall where bright light poured down from the skylight, in the same place where they first met. They would become husband and husband in front of the people they loved.

Lee Hyun seemed to know what it meant to go up these stairs together first, and what Rau meant by suggesting it. A ritual for just the two of them.

Lee Hyun looked at Rau with a smile and took his hand.

Holding hands, they took one step at a time, matching their pace.

Although ‘Phantom’ had undergone a major remodeling, the large framework remained the same. As he held hands with Rau, who was wearing the same formal wear, and climbed the stairs, Lee Hyun felt as if the hands of time were turning backward.

He was going back to the moment when he first saw this man standing next to him.

He had appeared while stepping on these stairs. From his lightly fluttering pretty hair to his exotic features and sophisticated Wetsuit. Anyway, he was a big and flashy man. Could this be a Golden Alpha? He was the first person to make him think that.

He also remembers the first words he threw at him, who was sensitively wary of the appearance of an outsider.

“How do you know Manager Han?”

As Kwon Juhan said, Rau at that time was definitely a very prickly person.

Not because he particularly disliked the person named Seo Yi-hyun, but because he treated everyone like that until he completely accepted them as his own people. Baek Yooni and Kwon Juhan had comforted Lee Hyun at the time, saying that they had all gone through that period. He now knows very well that what they said was true. But it was not comforting to Lee Hyun at the time.

It’s not like he’s the type of person who cares about who treats him coldly or keeps him at a distance. He felt like an abandoned puppy every time that man’s gaze brushed past him. He wanted him to look at him with affection, like he did with Joo-han or Yooni, to take care of him while pretending to be annoyed, and to joke with him.

Because he liked him.

At least, he had become interested in that man in the sense of romance.

“Why are you smiling?”

“I was thinking about the day we first met here.”

“Ah… if we’re going to talk about that time, I won’t have anything to say even if I had ten mouths.”

Lee Hyun smiled as he looked at Rau, who was already exaggerating. And he recalled the path he had walked with this man.

Rau no longer raised his guard or was wary of people he was seeing for the first time. He wasn’t cold. When he stood on the street, old people would come up to him and ask for directions, and in the supermarket, children would come up to him and ask him to take out the cereal that was on a high shelf. Despite his tall height and sturdy physique, he was not intimidating. He was a kind-looking person who seemed like you could ask him for anything. The journey of love that had passed had left changes in expression on his face.

“I haven’t lived long, but I think life is really unpredictable.”

“You can say that again.”

The two men who had climbed all the stairs could see the second-floor hall at a glance. In the center of the circular hall, where light poured in, the low platform where the two would exchange their vows of love was surrounded by an arch decorated with flowers. It looked like a fancy birdcage.

Standing side by side in front of the railing, they looked at the empty hall. It didn’t feel real that that was where their wedding would be held. It felt like they were attending someone else’s wedding together.

“What would have happened if we hadn’t found each other?”

Lee Hyun asked in a daze, as if muttering to himself.

“That couldn’t have happened.”

Rau’s answer was firm. Lee Hyun could have predicted that Rau would say that.

“How can you be so sure? At first… you weren’t even interested in me….”

Lee Hyun’s gaze fell towards Rau’s chest. To the flower decoration that adorned the lapel, indicating that he was one of today’s grooms.

“How many times have I said it? The only time I wasn’t really interested in you was at that first meeting.”

Lau carefully cupped Lee Hyun’s cheek and lifted his face. His grey-blue eyes, both affectionate and full of conviction, gazed into Lee Hyun without hesitation.

“I might not have fallen in love at first sight. But I became more and more aware of you, and the more I got to know you, the more curious I became. You don’t like a love that started like that?”

Rubbing his cheek against his palm, Lee Hyun shook his head. Lau Wikun was the only person to whom Lee Hyun would express his disappointment in this way.

“I’ve never failed to control my Pheromone. Yet, even after taking dozens of suppressants, I was helpless before your Pheromone. That’s the level of attraction between us.”

His husky, weighty voice spoke of inevitability.

“Through countless coincidences, the distance between us continued to narrow, and eventually, we would have met.”

As he listened to his words, Lee Hyun became convinced that it was true. Lau smiled secretly, without showing his teeth.

“There’s proof that this attraction started long ago, even before we met.”

“Proof?”

“.”

“Ah…”

“You painted that picture in Seoul when you were sixteen, and I, living in Hong Kong, became the owner of that painting. Without knowing who the painter was, or that it was Diamond Dust.”

“……”

“Our connection had already begun.”

Lau’s thumb stroked Lee Hyun’s cheek. Lau’s expression, as he lowered his eyelids and approached, seemed solemn. Lee Hyun wrapped his arms around his waist and gently closed his eyes. He could feel the pulse in their lips as they carefully met.

This moment, when they were grateful for each other’s existence and solemnly swore their future, was their true wedding ceremony.

Tears flowed beneath Lee Hyun’s tightly closed eyelids. It was just a soft kiss, lips gently touching and then parting, but Lau’s lips were trembling. He quietly embraced Lee Hyun’s shoulders. Their cheeks and ears touched. His tuxedo might get wrinkled, and Javier might nag, but he didn’t care.

“Lee Hyun-i, it’s okay if he can’t make it.”

Lee Hyun’s hands, wrapped around Lau’s waist and clutching the waist of his jacket, flinched.

“After the wedding, we can go to the East Sea and visit him.”

“……”

“We can show him pictures of the wedding, take a walk with Father, and visit Mother’s charnel house. Okay?”

No one had noticed Lee Hyun’s true feelings. Everyone thought that Lee Hyun was perfectly happy today. That he had already given up on his father’s attendance.

Only Lau understood Lee Hyun’s heart.

How did you know my heart? Lee Hyun didn’t ask. That would be a truly foolish question. He simply nodded, swallowed his tears, and tightened his arms around Lau. It was then that Seo Yi-han appeared.

“Lee Hyun-i! Seo Yi-hyun! Seo Yi-hyun, where are you?”

The heavy front door opened, and Seo Yi-han’s urgent voice searched for Lee Hyun. Lee Hyun pulled away from Lau and replied towards the lower floor.

“Oh, I’m here, Hyung.”

In the meantime, Lau wiped away Lee Hyun’s tears.

“Hey, come down here quickly! Great Uncle is here!”

Lau and Lee Hyun looked at each other.

Seo Yi-han’s Great Uncle was Lee Hyun’s father.

Without either of them saying a word, they ran down the stairs. Lee Hyun was faster. He ran out through the front door that Seo Yi-han had opened. He had to squint for a moment in the unfiltered April sunlight.

The guests who had been spending time in the garden all flocked to the entrance of ‘Phantom’. Great Uncle and Great Aunt were surrounding someone. Lee Hyun, who had paused briefly in front of the main gate, took a step forward without realizing it.

Great Uncle and Great Aunt, who had found Lee Hyun, stepped aside.

It was his father.

His father was carrying a canvas wrapped in kraft paper and tied with twine under his arm.

He was wearing the new suit that Lau and Lee Hyun had sent him, and his hair was combed back neatly, albeit awkwardly. Lee Hyun burst into laughter and tears at the same time. Explanation and conversation were unnecessary.

“Father!”

He simply ran without hesitation and hugged his father.

He couldn’t even guess how many years it had been since he had been in his father’s arms. Yet, he was surprised himself that he had no hesitation.

Even though Lee Hyun had become a grown young man, his father was still taller. With his tall height and handsome appearance, he was once called ‘Julien the Painter’ and was a passionate art student who gave up everything and loved Lee Hyun’s mother passionately.

“I kept thinking that Father would appear, even though I thought he wouldn’t be able to come alone…”

Rubbing his cheek against his father’s shoulder, Lee Hyun burrowed into his arms like a child.

“Thank you. I was waiting.”

He didn’t say it out loud, but his father also hugged Lee Hyun’s back tightly. As he had done when Lee Hyun was a very young child, he patted his back.

It was the moment when all preparations for the wedding were complete.