By Zephyria 
The heat radiating off the road was more intense than ever. Ha-jin felt like he was simmering, like stew on a stove. If he hadn’t been wearing newly broken-in hiking boots, the soles of his shoes would have melted off long ago in this brutal heat.
He grabbed the handkerchief around his neck and wiped away the constantly flowing sweat. Just then, Mi-so’s clear voice struck his ears from behind.
“Should we rest around here today?”
At the sudden suggestion, the people who had stopped in their tracks turned to look at her, who had raised her hand high.
“See that rocky mountain over there? If we climb up a little, there’s a temple. It’s famous for its temple stay program, and if we’re lucky, we might be able to get some help staying there for the night. I used to come here often with my mom, and I know the place, and I have a close monk there.”
It wasn’t a bad suggestion, but there was still plenty of time before sunset. Perhaps displeased with the idea of an early rest, Eden’s worried voice quickly followed.
“It seems a bit early to stop yet. Even if we go up to the temple, there’s no guarantee we can sleep safely for the night.”
“Of course, I can’t guarantee it. But since it’s a place I know, the chances of it being safer than the roadside are much higher. What do you think, Jeffrey?”
[Ugh. Honestly, I don’t want to climb another mountain… I’m also thinking about that Ranch.]
“I’m going! I want to go to the temple! I’ve never been!”
As expected, opinions were not easily narrowed down. Eventually, Mi-so, unable to watch any longer, poked Ha-jin in the side as if asking for help. Ha-jin scratched his head in embarrassment, and she even grabbed and stretched the hem of his shirt as if to whine. It was unlike her usual self, which was strange, but after much deliberation, Ha-jin sided with Mi-so.
“Actually, even if we move a little further from here, it’ll be hard to find a place to sleep right away. When I looked at the map, there were only railroads and rice paddies in this area.”
Sleeping comfortably in a high-altitude area where zombies don’t come often was undeniably a better choice than sleeping in an open plain. Moreover, as they got closer to Dragon Cloud City, the number of zombies on the road was significantly increasing compared to before, so there was a greater need to be careful about safety.
“Trust me and let’s go just this once, okay?”
In the end, following Mi-so’s suggestion, the group left the scorching road and headed into a mountain path filled with phytoncides.
Before entering the hiking trail, Ha-jin, who found a wooden sign that read ‘Hwayeonsa,’ carefully examined a large information board next to it. The group followed him, tracing the map of the rugged mountain path with their eyes.
Hwayeonsa, attached to a bizarre rock cliff, was an ancient temple located at an altitude of 350m. At this height, it wasn’t an unreasonable height to climb.
“There’s a valley in the middle?”
Ha-jin muttered, sounding pleased. Mi-so nodded vigorously with a proud face.
“The water there is clean too. There aren’t any people now, so it’ll be even cleaner, right? Let’s stop by for a bit before going to the temple to drink water and wash up.”
Byeol, who had been constantly whining from the heat, seemed to be in a better mood after feeling the cool mountain breeze, and he got down from Eden’s arms and climbed the wooden stairs energetically. Eden, who was nonchalantly pushing the child’s small, chubby bottom up the stairs from a few steps behind, suddenly turned around.
Ha-jin was looking around here and there like a meerkat, as if on guard. Eden’s eyes narrowed as he looked at him. Since leaving the outlet, the two of them hadn’t had a proper conversation.
“Do Ha-jin.”
When his name was called, Ha-jin flinched and raised his head. Ha-jin, who had been scratching his eyebrow hesitantly, climbed two steps as if running and stood beside him, at the palm of his hand that was stretched out as if to walk together.
Eden immediately pointed to the handkerchief that was uncomfortably wrapped around Ha-jin’s neck.
“Take it off if you’re hot. It’s strange to hide it belatedly when I’ve already seen everything.”
At those words, Ha-jin glanced at the group walking ahead, bit his lower lip once, and then released it. His lips, which had been whitened by the biting force, regained their reddish color like cherries. A suppressed protest burst out from between his teeth.
“I’m not as shameless as someone else.”
Because he failed to control the volume of his voice momentarily, the gazes of the group, who had been chattering and walking ahead, turned to the back all at once.
“Ha-jin Uncle. What’s ‘shameless’?”
When Byeol asked with rabbit-like eyes, Ha-jin panicked and opened and closed his mouth. Jeffrey and Mi-so, who had been walking ahead pulling Pie, also stopped in their tracks and looked down at him.
Eden broke the brief silence and answered the question in Ha-jin’s place.
“It’s when you act nonchalantly even after doing something embarrassing.”
“Then what’s ‘nonchalant’?”
“Um… pretending like nothing’s wrong?”
“Like when Uncle steals my snacks?”
“Yeah. Like when I bite and eat it like this.”
Eden grabbed Byeol’s arm and pretended to bite it. The child burst into laughter, but at that point, Ha-jin unknowingly frowned and touched his neck, which was covered by the handkerchief.
“Look forward again. Don’t keep looking back dangerously.”
“Okay!”
Jeffrey and Mi-so, who had been observing the situation below with subtle expressions, reluctantly turned their heads.
The chirping of mountain birds echoed like songs along the path. Eden carefully examined Ha-jin’s profile, who maintained an awkward silence for a while. His cheeks, which were red and peeling like they were ripe, looked like a shy child.
“I’m sorry if I made things difficult.”
Ha-jin’s eyes, which glanced at Eden, were somehow exhausted. He let out a sigh he had been holding back, as if today, having had to endure Mi-so and Jeffrey’s sharp gazes, had been very difficult.
“The bite marks on my neck. It’s not just one or two, but over ten… are you some kind of vampire?”
He had been stuck together with him because he liked it, so he had nothing to say, but even so, Ha-jin grumbled resentfully, saying that making over ten kiss marks on the back of his neck was undeniably malicious.
Eden, who had been listening to his complaints silently, reached out to Ha-jin’s neck. Then, he untied the end of the tightly knotted handkerchief.
“I’m not usually the type to lose my reason to that extent, but I couldn’t control myself that day.”
Ha-jin rolled his eyes anxiously, worried that the conversation might be overheard, but at Eden’s words that directly mentioned ‘that day,’ he clenched his fist tightly. Eden, who unhesitatingly put the sweat-soaked handkerchief into his pocket, smiled slightly at the corner of his lips and made an excuse.
“To be honest, I thought we could be alone for a while. I didn’t expect to meet the group so soon.”
Was it just his imagination that he could feel regret in the voice he was uttering? Ha-jin’s mouth, who had momentarily lost his words, closed tightly.
Just then, Jeong Byeol, who had been walking ahead, stumbled once on a stone. Eden, who reached out and firmly supported the child’s body, called Jeffrey. Jeffrey, who sent a questioning gaze at the request to carry the child, suddenly turned his gaze to Ha-jin.
“……”
Hmm, he sighed briefly and reluctantly held Byeol in his arms and climbed the mountain path. Even though he had spat out harsh words as if having a seizure, he didn’t want to meddle in his best friend’s love life by being overly dramatic every time.
Eden, who had been watching Jeffrey walk away, opened his mouth again.
“Bite me whenever you want.”
At the sudden words, Ha-jin sent a questioning look. Eden tapped his own neck with his index finger.
“Do Ha-jin, you leave kiss marks too.”
“That’ll never happen.”
Unlike the denial he spat out reflexively, the end of Ha-jin’s voice trembled. Eden happily watched the prominent Adam’s apple that surged and then subsided.
“We’ll see. We have a next time.”
“Ne-next time? What next time?”
“Have you forgotten? We promised to go deeper next time…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Ha-jin screamed and covered Eden’s mouth with his palm. Eden, who staggered his upper body because he was almost pushed away, grabbed his wrist. When he tried to lower it with force, Ha-jin shook his head and rebuked him.
“Are you crazy, really? You’re going to spread rumors all over the neighborhood…!”
At his reaction, which looked like he was about to cry at any moment, Eden couldn’t help but burst into suppressed laughter over his palm.
“What’s wrong with them?”
Meanwhile, Mi-so asked Jeffrey, looking down at the two who seemed to be having a good time. Jeffrey shook his head quickly as if he didn’t even want to think about it, and then closed his eyes tightly.
[It’s better if you don’t know, Mi-so.]
At that moment, the sound of cool water flowing was heard from somewhere. Pie, who smelled the water, wagged his tail quickly with an excited face. When they turned onto the left path, the long-awaited valley soon appeared.
“We’re here.”
Mi-so, who stretched out both hands, smiled brightly as if she was in a good mood. Pie ran to the valley faster than anyone else and buried his nose in the flowing water, completely absorbed.
The valley was narrow and shallow, so it was practically a stream. Eden, who carefully examined the nearby dangers, sat down by the water.