MOTD Side Story 2.5

Side Story: Return Episode 5

Eden, leaning his upper body against the headboard, looked up at the sound of someone approaching. Ha-jin, having just stepped out of the bathroom, was walking toward him with unsteady steps.

“Ugh… I’m seriously dying.”

As soon as that voice, cracked and dry as a parched desert, hit his ears, one side of the bed sank deeply. Eden set the book he was holding on the nightstand and reached out.

“Give me your legs.”

At those words, Ha-jin promptly rested both legs across Eden’s thighs. As Eden skillfully began to massage them, a languid sigh escaped Ha-jin’s lips. Staring up at the ceiling, Ha-jin’s face looked pale and innocent, like a child’s. Following his gaze, Eden also tilted his head back.

Glow-in-the-dark stars were emitting a faint light from the ceiling. They were stickers that Byeol, who had been much shorter than he is now, had insisted on putting up several years ago. These glow-in-the-dark stars were scattered everywhere—the guest room, the studio, and even the bathroom.

Ha-jin, counting the stickers aimlessly, spoke up.

“Byeol is playing well, right?”

Eden’s hand, sliding down the calf, settled on the ankle. Lightly kneading the bone, he shrugged.

“He contacted me to say he’s doing well. He seems so excited that he isn’t even checking his replies.”

Ha-jin let out a short laugh at the indifferent tone.

“There are times when friends are better than family. Anyway, with the Hyung next door away and Mi-so not in the separate residence, the house feels even quieter. It’s amazing how much of a difference it makes whether people are nearby or not… Ah! That hurts too much!”

“Stay still. Your muscles are very tight, so I need to knead them more.”

“Ugh, it really hurts.”

Ignoring Ha-jin’s complaining, Eden continued the massage before suddenly tilting his head.

“By the way, did Yun Mi-so go somewhere too?”

“Mi-so had plans, so she left this morning. Don’t you remember?”

“…….”

“…….”

“Hmm.”

At the ambiguous hum, Ha-jin gasped in horror and pulled his foot away.

“We even had sex in the outdoor pool… Don’t tell me you pounced on me thinking Mi-so was here?”

“As long as she wasn’t, it’s fine.”

“Hah.”

Ha-jin let out a scoff. He could overlook Eden treating his nephew, Byeol, as a rival as a joke, but Eden’s twisted possessiveness—extending even to Mi-so, a long-time friend and business partner—was something Ha-jin simply couldn’t get used to, even after several years.

It was clear that the way Eden had practically melted him down in the outdoor pool had stemmed from a desire to show off. Ha-jin shuddered at Eden’s bizarre obsession that flared up every now and then just when he was starting to forget. No wonder he kept smiling while thrusting into him….

After venting his anger for a while, Ha-jin gave up and laid back down on the bed. Having used his body all day, fatigue washed over him like a tide.

Eden pulled Ha-jin’s limp body close, trapping him in his arms.

“So, where did Yun Mi-so go?”

“She went to Young-woon’s place.”

“Young-woon?”

“A friend from the magic class we took. Mi-so took such good care of Young-woon that her mother invited her for a meal to express her gratitude.”

“Since you’re speaking in the past tense, I assume she’s quitting.”

“She says she’s going back to Korea.”

At the sudden mention of unauthorized copycopy">unauthorized copyKorea, Eden’s hand, which had been patting Ha-jin’s back, slowed down.

“Oh, speaking of Korea, Mi-so mentioned she’s planning to go there soon to find her father’s remains. Not permanently, just for about a month.”

Ha-jin continued, rubbing his forehead against Eden’s chest.

“I’m worried about sending her alone, so I’m thinking of going with her. Not for a whole month, maybe just for two weeks?”

The moment he finished speaking, he was suddenly pushed back violently. Sat up abruptly on the bed, Ha-jin blinked blankly, feeling the grip on his shoulders. The look in Eden’s eyes, having detached him from his embrace, had instantly turned sharp.

“Where did you say you’re going?”

Hearing that low bass voice for the first time in a while, Ha-jin found himself stuttering unconsciously. His shoulders began to ache from the grip. Coming back to his senses, Ha-jin bit his lip and answered.

“I said I’m going to Korea.”

“Since when do you just notify me of things like this so suddenly?”

“No, it’s not a notification—”

“From what I hear, it sounds like the decision has already been made. Have you already settled everything with Yun Mi-so?”

Ha-jin’s face flushed with bewilderment at the somewhat chilly tone. A sudden cold wind seemed to blow between them.

“It’s not that I discussed it with Mi-so; I just thought about it and decided on my own.”

“Exactly.”

“…….”

“What do you expect me to do when you decide something this important on your own without consulting me? It’s not like you’re going to a neighboring town for a visit; this is a matter of courtesy.”

Although a bit of defiance rose within him at the fierce tone, Eden’s words weren’t wrong. After pondering for a moment, Ha-jin immediately backed down and smiled awkwardly.

“Alright. Then instead of notifying you, I’ll ask.”

“…….”

“Can I go to Korea? There’s nothing to worry about. There are no more zombies, and it’s safe now.”

“No.”

What? Ha-jin’s face crumpled at the immediate rejection.

“You were going to say no even if I asked, so why were you complaining about me ‘notifying’ you?”

“Even if the state of war is over, it’s dangerous to move during a period when people are migrating in large numbers like this. It won’t be too late to go for fun once the infrastructure is fully established, so just be patient.”

“No, I know you’re worried, but—”

Ha-jin, about to protest, soon bit his lower lip. It was because Eden’s expression had become unusually serious.

“…….”

“…….”

Two cold gazes locked in the air. After a short silence, Ha-jin spoke again.

“Still, I’m a bit concerned about Mi-so going alone.”

“Jeffrey will probably follow her. Given that bastard’s personality, there’s no way he’d leave Yun Mi-so alone.”

Ha-jin crossed his arms, brushing his damp bangs off his forehead. Eden’s hands naturally released his shoulders.

“Even if it weren’t for Mi-so, I was thinking of visiting for a short while.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

At Ha-jin’s answer, Eden’s expression twisted ambiguously.

“What do you mean you don’t know? What kind of answer is that?”

“Well,”

Ha-jin’s lips trembled.

Would it be enough to explain that despite having narrowly escaped Korea with his life, homesickness would hit him every once in a while?

That whenever he heard news of Korea being rebuilt, he would unconsciously feel excited and his heart would race; that seeing people voluntarily choose to migrate back made a patriotism he had never felt before boil up inside him. That if he persuaded him by saying he felt like he had reclaimed his hometown and that every day felt fluttering and happy….

But if asked if he wanted to return completely, the answer was no. Settling here following Eden had been his own choice, and since Jun-seok’s grave was buried nearby, he had never seriously considered migrating back.

To be honest, he simply felt excited by the news that Korea had survived and wanted to go on a short volunteer trip.

“…….”

Following the voice of his heart, a sudden wave of embarrassment washed over him. If he had considered Eden’s feelings—how much he worried about him—even once, he wouldn’t have brought up the idea of going to Korea so lightly.

Ha-jin shook his head slightly, facing the safety insensitivity that had come after a long period of peace. Having finished his brief self-reflection, he spoke again.

“I heard the shelters were short on volunteers, so I thought I’d apply while I was at it. Like Jeong Tae-geon said, it might still be dangerous, but I was just excited and didn’t think it through… Anyway, I’m sorry for telling you like a notification without discussing it first.”

It was unfortunate, but in moments like this, it was better for his own well-being to follow Jeong Tae-geon’s advice. This was the conclusion Ha-jin had reached through years of living together. Even if Eden’s opinion differed from his own, it was never wrong.

To break the bleak atmosphere, Ha-jin poked Eden’s [visit our site]tevisit our site -->abs. In response, a languid sigh escaped the lips of Eden, who was sitting crookedly.

Perhaps because he was being unexpectedly obedient, Eden’s furrowed brow didn’t seem to relax despite Ha-jin’s timid efforts. Ha-jin rubbed his tired eyes and lay back down on the bed.

“But aren’t you worried about Jeffrey? I think Jeffrey would be really upset if he heard about this.”

“I’m not particularly worried about that bastard.”

A chuckle escaped Ha-jin’s lips at the firm answer delivered without a hint of hesitation. Seeing how Eden remained consistently cold to everyone except him made him feel, once again, that Eden’s affection for him was truly precious.

Eden lay back down, facing Ha-jin. Though it had been a brief argument, the two stared at each other with complex eyes, as if lost in thought. Eventually, Eden reached his arm behind Ha-jin’s head.

As the warmth of his body drew near, Ha-jin’s eyelids slowly closed.

A long silence followed.

“…It’s not that I don’t understand how you feel, Do Ha-jin.”

A dreamlike voice descended upon the ears of the half-asleep Ha-jin.

“Let’s think a bit more about the issue of going to Korea together.”

He couldn’t remember if he had answered “okay” to the unexpected proposal or if he had simply nodded. Leaning his forehead against Eden’s broad chest, Ha-jin drifted off into a deep sleep.