By Zephyria 
Unable to believe it, he rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked again, but the numbers didn’t change.
“7, 7, 7…!”
“Jiha, it’s a bit embarrassing since you keep telling me.”
“Shut up with the shy act, it’s creepy, Sunbae. You should consider the age you’ve devoured all this time.”
“I didn’t age a single day in the Aberrant Realm, so I’m legally 33.”
“What’s the point if only the body doesn’t age? Your mind was still exposed to the passage of time.”
“To be honest, until I met Jiha, I was out of my mind, so I don’t remember a single thing properly. It feels like I entered the Aberrant Realm just the other day. So mentally, I’m 33, 33.”
Perhaps feeling wronged that 22 years had passed while he wasn’t paying attention, Jeil Heon emphasized his age of 33 in a way that was unlike him, but it barely registered in Yoo Jiha’s ears.
If he was born in the 70s, he was older than Jiha’s parents. Jiha’s mouth, which had been casually calling him ‘ahjussi’ until now, suddenly began to feel precarious. The desire to call him ‘Hyung’ had long since vanished. The Confucian dragon inherent in his blood roared in protest. Then what was he supposed to call him? Elder? Senior? Ancestor?
As Yoo Jiha’s pupils shook violently, Jeil Heon changed the subject, appearing to stifle a laugh.
“Right, it’s late; did you contact your parents?”
That’s right. He had completely forgotten. In the chaos, he hadn’t noticed the time, but it was already past 4 AM. Since he was already confused, this provided a perfect excuse to leave. Yoo Jiha grabbed his phone and hurried out of the office.
Once Yoo Jiha left, Jeil Heon lightly stretched his body.
“The interior has changed a lot since I last saw it.”
Glaring at Jeil Heon, who was as nonchalant as if he had returned to his own home, Kang Suk-young brought up the question she had harbored since he disappeared 22 years ago. It was something she couldn’t ask while an outsider was present.
“Where is Yeojin?”
“Why are you looking for her through me?”
“Because you two disappeared together!”
Contrary to her urgency, his reaction was so brazen that Kang Suk-young finally slammed her fist onto the table. Realizing she had lost her composure too much, she steadied her breathing.
“It got to the point where rumors spread that you had an affair with Yeojin and ran away in the middle of the night with a child.”
“A rumor that doesn’t reflect the party’s opinion at all. Even if I were the only man left in this world, Yeojin would rather agonize over whether she was actually bisexual than lock eyes with me.”
“Then why did you two disappear together?”
“I told you, I didn’t know. She lost her husband and mother-in-law to an Aberration on the same day; the shock must have been great, so maybe she shaved her head and entered some temple?”
Kang Suk-young’s face contorted further.
“…You say that so easily. Yeojin’s husband was a school Hubae you cherished so much, yet how could you speak of him—”
Without even waiting for her to finish, Jeil Heon opened the door. Yoo Jiha, who had already finished talking to his family but hadn’t been able to enter because of the shouting inside, flinched.
“Sorry, did you wait long?”
Lightly stroking Yoo Jiha’s hair, Jeil Heon leaned against the doorframe, pretending to be tired.
“I really don’t know Yeojin’s whereabouts. I’m going to rest, so give me a room. Before that, how are my siblings doing? Are they all healthy?”
“Haa… I really hate that man.”
Kang Suk-young chewed through a few curses under her breath.
“No one died or got hurt, so don’t worry. Also, your father died the year before last.”
“Oh, really? He must have closed his eyes believing his eldest son was dead, so it was a peaceful passing.”
“For your information, I gave five million won as condolence money.”
“Thanks. I’ll give ten million at your funeral.”
“You’re a rich man, why so stingy with ten million? I accept a minimum of a hundred million.”
Kang Suk-young waved her hand as if telling him to get lost, and Jeil Heon chuckled, closing the door behind him. Yoo Jiha was even more dazed by the biting conversation about a dead father being a peaceful passing and funeral condolence money. He could certainly feel that the two were close. So close that the gap of over 20 years didn’t seem to exist.
…It was a materialistic thought, but he felt it was quite impressive to be close to someone who was the head of a national agency. His worry over how to address him deepened further.
“Your parents were very worried, weren’t they?”
“Huh? Ah, yes, yes! I got scolded a lot. I had a time two months ago where I went out drinking and lost contact…”
Since he couldn’t confess that he had encountered a monster, he glossed over it, and as a result, he got torn apart by both his parents and his sister. Honestly, even if he told the truth, he probably would have just received more nagging to stop drinking so much.
Soon, Assistant Manager Jang approached.
“The Director asked me to guide you to the duty room. And I will escort the teacher home.”
“My house is in Suwon…”
“Even if it were Busan instead of Suwon, I would escort you.”
It was a relief that he could return home safely, but… his gaze unconsciously shifted to the side. He had never before recognized the presence of an adult male so tall that he had to tilt his head back fully to see him. But now, his head was filled with thoughts of the man he had met just a few hours ago.
From the small detail of what to call him, to the larger, hollow whisper of whether they would never see each other again if they parted ways like this.
‘His phone number… Ah, he probably doesn’t have a phone.’
Having been missing for 22 years, it was unlikely his phone number would still be active. Even so, asking for an email or home address felt ridiculous. As Yoo Jiha lingered in pointless regret, Jeil Heon tilted his head slightly.
“Jiha, what did you tell your parents when you called?”
“I told them I was sleeping over at a friend’s studio apartment so they wouldn’t worry.”
“Then, would you mind staying with this ahjussi tonight?”
“What?”
“I had a partner for 22 years in the Aberrant Realm, and suddenly I’m alone, so I think the night will be too lonely. I’d like you to play with me for just one night so I can adjust to reality.”
“M-me…?”
He was sad to part ways, but he didn’t mean he wanted to be a ‘play’ partner. While he was stammering, the man let out a laugh and pressed a kiss on his forehead.
“…?!”
Then, he scooped up the flustered and stuttering Yoo Jiha in his arms and strode forward. Since Assistant Manager Jang was leading the way, Jiha couldn’t even struggle; his face just turned bright red.
Thus, he was guided to the duty room. As soon as Jeil Heon set him down, he bolted into the shower. The heat subsided somewhat under the cold water, but the sensation of the lips remaining on his skin lingered stubbornly. Get a grip. Yoo Jiha slapped his cheeks under the showerhead.
It wasn’t in a strange sense; it felt like a light kiss one would give a child. In the eyes of an elder born in the 70s, wouldn’t someone born in the 2000s be a baby, regardless of being an adult? A grandfather can give a baby a kiss…!
Calming his heart with such nonsense, he stepped outside to find Jeil Heon waiting. He was unfolding bandages with both hands. A chill ran down Jiha’s spine. No way, no way?
“D-do I have to tie you up with those bandages?”
“Hmm? You like that kind of play? Great. If our Jiha wants to leave me neglected, I should go along with it. Ahjussi is always welcome. Tie me up prettily so I can’t easily get loose.”
“Aaaah!”
He tried to flee the duty room in haste, but he was caught before he could even grab the handle. Jeil Heon smiled shyly and grabbed his ankle. Wasn’t I supposed to be the one tying up the elder?! I hate being tied up!
However, fortunately—or unfortunately—it wasn’t a binding or neglect play. What the man produced after the bandages was a gel patch.
‘Ah, he’s trying to treat me…?’
He felt slightly embarrassed for having made such a baseless misunderstanding.
The touch of applying the gel patch and taping his ankle was delicate and meticulous, just as it had been in the Aberrant Realm. As he quietly watched the man bow his head and caress his ankle, the pounding of his heart gradually subsided, replaced by a ticklish feeling, as if soft down had been placed there.
He even became conscious of the shape of his toes, something he had never cared about in his life. They probably didn’t look strange to others, most likely.
The man wrapped his hand around the foot he had finished taping.