By Zephyria 
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[Me: What did I ever do to you guys? Why do you keep sending me this crap and acting like idiots?]
I typed the message up to this point, then gave up on sending it and deleted everything.
‘Let’s just stop.’
I’ve learned through experience that the more attention I give them, the more excited the members get about teasing me.
The phone that had barely been turned on was put back to sleep and placed neatly on the living room table.
Jae-ha glanced at the turned-off phone and asked curiously.
“What did you see that makes you kill your phone every time you turn it on these days?”
“Annoying spam messages.”
“Are the members playing some kind of prank?”
“Yeah. I don’t know why these guys keep picking fights lately. They should be busy enough continuing their activities without me, so they can’t possibly be bored.”
It wasn’t an empty compliment—Secrety’s stock had risen a lot recently.
While it was true that more fans were growing to like the album’s b-side tracks and concept, which had been on an upward trend, the group’s recognition had also skyrocketed alongside news about me, leading to more invitations from various places.
At first, it was probably variety shows and magazines inviting them for interviews and photoshoots under the pretext of getting information about me and Hyeon Jae-ha… But thanks to our President, who knew how to paddle when the water was right, Secrety as a group was now enjoying their golden era.
I was happy for them, but I also felt a little empty.
‘Living as an idol wasn’t so bad after all…?’
I was startled to find myself asking such a question.
I’m not sure if this is the members’ way of looking out for me or what…
Even though I grumbled when they asked ‘Are you happy?’, I didn’t really dislike it.
It must have shown on my face, because Jae-ha tugged at the corner of my mouth.
“You’re smiling, but why?”
“I’m genuinely annoyed. I really have no interest in internet community reactions or whatever.”
“…As long as they don’t say anything weird.”
“Weird things?”
What weird things could those guys possibly say to me, their heaven-like Ability User Seonbae?
I looked at Jae-ha with a question mark in my eyes, but he just gave me a mysterious smile and offered no answer.
“More importantly.”
“Hmm?”
“If you’re tired of the pack of reporters loitering in front of our house, should we go somewhere far away?”
“Huh?”
“I happen to have bought an island.”
He bought an island…?
My jaw dropped at the absurd statement.
Jae-ha closed my jaw for me and added nonchalantly.
“My parents suggested that this might be a good opportunity for the two of us to take a trip together. I think you’d like it too.”
When faced with the question of whether I wanted to go with him, there was only one choice I could make.
“Uh… Okay. If you want to go that badly, then let’s go.”
And so began our first overseas trip, a honeymoon in disguise.
We didn’t even need to take a plane.
Just a few hours after stuffing our luggage into the subspace artifact I bought from the Hunter Market, holding onto Jae-ha, and flying across the sky, we arrived at an island in the Earth’s southern hemisphere.
When we left, the reporters camped out in our doorway stared at us blankly and seemed to shout something, but we ignored them completely.
After arriving on the island, I looked around curiously.
“…It’s so quiet?”
“It’s an uninhabited island with just us.”
Is that even possible?
It seemed the compensation Jae-ha received was far more than I had imagined.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to acquire this entire beautiful tropical island with its emerald-green seas.
In the cozy center of the island stood a white mansion with a red roof, as if it had jumped straight out of a fairy tale.
“It feels like I’m dreaming…”
Is this how it feels to be trapped in a small paradise where only the two of us remain in this world?
After I spent a long time marveling at the island and inspecting the mansion’s surroundings, Jae-ha pulled me along and pushed my back, saying it was time to go inside.
“Can’t I look around a little more?”
“My business comes first.”
There was no way I could ignore Jae-ha’s pull.
As I was dragged along, Jae-ha, who had unlocked the door with a key, let out an awkward cough that didn’t suit him.
‘What is it? He seems nervous?’
“Go in first.”
“What’s in there? Did you set up a trap or something? Are you really determined to mess with me?”
When I narrowed my eyes and tried to back away from the entrance, Jae-ha blinked at me pleadingly.
“Just go in first, and then we’ll talk.”
“…What did you prepare?”
As I tried to sneak away, Jae-ha finally used his telekinesis to pull me into the house.
“Eh?!”
It was only after entering the mansion that I let out a gasp.
Several lit round candles were gathered together to form a path.
At the end of the candlelit path were heart-shaped, plump balloons and a placard that seemed to be handwritten with clumsy handwriting.
[An Ga-hyeon, will you marry me?]
“……”
A proposal fit for an ordinary couple.
Seeing it, my breath caught in my throat for a moment.
‘Ah…’
I should be happy.
I should ask when he had time to prepare all this. I should tell him he must have worked hard to set up this surprise event behind my back. I should jokingly poke Hyeon Jae-ha’s side and laugh, asking if this trip was planned with the purpose of proposing.
But instead, what flowed from my eyes was a stream of tears.
“Huh?”
Why are tears coming out?
It was strange.
I should be smiling at Jae-ha, but the tears only increased drop by drop, and soon I was sobbing.
“Ga-hyeon? Are you, are you crying?”
Jae-ha also panicked when he saw my face, tears streaming down.
“Euh, huuuung.”
The tears wouldn’t stop.
I was someone who hardly ever cried, so it felt even more intense.
Both Jae-ha and I were at a loss, flustered.
He patted my back and tried hard to comfort me.
“I don’t know what it is, but it’s all my fault. Don’t cry, Ga-hyeon.”
I snapped at Jae-ha with a stuffy nose.
“What did you do wrong? Hmph, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Then why are you crying?”
“I don’t know, I just… Maybe because this moment is so overwhelming.”
They say tears come when you’re too happy.
It was only at the moment Jae-ha proposed to me that I realized those words were true.
The fact that I could finally be with the person I love and enjoy peaceful days.
Although I couldn’t guarantee that there would be no trials ahead in the days unfolding before us, I was overwhelmingly happy just knowing that you and I would live through the same time together.
“…Thank you.”
I muttered while holding Jae-ha tightly.
“For waiting for me all that long time. For missing only me and coming to find me.”
It was selfish, but I was glad Jae-ha didn’t form a pair with any other Guide but me.
The fact that he endured hunger and thirst, over and over again, even until the moment his life was on the line, was endearing.
Although I never voiced these true feelings in front of Jae-ha…
With my eyes swollen from crying, I managed a bright smile.
“I feel the same way, Hyeon Jae-ha. Let’s get married.”
Even though same-sex marriage isn’t legalized in Korea yet, so what?
We could just use Jae-ha’s ability to quickly go abroad and register our marriage.
With my clear acceptance, Jae-ha smiled along with me.
“Thank you for accepting my proposal.”
“Me too. …I never even thought about proposals or anything like that.”
Now that I had accepted the proposal so easily, I felt sorry towards Jae-ha.
‘I should have proposed first.’
Even up to this point, I had thought this trip was just about escaping the reporters for a while, so I had excitedly packed tons of travel supplies.
Sunscreen, snorkeling gear, swimsuits, etc.
I was just thrilled at the idea of enjoying a vacation on a tropical blue island.
I never even imagined I would receive a proposal.
For the first time in my life, I cursed at my own denseness.
‘You idiot. If I had known this would happen, I should have brought some other things too.’
I hadn’t even considered that possibility.
As I furrowed my brow, Jae-ha tilted his head and asked.
“What’s wrong?”
“W-well, it’s…”
“Tell me. What has you so upset?”
“If you… proposed, does that mean we’re going to have our, our first night together?”
As soon as the word ‘first night’ left my mouth, I felt a rush of heat.
This is all Hyeon Jae-ha’s fault.
Jae-ha, who had been quietly admiring my bright red face, replied in a soft voice.
“Yeah. We should. We have to. Our first night.”
Ugh, ah.
As if enjoying my flustered reaction, Jae-ha narrowed his eyes and laughed.
“Were you looking forward to it? Enough to bring up the first night right after getting proposed to?”
“No!!!”
Who do you take me for, some sex-crazed lunatic!
I bristled at being treated like a pervert, but Jae-ha said even that was adorable and let out a laugh reminiscent of the refreshing sea breeze.
“Seems like you were pretty starved, and I didn’t notice. Sorry.”
“I said no! Hyeon Jae-ha!”
“But you’re not running away.”
“…Huh?”
In an instant, I was caught in Hyeon Jae-ha’s hands and pulled into his embrace.
Jae-ha lifted me onto his forearm and smiled contentedly.
“Guess what I brought?”
Ah.
In Jae-ha’s empty hand—the one not holding me—something was dangling.
It was contraception.
An item of an incredibly large size.
And not just one, but dozens of them.