The Moon Goddess's Blessing
The body burned.
Like the flames of Beatrice's fire that grazed the skin, something blazed inside me. But the heat was different from that one.
Familiar yet utterly strange, a composite emotion that could not be named.
It was as if guilt and longing choked my throat at the same time.
Am I... even worthy of approaching Yuna...?
That question had been the chain that held me until now.
But the chain had already snapped.
Yuna had already bared herself beneath the moonlight.
The buttons of her shirt slipped slowly downward, revealing the gentle curve of her neck, the collarbones, and the snow-white curve of her abdomen.
The moonlight settled gently on her skin, and I swallowed hard.
I have to stop. No more here—
Reason inside me shouted.
But another voice whispered.
If you pull away now, Yuna will get hurt.
The conflict inside me reached its peak.
Then Yuna spoke.
“Cheon-seong... it's okay.”
Just one word.
But that single word shattered my balance.
Yuna's hand cupped my cheek, and warmth spread across my skin.
My heart raced as if fleeing, and I slowly lowered her onto the bed.
She lay there like a moon goddess descended from myth.
Her small, slender body settled into the blanket as though sinking into it.
Light from the window poured in, tracing along Yuna's bare skin.
“Yuna... are you really okay?”
My voice was thick, barely a whisper.
“Even someone like me... are you sure?”
The question was, in truth, not for Yuna but for myself.
I knew what kind of man I was.
Outwardly I smiled gently, but inside I was always soaked in blood.
The impulse to rip out the eyes of male students staring at Yuna in the academy, the fury that made me want to tear the mouths of the female students who had insulted her.
I carried all of that inside me.
That was why I had always thought there was no qualification for me to reach Yuna.
But Yuna embraced me.
She carefully pulled my hand.
“Cheon-seong, fill me with you.”
Instantly, the emotion overflowing in my eyes spilled over.
For the first time, I felt I could lay myself down in someone else's arms.
I kissed her and whispered.
“Thank you... truly.”
It was bittersweet.
“Huh? Mom, why did you cry?”
No, it's nothing. Just...
Beatrice's gaze turned toward the west.
Only the matter that was supposed to be resolved has been resolved.
The very thing that should have been resolved.
She had prepared herself and resolved to endure it, yet this aching heart was unavoidable.
I'm fine... Really. This one is fine... so please do it.
Beatrice kept repeating that she was fine, yet her chest felt as if a nail had been driven in, aching unbearably.
Five Colors – Gentle Embrace
“Haa... haa... Cheon-seong...”
Panting breaths brushed against each other's skin.
The two bodies were entwined, sharing warmth.
On this night where pain and ecstasy collided, Yuna held Cheon-seong's back with trembling hands.
“I love you... truly... I'll love you for the rest of my life.”
Instead of answering, Cheon-seong kissed the corner of Yuna's eyes.
As if for the first time, as if for the last.
“Come...”
Once those words left her, Cheon-seong carefully moved his body.
He approached like a quiet wave.
Though her trembling reached him, he did not release her two arms.
Their boundaries slowly melted away.
It was not a long night, yet it was deep.
The moment they covered each other with heart and heart, time seemed to freeze.
Because they were together, it was warm enough.
Dawn.
Outside was quiet, and inside the room it was still dark.
Only thin rays of light sneaking through the curtains announced the start of a new day.
“...Mmm.”
Yuna woke first.
Her eyelids felt heavy, and her entire body ached with an unfamiliar soreness.
“...Ugh...”
A soft groan.
Just moving a little made her muscles tense as if protesting.
The sensation of last night remained.
And most of all—
“...Cheon-seong...?”
She looked beside her, but he was gone.
A small uneasiness flickered.
“...Don't joke around... where are you...”
Her voice trembled faintly.
At that moment, the door opened and a familiar voice came from the hallway.
“Yuna? Why are you like this? Is something wrong?”
“Ah... no, it's nothing.”
Her breathing settled again.
Just knowing he was there brought comfort.
Yuna tried to sit up, but pain made her sway once more.
“Ugh...”
“Are you okay?”
Cheon-seong rushed over and supported Yuna's shoulder.
His arm was still firm and warm.
“Yeah... thank you, Cheon-seong.”
Yuna lay back down on the bed and finally smiled.
“First, get dressed. I'll make breakfast.”
With a blushing face, Cheon-seong handed her the shirt.
At that instant, Yuna's mind snapped back.
“Kyaaah!!”
In a panic, she yanked the blanket over herself, realizing she was completely naked.
But her body did not obey as easily as she hoped.
Pain came with every movement.
“...Ugh...”
Cheon-seong, seeing the sight, smiled quietly and carefully wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
There was no lust, only a hand mixed with pure care.
Yuna lowered her head shyly and said.
“Cheon-seong... I was really... happy yesterday.”
Cheon-seong's face flushed at those words.
He pursed his lips, ran a hand through his hair, and muttered.
“...If you keep saying things like that, I'll really... be unable to hold back.”
Yuna gave a playful little laugh and whispered.
“I know... because Cheon-seong is so cute.”
Cheon-seong coughed awkwardly and headed toward the kitchen.
“First, let's eat breakfast. Just wait a moment.”
Yuna smiled softly while watching his back, still wrapped in the blanket.
It was the first time this side of him felt so reliable.
“Yuna. I'll be back soon.”
“Okay. Come back safely, Cheon-seong.”
After finishing her meal, Yuna smiled at Cheon-seong's announcement that he had something outside the academy to handle and waved him off.
Yuna had wanted to spend more time with Cheon-seong today since it was the academy weekend, but she could wave him off with a smile, knowing he would be back quickly after the events of yesterday.
“Ah, Cheon-seong.”
“Huh? Why—”
Smack
Yuna's peck on his cheek made Cheon-seong turn, and she planted a quick kiss on his lips.
“Come back safely.”
A light peck, and the smile on Yuna's face as she wished him well made Cheon-seong's lips curve into a genuine happy smile.
“Yeah. I'll be back.”
Cheon-seong answered with a sincere smile at Yuna's kiss.
Klunk!
The dorm door closed behind him as Cheon-seong smiled and went to find his homeroom teacher Ryu Se-rin.
“Eh, what's up... huh?”
Ryu Se-rin's face, upon spotting Cheon-seong, floated with countless question marks.
“Why? Did something get on my face?”
“Eh... no. Nothing. Why are you here?”
“I have some business outside the academy, so can you issue an excuse note?”
Cheon-seong's request for an excuse note made Ryu Se-rin show a complicated expression, tell him to wait a moment, and leave her seat.
Cheon-seong sat on the chair and quietly waited for Ryu Se-rin to return.
It did not take long for Ryu Se-rin to come back and hand Cheon-seong the excuse note.
“You have to be back by eight in the evening at the latest. If you come back, come find me.”
“Got it. Thank you.”
“Eh, yeah. But um...”
At Cheon-seong's grateful words, Ryu Se-rin hesitated for a moment, then called out to him as if she had made a decision.
Cheon-seong looked at Ryu Se-rin with a questioning gaze.
Ryu Se-rin let out a sigh, muttered “This isn't it,” ran a hand through her hair, and said to Cheon-seong.
“Ha... no. That is, um. You seemed in a good mood today.”
“Yeah, that's true.”
Cheon-seong smiled at Ryu Se-rin's words, agreed, took the excuse note, and left Ryu Se-rin's office.
Ryu Se-rin, watching the door to her own office close, sat back down, let out a small laugh, and muttered.
“What? I can laugh, you know.”
A genuine smile, not fake at all.
A smile as if spring had come to a cold winter.