Chapter 58
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 58
As he drifted back to consciousness, the first thing he felt was the familiar weight pressing down on his body.
A gentle rise and fall, the soft whisper of shallow breaths.
Dokyun opened his eyes.
His gaze fell upon a small, fidgeting figure.
Eun-ah.
She was sprawled on top of him, her face buried in his chest as she slept. She looked utterly at peace.
Still hazy with sleep, Dokyun watched her for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle and moving his hand.
He brought it to the head resting on his chest.
Swoosh.
He gently stroked her soft hair, letting the strands slip through his fingers.
Perhaps because it had been so long since they’d been this close, the sensation felt wonderfully pleasant.
He moved his hand again, brushing the hair away from her face to reveal a clear, peaceful expression.
Had the past few weeks of regular living and increased meals had an effect? Her cheeks had filled out nicely.
Dokyun watched her for a moment, then poked her cheek with his index finger. After a slight twitch, her eyes fluttered open.
They were only half-open, a clear sign she’d just woken up.
She blinked a few times, her sleep-addled eyes rolling around to take in her surroundings. When she found him, a smile spread across her face.
Her eyes curved into beautiful half-moons.
“Hehe…”
A carefree giggle followed.
Hearing that laugh echo in his ears, Dokyun could truly feel that she was back.
A sense of warmth began to bubble up inside him, and a smile formed on his lips as he offered a quiet greeting.
“Good morning.”
“Nnngh…”
A sleepy mumble was her reply.
Then, with a little squirm, she wrapped her arms around him, snuggling her face into his chest as she spoke again.
“G-Good morning…!”
He could see her earlobes, flushed red, peeking through her hair.
He watched her for a moment before hugging her back, feeling a gentle warmth fill him completely.
Just as Eun-seol had said, Eun-ah was acting as if the past week had never happened, as if they had been together just yesterday.
But it was different from before. Now, he knew for certain that she was deceiving herself, turning away from the truth.
For her, the day she went out alone was yesterday.
The realization brought a sense of melancholy and a tightness to his chest. Dokyun tightened his arms around her.
“Heehee…”
He heard a breathy giggle.
Puzzled, Dokyun looked down and saw her wearing a look of pure satisfaction at his tight embrace.
“I… I like you, Honeybee…”
Her soft murmur burrowed into him. It seeped into him before he knew it, darting through the tightness in his chest and beginning to soothe it.
Her words left a trail wherever they went, making his heart ache. Dokyun watched her for a moment, then began to pat her back as he spoke.
“I like you too, Eun-ah.”
What was it about her that he liked so much? Hearing her cling to him and whisper those words, he had replied without thinking.
Only then did he realize it: what he truly wanted was her happiness.
Separate from Eun-seol’s request, he found that he had grown so fond of her that he couldn’t bear to see her sad anymore.
With that feeling in his heart, he continued to pat her back. He felt her bury her face, now completely flushed, into his chest and let out a muffled laugh.
“Bhehehe…”
His gaze drifted down from her head to her legs, which were kicking back and forth.
Her calves bounced up and down, and for some reason, it seemed to perfectly express her mood. The sight was so amusing that Dokyun smiled for a moment before looking back at her head and speaking.
“We should get up now.”
“Ju-just a little longer…”
Thinking it was about time to get up, he had spoken, but she voiced her refusal and hugged him even tighter.
With a feeling of ‘what can you do,’ he nodded. After they stayed like that for a while longer, she finally seemed satisfied and lifted her head to look at him.
“H-Honeybee…”
“Yes?”
At her call, Dokyun looked at Eun-ah. She stared at him for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
Peck.
Their lips met for a brief moment before parting.
Stunned by the sudden, soft sensation, Dokyun stared at her blankly. She gave him a bashful smile and opened her mouth.
“I-It’s morning… so, a morning greeting…!”
Her cheeks were bright red as she spoke.
Immediately after, she ducked her head, scrambled off him, and walked toward the door.
“I-It’s time for breakfast… s-so wait for me…!”
Thump.
The door closed.
Dokyun raised a hand to his lips, finally processing what had just happened.
He pushed himself up slightly and stared at the door she had just left through.
“Hah…”
An unconscious sigh of disbelief escaped him.
Had she evolved in her sleep? Her slyness was on a whole other level.
*
After pulling himself together, he opened the door and saw Eun-ah cooking in the kitchen.
She was bobbing her head as her hands moved.
Then, the aroma of cooking tickled his nose and made his stomach churn.
A growl echoed from within him. As Dokyun watched the scene, he felt a wave of emotion wash over him.
Ah…
How long had it been? It had been so, so long. The memories of the past week flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern, magnifying the overwhelming feeling.
He recalled Eun-seol, who had tormented him with an endless parade of monstrous food; the little brat, who had tormented him with her unreasonable tantrums; and Eun-sam, who had made his head spin from the moment he opened his eyes to the moment he closed them.
At the end of that memory reel, he looked at the girl in the kitchen again, and it was as if he could see pure white wings sprouting from her back.
Why were his eyes getting misty? Even though it was a happy moment, a strange sadness welled up, creating a lump in his throat. Dokyun slowly walked to the kitchen and hugged her from behind.
“Nnngh?”
Feeling his arms around her, she lifted her head. When her eyes met his, she smiled again.
Dokyun trembled for a moment with overwhelming emotion, then returned her smile with one of his own and looked at what she was cooking.
Bread, meat, and a few vegetables.
It looked like she was making sandwiches.
Watching her hands skillfully prepare the ingredients, he thought she was being quite ambitious for breakfast. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead, offering his thanks.
“Thank you.”
“Hmm…?”
Tilt. Seeing her tilt her head, Dokyun’s smile deepened as he continued.
“You’re going to so much trouble for me this early in the morning. I’m just so grateful.”
His words registered, and with a small “Ah,” she replied, her face full of happiness.
“I-If it makes you happy, Honeybee, then I’m happy too…”
She ducked her head again as she spoke.
So gentle.
She looked like an angel descended from heaven.
The scene was so idyllic that it made him wonder if such monsters could truly exist inside this gentle girl, or if he had simply been dreaming it all.
As that thought continued, a question suddenly surfaced, and Dokyun let his mind wander.
But what happens if all the personalities integrate into one?
He pictured the scene in his mind. He and Eun-ah, sitting on the sofa. After clinging to him for a while, she would lift her head to look at him.
A pure white smile would blossom on her face.
“Yo, dude. The princess wants some of that top-tier kalguksu.”
Flinch!
A shiver ran down his spine. A cold sweat trickled down his back.
Creeak.
His head turned stiffly toward the girl who was cooking.
Sensing his movement, she looked up at him, a question in her eyes. Dokyun managed an awkward smile in response.
“It’s nothing.”
“Hehe… I-I’m almost done… s-so just wait a little longer…!”
“Okay.”
After she finished speaking and turned her gaze back to the cutting board, Dokyun shook off the thought that had sent a shock through his entire body.
No way…
It couldn’t be.
There’s no way such a monster could exist in this world.
It was probably just his imagination. Like a monster in the closet that only exists in a child’s mind.
As Dokyun tried to erase his anxiety, the food was finished. The two moved to the table and began to eat.
Dokyun stared down at the sandwich in his hand.
Between the golden-brown bread was a thick slice of meat, and a delicious-looking sauce dripped down between the colorful vegetables.
“G-Go on, try it…”
He glanced over and saw her staring at him intently, waiting for him to take a bite.
Dokyun gave a small nod, opened his mouth wide, and took a bite of the sandwich.
The rich flavor of the meat and sauce overwhelmed his palate, while the texture of the crisp vegetables and bread provided a stable, delicious foundation.
As expected, Go Eun-ah’s cooking was the best.
Her overwhelming skill made the food he’d cooked over the past few days seem like garbage. It was a flawless perfection that humbled the pride he had started to feel.
Dokyun happily savored her cooking, which he hadn’t had in a while, then shifted his gaze to look at her.
She was still watching him, her expression tinged with nervousness. It was an attitude that was clearly asking for his review.
Feeling a smile escape his lips, Dokyun spoke.
“As expected, your cooking is the most delicious.”
At his answer, her face finally brightened, and she let out a laugh to express her joy.
“Hehe… E-Eat a lot…!”
“You should eat too, Eun-ah.”
Dokyun replied, waiting for her to start eating.
She didn’t take good care of herself, so he felt he had to. As he watched her, she picked up her own sandwich with an awkward expression and took a bite.
Her cheeks were stuffed with the sandwich as she looked up at him. Seeing her break into a lovely eye-smile, Dokyun gave a small nod and resumed his meal.
After they finished eating, Dokyun decided he should at least handle the cleanup. He had her sit down while he took care of it. When he returned to the living room, Eun-ah shot up from her seat and clung to him.
Watching her hug him tightly with a happy laugh, Dokyun felt a warmth rise from within him and spoke.
“You’re a total clinger.”
He said it playfully.
In response, Eun-ah looked up at him, her face bright, and replied.
“Yep…! I’m your clinger, Honeybee…!”
He felt the arms around his waist tighten.
As if to prove her words, she was holding on with all her might.
Her reaction sparked his playful side again. Dokyun made a mischievous face and spoke once more.
“Then… if you’re a clinger like gum, does that mean you’ll come off when I wash up?”
Flinch!
Her body trembled.
Then, the face looking up at him scrunched up in thought. After pondering for a long while, her eyes widened as she blurted out her answer.
“Th-Then I’ll be a waterproof clinger…!”
With that, she pressed herself against him again, a happy laugh on her face.
A waterproof clinger.
The choice of words was so funny that Dokyun chuckled, raising a hand to stroke her hair.
“Shall we go wash up now, then?”
“Okay…!”
Seeing her nod in response, Dokyun bent down slightly and lifted her into his arms.
“Eek…!”
Startled by the sudden movement, Eun-ah stared at him with wide, rabbit-like eyes. Dokyun grinned and continued.
“A clinger can’t fall off, right?”
Blink, blink.
Her eyes blinked a few times before she seemed to understand what he meant. She nodded vigorously in reply.
“R-Right…!”
Dokyun chuckled at her dopey tone, adjusted his hold on her, and opened his mouth.
“Shall we go, then?”
“Okay…!”
She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
Feeling a sense of fulfillment slowly welling up inside him, Dokyun started walking.