Chapter 14: A Shared Read at Dawn

Fortunately, as I took a step closer, the light illuminated the figure, revealing it to be none other than Ma Won-ho.

Startled belatedly, the spots where I had collided throbbed with persistent pain. I instinctively rubbed my knee, which had taken the brunt of the impact, yet the sharp ache showed no immediate signs of subsiding.

Oblivious to Dohwa’s discomfort, Ma Won-ho merely chuckled, then settled down beside him.

“I intentionally made some noise, but it seems you didn’t notice. Were you very surprised? You hit pretty hard, that must sting.”

This time, his eyes crinkled with amusement, mirroring the upward curve of his lips.

Even without seeing his expression, Dohwa’s brow furrowed at the sheer playfulness in his voice.

Once the pain receded, Dohwa removed his hand from his knee and closed his laptop screen. Ma Won-ho, however, remained seated beside him, openly staring with his chin propped in his hand.

“I’m fine.”

Meeting his gaze, Dohwa dismissed all his unspoken questions with that single, curt reply.

‘Upon closer inspection, his clothes seemed different from earlier. So, it appeared everyone had a separate set of sleepwear after all.’

The faint moonlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow within. Unlike Dohwa, who sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa, Ma Won-ho was practically sprawled across it.

The silence between them felt comfortable, a moment of unforced ease.

“Don’t you usually sleep at this hour?”

“…No. You too, Ma Won-ho?”

“I’m also the type who concentrates best in the early hours.”

Ma Won-ho’s words carried the same relaxed cadence Dohwa had observed in the video.

Like Ma Won-ho, Dohwa was also a night owl, his most productive creative hours always falling between the late night and early dawn.

‘I’d been trying so hard to ignore it, yet here the person himself was.’

He was a constant reminder of the day’s events. As Dohwa’s concentration shattered and he stared blankly ahead, Ma Won-ho spoke up once more from beside him.

“Speaking of which, it seems we’re on the same wavelength.”

“Oh.”

When Ma Won-ho gestured, holding something up, Dohwa turned his head to see a book in his hand. He recognized it instantly, simply from its cover.

“Shannon’s new work?”

“Exactly. I picked it up at the bookstore yesterday, but I haven’t had a chance to read it.”

“…Me neither.”

The same book was placed next to Dohwa’s laptop.

It was a collection of sci-fi fantasy short stories by the renowned author Shannon, a recent release.

It was a strange coincidence, encountering each other in the quiet hours of dawn, both holding the exact same book while the rest of the house slept. He almost asked if Ma Won-ho typically enjoyed this genre, but then held back.

‘He wouldn’t know about my work, though.’

Dohwa resolved not to succumb to overthinking.

“You brought it to read, didn’t you? Well, let’s read it together then. The ambiance is great, but we don’t want to ruin our eyesight, so I’ll just switch on the light.”

Dohwa’s answer seemed inconsequential, as Ma Won-ho immediately flipped on the light.

The previously dim space was instantly flooded with light, forcing Dohwa to wait a moment for his eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness.

As the room fully illuminated, Ma Won-ho came into clear view, dressed in a navy blue short-sleeved shirt and matching shorts. He exuded an air of easygoing freedom.

“Not much difference.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Let’s just read.”

Ma Won-ho murmured softly, his gaze fixed on Dohwa.

‘What difference was he referring to?’

Ma Won-ho casually brushed off the question, holding his book like an impenetrable shield, and turned a page. Dohwa, momentarily dumbfounded, watched him before settling into a comfortable reading posture of his own.

The book, which he hadn’t expected to fully engage with, drew Dohwa in as if by some powerful enchantment. The presence of someone beside him ceased to matter.

How much longer did they remain in that absorbed state?

In the quiet space, where only the rustle of turning pages had echoed, Ma Won-ho was the one to break the silence. A restless stirring from beside him naturally shattered Dohwa’s concentration.

“Do you know it’s been over an hour?”

“Already?”

Dohwa, glancing at the book rather than a clock, realized he had devoured a substantial portion of it. He estimated he could likely finish the remainder in another hour or so.

Watching Ma Won-ho rise to his feet and stretch, Dohwa, too, lightly rolled his shoulders.

‘I’m thirsty, and I need to use the restroom.’

The physiological needs he had pushed aside began to subtly reassert themselves.

“Are you going to read more?”

“Yes, I can’t sleep if I don’t finish it.”

“Then I’ll go downstairs and get some water and snacks.”

“……Thank you.”

A knowing grin spread across Ma Won-ho’s face at Dohwa’s declaration that he couldn’t sleep without finishing the book.

‘Going all the way downstairs would have been a hassle, so this works out well.’

In contrast to the brightly lit room, the rest of the house remained largely dark, its lights unswitched. While Ma Won-ho headed downstairs, Dohwa made a quick trip to the second-floor restroom.

Ma Won-ho returned, a tray laden with water, milk, and cookies clutched in his hands.

“Hae-il isn’t sleeping yet either.”

“Kang Hae-il too?”

A glance at the clock revealed it was already three in the morning.

Dohwa had flinched slightly at the casual way Ma Won-ho referred to Kang Hae-il, but Ma Won-ho, peeling the wrapper from a cookie, quickly clarified the matter.

“We dropped the formalities earlier. I got caught rummaging around the kitchen when I went to get water, and he was right there. If you’d gone, Dohwa, he’d probably have been whining again, wouldn’t he?”

He added that he himself had been startled, having illuminated the dark kitchen with his phone’s flashlight.

‘He’s still awake this late.’

It wasn’t really Dohwa’s place to comment, especially since this was now his own usual pattern.

As they resumed reading, the quiet was no longer punctuated solely by the rustle of turning pages, but also by the crunch of cookies and the soft glug of milk.

“…Should I bring more?”

“I’m fine, but if you want more, I’ll get it.”

“Then just leave it.”

He usually had another meal in the early hours, but having skipped it, his hand kept reaching for the cookies until they were quickly, entirely gone.

Catching Ma Won-ho’s incredulous expression, Dohwa felt a flush of embarrassment and lowered his gaze. Yet, after finishing the milk, a rather pleasant sense of fullness settled over him.

Another hour flowed by, and when Dohwa finally resurfaced from his absorption…

As Dohwa turned the final page, the clock had just ticked past four in the morning. He was typically a fast reader when immersed, so he glanced over to find Ma Won-ho still engrossed in his own book.

Witnessing his serious, unsmiling face now, it suddenly felt strangely unfamiliar.

It was then he realized, for the first time, that Ma Won-ho had maintained a subtle, upward curve to his lips, a gentle smile, throughout the entire day.

‘I’d always thought Kang Hae-il had the most intimidating look.’

The intensity in his eyes as he read was striking, almost luminous.

Comparing their expressions at this moment, an unexpected similarity in their aura became apparent.

“You’re going to wear out my face.”

“Uh… I’m sorry.”

“I’ve finished reading, so you can look all you want now.”

Ma Won-ho, clearly aware of Dohwa’s prolonged stare, offered a smile as he spoke. Dohwa, jolted from his earnest thoughts, stammered an apology in his embarrassment.

Ma Won-ho, having finished his book, set it aside and propped his face on one arm, his gaze now openly fixed on Dohwa.

‘Since he caught me staring, I can hardly tell him not to look back.’

He fidgeted with the hand resting on the floor, then his eyes landed on the empty tray, prompting him to rise.

“I’ll go clear this away.”

“Let’s go together.”

No sooner had Dohwa risen than Ma Won-ho sprang up with him, immediately taking hold of the tray. Given the context of their conversation, Dohwa was meant to clear it, and Ma Won-ho merely to accompany him, yet…

‘Why was he the one empty-handed?’

“I’ll carry it this time.”

“We wouldn’t want it to break. Just shine your light well ahead.”

With no room for negotiation, Ma Won-ho strode ahead, and Dohwa hastily switched on his phone’s flashlight, following close behind. Unable to run, he quickened his pace to match, illuminating the path before Ma Won-ho.

Descending to the first floor, they found themselves enveloped in absolute darkness.

‘Kang Hae-il appeared here without a sound; I might have actually fainted.’

He tidied the tray, refilling only the water glass, and then ascended back upstairs. His earlier resolve not to descend again proved futile; the single trip downstairs had completely drained his energy.

“……Aren’t you sleepy?”

“I wonder. When will I ever sleep?”

When Dohwa asked, observing the remarkably alert Ma Won-ho, the latter merely blinked his sparkling, luminous eyes back at him.

“It doesn’t look like you’re heading to bed just yet. So, how was the book?”

On the table, two books lay side-by-side, their covers identical.

After a brief silence, Dohwa mentally replayed the story, organizing his thoughts before finally speaking his impressions.

“Perhaps because it’s his first book in three years, it seems to encompass so many worlds, so many layers of meaning. Personally, the most striking part for me was the third episode, where…”

“Ah, that scene. The depiction was quite shocking and raw, wasn’t it?”

The depth of human emotion.

As they shared their impressions of the book, a natural conversation flowed between them, as if a bond had formed from reading in the same space.

Ma Won-ho’s commentary, however, felt somewhat dispassionate, more like an evaluator than a typical reader. Dohwa simply attributed it to everyone having their own unique way of engaging with a book.

“Have you read any books you really enjoyed?”

“……Hmm.”

After a brief pause, Ma Won-ho mentioned a book Dohwa had indeed read.

‘I see what his style is now.’

Through their exchange about books, Dohwa began to grasp what Ma Won-ho focused on and what he enjoyed. While tastes were naturally diverse, there were a few overlaps with Dohwa’s own.

As they conversed, the sun had already begun to rise outside the window.

‘Well, it’s Saturday, so at least the broadcast will let me sleep in a bit.’

Deciding it was best to give up on breakfast, Dohwa concluded their conversation and returned to his room.

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