Chapter 45: Caught Between Frames

Click.

Click.

Click…

The shutter sound echoed in his head as if it had become a reverberation.

So-won’s heart dropped.

The single second it took to process what had happened felt endlessly long, as though time itself had frozen.

This is bad.

An emergency siren blared in So-won’s mind.

Eight years later, his phone no longer made a shutter sound.

He hadn’t even thought about the fact that the phone he was using now was different.

So-won hurriedly hid his smartphone.

But Tae-woo’s dark eyes were already fixed on him.

So-won’s body stiffened with a crack.

That expressionless face—one that revealed nothing of his thoughts—made So-won even more tense today than usual.

Gulp.

So-won swallowed.

Perhaps because of his nerves, the sound of it felt almost as loud as the shutter itself.

It was loud enough that he briefly wondered if he’d accidentally pressed the shutter again.

Come to think of it… wasn’t this, taking a photo without permission?

He considered pretending he hadn’t been photographing Tae-woo at all, but the camera lens had been pointed far too honestly in his direction.

And now that he thought about it, Tae-woo disliked having his picture taken.

That was why it was hard to find photos of him online.

Yet here he was, having secretly taken one without permission.

What if Tae-woo gets upset?

Because he knew he was in the wrong, So-won couldn’t bring himself to meet Tae-woo’s eyes.

Every time he even slightly turned his gaze toward him, their eyes met immediately, so all So-won could do was dart his gaze anxiously and stare at the floor.

His neck gradually drew inward, turtle-like.

“It… came out really well.

Would you like to see it…?”

So-won squeezed his eyes shut.

Once again, he realized just how terrible he was with words.

He should’ve apologized first.

But after apologizing, he had no courage to explain why he’d taken the photo in the first place.

Saying he took it because Tae-woo looked handsome today was something he couldn’t say even with a knife at his throat.

If he said that, Tae-woo would surely think he was being teased.

He tried to come up with a lie instead—but his lying skills were so abysmal that it would only make the atmosphere even colder.

“…No.”

After a long silence, Tae-woo finally spoke and turned his gaze away.

The simplicity of the response only made So-won more restless.

So-won’s face turned pale.

Just moments ago, he’d been comfortably full, but now his stomach churned like he’d eaten something bad.

He couldn’t even lift his chopsticks anymore.

“Thank you very much.

Please visit us again.”

By the time he came back to his senses, even the moment to apologize had passed.

At some point, Tae-woo had already paid the bill.

So-won couldn’t even remember how they got home.

Inside the car, nothing but a suffocating silence lingered.

So-won clasped his hands together and couldn’t lift his head, as if he’d committed a mortal sin.

The pocket where he’d stuffed his phone felt heavy, as though it contained a lump of iron.

But what bothered him most was that Tae-woo hadn’t asked him anything.

If only he’d asked—anything—So-won could’ve told the truth, or at least tried to scrape together some kind of excuse.

But all the way home, Tae-woo truly didn’t open his mouth even once.

Normally, Tae-woo not initiating conversation was nothing unusual, but tonight, So-won desperately wished he would say something first.

“…It really did come out well.”

So-won murmured as he looked at Tae-woo’s photo.

He couldn’t bring himself to say it to Tae-woo, who was in the next room, so he lay on his bed and muttered to himself as if making excuses.

No matter how many times he looked at it, it really was a good photo.

The slightly angled profile, the sharp nose, the firmly pressed lips.

So-won couldn’t tear his eyes away from the image for a long time.

For eight years, the only way he could look at Tae-woo’s face this closely—after avoiding him for so long—was through a photograph.

He might not have been able to see him, but he remembered every sensation.

The seemingly indifferent gaze directed at him.

The bridge of his nose brushing against him when they kissed.

His lips—slightly rough, yet hot.

As the increasingly embarrassing thoughts deepened, heat crept up So-won’s face.

Rationally speaking, he should delete the photo right now.

But… he didn’t want to erase with his own hands the only photo he’d managed to take in eight years.

It was nearing midnight.

After staring blankly at Tae-woo’s image for a long while, So-won finally noticed how much time had slipped by and slowly got up from the bed.

This should be enough time to brace myself.

“Tae-woo, I’m coming in.”

So-won quietly turned the doorknob.

When he stepped inside, his eyes met Tae-woo’s—who had been sitting silently on the bed, doing nothing.

So-won awkwardly looked away, closed the door softly, and walked toward him.

Only a small lamp was lit, leaving the room dim.

Yet it was bright enough for So-won to clearly see Tae-woo’s expression—and the dark red veins running along his arms.

And that visibility wasn’t one-sided; Tae-woo could no doubt see So-won’s tightly wound, nervous face just as clearly.

So-won hesitated, then sat down beside Tae-woo and fumbled out the words he’d prepared before coming in.

“The D-rank gate that opened earlier…

They say other Espers gathered and cleared it in three hours.”

“I see.”

“No one was injured, and the damage was minimal, apparently.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“So… you really didn’t need to go, Tae-woo.”

So-won said as he fidgeted with his fingers.

Tae-woo’s hand lay right beside his, and he could’ve spoken while guiding—but if he did, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to keep still even for a second, and would only disturb Tae-woo’s mind.

Carefully, he continued.

“Since I hung up the phone…

Will that cause you any trouble…?”

Ever since he’d cut the call from the Association, it had been gnawing at him.

He thought it would probably be fine since it was only D-rank—but separate from that, he worried he might have caused Tae-woo trouble because of his actions.

He regretted whether he’d done something reckless just for the sake of having dinner together.

“No.

If it had truly been urgent, they would’ve sent an emergency call.”

Tae-woo shook his head.

“I apologize for not prioritizing my promise with you, Mr. Lee So-won.”

And then—he apologized.

When the one who should’ve been apologizing was him.

So-won hesitated before finally managing to speak.

“I’m sorry, too…

For taking your photo without permission.

If it bothered you, I’ll delete it right away.”

His voice trembled the entire time he said it.

It felt like confessing a misdeed to his parents as a child.

But even then, he couldn’t bring himself to say why he’d taken the photo.

It was embarrassing—mortifying—to admit that Tae-woo had looked especially handsome today.

“It’s fine.”

So-won had already been holding his phone, ready to delete the photo immediately if Tae-woo asked.

Thankfully, he didn’t.

Letting out a quiet breath of relief, So-won slipped the phone under his pillow.

Now I can finally guide him properly.

So-won placed his hand over the back of Tae-woo’s hand.

When he lifted his head, he found Tae-woo staring intently at his hair—no doubt a mess from being roughly ruffled the moment he’d gotten home.

“However…

May I ask why you took the photo?”

At Tae-woo’s question, So-won froze completely.

That was the one thing he didn’t want to be asked.

He’d assumed Tae-woo wouldn’t bring it up at all.

And with their eyes already locked, he couldn’t even pretend he hadn’t heard.

He had to answer.

He had to—

…His mind went completely blank.

“…..”

Tae-woo quietly observed him.

He’d asked out of simple curiosity, but what he saw was a face filled with shock.

So-won’s complexion gradually drained of color until his whole body stiffened.

The hand resting on Tae-woo’s knuckles twitched nonstop.

As time passed like that, his eyes began darting about frantically.

Even the guiding flowing through his hand seemed to reflect So-won’s state of mind—bouncing erratically.

It was different from the calm, steady flow Tae-woo was used to.

But… this wasn’t bad either.

Throughout it all, So-won couldn’t say a single word.

Tae-woo wondered if the question had been too uncomfortable and was about to say he didn’t need to answer—

When So-won’s lips finally moved.

“…Because…”

A voice so quiet it might not have carried even if whispered into his ear.

But Tae-woo, sitting right beside him, heard it clearly.

“…You suddenly looked really handsome today.

That’s why… I did it….”

“…Pardon?”

Hearing the bewilderment in Tae-woo’s voice, So-won couldn’t lift his head.

He had never seen Tae-woo look flustered before.

But he was certain that if he looked up now, Tae-woo would be wearing an utterly stunned expression.

“…..”

“…..”

Silence fell.

So-won’s palm grew damp with sweat.

When he pulled his hand back from Tae-woo’s and placed it on his knee, his posture ended up looking like he was kneeling.

The atmosphere sank even further.

So-won stared at the tightly closed door.

‘I’ve never wanted to run away from Tae-woo’s room this badly before.’