Chapter 105: Heat, Rain, and Rising Tension

“Haa….”

It would be a relief if the rain eased even a little, but the news only repeated how severe the downpour was and how long it was expected to continue.

Hyunwoo stared at the TV screen with a serious expression for a long time.

“…Hyung.”

“Hm?”

He had been so focused on the TV that he didn’t hear Sunghyuk properly.

Startled, Hyunwoo turned his head.

Through the slightly open bathroom door, Sunghyuk peeked out at him.

“W-why?”

Hyunwoo stuttered, startled.
He asked again.

“…When does the hot water come out?”

“…….”

In an old inn like this, hot water didn’t come out immediately.

Sunghyuk had probably never washed in a place like this before.

Even Hyunwoo—before possessing this body—had never imagined it.

Of course he’d be confused.

Hyunwoo sighed and explained.

“You have to wait a bit.”

“I did wait.”

“Wait a little longer and it’ll come out.”

“But it still doesn’t come out.”

“…….”

It was endless.

Hyunwoo eventually gave up trying to explain.

He walked over to the bathroom and swung the door open.

“……!”

“Right. If you wait a little, it won’t come out. You have to leave the water running and wait a long time.”

Frowning, Hyunwoo strode to the shower head.

Sunghyuk must have turned it off after waiting what was, to him, “long enough” with no result.
Impatient guy.

Clicking his tongue, Hyunwoo turned the water back on.

Then he crossed his arms and waited.

In a place like this, the boiler was barely functioning.

And since it was an old system, it took a long time for the water to turn warm.

It was summer, so a cold shower wouldn’t be an issue normally—

—but they were soaked to the bone today.

A cold wash would be bad for their health.

“…Um, hyung.”

“What now?”

Annoyed, Hyunwoo turned toward the voice—

—and froze.

Sunghyuk stood there, covering only the essential part of his body with his hand, looking awkward and embarrassed.

Only then did Hyunwoo remember that Sunghyuk was completely naked.

“Oh—sorry…!”

“…….”

Hyunwoo apologized in a panic and rushed out of the bathroom.

Even after closing the door, he continued speaking while staring straight ahead.

“It takes a long time. Just… wait a bit more.”

“Yes.”

“Ahem. Ahem.”

Hyunwoo cleared his throat awkwardly.

For some reason, he couldn’t settle down.

His face flushed red, and he desperately tried to think of something else.

But all he could see in his mind was Sunghyuk’s naked body from seconds earlier.

Why was his skin so pale even though he was a man?

And like a proper dominant Alpha, his body was strong and toned.

From the chest definition all the way down to the abs—

“Hhk…!”

Catching himself fantasizing again, Hyunwoo jerked in shock.

Was he possessed by a pervert demon or something?

Of all people, why was he thinking that way about Sunghyuk?

He must have lost his mind.

Any intimate contact they’d had was only because of rut.

Pheromones—nothing more, nothing less.

Yet one glimpse of a naked body and he was flustered like this.

Pitiful.

Shhhhh…

Soon, the sound of Sunghyuk showering came through the door.

He must have waited for the hot water like Hyunwoo said.

Hyunwoo nodded to himself, then turned his head.

“…….”

The bedding caught his eye.

A thick mat, one thin blanket, and two pillows.

Only one blanket.

He and Sunghyuk would have to share it.

If this were before his regression, he would have longed for such a moment.

But now, it felt like a disaster.

“Haah….”

Hyunwoo felt tonight was going to be exhausting.

Buzz, buzz.

“Ah.”

His phone vibrated as he was drying off the remaining moisture.

His clothes were drenched earlier, so of course his phone got soaked too—
but thankfully it was waterproof.

He picked it up.

“Yes, this is Joo Hyunwoo.”

— Director, this is Junghoon.

“How are you feeling now?”

— Ha… I’m ashamed.

“It’s fine. Honestly, maybe being sick was the better outcome today.”

— Um… where are you now? I called Team Leader Kim, but I couldn’t reach you at all. I was really worried.

“I’m staying at a nearby inn with intern Lee Sunghyuk.”

Hyunwoo explained everything that had happened.

Thankfully, headquarters had let employees go home early before the rain worsened.

Junghoon, who came in later, got stuck dealing with the chaos.

He’d been trying to reach Hyunwoo nonstop and panicked when he couldn’t.

Now that he knew Hyunwoo was safe, he sounded relieved—admitting he’d had a few bad thoughts earlier.

Seoul really was a disaster zone.

“We’ll head back as soon as the rain eases. You be careful too.”

— Yes, understood. Please return safely.

“Mm.”

After ending the call, Hyunwoo exhaled deeply.

At least the company side was settled.
All they could do now was wait for this damned rain to stop.

Luckily it was Friday—
otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to sit still like this.

“Haa… we really need to get home soon.”

He always had to spend weekends at home, so being stuck outside was uncomfortable.

And he wasn’t even alone—
he was with Sunghyuk.

Who knew what might happen?

His heart kept pounding nervously.

— Breaking news. Seoul’s XX Station has flooded and all trains have been suspended. In addition, XX Station and XX Station…

“Huh?”

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened.

XX Station?

Wasn’t that near his company?

The amount of rain pouring down in Seoul must be unbelievable.

“Haa… damn.”

He stared blankly at the footage of the flooded station.

A subway car filled with water beyond the door, the liquid shimmering like in a movie CGI scene.

It looked unreal.

But it was real—footage recorded by a passenger inside.

If the door opened even a little, it felt like water would burst in.

Terrifying.

Hyunwoo let out a half-laugh of disbelief.

Everything felt surreal.

Buzz, buzz.

“Ah.”

His phone vibrated again.

Seeing the name, he answered immediately.

“Oh, Hyunjin.”

— Hyung, where are you?

“Well, I….”

— I don’t think I can go home today.

“What?”

Hyunwoo had been about to explain but raised his voice in shock.

Hyunjin continued calmly.

— The café is flooded. We can’t leave. I’m staying upstairs in the building with the staff.

“Ah… I just saw the news. Are you okay?”

— Yeah, don’t worry. I’m fine.

“Haa….”

XX Station wasn’t just near his company—
it was even closer to Hyunjin’s café.

He felt stupid for not realizing it immediately.

“Good. I’m glad you evacuated. You must’ve been scared.”

— Yeah, a bit. But I’m okay. You live long enough, you see all kinds of things.

“Haha….”

He sounded like a seventy-year-old man.

They said this was the heaviest rain in eighty years.

Probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

There definitely wasn’t a storm like this in the previous timeline.

Hyunwoo continued.

“Actually, I went on a business trip today and got stuck because of the rain. So I found a place to stay nearby. Not sure when I can go back.”

— Really? Are you okay?

“Of course. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be answering your call.”

— Ha… everything’s a mess.

“Yeah. It’s crazy.”

Hyunwoo clicked his tongue.

Because of the rain, both he and Hyunjin were stranded somewhere.
How absurd.

— By the way, hyung… are you alone right now?

“Huh?”

— I was wondering if you went on the business trip alone.

“Well… that is….”

There it was—the uncomfortable question.

Hyunwoo closed his eyes tightly.

He could lie, but Hyunjin could call Sunghyuk anytime and confirm the truth.

It was safer to be honest.

Tensing up, Hyunwoo opened his mouth.

“Well, actually… Hyunjin, I’m—”

— Are you with Lee Sunghyuk?

“……!”

Before Hyunwoo could say anything, Hyunjin asked first.

The sharpness of the question made Hyunwoo freeze.

Was Hyunjin reading minds now?

Hyunwoo let out a long sigh.

He had no choice but to answer.