Chapter 86: The Unexpected Retreat and a First Taste of Peace

The place was an outlying area situated north of the city. The entire coniferous forest, bordering the bulkhead, was Sagyeol’s private property, and it was also an area where civilian access was restricted due to frequent gate openings.

“These nearby gates have stopped opening as well. By the time we reach the core, all the gates might truly disappear.”

He surveyed the forest with a serious expression. Indeed, clearings where trees had fallen unnaturally, as if struck by artillery, came into view. Snow lay piled gracefully in every clearing, proving that no one had set foot there for a long time.

“Sagyeol.”

“Hmm.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

I frowned, closing the car door. No sooner had the door latched than the car sped away. I watched its rapidly receding tail lights in bewilderment before turning my gaze to an even more absurd sight.

A winter forest. Snow. A cabin.

Though these words evoked peace, my mind, facing them, was anything but tranquil.

“Didn’t you say we were going home?”

“This is home.”

Sagyeol shamelessly pointed towards the villa.

“A home registered under my name.”

“…”

“Let’s go inside.”

It struck me as odd how quiet he had been since I got in the car, considering he usually started teasing me immediately. I narrowed my eyes.

Sagyeol, feigning ignorance, tugged at my arm. Annoyed, I resisted him at first. To my surprise, he didn’t pull harder but instead attempted to persuade me.

“We’re already here, aren’t we? Going back would just be a waste of time. I was going to rest for two days anyway; only the location has changed.”

Seeing him insist there was no issue, I ultimately sighed.

“I’ve felt this for a while now.”

“Yes?”

“Just when I think you couldn’t possibly get any more shameless, you somehow evolve to be even more so every single time.”

“Shameless, you say?”

That languid smile, one I could now picture even with my eyes closed, played on his lips.

“Call it skillful instead.”

“…”

Giving up, I started walking. Sagyeol escorted me with practiced ease. His movements were even more courteous than what I had experienced at the department store. I considered pulling away, but then decided to let him be, curious to see how far he would take it.

Upon entering the building, I found that while its exterior resembled a rustic lodge, the interior was entirely modern. It was spacious, comfortable, and impeccably clean. Looking only at the wooden facade and antique glass windows, one would never imagine such an interior.

“Isn’t there a severe disparity between the exterior and interior?”

“It’s about preserving the aesthetic while also embracing practicality.”

Sagyeol naturally leaned in to kiss me, attempting to remove my clothes.

“Wait a moment.”

“Now what?”

He openly expressed his dissatisfaction. I sensed a ferocity that suggested if I stopped him twice, my neck and nipples would be utterly ravaged tonight. Still, I couldn’t back down.

“There’s something… I absolutely need to tell you.”

My voice trembled as I spoke. It wasn’t just my voice; my fingertips were subtly shaking. Clutching them, I lowered my head, unable to meet his gaze.

He didn’t ask why I was suddenly acting this way. Sagyeol, who had been quietly observing me, placed a hand on my left chest.

“Is this about this scar?”

“…!!”

“There’s no need to be so surprised.”

“How did you know?”

“Because it’s the only thing left.”

His pressing touch grew more intimate. It felt as if he were tracing bare skin, not just the fabric of my clothes. Unable to bear it any longer, I placed my hand over his, gritting my teeth as I spoke.

“Perhaps it would be better if you didn’t know.”

“There are certainly people who prefer to remain ignorant rather than face the truth and despair. But I am not one of them.”

Having finished his words, Sagyeol kissed me. His tongue tapped against my clenched teeth, as if urging me to stop. Strength drained from my body as if by magic. A faintly cool warmth expanded, enveloping me, and when I regained my senses, I found myself held tightly in his embrace.

“Especially when it comes to you, I have no intention of compromising on anything.”

Before I could utter a word, Sagyeol lifted me clean off my feet.

Thump!

My head collided with the ceiling. It was a disaster caused by the low ceiling height near the entrance. Sagyeol, startled, gasped and loosened his grip, causing my body to drop swiftly.

I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or pretend nothing had happened.

“Are you… all right…?”

Sagyeol’s shoulders shook, and his mouth twitched. Anyone could see he was trying to suppress his laughter. I fixed my expression and raised one eyebrow.

“Are you laughing?”

“…My apologies.”

It was a mishap that occurred because we both forgot how tall we were.

Thud.

Dust and debris rained down. When I looked up, I saw a circular indentation in the ceiling. It was a hole perfectly matching the diameter of my head.

“Ahem. Cough. Cough!”

Sagyeol, having seen the same thing, coughed as if he were about to die. When I gave him a cold, exasperated look, he bit his tongue and composed himself.

“So, what you were trying to say earlier—”

‘What could I possibly say in this atmosphere?’

“Let’s eat dinner first.”

The commercial refrigerator, easily large enough for two people to stand inside, was brimming with fresh groceries. There was enough food to last at least a week. Turning back in disbelief, I saw Sagyeol shrug his shoulders.

“We’ll stay for about three days and then head back.”

“Then this amount…?”

“It’s better to have too much than not enough.”

He naturally moved closer, closing the refrigerator door. His hand slid over, covering the back of mine. A stream of kisses followed, light and unreserved, gracing my lips, cheeks, and neck. I pushed Sagyeol’s forehead back with my palm, speaking as he was absorbed in the moment.

“Three days is too long. Didn’t you clearly say two days earlier?”

“Thanks to those ‘foals’ you brought, we’ve progressed several times faster, so it’s fine. I’ve also told them to contact me if the labyrinth gets blocked. If I truly need them, I’ll call them.”

With him saying that, I had no further arguments. Sagyeol chuckled, then produced an apron from somewhere and put it on. On the front, a white dog with its paws exposed was depicted, its mouth open.

I asked vaguely.

“Are you going to cook yourself?”

“There are only two of us, so of course I will.”

He offered me a spare apron, mine adorned with a cat baking bread.

Deciding on the menu wasn’t difficult. This was largely due to the limited number of dishes both of us could prepare.

“So, for something simple, pasta with some grilled meat… and a salad?”

“We also have bread, don’t we?”

“Yes. Bread with just jam and butter can make a delicious meal.”

Sagyeol’s eyes narrowed.

“Well, I suppose I’d be content with just jam and butter.”

‘Why is he looking at my chest as he says that?’

As I glared at him, he merely shrugged and began washing the salad vegetables.

The dinner preparation, which seemed straightforward enough, ran into trouble barely five minutes after it began.

“To make pasta, I’ll need to boil the noodles first, right? Should I use the whole bag? How much water do I need?”

“…”

“There’s no sauce. Hmm. We have tomatoes, so I suppose I’ll have to make tomato sauce. The recipe says… just chop and mash them, then season. So, I just put everything in the blender, grind it, and then boil it.”

‘What makes you think that would work?’

I raised a hand and pressed it to my forehead. This was doomed. An undeniable sense of foreboding began to swell in the kitchen.

“Why? Is something wrong?”

The real problem was that he didn’t even know if there was a problem. Having concluded my deliberation, I firmly gripped Sagyeol’s shoulder.

“Sagyeol.”

“Hmm?”

“Be honest. You can’t cook, can you?”

“No. It’s not that I can’t cook, but rather—”

“I said, ‘be honest.'”

“…”

“Go sit down.”

Though his dejected departure from the sink made me feel a little sorry for him, I steeled my resolve. I was incredibly hungry, and I absolutely wanted to avoid a situation where we’d end up boiling instant noodles after a cooking disaster.

Of course, my own cooking skills weren’t outstanding either, and I felt burdened by the situation, with an abundance of fresh ingredients and seasonings but almost no pre-made sauces. However, at least I knew my limitations.

‘Since we have salad dressing, I’ll make cold pasta.’

I diligently searched through my device, prioritizing the simplest recipes. I put water on to boil, added a pinch of salt, and set a timer. Now, all that remained was…

‘The meat.’

Sizzle.

I placed the meat onto the heated frying pan. It was beef, though I didn’t know the cut. Even simply grilled and seasoned with just salt and pepper, it melted in my mouth, which was all the confirmation I needed that it was expensive.

After a delicious meal, Sagyeol praised my cooking skills profusely while doing the dishes. When I, embarrassed, told him to stop, he eventually even added a melody.

“My darling can make pasta so well~ and grill steak perfectly~”

Ultimately, I strode over and smacked him in the side.

Cough.

I hadn’t even hit him that hard, yet he was so dramatic.

While in the kitchen, I brewed some coffee. I gave a cup to Sagyeol, who had finished the dishes, and returned to the living room.

I put on something random on the screen that filled the entire wall and sprawled out on the wide, bed-like sofa, passing the time. Though I had opposed coming here, now that I was here, I felt it would be a loss not to rest, and even besides that.

‘This is comfortable.’

When was the last time my body and mind felt this at ease? I paused, having conventionally thought that I couldn’t even remember.

‘Had it ever happened?’

Indeed.

Reflecting on my past life, I realized there had never been a time when my body or mind was truly at ease. I had simply lived indifferently, having always assumed that was just how things were.

This was a first in my life. Thinking that, every step of the process, right up to lying on the sofa, felt profoundly special.

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