"Have you lost your mind? Are you deliberately trying to sound insane? What kind of song are you even singing right now?"
Did something short-circuit in Seo Eui-woo's brain? It wasn't even the middle of a sweltering summer—winter was approaching, for god's sake.
Jae-jin stared at him in disbelief, but Seo only smiled, his beautiful eyes curving playfully. He leisurely brushed back his wet hair, the water droplets clinging to his long lashes like delicate ornaments.
"Why are you reacting like that? I wasn't joking or teasing. I'm serious—your skin really is soft and springy."
"You… absolute… lunatic…"
"Here, touch this," Seo said as he took Jae-jin's wrist and pressed his hand against his own forearm.
It felt like touching warm stone.
On the outside, Seo Eui-woo might seem like a ripe peach, but inside, he was all rock.
'He really is a clingstone peach,' Jae-jin thought dryly.
That said, Jae-jin knew better than anyone how solid Seo's body was—he had lived close enough to it for long enough. There was no need to touch it to confirm that.
"See? Espers spend their youth training and constantly injuring and healing, so their skin and bones naturally become tough. We're not soft like you, Jae-jin."
Yeah, I know. I *know*.
'But that's not the issue here, you idiot.'
Though Jae-jin had grown up as an ordinary human, even with his muscular build from hobbies like working out and rock climbing, he was still nothing more than "soft" in Seo's eyes.
Espers lived isolated in special districts, with few opportunities to interact with non-Espers. Jae-jin could understand why Seo might be fascinated with his unfamiliar body. That part made sense. But that didn't make it any easier to stomach the ridiculous way Seo kept going on about "babies" and other nonsense—it grated on him now just as much as it had the first time.
"Then compare me to something soft that makes sense, for god's sake. Stop comparing me to a baby. What did babies ever do to deserve that? Don't you feel bad for them?"
"But Jae-jin, you're just that cute... so soft and squishy…"
"Shut up. Keep your mouth shut."
"But I like you so much."
"Why the hell do you keep touching me?! Just stop it! I'll wash myself, so get your hands off me. Don't touch me—not even a hair."
"Alright, alright, I get it. I won't do it anymore. Are you mad, Jae-jin? I mean it—I won't do it again."
What started as a bath quickly turned into a physical struggle.
Jae-jin shoved Seo Eui-woo away with as much force as he could muster, but Seo, still smiling, wrapped him tightly in his arms. He used both his strength and weight to pin him, leaving Jae-jin no choice but to be trapped.
'Damn it. I should have taken up boxing or jiu-jitsu.'
Not that knowing martial arts would help him win against Seo. If Seo decided to use his telekinesis, the fight would be over in an instant. Still, it would've been nice to at least put up more of a fight than this. The whole situation was infuriating.
"Look, didn't I tell you? I said *you're* the one acting like a kid..."
"Yup, I remember. I remember perfectly."
"Then what's this? If you know, why are you still acting like a child? Have you given up on trying to win me over?"
"As if. I'm doing exactly what you want, aren't I? Just tell me what you want. Eui-woo will do it all for you."
"*Anything* I want?"
"Yes. Next time we guide, I'll lick you even more—take my time, be really gentle... Doesn't that sound nice?"
Seo leaned in, pressing his lips to Jae-jin's cheek, then to his jaw. He kept washing Jae-jin's arms, lifting them one by one, rubbing soap into every inch. When his hands reached Jae-jin's armpits, Seo's motions slowed down, as if savoring the touch, carefully working the lather in.
Jae-jin squirmed at the ticklish sensation, his toes curling beneath the bathwater. It felt as if Seo's fingers were creeping all over his skin.
"By the way," Jae-jin began, "since we're on the subject of 'Eui-woo,' isn't it about time you told me what's going on?"
Seo settled Jae-jin onto his lap and began scrubbing his chest. Traces of semen were smeared across Jae-jin's well-defined pecs, and Seo carefully cleaned the sticky residue from the creases beneath them. His hands wandered a bit too freely, kneading Jae-jin's chest as he continued the conversation.
"So, how do you know me? Tell me. No matter how hard I think about it, I can't remember... How did I become *your* Eui-woo?"
Seo leaned down to whisper into Jae-jin's ear, his wet hair dripping onto Jae-jin's shoulder. A droplet slid down his skin, and Seo followed it with his eyes as it traced a path along his collarbone.
"Could it have been during a chaotic mission? I mean, that's the only time we Espers cross paths with civilians—when a gate opens, or a creature invades, and we're deployed for rescue missions."
Seo had saved thousands, if not millions, of civilians over the years. It was entirely possible that Jae-jin had been among them at some point. Lost in thought, Seo narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze deepening as if he were sorting through fragments of memory. But he soon shook his head.
"No, that's not it," he concluded.
A clear, cutting certainty pierced through Seo's mind.
If their connection had been nothing more than a fleeting encounter during a mission, he wouldn't be *Jae-jin's Eui-woo.* That much was certain.
"You're not the type for that, Jae-jin. You're stubborn and prickly. If I'd just saved your life once, you wouldn't act so familiar, calling me 'Eui-woo' like that."
Seo sounded utterly confident, despite how little time he'd known Jae-jin.
In his eyes, Jae-jin was a difficult person—unyielding, rigid, unwilling to tolerate anything that fell outside the boundaries he'd set for himself.
"You complain like a child, whining about how you hate this and that... Ah, sorry, bad habit." Seo smirked, though there was no malice in it. "But all those complaints are just tantrums because you already know the right answer in your head. If I give you exactly what you want, you stop complaining. I figured that out today."
Which meant that if Jae-jin truly knew him, there had to be a meaningful connection between them—one deep enough to explain everything.
"Am I right?" Seo's gleaming gray eyes locked onto Jae-jin, scanning his every feature with unwavering focus.
His gaze trailed down Jae-jin's soapy chest, following the lines of his muscles and ribs, his gaze lingering on his navel, the sparse hair below it, and the submerged parts of his body beneath the bathwater. His eyes traced over Jae-jin's pale thighs, bruised knees, and protruding ankles, lingering briefly on his feet before returning upward.
Seo's stare felt like it could melt Jae-jin's skin with its intensity.
Jae-jin remained silent for a long moment, exhaling a warm breath as he lowered his gaze.
"…A house."
His quiet voice echoed softly in the steam-filled bathroom.
Then, as if he'd reached a long-overdue conclusion, Jae-jin spoke again.
"I'd like a house. A new one."
"A house?" Seo tilted his head in confusion.
"You said it yourself. Whatever I ask for, you'll give it to me. I want a new house," Jae-jin replied calmly, his voice steady and composed.
The truth behind Seo's question was something Jae-jin couldn't reveal—at least, not yet. To explain it, he'd have to tell Seo that he had returned from the dead, that this wasn't their first life together. And now wasn't the right time for that.
'It's still too early.'
Jae-jin intended to tell Seo everything someday—the fact that he had died and come back, and that in their first life, they had been lovers. He had no intention of keeping these things hidden forever.
Not that he could hide anything from Seo Eui-woo even if he wanted to. Seo had a way of seeing through every lie eventually. So when the time was right, Jae-jin planned to lay everything bare and ask for Seo's cooperation.
But *now* was not that time.
'If I tell him the truth now, he might not believe me. And even if he does, it'll only make things harder for me. Seo's already difficult enough to handle—if he finds out I've lived through this once before, he'll run circles around me.'
Jae-jin could already picture it.
"*You mean you were my guide for four whole years in our first life?* If I'd known, I wouldn't have held back from the start. You must know exactly how to use your healing factor, right? Shall we test it out again, just to be sure?*" Seo would say, grinning as he tore him apart without mercy.
No, for now, it was better to keep his cards close to his chest. Holding onto at least one secret was essential for his sanity.
'Maybe once I've fixed all three of Seo's deep-rooted imbalances... Then it might be safe to tell him. But who knows when that'll be.'
With his thoughts organized, Jae-jin resumed his act. His expression remained neutral, his voice smooth and unwavering. Acting was something he excelled at.
"Think about it, Eui-woo. I'll have to live in hiding for the rest of my life. If I ever show my face outside, I'll be hunted down. So isn't it fair that I ask for a house I actually want, at the very least?"
"Ah... When you put it that way, it makes sense," Seo replied, stretching lazily as he leaned back against the tub.