Barring his earliest childhood, Mu-ryeong could count on one hand the number of times he had truly cried.He had never experienced sorrow great enough to bring him to tears, and whenever the feeling even threatened to surface, he was quick to suppress it.An exorcist must not cry easily.His parents, his brother, his sister—he had heard it over and over since birth. Maintaining composure was the most fundamental discipline of an exorcist, and Mu-ryeong had always been good at it.But maybe it was a side effect of possession.The overwhelming tide of Hwan-hee’s emotions had seeped too deeply into him. The sorrow, the regret, the guilt—it all settled in his chest like a lingering weight. Even though he had fully relinquished control, their conversation had felt like his own.It was heartbreaking. Painful. So deeply unfair.The conflict between the selfish desire to stay with his brother and the selfless wish to let him go in peace.Hwan-hee didn’t remember his time as a vengeful spirit.Thankfully, his soul retained no memories of harming others.But the love he had for his brother—that had remained, unshaken.Even when he had been consumed by darkness, even when he had lost all reason, some part of him had always tried to ease Hwan-young’s burdens. He had sensed his brother’s distress, sought to eliminate its source, tried to fulfill his unspoken wishes.It was the classic question: Which came first—the chicken or the egg?Hwan-young’s isolation had been caused, in part, by Hwan-hee.And yet, Hwan-hee had stayed by his side because Hwan-young was lonely.He had instinctively kept people at bay, wary of anyone who might unsettle his brother. Whenever Hwan-young wished to be alone, Hwan-hee had made sure he got exactly that.Intentions meant little when execution failed.Even the best of intentions could lead to disaster when misdirected.And sometimes, correcting the course was just as difficult as making the mistake in the first place.Like that evening, bathed in the hues of twilight, when Hwan-hee had opened the rooftop door—thinking he was doing it for his brother’s sake.It was late at night.The main road was nearly deserted, only an occasional car passing by. Streetlights cast dim pools of light onto the quiet alleyway, and the full moon loomed overhead, impossibly large in the ink-black sky.The thick summer air was heavy with heat, the wind offering no relief."…….""……."Footsteps echoed softly.A single set.And in the dim glow of the streetlights, only one elongated shadow stretched across the pavement.Despite the stifling weather, Mu-ryeong was pressed against Hwan-young’s back, arms loosely draped around his shoulders."Are you tired?"A quiet, youthful voice broke the silence.Hwan-young’s eyelids fluttered at the unexpected sensation. The voice, so close to his ear, sent a strange shiver down his spine."You’re so light I barely feel you."It sounded awkward, as if the words hadn’t come out quite right. But it wasn’t a lie.Hwan-young had carried him all the way here without the slightest sign of strain. No heavy breathing, no visible sweat. Just the occasional shift in stance, adjusting his grip—but instead of holding Mu-ryeong’s legs securely, his hands remained clenched into tight fists."Eat more.""I eat plenty…."It had only been ten minutes since they ended up in this situation.Since Hwan-hee had found peace.Since the two of them had broken down in sobs, holding onto each other.Since, lost in the moment, they had closed the distance between them.And pressed their lips together."…….""……."The moment their lips parted, the tears had stopped, as if frozen in time.Only the lingering weight of emotion clung to their breath, faint and trembling.Their reddened eyes met, and then—without a word, almost in perfect sync—they both turned away."…….""……."Neither spoke.The silence stretched, thick with the remnants of everything they had ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) just felt.Mu-ryeong and Hwan-young, both deep in thought, let themselves sink into it.Perhaps it had been the brightness of the moon that led them astray.Perhaps that was why they had let it last for so long.Why the warmth had felt so good, why the moment of separation had seemed so unbearably reluctant."…We should go."Surprisingly, it was Hwan-young who broke the silence first.He had been sitting with his knees drawn up, but now, he stood without hesitation.Even in the darkness, his reddened ears stood out.Mu-ryeong noticed—but chose not to comment.There would be time for questions later.Once the flurry of emotions settled.Once the awkward tension faded.For now, he let it be.But the moment Mu-ryeong moved to stand, his legs gave out beneath him."Oh—"He collapsed back onto the ground.Hwan-young turned sharply at the sound, eyes widening.Mu-ryeong tried again, pushing himself up—only for his body to refuse.The strength had completely drained from his legs."I… I can’t stand."Was it exhaustion?Had he burned too much spiritual energy?Or was it simply the aftereffects of possession?Most likely, it was all three."…Are you hurt?""No, I just can’t move."Hwan-young sighed, relief flickering across his face.Even with minimal expression, Mu-ryeong could read him now.He suppressed the odd flutter in his chest and forced a sheepish smile."I’ll rest a little and—""Get on.""…Huh?""I said get on."Before Mu-ryeong could protest, Hwan-young had already turned his back, kneeling slightly.Without looking at him, he tilted his head—a silent command."You can’t walk, right?""……."It wasn’t the first time someone had carried him.Seung-joo had done it countless times, letting Mu-ryeong cling to him like a koala on the way to the cafeteria.Given his smaller frame, he had never been heavy.He had been carried plenty of times, laughing and joking with his friends.But this was different.The moment he hesitated, Hwan-young, in his usual blunt tone, muttered—"You had no problem clinging to Seo Seung-joo. I’m stronger than him."This translation is the intellectual property of ."Hmm… well, that’s true."Mu-ryeong finally gave in and climbed onto Hwan-young’s back without further complaint.For a high schooler, his broad back was surprisingly stable—comfortably so. The moment Mu-ryeong wrapped his arms around Hwan-young’s neck, he stood up effortlessly."Damn, you’re really tall."As his view suddenly shifted upwards, Mu-ryeong couldn’t help but mutter in awe.If he had a fear of heights, this would be terrifying."Watch your head."Oh. So being tall meant having to watch out for doorways.Thanks to Hwan-young, Mu-ryeong learned something he might never have known otherwise.Hwan-young carried him down from the rooftop with ease.The only real challenge came when they had to jump over a wall, but even then, Hwan-young simply told Mu-ryeong to hold on tight before leaping over it.It was something no ordinary person could’ve done, but for someone like Hwan-young, whose abilities went far beyond human limits, it wasn’t difficult in the slightest."Hey."Mu-ryeong, resting his head against Hwan-young’s shoulder, spoke in a low voice.The soft strands of his hair brushed against Hwan-young’s ear, making his broad shoulders twitch slightly.He really was sensitive to touch—every time Mu-ryeong moved even a little, Hwan-young flinched."How did you open the classroom door earlier?""…The classroom?""Yeah, the 2nd Year, Class 3 room."Before helping Hwan-hee pass on, Mu-ryeong had made sure the door was securely locked—with a goblin’s help, no less.And goblins weren’t ones to be easily bribed.A couple of coins from Hwan-young wouldn’t have been nearly enough to make them cooperate."I locked that door myself, you know.""……."Hwan-young let out a dry chuckle.Of all things, Mu-ryeong had trapped him? And he was just admitting it so shamelessly?But there was no point in getting angry now, so he responded in an indifferent tone."I threatened to make them disappear if they didn’t open it.""…What?"Mu-ryeong’s head shot up.His eyes widened, completely caught off guard.He stared at Hwan-young’s sharp profile, his voice stumbling in disbelief."You’re serious?""No."The response was clean, swift, and without hesitation.Mu-ryeong blinked, stunned.Then, Hwan-young finally gave him the real answer."I did the same thing I did to you—I gave them spiritual energy. They liked that more than the coins.""Ah…."It all made sense now.Goblins had an insatiable hunger—not just for old artifacts, but also for the spiritual energy of exorcists.That was why they would rub up against Mu-ryeong whenever he touched them with his spiritually charged hands, almost like affectionate pets."You shouldn’t give them that too often. If they get used to it, they’ll refuse to eat anything else."Mu-ryeong warned him sternly, but Hwan-young remained completely unfazed.Instead, his voice was as cold and sharp as ever."Then maybe you shouldn’t have locked me in there.""……."Mu-ryeong awkwardly shut his mouth.At the time, he had thought it was the right decision.But now, given how things had turned out, he had no ground to argue."Just don’t do it again.""Well…"He wouldn’t make a promise he had no intention of keeping.If a similar situation arose, Mu-ryeong wouldn’t hesitate to restrain Hwan-young again—for his own safety.He would just have to be thorough about it next time.Of course, since Hwan-young would be worried, Mu-ryeong would make sure to handle it without getting himself hurt, but…"…Can I ask you something else?""Go ahead."Thankfully, Hwan-young didn’t press him for an answer.It felt more like he was letting it slide this time, and that alone was enough."It’s just… I was wondering…"The warmth of their bodies pressed together was undeniable.Mu-ryeong, who always ran warm, was now fully leaning against Hwan-young’s back, their heat blending together.Resting his chin on Hwan-young’s shoulder, he mumbled softly—"Why did you do that earlier?""……."Hwan-young’s steady steps faltered—just for a split second.He didn’t fall, but the misstep was noticeable.A clear sign that he had understood exactly what Mu-ryeong was referring to.Still, he forced himself to walk forward, feigning indifference."What do you mean?"His last syllable trembled slightly.Mu-ryeong, sensing the stiffness in his posture, tightened his arms around Hwan-young’s shoulders.He could’ve let it go, acted like nothing had happened.But curiosity had gnawed at him ever since."Back there….""…….""You kissed me."

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