That Face Is the Problem - vanish into fiction

“Mr. Da-sol, you just have high defenses; your personality isn’t bad, and you aren’t a prickly person…!”

‘But I do have a bad personality and I am a prickly person.’

Da-sol thought that, but he didn’t bother saying it out loud.

“I heard that when you first met union leader Jin Jeong-eon, you saw him in pain and started healing him without asking any questions…. Bad people don’t do things like that…. And once you’re convinced that the other person doesn’t have any ill intent, you secretly soften up….”

“Healing him is just something a healer does, so it’s only natural… but I’m… soft?”

Da-sol asked, taken aback. He spent a moment thinking about the word “soft.” It wasn’t exactly a difficult word, but applying it to himself triggered a gestalt collapse. Soft…? Me? Soft…? Soft? What does that even mean?

“‘Secretly’….”

Perhaps because Jae-gyeong understood why Da-sol was skeptical, he added the adverb “secretly.”

“Whenever I put my heart into trying… you didn’t ignore it and acknowledged it, Mr. Da-sol…. It wasn’t like you were overtly kind or anything… but you put in your own kind of effort that only the person involved could recognize….”

Jae-gyeong still couldn’t forget the time Da-sol said he would “try.” That was the moment he felt, down to his bones, that Da-sol wasn’t really a stubborn, sociopathic, ball-busting jerk.

“More than what others say… and more than what you think of yourself… You are a warm and good person, Mr. Da-sol. That’s why I li- li-li-li-li-li-li- like… lo… love you….”

Jae-gyeong bowed his head, twisting his body almost into a knot, and said it shyly. Because he was stuttering so much while trembling, the word “like” accidentally sounded like “fuck” but the gist of what he was trying to say came across.

Da-sol threw out a question, pretending not to care.

“So… is it because I’m a warm and good person that you… li… di… love… me…?”

It was a mumble so blurry that it was hard to tell if he was talking to himself or asking a question. Besides, why was it so difficult to spit out the word “like”? Da-sol could perfectly empathize with why Jae-gyeong had been so shy just a moment ago.

A pink, fuzzy atmosphere floated between them. It was laughable to see them both blushing and squirming in their seats, unable to sit still, but regardless, they were both doing their absolute best.

“Well, I, right…. And I also like that you’re charismatic, Mr. Da-sol… and finding out that you were my first love makes it feel even more like destiny…. Actually, when you protected me from Hunter Oh Sang-min and Hunter Park Gam-ja in the past, I felt really reassured, too…. Just… I like everything about you…. It’s hard to pick just one specific thing… ahem.”

“Ahem… why are you saying such cringeworthy things? Who even asked….”

He had asked. He had mumbled it as if talking to himself, but he had definitely asked. However, in this pink atmosphere, Da-sol’s protest held no power.

“Oh man, it’s hot…. I think I turned the boiler up too high, Jeong Mr. Jae-gyeong.”

Da-sol suddenly started fanning himself with his hand and changed the subject. Jae-gyeong, with a flushed face, scrambled to get up and opened the living room window a crack.

“Right? You’re telling me…. I was thinking it was strangely hot, too…. They say people should live a bit coldly to be healthy… that’s a failure on my part as a tank….”

“If you catch a cold, well, I can just heal you… Ahem, khe-khem!”

“Ahem… haha… ah… th-thank you….”

Even though they had officially decided to become lovers, both of them were wretchedly shy. Perhaps it was even worse because this kind of relationship was a first for both of them.

Honestly, Da-sol felt so embarrassed, annoyed, and like his heart was about to burst that he wanted to shove Jae-gyeong out the window and sprint all the way home in one breath.

But if he did that, even if it was Jae-gyeong, he might get a little hurt, and that wouldn’t do…. Da-sol hated the idea of Jae-gyeong getting hurt even more than before now.

A cold wind blew in through the open window. It was a quite biting, icy wind. The cold air swept through Jae-gyeong’s living room, instantly cooling down the heated atmosphere.

“Just close the window. Don’t catch a cold.”

Da-sol said. Jae-gyeong agreed that it was hot, but just as he had when he opened it, he said, “You’re right, it is cold,” and closed the window. After that, he hesitantly and awkwardly came to sit right next to Da-sol. Not across from him, but next to him.

Da-sol turned his head to look at Jae-gyeong, who was sitting right beside him, staring straight ahead. He could hear how loud his heart was beating from all the way over there.

“Your heart is going to burst.”

“Ah… I-I’m sorry…! C-can you hear it?”

“Yeah, I can hear it.”

Da-sol remained silent for a moment, then raised his right hand and placed it over Jae-gyeong’s left chest.

“[Heal].”