The Saint Wants to Rest - vanish into fiction

Exactly 2:00 PM. The doorbell rang.

Ian adjusted his clothes one last time in front of the mirror and opened the door. During the short walk through the yard to the front gate, his heart raced strangely. Come to think of it, this was his first proper date. Before going to Lancia, he enjoyed hanging out with his older brothers more than dating, and in Lancia, he never had the luxury to even consider it.

‘Why am I so nervous over something like this?’

As he slowly opened the gate, a sight he had never seen before was waiting outside. Shimmering golden hair was tucked away neatly under a black ball cap, and instead of the suit that usually draped his frame, a dark navy knit and slacks took its place.

“Wow!”

An exclamation escaped Ian’s lips before he could stop it. The “ordinary boyfriend look” that Yoon So-ra must have coughed up blood to coordinate transcended the realm of normalcy the moment it met Vermouth’s overwhelming physical presence.

Ian subtly tugged at his own top. Should he have put more effort into his outfit? No, it wouldn’t have mattered. It was obvious that anyone standing next to Vermouth would end up looking like a squid.

He decided it was better to just give up on his appearance. Thinking this, Ian accepted the gift box Vermouth handed him.

“What’s this?”

He thought he might receive a bouquet, but he never imagined a gift box.

“It is a couple’s phone.”

“Huh?”

“I was told that for lovers, sharing locations in real time and ensuring contact is never lost is an ironclad rule of an ‘ordinary relationship.’”

He could understand the rest, but what was with the real-time location sharing? Is that how people date these days? It felt a bit scary. However, he remained quiet for the time being. It was because he didn’t know any better.

“Well, alright for now. Shall we go then?”

“Yes.”

Despite their cries for an ordinary date, the two climbed into a car provided by the Bureau. The driver was Yoon So-ra. This was because neither Ian nor Vermouth possessed a driver’s license.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just use public transportation?”

Ian made a suggestion, but Yoon So-ra shook her head in horror.

“Absolutely not! People will swarm you!”

She couldn’t understand why those two took their own popularity so lightly.

‘I can see it now.’

The countless people who would flock to them if they used public transportation like normal people. Awakeners of this era were not just hunters who entered Gates to slay monsters. Many possessed flashy abilities, and the higher the rank, the more handsome or beautiful they tended to be, leading some to enjoy popularity that rivaled celebrities. Because of this, they were often personally asked for autographs or photos.

“It is absolutely out of the question. Please just think of me as an invisible person.”

Yoon So-ra stood her ground once more. The car eventually headed to a private cinema located on the outskirts of Seoul. Vermouth got out of the car first and naturally opened the door for Ian, escorting him.

“We have arrived.”

The way he smiled softly was striking. As expected, a hat wasn’t enough. Yoon So-ra felt a wave of belated regret, wishing she had forced him to wear sunglasses and a mask as well. While she lamented, the two walked into the building side by side.

“Hello. I’m Yoon So-ra, I made a reservation for today.”

“Hello. Let me help you check your reservation.”

Even while speaking, the employee’s eyes strangely refused to leave Vermouth. Soon, they also stole a glance at Ian standing next to him.

‘That’s a familiar face, isn’t it?’

That was exactly the expression they wore. Even though few people frequented a private cinema, every person they encountered had that same look. Some looked like their mouths were itching to say something. However, Vermouth skillfully warded them off.

He was already the type who wasn’t easy to approach, and when he looked back with a chilly expression, everyone retreated quietly. Vermouth did not want his rare time alone with Ian to be disturbed. Furthermore, he hated the idea of those people paying attention to Ian.

Thanks to that, Ian was able to enter the assigned theater comfortably.

“People have great manners here.”

“I agree. It is a relief.”

Vermouth replied shamelessly as he stuck close to Ian.

“There are simply many citizens with good manners.”

Not long after they settled inside, a staff member brought the food they had ordered. Popcorn, cola, squid legs, fried snacks, nachos, and so on.

Ian had ordered every single type of food available at a cinema. To be honest, he hadn’t been to a movie theater many times, so he was currently in a quite excited state. The film being screened was a currently popular action movie. It was a common story of people fighting with a bit of romance mixed in, but the scale was large and the actors were famous, making it a hit.