☆~~~~~~☆
Ryou was halfway through comparing two sketchbooks in a small art store when her phone buzzed.
Then buzzed again.
And again.
"…What now?" she muttered, pulling it out of her pocket.
Her screen lit up with notifications.
Yeon-hwa (12 messages).
Ryou raised an eyebrow.
"…That's never a good sign."
She tapped the chat open.
Immediately—
Photos flooded her screen.
The first one: Yeon, Kim, and Jake standing awkwardly in front of a scenic view, all three looking like they didn't know how to pose.
The second: the same three at what looked like an arcade, Jake mid-laugh, Kim clearly winning something, and Yeon in the background looking mildly offended.
Ryou smiled slightly.
"…He's actually having fun."
Another notification popped up.
She scrolled.
Beach photos this time.
Wind, waves, messy hair—
And—
Her smile faded into something more amused.
"…Oh?"
Jisung.
He was in the frame.
Not just in the background.
With them.
One photo showed all of them together—Kim and Jake grinning, Yeon looking like he didn't know whether to stand closer or step away, and Jisung beside him, calm as ever.
"…So much for 'I don't like him,'" Ryou murmured.
Another notification.
She opened it.
This one was from what looked like a dance party—lights blurred, music almost visible through the image, people moving around in the background.
And in the center—
Yeon.
And Jisung.
Ryou blinked.
Then leaned closer to the screen.
"…Wait."
In the photo, Yeon was clearly mid-slip—his body tilted slightly, balance completely gone.
And Jisung—
Had caught him.
One arm around his waist, steadying him before he could fall.
It wasn't dramatic.
It wasn't intentional.
But the angle—
The closeness—
The way Yeon's expression was frozen between shock and embarrassment—
"…That looks way too romantic for an accident," Ryou said under her breath.
Her phone buzzed again.
A message this time.
Yeon-hwa:
IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.
Ryou burst out laughing right there in the store.
"Oh, I'm sure it was."
Another message came in almost instantly.
Yeon-hwa:
STOP READING INTO IT.
Ryou shook her head, smiling to herself.
"…You sent the photo," she muttered. "What did you expect?"
She glanced back at the image one more time.
Jisung's expression—
Calm, but focused.
Yeon—
Completely flustered.
Ryou hummed softly.
"…Interesting."
Very interesting.
She locked her phone and returned it to her pocket, still smiling faintly.
Looks like—
This trip was turning out to be far more entertaining than she expected.
☆~~~~~☆
By the time night settled in, the beach had grown quiet.
The earlier noise—laughter, music, footsteps in the sand—had faded into the distant sound of waves and wind. One by one, the lights in the beach houses turned off as everyone went to sleep.
Each family had their own house.
Which meant—
Peace.
Finally.
"…I can't sleep," Yeon muttered, staring at the ceiling.
He turned to one side.
Then the other.
Then groaned and sat up.
"…Of course I can't."
Maybe it was the unfamiliar place.
Maybe it was everything that had happened that day.
Or maybe—
"…No. Not thinking about that," he said quickly, grabbing his jacket.
A walk.
Yes.
A walk would help.
Definitely not because his thoughts were spiraling.
Quietly, making sure no one else in his family woke up, Yeon slipped out of the beach house and stepped onto the sand.
The night air was cool, the sound of the waves calming.
"…Okay," he exhaled. "This is nice."
For once, things felt… peaceful.
No chaos.
No awkward encounters.
No—
Thud.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Yeon stumbled slightly as he walked straight into someone.
Again.
He looked up.
And froze.
"…Oh."
Of course.
Han Jisung.
Standing right in front of him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The moonlight reflected off the water behind them, the soft sound of waves filling the silence. It was—
Annoyingly—
A perfect setting.
"…You too?" Jisung said after a second.
Yeon blinked.
"…What?"
"Couldn't sleep."
"…Oh."
"…Yeah."
Another pause.
"…Yeah."
They both stood there, awkwardly, like neither of them knew what to do next.
Why is my heart racing again?
Yeon frowned slightly, looking away for a second.
This is stupid.
"It's just a coincidence," he muttered.
Jisung raised an eyebrow.
"The fourth—or fifth—coincidence?"
"…I've lost count."
"…Same."
Silence settled again.
But this time—
It wasn't as uncomfortable.
Just… quiet.
Jisung stepped slightly closer to the shoreline, hands in his pockets, gaze on the waves.
Yeon hesitated.
Then, for some reason—
Stepped closer too.
"…The beach looks different at night," Yeon said, immediately regretting how random that sounded.
"…It does," Jisung replied.
"…Less people."
"…That's usually how night works."
"…Right."
Yeon internally cringed.
Why do I sound like this.
Jisung glanced at him briefly, and for a second—
There was something softer in his expression.
Not teasing.
Not distant.
Just… calm.
And that somehow made Yeon's chest tighten slightly.
Why is this suddenly so…
His thoughts trailed off.
Because for a brief moment—
They were just standing there.
Close.
Quiet.
Looking at each other.
And Yeon's heart—
Was definitely beating faster than it should.
"…This is weird," he said under his breath.
"…A little," Jisung admitted.
Another pause.
Then—
Ping.
Yeon's entire body went rigid.
"…No."
Not here.
Not now.
Not in front of—
His system window appeared.
Bright.
Clear.
Floating right between them.
"…You've got to be kidding me," Yeon whispered.
He didn't even activate it.
He didn't do anything.
And yet—
There it was.
[Hello, Yin~ Missed me?]
Yeon's soul left his body.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
He looked up.
Jisung was staring directly at the window.
Then at him.
Then back at the window.
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
"…You're awakened," Jisung said.
Not a question.
A statement.
Yeon froze.
"…I can explain."
Jisung didn't respond immediately.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
Focused.
Observant.
Like he was piecing something together.
"…You're not registered," he added.
And that—
That was worse.
Way worse.
Yeon took a small step back instinctively.
"…Look, I—"
His mind raced.
Think.
Say something.
Anything.
But nothing came out right.
Because standing in front of him wasn't just anyone.
It was Jisung.
A high-ranking Dream Hunter.
Someone who would definitely know what this meant.
"…You're hiding it," Jisung said quietly.
Yeon swallowed.
"…Yes."
There was no point denying it.
Not now.
Not when the system was literally floating there, betraying him.
Another silence.
The waves crashed softly behind them.
And for a moment—
Everything felt still.
Jisung looked at him.
Really looked at him.
Not just the awkward guy he kept bumping into.
But something more.
Something… different.
"…Why?" he asked.
Yeon hesitated.
A thousand reasons ran through his mind.
Too many to explain.
Too complicated to say out loud.
"…Because I want a normal life," he said finally.
His voice was quieter now.
More honest.
"…And this would ruin it."
Jisung didn't interrupt.
Didn't argue.
He just listened.
Which somehow made it harder.
"…If people find out," Yeon continued, "everything changes. Expectations. Responsibilities. People watching you all the time."
A pause.
"…I don't want that."
Silence.
Then—
The system flickered again.
[Awkward timing, huh?]
"NOT HELPING," Yeon snapped.
Jisung blinked.
"…It talks?"
"…Unfortunately."
Another pause.
Then—
Jisung let out a small breath.
Almost like a quiet laugh.
"…You're full of surprises."
Yeon stared at him.
"…That's your reaction?"
"What did you expect?"
"I don't know—panic? Reporting me? Arrest?"
"I'm not the police," Jisung said.
"…You're close enough."
"…Not really."
Another silence.
But this time—
It felt different.
Less tense.
Still uncertain.
But not… hostile.
Yeon exhaled slowly, some of the tightness in his chest easing.
"…So," he said cautiously, "are you going to tell anyone?"
Jisung looked at him for a moment.
Then—
"No."
Yeon blinked.
"…No?"
"No."
"…Just like that?"
"Just like that."
Yeon stared at him.
"…Why?"
Jisung shrugged slightly.
"…Because you asked."
That—
Didn't make sense.
But somehow—
It felt real.
Yeon looked at him, confused… but relieved.
"…Thanks," he said quietly.
Jisung nodded once.
Then glanced at the still-floating system.
"…You might want to turn that off."
"…RIGHT."
"Go away," Yeon muttered.
The window disappeared instantly.
Silence returned.
Just the two of them.
The ocean.
And everything that had just happened.
"…This is definitely not normal," Yeon said.
"…Not even a little," Jisung agreed.
And yet—
Neither of them moved to leave.
For a moment, everything was quiet again.
The waves.
The wind.
The space between them.
Jisung had already agreed not to tell anyone.
That should have been enough.
It was enough.
So why—
"…I didn't just awaken," Yeon said suddenly.
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
He froze.
What am I doing?
Jisung looked at him, slightly surprised—but said nothing.
Waiting.
That made it worse.
Way worse.
Yeon let out a quiet, frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair.
"…I shouldn't say this," he muttered.
"Then don't," Jisung replied calmly.
"…Yeah. I won't."
A pause.
"…I am."
Jisung didn't interrupt.
Didn't push.
He just stood there, watching.
And for some reason—
That made Yeon want to say it even more.
"…My rank isn't normal," Yeon admitted.
Jisung's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…How not normal?"
Yeon hesitated.
His heart started racing again.
This is it.
If I say it, there's no going back.
Because Jisung wasn't just anyone.
He was high-ranking.
Experienced.
Someone who would know exactly what this meant.
Someone who would definitely report it.
"…You're going to make me register after this," Yeon said quietly.
"That depends," Jisung replied. "On what you say."
"…That's not reassuring."
"…It's honest."
Yeon huffed slightly.
"…Yeah, well, I'm about to regret this."
Another pause.
The wind brushed past them, cold against his skin.
"…S+++."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the waves felt quieter for a second.
Jisung didn't react immediately.
Which was somehow worse than if he had.
"…Say that again," Jisung said.
"…No."
"…Say it again."
Yeon sighed.
"…S+++."
Jisung stared at him.
Actually stared this time.
Like he was trying to decide if this was a joke.
"…That's not possible," he said.
"I know."
"There's no recorded case above S++."
"I know."
"And you're telling me you just… casually awakened with it?"
"I am not being casual about this," Yeon snapped. "I've been stressed the entire time!"
Jisung went quiet again.
Processing.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
Yeon shifted uncomfortably.
"…You're doing that thing," he muttered.
"What thing?"
"That 'I'm about to change your entire life' thinking face."
"…I don't have a face like that."
"You definitely do."
Another pause.
Then—
"…You went into a dream, didn't you?" Jisung asked.
Yeon blinked.
"…How did you—"
"Answer."
"…Yes."
"…And?"
Yeon hesitated.
"…It had layers."
That—
Got a reaction.
Jisung's expression changed immediately.
Sharper.
More serious than before.
"…Layers?" he repeated.
"…Yeah."
"How many?"
"…Two."
Jisung exhaled slowly.
"…That's not normal."
"Wow. Really? I hadn't noticed," Yeon said dryly.
"You're not supposed to encounter layered dreams on your first attempt."
"I didn't even mean to enter it," Yeon said. "I was just trying to help someone!"
"And you cleared both layers?"
"…Eventually."
"…Eventually?"
"I got lost."
"…Of course you did."
"HEY—"
Jisung let out a quiet breath, looking out toward the ocean for a second before turning back to him.
"…Do you realize what this means?"
Yeon crossed his arms slightly.
"…That I'm in trouble?"
"…That too."
"…Great."
"But more importantly," Jisung continued, "it means you're not just unregistered."
A pause.
"…You're a problem."
Yeon stared at him.
"…Excuse me?"
"Not in a bad way," Jisung added quickly. "In a dangerous way."
"That's not better."
"You don't understand how rare that is," Jisung said. "S+++ isn't just 'high rank.' It breaks the scale."
"…Yeah, I figured that part out."
"And layered dreams?" Jisung continued. "Those don't just appear randomly. Especially not to beginners."
"…So what are you saying?"
Jisung hesitated for a fraction of a second.
"…I'm saying this isn't a coincidence."
Silence settled again.
He let that sink in.
Yeon looked away slightly, frowning.
"…You're making it sound worse than it already is."
"It is worse than it already is."
"…Great."
Another pause.
Then Yeon sighed.
"…So what now?" he asked quietly. "You report me? Drag me to the DHO? Ruin my life like I said?"
Jisung didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he studied him.
The way he stood.
The way he was clearly trying to act like this didn't bother him—
Even though it obviously did.
"…No," Jisung said finally.
Yeon blinked.
"…No?"
"I'm not reporting you."
"…You're just saying that again?"
"Yes."
"…Even after hearing all that?"
"Yes."
"…Why?"
Jisung shrugged slightly.
"…Because you trusted me enough to say it."
Yeon stared at him.
"…That's a terrible reason."
"…Maybe."
"But I'll take it," Yeon said quickly.
Jisung almost smiled.
"…You should."
A small silence followed.
Calmer now.
But heavier.
Because now—
They both knew.
"…You're still going to have to deal with this eventually," Jisung said.
"…I know."
"…You can't hide something like that forever."
"…I know," Yeon repeated.
A pause.
"…Just not yet."
Jisung looked at him for a moment.
Then nodded once.
"…Not yet."
The waves continued crashing softly behind them.
And for the first time—
It didn't feel like Yeon was carrying this alone anymore.
Even if—
He had just made things a lot more complicated.
But unfortunately—
They weren't alone.
Someone else had heard everything.
And unlike Jisung—
He was not kind.
Switch to Mr. Han's POV
Mr. Han stood just beyond the corner of the beach house, partially hidden by the wall, his presence masked by the sound of the waves.
He hadn't intended to listen at first.
But certain words—
"S+++."
"Layered dreams."
—had a way of catching his attention.
So he stayed.
Silent.
Listening.
Observing.
By the time the conversation ended, his expression had shifted into something thoughtful… calculating.
"…I see," he murmured quietly.
An unregistered awakened individual.
Not just that—
An S+++ rank.
Something that, by all known standards, shouldn't even exist.
And yet—
There it was.
Standing right in front of his son.
Hidden.
Unclaimed.
Uncontrolled.
Mr. Han's gaze narrowed slightly.
"…Interesting."
His mind was already moving ahead.
Connections. Opportunities. Outcomes.
Because power like that—
Was not something to ignore.
Nor something to leave unattended.
Then, another detail surfaced in his thoughts.
Jisung.
The way he had been looking at the boy.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
"…So that's how it is," Mr. Han muttered.
He didn't entirely approve.
His son's preferences had always been… unconventional, in his eyes.
Not ideal.
Not aligned with expectations.
But—
This was different.
Because the boy in question wasn't just anyone.
He was valuable.
Extraordinarily so.
And suddenly—
What he had once considered a flaw—
Became something far more… useful.
"…If handled correctly," Mr. Han continued, his tone low, "this could be quite beneficial."
A slow, deliberate thought formed.
A possibility.
An arrangement.
A way to secure both power—
And control.
Marriage.
The idea settled into place almost too easily.
A union between families.
One that would bind that kind of ability directly to the Han family.
Ensure loyalty.
Ensure influence.
Ensure advantage.
And as for Yeon-hwa's family?
Mr. Han allowed himself a faint, knowing smile.
"…They would never refuse."
An opportunity like this—
Status. Power. Connection to the Han family—
People like them would consider it an honor.
Perhaps even a blessing.
Whether the boy himself agreed…
Was another matter.
But that could be handled.
Everything could be handled.
Mr. Han stepped back from the wall, his decision already made.
"…This trip," he murmured, "may prove more fruitful than expected."
And just like that—
What had begun as a simple conversation under the night sky—
Had turned into something far more dangerous.