Before going to bed, Ji Hoo looked at his parents’ photo and smiled brightly.

“Yes, look as much as you want. It would be great to see them in your dreams, right?”

Ha Yeon stroked the forehead of Ji Hoo lying on the bed. She too had often fallen asleep hoping to see her parents in her dreams. So the sight of the child looking at the photo over and over again didn’t feel like someone else’s story.

“It’s okay if I don’t meet them in my dreams. I can see them like this.”

The child, who had received the few keepsakes Min Je had kept, seemed to have the whole world. While it was heartwarming, it also made a part of her heart ache.

“Yes, your parents will live forever in Ji Hoo’s heart. They’ll be watching over you from wherever they are.”

Although she had cried a lot today, her nose stung again as if there were still tears left to shed.

“Do you miss your mom and dad too, elder sister?”

Ha Yeon answered with a tearful voice to Ji Hoo’s question as he looked up at her with round eyes.

“Yes, I miss them a lot.”

“Ah, so it’s not just me.”

The child smiled, seeming to find comfort in the fact that even grown-ups miss their departed parents.

“Yes, everyone lives with at least one person they miss in their heart.”

Just as no one can live alone, people form relationships with each other in some form. Feelings of longing or loneliness were perfectly natural emotions needed to live together.

“Next time, let’s go to the columbarium where your parents’ ashes are kept.”

“Thank you, elder sister. But a little, just a little later.”

Is it still hard for him to accept his parents’ death? It would probably take courage to see it with his own eyes. Ha Yeon hid such inner thoughts and nodded with a forced smile.

“Okay, let’s do as Ji Hoo wants.”

I’ll do whatever you want. As Ha Yeon slowly stroked Ji Hoo’s forehead, the child closed his eyes with a bright smile. Today, the child’s face looked particularly peaceful as he drifted off to sleep.

The hot summer was heading towards its peak. Having gone through many things, the child had grown considerably, and the bond named family had become even stronger than before.

“They say a typhoon is coming.”

Ji Hoo said, watching the weather forecast on TV.

“Yes, it’s worrying.”

Ha Yeon furrowed her brow as she watched the movement of clouds in the satellite image relayed by the weather forecaster.

She was worried because Min Je was on a business trip to Ulsan with Jun Won. It was already raining a little outside. They said the area would be under the influence of the typhoon by evening, and she was concerned about their return journey.

The TV was constantly reporting about precautions, calling it a record-breaking typhoon. Unable to let go of concerns about unexpected traffic accidents, Ha Yeon found herself on edge without realizing it.

Boom crash! Thunder and lightning struck, making everything flash brightly.

“Are you scared?”

Ha Yeon asked with a chuckle, looking at Ji Hoo who had ducked completely under the blanket with only his head peeking out.

“Nah, I’m all grown up now, so I’m not scared of things like that. But…”

The child trailed off, rolling his eyes. Ha Yeon smiled bitterly, realizing that Ji Hoo was also worried about Min Je just like her.

“Don’t worry, we got a text saying he’s coming back safely.”

“Okay.”

Hearing her words, Ji Hoo fell asleep with a relieved smile. But Ha Yeon’s face remained tense.

Around evening, she had received a message from Min Je.

‘Jun Won’s mother is in Ulsan, so I’ll be coming back to Seoul alone while he stays behind.’

Although they were from the same orphanage, Jun Won’s mother had frequently visited as she had to leave her child at the orphanage due to circumstances, and she took Jun Won out of the orphanage on the day he graduated from middle school.

Not all parents who left their children at the orphanage due to circumstances came back for them, so Jun Won’s case could be considered a successful one.

Anyway, the anxiety grew as Min Je was driving back alone. What she had told Ji Hoo was just to reassure the child; although she had received a text saying he was leaving in the evening, there had been no contact with Min Je since then. Wondering if he might have missed her messages, she had tried calling but couldn’t get through.

‘He must be driving, that’s why.’

She tried to think that way, but as the wind and rain intensified, her heart started pounding violently.

‘He should have arrived by now.’

Unable to bear it any longer, she grabbed an umbrella and went outside.

Whoosh, the rain poured down fiercely as if it would pierce through the umbrella. The trees in the garden swayed precariously in the wind as if they might break at any moment.

Even though she was standing under the eaves connecting the entrance and the terrace with a large umbrella, her shoulders were all wet because of the wind.

Not realizing her face had turned pale from the cold, how long had she been waiting?

Car headlights shone towards the main gate. Ha Yeon found herself running into the rain without realizing it.

Min Je sighed briefly as he looked at his dead phone. He had carelessly dropped it into a puddle of water when he stopped at a rest area.

He wasn’t particularly interested in electronic devices beyond their outward appearance for internal and external use, so unfortunately, his phone wasn’t a new waterproof model.

Was it because he had been using it with a cracked screen? The phone that fell into the puddle created by the pouring rain met its fate just like that.

‘I arrived safely, so it should be fine.’

He let out a bitter smile after muttering self-deprecatingly, then got out of the car and entered through the main gate. And froze in place.

“Why are you out here?”

It was because Ha Yeon was standing blankly in the rain with a pale face.

“Couldn’t… couldn’t reach you, I was so worried…!”

Ha Yeon’s incoherent mumbling was cut off. Min Je had thrown away the umbrella and pulled her into his arms.

Whoosh, the fierce rain poured down mercilessly on the two of them.

“You’re really, you’re so reckless it drives me crazy.”

Min Je growled lowly, staring at Ha Yeon’s face with an intense gaze that could evaporate even the pouring rain.

Unable to say that she couldn’t stay still for fear he might not return, Ha Yeon desperately clung to his embrace.

Now, she didn’t want to imagine a life without him. No, she didn’t have the confidence to live a life without him.

“Let’s go inside first.”

Min Je led Ha Yeon by the hand across the garden. Though they had only stood in the rain for a moment, they were completely soaked. As they entered the foyer, water dripped from their wet clothes and hair.

But neither could express discomfort about it. As soon as they entered the foyer, Min Je urgently devoured Ha Yeon’s lips.

Their rain-soaked lips clung together stickily. Their breath, full of moisture, mixed roughly.

It wasn’t a polite and affectionate kiss like before. It was a highly concentrated kiss that revealed desire without restraint. Like the raging typhoon, it was a kiss of a different nature that completely tore Ha Yeon apart and still wasn’t satisfied.

As hot things intertwined and tender flesh rubbed against each other, moans naturally flowed out.

But Min Je dug in even deeper like a person whose thirst wouldn’t stop. A tingling sensation passed through the whole body, making it shiver.

With each touch of lips, it felt as if both body and mind were completely dominated by pleasure. Ha Yeon grasped his collar, breathing heavily.

Min Je then strongly pulled Ha Yeon’s waist, pressing her against his body. As wet clothes and skin touched, a dizzying longing rose like a heat haze.

The skin that touched him felt as if it was on fire. Ha Yeon’s mind became muddled as if she would pass out soon, not knowing such a sensation existed in the world.

It was unclear how they left the foyer. The two were eagerly exploring each other in a passionate kiss until Ha Yeon collapsed onto the living room sofa.

Min Je grimaced painfully as he looked at the completely disheveled Ha Yeon. Her lips were too sweet. Her scent instantly paralyzed his reason.

He knew he should stop, but he didn’t want to. He barely suppressed his desire and buried his face in her neck.

“Until you allow it, I’ll wait.”

His low murmuring voice was full of heat.

Ha Yeon thought she could give herself to him right away, but contrary to that thought, her body trembled.

Ha Yeon nodded to Min Je, who was looking down at her with eyes dripping with passion.

Min Je then gently sucked on her lips before releasing them.

Ha Yeon’s face turned bright red, feeling somehow embarrassed despite having just kissed passionately. Unable to take his eyes off that sight, Min Je deeply kissed her neck and sighed.

Ha Yeon’s body trembled as if struck by lightning at that breath.

“This won’t end at this rate.”

Min Je barely separated himself, running his hand through his hair.

“Let’s shower first. Right now, you’re, a bit, very dangerous.”

Min Je, who had barely found appropriate words to mumble, took Ha Yeon’s hand and helped her up. He wanted to hold her hand like this and take her to the bathroom, but Min Je used up all the patience he would need for a lifetime to not do so.

“Yes, then let’s shower first.”

Ha Yeon, unaware of Min Je’s state, nodded obediently.

And a little later, Min Je, who met Ha Yeon in the living room to explain what had happened, chuckled.

Ha Yeon’s appearance, having just showered, somehow seemed even more dangerous than before.

‘I must be going crazy bit by bit.’

Min Je self-deprecatingly ran his hand over his dry face.

“You look tired.”

It’s because of you. Min Je couldn’t bring himself to answer like that and just made a groaning sound. Then he answered with as normal a face as possible, as if feeling nothing.

“I’m fine. My phone broke. That’s why I couldn’t contact you.”

“Ah, so that’s why…”

Ha Yeon nodded slowly as if understanding the whole story. How relieved she was just seeing his face. She didn’t know she was cold, didn’t know she was getting rained on.

She thought that as long as the man appeared safely before her eyes, nothing else in the world mattered. If only he was safe, everything else seemed like it would be okay.

Ha Yeon smiled slightly, remembering how she felt like she would crumble at just the thought that something might have happened to him.

“You never know what might happen, so I was worried.”

It was the first time Min Je had met someone who worried about him more than himself, so he felt bewildered. He was about to say that he was someone who could live well anywhere so there was no need to worry much, but he stopped. Because he didn’t dislike her worrying about him.

“Then you must have only thought about me?”

Min Je stroked Ha Yeon’s cheek, smiling inappropriately for the situation. His eyes curved gently as if just thinking about it made him feel good.

“How can you smile now? I was really worried.”

As Ha Yeon grumbled sullenly, Min Je chuckled and hugged her.

“I know, that’s why I feel good. It’s the first time someone has worried about me.”

He felt Ha Yeon stiffen in his arms as she took a deep breath. This woman must be pitying him again. She might even cry for him instead, like last time.

Strangely, his lower abdomen tensed up as he imagined her crying while thinking about him.

‘Huh? I had no idea my preferences were like this.’

Min Je chuckled at how ridiculous his thoughts were. What was more absurd was that he was overwhelmed by an extreme impulse as soon as their bodies touched.

To make matters worse, there was a loud crash of thunder and lightning outside, and then pop, the power went out.

Min Je sighed as he held Ha Yeon in his arms in the darkness.

It seemed that even natural disasters were testing him today.