Following my absurd words, Danmokbi laughed and pulled me into another tight hug.

“I really can’t resist you. I lost. It’s a complete defeat.”
His large hand firmly pressed against the back of my head. Due to the wind, the thumping sound echoing from his chest vividly resonated in my ears.

“Since the beginning, you’ve held onto my heart, so there’s no way I could win.”

I could agree with everything Danmokbi said, but I couldn’t nod in agreement to this. I pushed Danmokbi’s chest slightly with both hands, and with pursed lips, I teased him.

“What are you talking about? From the start, the person who’s relentless is you, Master.”

“Sure, sure.”

“Don’t respond without sincerity!”

“I’ve never been insincere. Not with you.”

He tucked my flowing hair behind my ear. His fingers brushing against my ear sent a shiver down my spine, extending from my nape to my waist.

Danmokbi’s black pupils were full of my face.

“There have been many times when even sincere feelings couldn’t be fully conveyed. How can I be completely composed?”

“Well…”

“So close your eyes.”

Without giving me a chance to respond, Danmokbi bowed his head. I tightly closed my eyes.

We poured out the conversations we hadn’t been able to have before. As the bathtub seemed to need cleaning up, we returned to my room and rolled around on the bed side by side, and time passed in the blink of an eye.

Danmokbi, who had been mainly listening to my stories and had been holding me, sighed lightly and murmured.

“It would have been better if you hadn’t come to Namgungse.”

“Huh? But Namgungse’s funeral is something I should attend.”

“Not in that sense.”

Then what does he mean? I snuggled into Danmokbi’s arms and playfully poked his chest with my finger. Danmokbi, who had been looking at me with the expression of a tiger watching a cat playing with its front paws, sighed again.

Then, he grabbed the hand that had been poking him and said firmly.

“Now that I think about it, I definitely wanted to say this clearly. I didn’t tell you not to do it because I hate the food you make, Yeon. It’s just that I didn’t want you to suffer. The reason I became Namgungse’s cowherd in the first place was to avoid causing you trouble.”

“I know.”

“You probably misunderstood… No, wait. You know?”

At my answer, Danmokbi widened his eyes and turned to look at me. I laughed, lightly touching his high nose with my finger.

“Yes. I know why you didn’t let me near the kitchen. It would be too oblivious if I didn’t know that.”

“Why did you say it like that then?”

Danmokbi’s eyebrows furrowed. Holding the hand that was stabbing me, I playfully responded, tickling his palm with my fingertips.

“Because it’s embarrassing. I’d rather only I know about your feelings, Master.”

“Haha.”

Danmokbi’s soft laughter echoed inside his throat, low and gentle. I hugged Danmokbi tightly and closed my eyes.

“Even though I’ve been by your side for so long, I still can’t read your heart, Master.”
Danmokbi’s arm felt like it was wrapping around my shoulder, but then he exerted force, turning my body around. In the wind, I found myself suddenly lying on top of Danmokbi.

“Whoa! What’s happening all of a sudden?”

Surprised, I lifted my head, and when I met eyes with Danmokbi, he asked playfully with a mischievous smile.

“Then guess what I want to say right now.”

“Hmm.”

I lightly furrowed my brows. What could Danmokbi want to say?

“…Do you still want to point out that I’m calling you Master?”

I asked in a small voice, and Danmokbi pinched my cheek slightly.

“Why do you keep calling me Master when you know? It makes me a little upset.”

“I’ve been thinking about it, but nothing specific comes to mind. Suddenly stopping the address is weird, and we’re not even married, so calling you ‘husband’ is also strange.”

“Hmm.”

His mocking smile seemed to say, “Just call me as I suggested.” Before Danmokbi could tease me, I quickly responded.

“In that case, how about calling you ‘Oppa’? In my hometown, many people call their husbands that.”

“Oppa?”

At my suggestion, Danmokbi blinked his eyes rapidly. After repeating ‘Oppa’ a few times, he chuckled and tilted his head.

“It’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

“Is it still strange?”

The pronunciation could feel challenging for someone from Chungwon. Just when I was considering finding another word, I lightly furrowed my brows.

Thud. Danmokbi planted a kiss on my forehead.

“It might sound strange, but it’s okay. It’s our unique promise.”

“Our unique promise?”

Danmokbi embraced me with both arms. It was a surprise, and when I instinctively tried to sit up, it happened.

Thud.

Danmokbi’s lips touched near my collarbone and then pulled away. Instead of retreating, he stuck closer, lightly grazing his lips against my collarbone.

“Ugh! S-stop it!”

Even though he wasn’t threatening at all when he was close a moment ago, now that he started doing this, my heart raced.

What if my heart bursts? It was when I tightly bit my lips.

“Excuse me?”

A voice that shouldn’t have been heard reached me. I was startled, pushed Danmokbi away, and quickly moved away from him.

Standing at the door, Namgung Ryeo awkwardly smiled and said, “I feel like I’m going to starve to death. Let’s have dinner.”