Danmokbi liking me. The words I had always wanted to hear rang in my ears, and everything felt like a lie. Tears streamed from my eyes.

I responded in a dazed tone.

“Weren’t you in love with Namgung Sojeo?”

At my words, Danmokbi’s straight eyebrows furrowed together.

“……Why would Namgung Ryeo’s story come up there?”

“Because you two seemed like close friends.”

Once I said it, I felt embarrassed.

‘Ugh, how narrowminded of me! Just because he greeted someone before me, I thought they were close friends!’

The original character, Namgung Ryeo, becomes a lover in the story, so I even thought that the story had changed as the main character changed.

‘Now that I realize it, I’m embarrassed!’

Isn’t this like beating a drum and playing a gong by yourself, then, unable to bear it, venting even to yourself?

I hung my head in shame, my face burning red, and bowed politely.

“……I misspoke. Please forget it.”

At my words, Danmokbi tilted his head and smiled gently.

“Why? How can I forget what Yeona said?”

“You forget well! Please forget!”

“Why do you think that?”

Danmokbi’s black eyes, like mirrors, reflected my endlessly shaking face. He spoke firmly, word by word.

“I never forgot a single word. Every word you utter, no matter how trivial, is precious to me.”

At those words, tears welled up again, but now for a different reason. I tightly clenched the hem of my clothes.

‘He remembered it fondly.’

Our shared childhood, which I thought was only precious to me, was also cherished by Danmokbi.

‘I’m happy.’

Seeing me biting my lip hard, Danmokbi frowned and said,

“Do you really think my feelings have changed?”

I replied in a soft voice.

“When you say let’s live our lives, it means you’re giving up, doesn’t it?”

“That’s why I said it’s nonsense that Baekho said.”

“I know. I know. But. For years I thought you didn’t want me anymore. As it kept going on, I couldn’t help but have various thoughts.”

As I spoke, my face grew redder. When I hung my head low,

Danmokbi’s long fingers lightly brushed my forehead hair aside. My eyes narrowed at the ticklish touch, and when I looked at him, his beautiful face was filled with smiles.

“Now you know that I want you?”

Danmokbi’s eyes seemed to pull me in. It was a very soft and tender look that made my palms tingle.

He continued to play with my hair and said,

“I’m happy. It means you were conscious of me.”

Faced with those affectionate eyes, I was reminded of the heartbreaking time and puffed out my cheeks, saying,

“You’re too much, sir. How can you be so calm when we meet after such a long time?”

If Danmokbi had shown his feelings from the beginning, I wouldn’t have been so confused. At my grumbling, Danmokbi looked upset, as if he was also disappointed.

“I felt like my blood was boiling because I wanted to hug you right away and take you home as soon as we met. You didn’t know that.”

“But why didn’t you say it?”

“Because I didn’t know how you felt.”

The hand that was playing with my hair pulled away again. He looked at me with serious eyes and asked,

“What do you think?”

“I also…….”

I clenched my fist. The first time Danmokbi confessed to me, I couldn’t help but hesitate. I was a servant, and I had nothing to offer him.

But now it was different. I had trained for years with the desire to help him, and hadn’t I mastered a considerable part of Jegaljinbeop?

Just to say this to Danmokbi.

I straightened my head and looked at Danmokbi, saying,

“I have always loved you too, sir.”

“Yeona.”

My words widened Danmokbi’s eyes. He stared at me blankly for a moment, then added a beat later.
“……You know that when I say I long for you, it’s not like the affection between siblings, right?”

At those words, the tension suddenly relaxed, and I unwittingly burst into laughter.

‘Ah, he’s just as uneasy as I am.’

We were looking at each other like this, both uneasy and hesitating.

Because we value each other so much.

Realizing that Danmokbi’s feelings were the same as mine made my heart feel as light as a feather.

I reached out with both hands and grabbed Danmokbi’s forelocks. Then I raised myself on tiptoes and pressed my lips to Danmokbi’s.

A small noise sounded like thunder. Gathering courage, I closed my eyes and kissed him, and when I pulled away, I saw Danmokbi, frozen, unable to even blink.

I laughed heartily and said,

“I know. I’m an adult now.”

As if I didn’t even know about love between men and women.

At my words, Danmokbi’s face, which had been blank, flushed bright red in an instant. At first, it seemed like his eyes were reddening, but soon his neck turned bright red as well. It was when I opened my eyes wide at that sight.

“Yeona.”

He had called my name countless times, but never with such a thirsting voice.

His large hand embraced my waist. And the other hand firmly supported the back of my neck.

‘Oh, could it be?’

I instinctively knew. I brought my two hands together on my chest and tightly tensed my shoulders, closing my eyes.