TL | Chapter 14 | His Territory

“Not much fun,” Iden muttered. He’d hoped for a little more reaction, maybe even for Seowon to feel flustered. He didn’t actually want to make him uncomfortable; he just wished Seowon would lean on him a little more. Was it selfish to want to be the only one left in Seowon’s world?

Regardless of whether Seowon leaned on him emotionally, realistically, Iden was the only one who could take care of him right now. And Seowon knew it too, which was why, even if he tried to draw lines, he still stayed close to Iden.

Watching the closed study door, a faint smile played on Iden’s lips. Whatever the case, it was better than when he’d thought he’d lost Seowon completely. Knowing that Ha Seowon was inside his own space made his halted world begin to turn again.

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Iden stood up and approached the study door. He leaned in, listening, but no sound came from within. He gripped the handle, turning it slowly and quietly. Through the slightly open door, he could see Seowon lying stretched out on the sofa.

He didn’t react to the sound of the door opening, likely fast asleep. Iden stepped inside quietly, stopping in front of the sofa. Seowon lay there in deep slumber, without even a twitch.

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“For a bodyguard, you’re a bit too trusting, aren’t you?”

It occurred to Iden that someone could carry Seowon away without him knowing. Ha Seowon only showed this kind of defenseless side in front of him.

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“I don’t see what’s different about you.”

Sure, there were subtle differences, but at the core, he wasn’t any different. To Iden, he was simply “Seowon.”

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Kneeling down, Iden gently brushed Seowon’s hair back. Seowon murmured softly, his body shifting instinctively toward Iden’s hand. Iden cupped his cheek in his palm, and as he felt the warmth beneath his hand, he couldn’t help but smile.

He’s alive. Ha Seowon is alive.

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“It’s okay. We can take things slowly, start over from the beginning.”

He bent down, pressing a light kiss to Seowon’s forehead before standing up. As he exited and closed the study door, a gentle smile lingered on his face.

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Seowon nearly fell off the sofa as he rolled over in his sleep. His arm shot out to grab the edge, saving him from hitting the floor, but it jolted him wide awake. Bright sunlight filled the study, streaming in through the window. Checking his phone, he saw that it was barely past seven.

Though he hadn’t overslept, he was surprised to find he’d slept so deeply. Despite the unfamiliar setting, he’d felt no discomfort, almost as if he’d lived here for a long time. Even though he’d slept on a sofa instead of a bed, he hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night from nightmares, either.

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He hadn’t been plagued by nightmares since Iden had come back to life in front of him. But it was rare for him to sleep so soundly in a new place like this. He realized that even two nights ago, he had quickly drifted off in Iden’s bedroom, despite having felt feverish and heavy.

Because it was Iden’s space. Subtly infused with his pheromones.

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That was the only reason he could think of. For him, Iden’s pheromones were not only enticing but also gave him a deep sense of comfort. He’d slept like a rock, devoid of any wariness.

Get a grip. Seowon lightly slapped his cheeks to snap himself out of it. Just because he was in South Korea and in Iden’s house didn’t mean he could fully relax. The one who had targeted him still hadn’t been caught. He might be in the United States, but that didn’t mean South Korea was 100% safe either. If it were truly safe, Iden wouldn’t have insisted he wear a bulletproof vest.

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Was Iden making any precautions of his own? Judging from yesterday, other than Min, there didn’t seem to be anyone around him. What if a sniper targeted him? The thought made his heart clench. Being in Iden’s space didn’t mean he could let his guard down. He’d learned from experience that anything could happen anytime, anywhere.

Sigh. He let out a low sigh. Realistically, he shouldn’t leave Iden’s side for even a moment. Ideally, they’d even share the same space when sleeping. That way, he could respond instantly if anything happened.

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Maybe he should sleep in the living room instead of the study. He’d have to assess the level of security in the house first. But no matter what he considered, sharing a room with Iden wasn’t an option. It wasn’t that he was wary of Iden’s pheromones. No bodyguard would ever share a bed with their client.

As he reasoned with himself, a bitter smile appeared on his face. If it were the “Iden” he had known and loved, he wouldn’t have even hesitated. Was he just making excuses because he was afraid of triggering his heat again?

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Since it was unlikely that he’d find a different answer, he shook his head and stood up. He was already awake, so he decided to wash up and prepare breakfast. Iden didn’t seem like the type to do anything himself. If they weren’t going to skip breakfast or order in, he’d have to make something.

However, upon entering the living room, he heard clinking sounds coming from the kitchen. Could Min have shown up this early? Iden wouldn’t have hired help to clean or cook so early in the morning, right…?

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Approaching the kitchen quietly, Seowon found himself at a loss for words at the sight before him.

“You’re awake?”

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Iden was standing at the sink, busily preparing something. He didn’t seem particularly skilled with the kitchen utensils; even the simple task of draining lettuce in a colander caused several clattering sounds.

“I was going to make something simple, like a salad and fried eggs. Is that okay?”

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Iden asked, looking at Seowon. His appearance, though clumsy, reminded Seowon so much of someone else that he felt his throat tighten, unable to respond.

“You have a strange expression.”

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Iden put down the colander and approached Seowon.

“You’re overlaying someone else’s image onto me, aren’t you?”

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His precise observation made Seowon flinch. Reflexively, he averted his gaze, only to hear Iden let out a chuckle.

“I can practically feel who you’re thinking about, and it’s complicated. Clearly, it’s me, but you keep denying that, saying it’s not. So who am I supposed to be jealous of?”

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It was hard to tell if he was joking or being serious.

“There’s no one to be jealous of.”

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Seowon’s pointed remark—that it wasn’t worth Iden’s jealousy, no matter who he thought of—made Iden’s eyes curve in amusement.

“Well, that’s a matter of perspective.”

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With that ambiguous reply, Iden turned back around. He plated the drained lettuce, rinsed some cherry tomatoes, and added them to the plate. Then, he took a few eggs out of the fridge and placed a large frying pan on the induction cooktop.

“What are you doing?”

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As Seowon watched, he was startled when Iden moved to crack an egg directly onto the pan without any oil.

“Fried eggs?”

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Iden’s expression seemed to ask, “Didn’t I just say that?”

“That’s not the issue here—oh, forget it. Move aside.”

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Seowon finally nudged Iden aside and took over at the induction cooktop. Searching through the cabinets, he found a stash of condiments, including cooking oil. He poured a bit of oil onto the pan, and only then did Iden let out a small “ah” in realization.

As Seowon cracked four eggs onto the pan, two for each of them, Iden watched him intently without looking away.

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Was he trying to bore holes in his face? Making fried eggs wasn’t that fascinating, so why was he staring so hard?

Though he thought he was used to Iden’s gaze, his heart felt oddly unsettled. He wanted to tell him to stop staring, but that would only make it clear that he was conscious of him.

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“If you’ve got something to say, say it.”

Unable to endure Iden’s open gaze any longer, Seowon finally said something, prompting Iden’s eyes to curve playfully.

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“Can I really say it?”

“Go ahead.”

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What was he planning to say? If it was just more nonsense…

“That’s burning, you know.”

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Following his comment, Seowon glanced down to see the edges of the eggs beginning to scorch.

“Oh, no.”

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Panicked, he tried to flip them with the spatula, but the yolk broke in the process. He hastily turned off the heat, but the fried eggs were already a mess. In hindsight, he should have just made scrambled eggs. But it was too late to regret now.

A muffled chuckle made him look back. Iden quickly turned his head, but the corners of his mouth were twitching, barely suppressing laughter.

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“Just laugh.”

No sooner had Seowon given permission than Iden burst out laughing. Given how confidently Seowon had taken over, it was only natural for him to find it amusing. With a sigh, Seowon just let it go.

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“I told you. You always end up burning fried eggs.”

Iden’s words made him freeze. Seowon was never particularly skilled at cooking, but he didn’t remember ever burning fried eggs himself. The “Iden” he’d loved would always make them for him before he even had a chance.

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What you’re talking about… that’s not me.

The words hovered on the tip of his tongue but, in the end, he swallowed them down.

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