Chapter 33: Chapter 32

From small bathtubs shaped like hollow logs to large themed baths and a cool bath with gentle waves – there was a diverse array. Can the plane take off with all this without issue?

Suddenly, he found himself calculating the weight per unit volume of water. Maybe they applied weight reduction items all over? How much money did they spend on just one private jet?

“Do you… like water?”

“Didn’t you say you liked it? Ryu Seo-ha.”

He did remember saying something similar before. Expressing regret about leaving Geumsu-tang, talking about enjoying baths alone at dawn. He had chattered on as if disarmed by delicious food.

Suddenly, he also recalled the scene of Choi Gang-hu’s neighboring rooftop, incongruously equipped with an open-air hot spring facility. Could it be that was deliberately made too? Such a major construction just from hearing a passing comment?

“Actually, I wanted to create an artificial beach, but that seems to need more time.”

“…A beach?”

As he tilted his head, wondering what this sudden talk was about, Choi Gang-hu lightly tapped the cocktail glass in his hand with his index finger.

“Sex on the Beach.”

Along with a mischievous smile. An indescribable expression flashed across Ryu Seo-ha’s face. Surely he didn’t remodel the private jet at great expense just for this unfunny joke, right?@@novelbin@@

He gave a polite laugh and looked around the third floor again. The glass exterior walls and ceiling caught his eye. Black screens to block sunlight were sparsely installed here and there.

Structurally, it seemed that at night, three sides could be opened up entirely as transparent glass. Preventing fog with items would also be possible. It was literally a setup to enjoy an open-air bath in the sky.

“You know what?”

Turning to Choi Gang-hu, he met eyes twinkling with mischief and slightly shook his head. Whatever it was, he didn’t really want to know.

“On Miami Beach in Florida, where this cocktail was first created, there’s a custom that you must kiss the man who ordered it for you.”

As he suspected, it was nonsense he would’ve been better off not hearing.

“…Fortunately, this isn’t Miami Beach.”

Ryu Seo-ha stepped back slightly and set the cocktail down on a well-polished rock. Choi Gang-hu, as if he had roughly anticipated this reaction, opened a box he took out from [Subspace] without any change in expression.

He saw large beach towels, several regular towels, swimwear and rash guards, various water play items, snacks and drinks neatly stacked. Even expensive brand shower products.

“Feel free to enjoy without minding me. I won’t disturb you. The washing area is over there.”

Choi Gang-hu gestured with his eyes towards the shower room entrance opposite the elevator entrance. It seemed like he was about to leave. Seo-ha had thought he would suggest getting in the water together.

He felt sorry for always refusing. Though the other party surely had something to gain from being nice, it’s never easy to maintain one-sided kindness in the face of constant distancing.

“Is there any special reason you decorated the private jet’s interior like this?”

Ryu Seo-ha quietly expressed his curiosity.

“Like this?”

“It’s more spacious and luxurious than I expected. I can understand for a house, but you don’t use planes often, do you?”

“Well. Maybe it’s the desire to secure my own space wherever I am.”

Choi Gang-hu spoke nonchalantly, but to Ryu Seo-ha who knew the circumstances, it felt like a heartbreaking answer. When he first fell into the Abyss, it must have been difficult to secure even a small space to rest comfortably.

The novel doesn’t delve into the protagonist’s past in detail. There were explanations about content related to ongoing episodes, but even those were only briefly mentioned through flashbacks or narration. So he had dismissed it as insignificant.

Perhaps Choi Gang-hu gained assurance of a place’s safety by exercising control over the interior of spaces he stayed in. It might be similar to how animals mark their territory.

“I’m not forcing you to bathe. If it’s burdensome, there are many other things to do. You can go to the bedroom and rest alone.”

Choi Gang-hu added softly, closely observing Ryu Seo-ha as if gauging his mood. For some reason, the image of an injured beast willingly offering its territory came to mind. It felt strange.

“…Would you like to play in the water together?”

After hesitating for a moment, he cautiously asked back, and Choi Gang-hu’s eyes widened. His expression was as if he doubted his own ears.

“It’s just, handling magic in water is another area of learning… and opportunities for attribute-specific tutoring are rare…”

Choi Gang-hu, who had been watching with surprised eyes as Ryu Seo-ha trailed off and mumbled excuses uncharacteristically, smiled. It was a smile tinged with excitement.

“Gladly.”

With a somewhat elated look, he stretched out his arms and lifted Ryu Seo-ha.

“No, wait…!”

Before he could mentally prepare, Choi Gang-hu stepped into the water just like that. Splash, water sprayed up.

“Is the water temperature okay?”

Choi Gang-hu whispered softly while maintaining the so-called princess carry pose. The water temperature was just right. Enough to make the body languid, inversely proportional to the cold air.

“If it’s too hot, should we move to the next section?”

Choi Gang-hu’s white shirt, soaked through, revealed the contours of his toned body as he asked like he was checking on a child. The beautifully sculpted muscles drew the gaze naturally. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he hurriedly lowered his eyes.

“…If you were going to do this, why did you prepare swimwear?”

“Indeed. I got ahead of myself.”

When he grumbled softly to deliberately distract himself, a voice admitting it readily came back. Ryu Seo-ha, who had started to fold his arms as if to hide his own shirt sticking to his skin from the water, gave up and sighed softly.

“Please put me down now.”

“No.”

Though he asked while pushing against his shoulders, this time a firm refusal came back. When he looked up, he saw a handsome face with a mischievous smile.

“I might put you down if you answer my question.”

“…What question?”

Feeling uneasy for no reason, Ryu Seo-ha slightly furrowed his brow.

“What are your hobbies?”

“Pardon?”

After building up as if he was going to ask something grand, what actually came out was a typical, old-fashioned question that someone on their first blind date might suddenly throw out.

“Things you like. Besides food, you’ve never shown any preferences.”

“Ah…”

“Your favorite color, season, song, movie, fashion… I’m curious about all of it.”

The gaze visible through the air hazy with steam from the hot water was too passionate for him to easily open his mouth. Would he be disappointed if he said he had never considered preferences when choosing things?

“You seem to pay a lot of attention to blue tones for colors.”

Choi Gang-hu added as he looked down at Ryu Seo-ha, who was just slightly moving his lips.

‘Was that so…?’

Come to think of it, his parents liked blue tones. Maybe childhood memories unconsciously influenced his preferences. It was something he hadn’t noticed himself at all.

“Your liking for baths was probably influenced by the place where you solved your food and lodging.”

“…Ah.”

“Other than that, there are too many secrets.”

Was it the result of continuous observation? The thought occurred that he might have thoroughly investigated him since their first meeting.

“Perhaps, like when choosing food, have you always selected only things that are easy to obtain without conflict?”

“…”

Either way, it felt like his inner thoughts had been completely seen through.

“I guess so. I also didn’t dislike many things.”

Strangely, it didn’t feel bad. As he answered with fluttering eyelashes beaded with water droplets, Choi Gang-hu lightly pressed his lips to his round forehead.

“Let’s think about it thoroughly from now on. You can afford to now, right?”

The voice gently persuading tickled a corner of his heart. It was an unfamiliar and strange feeling.

“It’s better to be selective about people too.”

“…People?”

“I’m worried. Because you’re too kind.”

A faint bitter smile escaped. Although it was an assessment of those around him that he had intentionally created, hearing similar words from Choi Gang-hu felt strange. He had always considered himself a very calculating person. That he could be more cold-hearted than anyone if kindness, smiles, consideration, and compassion were judged not to be helpful for survival.

Of course, he had the level of compassion, consideration, and love for humanity that any human would have. But none of it took precedence over his own interests.

“It’s just a difference in methodology, I think. In my case, pretending to be nice was advantageous for survival.”

He regretted it as soon as he blurted out the words as if drawn by something. When with Choi Gang-hu, he often ends up speaking sincere thoughts that didn’t need to be expressed, swept up in the atmosphere.

“Pretending to be nice? Even treating that psychiatrist who was so rude?”

That was because I needed to change the perception of the people present at the time. It was like the most convenient shock therapy. Thanks to that, I was able to easily gain everyone’s cooperation.

“The people caught in the popup dungeon. You could have left them all to die without caring.”

That was considering the image after escape. Because state cooperation might be needed to solve the remaining lifespan problem.

He had already received a reward from the association, and they said a ceremony for awarding an honorary medal was being planned. Everything had happened according to his plan.

“You even worried about the well-being of the people I caught.”

“…Usually, for whatever reason, people don’t want someone to die because of them.”

“Even nasty humans who behaved terribly?”

“I don’t think they committed sins deserving of death.”

It was a difference in values. Born from the survival methods each chose in an environment fraught with threats.

“At this rate, you’ll forgive and accept Jung Woo-bin too.”

Choi Gang-hu muttered disapprovingly as he adjusted his hold on Seo-ha’s slender body. It was an issue with no reason or value to worry about. Just as he was about to answer,

Thump thump.

Beyond the small waves gently rippling in the bath, a hand could be seen knocking on the glass window. …The current flight altitude should be about 12,000 meters?