Sunlight pouring through the ceiling window pierced her eyelids. Yoon Tae-ha lifted her eyelids as if waking from a long sleep. Through the window in the ceiling, she saw a clear, bright sky.

Was it early morning? Or noon? It was hard to guess the time.

Blinking her eyes with difficulty, she soon recognized the arm that was holding her. It was after a few seconds that she realized she was using Cheon Geon-young’s arm as a pillow. Her situational awareness returned very slowly.

They were on the mattress, and below her waist was the blanket she had excitedly brought up herself. That meant they were sharing the same blanket.

One of Cheon Geon-young’s arms was her pillow, and the other was around her waist, pulling her close. He was deeply asleep, his face buried in Yoon Tae-ha’s nape. His soft breathing and the warmth emanating from the sleeping man warmed her.

I’m crazy.

She couldn’t move, afraid of waking the person next to her. She touched her swollen lips, which felt like they had been mauled by a beast. The events of dawn overlaid the tender sensation.

Sharing breaths like mad people, sucking on lips, groping each other’s bodies. Honestly, she seemed to have caressed his back more. Entranced by the resilient and firm sensation.

I’m crazy!

It would be a lie to say that not a single colleague grumbled about an esper fooling around with their guide. Partnerships where they liked each other, agreed, and jumped into bed existed, though everyone kept it quiet.

But never. She swore she had never once wanted to get involved with a guide like this. Rather, she had always reminded herself how dangerous it was to mix personal feelings with professional relationships.

How am I going to handle this? Stupidly. Why on earth?

Yoon Tae-ha continued her intense self-deprecation. But it didn’t last long. Cheon Geon-young tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

Her body turned halfway, and she saw the man’s chest in front of her. Before she could push him away, his large hand patted her waist soothingly.

‘Is he really asleep?’

Before she could even doubt it, her nose and cheek were pressed against his chest. Judging by his inability to control his strength, he still seemed to be asleep. At least, when she reflected on the memories of dawn, the sober him hadn’t lacked control over his strength.

‘I must be crazy. Why am I even thinking about that?’

It felt like two people lived inside her mind, each spouting whatever they wanted to say. She leaned her forehead against his chest in resignation.

The sleeping Cheon Geon-young was as warm as a fireplace. She had definitely thought his body temperature was pleasantly cool. But she also liked the warmth he gave off. It was hot, but not unpleasant. Yoon Tae-ha closed her eyes again, trying her best not to focus on their legs intertwined like grapevines.

How long had she listened to the birdsong that fueled her guilt? Cheon Geon-young woke up. As soon as he woke up, he checked the presence of the woman in his arms. To see if she was still there.

“Did you sleep well?”

His voice, lower and huskier than usual, was terribly stimulating. Trying not to look at his face, Yoon Tae-ha nodded. Her ears must have turned red. That would be answer enough.

“I didn’t.”

His hand, which had been on her waist, moved up to her head. It couldn’t be her imagination that the touch of his hand, arranging her tangled hair, felt different than usual.

“I didn’t sleep properly.”

She had hoped that when his heavy breathing subsided, the turmoil in her heart would also calm down a bit. But her expectations were brutally betrayed. The subtle implication in Cheon Geon-young’s words made her heart beat faster again. He rested his chin on her head and soon burrowed between her legs.

“Are you going to stay like this forever?”

Cheon Geon-young expressed his dissatisfaction to her, who wouldn’t show her face.

Someone couldn’t sleep all night. He fell asleep all alone. And in the morning, she wouldn’t even show her face. He had quite a few complaints himself.

Of course, all those complaints would melt away if he kissed her. Even a snowman in the scorching sun wouldn’t be this fragile.

Yoon Tae-ha, who had been as still as a statue, said,

“Just stay still for a moment.”

“That’s the first thing you say after we kissed. Incredibly romantic.”

Yoon Tae-ha stiffened as if she had a violent aversion to the word ‘kiss’. Even her awkward reaction was alluring. Cheon Geon-young was on the verge of losing control over the emotions rising within him.

He wanted to touch her, to tease her. He didn’t know it would feel this good that Yoon Tae-ha only showed him emotions she didn’t show others.

If she wouldn’t show her face, he would just have to go see it himself. Cheon Geon-young leaned down and met Yoon Tae-ha’s eyes.

As he contorted his large body to move, the stiffness around her eyes slowly relaxed. He gave her a surprise kiss on the corner of her lips. A soft ‘peck’ sound. And then he quickly pulled away. He wanted to properly see what kind of expression she was making.

The redness that started on Yoon Tae-ha’s cheeks slowly spread to her ears. Hesitating, she pulled his hand and held it. And she briefly pressed her lips to his fingers, which had more scars than when they first met. A thrill ran through him. He took a deep breath.

He didn’t think he could say he was strong at waiting anymore.

*

Guillermo arrived late that afternoon. Guillermo’s team had been attacked by chimeras on their way, and many had sustained minor and major injuries.

Hearing the news, Baek Sang-ho ordered Yoon Tae-ha and Cheon Geon-young, as well as the Choi Bo-mi and Shim Gyu-jong pair, to support the allied team. He added that the remaining Alpha Team members would handle the task of searching for the green feathers for the time being.

The four visited the injured Guillermo in the evening. Guillermo, who was sitting close to his guide and sweating profusely, greeted them warmly.

“They’re releasing chimeras everywhere to prevent us from approaching their laboratory. Judging by the increased numbers, it seems like they’re making progress in some experiment.”

Yoon Tae-ha asked cautiously,

“Are they humanoid?”

“There aren’t many humanoid ones. The most common are beasts with disgusting appearances. The closer they are to human form, the higher their intelligence.”

Shim Gyu-jong was engrossed in reading the information provided by the allied team on his tablet. Guillermo’s guide briefly got up and poured hot tea into the four empty teacups. At Cheon Geon-young’s words of thanks, the guide gave a faint smile and sat down next to Guillermo.

“They use chimeras like combat weapons. They’re more blindly obedient and easier to control than espers. And you don’t get in trouble with the law for killing them. Their very birth is illegal. Even S-ranks should be careful.”

“I’m an A-rank.”

“Then you should be even more careful.”

Choi Bo-mi chuckled even after hearing Guillermo’s reply. As an esper whose motto was that the best defense is offense, she was quite aggressive even among the higher-ranking espers. People who didn’t know her well often underestimated her, judging her solely by her ability to create earth barriers.

“I feel more comfortable in battles where it’s okay to kill the other side. So, Guillermo, don’t feel sorry.”

The simple meeting ended like that. Afterwards, they spent three days preparing for the expedition. As the preparation period was short, all four moved busily.

Yoon Tae-ha tried to push the hot and humid time she had spent in the attic to the back of her mind. Cheon Geon-young also occasionally looked at her with deep eyes but didn’t mention the events of dawn.

His playful reaction had only lasted for that moment when they both woke up. He seemed to have returned to the way he was when they first met.

Cheon Geon-young would often give a dry greeting after finishing his daily schedule and go straight into his room. Yoon Tae-ha alone occupied the living room and the space in front of the unlit fireplace.

She had even poured the leftover cocoa powder into her cup, not wanting to waste it, making it twice as strong. It didn’t taste as good as the one he had made. She became a little depressed at the unpredictable man’s attitude.

The rain that the camp staff had sung about being tiresome had already stopped. The sky was clear. Instead, one corner of her heart felt damp.

Was it perhaps not good?

A hypothesis she would never normally consider seeped into her softened heart.

There was nothing she couldn’t do physically. It was just that her stamina ran out quickly due to the chronic condition of lacking guidance. But this was a completely different field. How would she know if she hadn’t tried it? Not being able to show it made it doubly hard.

While she was worrying, time flew by in an instant, and the day of departure approached.

Although the inhabited area was small, the area of Cocytus itself was as large as a country. It was land where one was more likely to starve to death before being killed by a monster if they went out unarmed.

Since a car to solve their food, clothing, and shelter needs was essential for a mission that would take more than a week, two camper vans with shield functions were prepared. Each van also carried a motorcycle powered by a new fuel developed by ARC.

Despite it being early morning, Baek Sang-ho came out to the parking lot himself to see them off. He told them that Guillermo had wanted to come out too but couldn’t because he had a high fever last night. Kim Doo-eon was guiding Cheon Geon-young and Shim Gyu-jong, pointing at each car one by one.

Yoon Tae-ha, who had tied her hair up high in a single ponytail, carefully observed Kim Doo-eon before turning her body. Baek Sang-ho waved his hand at Choi Bo-mi, who was approaching from afar, telling her to take her time.

Lowering his hand, he asked Yoon Tae-ha in a voice only she could hear,

“Nervous?”

“Just enough to help with work.”

“It’s a mission to just skim the area near the expected point. Directly attacking if you spot the lab is...”

Yoon Tae-ha, who had heard it countless times, replied kindly,

“Absolutely forbidden.”

“I’m entrusting this to you because I know you’re not the type to do anything rash. Going to find chimeras in Cocytus as a team of four is an exceptional case.”

“I’m here, though.”

“S-rank in front of your name, is that it?”

“You have to know how to use it when the time comes.”

Baek Sang-ho chuckled softly. He looked reluctant to send only the four of them but had no choice.

No matter how urgent the chimera extermination was, they couldn’t just pull manpower from Korea’s Alpha Team.

Orca had been an organization that ARC’s Korean branch had been targeting and pursuing for a long time. So, now that Korea’s most skilled Alpha Team had come, they couldn’t return without any results.

It was also a matter of pride. Even as one international organization, there were subtle underground power struggles between countries.