Half a year later.

Britain's sky was cloudy and dark as if it were about to rain. Spring weather has continued despite sudden changes in temperature in the past few days, even in the middle of winter. After a bout of rain this time, I was told that I would now recover to the previous year's temperature, and my eyes went to the sky once again.

"Honey, what's on the menu today?"

A large face was swept over the cutting board where the onion was being groomed.

"Sandwich."

"Sandwich again?"

John quickly removed his face from the cutting board as if he was disappointed. Through the front window of the kitchen, I could see the garden next door at a glance. Although proper plants were not growing because it was winter, by the late afternoon of this time, a middle-aged couple came out and cultivated a flower bed with all their heart.

"I want to eat pasta, too."

"Then buy it."

He must have wandered around the neighborhood and smelled spaghetti somewhere. John always walked around the neighborhood three times a day, and Seoyoon rarely went out of the house. For two months, as Ashan said, he moved his residence every four days until his physical strength returned to a certain extent and recovered. Starting with Hungary, he eventually came to England at Seoyun's insistence.

Come over to England.As soon as she slept, it took more than 10 days just to buy the first house in the neighborhood she wanted and decorate it like a house where people lived. Seoyoon and John were not good at decorating and organizing things. Eventually, I left it all to the company. The quiet neighborhood became a little noisy as the company's people came in and out of the building and said they were remodeling.

"Are you preparing dinner?"

As Seo-yoon expected, Mrs. Smith, who lived next door with a small shovel, pretended to know through an open window.

"Yes."

When she smiled back, Mrs. Smith smiled comfortably and called her husband.

"Honey, get out of here!"

It was a small neighborhood where the Thames was visible. Most were middle-aged couples like Mrs. Smith, or older couples lived. When I first came here, I remembered the curious eyes that poured on John and Seo-yoon.

"Honey, I want to eat pasta. Pasta?"

John nagged Seoyoon with a tone higher as if Mrs. Smith wanted to hear it.

"If you want to eat that much, why don't you make it tomorrow when you're on duty?”

"I want to eat now! Now!"

Mrs. Smith smiled at the grunt and stepped on John's foot so that Seo-yoon could not be seen in the sink.

"Eat whatever you give me."

"Hohoho, my husband and I are having pasta for dinner tonight, would you like to come and have it together if you don't mind?”

"Yes!"

Before Seo-yoon could refuse, John replied with a big nod.

"Looking at the two of you, I think newlyweds are great.”

When Mrs. Smith spoke enviously, her husband, who came out, wrapped her around her shoulder.

"We live like newlyweds."

"Ho-ho, that's true."

The cold soil was scooped out with a shovel and seeds continued to be planted there. Throughout Seoyoon's life.

They were always the same, even though the seeds couldn't grow well in a volatile climate. When asked one day, they smiled generously with wrinkled faces that the seeds that had frozen under the ground would eventually sprout when the weather got warmer.

"It's going to rain a lot from late at night."

"Oh, well, then you don't have to water it."

His wife replied as if she was grateful for Seo-yoon's words.

The wind by the river blew gently.At some point, John, who went outside, was squatting next to the Smiths and asking them something.

"Hani, shall we plant flowers in the garden in spring?"

Seoyoon put down the onion he was holding. While wiping his wet hands on his apron, he opened the glass door leading from the kitchen to the garden and went out.

"It'll be really pretty in spring."

Mrs. Smith smiled and said to Seoyoon, taking John's side.

"I've never raised anything.”

I didn't remember growing a common pot.

"There's always a first for each person."

At last, Seo-yoon nodded at the friendly answer.

John's clunky hands clumped the soil with seeds of flowers in the ground.

"Madam, what kind of flower is this?”

"It's my daughter's favorite hydrangea."

Spitting out the words, his wife's eyes turned to the Thames. A cruise ship carrying tourists passed over the cloudy waterway.

"Do you want me to hand you some seeds?"

Realizing that he had been looking at the riverside for too long, his wife smiled and half-seeded and stuck it out to Seo-yoon. In the white palm of the palm of the hand, the squishy seeds were carefully picked up.

A drop of rain fell on the palm of the hand.

"It looks like it's going to rain already."

The rain that came late at night came quickly. But no one left their seats to avoid the rain.

Falling raindrops tapped the shoulders, hit the cheeks, and permeated into the frozen ground.

Seo-yoon, who knew not to go to the invited house empty-handed, ordered John to visit the most delicious bakery in the neighborhood.

She changed into the neatest clothes she had, and held cakes and cookies for John's dessert.

Ding dong.

When I pressed the bell on the door next door, the door opened as if I had waited.

"Thank you for inviting me."

Sticking out a box of cakes and a bag of cookies in her hand, Mrs. Smith smiled and received it.

"I was thinking about baking cookies for dessert.”

Winter rain was pouring down the window. Mr.Smith handed over a towel because his shoulders were so wet even if he used an umbrella.

"Thank you."

John greeted politely and brushed Seoyoon's shoulder with a towel first. The droplets of water on the sweater quickly disappeared without a trace. It was the first invitation I received since I settled down here.

"The young couple seem to be living a good life."

"You're welcome."

John scratched his head awkwardly at Mr. Smith's words.

"How long have you been married?"

"It's been three months now, ma'am."

Mrs. Smith, who asked as she took the bowl out of the kitchen, smiled when she heard it.

The TV in the living room was broadcasting Arab.

"At this time, I'm always on the news. I'll turn it off if it's uncomfortable."

As if asking for understanding, his wife said to Seo-yoon.

"No."

As she pulled the bowl out of the kitchen, her eyes were on the television. Seoyoon's eyes naturally turned to television. Another bombing in Afghanistan caused casualties, breaking news.

"Do you enjoy watching Arab broadcasts?"

His wife smiled faintly at the words and did not answer them.

There was something bothering me when I helped her out of the bowl of pasta.

[There's a tendency for the regime of arrogance to stabilize]]

When the word "arrogant" came out, everyone's eyes were on television at the same time. John and Smith who were talking about fishing, and Seo Yoon and his wife who were taking out the bowl.Chae-ing.

The bowl that slipped from his wife's hand fell to the floor and broke with a loud noise. Ashan's face was on the screen. Still, he was climbing Maybach to avoid reporters, looking no different from the last time he saw him.

The announcer said something, but I couldn't hear it.

"Oh...."

Before his wife, Seo-yoon picked up the debris on the floor and collected it.

"I-I'll do it."

While dissuading Seo-yoon, her eyes did not fall off the television.

"Look at me. I'm sorry."

'That's all right—please sit down for a while.'

After putting his wife on the chair, Seoyoon quickly removed the broken pieces of the bowl.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, honey. You invited a guest at the most, and what a disgrace this is.….”

John's eyes were twinkling when he saw the news. I wanted to say something to Seo-yoon, but the current atmosphere did not allow me. Lady's hands were shaking constantly. Mr. Smith eventually opened his mouth as if it was not easy to calm down.

"I'll invite you again next time. She's not feeling very well right now."

"No, honey, it's not polite to invite guests."

The wife managed to get up from her seat smiling.

It didn't take long because it was a dish that was already made. Four people sat around with pasta and salad on the table.

"Excuse me earlier because I was so surprised. It's been a while since I saw you...….”

As if nothing had happened, the wife said.

Seoyoon also saw Ashan's face after a long time. Lady was not at all unfamiliar. She also had Arab broadcasts on all day.

I thought it was a relief.

The fact that she hasn't completely forgotten Ashan.

The moment I entered this house, I just knew.

"I've been in Oman for a while."

Seoyoon put words into his mouth that he should never say for the poor. John gave such a hint to Seo-yoon, but he did not turn his eyes to it.

"Are you proud?"

His wife asked with interest what Seoyun said.

"Yes, I met this man in Oman."

Pointing at John, his wife's eyes turned to him.

"I've been there when I was young."

His wife opened her mouth with a faint look as if she were recalling the old days.

"How was the place, ma'am?"

"All I remember is the desert and the sea. And……."

In an instant, my voice sank deep. Lady could not bring up the story of the unspeakable. Mr. Smith comforted his wife.

"I'm probably born with a destiny that I can't hold my children in my arms."

It was raining on the dark River Thames, visible from the window.

He had never met, but he had a good mother, and I wanted to tell him that your mother loved and missed you much more than you thought.

And your sister, who was so bright, looks just like her mother.

I saw a woman smiling brightly in the frame hanging on the wall.

His mouth looked like Ashan's.

"Do you want to pray and eat?”

Everyone put their hands together when the wife, who wiped it off before the tears flowed down, suggested it.

Someone's gonna take care of the child he left behind.

Someone thanked him for being safe today.

It was a night stained with rain.

Even at dawn, the sound of rain didn't stop.

Maybe because I saw the news about arrogance. I had a dream about the day in Oman for the first time in a while. Once again, I could see the sea of the desert, which I couldn't see. Just like her memory, the horizontal line of the sea spread out in front of her, and the sunset that made the world all red, welcomed her.As he slowly began to wake up from his dream, Seo-yoon obstinately closed his eyes.

I didn't want to wake up.

Hang in there a little longer, and Ashan would appear in the dream.

I hoped that the sound of rain hitting my ears would be buried in the sound of waves in my dream.

Boom boom.

The sound of thunder, which made even the remaining dormant clouds escape, rang loudly. Eventually, he woke up and opened his eyes in the dark.

The black phosphorus was in front of me.

Reflectively, he took his hand to a pistol under the pillow.

"Who is it?"

The opponent didn't move. I was just staring at Seoyoon.

I was well aware of this feeling. Seoyoon has known this feeling for a long time even though his face is hidden by darkness.

"Answer me."

I pressed him again.

As his eyes, accustomed to the darkness, tried to identify him, a lightning bolt across the sky fell to the ground.

I could see clearly in the room that was lit up in an instant. I checked it correctly in less than a second.

Seo-yoon, who put a pistol in his hand, turned on the light of the stand. Under a brighter light, I felt I had to check again.

"Ashan."

A drop of water was falling from the cashmere coat he was wearing. Ashan stood at Seo-yoon's feet with a face that was no different from the TV he saw the night before.

"Yes."

A calm answer was heard.

"Are you done?"

"Yes."

He, who seemed unlikely to move, came to Seoyoon's side and turned off the light in the stand again.

"Sleep more."

She pushed Seoyoon's shoulder and put him on the bed. I held the cold hand reflexively.

"Completely?"

As he said, if he wakes up after sleeping, Seo-yoon asks again because he won't be in front of him.

"I told you not to stay in one place for more than four days.”

Without answering the question, Ashan blamed Seoyoon's stubbornness.

"Yes, the first two months."

"Why are you here?”

"Because I have to protect it."

Another weakness of yours.

He, who has never visited this place, thought he would visit if Seoyoon was here.

It was Mr.Smith who came all the way to Oman and returned without seeing him. For his wife, who was heartbroken after losing her daughter, she had come to meet Ashan on behalf of her, who was not confident to walk in arrogance. I used it as a clue to find his mother.

"You're doing useless things.”

He lay down next to Seoyoon wearing a coat.

"You'll catch a cold."

"Gullirajji."

Contrary to what he said, he got up again, took off his coat, and even took off his suit and briefs inside, and came back into Seoyoon's heated bed.

His cold skin felt over Seoyoon's thin pajamas. The button near the chest was released and the hand that came in touched the chest. Touch the area near the gunshot wound. Sweep your fingers long, sweep them up again to gauge the wound.

"It's healed.”

"It's been a long time, and of course it's healed."

"How long has it been?”

Ashan's breath, which uttered the word, touched Seo-yoon's neck. Unlike the cold body, the hot breath came to my mind.

"Long."

"How much?"

"Very, very long."

His breath was felt from the tip of his chin. Tickle down the fluff and bite slightly at the end.

Seoyoon was willing to share his temperature with him. The tips of his hands wrapped around Ashan's neck.I could tell even if we were apart. The biggest issue in the Arab world now was the story of the new Sultan.

Sultan wisely distributed power to the two heirs who succeeded him. On the one hand, he left the Sultan's seat for the tender Asuka, and all the oil that the Sultan had for his own son. The Presbyterian Church left it to Ashan, who was most afraid most. That's the only way to save his son. The father's feelings toward his son, who cannot survive in his home country, were depicted intact.

The reason why the Presbyterian Church was strong was because it was gaining momentum internationally by distributing crude oil that the Sultan had. Sovereignty over the crude oil was with the Sultan, so I obeyed him and knelt down.

However, when the Sultan found out that the sovereignty of the crude oil was left only to his son, arrogance became a battlefield. Gunfire rang out before Ashan could take a step back, and everywhere he went was stained with blood. He paid it back intact. I no longer watched those who held their swords. Now he had no one to put up with, no one to be polite.

If Asuka ascended to the throne as Sultan, it would have been tantamount to recognizing the sovereignty of crude oil over Ashan, so Sultan's throne was delayed day by day by day.

It was nothing short of anarchy. No one could stop Ashan because the Sultan's seat to blame was vacant, and neither could Ashan.

That's why I couldn't believe he was really in front of me now.

"I'm glad you followed me well."

Seoyoon said with all his heart, feeling fortunate that death was avoiding him.

A little longer hair than half a year ago tickled Seo-yoon's cheeks. Open his lips and his hot tongue found her.

Even the sound of breathing was buried in the heavy rain. His hand, which was groping for Seo-yoon's wound, moved a little more to the side, holding his chest. The cool temperature gave me goosebumps all over my body. Nevertheless, it could not be pushed back.

The rustling pushed her thin pajamas up. Despite the warm air, Ashan was still cold.

"Ashan……."

The words were the starting point.

Lowering his lips to her chest, he stuck nipples at the end of her lips. A suppressed moan broke out in Seo-yoon's mouth when he bit his teeth slightly.

The hand, which was touching the end of the collarbone, gradually fell down and once again groped for the scars left on Seo-yoon's chest. Next to him, my heart was pounding at a high speed.

Everything he's trying to get is broken. One thing I wanted to keep intact. Her heart was beating under Ashan's lips. As if it was unbearably lovely, the lips sucked in Seoyoon's chest with all their might.

"Ah...!"

Holding his chestful hair full of hands, she burst into a short groan. Ashan put his finger on the lips, which opened red even in the dark. Seoyoon's saliva on his finger was licked satisfactorily. A deep, clumsy smile hung over his mouth that had never been seen before.

"Don't laugh like that."

"……yes."

The only opponent he'll stand by, no matter what he does.

The fact alone made me tremble. Even if I didn't mix my body, I felt as if I had reached the peak of joy.Ashan's hand pulled Seoyoon's underwear. After passing through a comfortable ship with fine muscles, my fingers touched a dark forest deeper than at night.

Ashan, lying obliquely on top of Seoyoon, put his arm behind her neck and put himself close to her, kissed the tip of her slightly red nose. Her clumsy but unrepentant behavior satisfied me.

Ashan's alter ego rubbed roughly next to his solid thighs.

There was nothing new about it, as I had already felt his solid alter ego from the time I hugged Seoyoon. His fingers moved through the forest through the low dundeok and looking for the scenic spot.

As he slowly rubbed the clitoris, Seo-yoon covered his mouth with his free hand.

A short exclamation broke out when Ashan, who put his lips on the back of his hand, bit it.

"Ha!"

As if he didn't like the cover of his mouth, he took his hands off the dull pain, and then the lips fell from the back of his hands together.

A finger squeezed through the cramped cave.

"Ashan!"

Frowning, Seo-yoon called his name.

"Yes."

She bit her lips on the face, which she answered me with sparkling eyes. The imagination that the long, hard fingers in the memory were inside of him made me sigh. Ashan slowly moved his fingers whether he knew Seo-yoon's mind or not.

In short, Seo-yoon's impression was frowned upon by the short pain when he tried to put his second finger in.

"It hurts."

I haven't warmed up yet. Ashan also took his finger out of Seoyoon's mouth as if he had noticed it.

Kissing his fluttering eyelashes, he slowly lifted himself up.

He then grabbed Seoyoon's legs and pushed them firmly toward his lower body.

"What are you doing?”

"I'm gonna hug you."

'What's wrong with that?' Ashan grinned.

His eyes curved so comfortably that he could not find words to protest. When he saw her lips closed, he bowed his head. He kissed and sucked the soft flesh inside Seo-yoon's thighs so deeply that it left a mark, and buried his face in the black forest even before he was surprised.

Holding the hand pushing his head, he lightly pressed it down next to his waist and tapped the mouth of the narrow cave with his tongue. I pushed my tongue deep to make it easier for me to accept myself.

Soft and smooth it snuck into the body.

I felt a little bump on my tongue.

If it wasn't for John in the next room, I wanted to scream.

Seoyoon's head turned sideways. He tried to squeeze his hand holding his hair, but the man underneath didn't budge.

"Stop……!"

The hot thing fluttered down my lower body.

I couldn't tell if it was Ashan's saliva or a spring from Seoyun's body, soaking the sheet through the hip bone.

He tried to move his back and pull himself back, but his tongue persistently chased after Seo-yoon. I couldn't avoid it. I didn't even know it was inevitable from the beginning. He seemed to have run out of stamina to the point where he was exhausted in no time.

I felt like my brain was boiling all over.

It was only when a series of groaning erupted that Ashan raised his head.

"You can't get tired already."

"Someone's tired."

Despite his retort, Seoyoon's voice was already hoarse.Slowly spread Seoyoon's legs more and settled in between. Her body was tense, guessing what would happen after that.

Ashan's upper body leaned deeply toward Seoyun.

"Hug me."

He said, with a nod to his neck. I couldn't avoid this moment. Seoyun knew that if he came again, this moment would come. As Ashan said, Seo-yoon wrapped his arms around his neck.

His alter ego, which was hotter than granite, reached the entrance he had opened.

"Ha...!"

Even though he moved his waist low once, a groan of pain burst out of Seo-yoon's mouth.

Ashan, who had several times traveled around the entrance and buried the liquid she was spouting in her alter ego, penetrated deeply this time.

"Ha...!"

Seoyoon's legs hugged Ashan's waist even if he didn't ask her to.

It was a momentary outrage, but it didn't back down and dragged him deeper into the cave.

The narrow, humid place was filled with Ashan intact.

The sound of rain, the breathing, and the time all stopped.

It was only Seoyoon and Ashan who were alive and moving in that stopped time.

In the dead world, Ashan began to move slowly. Seoyoon's insides hit to the root and then escapes to the end. My mind was filled up and at the same time, I felt like I was going crazy. I was thirsty even if I held it and mixed the flesh.

Ashan's lips came down when Seoyoon bit his dry lips.

His tongue licked his lips slightly whenever he moved his waist, as if to satisfy his thirst. Seoyoon didn't let go of his hand hugging the back of his neck. Hugging Seoyoon, Ashan, half-way up, slowly poked her inside.

Leaning against the head of the bed and adjusting to his movement, Seo-yoon faced each other without avoiding hot eyes.

Seoyoon's legs, wrapped around the straight waist, shook in Ho Gong. Whenever I saw him burying himself inside, my heart seemed to break apart. At the end of Ashan's world, she seemed to be the only one sitting. Whenever he buried himself, he seemed to struggle to take another step next to Seo-yoon, who was standing there.

I hugged him tightly.

Every time I move, more. With all my might.

I didn't want him to take that last step.

At the end of the world, when Seoyoon lets go of him, Ashan disappears into thin air.

"Hani."

He called Seoyoon's name in a short but sweet way.

"……yes."

His alter ego expanded within Seoyun so much that it could no longer swell.

Seoyun was the boundary at the end.

Was it this painful to make love?

"Don't cross the border..."

"Yes."

Ashan, who knew what she meant by the sound she uttered, answered empty-hearted. He buried his face on the back of Seoyoon's neck. Hot things poured out of Seoyoon's heart.

The world seemed to burn white. Between the quivering eyelashes, white snow fell gently into the air where she and Ashan were staying.

"……I'm glad you're here.

Follow me.

Ashan was still burying his face on the back of Seoyoon's neck.

Thanks for coming without getting lost, Seoyun patted his sweaty back with his hands.

It occurred to me that perhaps I could see hydrangeas blooming here with him.In a world where snow and rain still fall together, the stopped time began to return.