Hwi, drawn along obediently, and his lips met. A low laugh tickled his ear. Unlike usual, Hwi did not lead — and Yunseo first sucked at Hwi's lower lip.

It seemed no confection could be this sweet. He bit down hard on Hwi's lips and then slipped in his tongue. The tip of his tongue swept over Hwi's even teeth and pushed in deeper to touch the palate. Rubbing the soft, delicate spot made his own body tremble. Just as Yunseo let out a low moan, Hwi grabbed Yunseo's waist and tilted his head.

The tongue that pushed in roughly explored the inside of Yunseo's mouth. The rustle of cloth against cloth stimulated the ears. Through it all a wet sound rang insistently. Yunseo panted and gripped Hwi's arms.

His belly heated and tingled. The moment Yunseo pressed their lower bodies together, Hwi stroked the back of Yunseo's neck and stepped back.

Raising his eyelids, he saw Hwi's eyes looking at him darkly. Yunseo begged for more with a hazy look, but Hwi wiped his lips with his hand and dissolved the thick desire on his face into a smile.

"Did you not look forward to the festival?"

The festival could be enjoyed in the evening and there would be another day too. There was no need to douse the lit flame of longing. Hwi's action was new yet not unfamiliar. Yunseo momentarily surged with feeling and opened his mouth, but recalling that he had been unwell just two days ago, he reluctantly nodded.

Hwi rearranged Yunseo's clothing. Yunseo looked at Hwi steadily and then brought out the pouch he had kept nearby. Taking out the paper flowers made Hwi give a short laugh.

"You bought those that day."

"Yes. Everyone will have flowers in their hair, so we could not be left out."

When Yunseo reached out his hand, Hwi bent his head for him. Adding a flower to the hair that held the hairpin Sino had given him, it was as though a single branch of flowers had been attached and suited him wonderfully. He was looking proudly at it when Hwi put a paper flower in Yunseo's hair as well.

When they went outside, a clear sky and mild air greeted them. The two men mounted their horses and headed straight for Yeonju Fortress.

Inside Yeonju Fortress it was packed with many people. Everyone had paper flowers in their hair and wore red or white clothes. When they dismounted and mixed into the crowd, they became nothing more than an ordinary couple who had come to enjoy the festival. Hwi and Yunseo interlaced their fingers and clasped hands tightly so as not to lose each other.

Looking here and there with an excited expression, Yunseo checked Hwi's face to see if he might be uncomfortable with so many people. But Hwi, turning at the gaze he felt, immediately smiled when his eyes met Yunseo's. Yunseo laughed brightly and pulled him even closer.

When they headed toward the main street, the sound of instruments could be heard. Musicians on the second floor of a tea house were making a lively melody, and below it people were dancing merrily. Rather than a dance of any particular form, it was closer to simply holding each other's hands and bouncing up and down, but everyone's faces bloomed with wide smiles.

Yunseo watched them with sparkling eyes before jumping in among them. He faced Hwi and held both his hands, and tried jumping to the rising rhythm. It was awkward, but he was so happy that even the awkwardness was welcome. As Hwi was being led along keeping beat with Yunseo's hands, he pulled him in and grabbed his waist and lifted him up in a swooping motion.

As Yunseo spun around once, flying in Hwi's hands, the people around burst into laughter. Yunseo laughed along brightly and threw back his head — and above his head, a rain of flowers fell. Children on the second floor carrying baskets scattered the plum blossom petals piled inside.

The gently falling petals looked just like snow in the middle of spring. Everyone looked up at the sky and welcomed the flower rain. The gaze that had followed the white petals as they came down fell upon Hwi. The two men whose gazes had intertwined looked at each other and sent each other bright smiles.

They had walked around so vigorously that Yunseo's throat was completely dry. He and Hwi avoided and avoided again the crowded areas and stepped onto a quiet road.

Having shade, it had grown considerably cooler. The maturing afternoon sky held the sunlight and changed in varied colors. He paused to catch his breath, and Hwi handed him the water flask. Yunseo moistened his throat with the water and returned it.

"In the evening they will set off plum blossom fireworks, I hear? It must be a magnificent sight."

"How about having a bite to eat and resting before then?"

"Yes. My legs are starting to ache."

It seemed best to conserve energy if they wanted to enjoy the festival until midnight. He had just concluded he would look for a tea house in a relatively quiet spot and was about to step off, when a familiar face came walking from the opposite direction. She seemed to think the same — she hesitated and then came up quickly.

"Sir!"

"Ah, young lady Han."

"I did not expect to be able to see you here."

Sohyeong looked at Yunseo with a glad expression, then suddenly fumbled and drew something from her sleeve and held it out to Yunseo. Yunseo received it in bewilderment and looked at it with quizzical eyes.

"I will wait!"

She quickly bowed her head and then swiftly passed by Yunseo. Before he could even stop her she was gone, and he stared blankly after her before looking at what was in his hand. Wrapped neatly in a light blue handkerchief was none other than a letter.

"It seems to be the woman you helped that day."

At the cool voice, Yunseo turned to look at Hwi. He tried to recall whether he had spoken about Sohyeong, but he had not. It seemed Hwi had separately received a report from the Yongrin.

"You captivate all manner of people the moment I take my eyes off you."

He appeared outwardly the same, but one could well surmise that his mood was not pleased. Yunseo gave an awkward smile and denied it.

"She only wished to convey her gratitude — how can you say that?"

He had only helped once in a very small way, and sending thanks for it — was that not something a dutiful person would do? Yunseo opened the letter with a light heart and then stopped.

There was only a short sentence written: that she would wait at a plum tree on a certain hill on such and such day and time. As he rolled his eyes trying to interpret what that meant —

"She says she will wait at a plum tree?"

He snapped his eyes up, but Hwi had not read the words yet and had his gaze fixed only on Yunseo's face. Startled at how he could have known, he was barely hiding his surprise when Hwi tilted his head slightly.

"You may not know this, but in this place young people often catch each other's eye. In particular, plum trees can become a place of meeting and affection."

Yunseo gave a dry cough and quickly wrapped the letter back in the handkerchief. He understood what Hwi's words meant, but his head could not perfectly grasp the current situation. It was because he had not known at all that there was such a thing in the ways that men and women's connections were formed, and on the other hand he was still bewildered.

But when he noticed Hwi's gaze sharpening as he tucked the handkerchief into his breast, Hwi looked him over steadily and spoke.

"She seems to be your peer."

"……"

"Clear as water without a single speck — that type."

He could not understand how one could be so certain about someone met only once. Was this, perhaps, jealousy? With the sudden realization, his pulse jumped — at the same moment Hwi took one more step toward him and his shadow fell over Yunseo.

"Why. Do you want to go?"

Hwi, who showed not a single expression on his face, was considerably intimidating. The complicated fluttering that had been rising was soon subdued, and Yunseo's brow furrowed.

"If I said yes, would you let me go?"

At the fairly rebellious and provocative question, Hwi's jaw set hard. An ice-cold heat rose one layer over those pitch-dark eyes. Yunseo did not step back and pressed close to him.

"If you dislike it, just bewitch me so I cannot go anywhere."

The whisper, kept low, extended a seductive hand lightly and covertly. Cracks formed in the simmering cold air, and through them vivid desire bloomed. Even so, Hwi did not act. Yunseo pressed in one step further.

"Ah, it seems you do not have the courage for that after all."

The corner of Hwi's mouth rose fiercely. He raised a hand and gently rubbed Yunseo's cheek.

"Is it a matter of courage for you? I call it patience."

"Until when?"

"……"

"Patience without end is nothing but cowardice."

He understood why Hwi kept hesitating to hold him. But his strength had only diminished a little — he was healthy enough that the physician had vouched for it. Nothing would happen during their union; he would not be hurt nor have his guardian star taken. Hwi might lose a little self-control, but he would not harm him in any way.

"Until exactly when?"

"……"

"I want you, innyeok."

Having known physical pleasure through Hwi, having known the joy of becoming one body where their hearts layered without a single word — how could he keep that happiness at a distance? If there was a wall Hwi had built in the middle of that hesitation, he wanted to completely tear it down. So that the two of them could fully reach each other.

Yunseo looked at Hwi with firm and upright eyes. At that gaze, Hwi's hesitation slowly crumbled. Hwi let out a breath like a sigh and murmured.

"Yes. How could I go against my divine calling?"

Divine calling — at the dizzying metaphor, goosebumps rose. Even as Yunseo furrowed his brow, Hwi pulled him in. The lips of the two men met, and a deep kiss followed.