Behind Choi Gang-hu, standing on the water surface like a mythical being, a bottlenose dolphin leaped up. As it sprayed water like a fountain, a pastel-toned rainbow bloomed over the sea water shining with clear sunlight.

The white sparkling waves under the now-stopped yacht, the bottlenose dolphins showing off their streamlined bodies as they frolicked, and the smiling Choi Gang-hu. It was like an illustration of a scene from the Bible.

“Are you scared?”

Ryu Seo-ha shook his head slightly at the soft question. The height from the water surface to the yacht was considerable. The feet standing on the undulating waves looked unstable at first glance.

Yet there was a firm belief. That Choi Gang-hu’s wide embrace, with arms spread wide, would become a sanctuary that nothing in the world could invade. It was a strange feeling.

“Then come here.”

Choi Gang-hu nodded with a slightly deeper smile. Ryu Seo-ha’s eyelashes fluttered. In fact, there was no reason to hesitate at all.

What need was there to jump down there? Anyone watching would laugh at such a needless act.

“There’s no one here. Don’t worry about others.”

A foolish act with no compelling need to jump down, nor any benefit to gain from it. But strangely, his heart was drawn to it. Without realizing it himself, he had stepped onto the railing.

“…”

Choi Gang-hu’s eyes, waiting silently, were whispering. Don’t worry and jump down. I’ll catch you completely. As if bewitched by something, Ryu Seo-ha launched his body below the ship.

He felt a thrill at the exhilarating sense of liberation. Like plunging into cold water on a hot summer night with severe tropical nights. It felt like he had thrown off the shackles of reality that had been tightening around him moment by moment, if only for an instant.

The judgment of society that arbitrarily defines normal and abnormal, the worry about the bleak future of having limited time left, the complex calculations gauging Choi Gang-hu’s sincerity. His mind became surprisingly peaceful.

His body landed softly in the embrace as wide as the Pacific Ocean. The warmth of the firm chest felt through the cool breeze was welcome.

“Well done.”

Choi Gang-hu whispered, kissing his earlobe as he spun around towards the horizon, dispersing the remaining momentum. The sunlight, resembling his honey-sweet voice, was warmly embracing the horizon stretching to the edge of his vision.

“…Is it always like this?”

“What do you mean?”

Satisfaction was evident in the voice asking back as he readjusted his hold on Ryu Seo-ha with his thick arms.

“It must be the same sunlight… but the colors look completely different.”

Does everyone feel this way when they go abroad? Or is there something unique about Venice’s sunlight? The sunlight, the seawater, they were colors he’d seen often, but they felt somehow different.

“How does it look different?”

It wasn’t burdensome even as Choi Gang-hu gently placed his lips on his ear, with a hint of laughter.

“Just… my heart is racing.”

“Your heart?”

“Yes. In a strangely good way.”

“That’s normal. Mine is too.”

After blankly staring at the sparkling scenery, he slowly turned his head. The man holding Ryu Seo-ha in his arms like a baby in a blanket was smiling more brightly than ever before.

His face, perfect like a sculpture, looked gentler. As he gazed quietly into the black eyes holding golden sunlight, he impulsively reached out his hand. Without thinking, he traced the handsome features with his index finger.

Eyebrows like brush strokes, cool eyes, a straight nose bridge, well-shaped lips. He didn’t even notice his mana stat rising. He just focused on the mysterious warmth before his eyes.

“…Are you seducing me now?”

The voice, quickly lowered, thickly brushed his ear. A faint tremor was transmitted through the arms holding Ryu Seo-ha.

“No. I’m getting revenge.”

He blurted out words without filtering them through his brain. Yet he didn’t feel particularly worried. It was strange. Usually, he would have exhausted all his mental energy worrying about how the other person would react and being careful.

“Revenge?”

“You touch me carelessly all the time. I’m just doing the same to you.”

“…Ha.”

Laughter flowed even as he saw Choi Gang-hu’s subtly changing expression. His heart was elated as if he had drunk a lot of alcohol.

“You don’t know what I might do if you keep that up.”

“You won’t do anything bad, right?”

“…”

It seemed he was intoxicated by the atmosphere instead of alcohol. By the atmosphere conveyed by this gentle world with only beautiful scenery and a harmless companion.

“Please walk over there.”

“…What did you say?”

“Towards the horizon. Even if you put me down, I can’t walk on water.”

Choi Gang-hu, letting out a low chuckle, silently began walking according to the brazen request. With one arm around his neck, Ryu Seo-ha took a deep breath. The salt-laden air gave off a bright scent.

Splash, splash, he could hear the sound of the luxury shoe soles lightly rubbing against the water surface. As he half lowered his head, he could vaguely see bottlenose dolphins swimming among colorful glass crafts.

It felt like he had entered a scene from a legend. The strong body touching him with clothes in between made that feeling even stronger. He might not be a righteous warrior, but he is the protagonist I’ve admired.

“Why are you so quiet?”

After walking for a few minutes, Choi Gang-hu suddenly asked. Ryu Seo-ha, who had been blankly enjoying the mysterious elements stimulating his five senses, tilted his head sideways.

“Act more spoiled. Cute whining.”

There was playfulness in his voice full of laughter.

“Whining?”

“Since you say it’s not seduction.”

He blinked slowly. Whining. It was a word with an unfamiliar feeling. Setting aside his previous life, even after being reborn, he had never whined once, wanting to show only a mature side to his parents.

Only then did many thoughts rush in at once, as usual – is this okay, was I too impolite getting carried away by the scenery, what if he gets tired of it. Choi Gang-hu cut off those thoughts.

“I like it. I hope you continue.”

His voice, as if patting his shoulder saying ‘you can sleep a little more’ in the early morning, gave a sense of reassurance. His reason, which habitually sounded warning bells, faded into a sweet dream.

His attention was drawn to the expression smiling like a satisfied beast as he planted kisses on his forehead. Suddenly, he thought that perhaps it wasn’t the mysterious scenery that had captivated his heart.

❖ ❖ ❖

They had lunch on the yacht, which had gone out to a slightly more distant sea. The menu was samgyeopsal (pork belly) grilled directly by Choi Gang-hu.

Pork grilled on a grill placed over a charcoal brazier that had been prepared in advance. The sizzling sound alone was stimulating, but the taste was even more fantastic.

“Let’s eat dinner at a local restaurant.”

“Okay. What’s the menu?”

“Whatever you want to eat.”

He said that, but it was obvious that he had already made reservations at several of the most famous restaurants of each type. Probably, the menus that didn’t get chosen would be vacuum-packed and donated to those in difficult financial situations.

“Is this your first time in Venice?”

“It’s my first overseas visit itself.”

“Even though you can use five languages?”

Choi Gang-hu didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding that he had investigated his background on paper. Just a few days ago, he might have shown subtle wariness at such behavior, but…

“I self-studied foreign languages.”

“All those languages?”

“English is basic, and I had to learn Chinese in the sealed area.”

“What about the others?”

“I was interested from a young age, and my parents were in the language field.”

The flow of conversation continued more smoothly than before. It must be because he could now share information about himself more easily. Even if he couldn’t talk about how he had studied desperately since his previous life.

Choi Gang-hu, sitting across from him on the yacht and conversing, naturally presented a ssam (wrapped vegetable with meat) to his mouth. When he reflexively opened his mouth, the size of the ssam that entered was just right, as if measured with a ruler.

Thick, juicy samgyeopsal, fluffy white rice, garlic roasted with sesame oil, nicely browned kimchi, green onions and ssamjang (dipping sauce). All the ingredients harmoniously blended in his mouth, stimulating his salivary glands.

“Thanks to you, I realized for the first time that Chinese pronunciation can be sexy.”

“…Mm.”

“I want to hear you speak all the other languages too.”

“Mmm.”

“How about going on a world tour on this occasion?”

“Mmmm.”

He shook his head while quickly chewing with tightly closed lips, but Choi Gang-hu’s expression was already full of mischief.

“I’d like that too. I’m most curious about your English pronunciation. Shall we start with Britain?”

As he often felt, he couldn’t understand Choi Gang-hu’s sense of humor at all. He acts slick, but it’s hard to gauge in what context to laugh and react. Though he habitually smiles every time.

“…Don’t you speak English well too, Mr. Choi?”

After hastily swallowing the food in his mouth, he asked back in a murmur, and Choi Gang-hu shrugged. It was a gesture that could be either affirmative or negative. As far as I know, he’s even lived in America.

“When we finish eating, let’s go on a tour. It’s our first tourist destination, we should make memories.”

It felt like he was deliberately changing the subject. Ryu Seo-ha’s eyes, quietly recalling memories, wavered slightly. Come to think of it, Choi Gang-hu fell into the Abyss from America on the day of the Great Change.

“Let’s start with gelato for dessert.”

Interest quickly settled in his eyes that had been looking troubled. Choi Gang-hu knew all too well how to appeal to his companion. Just like a web novel protagonist.

After finishing their meal, the two moved to the main island of Venice. The famous gelato shop they arrived at after winding through alleys was a very narrow store.

The various flavors of gelato arranged in the glass display case reminded one of a certain ice cream specialty store. Despite having eaten meat to fullness, the visuals still intensely stimulated their appetite.

“Seo-ha.”

Just as he was about to lower his head for a closer look, a familiar voice was heard.