Hans released PleaseShakeACarrot’s nape.

“…You can go.”

“Eh, why? I wanna listen too!”

“Would you?”

Grumbling, PleaseShakeACarrot still obediently made space.

The corridor was quiet after PleaseShakeACarrot left. An awkward silence lingered between me and Hans.

“Should we move somewhere else?”

I nodded in agreement.

* * *

We moved to an outdoor bench bathed in sunlight. It seemed empty since it was the peak working hour.

Sitting on the bench placed horizontally, we looked in different directions.

Was it ever this awkward being alone with Hans? I coughed awkwardly.

“Umm.”

“Yeah?”

“…It might seem sudden to ask the very next day, but has your heart changed since then?”

“You’re asking the obvious.”

“Haah…….”

Hans ruffled his hair, seemingly troubled. Judging by his contemplation, he didn’t seem to dislike it, as PleaseShakeACarrot had suggested. If he did, he would have rejected it outright.

“How did you come to like me, Hans?”

“What, what?”

“It seems like what PleaseShakeACarrot said was right.”

Hans, with his face turning bright red, couldn’t say a word.

Bingo, hit the mark.

I flashed a victorious smile.

“Anyway, it’s confirmed that I’ll get twelve thousand points.”

“I get it, you’re prolonging this just for the twelve thousand points!”

“That’s unfair.”

I wasn’t someone who’d go crazy over points.

Or was I? At least at this moment, I was sincere.

But it was incomprehensible. Was it because others found it too unfathomable that they reacted that way?

“Why do you like me?”

Was I someone worth liking?

Always nonchalant, obsessed with points, causing all sorts of incidents, and Hans was the one cleaning up after me.

It was more like grudging affection than anything. There seemed to be no room for love to grow. I was just puzzled.

“And you, how did you come to like me?”

“Because you’re cute.”

“I think so too.”

Hans spoke stubbornly, chin propped up.

“…You’re cute, you know.”

Was he serious? As I looked at him as if he was strange, Hans returned a similar gaze.

“What exactly is cute about me?”

“And what about me do you find cute?”

“You explain first.”

“You made the confession, so you should explain first.”

“No, I think the person who received the confession should explain first.”

“Do we really need to keep having this kind of conversation?”

There was not a shred of freshness typical of a confession scene. It was just like any other day, filled with arguments.

“Anyway, are you accepting my confession?”

“No, no. The fundamental issue hasn’t been resolved yet.”

“Ah, right.”

Initially, Hans’s hesitation stemmed from the fact that I was human.

With a more serious tone than before, he broached the subject.

“As I’ve said before, love between an angel and a human rarely ends well.”

Hans began his story slowly.

“I’ve lived far longer than you can possibly imagine. Initially, I thought if two beings like each other, that’s all that matters.”

It was similar to what I was thinking now.

“It’s not like I haven’t seen cases like ours. In fact, I’ve seen them countless times.”

“Yes.”

“The ending was always the same. Either sending the other away or leaving together.”

So, it was doomed to be a tragedy after all.

“Or, just forget and live like a child.”

“……?”

That reminded me of someone.

Before I could dwell on it, Hans continued.

“Anyway, as long as one of us isn’t eternal, our ending is pretty much predetermined. Who would lightly start something that’s already doomed to be a tragedy?”

He seemed to have pondered a lot in a short time.

“Umm…….”

On the contrary, I hadn’t thought much about it.

I casually scratched my cheek and said,

“Maybe we should date first and then think about it…?”

“I really envy your shallowness.”

Now he was blatantly insulting me. Annoyingly so.

Frustrated, I blurted out,

“Anyone would think we were having a soul engagement ceremony. Love among humans isn’t eternal either, you know? People break up all the time.”

“I’m not like that.”

Hans stated firmly.

“If I’m going to let go, I won’t even start.”

“…….”

For some reason, this side of Hans felt new to me.

Ironically, it seemed Hans was the one taking our relationship seriously.

Seeing him consider our relationship with such seriousness, I couldn’t treat it lightly anymore either.

I could see why Hans needed time. My mind was also gradually becoming cluttered.

“Think about it.”

Sensing my hesitation, Hans stood up from his seat.

I couldn’t hold him back.

Our relationship was bound to contemplate an ending. The difference in lifespan was an insurmountable fact.

Even when I grew old and died, Hans would remain the same.

The gap between species was more profound than I thought.

‘I need advice.’

It wasn’t the time to talk with Hans.

It would be better to discuss it with someone who has experienced similar situations.

“Even if it’s not exactly the same, something a bit similar…”

“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”

A gentle voice came from somewhere.

Turning to look, I saw a woman with jet-black hair standing there. She was so breathtakingly beautiful that it made me gasp.

I stared blankly at her. The woman chuckled softly and sat down next to me, in the seat Hans had occupied just moments ago.

“Sorry. I happened to see Hans and unintentionally overheard your conversation.”

“Do you know Hans?”

“Of course. We’re very close.”

She seemed to be quite familiar with Hans.

So Hans felt affection for me while having such a woman by his side? I was spellbound by her beauty, it was hard to believe.

As I gazed at her intently, the woman firmly raised her hand and spoke in a clear voice.

“Just to clarify, don’t be on your guard. I’m a married woman, with children.”

“No, it’s not like that…”

“Is that so? Good!”

The woman seemed to have had her share of misunderstandings in the past, as she readily spilled her personal details.

“If you overheard our conversation, you must know I’m human.”

“Yes. I know your name too. You’re Jiha, right?”

“…Are you a viewer?”

“No, unfortunately not.”

How could she know about me if she wasn’t one of my viewers? She must have heard through rumors.

As I looked at her skeptically, the woman smiled again and said,

“Do you know what a ‘creator’ is? I’m the author who wrote the world you’re living in.”

“…….”

My mouth fell open.

If she was the creator, it made sense why she was familiar with Hans. They were close enough for her to give him books as gifts.

I covered my mouth with both hands.

“I didn’t recognize such an important person…”

“Oh, don’t be like that!”

The woman waved her hand in embarrassment. Despite being a famous author deserving of respect, she was modest.

The woman quickly continued,

“But let’s get back to the conversation you were having. It seemed like you had a lot on your mind.”

“Ah.”

That’s when I remembered the previous conversation. I had temporarily forgotten about Hans.

But as close as she might be to Hans, it wasn’t something I could just share with anyone and expect understanding.

As I hesitated, the woman said,

“It’s okay.”

“Yes?”

“It’s not something I usually talk about, but…”

The woman gave a slight smile.

“I was human too.”

“……?”

I widened my eyes and stared at her.

Could it be true? Or was she just saying it to make me feel at ease?

She didn’t seem like someone who would lie about such a thing.

“Really?”

“Yes, there’s no reason for me to lie.”

“How did you end up living in the Celestial Realm?”

“Ah, that’s a long story…”

It seemed that she, too, had been through a lot.

Given her busy status, it seemed difficult to explain everything in detail.

The woman twirled her index finger in thought, then finally spoke up.

“To put it simply, I was fortunate enough to parachute into the Celestial Realm. I caught the eye of the Chief Administrator, the highest among the angels.”

“Then your husband is…?”

“No! Absolutely not. Just family, family!”

The woman vehemently denied it. Apparently, her situation wasn’t like mine, falling in love with an angel.

“I don’t have time to tell you everything, but there’s one thing I wanted to say.”

“……”

“Hans is not someone who gives up easily, especially when he takes the start seriously.”

It was something Hans himself had said. He wouldn’t start something just to let it go.

“The ending would be the same. There are ways, after all.”

The woman straightened her back as if to suggest looking at her own example.

Indeed, if this woman was truly human, there was no need to worry blindly about parting ways with Hans.

Even though her situation wasn’t exactly like mine, seeing a woman who had been human getting along well with angels was reassuring. Just having someone to say it’s okay was enough for me.

“In fact, someone else might give you better advice than me. Among your viewers, there might be an angel who has experienced love with a human.”

It was something Hans had mentioned as well.

In the end, you either let go or leave together.

Or…

Just forget and live like a child.

“Nuna!”

A familiar voice called out. The woman and I looked in that direction.

There was PleaseShakeACarrot, beaming with a bright smile.

“I spread lots of rumors, did well, right?”

“……”

“…Huh, was that not okay?”

PleaseShakeACarrot blinked and looked at me, confused.