Honeymoon

Even after promising marriage, Liu and Yeehyeon couldn't move in together right away. There were still practical matters they needed to handle. But the fact that they had definitively promised marriage alone made the time they had to spend apart significantly less painful.

After their engagement, the two first came to Bali and signed the lease for their current house. The property, made up of two buildings, had appealed to them instantly. The building facing the road would be the gallery, and the one behind it was perfect as their home. They decided to renovate a small storeroom between the two buildings into Yeehyeon's atelier.

Extensive remodeling took place before Liu and Yeehyeon wrapped up their lives in Seoul and Paris, respectively, and moved to Bali. They even built a swimming pool in the courtyard. Getting the permit had caused some trouble, but it was a decision they would be satisfied with for years to come.

A separate main gate was installed between the gallery and the residence to ensure privacy. While interactions with affiliated artists or neighbors were always welcome — and the gallery had indeed become like a neighborhood living room — Liu wanted the residence to remain a purely private space for him and Yeehyeon. Anyone could enter the gallery during business hours, but the main gate leading to the house could not be passed by just anyone.

The person who rang the doorbell at that gate and appeared was Seo Yeehan.

"Parang! Did you come out to greet Daddy?"

Yeehan's face filled with emotion the moment he saw the baby held by Liu, who had come out to the entrance.

"Daddy got even darker than this morning. Right, Parang?"

Liu turned his body so the baby in his arms could be seen more clearly by Yeehan.

"Tell me about it. I wondered if he could get any darker, but apparently it's possible."

Yeehan, dressed in a sleeveless shirt and shorts, looked so dark that his skin seemed close to a deep gray rather than just brown.

"Don't stand in the doorway; come in. We need to get Parang's things too. Can I get you some tea?"

"Ah, I'm so exhausted right now... hyung, give me coffee instead."

Indeed, Yeehan looked extremely tired — not surprising after teaching classes all day. As he took off his shoes and stepped inside, he looked down at Leo, who was clinging to Liu's leg, and smiled brightly.

"Hi, Leo."

"Hello."

Leo greeted him hesitantly.

"Did Leo help out a lot watching Parang?"

While Leo addressed Liu and Yeehyeon familiarly by name, he treated Yeehan more formally, in the Korean way.

"I fanned Parang."

"Did you? Thank you so much. Please continue to look after our Parang for us."

Parang was the son Yeehan and Morae had obtained with great difficulty.

The male Beta and female Alpha had almost given up on having a child after trying for so long. It was Liu and Yeehyeon who had introduced Marcus to them. Since Marcus and Ellen, who were in the same situation, had succeeded in having their son Jonas, Liu and Yeehyeon thought they might be able to help.

They soon began tests to see if they could truly have a baby, and the results brought both joy and sorrow.

Fortunately, Morae also had mature eggs, just like Ellen. However, her uterus was not very developed. The doctor recommended retrieving Morae's eggs and using a surrogate as the primary option.

After much deliberation, the two decided to go with that method.

The immense cost of the entire, far-from-simple process was borne by Mr. Lim, Morae's father.

The very person who had long opposed their relationship — the one who had driven them to flee all the way to Bali — was now willing to cover the costs for their future child. It was an outstretched hand of reconciliation.

The surrogacy procedure was performed in Australia, where it was legal and close to Bali. Mr. Lim traveled to Australia himself to hold his grandson immediately after the birth. Now he was an ordinary grandfather, living with the satisfaction of watching his granddaughter by the East Sea and his grandson in Bali grow up — though he still occasionally insisted on things stubbornly, leaving his children stunned.

In any case, Parang was a miraculous baby who had come to the two of them after such a difficult wait.

The baby's name is Parang. Wave.

Ripples and big waves. Waves. It was a naming choice befitting surfer parents.

As they moved toward the kitchen, Parang, held in Liu's arms, stared intently at Yeehan. Then, apparently recognizing him, the baby stretched both arms out toward his father.

"Parang, do you recognize your dad? Do you want to come to Daddy?"

Overcome with emotion, Yeehan took the baby and held him close.

"I thought I would die from missing you."

Watching Yeehan gently kiss the baby's head, Liu felt a complicated mix of emotions.

"He cried whenever I was out of sight for even a moment. He kept telling me to hold him constantly."

"Really? That must have been tough for you, hyung."

"He was stuck to me all day, so seeing him run right to you makes me feel a little left out."

As he patted the diapered bottom of Parang nestled in his father's arms, Liu managed a bittersweet smile.

"You can become a father too, hyung."

At Yeehan's suggestion, Liu only offered an unreadable smile. He turned away, using the excuse of needing to prepare the coffee maker.

"Sit down, I'll make coffee in a moment. How was the lesson? Did everything go smoothly?"

"Thanks to you. Morae also asked me to pass along her thanks."

Yeehan and Morae ran a surfing school at Kuta Beach, one of Bali's famous surfing spots. Because they had other instructors, the owners didn't schedule lessons on weekends when the nanny had time off. However, this weekend there was a special advanced lesson they needed to attend. That's why they had entrusted the baby here.

Kuta was not a short distance from Ubud — even when traffic was good, it took an hour and a half. But whenever they were asked, Liu and Yeehyeon gladly helped look after Parang.

This was only the second time they had brought Parang to Ubud instead of going to Kuta.

"It's Sunday, and Yeehyeon is still working? The light was on in the atelier."

"He'll wrap things up and come over soon."

Liu glanced at his wristwatch and replied with a faint smile at the corner of his lips.

"His solo exhibition is about a month away now, right? He must be busy."

"He's always been the type to work diligently every single day. He isn't behind on his work, but since this is his first exhibition since coming here, I think he wants to do even better. He hasn't left the atelier all day."

Leaning against the counter, Liu looked worriedly toward the window facing the atelier. Except for a brief stop home for lunch, Yeehyeon had been holed up in his studio for eight hours already.

"So you brought Parang home today because Yeehyeon had to be in the atelier."

"I couldn't just leave Yeehyeon alone and leave the house."

Yeehan let out a short laugh watching Liu shrug as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Is Yeehyeon your baby, hyung?"

Liu, looking a bit awkward, just smiled without answering as he placed the filter into the dripper.

"Funny... you still light up just hearing Yeehyeon's name, don't you?"

"Still? We're in the middle of our honeymoon phase, you know?"

"Ah, right. Of course. Is there anyone in Bali who doesn't know you two are newlyweds?"

He added the murmur, "Look how obvious you are," as if to himself, but it was clearly meant to be heard.

"I know too! Kun and Yeehyeon are newlyweds!"

Leo, sitting next to Yeehan, raised his arm and shouted proudly, leaving Liu and Yeehan no choice but to laugh.

"Hyung's been watching the baby all day by himself because of Yeehyeon's work?"

"Leo helped watch him."

"Even though he's my own son, watching him alone is really tough."

"What's 'tough'?"

Leo looked up at Yeehan, his eyes sparkling. Yeehan stroked the boy's head with a look of regret.

"Oh... no, I misspoke. I'm sorry."

While Yeehan was sweating over Leo, Liu brewed drip coffee with hot water. After pouring two cups and setting them on the table, his phone rang from the living room.

"I'll go get it!"

Recognizing the ringtone, Leo quickly slid off his chair and ran to the living room. He returned in an instant wearing a proud expression, happy to have helped. Liu patted the boy's head.

"Thanks, Leo. Oh? It's your dad."

The caller ID showed Leo's father.

"No! I'm not ready to go yet! I don't want to leave."

Sensing it was a call to come home, Leo leaned against the table, rubbed his face, and made a sour expression. Liu stroked the boy's hair and answered. Sure enough, it was a message to return home right away.

"Dad says to stop playing and come to the restaurant."

Leo's father ran a fusion Korean restaurant three minutes away, and the family lived on the third floor of the same building.

"Aww, but I want to play with Parang more."

Having grown quite attached to the baby, Leo went to Yeehan's side and fiddled with Parang's small foot.

"He said he bought you a bicycle. I heard you wanted one."

At the mention of a bicycle, the boy instantly changed his attitude completely. His eyes, sparkling with delight, quickly turned toward Liu.

"A bicycle? Awesome!"

Leo, who had been halfway to the front door, stopped and turned back. He stood holding the edge of the table and looked up at Yeehan, his expression decidedly polite.

"Mister, can I give Parang a goodbye kiss?"

"Of course, absolutely."

Leo carefully kissed the baby's forehead, then properly greeted both Kun and Yeehan before running back toward the front door.

Yeehan watched Leo's retreating back with a smile, then brought his mug to his lips and asked.

"'Awesome,' huh? Where did he pick up language like that?"

"I think he learned it from Yuni."

Baek Yuni had also left The Hands with Yeehyeon and moved to Bali. More capable now with accumulated experience, she was in charge of the overall operation of the local gallery, alongside her partner, Michelle.

Michelle, who had worked as a designer in Paris, had joined Liu's team and handled all the visual media design for the gallery.

Jungles, rivers, the sea, rice paddies, lakes... Deeply immersed in Bali's diverse nature, Yuni and Michelle were thoroughly enjoying life there, working passionately on weekdays and taking short trips on weekends.

"But you must have had such a hard time taking care of the baby all by yourself. I'm so grateful."

"You said you'd treat me to a meal, right? Make it an expensive one."

"I definitely will. I'll buy good ingredients and cook a feast for you myself."

"I was just saying that. Taking care of Parang isn't that hard. How could it be hard when he's this cute, right, Parang?"

As Liu spoke to him from across the table, the baby made eye contact and giggled happily.

"You're surprisingly talented at childcare. Even the way you hold him is so steady. You don't look like someone who just babysits once in a while."

"I never really had the chance to spend time with kids before. It's kind of surprising to me, too."

"At first, you didn't know what to do when he was handed to you."

"He was so small — I was afraid I might hurt him."

"Now, when you take Parang out, everyone assumes you're his father, right?"

"I didn't know I could be like this either. Parang is precious. Maybe it's because he follows me so well? When he grips my shirt tightly with his little hands, it warms my heart."

Liu looked warmly at the baby, who was playing while tapping the table with his small hands in his father's arms. Yeehan stroked the baby's soft hair while looking at Liu.

"If it were your own child, wouldn't it be even more beautiful?"

"......"

Yeehan's voice held a subtle weight — this wasn't a casual remark. Because of that, Liu couldn't just laugh it off. Yeehan looked at Liu, who was only sipping his coffee, and asked as if he had made up his mind.

"You and Yeehyeon aren't thinking about it yet?"

"Yeehyeon is only twenty-six. And we haven't even been married for six months."

"Even if Yeehyeon is only twenty-six, you're thirty-six."

"These days, thirty-six is just about the prime age for marriage. Look around me — Manager Han, Choi Inwu, Shushu. They're all my age, and I'm the only one who's married."

Liu said this with his characteristic confidence, tinged with a smile. Yeehan paused to think for a moment before nodding.

"Well, that's true."

"Ah, I should prepare Parang's dishes in advance. Our angel ate his baby food so well today. Right, Parang?"

Lifting himself off the chair, Liu stroked the baby's round cheek. The little one looked up at Liu, drooling onto his bib and grinning widely, kicking his arms and legs. Facing that sight, Liu could never help but smile back.

Weekends were the housekeeper's days off. Liu picked up the baby's dishes, which he had washed himself, from the drying rack. They were still a bit damp.

"Still, you know Yeehyeon wants one, right?"

"......"

Liu's hands, wiping the dishes dry with a kitchen towel, paused momentarily. Without turning his head, he replied in a casual tone.

"That's a topic we can think about in a year or two. We can still enjoy being newlyweds, just the two of us, for a little longer, can't we?"

"It's a prejudice to think that having a baby means the newlywed atmosphere disappears. Can't you tell by looking at Morae and me?"

Liu snickered at Yeehan's boastful confidence. It was an undeniable truth. While raising Parang, Yeehan and Morae seemed to have grown even closer than before. It wasn't just camaraderie from raising a child together — they seemed more grateful for each other's existence, and felt a different kind of attraction in the way they cared for one another.

Liu was more confident than anyone else.

Having a baby wouldn't eliminate the sexual tension in his relationship with Yeehyeon. There was no way they would stop finding each other attractive.

Even if they hired a trustworthy full-time babysitter, it wouldn't mean the parents' touch was entirely unnecessary. Even after finally getting an incessantly crying baby to sleep and collapsing from exhaustion, Liu would still long for Yeehyeon's skin. Even wearing a T-shirt with drool on his shoulder and his neckline stretched out from the baby pulling at it, Yeehyeon would still be attractive. Every time he looked at such an Yeehyeon, Liu would feel intense sexual desire mixed with overwhelming affection.

Wouldn't that be natural? How could Yeehyeon, who had conceived and was raising a child with him, not be sexy?

The talk about postponing having a baby just to enjoy the honeymoon phase more was nothing but an excuse.

"Morae said it, actually. That I was sexiest when I was kissing that tiny little head while holding Parang as I rocked him to sleep."

"Yes, of course. I'm sure she would."

As Liu packed the dried dishes into a special bag decorated with a bear, he chuckled softly.

"I guarantee it — when you see Yeehyeon and the baby sleeping side by side, you might even cry from happiness, hyung."

"......"

This time, Liu couldn't say anything. Yeehan's words had forced him to imagine it.

Yeehyeon and their baby. Yeehyeon sleeping alongside that baby.

There could be no greater happiness. At least, not among the happiness he could imagine right now. Even without seeing it before his eyes, the sheer emotion overwhelmed him to the point of pain just by imagining it.

"I don't think having a child is necessary for love to be complete. But you aren't planning on never having any children, are you?"

"No, that's not it."

Liu zipped up the bear bag, composed his expression, and returned to the table.

"Your thoughts are pretty obvious, hyung."

Yeehan made a sly face while soothing the baby, who had started fussing.

"And what thoughts are those?"

"Marrying at twenty-six was already too young. How could I possibly ask Yeehyeon, who married that young, to get pregnant at twenty-six? The physical toll of pregnancy and childbirth — that would all fall on Yeehyeon. I can't put him through something like that."

"Are you impersonating me?"

Liu stood planted in front of the table, crossing his arms and frowning.

"I can see it so clearly — do you really think Yeehyeon wouldn't know what you're thinking?"

"......"

"Talk to Yeehyeon properly. I'm saying this because I'm worried you might change the subject even if Yeehyeon tries to bring it up first."

It hit the nail on the head.

As the baby continued to fuss, Yeehan rose from his seat.

"You know he's strong enough to decide for himself what's best for him, don't you?"

That was also true.

Perhaps Liu was stubbornly insisting on this out of a compulsion to do what he thought was best for Yeehyeon. But he was always anxious that things like marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare might hinder Yeehyeon's personal growth or achievements.

The baby, who had been stuffing his hand into his mouth, smiled at Liu and reached out an arm. Without hesitation, Liu took the small hand and kissed the tiny fist.

"Parang, it seems like Daddy has been truly happy since you were born."

Yeehan slung the diaper bag over his shoulder, carried the baby in one arm, and stepped out the front door.

"Yeehyeon might be concentrating, so I'll just go. Say hello for me."

"Be careful driving."

Seconds after the front door closed, the baby's crying started. Yeehan's voice, soothing the baby, drifted back.

"Did uncle disappear? It's okay, Parang. Don't cry. Let's go home and see Mom. Do you know how much Mom is waiting for you? We'll see uncle again next week, okay?"

Liu's chest ached from the mournful cries that wouldn't stop and were gradually fading away. He stood with his hands on his hips for a while, listening blankly. Only after the crying was completely gone did he go to the living room and start cleaning up the traces of the baby.

Large baby items like the playmat, blankets, and stroller — cumbersome to pack and carry back and forth — were kept as duplicates in the guest room.

Even though only the small baby was gone, the house felt empty and desolate, making his movements unnecessarily flustered. As Liu was tidying the playmat, blanket, and handkerchief into the laundry basket, he suddenly stopped and fell into thought.

I'm saying this because I'm worried you might change the subject even if Yeehyeon tries to bring it up first.

Yeehan's meddling wasn't entirely groundless worry.

Every time after looking after Parang or spending time with his family, Yeehyeon would always fall silent for a moment. Liu was not unaware of the envious glances Yeehyeon directed toward the two people who looked so happy surrounding the baby. He understood exactly what those looks meant because he felt the same way.

Each time, Liu had only managed to lighten Yeehyeon's mood by changing the subject to a lighthearted joke instead of having a serious conversation.

This was a crucial time when Yeehyeon still needed to focus more on his work, when he could gain more recognition.

Under the pretense of looking out for Yeehyeon, wasn't he actually ignoring what Yeehyeon truly wanted?

Hmm... Liu let out a heavy sigh and left the laundry room. It was almost six o'clock. Even on days when his work was going well, Yeehyeon never worked past six. Regular, steady work that didn't compromise his health or routine — that was Yeehyeon's way.

A change of pace was needed.

Even though it was the weekend, since it was Sunday evening, securing a table at a nice restaurant wouldn't be difficult. There were quite a few good restaurants in Ubud run by friends they had made over the past few months. He could order wine, and depending on the mood, perhaps bring up the topic of the baby.

Perhaps that was why he felt that way.

His heart was pounding faster than usual.

It was unusual, so Liu chuckled awkwardly to himself and rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn't help but smile at the thought that only Seo Yeehyeon had the power to make this arrogant heart feel as soft as a boy's, or to make it race the way it did the moment he proposed.

He tidied the rumpled sofa and put away the toys Leo had been playing with. He washed the mugs he and Yeehan had shared. Even while doing these things, the agitation in his chest didn't settle.

Only then did Liu realize.

This feeling was different from the flutter of excitement.

It felt like something was about to happen — no, like something was already happening, yet he was unaware of it, which made him anxious. This wasn't excitement; it was apprehension.

Liu couldn't seem to sit still in one place. He paced around the entire house, from the living room to the kitchen and the bedroom. Then, standing in the dressing room, he grabbed the sleeve of Yeehyeon's T-shirt and buried his nose and mouth in it, taking a deep breath. Even though it had been washed and hung up, he could almost smell his scent.

The anxiety did not subside. In fact, it grew worse. It was a pounding he had never felt before; his heart was racing right up to his temples.

He had to go to Yeehyeon.

He had to see with his own eyes that Yeehyeon was safe.

He would touch Yeehyeon's skin and hear his calm voice. Only then would this anxiety be lifted.

He was intensely fixated on that single thought.

Leaving the dressing room, he crossed the hallway. By the time he reached the front door, he was nearly running.

The lights were on in Yeehyeon's atelier, situated between the gallery and the house. Before opening the door, Liu looked inside through the window.

The moment he spotted Yeehyeon crouched on the floor beyond the large window, every hair on Liu's body stood on end.

"Yeehyeon!"

However, as soon as he opened the door, he couldn't rush toward Yeehyeon. He stumbled back half a step and had to squeeze his eyes shut.

The pheromone of an Omega — of Diamond Dust — saturated the room. It was like a greenhouse filled with hundreds of thousands of blooming lilies, or as if a vial of perfume had shattered in an enclosed space. A thick, toxic, dangerous scent.

Liu approached Yeehyeon while leaving the door open. Yeehyeon had collapsed with his head bowed low, shoulders trembling as if sobbing. As Liu drew nearer, he saw Yeehyeon clutching his throat, struggling to breathe.

Liu knelt beside him carefully so as not to startle him. He gently placed a hand on Yeehyeon's back and stroked it.

"Yeehyeon, Seo Yeehyeon? It's me."

"Kun...?"

When Yeehyeon lifted his head, his eyes were unfocused. His lips parted languidly as he slowly exhaled and inhaled. Liu wrapped his arms around Yeehyeon's shoulders and pulled him into an embrace. He stroked Yeehyeon's cheek and kissed his forehead. While not exactly feverish, his body temperature was higher than usual.

Exposed to the concentrated pheromone of Diamond Dust, Liu felt his own pheromones escaping uncontrollably. A throbbing desire for the body he was holding boiled up within him.

"Yes, it's me. It's okay now, Yeehyeon."

"Are you really, really Kun?"

Yeehyeon's trembling hands gripped Liu's chest.

"Smell my pheromones. It's me. How long have you been like this? Huh?"

Yeehyeon buried his nose and mouth into the nape of Liu's neck.

"It smells like Kun. It's Kun."

Then, with a burning thirst, he sought Liu's lips as if searching for water. But he couldn't even kiss him properly.

"Touch me here, Kun."

Yeehyeon pulled Liu's hand down between his legs. It was a sight usually reserved for after they had been intimate and he had been thoroughly exposed to the pheromones. No — this was even more forward than that.

Liu flinched in surprise. Even through his pants, he could tell that Yeehyeon was completely wet down there.

Yeehyeon had not missed a single day of taking his suppressants. Liu personally made sure he took them every day. Today was no different.

So how could this be happening?

"My... my stomach is hot, Kun."

Yeehyeon pleaded in pain, his lips dry and pale from the fever. Liu pulled Yeehyeon's shoulder into a tight embrace.

Explosively potent pheromones, high body temperature, heat in his lower abdomen, an overwhelming amount of slick, and intense sexual desire...

As far as Liu knew, this was a heat.