---

“Where are you trying to take me…?”

I was currently bringing Zion to our house.

Zion, who had realized halfway that we were heading towards the center, couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“I’m sorry, Zion. I really don’t know what to do or how to play. Is this not fun?”

“It’s not that…”

Zion looked down at the floor with a blank expression.

His hand on the joystick of the wheelchair seemed to tremble slightly.

“You’re not trying to send me back to the ward, right? You definitely said we wouldn’t be parting like this…”

“The ward?”

“Yeah. We’re going back to the center right now.”

“Ah, no. We’re going to my house.”

“Your house? The teacher’s house?”

“That’s right.”

It seemed that because our house was close to the center, Zion got confused about the direction.

More than that, even in this situation, Zion was worried that I would leave him in the ward.

“If it’s home…”

The mention of going home had Zion quietly bowing his head, lost in thought as he obediently followed along.

What could he be thinking?

Since we had some time on the way, I recalled what I had seen of Zion outside today.

Zion, dressed beautifully and neatly, eating top-tier food, greeting nobles, and receiving applause from everyone.

They were surely proud and beautiful sights, but…

I merely looked at Zion with indifference, and Zion sensed it and felt anxious.

Who would have thought that our first ‘date’ would turn out like this?

“We’re almost there.”

“……”

As I lost myself in thought, we arrived home and entered the living room. I sat on the couch, and Zion moved from the wheelchair to sit beside me.

“Hop Harvey. Can I ask why you brought me home? Was the meal or the opera not fun? Were you very tired…?”

Zion, with his hand resting on my knee and slightly curling in, asked hesitantly. Still worried, huh?

The mess I made of our date was all because I had odd tastes and was clueless, yet Zion was terrified, thinking maybe he did something wrong or that I didn’t like something about him.

And I felt a strange thrill seeing that side of him.

What are we supposed to do going forward?

“It’s not that. Zion hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Then…”

“It seems I was a bit flustered because I’m not used to Zion’s wonderful and pretty self. Being in a comfortable place helps me relax a bit.”

Honestly, bringing Zion home didn’t carry any special meaning.

So when Zion asked why I brought him home, I didn’t have a proper answer.

I merely didn’t want him to be anxious about parting ways.

I was content to spend time in the same space as Zion.

But since I didn’t provide a clear answer, Zion still couldn’t hide his anxious expression.

“It seems like you didn’t like this outfit because it’s too pretty.”

“Huh? No way, that can’t be true. Saying it’s too pretty to dislike…”

“If you don’t like the outfit, I can take it off. So just tell me honestly.”

“…What did you say?”

Did I hear that right?

Zion is clearly…

“If you bring a girl home at the end of a date… that’s obviously what it means, right? Naturally asking for a body…”

Zion leaned in on my knee, and with his other hand, he unhooked the middle hook of his shoulder warmer.

As the hook came undone, the fabric lost its connection and slid down his back to the floor, revealing his slender shoulders and his eager face leaning toward me.

So he thought I brought him home to ask for something more? From Zion’s perspective, was that how he could think?

“Zion, calm down. You’re seriously misunderstanding…”

“Teacher. I can’t refuse if you ask me. So it’s okay to be honest. No, I’d rather you keep asking me. If I’m just going to be rejected without understanding why, I would rather…!”

Zion, who had been leaning toward me, finally nestled tightly against my chest, looking up at me with tear-brimmed eyes.

“Just take me. I’ll give you anything, so please…”

With a trembling voice, Zion pleaded, clinging to me.

I felt his trembling from the hand resting on my chest.

I sensed his anxiety from his glimmering tear-filled eyes.

I felt his desperation in the words where he said he’d give anything.

I’m sorry, Zion… I could only like you like this.

I make you cry, hurt you, and make you anxious…

“It’s an enticing offer, but I can’t do that, Zion.”

“Teacher…”

“Still, I can’t make you uneasy any longer, so let’s take a step forward?”

“Okay?”

I lifted my right hand, gently brushing away his tears from his eyes, then put my hand on his waist, pulling him closer while supporting the back of his head.

Zion seemed to have sensed what was about to happen and simply closed his eyes, surrendering himself.

“……”

A brief, light kiss.

It was merely to reassure Zion, but still, it was an act between lovers. My heart raced, and my body heated up.

Our lips touched, the nape of Zion’s neck in my hands, his waist against me, and our chests pressed together, all felt soft and warm. No, it felt hot even.

If I asked for it, Zion would give me anything. If I had the heart for it, I could seize and savor everything right now.

But… I couldn’t do that at this moment.

It’s unavoidable for my body to heat up, but I had to keep my head cool and endure.

“Zion.”

After pulling away and catching my breath, I stroked Zion’s head, and he slowly opened his eyes to meet mine.

“Hop Harvey…”

“I understand your feelings, Zion. Enough to feel secure, so don’t worry, I’m stopping here.”

“Does that mean… you’re not going to do it? That as much as I want you, you don’t want me?”

“That’s not true, Zion. Absolutely not, but…”

What reason would I have not to want her?

To connect and bare everything, confirming our love is something we both want and desire more than anything.

Yet we can’t cross that line right now. Because…

“If by any chance a child were to come of this, it’s all over. Zion’s body can’t bear a child right now. You understand, right?”

“……”

Zion couldn’t respond, lowering his gaze at the mention of being unable to bear a child.

After a moment of thought, Zion closed his eyes, trembling slightly with a serious expression, but soon, whether he understood, he looked back up at me and nodded.

“I’ll hold you after you fully recover, Zion. And if you have a child, we won’t be able to do anything for over a year, so let’s try to make everything work out before then. So until that time…”

Honestly, even when that time comes, I couldn’t guarantee how things between Zion and me would change.

The Demon King wouldn’t appear, and Zion would be searching for reasons to live again.

Would I become the reason for Zion to live then…?

Maybe Zion would become disillusioned with the me who deceived her and end up shattering beyond repair this time?

But I…

“I will wait until that time. So you must come back healthy, alright?”

I could only say I would wait.

In truth, I wished that moment would never come, but I could only say I would wait…

“Understood. I’ll definitely get better. Thank you, Hop Harvey.”

What on earth was she thanking me for, moved and determined Zion.

I felt embarrassed looking at Zion’s brilliant figure, clinging to me while I’m broken and deceiving myself,

so I ultimately had to turn my head away from her.

****

On the weekend, late at night in Room 104, Zion, wearing the patient gown she always wore when getting admitted, looked intently at the neatly arranged orange dress.

She felt a strange aura from Hop’s behavior today.

‘Was my appearance today really that bad?’

Hop had indeed told her she was pretty and beautiful, but, at least from her perspective, his gaze on her today seemed to have no emotional response whatsoever.

Serin’s coordination couldn’t have been off. No one pointed out the dress code at the high-end restaurant or the Opera Theater.

The nobles all said she was beautiful, and Hop’s compliments were certainly not lies. But why was that…?

** “I was a little flustered because I’m not used to Zion’s wonderful and pretty self.”

Then what exactly does the teacher find good about me?

Were the compliments he gave me just lies to make me feel better?

No, that can’t be true. It must have been heartfelt.

Then what does the teacher like? Do I have any of those qualities?

If it’s something that Hop Harvey likes…

** “I hear he collects completely broken antiques.”

‘Huh…?’

Now that she thought about it… when she was exercising or struggling, Hop would often have this oddly excited expression.

It was a subtle change in expression, but she had been watching closely and could tell.

Trying hard to hide his excitement, yet it still came to the forefront.

Could it be, could it be that Hop Harvey…

** “Is someone who likes to touch me, lift me up, or see my embarrassing side?”

*** “If I said I like broken Zion, would you believe it?”

Ah… ahh!!

So that’s it! That’s what it was!

I knew it all along!

I definitely knew it, but I never really thought it would be true!

The teacher… Hop Harvey likes me because…

‘It’s because I’m broken!’

 

---