Passion: Diaphonic Symphonia Novel - Chapter 45

The woman had a very gentle impression. Like a frightened cotton candy.

“I see… Richard liked that kind of woman.”

Everyone has slightly different types they like, but it seemed this man liked cute and lovely types. Although the feeling was slightly different, she vaguely overlapped with Xinlu. Judging by that, Jeong Taeui might have similar tastes, despite the extreme gender difference.

“…”

Now that he thought about it, when was it? Not long ago.

He was resting on the rooftop of the makeshift tower and happened to run into Ilay – given the open structure all around, there was a high probability he knew beforehand that he was coming up.

Ilay stared at Jeong Taeui, who was lying and rolling around on the smooth, shiny marble floor, for a while, then suddenly mumbled something.

‘Well… okay, if it’s Christoph. With that face, you won’t be charmed, so it probably doesn’t matter if he’s around.’

It was said as if to himself, so there was no need to answer, but Jeong Taeui, who was lying with his head towards Ilay, tilted his head and stared blankly at Ilay, who was sitting above him and appeared upside down.

He wouldn’t be completely captivated—his personality, more than his face, left too strong an impression—but to say that face couldn’t captivate anyone? With a face like that, he could actually captivate anyone quite easily.

‘That’s strange… I thought his aesthetic sense was similar to ordinary people’s… I thought Christoph’s face was incredibly handsome.’

‘Yes, his face is definitely a masterpiece. Back in the Mobile Unit, there used to be a joke that if you got used to his face, your standards would rise too high, and you’d be in trouble when you tried to find a lover later.’

‘Exactly, with a face like that, you should be captivated.’

‘But that face isn’t your type, is it?’

Ilay said calmly. Jeong Taeui looked up at him blankly for a moment, then mumbled.

‘No, it’s not. I also think Christoph’s face is beautiful.’

As Jeong Taeui mumbled, adding, “My aesthetic sense is also quite normal,” Ilay, who had picked up a Rubik’s Cube that the children seemed to have forgotten on the table and was fiddling with it, threw the plastic toy.

Jeong Taeui barely managed to catch the square plastic block that flew directly at his face.

‘But you like faces like Xinlu’s, don’t you? A charming and cute impression, right, a face like candy. Wasn’t that what you liked?’

Jeong Taeui, who had been scrambling the perfectly solved Rubik’s Cube again, looked at Ilay at those words.

‘…Now that you mention it, you’re right.’

He had forgotten for a long time.

After his preferences became meaningless and irrelevant, he had barely thought about them.

Now that he thought about it, Jeong Taeui originally liked cute, pretty people who fit snugly in his arms, short and sweet. That’s why when he first met Xinlu, he almost fell head over heels.

It was clear that his preferred type wasn’t necessarily the person he would end up living with for a long time.

To be honest, even ten years ago, Jeong Taeui never dreamed that he would be living with a ferocious murderer rumored to be a lunatic. Sometimes, when he heard news reports of escaped murderers being apprehended at their lover’s house, he would think, ‘Well, he must have been good to that woman, but what was that woman thinking, living with him?’ and feel sorry for them.

That’s why you shouldn’t speak ill of others carelessly. If he had known he would end up in such a situation, he would never have said such things.

Jeong Taeui looked up at the man who was sitting above him, who looked impeccably handsome and tall from his appearance. He felt somewhat disheartened.

Whether or not he knew Jeong Taeui’s feelings, Ilay took the cube Jeong Taeui had thrown back, flipped it over with one hand, and began twisting it without hesitation.

‘If I hadn’t known that was your preference, I wouldn’t have left you next to someone like Christoph.’

Ilay said indifferently. Jeong Taeui nodded, “Yeah, I guess so,” as he watched the cube he had carefully scrambled slowly return to its original state. With someone like Christoph next to you, it’s easy to get distracted.

‘But even if my preference was a face like Christoph’s…’

Jeong Taeui mumbled, looking up at the bright blue sky spread before him, then closed his mouth. Ilay, who had already almost solved the cube in such a short time right above his head, glanced at Jeong Taeui but didn’t press him for the rest of his words.

‘Well, life goes on naturally. Whatever will be, will be, que sera, sera…’

Jeong Taeui spouted whatever came to mind. As he did, he thought.

Even if a person with a face perfectly matching his preference appeared before him now, what would it matter? They didn’t have the time together that he and Ilay had built up.

“…Well… but if my type had been a face like Christoph’s, I might have been tempted in a situation where I met him every day like this.”

Jeong Taeui muttered, patting his chest.

He flinched and looked around only after muttering to himself.

Although there was no one to hear him on the quiet, deserted forest path, he still glanced behind him and quickened his pace.

As Richard had said, after a short walk, a small stream appeared on the right.

Separated by the stream, which a person of average height could barely cross without getting wet if they rolled up their pants to their thighs, this side was a forest connected to the west wing with walking and riding trails, while the other side was connected to the mountain range and was a natural forest untouched for walking.

Jeong Taeui, who had crossed the stream the other day, thought that the natural forest had its own charm, but he had to turn back after only a few steps due to the dense and thorny bushes growing between the oak trees.

There’s always a reason why people don’t take certain paths.

No longer longing for the other side of the stream, Jeong Taeui now looked at the stream with regret.

When he had crossed it to go beyond the other day, the sun wasn’t beating down as hot as it was today, so the water was cold. Of course, he didn’t think of swimming.

But today, even in the forest, it was hot enough to feel the sunlight above him. Only the occasional breeze cooled the forest.

“A stream of this size is perfect for swimming. …The people of Tarten could just cool off here without having to go far on a day like today. …And it’s hot anyway…”

Jeong Taeui looked at the stream longingly from the side of the densely wooded forest, then nodded. He decided to give up on his walk.

He could walk on cloudy days, and if he wanted, he could even walk with an umbrella on rainy days, but he couldn’t swim unless it was hot like this, because the water would be too cold.

He stepped out from under the shade of the trees.

On both sides of the stream, smooth, rounded pebbles had accumulated from upstream.

Jeong Taeui politely looked around to make sure no one was there—though he probably wouldn’t have cared much if there was anyone—and quickly took off his top. After a moment’s consideration, he decided to only take off his pants and go in in his underwear. He planned to take off his underwear later and just wear his pants back.

He placed his clothes on a rock warmed by the sun and jumped into the water.

It was cold.

Perhaps because it was water flowing down from the mountains, even in such hot sunlight, it should have warmed up a bit, but it brushed against his skin like ice.

“Ugh… someone with a weak heart couldn’t come in here.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled that, yet he plunged into the water again. He submerged his entire body, even a single strand of hair, completely, sinking to the bottom of the stream. The water wasn’t deep, but it was enough to lie down in.

Suddenly, he felt good.

He could swim as much as he wanted in Berlin too. Just like there was a pool next to the annex in Tarten, there was also a pool at his house in Berlin. It was wide enough for several people to swim together.

But how long had it been since he had submerged himself in water flowing in a forest or mountain like this? He couldn’t even remember.

The swimming environment, water temperature, and water quality were all incomparably better at home, but the feeling of swimming uncomfortably in such a shallow stream was special.

He felt good.

Jeong Taeui submerged himself, pressing his belly close to the streambed, just as he often did when he played in the stream as a child. It wasn’t deep enough to be called diving, but the feeling of his entire body being submerged in the water was pleasant. He turned his body and opened his eyes, and the feeling of looking up at the surface of the water from underwater, even with blurred vision, was incomparable.

Should he suggest going to the beach for a vacation next time?

He thought of Kyle, who took his family on vacation once a year.

As he frolicked and rolled around in the water, he quickly ran out of breath.

Jeong Taeui poked his head out of the water. He puffed out a few drops of water that had entered his mouth and stood up, the stinging sunlight warming his body from above.

“Ugh… if only the water were a little warmer, how much better would it be. …Hmm?”

Jeong Taeui suddenly turned his head, as if something he hadn’t seen until just before entering the water had flashed in the corner of his vision. And when he confirmed what it was, he was speechless for a moment.

A horse. A horse. A white horse.

The white horse, which looked even bigger up close, was standing right next to the rock where Jeong Taeui had placed his clothes, looking down at him.

“…”

And a moment later, he spotted Christoph sitting on a large rock by the stream further downstream. His white riding uniform looked unusually hot today.

“Chris…”

“Sit.”

“What?”

As soon as he opened his mouth to speak, Christoph frowned slightly and said. Jeong Taeui looked at him blankly for a moment.

“Sit down, where?”

“In the water.”

“…Why.”

“Because your wet underwear is clinging to your body, and I’m seeing a sight I shouldn’t be seeing, right now.”

Jeong Taeui, who had recently fondly recalled looking at his own body while showering and thinking, ‘This is pretty good…’, quietly bent his body and crouched in the water under Christoph’s cold gaze.

“…It’s cold.”

“Then turn around and stand.”

Jeong Taeui, with only his head out of the water, looked pitifully at the beautiful young man who spoke calmly without changing his expression.

“I have a good idea… how about you just go your way? No, more importantly, this isn’t even a riding course. Why are you here?”

“This is the path I always take. And besides, this is where I always rest.”

“This isn’t a riding course!”

“I don’t run along courses. I don’t want to accidentally run into other guys.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled, closing his mouth and submerging his lips in the stream.

Christoph stood up abruptly and approached his horse, which was resting beside a shaded rock under the thick branches of an oak tree. He took something like a snack out of a small pouch attached to the saddle and placed it on his palm, and the horse nudged its nose into his hand. His other hand stroked the horse’s mane.

It was indeed a heartwarming sight… but it was cold.

When he was fully submerged in the water, he hadn’t thought much about it, but now that he was aware, the water felt like ice.

Then Christoph quietly sighed, looked up at the sky, and wiped his forehead under his hat with his fingertips.

…Ah.

“Christoph. Christoph.”

Jeong Taeui called him familiarly. Christoph, who was wiping away a slight bead of sweat, looked back questioningly. Jeong Taeui smiled very intimately.

“I had another good idea, how about you also cool off in the water? It’s really good.”

Christoph scoffed with a bewildered expression.

Tch. As expected, it won’t work.

Jeong Taeui submerged himself in the water again, up to just below his nose.

However, it seemed he wasn’t completely without thought.

Christoph seemed to fall into thought for a moment, then asked Jeong Taeui.

“Is it good?”

“Huh?”

“Is it good when you’re submerged like that?”

“Oh? Yes, it’s cool. Though it gets cold if you stay in for a long time.”

Jeong Taeui felt it wouldn’t work, so he subtly got up. Even with only his waist above the water, it was much warmer.

Christoph seemed to fall into thought again. He glanced at the horse, then gently patted its muzzle, as if to say, “Wait a moment.”

And then he approached the water’s edge, and next to the rock where Jeong Taeui had placed his clothes, he began to undress his riding uniform.

He took off his hat first, then his gloves, then his seemingly stuffy top, then his boots, which he placed upright beside him. After taking off his pants, which he thought might be uncomfortable, he finally removed his pure white shirt.

Jeong Taeui, who had been watching Christoph without much thought, found his gaze involuntarily drawn to him.

Dressed only in his underwear, Christoph took off his watch last and placed it neatly folded on his clothes, then soon approached Jeong Taeui.

“Wow… a statue is walking… You’re so cool, unnie…”

Jeong Taeui muttered with his mouth half-submerged in the water. His words, which came out with bubbles, didn’t seem clear enough for Christoph to understand. He deliberately slurred his pronunciation, fearing he’d die if Christoph understood.

As Christoph waded into the stream with splashing sounds, he seemed surprised by how cold the water was, stopping with only his shins submerged. Jeong Taeui, honestly, didn’t know where to look.

He sometimes thought his appearance was truly breathtaking, but with his clothes off, his looks created a synergistic effect, resulting in immense power.

His tall, slender body was somewhat thin, but it was perfectly balanced with the gentle curves of his form.

Jeong Taeui, who was momentarily lost in the absurd thought that if a thin layer of plaster were applied to that body and a picture taken, a statue would be born, then looked up at Christoph, who, having apparently gotten used to the water’s temperature, began to approach him again.

“Your lips are blue.”

At Christoph’s sudden words, Jeong Taeui finally became aware of the cold again. Now that he looked, his fingernails were also bluish.

“Can I get up…?”

When Jeong Taeui asked hesitantly, Christoph was silent for a moment, then, as if his heart had softened after entering the water himself, he soon nodded.

Jeong Taeui stood up and climbed onto a rock that protruded in the middle of the stream a few steps away. The rock immediately became soaked with the streams of water flowing down his body, but the hot sun quickly dried it.

As if they had swapped places, this time Christoph submerged himself in the water.

Since the water didn’t even reach his waist, his entire body was clearly visible from outside even when fully submerged, but Jeong Taeui knew that wasn’t important to the person in the water. Only the sensation of his entire body being enveloped by the water remained.

“…”

Jeong Taeui sat with one knee raised and his arm resting on it, looking at Christoph’s submerged back. His fair back shimmered in the water. His straight legs looked as smooth as silk. He involuntarily drooled.

Then he flinched, shrinking back, and needlessly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“…Gasp. No, no. It’s not my rice cake, I shouldn’t covet it.”

Now that he thought about it, Ilay had said it. If Christoph had been Jeong Taeui’s type, he would never have left him by his side.

Jeong Taeui patted his unnecessarily thumping heart and nodded.

Even though he wasn’t his type, his mind went blank in moments like these, so it was a good thing he wasn’t really his type. Otherwise, he felt like he’d already have fainted and be floating down the river.

As Jeong Taeui was patting his heart, Christoph rose from the water. As he became drenched, his platinum blonde hair cast a slightly darker shadow. His blue eyes seemed to shimmer, perhaps due to the water.

What’s wrong with me? Get a grip. I’m not some young scholar being enchanted by a fox spirit.

“Is Rick your lover?”

However, Jeong Taeui, who was trying to compose himself, soon found there was no need. His other thoughts were erased from his mind because a completely unexpected topic flew at him.

“…”

When Jeong Taeui asked blankly, Christoph was silent. The way he lowered his head slightly and kept his mouth shut, in some ways, looked like he was deep in thought, and in other ways, like he was angry.

But there was no reason to be angry after coming out of the refreshing water.

Jeong Taeui scratched his wet hair. Water droplets clinging to the ends of his hair ran down his hand.

“With Rick… have you already gone deep?”

Christoph’s question, after a long silence, once again stole Jeong Taeui’s other thoughts.

Jeong Taeui could only ask blankly again, “Huh?”