“You must have been hurt very badly. I won’t ask anymore…”

“Okay.”

Despite her gentle and kind appearance, Lina was quite cold.

Jaeyeon felt his courage, which had been boosted by alcohol, quickly dissipate.

Even though she was only a year older, she seemed to have an air of detachment, like someone who had transcended worldly concerns. Intimidated by her demeanor, Jaeyeon hesitated, and she turned away without mercy.

“Then I’ll be going. You should take care too.”

Should he at least ask for her phone number so he wouldn’t regret it later?

Jaeyeon bit his lip anxiously as he watched Lina walk away.

Just as he was about to speak again, unable to resist the impulse, a man who seemed at least a head and a half taller than him appeared out of nowhere.

“Lina.”

His voice was enchanting even to Jaeyeon’s ears.

When Jaeyeon looked at the man’s face, he couldn’t help but gape. It felt as if all the neon lights of the bustling city had gone out. The man’s beauty was that shocking.

“What is this?”

The man looked down at Jaeyeon with eyes that seemed to regard him as a crawling insect. His pitch-black eyes suddenly flashed gold, revealing vertically slit pupils like those of a reptile.

Jaeyeon couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Maybe he was hallucinating from the alcohol.

But more terrifying than the inhuman shape of the eyes was the look in them. He had never seen such a murderous gaze in his life. Just being under that gaze made his palms sweat and his knees weak.

Lina quickly stepped between the two men.

“You’re here?”

Only then did the man take his eyes off Jaeyeon. Jaeyeon finally exhaled the breath he had been holding.

Lina turned to Jaeyeon and gestured hurriedly.

“Jaeyeon, it’s late. You should get going. Your parents must be worried.”

“Y-Yes…”

At that moment, Lina felt like a lifesaver to him.

“Th-Thank you, Sister. Thank you.”

Without even realizing his words were wrong, Jaeyeon practically ran away from there.

The large man, Enril, looked at the scene and muttered ominously.

“Should I kill him?”

No sooner had he spoken than a small hand pinched his forearm. Though it didn’t hurt at all, Enril immediately shut his mouth, taking a cue from Lina.

“Again and again. Didn’t I tell you not to say such bad things? He’s just a twenty-year-old freshman.”

“But that little brat dared to look at you with interest. Were you with him until now?”

Enril grumbled discontentedly.

“I’m sorry. Were you waiting?”

“Of course.”

Even in front of Enril’s cold response, Lina didn’t feel intimidated at all. She could see right through him. Such complaints were nothing more than demands for affection. To her, he looked like a sulking boy, which she found adorable.

“I have no interest in any man other than you. I even swore that I would love only you forever.”

“But I don’t like you attending this university or whatever it is. I can teach you all the truths you want to know.”

“Even if I learn from you, I can’t understand it with my brain. And didn’t you agree to let me attend university?”

Naturally, Enril knew almost nothing about Korean universities. Moreover, he couldn’t understand Lina’s ambition to graduate from university and join a large company to earn money.

Because of this, he had opposed her returning to school and had been thoroughly scolded for it.

As expected, when the topic of university came up, Lina’s tone became sharp.

“I just want to be with you all day.”

Enril, looking uncharacteristically timid for his size, made his excuse.

Finding his expression too cute, Lina lost the will to argue.

Instead, she smiled softly and took Enril’s hand. His expression instantly brightened.

“Don’t hang out with that guy.”

“I didn’t plan to.”

Enril was already smiling, a smile he showed only in front of Lina.

Holding each other’s hands tightly, they headed to the officetel they lived in together. They preferred staying home because they found the outside world’s attention bothersome and couldn’t express their affection freely.

Though it couldn’t compare to Enril’s lair, the officetel was quite spacious for a university student’s place and was close to the school, which Lina liked very much.

Having lost her parents early, Lina was simply happy to have someone waiting for her at home.

While Lina showered, Enril heated the bean sprout soup he had prepared earlier.

Despite not being thrilled about Lina attending university, Enril was always sincere in supporting her. He not only prepared three meals a day but also made sure never to serve the same side dishes twice.

Having made bean sprout soup today, he thought dried pollack soup would be good for breakfast tomorrow and served the now-hot bean sprout soup into a bowl.

Just then, Lina came out of the shower. Enril momentarily forgot to breathe at the sight of her wearing nothing but one of his T-shirts, her hair still wet. But he quickly gestured nonchalantly.

“Come here. I’ll dry your hair.”

Enril lifted her and sat her between his legs. Then he lightly kissed her ear, which had turned pink from the shower. Lina hesitated at the uncomfortable feeling from below.

“Um, I have an early class tomorrow…”

“It’s fine. I won’t do anything.”

Enril, speaking casually, began to dry her long hair. Feeling his gentle touch, Lina soon relaxed and entrusted herself to him.

His soft touch on her hair made her start to doze off. Once her hair was mostly dry, Lina rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat at the table.

“I’m sleepy. Just go to bed. I’ll make a new batch tomorrow.”

“I want to eat now…”

Enril scooped some bean sprout soup with a spoon and brought it to Lina’s mouth. The soup had cooled to the right temperature.

“It’s delicious.”

“Of course. There’s nothing this Enril can’t do.”

His words, brimming with confidence, sounded almost arrogant. Knowing it was true, Lina just smiled.

She felt more intoxicated after returning home, perhaps because she had relaxed. As Enril continued to feed her the soup, he enjoyed the sight of Lina’s flushed cheeks.

Though he had lost most of his powers after traveling back in time and crossing worlds, he could easily get rid of her slight intoxication.

But he chose to do nothing. He liked that Lina, when she’s drunk, talked more than usual.

He was very unhappy that she had shown this side to others.

Lina, who was eating the soup like a baby, suddenly asked,

“Don’t you regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“Following me…”

Lina’s face became blurry.

Because of her, Enril lost his immortality, omnipotence, and all his glory. Even if he returned to that world, no one would consider him the great dragon anymore.

Instead, he increasingly resembled humans.

His personality became more sensitive, he learned anxiety, and sometimes he acted surprisingly emotional. Even his way of speaking changed noticeably.

Of course, Lina loved Enril’s changed self as well. However, thinking about what he had lost made her heart heavy.

“I didn’t ask you to come with me just to have you make bean sprout soup.”

Her small shoulders slumped down.

Instead of comforting her, Enril stroked her face, which was clouded with gloom.

He found her just as lovable when she was sad as when she was happy. In the past, Lina had always been emotionless like a doll, and he feared she might one day lose her life and stiffen completely.

Enril had always desperately wished for her to express any emotion.

Even if it was just contempt and hatred, he would have gladly accepted it. Let alone her sadness.

“Don’t you know yet? My dream was to become the best dragon at making bean sprout soup in the world.”

“Really, there’s nothing you can’t do. You’re good at making bean sprout soup, good at lying, and good at comforting…”

“Following you was the best choice I ever made. I’m always grateful that you chose me.”

Lina’s eyes fluttered shut. She probably didn’t hear the rest of his words. But it didn’t matter.

Enril picked her up and laid her on the bed. She snuggled into his arms in her sleep.

Enril closed his eyes, following her lead.