He was just a freshman in high school. Yet, Tae Ha had already matured enough to make it awkward to call him a boy.

He was over 180 centimeters tall, and his shoulders and chest were broadening, his skeleton nearly fully formed. Given his father’s impressive physique, it was to be expected.

Although his appearance and physique already overwhelmed adults, there were still traces of a boy’s distinctive feel here and there.

There was no visible stubble on his chin, which exuded a masculine vibe, and his neck, revealed above the pristine white collar of his uniform, seemed somewhat delicate.

It was a fleeting beauty only possible during the transition between boyhood and adulthood.

Tae Ha, scrutinizing the phone, asked,

“You liked this kind of stuff?”
There was no hint of ridicule or blame, but Si Hyun, somewhat embarrassed, promptly snatched the phone back from Tae Ha.

“Of course. Ask any woman on the street, who wouldn’t like it?”
Looking down at his lean, birchlike body, Tae Ha quietly muttered,

“…… I see.”

((()))

“But why can’t you look straight at me?”
Tae Ha opened the robe he was wearing after a shower, revealing the dazzling body hidden underneath.

“Look straight at me. …… To see if I am a man, or not.”
At the brazen provocation, Si Hyun felt annoyed.

What, did he think she couldn’t look if he asked her to?

Although she hadn’t bathed him when he was young, she had washed his hair several times. Naturally, she had seen his bare upper body countless times.

Si Hyun smiled confidently and looked straight at Tae Ha.

“Well, shall we see how much our Tae Ha has grown?”
Tae Ha puffed out his chest as if to show off.

He had a body tightly packed with muscle. His welldeveloped pectoral muscles and clearly defined abs claimed their existence through the gaps in the robe.

“Oh, Yun Tae Ha. That body isn’t a joke, huh?”
As she stared at Tae Ha’s body, Si Hyun pursed her lips and let out a small whistle. She even reached out and casually brushed against his chest.

“Is that all?”
Tae Ha furrowed his eyebrows as if he found Si Hyun’s shameless reaction displeasing.

“Well then, what? Shall I fetch some laundry?”
After closing the robe tightly and pushing Tae Ha’s chest away, Si Hyun said,

“I enjoyed the show. But you’re not my type. I prefer lean muscles.”

Gently shaking her head, Si Hyun cast a new glance at Tae Ha.

“Anyway, how did you know our house’s password?”
“You’ve always used the same password, since forever.”
“No matter what, ring the doorbell before coming in next time.”
However, without answering, Tae Ha turned his back and walked out of Si Hyun’s house.

As soon as the front door closed, Si Hyun collapsed onto the bed.

“…What’s with him?”
Her heart pounded as if it would leap out of her mouth.

It was not the body of the child from her memories. Nor was it the slim figure she had seen before he joined the military.

It was a perfectly beautiful and strong, man’s body.

She had to put strength into her eyes to hide her wavering gaze. She had to hold back the desire to swallow the moisture circling her mouth. Her jaw hurt from pretending to be unfazed and acting nonchalant. Her breath quickened from the act.

Although she had expected that his physique had improved significantly since their last meeting, to that extent…..

The feel of his firm muscles vividly came back to her fingertips, making her face burn. It felt like a lie that she had felt his abs not long ago. How could she touch such a body so calmly?

She herself found it strange that she was blushing at Tae Ha, of all people, but her heated face didn’t cool down for a long time.

“I must be crazy, Si Hyun….”
Muttering, Si Hyun covered her flushed face.

((()))

Tae Ha, who returned feeling bitter, muttered as he flopped onto the bed.

“Did your taste change in the meantime?”
She definitely said she liked muscular beasts or something back in the day.

During high school, he didn’t have time due to studying and developing apps, so he started to seriously work out from his military service. Since then, no matter how busy he was, he kept up his body with a workout…..

Si Hyun shrugged her shoulders as if she wasn’t affected at all.

[I enjoyed the view. But it’s not my style. I like lean muscles.] Even though she resented the capricious woman, he couldn’t help his heart pounding.

Just a light touch with her fingertips. That was all.

At that moment, Tae Ha felt a thrilling current run through his body. The blood that started heating up from where Si Hyun’s hand touched soon set his whole body ablaze.

Tae Ha let out a sigh and got up to change into his workout clothes.

“If I don’t go out for a jog or something, I’ll have a hard time falling asleep tonight.”

((()))

The next morning, it was the sound of the doorbell that woke Si Hyun up.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes and looking at the clock, it was seven o’clock. She still had thirty minutes more to sleep…

Stumbling out of bed and opening the front door, there stood Tae Ha. The moment she saw his face, the memory of yesterday half woke her up.

“What’s the matter, this early in the morning?”
Feeling her face getting hot again, she intentionally yawned and asked, and Tae Ha, wearing an apron, responded.

“Come eat breakfast.”
“Breakfast?”
“You always skip breakfast. Come eat and then go to work.”
With that, Tae Ha turned and left.

Si Hyun washed up casually and headed next door.

On the small table, breakfast was already neatly set. Seeing the freshly cooked rice with a shiny sheen, boiling doenjangjjigae (soybean paste stew), and steamed eggs, and her favorite myeolchijeot (salted anchovies), her saliva swallowed down.

After taking a spoonful of doenjangjjigae, Si Hyun’s eyes widened.

“What? When did you become a gourmet?”
“If it’s okay, come eat every day. I always have breakfast.”
“Forget it. How can I take food from you every day, don’t I have any shame? You’re shameless.”
“Do you know how many years you’ve been cooking for me?”
Tae Ha cut off the conversation, putting myeolchijeot on Si Hyun’s rice.

“Si Hyun Kang, you can be shameless to me as much as you want.”
There was something that came to mind momentarily.

[How can you shamelessly talk about money like that?] [Giving up a full scholarship and wanting to go to a good school? Of course, I have to pay for tuition? You’re really shameless.] Since Si Hyun was young, her stepmother always had the word “shameless” in her mouth.

It was the first time she had heard that it was okay to be shameless.

Feeling oddly choked up, Si Hyun deliberately moved her spoon more vigorously. The slightly cooked myeolchijeot melted softly in her mouth with the hot rice.

“I ate well, Tae Ha. I’ll do the dishes.”
As Si Hyun picked up the dishes to stand up, Tae Ha stopped her with a hand gesture.

“Just go and get ready for work. It takes time to put on makeup, right?”
“Huh?”
“Since I’m going that way, I’ll give you a ride.”
Not only did he make breakfast, but he also offered to drive. Despite having no shame and wanting to refuse, the words Tae Ha said earlier came to Si Hyun’s mind, so she closed her mouth.

How wonderful it was to have someone you could be utterly shameless with.

“I’ll get ready quickly then.”
Hurrying out of Tae Ha’s house, Si Hyun suddenly felt as if the blood in her entire body had frozen.

There stood Woo Jin, holding a bouquet of flowers, in front of Si Hyun’s house door.

“What’s this?”
The moment their gazes met, Woo Jin dropped the hand holding the bouquet with a surprised face.

“Why are you coming out from next door?”