Daldal: Main story

Chapter 9

Eun-oh noticed the strange yet familiar sensation, as if the man's voice carried both recognition and unfamiliarity.

However, the ambiguous impression didn't linger for long. It evaporated the moment the man opened his eyes.

Their gaze locked, and the slowly revealed irises displayed a deep, murky hue. Eun-oh swallowed dry saliva. Strangely, it felt like an inexplicable warmth flowed from wherever the man's gaze landed, affecting his mind and quickening his heartbeat.

It was overwhelming, almost as if being captivated. Could witnessing something so beautiful evoke such a response? Despite encountering numerous wonders in the mountains, Euno had never experienced such a feeling before.

"......."

"......."

The only thing that came and went was gaze.

Even within the man's black pupils, tinged with a hint of blue, the reflection of Eun-oh's widened face became apparent. With graceful ease, the man slowly elevated himself, swaying his long neck from side to side before reaching for a long tobacco pipe near the brazier. His motions exuded a leisurely, almost languid, pace.

Using the brazier, the man ignited the tobacco within the pipe, inhaling deeply. As the smoke curled, his once-relaxed eyes sharpened with sudden clarity.

He directs his now clearer gaze back at Eun-oh. Eun-oh, still somewhat lost in thought, had only one thing on his mind.

Beautiful...

No, handsome...

Incredibly handsome...

Even when his eyes were closed, the man was strikingly handsome, but seeing him open his eyes and move was unbelievably so. If he was a static part of this beautiful scenery before, he now seemed like a protagonist full of vitality.

In this moment, Eun-oh could swear. He had never seen someone born so handsomely. The person with features so captivating that just looking at them brought a sense of ecstasy was undoubtedly a first. Such captivating features were absent before, and it seemed they would remain absent in the future.

Perhaps because of this, even though the man was a stranger, Eun-oh didn't feel fear. There was no sense of rejection either. Instead, there was only a desire to see more.

Is it because I watched it too intently?

Suddenly, the man furrowed his brow. The immediate reaction to this subtle change in expression was swift. Eun-oh, coming to his senses, blinked rapidly.

"ah......." Swallowing hard, Eun-oh wiped his warm face with his palm, lowering his gaze. In doing so, his eyes quickly returned to the man's face.

"......."

"......."

In the brief, Eun-oh's and the man's gazes collided repeatedly, only to fall away and repeat the process.

Unlike Eun-oh, who was bustling with activity, the man remained calm. He simply observed Eun-oh without revealing the nature of his gaze-ambiguous, devoid of any apparent impressions about the other. His intentions were equally unclear, neither observation nor mere curiosity-more like an indifferent gaze, as if abandoning it carelessly.

It was a while later when, almost unconsciously captivated by the man, Eun-oh's momentarily forgotten hunger revealed itself with a rumble-loud and embarrassing.

"Oh My!"

Eun-oh covered his stomach, stealing a glance at the man. It was an awkward sound, made even more embarrassing by the ominous growl. Despite the surely loud noise, the man showed no reaction. His indifferent response oddly fueled Eun-oh's courage.