Back in Paradise, Yuhui's home in Haramark. Evening.
Since the day had already passed, the people keeping an eye on the Neutral Zone shifted out.
That meant that Yuhui had left for a bit to relax while someone else took her place.
Said someone else was Seonhwa, dressed as Baek Haeju again.
Yuhui had expected her to be upset. Gloomy and dour as always.
But Seonhwa had been surprisingly chipper. She'd been a bit slow in moving around, like she was sore... but the air around her was completely relaxed. Not just relaxed, but fulfilled. As if all her troubles had been washed away.
Which made Yuhui realize that Jihu must be going around resolving things with all his women- No, with all the women who loved him.
Because despite everything, he wasn't that type of man...
'At least, not this Seol- Or, this Jihu.'
Yuhui hummed as she walked around the kitchen in her home, making some tea for herself.
"It's strange, isn't it?" Yuhui murmured, talking both to herself and the remnants of the future self who sent her emotions back. "Something so small could turn into something so vastly different."
Jihu was completely different from the 'Seol' that Yuhui remembered from her future self.
It had been the case from the very first time they met at that PC Bang on Earth.
Yuhui sat down at her kitchen table while she waited for her tea to steep. And as she waited, she murmured, "A fragment of an emotion, a sliver of a will, and the entire future diverges... right?"
Luxuria had mentioned it to her recently when Yuhui went to go check on her status at the temple.
Jihu was not Seol.
It was to the extent that they could exist in the same place at the same time and not cause a paradox or contradiction. Similar in nature, but different in origin.
Or in other words...
"Jihu isn't the one that 'I' fell in love with in the future."
That was the truth that Yuhui had come to realize recently.
'Seol' had been a man who was dark and gloomy. Someone who was worn down by life, jaded, and bitter. Despite that, he had taken in Yuhui in the future, protecting her and traveling with her across Paradise in that hellish final gambit.
After his death, her future self made a wish in conjunction with the princess to save Seol and turn back the clock. But...
"...I don't think it worked right?" Yuhui hummed and poured herself a cup of tea.
In the beginning, when she first met Jihu at the PC Bang, Yuhui thought that the wish had been more effective than expected. That somehow, the accumulated sentiments and emotions went back far enough to cause a tremendous change in Jihu.
Though, at the time, Yuhui's own memories on the future hadn't been too clear either, so she hadn't been sure. Especially since Jihu had looked so different from Seol.
Yuhui sipped on her tea and murmured, "Black versus white, right?"
That was what Yuhui had thought about Jihu before when comparing him to Seol.
Where Seol was like the grim reaper... like death come from the night itself...
Jihu was like a proper hero.
Both of them had been confident in their skills. And both had honed their skills to a seamless polish...
But Jihu hadn't been 'desperate' like Seol was.
In fact, he had been a bit *too* carefree at times, if Yuhui was being honest...
Still. The main point was...
"He's not Seol. And I'm not that Yuhui either."
Yes.
That was the difference. The decisive factor.
The Yuhui in the future had been cold. She HAD to be due to the influence of Luxuria. One slip up and her body, changed to match Luxuria's tendencies towards lust...
Well. Whatever the case, that wasn't true here.
Yuhui idly played with the golden bracelet that Jihu had given her. The miraculous piece of equipment that completely neutralized the divine impulses from Luxuria and trained her body to not just resist it, but become immune to it.
These days, Yuhui didn't have to worry about what might happen if she accidentally brushed against a man or shook a man's hand.
For the first in a long time, her life was hers again.
Not that she had anything against Luxuria. But being her apostle came with unfortunate sideeffects... that no longer applied.
"Mm... it's a bit unfortunate though."
Although Yuhui would have hated feeling that way around other men. If it was Jihu...
Yuhui sighed.
'How bothersome.'
Thinking about Jihu again made Yuhui realize just what a mess he was in. Eleven different beautiful women who all loved him dearly... perhaps twelve if that Eun Yuri's emotions were what Yuhui thought they were.
Luxuria had mentioned that the gods couldn't speak on his relationships either, which made Yuhui think that it must be something ridiculous... That or it was such a tangled mess that divine intervention would make it WORSE.
Though, to be fair...
Yuhui hummed and muttered, "It HAD been pretty bad when we met his parents."
It had been terrible timing.
Hannah had just married Jihu and showed up with Claire. Then while he was going to sort things out, Teresa and Yuhui had arrived...
Really, it was like the world itself was out to get Jihu... Though maybe that was natural for someone surrounded by so many beauties.
Speaking of beauties...
"Mm... Should I check on Jihu?"
Although Yuhui didn't know exactly what he was doing, considering how Seonhwa had looked, she was sure that Jihu must be exhausted running around all over the place.
But as if he had read her thoughts, there was a knock on her front door.
Yuhui chuckled and said, "If that's you, Jihu, you can just enter. If not... well, I hope you're prepared for the consequences."
The door opened and Jihu walked inside, amused. "Do you greet all your visitors like that, Yuhui?"
"Nope!" Yuhui giggled. "Just wanted to let you know I'm serious about you, Jihu~ Oh! I made tea. Do you want some?"
"That'd be great." Jihu smiled and walked inside to sit across from Yuhui. "Is the Neutral Zone going well?"
"It is! Mister Maldong is handling everything and everyone else is taking turns running things. But it looks like this batch is easy to handle... though that's probably because of Jinhee's special Tutorial."
Jihu laughed. "Yeah, that was, uh. A thing..." He frowned and said, "I still can't believe her being an author made everything such a mess."
"Right?" Yuhui smiled and poured Jihu a cup of tea, sliding it over. "But I'm glad she's here. It makes things a lot easier for you, right? I remember Jinhee was upset with you because of everything..."
Jihu smiled. "We got it sorted out. I'm just clearing things up with everyone else too."
"Mm... is that so?" Yuhui smiled and leaned forward on the table, resting her head against her hands. "Does that include me, Jihu?"
"It does actually." Jihu nodded. "Tell me, Yuhui. How do you want to be loved?"
Yuhui blinked. Then she tilted her head. "How I want to be loved? Isn't it usually 'how do you want me to love you?'"
Jihu paused. Then he shook his head and said, "...No. The nuance matters here. I guess a clearer question is... what makes you feel loved?"
"Oh." Yuhui paused to consider it. "...Ah. You can't love us all the same. But we don't all want to be loved the same either. That's why you're asking."
Suddenly, the reason why Jihu had been running around all day made sense.
Things were clearly winding down here on Paradise. And with Jinhee now in the know, the main things that would cause issues for Jihu back on Earth were settled too.
The only major obstacle for him... or rather, his 'final battle' was resolving this tangled mess of love and affection he had gathered since arriving in this world.
"Mm..." Yuhui smiled at Jihu and teased, "What if I want you all to myself?"
"Then I hate to say it, Yuhui, but I have to draw the line there." Jihu gave an immediate and firm answer. "Because that's not love."
Yuhui paused. Then she let out a soft chuckled, tracing the finger around the rim of her cup. "...Yes. I suppose that isn't love. That's more obssession, isn't it?"
The emotions she had from her 'future' self. The sensations that she HAD to have Seol at all costs. The feelings that made her irrationally upset at Seonhwa and not seeing how she was different from the Seonhwa that her future self remembered.
Yuhui picked her finger up and placed it on her chin, staring into Jihu's eyes. "Then, Jihu... what would you say is love?"
Jihu stared back with clear eyes and said, "Caring for someone without hesitation. Wishing them well. Wanting to walk beside them and make yourself a part of their life. But at the same time, respecting them enough to walk without you if your paths can't coincide."
Yuhui was quiet, staring into Jihu's eyes. Then she let out a soft chuckle. "You've practiced this conversation a lot already, haven't you?"
"Mm. More like I've ironed out what love is to me, as well as what is possible and not possible for me in regards to loving someone." Jihu looked back at Yuhui and said, "For me to love someone is for me to weave myself into someone's life. For us to be able to stand and walk our own separate paths, but stay within each other's orbits. Neither collapsing into each other nor being fully apart. But close enough to reach out if we wanted and far enough to not be swallowed by each other."
Yuhui laughed. "Like stars then?"
Jihu nodded. "That's right. Like stars."
Yuhui hummed. "...What if I want to melt into you though?" She walked around the table and sat on Jihu's lap. "...What if I want to forget everything and just be yours?"
"Then I especially have to say no. Because you're more than just eyecandy or a trophy."
Yuhui smiled and pecked Jihu's cheek. "...And that's why I love you, Jihu."
...Yes.
He was different from Seol. Different from the unyielding warrior who pushed past his limits, fought fiercely for everyone in his corner, and who raged against the world.
Because that man was one who had been drowning in regret from sinking into gluttony. A man who broke after losing his Seonhwa and then simply indulged in others.
But Jihu...
Yuhui leaned against Jihu and said, "...You asked me how I want to be loved, right? Then... see me. Just see me for me. And treat me like you feel I should be treated."
Jihu smiled and gently kissed her. "Alright. Then... what do you want to do from now?"
"Well..." Yuhui hummed. "The man I love is a bad man who went and married another woman already, so that's no good... but as long as you spoil me and take me out on dates every now and then? Oh, and of course when we have kids, you make sure to stay in their lives?"
"Wouldn't have done anything else, Yuhui."
Yuhui poked his nose. "It's 'love' or 'babe', okay? Yuhui's too distant."
Jihu chuckled and nipped her neck. "Fine. Babe then."
"Mm... that's better. Now." Yuhui hopped off and said, "I feel like you're almost done sorting things out, right?"
Jihu nodded. "Just Sora, Yuri, and Teresa... but I think I'll save Yuri for later. She's still just in the 'interested' phase."
"Good. Then go spoil Sora a bit along with Resa. And then let's finish up here on Paradise." Yuhui smiled. "After all, you have a lot of spoiling to do with all the women who love you, and you can't do that while you're out at war now, can you?"
Jihu laughed. "True. Then..." Jihu stood up and saluted. "See you, Babe. Love you."
Yuhui giggled. "Bye bye, you bad man who stole my heart."
Jihu winked. "I did warn you~" After that, he vanished in the blink of an eye, already warping away to the next woman in his life.
Yuhui let out a wistful sigh and went back to drinking her tea. "...What a ridiculous man. If it were anyone else..." She chuckled and then happily hummed to herself, enjoying the peace and quiet.
After all, that peace and quiet surely wouldn't last considering Jihu...