"Rian, can you lift your hand?"
On command, Rian lifted his hand in the air on his own. Cheon Areum still couldn't get his energy to come in contact with Rian; it was as if he had hit a block wall.
"What's the matter, Areum?"
Noticing he was being strange, Yoon Seoyul asked him from the driver's seat.
"My energy can't detect him at all."
"Can it be because of your energy levels not being on the same level as before?"
Yoon Seoyul suggested, but it was definitely not because of that.
"No. I was able to detect him just a few days ago when I was searching the house for my phone."
"You were using so much energy for what?"
Concerned about the wrong thing, Cheon Areum ignored Yoon Seoyul's response and widened his eyes at his sudden realization, quickly turning to Yoon Seoyul.
"Could it be...?"
Catching on, Yoon Seoyul nodded.
"It could be...."
Finally on the same page, they both turned to stare at Rian at the same time, who blinked at them innocently.
"No way. He's too young."
Cheon Areum rejected the hypothesis.
"Is there a problem, hyung?"
"I had my awakening when I was around that age."
"..."
Hearing Yoon Seoyul's words, Cheon Areum was speechless because he did have his awakening when he was that young. There was no limit to when you could be awakened or reawakened, but if that was truly the case, then that means there are awakeners who can go undetected by him.
"Rian, do you see a blue flash in front of you when you call out 'system'?"
"I don't know... System?"
Repeating the word, Rian narrowed his eyes for a moment but then shook his head.
"Nothing!"
Yoon Seoyul sighed, seemingly in relief at Rian's words. Leaving the rolled drawing on the backseat, Rian poked his head between the seats from the back as he asked curiously.
"If I see that blue flash, will I also get powers like hyung?"
"Well..."
Yoon Seoyul spoke out draggingly and glanced at Cheon Areum to take the cue. Coming out of his thoughts, he answered instead of Yoon Seoyul.
"Yes, but it might not be exactly super powers. If you notice anything different, will you let me know?"
"I would, hyung!"
Replying cheerfully, Rian smiled with his less chubby cheeks, making Cheon Areum's heart pang again. Not to be dramatic, but seeing Rian grow up so fast made him want to cry, but that might be because of his unstable energy levels playing with him too.
*
"Hyung, you look like you just escaped from a hospital..."
Rian voiced out with concern after fully seeing him out of the car. Cheon Areum indeed looked like he had just freshly escaped from the hospital with his flowy white cotton pajamas, bed hair, and his bare feet. Any other time Cheon Areum had stepped out of the house, he would always be decked out in expensive jewelry and branded clothes from head to toe. Even his pajamas were costly because he had always been used to wasting money. Turns out he was still not that good with managing it, but he was earning a lot, and it was partially Yoon Seoyul's fault too for spoiling him excessively, so he didn't think he needed to change himself.
"Go get changed. I ordered your favorite chocolate cake; it's in the refrigerator right now."
Easy to please, Rian burst out in happiness, clapping and instantly running inside the house. Yoon Seoyul carried his backpack and the rolled paper, which was tied with a neat bow. Suspecting it was not Rian who tied that bow, Cheon Areum had a suspicion that it was never a drawing for him, but Rian was always giving out things to others, so it might also be nothing.
As soon as Cheon Areum saw the large couch in the living room, he flopped onto it as if he had been laboring out in the dirt for 12 hours and was exceptionally tired, grunting like an old man as he stretched his limbs.
"Areum. Don't put pressure on your stomach."
"Why do you keep nagging me?! I don't even have a bump yet, and the baby is still the size of a bean!"
Cheon Areum shot up, getting annoyed way too quickly for even his own liking. Probably due to outputing his energy constantly for the search.
"Sorry. I was just worried..."
"Drop the stuff in Rian's room and come back here."
Softening his tone, Cheon Areum spoke out and sat up properly on the couch to wait for Yoon Seoyul, who did as told and came back to him in just a few seconds.
"Here. I will give you my lap. Sleep."
"Is that why you wanted me?"
Surprisingly, Yoon Seoyul had the guts to complain about being given his precious lap. Yanking him down by his hand, Cheon Areum made him lay on his legs despite his resistance.
"I can't sleep yet. I have to write 20 reports. I have been pushing it to the last day."
"Shh... Go to sleep for now. Think about that."
Cheon Areum even caressed his hair for him to fall asleep easily, but Yoon Seoyul just kept on staring up at him wordlessly.
"What?"
He asked in a low voice, but Yoon Seoyul didn't reply. He brought Cheon Areum's head down by the nape to kiss him hurriedly, pushing his tongue in his mouth. Indulging him into the deep kiss, Yoon Seoyul's other hand sneaked to press on the sensitive points on his chest, causing him to whimper slightly. In the next instance, Cheon Areum broke the kiss and slapped him on the lips, tearing away the hand shamelessly running wild on his chest.
"Stop messing around and go to sleep."
Appearing dejected, Yoon Seoyul quietly turned away his head on his lap and closed his eyes when Rian walked into the living room.
"Hyung, I have a secret talent! I found out today in school."
Rian excitedly declared in a loud voice, running up to him.