Chương 27: Hot Springs

Steam rose into the night like pale ghosts finally deciding to abandon the earth, drifting upward in slow, reverent spirals. Paper lanterns swayed gently above the bamboo-faced entrance of the hot spring bathhouse, their amber glow trembling softly against polished wood and smooth, dark stone. Noa stopped right in front of the entrance, wearing the most shamelessly satisfied expression a man could possibly sport without being arrested for emotional crimes.

Vionette stared at the sign, then at him, and then back at the sign again, her face a perfect picture of bemusement.

"This… was your reward?" she asked slowly, her voice suspended somewhere between disbelief and mild disappointment. Noa nodded as if he had requested something entirely reasonable, folding his arms with the proud posture of a man who had his priorities straight.

"You said I could ask for anything."

"You don't even care about these kinds of places." She narrowed her eyes at him, though the slight upward curve at the corners of her lips betrayed her own growing amusement.

"That's for other people," Noa said, flashing her a classic, deadpan 'duh' face.

"Those don't apply when it's you." A brief silence settled between them, filled only by the rhythmic, rushing sound of the thermal waters within. The night wind brushed past, carrying the faint, distant laughter of the city streets like echoes from another world. Finally, Vionette let out a soft sigh.

"Fine," she murmured, lightly tapping her shoulder against his.

"But if it gets awkward, I'm blaming you."

"Yes, ma'am!" Noa eagerly stepped forward first, and Vionette followed a moment later, walking beside him with her hands casually laced behind her back.

A few days prior, Inside Valric's office, Noa was slouched heavily in Valric's personal chair, his back leaned far back and his boots propped unceremoniously on the desk.

"Hey, Rose, come here for a second," he said, gesturing toward the maid. Rose, who was standing nearby, stared at him with deep skepticism. After a tense beat, she stepped closer, leaning her ear toward him with a look that screamed suspicion. Noa leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Do you know where the best hot spring in the capital is?"

"W-what—?!" Rose instantly yanked her head back, her face twisting.

"I am NOT going to a hot spring with you of all people!"

"Don't worry," Noa said, narrowing one eye as a mischievous smirk spread across his face.

"You're not beautiful enough to go to one with me anyway—Thwack!" Before he could finish the sentence, Rose spun on her heel and delivered a lightning-fast kick straight to his head. The impact threw Noa off balance, sending him crashing onto the floor along with the chair.

"Say. That. Again." Rose cracked her knuckles, looking down at his sprawling form with murderous intent.

"No… wait! Hold on!" Noa extended a frantic hand, trying to halt her impending advance.

"I meant I'm absolutely not taking you there! Just tell me where the location is!"

The moment the bathhouse staff caught sight of the striking white hair entering the lobby, they froze mid-motion before bowing deeply. The other customers inside the shop quickly followed suit, though a few remained upright, their faces masking confusion.

"Who is she—?"

"T-that's Her Majesty!"

"Huh?! Why on earth is the Queen here…?" Vionette waved lightly, offering a casual greeting as if she were simply passing neighbors at a local market stall rather than addressing subjects in a bathing establishment. Yet, her carefree smile did nothing to diminish the weight of her title; instead, her presence made her feel like a royal sun choosing to walk among common stars. Noa leaned toward her, whispering under his breath, "See? Even the bathhouse steam respects you."

"Be quiet," she muttered out of the corner of her mouth. Then, addressing the room, she raised her voice, "Please relax, everyone. Just continue what you were doing." The frantic whispers softened, though the bowed figures were slow to rise.

"Can we get a private, open-air room, please?" Vionette asked the receptionist, who was already bowing.

"Let's see… the highest quality you have, food, absolute privacy, and most importantly, none of that royal shit." The receptionist glanced between the two of them. Her cheeks slowly bloomed a bright red, looking exactly like someone who had just solved a complex romantic mystery in her own head.

"…We also have other, 'appropriate' couple's accessories available, Your Majesty."

"Y-you have what now?!" Vionette's hands shot up in automatic surrender, her face exploding into a crimson flush.

"Nonono! Nothing like that!" Beside her, taking in the spectacular view of her flustered expression, Noa let out a soft chuckle. Vionette brought her heel down onto his boot, instantly silencing him.

"Ah! My deepest apologies!" a senior receptionist gasped, stepping up to bow repeatedly as panic bloomed behind her professional composure.

"She's a brand-new staff member, so she doesn't know much!" … They were soon led down a quiet corridor to a private, open-air bath enclosed by traditional bamboo walls, with the dark silhouettes of trees looming from behind. The warm light of flickering lanterns danced across the thermal pool below, where steaming water cascaded gently from carved stone channels in multiple directions.

Steam drifted upward into the cool night air, blurring the stars above into halos—as if the heavens themselves were uncertain whether to remain crystal clear or melt into soft memory. The layout was far from ordinary; it was clear this place was reserved for the elite, far detached from the simple public pools of the outer rings. Having washed up first, Noa slipped into the thermal pool, sinking himself near an elevated stone ledge.

He rested his arms lazily along the smooth rock borders, a relaxed smile gracing his lips. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. On the other side of the wooden screen, Vionette finished washing. She clutched a small, pristine white bath towel against herself, holding it like a shield raised against invisible arrows. Her gaze drifted toward the steaming water where Noa was waiting. Sigh… Why did I even agree to this idiot's request?

Then, she placed a fist over her lips and laughed softly to herself. It's a little embarrassing, but he seems to be enjoying this, so I'll just play along. She stepped around the partition, her bare feet making soft splashes against the wet stone before she neared the pool. Noa turned at the sound, his eyes widening instantly as his jaw practically dropped to the floor. Holy shit. He felt a phantom nosebleed coming on. She's too goddamn hot!

The amber lantern light beautifully traced the elegant curve of her shoulders, the delicate slope of her waist, and the long, graceful silhouette of her legs. In the misty haze, she looked like a flawless masterpiece carved by patient gods who had spent centuries deciding where beauty should breathe. Vionette looked back at him, a faint crimson dusting her cheeks, her eyelids drooping slightly. Those abs… Her fingers twitched slightly. I kind of want to touch them…

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Noa asked, glancing down at his own chest.

"W-who? Me?" She instantly snapped her gaze away, coughing into her hand.

"I wasn't thinking you looked hot at all! Don't flatter yourself." Noa observed her as she sat down on the edge of the pool. She's sometimes cute, sometimes hot, sometimes tsun… I found an all-in-one package, a premium version at that, he thought, a self-satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"You look perfect in that towel," Noa said, tilting his head with a lazy grin.

"Oh, really~? Were you hoping I'd come out completely naked?" Flashing him a teasing smile, she looked at him.

"But seriously, Blackie… did your body actually turn out like that without you doing any working out?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You cheater…" She laughed softly, the sound rich and warm. Then, Vionette dipped her legs into the water and stepped fully into the bath, gliding toward Noa before slowly lowering herself into the depths. The water's surface parted around her skin as the soothing warmth wrapped around her body, melting the tension from her shoulders like winter snow surrendering to spring. Noa's purple irises naturally drifted downward toward her chest, right before her gaze snapped back to him.

"No peeking." Vionette placed a single finger beneath his chin, firmly tilting his face upward.

"It's kind of hard to focus when you're sitting this close," Noa admitted, his eyes already shamelessly darting back and forth between her chest and her eyes.

"Then should I move over to the opposite side of the pool?"

"No need!" Though she spoke with an air of playful authority, Vionette's own eyes were locked onto Noa's chiseled torso, using her remarks to keep him from realizing she was doing the exact same thing.

"You know," she murmured, leaning her head back to look up at the expansive night sky above them, "this is my first time in a hot spring." Her voice softened, carrying the weight of a distant nostalgia.

"Back on Earth, when I was in Korea, I never really had the mood to visit places like this." Noa offered a gentle smile, tilting his head slightly closer to hers.

"Then I am more than honored to be your first."

"?!!" Vionette's crimson eyes trembled like a sudden storm, her face turning a vivid shade of red that perfectly matched the intensity of her irises. She splashed a handful of water straight into his face.

"Don't phrase it like that, you idiot!"

"Okay! Okay! Jeez!" Noa raised both hands in mock surrender, blinking the water from his eyes.

"Stop it. You're disrespecting the culture here."

"Uh… right," she muttered, leaning back against the smooth stone with a huff. For a while, they simply existed in the quiet space together. Night insects hummed softly from the trees like distant prayers. The thermal water rippled gently around their bodies, and the usual, suffocating chaos of their daily lives faded into a rhythm of quiet, comfortable breathing. Then, Vionette spoke again, breaking the silence.

"You didn't… come to places like this with other women before, right?" The question was posed casually, yet the air between them suddenly tightened. The scent of burning aromatic candles drifted through the open air, sweet and faintly ceremonial. Noa didn't look at her right away. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on the star-filled sky above. They seemed to shine much brighter tonight—brighter than they had four years ago, as if even the heavens had grown older and wiser.

"I didn't even have anyone I could call a friend back then," he muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly at the memory.

"So how would I have brought someone to a place like this?" He had once reached his hand toward the constellations, only to learn that some heavens close their gates without malice. Understanding that even galaxies reject what disrupts their orbit, he had long since embraced the fall, choosing to name himself a rock rather than a star. The night grew quiet, like a crowd holding its collective breath during a tragic performance.

Vionette watched him longer than she intended, seeing past the teasing, arrogant man beside her to catch a glimpse of the lonely silhouette of his past. Vionette—or rather, Han Seoyeon—had been surrounded by a sea of people who called themselves her friends but only sought her money, while Noa had possessed no one at all. Their circumstances were different, yet both understood the weight of being alone. She leaned sideways slightly, letting her bare shoulder rest against his.

"Well," she said, her eyes filling with warmth and affection, "I'm happy that your first companion happens to be me." What had once fallen as a lifeless rock had already been tempered by warmth four years ago—like iron held in a sacred flame, its jagged edges softened by shared moments and a gravity that wasn't oppressive, but profoundly comforting.

"Are you jealous?" the Noa of the present asked, shattering the melancholic atmosphere with a smug grin.

"I am not!"

"Oh, you definitely are~" Vionette pouted heavily and splashed him again, much harder this time. Noa immediately returned the favor, the displaced water bursting between them like shattered glass crystals under the lantern light. The thick steam rose between them, turning their silhouettes soft and dreamlike, as if the night itself were wrapping them in a quiet, protective embrace.

"If you splash me again, I will drown you."

"You can't drown me. You're too weak, little princess."

"Try me." … The steam had long since faded from their skin by the time they moved into the private suite lounge attached to their chamber, but the radiating warmth remained within their bones like stored sunlight. They were now dressed in loose, matching white robes, sitting atop comfortable cushioned benches. A low, dark lacquered table separated them, where a steaming pot of herbal tea rested between two delicate porcelain cups.

"I think we broke the bathhouse rules way too much by playing around in the water like children," Vionette said, lifting her porcelain cup with regal elegance. Her damp white hair slipped over her shoulder like falling snow. Noa leaned back against his cushioned bench, his dark hair still wildly untamed, looking like someone who had just fought a war against gravity and barely won.

"You're the one who started it first, my princess."

"Tsk. Whatever. No one noticed anyway." She brushed her white hair neatly with her pale fingers, the damp strands gleaming. Meanwhile, Noa was wrestling with his own locks. He tried smoothing it back, pushing it to the sides, and grabbing it aggressively, but the wild strands refused to cooperate.

"Heheheh," Vionette laughed, a light blush spreading across her cheeks as her eyes softened with warmth.

"You moron. You can't even fix your own hair." Setting her tea cup down on the table, she glided around it to stand before Noa's cushion. She knelt slightly, bringing her face close to his, her fragrant hair cascading down to brush against his cheek.

"Let me do it, then." She gently ran her fingers through a few strands before letting them go.

"Get up first, you idiot. You can't fix your hair when you're leaning back like that." Noa reacted slowly, completely dazed as he stared at the breathtaking beauty who had suddenly leaned down into his personal space. Once he stood up, she sat down beside him on the same bench, reaching out once more for his jet-black hair. However, as her fingers began to shape the strands, she paused. A sudden mischievous idea surfaced. What if—?

She immediately began experimenting with different styles, shifting his hair one by one.

"Why are you playing with my hair?" he asked, finally snapping out of his daze as he realized what she was doing. Vionette stuck the tip of her tongue out slightly, looking like a child waiting for candy.

"Just shut up and stay still for me." This one? Looks good. How about this? Oh, hot. What about this? Cool. No matter which style she attempted, every single one of them suited him. It wasn't because the hairstyles themselves were anything special, but because the person wearing them was. True beauty was not merely a matter of design; it was an innate identity that remained constant through every changing form.

"Whatever. Let's just go with the usual one," she said finally, sweeping his hair back into its familiar, middle-parted style. The stubborn strands that had resisted his own aggressive efforts now flawlessly obeyed her gentle movements, like loyal soldiers recognizing the command of their queen.