What is ‘normal’?
Vermouth had never been normal even once from the moment he was born. It was even more so from when he received the goddess’s selection at a young age and his talent was confirmed. In a world where the demon threat was imminent, the personality of a special child wasn’t important. They taught basic etiquette, but that was all. That’s why Vermouth was fundamentally selfish and arrogant.
“Normal, huh.”
Because he didn’t know normalcy, that became the most difficult thing. Vermouth picked up the tablet he’d become quite familiar with by now and searched about normalcy. But since he’d never experienced it, he couldn’t tell what category it fell under. Thus, the person summoned was Yoon Sora, who currently managed Vermouth’s schedule.
“I want to know what normal dating is.”
Yoon Sora, who’d rushed over thinking he might have something serious to discuss, widened her eyes at the word that popped out of nowhere.
“D-dating?”
“Have you dated before, Yoon Sora-ssi?”
Before asking, Vermouth threw out a question to confirm whether Yoon Sora was experienced.
“Of course I have!”
No lie could be seen from Yoon Sora answering like that. Certainly, Yoon Sora had dated. Though she could barely meet because of her too-busy Management Bureau work and it fell apart after just a few months.
‘There were so many things I wanted to try.’
She couldn’t.
“But why are you asking that? Is it because of that normal dating you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes. I’ve almost never asked others for help.”
There was none at all in Lancia. Because he was usually the one receiving requests for help.
“No matter how much I search this field, I don’t understand it.”
Love blooms even amid war, but Vermouth had never tried to learn about it. And families with good bloodlines usually have arranged marriages through exchanges between families. He’d run away from his family and acted selfishly, but if he hadn’t become the goddess’s servant, he would have gone through the same procedure.
“Th-then who’s your dating partner? No, if it’s hard to say, you don’t have to! It’d just be easier to make plans if I knew.”
Yoon Sora asked hesitantly, but the answer came readily.
“It’s Ian-nim.”
“Is the surname perhaps ‘Choi’?”
“Yes. That’s what I understand.”
“So you mean Choi Ian-nim, the younger brother of Stigma’s Guild Master? The person who was just evaluated as an S-rank Healer?”
“That’s correct.”
“Oh my god!”
Choi Ian is a man! Besides, even Yoon Sora knew that Choi Jaeheon was a severe brocon toward his younger brother. Because her cousin oppa Yoon Taegyeom was Choi Jaeheon’s friend!
‘What should I do about this?’
Yoon Sora took a deep breath.
“First, you’re dating with mutual consent, right?”
“Yes. Ian-nim has accepted me, and I’ve decided to risk my life protecting that person for the rest of my life.”
She didn’t know how that was the same as dating, but at least it meant being together for life, right? She couldn’t tell when the two had started dating, but at least one thing was certain.
Vermouth didn’t know about dating. He was such a perfect person, but for that reason he was rather clumsy with things ordinary people would know. So here, Yoon Sora’s own role would be important. Yoon Sora clenched her fists and pumped herself up.
“Alright. I’ll help you!”
“Thank you. Then what should I do first?”
What does a fully grown adult man need to continue a relationship? Yoon Sora squeezed out her meager dating experience.
“First, get couple phones.”
Until now, Vermouth had been carrying around a cell phone roughly given by the Management Bureau. But even that seemed bothersome, as he sometimes just threw it anywhere.
“Between lovers, communication must be easy.”
“That seems like a good opinion.”
Vermouth humbly accepted Yoon Sora’s opinion.
“What about dates? Ian-nim seems to want to try dating. When I looked it up, it said ordinary lovers usually go to a cafe after a meal on their first date. They watch movies too.”
“That’s orthodox.”
However, she had to consider the aftermath. Vermouth, who even had a fan club, and Ian, who’d caused no less of a sensation, going on a date where others could see? Imagining what situation might occur made it even scarier.
“But you two are celebrities. In such cases, you must also consider other methods. How about a home date?”
It’s a date celebrities often have in the early stages of dating.
“A home?”
Only then did Vermouth gain enlightenment. So this was why Ian told him to get a house instead of a hotel.
“Then I should buy a house first. A hotel isn’t a home, is it?”
“Th-that’s right?”
“Do I have assets to obtain a house?”
“You do! You’ve closed gates several times. Plus, you received a lot of compensation from the Blood Citadel you conquered this time.”
Big money always followed Awakeners who risked their lives entering gates.
“What kind of house do you want? The Management Bureau will help you find a house too!”
“Then.”
Vermouth calmly talked about the house he wanted. But his standards were very, very different from Yoon Sora’s. What he wanted had aspects reminiscent of a medieval noble’s mansion.
“Th-that seems impossible. We can’t get that kind of house yet. And houses like that don’t exist in the first place unless you build them yourself!”
“I see. Then do most people live in houses like chicken coops?”
“You’re talking about apartments?”
“Yes.”
Even Hong Seoyoon’s penthouse didn’t seem that impressive to Vermouth. Because he’d originally lived in castles or mansions comparable to them. Though he often roamed battlefields, he was fundamentally of high noble blood. Thanks to that, Yoon Sora had to talk to Vermouth about the advantages of apartments with a heart-bleeding feeling.
“Ah, additionally, the location should be near Ian-nim’s house.”
“Th-there?”
Though Choi Jaeheon had bought up most of the vicinity, houses remained on the boundary. But most of them were houses that didn’t meet Vermouth’s standards. Should they tear it down and rebuild? For now, Yoon Sora informed Vermouth about this.
“There’s a decent apartment if you go just a bit further? How about this side instead?”
“No. If I can be even a little closer to Ian-nim, even an old house is fine. That would be the way to express my heart.”
As a result of talking for a long while like that, they decided to remodel a nearby house. It would cost some money, but if they used a company that included Awakeners, they could fix it quickly.
“Then I’ll have to go on outside dates until the house is ready.”
Can’t we postpone that thing called dating a bit? Yoon Sora desperately held back what she wanted to say and searched for private movie theaters.
“But does the date necessarily have to be normal?”
At the belated realization, Yoon Sora asked, but the answer that came back was firm.
“Yes, it must.”
Vermouth recalled the warmth Ian had left on his cheek. That brief contact that came with the praise ‘good boy.’ It exerted a stronger binding force than any medal bestowed upon a knight. If Ian wanted a normal start, he had to become perfectly normal in the most flawless way in the world.
Thus Vermouth’s normal date plan was created through Yoon Sora’s sacrifice.
***
Ian opened his eyes in his own bed after a long time.
The sunlight shining through the window was peaceful, and the house was quiet. It was thanks to Choi Jaeheon deploying agents to fundamentally block reporters’ access. Ian, who went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water, suddenly saw a family photo with his hyung placed in one corner of the living room.
‘Saying to remain as family, that was the right thing, wasn’t it?’
Choi Jaeheon’s desperate eyes kept bothering him, but Ian shook his head. He believed that keeping him by his side for life would be less hurtful to both of them than becoming lovers and seeing it through to the end. Moreover, to him, Choi Jaeheon was only his hyung.
Then, his cell phone on the dining table vibrated.
Vermouth
Ian-nim, good morning. As you mentioned yesterday, I’ve prepared a meal and movie viewing to practice a normal date. May I come to your house at 2 PM today?
Ian burst out laughing with a pfft while drinking water. The tone was still stiff as ever, but the tension contained within seemed to be felt beyond the screen.
Yeah, sounds good. See you later.
Ian, who’d sent the reply, headed to wash up while humming a tune in a good mood. But he didn’t know. How terribly Vermouth had nagged Yoon Sora for this ‘normal date.’
