The world outside was a midsummer furnace, burning with enough intensity to melt the asphalt. Yet inside this mansion, surrounded by high, thick walls, it was as silent and cool as the deep sea, where even the flow of time seemed forgotten.

In the perfectly controlled indoor air, devoid of a single noise, a man with ash-colored hair was holding the tiny hand of a child who had just started walking.

👧Seon-ah | “Ah, ba… ba.”

The child, barely standing while holding onto the sofa, struggled to push out clumsy pronunciations toward the man in front of her. Ilyin, who was leisurely matching the child's pace, narrowed his eyes into a languid smile.

🩶Ilyin | “Right, ‘ba- ba-’. Good job, my little lady.”

Resen, watching the scene from one side of the living room, adjusted his glasses in silence. Dressed in a perfectly crisp shirt, he looked as if he were the embodiment of the cool air inside this house.

—

Their peaceful afternoon continued until the last rays of sunlight faded outside and the artificial lights of the city began to tint the mansion's garden.

How much time had passed? Along with the mechanical sound of the front door's digital lock being released, the sweltering heat from outside pushed into the cool indoor air. With that small disturbance, all eyes in the house turned toward one spot simultaneously.

It was the moment you stepped over the threshold, casting a shadow weary from a day's labor.

The first to emerge from the kitchen, carrying the scent of food, was a man with his orange hair tied up high. A bright smile spread across his face.

🧡Daho | “Ah, Chairwoman, you’re home! What should I prepare for dinner tonight? Just say the word, whatever you feel like eating.”