#2. Out of Orbit—Wet Dream

Those eyes—the way he looked at Yuhwan—were the one flaw Haneul had failed to control through thousands of reincarnations.

Unable to even voice a denial, he tried frantically to turn away.

In that moment, Yuhwan gripped Haneul’s shoulder with a burning hand.

I should push him off.

Yet the instant he realized it was Yuhwan’s precious, irreplaceable 'golden left hand,' Haneul instinctively let his body go slack. He couldn't dare risk injuring that priceless hand, so he voluntarily took a step back, widening the distance himself.

Seeing this, Yuhwan stepped forward like a predator, cornering him against the wall and suffocating his air.

“Jang Haneul. Who do you think you are, acting so overbearing on the field?”

So that was the problem. Finally, the missing piece of the puzzle clicked into place. Haneul understood why Yuhwan was unleashing such explosive rage.

“I got us a perfect win against the seniors, didn't I? Isn't that enough?”

Haneul had used meticulously calculated pitch calls to control the game, preventing Yuhwan from recklessly relying on brute power. That arrogance had struck a nerve in Yuhwan’s sharp pride.

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do with my pitch?”

“I know everything. I know your pitches better than you do.”

“You didn't even see my real fastball!”

The argument flared up like wildfire once more. Underlying Yuhwan’s aggression was a deep resentment at having been controlled by Haneul.

Understanding that mindset, Haneul didn't back down. He confronted him head-on.

“Just throw where I tell you to. I’ll place the victory right in your hands. There’s no need to waste your barely recovered shoulder in a meaningless place like this, is there?”

Did those words, meant to soothe him, only pour gasoline on the fire?

Yuhwan’s brow furrowed dangerously. He was a guy who believed only in honest fastballs, chasing nothing but the pure thrill of crushing batters with raw strength.

An injury in high school, followed by a brutal year of rehabilitation······. Haneul could not let him ruin that precious shoulder in a mere club tryout.

Unaware of Haneul’s deeper motives, Yuhwan found the catcher’s arrogance—trying to clip his wings—utterly detestable.

“Who the hell are you?”

Yuhwan swallowed a incredulous, hollow laugh, his sharp gaze piercing right through Haneul.

Who am I? Haneul swallowed his thoughts. Someone you could never handle, even in a lifetime.

This heavy, lingering affection, fermented across three lives, was reserved solely for Yuhwan. Knowing Yuhwan would only recoil in disgust if he learned the truth, Haneul bit his lip and remained silent.

Haneul turned his gaze away, staring blankly at the soaking wet field. Fortunately, there were no eyes watching the bullpen through the downpour.

He had always craved a single touch from this man; leaning into that firm chest had been Haneul’s long-standing wish. If Yuhwan wanted this—well, if this was an opportunity, so be it.

If this life was destined to crumble soon anyway, crossing a forbidden line with the person he had craved for so long didn't seem like the worst choice.

“Yuhwan, I’m just a catcher obsessed with winning.”

“Don’t you ever cling to me in that disgusting way again. But from now on, you're the only one catching my pitches. There aren't many who can!”

The rough, arrogant declaration falling from Yuhwan’s mouth tore Haneul's heart to shreds, yet even that felt like an intoxicating contradiction.

Whatever the case, in this lifetime too, he was destined to be his closest battery partner.

“Fine. I’ll only ever be your catcher, so be prepared.”

Whether from the cold or from uncontrollable shame, Haneul's body trembled subtly.

A secretive space where the roaring sound of rain swallowed every noise. Hidden behind the curtain of falling rain and out of the CCTV’s blind spot, this place had transformed into a completely secluded rendezvous.

In that moment, as if truly intending to go all the way, Yuhwan raised his large hand.

“You know, I don't usually go for guys. This feels damn strange.”

Slowly brushing Haneul’s wet hair behind his ear, he closed the distance between them.

Yuhwan’s fingertips trembled faintly, hovering just above Haneul’s collarbone without quite making contact.

Then, something shifted.

Yuhwan, who had looked ready to go mad with desire, simply traced Haneul with a persistent, silent gaze—before abruptly turning his head away.

The hand that was about to touch him lost its destination and withdrew into the air.

Perhaps because his entire body was soaked, Haneul felt his mind sinking heavily into the damp chill. Today of all days, he had been ready to endure whatever Yuhwan demanded.

“······I must be insane. I loathe guys like you.”

Yuhwan’s eyebrows pulled up sharply. Was there really a need to express such visceral disgust?

At least it was raining. Hiding behind the chaotic sound of the storm, Haneul simply kept his mouth shut tight.

He wanted to voice his hurt, but in the end, he endured it silently under an emotionless mask.

The smooth line of Yuhwan’s nose twitched faintly. With an expression mixed with anger, suppressed confusion, and an unfamiliar fever, he slowly stepped back.

Yuhwan’s hot breath brushed past Haneul’s ear.

“You bastard. Don’t you ever pretend to know me outside the field. That’s a warning.”

A few seconds later, Yuhwan turned his massive back and vanished coldly into the rain.

His departing figure looked like grains of sand slipping helplessly through Haneul's fingers.

What did I even do?

Haneul’s mind went blank, flashing white against the noise of the rain.

Where Yuhwan had stood, only a rippling puddle of rainwater remained, yet Haneul couldn't pull his eyes away, as if he had just seen a ghost.

Chasing only the lingering residual image of the guy who had already disappeared, Haneul stared out past the empty bullpen for a long time.

In that moment, the ground beneath his feet shifted weakly, and the boundary between dream and reality dissolved.

Gasping for air, Jang Haneul opened his eyes, soaked in sweat.

It was a dream. A deeply painful dream.