The abnormal situation mentioned by the system puzzled Qi Huai.

But before he could find the anomaly the system was talking about, little Nam-hyuk first discovered the anomaly on Qi Huai.

“Uncle Ghost… you seem to be really growing up.”

Rather than calling it growing up, it was more like little Nam-hyuk could see more and more of Qi Huai.

At first, there were only two feet. Gradually, the protruding ankles were added. By the time Yoon Nam-hyuk was in middle school, he could already see Qi Huai’s long legs that seemed to have no end…

These changes made the already junior high school-aged Yoon Nam-hyuk suddenly feel an unreasonable sense of sourness. He angrily threw away the measuring tape he was using to measure Qi Huai’s legs. “Why are you so tall!”

He complained that Qi Huai was too tall and that if this continued, he would have to look up at him, which would make his neck sore. In reality, he was trying to cover up the uneasiness that the other’s changes had brought him.

That feeling was hard to describe.

When the other was just Mr. Shoes, little Nam-hyuk could look down at him and treat him as a little pet that needed to be well taken care of. Every feeding was a kind of happiness.

When the other’s slender calves appeared, Yoon Nam-hyuk could still comfort himself that Uncle Ghost was a fragile species that needed his protection.

Simple feeding could no longer satisfy little Nam-hyuk. He began to buy colorful pants and exaggerated anime-themed socks for the other. The other would always helplessly put them on and then praise him for having “good taste.”

But when the complete pair of long legs came into view, and Yoon Nam-hyuk could be 100% sure that the other was a “strong man” who was much taller than him, he suddenly had a real sense that the other was a human.

Would an “adult” need to rely on a child?

If the other continued to grow like this until he revealed his complete human form, would that be the time they should part?

Would his Mr. Shoes leave?

In fact, Yoon Nam-hyuk had asked this question when he was in elementary school. At that time, he asked Qi Huai, “Uncle Ghost, will you always live in my room?”

“Why do you ask?”

Little Nam-hyuk hesitated. “Today, my classmate’s little dog died. He cried very sadly. The teacher said that whether it’s humans or animals, they will all go through reincarnation after death. The little dog just went to live a happier life, and we should wish it well.”

“Then what about you?” little Nam-hyuk said. “Uncle Ghost, in your soul state, why don’t you go through reincarnation? Is it because it’s not time yet?”

Qi Huai patted his head. “You can understand it that way.”

“Then when is the time for you to go through reincarnation?”

Qi Huai was speechless. After a long while, he said, “Actually, I don’t know either.”

“Oh…” Yoon Nam-hyuk had guessed this answer. Just like how humans don’t know their own death date, maybe ghosts don’t know their reincarnation date either? That’s what the elementary school-aged little Nam-hyuk thought.

But now he was in middle school.

The middle school-aged Yoon Nam-hyuk understood more and thought more. He began to calculate the “growing” speed of Mr. Shoes and even tried to estimate the date when the other would be completely whole.

When the other was completely whole, would that be the day he should go through reincarnation? That’s what the middle school-aged Yoon Nam-hyuk guessed.

Just like how all teenagers begin to have secrets, little Nam-hyuk also gradually began to have his own little secrets.

His first secret was the date he secretly predicted for Mr. Shoes’ reincarnation—after he turned 19.

For him, who was just 15, four years didn’t seem short. But if he thought about it from the perspective of “my lifespan is ninety years, if Mr. Shoes leaves when I’m nineteen, we will be separated for seventy years,” Yoon Nam-hyuk became even more anxious.

He was sullen and even hoped that Mr. Shoes could accompany him to school every day.

“Why, is someone bullying you? Yoon Nam-joo?” Qi Huai was thoughtful, observing Yoon Nam-hyuk’s expression.

Yoon Nam-hyuk looked away. “Not really, he doesn’t have the ability to bully me.”

That’s right, Qi Huai smiled.

There were only a few top schools. In middle school, Yoon Nam-hyuk and Yoon Nam-joo would inevitably meet at school. But times had changed. At this time, Yoon Nam-hyuk was no longer a child without a mother, and he would not be even a little bit sad because of his biological father’s blatant favoritism.

“Then why?” Qi Huai squatted down and looked at him with his head tilted.

Mr. Shoes’ legs were really long. Even when he was squatting, he was very eye-catching. At this time, Yoon Nam-hyuk would guess the other’s expression.

Is he smiling?

Will he be impatient with me?

“No reason, if you don’t want to go, then forget it.” Yoon Nam-hyuk pretended not to care and calmly packed his schoolbag.

He was afraid that excessive demands would annoy others. After all, he and Mr. Shoes only had a verbal agreement without a contract. If the other didn’t like it, he might disappear immediately and go find another child.

A teenager’s thoughts are hard to guess, but Yoon Nam-hyuk’s thoughts were not difficult for Qi Huai to guess at all.

Because the thirty-year-old President Yoon also liked to use this trick. While pretending, he would ask Qi Huai, “I have a business trip to France the day after tomorrow, are you coming?”

If Qi Huai wanted to tease him and say he had something to do, President Yoon would raise his eyebrows and bring down the “iron fist” of love. “I checked your schedule before I asked. You liar, hurry up and pack your bags.”

Perhaps this was the difference between a “bitter unrequited love” and a “blatant love.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t want to go. Don’t be angry,” Qi Huai smiled, stood up, and patted Yoon Nam-hyuk’s head. “Study hard in class. I’ll come find you during lunch.”

Yoon Nam-hyuk pursed his slightly curved lips. “Mm.”

The school rooftop was the perfect lunch spot Yoon Nam-hyuk had found.

Most of his classmates were young masters and ladies from wealthy families. For lunch, they would go to restaurants near the school or take a nap and eat nutritious bento boxes in their nanny cars. No one would go to a place like the rooftop.

Therefore, day after day, this became their secret base.

Yoon Nam-hyuk squinted his eyes in enjoyment, opened his lunch box, and gave Qi Huai a large piece of salmon.

He used to like rainy days because it was a pleasure to sit in a quiet classroom and listen to the sound of the rain with his eyes closed.

But ever since he met Mr. Shoes, his preference had slowly changed. After all, only on sunny days could the other accompany him to eat on the rooftop.

“Mm, the weather is so nice,” Qi Huai put back a piece of seaweed that Yoon Nam-hyuk had picked out and put in his bowl. “I know you don’t like it, but you can’t be too picky when you’re growing. What if you don’t grow tall?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk snorted without a word and stuffed the seaweed into his mouth. “I’ll be as tall as you!”

“Okay, I’m looking forward to it,” Qi Huai chuckled to himself. He thought it would be nice to be a little taller. Although 180 cm was already very good, at least it was just right to hold.

They sat next to each other and ate lunch in silence. The air was filled with only the sound of chewing and Yoon Nam-hyuk drinking milk. The fifteen-year-old boy was determined to grow to 190 cm. In order not to dampen his confidence, Qi Huai would clap and encourage him every time, coaxing him to happily eat a few more pieces of meat.

People who were together twenty-four hours a day would occasionally have nothing to say, but this silent happiness was also very good. Yoon Nam-hyuk was secretly happy, and wiggled his toes where Mr. Shoes couldn’t see.

There are always some people in this world who love to break other people’s happy moments. They hadn’t been eating for long when they heard a “bang” from the rooftop door, followed by a chaotic clamor and laughter.

“You little brat, I just asked you to run an errand and buy some snacks. Why are you so disobedient? What are you so proud of? Huh?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk was all too familiar with this annoying voice. It was that real little brat, Yoon Nam-joo, the guy who was secretly called the school bully by his classmates.

Yoon Nam-joo was followed by a few little brothers chewing gum. They were pushing a boy with a resentful face. It was clear that they had come to the rooftop specifically to bully him.

“Hey! Say something!” Yoon Nam-joo patted the boy’s face. “It’s getting late. How much time can it take to buy some snacks? Didn’t I say I’d pay you for the errand?”

“I don’t want your money!” the boy swatted away Yoon Nam-joo’s hand.

Yoon Nam-joo: “Oh oh oh, you have some backbone, little junior. I thought you were like your brother, only able to be pressed under a man, hahaha~”

“Shameless!” The boy spat at Yoon Nam-joo.

“Aish! You bastard—” Yoon Nam-joo was furious. He clenched his fist and swung at the other’s face. The boy knew he couldn’t afford to provoke Yoon Nam-joo and didn’t want to back down. He could only stand there without moving.

“Hey—! Yoon Nam-joo.”

A piece of roasted potato suddenly flew over, hitting Yoon Nam-joo’s forehead like a sandbag, leaving a greasy olive oil stain and parsley flakes.

Yoon Nam-joo flinched in fright. When he realized it was just a potato and not a rock, he was almost furious. He immediately looked in the direction the potato had flown from. “Who—”

The moment he saw it was Yoon Nam-hyuk, the words that were about to come out of his mouth got stuck. “What are you doing here!”

“What business is it of yours what I’m doing here?” Yoon Nam-hyuk was speechless.

Yoon Nam-joo said angrily, “Fine, I don’t care about you, and you don’t care about me! What I do has nothing to do with you!”

“That won’t do,” Yoon Nam-hyuk snorted. “You’re disturbing my meal, you who are at the bottom of the grade.”

Yoon Nam-joo was so angry he could have jumped on the spot, but he knew he couldn’t. If he dared to provoke Yoon Nam-hyuk, this guy would definitely badmouth him at the family gathering every three months!

Ever since he started middle school, Yoon Nam-joo’s studies had been getting worse and worse. His father’s doting and patience for him were also gradually fading, especially when Yoon Taimin saw Yoon Nam-hyuk’s report card at the family gathering. Although he acted nonchalant on the surface, Yoon Nam-joo would definitely get a beating within three days!

The feeling of a belt and a clothes hanger on his back was simply excruciatingly painful. His last injury hadn’t even healed yet.

If he couldn’t provoke him, he could only hide. Yoon Nam-joo gritted his teeth and glared at the boy. “You’re lucky, let’s go!”

After saying that, he ran away with his few little brothers.

After Yoon Nam-joo left, the boy breathed a long sigh of relief. He looked at Yoon Nam-hyuk and bowed shyly. “Thank you, senior… thank you last time too, and-and the time before that.”

Yoon Nam-hyuk nodded. “You’re welcome.”

He thought the boy would leave after thanking him, but he didn’t. Instead, he walked a few steps towards Yoon Nam-hyuk. “Senior… my brother is not like what they say. He is a very good person, a very brave person. He is not bad or evil. He and his boyfriend are very happy together, and we as a family are also happy for him.”

“Oh…” Yoon Nam-hyuk was at a loss. “That’s good.”

The boy hesitated to speak, looking at his toes one moment and the ground the next, but he didn’t dare to look up at Yoon Nam-hyuk’s face. He stammered for a long time, his forehead sweating, but in the end, he didn’t say a word.

Yoon Nam-hyuk couldn’t help but frown. “Is there anything else?”

His lunch was getting cold, and he and his Mr. Shoes hadn’t finished eating yet.

“No-nothing,” the boy’s face turned red. He bowed. “I won’t disturb you anymore, senior.”

He turned and ran after saying that. In a short while, he disappeared at the rooftop staircase, leaving Yoon Nam-hyuk completely confused.

“Looks like he wants to be friends with you,” Qi Huai stood behind Yoon Nam-hyuk and chuckled lightly. “Our little Nam-hyuk is very popular.”

“What ‘our’ and ‘our’s’…!” Yoon Nam-hyuk’s ears suddenly turned the same color as the boy’s. He turned and glanced at Mr. Shoes’ empty upper body and muttered, “I have a friend, I don’t need other friends.”

The cold salmon was a bit fishy, but Yoon Nam-hyuk still ate it with relish. He ate the broccoli that Qi Huai didn’t like one by one. In exchange, he stuffed the butter cookies he didn’t like to the other.

The food in the bento box was getting less and less, which meant that the warm rooftop lunch time was about to end. Yoon Nam-hyuk suddenly said to Qi Huai, “Do you know why Yoon Nam-joo bullies him?”

Qi Huai was curious. “Why?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk said disdainfully, “That guy Yoon Nam-joo has a problem. He just likes to see tough people bow their heads and submit, so he goes around bullying others. He grabs a small flaw and constantly magnifies and attacks it, as if that will elevate himself and give him some kind of glory. It might be related to him being too stupid. Besides being able to yell at people, he has no other good points.”

Qi Huai smiled and patted Yoon Nam-hyuk’s head. He knew, were you bullied with this kind of mentality back then? Little Nam-hyuk, who would never yield no matter what, must have had a hard time.

Yoon Nam-hyuk squinted his eyes as Qi Huai patted him. He really liked it when Mr. Shoes rubbed his head. The strength was just right, very comfortable. The other’s hand was also very big, almost able to hold his entire head…

Actually, there was something he had been thinking about for a long time.

If Mr. Shoes continued to “grow,” would he grow a pair of hands first? Or would he wait until his entire upper body had grown, and then grow arms from his shoulders? He was really curious about what the other’s palm was like.

When he was a child, Yoon Nam-hyuk had had nightmares and had slept holding the other’s arm. He clearly remembered that every finger on that hand was very slender. It must be very good-looking.

“His brother used to be a teacher at the school. He was very handsome and a very good person.” Yoon Nam-hyuk finished the rest of his milk. “Later, a classmate saw his brother kissing his boyfriend while shopping, and this matter spread throughout the school. The parents were dissatisfied and complained to the school, saying that the teacher’s indecent behavior would corrupt the students. The school expelled his brother.”

“So that’s how it is,” Qi Huai nodded.

Yoon Nam-hyuk clenched his milk carton. “Then what about you? Do you hate homosexuals?”

“Of course not,” Qi Huai couldn’t help but laugh.

“Really?” Yoon Nam-hyuk’s lips curved. “That’s right, you’ve been a ghost for so long, you should have seen everything, unlike those old-fashioned parents.”

“Why are you so happy?” Qi Huai teased him. “You didn’t get a boyfriend behind my back, did you? Hmm?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk’s eyes widened instantly. “You’re talking nonsense. I’m with you every day, where would I have time to get a boyfriend! Do you have time to get a boyfriend?”

Qi Huai laughed out loud. “I already have a boyfriend.”