“………………Who were they?” “I don’t know much about them because that’s when we first met and we parted ways there. By the way, the bosses of the dungeon were people who were burned at the stake.” " Gasp ." “They were men dressed as women.” “ Gasp…… ” “Anyway, one thing is for sure, my life changed because I met those two people. It’s true that people in the world are trash, but there are some who are less trash, and very, very rarely, there are people who are not trash.” As he said that, Hyeon Gyu-ha put a lot of tteokbokki sauce on the fried seaweed and put it in In Yoo-shin's mouth. "Yoo-shin- ssi  is the only……………… between this trashy world and humans." “Stimulants?” When he interrupted him while he was mumbling the words, he closed his eyes and smiled innocently like a boy. “Okay. Let’s call it a stimulant. Since it doesn’t matter what you call it.” Since he had lunch early, it was not even 12:30 when he left the store. He didn’t know what he was going to do, but he thought he had plenty of time, but Hyeon Gyu-ha looked at his watch and it seemed like he didn’t think so. “It feels like it might be a close call... Anyway, they probably won't make excuses for being a little late since they send invitations every time.” “An invitation? Where are you going?” “Didn’t I tell you?” “It’s just shopping……………….” “Hmm.” Hyeon Gyu-ha rubbed the back of his neck and then had In Yoo-shin sit on the bike. “Hey. Eight.” “Squwk?” 8- se , who had been lying down, completely satisfied after eating a lot of tteokbokki, poked his head out of the pouch. “Mana amplification, is it possible to double it?” “Squeak!” The two brothers, whom In Yoo-shin didn't understand what they were saying, seemed to have communicated something between themselves with just a single word. Hyeon Gyu-ha nodded his head and took out a piece of cloth from subspace. It was a wide, long piece of golden silk embroidered with gorgeous, delicate patterns. “Wow, that’s so fancy and cool. But what is it?” “A cloth worn around the waist. A belt.” “Is the belt this big?” Although he didn't know what this is, he received it and Hyeon Gyu-ha tapped the cloth. "Try to appraise the item." The only items I've ever had the experience of appraising in my life were doors and hamster rings. I still don't know what's what, but I did as I was told. [Mandukai's booth] The name of the person who made the item appeared, not the name of the person who made it. That meant that it was not a crafted item, but an artifact obtained by hunting a boss in a dungeon. Unlike the artifacts dropped by hidden bosses, it was a general artifact that was not bound. “Mandukai?” It was a name I had heard somewhere, but I couldn't remember it right away. As more question marks appeared above his head, Hyeon Gyu-ha gave him a hint. “Kijab.” (slang for romantic or sexual interest in someone they have known since childhood or a very young age, often with the implication of waiting for them to grow older.) “Ah! Raising a younger husband and then eating him up... No, that's not it!” “Was I wrong?” "………………There's nothing particularly wrong." It's not wrong to summarize the life of Mandukay Khatun (the wife of a Khan or Khagan), who successfully raised her young husband, 15 years her junior, to the position of Khagan (a title referring to the emperor in nomadic ethnic countries such as Mongolian and Turkic), and became a driving force behind the Mongolian revival, in a single word, 'helmsman,' but something felt off. “It’s an artifact that can increase mana. If it were a game and not reality, it would be an item that would increase intelligence stats, but it has a mana-boosting effect.” “Hmm, I think it’d definitely make you smarter if you had the items of a smart person like Mandukai.” “Even if Yoo-shin- ssi ’s F-rank mana is amplified, it’ll still be F-rank, but if you amplify it while that guy is sharing his mana, it seems like it will have a pretty good effect. I checked it, so I think it’s almost certain.” "Aha." "And since an artifact that seems to be more effective when used with 'Mandukai's Booth' just came out, I'm going to go buy it." "But, Gyu-ha- ssi ." In Yoo-shin pointed out the mistakes of Hyeon Gyu-ha, who made the same mistake as Cho Sang-pil. “Even if I amplify my mana, will I gain any use from it?” “…….” "I can give Gyu-ha- ssi  a lot of buffs while hunting in the dungeon, but using that can be dangerous in another way." Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had been silent for a moment, twitched his lips. “When your mana is boosted, your muscles recover faster, you can easily hit 3 to 100 more times, protein supplements taste better, and your muscle loss rate is significantly slower.” Hey. Is this some kind of Muan danmul? But why are all the effects related to exercise? (Muan danmul: This is a famous local specialty from Muan County in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It's a type of mineral-rich seawater or mudflat water known for its supposed health benefits.) As In Yoo-shin's eyes narrowed, Hyeon Gyu-ha sighed deeply and rubbed his face against his as if he was throwing a tantrum. “Anyway, the more mana the better……………….” It seems that he is only focused on the fact that Mana is good for everyone, and he hasn't considered the fact that it is of little use to In Yoo-shin, who doesn't have any other skills. But the important thing here was that Hyeon Gyu-ha was behaving in a way that was almost like a tantrum. In Yoo-shin found himself nodding vigorously without realizing it, hearing Hyeon Gyu-ha’s charming voice as he clung to him and asked him to accept the artifact. When he came to, a satisfied smile appeared on Hyeon Gyu-ha's lips. It was too late to turn back and say he didn't need it. “Shall we go to the department store to do some shopping?” Hyeon Gyu-ha shook his head. “Or black market?” “I want to give it to you as a gift, Master- nim , but how can I give you a black market item whose source I don’t even know? Rather than that, I will righteously and fairly charge through the main gate and steal it.” I don't know since when it became possible to use the words "fairly" and "steal" in the same sentence. “Then where are you going?” “Auction.” “Whoa." In Yoo-shin had heard that there was an auction house that specialized in high-grade items and artifacts. Hyeon Gyu-ha's gift was a gift, but it was also exciting to watch the auction. As he was putting on the helmet that Hyeon Gyu-ha had given me, telling him to hurry to the auction house, a question occurred to him. "There's no dress code at the auction house?" “Until now, I've never been turned away for my usual outfit, though.” “What would have happened if they had turned Gyu-ha- ssi  away at the door because he was wearing the wrong clothes?” “That’s the day the auction house closes. Well, I guess.” Convinced, Hyeon Gyu-ha took out an invitation from the inventory and looked through it again. There was indeed small writing recommending dressy casual clothes. “I have my interview suit at home, so I can just change into it.” “What color is it?” “It's because I bought it on home shopping as a two-for-one deal, so there's mouse gray, beige, and navy blue.” “If it's those colors, it won't match with me, so let's just go to my officetel and pick out couple outfits.” “Huh? Why are my clothes at Gyu-ha’s house?” "Let's go for now." Without giving him a chance to ask any more questions, Hyeon Gyu-ha started his bike. There was some change in the officetel I visited for the second time. “Aren’t you coming in?” In Yoo-shin followed him into the dressing room. HIs eyes struggling to look away from the childhood photos that filled the walls on all sides. The dressing room was filled with In Yoo-shin's clothes. To be exact, they were couple looks with Hyeon Gyu-ha, like the hamster pajamas from before. "I bought one every time I thought of a place I wanted to go with Yoo-shin- ssi ." Perhaps because it was summer, swimsuits, rash guards, surfing wear, etc. were prepared as sets with Hyeon Gyu-ha. Winter is still a long way off, but ski wear and such were already visible. Of course, there were mountaineering wear, training wear, and even everyday clothes like suits hanging in a row. What about Santa and Rudolph costumes? In Yoo-shin, who was afraid that there might be some event clothes prepared in other closets that he had not checked yet, just quietly chose a suit. As he was going through the closet, something strange caught his eye. On one side of each piece of clothing, such as the sleeves or lining, there was a cute hamster character embroidered on it. It was a hamster embroidered patch with pale orange eyes on pale tan fur, and it looked like it was hand-made. I wonder if he made it himself. Come to think of it, his own pajamas from those couple pajamas before had the same hamster design as this. In Yoo-shin, without even realizing it, glanced up at the man who had the exact same color scheme as the hamster. As their eyes met, Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was reflexively smiling gently, suddenly bowed his head deeply. Chu. In the moment of being off guard, a tongue that wriggled its way between his lips licked the inside of his mouth in a circle. Only after a wet sound rang out from the tongue that was rubbing his lower lip did In Yoo-shin, startled, come to his senses. A nonchalant voice brushed past his earlobe and bit his ear. “I thought you wanted me to kiss you.” “T-T-That's not it.” As he quickly backed away, covering his ears, Hyeon Gyu-ha chuckled softly, his throat rumbling. “Are you going to wear those clothes?” While stepping back, the suit he grabbed unintentionally happened to be the same color as Hyeon Gyu-ha's clothes. It was exactly a couple look. With a reddened face, In Yoo-shin, who was flusteredly trying to change his clothes, stopped. When he glanced sideways, Hyeon Gyu-ha shrugged and turned his back. “I'll turn around like last time.” It's not like men wear out from being together, and it wouldn't have mattered whether I showed myself changing clothes or not. If it were in the past. In Yoo-shin pushed him hard on the back and forcefully sent him out of the dressing room. Even though he was left alone, the feeling of him on his lips and ears lingered and wouldn’t go away, so it was very difficult. The clothes he changed into fit him perfectly. Could it be a tailored suit? How did he know my size? H e was a bit skeptical, but In Yoo-shin convinced himself.  He must have figured it out somehow with his S-class eye for detail. He tried moving around by swinging his arms. They say tailored suits are comfortable, and they really were. “Ugh, if I keep doing this I’ll be late for the auction.” When he opened the door in a hurry, Hyeon Gyu-ha was in front of me. His slow gaze scanned In Yoo-hin as if it had been waiting. Starting from the crown of his head, he traced his face and neckline, then down to his chest, waist, and fingers in an ambiguous position, and down to his socks. In Yoo-shin slightly shrank his toes. “Is it that strange?” I was starting to feel uneasy because there was no response. I guess I should change into different clothes. I was about to close the door again when Hyeon Gyu-ha groaned heavily and sat down. *** HM: I feel like some kinda parents while watching these two. I guess I sorta became a parent for these two since they don’t have parents either ways. lol ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!

#5 There was a dark mage who had flirted with Chae Yoo-jeong in the past, resulting in them getting beaten up by me. However, after that, whenever I played games with Chae Yoo-jeong during his vacation, the number of users who wanted to poach Chae Yoo-jeong had steadily increased. Seeing how Chae Yoo-jeong felt annoyed, Kang Ji-ye, a close friend and the owner of the account 'Drink some water', clicked her tongue before suggesting. - If that's the case, just join Early Evening again. Do you think you're the only one who plays games on your days off because you're busy otherwise? We're all working adults now, you aren't that special, you know? Of course, I agreed with Water noona's suggestion, as I was starting to get annoyed by users who approached Chae Yoo-jeong with the intention of exploiting him. Chae Yoo-jeong joined Early Evening with a much more relaxed mind after I gave him my full approval, and he adapted well while being half welcomed and half teased by the guild members. So during this vacation, when I came home from work, we used to log in and play together… I guess it was pretty obvious then, seeing them ask that. [Guild] I'm Sleepy: Well [Guild] I'm Sleepy: I guess he’s busy [Guild] Starick: Hmm~ ㅎㅎ Starick smiled strangely in the chat, pretending not to care. ‘… I think he noticed.’ It wasn't the first time that Starick had reacted like that. For about a year, whenever Chae Yoo-jeong and I would talk about each other, he would always give a silly tease in the chat. This was a completely different reaction from the guild members who thought that I and Chae Yoo-jeong were just close brothers. Even when men are close, it's not easy to think of them as lovers, so this was unusual. 'Well, as long as Chae Yoo-jeong doesn't get hurt, it's okay.' Still feeling a bit uneasy, I looked at Starick's nickname, and his chat continued. [Guild] Starick: Then, Sleepy- nim [Guild] Starick: If you have nothing else to do, do you want to go to the Debilitation Dungeon together? The Debilitation Dungeon was a new content update last week. It was a dungeon with difficulty levels of 'Normal, Hard, Very Hard', and it was a pretty good hunting ground because there were many useful items in the Very Hard level. [Guild] Starick: Hunter- nim  and I are going now~ [Guild] TheHunter: ?? [Guild] TheHunter: Me? [Guild] TheHunter: I just came out of the dungeon;; [Guild] Starick: So you're not coming~? ㅎㅎ [Guild] TheHunter: No...let's go... [Guild] Let's do it: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ [Guild] Harn: Hey [Guild] Harn: It's been almost two years since we got married [Guild] Harn: Hunter- nim  is really cool ㅋㅋㅋㅋ [Guild] TheHunter: What the heck;; That's not trueㅡㅡ [Guild] Starick: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Are you asking me this without even reaching an agreement with the other person? I thought about it with a hollow laugh. Since there’s still some time left before Chae Yoo-jeong returns anyway, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to play a round or two. ‘I also have to get as many accessories as possible that come from the rewards.' Accessories... Wait, accessories? “……!” I suddenly realized something as I was thinking about rings, which are representative accessories used in games. 'I need to buy a ring!' Holy shit! I jumped up from my seat like a spring and quickly started typing on the keyboard. [Guild] I'm sleepy: I’m sorry but [Guild] I'm so sleepy: Something urgent came up [Guild] I'm so sleepy: sori sori sori [Guild] TheHunter: ?? [Guild] Starick: ^^~ [Guild] Starick: ㅋㅋ Meanwhile, Starick laughed as if he knew everything. That person, whose I don't even know where he lives, has no way of knowing my current situation, so why does that 'ㅋ ㅋ' chatting make me feel so annoyed? I grinded my teeth in annoyance, grabbed the coat hanging on the back of the sofa, and hurriedly left the house. Fortunately, I had already made a list of department stores worth visiting. I got into the driver's seat and headed straight for the nearest department store. 'How long have I been out of my mind since yesterday…….' It was the weekend, so the roads were congested. I stopped at a traffic light and chewed on my regrets. I should have measured Chae Yoo-jeong's finger size while he was sleeping last night. I was so shocked by his bold declaration that he would go out and meet another woman in broad daylight that I ended up falling asleep without being able to do anything. I wish I had just gotten some good sleep and came back to my senses, but I ended up having these ridiculous nightmares and ended up doing this. The damage is really huge. 'Yoo-jeong- ah , when you come in later, you have to treat me really well.' Otherwise I think I'll be too sad……. I drove diligently toward the department store, sighing inwardly. *** "Ha……" After failing to find what I was looking for at the third department store, I got back into the car. I came out to just take a quick look at the designs since I didn’t know Chae Yoo-jeong's finger size, but I started to feel frustrated because it was hard to find something I liked. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I drove to the fourth shopping mall. This was the last one. And the furthest one. 'If it's not here either…….' What should I do? Should I look for more information? Although I've been in relationships many times, this was my first time taking the initiative to buy a ring, so I was really at a loss. In the past, I just went and bought things when the other person told me to, and I've never looked for one myself. ‘Is there anyone around me who knows a lot about getting couple rings……’ I drove calmly and thought of people I knew who I could get advice from. First of all, the closest and most trustworthy guys. Kim Dae-seok. He is enjoying his first relationship with an older woman he met at work, but he has no idea about couples. He must be wagging his tail like a dog and doing whatever his girlfriend tells him to do. Next is Eun Hae-seong. Unfortunately, this kid has no answers. He is a guy who runs out to the club every weekend even after becoming a working person. A guy like that would rather dance one more time at the club than worry about a ring or a couple ring. It would be a hundred times better for Kim Dae-seok to be working diligently and having a normal relationship. ‘Noona Kang Ji-ye... um, it's hard to ask such a question to her......’ She was close with Chae Yoo-jeong, with whom I absolutely had to keep things a secret. Even if others knew about our relationship, it would still be awkward to openly discuss something like a couple's ring. Excluding these three people, and also excluding those who would bombard me with personal questions about my girlfriend if I brought up a couple's rings, all that was left was…… 'Tae-young Hyung?' Uh? That works! It was a name that came to mind casually, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the best option. Especially when I recalled the ring neatly placed on Seo Tae-young's left ring finger, it felt like the perfect fit. 'He dated perfectly fine. He dated his wife for three years. He successfully got married. They're still living happily ever after.' No matter how much I thought about it, there was no one more suitable than Seo Tae-young. He wasn't just someone with experience in couple's rings, but even wedding rings, so he'd know more about rings than anyone else. If push came to shove, he might even ask his wife for me! 'Good. If I strike out again this time, I'll call Tae-young Hyung right away.' It felt like a ray of light had pierced through my previously clouded mind. Arriving at the mall with a much lighter heart, it was almost one in the afternoon. Thinking Chae Yoo-jeong would probably be finishing his meal with his appointment by now, I pulled out my phone. 「Yoo Ji-han: Pretty~」 「Yoo Ji-han: You're eating while you play, right?」 「Yoo Ji-han: Don't just eat something quick and random because you came early; make sure to eat something delicious.」 「Yoo Ji-han: See you later (emoticon)」 Perfect. At this point, Chae Yoo-jeong won't have to worry about my reaction and can meet comfortably, I guess. I should have done this sooner. It was a hundred times more comfortable than hiding my reactions or voice. 'Okay. Let's quickly take a look before Yoo-jeong gets home.' I took the elevator and headed straight to the accessory store. “Is there a product you are looking for?” “I’m looking to see some couple rings.” The employee who came closer to me smiled and showed me the rings that were skillfully displayed. “In the past, people only looked for silver products, but these days, there are many people who like rose gold as well.” A variety of rings were spread out before my eyes. They were all pretty and nice, but unfortunately, there was no product that gave me the same feeling as other department stores. I went to a few more stores, but the result was the same. "Thank you." After politely greeting the staff who had kindly served me, I left the store. I sighed as I headed back to the underground parking lot without any particular results. 'No. It's better. Let's wake up tonight and find out our ring sizes. Then I'll contact Tae-young hyung……’ As I continued my thoughts, I suddenly stopped in my tracks when I saw a familiar face passing by in the crowd of people in the distance. Neatly-tied, light brown hair. A small, pure white face revealed beneath it. The basic coat I saw this morning. 'Chae Yoo-jeong?' I was momentarily dumbfounded, as I had not expected to find him at the department store farthest from my house. Was this the meeting place? The meal… is over? This question was answered the moment I saw the face of the woman walking next to Chae Yoo-jeong. --- Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Fanatic fan We made a Discord Server ! please join us!

#4 I opened my lips absentmindedly and then quickly closed them. Where are you going? Who are you going to meet instead of me, when you can't even spend time with me? If I let down my guard even a little, I feel like such childish complaints would come out of my mouth. I saw Chae Yoo-jeong right before, who was completely disappointed by the phone call. I hastily raised my stiff lips again and asked as if I was just curious. "Really? At what time?" “I’ll go at 11am… I think it’ll take around two or three hours.” Aha. So you're going to have lunch with that reporter. The crisis came again, but I tried not to think too much and took a sip of wine. "Where is the place? I'll take you there by car." "You don’t have to!" Chae Yoo-jeong jumped up and refused without a second thought. Chae Yoo-jeong shook his head in surprise, like a puppy whose tail had been stepped on. "Oh, it's not far. I'll go by myself." “Um…….” "I'm just, really, just, uh, meeting up. Don't worry too much." I looked at Chae Yoo-jeong, who was chattering away with flushed cheeks, with a faint smile. 'Yoo-jeong- ah , I understand that you're trying to divert my attention somewhere else. If you show it off like this, I can't help but be suspicious. Suddenly, my strength was focused on clutching the wine glass tightly. It was at that moment that the jealousy which was dying down was rekindled into a hot flame. *** The eyes that always shone at me with affection were so cold that it was hard to believe. “Hyung? Why are you here……” Chae Yoo-jeong, surprised, jumped up from his seat and looked at me. Behind him was a restaurant table set with wine, and a woman sitting at the table. Only then did I realize where I was standing. This was where Chae Yoo-jeong agreed to meet the reporter. “No way… You followed me? Secretly?” Chae Yoo-jeong frowned strongly as he blocked my path, looking as if he was protecting the woman from me. His cold gaze grew into contempt. “This isn’t right, hyung. No matter how suspicious you are, how can you stalk me like this?” The blatant accusation took my breath away. My heart was in pain as if it was being cut with a knife, and at the same time, a sense of injustice welled up within me. “J-just a minute. I…….” I feel wronged. I don't know why I'm standing here. I was jealous, but I didn't mean to follow you secretly…… ‘…Was it really not there?’ When I offered to drive you, were there truly no ulterior motives? Are you asking me whether I didn't have even the slightest urge to grab Chae Yoo-jeong and ask who he was on the phone with, what their relationship was, or what he was hiding from me? “……” Chae Yoo-jeong, who had been glaring at me with his lips quivering and not being able to answer, turned around first. "I'm disappointed, hyung." “Yoo-jeong- ah .” The view of the fancy restaurant was engulfed in pitch-black darkness. In it, Chae Yoo-jeong's back faded away. "Wait!" Even though I desperately called out to him, Chae Yoo-jeong didn't even look back and only kept moving further away. “Yoo-jeong- ah !” My screams echoed hollowly through the empty darkness. *** I forced my eyebrows, which were furrowed, to straighten and smiled at Chae Yoo-jeong. Chae Yoo-jeong, wearing a coat, looked back at me before putting on his shoes. "...Are you really okay, hyung?" " Unn ." “I took some painkillers and I feel much better than before. So don't worry and go.” Even though my hand felt as if it was getting pounded by a hammer, I didn't want to tell Chae Yoo-jeong who was already ready to leave. Still, he seemed hesitant and couldn't bring himself to leave. The man who had been hesitating while looking at me asked in a sullen voice. “Should I just not go?” Yes , I barely managed to swallow the answer that almost came out. “You don’t have to do that. It’s really okay. I can drive. Should I take you there?” "It’s fine." I tried to suggest it again with a foolish desire that I couldn't let go of until the end, but I was immediately rejected. “Hyung, you’re not feeling well, so stay home and rest. I’ll be back soon.” “Uh, Unn .” “You took your medicine, so don’t push yourself and sleep more, hyung.” Chae Yoo-jeong opened the front door and smiled brightly. “I’ll be back.” Chae Yoo-jung, who bid me goodbye with a pretty face, went out. With a thud, the front door closed, and I was left alone in the quiet house. I stared at the empty front door for a moment before walking slowly to the living room. "ha……" I sat on the sofa and rested my head on my forehead. I was tired because I hadn't slept well, but I couldn't fall asleep again because of my headache. “This is ridiculous, really.” When I recalled the dream I had last night, I couldn't help but laugh. I'm not a kid who's in love for the first time, so what kind of dream would I have? Even in the midst of the absurdity and shock, I couldn't forget the cold eyes of Chae Yoo-jeong that I saw in my dream. 'I don't think the real Chae Yoo-jeong would react like that even if I chased him and got caught……’ But wouldn't you feel a little creeped out or disgusted? Or maybe you'd be disappointed in me like in the dream. The fact that I had secretly followed him all the way there is the ultimate proof that I don't trust Chae Yoo-jeong. Of course… I know that Chae Yoo-jeong is not the kind of person who would be swayed or cheat on me with another woman. This was purely a matter of jealousy. That's why I hoped even more that Chae Yoo-jeong wouldn't know that I was in this state. I didn't want to upset him, who was taking a long vacation and resting, because of something that would pass quietly without a problem if I just controlled my feelings. 'This is driving me crazy.' I ran my hand through my hair and rested the back of my head against the back of the sofa. Perhaps because I was so upset, my headache just wouldn't go away. I wonder if maybe I was subconsciously sending myself a warning. To stay calm and not mess up. To respect the privacy of my beloved. I opened my eyes, which had been tightly shut reflexively due to the throbbing pain. I felt like my thoughts were somewhat sorted out. I've been in relationships many times, but this is the first time something like this has happened to me. In the past, I didn't really care about who my girlfriend met, and I wasn't even interested, let alone jealous. Of course, since we were dating, I worried when she met a guy late at night or went out drinking and lost contact. If that happened too many times, we just broke up. If Chae Yoo-jeong had done that…… “……” Even the thought of it makes me sick to my stomach and overwhelms me. Let's give up on it. I got up from my seat with a wry smile. I popped another painkiller into my mouth in the kitchen and headed to the computer room. Chae Yoo-jeong told me to eat something before he left, but I just didn't feel like eating anything. Chae Yoo-jeong will be here in four or five hours, so I'll just have to kill some time until then. As soon as I logged into Zenoris, the guild chat came up along with a lively BGM. [Guild] Bright Clouds: Hi hi hi [Guild] Drink some water: I'm sleepy hi [Guild] Let's do this: Oh, I'm sleepy, hi hi~ [Guild] I'm Sleepy: Hi [Guild] TheHunter: Hi hi hi [Guild] Harn: Huh? Sleepy- nim  is here [Guild] Harn: You said you couldn't come today because you were busy. Yeah, I thought I wouldn't have time to turn on the game today because I would be busy enjoying a happy date with Chae Yoo-jeong. I tapped the keyboard with a feeling of emptiness. [Guild] I'm Sleepy: ㅋㅋ.. [Guild] I'm Sleepy: it just happened so  [Guild] Harn: ??? [Guild] Drink some water: Hmm? ㅋ [Guild] This is Dorahee: Did you get cheated on by your lover? ㅎㅎ [Guild] The guy who hunted: Gasp [Guild] Starick: Oh~ Sleepy- nim ~ [Guild] Starick: Didn't you say you were going on a date today? [Guild] Harn: omg omg [Guild] Bright Clouds: Gasp , is it really what happened?? [Guild] Mocha Bread: What?? What kind of conversation is that?? “…….” As the chat window became noisy, even guild members who were doing other things started hanging around. I furrowed my brows. I never thought that something I had bragged about without thinking would come back to me like this. [Guild] I'm Sleepy: I'm a little late for my appointment [Guild] I'm Sleepy: I'll go later^^ [Guild] Bright Clouds: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ [Guild] Drink some water: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ [Guild] CrazyAboutHunting: (Gritting teeth) I'll go later… [Guild] Steric: ㅎㅎㅋㅋㅋㅋ [Guild] ParkSeungjin99: Why are you teasing Sleepy-nim ㅠㅠㅠ [Guild] Manaolingnam: Right, anyone can get dumped in life - Woo-woo-woo~~ [Guild] I'mSleepy: I didn't get dumped fk More laughing messages flooded the chat after my reply. Seriously, I've been gaming with these guys for years, but they always get on my nerves at times like this. [Guild] Bright Clouds: Hey Sleepy- nim [Guild] Bright Clouds: Yoo Chae- nim  isn't here today, huh? [Guild] Bright Clouds: You two have been logging in together all week. It's been quite a while since Chae Yoo-jeong returned to the Early Evening guild. Of course, not as the guild leader or vice-leader, but as a regular guild member. *** HM: I think YC would have been happy if you secretly stalked him. FF: I love the guild members, is Harn single? --- Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Fanatic fan We made a Discord Server ! please join us!

The pale amber colored eyes had an enchanting light that was somehow darker than usual. “Do you have your school uniform anymore?” “I passed it on to my children at the orphanage.” “What a pity…….” Hyeon Gyu-ha looked at the photo again with eyes that were truly pitiful, not just in words. “You’re so cute……. It's strange, why is it so cute? It's just an old picture of him wearing a school uniform……. Just imagining Master- nim  in his teens makes me feel like I'm going to die from the cuteness……. It feels like I'd hear a 'ppojak ppojak' sound every time he walks, and it feels like I'd smell a milk scent behind him every time he scurries around, just…….” “No, I was just a disobedient high school student in puberty...” In Yoo-shin gradually became embarrassed by the ecstatic muttering, and Park Seung-gi pretended not to hear this excessive praise. “How cute is that… You’re cuter than me.” However, Park Seung-gi, who had pretended not to hear, eventually reacted to these words. “So Hunter-nim, do you think you’re cuter than the 22-year-old Yoo-shin?” "yes." In Yoo-shin, who had been embarrassed to death by the increasingly brain-deadly remark, came to his senses a little at those words. Hyeon Gyu-ha is cute because……It’s true. Hyeon Gyu opened his eyes from the photo with eyes dripping with longing. If others saw him, they would think the photo was being snatched away. “Don’t you have any pictures of yourself when you were younger?” “We were able to buy cell phones when we were in middle school. The monks have the pictures we took before then. They must be busy, so it’s a bit difficult to just contact them and ask them to send us the pictures.” Park Seung-gi scratched his head. As he said, it had been quite some time since he had visited the monks of Dalgasa. The last time was the incident when he started dating Hyeon Gyu-ha… Although he fiddled with the spoon of gelato that was served as dessert and thought about it, In Yoo-shin was unable to bring himself to say to him, "Let's go to the orphanage together and greet the monks." And Park Seung-gi looked at the two and thought something was strange. 'They're dating, but it strangely feels so plain.' Although Hyeon Gyu-ha would sometimes flirt with him as if he was breathing, and even had light skinship, there was a strange sense of distance. 'Something like a 'Pavabak!' or a dazzling look in your eyes! Or something like that, isn't it? Hunter Hyeon definitely has something like that.' Park Seung-gi, who was trying to sort out his feelings that were not being properly sorted out, realized the source of his subtle sense of discomfort. It was In Yoo-shin. He would often accept Hyeon Gyu-ha’s nonsense, and although he was embarrassed by being involved with him, he didn’t seem to hate it either, but there was an unclear sense of distance. It was an unclear sense of distance that, unless you were a friend who had been with him for a long time, you wouldn’t notice, but it definitely existed. 'Could it be that Yoo-shin is holding back since his childhood friend is here?' Since it's his first relationship as a lifelong virgin ('mosol'), he will probably be clumsy too. In addition, In Yoo-shin...  Park Seung-gi suppressed a low groan as he recalled the first time he saw In Yoo-shin 14 years ago. Abandoned by his biological parents, his adoptive parents had an accident trying to save him, and he was even abandoned twice in a row. He had to wait a long time to open his heart. When I didn't know the situation, I would even get angry and fight, saying, 'Are you ignoring us even though you're an orphan just like us?' That was the reason why I didn't bring a picture of him when he was younger. I thought that In Yoo-shin had to show the face of the child who was completely isolated in the gloomy world with the door tightly shut. Since In Yoo-shin has a hard time getting close to people, wouldn’t their love progress at a similar pace? Park Seung-gi looked at the vague distance between the two people sitting across from each other and thought it would be nice if Hyeon Gyu-ha would wait slowly, matching his friend’s pace. Since they had some time left before lunch time, they stopped by a cafe next door. Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had obtained the school uniform, seemed very excited, like a hunter who had obtained a bound artifact in a dungeon. It seemed like he could get a bonus. Park Seung-gi rubbed his palms and attempted to make a deal. "Hehehe, Hunter- nim ." "You're Yoo-shin- ssi 's friend, so how long are you going to keep using honorifics? Just comfortably call me 'hyung'." It was clear he was excited. Seeing how his attitude, which had naturally accepted the honorific 'Hunter-nim' until now, had become more lenient. “Oh my, even Yoo-shin can’t speak comfortably yet, so how can I……! I’ll call you hyung.” “Now that it’s come to this, how about we take a step forward, honey?” Honey. At that one word, In Yoo-shin was startled as if he had been struck by lightning, and Park Seung-gi tilted his head. “Wouldn't going from 'Master' to 'Lover' in some ways be a step backward?” "………………That's true too. I'll cancel that, Master- nim ." While In Yoo-shin was wondering what would be less embarrassing to hear in front of others, Park Seung-gi slyly asked for a bonus. “Is there anything you remember from the dungeons you’ve cleared before? If so, then, like you mentioned last time, a world with a lot of influence from gods or religions.” “Um………What is there?” Instead of rejecting him outright, the excited Hyeon Gyu-ha started talking. “There’s a dungeon that I cleared last year or the year before.” “Ah, can I record it?” “Even if you tell him not to, Park Seung-gi- ssi  is the kind of person who would secretly record something.” "Hehehe, I got caught." The second person pronoun was also upgraded to Park Seung-gi-ssi on that side. Honestly, I thought you didn't even know his name. Anyway, after getting permission, Park Seung-gi turned on the recording app and Hyeon Gyu-ha's voice slowly continued. The true believer of metaphor listened while sipping his yogurt smoothie. “It was a myth, no more, no less. It’s a famous story, so you probably know it: the Judgement of Paris. From the time Paris was abandoned by the oracle to the time he chose the golden apple from among the three gods.” “Oh, and the scene where you give the apple to Aphrodite? Many painters in the past painted that scene, but you probably never imagined you’d see it in a dungeon, right?” “No. It just ends with Paris offering the apple to ‘someone.’ We don’t know which god the golden apple was given to in that world.” It was said that this could have been a world in which the Trojan War had never broken out, or in which Troy, not Greece, had won the war. In Yoo-shin, who had been absentmindedly continuing his imagination, swallowed a sigh. Just imagining it was interesting, but it must have been inevitable that Hyeon So-ra, who had personally witnessed and experienced countless worlds, would be fascinated. That would not be a reason to abandon a child, but In Yoo-shin had seen many parents abandon their children at the orphanage for even more trivial reasons. Park Seung-gi, who had no idea what he was thinking, looked very interested. “What about the boss monster?” “I forgot about the tinnitus, but I heard there was a golden apple.” "An apple? How can an apple become a monster………………?" Hyeon Gyu-ha counted his fingers one by one. “It was shiny, small, fast, and there were a lot of them.” According to his explanation, there were countless apples that were as shiny as gold and flew quickly across the sky. The goal was to find the real ones within the time limit while hunting the boss monster. In a situation where it was so bright that you couldn't see ahead, you had to avoid the fake ones that would explode if you touched them. Hyeon Gyu-ha shrugged his shoulders without showing any sign of bragging. "Because it was me, I just closed my eyes and caught them all. If it were other hunters, it would have been hard." “It’s a bit of a shabby dungeon.” “Paris was a poor fighter on the battlefield.” In Yoo-shin, who had been listening quietly, suddenly became worried and asked. “In that dungeon, the hidden boss was one of the three gods? That, Divine deity.” I was worried that he might have suffered serious injuries like when he hunted Divine Deity Atabeyra, but fortunately, he shook his head. “I closed the dungeon without a hidden boss. And even if a god is a hypocrite, he doesn’t easily manifest as a hidden boss. Even if a hidden boss appeared, wouldn’t it have been Paris himself? If the first phase was Paris the shepherd and the second phase was Paris the prince, it would have been fun to hunt.” “It’s an incredibly rare case for Divine Deity to appear as a hidden boss……. Seeing you, who doesn’t know much about this, bringing it up, could it be……?” Park Seung-gi asked with an expression that seemed like his heart was going to burst, and In Yoo-shin nodded, but unfortunately, lunch time was over. After sending Park Seung-gi away, who was about to grab his trouser leg and tell him to talk to him again, the two slowly returned to the building. "If Seung-gi asks me to tell you, I'll tell you everything except that the crytal stone has changed." “You don’t have to ask for my permission. Whether you talk about it in interviews or publish a book, do whatever you want, Yoo-shin- ssi .” “If I publish a book, do I have to share the royalties?” “It feels good to be bound by a community of shared destiny.” Since it was a restaurant near the office building, he came out without a bike. While walking side by side, Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was exchanging small talk as usual, suddenly reached out to him. *** HM: It looks like IYS is about to become an biography author by the end of this novel ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!

And naturally, Hyeon Gyu-ha grabbed In Yoo-shin's hand. He was so startled that he tried to pull his hand away without realizing it, but it was held tightly. It seemed like he was using a lot of force, but I knew that if I really tried to pull it out, he would let it go. After a while, In Yoo-shin slowly released his force. Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was walking forward, had a faint light at the corners of his mouth. When did he stop feeling unfamiliar with the feeling of a hand gripping tightly while interlocking his fingers? In Yoo-shin thought of the Polaroid photo of them standing side by side, stuck next to the refrigerator. The tall man, who was almost a head taller than myself, always bent down first, made eye contact, talked, and took a photo. It started so naturally that I couldn’t even remember when I first realized it. Every day was filled with him like this. “Yoo-shin- ssi , we’re off duty on Saturday, right?” The hands they were holding shook lightly back and forth. Hyeon Gyu-ha tilted his head and made eye contact, moving his lips. They were pretty lips. Of course, they were prettier than my lips when I was a high school student. “Let’s go on a date. I’ve made plans. How about having lunch during the day, going shopping, having dinner, and watching a late-night movie? It’s sad that Yoo-shin- ssi  and I have never watched a movie together.” "I don't know if my physical strength can handle the schedule.” “Let’s exercise.” “I think I can handle it! But what kind of movie?” “Anything is fine. The goal is a dark atmosphere.” Suddenly, I felt a sense of alertness. “…What are you going to do at the movie theater?” “I’ll just touch your thighs.” “You can’t!” "Why." “Because it won’t work!” "Then let's be fair. You can touch my thigh too, Yoo-shin- ssi . By the way, I usually put it on the left side." It was TMI I didn't want to know. Rather than Hyeon Gyu-ha touching my thigh, I was more scared of my hand touching that…… thing on his left thigh. The feeling of pressing that…… thing with my butt came back to me eerily. After In Yoo-hin’s desperate protests, the two compromised to just hold hands in the movie theater, and Hyeo Gyu-ha’s shoulders slumped down. In Yoo-shin forgot to ask what kind of shopping he was doing, as he had been ignoring him all day, looking gloomy and listless. *** “I’m busy, but some guy is calling.” Han Jun-su frowned at the sound of his phone ringing, then quickly checked the caller ID and answered the call by touching it. "Noona! You're back home already?" - No. It's still Germany. From the other end of the spectrum, the voice of Min Geut-nyeo, who had been abroad, was heard. -I was introduced to Hair Lippmann in Hamburg, and I remember what you said. Is Tae-seong still the same? Lippmann is a world-renowned healer. He is mainly good at healing curses and other mental taints, but he is also an excellent Awakener in treating general mental illnesses. Han Jun-soo, who was dreaming of a vain dream of the two reuniting, was thrilled that she remembered the words he had casually thrown out. As he excitedly talked to his 6th cousin, he had no awareness that he was leaking the guild leader’s current situation to someone from a rival guild. “I haven’t heard anything like that lately, but in the past, you didn’t talk to yourself in a way that was obvious.” - What if I’ve schizophrenia? “I don’t think so. It seems like you were under a mental attack or some kind of telepathy………………. Since you’re keeping it from me, I think it’s probably personal business.” -Hmm. “Ah! It’s definitely not the case that he’s meeting a woman separately. There’s absolutely no trace of a woman with Tae-seong Hyung.” Gong Tae-seong was a simpleton who didn't care whether he met a woman, a man, or an alien, but he didn't show it and just smiled. - Then I’ll trust your judgment and hold off on inviting only Hair Lippmann to Korea. Since when has Tae-seong been like that? Didn't he say he heard the Hamgyeong dialect? Did he ever meet someone from the northern region? “To be exact, it sounded like a Yukjin dialect.” - Are you sure about the distinction? Isn't it similar to the Hamgyeong dialect? “Hey, you know my major, right? Of course it’s similar, but since the Yukjin dialect has a lot of old words left, it’s as unique as the Jeju dialect, so people who know it can tell the difference to some extent. One strange thing is that my voice sounds quite young. Even if I’m from the countryside, young people wouldn’t speak with such a strong dialect…………….” - Was it a man? "It was closer to a boy, but I don't know if it was a woman with a neutral voice." Although Han Jun-soo was able to infer quite a lot from the one word he heard at first glance, it was regrettable to Gong Tae-seong that his delicacy was being displayed not to his boss at work but to his 6th cousin. “I think it was around the year before last that I noticed you talking to yourself sometimes... After hearing what you said, I remembered that it must have been after you came back from Hoeryong. You stopped by for a few days after you went to close the Baekdu Mountain Gate.” -Come to think of it, it was around that time that they started actively trying to recruit Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had been openly expressing his reluctance, to the guild. Is there some kind of connection? While Han Jun-soo was puzzled by the question that arose, Min Geut-nyeo, who had dug up everything she wanted to dig up, naturally ended the conversation. -If it's a curse or an illness, I can help you out, so just tell me when something changes. "sure." - Should I buy you a gift? Do you need anything? Han Jun-su, who had decided to receive the oil for managing weapons made from the byproducts of the monsters as a business trip gift, hung up the phone with an excited heart. In the meantime, the PR team had sent him a new work email. It was the final edited version of the dungeon training vlog that Narsha Guild had also reviewed. 'It's okay.' The PR team reviewed the final version from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but Han Jun-soo, who checked it carefully again, went down to the training ground on the first floor to find Gong Tae-seong. When he opened the door, the four hunters who had just been sparring with Gong Tae-seong were flying through the air and crashing into the wall. Since it was a familiar sight, he approached without being surprised. “The Department of Ability has sent you the final edited version. Would you like to check it?” Gong Tae-seong, who had just blown away four people without losing his breath, asked back while holding his sword. “What does it look like at first glance?” “There were no particular problems. There was no separate comment from the PR team either.” “If you see that there is no problem, then just say okay.” Gong Tae-seong, who had not been very interested in the video itself from the beginning, waved his hand, but another hunter who was watching the sparring raised his arm. "Guild Master! Is this the dungeon training that Hyeon Gyu-ha led? I really want to see it!" “To be exact, the leader was Choi Jin-hyeok, and he didn’t do anything.” “But he’ll appear on screen often!” The hunter, who had another purpose, belatedly added a bold request. “And shouldn’t we also see with our own eyes the performance of our guild leader who personally hunted the boss?” “You're really trying hard to come up with excuses.” Gong Tae-seong frowned but instructed Han Jun-soo to show the video. “What, what is this?” “That dungeon outing our guild participated in last time.” “Oh, that day when the guild leader was dumped by the young lady and dragged away by Jin-hyeok? Hey, Jang-beom! Isn’t that what you said you wanted to see?” Hunters who were training or exercising also came over to see something to watch. Gong Tae-seong was a hot-blooded person, but he was not strict about hierarchy, and Narsha, which reflected his personality, had a very free-spirited atmosphere overall. Han Jun-soo connected his laptop to a large TV hanging on the wall of the training ground and played the edited version of the vlog. The hunters sat in front of the TV and laughed and chatted while watching the screen of themselves and their colleagues. 'You’ve really edited out In Yoo-shin well.' I heard that In Yoo-shin had set a condition that if even a single strand of his hair was exposed in the official media of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the contract would be terminated immediately. Judging from the way he fought to prevent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from taking advantage of him, it seems like they really were lovers. It was hard to believe that Hyeon Gyu-ha trusted people enough to date them. I had seen the scene and heard from Min Geut-nyeo how a 14-year-old kid killed so many people, including someone who was like his own father. But that didn’t mean I wanted to see Hyeon Gyu-ha kill that brat with a fierce face. Imagining the sight of that kid with the disgustingly large, testicle-like thing – whether it was a demonic beast or a hamster – placed on their palm, fearlessly staying close to Hyeon Gyu-ha, made an involuntary laugh escape again. Gong Tae-seong shook his head and quietly slipped out of the training grounds where everyone was absorbed in the broadcast. After washing and changing his clothes, he returned to the office and called Whale. The whale, who must have been dozing off again, appeared with its mouth wide open and yawning. "What happened to the thing you said you'd look into?" 『Which one?』 “Hyeon Gyu-ha and that kid who is his lover.” "Ah, that." The whale, who had been able to observe In Yoo-shin up close in the previous dungeon, slowly blinked his eyelids. Gong Tae-seong waited for an answer in silence. Depending on what the whale said, there would be changes in the future plans. The image of red flesh lingered in my mind. Whose heart is it? He waited in silence for an answer. Depending on what the whale said, there would be changes in future plans. The image of red flesh lingered in his mind. Whose heart is it? Is it Hyeon Gyu-ha? Or is it In Yoo-shin? Gong Tae-seong's conscience wants the latter. Because it's easier. But at the same time, he asks.  Can you easily kill that innocent kid who doesn't know anything? The whale answered. ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!

"no." “Isn’t it?” " Unn , no. The prince's lover has no connection to ®ÀÇ at all. He is definitely a human from the Iron Age." “I see.” Gong Tae-seong leaned back on his chair, feeling an ambiguous emotion, whether disappointment or understanding. I should deviate slightly from the plan to confirm the identity of the god of incantation, but the plan remained the same. 'No. Rather, it is an achievement.' The fact that Hyeon Gyu-ha, who doesn't give people anything to do with him, chose this person means that he is also a weakness. As if in response, the whale spoke into his mind. The whispers flowing in were the embodiment of longing. "We really need the prince's heart." Hyeon Gyu-ha's only weakness is his innate ability. How big of a weakness will it be? How far will he be able to expose it? Me. Property. Honor. Position. Ability. One arm. One eye. One leg. Or life. heart. If possible, it would be better if Hyeon Gyu-ha is sincere so that it can proceed easily. In Gong Tae-seong's head, In Yoo-shin is weighing Hyeon Gyu-ha's heart instead of the hamster's in this limited area. If possible, it would be better if Hyeon Gyu-ha was sincere so that it could proceed easily. In Gong Tae-seong’s head, In Yoo-shin was placing Hyeon Gyu-ha’s heart on the scale instead of the hamster in his limited hands. *** Even though they had agreed to meet at 11 a.m., he was busy getting ready as soon as he finished breakfast. "Hey 8- se , how about these clothes?" “Squeek.” 8- se , who might soon start crying 'woof woof' or 'meow meow', responded with a strange crying sound. It sounds like a guinea pig. [Name: Henri Raymond Charles Françoise VIII] [Current status: Joyful. Stable. Satisfied.] Well, I guess you can understand it as meaning that the clothes are nice. In Yoo-shin accepted that and tried on other clothes. I had promised Hyeon Gyu-ha a date on the weekend and hurriedly shopped for clothes online. I listened to Park Seung Gi's advice and tried hard to choose the clothes, but because of my budget and fashion sense, they all looked the same. I couldn't tell what was different from what I usually wear. There was no mirror in the room, so he kept going in and out of the bathroom and looking at himself in the mirror, which made him feel even more exhausted. As 11 o'clock approached, his heart started beating faster and faster. In Yoo-shin gently held 6- se , who had escaped from the cage again and was smelling the fragrance of flowers in a vase on the table, in his hand. The familiar warmth seeping in calmed his anxiously racing heart. “Is it okay for me to be like this?” Preparing, excited, and waiting for the meeting with him. “Squeak..” 6-se just gave the same answer as always. That alone was comforting, so I lightly kissed him. Ding-dong. The doorbell rang. "I'll be back. It's dangerous outside the cage, so try not to come out, okay?" “Squeak!” He put 6- se  in the cage. He tried to put 8- se  in the cage next to it, but he was already in the pouch. “Do you want to go out?” “Ggyu.” "Okay. Let's go together." The final preparations for going out were completed by hanging up the pouch and taking out the cell phone. In Yoo-shin took a deep breath and opened the door. Today, too, the scent of flowers wafted in. “You don’t have to bring it every day.” “Because today is a date.” Still, I didn't feel like it was cumbersome or burdensome. The sweet scent makes me feel good, and when I open the door of my home, the flower bouquet scent greets me and it feels as if he is greeting me, so that's good too. Today's Hyeon Gyu-ha was wearing a casual sky blue semi-formal suit. “Do you like it?” "Gyu-ha- ssi  must have ruined several countries with his face in his past life." Although less damaging to the heart than a three-piece suit, the simple, sleek fit was also difficult to look at. “The young lady in an arranged marriage with the Northern Grand Duke is destroying his kingdom? You've got to admire that.” “You were still keeping up that concept?” In Yoo-shin, who was about to leave the bouquet, hesitated. Even though it was a semi-formal attire, it was still a formal attire. And the fact that Hyeon Gyu-ha came in a suit…… “What happened to the car you took in for repairs?” “Since it’s a limited edition, I think it would be better to just scrap it rather than buy parts.” “Aha. Then the bike………………” “However, Yoo-chun No. 2, reborn with a changed color, is waiting for you down below.” "Goodbye." He tried to close the door immediately, but Hyeon Gyu-ha was faster. The door, caught in Psychokinesis, wouldn’t budge no matter how hard he struggled. “Don’t hate Yoo-chun who wants to spend hot time with Master- nim .” “You can spend the hot time alone, Gyu-ha- ssi !” “What fun is it to do it alone when you have to do it in front of Master?” "What! What are you going to do!" “Beep!” In Yoo-shin, whether he was struggling or not, picked him up and jumped down from the rooftop room on the third floor. He landed softly on the floor without a single 'thud!' Whether In Yoo-shin struggled or not, Hyeon Gyu-ha lifted him up and jumped down from the rooftop room on the third floor. Without a single 'thud!', In Yoo-shin lifted his head from Hyeon Gyu-ha's arms, who landed softly on the floor. What he saw when he looked up was not Yoo-chun No. 2…… but a burgundy sports car and a bike. “Gapsik- ah !” It was a name that was embarrassing to say, so I just blurted it out, even though I had never said it out loud before. I had never been more happy to see a shiny black bike. “On my work days, I can drive to the office and rest, but today is a date.” As expected, this person didn't have even the slightest idea that 'office=workplace'. “Whether it’s Yoo-chun No. 2 or Gapsik, choose whichever Yoo-shin- ssi  wants to ride.” "the former……………." "Instead, there is a quest attached to Gapsik.” As he said that, Hyeon Gyu-ha tapped his cheek with his index finger. He probably didn't mean to hit my head or slap me with his palm. In Yoo-shin closed his eyes once, opened them, and then spoke. “It’s Gap-sik.” "My first quest in a while: Show some love to the pet mouse." Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had In Yoo-shin sit on the bike first, bent his waist. The face turned to the side moved back and forth before his eyes. “Can you please close your eyes?” Hyeon Gyu-ha closed his eyes immediately. Then, warmth flowed down his cheeks. Warm, moist, and fluffy and small and plump……. Fluffy and plump? He opened my eyes in a hurry, and a plump golden hamster was crying shyly in front of him. “Jjiik♡” “……..” “Isn’t it important not only for love between siblings, but also for love between brothers?” “…….” That day, In Yoo-shin broke the challenge that no one had ever achieved, leaving Hyeon Gyu-ha speechless. The place where Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was dressed smartly, went to for lunch was a tteokbokki restaurant. The two of them were going to the tteokbokki restaurant as if they were playing a game of chess whenever they had time. “Isn’t the hamster eating tteokbokki right now?” “Does it eat liver as well?” People around him kept whispering as they watched 8- se  eating while confidently taking up one side of the table, but In Yoo-shin didn't care. I had heard so many bad things while hanging out with Hyeon Gyu-ha that I just let it pass by his ears. It seems like my facial skin has gotten thicker. “The fried food at this restaurant is delicious.” “Before I go home, if I have time, I’ll get some fried food and tteokbokki to-go.” It's a shame that I couldn't just take it to the theater and eat tteokbokki while watching the movie. “Ah, Yoo-shin- ssi .” Hyeon Gyu-ha suddenly called out, and gently wiped the tteokbokki soup off the corner of In Yoo-shin’s mouth, who was blinking, with a handkerchief. The scent wafting from the handkerchief lingered on his nose. Hyeon Gyu-ha no longer used perfume, but he sprayed a little on his handkerchief. I only thought that the man who lacked nothing would look good to me. A strange feeling of tenderness rose up in his chest, and In Yoo-shin awkwardly changed his words. "I saw an interview with the former guild leader of the Gangrim Guild on the internet yesterday. He said that his values ​​in life changed a lot because of a dungeon he cleared while going through a lot of hardships when he was young. Haven't you ever had that experience, Gyu-ha- ssi ?" It was just a clumsy remark made to change the subject, but it cast a shadow over Hyeon Gyu-ha’s day. He tried to withdraw his question, thinking that he had made a mistake because of the deep emotional resonance he had never seen before, but his lips moved slowly. “Isn’t every hunter supposed to have one?” The words coming out of his lips were so beautiful that In Yoo-shin tilted his head. His expression was also as usual. Did I see something wrong earlier? “What happened?” “Um, it happened when I was younger than Yoo-shin- ssi  was when he started wearing his school uniform. It was 14 years ago, right before I officially became an S-class.” “It was so long ago. Well, Gyu-ha- ssi  has been clearing dungeons since she was little………………. So, who was cuter back then, the young Gyu-ha- ssi  or me in my school uniform?” He said it as a joke because Hyeon Gyu-ha's reaction was the same as usual, but he stopped eating the tteokbokki. Then he put his hand on his forehead and thought seriously for a long time. It took a full five minutes before In Yoo-shin was able to hear an answer. “Yoo-shin- ssi  is cuter in her school uniform.” “T-Thank you.” "Yoo-shin- ssi  is cuter in her school uniform." “Thank you.” "It wasn't as cute as Yoo-shin- ssi  in his school uniform, but back then, I was suffering from severe second-year syndrome and it was a cute time when I concluded that all people in the world were trash." “You’re really cute……………….” “But at that dungeon, or to be exact, when the dungeon break happened, there were two hunters I met. Later on, I found out that one of them wasn’t a hunter, but just an Awakener” In Yoo-shin unconsciously swallowed his breath. It was the first time. It was the first time that Hyeon Gyu-ha felt like he was looking at someone else, not me. He closed his eyes for a moment, his gaze distant as if he was looking at someone's face superimposed over his own, and then continued speaking. “If it weren’t for those two, I wouldn’t be here in front of Yoo-shin- ssi  now.” ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!

#3 '……Calm down.' Chae Yoo-jeong tried to smile, so I relaxed my grip so that he wouldn't think it was strange. 'What's wrong with giving her your number? That can happen when you work. If you just consider the time he's been working in society, Chae Yoo-jeong has been around much longer than me.' I didn't want to be the type of lover to be picky about who my partner exchanged numbers with. If Chae Yoo-jeong had started talking first, I wouldn't have noticed, but asking would only prove that I overheard his conversation with his teammates earlier. 'Let's not worry about it.' It was a rare date, and I didn't want to focus on such useless matters. 'I'm not going to ask.' I made a firm determination. 'I will never ask!' After dinner, we returned home, washed up, and took out a bottle of wine as we had previously discussed. I prepared a bowl of fruit and a wine glass on the living room table. Chae Yoo-jeong, who poured white wine into my glass first, laughed. “It’s been a really long time since I’ve had a drink with Hyung.” "Right. You can't drink during the season because you’re busy." When Chae Yoo-jeong is busy with competitions, we only meet once or twice a month. Even then, because of the late night practice schedule, I can only see him after midnight at a cafe near the LVS company. Chae Yoo-jeong must have thought the same thing as me, because the corners of his eyebrows drooped. “I regret that my vacation was short.” “We can just have fun for the next week.” Our glasses clinked as my glass knocked the side of Chae Yoo-jeong's glass. “Yes!" Chae Yoo-jeong answered vigorously and raised his glass. I looked at Chae Yoo-jeong, who was feeling better in an instant, and brought the glass to my lips. The sweet scent of low-alcohol wine tickled my nose. I thought quietly as I drank the wine. 'It bothers me……’ Why on earth did you give her your number? Especially since it’s a girl? Why? What's the reason? What are you going to do by exchanging numbers? No, I'm not suspicious, I'm just curious. What about his social life? There's no other word that fits Chae Yoo-jeong so poorly. I also know very well that his cousin, Yoo Kyung-seok, who works as a coach, suffers from Chae Yoo-jeong's rude and indiscriminate remarks to anyone. It's definitely not true that Chae Yoo-jeong gave the reporter his number because he felt pressured to exchange contacts; Chae Yoo-jeong wasn't the type of person to be aware of things like this. 'I want to ask!' I should have asked Chae Yoo-jeong right away when I made eye contact with him in front of the building. Now, I've missed the timing by a long shot. ‘Should I just swallow my pride and ask?’ What if Chae Yoo-jeong just lies and denies it? Then what? Could I even manage to smooth things over? The more I thought about it, the stuffier my chest felt, a strange sense of impatience creeping in. I just gulped down the poor wine. “How was your day, Hyung? You went out on business, right?” Oops. I need to get my act together. Suddenly regaining my senses, I put down my empty glass as if nothing had happened and answered. “For me, it’s the same every day. The business trips were also ordinary because the company had already discussed the contract.” Even though it was an answer that wasn't particularly special, he smiled happily. “I love it whenever Hyung talks about the company.” Chae Yoo-jeong, who lowered his head slightly, whispered while caressing his wine glass. “I don’t know much about corporate life, so I can’t be of much help… but if you ever have a hard time, please let me know.” “Yoo-jeong- ah ……” It was as if a warm spring breeze blew over my head, soothing my petty thoughts with warmth and soft emotions. 'Not only do you have a pretty face, you even speak so beautifully? Are you an angel?' A deep emotion came over me. The area around Chae Yoo-jeong sparkled as if someone had sprinkled stardust on it. “Of course. You know you’re the only one I can open my heart to.”  “Really?” “Yeah. I rely on you a lot.” "Hyung……!" This time, Chae Yoo-jeong looked moved. The corners of his eyes gently lower, and his jewel-like eyes set beneath his long eyelashes look at me. His pure white face is flushed for a reason other than alcohol. Chae Yoo-jeong and I locked eyes and naturally closed the distance between us without saying who would go first. Our shoulders, which were already close, suddenly touched and our noses brushed each other. "Hyung……." “Yoo-jeong- ah ……” They call each other in moist, wet voices. The atmosphere was perfect for a kiss. A brief, passionate glance was exchanged between the both of us as our lips moved closer, barely meeting until— Jiiiing ! A loud vibration echoed from somewhere. “……!” The strange tension between the both of us was shattered in an instance. Chae Yoo-jeong's head turned to the side, shoulders trembling as he breathed softly, as if he were startled. My head moved in the same way. Jiing, Jing! The vibration continued without stopping. It was not a text message, but a phone call. Chae Yoo-jeong suddenly jumped up from his seat after checking the name on the phone screen. “Yoo-jeong- ah ?” “U-uh… Hyung, I, uh…….” Chae Yoo-jeong, who hastily held his cell phone in his hand as if hiding something, stepped back with a very embarrassed expression. “Th-this is an important call…….” “…….” I looked at him with a bewildered expression. Chae Yoo-jeong fidgeted and then closed his teary eyes tightly.. “It’ll only take a moment. I’ll be right back!” Chae Yoo-jeong, who held onto his vibrating cell phone, ran away in a hurry. He even locked the bedroom door tightly. "……Huh.”  Suddenly, I was left alone in the living room and couldn't help but laugh. 'What the heck is going on?' I roughly swept my bangs back. I was so shocked, shocked, annoyed, and angry that my hands were shaking. 'Am I being… dumped right now? Right before a kiss?' What's even more shocking is the name that I saw before Chae Yoo-jeong took the cell phone. The name that was clearly visible on the phone screen…… [Reporter Min Ye-seul] Everywhere you look, it's a woman's name. The job title is reporter. There's a 99.99% chance that it's the reporter who conducted the interview today. 'You left me to answer a girl's call...….' I couldn't control my body from the shock that followed, and I fell limply on the sofa. I didn't even have the energy to chase after him and get angry. No, how could I possibly get angry at Chae Yoo-jeong in the first place…… The wine glass sitting alone on the table looked lonely. My situation is exactly the same. I closed my eyes and lay alone in the living room, where silence had descended. It was so quiet that I thought I could hear at least a little bit of what was being said on the phone. How quietly are they speaking to a point I can’t hear a single word?  I felt stubborn suddenly, so I sat up again and gulped down the wine. It was a wine with a low alcohol content that even a person with a weak tolerance could drink, but my stomach was bubbling as if I had drunk poison. I was sitting there alone for a while, pouring a glass of wine, when exactly 13 minutes had passed when I heard the bedroom door open. “Hyung, have you been waiting long?” Chae Yoo-jeong, who came out to the living room hesitantly, looked at me with an apologetic expression. When I saw him, I came to my senses. 'What am I doing now?' It's true that I was jealous, but I didn't want Chae Yoo-jeong to feel that way just because he had a phone call with someone he knew. Even though the timing was unfortunate, what could I do when I got a call? It wasn't like Chae Yoo-jeong did it on purpose. It's ridiculous to make someone feel this way in a house you live in together. When I came to my senses, I felt ashamed of myself for having been so genuinely  jealous just a moment ago. 'Am I aging backwards?' I couldn't help but sigh at my own pathetic state. I smiled as gently as I could and waved to Chae Yoo-jeong. “Waiting long? It's only been like 10 minutes. Come here.” As I tapped the spot next to me, Chae Yoo-jeong quickly approached me. I didn’t miss the look of relief that briefly crossed his face as he walked over. It was obvious that he was watching me. This is driving me crazy. This is definitely not what I want. Since he will be staying in a dormitory until the end of the season after the vacation, I cannot afford to waste this precious time feeling sorry for myself. I raised the corners of my lips and placed a wine glass in Chae Yoo-jeong's hand so that I would not be intimidated any longer. “It’s okay to answer the phone a hundred times, so stop apologizing and drink.” " Unn ……" “How about this wine? Does it suit your taste?” "It is delicious." Okay, the mood is starting to pick up again. I can't let things get awkward between me and Chae Yoo-jeong over something like a phone call. Of course, I'm really nervous... But what’s more important than that is Chae Yoo-jeong's feelings! And today isn't just any other day, it's Friday night! 'You have to gently seduce him while maintaining the right mood.' It was at the time where I was slowly closing the distance between Chae Yoo-jeong and I, making a rather lecherous plan. Chae Yoo-jeong, unable to meet my gaze, fiddled with his wine glass and opened his mouth. “Hey, Hyung. You know.” "Huh?" What the heck? What is it this time? Chae Yoo-jeong hesitated for a while before finally continuing to speak to me, who was flustered. “……I’ll go out for a bit tomorrow.” “What? Suddenly?” “Ye… Yes. I have an appointment……” Chae Yoo-jeong, who tilted his head without looking into my eyes until the end, added with a timid expression. “Ah, I don’t think it will take long.” “…….” The corners of my lips, which I had been struggling to maintain, slowly lowered. My heart, which had been burning hot with jealousy, cooled down in an instant as if cold water had been poured over it. --- Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Fanatic fan We made a Discord Server ! please join us!

4. That Saturday morning, crocodile tears flowed. They, who had been tormented by their training day and night for a whole week—having to keep their minds sharp and tense even outside of regular hours—couldn't rest on the weekend either. Normally, they would have been free to go out from Friday evening until Sunday evening, but that Saturday, they couldn't even leave the designated area without permission, let alone go out. This was because training resumed on Saturday afternoon. At least for Saturday morning, they were released to conserve some energy, but having been relentlessly overworked until Friday night, they gritted their teeth at the instructors' seemingly merciful words: "Rest in the morning and gather in the afternoon." "If training starts this afternoon, couldn't we just grab one of the instructors' throats and pretend it’s an accident?" "To grab an instructor's throat, you'd have to deal with the instructor as well as the assistant instructors, who are following them…… It'd be tough to handle just one of them, do you have the confidence to take on both at once?" "That's true. Then should we form a team? I'll take the instructor, you take the assistant instructor." "Shall we? Which instructor should we target?" "Obviously, the European branch instructors!" The men, who were lying sprawled on mattresses in the gym instead of exercising, were passing the time with such trivial chatter. Three hours remained until assembly time. "Only two hours until we have to gather," "Only one hour of free time left,"—among those groaning in agony each time they looked at the clock, Jeong Tae-ui sat curled up, hugging his knees. I would have preferred to comfortably lie down in my room and spend a few hours reading a book or solving puzzles— a habit I'd picked up while living with Maurer— but I couldn't achieve my wish because Tou, his roommate, had dragged me along, leaving me stuck here. Jeong Tae-ui watched the European branch members sitting a distance away, examining each one with a deeply puzzled expression, and assumed similar conversations were taking place among them. When Jeong Tae-ui let out a quiet sigh, Yeon Ho, who was lying next to him tossing and turning, asked him what was wrong. Jeong Tae-ui responded thoughtfully with an "Hmm." "It just occurred to me. People outside think UNHRDO is an organization filled with incredibly talented individuals, but these are the men who are UNHRDO members…… Carlo over there, scratching his groin inside his trunks, or Tou, who's been agitated like an opium addict since morning because he ran out of cigarettes, or Qing, the die-hard fan—in our country, we'd call such a guy a 'ppadol'—who still clutches a photo of Mei Yanfang every night, sobbing, 'Why did you leave me and die?……’ If outsiders knew, they'd be utterly distraught." ("Ppadol" (빠돌) is a Korean slang term for an obsessive male fan, often used mockingly.) " Unn……. ……Hearing you say that, it does seem a bit serious, our branch." "But it's quite reassuring to see that they're just as bad over there, not just us." Jeong Tae-ui gestured with his chin towards a group of European branch members huddled against the opposite wall. They were also behaving just as disgracefully. Among them, some were pretending to be barbarians, others who had been sleeping suddenly jumped up and struck someone nearby after being stepped on by a "barbarian," and in one corner, there were even those fiddling with hwatu cards—not even proper playing cards—who knows where they had gotten them from. (Note: "Hwatu" (화투) refers to traditional Korean playing cards used in games like Go-Stop.) I recalled what my uncle had once said: that after leaving here, I wouldn't have to worry about finding a job. Instead, I would be agonizing over where to choose. To deceive so many companies and hand over such individuals as "talented" people for money, this was practically a fraudulent organization……. Jeong Tae-ui stared at them with disdain before turning his head away. But if I thought about it, those kinds of guys were still better. Even if they were a bit odd, from an employer's perspective, they'd be considered successful if they didn't cause problems and simply did what they were told exceptionally well. The problem was graduating guys who couldn't be controlled by an employer and had serious personality issues. For example……. Jeong Tae-ui tried to recall something for a moment, then quickly shook his head. I was about to think of someone it was better not to think about. Constantly thinking about such a person would make one gloomy. "Ah— the break is almost over. I guess I'll have to go out soon. Time for another round of hell is approaching. Ugh, damn it, at times like this, if I could just light one up before going out, things would go smoothly." The future opium addict nervously paced before slumping down next to Jeong Tae-ui. Jeong Tae-ui looked sympathetically at Tou, who, lacking cigarettes, was chewing on a matchstick instead. "Does chewing that make it taste like a cigarette?" "Do you think it would? Ugh…… just one cigarette, no, I don't even wish for that much, I'd just be happy if there was a leftover butt from someone else. Just one puff." If I were to mention now that I hadn't properly smoked the cigarette I had taken from Tou earlier, and had thrown it away as a full-length one, I would surely be beaten to death. I felt the need to apologize to him. "I wonder if any of the European branch guys have cigarettes. Hey, if you happen to smell cigarette smoke on any of the European branch guys during training, let me know later. I'll just beat the hell out of him and get some cigarettes out of him." It seemed like the ideology of extortion, blackmail, and racketeering within the branch was laid bare. Jeong Tae-ui stared at Tou with blank eyes, then turned away. He'd have to buy him some quitting tobacco later. Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head and checked his watch. There wasn't much time left until 1 o'clock, which is supposed to be when the assembly time starts.  He rotated his head left and right to loosen his neck and asked, to no one in particular. "But can you really pretend to hit an instructor during training and call it an accident?" "Hmm, basically it's a free-for-all sparring match. Oh, right, you're new to this. The rules are simple: if you catch 'em, you just beat 'em. And if you get caught, you just get beaten. If you don't want to get hit, you break free and run. When the time is up, the predators become the prey and all the ones chased can do is defend themselves. The predators are strictly on defense. Attacks are only allowed if you’re trying to run away. That's it. However, because the rules are so simple, a lot of accidents happen. In fact, the clause that allows counterattacking to break free and escape, if you think about it, means you can counterattack someone who's attacking you. So, it's only a matter of time before it turns into a free-for-all dogfight." "What kind of rule is that? Can't I just hide somewhere until the time runs out?" "If you hide and get caught, you'll most likely get a group beating. It's better to just run. Well, if you're confident in hiding properly, you can, but the area is limited." Jeong Tae-ui stared dumbfounded at Tou, who was explaining. He couldn't tell if such an utterly barbaric method was truly effective training, but Tou and the others had serious expressions. "It’s no joke, you'd better be careful. If you let down your guard, you’ll be in big trouble."  Carlo mumbled from where he was lying a little distance away. Jeong Tae-ui glanced back at him. I get what they are trying to say. Indeed, as they said, the simpler the rules, the more dangerous the game tends to become. Not only those rules seem to encourage a lot of risks and dangers. Either run unconditionally, or catch the one running and beat them unconditionally. "Seems like, if you can't break free and escape, you could get beaten to death." Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue and muttered. It was half a joke, but Qing nodded with a solemn face.  "You might, if you're unlucky. If you’re unlucky enough to be hit in a critical spot, then yeah. Um…… and in your case, you need to be even more careful. The worst degenerate of all has a grudge against you." "……." I didn't need to ask who that degenerate guy was. Even though the man had said he wasn't in the mood to quarrel yesterday, you never knew. His mood might have changed today. That man also seemed to live quite as he pleased. "You have to keep your guards up, because sometimes guys who usually have a grudge against someone take advantage of this time to do terrible things. And though we hope it's not among us, sometimes even teammates take this opportunity to settle scores. It's truly cutthroat." As Qing clicked his tongue and spoke, Alta, standing next to him, replied with sparkling eyes. "On the other hand, if there's someone you usually hate, you can give them a little smack during this opportunity."  Jeong Tae-ui offered a silent prayer for the unknown opponent that Alta held a grudge against. It had been almost a week since the training began, but I still couldn't quite grasp this brutal and vicious atmosphere. Every day, people were injured in various accidents, big and small, and carried away. There were even some who had already died. Within this small island, things that defied common sense were happening as if they were nothing. "I have to get out of here in six months, somehow, or I really feel like I might become like them."  Jeong Tae-ui sighed and mumbled to himself. What I feared most in this situation was precisely this. No matter how unfamiliar the situation a person is thrown into, they gradually adapt over time. It happens without even realizing that they are gradually being dyed by the situation. Everything has its pros and cons, and this place certainly had its advantages, but the disadvantages were just too bad. "It seems like you're not quite getting the hang of it,"  "Remember that video we saw during the combat analysis before the joint training started? That was an edited compilation of footage from this kind of weekend training." Tou said from beside him. Jeong Tae-ui mumbled, "What video...?" before his face hardened. It’s that. The vivid, striking red marks that left scattered traces in that video were unforgettable. "So, you’re saying we’re about to start a training where people can just kill others like it’s nothing? It's kind of funny to even call it training."  Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue and muttered, and Tou shrugged. "Not exactly. That was because that guy was a lunatic unlike anyone else. In truth, even if someone isn't the enemy who killed my parents, I wouldn't beat them to death no matter how much I hated them. Sometimes, people die in accidents, but deliberately killing someone is rare. You just have to make sure you don’t run into someone insane like him." After listening to Tou, Jeong Tae-ui was half convinced. Indeed, normally, no matter how much someone dislikes another person, they wouldn't think of killing them unless they were truly extreme. Even without having experienced it, it's due to an instinctive understanding of the weight of murder. ……If that's the case, then just how terrifying a grudge has that guy accumulated for so many people to line up and rush at him, while willing to risk their own lives to kill him? Jeong Tae-ui's mouth felt bitter. Well, in life, it's possible to encounter people you'd want to kill even if it meant throwing everything away. A life without such encounters would probably be a happy one. "Hey, time's up. Shall we get going?" "Aah, yeah. Let's make it out alive." Carlo stood up first and spoke, and the other men also rose from their seats, responded. When Carlo stood up and spoke in front of him, the other men rose from their seats and responded. Jeong Tae-ui desperately wished he could stay put, not wanting to face the bleak hell that awaited him outside. However, Tou grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him up, forcing him to reluctantly rise. *** ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Tâmago We made a discord server! please join us!

#2 *** "Hey, Ji-han- ssi . Are you seeing anyone right now? If not, would you like me to introduce you?" In front of a company building, bathed in warm midday sunlight. On my way back to the office after lunch, I received an unexpected offer of introduction. "I’m seeing someone. Sorry." I thought the news that I had a lover had already spread a long time ago. It seems that he didn't know because he was a representative of another team and had recently come from an overseas branch. The other person sighed playfully as if he had expected me to reject him. “Phew, as expected? Well, it’s strange that you don’t have this face. I poked you just in case, since you weren’t wearing a ring.” "You didn't know, sir. When Ji-han- ssi  first joined the company, there was so much chaos. People were going around everywhere, oh my." "Ji-han- ssi , you said you had a girlfriend back then too, right?" "Yes. It's the same person as before." "Wow." When I told them this with a smile, the chattering employees looked surprised. Why were they surprised? “Hasn’t it been over a year since you joined the company?” "It's been a long time since we last met." "Are you getting married? Ah, Ji-han- ssi , you're not even thirty yet." Marriage…… 'It's good if you do it.' Realistically, it might be difficult to get married for real, but wouldn't it be possible to go somewhere quiet and have a wedding for just the two of us? 'Then I have to make sure to put a white wedding veil on Yoo-jeong.' And I'll take 100 pictures. It'll be so pretty…… “But Ji-han- ssi , you two have been together for quite some time, but you don’t have a ring?” I was lost in thought for a moment, but then I came to my senses when I heard the next question. The attendant who pressed the elevator button gave me a puzzled look. “These days, when young people meet, they all get rings. Ah, did you take it off for a while because you were working?” Ring? “Yeah, whatever.” When I smiled and nodded, the agent smiled back, saying he knew it. Fortunately, after that, the topic of conversation shifted to the price of accessories. I ignored the grumblings of people who lamented that gold prices are no joke these days and that pretty things are expensive, and I thought of rings. ‘Come to think of it… I never thought about getting a ring.’ To be exact, when we met, we were so busy biting and sucking that we didn't pay attention to other things. I've been in relationships many times, but I've never been the one to suggest a ring first. 'This is my fault.' Chae Yoo-jeong is dating for the first time, so of course he doesn't know. I’ll prepare one in advance. I should have given it to you as a gift. Of course, it would be inconvenient to wear a ring as a professional gamer, but these days, many people wear it on a chain as a necklace, so it shouldn't be a big problem. ‘If I get matching ones, will it be like a couple rings?’ Just imagining the ring that would be placed on Chae Yoo-jeong's pretty and elegant hand made a happy smile appear on my face. 'Why!' Why didn't I buy it sooner? It's so good just by imagining it. I returned to the office humming to myself and immediately started searching for rings as soon as I sat down. 'First, I'll find something pretty this time and buy it. Later, I'll have to get my engagement ring and wedding ring custom made.' I would have liked to have a couple ring custom-made in a design that would suit Chae Yoo-jeong, but my patience was too short for that. Dalgak, Dalgak. The speed of my finger clicking the mouse becomes faster and faster. Click, click, click……  So I searched like crazy for the ring until the person sitting next to me asked if it was time to clock out…… *** On the way to Chae Yoo-jeong's company after finishing work. As soon as 6 p.m. passed, the roads became congested. I sighed softly as I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, looking at the cars lined up in front of me. 'The ring... I couldn't decide in the end.' I looked around online shopping malls to find out about the latest designs, but I couldn't find anything I liked. Should I make time to go around the department store? No, before that, I need to know his finger size. 'How do I find out the size? Should I secretly measure it while my baby is sleeping?' Well, there aren't many chances. Chae Yoo-jeong will go back to his accommodations after his vacation is over. There is a way to get the ring fitted by consulting with the person, but honestly, I'm not really attracted to that. 'But it's your first ring! I want to give it to you as a cool gift as an event!' Since we don't have much time, it might be difficult to give him something big, but wouldn't it be possible to prepare a bouquet of roses and give it to him? If Chae Yoo-jeong sheds tears of joy after receiving the ring, I couldn't ask for anything more. As I was thinking about Chae Yoo-jeong, the road cleared. I drove straight to Chae Yoo-jeong's company building and parked my car in the parking lot next to the building entrance instead of the underground parking lot. 'Is the interview over?' As I got out of the car and tapped on my cell phone to make a phone call, a rustling sound was heard from the entrance of the building. Beyond the parked cars, I saw familiar faces. It was Chae Yoo-jeong, who came out of the building with his team members. Good timing. The moment I was about to call Chae Yoo-jeong with a smile. “Hyung, so are you dating that reporter?” The youngest member of the team's reckless question rang in my ears. ‘...... Unn ?' I froze with my mouth open, trying to call out to Chae Yoo-jeong. That would be the case, because the youngest’s gaze was clearly directed at Chae Yoo-jeong. 'Hey, I must be mistaken.' But before I could even try to calm my embarrassment, the other team members also opened their mouths one after another. “Crazy. This is the first time I’ve actually seen someone get a number in real life. I’m freaking out.” “Hyung Yoo-jeong, do you have a lot of experiences like this?” “This guy gets a ton of numbers when he signs autographs. He even writes his number on his letters all the time.” “But isn’t this the first time you’ve given someone else your number?” “The reporter is pretty.” “I guess it’s your style.” I blankly listened to the conversation that followed. So to summarize…… 'Chae Yoo-jeong… exchanged numbers with a reporter?' Did the reporter even ask for your number first? 'Chae Yoo-jeong didn't reject her and gave her your number?' It felt as if I was doused with a bucket of cold water, the joy in my imagination dampening. Unlike my cool head, my chest was boiling as if I had swallowed a ball of fire. I couldn't control my facial expression at all, so I touched the corner of my mouth with my hand, and soon I heard Chae Yoo-jeong's indifferent answer. “Stop talking nonsense and go quickly.” The hand pressing down on the hardened lips gained strength. ‘…You’re not denying it?’ Are you sure you gave her the number? I felt incredibly dirty. I rubbed the back of my neck, which was so sore, wondering what to do about it. “Huh? Aren’t you going to eat together with us?” “I have a separate appointment.” At that moment, my eyes met with Chae Yoo-jeong's as he turned his head to the side to take out his cell phone. "Hyung?" Chae Yoo-jeong's expressionless face suddenly brightened and his eyes sparkled. “I was going to call you…! Did you just get here?” “Uh? Uh, Unn .” It felt like a halo was shining behind Chae Yoo-jeong, who was smiling with a faint blush on both cheeks. As I approached him, captivated by his pretty appearance, the team members I often ran into whenever I went to pick up Chae Yoo-jeong greeted me first. “Ah, Hyung- nim ! Hello!” "Hello!" "Hi." “Do you two want to go eat together?” “ Unn . Are you guys going out for dinner too?” “We’re going to eat tonkatsu right in front of you!” They are so big, but when you look at them talking to each other, saying "Hyung" or "Hyung", you can tell they are just kids. After all, the youngest one is a minor who just turned 19, and the other three are also minors. I was in my early 20s, so I seemed childish at times like this. Chae Yoo-jeong, who seemed endlessly cute to me, is the oldest and most dignified member of the team. "See you next time, Hyung-nims." "Goodbye." "Okay. Enjoy your dinner." The team members who bowed their heads politely left first. “Shall we go too?” As I gently held Chae Yoo-jeong's hand, who was staring at me regardless of whether the children went or not, his white cheeks turned bright red. "Yes." I headed to the parking lot with Chae Yoo-jeong following me, holding my hand. Chae Yoo-jeong, sitting in the passenger seat, opened his mouth while fastening his seatbelt. “Are you going home?” The very question of whether to return to the 'home' where we live together is full of anticipation in the voice. When I saw that, I felt sorry for having been angry a moment earlier. 'Yeah. There must be a reason.' Is Chae Yoo-jeong the type of person who would casually hand out his number? Above all, he likes me that much, so there's no way he'd look at another woman. I started the car, feeling a corner of my heart that had been slightly frozen loosen up. "I have a reservation at a place. Let's stop by there, have dinner, and then go home. Let's have a quick glass of wine. What do you think?" “G-great!” Cute. He smiled happily, then I took advantage of the moment when the car stopped to ask slyly. "How was the interview?" "Yes. It was an interview that was arranged in advance, so it ended without a problem." The LVS team has a lot of fans because they have been winning for several years, but on the other hand, there are also a lot of places in the community that write malicious comments or articles criticizing them. But this time, the company said they would carefully select and select a place that would do a good job, so I think it'll be okay. After thinking for a moment, I continued asking questions in a way that made it sound as natural as possible. "Um, that... reporter? Did you do it with someone you already knew?" " Unn ? No. It was the first time I met her!" Chae Yoo-jeong answered cheerfully, although he looked puzzled. “Is that so?” You gave your number to someone you just met? My hands gripped the steering wheel with strength and my veins popped out. *** FF: Why not just talk, this is redundant?! --- Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Fanatic fan We made a Discord Server ! please join us!

Hyeon Gyu-ha took out the pendant that he had carelessly thrown into the subspace. Under the sunlight, the blood was even more vividly red. After absorbing the eyeball, it was urging him more and more. Find the scattered keys quickly, open the door, and come to Iad. Fulfill your duty as the king's son. “Fuck saying that.” If it had been up to me, I would have smashed the pendant a hundred times over. The reason I didn't was clear. One to find my mother. Another one is meeting my father…… The ringtone of my cell phone that suddenly started to ring shook my mind. It was the default ringtone that I hadn't changed at all from the initial settings that were set when I bought the phone. Hyeon Gyu-ha took a deep breath and cut off his irritating thoughts. He got up from his seat, threw the pendant back into the subspace, and answered the phone. "Hello." -Hunter Hyeon, it's me. Min Keut-nyeo didn't mind the insincere greeting. It was too early in the morning to make a call. However, as he only slept 3 or 4 hours a day, he was usually awake even at dawn. Even though she knew that, acquaintances like Lee Hye-yeon and Kwon Seong-gil were careful not to contact him in the early morning or late at night, but Min Keut-nyeo was not that kind of person. If she had something to say, she would call regardless of the time, and today was no different. -I'm late in getting back to you because I'm on a business trip to Germany. Judging from the condition of your car, it looks like it's been in a few accidents. Are you hurt? "If that could hurt me, I would have been dead at the gate already." - Yeah, that's true. A low laugh was mixed in Min Keut-nyeo's listless voice, as if she was relieved. - Can you send me the same car again? “It’s okay. There are a lot of cars in the parking lot that Nu- nim  gave me.” -Why are you suddenly driving a car? If you've switched from a bike to a car, do you want to be our company's model? The promotional video for the talent agency was chosen amazingly. Call? “Why do you need a call?” Hyeon Gyu-ha laughed at her joke and lay back down on the roof. As the sunlight was getting warmer, he didn’t forget to take out the parasol and set it up. In Yoo-shin evaluated Kwon Seong-gil, who had white skin because he worked indoors, as a handsome man.  It seemed that he liked white skin. While Hyeon Gyu-ha was thinking about it, he took out sunscreen and applied it. “I got dressed up to do the courtship dance for my boyfriend, but I thought I’d look better in a sports car.” -Aah, that boyfriend? Come to think of it, that Goog guy was the one who did background checks on In Yoo-shin- ssi . Hyeon Gyu-ha hung up the phone immediately. And just before he flew towards Narsha Guild, he got a call from Min Keut-nyeo again. “I’m busy.” -Before we take that guy down, we should hear him out completely. We didn't do any special investigation, just looked over his personal information. We didn't assign anyone to him or anything like that. “Hmm.” Hyeon Gyu-ha sat down on the roof again. “Why would Gong Tae-seong do something like that?” -Well, from what I've heard, Gong-ssi's condition seems to be a bit bad. They say he's sometimes heard muttering to himself, and that he speaks in a northern dialect. "Put him in a mental hospital." -Anyway, when I meet Gong- ssi  next time, I'll take care of it, no, I'll crack down on it. "But who did you hear all that from?" -Jun-su. He still hopes that Gong- ssi  and I will get back together, so he tells me a lot of stories. “It’s a vain dream.” I can only think of Gong Tae-seong's secretary, who had no idea that she was being used as an informant by someone who was a close friend in private but a rival in the guild in public. -Let's have a meal together sometime next time, with In Yoo-shin- ssi  along. “Yoo-shin- ssi  is delicate. If he meets a third-generation chaebol like Nu- nim  and eats beside him, it’s obvious that he’ll get sick, so he can’t do that.” - Ahahaha……Then I guess we should get to know each other slowly. When he hung up the phone, the surrounding area was bright. He could see people leaving for work early already out on the streets. HyeonGyu-ha thought back to the Gong Tae-seong he had seen so far. I thought that the reason he had greeted and spoken to In Yoo-shin was because he was trying to recruit him to the Narsha Guild, but seeing that he had even investigated it separately, I wonder if there was another ulterior motive. “…….” I had no idea at all. I doubt his interest is in that direction, or at least I want to believe so. But if In Yoo-shin feels even more for that guy who is much older than himself…… Hyeon Gyu-ha took a deep breath because the same pain came rushing back when he had the misunderstanding that he had been abandoned just by imagining it. He raised the coordinates. In Yoo-shin was still within the area he recognized. He let out a sigh and sat down on the roof helplessly. His heart started beating fast and pounding in his ears. How could such feelings not be true? “Ah, but.” Hyeon Gyu-ha looked at the coordinates without thinking. By now, In Yoo-shin should have woken up and was getting ready for work, but he was still standing still and very quiet. He immediately made a phone call. -………………hello. A sleepy voice answered the phone. He secretly let out a sigh of relief. I thought he was sick and lying down, but it seemed he just overslept. “I called to tell you not to forget your umbrella because the weather forecast said it would rain today. Were you sleeping?” - What time is it now……. Gasp! A single scream was heard from the other end of the phone. -I'm going to wash up first! See you later! Ugh, why didn't I hear the alarm? Feeling In Yoo-shin's hurried steps to wash up, Hyeon Gyu-ha happily pondered whether he should give him a wake-up call starting tomorrow. And I was surprised again at myself for thinking, 'This is fun.' I had been so anxious just a moment ago, but just hearing his voice made my heart flutter and I felt happy. Life is not boring. *** I quickly washed up, packed food for 6-se and the 8-se, and ran outside. I didn't have time to eat until breakfast, so I bought bread and milk at the neighborhood supermarket on the way. If it weren't for Hyeon Gyu-ha, I would have been really late. If I had said that today was a big deal, this was it. Perhaps because of all the things I went through yesterday, the peace of today felt very strange. It felt like a sudden gate would open in the sky at any moment, or some kind of curse would creep out, but the world was quiet. The rain that the weather forecast predicted stopped after an hour. In Yoo-shin was writing a work report that he couldn't finish yesterday because he had to leave work early, and Kim Ji-yeon, who sits next to him in this office, asked me a question. “About the hamster pajamas Hunter-nim was wearing yesterday. Would it be possible to know where you bought them?” “Ah, he said that was custom-made. Wait a minute, I’ll ask.” In Yoo-shin sent a text message to Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was filming an interview in the conference room. Originally, the digital communication team had planned to upload the broadcast footage after the live ended. However, it fell through due to the final aggro. Of course, even so, thanks to Hyeon Gyu-ha's fans' other videos, the problematic scene was already being circulated as a meme. The digital communication team decided to film a separate promotional interview video while pretending not to know about the fact and reading the script. It was a desperate attempt to hide the aggro a little by pasting it into the dungeon training video that would be released on Monday. Hyeon Gyu-ha replied right away, whether it was during a break in filming or because he ignored filming. “Thank you. The pajamas are so cute, I was looking to buy them too, but I couldn’t find any.” “Wouldn’t it be too expensive if I order privately?” “It’s okay because the unit price will go down if you buy it together.” If it's hamster pajamas, there should be ready-made ones available too. Would there really be that many people willing to go as far as organizing a group purchase to buy them? In Yoo-shin was curious, but since she had a really happy expression on her face, he didn't ask any more questions. At lunchtime, Hyeon Gyu-ha met Park Seung-gi, who had brought the rare item he had been waiting for, and they had a meal together. He, who is faithful to his business partners, developed the childhood photos of In Yoo-shin as he had promised and handed them over on a USB. It would be rare for someone to be happy to spend time with a couple of friends, but Park Seung-gi didn't care. He was a prepared graduate student who could become a servant to a couple of friends if he could pick up the fallen beans next to the ranker hunter. 'Why does this kid have all the pictures that I don't have?' While In Yoo-shin was dumbfounded, Hyeon Gyu-ha was staring at the photo as if he was being sucked in. The meal had already been put on the back burner, and the risotto he had only eaten two bites of had already gotten cold. It had only been a few years since I graduated from high school, but looking at the photos, it felt like a long time had passed. In Yoo-shin looked down at himself in his middle and high school uniform. 'I don't really have any good memories from school because I was secretly bullied... But now that I think about it, I guess it wasn't all that bad.' When I would return home, there were children from the orphanage who were like real brothers to me, and monks who warmly welcomed me like a father. That alone was enough to keep me alive, even though I was struggling with the memories of being expelled. Anyway, Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was engrossed in the picture, didn't even think of looking up. “Gyu-ha- ssi , aren’t you going to eat?” Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had been staring at the photo as if he would bury himself in it, even forgot to answer, finally raised his gaze when the two people had finished emptying their plates. In Yoo-shin flinched when their eyes met. It was an expression he had never seen before. ------ Credits: Translator: Hoshi Miya Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel. We made a discord server! please join us!