DB Vol 1 Part 8
“I will leave the team on my own when a justifiable reason arises. Team Leader, you don’t need to worry about me outside of work. Just ignore me, as you did before.”
As Won-woo finished speaking and attempted to rise from his seat, Geon-young called out to him. The corner of his mouth was curled up in a smirk.
“Even if I don’t fire you, I can’t do anything if someone else does. They’ve come all the way to the Eastern Center specifically to pick up Ji Won-woo-ssi; how could I possibly stop them?”
Before he could ask who had arrived, a loud commotion echoed from outside the window. Geon-young’s sneer blended into the noise.
“They’re already here. Oh, by the way, your brother asked me to prepare a room where you could talk quietly. A place with very good soundproofing, so that even if you scream from being beaten, the sound won’t leak out.”
“Ah, that idiot piece of shit. Why the hell did he survive the monster Farm just to come here and annoy me?”
Before stepping out of the car, Ji Seong-hyeon spent a long time hurling curses at his idiot younger brother. Even then, his anger wasn’t satiated. He had a lot to do today. No, his schedule was packed every single day. He had to provide footage for the filming crew that followed him nearly 24 hours a day, and he had five different businesses running, meaning his meetings with partners were piling up.
Was that all? To make money through business, one had to sell products. Since he had to keep his face in the public eye, he had to attend every trendy event. To do that, maintenance was essential, which required further investment of his time.
And yet, in the midst of such a busy schedule, his useless brother—who had been a burden since birth—had caused trouble, and he had come to meet him on his brother’s orders. His father was already stressed out managing his image while lobbying in politics, and now this bastard, Ji Won-woo, was exposing the family name in the press for something pointless.
“Fuck, that son of a bitch. He should have just let a monster eat him and died.”
“You must get out now. You only have about 30 minutes; will that be alright?”
Secretary Yang, who followed and looked after him, quickly added while checking the schedule.
“You must attend the cosmetics business meeting. The launch date is just around the corner, and they want to film the promotional video immediately. Since it’s the motif concept for the meeting, you must make time for that today as well.”
He emphasized the word ‘must’ twice. Secretary Yang knew how to handle Seong-hyeon, so he usually spoke in a soothing manner, but the strength in his voice indicated that these appointments were non-negotiable.
Seong-hyeon spat out more curses, calling his brother a piece of shit and a son of a bitch. If it weren’t for that bastard, he would be shaking his hips sitting on an Esper’s cock right now.
The new bodyguard Esper was only a low B-rank, but as a power-type, his stamina was incredible. Moreover, guiding with a well-matched Esper increased sexual sensitivity, causing an explosion of pleasure so intense that drugs were unnecessary. This particular Esper had a matching rate of over 70%. It was absolutely fantastic.
That was why, for the past week, whenever he had a moment, he had been hooking up with him under the guise of guiding—regardless of whether it was in the car or the restroom—yet he still wanted more. Even now, he wanted to be guiding while embracing that hot cock.
“Now, please step out.”
As Chief Yang gave his back a slight push, Seong-hyeon snapped and fiercely slapped Chief Yang’s hand away.
“Fuck, where do you think you’re touching?”
Seong-hyeon’s face distorted like a demon, but the moment the car door opened, he wore a smile as if nothing had happened. Outside the car, cameras were already poised and aimed at him.
Though he was smiling, he was grinding his teeth inwardly. Thirty minutes? Fine, let’s see how this bastard Ji Won-woo fares. Seong-hyeon smiled even more brightly under the gaze of everyone. Then, in the very quiet meeting room provided by the Center, he spent those 30 minutes screaming at the top of his lungs.
“Fuck, why isn’t this son of a bitch coming?!!”
Munch, munch, gulp.
As soon as Won-woo chewed and swallowed the last piece of kimbap, he unwrapped the second roll. Because he was in an open area, a gust of wind blew, nearly sending the wrapper flying, but he quickly caught it with his hand and expertly folded it into a bag. Then, he popped another piece into his mouth and chewed diligently. He was eating kimbap alone on the roof of the Center—specifically on top of the water tank—but he didn’t feel lonely.
[Is Ji Seong-hyeon being stood up?]
To Nani’s question, Won-woo replied with a muffled “Yes” while chewing. Then, another question followed immediately.
[Is it because you’re scared?]
“Cough!”
Won-woo choked on his food, beating his chest and shaking his head.
“Haha, no. What is there to be scared of regarding Ji Seong-hyeon?”
[Then why are you avoiding him?]
“Because I’m not good at acting.”
Won-woo looked down at the white luxury sedan parked prominently in front of the main gate. The gold decorations were exactly Ji Seong-hyeon’s style. He claimed his taste was sophisticated, but in Won-woo’s eyes, it was just the sensibility of a nouveau riche wanting to flaunt his wealth.
“Ji Seong-hyeon is relatively easy to deceive within his family, but since he was a child, he’s tattled everything to his older brother, Ji Dong-hyeon. He’ll definitely go and tell him that I’m acting strange, and if Ji Dong-hyeon gets involved, things could get troublesome. If someone attacks, I have to fight, but there’s no need to step into a fight that can be avoided.”
[You sound like you’re short on time.]
“You know me well, our Nani.”
[Please don’t call me that.]
To anyone else, the voice would have sounded cold enough to make them flinch, but Won-woo remained unfazed. After all, an AI couldn’t possibly be dissatisfied.
“Then how should I call you?”
As Won-woo asked while chewing, a voice that sounded like it was suppressing emotion responded after a pause.
[While you’re eating.]
Ah. Won-woo swallowed the food in his mouth and apologized.
“Sorry. I couldn’t hear your pronunciation clearly.”
[…….]
“I’m done eating.”
[Why do you only eat convenience store food?]
“Well, gulp, mass-produced goods are generally safer from poisoning.”
[……Ah, poisoning.]
The other party dismissed Won-woo’s words as a delusion, letting a hint of pity leak into the voice, but Won-woo didn’t hear it as he was focused elsewhere. Just then, the owner of the white sedan was stepping out with a loud commotion. Won-woo watched with curiosity as he saw the brother he hadn’t seen in years.
Is innate nature stronger? The Ji Seong-hyeon of this world also seemed to care a lot about his appearance. Though he looked very small from a distance, it was clear he was smiling at the crowd of people. He’s surprisingly good at forcing a smile. I wonder if he’ll rip out the seats and throw them the moment he gets in the car? Won-woo watched Ji Seong-hyeon’s car drive away and popped the last piece of kimbap into his mouth.
[Then what about eating in such a high place? Is it to keep watch on your surroundings in case of an attack?]
“Yes.”
[…….]
“There are no buildings higher than this around here. It’s good for checking the perimeter, and the structures are suitable for avoiding snipers.”
[You must have faced many assassination threats.]
Not just faced them. Won-woo was the person the Esper forces wanted to kill the most. Everyone associated with Espers resented and cursed him. Ambushes and sniping were daily occurrences on the battlefield, and there were times when poison was found in the food provided by the camp, which was supposed to be safe.
There had been spies inside. Fortunately, the poison detection kits Sang-cheon had provided were effective, so he never fell victim to them. However, the spies were endless. Since they couldn’t eliminate Won-woo on the battlefield, they relentlessly infiltrated the Free Government Army.
There was even a time when Won-woo’s house suddenly exploded in the middle of the night. But even the internal spies wouldn’t have known. The government had provided Won-woo with another house nearby just in case.
Luckily, that was a night he had slept at the other house. However, surviving by luck wasn’t always a blessing. [unauthorized copy]Later, there were times when he felt disgusted by his own persistence in surviving. Alone. What was the point of living like that, all alone?
“It doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”
[Do you want to live that long?]
“Hahaha.”
Won-woo couldn’t hold back a sudden burst of laughter, bending over and laughing for a long time.
“Sorry. I didn’t laugh because of you. I laughed while thinking about something else.”
He had laughed 100% because of Nani’s words, but since he couldn’t explain the reason, he made an excuse.
“I have no intention of living a long life. But I’ll live as long as I can.”
This absurd luck he had suddenly gained was making Won-woo excited for the first time in a while, but he didn’t let his guard down. This luck might end today.
Won-woo had witnessed too many lives that ended instantly due to unexpected deaths. Therefore, he had no time to be leisurely about the things he wanted to do.
[Be so cautious that you live to be 200.]
“You’re even joking now. At this rate, you’ll start speaking informally to me.”
[Why not?]
“But according to your settings, you can’t speak informally, right?”
[……I can’t?]
“Yeah.”
[……I think I can.]
“If not, I’ll ask Mr. Hwang to tweak your settings.”
Silence fell again. In the meantime, Won-woo put the leftover trash into a bag and was about to stand up when he stopped.
Screech.
The sound of the rooftop’s [unauthorized [stolen content]copyvisit our sitestyle="font-size:0;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">]iron door echoed nearby. Then, a man’s surprised voice followed.
“Huh? Why is this open? I thought only I and the manager had the keys.”
Soon, a man tilting his head entered Won-woo’s field of vision. As he walked out onto the wide rooftop, he suddenly turned around and grinned. Despite being a man, he had a quite cute face.
“Did an Esper open it? Were there Espers with the ability to open locks?”
“Where would you find an Esper like that? Idan, you say the most random things sometimes.”
The responding voice belonged to a man with a low, thick tone. Won-woo recognized instantly that the owner of the voice was an Esper.
Tap, tap.
The Esper appeared on the rooftop, following the person named Idan. Compared to Idan, who looked to be about 170cm, he was larger by a full head. He had a great build, and when he stood in front of Idan, he completely obscured him. Won-woo intended to use the rooftop often in the future, so he didn’t want to be discovered.
Since they were people who didn’t matter anyway, he figured he could just hide quietly and leave. Since he was concealed, they wouldn’t be able to see him. So, he leaned his back against the steel structure more comfortably, but the tall Esper, who had been walking in the opposite direction, suddenly whipped around.
Whether he had a good intuition or not, he instantly spotted Won-woo through the steel structures. And their eyes met.
“……Ji Won-woo?”
“Seung-wook Hyung, what’s wrong?”
He heard the voice of the person named Idan. When the Esper first discovered him, Won-woo simply thought his abilities were impressive. But he was shocked first by the name and second by the face.
The man who held his gaze with narrowed eyes. That person’s name is Seung-wook? That’s the name of the Esper who had chased after Ji Won-woo. That made it even more puzzling. Won-woo knew that face. He was the man who had stalked Won-woo in the original world.
[Won-woo! Hey, did you hear the news?]
Hearing Sang-cheon’s excited voice, Won-woo figured it would be another piece of utterly useless news. He had just returned to his quarters after completing a few days of missions and had just finished showering. The battle with the Espers this time had been quite grueling, and he felt as if a sweet smell of blood still lingered in his mouth.
Now that he was back in the safety of his quarters, he thought he could finally lie down, but the other person was just starting a long monologue. Wanting to end the conversation quickly, he asked despite the annoyance. Otherwise, the other person would just keep talking on their own.
“What is it?”
[Wow, I knew you wouldn’t know. I mean, how can you not know news about yourself? The whole unit has been in an uproar all day because of it.]
“Why? Did another spy come to kill me?”
[Exactly the opposite.]
The opposite? Won-woo threw the towel he had been using to dry his hair onto a chair and turned off all the lights in the room. Finally, as a precaution, he carefully peered through the gap in the curtains. Except for the occasional patrolling guards, there was no one in the housing complex in the middle of the night. Still, he didn’t let his guard down and concentrated to see if any Esper energy could be detected.
[Someone fell for you and abandoned everything to come here.]
“…….”
[Hey, did you hear me?]
“He’s a spy.”
Won-woo considered it a story that required no further listening. Who do they think I am that they’d fall for me? Though there are days now when they don’t use gas masks due to supply issues, Won-woo still covers his face with a handkerchief to block even a hint of the smell of blood. Moreover, Won-woo’s information is top secret among top secrets, so few even within the organization know his true identity. What do you mean ‘fall for me’?
[No, it’s for real. Do you think the internal investigation wasn’t thorough? They say he brought too much critical information for him to be a spy. Even the operation you went on this time was all thanks to the information he provided. And that’s not all. They say the reason the Eastern Center Espers were crushed all week is thanks to him.]
Only then did Won-woo narrow his eyes in suspicion.
“Are you sure he’s not a spy?”
[Yeah. Crucially, they say he doesn’t know your identity.]
“Not even acting?”
[Yep, the intelligence department held him and even tortured him. He really came over because he fell for you.]
“Where did he see me?”
For a moment, there was silence. Just as Won-woo lowered the curtains to completely block the window and was about to lie on the bed, the answer came.
[Um, two years ago in OO City. Did you live there before? I heard you lived in the North.]
He had. For quite a while. Actually, because he had to keep moving for various reasons, the period he spent in OO City wasn’t that long, but perhaps because he spent his final moments there with those he considered family, it remained particularly vivid in his memory. However, whenever he closed his eyes and recalled the past, the desolate wind and air so cold it felt like his lungs would freeze always greeted him first.
Of course, there were more warm days, but it seemed to be because the region’s winters were colder than elsewhere. That’s why whenever people he became close with asked about his hometown, he mentioned ‘the North.’ But since he had never mentioned the city, it might be true that the fake spy had seen him.
[It seems like you have some kind of story regarding the North.]
The reason Sang-cheon had hesitated was revealed. Won-woo flopped onto the bed and replied half-heartedly.
“Where is there anyone here without a story?”
[I don’t have one.]
“Right. You only have debt.”
[Technical investment.]
Sang-cheon corrected him and spent a long time explaining the things he had recently become interested in. Won-woo responded vaguely to his chatter before closing his eyes. The North was the first region to be liberated from the Espers. As Purifiers gathered there to escape the Espers, it naturally became a symbol of liberation. This happened because of a tragic accident involving the powerful Esper family that had ruled the North.
Since it was a place where the ruler of the North suffered from a lack of matching Guides due to a unique wave, he was the first to accept the Purifiers when they appeared. This caused friction with other Espers, and before a full-scale war broke out, the family was tricked by the cowardly schemes of the Esper forces and all died in a rampage.
Based on this tragedy, the North became the core of the anti-Esper camp and has now become the most developed city. Won-woo moved to the North after the ruler of the North disappeared. For that reason, he didn’t know much about that family, but he felt gratitude toward them. Thanks to them, he was able to escape his terrible family and live in a place of freedom.
In truth, compared to the affluent Ji family, it was a materially meager life. But even if it wasn’t abundant, even if he shivered in the cold and wrapped himself in several layers of blankets to save on heating. Life in the North was happy. It is the only period he can associate with the word ‘happiness.’ And there were those he considered family.
Because the Esper forces imposed economic sanctions, there were problems with the supply of seeds when Won-woo first arrived in the North. Moreover, the anti-Esper forces aimed for ‘Monster Zero.’ The ideology that escaping the seeds was true freedom spread, so everyone tried to survive without seeds.
That’s why for the first few years Won-woo lived in the North, he always shivered in the cold. At night, he would try to sleep wrapped in a blanket in front of an old wood-burning stove. On top of the stove, there was always a large kettle of water boiling and sizzling. In the morning, the Aunt would put scorched rice, which she had stored in the warehouse, into a soup cup with a handle and pour hot water over it.
The warmth spreading through his hands signaled the start of a pleasant day. When the warm steam mixed with a nutty aroma touched his face, his mouth watered. Even though he ate only that [stolen [stolen [unauthorized copy]content]content]without any side dishes, it couldn’t have been more savory and delicious. It was food he ate because he had no money, but he never once disliked it.
[Anyway, that Esper must have seen you a few times when he went to OO City as part of the negotiation team. At first, he said you stood out because you were with a man who had severe facial scars and was physically disabled. After that, he said he could only see you, even when you were alone.]
“…….”
[By the way, was a family member of yours sick?]
For a moment, Won-woo couldn’t open his mouth as he struggled to swallow the hot lump rising in his throat. But the voice that finally emerged was low and cracked.
“So, let’s say that was me. You’re telling me he fell for me after seeing me just a few times?”
[I heard he followed you around for several days. After that, he searched for you for two years. Isn’t that impressive? Betraying his own side for the sake of love.]
“Love is probably just an excuse. The East had already been mostly taken over by us anyway. He probably just jumped ship because he knew he was about to die.”
Won-woo believed in love, but he did not trust the love of an Esper. Espers become obsessed with Guides. This premise had become an absolute truth, and Won-woo believed it too. He knew exactly how Espers who hadn’t received guiding looked at Guides.
There is no such thing as love for an Esper. It is an obsession to escape pain. That was why he didn’t care about the traitor who had crossed lines to chase him.
The government wouldn’t have let him meet Won-woo anyway, and Won-woo had no intention of meeting him. However, since he had struggled so hard to cross over, he must have really wanted to see Won-woo. Afterward, Won-woo felt a persistent gaze several times within the camp, and every time he turned his head, he encountered the same face.
He had simply brushed it off, thinking he had a stalker, only to find out later that the man was the one who had betrayed his allies because of him. The one who told him that was, once again, Sang-cheon.
[The government told him not to approach you. Apparently, they said they’d only trust him after at least six months had passed. But obviously, that’s just an excuse. That man knows a lot of information and is useful, so they used you as bait to keep working him for longer. I actually felt a bit sorry for him.]
When Sang-cheon delivered the news, Won-woo was about to have his first proper warm meal in days. It was just ramen, but after eating nothing but dry combat rations, having warm broth in front of him felt like heaven. However, at Sang-cheon’s next words, he stopped the chopsticks he was about to lift.
[He probably didn’t know he’d die without even lasting a month. What a shame.]
Even Sang-cheon, who didn’t know the man at all, felt he was pitiful, but Won-woo didn’t feel a shred of sympathy. To him, it was no different from news that one more Esper—who died every day—had disappeared.
Still, he couldn’t pick up the chopsticks again. That night, lying in bed without having eaten anything, he recalled the face that had looked at him. He still felt nothing, and it made him sad that he found himself so chilling.
Seung-wook had once been unable to take his eyes off Ji Won-woo. It was when he first saw him as a young boy a long time ago. The first thought that crossed his mind was: How can a person’s eyes sparkle like that?
It took a long time before he even noticed the handsome face; he had spent so long staring only at those sparkling pupils. Even though Won-woo wasn’t just some innocent young boy, Seung-wook had blushed like a child while looking at him.
For several days, his heart fluttered whenever he thought of Won-woo. Born into a prestigious family as an A-class Esper, he had always been the center of attention, so he never imagined he would be so captivated by someone. Perhaps it was his first love. But at the time, his pride was too wounded to admit it was love. I’m an A-class Esper; how could I like a D-class Guide?
And so, he cruelly trampled upon those fresh emotions that had sprouted like new shoots on thawing spring ground. A D-class Guide doesn’t suit me. He tried [[Read on Read BL Novels]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">Read on Read BL Novels]his best to suppress the face that kept surfacing. Yet, whenever he heard the name ‘Won-woo’ around him, it sounded as clear as if a speaker had been turned on in his ear.
Whether it was a blessing or a curse, most of the talk about Ji Won-woo consisted of mockery and sarcasm. He could simply ignore such things with a frown, but occasionally, there were those who pitied Ji Won-woo. That he seemed to be abused by his family, that Ji Won-woo was excessively criticized as his clan grew more popular with the public, and so on.
Such stories did not easily fade from his mind over time. Maybe I should save him? He’s a pitiful person. Things would be much better if I helped him. He had imagined such things, but he couldn’t put them into action because he cared too much about how others perceived him. He and Ji Won-woo were not of the same status. He had no excuse if someone saw them together.
For several years, Ji Won-woo became like a box pushed into a corner and forgotten, gathering dust. Then, he saw him at the Center. But the sparkling eyes he had seen in Ji Won-woo were gone. With an expressionless face, his gaze was always cast downward.
While disappointed, a greedy desire also rose within him: What if I save him now? So, he met him. Quietly, without anyone knowing. However, the result of the salvation he offered fell far short of expectations. Ji Won-woo simply followed him like a doll. He had no affection for Seung-wook, nor did he even offer gratitude.
Since he could no longer see the sparkling eyes he had fallen for, his relationship with Ji Won-woo ended, filled only with disappointment. He later found out that people around them had noticed they were meeting and that there was a misunderstanding that Ji Won-woo was stalking him, but he had no intention of stepping forward to explain.
By then, he had already met someone new—someone who truly sparkled this time. The Guide named Idan was an A-class with a wide guiding wavelength range, a talent that the Center fought over. Moreover, he always had a smiling face. Perhaps because he had met Ji Won-woo, who felt like the end of a dark tunnel, Idan fascinated him instantly like bright sunlight.
For a while, he lived immersed in that warmth. He was happy, and sex with an A-class Guide was satisfying. Since pleasure increases when receiving guiding, every Esper hoped to be with a compatible Guide. In every aspect, Idan was the perfect partner for Seung-wook.
Yet, he didn’t know why that gloomy Guide kept coming to mind. He didn’t know why his name still sounded uniquely loud, like a megaphone, or why he felt more aroused thinking of the wooden Ji Won-woo even while having satisfying sex with Idan. All Seung-wook could do was suppress it habitually, just as he had trampled on the feelings of his first love.
That was why he could ignore Ji Won-woo as if he were a stranger even when they suddenly crossed paths within the Center. No, he preferred to think that he was the one being ignored. Because Won-woo still wouldn’t look him in the eye.
But this time was different. When Idan dragged him up, saying he had the key to the rooftop, he never dreamed he visit our sitewould see Ji Won-woo there. He never imagined they would lock eyes, nor that unauthorized copythose eyes would shine beautifully as they once did.
Won-woo was appalled. Do people connected in the original world always cross paths here too? Won-woo stared straight back at Seung-wook, who was gazing intently at him. Why did Ji Won-woo become that bastard’s stalker? As the question arose, the answer followed. There’s no way Ji Won-woo liked that guy. He felt certain that if that person were him in another world, he would never do such a thing. Did his family actually order him to do it?
“Uh, are you Guide Ji Won-woo-ssi?”
At the unfamiliar voice, Won-woo turned his head and saw a short man standing next to Seung-wook. He was looking up at Won-woo with surprised eyes.
“Why are you up here?”
“To eat.”
“Up here?”
Finding the surprised question cute, Won-woo let out a small chuckle.
“Yes. The view is great.”
Seung-wook seemed to frown at the sight of him smiling, but Won-woo ignored it and stood up. He picked up the trash beside him, grabbed the pillar of the water tank, and slid down quickly like he was riding a pole. He knew both their gazes were fixed on him, but he didn’t care. Just as he was about to leave the rooftop, someone stopped him.
“Excuse me.”
“Ji Won-…”
Seung-wook and Idan called him simultaneously. Then, both looked at each other in surprise, and their expressions stiffened.
“Yes?”
When Won-woo broke the awkward silence, Idan looked at him again. However, Seung-wook averted his gaze.
“How did you get in here? I’m the only one with a spare key.”
“It was open, so I came in.”
“Oh…”
Idan blinked in surprise. Won-woo shifted his gaze to Seung-wook.
“If you have nothing else to say, may I go?”
Seung-wook’s lips twitched as he turned his frowning eyes, but he ultimately didn’t speak. unauthorized copyClang. As soon as he closed the iron door of the rooftop and stepped out, a question followed.
[I thought you said you couldn’t act?]
“Yeah, that’s right.”
[You lied so calmly that the door was open.]
“Yeah, I’m good at lying.”
[Ha.]
A short laugh was clearly audible. Won-woo stopped walking.
“You know how to laugh? You had a sound effect for that?”
[…It was updated.]
“That’s good. It actually sounded like you were mocking me.”
[…Of course, I real—]
“Huh? What?”
[I asked if there is a difference between acting and lying.]
It sounded completely different from the faint words a moment ago, but Won-woo brushed it off.
“Of course. Acting requires emotion, but lying doesn’t have to have any. People who are good at both put emotion into their lies to shake people up. So, if you ever talk to those people later, never be fooled.”
[Who are ‘those people’?]
“The people of the Ji family.”
[Won-woo-ssi, you’re also from the Ji family. You shouldn’t be fooled then.]
“Our Nani is so smart.”
When Won-woo praised him affectionately with a laugh, a sigh was heard. Seeing how it was slightly different every time, it seemed like there were several versions of sound effects. Then, the static suddenly intensified, and a faint voice was heard.
[Stop talking while smiling like that. Fuck.]
Since Won-woo was in the middle of descending the stairs, he didn’t hear it clearly and asked back.
“What?”
[I didn’t say anything.]
What was that? Interference again? Trusting the honesty of the AI implicitly, Won-woo didn’t press further and nodded.
“I thought you told me not to talk while smiling.”
[Why? Did someone get angry when you smiled?]
Won-woo’s pace slowed. The smile vanished from his face as he recalled someone from the past, and his eyes sank endlessly like falling darkness. His voice grew lower as he answered.
“Yeah.”
[They must have hated Won-woo-ssi.]
“They did, at first. But later, they didn’t. That’s… why it was a problem.”
It would have been better if they had just kept hating me. Won-woo shook his head briefly as if to forget him and changed the subject.
“By the way, do you have other laughing sounds? Like a laugh because you’re happy.”
[I don’t. Even if I did, there’s no reason to use it.]
Instead, Won-woo laughed out loud.
“Hahaha, really? Then you can just learn by listening to my laughter. I’ll laugh happily at your stories.”
Tadadadak. Only the sound of footsteps echoed as he descended one floor; Nani’s voice was not heard. Only after a long while did a dry response come.
[I don’t tell stories that are worth laughing at happily.]
“No, you’re surprisingly funny.”
[…I am?]
And you’re cute too. But he didn’t say it, fearing Nani might get sulky again.
“Yeah. But since you’re a machine, I can laugh comfortably too. You won’t have emotions toward me, so there’s nothing to be uncomfortable about.”
[What is uncomfortable?]
“People who have emotions for me keep a close eye on me, so there are many annoying aspects. Even now, I left quickly because there’s someone I don’t want to be emotionally entangled with.”
The rumors of Ji Won-woo’s stalking were annoying, but Seung-wook’s stalking was also a problem. There was no rule saying the Seung-wook of this world couldn’t like him. In this world, he wanted to keep his distance before that happened.
[Was it not because you were scared of Hong Seung-wook?]
“Why would I be scared of Hong Seung-wook?”
[Because you might fall in love with him.]
It was surprising that Nani mentioned Seung-wook’s name, but the words were so amusing that Won-woo simply curled his lips into a smirk.
“Not at all. There’s no way I’d love Hong Seung-wook.”
[Why? Is it because you love someone else?]
Won-woo stopped mid-stride as he was descending the stairs.
“Are you curious about that?”
[No. It’s simply information gathering.]
Right, he’s a machine. Having momentarily mistaken it for interest in him, Won-woo let out a hollow laugh. Then, a low mutter was heard in his ear.
[Love isn’t that big of a deal anyway.]
“No. Love is a very big deal. You might not know, but love is a fantastic emotion.”
Won-woo resumed walking and added quietly.
“But love that isn’t returned can be dreadfully terrible.”
“Ji Won-woo-ssi is a completely different person from the rumors.”
Seung-wook, who was still looking at the closed iron door, flinched at the words from beside him. He had forgotten that Idan was there. Novels">Read on Read BL NovelsFortunately, Idan had also been looking at the closed iron door.
“Ah, is it uncomfortable for you to talk about Ji Won-woo-ssi, Hyung?”
“Why should I be uncomfortable?”
Because Seung-wook’s voice came out cold, Idan’s eyes rolled awkwardly.
“Uh, I heard the stalking rumors. Um, that Ji Won-woo-ssi likes Seung-wook Hyung. …Is that true?”
Seung-wook turned toward the railing and tossed back an answer.
“I don’t know.”
Idan quickly followed him and shut his mouth tight. It sounded like he wasn’t interested, but since it wasn’t a denial either, it was a bit ambiguous. Whatever the case, he didn’t seem to like it when Ji Won-woo became the topic of conversation. He had felt that a few times before, but now it was certain.
At least on the surface, it looked like he was ignoring Ji Won-woo because he hated him. However, Idan found it hard to shake the anxiety that it might be the opposite. That he cared so much about Ji Won-woo that he was hiding it. Of course, since Seung-wook had never brought up Ji Won-woo on his own, he thought it was impossible. But the Ji Won-woo he saw today brought that anxiety back to the surface.
“I didn’t know Ji Won-woo-ssi was that handsome. I always saw him from afar, and since he always had his head down, I couldn’t see him properly. But he’s a person with a very strong gaze.”
Idan tried to speak lightly and smiled, but no response came. Seung-wook was leaning [unauthorized copy]on the railing looking out, but he seemed lost in thought.
“Hyung.”
“…”
“Seung-wook Hyung.”
Only after Idan called him several times did he turn his eyes as if snapping back to reality. Then, as if guilt surfaced in his eyes, he reached out and gently cupped Idan’s face.
“Am I not more handsome?”
At the playful words, Idan finally smiled brightly. Then, as if relieved, he habitually rubbed his face against the large hand.
“Hyung is handsome in a different way. Just like I’m handsome in a different way?”
“You know you’re handsome.”
“You know it too, Hyung.”
Seung-wook laughed shortly, revealing his white teeth.
“Yeah, I know. But he…”
Seung-wook started to mention someone but stopped abruptly and laughed loudly to erase the awkwardness.
“I like people who recognize their strengths and have confidence. Like you.”
Having received the compliment, Idan couldn’t hide his joy and smiled with his eyes curving. Seung-wook naturally lowered his head toward Idan’s face. In the distance where their lips almost touched and he no longer had to hide his expression, the smile vanished from his face.
Warm, soft flesh touched the corner of his mouth, but the image of Ji Won-woo remained in his mind like a driven stake. Especially those sparkling eyes.
Yet, there hadn’t been a single shred of emotion in them when looking at Seung-wook.
“No, I didn’t expect Chief Jung to come in person. Isn’t he a very busy man? When he first came to give me the communicator, he said everything he needed to say within two minutes and vanished; I thought some rapper had just visited.”
Sang-cheon was talking about Chief Jung’s visit while repairing an old laptop left by a regular customer. But no matter how much he rambled alone, his companion remained quiet today.
“Nani-ssi?”
When Sang-cheon couldn’t resist and called out softly, a reaction came immediately this time.
[Fuck, don’t call me by that name.]
Hearing the curse word actually made Sang-cheon feel more at ease. Sang-cheon paused as he was about to close the back panel of the reassembled laptop. Have I become accustomed to the brute’s swearing?
[It’s already fucking annoying enough hearing Ji Won-woo call me Nani, Nani.]
Ah, no. I felt at ease because I knew the brute was in a bad mood. Sang-cheon felt relieved after finding the reason for his comfort.
“So. Did you cut off communication with Ji Won-woo because you didn’t want to hear it?”
[No.]
The voice answering bluntly was no different from usual, but Sang-cheon sensitively detected the brute’s irritation. Why? Was the communication actually cut? Since the brute had to be faithful to the role of an AI, he wouldn’t have cut it first.
“Did Ji Won-woo cut the communication? Why? Is he busy?”
[He said he has to seduce an Esper.]
Sang-cheon’s hand, which was turning a screwdriver, stopped again.
“Who? Surely not Hong Seung-wook?”
[…Why does that name come up?]
“Is it really Hong Seung-wook? Wow, then those rumors were true.”
[What rumors?]
The questioning voice became low and cold, but Sang-cheon didn’t notice and excitedly blabbed about the rumors he had seen on the Center community. That Ji Won-woo was Seung-wook’s stalker. But that some people had actually seen the two of them meeting.
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