Chapter 101

An ideal type, huh...

The question had come completely out of nowhere, but Yeonhoo assumed it had something to do with Kwon’s love life.

“I don’t really have one.”

“Then what would you want in someone?”

“If I had to choose... I guess I’d prefer they not be in a cult or addicted to drugs?”

“That’s too general.”

Was it? But Yeonhoo did not really ask for much from the person he liked. He was more accustomed to giving love than receiving it, and from that position, he tended to support whatever the other person did.

Still, if he absolutely had to name something....

“...I guess I’d prefer someone who isn’t obsessive.”

Only then did Kwon’s eyes brighten, as though they were finally having a proper conversation.

“So you don’t like creepy people. What else?”

“There really isn’t anything else.... As long as they like me, that’s enough.”

“So anyone who likes you is fine?”

Kwon paused as though something had just occurred to him, then faintly furrowed his brow.

“You must never have had a break between relationships, then.”

“...What?”

Yeonhoo stared at him, baffled by how he had arrived at that conclusion. Kwon looked oddly sulky.

“A lot of people must have liked you, so you probably dated a lot too.”

Yeonhoo wanted to ask what possible misunderstanding had led him there, but at the sight of Kwon’s pouty expression, a laugh slipped out instead.

Kwon’s gaze doggedly followed the slight curve of Yeonhoo’s lips before he turned his head away. Yeonhoo also closed his mouth, suddenly feeling a little awkward.

A brief silence settled between them. They both looked elsewhere without speaking until—

“But....”

“Kwon, actually....”

They spoke at almost the same time.

“You go first.”

Kwon tilted his head slightly.

Yeonhoo hesitated, as though he could not quite force the words out.

“What exactly did we do back then?”

“Back when?”

“When we first met.”

Kwon’s eyes widened in surprise.

He knew Yeonhoo had wanted to leave that incident buried.

Whenever Yeonhoo asked about that day, he would look awkward and retreat the moment Kwon tried to answer, as if searching for a way out of the situation.

But today was different.

This time, he genuinely looked ready to listen.

“How did we even get involved with each other?”

Kwon paused.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m about to remember something, but I can’t quite make sense of it.”

Fragments of Kwon’s past behavior occasionally surfaced like afterimages, but Yeonhoo did not know what context they belonged to. He also did not know what they had talked about back then that made Kwon act so unusually familiar and clingy with him now.

“I want to hear it properly... now.”

Yeonhoo had changed.

Kwon pressed his lips tightly together, moving them a few times before finally speaking.

“You saved me.”

Their eyes met.

“And you gave me back something important.”

Then he smiled.

He looked genuinely happy. As though merely remembering that time was enough to make him smile.

Yeonhoo froze.

That smile.

The warm, affectionate smile that erased every trace of Kwon’s naturally sharp eyes, folding their corners tightly.

It was because of that face, the one he had seen the first time and then again and again in scattered fragments of memory, that Yeonhoo had never been able to push Kwon away, no matter how unreasonable he acted....

You’re seriously unbelievable and completely reckless. What were you planning to do after pulling something like this?

The words were clearly a reprimand, yet the bright amusement on Kwon’s face stood in complete contrast to them, knocking against the door of Yeonhoo’s memory.

Kwon had been grinning widely, chuckling.

Then Yeonhoo heard his own laughter burst out as though he could no longer hold it in, tickling his ears.

You’re telling me because this makes me an accomplice too, right?

The memory of Kwon’s face pressed close to his own made Yeonhoo jerk his head up.

His phone slipped from his hand.

Thud. Clack!

His eyes widened at the sound of the heavy object bouncing against the floor.

“Oh, damn. Sorry.”

The phone had landed on top of Kwon’s foot.

Kwon still had his shoes on, but Yeonhoo felt bad anyway. He crouched to pick up the phone, lightly patted the top of Kwon’s foot, and looked up.

Kwon’s face was right in front of his.

“Hey... Wait, what?!”

At that exact moment, Kwon bent down while Yeonhoo tried to stand.

They collided, and Yeonhoo staggered.

He was going to fall.

Kwon quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. Naturally, Yeonhoo, caught halfway through rising, toppled directly toward him.

“Damn it.”

He landed completely on top of Kwon.

All this over picking up one phone.

“Sorry. Are you okay?”

Yeonhoo hurriedly lifted his head to check on him, then froze.

What?

Kwon had been trying to raise his upper body, while Yeonhoo had been trying to pull away.

Their movements crossed again.

Yeonhoo’s lips brushed against Kwon’s cheek.

Yeonhoo froze instantly and found himself staring at Kwon’s equally motionless face from up close.

But....

Why is he turning red?

Yeonhoo’s eyes widened in surprise.

Kwon’s cap had slipped back slightly, exposing his face, which had gone bright red.

“Your face....”

Embarrassed, Yeonhoo began to pull away.

Kwon stared at him, then smiled.

“You’re really red too.”

At that, Yeonhoo glanced toward the full-length mirror beside them and recoiled in shock.

Why am I red?

His face, already turning pink, grew even redder.

Yeonhoo abruptly sprang to his feet.

“You... You should go.”

“What?”

“You have to go. You’re b-busy.”

Without warning, he grabbed Kwon by the arm, hauled him upright, and called the elevator.

Kwon, suddenly standing straight, looked bewildered.

“Wait. I still have something to say.”

He spoke quickly, but perhaps embarrassment gave people superhuman strength, because Yeonhoo shoved him into the arriving elevator in no time.

“Go! Get home safe!”

Kwon started to resist, but at the sight of Yeonhoo’s absolute determination, his expression went blank.

Then he snorted with laughter.

“You have to answer when I contact you.”

As though Kwon had not been the one too busy with his love life to call.

“Yeah. Fine.”

Yeonhoo repeatedly mashed the close button, and the doors slowly began to slide shut.

“But just one thing.”

A large hand suddenly shot out and caught the elevator door.

Kwon stared directly at Yeonhoo and spoke with firm insistence.

“Remember what you said about love changing.”

As though warning him not to forget.

“Definitely.”

He emphasized it again.

Why is that so important right now?

Yeonhoo found it absurd, but Kwon did not look like he would leave without an answer.

So Yeonhoo agreed.

“Okay... Sure.”

“Good.”

Apparently, that was the answer Kwon wanted.

The moment he heard it, he withdrew his hand and nodded.

The elevator doors began closing again as though they had been waiting for him. Kwon kept watching Yeonhoo through the narrowing gap until the very end, raising one hand in a small wave.

—Thump.

At last, the doors closed completely.

As the floor numbers slowly descended, silence returned to the space.

Yeonhoo stood there blankly, as though under a spell, before letting out a disbelieving laugh.

Unbelievable.

Kwon had shown up out of nowhere at this hour, declared that love changed, and then left.

What am I supposed to do with that?

Bzzzt.

The phone in his hand vibrated.

Thinking Kwon had contacted him already, Yeonhoo checked the screen, then paused.

Incoming Call

010-XXX9-XXX3

Slide to answer

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I don’t know this number.

He almost ignored it as spam, like usual, but then a text arrived and startled him.

❮010-XXX9-XXX3⠇

Text Message—SMS

(Now)

This is Momo’s number, right?

Is this about Zombie Village?

Yeonhoo normally did not even glance at calls from unknown numbers, but he could not ignore someone who had mentioned his Zombie Village handle.

How did they get my number?

He had never made it public.

Still confused, Yeonhoo read the next message and finally understood what had happened.

❮010-XXX9-XXX3⠇

Text Message—SMS

(Now)

It’s Miu

Your number was listed in the membership info

so I’m contacting you

Miu?

Miu had contacted him?

Oh! Is this the number I entered when I joined?

Come to think of it, when he joined the alliance, ShinJadu had told him he needed to provide at least one phone number. They had said it was because there were so many scammers in the game.

Ms. Miyoung contacted me personally!

❮ Edit Contact

myYoung♥

Yeonhoo excitedly began saving the number, then paused.

“...Why did she contact me?”

Now that he thought about it, this was no time to celebrate getting Miyoung’s phone number.

Did she contact me because I called her Ms. Miyoung?