Chapter 21

(Alliance) Miu: Pick up the loot.

Even after killing that many zombies, shouldn’t he be the type to take a little credit? But no—he didn’t add a single word beyond telling them to pick up the loot. Not even that.

(Alliance) GoodLuck: Yaaay~~ Gotta pick up teeth and make traps~~

(Alliance) BBQ: Anything usable in there haha yummy

(Alliance) FUNK: nice work im gonna go eat somethin good

Seeing this, Yeonhoo couldn’t close his mouth, while the alliance members—like it was the most natural thing in the world—scooped up the loot and cleaned up the leftover small-fry zombies.

Thanks to that, the alliance territory’s outer wall didn’t lose even a single point of durability, and they got to save their shells, too.

Anyway, Miyoung being kind to him at the café was great, of course—but watching “Miyoung” in the game, putting on such an overwhelmingly dominant performance it felt like it shattered common sense, that was... too.

“My god, Yeonhoo—did your face just turn red? You’re terminal. Seriously.”

It was good. The kind of play that even someone like me—who didn’t know the game well—couldn’t help but fall for. If anything, it felt like I liked Miyoung even more after I started playing.

“This is... unavoidable. Even I would fall for that.”

“This bastard’s in deep trouble....”

Seo Jeyeon’s expression turned strange, and Taemin looked at him with pity. It felt like my pro unrequited-love friend had latched onto something that would really sink its teeth in this time.

I want to see her.

Talking about Miyoung made me want to see her. Yeonhoo glanced at the time, saw it was already creeping toward ten at night, and stood up.

“I’m gonna get going first.”

“Already?!”

“It’s late—do you have plans or something?”

“Since I’m out anyway, I’m gonna go see her.”

Seo Jeyeon and Taemin just blinked like they had no idea who he meant, then belatedly caught on and gaped.

“Now?!”

“Yeah. Now.”

“No, you said you see her all the time... and it’s raining. You didn’t even drive because you were drinking.”

No matter how strong Yeonhoo’s tolerance was, it’d been a while since they’d all gotten together, so he’d put away a lot of pretty high-proof liquor tonight. The Seo siblings looked at him with worry, but Yeonhoo answered like it was nothing.

“Even if I see her every day, I still miss her. I can just take a cab.”

Was he always that fast? Watching Yeonhoo move with ridiculous speed, Seo Jeyeon and Taemin parted their lips with complicated feelings—only to shut them again after they saw his face.

“Anyway, I’m heading out. Have fun and get home safe!”

Because his grin was so bright it almost seemed unreal—his whole face filled with anticipation.

Even after Yeonhoo disappeared, the two of them stayed silent for a long time. Then, with Seo Jeyeon clicking her tongue, the quiet finally broke.

“Our baby’s taste is really something.... And you didn’t even stop him—what were you doing?”

“His taste is... fucking overwhelming....”

The siblings shook their heads in unison.

*****

It’s really coming down.

Yeonhoo was startled by how hard the rain was, more than he’d expected. Luckily, by the time the taxi pulled up to the café, it had eased off a bit.

“Thank you. Take care.”

After he got out and said goodbye, he groaned as he looked at the café. Thanks to traffic, it seemed it was already eleven—closing time.

They’re basically done cleaning up.

With the rain, it looked like they were closing early.

Chairs flipped up onto tables, lights going out one by one. Brushing off the rain he’d caught, Yeonhoo stared regretfully through the window, then leaned in to peek.

She’s not here.

Maybe she wasn’t on the closing shift today—he couldn’t see Miyoung.

I should just go.

If he kept hovering like this, he’d definitely get treated like a weirdo. Yeonhoo flicked his eyes at the drizzling rain, pulled out his phone again, and was about to call a taxi to go home.

Ah. I’m dizzy.

His body swayed a little. The alcohol was hitting him late.

I’ll just go home and play the game.

Even if he couldn’t see her in real life, he could fill that disappointment in the game.

Just as he was about to move—

Suddenly, his body tipped back hard, and a scent brushed the tip of his nose.

Over the wet stone smell of rain-soaked pavement came a heavy, woody note. Not just rain—someone’s scent. The moment he realized it, Yeonhoo steadied his breathing and lifted his head.

It wasn’t a scent he liked. He preferred something warmer. But that heavy, dry smell didn’t feel unfamiliar—like it had brushed past him a long time ago, somehow—

A person?

Yeonhoo blinked. Someone had grabbed his arm and was looking down at him.

...He’s huge.

Really huge.

Yeonhoo was never short, but this man was absurdly massive.

He felt overwhelmed by a silhouette so big it seemed to swallow even the streetlamp’s light. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, the man’s face came into focus.

His messy curls had a faint bluish tint, like they’d been dyed—and the pale face beneath them was shocking.

His features weren’t ordinary. A high, clean nose bridge. Cheekbones and a jawline that fell sharp enough to intimidate anyone who looked at him—yet he was so striking, so lavishly put together, you couldn’t tear your eyes away.

And especially those eyes. Long and pointed like almonds, lines sharp—and yet the gaze usually looked oddly languid, as if the strength had been drained from the pupils. But not right now.

Those light-colored eyes—almost like he was mixed—stared at Yeonhoo with an intensity that felt like they might swallow him whole.

What the hell....

Who is this? He felt familiar, kind of, but—

Yeonhoo blinked slowly. The man still didn’t look away.

“It hurts.”

Yeonhoo spoke quietly and shook his wrist where he’d been clamped down, tilting his head. The man—who’d been staring like he was drilling holes through him—flinched. A flicker of light slipped into the man’s lowered eyes.

“Ah....”

With that low voice, the man startled and let go. Yeonhoo glanced down at his wrist, tilting his head again.

It’s damp.

Whether the man’s hand had been sweaty or it was rainwater, either way—like he’d grabbed him with all his strength—Yeonhoo’s wrist was red and wet.

Where did he come from all of a sudden?

It didn’t seem like he’d come from inside the café. Yeonhoo turned his head slightly, and sure enough, there was a sports car parked out front.

What’s with that door....

In the middle of the rain, the car door was thrown wide open—like he’d bolted out so fast he hadn’t even had time to shut it.

An open car. A man who looks out of his mind.

At this point, the conclusion was obvious.

Did this guy drive after drinking?

Isn’t that why he’s acting like this? The man’s face looked perfectly fine, which almost made it feel more pathetic—but the best policy with weird people was not to get involved.

And when he couldn’t even see Miyoung, getting tangled up with some stranger was even more pointless. Yeonhoo tried to leave immediately, but he didn’t get the chance.

Thud—!

The hand movement was insanely fast, totally different from how slow the man had seemed before. The man hurriedly grabbed Yeonhoo again and dipped his head down. The distance vanished in an instant, and the man’s eyes raked over Yeonhoo like he was inspecting him piece by piece.

“Don’t you remember me?”

Unlike a face that looked like it lived in permanent leisure, his tone was strangely desperate. Like he couldn’t hide his anxiety, he dragged his tongue over his dry lips.

On that oddly sensual face, Yeonhoo only belatedly registered the question.

Do I know him?

It made more sense than “he’s drunk,” but no matter how he tried to search his memory, nothing came up.

“Who are you?”

For a moment, disappointment washed over the man’s face—then, like nothing happened, he shoved his face closer again.

“Look. Look properly.”

And then—like that wasn’t even enough—he took Yeonhoo’s hand and pressed it to his own cheek.

“Hey—what the hell....”

“Look properly.”

Even when Yeonhoo tried to push him away, the man didn’t budge. Holding both of Yeonhoo’s hands, he rubbed his own face against them like he was scrubbing himself down, rough and frantic.

—Smack smack, smack smack, smack!

“...?”

What is this supposed to be? Is he telling me to “feel” his features?

Yeonhoo froze in disbelief, and then his fingertips brushed the man’s soft lips.

Their eyes met.

“...What!”

What’s wrong with you? This is disgusting.

Yeonhoo jerked back in revulsion and shoved him away—hard. But the man stuck to him like glue.

“That’s weird.”

“What are you doing—gross...!”

“It’s weird.”

“Hey! You—!”

“Why don’t you know?”

What is this lunatic. And why is he so strong?

Yeonhoo couldn’t even properly shake him off—he was just held there—until he finally looked up at the man with an irritated expression.

And then he stopped.

“I remember you, though....”

For a moment, he couldn’t speak.

“Do you really not know me?”

The man was staring at Yeonhoo with such a sulky face it was almost more embarrassing to watch than to be the one grabbed.ℴ