Chapter 73

The two of them sat inside the car in silence for a long while. Kwon Mieon was the first to break it.

“I’ll leave once you’re feeling better.”

Mo Yeonhoo rubbed the back of his neck for no reason.

At the low voice, he almost looked toward Kwon Mieon by reflex, then pointlessly fixed his eyes on the car window instead. Kwon Mieon’s figure, seated beside him, was reflected in the glass. He was not looking at Mo Yeonhoo. He, too, had his head turned so far toward the window it was almost bent.

A situation where both of them were inside the car, staring only out the windows. But it was certain they were both wildly conscious of each other.

He must have gone out and bought it....

Mo Yeonhoo glanced sidelong at the hangover cure. Kwon Mieon had personally bought medicine for him because he would be nauseated and have a headache, then stayed by his side.

What the hell....

There were quite a few affectionate guys among his friends too. This much was well within the range of what friends could do for each other, but....

Why did he turn red?

One thing was certain. None of them had ever looked at him and blushed like that. Thinking of that face again made him flinch hard.

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

As if he had never stubbornly been looking only out the window, Kwon Mieon’s eyes turned toward Mo Yeonhoo. But Yeonhoo did not look back. He shook his head while sticking close enough to the car window that it seemed like he might break through it.

“Y-yeah. I feel sick. Sorry, but can we wait exactly five minutes before we go?”

“Okay.”

Kwon Mieon continued, sounding worried.

“Why did you drink so much?”

“I just met up with friends I hadn’t seen in a while....”

“Do you always drink this much when you see people after a long time?”

Was it his imagination that it sounded like an interrogation?

“And why did you lose so much weight? Did something happen while I couldn’t reach you?”

Apparently, it was not his imagination. At that voice, questioning him as if it had been waiting for the chance, Mo Yeonhoo pointlessly pressed his fingernails into his palm, then opened his eyes.

“What does it have to do with you whether I lost weight or not?”

Of course, the moment the words left his mouth, Mo Yeonhoo flinched.

Ah, that wasn’t what I meant.

Had he spoken too harshly? He had not meant to snap that much at someone who had gone out of his way to take care of him, so Mo Yeonhoo turned toward Kwon Mieon to explain.

“No, I mean.”

“It does have something to do with me.”

But Kwon Mieon spoke first, calmly.

“You’re my only friend.”

...That damn friend thing.

“...What are you even saying?”

At any rate, he was incredibly obsessed with friends.

Is he clinging to this relationship because he doesn’t have any friends?

Even so, what did it matter so much whether a friend gained or lost weight? Mo Yeonhoo could not hide his bafflement, and it showed clearly on his face. Watching him, Kwon Mieon gave a small, soft laugh.

“Didn’t you miss me?”

“Why would I miss you?”

“Usually, if one side misses the other, the other side gets pulled along too.”

“Hey, if you say it like that, it sounds like you....”

It sounds like you missed me.

Mo Yeonhoo had been about to answer that way, but when his gaze met the eyes watching him, he swallowed his breath.

Kwon Mieon looked as though he were waiting for exactly that answer.

“...Where’s my phone?”

When Mo Yeonhoo changed the subject, Kwon Mieon shrugged.

“Here. Does your head still hurt?”

“...It hurts a little, but it’s better than before.”

“That’s a relief. Oh, right. I have your hat too, so I’ll give it to you later.”

Apparently, Kwon Mieon had also taken care of his belongings. Mo Yeonhoo reached out to take the phone, saying thanks, but Kwon Mieon held it out as if he were going to give it to him, then slipped it away.

“Why aren’t you giving it to me?”

“Your phone is perfectly fine.”

“Of course it’s fine....”

“If it was fine, why didn’t you contact me?”

Mo Yeonhoo paused. Kwon Mieon’s face looked sulky as he lightly waved Yeonhoo’s phone.

“You didn’t answer anything up through today.”

“No, that’s—”

He had always been bad at replying, but lately he had not been able to reply at all, so apparently Kwon Mieon had felt rather hurt.

“I really was busy. Hurry up and stop messing around. Give me my phone.”

It was true. He had barely managed to check the messages, but he had absolutely no strength left to answer them.

I nearly died playing the game. How was I supposed to DM?

Even today’s appointment had been made weeks ago, and if the two of them had not taken turns calling and threatening him to make sure he came out, he absolutely would have forgotten while doing the work Miu had ordered him to do.

“Okay.”

When Mo Yeonhoo held out his hand and waved it, Kwon Mieon finally gave him the phone. Of course, he did not simply give it to him.

Their hands brushed. A large, pale, beautiful hand skimmed over Mo Yeonhoo’s fingers, only for an instant, and Mo Yeonhoo startled hard enough to snap his head up. He thought maybe Kwon Mieon was messing with him again.

“What is it?”

Was it my imagination?

Kwon Mieon merely tilted his head with an innocent expression and stared blankly at Mo Yeonhoo.

“Nothing.”

Looking at that face, so bright and guileless, made him feel as though he had become some awful person for misunderstanding. Mo Yeonhoo lowered his head sharply, his face a little red.

That was why he did not see it.

Kwon Mieon was rubbing the fingers that had brushed against Mo Yeonhoo’s.

Ah, the guys messaged me.

When he woke the screen, the first things that came into view were messages from Kim Seongjae and Park Taekyun. As he replied to their messages asking if he had gotten home safely, thanking them for taking care of him, he saw another notification that had been pushed downward.

Huh? Wait.

The game logo stamped clearly there was Zombie Village. It was not a system notification, but a message notification, and the person who would have sent it was obvious.

Is it Miu?

Sure enough, the moment he tapped the notification, the app launched and switched to his private channel with Miu.

I told him earlier I was logging out before I turned it off, so what happened?

Thinking it was probably, as it had been lately, just the schedule for the day, Mo Yeonhoo checked the message. His expression slowly stiffened.

(CH03) Miu: something came up so i have toleave urgently

(CH03) Miu: Log in quickly as soon as you see this

(CH03) Miu: (coordinate link) (coordinate link)

(CH03) Miu: There’s a Siege War going on right now, so please check here too

When he had checked Miu’s connection time earlier, Miu had logged in late today, so he thought he would be playing for a while. Apparently, something had suddenly come up and he had logged out.

(CH03) Miu: As soon as possible

Miu’s status was logged out. The last message had been thirty minutes ago.

Mo Yeonhoo’s face turned deathly pale.

“I need to get home. Right... right now.”

He was screwed. Not five minutes. Thirty minutes had already passed!

If he did not log in when called, he was getting stripped, wasn’t he? Mo Yeonhoo stared at his phone with a pale face, then said he needed to go home, and Kwon Mieon looked startled.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have to go. I’ll get out.”

There was no time to explain. The alcohol had not completely worn off, but physical condition or whatever, getting home came first.

“You’re getting out?”

“I’ll get out and take a taxi. Yeah, a taxi.”

“I can just take you.”

“Ah... really?”

“Yes. It’s not hard.”

After his surprise passed, Kwon Mieon spoke calmly. Only then did Mo Yeonhoo come back to his senses and nod.

True. It would be faster to take Kwon Mieon’s car now than to get out and find another taxi.

“What’s your address?”

“I’ll put it in.”

Contrary to what he wanted, his still-drunken fingers slipped a few times, but he managed to enter the address safely.

“Sorry, but can you go fast?”

Mo Yeonhoo asked with his face crumpling.

“I need to get home quickly.”

Seeing that he could not hide his anxiety, Kwon Mieon looked obviously puzzled. He had been sitting there calmly, then suddenly said he had to get home quickly. But Mo Yeonhoo did not answer his question and only kept tapping his phone, entering chat messages.

“Okay.”

For now, Kwon Mieon started the car. Even as the car smoothly left the parking lot, Mo Yeonhoo kept typing.

“But... why do you suddenly have to go home?”

“Someone called me.”

“What? At this hour?”

“Yeah.”

Mo Yeonhoo nodded while continuing to tap the phone screen.

“Who, at this hour? Family?”

“Not family.”

“What is it, then?”

“.......”

“Yeonhoo?”

But Mo Yeonhoo had no time to answer Kwon Mieon. He was sure he had told Miu in advance that he had plans today, but...!

(CH03) 0momo0: I might not be able to log in todayㅠㅠ I have plans, sorry!] (Failed to send)

I can’t believe the message didn’t go through!

Sometimes, Zombie Village had communication errors, and of all times, the message had failed because he had sent it right then.

In the end, Mo Yeonhoo was busy frantically typing into the chat.

(CH03) 0momo0: jst saw it now

(CH03) 0momo0: i had smthing today so i couldnt see it

(CH03) 0momo0: im on my way now

(CH03) 0momo0: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ are u online???

(CH03) 0momo0: ㅠㅠ

(CH03) 0momo0: i swear i didnt do it on purpose..

(CH03) 0momo0: the chat didnt send bc of a bugㅠㅠㅠ

(CH03) 0momo0: miu...?

(CH03) 0momo0: miu???????

(CH03) 0momo0: ㅠㅠㅠㅠ..miu????

As Mo Yeonhoo waited for Miu, who did not answer, one clause from the slave contract came sharply into his mind.

[Tool Momo’s Behavioral Clauses]

When Miu calls, Momo must respond within 5 minutes, no matter the reason. If response is impossible, Momo must provide a detailed prior report of the reason, and after-the-fact notification will not be acknowledged.

I-I’m ruined. Has he already cut me off?

A warning light blared through his mind, telling him his position as errand boy was under threat. At this rate, it was obvious the <47> hanging over his head would be removed.