TWKH Ch 26

Gaitron, the Raptor Army’s 5th Legion Commander, was responsible for supplies and weapon provision in the Raptor army.

Trusted by the Supreme Commander Mallorca, Gaitron was the one who researched and developed key Raptor weapons, including the Masapo.

Portrayed as a Raptor with a keen interest in weapon invention, Gaitron was also fascinated by human weapons.

Whenever he went to the battlefield, he captured humans who used unique weapons. He learned how to use these weapons from them, and once he had nothing left to learn, he would attach their weapons to their bodies, attempting to create human-Raptor hybrids. Most of these prisoners died during the process, but occasionally, some survived.

One of the heroes slaughtering Raptors at the front line was Dennis, a warrior who wielded a massive hammer. Captured by Gaitron, Dennis was turned into a half-human, half-monster with hammers for hands.

As they entered the 15th floor of the oversaturated dungeon, the final boss’s floor, they saw Dennis howling in the center of the map. Trapped in a test tube, Dennis screamed at the approaching heroes.

Gaitron’s Test Subject D-01 Run…!

Gaitron’s Test Subject D-01 Save me…! Take me away!

Gaitron’s Test Subject D-01 No! Don’t come here!

Gaitron’s Test Subject D-01 Kill me instead!

Ignoring the screams, Jehyun stretched his neck and said,

“Shall we go right away?”

Boss→ Can we take a 10-minute break?

“Can we just go gamer-style?”

Contempt→ I’m really hungry….

“There are so many foods you can eat while gaming, Myul.”

Matgom→ Please, let’s rest for 10 minutes.

“Alright, let’s rest for 5 minutes.”

Boss→ Do you have a filter in your ears? Matgom said 10 minutes.

As a tense debate about the break ensued, Habaek reignited Jehyun’s competitive spirit.

[Party] Habaek: Elka’s team is in the final phase of the 4th boss.

[Party] Contempt: ㅇㅅ”ㅇ Don’t care..

[Party] Habaek: Someone might be curious.

“…5 minutes are up. Let’s go.”

Hearing that Elka’s team had reached the final phase of the 4th boss, Jehyun realized it wouldn’t take them long to reach the final boss. They had just started to pull ahead, and there was no time to take a leisurely break. Acting casual, Jehyun claimed the 5 minutes were up and began casting buffs.

Jeers erupted at Jehyun’s firm stance.

Boss→ Excuse me? Did I sign up as a slave?

[Party] Contempt: Is this a guild master or the Grim Reaper?;ㅅ;;

[Party] Contempt: If I die, I’ll write your name in my dying message..

[Party] Habaek: What will you write?

[Party] Healer: ㅋㅋ No shady tricks.

Taking advantage of Contempt’s complaints, Habaek subtly teased. Jehyun quickly shut them down and started the countdown.

“Let’s go.”

3

2

1

Start!

[Party] Habaek: ?

Despite the countdown, Matgom didn’t move. Realizing he must’ve stepped away, Jehyun took his hands off the keyboard and mouse. Likely, Matgom had gone to grab food as soon as Jehyun mentioned a break.

“Let’s just rest for 10 minutes. What’s the rush?”

Boss→ Okay, I’ll go eat ramen.

Contempt→ I’ll quickly go to the convenience store, too.

It was their first time competing publicly like this, so ElkaRose’s Party kept gnawing at Jehyun’s mind. But as he thought about it, it was kind of funny to be so focused on them.

The Black Tower was already the sixth oversaturated dungeon. Five had opened, but the glory of first clears, from Anach’s Love School to the Ancient Crossroads, all belonged to Countess, even the ones Jehyun missed.

In that context, there wasn’t much need to keep them in check… he reassured himself, trying to find peace of mind. It wasn’t an act to appear relaxed during a forced break; he just realized there was no need to worry about Elka’s Party.

Standing up, he stretched and headed to the kitchen. He took out frozen bread from the freezer, microwaved it slightly, cut it into bite-size pieces with scissors, and added some chocolate spread into a small dish.

He needed something simple to eat while progressing without breaks until the clear. With chocolate spread’s shockingly high calories, it was sufficient for sugar and energy replenishment.

Jehyun placed it in front of the monitor, picked up a lemon candy nearby, popped it into his mouth, and opened the window wide.

It was nearing evening, and the sun was setting. From Jehyun’s studio apartment, he could see Korea University’s grassy plaza and outdoor theater, where they were setting up the stage for tomorrow’s performance. He was planning to watch that show with Baekyung tomorrow.

“Ah….”

Thinking about it made him happy. The stress from his spat with Habaek melted away.

Just thinking about someone can be so healing. How is that possible? Is that what love is? Jehyun smiled with a dreamy, dazed look.

His previous festival memories involved hard labor, vividly recalling the days as a slave to the political science club. He was excited and nervous at the thought of covering those tough memories with new ones with Baekyung.

He had many plans for the festival with Baekyung. Treating him to delicious food, buying him gifts, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder listening to songs—he wanted to spend joyful times with him. And while at it, getting some “confirmation”….

Jehyun’s cheeks slowly turned apple-red. Fanning his flushed face with his hand, he returned to his seat. The festival was tomorrow, but for now, Gaitron came first.

“Is everyone back?”

Boss→ Wow, seriously. I had to eat barely cooked ramen because of you. Anyone tried rare cup noodles?

Matgom→ But isn’t that tasty, Noona? Crunchy and nice.

Boss→ Yeah… surprisingly tasty.

The Party members each waved at Jehyun’s question. Characters moved, and light-hearted conversations followed Boss’s laughter. Instead of joining the chat, Jehyun cast buffs and started the countdown.

“Let’s do this cleanly.”

The Black Tower was the least visited max-level dungeon, partly due to its many bosses compared to others and also because of Gaitron’s attack characteristics.

The 5th Legion Commander, Gaitron, learned to use a wide variety of weapons by observing humans. Unlike bosses who attack with a single type, whether melee, ranged, or magic, Gaitron’s phases showcased different characteristics.

In phase 1, he used a spear; in phase 2, he shot arrows; in phase 3, he swung a hammer. In phase 4, he wielded his developed magic cannon in both hands, though they were practically hand cannons.

Clearing Gaitron required fast reflexes, which was the challenge. Gaitron’s high-speed, high-damage attacks without major wipe mechanics made him a boss that could technically be cleared using zombie tactics as long as the healer survived. However, no player wanted to invest an hour just for the final boss in the saturated dungeon, so the Black Tower remained empty.

“I gave Habaek Salvation’s Grace.”

[Party] Habaek: Okay.

Contempt→ Oh, trust between a couple….

Matgom→ Ah, I want to earn the guild master’s trust too!

Saying he gave Habaek the buff to instantly revive the priest, Contempt and Matgom teased. Generally, Jehyun gave Salvation’s Grace to Habaek or Boss depending on the situation. Matgom, being the tank, had trouble moving due to aggro, and Contempt died often, so it was inevitable.

In dungeons favoring ranged attacks, he mostly buffed Boss, but in Gaitron’s case, Habaek’s physical abilities stood out, so Jehyun gave it to him. Ignoring their banter, Jehyun dodged Gaitron’s spear attack using Retreat.

“Did his attack speed and power just increase?”

Unlike other bosses whose names slightly changed in the oversaturated state, Gaitron’s name remained the same as in the saturated dungeon.

[Party] Habaek: The name is the same.

5th Legion Commander Gaitron It’s always a pleasure to face humans!

The raspy voice of the Raptor shouted. In phase 1, Gaitron wielded a spear. His attack speed was enormously faster compared to the saturated version, and though not instant-kill damage, getting hit more than twice was deadly for robe classes.

You have taken 62340 damage from 5th Legion Commander Gaitron.

Using Self-Heal.

“It hurts a lot if you get hit. Be careful.”

Saying that, Jehyun fell silent and focused on the screen. No need for complicated thinking here. Clearing Gaitron was purely a matter of physical skill.

Apart from occasional mistakes by Contempt, there were no worries with Boss and Matgom. Most importantly, his Party had Habaek. Even if Boss and Contempt died, or even Matgom the tank, as long as Habaek was alive, Jehyun was confident he could persist with the strategy.

“How about a bet? 10 million if you die first? Myul?”

The biggest concern was Contempt. Aiming at him, Jehyun proposed the gold bet, but there was no response. Intentional silence. Jehyun chuckled and shifted his target.

“Habaek, want to bet?”

Jehyun wasn’t the only one confident in his control. Annoyingly, Habaek also knew he was skilled.

Habaek promptly accepted Jehyun’s challenge.

[Party] Habaek: Deal

[Party] SpellChecker: shit, I can’t lose. Let’s go.

[Party] Boss12MoreHours: Let’s go.

With Habaek’s agreement, even Matgom and Boss joined in. Eventually, Jehyun heard even Contempt mutter a grudging “deal…” and he smirked. Truly, they were all gaming addicts.

Healer→ Left, left, rear. Hang in there a bit longer.

Gaitron’s health was at 8%. With the clear in sight, the Party was struggling. Baekyung pressed the hotkeys with a blank expression, avoiding the clearly visible patterns while dealing damage to Gaitron and watching the healer rush to save Party members.

Contrary to their assumption that only the speed and attack power had increased, Gaitron’s patterns had also changed. Gaitron had created miniature self-destruct machines that attached to players.

To safely eliminate these self-destruct machines, which appeared from phase 2 onwards, they had to get hit by Gaitron’s newly added ‘Mana Concentration Attack’.

When hit by the newly added instant-death pattern, the ‘Mana Concentration Attack’, players temporarily succumbed to Gaitron’s evil influence and could attack Party members. Striking a Party member transferred the self-destruct machine to them, starting a new countdown.

Failing to do so meant the self-destruct machine exploded at the end of the countdown, killing all Party members. It was essentially a game of hot potato with bombs.

A critical point was that players under the ‘Evil Influence’ from the ‘Mana Concentration Attack’ could not only attack but also be hit by others.

Dodging Gaitron’s attacks coming 7-8 times every 5 seconds with movement and evasion, avoiding attacking corrupted Party members, and passing the self-destruct machine before the countdown ended made clearing Gaitron a complex task. Additionally, a bug appeared where the debuff didn’t disappear.

When attached by the self-destruct machine, a debuff called ‘Mana Trace’ remained. It prevented characters like healers and ranged dealers, who could easily pass the bomb around, from doing so.

The ‘Mana Trace’ debuff was supposed to rotate among four Party members, excluding the affected one, but due to a bug, it didn’t disappear, making it impossible to pass the bomb.

Healer→ Notice is up. They’re doing maintenance.

Contempt→ Ugh. So everything resets?

Boss→ Restart from the 1st floor? Damn it.

This bug affected both their Party and ElkaRose’s Party. Capitol Studio quickly jumped into action, having observed the situation.

[Emergency maintenance in progress. Expected end time: 22:00]

It was already 8 PM. Taking 2 hours to fix one bug was frustrating enough to make Baekyung want to terrorize the Capitol headquarters, but he restrained himself.

Compared to not having any maintenance during Anach’s Love School bug, where the complication debuff didn’t disappear, this felt like angelic management.

Thus, they had an unavoidable break. Hearing they would reconvene at 10 PM, Baekyung stretched after standing up. Sitting for so long had made his entire body stiff.

Shin Jehyun [This band is performing tomorrow. They’re an indie band, do you know them?]

[[photo]]

20:02 As his phone buzzed, Baekyung found a message from Shin Jehyun. Smiling without realizing it, he checked the message.

It was a busking schedule happening all week at Korea University. Seeing the band’s name with a star next to it, he replied.

Me [No, I don’t know themㅠㅠ]

Me [I don’t really listen to music:0]

20:03 Me [Do you like music, Sunbae?]

Shin Jehyun [Me? I don’t really listen eitherㅋㅋㅋ]

[Will the performance be too noisy then? Should we do something else?] 20:04

Baekyung appreciated that Shin Jehyun was concerned about the noise for him. It was cute how Shin Jehyun worried for his sake. Baekyung, feeling good, replied that it was fine and stood up. He wasn’t into music, but listening to it with Shin Jehyun seemed appealing.

He hadn’t seen Shin Jehyun much recently because of exams. Actually, it wasn’t just exams; Baekyung had been avoiding him a bit, too.

Since the day Baekyung had wiped the beer off Shin Jehyun’s pants at the bar, every time he saw Shin Jehyun, he felt physical changes. The impulse surged at the most inconvenient times, driving him mad.

To make matters worse, Shin Jehyun ended up sucking on his fingers. Shin Jehyun had merely made a mistake while eating a waffle, but Baekyung had to escape, overwhelmed by the fantasies filling his mind.

Even after running away, he couldn’t calm down, spending nearly a week sleepless. His body had stabilized now, but meeting Shin Jehyun again tomorrow might bring unexpected incidents.

Shin Jehyun might think I’m a crazy pervert. Baekyung vowed not to let that happen as he went to the kitchen to eat some cornflakes—a personal remedy.

Lost in thoughts of Shin Jehyun, two hours passed. Baekyung waited for the server to open and logged into Caplet. Immediately, he heard the groans of others who had logged in first.

Contempt→ Argh!

Matgom→ Ugh, I feel sick.

He had a hunch. Sure enough, the dungeon clear record was wiped after the loading screen.

They had been on the 15th floor of the Black Tower, now forced to start over from the 1st floor. It was truly infuriating.

[World] ElkaRose: Damn, Yiyoung-hyung.. are you happy now?

[World] Contempt: Atrocious Ahn Yiyoung

[World] Hexa: Ruthless Ahn Yiyoung

[World] Contempt: Shameless Ahn Yiyoung

[World] Hexa: Heartless Ahn Yiyoung

[World] SpellChecker: Lovely Ahn Yiyoung

[World] Contempt: Lovely.. what? ㅡㅅㅡ

[World] Imu: We gave up… Good luck on your first clear ;

Guild member Healer has logged in.

Joined Party.

[Party] Healer: Hurry up!

Amid everyone’s frustration, Healer rushed them to gather quickly.

Healer→ Come on. Let’s restart.

Since ElkaRose’s Party had also reached the final boss, both Parties had to reset their progress. Still, Jehyun couldn’t underestimate his own skilled Party members. Even if both Parties restarted, there was a chance ElkaRose’s team might clear the 15th floor first, so they needed to hurry.

[Party] Habaek: Let’s go.

[Party] Healer: Of course, our darling is first again.

Entering quickly, Healer made another ridiculous comment. Baekyung glared at the chat and sighed.

Clearing the Black Tower would maintain their guild’s top rank for the fourth consecutive week. They’d achieve the coveted Hall of Fame spot and finally leave this wretched game.

That meant no more encounters with this gaming addict, no more enduring the word “darling” from a burly man.

[Party] Habaek: Focus up.

Baekyung ignored Healer and focused on the game. They overcame numerous obstacles and resumed their Gaitron strategy.

With many tries, the Party had mastered Gaitron’s pattern. They worked perfectly together, save for the occasional wipe due to minor mistakes.

At 2 AM, with a strong feeling this was their final try, Ha Baekyung removed all UI elements and focused solely on the boss.

While Ha Jaekyung couldn’t understand, Baekyung usually removed most UI elements during PvP or tries. Skills and cooldowns were ingrained in his mind, and the self-destruct machine indicators were fine.

5th Legion Commander Gaitron Want another? It’s a self-destruct machine.

5th Legion Commander Gaitron Huh, a defect?

Successfully passing the patterns into the final phase, Gaitron launched fake self-destruct machines. The fakes also had the ‘Mana Trace’ debuff and appeared identical at first, causing some confusion.

Healer→ Fake bomb, Habaek.

After eight hours fighting Gaitron, they weren’t fooled by such cheap tricks. Healer quickly identified and briefed the fake.

Baekyung ran towards the wall, distancing himself from the Party members. Boom, a small explosion followed, killing everyone near the debuffed player except the one affected.

[Party] Contempt: ㅅㅅ

5th Legion Commander Gaitron Hmm, that won’t do.

[Party] Contempt: Final phase, let’s gooooo!

5th Legion Commander Gaitron Let’s face off properly!

[Whisper] ElkaRose: We’re in the final phase^^7 good luck

Just as they entered the final phase, a whisper arrived from his friend, ElkaRose. Gaitron’s difficulty had exceeded expectations, and no first clear had been achieved yet. Ignoring Elka’s taunt, Baekyung focused on stealing time.

If they entered the final phase simultaneously, there was no way his Party would lose. Baekyung didn’t believe ElkaRose’s Party had higher damage output than his.

Matgom→ Pass the bomb to me. DPS, DPS.

Boss→ Hurry up and finish it!!

As Gaitron’s health dropped to 10%, then 8%, the Party members excitedly urged faster DPS, sensing victory. Baekyung focused solely on Gaitron, using the key skill of the Time Stealer, Time Theft.

A small pocket watch appeared above Habaek’s head, its second hand spinning rapidly. Among the turning hands, one spot turned red. Baekyung concentrated, pressing the Time Theft hotkey at the precise moment the second hand turned red.

Only by perfectly timing the seconds could Time Theft be used. Even then, the chance of applying a debuff was less than 5%.

Ting, at the perfect timing, chains wrapped around Gaitron in red. Baekyung stopped the second hand again at the exact moment. Ting, another chain coiled around Gaitron.

With five successful timings, the pocket watch wound quickly around Gaitron’s head. Success! A thrilled smile spread across Baekyung’s lips.

Habaek steals time from 4th Legion Commander Gaitron!

Using Horizon’s Blade.

Using Time Splitting.

Using Time Destruction.

[Party] Contempt: ㅇㅂㅇPerfect timing

Using Time Line Collapse.

Using Horizon’s Blade.

⁝

Despite screen lag, Baekyung continued pressing hotkeys without pause. During the 3-second freeze of Gaitron, he unleashed all his skills in sync with the shortened cooldown and attack speed, predicting Gaitron’s patterns and using Retreat, then rushing back with another attack.

Suddenly, the server lag cleared, and the screen returned to normal. With Gaitron’s health at 2%, Baekyung used Horizon’s Blade, now off cooldown. Clang, like shattering glass, Habaek’s dagger flew horizontally, slashing Gaitron.

5th Legion Commander Gaitron Such a death… isn’t so bad…

5th Legion Commander Gaitron has been defeated.

‘First to Clear the Oversaturated Black Tower on the Server’ achievement unlocked.

[System] Boss12MoreHours has successfully cleared the Oversaturated Black Tower.

[System] Healer has successfully cleared the Oversaturated Black Tower.

[System] Habaek has successfully cleared the Oversaturated Black Tower.

[System] SpellChecker has successfully cleared the Oversaturated Black Tower.

[System] Contempt has successfully cleared the Oversaturated Black Tower.

‘Purifier of the Black Tower’ title acquired.

The evil aura dissipates.

[Party] Contempt: Well done, everyone!

[Whisper] ElkaRose: Damn, you gaming addictㅋㅋㅋ

Combat status has ended.

As the achievement window popped up, Baekyung checked the guild window to see an abundance of guild points from the first clear achievement.

This amount ensured they could secure the top guild ranking unless they lost half their points in a guild war. Countess Guild had maintained the top spot for three weeks, so enduring until the weekend meant meeting the Hall of Fame conditions—a goal Baekyung had longed for.

“When I quit Caplet, I’ll spend all my free time with Sunbae.” Baekyung thought of Shin Jehyun with a quiet smile. There were now less than 9 hours left until they would meet again.

Ha Baekyung, who fell asleep at 7 AM, woke up at 10 AM.

Despite only sleeping for three hours, Baekyung, a natural short sleeper like his mother, felt no fatigue. Sitting with a slightly dazed expression, he reached for his phone to check the time and then got up.

He was supposed to meet Shin Jehyun at 11 AM. They planned to have lunch near the back gate, explore the festival, and watch a performance starting at 4 PM.

Since they decided to spend the day together without participating in the political science club’s events, they needed to avoid their classmates and seniors.

Once caught, it would be hard to escape. Baekyung thought about sticking to secluded spots with Jehyun as he headed to the bathroom.

After a quick shower and drying his hair, Baekyung stared at his slightly tousled hair before applying wax to tidy it up. He remembered Shin Jehyun complimenting him when he styled it this way before, so he tried to make it look as neat as possible.

Then he took out the clothes he had chosen the day before. For the festival outing with Shin Jehyun, he picked a light blue Henley shirt and dark navy cotton shorts. After putting on the shirt and rolling up the sleeves, Baekyung opened the drawer and put on a leather bracelet he bought during a trip.

It was the same bracelet he had gifted to Shin Jehyun after receiving a compliment about its beauty. He wondered if Sunbae would wear it today. Since he hadn’t seen him wear it since the gift, he hoped today would be the day. Baekyung smiled, imagining them wearing matching bracelets.

Looking in the mirror, he saw the face Shin Jehyun had often praised for its handsomeness. After adjusting his slicked-back hair, Baekyung smiled the way Jehyun liked and straightened his posture.

Today was an important day. University, festival, date. Spending a day known for creating many couples alone with Shin Jehyun meant Baekyung had to get through it smoothly.

“Just don’t get too excited.”

Baekyung, uncharacteristically, voiced his determination and mentally prepared himself. It was time to leave.

* * *

“Sunbae.”

Living in the same studio apartment building, they always met in the elevator when they had plans. As soon as the doors opened on the 14th floor, Baekyung greeted Jehyun with a pretty smile. Jehyun, engrossed in his phone, raised his eyebrows and looked up at the sound of his voice.

“Hi.”

Hi, that simple greeting always felt good. Baekyung, recognizing his racing heart, greeted Jehyun with a hello.

Today, Shin Jehyun wore a black T-shirt with sleeves reaching his elbows and dark gray shorts. His strong legs extended below the shorts that ended above his knees. His loosely tied sneakers fit perfectly, giving a casual yet thoughtful look.

Baekyung noticed the change in his piercings and smiled. It might be overthinking, but it felt like Shin Jehyun was also conscious of today’s plans, which made him happy.

“Did you change your piercing?”

“Yeah, I thought I’d worn the old one too long.”

Seeing him smile and avert his gaze, it was clear he didn’t want to admit he had dressed up. Pretending not to notice, Baekyung reached out and touched his earlobe. The silver piercing with onyx was already turning his earlobe red.

“This one looks nice too.”

“Really?”

Smiling at the compliment, Shin Jehyun frowned slightly, embarrassed.

Despite his cold appearance, every time Shin Jehyun smiled, Baekyung felt like glaciers were melting and the sun was a step closer to Earth. It was an absurd comparison, but his smile felt like global warming—harmful in many ways.

“Let’s go. I’m hungry. What should we eat?”

“What do you want to eat, Sunbae? I’ll treat you.”

“Baekyung, I should pay for the first meal. You choose. Whatever you want.”

“Then, how about tteokbokki?”

“For breakfast?”

Baekyung didn’t particularly like tteokbokki. He didn’t dislike it, but he could take it or leave it. However, since Shin Jehyun liked tteokbokki, they often ate it when they met.

Shin Jehyun loved high-calorie foods so much that he lit up at the mention of tteokbokki even though he questioned having it for breakfast. Baekyung smiled prettily, thinking about touching Jehyun’s waist, which must have been just skin and bones.

“Sure, I love tteokbokki.”

“Well, if you want it that badly, I suppose we have no choice.”

Jehyun’s eyes sparkled with amusement. His gaze was cold yet kind, making Baekyung feel his mouth go dry. He put a hand on Jehyun’s shoulder.

“Let’s go, then.”

“Okay.”

Jehyun walked as Baekyung pushed him. He was like an obedient cat. Curious to see how far he would go, Baekyung pushed him towards a wall. Jehyun just turned his head and asked why but didn’t resist.

“Oh, I thought I heard a motorcycle.”

“Really? Always be careful in alleys.”

And there he went, worrying about Baekyung again. Smiling without any attempt to hide it, Baekyung looked at him. “Yes,” he responded coyly.

Though Shin Jehyun appeared assertive, he was surprisingly soft-spoken in conversation. Baekyung sometimes thought Jehyun was the one who should be wary of con artists, despite Jehyun always warning him about them.

Thinking Shin Jehyun was endearing, he was suddenly reminded of someone entirely different but with a similar voice—Healer.

Healer had a temper while having a voice similar to Jehyun’s. While Jehyun would brush things off with a smile, Healer would reply sarcastically and pick fights. Though Baekyung acknowledged Healer’s skills, his personality was irritating and tiresome. He was tolerable for only an hour out of ten. If his mentor were someone like Healer instead of Jehyun, they would’ve already had a fight.

Pondering this, Baekyung frowned.

It was unsettling to think of Healer every time he met Shin Jehyun due to their similarities. However, it wouldn’t last much longer. By meeting Healer at the guild meeting on Friday, he would no longer conflate him with Jehyun over trivial similarities.

“How about tteokbokki for two with sundae, tempura, and fish cake?”

Lost in thought, Baekyung realized they had arrived at the tteokbokki place. The owner, familiar with their faces, was already preparing their order.

After a warm meal, they strolled around Korea University and headed to the main gate. The political science club was holding events at the back gate, so they wanted to avoid it. Plus, there were many small shops near the main gate worth checking out.

The Korea University Daedong Festival was a significant local event. The flea market at the main gate attracted students and professional vendors. Standing side by side, Jehyun and Baekyung stopped at a stall selling wool felt figures.

“Baekyung, this one’s cute.”

Jehyun picked up a figure resembling a golden retriever puppy. Smiling amusingly, he held the figure up to Baekyung’s cheek.

“You look like this.”

“…Do I look like a puppy?”

“Yeah.”

Jehyun answered without hesitation. He had said Baekyung resembled a dog before. Am I really like a dog? Feeling slightly crestfallen, Baekyung glanced at the figure, then picked up a black cat figure from the stall.

“You look like this, Sunbae.”

“Hey, I think you resemble this more.”

The vendor, observing them, joined the conversation. He picked up a black jaguar figure and held it next to Jehyun’s face.

“This looks just like you. Cool, huh?”

“Isn’t this too cool?”

Jehyun laughed and shook his head. The sight of Baekyung and the vendor holding up different animals, none of which resembled Jehyun, amused him.

To Baekyung, the jaguar was too fierce. The cat suited Jehyun perfectly. With a slight frown, Baekyung glanced at the vendor and picked up the black cat and golden retriever figures.

“I’ll take these two.”

“The cat and the retriever? Just a moment.”

“What are you going to do with them?”

Jehyun laughed and asked Baekyung. Glancing at the Boss, he added, “It’s useless, you know.”

Baekyung shook his head. Just because the figure resembled him and Shin Jehyun made it valuable. “I’m going to decorate my desk with it,” Baekyung answered, handing money to the Boss.

“Here, ten thousand won.”

But instead of the figure, what he got in return was a plastic bag labeled ‘Wool Felt DIY.’ Baekyung, who wasn’t skilled in such delicate tasks, asked hesitantly,

“…You don’t sell the figures?”

“Those are samples. Just follow the instructions, it’s easy.”

Easy? It didn’t look easy to Baekyung at all. He couldn’t back out now, and as he looked troubled, Jehyun, standing beside him, nudged his back and said,

“Let’s get some snacks and try making it together over there.”

“…Sounds good.”

Though unsure of his skills, Baekyung welcomed the idea of doing it with Shin Jehyun. The weather was nice, and they had plenty of time before the performance, so making the figures together seemed like a great idea. Baekyung smiled and replied, then followed Jehyun.

Korea University’s campus was vast. This allowed it to accommodate many people without feeling crowded. Near the main gate, they even lent out camping chairs and small parasols for visiting residents and students.

“Please return them by 8 PM.”

“Thank you.”

Shin Jehyun and Ha Baekyung handed over their student IDs and borrowed a set of chairs and a parasol. With their hands full of market purchases, they walked to find a quiet spot. They eventually settled on a grassy area far from the outdoor theater.

The lawn leading to the medical school was less crowded than other areas. Being on the opposite side of the campus from the festival, only a few residents seeking solitude, like Jehyun and Baekyung, were there.

“Shall we sit here?”

“Yes, sounds good.”

Sitting down, they enjoyed the warm spring breeze and drank coffee before starting their wool felt crafting. Jehyun chose to make a golden retriever, while Baekyung opted for a black cat. Less than 30 minutes into the project, Baekyung regretted his choice.

It wasn’t easy at all; even shaping the figure was difficult. The felt was limited, and Baekyung’s hands were too big to create a small, cute cat like the one they saw at the stall.

“…….”

The ears were large and flat, the mouth was crooked, the eyes were wild, and the pink nose looked like a bloodstain.

Baekyung stared at the demonic-looking cat he had created with a serious expression. It reminded him of Healer, which made him uncomfortable. As he sat there, Shin Jehyun, focused on making his golden retriever, asked with a stifled laugh,

“Is that a cursed doll?”

“No….”

“Want some of my hair?”

“Sunbae….”

Biting his lip and lowering his eyes, Baekyung’s dejected look made Shin Jehyun burst into laughter. Laughing out loud, he rested his forehead on Baekyung’s shoulder, shaking with laughter for a while before wiping tears from his eyes and saying,

“Why are you so cute?”

“…….”

Expecting to be mocked, Baekyung was taken aback by the heart-fluttering compliment. He felt a warm, tingling sensation inside and bit his lip.

His face flushed with heat. Unable to say anything, he just stared at Jehyun, who, with a now-serious expression, met his gaze.

A strange silence settled between them.

In the distance, the sounds of people laughing and chatting faded away, leaving only the warm spring sunlight to fill the space between them.

Shin Jehyun’s sharp, upward-tilted eyes, often described as fierce by others, always seemed gentle to Baekyung. Perhaps it was because Jehyun always smiled when he looked at Baekyung.

Seeing Shin Jehyun not smiling was a rare sight. Even on the day they first met at orientation, he rarely wore a neutral expression. Though it should have felt unfamiliar, Baekyung didn’t find Jehyun’s expressionless face uncomfortable.

Something new was noticeable. His eyes slanted upward when he wasn’t smiling. He had inner double eyelids. His pupils were really black, his nose was small and cute, and his mouth was relatively small. And….

“Sunbae, you have a mole on your cheek.”

It was so small you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely. It wasn’t even black but rather pink, almost like a tiny burst blood vessel. As if drawn by a spell, Baekyung reached out and touched Shin Jehyun’s cheek. This unexpected touch made Shin Jehyun blush.

“It’s very small and pretty.”

It was Ha Baekyung’s face, smiling brightly, that was truly pretty. Jehyun felt his heart pounding loudly and rolled his tongue inside his mouth. He wanted to say something, but no words came out. He couldn’t take his eyes off Baekyung, who was staring at his cheek as if he were about to kiss it.

I really like him, Jehyun realized anew as he clenched his fists. He resolved to be even kinder to Baekyung, though that resolve wouldn’t last long.

* * *

“Habaek is coming too?”

— Yeah. He’s coming with Jaekyung and Matgom.

“I’ll finally see their faces.”

— Are you excited?

Chu Gaeul chuckled at Jehyun’s comment. She was on her way to his apartment to pick him up, as Jehyun didn’t have a car.

Jehyun had chosen the meeting location, a newly opened resort near the beach in Ganghwa Island. Not many people were attending the meeting. Just the guild master Healer, Boss, Contempt, Sangjae, Matgom, Habaek, the three members who recently joined the guild, and EvenIfYouDieIt’sYourHeal—making a total of nine people.

Except for Nitath and Boss, it was mostly men, but Boss, who had grown up training among men, didn’t seem bothered.

EvenIfYouDieIt’sYourHeal, who had two older brothers, was also quite spirited, saying she didn’t mind as long as it didn’t smell bad.

Contempt, living in the provinces, was taking the shuttle to Incheon Airport, where Boss and Jehyun would pick him up and head to the resort. Nitath and the three newcomers lived in Gyeonggi Province, and they had agreed to bring Nitath along. Matgom and Habaek were coming together in Sangjae’s car.

“Yeah, a little? So when will you arrive, Noona?”

— I’m about a kilometer away, but why is the traffic so bad here? Ugh, annoying.

Boss grumbled. Thinking he should have taken the shuttle to Incheon Airport too, Jehyun shouldered his bag and left home.

“It’s always congested there.”

— Oh, the light just changed. I’ll be there soon. Are you out front?

Having visited Contempt together before, Chu Gaeul knew where Jehyun’s apartment was. Jehyun replied, “No,” and took the elevator downstairs.

“I’ll head to the main road. See you there. Noona, you drive a Cayenne, right?”

— Yeah, see you out front.

“Okay.”

As he walked to the rendezvous point with Boss, Jehyun’s phone vibrated. Smiling, he saw a message from Baekyung.

Baekyung [Sunbae, where are you going?] 12:11

Looking up, he saw someone peeking out from the 14th-floor window. Startled, Jehyun immediately called him.

“What are you doing up there? It’s dangerous. Get down.”

— I saw you when I opened the window. I’m back inside. Don’t worry. Where are you going on a weekend?

“Me, uh….”

He couldn’t tell Baekyung he was going to a guild meeting. Though Baekyung had briefly played La Terre, his perspective was closer to a non-gamer’s. Meeting people from the game might seem strange to him.

Caplet was a significant part of Jehyun’s private life, so he wanted to be careful about sharing it with Baekyung.

After hesitating, Jehyun answered.

“I’m going to see my family.”

Family…. Isn’t that right? A guild meeting was indeed a gathering with the people who shared Shin Jehyun’s second life. It wasn’t a lie. Nodding, Jehyun asked Baekyung in return,

“What about you? What are you doing on the weekend? Staying home?”

— Um, no. I’m going out later. I have an appointment.

“Really? Then have fun, and see you on Monday.”

— Sounds good. Sunbae, have a great weekend with your family.

“Yeah, you too.”

Since the festival, the frequency of phone calls between them had significantly increased. It didn’t feel odd to call each other anytime to chat about trivial things.

After hanging up, Jehyun cooled his slightly flushed cheeks with the back of his hand and smiled. He couldn’t wait for the weekend to pass and to attend classes with Baekyung on Monday.

“Shin Jehyun!”

While walking towards the main road, he saw Boss, Chu Gaeul, waving from the driver’s seat of a parked SUV. Jehyun quickened his pace and got into the passenger seat of Gaeul’s car.

“Didn’t you dress a bit too casually? As the guild master, you should make a speech and all that.”

As he buckled his seatbelt, Chu Gaeul chided him for wearing a hoodie and track pants. Jehyun looked down at himself and shrugged, thinking it was fine.

Then, looking at Chu Gaeul as if she were overreacting, he frowned.

“Noona, are you going to an award ceremony?”

“Hey, I normally wear this!”

“I don’t know this person.”

“The Boss you know is at the PC café~.”

Chu Gaeul, who usually wore T-shirts and track pants in spring and summer, and fleece and track pants in winter, was wearing a dress today. Engaging in light conversation with the unusually dressed Chu Gaeul, Jehyun headed to Incheon Airport.

“Hyung! Hyung! Noona! Hi!”

Contempt, who had taken the shuttle from the provinces, was sitting in front of the Incheon Airport exit, eating ice cream. His white, chubby cheeks were flushed under large round glasses.

With his hamster-like, cute impression and height barely reaching 170 cm, Contempt looked like he was just entering high school. His cheeks, still full of baby fat, enhanced that impression.

“Did you grow taller?”

Jehyun messed up Contempt’s hair and asked. Dodging his hand, Contempt, Shin Jiwoo, climbed into the back seat, pouting.

“Hyung, you promised me ten million gold if you mentioned my height again. Remember?”

“Right, I did say that! Hey, hey! Raid Shin Jehyun’s storage!”

“Me? When did I say that?”

Feigning ignorance, Jehyun widened his eyes and asked back. Laughter filled the car at his innocent act. The three enjoyed their conversation as they headed to the resort.

At that time, Shin Jehyun had no idea whom he would meet there….