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* * *
“Hyung, shouldn’t you go to the hospital?”
When Doun opened his eyes in the morning, Samin poured out his worries chattering away. While the first time could be understandable, he was worried because Doun had lost consciousness twice during sex.
“Why are you telling me to go to the hospital? Are you saying I should ask a doctor what the problem is when I keep fainting while having sex with my boyfriend?”
Doun looked at the guy clinging to his side and whining with an incredulous expression.
“And yesterday I was already in poor condition from when we came home because I was dizzy from potion side effects.”
“What? Why are you only telling me this now! You should have said that yesterday when I was being all over you!”
Samin flailed about and widened his eyes. His handsome face suddenly became fierce. Doun flinched in surprise and muttered.
“What’s the big deal about being dizzy…… I won’t die from something like that, man.”
Samin was at a loss for words at the nonchalant response. He looked like a doll that should be carefully treasured with handling-with-care stickers plastered all over him, but sometimes his actions were like a tough guy who deserved a slap.
Though Samin loved even the charm that came from that contrast, he thought this tendency to not take his own condition seriously was problematic.
‘Even if it’s our honey, I can’t just let this slide.’
Samin, who had made up his mind firmly, settled on the sofa and patted the spot next to him.
“Hyung, sit down for a moment. Let’s have a serious conversation.”
At his suddenly serious attitude, Doun obediently sat next to Samin. They had started dating somewhat haphazardly, and it was true that he had been frustratingly stubborn about various things, so Samin probably had a lot to say. It seemed better to address things properly while they had the chance.
He was sitting with a very tense expression when he heard a completely relaxed, dopey voice.
“Seriously, whose boyfriend listens this well?”
For a moment, Doun blinked blankly.
‘The guy who said we should talk seriously is suddenly being all lovey-dovey?’
He wondered if he had fallen for Samin’s strange antics again. When Doun glared at him with a surging expression, Samin cleared his throat as if finally realizing his mistake.
“Ah, no. That’s not it. Ahem…… Hyung, if your body hurts, you need to tell me so I’ll know.”
“I really told you it was nothing serious.”
“Potion side effects aren’t something serious?”
He had been eloquent while forcibly swallowing and hiding blood welling up inside.
“If I tell you about every trivial thing in detail, you’ll get tired. And you know that headaches from side effects really aren’t a big deal.”
“The problem is that I attacked hyung without knowing you were dizzy.”
“It’s fine since I said I was okay.”
“Haah…… Honey. Think about it from my perspective. What am I but a bastard who stripped someone sick and made them cry?”
Samin pouted his lips in frustration. Seeing him sigh deeply while protesting, he seemed genuinely sorry and upset.
‘Samin is good in every way, but he seems to think too much centered around me. It’s not that I dislike it, but……’
He didn’t know how much strength he drew from Samin’s affection. Before sleeping, he always thought he wanted to live with Samin for the rest of his life if possible—that’s how much he liked Samin. But on the other hand, he often strongly felt that Samin was being too considerate and caring only for him.
“I’m not criticizing you, Samin. Listen.”
“……What.”
To Samin, who was glaring with a sulky attitude, Doun slowly refuted each point just as Samin had done to him.
“I was the one who took off my clothes to shower. Right?”
“……”
“Hyung is asking, so you should answer.”
“……Yes.”
“So saying you stripped someone sick is wrong.”
“……”
“And about crying yesterday……”
Doun’s pretty face briefly contorted. It seemed like an expression of forcibly holding back embarrassment, and also like he was troubled.
“I cried because I felt too much……”
Perhaps thinking it wasn’t something to say while making eye contact, his eyes looking toward Samin’s shoulder area trembled greatly.
‘Are you crazy, Lee Doun. You’re determined to kill someone from the morning.’
Samin looked at his embarrassed lover, speechless in disbelief. He wanted to strip him and devour him right away, but he couldn’t torment someone who had been dizzy from potion side effects from the morning.
“……So you’re saying yesterday wasn’t overdoing it?”
“Yeah.”
Doun quickly nodded at Samin’s summary of his words in one sentence. Then Samin, who sighed deeply, rubbed his face and said.
“From now on, let’s talk first whenever something bothers us. I hate it most when we don’t talk to each other, let things pile up, and then suddenly have a falling out.”
“Is that from experience?”
Doun asked with narrowed eyes in an attitude that could be jealousy or suspicion.
“Not from experience, but I’ve seen too much of this around me. Got it? Hyung. Let’s make sure to talk a lot and not let misunderstandings pile up between us. As much as possible.”
Samin leaned his head on Doun’s shoulder. The scent of shampoo brushing his nose and the subtle warmth made his heart feel cozy for no reason.
“Since we’re talking, don’t you have anything to say to me? Like you didn’t like it when I acted frustratingly or something like that.”
Doun decided to take advantage of this good atmosphere to fix his shortcomings as seen by Samin. He thought maybe then he could stay by Samin’s side even a little longer.
“I do have complaints, but if I tell you, hyung will hate it.”
Samin answered in a reluctant voice. He might have thought Samin would be gushy and say there was nothing like that, but Doun was more reassured by his honest answer.
“No. If it’s something I can fix, I’ll try to fix it. Tell me.”
The moment he swallowed his saliva and tensed up to accept his shortcomings that Samin would tell him.
“Please stop being so cool. And that hopelessly pretty face too, it’s hard every morning when I see it. Do you know your sleeping habits are gradually changing? You used to sleep without moving at all, but since sleeping with me, you’ve been sneaking into my arms. Hyung doesn’t know how many times I have to take care of myself in the bathroom every morning…… Ack! Why are you hitting me!”
Even trying to listen quietly, he couldn’t stand it. He asked for shortcomings but Samin was being lovey-dovey. Doun struck Samin’s thigh and exploded in frustration.
“Do you always have to talk nonsense like this when someone is asking you seriously?”
“But what can I do when there are no shortcomings? I was afraid you’d think I wasn’t interested if there were none, so I squeezed something out, and you’re scolding me!”
Samin had slight tears in his eyes as if his thigh really hurt from being hit.
‘Huh. Did I hit too hard?’
His hand hesitated in the air. He worried whether he was hitting and scolding Samin too often. It was true that he had become comfortable with Samin as they grew closer. But this kind of behavior wouldn’t look good.
“……Sorry. I did that because I was embarrassed.”
Doun apologized while looking down. Then Samin slyly presented his cheek.
“If you’re sorry, apologize with a kiss. Then I’ll forgive everything.”
To forgive everything with just one kiss after getting hit. It couldn’t be anything but a profitable deal. Doun glanced around and sneakily gave him a kiss. As the lips that made a smacking sound separated, Samin grinned.
‘Really, being so soft. This is trouble.’
Just as Samin was wiping his tears slyly and about to lie down with his head on Doun’s lap to cause mischief.
Flash!
A loud notification window appeared in his vision.
[Veritas Tower 60th Floor has been conquered for the first time. May luck accompany your amazing journey. Conquering country: United States of America on Earth]
“Huh?”
Doun’s eyes widened. Samin was also frozen with his head on Doun’s thigh, only rolling his eyes.
[Alert: Some system functions will be added due to Earth’s first conquest of the 60th floor.]
[Alert: Special floors that can be used for individual duels are opened. Points will be awarded for victories in duels, and points can be exchanged for items at specific shops.]
[Alert: Starting from the current time, the top 3 in national leaderboard rankings will be granted ‘Duel Opponent Priority Nomination Rights’.]
[Alert: Potions and artifacts available for regular purchase in the Hunter Shop will be modified.]
[Alert: By the authority of the Veritas Administrator, errors within the Veritas System will be collected.]
After the United States, called the frontrunner in Veritas Tower conquest, succeeded in conquering the 60th floor, the same notification appeared before the eyes of all those awakened as hunters worldwide.
The tower, which unlocked some functions every time the first conquest of floors in units of 10 succeeded, had opened training floors for practice when the 50th floor was conquered for the first time in the world most recently.
“Hyung.”
Doun looked down intently at Samin looking up at him. When their eyes met, his eyes seemed to narrow slightly, then Samin asked:
“Did you receive the nomination right?”
“……Yeah.”
Doun glanced at the alien information window that appeared over the dizzying notification window.
[Duel Opponent Priority Nomination Right (L)]
[Duel Opponent Priority Nomination Right granted by the Veritas Tower Administrator. Opponents nominated with this item cannot refuse. However, it can only be used on hunters from the same country.]
He didn’t even know exactly how the duel system worked, but an item that could nominate opponents had come into his hands. Moreover, according to the notification window, it was an item of which only three existed in Korea. It was only given to those ranked 1st to 3rd on the leaderboard as of the current time.
Doun stared blankly at the notification window sparkling before his eyes.
A duel. Ridiculously, seeing this item, only one person came to mind. Someone he wanted to beat up thoroughly if they met. It was a stale bad relationship that started after the Veritas System appeared. So it was time to cut it off using the item the system had gifted.
The moment Doun used the item without hesitation and nominated his target precisely.
[Alert: ‘Magnetic (S)’ of Republic of Korea on Earth has used ‘Duel Opponent Priority Nomination Right (L)’ to nominate an opponent. Opponent: Timer (A)]
At the text that appeared before his eyes, Samin inhaled sharply, and Doun was smiling silently.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
