Earth Hero’s Retirement Project 44

In that brief moment, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Since when did they become so close?

Ah, right—it started with Lee Sang-jo. Ever since Moon Tae-young opened up his home back then, he’d become significantly more tolerant. Cha Eui-sung would barge into his workplace uninvited, but Moon Tae-young never chased him away; they even began sharing casual conversations now and then.

Looking back, although the incident was worth causing, the way their friendship had suddenly progressed afterward was somewhat baffling.

The gauge increased by more than 10% after that.

Where exactly is the boundary between affection and romantic interest towards someone close?

No matter how emotionally attached one becomes, if you fail to cross that line, relationships inevitably diverge.

As Cha Eui-sung gently covered Moon Tae-young’s mouth, who had clearly drunk too much, he quietly speculated. Given the system desired them to be lovers, mere friendship wouldn’t have moved the gauge.

Thinking back, there had been an oddly long stagnation period lasting several weeks, stuck around the early 20%. That stagnation had ultimately pushed Cha Eui-sung into devising his extreme plan involving Lee Sang-jo.

Ah.

He began noticing what he’d missed before. Back then, what had Moon Tae-young thought of his neighbor, who kept persistently lingering around him?

Cha Eui-sung’s repeated efforts to approach him, openly expressing a desire to grow closer, might’ve been interpreted as romantic interest.

If so, then perhaps the gauge’s increase after Lee Sang-jo’s incident reflected a shift in Moon Tae-young’s feelings…?

“Huh?”

He’d spent too long lost in thought. Despite the amount he’d consumed, Moon Tae-young still had some lucidity, enough to gently grasp Cha Eui-sung’s hand that was pressing against his lips.

Yet, he couldn’t quite push him away either, freezing once more as he softly held onto the hand.

The warm breath grazing his fingertips tickled, heating up Cha Eui-sung’s own body as well. An indescribable sensation began stirring deep inside his chest.

He hadn’t noticed at the time due to his panic, but maybe this was exactly the same atmosphere as when he’d fallen asleep in Moon Tae-young’s living room?

Yet, you still came to meet me again.

Had he perhaps been overly focused on maintaining just a friendship all this time? Moon Tae-young’s eyes didn’t show only confusion right now.

Since he was sharp and perceptive, he might have even noticed Cha Eui-sung subtly pressing close throughout the movie.

If so, then this strangely charged atmosphere had existed since earlier…

Wait, is this actually an opportunity?

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Cha Eui-sung’s ears flushed hot. A strange ache spread through his chest, and the warmth transferred through his hand gave him goosebumps.

R-right, this is good. I can’t keep pulling another Lee Sang-jo every time I need to raise the gauge.

Honestly, he knew how to avoid situations like these, but not how to progress them.

Still, an unfamiliar desire surged within him. With trembling eyes, Cha Eui-sung cautiously leaned forward.

His heated breath hovered tantalizingly close to Moon Tae-young’s lips.

He worried briefly that the approach was too sudden, but if this worked, the gauge would easily explode upwards.

His heart pounding wildly must’ve been due to anticipation for the future. Farewell messages to Cheongseri and the damn System Admin were already springing up like a prompt in his head.

Goodbye, Cheongseri. Goodbye, you bastard System Admin. After this, I’ll leisurely melt down the gauge to 100% and build a world just for myself…!

But, as expected, the Demon King wasn’t that easy.

“Ah…?”

Suddenly, Moon Tae-young’s hand rested firmly against Cha Eui-sung’s chest. Before he could nervously swallow, that strong hand gently pushed him back.

Their faces, nearly touching, slowly drifted apart.

“Moon—”

“I’m sorry.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected apology, Cha Eui-sung’s unfinished words scattered into nothingness. The peculiar hesitation flickering in Moon Tae-young’s eyes gradually vanished.

“This… doesn’t seem right. Am I correct?”

Slowly lowering Cha Eui-sung’s hand, he carefully moved away.

His movements were like someone cautiously trying not to startle a wild animal.

As Moon Tae-young stood from the sofa, brushing off his damp pants, Cha Eui-sung desperately tried to process the situation with his frozen brain.

It didn’t take long to comprehend the firmness behind Moon Tae-young’s apology.

Soon, a stinging sensation hit him like a blow to the back of the head.

He had no idea exactly where things had gone wrong, but…

Did I… just get rejected?

Badum. It felt as if someone was striking a drum beside him. Dizziness surged instantly.

Was he mistaken about Moon Tae-young’s response?

Maybe Moon Tae-young had simply been startled by their proximity, and he’d misread it out of desperation?

But replaying the scene with his dazed mind, anyone could tell the atmosphere had been undeniably ambiguous. Unless he was blind, he couldn’t have misread it.

Moon Tae-young’s expression had clearly shown desire and excitement.

But then, why…?

Cha Eui-sung, with a stunned expression, turned toward Moon Tae-young, who was silently preparing to leave.

For some reason, he instinctively knew he couldn’t let him go.

“Why?”

Asking the reason right after being rejected stung unbearably, but he felt certain that if they parted like this, it’d be hard to even see Moon Tae-young again anytime soon.

“Why isn’t it right?”

Cha Eui-sung urgently approached and grabbed Moon Tae-young’s arm, gritting his teeth at the conflicted look on the other man’s face.

“Am I not good enough?”

“That’s not it.”

“Honestly, don’t you find me handsome? Oh, maybe because I’m a man—?”

“Cha Eui-sung-ssi.”

If it wasn’t that he disliked him, then why reject him? Had he moved too fast?

But considering the recent events, this timing wasn’t strange either.

Moon Tae-young had also clearly shown interest—it wasn’t just Cha Eui-sung getting carried away.

Cha Eui-sung had only realized a couple of days ago that his relationship with the Demon King could even become romantic, but Moon Tae-young must’ve felt it earlier.

Yet, to abruptly push him away after deliberately drawing him in… Cha Eui-sung narrowed his eyes sharply.

“I need to know the reason. That’s only fair.”

If he hadn’t initially approached due to his skill, this would’ve been humiliating. Moon Tae-young getting drawn in as well, then retreating like this—it wasn’t right.

Moon Tae-young sighed without pulling away his captured arm. He’d created this ambiguous tension himself—Cha Eui-sung felt desperate enough to want to pry open his head and peek inside.

An awkward silence lingered between them for a long while. When Moon Tae-young finally broke it, his words were completely unexpected.

“Cha Eui-sung-ssi, do you know my age?”

“Your age…?”

“We’re seven years apart.”

He already knew that. He’d thoroughly investigated early on, so unless he’d missed something crucial…

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to do this to you.”

“…Excuse me?”

Cha Eui-sung was stunned speechless by the absurd reason. When he stared blankly, Moon Tae-young’s expression was absurdly serious.

Cha Eui-sung stared at him with distant disbelief, unsure even where to begin with that strange excuse. How was he supposed to accept this?

Beyond the seven-year gap, Cha Eui-sung was actually a regressor. Counting his previous lives, he was essentially Moon Tae-young’s uncle’s age.

Granted, having returned as a twenty-two-year-old, he’d occasionally acted impulsively and pitifully around Moon Tae-young. But he hadn’t expected to be treated this childishly.

Cha Eui-sung sent him an incredulous look, and Moon Tae-young softly removed Cha Eui-sung’s hand. Facing Moon Tae-young’s composed expression, he felt a strange wall rising between them.

“I’m a bit drunk too, so I’ll leave for today.”

He should stop him. But Cha Eui-sung couldn’t think of anything to say as he watched Moon Tae-young depart. He bit his lip silently.

***

“Hahaha… Fuck, seriously.”

When a person truly loses all sense of absurdity, words just stop coming. Cha Eui-sung lay half-dazed in his empty house, staring blankly at the ceiling.

For a while, his mind refused to function properly, as if someone had stolen his very soul.

That bastard really was attracted to me, though.

That was the only coherent thought he managed to grasp, a desperate attempt to cling to some shred of hope.

Since when? Really from the early 20% range?

If that were true, it wasn’t merely a recent thing—it meant this had been building for much longer, overflowing with possibility.

But the thing that blocked them was merely age.

Don’t tell me he’s been conscious of our age gap every single time we met? By himself, going like—fuck, he’s seven years younger than me… every damn time?

Maybe the dizziness made him delirious because, for a fleeting moment, Cha Eui-sung almost found it cute. It had been quite some time since he’d met someone with such clear moral boundaries.

And that person was the Demon King, of all people.

“Haha… hahaha….”

That peculiar, troubled expression Moon Tae-young always wore when they grew closer—was that damned face an indication of guilt all along?

No wonder he’d repeatedly approached, then hesitated, always putting on the brakes at the last second.

Moon Tae-young had probably spent a considerable amount of time silently counting those seven years. Twenty minus seven equals thirteen. When Moon Tae-young had been drinking, Cha Eun-sung had still been around Park Chansol’s age…

Just imagining the calculation sent him spiraling into reality shock, especially since Moon Tae-young was a teacher on top of that.

Right… Twenty-two was really that young. Well, I can kind of understand…

Having regressed twice had thoroughly messed up his sense of age. Even so, he wondered if he truly deserved to be punished to this extent.

Cha Eui-sung suppressed the urge to roll his eyes into the back of his head and glanced at the floating gauge.

[SAVIOR GAUGE]
■■■■■■■□□□
□□□□□□□□□□
35%

No wonder the gauge had suddenly stalled again, despite their rapidly closing distance. If the gauge’s ultimate goal was to push him and Moon Tae-young into a lovestruck, inseparable relationship, overcoming this stage was inevitable to progress further.

A romantic relationship.

Cha Eui-sung stretched his arm out and lightly stroked his wrist. The feel of Moon Tae-young’s touch, the warmth of his breath brushing so close—he hadn’t disliked it at all.

Frankly, if things continued naturally, he felt he could go as far as it took him. Touching Moon Tae-young’s face had actually felt quite pleasant.

Now, all that remained was for Moon Tae-young himself to make up his mind. This stalemate couldn’t be allowed to drag on any longer.

Author: Levia