#148
I don’t need to go as far as taking responsibility.
Though it was somewhat heavy phrasing, Yoon Pa-ran let it slide lightly. His expression became somewhat sullen at Dan Joo-hyuk’s strange attitude.
His physical condition would improve with rest anyway. Thinking simply, he just wanted to eat quickly and go home to get some more sleep.
Because of that, his steps moved hastily.
“Ugh.”
As soon as he extended his leg toward the stairs, it felt like his waist was giving out. While Yoon Pa-ran was momentarily thrown off balance in surprise, Dan Joo-hyuk lifted his body completely.
“Come here.”
“No…!”
He had just stumbled briefly, and wouldn’t have fallen even if left alone. But Dan Joo-hyuk had already supported Yoon Pa-ran’s bottom with one arm and lifted him forward. It was the same way he would carry Min-woong. His pride had been hurt in various ways since earlier.
“Urgh, put me down.”
“Alright.”
Dan Joo-hyuk replied dutifully but continued striding toward the kitchen. While telling Yoon Pa-ran to be careful on the stairs, he wasn’t even looking ahead, instead constantly rubbing his lips against the side of Yoon Pa-ran’s head.
While Yoon Pa-ran stiffened at that sensation, the dining table approached right in front of them.
“Here, I’ll put you down.”
“…”
As if nothing had happened, Dan Joo-hyuk carefully seated Yoon Pa-ran in a chair. Yoon Pa-ran slightly furrowed his brow at the behavior that had been casually glossed over.
Since earlier, Dan Joo-hyuk’s attitude had been subtly bothering him. It also made him feel very strange.
It seemed that since his physical condition wasn’t at its best, unnecessary things kept irritating him. He needed to eat quickly and go rest.
“Thanks for the meal.”
Yoon Pa-ran briefly thanked him and picked up his fork.
The plate was piled high with thick bacon and scrambled eggs. Smelling the savory aroma made him extremely hungry.
“There’s plenty. Eat as much as you want.”
“…”
Yoon Pa-ran just remained silent as he slowly moved his mouth. He could eat more than what was given, but he had decided to just go back quickly.
The combination of salty bacon and eggs was good. Since it wasn’t a menu he usually ate as a staple, he felt a faint regret that it would be nice to have rice too.
“Seems like you prefer Korean food.”
At that moment, Dan Joo-hyuk muttered in a voice tinged with amusement, as if he had read his mind.
He hadn’t intended to complain about the side dishes, but had he shown it somehow? He was certain he had just been eating silently since earlier.
That bothered him again, so Yoon Pa-ran glanced at his face.
There was a plate in front of Dan Joo-hyuk too, but he hadn’t touched it. With his elbow resting on the table, he was looking at Yoon Pa-ran with his body turned toward him. Because of that, Yoon Pa-ran’s gaze kept going to his clearly exposed upper body.
Unconsciously glancing at his thick muscles, Yoon Pa-ran quickly made eye contact, meaning “just eat your food.”
However, when their eyes met, Dan Joo-hyuk just smiled with his eyes and said something else.
“Next time I’ll make whatever you want to eat.”
Saying he’d cook for him again next time.
In the end, Yoon Pa-ran couldn’t swallow the question that had been bothering him along with his breakfast. It was strange how Dan Joo-hyuk was acting like cotton candy since earlier.
“What’s up with you?”
“What do you mean?”
Something had clearly been off since he woke up, but it was very difficult to express in words.
In the end, Yoon Pa-ran spoke indirectly about this ticklish behavior.
“No, why are you being so… kind?”
Then a sudden ominous feeling came to him.
Surely he’s not planning to do it again?
He stared at Dan Joo-hyuk’s mouth with his guard up. But Dan Joo-hyuk replied with an even more relaxed smile.
“I’m naturally a kind person.”
Hearing that response, Yoon Pa-ran felt strangely deflated.
Despite his very strange choice of words, Dan Joo-hyuk was brazenly insisting. His lips had maintained a mischievous smile since earlier.
Seeing that, Yoon Pa-ran made a comprehensive judgment and turned his attention back to his plate.
“Your shamelessness seems more like your usual self now.”
It seemed he was just being moody again. Since Dan Joo-hyuk didn’t appear to have any particular ulterior motives, Yoon Pa-ran felt quite relieved.
Come to think of it, an additional skill was created yesterday. Given Dan Joo-hyuk’s personality, he had reason to be in a good mood.
Now that he knew the cause, he could empty his plate with a more comfortable mind than before.
“…”
Dan Joo-hyuk observed Yoon Pa-ran’s appearance intently.
He kept worrying about the pale white face that looked tired, as if last night had been too much. Probably the side effects of skill absorption had worsened with the additional skill being created at 90%.
…And he had tormented him excessively too.
Anyway, perhaps because of that, Yoon Pa-ran had shown wariness from the moment he opened his eyes. Even though he deliberately acted more intimate, Yoon Pa-ran seemed suspicious, as if something didn’t feel right.
Conversely, when he deliberately gave an unpleasant answer just now, Yoon Pa-ran’s wariness eased. It seemed like he judged that Dan Joo-hyuk was acting with his usual hidden intentions.
Then was the cause of his wariness that he had been gentle without reason? As he gradually realized this, Dan Joo-hyuk felt peculiar.
Have I been… that much of an asshole all this time?
Well, he didn’t consider himself kind. It wasn’t a matter of conscience, just an objective judgment.
But on the other hand, he was also puzzled. Was he receiving such wariness just for being nice to this extent?
“…”
Suddenly, he recalled Yoon Pa-ran’s frightened look when he visited the orphanage previously. His soft mood subtly sank to the bottom.
Clearly, at first, he had been drawn to Yoon Pa-ran because he wasn’t afraid of him. He had found that part interesting too.
But even recalling it now, it was quite unpleasant to have Yoon Pa-ran fear him.
Enough that he never wanted to see it again.
“Hmm?”
Just then, a faint vibration sound was heard. Yoon Pa-ran, who had been focused on eating, searched his pants pocket and took out his phone.
As soon as he saw the name appearing on the screen, Yoon Pa-ran checked the message without hesitation. Then his expression subtly hardened.
“What’s the message about?”
Dan Joo-hyuk unconsciously asked urgently about that change.
It was a hasty question, even to his own thinking.
“Huh? Oh… Ju-hee says she wants a certain necklace.”
Fortunately, this time Yoon Pa-ran didn’t seem to notice his strangeness.
“She says it looks like this.”
“Ah.”
On the phone Yoon Pa-ran held out, a picture of a necklace had appeared. It seemed the child had attached a photo with her message.
The necklace with a small pendant was ordinary in appearance, if one could call it that.
“She says this necklace is trendy among her friends these days.”
If only the pendant wasn’t a small black crescent.
Dan Joo-hyuk’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at the photo.
“The shape is, unfortunately, like this.”
“Yeah…”
Though it resembled a [■■■ Fragment], Dan Joo-hyuk was familiar with the appearance of the necklace itself.
The necklace that Kim Min-ji was wearing when he met her recently was also that shape.
He had been preoccupied with thinking about the list of jewels to gift Yoon Pa-ran at the time, but Dan Joo-hyuk hadn’t questioned Kim Min-ji’s accessory. After all, there was no strange energy emanating from that necklace.
However, now that Yoon Pa-ran’s younger sister wanted something similar to that necklace, he finally felt cautious. Especially since the pendant looked like that damned stone.
Could this really be a coincidence?
“Well, looking at where they’re sold, they come in various colors. I guess it’s a crescent moon or something.”
Yoon Pa-ran’s following words made sense. The stone might be oddly energized, but its shape was indeed common.
Then Dan Joo-hyuk carefully looked down at the phone, feeling a subtle uneasiness that had been pulling at the back of his head.
“Anyway, thanks for the meal. I’m going.”
While he was pondering, Yoon Pa-ran said brightly and stood up. He had already neatly emptied the small amount of food that was left.
As soon as he realized this, Dan Joo-hyuk’s hand moved instinctively to grasp Yoon Pa-ran’s forearm.
“Eat more.”
“I’m going to sleep right away, so this is enough.”
The refusal was quite firm. It seemed his determination to return home was resolute.
“Then have a cup of coffee before you go.”
“I don’t drink coffee though…”
Trying to hold his forearm without hurting him, Dan Joo-hyuk smiled with his eyes again. However, his insides were quite consumed with anxiety.
Not knowing when the syndrome might attack again.
Not knowing when would be the last time with Yoon Pa-ran.
Thinking like that, strangely, the thirsty feeling wouldn’t go away. He didn’t want to waste unnecessary time either.
“Hmm…”
Moreover, Yoon Pa-ran avoided his gaze awkwardly again. Last time, he had also tried to keep his distance for a while. There was no guarantee that a suitable quest would appear like before.
What should I do?
His gaze suddenly turned to the phone that Yoon Pa-ran was holding. Then, just the right idea came to mind, and Dan Joo-hyuk immediately stood up.
“Wait a moment.”
“Why?”
Without answering, Dan Joo-hyuk headed upstairs. After finding the items he wanted in the equipment storage, he hurriedly returned to Yoon Pa-ran.
Then he suddenly held them out to Yoon Pa-ran, who had sat back down in the chair.
“Tell Ju-hee to wear this instead.”
Although quite different in shape from that earlier photo, it was a necklace suitable for a child to wear.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
