#073
“… Do you not like hanok?”
I cautiously asked the people. I thought they would prefer it to tents, but seeing the cold atmosphere… Maybe they prefer something more modern.
‘It even includes a function to warm up on the heated floor.’
In the game, it was just a function to increase health, but in reality, wouldn’t it feel really warm?
Unlike its appearance, it’s a fairly comfortable modern hanok… It’s a building I personally constructed, adding modern functions for convenience while maintaining the hanok atmosphere, but seeing it’s not well-received, I felt a bit deflated.
“No, we’re just surprised at how big it is.”
“Wow, you’re carrying a house around, not a tent.”
“I think it’s better than my own house.”
“Hey, can we go in quickly? I’m tired.”
As I sighed deeply, people burst out with comments. Then they asked me to guide them into the house.
I regained my confidence and opened the main gate to invite people in. I introduced the functions of the rooms and assigned a room to each person. People seemed really tired from sleeping rough and quickly disappeared into their rooms.
We decided to rest for an hour and then gather again to discuss countermeasures, but Shin Haejun, Hyun Dowoon, and Kim Sehyun, looking awkward, remained in the courtyard.
“Aren’t you going in?”
I decided to send away the uninvited guest first and asked Kim Sehyun. He hesitated, looking back and forth between Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon, then closed his mouth tightly and slowly disappeared into his room.
I don’t know why he looked so reluctant to go. He should be grateful I even gave him a room.
‘If it were up to me, I’d kick him out right away.’
I’m really holding back out of human compassion. And whatever his intentions are, it’s probably better to keep an eye on him inside the dungeon for now.
“You use this room, and Center Director, you use this one.”
I assigned rooms for the two of them on either side of my room. Shin Haejun frowned and asked:
“Why is my room separate?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“We could share a room.”
I scoffed at Shin Haejun’s words. We usually live in separate houses, so what nonsense is he talking about? Seeing him glance at Hyun Dowoon as if checking on him, it was clear he was just trying to provoke.
“You’re making a fuss even when given a room. Just go in.”
I said, patting Shin Haejun’s back. Then Hyun Dowoon, with his usual kind eyes, suggested in a deep voice:
“Jaeha, shouldn’t we continue our conversation from inside? And try to find some clues about this situation too. How about we talk for a bit in my room or yours?”
“The conversation from inside?”
“Don’t mind Shin Haejun Esper, it’s just between us.”
Shin Haejun sharply asked about Hyun Dowoon’s words. Hyun Dowoon shrugged and said to Shin Haejun. It was a casual way of associating himself with me while putting up a wall against Shin Haejun.
“Lee Jaeha, what are you talking about? What do you have to say to the Center Director without me knowing?”
“Stop it, you’re making it sound weird. Center Director, you stop too.”
I sighed and stopped both of them. Hyun Dowoon shrugged again with a nonchalant face as if he had done nothing wrong. It was clear to anyone that he was provoking Shin Haejun.
“I need to know too.”
Shin Haejun, who had been quiet and deflated all this time, suddenly glared at Hyun Dowoon with a flaring temper. It’s good that he’s regained his spirit, but it would be troublesome if they started fighting here recklessly.
‘I do need to explain to Shin Haejun about… the skill enhancement and the mercenary system.’
It seemed like Shin Haejun would try to prevent me from being alone with Hyun Dowoon, but if Hyun Dowoon told Shin Haejun first, it was obvious that an awkward situation would unfold.
If I can’t separate Shin Haejun, wouldn’t it be better to tell him now rather than letting him hear it from someone else?
Moreover, if Hyun Dowoon starts blurting out meta comments, that would be troublesome in its own way. As I was pondering what to do, Shin Haejun went straight into my room. It was an attitude that showed his determination not to let me be alone in the room.
“Let’s go in then.”
Hyun Dowoon said to me and followed into the room. I followed, worried about the confusing situation that might unfold.
Shin Haejun, who had entered first, was sitting on the sofa in the living room attached to my room, arms crossed, waiting for Hyun Dowoon and me. His posture made it look like it was his room, not mine.
I looked around cautiously and sat in the center seat between Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon. It was a choice I made after considering the explosive Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon, who was giving me guilty looks. When I sat in the middle instead of next to him, Shin Haejun’s eyes narrowed for a moment.
“First! I have something to explain to Haejun, so please wait a moment.”
I asked Hyun Dowoon. Rather than letting words get mixed up, I thought it would be better if I explained.
“Do as you please.”
Hyun Dowoon nodded with a slight smile. Then Shin Haejun’s hand suddenly appeared in front of me.
“Don’t create a cozy atmosphere just between the two of you.”
I had just looked at his face and spoken, but Shin Haejun growled with a jealous expression again. I sighed, obediently turning to look at Shin Haejun.
“It’s not like that.”
“Anyway. What do you need to explain?”
At Shin Haejun’s question, I pondered for a moment and then sighed deeply again. How could I explain without causing misunderstandings? It was bound to be troublesome.
“First… how would you feel if someone artificially changed your thoughts?”
“What do you mean? Are you talking about something like brainwashing?”
“It’s not quite that… but it’s similar…”
As I spoke uncertainly, Shin Haejun looked at me with a face that showed he didn’t understand at all. Well, that’s to be expected… I don’t think I’d understand with this kind of explanation either.
“You know too. That when I guided you, the efficiency of your skill increased.”
“Ah…”
Shin Haejun nodded at my words.
“Now that you mention it, that’s true. So it was because of your guiding.”
“You didn’t ask because you didn’t know?”
“Well… I wouldn’t have asked even if I knew. I’m too busy looking at you to ask about such things.”
Shin Haejun and Hyun Dowoon, should I say they’re both cool…? I would have been really curious.
I tilted my head and continued explaining.
“Well… I don’t know how to explain this, but do you remember when I first guided you? When we deviated from the formation due to an accident in that S-rank Red dungeon. At that time, I had no choice but to enhance your skill to avoid danger. But to do that… there’s a big side effect. The side effect of… becoming extremely fond of me.”
At my words, Shin Haejun’s face became puzzled, then slowly hardened.
“I… I didn’t know that at the time. It’s the power of my constellation, but they only told me about the side effect later…”
“So all the feelings I had for you were just side effects?”
Shin Haejun spoke with a more intense tone than I expected. I was surprised and looked at him with wide eyes. Is he angry?
‘It’s understandable to be angry. Hyun Dowoon took it too easily…’
It was a terrible thing that someone could artificially change my emotions. I wouldn’t like it either.
I fiddled with my fingers and hung my head low. Then Shin Haejun stood up abruptly and started pacing around the room. He suddenly stopped and said to me.
“No. But I became interested in you when I broke the citron honey. So my liking you has nothing to do with that.”
“Uh…”
Shin Haejun tilted his head with an unsatisfied face and muttered to himself. As I rolled my eyes and looked at him, he clicked his tongue and asked.
“Did you use it on anyone else besides me? Ah, could it be…!”
“Huh?”
“Did you guide the 1st team Esper behind my back? No wonder I thought his gaze towards you was lecherous…!”
“What are you talking about! Nothing like that happened.”
As Shin Haejun spoke with a face exploding with jealousy, I frantically waved my hands in denial. His face then became calm again, but suddenly turned sharply towards Hyun Dowoon.
“Ah, so it was that side’s feelings that were fake.”
Shin Haejun seemed to recall that I was Hyun Dowoon’s pair and thought that Hyun Dowoon’s feelings were artificially created.
“Shin Haejun Esper never says the right thing. My feelings for Jaeha are purely my own. If we’re going by that logic, I felt affection for Jaeha from the moment I first saw him too.”
Shin Haejun smirked towards Hyun Dowoon. Hyun Dowoon then dismissed it with a serious face and a cold voice.
To be honest, even if there was initial affection, it seems the deep intensification of emotions is indeed due to the side effect… But the two of them seemed unlikely to listen to me as they were busy insisting that their own feelings were pure.
‘Still, it’s fortunate that Haejun easily resolved his feelings.’
Suddenly remembering the tragedy of the citron honey, I felt a bit irritated for a moment, but it was fortunate that he concluded his feelings weren’t fake since he had been interested in me since then.
“But why are you telling me this now?”
As I was feeling relieved, Shin Haejun suddenly hit the core of the matter. I blinked and reflexively glanced at Hyun Dowoon. Hyun Dowoon was staring at me without moving, and when our eyes met, he gave a slight eye smile.
“I guess you thought you should be honest with Shin Haejun Esper since you told me the truth. Jaeha is kind like that.”
“Wait a minute. What reason was there to explain this inside? Don’t tell me Jaeha guided the Center Director?”
“That’s right. We had to enhance my skill to get out. But… is that not allowed? Jaeha is a no-pair guide anyway.”
At Hyun Dowoon’s words, Shin Haejun turned his head and stared at my hand. His attitude clearly showed that he was dying to know if I had held hands with Hyun Dowoon.
‘If he knew we did more than that, wouldn’t Haejun try to assassinate the Center Director?’
I had an ominous thought and quietly lowered my hands under my thighs.
“Doesn’t Shin Haejun Esper also guide with Kim Sehyun Guide? Is there any need for such a reaction now?”
“Please be quiet. I’m staying still because of that, you know.”
Shin Haejun coldly cut off Hyun Dowoon’s words. I blinked and looked back and forth between the two of them.
I really hope this stops here…
“Jaeha, aren’t you going to tell him that physical contact is necessary to enhance the skill?”
Hyun Dowoon poured a whole bowl of dry ice into the already chilly atmosphere.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
