VSP 180

Hangyeol turned his gaze. He saw Lee Dohun, who had dropped his snack and was as stiff as a rock.

“Hey.”

Lee Dohun, who had been spacing out through the conversation, finally regained his senses, startled by the call.

“Looks like I’m ahead of you.”

Even after hearing that, Lee Dohun couldn’t shake the stunned look off his face for a while.

But true to his reputation as a guy with decent comprehension, he soon understood the situation, and his face flushed red and blue.

Hangyeol chuckled upon seeing his genuinely pissed-off expression. But before Lee Dohun could retort, everyone returned to their seats simultaneously, leaving him no way to vent his frustration.

As dinnertime approached and word came that Dogyeong was almost there, Sejun began finishing up the meal, which was already about 80% complete.

As soon as Cha Dogyeong arrived, he immediately offered a bribe to the homeowner, Na Yookyung. The latter gave a bright smile when she saw the luxurious black packaging. Judging by the look of it, it was alcohol.

“Oh, are you crazy? This is something that’s hard to even find in local shops these days, how did you manage to get your hands on it?”

“There’s always a way to get things.”

Cha Dogyeong, who had walked in with a smug grin, naturally wrapped his arms around Sejun’s waist as he focused on cooking.

“What are you planning to make for us today?”

Since this happened so often at home, Sejun didn’t find it particularly strange. Instead, he leaned his back against Cha Dogyeong’s chest naturally, saying, “Oh, you’re here?”

“Well, well.”

Na Yookyung shook her head, amused that they weren’t even trying to hide it anymore, while Yerin, startled, looked around.

Sejun gasped and belatedly pushed Cha Dogyeong away, but he’d already been seen by everyone.

The atmosphere turned grim in an instant.

Oh, really.

Yerin sighed upon noticing the suspicious glances from the men around her.

Among the men, Cha Dogyeong looked pleased, Sejun was sweating nervously, and only Jung Siwoo was staring in that direction with a face so shocked his eyes were about to pop out of their socket.

To create this whole situation with a single simple action, Cha Dogyeong was quite the troublemaker.

Yerin clicked her tongue and silently conveyed her thoughts to Yookyung.

“Yookyung-unnie, it’s hopeless. The day you idealize, where ‘everyone gets along perfectly’, will never come.”

Crack.

Just then, thunder and lightning roared from the sky, which had been filled with dark clouds since morning.

It was a day with absolutely perfect weather, as if to commemorate their first full-group gathering, which was sure to be chaotic from now on.

***

One day, in the middle of winter, Sejun opened his eyes groggily to the sound of his alarm.

“……Ugh.”

Maybe because he’d been rolling around in bed with Cha Dogyeong all night, his whole body ached as if he’d been beaten up.

That bastard should’ve considered his own size, no matter how sturdy I am, especially since he’s as big as a bear himself…

Struggling to get out of bed, Sejun eventually gave up on sitting up and stretched out flat on his back. Cha Dogyeong, who had said he had something to do today, had left the house first thing in the morning.

With nothing else to do but check his phone, Sejun checked his messages first, then habitually skimmed the news, and his eyes widened in surprise.

[‘Asura Killer’ Seo Sejun Makes Headlines Again with Fan Community Launch]

[Seo Sejun’s Fan Community Launched! Fans Gathering Faster Than Summoned Beasts]

[Seo Sejun to Communicate Directly with Fans Through Fan Community]

“……Huh?”

What just happened?

Thinking it might be a joke, he searched online and found that a Seo Sejun fan online community actually existed. It had only been up for a day, yet it already had a whopping 50,000 members!

A fan community, the only one missing among the S-rank stars, had finally been created. It was right there in plain sight. The anti-fans who pretended to be fans no longer mattered.

However, Sejun, who felt a little nervous at first, soon smirked.

“Huh, what’s the big deal now?”

Sejun wasn’t the Sejun of the past who would get worked up over every little thing like this anymore. If it’s here, it’s here, that’s all.

[Sejun-nim.]

“Ugh.”

[Why don’t you do something about that smile on your face?]

At the system’s mocking voice, Sejun belatedly realized he was grinning.

“Ah, I wasn’t smiling, okay?”

[I’m sure you weren’t.]

“I’m serious!”

After spouting excuses that wouldn’t hold water to the system, Sejun realized his mistake and picked up his phone again.

He wanted to call Cha Dogyeong right away to brag – no, to share the news – but worried that calling while he was working might be a distraction, so he decided to just send a text saying, [I got a fan community?]

“Hehe.”

How long had it been since he’d argued with the system? After rolling around on the bed for a while, giggling to himself, Sejun soon realized he didn’t have much time and tried to get up.

“Ouch.”

But the moment he stood up, he winced at the sharp pain in his lower back.

“Aaah, Cha Dogyeong…”

Naturally, there was only one culprit. Sejun, who had been calling Dogyeong’s name as desperately as a victim’s scream, finally managed to get up from the bed after a long while.

Lately, Cha Dogyeong had been sleeping over at Sejun’s place almost every day. Needless to say, he didn’t just sleep there. Every single day, they’d been tangled up together on the bed.

He didn’t mind it, but lately, Sejun had been thinking, “If we’re going to be doing this anyway, wouldn’t it be better to just move in together?”

Cha Dogyeong’s belongings were gradually increasing in his house, and conversely, Sejun’s belongings were piling up at Cha Dogyeong’s place as well.

At least, it had reached a point where neither of them felt uncomfortable about suddenly spending the night at the other’s house.

So, naturally, the idea of moving in together came to mind.

……How long have we even been dating? Would it be overkill to suggest moving in together? Cha Dogyeong doesn’t seem like the type to object. But then, what would I tell my parents? Is it common for friends to live together? Neither of us is short on money, but I don’t think they’d find it strange.

[Sejun-nim, stop overthinking and get ready. You’re going to be late.]

“Ah.”

At the system’s prompt, Sejun realized he had no time to waste and hurried into the bathroom to wash up.

When he came out, he found a few messages on his phone. They were from a group chat created and invited by the people he was meeting today.

[Choi Yerin: Oppa, you’re awake, right?]

Worried that Sejun might not have woken up yet, she asked kindly. When he replied that he was awake, another message arrived immediately.

[Pretty Yookyung-noona♡: I heard Sejun got a fan community. Congrats!]

[Choi Yerin: Oh, right, I saw the news too. Congrats!]

Huge congratulatory emojis filled the chat window. Sejun scratched the back of his head.

Today was the day he was supposed to meet Choi Yerin. He’d casually suggested they grab a meal sometime, so he’d worried she might have forgotten, but as soon as their busy schedules cleared up, Yerin had set the date without hesitation.

‘What? That gathering last time? That was a group thing, what does that have to do with our plans? Oppa, are you still uncomfortable around me? Do you hate me?’

…How could he possibly nod his head when she said that? Completely overwhelmed by her momentum, Sejun shook his head and shouted, “No!” Before he knew it, the plans had been set to include Na Yookyung as well.

Na Yookyung remembered her earlier offer to join them and insisted she’d come too. With no valid reason to refuse, Sejun agreed, and just like that, the group was formed and the plans were set.

It wasn’t Sejun who came up with that name for Na Yookyung.

‘What’s this, Na Yookyung-noona? You’re so heartless.’

She had nagged him for ages, asking what “Na Yookyung-noona” was supposed to mean, and then changed her name to that.

It was so awkward every time he saw it that he felt like he was going to die, but it didn’t actually bother him that much. Sejun quickly replied to the barrage of congratulatory messages.

[Seo Sejun: Thanks]

A group chat with acquaintances? Finding it strangely fascinating, Sejun fiddled with his phone, but then the system’s sigh sounded again.

[You’re late. I’m not responsible anymore.]

“Ah.”

Now he really didn’t have time to look at his phone. Sejun quickly washed up, got in his car, and drove out onto the street.

The brunch cafe where he was supposed to meet the two women was crowded, even though it was a weekday.

[It feels like things are finally getting back to normal.]

“Yeah.”

For a while, the whole world had been in a gloomy mood. The atmosphere had been particularly somber in Korea because Asura had appeared, but time heals all wounds, and he could feel that the overall mood had improved significantly.

Sejun walked into the cafe with a solemn expression, his hat and mask pulled down tightly over his face, but he felt embarrassed when he saw the two hunters sitting right in the middle of the spacious cafe, laughing heartily with their faces completely uncovered.

“What’s with you? Are you a celebrity or something?”

“No, it’s not that I’m a celebrity… shouldn’t you guys be the ones covering up?”

Sejun grumbled at Na Yookyung’s scoffing remark, but it fell on deaf ears.

Thinking it was ridiculous that he was the only one wearing them, Sejun took off his hat and mask, causing the murmuring around him to grow louder.

Although hardly anyone reacted negatively to seeing Sejun anymore, just like in the past… perhaps out of habit, he found himself tensing up, but Yerin spoke up with a smile.

“I made the reservation, so I’ll treat. Pick whatever you want.”

“Ooh, Yerin is the best!”

Since they both made good money, Na Yookyung opened the menu with a beaming smile and placed their order.

He’d wondered if this group would feel awkward, but the atmosphere was great. He felt more relaxed with this group than he did when he met with Choi Hangyeol and Lee Dohun.