VSP 53

“I will go too.”

Cha Dogyeong said that and snatched the phone from Sejun’s hand, then switched it to speaker mode without asking. Ryu Sehyun stayed silent for a while.

Sejun blinked, not understanding the situation.

Wait, Cha Dogyeong and Ryu Sehyun?

…Those two aren’t close at all?

“There’s no reason I can’t go, right?”

Cha Dogyeong saw Sejun’s puzzled look and asked like nothing was wrong.

“Well, that’s true, but…”

There was no real problem. Except for the issue that their connections were all too shallow for the three to meet, there was really nothing wrong. It was even closer to a good meeting that encouraged them to get along.

No, but…

Ryu Sehyun stayed silent on the other end without saying yes or no, and Sejun also stayed silent, so the mood turned awkward. But Cha Dogyeong did not care.

“Then I will take that as settled.”

Then he just hung up the call.

Sejun saw the call end screen and belatedly let out a “Ah…” like a faceless spirit. But soon he grew angry.

“Hey, shit, how can you hang up like that when we haven’t even decided the place?”

“It will be the Association anyway. You have to go get your car too, right?”

…Is that so?

It did not seem entirely wrong, so Sejun made a confused face. Cha Dogyeong hummed a tune as he cleared Sejun’s empty bowl and put it in the sink. He looked in a very good mood.

Even then, Sejun wondered if it was right to drag Cha Dogyeong along to meet Ryu Sehyun. But he realized it was something he could not avoid and sighed.

[This is what they call a trap? If you say “No, we were supposed to meet just the two of us,” then Sejun-nim turns into Super Petty Man.]

“I guess that’s true…”

Even the system clicked its tongue and said that. After he comforted him, gave him alcohol and snacks, hangover cure and chocolate last night, and then bean sprout soup in the morning, it felt wrong to say Sejun could not even do this one thing.

…Come to think of it, I really did receive a lot yesterday.

Thinking that, Sejun stared at Cha Dogyeong, who was getting ready to go out. He noticed his gaze, turned his head and said,

“What are you looking at?”

That one line blew away Sejun’s rising gratitude. This guy really knew how to create a debt with a single word. Sejun twisted his mouth and stood up. One way or another, he had to go to the Association, so he needed to get ready too.

That morning started off a little strange.

They ended up brushing their teeth together, and since Sejun’s clothes were a mess from rolling around yesterday, he put on the clothes Cha Dogyeong had taken out for him. The clothes were a bit loose, so he folded the ends awkwardly and got into Cha Dogyeong’s car.

“Seo Sejun.”

As soon as they passed through the Association entrance, Cha Dogyeong called his name. Sejun turned back at the sudden call and saw him point with his chin at the cafe on the first floor of the Association, looking bewildered.

“Do you want coffee?”

“Yeah, buy me coffee.”

Once you entered the Association entrance, the aroma of beans usually spread. It was because of the franchise cafe on the first floor.

Sejun belatedly realized he was the one who owed Cha Dogyeong coffee.

Without even waiting for Sejun’s answer, Cha Dogyeong headed straight to the cafe .

[He didn’t forget that.]

“…Right.”

Well, it was not a big deal to buy it. Sejun scratched the back of his head and followed.

Neither Sejun nor Cha Dogyeong lacked money, and paying for a drink meant nothing. But the fact that he remembered and brought it up was unexpected. It was not because he was short on money. Both back when he first got the promise and now…

Then Sejun remembered that when he had made that promise, no, when he had been forced into it, it was because he had his pants down in front of Cha Dogyeong. He shook his head quickly. Shit, disgusting memory.

The attention that had followed them since they walked into the Association grew even stronger when it became clear they were not just passing by each other but naturally moving together.

Especially since hunters got a 30% discount there, the cafe was full of hunters. The customers inside and the passersby outside the glass wall all focused their eyes on the two of them.

They soon started whispering.

“What is that? Isn’t that Cha Dogyeong? Why is he with Seo Sejun?”

“Were they close? I don’t think so.”

“Maybe it’s work because of what happened yesterday.”

“If it was work, it should be Ryu Sehyun, not Cha Dogyeong. This is random.”

It was a little different from what Sejun usually heard. Normally, people said “Seo Sejun” like they were watching a zoo monkey, muttering behind his back with hidden ridicule.

This time, it was talk about why Cha Dogyeong was with Seo Sejun.

[Well, I also don’t know why Sejun-nim is with Hunter Cha Dogyeong right now. They must feel the same.]

That’s true. Sejun smacked his lips.

Cha Dogyeong, who usually moved alone, and Seo Sejun, who was also alone but for a different reason, made an unexpected combination to anyone.

Only then did Sejun started asking himself, “But why am I naturally with Cha Dogyeong?”

“…..?”

Now that he thought about it, the fact that he even slept at Cha Dogyeong’s house last night felt very unfamiliar. Of course it did. With Cha Dogyeong? Not only did he go to Cha Dogyeong’s house, but he even slept there?

He drank alcohol that looked expensive at first glance, he got a hangover cure and chocolate, in the morning he even borrowed clothes–though they were a little loose and hurt my pride–and I was even served bean sprout soup. On top of that, he rode in Cha Dogyeong’s car and was carried politely to the Association.

“…?…??”

The more he thought about it, the more it felt like a series of unbelievable things, and Sejun kept tilting his head.

Strange. Why am I with Cha Dogyeong? The fact that he had not noticed anything strange until now and was only realizing it at this moment was shocking.

Me? With Cha Dogyeong?

Well, of course… last night while showering at Cha Dogyeong’s house, he had come to his own conclusion.

Cha Dogyeong is trying to comfort Seo Sejun. Cha Dogyeong is looking out for Seo Sejun.

Only a fool would not see that.

But the question he never solved that day once again coiled up in Sejun’s head.

So, why?

“I’m sleepy.”

But those thoughts quickly vanished when he looked at Cha Dogyeong staring tiredly at the menu with a face that truly looked exhausted.

Whatever the case, it was not a bad thing. For someone who had to complete missions, getting close to Cha Dogyeong was good.

To be very, very slightly more honest, Sejun did not dislike being with Cha Dogyeong. It was surprising but being next to Cha Dogyeong put him at ease.

Of course, when he thought of the hopeless missions, Cha Dogyeong was nothing but suffocating, but at least when he did not have to think about those…

Come to think of it, the cooldown of the sub mission was almost over.

“Why, did you not sleep yesterday?”

Sejun asked while thinking of that, but unexpectedly, Cha Dogyeong glared at him with a look full of irritation.

“You’re really annoying.”

“…..?”

All I did was kindly ask if you didn’t sleep, so why do I deserve this kind of look?

Sejun, who had no idea what kind of crime he might have committed while going to bed last night, felt wronged. But in truth, Cha Dogyeong had practically stayed up all night because of him. He ordered an iced americano.

“Iced vanilla latte and an iced mocha too, please.”

Sejun added two more drinks to the order and handed over his card.

“Why are you ordering two?”

“Oh, one’s for Sehyun-hyung.”

Sejun answered and proudly puffed out his shoulders. This was to say, “look, I am socially skilled.”

“Last time I saw, hyung seemed to like vanilla lattes.”

Sejun recalled the image of Ryu Sehyun enjoying the vanilla latte he had brought before. Since they were meeting now and already at a cafe, it seemed good to buy his too.

“Ah, I see…”

Cha Dogyeong made a subtle face but did not add anything.

When the drinks seemed about to be ready, the two of them stood by the counter waiting.

“All people to hang out with, why Seo Sejun?”

Sejun’s face stiffened as the harsh words pierced his ears. Two hunters sitting in a corner were talking.

“You can hear Cha Dogyeong’s level dropping.”

As if they thought no one could hear, they spoke ill of Cha Dogyeong in low voices too.

Well, if that is attention, then it is attention. I am a superstar.

Sejun knew how to deal with that kind of criticism with composure, but for some reason today he felt like his back was turning cold.

Because there was no way Cha Dogyeong could not hear what reached Sejun’s ears.

He was used to hearing it alone, so that was fine, but he did not like that Cha Dogyeong was hearing people say that about him. Even more, he hated being grouped together and judged like that.

All because of him.