VSP 77

The article’s photo showed Cha Dogyeong and Choi Yerin standing in front of a claw machine.

It was a picture of Cha Dogyeong, dressed formally for some event, playing the claw machine with a serious expression.

Seo Sejun knew one thing about Cha Dogyeong: despite his aura, natural good looks, and protagonist status making him stand out anywhere, he wasn’t the type to enjoy it.

In fact, whenever he had to be the center of attention, he’d wear an uncomfortable, annoyed expression, like he was wearing ill-fitting clothes. He simply accepted it all, knowing his position.

That guy did something so conspicuous? And didn’t stop even as people gathered?

…Just to pull a single doll?

Sejun’s gaze fell on the KuXmi doll sitting as if it belonged there on the living room table.

Somehow, it tickled his insides.

[Sejun-nim came for the sub-mission, but Hunter Cha Dogyeong prepared this surprise.]

“Ugh.”

As if sniping at Sejun, the system’s blunt remark made his chest ache. His conscience was pricked.

After all, Sejun had come to see Cha Dogyeong today because of the mission. While riding back in Ryu Sehyun’s car, the system had notified him that the cooldown for the sub-mission had reset.

So what could he do? He had to meet him.

Now, meeting Cha Dogyeong personally didn’t feel so burdensome to Sejun. He immediately called Cha Dogyeong and made an appointment to meet. It was strange, but he was confident that Cha Dogyeong wouldn’t refuse.

And in the end, just as he had expected, Sejun arrived at Cha Dogyeong’s house again without any particular problems. He looked much more natural than when he first came over claiming he’d cook for him.

How should he interpret this action, him going through the trouble, not really trouble, of getting him a doll he liked, supposedly as a gift, when Sejun had come with a purpose?

After all, whatever it was, Sejun was the one using Cha Dogyeong.

Technically, he’s a victim too.

[Why are you thinking that far ahead? What’s good is good, right?]

“But…”

[Things have been going well lately, right? Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be this smooth.]

The same was true for Sejun. Two people who hadn’t gotten along well, even with the worldview pushing their relationship and the Lucky Love mode fully supporting them, hadn’t they grown quite close now?

So easily, it was almost like they couldn’t recall the past. As if this had always been natural.

Was this also the original author’s influence? Just as Sejun was about to fell into serious thought,

[You two are going to start dating.]

“What?”

His voice cracked as he asked back.

[It makes sense.]

“Dating? Who, who would date?!”

So flustered he choked, Sejun coughed loudly. But the system seemed baffled by his panic.

[You kissed him for no reason last time, right?]

“When… Ah.”

It must be referring to the day he kissed Lee Dohun. He hadn’t kissed Cha Dogyeong that many times.

But Sejun felt wronged about this. No reason? There was a reason.

“That was because that guy was seriously affected by Lucky Love Mode!”

[Lucky Love Mode?]

“Lucky Love Mode went off then!”

He hadn’t actually heard any notification that it had activated, but it made no sense otherwise, so Sejun firmly believed Lucky Love Mode had triggered then.

[Hmm.]

The System, which had remained silent about that incident the entire time, finally opened its mouth, seemingly ready to reveal the truth.

[I’m sorry, but actually, Lucky Love Mode didn’t activate then.]

“……What?”

[Sejun-nim, you were in a very fragile mental state at the time, so I let you believe that.]

Sejun’s jaw dropped. The belated truth stung the back of his head.

……Then what was Cha Dogyeong asking me to kiss him for? ……Wasn’t that obviously Lucky Love Mode kicking in? 

No, then? Then……?

Unless Sejun was an idiot, he knew this was way too much to just brush off as deep male friendship.

But until now, he’d just gulped it down like watered-down tea, telling himself it was because of the mission, because of Lucky Love Mode. Now that he knew that Lucky Love Mode hadn’t activated, he had no idea how to define this.

They weren’t dating, but he wasn’t sure what to call this state of heading towards dating either.

[It seems like you two are in a flirty phase.]

“……!”

The system had hit Sejun right where it hurt.

Flirting.

That’s right. People call that state flirting.

Me and Cha Dogyeong are flirting?

But Sejun immediately shook his head vigorously. He’d just realized a truth that stung the back of his head and was hard to believe, but that was too much of a leap, like drinking too much kimchi soup. What would Cha Dogyeong possibly want from him?

Of course, he had thought about it a little! Something felt kinda tingly with that guy lately! Physical contact had become more natural, and their meetings felt more casual! But couldn’t that really, really just be chalked up to guys becoming close friends?

Sejun conveniently pushed that day’s kiss out of his mind. Thinking about that now would make his head explode.

Because the answer to “Why?” was too obvious. Sejun couldn’t admit it!

Sejun fidgeted nervously, idly fiddling with the remote. He tried to force himself to focus on the aimlessly changing TV channels, but the system wouldn’t leave him be. As if it wanted to remind Sejun of his current situation.

[Visiting your parents, then after work? Going to his place? Naturally staying over.]

“…… I never said I’d sleep over.“

[Hunter Cha Dogyeong seems to think you’ll sleep over. But even without that, anyone can see you’re flirting, right?]

”I’m straight, you know…….”

Sejun offered a feeble protest. Of course, the system didn’t even snort in response.

[You’ve never dated a woman before, have you?]

“Hey, even if I haven’t dated!”

[Number of times dating a woman: 0, Number of times dating a man: 0. Isn’t that the same thing?]

“No, if you put it that way, does that mean every virgin guy is gay?”

[Shall we count by the number of kisses?]

“……!!!!!!”

Critical hits landed one after another. He’d always struggled to outwit the system with words, but today it felt especially overwhelming, and Sejun swallowed his saliva.

While flipping channels, a random TV program happened to be airing the climax scene of a drama. The intensely immersed lead character was delivering satisfying revenge, but Sejun, unable to focus on it, stared blankly and thought.

Am I really flirting with that guy?

Of course, the system’s claim that the main mission would follow smoothly was a huge leap.

He had kissed Cha Dogyeong a few times by chance, and while it felt pretty good, Sejun had always chosen to ignore the main mission rather than seriously consider his relationship with Cha Dogyeong.

What am I doing with Cha Dogyeong?

[It’s a good thing, anyway.]

The system chattered excitedly, completely unaware of the poison it had planted in Sejun.

But Sejun’s heart, which had been racing, gradually grew cold and still as time passed.

“Haa.”

Sejun sighed and swept his bangs back. The hair he’d painstakingly styled since morning collapsed with a single gesture, but he had no time to care.

“That guy’s just under the influence of Lucky Love Mode.”

He was just caught up in the moment, intoxicated by the atmosphere.

Now that the original work’s influence had faded, his resentment toward Sejun would likely lessen. Plus, there was the author’s intended direction, which could have influenced him. And then there was Sejun’s proactive stance about protecting Lucky Love Mode and his hair – he’d probably just gotten swept up naturally.

So that was it.

“It wasn’t real.”

It meant he wasn’t really drawn to Sejun and acting that way.

“……”

Sejun clamped his mouth shut. It was his own conclusion, the most realistic one, yet he couldn’t understand why he felt so down despite being the one who said it.

Just then, Sejun’s phone chimed with a notification: the coffee he’d ordered was almost here.

Just moments ago, he’d been craving coffee so badly, but suddenly his appetite vanished completely. He didn’t want to eat or drink anything anymore.

With a heavy expression, Sejun fiddled with the remote, switching from the drama he wasn’t even following to something else.

[…….]

But, Sejun-nim. The fact that none other than Hunter Cha Dogyeong, pulled the character doll you like has nothing to do with Lucky Love Mode. He just pulled it because he knows you like it.

The system started to say that, but realized Sejun wasn’t in a state to hear it and chose to shut up. Instead, it quietly displayed a list of currently airing TV programs, making it easy for Sejun to find something worthwhile to watch instead of the unnecessarily provocative drama filling his view.

The living room, now devoid of conversation, fell silent in an instant.