EFME 16

Even though he didn’t want to be separated from Muyoung… Muyoung was already dressed and ready for Bada’s arrival. Sunyul disappointedly saw Muyoung off.

“Please be careful on your way back.”

“Yeah. You be good. If Lee Bada bullies you, go and tell Kim Jaehoon.”

“I don’t bully him, you know?”

Bada grumbled openly. After sending Muyoung off, Sunyul followed Bada downstairs.

“Do you know there are bad rumors about you and Kwon Muyoung?”

“I know.”

As soon as they were alone, Bada started picking a fight, and Sunyul answered in a listless voice. Bada raised an eyebrow as if in disbelief.

“You know?”

“You’re getting hate for no reason because of me. I’m so sorry…….”

“So you do know.”

“…….”

He knew, but it was still upsetting. As Sunyul became sullen, Bada’s face crumpled into a scowl.

“Don’t make that pitiful face.”

Sunyul tried hard to compose his expression as if nothing was wrong. However, since he had little talent for faking expressions, all he could manage was a pathetic look of someone trying their best to cheer up.

“Ha…….”

When Bada sighed, Sunyul flinched noticeably. In the end, Bada clamped his mouth shut.

He didn’t feel good. It felt like he was bullying the weak. Although, to just call him weak, there were many suspicious things about him. He was the guy who came out of an EX-class box.

‘Shouldn’t he have some kind of grand ability then?’

Slightly stronger regeneration and the ability to speak languages fluently. Besides that, he was a mysterious being who had never shown any other special abilities.

It would be easier if he could just be hostile, but he couldn’t because Muyoung was so protective of him. Plus, with that pretty face of his, to a third party, it would probably look like he was the villain.

Displeased, Bada went down to the floor where his office was.

At Sunyul’s appearance, gazes poured in from all directions. Since Sunyul usually followed Muyoung and stayed in the guild master’s office, he had little exposure. Therefore, even for a Cheongyeon guild member, there weren’t many chances to see Sunyul.

Tense, Sunyul followed Bada. Bada strode into his office. As soon as he came inside and closed the door, Sunyul let out a small sigh of relief.

“Sit and rest. I have some work to do.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Sunyul sat on the sofa and started a game on his smartphone. Seeing him focused on the cute game, Bada let out a slightly dumbfounded chuckle and started his work.

About 10 minutes into his work, someone knocked. The person who came in was the support team leader.

“Hunter-nim, I’m here to consult with you about something.”

“What is it?”

He thought the team leader had come in person because something major had happened, but it was a smaller issue than expected. Thinking he had come for such a trivial matter, Bada handled the task and sent the team leader away.

And when about four more people had visited at 20- to 30-minute intervals, Bada figured out the true purpose of their visits. Their purpose wasn’t work. They were using work as an excuse to see Sunyul.

“If you want to look, just come and look. This is so annoying.”

“Ah, is that okay?”

“Are you really going to?”

“I’m curious…….”

“If you were so curious, you should have just gone to the guild master’s office to look……. Do I look like a pushover?”

The guild member flinched at Bada’s fierce words. Bada kicked out the guild member who had come with a ridiculous question, warning him never to enter with such pointless matters again.

After the employee left, Bada turned back to Sunyul. Unhappy about being made into a zoo monkey, Sunyul’s expression wasn’t very good.

Of course, whether Sunyul was gloomy or not was none of Bada’s business.

“…….”

But why was he bothered by it? Like a stubborn piece of gum, the thought of Sunyul was stuck to a corner of his mind and wouldn’t come off.

“Agh.”

Bada scratched his head roughly and shot up from his seat. At the sudden movement, Sunyul’s eyes widened as he stared at Bada. No matter how you looked at him, he looked pretty and harmless.

Bada, feeling even more irritated for no reason, heaved a few sighs before sitting back down. Then he picked up his smartphone and sent a message.

About 10 minutes after he sent the message, the office door burst open without a knock. The person who entered was none other than Jeong Dakyung.

“Hiyo.”

“Ah, hello.”

Dakyung looked around the somewhat awkward office atmosphere and grinned.

He had come in response to Bada’s SOS. A message saying that he was dying from being busy with work, but it was bothering him that everyone kept coming to see Sunyul, so could he please take Sunyul and hang out with him.

From those words, Dakyung noticed that Bada didn’t dislike Sunyul. That was quite surprising to him. That Bada didn’t dislike Sunyul, whom everyone else avoided.

Dakyung approached Sunyul.

“I heard people keep coming and bothering you.”

“Pardon? No, it’s not that…….”

“What do you mean, no? It’s obvious even without seeing it. Get up.”

At Dakyung’s urging, Sunyul stood up in a daze.

“Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Let’s escape this gloomy office and enjoy some freedom.”

“But I have to stay with Lee Bada… nim.”

“Oh. Lee Bada-nim? Did Bada-hyung tell you to call him that?”

“I did not, okay? Hey, just call me casually.”

What exactly did he mean by ‘casually’? Sunyul wracked his brain, trying to remember how other people called each other. And then…….

“Bada?”

Sunyul called Bada’s name out of the blue. As he said it, it rolled off his tongue so easily. As if he had always called him that.

But Bada didn’t seem to like it, his face turning grim.

“That’s a little too casual……. Am I your friend?”

“……Then, Bada-hyung?”

“Just don’t call me anything.”

At Bada’s disgruntled face, Sunyul became depressed, thinking he didn’t even want to be called at all. Dakyung grinned at the wilted-like-a-dead-vegetable Sunyul.

“Hyung, hyung. You can call me Dakyung. I’ll allow it.”

“Ah, yes…….”

“Try calling me.”

“……Dakyung.”

Sunyul timidly tried calling Dakyung. This name also rolled off his tongue. Dakyung made a strange face, then nodded.

“Good. We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other, so this is better than being awkward.”

It was a statement that would be perfect for someone to say he was getting chummy with I-21. There would be a lot of posts cursing Dakyung on the internet, and if anything were to happen, it was obvious he would be torn to shreds along with him.

But nothing major would probably happen. Dakyung trusted Muyoung. Muyoung had never been wrong. Lim Sunyul, whom Muyoung had guaranteed would have no problems, would be safe.

And if he was wrong… well, then he was wrong. Strangely, he wasn’t scared. Rather than worrying about such trivial things, he wanted to take Sunyul’s side.

“Then let’s go now.”

“Um, then… can I, can I go with you?”

Sunyul asked, glancing at Bada for permission. Bada waved his hand dismissively as if shooing away a gnat.

“Go. Be back by five.”

“Okay.”

As he left Bada’s office, Sunyul couldn’t help but glance back. Bada, who seemed to disapprove of him, was weighing on his mind. But since Dakyung was pulling him along, Sunyul soon lost interest.

Dakyung took Sunyul to the 24th floor. They played games in the game room, shooting zombies with guns and racing cars down the road, and he also read some comic books that Dakyung recommended. It was a very enjoyable time.

“Ah, that was fun. Let’s hang out again next time.”

“Okay.”

Dakyung grinned and led the way to Bada’s office. His heart much lighter after having fun, Sunyul followed Dakyung inside.

“Bada-hyung, we’re back.”

“Just in time.”

Bada, who had been organizing documents, stood up from his seat. Dakyung scampered over to Bada as he took his jacket from where it was hanging on one side.

“Hyung, hyung hyung. Are you going to your house?”

“Yeah.”

“I want to go too.”

“Why you?”

“Since Sunyul and you have gotten closer, I was thinking of having a party to celebrate.”

At the extremely one-sided declaration, Bada’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Who gave you permission to have a party at someone else’s house?”

“Cute Dakyung’s permission.”

“Are you crazy?”

Bada was disgusted. Dakyung did have a cute appearance that was popular with his noonas, but to Bada, he was just a male dongsaeng he knew.

“Get lost.”

“We’ll just buy some food and talk quietly before we leave.”

Dakyung was unyielding. Knowing how stubborn Dakyung was, Bada changed his persuasive tactics.

“Doesn’t he not eat?”

“Ah.”

Dakyung’s face finally showed a hint of realization.

“No, I can eat.”

But Sunyul answered cluelessly. For the crime of being clueless, Sunyul received a glare from Bada.

“You don’t have to force yourself to eat.”

Dakyung said, feigning maturity. Sunyul shook his head, saying it was okay.

“I ate this morning, too. I’m okay.”

“Yesss. Hyung, can we have pizza and chicken?”

“……Do whatever you want.”

In the end, Bada threw up his hands in surrender. Dakyung excitedly started ordering from a delivery app.

Bada’s house was very close to the guild. The three of them arrived at the house faster than the delivery food.

Sunyul took off his shoes and looked around as he entered. A large picture of Bada, visible as soon as he entered the house, caught his eye.

In the picture, Bada was sitting comfortably, but his clothes and expression made him look even more like a delinquent. However, with his somewhat mischievous face and his long, toned body, he was a handsome and attractive man.

As Sunyul looked at the picture with curiosity, Dakyung whispered to him.

“His self-love is off the charts, right?”

“Shut up.”

He entered further inside with the giggling Dakyung and Bada, who was scolding him.

The delivery food arrived while they were getting ready to eat. Dakyung excitedly received the food and spread it out on the table.

“Alright, let’s eat.”

Sunyul stared at the pizza, which had a strong smell. Sunyul fumbled his hands over the pizza and sent out an SOS.

“How do you eat this?”

“What a total baby.”

Bada clicked his tongue, then picked up a slice of pizza and demonstrated. Sunyul followed Bada’s example, picked up a slice, and took a bite. A powerful taste stimulated his tongue. It was quite tasty, and a familiar taste at that. Even though he had no memory of eating it before.