EFME 27

“Haha… how cute. Really. You’re pretty, too. I like you, kiddo.”

Sunyul happily accepted the man’s words. Any compliment from Muyoung’s mother was welcome.

“…Thank you.”

“You’re well-mannered, too. Much better than those kids who look like squashed dough.”

After saying that, the man gestured toward the sofa with his chin.

“Then let’s sit and wait. It’s okay as long as we get Muyoung’s permission, right?”

“Uh… ah, yes.”

Only after replying in a daze did he realize that, even if he was Muyoung’s mother, he might be going out to play with a person he barely knew.

“Where are we going to play?”

“Just to buy some clothes.”

That didn’t seem too difficult, so he thought it would be okay to go out with him. Sunyul obediently nodded. The man laughed through his nose and then looked around.

“This place has changed a lot since the last time I was here. There’s a lot more stuff.”

“I guess it’s because I use it. The Guild Master keeps things very tidy.”

“This is better than it being bleak. That kid, Muyoung, lives a bit of a boring life, you know.”

The man glanced around once more, then sat down and leisurely crossed his legs. And he gave a captivating smile. It was strange how he looked like Muyoung, yet his expressions were so much more varied.

“How is it living with Muyoung? Are you getting along well?”

“Yes. I’m doing well. The Guild Master treats me very well.”

“Hmm, how so? How does he treat you well?”

“He’s just… very kind.”

“Kind….”

The man’s expression turned quite serious.

“Are you sure you know what ‘kind’ means?”

“He’s really kind. He always takes care of me. All the things here were personally provided by the Guild Master.”

In response to the man’s reaction, which implied he was saying something strange, Sunyul defended Muyoung desperately. The man’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe Sunyul’s words.

“My goodness. He’s doing things he never even did for his own girlfriend….”

“Is it wrong for him to do things for me that he didn’t do for his girlfriend?”

“Huh?”

The man’s eyes went wide, but he soon realized Sunyul was genuinely asking because he didn’t know and answered with a chuckle.

“No, that’s not it… It’s just surprising. He doesn’t really have the kind of personality to take care of someone like that.”

I don’t think so. Muyoung is so kind. For a mother, doesn’t he know too little about Muyoung? Seeing the disbelief filling Sunyul’s expression, the man burst out laughing.

“Well, whatever… he used to be like that. Maybe he’s matured now that he’s gotten older.”

“I see.”

“Is there anything else he does for you?”

A glint of keen interest appeared in the man’s eyes. Sunyul thought hard, trying to prove just how kind Muyoung was.

“The other day… I went through something a bit bad. I was really scared then… but the Guild Master comforted me so kindly, and he slept with me.”

The man’s face, which had been listening quietly to Sunyul’s words, gradually grew serious.

“…Slept with you?”

“Huh? Yes.”

“You just mean you slept in the same bed, right? Just holding hands?”

“He didn’t just hold my hand, he hugged me….”

“H-how?”

“Like this, tightly.”

Sunyul mimed hugging someone. Even as he did it, he couldn’t understand why the man was so surprised.

Were we not supposed to sleep in the same bed? Seeing the “I don’t know anything” expression written all over Sunyul’s face, the man let out a sigh of relief. Then he scrutinized Sunyul once again, this time more insistently.

“Hey, you are over twenty, right?”

“…I don’t know about that either.”

He looked like an adult, but if Sunyul was an item, there was a chance he had just been created. Before he could even explain this, the man waved his hand dismissively.

“Nah. You look like you are. Let’s just say you are.”

“Is it a good thing if I’m over twenty?”

“It’s one of those things.”

The man shook his head. He had no idea why he was acting like that.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. The only person who ever knocked on the lounge door was Muyoung. After a few seconds’ wait, the person who opened the door and came in was indeed Muyoung.

Muyoung frowned as soon as he saw the man.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean, what am I doing? I was having a chat with Mr. Sunyul.”

“Get out.”

“I don’t want to. I’m going to go out and play with Mr. Sunyul. We agreed, right, Mr. Sunyul?”

Sunyul, in a predicament, averted his eyes. It was true they had made a promise, but since Muyoung seemed to dislike the idea, he wondered if he really had to go.

“You don’t need to worry about him.”

Muyoung said, as if to reassure him. Even before feeling reassured, Sunyul detected something strange in Muyoung’s words.

“…Him?”

“Yes.”

“Not your mother?”

“…What?”

“No, he said he was the Guild Master’s mother….”

“Ahahaha!”

When the lie he had been waiting to have exposed was finally revealed, the man burst out laughing as if on cue. He laughed so hard he even squeezed out a tear. Muyoung looked at him with a thoroughly annoyed expression.

“Sorry, I was just teasing you, I didn’t think you’d actually believe me….”

The man apologized to Sunyul between stifled laughs. Sunyul glared at the man, his eyes full of resentment. The man finally managed to stop laughing and introduced himself again.

“I’m Kwon Siyoung. I’m Muyoung’s sister, six years older, and I work at TR Corporation.”

“Yes….”

Sunyul replied warily, afraid of being tricked again. Siyoung looked at Sunyul as if he were utterly adorable.

“If I were lying again, Muyoung would have corrected me. It’s true. I won’t tease you anymore.”

Sunyul glanced back at Muyoung, and only after seeing him nod did he finally relax.

“So, Mr. Sunyul, you’re going out with me, right? You promised.”

“No.”

Muyoung refused flatly. A normal non-awakened person would have been too intimidated by his chilly aura to even speak, but Siyoung was different. Siyoung smiled sweetly and poked Muyoung.

“Is it because you don’t want to leave Mr. Sunyul alone? Then let’s go together.”

Though he said that, Siyoung was well aware that the Supernatural Abilities Management Agency had given Muyoung custody of Sunyul on the condition that he not be allowed to wander around alone. He was just phrasing it indirectly since Sunyul was right in front of them.

Siyoung quite liked Sunyul. He liked things that were valuable and beautiful, and Sunyul fit the bill. It was even better that his younger brother seemed to have taken a liking to Sunyul.

“This is perfect. Let’s go out together for the first time in a while.”

“Forget it.”

“What do you mean, forget it? Mr. Sunyul needs to get some fresh air, too.”

Muyoung, who was about to retort that they had gone out just a few days ago, swallowed his words before they could come out.

The outing to the auction house had ended in the worst way possible. For a normal person, it was an incident big enough to cause trauma about going out itself.

Fortunately, Sunyul didn’t seem to have a particular aversion to going outside. It might not be a bad idea to change the mood with a pleasant outing. Besides, he had already taken care of most of his work, so he had some time to spare.

“Fine. Let’s go together.”

“Good thinking.”

Siyoung smiled brightly. Muyoung took a pair of disguise glasses from his inventory and put them on Sunyul. At that, Siyoung let out a sigh of disappointment.

“His face has become so plain.”

“It’s better not to stand out. Let’s go.”

Muyoung, who had said that, also put on glasses, as he hated bothersome things as well. Muyoung’s face also became somewhat plain. However, Muyoung had such a good physique that he stood out even with an ordinary face.

“Hmm. It’s better to have the original with me, but this isn’t bad.”

Sunyul followed behind Siyoung, who was leading the way triumphantly. To be on an outing that he had stumbled into, and with Muyoung at that, Sunyul was quite excited. Although his expectation of browsing through stores was replaced by a meeting with a personal shopper.

After picking out all his own clothes, Siyoung started looking at men’s clothes. Muyoung, who only wore items anyway, was not a consideration, so Siyoung looked at clothes that a man in his early twenties might wear.

“This is pretty. This, too. Go try them on.”

“I don’t need any clothes….”

He already had more than enough clothes that Muyoung had bought for him. There were so many that it was hard to choose every day. To add more to that, it felt like his head was about to explode.

“Why? Try them on when someone offers to buy them for you.”

“Go ahead. I think they’ll look good on you, try them on.”

Muyoung wasn’t on Sunyul’s side either. Sunyul had no choice but to change his clothes. After confirming this, Siyoung smiled broadly.

“His face is a bit plain, but since his body is good, the clothes come to life.”

And since his real face is so much more outstanding, it would be a perfect fit, Siyoung thought. Getting a little excited, Siyoung began to seriously dress Sunyul in various things.

And so, a whole bunch of clothes were added to Sunyul’s wardrobe.

“Ah, that was fun.”

“Next time, call before you show up.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Siyoung turned to look at Sunyul and opened his arms. When Sunyul just blinked his eyes, Siyoung approached him and gave him a light hug.

“Today was fun. Please take good care of Muyoung.”

“I’m the one who’s always indebted to him.”

“Mhm, keep doing that.”

Siyoung said softly, then waved and left. He seemed playful, but his final gesture was tinged with affection for Muyoung.

I guess that’s what a family is.

Sunyul suddenly wondered if he had a family.

Forget a family, it’s questionable whether I’m even human.

“Should we go too?”

“Yes.”

Even without a family, Sunyul was okay.

Because now, Muyoung was by his side.

[‘The Traveler of the Eternal Night’ chimes in, saying that it’s here too.]

Sunyul smiled faintly. Right, even if he didn’t have a family, he wasn’t alone.