DB Vol 8 Part 1

If someone asked Won-woo what life was, he had one answer. To him, life was a ‘debt’. Because being alive now is all thanks to luck from the past.

He lived because someone reached out a hand, he lived thanks to someone pushing his back, and he’s alive because someone gave up their place for him.

It was the same in war. There were times he survived because the person next to him died by a hair’s breadth, and times when the place he had been staying exploded just minutes later, killing everyone who was there. These are all moments that can only be called luck.

Most of those who survived the war were similar to Won-woo. No one thought they survived because they were great. No matter how well they prepare, if they are unlucky, they can die in the blink of an eye on the battlefield. So Won-woo’s present was the price of debt.

But in the original world, even though he considered it a debt, he had no intention of repaying it. Since it wasn’t a debt he wanted, it didn’t matter if he wasted the remaining time.

Rather, he hated surviving with a passion. Because he was left alone. Peace came to the world, and people walked around smiling comfortably, but to Won-woo, the world was a wasteland with nothing.

But now it was different. Now he felt the weight of the debt. Especially the reason he came here. After learning who gave him that impossibly great luck, the debt became overwhelmingly huge. Now Won-woo couldn’t be arrogant or proud about life.

He had one thing to do. Repay the debt moment by moment of being alive. It wasn’t a grand goal like saving the world. Starting with his surroundings. He decided to make at least those close to him happy.

“A temporary administrator to oversee the land of both families has been decided. Smart, determined, doesn’t care about the eyes of the powerful, excellent administrative skills. Very good.”

Gye Min, who had suddenly called Won-woo, blurted out. She looked like she hadn’t slept properly due to scattered work. She kept pressing her tired eyes with her hand and shared her difficulties.

“But he’s too weak. He’s an ordinary person, not an Esper. I chose him just by looking at one person. Ah, that’s why the Esper bastards are already not listening. You know how much Espers only care about power. Knowing his limitations, he strongly requested to take the management position only temporarily. But I want to entrust the west to him not temporarily, but for good. There’s no more suitable talent than this. How rare is it to find someone who can firmly reject the bugs that cling around trying to get some scraps?”

Won-woo wondered why she was telling him this, but he responded appropriately for now.

“It seems the head of the family needs to show more definite support.”

“I want to do that too. But it would only be for that moment if I say it. So I think it’s necessary to put my person next to the administrator. Even better if it’s someone staying with the Gye family.”

Won-woo then had an ‘oh?’ moment. Thinking it couldn’t be, he cautiously asked.

“You’re not considering me for that person, are you?”

“Why not?”

At the sharp question, Won-woo gave an awkward smile.

“I didn’t know you trusted me that much.”

“You’ve done things. Wouldn’t it be disappointing if I said I couldn’t trust you?”

“I’m not disappointed at all.”

Won-woo replied lightly as if joking, but Gye Min rather raised an unsatisfied gaze.

“If you say that, I’ll be disappointed.”

As Won-woo again answered with an awkward smile, Gye Min asked seriously.

“So you’re not willing to do it?”

Yes, Won-woo nodded immediately. It was under the pretext of attaching a trustworthy person, but he could clearly see the inner intention of trying to secure a position for him. Moreover, there was someone who would definitely follow if he moved.

He thought it might be an intention to put Gye Yoon at the forefront for the future. After all, he was the only one who could overpower any Esper with strength.

“Did you ask Gye Yoon?”

He asked briefly, skipping the process of speculation, and Gye Min immediately understood the meaning.

“He said no.”

“I see.”

“Aren’t you curious why he’s not doing it?”

“… It’s not because of me, is it?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

As Gye Min asked back in the same tone as before, Won-woo turned half a circle, not knowing where to look. Did she call me today to scold me? As he tensed up, he heard Gye Min’s light words.

“I’m joking.”

Then she sighed, putting down her pen on the desk as if throwing it.

“That guy doesn’t like the temporary administrator much.”

“Why? Is there a problem between the two?”

“What problem? He’s just being difficult on his own. Yoon doesn’t even care about the administrator. And Yoon has never been interested in family affairs. Our parents also wanted Yoon to live as he wanted, so I don’t want to force him either.”

“But you don’t have any particular way to subdue the Espers, right? Would you feel at ease if that worry was resolved?”

My feelings? What does that matter. Gye Min slightly frowned as if wondering why he was asking such a thing, but soon nodded in agreement.

“I would. Why, are you going to do it for me?”

“I can’t take that position myself, but I can offer you another alternative.”

Knowing how helpful the information from Won-woo’s mouth has been so far, expectation settled in Gye Min’s eyes. Yeah, how great a thing are you going to say this time?

“We need to weaken the power of the Espers in the west so they can’t shake the administrator.”

“How?”

“It’s simple. Remove the monster farms in the east and west, leaving only the minimum.”

Seeds were the core of the power held by Espers. They monopolized energy on the grounds that they were the only alternative to stop monsters. As Gye Min paused, Won-woo indifferently added.

“And let the north monopolize the seeds.”

Gye Min realized many meanings contained in it without Won-woo explaining further. It was indeed a simple answer, but it was also a cruel answer for many.

“Then people will suffer from fuel shortages?”

“We need to develop energy other than seeds.”

After saying this, Won-woo quietly stared at Gye Min as if observing her reaction. The development of alternative energy leads to a reduction in the influence of all Espers. Including the Espers of the north.

So he thought it would naturally be difficult for Gye Min, an Esper, to accept. As expected, Gye Min let out a short, incredulous laugh. Won-woo was thinking he might have made an unnecessary intervention when an unexpected answer followed.

“That’s a good opinion.”

“…”

“We can’t close the farms without reason, so we’ll have to disguise it as an accident. We need to create a justification that we couldn’t manage properly due to lack of Espers. Can you do that?”

Are you really going to do as I said? Won-woo swallowed the question that had risen to the tip of his tongue and slowly nodded.

“Good, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Um, yes.”

“Then shall we get to the main point?”

There was a separate main point? Won-woo tightened the tension that was about to loosen again. And as he was preparing to be scolded again, an unexpected question was heard.

“What do you want to do?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking what you want to do. I want to ask if there’s anything you want to have, but I think you’ll say there isn’t, so…”

That’s right. Won-woo smiled slightly and scratched his mouth with his hand. Gye Min quietly looked at the smiling Won-woo and asked again.

“Is there nothing you want to do either?”

She thought she might hear another ‘no’ answer, but unexpectedly, Won-woo looked into space and fell into thought. As Gye Min waited patiently, Won-woo’s mouth finally opened.

“What’s Gye Yoon’s dream?”

Gye Min’s brow furrowed slightly at the unexpected question.

“I asked about your dream, why him? Don’t tell me you’re going to say Yoon’s dream is the same as yours?”

“Is it wrong to say that?”

Gye Min gaped in shock and asked incredulously.

“Don’t tell me you like Yoon?”

“Uh, um… yes.”

“Why that bastard?”

Won-woo briefly wondered if she and Gye Yoon were enemies rather than family. But the urgent confirmation that followed had a desperation that could only come from real family.

“You really like him, right? You’re not just taking him in out of pity?”

What do you mean, taking him in out of pity? Before Won-woo could shake his head, Gye Min hastily added.

“No, it’s okay. Even if it’s out of pity, it doesn’t matter. As long as you take in that guy, I can give you half of the Gye family fortune right now.”

“No. You don’t need to give me anything.”

“Are you going to use him and throw him away?”

No, your brother was not a piece of gum I was chewing, what are you saying? Thinking it might be a joke, Won-woo was about to smile and wave his hand again, but for the brute’s sister, this was the most serious moment of her life.

“Let’s write a contract. If you’re a conscientious intellectual, you should live with what you’ve picked up for at least 59 years. Right?”

Isn’t 59 years from now almost a lifetime? Where did that number even come from?

“Why 59 years?”

It was a genuine question, but Gye Min’s eyes sharpened.

“In 59 years, that bastard’s temper should have died down a bit. Even if you abandon him, he won’t be a nuisance and will die alone on his own, right? So absolutely no less than 59 years. Don’t even dream of negotiating.”

What do you mean, negotiating? While Won-woo was flustered, Gye Min quickly pulled out a paper and started writing a contract by hand. Then in the blink of an eye, she held it out to Won-woo.

“Put your thumbprint on it.”

“You’re joking, right?”

For a moment, it seemed like lasers were coming out of Gye Min’s eyes. The illusion was so strong that he felt like he actually saw it.

“You’re planning to abandon Yoon?”

“That’s not it…”

“Even if that bastard sometimes does trashy things with a rag in his mouth, you can’t just throw away something you’ve picked up like that. Who told you to recycle?”

…They are family, right? As Won-woo hesitated again with doubt, Gye Min shook the paper. Come on, quickly, quickly. Rushed by her urging, he put his thumbprint on it without time to think. Only then did Gye Min return to her original relaxed state and leaned back in her chair.

“What were we talking about? Ah, you asked what Yoon’s dream was?”

He had completely forgotten. Won-woo mumbled in a dazed state, like someone who had been hit directly by a typhoon.

“You look happy.”

“Not really.”

But she was smiling more brightly than Won-woo had ever seen since meeting her. Seeing the aura of happiness that he hadn’t seen even when he helped with the Gye family’s revenge or solved her daughter’s guiding, Won-woo felt a bit deflated. Indeed, things in this world are not easy. Who would have thought that the great head of the Gye family would be this happy over a scrap of paper?

“After our parents passed away, Yoon’s dream was probably just revenge. So the only dream of Yoon’s that I know is his childhood aspiration.”

“What was it?”

As Won-woo hurriedly asked, a single word fell from Gye Min’s lips.

“Dragon.”

“…A dragon?”

“Yes. That’s the only thing he ever said as a future dream.”

Won-woo let out a deflated laugh. He was dumbfounded. Don’t most kids have that kind of dream when they’re four or five?

“I was quite surprised too when my ten-year-old brother said that.”

Gulp. Ten years old?

“I thought this bastard might be an idiot.”

Gye Min murmured distantly as if lost in memories, then immediately snickered.

“But what does it matter if he’s an idiot. There’s someone who picked him up.”

Won-woo flinched for a different reason.

“Anyway, Yoon’s dream is to be a dragon. But the reason was even more ridiculous. He said he wanted to travel the world and show off how strong he was? Ha.”

Gye Min shook her head repeatedly but smiled automatically when she looked at Won-woo. The sister who felt relieved to be able to pass on that idiot looked happier than anyone right now.

“Please take care of my brother.”

*

No matter how thoroughly monster farms were managed, they were objects of fear for ordinary people. Until now, there had been no difficulty in finding workers for the farms because numerous Espers were stationed to prepare for dangers.

However, as the war depleted Espers in the east and west, the farms were also short-handed, and they couldn’t prevent small problems from leading to several big accidents. The north supported the shortage of Espers, but there were limitations.

After various conflicts, the alternative that emerged was the closure of unmanageable monster farms. There was considerable opposition due to concerns about seed shortages, but for ordinary people, the fear of farm accidents was greater, so more than half of the farms in the east and west eventually became targets for demolition. But this was just the surface reason; the reality was different.

Boom!

The sound of exploding monster trees shook the air and ground. Although they said it was safe because the eggs had been removed in advance, tension was etched on the faces of the ordinary people participating in this work. With successive explosions, dusty haze spread like fog to the front of the farm where Won-woo was standing.

Nominally, Won-woo had come to supervise the work of organizing and completely closing the problematic monster farms. Of course, a considerable number of monster farm accidents were deliberately caused by Won-woo.

“I mean, how long has it been since we called, and why is this all that’s come, for crying out loud!!”

A rough voice reached Won-woo’s ears as he stood idly. When Won-woo turned his head, he saw the foreman of the external company deployed for the removal work getting heated.

“How many trucks did we call for, and only five came? Director Lee, are you serious? You know we can’t pile up monster tree remains anywhere except designated places. We don’t have time because we have to send them to the xxx area processing plant. We need to remove everything immediately.”

The person called Director Lee sighed in front of the work foreman and expressed his grievance.

“Do you think I don’t know that? It’s not like we’ve only done business here once or twice. But what can I do? As seeds became scarce, all logistics transport that used to be sent by mobile portal devices has switched to trucks. There’s no use calling now. We’re completely out of cargo trucks, not to mention box trucks.”

He seemed to be a transport company representative, complaining that they were too busy these days. But the work foreman was in a situation where he needed to load and remove the waste from this place even in his own passenger car if necessary.

“Ah, didn’t you say your company had many idle trucks at one point?”

“Almost all of them are gone. Even if we have them, what’s the use? There’s no one to drive them. I told you. It’s chaos right now… Who are you?”

Director Lee flinched and turned to look at Won-woo, who had come nearby. With his hood pulled down low and even wearing a mask, he looked quite suspicious. Unlike him who was wary, the work foreman politely asked Won-woo.

“What’s the matter?”

The work foreman knew that the other person had come with an Esper from the north. And he had seen with his own eyes the farm manager bowing deeply to that Esper. Naturally, he was someone to be cautious around as he was accompanying a big shot.

“Is there anything you need?”

Won-woo shook his head at the work foreman’s repeated questions.

“I thought I could help.”

Help with what? As they were wondering, Won-woo turned to Director Lee.

“I can drive a truck.”

Director Lee’s eyes widened for a moment.

“Oh? Are you experienced? What have you driven? How long have you driven? … Ah, sir, why?”

As Director Lee was asking eagerly, the work foreman quickly grabbed his arm to stop him.

“This person is from the Center.”

“It’s okay. I mainly drove 11-ton cargo trucks, but I occasionally pulled dump trucks too.”

“Ah, you are experienced!”

Director Lee approached Won-woo with delight.

“There’s no loading, so it won’t take long. Let’s sign the contract right away… Gasp! Who are you?!”

He recoiled again, almost falling backwards. This time, someone suddenly intervened as if they had sprung from the ground. Although they wore a hood pulled down low and a mask like Won-woo, their tall stature and build were quite intimidating. Their low voice was also fierce.

“Load what?”

The two ordinary people froze, shrinking their shoulders under the fierce aura emitted by the S-class Esper. Won-woo quickly stopped him as he was about to step forward.

“No, he wasn’t talking about that kind of loading, he was talking about how to load cargo onto a truck. I heard they were short-handed for on-site waste disposal, so I was going to help. I know how to drive a truck. The xxx area where the processing plant is located is also where we need to go next.”

Although he said it as if it was no big deal, Gye Yoon’s eyes showed he wasn’t pleased. Why are you doing that? Won-woo hesitated for a moment. He couldn’t bring himself to say it was because of the dragon that travels around the world showing off. He wanted to surprise him a little.

It might be an old dream he doesn’t remember, so it would be nice if he recalled his childhood wish through this journey. Although it’s not world travel, and it’s just a truck, we’re still traveling around, right? Won-woo thought lightly and shrugged.

“Just because. It’s something I can do.”

An hour later, Won-woo climbed into the truck provided by Director Lee from the transport company. The work foreman’s bowing must have bothered him. Director Lee made several phone calls and provided an 11-ton truck that Won-woo said he had driven often.

It was over 6 hours by car to the processing plant. By the time they loaded the waste onto the truck, the sun had already set, but they couldn’t delay departure due to the backlog of work. Won-woo had driven at night many times anyway, so he didn’t mind arriving by morning. However, he was concerned about the companion who climbed into the passenger seat.

“Is it really okay to leave now?”

Gye Yoon slowly turned his head as he was about to fasten his seatbelt. Although expressionless, the disappointment clearly visible in his eyes was distinct.

“I can’t be separated from you.”

That’s not what I’m trying to do. Won-woo quickly shook his head and explained why he asked.

“You haven’t rested. Usually using only mobile portal devices, this kind of long-distance travel must be difficult for you.”

“It’s not difficult, it’ll be boring.”

Gye Yoon corrected him, turning his upper body towards Won-woo.

“Besides, it’s a useless act. When we can move in the blink of an eye, why waste time doing this unless we’re fools?”

A useless act? Of course, it might seem that way to someone with teleportation abilities. Even without that, it wasn’t incomprehensible given how easily they could use mobile portal devices.

But mobile portal devices are practically exclusive to Espers. In the world of ordinary people, how important is truck logistics? He suddenly felt how immature and privileged Gye Yoon was.

“We need to go to the xxx area anyway. There’s no need to hurry…”

“What’s the real reason?”

“There’s no… such thing.”

Won-woo hid his embarrassment and smiled weakly.

“I really just stepped up because they were short-handed on site.”

“Is your life that empty?”

At the serious question, Won-woo was at a loss for words and half-opened his mouth. Only then did he realize that the other person was seriously misunderstanding something. He could understand why Gye Yoon was saying such things. There had been a period when Won-woo seemed dazed from shock after seeing the head of both families.

Does he think I still haven’t overcome it? Whether it was really because of that or not, deep disappointment showed again in Gye Yoon’s eyes. His voice was also strained as if suppressing emotion.

“It’s okay. I’ll always be by your side. Someday, I’ll become the reason for everything in Ji Won-woo’s life.”

So there’s no need to make such a solemn pledge. Won-woo held back his urge to argue. It seemed that no matter what he said now, the misunderstanding wouldn’t be cleared up. And well, it wasn’t bad that he said he’d always be by his side.

“…Do as you please.”

He sighed and started the car. Then, as if he suddenly remembered, he belatedly argued back.

“And it’s not a useless act. Truck logistics are so widely used and important in the world.”

“What use is it if it’s important to others? To me, it’s just a waste of time.”

Won-woo became dejected at Gye Yoon’s cold response. Ah, should I not have said I’d drive the truck? He also felt a bit sorry for him. Because of himself, he was forced to do something he didn’t like. So he had no idea that exactly two hours later, Gye Yoon would come to like this more than anyone else.

“…What is this place?”

Won-woo, who had gone to the restroom first after getting out of the car, approached Gye Yoon who was standing like a noble. Then he turned his head in the direction Gye Yoon was looking. In front of their eyes were numerous snack booths lined up in a row.

“It’s a highway rest area.”

“But why.”

The words didn’t fully come out, but Won-woo could read the shock in his eyes. Is this your first time at a highway rest area?

“There’s a lot to eat, right?”

Gye Yoon only twitched his eyebrows without affirming, but his gaze was still fixed on the numerous foods. Well, when you first come to a highway rest area, it is surprising how many delicious things there are. For Won-woo too, after driving for a long time in a cramped car, arriving at a rest area felt like finding a huge oasis.

The food sold at rest areas doesn’t seem particularly special, but it looks uniquely more delicious. Someone he knew once said something like this: If you lock the refrigerator in your house and only allow it to be opened once every few hours, even water will look delicious. Isn’t it similar to that principle?

“Let’s have a light snack. Is there anything you want to eat?”

Gye Yoon’s pupils shook slightly. As if he was contemplating, an answer didn’t come from him right away. Won-woo smiled and recommended a few things.

“Usually people eat things like baked potatoes or hot bars. Walnut cookies are good too. Or roasted chestnuts…”

“Yes.”

“Roasted chestnuts?”

“No. All of it.”

“…”

At Won-woo’s silence, Gye Yoon finally took his eyes off the rest area and turned around.

“What’s wrong?”

“How are you going to eat all that? We already had dinner.”

At Won-woo’s concern, Gye Yoon looked at him seriously instead.

“Is your frequent vomiting perhaps due to digestive problems?”

“…I’m perfectly normal. I eat three meals a day regularly.”

“But you don’t eat snacks regularly, do you?”

“Come on, who eats snacks regularly?”

“Hwan does.”

…Is it right to compare with a 3-year-old?

“Hwan is in her growing phase.”

“I have growing parts too.”

Huh? Growing… where… Damn. He almost let out a curse he doesn’t usually say. However, the person who made the sexual harassment without warning couldn’t be more shameless.

“If Won-woo wants to grow well too, eat everything.”

“Shut u… Sigh, be quiet.”

As Won-woo pressed his forehead with his hand, Gye Yoon silently grinned and moved forward.

“So let’s eat everything, shall we?”

Long-distance driving is always boring. As with most people who drive for a living, the biggest enemy was drowsiness. So when Won-woo drove trucks to disguise his identity, he tried not to fill his stomach completely if possible. Because a full stomach makes you sleepy.

This time, he unexpectedly filled his stomach because of Gye Yoon, and sure enough, as his body sank into the chair, he felt drowsy. But there was no sense of urgency that he shouldn’t fall asleep.

“If you’re sleepy, sleep. I’ll wake you up in an hour.”

Gye Yoon, who had taken the wheel in Won-woo’s place, suggested while watching the dark road. If he closed his eyes as he said, it seemed like he could fall asleep right away, but Won-woo turned his eyes to the window and stared at the darkness passing by quickly.

‘I’ve driven buses. Trucks or buses.’

He had insisted strongly on driving, so Won-woo had handed it over. At first, he was a bit anxious, but as Gye Yoon handled the gears well and drove steadily, he felt slightly apologetic belatedly. It felt like he was passing off his job to him. So he couldn’t comfortably fall asleep. This was also the reason he started chatting without much thought.

“You said it was boring, so why are you driving?”

“I said it was boring, not that I disliked it.”

Gye Yoon replied indifferently and added.

“And there were many things more boring than this.”

I’m used to boring things. Although it was noisy with the engine sound of the fast-moving car, his voice distinctly reached Won-woo ears. But Won-woo thought there wouldn’t be much that could be considered boring for a young master who had visited a highway rest area for the first time. So Won-woo lightly asked back.

“Like what?”

“Breathing.”

“…”

Won-woo slowly turned to look at him. Is he sleepy now? Is he sleepy after eating so much? As he was contemplating whether to hit the back of his head, an explanation was heard.

“When I was suffering because I couldn’t get guiding, all I could do was breathe. My whole body felt like it was being torn apart, and it felt like I was about to burst, but I couldn’t really burst, so I just focused on breathing. That was really boring.”

His tone was nonchalant, but that didn’t make it easy to offer comfort. Fortunately, the darkness and the noise of the car filled the silence without making it awkward.

“That wasn’t boredom, it was enduring well.”

He felt the gaze looking at him, but Won-woo kept his eyes on the quickly passing roadside and slowly continued speaking.

“And those who have endured well deserve boredom as a reward.”

“Is that a reward?”

Yes, it is. Won-woo replied, sinking his body deep into the chair.

“Do you know how many amazing conditions are needed for a boring life? You need to have no big worries or concerns to empty your mind, enemies trying to kill you must disappear, and you need a moderately stable daily life without major accidents. This might seem easy, but it absolutely isn’t.”

During the war, he lived in tension 24 hours a day, hoping for the fight to end quickly and for a boring daily life to come. But after the war ended, his minds and bodies couldn’t accept the suddenly released tension. Loneliness dominated boredom, so he couldn’t properly enjoy leisure. Now that he was finally facing the daily life he wanted, it couldn’t help but be precious to Won-woo.

“Boredom isn’t all bad.”

Won-woo liked the boredom of the dark car interior, the shaking vehicle, and the continuous road noise. There was no response from Gye Yoon for a while. Wondering if he had spoken too much like someone who had seen it all, he glanced back. And he muttered quietly, as if making an excuse.

“I heard it from someone else too.”

“Who?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking who you heard it from.”

Gye Yoon repeated, but Won-woo couldn’t open his mouth easily. He didn’t expect to be asked who. Because it was something he heard from the aunt. So he must have unconsciously thought that Gye Yoon had also heard those words.

But the aunt in this world died early, and Gye Yoon parted from her when he was young. It strangely hurt his heart that he couldn’t share the life he had learned from her. Even though he knew that the auntie in this world and the one in his world were different beings.

“The person who raised me.”

“You said it was a Guide? Is it someone I might know in this world?”

“…Maybe.”

Won-woo hesitated, then affirmed a little. But if he started talking about the aunt, it felt like the thread of emotions would endlessly unravel, so it was difficult to say more. Thankfully, Gye Yoon stopped questioning there and changed the subject.

“I heard something similar when I was young too. That a boring daily life is a happy worry, so don’t make a fuss and if you have something to do, do it properly.”

Won-woo blinked. It was similar, but somehow off-kilter in its similarity.

“Who said that?”

“Some crazy person who used to work under my parents.”

It was clearly not someone he liked, as displeasure showed in Gye Yoon’s voice.

“How did you end up hearing that?”

“Because I didn’t go to school.”

“…Why?”

“Because it was boring.”

The eyes of Won-woo, who had been a model student in his own way, wavered like waves. What, you can skip school for such a reason?

“Won-woo, don’t even brush past that person. Even though they weren’t an Esper, they found me like a ghost several times and lectured me so much. They’re really vicious.”

No, you’re the vicious one for hiding! Won-woo looked at him in disbelief, but Gye Yoon, seeming to hold a deep grudge, added in a low voice.

“Like a human rooster.”

At the sincere slander, Won-woo tensed his lips trying not to laugh. Even then, unable to calm down, he turned his head towards the window, and after a while, he heard Gye Yoon’s question.

“So, do you like this boring time now, Won-woo?”

“I do.”

Do you dislike it, Gye Yoon? Won-woo held back the question he wanted to ask. No matter how much he liked him and wanted him to enjoy the life he wanted together, he couldn’t force it. Feeling newly apologetic, he hesitated and opened his mouth.

“But it wouldn’t have been so good if I were alone.”

Somehow feeling embarrassed, he added the last part almost mumbling inside his mouth.

“I like that it’s Gye Yoon-ssi who’s sharing this boredom with me.”

Won-woo spoke and glanced sideways. He just wanted to see his reaction, but Won-woo’s eyes suddenly widened. And he shouted without realizing.

“No!”

It was a sudden outburst, but there was a reason. The moment he saw Gye Yoon’s eyes and expression, he had a bad feeling. It was an absurd thought, but it felt like he was about to teleport him somewhere right now.