VDN Ch 184

Seo-oh’s half-closed eyes opened wide. He had been smiling faintly, but now, with that expression, he looked much more vibrant. Nam-woon, feeling desperate, mumbled words that he hoped would elicit a reaction.

“There’s a place other than here, and I came from that world. I came to see you, to be with you… just to see you. I abandoned the taiyaki shop to come here, you know? So don’t close your eyes. sniff, sob…”

He didn’t want to show that he was crying, but the tears kept spilling. Seo-oh let out a small laugh, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was a laugh that seemed like it could shatter at any moment, but just hearing it made Nam-woon cry even harder.

“I came all the way here to meet you, but if you’re not here, then I…”

I don’t think I can live. He couldn’t say the last words out loud, overwhelmed by a childlike sob that burst forth.

Seo-oh’s eyes began to redden as he watched Nam-woon’s pitiful crying.

“Hyung… This joke is original, I’ll give you that, but it’s not funny.”

 “It’s not a joke, ugh, hey…!!”

“Haha… Hyung, stop crying. You’re crying too much… you’re not cute, just ugly.”

“Then get up, damn it! If you don’t want to see me cry, then get up…!”

Tears began to seep between his thick eyelashes. He wanted to wipe away the rising tears, but he felt numb in his hands. Seo-oh looked at Nam-woon, who was on the verge of fainting from crying, with a pained expression.

“Tell Se-han… that I love him a lot.”

“Ugh, sniff.”

“And in the wardrobe, I put my bankbook in there, so with that money, Se-han…”

Suddenly, his words trailed off. A clear droplet that had clung to the tip of his long eyelashes finally fell. Nam-woon choked on his breath at the mention of Se-han. After catching his breath for a moment, Seo-oh continued softly.

“Give me a kiss.”

“Sob.”

Nam-woon quickly pressed his lips against Seo-oh’s dry lips. A faint smile could be felt between the rough surfaces. Seo-oh murmured with their lips touching.

“It tastes salty.”

It was because of Nam-woon’s overflowing tears. When Nam-woon turned his head, Seo-oh chuckled.

“It’s too…short.”

This time, Nam-woon pressed their lips together without saying anything. As Seo-oh’s lips slowly opened, Nam-woon eagerly intertwined their tongues. He clumsily poked and licked inside Seo-oh’s mouth, feeling as if this would make him get up immediately.

After the short kiss, Nam-woon lifted his tear-streaked face. Seo-oh’s dark pupils were filled with tears and snot, and he had a dazed appearance.

Seo-oh looked at Nam-woon as if he was engraving everything in his eyes. Even in the dark, his flushed face was very visible. From his eyes brimming with tears that looked like they would flow out if he touched them to his straight nose bridge and even his rough lips.

He slowly placed his hand over Nam-woon’s. Nam-woon hurriedly grabbed his hand. Seo-oh smiled once at the warmth he felt and closed his eyes.

Nam-woon trembled and tried to shake Seo-oh gently. There was no response. The smile that had been on his lips disappeared. He grabbed his hanging arm and rubbed it desperately.

“Seo-oh, wake up… okay?”

It felt very strange that Seo-oh lay there like a doll, not moving at all. Nam-woon shook him repeatedly and called his name until finally, he started hitting around Seo-oh’s shoulders.

“You bastard! Are you going to leave me all alone?”

Nam-woon cried with his whole body. He didn’t care if Chairman Seok and his underlings came rushing in after hearing his cries. If Chairman Seok appeared, Nam-woon thought he would kill him with his own hands this time. He didn’t care what happened to himself.

So please…

“Seo-oh… Kwon Seo-oh. Stay with me. Don’t die like this. Just sleep for a little while and then wake up, okay?”

He bent his upper body over Seo-oh’s body and buried his face in it. And he cried so hard that all the moisture in his body drained out. For the one person in front of him.

Will there be anyone in the future who would like him this much? Would there ever be someone he could love this much again?

The reason Nam-woon was able to endure in a place where he didn’t have his own store or anyone he knew, the reason he was able to live, was because the person named Kwon Seo-oh had taken deep root in his heart. A world without Seo-oh had no meaning anymore. That’s why Nam-woon could never give up on Seo-oh.

He hugged his motionless body and kept talking to him.

“You’re really going to do this to me? You said you liked me, didn’t you?! You…you don’t even care about my answer?! Sob…”

“……”

He shook the body in front of him with his face swollen. He thought that he had to take Seo-oh to the hospital right away, but his legs wouldn’t move properly, perhaps because of the shock. At times like this, he had to come to his senses. He consoled himself countless times and grabbed Seo-oh’s arm.

“…Uh?”

A look of confusion crossed his tear-streaked face. Nam-woon stared intently at the arms that still had warmth in them.

It seemed like his finger had just moved. Did he see it wrong? 

He tightly closed his eyes, then opened them again, grabbed Seo-oh’s index finger, and shook it gently. However, the long finger just fell off weakly. Sniffle, damn it…. I saw something wrong. I’m seeing things now…. Nam-woon, who was squeezing his nose pitifully, couldn’t control his frustration and yelled.

“Hey! Without you, I’d go to clubs every day, dance, drink with other people till I’m wasted and have fun all day long. Are you okay with that? Well, are you?!”

He spat like a drunk and shouted, then he buried his face in Seo-oh’s chest again. I felt like I was going crazy. Kwon Seo-oh, you bastard. I’m really going to live a dirty life…. It was then that he blurted out anything that came to mind.

[Beep!]

With a faint mechanical sound, a strong heartbeat was felt.

…Thump.

“……!”

Thump. Thump.

Startled, Nam-woon pressed his ear hard against Seo-oh’s chest to the point of flattening his earlobe.

There was no doubt about it. His heart was still beating.

In a panic, he wiped his snot on Seo-oh’s clothing. As he tried to lift his upper body to confirm, something warm touched the back of his head. He quickly turned his head. Unbelievably, Seo-oh had opened his eyes and was gently patting Nam-woon’s head.

“Seo-oh, Kwon Seo-oh… Seo-oh…”

However, he could only repeat his name in a trembling voice. In that moment, Seo-oh’s half-closed eyes fully opened, revealing the dark pupils that Nam-woon loved so much.

“Are… are you okay?”

“……”

Seo-oh, regaining his senses, wiped Nam-woon’s damp face. He looked completely different from just moments ago when he couldn’t even lift his hand. Now, he was full of life. Nam-woon grasped the hand that touched his cheek and asked again.

“Say something, okay? Can you get up?”

Then, carefully wrapping his arms around Nam-woon’s back, Seo-oh pushed against the floor and slowly raised his upper body. Nam-woon looked surprised because it didn’t feel real, even though he had told him to get up. Soon, Seo-oh muttered in a hurry, bewildered.

“…Strange…”

“What’s strange? Is it your body?”

“No, I’m sure I…”

I was going to die. Seo-oh, with a dazed expression, stroked the back of his neck and looked down at his flushed palm in wonder. Nam-woon also didn’t understand the situation, but he felt more fortunate, so he hugged Seo-oh tightly and rejoiced. He kept saying, “Thank you, thank you…” He kept saying thank you to whoever he was talking to.

[You’re welcome!]

…Huh?

[The system update has been successfully completed. The system is now rebooting normally.]

[Would you like to check the notifications that accumulated during the update? ▶ Yes]

[Congratulations! You have successfully made contact through saliva (kiss) and used the miraculous potion. The pheromone gland sclerosis and rupture of the contact target, Kwon Seo-oh, have been cured!]

When it was important, the system acted as if it wasn’t listening and ignored everything, but what was this about an update? The miraculous potion? No, it was good that it was used…! Nam-woon frowned at the thought of all the mental anguish he had endured until now. His anger was boiling up his insides.

You psychopath! Are you messing with me? Be honest. You did it on purpose, didn’t you? How could you update at that timing!”

Regardless of his thoughts, the system continued to speak.

[Reporting the cured disease.]

[Pheromone gland sclerosis is a severe disease characterized by the fibrosis of the pheromone glands, directly linked to rupture syndrome. Pheromone gland rupture syndrome is a very dangerous disease that can lead to the loss of pheromone function and, in severe cases, death. It is known to be more fatal to individuals with dominant traits… See more.]

Seo-oh’s symptoms seemed more serious than expected. The drug administered by Chairman Seok’s subordinate must have been the cause. Nam-woon clenched his fist tightly with determination, distracted by the change of topic. He needed to bury that bastard Chairman Seok.

Then, a gentle voice came from beside him. It was Seo-oh, looking at him with a sympathetic gaze.

“Hyung, I’m sorry. I almost couldn’t protect you.”

Nam-woon finally faced Seo-oh and poured out his emotions.

“You bastard, I really thought you weren’t going to wake up… you son of a…”

“I’m sorry.”

Seo-oh, with his eyes wide open, gently wrapped his arms around Nam-woon’s shoulders and pulled him close. A sigh escaped his lips. He thought he would never be able to hold this body again. He didn’t know he would confess his love in a place like this… He felt even more sorry because Nam-woon seemed more shocked by the sudden confession.

But earlier, he felt like he was about to die, so he had no choice. At that moment, Nam-woon, crying so desperately, was so cute and lovable that he wanted to hug him tightly. But his body wouldn’t move as he wished.

Seo-oh tried to appease Nam-woon by repeatedly telling him that he liked him but suddenly turned his face away.

“But Hyung.”

“Uh… ahem, yes?”

“What was all that about earlier?”

“Sniffle, what?”

“…That story about another world and taiyaki shop earlier. What was that about?

“……”

Nam-woon’s mouth snapped shut. At that time, he was focused on holding on to Seo-oh’s fading consciousness, and he had blurted out the truth without thinking about the consequences. But now, both he and Seo-oh had a clear mind. Where and how should he start telling this story?

If I tell you the truth… will he believe me?