VDN Ch 25
by STAR“Are you crazy?”
Nam-woon blurted out in surprise.
“Leaving aside your face, I don’t go for guys bigger than me, unless they…”
Nam-woon trailed off. Seo-oh’s expression somehow wasn’t good. Being with him always felt like walking on thin ice, but today, for the first time in a long time, the atmosphere was soft and pleasant. Moreover, ‘that Kwon Seo-oh’ had brought him home first and even treated the wound on his forehead, but with one “Are you crazy?”, the atmosphere literally turned to shit.
Did I overreact? He probably just threw that out there, and if I answer seriously, saying “Are you crazy?”, he’ll be offended.
Nam-woon didn’t want to ruin this rare peaceful moment, so he decided to change the subject. Since it had come to this, he thought he might as well say something nice.
Nobody dislikes being complimented. But he had no answer to Seo-oh’s question about his type. So Nam-woon vaguely responded.
“Big guys are… fine, I guess. You don’t always have to say it out loud, do you?”
Nam-woon’s awkward mumbling seemed to Seo-oh like he was embarrassed. It looked genuine, but Seo-oh had a more important question.
“Liar.”
Nam-woon flinched at Seo-oh’s sharp remark and put strength into his eyes. Seo-oh then threw out the question he was most curious about
“I’m bigger than you, but you hate me.”
“……”
“Is it because of my face?”
What on earth is he talking about? Who hates that face?
Honestly, Kwon Seo-oh’s face was perfect. Except for someone with a very unique aesthetic sense, no one would dislike that face.
However, leaving aside his face and body, Nam-woon couldn’t explain why Seok Nam-woon hated Kwon Seo-oh. He couldn’t expose the petty jealousy of the villain Seok Nam-woon, who was inferior to Kwon Seo-oh in every way, and he felt like the system would throw another fit if he did.
Seo-oh, unaware of Nam-woon’s situation, seemed to think this was his chance and bombarded him with difficult questions.
“So you tormented me? Because my face didn’t please you?”
“That’s…”
I want to maintain a good relationship with you.
At first, it was just to avoid a buried-alive ending, but now he felt a bit of kinship and pity.
The bullying he suffered from Seok Nam-woon must have left deep scars on him. It was evident from what Director Moon had said at the perfume shop. Even Nam-woon shuddered at the malicious words and actions that Seo-oh had endured repeatedly.
Nam-woon wanted to tell Seo-oh that he wouldn’t do such despicable things anymore and that he quite liked him and wanted to get along well.
But as he was now…
I leveled up, right? Is it an error? Aren’t you going to do system maintenance?
He needed an indirect expression that fit the current situation and would bypass the ‘demon in the air,’ rather than a direct statement towards Seo-oh. Soon, Nam-woon put on a serious expression and opened his mouth.
“Hey, listen carefully because I’m only going to say this once.”
Seo-oh looked at Nam-woon as if to see right through him.
“I like big things.”
“……”
“You’re big, right? Aren’t you?”
Seo-oh, who had been still for a while, slowly nodded affirmatively. Nam-woon also nodded and said,
“Alright, does that answer your question now?”
But whether it worked or not, Seo-oh looked at Nam-woon with a very burdensome gaze, then bowed his head deeply, lost in thought. Where is he… looking right now? Nam-woon nervously observed him, and a small mumble reached his ears.
“So that’s your preference.”
He seemed to have accepted it to some extent. He wondered how he would get over this hurdle. Nam-woon relaxed his body, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders.
“……”
Seo-oh silently looked at Nam-woon’s feet for a while. He stared so intently that Nam-woon thought there might be a hole in his sock. Then Seo-oh suddenly spoke.
“Didn’t you hurt your shoulder too?”
“Ah, my shoulder’s fine.”
“Let me take a look.”
“Ah, I said I’m fine.”
Nam-woon had a brief tussle with Seo-oh. Just thinking about the show he put on in the office earlier about taking off his clothes made him want to kick the blankets in frustration and he absolutely didn’t want to take off his shirt again.
“Se-han would be really happy to find out that you hurt your shoulder.”
As expected of a smart guy, his learning ability was indeed excellent. Nam-woon hesitated but eventually reached for the button again.
However, the second button didn’t come undone easily. He looked down and saw that a thread pulled from the button seemed to be caught.
“I’ll do it for you.”
Nam-woon and Seo-oh’s eyes met, and it was the moment Seo-oh’s hand touched Nam-woon’s shirt
Click.
“Hyung, I’m back!”
“Argh!”
Nam-woon’s body suddenly collided with the corner of the sofa. As soon as Se-han arrived, Seo-oh, who had forcefully pushed Nam-woon away, stood up and went to the doorway.
“You’re back?”
Seo-oh, leaving Nam-woon behind him, asked Se-han with a gentle tone,
“How was your day today?”
Se-han, looking at his older brother, replied with a deep sigh,
“Hah, it was another tough day.”
“I told you not to use words like that.”
“Hmph.”
After letting out a playful sigh, Se-han set down his bag and entered the room. Se-han opened his already wide eyes as he looked at Nam-woon, who was already sitting in the corner.
Se-han was wearing a white taekwondo uniform with a white belt tied firmly around his waist. From head to toe, the white clothes suited him so well that he looked like a promotional model for a taekwondo studio. Nam-woon greeted him warmly, standing up straight.
“Hi.”
“Ah…”
Se-han glanced at Seo-oh, then stood rooted to the spot and merely bowed his head once.
Huh, why is he acting like that?
Nam-woon was surprised when he saw Se-han not running towards him with a bright smile like before. They had definitely played well together until they ate kimchi fried rice that day. Was it because of the prank in the bathroom that day? Nam-woon felt a tiny bit disappointed that Se-han wasn’t acting friendly towards him like before, but soon he made a triumphant smile. He had something prepared to make up for it.
Nam-woon pulled the shopping bag, which was carelessly lying on the floor, towards him and carefully took out the gift.
“Here.”
“……”
Se-han glanced at his brother and cautiously asked,
“What is this?”
“……”
“Puzzles, I bought two.”
“…No, I’m okay.”
Huh? I thought he’d like it, but he doesn’t? Se-han only looked at the puzzle once with an uneasy expression and didn’t take it.
“Why, do you not like it? Should I exchange it for something else?”
“…It’s okay.”
Nam-woon was shocked. The puzzles didn’t appeal to him. It was a baseball player puzzle. Nam-woon, who had been imagining Se-han’s happy face the whole time and looking forward to it, was a little dejected.
Just then, Seo-oh, who had been watching the scene, handed something to Nam-woon. What he held in his hand was a round, egg-shaped object.
Kinder…joy?
As Nam-woon looked at it in confusion, Seo-oh said,
“Go outside and play for a bit.”
“What the? …Am I being left out?”
Nam-woon, squatting in front of the vegetable garden, devoured the chocolate Seo-oh had handed him while gazing at the [tomatoes,tomatoes,tomatoes,tomatoes,tomatoes], sign.
Oh, there are a few ripe ones there.
***
Seo-oh, having successfully driven Nam-woon away with Se-han’s favorite chocolate, gently called out to Se-han, who was just staring at the floor.
“Se-han.”
“…yes.”
“I’m sorry about earlier.”
“…What?”
“When I told you not to hang out with him anymore.”
Se-han didn’t respond to Seo-oh’s words and kept touching the ear of the white puppy doll hanging from his backpack zipper. Seo-oh looked at it and continued.
“I was worried that the guy might put you in danger.”
Se-han blurted out,
“But Wooni Hyung is not dangerous at all.”
“Yeah, I know. I think so too. If Se-han wants to play with him, go head.”
At those words, Se-han lifted his head. However, his expression wasn’t entirely happy. His large pupils shook uneasily.
“Really…? Hyung, you won’t hate me?”
“Why would I hate Se-han?”
Seo-oh said, cupping Se-han’s small, chubby cheeks in his hands.
“Actually, I’m still a little worried about Se-han playing with him. Maybe it’s because I love Se-han too much.”
At Seo-oh’s words, Se-han’s lower lip quivered, and tears welled up in his eyes as he sniffled.
“Hyung, uhuhu… I really, really love Hyung too.
Seo-oh hugged Se-han tightly and apologized.
“I think I didn’t understand Se-han’s feelings well enough. I’m sorry.”
Se-han wailed loudly enough to shake the house, clutching Seo-oh’s neck. Se-han, burying his tear-streaked face, shouted
“No! Hyung, ugh, I’m more sorry, I’m wrong… hic.… I’m the worst person in the world! I yelled at Hyung, sniff, said bad things… I’m really, really sorry, sniff, hic, hic…I love Hyung so, so much too…”
Nam-woon, who had been secretly picking and eating tomatoes, was startled by the sudden sound of a child crying and quickly stood up.
What? Are they fighting?