CHAPTER 44: FOR THE FIRST TIME

TSK.

Yool was forced to say goodbye to his precious role as a "side character" in that "novel" when he found Ahn Kisoo waiting for him outside the door of his apartment.

Ahn Kisoo was the main character in ’Guide To Your Heart.’

[Graham is the male lead, of course.]

So, why did Ahn Kisoo’s face beam when he saw Yool?

Tsk.

[I should have moved out as soon as I found out Graham lives next door.]

Tsk.

"Yool-ssi."

"Hello, Kisoo-ssi," Graham greeted Ahn Kisoo politely. "I’m glad to see you unharmed. Did the Autumn Guild let you go without making a fuss?"

"The Autumn Guild has no choice but to let me go, thanks to Cheongsan-ssi’s protection," Ahn Kisoo said, his voice quite cheerful. "They can’t say anything when I played the voice recording that you got from Song Sunho’s phone. I played the recording in Cheongsan-ssi’s presence, so Cheongsan-ssi secured a copy for evidence."

Ah, that.

It was the voice recording where Song Sunho told Song Moonho, the scumbag’s older brother, also the Autumn Guild’s Master, about his plan to frame Ahn Kisoo about his "death."

[Now they don’t have a reason to arrest Ahn Kisoo.]

"And Song Sunho already woke up," Ahn Kisoo added. "The fact that he woke up proves that the content of the recording was true."

"That’s a relief. Thank you for telling me, Kisoo-ssi. But you should have just called me."

Ahn Kisoo’s face turned red. "Uhm, I don’t have your number, Yool-ssi..."

Hmm?

That reaction...

"Do you want my number, Kisoo-ssi?"

Ahn Kisoo nodded eagerly, then he quickly handed his smartphone to Yool. "Please."

Was it really a good idea to be this close to the novel’s main character?

It was inevitable for Yool to be close to Chu Wonhee, the "villainess," because the two of them hit it off as friends.

But Ahn Kisoo was the main character.

[Who’s always in danger, sadly.]

Unfortunately for Yool, he didn’t have the heart to reject Ahn Kisoo while he was looking at him with hopeful eyes.

Before he knew it, he was already putting his number in Ahn Kisoo’s phone.

"Here," Yool said, giving back Ahn Kisoo’s phone. "You can just call me if you need something from me."

Ahn Kisoo suddenly looked troubled. "A-Am I being a bother, Yool-ssi?"

"A little," Yool said bluntly. "If you suddenly showed up at my door unannounced, then I wouldn’t know what to do."

As Wonhee once said before, being "brutally honest" was just an excuse to be rude.

And that was what Yool was doing on purpose.

[If I’m rude and I hurt Ahn Kisoo’s feelings, he won’t want me as a friend anymore, right?]

It wasn’t like Yool helped Ahn Kisoo for the main character’s sake.

[I only meddled because a crime happened in front of me.]

"I’m sorry, Yool-ssi."

Yool felt guilty when Ahn Kisoo lowered his head as if he was dejected.

[He’s an A-Class Guide, so why does he seem to have low self-esteem? B-Class Guides are already treated like gods. So, an A-Class Guide like him should have been treated better.]

Tsk.

"It’s not that I hate it," Yool said. His mouth just started spewing bullshit to appease Ahn Kisoo before he knew it. "But the Autumn Guild might attack you when you’re alone, Kisoo-ssi. So, wouldn’t it be better for you to stay with your guild in the meantime? Graham isn’t here to protect you personally, so just stay with your guild and let them protect you."

Ahn Kisoo raised his head, his (pretty) face beaming. "Are you worried about me, Yool-ssi?"

"Uhm, sure. I guess."

"I see," Ahn Kisoo said, smiling shyly. "I know that I shouldn’t have come here unannounced, but I had to come here personally because I have something to give you, Yool-ssi."

"What is it?"

Ahn Kisoo handed Yool a key. "The Autumn Guild seems to be curious as to how you know about the files on Song Sunho’s phone, Yool-ssi. They can’t formally summon you because Yeon Soobin-ssi is protecting you, but the Autumn Guild is the type of guild to do whatever it takes just to get what they want. And, as you already know, the government usually turns a blind eye to the crimes committed by the guilds owned by the Big 4."

Well, to be fair, only the Autumn Guild among the ’Four Seasons Guilds’ was known for breaking laws shamelessly.

[That’s why Song Moonho often bribes the APA President.]

"They might send people after you, Yool-ssi," Ahn Kisoo said, putting the key in Yool’s hand. "This is the key to Graham’s apartment. You should stay there."

Yool’s eyes landed on the door next door. "You mean that apartment? I mean, isn’t it the same as staying in my own apartment then? The security in this complex sucks."

"There’s a reason why Graham can live in that apartment in peace, Yool-ssi," Ahn Kisoo said. "Only people with the house key could enter that apartment safely. I can’t say it in detail because it involves Graham’s secret ability, but I can assure you that you’ll be safer there."

Oh.

[I hate to be indebted to Graham again, but I’d rather be in debt than dead.]

Yool had always prioritized his safety, so he wouldn’t turn Ahn Kisoo’s goodwill foolishly. "I understand," he said, immediately holding the key tight. "But is it really okay for me to temporarily stay in Graham’s apartment without his direct permission?"

"It’s alright since I know Graham would want you to be safe, especially after you saved me."

Right?

[Graham should feel indebted to me since I saved the love of his life, and not the other way around.]

"I’ll stay in our guild until Graham comes out of the dungeon," Ahn Kisoo said. "So, please stay in Graham’s apartment in the meantime. I just refilled his refrigerator with food and other groceries. Feel free to use them. This is the least we can do for you, Yool-ssi."

Yool felt relieved, his feeling of being indebted to Graham fading away. "Then I’ll accept your protection comfortably. Thank you, Kisoo-ssi."

"It’s nothing, Yool-ssi," Ahn Kisoo said, blushing again. "You’re welcome."

[Is it a requirement for a BL bottom to blush easily?]

Anyway, Yool realized that he should have listened to Ahn Kisoo and moved to Graham’s apartment right away...

... before the damned Autumn Guild grabbed him by the neck.

[Literally.]

Fucking bastards.

***

"TANGERINE Fairy?"

Hmm?

Yejun quickly moved to catch Wonhee who fainted right after she addressed the floating orange as "Tangerine Fairy." He caught Wonhee with one arm, then his free hand threw an ice dagger at the administrator.

But his ice dagger immediately melted after it hit the semi-transparent barrier that appeared in front of the tangerine.

Yes, it was indeed a tangerine with a face similar to an emoji.

[It even has wings.]

Freaking creepy.

"What did you do to Wonhee?" Yejun confronted the tangerine coldly. "You made her faint, didn’t you?"

Yeon Soobin looked calm at the moment.

But Yejun could tell that Yeon Soobin wouldn’t hesitate to attack the talking tangerine if needed.

[Hyung knows I would attack the tangerine, so he remained still.]

It was a smart move.

[Even in dungeon raids, the tank would attack first in order for the team to analyze the opponent’s skills.]

"First of all, Chu Wonhee is fine," the talking tangerine explained. "I didn’t make her faint– she just lost her strength after she activated the Sleeping Salon for the first time. It happened because despite being an S-Class Guide, Chu Wonhee is physically weaker than a normal Awakened Person."

Yejun clicked his tongue. "You should have upgraded Wonhee’s physical strength and stamina instead of her visuals. She didn’t need a visual upgrade since her face is already so freaking pretty."

"It’s not like the System didn’t want to give Chu Wonhee a stamina boost," the talking tangerine said defensively. "However, Chu Wonhee cannot have it all. She’s destined to be surrounded by high-class Hunters anyway, so the System didn’t feel the need to upgrade her stamina and physical strength by leaps."

"Well, if you put it that way, then I have no complaints," Yejun said while carefully putting Wonhee on the bed. Then he pulled the blanket up to her neck. "I have no intention of leaving Wonhee’s side anyway."

"Enough of this small talk," Soobin said, leaning down to pick up the ’Guestbook’ that Wonhee dropped when she fainted. "This. Why did the System give my baby sister an item when she’s a Guide? The System has no record of giving items to Guides."

"Chu Wonhee is the first S-Class Guide in the world," the talking tangerine said. "Your world will soon experience more of those "first times" as Chu Wonhee grows as a Guide."

"Why did the System choose my baby sister?"

"Because Chu Wonhee was born under the Lucky Star– and luck is stronger than any ability in the world."

"Is that so?" Yejun said, amazed. "I should ask Wonhee to draw my gacha games from now on."

Both Yeon Soobin and the talking tangerine ignored him.

"If the System pays this much attention to my baby sister, then it only means the System is expecting something in return," Soobin said, clenching his jaw. "I don’t know if I could call Hee-ya lucky when the System is obviously preparing her to face a Catastrophe."

Yejun cringed a bit.

’Catastrophe.’

It was a term used to describe dangers that occurred on the same level as the Outbreak.

So far, only two Catastrophes have appeared in the world for the last nine years. The Big 4 defeated them, but the Big 4 almost died during those times.

[The System is ’raising’ Wonhee to face a Catastrophe?]

"But Wonhee is a Guide," Yejun said, knitting his eyebrows. "Guides don’t fight."

"As I said, Chu Wonhee will bring many "firsts" into your world," the talking tangerine said. "But I didn’t come here to talk about Chu Wonhee’s importance."

The Guestbook in Yeon Soobin’s hands suddenly floated until it was out of their reach.

"Chu Wonhee misunderstood when I said she could only guide S-Class Hunters," the talking tangerine said. "When I said her direct guiding abilities only work on S-Class Hunters, I mean NATURALLY awakened S-Class Hunters."

Yejun let out a small gasp. "So, Wonhee can only guide members of the Big 4...?"

***

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