S Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Let’s think. I remember diving into the dungeon to save Shin Jukyeong. I also vaguely recall being chased by those frog bastards.

But that was all.

‘I don’t remember anything else.’

U-dam frowned, his head throbbing. His mind was a blank slate, as if neatly erased by an eraser.

But well, it’s fine. It doesn’t matter if I don’t remember anything. The atmosphere around me is favorable.

But there’s another problem. Of all people, Shin Taekyung is sitting next to him, making eye contact and even patting his shoulder! If no one were watching, he would have slapped himself to wake up from this hell.

‘Crazy.’

U-dam instinctively knew. Something was seriously messed up. His unusually good intuition sounded an alarm. A red light flashed ‘beep-beep’.

‘Why is Shin Taekyung next to me? And what’s with those deep, meaningful eyes?’

I don’t get any of it. It’s just disgusting. Fucking hell, did I really come to some other world, or this world? U-dam thought it was a reasonable suspicion. Shin Taekyung’s outrageous behavior didn’t even end there. He even apologized to the Reporter Guknaesan on behalf of the stiff U-dam.

‘It seems our child is still disoriented, having just woken up.’

Our child?

‘Please don’t push him too hard. He’s a very timid child.’

Timid? Who is he describing now?

‘We will make a proper statement later. Since you said today would only be a simple interview.’

As he said that, he tightly gripped his shoulder, and goosebumps erupted all over his body. The strong perfume smell, in particular, was so repulsive he felt like throwing up, so he hastily got up, saying he needed to go to the bathroom. He forcefully batted away the hand that tried to hold him, saying there was a bathroom inside, and then sprinted away. It was less like escaping and more like a desperate breakout.

‘What the hell did that damned Shin Taekyung bastard eat this morning?!’

The place he ran to and hid, of all places, was little Shin Taekyung’s… Shin Jukyeong’s Hospital room.

“Huff… Haah.”

Life is really funny. U-dam had to briefly suspect that he was under a curse from the Shin father and son. No matter where he went, he couldn’t escape them.

‘Still, Shin Jukyeong is better than Shin Taekyung.’

After uttering a blasphemy that his past self would have reacted to by firing a machine gun, he returned to the present.

“Don’t you have anything to drink?”

When he asked in a swaggering tone from the bed he had finally taken over after chasing out its owner, the Hospital room’s owner nodded with an obedient expression.

“Ah, yeah. I have plum juice and orange juice.”

“Soda or coffee?”

“No… Should I go buy some?”

Shin Jukyeong flinched, as if he would get up right away. Did he think he was some kind of devil?

“It’s fine. We’re both patients.”

If he’d known this would happen, he would have brought his phone.

This is so boring. And why am I so sleepy? Is it because the bed is good? U-dam buried his face in the pillow. The smell of Shin Jukyeong was quite annoying, but well… it wasn’t unbearable.

‘…Should I just sleep like this?’

Shin Jukyeong was burdensome, but he couldn’t tell the Hospital room’s owner to leave, so he had no choice but to endure it. It was the moment U-dam smacked his lips and closed his eyes.

‘I’m sorry.’

A faint voice and a strange sensation on his lips…

Smack.

Sm… Smack!

‘Smack?’

Huh?

“…!”

What the hell kind of memory is this? U-dam’s eyes shot open, and he sat up. He was so noisy that Jukyeong, who had been quietly sipping plum juice alone, was startled too. The two stared at each other like cats with their fur bristling.

“Cough!”

Meanwhile, Jukyeong choked and coughed, perhaps having swallowed wrong. His shoulders heaving made him look quite pathetic. Normally, U-dam would have scoffed at him.

But this time was different. U-dam was quiet, without a hint of sarcasm. His lips were slightly parted, and he was frozen. This wasn’t out of consideration for Jukyeong. He simply didn’t have the composure for it. Currently, he was being mercilessly assaulted by the ‘smack’ that dominated his mind. The U-dams inside him were in an uproar.

Sarcasm Department: (Malfunctioning.)

Violence Department: What the hell!

Sensitivity Department: Ohhh… I don’t know.

Possibility Department: Oh? Kinda hot… Ack!

Reason Department: (Eliminating D.)

And the ‘real’ U-dam (main body) creaked his head around to look at Shin Jukyeong. In his deep, dark eyes, a fierce whirlwind raged. It seemed his mental state was quite fractured.

“…Tell me honestly.”

U-dam’s voice dropped a tone.

“Cough! Cough, huh?”

“Have you ever come to see me?”

It was a strange question, completely devoid of context. He knew that. But he had no energy left to care about minor details. No matter how much he tried to deny it, the protagonists of ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘smack’ were Shin Jukyeong.

U-dam earnestly prayed, with the suspect before his eyes. Please, let it not be him. Let it not be him! It mustn’t be you! But as he prayed, he realized something strange.

‘Wait a minute…’

What was strange was that even if it wasn’t him, it was still a problem. Think about it. If it wasn’t real…

‘Then it’s my dream.’

U-dam had to experience his entire body growing cold. So, he voluntarily dreamed of being kissed by Shin Jukyeong?

‘Bullshit. Why would I have a dream like that?’

“What’s wrong? Does your head hurt?”

As U-dam tore at his hair with an expletive, Shin Jukyeong fidgeted and approached, checking on his condition. U-dam was going crazy. Is a headache important right now?

“Tell me. I asked if you’ve ever come to see me?”

“Uh… no. Visiting hours were prohibited, so I couldn’t go. Why?”

U-dam’s shoulders slumped. Then he let out a short ‘huh’ laugh, and soon burst into uncontrollable laughter like a madman. He looked insane.

‘Wow, he’s messing with me like this?’

He prided himself on having been betrayed many times in life, but it seemed he still had a long way to go. It was the first time in his life he’d been backstabbed by himself. U-dam’s expression turned cold. It was certainly a new feeling. He dry-washed his face. He felt like he’d been hit by a super-strong existential crisis.

He’d heard somewhere that dreams fulfill unconscious wishes. But from today, that’s all bullshit. From now on, anyone spouting such nonsense will be purged.

‘I was just tired, so I had a bad dream.’

U-dam squeezed his eyes shut and denied reality.

“Tell me. I asked if you’ve ever come to see me?”

He was speechless. He almost screamed. Did this kid know something and was asking? Jukyeong swallowed hard and frantically looked for Eve.

‘Eve… Surely he doesn’t remember, does he?’

「Eve definitely put him to sleep (⊙.⊙)?」

Eve’s power was undeniable. Jukyeong knew that better than anyone.

‘…So why is he saying such things?’

「Hmm~ Did he wake up in the middle? He must’ve seen Jukyeong chu (＞ε＜)!」

‘What?’

「Just kidding~ lol」

‘Joke privileges revoked for two months.’

「( `ε´ ) Ptooie!!」

That thing is making my heart drop.

Jukyeong hid his sweating hands and replied with as nonchalant an expression as possible.

“Uh… no. Visiting hours were prohibited, so I couldn’t go. Why?”

But then his younger brother suddenly burst out laughing. What? Why is he acting like that? Worried that the spot where he was hit might be wrong, Jukyeong glanced at the emergency call button on the bed. He wanted to call the medical staff, but would he get angry?

「Eve checked. No abnormal life signs. Perfectly fine.」

‘Really? Are you sure?’

「Jukyeong, you’re too soft. (-ε-) Even now~ you’re putting seaweed on finished rice! What’ll you do if you hide it?!」

‘You mean throwing ashes, right? What would happen if you put seaweed on it? It would just be delicious…’

He rebutted, but in fact, Eve was right. He admitted it. Jukyeong knew himself to be endlessly soft toward his younger brothers. What good was it to set up all these difficult situations only to hide things with his own hands? However, being a little soft wasn’t a big problem, so he decided to let it slide for now.

‘Don’t worry. I’ll send him back again. He just woke up; he’ll be tired if people bother him.’

「You dummy!」

‘I know. I’ll send him away soon so things don’t get complicated.’

While he was having that conversation with Eve.

“You know what?”

U-dam suddenly spoke.

“They say I saved people.”

It was absurd, but that’s what they said. U-dam continued his sentence.

「It’s not you, it’s Jukyeong!」

‘Eve.’

U-dam looked confused. He didn’t seem particularly happy. Of course, anyone would be disoriented if they woke up after fainting and were treated like a hero. But he had to accept it. Only then would the future change.

Jukyeong pretended not to know and offered his thanks.

“Yeah. Thanks for saving them.”

But U-dam’s reaction was strange.

“They said I manifested an Ability?”

“Congratu…lations?”

“…”

It’s cold.

Hmm, this isn’t right. Jukyeong quickly glanced at him. U-dam let out a sarcastic ‘ha’ laugh, as if something displeased him. Then he stared at Jukyeong with sharp eyes. His attitude was as spiky as a hedgehog.