CHAPTER 82…………………
After the noisy night, the next morning, just as breakfast was ending, my brother suddenly spoke with a faint smile.
“I’ll acknowledge the marriage.”
Leaving only those words behind, he trudged weakly into his room. Somehow even his smile looked worn out.
Considering how violently he’d thrown a fit about not accepting it, the way he gave in so quickly left me dumbfounded.
“Then why did he make such a fuss yesterday?”
“Just let it go. How many days in a year is he even normal?”
“Well… true.”
It was absurd, but at least he admitted it faster than I expected. That was a relief.
After finishing my meal too, I checked my phone before heading back to my room.
The first thing I checked was Hawon. She hadn’t sent me a message—maybe she was really busy.
Still, since we went to the same school, I’d see her soon enough. The real problem was—
[GM ■Az&]
What kind of causality had this guy broken so badly that proper communication was still impossible?
Unstable as it was, since he had managed to text me first before, I thought maybe soon we’d be able to talk again. But… just what was he really?
Could the mystery surrounding the company “Dereso” be connected to this?
Come to think of it, they hadn’t been giving out quests much lately either. Maybe their “authority” had been reduced because of causality issues too?
“Haa…”
It was the kind of problem I couldn’t even bring up with anyone.
Back in my room, I logged in as usual. Despite the early hour, lots of guild members were already online.
The usual “five” were there, minus Cheonma-nim, and of course Jankyung was around since it wasn’t baseball season.
Oddly enough, even Nyangmong-nim—who usually only logged on for raid clears and farming days—was present. And of course, my brother, who was on leave.
[Guild] Sunnya: Hello… ㅎㅎ!
[Guild] Hwansung: Babe, you logged in early.
As expected, the moment I logged in, an invite from Hwansung popped up. Naturally, I accepted and joined his party.
But right after I joined, my brother’s chat popped up.
[Guild] Hyesung: Huh, what the—ㅠㅠ… says my sister’s already in a party so I can’t invite her… why’s it doing this?
[Guild] Kim Sook: That’s normal. Those two always form a party as soon as they log in and play only together.
[Guild] Hyesung: Ah? k?? kkk? k? ㅋㅋㅋ? Haaa??
[Guild] Hwansung: Hyung, what’s with that reaction? Are you mad?
[Guild] Hyesung: Me? No wayㅎㅎ
[Guild] Hwansung: Then smile.
[Guild] Hoeh: Why does hyung feel so submissive toward Hwansung all of a sudden?
Like Hoeh said, my brother did seem oddly cautious toward Hwansung. For a moment I wondered if it was connected to his quick acceptance of the marriage, but dismissed the thought.
He probably knows himself that he went too far yesterday and regrets it.
Everyone has moments where they wake up and think, “Why did I do that last night?” My brother must be in that state now.
I didn’t think much of it and opened the guild window.
“…Huh?”
Strangely, all guild members were listed at the same location.
Guild – Welcome to Busan
Some people often parked their characters outside the guild house when idle, but everyone gathering there at once was unusual. Curious, I grabbed a quest from a nearby NPC and teleported over too.
Turned out, they were gathered to see the Atanas my brother had received as a reward from the Holy Kingdom letter.
Normally, guildmates—being obsessed with efficiency—didn’t care about pets without any abilities. But Atanas was such a big deal that even they were curious.
[Guild] Nyangmong: So jealous… Atanas just oozes quality… ՞˶ෆ . ෆ˶ ՞
[Guild] Jankyung: No wonder it’s ranked #1 pet among users^^ If it’s this hard to get, they could’ve at least not made it so cute, ugh^^… I want one~~!!
[Guild] Nyangmong: Didn’t you hate pets ‘cause you found them annoying (-៱- )??
[Guild] Jankyung: Atanas’s eyes remind me of my favorite batter^^ Like eyes sharp enough to hit a home run even if the ball comes at your head?
[Guild] Nyangmong: What the heck are you on about? Move, you’re blocking my view of Atanas.
Looking pleased with their reactions, my brother even slapped on the “Pet Master” title and started using emotes on Atanas.
Normally, Atanas just stared blankly at its summoner. But when my brother used the petting emote, it shivered faintly, almost like it enjoyed it. The indifferent face didn’t change, which only made it cuter.
I stared, mesmerized.
[Guild] Sunnya: Wow… that’s really too cute…
[Guild] Hyesung: Rightㅎㅎ
[Guild] Hwansung: Why can’t we buy that with money ♡♡
[Guild] Hyesung: Pfftㅋㅋ
It was cute at the farm, but reacting to emotes made Atanas even more adorable. Especially that tiny triangular mouth with its aloof expression…
[Guild] Sunnya: I should’ve started at launch too…
[Guild] Hwansung: I’ll go spam the forum demanding they add Atanas as a drop.
[Guild] Hyesung: Pfftk!! ㅋㅋㅋ Hwansung, you think that’ll workㅎㅎ
Still, I couldn’t shake the thought: black fur, red eyes… it reminded me of Hwansung.
Am I the only one seeing this? I asked the guild.
[Guild] Sunnya: Doesn’t Atanas look kinda like Hwansungㅎㅎ?
But apparently I was the only one. Chatting halted instantly, and my brother reacted like I’d said nonsense.
[Guild] Hyesung: ?
[Guild] Hyesung: ㅋㅋ?
[Guild] Hwansung: Hyung, I told you to smile.
[Guild] Hyesung: I typed ㅋㅋ, see? I am smilingㅎㅎ… But you, stop smiling… please…
[Guild] Hwansung: Do I look like someone who wouldn’t smile?
[Guild] Hoeh: Hyung, that’s obviously a sneer.
Then, like they’d rehearsed it, the guildmates suddenly all teleported out, claiming urgent business.
“Can five people all suddenly have urgent business at once…?”
It felt less like urgency and more like ‘We’d better get out of here fast.’
I was puzzled, but since they were skilled players often called to help with raids, I let it go.
That left just me, my brother, and Hwansung. With the bustling atmosphere gone, the air felt chilly. Then an even colder message appeared from my brother.
[Guild] Hyesung: Haha… Where exactly does he look like Hwansung? ㅎㅎ… My sister’s lost her mind… haha…
Huh? Was it really just me? But the more I looked, the more alike they seemed…
My brother began listing reasons Atanas didn’t look like Hwansung, even numbering them. I tuned most of it out—sounded like nonsense anyway.
Then the person in question typed.
[Guild] Hwansung: By the way, babe.
[Guild] Hyesung: (Crack…!)
[Guild] Hoeh: What’s with the parentheses?
[Guild] Hyesung: Hm? Just the sound of a twig snappingㅎㅎ…
Hwansung stayed silent after calling me, until later, when another line appeared.
[Guild] Hwansung: You said Atanas was cute. But since you said it looks like me—
[Guild] Hyesung: (Crack!) (Craaaack!!) (CRACK!!@@!!)
[Guild] Hoeh: That twig’s turning to dust.
Clearly embarrassed, he didn’t finish typing the sentence. Still, it was obvious what he meant.
[Guild] Hyesung: Yeah, you’re not cute.
[Guild] Hyesung: World’s least cute person.
[Guild] Hyesung: No one could ever be 0% cute like youㅎㅎ!
Why is he like this again…
[Guild] Hwansung: Guess you’re right…
[Guild] Hyesung: Yep! ㅎㅎ
Uncharacteristically, Hwansung sounded dejected. My brother, sensing weakness, doubled down—switching from reasons Atanas wasn’t like him to reasons Lee Hwansung wasn’t cute. He spammed messages, practically giddy.
Honestly, I felt a bit resentful. He’d already gone too far yesterday, and now he was piling on again. Left unchecked, he’d keep this up all day. I quickly typed:
[Guild] Sunnya: Oppa, stop it…
[Guild] Hwansung: It’s fine, babe. I know I don’t have any cute sides. I get that you were just saying it as a throwaway to make me feel good.
Then, suddenly, a memory I’d forgotten flashed through my mind. Back at the café, when I told him Hawon was cute but he wasn’t—his vacant eyes, muttering into the void, utterly crushed.
Could it be… Hwansung wants to be seen as cute?
