Chapter 54

Whether his heart beats or not, it's a matter of fact.

"Where did Yuchan put it?"

"Don't know?"

"Even in the netherworld, I see him so often, why would I come looking for him again?"

Chahaya tilted his face forward, too close, making it impossible not to flinch and be unsettled. His eyes held a color like red pupils, and not only that, but also a purple hue, with various colors intertwined.

Chahaya, who stared at him as expressionlessly as ever, seemed a bit unfamiliar.

"Do you want to throw it away now that you're in Seoul?"

"What? Get lost with that face."

"If you don't answer, I'll bite your lip."

"Try it. I won't let you."

Chahaya opened his mouth, revealing his teeth.

This crazy kid! To avoid the real bite, he quickly stepped back. Chahaya then smirked and placed his hand on Seowoon's shoulder again, but this time without the weight from before.

"Seowoon, don't make a poor guy like me feel bad? I'll dress up nicely too, so let's go see your mother together."

<'Elephant Shrew Seowoon' and 'Chahaya' Meeting Quest!>

Seowoon managed to maintain his expressionless demeanor.

"We're not going for a formal meeting; why would I dress up to see my mom?"

He blurted out unnecessary words due to the messenger. Contrary to his expectation that it would be easily brushed off, Chahaya stopped abruptly.

Why react so strongly to a joke? Seowoon wondered if Chahaya had some hidden homophobic tendencies. Seowoon subtly bit his lower lip.

If they were really friends, there would be no need to read such subtle cues, so he had to act as if it didn't bother him.

"If you're not coming, I'll go first."

Seowoon said it as he usually would. This time, even he found it quite convincing.

"Mom! Thank you for giving birth to a shrew!"

Chahaya shouted from behind.

Chahaya, indifferent to the attention, seemed satisfied that he was now ready. Well, Chahaya was always that kind of guy. Seowoon's lips trembled, and the corners of his mouth curled up in disbelief.

"Did you bring a car?"

Seowoon asked Chahaya, who had attached himself to his side.

"I don't even have a car."

"Did you really strip yourself of everything and donate it all? My car's battery is dead, so I need to call someone."

Chahaya, answering that it was fine, took out his phone and made a call. Seowoon thought he might be trying to harass Yuchan or Gangsan, but surprisingly, Chahaya called a taxi.

"It'll be here in 10 minutes."

Before the netherworld, lower-levels operated a taxi service exclusively for the Everliving. It was 10 times more expensive than regular taxis, but the users, mostly guild officers and upper-middle-levels, were not lacking. Seowoon, who often used his own car, had only used it a few times.

After all the Everliving were isolated in the netherworld, the Everliving-exclusive taxi service was taken over and operated by civilians. With the drastic decrease in users, the fare became even more expensive.

Seowoon and Chahaya waited for the car on the sofa in the apartment lobby.

"We'll only go to the salon together, and when we see my mom, we won't go together. You'll have other things to do then."

"I'll wait outside."

"Why are you doing this?"

Seowoon wiped his face.

"Why? Weren't we always like this?"

"No, think about it. We weren't that clingy."

Seowoon spat coldly. Chahaya checked Seowoon's face, hidden by the cap. When he tilted his head to look, Seowoon seemed indifferent.

"Really?"

Chahaya asked if he was romanticizing the past.

"Don't know, can't remember."

"Then I'll assume I'm right."

Chahaya then stared ahead expressionlessly.

***

Before arriving at the salon, they called the sulking Yuchan, and the three of them sat side by side to get their hair cut. Since Yuchan needed to bleach his hair, Seowoon and Chahaya, who had finished their cuts, left first.

When they visited a nearby department store to buy Chahaya clothes, the expenses ended up being more than what Seowoon had to pay back. Seowoon, noting that he needed to keep a ledger, wrote down what Chahaya had spent in his notebook.

Chahaya, unaware that his debts were increasing with every snack, indulged himself.

"Do you want to buy anything else?"

Chahaya devoured half of a doughnut filled with whipped cream in one bite.

"Wow, Seowoon is sponsoring me."

"Stop talking nonsense."

When he pressed the doughnut in the paper cup, whipped cream burst out. Seowoon looked at the offered doughnut with disgust. The amount was so overwhelming that it felt like an indirect kiss.

"Isn't it greasy?"

"Not at all."

He smiled brightly. Chahaya, who was originally handsome, looked even more radiant, making it hard to look at him. Indeed, Chahaya (light) was that kind of guy.

"I'm going to see my mom now."

"Okay, I'll wait outside."

"Forget it, you go do your thing. It's over two hours."

The reservation was for a Korean course meal that took two hours.

"I can wait for three hours."

"There's no PC room nearby."

Was it because he really had no money? He seemed to be trying to get closer than before.

"Is it because you have no money? Give me your card."

"I'll play on the bench."

The force pushing him away was weaker than the force pushing him closer. Chahaya's hair, slightly curly, always looked styled even when casually dried. With the salon's touch, it looked perfect enough for a red carpet.

He couldn't even rest comfortably on the bench...

If it weren't for the dedicated vehicle, he would have had to endure various gazes from people. Most wanted photos or autographs, but some hated the Everliving and occasionally threw eggs or stones. Most had the agility to avoid such attacks, but sometimes aggressive individuals threatened such citizens, causing problems.

"Just eat with me."

Seowoon, feeling soft-hearted, said quietly.

"Left alone for over a year without any reason, and then went missing for a few months. Thanks to someone, I got used to waiting, so it's fine."

His affectionate but pointed words made Seowoon feel completely defeated.

"I'm uncomfortable. Anyway, I already reserved for three people from the beginning."

If he said he had other things to do, Seowoon planned to explain to the restaurant.

"I'll have to write it in the ledger again."

Chahaya, with a smile, tapped Seowoon's phone screen.

"It's very expensive, so be nervous. From now on, charge more for your services. Don't charge 50,000 or 100,000 won."

"I'm cheap, that's why."

Seowoon scrunched up his face.

"Kid, are you going to say that? Why ruin the mood of someone you've dressed up nicely?"

"Am I pretty?"

Chahaya cupped his cheek with one hand, fluttering his eyes to add more charm.

"Creepy."

Usually, he would have pushed the face away or lowered the hand, but he only scolded with words.

"Why, look again."

He tried to make Seowoon, who was facing forward, look at him. When he tried to grab Seowoon's plump lips, Seowoon noticed and turned his head.

"Looked, done?"

"Seowoon, it's strange. Why do you keep trying to avoid me?"

"What am I avoiding?"

"Don't know? Because of you, I keep wanting to get closer."

Chahaya literally leaned in, face to face. Seowoon glanced at the partition between the driver and passenger seats. The barrier was firmly closed.

Seowoon didn't move from his spot, as if showing off. Was there an inch of space? Their eyes met and clashed in that gap.

"Han Donhee says I'm really strange."

When Chahaya slightly squinted, the mole near his eye stood out.

"...Now you know?"

Seowoon chuckled and naturally turned his head.

"Am I strange?"

"Yes, you are."

"Is it because I look at you?"

"..."

Seowoon couldn't say anything, only his Adam's apple moved. The prominent Adam's apple, emerging from his smooth neck, was as plump as his lips, tempting to touch. Chahaya, resting his chin, observed Seowoon.

His long eyelashes would catch the eye wherever they fell. His eyes, with their long, cold ends, and his nose, smooth enough to want to roll it with his fingers, were striking.

Seowoon's unique appearance was so striking that it inspired people to create websites.

His eyes were also peculiar.

Chahaya knew that Seowoon often followed him with his eyes. Whenever he felt a gaze, it was usually Seowoon. Each time, Seowoon would flinch or ask indifferently if he had something to say.

It's funny. Even though he saw it first.

Seowoon, feeling a burning sensation on his cheeks, swept the round part with the back of his hand.

"You're really strange, so stop it."

"What's strange?"

"Would you like it if someone openly observed you?"

Seowoon turned to Chahaya again. After staring for a while, Chahaya only smiled.