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“Hyung, do you really need to go?”
“Sesong guild leader will be with me, so you don't have to worry.” Yoojin said reassuringly as Sung Hyunjae gave a smile that pissed off Yoohyun rather than calming him. Yoohyun gave Hyunjae a death stare as if saying, if my brother gets a scratch, noone will find even the ashes of you. Hyunjae's smirk widened, seeing the protectiveness of the young man.
After giving Yoohyun some more reassurance, Yoojin hopped in the car.
“Shall we go?” Hyunjae asked, seemingly amused.
“Yeah.” Yoojin replied as he put the belt on, he remembers the first time he traveled with this man, he scared the shit out of him. That seems to be so far behind now.
“I have to say, I wasn't expecting such a sudden call. Did something happen?” Hyunjae asked as the car moved.
“Oh, well…” Yoojin seemed to be unwilling to talk about it.
“Something about the immoral people?”
“Hmm” Yoojin said vaguely as he looked out the window. Hyunjae decided to focus on driving for now.
The dungeon gate radiated blue light into the dark room. Yoojin locked his phone in a locker, so did Hyunjae.
Yoojin knocked three times on the dungeon door. Something changed. Hyunjae could feel it. A subtle change. He glanced at Yoojin who looked back at him, “Let's go.”
Hyunjae nodded and both of them stepped into the dungeon.
The gate revealed structures that resembled a city. Maybe it once was one, but now only ruins stood in its place under a gloomy grey sky. It had a chilling feeling to it. A bit of cold and concern. Something had gone terribly wrong. Hyunjae could feel it. They should get back- the door had already disappeared. His powers, his skills, everything was gone-
He tried to spark a lightning, but it didn't happen. He tried to wield his chains, it didn't come. He tried to use his combat foresight, there was no difference. He felt his heart sink.
Yoojin also seemed to notice there was something wrong.
“The fuck…” Yoojin murmured, “this isn't-”
Yoojin's words stayed on his lips as Hyunjae pulled him towards the wall. Both of them almost slammed against the wall, a large group of monsters started dashing past them. Hyunjae's enhanced senses had picked up on the noise and managed to avoid collision. The monsters didn't seem to notice them. Hyunjae prayed they wouldn't. His heart was beating so loudly against his chest that it ached. He greeted his teeth. It was for the first time he felt something like this- it was fear, in its rawest form. Grasping at his throat.
It was new.
His mouth felt dry. He clutched Yoojin’s arm as he pulled him closer, shielding him with his body, looking out for any attacks coming their way, knowing that he probably won't be able to do anything if it did and praying that Yoojin doesn't look up and see him in this pathetic state.
Hyunjae felt like it would be very nice if they could just disappear or blend into the wall behind. Or at least Yoojin could, so the monsters couldn't see him…
The wave of monsters passed them by. Hyunjae finally breathed he had forgotten to do so. His arms relaxed a bit, still cautious. Yoojin opened his eyes, his right hand was still clutching Hyunjae's shirt as he looked around, “The hell…”
Hyunjae's breathing was heavy and messy. He was frightened, not for himself. But for something else. Someone else.
Yoojin looked up at him. They were still very close.
“Are you okay?” Hyunjae asked, his voice carefully controled to hide the shakiness.
“Yes… thanks.”
Hyunjae gave a half smile.
“What about you?” Yoojin looked a bit concerned.
“I'm fine, Yoojin-gun.”
It didn't seem to fool Yoojin as he concernedly eyed Hyunjae. Would someone so powerful really be okay after suddenly losing all his powers? Yoojin didn't think so.
“Umm… I'm sorry. This is such a mess.” Yoojin said quietly as he looked around again. His face twitched as he thought that the immoral people had messed up again. He stepped away from the wall, which Hyunjae mentally did not approve of, but followed.
“Hey! Newcomer! What the hell is going on?!” Yoojin shouted at the sky.
It would've probably looked amusing under any other circumstance but at this moment Hyunaje feared that the monsters might hear him.
“Hey-” Hyunjae slammed his hand on Yoojin's mouth as he seemed to shout again.
“The monsters might hear you.” he said ungently. Yoojin's didn't seem very happy but refrained from shouting.
“Fuck” he muttered under his breath.
“Sorry, Yoojin-gun but my powers are gone, so we got to be careful. Or the young master might bury me alive.” Hyunjae said jokingly. Though he knew he was just masking his own worries as the young master's.
Yoojin sighed. “What the fuck do we do now?”
“For now maybe focus on staying safe? Won't the administrators find you themselves? They are the ones who messed up.”
“I guess so..” Yoojin gazed at him, “So, Hyunjae-ssi, how does it feel like to have a taste of being a normal human in a dungeon?” he jokingly asked.
“Not pleasant, I'd say.” Hyunjae masked his fear behind a joking tone.
“Hah ha. I guess not. You really don't like things you are not used to.” Yoojin started walking down the road. Hyunjae followed closely.
“Do you think our world maybe one day turn out like this?”
“No.” Hyunjae replied quite firmly.
Yoojin looked up at him with a bit of surprise, “Why do you think so?”
‘Because you are in it. It has to sustain.’ was the honest answer that came to his mind, ‘I'll make it sustain’. But he didn't say that.
“I don't like losing.” he shrugged. Yoojin chuckled lightly.
“Nice. Fuck destruction.”
Hyunjae smirked. It was probably not much different for Yoojin as f-class is almost the same as a regular human. While it was heaven and earth for Hyunjae. Especially because Yoojin was with him.
He feared that he wouldn't be able to protect him, what matters the most. It was almost driving him insane. But the small hope that system administrators will find them before danger does, kept him together.
Yoojin stopped in front of a building, “Do you think there are humans here?”
“I don't sense anyone. But they could be in a shelter like in that dungeon.”
Japan's dungeon, Yoojin realized and nodded. He didn't like the idea of people being here. He'd prefer there aren't.
“What do we do~” Yoojin seemed rather dissatisfied and bored. “These people..” he sighed, “..can't even handle a dungeon.”
“They'll probably do something about it.” it sounded more like he was giving hope to himself than to Yoojin.
“I sure hope so.” Yoojin mumbled.
There was that noise again. A bunch of monsters raging through. Hyunjae looked at the direction, yeah a group was heading this way. He grabbed Yoojin's arm who dodged, “wait-”
“YOOJIN-”
The monsters ran right through Yoojin as if he was made of air. No… it was the monsters that were transparent- semi-transparent. Hyunjae had panicked. Not ‘almost’, but totally freaked out panic. He inhaled heavily to catch his breath before reaching for Yoojin. The monsters ran through him as if he wasn't even there. It was weird but it didn't cross his mind.
“See? They can't hurt us! I thought it then too. They looked transparent.” Yoojin excitedly shared his insight.
“Yeah…” Hyunjae's voice unintentionally sounded a bit bitter which Yoojin didn't seem to notice.
“We're safe…”, Yoojin stepped towards the other side of the road, “...Hyu-” he stopped as Hyunjae's hands warped him from behind. Hyunjae's hand clutched his shirt as he buried his head in Yoojin's shoulders.
“Don’t ever do that again.”, Hyunjae said quietly. There was something in his voice that was totally new. It was not anger, or dissatisfaction. Worry? Fear? It sounded very unlike him.
Yoojin opened his mouth to say something, but he could not. He was left at a loss of words. Hyunjae's grasp felt rather.. weak. Yoojin gave a squeeze to his hand.
"Are you.. scared?"
"What if I lose you?" his voice almost shook.
It took Yoojin by surprise, “...Sorry.”
“Don't try something dangerous again. Not when I can't save you.”
“Okay.”
“Promise.”
“Yeah, promise.”
“Sign a contact.”
“That's going too far!”
Hyunjae finally let go of Yoojin.
“Remember it.” Hyunjae said firmly. Yoojin looked up at him. His facial expression changed. He tried to smile but it bloomed half-heartedly.
“Hyunjae-ssi.”
“Yeah, Yoojin-gun. I'm just a mere s-class you know.” his voice sounded bitter.
“It’s okay, Hyunjae-ssi.”
Hyunjae laughed lowly, “It looks like that.”
Yoojin stared at his golden eyes. Hyunjae stared back, his eyes soft but still not relieved.
The sky was already dark. The atmosphere seem to grow heavy and the air thickened. Time slowed as the moments passing by felt passively tense. There was a sense in the air something would happen. Yoojin's face seem to draw closer, Hyunjae's lips parted, closer…
Their surrounding suddenly shook. Hyunjae protectively pulled Yoojin closer. The ruined city faded in the back ground and the ground under their feet became a snow covered field. They both fell on the thick layer of snow.
“Hey, honey! Sorry for the mess up. He he.” a volleyball showed up.
Hyunjae was not sure whether he was relieved or annoyed but for now he decided to not think about it. Yoojin seemed to be on the same page as the raged out on the volleyball right away.
“WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU DOING??” Yoojin demanded, “Like don't fucking throw us in something like that, especially if it takes all our ability away!”
“Sorry, honey! It was a bit of mistake, but I made sure the monsters can't hurt you!” Volleyball apolozised.
“Yeah, good.” Yoojin said in a rather dissatisfied tone.
Well, Hyunjae was a bit relieved that his abilities were back. Feeling helpless is not something he'd fancy.
“Are you sure you want to keep talking like this?” Hyunjae looked at the volleyball.
“Wah, isn't this Chain?”
Hyunjae wasn't fond of his nickname, but Yoojin's one felt more unsettling.
“Why do you call him ‘honey’?” Hyunjae demanded.
Volleyball glanced at Yoojin than back at Hyunjae. It seemed to catch something.
“Oh, its nothing, dear! Just a nickname.”
Hyunjae did not feel satisfed with the answer.
“Anyways, chain, we'll have to cut you off the contact now, have some fun.” the volleyball said as an semi-transparent wall covered both the volleynall and Yoojin. Hyunjae didn't really like it but he decided to put up with it for now.
Han Yoojin. It messed with his brain the more he thought about it. He knew it. And today he had been painfully reminded of it.
Han Yoojin.
Han Yoojin.
Han Yoojin.
That man matters. More than anything else.
Or at least Yoojin could.
A fear of losing someone.
A certain someone.
A firm stand
I'll make it sustain.
And -
YOOJIN.
Panicking like he never had before. His voice shaking like the world was collapsing... Losing his cool just like that-
And the bitterness that lingers upon the realization he can't save him…
All of it indicates one thing. Which Hyunjae knew and today he knew it more vividly than ever before.
Hyunjae sighed. It was too much. The wall disappeared and Yoojin approached him. He stood up, “All done?”
“Yeah.”
“So we gotta clear the dungeon now?” Hyunjae asked. Yoojin nodded as the surroundings transformed into that of the original dungeon.
It obviously did not take long for Hyunjae to take care of the beasts. The gate appeared within 10 minutes.
“Hah, that was fast.” Yoojin stretched out his hands.
“Yeah, pretty easy.”
Both of them walked out the gate. The dark gate room greeted them. Only source of light was the glowing gate behind them. Soft light and dark background.
“Yoojin.”
There was no suffix.
Yoojin looked behind, “huh?”
“Yoojin.”
Hyunjae's face had an expression Yoojin couldn't read. Though he probably knew why. Probably.
“Hyunjae?”
Hyunjae's lips pressed together. Yoojin had to admit though the blue glow did not compliment his golden features, he still looked exceptionally good, which is not fair at all.
“Hey. Say something.”
Hyunjae took a step closer, took one of Yoojin's hand in his own and looked into his eyes.
“Han Yoojin.”
“Will you please fucking say it?”
“I love you.”
“Please don't get affected by my skill. I don't think you will. So…” Yoojin took a deep breath, “I love you too.”
Hyunjae felt the blood rush at his cheeks. Fuck it. He could not help but to smile.
Yoojin felt rather relieved no system window popped up saying, “Sung Hyunjae under-”
He could not even finish thinking-
[Sung Hyunjae under the effect of keywords]
“WHAT THE FUCK”
“What?” smile faded from Hyunjae's lips as Yoojin stared at air with pure disbelief.
[I was joking]
“THE FUCK” Yoojin decided to kill newcomer the next time he saw him. For real this time.
“What happened?” Hyunjae sounded concerned.
“Newcomer, that bastard! He sent me a system window saying you are now under the effect of my skill!” Yoojin complained.
Hyunjae had to process it
“Pfft-”
“You think this is funny!?” Yoojin smacked him in the back.
“Ha ha. Sorry. It's just-” Hyunjae surpassed a laughter as Yoojin shot him a hot glare.
Hyunjae's other hand caressed Yoojin's cheek.
Yoojin's eye softened as he felt the other's soft touch. His hands reched for Hyunjae's mouth and cupped it.
“It so unfair. You look so beautiful when you smile.”
“I'm no match for Yoojin-gun though.” Hyunjae smiled and placed a soft kiss on Yoojin's forehead.
“Liar” Yoojin said as one of his hands reached for the back of Hyunjae's neck and pulled him into a kiss. It was soft but intense. As if all the months of yearing put into a moment. Sweet and sour. A mix of everyting. For a moment it felt like the world had stopped.
Hyunjae's hand moved to Yoojin's back. The gap between them became nonexistent. Maybe just for a fleeting second, but it felt like eternity.
Under heavy breathing and messy hairs their lios broke apart. The air was still and thick, atmosphere hazy. The stared into each others eys in the soft glow of light blue. Those eyes that shine like the brightest of stars to the other.
“I love you.” one whispered.
“I love you too.” the other whispered back.
Extra:
*Days later*
Yerim: I think Sesong adjussi and adjussi finally got to dating
Yoohyun: What do you mean ‘dating’?
Yerim: Don't tell me you missed that they've been flirting with each other since, like- forever?
Yoohyun: *still in denial* Hell, no way!
*shj and hyj gets an intimate moment*
Immoral people: *very invested*
Newcomer: *Changes the setting*
Immoral people: FOR THE SAKE OF ORIGIN, NEWCOMER, WHAT THE F-
shj: *confesses*
Immoral people: YEAH!
hyj: *confesses back*
Immoral people: Let's fucking go!
Newocomer: *sends the notification*
Immoral people: Now, KILL HIM.
*HJYJ kisses*
Immoral people: *throwing a party in celebration*
Newcomer: *left binded in a corner*
Immoral people being immoral(quite literally) and spying on other's love life:)