STC chapter 8

At my question, Chae Goya cautiously took a bite of kimchi fried rice and then lifted his head.

“Baek Seojun and Ha Seonglim hyung…?”

He looked at me as if to ask why I was bringing them up out of the blue. It was a sudden question, even to me.

But I needed to know their whereabouts. After all, I transmigrated into a BL game where they were the main characters.

To avoid the damn side characters or come up with a clear strategy, I needed to know how far the original story had progressed.

I had chances to ask Jeong Yeonji or Heo Taekgyun before.

However, those two were so close to the ‘previous’ Kang Baram that they knew every detail, down to the number of his eyelashes.

If I suddenly asked about the main characters, they would find it very suspicious.

In contrast, Chae Goya was just someone I exchanged greetings with when we met.

He didn’t know me as well as the other two, so it was a bit easier to ask him.

“Yes.”

“…”

“Why?”

Baek Seojun, the original main character, and Ha Seonglim, the original main love interest, were my age.

Naturally, I used informal speech, but Chae Goya’s expression turned strange.

‘Did I have a special nickname for them?’

Surely, I didn’t call them with cringe-worthy nicknames like Junjun or Limlim. I was just a D-rank extra who never had a proper mention in the game.

There was no way I had ever spoken to the main characters.

While I was puzzled over Chae Goya’s expression, he gave an unexpected answer.

“It’s been a year since Baek Seojun left the guild, hyung.”

The original main character set up his own guild? So, he wasn’t in Idea now?

“…Really?”

I stammered in disbelief. Chae Goya tilted his head, his smooth brow slightly furrowed.

“Yes, it caused quite a stir when several hunters from Idea followed him out… Don’t you remember?”

Of course not. I wasn’t here back then.

But I couldn’t just say that. I forced a stern expression and lowered my eyebrows.

“Actually, my memory has been… a bit hazy lately, Goya.”

“What?”

“You have to keep it a secret, okay? I think I might have amnesia.”

It was a ridiculous excuse. Jeong Yeonji or Heo Taekgyun would never believe it, but naïve Chae Goya immediately turned pale.

I felt quite guilty, but I needed his help with the original story in the future.

It would be easier if I set this up in advance.

“Are you okay, Baram hyung? Did you hurt your head during a battle? Shouldn’t you see a doctor…?”

As Chae Goya’s voice grew louder, nearby hunters looked our way. I quickly waved my hands.

“It’s not like that! I just forget things occasionally, but I remember everything once I hear it again. Don’t worry.”

Despite my reassurance, Chae Goya was still distressed.

He must be quite a caring person.

In the memories of the previous Kang Baram, Chae Goya and ‘I’ weren’t particularly close. We only exchanged greetings, never having a meal together at the guild cafeteria.

“Sorry, I brought up something unnecessary. I’m really fine, Goya.”

“Even so, you should go to the hospital…”

“By the way, what about Ha Seonglim?”

When I awkwardly changed the subject with a smile, Chae Goya sighed and answered reluctantly.

“He moved to ‘Abyss’ with Baek Seojun.”

Ah, so to sum it up, S-class hunter and original main character Baek Seojun started a new guild called ‘Abyss’ and moved there with the original main love interest Ha Seonglim to escape the persistent side characters.

‘So the current timeline I’m in is after the game’s ending?’

That’s how it seemed. Essentially, Baek Seojun and Ha Seonglim were no longer in Idea.

Thinking about ‘Love War’ after a long time, memories from my previous life resurfaced.

‘Baek Seojun and Ha Seonglim…’

My sister had great affection and pride in her work, often naming them like her own children, so I couldn’t help but remember them.

After numerous trials and a dramatic love triangle, Ha Seonglim ultimately chose Baek Seojun.

Not the SS-class hunter Ye Ilhu, the Vice Guild Leader Ryu Min, nor the guild leader’s brother Chae Goya.

Ye Ilhu, the twisted personality, Ryu Min, a hidden schemer, and the timid crybaby Chae Goya all tried to hold onto Ha Seonglim but ultimately had to let him go. That’s how the game ended.

But isn’t there something strange? Typically, in a game with multiple love interests, there would be multiple endings.

To explain a bit about adult matters, this game was originally a one-love-interest game disguised as a multi-love-interest game. In other words, it was a deceptive product.

Despite its flashy characters and unique hunter theme that could have made it popular, it collapsed due to an investor’s absurd insistence.

[Baek Seojun is the best-looking, so let’s make him the main character.]

My sister had raged, saying that the main character should be decided by the players, not the creators, while drinking soju in front of me.

Anyway, it was a relief. If this were the early game, I would have been caught up in the fierce love battles between Ha Seonglim and the four men.

Now, they all had their happy endings, and peace had returned. Though it might be a sad ending for someone.

“Are you… okay?”

Even to me, who had only slightly grown attached, he was showing such shy affection, so the feeling of sending off Ha Seonglim, whom he had ardently loved, must have been indescribable.

In response to my cautious question, Chae Goya slowly blinked.

His gentle and beautiful black eyes disappeared under his eyelids and then reappeared.

“Well… you know, it was tough back then… But after Seonglim left for the Abyss, I actually felt better.”

Ah, could this be the ‘Law of Narrative Coherence’ (the degree to which a story makes sense) in the original work… or something like that?

As unbelievable as it was, Chae Goya even kidnapped Ha Seonglim during the game’s progress.

He tried to confine him out of a reckless desire to have Ha Seonglim all to himself, away from others including Baek Seojun.

Of course, the original story’s hero, Baek Seojun, discovered this and heroically rescued Ha Seonglim, causing Chae Goya’s grand plan to completely fall apart.

To go as far as kidnapping and confining someone who was living perfectly fine… If it was really just because of the ‘Law of Narrative Coherence,’ then Chae Goya would have had a lot to feel wronged about.

Aside from that, suddenly recalling the original story gave me an inexplicable chill.

Chae Goya wouldn’t obsess over me, but still, he did almost kidnap Ha Seonglim in the original work.

‘Let’s keep a proper distance, just enough.’

As the saying goes, ‘good fences make good neighbors,’ maintaining our current relationship wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Chae Goya was a gentle and kind younger brother, and I also wanted to make friends besides Jeong Yeonji and Heo Taekgyun.

“Your beer is here!”

Thanks to the staff who appeared with heavy beer mugs in both hands, the atmosphere quickly shifted.

Surprisingly, it was I who turned out to be the dog. In the past, I could drink a crate of soju without any problem, but ‘this’ Baram had a terrible tolerance for alcohol.

Chae Goya, worried about my staggering, kindly helped me back to my lodging. He was truly a kind fellow.

Just before parting ways, I finally remembered the handkerchief. To avoid forgetting again, I quickly took it out of my pocket and returned it to Chae Goya.

“Thanks for letting me use it. I washed it clean, so you can use it as it is.”

Chae Goya stared blankly at the handkerchief. Then, hesitantly, he looked at me and buried his nose in the handkerchief. Embarrassed, I scratched the back of my neck.

“Hey… It’s clean, I told you?”

“No, it’s just…”

“…”

“The handkerchief smells nice.”

Then he suddenly buried his nose in my neck.

Startled by the sudden deep contact, I looked up at Chae Goya. His eyes wavered uncontrollably.

“Ah… Sorry, it smells the same.”

Because we used the same fabric softener?

No, more than that… It was just the product available in the guild’s laundry room, so not just me but any hunter staying at the lodge would smell similar.

Chae Goya blushed shyly and stepped back.

“I’m glad I lent it to you.”

“Huh? What? The handkerchief?”

“Yes…”

Chae Goya, who answered so quietly, put the handkerchief deep into his pocket as if it were a very precious item.

“I’ll lend it to you again next time.”

“Sure, thanks.”

Why do my fingertips feel itchy?

“Are you going to the lodge?”

“No, Gohae hyung found me a separate place… Come visit sometime.”

His shy invitation reminded me that I had bought drinks at the bar earlier.

Ah, is this his way of repaying? How diligent and cute.

“Got it, make sure to invite me.”

“Yes, definitely.”

Chae Goya, who firmly promised to hang out again next time, left only after seeing me safely inside the lodge.

The next day, I was smiling contentedly, reminiscing about my time with Chae Goya in the bar.

‘Yes, it was really fun yesterday.’

It would be great if I could keep this good feeling…

“D-rank.”

“…”

“Come with me, let’s fight.”

All the hunters training in the dojo looked this way as the SS-rank hunter issued a challenge.

Having enjoyed a pleasant breakfast and come to the dojo, my mood plummeted instantly.

Why is this guy, Ye Ilhu, here?

‘Wait, what did he just say?’

My eyes twitched as I faced him.

‘Are you out of your mind?’