* * *
A soft sensation touched him briefly before disappearing.
It didn’t take long for Doyoung to realize what had just happened.
“Hey! You…!”
“Secretary, is something wrong?”
Park Chanoh, who had just been about to open the door to the press conference room, turned around, puzzled by Doyoung’s sudden outburst.
“…No. It’s nothing.”
Doyoung wiped his lips with the back of his hand and shot Beom Sinje a sharp glare before walking past him.
Even though he noticed the blooming smile on the man’s face as he left, he ignored it.
‘Just who is he, really?’
Beom Sinje was changing more and more every day.
At this point, Doyoung could hardly remember what the protagonist he once knew through the pages of a book was like.
‘They say a person’s upbringing shapes them…’
Doyoung shook his head at the thought, feeling a presence next to him.
He didn’t need to look to know who it was.
“Can you watch where you’re doing this?”
He spoke softly, ensuring Park Chanoh couldn’t hear.
“I’d like to, but it’s not easy.”
“What?”
“Whenever I see you, I want to touch you, hold you, and kiss you. Is that strange?”
Doyoung couldn’t bring himself to say it wasn’t.
If he were honest, hearing those words made his face heat up, and his heart flutter in an almost ticklish way.
Instead of replying, he gripped Beom Sinje’s hand tightly before letting it go.
A light chuckle echoed beside him.
‘Well, it’s not so bad.’
Thinking back to the cold and sometimes cruel protagonist from the past, who was often described as having ice in his veins, Doyoung found this version of Beom Sinje much better—someone honest about his emotions and unafraid to express them.
‘Yeah.’
Truly, he thought, standing beside this Beom Sinje felt inexplicably right.
When the doors to the press conference room opened, a large amount of camera shutters erupted.
Amidst the blinding flashes and murmurs, Doyoung watched as Beom Sinje strode forward confidently.
He thought again about why he was here.
Ultimately, it was because he had felt a pang of sorrow watching the protagonist, destined to fight against the world alone.
He hadn’t wanted to leave him lonely.
At the very least, Doyoung had wanted to be by his side.
The press conference began with a video showcasing the strategy to subdue Charybdis.
The hour-long footage of the fierce battle left everyone tense and angry.
The press bombarded Beom Sinje with questions, demanding answers about the Dungeon Ecosystem Research Lab’s reckless containment of such a dangerous monster and how they would be dealt with in the future.
Beom Sinje remained calm, answering steadily.
At last, he locked eyes with the cameras and spoke his final words.
“Chunho will drive them out of the country entirely. We will collaborate with other guilds to ensure they can no longer operate internationally.”
The press conference lasted nearly two hours, due in part to the lengthy footage and the reporters’ relentless questions.
Park Chanoh had signaled several times to wrap it up, but Beom Sinje refused, continuing to respond.
During the conference, Doyoung monitored online reactions.
The live broadcast chat was ablaze with comments.
[d45***: Those devils!! Just wipe them out already!
abl***: This is insaneㅠ How could they leave such monsters unchecked? They said there’s a lab in our country too—shut it down ASAPㅠㅠㅠㅠ
min***: But who’s that standing next to the guild leader? Anyone know?
xyo***: Tell us more about Antithesis! You said you’d reveal something—I’m curious!]
Among the flood of opinions, Doyoung noticed several questions about himself.
[nad***: Chunho Guild’s secretary, Na Doyoung, is here.
ang***: Whoa! The guild leader has a secretary…?
xyo***: Please spill the truth about Antithesis!
h7w***: Who’s that handsome secretary? Anyone know his details?]
After Doyoung revealed his identity, the chat exploded even further.
Though he had worked publicly before, he’d never been directly mentioned, making the reaction all the more intense.
Soon, his personal details began surfacing—his name, hire date, abilities, age, and even his relationship with Beom Sinje.
‘The internet really is scary.’
Then, he spotted another comment.
[sky***: Isn’t that ID familiar? From Hunters.com?
sky***: Wait, are you really…? LOL
ris***: What? Is he a fan, not a secretary? What’s the name?
sky***: Isn’t this the biggest spender on the group-buy boards?]
Some demanded more about Antithesis, while others speculated about his activities on forums.
‘Was I that obvious?’
Although his ID was partially censored, he couldn’t help but wonder if something he posted had given him away.
‘If they find out I live with Beom Sinje, it’ll be even more troublesome.’
While Doyoung debated whether to file a complaint about the data leaks, Beom Sinje delivered his bold declaration to eliminate the research lab.
The press conference ended soon after.
“Hyung.”
Beom Sinje, who had finished his polite farewells to the reporters, called out to Doyoung, who was still engrossed in his phone.
Startled, Doyoung looked up.
“Shall we go?”
Standing protectively in front of him, Beom Sinje seemed intent on shielding him from the reporters and their cameras.
‘Not that it matters—they’re already digging up my info in real-time.’
Still, Doyoung said nothing, following Beom Sinje quietly out of the room.
“To the guild leader’s office?”
Beom Sinje nodded, and they quickly headed to the designated location, avoiding any persistent reporters.
Upon reaching the office, Park Chanoh ensured they were undisturbed.
“Park Chanoh, inform everyone of a video conference in an hour.”
Once it was just the two of them, Beom Sinje turned to Doyoung.
“That ability you used at the lab—what was it?”
Doyoung hesitated. Beom Sinje wasn’t asking about his telekinesis, and it showed in his serious expression.
“When I first drank it, I thought it was a side effect of the drugs. But on the way back, I asked Park Chanoh, Song Jihee, and Lee Jihoon if they experienced the same symptoms. They didn’t.”
“It could vary by person…”
“I’ve thought long and hard about it.”
Beom Sinje’s words trailed off as he fixed his gaze on Doyoung.
“I realized that the arm that had touched yours had become even stronger after that.”
Both their gazes naturally shifted to the arm in question.
Coincidentally, it was Doyoung’s right arm, the one he had reinforced.
“Why did you hide it?”
“It wasn’t intentional.”
Doyoung didn’t deny it.
“It’s just… I was planning to use it only for you anyway…”
“For me?”
For some reason, the way he repeated the question made it hard for Doyoung to confirm right away.
His eyelids blinked slowly, betraying his hesitation.
By now, Beom Sinje knew this was what he looked like when he felt cornered—sending his gaze elsewhere ever so slightly.
It was at that moment a smile spread across Sinje’s lips.
How had he not realized how endearing this man was before?
Someone who only looked at him, someone who wanted to give everything to him alone.
“So that’s it. You were planning to use it just for me.”
That sly, teasing tone!
“Hey, stop…”
Doyoung tried to pull his arm away again, but when he saw Sinje’s brightened face, he let out a breathy laugh.
“Yeah. Just for you.”
How could such a simple thing make someone feel so giddy?
For a moment, the two simply looked at each other.
Then, Doyoung glanced toward the door.
“No one’s coming for at least an hour.”
Sinje seemed to read his thoughts as he spoke.
Without the worry of interruptions, Doyoung hesitated no longer.
Their gazes locked, eyes trembling slightly, and their faces inched closer, almost touching—
Bzzzzt.
Bzzzt.
Bzzzzzzzt.
The sharp vibration of a smartphone shattered the atmosphere.
It wasn’t a person, but the interruption was just as effective.
Doyoung froze and leaned back.
“Just ignore it.”
* * *
