* * *
If Beom Sinje had taken part, his voice would have carried significant influence, and that could have been beneficial in many ways.
More than anything, it bothered Doyoung that Beom Sinje, who was in no way inferior to any of the other guild leaders, wasn’t standing alongside them.
Still, the fact that Beom Sinje had been the unanimous first choice for chairman was meaningful in itself.
“If I took that position, it would mean spending less time with you. And I don’t want that.”
“…What kind of childish reasoning is that?”
Doyoung gaped at him in disbelief.
He had to be joking.
There was no way he was serious, right?
Unable to believe it, he studied Beom Sinje’s face.
But his expression was as calm as ever.
“Hey, don’t go around saying things like that. Imagine the headlines—‘Chunho Guild Leader Abandons Key Role for Romance.’ You’d be torn apart.”
“I don’t know… I think most people would just accept it as typical of me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. No one would take that lightly.”
“It’s fine. Another Korean guild has an executive member position anyway.”
Technically, Beom Sinje had a point.
The Daehou Guild, the second-largest guild after Chunho, was also attending the conference, and their guild leader had been selected as an executive member.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
Doyoung narrowed his eyes, and Beom Sinje responded with a quiet, knowing smile.
That was answer enough.
Just as Doyoung opened his mouth to protest, Beom Sinje took the opportunity to press a soft kiss against his lips.
Before he knew it, the kiss deepened, and whatever complaint Doyoung had been about to voice completely slipped his mind.
“…I really shouldn’t let you get away with this so easily.”
His lips felt damp from the lingering kisses.
Muttering to himself, Doyoung grumbled, and Beom Sinje responded with another kiss before speaking again.
“This is a good opportunity for other guilds to take the lead. If Chunho dominates everything, eventually, people might start calling it unfair.”
“That’s true…”
Chunho had done a lot for the industry.
Right now, no one was complaining due to the unique circumstances, but as Beom Sinje said, public opinion could change at any moment.
“Knowing when to step back is a skill, too.”
Just like he had done.
“Right. So now, hyung, it’s time for you to stop worrying about all this.”
“Stop worrying?”
“You’ve always talked about what you really wanted to do.”
What he really wanted?
For a moment, Doyoung was puzzled.
Beom Sinje traced a finger along his cheek and whispered again.
“You wanted to retire and enjoy a peaceful life.”
“Oh…”
That.
Doyoung blinked.
He had thought about that.
To be exact, after retiring from being a villain, he had dreamed of using his well-earned money to ‘fanboy’ over his favorite things in peace.
“Now that I think about it…”
The house he had once lived in was still there.
He had secretly arranged for someone to maintain it, after all—because he had stored a rather embarrassing collection of merchandise there that he didn’t want Beom Sinje to see.
As the thought crossed his mind, a realization struck him.
“Wait… You didn’t actually go inside that house when you were looking for me back then, did you?”
“House?”
Beom Sinje tilted his head, looking genuinely clueless.
“It did cross my mind to sell it, but you told me not to. So after that, I never really gave it much thought. Why? Do you want to move back there?”
“Well… I haven’t really considered that yet.”
He did receive occasional updates that the house was being maintained, but he had never visited it himself.
He had been wary of getting caught by Beom Sinje.
But now that it was on his mind, maybe he should check in on it soon.
“So, what, are you telling me to stop coming to the guild altogether?”
“Of course not. At least not until I decide to leave first.”
Doyoung shot him a glare, and Beom Sinje simply smiled again before saying,
“I was actually thinking… Maybe I should start enjoying my free time with you, too.”
“Something like vacation?”
“Yes. Getting off work, meeting up for dinner, going on short dates like everyone else. Watching movies on the weekends, going for a drive nearby, or even traveling if we have the time.”
“Just like everyone else, living normally.”
“Yes. Normally.”
Doyoung recalled the time he had gone on a drive with Beom Sinje not long ago.
It had been a pleasant experience.
Maybe even more so because they rarely had such leisurely moments together.
Of course, at night, things had turned into something much hotter and more intense—something that couldn’t be put into words.
But still.
“That sounds nice.”
“Yeah.”
As Doyoung nodded, Beom Sinje smiled even more brightly.
Seeing such a radiant expression on his face was a first, and Doyoung found himself unable to look away.
As if unable to hold back, Beom Sinje leaned in again, capturing his lips.
This time, the kiss was deeper, more deliberate.
Their tongues tangled, breaths mingling, until they finally pulled apart, leaving the air between them thick with heat.
“Should we continue?”
“Hmm…”
What should he do?
Doyoung’s gaze flickered toward Beom Sinje’s lower half, then subtly glanced down at his own.
They were both in a similar state.
With things heating up like this, just a kiss felt a little lacking.
Knock, knock, knock.
Unfortunately, the rising tension was shattered by a knock on the door.
“Guild Master, a dungeon has appeared!”
And it was an urgent report, no less.
“Guess that’s a no, then.”
He had forgotten.
This world wasn’t one where they could relax at will.
Monsters could appear at any time.
It seemed their peaceful retirement plans would have to wait a little longer.
“Let’s go.”
Doyoung was the first to rise, extending a hand toward Beom Sinje.
The subtle disappointment in Beom Sinje’s eyes wasn’t just his imagination.
Watching him hesitate, Doyoung suddenly suggested, “Let’s take a vacation after this mission.”
“A vacation?”
“Yeah. About a week.”
“Sounds good.”
His quick agreement made Doyoung chuckle.
“And let’s go on a trip.”
“Ah…”
Unlike before, Beom Sinje didn’t respond right away.
His eyes widened slightly in surprise, which only made Doyoung feel even better.
“We’ve never really traveled together, have we? This time, I’ll handle everything. Just trust me and come along.”
Doyoung playfully winked.
Truthfully, he wasn’t much of a traveler either, so he wasn’t sure how well he could plan everything.
‘Well, we’ll figure it out somehow.’
Seeing the anticipation on Beom Sinje’s face gave him confidence that everything would turn out fine.
“Alright, hyung. I’d love that. Let’s go together.”
Finally, Beom Sinje took Doyoung’s hand, his expression filled with happiness—brighter and sweeter than ever.
* * *
