CHAPTER 217: 05/05

"GOOD MORNING, Wonhee-ya."

It was indeed a good morning.

As soon as Wonhee opened her eyes, she was almost blinded by Yejun’s beauty.

[I’m used to seeing good-looking people because of the nature of my work, but Yejun’s beauty is still on a different level. He’s naturally handsome, too.]

She had seen Yejun’s old photos, so she knew what she was talking about.

[He looks like the bad boy type, but he was actually the top student of his school from elementary up to middle school. We were in high school when the Outbreak happened, so just took the GED before he applied to a prestigious university.]

"Wonhee-ya, you really like my face, huh?"

"You resemble your father a lot, so I can tell you’re gonna grow old handsome."

"I will be eternally grateful to my parents for passing down their beauty genes to me."

"Speaking of your parents..." Wonhee hesitated for a bit, staring at the ceiling to avoid Yejun’s gaze. "Are they home? We fell asleep early last night. Do you think they’re here now?"

"I don’t feel their presence," Yejun said, his gaze still focused on Wonhee’s face. "They probably slept at the office since they’re taking care of the work I left behind yesterday because of the Red Code alert. We can visit them if you want. I’ll give you an office tour."

"To be honest, I’m not sure if I should get close to your parents."

"Why not? My parents like you, Wonhee-ya."

"That’s why I’m afraid to get attached to them."

"Can you tell me why?"

Wonhee fell silent for a moment before she spoke, her voice almost a whisper. "I lost my biological parents when I was five years old. Then I lost my adoptive parents when I was fifteen. I’m twenty-five years old now, so I’m afraid that I might lose people who are quite the parental figure to me."

"You’re afraid my parents might die if you see them as your parental figures?"

"I hate the number 5. It feels like a curse to me. That’s why I hate my birthday, too."

"Oh, right. Your birthday is on May 5th— 05/05."

"You looked it up?"

"Yeah," Yejun said, nodding. "I’ve been binge-watching all your films and drama series, too."

"Really? But I mostly only do romantic films and series."

"I skip all the scenes with kinship and kissing. I also skip all the scenes with the male lead. I only watch your scenes."

Pfft.

[He’s not watching for the plot— he’s just watching me act.]

"Wonhee-ya, do you really hate your birthday?"

"’Hate’ is a strong word. Maybe I just don’t like my birthday. I’m not fond of the number 5 since I lost my parents when I was five and fifteen."

"But it makes sense that you were born on Children’s Day."

Oh, right.

May 5th was Children’s Day in Korea.

"But what do you mean by it makes sense that I was born on Children’s Day?"

Yejun grinned while looking at Wonhee with dripping honey in his eyes. "Because you were born to be my baby forever."

Wonhee hugged herself and rubbed her arms because of goosebumps. "Yejun-ah, that was so cringe that not even your handsome face could make it sound sweet."

As expected, he just laughed.

[Yejun was just probably trying to make me feel better.]

And it worked.

"Wonhee-ya, I would never get the chance to meet your biological parents," Yejun said in a careful tone. "But I’m still grateful to them for giving birth to you. I understand why you dislike your birthday. However, please remember that there are many people who are happy that you were born in this world."

Okay, she was starting to get emotional now.

[Why am I such a crybaby?]

"I’m also grateful to your adoptive parents for raising you the way they did," Yejun continued, still being careful. "You grew up well, Wonhee-ya."

"I know what you’re trying to say, Yejun-ah. But I’m still afraid. I don’t want something bad to happen to your parents because of me and my bad luck."

"I’ll protect my parents and make sure that nothing bad will happen to them even if they become your in-laws."

"Yejun-ah, I’m serious."

"And so am I," Yejun insisted in a serious tone. "I don’t want you to think that your birthday is cursed, Wonhee-ya."

Aww.

She was touched by that.

"So, don’t be afraid to get close to my parents," Yejun said, grinning cheekily again. "Go ahead and get to know your future in-laws better."

Haaah.

"You’re really shameless, Yejun-ah."

"I have to since I’m trying to make you confess your feelings to me~"

Wonhee just rolled her eyes at Yejun’s teasing. "I’m hungry," she said, changing the topic. "I’m craving pancakes."

"I’ll make them for you," Yejun said, gently squeezing Wonhee’s cheek. "Just wait here and sleep more, Wonhee-ya."

***

COME TO think of it, Yool hadn’t told Graham directly yet that he wasn’t the real Gong Yool.

[He may have heard it from the Big 4, though.]

But he would still like to make it clear to Graham now.

[Just in case he has mistaken me from the real Gong Yool.]

"I am not your neighbor ’Gong Yool,’" Yool said bluntly. For once, Graham was wearing a poker face. Hence, he couldn’t really read what was on his mind at the moment. "My soul came from the other world, and I just happened to possess this body."

"Uh-huh."

Yool didn’t know if Graham believed him or not, but he continued. "So, the person you and Kisoo-ssi like is probably the original Gong Yool."

"The Gong Yool I like is the one who stormed into the Fall Guild’s office and picked a fight with the Hunters there who bullied Hunter Do Ahyeon."

Dammit.

[That was me.]

"Yool-ah, I know I look dumb most of the time," Graham said, giving Yool a small smile. "But even I can tell the sudden change in my neighbor’s attitude. I confirmed that when I saw you almost fighting the Fall Hunters despite being a Civilian."

"Well, I was drunk that time, so..."

"I know."

Yool let out a sigh. "You weren’t shocked?"

"I believe the majority wouldn’t be surprised of Transmigration," Graham said, shrugging. "If you told me your soul came from another world ten years ago, I would have laughed at your face. But anything is possible after the Outbreak. After all, nothing could be more shocking than Cracks appearing or man-eating monsters trying to invade the human race."

Right?

"You’re fine with it?" Yool asked carefully. "You don’t feel like I deceived you or something?"

"Nope, not at all. I’m sure Kisoo would feel the same."

"And how can you be so sure of that?"

"He fell for you the moment you defended him from Song Sunho," Graham said casually. "It was you and not the ’original’ Gong Yool."

[In short, they don’t care about the original owner of this body.]

However...

Yool knitted his eyebrows. "Is it really alright with you that Ahn Kisoo has feelings for someone else? Aren’t you two a thing?"

"We’re in an open relationship."

"Huh?"

"Kisoo is Guide— he knows that he’s bound to Guide other Hunters in case of emergencies despite being my ’exclusive’ Guide."

Oh, yeah.

[It’s one-sided since a Hunter cannot monopolize a Guide, especially the high-ranking ones.]

But, to be honest, Yool was surprised to know about Graham and Ahn Kisoo’s status.

[That’s a useless information to me.]

"Kisoo refused to have an exclusive relationship with me," Graham continued explaining his relationship with Ahn Kisoo. "I don’t want to lose him, so I agreed with his arrangement."

"The book didn’t mention that."

Then Yool spilled the beans once again— that he found out about this world through a ’novel’ that may not really be a novel.

Graham just listened to him intently.

"So, it turns out that it may not be a novel. That the things I remember from the previous world were stored in my original body," Yool said, ending his long story. "That’s why I need to return to my original world and retrieve the data that the System wants."

Graham fell silent for a moment before he nodded as if he finally understood it. "I got it."

"Right? So, don’t even think about stopping me. After all, Wony already allowed me to leave."

It wasn’t like he needed Wonhee’s permission.

But he didn’t want his best friend to worry about him. Hence, he did his best to convince her to allow him to ’sacrifice’ himself for the greater good.

[I just want to lessen Wony’s burden.]

"Yool-ah."

"Yeah?"

Graham grinned playfully at him. "I’m coming with you to your original world."

"Are you crazy?" Yool complained, shocked by Graham’s ridiculous idea. "Did you forget about the part where the dungeon says I’m the only person allowed to enter?"

***

Please ADD MY LIFE AS THE FIRST S-CLASS GUIDE to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :