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Cha Euijae had never been the best at verbally expressing himself, and his ability to do so only worsened after becoming J and later being trapped in the West Sea rift. He was far from a cold person, but words always failed him when it came to his loved ones.
If there was anything he regretted most in life it would be not being able to properly say ‘I love you’ to his passed loved ones.
Luckily for him with Lee Sayoung this was less of an issue. He still couldn’t fully say how he felt (though he was always caught when he lied), but with Sayoung he could express himself in another way.
Often when they were together Euijae would subtly touch or hold him, and when they were in less public places even give him small kisses on his cheeks and hands. Where he couldn’t express his love through words he did so through physical means.
While Sayoung would often tease him for being so shy about these acts in public, he encouraged Euijae to get bolder with his actions (likely also knowing Euijae was desperately touch-starved after no human contact for 8 years). Unfortunately that encouragement led to yet another misunderstanding from those around them.
Members of the Pado Guild had been suspecting some sort of relationship between their guild leader and the beloved hangover soup part-timer. While it had only been a couple of times, the two had been caught resting their arms on the other and even holding hands once.
Many found this behavior absolutely bizarre, and some were even worried for the poor part-timer, sure he was a D-class awakened, but what about Lee Sayoung’s poison!
***
Title: [Anonymous] I am starting to get seriously worried about that part timer!
240 has been acting so odd and around them, and I think I even saw the part timer kiss his hand, HIS HAND!!! Will the part timer be okay???
Comments (4)
—Is this a dream you had? ¹
—Don’t joke like this OP, no one is crazy enough to kiss 240
⤷OP is telling the truth I saw it as well!
⤷Proof or you’re lying
When the first post was made about the pair it was pretty easy to shrug off for the Pade Guild members. Sure everyone had noticed their odd behavior, but someone daring to put their lips on Lee Sayoung was too far fetched. Unfortunately since this was about Cha Euijae and Lee Sayoung, it wasn’t long until another post was made.
Title: [Anonymous] Hangover soup guy might die????
I swear I just saw 240 and the part timer kissing in the stair corridor just now
Is that survivable even with the antidote??
Comments (6)
—This is the second post about them now…
—Is this a shared hallucination? It can’t be true that 240 is kissing anyone unless he wants them dead!
—It may be the last thing I ever manage to post, but I got a photo of them.
⤷This can’t be true no way I can’t believe the part timer would give up his life like this
⤷I’m so scared, please post it fast!
⤷The photo has to be edited how else could the part timer be alive!?!?!?
Title [Anonymous] 240 and part timer kissing proof
I hope this doesn’t get taken down immediately, or that I don’t get murdered, but here
(Photo.JPEG)
Comments (99+)
—WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S REAL!!
—How could the part timer is going to die, no more 15,000 won hangover soup ever again
⤷That is not the more important thing here
⤷Wow you care more about some hangover soup then the man about to die
⤷No matter how good the soup is how can you be so cruel towards the part timer and his impending death!
—That photo is so blurry, it might be a fake!
⤷Are you blind, stupid, or have you just never seen 240 ever in your life?
⤷240s gas mask is in the part timers hands!
—Does the guild need to prepare a funeral? Or will we all go down with 240 for letting a murder happen
⤷You make it sound like we just let this happen!
⤷Well would you have the courage to stop it ㅋㅋㅋ
***
Bae Wonwoo was sitting clutching his head, wondering where things had gone so wrong and what he’d do when soon his favorite hangover soup restaurant may close forever. His depressed mulling was soon interrupted.
“Vice-Guild Leader! Have you seen the posts on the Pado forums?”
Kang Ji-soo ran up to him and shoved her phone in his face while pointing. “The guild leader is trying to kill the part-timer! There’s even photo proof now, look!”
Bae Wonwoo spared the new post a glance before dropping his head in despair once again. Even people who didn’t know Lee Sayoung personally could immediately recognize him. It was so obvious, nevermind how bad the quality was. If you looked closely you could even see Lee Sayoung’s ungloved hands resting reaching to grab the other, those who did know him would recognize those darkened fingers.
“We’re going to have to make it look like an accident so we can be allowed to hold a proper funeral, how could the Guild leader ² do this to us!”
The 11th ranked hunter practically whined the words as if he had already begun mourning. From a nearby room A Small Miracle Seo Min-gi sighed, knowing he would be the one who’d have to find a way to fix this mess.
“Hyung,” Sayoung called out. While he didn’t often browse the guilds forums, he knew that the two of them had been caught earlier that day. Lee Sayoung had no plans to inform his hyung of this, already knowing if he acted cute he could curb some of Euijae’s future anger.
Cha Euijae showed little sign of paying attention except for a small hum at the call, he was playing 2048 ³ while waiting for the meat he was watching closely to finish cooking enough to go in the pot of soup.
Sayoung stood up from where he was sitting on the couch and walked over to Euijae standing by the stove. He slowly wrapped his arms around the other giving him more than enough time to pull away.
“What are you doing you brat? I’m still cooking over here, go sit back down.”
Despite the sharp tone of his words Euijae made no effort to move away or to push Sayoung off, so the younger man only nuzzled his head into Euijae's neck.
“I was cold, it’s warming over here with you.”
It was an obvious lie. Despite the penthouse being large it warmed up well, especially when the kitchen was in use, and Lee Sayoung was dressed more than well enough to starve off any chills.
Euijae only turned his head and kissed Sayoung’s forehead in response, not bothering to humor his words. For a couple of minutes the two stood like this in silence, watching the numbers on the screen of Euijae’s phone slide up and down, left and right.
Finally, Sayoung was gently pushed off and the phone was set down so Euijae could give all his focus to the meat that was cooked enough to be added to the soup he was making. The younger man huffed, but finally sat back down knowing that the soup would take long enough to finish cooking and the Euijae would come sit down.
The TV was turned on to a random channel with a currently popular drama, the sound set just low enough to be a good background sound but not loud enough to bother either of their sensitive hearing if the actors screamed over something.
Cha Euijae joined Sayoung on the couch and they leaned against each other. It had been so long since Euijae had felt this peaceful and happy without it being interrupted by work, whether at the hangover soup restaurant or from being called to rifts or dungeons.
He reached out and lifted Sayoung’s head up from where it had begun resting on shoulder and cupped his check. Euijae kissed Sayoung gently before pulling away just enough to whisper “I love you,” before closing the short distance for another kiss.