Holy B-Class Life

#070

“Alright.”

Dan Joo-hyuk quickly accepted his invitation. He had thought seeing the white face would be enough, but strangely, he found himself hesitating.

The studio apartment he entered quietly was indeed sparse.

Yoon Pa-ran clearly looked like he had just woken up from a deep sleep. His pajamas covered in small animals resembling himself and his slightly disheveled hair were evident signs.

Standing face to face, Yoon Pa-ran slipped his hand under his top and gently scratched his stomach. Dan Joo-hyuk’s gaze quietly lingered on the glimpse of his white belly.

Then, without realizing it, he asked, “If you were going to sleep anyway, why did you come back?”

“What? You expect me to sleep there comfortably?”

His tone suggested it was utterly ridiculous.

Again, a strange feeling gently scratched at Dan Joo-hyuk’s nerves. Unable to identify its nature, he rubbed his chin awkwardly.

Moreover, hadn’t Yoon Pa-ran been oddly avoiding eye contact since earlier?

“Why did you come?”

He acted as if yesterday’s events had never happened. Rather, he seemed quite displeased that Dan Joo-hyuk had suddenly appeared here.

The slightly furrowed expression upon seeing him clearly revealed this sentiment.

If he knew it would be like this, why did he come all the way here?

Only then did Dan Joo-hyuk remember the existence of the item and quest. However, seeing Yoon Pa-ran’s attitude made him feel somewhat more clear-headed.

Was it strange to come all this way to inform him?

But it was a quest related to Yoon Pa-ran. He also thought it natural that he had thought of him first.

After pondering for a moment, Dan Joo-hyuk decided to bring up a topic that might catch Yoon Pa-ran’s attention.

“The S-rank gate near here.”

“Oh.”

As expected, when he mentioned the gate, Yoon Pa-ran finally turned to look at him.

Meeting those eyes as if entranced, Dan Joo-hyuk recalled last night.

“I dealt with the boss first and came back. While you were unconscious.”

“Huh…?”

“Don’t you want to hear more?”

“No, why did you come all the way here for that…?”

His gaze was drawn to Yoon Pa-ran’s round eyes. He noticed how Yoon Pa-ran had been biting his lips uncomfortably since earlier.

It was clear that his intrusion here was making Yoon Pa-ran uncomfortable.

The distance Yoon Pa-ran had created was certainly rational. While acknowledging this, Dan Joo-hyuk gently scratched the end of his eyebrow with an ambiguous feeling.

Indeed, it doesn’t feel very good.

To explore the reason, he needed Yoon Pa-ran. He decided to postpone the truth he had discovered today, with a slightly annoyed sentiment.

Seeing no sign of retreat from Dan Joo-hyuk, Yoon Pa-ran let out another deep sigh.

“Go wash up first before talking.”

Finally, for the first time since Dan Joo-hyuk had arrived, Yoon Pa-ran said something he liked.

Yoon Pa-ran’s gaze swept over various parts of Dan Joo-hyuk’s body. Though not covered in blood, he must have looked quite fatigued.

Realizing his rather unsightly appearance, Dan Joo-hyuk tilted his head again and sensed something odd. Was there really a reason to rush after Yoon Pa-ran like this?

I must have been quite excited about the existence of the quest.

“I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“Throw your equipment over there. Take it with you when you leave.”

He decided to obediently follow Yoon Pa-ran’s suggestion. This time, Yoon Pa-ran’s white fingertip pointed to a corner of the room.

Although he had already dispelled all his equipment, instead of explaining, he stood where Yoon Pa-ran had pointed.

Then he took off his equipment one by one and tossed them there.

“The bathroom is that way.”

Whether he wanted to inspect the equipment or not, Yoon Pa-ran pointed to the opposite direction while staring at the floor. Again, his gaze had not been directed at Dan Joo-hyuk since earlier.

Is he very angry?

Standing in front of the wooden bathroom door, Dan Joo-hyuk slowly peered inside.

“This is the bathroom?”

“What?”

“It’s really small and strangely shaped.”

Hearing those words, Yoon Pa-ran immediately bristled.

The genuine surprise in Dan Joo-hyuk’s tone somehow irritated him.

“This is normal. Your place is the exceptional one.”

That rich bastard, really.

He inadvertently recalled Dan Joo-hyuk’s bathroom, which was larger than this entire studio apartment combined.

Suddenly, the tips of his ears felt too hot, and Yoon Pa-ran quickly shut his mouth.

“I’ll wash up and come out.”

“…Do that.”

It seemed like Dan Joo-hyuk’s gaze might be directed this way. But there was no reason for him to turn back while going to wash, so Yoon Pa-ran dismissed it as his imagination.

He continued staring at the floor while rubbing his warm nape. Only when he heard the bathroom door close did he finally raise his head.

Why did he suddenly take off his clothes? Is he crazy?

He had meant for Dan Joo-hyuk to leave his cursed equipment here, but Dan Joo-hyuk had readily stripped everything off. At least he seemed to have the decency to leave his underwear on, but Yoon Pa-ran hadn’t seen properly as he was avoiding looking.

He was wide awake now. He had just managed to fall asleep after tossing and turning for a while since returning to the studio.

By the way, why did he really come?

Although he had reflexively suggested washing up when he heard about closing the S-rank gate, he still couldn’t shake off his doubts. Why did he suddenly go to that gate? Wasn’t it decided that Kim Sang-deok would go?

If he was going to close it himself, why did he offer the bunker in the first place? Though he hadn’t heard the bunker’s location yet, it was better not to have a situation requiring evacuation anyway.

No, but why come all the way here to tell him in person? Right after coming out of the gate, no less.

“……”

Is it because he’s crazy after all?

That was the only reason he could think of. After reaching this rational conclusion, Yoon Pa-ran roughly swept the floor. Whether he had been in a jungle terrain or not, dry branches were scattered on the floor like ashes.

Then his gaze fell on Dan Joo-hyuk’s equipment strewn on the floor.

He unconsciously swallowed hard.

When the guy took off his top, Yoon Pa-ran had inadvertently seen his bare back. Yesterday, he had only seen the front…

“Shit.”

As an image suddenly flashed through his mind, Yoon Pa-ran quickly buried his head in the bed. He had tried to do it quietly, but that made the effect insufficient.

His mind was very complicated due to the unexpected secret revealed by the status window. No matter how many times he reopened it, the word ‘intercourse’ didn’t change.

That was absurd enough, but there was an even bigger problem.

Yoon Pa-ran was perplexed by these sensations still gently lingering throughout his body. Facing Dan Joo-hyuk made the sensations from last night even more vivid.

“Ha……”

He had thought it would become insignificant after doing it once, but that was a big mistake. Dan Joo-hyuk’s naked body kept floating around in his head. It felt like the sensation of Dan Joo-hyuk’s hands gripping him was still clinging to his skin.

“Can I borrow some clothes?”

“Ah, uh……”

At that moment, the door suddenly opened with a click, and Dan Joo-hyuk came out. Yoon Pa-ran, who had almost jumped up, reflexively turned around.

“……”

He was only covering his lower half with a towel. With another towel, he was drying his hair with his head slightly lowered.

Yoon Pa-ran swallowed hard again. He couldn’t understand why he was reacting this way. As Dan Joo-hyuk had said, it was just some fun between adults.

A drop of water that hadn’t been wiped off trickled down between Dan Joo-hyuk’s large chest muscles. As if entranced, Yoon Pa-ran’s gaze followed its trajectory and soon found himself looking down.

The towel didn’t properly cover Dan Joo-hyuk’s lower body. Because of this, the silhouette of something thick was clearly visible.

Shit. Why am I really like this?

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, no. It seems I don’t have any clothes to lend you……”

“Ah, I see.”

At that moment, Dan Joo-hyuk, who had finished drying his hair, raised his head. Yoon Pa-ran, who had barely managed to avert his gaze in time, slumped down on the bed.

He fixed his gaze on the ground, pretending to look at the equipment again. He just wanted to escape this awkward situation as soon as possible.

“So. Just say what you came for and go.”

Hearing those firm words, Dan Joo-hyuk keenly observed Yoon Pa-ran’s demeanor.

He still wasn’t making eye contact. His expression seemed quite rigid, as if he was quite annoyed.

Even if it was sudden, is there really a need to be so hostile?

“……”

Anyway, he no longer felt like sharing the important information. Yoon Pa-ran would probably get upset again when he realized this fact later, but still.

Now his reason seemed flimsy. He was a bit puzzled himself as to why he had rushed to find Yoon Pa-ran like this.

Dan Joo-hyuk searched his mind and came up with an excuse. Come to think of it, all the events of yesterday had occurred while questioning Yoon Pa-ran.

“That stone fragment.”

“Huh…?”

“Was that really all there was to the status window that appeared from that stone?”

“I said that was all!”

Perhaps angered by the continued questioning, Yoon Pa-ran finally jerked his head up.

His tone was quite irritated, but even in the dark room, his clear eyes shone. Just then, the sun began to rise outside the window.

Sunlight poured in through the only window in this cramped room. As if entranced by the light dancing on Yoon Pa-ran’s shoulders, Dan Joo-hyuk opened his mouth.

“Well, I’ll believe you.”

“Hah……”

With furrowed brows, Yoon Pa-ran let out another deep sigh. Though they were several steps apart, strangely, that breath seemed to tickle Dan Joo-hyuk’s skin.

Lifting the corners of his mouth, Dan Joo-hyuk took a step closer to him and said, deliberately including a mischievous implication:

“Anyway, now I have a way to verify it.”

Yesterday, they could see each other’s status windows while connected below, couldn’t they?

Considering his new position as a practitioner, the probability of a similar occurrence was high.

“…Method?”

Unusually quick to catch his meaning, Yoon Pa-ran’s shoulders twitched. The sunlight had now slowly moved to his nape.

As if finally recalling yesterday’s events, his skin was flushed red.

“……”

“……”

Dan Joo-hyuk now watched with a slightly dazed expression as the sunlight crept over Yoon Pa-ran’s body.

Suddenly, his throat felt very dry.