The first to become targets were, of course, The Dawn members.
Since the quest was given by the system window, it was expected that the people involved would be somewhat related to the main scenario or to becoming a first-tier idol.
So, as a way to test the waters with a light expression of affection, I tried saying, “Our XX is~,” and this was the result.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Ah, yeah. Why?”
“Why, why, why are you acting like this, seriously?!”
“Yup, it’s for Ichae from Hoyun-hyung~.”
And with that, The Dawn was a bust.
The “designated” close person seemed to be an outsider, so I tried next with Lim Hyeonsu, who was the first to grab the back of her neck because of me and also got played for a fool.
– Me: Composer-nim
– Me: Do you know how much I care about you?
The read receipt popped up right away, but the reply didn’t come until hours later.
– Lim Hyeonsu: fuck, do you need another song or what?
Ding!
[The other party does not correspond to the player’s designated “close person.”]
Guess not.
I ignored Lim Hyeonsu’s message and started looking for a new target.
And the next candidate was Fool #2, Joo Woosung.
– Me: sunbae
But there was no reply at all.
In the meantime, I sent a “What are you up to?” to Min Jiheon, who I wasn’t exactly close with but had some ties to.
But all I got back was some pathetic bait like, “Uuungㅠㅠ I miss you too.”
And then…
– Me: ㅇ
– Little brother bastard: ㅇ?
I even tried sending one to my dongsaeng.
[The other party does not correspond to the player’s designated “close person.”]
Thank god, fuck.
– Me: ㅗ
– Little brother bastard: Here we go again.
Even though I was armed with shamelessness, just imagining expressing affection to my own flesh and blood made my skin crawl.
Well, if I had to, I’d do it, but still.
So, who the hell was it then?
After racking my brain, the worst-case scenario popped into my head.
No way…
It couldn’t be Kim Heeyeong, right?
I really didn’t want to get involved with her if I could help it.
No matter what, the system window couldn’t be that lacking in basic decency, right?
“Fuck, what the hell am I supposed to do if it is?”
I kept coming up with and erasing different scenarios and pacing around the room with my phone in hand when my phone vibrated.
– Joo Woosung: ;;; What the hell, you crazy bastard
– Joo Woosung: That’s creepy as hell
Ding!
[You have contacted your designated “close person.”]
“Oh, what the hell.”
Joo Woosung?
I grinned.
If it’s Joo Woosung, isn’t this quest a five-second clear?
I’d thought the quest was obviously designed to screw me over, but who knew it’d be this easy.
I called him, and the call connected after barely a few seconds of ringing.
– “…What is it, what’s up?”
His tone was full of suspicion and wariness.
“You’re a sunbae I really respect.”
– “I’m hanging up.”
“Wait.”
I tried to come up with something nice to say, but honestly, I had no idea what Joo Woosung had been up to lately.
I just never cared.
“…Woosung-ssi, what have you been up to these days?”
– “…Is this for a broadcast?”
“No, so don’t worry.”
– “If it’s not that, why are you calling me? Do you need something?”
“Why? Aren’t we close?”
– “We’re not, you son of a bitch.”
Was that enough build-up?
Honestly, I was already annoyed and just wanted to get this over with.
“Hyung, I really ca—”
I’d picked a safe way to start, but the word “care” just wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
To be honest, he could be a bit childish, but he was actually better at looking after himself than I was so, objectively, I had no reason or room to care about him or anything.
– “Huh? What?”
It’s not like tossing out empty words was hard for me, but something about this felt off.
“I really, fuck, ca-care about you.”
In the end, I stuttered, totally unlike myself.
After that, there was a long silence, so I checked my phone to see if the call had been disconnected, but the call timer was still running.
Just as I was about to ask what he was doing, Joo Woosung asked in a gentle voice,
– “…Did you lose a bet or something?
Ding!
[The other party does not acknowledge it.]
[Does not count as an expression of affection.]
[Number of affectionate expressions: 0/5]
What the hell? Why?
I glared suspiciously at the system window.
Joo Woosung was the type to get all smug and act superior if you gave him even a little praise, so why wasn’t it working?
– “Geez, Seo Hoyun, you really never change.”
“…”
– “I’m busy. Hanging up.”
I wandered around the dorm for a while, clutching my phone after he hung up.
All the other members were at the practice room, and I’d told them I’d follow soon, so I was the only one left here.
The guys I’d poked kept calling and messaging me, but Joo Woosung was silent.
Suppressing my irritation, I got dressed and pulled my cap down low.
“Fine, so this is how it’s gonna be.”
There was no way Joo Woosung was actually busy.
These days, Black Call’s public schedules had stopped except for a few members doing solo activities.
It was their break period.
Just in case, I checked Joo Woosung’s schedule online, and even asked Kim Seonghyeon, his die-hard fan, to confirm.
Then I hopped in a taxi straight to Joo Woosung’s place.
I greeted the security ajeossi as usual, took the elevator, and, after punching in the code I’d learned from previous visits, barged in confidently.
“Your hoobae is here~!”
As I shouted loudly and walked across the marble floor to the living room, I saw Joo Woosung, who was lying on the sofa, snapping his head up in surprise.
“Wak! fuck!”
“What do you mean you’re busy, sunbae? You’re just watching a movie.”
Of course.
This bastard was totally free.
Joo Woosung’s cat recognized me and rubbed its face against my leg and purred.
“Hey, Nyangnyang! Hi!”
“You scared the crap out of me! Why are you here? How did you get in?”
I gave Joo Woosung, who was looking at me with half-lidded eyes, a friendly smile.
“I just wanted to come by and thank the sunbae who’s always helping me in every way.”
“Wow, you should at least make your lies believable.”
“Anyway, first things first.”
Joo Woosung was always oblivious when it mattered, and only sharp when it didn’t.
He shuddered, clearly annoyed by my words.
“I haven’t seen you around at all lately, so I thought I’d drop by.”
Since it had come to this, I decided to just get it over with and finish the quest quickly.
I flopped down on the single-seater sofa and said,
“I’m also curious why you’ve been so hard to see—”
“There he goes again, starting up.”
I’d already failed with “care about you” earlier.
Respect?
What else was there?
Maybe if I’d said this kind of thing more often, I’d know.
I carefully chose my next line.
“Um, so, if it weren’t for you—”
As I started, Joo Woosung made a face like he was utterly disgusted.
But I pressed on.
“—what would I have done without you, Joo Woosung?”[1]
“…”
“…”
“…”
A long silence hung between us.
Then, as he picked his ear with his pinky, Joo Woosung tilted his head slightly.
“…Are you sick or something?”
But after checking my complexion—very healthy and full of life, if a bit rude and annoyed—he spun his finger next to his head.
“Or did you just… lose your mind? Or is this for a broadcast? Is this a hidden camera?”
“Are you mocking me?”
“Hmm, guess you really have lost your mind.”
The corner of my mouth twitched.
“Ha, don’t you know how much I respec—”
“What are you saying?”
“…Don’t you know how much I respec—”
“Nope.”
My attempt to try again was crushed.
Spectacularly.
“Are you not going to listen to the end? Is what I’m saying a joke to you?”
“What’s wrong with you, seriously. Did you eat something bad?”
“Ah, whatever! Can’t you just shut up and listen for a second?! I just don’t want you to be in a New Year’s Day dating scandal article with me!!”
“You crazy bastard, just curse me out, why don’t you!”
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋWah, this is fucking hilarious ㅎ.ㅎ Popping popcornㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
I’m gonna lose it!
I thought I could finish this faster than Black Call’s Tokyo Dome ticketing cut time, but no.
“Ha, seriously.”
The image he had of me was working as an impenetrable shield.
“Is it really that hard to believe me? Would I have come all the way here just to tell a pointless lie like this?”
“You just barged in and started spouting nonsense, that’s why. Put yourself in my shoes, you bastard. If I did this to you, would you believe it?”
“Fuck, I would!”
“…What?”
Joo Woosung blinked, looking a bit flustered.
Honestly, I couldn’t say for sure if I’d believe it 100% purely.
But this fool had helped me out every time during Shining Star, and even looked after The Dawn members sometimes, so I’d be willing to believe whatever bullshit he said at least once.
Whether it was true or not.
“Of course I’d believe you, Joo Woosung, after all you’ve done for me!”
[Affection expression counted.]
[Affectionate expressions: 1/5]
At the same time, a dinging sound and the system window popped up, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The words I’d spat out in frustration had actually counted as an expression of affection.
But there was no time to be surprised.
This was my chance.
“Got it?”
I looked Joo Woosung in the eye and said seriously,
“I respect you and I’m grateful to you, Joo Woosung.”
“…”
Ding!
[The other party does not trust the player’s words.]
[“Of course this bastard would, sigh” is what they’re thinking.]
[Affection expression failed, count reset.]
[Affectionate expressions: 0/5]
My anger shot up to the top of my head, but I just yanked off my cap and slammed it to the floor, watching Nyangnyang circle at my feet.
“Screw this, I’m done!”
This felt even more hopeless and difficult than the time I got the aegyo quest.
Joo Woosung looked at me like I was insane and muttered to himself,
“…Did this bastard really lose his mind.”
At this rate, I was in danger of not even getting two affection expressions, let alone finishing the quest.
***
“You again?”
It was already the third day.
Except for schedules, practice, and sleep, I stuck to Joo Woosung’s place as much as possible.
Maybe he had just bathed the cat, because Joo Woosung came out of the bathroom holding Nyangnyang wrapped in a towel.
“Hoyun, I’m sick of you.”
“Wanna die?”
Joo Woosung snorted and put Nyangnyang in the pet dryer.
He really adapted fast.
At first, no matter what I said, he’d act like he had indigestion or tell me to stop.
But now, before I even opened my mouth, he’d say, “Not buying it,” “Nope,” “Not happening,” and dodge me like some suspicious guy at the subway station.
Damn it.
I didn’t care about Joo Woosung, but I really couldn’t spare any more time after today.
I was racking my brain for what to do when Joo Woosung, holding his phone, asked nonchalantly,
“Hey, you crazy bastard. Want to eat? I’m about to order.”
“What are you ordering?”
“How about jjajangmyeon?”
“Not really feeling it.”
I replied indifferently, then quickly changed my tune.
“I really hate it, but I respect you so much, sunbae, that I’ll go along with jjajangmyeon.”
“Wow, even your bullshit is creative.”
[The other party does not acknowledge it.]
[Does not count toward affection expressions.]
Tsk.
As I clicked my tongue, I remembered Seong Jiwon’s face, crying after bumping into a car, and steeled myself again.
“Seo Hoyun, sometimes you’re funnier than a drama.”
“Yeah, I know.”
That’s my life right now.
Way more spectacular than any drama.
I was lying on the sofa instead of Joo Woosung, watching him brush the cat, when I got a message from Seong Jiwon.
– Seong Jiwon: Hoyun, where are you?
– Seong Jiwon: Are you busy?
– Me: Why
– Seong Jiwon: Ah, never mind… If you’re busy, it’s okay
– Me: Yeah, later
He sounded like he wanted to talk, but the quest was more urgent right now.
I decided to put Seong Jiwon off for now and looked away from my phone, just in time to see Nyangnyang scratch Joo Woosung and run away, apparently annoyed by his touch.
As I was thinking “serves you right,” Joo Woosung, wincing and rubbing his arm where a long scratch had formed, asked,
“Is this your house? And how the hell do you know my door code?”
“You’re only curious about that now?”
“So how did you get in?”
“I glanced at it from behind before, and it was obviously your birthday. Who wouldn’t know that?”
September 21st.
You could find that just by searching Joo Woosung on any portal site.
I memorized his profile ages ago.
Why not just hang a sign on your door saying everyone’s welcome?
And at that moment…
Ding!
[Affectionate expressions: 1/5]
I flinched at the system window that popped up.
…Why did that count?
Joo Woosung was even looking at me with a strange expression.
“What, what is it? You even knew my birthday?”
“…You’d have to be an idiot not to.”
Ding!
[Affectionate expressions: 2/5]
“…Fuck, that’s actually kind of touching.”
What was with this guy?
Of course, now I remember.
If you wanted to milk someone, you had to do your research first.
I knew everything from his debut date, stage name, every album concept, song title, lyrics, you name it.
It wasn’t out of any special interest.
It just stuck in my head after seeing it a few times.
But Joo Woosung, apparently forgetting all about variety shows, was muttering to himself, like he was touched.
“Man, seriously… Still, I guess you only have me, your sunbae.”
When did I ever say that?
But hearing his bullshit, I realized something.
He’s the type who likes things to happen naturally!
He preferred natural encounters.
In other words, he was weak to people who approached him in a non-artificial way.
That’s why, even with all the praise I’d showered on him, Joo Woosung just scratched his head and glanced at me.
“I’m the only one who would put up with someone like you barging in and acting crazy, huh?”
“…Well, yeah.”
He’s got pretty clear boundaries, but he’s always been weirdly lenient with me.
Ding!
[Affectionate expressions: 3/5]
Didn’t I just simply give answer?
Once the dam broke, even the most trivial things started counting.
“No one’s ever treated me the way you have, Joo Woosung.”
“Wow, you bastard. You should go back to acting. You’d be perfect as a chaebol heir.”
[Affectionate expressions: 4/5]
“You’re a pro at this, seriously. I thought you were filming a drama already. Same with that variety show you did with Kang Yeonhu.”
“That was just a variety show.”
I answered honestly.
“Would I say this kind of thing to just anyone in private? It’s a hassle.”
“…!”
I was only doing this because it was a quest.
Not knowing my real thoughts, Joo Woosung covered his mouth with both hands and backed away.
“Wah, seriously. You, you…!”
[Affectionate expressions: 5/5]
[Quest complete!]
…This guy’s tastes are weird.
Maybe it’s because he didn’t have many friends.
Not that I was any different.
I couldn’t really relate to his affection points, but as long as the result was good, that’s all that mattered.
“Well, I did raise Seo Hoyun, after all.”
Yeah, right.
Acting like he didn’t care, but deep down he was grateful to me?
Saying that this was the reward of mentoring a hoobae, laughing and running his hand through his hair.
I left him to get hissed at by Nyangnyang for being noisy.
[1] Hoyun also started using honorifics here, which he stopped doing long time ago with Woosung.
