Chapter 18: The Right Distance

“I’ll call a taxi.

What’s the address?”

Bae Jun-ho was dumbfounded by the pierced man’s nonchalant face as he asked the question.

His composure—sitting casually beside the unconscious Woo-min, looking at his phone as if it were the most natural thing in the world—made Jun-ho’s heart sink.

“Okay, done.”

Lee Do-kyung entered Jun-ho’s address as the destination, called the taxi, and let out a light whistle.

He considered more than half of this headache solved because Bae Jun-ho was a reliably trustworthy man.

Bae Jun-ho was a senior from the same Korean literature department who had been close with Seon Woo-min in the past.

Though he could be a bit frustratingly old-fashioned, he was fundamentally diligent and sincere.

As a genuine heterosexual, he could be entrusted with Woo-min even in his current state.

In truth, Do-kyung wasn’t thrilled about handing over Woo-min, in this condition, to someone else.

But he had no other option.

If Woo-min woke up in his house, he would immediately distance himself, undoing all the rapport they’d built.

“The taxi’s about four minutes away.

Shall we head out?”

Rising, Lee Do-kyung carefully retrieved his shirt that had been covering Seon Woo-min.

Without answering Do-kyung, Bae Jun-ho roughly shook Woo-min, trying to wake him.

“Hey, Woo-min.

Open your eyes.

Huh?”

“…Ugh… lea…ve me….”

Seon Woo-min muttered something unintelligible, turning his head away from Jun-ho.

The rough handling made his head throb.

Ease up, will you?

Do-kyung frowned, displeased.

“Let me do it.”

Brushing Jun-ho’s hands aside, Lee Do-kyung carefully lifted Seon Woo-min.

He supported the back of Woo-min’s neck, barely getting him half-seated, then bent and let Woo-min fall onto his back.

Throughout this, Jun-ho had been anxiously clenching and unclenching his fists, glancing between the two.

Afraid the pierced man might change his mind about letting Woo-min go, he hurried to open the room door.

Crossing the club hall, which seemed like a den of vice, Lee Do-kyung stepped outside, opened the taxi door, and laid Seon Woo-min on the back seat.

Each movement was as careful as when he’d lifted him onto his back.

“He’s going to be pretty out of it.”

“What?!”

A shrill cry escaped Bae Jun-ho, who had been glaring with hostile eyes.

What do you mean ‘out of it’?

Why will his body be tired?

What did you do to him, you bastard?!

But none of those words made it out.

“Anyway, take care.

Have him drink plenty of water.”

Unable to provide any follow-up care and wanting to protect Seon Woo-min’s dignity, Lee Do-kyung didn’t mention the events he had witnessed.

If Jun-ho knew Woo-min had nearly been drugged and assaulted by a man, no matter how close he was, he’d look at Woo-min differently.

He couldn’t let Woo-min lose such a reliable friend for that reason.

“Then I’ll see you at the café tomor—”

Before he could finish, Jun-ho slammed the taxi door shut as soon as he got in, as if it might break.

“Huh?

What’s with him?”

Lee Do-kyung watched the taxi drive away without hesitation, his eyes round.

***

“Ugh, my aching bones.

If it’s past midnight, you should go home.

Getting old makes even having fun tiring.”

Bae Jun-ho rolled up the sleeves of his ink-colored shirt, the café’s winter uniform.

Dark circles shadowed his eyes from partying at the club until dawn.

“…It really is tough.”

Seon Woo-min brought his trembling hands behind his back to tie his apron strings.

Waking up at Bae Jun-ho’s house, Woo-min had come straight to work with him.

His head was still hazy, and waves of nausea rose intermittently.

He’d even borrowed Jun-ho’s clothes, layering them against a strange chill.

He didn’t understand how he could have chills and cold sweats at the same time.

Sprinkling fish food into the central aquarium, Seon Woo-min suddenly grew short of breath and sat down.

This was strange to call a hangover.

Even the worst hangover of his life—after nearly eight hours of drinking at his university’s freshman orientation—hadn’t been like this.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I don’t think I am.”

He hadn’t even drunk half his usual amount at the club.

After half a glass of whiskey at the bar, he’d only sporadically sipped a bottle of beer over nearly half an hour.

Seon Woo-min pulled out his phone.

Suspicious, he searched for ‘GHB symptoms’ and found they closely matched what he was experiencing.

A deep sense of humiliation washed over him at the realization he had nearly become a victim of a crime he’d only seen on the news.

“Someone told me to make sure you drank lots of water.”

“……”

“Min-mae… that beer… it wasn’t from the pierced man, was it?”

Clutching his phone, Woo-min was silent for a while before shaking his head.

He didn’t remember the exact features, but the man who’d handed him the beer had been about his height with a thick beard.

Most importantly, his cologne had been different.

According to Jun-ho, Woo-min had been alone with the pierced man in the party room.

But he seemed to recall being with someone else in a small, enclosed space before that.

Only scattered, vivid moments surfaced, with gaps in time and sequence.

The door breaking with a crash, a man’s screams mixed with the sounds of a beating…

Mung Bean?

Was that the human version of Mung Bean?

“Go rest.

You can’t go on like this.”

Seon Woo-min, who had been frowning slightly, snapped back to reality when Jun-ho touched his shoulder.

“Or just leave early.

I’ll tell the owner.”

“It’s not that bad.

I’ll just close my eyes for a bit.”

Struggling to his feet, Woo-min went straight to the locker room and collapsed onto the daybed in the corner.

He reached for a blanket in the basket, then let out a weak laugh.

‘Still, you’re admirable.’

Of all the embarrassing times for Crispy!!!MungBeanPancake’s words to pop into his head.

This was hardly an admirable state.

It was awkward, but the thought didn’t feel bad.

The heartfelt words Crispy!!!MungBeanPancake had casually tossed out had deeply stirred something in Woo-min’s heart.

And when that feeling subsided, he would find himself waiting for him again, with a strange sense of emptiness.

Checking for any new messages from MungBeanPancake, Woo-min abruptly opened the app and went to the board where the criticism of Mung Bean was raging.

“Huh?…”

Seon Woo-min’s eyes widened.

┕ YoungRadishWorld (YMworld): True, can’t argue.

┕ Crispy!!!MungBeanPancake (find_B12345): True??

You have shit for brains.

┕ Put_IPKC_In_Ramen_And_Hit_It (1nyangzonegizone1): Mung Bean’s more suited for being a meat shield than holding a weapon lol lol

┕ Crispy!!!MungBeanPancake (find_B12345): Suited?

f*ck off.

┕ OhMyCherry (ohmyBzzi2000): What if he’d swapped with Cherry’s spear?

┕ Crispy!!!MungBeanPancake (find_B12345): Keep your fantasies in your own bed lol

And there was a new post that had stirred up even more waves than the original.

[Title: To You Assholes Bashing Mung Bean: Go Die

Author: Crispy!!!MungBeanPancake (find_B12345)

Just so you know, this is a targeted post for I Am The Boss Monster (killTJ_kingHakssuny).

First, let’s start with a complete summary of the Ruby Sword’s abilities.

Open your eyes wide and pay attention.

1. Flame Slash: The energy from the ruby explodes like a flame, cutting down the enemy. (Season 1, Episode 10)

2. Life Absorption: Absorbs the enemy’s life force to restore the user’s strength. (Season 2, Episode 12)

3. Orb Awakening: When certain conditions are met, the ruby embedded in the sword awakens and transforms into a new form. (Season 3, Episode 2)

4. Eye of Truth: Sees through the opponent’s lies and exposes their weaknesses. (Season 3, Episode 9)

5. Spirit Beast Summon: Swinging the Ruby Sword summons a red cat-shaped spirit that aids in attack. (Season 4, Episode 5)

Did you guys even watch the ‘Snail Mountain’ episode properly?

Still don’t get that Mung Bean was deliberately playing dumb because the Ruby Sword’s power is so f*cking strong?

What if he went all-out and the sword broke?

Could you not see his perfectly timed sword strike when the Boss Monster Snail Demon appeared?

If he’d handled it with kid gloves from the start like you say, do you think the Ruby Sword would even have listened?

Who else there could even touch the Ruby Sword?

Mung Bean is multi-talented; he can handle all five warriors’ weapons.

Please, I’m begging you, stop bullying after watching the anime a couple times.

Evaluate it properly after you actually know what you’re talking about.

Got it, you ignorant fucks who don’t know shit about IPKC?

[※ Replies welcome.

If you argue, I’m automatically right. ※]

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