Chapter 50: Too Many Protectors

“Ugh, my head…”

He didn’t think he had drunk that much, but the moment he woke up, his head felt like it was splitting.

“You’re awake?”

Turning toward the voice, he saw Mo Jun-young standing there, impeccably dressed in a navy suit and tie.

“Get yourself together quickly. We need to handle the dungeon aftermath, and also settle the sponsorship funds that came in from selling the magic stones.”

Sung Ju-an dragged himself up, washed, and opened the wardrobe. Just yesterday, there had only been a few outfits, but now it was completely full.

He looked at Mo Jun-young in confusion.

Since he couldn’t go shopping himself, Jun-young had apparently ordered several outfits.

They were all so luxurious that it didn’t even feel right to choose based on preference. The problem was, like the clothes he wore at Baek Eun-hoo’s house, they were all suits, hard to move in.

Noticing his expression, Jun-young tilted his head slightly.

“Don’t you like them?”

“Don’t you have anything more comfortable?”

“I do, but it’s better if you wear suits most of the time.”

What kind of rule was that? He wasn’t some corporate employee. Comfort was best.

“I’ll just take something comfortable.”

Jun-young opened another wardrobe and took out a beige knit sweater and jeans. Perfect.

Ju-an changed and followed him out.

While they were in the elevator heading down, Jun-young kept glancing at him and shaking his head.

‘What’s his problem?’

He’d already felt something was off since yesterday, but it didn’t take long to understand why.

The moment they stepped outside, reporters who had been waiting rushed toward them, just like what happened at Eun-hoo’s guild.

Ju-an stuck close to Jun-young. Standing next to him in that polished suit made his own outfit suddenly feel embarrassing.

‘I should’ve just worn a suit…’

“Isn’t this a bit much?”

Jun-young looked innocent.

“Why?”

“You could’ve at least warned me.”

“I did say it would be better to wear a suit.”

Talking to him was like talking to a wall.

Ju-an gave up and hid behind him.

“Stand a bit in front. Try to block me from the cameras.”

Jun-young replied, sounding oddly amused,

“It won’t matter, they’ll capture everything anyway. You might as well stand confidently. Right now you look like a criminal.”

‘…Was that true?’

Still, it was embarrassing. Ju-an had never liked attention, and after working at a terrible company, it got even worse.

He clung to Jun-young’s arm, planning to just endure until they reached the car.

Then…

“Hyung! Hyyuung! Hyyyyuung!”

That voice was unmistakable.

It was Gong Se-yoon.

Ju-an tried to ignore him, but the calls got louder.

“Hyung! Ju-an hyung!”

He had no choice but to wave.

Se-yoon ran over and stopped in front of him, right on cue, camera shutters exploded.

With both hands full of luggage, Se-yoon rubbed his forehead against Ju-an’s shoulder as a greeting.

“Se-yoon, what’s all this? Did you eat?”

“Yes! I’m feeling energetic today, so I ate a lot!”

“Then what’s with all the luggage?”

Jun-young suddenly spoke, horrified.

“Don’t tell me…”

Se-yoon ignored him.

“This? Didn’t you know? I’m an awakened too, so I’m moving into the residential facility. Just brought the essentials first. Right next door to you, hyung!”

“…You’re moving?”

“Of course. Why would I live somewhere else when you’re here?”

If this conversation continued, it would just become gossip material.

“Then good luck with the move. We’ll get going, let’s talk later.”

“Later? I’m just dropping this off and heading to the management office.”

…Was he planning to follow them all day?

Seeing Ju-an’s doubtful look, Se-yoon quickly added,

“I’m not stalking you! I have a check-up today. Since I had that depressive episode recently.”

It sounded completely unconvincing.

Jun-young cut in,

“You don’t need to come when you’re feeling fine.”

Se-yoon snapped back,

“Don’t butt in! I’m talking to hyung. Hyung, I’m really not stalking, okay? Please don’t misunderstand.”

“Of course. You’re just worried about me, right? I know you’re trying to protect me.”

Se-yoon nodded vigorously, then happily rubbed his forehead against Ju-an’s shoulder again before running off to drop his luggage.

Watching him go, Ju-an smiled.

Strange, he wasn’t even annoyed, even though Se-yoon’s intentions were obvious.

Maybe just like characters were instinctively drawn to their creator, the creator was also drawn to their characters.

And Se-yoon, especially, was one he couldn’t help but care about.

“Let’s go. At this rate, they’ll take nothing but weird photos.”

Jun-young pulled his arm.

As they walked, reporters followed, bombarding them with questions.

“Will you donate your reward again?”

“How did you survive such unexpected danger?”

“Why don’t you receive help from the Constellations?”

Ju-an stopped.

The reporters already knew quite a lot.

If he stayed silent, they’d just make things up.

“Mo Jun-young, are you good at interviews?”

“Of course not. I’m too busy filing reports.”

…Figures.

Then Ju-an stepped forward.

“Thank you for coming. The sudden dungeon may have caused concern, but fortunately, we achieved victory once again.”

The reporters stomped their feet in place of applause.

“I’ll answer your questions. There were no magic stones this time, so there’s no reward. There was an unexpected crisis, but-”

He pulled Jun-young forward.

“Thanks to Mo Jun-young, we were able to overcome it.”

He conveniently skipped the details.

“As for why we don’t rely on Constellations…”

He paused, thinking…

Then a voice cut through.

“That’s because the Constellations were uncooperative.”

Baek Eun-hoo appeared, pushing through the reporters, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark gray suit.

Ju-an couldn’t help staring.

Eun-hoo smiled playfully and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Even without their help, we have an S-rank buffer. Much better than those who only talk and don’t fight alongside us.”

It was obvious he was managing his image, but it worked.

“That’s all for today. You never know when another dungeon might appear.”

With that, he dismissed the reporters.

Then he looked Ju-an up and down.

“You should’ve dressed him better.”

“I suggested a suit. He refused.”

Ju-an sighed.

“Am I a doll? Anyway, what are you doing here?”

“Came to see you.”

Eun-hoo reached out again, but Ju-an quickly dodged behind Jun-young.

Suddenly, Jun-young grabbed his hand.

“I’m not done yet. Next is Ji-chan.”

Eun-hoo grinned.

“I know. Just do things naturally.”