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For once, Han Yoojin was free from work.
He checked his phone and saw that he no longer had any duties for the rest of the day. He blinked and rubbed his eyes.
His schedule remained the same: completely clear for the next 24 hours.
How odd. It felt like he never had any free time, juggling his monster taming center while keeping one step ahead of the Transcendents. He often went home exhausted, usually escorted to his room either by Yoo Myeongwoo or Han Yoohyun, who ensured he reached his bed.
Han Yoojin stared at his phone before letting out a loud cheer. He punched the air and let out a happy sound, startling the nearby workers and monsters.
“I’ll be back tomorrow! I’m free!” Han Yoojin waved to his employees, who eagerly waved back. “If there’s any issues, just text me.”
His employees congratulated him, excited that their overworked boss finally had the opportunity to take some time off. Han Yoojin merrily skipped out of the taming center and began to rapidly text his brother and Bak Yerim, future restaurant reservations already popping into his head. As he was about to call his favorite hotpot restaurant, he received a reply from his brother.
Sorry hyung, I’m about to enter a dungeon with Bak Yerim. Can we eat next time?
Apologizing for the attempt at last minute plans, Han Yoojin quickly texted his brother back, telling Han Yoohyun not to worry about it. He should’ve known that Han Yoohyun and Bak Yerim wouldn’t be able to make it, they were in-demand S-classes! They had dungeons to raid for Haeyeon.
As Han Yoojin went down his contacts list, his hopes began to diminish. Noah and Riette were currently away training, while Yoo Myeongwoo stated that he had a weapons manufacturing conference to attend. Moon Hyuna was currently out of the country and even Song Taewon had prior obligations.
Han Yoojin couldn’t believe it. Why were all of his friends busy when he needed them the most? He let out a frustrated sigh and finally went to the top of his speed dial list and pressed “My Partner” with reluctance.
It took three seconds until Sung Hyunjae’s voice graced Han Yoojin’s ears. “My dear Yoojin, it’s been 42 hours since I last heard your voice.”
Han Yoojin couldn’t stop the blush that emerged on his face. “...I told you it’s creepy if you remember how long it’s been. Quit it.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Han Yoojin scowled as he listened to Sung Hyunjae chuckle. Stupid bastard was probably grinning that stupid grin of his. “Alright listen, I’m free for the rest of the day. Can you get us a reservation at that fancy restaurant you mentioned last time? The one with the exotic dessert bar.”
“Oh.” There was a brief pause. “Tonight?”
Han Yoojin’s heart immediately sank. He recognized that tone of voice and braced himself. “Yeah. Tonight. Can you make it?”
Sung Hyunjae let out a deep sigh. “Apologies. If it were any other night, I would be overjoyed to whisk you away, but alas…I have something scheduled for tonight.”
“Some boyfriend you are, not making time for me,” Han Yoojin huffed out as he slumped down on the nearest bench by the taming facility. “I finally have free time and everyone seems to be busy. Even Yoohyun and Yerim are away. I thought an old man like you would have free time.”
“I promise to make it up to you,” Sung Hyunjae said solemnly, “If tonight goes well, we can go out for breakfast. Or brunch if you would like to sleep in.”
“Don’t bother,” Han Yoojin continued to scowl, even though the other party couldn’t see it. “It’s fine. What are you going to do? It’s strange that you have plans that don’t involve me or Song Taewon.”
Sung Hyunjae let out another chuckle. “Unfortunately, it will not be a fun night. There’s an unsavory fellow that has been a thorn at Seseong’s side. I’ll be meeting them later to…discuss our differences.”
“Ah.” Guild business. Typical. “Good luck, I guess.”
“Thank you. And once again, I’m sorry.”
“I told you it’s fine,” Han Yoojin ignored the guilt welling up in his chest. “I was kidding. Last minute plans tend to fall through.”
“I would much rather spend time with you.”
Han Yoojin’s heart warmed at Sung Hyunjae’s words. He was glad that the Seseong Guildmaster couldn’t see his face right now, otherwise he would’ve had the teasing of a lifetime.
“Breakfast, then?”
“Yes, I’ll text you and pick you up.”
“Alright, see you tomorrow morning.”
They concluded their greetings and Han Yoojin put his phone in his lap, staring at his reflection through the glass screen.
Welp, there went his last hope.
Han Yoojin pinched the bridge of his nose. He could try going to a spa and getting a massage or something. Or maybe he could put on a disguise and hit the local arcades, just like he used to when he was still a teenager without any responsibilities. He never got to use the disguise glasses that he received from Yoo Myeongwoo.
He shook his head. How could he relax at a time like this? He should just find something to do like paperwork or research new dungeons to profit from.
Han Yoojin let out a sigh. Ever since his parents passed away, he was always on the move, going from part-time job to part-time job. He didn’t know how to relax at all. Every waking moment was spent working for money to feed and clothe Han Yoohyun.
And when Han Yoohyun left, he spent every moment just trying to survive.
“Gah!” Han Yoojin groaned and tried to think of more positive thoughts. Right as he was about to turn around and return to the taming center, he heard a loud commotion coming from a nearby entrance.
A small crowd of Association members huddled close to the taming center’s entrance. Han Yoojin watched as a guard tried to shoo them away.
“The Director is a very busy man. He isn't available—Han Yoojin-ssi?!”
“Uh, hi,” Han Yoojin walked over and awkwardly waved to everyone, “Can I help you?”
A tall man in the front grabbed Han Yoojin’s hand to vigorously shake it. “It’s an honor to meet the one and only Monster Daddy Han Yoojin!”
“Please don’t call me that,” Han Yoojin weakly replied, “But anyways, may I ask why members of the Association are here?”
If he were to guess, it would be because Han Yoohyun blew something up, but his dear younger brother was about to raid a dungeon. Maybe it was Bak Yerim?
Wait, she was accompanying Han Yoohyun…
“You see, we’re in desperate need of assistance. We thought that the Haeyeon Guildmaster would be here since you were here.”
“He’s away right now on official guild business. Did you need him for something?”
An Association member behind the one who was speaking to Han Yoojin stepped forward. “Wait a minute, Han Yoojin-ssi, you would be perfect for the job!”
“Me?!” Han Yoojin pointed at himself. “And wait, what job?”
“There’s an event happening tonight and we need someone to sneak in and gather evidence regarding a suspicious individual.”
“And…so?”
“That’s where you come in, Han Yoojin-ssi! Since you’re an F-rank, you don’t have a terrifying aura like the others.” The Association member beamed at Han Yoojin. “They would never suspect you to be a spy for the Association. Plus, you would definitely fit into the costume we picked out for the Hunter who backed out of the mission.”
Wow. Rude. Han Yoojin could be intimidating if he needed to be!
“Maybe you should ask a professional Hunter,” Han Yoojin tried to excuse himself and slowly backed away, “Maybe someone with stealth skills?”
Of course Han Yoojin had stealth skills, but there was no way he was going to admit it to the Association.
The two Association members began to rapidly whisper to each other back and forth. Han Yoojin, hoping that they forgot about him, continued to back away until one of them grabbed his wrist.
“Han Yoojin-ssi, if you accept our offer, we will excuse two occasions of future property destruction for Han Yoohyun.”
Shit. They went for his number one weakness.
“Two? And what makes you think my younger brother would ever—” Before Han Yoojin could finish, he remembered the multiple buildings that Han Yoohyun destroyed to defend him. He recalled a certain prison and a certain hotel turning into complete ash and rubble. “Actually, if you make it three, you have yourselves a deal.”
“Deal!”
“What the hell kind of prank is this?”
After reluctantly agreeing to assist the Association with their stupid spy mission, Han Yoojin was whisked away to the Association Headquarters for a mission briefing.
His target was Don Scaro, an overseas Hunter who may or may not be selling illegal enhancement drugs to unsuspecting Hunters. Previously confiscated drugs indicated addictive properties, thus making Don Scaro a wealthy and infamous man. The Association discovered the Don was attending an event in Seoul and knew it was their only opportunity to expose him.
The problem was…
“I am not wearing a dress.” Han Yoojin threw the offending piece of fabric on the ground. “You didn’t mention crossdressing at all!”
“We’re sorry Han Yoojin-ssi, but Don Scaro is known for seducing and leering at beautiful women,” the lead Association member bowed to him, but Han Yoojin knew it was a weak excuse.
“In case you didn’t notice: I’m a man. Also, I’m not wearing a dress.” Han Yoojin snorted. “This is ridiculous. I’m going home to play with Peace.”
“We’ll increase it to four excuses for the Haeyeon Guildmaster.”
Han Yoojin paused. He gave the Association member a wary glare before staying in the room.
“Do I really have to wear the stupid dress?”
“Unfortunately yes…”
Han Yoojin’s frown deepened. The wrinkles on his forehead may become permanent. “And are you going to put makeup on me?”
They nodded. “We also have a wig prepared.”
Han Yoojin let out a strained sigh. “I need to remember that I’m doing this for Yoohyun…he better be grateful.”
In less than thirty minutes, Han Yoojin was dressed in a tight black dress, barely long enough to cover his mid-thighs. His freshly shaved legs shivered from the breeze of the air conditioning. To wrap it all up, the flimsy thing was only held up by one strap over his left shoulder, showing more skin than he’d prefer.
As a professional makeup artist began to apply makeup to his face, he gazed at the shoulder length wig that would later go on his head. He begged them to cut it shorter, but apparently Don Scaro had a thing for long hair.
“You barely needed any makeup,” boasted the makeup artist, “I only had to apply a little bit of concealer and blush to soften the edges. The eyeshadow and mascara are all waterproof, so it’s okay if you spill water on yourself. You could even cry and it won’t be affected at all.”
Han Yoojin stared blankly at the makeup artist, who hummed as she put away her stuff. “I…wasn’t planning on crying, but thanks for the heads up.”
Then came the wig. It took two association members to place the wig on Han Yoojin’s head. It was difficult because they couldn’t mess up the makeup that was fresh on Han Yoojin’s face. Once placed, Han Yoojin resisted the urge to itch his head. Luckily, the wig was almost the same as his natural hair color, so if his real hair stuck out from underneath the wig cap, it wouldn’t really matter.
The final piece of the puzzle was the disguise glasses crafted by Yoo Myungwoo. When Han Yoojin put it on his face, he turned to the mirror and was pleasantly surprised to see a stranger.
“Perfect!”
The two Association members high-fived each other for a successful disguise. Meanwhile, Han Yoojin stayed silent, quietly fuming over a single thought.
Why didn’t I just put the glasses on first…We wouldn’t have needed the wig or the makeup…
With an invitation in hand, Han Yoojin walked up to the entrance of the party and nervously greeted the bouncer with a timid smile. The bouncer looked at Han Yoojin from head to toe and Han Yoojin decided to ignore the brief blush that appeared on the bouncer’s face.
“Invitation?”
Han Yoojin gave the bouncer the paper envelope that the Association members confiscated from a different guest they arrested the week before. Luckily, the name was female, so Han Yoojin should be able to slide by. The bouncer gave the invitation a look, scanning it and bobbing his head up and down.
“Alright, you can enter. Refreshments are to the left and the main event will start at ten o’ clock.” They handed the invitation back to Han Yoojin and he put it away in a borrowed purse. The bouncer stepped to the side and Han Yoojin slowly walked into the nondescript building. He winced at the bright lights from the chandelier above, shining above the myriad of guests and waiters walking around the venue.
Everyone was dressed in fancy and expensive clothing. Han Yoojin swore he saw stolen Hunter relics on a few guests and held back his disgust. This party seemed to be a repeat of the auction at Hong Kong, minus the auction. Or perhaps that was the main event at ten?
Han Yoojin held his purse close as he walked around the area, trying to find Don Scaro. The Don was an older man who had a long scar on his cheek, so he shouldn’t have been hard to find. He recognized a few high profile hunters from other minor guilds, making sure to avoid them in case they could somehow see through his disguise.
After walking around for ten minutes, Han Yoojin took a break by a nearby pillar, rolling his ankle to relax his aching feet. He was unfortunately coerced into wearing uncomfortable high heels, which were supposed to apparently highlight his toned legs.
“How the hell do people walk in these?” Han Yoojin muttered to himself. He restrained the urge to rip off the offending footwear. “These are torture devices.”
At least the dress wasn’t holding him back, the length a secret blessing in disguise. Han Yoojin sighed and adjusted the glasses on his face, making sure it didn’t slip off. The only time he wore glasses was either sunglasses or that one time when he overexerted himself and his vision weakened. If only a certain blonde annoyance was here to compliment—
“You seem lonely my dear, would you like a drink?”
Startled by a deep voice, Han Yoojin turned around to see a taller gentleman with a hearty grin on his face. Once he made contact with the man’s face, he sharply inhaled and held back a shiver as he felt eyes roam around his body. Han Yoojin attempted to smile back at the man, doing his best not to stare at the scar on the man’s cheek.
“Thank you, I would appreciate your company…?”
“Don Scaro.”
“Ah, the host. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Thank you for attending my gala.” Don Scaro’s grin widened and he flagged down a waiter. “And who might you be?”
“Lee Jihye, the heir to the Lee Swordsmithing factory.”
There was no spark of recognition on Don Scaro’s face, but he nodded vigorously. “I see, I see. Welcome to our lovely event. Please enjoy your time here. Did a lovely lady like yourself come with a partner…or are you alone?”
“Sadly, I’m here by myself.”
Han Yoojin felt sick as Don Scaro’s expression turned lecherous. “A shame. Someone beautiful like you should have a partner.”
I have a partner, but too bad he isn’t here.
“Yes, it’s truly a shame,” Han Yoojin said with a sigh, “I’m sure I’ll still have a nice time tonight.”
“I don’t mind accompanying you for a while. I don’t want my lovely guest to feel neglected.”
“It’s an honor.” Han Yoojin tried not to retch. He was definitely not suited for honeypot missions.
A waiter finally arrived with a tray of drinks. Don Scaro grabbed two drinks off of the tray and offered one to Han Yoojin, who accepted it with a strained smile.
This is so convenient, but I also hate this. “Thank you, Don Scaro.”
“The wine is vintage, imported all the way from Italy. It was created using the finest of grapes and some rare dungeon products that my guild scouted out. I hope you enjoy it.”
He swirled the liquid in the glass and the fruity smell of the wine was delightful. He took a slow sip, noticing that Don Scaro watched him the entire time. Han Yoojin wasn’t the biggest fan of wine—this wine was bitter and strong, not his usual preferred taste. He wished they had beer—
[Resist Poison (L) Activated!]
Huh? Did his passive skill just activate?
Han Yoojin took another sip and the same skill window appeared.
Was his skill nullifying the alcohol? But the window never showed up when he went drinking with Song Taewon…
“Is something wrong with the wine?”
“Hm? No, it’s quite delicious.” Han Yoojin tried not to panic as he sipped the definitely tampered with wine. The skill window stressed him out, but it was fine. He didn’t feel anything. Thank goodness for poison resistance.
This bastard just tried to drug him and he didn’t even notice. The waiter must have been in on it too, because there was barely any time for Don Scaro to slip anything into the wine glass.
Wait. Maybe Han Yoojin could use this to his advantage…
“Is it getting hot in here?” Han Yoojin fanned himself with his free hand. “Or maybe I’m drinking the wine too fast. It has such a nice flavor, I couldn’t help it.”
Don Scaro’s eyes lit up and a sharp smirk emerged on his face. “Oh my, do you need to rest? We have a sitting area on the second floor.”
“I…yes that sounds wonderful.” Han Yoojin’s glass was taken away and an arm wrapped itself around his waist, fingers resting on his hip. He shivered in disgust as Don Scaro led him to a stairwell. Han Yoojin walked slowly as they ascended the stairs, not wanting to trip over his heels and dress. He glanced at the venue below and the guests seemed to be absorbed in their own circles, talking amongst each other.
Well shit, he needed a witness. Han Yoojin’s eyes darted around the sea of guests and his eyes met familiar golden irises.
“No way…” Han Yoojin blinked and swore when the person he met eyes with was gone. “I’m seeing things.”
“You must be a lightweight then.” Don Scaro chuckled. “Don’t worry dear, we’re almost there. I promise to take very good care of you.”
The bastard’s hand rubbed circles on his hip and Han Yoojin wanted nothing more than to throw the guy off of the staircase. He resisted the urge to vomit as they turned into a hallway that led deeper into the building.
Don Scaro opened the door at the end of the hallway and guided Han Yoojin to sit on the nearest couch. The door closed with a click and Han Yoojin scanned the room, taking note of the window near him. He was pretty sure there was a lock there, but if he needed to, he could probably burst through the window and land safely with Grace—
A rough hand brushed against Han Yoojin’s forehead, threading through the wig’s synthetic hair. He recoiled back to see Don Scaro’s half smile.
“If you’re tired, you may rest. I’ll make sure other guests cannot enter.”
“Uh, sure.” Han Yoojin smoothed out the wrinkles of the dress. He hoped that the Don could just turn around so he could pull out the sleeping gas he had in his inventory. Or maybe he should just blow his cover now.
“Hmm…” Don Scaro hummed, but his eyes were dark, “You’re not like the others.”
“E-Excuse me?” Han Yoojin began to panic. Was his cover blown already? Shit, was that why Don Scaro led him all the way here?!
“You should’ve passed out by now. I haven’t had to wait this long before.”
“W-Why would I pass out?”
“The sedative I gave you can knock out an A-Class Hunter,” Don Scaro scowled, “You don’t seem like an Awakened person, but you never know nowadays. Do you have some sort of resistance skill? ”
A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Han Yoojin’s head as Don Scaro’s frown deepened. “I…don’t know what you’re talking about.” He quietly reached for his purse, but Don Scaro saw the movement and slapped the bag away. He seized Han Yoojin’s wrist and held it above his head.
“I’m not sure how much longer I can wait,” Don Scaro licked his lips as he looked down at Han Yoojin’s bare neck, “I might just have to do this the old fashioned way.”
Han Yoojin gulped. “What do you mean by that?”
In a sudden flash, something metallic swung in front of him, causing his earrings to form a barrier. The barrier shattered and Han Yoojin was struck, clutching his head in pain. He could feel warm blood flowing from his wound as Don Scaro laughed.
“Oh, that was shiny. What were you hiding from me dear? Do you have more fancy Hunter gear?”
Han Yoojin’s focus was hazy from his newly acquired concussion and the blood coating his eyelashes. He backed away to the corner of the room, cursing himself for not bringing Grace. He pulled off the disguise glasses, lenses broken and obscuring his vision. He blinked and was about to pull out his gun from his inventory when the door to the room crashed open.
“Am I interrupting something?”
Han Yoojin had never felt so relieved before. “Took you long enough, bastard.”
Stepping over the remains of the destroyed door was Sung Hyunjae. Upon seeing Han Yoojin’s wounds, Sung Hyunjae’s eyes darkened and electrified chains immediately wrapped around Don Scaro.
“Seseong Guildmaster?!” Don Scaro was hoisted into the air. “What is the meaning of this?”
“Not only have you been an annoying thorn in my side, but you also dare to injure my dearest partner.” Sung Hyunjae didn’t mask the malice in his voice, sending chills down the spine of the room’s occupants.
As electricity sparked through the air, Han Yoojin leaned against the wall and pulled a potion out of his inventory. He swallowed every drop, feeling the healing taking effect immediately. It stopped the bleeding, but Han Yoojin still felt woozy, probably due to the sensation of his skull being repaired.
Han Yoojin closed his eyes to rest, but barely a minute later, a hand rudely shook him awake.
“Don’t fall asleep.” Soft fingers prodded his head, causing Han Yoojin to hiss in pain. “Did you already have a potion?”
“Mmm, yeah.”
“Yoojin, open your eyes.”
Han Yoojin’s eyelids felt sluggish as he opened his eyes to see Sung Hyunjae’s frown.
“Did you get him?”
“I did. But more importantly, why are you in a place like this?” Sung Hyunjae looked down to see flecks of blood on Han Yoojin’s dress. “And why did you wear something like this?”
“I was undercover for the Association. Please don’t make me explain the crossdressing.”
“But that’s the part I’m most interested in,” Sung Hyunjae said as he pulled off his gloves. He gently poured the potion into his hand so he could apply it to Han Yoojin’s head.
“I’ll be fine,” mumbled Han Yoojin, “The earrings took most of the blow.”
“The blood on your lovely dress says otherwise.”
Han Yoojin snorted, but he allowed Sung Hyunjae to fret over him, secretly enjoying the attention and pampering. Sung Hyunjae’s hands were very soft…
Not that he would ever admit it out loud.
Several Seseong guild members eventually entered the room and collected Don Scaro’s charred body. Han Yoojin didn’t even want to think about how he was going to explain this to the Association.
“I was supposed to gather evidence…”
“Seseong is already on it.” Sung Hyunjae assured him, “But if you wish, I can act as a witness.”
“They might call you biased.”
“I will speak nothing but the truth.”
“Biased,” mumbled Han Yoojin.
“I’m taking you home Yoojin, is that okay?”
Home…what a wonderful place. Han Yoojin thought of how soft his bedsheets were and nodded to Sung Hyunjae.
“Oh my, you’re quite out of it.” Sung Hyunjae handed Han Yoojin another healing potion. “Where is Grace? Did you not bring her?”
“Association said no.” Han Yoojin rolled his eyes. Grace would’ve complimented the dress so well…
Sung Hyunjae’s frown deepened. He picked Han Yoojin up carefully and spoke to the nearest Seseong guild member. “I will be leaving now. Leave no trace behind and make sure to find the cup that my partner was drinking from. I’m sure it was drugged.”
“Yessir!” The guild member saluted his boss. “We’ll take care of things here.”
“Good.” With Han Yoojin in tow, Sung Hyunjae left the room with a brisk pace, rushing past confused party goers. Han Yoojin’s head rested against the guildmaster’s chest, nodding off every once in a while, only for Sung Hyunjae to urge him awake.
“Did you finish the potion?”
“I did,” insisted Han Yoojin, “I think I’m just woozy. And you know I’m not supposed to drink too much of this stuff.”
“It’s a necessity.”
At the front of the building was a sleek luxury car. A chauffeur came out and opened the door for Sung Hyunjae to slide inside with Han Yoojin. As the car drove off, Han Yoojin’s head finally began to clear and he blinked away at the fog.
“It feels like I’m hungover, but all I drank were potions.” Han Yoojin huffed, “That bastard.”
“You never told me why you were there,” Sung Hyunjae said as he pulled a water bottle from the car’s mini fridge, “I never thought I’d see you in a place like that…wearing something like this.”
“I could say the same thing.” Han Yoojin rolled his eyes as he accepted the water bottle. “The Association showed up at my front door asking for help. I couldn’t say no.”
Sung Hyunjae raised a fine eyebrow. “You have denied them before.”
True. “...Okay, they might have offered me a deal.”
Sung Hyunjae hummed in understanding. “Did the deal concern your brother?”
Han Yoojin’s mouth was wide open. “How did you know?”
Sung Hyunjae chuckled at Han Yoojin’s comedic expression. “A partner’s intuition. The young master is your weak point, one that the Association can easily take advantage of.”
“Hey…”
“Enough about that. How are you feeling?”
“I have a headache, but that’s about it.” Han Yoojin pressed the area where he was struck and it felt fine. “I can’t even feel it anymore. Guess those potions worked.”
“I’d rather you not be hurt in the first place.” Sung Hyunjae let out a dramatic, yet melancholic sigh. “More importantly, where did that trash touch you?”
“Huh?”
“I saw him holding you as he led you up the stairs,” Sung Hyunjae’s eyes were as cold as ice, voice dripping with venom, “List every place he touched you and I will ensure that each body part will be burned from his—”
Han Yoojin shivered at Sung Hyunjae’s possessive tone. He didn’t hear it often, so it was exciting, yet terrifying. He didn’t want Don Scaro to die, so he tried to do some damage control. “I think I handled everything quite well. And no murder, Don Scaro needs to answer for his crimes.”
“If your brother heard about this, he would be the first to strike.” Sung Hyunjae pouted. “I just want to act before he does.”
“I told you before: No mentioning homicide in front of the children! And you better not tell Yoohyun about tonight.”
“I’ll think about it, but only because I want justice for my dear partner.”
“Urk. There’s no convincing you, is there?”
Sung Hyunjae’s eyes gleamed with mirth. “My partner seems to walk into danger the moment my eyes are off of him. I need to ensure that all dangers are eliminated.”
“I swear it’s not on purpose,” said Han Yoojin, “If you didn’t go to this stupid party, I would’ve never been hurt in the first place.”
“Shifting the blame to me?”
“Of course.”
Sung Hyunjae sighed and shook his head. “My partner is so cruel.”
There was still one thing that bothered Han Yoojin. He sat up straight and grabbed Sung Hyunjae by the tie. The S-class let out an amused smirk and allowed himself to be pulled along.
“Before I walked into Don Scaro’s room, I felt you watching me.” Han Yoojin narrowed his eyes at Sung Hyunjae’s growing smile. “Did you know it was me or did you see through my disguise?”
“I could never mistake my partner.” Sung Hyunjae tucked a loose strand of Han Yoojin’s hair behind his ear. “I knew it was you from the moment I laid my eyes on you.”
“Quit the cheesy lines.”
“I’m an S-Class. I can see through that feeble disguise item.”
It made sense. “Maybe I need to ask Myungwoo to upgrade them…too bad they broke.”
“I’m sure the Blacksmith can make another pair, but…” Sung Hyunjae tilted Han Yoojin’s face so that they could stare directly into each other’s eyes, “I am confident I’ll be able to find you no matter what.”
Han Yoojin’s cheeks immediately flushed red and he squirmed away from Sung Hyunjae’s hold. “Not so close.”
A handsome grin appeared on Sung Hyunjae’s face and he continued to press himself closer to Han Yoojin. “Unfortunately, I cannot. I must continue to monitor my dear partner’s health.”
“Do you at least have a change of clothes for me?”
“Unfortunately, I didn’t foresee this happening tonight,” Sung Hyunjae said apologetically as he took off his coat to wrap around Han Yoojin, “This will have to do until you’re home.”
Being wrapped in Sung Hyunjae’s coat instantly made Han Yoojin relax. He felt warm and safe, leaning his weight into Sung Hyunjae’s side.
“Thank you,” mumbled Han Yoojin.
“Hm?” Sung Hyunjae raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
“You’re cooking breakfast tomorrow. I want eggs and french toast.”
Sung Hyunjae’s eyes softened. “Of course, Yoojin.”
“And you’re taking me out for lunch and dinner.” Han Yoojin made himself more comfortable as he melted into Sung Hyunjae’s side. “You better start securing the reservations now.”
Sung Hyunjae chuckled, “My partner has quite the appetite.”
“It’s to make up for ditching me today. Next time, prioritize me so I don’t end up like some damsel in distress.”
“Hm? But I thought you volunteered to be an adorable princess.”
“Shut…up.”
Before Sung Hyunjae could continue their playful argument, he noticed Han Yoojin had already closed his eyes. He stayed silent, observing his partner’s quiet breaths. After tonight’s hectic events, his partner definitely needed the rest.
“You had quite a day off. Rest well, Yoojin.”