GONG YOOL may have acted fine.

But the day that he returned to this world after accompanying the System in a different dimension was actually the saddest day of his life.

Back then, doors that led to different worlds opened because of Chu Wonhee’s sacrifice.

My best friend’s heart literally opened those magical doors.

There was a reason for that.

The System explained it to Gong Yool.

["You already know that this world isn’t the only world in the universe. As I explained to you before, there are other worlds that are also struggling with the dungeon monsters that the cursed goddess released. Hence, those worlds need their heroes as well as we do. Hence, it’s not unthinkable for the ’Guardians’ of those worlds to scout heroes from a "neighbor."]

Graham and Ahn Kisoo were both scouted by a different god to save their world.

And only the two of them.

"I’m sorry, Yool-ah."

"We would take you with us if we could, but..."

Haaah.

That dream again.

Gong Yool woke up before the entire "scene" played out again.

He got up, sweating and gasping for air.

No, that’s a nightmare and not just a simple dream.

The worst part?

It already happened in reality.

Gong Yool clutched his chest— the painful pang in his heart making it hard for him to breathe.

I was abandoned.

He didn’t want to say this, but he thought he was special to Graham and Ahn Kisoo because the kind of relationship the three of them had.

I thought they would be waiting for me.

Maybe when Gong Yool disappeared to accompany the System to a different world, Graham and Ahn Kisoo’s relationship had deepened.

Then they realized that they didn’t like me as much as they liked each other.

"I knew it— I wasn’t built for a poly relationship," Gong Yool whispered to himself bitterly. "It’s inevitable that I was abandoned because I was the least likeable."

"Who said that bullshit to you?"

Aigoo!

Gong Yool thought he was going to have a heart attack when Song Moonho suddenly emerged from the dark.

The hell?

"Ahjussi, what are you doing in my room?"

Song Moonho, whose ridiculously handsome’s face (that didn’t seem to be aging!) was illuminated by the moonlight passing through the windows, smiled "innocently" at Gong Yool. "I heard you moan, so I thought you wanted my company."

"Excuse me?"

"It was just a joke."

"Must you make your joke suggestive, Ahjussi? The world has turned upside down. But that’s still sexual harassment."

Song Moonho just chuckled, and then he sat on the chair next to the bed. "Did you have a bad dream?" he asked while pulling out a bottled water from his Inventory. "Here."

Gong Yool didn’t want to own a debt to Song Moonho, but he was really thirsty, so he had no choice but to accept the bottled water from the old man. "Thank you, Ahjussi."

"Did you dream about Graham and Ahn Kisoo again?"

"Are you picking a fight with me?"

"I’m asking because I’m genuinely curious," Song Moonho said while crossing his legs. "I actually got an invitation from a god of another world to become their savior. The condition of their world is better than ours, and the benefits they offered are great. In fact, too great that I was actually tempted for a moment."

Well, that was not surprising.

I guess this ahjussi is the second strongest Hunter in the world now, only after Hwang Yejun.

"Then why did you decline that god’s offer?"

"Because I wasn’t allowed to bring a companion."

"Oh. Who did you want to bring with you? Hwang Yejun-ssi?"

Song Moonho gave Gong Yool a dire stare that seemed to ask: "Are you dumb?"

The ahjussi didn’t say that exactly, but that was what his eyes seemed to be saying.

I actually feel offended!

"Why are you looking at me like I’m the most stupid person you’ve met, Ahjussi?"

"Why did you think I wanted to bring Hwang Yejun to another world with me?"

"Because Hwang Yejun-ssi is the strongest person in this world right now," Gong Yool said defensively. "So, if you bring him with you to another world, you two would have definitely succeeded together."

"Now that you mentioned it, that god would have probably allowed it if I said I was bringing the strongest Hunter with me," Song Moonho said while nodding. "But aside from the fact that Hwang Yejun would rather die than follow me anywhere, I have no intention of bringing anyone else with me other than you, Yool-ssi."

"Huh?"

"Hmm?"

"Me?" Gong Yool asked, pointing at himself in disbelief. "I’m the one you wanted to bring with you to another world? But why?"

"Because I want to be with you?"

"Are you seriously flirting with me right now, Ahjussi?"

"I’ve been flirting with you for the past five years, but thank you for noticing," Song Moonho said, laughing softly while shaking his head. "At least, you realized my feelings for you before the world ended."

Gong Yool waited for Song Moonho to drop the "punchline," but he didn’t.

Oh.

Ahjussi is serious.

"I chose to stay in this dying world because you’re here, Yool-ssi," Song Moonho said, smiling. And it was one of his rare genuine smiles. "But if you ask me to accompany you to a different world— even if it’s worse than this world— I will still follow you. Anywhere, anytime."

Oh.

That was when Gong Yool realized what Song Moonho meant by those words.

He must be the ’protector’ that the System chose for me.

Gong Yool wanted to ask Song Moonho if he volunteered to accompany him to another world, but for some reason, he was too embarrassed to look at the old man in the eye.

Ahjussi likes me?

For real?

***

GONG YOOL wasn’t able to sleep properly last night.

Aside from the fact that Song Moonho’s unexpected love confession kept him up all night, he also had to finalize the things he needed to do as the ’Bookkeeper.’

It’s the role that the System gave to me.

And, now, he was in the conference room to share his plan with Song Moonho, Hwang Yejun, Yeon Soobin, and Jang Semi.

Here goes nothing.

"I’m going to turn the story of our world into a novel," Gong Yool declared bravely. "Graham and Ahn Kisoo will be the protagonists— not Hwang Yejun-ssi or Chu Wonhee."

And there’s a reason why I made this choice.

Gong Yool wasn’t being bitter just because Graham and Ahn Kisoo abandoned him, okay? 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

***

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