Dohwa, who had no reaction for a moment at those words, asked back in a cautious voice.

-Do you like being with me?

“Mm-hmm.”

-Really?

“Mm-hmm.”

-Why? Why do you like it? What part of me do you like? If you tell me, I’ll try my best so that you’ll keep liking me. So please tell me. What part of me you like.

At the desperate voice, Won blinked and trailed off with a “Well…”

Anxious, Dohwa began to whine again.

Despite knowing the other was a man, it was a whining that was surprisingly just cute.

Laughing with a vibration in his throat, Won answered with his eyes curved deeply.

“Is there a need to try? I just like you as you are.”

Just stay as you are, exactly as you are. Then I’ll like you for the rest of my life.

***

Time passed quickly. As mentioned before, Cherry Coke’s acquaintance joined the guild.

However, as promised to Dohwa, Won focused only on Dohwa, showing the acquaintance only the basic kindness expected of a guild master, such as occasionally giving her gifts or running dungeons together.

After spending some time in the guild, she left, saying she felt more comfortable being alone.

And Dohwa, who had been secretly worried that something might happen between her and Won, toasted with a peach drink on the day she left the guild.

The peach drink, handmade by the lady who blended the peaches herself, was very thick and sweet.

Exuding the sweet scent of peaches from his mouth, Dohwa smiled foolishly.

He couldn’t help it even if they called him petty. Dohwa liked Won too much.

Humming a tune, Dohwa made canned peaches for Won.

When he had made about 20 while sitting in one spot, Cherry Coke, who was playing an instrument sitting next to Dohwa, suddenly asked.

[Guild] Cherry Coke: Peach looks in a good mood today? Huh? Looks very good??

[Guild] Peach: Why are you talking so sloppily?

[Guild] Peach: Anyone watching would think you’re threatening me.

[Guild] Cherry Coke: Hmph! When did I ever do that?

Spamming emotes of a pouting face, Cherry Coke hovered around Dohwa.

[Guild] Cherry Coke: So why are you in such a good mood?

[Guild] Peach: Actually… that person left today.

[Guild] Cherry Coke: Ahhh, my friend??

Cherry Coke said, using an emote that popped an exclamation mark over her head.

Knowing it wouldn’t be seen, Dohwa nodded. And Cherry Coke, reading the answer from the silence, posted a chat as if it were a bit absurd.

[Guild] Cherry Coke: Eheh, you’re screwed.

[Guild] Peach: What is?

Dohwa sincerely didn’t understand what was screwed.

While he was tilting his head in complete confusion, Cherry Coke asked via whisper.

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: You like Won, don’t you?

Dohwa had often heard people in the guild ask if he liked Won. He didn’t understand why Cherry Coke had sent it as a whisper when the guild chat would have been just fine.

As Dohwa blinked in confusion, Cherry Coke sent another whisper.

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: Won… as a romantic interest.

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: Wait, you’re both guys, so like, same sex? Not opposite sex.

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: Anyway, I’m asking if you love him in a sexual sense.

Dohwa’s eyes widened slowly at the bluntness of the words. His eyes, as round as his gentle personality, became completely wide.

He could have answered no, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it so readily.

He simply stared at the chat asking if he loved him in a sexual sense for a long time before his fingers moved as if possessed.

[Whisper] Peach: Why do you think that??

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: There are plenty of reasons. You follow Won around every day, you get anxious when Won shows interest in someone else, and you’re always on edge fearing he might lose interest in you.

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: And above all, you’re always looking at Won. In the game and in real life.

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: You might not know, but I’ve seen it all.

[Whisper] Cherry Coke: So, Dohwa, do you love Won?

It was a sentence that made something feel bitter just by looking at it. Dohwa stared at the question of whether he loved Won for a long while.

“Do I… do I love Won-hyung?”

Me? I just, simply…

He tried to find a word other than love to describe it, but no suitable word came to mind.

It felt like an English question from the CSAT, the kind that asked you to choose the most appropriate word to fill in the blank.

And a question where the answer was so obvious that it was designed just to give away points.

If this had truly been a question with points on the line, Dohwa would have written the answer without a moment’s hesitation.

However, right now, he simply could not fill in the blank.

After a long silence, Dohwa typed his response.

[Whisper] Peach: I don’t know.

Instead of pressing him, Chaei simply left a “Right.”

Then, as if she had never asked such a question, she casually cracked a joke in the guild chat.

[Guild] Cherry Coke: Guys, I have something to bury.

[Guild] FastAndPissedOff: 1. Won 2. Professor 3. Won 4. Professor

[Guild] Cherry Coke: All 1, 2, 3, and 4… this bastard Won…

[Guild] Won: What did I even do?

[Guild] Cherry Coke: You stole my chocolate bar yesterday saying you’d give it to Peach, you peasant.

[Guild] Won: Ah, what a petty ♡♡. I took that and bought you a more expensive one in return.

[Guild] Cherry Coke: Oops!

[Guild] 21st Century No Yeah: Why the professor?

[Guild] Professor Execution: The professor should just be hanged. No reason needed.

The guild members, who had been quiet while running the raid, engaged in trivial chatter.

Dohwa watched the entire conversation with a blank expression, biting his lip out of habit.

As he swept his tongue over his lip, the strong scent of blood lingered on the tip of his tongue.

Frowning unconsciously, he rubbed his lip with his finger. His pale finger was stained with blood.

“Ah, seriously…”

Muttering in an annoyed voice, Dohwa irritably ruffled his hair. Then, seeing Won calling him, he answered immediately.

It was a habit. Whenever Won called, no matter when or in what situation, he answered.

Dohwa stared blankly at Won asking how he felt about the upcoming offline meeting in a few days, then weakly tapped the keyboard.

[Guild] Peach: I like it…

[Guild] Won: Do you really? You seem strangely drained.

[Guild] Won: Did someone bully you again?

[Guild] Peach: No…

[Guild] Won: Hmm.

After leaving a short message, Won didn’t say anything despite the guild members teasing him for being over the top.

Since the person who would usually tell them to be quiet remained silent, Dohwa tilted his head.

“Did he step away from the computer?”

As he murmured to himself, his phone rang.

Startled, he looked at his phone and saw that it was a call from Won.

“Should I say I’m busy and not pick up?”

Won would surely understand.

But the thought of avoiding him lasted only a moment; Dohwa answered the phone instinctively.

“Hello?”

-Yeah, my Peach. Is something wrong? Your voice doesn’t sound great.

As soon as he picked up, Won spoke tenderly. At those words, Dohwa’s plump lips parted as he mumbled a response.

“No, it’s nothing. I just… had a few things to think about. That’s why. There’s no problem! Really! What about you, Hyung? Is something wrong? Why did you call suddenly?”

-I was worried about Peach. That’s why I called.

“…Me? You were worried about me? Really?”

-I don’t lie about things like this. Looking at the chat, you seemed to be in a good mood, but it felt like it suddenly dropped in a matter of minutes. I wondered if something happened.

It was a voice so tender it made his stomach churn.

At those words, Dohwa unconsciously gripped the fabric near his chest. It felt as if someone were arbitrarily stirring up his insides.

This was truly… strange.

“Why are you so kind today, Hyung? You weren’t usually like this. I… I’m just, because you’re suddenly like this…”

-I’ve always been like this to you. I’ve always been kind to you, Dohwa.