Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Night of the Welcome Party (4)
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Once the moon began to rise, night fell quickly. After several hours of nonstop work to clear his backlog and finishing his business with Jong-sik, Sa-yoon headed down to the underground level where the lavish welcome party was in full swing to check on the guild members.
"What a mess."
Just half a day of letting them run wild, and the underground had turned into a landfill. Empty bottles were scattered everywhere, food lay unsorted across the tables, and guild members were sprawled beneath like corpses.
Sa-yoon checked each of their faces one by one, then nudged their shoulders or legs with his foot. He'd told them to have their fun and head back to the dorms or home, so seeing them passed out here meant they'd ignored him and gotten wasted like wild colts with the reins off.
With no intention of cleaning up after them, Sa-yoon just clicked his tongue a few times before confirming the face he was looking for wasn't among them and climbing back up the stairs he'd come down.
"Must be in the dorms."
A few guild members, no different from corpses themselves, were soaked in booze on the stairs too, but none was Geon-ju. Sa-yoon chuckled at the thought of that pretty boy staggering around drunk in a dump like this as he emerged from the humid underground into the fresh air.
Heading up to the second floor, he saw the rooms from No. 1 to No. 15. He'd told Kyung-jin to give Geon-ju one of the second-floor rooms, so out of the fifteen, there was only one possibility.
Sa-yoon scanned roughly until his gut led him to Room 14.
Two pairs of shoes lay haphazardly in the entryway. One right by the door, the other tossed toward the bedroom—it was quite the sight. Two guild members who'd joined a year ago were passed out on the bed, so Sa-yoon shut the door.
Then Room 15.
Room 13.
Room 12.
And up to Room 11.
Growing tired of checking one by one, Sa-yoon skipped ahead and opened the door to Room 8, where his instincts pointed.
One pair of shoes in the entryway.
No one on the bed. The blankets were neatly spread like new.
Sensing no presence even from the bathroom, Sa-yoon stepped inside. The air in the room felt somehow different. After five misses, it was about time he struck gold.
Inspecting the impeccably maintained building, still pristine as new, Sa-yoon headed to the terrace.
Surely he hadn't fallen asleep outside? Opening the glass door revealed a man leaning on the terrace railing, arms draped over it, gazing at the night view. His hair fluttered in the breeze, and Sa-yoon watched him silently. Despite all the drinking underground, Geon-ju was pouring himself more wine.
...He really is pretty.
His cheeks flushed from the alcohol, his body lines firm yet his face delicately sculpted. Even as a man, "ethereal" wasn't an overstatement.
Maybe because he was drunk, his eyes drooped slightly at the corners, softening the otherwise cool impression. He'd probably look pretty even crying. There were those who looked pathetic when they cried and those who looked poignant—Geon-ju was the latter.
Though "seductive" might fit better than poignant.
He still had a youthful edge, but give him a bit more time to mature, and he'd be perfect for stabbing someone in the back. His status window wasn't exceptional for nothing.
"Grown-up, why are you out here like this?"
For Sa-yoon, who'd planned to build rapport while Geon-ju was drunk, his wakefulness was welcome. But he was curious why, after drinking his fill at the welcome party, he was boozing alone in his room.
It was a perfect opener, so he asked gently. Geon-ju, who'd been blankly staring at the night view, turned his head.
"Ah, Guild Leader."
His black eyes, lazy and unfocused upon spotting Sa-yoon late, curved into a smile. Sa-yoon realized he was thoroughly wasted.
Drenched in booze, he is.
Up close, the alcohol scent hit first.
They hadn't known each other long, but Sa-yoon could tell this was Geon-ju more off-guard than ever. Cautiously, he pulled up the quest window.
The "Curiosity & Favor (Temporary)" under relations confirmed his hunch.
The booze had lifted his mood, making him relaxed around him. Probably gone by morning, Sa-yoon's eyes gleamed under the moonlight.
Then now was the chance?
A shot to look good and gain some closeness.
Maybe shake off that inexplicable distrust. Eyes narrowing like a beast's, he stared, but Geon-ju just smiled warmly, lips quirking up.
"Came to see me?"
Plastered.
His smiling face said it, his flushed cheeks said it, his looser eye smile said it. The picture of a drunk. Sa-yoon took a step closer.
"Ran out of booze at the welcome party?"
"Not really."
"Then why're you out here alone, drinking and moping?"
"Wasn't as fun as I thought."
"Why."
"Curious?"
Head tilted, arms still on the railing, he lifted the wine glass again as Sa-yoon didn't answer. Sa-yoon snatched it away. They needed to talk, and if he blacked out, it'd be a hassle.
"Enough drinking."
"Why."
"You're drunk."
"Didn't you leave me there alone to get me drunk?"
"...What're you talking about?"
"You brought me, then ditched me alone."
In a den of strangers.
His tone hovered between sulk and whine. Caught off-guard, Sa-yoon blurted he was busy. At the excuse, black eyes dropped to the snatched glass, staring hazily.
"Busy..."
I see.
Mumbling as he trailed off, he reclaimed the glass from Sa-yoon's hand and tilted it. Ignoring the warning outright irked him—Sa-yoon nearly froze it solid but swallowed and calmed.
Cool it.
He wasn't here to fight; he wanted to bond.
If he wasn't the type to black out, planting a good impression now would be huge progress. Who knew—with the booze, they might bond like brothers tonight, and tomorrow's Geon-ju might drop his guard a bit.
From older Jong-sik on down, most Night Rat members called him "hyungnim" warmly, but Geon-ju stayed stiff. Nothing broke the ice like a title change.
Jong-sik had stuck to "hyungnim" when Sa-yoon was awkward with him, winning him over. As if reading his mind, the one with the glass leaned on the railing and muttered softly.
"Even when busy, you're always with that guy."
"That guy?"
"Jong-sik, was it? Him."
"'Cause he's working too."
"So you two were holed up alone in that cramped office? While you left me in the basement..."
Any third party would've misunderstood.
He hadn't seemed like this at the villa, but drunk, he was whiny and chatty. Sober Geon-ju was cautious, serpentine; drunk, a bit reckless, foxy.
The difference wasn't huge, and Sa-yoon didn't mind this side. He avoided guild members with bad drunks, but Geon-ju wasn't the type to cause trouble. His gripes were just about the welcome party—kinda cute, even.
The age difference, maybe.
Night Rat's average was 26; at 22, Geon-ju was young.
What was I doing at that age? Raiding India? I was pretty cute back then too.
Lost in nostalgia, Sa-yoon snatched the glass again as Geon-ju sipped stealthily. He looked ready to crash if he drank more—no point hunting him down just to hear drunken rants.
"Want some, Guild Leader?"
"Nah. Don't like booze much."
"Why."
"Hard to get drunk."
His poison-resistant body needed crates of liquor to feel it. Geon-ju laughed at the flat reply. What was so funny? His laugh was loose.
Is laughing part of the drunken whining?
Absentmindedly twirling the glass to sniff it, Sa-yoon noticed Geon-ju watching. He blinked, arms crossed on the railing.
"What's your deal with that Jong-sik guy?"
"You've got a lot of questions tonight."
"You're not asking, so I have to."
Fair enough. Smart guys stayed sharp even drunk? Sa-yoon thought of Jong-sik, probably conked out by now.
What deal? Slave and employer?
"Slave and boss?"
"...Pardon?"
"Guild leader and vice. Something like that."
Subconscious slip—he corrected quick. Geon-ju turned, puzzled, back against the railing.
"That's really it?"
"What else you think?"
"You'd know, Guild Leader."
He turned away, avoiding Sa-yoon's gaze. Clearly sulking about the no-show. Apologize for better image and favor? But pride—guild leaders needed dignity.
As Sa-yoon wrestled pride versus favor, Geon-ju, humming lazily, lifted his head from his arm. Straightening, he turned toward Sa-yoon, groaning softly. His eyes narrowed on his guild leader.
"Hey, Guild Leader."
"Yeah."
"Why'd you bring me here."
"Just. Looked fun."
"Not that. The real reason."
The real reason you had to bring me.
His pronunciation was sharper than anytime since entering the room. Pure drunkard mode. Sa-yoon's fingers twitched.
Their gazes clashed through the dawn air.
This vibe—he'd felt it once before. Sa-yoon straightened from the railing, following suit.
That feeling again.
Unnervingly captivating. Seducing him.
Too sly for mere drunk—Sa-yoon tilted his head, eyeing Geon-ju suspiciously.
Something felt off.
This little wildcat, who looked like a kid, seemed to be pretending drunk, probing him.
That suspicion kept nagging.