Why Are You Showing Up There, Bro?
"Why are you showing up there, bro?"
"Hehe... I love you... Si-hyun..." —nuzzle nuzzle. Luna clung to my chest, endlessly murmuring her words of love. Just having an unrealistically beautiful girl by my side was enough to fill me with awe, but the fact that she loved me too? An inexplicable thrill surged through me, making my whole body tremble.
Aah, someone once said good things come to those who wait. Even my life of just novels and anime has finally ushered in spring!
No matter how pretty or cute a 2D heroine is, she can't beat a real-life beauty.
—squish.
"I can touch this perfect waistline directly."
"Hng...?! S-Si-hyun...?"
—sniff sniff.
"And I can bury my nose right into her sweet scent—the real-life beauty wins every time!"
"Haaang... W-Wait a sec, Si-hyun...! Your breath on my neck is tickling... Hwaaah...!"
—smack.
"And a silver-haired beauty who gladly wears a sailor uniform just for me... I get it now—this is what they mean by not envying the emperor."
"Hauuuu... S-Saying it so directly makes me... so embarrassed..."
"U-Um, Si-hyun... oppa...? All the stuff you were supposed to just think in your head... it's all coming out for real now, right...???"
Oh shit.
In a momentary lapse of reason, I'd lost myself groping and savoring Luna in my arms. Was this backlash from 28 years as a total loner? Lately, I've been struggling to control myself.
Hmm... I already knew I was a perv, but with Luna here accepting any desire I have, my reins are slipping.
"U-Um...! I-I'm ready to accept anything Si-hyun oppa wants...! Even if it's embarrassing, I'll try hard, so don't forget about me...!"
"♡♥♡(◍＞◡＜◍)♡♥♡"
The notification window suddenly spewed shy light-pink hearts. What nonsense was this? No matter how starved I was, did it think I'd dress a UI window in a sailor uniform? That crossed a line...
But if I say that straight-up, it might sulk and vanish for days.
I stealthily grabbed the notification window with one hand, making sure Luna—still dazed in my arms—didn't notice.
Notification window. Your turn isn't yet.
—flinch!
The moment it heard me, the message window started trembling like there was an earthquake.
"Hic...! S-Sure enough, even Si-hyun oppa doesn't need something like me without a body...! All you see is a stiff message window anyway...! Of course you'd hate comparing me to the real, touchable Luna...! Hwaaaang...!!! "
Ah, please stop overreacting.
You were shooting hearts a few seconds ago, and now you're crying? Make it make sense.
The window started sniffling, gradually turning transparent as if heartbroken and about to vanish.
Why were all the girls around me such emotional rollercoasters?
Listen to the end. I said 'not yet.'
"H... sniff... O-Oh, not yet...?"
This is just my imagination, but you're a girl, right, notification window? A super pretty one at that. Considering how you reacted to 'holy power pouch,' your boobs are probably huge too.
"Th-That's a secret...!!"
And above all, I'm the type who saves the tastiest bite for last. You get what that means, right?
"......!!!"
Finally getting it, the window stopped fading.
"Si-hyun oppa loves me the most... and will save me for last... Hehe. Y-You said I look the tastiest... Kehihihit."
Honestly, no lies there. If the window really was a big-boobed stunner like I imagined, I'd fall head over heels at first sight.
It's like promising my future self I'll fall for her. Kinda twisted, but hey, I stopped the crying. Good enough.
With the window sorted, time to tend to my still-loopy princess.
Comfort one, then the next—endless cycle.
"Hauuuu@@... S-Si-hyun, you just groped me all over... so embarrassing...@@@"
Luna was still out of it from the sudden skinship and confession overload.
Normally I'd wait patiently, but no time today. Because tonight was a super special 'event'.
I went through hell booking that place! Keep dawdling and night'll hit before we arrive. Gotta go now.
No time to hesitate!
—whoosh!
I scooped Luna up and stood.
"Luna, we're heading out now."
"H-Huh...? Suddenly where to...?"
"Haha, secret till we get there. Not some amazing spot, but... like a pre-honeymoon just for us?"
"H-H-Honeymoon...?!"
The word snapped her awake.
Luna's departure date is coming soon. I'll keep my promise to her before then.
They say all roads lead to Seoul, so shuffling the order a bit is fine.
"Shall we go, princess?"
"A-Ah...! W-Wait, Si-hyun...!"
—rustle.
Hearing "honeymoon," Luna immediately rummaged inside her clothes to check something. After about a minute of frantic verification, she mumbled softly and glued herself back to me.
"Th-The color and design are cute anyway... this should be fine, right...?"
"Huh? What'd you say, Luna?"
"N-Nothing...! Let's go, Si-hyun!"
At the same time, in the central conference room of Dawn's Light Guild. Victoria, Elissa, Master Han Do-jin, and key executives were gathered, watching a live broadcast.
But why were the guild executives monitoring a mere live show all together?
One agent voiced the confusion on everyone's mind.
"Master, I don't get why we're all gathered for such clickbait trash. Even if it's about Phantom, real-time monitoring feels overkill..."
"Honestly, I agree. Ghost story shows have popped up like weeds since they started appearing. Most were just nonsense for attention and got smacked down by the government and countermeasures HQ. This one's no different."
Murmurs erupted here and there as the two agents voiced their doubts. Dawn's Light was Korea's top elite guild—watching lowbrow TV together was downright weird.
Do-jin let out a deep sigh and gave a clear answer.
"Haa, I thought it was nothing at first and planned to ignore it. But... check today's guest list, and you'll understand why we're watching."
—flip.
Everyone started scanning the schedule, guests, and production staff list from the broadcaster.
"Nothing special... Oh, the PD is Park Jin-cheol, that human trash. No wonder the clickbait's so aggressive."
Park Jin-cheol PD. Infamous in broadcasting and beyond as a total lunatic. He'd fabricate anything for ratings, committing every illegal act imaginable—a guy people constantly griped, "Why hasn't a ghost story dragged him off yet?"
"Without his connections, we'd have fed him to a ghost story ages ago. Remembering how he latched onto us like a tick at our founding... still gives me chills."
"When he claimed we collude with the government to fake ghost stories and 'capture' them... If Master hadn't stopped me, I'd have left him half-dead. Still regret it."
The agents, all burned by Park before, ground their teeth.
Do-jin calmly settled them down and focused on the screen.
"He'd been quiet lately, but this time he must've eaten something dumb—he's going big. See Yoo Shin-ah and Yeon-woo on the list?"
"What...! M-Master...! Why is Yoo Shin-ah here???"
"Why would Shin-ah join trash like this...? Does Director Seo Ji-hoon know?"
"I barely stopped the director from storming the station this morning. Never seen that calm man so furious."
Yoo Shin-ah, the sky-blue ponytail girl with stunning blue eyes—granddaughter of Monster Countermeasure Headquarters Director Seo Ji-hoon, Korea's top ghost story defender. News of his precious granddaughter on live TV shocked everyone.
"Why would Shin-ah appear here? I heard rumors about her being chosen by Phantom at the department store, but... for that?"
"Calm down. Shin-ah may be a young 20-year-old, but she's not reckless. She said it's not to boost the show—it's to officially refute it."
"Huh? What does that even...?"
—tap tap.
Victoria, nestled in Elissa's arms and listening quietly, drummed her fingers on the table and cut in.
"So what's the point? If we're here because of some famous granddaughter, I'll formally protest, Master Do-jin."
"S-Sis...! Don't say it like that out of nowhere—Master Do-jin will be put on the spot..."
"Hmph...!! I'm just voicing my opinion as Eden's master. Elissa, whose side are you on?"
"Yours, obviously... but I've told you a million times not to be aggressive with others. You're so sweet to Si-hyun, why not everyone else?"
"Wh-Wh-Why bring up that guy suddenly...!!"
Victoria's ears turned beet red at "Si-hyun." She'd been dreaming of him for days, leaving her heart a mess.
"A-Ahem...! A-Anyway! If it's for some Yoo Shin-whatever, I'm out."
As Elissa stood with Victoria in her arms, Do-jin called them back calmly.
"Master Victoria, Elissa. Please sit."
"Master Do-jin, Sis was harsh, but I agree. No reason for Eden to be here for that."
"We're not monitoring for Director Seo or his granddaughter."
"Then... why?"
Do-jin flipped to the last page of the guest list and showed everyone.
"I think it's nonsense too... but with this name here, we can't ignore it. HQ and the guild already sent monitoring teams to the station."
Special Guest
《Phantom》
The conference room fell silent the instant they saw the man's name on the special guest list. Just two letters.
Phantom—the mengmang-grade ghost story known as savior—listed at the very end.