<Hidden Ending #0>
Target Character: ???
Acquisition Condition: ???
“What is this…… it’s not an error, I’m sure.”
Wonyoung, who had been thoroughly skimming through the ending list in preparation for any contingency, frowned when he saw one ending written on the very last page. Ending number 0. A hidden one at that.
No conditions were written, and the target character was also a question mark. Since the acquisition conditions were unknown, it seemed impossible to reach that ending.
‘Well, it could be an ending with Ji Seongwon or something like that.’
In BL games, there were sometimes cases where you could connect with a character you thought was an NPC. There were also endings that only opened when you conquered all conquest characters. Anyway, it was best to avoid all endings. Wonyoung set aside thoughts about ending number 0 and got up from his seat.
“I’m going to shower. Don’t fight.”
“Okay.”
“Yeah.”
Though the most half-hearted answers came back, Wonyoung accepted it and entered the bathroom.
Then, taking off his clothes and turning on the shower, receiving cold water from the top of his head, Wonyoung thought blankly.
‘Five days left now.’
Five days from now, the existence called Heo Wonyoung would disappear from this world forever. Probably from the original world too.
He would become someone who was never born at all.
‘……Come to think of it, around now.’
Wonyoung was just recalling something and pausing when suddenly the bathroom door burst open.
“Wonyoung-ah.”
“Wonyoung-i hyung!”
“Wonyoung-ssi.”
“Ahhh!”
At the three men’s sudden appearance, the naked Wonyoung closed and opened the shower booth door, turned off the shower, almost slipped, and after wavering back and forth several times like that, finally managed to cover his body with a towel.
“Wh-what are you doing, you perverts!”
Then the three people who had been watching that sight left their impressions one by one.
“Your skin is really white, Heo Wonyoung.”
“I thought you were skinny, but you have more muscles than I thought?”
“Oh, hyung’s co……”
“This is all-ages!”
Wonyoung, who hastily stopped Siyeon’s dangerous remark, shouted while his whole body turned red.
“Everyone out! What the hell!”
“Wonyoung-ssi, is tomorrow your birthday?”
“What?”
When Wonyoung paused at Taerim’s out-of-the-blue question, Heegang sighed and explained.
“I was going to ask first, but these bastards followed saying that to avoid an ending, we have to see your naked body together to be fair.”
Wonyoung, who had been continuing to wrap his body as tightly as possible with the towel, thought for a moment at those words and asked.
“Wait, but how did you know my birthday?”
“While going through your wallet?”
“Why are you going through my wallet?”
“Because I need to know about you.”
“Ah……?”
Wonyoung, who almost unconsciously accepted that, ended up dropping the towel. As the towel slid down, the three men’s gazes also slid down. Wonyoung, completely flushed red, belatedly shouted.
“Just get out! Everyone out!”
The men who were driven out like that bickered amongst themselves.
“That’s why I said we should all get lost.”
“If you hadn’t stubbornly insisted on seeing Wonyoung-ssi’s body, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“But hyung’s co……”
“Be quiet, you guys!”
At Wonyoung’s sharp-eared rebuke, the men became deflated and sat side by side on the sofa waiting for Wonyoung.
After such a commotion, Wonyoung, who came out completely wrapped up in clothes, appeared sulking.
He looked at the three men sitting meekly, twitched the corner of his mouth, then came over to the opposite side and plopped down in his seat.
“So? What about my birthday?”
“What do you mean ‘what about it’? It’s hyung’s birthday!”
“Yeah, I know. Now that I think about it, it is. But why is that.”
At Wonyoung’s indifferent reaction, the three people were dumbfounded.
“Heo Wonyoung-ssi, I knew you didn’t cherish yourself that much, but……”
“This is serious.”
At Taerim and Heegang’s serious expressions, Wonyoung tilted his head.
“Why? What?”
At Wonyoung’s reaction as if he really didn’t understand, Siyeon got heated and shouted.
“Hyung, a birthday is such an important day! ‘Why is that,’ we should celebrate! You should have told us earlier!”
“Uh uh…… why bother?”
“Huh!”
As Siyeon huffed angrily as if about to jump up at any moment, Wonyoung quickly spoke as if making an excuse.
“No no, I’ve never celebrated my birthday. Because I’m an orphan. Actually, my birthday is more like the day I was found rather than the day I was born.”
At Wonyoung’s statement, the atmosphere instantly became solemn as if cold water had been poured on it. Everyone hesitated, not knowing what to say, when Siyeon, who shared the same plight, stepped forward and held Wonyoung’s hand.
“Hyung, still…… no, that’s exactly why we should celebrate…… Won’t hyung celebrate my birthday?”
“Of course I will!”
“But what about hyung’s?”
“My birthday, well, it’s not even real……”
Unlike just before, at Wonyoung’s lukewarm reaction, Heegang clicked his tongue.
“What’s with the temperature difference, Heo Wonyoung?”
“No…… um, fine. Let’s do it, let’s.”
As Wonyoung permitted it as if there was no other choice, unexpectedly Taerim stepped in to stop it.
“Let’s not do it.”
“What?”
“If he doesn’t want to, why force it? In the current situation, it’s hard to celebrate grandly anyway.”
“Is that nouveau riche serious?”
When Siyeon glared at Taerim, Wonyoung quickly stopped him.
“Right, Siyeon-ah. We don’t have to do it. I feel burdened too……”
Wonyoung had never received birthday congratulations once in his life. At most, he had been grouped by month and received them all at once at kindergarten, and at the company, no one cared about the meticulous team leader’s birthday either.
So he was really okay with not receiving it. Rather, even if he received a gift or something, he wouldn’t be able to keep it…….
‘Anyway, Heo Wonyoung will disappear soon.’
“Still, hyung……”
As Siyeon couldn’t overcome his regret and tried to persuade Wonyoung again, Taerim kicked his back.
“Ah, shit, what……”
As the annoyed Siyeon raised his fist, this time Heegang made eye contact. Siyeon, who quickly caught on to what that silent eye contact meant, lowered his fist. Could it be, a surprise party?
When Siyeon looked at Wonyoung again, he was sitting lost in thought with a slightly pitiful expression. That hurt his heart, but…… hyung might like a surprise party better.
Since it was his first birthday celebration, it would be better if it was memorable.
‘So that he won’t forget and will remember me more…… that would be better.’
Because it would be enough if every time his birthday came around, he would remember, oh there was someone like that.
‘Got it. Let’s gather later.’
Siyeon, who silently just moved his mouth, approached Wonyoung with a smile.
“Hyung, what’s the breakfast menu tomorrow?”
“Huh? Well. Something light would be good, right? What do you want to eat?”
Siyeon, who successfully diverted Wonyoung’s attention elsewhere, smiled brightly.
With the heart of wanting to definitely leave this birthday in Wonyoung’s memory.
* * *
“So, do you have a plan?”
Late at night when Wonyoung was sound asleep. The three men gathered in one room whispering secretively.
“A plan?”
“Just now. You pretended not to know to give hyung a surprise party, right?”
At Siyeon’s explanation, Heegang frowned as if asking what he was talking about.
“I just liked seeing Heo Wonyoung dejected?”
“What?”
“He’s cute.”
‘This crazy……’ Siyeon, who muttered sharply, grasped at one strand of hope and looked at Taerim.
“What about the nouveau riche? You must have had some plan, that’s why you acted so rudely.”
“I was just going to give him a moderate surprise.”
“Moderate? It’s his first birthday celebration ever!”
Siyeon, who had gotten heated at Taerim and Heegang’s still nonchalant reactions, soon muttered gloomily.
“Maybe it could be the last one he receives too.”
“……”
After a moment of silence, Taerim shook his head.
“No, Wonyoung-ssi is a good person. So from now on he’ll meet many better people besides us. He just hasn’t had the opportunity until now.”
Then this time Heegang responded with a bitter smile.
“If that’s the case, then at least this will be the first and last birthday celebration he receives from us.”
At those words, neither Taerim nor Siyeon had anything to say. The last…… How long would this reprieve last? How long could Heo Wonyoung be with them? At least by the next birthday, they wouldn’t be by his side.
Reality hit them anew. A reality that was even more painful for Wonyoung because it was virtual.
“First, let’s prepare beef.”
At Taerim’s sudden remark, Siyeon glared with an expression of ‘is that your plan?’ Taerim countered with an expression of ‘is there anything Wonyoung-ssi likes more than that?’
Then, unintentionally, the atmosphere was mediated by Heegang’s comment.
“We need cake too. I saw Heo Wonyoung’s ID and he was born in 9X. Four candles will do.”
At those words, Siyeon’s face turned pale.
“No, wait a minute. Then Wonyoung-i hyung is turning thirty-one…… Really? With that face?”
Siyeon, who suddenly went from a one-year age difference to a ten-year age difference with Wonyoung, made a shocked face, but all he got in return was a scolding to be quiet since Wonyoung might wake up.
“Then let’s buy the cake, each prepare gifts separately……”
“Shouldn’t we decorate the house too?”
“We can’t go out, so we need some dishes to eat at home.”
Like that, the three people planned the ‘Heo Wonyoung Surprise Birthday Party’ in the middle of the night. As they continued their discussion, one last problem remained.
“So? Who’s going to do all this?”
“Well, together……”
At Heegang’s question, Siyeon was about to answer when Heegang said as if he was pathetic.
“It’s a surprise party for Heo Wonyoung. We have to lure Heo Wonyoung away.”
“Then we need at least two people. We can’t meet an ending just trying to celebrate once.”
“Then……”
What that meant was that while the other two people enjoyed time with Wonyoung, the remaining one person had to buy cake, decorate the house, and cook all alone.
One of the three would be screwed. The three men’s tense gazes crossed. Among them, the first to speak was Siyeon.
“Let’s decide with rock-paper-scissors.”
Then immediately Heegang’s rebuttal followed.
“What? What kind of…… Let’s be rational. I can’t cook, so one of you two……”
However, this time Taerim said decisively.
“We can just order food for delivery.”
“Didn’t you say you don’t eat delivery food?”
Taerim ignored Heegang’s complaint and extended his fist.
“Let’s finish it in one round.”
At that determined(?) ready stance, Siyeon also silently extended his fist and threatened.
“If you don’t put it out, you lose.”
Heegang looked back and forth between Taerim and Siyeon as if dumbfounded, then realized they were ultimately serious and extended his fist with a sigh. Soon Siyeon opened his mouth.
“Rock, paper, scissors!”
At Siyeon’s call, the three people each made their shapes. Three pairs of eyes quickly scanned the results.
“……!”
Siyeon covered his mouth in case sound leaked out, Heegang wore a crooked smile, and Taerim’s expression completely froze.
It was truly a moment where the joy and sorrow of winners and losers intersected.
