“Ugh, I don’t want to work!”
The start of a week where everyone writhed with the Monday blues.
On a day when people had to struggle with agony to go to school or work, shocking news was reported on the morning news.
[Finally, a new S-rank Awakener has appeared in our country.]
The announcer’s voice contained excitement at the joyful news.
[With this, our country now possesses a total of five S-rank Awakeners.]
Along with that, a man wearing a well-fitted suit appeared on the screen. With slightly long blond hair, violet eyes, and a face as white as snow, he was so beautiful it couldn’t be compared to just anyone. He smiled and waved his hand toward the camera.
[Mr. Vermouth, newly classified as S-rank, will be deployed starting from D-rank Gates, and ultimately plans to solo conquer A-rank Gates.]
While a dispatched reporter approached Vermouth, someone screamed.
“Waaah!”
However, that wasn’t anything special. It was because those watching TV at that moment also screamed identically. They couldn’t take their eyes off Vermouth’s face during the interview.
[I see. So Mr. Vermouth naturalized to the Republic of Korea. May I ask the reason for naturalization?]
[Because the person I love is here.]
[The person you love?]
Usually when stating reasons for naturalization, one would list praises about that country. But Vermouth confessed his love to someone unknown.
[By any chance, is that person Mr. Vermouth’s lover?]
[Later. I’ll tell you later. For now, I want to cherish them alone in my heart.]
It was somehow embarrassing words, but since the person speaking was a rare handsome man, it didn’t feel awkward at all. Like that, the morning news was plastered with content about Vermouth. And after that time, SNS exploded.
#New Republic of Korea S-rank Awakener
#Vermouth
#Vermouth super handsome
#Vermouth nationality
#The person Vermouth loves
Search terms related to Vermouth occupied the top ranks of search windows and injected vitality into people.
[Monday blues completely cured]
Dropped the toast I was holding in my mouth while watching morning news;; That face is an S-rank Awakener? That’s a total idol center visual but he catches monsters? ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
#Vermouth_super_handsome #New_Republic_of_Korea_S-rank_Awakener
[Vermouth passport confiscation team]
Mr. Vermouth, the person you love is in Korea?
Yes, I am right here in the Republic of Korea.
Congratulations on obtaining K-nationality, and I tore up your passport ^^
#Vermouth_nationality #Let’s_start_with_marriage_registration
[Looking for someone who saved the universe in a past life]
No but declaring sold-out man status as soon as he debuts(?) for real…
But when he says ‘I want to cherish them alone in my heart’ with that face, I’m not even mad.
And why is his voice so deep, isn’t he crazy?
I just end up supporting that love ㅠㅠ I’m jealous of that person…
#The_person_Vermouth_loves #Did_you_save_the_country_in_a_past_life_no_the_world
[Armchair S-rank detector]
But isn’t he really an all-time max level character? Gets S-rank judgment right after naturalizing, and runs ‘solo conquests’ from D-rank to A-rank Gates? That face plus S-rank combat ability, God is really unfair…
[Wall-smashing hamster]
(Roughly a gif of smashing walls and hitting forehead hard)
Vermouth super handsome Vermouth super handsome Vermouth super handsome Vermouth super handsome
Sir, please don’t get monster blood on that face and just tear my heart instead…
The talk wasn’t just online.
“Wow, then does that mean our country now has five S-rank Awakeners?”
“That’s right. Yoon Taegyeom, Jeong Yeonhwa, Hong Seoyoon, Choi Jaeheon, and now Vermouth too!”
“But no matter how you look at it, he’s not Korean though?”
“He naturalized!”
“What a rare occasion for the government to do their job properly!”
Everywhere you went, it was bustling with talk about Vermouth. His abilities were one thing, but it was because his beauty in that perfectly fitted suit was tremendous.
“I’ve never seen someone who looks like this in my life.”
“That’s not a face from this world, is it?”
While the world was bustling with stories about the new S-rank Awakener, Ian was sitting at the dining table blankly drinking warmed milk. Normally he would have turned on the TV to adapt to modern times, but currently the spot where the TV had been was empty.
“Sorry. The TV broke.”
Even the sturdiest home appliances can break down. For that reason, the TV that had been in the house disappeared.
“Then can’t you at least give me a phone? I’m bored.”
“Got it. I’ll buy one and bring it to you as quickly as possible.”
Choi Jaeheon said that and smiled, but for several days, a cell phone didn’t end up in Ian’s hands. On top of that, Choi Jaeheon declared a ban on going out to Ian.
“I left you alone and lost you. I don’t want to create the same situation. For the time being, if you want to go out, let’s go together with hyung.”
“Okay, I will.”
His only family had been missing for a long time, so he could be anxious. But Choi Jaeheon, who said that, seemed to have been busy for several days. He would come home intermittently to check on Ian and then leave again. On top of that, outside the front gate were faces he’d encountered before at a Gate.
“They’re Seoyoon hyung’s people.”
He quickly noticed that they were people from Phoenix Guild. They took turns teaming up with unfamiliar people to guard the house where Ian was. Ian put down the milk he’d drunk halfway and lightly tapped the mug with his fingernail.
It seemed his hyungs had noticed something.
“Peaceful.”
Ian muttered and slowly leaned his body against the dining table. He knew it was a peace that couldn’t continue for long. And yet, right now he didn’t feel motivated to do anything. It seemed he was tired from the recoil of running hard for too long. Just as he was thinking that, he suddenly felt something alien from the mark near his heart.
It was a signal that Vermouth was using his power.
“I am here.”
As if saying that, light periodically entered the mark. Fortunately, Choi Jaeheon wasn’t home at the time, but if he had been, he might have asked what this was. What on earth was happening outside? Before long, the peacefulness receded and anxiety began to fill its place.
Obviously, the first to notice that anxiety was Choi Jaeheon. Hong Seoyoon also occasionally stopped by the house to check on Ian’s safety, but because he was inherently dull, he didn’t notice anything strange at all. On the other hand, Yoon Taegyeom had been working overtime for the past few days and didn’t have time to come see Ian.
“Hup!”
Ian, who’d dozed off while lying face-down on the dining table, let out a startled sound and jerked his body. When he raised his head to look at the clock, it seemed he’d slept for about an hour. As he wiped away the sweat that had beaded on his forehead, a shadow fell right next to him. When he raised his head, Choi Jaeheon was standing still.
“Ian.”
“Hyung, you’re back? That must have been hard. Should I make you some coffee?”
He tried to stand up while pretending to be calm, but Choi Jaeheon grabbed Ian’s hand.
“Ian, what are you so anxious about?”
At Choi Jaeheon’s question, his heart sank.
“I wish you wouldn’t hide things from me, at least. We’re each other’s only family.”
Choi Jaeheon tried to smile, but Ian read suffering in that smile. If the situation were reversed, if Choi Jaeheon had experienced the same thing as him, could he have asked nothing?
He wasn’t confident he could.
“Tell me.”
Only then did Ian vomit out the emotions he’d been suppressing all along. Tears began to flow drop by drop from his eyes. He pulled Choi Jaeheon into an embrace and poured out tears until his chest became soaked.
No matter how composed he’d pretended to be in the other world, Ian at that time wasn’t an adult. He was just a kid who’d barely become an adult. A year or so passed there and he became an adult, but that didn’t make everything okay.
“Actually, actually…”
Ian, with eyes swollen like a frog, stayed in his hyung’s arms and confessed what had happened. Of course, he didn’t tell everything nakedly. There were parts he softened in the middle.
First, Vermouth. Among the things entangled with that bastard, there were many things difficult to explain without softening. That human tore people apart like ripping chicken breast and carried out all kinds of torture, saying he had to extract information from demons. On top of that, he’d constantly use his power to the bottom and then cling to Ian, kissing him. They’d slept in the same bed many times.
Fortunately, he said that as a seed of the goddess, he wouldn’t commit indecent acts without the other’s permission, but there were times he deliberately created ambiguous situations.
Even though he spoke as indirectly as possible, Choi Jaeheon’s lips gradually hardened stiffly. The smile he was forcing to reassure Ian was on the verge of crumbling.
Choi Jaeheon recalled the curses Hong Seoyoon had poured out for once.
‘Fuck, you bastard worse than a dog! I’ll slice open your belly and use your intestines to jump rope! That fucking bastard touched our baby?’
Right now he wanted to spit out those exact curses.
“Right, so that stalker bastard’s name is Vermouth?”
Ian nodded while sniffling.
“But I think Vermouth followed me here.”
“How do you know that?”
Then Ian hesitated for a moment before pulling up his shirt to show his chest. Near his heart was a circular mark wrapped in thorny vines, and just then that mark flashed with light.
“When Vermouth uses his power, I can tell. The reverse is true too.”
Choi Jaeheon ground his teeth hard. Dozens of ways to kill Vermouth flashed through his mind. Killing intent rose unconsciously.
“You can’t.”
Ian’s hand, having noticed his thoughts, grabbed the hem of his clothes. And he shook his head slightly.
“Absolutely not.”
“Why?”
Choi Jaeheon’s voice was cold. Does affection of the body become affection of the heart—had Ian already given Vermouth even a little of his heart? But Ian’s reason for stopping him was different from Choi Jaeheon’s expectation.
“That crazy bastard is someone who took the Demon King’s head off all by himself.”
“How strong is the Demon King?”
“Strong enough to destroy the world.”
Ian looked straight at Choi Jaeheon.
“It’s not that you’re weak, hyung. But I’m scared you’ll get hurt colliding with Vermouth.”
Those words made Choi Jaeheon’s insides boil even more. What was that bastard to make his precious younger brother suffer like this? Even if that guy brought someone Ian loved, he would have beaten him half to death and more, but hearing of his atrocities made it hard to hold back his anger.
“So promise me.”
Ian held out his pinky finger to Choi Jaeheon.
“Promise what?”
Choi Jaeheon tried to calm his mind somehow.
“If you’re going to fight Vermouth, take the other hyungs with you too.”
In other words, don’t go alone to beat him up, but go as three and gang up on him. Hearing those words, his feelings somehow became strange. Ian was clearly saying it out of worry, but it felt like his heart was getting scratched.
LMAOOOOO
Bro is oneshotting his hyung’s pride and sanity