NOVEL NEXT #005
#005
“First of all, I hate it when someone makes assumptions about my feelings. And secondly, whether I like him or not, Kim Sehyun is my guide, so don’t interfere and make him cry again. I absolutely hate it when someone meddles with what’s in my domain.”
I heard a swooshing sound near my ear. It seemed he wasn’t really trying to hit me, but just to intimidate.
However, Shin Haejun’s words were more threatening than his actions. As soon as I heard them, I felt a sudden ache in my heart. It was a slightly different sensation from when I have an attack.
‘It seems Lee Jaeha’s body is reacting.’
It might be pounding out of fear, but there’s no way it could be hurt by Shin Haejun’s words. So it seemed reasonable to assume it was Lee Jaeha reacting, not me.
‘It’s time to nurture an unattainable love.’
Suddenly, the quest window’s text popped into my mind. So, does this mean I’m falling in love and getting hurt now?
Not only am I possessed, but the body is reacting on its own. Feeling a tightness in my chest, I thumped it repeatedly.
“Um, so what’s going to happen with my house…?”
“If Secretary Kang and Kim Sehyun made a deal, it should be honored according to the contract. The maintenance costs are not my concern.”
Shin Haejun closed the door in my face as if he had said all he needed to say. Left outside, I blinked, feeling bewildered.
“Really… should I get a part-time job at a convenience store?”
They’ll return the house deposit, right…? Thinking that nothing had been resolved, I was about to sigh deeply when the house door opened slightly again.
“Hey, Jaeha. I overheard a bit from inside… if you’re worried about house maintenance costs, don’t worry too much! I’ve been thinking of ways to earn a lot of money for your living expenses.”
It was Kim Sehyun. He smiled at me with an awkward expression and whispered softly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll contact you soon. And… don’t barge into the house suddenly like this.”
“My deposit too. It’s not like they’re giving me the whole house.”
“It’s being lent by the Haesun Group. Don’t worry, Secretary Kang will handle it well. Here’s the house contract.”
Somehow it feels like I’m being scammed, but since this seems to be the flow of the original novel, I had nothing to say.
I turned around, feeling uneasy as I received the house contract. I felt my phone vibrate earlier, so I thought I should check the quest.
‘I need to check how Lee Jaeha, who has fallen in unrequited love with Shin Haejun, should move.’
***
I returned to the house that didn’t feel like mine.
Since I didn’t know when I’d have to return it, I decided to sit on the floor instead of the sofa to read the contract. The sofa behind me felt smooth and soft, so I shifted my hips forward a bit. If anything got on the sofa, I might have to pay for it.
Thinking that, I felt my heart clench even though I was just sitting still.
: *Meet Shin Haejun*
Quest Level: Tutorial
You have completed the quest. A reward will be given!
Reward: 1 Introduction Reading Pass
I opened the quest window first to check, and my eyes widened at the reward. Being able to read the introduction meant I could at least briefly see the synopsis of the beginning of this story.
It was exactly what I needed most right now.
: Nine has brought a reward! Nine is not stingy!
Earlier, I had unconsciously muttered, “You’re not stingy, so why are the rewards so meager?” It seemed Nine had taken that to heart.
“Well done. You do your job when prodded.”
I wasn’t sure where the quests and rewards were coming from, but it was meaningful just to know that Nine had some room to maneuver. It meant that in a pinch, I could nudge Nine for at least a little help.
: If you accept the reward, you can read the introduction right away!
I immediately accepted the reward as instructed.
Then, just like seeing a comment section, an introduction appeared before my eyes.
[How to Be Loved by an S-Class Esper]
[BL Guide]
*Background/Genre: Modern, Fantasy
*Story Keywords: 00bus, Harlequin, first love, aggressive seme, obsessive seme, dark/scheming seme, younger seme, chaebol seme, virile seme, kind seme, devoted seme, beautiful uke, kind uke, innocent uke, devoted uke, tough on the outside/soft on the inside uke, proper uke, older uke, runaway uke, capable uke, superpowers, misunderstanding/misconception, jealousy, confinement, sweet story, possibility of sub uke, third-person perspective
*Main Characters (Seme):
Shin Haejun – The youngest son of Haesun Group, Korea’s top conglomerate, and the youngest S-class esper. His pride was hurt when he found out that the guide who achieved a 98% match rate with him had mutated from F-class to S-class. However, he keeps finding himself drawn to this guide.
Hyun Dowoon – The youngest awakened center director in Korea. An S-class esper who once lost Kim Sehyun, who used to guide him, to Shin Haejun. He dislikes guides, but Kim Sehyun is an exception.
*Main Character (Uke):
Kim Sehyun – He was clearly an F-class guide, but suddenly his grade changed to S-class 2 years ago. Many things have changed since then, and he’s being called a Cinderella after becoming Shin Haejun’s guide.
*When to read this: When you want to see a uke’s life turned around after falling into the arms of an obsessive seme
*Relatable quote: No one can touch my guide.
[Story Introduction]
Shin Haejun: A chaebol, the youngest S-class esper, a man with nothing left but his skills, looks, and wealth – a character with a broken personality.
A person who should never have any connection with him, but one day, his life changed when his grade suddenly changed to S-class.
He just wanted to live his already difficult life quietly, but he suddenly became Shin Haejun’s guide after achieving a 98% match rate with him.
“Why is someone like you 98% compatible?”
“That’s… not something I wanted either.”
Sehyun still can’t believe he’s not F-class even after becoming an S-class guide.
He never thought his life, which no one wanted or loved, could change.
“Kim Sehyun, whether you like it or not, you’re my guide.”
“…Your guide.”
Kim Sehyun couldn’t help but fall for Shin Haejun, who called him “my guide.”
He never expected an ally to suddenly fly into his life like this.
[Author Profile]
Greenbaby
Twitter @Green_baby01
After scrolling to the end, the long introduction disappeared in an instant.
‘No, I wanted to review it a few more times!’
I couldn’t understand what the keywords meant, or what “seme” and “uke” were, so I was planning to read through it again after finishing!
As I flailed in panic, Nine popped up an inventory window. Inside, there was a scroll item labeled “How to Be Loved by an S-Class Esper Introduction_1” flashing NEW. It had become an item that could be taken out and viewed at any time.
The number after “Introduction” was a bit ominous, but it was a relief for now.
‘Does this mean the introduction can change?’
If it were something that would never change, there would be no reason for the reward to be a one-time viewing right, or for it to be version 1 of the introduction. If the introduction can change, maybe the synopsis can change too.
‘Even if I can’t change the serialized parts, maybe what comes after depends on my actions.’
I have no intention of ruining the storyline, but I absolutely don’t want to die pathetically at Shin Haejun’s hands.
‘Come to think of it, I should look for a hospital here too….’
It would be nice if my health improved with the body change, but unfortunately, depression isn’t a disease confined to the body. Although the lethargy was less than before, I still experienced unnecessary feelings of guilt or depression popping up occasionally.
: Yeonsoo, aren’t you going to check the new item?
My phone flashed, and Nine appeared, suddenly asking.
New item? Come to think of it, I think there was another item with NEW flashing beside it, apart from the introduction….
“Ah!”
Checking the item window, there was a document labeled ‘Contract’. And the contract that was beside me until just now had disappeared.
: All story-important items can be registered in the inventory! If you place your phone on top of the item, it will be recognized!
Story-important items? I jumped up and went to the kitchen. Then I took out a cup from the cabinet, filled it with water, and held it tightly while placing my phone on top.
‘It’s not being registered as an item.’
Simple items like this aren’t registered. However, it seems that items important enough to appear in the original work can be registered.
The contract was personally delivered by the main character, so of course it would be recognized as an important item.
“Now, I want to take it out. How do I view it?”
: This is an unopened function that cannot be used currently! Please unlock it through future adventures!
“Hey! How can you register it on your own like that!”
: Are you getting angry at me now? You put the phone under it yourself!
“You should have said so earlier!”
When I got angry, Nine started crying dramatically. What’s the use of fighting with a phone? I tossed the phone onto the dining table, forgetting what I was going to say.
Surely, many things like how to live in this house, how long I would live here, what the maintenance fees are… and so on, must have been included in the contract. If I had known this would happen, I would have checked the contract before completing the quest reward.
‘I never expected such an absurd situation….’
There might be a clause for restoration. I went around the whole house taking pictures with my phone. Just in case they try to charge me for non-existent damages when I move out later. Surely they won’t charge for furniture usage too?
‘I should bring some simple household items and bedding from my original house.’
No matter how much the chaebol was involved in the disposal, they couldn’t have thrown out all the household items that were in the house just now.
I’ll sleep on the floor with a blanket, and cook in the pot I have. It was a modest behavior unfit for this luxurious house, but I had no choice since I couldn’t see the contract.
‘How do I unlock the function?’
Although I had questions about survival, for now, it seemed I had no choice but to proceed with the quest.
***
The Korean awakened community was in a great uproar over Shin Haejun and Kim Sehyun forming a pair. It was natural, given that they were the youngest S-class esper and one of the few S-class guides.
The first move of the newly paired duo was to conquer the S-class Yellow Dungeon that appeared in Namyangju. This was all very sensible. If only Kim Sehyun hadn’t insisted on bringing ‘F-class guide Lee Jaeha’ into the S-class dungeon, which should rightfully only include A-class or higher awakened ones.
Hyun Dowoon, as the director of the Awakened Center, had a duty to stop Kim Sehyun.
“Why on earth do you need that F-class?”
Hyun Dowoon had been confronting Kim Sehyun for an hour. Hyun Dowoon’s initially polite words gradually became sharper.
“…Guiding requires mental stability above all. I can’t guide without Jaeha because I feel anxious.”
It was a secret he couldn’t even reveal to Shin Haejun, but he had no choice but to say it as he couldn’t think of any other excuse. Kim Sehyun flinched, shrinking his body as he received sharp gazes from all around.
“Guide Kim Sehyun. Let’s not make obvious lies.”
“It’s… it’s true. Why do you think I called Jaeha near my house?”
For Kim Sehyun, Lee Jaeha was an essential presence.
His only friend who grew up with him in the orphanage since childhood. Jaeha was always mature and dependable.
After his grade suddenly rose from F to S, Kim Sehyun often felt anxiety symptoms when doing a certain amount of high-quality guiding. As if a side effect had occurred in exchange for the grade increase. At such times, the presence of his friend, whom he always relied on, quickly calmed Kim Sehyun’s anxiety. It felt like he was only half an S-class, so he couldn’t tell anyone.
That was the reason he asked the Haesun Group to bring Lee Jaeha to his side.
‘No, I wanted to repay Jaeha who has been by my side all this time.’
Kim Sehyun thought to himself, as if trying to convince himself, saddened by his selfish heart that couldn’t give any explanation to Lee Jaeha.
“Does Esper Shin Haejun know about this problem?”
“…Please don’t tell him.”
Kim Sehyun’s large, round eyes filled with anxiety and pleading. Seeing this, Hyun Dowoon decided to put an end to the repeated conversation.
“For now. We need to meet Guide Lee Jaeha.”