Roonie shouted at him, "What… the hell does that even mean?"
Veyne waved his hand. "Oh, come on, don't act like I asked for your hand."
Roonie walked up to him and grabbed him by the throat. "Just because I give you a bit of respect, you think you can spout any nonsense?"
Veyne didn't even protest. He just stared directly into Roonie's eyes with a wide smile on his face.
Roonie stared at him for a moment, then threw him back onto the sofa.
Cough! Cough!
Veyne rubbed his neck while coughing.
"Ahh!" Roonie punched the table, splashing food everywhere.
Veyne sighed. It would take a lot of time to clean that mess. Not caring about Roonie's anger, he said, "Oh, big brother, don't be so angry. Just listen to me, big brother."
Roonie shouted at him, "If you dare to spew that nonsense one more time, I'm going to blast your head!"
Veyne stopped smiling. He clicked his tongue and said in a deep tone, "Fcking, scared bitch, calm down."
Roonie pointed at him. "You—how dare you say that to me?"
Veyne started laughing. "Haha, what, you call your daddy's goon to kill me? Puff haha! You fcking alcoholic, what even are you without your name?"
He glanced at the guard and said with sarcasm, "Look, the little prince needs two babysitters to change his diaper."
Roonie jumped on him again and grabbed his neck. "I'm going to kill you!"
This time, even Veyne grabbed Roonie's neck. Both of them stood there, locked.
That was when Veyne smiled and said, "Don't you think that's enough acting for one day?"
Roonie stared at him for a moment and then started laughing. "Hahaha, this bastard. You've got nerves of steel."
Veyne smiled. "Thanks for the compliment, Big B."
Roonie pushed him and walked back to his seat. "You bastard, I'll never accept your absurd deal."
Veyne sat up and cleaned the food stain off his t-shirt as he said, "It's only a matter of time."
Roonie clenched his jaw. "Ahhh, this confidence. I'd really love to crush it."
Veyne just stared at Roonie and shook his head. "Good to have these dreams. It'll help you in the long term."
Roonie waved the food off his hand. He leaned forward and asked, "How did you know I was acting?"
Veyne leaned back and rolled his eyes. "I saw it at our first meeting. You're the kind of guy who even orders his bodyguard to answer his phone for him. Would a guy like that waste energy on someone like me?"
The moment he said that, both bodyguards started smiling.
Roonie cursed at them, "Hey, don't smile, you bastards!"
Both of them stopped smiling instantly.
Silence fell as both Roonie and Veyne looked at each other, lost in thought.
Veyne was a bit surprised by Roonie's response, but mentally patted himself on the back. He had been right about Roonie from the start.
Roonie rubbed his forehead and asked, "Okay, tell me—what do you mean by this, Game brother?"
Veyne said, "Didn't I tell you already? You're my big brother who's going to help me in the real world. And as your little brother, I'll make you famous in the game world."
Roonie raised an eyebrow. "So you just want my help."
Veyne slapped his forehead. "Don't be like that! Do you think a simple guy like me would have any problem that needs your intervention?"
Roonie scratched his hair. "Then?"
Veyne looked up and said in that exaggerated, imaginative tone, "Imagine the brother duo who support each other. In the near future, the younger brother fights in the game world for his big brother… while the big brother helps his little brother enjoy the real world."
Roonie rubbed his chin. "I sort of get what you're trying to say, but don't you think it's absurd for you to ask a Cobra family member to be your brother?"
Veyne shook his head. "Why bring in the family? I want to be the brother of the person: Roonie Salvatim Cobra. No need to drag others into this relationship."
Roonie smiled. "I really don't know if you're the smart one or the stupid one, but let me warn you once again—whether you want it or not, getting involved with me will bring you danger."
Veyne rolled his eyes. "Don't act like a saint now. You were just threatening to blast my head a moment ago."
Roonie shook his head. "Whatever. If you love playing with fire, then sure. Having a little brother would definitely be interesting."
Roonie gave him his hand and said, "Here, Veyne Draven—from today onward, you are my brother."
Veyne stood up and gripped Roonie's hand. "Good to see you, Big Brother."
Roonie gripped his hand as tightly as possible and said, "Pleasure to meet you, little bro."
In that moment, Veyne knew—he'd traded a thousand safety nets for a bloodline that might strangle him later.
But damn, the risk felt good.
Veyne just smiled and said, "I've got a caring big brother who even remembered my full name."
Roonie coughed at this and released his hand.
Veyne moved his hand to shake off the pain.
Things had gotten a bit messy, maybe even out of control for a bit—but that was the beauty of life.
He glanced at Roonie, who was now cursing at the food stain on his clothes. Now, this guy would be the shield and the key to the Akinu Guild.
Veyne shook his head and asked Roonie, "By the way, why the hell did you come here so early in the morning?"
Roonie looked at him, then leaned back. "Well, now that you've entered the mess, there's no point hiding it from you. I got phone calls from my siblings…"
Both of them dropped the pretense with each other.
Roonie wasn't stupid. He understood Veyne could have worked with any of his siblings. The only reason Veyne worked with him was for the exclusivity of his authority.
With Roonie himself not in the game, Veyne, now his so-called game brother, would have the highest authority over his guild.
In a sense, it was kind of like a contract. Except instead of money, Veyne asked for power and authority—the power to represent him in the game.
This kind of brotherly deal even put Roonie at ease because, after all, none of his siblings would offer such a thing to an outsider.
It was a big risk, even for Roonie, as this decision could impact his position in the family, but he was willing to take that risk.
This was the start of a weird brotherhood.
It was a risk for both. Roonie, gambling on his position.
Veyne, tying himself to a powder keg. But between a mafia prince and a sewer rat, a strange brotherhood sparked to life.
The brotherhood of one desperate to protect everything, and the one who had even seen his death.