In a flash, everything cleared, I had tried my best to assist.
But I guess transmigrating here doesn't mean I'm fully covered in plot armor with different skills like I'd imagined.
Apparently, that monster wasn't supposed to appear yet. I shouldn't even question that because I wasn't supposed to be here.
The sea type monster dissolved into smoke, its dying screech ringing in my ears like shattered glass.
The system's blue messages flickered across the night sky, announcing something about "victory conditions" and "group points awarded." I barely heard it. My chest was heaving, my hands shaking, and when the dust settled—
Everyone was gone.
"Hyunsung-ssi? Yoo Sangah? …Sooyoung?"
Only silence answered me. The ruins were quiet now, eerily quiet, save for the sound of boots crunching gravel behind me. I didn't need to turn around.
I already knew.
Yoo Joonghyuk.
Of course. Out of all the people I could be stuck with, fate—or the damn scenario—had shoved me into a dead end with him.
He stood like a shadow cut out of the night, sword dripping monster blood, expression unreadable.
He looked like he hadn't broken a sweat. Meanwhile, I looked like I'd rolled down several flights of stairs, twice.
The cold bit into me then, sharp as knives.
The city's hollow wind was howling through the cracked skyscrapers, and I realized my fingers were numb, my teeth starting to chatter.
Great. A romantic setting. Exactly what I didn't need.
Joonghyuk's eyes flicked toward me. "You're shaking."
"Wow, thanks for the observation, Sherlock. What gave it away? My teeth doing the tap dance?"
He never once glanced away. Instead, he sheathed his sword and walked over, stopping just in front of me. His height was a wall, his gaze a blade. "We'll freeze if we stay still. Find shelter."
I wanted to argue, but the way the cold was numbing my bones made me stumble forward. He caught my arm before I hit the ground. His grip was iron, unyielding, despite the cold, his touch was hot between my skin.
We found a half-collapsed office building, its roof mostly intact.
The wind screamed outside, but here, it was only a low howl. I sank against the wall, hugging my knees, shivering like a wet dog.
Joonghyuk sat across from me, arms folded, calm as if this wasn't a life-threatening freeze.
He closed his eyes. I wanted to punch him.
"…You're really just going to meditate? While I die of hypothermia?"
"You're loud."
"And you're—" My voice cracked from the cold. "—useless."
His eyes opened, sharp and assessing. He looked at me for a long moment. Then, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, he said, "I guess i will... I don't want you to die yet, so... We'll share heat."
I almost choked on air. "Excuse me?"
Share heat? As in? Body to body? Skin to skin?
I don't know? Is this allowed?
If I were an omega, I guess I'll be releasing a shit-ton of pheromones right now on how red I am.
"Don't wanna," I said against my will.
"You'll die otherwise."
"Oh sure. That's your excuse, isn't it? You just want—" My words cut off when he shifted, closing the distance in one fluid move.
One moment he was across the room, the next he was sitting right next to me, his shoulder pressing firmly against mine. His body radiated warmth, solid and steady, and my frozen skin drank it in like fire.
"…This doesn't mean anything," he muttered.
Right. Sure. Nothing at all. Just Yoo Joonghyuk, the Almighty Regressor, pressed against me like we were the last two spoons in the drawer.
Totally normal.
But then—it got worse.
The cold was still biting, so he pulled me closer, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. My body jolted against his chest.
His breath brushed my ear, hot in contrast to the icy air.
"Relax," he said, voice low, dangerous, sending shivers down to my spine.
Easy for him to say. My heart was a jackhammer in my ribs, my thoughts tangling into incoherent static.
I don't know which one of us moved first. Maybe it was the cold. Maybe it was the scenario.
Maybe it was the fact that I've spent years secretly worshipping him from the pages of a novel. But suddenly—his mouth was on mine.
It wasn't gentle, nor sweet. It was a desperate, clumsy kiss. Like both of us had lost our minds for a second.
His lips were soft, cold at first, then burning, pressed against mine with a force that stole the air from my lungs.
I gasped, and that was all the invitation he needed. His breath rushed into me, harsh and ragged, like he couldn't believe what he was doing. His tongue slipped into mine, exploring my mouth as I allowed him, moaning and twitching under his touch.
My stomach doing the silly flips and dancing butterflies.
My hands—those traitorous things—fisted in his jacket, dragging him closer, tasting every inch of him.
He tasted like bitter coffee and blood, sharp and addictive. Every breath we stole from each other left me hungrier.
And then I felt it.
Something else. Pressing against my stomach, it was hot, and hard burning against my skin, poking me.
My brain short-circuited. Static. What the hell?
Joonghyuk pulled back half a breath, eyes wide, pupils blown.
His chest heaved like he'd just fought another monster. For once, the man who never hesitated looked like he'd been struck dumb.
"…What the hell," he rasped, his voice wrecked. "Why—why did I just kiss a man?" He said, whispering more to himself than to me.
My thoughts was that first, maybe he got possessed? Or second, he got possessed.
I stared at him, lips tingling, heart pounding so loud I thought the Constellations could hear it. My face was on fire, my body buzzing like I'd been plugged into a socket.
"…I don't know," I whispered, my voice shaking. "But you definitely started it."
I mean, not that I'm complaining...
My eyes darted back to his bulging boner.
Silently, I whistled under my breath. His big.
"You wanna take care of that before we find the rest of the gang?"
His glare snapped back into place, but the tremor in his breathing gave him away. His hand was still gripping my shoulder, tighter than before, as if he couldn't bring himself to let go.
And I realized, with equal parts horror and thrill. I just kissed the Man I root for in my novel.
And he is right there, right above me, struggling to keep it together.
I shrugged, anyways.
We were already too gone though.
[Progression: 25%.]
[The Constellations are delighted.]
More specifically; [The Constellation 'Demon Judge of Fire' just had a nosebleed.]
My lips tilted up, quivering as an attempt to keep still.
What I didn't expect was for Yoo Joonghyuk to smirk back at me with hunger in his eyes.
"Who are you to talk? Just take a look at yourself."
Huh? I blankly stared at him, a bit confused. Then I looked down, staring back at my own raging boner.
Oops. I stared back at him, attempting to give a relax smile. "Err. We can also take care of that too. I guess?"