There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 767: Side Story 4. Endless Journey - 50

[You owe us a big one, okay? We perfectly pretended that you hang out with us after the graduation ceremony]

Byul chuckled and sent a gift card for SavAsh’s new summer collection to the group chart. A bunch of bowing stickers filled the chat room then, before another chat bubble came.

[But what are you doing at school? Who are you meeting with?]

Byul bit his lips and replied briefly. [Not telling :p]

He closed the chat as his two friends fired up all kinds of protesting GIFs, calling him a traitor and such. He lay on his back and brought his new pendant, rubbing the crystal and the platinum cast. Without being able to hold himself, he started to grin widely and kick his feet in the air. If he didn’t remember that he lived in Uncle Dia’s mansion, he would have screamed already.

Byul really didn’t wish much. He just wished he could see Kar at his graduation--or maybe his birthday. He would have been satisfied with a simple video call, honestly.

But, what? Not only did Kar come in person, but they also spent the afternoon together, going around the school and taking pictures, even having lunch in a hidden place that apparently Uncle Bas used to come to a long time ago. Just the two of them. Oh, he knew he shouldn’t think much about it, but it kind of felt like a date.

And then, and then--the necklace! Byul never thought Kar would still remember the promise that they made seven years ago, much less fulfilling it. If he felt a bit special because of it...would it be bad?

It felt like his birthday already.

"Byul! Are you ready?"

His mother’s shout from the hall woke him up, reminded him that he was supposed to get ready for the celebratory dinner. Byul got up and carefully put on the necklace, before standing in front of the mirror to fix his hair. After all, Kar would be there too. fгeewebnovёl.com

He knew he had just met Kar a few hours ago, but...so what?

In the past, they would have this kind of dinner at Uncle Dia’s house, but then, Lucy said they had to eat out to partake in the economy or something--meaning she was bored--and Uncle Dia agreed, because he was tired of taking care of the dinner aftermath. Since then, they always had it in a restaurant.

In Althrea, it was usually the one where they could see the river from the private room’s window. Byul heard it was where Uncle Bas and Uncle Zein had their first dinner date. Perhaps that was why? Byul felt even more excited.

"Hey, graduation boy!" Bassena greeted Byul with a hug inside the private room. Lucy and Zein were already seated, but their sons were nowhere to be seen.

"Where’re the twins?" Radia asked while taking a seat in a huge round table. The food was in the middle of being served, but they were lacking two people.

"Kar is picking up Asa in the portal station," Lucy replied while waving at Nari to sit near her.

Han Shin arched his brow. "Why is the one that just arrived today doing the picking up?"

"Because Espers have to be good to their guide," Zein shrugged.

Han Shin laughed and nodded. Of course, that would be the first thing espers from the Ishtera household would learn. Quickly, they took a seat around the table, leaving two seats empty. The table was filled with all kinds of food that Byul and Kar liked, and for some reason, it made Byul embarrassed.

Before they started eating, the twins arrived, just in time, and the adults raised their glasses. "Here comes our new Saint class!" Han Shin, as usual, led any and all cheers, even placing a glass in each of the twin’s hands.

Asa looked at his wine and shrugged, raising it high before clinking his twin’s glass. "Yaay!"

"Yaay!" Lucy and Nari raised their hands and made a toast with their juice glasses--even though Nari was of age already.

Even if they were no longer children, their energy levels never went down. Kar narrowed his eyes as he looked at his glass, asking curiously. "You’re not going to make me pay for this, are you?"

The girls just giggled and patted the seat between them, calling for the younger twin. "Asa! Asa! Come here!"

Kar breathed in relief, because he didn’t want to be seated in the middle of boisterous kids. Indeed, noisy people should gather with noisy people. Coincidentally, the only seat left was the one between his father and Byul. The section for quiet people. Perfect.

"Hello, Father."

"You remember me now?" Zein shot him an unimpressed look, and Kar responded with a laugh and a hug.

"Isn’t it better for me to not make a double journey?" Kar shrugged, before turning to the other side. "Don’t you think so, Byul?"

"Huh? Uh...yeah?" the boy blinked in flusters, blushing even more when the heterochromatic eyes gazed at his neck, and a satisfied smile ensued.

Byul had to pull all of his skills as an actor to keep himself from screaming and rolling around on the floor that very second. He had to clench his hand to prevent himself from touching the necklace, or grabbing the glass of water to douse his warming face.

Thankfully, his father provided distraction right on time. Once again, Han Shin raised his glass. "What a great day it is! We have someone graduating high school and someone graduating the Tower at the same time! Congratulations! Cheers!"

Byul bit his lips and muttered quickly. "I...I don’t think my graduation is as important as--"

Before Byul could finish his rambling, Kar took his glass and clanked it loudly against the boy’s, startling Byul. "Congratulations, Byul. I heard you got an award and a lead role too for an upcoming drama?"

"Oh..." Byul stared at the smiling face in front of him. He glanced at his sister and Lucy, as well as Asa, who raised their thumbs with the biggest grin.

Yeah. He should stop feeling insecure at this point. He couldn’t do what the others did, but he did his best in things that he could, running toward his dream just like the others.

He smiled and clunked his glass against Kar’s once again, before drinking it. Of course, his was just normal water, but for some reason, it tasted so much sweeter than usual.

"Anyway, I heard you went straight to Althrea, Kar?" Han Shin grinned, wiggling his chopsticks at the older twin. "Do you know how much your Dad is whining?"

Kar chuckled--of course, he knew. He had a lot of missed calls during the time he spent with Byul. He had to hear a whole hour of nagging when he returned to his Dad’s old apartment.

"Well, I’m planning to stay here, so I thought might as well," Kar shrugged, prompting the others to raise their brows and look at him in surprise.

"In Althrea?" Bassena frowned. "Why?"

"Well...the Far East district already has you and Uncle Shin, Dad--but there was no Saint class in Althrea, no? Even though it’s the main headquarters," Kar said.

"Make sense," Radia nodded, smiling deeply as Bassena narrowed his eyes at him. Of course, Kar had talked about it with the guild owner first--Radia just never conveyed it to the possessive Dad. "You need to spread the talents, Bas."

"Besides, whether I’m here or in Lucre, Asa is still in Projo, so I’ll have to make a journey anyway," Kar added. "Besides, it’s better for someone to occupy Grandma’s apartment since you don’t want to sell it, Dad."

"Ugh..."

Bassena, already defeated before the fight even started, could only sigh while Zein patted his back. Even though it was his dream to raid a dungeon with his son...

"Hmm...if that’s the case, why don’t you stay with Kar, Byul?" Lucy clapped her hands, suggesting with a bright smile despite Byul choking on his salad.

"H-huh?"

"I mean...Byul had been staying at Uncle Dia’s mansion, right?" Lucy explained to the whole table. "But isn’t that too far from downtown? The apartment is closer to Byul’s college and the commercial district."

"Right," Nari nodded in support. "And if we can’t reach one of them, we just need to call the other!"

"That’s right! That’s right!"

Asa arched his brow as the girls flanking him suddenly acted all excited and giggly. Across from them, Byul was still busy swallowing and drinking, soothing his miserable throat.

"Well...that does sound better than living alone in a big house," Han Shin stroked his chin. After all, Radia and Joon had moved to the Peak after Radia became the patriarch. "What do you think, noona?"

"I’ll leave that to the people involved," Reina said calmly, observing her nervous son.

Byul took a sip of his water again, just to mask the big gulp he had to make. It gave him time to put on a nonchalant mask before he turned toward Kar. "Umm...I’m not the one who can make the decision though, so...Hyung?"

Calmly, as usual, Kar simply replied with a smile. "I don’t mind. We have more than one bedroom over there."

"Then it’s decided!" Lucy smacked the table, like a judge slamming the gavel.

Byul smiled and laughed with the others, even though he was screaming, crying, and throwing up inside. He had no idea if he was happy or going crazy. Perhaps he was hallucinating or dreaming. He had no idea! Just laughed for now! Hahaha!

Meanwhile, Bassena tilted his head with a frown. "Why is none of you asking me? I’m the owner of the penthouse..."

"Because you won’t say no to your kids?" Zein shrugged, sipping his wine while observing his oldest son.

So, you stop running away?