Necromancer Survival

king at the guy, I mumbled quietly, “Also, you, if you say ‘homo bastard’ one more time… I’m going to pierce my ear right through your symbol.”

     “What?”

      “I’ll do everything that would fit a ‘homo bastard.’ You look like someone who’d froth at the mouth at the sight of a man who wears earrings.”

     “……”

     “Pffhahahaha!” It was so refreshing to just stretch out after throwing a tantrum.
When I looked towards Woo Ragi, who was growling, he looked sharply back at me.
His eyes were so sharp; if looks could kill…

     However, the more I looked at his peeved face…

     ‘It’s fun…’

     It was so thrilling! It was so refreshing to see reactions–ones that people like Seo Dawon or Koo Hui-seo would never make…

     Honestly, I definitely had the upper hand in a situation where I knew the other’s pet peeve and the other couldn’t hit me.
I wasn’t a closeted gay like I was in highschool.  Furthermore, Woo Ragi had already seen my memories, so he’d know what kind of person I am.

     ‘There’s no reason for me to pretend to be someone I’m not… Rather, I feel relieved.’

     Since Woo Ragi already hated me so much, I didn’t even think about making a good impression on him; I wasn’t bothered with the idea of upsetting him.

     I’ve never felt this way about someone before.
It was really my first time dealing with someone I had no desire to get close to and had no need to hide anything from them.
In short, in my relationship with Woo Ragi, I had no need to purchase his affection.

     Since I didn’t need to make a good impression on him, I could act however I wanted and not walk on eggshells around him.
The way I could act made me think that he and I weren’t on equal levels but that I was superior.
Actually, I got a sense of liberation from talking to him.

      So, as I teased Woo Ragi, I didn’t really detest him all that much nor was I hurt by his words.
In fact, I didn’t even take Woo Ragi persistently calling me homo bastard as an insult.
I just wanted to humiliate him; I’d be too soft on him if I just allowed him to call me like that.

     “Let’s see how long you’ll stay on your high horse.” As expected, anger filled Woo Ragi to the brim, and the man suddenly opened the door and barged out.
Seeing as how he didn’t call me a ‘homo bastard’ even though he left like that, I felt so incredibly victorious.

    After the door slammed shut with a loud crash, I stopped pulling at my earlobe and released it.
“Pfft…” I laughed.

     While I smirked, Jung Garam suddenly climbed atop my stomach.
“Wow, Choi Lee-kyung! You’re pretty good? You’re crazy good at handling Ragi-hyung.”

     “Ngh, so heavy…”

     “It’s the first time I’ve seen someone talk to Ragi hyung like that! Actually, I thought you’d be intimidated once Ragi-hyung arrived.”

    “Mmm… Was I too harsh?”

“No? It was damn hilarious?”

     As Garam talked childishly, I took a careful  look at Kim Olim and Seo Dawon; I was surprised to see that both of them were laughing as well.

     Since they were friends, I thought they would be disappointed with me… Even the stern Kim Olim tried to stop her laughter by biting her lower lip; Seo Dawon wore a smile that clearly revealed his joy.

     The mage said to me, “It’s a relief that you’re getting along with Ragi.”

     Woo Ragi shouted, “Piss off!” from outside the room, as if he had heard what Seo Dawon said.
After hearing that, we burst into laughter, and the room filled with sounds of delight.

     “Honestly, Ragi has the stubbornness of a psycho.
No one could win against hyung, you know?”

     “Re…Really?”

     “Yeah! He’d easily throw a tantrum, so everyone marched to his beat.”

     After hearing what Jung Garam said, it wasn’t hard to imagine what Woo Ragi had been like back when he was alive.
A man who said whatever he pleased, and a man who was never touched despite what he had said.

     ‘He was a total jerk…’

     “How is it that he couldn’t defy Choi Lee-kyung one inch?”

     “……”

     There must not have been many people who could ignore Woo Ragi during his lifetime.
With such a handsome face, overflowing talent…he didn’t lack in money either…

     Since he was the main DPS 2 position in Red Lotus, how many people could ignore his presence in a world where a man of his talents was so rare? Additionally, he was a close friend of Seo Dawon, the guildmaster.

     I think if I were him, I would’ve become a rude person as well.
He probably had never been criticized even if he were rude.
I’m sure everyone tried their hardest to like him.

     However, I didn’t intend to bend over backwards for him.

     Rather, if I could, I’d rather…

     ‘Hmm… What’s that word again? Discipline…? Training…? Educate…?’

     In any case, I didn’t want to be swayed by him even if I needed to pointedly press him down.
So, I simply shrugged my shoulders at Jung Garam’s amazement.

TL: I feel like a proud mom T_T

But also, please, pierce that ear.

Footnotes

Famous artist who has one ear (he hacked it off himself! Fascinating dude!) Essentially, Woo Ragi is threatening to cut Lee-kyung’s ear off.  Damage per second