Side Story Chapter 8 - Oh Kang-Woo, Cupid of Love (2)

"You guys... broke up?"

"Yes..." answered Kim Si-Hun with a dark expression as he lowered his head.

Oh Kang-Woo's mouth was left agape in shock.

'Broke up? What could have possibly happened for you two to break up?'

"What reason could she possibly have to break up with you?!"

Leaving aside the fact that Si-Hun was his precious little brother, men like Si-Hun were objectively rare— no, forget rare, Kang-Woo at least did not know anyone as good as Si-Hun.

'He's hot, he's kind, he's capable! What could Layla have possibly found lacking in Si-Hun to break up with him?'

If Kang-Woo were a woman, he would have done whatever it took to trap Si-Hun even if it would have cost him his life. Kang-Woo couldn't help but get angry at Layla.

"Has her brain been rotted by manga or something? There's no way a sane person would ever break up with you..."

"Oh, the one who suggested we break up... was me."

"What?"

'You dumped her? I guess that makes more sense.'

No, it was hard to understand even the other way around. Layla couldn't quite hold up to Si-Hun but she wasn't an average-looking woman either. Kang-Woo's standards were sky-high because of Seol-Ah and Lilith, but Layla's beauty was on par with them.

Her capability was no question since she was Gaia's incarnation, and she had immense influence as the leader of Guardians, the most powerful organization in the world. She was not lacking for Si-Hun in any way whatsoever.

'There's a bit of an issue with her personality, though.'

She often made dirty jokes about ero manga and Hitomi, but she was fundamentally gentle and kind-hearted.

'Above all else, Si-Hun fell in love with her at first sight.'

Considering Si-Hun's personality, he wouldn't have fallen for another woman.

"What the hell happened? Did you fall out of love with Layla?" Kang-Woo asked.

"No, not at all. I still love Layla."

"Then why?"

It did not make sense. They still had feelings for each other, so there was no reason for them to break up.

Si-Hun averted his gaze from Kang-Woo in silence. He thought for a moment and then continued as if he were confessing to a priest, "When you were trapped in the Abyss... I wasn't myself. I was so angry and frustrated with myself for being so powerless... and couldn't think about anything else but saving you."

"..."

"Layla tried her best to console me, but... it didn't work. I was such a goddamn mess." Si-Hun smiled bitterly. "I even thought... that you might never come back, and that you would be devoured by the Abyss and vanish forever."

"And so..." Kang-Woo slurred.

Si-Hun sighed and lowered his head. "I ended up venting out my anger on her as she was consoling me. Thinking back on it now, I was so pathetic."

"Is that why you guys broke up?"

"More things happened after that, but... yes, I guess that was the decisive reason. There wasn't enough space in my heart to accept her at the time," remarked Si-Hun, full of regret.

Kang-Woo clicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes. "But I'm back now. Wouldn't the problem be solved once you talk to Layla again and sort out your feelings?"

"That... hasn't been going as well as I'd like."

"Haaa, you frustrating son of a bitch."

Kang-Woo stared at Si-Hun in disappointment, but he understood how Si-Hun felt.

'It's difficult to change one's attitude after all that.'

Not many people were shameless enough to break up with someone and then suggest they get back together as soon as the issue they were struggling over was resolved. Even if Si-Hun was shameless enough to do that, that would be a problem in its own right.

'Layla would feel like that's the extent she's worth to Si-Hun.'

She would think Kang-Woo was more important to Si-Hun than her. It would be weirder if she didn't. In that sense, there was a risk she wouldn't accept Si-Hun this time.

"Son of a..." Kang-Woo cursed as if he were having a headache.

He unintentionally became the cause of their breakup.

'I can't just ignore it since it's about Si-Hun.'

Kang-Woo couldn't care less about other people's relationships but it was different if it was Si-Hun. They got off on a rocky start but Si-Hun was now an irreplaceable brother to Kang-Woo.

'No, forget that shit. What's most important is...'

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes as he stared at Si-Hun, who smiled bitterly as if to hide his sorrow.

He said, "Don't worry, hyung-nim.

"Though I was never meant to be with Layla... I have you."

'You have me for what, exactly?'

"Um... I'm fine as long as... I have you."

'I'm not fine with that, motherfucker. I fucking knew it.'

Kang-Woo tapped his forehead as he looked at Si-Hun, his head lowered in sorrow as if the world was over. There was no question where the recoil of Si-Hun's destroyed love would deflect to.

'No. I won't tolerate it. Anything but my bottom...!'

Kang-Woo had not tolerated Halcyon from living with him, despite Halcyon throwing a massive temper tantrum, to keep his precious bottom safe. He couldn't let Si-Hun stay solo.

'Besides, you could say I'm partially responsible for it.'

He was obligated to protect his precious little brother's happiness.

"Alright." Kang-Woo nodded and yanked Si-Hun by his arm.

"H-Hyung-nim?"

"Get up. Time for a strategy meeting."

"S-Strategy meeting...? For what?"

"You'll see."

Kang-Woo pulled Si-Hun along.

***

They headed to Balrog's underground training room where Kang-Woo had been planning to take Si-Hun in the first place. However, the purpose had changed.

"Alright," said Kang-Woo.

He, Si-Hun, and Balrog sat on the ground in a circle.

Kang-Woo stood up and said in all seriousness, "Let us commence Operation [Cupid of Love]."

'What's with your faces? Why are they so lifeless?'

"So what you are saying is, you want us to help resolve this boy's romance problems?" Balrog asked.

"Correct."

Balrog's hideous face crumpled even more.

'For fuck's sake, do something about that face of yours. It looks like I'll level up if I kill you.'

"How can one man be so pathetic?" said Balrog as he glared haughtily at Si-Hun with his arms crossed.

"What?" Si-Hun said as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword on his waist.

'Wait, guys, why are you trying to fight? Knock it off.'

"I said you are pathetic, boy. How dare you waste the king's time because you can't deal with the issues you have with your woman?"

"Kurgh... What do you know about women?"

"Hah! You would faint if you found out how many women I have been with in Hell!!"

'What? You've never had women, Balrog.'

"Yeah, stop bullshitting. You probably imagined that as you jerked it off. What does a lump of muscles for brains like you know about women?"

'Fucking hell, Si-Hun.'

"Wh-What did you say? A lump of muscles? You dare insult the great Balrog, boy?!"

"Yeah! I fucking dare!"

"I challenge you to a duel!"

"Bring it!"

"Stop it already, you morons," Kang-Woo intervened as he sighed deeply, pulling on his hair. "We should be working together, dammit."

"Ahem. I apologize, my king. I ended up losing my temper because that boy disrespected me."

"That aside, you had women, Balrog?"

"I had over a dozen before I served you, my king. They all died when Bael attacked my former king," replied Balrog, his expression slightly darkened.

Kang-Woo nodded and asked, "Then do you have any good ideas?"

If he had over a dozen women, he likely knew of a great way to deal with Si-Hun's problem. Although demons were fundamentally different from humans, they still had emotions. Kang-Woo looked at Balrog in anticipation.

Balrog snorted confidently and pounded on his chest. "Muscles!!!"

'What?'

"You first need muscles to charm women!!"

'What the fuck is this dumbass talking about?'

"Take a look at these highly defined muscles!! These blazing biceps! These pulsating abs! Kehehehe! It's no wonder I am a chick magnet!!"

Kang-Woo and Si-Hun stared at Balrog with their mouths agape. Kang-Woo sighed deeply as he pulled on his hair. "I'm the dumbass for even asking."

'What did I expect from a guy who looks like he has protein shake coursing through his veins instead of blood?'

"Enough of that. How about this, Si-Hun?" Kang-Woo turned away from Balrog, who was posing like a bodybuilder, and looked at Si-Hun with shining eyes. "A love letter."

"Pardon...?" Si-Hun asked as his expression crumpled.

Kang-Woo continued passionately, "Write her a love letter with all your feelings poured into it!!"

"Hyung-nim, a love letter in this day and age is a bit..." Si-Hun slurred as if telling Kang-Woo to stop with the bullshit.

'Is he seriously suggesting a love letter?'

Si-Hun thought.

The idea of love letters had died down through the years; such an idea could only come from a loser who had not come across a single woman for about ten millennia.

'Oh.'

Si-Hun expressed shame as he looked at Kang-Woo.

"What? What's wrong with a love letter?" Kang-Woo asked in slight anger.

"Hyung-nim... N-Nothing."

"Then do you have any bright ideas? Huh? Do you?!"

Kang-Woo raised his voice for no reason, likely realizing that a love letter was a stupid idea as well.

"I..." Si-Hun clenched his fists as his eyes shook. "I will wait until she comes to understand."

"What?"

'The fuck is this guy saying?'

"I... betrayed Layla's feelings. How can I even think about getting back with her again after that?"

"For fuck's sake, you frustrating son of a bitch."

There should be a limit to how nice someone could be. Kang-Woo was beginning to get enraged by Si-Hun's highly frustrating behavior.

"No chance you're gonna wait!! It's gonna be over between you and Layla forever if you lose this chance!!"

"But—"

"How frustrating you are, boy!!! What are you thinking so hard about when all you need to do is train your muscles?!"

"You shut up, dammit," Kang-Woo remarked.

"I have already lost her trust."

"That's why I'm saying you should write her a love letter!!"

"No, hyung-nim. I'm not going to write a love letter."

"What? What's so wrong about a love letter?! It's way better than your idea of doing fuck-all nothing!!"

"The problem is that it might make things worse if I do that!! Only a virgin dumbass who learned about dating from a visual novel would think of writing a love letter in this day and age!!"

"

Gasp

. Y-You son of a bitch... How could you say that to your hyung...?"

"Muscles! Muscles are the answer!!"

"I told you to shut the fuck up!!"

Kang-Woo jumped and landed a flashy somersault kick on Balrog's chin.

Bash!

"Arghhh! Fuuuuuuuuck, Balrog!! That fucking hurts!!"

Kang-Woo couldn't deal any damage to Balrog in his current state. He grabbed his ankle and rolled on the ground as if he had kicked a cement ball.

The training room became a mess in an instant. Satan, who was cleaning the floor with a broom, blankly stared at the three men. And with that, the ideal party consisting of a ten-millennia virgin idiot, a frustrating-as-fuck idiot, and a muscular idiot was formed.