Chapter 67: Deeper love

It had already been several days since I coincidentally saved people at the department store.

It was just an unlucky day when I went on a date to the department store with Luna after hearing about a cosplay pop-up, only to coincidentally get caught up in a ghost story.

I thought it was just an ordinary day with a slight mishap, but…

“How did things end up like this?!”

I searched for the keyword ‘Phantom’ on my smartphone, browsing through the latest news, communities, and YouTube.

****

[

[Special Feature] Phantom, the Calamity-Grade Ghost Story, Is He Truly a Ghost Story?

>According to survivors of the department store ghost story incident a few days ago, Phantom is a transcendent being, distinct from a mere ghost story.

>All survivors unanimously state that Phantom’s true identity is not some ghost story, but the one and only adversary (對敵者) sent by God to save humanity.

>Today, to delve deeper into this topic, we will have esteemed professors———

****

[Title] I’m a Phandom who directly witnessed Phantom at the department store a while ago.

I’ll say it plainly. As of today, this Phandom completely withdraws their support for Phantom.

From this moment on, I am no longer merely a supporter; Phantom and I become one.

Any attacks, insults, or malicious comments against Phantom will be considered an attack on me, and will be immediately dealt with.

ㄴ Damn, Phantom again? Now I must worship!

ㄴ These guys always do this when they come ㅋㅋㅋ Don’t they have anything better to do? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ (You’ve opened your eyes.gif)

ㄴ F*ck, then what? Are they supposed to ask about your well-being instead of praising Phantom in the Phantom gallery?

ㄴ Watch this before it gets deleted, it’s awesome ㅋㅋㅋ https://durlssjancndnj.gkaRprkwk

ㄴ Oh, this f*cker’s back again? ㅋㅋㅋ There’s no sucker who’d fall for this, right? Change it to Korean and you’ll know, you ghost story bastards ㅋㅋ

ㄴ Yesterday, the sub-mod got caught by a ghost story ㅋㅋ It says ‘deleted administrator,’ so they probably clicked the link yesterday and died lol

ㄴ Really? Then make me a mod. I’m super confident I’d do great ㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ You crazy b*tch, go get a job in real life ㅋㅋㅋ How many hours do you spend in this gallery? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

****

[Title] Japan is Surprised, America is Appalled: Phantom. Why Does He Love Korea?

(Views: 10,432,773)

《Thumbnail showing Phantom standing in a black suit and white mask》

ㄴ Lol, a nationalistic channel is actually number one ㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ (Edited) Thank you for the likes!

ㄴ Wow, what’s with this thumbnail? Is it AI? It looks so cool ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ Isn’t he practically a Shadow Monarch? His charisma is insane, seriously ㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ But honestly, isn’t it weird? Why is Phantom only in Korea? Did they put honey on this hellish peninsula ㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ Do not click my profile.

ㄴ Grandfather Dangun… your choice of location has finally shone brightly!!

ㄴ In my opinion, this isn’t entirely good. Isn’t it strange how frequently disaster-grade or higher incidents occur only in our country? Originally, the number of disaster-grade incidents is really low, but it feels abnormally high only in Korea lol

ㄴ Are you saying the Korean peninsula is dangerous, so Phantom is stuck here?

ㄴ Yeah, isn’t that a reasonable suspicion, honestly?

ㄴ Stop talking nonsense and watch the live broadcast about Phantom on public TV later. They say really pretty girls will be on it.

]

****

“It’s a complete mess, a total uproar. How did public opinion get like this?”

Sitting on the sofa, I took a sip of coffee and pondered how the situation had escalated to this point.

There had been times before when I coincidentally saved people as Phantom.

But that was when I didn’t fully understand Phantom’s transformations, and it had only happened about four or five times.

Even then, people just thought of me as a terrifying ghost story.

“And after I fully understood the mechanism of transforming at night, I only got involved in major incidents like ‘The Forgotten’ and ‘Eclipse’… so why are people’s reactions so varied this time?”

Originally, the prevailing opinion was that Phantom was a powerful but scary ghost story, nothing more, nothing less.

This time, it was distinctly different. People began to trust Phantom, thinking of him as a savior, and even groups that excessively worshipped him emerged.

‘This phenomenon is dangerous…! It’s not good!!’

If, by some chance, my identity were ever revealed…

A chill ran down my spine.

Just a slight imagination made goosebumps automatically rise on my back.

“I can only imagine an incredibly bothersome and terrible future…”

At times like this, I need to clear my mind and refresh.

Mental care is essential for modern people!

Still seated on the sofa, I looked at Luna, who was daintily eating pane and other bread at the dining table.

–Om nom nom.

The sight of the beautiful girl, quietly sitting and eating bread in the sailor uniform I asked her to wear, was truly a gourmet delight!

Unnecessary worries instantly vanished the moment I saw Luna.

‘Luna, you’re truly beautiful… That bread is so small, but it covers your whole face.’

Just watching the princess chew with her small mouth healed my heart.

“Chew chew… Ah, Sihyun…!”

Honestly, I used to think it was nonsense that just watching someone eat could make you feel full, but now I understand what that means.

‘Ah, is this what love is?’

–Pat pat pat.

Just then, Luna, sensing my intense gaze, ran over to me with her salt bread and naturally settled onto my lap.

The soft touch of Luna’s skin and her sweet scent on my lap quickly refreshed my mood.

“Oof… Did Sihyun want some bread too… Heh?!”

“Sniff—!! Sniff sniff, Luna’s scent is always so nice, no matter when I smell it.”

“Th-there, Sihyun… If you smell it that close, it’s em-embarrassing— Haah…!”

Without realizing it, I buried my nose in Luna’s neck and savored her scent, causing Luna to stiffen like ice.

“Hyaaah…! Th-that tickles so much… Si-Sihyun…!”

“Oh, my bad, my bad. Luna’s skin is just too soft, that’s why! Haha!”

“Sihyun is… a pervert…”

“Hmm~ Do you dislike perverted men?”

“I’m a little worried you might do it to other girls… Mom said that men who are too open always look for other women…!!”

Queen of Seleneum, is that you again?

I had recently realized that it was Luna’s mother who had completely filled Luna’s head with all sorts of strange knowledge about men.

‘In my memories, she only seemed pure and elegant… I never imagined her mother would possess such incredible (?) knowledge…’

No wonder, on days when the Queen’s face was especially vibrant and fresh, Luna’s father seemed to lack energy—there was a reason for all of it.

‘The Queen’s incredible chest was all a pouch of lewdness…’

Luna was worried that I, who enjoyed lewd things, might cheat on her, due to the knowledge imparted by the Queen.

‘Honestly, where would you find a man who dislikes naughty things… but still, Luna is anxious, so I should reassure her.’

I gently embraced Luna, who was still sitting on my lap.

“Luna, I won’t do this to other girls, so don’t worry.”

“B-but Sihyun is tall and handsome, so other girls just cling to you… If Sihyun goes to another girl instead of me… I, I’ll…! *Sniffle*…!”

Luna suddenly started trembling and sobbing.

I calmly hugged Luna even tighter and stroked her hair.

‘Honestly, being called handsome is already a no-go. I’ve played with Gaeun since we were kids, and she always told me I just had an ordinary face.’

– “Oppa, you have an ordinary face, so don’t play with other girls! I-I’ll play with you! If you play with other girls, I-I’ll kill you…!!”

‘Where did a 10-year-old learn to say ‘I’ll kill you’…? After that, she really stuck to my side and prevented other girls from coming near. It’s not like I was radioactive.’

Thanks to Gaeun, I’ve had good metacognition about my looks since I was young. I know I’m tall and in good shape, but my face is just ordinary.

Luna probably thinks I’m handsome because she’s wearing rose-tinted glasses.

“Would an ordinary man like me cheat when I have an ultra-ultra-ultra-ultra-beautiful girl like Luna by my side? You’re the only one for me, Luna, so don’t cry.”

“Hmph…! R-really…? C-can I trust you, Sihyun…?”

“Of course!! I swear on the moon in the sky, I will never betray you, Luna!”

“Sniffle…! Ooh… I’ll trust you, Sihyun…!”

–*Hug!*

Luna roughly wiped her tears with her small hands, then threw herself into my embrace.

Luna’s face, smiling with slight tears in her eyes, looked much more at ease.

‘If I drive the point home one more time, Luna will be completely reassured, right?’

I gently pulled Luna away from my embrace, then met the girl’s gaze.

“Sihyun…?”

“Excuse me for a moment, Princess.”

“H-huh…?”

I placed my hand on Luna’s face and gently kissed her cheek.

*Mwah.*

“Hwaaaaah…? Si-Sihyun…?”

“You know, Luna, I’m 28 years old, and you’re the first girl I’ve ever held in my arms and slept with, and also the first I’ve ever kissed on the cheek?”

“R-really…?”

Of course, I did sleep squeezed between Gaeun and Gaeun’s mother before puberty… but that doesn’t count, because I hadn’t opened my eyes to women yet!!

“Yes, really. And you’re also the first girl who has kissed my neck.”

“I-I’m also… the f-first time I’ve been held by a man and kissed is with Sihyun…!”

I smiled and stroked Luna’s hair, as she squirmed in embarrassment.

“A man never forgets his first love. And he never betrays her. So, Luna, you don’t have to be anxious. Got it?”

“Hauuuuugh… Y-yes… I’ll trust youuuu…”

–*Cling.*

Luna, her face flushed red like a beet, collapsed into my arms.

Her face was now rubbing against me freely, a happy expression, as if all her anxiety had finally vanished.

‘Today, I protected the peace of our home and the Princess’s affection!’

*Ding!

[Si-Sihyun-nim… what will you do if other girls say they like you later…?]

‘Nah~ Luna must be the only one who likes me specially. It won’t be other girls. Haha!’

[Huuuugh… I offer my condolences in advance to future Sihyun-nim…]

[(╯•﹏•╰)]

****

I love you.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

Sihyun, I love you so, so much.

Luna rubbed her face against Sihyun’s embrace, expressing her overflowing love.

‘He could get tired of me being anxious so often… but Sihyun has never once been bothered…’

He is the person who always calmly smiles and warmly embraces me.

He is the person who always looks only at me.

“Sihyun…”

I want to quickly go through the coming-of-age ceremony and become an adult.

Then you’ll hold me all night, won’t you?

On a quiet night when the moon rises and birds are asleep, take all my firsts.

Show me your eyes, filled with desire for me.

Hold me tightly with your broad embrace that always wraps around me.

Touch me freely with your big, wonderful hands.

“Haaah… Haaah…”

The girl only imagined that moment, but she felt her body grow warm and hot.

Just thinking about it makes me this happy, so if that day really comes… perhaps I might die from happiness.

Having my breath taken away by happiness in his arms. Perhaps love is something like that?

‘Sihyun… you cast an unbreakable curse on me. A curse called love…’

I can only think of you.

Wherever I go, whatever I eat… from the moment I wake up until I close my eyes again, only you… only you are within me.

You don’t disappear from my heart. Like a curse.

‘This curse will never be erased…’

You can’t go anywhere now.

Sihyun, you’re the one who made me this way… right?

Take responsibility.

‘I definitely pushed him away… I tried to live forever atoning, trapped in a storm of emotions. But… it was Sihyun who broke through all of that and came to me…’

So now, there’s no turning back.

You can’t escape from me. Forever.

I hope the same curse as mine is carved into your heart, for you who abandoned the reprieve I gave.

‘Even if thousands, tens of thousands of lives begin anew, we’ll be together forever, right…?’

–*Stroke.*

As if reading the girl’s mind, Sihyun began to gently stroke Luna.

‘I’m happy… Sihyun feels the same way as me… *Hehe*.’

“Forever… I love you… Sihyun.”

At that moment, neither Sihyun nor Luna herself knew that Luna’s golden eyes, sparkling brighter than all the treasures in the world, held a distinct dark crimson glow.