Dusk (BL Light Novel)

I stared, hard. It was partly because that snowy white fur-lined coat looked just like an eye—the tail hanging behind it bushy like a silver fox's—but also because their whole appearance struck me as oddly familiar.
If that person suddenly turned around and went, “Weeelcome! Thanks for your hard work!” and opened a warehouse door, I wouldn’t even be surprised.
In other words: Eunseo Tribe.
Or more precisely, someone cosplaying as an Eunseo Tribe NPC.

The person in the fur suit, as if sensing my gaze, turned their head. They had a Dusk paper bag in one hand and a phone to their ear with the other. I was starting to get a hunch.
I’d bet my account that was Moon Seonhwa.
—“Seonhwa unnie, I found them!”

“I found them, Seonhwa unnie!”
…Retract that.
Now that I was actually listening, the voice asking “Where are you?” didn’t sound quite like Seonhwa.
Well, I had called Seonhwa, so naturally I assumed it was her. Feeling pointlessly awkward, I mumbled excuses to myself and ended the call with a clumsy tap.

The white-furred Eunseo wiggled their hand over the top of their head, then unzipped the hood from the crown of their scalp all the way down—revealing their face.
It was Solo.
A guildmate of mine.
I’d met Solo a few times after our first random guild meet-up, mostly thanks to Seonhwa dragging people together. Took me no time to remember.
They waved like they were gonna yell “YO LOL” or something—but their gaze slid sideways and landed on the person next to me.
Then they froze.

Yeah, figured.
“Uh… hello…”
“Hello.”

Jaegyung greeted them calmly and politely.
Another figure—rust-colored Eunseo fur this time—came jogging over, plastic bag in hand. The second they caught sight of us, they halted and stood rigid on the spot.
Again: obvious.

“…Hello?”
“Hello.”
Jaegyung smiled smoothly, polite as ever, not even blinking at the awkward vibe.
Guess he’s used to people being stunned by his face.
While I chuckled at how stiff they were and threw some shade, Solo barely even looked at me. They were too busy rummaging through their eco-bag beside the bundle they brought. They pulled out two pretty thick art books and a marker. One of the books was immediately handed off to Moon Seonhwa.

Then they flipped to the first page and practically shoved it into Jaegyung’s hands.
“Ah, wow, hello! You’re Retaking a Class, right? I’m a huge fan! Could you sign this for me…?”
“Right here okay?”

“Yes!”
“Me too!”
“I’ll do both.”

Solo, who was usually cracking dirty jokes and acting all nonchalant, now sat there with their hands folded together like a model student, reverently watching Jaegyung sign.
But that wasn’t surprising. Solo always froze up around beautiful people, animals, or even just nicely designed objects.
At our first guild meet, they couldn’t even make eye contact with me or Seonhwa.
Now they’re one of the most annoying little shits I know.
“What’s your username?”

“Soloist in English, but just write it as ‘Solo’ in Korean.”
“Soloist… ah, the Cleric.”
“You—you know me?”

“Yeah, sometimes I’ve seen you running with Bread-nim. Out in the field too.”
Jaegyung was acting totally different from how he was with me. He kept a polite distance, spoke in a soft tone. He was perfectly capable of this.
So I guess the way he acted with me—so informal, like we were already close (which we are, but still)—wasn’t just how he treated everyone.
…Or maybe he’s just managing his image because she’s a girl.
Come to think of it, yesterday when I told him over Kakao that I wasn’t a girl, there was a brief silence. So, maybe not impossible.

“You’re so pre—uh, good-looking. You’ve probably heard that a million times, but I had to say it. You’re too good-looking.”
I could practically see Solo swallow back the word pretty before it could leave their mouth.
“I never get tired of hearing that. Thank you.”

“Waaah, I’m gonna pass out.”
Solo collapsed dramatically into Seonhwa’s side, clutching the freshly signed book. Jaegyung chuckled, his laugh as clean as the rest of him.
Solo stared at the autograph on the first page like it was sacred. Seonhwa, next in line, clutched her own book with stars in her eyes, following every stroke of Jaegyung’s pen with laser focus.

“Write it as ‘Ceylon Tea,’ please.”
“Ceylon Tea… you’re the top-ranked Assassin, right? And deputy guild master in Bread-nim’s guild.”
“Hul, oh my god, that’s right!”

Seonhwa looked like she might die from happiness. Which wasn’t surprising—she did have a lot of pride in being the #1 Assassin.
While she grinned like an idiot, I opened the abandoned lunch bag on the bench and pulled out two rectangular lunchboxes. One had little Vienna sausages; the other had pieces of fried chicken.
The sound of rustling plastic drew Seonhwa’s attention.

“Oh crap, I forgot—! Sorry, sorry.”
She rushed over to help open them.
“I wanted to buy something nicer if I had time, but this was all they had…”

“I ate a bit this morning, so this is more than enough. Thanks.”
“Eat whichever one you want!”
Given the choice, Jaegyung hesitated a moment—then reached for the chicken.
Honestly, I figured he’d go for the sausages. He looked like the kind of guy who lived off chicken breast and dew. But no—he was a sucker for fried fast food like any other kid.

As I took a seat and pulled out my phone, I noticed the time: 12:34 PM.
The event started at 1. Not exactly tight on time, but not leisurely either.
We didn’t have to wait in line to enter, so visiting the merch shop was still doable—but dawdling too long over lunch meant we’d miss the opening.
And the opening was when they were showing the new Dusk trailer. I wasn’t about to miss that.

I tore open a pair of wooden chopsticks, figuring I’d eat just until Jaegyung finished. Then I looked at Solo and Seonhwa, who were still crouched on the ground watching us, and finally asked what I’d been dying to.
“So. Did you skin an Eunseo NPC and wear its pelt?”
“Oh please. I made this custom. Legendary-tier.”

Seonhwa jumped to her feet and twirled around, ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) showing off her handiwork like it was haute couture.
Jaegyung’s eyes widened in awe.
“You made that yourself?”
“Of course! Not all of it, but…”

“Are you in that field professionally? The quality’s amazing.”
Getting complimented by Nice Guy Jaegyung inflated her like a balloon.
She puffed up with pride, chattering about how this was really nothing, that anyone could make something like it with a little practice, and that the fur texture was to die for. Then she stuck the tail out toward him so he could touch it.
And of course, he did. And of course he liked it. His hand lingered like it was glued on.

At this rate, we might not make it back in time.
I should have worried, but watching Jaegyung stroke that tail with awe and whisper “So soft…” made me think, Eh, who cares if we’re a bit late.
“But did you guys meet upstairs or something? Did a staff member introduce you?”
Seonhwa pivoted from cosplay mode to inquiry mode without missing a beat.

Jaegyung looked stumped. Probably wondering how the hell to explain that we didn’t just meet—we locked eyes like we were about to have a duel and then my uncle shouted my name across the room.
“…Just kinda ran into each other up there.”
I cut in and gave a vague answer, already predicting the reaction and not wanting to deal with it.
Sure enough, Seonhwa narrowed her eyes like a suspicious flatfish, so I poked a Vienna sausage toward her mouth using the blunt end of my chopsticks.

She took it, eyes still narrowed, and chewed with all the self-righteous fury of someone who got bribed and knew it.
…There weren’t that many left. I should’ve given her a different one.
“But you two don’t seem awkward. Did you get close on the way here?”

This time Solo tossed out the question while munching a cookie and staring openly at Jaegyung’s face.
Jaegyung and I both hesitated—then answered in sync.
“Kind of felt like we were already close.”

“We weren’t awkward, right?”
It was true.
I’d been a bit overwhelmed at first, sure—but never uncomfortable.
Well, except for the whole personal space? never heard of it thing.