“As I thought.”
Ryu Taeyoung nodded without hesitation, as if he hadn’t doubted at all. I took the chance to hamr the wedge in.
“Ah, but if you an that younger hunter, the short one, then... well.”
“You know sothing about him?”
“He seed a little... unhinged. Honestly, he’s still young. It’s a sha he ended up like that.”
Half true. Judging from the way Choi Jeonggil had been rambling earlier, the guy did look like he was out of his mind.
Well, Jeonggil... every protagonist needs trials. I offered him so empty comfort in my head. Ryu Taeyoung, hearing , seed convinced and keyed in his comms. I just watched in silence before asking:
“Then I can go ho now?”
“Yes. Though the detectives asked for your cooperation. Not right this instant, but would you be willing to show up soti soon?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll drive you ho. As for the Gate, we’ve cordoned off the area. Once we secure enough manpower, we’ll attempt entry.”
I followed him and got into the passenger seat of his car. Never thought I’d be riding in this thing again.
Once he started the engine, I nodded calmly. Sooner or later they’d figure out it was a Quest-type dungeon. They’d also realize half the participant quota was already filled, so they wouldn’t dare jump in too rashly.
“Thanks for the ride.”
He paused briefly at my words, then drove onto the road. His head must’ve been buzzing with thoughts. I had no desire to ease that burden, so I kept my mouth shut.
Luckily, worry cos with an expiration date. Tomorrow I’d be inside that dungeon, draining it down to the marrow. I leaned back comfortably, gazing out the window.
Ryu Taeyoung didn’t say a word for a long while. The silence finally broke once we’d crossed into Seoul.
“There’s sothing else I want to apologize for.”
“...Excuse ?”
Again? Was this a sequel to the apology he’d made when I left the Awakener Managent Center last ti?
I couldn’t understand what the hell he had to be so sorry about. But it wasn’t apologizing, and since he was the one offering, I wasn’t about to stop him.
After so hesitation, he spoke in a quiet voice.
“I think I misunderstood you more than I realized.”
“......”
“I judged you too hastily. Even this ti, I thought maybe the report wasn’t sincere, that you had so ulterior motive... Ridiculous, I know.”
“It’s fine.”
“I’m truly grateful you trusted enough to call today. Really. I an it.”
I turned my gaze and stared at his profile. His ears were flushed red from the apology.
“...Why are you staring at like that?”
“If it bothers you, I won’t. I just have a habit of looking people in the eye when I talk.”
Man, demanding much? I obediently turned back to face forward. Sa car, sa man, yet the atmosphere was completely different this ti. His hostility and his goodwill—what a gap. I deliberately lightened my tone.
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“...What?”
“I’ve been misunderstood like that more than a few tis.”
True enough. Even soone as good-natured as had been mistaken for having “bad character” more than once. I dug up one of the clearest mories.
“My parents probably thought the sa way.”
Strictly speaking, only “my father” and “my kind mother” had thought that way. But since neither existed here, maybe it didn’t apply.
“...Your parents?”
“They’re not around anymore.”
“......”
I’d answered casually, but the air instantly turned heavy. Did he think I ant they were dead? In this world, both my father and mother were alive and well—it was just ties with that were cut.
But letting him misunderstand wasn’t necessarily bad. After all, Ryu Taeyoung had a soft spot for the weak. An F-rank hunter who lost his parents early? That’s practically a cheat key.
'Hmm.'
Originally, I hadn’t planned on keeping ties with Ryu Taeyoung. But I adjusted that plan a little.
This man was different from the novel’s supporting role. More useful, more three-dinsional.
And with today’s events, knowing the captain of the Special Response Team felt like a major advantage.
'Maybe I should get closer to him.'
After a long drive, his car finally stopped near my place. Before getting out, I looked straight at him.
“Thanks again for today. You saved my life.”
“...No, really, I’m just glad you weren’t seriously injured.”
“If you don’t mind, maybe we can et privately next ti.”
“...Huh?”
“I’d like to buy you a al. Politeness, you know?”
I ended with a grin. He blinked at , dazed, then nodded.
“Y-yes, then... next ti.”
“I’ll be in touch. Get ho safe.”
I bowed slightly, stepped out of the car, and shut the door. Just as I’d thought, nothing ever goes exactly according to plan. But thanks to Infinite Guild’s insanity, I’d gained plenty—so it wasn’t a total loss.
Dragging my still-stiff body, I looked up at my ho.
Yeah, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) ho really is the best. With that thought, I unlocked the door with a strange, almost nostalgic sense, and opened it gladly.
“You fucking bastard, Seo Jehyun!”
Scratch that. Sotis a hotel might be better than ho.
The mont the door opened, I saw Joo Seowon—and reflexively slamd it shut again. My gut scread that going inside now would be a pain in the ass.
***
The instant I stepped in, Joo Seowon exploded.
“You son of a bitch, you said you’d call back!”
“Oh.”
Right, I had said that. I’d been so caught up in everything, I’d forgotten. Seeing my face, he realized I’d completely blanked on it, and his eyes went wide as he scread.
“You didn’t even explain what was going on, just spouted so shit about being kidnapped. Are you insane? No, you are insane!”
“There was no ti to make small talk. Do you think people have ti for chit-chat when they’ve been kidnapped?”
“Then don’t say you’ll call back, you lunatic! I waited for your call all night! Do you know what fucking ti it is right now?!”
“Ugh, I’m not feeling well.”
I shoved him away with one arm and walked to the kitchen, drinking so water. When I turned back, it wasn’t Seowon staring at this ti, but Do Yehyun.
“What?”
“Hyungnim. Your face... what the hell happened?”
My face? The potion should’ve taken most of the swelling down. Probably just a few cuts left.
But Yehyun’s eyes weren’t his usual mild ones. They were sharp, full of discontent. I tilted my head slightly.
“Can’t you let explain later? I’m exhausted.”
I didn’t feel like I was about to pass out again, but my condition was still lousy. Instead of letting rest, Yehyun clamped his mouth shut, glaring, then raised a hand to my cheek. The sudden contact made instinctively want to slap it away—but I covered the back of his hand with mine instead. He flinched, then said quietly:
“...I can only do simple healing. For now.”
“Since when?”
The other day, after fighting Infinite Guild, there’d been no ntion of him being able to heal.
A faint light glowed from Yehyun’s palm against my cheek, seeping into the cuts. The scratches and swelling from the beating faded back to normal.
“Better than I expected.”
“I practiced for the first ti yesterday. Hunter Sung Minju was injured, so...”
“From SH Guild?”
“Yes.”
I pushed my tongue against the inside of my cheek. No more taste of blood. For him to awaken this level of healing without even running dungeons yet—he’d really been grinding hard.
“Thanks.”
“This is why you brought , isn’t it?”
“You thank a barista even when you pay for your coffee.”
“...Hyungnim, seriously...”
A society where people say thank you freely is a good one, isn’t it? Maybe not. Yehyun, still unhappy, withdrew his hand and bit his lip.
“What’s this about a kidnapping? Please explain.”
“An illegal guild tried to nab for money. The Special Response Team hunters showed up and cleaned up the ss. That’s all.”
“They kidnapped you... for money? You?”
“Life of an F-rank hunter, Yehyun.”
“You’re not hurt anywhere else?”
“Plenty.”
I quickly held out my wrist. Yehyun examined the rope burns and scraped skin there, falling silent.
“It hurt.”
I urged him. He looked between my wrist and my eyes, then slowly wrapped his hand around it. Again, a faint glow spread and seeped into the wounds.
The cuts closed, but the deep indentations didn’t completely vanish. Yehyun focused on those spots, repeating the skill.
When I glanced aside, Joo Seowon was quietly watching Yehyun heal my wrist.
Finally, Yehyun let go once he was satisfied.
'Hmm. Not bad.'
I rotated my wrist, testing mobility. The ache in the bone from earlier was still there—probably a sprain from fighting—but that could be treated at a hospital. No big deal.
“...Are you okay now?”
“Good.”
eting Yehyun’s eyes, I confird my decision once more. I’d have to bring him into that Quest-type dungeon I’d just discovered.
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