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“What time is it that you’re saying it’s late?”
The moment he turned to look at the clock on the side table, the numbers hit him.
It was two in the morning.
Only then did the events with Taeseongyeon flash through his mind like a lantern slide. Why he was in bed with him like this. He was crazy, Han Dokyeom.
“Seriously, have you no conscience? You could have woken me up!”
“You seem lively enough, throwing a fit like that.”
His voice was low with amusement. Dokyeom grabbed the arm wrapped tight around his stomach, but stopped when he realized his head was clear, as if a fog had lifted. He’d been feeling cloudy ever since he started getting sick, but now he was surprisingly fine.
Lively was an understatement. The pressure and fatigue that had been weighing on his shoulders were gone without a trace. Saturating magic power wasn’t easy. It wasn’t something you could receive from just anyone.
It was on a different level from simply giving magic power.
Receiving it was the hard part, but once you did, you got a temporary effect like a vitamin shot. That was ‘magic saturation.’ The higher-ranked the Hunter you received it from, the better the effect, but it was never easy.
There were few who could do it.
“It should last at least a week, so try to hold on until then. If you want more then, I’ll do it again.”
“What’s the standard for that week?”
The moment he asked, Dokyeom felt the hand around his waist loosen. His body was turned, and in the darkness, their eyes met. The silence closed in until their breaths overlapped.
Moonlight spilled over the bridge of Taeseongyeon’s nose, slowly tilting. No, it was Taeseongyeon’s head that tilted.
Small sounds spilled over his lips.
“When Han Dokyeom-ssi hasn’t done anything.”
Meaning if he did something, the time would shorten.
After that meaningful answer, hot breath touched his eyes. A piece of flesh, parting Taeseongyeon’s lips, brushed over his delicate eyelids. Maybe because he was used to Agon’s rough tongue, the soft flesh felt strange.
The air seemed to tremble. It almost felt gentle.
Why? For what reason? He wondered. Unlike last time, when Taeseongyeon was just satisfying his own desire, this felt like something he’d do to a lover.
“I’ll lend you two of them, so use them if you need to. Don’t go around alone causing trouble. I’ll try to resolve things as fast as possible.”
“Why, are you afraid I’ll do something stupid again?”
“We’ll see about that.”
Even if it was a survivor search, this was an A-rank gate. Danger could come from anywhere at any time. Plus, most of the search party were rookie Hunters who had barely shed their trainee tags.
So Taeseongyeon probably wanted to take responsibility for the search party’s safety by assigning his Hell Generals to Dokyeom.
“I get it…”
Because of the voice that barely touched his ears, his breath kept hitching. Dokyeom eventually punched his back.
Thump!
“Haa, can’t you… move aside?”
“Just sleep here.”
“My guys are waiting. I can’t.”
They were probably awake, waiting for him. By now, Beom Yeonhu might have joined them, and the three of them might be debating whether to come here. It was only two in the morning. If he went now, let Agon grab him by the scruff, and got scolded a bit, maybe he could still make up for it.
“Anyway, I’m going, so stop crushing me and move.”
“Then maybe I’ll come out too, to see your face a bit more.”
His tone was oddly spontaneous. The shoulder that had been touching his retreated, and Taeseongyeon’s profile was dyed in the night scenery. Dokyeom stared at his face, and suddenly words slipped out.
“Taeseongyeon-ssi.”
Taeseongyeon, who had been fixing his clothes after standing up, turned his head and looked at Dokyeom. Dokyeom thought the hair falling over his forehead suited him particularly well.
That eye contact, free of awkwardness, filled something in his chest. Something that felt both hot and lukewarm.
How should he define this act they shared? He often thought about it.
Even without any particular feelings, they touched skin and kissed without hesitation. How was he supposed to categorize this act?
A simple magic replenishment? Or an obligatory act that came with an unavoidable process?
An act that had no reaction at first was now growing heavier. Should he just dismiss it as a natural process?
It was hot inside, like a stove had been lit. But soon Dokyeom shook off the thought.
Whatever it was, there were things he had to prioritize over Taeseongyeon right now. One of them was ‘Han Yuseong.’
So until then, Taeseongyeon would have to be put aside,
“Among the Sahyun Guild Hunters here, if there’s anyone as quick as Han Yuseong-ssi, please introduce them.”
Skills and traits of Hunters were guild secrets. Under normal circumstances, it wasn’t something you should talk about. Especially for the leader, who held all the information about the guild’s Hunters in his hands.
“I don’t need anything else, just names. The more, the better.”
Even though Taeseongyeon would be well within his rights to ask what he was up to, he didn’t pick apart a single questionable point. He didn’t even seem to try to gauge his intentions. Instead, his silence was terrifyingly deep.
It was a long while before he gave an answer. When Taeseongyeon’s eyes, which had been sunken in thought, finally reflected Dokyeom again.
“I’ll consider it.”
Of course, it wasn’t a complete agreement. But Dokyeom had a certain conviction. That he would introduce some Hunters tomorrow.
This deployment was originally to save ‘everyone,’ not just ‘one.’ The top priority of this raid was also rescuing survivors. But to do that, everyone’s strength had to come together.
In the worst case, Taeseongyeon might have to hand over the gate to the Shanghai Association and give up. Of course, the decision was Taeseongyeon’s to make.
Dokyeom shook off the stray thoughts and got up with a sigh.
“And another thing, Taeseongyeon-ssi. If you try to scare me with bugging devices or something like that again, I’ll really hit you. You might end up with rumors going around that you got beat up by an E-rank. Seriously.”
“Han Dokyeom-ssi, cut me some slack. I was just a bit angry back then.”
“Haha, you cut me some slack too. If you do it again, I’ll throw a punch first. I don’t hit decent places. I go for philtrums and eyeballs.”
Behind him, he heard Taeseongyeon’s low laughter. That laughter was always unfamiliar. Turning his back on it, Dokyeom grumpily headed for the front door. Maybe feeling energetic made him generous.
“Anyway, I’m going, so you don’t have to come out. If you’re next to me, I might hit you. Seriously.”
He put on his shoes, neatly arranged, and started tying the laces. His brisk hands gradually slowed. Dokyeom stared blankly at his shoes, lost in thought, then suddenly turned around. Taeseongyeon must have been watching him the whole time, because their eyes met like sparks.
How should he start? He looked at him and mumbled for a moment before finally finding his voice.
“…After this is over, when we go back to Korea.”
This incident, involving the entire core force of the guild including Taeseongyeon, was unusual even for the guild. It was that important, and that’s why he knew they would succeed.
“Set a date and talk to me privately. It’s important. So,”
Because he didn’t want them to blame themselves for what had already happened.
“Bring Han Yuseong-ssi along.”
Because it was all Dokyeom’s fault.
“Whether he’s alive or dead.”
Among the 15 Hunters whose life signals were detected, only one had an unclear status. But the other Hunters didn’t know that yet. Only Taeseongyeon, who had the life signal receiver, knew.
Yet Taeseongyeon hadn’t told the Sahyun Guild Hunters yet. He was probably trying to maintain order and prevent confusion.
Sometimes giving up is a good method. It’s easier on the heart than self-blame.
“Alright… I’ll try to do that.”
That day, the image of Han Yuseong smiling kept coming to mind. If he could go back to that moment when he calmly said goodbye, could he have stopped it? He didn’t know.
Han Yuseong’s incident was an important part where the core of the story began, and his story only appeared as a ‘conclusion’ with the beginning and process omitted.
That was the kind of character ‘Han Yuseong’ was. His name, appearance, personality, and position in life were all omitted, and he ended with a one-line explanation, like Beom Yeonhu.
So now, even Dokyeom couldn’t guarantee Han Yuseong’s life or death. But according to the progression of the story, Han Yuseong,
“…”
Dies here.
Dokyeom left Taeseongyeon’s room with a brief goodbye. Crossing the empty hallway, he stood in front of the elevator and blinked slowly.
Could he still say he hadn’t abandoned ‘Han Yuseong’?
He wasn’t the only character consumed this way. The center chief who died at Eulwang-ri Gate was, and in the original work, Taeseongyeon, who was eaten by Dali, was.
Why did he start writing a novel? He was sure he hadn’t expected anything grand.
But every time he met someone, every time he encountered characters he didn’t even know existed, Dokyeom realized painfully what a sore finger was.
The process of an unselected character being weeded out. People living comfortably fading away overnight.
He knew better than anyone that he couldn’t take care of everyone. Even Dokyeom couldn’t embrace everyone.
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