Chapter 87: Jealousy, Chicken, and Things Left Unsaid

“Eating something delicious sounds nice, but I’m really not sulking.”

“Alright, I get it. Should we grab some chicken?”

At Seong Jiwoo’s earnest but slightly off-target effort, Yoo Heero let out a dry laugh.

“Chicken or whatever’s fine—let’s just go home already.”

In the end, they picked up takeout from a nearby chicken shop and headed back. Sitting together, they each bit into a drumstick. Jiwoo gulped down his cola.

The chill spreading through his head finally made things feel bearable.

“I wasn’t sulking. I was jealous.”

Pfft—!

Jiwoo spat out the cola he’d been holding in his mouth. Carbonated droplets splattered across Yoo Heero’s face as they sat opposite each other.

“Ah, sorry! No, it’s just—you suddenly said something weird…!”

He tore off a handful of tissues and handed them over. Yoo Heero wiped his face casually, expression unchanged.

“Something weird?”

“Well, yeah. What do you even have to be jealous about?”

“Did you look at me even once during training today?”

“……”

Jiwoo searched his memory. He knew he hadn’t been paying attention to Heero—but he hadn’t realized he hadn’t looked at him at all.

“…I don’t think I did.”

“Did you talk to me?”

“…No.”

“Did you call my name?”

“Did I really need to—? …No, I didn’t.”

Jiwoo tried to frame it like a question, but at Yoo Heero’s icy stare, he answered properly.

“I kept looking at you the whole time.”

“…I didn’t know.”

For over five hours, Jiwoo hadn’t once thought about what Yoo Heero was doing. Maybe—no, probably—Heero really had been watching only him the entire time.

Truthfully, this wasn’t limited to today’s training. Yoo Heero often looked at no one but him. Jiwoo knew why.

Most of Yoo Heero’s relationships revolved around Jiwoo. The Knocker Guild, Lee Hyerin, Shin Yoonjae—everyone connected back to him.

Son Jihwan was a guild member, yes, but today he’d only been there for training.

With an apologetic expression, Jiwoo spoke.

“But honestly… haven’t you ever thought we might be sticking a little too close?”

A world that revolved entirely around him wasn’t good for Yoo Heero. Especially after the strange rumor he’d heard recently from Chae Minjung.

“They’re even saying we’re married.”

“…That doesn’t sound that strange.”

“No, it is strange. Hunters are usually very individualistic, so we stand out even more.”

Lee Hyerin and Shin Yoonjae were well-known partners precisely because, in a fiercely individualistic hunter society, their steady bond was unusual.

Guild systems existed, and hunters did feel loyalty—but at its core, this was a performance-based world.

People who fought side by side could end up at each other’s throats over a single mineral.

It was endless team play with no guarantees.

So two male hunters being this close could easily look alien to outsiders.

Yoo Heero wasn’t a high schooler who needed peers anymore. He wasn’t being ostracized by any group.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while.”

Since Yoo Heero returned from the X-Gate, Jiwoo had agonized over his independence—over and over again.

“I thought it would happen naturally with time… but maybe that time is now.”

“…Don’t make me anxious.”

Yoo Heero’s pupils trembled slightly. As if he already knew what was coming, he shook his head.

Jiwoo didn’t stop.

“Maybe it’s time we start living separately.”

“……”

“You got a house, didn’t you?”

Yoo Heero had received all kinds of rewards—this much Jiwoo knew. His publicly disclosed compensation alone was easy to find: tributes and sponsorships from countless companies eager to enter the hunter world.

What he’d received confidentially, Jiwoo didn’t even know.

In his limited imagination, it was probably something like gold bars.

But then—

“…I’ll give you my bank account.”

“What?”

Suggesting they live apart, only to be offered a bank account. Jiwoo dug at his ear, wondering if he’d misheard.

But Yoo Heero spoke calmly, as if he’d already made up his mind.

“You can have everything else too.”

“No, what are you talking about all of a sudden? I don’t need it!”

Having Yoo Heero around didn’t strain his finances. The money he earned now—selling products infused with his ability—was better than what he’d made as a hunter.

And even if he earned nothing, he’d never take Yoo Heero’s money.

“Exactly. I don’t need any of it either. I just want to stay next to you.”

“…I have no idea what kind of conversation this has turned into.”

They were back at square one. Jiwoo considered persuading him again—but feared Yoo Heero might start reciting his bank PIN next.

So he stayed silent and bit into his chicken.

It seemed like they’d be living together a while longer.

When the time comes, he’ll leave eventually… right?

An inexplicable unease made Jiwoo narrow his eyes at Yoo Heero. His bangs were still damp from the cola.

Below them was the same striking face—handsome in any situation, unshaken by humiliation.

Could anyone imagine it? The national hero praised worldwide, wearing a tracksuit in a tiny general store, eating chicken—

—or fighting a dog over it.

“That’s not yours.”

Yoo Heero snapped irritably at Sunrye, who had rested his chin on the table and looked pitiful.

Sunrye flicked out his tongue and licked the chicken in Yoo Heero’s hand.

“Ah!”

Startled, Yoo Heero flung the chicken away. Sunrye bolted after it, and Yoo Heero chased him.

A pair as consistent as ever.

To Jiwoo, the two of them looked exactly the same—so why were they always at each other’s throats?

They’d lived together for months now. They growled at each other constantly, yet never actually fought. Their relationship couldn’t be that bad.

Though, to be fair… Yoo Heero might actually fight a dog seriously.

“Both of you, stop. Sunrye, put that down. You’ve got food. Eat that. If you want chicken, I’ll give you yours.”

As always, Jiwoo intervened once and ended the not-quite-fight. Sunrye obediently dropped the chicken, and Yoo Heero released his scruff, leaving the fur sticking up messily.

What on earth was this behavior?

Sunrye shook himself violently, fur flying before settling down. While Yoo Heero glared, Sunrye suddenly turned cheerful and circled Jiwoo’s feet.

Jiwoo went into the room and pulled out Sunrye’s hidden chicken breast treats.

“Sit. Good boy. Here—eat.”

Sunrye pounced on the food. Behind him, Yoo Heero clicked his tongue.

“You’re spoiling him.”

“So what?”

“That’s bad! He keeps clinging to you, asking for this and that—”

Jiwoo chuckled softly.

“Yeah. Someone kept granting every request, so he picked up bad habits. Maybe I should stop.”

Realizing Jiwoo meant him, Yoo Heero immediately changed his tone.

“Bad habits might be okay.”

“Just eat your food.”

Yoo Heero picked up his chicken, but ate distractedly. The earlier conversation clearly still bothered him.

Feeling guilty for making him self-conscious during a meal, Jiwoo added casually,

“I’m not kicking you out. Relax and eat.”

At those words, Yoo Heero’s eyes widened—then curved beautifully.

“…Okay!”

Seeing that, Jiwoo felt the tightness in his own chest ease. He smiled faintly.

While Jiwoo showered after dinner, someone came to the general store.

Knock, knock, knock.

Though the sound was clear, Yoo Heero pretended not to hear and kept watching TV.

Knock, knock, knock, knock.

The uninvited guest knocked again. Annoyed, Yoo Heero got up and opened the door.

“…He’s showering right now.”

The visitor was Park Sujin, carrying ability stones and artifacts Jiwoo had requested.

In truth, he’d volunteered to come in place of Gu Minah or Gam Jooan—just to create an excuse.

His real purpose wasn’t Jiwoo.

“I need to talk to you.”

Park Sujin swallowed nervously, hurriedly adding,

“And I’ve got something for Seong Jiwoo too.”

Seeing the sack in his hands, Yoo Heero stepped back with clear displeasure. Park Sujin slipped inside.

“If you’re here for that talk, just leave.”

No explanation was needed. Park Sujin walked in without replying and set the heavy sack down.

Then he straightened slowly.

“Sorry, but yes. That’s exactly what I came to talk about. And I can’t just leave.”

Their gazes met in midair.

Neither of them noticed that the sound of running water from the bathroom had just stopped.