The Way of Life for a Terminal S-Class Hunter - C37
$37
The feeling of being trapped in rippling water continued. The employees’ voices buzzed in my ears.
“But do you think the Guild Master is really going to marry Kwon Ho-jun?”
“There’s no way that authoritarian Assemblyman Kwon would have let photos of him dining with the Guild Master spread so widely.”
I couldn’t understand why Seo-heon’s marriage was suddenly being discussed. The idea of same-sex marriage in Korea to begin with felt unrealistic.
“Ah, I really hate Kwon Ho-jun.”
“I bet the Guild Master is the only one in this guild who likes him.”
It felt like someone had taken a drill to my already splitting head. My wet clothes pulled me further down to the floor. I was learning for the first time how negative the perception of Kwon Ho-jun was, but the other content was so confusing it didn’t really register.
“Even so, it can’t be marriage already. Would a Korean assemblyman, especially that narrow-minded Assemblyman Kwon, allow his child to go abroad and get married?”
“With all that money and prestige, why not. If it’s the Guild Master, he’ll find a way to persuade him today somehow. Didn’t you see how dressed up he was? I thought he was heading straight to a wedding ceremony.”
On the computer screen they were looking at was a photo that looked like a scene from a movie. In front of an upscale restaurant, Assemblyman Kwon in expensive clothes was smiling and greeting two handsome men arm in arm. Those two were, of course, Seo-heon and Ho-jun.
“But I get why Juhong went today, but why did he take Hyeju? I’ve never seen them go out together before.”
“I don’t know. Hasn’t he rarely taken guild members other than Juhong to such occasions in the first place?”
So Seo-heon had a more important engagement today. While it was in a somewhat different direction than I had expected, it was at least more valuable time than a trivial appointment with me.
“Oh? Vice Guild Master?”
Perhaps due to the pathetic shock or because I wasn’t feeling well, I hadn’t noticed someone approaching from behind.
“Ah… hello.”
Even to me, it was an awkward greeting.
“Gasp, why are you so soaked? What happened?”
“I came to see Lee Hye…”
The employees who had been talking animatedly just moments ago turned their heads in surprise to look at me. There was some awkwardness in their faces.
“She stepped out for a moment. But are you alright? You look really unwell.”
Creating a public face with my muddled, messy mind was quite energy-consuming. I hoped my appearance didn’t look too different from usual.
“It seems I’ve ended up eavesdropping. I’m sorry. Still, it’s better to be careful with gossip since you never know who might be listening and where.”
I spoke carefully, pressing down each word to avoid slurring, and the employees’ expressions darkened. The belated thought occurred to me that I might look like I was suppressing anger.
“We’re sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. Sorry to interrupt your work, but I’ll be going now.”
“Should we let Lee Hye know when she returns?”
The employee who had said I looked unwell persistently tried to stop me. I pushed their hand away, trying to appear firm but not like I was brushing them off.
“No, it’s alright.”
As we talked, the pain gradually subsided. Not just the pain, but all sensations became dull. The status window was still showing abnormalities, but in this state, it seemed like I could endure.
“Um, Vice Guild Master. Are you really alright? You’re not poisoned or something, are you? You look unwell…”
Even though they knew it was unlikely due to my skill, I must have looked bad enough for them to try to stop me.
I can’t even hide this much…
A sigh rose to the tip of my chin.
“It just looks that way because I got caught in the rain. I’m really leaving now.”
The employee who had been looking at the computer rushed over and pressed an umbrella into my hand.
“Take this umbrella.”
Although it shouldn’t have been, the umbrella in my hand felt warm.
“Thank you.”
***
However, I didn’t open the neatly folded umbrella. I walked aimlessly outside, letting the rain hit me. The rain that had initially felt spiteful now felt welcome as it cooled my fever.
The sky darkened by rain made it difficult to gauge the time. I continued forward in the darkness, being hit by the glistening rain.
Whatever I had been trying to tie up inside me had shattered, having gone wrong somewhere. Now it had become a state where I could neither tie nor untie it. I didn’t even want to try to pick up the pieces.
What unbecoming self-pity, it’s disgusting. Did you think you were something to Seo-heon?
Even as I berated myself, I didn’t stop walking. It felt like if I stopped now, everything would end.
Beeeeeep-
An unknown ringing pierced my ears. I hurriedly covered my ears, then removed my hands to find my fingers blue and trembling.
“Am I cold?”
Suddenly, a chill entered my body that had only been hot before. My teeth chattered and my legs felt heavy.
Would it be okay to just end like this?
Since I had started this alone, it seemed okay to end it alone too. Loneliness was everyday life. I had just been under the illusion sometimes when Seo-heon was beside me.
I stopped. Then a shadow fell over me. As if by magic, the falling rain stopped.
“Who…?”
I heard rough breathing.
[Due to lack of life force, your body functions are not recovering. Entering forced rest state.]
I resented the status window that was always one step behind. The face of the man who had put the umbrella over me was distorted beyond recognition.
***
A doll caught my feverish, shimmering vision. I vaguely saw a wet towel in hand. Someone was nursing me by my side.
“Mom…?”
In response to my question, a lukewarm hand brushed my forehead. Hesitation and trembling were conveyed through the hand.
Who is it?
The present and past were tangled, making it difficult to distinguish what was reality.
“I’m sick.”
If it was a hallucination of my mother, I wanted to act spoiled. When I was young, I was told I was mature, but on days like this when I had a fever once a year, I used to act spoiled. And my mother, while worried, secretly liked that side of me.
[Dad said he’s coming home early too. He said he’ll buy the fish-shaped bread you like.]
Even in high school when others would say I was grown up, on days when I was sick, my father would bring snacks to eat with medicine.
[Why did you have to get sick?]
And on such days, the last visitor was always Seo-heon, though I’m not sure when that started. When I was sleeping after taking medicine, he would quietly enter the room and hold my hand. Then even after I woke up, I would pretend to be sleep-talking.
[I feel like I’d get better right away if you touched my head.]
At my shameless request, Seo-heon would silently touch my forehead. By the time his cold hand became similar in temperature to my hot forehead, moonlight would be streaming in through the window. I liked that moment so much that sometimes I even wished to be sick.
“Don’t be sick, hyung.”
However, the voice I heard was neither my mother’s, nor my father’s, nor Seo-heon’s.
Was that just now a dream? Of course, there’s no way my parents could be here now.
At the unfamiliar voice, I forced open my heavy eyelids. Ignoring the notification window that was still tinged red, I turned my gaze to see Lee-han dozing off in a chair beside me.
“Lee-han…ah?”
The voice I managed with all my effort was dry like the winter wind, and my lips stung, cracked from the fever. That small sound seemed enough to wake Lee-han who had been dozing.
“Are you okay?”
Lee-han jumped up from his seat and examined me.
I should have just let him sleep. Why did I wake him up?
I felt needlessly sorry seeing the fatigue hanging heavily in his eyes. I also raised my upper body with my arms and looked around to see the familiar dormitory structure. However, judging by the unfamiliar furniture and items strewn about messily, it wasn’t my room.
I still don’t understand what’s going on. It seems like these troublesome things are happening too often lately.
Whenever I tried to think deeply, my temples throbbed, interfering. Inevitably, my thoughts became fragmented and simplified.
“Is this your room, Lee-han?”
“Yes.”
Lee-han seemed to be suppressing his emotions. He didn’t speak much and was avoiding my gaze. It was a side of him I had never seen before.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t remember why I came here.”
“You collapsed. Right in front of me.”
I remembered seeing the words “forced rest state”. The skill that consumed my life force was truly difficult to understand, despite being my own. There probably wasn’t another skill with such insufficient explanation. Even hearing from other hunters with skill restrictions, it wasn’t this confusing.
Does forced rest mean fainting? If so, it seems I can’t control it myself.
It meant that in a state of low life force, if my condition worsened, it would immediately show in my body. It felt like I had reverted to before my awakening.
I hate this weak body.
Swallowing my bitterness, I greeted Lee-han who was bringing me water.
“Sorry. I’ve been a burden.”
“I was looking for you in the first place, so don’t worry about it.”
“For me?”
The situation of me stupidly asking questions continued from earlier.
“The news was all over. I was worried you might be crying after being stood up… That might have been better. It was worse than I thought, you know?”