Vol 5 Chapter 36
The neck that Jeong Seung-jo had bitten was so severe that it had almost torn the flesh off, they said. Because of this, that area was still a dark, deadened color. The other minor wounds could be treated with just bandages. As Kapros touched the white gauze on his neck, he felt a stinging pain and a chill running down his spine once again.
During the unexpectedly short three-day hospital stay, he had concluded that he couldn't end things with just that worst first reunion with Jeong Seung-jo, no matter how much he thought about it. He now knew that while physical wounds heal with time, if he crumbled here, the emotional wounds would only leave deeper scars.
Although he still felt frustrated with no answers, he decided not to forget that ultimately, only Jeong Seung-jo could resolve the many questions that had arisen from their previous encounter.
Since he had told his parents and his master and his wife that he would be discharged alone, he left the hospital with just a few belongings packed in a bag. He sighed while looking up at the sky with a light heart and walked slowly, limping. Even the way to the taxi stand felt incredibly far.
'I never knew not having a cane would be this inconvenient...'
It was only after being admitted to the hospital that he realized he had forgotten to bring his cane from Jeong Seung-jo's house.
'I guess I'll have to go back there, if only to retrieve it...'
As he was lost in thought, walking down a slope, suddenly a large black motorcycle appeared in front of him, stopping smoothly as it turned.
'Huh?'
As he stopped, feeling like he had seen this scene somewhere before, a man with only his eyes visible tapped the side of his helmet, making a ding sound, and looked straight at Kapros while raising his hand.
"Yu-wan?"
The name Kapros blurted out in surprise was unconsciously the familiar game name. Although he must have heard it clearly, Yu-wan, or Jin Je-hwan, paid no attention and patted the back of his motorcycle.
"Get on?"
"..."
Je-hwan nodded. Kapros once again realized that although the latest helmets had improved greatly in terms of navigation and other functions on the eye-shield side, they were still no different from conventional helmets in that it was difficult to have a conversation with others. Je-hwan tapped the side of his helmet again, returning it to its original black state.
Seeing that natural yet firm gesture, Kapros's curiosity about how Je-hwan knew to come here and his intention to take a taxi rose to his throat but then retreated. He just approached without asking anything, and Je-hwan put the extra helmet he had brought on Kapros's head and helped him get on with relative care.
This bike was always too big no matter when he saw it. Even for Kapros, who wasn't particularly short, it was difficult to swing his leg over, so it seemed that smaller individuals wouldn't be able to ride it at all.
As Kapros hesitated slightly after getting on, Je-hwan, who was looking straight ahead, quietly reached back with both hands, grabbed Kapros's arms, and pulled them to wrap tightly around his waist.
"Uh..."
This caused Kapros to bump his forehead against Je-hwan's back once, and he frowned as he looked at the back of Je-hwan's head, but the other simply started the engine and drove off. The loud engine noise soon became familiar, and Kapros felt the wind hitting his entire body.
'It was sudden, but... this is nice.'
As he thought this, he felt an indescribably strange feeling. It was similar to the feeling of unfamiliarity.
After riding for quite a while, Kapros got off in front of his house and thanked Je-hwan.
"Thanks. I got here comfortably because of you."
At those words, Je-hwan briefly paused the arm that was removing his helmet, then casually took it off and tucked it under his arm as he turned to look at Kapros. Beads of sweat were visible on his forehead between his slightly disheveled black hair. A hint of bewilderment appeared on his expressionless face, which never revealed what he was thinking.
"...I thought you'd be angry."
"Me? Why?"
Kapros asked back, thinking this was an absurd thing to say. Je-hwan slightly averted his eyes and pressed his lips tightly together. Seeing him worry in a way that was unlike him, Kapros thought that it didn't suit the movie star-like face that had always seemed so serious, and it made him realize that this guy really was the same age as him.
In fact, until now, Je-hwan hadn't really felt like he was the same age, so his flustered face seemed even more amusing.
"Why did you think that?"
The answer came after a beat, still with averted eyes, in short, broken phrases.
"Last time, after saying that... and coming back again."
Last time? If he meant last time...
'Ah. Is he talking about when we met at the hospital?'
Kapros remembered that Je-hwan had gotten angry asking who had hurt him and was disappointed when Kapros wouldn't say the name, but he didn't recall any particularly harsh words being exchanged. In any case, Kapros knew that Je-hwan had spoken out of concern for him, and Je-hwan had eventually given up and left.
But it seemed that for Jin Je-hwan, it had remained a more troubling matter than expected.
"What the..."
As Kapros frowned and grumbled without realizing it, Je-hwan's expression hardened even more.
"Why are you worrying about something like that? I was fine with it."
At that, Je-hwan suddenly turned his head and met Kapros's eyes. It was a look as if asking if he really meant it. After blinking his eyes wide a few times as if to confirm Kapros's sincerity, Je-hwan let out a sigh, as if all the tension had suddenly drained away.
Seeing that expression, Kapros thought that Je-hwan might have an unexpectedly cute side to him. When Kapros grinned, Je-hwan's expression became slightly annoyed, and he muttered lowly.
"...I was really worried."
"Hmm, I see."
"The reason I acted that way was because it was you."
Kapros, who was about to habitually respond with "yeah" again, turned to look at Je-hwan with his mouth slightly open. Je-hwan's expression was utterly serious. Kapros suddenly felt as if the weight of the words was pressing down on his shoulders. It was difficult to take his eyes off the inexplicable wavering he saw in Je-hwan's eyes.
As he felt once again the strange sensation he had experienced when Je-hwan had hugged him before, and was unable to find words to respond, Je-hwan relaxed his serious expression and smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth.
"...Don't be nervous."
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Jin Soram, the top-ranked hunter representing South Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters, is stronger than anyone else and lazier than anyone else. As soon as he arrives at the office, he buries himself under a blanket and falls asleep. When he goes out on a mission, he causes accidents and returns to the office, often shirking his duties.
"Do you know how it feels to play a game that's already messed up? ...Anyway, the next round will come, so this time, I'm just going to play it recklessly."
In fact, his true identity is someone who has regressed through three lives, trying to save the world from the Great Rift but failing each time. After repeating a life where he couldn't sleep peacefully even for a day, he became completely exhausted before this life even began.
"I know. You worked hard, Jin Soram."
And then there's Han Tae-un, the man who saved Soram and died in all three previous lives. As he did in every life, he comes to Soram's side once again. The Great Rift is approaching soon. It's impossible to resolve it in this life without any preparation. Soram vows to save Tae-un in this life and die himself. At least, he won't let Tae-un save a failure like himself again.
"For now, until then, let's sleep..."
As Soram sluggishly lives his life waiting for that moment, a gradual change occurs in his heart.
'I thought this was a messed-up round... but I want to live a little longer here.'
Leonardo Blaine, the true war hero of the Raina Logia Empire and the commander of the Armsilver 11th Squad, is dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders during the final battle that could have led the Empire to victory in the territorial war. People criticize and point fingers at him, and after being released on parole from prison, he disappears without a trace.
Three years later, his name has been forgotten by the world. The Council has been persistently pursuing him, but he has proven difficult to capture. Frustrated by this, Hugo Agrizendro, the commander of the Council's army, decides to personally apprehend him.
"Since when have you been watching me?"
Leonardo was calculative and astute, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had been observing Hugo for some time now. However, Leonardo's answer was something that even Hugo had not anticipated.
"From the very beginning."
Graduate student Yi-han finds himself reborn in another world as the youngest child of a mage family.
– I’m never attending school, ever again!
‘What do you wish to achieve in life?’
‘I wish to play around and live comforta-‘
‘You must be aware of your talent. Now go attend Einroguard!’
‘Patriarch!’
My future would be guaranteed once I graduate. For my future!
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