Chapter 72

However, one thing was certain: if he were to start over from the beginning while remembering the current appearance, it would be somewhat painful. As the person who had seen the most unexpected sides of him, he might feel more bitter than others.

"Ah, I guess I can't do it after all."

Tae-un gave a doubtful look at Soram, who had uttered words full of signs of causing trouble.

"What can't you do?"

"I think I'll only feel refreshed if I pay back double in some way for what I received."

"To whom? For what?"

"I won't tell you."

"...Let me know before you do something."

"I won't tell you later either. I'm going through puberty too."

"..."

Soram strode forward, taking revenge for a certain night. Then he spun around.

"Hey, Han Tae-un."

"What?"

"You should live long because I cursed you a lot in my mind."

"...Okay. Your lifespan just increased a little too."

Soram, who thought he would come running and demand to know what curses he had uttered, raised one corner of his lips.

"Thanks. I was just thinking I wanted to live a little longer anyway."

* * *

Ayoung ran over as soon as she finished school. And just like Soram had done, only after examining Tae-un from all angles to see if he was really fine did she feel relieved.

Usually, knowing that the three members of Team 7 all got off work together at 10 o'clock, the higher-ups made Ayoung leave early at 6 o'clock, allowing all three to go home and rest early.

"That's great. Shall we have dinner together before parting?"

"No. Since we finished early for a change, Ayoung, you should be with your family. Tae-un needs to rest too."

"Ah... That's true. Since he's injured. Okay. Tae-un oppa, rest well!"

"...Yeah. Be careful on your way home."

Soram and Tae-un saw Ayoung off as she disappeared through the window riding Aila.

"We didn't have to see her off."

"Let's have a meal together, just the two of us. Make some time."

"..."

The two entered Soram's dormitory. With the middle door completely open now, it was hard to even call it someone's room.

Soram ordered two large Korean meal boxes for delivery. They were menus that most people would generally like.

The clutter piled up on the table was pushed aside, and the two sat facing each other. After moving the utensils a few times in silence, Tae-un put down his chopsticks.

"Say what you want to say. The food won't go down."

"Ah. I have something to ask."

"What again? What are you so curious about?"

Tae-un, who had been receiving brazen and embarrassing question attacks for several days, asking why he liked him or since when he liked him, sighed first. Moreover, those casually thrown questions were all awkward to answer.

"There are two things, um... First, this. What exactly did the person who stabbed you with the knife say to you earlier?"

However, the question was not what Tae-un had expected.

The person who stabbed Tae-un with a knife was arrested for assault. Since the culprit was an awakener but had little ability as a 5th-grade and was living like an ordinary person, she was handed over to the police. Instead, it was decided to conduct the suspect interrogation process together with the headquarters.

For now, according to the information received so far, they said that while the person acted like a crazy person at the scene, she changed to a gentle attitude at the police station. She even tried to clean around, saying that the people working there were like her sons, startling the police officers.

Tae-un thought for a moment and answered,

"I think she said I was going against providence. From her eyes and what she was saying, she seemed like someone who was deeply absorbed in a pseudo-religion or something."

"I heard that much too from the camera that was filming you. Did she say anything else after that?"

"She kept laughing and shouting something. It was close to a scream, so I'm not sure if I understood correctly, but it seemed to mean that the rifts shouldn't be eliminated, that destroying the rifts would disrupt the balance of the world... Something like that."

"Hmm..."

"She really seemed like a fanatic of a strange religion."

Soram pressed his lips with the tip of his chopsticks.

"I wonder if some strange pseudo-religion has emerged. There weren't many like that in Korea."

"Aren't there quite a few pseudo-religions in our country too?"

"There may be cases where existing religions are modified to suit their tastes, but there aren't many cases where they believe in doomsday or end-time theories. What they're saying doesn't sound like the fake cross side. They wouldn't tell you not to eliminate the rifts, but to pray and donate to be saved from the rifts."

"Ah."

It was true that pseudo-religions had increased a lot worldwide after the occurrence of rifts. Rifts were very similar in form to the disasters described in religious scriptures, and people trembling with anxiety easily fell into the delusions of an absolute being.

Korea was relatively less affected. There were various reasons, but one of them was that the popular image of "superhumans with abilities surpassing humans" was not a sacred being, but a public official who gets beaten and injured.

Soram, a representative of that, rested his chin and fiddled with his chopsticks.

"Anyway... The person earlier thinks of rifts not as a disaster, but as something that shouldn't be eliminated and should be left alone. What on earth would be good about not eliminating rifts and leaving them?"

Hearing Soram's question, Tae-un tapped the table with his bandaged finger, tok, tok.

"If they're not eliminated, the gap will gradually widen, become dungeonized, and summon mutants. Even if that situation comes, they won't be able to stay safe either."

"Hmm..."

The two thought for a moment in silence, but no sharp conclusion was reached. Hoo. Soram let out a short breath first and drank from a plastic water bottle.

"First of all, I'll have to go to the interrogation tomorrow. You'll be called anyway, so take me with you then. Put some artificial tears in your eyes and tell them you’re scared and need to hide behind the team leader."

"...Can't you just go normally?"

"No. If I say I'm going too, they'll approve it."

"..."

Tae-un swallowed the rice that had been lifted, ignoring Soram's words. Realizing that Soram's question had nothing to do with the topic that had been repeated for the past few days, he finally started to eat more easily.

"Do you remember anything else that person said earlier?"

"No. That's all."

"Okay. The content you mentioned, we'll have to report it to the director and deputy director again after going to the interrogation tomorrow."

As they finished the conversation and started eating in earnest, the meal boxes began to decrease rapidly.

The first to finish the meal was Tae-un. Soram, who was chewing the last remaining braised lotus root at a similar timing, called out to him again.

"Han Tae-un."

"Yeah."

"You know that if you awaken as a 1st-grade, you can't get married unless there's a miracle, right?"

Tae-un's raised gaze meant what kind of sudden nonsense is this?

"Usually, we control our strength with the senses from before awakening, but if not..."

Soram pressed the chopsticks hard with his thumb. The waist of the metal chopsticks was broken too easily.

"If it's just passing by at work, it might be fine, but it's difficult for a 1st-grade and a non-awakener to be together continuously. Even people who are already married often become sexless couples after awakening. After all, it's difficult to skillfully control strength in an excited state."

"..."

"Even if you have a lover, you can't go into a deep relationship, and of course, it's almost impossible to temporarily meet someone and relieve sexual desires like ordinary people."

Tae-un's brows, who had been looking at Soram, furrowed slightly.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I said I had two things to ask earlier."

Soram put down the chopsticks bent in the shape of the letter ㄱ on the table.

"The second question is, does the meaning of you liking me include a sexual meaning?"

"...What?"

"I have the intention to respond to that."

Tae-un looked at Soram with his thick eyebrows curved. It was as if he was gauging his intentions. Still, it was difficult to read Soram's thoughts that could go off in any direction.

"What are you thinking?"

"I mean it literally."

I said I'd pay you back. Soram only spat out those words inwardly.

When he thought Tae-un was seriously injured, he actually had such thoughts. If you die like this in this life, I won't be able to bear that guilt any longer.

"I've also been living only as a hunter since I was young, so I've been satisfying my desires by myself. Since you happen to like me, I think this would be fine too."

Tae-un stared at Soram bluntly, without the sighs or frowns he often let out. It was Soram who couldn't endure the piercing gaze first.

"Why aren't you answering?"

"Jin Soram."

"Yeah."

The situation became the opposite of earlier. Soram, who had made Tae-un nervous about what kind of question he would ask today, was now waiting for his lips to open.

Tae-un, who seemed to be choosing his words, finally asked a question that succinctly contained the current situation and his feelings.

"Can you kiss me?"

"I can."

Soram got up from his seat. And he walked to Tae-un, who was sitting across from him. He brought his face close, putting his hand on the back of the chair where he was sitting. Tae-un, who had still been staring at Soram's face, put his hand on his waist. The distance between the two got a little closer. Soram laughed softly, hiding his nervousness.

"I thought you might refuse, saying it's not possible because you're a stickler."

"I have no intention of refusing what's being shoved in my face."

Soram gripped the back of the chair tightly and lowered his head a little more.

"I'll probably be bad at it. Since it's my first time."

Then, Tae-un's hand holding Soram's waist tightened.

"Me too."