Chapter 80

Still, considering that she was a student, she would be called out less than Soram and Tae-un. Soram's eyes narrowed tiredly as he recalled the previous rainy season.

"Oh."

Something tapped and knocked on the closed window from outside. The window that had been reflecting the city's rush hour became wet with raindrops falling one by one.

It seemed like an announcement that the full-fledged rainy season was about to begin.

"Ayoung won't be able to go home riding Aila starting tonight."

"Right. Ah, I hate this humid weather."

"Should I give you a ride later?"

"No. You'll have to come back here anyway, so why bother? I'll take a taxi."

Although the air conditioner was working hard with an added dehumidifying function, it was difficult to block out the stuffy air of the rainy summer season.

The sound of rain began to hit the window in earnest. The sun that had been setting late was also completely hidden behind the dark clouds. All three of them stopped what they were doing and looked out the window at the pouring rain.

Ayoung, whose way to and from school and work would be damp for a while, let out a long sigh.

"You know how in fantasy novels, when the world changes, there are items that change the weather or equipment that keeps you from getting wet because you have a water attribute. There are also status windows and inventories."

Ayoung made a gesture of touching the air. Of course, there were no quest or skill windows there.

"But why does it feel like this place is only half-patched? If it's going to happen, it should all happen at once. Isn't it funny that even though monsters come out of rifts and so many awakeners have appeared, we're still struggling with the rainy season and typhoons?"

"Well, that might be more fortunate."

"Why is it fortunate?"

Ayoung tilted her head at Soram's words.

"The most prominent theory is that rifts and awakenings are not the intervention of external beings like aliens or gods as in fantasy, but occur naturally. Although the principle hasn't been scientifically clarified yet, it's something that happens only within the Earth anyway."

An explanation was added, like an ice age, volcano, or world wonder.

"Which side do you think it is, oppa, external act or natural occurrence?"

"Well... I don't like either, but which one...?"

"What? Then what about Tae-un oppa?"

"I don't believe in aliens and I'm an atheist."

Tae-un gave an answer that was just like him. This time, the other two looked at Ayoung as if asking for her opinion.

"I've never thought about aliens either, but I still thought there might be guardian deities. Like ancestral spirits of the family... Or like the god of rifts, the god of battle, something like that."

Soram scratched the back of his neck with his fingertips while lying on the desk.

"If there really is a god of rifts, they must really hate humans a lot."

"That's true... Rifts only appear where there are a lot of people, and the mutants that come out of dungeons are extremely aggressive towards humans."

Ayoung's eyes widened as if she had realized something.

"Could it be that rifts... have the purpose of eliminating all humans? Like, the Earth is doing a self-purification because it hates humans. It's been in movies too!"

"That hypothesis was very popular when the global rift crisis broke out. A lot of research was done too."

"Ah, I guess other people have already thought of it. So what was the conclusion?"

"Nothing has been clarified yet."

Countries around the world also have institutions similar to Korea's Rift Phenomenon Management Headquarters. Of course, there were plenty of places with far superior research personnel and capital compared to the headquarters. Some level of analysis seems to be done, but no place has yet specifically clarified the principle behind the appearance of rifts and awakeners.

"Hmm... Gasp, but the more I think about it, it really seems like the Earth is angry. Because if it were an alien invasion, really bizarre monsters would have to pop out, but the things that come out of rifts are still transformed versions of what's on Earth!"

Ayoung inhaled as if she had made another great discovery. However, this was also immediately pointed out.

"That's why they're called mutants. In English, it's not 'monster' but 'mutant'."

"...Aha. Indeed! Everyone made the discovery faster than me."

There are so many smart people in the world! Ayoung nodded her head.

Living as a hunter, one was bound to ponder about the origin of rifts at some point. What Ayoung thought was also something Soram had tried to fiercely uncover over the course of several lives. Now it had become a meaningless lump of information occupying a corner of his mind.

As if she was too lazy for further deep deductions, Ayoung stretched out her arms and yawned, then looked out the window again. The window was now completely wet from the rain. The lights turned on in the dark night flickered beyond the streams of water.

"Actually, I hope the rainy season and dispatches are okay, and I hope nothing scary and big comes and we can just continue like this..."

"Right. If we can just live like this..."

Instead of trailing off, Soram got up from his seat and lowered the blinds on the window. The tapping sound of the water droplets that had been getting louder until a little while ago became somewhat fainter.

Time passed quickly and it was already ten o'clock. Soram and Tae-un escorted Ayoung to the place where she had called a taxi.

Seeing the approaching taxi, Ayoung waved both hands.

"You two can go now. See you tomorrow."

"Okay. Go safely."

"Be careful on your way home. Contact us when you arrive."

"Tae-un oppa also nags as much as Soram oppa."

Before opening the taxi door, Ayoung pulled the hood over her head. Then she pointed at Soram, saying "Ah, right."

"Soram oppa, make sure to close the window properly when you sleep."

"The window? Why?"

"I can see all the mosquito bite marks on your arm and neck!"

"...Ah."

"Make sure to close the window and spray insecticide in the room!"

Lastly, Ayoung tapped her own neck to show the location and closed the car door. As a result, both Tae-un and Soram, who were at a loss for words, missed the timing to say their final goodbyes.

After the taxi left, Soram smacked Tae-un's umbrella with his own and said,

"If I spray insecticide, will you not come into my room?"

"..."

Soram rubbed the red marks on his neck with his fingertips. The marks were not mosquito bites, but bruises left by Tae-un biting with his teeth the day before.

Tae-un grabbed Soram's hand and pulled it down. Then he lifted his shirt and checked the reddened, swollen skin.

"It's red. Don't scratch it."

"It's because you chewed it up."

Tae-un, who had been looking at Soram for a moment, moved his feet in the opposite direction of the headquarters building.

"You go in first."

"Huh? Where are you going?"

Tae-un ran out into the rain at a slightly faster pace. He, who had told Soram to go in first, quickly returned while Soram was waiting for a short time in the lobby. He was holding a pharmacy bag in his hand.

"What's that?"

"Regenerative ointment."

"Did you buy it for me?"

"It's meant to be used on you, but it's not yours."

Tae-un hid the bag, avoiding the outstretched hand. In the meantime, the elevator that had arrived opened its doors, and the two entered the bright space from the dim lobby. The square space ascended with a small thud towards the dark clouds that had come down close to the ground.

The elevator arrived at the dormitory floor. The winner who strode out into the corridor was Soram. Tae-un, who couldn't win against Soram who frowned and pounced, had the bag snatched away from him during the ascent.

Two pairs of shoes with rainwater on them walked down the corridor. One went ahead and the other followed half a step behind. The steps chasing the person in front did not part even when they reached the front of Soram's room.

"Why?"

"I'll apply the ointment for you before I go."

"Can you really...?"

Soram narrowed his eyes and opened the door. The front door closed, and this time, unlike when they entered the elevator, the two were immersed in darkness. Tae-un didn't make any ticklish contact, but instead trapped him between the door and himself, lowered his head, and kissed him.

"Mmph..."

Soram had expected Tae-un, who had followed him in, to do something, but it was still unfamiliar to be in close contact with someone else and have their lips pressed together.

After a deep kiss, Tae-un moved his lips to Soram's cheek without detaching them. His lips silently pressed against Soram's cheek several times. It was a ticklish contact that felt like falling onto a huge haystack.

"Don't do this on my cheek."

While kissing or sex could be actions to feel good, putting lips on the cheek or such seemed like a meaningless action, didn't it?

"I said I'd do as I please."

"..."

"You didn't expect me to come out like this?"

Soram's face, with his shoulders raised as if hiding behind his back, was grabbed. Tae-un, who kissed the furrowed brow with tightly closed eyes, lifted Soram's chin again and parted his lips. It was overwhelming for Soram to keep up with him. Not because he was out of breath, but because actions like this, where something seemed to pour down on him, felt strange no matter how many times he experienced them.

Tae-un, who had detached his lips, pulled Soram's back. The cheek that had been kissed several times touched his shoulder, and his upper body was trapped in his chest and arms. He was hugged tightly, almost to the point of suffocation.

The tips of Soram's hands, placed next to his thighs, twitched. However, in the end, he couldn't reach out like Tae-un.

"Do you want to do this with a dark-skinned guy?"

"You're pale though."

Soram, who couldn't find a retort and only let out an absurd remark, had his back pulled tightly again. The last place where lips touched was his forehead. This time, there was a slight sound, perhaps intentionally.

"Let's apply the ointment. Go in."

Tae-un detached his body. The pharmacy bag was back in his hand at some point. Soram caught up with Tae-un, who had strode into the still unlit room. And he snatched the bag back.

"I'll do it after I wash up."

"You won't be able to reach the scapula area."

"I'm flexible."

Tae-un couldn't really refute the black silhouette that was proudly boasting. Instead, there was a slight sound of laughter.

"Okay."

Tae-un stroked Soram's cheek as if cupping it.

"Sleep well. Soram-ah."

"Yeah..."

"See you tomorrow."

Tae-un opened the front door and left. Soram, who had been standing blankly for a moment, only moved when he heard the sound of the front door of the next room opening. He hurriedly entered the bedroom instead of the living room where the sound could be heard next door. In the darkness, without turning on the light, he leaned the back of his head against the door absurdly.

"Ha... What the hell?"

The bag containing the ointment fell from his hand that had lost strength. Soram bent his waist and knees to pick it up, then went inside while ruffling his bangs for no reason. The ointment was thrown on the books piled on the bed.

"..."

Tae-un continued to approach Soram's side in his own way. After Soram had removed the barrier he had tried to build by suppressing himself, his steps were unhindered.