#177
“Where are you going?”
Dan Joo-hyuk’s expression as he asked was somewhat rigid. Finding his urgent-looking expression puzzling, Yoon Pa-ran answered straightforwardly.
“To pick up my siblings. Why?”
Is there still something that needs to be resolved?
He looked up at Dan Joo-hyuk quizzically, but the man remained silent for quite some time. Yoon Pa-ran was about to ask if he needed more skill when Dan finally spoke.
“I’ll drive you. I have a backup base nearby. There’s a car there too.”
Since gates could appear anywhere at any time, wealthy hunters often set up bases in various locations. They kept emergency potions or vehicles there to prepare for unexpected situations.
For someone like Dan Joo-hyuk, it wouldn’t be strange to have backup bases in every alley of Seoul. However, it seemed oddly ordinary for something he had hesitated so long to say.
“I’m fine…”
Anyway, Yoon Pa-ran was about to refuse as usual. Suddenly, one of his cheeks felt strangely hot, and he turned his gaze.
That’s when he noticed all the hunters they had fought alongside were looking in their direction with shocked expressions.
“…Ah.”
Only then did Yoon Pa-ran realize that all his efforts to hide his power had been rendered pointless. They would especially know that he and Dan Joo-hyuk had some kind of cooperative relationship.
If that was the case, there was no need to hide the fact that they were traveling together. Though it seemed that ship had sailed long ago.
“Huh… Alright, let’s go.”
What was done was done.
Instead of regretting it, Yoon Pa-ran naturally walked with Dan Joo-hyuk beside him. In a disaster situation like this, there wouldn’t be any taxis anyway, so it was for the best.
Above all, wasn’t Dan Joo-hyuk also safe?
“This way.”
“Yeah.”
Belatedly, the thought crossed his mind that there was much to do—explaining about the aftermath here and his powers. But Yoon Pa-ran just glanced back at the hunters and continued following Dan Joo-hyuk.
Having resolved this much, he could leave the rest to others.
It had been an extremely tiring day.
❖ ❖ ❖
As the great gate vanished, the chaos gradually subsided.
The suddenly overproduced gates were cleared up first. Hunters who had been continuing their conquest inside quickly dealt with the monsters that had suddenly lost their strength and returned to reality. Some gates closed before all monsters could be eliminated, causing hunters to be ejected outside all at once.
The same was true for gates that had already burst through breakouts. Monsters that had escaped to the outside world simultaneously stopped moving and collapsed to the ground. Thanks to this, there were not many casualties.
Yoon Pa-ran’s family was also all safe. They had encountered several monsters on their way to the bunker, but according to Kim Sin-cheol, none of the children were hurt thanks to his efforts.
The two received Kim Sin-cheol’s call while heading to the bunker. Originally, Yoon Pa-ran had planned to go directly to the bunker to pick up the children, but when Kim Sin-cheol said he would drive the bus to the orphanage again, they turned the car around.
“…Are you feeling okay?”
Dan Joo-hyuk somehow felt as if the words he uttered scratched his throat.
Only after a flurry of calls with Kim Sin-cheol and the Gate Management Office ended could Dan Joo-hyuk finally speak. In truth, he could have initiated conversation earlier, but strangely, it was difficult to open his mouth.
It was the first experience in his life—finding it hard to speak because he feared the other’s reaction.
“Hmm? I’m fine. How about you?”
“I’m fine.”
Yoon Pa-ran, who had been blankly staring at the chaos outside the window, immediately met his gaze. Dan Joo-hyuk stared vacantly at those eyes that looked directly at him, then awkwardly averted his gaze.
Strangely, cold sweat even formed on his palm gripping the steering wheel.
Yoon Pa-ran didn’t seem to notice his awkward reaction. For once, Yoon Pa-ran’s lack of perceptiveness was something to be grateful for.
The chaotic road conditions were not good. As a result, it took quite a long time to reach the orphanage.
Nevertheless, it felt very short to Dan Joo-hyuk.
“Thanks for the ride.”
“…”
As soon as they arrived at the orphanage, Yoon Pa-ran grabbed the car door without a moment’s hesitation. Before he could disappear, Dan Joo-hyuk unconsciously grabbed his forearm.
“Huh? What is it?”
Yoon Pa-ran turned around with a puzzled expression. As that white face filled his vision, Dan strangely swallowed dry saliva.
His heart had been racing since earlier as if a boss monster stood before him.
“Get some rest. …I’ll call you tomorrow.”
He managed to summon his composure and uttered a bland response. He couldn’t understand why he was acting so foolishly.
Yoon Pa-ran again replied without particular suspicion.
“Yeah. You worked hard too!”
With a bright smile.
“…”
Looking at that uncreased smiling face, Dan Joo-hyuk momentarily forgot to breathe.
This was serious trouble.
“Ah.”
Only after hearing the passenger door close with a thud did Dan Joo-hyuk let out an empty exclamation. The hand that had released Yoon Pa-ran felt so empty it drove him crazy.
His inner ferocious nature urged him to hold onto Yoon Pa-ran until the end. After that moment of self-destructive realization, the impulse to simply pick up Yoon Pa-ran and disappear, great gate be damned, had been overwhelming.
But Dan Joo-hyuk could no longer act so simply.
Even now, Yoon Pa-ran’s face, looking tired from the successive battles, bound him like a leash.
“Huu…”
In the end, Dan Joo-hyuk leaned against the steering wheel with a deep sigh, turning his head toward the passenger seat and watching Yoon Pa-ran’s back as he hurriedly walked to the orphanage.
“…”
Finally, Dan Joo-hyuk understood Kim Min-ji’s actions.
Even at this moment, the damn S-rank syndrome was watching for an opportunity to seize him. However, even if it appeared right now, he didn’t want to give up Yoon Pa-ran. No, the premonition that he wouldn’t be able to give him up was growing stronger.
He would probably struggle just like Hunter Kim Min-ji, looking stubborn and foolish.
That’s how much he liked him.
“Ha.”
While mocking his newfound realization, Dan Joo-hyuk couldn’t take his eyes off the departing Yoon Pa-ran. The fluttering hem of his tunic finally disappeared behind the orphanage wall. Dan Joo-hyuk let out another hollow laugh at the extreme thirst he felt from that moment.
Initially, of course, he hadn’t thought he would maintain such a long contract with Yoon Pa-ran.
There was no need to even consider the S-rank syndrome. He thought his own interest would wane first anyway.
But from what point did contact with Yoon Pa-ran begin to feel regrettably brief? Eventually, he simply thought that touching him felt good.
He never knew he would want to willingly endure even the disgust he had avoided all his life. Nor did he know he would struggle to continue this tedious life.
“…”
He wanted to stay by his side continuously. In the closest position to Yoon Pa-ran, as if it were natural.
However, his greedily expanded desire was soon pierced by sharp self-mockery and bled.
How many mistakes had he made, thinking it would be just a temporary contract? From the “contract” itself to everything that followed.
“Haah…”
Everything he had built up pressed on his mind like rocks. That sensation, which eventually turned into a headache, was so heavy that Dan Joo-hyuk slowly moved back and slumped against the driver’s seat.
Thinking about it, it probably wasn’t just simple interest from the beginning.
“I was stupid.”
His cold self-mockery echoed in the car. Dan Joo-hyuk found his own restless state utterly pathetic.
What should I do now?
“…”
At that moment, his phone rang loudly. He reluctantly looked at it, having been ignoring it until now.
This time it was a call from Minister Byeon.
—Hunter Dan! Finally I get through to you! So, are you injured anywhere?
“I wonder.”
Any external wounds had been healed in Yoon Pa-ran’s safe zone earlier.
The more serious injury seemed to be the internal one near his chest.
—Are you with Hunter Yoon Pa-ran?
Dan Joo-hyuk’s gaze, which had been answering half-heartedly, suddenly sharpened.
Not even realizing how sharp his reply was, Dan Joo-hyuk asked the minister back.
“Why are you looking for Mr. Yoon Pa-ran?”
—Why am I looking! Wasn’t it Hunter Yoon who opened that safe zone? There were opinions that it might have been your power, but everyone says it’s Hunter Yoon’s new skill. I’m calling you first to confirm. You’ve been together constantly lately, haven’t you?
“…”
—It’s an unprecedented skill! Being able to create a safe zone directly on this land—he would be worth billions! Do you know that the safe zone created under the great gate earlier is still functioning well? So…
Minister Byeon continued speaking rapidly, full of excitement.
The more Dan listened, the colder his head became. His mind, which had been confused like a boy experiencing first love, suddenly came to its senses.
I really was stupid.
“I’ll discuss that with Mr. Yoon Pa-ran and contact you again. Until then, make sure no one tries anything clumsy. …You understand what I mean, right?”
—Y-yes. I understand well!
Minister Byeon made a firm promise in response to Dan Joo-hyuk’s icy tone and hung up.
The noisy voice disappeared, but his anxious feeling reached its peak. Tapping the steering wheel with his fingertips did nothing to calm him down.
There wasn’t even time to dawdle like this—I almost became endlessly stupid.
Now that his power had been revealed, he could no longer hide Yoon Pa-ran’s skill, or Yoon Pa-ran himself. Especially considering the value of the safe zone, it was obvious that people from around the world would rush to get even a hint of Yoon Pa-ran’s power.
He had to protect Yoon Pa-ran.
The best thing to do was to make up for past mistakes starting now. By any means necessary.
Somehow, he had to secure the position beside Yoon Pa-ran.
“…”
In Dan Joo-hyuk’s eyes as he looked back at the orphanage wall, there was no longer any hesitation.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
