Cha Eui-sung may have felt an arbitrary sense of kinship, but Moon Tae-young was a very different person from him. Their personalities, values, even the destinations they envisioned for their lives—all stood in stark contrast.
Still, if there was one thing Cha Eui-sung understood better than anyone, it was what it meant to carry a resolution that couldn’t be shared with anyone else and to walk that path alone. He knew what it was like to live a life without anyone to lean on. Even their bizarre connection through that so-called “Hero” backstory—which most would dismiss as mental illness—gave them a strange overlap. And perhaps because of that, despite their clashing values, it wasn’t hard to guess what Moon Tae-young would most want to hear right now.
All he had to do was dig up the past—remember the things he hadn’t realized at the time, but looking back, understood were things he’d desperately longed for.
“I get it. This is something deeply personal. It’s probably annoying, me butting into something that’s hard even to explain.”
Like the presence of someone who could understand and accept you. It sounded weak, and he didn’t exactly like that idea—but still, having just one person like that wouldn’t have been so bad. Especially if that person approached without getting in the way of his goals. Even the poison-filled version of his past self might’ve accepted them, strangely enough.
“Still, I can’t help but care. I don’t know why. Honestly, I’m not the type who gives a damn about other people. But with you… I keep wanting to step in.”
“……”
“If you’re hiding a whole dungeon, your plan for revenge probably isn’t heading in a smooth direction. But that’s fine. If you’re the one blowing up bridges or overturning governments, I figure there’s gotta be a reason.”
“You’re saying… you’d be okay with me committing terrorism?”
“I’m just saying—if it’s you, I could believe it.”
And along with that, the understanding and communication from another that he’d once thought impossible. Trust. And…
“So yeah, this is just my own selfish desire. I’ve got a lump in my chest I couldn’t ever resolve. And whatever you’re planning, I figure two heads are better than one.”
“Cha Eui-sung.”
“I’m useful, you know? Why do you think my boss keeps me around? Honestly, when it comes to this kind of stuff, some no-nonsense guy from a detective agency is way better than some soft-hearted teacher.”
A real helping hand—one he never even hoped for. Wow. The perfect ally appearing, like a miracle he never even dared to dream of. And to top it off, Moon Tae-young didn’t just see him as a tool. He cared. Even a guy who lived like a psychopath, cutting himself off from the world, wouldn’t be able to stay unmoved at this point.
“There’s probably a way I can help without getting too deep into your business. Sure, I’m curious. But if you don’t want to talk, I won’t dig any deeper.”
Just before he could become overbearing, Cha Eui-sung backed off ever so slightly, biting his lip. Moon Tae-young’s face flushed red as he watched him—like he was struggling to suppress a whirlwind of confusion and longing.
Hmph.
For someone as guarded as Moon Tae-young to be hesitating before replying… honestly, that was a good sign. The fact he hadn’t flat-out rejected him meant there was room for consideration. Still, it probably left him feeling unsettled. To Moon Tae-young, it must’ve felt like a card he’d kept hidden suddenly got exposed halfway. They both suspected the other had secrets, yet only one had been forced to show his hand.
Clink.
Cha Eui-sung fiddled with his chopsticks, then slowly turned his gaze away—as if to give the other time to think. Staring at the empty wall for no reason, the dead silence between them grew so thick it was suffocating.
“You know something?”
Then suddenly, thud—he broke the silence, speaking up after a long pause. Turning the subject back to himself, he piqued Moon Tae-young’s interest. Wasn’t he the same guy who’d just sat back and listened quietly, letting the topic of conversation swirl around vengeance until now?
“A job. Yeah. A job. I put a lot of effort into it. I was almost there. Just one more step forward… No, I could’ve grabbed it if I’d just reached out.”
Muttering under his breath, Cha Eui-sung recalled the final moments of his second life. A celebratory scene lit up bright as day despite the late hour. The room had been filled wall-to-wall with lights and applause. Everyone had looked at him with awe. For better or worse, they were all entranced by him, gathered just to see him.
That day, he had stood before the throne, on the verge of gripping the royal scepter. When morning came, the Hunter Association would’ve begun running under his system. No one—no one—could’ve discarded or ignored S-rank Association President Cha Eui-sung.
What he’d truly longed for may not have been the throne itself, but rather… The competence that everyone would recognize. The need for him that no one could deny.
BOOOOM!
What had he been thinking when he heard the sound of his skull cracking open?
It had happened so quickly, it was hard to recall—but the emotions that flooded in when he awoke again, those remained painfully vivid.
A sense of loss far worse than the fear of the unknown or of death. Devastation. A crushing hollowness that obliterated any remaining will.
As the memory of his regression—barely a few months ago—surfaced, Cha Eui-sung’s face twisted slightly. It was a revolting memory. The fact that he didn’t feel the urge to kill that damn Demon King made it all the more disgusting.
Hoo…
His breath came out a little rough, and a deep emptiness crept across his pale face. Feeling the ticklish burn of someone’s gaze on him, Cha Eui-sung clenched his fist. Moon Tae-young was staring intently, his expression rigid—completely immersed in the story, just as planned.
“It was something I’d wanted for so long… And this is how it ended. Back then, I was really bitter.”
A bitter smile curled on his lips, like he was chewing on a mouthful of weeds. As if he had to force a smile just to keep from falling apart.
“I think this. Having a clear target for revenge… that’s something to be envious of. I mean, maybe you wouldn’t see it that way, but…”
“……”
“I’d been abandoned once before, pretty harshly. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Honestly, if I were them, I’d have abandoned me too. I get it.”
“You get it?”
“So it gets murky, right? Who am I supposed to blame? At least when my dream fell apart, I had someone specific to resent.”
But now, he couldn’t even do that. Couldn’t blame anyone. Couldn’t exact revenge.
In the end, both times he’d died, it felt easier to just blame himself for not handling things better.
Ha…
His hollow laugh echoed through the quiet house, and Moon Tae-young opened his mouth slightly, as if to speak— But the words caught in his throat. His furrowed brow spoke more clearly than any words could.
For someone so understanding, you look pretty damn miserable.
Of course he did. He was acting. Playing the part. That was the only way to make the guy feel sympathy. To make him soften.
Still, just like always, once the emotions kicked in, he couldn’t stop his fingers from trembling. That hadn’t happened before. Why was it getting worse now?
“Not that I’m jealous of you, Moon Tae-young. That kind of shit is just… Fuck, sorry. I mean, it’s better if things like that just never happen.”
Swearing now, too. Cha Eui-sung quickly tried to wrap things up and settled his churning stomach. His lips were quivering too much to keep smiling, so he let the grin fade.
Only then could he meet Moon Tae-young’s eyes again. Taking a few idle sips of water, he noticed the other man looking at him with a complicated expression—like a lover silently studying their partner.
“…So you’re saying you want to help me?”
The voice was low and soft, but with an edge of danger.
“That’s part of it. But also… I don’t know. I think I just want to be closer to you.”
Cheesy as hell, but if it worked, who cared? He was just asking not to be shoved away over some excuse about “keeping secrets.”
Moon Tae-young let out a long, weary sigh.
Haa…
The light meal had become oppressively heavy. The half-eaten food had long since gone cold. Just moments ago, his face had been full of energy—now it was dry and expressionless.
“It really is a personal matter.”
“That’s why I’m asking. You don’t have to tell me everything. Just let me in.”
“If we become partners, I’d have to explain it all anyway, right?”
“…Hah. Is that how it sounded?”
Still, Moon Tae-young had taken the bait. For a guy who always danced around uncomfortable subjects, this was a positive sign.
He slowly blinked. Within his dark eyes, countless conflicts sparked and faded in rapid succession.
Then suddenly—just like Cha Eui-sung had done earlier—Moon Tae-young spoke, almost as an afterthought.
“You keep throwing around stuff like overthrowing the government, like I’m planning some kind of villainous terrorist act… But that’s not it. It’s actually a lot smaller than that.”
“Even with Cthulhu and a dungeon involved?”
Cha Eui-sung asked innocently, as if he knew nothing. Moon Tae-young’s expression began to waver.
The mask he wore—layered thick across his face—cracked audibly, as if buckling under pressure.
“Well… at the very least, my goal’s modest.”
With that answer, the cracks widened—revealing a face aged with exhaustion and faded from too much loss. It was a far cry from the Moon Tae-young Cha Eui-sung had known so far. And even further from the Demon King he had once imagined.
But his eyes—those eyes still burned, alive with something raw. A fierce, familiar light. The look of someone being devoured by their own resolve.
“There’s someone who hurt my family. I’m going to kill him.”
Two full seasons had passed. And finally, at long last, Cha Eui-sung heard Moon Tae-young’s true objective.
Pop!
At the same moment, a loud thud echoed inside his ear. The sound of his heart, slamming like a drum.
