Chapter 43
Yesterday after seeing Yu Sol and going outside, he had worked all day. When they tried to send him in to rest saying he was fine, he stubbornly endured it. Since staying up all night wasn’t particularly difficult, he newly felt that he was indeed a Hunter.
During this time he hadn’t seen Baek Rak, but it seemed like he had discovered him somewhere and just left him alone. Since there was nowhere to run, there probably wasn’t any particular need to worry.
At first he was annoyed by that indifference, but now he couldn’t tell whether he should call it disappointing or regrettable.
It might be different if it were consistent, but knowing that Baek Rak had cared about him even briefly might be making him feel that way more.
Seo Won quietly sighed.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? What’s your relationship anyway?”
Park Haru really has no sense.
“We have no relationship.”
“Then why does Baek Rak worry about you so much?”
If he’s curious, he should ask Baek Rak directly instead of doing this to him.
“Don’t ask me, ask him.”
“Baek Rak won’t talk, that’s why.”
“I don’t know either. Rather, I want to know. What Baek Rak is thinking.”
“…….”
He knew that Baek Rak wanted to keep him in this place. He understood the reason and the situation that made it necessary. But that didn’t mean it was okay to scratch at someone’s heart like that.
He wasn’t unaware that Baek Rak was that kind of guy, but this time he had crossed the line a bit.
Since he had never truly disliked or hated anyone in his life, he didn’t know what to do. While working all night, even he was confused because he didn’t understand his own feelings.
At least meeting Haru had made him forget for a moment, but for that subject to be mentioned directly.
Both Yu Sol and Haru—he didn’t understand how he appeared to them that they asked like this. It seemed like it was because Baek Rak wasn’t acting like usual……
Seo Won asked Haru about a thought that suddenly occurred to him.
“But what’s Baek Rak usually like?”
“Usually?”
Haru stopped working and thought for a moment, then stared at Seo Won. His eyes showed suspicion. Even so, his mouth didn’t stop.
“Baek Rak is quite affectionate compared to how he looks. If he thinks you’re his person, he treats you well. Of course, rather than doing it openly in front of you, he quietly watches and takes care of you from behind?”
That’s…… who? What about Baek Rak? Affectionately treating people well and secretly taking care of them from behind? That tactless and indifferent guy?
Seo Won shook his head, wondering if he had heard wrong.
“On the flip side, he doesn’t even treat people he dislikes as human. What do you mean people—he’d ignore your very existence?”
“…….”
“But you don’t belong to either category. No, to be precise…… to Baek Rak, you’re an out-of-spec target. Not here, not there, like you’re standing alone in some strange place.”
It wasn’t wrong. In some ways, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was seeing through it accurately.
But that couldn’t justify Baek Rak’s selfish behavior. Whenever he tried to get used to it, it was always this side that got swayed by the guy’s changing attitude.
No matter how isolated his position was, wasn’t he the same kind of person as them?
“He does trust you…… but it seems like he wants to keep you in his sight at all times. He seems to care but also seems like he doesn’t want to care. ……I don’t know. Anyway, something’s strange.”
It seemed even close friends couldn’t understand Baek Rak’s behavior.
Whether he should like this or not. Since there was no comparison group, it wasn’t easy to figure out the guy’s intentions.
Still, his honest feeling was that he didn’t want to clash with Baek Rak anymore. Especially, he hoped incidents like yesterday would never happen again. He didn’t want to be controlled even in missing his hometown.
Seo Won gripped the box he was holding tightly.
“But Yoon Seo Won, you worked all night?”
Seo Won composed himself for a moment and raised his head, hoping his expression didn’t look strange.
“Yeah, Han Seong Hyeon doesn’t usually give me hard work, so I just said I’d do it.”
“You’re different from how you look after all.”
“What?”
“At first you looked so slick that I wondered if you’d work properly, but you’re more sincere than I thought.”
“……Slick, what?”
Slick? Seo Won stared at Haru blankly, at a loss for words.
“Do you know how famous you are in the shelter these days? People are incredibly curious about you. Some guys say you look……no, interesting and like you, some pester me to introduce them quickly. It’s just chaos, complete chaos.”
It started as a compliment but toward the end he was busy grumbling. Why did he change his words in the middle? He could roughly guess what kind of talk had been going around.
Anyway, to think he’d hear that he looked slick from a guy six years younger than him. It was unimaginable in the world he used to live in.
Seo Won shook his head and said.
“It’s not good to judge people by their faces. If you’re envious, just say you’re envious.”
“What? Why would I be envious of you? I’m not.”
“You are envious though?”
“What nonsense are you talking about!”
A slight red tinge rose on Haru’s pale face. Seo Won, who watched this in real time, looked at Haru with a meaningful expression.
“Really?”
“What’s with that expression? I’m feeling really weird right now.”
Seo Won shrugged as if he didn’t know. Then he spoke as if just remembering something he had forgotten.
“Come to think of it, who’s the person pestering you? Introduce me.”
“What? Why do you want to meet him!”
“Can’t I even say hello?”
“No, you can’t. Don’t. You don’t need to.”
“Why?”
Seo Won deliberately smiled mischievously. Teasing Haru who reacted immediately allowed him not to think about other things.
“Why! That’s obviously……!”
“Obviously?”
So he laughed while repeating Haru’s words. Seeing him being so openly jealous was just cute. Of course he’d dislike his crush’s attention going to someone else.
He was thinking of stopping the teasing soon when.
“You’re still an outsider!”
At Haru’s desperately blurted words, Seo Won froze with his smiling face intact.
“To properly become one of our shelter people, you still have a long way to go, you know? So don’t think about hanging around with other people for no reason!”
“…….”
“It’ll take a very long time to be accepted! Got it?”
Hit by an arrow without malice, Seo Won couldn’t say anything. He knew what Haru meant by those words. He also knew he wasn’t the type to mince words.
Could he immediately blend in among them just because he’d been here for a few days? Of course he knew that time was needed. He knew, but.
“…….”
Why did it sound like “you’ll be an outsider forever, so don’t get attached to this place”?
Because he had no peace of mind? Because his self-esteem had dropped?
No, maybe.
‘……It might be because that’s the truth.’
Just as a duckling can’t become a swan, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t become a person of this place. It would be the same even if he became a Hunter. They might help each other, but they wouldn’t be the same.
Like Creatures and Turncoats.
It felt like a heavy stone had settled in his chest, pressing down on his heart. He didn’t know what to do to relieve this frustration. Should he try to find a way back even if it was difficult?
Seo Won looked at Haru, who was still blushing, then smiled hazily.
“Yeah, ……I know. I understand.”
He understood well. That it was difficult even if he wanted to go back.
“Good if you know.”
Thinking his words had been well conveyed, Haru nodded vigorously.
Even after driving the point home, as if still anxious, Haru poured out more words several times—that he shouldn’t talk to civilians, that if he had questions he should call him instead.
Each time, Seo Won only nodded.
After that, he kept his mouth quietly shut while working. Even when Haru talked to him, he avoided conversation by making excuses about being tired.
“That’s what happens when a civilian works without sleeping for two days straight. You should rest now too.”
Ignoring Haru’s way of showing concern, Seo Won continued moving his body. Haru, who had tilted his head, just brushed it off casually saying, “Well, he’ll figure it out himself.”
It was when he had been working without rest like that and the bright red sky began to gradually turn black.
News came that Yu Sol had woken up.
***
The place he ran to upon hearing the news was the 6th floor of the department store building, the office. When he went inside, he could see Yu Sol lying beyond a partition.
She looked a bit tired, but coming out of the recovery room must mean she had improved a lot. Seo Won let out a sigh of relief while looking at Yu Sol from behind the gathered Hunters.
“How are you feeling now?”
“Good, fine, not bad.”
But Yu Sol was responding curtly to Nora’s concern as if annoyed.
“Hey, Yu Sol. Someone’s worrying about you, so why are you reacting like that?”
When Haru pointed this out, Yu Sol opened her eyes wide and said.
“Park Haru, can you take Nora away? She’s asking if I’m okay for the tenth time now. How long do I have to keep answering?”
“……Oh, that’s rough.”
Haru, who finally understood the situation, looked at Nora as if she was pathetic. Since she was someone who especially doted on Yu Sol, her worry must be considerable, but it was so excessive that he was concerned she might end up being hated.
“Nora, stop it. She’ll be exhausted from answering.”
“……Don’t get hurt anymore. Got it?”
“I got it…….”
It was amusing how the situation was unfolding—Haru, who had said he’d give her hell, was mediating, and Nora was acting like that. Then Yu Sol shook her head, sighed, and looked around quickly.
“But where’s Yoon Seo Won?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
