At least ten billion.
What Blue Star was about to say wasn’t merely about the value of that single Mana Stone. The one discovered at the second floor entrance alone was that large, and no one knew how many more of that size—or even larger—might be scattered deeper inside. That was the real point he was making.
Still, ten billion? It was like something out of a dream. With that kind of money, one could easily turn down every convenience offered by Hansung, and even live a life of luxury without ever needing to rely on Baek Tae-beom.
Baek Tae-beom and I were different—he could throw around tens of billions like pocket change. But me? I was broke. Dead broke.
Lee Myung-won, who had been momentarily wide-eyed, spoke in a slow, measured voice.
“We need to organize a raid party right away.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk about.”
Blue Star spoke with a bright expression.
“I want to borrow Ga-hyeon for that~.”
“What?”
“Excuse me?”
“What was it again—an unmeasurable grade?”
With that grinning face, Blue Star stared straight at me.
“That’s incredible, right? So wouldn’t it be fine if Hansung just sent Ga-hyeon alone?”
“…I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
Lee Myung-won, clearly caught off guard, responded in a calm tone.
“Choi Ga-hyeon isn’t a member of our guild.”
“What? But this is a Hansung hospital. And this room is supposed to be restricted to personnel only, isn’t it?”
“Well… there are circumstances…”
“Ga-hyeon-ah!”
Blue Star called my name like we were childhood friends bonded by years of unbreakable friendship. The way his sky-blue eyes sparkled made my skin crawl.
“Then why don’t you join our guild?”
“Are you insane?”
“Why such a reaction, Myung-won? Did you already call dibs on Ga-hyeon or something? Is that why you’re treating him so special? Or maybe…”
Blue Star smirked oddly as he spoke.
“Is it because of the one-plus-one deal?”
“……!”
“It’s obvious. That bastard Beom must’ve come to Hansung for Ga-hyeon. Myung-won, you’ve gotten real sly since the last time I saw you.”
“…You’re the last person who should be saying that.”
“Wow, now I’m really curious. Ga-hyeon. How did you seduce that Beom bastard? Huh?”
“…….”
I looked at Blue Star’s face, clearly amused, and finally opened my mouth.
“At least I didn’t act like a fox, so there’s no need for you to know.”
Blue Star blinked, then burst out laughing.
“Really? Well, it’d be nice to see your face when we put the raid party together. Anyway, I’m a busy man, so I’ll be heading out now~.”
“Good for you, being so busy.”
“Wow, am I hated now?”
Even though he played it off so casually, I knew Blue Star’s real nature. He was the type who rarely encountered any negative emotions from others, so even the slightest hostility would send him crawling under the covers at home, sobbing into his blanket.
Blue Star shrugged as if nothing had happened, stepped off the chair like he hadn’t just stirred up the entire room, and returned to his shorter height.
“Then I’ll see you next time~ Take care, Ga-hyeon!”
With that, Blue Star flung the door open. Immediately, a man who seemed to be his manager rushed up, nearly in tears, pleading, “You can’t just do this!” But Blue Star only laughed and brushed past him.
Once the noisy sounds faded into the distance, Lee Myung-won let out a deep sigh.
“That was too loud.”
I agreed completely.
“Then we’ll be heading off as well.”
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
I hesitated briefly before speaking.
“There’s something I need to talk about.”
***
Baek Tae-beom is overreacting to my situation.
I brought it up after Blue Star left, once all talk of Mana Stones and dungeons was over. Oh Kwon-hyuk sat silently with his arms crossed, saying nothing. Meanwhile, Lee Myung-won responded as if confused.
“Isn’t that true for you as well, Mr. Choi Ga-hyeon?”
“Me?”
“Hasn’t it been that way since the very first time you met?”
“…Me?”
“I assumed the two of you shared a very special bond. I still do. Baek Tae-beom is deeply attached to you, and you know that full well, don’t you?”
“But that’s…”
Isn’t it simply because we have a Constellation–Contractor relationship? Baek Tae-beom practically saw me as his parent. Like a newly hatched chick imprinting on the first thing it sees, he was overly attached to the one who’d pulled him out of immediate danger—me.
That conversation I’d had with Baek Tae-beom before said it all.
“You probably don’t get it. You asked me why I liked you, right?”
“It’s because you’re you.”
That didn’t make any sense. Baek Tae-beom was clearly misunderstanding something.
But Lee Myung-won, perhaps reading something in my expression, looked puzzled as he spoke.
“Are you doubting Baek Tae-beom?”
“What?”
“I’m asking if you’re questioning the sincerity of Baek Tae-beom’s affection for you.”
“Why would I think about something like that?”
“Then what’s driving those thoughts? Isn’t it only natural for someone to blame themselves and feel anguish if someone they care about gets hurt? Mr. Choi, do you think Baek Tae-beom would be indifferent if you were injured?”
I was at a loss for words. Lee Myung-won continued, sounding almost exasperated.
“I highly doubt that. Don’t you consider Baek Tae-beom someone precious?”
“…I do.”
“Then what if Baek Tae-beom got hurt because of you?”
I let myself imagine it for a moment—and the world tilted. My vision blurred, my head spun. And what startled me more than anything was that I was terrified by that thought.
Is this even an emotion befitting a Constellation and Contractor? Was I the one who’d been misunderstanding something?
“Do you still think Baek Tae-beom is overreacting?”
“…….”
“You look like you still don’t get it.”
“Tae-beom and I have only been together for two months.”
I nervously clenched and unclenched my fists as I spoke.
“That’s hardly enough time for anything like a deep connection to develop…”
“Do you not have friends?”
At that sudden question from Oh Kwon-hyuk, my face twisted. Even Lee Myung-won looked aghast.
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. I’m asking if he has any friends.”
“…I don’t, actually.”
“Any parents?”
“Mr. Oh Kwon-hyuk!”
“No, I don’t. None. They’re all gone. Satisfied?”
My reply was sharp and snappy, but Oh Kwon-hyuk responded in a much calmer tone.
“Then it makes perfect sense. I was the same.”
“…What?”
“Before I joined a guild, I was the same. I doubted everything. Took nothing at face value.”
He still stood with arms crossed. From my angle, lying back in the hospital bed, he still looked threatening—but less than before.
“So it’s only natural for you to have questions. But questions are just that—questions. If you have doubts, the only way to resolve them is to talk with the person involved. You think Hunter Baek Tae-beom caring about you is strange, don’t you?”
“…….”
“Then talk to him. Directly.”
“…….”
“…….”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Are you really Oh Kwon-hyuk?”
In the end, his point was simple: talk it out, face-to-face. I never would’ve expected Oh Kwon-hyuk to say something like that, but… it helped. It really did. Because ultimately, what I needed was a conversation.
Which led to this moment.
In the hospital room, I was sitting face-to-face with Baek Tae-beom.
Practically dragged here by Oh Kwon-hyuk and Lee Myung-won, Baek Tae-beom now sat across from me, wearing his usual expression.
Or rather, something like his usual expression. His eyes were rimmed red, like he’d been crying. That’s when I realized—I’d made Baek Tae-beom cry again. And my chest ached.
Why?
Was it guilt? Sadness? I had no idea where to begin.
“It’s okay, hyung.”
Baek Tae-beom spoke as if it truly was nothing.
“Sorry for making you worry. I shouldn’t have gotten so worked up. Are your injuries okay? Nothing else hurting?”
“You didn’t get worked up. You just blamed yourself.”
“Which still counts as getting worked up, doesn’t it? I just said everything I wanted, rambled on, and ran away.”
Baek Tae-beom lowered his head, looking awkward and ashamed. I quietly looked at his face.
“Beom-ah.”
“…….”
“First of all… I’m sorry for making you worry.”
The worst possible way to apologize—‘First of all.’ But if I didn’t soften it like that, I didn’t think I’d be able to say anything at all. Baek Tae-beom still had his head bowed.
“And… do you remember what you said before? About why I was being so nice to you?”
“Yes, hyung.”
“I know a part of the future.”
Baek Tae-beom’s head jerked up, eyes wide. In contrast, I lowered my gaze to my fingertips. Since he already knew I was a Constellation, it felt like I’d just be lying to him if I didn’t lay it all out now.
“That’s why I treated you kindly.”
“…….”
“Kind of changes things when you know the truth, right? I was good to you because you were going to benefit me. That’s why I made the contract. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“…….”
I kept staring at my fingers. My already pale hands had turned ghostly white. I didn’t need a mirror to know what kind of expression I must have been wearing. I wanted nothing more than to bury my face in my hands and disappear.
“When you came looking for me, honestly… I was happy. When you said you’d been waiting two years, I felt amazed, grateful. It’s not easy to wait for someone like that. But you did it for me. That made me feel… strange. But, Tae-beom.”
I clenched my fists tightly.
“The reason you feel that way about me is because I’m your Constellation.”
“…What did you say?”
“I might feel like family to you. Like someone precious. Maybe even more than that. But that’s all because I’m your Constellation…”
Suddenly, a fierce hand snatched mine.
Startled, I looked up—and saw a face on Baek Tae-beom that I had never seen before.
