Chapter 40
What is that? Is this a dream? I stared blankly at the moving figure.
A black thing danced fluidly. Not a pure black, it received light from behind, shifting its body this way and that. My sleep-drunk head and eyes were hazy as if covered in fog. Trying to move my limbs to get up, my bones and muscles responded sluggishly, like stretched tape, only stirring after a considerable delay.
“…you eat?”
The black thing that shot up toward the sky spoke. I was surprised that it could speak, and listened intently. Since all the dreams I’ve had lately were nightmares, this black thing must surely be a nightmare too… But rather than fear, I was curious about what it would say. However, there was nothing here except the black thing. Could it possibly be talking to me?
“…no… left.”
But the answer came from below. When I slowly lowered my head, another black thing was revealed. Though shorter than the elongated one, its bundled size was not small. Was it crouching because it was overwhelmed by the imposing elongated one? But the smaller one didn’t seem to be cowering. Rather, it looked like it was threatening the elongated one. Once again, light danced and the two black things twisted their bodies dramatically. The elongated black thing spoke.
“…because of that, this fishy smell… …is it?”
“…the same. Your… besides…”
As I listened, I became irritated. Why were the sounds so intermittent? As I grew annoyed, I heard another sound I hadn’t noticed until now. A tremendous downpour was falling. Occasionally, I could hear thunder that seemed as if it would tear the world apart.
I realized the identity of the noise that had devoured their conversation and my eyelids trembled. My half-closed eyes opened with difficulty. I still moved my hazy pupils and turned my head. My mind pulled out memories one by one. From the memories I had gathered almost obsessively, the last moment of falling asleep with Kim Doyun came back vividly. But the space beside me was coldly empty.
“Why…”
My hoarse voice couldn’t even come out properly and crawled back into my throat. I rubbed my rough throat. My sleep-drunk head was ringing. My body, tired and unable to sleep deeply, was urging me to rest. But I couldn’t. Because I was alarmed after coming to my senses to identify the black things.
“Jaekyeong-ssi!”
Hearing his name, Jang Jaekyeong turned his head. Water dripped from his wet hair, running down his cheeks. Not just his face, but his entire body was soaked. He looked like someone who had arrived through the downpour, and worry rose in me momentarily, but then all thoughts flew away because of his actions. Jang Jaekyeong, whom I had been waiting for so earnestly, was pointing a gun at Kim Doyun.
“Hello. You’re awake?”
Jang Jaekyeong responded as if exchanging light morning greetings. But the threatening gun was still pointed at Kim Doyun. The gaze that had been directed at me quickly returned, becoming as sharp as someone who wanted to tear Kim Doyun apart.
“Wait, just a moment.”
I quickly stood up and approached the two. When my feet touched the floor, I staggered pathetically and almost planted my face on the ground. But due to the urgency of the situation, I didn’t even feel embarrassed. I hurriedly got up and circled around the two, trying to soothe and calm them.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but please calm down…”
“Do you perhaps.”
“Yes?”
“Know about this guy?”
Jang Jaekyeong asked with a smile. It was a smile, but not a smiling face. His coldly sunken eyes growled as he bared his teeth. Kim Doyun was the same. His hand resting on his leg twitched. Like someone who wanted to grab the other’s collar and kill him right away.
What on earth had happened while I was asleep? I was flustered not knowing the reason, but the two didn’t seem to have any intention of explaining.
“The person you said you wanted to find isn’t this guy, right?”
Instead, he started questioning me. As a precaution, I stepped between the two and nodded. The tense atmosphere remained, but despite my blocking presence, they didn’t push me away or get angry. I was relieved about that.
“That’s right.”
“The person who’s been helping you and stayed with you all this time?”
“Yes.”
I answered diligently despite the continued questions. If the situation was clarified, wouldn’t the two return to calmness and explain the reason to me? However, Jang Jaekyeong’s smile became more crooked. He looked at Kim Doyun and snorted provocatively.
“I never thought there’d be someone as shameless as me. Amazing.”
Jang Jaekyeong’s gun barrel brushed past my side and pressed against Kim Doyun’s forehead. He was so quick that even as I watched, I couldn’t stop it. But even facing the danger of having his head shot through, Kim Doyun remained calm. He slowly blinked and then smiled faintly. Seeing this, Jang Jaekyeong growled even more.
“Seongho.”
“…?”
“Do you know? There’s no such thing as a person who’s kind without reason. Such people always have dark ulterior motives. Either they want something, or they’re planning to backstab you. Of course, there might be truly angelic people, but not in this case.”
Jang Jaekyeong pressed close to me and whispered. Like someone seducing, he lowered his voice, making it very sweet. A chill ran down my spine. I couldn’t ignore it because he was acting as if he knew Kim Doyun. When I just blinked, not knowing what to do, Jang Jaekyeong smiled and tapped my cheek. As I stared at him as if entranced, suddenly my arm hurt. Surprised by the pain, I tried to look at my arm, but my view was blocked as I was pulled away from Jang Jaekyeong. Kim Doyun, who had stood up before I noticed, was pulling my arm and blocking me.
“Do…”
“Shut up.”
I closed my mouth without finishing my words. Even though Kim Doyun wasn’t directing his harsh tone at me, I couldn’t open my mouth. Kim Doyun grabbed the gun barrel that had followed his head with his hand. A terrifying sound, crack, echoed from the gun in his hand. Though the gun’s shape remained intact, the sound didn’t stop.
“What’s faster, you breaking it or me shooting?”
“Want me to kill you?”
Despite the fierce retort, Jang Jaekyeong smiled. As if he had been waiting for those words, his hand moved back and there was a metallic sound. A knife was gripped in his other hand. Seeing the situation becoming increasingly ominous, I stepped between them again.
“Wait a moment!”
I couldn’t just stand by, even though I didn’t understand the situation. If left alone, they might end up dead. I grabbed the wrists of both Kim Doyun and Jang Jaekyeong and applied pressure.
“What are you doing with someone standing here! Please step back!”
The two who hadn’t budged despite my force released their hands at my desperate shout. More precisely, only Kim Doyun did. Jang Jaekyeong examined the externally damaged gun carefully, and seeming to confirm it was still usable, tucked it into his waistband. But his hand remained in that vicinity, ready to shoot if necessary.
“Jaekyeong-ssi.”
“What.”
“The knife is still there.”
I pointed at the hand Jang Jaekyeong had hidden behind his back. At that, Jang Jaekyeong’s smile twisted a bit.
“You caught me.”
“I saw you draw it, but I didn’t see you put it back.”
“You’re quite observant.”
Only after the dangerously glinting knife disappeared into its sheath could I feel relieved. However, the ominous aura between the two remained. Veins bulged on Kim Doyun’s tightly clenched hand. Jang Jaekyeong was staring intently at me alone. Displeased by this, Kim Doyun again hid me behind his back. Jang Jaekyeong’s face turned fierce, and Kim Doyun straightened his back. It seemed another fight was about to begin.
“You claimed him first, is that it?”
Jang Jaekyeong sneered. But his face, which should have looked hateful, felt cold. I couldn’t see Kim Doyun’s face as he had his back to me, but I could easily guess the expression he was making from what happened moments ago. Jang Jaekyeong’s hand began to play around his waist.
“No matter how much you… I won’t be easy to deal with either.”
One fingertip touched the knife, the other hand touched the gun. I frowned hearing the deliberately hidden words. Kim Doyun’s grip tightened even more. The arm he held hurt slightly, but not unbearably, so I remained still. Soon after, Kim Doyun’s hand holding me loosened. But his hand traveled down my arm and overlapped with mine. I looked at Kim Doyun, who was still turning his back to me, as he carefully held my hand. The battle of nerves between the two continued. Jang Jaekyeong moved first. He stepped forward and gripped his knife. Though he didn’t draw it, it felt as if he was holding a knife to our throats. And then Kim Doyun, who had been silent until now, spoke.
“I found him first.”
Kim Doyun’s hand tensed sharply.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
