#102
‘So let’s start thinking about that contract too.’
Ha-seong’s casually thrown words. From that day on, Do-hyeok had been lost in thought. What reason, what thoughts had prompted Ha-seong to say those words. The more he thought about it, the more one answer kept surfacing. That Ha-seong was indeed planning to terminate this contract.
Baek Sa-jin, the culprit of the hunter murder case, had been caught. Of course, it wasn’t yet certain whether he was the real perpetrator of the artificial gate incident and more detailed investigation was needed, but for now he was a prime suspect and Yoon Woo-bin thought he definitely seemed to know something.
Do-hyeok took out the contract that he and Ha-seong had each kept a copy of from his Guild Leader office. Reading through all the various clauses, he reached the final sentence.
<This contract is valid until the perpetrator of the ‘artificial gate incident’ is caught and the truth is revealed. (The contract termination timing will be decided through mutual consultation.)>
Originally, the contract had been made for their mutual benefit. Do-hyeok needed Ha-seong’s abilities, and Ha-seong needed money to achieve his goal. Do-hyeok also knew well that Ha-seong was the type who would leave without looking back once his role as an informant was over.
A rich unemployed person. Ha-seong had said that was his goal. To achieve that ultimate goal, he might ruthlessly cut off this contract without hesitation.
“……”
The more he thought about it, the more strangely uncomfortable he felt. His heart felt heavy and constricted, and he alternated between anger and depression. It was like the emotional changes a boy might feel during adolescence.
“Shin-woo.”
“Yes?”
Do-hyeok called over Shin-woo, who had been diligently dusting the table in one corner of the Guild Leader office, and handed him some approval documents.
“If hyung wants to end the contract, what should I say?”
Do-hyeok’s gaze was fixed intently on the contract he had shared with Ha-seong. Shin-woo scratched his head and fell into thought.
“Well. Baek Sa-jin has been caught too… Though it’s still under investigation, if he really is the culprit, then there might not be a need to keep Ha-seong-ssi as an informant anymore, right?”
Shin-woo’s words hit the core. In fact, in the current situation, it wouldn’t be strange if Ha-seong wanted to discuss ending the contract. So should he obediently go along with those words? To that question, Do-hyeok couldn’t readily come up with a “yes” answer. To be honest, he didn’t want to comply.
Do-hyeok recalled the days that had continued from when he first met Ha-seong until now. From their absurd meeting in the dungeon to the threats and contract, and the day he had taken the nearly-dead Ha-seong into his home, as well as Ha-seong’s activities as an informant for the artificial gate – everything was still vivid in Do-hyeok’s mind.
Come to think of it, he didn’t think he’d ever felt particularly bored since meeting Ha-seong. For Do-hyeok, who was at the pinnacle as a hunter and whose guild also maintained the top position, everything was tedious. The only dynamic emotion he possessed was his desire for revenge. After tucking that away in a corner of his heart, Do-hyeok had been living a monotonous life.
Colorless days where nothing brought him great joy, sadness, or anger.
But things had changed since meeting Ha-seong. The man who shamelessly hid being a hunter was absurd, but after being momentarily surprised by his preposterous abilities, being with him felt strangely comfortable and reassuring. When Ha-seong was shot and in crisis, it seemed like he had felt fear for the first time in a very long while.
“Ah.”
As he continued thinking, there was something he naturally came to realize. Why he was having these emotions toward Ha-seong, who had spoken as if he wanted to end the contract.
“I don’t want to let go, it seems.”
Do-hyeok muttered quietly.
He didn’t want to let go yet. The contract with Do Ha-seong. More precisely, the person called Do Ha-seong. Even if Ha-seong said he wanted to end the contract, Do-hyeok had plenty of surface reasons to stop him. They hadn’t uncovered everything about Baek Sa-jin yet, so the contract couldn’t be terminated – if he gave reasons like that, Do Ha-seong would probably comply.
But it wasn’t really just for that reason.
The reason Do-hyeok couldn’t let go of this contract right now.
“If that’s really how you feel, try having a conversation with Ha-seong-ssi.”
Shin-woo, who had been reading the atmosphere while observing Do-hyeok’s unusual behavior, timidly offered his opinion.
“People are supposed to talk to each other. In dramas and movies, the protagonists fight and break up because they don’t communicate, right?”
When Do-hyeok said nothing, Shin-woo gained confidence in his own suggestion and added excitedly. Though he soon shut his mouth tight after receiving Do-hyeok’s sharp glare.
“No, I just meant you should try talking more… well, in that sense…”
Shin-woo laughed awkwardly, quickly grabbed the approval documents from the desk, and escaped from the Guild Leader office as if fleeing. Do-hyeok stared intently at the spot where his secretary had disappeared, then picked up his phone with a look of determination and called Ha-seong.
He was planning to tell him to come up to the Guild Leader office, since he should have arrived at work by now. But Ha-seong didn’t answer.
“Hasn’t he come to work yet?”
Do-hyeok looked at his phone and tilted his head. Ha-seong had a somewhat stubborn side and was meticulous about keeping time appointments. Unless there were unavoidable circumstances, he had never been late even once, and if he was going to be late, he would contact them first.
But this time, there had been no contact at all. What was this? In an instant, possible scenarios began stacking up in Do-hyeok’s mind. Do Ha-seong was like the wind. He seemed to be by your side, but it wouldn’t be strange if he flew far away and disappeared at any time.
A rich unemployed person. Ha-seong’s words about having fun once he saved up money. If he could achieve that dream right now, how would Ha-seong act? Do-hyeok stood up from his seat with a loud noise.
He knew it might be an excessive thought, but Do-hyeok couldn’t make such rational judgments right now. This was someone who, despite having such abilities, had been living well as a purifier while hiding that he was a hunter. Come to think of it, aside from Ha-seong’s name, age, and where he lived, Do-hyeok didn’t know anything about him.
When his thoughts reached that point, Do-hyeok quickly rushed out of the Guild Leader office.
“Oh my, what a shock.”
Shin-woo, who had been massaging his shoulder with a massage gun, was startled and stood up when he saw Do-hyeok burst out noisily.
“Uh, where are you going?”
“The purifier office.”
“What? Why there…”
“To find Do Ha-seong.”
Leaving only those words, Do-hyeok took the elevator and disappeared in an instant. It was some time after that when Won-hyeok came to the front of the Guild Leader office with a grave expression.
* * *
“I don’t want to end the contract. I don’t.”
After going to the purifier office and hearing that Ha-seong still hadn’t come to work, Do-hyeok quickly drove to his house. He knocked on the door right away, but Ha-seong didn’t come out. When Do-hyeok realized Ha-seong wasn’t home, he had been lost in thought, feeling helpless in front of his car.
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“Exactly what I said. I can’t end the contract yet.”
Ha-seong furrowed his brow. What wind had suddenly blown through him, what thoughts had he been thinking to suddenly act like this about ending or not ending the contract? Ha-seong was curious about what had led Do-hyeok to suddenly come to his house, but right now there was something even more curious than that.
“Why?”
Why was he saying he didn’t want to break the contract with such an expression, such a serious face? Ha-seong was curious about that. Why was he holding onto his finger like a dog that didn’t want to let its owner go and saying such things – that’s what he most wanted to know.
“……”
Do-hyeok gripped Ha-seong’s finger even tighter.
“Why don’t you want to break the contract? Our contract was supposed to end when we each got what we wanted anyway.”
Sometimes Ha-seong wondered what Cha Do-hyeok was thinking about in his life.
At first, he had only thought of him as crazy, but after hearing about his past full of wounds, he had long since abandoned such thoughts. He had come to understand that the emptiness mixed in those eyes wasn’t from having no thoughts at all, but because nothing could fill them – they were literally empty. So Ha-seong was curious.
What on earth was that guy thinking about? Was there really nothing but that damn revenge in his head?
“Can I be honest?”
Do-hyeok, who had been acting like a dog that needed to pee, suddenly sighed and spoke with all emotions composed.
“Since when were you ever bad at lying?”
“I don’t want to part with hyung.”
“…Huh? What did you say?”
It wasn’t the answer he had expected at all. Those words piercing his ears were enough to fluster Ha-seong.
“I want to keep you by my side.”
“……”
What’s this, is he confessing to me right now? Ha-seong blinked and stared blankly at Do-hyeok, who remained calm and expressionless.
“Hey, wait a minute.”
Ha-seong gently pulled his hand free from Do-hyeok’s grip. He had just asked out of curiosity, wondering what that guy was thinking about, but he felt like he’d been hit in the head.
“Why? You told me to be honest.”
“You… what exactly do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Do-hyeok tilted his head as if Ha-seong’s reaction was strange. That attitude made Ha-seong even more bewildered.
“What’s strange about wanting to be with hyung?”
Ha-seong could only gape at the continued bold words. What was this unfamiliar sensation? This feeling of something electric climbing up from somewhere around his toes. This feeling of his earlobes and cheeks getting as hot as roasted sweet potatoes.
In Ha-seong’s mind, the so-called ‘Cha Do-hyeok’s drinking incident’ from before suddenly came to mind.
“So what about hyung?”
“Huh?”
Ha-seong took a step back, trying not to let his reddened face be noticed.
“How do you feel, hyung? Do you really want to end the contract with me?”
As if he wouldn’t tolerate even that momentary distance, Do-hyeok stepped forward, making Ha-seong’s attempt to create distance meaningless.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
