Chapter 41

＊＊＊

“……What will happen to us?”

At the voice from beside her, Eunha turned her head slightly.

What was so cozy about that single small candle, her hand holding it trembled slightly. As a result, the candle and Joon’s shadow swayed precariously.

“Ah, no. Let’s just talk about what we’ll eat tomorrow.”

Joon forced a smile, though his lips wouldn’t rise.

Talking about tomorrow was good. At least then, they could think about tomorrow instead of today. Even if some might call it avoidance, it didn’t matter.

Fidgeting with the hand holding the candle, Joon said,

“I want... um, a salad with fresh vegetables and grilled salmon on top.”

Though he was trying to act bright, he couldn’t fool Eunha’s eyes. After all, they had been together for three years.

Eunha, who had been staring at the flickering candle with her dark eyes, turned her head abruptly.

“...I want to eat a bowl of soup with rice.”

“Soup with rice?”

“Yeah. The soup with rice I used to eat with my mom. The kimchi dumplings there are delicious too.”

Her profile, softly illuminated by the meager candlelight, was fixed straight ahead.

“Can we go together someday?”

Drip─

A drop of water fell from the tip of a stalactite hanging from the ceiling.

Drip─

When that particularly clear sound was heard again, Eunha spoke.

“Of course.”

She briefly answered and rummaged through her backpack to pull out a blanket.

“It’s better to get some sleep before the candle goes out. It’s our last one.”

After shaking off the dirt from the blanket, she handed it to Joon.

“Cover yourself. I don’t need it.”

She leaned against the mossy cave wall without hesitation. Joon, jumping up, pushed the blanket back at her.

“Lean on this. Your clothes will get dirty.”

“Already, my bloodstained uniform, what difference does a bit of dirt make?”

“Still...”

Joon’s face darkened at Eunha’s nonchalant answer.

His heart felt heavy.

When did she, did we, become so indifferent to bloodstains on our clothes?

How long will it be, will we, remain this way?

“Come on, hurry.”

In the end, Joon forcibly tucked the blanket behind Eunha’s back. Eunha, looking at Joon with a slightly annoyed expression, didn’t stop him.

A long silence followed.

For some reason, sleep wouldn’t come. Joon glanced at his comrade sitting beside him.

Jet-black hair, and equally jet-black eyes. The sharp, cat-like eyes that used to be so frightening were now not so scary.

“Eunha, are you also having trouble sleeping?”

Swoosh.

The black eyes, fixed straight ahead, turned towards him.

“If I fall asleep, I won’t be able to guard against a surprise attack.”

Suddenly, the green badge on her shoulder caught his eye. Joon had no idea how much weight it carried.

“Eunha, you know...”

“Go to sleep.”

“If you don’t sleep, I won’t either.”

“...”

Eunha stared at Joon intently. Then, she let out a small laugh.

“Do as you please.”

In front of her, Joon smiled sheepishly.

Joon knew. Eunha was someone who laughed at surprisingly trivial things.

But her smile was like a wisp of mist. Very faint and light, it would disappear as soon as you reached out to touch it.

The two of them leaned against the damp cave wall, sitting side by side.

The two long shadows cast on the wall covered in green moss seemed to resemble each other. Secretly pleased, Joon looked at their shadows on the wall and spoke.

“...So, my father wanted me to go to America. My mother too.”

“But why don’t you go?”

“It’s...”

Joon moved his lips slightly and glanced away. Even in this cave with only the small candle for light, her black eyes seemed to sparkle like the Milky Way.

Joon lowered his eyes slightly. His longer eyelashes cast neat shadows on his white cheeks.

“Just... because I like it.”

Eunha tilted her head. She didn’t seem to hear his soft voice.

“What did you say just now?”

Joon looked at her intently and then smiled sheepishly.

“No, Eunha, what about you? You don’t want to go to college anymore? You said you wanted to be a pet groomer.”

“I don’t think about it anymore.”

After a brief silence, her voice, which emerged from her slowly moving lips, was extremely calm.

“The world has changed.”

Her abilities manifested at the age of nineteen. She was conscripted at exactly twenty and has been a Hunter for three years now.

If the world hadn’t changed, she would probably be living the desired life of studying abroad in America.

“So, if peace returns someday.”

Then, will you go to America with me?

Joon couldn’t fully finish his sentence.

A sudden, violent tremor interrupted him.

＊＊＊

“After that, it’s as you know.”

Clack, Eunha put down her spoon and concluded her story.

Under the crimson light illuminating the living room, Siwoo and Eunha’s gazes met.

“Baek Joon escaped, and I was trapped in the Unknown Gate.”

“...Is that so.”

Siwoo also put down his spoon. Compared to Eunha’s empty bowl, his bowl still had a pile of curry rice.

‘For him... Senior did.’

She was trapped in the Unknown Gate for thirty years. In other words, she sacrificed herself.

Thinking about it, a natural question arose.

‘Why exactly?’

Siwoo had never made such a sacrifice for anyone, nor did he have any intention to, even for his family.

“What kind of person was he?”

Of course, he didn’t expect to be convinced by any answer.

But he was just curious.

What kind of person could make her sacrifice herself so completely?

“Hmm. If I must say, he was a gentle person.”

Eunha, staring at the empty bowl, muttered faintly. She even had a faint smile on her lips, as if recalling a memory.

‘Gentle...?’

Who? Maestro? It was a story he couldn’t agree with, and he couldn’t even manage a hollow laugh.

Siwoo’s expression became very serious, and Eunha’s gaze met his.

“Then, tell me. How do you know Baek Joon?”

“There’s no special way. There’s probably no Korean who doesn’t know him.”

Siwoo’s words made Eunha tilt her head slightly. She seemed to not understand his words.

Though he didn’t want to praise Joon, he had no choice. Siwoo spoke again.

“He is the first S-class Hunter in Korea.”

“What?”

Her long black hair fell over her shoulders. Eunha looked genuinely surprised.

It was natural. The Joon she remembered was far from a fighter.

“Oh, there’s a bit of a nuance in saying he’s the first S-class in Korea. He’s American.”

After adding this, Siwoo pulled his chair and stood up.

“Anyway, he visited Korea. It was his first visit in about thirty years.”

Siwoo spoke casually, as if spitting it out, and gathered the bowls on the table, heading towards the sink. His hand, about to put on rubber gloves, suddenly stopped.

“...Senior.”

Siwoo moved his stiff lips without turning his head.

“Senior, do you want to meet him?”

What a difficult question, his lips, which wouldn’t move as he wished, were frustrating.

He might think it’s a strange question.

Maybe he shouldn’t have asked. Such regret washed over him.

“Not particularly.”

Thud, Siwoo’s head turned with a swish. His eyes met Eunha, who was sitting at the table, propping her chin.

“Why are you surprised? Do you have to want to see him?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Siwoo, blinking slowly, moved his lips awkwardly.

“Senior, didn’t you sacrifice yourself for him?”

“Sacrifice?”

She moved her hair, which was flowing down her shoulders, behind her ear and continued.

“Do you think I’m a hero?”

If he had to say, it was close.

Being a first-generation Hunter was, in itself, a figure close to a hero for modern Hunters.

But it didn’t seem to be the case for Eunha.

“Maybe you’re thinking wrong. I’m probably much more powerless than you think.”

That day, when she was trapped in the Unknown Gate, she didn’t sacrifice herself. She just chose the option with less loss, considering the reality.

Eunha had no more strength, hope, or anything left to live in reality. So, she chose to stay in the gate.

She didn’t want to package it as a sacrifice.

“You’re the one who’s thinking wrong.”

Siwoo, who had turned around, denied it softly.

“Senior is probably much cooler than you think.”

“...”

“Really.”

Eunha, who had been propping her chin, slowly lowered her hand.

A moment of silence.

Siwoo put on rubber gloves and turned on the tap, perhaps to hide his embarrassment.

Rushing─

The tap water gushed out vigorously. Behind it, a low laugh could be heard.

“Thanks.”

Suddenly, Siwoo, who was washing the dishes, stopped. But only for a moment, he resumed scrubbing indifferently.

After finishing the dishes neatly, Siwoo put on his hoodie and grabbed his car keys.

“Hmm. I’ll deliver a new mobile phone to you tomorrow.”

“It’s not urgent, so take your time.”

“No, it’s urgent. For me.”

Siwoo shook his head firmly. He didn’t realize how frustrating it was to not be able to reach her.

Moreover, with the Trickster and Maestro issues, something could happen soon. Both were figures he needed to keep an eye on.

Siwoo put on his shoes, grabbing the food waste bag he had tied up earlier.

“I owe you a lot.”

Eunha, standing in front of the shoe rack, muttered. Siwoo, tying his sneakers, glanced up.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Just... various things.”

Eunha, leaning slightly against the wall, smiled faintly.

“I would have been in real trouble without you.”

“...No, it’s nothing.”

Siwoo bowed his head deeply and gave a short, bland answer. After struggling with his sneakers for a while, he finally lifted his head.

“Then... I’ll be going now.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

Eunha waved her hand slightly. After a brief nod, he fled the place.

Thud, thud, thud. The sound of his footsteps in the corridor was unusually loud.

Ding dong─

17th floor.