TL/Editor: Raei
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How much ti had passed?
I ca to my senses.
Tilting my head slightly downwards, our foreheads touched, and our lips grew apart.
As I ended the kiss, Song Soo-yeon sluggishly opened her eyes.
And, as if spellbound, she closed the distance that had opened between us.
Her lips brushed against my upper lip.
I turned my head away once more.
Yet, Song Soo-yeon, undeterred, blindly aid for my lips again.
Rubbing her face against mine, she kept pushing her lips towards mine.
Only after I turned my head for the last ti did the light return to her eyes.
She ca back to her senses, just like I did.
.....
However, her reaction was the exact opposite.
Her expression soured, unsatisfied with the outco.
Then, she murmured under her breath.
......Ah.. Sh*t..
I could read the emotions etched on Song Soo-yeons face.
Desperation. Longing. Greed. Lust. Frustration.
Then she bit her lower lip, feigning ignorance, and once again grabbed my cheek, attempting to kiss .
....Soo-yeon.
But she froze at my words.
I couldnt et her eyes.
Any further physical contact would be irresponsible.
I cant take responsibility for her.
Our current situation didn't allow for it.
Unaware of this, Song Soo-yeon said,
....Can't we just... do it...?
...
...F*ck...just one more ti... okay?... Mister...
Could I have ever imagined this beautiful face looking so excited, so desperate?
The desire to be loved was being fulfilled.
I felt an undeniable joy secretly, but...I couldnt show it.
I made up my mind.
I prepared harsh words to push her away.
...
When I opened my mouth, no words ca out.
It was that difficult to utter these words.
After all, I had to shatter the love I had longed for from others with my own hands.
...Ill make it clear, Soo-yeon.
A fleeting fear flashed across Song Soo-yeons face.
Her large eyes shifted back and forth between mine.
...I have no intention of accepting your feelings.
...............
Song Soo-yeons lips parted slightly.
Pain filled her eyes as she looked up at .
....I told you theres soone else I like. Forget about what just happened.
.......That was a lie, wasnt it.
...
.......What?
I did not respond to her words.
Her expression darkened by the second.
She glanced away, holding back tears, taking shallow breaths.
In the end, she asked.
"....Solace...?"
"..."
".....Ha...seriously..."
Driven mad by injustice, she squeezed out a cry.
Then, taking a deep breath, she raised her voice to speak to .
".....That woman has everything. Right? Fa...! Popularity...! She's loved by everyone. She's rich...! She's powerful. She grew up without any hardships...! Not like and my horrible past!!"
"....Soo-yeon-"
"-Why can't I have just one thing, why can't I have you!! Why does everything have to belong to Solace!! Why can't I have anything, why!!"
She scread in anger.
It was a desperate plea full of resentnt.
Unconsciously, my jaw and hands tensed up.
Her pain was fully conveyed to , knowing her past as I did.
"She...! She's a violent person...! She smokes...! She's not as good as you think...!"
"..."
When I offered no response, she despairingly dropped her head.
Her thin body was already exhausted.
She started sobbing, her shoulders shaking.
A sound I've beco all too familiar with lately.
Soon, she managed to say with difficulty.
"....I knew you first...sob...I loved you first..."
"I knew Solace before I knew you."
Soo-yeon's voice hardened.
I revealed truths to her that I hadnt shared with anyone else.
"...I'm not saying I knew Solace from seeing her on TV."
"..."
"Solace doesnt know , but...Ive run into her often. In the past...I did a lot of bad things."
Soo-yeon leaned weakly against my chest.
She quietly listened to my words.
And sohow, seeing her like this felt like looking at soone who had lost everything.
The fact that it was Soo-yeon made it all the more painful.
Tears started to flow from my eyes involuntarily.
It was fortunate that she wasnt looking at .
But I couldnt hide the tremor in my voice.
It shook enough for her to clearly hear.
In that state, I said,
"Rember...? I told you before."
-Drip.
My tears fell onto her bobbed hair.
"There are true heroes in this world. You'll know when you et one."
I had said this to her multiple tis.
To her, who doubted heroes, I can't recall how often I'd repeated it.
And every ti I said such things, I was thinking of only one person.
"Solace was my hero."
-Drip drip.
More tears fell onto Soo-yeons head.
-Drip.
-Drip drip.
"...Solace was...my hero."
"..."
There was a mix of lies in it, too.
To say I wasn't disappointed in Solace would be a lie.
What I saw from Solace was a great shock.
But being in a position where I was trying to push Soo-yeon away, I was just hiding these facts.
...But regardless, it doesn't change the fact that Solace saved .
She was the one who showed a different direction in life.
I was disappointed, but I couldn't hate her.
Slowly, strength returned to Soo-yeon's hands, which were grabbing my chest, but soon, they relaxed again.
Soo-yeon had no more words to say.
Nor did I.
"......"
I continued my flight.
---
---
I dropped Soo-yeon off at her apartnt.
We didn't speak a word on the way there.
This might not be the last ti I see her face.
But it would be the last ti she sees mine.
"....Take care."
That's what I said to her.
Then I approached the window.
At that mont, Soo-yeon spoke.
"....You were my hero."
Those words stopped in my tracks.
"....In this crappy...dood world that I wished would just go, you saved ."
"......."
She ca closer and grabbed the hem of my clothes.
"....I'm sorry..."
"..."
"I'm sorry for attacking your hero...for constantly trying to wedge myself between the two of you..."
Soo-yeon's hand, holding onto my clothing, was trembling.
"...But, can't you love too...? Even if it's not as much as Solace...sob....even if it's just ten percent...no, one percent...can't you look at ...?"
"..."
"I won't be greedy anymore...sob...I'll be a good person..."
I couldn't bear it anymore.
I simply dissolved into the shadows.
I had to leave like this, or else I felt like I would never be able to escape.
---
---
-Thud.
After taking the won from the island to the mainland, I brought Riem to the hideout.
Han Yoo-jung appeared at the end of the corridor.
"Are you.......here...?"
Her expression, initially brightening in anticipation of , faded upon seeing my state.
"...."
It wasnt because of Riem.
Han Yoo-jung knew already that I was bringing her.
It was my presence that had stiffened Han Yoo-jung's face.
Traces of tears I had shed were still evident.
Without a word, I passed by Han Yoo-jung and headed to the basent.
Like Liquid, I would confine Riem alone in a secluded place.
Throughout, Han Yoo-jung followed silently a few steps behind.
Whether my emotions were contagious or not, soon enough, she too wore a troubled expression.
"..."
I said nothing to Han Yoo-jung, who was trailing behind .
I just didn't have the strength.
I simply passed her by and headed towards the room I usually used.
-Thump!
Realizing I was heading to rest, Han Yoo-jung grabbed my wrist.
I looked at her, devoid of strength.
Han Yoo-jung wrestled with her words for a long while, hesitating and stumbling over them before finally saying,
"...I...made food."
"...."
"....Eat and rest."
As always, she suggested I eat sothing.
She didn't ask what happened.
She didn't offer consolation recklessly.
Perhaps it was an obvious choice for her...but I could feel her consideration.
Lately, it's been hard for to get angry at her.
Maybe because I've realized she was acting for my sake.
Though I had no appetite, I headed towards the dining table.
Maybe food could sohow fill this emptiness.
---
---
The table was set with white rice and various side dishes.
I don't know when she had the ti to make all this, considering she was as busy as I was all day searching for Soo-yeon.
A question suddenly ca to mind as I looked at the side dishes.
Though we had plenty of food stored in the hideout, it wasn't enough to constantly make sothing like this.
"...Did you go outside?"
If she hadn't gone out to buy ingredients, then these side dishes couldn't be explained.
"...."
Han Yoo-jung glanced at , then cautiously nodded.
Many questions raced through my mind.
From how she found a store that sold anything to why she ca back at all.
...Of course, if she had run away, I would have sohow brought her back, but her return was the biggest surprise.
"....Sorry."
Han Yoo-jung apologized.
She was apologizing for the fact that she went out.
I didn't respond.
I just started eating the food she prepared, putting spoonfuls of steaming rice into my mouth.
Maybe because of the warm rice, I felt a bit comforted.
It's ironic.
Is this what they an by causing the sickness and then offering the cure?
If it weren't for Han Yoo-jung...
"..."
I shook my head.
Even if it wasn't Han Yoo-jung, Soo-yeon might have made an immature decision.
After all, she was a villain.
Maybe, really, everything in this world flows according to a predetermined order.
...Then, would the end be the sa?
"...."
I brushed aside these needless thoughts.
I scooped up another spoonful of rice.
I hoped Soo-yeon was eating sothing too.
-Tap.
At that mont, a pair of chopsticks appeared and placed so side dishes onto my rice.
Looking up, Han Yoo-jung, with her gaze lowered, said,
"...It's...it's a good side dish..."
"..."
I didnt bother to refuse it again.
I simply continued to eat, placing the food into my mouth.
Seeing that I didnt resist, Han Yoo-jung continued to add side dishes to my spoon.
Her own bowl of rice remained untouched.
She was so busy assisting with my al that she wasn't eating her own.
As this continued, I said,
"...Eat your own food."
"...Ah, okay."
She shrank back a bit and clumsily picked up her spoon.
But her eyes never left my spoon.
As I scooped up another spoonful, she painstakingly placed more side dishes onto my spoon.
"......"
Though unspoken, it felt like a silent form of consolation and apology.
---
---
After the al, I stood up from my seat.
Han Yoo-jung quickly rose from hers as well.
"I told you to eat your al."
I remarked, seeing her bowl still had rice left, but Han Yoo-jung, with a determined look on her face, approached .
She was cautious and sowhat afraid of .
Yet, she endured that pressure and stood in front of .
"...Gyeom."
"...."
"There's...there's sothing I really want to say."
"....."
"................."
She hesitated for a while longer.
I could see the conflict happening inside her.
"...Today...you were in a bad mood, and I was worried...but I felt like if not today, then I might never get the chance."
"..."
"...I...I really tried hard today...? So that you could find Luna..."
It wasn't a lie.
She had indeed worked hard, to a degree that I could feel it.
Without her, I wouldnt have found Soo-yeon.
"So...that's why..."
"..."
She bowed her head deeply.
Her hand slightly covered her mouth.
Then she mumbled sothing.
".......please.."
"What?"
I asked again as I couldnt hear her, prompting her to raise her voice a bit more.
"....Can...Can I have a reward...?"
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