The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 136
‘…A whale?’
With the hand that had been patting Lee Sa-young’s back, Cha Eui-jae pressed down on his head, gently encouraging him to lean on him. A sweet fragrance filled the air.
The whale with a pure white body was enormous. Just from its appearance, it didn’t seem to be a monster, but he couldn’t be sure. There was too little information. Was it a hostile entity, a creature residing in the sea of a ruined world, or maybe…
“…Hyung.”
Lee Sa-young whispered. Cha Eui-jae snapped back to reality. The whale that had leapt so high had already disappeared into the sea. The surroundings were silent, as if the whale had never appeared. Cha Eui-jae let out a small sigh before answering.
“Yeah, Sa-young.”
“…Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah.”
“…”
“I’m really okay.”
Lee Sa-young’s grip on Cha Eui-jae’s clothes loosened. Cha Eui-jae patted Lee Sa-young’s back a couple of times and gently pushed him away. Lee Sa-young’s face was even paler than usual. Sweat had matted some strands of hair to his forehead. He mumbled,
“You wouldn’t wake up…”
“…”
“I tried waking you for a long time, but you just wouldn’t get up. Hyung…”
His muttering was as if he were entranced. His violet eyes, lacking their usual light, stared off into the void, not at Cha Eui-jae. A dark aura flickered in his eyes. Then, Lee Sa-young roughly rubbed his face, small curses slipping through his fingers.
“Damn it…”
“I told you, I’m fine. Calm down.”
“Ah, ugh…”
But Lee Sa-young clutched at the front of his clothes as if in pain. He let out a small groan. His breath quickened, his clothes wrinkling as he gripped them tighter. It wasn’t the usual annoyance or irritation. This was different. This was…
“What kind of hero are you if you can’t even save us!”
Someone had once screamed those words in a tearing voice. Cha Eui-jae couldn’t remember who it was. He bit his tongue, tasting the metallic tang of blood. Yeah, it was the behavior of hunters whose mental strength had reached its limit. And J had seen many such hunters.
…So many.
Lee Sa-young was now hunched over, struggling to breathe. His breathing grew faster with no sign of calming down. His breathing cycles became shorter, and the veins stood out on the back of his hand as he gripped his chest. It was hyperventilation.
Cha Eui-jae scanned the area with his Tracker’s Eye. Yoon Ga-eul was still in the same spot he’d seen earlier, not far away. Judging by the intensity and movement of the flames around her, she didn’t seem to have been hurt.
If that was the case…
Gritting his teeth, Cha Eui-jae cupped both of Lee Sa-young’s cheeks.
“Lee Sa-young, look at me.”
“…”
“I’m right here.”
“…”
“Lee Sa-young!”
Violet eyes wandered through the empty air, unable to focus on Cha Eui-jae right in front of him. His pale face grew even more ashen. A chill ran down Cha Eui-jae’s spine.
“…”
Could it be because he had seen ‘those’ memories?
Cha Eui-jae climbed onto Lee Sa-young’s lap, supporting the back of his neck with one hand and covering the hand gripping his clothes with the other. He gently rubbed the veins protruding from Lee Sa-young’s hand, trying to soothe him. Lee Sa-young’s head lolled backward. His mouth hung open, gasping for air sporadically.
Was it because the memories inside the Memorial Dungeon, those of ‘Cha Eui-jae,’ were so sweet?
Slowly, Cha Eui-jae leaned down.
No, those were just excuses.
A sweet scent filled the air,
And maybe, just maybe, Cha Eui-jae…
Their soft lips met.
“…”
Cha Eui-jae tilted his head, deepening the kiss as warmth spread between them. He exhaled all his breath into Lee Sa-young’s slightly parted lips, then inhaled again before kissing him once more. He could feel the strength slowly leaving Lee Sa-young’s grip on his clothes.
How much time had passed? Cha Eui-jae opened his eyes.
The violet eyes, now focused, were filled with nothing but Cha Eui-jae.
“…”
“…”
Cha Eui-jae slowly pulled away from the kiss, his hand releasing Lee Sa-young’s grip. But just as he began to move, a large hand grabbed his wrist tightly. Their eyes met.
Cha Eui-jae spoke.
“…I told you, I have skills.”
“…”
“I don’t lie like someone else.”
The warmth of Lee Sa-young’s hand crept between Cha Eui-jae’s fingers. His strong arms wrapped around Cha Eui-jae’s waist. The violet eyes gleamed fiercely, as if they would devour him, and the lips, swollen and red, parted. A cracked voice sweetly whispered, almost as if in seduction.
“Not yet.”
“…”
“Just a little longer.”
“…”
Lee Sa-young.
Cha Eui-jae’s only success.
And…
Cha Eui-jae slowly leaned down. Something soft slipped between Lee Sa-young’s slightly parted lips, their tongues tangling as a wet sound echoed between them. Each time Lee Sa-young’s dark tongue rubbed against the roof of his mouth, Cha Eui-jae’s body jolted.
He wrapped his arms around Lee Sa-young’s neck, their chests pressing tightly together, leaving no space between them. Their hearts were beating wildly. This time, surely, Lee Sa-young could hear it all too. After all…
[Trait: Basilisk’s Venom (S+) activated.]
[Due to the effect of Basilisk’s Venom (S+), you have developed resistance to toxins you’ve already detoxified.]
[The detoxification speed has increased.]
[You will not suffer physical damage.]
[Detoxifying…]
There’s no way an S-grade Awakener wouldn’t hear it, right?
Ignoring the barrage of system messages, Cha Eui-jae closed his eyes. Their lips parted with a soft sound. A quiet laugh slipped out, barely audible.
“You’re right.”
“…”
“You weren’t lying…”
Lee Sa-young sighed, the sound so sweet it seemed to melt the air. He lowered his head, pressing his lips to Cha Eui-jae’s neck. Cha Eui-jae glanced down at Lee Sa-young’s tousled black hair, then gently rested his cheek against it.
A burning heat enveloped them both. In the stillness of the ruins, Cha Eui-jae closed his eyes and listened to the sound of their hearts.
Lee Sa-young tasted sweet.
***
Crunch, crunch… The white ash piled high on the ground was softer underfoot than snow. Behind the two figures, long footprints trailed like a tail on the white ash.
Blue eyes quickly scanned the surroundings. The place where the flames flickered most violently was a ruined house, with its skeleton and some structure still intact. Cha Eui-jae peered behind a wall.
“Yoon Ga-eul!”
In a corner of the room, untouched by the ash, was a black lump. It seemed to be Yoon Ga-eul.
Cha Eui-jae hurriedly ran towards the lump. The closer he got, the louder the sound of labored breathing became. Upon closer inspection, the black lump was actually a black leather coat, worn and aged, having lost its original luster.
He carefully lifted the coat. Underneath was Yoon Ga-eul’s face, eyes closed peacefully as if asleep. She was dressed in a school uniform. He placed his hand under her nose and felt the breath of life.
“Ah…”
Thank goodness. Although he knew she was alive, feeling and confirming it with his own body was another matter entirely. Cha Eui-jae gently shook Yoon Ga-eul’s shoulder.
“Ga-eul, wake up. Ga-eul!”
“Ugh…”
Yoon Ga-eul frowned and groaned. Lee Sa-young, who was standing beside them with his arms crossed, tilted his head sideways with a smirk.
“Wouldn’t it be faster to just slap her awake?”
“Hey, why would you hit a student?”
“I slapped Bae Won-woo to wake him up.”
“Like that’s something to brag about, idiot.”
While Cha Eui-jae bickered with Lee Sa-young, Yoon Ga-eul, who had been stirring, slowly opened her eyes.
“What…”
“Oh, you’re awake?”
“Uh, uh, uh, J! It’s J, you’re here!”
Yoon Ga-eul screamed and quickly sat up. But she must have moved too fast because she immediately grabbed her head, groaning in pain.
“Ah, ow…”
“Calm down. There’s nothing dangerous around here. I checked the area on the way in, and it’s really just us.”
“Y-yes…”
Still clutching her head, Yoon Ga-eul looked at Cha Eui-jae and Lee Sa-young and began to tear up.
“Oh, really, sniff, I’m really sorry. Sob… You came all the way here because of me…”
“No, don’t think like that.”
“But… sniff.”
Yoon Ga-eul pouted her lips like a duck, trying to hold back her tears. She roughly rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Cha Eui-jae squatted in front of her, watching her, and then smiled.
“Still, I’m glad you’re safe, Ga-eul.”
At that moment.
“…Sniff.”
“…Hmm?”
“Waaah! Really, sniff, huuuh…”
Yoon Ga-eul suddenly burst into loud sobs. Why, why is she crying all of a sudden? Cha Eui-jae turned around to look at Lee Sa-young with a bewildered expression. Lee Sa-young curled his lips into a grin.
“Hyung made her cry.”
“…Me?”
“Waaahhh!”
“Maybe you should comfort her? I don’t think we can talk until she stops crying.”
Lee Sa-young nodded with a smile. Cha Eui-jae fumbled in his pocket, then his gaze fell on the coat in his hand. It was old and worn, but strangely familiar.
“…”
Where had he seen it before?
Cha Eui-jae frowned as he fiddled with the coat, and then suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind.
“Ah!”
Cha Eui-jae thrust the coat at the crying Yoon Ga-eul.
“Ga-eul! Ga-eul!”
“You’re not seriously giving that to her to wipe her tears, are you? …It’s filthy.”
“Lee Sa-young, just hold on a second. Ga-eul!”
“Sniff… Yes?”
Yoon Ga-eul, still hiccuping, looked back and forth between Cha Eui-jae and the coat. Cha Eui-jae pointed at the coat in his hand, his eyes shining.
“This, isn’t this the one from the fragment? That one!”
