The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 153 the one hidden in the gaps
The light green metal fence around the school wobbled slightly. Someone wearing a deep navy hood was shaking the fence. After taking a deep breath, they nimbly climbed the fence and lightly jumped to the other side. As if waiting, the door of a black van slid open with a clatter.
A figure leaning out of the passenger-side window casually gave a thumbs-up.
“You’re quite the expert at climbing fences. Seems like it’s not your first time.”
“N-no, it’s not like that.”
The student, clearing their throat, climbed into the van and removed the hood. Their untied brown hair cascaded down. The door closed, and the van started smoothly. Yoon Ga-eul adjusted her slightly askew glasses.
“Why did you call me? Is there a problem?”
“It’s not that.”
A distorted voice suddenly echoed, causing Yoon Ga-eul to jump and turn around. Something dark was draped over the long rear seat. It looked like leather rather than a blanket.
What’s that? As Yoon Ga-eul tilted her head in confusion, a gray-haired figure with a black mask suddenly emerged from behind the seat.
“Thanks for coming out right away. But aren’t you supposed to be in evening study? Is it okay for you to be out?”
“It’s fine. I made it look like I’m still there with a long padded coat like this…”
Yoon Ga-eul mimicked making a snowman with her hands.
“I made it look like a person and slipped out, so it’ll be fine for a while. The teacher on duty today isn’t strict either.”
“Good. That’s a relief.”
Seo Min-gi, who was waiting, added with a smile,
“We’ll circle around the school area, so don’t worry.”
The inside of the car soon fell silent. Yoon Ga-eul awkwardly rolled her eyes and spoke to Cha Eui-jae.
“Uh, how have you been? I’ve seen you often on TV. You’ve been on a lot.”
“Good to hear. I’ve been on a lot.”
Yoon Ga-eul fidgeted with the hem of her tracksuit pants. Perhaps because Cha Eui-jae’s expression was hidden behind the mask, she found herself being extra cautious.
‘Even though I know he’s not that kind of person…’
Cha Eui-jae, with the mask on, felt like a completely different person. In fact, his hair color was different too. His once jet-black hair had faded to an ashen gray.
The atmosphere was entirely different as well. There was a palpable tension, a sharp aura that seemed to reject any approach. It was hard to believe this was the same person who had casually greeted her in a baggy hoodie and apron while working part-time.
“Yoon Ga-eul, can I ask you something?”
“Yes? Oh, sure! Go ahead!”
Yoon Ga-eul straightened her slouched posture. Cha Eui-jae asked,
“You said you met another Lee Sa-young in the ruined world. That person brought you to a safe place, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Do you remember anything about him?”
“Uh, suddenly?”
“No, just now…”
Cha Eui-jae pointed to the black leather draped over the seat. Upon closer inspection, the leather was slightly moving up and down. Yoon Ga-eul leaned forward and then widened her eyes.
The pale face peeking out from the black curly hair was Lee Sa-young. He was lying down, using Cha Eui-jae’s lap as a pillow. Of course, his legs were awkwardly folded up.
Cha Eui-jae absentmindedly stroked the mask.
“Lee Sa-young woke up, but… something seems off.”
“In what way?”
“There are two of him. In one body.”
“What?”
“What?!”
The second “What?!” came with a sudden screech of brakes. Squeal! The black van stopped abruptly, and the weight shifted forward. Cha Eui-jae quickly cradled Lee Sa-young’s head and glared at the driver’s seat.
“Hey, watch your driving.”
“How can you drop such a bombshell on us and not share it right away? The guild leader is two people? Even one is scary… Ahem. He is just sleeping, right?”
“Probably.”
“Ahem. I wish him sweet dreams.”
Seo Min-gi cleared his throat. Cha Eui-jae rested his arm on the window ledge and continued.
“I’ve talked to him, and it’s clear they’re two different entities. As Hong Ye-seong suggested, it’s likely the Lee Sa-young from the ruined world, but you’re the only one who has actually met him, Yoon Ga-eul.”
“Ah, that’s right…”
“So, what was he like? It doesn’t have to be something grand, just tell me everything you remember.”
“Um…”
Yoon Ga-eul hesitated, sneaking a glance at Cha Eui-jae.
“He was, um, can I say this? He is really sleeping, right?”
“Yes, yes, anything’s fine.”
“Well…”
“Well?”
“He was really rude.”
Silence filled the car. Yoon Ga-eul nervously rolled her eyes, gauging everyone’s reactions. Seo Min-gi was slumped over the steering wheel, his shoulders shaking intermittently. He seemed to be laughing.
Cha Eui-jae, neither crying nor laughing, gently played with the soft curls.
‘Lee Sa-young is rude, but…’
“And, um…”
She looked up. After hesitating for a long time, Yoon Ga-eul muttered,
“He seemed strangely… even though we talked and I looked at him… I could tell he was rude.”
“…”
“But somehow, he didn’t feel… alive.”
“…”
Cha Eui-jae held his breath for a moment.
Lee Sa-young from the ruined world, who didn’t seem alive. Without the tears and warmth, it was hard to believe he was living. Something important had been connected. Could it be that some problem caused the two souls to not merge?
At that moment, Yoon Ga-eul raised her hand.
“Oh, and I should tell you this. It’s not directly related to Lee Sa-young, though.”
Yoon Ga-eul clenched her fist and spoke.
“Actually, ever since I first awakened, I’ve been hearing a voice. The voice was the one that told me to find J at the hangover soup restaurant… when we first met.”
Cha Eui-jae blinked. Now that she mentioned it, he recalled something.
“Am I really going in? Really? I’m really going in? This is so extreme…”
“What? Look behind me? No way, don’t joke like that. I hate that…”
She had wandered back and forth in front of the shop, looking like some kind of caterpillar, weighed down by a long padded coat and a heavy backpack, talking to someone though she was clearly alone.
At that time, only Lee Sa-young and Seo Min-gi knew that Cha Eui-jae was J. Yet, Yoon Ga-eul had suddenly shown up late at night, claiming to know that he was J.
Yoon Ga-eul fiddled with her fingers.
“It felt like a friend, and it gave me a lot of helpful advice. It comforted me too.”
“Do you know whose voice it was?”
Seo Min-gi interjected from the driver’s seat. Yoon Ga-eul slowly shook her head.
“I’m not sure. It feels familiar, but when I try to think about it, it hurts my head, so I stopped.”
“…”
“Anyway, that voice always said one thing. That I must stop the apocalypse. And…”
Yoon Ga-eul and Cha Eui-jae’s eyes met. Her eyes were glowing a golden hue, just like the first time they met.
“That I must not let J die. No matter what.”
“…”
They all knew what happened when Cha Eui-jae died.
In the second world, Cha Eui-jae had died fighting the monsters that poured in. The world met its end, they failed, and Lee Sa-young rewound time by becoming the pivot…
They had failed.
Yoon Ga-eul shrunk her shoulders.
“But… after I returned from the ruined world, I haven’t heard that voice again. I thought about it. The master artisan said it, right? That the same soul would merge together…”
“You mean that the owner of that voice was another version of you from another world? And that it merged with you, like what happened with the guild leader?”
Seo Min-gi asked. Yoon Ga-eul nodded slowly.
“After returning from that world, the fragments I see in my dreams have become more vivid.”
“…That confirms it then. Something has definitely gone wrong with Lee Sa-young.”
Cha Eui-jae muttered as he stroked Lee Sa-young’s hair.
“Yoon Ga-eul’s soul merged without a problem, but why are two souls coexisting in one body with Lee Sa-young…?”
Something was definitely out of place, but it was impossible to figure out what that ‘something’ was. Asking the person in question would be the quickest way, but the Lee Sa-young from the ruined world…
‘Didn’t seem like he’d be cooperative.’
The thought of those eyes reflecting him like a mirror brought on a headache. Cha Eui-jae leaned his head against the window and groaned. Yoon Ga-eul asked,
“How about asking the artisan?”
“…What would he know?”
There was disbelief in the distorted voice. Yoon Ga-eul blinked.
“Uh… isn’t he really smart? A bit impulsive, but he was the first to realize something was wrong with Lee Sa-young.”
…That was true.
Right, even if he’s annoying, we need all the help we can get. Cha Eui-jae took out his phone and dialed Hong Ye-seong’s number, hoping he was in one of his rare genius phases.
But.
Hong Ye-seong didn’t answer the phone.
The veins in Cha Eui-jae’s hand suddenly stood out.
‘This guy… he complains about being bored because I don’t call, and now he doesn’t pick up?’
The indignation was intense. Cha Eui-jae decided to break his promise to send a text. It seemed inevitable that he’d have to reach out to Jung Bin instead.
‘I really didn’t want to bother him.’
He thought he might as well take this chance to get a talisman that would serve as a pass to Jang-in Village, and dialed Jung Bin’s number.
Ringing…
Ringing…
The basic connection tone, without any special ringtone, stopped just before it went to voicemail. Then, there was a beep, and someone answered the call.
—Who is this?
The voice was familiar, though it sounded much rougher than he remembered. Before Cha Eui-jae could say anything, the person on the other end snapped at him.
—I don’t know who you are, but Jung Bin isn’t here, so call back later.
“Wait!”
Cha Eui-jae quickly exclaimed, making the other side fall silent. After a moment, there was a rustling sound as if the person was adjusting the phone. Then, a voice filled with suspicion asked,
—…J?
It was Nam Woo-jin.
