Chapter 101: Riem's Paradise (1)
TL/Editor: Raei
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Upon opening my eyes, an unbearable sense of emptiness washed over me.
The smile that had been on my lips gradually faded away.
It was all a dream.
The trip with Min-Bom, the meal with Song Soo-yeon.
Though the dream allowed me to laugh for the first time in a long while, the stark contrast of reality only made things harder.
The dream that had given me a moment's respite now felt like it had completely stopped me in my tracks.
I should have kept pushing forward, difficult as it may have been.
I should not have dreamt this happy dream.
I lay there for a long time, my face buried in my arms, before I finally got up and organized my thoughts, stepping outside.
I can't just collapse and stop.
I need to find Riem and Tryno.
Especially since capturing Riem, a teleporter, required me to move even faster.
Stepping outside, the smell of food greeted me once again.
As usual, Han Yoo-jung was cooking.
Feeling my presence, she turned to look at me.
Her eyes, still red at the corners from crying, were a bit bloodshot.
"..."
Unlike yesterday, she didn't approach me aggressively.
Maybe because we had opened up to each other and talked.
She hesitated before taking a deep breath.
Then, with a trembling voice, she asked as naturally as she could.
"...Gyeom, are you hungry? I've cooked. Come and sit."
My steps, which had been heading outside, froze at her words.
It was as if her words had hooks that caught me and wouldn't let go.
Even though I try not to think about it, I found myself empathizing with her position.
She thinks of me as her savior.
My actions had inadvertently saved her.
Even if it wasn't something I intended, I understood the sentiment.
The same goes for the cooking. Despite being continuously rejected by me, she keeps cooking, and I keep thinking about that persistence.
Just as I made a firm promise to Solace in my regression, perhaps she has made a firm promise to herself about me.
"..."
I'm not hungry, nor do I want to eat.
But leaving now felt bitter.
Perhaps it's better to pretend to eat and then leave.
I slowly went to the table and sat down listlessly.
Han Yoo-jung's expression brightened like never before.
Then she quickly started setting the table in front of me.
There was plenty of food stored in the hideout, in case we needed to hide out for days.
Freshly cooked rice, bean paste soup, beef and kimchi, tuna and vegetables were served.
As I waited a bit longer, she even made a fried egg and brought it over.
"...Eat, Gyeom."
Without saying a word, I lifted my spoon.
Just as I was about to casually shove some rice into my mouth, I paused for a moment.
Han Yoo-jung was standing stiffly by my side, almost like a servant frozen in place.
I tried to ignore her and move my spoon, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
I said,
"...Sit down. It's uncomfortable."
"...Oh? Ah... Yes, no. Okay..."
She took a seat opposite me.
As she took her seat, I suddenly wondered how long it had been since I last sat down at a dining table.
Having someone sitting across from me, it felt like an actual meal.
Back then, it was always Song Soo-yeon who sat there.
...I wonder how she's managing her meals now.
"....."
I shook off the unnecessary thoughts.
And started to put rice into my mouth.
As uncomfortable as the situation was, I chewed the food quickly.
It wasn't tasteless.
Even in this situation, I thought it was quite tasty.
"...."
As I chewed, my eyes kept meeting Han Yoo-jung's, who was sitting opposite me.
Han Yoo-jung would intently look at me but avert her eyes whenever our gazes met.
"...Cough."
A short cough escaped me due to the awkwardness.
Han Yoo-jung sprang up, alarmed, thinking that the food had gotten stuck in my throat.
"I'll...I'll get you some water...!"
"...Just sit down, please."
Despite my words, Han Yoo-jung hurriedly brought water.
Then, she stood by my side, restless again.
Eventually, I sighed and said,
"...Aren't you going to eat?"
It would be more comfortable that way. At least she wouldn't be staring at me like this.
Han Yoo-jung waved her hands in refusal.
"Ah...I'm...I'm fine."
"If you're not going to eat, go somewhere else. It's uncomfortable having you stand by like this."
When I complained a bit coldly, Han Yoo-jung, restless and blinking, changed her tune.
"....Now that I think about it, I might be a little hungry..."
Then, with stiff movements, she served herself some food in a bowl.
Carefully, she sat down in front of me again and began to nibble at her food.
Then, she said,
"..........Gyeom, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, just eat-"
"-No...not about that. About everything...."
"........"
I froze.
Both the hand moving the spoon and the jaw chewing food stopped.
"....I really didn't know... If I had, I wouldn't have done it..."
I resumed moving as if nothing had happened and sharply said,
"...Quiet. Don't apologize. I don't plan to accept it."
"I'm not asking for forgiveness...I'm just...really sorry..."
Her voice was filled with sadness.
I was about to raise my voice again...but replaced it all with a sigh.
"............Haah...."
I no longer had the energy to argue. I was too tired for even petty squabbles.
After all, on this hamster wheel, we were just repeating the same thing.
She would keep apologizing, and I would keep getting angry.
It was easier just to let it go.
I shoved the remaining rice into my mouth and got up from my seat.
I didn't want to step outside anymore. Today, I felt like taking a break.
Finding Riem or Tryno would be difficult since they had gone into hiding.
There was still a lot of time since Liquid had already been captured.
Let's take a break.
"....Gyeom...."
As I stood up, Han Yoo-jung called out to me sorrowfully.
The voice of someone whose good intentions had led to ruin was truly hard to listen to.
Wanting to wrap up the situation, I responded vaguely.
".....Got it, so stop crying already."
I headed to a different room.
---
---
I spent several hours lying on the sofa with my eyes closed.
I wanted to fall asleep and forget everything for a while, but naturally, sleep eluded me.
I wasn't tired, and my mind was too cluttered to fall asleep.
How many hours had passed?
A faint knocking sound came.
-.....Knock knock.
"..."
I opened my eyes and looked toward the door.
Without a response from me, the door opened.
"...Ah."
She was startled to see me awake and nearly dropped the tray she was holding.
Steam was rising from the coffee, and there were snacks on the tray.
She hurriedly started making excuses.
"Ah...I thought if you weren't asleep, you might want some coffee...and if you were, I thought I'd cover you with a blanket..."
"......."
".....Sorry."
She started to carefully close the door.
I sighed and said,
"....If you're in, put it down and go."
At that, Han Yoo-jung brightened up and stepped inside quickly.
She carefully placed the tray next to me and sat down nearby.
"....?"
"....?"
When I looked at her quizzically, she tilted her head in confusion as well.
"...Aren't you leaving?"
When I asked, Han Yoo-jung blushed and got up from her seat.
"Ah....! That...! Sorry....!"
Seeing her so embarrassed made me change my mind.
"...It's okay. Just sit down."
It wouldn't make much of a difference anyway.
Whether she saw me as her savior, or whatever her intentions were in her actions, her fate was already decided.
"...Don't think this will make me go easy on you. You're still going to be handed over to the Association."
On this matter, Han Yoo-jung nodded.
"Yes. I know."
Her voice was firm, as if she had already accepted it all.
"........."
I got up and sat on the sofa.
I took a sip of the coffee she made.
Silence fell.
Only the ticking of the clock in the room could be heard.
It was Han Yoo-jung who broke the silence.
".....That..."
She said just one word and then looked at me, as if asking for permission to continue.
"..."
When I remained silent, she continued.
"........That...what will happen going forward...?"
"..."
".......If catching the alliance is the goal, I'll help."
My gaze turned towards her.
"You'd betray your comrades?"
"They weren't comrades. It was a rule from the start not to get close... we were only together for mutual benefit."
"...."
"....Luna is...."
She continued, cautiously gauging my reaction.
".......You don't plan to catch Luna, right...? You care about her."
"..."
"I, I shouldn't have asked. It's obvious. I'll just help you find Tryno and Riem."
I looked forward again.
I took another sip of my coffee.
Next to me, Han Yoo-jung murmured quietly.
"...But......I'm a bit...jealous."
I gave her a look, but Han Yoo-jung wasn't looking at me anymore.
She was looking down slightly, picking at her nails.
"...You really care about Luna..."
She quickly realized what she had said and looked up at me, surprised.
Then, she forced a smile to defuse the situation and stood up.
"...I...I'll go then. Let me know if you need anything...?"
I watched her leave.
It was the first time I realized that it was possible to feel both anger and pity simultaneously.
---
---
Song Soo-yeon realized something all at once.
"....Ah."
Just as she had belatedly found out that Dice and Jung-gyeom were the same person, she now understood another important fact.
She had heard that Stella had been taken by Dice.
In other words, the two of them had to be in the same place.
Song Soo-yeon hurriedly searched for Stella's number.
"........"
Then, with a trembling heart, she pressed the call button.
Stella might not be able to answer the call.
If she was locked up somewhere, Jung-gyeom would have taken her phone.
...And for Song Soo-yeon, that was actually preferable.
If Stella couldn't answer, then Jung-gyeom would have to.
The ringing went on for a long time.
It was lucky the phone wasn't turned off, but...if it didn't connect, it all didn't matter.
-Tick.
And then, the call connected.
Song Soo-yeon's heart sank.
She licked her lips and asked hesitantly.
"........Uh, Mister...?"
"............"
"......Is it you, Mister?"
"It's me."
Stella's voice came through, slightly somber.
Song Soo-yeon's face involuntarily scrunched up.
Why was she answering the call?
It was Stella's phone, but hadn't she been taken by Jung-gyeom?
"....Stella, where are you?"
Song Soo-yeon asked.
It might be that she wasn't with Jung-gyeom.
Getting information was the priority.
After a long silence, Stella answered.
"......I'm with Gyeom."
".....................What?"
Gyeom. A term of familiarity.
And at Stella's words, Song Soo-yeon's heart sank deeper.
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