INHO 08

Fortunately, the worst-case — the two of us tumbling together — was avoided. He mustn’t have taken his rank lightly; he held my weight and speed and supported me.

If we’d kept running and collided with a civilian it would have been a major accident.

Aside from avoiding a big accident, the situation was mortifying. I was clutching his clothes while Iyul clung to his own — from the outside it looked like I was trying to pull his clothes off by force.

My hood had even been ripped back, exposing that familiar green ponytail. The moment I was sure our eyes met, he said,

“You wanna die?”

There was no dramatic BGM for this fateful meeting.

“Let go of this!?”

Let go — fine.

I stood up properly and finally released the hem of his coat that I’d been gripping. The instant Iyul was free he clicked his tongue and brushed off his rumpled clothes.

Ah — that’s a little torn. Better not say anything about that.

“You’re still clumsy with your mana. Don’t prance around like a foal — go home, wash your feet, and sleep.”

“Right now, I think the person who wants to go home most is you…”

“What?”

“No, thanks to you, I’m alive.”

I muttered quietly, but his ears were impressively sharp.

Luckily he didn’t catch any detailed slip-ups to use against me, but immediately after I finished speaking a different kind of grumble started up.

“I swear, you never see anything good when you go outside. That’s why I don’t come out often. These kids these days have no sense.”

“……”

“No wonder I’ve been feeling extra reluctant today.”

‘He said he’d toned down his temper, and he really did.’

He was rougher than the person I’d known. He hadn’t been especially friendly before either, so I used to scoff at him — hearing that made me smirk inwardly.

Feeling a twinge of guilt now, I offered a silent, perfunctory apology that would never reach him.

Iyul, who had no way of knowing what I was thinking, continued to grumble in irritation.

I could already picture the expression on his face.

He must’ve been scowling even more menacingly than usual. I’ve long believed his habit of wearing a mask actually helped his reputation.

‘Even if he insults you with his face, if he hides it, he just looks taciturn.’

That look of looking down on people like they’re insects — even when it wasn’t aimed at me — could still land a hit.

Iyul shifted from complaining about kids these days to blasting the hunter community and modern people in general.

He didn’t normally talk this much to strangers, so I figured I’d picked a bad day. He must be in a particularly foul mood.

If I kept listening like this, I wouldn’t get to the point I came for.

“One thing’s wrong with your view,” I said.

“What?”

I cut in quickly while he paused to catch his breath.

“You can’t lump me in with ‘kids these days.’ I’m probably the same age as you.”

“…How do you know that?”

With those words the air instantly grew tense. The atmosphere sharpened as if it could slice — a dangerous stillness wrapped around Iyul like a whirl of knife-like wind.

‘If I’d moved carelessly I might’ve been hurt for real.’

His light, grumbling attitude had vanished. I must’ve gotten his attention.

I immediately made a surrendering gesture. I hadn’t come to fight. My goal was only to get a private moment to talk.

“I’m not here to fight.”

“Believe that if you want.”

“If you’d come to fight, you’d have started earlier.”

At that, Iyul lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck in a way that said he found that ridiculous.

“You think I’d just take the first hit and let it go?”

“Believe it or not, I just want to talk.”

“Fine. Say where you heard it.”

“Would you believe me if I told you?”

“Try me.”

He wouldn’t believe it. The source of the information was right there — me.

Even if I blurted out that future-me told me directly, I wouldn’t believe it if I were him.

“I feel like I’d be the one losing if I just revealed it.”

“Is anything more expensive than your life?”

He wasn’t shy about saying terrifying things.

“Just give me some time. Isn’t it fine to at least try talking?”

More and more people were stopping to watch. Even though we’d been frantically evacuating earlier, if an S-rank hunter got into a shouting match with a woman in the middle of the street, I’d stop to watch too.

It’d be better for both of us to talk somewhere quiet. Whether he killed me or spared me, it’d be nicer without witnesses.

I had no intention of shouting about humanity’s end and a recurrence in public.

Iyul seemed serious about the “price of life” comment — he was preparing to attack. A blue mana sphere in his hand swelled.

He wanted me to reveal the source before moving on.

Could he actually shove a hole in my belly for this?

He probably wouldn’t kill me outright, but just in case, I silently tensed my body.

“I heard it from someone you know.”

“I don’t know anyone.”

That didn’t work.

He’s stubborn. I felt like I was facing a brick wall and started weighing my options: reveal the truth now, or craft a plausible lie.

The silence didn’t last long.

“…I heard it from you. Directly.”

One wrong choice and it could be game over.

And… I didn’t want to lie to Iyul, at least not to him.

“Wow, you’re crazy.”

But his reply, full of incredulousness, drained the tension from me and the air relaxed.

‘He even released his skill.’

The gusty wind around us vanished.

“Wait, you’re serious…?”

“Enough. I’m leaving. I don’t deal with crazy people.”

Iyul turned on his heel and pulled his hood up without hesitation. As he started to disappear from sight I panicked and grabbed his coat again.

Right then, the world tilted and my vision flipped.

“Hey!”

With a shout I realized I was high up, facing the dizzying sky above.

At that height, I couldn’t scream; I just clung harder to the hood I’d grabbed.

“You’re actually crazy. If you fall, you die!”

Iyul shouted, pulling the collar of his own coat forward as though strangled, but I wasn’t the kind to be intimidated.

“Believe it or not… I have proof.”

I held on with such force my knuckles went white.

“Have you been holding a grudge against my clothes the whole time? Stop obsessing and find someone else!”

“Wait, just give me a little time!”

“I’m busy, okay?”

“You can close gates without me!”

The association had already arrived anyway — even if he was busy, what could he possibly be doing? Whether he agreed to hear me out or not, communicating would at least establish something. Refusing to talk was just frustrating.

In my urgency I slipped into a familiar way of speaking without noticing.

“Who said we should close the gate? Before that… what business is it of yours?”

“What? You’ve been closing gates a lot, haven’t you!”

“You keep talking like you know me. Hey — hands! My neck — you’re choking me!”

What else could I do?

If he let go I’d die!

“Then catch me!”

The wind roared as we both yelled. Maybe if I used all my mana to protect myself I’d survive.

While pleading, I wasn’t expectant. I looked for a way to save myself when my surroundings suddenly spun.

“If I see you die here, I’ll have nightmares — fine, I’ll save you.”

Iyul muttered and hoisted me over one shoulder like a sack.

‘This is one of the things that’s exactly the same.’

He seemed cold and prickly but had a soft spot. Same as when we first met — he couldn’t stand seeing people die where others could see them.

I’d acted out of character today. Even with time to think calmly, I hadn’t; seeing a friend’s face after a long time made me too glad to stay composed.

Although we didn’t share the same memories, finding these small similarities made my heart flip.

“Thanks.”

He carried me, arms dangling, and it looked ridiculous, but I felt lighter than I ever had. My simple, sincere thanks stopped him from teasing; he silently carried me down to the empty rooftop of a high-rise building.

“There. Now behave and go home.”

Iyul set me down and dusted his hands off.

“Since you came this far, give me ten minutes, seriously.”

I decided to just speak plainly. I’d tried to be polite, but he wasn’t big on manners either.

“I don’t deal with crazy people.”

Nothing unexpected in reply.

“What’s your problem, anyway?”

“Who’s the problem here — you claiming familiarity out of nowhere, or me?”

“I’ll explain.”

“You’re stubborn. Fine. Ten minutes. No more.”

Seizing that chance, I mentally sorted through the countless things I’d rehearsed and refined my words, checking that the information I could give him would be logical.

“Wait here. I’ll handle the gate and come back.”

But right before I could open my mouth he put a condition on it.

I do owe that guy some loyalty, but he treated me like a crazy person so I didn’t trust him.

Would he just leave me and run?

“How can I trust you?”

“Why are you blocking me? I gotta start doing runs again — I’m out of cash.”

“Blocking? I’m only doing this to help you.”

If we left it like this, we’d both die.

I held in what I wanted to say. If I said it out loud, he’d probably bolt.

Iyul sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Helping, huh… If I wanted to help, you’d stay put.”

“You don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you. Understand?”

“What kind of weird logic is that?”

I tied my hair up tight and took out my weapon.

“What I mean is — let’s go into the gate together.”

From now on, let’s go all the way together.