hikichu-blog

[hikichu-blog]

I Delayed My Death Because Of a Will - Chapter 82

Another day passed. The news was still mostly about Seo Chaeyoon, but now a few headlines about dungeon overflows or explosions had started to appear.

Soo Jaehee: Hyung!!!! Finallyㅠ We’ve taken care of all the overflow mobs. I worked so hard… Can I visit you at the hospital as a reward?

Soo Jaehee: Everyone wants to see you!!!! The new girl really wants to see you too. Especially that couple — I had to stop them from rushing to the hospital. I told them that in Korea, you need permission to visit someone in the hospital. I did well, right?

Hyung, I’m worried not because you’re Seo Chaeyoon, but because you’re Yoonseo hyung. I really want to visit!!!!!!!!1

Yoonseo had expected to receive a message after hearing that Team 1 completed their mission in the morning, but the overly loud text made him furrow his brow.

Yoonseo: My identity hasn’t been revealed, so please be careful when you send messages in the future.

Soo Jaehee: Oh, right! Got it!!! What time should I come?

Yoonseo: Don’t come.

Soo Jaehee: ㅇㅁㅇ….

Hyung….

Yoonseo: If a group of S-ranks shows up, it’ll draw too much attention.

Soo Jaehee: Hyung, we’ll be in disguise… Please….

Yoonseo: Anyway, I’m being discharged tomorrow morning.

Soo Jaehee: What, you’ve already recovered?

Yoonseo: Why? Are you disappointed that I’ve recovered?

Soo Jaehee: ;;;;;Of course not^^ I’m so glad that you’re getting discharged, so I don’t have to visit!

Yoonseo: See you at the guild next week.

Soo Jaehee: Hyung,,, what are you doing this weekend??ㅠㅠ

Yoonseo: Jaehee Hunter, you must be tired from consecutive battles, so take some rest.

Despite that, Soo Jaehee continued to send messages, saying he wasn’t tired at all, asking what Yoonseo was doing over the weekend, and even asking for a video call, but Yoonseo ignored them all.

Later in the afternoon, news came that Team 2 had cleared their dungeon. Yoonseo was petting his egg, New Rice, while watching the headline on TV that read "Perfect! Team 2 Clears Impending A-rank Dungeon Explosion" when a video call came from Park Subin.

On the screen, Park Subin had a slightly tired face, as expected from someone who had just cleared a dungeon, and looked at Yoonseo as if he were a patient who had just narrowly escaped death.

Park Subin: Yoonseo-ssi, I heard you're still in the hospital. Can I visit?

Yoonseo: I'm being discharged soon, so just rest instead.

Park Subin: You're being discharged already?

Park Subin frowned, clearly worried.

Park Subin: You have healing resistance, and you're being discharged this quickly… Did the guild tell you to leave? If that's the case, I should give Guild Leader Seokyeong a piece of my mind.

Although his face wasn’t visible, Yoonseo heard Alec’s voice.

Yoonseo: No, I'm being discharged because I've fully recovered, so don't worry. Did you and the others make it out safely without any injuries?

Park Subin: Are you sure? You kept saying you were fine in the dungeon and then suddenly collapsed. It was so shocking.

Yoonseo: I didn’t collapse.

Kwon Jihan, sitting nearby, chuckled, which made Yoonseo glare at him. Park Subin noticed right away.

Park Subin: Is someone there with you?

Yoonseo: Hunter Kwon Jihan is keeping an eye on me.

Park Subin: Oh….

Park Subin’s face, which had been full of concern, now turned sour. It wasn't the first time Yoonseo had noticed that Park Subin didn’t seem to like Kwon Jihan.

Yoonseo: You’re not hurt, are you, Subin-ssi? You look tired.

Park Subin: I'm fine. Has Hunter Kwon Jihan been with you all week?

Yoonseo: Yes, pretty much so.

Park Subin: …….

Park Subin’s expression grew even more troubled. Considering they had cleared an S-rank dungeon and then almost immediately entered an A-rank dungeon without much rest, it was no wonder he looked tired. Just as Yoonseo was about to end the call, thinking about Subin's condition, a voice interrupted.

"Hey, you! Are you on the phone with, you know, that person?"

"Be quiet, Hong Euiyun."

"Hunter Hong Euiyun, please stay quiet."

"I just want to—"

"What are you going to say to stress him out this time? Just stop."

Park Subin's voice was sharp.

"No, no, that’s not it… Never mind. I’ll contact him later— Oh, crap. I don’t even know his number."

"And I’m absolutely not giving it to you."

"I wasn’t going to ask you for it!"

Hong Euiyun’s outburst was loud enough to be heard clearly. Even though Yoonseo hadn’t been directly involved in the conversation, he suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion. He quickly turned off his phone to avoid any more incoming calls. Kwon Jihan, observing with an enigmatic smile, commented playfully.

"Hyung, you’re really popular with the younger ones."

"Huh?"

"Soo Jaehee, Park Subin, Hong Euiyun—they're all younger than you."

"Hong Euiyun Hunter is only a year younger, and Park Subin is actually a year older than me."

"Really?"

Kwon Jihan tilted his head.

"That’s strange. You seem much older—not in appearance, but in your vibe. Like some kind of veteran warrior or something."

Yoonseo flinched. Could it be that possessing the "Eye of Gaia" gave him this kind of insight? After all, the time he spent in the "Event Horizon" dungeon was different from the normal flow of time on Earth. Physically, he hadn’t aged, but his soul had fully experienced the passage of time.

Just then, Kwon Jihan spoke up again, this time more seriously.

"Just so you know, I’m not saying you look old. Actually, it feels weird to call you hyung because you look so young and, well, pretty, so don’t get the wrong idea."

"Cut it out. You almost made me throw up."

"You’re strange, hyung. I called you pretty, and you almost threw up. Are you embarrassed? How cute."

Yoonseo decided not to respond. Now that he knew Soo Jaehee and Park Subin were safe, he felt more at ease and started flipping through channels to find a drama to watch. But Kwon Jihan continued the conversation.

"Hyung, what do you think of my face?"

"What?"

"I’m good-looking, right? I’ve never felt inferior about my looks."

"Hunter Kwon Jihan, you have an arrogant look."

"Hmm, that’s vague. I’ll take it as a compliment."

"You look like a jerk."

"People sometimes say that when someone’s too good-looking."

"You always twist things to your advantage. Why even ask?"

"But seriously, how do I look? Am I not handsome?"

"I told you, you look arrogant."

"Eh."

Kwon Jihan shrugged. "I don’t plan to get married, but I do think this DNA should be passed down."

"Why don’t you plan to get married?"

"How can I get married when I don’t know when I might die?"

"……."

"What about you, hyung?"

"I don’t plan to get married either."

After answering firmly, Yoonseo suddenly grew curious and asked, "Hunter Kwon Jihan, what kind of person do you like?"

"You mean my type? I already told you, someone who’s there for me in a life-or-death situation—"

"No, I mean, which gender are you attracted to?"

"I don’t know."

"What?"

"I’ve never liked anyone, so I don’t know if I like men or women."

"But surely you have some sense of physical attraction to a certain gender?"

"I wouldn’t know. I’ve never even held hands with anyone."

Kwon Jihan added this with complete confidence, as if it were nothing to be ashamed of. Yoonseo felt astonished every time he talked to Kwon Jihan. This guy was handsome, talented, had a strong sense of justice, and, on top of that, was pure-hearted? How could someone like him still exist in this rotten world?

"What about you, hyung? Do you like men or women? Or you haven’t held hands with anyone either?"

"How old do you think I am?"

"Age doesn’t matter; you could still be inexperienced. Age is just a number."

No prejudice at all! How could someone be this perfect? Yoonseo didn’t realize how biased he’d become. It was probably better that he didn’t, for the sake of his own peace of mind.

"So, which gender are you more attracted to?"

"I’m open to both."

"Really…."

Kwon Jihan fell silent for a moment, then asked with a somewhat ambiguous expression, "Does that mean you’ve been with both?"

"I don’t want to discuss this."

"But I told you everything."

"Just watch your drama."

Yoonseo turned up the TV volume. Thankfully, Kwon Jihan didn’t press further. In the past few days, Kwon Jihan had definitely changed. The guy who used to probe, provoke, and test people without care had now backed off when someone showed discomfort.

Actually, Yoonseo had ended the conversation because he felt he might start asking too many questions. Like, how did Kwon Jihan reject advances if there were any? Or had he maybe kissed someone even if he hadn’t held hands?

"Since I’m getting discharged tomorrow, our one-on-one time is over. Once we’re apart, we’ll naturally grow distant. From now on, I’ll be with others, so we won’t talk as much. Which is good. Things will go smoothly."

Although the formal discharge process was scheduled for tomorrow, Yoonseo was essentially leaving tonight. After meeting with Guild Leader Seokyeong at his residence, he planned to head straight home.

Late at night, there was a secret meeting with Guild Leader Seokyeong, Deputy Guild Leader Seokyeong, the Guild Leader of Europe, Kwon Jihan, and Yoonseo. Initially, he’d been told that he would also meet with Tae Jaesik, but since his name was removed from the final list, it seemed like this was an extremely confidential discussion that couldn’t be leaked. Kwon Jihan had also warned Yoonseo to prepare for something very serious.

But right now, more than the topic of that conversation, Yoonseo was focused on not getting too attached to Kwon Jihan.

“That stew smelled too much like pork. That’s not how I make kimchi stew. That wasn’t my cooking.”

“Then who did it? You shouldn’t lie just to avoid suspicion. You’re the head chef!”

“Mackerel….”

“What?”

“Now I understand everything. The one who made that mackerel kimchi stew is the culprit. They were trying to frame me!”

Dramatic dialogue and background music flowed from the TV. It snapped Yoonseo out of his thoughts.

‘I used to think that guy had a strange taste.’

In fact, every episode of "Love in Hangang" was this intense.

‘Hey, why do you watch weird dramas like this?’

‘Weird? How dare you call a grand saga about kimchi stew weird?’

‘I think the combination of a grand saga, kimchi stew, and drama is weird.’

‘One day, you’ll watch it from episode one. It’s a grand drama about love, kimchi stew, and the universe.’

Lee Domin had brought a laptop to the dungeon and watched the drama non-stop. Every time, Yoonseo recharged the laptop with his skill <Spark> when asked.

Once, out of curiosity, Yoonseo and the Revengers watched the first episode together, but none of them found it interesting.

After the laptop sank into the lava, Lee Domin stopped talking about "Love in Hangang."

“……”

Yoonseo frowned and paused in petting New Rice.

[hikichu-blog]

I Delayed My Death Because Of a Will - Chapter 81

"What's <Quasar>'s level right now?"

"It's still at B-rank, Level 2."

"It was Level 1 the last time I saw it. You've leveled up."

"Thanks to you."

Kwon Jihan grinned.

"<Quasar> is too powerful to use often. A single explosion can turn a dungeon into a wasteland, so I could only use it when I was alone in a dungeon, which kept me from leveling up. But thanks to your shield, I was able to use it this time, and that's why it leveled up."

"My shield ended up breaking anyway."

"That’s because you ran out of mana."

"Even if I had mana, it wouldn't have held up."

"No, it would have. The cave collapsed not when I used <Quasar>, but when your mana was completely drained. If your shield hadn’t reduced <Quasar>’s impact in that brief moment, we might have been the only two to survive the dungeon."

"…"

The plausible scenario gave him chills.

"And I know you have other skills. You have a stronger shield skill, don't you?"

Yoon Seo fell silent. It seemed pointless to be modest now that his identity as Seo Chaeyoon was exposed. The reason Seo Chaeyoon was considered the strongest hunter in the world wasn't because he had powerful offensive skills. He was known for his unbreakable shield that protected everything.

"A sword and a shield, I think we make a good team. Once you're discharged, how about the two of us tackle a lower-grade dungeon together? Maybe a Green or Navy one."

"Are you suggesting just the two of us go?"

"Anyone else would just get in the way. We'd have to fight while protecting them. I think you understand what I mean."

"I don’t. You can go to the dungeon alone."

Yoon Seo immediately rejected the idea and began stroking New Rice. But Kwon Jihan wasn’t ready to give up.

"Aren't you curious?"

"About what?"

"How long your shield can withstand <Quasar>."

"…"

Kwon Jihan was tempting Yoon Seo. He thought about some of his skills. <Safe Zone> wouldn't work. <Arc of Guardianship> had too narrow a protective range. But <Deep Field>...

<Deep Field> was a shield that had never once been broken by an external force.

Even in that grand dungeon, <Deep Field> kept everyone inside completely safe, so much so that they all slept there.

However, it had the downside of consuming a lot of mana and having a cooldown time of half a day.

"Let’s go into a dungeon together and make a bet. Will your shield win, or will my skill?"

"No. You just want to level up, using me as a tool."

"Think about it. If I level up, how much stronger I'll be. I'm already damn strong, but if I get even stronger, the world will be safer. If something dangerous happens, an S-rank hunter who wants to hide his identity won’t have to reveal himself."

Yoon Seo gave him a look of disapproval, as if to say that an S-rank hunter who wants to hide his identity was pathetic.

"If you really want safety, go level up by yourself."

"Oh, come on. You're no fun."

"If you’re bored, go find someone else who’s fun. Don’t bother me."

Yoon Seo repositioned himself as if to say the conversation was over and continued stroking New Rice, who had grown to the size of two adult fists by now.

Kwon Jihan didn’t insist and instead changed the subject.

"It’s been a while since that egg was laid. Shouldn’t it be hatching soon?"

Damn it. Just when Yoon Seo wanted to focus on the drama, he frowned.

When it came to New Rice, Yoon Seo couldn’t ignore it.

Because New Rice was a huge attention seeker... whenever someone mentioned it, it would chirp happily. Ignoring Kwon Jihan’s question might lead to New Rice seeking revenge on Yoon Seo once it hatched.

"It’s still a while away. It'll take about a week more."

"How big will it get?"

"There won’t be any more changes in size. It's just low on mana."

"Can’t it absorb mana from someone else?"

"It’s a bound item, so it only absorbs my mana."

"Then wouldn’t it be better to wait until you’ve fully recovered before giving it mana? An emergency could come up."

"New Rice doesn’t consume that much mana. I’ll save enough for emergencies."

" ‘New Rice’. That name still cracks me up every time I hear it."

What’s so funny about the name ‘New Rice’? Yoon Seo shot him a sharp look. Instead of being intimidated, Kwon Jihan gave him an affectionate gaze.

"I used to have two dogs before. Their names were Sebastian and David. Much cooler than New Rice."

"What breed were they?"

"Jindo dogs."

"Aren’t Jindo dogs expensive? You said you were poor back then."

"How far back are you thinking?"

"Like... ten years ago?"

"That’s too far back. I mean when I was 17."

Yoon Seo felt a bit wronged. If Kwon Jihan was talking about when he was 17, that was only five years ago. How is that the distant past?

"I became really rich after my awakening. My dream was to live in a big country house with a large yard where I could raise and run around with big dogs, and I achieved that dream early."

"So, are you living in that house now?"

"No, I’m in an apartment now. A nearby dungeon explosion destroyed the house, and the dogs died."

"They went to a better place…"

Yoon Seo sincerely offered his condolences. What would it feel like to lose a pet? He knew how hard it was to lose something with a soul.

"Did you get counseling or anything?"

"Counseling?"

"They say the grief of losing a pet is incomparable to anything else…"

Kwon Jihan stared at Yoon Seo and then, in a casual tone, said,

"I think I was okay because I managed to get through my mom’s death 12 years ago just fine. I think Sebastian and David and my mom are watching over me from the sky."

"Yes, they’re in a better place."

"Yoon Seo, can I ask about your family...?"

Yoon Seo’s face stiffened. "Sorry, but I haven’t gotten over it yet."

"Yoon Seo."

"…"

"I only ever had my mom, so the house was always quiet. She was a quiet and reserved person too. But your family seemed lively. They seemed like a happy family. Your mom was diligent, your dad was family-oriented, and your younger sibling was a bit mischievous, but that’s to be expected. Oh, and the squid stir-fry your dad made looked a bit too spicy. I don't think I could handle it. Why does he mix gochujang into food that's already red?"

Yoon Seo took a deep breath. His chest rose and fell, and his nose and eyes grew hot.

While Yoon Seo took several deep breaths, Kwon Jihan remained quiet, uncharacteristically cautious.

Yoon Seo spoke calmly.

"You saw it through <Utopia>."

"Yeah, it’s a skill that shows dreams without my control."

Kwon Jihan acknowledged.

<Utopia>, which Kwon Jihan used at the end of the S-rank Yellow Dungeon, showed Yoon Seo his happiest moment while he was unconscious.

Yoon Seo’s family died 12 years ago. Like most of the world, they were lost during the apocalypse. Yet, the sense of loss still overwhelmed him whenever he thought of them.

For 20 years, his parents ran a small business in the neighborhood. They closed the shop at 9 PM, which was the time for the family’s dinner. Yoon Seo would feed his younger sibling, who would be clamoring for food, and wait for his mom and dad. Squid stir-fry, his dad’s favorite dish, was the one Yoon Seo was best at cooking. His dad would always mix gochujang into it and eat it with rice, to which Yoon Seo would scold him, saying he’d get stomach cancer from eating like that. But instead, they were killed in a sudden monster attack.

In the <Utopia> dream, Yoon Seo was truly happy. He had a joyous dream where he spent time with his family and old friends.

Family was an unfair card to play. Even after 12 years, or 120 years, it would always make Yoon Seo tear up.

"I’m sorry, Yoon Seo."

Yoon Seo let out a faint laugh at the unexpected apology. When he looked at Kwon Jihan, the latter had an odd expression.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I don’t know. I just felt like I should."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"I told you I only had my mom... I was sad when she died, but it wasn’t that hard for me. I think I was a bit thoughtless in bringing it up."

Yoon Seo looked at him intently.

"…"

Kwon Jihan didn’t avoid his gaze.

His gray eyes were filled with sincerity.

Yoon Seo recalled the final moments in the dungeon.

He hadn’t thanked Kwon Jihan for saving his life because he didn’t feel grateful. He even resented Gaia for uselessly blessing them, making it possible for two people to use the Guild Stone for teleportation.

But he was thankful that Kwon Jihan had used <Utopia> on him.

It was truly a happy dream.

It had been so long since he’d seen his family, and the dream was so joyful that he didn’t want to wake up. It had been so long....

“Kwon Ji-han Hunter.”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you use <Utopia> on me then? It wasn’t a moment when you had the luxury to do that.”

Yoon-seo couldn’t help but ask him this question. Kwon Ji-han stared at Yoon-seo. His gray eyes seemed to be searching deep into Yoon-seo’s soul.

“I don’t know, I just...”

“......”

“It just felt like I had to.”

“......”

“I had to do it.”

“......”

“You were so happy thinking you were about to die. But that wasn’t real happiness, so I wanted you to experience the real thing.”

At first, he spoke with uncertainty, but by the end, his voice carried strong conviction. His gaze also directly met Yoon-seo’s.

Silence hung between them. Perhaps sensing the unusual atmosphere, Hapsali shivered slightly.

Kwon Ji-han had realized that Yoon-seo was expecting to die. And he was telling him that it wasn’t real happiness.

How do you distinguish between fake happiness and real happiness? Is that even an emotion that can be clearly defined?

One thing was certain—Yoon-seo was glad that he didn’t die then.

He would have regretted it if he had died without fulfilling his last wishes. Though, technically, if he had died, he wouldn’t have been able to regret it....

Yoon-seo felt an odd sense of emptiness and gave a faint, cloudy smile. He spoke in a hoarse voice to Kwon Ji-han, who was still watching him intently.

“Kwon Ji-han Hunter, you’re really a strange person.”

“...Are you mad at me after all?”

“I’m not mad. Calling you strange is a compliment.”

“I see. Well, you’re pretty strange too, Hyung.”

“Thanks.”

Yoon-seo chuckled. Relieved, Kwon Ji-han also smiled.

He looked like a tough thug with his piercings and outward appearance, but when you talked to him, you realized he was a young man with his own convictions. Although those convictions were the exact opposite of Yoon-seo’s values.

‘I’m going to die after fulfilling my last wishes.’

After his death, Kwon Ji-han would continue to fight endlessly without even glancing at the sky, as a strong hunter.

Yoon-seo felt troubled.

Because he didn’t want to leave Kwon Ji-han like that.