# Chapter 130
In response to Haylen’s question, Alex immediately opened his mouth.
“I might have regretted it if it were a different organization. But I’ve never regretted joining ‘Alice.'”
“Why?”
He thought Alex would have regretted it at least once. After all, Haylen was the only one who had chosen to be a villain. Though he happened to meet him and established the organization, he would have been living a normal life otherwise.
Haylen asked as if he couldn’t understand, but it was the same for Alex. Alex couldn’t understand why Haylen was asking this. He had never been curious about it before.
But seeing Haylen’s sincere desire to know, Alex fell into thought for a moment. There were various reasons why he joined the organization, but if he had to state the biggest reason…
As if Alex had finished his thoughts, he suddenly raised his head and looked at Haylen.
“This is the only place where I could achieve what I wanted.”
Haylen must have had his reasons when founding the organization, but the same applied to himself. Back then, he was experiencing endless frustration. An acquaintance had been murdered, but the culprit wasn’t caught. It would have been good if the police had investigated, but the case was eventually buried amid crimes happening at all hours.
It had been 100 years since ordinary people began manifesting superpowers, but society still had many areas of unresolved chaos. One of these was crime. As the number of superhumans increased, the crime rate also began to rise. As a result, murder was treated as just a common incident.
But Alex couldn’t let it go. He wanted to catch the culprit by any means necessary.
It was at that time that he met Haylen. He proposed creating an organization. Unlike other villain organizations, not one that killed people indiscriminately, but one that could control villains.
He thought such an organization could help find the culprit. And as he thought, after establishing ‘Alice,’ they were able to catch the perpetrator soon after.
He had considered leaving the organization after achieving his goal. But he completely liked ‘Alice.’ Although they committed murders and crimes, the targets were only vicious villains, and they didn’t harm ordinary citizens.
They couldn’t be called completely good, but Alex chose to live in ‘Alice.’
“So I’ve never regretted it. And I don’t plan to in the future.”
“I see…”
Haylen carefully examined Alex, who spoke decisively. Alex frowned at the look that seemed to be measuring something.
“What, is there a problem?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
Haylen was able to make his decision based on Alex’s words. A gentle smile spread across his lips. Alex somehow thought that smile was ominous.
* * *
“This place is…”
The place Kay arrived at, as guided by Haylen, was a mountain. Haylen stopped walking when they reached about halfway up. Sensing they had arrived, Kay looked around. Unlike other areas densely filled with trees, this area was empty like a clearing. That’s when his gaze turned to a mound of dirt.
“This is where I used to live.”
Haylen’s calm voice was heard. Kay hurriedly looked at him. Though he felt Kay’s gaze, Haylen continued speaking as if nothing was wrong.
“After being brainwashed, I felt nothing even when looking at corpses.”
Taking a step, Haylen briefly looked at where his house once stood. The house, now existing only in his memory, was drawn in the empty air. It was bitter to see only the remains of a house that had overflowed with warmth despite living in hiding.
“But for some reason, I ended up making graves.”
It was strange. There was clearly no reason to do so, but his body moved on its own. Without knowing why, he dug up the frozen ground and gathered what could barely be called bodies.
The result was a pathetically modest grave. Haylen lowered his eyes at the grave, which appeared to be just a gentle curve at first glance. He could maintain at least this much by occasionally visiting whenever he remembered Heyon.
“At that time, I couldn’t understand why Heyon refused Revive.”
Looking at Heyon’s corpse, he thought it was a foolish choice. After all, he had rejected a chance to live.
“But now I think I understand.”
Only after a long time could he finally realize why Heyon had refused. Haylen carefully knelt before the grave where Heyon was buried.
“He did it for me.”
The small mound would not be recognizable as a grave if he hadn’t mentioned it. Heyon probably thought that even if he came back to life, this could happen again at any time. Moreover, Heyon’s face was already known. The risk of being attacked again would be high.
That’s why he refused. It would be safer for Haylen to survive alone. He must have wished for Revive to be used later when someone truly worth saving appeared.
It was just a guess in a situation where there was no one to ask, but Haylen felt this was the correct answer.
“…You said there’s something you wanted to tell me?”
“Yes…”
At that time, he resented Heyon, but now he thinks it was fortunate. After all, he was able to save Kay as a result.
He carefully embraced Kay, who was quietly waiting for his words. He didn’t have the courage to look at his face. Though he had prepared himself, the words wouldn’t come out easily. After much hesitation, Haylen was finally able to speak.
“Actually… Revive makes the caster share their lifespan with the person who comes back to life.”
“Share?”
“It means if one person dies, the other dies too.”
He finally said it. Kay didn’t say anything. Haylen was curious about his reaction but also afraid.
“I’m sorry for telling you only now.”
Would he dismiss it saying it’s fine, or would he find it horrifying? Haylen anxiously waited for Kay’s words.
“Are you okay with this?”
“Pardon?”
But Kay’s response was something he had never even considered.
“I might not live long.”
After a moment of confusion, Haylen carefully chose his words.
“…I actually think it’s fortunate. I never want to experience a time without Kay again.”
He didn’t expect Kay to be concerned about him, but he was sincere. Haylen felt that having his lifespan connected to Kay’s was almost a blessing. Life without him was terribly horrific. Rather than experiencing that again, it was better to die together.
“Then I’m fine with it too.”
“But…”
Haylen murmured in disbelief. However, it was true. In the past, he would have blamed himself, saying Haylen would die early because of him, but now he also felt it was fortunate, just like him.
“We’re connected, aren’t we?”
Now he didn’t have to worry about being abandoned by Haylen, as he had in the past. Even if it was because of their shared lifespan, he wouldn’t be able to abandon him.
“So I’m actually glad.”
That’s why Kay could accept it without much comment. Of course, he wasn’t not surprised. He didn’t know the secret would be something like this. But strangely, anger didn’t rise. Instead, relief filled his chest.
It felt as if a peculiar sense of fulfillment was surrounding him. Kay smiled faintly. Looking at him, Haylen reflexively spoke.
“I like you, Kay.”
It was an unplanned confession, but he didn’t want to withdraw it. How could he not like him? Someone so lovable. He tightened his arms around Kay. His anxiety disappeared instantly at Kay’s words.
“…I’m still not sure.”
While hatred was fading with time, he still couldn’t call it love yet.
“Does my feeling make you uncomfortable?”
“No, that’s not it…”
If it had been uncomfortable, he would have said so long ago. Haylen’s confession sounded good in any situation, at any time. It made him feel secure, knowing someone liked him that much. It was the same now. Along with a comfortable feeling, there was a tingling sensation.
“Then there’s no problem.”
If Kay had found it difficult, he would have had no way to handle it. But he said it was fine. That’s why Haylen could offer his answer.
“I will continue to love you.”
“…”
“Kay can take his time to think about it.”
There was still plenty of time. Haylen was confident his feelings wouldn’t change. He would wait for Kay forever, until he clearly recognized his own feelings.
Kay momentarily felt breathless at Haylen’s sincerity, which contained no lies. He couldn’t gauge how far his affection went. Kay bowed his head deeply and asked.
“Will I be able to love Haylen again?”
“I’m not sure about that either…”
He could state with certainty about his own feelings, but Kay was not him. Given the painful memories he had caused, there was a high possibility they wouldn’t change.
“But I’d like it if you did.”
Still, he hoped that Kay would someday like him. It was fine even if Kay didn’t give a clear answer. Just being able to be by his side now was enough to make him feel happy.
“…”
Kay remained silent while listening to Haylen’s words. They were his own feelings, but they were full of unknowns. Like a badly tangled ball of thread, numerous threads seemed interwoven.
But somehow he had this premonition.
A premonition that he would love Haylen in the future.
Kay looked at Haylen’s face and smiled slightly. From the day he first saw Haylen, he had been bound to him.
So no matter how much he resented him, he would eventually love Haylen again. Kay leaned against his chest, hoping that one day he would confess his love to Haylen.
It was a day when the warm breeze felt exceptionally pleasant.
<Queen and King> End.
To be continued in the side story.
