Chapter 107
“Excuse me…”
Two or three students approached us. I had been drinking and stiffened, only moving my eyes to assess the situation.
“Did the three of you come together?”
“Huh? Yes… why?”
“Wow, you’re really handsome.”
“Seriously, all three of you are so handsome. How did we not notice faces like these before?”
I bowed my head deeply. My heart was racing for a different reason, afraid they might actually recognize my face.
“You look like someone.”
“Who was it? I feel like I should remember.”
“No, that really handsome hunter, you know?”
“Ah! Yu Hyunjae!”
“You seriously look like Yu Hyunjae, that’s crazy.”
Hearing that he resembled Yu Hyunjae, Yu Hyunjae himself awkwardly smiled and replied, “Thank you.” The students asked excitedly if they could join our table. After barely managing to send them away with the explanation that we had no plans to share a table, we finally caught our breath. Go Hankyul playfully patted Yu Hyunjae’s shoulder.
“You do look like Yu Hyunjae.”
“Don’t tease me.”
Yu Hyunjae’s ears turned red. I raised my head again and watched the changes in his expression with amusement. I wanted to tease him more.
“You’re going to be really popular when you get to college, huh?”
“No way, what popularity?”
“There’ll be so many good-looking and pretty people when you enroll.”
“…”
“Then you won’t even think about me, right?”
I downed a shot of soju after saying this. Yu Hyunjae didn’t give any answer.
“No answer means it’s true?”
“That’s impossible.”
Yu Hyunjae suddenly raised his voice. I was startled and my eyes widened. What the… Go Hankyul looked at Yu Hyunjae incredulously.
“Are you drunk?”
“No way… The three of us have only had one bottle.”
“I’m not drunk. And I’m not going to college. Not without Chanhee.”
“I don’t even have the strength to be surprised by your crazy statements anymore.”
“You too, right, Chanhee?”
“Huh? Yeah…”
Yu Hyunjae smiled with satisfaction, rested his elbow on the table, and propped up his chin. His eyes blinked slowly. Looking closely, they were half-lidded. When our eyes met, Yu Hyunjae grinned. He still had a handsome face, but it somehow looked sleepy and languid…
“…You are drunk, right?”
“Seems like he’s had one drink too many.”
“He really can’t hold his liquor.”
“I know. We shouldn’t give him any more.”
“I haven’t had much drinking experience myself, but I’ve never seen someone who can drink as little as him.”
I wasn’t much of a heavy drinker either, as my head was already throbbing after just three glasses. Go Hankyul naturally ordered another bottle of soju. Suddenly, Yu Hyunjae stood up abruptly.
“I need some air.”
“Huh? You want some fresh air?”
“Yeah.”
“Want me to come with you?”
“Yeah.”
“…You two go. I’ll stay here.”
Go Hankyul gestured as if telling us to get lost. I worriedly followed Yu Hyunjae, who was staggering slightly, out of the tent-style pub. I had no idea Yu Hyunjae was this weak with alcohol. It made sense though, since this was the first time we were drinking together as adults.
“Are you okay? Can you walk?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Yu Hyunjae with his slurred speech was cuter than I expected. When I couldn’t hold back my laughter and chuckled, Yu Hyunjae glanced at me.
“I like it when you laugh.”
“That’s because you’re so funny.”
“Even if I’m not funny, let’s live laughing sometimes.”
“Why are you suddenly saying things like that here?”
“Just… Drinking with you like this, like college students. It makes me so happy.”
With his nose reddened, either from the night air or the alcohol, Yu Hyunjae smiled prettily. I thought he looked like a scene from a movie. Like a shot where, regardless of genre, the director had made every effort to make the subject look beautiful. I enjoyed his face fully, just as the director would have wanted. Yu Hyunjae put his hands in his coat pockets and spread his arms. The coat flaps opened wide. When I just stared at him as if to say “what are you doing,” Yu Hyunjae flapped his hands.
“Come in.”
“What, out here in public?”
“Come on. It’s cold.”
“No, it’s fine. People will look at us strangely.”
“Since when did you care about that?”
Yu Hyunjae flapped his hands again. Unable to resist his persistence, I finally went into his embrace.
“I’m happy.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I’m happy.”
Yu Hyunjae repeated that he was happy. Had he ever said he was this happy before? I wrapped my arms around Yu Hyunjae’s waist.
“So I’m scared.”
Yu Hyunjae mumbled as he embraced me tightly, cradling my head. I could feel the sensation of his lips moving directly on my forehead.
“I’m so scared of time passing.”
“…”
“I wish time would stop right now.”
I silently nodded. Yu Hyunjae’s hand holding my head tightened. Even while having this not-so-hopeful conversation, my mood wasn’t that downcast. It made sense. Having lived a life that was unhappy even in the present, I had personally experienced how joyful it was to have a happy life, even if just for the present. I stroked Yu Hyunjae’s back to comfort him.
“It’s okay.”
“Yeah.”
“We just need to be happy now.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s already keeping us busy enough.”
I could hear Yu Hyunjae’s heartbeat directly in my ear. Hearing his heart beating rapidly, I actually felt calmer. I peeked my face out from inside the coat and pinched Yu Hyunjae’s cheek.
“You have one drink and get drunk like this. Such a child.”
“I guess I really can’t handle alcohol.”
“Are you dizzy?”
“I’m dizzy.”
Yu Hyunjae smiled mischievously with the corner of his mouth raised. Then he buried his face in my shoulder as if acting spoiled. Since Yu Hyunjae was taller, it created a somewhat comical posture, but he didn’t seem to mind. I said, “Hey,” grabbed his shoulders, and patted his back.
“You’re not falling asleep, are you?”
“No, I’m not sleeping. I’m not going to sleep tonight.”
“You’re not going to sleep tonight?”
“Today, like college students… Drinking together like this, mixing with people, just being like students…”
“You must have really enjoyed it.”
“Yeah. I want to go to college.”
“The Center wouldn’t let you get away with that.”
“You…”
“Me?”
“You’re going to college, right?”
“I have to go. If I don’t have mana anymore, I’ll be completely broke and need to make a living somehow.”
“How can you say that?”
We naturally sat down on a nearby bench. There were a few college students sitting in pairs nearby, but they didn’t seem to pay much attention to us. I hummed along to an unknown melody, listening to the song of an unnamed singer coming from somewhere in the distance.
“The song is nice.”
“Yeah. Should we go check it out?”
“And leave Go Hankyul there?”
“Ah, right.”
Yu Hyunjae smiled sheepishly. I was smiling at how cute he looked when suddenly the status window appeared in front of me again. I naturally turned my head and slowly read the status window that only I could see.
[95% toward goal, 5% remaining until achievement!]
[Progress toward achievement is proceeding rapidly. Congratulations! It seems you’re working hard toward your goal!]
“Damn.”
“Huh?”
Yu Hyunjae looked at me and asked.
“Ah, it’s nothing. The song is just really good.”
“Yeah. I thought you only liked that loud music from before, but I guess you like this kind too.”
“Loud music? Are you dissing rock right now?”
“No, no. That’s not what I meant…”
“I need to tell Go Hankyul about this right away. You need to get a beating with some rock music…”
Yu Hyunjae grabbed me, pulled me into a tight hug, and tried to stop me.
“Let go.”
“Forgive me, okay?”
“What’s this? Are you trying to be cute?”
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Yu Hyunjae’s response. For this moment at least, everything was fine. Even though only 5% of time remained until my death, even though I knew this happiness might not last any longer.
