# Chapter 34
The assignment for Gate A-08 being delayed again, behind other schedules, was definitely something worth getting angry about. Grabbing someone by the collar and shaking them would have been justified. One should have been compensated for it, even.
But Lee Hwan gracefully and gently let it slide once more.
“Incheon Cheolma Mountain, 2nd-class Gate, biological ecosystem type.”
That was because the other schedule was his Gate appointment with Taesung.
Of course, it was a stupid situation. But Lee Hwan had his excuses.
The gravity skill stone? Of course it was important. Combined with Spatial Control, it could be used in countless ways. Perhaps he could even recover beyond his pre-regression abilities in a short time.
But would Kang Dongying listen if Lee Hwan or Kang Dongha threw tantrums? And if Kang Dongha was in his right mind, he wouldn’t pretend not to know about something he’d already received, unless he wanted his head cut off.
That skill stone would remain right where it was until Naru discovered it two years later, unless it grew legs and walked away. Thinking that way made him feel better.
Taesung, on the other hand…
It felt like Taesung would disappear like a mirage if Lee Hwan let him go.
The emotions from the day they went through the Gate together were still vivid in his mind. He never thought he’d be missing his friend like this.
Especially since it was Taesung, who had always been attached to him, someone Lee Hwan had never particularly wanted to see separately.
‘I wonder if it’ll be okay this time too.’
Would he be affectionate this time too? Would he look at Lee Hwan with interested eyes, without splitting his head open?
The towel was still hanging on Lee Hwan’s bed headboard. Its soft surface felt quite pleasant to touch, and he would often absently hold it in his hands.
He knew this wasn’t a favor that Kang Taesung had given to Joo Lee Hwan. It was just a towel that the reformatted version of Taesung had tossed to Kim Jeongshik, whom he’d never even seen.
Yet, why couldn’t he even put it in the washing machine?
“Damn it.”
Lee Hwan turned on the TV he wasn’t even watching, to fill the house with human voices, and flopped onto the bed. The fact that he would soon meet Taesung again made him excited, yet his mood wasn’t exactly good. Considering how he’d been grilled like a blue rare steak every time they met, this feeling of being blessed with good fortune felt oddly unsettling.
When he hit the bed headboard with a bang, the towel fell onto his face with a plop. Lee Hwan left it there, resting on his eyes, and lay stupidly for a while.
Through the noisy TV sounds, a somehow nostalgic smell wafted.
“…”
Why had that guy peered into his eyes behind the mask? Why did he bother giving such an expensive watch and promise another meeting?
Was it simply because he was a useful combat personnel? Or was Taesung somehow connected to the past through time, space, and some incomprehensible supernatural power, and wanted to be friends with him again?
Thoughts he couldn’t understand even as he recalled them. Lee Hwan gently rubbed his eyes with the towel, then angrily flung it away.
He knew it was all nonsense. But fantasies were free, and the satisfying feeling they gave made his pouty, protruding lips retract.
What kind of pathetic state was this?
“Let’s just eat.”
He still had a long life ahead. Since he had to live anyway, Lee Hwan wanted to live a long, healthy life by consuming not only protein, carbs, and fats, but also calcium, vitamins, and probiotics for his already sturdy Awakened body.
Coincidentally, on his way home, he had bought two chunks of beef that were half-price. The marbling beautifully blooming through the red flesh was so beautiful he wanted to devour it even before cooking.
Lee Hwan opened the refrigerator and took out the butter he had been using recently at every opportunity. He cut it thickly and melted it in the pan, then placed the meat on top.
Sizzle-
Along with that amazing sound, a delicious smell filled the house. The rich, sweet, nutty aroma of butter was quite pleasing.
However.
‘Hmm…’
Even though he had completed the resting period he learned from the internet, he wasn’t satisfied with the result even before tasting it. Lee Hwan had been attempting to cook steak every evening for the past few days, but each finished product just wasn’t the flavor he was thinking of.
Of course, it tasted good with butter, garlic salt, and whole peppercorns. But just like how a baby duck that just hatched recognizes the first living thing it sees as its mother, a taste that remains specially in memory always becomes the default for that food.
‘That bastard, how did he make it?’
He remembered hovering around Taesung and eating bell peppers, but then he always fluttered back to the sofa, so he could hardly recall the process or ingredients.
Lee Hwan experienced his second frustration since failing to remember the top liquor brand as he unwrapped the foil that had covered the meat.
Crinkle.
Anyway, the steak was done, crispy outside and juicy inside.
“I’ll definitely succeed, for real.”
Yum. Lee Hwan took a bite, making a vow.
* * *
It was the season when the weather was starting to get hot. The icy makgeolli made his head tingle.
“Ah! Lee Hwan-ssi, hurry and eat. This time it’s not the corporate card but the department head’s card, so they said we can splurge a bit.”
“Ah, yes.”
Gulp. A thick pancake stuffed with seafood crunched as he chewed and went down his throat. The nutty, salty, greasy taste of flour washed away the day’s fatigue.
Lee Hwan was now attending all the field work dinners without exception. His teammates might wonder about his identity in the bathroom, but they didn’t reject him, so Lee Hwan felt a bit more at ease.
The regression version of Lee Hwan was melting into the team in his own unique way. It was a somewhat successful adaptation.
Of course, some still treated him like a mystery shopper. Some whispered that he must be a director’s son, and rarely, some even said he might be an illegitimate child of a VIP.
But even after all this time, there had been no instructions or interference from above, and Lee Hwan diligently completed his assigned tasks without needing to be taught, so most team members had the attitude of “well, whatever then.”
The relationships that had been painfully twisted were gradually finding their orbit. Although it was very different from before, Lee Hwan gave himself high marks for not completely cutting off human interaction.
His relationship with Taesung was like that too. Meetings that had only consisted of attack, defense, and escape were now filled with mutual cooperation and interest, which Lee Hwan quite appreciated.
He felt like the likability that had gone negative when he covered his face and hid his identity was rising back to zero. So Lee Hwan was more cooperative, and thanks to that, the Gate schedule was quickly rearranged.
Another weekend. Taesung, whom he met in front of the Gate, looked almost the same as last time. But today, Jade wasn’t by his side.
‘Why isn’t the sunglasses guy here?’
He wanted to ask, but Lee Hwan couldn’t bring himself to speak. He knew he had to be careful even with his voice in front of him.
Taesung was also silent until they finished preparations and entered the Gate. It seemed like he was conscious of the fact that Lee Hwan didn’t say a word. Still, their methods of gathering and checking equipment were quite similar, so there was no awkwardness even without conversation.
And fortunately, unlike last time, there was no wariness or suspicion in Taesung’s eyes. That alone lifted half of his worries.
When Lee Hwan finished checking and finally strapped the Dolpeung on his back, Taesung tightened his hip pouch firmly as if he too was done preparing. Then he stared at Lee Hwan blankly for a moment before signaling the departure without saying anything.
‘…It’s quiet.’
Taesung wasn’t originally a talkative person. Still, he often initiated conversations with Lee Hwan, and when Lee Hwan rambled nonsense, he would respond in his own earnest way.
So this silence that was flowing now felt awkward to Lee Hwan.
Rustle.
Unlike the last Gate, this one wasn’t a wide mountain path. The terrain was like a dungeon in a game, with only one or two passages. Because of this, having many people would actually be cumbersome, and if the vanguard couldn’t properly block, everyone would collapse in a rush.
‘In places like this, it’s best to have just two or three good fighters…’
Was it okay to be left alone with Taesung? Would there be division within the Gate? Lee Hwan absently examined the path where the wet soil was gradually disappearing and pouted his lips.
When he had been unreservedly happy to see Taesung, he’d only gotten beaten up, but now that he’d given up and tried to avoid him, he had this opportunity to be together. If this was a coincidence, that would be fine, but…
If the System or this world was pushing them together, it had a truly wicked mindset.
‘But that’s probably not the case.’
They say humans like to blame others. It seemed like blaming the System would make him feel better.
“…”
Lee Hwan walked side by side with Taesung. The dirt ground made crunching sounds as they stepped on it. When Lee Hwan tightened the strap on his shoulder a bit more, Taesung glanced at him, having heard that small sound.
“That firearm, it won’t work against telekinesis.”
At the probing question, Lee Hwan hesitated and then nodded.
“Something like telekinesis, well.”
A slightly proud voice slipped out. Telekinesis was clearly a lower ability than Spatial Control. Whether Lee Hwan could use it easily or not.
In fact, Taesung probably already knew from the last battle that his ability wasn’t telekinesis. He was just trying to get Lee Hwan to say it directly.
It was a similar conversation style, but why did Kang Dongha’s feel like he was testing him, while Taesung’s felt like he was asking politely in a roundabout way?
“…That’s cool.”
It seemed like just a filler comment, but there was a slight hint of favor in his eyes as he spoke. For a moment, Lee Hwan didn’t realize he was being spoken to and looked to the side.
‘Me?’
Lee Hwan paused. Had he seen such a reaction after the regression? Surprised, he habitually touched his face. Only after feeling the hard mask did he roll his eyes and nod.
Suddenly exchanging pleasantries with his friend felt incredibly strange. Yet somehow, it felt good. Was this the right emotion?
‘Just hurry up and come out, monsters.’
Unable to bear the tingling feeling, Lee Hwan muttered inwardly.
And soon.
“Get ready.”
While other wishes never came true, monsters always appeared right on cue when called for.
