Chapter 94

After sending her mother off, Si-ho cried for a long time.

Exhausted from crying, she finally opened her eyes only at dawn.

The first thing Si-ho saw upon waking was none other than Ha-chan.

His shirt was a mess, crumpled and stained with tears from how much she had cried into his chest.

Yet, he continued to comfort and embrace her, staying by her side until she fell asleep.

The blanket felt incredibly warm.

Seo-ho didn’t seem to be sleeping in his room.

Si-ho lifted her head and looked at Ha-chan’s face.

The face of the sleeping Ha-chan was the face of the person she loved the most.

It wasn’t an overly handsome face.

Just enough to feel a moderate liking at first sight.

That was Si-ho’s first impression too.

She had always been picky about appearances.

Having grown up with Seo-ho, who was naturally good-looking, she had never felt any interest in the opposite sex.

And she thought that would never change.

But after what happened on the deserted island, things gradually began to change.

On the island, Ha-chan had merely gotten caught up in her affairs.

Even though she could have solved things if she just used her strength, he had been using his strength to maintain her mother, so she couldn’t complain.

Instead, Ha-chan had told her she was an A-class Hunter.

Even when Giraseong came and a desperate situation arose, Ha-chan had tried to protect her and her mother until the end.

It was enough to give Si-ho a huge shock.

At first, she wondered how such a person could exist.

It was almost suspicious.

But even so, he had prioritized her, someone he had only known for a few days.

Just like her mother, who had tried to sacrifice herself to save her.

Ha-chan genuinely wanted to protect her.

The sight of him running to face the two Giraseong members who had come for her told her it was real.

Later, when she woke up after being attacked and fainting by Yekaterina.

Ha-chan had been hit by Yekaterina’s attack right in front of her.

When his body stopped as if he were dead, Si-ho saw it overlap with the image of her dead mother.

Her mother, who had been eaten by a Dimensional Being, leaving only a mangled corpse.

And him, who had grabbed Kaito even as his insides spilled out, only to be killed by Yekaterina’s attack.

Si-ho thought she would go mad then.

But he was different from her mother.

As if nothing had happened, he got up and defeated Yekaterina and Kaito, protecting her until the end without her having to use her strength.

Surely, it was someone else inside him who had done it, but Si-ho knew that even that person carried Ha-chan’s will.

His heart that genuinely wanted to save someone.

And feeling that heart, Si-ho felt an inexplicable emotion.

An indescribable feeling overwhelmed her, and Ha-chan’s face from the deserted island flashed in her mind dozens of times before disappearing into her chest.

Then she heard the news that he had woken up.

She felt guilty.

Since he had almost died purely because of her, she couldn’t face him.

But the moment she was led by Seo-ho and faced Ha-chan.

“Is your mother okay? She must have been very worried about you, Si-ho.”

Seeing his smile, worrying about her first, Si-ho made a decision.

“I’m glad.”

I’m going to like this person.

Even though I’ve never liked anyone before.

Si-ho thought that if she were to like someone, she wanted it to be this person.

Her mother always said.

Her father had been her mother’s prince, who had saved her from the fire and, even after getting burned, worried about her first.

So Si-ho should meet someone like that too.

Someone who would always prioritize her, no matter what.

And Si-ho thought that person was Ha-chan.

No, it could only be Ha-chan.

The tingling in her toes whenever she saw him.

A face that was hard to face but one she wanted to keep looking at.

Above all, her pounding heart made her love more certain than anything.

When Ha-chan smiled, she was happy, and being by his side felt so good.

The problem was that this feeling didn’t diminish but kept growing.

Si-ho’s mind was instantly filled with him.

So, looking at Ha-chan’s sleeping face now, Si-ho found it hard to control her emotions.

That sleeping face was unbearably lovable.

After saying goodbye to her mother, the one who had hugged and comforted her all day was more considerate and wonderful than any prince in a fairy tale.

No one in the world could be as considerate as Ha-chan.

She really, really liked him for being there for her all day.

How could I not love such a person?

The pain from parting with her mother was filled with another emotion by him.

Just having the person she loved by her side quickly healed the pain.

Si-ho reached out and gently touched Ha-chan’s cheek.

“Hmm.”

Due to recent events, there were slight dark circles under his eyes, which made Si-ho’s heart ache, but she wanted to help him with anything he did.

And she wanted to praise and stroke him.

Si-ho slightly lifted her head and moved up to his chest.

His much taller height and broad chest made Si-ho’s heart flutter.

The closer her face got, the more her heart raced.

When Si-ho got close enough to his chin to feel his breath, she slightly parted her lips.

Ha-chan’s lips came clearly into Si-ho’s view.

They’ll touch.

Just a little more movement and they’ll touch.

That fact made Si-ho’s heart race, but she didn’t do it.

Ha-chan would forgive her for anything today.

Because he would feel sorry for Si-ho, who had just parted with her mother.

So Si-ho knew this was cheating.

She wanted Ha-chan to do it himself.

“……Si-ho?”

As she fidgeted, Ha-chan seemed to wake up and opened his eyelids.

Facing him in a daze, Si-ho smiled and lifted her head.

Soon, his cheek and lips touched.

The sound of their cheeks and lips touching echoed.

When Ha-chan realized it belatedly and opened his eyes wide, Si-ho kissed his cheek again as if to confirm it wasn’t a dream.

Then, with a bright red face, she said to him.

“……Si-ho, I held back. Please don’t count this as cheating.”

Saying that, Si-ho buried her face in Ha-chan’s neck.

She couldn’t bear to lift her reddened face.

Realizing this, Ha-chan had no choice but to reach out and stroke the back of Si-ho’s head.

The touch was so warm and happy that Si-ho quietly wished this moment would last forever.

The next day, I was preparing to go out with Si-ho.

First, Si-ho decided to go to school.

Though worried about yesterday’s events, she was spirited.

But still, mornings without her mother waking her up were hard to get used to, as she kept staring blankly at her mother’s empty room.

Parting isn’t something that can be resolved overnight.

It would take Si-ho a lot of time to adjust to this.

“Si-ho.”

“It’s okay. I have you, Manager.”

At my call, Si-ho came over and tightly held my hand.

Though pitiful, I could only smile.

I had been entrusted with Si-ho by her mother.

For the sake of that request, I had to take responsibility for Si-ho.

But there was a slight worry.

I intended to take responsibility for Si-ho as her manager and older brother, but what Si-ho wanted from me wasn’t that.

The way Si-ho, who had kissed my cheek last night, looked at me was filled with affection.

And I now knew very well that this affection was romantic love.

‘What should I do?’

Si-ho is only 19.

When she becomes an adult and fully regains her S-class Hunter abilities, she will meet many people.

Then, wouldn’t her current feelings change?

But to think that, Si-ho’s feelings right now were too intense.

“Thank you for being with me like yesterday.”

But such doubts didn’t reach her.

“I’m glad I met you, Manager. I like you, Manager.”

I like you.

Hearing her confession, I couldn’t say anything.

Because the way Si-ho tightly held my hand seemed like it wouldn’t change no matter what.

Looking at Si-ho, I thought of Seol-hyang and Ayu.

My childhood friend Seol-hyang, who had feelings for me since long ago and continued to hold them until now, giving them to me.

Ayu, who might have started as a game friend but had played games with me for five years and was always the first to come to me when I had problems.

The affection these two had for me was certainly no less than Si-ho’s.

With these three, what should I do?

‘I used to think it would be nice to be like the protagonist in a harem manga.’

But now that it’s a concern, it’s more troubling than I thought.

“Si-ho, I’m going to school.”

“Okay, see you later.”

At that moment, Si-ho, who had greeted me, used Space Movement to go to school.

After Si-ho finished school, she planned to come to Seol-hyang’s house to test the Dimensional Rift.

‘Then me.’

First, I should go to work.

As I stepped out of the building, a silver fox approached from afar.

The fox saw me and bowed its head once.

It was Eun-hyeon, who had returned to guard me after losing Asura.

Approaching Eun-hyeon, I cautiously asked.

“Eun-hyeon, are you hurt anywhere?”

“There was a fight, but Asura’s goal was to escape. I’m not hurt.”

Hearing that, I felt relieved.

After all, the fight between Eun-hyeon and Hyuk-seo had happened because of me.

“……What happened to Hyuk-seo?”

“He was chased by Geumgang-ho until the end. He was injured but is fine. He’ll probably show up again soon.”

“He’s after Si-ho.”

“Yes.”

Hearing that, I sighed.

“Is Ayu with Si-ho now?”

“She went ahead to wait at the school.”

Si-ho is now under strict protection by the World Returner Association.

As Si-ho is Giraseong’s biggest target, the World Returner Association is also highly focused on her.

In fact, last night, Returners like Ayu had been constantly watching Si-ho’s house.

Their presence was not only to protect Si-ho but also to lure out Hyuk-seo.

It was better to draw him out and capture him than to leave him be.

‘I should treat Ayu to a meal later.’

I can’t be of much help in protecting Si-ho.

With my two glass cannons and only 0.5% output, I would only get in the way.

That fact once again left me feeling regretful.

“Don’t fret.”

Then, Baek-san, who had noticed my thoughts, spoke.

“You have me by your side. Once you fully grasp Aura, you’ll become as strong as them in no time. That’s why I’m here.”

At Baek-san’s bold statement, my face finally brightened a little.

I felt lucky to have Baek-san around lately.

Otherwise, I would have surely dug myself into a hole.

With that in mind, I headed to the company.

The plan to retrieve Eva’s body from the Dimensional Rift was set for today.

I intended to finish work at the company before then.

Seol-hyang didn’t want my daily life to be disrupted by the World Returner Association’s affairs.

Just as I wanted Si-ho’s daily life not to be disrupted, she felt the same.

‘But still.’

The more I get involved with Returners, the harder it will be to maintain my daily life.

Thinking that, I felt sorry to Ji-eun.

From her perspective, not knowing the circumstances, she must really dislike me.

‘Maybe someday.’

It might not be bad to explain things to Ji-eun at some point.

After all, she’s the first Hunter I’ve taken on.

So, following Seol-hyang’s advice, I headed to work.

And at the company, I encountered someone I never expected.

“Long time no see, Ha-chan.”

It was none other than Eun-namu.