Chapter 205

“Where’s my friend?”

Shin Yuri was certain.

She was certain that this one was the ‘fake’.

Shin Jae-heon froze. Was the sense of wrongness that strong?

Well, Shin Yuri wasn’t an idiot, and with a ten-year time gap, there was no way she wouldn’t notice something off.

But there was no other way. No other way to get So Yeri to reveal her true identity.

At that moment, Shin Yuri spoke.

“Don’t even think about lying. The fact that I can’t see your rank is proof enough that you’re a fake.”

At those words, Shin Jae-heon whipped his head toward her without thinking.

A shallow cut appeared on his neck from the dagger, but he ignored it.

My rank is almost never visible. Is it because it’s low-ranked?

Really? Whatever. I can’t see mine either.

Shin Yuri from back then had definitely said that.

But it must have been a lie.

Right, there was no way an S-rank’s ‘hunter instincts’ would develop that late.

She’d pretended not to see it just to spare my feelings. Shin Jae-heon gave a bitter smile.

“……”

The eyes of past Shin Yuri and present Shin Jae-heon met.

Past Shin Yuri was only at the very beginning of S-rank.

No matter how ruthlessly determined she was, she could never kill present-day Shin Jae-heon.

Not with the vast gap in experience and stats, even if they were both S-rank.

On the other hand, it would be easy for Shin Jae-heon to subdue her. But he absolutely could not.

Even if he weren’t top-tier S-rank but an L-rank hunter, it would be the same.

How could I ever lay a hand on you?

He muttered inwardly.

“If you don’t talk, I’ll kill you and find him myself.”

Past Shin Yuri said flatly. But her voice was low and sunken.

Clear killing intent directed at Shin Jae-heon.

In the end, he opened his mouth.

“You might not believe me.”

How could he make this Shin Yuri believe him?

How could he prove he was the real one?

As he pondered, he pulled an item from his inventory.

Shin Yuri recognized the necklace and her eyes widened.

“You can tell by touching it, but it’s the C-rank necklace you gave me. Well, technically, you gave it without knowing it was C-rank.”

Remembering how they’d checked the rank together and been shocked, Shin Jae-heon held it out to her.

—Chaling.

Shin Yuri touched the necklace, and her eyes widened again.

“……A keepsake?”

Ah, she learned it was a keepsake later.

Shin Yuri looked up at him with a shocked face. Shin Jae-heon smiled.

“As you know, you can’t fake a keepsake.”

“……”

Shin Yuri nodded. But suspicion and wariness didn’t leave her face.

It meant she was still convinced he wasn’t the Shin Jae-heon from this time.

Shin Jae-heon smiled silently at her steadfast gaze.

Right, how could I ever deceive you?

He opened his mouth.

“I came from the future.”

“?”

Shin Yuri froze at his words, then furrowed her brow.

“I don’t know what skill this is, but don’t try to mess with me.”

It was natural she couldn’t believe it easily.

Shin Jae-heon nodded.

“You don’t have to. As long as the you from my time believes me, that’s enough.”

“What?”

As Shin Yuri froze again, Shin Jae-heon glanced toward the bathroom and said,

“The me from this time is asleep for now. Can’t run into him. He’ll wake up soon.”

Since Hunter Joo Yian hadn’t broken his neck…… He swallowed the rest; no good would come from saying it.

“……”

Shin Yuri was still wary of him. It was time to part.

Hunter So Yeri would return soon, and once past Shin Jae-heon learned her secret, the dungeon would end.

For that, he needed to leave quickly.

But Shin Jae-heon couldn’t easily tear himself away from past Shin Yuri.

He pitied how adeptly she was trying to deal with an ‘enemy’.

Have you faced things like this countless times while I wasn’t looking?

Blocking suspicious strangers who approached, while I smiled, oblivious, at the seemingly fine you.

“……Since we’re here, there’s something I want to say.”

In the end, Shin Jae-heon spoke.

Past her and present him met eyes.

He couldn’t hold back anymore.

Even knowing this wasn’t why he’d come here.

“……?”

Shin Yuri listened, still holding the dagger to his neck.

“You don’t have to pretend to be strong.”

Shin Jae-heon said calmly to her. Her dagger trembled slightly.

“I know. You’re scared too.”

The me from this time knows too. At his words, Shin Yuri’s eyes widened.

“I even know what you’re scared of.”

Shin Jae-heon told her.

“Neither you nor I will ever be alone.”

So don’t stand there so rigidly by yourself, trying to endure.

It’s okay to stumble and fall sometimes.

That’s what he wanted to say.

Listening, Shin Yuri slowly opened her mouth.

“……You’re the one who said you’d die in my place?”

Right, back then, he’d followed her around with that kind of thinking.

‘Don’t make me laugh.’

He’d thought she’d just laughed it off back then.

Apparently not.

We thought we were friends with no secrets, but maybe we had the most.

Shin Jae-heon looked at her quietly, then answered.

“Yeah. That’s what I’d decided, but I changed my mind.”

He took her hand gripping the dagger and gently lowered it.

“When I thought about it, that would leave you alone.”

Shin Yuri stared at him, unaware her hand was held.

As if struck right in the heart.

“I didn’t know back then that would be the scarier ending for you.”

“……”

Shin Yuri fell silent. The tension in her hand seemed to ease a little.

Do you believe in my existence?

Shin Jae-heon continued to her.

“So in the future, I’ll make a different promise. If you die, I’ll die the next day.”

He said calmly.

“I’ll definitely be there at the end of your life.”

He patted the hand of Shin Yuri, whose eyes were wide.

“Grip too tight and you’ll strain a muscle.”

Only then did Shin Yuri relax her grip on the dagger.

Shin Jae-heon said as he sent the chat.

“I’m going.”

See you later. And we’ll meet again soon.

You won’t remember this, but it’s fine.

I can say it again anytime.

With that thought, he slipped past Shin Yuri.

Whatever the conversation was, Joo Yian had been watching the situation, and her reply came quick and short.

As Shin Jae-heon left the spot, he saw his past self running over.

“Shin Jae-heon!”

Past Shin Jae-heon looked utterly flustered as Shin Yuri hugged him without warning.

As he watched them, a system window appeared.

What? Shin Jae-heon’s eyes widened.

What the hell why?

Hunter Joo Yian failed twice?

That meant one more failure and death.

A chill ran down his spine at the thought.

—Flash!

His vision shifted, and Shin Jae-heon and Joo Yian returned to the initial hospital room.

No, this time it wasn’t just the two of them.

Along with the system window, Shin Yuri and So Yeri were summoned too.

“!”

All four were gathered.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw a hospital room.

But the living rules posted on the wall felt oddly familiar.

Especially the logo below and the hospital name.

……Why is our neighborhood hospital here?

As I raised an eyebrow,

the system window flashed.

Oh, no way?

The moment I focused on the system window, the awaited message appeared.

Yes! Come on in, my info! Wow, nice to see you^^!

“Where is this?”

I confirmed my info had loaded properly and looked around.

Hunter So Yeri, who must have flown in with me, was also glancing about.

Meanwhile, Hunters Joo Yian and Shin Jae-heon seemed relatively calm. Shin Jae-heon had his arms crossed.

“Let’s get out for now.”

Shin Jae-heon gestured.

Yeah, standing like idiots in the middle of the room with four people would look weird.

I looked down at the item in my hand.

Won’t they get sued for false advertising?

Anyway, holding a gift drink made us look like visitors to a patient.

Before the lingering awkwardness faded, Hunter So Yeri strode out of the room.

“?”

Feeling something odd, I followed her.

The two men followed behind me. Hunter So Yeri headed straight for the emergency stairs without hesitation.

“No one comes this way much, so it’ll be easy to talk.”

Hunter So Yeri seemed a bit flustered.

I looked at her curiously as she spoke.

“Have you been here before?”

I don’t think she came to the emergency stairs even when Shin Jae-heon was hospitalized?

If I’d known there was a spot like this, we’d have chatted here!

At my words, Hunter So Yeri paused briefly.

“I have…… been here.”

I raised an eyebrow at that.

This is our neighborhood hospital? Do you live around here?

……Her origins are unknown, though?

Could Eunryeong District turn out to be a holy land for S-ranks? Producing three of them?

As I tilted my head with all sorts of thoughts,

“This is Hunter So Yeri’s memory.”

Hunter Joo Yian cautiously spoke up.

“Oh.”

In the previous ‘Memory – Shin Jae-heon,’ I couldn’t chat with Shin Jae-heon to ask for the answer(?), but this time was different.

She was right there, so I just needed to ask what this time’s her wanted.

This was my chance to cheat!

I turned to Hunter So Yeri. Then scratched my cheek.

But why a hospital as the backdrop?

“The time is right before the Gate explosion.”

Shin Jae-heon added after Joo Yian.

He’d seemed relaxed earlier; must have arrived first. While I was in another memory with Hunter So Yeri.

“Anything come to mind?”

I subtly asked Hunter So Yeri.

Flinch.

And I caught her flinching faintly again.

Her reactions had been weird from the start. Like there was something in this memory.

……Maybe a memory she wants to keep secret?

She doesn’t talk much about her past, so that makes sense. As I thought that,

“……I don’t remember.”

Hunter So Yeri said, drawing out the end of her words.

“It’s been ten years. I think I need to look around first.”

I nodded at her words.

Yeah, regardless of what this memory meant to her, expecting her to recall ten-year-old events instantly was too much.

Even I wouldn’t remember what I wanted ten years ago off the top of my head.

Hunter life was all about survival, so aside from that, school days……

……Tomato spaghetti in the cafeteria menu?

I scratched my cheek.