Chapter 117

“Are you awake?”

Taehyeok Sa felt his head throbbing and pressed his forehead. Next to him, Cho-i Hyeon, with a slightly refreshed expression, sat wiggling her legs.

“Were you waiting?” “I wanted to hear your thoughts.” “It felt awful.” “And?” “I thought I had done something unnecessary.” “Anything else?” “…I did regret doing that to you a little.” “Not sorry?” “I’m not sure about that.” “Anyway, you really are a son of a bitch.”

Cho-i Hyeon smiled and got up from her seat, as if she had expected it.

“Still, I do feel a bit relieved.” “…I’m glad to hear that.” “But that doesn’t mean I like you now.” “I didn’t expect you to.” “But I did realize one thing.” “What?” “That you, more than anyone else in this world, now understand what it feels like to die and come back to life, die again and live again.” “…” “That even though I hate you to death, you’re the only one who can understand my feelings, even if just a little.” “…I see.” “So, I’ll keep you alive. If I ever get too lonely, I’ll talk, so just shut up and listen then. Then I won’t kill you.” “Is that for your sake?” “Of course, it’s for my sake. Would it be for yours?”

Cho-i Hyeon turned around and left the hospital room. After confirming Cho-i Hyeon’s departure, Taehyeok Sa opened his item window.

[One Hundred Nine Lives of the Cat Emperor (1/109)]

He actually had one more life left. Taehyeok Sa, who had carelessly lied and left one life, sighed and closed the item window.

“I hope I never have to use it.”

He lay on the hospital bed and closed his eyes. It had been an exhausting day. The fact that he couldn’t die brought about a greater sense of disconnect than he expected, eating away at his mind.

“Cho-i Hyeon feels this every time….”

It was at this point that I understood why Cho-i Hyeon was out of her mind. And I couldn’t understand how she always stepped up and risked her life. The sensation of life slipping away, and then the feeling of disconnect when she opened her eyes again, made it hard to tell if it was a dream or reality.

‘If Cho-i Hyeon feels the same way…’

Having already faced death hundreds of times, she might be living in a dream, not reality. Taehyeok Sa closed his eyes and briefly tried to imagine her feelings.

‘I have no idea.’

He had no idea what she thought, what she felt, or what she lived by. But he did somewhat understand why she saved him. If only one person had experienced this feeling, he would have kept them alive too.

‘As the only one who understands…’

Taehyeok Sa found those words very unfamiliar. Cho-i Hyeon was like a Calamity that only he could handle. But to be the only one who could understand this unfamiliar Calamity. Taehyeok Sa felt he truly couldn’t understand his current emotions.

‘First, I need to recover my body… ‘

He slowly drifted off to sleep. When he woke up, he might feel like he had died and come back to life again. Cho-i Hyeon held his life in her hands. The feeling of entrusting his life to someone else was still disgusting and unfamiliar.

At that moment, Cho-i Hyeon was walking to her house. No, it would be more accurate to say she was flying. She leaped between buildings, ran, and freely experienced the sensation of falling.

“Ahahahaha!”

This kind of stunt was easily achievable even by an S-Rank. Maybe a driver’s license wasn’t necessary? Cho-i thought so as she continued to leap between buildings. She felt the wind. It was a completely different kind of wind than the one Taehyeok Sa had created. Cho-i Hyeon arrived at her house by running like that. Sticking close to the balcony, Cho-i looked inside and watched Nara Shim preparing dinner in the kitchen.

“Hey!”

“Aargh! Holy crap, you scared me!”

Nara Shim, who was scooping rice, dropped the ladle and flinched. Cho-i Hyeon grinned, opened the balcony door, and walked inside.

“Why are you coming in that way! Why!”

“I went for a drive.”

“You don’t even have a car, how can you go for a drive!”

“Ahahaha. So, what did you make? I’m hungry.”

“I made kimchi stew.”

“I love kimchi stew.”

“Just sit down. I’ll give you rice.”

“Yay, Mom’s the best!”

“Who’s your mom, who!”

Cho-i Hyeon sat at the table, wiggling her legs as she waited for her meal. Was Taehyeok Sa asleep by now? Some people hadn’t even eaten properly yet, but he was so carefree. Just as she was thinking that, the thought that the only person who understood her was Taehyeok Sa made her stomach churn.

“Even so, her…”

She couldn’t make him do it. Right? As Cho-i Hyeon quietly watched Nara Shim’s back, Nara Shim suddenly got goosebumps and turned around.

“What are you thinking?”

“Thinking about killing you.”

“Why. Why, why!”

“No, I just thought it would have been better if you were the one who understood me.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“It’s just one of those things~.”

Cho-i Hyeon took the rice bowl Nara Shim grumbled and offered, and smiled. Nara placed the finished kimchi stew on the table, as if thinking, ‘How could I possibly understand what she’s thinking?’ Thud. Nara Shim scooped her own portion of rice, sat down, and asked.

“So, what happened with the Guild Master?”

“I killed him.”

“Ugh!”

Nara Shim, who was putting a spoonful of rice into her mouth, spat out the rice grains.

“Ew, gross.”

“You really killed him?”

“Well, did you think I’d pretend to kill him?”

Nara Shim first turned on the TV with the remote. But no news related to the Paehyeok Guild appeared on any channel.

“You said you killed him?”

“And then he came back to life.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“There’s always a way.”

“Wow, I wonder if even the Guild Master is losing his mind.”

“He wasn’t exactly sane to begin with.”

“He was better than you.”

“That kind of hurts my pride.”

“What are you even being prideful about?”

“I can’t accept that I’m less sane than him!”

“Don’t get all riled up about something so strange, just eat your food.”

“Hmm.”

Cho-i Hyeon started to shovel down her rice. She had been hungry all day and felt weak.

“Do you know how much energy I expended beating Taehyeok Sa?”

“I don’t really want to know.”

“Then there’s nothing for it. Next time you see Taehyeok Sa, ask him how he’s doing.”

“Why would I get involved? I’m going to pretend I don’t know anything.”

“You told me to kill him.”

“I didn’t think you’d actually kill him.”

“You’re a bit irresponsible.”

“I’m normal. I think you’re the one with the problem for actually doing it.”

Cho-i ate the rest of her meal with a look that seemed to ask, ‘Is that so?’, and Nara Shim also finished her meal in a quiet atmosphere. The two then went to bed. Nara Shim was the type to fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, so she quickly drifted off, leaving only Cho-i Hyeon tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

“Taehyeok Sa understands me…”

She slowly blinked in the darkness, ruminating on him. That jerk is tall, handsome, the number one in Paehyeok, and annoying. He’s the bastard who killed me hundreds of times and doesn’t feel sorry about it. But surely, he must have felt something from dying over a hundred times.

“I wish you’d show me that keeping you alive is the right choice.”

Cho-i Hyeon said that and slowly closed her eyes. She didn’t think Taehyeok Sa would completely understand her. But if Taehyeok Sa was the only one who could even understand her little finger, then Cho-i Hyeon had no choice but to keep him alive.

“Am I lonelier than I thought?”

She closed her eyes. Sleep slowly crept over her body. Complete darkness arrived, and she fell asleep. Sleep was a useful act that allowed thoughts to stop for a while. A way to escape from such complicated thoughts. She remained stopped for a moment like that.

***

The next day, Cho-i Hyeon woke up around lunchtime and looked at her smartphone. And there was an unexpected number on it. It was Taehyeok Sa. It seemed he recovered faster than expected.

“As expected, killing him about a hundred times wasn’t enough.”

Clicking her tongue, Cho-i Hyeon, who checked the message from his number, got up, washed, and changed her clothes. The message was simple.

[The materials research institute contacted me. I think we should go together.]

The materials research institute contacted her about her shed skin. She definitely had to go. Cho-i Hyeon threw on some clothes as usual and left her house. She hailed a taxi and headed straight to Paehyeok.

“You came faster than I expected.”

And there, Taehyeok Sa, whose face looked surprisingly fine, was waiting for her, contrary to Cho-i’s expectations. Cho-i briefly considered punching him because his face bothered her. Reading her thoughts, Taehyeok Sa clicked his tongue and leaned his head towards her.

“What are you doing?”

“Weren’t you going to hit me? If you’re going to hit me, just do it quickly and leave.”

“This bastard’s gotten a little weird too.”

Cho-i smiled broadly and playfully hit Taehyeok Sa’s face. Taehyeok Sa frowned, then straightened his back and headed to the materials research institute with her. The materials research institute was not far from Paehyeok. The Research Lab, shaped like a round dome, presented a challenge from the entrance. Even for the Guild Master of Paehyeok, the entry procedures were extremely strict. They had to state the serial number of the item they deposited, verify their ID, verify the ID and hunter ID of their companion, and confirm that no dangerous items were brought in. Honestly, wasn’t an SS-Rank body the most dangerous thing? She couldn’t just leave her body behind. As Cho-i grumbled, Taehyeok Sa lightly patted her shoulder as if to calm her down.

“This bastard’s gotten a bit creepy.”

“Let’s just say yesterday’s experience helped.”

“Helped you get creepy?”

“Why, if not, should I kiss you to calm you down?”

“No, that’s fine. I think I understand that you’re truly out of your mind.”