FTE 013

“Don’t worry; we’re keeping a special eye on this area. Please contact us immediately if you notice any unusual symptoms.”

“Of course. But detecting them by their shimmering won’t work anymore. We need better detection tools soon.”

The couple running the establishment, who seemed like friendly neighborhood residents, served us some Yulmucha^[1] tea before heading back to their workshop with clasped hands. Their fingers were thick from long hours of labor, and their short, rough nails sparked colorful flames when they clapped their hands together.

Their fists were hammers, their palms were bellows, and their nails were saws. How did they endure this harsh awakening? Even I found it terribly frightening as a child.

I suddenly felt a wave of sympathy for Chae Won-u. Shared suffering had a way of creating a bond, even if it was with him. Even if he didn’t remember, he must have had a hard time too. Turning to him, I asked:

“I need to write a last letter. Would you like to do it together?”

It was a rather somber proposal for seeking reconciliation and building camaraderie. Yet, Chae Won-u’s expression brightened significantly, as if we were writing secret letters to each other instead of last wills.

***

I couldn’t get used to writing a last letter. It wasn’t because I became sober from realizing my fate of being able to die at any moment. A last letter meant leaving behind a message, but I couldn’t think of anyone to leave my final words for.

I didn’t have siblings or parents. There were no relatives, and Seunggyu was the only friend. The people from the agency were literally just company colleagues—nothing more, nothing less. Thus, every time I wrote one, it ended up filled with meaningless ramblings. Here’s what I had written previously:

<Seunggyu-ya, it’s me. If you’re reading this, I’m dead. Honestly, it pisses me off that you’re alive and I’m not, but hey, one of us had to make it, right? If you opened this hoping for a big inheritance, sorry to disappoint.  Use my life insurance to buy me the royal suite at the nicest Green Zone cemetery you can find. At least I’ll get to experience the high life in the afterlife, right? Take care of yourself – not that I need to tell you that.> 

This time, it wasn’t expected to be much different. 

I couldn’t even be bothered to write out “Seunggyu, it’s me,” so I just scribbled “To. Seunggyu” and looked up. Sitting here in the living room-slash-dining room, writing our wills – our first activity as roommates – felt like a scene straight out of a dark comedy. Chae Won-u, meanwhile, had already set his pen down and folded his will neatly.  

“Did you finish writing?”

“Yes.” Chae Won-u nodded while rolling the pen between his fingers. The paper was folded only once and it was thin enough to see through. I couldn’t make out the words but could tell how many lines were written. There were just two lines. Moreover, they weren’t even fully filled lines.

“…Really finished?”

“Yes. Do you want to see it?”

“Nope. I don’t want to see it.” I quickly shook my head. After all, it was a last letter. It meant that these were the final words Chae Won-u wanted to leave behind after disappearing from this world. I didn’t want to bear such a heavy burden. Our relationship was formed over a short period of time, and it would end when the contract expired. I didn’t want to develop a deep connection with Chae Won-u.

I wrote similar content to my previous will and added a postscript at the end. This part was written with emphasis:

<This letter is for your eyes only. Got it?>

I felt a bit sorry for Nam Seunggyu. Since he survived alone, he would receive this burdensome letter. I closed my eyes calmly, recalling the fees that guy charged. The feeling of guilt soon disappeared. Well, he deserved to receive such a letter. That cheating bastard.

After finishing the will, I became hungry.

“Do you want some ramen?”

It was quite rude for a Korean person to eat alone. So, I asked Chae Won-u, and he replied ‘yes’. It was troublesome to go down to the dining room, and today, I needed something hot, spicy, and stimulating.

“Wait.”

I felt sorry for being angry earlier – maybe it was due to the necklace? Anyway, I decided to be nice and share with him. Then as soon as I opened the cupboard, I realized something. Unless someone else had bought them, there wouldn’t be any instant noodles here; I didn’t remember purchasing any, and Chae Won-u certainly wouldn’t have done so either.

The cupboard and refrigerator were completely empty. I sighed heavily. Looks like we’ll just have to eat at a restaurant.

As soon as I turned around, I spotted Chae Won-u right behind me. It made sense; he was standing closely, practically glued to my back.

“…..”

“I want to eat ramen.”

“I was going to suggest eating at a restaurant since we don’t have any… but…”

“But I really want to try this ramen…”

“All ramen tastes the same anyway. Let’s go to the restaurant.”

“Ramen…”

I didn’t know where he learned this shameful, terrible and bizarre act from but Chae Won-u put his index finger on his lips with a confused expression. Surprisingly, it looked good visually, but mentally, I was disgusted. I pushed Chae Won-u away.

“Don’t believe everything you see on the internet.”

It felt like training a puppy, making me say all sorts of things. However, instead of being annoyed as before, it made me laugh a bit now. It seemed I was getting used to it.

“Does it look bad?”

“It might be okay for others, not just me.”

“I won’t do it since hyung doesn’t like it.” Quietly, I added with a smile,

“By the way, it might work well on those who keep picking fights with you.”

The conflict could escalate further, but would Chae Won-u lose? If he did, there was nothing I could do about it. My pride would be hurt though… Ah, that wouldn’t be good.

Muttering to myself, I put on my windbreaker and nodded at Chae Won-u.

“I’m cooking, so that means you’re paying, right?”

“Pay?”

“For ramen. We need to buy it from the store.”

Chae Won-u’s face brightened. This reaction seemed much cuter than his absurdly annoying behavior earlier. Caught off guard by this thought, I smiled momentarily before quickly regaining my composure. What was wrong with me?

There must have been some additional effect to the necklace Chae Won-u gave me. It made him appear cute to me.

***

Naturally, the Hunter Association was located in one of the most stable regions. Moreover, thanks to various technologies beyond my understanding and cooperation with hunters, dungeons didn’t break out nearby, and even if they did, monsters couldn’t reach this area. That’s why I couldn’t quit this job.

It was said that civilian introduction would occur, but it required too many materials and time. The materials came from dungeons, and once mass production was completed, the green zones would be supplied first. Thus, my desire for the green zones grew stronger each day.

As soon as I entered the mart, I pushed a cart. Well, maybe there was no need for a cart just to buy ramen, but isn’t that how supermarkets work—you end up buying more than you intended? Besides, I was incredibly hungry right now.

I was about to suggest splitting the cost and buying some food when Chae Won-u suddenly rushed towards a display piled high with snacks like mountains and started pouring them into the cart. Oh my goodness. How many is this?

“…..”

Lost for words, I stared blankly at him, and he looked back nonchalantly before realizing something and quickly added:

“Are there any snacks you don’t like? I can put them back.”

“Nope. Are we going to eat all of these?”

“Yes. Since we’re here, let’s stock up on some food.”

“That’s a great idea, but…”

“I’ve never really used a card before, so it’s fine.  Don’t worry about the money.” 

Did he not realize how skyrocketed prices had become?

“It’s okay. Let’s share.”

“I earn a lot of money.”

“No, only Hunter Chae does. Still…”

“Nope. Really, I make a truly substantial income.”

I couldn’t tell if he was boasting or trying to reassure me. Scratching my head, I replied, “Well then, I’ll owe you one, Hunter Chae.” The supermarket near the Hunter Association is notoriously expensive. There are benefits for association employees, but non-employees pay full price.

“Let’s also get some red chili peppers and powder. Do you like spicy food, Hunter Chae?”

“Not really, I prefer sweet things.”

“It certainly seems that way. Is there a pot at our accommodation?”

“Maybe.”

“Can Hunter Chae produce hot water?”

I giggled as I imagined Chae Won-u alternating between producing purified and hot water like a water dispenser. Suddenly, he raised his fingers. My expression immediately turned serious, and I grabbed his hand.

“You’re not trying to use your ability here, are you?”

“I’ve never tried extracting hot water before, so I wanted to give it a go.”

“Why are you so reckless, Chae Won-u-ssi?” With a deep sigh, I let go of his hand. As I firmly warned him against using his power and released my grip, Chae Won-u unexpectedly twisted his wrist and grabbed my hand instead. He held onto it tightly without letting go. Caught off guard, I looked back at him.

“I feel dizzy.”

“…But you haven’t even used your ability yet.”

“Still, I’m feeling lightheaded and my heart is racing fast.”

“But your watch seems quiet despite that.”

“It feels like this to me.”

“You know I can tell when you’re trying to pull something, Hunter Chae.”

“I appreciate it when you call me by my first name.”

Suddenly, the concept of ‘engraving’ came to mind. Where had I heard about it? Guiding drugs artificially stabilized the values but were merely substitutes. Artificial means could never surpass genuine compatibility. The side effects of these drugs were so numerous; one couldn’t distinguish between them. Amidst all that, finding a perfectly matched guide was incredibly fortunate for me.

I understood, though acknowledging it didn’t change the fact—it wasn’t beneficial for either of us.