Hello everyone, SleepyTime here. Some of you might recognize this novel from Wook’s Teahouse before the whole site was taken down, and yes, I’m the original translator who uploaded this novel there. At first, I’m just going to let this novel gather dust in my drive since I don’t have the time to upload 90++ chapters, but due to some of my readers that still wanted to read this novel, I decided to post it in SoR. Hope you all enjoy it, thank you.
Chapter 31
by SleepyTime“So, even if a dedicated partner is already assigned, if someone with a higher matching rate appears, it could change?”
“Hmm… I’ve never encountered such a case, so I’m not sure, but probably not?”
Haon pondered Baek Chan-kyung’s question, wondering if there had been such cases. He didn’t pay much attention to what happened within the Center, as he generally wasn’t interested in other people’s affairs, but this level of information should have reached his ears.
He might have heard about it through Siyun, who was keenly interested in the news within the Center. However, despite thinking hard, he couldn’t recall any such instances, indicating that such occurrences might not be common.
“Having a high matching rate doesn’t automatically make you a dedicated guide. Unless it’s significantly higher, you won’t be matched as a dedicated partner. So, even if a new Awakener comes in, it’s unlikely for their rate to surpass that of the dedicated partner, in reality.”
“I see…”
Baek Chan-kyung murmured regretfully. But soon, he smiled again towards Haon.
“If it’s not too intrusive, could I ask what your matching rate with your partner is? I’m curious. How high does it need to be to be designated as a dedicated partner?”
“Well…”
“If it’s difficult to talk about, you don’t have to. I don’t mind.”
“No, no. It’s not that…”
Haon responded, even clapping his hands slightly to emphasize that it wasn’t a big deal. In truth, mentioning the matching rate wasn’t difficult. It’s just that the number was so unbelievable that he doubted whether Baek Chan-kyung would believe him.
He wasn’t doubting him personally, but generally, matching rates were typically around 80 or 90 percent. However, the number 107 percent was absurdly high. Therefore, he hesitated to say it to Baek Chan-kyung.
“It’s… quite high.”
“How high is it?”
Haon cautiously laid the groundwork, hoping to make Baek Chan-kyung less surprised by the number. Well, whether it would be effective was uncertain.
“So… it’s quite high. It’s beyond what you would normally consider ‘high.'”
“…Is it that high?”
“Yes.”
Baek Chan-kyung’s expression darkened slightly. But Haon was too preoccupied with figuring out how to make the unbelievable matching rate sound somewhat more credible to notice his expression.
“Is it around 90 percent… no, 100 percent?”
At his cautious question, Haon awkwardly chuckled. Indeed, the typical range was around that mark. However, even Haon himself couldn’t fully grasp the idea of 107 percent, so how could others?
“It’s 107 percent.”
“What?!”
“See, I said it’s quite high.”
Haon felt embarrassed by Baek Chan-kyung’s shocked reaction and nervously scratched his neck. Luckily, their meal arrived at that moment. It was fortunate that the awkward moment was diverted.
“107 percent? Is that even possible?”
“Well… yes.”
Haon honestly responded to Baek Chan-kyung’s inquiry. He knew it was a number that was hard to believe. Baek Chan-kyung muttered to himself as if he were half out of his mind, “107 percent…,” not just surprised but also looking somewhat dismayed. Not only was he astonished by the number, but he also appeared somewhat disheartened.
While it was indeed an astounding figure, Haon couldn’t find a way to make it sound more believable to Baek Chan-kyung. By the time he was thinking about how he could make the unbelievable matching rate seem a bit more reliable, Baek Chan-kyung offered a wry smile.
“…I guess it won’t work out.”
“What won’t?”
Haon raised his eyebrows in confusion at the sudden declaration.
Baek Chan-kyung slowly shook his head.
“It’s nothing.”
“…Alright.”
“Mr. Haon, please, go ahead and eat. It’s getting cold.”
He didn’t want to pry into something that someone didn’t want to talk about. They weren’t close enough for that, and Haon wasn’t particularly interested in others. So, he decided to let Baek Chan-kyung change the subject, pretending not to notice his efforts to steer the conversation.
“You should eat too. It looks delicious.”
Haon said, lifting his fork. The spaghetti, cooked to perfection, had a pleasant texture, and the sauce boasted the clean taste typical of tomatoes. The addition of seafood added a refreshing taste, making the dish enjoyable even for Haon, who didn’t have much enthusiasm for food.
“…Is it not to your taste?”
“Oh, no. It’s delicious. I’m just not used to eating a lot, that’s all. Don’t worry about it.”
Of course, enjoying something and eating well were two different issues. He didn’t want to show himself picking at the food someone else had bought for him. Therefore, he made an effort to eat deliciously, but to Baek Chan-kyung, it didn’t seem convincing.
Haon eventually told the truth. As a result, Baek Chan-kyung’s expression turned into one of disbelief.
“So, are you forcing yourself to eat because of me?”
“Oh, no, that’s not it. It’s lunchtime anyway. I’m not eating just because of you. It’s just that I’m not used to enjoying meals.”
As he watched his expression, Haon felt even more awkward. So, he went as far as to make excuses, trying his best to ease Baek Chan-kyung’s mood.
Suddenly, he wondered why he was bending over backwards to accommodate Baek Chan-kyung’s feelings. When he was with Cha Yugeon, he didn’t feel uncomfortable despite his blunt manner. He could freely speak his mind and express his dislikes.
But it wasn’t the same with Baek Chan-kyung. He had to care about his feelings, mind his manners, and be attentive to his reactions.
Of course, most people went through life wearing uncomfortable manners in given situations. So, feeling discontent or finding it irrational wasn’t the issue here.
However, a question arose. Why did he feel more comfortable with someone like Cha Yugeon, who seemed like he would be the most uncomfortable to be around? He couldn’t understand how such a thing was possible.
“It may come as a sudden, but… I want to be friends with you, Mr. Haon.”
“With me?”
Haon’s eyes widened in surprise at Baek Chan-kyung’s words. It was truly unexpected. He guessed it wasn’t just to meet up to apologize, but he didn’t expect the purpose to be to become closer.
Haon didn’t know how to react. He quietly blinked his large eyes, feeling awkward. He didn’t dislike it. So, he didn’t want to outright refuse. But he also couldn’t readily accept it. Haon found himself stuck and unable to answer, he jabbed at the spaghetti on his plate with his fork.
“Would it be difficult…?”
Baek Chan-kyung cautiously asked, his face betraying a hint of disappointment. For a moment, they had gotten along well, but Baek Chan-kyung seemed like a good person. Becoming friends wasn’t the issue. It’s just that, for some reason, he felt uncomfortable.
“…How about we take it slowly and get to know each other?”
In the end, Haon made a decision. He couldn’t ignore the lonely emotion evident on Baek Chan-kyung’s face. So, he did his best to open up his heart.
“One step at a time… We might become friends as we get to know each other.”
With those hesitant words, Baek Chan-kyung’s face brightened. Only after seeing his expression did Haon’s own heart feel more at ease. Like anyone else, Haon didn’t want to hurt anyone because of him.
“Okay. Thank you for saying that.”
“No problem, Baek Chan-kyung. I’m grateful for how kindly you seem to view me.”
Baek Chan-kyung had never explicitly stated that he viewed Haon kindly, but the fact that he wanted to become friends itself implied a certain level of liking. Haon rationalized his words that way.
The atmosphere became much softer than before. The two continued their meal with more relaxed expressions.