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    The chief smiled knowingly, aware of my personality. It wasn’t hard to guess that he was the one who had given Chae Won-u the pills.

    “Why did you give him those pills? I already have some.”

    “Won-u said he didn’t want you getting hurt. How could I refuse such a request?”

    “I suffered greatly because of them, though.”

    “Everyone goes through hardships. You just happened to experience fewer issues due to your resourcefulness until now. That’s why I like Guide Yang.”

    In any case, all the mad scientists under Doctor Kang were similar. They viewed us merely as data points. It hadn’t been several decades since dungeons first emerged, so no one knew what the future held for hunters and guides with unique abilities. Scientists dislike uncertainty; they likely wanted to gather data through us to better understand these phenomena.

    “I explained that there would definitely be side effects from taking strong drugs for a long time. I also mentioned that if you continued to take the drug during this process, the side effects would occur more quickly.”

    “You didn’t tell me about that.”

    “Hey. Are you angry, Guide Yang?”

    “It’s good that I can still get angry. The dead have no voice.”

    “How honest. That’s why I like you, Guide Yang. Understand?”

    Instead of snorting or cursing, he smiled and made small talk. Yes, understand. I admire Chief as well. Dangling conversation… If I got angry, it would only harm myself.

    “So…”

    In Korean, conjunctions were important. Therefore, so, but…

    “Hunter Chae’s condition isn’t very good. He took the medication for too long, irregularly, and the periods without medication—well, there is nothing much to say about them.”

    Ah, yes.”

    “His stability score has decreased further due to recent events.”

    “Am I being fired?”

    “What? No!” The chief waved his hand and burst out laughing. I wasn’t sure if this was good or bad. Initially, it brought relief knowing that he genuinely cared. However, my brain understood the risks involved with dealing with Chae Won-u’s challenging personality, which differed significantly from previous partners. It seemed like my heart and mind were at odds…something along those lines.

    “How far did you guide him?”

    The chief rested his chin on interlocked fingers, hinting at something more profound. My gaze shifted beyond the opaque glass door. Was Chae Won-u working on a new rule for his cube? I also wondered what he thought about me damaging his cube without permission.

    “You kissed, right? Or not? Don’t tell me it only went as far as a hug?”

    As the questions became increasingly blatant, I started hearing ringing in my ears, like approaching sirens echoing from the back of my head.

    The partner relationship was complex, just as its name implied. Sometimes it was business-like, sometimes collegial, sometimes akin to running mates, and at other times… resembling a desperate couple participating in a pathetic couples therapy session.

    “If possible, go beyond what’s suggested. Frequent kisses, hugs, and holding hands without hesitation, right? Regular physical contact should help Hunter Chae quickly regain his optimal condition. He is truly a valuable asset for us; we need him around for a long time. With your guidance, Yang, can this be achieved? We owe you greatly, always appreciative of your assistance.”

    I stared blankly at my hands resting on my knees before raising my head.

    “Yes.”

    Human rights, individual self-respect, privacy—all these things had no say at the entrance to a massive dungeon. How many days were left until I could move steadily between green zones with an 80 percent safety guarantee? What would happen to Chae Won-u, considered a valuable asset of the Hunter’s Association, after I leave?

    Would he still be here solving cubes even ten years from now?

    Hmm, thank you. Do it often. Ah, don’t forget about condoms, okay?”

    Sometimes, I wanted to go outside and scream. I wished I could grab any ordinary passerby and ask them: “Was your day peaceful?” Then tell them, for their peace…I…he…

    “Good work.”

    I pushed back my chair and opened the sliding glass door. Chae Won-u looked up from where he had been sitting earlier, rolling the cube I’d solved between his fingers. He held it up to me.

    “Should I solve the remaining sides?”

    “…Why do you need permission for such a thing? It’s Hunter Chae’s cube.”

    “It’s not mine. It belongs here.”

    “Really?”

    I approached him and snatched the cube from Chae Won-u’s hand. In no time, I completed the remaining sides and tossed it into the nearby trash bin. After watching the lid clang shut, I stood Chae Won-u upright.

    “Well, now it’s discarded.”

    His eyes were wide and innocent, fixed solely on me. What a foolish monster! Among all the creatures I’ve encountered, Chae Won-u stands out as oddly intriguing.

    ***

    Nowadays, movie re-releases were commonplace rather than special events. Sometimes, older films performed better at the box office than ambitious new releases. Nostalgia for pre-dungeon times had become part of daily life, and for those born after dungeons first appeared, it represented retro culture. Re-releases became quite profitable side ventures for theaters.

    The film premiering today was a superhero blockbuster that always drew large audiences upon each release. Just seeing some spoiler images on the theater’s social media made it clear which movie it was. During a break from cooperative combat training, I spotted these pictures and muttered with anticipation:

    Huh? This is one I wanted to see.”

    After surviving the dungeon, I chewed on the straw of a square paper pack containing apple juice and muttered to myself. For now, I suppressed my feelings. Another entry was added to my heart records, which were filled with various furry animals like cats and dogs.

    “Hyung, do you want one more?” Chae Won-u’s words made me turn around. Chae Won-u held several small-sized, brightly colored apple juice packs in both hands.

    “…Where did you get so many?”

    “Just received them.”

    “Let me see.” As I urgently examined the paper packs, even sticking straws into each one for a sip, Chae Won-u became puzzled. “What are you doing?”

    He squatted down opposite me as I knelt. After taking a sip from every single pack, including the last one, I replied:

    “I don’t think you gave it to me out of goodwill considering your usual relationships with others.”

    “Are you checking if there is poison?”

    “Yes. There doesn’t seem to be any… Maybe not.”

    “What would you have done if there was?” Chae Won-u asked, frowning. His lowered voice sounded great. I belatedly realized my stupidity and made a stupid remark.

    Oh, right.”

    “Hyung, are you crazy?”

    “Crazy? Still, you’re older than me.”

    Aha. Since you are much older, will you go first when we die?”

    This time, I got hit hard. Chae Won-u’s rude words momentarily left me speechless before I pulled out the necklace to show him.

    “You said once you can save me.”

    “Yes, if your heart stops beating and breathing ceases.”

    “Then that’s fine…”

    “It would take three minutes to revive hyung, giving me ample time to cause havoc.”

    “…..”

    “I can kill five people per minute so fifteen will die in three minutes. There are seventeen of us here, including hyung and me, so only the two of us will survive.”

    “I’m sorry,” I muttered at this brutal scenario. “I thought it was just laxatives at most. Poison is too much for both of us. Let’s acknowledge it and move on.”

    “No.” Unlike usual, Chae Won-u didn’t smoothly let it go. I tried to subtly grab Chae Won-u’s hand but he brushed it away and stepped back. The beautiful Chae Won-u seemed cold enough to drop below freezing when angry. If he used his ability now, it felt like ice rather than water would be created.

    “This time, it’s only hyung who is wrong. I didn’t do anything.”

    “No, Hunter Chae Won-u.” However, Chae Won-u didn’t respond to my call and turned away, distancing himself from me. The timing was off, leaving me with a faintly stretched hand in the air. At that moment, there was a clicking sound behind me.

    “Sorry.”

    The instructor laughed heartily, holding up a camera without any remorse on his face.

    “It reminded me of a ballad album cover from the early 20th century.”

    His oddly specific comment made me feel even more annoyed. Irritated, I abruptly stood up. Feeling neither hungry nor thirsty due to the awkward situation, I left the untouched apple juices on the bench. To my surprise, the instructor casually picked them up and started drinking one after another at an astonishing speed.

    The instructor quickly emptied one row and laughed again.

    “You know, for a second there, I thought you gave birth to Hunter Chae.”

    “Absolutely not. Don’t even joke about that.” 

    “You two seem close. I heard some rumors about it…” 

    “Where are these rumors even coming from? Is there some secret grapevine I don’t know about?”

    “Well, it is a special case. You’re Chae Won-u’s first partner. And rumor has it he’s been stuck to you like glue, treating you like you’re about to break with a single touch.”

    “That’s utter nonsense. Chae Won-u, treating me like… pshh. The only thing he’s good for is raising my blood pressure. Don’t even need to worry about low blood sugar in the morning with him around.” 

    “Alright, alright, if you say so.”

    The conversation left a bad taste in my mouth, but the constant ‘thwack-thwack’ of the instructor popping pills was more than enough to make me lose interest in anything he had to say. 

    “Seriously? Are you crazy?” As I muttered to myself, the instructor slung an arm around my shoulder. I was taller than him, so his arm, barely reaching, dragged downwards with an uncomfortable weight.

    “That’s rich, coming from you. Why are you even protecting Chae Won-u? No one here’s going to try to kill him.” 

    “You never know. From what I’ve seen, Chae Won-u seems like the type to attract enemies.”

    “Even if he had enemies, they couldn’t kill him, could they?”

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