Translator: Vine
Translated At: Nyx Scans
Chapter: 85
Eunha's officetel.
AM 1:50
"..."
It was almost 2 AM.
Eunha, sitting on the edge of her bed, had been staring at one spot for tens of minutes, motionless like a statue.
From. Maestro
A red envelope, placed forlornly on the opposite table.
'Could he possibly know about the Jagalchi Market incident?'
Jehwi, like a thief feeling his own guilt, had said such things, looking anxious.
At first, Eunha had entertained similar suspicions.
But if he were summoning Eunha for that matter, he would have done so long ago.
Why now?
Returning to the officetel, Eunha immediately tore open the envelope and checked its contents.
However, it was neither a summons nor a letter.
It was just an ordinary invitation, inviting the Princess of Dark Flare to a secret party to be held at Seoul S Hotel two days later.
It didn't state who the host was or what the party was for.
Only a request to attend wearing a mask, along with the location and time.
Then why on earth would Yijun, Maestro, suddenly send such an invitation?
'Any questions? Hunter Lee Yura.'
When they met after a long time, he pretended not to know Eunha.
It wasn't just his attitude that had changed.
His expression, his gaze, even his way of speaking were not the Yijun Eunha remembered.
Why had he changed so much?
Why was he pretending not to know me?
Had he really forgotten?
What had happened during that time?
It would be a lie to say such questions didn't arise.
However, Eunha didn't ask him anything.
Because she knew that such a long time had passed that even those questions were meaningless.
But with the sudden invitation, Eunha once again found herself questioning.
How did he know her address and send the invitation?
No, more than that.
'...What could be his purpose?'
Between Cha Eunha and Baek Yijun, there might have been connections, but between the Princess of Dark Flare and Maestro, there should be none.
Lost in thought for a long time, Eunha finally, slowly reached out her hand towards the invitation.
"..."
Eunha, staring blankly at it with eyes full of contemplation, eventually, slowly lifted her head and looked out the window.
The moon was bright.
Just like on that day in her memory.
1999, it was a winter where the snow-laden wind felt like it was biting into her flesh.
A shabby tent, pitched haphazardly near the gate.
Tomorrow, the next deployment order would surely come.
Most of the hunters had finished their meals and gone to sleep.
But Eunha couldn't.
She had been enduring the cold for hours, squatting under a suitable tree near the tent, her fingertips turning red.
"Eunha."
Someone cautiously approached.
Eunha slowly lifted her head, which had been buried in her knees.
Yijun, holding a flashlight, was looking at Eunha with worried eyes.
"...What are you doing, not sleeping? If you don't replenish your stamina now, it'll affect tomorrow's battle."
"You're not sleeping either."
"I am..."
"Right, I know. You're the squad leader."
And I'm your best friend.
Yijun, as always, naturally sat down beside Eunha.
Click, click.
Yijun, fiddling with the innocent flashlight, cautiously opened his mouth.
"...Are you okay?"
"..."
As expected, no reply came from Eunha.
Yijun closed his mouth, his face clouded.
Right, she wouldn't be okay.
Having witnessed a colleague, with whom she had shared joys and sorrows for over a year, die before her eyes, even Eunha, who showed little emotional change, couldn't possibly be fine.
It wasn't the first time a colleague had died today.
It was a time when it was stranger for there not to be fatalities at a gate.
However, witnessing a death 'before one's eyes' was rare.
Especially the death of a colleague who, just yesterday, had been laughing and talking.
"Eunha, it's not your fault."
Yijun uttered the obvious comfort and glanced at Eunha.
"..."
Eunha didn't answer.
She just stared blankly ahead with a deeply downcast face.
Not shedding tears, not making a sad face, just expressionless.
But Yijun believed Eunha was definitely sad.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have left the tent like a dazed person in midwinter and squatted there for hours.
What would be good to say?
Yijun pondered for a long time.
Because he knew that no matter what he said, it couldn't comfort her.
"—My mom too."
Suddenly, Eunha spoke in a deeply subdued voice.
"My mom also died in a gate accident."
"..."
"That morning, Mom grilled mackerel, but I didn't eat it, saying it smelled fishy. You know, I only eat white fish. Mom said it was morning, so I should eat at least a little, and she deboned it and put it on my spoon, but I ended up not even touching it, saying I had no appetite, and went to school."
I was childish.
Eunha laughed self-deprecatingly.
Beside her, Yijun was quietly listening to her story.
"And... the last time I saw Mom, she was crushed under a pile of pianos. I couldn't see her face. Only her left arm was intact. It's still vivid. Even after so many years, it's like yesterday."
...But you know.
Eunha continued softly.
"It was really strange. That morning, complaining to Mom about the side dishes, the day before, getting annoyed at Mom for telling me to sleep early, saying I'd do it myself... I can only think of things like that, you know?"
"..."
"I guess memories are like that. More than the good memories, only the memories of what I couldn't do for them, things I feel sorry about, words I regret, come to mind."
Her voice trembled faintly.
Eunha lightly clenched her fist.
"I think today's incident will probably be like that too."
The colleague who died before her eyes today.
If I had known this would happen, I would have taken the lead instead of him back then.
If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have blamed him for oversleeping this morning.
If I had known this would happen...
"Sorry."
Eunha offered a short apology.
"Pathetic, isn't it? As you said, I know this isn't my fault either."
Yijun glanced up at Eunha.
Eunha, her gaze fixed straight ahead, added indifferently.
"As long as I'm doing this job, I also know it's not strange for anyone to die at any time."
"..."
"I didn't want to show this side of me. Please keep it a secret from the others. If the squad leader is in this state, morale will drop."
"Eunha."
Yijun, who had been quietly listening to Eunha's story, suddenly parted his lips.
"I don't think you're pathetic."
"..."
"Rather, I've always thought I wanted to be like you."
Eunha slowly turned her gaze towards Yijun.
Yijun, his head lifted towards the sky, spoke lowly.
"The director said it, didn't he? That you're the most suitable vessel among us to be a hunter. I agree. Eunha, you're strong, you don't seem to waver no matter what happens, and you always look forward and run."
"Do you still think so now?"
Eunha suddenly asked.
A faint smile hung on Yijun's lips as he gazed at the sky.
"...No."
Yijun, still keeping his gaze fixed on the sky, slowly opened his mouth.
"Now, um... actually, I think Eunha, you might not be suited to be a hunter."
"..."
"If you keep doing this kind of work, you won't be able to stay away from death. In the future, too, there will be times when you witness a colleague die before your eyes, just like today. And each time, Eunha, you'll waver, grieve, and regret, just like today. Right?"
"I can't say no to that."
At Eunha's honest answer, Yijun let out a small laugh.
And he slowly shifted his gaze from the sky to Eunha.
"Still, I want to be like you."
The moment their eyes met, the moon, hidden by clouds, revealed itself, brightly illuminating both their faces.
"I mean, I want you to stay just as you are now. Because you're not pathetic at all. Rather..."
...Rather?
Eunha blinked.
"Uh, anyway."
Yijun awkwardly cleared his throat and then abruptly stood up.
"I like you as you are now. Ah, no, I mean, when I say like..."
His solitary speech and solitary embarrassment were amusing, and Eunha, without realizing it, burst out laughing.
"What are you trying to say?"
"...I just."
After hesitating for a moment, Yijun finally stopped moving and looked at Eunha.
"Just because you're a hunter, and just because you're a squad leader, I don't want you to carry a heavy burden. When you're sad, grieve as much as you want, and, like just now... laugh like that too."
I hope you'll continue to be like that, always.
Yijun added in a small, whisper-like voice.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but the winter wind, infused with the bright moonlight, didn't feel as cold as before.
"..."
The moment Eunha subtly parted her lips, thwack! an orange lantern lit up in a nearby tent.
"What are you two whispering about over there?"
"Baek Yijun, you bastard, again?!"
"The deceased Son Myungjin will come running with his eyes wide open!"
Colleagues, whom she thought were asleep, poked their heads out one by one and glared this way.
"Ah, no! It's not like that!"
Yijun yelled, his face as red as a beet.
Watching him, a faint smile hung on Eunha's lips.
"I, I just saw Eunha outside alone, so...!"
"Baek Yijun."
Eunha lightly grabbed Yijun, who was about to stride back to the tent.
"Thanks."
"...Ah."
Yijun, his clothes caught by Eunha, froze stiffly in place.
Whew—
Whistles rained down from the surroundings.
Yijun, as if he had never been frozen, whipped his head around and then dashed towards the tent with a clatter.
Due to the commotion, other colleagues also began to wake up one by one.
The previously dim surroundings were warmly colored in orange.
Just before returning to the tent, Eunha looked up at the sky.
Stars were scattered like salt in the pitch-black night sky.
Come to think of it, it was the same sky as yesterday.
And probably, it will be the same tomorrow too, Eunha thought.
