SMFC | Chapter 5

By the time Lee Soo returned to the hotel after b8dc2e0ea8 parting ways with Sian, it was already quite late. Walking under the darkened d214a8ce7a sky, he headed to 915e001496 his room and immediately 024df90391 stepped into the bathroom. After a quick wash, he b84d12a7d4 filled the bathtub with water b25a6ee3ed and sat still for a e6d56e0e84 long time.097f745c815dd3be4937

Even submerged in warm 0f610b332b water, his perpetually cold 8cefb90a91 body refused to warm f4f6fb8ff6 up. Stroking his clammy skin, which felt almost reptilian, he cd6cd197c2 leaned back against the edge of the tub.d95aadffa88d2f05f722

He rested the nape of his neck 8b11e48f7a on the rim, tilting his head back. The occasional sound of water droplets 163e7ca6ec falling from his hair was the ad1426445d only thing breaking the silence.66947d4e55f02be1233f

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His eyelids, which had ea447f5a48 been lazily opening and 85f1137fd2 closing, eventually stayed shut. Without realizing it, a9af13f97d he fell asleep a1c5681bef right there in a37ba13f0a the bathtub.c83051264fa593f9cd2b

Oddly enough, 5510fea5dd the hard 01acacd8ae surface didn’t ff91629131 seem uncomfortable. He slept soundly, dreamless, until 08545cab24 the water turned cold.281537a469cfb97b6654

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“…Ah.”07536c409b1e1d9dedcf

When Lee Soo finally opened his eyes ea6a854366 after what felt like an eternity, his 62cfc2aa57 drowsy gaze met the ceiling. Slowly blinking, his eyes 3b022759df began to regain clarity.76af174d7ba14a59d896

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Fully awake now, he carefully got out of 6befc6c829 the bathtub so as not to slip. He drained the water and b6c34a5ce3 grabbed a towel he had 12a97de116 placed within easy reach and 6ac22ce5e4 quickly dried himself off.10818bb66185ed382ee6

He put on a soft robe 9ad6f557d2 and carelessly placed a towel on cbe98803d8 his head before leaving the bathroom. Although he had slept, the awkward 864cf565eb position hadn’t exactly been restful, and 6313f261fa he didn’t feel entirely rejuvenated.48b7377037f903252b77

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Rubbing his 726bdc86aa stiff shoulders, 576ab92163 he yawned 4853087e15 quietly.a0525393bf444d946708

“Ah, sleepy.”c83cbe925672014432c1

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Saying it out loud made 548d6a1387 him feel even sleepier. To shake it off, he rubbed his d72721c29b face lightly and put away the damp 26f3f9db52 towel he’d used to dry his hair. Grabbing a bottle of water as bcaf28fd92 he walked over to the bed.093c588978ad36d47cb8

He rummaged through a 85b7fed96e box – it was 438dbf533d already tomorrow, or rather, d8dab50fa6 today. Lee Soo took out clothes 2ed35487ae for the day and also aabf73f5a5 grabbed some documents that were be2fb33abf inside the box.4c833ea236ba9dafc555

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After closing the box, instead 4544827539 of lying down on the 236a4cdaec bed, he sat on a 850d45a309 nearby chair. He propped his head 1571f3977d on his knees and f66eee199b began flipping through the f5636bde4b documents.e926a94cb913ed2ee631

It was nothing special, just some files about key figures in the Hawa 29f626afc4 Guild, gathered by Daul after it was decided that he would transfer there.e97b62325cfc8414a775

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“Probably, with Lee Soo’s beb531c5df personality, he’d get along 0bc226b948 with most people. But just in c199044006 case, you know. Hunters usually have their own sore d4bc82a394 spots,” Daul had said while suggesting daca29ef8c that it might be good for 35e846f8ba him to go through the files.f6e947de47f2c8700238

“Hmm, sore spots.”e405d9d6f58d0b542422

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‘People tend to think of e8037f792d the powerful awakened as heroes. Well, it’s d2c1c67d4c not exactly cb91b52a15 wrong. Most of the famous awakened experienced their awakening during c26bd7edc0 a moment when they wanted to save someone.b2acf635b1e5b14b3338

There’s even a study on that, ‘Individuals who 1e7b472e26 are with their loved ones during critical moments ec07015f99 are more likely to awaken at higher ranks.’25d37cfc4fe748486c4b

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The issue is, they are heroes for e90492047c the ones they wanted to protect more 815791a92e than they are heroes for everyone. And for such heroes, those loved 6a2662a46e ones are their sore spots.’7c1bf2bd690945d47a37

“Family, lovers, pets.”e2b5be3e73be900eb1c7

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‘Sore spots are meant not to be touched, but, conversely, it c0779da123 means that almost everything else is fine if you avoid them. And, a sore spot 0d1f282a4d is also a weakness.’8b491b2ca4327aecf15b

“…None.”cd76661341181a5b096b

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Unlike others who inevitably had vulnerabilities, the file marked c9d01b1e70 as having none caught Lee Soo’s calm gaze.26fb0f6fea89016bb395

“Yoo Haeon.”94def61db7e497caa9bc

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Perhaps he ff2fa0d45e had expected 9f5f17334e this. That Haeon would fccf5ee5fb have no vulnerabilities. Not because he loved Haeon 130d971fbd too much, nor because he a038b005f2 believed Haeon to be flawless.f7c594149e5e0800e81d

A sore spot, a vulnerability, means 9bd50927c0 there must be affection toward something. But could Haeon cc83a08ab9 really love someone 76ae0a6deb deeply?2e5fff4665d51a9bf7df

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He had shared feelings 071379af65 with a lover, which 0f34b40567 even made him question 55dcb0b7c8 whether it was love. It would have been more surprising if 3fbacc50a7 such a person had a vulnerability.0a84b8a08af2211000ae

If anything, Lee Soo, scanning Haeon’s e254a5d6a5 profile with a bitter-sweet look, let 7f4a1eed7a out a wry smile.5a0be11263e92169cadd

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“It would be nice if 3f6060ef7a Haeon could deeply love someone, 22cbd8339a more than me.”cc282c66991d903f8fb1

In Lee Soo’s view, the character in the 126d77cfc8 book was too lonely for too long, a 13d33db49a fool who didn’t even realize his own loneliness. Everyone said it wasn’t okay, but 8c99940eac he thought he was fine. A fool who really 33fee047b5 believed he was alright.0a001fce4deeb05da986

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A sigh mixed with f5d0713d87 lamentation escaped him as 99f9a245ff he gazed intently at ca17ee0c41 the attached photograph.c439752b0cd2acbfc232

Unlike most others who were at least smiling dd90d6fbce faintly, the photo of Haeon showed him staring 185eedf006 straight ahead with an expressionless face.8edc6fec7e6662a5fb65

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After a long moment 6f6a7d744f of looking into those 458de89522 somber eyes, Lee Soo 84120c5c9b slowly turned the page. He hesitated momentarily but eventually 6a0ce1e3af continued through the documents until edb341a0c2 he reached the end.30a81c04b3c10d4666f8

Then, naturally, he b88c5f34ae spread out the 43b9637da2 documents containing Haeon’s f726245a98 information. A slightly younger Haeon was 72e7df5337 in the photo from a 0bcad858df few hours ago.61daf7f06333c9d42b1b

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“An old a82d746692 photo, maybe.”31f10228c93419d8bc6c

Tilting his head, Lee Soo 66e15727dc guessed the age Haeon might e79eabd953 have been when the photo 9f73116b1d was taken and chuckled dryly.18133e818278fd0aa792

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Haeon was handsome and more stoic-faced than Lee ffa6483d4f Soo had clumsily imagined without any illustrations. Reading from a book, 575a7b2d18 he couldn’t have truly 9187c3a50a imagined this.bad17b3fa2efd834c997

The man described in the 34f0395593 book was indeed beautiful, crafted 50915c8c1a with delicate lines. It was true he was made of delicate lines, and it was true he was 97fce5d57b a beautiful man, but the complete picture was different from what Lee Soo had expected.c11c8a5194c6397894b6

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Whether it was his lack of cc9ee2839b imagination or the author had seen 4b177c17f7 Haeon too prettily, too lovingly, Lee 35875be1a2 Soo wasn’t sure.24ee6162772bd7819cbc

Ah, no. That the author loved 372fd93040 Haeon was nonsense. If the author really loved 42c53c79af him, he would have given 2d1204535e him a happy ending, not a91822b855 a tragic death.916b498782657a14e3db

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Although Haeon didn’t seem to find his death a171721e62 particularly horrific, for Lee Soo, it was dreadful.41856d83ff4f27d06ab8

Seeing the real Haeon and f17ecade0d wondering how such a being d6ee819246 could exist in this world f214a21eb5 was baffling. How could the author who 718968d611 imagined such a person have 142fcae330 killed Haeon with any kind aead15e9e2 of conscience? Lee Soo d725bfac5a couldn’t understand 8a63fdb48c it.1d8820571882db49322f

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Thinking about Haeon’s eb80febdd4 death made his 7883715e47 expression worsen. His face hardened as he stared into a518f5203c space, then relaxed with a sigh.72fd37478b046370fd8d

It was more productive to think cfe1257c13 about how to save Haeon than 2d15856add to resent an author he could ddbbbee42c barely remember now.fe56ff8a8d5377fe14b0

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Mumbling a few more words 478224c558 to himself, Lee Soo’s gaze c6aff891d2 drifted and he noticed a 10636fee36 chipped fingernail.645cfc0bd81a89d2ed79

“It chipped already.”146583f1e0b9fb3dd6b4

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He grimaced and muttered, recalling the tender 3789f447dc person who had applied the nail polish.e8077fa9dfe740d0f7f1

It was 4b60aa824d an almost b0a1891b85 dead-looking nail. In the hospital room, she had not liked the sight of the d213a58214 damaged nail but applied the polish anyway, with a nonchalant expression.dc27931369020ea18730

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People are vulnerable to appearances, she had said while applying the nail polish, considering deb3bcbe8d it a mark of personality, but everyone thinks carrying around dead-looking nails is horrifying.20c882863a3cc8a6e74d

Her usually clear voice 0ab9b3a914 was calm that day. Lee Soo’s face softened immensely c6439abe6b as he remembered how she ed69f8d264 had carefully chosen her words 1283acb753 to not hurt his feelings.f279a9be271a87b046d6

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‘If it chips, fcf3964089 just tell me. I’ll reapply it. Don’t get it ruined by 96af29a489 someone else and come complaining. Just tell me 6d914326a5 from the start. Got it?’401747101d306a0e0e9a

Her voice, as if 0e2d3c1ed8 soothing a child, made 62ea3dbca5 him chuckle. He had been holding the documents in his hand and 24c0c00b31 now placed them on the table in front of him.ae68fdeddfbb15bceb20

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He had to go to fc171a5d80 work at the Hawa Guild cfe2012243 when he woke up. The main events 137e243769 would start once dc069cd96c the original story 890c5f8fd8 began. He still b68acb89c8 had time.08ef53d48a89bcd69373

“Haeon won’t die. I’ll save him.”f5f693ab50a7b801ccea

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As if vowing, Lee 3ead8e7be2 Soo muttered and took a889b0e6df a deep breath.e31ed2b2c440493ad622

It would be nice if ec9146c7e0 this world could be a a9c1a84325 bit kinder to Haeon. Thinking of his death, Lee 85cc12ec02 Soo lowered his lips and 100ee0daed then absentmindedly rubbed the edge 674a1d1152 of the table.f13e730f0df18a9b3637

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Haeon was now 25 years 3e118099f9 old, with two years left ce3baa6b43 until the original story. If he could become close to Haeon slowly, gain his trust, and then 4dec2d3ab2 be diligent around the time the original story starts, Haeon could be saved.0c1598edc4f17f8fa888

The protagonist’s misfortunes that would occur before then could 8c5772cae7 be mitigated with a little help on the side. Joo’s help as the 8ac8bb4d2e heroine could also be 012ba7a681 more easily resolved with ab70d1a5fd his involvement.c635ef81b8313b5daa38

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And if dying… was due 5650f1055c to incorrect dungeon preparations because 69314a86a1 of faulty information, he could d27a42dadf prepare separately with correct information.8714a6bb3479c8534157

He might die from his ca446ea78e physical condition before then… but a6e4503d44 maybe Haeon could extend his b2dac0e0fe life just a little?5ab06bb37786ed813b73

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Even if it was 481cff2428 just half a year 1a680cb2a5 longer, that should be c5ffb41384 enough to save Haeon. Thinking he should 8fbf844bff ask him later, a8343eeafd Lee Soo nodded.88f6433885b3eb70fe53

“Should I play the f99f8d8e7e role of a prophet c5aefc2158 if it gets tough…”9d145a7c5757bb7dfcfe

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Laughing at the thought of telling Haeon he had foreseen the future, advising on which dungeons to enter, not 22fffe107e to trust the dungeon information managers, and to know the strategies in advance as if he had seen them.493462b1618b72b07ac2

Pulling out his laptop to organize the thoughts in fce3c46b7f his head, Lee Soo stared at the blank screen. Reading the sentence carved there, he slowly 1fe1383f66 lifted the corners of his lips.b658c48c969a55b64c85

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“See you f28d31e004 soon, my 94069932da protagonist.”34a77c94e81101771c4f