The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Chapter 134

It was a hard-to-believe story. Uijae continued fiddling with the doorknob, his expression serious as he asked, “Is that even possible? A human creating a dungeon?”

Sayoung shrugged nonchalantly. 

“Who knows… It’s just a possibility, nothing concrete. And honestly, it’s a pretty slim chance.”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“But, if anyone were to be that self-obsessed,” Sayoung glanced at the doorknob, “there’s really only one person I know who fits that description—Hong Yeseong.”

Uijae also knew about Hong Yeseong’s skills, having used his creations before. He was undeniably talented. But no matter how skilled, creating a dungeon seemed like something only the system could do.

The image of Hong Yeseong getting slapped by Kokko flashed in Uijae's mind, followed by Yeseong’s smug thumbs-up and his wobbly legs as he held onto Jung Bin like a newborn alpaca.

‘...Him?’ 

Uijae glanced around at their surroundings.

‘He did this?’ 

It seemed far-fetched. The idea that Yeseong only made the doorknob felt much more plausible. Uijae shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought, but Sayoung mumbled under his breath, “Even if, by some remote chance, Hong Yeseong did make this place…”

“…….”

“It might actually be a good thing. We wouldn’t need to worry.”

“Huh? Why not?”

Wouldn’t that make things worse? Uijae looked up at Sayoung with a puzzled expression. Sayoung lowered his eyes, lightly pressing his bottom lip between his fingers as if lost in thought.

“Because, despite being a little crazy, he’s not inherently evil.”

Was he serious?

Uijae’s face filled with skepticism, but Sayoung chuckled softly.

“I know Hong Yeseong better than you do.”

“...That’s true.”

“Trust me on this. He doesn’t mean any harm. And...”

“…….”

“You’ll find that good things will come your way.”

Sayoung reached out his hand to the still-crouching Uijae.

“Now, get up.”

“Okay.”

Without hesitation, Uijae took his hand. Sayoung pulled him up with a firm grip, and Uijae dusted off his pants. But as he straightened, he caught Sayoung’s narrow-eyed stare, hands on his hips. Uijae knew what was coming—an interrogation.

“Why were you opening the door in the first place?”

“Well… I was looking for a way to clear the dungeon. We can’t stay here forever.”

“You could’ve just worked with me.”

“But you haven’t even awakened yet. I’m the one who can handle things if something goes wrong.”

“Ah, using that excuse again.”

“……”

“You always do this.”

Sayoung’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. His irritation was obvious, but Uijae couldn’t back down this time. In his current state, Sayoung was a normal person. There was no way Uijae could risk him facing any dangers in the dungeon—especially since it was Sayoung.

“Fine, but even so, why were you standing there staring into the void? You looked like you were about to fall right off.”

“I was just caught off guard, that’s all.”

“Next time you’re caught off guard, you’ll be falling.”

“It won’t happen again.”

“And how am I supposed to believe that?”

Uijae hesitated, lifting his gaze. Sayoung’s delicate features were now shadowed by a faint sense of gloom. His lips parted slightly.

“How am I supposed to trust that… How can I trust you?”

There were so many things Uijae wanted to say, so many things he needed to explain. But the moment he saw Sayoung’s face, his mind went blank, as if white paint had spilled over all his thoughts. He could only stare at Sayoung helplessly.

Seeing Uijae’s expression, Sayoung’s voice turned sharp with frustration.

“Now I understand why this body awakened.”

“…….”

“Because it was suffocating and infuriating.”

“…….”

“Because I couldn’t do anything.”

With those words, Sayoung spun on his heel and disappeared down the hallway. Left alone, Uijae stared at his empty hands. In this body, there were no faint scars, no golden chains flickering across his skin. 

The sound of footsteps and running water stopped, leaving behind a heavy silence. Uijae stood by the entrance, staring down the empty hallway.

Why did I assume Sayoung would be okay?

A faint sound of breathing broke through the silence. As if drawn by an invisible force, Uijae started walking. He stepped across the hardwood floor, passing by the framed photo of the ocean on the wall.

At the end of the hallway, Sayoung stood leaning on the kitchen counter, his head bowed. Without thinking, Uijae stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Sayoung’s broad back. Sayoung flinched at the unexpected touch, his breath hitching. Pressing his ear against Sayoung’s back, Uijae could hear his heart pounding rapidly. Uijae whispered softly,

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

“I wasn’t thinking.”

Cha Uijae was a mess. Ever since he entered the Rift, he had been a mess. It had become too normal for him. But there was someone for whom this wasn’t normal. Someone who was worried about him.

Uijae tightened his arms around Sayoung’s waist.

One apology wasn’t going to make everything okay.

“You were worried about me, weren’t you?”

“……”

“I’m sorry.”

The knot in his chest that Uijae didn’t even realize was there began to unravel. The tension in his arms eased, and then he felt a hand gently resting over his own. Sayoung’s touch wasn’t harsh; he was softly pushing him away. As Uijae loosened his grip, Sayoung turned around.

Uijae couldn’t see his face—Sayoung had immediately pulled him into a tight embrace. A large hand cradled the back of Uijae’s head, and another wrapped securely around his waist. Sayoung’s fingers tangled in Uijae’s hair, as if seeking comfort.

Can you hear my heart too?

Uijae blinked slowly, wrapping his arms around Sayoung’s neck and resting his head on his firm shoulder.

I hope you can’t.

Because my heart’s racing like a mess. Just like both of ours are.

Let’s assume that this space was indeed created by Hong Yeseong. Though it was hard to believe, somehow even the all-powerful Hong Yeseong seemed to have no control over the TV schedule in this place.

‘Or maybe… this is what happens when he does mess with it?’

Uijae ignored the tickling sensation of his hair on his neck and kept pressing the remote control buttons firmly.

Every channel was a documentary. Intelligent octopuses, penguins waddling about, pandas napping in trees, elephants with their families, and even the variety shows were showing tigers yawning. 

‘Wanted to watch a movie, but…’

Uijae finally gave up and left the remote on the channel where penguins were sliding across ice on their bellies. From beside him, he could hear soft breathing. Uijae pulled Sayoung closer, gently adjusting his shoulder. Sayoung mumbled something incoherent in his sleep, eyes still closed.

The apology and hugging? That was fine. Holding him? That was nice too. It seemed like he had been apologizing quite a lot lately, but still, it felt okay.

Sayoung had held onto Uijae for a long time, refusing to let go. Even when Uijae tried to subtly shift his arms away, Sayoung had growled in protest. But staying wrapped up like that forever wasn’t an option. Glancing outside, Uijae noticed the sun setting—time was passing differently in this place.

‘Maybe… spending a day here is part of the dungeon’s clear condition?’

He entertained the idea for a moment. So, he gently patted Sayoung on the back, suggesting they sit on the couch and watch a movie after finishing the dishes. That was when Sayoung finally let him go.

And now, here they were. No movie, just animal documentaries, and Sayoung taking a light nap beside him.

Although Sayoung didn’t outwardly show it, the stress—or maybe just exhaustion—had clearly taken its toll. He had started dozing off as soon as he sat down next to Uijae. Uijae let him rest his head on his shoulder, though watching him nod off like that tugged at his heart a little.

‘Might be better to just let him sleep in bed.’

As Uijae fought the TV for something to watch, the sun had fully set, and darkness had settled outside. He glanced at the window before turning off the TV. Then, he lightly shook Sayoung’s shoulder.

“Wake up. Let’s get you to bed.”

“…Huh? Mmh…”

Sayoung groggily lifted his head. Uijae stood up and offered him his hand.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“……”

Sayoung obediently took Uijae’s hand, and together they headed to the bedroom, where the king-sized bed awaited. The sight of it brought a slight headache back to Uijae, but he had more important matters to attend to. After pulling back the covers, Sayoung quietly lay down and snuggled under the blanket. Uijae tucked the blanket up to his chin, and Sayoung drowsily opened his eyes.

“…What about you?”

“Me?”

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“……”

Uijae hesitated to answer, and Sayoung’s sleepy eyes narrowed.

“Don’t even think about pulling that crap about sleeping on the couch again… Just lie down next to me.”

‘Damn it.’

“There’s two pillows…”

Why is he so sharp, even when he’s half-asleep? Uijae clenched his jaw and reluctantly lay down next to him. Sayoung quickly pulled the blanket over them both. Uijae turned on the bedside lamp on his side and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The warm orange glow from the lamp, the soft sound of Sayoung’s breathing, the comfortable mattress, and the cozy blanket.

“……”

Could anything be more perfect?

This place felt like a box full of precious, perfect memories. So sweet and flawless that it was almost too good to be true.

‘Ah.’

Uijae realized something. Maybe that’s why Sayoung had been needed.

He rolled onto his side, facing Sayoung. As if sensing his movement, Sayoung turned his head as well.

His sleepy violet eyes looked straight at Uijae. Propping himself up on his elbow, Uijae supported his head with his hand and gazed at Sayoung.

“…Hyung?”

Sayoung’s slightly hoarse voice called him. Instead of answering, Uijae reached out and grabbed Sayoung’s hand under the blanket. The sensation of the bandage around his finger was still fresh. When their fingers intertwined, Sayoung didn’t resist. Their hands locked together seamlessly, as if they were meant to fit that way. Uijae’s thumb gently brushed over the back of Sayoung’s hand.

He instinctively knew.

This memory belonged to him—Cha Uijae. It was like a collection of all his weaknesses gathered in one beautiful package.

Which meant the way to clear this dungeon was probably something only Uijae could figure out.

There was something he had always wanted to say.

Perhaps it could have been an everyday occurrence. Maybe it was something that could have been said long ago, in a different world, before everything fell apart. But not for the two of them, not here. They had always had to carry the burden of uncertainty, had to keep moving forward despite the unknowns.

‘But it’s okay.’

Uijae smiled softly. He reached out, gently covering Sayoung’s eyes with his hand. Just before his eyes closed, Sayoung’s wide, surprised gaze met his.

Uijae leaned in slightly, pressing his lips to the back of his own hand as he whispered quietly,

Even though doing something so simple felt like a luxury they could never have.

“Goodnight.”

At that moment, a white system window appeared before him.

---

**[Dungeon Cleared!]**

---

The soft, cozy blanket, the plush mattress, the warm glow of the bedroom light—everything around them slowly began to dissolve into white ash. It all faded into nothingness. 

But the warmth from their clasped hands and the gentle touch of their skin—that was real.

That, at least, was true.