The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Chapter 152

Tears that had flowed in small drops now began to fall in earnest. Uijae froze, gripping Lee Sayoung's hand.

“Is… he crying?”

Lee Sayoung?

“Why?”

What reason could he possibly have to cry as soon as he saw me? A flurry of thoughts bubbled up in Uijae’s mind.

“Did he wake up and cry because I wasn’t there?”

There’s no way Lee Sayoung would cry over something so trivial. Uijae dismissed the first possibility immediately. If anything, Sayoung was the type to get annoyed or angry, not cry. Unless…

“Did he have a dream where I died?”

…

Uijae raised his gaze from their clasped hands to look at Sayoung, and then he inhaled sharply.

Sayoung’s pale face, which had once reflected shock like someone who’d seen a ghost, was now devoid of any expression. It was as if the last remnants of emotion had drained from him.

He was simply staring. At Uijae. His usual vibrant purple eyes, which often hid countless emotions beneath the surface, now mirrored only one person.

Cha Uijae.

“….”

Uijae opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it.

The Lee Sayoung before him seemed… strange. If not for the continuous flow of tears and the warmth in his hand, it would be easy to think he wasn’t even alive, like something… detached from this world.

As soon as that thought crossed Uijae’s mind, his vision spun. A sharp headache shot through his skull, and he grimaced, clutching his head. The hand he’d been holding slipped away like a snake.

Lips stained red from blood opened.

“Cha Uijae.”

Hearing his name made his body tense involuntarily. A black hand gently wrapped around Uijae’s fingers and tugged them closer again. The scarred palm scratched lightly against his hand, sending shivers down his spine.

“…I thought it didn’t mean anything.”

“…”

“All the things I’ve done…”

A short sigh escaped Sayoung’s lips. His long, tear-streaked lashes trembled slightly, and a fleeting trace of warmth shone through the mirror-like gaze.

“I’m glad.”

“….”

“You look okay….”

Sayoung lowered his head close to Uijae’s hand, his lips hovering just above it without touching.

“Did I… protect you?”

“…What?”

“Of course… I probably didn’t.”

Sayoung let go of Uijae’s hand and stepped back. In the space left behind, Uijae saw the watch that Sayoung had placed there. The second hand ticked steadily. With his hands stuffed into his coat pockets, Sayoung nodded toward the watch.

“Take good care of that watch. It’s important.”

Uijae clenched the watch tightly and looked up. A breeze blew, scattering Sayoung’s black hair and coat. A strange sensation rose from the ground beneath him.

That “Lee Sayoung” was not the Sayoung Uijae knew. But at the same time… he was.

Suddenly, the world before Uijae blurred.

Everything was drenched in red. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. He felt numb all over. His dry throat ached, yet he couldn’t stop murmuring. He knew that without the noise, he wouldn’t be able to endure.

But there was no one to make that noise for him. The physical pain had dulled, but the sight that tore into his heart was inescapable.

Rustle,

Something black draped over his head and torso. The red landscape disappeared, replaced by darkness. Slowly, Uijae stopped murmuring. He sensed the presence of something alive.

‘….’

‘….’

‘…………….’

A faint warmth reached him through the coat. Someone whispered.

‘Come back… quiet… …now.’

His dazed mind snapped back to awareness. The sound of waves crashing against a breakwater and returning to the sea sharpened his focus. But it still felt like a heavy stone was pressing down on his head.

Uijae frowned and asked,

“What… are you? Why…”

“Ah…”

Sayoung mumbled.

“I won’t last much longer….”

Sayoung blinked a couple of times before closing his eyes. In that instant, his large body lost balance and collapsed. Uijae quickly reached out to catch him. The heavy weight fell against him, but he didn’t falter. From his arms, a soft groan escaped.

“Damn…”

It was a voice full of irritation. Recognizing the familiar cursing and annoyance, Uijae glanced down at the black-haired head nestled against him. Sayoung blinked slowly as if assessing the situation, and upon realizing that Uijae was holding him, his eyes widened. His swollen, red-rimmed eyes and long, tear-laden lashes still sparkled with unshed tears.

“…Hyung? What… is this?”

Having confirmed that it was Uijae, Sayoung sat up straight and looked around. When he saw the memorial behind them, his face twisted in a frown.

“…Incheon? Why are we here?”

“I should be asking you that.”

“What the hell…?”

“You were here. I came looking for you.”

Uijae sighed and patted Sayoung’s back gently, as if to soothe him. Sayoung stared at him in confusion for a moment, then raised a hand to wipe his face. But when he saw the tears on his hand, he froze. His expression crumpled.

“Damn it, what is this…?”

Sayoung wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, but the tears wouldn’t stop. They kept falling.

“What the hell… why…”

The more he rubbed his eyes, the redder they became. Uijae grabbed Sayoung’s hand and gently wiped away the tears with his sleeve. But no matter how much he wiped, they kept falling.

“Why are you still crying? Are you hurt? Do you feel unwell?”

Sayoung glared at Uijae with his violet eyes, and beneath the irritation and displeasure, Uijae could detect a hint of relief.

There was warmth in his gaze.

It wasn’t the empty, mirror-like eyes that had just reflected only Uijae moments ago.

“…”

Sayoung lowered his head slightly to make it easier for Uijae to wipe his tears, muttering under his breath.

“…I’m not the one crying.”

“What?”

“It’s not… my will. I don’t know why… damn it…”

It was the tone of a sulking child—if you ignored the cursing at the end.

Sayoung took Uijae’s hand that had been wiping his face and pressed it against his cheek. He sighed softly, his damp face nestling into Uijae’s palm. It reminded Uijae of a large beast seeking comfort. The sensation of wet lashes brushing against his hand was almost ticklish. Then, a small whisper followed.

“This is so annoying…”

Wait, was he annoyed at me? What an ungrateful brat. Uijae was about to retort when Sayoung, as if reading his thoughts, glared sharply at him.

“Not you.”

“…”

Damn ghost. Feeling embarrassed, Uijae gently wiped the tears from Sayoung’s eyes with his thumb. Sayoung, biting his lip, murmured softly.

“…Hold me.”

“What?”

“Hurry.”

Sayoung urged. Usually, in most situations, he acted calm and leisurely, but now he seemed desperate. Uijae, a bit flustered, looked at Sayoung anxiously rubbing his face against his hand and hesitated.

“Are you really okay—”

“Haa…”

Sayoung sighed, annoyed. Then, he suddenly grabbed Uijae’s hand, pulling him closer. Uijae didn’t resist.

His vision flipped upside down. The gray pier and sea spun around before the sky turned to a dull, ashen color.

A light push on his shoulder from Sayoung's black hand made Uijae lean back, his shoulder pressing against the cold memorial stone behind him.

Sayoung positioned himself over Uijae, propping himself up with his arms and legs. His black coat and hair draped over Uijae. He lowered his head. The faint scent of his familiar sweet fragrance brushed past Uijae’s nose, making him instinctively hold his breath.

The sharp violet eyes drew nearer, almost predatory in their intensity.

“Please… I’m begging you…”

“…”

“When someone talks… just listen the first time.”

Something soft brushed against the mask Uijae wore, then pulled away. Soon after, a heavy weight pressed down on him again, and something soft and ticklish touched his neck—it was Sayoung’s hair. He buried his face in Uijae’s neck, his arms tightening around his waist.

Uijae was, frankly, baffled.

“…Huh?”

“Don’t sigh, just call my name.”

Sayoung growled. Judging by the dampness on his neck, the tears hadn’t stopped. Uijae glanced around. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any CCTV cameras around… and even if there were, Mingi could probably erase the footage later. That thought somewhat reassured him.

Uijae buried his hand in Sayoung’s soft hair and whispered,

“…Lee Sayoung.”

Sayoung’s ragged breathing started to calm. Maybe he was trying to compose himself. Sayoung had no trouble speaking about everything else, but when it came to things involving himself, he always kept his mouth shut. That made him even harder to understand.

What had happened? What had he dreamed about while asleep? What had he seen, and what was he thinking? There were so many questions. Uijae felt that unless he heard all of it and dug to the bottom of it

, his unease wouldn’t go away. The fear of losing Sayoung again gnawed at him.

“Sayoung-ah.”

Still, when he looked into Sayoung’s eyes, brimming with so many emotions, and felt his breath on his palm, just seeing him alive and moving was enough to calm Uijae’s fears.

Did Sayoung know? That he wasn’t the only one who found the other’s presence so precious?

Time passed, and eventually, the wind that had been blowing stilled. The sound of the waves crashing and receding became quieter, and the breathing of the person in Uijae’s arms steadied. It was a familiar sound, the same as when Sayoung slept beside him.

Uijae gently brushed back Sayoung’s hair, revealing a tear-free face. Finally.

He looked up, scanning the area, and noticed a black van parked at the edge of the pier. Uijae tapped his fingers lightly on the shadow cast by his hand. A small shadowy figure struggled to stand from the van. As he played with the ends of Sayoung’s hair, Uijae whispered,

“Tell your master.”

Lee Sayoung, who had wandered through the second world, had only been seen by Yun Gaeul. The Lee Sayoung who had reflected only Cha Uijae in his eyes, void of emotions, and the Lee Sayoung who couldn’t hide his anxiety and fears—they were different.

He needed to find out what was going on. Uijae's mask tilted slightly.

“I need to meet Gaeul soon.”