"These abilities, only YOU have them on the entire planet. They were meant for you, master.'
Si-Hun sighed and sat on the couch.
He put his arm over his head, the other resting on his chest, and closed his eyes.
"You just said that you're not going to sleep."
"Ah, I'm feeling too sleepy," Si-Hun said, his voice raspy from fatigue.
'Did you use your abilities strongly?"
"Yeah. My opponent was way more powerful than any other entity, but this fight required strategy, and not pure strength."
Kuro kept talking afterwards, not knowing that Si-Hun had already fallen asleep.
He noticed it only when he stopped for an answer.
"He already fell asleep? Guess the battle really was draining. We would need to put an end to this soon, or otherwise, this man will still not step back!"
Kuro picked up Si-Hun using his magic and laid him on his bed.
He pulled a blanket over himself and turned the lights off.
This slow bond was gradually building into something more than just a random friendship, but genuine care, loyalty, laughs, and taunts that were precious as if diamonds.
With Kuro, Si-Hun missed his brother less, as Kuro reminded him of Ji-Ho.
Anyway, after a few hours, Si-Hun got up.
It was 11 in the morning.
He came to the kitchen after freshening up and looked for coffee.
"Where's the coffee?"
"The jar finished just yesterday."
Si-Hun sighed in frustration.
"Why don't you ask some from Su-Yeon?"
"Oh yeah. You spoke for good this time." Si-Hun said, teasing Kuro.
'I always speak for good!" Kuro said, pulling his tongue at Si-Hun.
Si-Hun went and knocked on her apartment door.
She opened the door, her face as fresh as ever.
"Hey! Si-Hun!" She said, smiling.
"How're you doing?"
"There's been a lot lately, but I'm doing good." Her happy expression faltered a bit at the first part, and Si-Hun noticed it.
Looks like she was going through something too.
"I was just wondering if you had any coffee at your home. I ran out just yesterday and forgot to buy a new one."
"Sure, you look tired too."
Si-Hun was a little surprised by how she read through him like that.
"Why are you standing there? Come inside."
"Oh no, I'll just wait outside. I'm already bothering you a lot."
"There's nothing like that. I like to start my mornings with coffee too!"
"So she likes Coffee in the morning too."
Si-Hun knew he couldn't refuse, so he agreed.
'Actually, I had already made one cup for me, I'll make another for you?''
"There's no need for that, aren't you going to your university today? You'll be late."
"Um, I…am not going today."
"Oh, okay."
"Don't leave, then."
Si-Hun nodded, and she went to the kitchen to make the coffee.
He wondered what her problems were.
His perception had grown this strong that he could notice how something was bothering her.
He wanted to ask, but respecting her space, he didn't.
Si-Hun could see her somewhat in the kitchen, as it was an open kitchen like his.
She was making the coffee very carefully.
Her long brown hair fell over her shoulders beautifully.
Si-Hun looked at her for a few seconds, then quickly looked away.
He kept his gaze down as he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, which she really wasn't.
After a few minutes, she came back with two cups.
Si-Hun accepted the cup, and she sat beside him.
'Thanks," He said.
"Ah!" She hissed as she accidentally touched the hot cup.
"What happened!?"
"N-nothing. It's just a little burn."Her hand was a little red.
She definitely wasn't fine. He remembered himself when he burnt his hand, and his parents didn't even care.
He didn't want this to happen to anyone else.
Even when that burn was small, Si-Hun knew that her mind was somewhere else.
He wanted to read her mind and know what's been bothering her so much.
"I wonder we've known each other long enough, but I still don't know much about you," She asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh yeah, right. I never even got the chance to share anything about me." He said, nervously chuckling.
He realized that she didn't even know what he did or anything about him.
"You mean that I talk too much, that's why you didn't get the chance?"
"O-oh no, no. I didn't mean that…"
"Haha, I was just kidding." She said, finally a little smile on her face.
"Actually, I lived with my parents before this, but I decided to move out. I'm a predator."
"A predator?" She asked, slightly surprised.
'Yeah, that's why I had an injury on my chest."
"Ahh, now it makes sense. But I've heard that it's a really dangerous job, and even life-threatening. Violence gives me anxiety. I know I'm such a scaredy cat."
"Haha,"
"Why are you laughing? I know I'm scared of such things, but you shouldn't laugh at that." She said, pouting a little.
"Okay, okay. I won't laugh."
"Tell me more about yourself."
'You wanna know more?'
"Ahmm." She hummed and nodded.
'My life isn't really interesting. I don't know if there's anything more that's worth telling."
"You kill those scary and REALLY ugly creatures every day?'
"Haha, yeah. It's a part of my routine."
"I was really scared of monsters since I was little. I remember I used to go to my mom's room when I felt scared and alone. She comforted me, and I always ended up sleeping next to her. I…miss her." She said, a little sad.
[Flashback]
"Mom!" Si-Hun said.
"What!?"
"I-I'm scared, Mom. There's a monster under my bed. I don't want to sleep there. Can I sleep with you?" 7-year-old Si-Hun asked, his voice cracking as his eyes were teary and fearful.
In the hope his mom would listen just this once.
"Ughh! You drive me crazy! Why do you have to ruin my sleep!? There's no monster under your bed! Now go sleep or else I'll make you sleep in the basement!"
He had tears in his eyes, but he didn't say anything more.
That's how his life was from his childhood.
He had to be mature too early.
[Present]
"Where's your mom now?"
"She's in Busan with my dad. I want to see them, but my university semester hasn't ended, and it costs a lot. What about your parents? Where are they?"
Hearing her question, he opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
"They…They live in the other part of the city. I have work, so I don't have the time to visit them often. I have a little brother, Ji-Ho. He'll come today to stay."
"You have a little brother?"
"Yeah."
"It must be nice having a sibling."
"It is," Si-Hun said, smiling.
"Oh, it's getting late! I didn't even notice that it is an hour already!"
"It's been an hour?' She asked.
"More than an hour, actually."
"You're leaving?"
He looked at her, searching for anything on her face, his eyes softened for a moment.
His perception told him she didn't want him to leave her right now.
But the strange thing was, he couldn't know the reason behind it.
"I'm sorry, I wouldn't have left if I didn't have a raid today…"
"It's okay. See you later then!" She said goodbye to him.
"Bye!" He said.
She watched him leave.
After he left, she leaned back on her sofa and sipped her cold coffee.
"Why did he have to leave now?" She said, a little sad.
On the other hand, when Si-Hun got home, Kuro asked him what took him SO long to come back.
"You went for coffee…and see the time right now! It's been way past an hour! Can't you tell her that you're going to a kitty party before leaving!"
"Calm down, man. I was just having a normal conversation! A normal conversation…"
"Right!"
"Let's leave for the raid. It's already late."