S Chapter 42

“It’s warm, I like it. I feel like I’ll sleep well.”

And then he bounces me gently. What a sad fate, suddenly at thirty years old, to be bounced and played ‘peek-a-boo’. Well, fine. If my younger brother finds it amusing, it’s not bad.

‘Once he falls asleep, since I’m already here, I should check his flow a bit.’

In the future, Yang U-dam definitely underwent Ability Manifestation. So, it means it’s fully possible now too.

“Pretty one.”

“Kkuwaeng.”

“Are you a pig?”

This brat? Shin Jukyeong, with a vicious expression, chopped Yang U-dam’s lips. Stop saying mean things to your older brother, you rascal. Yet, for some reason, the kid just chuckled softly.

After laughing for a while, he soon looked around with drowsy, unfocused eyes. He was doing it for no reason. Not really checking if anyone was there, but a natural action before speaking secretly.

“Can you move around this house freely?”

His voice, as he toyed with my belly fat, was lazily slurred. It rumbled low, like a large cat. Shin Jukyeong flapped his ears and replied.

“Kkurureung.”

“Really? You can? You’ve got good abilities.”

“Owaeng.”

Since he was going to interpret it as he pleased anyway, Shin Jukyeong just made rough sounds, becoming a ‘joy-gamer’ and thoroughly fondling his younger brother’s face.

‘His eyes are pretty, his nose is high, and his lips are full. He could be a celebrity.’

That’s right. I was indulging my dark desires right now. Yang U-dam playfully nipped and then released the maple-leaf-shaped hand caressing his face, and only then did he bring up the words he had hidden.

“Then… go to Shin Jukyeong too, not just me.”

Tap, tap. Yang U-dam mumbled, patting Shin Jukyeong’s round head. His movements became slower. At times, he would gently stroke, like a feather. Shin Jukyeong unconsciously wagged his tail. Strangely, it was a pleasant touch.

“If you have time, check if he’s okay. They say he woke up today, but I haven’t seen his face.”

“…”

“I’m not really worried. It’s just… I guess…”

…in case he’s lonely. After that one phrase, his younger brother fell silent. He looked slightly surprised at what he himself had blurted out. Shin Jukyeong reacted similarly. He hadn’t known his younger brother would think such a thing. They exchanged glances, both bewildered.

Then, Yang U-dam suddenly burst into a chuckle. And with his large hand, he poked Shin Jukyeong’s moist nose once more, muttering.

“I’m saying all sorts of strange things in front of you.”

“Kkueng.”

“Stay by my side until I fall asleep.”

Yang U-dam closed his eyes, hugging Shin Jukyeong tightly. The grown-up boy looked especially small.

‘In case he’s lonely.’

The thought that he had such feelings bothered me for no reason. People usually think based on their own standards. Emotions are the same. They judge based on the emotions they themselves feel. Therefore, it meant that what Yang U-dam was most concerned about was loneliness. Just as he himself felt it.

‘He must have been lonely in this house.’

After a short while, soft breathing sounds could be heard. Shin Jukyeong slowly wriggled out of Yang U-dam’s embrace. His black eyes quietly observed his younger brother stirring with a soft ‘hmm’. At some point, he had returned to his original form and gently patted Yang U-dam.

More than the fact that his younger brother had worried about him, the word “lonely” pierced his heart. Shin Jukyeong silently and gently comforted his younger brother for a while. It was clumsy with his movements, clumsy with his kindness, but his heart was sincere.

For a moment, he even wondered if the search for his biological parents stemmed from the child’s current loneliness. Like chasing a fantasy, unable to accept the reality of their death.

‘No. Still, I need to confirm it.’

It wasn’t a problem to be dismissed with speculation, so that was that. Shin Jukyeong calmly gathered his emotions.

‘First, shall I see how much capacity he has?’

Shin Jukyeong could detect subtle energies that other Hunters couldn’t yet confirm. In other words, only Shin Jukyeong could do it. The reason? Well… because his level is different?

‘Hmm? Huh… Look at this brat?’

As he placed his hand on his younger brother’s chest, a subtle energy began to ripple. A blue energy burst forth with a flash! in an instant. Even though he hadn’t properly opened the path yet, the potential already visible was tremendous. No, there’s nothing else to say but that he was born with it. This is what talent is.

‘How splendid.’

So this is why he ended up as the leader of Aolluseu. But not in this lifetime. I will absolutely turn him into a Justice Realization Addict. Imagining his younger brother making a name for himself in the Hunter world filled his chest with pride.

‘Don’t worry. Your older brother will take care of everything.’

Shin Jukyeong said that inwardly, and infused his energy. Eve’s help made it much easier.

‘I declare it. From now on, you will become a hero of this world.’

“Hwaaam!”

Shin Jukyeong stretched. He hadn’t slept properly all night, having opened the path for his younger brother’s abilities. After school, exhausted, he staggered along. He kept yawning. Since his date invitations had been rejected by his younger brothers again today, he might as well enjoy some rest.

‘Let’s go back and work out leisurely. I haven’t been able to do lower body recently.’

“Hwaaam~!”

For some reason, I felt like I’d lost muscle. I frowned in discomfort, when a scream was heard from afar. Or rather, a cheer?

“Hmm?”

Looking closely, a crowd was gathered only over there. Had something happened? Wanting to check it out briefly, Shin Jukyeong turned his steps in that direction. But what he saw was a large slogan. And it even had the name of the girl group he had uniquely paid attention to.

“!”

His sleepiness vanished instantly. Shin Jukyeong sprinted over.

Beneath a large signboard that read , several idols who came for the event were visible. Among them was the girl group Shin Jukyeong liked. Seeing them in person was no joke. They were crazy.

‘But was our neighborhood famous for bellflowers?’

…Hmm. Who cares! Shin Jukyeong gripped his bag straps tightly. To actually encounter people he used to admire only from afar—and even then, only occasionally, hidden from his father’s eyes—was incredible. What did his junior call this situation? Ah, right. “Iptleumak!” It was “Iptleumak!”

“Hello everyone~! We are~!”

“Uwaaaak!”

“Keuaaaahahaa!”

‘No. You brats. Shut up, I can’t hear them!’

Some dark roar was assaulting his eardrums. Shin Jukyeong grumbled and then found a slogan dropped on the floor.

[♥I love you, Guseul-ah♥]

He quickly picked it up. And enthusiastically waved it. He came to his senses only to find himself shouting ‘Uwaaaah!’ A new surge of vitality welled up. The twisted desires he couldn’t fulfill in his youth were now bursting out. The shell was nineteen, but the contents were thirty. He was also a man.

“Uwaaaah! Hyeonju-ya! Hyeonju-ya! Your oppa is here, Hyeonju-ya! Our Hyeonju absolutely needs to be the center!”

He was flapping his slogan and cheering, when words he absolutely couldn’t ignore came from beside him.

What on earth was that? Guseul was already the center. Was he blind? Couldn’t he see short-haired Guseul?

(That’s right. Shin Jukyeong’s favorite was Guseul, the center.)

“Uwaaaah Hyeonjuuu… Huh? What are you looking at, you bastard.”

Perhaps noticing Shin Jukyeong’s gaze, the man turned his head. His voice, which had been full of affection for his favorite idol, was now utterly cold.

Of course, Shin Jukyeong was the same. He wanted to ask if the guy was blind, but he didn’t want to use his power on an ordinary person, and out of respect for Guseul who had come all the way to perform, he decided to let it slide just this once. He had no time to deal with such a guy. He had to cheer for Guseul.

“This young brat, instead of studying, is already crazy about women…”

But that guy kept picking a fight.

“Are you blind? Guseul is clearly the center. You should wish for what’s possible.”

In the end, Shin Jukyeong didn’t back down and said a word. Ah, actually, it was three words.

“What? What did you say?”

“…”

“Hey.”

The thoughtless idiot grabbed his collar. Huh? Is he going to throw a punch? Go on, try it. But follow me into the alley. We’ll fight there for an hour. 10 minutes of psychological warfare. 1 minute of a real fight. 49 minutes of kneeling and explaining. By the way, you’re the one explaining. Are you confident? Shin Jukyeong, uncharacteristically, was excited.

‘But the more I look, the more familiar this guy’s face is. He looks like a thug from any angle… Did I know someone like that?’

Shin Jukyeong tilted his head, lost in thought. And then…

‘…Huh? Eureka! I remember! The Monchin-nom!’

The so-called monster-crazy guy. That’s him. …What was his name? No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t remember his real name. This was because the monster research institute, ‘△ (Triangle)’, which the Monchin-nom would found in the distant future, and the Hunter Association had surprisingly little contact.

The Hunter Association and the monster research institute. In some ways, one might misunderstand that there’s a strong correlation, but no.

‘Rather, they disliked each other.’

That’s right. They were a relationship that annoyed each other. One couldn’t judge who was right or wrong. Because it was a more complex concept to divide into such a dichotomy. It was simply that their paths differed from the Association’s.