Chapter 1109: Woo Hyo-Yeol (16)

Obviously, I didn’t show much emotion because showing that I no longer had any regrets about life was the best thing to do here.

Flower Ki-Young, who was withering away, was talking about his death as if it were a normal topic of conversation. It meant that death was

that

close to me. I wasn’t scared, nor was I depressed. I wasn't overly kind nor overly energetic to everyone.

Emptiness filled my gaze as I talked about death.

This was an emotion I would never show to others and to the people who trusted me. I was sick. My sickness couldn’t be explained, but my insides were decaying. It was only for a moment, but Woo Hyo-Yeol seemed to have realized that fact.

“...”

“...”

Woo Hyo-Yeol’s question was finally answered. He finally knew why I wasn’t in his first life and why a person like me had failed to make a name for myself.

It was easy to figure out that the GENIUSES, who had turned him into a regressor, had decided to give him a bit more time in exchange for helping me.

He wasn’t that stupid that he couldn’t figure that out, and his interest in me had to have increased. In other words, he would eventually know the truth as long as he was sufficiently curious about me.

In this first life, I quietly accepted my death. He had no idea whether I died in the tutorial dungeon, in a small city, or on Earth before I was summoned, but my death was cold and lonely, akin to the harsh winter.

He would see that if he really looked into it.

‘What was your ending like?’

What was Woo Hyo-Yeol thinking right before he died in his past life?

I had no idea what happened, but I thought it wasn’t all that different from mine.

‘He was probably better than Hyun-Sung. Hyun-Sung couldn’t die nor live, and he ended up getting stuck on the continent by himself.'

However, I thought his death was a lonely one. I was sure no one saw him die, and no one was upset about it.

‘Who would want to be friends with a guy with that kind of personality? Who would want to be with him right before he dies?’

Woo Hyo-Yeol wasn’t the type to have comrades or work with someone in the first place, so I was sure he died on the battlefield somewhere while covered in his own blood. What was he thinking when he looked up at the sky while lying on the ground?

Actually, had he even closed his eyes before he died? Had he regretted his actions, or had he simply laughed dejectedly? Perhaps he was angry, which was why I wasn’t expecting him to sympathize with me completely.

Even at a glance, the anti-social jerk before me was insensitive to other people’s feelings. However, if he had an ounce of sympathy toward me and my situation…

‘You’ll sympathize with me, right?’

I was a pitiful person.

‘You’ll do that, right?’

'I don't have much time, so you pity me just a little bit, right? You won't feel right getting your hands dirty just to kill me, right?’

Perhaps it was just me, but it seemed like Woo Hyo-Yeol’s eyes were shaking.

Finally, he broke the silence once more, asking, “So what?”

“...”

“Am I supposed to pity you?” Woo Hyo-Yeol questioned.

“...”

“Should I pity you just because you’re dying? I don’t really understand why you told me that,” Woo Hyo-Yeol continued.

'He’s a really big asshole, and when did I ask him for his pity?'

“...”

“...”

“Did I ever… ask for your sympathy?” I asked.

He was at a loss for words.

“...”

I hadn't asked for his pity, but the fact that he said something about it made me think that he was pitying me.

It seemed that every regressor out there had communication issues.

I had no idea about anything else, but Woo Hyo-Yeol wasn’t used to this type of psychological warfare. The only thing he was capable of doing in a normal conversation was to make provoking remarks, swear, ignore, and stay quiet.

“I never…asked for your pity, and I'm not expecting you to do that at all. Do you really think I told you that because…” I trailed off before asking, "I wanted your useless sympathy?"

“...”

“You think I’m begging for your sympathy…

haa

… I just wanted to tell you that you don’t need to kill me. Although I’m not sure if you really came here to kill me…” I added.

“That’s—”

“I honestly don’t like you either,” I interrupted him.

“...”

“I really don’t like you,” I said.

“...”

“Maybe it’s because of you that I’m still alive… but I don’t like you,” I said.

“...”

My remaining life didn’t belong to me.

It was more accurate to say that my remaining time was for the regressor of Rohen.

“I’m jealous of you,” I confessed.

I didn't mind speaking frankly, as I was never the type to beat around the bush. I knew I needed to stay true to my current feelings so that I wouldn't have any regrets.

That was the kind of life I had been living so far...

“I’m jealous of the time you have and the things you can do,” I said.

Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to say things like this. Not even Woo Hyo-Yeol.

“When I look at you, it’s like Rohen… revolves around you,” I added.

“...”

“And I’m talking about everything,” I said.

It was only natural. He was the regressor, after all.

“I don’t like your attitude of thinking that things are predetermined. I also hate that confident look of yours and everything else about you. I-I’m probably jealous of you. No, I'm jealous, and that’s probably why I don’t like you,” I explained.

'Confessing that you’re jealous of someone is hard, but I don't mind admitting to it.'

“Why are you telling me this?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

“Am I not allowed to tell you this?” I questioned.

“...”

“I just wanted to tell you,” I told him.

“...”

It felt like I instantly regained control of our conversation.

Woo Hyo-Yeol was glaring at me, but he said nothing. Actually, I wasn’t even sure whether he was glaring at me or not. This was irrational, and it confused him, but it was more effective than I thought.

One thing I was sure of was that he was even more confused.

Was he jealous of me as well? Was he envious of my popularity, or was he jealous of my talent?

I knew he was a self-centered jerk, but what would he think if someone had volunteered to play a supporting role for him?

I wasn’t certain, but I was full of confidence.

He seemed like he moved as he pleased, but he couldn't say what I just told him if he were in my shoes.

In some ways, I was

freer

than Woo Hyo-Yeol.

I told him I was running out of time, but I was probably the one living out my life between us.

“I want to go for a walk,” I said.

“...”

The withering Flower Ki-Young got up slowly, and of course, I didn’t forget to stumble.

I thought Woo Hyo-Yeol would flinch, but the cold-hearted jerk wasn't worried that I would fall to the ground. However, I felt like he wanted to observe me a bit more because he agreed with my random suggestion.

He neither nodded nor said that he would come with me, but he started walking next to me.

It was late at night, and the night was quite atmospheric.

“I’m telling you just in case… but I don’t need your help,” Woo Hyo-Yeol said.

“I’m sure you don’t,” I said.

“And I never begged them to give me help, so I’m warning you. Don’t do anything—”

“This is something I must do. Regardless of how you feel, there’s nothing I can do about it,” I interrupted him.

“What exactly was the contract?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

“I can’t tell you,” I answered.

“You—”

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you. It’s more like I can’t. You should know, though,” I said.

“I see.”

Our communication wasn’t smooth, but we were talking, at the very least.

“What do you know?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

“I don’t know anything at all,” I replied.

“Who did you sign a contract with?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

“I can’t tell you that,” I answered.

“The goal… What’s the goal?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

“It’s the one thing I’ve been telling you. My job is to help you. You have… a lot of doubts,” I told him.

I gave him a chance to resolve any personal questions he had in mind, but he wouldn't get any valuable information, as our conversation wouldn't reveal much.

He was only talking about the things he cared about, and I was doing the same. Since there was some distance between us, it felt like there was a huge wall between us.

I wouldn’t really call this a conversation but despite that…

‘It’s meaningful.’

One had to start somewhere, and this single step was a really impactful one.

‘Is it time?’

I wasn’t sure where this was headed, but I took a huge step, and we happened to be in the perfect location. It was quiet and atmospheric.

It seemed rushed, but I already started it, so I had to go all out.

There was a large balcony on the same floor as the hospital ward. There was a tree and a bench underneath it. The pitch-dark sky was more noticeable than usual. It was a gloomy sky where I couldn’t see the stars or the moon.

It was an empty sky with nary a single ray of light.

“I like dark skies like this,” I said.

“...”

“I enjoy looking at gloomy skies like this—lightless skies,” I added.

It was pretty random, but it didn’t matter because walking to this place with him was random in the first place. I was setting the mood, and I was looking at the sky while pretending to be sad, but it didn’t matter whether he was listening to me or not because that was what my conversation with him was like.

To take a big step, provide a proper explanation, and see his face, I turned around, but a ridiculous sight unfolded before me.

‘Where did he go?’

I couldn’t find Woo Hyo-Yeol.

“

Huh?

”

“...”

“...”

‘Shit, was I being too hasty?’

I didn’t know the reason why, but…

‘Did I take too big of a step?’

“...”

‘Was I being too hasty?’

Woo Hyo-Yeol had left me behind in the middle of our walk.