EFME 45

Sunyul walked, and walked. He walked even without a destination. This was simply a walk to kill time. Because doing nothing had reached its limit.

The stars twinkled far away. Sunyul was very close to the stars, and at the same time, very far away. Because here, in the rift of dimensions, both space and time were distorted. So much so that a few years on the outside could be hundreds of years for Sunyul.

─Isn’t it a waste to throw away hundreds of years for just a few years.

At the voice whispering to him for the first time in a very long time, Sunyul smiled weakly.

It isn’t just a few years. It’s a few years for billions of people. If you add it all up, it would be much heavier than Sunyul’s hundreds of years. It was worth Sunyul taking on.

─How pitiful.

Sunyul ignored the voice and moved forward. The painful moments would pass eventually, anyway.

Sunyul woke up with a start.

“Huck……”

Sitting bolt upright, Sunyul looked around with confused eyes. He could see no darkness, no starlight, nothing at all. The surroundings were exactly as he remembered his room to be. Faced with this fact, Sunyul couldn’t decide whether to feel relieved or anxious.

It felt as though he could be dragged back to that place he saw in his dream at any moment. While that made him incredibly anxious, a part of him also felt a constant pull, telling him that he was supposed to be there. Even though he didn’t even know where ‘there’ was.

This state of not knowing anything was something he had always experienced since waking up in the dungeon, but this time was even more confusing.

Sunyul clutched at his chest, panting repeatedly. To calm himself even a little, Sunyul curled up and tried to catch his breath. But like he was still running, nothing would settle down.

Sunyul tried hard to recall his reality.

He was sure he had fallen asleep while talking with Muyeong on the way back from his birthday celebration. Muyeong had carried the dazed Sunyul to his room and put him to bed.

Right. This isn’t that space, isolated from everything, but Muyeong’s house, and today is December 19th… or perhaps it’s the night of the 20th by now.

[‘Traveler of the Eternal Night’ clicks their tongue, asking why you’re so confused when you know perfectly well.]

……Do I really know? Sunyul thought with a sluggish mind. I shouldn’t be here. I have to go back. I am…….

[‘Traveler of the Eternal Night’ clicks their tongue, saying you’ll have a fine time going back in that state.]

“……”

Sunyul ignored the constellation’s message and staggered to his feet. It didn’t seem like he could calm down by just staying still.

Leaving the room, Sunyul wandered the hallway for a moment, lost. There was no other destination he could have. Eventually, Sunyul headed to Muyeong’s room. Without a moment’s hesitation, he knocked on the door.

But even after waiting for a long time with his head leaned against the door, no answer came.

“Guild Master……”

Feeling like he was going to die, like it was hard to breathe, Sunyul finally threw open the door of the one who gave no reply.

There was no one in sight. Sunyul went further inside and opened another door. Then, Muyeong’s bedroom, submerged in darkness, came into view.

Disappointingly, the large bed was empty.

He felt dizzy. Sunyul went over and rummaged through the duvet as if Muyeong might be inside. Of course, Muyeong wasn’t there.

“Ugh……”

Just then, a wave of dizziness washed over Sunyul. He stumbled and fell onto Muyeong’s bed. I’ll just calm down for a bit and get up. With that thought, Sunyul rubbed his cheek against the bed.

‘It smells nice…….’

The faint scent in the room resembled Muyeong. The toner and cologne Muyeong used, the scent of a different kind of body wash than Sunyul’s, and mixed in with all that, the smell of sun-dried blankets.

Muyeong wasn’t there, but it felt as if Muyeong was holding him, and his ragged breathing slowly calmed down.

Sunyul curled up just like that, closed his eyes, and dozed off.

It was a very light sleep.

Drifting in a light sleep, lost in a dream, Sunyul opened his eyes to someone’s touch shaking him. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, what Sunyul saw before him was a fully dressed Muyeong.

“……Guild Master?”

“Why are you sleeping here?”

Muyeong’s voice was lower than usual. Sunyul’s sleepiness vanished, and his eyes flew open.

Only then did Sunyul realize that he had entered Muyeong’s room without permission and was even sleeping in his bed.

“I-I’m sorry. I had a dream last night, and, well, I just couldn’t calm down……”

“……There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

Muyeong replied with a sigh.

“I was just surprised. To suddenly find you in my room… sleeping while hugging my blanket.”

“Because it smells like you, Guild Master……. I liked it.”

“……”

Muyeong fell silent. Even though he knew Sunyul was saying it with the purest of intentions, for a moment, it sounded strange.

Sunyul peeked at Muyeong’s expression.

“I meant it in a good way.”

“……Right.”

Muyeong seemed to have a lot on his mind. Well, Muyeong always had a lot of work, so that was probably it. Thinking rather placidly, Sunyul sat up.

“By the way, where have you been?”

“An S-rank dungeon opened up, so I was just there. I got an emergency call.”

The Supernatural Abilities Administration had called, saying it was so urgent that it was fine to leave Sunyul alone, and asked him to dispatch quickly.

It made sense. A fire-wielding monster had appeared, and to make matters worse, there was a gas station nearby, so one wrong move could have led to a major disaster.

“Ah……. You must have had a tough time.”

Sunyul said, feeling sympathetic. He probably got home close to midnight yesterday, since he left the guild late and they spent a long time at the restaurant. To think he went to a dungeon without getting any proper rest……. Sunyul felt sorry for Muyeong.

“I think I’ll have to go in and clear it.”

“When?”

“Now.”

“Right now?”

“Yes. I came to pick you up. I’m going to leave you with Kim Jaehoon for a bit.”

“Ah, yes……”

“Are you okay?”

Sunyul, of course, was fine. The one he was worried about was Muyeong. Not wanting to worry him unnecessarily, Sunyul nodded his head.

“Yes. I’m fine. I was fine when I slept at Hunter Lee Bada’s house before, too.”

“Not that. I mean about the dream.”

Right, there was that. He was so out of it that he’d forgotten. It was also no longer immediately after waking up from the dream……. Sunyul nodded his head vigorously, as if there was no problem at all.

“I’m fine now. In the early morning, I was just a little startled, that’s all.”

“Tell me if you’re having a hard time.”

“Later. Aren’t you in a hurry right now?”

“It’s fine.”

It doesn’t seem fine. Sunyul got up from his spot. Then, at Muyeong’s word that he’d be waiting downstairs, he quickly washed up and went down.

In the living room, Muyeong was standing with Jaehoon. Spotting Sunyul, Jaehoon waved cheerfully.

“Hey, we meet again. I’ll be in your care for a few days.”

“Yes. I’ll be in your care, too.”

Next to the politely bowing Sunyul, Muyeong looked at Jaehoon coldly.

“Take good care of him.”

“Don’t worry, you just take care of yourself. Don’t let your guard down and get hurt.”

“I’m not like you.”

“That’s absurd.”

“If Kim Jaehoon bothers you, tell me later. I’ll get revenge for you.”

Regardless of whether Jaehoon was scowling or not, Sunyul inadvertently nodded his head.

“Yes, I will.”

“Hey, do I look like the kind of guy who would bully a pipsqueak like this?”

“Be careful.”

“……You be careful too, Guild Master.”

“Are you two not hearing me?”

Thanks to Muyeong, who paid no mind to Jaehoon’s words, and Sunyul, who was too busy replying to Muyeong to pay attention to Jaehoon, Jaehoon was left to shout out alone.

“I’m off then.”

“Please have a safe trip.”

After Muyeong left, a somewhat awkward air lingered between Sunyul and Jaehoon. Jaehoon cleared his throat with a “ahem” and grinned at Sunyul.

“Well then, shall we head to work?”

“Yes, I’ll be in your care.”

“You got it.”

The Vice Guild Master’s office that Jaehoon used also had a separate break room, just like Muyeong’s room, so Sunyul spent his time there.

It was an unfamiliar place, so he didn’t feel at ease. But thinking back on it, he felt like he had been more comfortable than this when he first went to Muyeong’s break room.

‘Why is that?’

Was it because Muyeong was his owner? But if someone else were to become his owner, he didn’t think he would feel so comfortable…….

For a moment, Sunyul imagined being entrusted to someone other than Muyeong. No matter who he imagined, it was uncomfortable. As he went through the hunters he knew one by one, he even thought of Jang Beomjin, who he’d gotten into a fight with before, and that was truly the worst.

Muyeong really is the best. The only one Sunyul could entrust himself to and acknowledge was Muyeong.

“……”

For a moment, his stomach churned. It was because he remembered masturbating while imagining such a wonderful and kind person.

Muyeong would never dream that Sunyul could have such ungrateful thoughts and perform such an act. A huge wave of guilt washed over him. He felt sorry to Muyeong.

‘I really shouldn’t do that anymore.’

One mistake is enough. Of course, when he sees Muyeong, such thoughts… do pop up sometimes… but he’ll have to at least try to restrain himself as much as possible.

“Hey, let’s go.”

It seemed it was already time to leave work, as Jaehoon called for Sunyul. Sunyul followed Jaehoon out.

“Vice Guild Master, where do you live?”

“Me? An apartment nearby. I live with my family.”

At Jaehoon’s answer, Sunyul flinched.

“Will your family be okay with me coming over?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

Jaehoon answered readily as if there was no problem at all. Despite his cool attitude, Sunyul’s worries grew and grew. Along with the carefree Jaehoon, Sunyul headed to his house.