Chapter 63: A Sudden Departure

That night.

As I lay on the bed, trying to fall asleep, a sudden realization struck me.

The time I had left to spend with them was quickly running out.

The one-month period I had agreed upon with Jinhyang was nearly over.

‘Ugh.’

Just imagining being apart from them made my chest ache.

‘Is this really the end?’

I didn’t think they would heartlessly cast me aside, but a wave of fear still washed over me.

It felt like I was about to return to the empty, desolate life I had lived before.

“Ugh…”

The unease kept me awake.

Even though my body was the type to fall asleep the moment I closed my eyes, I couldn’t drift off tonight.

‘What should I do?’
I wanted to keep living with them, even after the contract ended.

‘Maybe I should just go and talk to her.’

I wasn’t sure if Jinhyang would agree, but sitting alone, letting myself drown in fear, seemed even worse.

At least I’d learned something during my time working with them.

‘…I’ll just try to ask her.’

With that, I got out of bed and left my room.

Step, step—

Walking alone down the dim hallway helped calm me down a bit.

But when I arrived at Jinhyang’s door, hesitation crept in.

My hand, gripping the doorknob, trembled slightly.

“Ugh.”
I couldn’t afford to hesitate here.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I quickly knocked.

Knock, knock—

“Boss, are you awake?”

There was no response from inside.

Still, I’d never really needed permission to enter Jinhyang’s room before.

As always, I opened the door and walked in.

Creak—

As the door opened, my eyes met Jinhyang’s as she lay on her bed.

“What is it?”

“Well…”

I wanted to tell her I wished to continue working with her.

But the words wouldn’t come out easily.

If she said she didn’t want to work with me anymore, it would all end here.

‘This is terrifying.’

I needed some comfort first.

If I could feel the warmth of someone else, maybe I could push the fear away.

“Ah, here we go.”

Without hesitation, I climbed onto the bed and snuggled into Jinhyang’s arms.

Even while lying together, the difference in our heights was evident.

Resting my head on her chest, I felt her hand settle gently on my shoulder.

The warmth of her touch calmed me, giving me the courage to speak.

“Boss, what do you think of me?”

“Huh…?”

Jinhyang slowly sat up at my question.

As her warmth left me, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.

Still, I had to say it.

“I really like you, Boss.”

“W-what are you talking about…?”

Her eyes widened, larger than I had ever seen before.

I could even hear her gulp nervously.

Seeing Jinhyang so flustered was a first for me.

I wasn’t sure why she seemed so taken aback, though.

“I meant what I said. Do you like me, Boss?”

“…I don’t dislike you.”

She didn’t dislike me.

That alone gave me a glimmer of hope that I could stay and work with her even after a month had passed.

“In that case, I have something I’d like to ask you.”

“Okay.”

Her short response carried a slight tremor. At least, that’s how it felt to me.

“Boss, can I keep working here after the month is over?”

“Huh…?”

“You don’t have to pay me. I make enough money through streaming.”

“……”

Jinhyang, who had been sitting upright, slowly lay back down, aligning herself so that our faces were close.

“Were you really worried that I’d send you away?”

“Yes. I don’t think I can live without you now.”

“You say the weirdest things sometimes…”

“Do I?”

What did she mean by that? I hadn’t said anything strange.

As I stared at her in confusion, she suddenly reached out and tugged my cheek.

“If you want to stay, you can.”

“Wait, really?”

Instead of answering directly, she playfully pulled my cheek again.

Since it didn’t hurt, I took it as a yes.

“I won’t send you away, so stop worrying and get some sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am. Hehe.”

Relief washed over me.

I could keep living with them.

Overwhelmed by happiness, I squirmed around a bit before pulling her into a tight hug.

And like that, I fell asleep.

The next day.

I asked Jinhyang to get the twins out of the house.

Well, it was more like we forcibly shooed them out.

It couldn’t be helped.

Today, I had to prepare a surprise birthday party for them.

Phew—

Blowing up balloons and scribbling letters with a marker kept me busy.

“Happy Birthday, Yoon and Raxy!”

Just as I finished writing that on a banner, Jinhyang walked over and patted my shoulder.

“They’re on their way back. Are you done?”

“Huh? Where are they now?”

“I can hear them near the front door.”

“What?!”

They were already here?!

There was still so much left to do.

It seemed I had no choice but to abandon writing the last character,  in my banner.

would have to suffice in delivering the message.

Setting the balloon I had been blowing aside, I let out a deep breath.

Phoo—

The red balloon deflated, shooting off across the room.

“Wow,” I muttered, momentarily distracted by its erratic flight.

Shaking my head to refocus, I quickly grabbed the prepared fireworks a set of expensive magical sparklers engraved with celebratory messages.

As I waited, holding the fireworks tightly, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind the door.

Tap, tap.

‘They’re here.’

Click—

The door opened, revealing Yoon Bora and Raxy Bora.

The moment I saw them, I lit the fireworks.

Bang—!

The explosion sent colorful sparks scattering throughout the room, painting the walls with vibrant hues.

‘Ack!’

The sound was louder than expected, startling me so much that I instinctively shrank back and clung to Jinhyang.

Before I could fully process the situation, the twins were already standing in front of me, their faces lit up with amazement.

“Wow, Harang, you prepared this for our birthday?”

“Yeah. Did it surprise you?”

“It did! And these fireworks are so beautiful! Where did you even find something like this? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Their awe-filled remarks made me hum a little tune in satisfaction.

The fireworks had been pricey no, extremely expensive but seeing their happiness made it worth every penny.

“Thank you for the gift, Harang. I love it so much!”

“Me too! I’m going to cuddle the doll you gave me every night.”

“Good.”

They thanked me warmly, but I could only respond half-heartedly.

My full attention was on the cake in front of me.

Nom, nom—

The sweetness of the whipped cream danced on my tongue.

If I were to rank it, it was just a notch below my favorite treat, churros.

Finishing the slice in record time, I felt a pang of regret.

Under Yoon Bora’s snack agreement, I was only allowed one slice of cake per day.

Reluctantly, I picked up the plate and licked off the remaining cream.

Slurp—

‘Delicious.’

Even when the plate was completely empty, I kept licking it, determined to savor even the tiniest trace of cream.

My heightened senses made it possible to detect even microscopic amounts.

Lick, lick—

Just as I was engrossed in cleaning the plate, Jinhyang snatched it from me.

“I’ll give you another slice. Stop licking the plate like that.”

“What? Really? I can have another piece?”

She was usually so strict about limiting my snacks for health reasons, so her generosity caught me off guard.

Looking up at her with wide, grateful eyes, I watched as she picked up the knife and cut another slice.

“You worked hard today, so I’ll make an exception. Just one more.”

Handing me a generously sized piece, she smiled faintly.

“Wow!”

I accepted the plate with both hands, my heart swelling with joy.

It wasn’t about manners I wasn’t trying to be polite.

The cake was just too heavy to hold with one hand.

It wasn’t that I lacked strength; it was simply because the slice Jinhyang handed me was closer to two slices in size.

‘Hehe.’

Burying my face in the plate, I eagerly dug into the cake. That’s when Jinhyang spoke up, her voice calm yet steady.

“I’ve decided to leave for a while.”

“Hmm? Where are you going?”

“Out of town,” she replied briefly.

“Oh…”

Her announcement was so sudden that I found myself at a loss for words.

Just then, Raxy Bora, who had been playing with a doll, raised her hand as if she were in class.

“Why are you leaving so suddenly, sis?”

“There’s been talk at the association that too many hunters are concentrated in the capital area,” Jinhyang explained.

“Aha.”

It was true. Most renowned hunters, Jinhyang included, lived in the metropolitan area.

It wasn’t surprising that people in other regions might feel neglected after all, the presence of strong hunters was directly tied to public safety.

‘Does this mean I won’t see her for a while?’

Sigh.

Letting out a disappointed breath, I distracted myself by taking another bite of cake.

Noticing the cream on my face, Jinhyang picked up a tissue and gently wiped my cheek.

“I’ll only be gone for a few days to a few weeks. Is there anyone who wants to come along?” she asked, her gaze sweeping across the room.

For a moment, it felt like her eyes lingered on me, though it was probably just my imagination.

“I’ll go if Harang goes,” Raxy Bora said immediately.

“Me too!” Yoon Bora added.

Both twins turned to look at me, clearly leaving the decision up to me.

‘Would it just be like a trip?’

A trip with them didn’t sound bad at all.

However, there was one concern I couldn’t ignore.

“What about the tower if we all leave?” I asked cautiously.

“I’ve already arranged for an expert to take care of it, so don’t worry too much.”

“Ah, I see.”

If even meticulous Jinhyang called this person an “expert,” there was no need for concern.

I figured it would be fine to just relax and enjoy the trip.

Nodding in agreement, I signaled my approval.

“So, when are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow…?”

Wasn’t that too soon?

With so little time, I’d have to start packing immediately.

There was no room for procrastination. I needed to shop for anything I was missing.

But one thing was certain I wasn’t going anywhere without plenty of churros.

At least three boxes, with all the flavors I could find.