A Ticket Meant for Someone Else

Inside the simulation, it felt like we’d gotten along fairly well.

But after returning to reality and recovering our memories, all of Hyeon Jaeyul’s attention was focused on me.

It didn’t look like he was doing it to pick a fight with Ju Noeul.

It looked more like a disaster caused simply by having eyes only for me.

“Hey. He’s doing that on purpose, right?”

Ju Noeul muttered as he watched Hyeon Jaeyul’s long-striding back.

I shook my head.

“No. Jaeyul just isn’t interested in you. He’s probably not trying to provoke you, so just let it go.”

“That makes it even more irritating.”

“Getting angry only hurts you. Jaeyul doesn’t care whether you’re mad or not.”

After hearing my answer, Ju Noeul muttered curses under his breath, then dropped his hand onto the table with a dull thud.

“Grab on. Starting today, we’re practicing ability use.”

“Ah. Didn’t you say you’ve already cleared all the paths?”

His large hand was a familiar sensation now.

When I placed my hand on his, Ju Noeul completely covered it and clasped down firmly.

“You said it’d only take a month. It’s been three.”

Feeling the pressure of his grip, I laughed quietly.

Ju Noeul bristled and tightened his hold a little more.

“Three months is still really fast, you know?”

“Okay, okay. Just loosen up a bit. It hurts.”

“Hmph.”

When I complained, Ju Noeul turned oddly prim and loosened his grip.

It didn’t really hurt that much, but whenever he got irritated and I acted weak, he always backed off like this.

He looked like someone worried that his emotions might become a threat to me.

‘If I told you you’re actually pretty harmless, would you get mad?’

Resting my free arm on the table, I propped my chin up and studied him.

His pale cream-colored hair was slightly mussed, probably from his habit of raking his fingers through it whenever something annoyed him.

He must’ve run a hand through it before coming over.

Something must’ve rubbed him the wrong way again today.

‘Well, Ju Noeul is always irritated anyway.’

After staring at his softly disheveled hair for a moment, I spoke.

“But I still can’t use my ability at all. How are we supposed to practice?”

“Even if you don’t remember, there’ll be traces left in your body. I’ll draw them out.”

“You?”

“Who else could do it?”

The tone was blatantly arrogant, but fitting for an S-rank hunter.

Among ability amplifiers, there was no one who used their power like Ju Noeul did.

Over the past few months, I’d met other amplifiers here too, but they could only boost another person’s ability slightly.

Interfering directly with another person’s energy or carving out entirely new paths for ability use, like Ju Noeul did, was something they said they couldn’t even imagine.

Since having someone that extraordinary help me was genuinely something to be grateful for, I lifted the corners of my mouth and decided to praise him.

“Wow…
Ju Noeul, that’s amazing….”

“Hey.
If you’re going to say it like that, just don’t talk.”

“You seriously get mad even when you’re praised….”

“You tell me not to swear at you, but aren’t you low-key swearing at me right now?”

Ju Noeul replied irritably, clearly sensing there was zero sincerity in my praise.

I muttered something under my breath, and of course, he heard it.

Letting out a hollow laugh, he spoke with an utterly dumbfounded expression.

Seeing that ridiculous face, I genuinely snickered.

Ju Noeul exhaled weakly.

“Fine.
Do whatever you want….”

Watching him like that, I felt relieved that the system didn’t function properly in this reality.

Ju Noeul felt less like a capture target and more like a same-s*x friend.

‘Just… a very large same-s*x friend.’

I glanced at the system window, which still only displayed:

‘Main Scenario 3 – Pursuit.’

It was slightly clearer than when I first woke up, but still barely functional.

Ever since arriving in this reality, the system only activated when entering specific zones or performing scenario-related actions.

‘Honestly, it’d be nice if the system just never worked again.’

But life was never that generous.

Life had a habit of giving you exactly what you never wanted.

I stalled, lost in pointless thoughts, but nothing changed.

[An event for capture target ‘Ju Noeul’ has been generated.]

[Due to the progression of a personal event, sub-scenario ‘Ju Noeul 1. Leap’ will begin.]

[Random event generation complete!]

[Event field ‘The Silent Manor’ is being created.]

That damned system had finally gone and created an event with Ju Noeul.

Let’s rewind three hours earlier, before that horrifying Ju Noeul event was generated.

It was during one of our usual ability development training sessions.

“Ah, Doya. I’ve been looking for you.”

Jeong Iheon approached with a pleased expression after spotting me.

Receiving lukewarm looks from Hyeon Jaeyul and Ju Noeul, he still greeted them sociably before turning a smile back on me.

Since there was information I needed from him, I made a point of spending time with him, and today was no different.

I spoke to him in a familiar tone.

“Ten more minutes and today’s training’s over. Can you wait a bit?”

“No, I didn’t come for that today….”

Instead of agreeing to spend time with me, Jeong Iheon handed me two tickets.

“What’s this?”

I took them absentmindedly and asked, puzzled.

‘Fracture Memorial Hall…?’

There was a place like that?

As I flipped the tickets over, Jeong Iheon explained.

“The association just opened an exhibition building about fractures.”

“And?”

“These are first-entry tickets. I thought it’d be good if you went.”

I frowned slightly at his words.

‘Why would it be good if I went?’

I had no interest in fracture history.

Seeing my expression, Jeong Iheon continued.

“They also built a new memorial park nearby.

From what I heard, your parents are enshrined there too. They were both hunters, right?”

‘Oh. I see.’

I still didn’t feel much interest, but apparently my guardians—my parents—had both been hunters.

Most early association members had undisclosed abilities, so no one knew exactly what my parents’ abilities had been.

I glanced at the tickets one more time, then held them out to Jeong Iheon.

“I’m not interested.”

“You should still go.”

Jeong Iheon only smiled, showing no intention of taking them back.

There were two tickets.

‘Does he want to go with me?’

If that was the case, going together to spend time with him wouldn’t be a bad choice.

As I nodded at that thought, Jeong Iheon said something else.

“Go with Ju Noeul.”

“…Huh?”

“Me?”

Both Ju Noeul and I widened our eyes at the same time.

Ju Noeul, who hadn’t been part of the conversation, looked openly confused about why he was being singled out.

“I can go with her.”

Hyeon Jaeyul cut in.

As he reached for the tickets in my hand, a tattooed arm slipped between us.

Blocking him, Jeong Iheon curved his eyes and spoke in a slightly cool tone.

“Hyeon Jaeyul, you’re not interested in things like this.”

“That applies to Ju Noeul too.”

The two of them suddenly started a silent power struggle.

Ju Noeul and I just stared blankly.

Then Jeong Iheon said something unexpected—and yet not unexpected at all.

“Ju Noeul always attends fracture victim memorial services when his schedule’s free.”

“…He does?”

“I’ve gone a few times.”

Lowering my voice, I asked Ju Noeul quietly.

He answered a bit awkwardly.

I’d thought he was soft-hearted, maybe even kind, but attending memorials regularly was still surprising.

Hearing us whisper, Jeong Iheon smiled gently.

“It’s pretty well known among association staff that Ju Noeul keeps a black suit on hand.”

So he attended properly, with full formality.

Unlike the rest of us, who constantly wore association-issued uniforms, Ju Noeul always dressed sloppily.

That made it even harder to imagine him in formal wear.

A version of Ju Noeul not wearing irritation, but mourning.

Noticing my look, Ju Noeul bristled and pressed my head down firmly.

Forced to bow under his hand, I retaliated by stomping hard on his foot.

Hard by my standards, anyway. Naturally, Ju Noeul didn’t feel a thing and scoffed.

Watching us bicker, Jeong Iheon said to Hyeon Jaeyul.

“That’s why I’m telling her to go with Ju Noeul. He’s much more sincere than you.”

Since recovering his memories, Hyeon Jaeyul didn’t seem to get along well with others.

Probably because he stuck close behind me all the time.

It felt like my fault, which bothered me, but Hyeon Jaeyul looked utterly unconcerned.

‘Yeah. I don’t think I need to care either.’

That was the face of someone who treated other people’s words like ant chatter.

I looked at him once more, then turned back to Jeong Iheon.

“Why aren’t you going?”

“…Just because.”

As always, his answer was evasive.