Chapter 186 Sung’s Birthday (4)  

"This is the third time. Can I get a proper answer?"

Hyunjae Sung spoke like he was giving me a choice when I was forced to do this.

"I already explained to you."

"That had not been a proper answer."

He did let it pass, and his golden eyes looked down at me, daring to escape. I felt the salty wind as it brushed against his hair, and the moonlight gave it a silvery hue. He waited for my answer with a smile. On the other hand, I was in turmoil, thinking about managing this situation without telling him the truth.

It was then I felt Yoohyun's arm on mine.

"Hey, I'm here."

His voice was soft, and I felt the tension lift from my body. I could trust those words.

"…Mr. Sung."

I looked at Hyunjae Sung again. His expression had not changed, and I wondered how far I could go. I knew he was lenient to me because I was rare, useful, and harmless. Also, he was not afraid of me going to someone else, as he was the kind who immediately planned on how to get something he wanted back. However, he still did not know what secrets I still had.

"I will tell you the truth. It has something to do with you."

Hyunjae Sung did not respond like he expected those words.

"Your déjà vu has to do with your malaise."

His eyes grew cold, and I could feel I was stepping on his boundaries. I could either step back or go on forward. It might be better to bow to him like before, as he was useful and powerful, which made him convenient. I didn't need to tell him anything, as my skill and relationship with the depraved would still be useful even if he got his memories back.

"You won't remember, since I took your memories, or let's say a part of yourself when I visited your home. I needed it to combine the magic stone. I took only a tiny bit, so don't think about getting it back."

I saw sparks fly even before I finished my words. Hyunjae Sung's hand moved as Yoohyun unsheathed his blade to block the attack. I saw the Sesung Guild Leader's eyes still glaring at me.

"Will you fight?"

While my voice came out all right, my head was filled with worry. Everything ended if Hyunjae Sung turned his back to us, and it would be difficult to prevent him from taking back my stone. Everything I had built would be ruined.

"Why are you baring your teeth all of a sudden?"

"I needed to stretch my jaw."

Maybe I took a step too far. However, I did not want to wait forever for him to say that our alliance was over. I had lived that way for long enough.

"You know, I don't belong to you and can fight back. However, I also can help you with that déjà vu."

Hyunjae Sung looked like he wanted to say something but changed his mind. Instead, he laughed quietly.

"It's..an unexpected birthday gift."

"I'm sorry if I surprised you."

I had not expected that things would go like this. While I looked at him straight, I wondered whether I had picked a fight with him too obviously.

"Honestly, I want to carve that stone out of your chest."

Irin stepped onto Yoohyun's blade at those words.

"Also, I can think of a few ways to get some details out of you."

"Since you're talking, you seem not to really mean it."

"That's because I do care for you."

"That's possessiveness. As I said before, I don't belong to you."

"People change."

"I won't. So, what's your decision?"

"That's difficult to say. I am interested but do not want to harm you."

I heard him sigh and his chains tingle. So, at least I mattered that much.

"Please make a decision fast. I may have to avoid you."

"That's unpleasant."

"Well, well."

He adjusted his pose to bow politely.

"How can a mere S class harm you?"

"Aren't you tired of that?"

"You make this fresh every now and then."

Hyunjae Sung looked at me with a smile that was too bright for his usual self.

"I never really bowed to someone like this before."

"You're the type to change your mind anytime."

I was still on the tightrope and may fall despite having taken a step forward.

"I need to relieve my stress since I did something that does not suit me."

I could not even ask him to wait before I heard an explosion down below. The cruise ship shook like a paper boat. At least the people there had evacuated to Myeongwoo's workshop.

While Hyunje Sung could not use the skill well yet, it was enough to sink a ship. The explosions ripped apart the deck.

"We need to go, brother. It's not a good idea to stay."

"All right."

It was then I heard Yerim call out to me.

"Why hadn't you evacuated?!"

"I thought it would be enough if I was high up in the air from the beginning. Hey, Yoohyun. I will catch you!"

"I don't need that."

Yoohyun used his willow skill to help us afloat, and Hyunjae Sung used an item that allowed him to stay in the air. While it was too expensive to use normally as it could be used only once, he had money.

Enough to sink a ship. I heard another massive explosion.

"…How about stopping there?"

"That's not me, but the magic that should have gone into the hydrogen explosion."

"What?"

I could not ask further, as we were all swept away by the hot air current. Damn. We were in the middle of the ocean, and our phones had died out during the electrical storm. Hyunjae Sung, whose items had resistance, did not have his cell phone with him.

Since Yoohyun's skill took too much magic and Hyunjae Sung could not fly, we had to rely on Yerim and man potions to get us back to land.

"At least we're in Korea."

Yerim spoke as she looked at a closed restaurant. Yoohyun, Hyunjae Sung, and I were all wet to the bone.

"Hey, did you have to do that?"

"It was an appropriate environment to experiment."

It would have been better to leave him in the middle of the ocean. Yoohyun looked at me.

"Are you all right?"

"Well, it's late, and we haven't had dinner. Is there an open store anywhere?"

I had to call the Hunter Association and Hayeon, but all the restaurants had already closed.

"There's a convenience store open over there!"

Yerim had been looking around in mid-air. At least there was a place we could borrow a phone and eat.