Chapter 181: A Woman's Enemy Is... (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 181: A Woman's Enemy Is... (3)
Morning arrived after a night of tangled limbs and lingering heat with Yura and Eunha.
Since I had spent the time with two people who were already in favor of the harem, there were absolutely no issues while we were together.
Far from being a problem, we had such a wonderful time that I found myself wishing every day could be like this. Afterward, we shared a meal to soothe our empty stomachs.
Perhaps because it was the morning after such heavy exertion, I felt a wave of lethargy and didn't want to leave the comfort of Yura’s embrace. However, Yura and Eunha, looking as energetic as if nothing had happened the night before, sprang out of bed the moment they opened their eyes.
In the end, I was left unable to snuggle against either Yura’s or Eunha’s chest. I had no choice but to shake off the cozy temptation of the bed beckoning me to stay.
“What are you doing today?”
“I’m planning to head to the hospital.”
“The hospital? Is it because of your friend?”
“Yeah. I should go while I have the chance to make sure he hasn't kicked the bucket yet.”
After my last visit, I had wondered when I’d be able to check on Kruger’s condition again. Fortunately, the communication issues with my girlfriends had been resolved more smoothly than expected, giving me a bit more breathing room.
But since I never knew when things might take a turn for the worse, I didn't want to think, I can go whenever, so I'll just go anytime. Instead, I thought, I have the time now, so I should go check on him while I can.
“That’s a shame. I wanted to go with you.”
Yura, who had to go to her part-time job, couldn't go even if she wanted to. Eunha, sitting beside her, looked at me with eyes that clearly said she wanted to come along, but unfortunately, that wasn't an option either.
“I don’t know when I might run into Silver at the hospital again, so I’m planning to go alone for the time being.”
I explained the incident where I encountered Silver at the hospital and told them it would be difficult to go with anyone else. I didn't say it just to be alone; I truly felt it would be dangerous, so I decided to go solo.
If it were Yubin, it wouldn't be a problem even if we ran into her, but if I were caught with another girlfriend, I’d be at a total loss for words.
I didn't think the mere fact that I was Yubin’s boyfriend would cause a stir within Silver’s team, Special Force. However, even if I didn't introduce them as my girlfriend, being caught by Silver with another woman would be more than enough to cause a scene.
Besides, White already thinks of me as Hayoung’s boyfriend. The moment I let my guard down or become careless, it could turn into a major disaster.
“Then it can’t be helped,” Eunha said, nodding in understanding. Yura, perhaps imagining the worst-case scenario, wore a rather gloomy expression.
“Let’s all go on a trip or something later so we can relax and have fun.”
I felt bad that we couldn't even go on a proper date in this situation. Remembering the trip the girls took during the summer, I wanted us to go away together later to rest and enjoy ourselves.
Though, technically, I was there during that trip too.
At my unexpected suggestion, Yura and Eunha hesitated for a moment before their faces brightened. It seemed they hadn't even considered a trip.
“A trip? You said it! You have to take us later, okay?”
“I like the ocean, and I like the mountains too. Anywhere is fine as long as I’m with you, Oppa.”
“Alright, alright. Calm down first.”
The high-spirited Yura didn't hide her excitement, and Eunha’s tone was a few notches higher than usual, clearly eager for the trip.
I calmed the two of them down as they pressed close in their excitement, and soon we ate the breakfast that had been delivered.
After finishing the meal, we all left the house together to match Yura’s shift. Yura headed to the cafe, and Eunha went home.
I made my way toward my planned destination, the hospital. On the way, Yubin called me.
“Hey, Yubin.”
— Where are you?
She knew I was with Yura and Eunha yesterday and probably called thinking we had disbanded by now.
Since we had just parted ways, I marveled at how incredible a woman’s intuition could be and told her I was on my way to the hospital.
— The hospital? To see your friend?
“Yeah. What are you up to, Yubin?”
— Assignments.
Her brief answer was laced with a hint of gloom. Those two words, "assignments," also meant she couldn't see me today even if she wanted to, and I let out a sigh mixed with a groan.
“Will you finish today?”
— If I work my ass off, I think so. I really don't want to do it.
“Hang in there. We can meet up and hang out tomorrow.”
Even if "hanging out" meant it was hard to enjoy ourselves freely outdoors, we could still spend time alone at home like before.
— Got it. What are you doing after the hospital?
“I wonder. I was thinking of contacting Su-ah first.”
— You’re really saying that with confidence now, aren't you?
To me, she was a girlfriend, but to Yubin, she was a colleague as well as her boyfriend’s other woman. My casual mention of contacting Su-ah didn't seem to sit very well with her.
“Sorry. Let’s just the two of us hang out tomorrow for the first time in a while.”
— Okay. I’ll get to my assignments then. Give my best to your friend. Be careful on the road.
“Yeah.”
I could feel the affection in Yubin’s voice, and a smile naturally formed on my lips.
After ending the call, I debated whether I should contact Hayoung separately but decided to call Su-ah first. I dialed her number on my smartphone.
Her voice sounded like she was barely awake. It seemed she had been sleeping until the ringtone jolted her awake.
I intended to keep it brief and ask if we could meet today before calling Hayoung, but my priority became waking Su-ah up, as she was too dazed to understand what I was saying.
I waited for her to wake up, told her I’d be over around evening to give myself plenty of time, and hung up. At that moment, I arrived at the hospital.
Since I had been there once before, finding Kruger’s room wasn't difficult. I climbed the stairs and opened the door to his room.
I approached Kruger, who was lying in bed in the exact same position as last week. I sat in the chair next to the bed and stared silently at him, an oxygen mask over his face.
The heart rate monitor beside the bed clearly showed he was breathing fine, and I let out a sigh.
“The Team Leader was A.T. Did you know that?”
The reason I visited Kruger’s room was to check on his condition, but the biggest reason was to deliver the news regarding Luche.
I knew the unconscious Kruger couldn't hear or answer me. However, I wanted to tell this to Kruger first—the man who, for the past ten years, had lived as Luche’s subordinate alongside me.
If he ever regained consciousness and heard this, he’d surely make the stupidest face imaginable and refuse to believe me. I hadn't had the chance to tell Theo yesterday because things were so hectic, but he’d probably have the same idiotic expression.
Actually, Theo might already know that Luche was A.T. If not, I’d still have the chance to see him look like a fool.
“I went to Headquarters for a bit, and seeing how busy everyone is made being on leave feel uncomfortable. Theo’s working his head off. Oh, and Roy is the same as ever.”
Is it because there’s no room to let my guard down anywhere I go? I found myself constantly talking to the unconscious Kruger.
In the past, whenever I had moments of spacing out like this, I used to talk to Seira right away. Even though we acted like we used to when we were alone, there were moments when the difference in our ranks felt palpable.
Moreover, we hadn't had a casual get-together in the nearly ten years since coming to Earth. Ironically, the only person I could blankly spout nonsense to right now was Kruger, who couldn't hear or respond.
“Don’t give me more reasons to fight. Just wake up as soon as you can.”
What I want right now is my girlfriends' happiness. But before that, there was a reason I was still fighting as part of the Spacetro military.
Was it because I had a dream about my parents recently? Memories of the past resurfaced, and I stopped my aimless rambling to Kruger.
I sat silently in the hospital room for quite a long time. I didn't say anything special, nor did I do anything. I just sat there, not even feeling the passage of time, lost in old memories.
By the time I snapped out of it, a significant amount of time had passed. I had told Su-ah I’d be there in the evening, but I figured I should get going soon. I stood up from the chair to head to her house.
“I’ll come again next week.”
I didn't know exactly when, but I could make time for a brief hospital visit. Hoping that next week I’d see him waking up with a groggy face, I left the room.
From a distance, Silver watched the black-haired young man leave the room and head down the stairs.
Silver knew that the man she had run into at the hospital last week was the leader of Team Hunter Killer from the same Seoul Branch—and Red’s boyfriend. Now, she had spotted him at the hospital again.
She had seen him enter the room and then leave after finishing his business. There was only one reason she was watching him.
She was wondering if Red might have come with him.
And her reason for waiting for Red was simple. After having a proper conversation with her for the first time last week, she had developed a sense of internal closeness.
However, at a glance, it didn't look like Red was with him. It felt too awkward to ask the man she had only briefly greeted, “Hello. Did you not come with Red today?”
“I guess she didn't come after all.”
Since she had unexpectedly run into Red at a hospital where she usually never saw anyone she knew, she had held a sliver of hope, but the situation didn't meet her expectations.
As she stood there, about to turn back, her gaze drifted to the door of the room the man had just exited. She trudged over and glanced at the nameplate next to the door.
The name ‘Kruger’ was written there. Just as she was wondering, I wonder what this person’s story is, she noticed the door wasn't fully closed.
“Oh?”
The moment she reached out to close it, the door slowly swung open. Even though she hadn't done anything wrong, Silver instinctively checked her surroundings, feeling self-conscious. She stepped slightly into the room to close the inward-opening door and spotted Kruger lying there with an oxygen mask.
This person is unconscious too.
She could tell at a glance that the man lying there was a comatose patient. With a heavy expression, she watched him lying alone on the bed for a moment before closing the door.
Perhaps because I had been lost in thought for too long while sitting down, my mind remained in a daze from the moment I left the hospital until I arrived at Su-ah’s house.
Only after arriving in front of her door did the worry hit me: If I go in like this and play games half-heartedly, will I get scolded again? Then I realized I’d probably get scolded either way, so it didn't really matter. I punched the code into the door lock and stepped inside. The moment I took off my shoes in the entryway—
“What?!”
Startled by Su-ah’s loud, irritated voice coming from inside, I hurried toward the living room.
The reason for Su-ah’s irritation was 100% likely to be a game, but since she rarely raised her voice when playing alone, I wondered if something had happened.
And what greeted my eyes as I entered the living room were two familiar backs sitting on the sofa. It was Su-ah and Hayoung.
“Honey, you’re here?”
Hayoung, sensing my presence, turned around and met my eyes. I gave a small reply and greeted her back. Su-ah also turned her head to look at me, and the look in her eyes was extraordinary.
Then, my eyes drifted to the TV. On the usual game screen, there were two characters, and one of them was down.
The character with a completely depleted HP bar was the one Su-ah used when she played against a gaming novice like me. I looked back into Su-ah’s eyes.
Her gaze was truly something else. Beneath a look that couldn't hide her bewilderment were joy and ecstasy. She couldn't stop the corners of her slightly parted lips from twitching.
“……You lost?”
I could tell instinctively. Su-ah and Hayoung had played a game together. And Su-ah had lost.
“Yeah.”
At my cautiously phrased question, Su-ah answered in a voice that couldn't hide her excitement. I felt a sense of hollow disbelief and leaned back against the wall.
“With a few buttons disabled?”
“No, all of them.”
Shocked, I leaned against the wall and looked at Hayoung. She gave me an awkward smile, and in my state of distress, I cried out.
“How?!”
I had been playing games with Su-ah for months, yet I had never once beaten her, even when she played with a button disabled. Even when she picked a character that was relatively easy to deal with, I had never won.
And as far as I knew, Hayoung had almost no connection to gaming. She had never even mentioned anything remotely related to games when she was with me. To my knowledge, Hayoung had never played a game in her life.
Yet Hayoung had beaten Su-ah—who wasn't even using a handicap, even if it wasn't her main character—and Su-ah couldn't hide her delight at having found a new opponent.