It Was Strange
The bedroom was furnished with the finest furniture crafted by master artisans. Every detail, from the mattress and blankets to the pillows, had been meticulously chosen. Yet the space, which should have been filled with love and warmth, was shrouded in darkness—not a single light turned on. Amid the gloomy atmosphere, her cherished cosmetics lay scattered haphazardly on the floor instead of on the vanity.
Kang Ga-young, who had been staring blankly for a long while, ran her hand over the bed where she always lay. It was the spot where she had slept beside her husband, who was surely dead by now. My precious place.
"...No. You're definitely here somewhere."
There was no warmth to be felt. She could never sense him again. Not even his distinctive masculine scent, let alone his gentle voice.
"Ga-young-ah...."
It felt like he was calling her name even now. There were still so many things she needed to ask him. If he left just like this so easily, then what about her...?
"You're not, right? Oppa."
The final moments of the man she had last seen lingered indelibly in her mind. How could she ever forget? How?
"I wanted us to be happy. We could have been happy...."
The feel of his cold, stiffened body was vivid. Recalling the man who breathed no more like the dead made it hard for her even to breathe. Her chest ached terribly—far beyond what words could express.
"...Haa. Haa. Oppa. I really can't breathe. It hurts so much."
He hadn't wanted to die, had he? Please.
No matter how much she screamed, her voice wouldn't reach him. And just like that, Kang Ga-young wouldn't hear his reply. Not now. Not ever.
"...If only we'd had a child."
Then this situation never would have happened. He was a man with a sense of responsibility; he wouldn't have abandoned her and their child so easily. The wretched sight of his final moments was hazy now, along with the expression he'd worn then. The terror of never seeing him again. The despair of knowing she'd driven him to it.
She'd thought if he couldn't find a place to live, he'd come crawling back pretending to lose. How naive. She'd assumed demanding alimony would make him give up on the divorce. How foolish.
Knock knock!
"Miss, the chairman has arrived."
No sooner had the worried housemaid finished speaking than the door burst open. In walked the chairman of Cheonsu Group, someone she had no desire to see right now. The elderly man with white hair gazed at her pitifully.
Kang Ga-young bitterly eyed the old man's head. I wanted to live happily with Oppa until our black hair turned gray too....
"You planning to keep moping like this forever? The funeral was ages ago. All because of that one guy...."
"Shut up. He's not just 'some guy.' He's everything to me. My everything!!"
Her teeth chattered. She steadied her shaking legs and caressed the suit laid out on the bed—his suit, the one he often wore. Lee Seojun had smiled brightly when she picked it out and gifted it to him after much deliberation.
"Ha. Ha."
She wished she could just lose her mind. But as a high-rank hunter, she couldn't even go mentally insane. Only now could she admit it: she hated how others took interest in her husband. Of course she did. He was hers. My man. Why were others so curious about him?
Where exactly had this relationship gone wrong? Kang Ga-young gritted her teeth. Yet her sound mind forced her to confront the harsh reality.
"Even if I regret it now, he won't come back."
Then what should I do? Calm down. If she went back to sleep and opened her eyes, he'd be lying beside her. He had to be. Please. She still hadn't let him go.
"...Oppa."
"I killed you."
"I made you die...."
Kang Ga-young slowly looked around the room. Aside from one simple robe, everything was furniture and items tailored to her tastes. Nothing of her husband's remained. There should have been at least one thing. Surely.
"Did you throw away the gaming console? Why? You decided everything on your own."
Even a mere gaming console had been discarded. Why had he done that? Had her mood soured because of how intently he focused on it, more than on her?
"...No."
Ah. Please. Her head spun with dizziness. If she fainted in a dream, could she wake up from this nauseating place? They should have played games together instead. What a stupid choice.
"...I love you."
How much time had passed? Tick-tock—!!
Space and time warped, the scene shifting rapidly. It no longer surprised her. A middle-aged man, the Hunter Association chairman, came to console her. But his words didn't touch her heart.
"Hunter Kang Ga-young, the entire nation—no, the world—is in danger right now. Please, at least don't retire like this...."
"...What do I care? My world is already ruined. Why not let the whole world crumble too?"
The graying Hunter Association chairman hurriedly found the remote and turned on the TV. Breaking news scrolled relentlessly alongside the anchor's grave expression.
No one could believe this situation. It felt so detached from reality that she could barely process it. Even now, it struck her as strange. As if waiting for his death, dungeons had begun proliferating across the nation—no, the entire world. Monster appearances exploded in number. And ironically, the number of healers plummeted. Not other hunters, but only healing-type hunters. In simple terms, they had lost their awakening abilities.
Those hit hardest by this unprecedented phenomenon were the frontline combat hunters. And after that...
"Please come back. This isn't just about the nation—it's humanity's survival on the line."
The middle-aged man knelt, pleading. But such meanings and reasons held no sway over her anymore.
"Get out."
"Hunter Kang Ga-young, please forget the past and start over from now...."
"Shut up. My time stopped the moment Oppa died. If you come here one more time, I'll really kill you."
The chairman turned away slowly, his face full of pity. What did it matter? The man she'd wanted by any means was gone now. He would never return. Because of her.
What if she'd respected him as a person and curbed her possessiveness? Ah. When had he entered her heart? Maybe from the very beginning. From the moment she laid eyes on Lee Seojun, she'd loved him. Like fate. A love engraved from her soul. An instinctive imprint she couldn't refuse.
So come back.
"Come back. Please."
If she could just see him one more time.
"I love you."
"I'm sorry."
But those words would never reach him. Ever.
"Oh my god. This way, please."
Thud—!
The mansion's housemaid, eyes wide with surprise, guided Jeong Ye-na. With Kang Ga-young slumped on her back, Jeong Ye-na barely managed to lay her on the bed.
"Whoa. This interior is insane."
Jeong Ye-na's eyes widened at the luxurious furniture that screamed expense at first glance. Now that she was a major guild hunter herself, she thought she should save up and get a newlywed home like this.
Jeong Ye-na stared at Kang Ga-young. Honestly, she couldn't understand it. Why had she suddenly lunged at Oppa like that? Did they know each other or something? The looks from the Pania Guild members back then were no joke. Especially Yoo Chae-eun, that woman.
Jeong Ye-na sighed deeply. Kang Ga-young was asleep anyway, and no one else was around to hear.
She had to find some way to pry that fox away from Oppa. But it wasn't easy. Time to head out. As she turned to leave, a sobbing sound came from the bed.
"...Hic. Hic."
Kang Ga-young sat up slowly, tears streaming down her face. It was heartbreaking even for an onlooker. Jeong Ye-na's irritation melted away instantly.
"Huh? Unnie, you're awake? What's wrong? Why are you crying...."
She had to admit what was true. Even a woman could see that Kang Ga-young's tear-streaked, messy face was stunningly beautiful. Jeong Ye-na was confident in her own looks, but aside from age, she couldn't beat her in anything.
"...Why? Why is it gone?! I need to find the wedding ring!!"
Kang Ga-young stared at her empty finger, muttering in confusion.
"What?! Unnie's wedding ring?"
'You weren't even wearing a ring, unnie.' The words nearly slipped out, but Jeong Ye-na clamped her mouth shut. Madness emanated from Kang Ga-young as she rummaged wildly through drawers and the vanity.
After the chaos subsided, the exhausted Kang Ga-young slumped beside the bed.
"...Unnie, are you really okay?"
Honestly, it was terrifying. Who wouldn't be startled seeing someone act so strangely right in front of them?
"Doesn't it bother you?"
"Huh?"
She couldn't make sense of the question. Was she talking about the raid?
"Am I the weird one? Am I the only one dreaming these dreams? What the hell is this?!"
"Dreams? What dreams?"
"...You don't know anything."
"No, unnie, just explain and—"
Kang Ga-young whipped her head away and waved one hand dismissively. A clear order to leave.
After carrying her all the way here, all she got was weird talk from Kang Ga-young. Naturally, Jeong Ye-na's mood soured. She nodded curtly and left the bedroom.
Exchanging greetings with the housemaids as she exited the mansion, she saw it was still daytime.
"Should I text Oppa?"
Chatting with the guy she liked would ease this stuffy feeling. But he was probably sleeping by now. Come to think of it, Oppa's buff skill had been pretty great. Purple energy faintly infused in ice from the sky. What normally took two hits, she felled in one. The thrill of that moment was something she still couldn't forget, even now.
Jeong Ye-na refused the ride from Cheonsu Group and headed to the taxi stand. Luckily, a car was waiting, and she hopped in quickly.
"Hmm."
Jeong Ye-na's fingers flew across her smartphone keyboard.
With the urgent raid dungeon cleared, she'd have some free time ahead. She wanted to go out—movies, cafe, amusement park, anywhere. Of course, not alone, but with someone.
No immediate reply. Already asleep? She debated sending more, but even this took guts for her. Still, she secretly wished the guy—Oppa—would initiate first. A petty bit of pride.
Yeah. What did it matter? The person she liked would text first. For now, maybe go shopping.