The Hunter's True Feelings (2)
#
"Uh... uh?"
Yuri saw Reni's ring and stammered. Her gaze flicked between the ring and Reni's relaxed face, a glimmer of understanding surfacing before her expression darkened sharply.
"Uh, Y-Yuri?"
"..."
No answer. She hung her head low, body trembling; it wasn't a normal sight.
The atmosphere chilled.
Even Reni, who had been wearing that easy expression, started fidgeting anxiously when Yuri's mood soured, and she looked over at me.
Ugh. How had things ended up like this?
Of course, I'd meant to give Yuri a ring too.
Giving them to both at the same time somehow felt too much like a 'task' to get done all at once, so I'd planned to set the mood and hand it over when we were alone together...
And now this had happened.
Why does everything always go sideways like this?!
"Y-Yuri? Just listen to me—"
Yuri snapped her head up and glared at me. A face full of fury, and the faint glisten of tears welling up.
"You piece of shit...!"
She muttered that, then bolted from the spot.
I froze at the sudden turn of events, but Reni tugged at my elbow.
"Y-Yoo-jin... I think you'd better go after her..."
Reni fidgeted, looking in the direction Yuri had disappeared. Her face had turned apologetic, so different from a moment ago.
Right. I'd actually considered asking Reni if I could borrow the ring back for a bit. But how could I say that after seeing her face light up like that?
Anyway, for now, I had to go after her. Chase her down, clear up any misunderstanding, and if she hit me, well, I'd just have to take it.
"Yeah. Got it."
I got up in a hurry and started after Yuri... then checked the minimap and came right back.
"Reni, can you cast Haste on me..."
That girl, damn she was fast on her feet. When did she even get out of the mansion?!
I ignored the sharp, prickling stare boring into the back of my head and headed out of the dining room again.
# # #
"Stop following me, you idiot!"
"Just how far are you planning to go?!"
"What do you care!"
Yuri could really run. When there was a wall, she vaulted right over it; when there was a building, she scaled the wall and darted across the rooftops. Parkour skills bordering on miraculous. She'd always been good at climbing trees, but with the buffs, it almost looked like she was flying.
And me? I was scurrying along at ground level. The only reason I managed not to lose her while racing through the streets was the minimap.
As long as we were within a certain range, I could see my party member's location. Normally I kept the UI off because it felt weird during everyday life, but this wasn't the time for that.
"Yuri, just listen to me for a second!"
"...I don't need to! You rapist!!!"
Yuri stopped, and for a moment I thought we could finally talk, but no.
Something flew at my face at high speed... a tail!
Had she stopped just to throw this at me? Talk about thorough!
But even though I could see the tail coming straight at me, I couldn't dodge it. I was way too stunned. Who the hell throws their tail at someone!
-Thwack!
"Gck!"
I supposed because the surprise shot caught me right in the nose, tears sprang to my eyes. No matter how high your stats go, weak points stay weak points.
Yuri flinched for a second at my groan, then took off running again.
"..."
Heartless little thing.
I clutched my nose and picked up the tail Yuri had thrown.
This girl—didn’t you know that yanking something like that out so carelessly could hurt your ass...?
"..."
She probably wasn't hurt.
The tail wasn't an anal plug. It was a genuine fashion accessory designed to hook onto the waistband of her pants.
...So she'd been wiggling her butt like it was an anal plug, scattering hints left and right, and this whole time it was actually just fashion?!
That Yuri. She tricked me!
I shoved the tail into my inventory and started running again.
Just what the hell was she thinking?
# # #
'Did it hit? Guess it hit... serves him right!'
Yoo-jin was crouched down clutching his nose like he'd taken it right in a vital spot. Yuri hesitated for a second at the sight, but she didn't stop running.
If she didn't keep moving her body, she felt like she'd explode somewhere deep inside.
'Piece of shit... piece of shit...! Stupid jerk who doesn't get how I feel...!'
Yuri kept repeating the curses in her head.
'I'm crazy. I must be! What do I even like about a man like that, fluttering around him like an idiot since morning? ...A-and I even got ready yesterday, and again this morning, because I thought he wanted to do it that way.'
'And he doesn't even know, just sits there shoveling food like a moron all by himself.'
Of course, rationally she knew there was no reason he should have noticed, but feelings were another matter entirely.
'Like an idiot. Such an idiot. Moron, pervert, sex fiend, womanizer.'
She didn't stop cursing him in her head, but somehow the more she did, the more tears threatened to spill out. This feeling had been going on ever since the moment she'd noticed the ring sparkling on Reni's finger.
'I know those two are crazy about each other, but do they have to flaunt it like that? He even gave her a ring, while I'm always treated like some afterthought... Always, always!'
'Honestly, it's not like I'm behind anyone. I'm tall, my legs are long, my face is decent enough... when I walk around alone, there are so many guys who won't leave me alone.'
'And yet, I-I'm always pushed to the back seat.'
Yuri sniffled hard and looked around, but there was no sign of him chasing her anymore.
'...'
Feeling the fatigue, Yuri plopped down onto a crate in a narrow alleyway. She hadn't run like this since the Goblin Dungeon. It was a relief he hadn't found her, but on the other hand, there was a strange pang of disappointment.
'...How did I end up falling for a womanizer like him? It's not like it was from the very start.'
Yuri sat there blankly, turning over old memories.
# # #
When we first met, I supposed I just thought, well, he was a little, you know, decent enough to look at. Just figured the nun next to him was kind of wasted on him. That level? No, not quite that much of a waste, just that, you know how it was. They didn't really seem like the type who fit each other, about that much. Honestly, wouldn't I be better instead? That kind of feeling.
Anyway, I talked to him and he actually seemed more put together than I expected, so I thought maybe I could make use of him.
...Well, in the end I didn't just use him; I ended up owing him my life.
When those goblins suddenly burst out, I really thought I was dead.
And the solution turned out to be sex.
What a piece of trash! No wonder he'd been sneaking all those glances at my ass... he probably thought I wouldn't notice the way he kept stealing looks. Pathetic.
...
Yeah. To be honest, it was not like I'd never, you know, thought about it before. Somehow I'd had this feeling from the start that it might end up this way... but should things really move this fast?
...Still, if I was going to die anyway, better than dying a virgin.
Yeah, I'd entertained the thought that I might make up for what I'd caused by offering up my body.
So I did it... but...
Of course, it wasn't as though I had fallen for him simply because we had sex. In those kinds of novels, people went wild the moment they did it, but that only happened in fiction. For me, it had just hurt. I'd only wanted it to end quickly.
But I'd never imagined he was actually an Awakened. Still, I didn't think learning that was what made me fall for him.
...Yeah, after we fought those goblins. When I misstepped on the cliff.
When he caught me as I was about to fall.
That was probably when I fell for him. I would never forget that moment.
Honestly, it wasn't a romantic atmosphere. It smelled of blood and burnt things, and bile was rising in my throat...
And yet, somehow, I could not stop smiling.
Right. I supposed I did carry the blood of the Awakened, after all. So wasn't that basically destiny?
I had some stupid thoughts like that too.
But that bastard...
"Yuri!"
"Gah?!"
# # #
When Yoo-jin suddenly appeared in the alley, Yuri jumped in shock.
'H-how the hell did he find me and follow me here?!'
"Don't come near me, you perverted rapist!"
"Call me whatever you want, but... can we talk?"
"I've got nothing to say to you!"
Ignoring the exasperated Yoo-jin, Yuri fled through the alleys again.
'How can he follow me this fast? It's like he knows exactly where I am...'
"!"
'That's it! Right! If he's not some Awakened but a demon from across the continent, some incubus-like thing, that would explain it!'
'Yeah, it's possible. No, that's definitely what it is. Otherwise there's no way he'd go around hitting on just anyone like that.'
'Then maybe... my liking that idiot is also because he did something to me?'
'Dirty bastard, he definitely pulled some trick on me!'
"Yuri!"
At Yoo-jin's desperate shout, tears welled up in Yuri's eyes for some reason.
'....No, I know that's not really true.'
'It's just that I like that moron. That's all.'
'But I hate that I'm the only one who does. That's so unfair. It's not fair at all.'
'I wish he'd catch me.'
'I wish he'd like me.'
'I wish he'd say he likes me.'
'I want to hear him say he likes me. I wish he'd say he loves me.'
"Yuri!"
"Ack!"
Whatever trick he was using, Yoo-jin followed without losing her once. Yuri looked around. A wall blocked all sides. But it wasn't a big problem. She could just scale the wall and head back to the rooftops again...
"Yuri, can you just look at this?"
"...What."
At Yoo-jin's serious tone, Yuri decided to listen for a moment, partly to catch her breath. Of course, she was just going to pretend to listen, and the moment she saw an opening, she'd run again.
Yoo-jin pulled something out with a solemn look.
"I'm sorry I'm late. But I really want you to accept th—" "There! That man is a rapist!"
"You, black hair! Hands above your head and step back immediately!"
"..." "..."