Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: A Promise and a Misunderstanding
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Haon’s face was still serious as she answered calmly. She wasn’t joking.
“Still, I won’t make a single bullet for Nova.”
Her expression was remarkably resolute and firm.
“You know how to make them. So just make them. What’s the problem?”
“Nova is someone who hurts people.”
Nova’s lips twitched.
“If you’re not going to hurt anyone, why do you need a weapon? At this point, I’d think you’d make one just to get it over with.”
“Honestly, it is a bit of a hassle…”
This time, Nova’s eyebrow twitched.
He stared intently at the nape of Haon’s neck as she pondered.
Wasn’t she being far too cheeky for someone with a neck he could snap in one hand?
But when Haon lifted her head and their eyes met, he found he couldn’t bring himself to even feign a threat.
“If you become someone who protects people instead of hurting them, I’ll make you as many as you want.”
Nova stood with a blank expression, then let out a short, scoffing laugh.
Deals in this world were strictly conducted through down payments and final balances.
It was a matter of trust, an unspoken rule.
“Darling. That kind of lie isn’t funny. You have to say something believable. What are you going to promise with?”
At that, Haon held out her pinky finger.
“This is how you do it here, right? Here, a promise.”
“…?”
Nova was so flabbergasted he was at a loss for words.
Though her expression wasn't grave, Haon looked straight at him with clear eyes that reflected his own face.
He could tell that this childish gesture was also sincere.
And, absurdly, Nova found himself linking his pinky with hers.
It was a slender, small finger.
It felt like it would break with the slightest pressure, so he let Haon hook their fingers together and shake them as she pleased.
***
A rumor that Eun Haon and Nova had broken up spread like wildfire.
When it first started circulating among the villains, no one believed it.
“Anyone but Dr. Eun and Nova. That’s ridiculous.”
“Every other dramatic couple could break up, but those two never will.”
People were certain.
Dr. Eun was always head over heels in love with Nova, and Nova seemed to have no intention of ever letting her go.
They all agreed that Hero Headquarters would crumble to dust before those two ever broke up.
But as time went on, claims that the ridiculous rumor might be true began to sprout like mushrooms.
Several people had apparently witnessed Haon and Nova having a huge fight.
“My friend lives in the Old District’s Section 2, and she said she saw it with her own two eyes.”
“I heard that rumor too. They said Dr. Eun was screaming that she and Nova were nothing to each other anymore.”
“I saw Nova at the casino that day, and he had a scar on his arm like he’d been stabbed!”
That wasn’t all.
Ever since returning from Mexico, Nova had been wandering around alone.
He was alone at his long-overdue visit to the casino, at the jewelry store, and at the black market.
Considering how he used to keep Dr. Eun glued to his side for a while after returning from abroad, it was definitely strange.
When he even purchased gunpowder separately, it added more certainty to their breakup.
All of Nova’s weapons came from the fingertips of Eun Haon.
That meant Nova never had a reason to meet with an arms dealer.
The romance between the two, who were terrifying apart and even more so together, was a very popular topic among the people.
So, their breakup was even more so.
“I think they really broke up. It’s been a while since Nova entered the country, but there’s been no welcome party.”
“Last time, he was only gone for a week, and they set off a crazy amount of fireworks…”
“Then did they break up because Dr. Eun lost her memory?”
“That must be it. She must have lost all her memories of Nova, too.”
Everyone nodded in agreement; there was no other way ‘that Eun Haon’ would break up with Nova.
And the subject of that rumor, Nova, was in a very foul mood.
Everywhere he went, prying eyes fearlessly stared holes into the back of his head, desperate to know the truth.
‘They don’t even know this was made by Dr. Eun. Bunch of idiots.’
As he descended into the basement of the whiskey bar, Nova brushed his hand over his white gloves and clothes.
He hadn’t broken up with Eun Haon.
Of course not. He had no relationship with *this* Eun Haon, so how could they possibly break up?
A surge of irritation welled up inside him.
For such a cheeky, soft little thing, she was damn good at getting under his skin.
‘What’s with the pinky promise? Why does she do such cute things?’
The moment Nova, swallowing his annoyance, headed for the pool table, someone lunged at his back.
*Clang!*
Without a hint of surprise, he blocked the knife with his palm.
A flash of elation crossed the attacker’s eyes. He thought he had succeeded in at least stabbing Nova’s hand.
“Just as I thought. Without the weapons you got from Dr. Eun, you’re just a strong civilian!”
At the triumphant shout, the other men who had been waiting began to cautiously approach.
They all held a grudge against Nova. They had decided that now, with him having broken up with Eun Haon, was the perfect time to strike.
However, the glove didn’t even have a scratch.
Nova, who had crumbled the blade like a cracker, smiled beautifully as he ripped the entire pool table from the floor.
“I suppose I have been moving around too quietly lately.”
He needed a place to vent his frustration anyway. This was perfect.
***
Sitting at the dining table, Juyeol’s gaze lingered on the sofa.
The safe house, lit by a single dim light, seemed particularly empty today.
‘Why isn’t she here?’
It was the fourth day since Haon hadn’t come to the safe house.
For about a month, she had diligently come every other day with groceries, but this time the interval was strangely long.
With strange Awakened individuals appearing in the Old District almost daily, perhaps it was a relief she hadn’t come.
‘Don’t tell me she got caught up in that?’
If something had happened to Eun Haon, he would have known, so that couldn’t be it.
‘…Can she sleep well on her own now?’
He ran a hand through his hair with a displeased expression.
The main reason Haon frequented the safe house was for ‘sleep.’
For her not to show up for four days meant either that problem was solved or she had found someone else.
‘…Does that mean she’s not coming anymore?’
Muttering quietly, he suddenly tore at his hair and slammed his forehead on the table with a thud.
‘Fuck. Who cares if she comes or not. I’m not some dog waiting for its owner.’
It was only natural to be bothered when someone was hanging around a place where he used to just stare at the ceiling alone.
It hadn’t been so bad, watching her lie on the sofa wrapped in a blanket, quietly observing him before closing her eyes.
The way she would sometimes blink her sleepy eyes and look around, as if to confirm his presence, was tolerable.
That was probably why he would often sit at the table until Eun Haon fell asleep.
The feeling of emptiness, like a hole had been punched through his chest, was slowly being filled, and perhaps…
His heart suddenly sank, and Juyeol shot to his feet.
‘Because of Eun Haon, of all people?’
Then he scoffed and denied it.
‘No way.’
He repeated to himself that it was ridiculous.
Besides, the only reason Eun Haon was friendly to him was because of some other guy. A delusional being that looked just like him.
He had no need for such twisted goodwill.
‘…’
Suddenly, his stomach felt like it was in knots.
To think he was having these thoughts when he was the one who had been thrilled at the idea of using that goodwill.
He wondered what he was even doing.
‘I shouldn’t have let her into the safe house when I have no use for an engineer anymore.’
Then, in a fit of pique, he snatched the hat hanging on the wall and jammed it on his head.
‘No, wait. Why am I in a bad mood? Why, because of her? There’s no reason for that.’
He felt like he was losing his mind, going back and forth like this. It felt like a roller coaster was running through his head.
Maybe it was because he was hungry. It was probably just a fleeting moment of confusion that would disappear once he filled his stomach.
As Juyeol opened the door to leave, he unconsciously glanced at the empty sofa.
As he pulled his hood down and headed for a diner, a familiar voice caught his ear.
‘What the?’
Hiding in the shadows, he entered an alley and saw River and Chaser fending off villains’ blades.
The two of them swung their long poles in different directions, but they couldn’t even graze the villains.
‘Again?’
Juyeol’s eyes narrowed.
The movements of the villains, who were clearly non-Awakened, were abnormally fast. Just like those guys from Section 4 he’d fought with at the diner.
He had dismissed it as a mistake back then, but considering how often he’d been seeing guys like that lately, he couldn’t afford to do so now.
Juyeol watched the fight silently, and as one of the villains got close to the shadows, he kicked the back of his knee hard.
“Ugh!”
He then wrapped his arm around the staggering man’s neck, pulled him into the shadows, and choked him unconscious.
As everyone froze at the sudden turn of events, Juyeol stepped out of the darkness and threw the unconscious man at another villain.
“Whoa…!”
The villain, unable to dodge his thrown comrade, collided with him and tumbled to the ground.
***
“What the hell are those bastards on?”
Juyeol asked after swallowing a bite of his hamburger.
Chaser and River also sat in his safe house, munching on their own hamburgers.
Since there were only two chairs at the table, Chaser, who had bought the burgers, was sitting on the floor. He had offered to eat on the sofa, but Juyeol had absolutely forbidden it.
He didn’t seem resentful, but he looked around with an uneasy expression before opening his mouth.
“A suspicious drug is being traded in the Old District.”