Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: An Awkward Proximity
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“Eat.”
“...?”
Haon sat at the table, staring at Juyeol with a bewildered expression.
She hadn't expected him to come back today.
As soon as he returned to the penthouse, he'd made a fresh pot of porridge and served it.
Then, he ladled out his own portion, sat across from her, and picked up his spoon.
“I said, eat.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks. I'll enjoy it.”
Haon blew on the warm, soft porridge before taking a bite.
Her dazed expression instantly relaxed.
“I'th delishuth.”
“Swallow before you speak.”
“It's delicious.”
The warmth in her mouth spread to her chest, making her feel fuzzy and content.
She'd already forgotten the version of herself from a few hours ago who couldn't stand not working.
“Headquarters said they'll start using the potion nullification patch tomorrow.”
“Huh? But they could use it today, couldn't they?”
“They want to confirm there are no safety issues before deploying it.”
“Ah.”
Fair enough. If I were them, I'd also be suspicious if someone who used to team up with Villains to make weapons suddenly gave me something.
Accepting this, Haon finished the bowl of porridge and tossed the medicine Juyeol handed her into her mouth.
He moved around the kitchen as if it were his own home, naturally cleaning up after their meal.
Unable to just sit by, Haon tried to help with something.
“I'll do the dishes.”
She tried to nudge him aside from the sink, but he didn't budge.
“Th-then, I'll at least put away the dishes.”
“Don't cause trouble. Just give them here.”
He snatched the plate from Haon's hand with a look of distaste.
Haon's face immediately soured and her lips jutted out in a pout, but she didn't press the issue.
She had a history of breaking several cups and plates at his safe house.
Juyeol quickly tidied the kitchen, then wrapped Haon up snugly in a blanket and pushed her onto the sofa.
Finding herself unexpectedly lying on the sofa, Haon peeked out from the blanket, her eyes wide.
“Are you going to sleep here?”
“Just sleep. You need to get better quickly so you can fix my toaster.”
He replied nonchalantly and plopped down on the sofa across from her.
Haon watched him with a pitying look before asking.
“Juyeol. Do you, by any chance, not have the money to buy a new toaster? Should I get you one?”
“...”
Juyeol, who had been staring blankly at the high ceiling, answered in a slightly colder tone.
“You're getting one flick.”
“Huh? Why all of a sudden?”
He then formed a circle with his thumb and middle finger and strode toward Haon.
“It's not sudden. Just take one flick.”
“I-I'm sick! I'm a patient!”
“I'll be gentle.”
Haon couldn't believe him.
A flick from that large hand and thick forearm could never be gentle.
So she quickly hid her head under the blanket, but Juyeol was determined to deliver the flick.
“I've held back a lot until now. It's not like I'm shooting you, so come on out.”
With a single pull, he whipped the blanket away.
Her eyes wide, Haon covered her forehead and shook her head.
“N-No! You'll crack my forehead!”
“If it cracks, I'll call Solmae.”
He took another step forward, reaching for Haon's wrist.
[Warning! Do not step on the Mana Engineering device!]
Just then, a sharp warning blared from the phone under Juyeol's foot.
“What the?”
“Hey, don't step on the phone!”
Flustered, he tried to move his foot, but he bumped his leg against the table and ended up kicking the phone.
Before he could even figure out what had happened, a burst of blue energy erupted from the phone as it rolled across the floor.
[Second warning! Protecting the Mana Engineering device!]
Blue blasted Juyeol's foot, which had attacked the phone, with a low-intensity mana bullet, knocking it back.
With one foot suddenly lifted off the ground, Juyeol's body staggered toward the sofa.
Seeing Juyeol's large frame toppling toward her, Haon squeezed her eyes shut.
She braced for impact, tensing her shoulders, but nothing happened.
Cautiously opening her eyes, Haon noticed a shadow looming over her and looked up.
“Oh...”
“...!”
Juyeol, who had narrowly avoided a collision by planting a knee on the sofa and grabbing the backrest, froze in place.
Their faces were too close. So close their breaths brushed against each other's lips.
Haon's startled, quickened breaths tickled the corner of his mouth.
Her trembling dark eyes were filled with shock and embarrassment.
An awkward, unfamiliar tension filled the air between them.
Her throat feeling increasingly dry, Haon swallowed hard.
The small sound snapped Juyeol back to his senses. He shot up and turned toward the front door.
“Are you, are you leaving?”
“It's hot, so I'm just going to the rooftop for a bit—I have to make a call—I'm not going anywhere.”
He rambled, rubbing the back of his reddening neck, then opened the door and left.
As the door clicked shut, Haon, who had been sitting up slightly, flopped back down.
*That was so startling...!*
She rubbed her flushed, hot face, then touched her lips.
*I thought they were going to touch.*
Still flustered, she bit her lip and pulled the blanket over her head.
*...Juyeol must be embarrassed, too, right?*
He must be, seeing as he bolted out of here.
She decided to fall asleep before Juyeol came back, but the scene kept replaying in her mind.
Along with a strange tension she had never felt before.
Growing up with 'Juyeol', it wasn't uncommon for them to have their faces close.
They'd even taken pictures with their cheeks pressed together, but their lips had never come close to touching.
This was completely unexpected, and therefore, incredibly awkward.
Besides, unlike 'Juyeol', the Juyeol here was much bigger.
If she had collided with a body like that, she might have broken a bone.
*That must be why I was so shocked. My heart is still...*
Haon worried she'd be tormented by embarrassment all night because of the unexpected accident.
*But how can the same person's body be so different?*
It was a baseless worry.
*All the Heroes were in better-than-average shape. Even Nova had broader shoulders than a typical person.*
Something clicked for Haon, and she instantly forgot the tension from moments ago, getting lost in a fascinating train of thought.
*Does mana affect the human body when it fuses with it? How does it work? Even for non-Awakened, it's a mana-rich environment, so—*
As she came up with one hypothesis after another, her eyelids gradually grew heavy. With the tension gone, the medicine began to take effect.
She faintly heard the front door open.
Taking the inexplicable sigh as a lullaby, Haon drifted off to sleep.
***
The next day, having slept soundly, Haon woke up feeling refreshed and energetic.
Then she was startled to see the dark circles under Juyeol's eyes.
“Juyeol. Didn't you sleep well?”
When he glared at her with an annoyed look, Haon's eyes widened and she covered her forehead.
“No flicks.”
“...”
Juyeol let out a hollow sigh and suddenly slammed his own fist into his forehead.
Haon winced and swallowed a yelp as if she had been the one hit.
“What are you doing?”
“A flick.”
Haon rubbed her own forehead, a look of confusion on her face.
*Shouldn't that be called a punch?*
“You... just fix the toaster. And stop driving me crazy.”
Juyeol sighed again, touching his reddened forehead.
Seeing this, Haon's resolve hardened.
To think he cared so much about a broken toaster.
“I'll fix it for you right away. Just wait a little.”
At her words, Juyeol seemed to ponder for a moment before getting up.
“When you're done, bring it to the safe house this evening.”
With that, he left the penthouse.
“What was that about?”
Though puzzled, Haon began to think about what new features she could add to the toaster.
Since he refused her offer to buy a new one, the toaster was clearly something special to him.
*I'll have to fix it so it's as good as new.*
***
Haon arrived at Juyeol's safe house with the newly repaired toaster in hand, and her jaw dropped.
A meal that could be called a banquet was set on the two-person table.
Mushroom soup and a salad with a yuzu dressing.
A perfectly cooked steak and shrimp pasta.
She hadn't seen such a lavish and lovingly prepared meal since the war began.
Haon clapped her hands in admiration.
“Wow, Juyeol. You said cooking was a pain, but you must enjoy making meals for others, huh? This is amazing.”
“What are you talking about? This is just... payment for fixing the toaster.”
He put the toaster he'd received from Haon back in its original spot and spoke gruffly.
“Just eat. And stop being so feeble. The state of your fridge leaves me speechless.”
*Feeble?* Haon felt her own arm.
It seemed she'd regained the weight she'd lost after falling into this dimension during her visits to Juyeol's safe house.
It was all thanks to him making her proper meals.
*Do I still look feeble to Juyeol? Is that why he's always trying to feed me?*
In any case, the most important thing right now was the splendid meal spread out before her.
“I'll dig in!”
With an excited expression, Haon quickly sat down and picked up her fork.
Juyeol watched her stuff her cheeks and chew, then let out a small laugh.
He thought that if he met those brown eyes again, he'd be able to figure out what this feeling was, but now that they were face to face, he was even more confused.
Or why his gaze kept drifting to her small, munching lips.
Or why it was so irritating that he seemed to be the only one conscious of what happened last night.
Still, if there was one thing he had figured out...