"I'm scared to sleep alone... It would be nice if you could come early, Onee-san."
Asu fidgeted with his fingers and avoided eye contact.
Well, it hasn't been long since the attack by the black slime.
Even though Asu is something other than human, a self-proclaimed Demon King of Twilight or whatever, he's still just a child, so he must be scared.
In the end, I promised to come early and set off.
"Meow (Isn't that a bit too much?)..."
"Chirp, Nya... (Why are you so bad at acting, little one?)"
The strict criticism from the gallery behind me was cold.
* * *
After leaving the cafe, when it was just the two of us, Ki Yuhyeon seemed tense.
As usual, he was smiling, but his attitude was stiff, and he guided me to a large, expensive-looking car parked in front of the store. He drove the car himself.
"Mr. Lee, why are you like that?"
"Ah, I just thought you're a good driver."
Since he always appears and disappears suddenly, it felt strange to see him behind the wheel.
"I wanted to move quietly today, so I paid attention."
Hmm.
Now I understand why the parking ticket in the mouth and reversing jokes have been around for so long.
The side profile of Ki Yuhyeon, who was smoothly driving the car, was quite handsome.
He neatly combed his slightly long hair to reveal a straight forehead, and his clothes suited his tall stature.
What could he be so nervous about? I couldn't think of anything he would call me out to talk about.
What did we talk about the last time we met? It was definitely...
...Ah.
I swallowed a sigh. I remembered the large hand covering mine and the voice by my ear.
"Just because of someone like this, there's no need for you to be hurt, Mr. Lee."
The warmth from his hand spread through my body. His soft voice and the concern in it deeply touched me.
Hearing such words from someone like him is incredibly powerful. It seems I haven't developed enough immunity to handsome men yet.
...That's why I tried not to think about it!
My heart was pounding. I might not be able to face Ki Yuhyeon if this continues.
I desperately tried to think of something else, my mind creaking.
Think, think about something else... Hmm, like...
By the way, I'm a closet driver.
I do have a license, but since I usually take public transportation to work, I never had the chance to practice.
Wait, when did I get my license? It was definitely...
"Ah."
"Mr. Lee, why are you like that?"
"It's nothing... Just, a bit."
"Okay."
Right, I regressed.
I got my license after the regression. So, I need to get it again.
"I was thinking about getting my driver's license again."
I felt a bit sad.
While I was feeling down about having to get my license again, the car smoothly drove on.
The streets were already crowded due to Hunter's Night.
Hunter's Night is a festival-like event that happens once a year for hunters.
Despite the sudden appearance of cracks, it has been held every year, also to show that Korea is safe.
The most popular event is the Hunter Market's sale, where people line up from the night before to buy sale items.
There were also long lines for events held by various guilds, visible through the car window.
The street scene was very different from when the black slime caused chaos.
To avoid the crowd, Ki Yuhyeon drove to a restaurant located on the outskirts. We were immediately guided to a seat, apparently because he had made a reservation.
The restaurant had a shiny, fancy atmosphere that made me feel like I shouldn't go unless it was for a special occasion, making my shoulders tense.
A completely separated room, perfect for quiet conversation.
After we were seated, food was served soon after. Everything looked delicious, especially the fresh seafood dishes.
Hmm, it might be better to talk after eating. I was getting hungry after coming straight here from closing the cafe.
The food was all delicious. As we tasted each dish in the course, Ki Yuhyeon suddenly spoke.
"Hunter Han Isung asked me to thank you."
"Huh? Why?"
I recalled the kind-looking Hunter Han Isung, but I couldn't think of anything I did that he would be thankful for.
"Hunter Han Isung and Hunter Kwon Jiwoon are close."
Indeed, they seemed quite friendly when I saw them before.
"I see... So, they're friends?"
"More like..."
After a moment of choosing his words, Ki Yuhyeon continued.
"After working in the guild for a long time, you naturally get to know people. There aren't many you can trust. To Hunter Han Isung, Hunter Kwon Jiwoon is one of those few."
Even so, I don't think I did anything to deserve thanks.
Feeling awkward at the unexpected comment, I took a sip of water, and Ki Yuhyeon spoke again.
"Mr. Lee, what happened inside the barrier that day?"
"Ah, that... "
Should I tell him I met the Holy Maiden? It's a significant...
I trust Ki Yuhyeon, but I hesitated to tell him exactly what the Holy Maiden said, as I couldn't fully understand the meaning.
Lost in thought, Ki Yuhyeon quickly withdrew his question.
"Sorry, you don't have to answer."
"Why?"
"Feeling a bit... cowardly asking you this first. I'll talk after I say what I need to."
"Okay, go ahead."
"..."
"..."
A moment of silence.
Finally, it seemed he was about to get to the point. His pitch-black eyes, filled with light, looked straight at me, and his expression was incredibly serious, making me tense up.
Just as Ki Yuhyeon was about to speak, there was a knock, and the door opened.
A staff member came in to serve dessert and then left.
What perfect timing! It would be hard to come in at such a perfect moment on purpose.
The conversation naturally broke off. Ki Yuhyeon swallowed his words and instead pushed the plate in front of me.
"Try this. It's savory and delicious."
I suddenly felt a sense of discomfort.
What is it? I feel like I'm forgetting something.
"Mr. Yuhyeon, how about this? What does it taste like?"
Ki Yuhyeon tasted the dessert on the plate without any suspicion.
"It's tangy. The sauce seems to have yuzu in it."
"..."
"..."
"Why?"
"Mr. Yuhyeon, this might sound strange, but... have you ever had trouble tasting or had issues with your sense of taste?"
But even without an answer, the Ki Yuhyeon in front of me seemed to have no problem tasting.
"No, I've never had that... Why do you ask?"
At that moment, I remembered what a certain cat had said.
"This human can hardly taste anything."
"His sense of taste seems quite weak."
Right, this was what Mi-eum said.
In other words, it's not confirmed, just something Mi-eum blabbed.
"..."
"Mr. Lee?"
I silently cursed a certain someone in my head.
Kwon Mieum, you'll see. You're dead when I get home!
* * *
"I disagree. Please reconsider."
The one who shook his head at Ki Yuhyeon's words was Han Isung.
"No. I understand Hunter Han Isung's concern, but my mind is made up. I was planning to talk to Mr. Lee today."
"If that's what you wish, Guild Master... I understand."
Ki Yuhyeon recalled this conversation and rubbed his forehead.
Not at all. I should have been more explicit.
I should have said, "Don't interfere."
* * *
"A place without people would be better for talking."
After finishing the meal, Ki Yuhyeon said this and started driving again.
Huh? Wasn't the restaurant quiet and without people?
Noticing the question in my gaze, Ki Yuhyeon gave a slight wry smile.
"Because of the mice."
As soon as he finished speaking, the car made a sharp U-turn.
Huh? Did our genre just change? Am I imagining things?
The car quickly drove into the city and, with skillful driving, took a winding path and unexpectedly climbed a hill.
The buildings gradually disappeared, and it became a clear mountain road. The car stopped in front of a viewpoint, a place to overlook the city from the mountain.
The viewpoint was starting to get dark, and there were quite a few people around.
"Right, they said there would be fireworks today."
It was the Hunter's Night fireworks.
The fireworks weren't real explosives but were created by magic by mage-type hunters.
This event has been held for several years, showcasing the high-level hunters in our country.
The magnificent fireworks created by ether lighting up the night sky are quite a spectacle, so it's understandable why there are so many people. Especially today.
If my memory serves, the person in charge of the fireworks this time is the famous handsome Hunter Oh Seho, ranked 17th.
It's rare for a ranked hunter to take on such a recreational event, so it has become quite a topic. Glancing around, I saw many people holding items with Oh Seho's picture.
It wasn't a quiet place for conversation, but everyone was too excited to pay attention to others.
It might actually be easier to talk here.
Since I haven't developed immunity to that face. Meeting Ki Yuhyeon in a quiet place is quite nerve-wracking.
Besides, I didn't get to see the fireworks properly before the regression.
Ah, I did see them once. Just a small glimpse between buildings from my office window late at night.