The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 344

342. It’s a Secret (2)

“You want to go to a dungeon?”

“Yeah. It’s an E-Rank. The dungeon isn’t the main purpose; I have something I want to tell you.”

Yerim tilted her eyebrows, frowning as she stared at me.

“…All the way to a dungeon?”

“It’s like a secret I’ve been hiding. I’ve already told Yoohyun.”

I explained, thinking she seemed to be worrying about something else, and Yerim’s expression brightened again.

“Okay! So, it’s just the two of us going?”

“Peace will come along just in case, but yeah, it’s just the two of us.”

“I hope nothing else happens in the dungeon.”

“It’s okay now.”

What could happen when even simple contact was being blocked? At my words, Yerim excitedly took out her car keys. I need to get a driver’s license too…

The E-Rank dungeon we had reserved was in the Gangnam area. Because it was a low rank, only the dungeon building was built, and the surrounding scenery remained unchanged. As soon as we entered the dungeon building, Yerim took out her phone and made a call.

“I’m going on a date with Ajusshi [Korean term for ‘mister’ or ‘uncle,’ used affectionately]!”

[What? Where are you-!]

…Wasn’t that Yoohyun’s voice? Yerim hung up without listening to the full response, turned off her phone, and grinned.

“It’s not a date.”

“Why not? If we came out to have fun, it’s a date. Mom and Dad used to say they were going on a date with their daughter too. When Dad got a call, they’d say, ‘We’re out on a date with Mom!'”

Yerim hadn’t talked much about her parents before. Have I become a little more comfortable for her?

“Okay, let’s hurry in before Yoohyun comes!”

“Yes~”

Yerim and I put our phones in the storage box, not forgetting Peace’s phone, and entered the dungeon. The inside of the dungeon was like a field in autumn. Cosmos-like flowers were in full bloom.

“The weather here is nice.”

“The monsters are pretty too.”

“Then I’d feel bad catching them.”

“You won’t.”

Peace jumped out of my arms and grew in size. Not long after climbing onto Peace, monsters appeared in the flower field. They were fist-sized, round orbs of light with shimmering, translucent butterfly wings. Like giant fireflies, dozens of light clusters flew around.

“Wow, is that a monster?”

“They look harmless, but those sparkles are all poison. When attacked, they explode and scatter poisonous powder. They’re strong for an E-Rank, so it’s not easy for low-level Hunters to clear.”

To Yerim, they were just pretty sparkles. Yerim, wearing a poison resistance bracelet, didn’t even take out her spear but lightly waved one hand. Water droplets formed in the air and turned into dozens of thin ice picks, flying towards the monsters.

Bang, boom!

The light orbs exploded one after another. It was as if small fireworks were being launched. Sparkling lights danced in the air and landed on the petals. The wide flower field scattered light everywhere, swaying gently in the breeze. Yerim’s eyes were also filled with the shimmering lights as she watched.

“Pretty! I wish we could take pictures in dungeons.”

“Wait a little longer. Filming equipment will be made soon.”

It was said to be under smooth development. Then, dungeon raid broadcasts like before the regression would come out before long.

“But what’s the secret you wanted to tell me?”

Yerim said, picking a flower.

“You can’t take it out. It’s not a big deal, but actually, I.”

I felt a bit awkward trying to tell her. I got off Peace’s back and stood facing Yerim.

“Um, well. I regressed.”

“Pardon? What did you do?”

“Time.”

Yerim tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

“Like a time machine. I came back to the present from the future, five years from now. Me. Shortly before I met you.”

“…Wow, wow, that’s possible?”

“There was an item that could turn back time.”

“Oh my gosh, really, really oh my gosh. So, Ajusshi knows the future? Did you memorize the lottery numbers?”

“It just happened suddenly. I didn’t have time to memorize the numbers.”

“Then stocks! Oh, they failed.”

“…The world isn’t exactly the same.”

No, but why is the story flowing like this?

“It’s okay. Ajusshi has a lot of money even without the lottery and stocks. You’ve succeeded!”

“Well, yeah. I also met you, Yerim.”

“Ah, before returning to the past, so before the regression, we didn’t know each other. I guess so.”

Yerim hesitated a little before opening her mouth.

“Me, how was I?”

“You, Yerim, were a strong Hunter back then too. You awakened as an A-Rank on your own and were famous as an ice-wielding Hunter. I only saw you on TV, so I don’t know the details.”

“Only saw me on TV, so we really didn’t know each other.”

“That was the case for most other people too. Yoohyun is my brother, and I met the Haeyeon Guild people because of Yoohyun, but before the regression, not only you, Yerim, but also Myungwoo, Noah, Minui, Miss Hayan, the people from the other building, Liete, Kang Soyoung, and even the Seseong Guild Leader were strangers.”

Everyone in the Breeding Center, in the building, and by my side now, except for Dohamin, had no connection to me before.

“Were you lonely?”

“Huh?”

“I thought I would have been too.”

Yerim said, twirling the flower around.

“You said before. Ajusshi appeared in front of me like a fairy tale, poof. It wouldn’t have been like that originally.”

“…Yeah. Before the regression, I didn’t have the ability to bring you. I awakened later than now, and I know you awakened when you were in high school.”

“Ugh, then how many more years at my uncle’s… Ajusshi, thank you so much for coming.”

Yerim shook her head as if it were terrible. In the meantime, another group of monsters appeared. This time, they were swept away with one wave of Yerim’s hand. Sparkling light scattered widely.

“Still, it’s a relief that you have Hanyoohyun, Ajusshi.”

I was grateful for her consideration, thinking of me first even though she knew she would have suffered longer. So, I became a little more honest too.

“This is a secret from Yoohyun too.”

“Even from Hanyoohyun?”

“Yeah. Actually, Yoohyun and I didn’t reconcile as quickly as we did now. So… it was hard. In many ways.”

Yerim’s eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe it.

“I thought it would have been incredibly hard to be apart for three years. It was longer than that?”

“The situation was worse. Thanks to that, I got a lot more hate.”

“Hate, no, why? Why did Ajusshi get hate?”

“It’s not like I haven’t been hated in the last three years. After Yoohyun awakened, I didn’t know where my brother was. Because he awakened as an S-Rank, the Hunter Association hid him for protection. It was literally a disappearance.”

I felt like I was going to die for days. But Yoohyun, who I thought had finally come home, awakened and left.

“After I found out that Yoohyun had awakened, I tried to bring him back somehow. Then rumors started to spread. That I was trying to hold my brother back.”

I figured the Association had spread it. Because they couldn’t let a precious S-Rank Hunter stop his activities. It wasn’t as bad as before the regression, but it still hurt quite a bit. That was one of the reasons why I couldn’t touch the money Yoohyun sent.

“No, how could they do that to Ajusshi.”

“It would have seemed plausible to others. Constantly sticking to him, telling him not to be a Hunter. That got worse. …It’s easy to add words.”

What to say, people who badmouth others were like rolling snowballs. Once they catch a fault, they don’t know how to stop, and everyone joins in. Of course, there are people who deserve to be criticized, but even people who made a mistake and deserve to be hit with a fist-sized snowball or people who are completely wronged are easily crushed by the rapidly growing snowball. Once those words are spoken, it’s over. The person who said it will forget about it because it’s nothing.

“So, it was very hard. I ended up venting to you, Yerim.”

“No, I’m glad you told me. You said Hanyoohyun doesn’t know.”

“I don’t want him to know.”

It’s not something that can be undone, and it’s not Yoohyun’s fault. He worked hard, but it just wasn’t easy. That’s how the world is. How great would it be if everything went well just by trying?

So, I didn’t want him to know something that would hurt him.

“I’ll keep my mouth shut. I’ll lock it and type a random password and send it as a reservation email for a hundred years from now.”

Yerim covered her mouth with her hand and then spoke again.

“Since Ajusshi told me a secret that you didn’t tell Hanyoohyun, I want to do that too, but there’s nothing special. It’s not a secret, but I hated crawling when I was a baby. I crawled a little, but I didn’t like it, so I stopped and cried, and my mom and dad were worried because I didn’t move at all. But one day, I suddenly stood up holding onto the wall.”

“Really? That must have been cute.”

“They even filmed my first steps. But it’s gone now.”

“…Should we look for it?”

“They probably threw it away a long time ago. And for kindergarten, I went to Saessak Kindergarten, and there was a doll I really liked back then. It was a dog. This big, spotted.”

Yerim recalled her childhood as if tracing her memories. Things that were fun, sad, angry, happy, etc. She aged one or two years like that and then stopped abruptly. The year her parents passed away.

Like a film that had been cut off, she stood silently for a long time.

“…It hurts to remember, so there were times when I wanted to forget. But I can’t bear to forget it.”

“Yeah. They’re good memories.”

“Right. And I think it hurts less now. I’ve said so much, but I’m not crying.”

That’s what she said, but Yerim’s eyes were red.

“What’s wrong with crying a little.”

“It’s embarrassing. Crying.”

“What’s embarrassing about it? It’s just crying. They say you should cry when you want to cry. People who criticize you for crying when it doesn’t harm anyone else are the bad ones.”

It’s a natural emotion, and it’s not wrong.

“I felt relieved after crying too.”

“Still, it’s embarrassing.”

“Then come here. I won’t look.”

I opened my arms and hugged Yerim. Yerim hugged me back and sighed.

“Look how skinny Ajusshi is. My tears are going in.”

“I’m average? The people around me are just too healthy.”

“I don’t think you’re even half of Chief Song’s size.”

“Why, why did you compare me to Chief Song of all people.”

“Then the Seseong Guild Leader, Hanyoohyun, and Myungwoo Oppa…”

“…I was wrong.”

She giggled and then became quiet. My clothes got a little wet. Not much. Yerim, who had moved away from me and created a large water droplet, washed her face roughly.

“Ah, refreshing! Ajusshi who came from the future, wasn’t there anything fun?”

“Fun? Um…”

Unlike now, the social atmosphere wasn’t very bright.

“Ah, there was a scandal between Yoohyun and Soyoung.”

“…Pardon?”

Yerim stared blankly at me. She froze for a long time with her mouth wide open.

“Puhuh, ha, Hanyoohyun and, Soyoung Unnie [Korean term for ‘older sister,’ used respectfully]…!”

She bent over and started laughing out loud. She was laughing so hard she was about to roll on the floor. Eventually, she collapsed and slammed the ground. Tears dripped onto the dented ground.

“No, what, what idiot, wrote such an article?”

Yerim said, wiping away the tears that had welled up while still sitting down. Her eyes, which were already red, became even hotter. This time for a different reason.

“Soyoung Unnie is Soyoung Unnie, but Hanyoohyun, that Hanyoohyun, would like Soyoung Unnie, someone other than Ajusshi! How could anyone have such a ridiculous imagination, puhuh, how!”

…I did too.

“Well, the people who wrote the article or those who were fooled by it probably didn’t know much about Yoohyun. And Soyoung too. If they knew, they wouldn’t have said such nonsense. Because there was no one who had tamed a high-level Dragon species, the fact that Soyoung was a Dragon Rider wasn’t known at the time.”

“Wow, there wasn’t even one after five years? Soyoung Unnie is totally amazing!”

“Besides, they look good together, just based on their appearance. The two of them.”

Yerim nodded in agreement.

“They look good together on the outside. Still, Hanyoohyun dating, that’s something only someone who really, really, really doesn’t know Hanyoohyun would say! Ah, funny! Ridiculous, Soyoung Unnie dating someone who isn’t a dragon! Hanyoohyun, dating, euheuheup, they’re both completely different people, that! Really…”

She grabbed her stomach and laughed again. Is it that funny?

“Ah, really! It would be more plausible if the Seseong Guild Leader and Hyunah Unnie were dating!”

“Hyunah likes younger men.”

“Why, Unnie said before that she liked the Seseong Guild Leader’s face.”

“Well, who doesn’t like that face.”

There would be few people who didn’t like that face.

“She said it would have been okay if he was a little younger and softer.”

“What? Really?”

When I widened my eyes, Yerim waved her hand as if telling me not to go too far.

“She said, ‘if’. Ah, Unnie also thought Sigma was quite cute.”

Why is he suddenly coming up? Where is he now? I hope he’s doing well?

“Anyway, Hanyoohyun dating! If by any chance, he got hit in the head and tried dating, he’d stick to Ajusshi instead of his girlfriend whenever he had the chance. He’d go on a date once a month, no, once a year. And he wouldn’t feel guilty at all. No, he would feel it. To Ajusshi. I’m sorry for spending time with someone other than my brother, he’d say.”

“…That’s too much of a bad guy.”

“It’s okay. Hanyoohyun would date someone who would prioritize Ajusshi. He wouldn’t accept someone who likes him more than Ajusshi with that personality. If he did, he’d break up with her right away, saying, ‘How can you like me more than my brother?'”

Yoohyun is good at impersonations. Still, what is that? It was really strange, but it was plausible enough for Yoohyun to make it even more complicated. If it’s that kind of relationship, it’s better to be alone, but, but. Anyway, if they agree and get along well, it’s okay… No matter what, that’s a bit much. …But if they’re both the same, they might live well together.

“Meeting someone similar to him and going on dates with Ajusshi as a trio. That would be fine. And then get married~ Even at the wedding, Ajusshi would be in the middle and walk down the aisle, go on a honeymoon with Ajusshi, and even in the honeymoon home-”

“No, no, Yerim! That’s not right!”

“You can live like that. There are various ways to date in the world.”

“…Have you been watching melodramatic dramas lately?”

“I watch American dramas.”

…American dramas? I’ve heard that their views on relationships are more liberal than ours.

“If Ajusshi wants Hanyoohyun to date, it might be better to find someone who likes Ajusshi. Someone who thinks Ajusshi is the most important, likes him very much, and Yoohyun also acknowledges, a woman…”

Yerim’s voice faded as she spoke. Even her complexion was turning pale.

“Yerim?”

“…Ugh.”

“Yerim! What’s wrong?!”

What, what is it. Why is she suddenly gagging, is it a curse? Poison? But the monster poison here is weak! Could there be another error in the dungeon…!

“Uwaaaaaaack!”

“Ye, Yerim, antidote, no, I’ll!”

“No, it’s not, no, Ajus, ugh, shi. I had a strange thought, uuuuu, crazy! Crazy!”

…A strange thought? Yerim screamed, tearing at her hair.

“Aaaagh! Goosebumps! So creepy! I want to erase it from my head! I want to regress too! I want to go back five minutes!”

What, what is it?

“Calm down, Yerim. Are you really okay?”

“My body is fine! But my mind is polluted.”

…Strange, there are no mental monsters here. I should call a healer when we get out, just in case.

“Let’s go quickly. Yoohyun might be waiting outside. Let’s go on a date at the aquarium nearby to refresh ourselves-”

“Ajusshiiiiick!”

“…Why.”

“What’s a date, what’s a date!”

“No, you Yerim…”

“Cancel, completely cancel! Cancel! Cancel!”

Yerim scratched her arms, saying she had goosebumps. Should I really go see a healer first? Let’s quickly sweep away the monsters and get out of the gate.

“Hyung [Korean term for ‘older brother,’ used by males] .”

Yoohyun was standing there. As soon as Yerim saw Yoohyun’s sulky face, she gagged again.

“Hanyoohyun, don’t come near me!”

“…Why is she like that.”

“I don’t know either.”

Usually, Yoohyun tells her not to stick to him.

“Ugh, no. Hanyoohyun only knows Ajusshi. Let’s not have strange imaginations, Park Yerim. Hey, you’re going to live with Ajusshi forever, right? You’re going to stick to him, right?”

“…Yeah. There’s no chance of us separating.”

“Okay, don’t ever change that mind. Ajusshi, let’s go to the aquarium! I want to eat cotton candy. I need sugar, right now! Something sweet, fluffy, and pretty!”

Yerim shouted for cotton candy and walked away, creaking. I need to get her phone!