The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 404

I roughly wiped my soaked face with my sleeve. The sight of myself facing me was ridiculous. Damn it, this is really funny. Maybe it was because I got hit, but my insides felt mushy. It felt like the things that had been piling up and hardening were softening a little. I, held by Yoohyun, glared at myself.

“What are you crying for, like you did something great!”

…That bastard, really.

“What, you punk, what about you!”

“Damn it, I’m frustrated to death, why!”

“Hey! Do you think I’m doing fine? I can’t exactly cut myself open to show you!”

“Cut it open! Cut it open!”

“If you’re frustrated, I’ll cut you open real good!”

“H, hyung.”

“You said let’s go out? Alright, let’s go out! I’m going to kill you, no, me, and then go out!”

“Oh, really? Do you think I’m some kind of sandbag without hands or feet? Hey! I have more experience than you, you know? How far have you been in dungeons!”

“What builds up on your body is also experience! You wasted it all and now you’re talking about experience, what a joke!”

“Don’t you know about item power? You can cover it with equipment!”

“You dirty, cheap bastard!”

Yoohyun didn’t know what to do and kept looking back and forth between me, who he was holding, and me, who was a little further away. I felt sorry for my brother, but if Yoohyun hadn’t come, I would have grabbed my hair and ripped it out. Look at that temper. Isn’t it common sense to comfort someone when they lose their precious younger brother and cry? Of course, I would have cursed even if I were that guy.

“Did you throw away your conscience in the Paleolithic era [Old Stone Age] when you returned to the past! Even an *Australopithecus* [extinct hominid] who can’t even wipe his own butt is more gentle than you!”

“Do you think I’m doing this because I like it!”

It’s not like I asked for much. But I keep losing my brother. If there really is a god, I wanted to ask: Is it fun to separate me and my brother? Huh? Both Yoohyun and I just want to be together, so why are you doing this? Are you happy when you forcibly separate us? Or do you hate us that much?

It’s not just one or two years, but after being apart for eight years, he ends up like that, and then some kidnapper pops out and takes him away, and even after that, it’s still a long way to go. So, can’t I want to prepare for it? Do you think I don’t know that this is definitely not a good method?

“I’m having a hard time too, you bastard!”

“Hyung…….”

Yoohyun looked like he was about to cry. That’s not it, that’s not it.

“No, Yoohyun, I’m talking to that guy. I want to keep my brother by my side and live peacefully forever, you know? Someone who knows how I feel!”

“Then do that!”

“Easier said than done!”

“That’s my wish too, um, hyung.”

“Yoohyun, let go of him for a second. I’ll talk to him, I’ll talk to him.”

“Yeah, I won’t use a knife, so let go for a second and go out.”

Yoohyun pulled the pre-regression me even closer and hugged him. Look at him, acting all innocent while hugging me quietly when he was yelling at me. Anyone would think he’s an innocent victim. The knife marks and intestine marks on the floor are still clear, you know?

“Don’t hide behind your brother and come out right now!”

“It’s not behind, it’s in front!”

“That’s something to be proud of!”

“…Hanyujin-gun?”

“I’m too good to use items! I’ll just match the stats, so tell me if my experience is just for show or not, ah, let go!”

Seong Hyunjae grabbed me and pulled me back.

“Oh, what a life, really!”

“Your fate is my fate!”

“Your lip is busted.”

“Damn it, if you’re going to regress, live a little better! What the hell are you doing, Hanyujin!”

“I’m your future, you bastard!”

“Hyung, shall we go prepare dinner? Huh? Don’t fight.”

Me and myself shut our mouths at the same time. I have to feed my brother. The other kids and Chief Song will be here soon too.

“Let’s go, hyung. The kitchen here is nice.”

Yoohyun coaxed me and went out of the lounge first. Look at him following obediently, that damn bastard. No, already ruined bastard.

“It’ll probably swell up like this. And I can’t even use potions.”

“It’s not like I’m selling my face, so it doesn’t matter.”

When you think about it, that guy became me, but it’s unfair that only I got hit. I should have punched him too. I wanted to chase after him even now, but Seong Hyunjae didn’t let me go. Then he picked me up, who was struggling, and took me to the hotel front desk.

“There should be first aid supplies.”

“I’m fine, really.”

Seong Hyunjae sat me on the desk and found the first aid kit. Click, the box opened and disinfectant was taken out.

“First of all, I’ll say I’m sorry.”

“What, about my brother dying? How kind of you. Seong Hyunjae in the ruins didn’t care whether Yoohyun died or not.”

“I acted coldly.”

“Eh, I’m sure Seong Hyunjae-ssi’s true feelings are similar now, right?”

It’s just that he’s thinking about me a little now, that’s the difference. The disinfectant touched my lips. It stung.

“To be honest, it’s because Hanyujin-gun would get angry.”

“What if I said I wanted to know your honest impressions? About my current state, and things like that.”

Seong Hyunjae silently finished treating my wound.

“Yoohyun died because of me. That’s why I regressed [returned to the past]. I made up with my brother, but in the end, the dead brother, I couldn’t bring him back.”

“Hanyujin-gun.”

“If you’re going to say it’s not my fault, just don’t say anything. I know it couldn’t be helped either. It’s not that I’m lacking, but the situation was too difficult and hard. I was just ordinary. But, still, he’s my brother.”

Even if you coldly say it’s not my fault, even if you say I was just caught up in it.

“Without S-class or F-class or those kinds of grades, without transcendents or destruction or anything like that, just my brother. So, I couldn’t protect him, I couldn’t take care of him, and I couldn’t protect him.”

I deserve to be cursed. I laughed for no reason.

“I said why is that bastard alive, but he’ll do the same. Even knowing how I ended up like this, he won’t let go, that bastard. I should have punched him too.”

“I even tried to get rid of Hanyoohyun and Park Yerim.”

Seong Hyunjae said quietly as he organized the first aid kit. I said I wanted to know your honest impressions, but you’re being too honest.

“It would have been easier to get Hanyujin in my hands that way, and I was also curious about Hanyujin at that time. Whether he would completely collapse or somehow endure and stand. And I could have pulled him in either direction.”

“If it were someone else, I would have already stabbed them in the neck, really.”

“Am I an exception?”

“I won’t do that. Not anymore.”

Even as I said that, my heart thumped a little. Seong Hyunjae slightly raised the corners of his lips.

“To tell you the truth, I still don’t like the way you’re overly attached to Hanyoohyun. Especially since a dead person has been added to it.”

“If I lose Yoohyun again, I’ll really die. I’ve already been robbed too much and I’m tattered. You didn’t see him go crazy and pull out a knife and attack me earlier. He didn’t even think I was himself. That’s exactly how I feel. Humanly speaking, you can’t take my brother away from me.”

Seong Hyunjae handed me a wet wipe that he found somewhere. I took one and wiped away the tear stains.

“I promise.”

Seong Hyunjae continued, looking up at me.

“In any way, I will never take Hanyoohyun away from Hanyujin.”

“…Seong Hyunjae-ssi can rest assured?”

“Believe me, I tend to keep my promises.”

Seong Hyunjae sat on the desk next to me and crossed his legs. The tip of his shoe tapped playfully.

“So, I won’t promise not to take hyung away from *doryeonnim* [young master].”

“What are you talking about. What if Yoohyun attacks you if you do that? Are you not going to retaliate? What if something happens to my brother?”

“I’ll quickly hide behind Hanyujin-gun.”

I imagined it without thinking and burst out laughing. No matter how much I crouch, I won’t be able to hide completely.

“After it’s all over. After everything is really settled. It would be fun to play around then.”

“After it’s all over.”

“I want to live peacefully. Days where the biggest incidents are Bbyak stealing from the kitchen or Yoohyun and Yerim fighting. Time is precious, but it’s not scary either.”

And, and.

“My brother is by my side.”

Both of them.

“A humble wish, if I may say so.”

“But it’s still hard. What about Seong Hyunjae-ssi?”

I turned to look at him.

“If everything goes well. If you become free without being dragged out again. Is there anything you want?”

Seong Hyunjae tilted his head.

“Well…….”

Surprisingly, the answer didn’t come out quickly. He’s rarely making a face that says he doesn’t know.

“This is difficult.”

“Difficult?”

“Isn’t it that there aren’t many things that are so difficult to achieve that I would say I want them?”

…You’re so great, really. Well, once the Crescent Moon is resolved, what can’t Seong Hyunjae do? He’s living doing everything he wants to do now.

“How about making Chief Song genuinely happy to receive free SS-class equipment.”

“Are you telling me to challenge the impossible? But it’s kind of fun─”

“Cancel, cancel! Chief Song, I’m sorry!”

That mouth, that mouth is the problem.

“Seong Hyunjae-ssi, it might be nice to just live peacefully. You’ve experienced so much that you’re unconsciously bored, but if you think this world is the last one you’ll wander around, even an ordinary day might become special.”

Just the fact that this is the last one.

“Ordinary days… Ah.”

Come to think of it, unlike other people, there was something Seong Hyunjae couldn’t do. Making friends and dating. I and Chief Song are friends, but what about dating? Even if he’s freed from the Crescent Moon, the accumulated things will remain the same, so it has to be a transcendent or it won’t work.

“Do you perhaps like older people?”

“…Older?”

“I mean, dating targets, dating.”

“If I had to choose, I’d prefer someone around my age.”

“In their thirties or forties?”

You’d have to add at least a thousand to that. Seong Hyunjae has accumulated things too, but, um.

“Is someone much older not good after all?”

“I don’t even have any intention of dating someone, but if I had to answer, that would be better than someone too young. Young children are usually not good conversational partners. If we can’t communicate, the meeting won’t be enjoyable.”

If they’re a good conversational partner, age doesn’t matter, huh. The Crescent Moon doesn’t seem like that at all. I’ve never met them, but. Anyway, he has a surprisingly wholesome view of dating.

“What about appearance? You probably prefer humanoids, right? Even internal tentacles are okay, right? You don’t have to take them out.”

Tentacles seem to be in fashion. Myungwoo, don’t fall for the new guy’s words. I’m worried.

“How far does it have to be humanoid to be okay? Animal ears or horns, wings are okay, right? It’s better to have two arms and legs normally. You probably don’t discriminate against skin color. Blue or red, ouch!”

Seong Hyunjae, who had been staring at me, grabbed my ear and twisted it tightly. It didn’t hurt enough for Grace to activate.

“I’m not interested in blue or red.”

Um, I guess I went too far there. I rubbed my twisted ear and almost fell over when I jumped off the desk without thinking. Seong Hyunjae quickly grabbed me. I refused to let him hold the umbrella I left behind, but I only accepted his support and headed to the restaurant. I could see Yoohyun and me in the open kitchen.

“Seaweed is.”

“Over there.”

I pointed to the bowl filled with water. It’s soaking.

“Seong Hyunjae-ssi, can you cover the entrance with cloth?”

“There’s still time, so I’ll be here. I have to separate you if you grab each other’s collars again.”

“We’re not fighting.”

We’re not kids. After washing my hands, I picked up a kitchen knife to cut the meat, and Yoohyun glanced at me. Seong Hyunjae, who had taken a seat at the table outside the kitchen, also stared at me as if observing me. I’m not going to stab you.

“Yoohyun, you go sit down too.”

“No. It’s uncomfortable for hyung to move around. I’ll assist you. The kitchen is also wide.”

How kind. I cut the meat into appropriate sizes and removed the blood. Meanwhile, I was washing the rice.

“Since there’s electricity, does the rice cooker work? How many servings is this for?”

“It’s a restaurant after all. They have mixed grains here, should I add some?”

“You’re asking even though you know.”

What I’m thinking is the same as what you’re thinking. Where’s the sesame oil?

“Why did you buy snacks? That’s why you’re like that.”

“I bought them to give to the kids, okay?”

“You said you go around getting snacks all the time.”

Yoo, Yoohyun, you. My brother subtly avoided my gaze.

“You said you even gathered with that Park Yerim hunter, Kang Soyoung hunter, and the Breaker Guild Leader to eat sweet things. You have a good life, Hanyujin.”

“No, that’s, I didn’t tell them to go! And Noah-ssi was there too. Honestly, su…….”

I couldn’t say it’s better than going around drinking because my brother was watching. Damn it! That bastard also rolled around just as much! The me who noticed my feelings raised the corners of his lips and threw a sneer.

“You unlucky bastard!”

“Your bad luck or my bad luck.”

“That’s true.”

It was terribly bad. Me and myself laughed at the same time.

“Life was really rough.”

“But it was good until the dungeons appeared.”

“It was hard, but it was still good.”

We both turned to look at Yoohyun at the same time. Yoohyun smiled brightly reflexively.

“I shouldn’t have ended it with just one punch after all.”

“That’s why you swung a knife. You attacked like you were going to kill him.”

“If a guy who even regressed can’t dodge that much, he should die. Is your experience just for show?”

“What, you knew how to dodge now? If it were me, I would have just stabbed him to death.”

“Are you asking me to stab you now?”

“Can’t you see Yoohyun is nervous? Let’s fight barehanded. Hey, add more rice. It’s not enough. How many people are there?”

“I was living alone, so.”

That’s right. As I went to get more rice, I stepped on my own foot. I chased after him and kicked him in the shin. Ugh, the me who made a sound grabbed the kitchen knife.

“Hyung! No weapons!”

Seong Hyunjae also got up from his seat. I put down the kitchen knife and picked up the lobster that was in the sink and threw it at myself. It flew with a ferocious momentum because it was a slightly higher grade, but Yoohyun quickly snatched it in the middle and put it down on the counter.

“Don’t throw food! You bastard!”

“You must be full if you bought something like this!”

“It’s free!”

“So, haven’t you eaten it?”

“It’s not that. Wash more rice.”

Still, because we were the same person, we worked well together. We worked so well together that we ended up grabbing each other’s collars at the same time, but there was no knife fight. I thought I shouldn’t keep doing this in front of my brother, but honestly, I felt comfortable. Yoohyun seemed to have noticed that I was quite comfortable with myself after a while and relaxed.

The rice was cooking, the seaweed soup was boiling, and as sunset was approaching, I felt a presence in the hotel lobby.