Chapter 62. On the Bed (2)
Tak. Chiiik.
The flames rising from the lighter overlapped with the white stick.
It took quite a while to light it up because it was damp, but eventually, the cigarette was lit. I took a drag of the cigarette whose taste I could no longer feel.
A concoction made by refining the chewing tobacco. True to the claims that it’s more dreadful than Soviet tobacco, black smoke billowed from the end. I bought it from a sketchy market, so who knows how terrible it is.
I lit it and took a deep drag. The merchant’s words popped into my mind: I could collapse from acute nicotine poisoning, so I should take it slow.
What do I care? Honestly, I’d prefer to faint.
With such hopes, I took a drag. Yet, I felt nothing. The only thing I felt was the hot air tickling my throat. It was the same as always.
Since that day, I haven’t been able to taste anything from cigarettes. Now, all that’s left is the sensation of choking hot smoke. Still, I light this white stick out of habit.
Maybe it’s to remember the old body that could savor this taste.
I stared at the tower slowly rising higher.
The tower of the Association, set to symbolize a new era. Towers will be built at each major base under the command of the Infinite Architect, rising high into the sky.
Impossible speeds with ordinary construction techniques. In the blink of an eye, another floor goes up, and then another.
I don’t get why other people need it.
According to the Infinite Architect, while he claims he can’t handle intricate decorations or magical elements, there shouldn’t be a need for him to drag me along.
What’s so great about a hammer perfect for foundation work? It sounds like an old fool’s drivel.
Swinging the hammer a few times and waiting several weeks for the building to be finished. Instead of waiting for any potential summons, I’d rather just sit around sightseeing or spacing out while staring at the tower.
A world trip I never planned.
Cough. Hrk. What the…? What kind of cigarette is this strong?
A familiar voice made me pull the cigarette from my mouth and shove the lit one into a portable ashtray.
“Sorry. I was experimenting to see how strong it had to be to feel something.”
As the smoke cleared, she approached me, emitting sparks from her body. It wasn’t intentional.
She had already lost control over her electricity.
“So what were the results?”
I forced a smile as I demonstrated with my actions.
“Not even close.”
Compressing all the remaining tobacco in my hand, I dumped it into the ashtray and disposed of it.
If there was at least a refreshing taste, it might’ve been worth it, but all I got was a garbage flavor.
“I figured as much.”
Dae-shin said that and sat beside me, staring blankly at the tower.
“Do we not have to work?”
“They said electric work can wait. The building needs to be fixed because it was messed up.”
“Did Infinite Architect mess it up?”
No way.
He wouldn’t demolish the building just because he was fickle and disliked the design.
“Someone bought fake cement, and the structure broke. He was cursing up a storm.”
Whoever did that is as good as dead.
“Did they at least embezzle some money?”
“Correct. Thanks to that, Prohibition went in all excited with a minigun.”
Getting caught by that drunk. I silently prayed whoever it was didn’t meet a bad end.
Silence reigned for a moment.
Neither of us could find a topic to continue the conversation.
With the discussion fading, I focused on Dae-shin sitting next to me. Ever since I gained this body, I couldn’t help but confirm it.
In the past, I didn’t need to think about it, but now it nagged at me.
What I was particularly sensitive to now was her height. Slightly glancing over to compare, I noticed Dae-shin was about a head taller than I was now.
She’s become bigger than me.
What a delicious irony.
“Still worried about your height?”
Did she catch my gaze? Dae-shin flipped her blonde hair as she asked.
“Yeah.”
“I’m fine. It’s a new experience to look down at someone I usually looked up to.”
“Don’t click your tongue. It doesn’t suit you.”
“I have no intention of changing.”
Who am I doing this to please by acting like a woman?
“Is there no way to return to normal?”
“Unho said so. ‘Yeah. This is not happening, Poyo.’”
Unho, like it was no concern of his, is probably somewhere being turned into dumpling filling right now.
He twisted the round shapes and tossed them onto the street.
Likely to be ground meat sold in the black market.
Phew…
“Well then, should I ask this grown woman about how women behave?”
“The ‘kid’ shouldn’t be talking about women.”
She referred to herself as a woman. How funny.
Pachik. Crackle.
No sooner had she finished speaking than lightning struck according to her mood.
Heat surged through my body as pain coursed through me.
My nervous system wracked, and I suppressed my body from uncontrollably twitching. I can’t be flailing about pathetically, can I?
“Stop it. It hurts.”
“Then at least try to act flustered.”
Well, I’m not so sure. Ever since I got this body, I’ve had a better hold of control than I anticipated.
I felt less pain.
However, other sensations have also dulled.
“It’s hard to even want to do it.”
“Really?”
Zap.
The intensity of the electrical pulses increases.
Step by step.
Are you really out to make me dance?
I held on for ten more seconds. The intensity became unbearable, so I swatted away her hand that was sending the current.
“Stop. I’m done. It’s getting too tough.”
“Looks like it’s going to be close.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Playing with you at my leisure.”
She licked her lips, leaning closer.
“When I was in my original form, manipulating electricity meant I’d be dead, but now I can endure to an extent, right?”
Ah, so you’re trying to control me?
Her personality is warped in a lot of ways.
Disrupting the electrical signals in my body to control me like a puppet?
It seems she was planning to toy with me.
Not a chance.
I stepped back to evade her advancing hand.
“I know perfectly well that strong electricity can’t be unleashed without contact, so why would I touch you?”
The second I touched it, I’d already be escaping.
“First, let’s erase the sensation…”
“Enough with the jokes.”
Honestly, I’m not quite sure.
I know my heart is racing, indicating excitement, but is that because of a lie or some other reason?
“Let’s do what feels right.”
The Thunder God said this before getting up.
She dusted off her rear and, with unusually short strides, walked off slowly.
“Where are you going?”
“To get flowers.”
Flowers? Why are you going for flowers?
Time passes quickly.
What’s so surprising about that?
Back then, while establishing the Association and busy helping weak heroes, I was indeed busy.
There were dirty jobs to do as well, but once again, they were actions needed for the sake of that world.
There were so many deaths.
Those who died in place of the new heroes and those who endured alone on the frontlines until the new heroes grew.
Time passing quickly is only natural.
Time flows as swiftly as a dream.
Now, we are gathered at some bar.
A celebratory party to toast someone’s retirement.
It became a gathering of familiar faces, where we shared drinks.
The mood grew more vibrant, and as time passed, one by one fell asleep drunk or staggered outside to throw punches, leaving only two of us behind.
The guest of honor and me, who never gets drunk.
“So you’re finally retiring too.”
Taking a sip of soju from a beer cup, I turned my gaze toward the protagonist of the day.
“Now that the world is stable, I guess it’s time for me to rest.”
Dae-shin. She deserves a break.
Her hero registration number’s first two digits are 02.
Besides me, she’s probably the oldest hero.
“Must be nice. How much do you get for your pension?”
“I get enough to get by.”
“Enough to get by,” she said.
The Thunder God erased all records, so she’s probably getting a base-level salary.
But the fact that she can get by means that recognition of awakeners has improved.
“This body seems cheap compared to the sacrifices made, but I have no regrets.”
Her body.
Indeed, she has made quite a few sacrifices.
Is it because her body has transformed into electricity? Her entire being became one with electricity.
She is far away, with lightning always crackling around her, and her hands turned into electricity, making her wear thin silicone gloves.
Even after finishing the story, the energy still lingers. Her eyes are still vacant, and static electricity constantly crackles around her, while her electricity-made hands can pass through matter.
At least I can still sense electricity, so I can understand my surroundings to some extent.
“No regrets?”
“Well, I’ve come to terms with it. Things are different from how they were back then.”
“True.”
At least there are no longer any issues like rocks being thrown at awakeners.
As our conversation wound down, she slowly moved closer to me.
Since everyone else had passed out, the two of us could talk more easily.
Dae-shin’s face, close to mine, had become slightly flushed.
Is she drunk?
After going pale since losing her sight, her face now had some color.
She leaned on me, resting her small body, and opened her mouth.
“Honestly, I didn’t want to retire.”
“Then why not stick around longer?”
She had already prepared many ways to delay her retirement.
Although the side effects of her body turning into electricity can’t be dealt with, she could have managed a few more years.
“It’s tough. I can’t endure anymore.”
“I can’t take it,” she said.
If she said that…
“About the underground work.”
“Exactly. No matter what, being around people brings those thoughts up.”
She was indeed going through it.
It seems her social phobia has reached its limit.
As awakeners changed into heroes and interactions with others increased, it must have been a heavy burden for her.
The only ones who could get close were former heroes, old friends, and old comrades.
Even that number has diminished, so it became impossible for her to endure.
“You should’ve told me. It would have been easier if you opened up.”
“How could I? You’re busy too.”
She spoke with a low voice, perhaps due to the alcohol.
There was a slight mellow in her tone.
“So I’ll live in a remote place and build a house. After about ten years, it should be okay.”
Ten years, that’s quite a long period.
“Can I visit you?”
“No. You wait ten years too. The others sprawled out over there too.”
Not a single exception seems to apply. She must have steeled herself considerably.
“Let me know the location of the Association, then I can visit ten years later.”
“That’s settled then.”
She said that and pressed herself closer to me.
Perhaps she wanted to feel the last warmth.
I felt the heat of her body.
Was it because she drank?
For some reason, it felt like she drank more today than usual.
“Stop drinking. You’re retired now, it’ll mess you up.”
“You’re being a baaaad person.”
“What do you mean, all of a sudden…”
I turned my head to confront her.
Her lips brushed against my forehead.
I felt her touch through her hair.
Squish.
Squish?
Squash?
Squish.
It’s the worst weather.
My head is damp, and my cheeks are being snugly gripped by a fist.
One monster is hugging me while drooling on my hair.
Another one is swinging their arms while mercilessly punching faces.
Is this the fabled killer fan or something?
Yumil commented on Chung Solim’s sleeping habits… and now it’s my turn to face the consequences.
What a nightmare of a waking up, and a nightmare of a situation too.
All of this is Yumil’s fault.
This chaotic sleep, this horrific dream, all of it due to Yumil digging traps to show me Dae-shin’s face.
Squish.
Once more, the sensation of liquid flowing over my head filled my senses.
First things first, I need to get out of this place.
Slowly twisting my body, I escaped from Chung Solim’s grip.
It was tough getting out since I was wrapped tightly, but my only thought now is to wash my head.
Now that I’ve made it out of the bed, that’s all I can think of; what to do about this sticky bed?
As I thought that, I came out of the bed only to see two figures still wrestling atop it.
Yumil swinging her fist.
Chung Solim trying to get close while getting hit, looking for an opportunity to hug Yumil.
So that’s the deal.
It seems Yumil was swinging her fists to avoid getting grabbed.
Of course, that’s a nasty habit for sleeping.
In the end, Yumil couldn’t withstand Chung Solim’s assault and was caught.
Trying to swing her fists in an embrace but being held by Chung Solim, she just flailed about.
I feel sorry for her. I didn’t know she was like this during sleep.
But it serves her right.
If she thought she could offer me as a sacrifice, she should’ve thought it through.
“Good luck, Yumil.”
I left those words behind and exited the bedroom.
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