The Hunter's Gonna Lay Low-Chapter 108

“Hyung is here!”

J folded his wide-open arms and, after closing the door behind him, strode quickly towards the bed. The stagnant air swirled around him as he entered. With a slight bend of his waist, J asked softly,

“What were you doing?”

“……”

No answer came. Only the faintest reaction—a slight curve of the pale lips beneath the bandages and tired eyes that barely opened. Even that hint of expression soon faded. Under the boy’s emotionless face, his fingers twitched slightly atop the blanket. J had come to understand most of the meanings behind these small gestures by now.

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

“You were waiting for me, weren’t you?”

He pulled a folding chair closer to the bed and sat down. J leaned in, his masked face nearing the boy’s. The boy leaned back a little. In a voice laced with humor, J asked,

“You missed me, didn’t you?”

The boy blinked slowly and turned his head away. His tightly sealed lips hinted at a displeased mood. J had learned that the boy, who had a strong will, often changed his emotions as quickly as flipping a coin. But this time, J had a good guess about the cause.

Crossing his arms, J sighed.

“… I’m really sorry. I tried to come sooner, but there was too much going on.”

Since the boy had regained consciousness, J had made regular visits to the hospital. After receiving his keycard, he sometimes slipped in like a phantom, coming and going quietly. Despite his irregular schedule, he always found time to obtain the necessary medicine, check on the boy, and carry on conversations that were often one-sided. Months passed like this.

Although the boy’s head was turned toward J, his eyes seemed to be focused somewhere off to the side, staring into empty space.

“……”

“There have been more rifts lately….”

Oops. J suddenly stopped himself mid-sentence, bringing his hand to the mask’s mouth area, as if to cover up the slip. He scanned his surroundings, wary of being overheard. A black CCTV camera in the corner of the ceiling was watching them. While he was sure the model didn’t record audio, it wasn’t a time to speak carelessly.

‘Nothing’s certain yet…’

Recently, the number of sudden rifts had been increasing. The change was so subtle that only a handful of Hunters could detect it. But moving without solid evidence was dangerous. His words carried more weight than most.

‘I should discuss this with Jung Bin, too.’

The boy tilted his head as if wondering why J had suddenly gone quiet. J clenched his fist and spoke.

“I missed you, too.”

Perhaps because it was blurted out so quickly, J’s hidden feelings slipped out. The man who usually concealed his face, voice, and emotions had, in this rare moment, let an honest sentiment escape. The boy’s fingers clenched the blanket lightly.

Now, the sound of the boy’s breathing and heartbeat was more noticeable than the beeping of the machines. The tubes that once connected to his frail body had significantly decreased. Compared to when he had been lying there like a corpse, the boy’s condition had improved drastically.

‘You can sit up now, at least.’

Although he still needed help from both the bed and people to sit up, his health was improving day by day. J now found himself thinking not just about tomorrow, but even further into the future.

“……”

After fiddling with the blanket for a while, the boy slowly stretched out his hand. Without hesitation, J took it. His firm hands completely covered the small one. As he gently rubbed the back of the boy’s hand, he asked,

“How’s your body? Not in pain, I hope? I heard they adjusted your medicine mix.”

The boy nodded faintly.

“That’s a relief.”

“……”

“Seeing you sitting up like this… you might even be able to walk one day.”

One day, the boy might be able to express himself by writing, leave the bed on his own, and even walk out of this hospital room.

‘Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to speak someday.’

The thought popped up unexpectedly. Since becoming a Hunter, J had never really thought about a distant future. He had been too focused on surviving each day.

He left the thinking to others, repeating to himself that things were fine as he swung his spear, always trusting that peace would eventually come, that it would be built upon the foundation he had laid.

But this boy made J dream of a different kind of future—a more personal one. Looking down at the small hand moving in his grasp, J spoke up.

“Have you ever been to the sea?”

The boy’s dull eyes rolled over to look at J. His lips pouted slightly as if questioning what kind of nonsense he was spouting, or perhaps feeling like he was being mocked. J smiled softly.

“I’m not making fun of you. I was thinking, once you’re better, maybe we could go to the sea.”

“……”

“There’s a place in Gangneung where I once had to hunt a Kraken… or maybe it was a giant squid? Anyway, the suction cups were huge. That’s not really the point, though….”

“……”

Clearing his throat, J patted the boy’s hand.

“The ocean there is beautiful. Once you’re better, let’s go together.”

“……”

“If you like the idea, blink.”

Of course, a person can’t help but blink—it was a biological reaction. It was just a suggestion. Yet, without hesitation, the boy blinked. J’s face reflected in the boy’s cloudy eyes, and a small smile tugged at the corners of J’s lips.

“That’s a promise. Even if you don’t want to go later, I’ll carry you there if I have to.”

J held up his pinky finger, gently linking it with the boy’s bandaged hand. The boy let out a small sigh. J chuckled softly.

“Look at that, you’re even sighing now.”

The boy’s lips curled upward under the bandages.

Where do the rifts come from? Where are the dungeons connected to? Where do the monsters come from? What is the system that chooses humans and grants them power?

The world that had changed since the day of the rift was still full of mysteries, too chaotic to make clear judgments about right and wrong. But that chaos had become J’s everyday reality.

In this ever-changing world, one thing remained constant: the boy who waited for him. The one place he felt he could return to. J closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Strange, isn’t it? It feels like you’re the one showing me the way, telling me that I haven’t been wrong.

What happens when two lonely people meet? J now knew the answer. When lonely people find each other, they become each other’s only. The boy had become someone so important to him that no words could fully capture it.

Time passed, and as J continued to chatter aimlessly, the boy slowly closed his eyes. His uneven breaths became steady, and the hand in J’s lost its strength. J watched the gentle rise and fall of the boy’s chest.

Eventually, J rose from his seat. Still holding the boy’s hand, he leaned down and gently cupped the boy’s cheek. His fingers brushed against the bandages as he whispered quietly,

“You know something?”

“……”

“You’re my only success.”

J removed his hand from the boy’s cheek. The air between them was calm and still. Only the sound of quiet breathing and a steady heartbeat remained. Staying like this forever didn’t seem so bad. Like a family.

There had been days when he’d thought that way.

After staying by the boy’s side for a while as he slept, J sensed a small presence and stepped outside the hospital room. Ga-young stood there, holding a file to her chest with one hand while the other was tucked into her coat pocket. She gave him a small nod and whispered in a low voice.

“Hello, J! I have something to update you on.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about the antidote and the boy’s condition. Oh… uh, should I explain briefly?”

Ga-young glanced awkwardly at J’s wrist. The screen on his watch was blinking. It seemed the Awakener Management Bureau had sent him a message. The sender was…

Jung Bin.

“One moment,” J said.

“Of course.”

J turned halfway and checked his watch. The message displayed on the small screen was concise.

**Jung Bin:** I’d like to meet with you. Please let me know if you’re available this evening.

What could Jung Bin want? J was curious but also felt that this might be a good opportunity. He needed someone discreet to discuss the recent changes in the rifts with. Lowering his gaze, J fell into thought before responding to Ga-young.

“I have a little time. Please go ahead and give me a brief summary.”

“Ah, yes! Well, the boy’s recovery is progressing smoothly. He still needs regular antidote injections, but the detox process is almost complete. Once that’s done, we’re considering starting research on restoring his damaged body.”

“Will he be able to walk eventually?” J asked.

“I think it’s possible,” she replied, though with a note of hesitation. “Honestly, I’m not sure about his eyes or vocal cords… but we’ll do our best.”

J fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. Ga-young, who had been nervously watching him, spoke up again after a quick glance at his expression.

“By the way, are you going to keep calling him… ‘the boy’?”

“…Excuse me?”

J blinked, surprised. Ga-young shifted the file under her arm and spoke awkwardly.

“We still don’t know his name, do we? He can’t write, and he can’t speak… And there’s no way to find his family.”

“……”

The image of the toxic ruins flashed in J’s mind. He remembered the two melted bodies that had been surrounding the boy. Identifying anyone in that poison-filled wasteland had been impossible. There was neither the time nor resources to even try. It was a harsh reality. Ga-young murmured softly.

“Well, since you were the one who brought him in… I was thinking maybe you could give him a name?”

“A name?”

“Yes. Names are important for people. I think he’d like it too.”

“…No.”

J glanced briefly into the hospital room and muttered.

“That’s not necessary. He must already have a name of his own.”

“……”

“One day, he’ll tell me his name himself.”

“…But what if he can’t?”

“Pardon?”

J looked at Ga-young, surprised by the sudden question. Feeling his gaze, she straightened up and explained quickly.

“I mean, what if his vocal cords don’t recover? Or what if he’s forgotten how to write?”

J shrugged casually, as if the question didn’t bother him.

“Well, in that case, I’ll just give him a name myself when the time comes.”