The Hunter's Gonna Lay Low-Chapter 195

Uijae stared, almost mesmerized, at Lee Sayoung and the version of Cha Uijae in his arms. It was a familiar face, one he recognized as his own, yet it didn’t feel real. It felt like a scene from a movie.

His gaze shifted to Lee Sayoung. Sayoung's eyes were unfocused, as if he were grasping at something in the void. The face in front of Uijae felt strangely familiar, but not because he had just seen it. It reminded him of something from much earlier... and then it hit him.

"Ah."

‘Finally, I can give up.’

Yes, it was the same expression he had seen when he had told Aunt Seokjung about her passing. Uijae rubbed his lips absentmindedly. For some reason, they tasted bitter.

“...”

Beneath the perfect façade of the ideal world, Sayoung’s true world was hidden. Unlike the flawless utopia, this place was barren, quiet, and unchanging. Uijae felt a sense of unease he couldn’t quite describe.

Perhaps Lee Sayoung would remain here forever, cradling Cha Uijae in his arms, because the moment Cha Uijae died, his world had stopped.

Then a low whisper broke the silence.

"Still... you're such a cruel person..."

*Step, step.* Footsteps approached, coming from somewhere behind him. Uijae didn’t turn around. The steps stopped exactly three paces away from him. A voice, cold and emotionless, spoke.

“You really tore everything apart like a mole digging holes.”

“...”

“So, are you satisfied now?”

“...”

“You destroyed a world by sacrificing yourself, didn’t you?”

Uijae turned around. Lee Sayoung was standing there, staring at him with an expressionless face. His violet eyes were filled with an endless void. His dry lips moved slightly.

“You should be satisfied...”

A fleeting hint of gloom crossed his delicate features.

“I told you... you wouldn’t find what you were looking for.”

“...”

“There’s nothing more I can show you. This is all that’s left.”

Sayoung walked slowly past Uijae and stood in front of the frozen image of himself and Cha Uijae. His face, as he looked at his past self, was devoid of emotion. It was as if everything had burned away, leaving nothing but ash. His demeanor was drier than the wind of ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) a desert. Uijae spoke up suddenly.

“You... seem different?”

“Hmm?”

“You know, back when I...”

Uijae made a circular motion with his hand. Sayoung glanced over his shoulder, his expression indifferent, before responding.

“Well, you see, it’s because I’ve been alone in a ruined world for so long.”

“...”

“Self-harm only works for so long. After a while, it loses its effect... the world doesn’t change. Eventually, you become like a walking stone.”

“...”

“And when we came into contact... well, it was a strong stimulus. I lost control for a bit. Were you surprised?”

This guy really isn’t right in the head.

Uijae took a careful step back. Sayoung, however, was still fixated on his past self. Uijae felt a need to pull him out of that mindset. He tried to strike up a conversation.

“You asked me to lie down with you back then. What were you trying to show me? You said you’d show me some memories.”

“Hm? Where do you think?”

Sayoung’s pale lips curled into a slight smile, though his eyes held no mirth. There was still only that deep, lingering emptiness.

“The place you destroyed yourself.”

Images of Hong Yeseong and the oddly slick version of Jung Bin flashed in Uijae’s mind. He couldn’t help but grumble.

“...Hey, that place was completely distorted to suit your tastes, wasn’t it?”

“Ah, so that’s how it seemed to you. I worked pretty hard to piece it together, you know...”

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Sayoung lightly tapped his lips with his fingers, as if lost in thought. His long lashes cast shadows on his pale cheeks.

“I couldn’t help it. Everyone I know is dead...”

“...”

“I was trying to recreate them from faint memories, but I guess I failed... sorry.”

Damn it!

Uijae clenched his teeth. This version of Sayoung was hard to deal with. His energy felt more like a system than a human, his face and voice devoid of any emotion. Yet, there was still a trace of humanity left. It was here—this place.

A person who had thrown away all emotions in order to survive for a long time alone. He had discarded joy, anger, sorrow, and all other feelings. But he had kept this one thing.

Cha Uijae was looking at the core of a human being.

It was heavy. Everything felt heavy.

“...”

Uijae clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from the tension. Sayoung mumbled.

“Don’t be so tense.”

“...”

“You really think I’m going to kill you...?”

Uijae forced himself to joke.

“You could probably imprison me though.”

“...”

Oddly enough, there was no denial. Uijae waited, but the silence stretched on. Was he really planning to lock me up? Uijae’s eyes widened.

“You seriously thought about doing it?”

Sayoung’s violet eyes glanced away, avoiding his gaze.

“Not imprisoning... I was thinking of hiding you.”

“Hiding me?”

“The world is going to end soon... in that world, too.”

“...”

“I could’ve taken you in, at least. To the world I created.”

Uijae thought back to that strange, nearly perfect world. It had felt almost obsessive in its replication of reality. A world meticulously designed, with only one person missing—him. The moment Cha Uijae arrived, that utopia would have been complete.

Sayoung’s voice was grim as he continued.

“You destroyed it yourself, though.”

Uijae bit his lip. There was so much he wanted to say, but he couldn’t get the words out. After a long pause, he finally asked one thing.

“Did you ever really think I’d stay there?”

“You wouldn’t have come.”

“...”

“There’s no way you would’ve.”

“...”

“I knew that much. But still...”

Sayoung’s gaze, which had been angled toward the ground, suddenly locked onto Uijae. The void in his violet eyes now contained a clear reflection of Uijae. Only Uijae.

“The thought that you might come... that kept me going. It helped me survive in that world.”

“...”

Oddly enough, Uijae understood what he meant. There were times when simply having something to look forward to could get you through another day.

At first, Uijae had thought about returning safely with his aunt and his fellow Hunters. Even after losing his aunt, he had imagined returning with his comrades. And when he lost them too...

He dreamed of living with a boy. It was all he had left.

Thinking about what kind of house they would have, how they would decorate it, and how the boy might react—those thoughts helped ease the loneliness. Just a little.

So Uijae understood ‘Lee Sayoung.’

And ‘Lee Sayoung’ noticed that understanding.

A black hand gently grasped Uijae’s sleeve. The hollow voice spoke again.

“Don’t go. Stay here. We can rebuild the world.”

“...”

“Don’t throw your life away again.”

“...”

“You’ve sacrificed enough...”

As the words trailed off, Sayoung’s head slowly drooped lower. He looked smaller and more pitiful than Uijae had ever seen him.

Had *Lee Sayoung* ever said these things to Cha Uijae? No. He probably never had the chance. These were the words he had regretted not saying, words he had held onto for so long.

But.

Uijae took a deep breath and gently grabbed Sayoung’s arm.

“Lee Sayoung.”

The empty violet eyes blinked slowly, gazing blankly at Uijae.

“I may not be exactly the same person you knew, but I’m going to say this anyway.”

“...”

“I know what you’re trying to say. I know what you’re worried about. And I’m really thankful for that. But I’m going to do it.”

“...”

“I don’t have confidence. I’ve already failed twice.”

“...”

“But I’m certain. Thanks to you, I have that certainty.”

Uijae tightened his grip on Sayoung’s arm, and his eyes gleamed with determination.

“Hong Yeseong said this is the last chance. That everything was supposed to end in the previous world, but you forcibly held it together and made this.”

Uijae’s voice was steady, deliberate, as he continued.

“You gave me this final chance. I’m not going to waste it. I’m going to stop the apocalypse.”

“...”

For the first time, a faint glimmer of light returned to the void in Sayoung’s violet eyes. His pale lips moved slightly, though no sound came out. Uijae released his grip on Sayoung’s arm. His breathing had become heavier without him realizing it. He let out a small sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

If this had been before, Uijae would never have tried to have this conversation with him. He would’ve assumed it was pointless.

But now...

‘I like that we’re special.’

‘More special than any other Lee Sayoung and Cha Uijae.’

‘You saved me, and you promised you’d come back.’

‘I

only kept my promise.’

‘Do what you want. You hesitated, didn’t you?’

Uijae had found his conviction. He had found his courage. There had been someone who steadied the ground beneath his feet, someone who had endured endless waiting to meet him.

There was only one way to repay that person.

Uijae extended his hand.

“Help me.”

He had to stop the apocalypse. For the days they could spend together.