52 – Growth (2)
“Haven’t you put away the gun?”
“Step away from Taehyuk-nim. If you don’t, I will shoot.”
“A machine giving orders? Hey, you -“
“I won’t warn you twice.
Step away from Taehyuk-nim immediately.”
Ilia increased the pressure by simply placing her finger on the trigger.
Holding the revolver with both hands, adjusting the aim more precisely.
If it’s this close, panning might be a bit faster… ha.
Is this the moment when the gunslinger instincts kick in?
“Is your gun faster, or is my hand faster?”
“I can easily intercept you.”
“Do you really want to test it?”
Even in the face of Illya, it didn’t seem like Haru was particularly intimidated.
Instead, gripping his fist tighter, he leaned forward as if ready to charge at any moment.
“Haru, stop it.”
“Are you talking as if you can do something with those wrists?”
Was it right to deliberately aim for that?
…Damn it, if it continues like this, what will happen with Manticore?
Illya undoubtedly would pull the trigger without hesitation.
Because she loves me.
While Tanaka Haru, who only ever sets traps, despises me to the point of being terrifying.
“Why? Let me show you. Dodging bullets?”
“Cease immediately from causing harm to Mr. Taehyuk. I am already recording your actions in real-time, Tanaka Haru. I also have the capability to immediately send it to Incheon Commercial District and Manticore Corporation. Therefore,
“Even if you try to destroy me, Lord Taehyuk, you cannot take me away.”
“Ha, look at this audacious woman.”
– Kigigik.
He clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly.
One day, he revealed his fangs while grinding them.
Was it the predestined course for things to turn out this way?
No matter how much I desired peace among women, was it inevitable for fate to lead to such clashes?
I’m just a 35-year-old independent mercenary who uses a revolver.
Why does this kind of thing keep happening?
“Aren’t you erasing it?”
“Keeping a distance from Lord Taehyuk comes first.”
“Erase it, damn it. As if this pile of junk isn’t enough, meddling with other men -“
– Tang.
With the gunshot, Haru’s hand was pierced.
While most bulletproof vests could easily be penetrated, the power of the armored magnum bullet was undeniable.
“Next, I’ll aim for areas that could cause harm to your life.”
“…you, b-“
– Click.
The moment I turned my head, my intact left hand reached for my silver pistol.
Aimed at it, I held the counterpart to what Ilyah was holding for a day.
“Ilyah, listen to me.
I think it’s best to stop here.”
“…Taehyuk, sir?”
“I won’t repeat it twice like Ilyah did.
Don’t make there be no next between us.”
“Between us? Ha, hahahahaha, ahahahahaha!”
The laughing face couldn’t be considered intact.
With limp fingers left alone, I exerted strength as much as I could on what could be grasped –
“Between us? What the hell are you talking about?
Rolling around with that woman.
What am I to you!!!”
Aiming was disrupted by the violent roar to the extent of making even the man on the broken floor shake.
The heated, groaning wrist was continually getting heavier.
I was undeniably growing tired.
“Repeatedly said, but it was you who pressured first with the level and quantity of requests.
From Noble mtl dot com
…Maybe I should have looked elsewhere sooner.
Seeing it turn out like this.”
“What’s the difference between that and being utilized?”
If you had said you disliked it earlier, or if you hadn’t given in even now, it wouldn’t have come to this.
And calling it a mere colleague?
Inside the hotel, lounging in the car—does that count as what colleagues do?
If you knew it would be like this, you should have asked me as a colleague too.”
“Don’t cross the line.”
Stopping the trigger that could be pulled right away is all about considerations for the aftermath.
Even if there is a legitimate reason for a competent Manticore employee like me to shoot now—
The gun in my hand and the situation we’re in are by no means ‘honorable.’
In other words, it was an situation where I couldn’t be upright in front of others.
Like bullets flying, messing up the inside of the head and turning the ground into chaos,
I was going to end up just as chaotic.
“What line are you talking about, Taehyuk?
Is it some line that adjusts to someone and moves accordingly?
That robot standing there, did she have the freedom to do as she pleased?
Her body and face were tailored to her taste, and she was obedient, so she must have been thrilled.
Have you been alone for ten years because you didn’t have the courage to approach a real woman?
You should have said something. I could have helped in any way.”
“A woman like this coming out in this manner would attract anyone.
Not caring about others’ situations, acting on her own,
If she meets a woman, she roars as if she could devour her, making excuses to somehow twist me around.
Pressuring others using one’s position is no different from those corporate guys in suits.
…People of the type I dislike the most.
If you liked me, you should have known at least that much.”
But at least this much was certain.
Chiwawa in front of me was definitely not my type,
and there seemed to be no chance for our relationship to improve.
“S-so, bringing up such a submissive robot – “
“Ilia, stop dragging that in.
I’m talking to you, Haru.
Ilia is my comrade, damn it.
The guy who sacrificed his life to save mine.
It’s natural to like someone like that.
But you? Did I ever have a reason to like you?
I’ll give credit for making good drinks. Your diligence in not doing other things until the task at hand is done is commendable, even if it’s only occasionally, and your appearance while keeping your mouth shut and doing your work is almost innocent.”
A face that immediately loosens up at a few words of praise.
Whether it was mistaken for an attempt at reconciliation or not, a hand that releases its grip almost instantly.
“Really?”
“I’m not trying to say I like you.”
If I knew something like this would happen, I should have practiced shooting with my left hand as well.
The limits were gradually closing in.
I felt like maybe I couldn’t catch up from my side, such thoughts crossed my mind.
“Maybe it’s a problem that I gave you room like this. Damn it.
Let me make it clear here, I have never seen you as a woman.
Sure, we were good colleagues, but I swear I’ve never thought of you as a lover, not even once.
I didn’t even dream of dating during the ten years I waited for Iria, damn it.”
“Then, from the beginning, with that woman – “
“I was too busy for that!!”
Of course, and now it’s too late.
I really wished this kind of thing would end with two people.
“So, you think I’m a pervert who saw that guy with bad eyes from the beginning,
Stop saying that I’m using you and throwing you away. It’s not me, and even if you want it, it doesn’t mean it’s me.
I can’t accept you as a girlfriend, and I don’t want to accept you.
That’s the end of the story.
And now, only two choices remain, damn it…”
It felt like there was a gun hanging in my right hand.
I finally released the tension in my knees and leaned against the car, taking a deep breath.
The gun still aimed.
“Mr. Taehyuk.”
“I’m still fine, Iria.”
If you say that the eyes looking down on me are good, it would be a bright red lie.
Unlike Dayeon, I was convinced that things would never go back to how they used to be.
“Just turn around and go back from here.
Then we’ll meet again at the Manticoore building as if nothing happened.
You’ll cling to me again, and I’ll accept it.
And sometimes, there will be days when we laugh.
Let’s go back to that everyday life.”
“Don’t talk nonsense, Mr. Taehyuk.
I created this mess, but you think we can go back to that time?
Even if you lie, at least be logical.”
“Then right here, I’ll report you to the Incheon Commercial Zone,
and I’ll give Iria instructions to hand over all the data to Manticoore.”
And if I choose the second option,
It seemed like it would greatly damage the relationship between me and Manticoore.
As much as possible, I begged not to choose that,
But maybe that body was about to rush towards Iria,
Or maybe towards me.
“Go ahead. Just once.
What do you think will happen?”
It’s going to get twisted like crazy.
Maybe even fall apart, not just twisted.
But at least you won’t be under its control.
“…Did you really hate me that much?”
I let out a deep sigh.
What have I been hearing all this time?
“I said it. There are parts I like.
It just doesn’t lead to the conclusion of loving you.
Why, do you want to cut ties completely?”
“…It’s really funny.
The two of you, pointing guns at me, asking if I really want it to end –
Seems like there’s only one possible outcome.”
Luckily, the fist loosened its grip.
Simultaneously, a hand, pushed to its limit, struck the thigh.
“…When will you come to the Manticores?”
“When your sprained wrist heals.”
If you touch it with your hand, it will surely tremble like your heart is pounding, burning, and hurting.
In the midst of the desperate need for painkillers, there was almost no room to refrain from biting down on it.
“Then I’ll wait.
As Taehyuk said – ‘like before,’ right.”
Forcing strength into a single word, the story was clearly like a vivid painting,
Certainly carrying the meaning of not giving up.
Holding the broken hand, the one who distanced slowly from me towards Ilia, said –
“On the topic of iron blocks.”
Uttering those words, he left.
The traces of water left behind, were they truly cooling water from his hands,
Or tears that were held back.
But there was no time to care about such things.
“Lord Taehyuk, I’ve confirmed the fracture.
We will proceed with treatment immediately.”
“…Please.”
The immediate concern was resolving the pain in his body.