That Face Is the Problem - Chapter 14.2
Jae-gyeong had initially spoken loudly but ended up trailing off in a smaller voice. He had been directly interrogated by Da-sol yesterday about being gay, and now trying to defend himself felt slightly embarrassing.
Moreover, the part of his arm that Da-sol was holding felt like it was on fire. Jae-gyeong could not understand why only the spot where Da-sol’s hand touched was burning, even though it did not seem like he was using a skill.
Flustered, Jae-gyeong pulled his arm back and stammered further.
“And Oh Sang-min‑ssi was just being friendly, there was nothing… weird… nothing like you’re worrying about…! It’s fine….”
“…Ah, really? Then go ahead.”
Da-sol released Jae-gyeong’s arm, hiding his irritation but speaking indifferently. It seemed he had lost interest in Jae-gyeong.
‘Did I do something wrong…? That must be it. Whatever it was, I really messed up…’
Jae-gyeong grimaced and rubbed the arm that Da-sol had been holding. Da-sol, who was about to enter Training Room 2, paused when he saw Jae-gyeong.
“Are you really going to act like it hurts just because you got grabbed? Are you faking to get my attention?”
“Wha‑what?! N-no, absolutely not…! It’s not like that, I’m not faking pain, it just feels a bit hot… I mean, your grip is really strong…! I have cold hands and feet… so I’m sensitive to heat…!”
The longer he spoke, the more Jae-gyeong felt like he wanted to hide in an S-rank gate.
‘Why am I such a mess? Why can’t I act mature, cool, and calm?’
Even though he had no particular feelings for Da-sol, he was Da-in’s younger brother. And he looked exactly like Da-in.
Did he not confess to avoid putting Da-in in an awkward position? Jae-gyeong laughed bitterly at himself. It was a ridiculous, self-deceptive excuse.
He simply had no courage. He had no courage to become the kind of man Da-in could love. He could not confidently give a stylish or impressive confession. He could only see the future clearly in front of him.
‘Da-in‑ssi… I l‑like you…! I’ve liked you since three years ago…. Ah! I am Jeong Jae-gyeong, a Paladin Class tank-type hunter…. As you know….’
He knew that he would stammer and babble horribly like this. Da-in, who had always seen him as polite and quiet, would have been completely fed up with him. This might have been the worst confession she had ever received.
Unconsciously, Jae-gyeong was aware of just how pathetic he was. On the outside, he seemed normal like anyone else, but on the inside he was lacking, pathetic, timid, and small-minded.
The ideal boyfriend, a hunter who matched public perception and ranking, a man as mature as his age. All of that was far from Jae-gyeong.
At twenty-seven, he had thought he would have life figured out, able to handle his own share of responsibilities. Yet he still felt like a shy, timid little boy.
He resented getting older, growing taller, awakening, and accumulating all these labels that were supposed to explain him. Sometimes he just wanted to lock himself in a room and disappear.
In fact, there was no great reason he disliked the hunter ranking system. Jae-gyeong disliked being in the top ranks. Compared to the other members of Training Guild 1, his rank was lower (13th), but even that felt burdensome.
He could understand why Da-sol would misinterpret things and act aggressively.
Jae-gyeong was not eloquent. His self-esteem and self-love were low. He could not defend himself clearly, always putting others’ feelings above his own. It was something he could not help, having lived his whole life like that—constantly reading the room, watching others, silently turning over thoughts in his mind.
“Sigh… I’m sorry…. You probably don’t even want to talk to me… I’ll go now. You don’t need to worry about me….”
As Da-sol had said, a big clumsy man like him crying at the drop of a hat was exactly that. Tears were Jae-gyeong’s biggest complex. They came not because he wanted to cry, but because they came on their own, making them impossible to hold back. Five years old, eighteen years old, twenty-seven now, it was always the same.
He hurriedly turned and ran to avoid showing himself crying. He did not enter Training Room 3. He did not want to face Sang-min either. Right now, he did not want to speak to anyone.
Then it happened.
“[Spray].”
Da-sol uttered the terrifying name of a skill. Reflexively, Jae-gyeong’s body reacted as he activated the ‘Shield of God’ skill. A massive shield appeared, blocking the path ahead.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
