Chapter 53: Everything Follows Fate
Splash.
The bathtub mirrored the ambiance of the hotel room.
Airi, immersing herself in the cold water, submerged her head under the surface, lost in thought.
The chill penetrated deeply into every corner of her body.
She hoped it would cool the heat filling her head, but it only made the warmth more pronounced.
How how did I end up saying such a thing in front of Hyo-sung?
Indeed, no matter how much she tried to ignore reality, time kept moving forward.
Even if she had spoken without awareness, had she fled immediately after saying those words, she could have pretended it never happened.
Yet, by following him into this hotel, wasnt it as if she herself wished for it?
Did I really do something like that?
The events she had seen through her prophecies were becoming reality.
Just imagining it, she felt a shiver run through her body that was submerged under the water.
As if preparing for what was to come, as if the instincts of her femininity were awakening.
Wake up, Airi! No matter how bewildered, you cant lose yourself!
Trying to deny such thoughts, Airi got out of the bathtub to compose herself.
Feeling a sense of rebellion against her feelings, she actively left the bathroom, changed into light indoor clothes in the changing room, and came out to the living room.
At that moment, he, who had been out, returned.
Airi, I brought some drinks
Ah, Hyo-sung.
Airi, drying her hair with a towel, called his name.
She tried to hide her previous confusion by steadying her voice, but for some reason, she felt his gaze stiffen when he faced her.
Why are you like that?
Oh, no I bought some drinks. Would you like to join me?
Ah, yes. Alcohol
It wasnt uncommon to bring alcohol when spending time together.
However, Airi couldnt help but feel a considerable amount of wariness towards the bottle of alcohol he brought.
After all, according to the predetermined future without variables, an incident would occur after they would drink alcohol together.
Well, perhaps juice would be a better choice.
Indeed, under any circumstances, she shouldnt allow herself to lose her rationality to intoxication.
Ah, yes. You want juice?
Yes, Im not great with alcohol If you hand me the bottle, Ill switch it out for juice.
In that outfit?
Yes?
Hyo-sung asked, sounding alarmed.
At his words, Airi looked down at herself, puzzled.
It was merely a comfortable sleeveless outfit for indoors; what could possibly be wrong with it?
Oh, no, Ill go get it myself. I will.
Hyo-sung hastily left the area as if even glancing at her made him uncomfortable.
Afterward, Airi, left by herself, stared blankly at the spot he had looked at, then, abandoning her train of thought, slumped onto the bed.
Given that the vampires power still lingered, he was also in a state where he could not make normal judgments, so she was making an educated guess.
Certainly, hes not in his right mind, but he hasnt completely lost his reason either.
Although the vampires intentions were unclear, it couldnt be said that his reason was entirely gone, given the weak strength of that power.
At most, he was somewhat intoxicated, either by alcohol or drugs. Actions stemming from this state might be extreme and violent, but they likely originate from his own memories or instincts.
In other words, there was some provocation, but his request for such a relationship with her suggests that some of his genuine feelings were involved.
Hyo-sung thinks of me
The moment the sensation of a hand placed on her chest could be vividly felt through the thin fabric.
Really, from the first time he saw me, he looked at me in that way
The moment when the heat, once quelled by cold water, began to intensify again with a pounding heartbeat.
Feeling her hearts loud beats becoming clearer, Airi bowed her reddened face, sinking into her thoughts.
Its not that I dislike him.
There was no reason to dislike him.
Rather, in this chaotic world full of danger, the mere fact that he harbored no ill will towards her was reason enough to feel favorably.
His demeanor, deeply etched in her mind, never faded away; even thinking about him added to this ongoing turmoil within her.
But is this really okay?
Such reminiscence led to an unguarded affirmation that created this situation, yet it was still just before crossing the line.
If it could be changed, now was the only chance. The future could be changed, but the past couldnt.
Perhaps this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity should not be left to flow without proper resolve.
Airi, I brought the juice.
Ah, yes. Thank you.
Airi, having made her decision, received the bottle offered by him, who had come at that moment.
Afterward, the two, sitting side by side on the bed, focused on drinking their respective beverages for a while.
She had juice, and he had alcohol.
It seemed he had been drinking before meeting her, yet there was no disarray in his gaze.
Was his tolerance for alcohol as strong as his natural mental strength?
Uh, Airi
Yes, with such strong mental fortitude, he would soon regain his senses if he stopped drinking.
Just as she predicted, his voice, initially confident, began to harden, belying his earlier demeanor.
Somehow, weve ended up in this situation, but just to be sure, are you forcing yourself to agree with what I said earlier in the street?
Shh.
The guilt followed a belated realization.
She, closing the distance and silencing him with a finger, looked up at him from below and whispered softly.
Please be quiet for a moment. Ill explain everything to you.
Explain?
Yes, Ill explain why I accepted Mr. Hyo-sungs proposal.
Airi, repeating her statement, withdrew her hand from in front of him and quietly faced him.
She only wore a thin indoor garment.
In a situation where removing just one more layer would not be unusual, she looked at him with resolute, clear eyes.
Mr. Hyo-sung.
She called his name, one she could never forget.
To continue what might be described as a resolution formed during his brief absence.
I know a lot about you. You must have guessed that, right?
Yes, from our first meeting, you knew my name and everything about what I was doing
Just as you said, I possess the ability to read the past of those I meet. I cant learn about the previous world, but from the moment I met you, I have a rough understanding of what youve experienced since arriving in this world.
His name Woo Hyo-sung, and the fact that he found himself working as a foreign laborer upon arriving in this world.
And beyond that, the numerous instances he risked his life serving the heroes, surviving not merely by chance.
She felt her assessment of him growing increasingly higher.
Because she took his past to heart, constantly thinking of him and unable to forget.
I think you are an incredible person.
There was no deceit or pretense in her final assessment.
Her emotions deepened, her heart trembling just by being in his presence.
Oh, no. Im not that great
No, Mr. Hyo-sung, you are great. Unlike me, who is powerless without prophecy.
Consider it now.
The judgment of the Goddess of Destruction had been obscured by the variable created by a single transcendent, and she couldnt properly respond to the events that unfolded during this gap, leading to this situation.
Even now, barely maintaining her composure, she was unable to use the power of the Haven family.
She realized how powerless she was without the gift of prophecy, a situation unintentionally created by both of them.
So, when I saw the future tied to you
Lets acknowledge that feeling, at least.
Are are we connected?
Regardless of its form, the outcome might be one accompanied by my true feelings Ive thought about it occasionally.
She, expressing such sincere emotions in a steady tone, clutched the bedsheet tightly.
Its not just from one person to another, but feelings as a man and woman
Thump, thump.
The sound of her heart grew louder.
It wasnt just anxiety.
Seeing only the pure, unadulterated truth, she even felt anticipation at this moment.
Then, Airi also
But Im sorry, Mr. Hyo-sung.
For that reason, Airi felt guilt towards him.
Even though she was emotionally drawn, it was still too soon.
She couldnt shake the thought that it was too early to realize those feelings.
I should have responded more calmly, but to say this after things have come to this point
Is this a rejection?
Its not that I dislike you. Its just that I have a mission.
Yes. The original reason she came to this place was to prevent the destruction prophesied by her ancestors.
To achieve this, she wandered to find the one destined to save the world, casting fortunes for passersby while avoiding the guards eyes.
Even if the one before her was considered special among them, she, burdened with the mission of her familys revival, couldnt impulsively indulge in her desires.
So, just a little longer
If she were to act against her position, the future they would face would undoubtedly lead to mutual regret.
If, after forming a bond with him, she were to bond with another man in pursuit of her mission, it would be no different than betraying him, who had given her his heart.
Could you give me a little more time?
So, for now, she must take time and observe.
If she thought this relationship was premature at this moment, then that was the correct answer, and as she decided to step back, he, who had been silently listening, soon smiled bitterly and lowered his head.
I understand your feelings, Airi.
Mr. Hyo-sung.
If there are indeed circumstances, you would want to focus on that matter. Your coming to this room at my unreasonable request must also be a result of your considerable concern for me.
His feelings of emptiness and the disappointment evident in his voice.
It meant that he, too, was looking forward to what would come after, but like her, he was uneasy about not being able to naturally accept the situation.
So, he knew he must also tread carefully when handling this situation.
Then shall we pretend like what just happened didnt happen?
No, thats not possible.
Eh? What do you mean? Aaah!
Unexpectedly pushed, she fell onto the bed.
She tried to resist, but the thought of doing so against the shadow looming over her quickly faded.
After all, overcoming the strength of a man hardened by labor would be impossible for her, especially since she had lost her prophetic powers.
Hyo Mr. Hyo-sung, please calm down! Youre not this kind of person!
Thats impossible! Youve been openly seducing me, and now you ask me to wait! Who are you playing with?!
Seduction I didnt! I never had such thoughts!
If being in such thin clothes and lying vulnerably on the bed isnt seduction, then what is?
What? But wearing such attire is normal indoors!
Its provocative! It feels even more so because you have no self-awareness!!!
Eh, what?!
Despite being confronted with direct criticism, she couldnt have been aware of it.
As the successor of Haven and a fortune teller, she lived her life oblivious to how her true self appeared to others.
Having never brought a man into her room before, she was unaware of how her preference for comfortable indoor clothing might be perceived by others.
Please be self-aware. Airi, you are an attractive woman, and I am a man struggling with restraint.
In contrast, the man before her was clearly struggling with his desires.
No matter how strong his willpower, he found himself tested in such a provocatively created situation.
Even his patience, which had been enough to resist a vampires seduction, was at its limit, as the underlying truth that she did not reject him shattered the last barrier he had been holding onto at this moment.
I-I dont know about that.
So, no matter how sincere she was in speaking and relying on his character, it was inevitable that this situation would arise the moment they were alone in this room.
Even realizing this, Airi only turned her gaze away from him, as if escaping reality.
I dont know what to do when Im in the same room with a man for the first time like this
But its true that you dont dislike me, right?
Her voice abruptly stopped in response to the question following her mild resistance.
After holding her breath, she glanced at him and then quietly began moving her head towards him.
Haaaa, aaah.
The quiet breaths from both of their mouths mingled, intensifying the heat in the room.
As this warmth enveloped the effects of alcohol, making ones mind hazy, he eventually spoke with resolve in his voice.
Ill take responsibility.
It was a baseless statement.
A self-deprecating admission of his own weakness, merely a reckless utterance caught up in immediate desire.
Whatever responsibility you bear, Airi, whatever mission you have, I will share it with you.
But he wouldnt shy away from it, even if it was unbearable.
He knew what he was saying and was prepared to bear all the responsibilities that came with it.
Mr. Hyo-sung
So dont leave.
Because he had always let go.
Because he had always sent away those who gave him their hearts for being too much to handle.
Now, I dont want to let go of someone who is by my side.
Each time, the feeling of helplessness turned into a sting, leading to a desperate longing for opportunity.
No matter how short the time they met, regardless of what destiny lies ahead.
Ill think about it after seizing this opportunity that may never come again.
Oh, great ancestors.
But how could this be seen as a sin?
To criticize him for foolishly not reaching out while feeling desire, waiting for her answer, seemed unjust when she herself felt her heart pounding in this moment, arguably in a more disgraceful manner.
Though I bear a mission, it seems I am, after all, just a human being.
Indeed, she did not refuse.
The past that had already passed could not be changed, and the present was something that unfolded with such a past as its root.
They were too aware of their feelings for each other to simply give up due to the distance their mission demanded.
Airi?
Dont say anything, please.
He, prepared to live in such a world, would always crave human connection.
And she, unable to forget such a man, foresees a future where she must carry out a mission too burdensome to handle alone.
Im not so shameless as to say not to do anything after coming this far
Realizing this, she gradually loosened the grip that was wrapped around herself.
At the end of it, she exposed herself vulnerably and whispered,
So, dont say anything right now
Just Lets focus on following our destinies.
The future, which had terrified her until now, was becoming a reality through her own determination.
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