"Wow…"
Kwon Jihan, who stood upright on a rugged rock that most people would be trembling on, looked around in awe.
"I used to wonder why you went hiking, but now that I'm up here, it feels great. It's like my chest is completely opened up."
After meeting early in the morning and chatting about this and that while climbing, they finally reached the summit of Garirang Mountain three hours later.
The view before them was truly picturesque. The weather was perfect today, with a bright blue sky and just enough white clouds to not obstruct the view. Sheer cliffs, waves of green forest, and distant peaks surrounded by a sea of clouds. Even for Yoon Seo, who had climbed many mountains, the scenery of Garirang Mountain was an exceptional sight.
"Have hikers been seeing views like this all along?"
"Not exactly… Ordinary hikers can't get up here."
"Why not?"
"What do you mean 'why'? Are you kidding me?"
Yoon Seo looked down the path they had climbed in disbelief.
It was a cliff. It was a route meant for rock climbers with full gear, but they had ascended it with nothing but their hands and feet. In fact, Yoon Seo had used his telekinesis for just a brief moment, a mere instant, but Kwon Jihan showed no signs of using any skills at all. He had climbed purely with physical strength.
"If this view is so rare, I should take a picture. Let's take one together, to commemorate our first hike."
Kwon Jihan pulled Yoon Seo closer by the shoulder. Yoon Seo froze the moment he felt the large, strong hand touch him, moving into position as Kwon Jihan guided him. Kwon Jihan leaned close to Yoon Seo's face and took dozens of selfies with the sea of clouds in the background. After checking the pictures, Kwon Jihan smiled.
"No matter how I take it, you always look amazing, Hyung."
That was exactly what Yoon Seo wanted to say to Kwon Jihan.
"I'm going to join you for all your future hikes. I'll even make a hiking photo album later."
"This is my last mountain."
"…"
"Oh, wait. Maybe Hallasan is left."
Yoon Seo gazed at the distant peaks capped with clouds.
Kwon Jihan stood silent for a moment, then stood next to Yoon Seo, pretending to look where he was looking but instead watching him.
"Once you've been to Hallasan, you've climbed all the mountains in Korea? Well, there's always the mountains abroad."
"I haven't climbed all the mountains here. But after Hallasan, I don't plan to hike anymore."
"Why?"
"I'm tired of it. If Hunter Kwon Jihan wants to go, I can recommend some. Personally, I enjoyed Jirisan and Geumgangsan."
After the Great Cataclysm, North Korea collapsed and the two Koreas were forcibly unified, allowing free access to Geumgangsan.
"I recommend going to Geumgangsan in the summer and Jirisan in the winter. Have you been there?"
"No, I haven't. The only mountains I've hiked are the local hills and a few dungeon mountains."
"Then you must visit Jirisan, especially in the winter. The view from the summit is beautiful, and the path leading there is magnificent. Everywhere you look, snow piles up, creating a beauty beyond description."
"So, how many times have you been to this 'magnificent and beautiful' Jirisan?"
"…"
"Hmm?"
"…Once."
Yoon Seo answered in a small voice, only loud enough for an S-rank to hear. Kwon Jihan stopped pretending to look elsewhere and openly stared at Yoon Seo.
"You call it magnificent and beautiful, but you only went once?"
"Once is better than never. Now, stand over there. I'll take a solo picture of you for your album."
Kwon Jihan didn't move. His gray irises darkened as if he had become absorbed in the topic.
"What mountains have you climbed?"
"What's it to you? Just strike a pose already."
"I don't want to take a picture. A solo photo has no meaning. Just tell me which mountains you've climbed. Places like Namsan or Gwanaksan?"
"I haven't been to those."
"Where have you gone? It's not a difficult question, so why are you hiding it? That's suspicious."
Yoon Seo sighed.
"I don't know why you're so curious, but since it's not a hard question, I'll tell you. Baekdusan, Jirisan, Seoraksan, Geumgangsan, Deogyusan, Gyebangsan, Taebaeksan, Odaesan. And today, Garirangsan makes nine."
"Hiking Hallasan would make it ten. Why stop at just ten mountains?"
"I hope Hunter Kwon Jihan climbs over a hundred. You should conquer all the mountains in Korea and publish the 'Kwon Jihan Climbing Essays.' When it's released, I'll buy 100 copies. Actually, even if it's not a mountain essay, have you thought about writing something else? Most S-rank Hunters have at least one essay. You've had a tough life since you were young, so you must have plenty of stories to tell."
"There you go again, changing the subject to me when you don't even care."
Yoon Seo felt wronged. He truly was interested in Kwon Jihan's essay. If he could, he would even invest in it.
"What do you know about whether I'm changing the subject or genuinely curious…?"
"No way… You don't actually care about me, do you?"
"..."
"Uh…?"
Kwon Jihan blinked. Yoon Seo, suddenly feeling awkward, tried to quickly change the subject for real this time.
"What should we eat for lunch? Mountain vegetable bibimbap? Samgyetang? Or maybe both?"
"..."
Ignored, Yoon Seo turned his back. He was just thinking they should order acorn jelly, pajeon, mountain vegetable bibimbap, and samgyetang all at once when he took a step towards the sheer cliff edge.
A cold voice spoke from behind him.
"Which of the Revengers had a hobby for hiking?"
"..."
Yoon Seo's body stiffened. He was too scared to even look back at Kwon Jihan. It seemed Kwon wasn't expecting an answer, as he continued speaking.
"Hyung, about Hunter Linda Daisy."
"..."
"Her will wasn't exactly about knitting more, was it?"
"..."
"It was something like knitting a hundred sweaters, right?"
His tone made it sound like he was asking about the most trivial thing in the world, but his voice was low and cold.
Yoon Seo's heart sank.
And at the same time, he thought:
'It's over.'
Both questions were ones he could have easily answered in a casual manner.
Yes, that's right. She left a will asking me to knit 100 sweaters, so I knitted 100.
It would have been fine if he had just answered naturally like that, but he was too shocked to react and froze. Since his back was turned, at least his expression wasn't visible, but his heartbeat was something he couldn't hide from an S-rank Hunter. Kwon Jihan could probably hear his heart pounding loudly in his chest.
Now that it was obvious he'd been caught off guard, it was too embarrassing to admit the truth.
Damn it.
Yoon Seo swallowed a curse and turned around.
Kwon Jihan had a smile on his face, but it seemed cold somehow. He looked angry.
Yoon Seo spoke, his expression blank.
"I don't know why you're asking that, but if you want an answer, yes, it's true. She really loved knitting… If she were still alive, she'd probably still be knitting hats and bags right now."
Yoon Seo purposely put on a wistful look while saying the last sentence, hoping to create a solemn atmosphere. But Kwon Jihan didn't fall for it.
"Then who was it that left you a will to climb ten mountains?"
"…What do you mean by that?"
"You know exactly what I mean. Knitting, hiking, fishing, baking. They were all wills, weren't they? Isn't that right?"
Yoon Seo's lips twitched. He wanted to answer naturally, but his heart was pounding so loudly it made it difficult.
"I think you're misunderstanding something. It wasn't really because of the wills. I just picked up these hobbies under the influence of the Revengers. I explained this all yesterday."
"Oh, really? Have you baked anything other than chocolate crack cookies?"
"I have. Vanilla cookies, croissants, tarts…."
"You're lying."
Yoon Seo blinked in confusion. Kwon Jihan pointed at his own eyes.
"Your eyes told me you're lying. I don't even need to listen to your heartbeat. Our Hyung is terrible at lying."
Kwon Jihan stepped closer. Yoon Seo's pupils trembled. He glanced at Kwon Jihan, then at the bright blue sky, then down at the cliff, and back at Kwon Jihan again. Despite being in an open space, Yoon Seo felt as though he were trapped in a small, confined room with just the two of them. For some reason, he felt the urge to run away.
As Kwon Jihan came closer, he smiled reassuringly and lightly tapped the corner of Yoon Seo's eye with his finger.
"Let's go down. You need to eat first before we start."
…Start?
Start what?
Yoon Seo suddenly had the urge to skip the meal altogether.