Chapter 46
Chapter 46. Oppa, Wait Right There
While some couples might find a fleeting weekly meet-up completely sufficient, Sia and I were never built that way.
Ever since fate granted us our miraculous second chance, our only desire was to remain glued to one another’s side continuously, never parting for a second.
Yet, as if destiny had a cruel sense of humor, our contrasting internal forces had chained us to a strict limit of barely three hours per week until very recently.
Now, however, the window of time we could share was about to expand.
“Seriously? How much more time do we get?”
I pressed Rokan, unable to hide the sheer thrill bubbling up in my voice.
If Sia were standing here right now, how would she have acted? She almost certainly would have thrown her arms around my neck, hopping with uncontainable joy and pouring out every drop of happiness in her heart.
Evidently amused by my wide-eyed reaction, Rokan offered a gentle grin.
“Somewhere between four and five hours each week should be manageable now. It is entirely thanks to your remarkable advancement. Well done.”
“Does Sia know yet?”
“Naturally, no. The change only revealed itself during our duel just now. I will need to conduct a thorough assessment before determining the precise duration.”
Hearing that, I pumped my hand into a tight fist of pure triumph.
To an outside observer, picking up merely sixty to one hundred twenty minutes might sound like a trivial detail, but for Sia and me, every passing minute was an invaluable treasure.
“Tomorrow happens to be our scheduled day to meet!”
“You look as though your chest will burst if you do not tell her this instant. Go ahead.”
Taking Rokan’s advice immediately, I grabbed my phone and dialed Sia.
[Yes, Oppa! I was literally on the verge of calling you before drifting off. We must share a mental connection.]
“I know, it really feels that way. Ah, Sia, I’ve got incredible news.”
[What is it? Tell me, tell me!]
Her tone instantly shifted into radiant cheer the second I mentioned good news.
Rather than diving straight into the main revelation, I set the mood by recounting our sparring session today and walking her through the insights Rokan had shared regarding the dungeon.
Once that narrative reached its conclusion, I finally broke the big news: our allowable time together had increased.
Moving forward, we could spend approximately four to five hours together weekly.
The very instant the words crossed my lips, an ecstatic shriek tore through the speaker with such raw force that it nearly ruptured my ear.
[Kyaaaaaaa! No way! That means we can stay together for way longer than three hours tomorrow, right? Isn’t that right?]
“That’s right. The exact number isn’t pinned down yet, but at the very least, we get an entire extra hour compared to before.”
[Kyaaaaaaa!]
Seeing Sia overflow with such joy warmed my entire soul, but considering the sheer volume was putting my physical hearing at risk, I prudently brought the volume setting down.
“So tomorrow, aside from that café we planned to check out, I think we should pick out another spot to visit.”
[Mhm! I’m going to brainstorm ideas too!]
“I’m still at Grandfather’s place, so I can’t stay on the line for long. Let’s talk again first thing in the morning.”
[Understood, Oppa. Make sure you dream of me!]
Throughout the whole exchange, Sia’s energy remained completely off the charts, utterly incapable of keeping her bliss inside.
What should we do with an extra hour or two?
I could sort out those details later. My immediate priority was finishing the regimen.
“I think my stamina has recovered enough. Let’s go again.”
“It would likely be wiser for you to rest a bit more.”
“I’ve got an important date tomorrow, so I need to finish early and get some shut-eye. I can’t show up looking exhausted in front of Sia.”
Rokan let out a hearty, booming laugh at my declaration.
“Ah, the vigor of youth. Truly magnificent.”
When the next day arrived—the day of our date—I found myself humming bright tunes while getting dressed and organized.
Fourteen full days had passed since we last laid eyes on each other, and with our extended meeting window, my heart was practically doing flips.
Close to the café we had targeted, I had located a renowned tteokbokki joint designed in the style of a retro neighborhood snack shop. I was utterly convinced Sia would fall in love with it.
Once we polished off the spicy rice cakes, we could wander over to the café, followed perhaps by a peaceful stroll through the adjoining park.
Or maybe dropping by a coin karaoke booth for the first time in ages wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Then again, given that Sia held the ability to teleport, we could potentially spend that extra pocket of time having an intimate, quiet date at her place or mine.
While my head was happily spinning through endless fun scenarios, my phone buzzed with an incoming KakaoTalk alert.
With our meetup time approaching rapidly, my immediate assumption was that Sia had sent a text, so I unlocked the screen.
The actual sender was Yuna noona.
[Minjun, what’re you up to?]
Seeing her name instantly jogged my memory—Ah, right.
It hadn’t been premeditated, but a series of circumstances during our previous encounter had resulted in me handing over my contact info to Yuna noona.
I hesitated over how to answer before deciding to simply leave the text marked unread.
Under standard circumstances, I never left people hanging regardless of who reached out, but today was an entirely different matter. It was the sort of complication that could easily put Sia in a foul mood.
Furthermore, I needed a quiet moment to consider how to navigate my dynamic with Yuna noona, so deferring my reply was the smarter course of action anyway.
I silenced her specific KakaoTalk alerts and finished buttoning up before stepping out.
With everything sorted, I made a direct line for our rendezvous spot.
Just as expected, Sia was already standing there waiting for me.
“Oppa!”
The second her gaze caught mine, she sprinted forward and threw her entire body straight into my embrace.
I gently rubbed her back, wrapping my arms around her with equal firmness.
“It’s been two whole weeks. Have you been doing all right?”
“Not at all. Far too much chaotic stuff went down during these past two weeks.”
She wasn’t exaggerating. It truly had been an overwhelming fortnight.
Claiming everything had been smooth sailing would be a total fabrication.
Even ignoring the other complications, Sia must have endured unbearable torment during the multiple days I spent unconscious.
“The second I heard you were trapped inside that gate, Oppa, I honestly thought my chest was going to stop beating.”
“I can picture it. You must have been terrified out of your mind. I’m so sorry. I caused you so much pain through that whole ordeal.”
“It’s not your fault. Besides, we get to be together so much longer than usual today.”
Earlier this morning, Rokan had clarified that our precise limit was now four and a half hours. Sia had evidently received the identical update from him right around that time.
Discovering out of nowhere that our window had expanded by half had already launched her mood into the stratosphere.
“Still, every second counts, so move your feet. We don’t have time to idle around here.”
Sia tugged at me with an adorable sense of urgency, pulling us into our first stop: the snack shop.
It was a modest, unassuming, retro bunsik spot, carrying the exact look and charm of an eatery situated beside a Korean elementary school.
However, the glossy framed signatures blanketing the walls and the dining room packed with patrons in their twenties and thirties rather than school children proved that this place had cemented its reputation through decades of exceptional taste.
After managing to claim an empty table and submit our choices, we immediately launched into eager conversation.
“Whoa, how on earth did you uncover this spot? You have incredible taste.”
“Once I locked down the café, I searched for top-tier dining spots nearby. The menu and retro vibe felt like a bullseye for what you enjoy, so I investigated further, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”
“Hehe, I can hardly wait. That’s my Oppa for you.”
Wearing a look of pure bliss, Sia gently shut her eyes, savoring the mouth-watering, spicy aroma of simmering rice cakes that hung thick in the air.
Seeing her look so utterly precious triggered a sudden urge to tease her.
While her eyelids remained shut, I leaned across the small space and planted a swift, stealthy kiss right on her lips.
The instant our mouths connected, Sia’s eyes snapped wide, and a soft blush gradually washed over her cheeks.
“Honestly, Oppa. There are people around.”
“We’re tucked into a corner, so nobody’s paying attention.”
She squirmed with bashful charm, though it was blatantly obvious that my sudden affection had made her secretly thrilled.
While we carried on whispering sweet, playful comments back and forth, our feast was served: tteokbokki, blood sausage, skewers of fish cake, and rolled gimbap.
“Dig in, Sia.”
“You too, Oppa!”
Our delightful feast officially commenced, and the label of someone completely enamored with tteokbokki fit Sia flawlessly. She carried a glowing smile through every single mouthful.
Witnessing that pure, radiant joy, I finally grasped why folks claimed you could feel completely satisfied just watching someone you cherish enjoy their meal.
“How does it taste, Sia?”
“Oppa, you hit the absolute jackpot with this place! You know how modern style differs so much from the classic school-front style? It’s nearly impossible to track down spots delivering the true vintage flavor these days, yet this nails that exact nostalgic taste. And it’s genuinely out of this world!”
Clearly moved to the core by the flavor profile, Sia broke down every seasoning note with the breathless passion of a professional food creator.
And precisely as I had predicted, she flagged down the staff to add another plate of spicy rice cakes.
“I might actually have to take an order or two home with me when we head out.”
‘She is completely hooked.’
At this pace, skipping the café altogether just to linger here wouldn’t be the worst alternative.
Once we had cleared away the majority of the spread, Sia tilted her head and asked, “Oppa, have you settled on what we should do after the coffee run?”
“I’ve got a couple of concepts floating around. How about you? Any ideas come to mind?”
“I’m completely content doing whatever so long as you’re beside me, though I did ponder a few activities—”
Before the remainder of her sentence could leave her mouth, a deafening tremor violently rattled the structure.
Rrrrrrrumble!
“Kyaaa!”
“W-What was that?!”
“Is it an earthquake?”
“No, this isn’t an earthquake—”
The regular civilians were incapable of identifying the origin of the violent shaking, but with my hunter instincts, the truth was instantly apparent.
Sensing the erratic, turbulent surge of energy rippling through the surroundings, the reality was beyond doubt—
“A gate break!”
Sia and I barked the phrase simultaneously in unison.
A gate break represented the catastrophic failure that transpired when an anomaly wasn’t suppressed prior to its countdown expiring, though on exceptional occasions, one could materialize directly in thin air without any preliminary indications.
Matters had remained peaceful lately, so why did a calamity like this have to strike at this exact hour?
Even worse, judging from the sheer density and erratic movement of the mana circulating through the atmosphere, the breach occurring nearby belonged to an exceptionally lethal tier.
A high-tier gate rupture directly in the heart of Seoul.
The resulting toll on human life would inevitably be catastrophic.
A cold prickle of fear washed over me, yet faced with an emergency of this scale, protocol dictated that I act—
‘Wait.’
Amidst the swirling storm in my mind, my eyes locked onto Sia.
Her expression displayed zero signs of fear; instead, she looked intensely irritated. It wasn’t dread etched into her features, but absolute, boiling vexation.
It was easy to occasionally overlook, but Sia was an authentic dragon.
Even apex SSS-rank hunters standing at the pinnacle of humanity were utterly incapable of challenging her might. Her strength surpassed continental classifications; it was absolute, cataclysmic, world-altering power.
Her brow knitted in fierce annoyance as she spat out words just loud enough for my ears.
“How dare these repulsive lizard runts dare ruin my date with Oppa the very moment we finally get time together?”
‘Lizards? Does she mean lizardmen?’
No, the magical pressure weighing down on the air was vastly more oppressive than that.
“Oppa. Do not move an inch and wait right here.”
Leaving those words behind, Sia slipped silently through the door while the interior descended into total hysteria.
She was clearly stepping out to personally obliterate the gate rupture that had dared to appear.
Every instinct screamed for me to dash out behind her, yet basic logic held me in place.
Rushing after her would only turn me into an inconvenient burden.
Therefore, my duty was to handle the variables directly before me.
“Everyone, listen! This is an active gate break!”
I projected my voice across the entire dining area while flashing my hunter credential to confirm my status.
“A-A gate break?!”
“Aaaah! What are we supposed to do?!”
The declaration instantly ignited full-blown panic. A few patrons slumped weakly to the floor from sheer terror, while several others lost consciousness entirely.
“Under the current circumstances, staying inside this structure is our safest option. I will monitor the perimeter. If the situation drags out, we will initiate an orderly evacuation toward an emergency bunker.”
Considering Sia had taken the field, I seriously doubted the incident would endure for long, but maintaining standard emergency procedures was mandatory.
I instructed the terrified civilians to tuck themselves into the corners and brace for impact. Meanwhile, I took up a vantage point near the entrance, ready to coordinate a retreat or stand as a buffer if hostiles approached our perimeter.
‘Though whether I could genuinely hold them off is another question entirely.’
Evaluating the raw atmospheric mana, the approaching entities were clearly of a caliber that would push me far beyond my limits in direct combat.
Having steadied the terrified group as much as possible, I carefully peered outside to inspect the beasts pouring from the torn spatial rift.
The distance prevented me from making out minute features, yet their silhouettes and sheer scale left zero room for uncertainty—
‘Wyverns.’
Confirming whether they were A-rank Mini Wyverns or authentic S-rank Wyverns required closer proximity, but one reality was crystal clear: a swarm of that magnitude possessed the sheer firepower to reduce this entire district to smoldering ash in mere seconds.
Assuming Sia wasn’t standing in their path, of course.
Since she hadn’t shed her human guise into an easily identifiable draconic form, I swiftly retrieved a pair of hunter-grade binoculars from my spatial storage and scanned the skyline.
To preserve her secrecy among the general public, Sia had assumed the stunning, crimson-haired divine form she wore during our initial reunion.
Radiating an aura of absolute, murderous fury over the disruption of our precious moments together, Sia began unmercifully bombarding the wyverns with a relentless rain of blazing Meteors born of pure wrath.
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