Chapter 208: [DEEP SIGH]

The meeting ended faster than Eli expected.

Well—for him, at least.

Before things could spiral further, Midas unexpectedly adjourned the discussion on the SS-Class boss. The S-Class hunters were instructed to remain behind for separate reports regarding the dimensional tears.

Which meant—

Eli was dismissed.

Lawrence escorted him out personally, his quiet presence oddly comforting after hours spent under the sharp scrutiny of legends. As they walked, Lawrence informed him casually that Midas would be sending someone to retrieve the photograph Eli mentioned for official analysis.

Of course, Eli had agreed immediately.

What other choice did he have?

’It’s safer with the Association anyway… right?’

Now Eli stood outside the building, waiting for the same sleek black car that had brought him here. The afternoon air felt lighter without twenty-five S-Class pressure fields pressing down on him.

He absently stroked his wrist.

Wormy was curled beneath his sleeve, warm and restless, wriggling more than it had earlier—almost anxious.

Eli lowered his voice instinctively.

“We’re about to get home, Wormy,” he whispered, offering the serpent gentle reassurance as his thumb traced a calming line against its tiny body.

’It’s over for now. I can rest…and just relax.’

Wormy gave another faint squirm in response, but didn’t retreat.

Eli sighed quietly, leaning back against the pavement railing while watching the road.

For the first time since the meeting began, the tension in his chest started to loosen.

Just a little.

Eli leaned against the gold-tinted glass doors, letting their cool surface steady him as the world moved around him.

Distant traffic hummed beyond the gates. Staff members passed by in quiet efficiency. Normal sounds—normal movement—filling the space that his thoughts stubbornly refused to leave alone.

The meeting was over.

But his mind absolutely wasn’t.

It kept replaying that moment again and again—the exact second when Caelen had been speaking…

…then suddenly stopped.

Too sudden.

Too unnatural.

Caelen wasn’t someone who ever struggled to keep talking. If anything, stopping him usually took brute force or a miracle.

Yet that time, he cut himself off without warning.

Eli’s brow knit together.

’He was going to say something about Orion… I know he was.’

The memory sharpened in his mind.

And the timing—

Right when Caelen had looked directly at Midas.

And Midas had returned the stare—completely expressionless, showing neither surprise nor concern.

But still…

Something about the moment felt wrong.

Unsettling.

Eli let out a quiet sigh, heavier than he meant it to be.

’Whatever’s going on between those two… it’s not normal.’

Caelen didn’t strike him as someone who forgot his words mid-sentence. Not someone who faltered without reason.

That pause hadn’t felt like hesitation.

It had felt like—

Interruption.

And now, knowing that Caelen was Midas’ eldest son…

Everything felt even stranger.

Eli shook his head lightly, trying to untangle the mess of theories piling up in his mind with the pitifully small amount of information he actually had.

’Maybe I’m just overthinking it.’

He rubbed at his wrist absentmindedly as Wormy shifted beneath his sleeve, the tiny movement grounding him more than he realized.

“Maybe I should just—”

“A sigh so deep, one would think you’re carrying the weight of the world, sweetheart.”

Eli yelped.

Not a composed sound.

Not even a respectable one.

A full, startled squeak tore out of his throat as he jumped, shoulder smacking the railing while he spun around.

Heart instantly in his throat.

Standing just a few steps behind him—

Caelen.

’What the hell?’

Casually leaning against a pillar, arms folded across his chest, golden eyes glinting with unmistakable amusement—like this was the highlight of his day.

“C-Caelen—?!” Eli blurted. “W-What are you doing here? Isn’t the meeting still ongoing? Or did it end—no, there’s no way it ended that fast!”

Caelen shrugged, relaxed as if he’d just wandered out of a coffee shop instead of ditching an emergency S-Class briefing.

“Got bored,” he said easily. “Figured you’d be out here looking like a tragic noodle, so I followed.”

Eli stared at him, utterly incredulous.

“T-That’s— you can’t just leave a meeting like that!”

Caelen tilted his head slightly. “I absolutely can.”

The confidence in his tone was infuriating.

Almost regal.

And now Eli knew why.

Both he and Kairo were sons of Midas Ryu.

Which made them—at least unofficially—hunter royalty.

So Eli could only sigh harder.

“…You’re impossible.”

Caelen’s lips curved upward, clearly pleased. “I know. It’s part of the charm.”

Then his attention shifted toward the road.

Eli followed his gaze just in time to spot the familiar black Association car approaching from the distance.

Before Eli could react, Caelen pushed himself off the pillar.

“I’ll take you home.”

Eli blinked, taken completely off guard.

“H-Huh? No, the—”

“I insist.” Caelen slipped one hand into his pocket, his smirk returning full force. “No need to wait for the boring chauffeur squad. My ride’s faster.”

He glanced back at Eli.

“And way comfier too.”

Eli opened his mouth to refuse instinctively.

“No, I—”

Ding.

The words jammed in his throat.

That familiar, cursed sound.

The faint flicker of the glowing system window appeared at the edge of his vision like a taunt, impossibly well-timed.

[SYSTEM MISSION – ACTIVE]

Task Name: THERAPY TIME!!!

Objective: Choose between Target [CAELEN] or Target [KAIRO] and ask about their history as brothers.

Eli’s shoulders sagged as something between dread and resignation washed over him.

’…Of course.’

Of course it would trigger now.

This was the opportunity the system had been waiting for.

Alone time with Caelen.

No audience.

No Midas hovering nearby.

No full room of S-Class hunters making it impossible to breathe without scrutiny.

Just—

Mission terrain.

’So I don’t even have to choose now…’

The system already chose for him.

Eli swallowed hard, his pulse ticking up painfully fast in his ears.

’Okay. Right. Sure. I should be able to do this.’

The thought tightened something in his chest.

’And maybe… I can finally find out if he knows anything about Orion.’

Caelen had almost said something back in the meeting.

He knew it.

The sudden stop, the look toward Midas—it haunted Eli more than he wanted to admit.

’If he really remembers something… if he actually knows anything at all… this might be my only chance.’

…Except nothing was ever simple when it came to S-Class hunters.

Especially not one as unpredictable—and infuriatingly charming—as Caelen.

Eli dragged in a breath, steadying himself.

Then he lifted his gaze to meet Caelen’s golden eyes.

“…Okay.”

The word slipped out before Eli could overthink it.

Caelen froze.

Just for a heartbeat.

So brief it could have been missed—but Eli caught it.

“…Okay?” Caelen echoed slowly, brows lifting a fraction.

’Huh? Why does he look surprised that I said yes?’

Eli blinked, then nodded quickly, forcing composure back onto his face even as uncertainty buzzed under his skin.

“Y-Yeah. I mean—if you’re already offering… sure.”

Something shifted behind Caelen’s golden eyes.

Not quite surprise anymore.

Not annoyance either.

Something sharper.

Interested.

Then that familiar grin spread across his face, wider than before.

“Well damn,” he drawled. “You didn’t even pretend to hesitate. I’m flattered. But then again, I’ll never forget that little confession you made about being my fan.”

He took a deliberate step closer.

Eli didn’t move back—

But he felt the space shrink instantly.

Every inch Caelen covered seemed to tug at his nerves.

’Oh God no.’

Caelen leaned in, playful smirk firmly in place.

“So eager, sweetheart. At least try to pretend and play hard to get a little.”

Heat rushed into Eli’s face.

“T-That’s not—!”

Caelen chuckled, clearly enjoying himself far too much.

“Oh no, it’s adorable,” he said unapologetically. “Say yes within two seconds? I might start thinking you’re secretly thrilled to be alone with me for reasons other than fandom.”

Eli sputtered, mortified. “Y-You’re delusional!”

“Delusion comes free with the title,” Caelen replied smoothly.

Straightening, he stepped past and pulled open the glass exit doors with an easy flourish, holding one open as he gestured toward the way out.

“After you.”

Eli hesitated for half a heartbeat…

Then stepped out.

Cool air brushed against his face as the doors slid shut behind them.

Wormy tightened faintly around his wrist, that familiar, tiny coil of anxiety warming his skin beneath the fabric.

Okay.

’I can do this.’

Eli straightened subtly as he walked beside Caelen, trying to gather the scattered pieces of his resolve.

’All I have to do is get information out of him. That’s it.’

Endure the senseless flirtation.

It wasn’t like flirting was a hindrance to the mission.

Technically, that was the point.

The system had made sure of that.

Yet somehow, Eli had spent more time stumbling into absurd situations than actually doing anything even remotely romantic.

’There have been so many non-seduction tasks…’

The reminder didn’t help his nerves.

’And I’ve barely done anything that counts as flirting myself.’

Still…

Something about Caelen felt different right now.

’Isn’t he being more forward than usual?’

Eli stole a sideways glance.

Caelen walked with easy confidence, that satisfied, knowing smile still curved on his lips as if the world had decided to entertain him today.

When Caelen’s gaze flicked toward him—

Their eyes met.

Eli flinched instantly and looked away.

His pulse jumped traitorously fast.

’Why does it feel like he’s watching me more closely today… like he’s… curious?’

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