RFH Chapter 16

Episode 16

There was barely a hint of romance, and that was probably a good thing… Min Hyemi looked at Han Ian with a somewhat dazed expression.

"I heard you were kidnapped. You should be resting more, but you’re already back to work."

"Well, I wasn't really injured. By the way, I heard you tracked the artifact for me, thank you."

"It was nothing."

The conversation seemed to be wrapping up, but as she looked at him, a question suddenly arose from deep within her throat.

"In that world... were you happy?"

"Sorry?"

"Was your romance fantasy world a good place for you?"

At those words, Han Ian slowly blinked his eyes, then smiled gently with a kind expression.

"Yes, although my love wasn't fulfilled, I have no regrets. The time I spent loving her is something I hold very dear."

"........"

"I was happy to be able to create memories with her in that world. That’s enough for me."

"I see..."

Strangely, Han Ian seemed to lack awareness of the situation, as he continued to ask more questions.

"Were you happy in the romance fantasy world, Hyemi? A world full of love, adventure, growth, and friendship."

"Ah, love..."

Hearing that word, Min Hyemi couldn't help but let out a strange smile.

Yes, she was, after all, the protagonist of a 'romance fantasy' world.

But her version of the romance fantasy world would likely have had reviews like this.

- Author, it's a romance fantasy, but there’s no romance; how is this love?

- Feels more like a male-oriented novel, lol.

- The author's ethics are questionable.

‘Indeed, there was no love, adventure, growth, or friendship to be found.’

Why didn’t Han Ian think her romance fantasy world was a hell? Was it a difference in the experiences they each had?

"Same place can be a completely different space for two people, you know."

"Sorry?"

"To you, the romance fantasy world may have been a place overflowing with love, but to me, it might have been a place where not even a handful of love was allowed."

Han Ian, who must have thought of her as the ‘romance fantasy heroine,’ wore a confused expression, but Min Hyemi didn't bother to explain.

"I just wanted to say don’t look at the world from your perspective. That’s all."

Though she could feel Han Ian's gaze lingering on her back, Min Hyemi walked toward the Probationary Team 1 office.

She really didn’t want to get involved with people like him.

***

"What’s going on?"

Han Ian snapped back to his senses when he felt a heavy hand placed on his shoulder.

It was Kang Jinhyuk, with his rough, large hands, giving him a stern look.

Seeing that Han Ian’s gaze was fixed on a woman, Kang Jinhyuk gave a crooked smile.

"What’s this, could it be?"

"No, you know there's only her for me."

"Well, I know your feelings. So, what’s the deal?"

Han Ian didn’t respond, but Kang Jinhyuk seemed to have realized something.

"Ah, that woman who was kidnapped recently? That’s why you’re so concerned?"

"...Not exactly."

"You’re always so kind to everyone."

"You’re saying things that make me uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable?"

"We’re both returnees from similar worlds... but I meant that the place might have had a different meaning for you."

"Hmm."

Kang Jinhyuk paused for a moment, tilting his head in thought.

He recalled the first time he had seen Min Hyemi.

He had entered the dungeon alone and discovered her.

She was crouched in a corner, staring blankly into space.

At first, he thought she might have been someone caught in a dimensional rift, but upon closer inspection, her clothes looked foreign. She was wearing attire clearly different from modern-day South Korea’s.

‘More than that, the scent.’

A strange, otherworldly scent typical of someone from a different world.

At that moment, he instantly realized she was a returnee.

Kang Jinhyuk quickly closed the dungeon and took her outside. All the while, she remained with an empty, vacant stare.

Fortunately, the woman he met again had lively eyes, but...

‘So she’s not just a romance fantasy heroine, huh?’

At that time, he had thought her behavior was just a side effect of traveling between worlds, but after hearing Han Ian, he began to think that perhaps she hadn’t experienced the same things as him in her fantasy world.

Thinking back to the returnee from the apocalypse world who had created a ‘harem’ all on his own, it made him wonder if Min Hyemi, unlike Han Ian, had a different experience in her romance fantasy world.

‘Well, it’s not something I should care about.’

She was undeniably beautiful and charming, but Kang Jinhyuk wasn’t particularly interested in women, and there was no reason for him to continue being fascinated by Min Hyemi.

‘Foolish guys like Han Ian and Seon Jejun are getting all worked up just because she was kidnapped by Exodus.’

He dismissed any further thoughts about her and grabbed Han Ian’s collar.

"Come on, let’s go. The team leader is calling for you."

"Alright..."

***

"Phew..."

The last few days had been peaceful.

Min Hyemi continued her normal routine of commuting to work, and during this time, no accidents had disrupted her life.

Though she hadn’t figured out who the 'Savior' was yet, after everything she had gone through recently, she felt it was okay to take things a bit slower.

As Min Hyemi relaxed in the bath, contemplating this, her phone, which she had left next to her, began to ring.

When she checked, the call was from an unknown number.

‘Who could it be?’

With a neutral expression, Min Hyemi answered the call.

"Hello?"

- Long time no see.

Upon hearing the voice, she froze in shock.

Because this voice was unmistakably...

"Yoo Seongtae?"

It was Yoo Seongtae, the S-Class awakened who had kidnapped her for Exodus.

"How did you...?"

- I had no trouble getting your number.