Necromancer Survival

ise, the man I had so desperately wanted to avoid looked down at me.

     Light brown, drooping eyes and a subtle yet friendly smile….I still quickly escaped his arms and screamed, “W-What is it?!”

     Wow, this jerk, did he really use his skills to block my way just now?

     “I’m so sorry.
I called to you, but it seems like you didn’t hear me…” Bae Jaemin looked straight at me.
Only his words seemed apologetic, his vocal inflection was quite soulless.

     Though his gaze was half as potent, the one eye not blocked by the eyepatch had such intimidating spirit that I lowered my head subconsciously.
Bae Jaemin took as many steps towards me as I had retreated and said, “Well, this might sound a bit strange, but…”

     He paused.

     I stepped backwards, moving in instinctive fear; Seo Dawon caught me by the shoulders, however, and I gradually regained some courage at his firm touch.
Stopping the retreat, I looked up at Bae Jaemin with little confidence

     I think Bae Jaemin was staring at me the entire time.
I regretted looking directly into his eyes once again, as I froze, unable to do this or that–caught between a rock and a hard place.

   Seo Dawon’s steady presence behind me helped to put a bit of my anxiety to sleep; he, alone, was the sole presence that eased my heart and helped me regain some of my former complexion.

     Bae Jaemin still persistently observed my face and finally spat out his business, “By any chance…haven’t we seen each other somewhere?”

     “What? No?”

     “Really? But why do you look so familiar?”

     Don’t tell me…did he recognize me?

     Bae Jaemin definitely shone his lantern on me for a very brief moment back in the Tower of Command.
No matter how hard I think, besides that, Bae Jaemin and I have never crossed paths before.

     So, the issue is whether or not he grabbed onto me while fully recognizing my face, knowing the circumstances of our meeting, or whether he grabbed me on some vague whim.

     So, I decided to detach myself from this situation at all costs.
“I’m sorry, but I really don’t have time to be talking to you like this….I sincerely think you have the wrong person.
After all, I’ve only ever seen you on TV.”

     Then, I took a sneaky glance at my surroundings.

     Bae Jaemin was conscious of my gaze, even though he didn’t tear his eyes away from mine.
I had hoped he would realize how many people gathered around us.

     As expected, he became conscious of the surrounding gossipers.
The people wondered why Bae Jaemin was confronting someone so plebeian, whispering ‘What’s going on?’ among themselves.

     If in this situation he continues to act in such a forceful manner, then I could be sure he would have some reasonable suspicion about our encounter in the Tower of Command.
And, if he were to retreat, I was sure to escape this momentary crisis.
Even if he were to suspect me, there was no evidence to prove his suspicions, and I calculated that he wouldn’t break character in public.

     However, he reacted in a completely different manner compared to my expectations….

     “Then, can we exchange numbers?”

     “…..What?”

     “Right now…It’s obvious that you’re busy and we’re surrounded by so many curious eyes.
I can’t possibly hold you here….but if you were to grant me around one hour of your time…?”

     Why does he sound so cheesy….?

     For those that didn’t know the situation, It would seem as if Bae Jaemin…To me….Ah, forget it.
It would be so nauseating to finish that train of thought.

     And of course, without knowing his true intentions, I tried to end things in a single stroke, “Well, I’m not sure why I should agree to this…”

     As soon as he noticed the negative nuance in my words, Bae Jaemin exclaimed, “Seeing how reluctant you are…As expected, you know me from before, don’t you?”

     Ah…Damn it….

     How funny.
If I tell him to piss off, that’s a sign that we knew each other in the past? It’s not as if  he’s entirely wrong either….

     As I contemplated how best to reject him, some people passed by with confident strides and approached Bae Jaemin.

     “All of a sudden, using your warp to rush past us….What are you doing, huh?”

     “Who is he? Do you two know each other?”

     “…..Oh my?” One of the people in the approaching group was the tattooed woman who came to my house yesterday to buy a Barnasium.
Her eyes widened as she saw me.

     Bae Jaemin noticed her reaction, pointed at me, and asked, “Do you know him?”

     I wanted to stop her from responding, but she answered in a chic manner, “He was the one who mass sold a bunch of Barnasiums yesterday.”

     Bae Jaemin simply crooned a thoughtful exclamation.

     In total, four pairs of eyes looked at me with interest.

TL: Have two more chapters~ I have a bit stockpiled now.
Is Bae Jaemin hitting on him? or does he want to kill him? Jury’s out on this one.