Bom lowered her head and looked at her grass-coloured hair that came all the way down to her chest.
She was a green dragon. That was why her hair and her eyes were green.
A black dragon.
They had been exiled out of Askalifa a long time ago so she had yet to meet them, but their eyes and hair would naturally follow the colour of their race once polymorphed.
Black hair… the person that would share love with Yu Jitae in a distant future after Bom. That person was the reason why Bom, who had been living a fine and happy life by herself, was pushed to the brink of anxiety from time to time.
What was certain was that the person was a female, and that she had the form of a human female.
That was why Bom waited for Yu Jitae’s reply. He had always been a slow speaker and his response came after roughly 2 seconds, but for Bom, those 2 seconds felt like minutes.
Bom waited while biting her nails.
Why was there such a destined future?
For what? Why would Yu Jitae leave her despite sharing love with her?
What do I not have that he will throw me away like that? What does that black-hair have instead, that she gets to be with Yu Jitae?
Her head was slowly starting to turn blank when Yu Jitae gave his reply.
– Why are you asking that?
***
Yu Jitae did not know of Bom’s ‘Providence of the Black Hair’.
The said Providence wasn’t something Yu Jitae was supposed to know of, and even the other dragon races could never interfere with the Providence upon hearing it from the green race. This was due to the authority, [Protection of the Providence] that resided in the Origin Fragment, and was why even the chattery Yeorum was keeping it a secret.
However, there was one thing he knew and it was that Bom was sensitive about his relationships with females.
“Why are you asking that?”
Yu Jitae was still teaching Yeorum. Soon, Bom’s composed voice was transmitted over the watch.
– Ah, please don’t misunderstand. I was just curious…
“Well. I never assigned any meaning to its gender.”
– Yes, yes. It’s just… you know? It’s the first time a dragon came here apart from us. That’s why I became curious.
– …Or, is there something you are hiding?
Yu Jitae realised that this topic was on top of a fine line.
There was no reason to hide it because he was doing what was necessary and was not betraying the kids in any way.
Even then, he was still reluctant to answer her question.
Why?
…It’s because it indeed was a female.
However, hiding the truth just because it was a female also seemed strange. There was nothing he needed to hide nor was there any reason to.
“By the way, where did you hear that from?”
– Sorry?
“The fact that I’m going to the underground isolation rooms and that there’s a black dragon in there.”
– You’re the one that mentioned the black dragon, oppa.
“What about the question before that? About the isolation rooms.”
– I’ve heard stories here and there while supporting people as a soothsayer.
The tone and pace of her response was very composed – even more so than her previous one. But that instead suggested that she was consciously making herself seem composed, and meant that she was in a difficult spot.
“Bom.”
– Yes.
“Alright, fine.”
Yu Jitae pretended to forgive her to shift the topic away from her question.
On the other hand, Yeorum walked towards him while wiping the sweat with a towel. Blinking her red eyes, she expressed her curiosity about the content of his talk with Bom.
“A black dragon? You mean the one that came out before right?”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“You did mention it was still alive, but it’s locked in the Association, huh. Is it inside that isolation room or whatever?”
Yu Jitae didn’t reply, and simply wondered why she was so curious about it.
“But what was the talk about its gender and stuff?”
“Who knows. Stop asking a bunch of useless stuff and go change. Let’s go back.”
“Yah.”
But on the way back to Unit 301, Yeorum had to suppress her heart from making a loud thump.
Yu Jitae might have no idea what a ‘black hair’ meant but…
Yeorum knew what it meant.
‘Holy fuck. Don’t tell me…”
***
After a few hours, when Yu Jitae left with Kaeul and Gyeoul to the park,
Yeorum knocked on Bom’s door as if she would break it open.
“Oi!”
“Oh, hi. You’re back.”
Why was her voice so calm? Thinking that, Yeorum stopped on the spot. Bom was sitting in front of the desk, writing something down on a note with the usual indifferent expression as if there was nothing she was concerned about.
Yeorum closed the door and slowly walked into the room. The room was filled with the fragrant scent of nature but it did not stabilise her mood at all.
“Can you at least knock on the door before opening it…”
“Oi oi, Bom-unni! That’s not the important thing is it?”
“Nn?”
“Huh? Wait, fuck. Are you okay? I heard what you two were talking about on the phone.”
“Ahh. I didn’t interfere with your training did I? It should have been near the end though.”
“How do you feel? Are you good?”
“Nn. Well… why wouldn’t I be fine?”
“No no no. You are not fine right now, are you? He said it was a black dragon. It’s still alive there. And what was its gender?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you know; didn’t you ask?”
“Ahjussi changed the topic…”
“Oh fuck. Don’t tell me it’s actually a female?”
“No way, right…?”
Bom was still composed even though she should have had a panic attack 37 times at least. Seeing such an incomprehensible reaction out of her made Yeorum even more frustrated.
“Let’s go and ask Yu Jitae.”
“No. It’s okay.”
“I’m gonna go ask him even if you don’t.”
“No, Yeorum. Don’t.”
“Why aren’t you asking him? Aren’t you curious?”
“There must be a reason why he changed the topic.”
“Then did you ask why he changed the topic?”
“…”
Yeorum squinted her eyes.
This won’t do.
Even though Bom looked okay, she was definitely just pretending to be fine. Her smile with a few screws loose was the proof.
After coming to that judgement, Yeorum immediately stood up and approached her. Bom looked surprised but Yeorum sat on top of her lap without a care.
“Bom-unni. Let’s be honest.”
“You’re a bit heavy. How about you move aside?”
“Shut up. Let’s become frank enough to show our innards, yeah?”
“What are you trying to ask now?”
“You know in the Providence of the future you saw, the black-hair was being embraced right?”
“Yes, and?”
“What exactly was the situation? I don’t really get it, but it should have been like an image right? Like a photo or a video.”
“Yeah…?”
“‘Yeah’ my ass. You fuck, stop cutting your words short and say it. Tell me!”
“Hmm…”
Bom was about to turn to the side and slur her words so Yeorum tightly held onto her cheeks and pressured her with a low voice. ‘Say it.’
“It’s nothing. It just…”
“Just?”
“Was in a human form. An adult.”
“And?”
“I saw her back. It was white.”
“And?”
“…”
“…?”
“…They were, naked.”
Yeorum’s eyes widened into circles.
Holy fucking shit.
“Who? The black-haired woman? Or Yu Jitae?”
“…”
That was when Bom’s eyes began to faintly quiver.
Even though Yeorum knew that this was the starting point of her emotional outburst, she had to hear it. And the following words struck her at the back of her head.
“Both of them…”
Yeorum slowly stood up from her lap and took several steps back. She then took out a cigarette. Even though Bom usually reprimanded her for smoking inside the house, this time she didn’t say anything as the ember scorched the cigarette and smoke left Yeorum’s mouth.
This is crazy.
That’s what Yeorum thought.
No matter how she possibly thought about it, even if she was to stand upside down and think, that most definitely would have been a sexual relationship.
“But actually, there’s nothing to really worry about right?”
It was then – Bom suddenly gave a smile. Her eyes were still twitching and the corners of her lips were raised onto different heights.
“M, maybe, it was just, a dream?”
“Huh?”
“Or maybe like, I go out with ahjussi in 5 years, and I dye my hair black in 10 years and get embraced. Maybe that’s the future I saw with Providence. Right?”
“Dude, like, what kind of… has that ever happened to you before?”
“No? It hasn’t…? But it m, might happen in the future…? It was all a dream. Yes. Yes, it was all a dream, and I’m just being paranoid by myself for no reason.”
“What kind of… but there’s a black-haired dragon now isn’t there?”
“S, surely it’s a male right? There’s no way it’s a female. Maybe it’s a male that’s already married… with kids. 50 sons at that! Right…! The black race only gives birth once in their lifetime, right? But? They’re known to give birth to a lot of kids right…!?”
Her entire body began to tremble as she began to hyperventilate.
“You freaking madman! Calm down first. Okay?! You never believe in things without seeing with your own eyes so what’s wrong with you now?”
“AHHHHH–!”
Bom suddenly shot out of her seat and grabbed two handfuls of her hair.
“Why is this happening to me!?”
“Calm down! Calm your…!!”
“Yeorum. Tell me. What am I lacking…? Hnn? What do I not have? Are obsessive women not attractive? But I’m not being too clingy. I’m restraining myself a lot so ahjussi doesn’t feel uncomfortable! Should I really just step up and make him only face me? Without thinking about you guys at all? And be selfish?! I think I can do that! I have the confidence to do that better than anyone else!! But…!”
“Oi, oi! Yu Bom!!”
“I, I can’t live like this anymore…!”
She suddenly opened the window and crawled onto it.
“Oi, oi! What do you think you’re doing, you madman!!”
But was stopped by Yeorum.
“Let go…!”
“You let go!”
Bom clenched her teeth and tried to escape but could not beat Yeorum in strength. She even resorted to trying to use [Teleport (S)] to escape but it was interrupted by Yeorum and she was thrown back onto the floor.
“Calm down, you crazy bitch! Nothing will get resolved even if you get agitated like this! Weren’t you the one that always told me to be composed…!?”
Even though she was thrown on the floor, Bom seemingly did not care about it. With quivering eyes, she morbidly repeated murmuring to herself.
“I’ll be thrown away…! After I give ahjussi both my body and heart…”
“Oi. You’re really going to die at this rate…! Try cutting your feelings for him off at least!
“How can I when I like him so much it’s driving me crazy… I can’t. It’ll be faster for me to die…”
“Then what are you going to do? Providence is unchanging, no!? It’s been destined already!”
“That’s why it must be a dream…! R, right…! Actually, can you guys just give me five years of time? Nn…?”
“W, what?”
“I will kidnap ahjussi and run away to a different place…! Take him to a place no-one can come to. R, right. Like a deserted island…! I can feed him food, give him everything he needs, get married and lock him up in a place only I can see… I’ll be too anxious to give birth but if I can have ahjussi only for myself…? T, that won’t be a problem right…? Hehe.”
Yeorum was lost for words. Bom looked completely insane – that clever and foxy girl had pretty much let go of her sanity and smiled and shivered like a fool.
However, Yeorum realised that Bom’s madness was aligned to self-rationalisation. It meant that the direction and target of her madness really could point towards a bad direction.
“I’m a trash…
“An unappealing trash…
“A trash that will be discarded when I give my body…”
Bom then began driving her head into the floor. Kung, kung, kung. The sound was proof of the force behind her headbutt.
Like, what the fuck is wrong with her? Yeorum thought to herself. She knew from 2 years ago that a black-haired woman would be coming out right? Then what the hell was the issue…
It was then.
Upon suddenly realising something, Yeorum turned her gaze to her waist.
“…!”
She could see the onion core attached to the Level 2 long sword artifact.
Yeorum realised the problem.
Bom liked Yu Jitae and wanted to become closer to Yu Jitae, both the heart and the body. However, she could not do so because of the Providence and had managed to endure it with difficulty despite feeling constantly anxious for 2 years.
It was similar to withstanding the pain inside a burning house.
However, things changed with the 6 consecutive successes of the onion core. Bom mentioned that she always separated with someone precious as a reaction when she became lucky and that precious target was now Yu Jitae.
In other words, the onion core had added oil to the fire.
And that was why the house had now exploded.
“I’m trash…!”
“…”
At that moment, Yeorum realised something.
Ignoring whether that black dragon was a male or female, ignoring the fact that it would be on the bed with Yu Jitae and whatnot, the reason behind Bom’s currently unstable psyche was none other than the onion core.
If the problem was that she had been too lucky, wouldn’t the problem be solved if that fortune was to be broken?
“Bom-unni. Look at me…”
Bom was still doing a headbutt against the floor. Yeorum called her with a calm voice.
“I am not Bom-unni… Can you please call me unappealing trash from now on…?”
“Fuck, stop with this bullshit and raise your head up, you lunatic.”
“…”
“Hurry up and lift your head! Do you really wanna get bashed up?!”
When Bom lifted her vacant gaze with a drooling mouth, Yeorum took the core out with trembling hands and handed it over to her.
“This.”
“Nn…?”
“Let’s crack the seal one more time.”