“Oi. Brother. Listen!”
“Jose, you’re gonna create more trouble for yourself again.”
The acquaintances rushed in trying to stop the drunkard.
“Let go, you fuckers!” shouted the man.
Yu Jitae faintly remembered going through such things in the past.
Despite the shift in the era, some extreme nationalists in the USA still discriminated against Asians. Even aside from that, because of various other reasons like the social atmosphere after the Great War which tended to see superhumans as murderers and his gloomy countenance… People picked a fight with Yu Jitae quite often regardless of the reason.
He was young and full of pride so he would immediately throw a fist when he felt looked down on.
But now?
Tiny ants screaming ‘Dirty capitalists–’ and the likes in fury did not make him think much.
It did, however, bring his mind back to the past.
What did Vintage Clock say back then?
<The Authority, [Vintage Clock (EX)] states you must avoid unnecessary fights!>
“Let’s just go…”
Bom said, while pulling Yu Jitae by his arm. She looked quite uncomfortable.
“Why should we just leave, when they’re picking a fight.”
“There are weird people everywhere, and there is no need to get involved with them…”
“But they are ruining the vacation.”
“…I don’t feel that good either but, …what are you going to do?”
“Hit him once and he’ll be quiet.”
“Hmm…”
After some thought, she once again pulled him by his arm, while saying, ‘I don’t know. Let’s just go…’
He was about to turn around when a loud yell suddenly echoed from behind.
“Stay right there you randoms!” the man bellowed while throwing leftover corn at Bom.
“Aht,” Bom twisted her body in a hurry to dodge it, but this slightly annoyed Yu Jitae for the first time because the ant was now trying to bite Bom.
It seemed that Bom was thinking the same thing, judging from how her eyebrows were forming a frown.
“Do you still want to just leave?”
“…”
Hostility appeared in her eyes.
They had yielded once and yet the opponent was crossing the line – what did Vintage Clock say in times like this?
<The Authority, [Vintage Clock (EX)] wants you to hit them once!>
“Oi! Where do you think you’re going you dark-ass bastard! Don’t you hear me talking to you?”
“What should we do.” Ignoring him, Yu Jitae asked Bom.
“What was that, you fucker? Answer me! Dude, let go!”
“Jose! You idiot!”
“The madam’s looking displeased!”
“And what?!”
“Talk it out…” Bom replied.
“What are those arrogant pigs blabberin…”
“They’re like that. Words won’t go through.”
Bom handed him a cheap glass bottle. This indeed would be a good way to talk it out.
Yu Jitae grabbed the glass bottle with his hand as the thug raised a gun from his back pocket. The next instant, Yu Jitae crushed the glass bottle with his bare hand.
Crack! Crack– Crakkkk—
The glass shattered and crumbled like grains of sand as the one holding the gun froze stiff. A human that can crush a glass bottle into powder with bare hands, would never be the same breed of humans as them.
“Hukk!”
“A s, superhuman–!”
“He’s a superhuman Jose! Hurry up; drive your head into the ground and say sorry!”
The people nearby shouted in shock but the thug was severely intoxicated.
“D, damn it… All of you, shut up!”
Bang–!
The man shot the gun at the ceiling. ‘Damn it!’, ‘He’s completely out of it!’ shouted the surrounding people in shock. Some of them tried to escape while Bom frowned from the noise and Yu Jitae stood up from his seat with a steel spoon in his hand.
He then walked towards the crowd. As the people made way in surprise, he silently smacked the drunkard by his cheek with the spoon.
Slam!
The man with a rotated chin fainted straight away and fell on the floor as the nearby crowd then carefully approached him while throwing glances at Yu Jitae. Raising their hands, they murmured the likes of, ‘Hey brother, let us apologise in his stead’.
“Let’s go.”
The food didn’t even have the same taste as the one in the past.
What he had remembered was probably the time – the time when he was psychologically pushed to a limit due to hunger and poverty, which he could no longer feel now that he was full and rich. Those were the times when a low-quality meat worth 2 dollars could satisfy him.
On the way out of the restaurant, he realised Bom was smiling with a satisfied look on her face.
“Why.”
“That just felt refreshing. If someone doesn’t listen to me next time, I’ll use a spoon as well.”
She said while humming to herself.
This too gave Yu Jitae a sense of deja vu.
<The Authority, [Vintage Clock (EX)] is pleased by the flying side kick!>
<[Vintage Clock (EX)]: (ง’▽’)ว~ (ว’▽’)ง~ !>
<[Vintage Clock (EX)]: ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ~ ٩( ᐛ )و~!>
They seemed quite similar.
Well, it was in fact a situation that would have pleased anyone. If it was Yeorum, she might have instead taken a step forward to give a flick to his forehead.
Thinking along the lines of that made him think about Vintage Clock. He had asked Oscar Brzenk to look into its traces, but had yet to receive any word from him.
Where did the Vintage Clock go?
His line of thought met a quick end.
“I want to drive on the way back.”
“What?”
“Because this is your vacation, oppa. I will be like your driver.”
“Do you have a licence?”
“I got one already, in preparation for times like this.”
“A motorbike is a little different though.”
“I remember how you drove.”
Bom confidently sat on the driver’s seat.
“Will that be enough?”
“Oppa. I’m Bom, you know that.”
It was therefore decided that Bom would be driving the motorbike on the way back with Yu Jitae sitting behind her.
Vrunng–
She pressed hard with her tiny feet as the bike travelled forward with the rotating sound of the motor.
It was his first time sitting in the rear seat with someone driving the motorbike. Thanks to that, he was able to feel the refreshing breeze with leisure and appreciate the scenery.
The desolate world was a fairly good sight to behold.
His peaceful time… Kung!
That was when Yu Jitae shook up and down.
“Sorry. Were you surprised?”
“What was that.”
“There was a pebble.”
Driving after seeing it once was not an easy feat because one had to get the hang of it. That was why the motorbike continued wobbling throughout the way back.
The road wasn’t that good either. There were pebbles and dust being carried everywhere by the wind and the road maintenance in this countryside was rarely done.
Kung! It shook once again and Yu Jitae could no longer hold back his comments.
“Bom. You need to go on the paved side.”
“Yes. That’s what I’m doing right now.”
A motorbike tended to constantly carry its instability after becoming unstable once. He grabbed her by the shoulders in order to not fall.
Kung–!
“Come on. Go to the paved side.”
“Yes.”
“More.”
“I know.”
“More. More to the left.”
Will they be able to go back to the hotel in one piece?
That was the sudden thought in his mind.
“More.”
“What?”
“Go more.”
“How is that possible? That would be a different lane.”
“Do you see any cars here? Just cross to the other lane.”
“But that would cost marks in a test.”
“Stop saying nonsense and just cross.”
“Hmm…”
Kung–
“Hurry up.”
Bom turned her head and stared at him. He couldn’t see her face because of the helmet, but there would most likely be the usual pout which he had seen quite often.
“…I am trying already,” she murmured.
“And here my butt is being crushed.”
“It’s not.”
“What do you mean ‘it’s not’.”
“Your butt’s resilient.”
“Most of my abilities are off right now.”
“Why?”
“Because that way, you can feel the speed better.”
Kung!!
“Kyaa–!”
“Open your eyes properly!”
“Wait, oppa. I can’t focus on the road because you’re talking to—”
“Look straight. Do you not know how to go straight?”
“I’m doing that already.”
“Wait, Bom. There’s another unpaved road at the front. What are you going to do.”
“Huh, uhh…?”
Kung! Kugugung! Dududuk!
This time, he really was about to bounce off so he locked his legs around the vehicle and tightly grabbed onto her shoulders with his hands. It was a great fortune that the vehicle did not flip.
Due to the uneasiness that he might fall, Yu Jitae grabbed her waist.
Suddenly, the bike wavered and Bom trembled. Her shoulders turned tense and rose up.
What’s wrong this time. Is it another unpaved road?
It wasn’t.
She continued driving while Yu Jitae continued commenting from behind. Strangely enough, her driving turned increasingly unstable.
“Bom. Do you have some sort of problem.”
“…Sorry?”
“What is wrong with you all of a sudden.”
“What do you mean?”
“Or is there something you’re unhappy about? Like the time you were cooking?”
“There’s nothing.”
“But look. How come you can’t avoid it even when I tell you beforehand?”
“Okay, okay. I get it.”
“What do you mean you get it. Then why are you driving like this? Look ahead. There’s a speed bump in front. What are you gonna do now.”
“Ah, oppa. Please.”
“What.”
“Don’t talk to me when I’m driving.”
He was dumbfounded.
“Oi. How can I not talk when you’re driving like…”
“Ahhh. Nnnnnnn—”
Bom let out a whine to stop him from nagging. She was needlessly stubborn at times.
He could see the back of her neck tainted in red. It seemed that she was embarrassed by her constant mistakes.
It was an uncomfortable journey all the way to the supermarket, where they stopped by to buy some snacks. Hearing Bom carefreely saying, “So that’s why there are so many accidents,” Yu Jitae thought to himself that he should drive the remaining distance.
“What did you buy.”
“Chocolate.”
She replied with her hand carrying some chocolate.
Now that he thought about it, all the dragons liked chocolate. Let alone Kaeul and Gyeoul who obviously loved it, Yeorum tended to have chocolate whenever she was nervous and Bom also frequently looked for chocolate.
Perhaps it was because they were young.
“By the way, oppa.”
“Yes.”
“I think I found a new hobby. I wasn’t expecting it to be so fun…”
What?
“You know, driving a motorbike.”
Oh dear.
*
Writing, drawing and sculpting.
He thought those were the only things she was bad at, but there was another addition to the list.
Bom was bad at driving.
“Ahaha!”
It was no longer a question about how thrilling it was – he had to reactivate his blessings and abilities to protect his body because otherwise he might get greatly injured. Getting off the motorbike, Bom turned to Yu Jitae and giggled.
That wasn’t the end of the problem. When he anxiously looked around, he realised they were at a place they had never seen before.
The two of them were lost by the time they realised it.
“Is it funny?”
“Kyaa– Ahahahahahh–!”
Bom bursted out into laughter with her hands on her stomach.
It was bizarre how she could lose her way on the road by just driving straight.
“Bom. Your driving skill is truly one hell of a mess.”
“Bee-beep– It is normal…!”
“Is it normal to be lost on a vacation?”
“Ah, right. Yes, sorry. Should we go back now?”
“I don’t know. But first off, no more motorbike.”
“Actually, we can’t even go back with the motorbike.”
“Why.”
“It’s broken.”
She giggled while slightly biting her tongue, so he pressed on his temples to relieve his headache. Seeing that, Bom started laughing yet again.
That was how they spent their time.
In a barren wasteland where spotting a single tree was a miracle,
Behind Bom who was laughing all by herself was the setting sun.
***
Of course, returning wasn’t an issue thanks to teleport.
After that, Yu Jitae went around eating food with Bom for the next two days.
Time went by extremely fast, and it was already the last night of the vacation by the time they came to themselves.
Bom always bought chocolate whenever they occasionally visited a supermarket. Once on the first day, another around noon the second day, and another one on the third night.
He asked a question out of curiosity.
“Since when did you like that so much.”
“You mean chocolate? I always eat it quite often.”
“Is it that delicious?”
“Oh right. You don’t eat sweets very often do you, oppa? Have a try.”
Raising her hand, she handed him a block of chocolate. He received it with his hand as the rectangular piece of chocolate reeked with a sweet scent.
It was nothing much – it tasted just like a chocolate would.
“Something that came up in our conversation was how chocolate is like a panacea to us. It’s strange but it relieves our tension and brightens up our mood when we’re feeling down. Of course, it’s also very tasty.”
Is that so, he thought. Looking back, Yeorum had indeed eaten some chocolate before raiding an important dungeon or before a test. Plus, Kaeul had chocolate before her presentation and had also demanded something sweet in the distant past before killing herself.
He tried another small piece of chocolate by putting it into his mouth, but it did not have any real effects on him.
Night time.
Around the time for the dusk to settle.
Bom could not fall asleep with ease, perhaps because it was the last night.
These past several days had been a vacation for him but he still could not sleep for a single moment. He simply watched over Bom who would quietly snore in her sleep.
Fortunately, Bom was no longer feeling as anxious. He could remember how Bom could not sleep at all at night when it was the three of them with Myu, and hoped this period of time had been a pleasant one for her.
“You have trouble falling asleep?”
“Yes.”
“But you need to.”
“Are you not sleeping, oppa?”
“I just don’t usually sleep.”
“When you were young and you couldn’t go to sleep, what did you do?” She asked.
Yu Jitae groped through his memories.
He had another hobby aside from motorbikes. To be exact, it was the hobby of someone else, who out of the five senses he shared sight and hearing with – the Vintage Clock.
<The Authority, [Vintage Clock (EX)] states that it wishes to watch a movie!>
“I think, I probably watched a movie by myself.”
‘A movie…?’ Hearing that, Bom rustled on the bed and slowly raised her body. She then leaned on the large pillow of the hotel.
With her eyes staring at him, who was still sitting on the chair next to the bed, Bom licked her lower lips with her tongue in a way that resembled the movement of a feline tongue.
And asked with a significantly softer voice.
“……Shall we watch a movie together?”
She asked with a very cautious tone of voice.
He was curious because the beating sound of her heart was turning slightly more rapid. Therefore he asked, “What movie,” and in response, Bom glanced at the chocolate placed on the side table with a little more nervousness on her face.
Soon, she whispered very softly.
‘A lewd one.’