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Chapter 30
Thick arms wrapped around Morae’s back. Suho, who had grabbed her in an instant, buried his nose into her slender neck.
A delicious scent. This was something to consume.
He opened his mouth wide, about to bite her neck—but suddenly hesitated.
“……”
He had known something had entered him ever since he had captured his prey. It had seemed too insignificant, so he had simply ignored it.
But that trivial force was now coursing through his veins, spreading across his entire body.
He thought he could push it away at any time—but his body refused to obey.
Before he realized it, the force had seeped into his heart. Harsh breaths burst from the man’s red lips.
“Ah….”
The pain that had never left him since birth was fading. It vanished quickly, like waves sweeping away sand.
Suho closed his eyes.
The pain was transforming into a rapturous sensation. The change was so vivid it sent shivers down his spine.
The man’s broad shoulders swelled abnormally. Soon, even the chains restraining his other arm shattered into nothingness.
His now-free arms gripped Morae’s back tightly.
The deeper the contact, the faster the pain disappeared. Sensations resembling pleasure repeatedly struck her core.
“Ah… good.”
A low laugh escaped Suho’s mouth. He tightened his embrace, pressing her closer to his body.
It wasn’t enough—he pressed his cheek against her fragile shoulder, but at some point, it felt as though her strength had been cut away with scissors.
“Do more, Morae. Just a little more, okay?”
But Morae, already unconscious, couldn’t respond.
When she opened her eyes, she saw a cream-colored ceiling. She blinked, clenching her fists tightly.
Her senses felt normal again.
“Phew… thank goodness.”
When she had tamed Suho, what had happened in the dungeon began again. She had become completely merged with her target.
As if possessed, her vision and all her senses had become Suho’s. Then, alongside extreme pain, a sense of déjà vu washed over her.
She had experienced this kind of pain before. At the same time, memories that had been erased resurfaced.
“It wasn’t a car accident.”
The incident on the way home with Songyi hadn’t been a simple accident—it had happened when they collided with Suho, who was in a Code Red state.
The memories of desperately trying to tame him until the specialized agents arrived flashed before her like a moving lantern.
“That was the first time I became one with a tamed target.”
Her senses had become razor-sharp. The pain was so intense it made her nauseous. All of it belonged to Suho.
She couldn’t believe it. How had he endured such pain and survived?
Morae fixed her gaze on the ceiling and spoke.
“Where is this?”
Shin Jiyul, sitting quietly beside the bed, answered calmly.
“This is the Research Building recovery room.”
No wonder it felt more like a cozy lounge than a hospital room. It was a place where Awakened were given sedatives to rest.
“You said I’m the only one who can tame Suho Hunter, right?”
“Yes.”
“Explain it. What exactly does that mean?”
Turning her head, she met Shin Jiyul’s steady gaze.
The sound of cicadas drifted in through the window. His tightly pressed lips finally opened after a long moment.
“There are three tamer registrations in our country.”
“That’s fewer than I expected…”
“Yes, and among them, only you—Kang Morae—have succeeded in taming Suho Hunter.”
“How is that possible? Just because I can do it, doesn’t mean other tamers can’t, right?”
“Even Awakened of the same type have different skills. You can think of it that way—like how Morae has an offensive class but can’t attack.”
“So, to tame Suho Hunter, I need to find a tamer with similar power to mine?”
“Probably. The chances are slim, though.”
Until they find that rare tamer, Suho will continue to risk going berserk.
She had wanted to avoid this—but it seemed fate had dictated otherwise. If she had known, she would have accepted it from the start.
Then she could have eased Suho Hunter’s pain sooner.
But she couldn’t do it forever. Her own mental state was fragile, and from Suho’s perspective, it was better to have a high-ranking tamer assisting him.
Morae sat up, leaning against the head of the bed.
Her body didn’t ache, but her jaw throbbed—she had been clenching her teeth to endure the pain while taming Suho.
“Is Suho Hunter… in a dangerous situation?”
“Yes.”
The matter-of-fact answer made it hit home. Morae removed the pulse monitor from her index finger.
“Promise me two things.”
Shin Jiyul’s eyes widened.
“You’re going to tame Suho Hunter?”
“Why are you surprised? You must have expected I’d have no choice but to accept it.”
Her words were true. Shin Jiyul, caught off guard, fell silent. Morae continued.
“First, I’m temporary. Find another tamer within three months.”
“We’re already expanding our search internationally. Three months should be enough.”
“Second, keep it secret that I’m Suho Hunter’s tamer. I hate journalists, and I especially don’t want attention. I want to remain a regular employee at the kindergarten quietly.”
“That’s actually what we prefer as well. The fact that a tamer can reduce the berserk rate will remain secret for now. Once the details are finalized, we’ll inform you separately.”
Alright. That was enough. It was something she had to do anyway, and three months of secrecy should be manageable—there were medications, after all.
Morae already felt her anxiety easing.
“How long have I been lying here?”
“One day.”
Just from one taming session, a whole day had vanished.
She checked the clock—it was 8 a.m.—and assessed her condition.
She could shower in the staff bathroom, but her clothes were an issue. Would it be weird if she came to work wearing yesterday’s outfit?
“Can I go now? It’ll be work time soon.”
“Kang Morae Hunter is officially on a day off. Your bag is ready, so go home and rest properly.”
“That might be difficult. If even one person is missing, the remaining team will struggle.”
Shin Jiyul’s gaze became subtle.
“You’re worried about others even after passing out from taming?”
“Isn’t that natural? It’s my personal matter.”
“The support staff dispatched yesterday will work today as well. Don’t worry.”
“Then… thank you.”
Yes, after stabilizing Suho through extreme pain, taking a day off as compensation seemed reasonable.
“From now on, Kang Morae Hunter will be managed at the same level as Suho Hunter. I will be in charge of your health.”
“Ah, no, that’s not necessary.”
“It is necessary. The Director ordered us to do everything possible for Kang Morae Hunter’s convenience.”
His tone was firm, allowing no objections.
Morae nodded under the pressure. Shin Jiyul picked up a tablet from the table.
“When Kang Morae Hunter lost consciousness, we conducted a detailed examination. We detected sedatives in your system.”
“……”
“Do you experience anxiety?”
He already knew the answer. Morae replied weakly.
“I had panic disorder from PTSD as a child. Crowds make me anxious, and in severe cases, I could have seizures… but now it’s almost gone. I was prescribed anti-anxiety medication just in case.”
“So that’s why you dislike attention.”
“Yes…”
Shin Jiyul’s gaze grew serious.
Suho was like poison to her. Being around him would attract attention no matter what.
If he truly cared for her, he would advise keeping Suho at a distance.
But Shin Jiyul couldn’t do that.
“We’ll protect you as much as possible from external exposure.”
“Thank you.”
Seeing Morae smile relieved, he felt a twinge of conscience and averted his gaze as he stood.
“Shall we go? I’ll take you home.”
“Do you normally escort other staff home?”
“No. If it’s inconvenient, someone else can—”
“I said I don’t want unnecessary attention. I want to remain a normal employee, Team Leader.”
At that moment, the hospital room door opened without knocking.
“I’ll handle it.”
It was Suho Hunter.
