#Chapter 81

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Chapter 81: Roaring Upheaval

[everysabaku]

[every-ciel-phantomhive]

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[everyryuujisuguro]

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Epic

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[donnovien]

Kim Soleum when the Nostalgia Candy kicks in

[kstormcursed]

OF COURSE ITS FUCKING HOID AGAIN

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[alpha-trauma-novel-trans]

Chapter 81 Sudden Rain Showers

If someone asked Wooyeon if he had any memories of being abandoned, he could answer firmly with a no. From the time he was very young until now, he had always been on the side of choosing, not being chosen. There may be people who were anxious to look good to him, but he had never tried to please others.

Yesterday was the first time he felt abandoned. Abandoned by his mother, who had been with him his entire life, abandoned by his Seonsaeng-nim, who he relied on for support, and abandoned by the world he had struggled to endure. Wooyeon had only been curious about who Kim Dohyun was.

“...So.”

Dohyun went on for a very long time. How he grew up, where he met Suhyang, and when he started living with his parents. It was complicated, and the circumstances were many, but his voice was calm as he spoke. 

“I couldn't tell you.”

The voice that came quietly landed on Wooyeon's lap. An expression he had never seen before revealed raw anxiety. 

Even his clenched fists showed how tense he was.

Wooyeon slowly turned his head and looked at the scenery outside the window. The cherry blossoms had fallen, and only the green leaves hinted at the coming summer. The rainy season would be here soon, and with it, the end of this semester. 

“I'm sorry.”

The Seonsaeng-nim Wooyeon remembered was always a leisurely meticulous person. He was always attentive to his feelings, and whenever he felt down, he would offer words of comfort. The words spoken in a gentle and kind voice always lingered deeply in Wooyeon's heart, no matter what the form.

“I'm sorry, Yeon-ah.”

That's why Wooyeon was always curious about Dohyun. Who he was, what kind of life he lived, what he thought, and what he felt.

"I didn't want to be abandoned by you."

Dohyun was telling him that he's scared. He begged Wooyeon not to abandon him, apologizing and saying it was all his fault. He was being so vulnerable that Wooyeon wanted to hug him, he'd made him feel sympathetic even when he was angry with him. 

“...I.”

Wooyeon quietly shut his mouth once more. There was no proper way to end the long story. Dohyun's words jumbled together in his cluttered mind. 

“I...”

A gentle breeze blew in through the slightly open window. The slightly humid air was the complete opposite of the dry pheromones Dohyun emitted. Wooyeon lowered his eyes slowly, shifting his gaze to the floor.

“...I understand.”

Those were the words that came out. Just the simple words of logically understanding Dohyun's predicament with his head. 

And slow but clear words of empathy towards him.

“Even if I was Seonsaeng-nim ... I wouldn't have been able to tell you. I wouldn't have been able to tell you this.”

Wooyeon raised his head as he spoke. His hat was pressed down low. He could see Dohyun with his mouth tightly shut. It wasn't his usual smiling face, nor was it his leisurely waiting appearance. Wooyeon's words trailed off.

“I get it, I get it in my head, but...”

Dohyun's words were bitter to hear, even for someone who knew nothing about him. He couldn't imagine how lonely he must've been at such a young age. While Wooyeon felt uncomfortable in his shrinking world, Dohyun had not even the smallest control to restrain him. 

"But I can't say it's okay."

But even when no one is at fault, someone was still hurt. He knew Dohyun had no choice, but there was still something that hurt his feelings. He still could've told him, still he could've shown him, still, still... The constant 'still' prevented understanding from turning into forgiveness.

“It's only been one day.”

Yesterday, after leaving Dohyun, Wooyeon cried his heart out. He cried while riding in Yoon’s car, and cried while passing by the high walls. In the house he hadn't been in for four years, he poured out all his sorrow in the tears that flowed just like four years ago.

In the house he hadn't been in four years, he threw up all his tears, just as he had only four years before.

“How can I be okay in one day?”

Time had not yet taken its prescribed effect, and it was difficult to say that it was okay. His head hadn't beaten his heart, and Wooyeon was still hurt by him. The sense of betrayal he hadn't yet erased stood in the way of his ability to forget.

“I can't, Seonsaeng-nim.”

“...Do you think it’ll be okay if more time passes?”

Dohyun blankly stared at Wooyeon. The question seemed hopeful at first, but there was nothing but resignation in his jet-black eyes. Wooyeon noticed and answered in a very small voice.

“No.”

“....”

“I'm sorry.”

The breathy tone brought silence between them. Dohyun said nothing, and Wooyeon pulled his hat down and stood up.

He was just about to grab his bag when he heard a gentle voice say. 

“I didn't mean to ask you to forgive me.”

Dohyun bowed his head and covered his eyes with his large hands. He could see the back of his hand, where the tendons were protruding under his straight fingers. Dohyun sighed a few times, then spoke softly. 

“I know that nothing I say will change your mind, and me holding on unilaterally won't keep us from breaking up.”

The tone was calm, but the emotions behind it were not. Dohyun's emotions were too visible today, Wooyeon thought. There was always some distance between them, but now it was as if he'd pulled back the curtain and was peering inside.

“I know what it's like to understand in your head, but not in your heart... I know what that's like. I figured it would be like that.”

After saying that, Dohyun took a deep breath. 

The breaths he let out a few more times were transmitted to Wooyeon along with his dry pheromones. With his head down, Dohyun whispered, almost inaudibly.

"That's fine, but what can I do?"

“....”

Time seemed to stand still. Every moment revolved around Dohyun's words. Only Dohyun's earnest voice echoed through the quiet room.

"I thought about it a lot."

“....”

“Maybe it's better if you just break up with me like this. I'm the one who messed up, so I don't deserve to be clinging to you like this.”

“....”

“Actually, I planned to be honest with you and give up if you said no. It would be selfish to keep holding on, so I was going to do whatever you said."

Wooyeon couldn't see his expression because his face was covered. He couldn't see if he was contorting his face, frowning, or even biting his lip.

“But I can't give up.”

“....”

"I don't think it will work."

Dohyun raised his eyes and slowly looked at Wooyeon. Although his eyes were red, there were no tears at the corners of his eyes. The gentle, kind eyes slowly began to distort. 

“Don't go, Wooyeon-ah.”

Wooyeon didn't stop him from reaching out. The hand clutching the bag caught his, and he didn't even try to pull it away.

Dohyun gently placed his forehead against the hand he held with both hands.

“I can't let you go like this.”

He could feel his body heat. A warmth that was just a little hot was transmitted through where they touched. The pheromones that had settled down gloomily were also overflowing.

“Please don't go...”

Had he ever heard such a heartbreaking plea before? Wooyeon looked down at Dohyun's head and bit his lower lip. A corner of his heart felt numb, as if he was going to vomit without eating anything.

It had only been a day. The feeling of betrayal he felt for hadn't gone away, nor had his affection for Dohyun left. If his heart had cooled down in just a day, he wouldn't have felt so miserable.

“...I like you, Seonsaeng-nim.”

The quiet words made Dohyun look up. But as perceptive as he was, his eyes were filled with anxiety. Wooyeon slowly withdrew his hand and turned his head to the side.

"But there are some things you can't do even if you like them."

Wooyeon no longer had the courage to like Dohyun, to show him everything, to pour out his feelings, to love him. He'd poured out so much affection until now that his once full heart was empty.

"This was wrong from the start."

With those words, Wooyeon picked up his bag again. If he left the club room without Dohyun like this, this time it would be the end for good. When the door closed, his heart would also close, and the space he locked like that would never open again.

Just a senior and junior. If it was like that, he might be able to hang out with Dohyun. Like he did with Daniel, he could draw a line and reminisce about the good memories he had once had. Of course, that too was just a time-limited relationship.

Dohyun didn't say anything until Wooyeon stood in front of the club room door. With his hand on the doorknob, Wooyeon felt a sense of déjà vu that their relationship would end just like yesterday. But just before he opened the door, he heard a voice from behind him. 

"...Then let's start over again."

The voice from behind had a certain resolve to it. The hand that was opening the door reflexively stopped.

“Not as a Seonsaeng-nim, or a Sunbae, but just as a Hyung. Like that we can start over from the beginning.”

"What are you talking about?"

Wooyeon turned his head to stare at Dohyun, unable to believe what he was saying. Unperturbed by Wooyeon's incredulous expression, Dohyun continued in a serious voice. 

"I'll confess my love to you every day."

For a moment, he didn't understand what he was saying. Why on earth would he confess to him every day? As if reading his mind, Dohyun calmly explained further.

"I won't ask you to like me, I won't ask you to date me, I'll just confess to you."

“....”

"You can just ignore me, or curse at me sometimes, or even kick me."

The words were shameless. No, it sounded stupid. He had heard what Wooyeon said before, so what on Earth did he think would change by doing that?

“...That's pointless.”

“We'll only know if it's pointless or not if we try.”

Dohyun didn't move closer to Wooyeon, just stared at him, and then he spoke again, this time in a very serious voice. 

“I like you.”

“....”

The day they decided to date, Dohyun had promised to tell him that until he believed him. It was something he hadn't properly heard since then.

As Wooyeon bit his lip, he heard the same words again. 

“I like you, Wooyeon-ah.”

Wooyeon didn't hesitate any longer and opened the door to the club room. Dohyun didn't stop him, but instead spoke in a determined voice.

“See you tomorrow.”

Naturally, Wooyeon didn't answer. 

But even as he closed the door behind him, he could hear Dohyun’s voice saying that he liked him. For some reason, he had a feeling that their relationship was about to subtly change.

next chapter

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Chapter 81: Roaring Upheaval

[everysabaku]

[every-ciel-phantomhive]

[chuckeroo777]

Dungeon Meshi Volume 12 Part 2

Things keep getting hairier! And slimier. Let's see what happens next!

Gold star for effort guys.

But, a paratenic host is one in which the parasite doesn't actually do anything. But in this analogy, it's the only one you actually parasitised.

Tags: Feral Pred, Willing to Unwilling prey, Full Tour, Non-Fatal

Well well well, if it isn't the consequences of my actions.

Also, did the Lion already eat her hair desires, or is she just too flustered currently to bother?

See? Chilchuck said Dwarves live 2.5 times longer than Tall-men. If their average is 200, that makes Tall-men's 80. Kinda makes the Half-foot thing kinda pointless if it's only a 17% difference from Tall-men.

Uh, okay? Why? In the demon backstory chapter, it's suggested that wishes caused the changes in lifespan, but how did they do that without enveloping the world like Marcille wants to do? I

According to the adventurer's bible, Tall-men can produce fertile offspring with Ogres or Half-foots. Do these hybrids have longer lifespans? Wait, she specifies long-lived, so I guess not?

Izutsumi knows bullshit when she hears it. Seriously though, the lion continues to spit smoke. We know exactly what the lion will do once it escapes. It's not using half truths, it's just straight up lying that it wants to help Marcille with her goal.

An important image.

Yes Izutsumi. That's generally how it works. You'd know if you actually knew your parents.

The plot thickens.

Ooh, is Chilchuck making lasagna?

Laios gets real handsy when the monster is passive. Actually, since doppelgangers rely mainly on chromatic illusions, shouldn't it feel off? Maybe they supplement it with actual illusion magic.

If I remember correctly, she really liked the dryad pottage. She even has Dryads as a major portion of the army she's raising. I also spotted some elephants in the wide shot. Do those ever show up later?

A precious image.

Geez Marcille, at least stir in some butter and garlic salt.

Also, rare footage of Marcille not wearing that stupid choker.

Marcille. This is a sad scene. Stop making me laugh during your trauma.

There is something deeply funny about Izutsumi being the most worldly of these idiots. I mean, it makes sense. Senshi spent most of his life on the island, Laios is young and doesn't pay attention, and Chilchuck has always lived in urban areas. Meanwhile, Izutsumi has been shunted from owner to owner her whole life.

When you roll an abject failure, but the DM wants to move things along anyway.

Wouldn't you be hungry if this was the first non-monster food you had eaten in weeks?

I love the silly shit this manga pulls sometimes. Everyone literally just refers to it as "the island".

Agreed, it's very silly. But more importantly, what kind of magic nonsense allows a three-way meeting between a fairy, a crystal ball, and a telephone?

Actually, the dungeon is acting more like a slime right now, attempting to flip its digestive system to envelop external prey.

Lots of short chapters this volume, but the density is high! We might end up with four posts on this one! See you in a bit!

[everyryuujisuguro]